Isabella of that time was older than she is now, but less venomous. Her captivating features bore no trace of the wear and tear of hardship. Her smooth brow, pale skin, fine hair, and innocent expression were all part of her precious upbringing.
Isabella was truly crying. The man's low voice quietly comforted her.
“Wife. Don’t be too sad.”
The owner of the voice was... Prince Alfonso.
A prominent nose and deep-set, affectionate blue-gray eyes. Just as they are now.
But the strong jaw, thick neck, and muscular upper body of Prince Alfonso, who had developed after returning from the Battle of Yesak, were nowhere to be found.
Instead, he had slim muscles that were nicely attached to his broad, naturally built frame.
The gentleness in his soft voice remained, but it was a gentleness that radiated vulnerability. The center of gravity, resembling a mountain, was nowhere to be found.
That is Prince Alfonso of the past.
Prince Alfonso, who looked somewhat young and somewhat clumsy, opened his mouth.
“Even though we lost our child, wasn’t that child our... fruit?”
Even hearing it over and over again felt awkward. Ariadne, who had unintentionally been forced to observe a specific moment in the past from an observer's perspective, soon noticed that the word "love" was missing from Alfonso's choice of words.
And it wasn't just the choice of words that was missing 'love'.
'The distance... is far.'
Alfonso and Isabella now stood at a distance too great to be considered a married couple. Even considering that it was a political marriage between royals, this was a far cry. Their awkward relationship was evident even in their choice of positions in private settings.
Isabella, who had been standing far away from Alfonso and sobbing alone, finally opened her mouth.
“...Your Highness. The midwife said so.”
Her beautiful amethyst eyes were filled with genuine fear.
Ariadne had some doubts. Given her actions toward her niece, Giovanna, Isabella was clearly not the kind of woman to feel maternal pain over a legacy.
But Isabella's appearance now did not seem to be that of a false fabrication.
So why was Isabella of the past so truly sad?
“I... I... lost my first child... and I bled, I bled a lot.”
Having heard this, Ariadne realized where Isabella's real crying was coming from.
This is Isabella's first failure in life.
At the same time, Isabella continued to speak.
“I... I might never be able to have children again...”
And the fear of being useless was palpable. The fear of exclusion and exile that Isabella must have felt struck Ariadne as well.
A cursed seal that the de Mare family had placed on all their children, which she also shared.
A gathering of family members who can kick out any child who is not helpful to the family at any time, but are not family at all.
Young Isabella began to sob. Her tears were well-justified.
A Princess from a humble family, unable to bear children, was, from the royal family's perspective, something to be eliminated. The difference between a benevolent royal family and a ruthless one was simply the methodology used to get rid of her.
A considerate royal family would declare the marriage invalid and send the daughter-in-law back to her parents' home, citing the lack of a legitimate relationship between the son and daughter-in-law.
But doing so would have declared to the world that the royal successor was unfit. After the death of Queen Marguerite, the Charles dynasty, led solely by Leo III, was not a particularly affectionate royal family.
Isabella's most likely future was to be expelled, framed on a lesser charge, and imprisoned in a convent for eternity.
Isabella lowered her head, hunched her thin shoulders, and shivered.
"Wife."
Alfonso spoke. His voice was quiet and heavy, his own.
“Even if you don’t have another child.”
A day when rain pours down as if there were a hole in the sky.
“I will never make you hurt.”
Alfonso became a strong roof for the woman he did not love.
A faint curve formed at the corner of Ariadne's mouth.
It wasn't a mocking smile. On the contrary, it was a smile filled with a hint of pity and a hint of sadness.
'A promise I can't keep.'
In her previous life, Alfonso left the position of successor vacant and did not have the power to protect his wife.
If he wanted the throne, he should have changed his wife the moment it became clear that Isabella de Mare was childless.
'The risk Alfonso took for a woman he didn't even love.'
Ariadne knew this dream was a fragment of truth, a byproduct of the Golden Rule. The picture she now sees is a firm truth that once happened.
But strangely enough, she didn't feel jealous at all when she saw her man confessing that he would protect her nemesis forever.
'You... You are such a good person.'
She was simply amazed by the generosity of the man she loved.
Alfonso risked his life for Isabella, whom he did not even love.
In fact, strictly speaking, Alfonso's devotion in his previous life was an effort to fulfill his marriage vows made before the gods, not to a woman named Isabella.
He did it for Isabella, so he will do it for Ariadne.
Ariadne knew.
This time, with the addition of love, it became more intense and more fierce. So fierce and passionate that it destroyed itself to the point where nothing could be seen.
She believed without a shadow of a doubt that Alfonso would never let go of her hand, no matter what the cost. He would overcome all odds, whether it was noble or common.
So she couldn't be by his side.
'...Don't do that for someone like me.'
Ariadne thought of the knightly oath she had once recited.
It was an oath she whispered while locked in Her Majesty Queen Marguerite's closet, her teeth chattering as she listened to Her Majesty Leo III's screams, the sharp cracks of something breaking, and the dull, low hum that came every time the King struck the Queen.
"I swear on my soul that from this moment on, I will be loyal to my lord. I will protect him and honor him no matter what adversity comes my way, and I will place his safety before my own life."
Ariadne smiled weakly. If she were to keep that oath, she would have to break most of the latter part.
"I will live for the greater good, not for personal gain. I will always tell you the truth, keep my promises, never change, never leave, and always stay by your side."
At the time, she thought she couldn't keep her promise to tell her lord only the truth. Now she sees that she was about to break her oath to never leave and always stay by his side.
But it was all a violation of the first paragraph, that is, the essence of the oath.
'I will protect you against any adversity.'
Don't harm yourself to protect me.
I will never interfere with your bow.
This was the only repayment she could give for the first unrequited, unmerited love she had ever received in her life.
This was the only atonement she could offer on the grave of Her Majesty Queen Marguerite, who had held her insignificant hand.
Ariadne looked straight at the mountain tea and said.
“Bring me the reed grass.”
"Miss!"
Despite Sancha's rare resistance, Ariadne remained steadfast. The reason was clear.
“I’m not ready yet.”
“Ready for what?”
“Ready to be a mother.”
Ready to take full responsibility for one's life.
"But you are the spouse of my lord, sworn before the heavens! You cannot delay this forever!"
“Ready to live a public life.”
Prepare to live a life where you are tormented by the gaze of others twenty-four hours a day, as a Queen who is admired by everyone but also reviled.
“Ha, but Miss...!”
Compared to Ariadne, Sancha, who could not speak, knew something was wrong, but was unable to pinpoint it, so she just beat her chest.
The words came out like a flowing stream.
But the fear that was deepest in her heart, she couldn't bring herself to say.
The accusation that Rubina had accurately pointed out, and Ariadne had actually accepted in her heart.
“Countess de Mare. Isn’t Prince Alfonso enough of a man you’ve ruined?”
No. Rubina was wrong. She hasn't ruined it yet.
“Bring me the reed grass.”
If only there were no children.
Wouldn't it be possible to leave him with a light heart?
If only there were no children.
If she traces back to their very ancient ancestors, she might discover their common ancestor. Before they reach the paradise land hidden between the rivers and the first man and woman, something might emerge. Couldn't she have annulled their marriage and left, claiming they were unknowingly married relatives?
If only there were no children.
She may not be tied to Alfonso forever.
...Can I live without Alfonso?
Ariadne shook her head, struggling to shake off any further thoughts.
She could live, and she had to survive. She was someone who turned the impossible into the possible. Someone who, from a place left behind only ashes, was reborn as a bird of life, able to soar into the vast sky.
She's always done it, even after returning from the dead. So she'll do it this time too. Because it's something she can endure alone, not something she has to pay for, achieving it is actually easier. The process will be bitter, painful, and agonizing, but perseverance is her trademark.
She said firmly.
“Get it for me.”
Isabella was truly crying. The man's low voice quietly comforted her.
“Wife. Don’t be too sad.”
The owner of the voice was... Prince Alfonso.
A prominent nose and deep-set, affectionate blue-gray eyes. Just as they are now.
But the strong jaw, thick neck, and muscular upper body of Prince Alfonso, who had developed after returning from the Battle of Yesak, were nowhere to be found.
Instead, he had slim muscles that were nicely attached to his broad, naturally built frame.
The gentleness in his soft voice remained, but it was a gentleness that radiated vulnerability. The center of gravity, resembling a mountain, was nowhere to be found.
That is Prince Alfonso of the past.
Prince Alfonso, who looked somewhat young and somewhat clumsy, opened his mouth.
“Even though we lost our child, wasn’t that child our... fruit?”
Even hearing it over and over again felt awkward. Ariadne, who had unintentionally been forced to observe a specific moment in the past from an observer's perspective, soon noticed that the word "love" was missing from Alfonso's choice of words.
And it wasn't just the choice of words that was missing 'love'.
'The distance... is far.'
Alfonso and Isabella now stood at a distance too great to be considered a married couple. Even considering that it was a political marriage between royals, this was a far cry. Their awkward relationship was evident even in their choice of positions in private settings.
Isabella, who had been standing far away from Alfonso and sobbing alone, finally opened her mouth.
“...Your Highness. The midwife said so.”
Her beautiful amethyst eyes were filled with genuine fear.
Ariadne had some doubts. Given her actions toward her niece, Giovanna, Isabella was clearly not the kind of woman to feel maternal pain over a legacy.
But Isabella's appearance now did not seem to be that of a false fabrication.
So why was Isabella of the past so truly sad?
“I... I... lost my first child... and I bled, I bled a lot.”
Having heard this, Ariadne realized where Isabella's real crying was coming from.
This is Isabella's first failure in life.
At the same time, Isabella continued to speak.
“I... I might never be able to have children again...”
And the fear of being useless was palpable. The fear of exclusion and exile that Isabella must have felt struck Ariadne as well.
A cursed seal that the de Mare family had placed on all their children, which she also shared.
A gathering of family members who can kick out any child who is not helpful to the family at any time, but are not family at all.
Young Isabella began to sob. Her tears were well-justified.
A Princess from a humble family, unable to bear children, was, from the royal family's perspective, something to be eliminated. The difference between a benevolent royal family and a ruthless one was simply the methodology used to get rid of her.
A considerate royal family would declare the marriage invalid and send the daughter-in-law back to her parents' home, citing the lack of a legitimate relationship between the son and daughter-in-law.
But doing so would have declared to the world that the royal successor was unfit. After the death of Queen Marguerite, the Charles dynasty, led solely by Leo III, was not a particularly affectionate royal family.
Isabella's most likely future was to be expelled, framed on a lesser charge, and imprisoned in a convent for eternity.
Isabella lowered her head, hunched her thin shoulders, and shivered.
"Wife."
Alfonso spoke. His voice was quiet and heavy, his own.
“Even if you don’t have another child.”
A day when rain pours down as if there were a hole in the sky.
“I will never make you hurt.”
Alfonso became a strong roof for the woman he did not love.
A faint curve formed at the corner of Ariadne's mouth.
It wasn't a mocking smile. On the contrary, it was a smile filled with a hint of pity and a hint of sadness.
'A promise I can't keep.'
In her previous life, Alfonso left the position of successor vacant and did not have the power to protect his wife.
If he wanted the throne, he should have changed his wife the moment it became clear that Isabella de Mare was childless.
'The risk Alfonso took for a woman he didn't even love.'
Ariadne knew this dream was a fragment of truth, a byproduct of the Golden Rule. The picture she now sees is a firm truth that once happened.
But strangely enough, she didn't feel jealous at all when she saw her man confessing that he would protect her nemesis forever.
'You... You are such a good person.'
She was simply amazed by the generosity of the man she loved.
Alfonso risked his life for Isabella, whom he did not even love.
In fact, strictly speaking, Alfonso's devotion in his previous life was an effort to fulfill his marriage vows made before the gods, not to a woman named Isabella.
He did it for Isabella, so he will do it for Ariadne.
Ariadne knew.
This time, with the addition of love, it became more intense and more fierce. So fierce and passionate that it destroyed itself to the point where nothing could be seen.
She believed without a shadow of a doubt that Alfonso would never let go of her hand, no matter what the cost. He would overcome all odds, whether it was noble or common.
So she couldn't be by his side.
'...Don't do that for someone like me.'
Ariadne thought of the knightly oath she had once recited.
It was an oath she whispered while locked in Her Majesty Queen Marguerite's closet, her teeth chattering as she listened to Her Majesty Leo III's screams, the sharp cracks of something breaking, and the dull, low hum that came every time the King struck the Queen.
"I swear on my soul that from this moment on, I will be loyal to my lord. I will protect him and honor him no matter what adversity comes my way, and I will place his safety before my own life."
Ariadne smiled weakly. If she were to keep that oath, she would have to break most of the latter part.
"I will live for the greater good, not for personal gain. I will always tell you the truth, keep my promises, never change, never leave, and always stay by your side."
At the time, she thought she couldn't keep her promise to tell her lord only the truth. Now she sees that she was about to break her oath to never leave and always stay by his side.
But it was all a violation of the first paragraph, that is, the essence of the oath.
'I will protect you against any adversity.'
Don't harm yourself to protect me.
I will never interfere with your bow.
This was the only repayment she could give for the first unrequited, unmerited love she had ever received in her life.
This was the only atonement she could offer on the grave of Her Majesty Queen Marguerite, who had held her insignificant hand.
Ariadne looked straight at the mountain tea and said.
“Bring me the reed grass.”
"Miss!"
Despite Sancha's rare resistance, Ariadne remained steadfast. The reason was clear.
“I’m not ready yet.”
“Ready for what?”
“Ready to be a mother.”
Ready to take full responsibility for one's life.
"But you are the spouse of my lord, sworn before the heavens! You cannot delay this forever!"
“Ready to live a public life.”
Prepare to live a life where you are tormented by the gaze of others twenty-four hours a day, as a Queen who is admired by everyone but also reviled.
“Ha, but Miss...!”
Compared to Ariadne, Sancha, who could not speak, knew something was wrong, but was unable to pinpoint it, so she just beat her chest.
The words came out like a flowing stream.
But the fear that was deepest in her heart, she couldn't bring herself to say.
The accusation that Rubina had accurately pointed out, and Ariadne had actually accepted in her heart.
“Countess de Mare. Isn’t Prince Alfonso enough of a man you’ve ruined?”
No. Rubina was wrong. She hasn't ruined it yet.
“Bring me the reed grass.”
If only there were no children.
Wouldn't it be possible to leave him with a light heart?
If only there were no children.
If she traces back to their very ancient ancestors, she might discover their common ancestor. Before they reach the paradise land hidden between the rivers and the first man and woman, something might emerge. Couldn't she have annulled their marriage and left, claiming they were unknowingly married relatives?
If only there were no children.
She may not be tied to Alfonso forever.
...Can I live without Alfonso?
Ariadne shook her head, struggling to shake off any further thoughts.
She could live, and she had to survive. She was someone who turned the impossible into the possible. Someone who, from a place left behind only ashes, was reborn as a bird of life, able to soar into the vast sky.
She's always done it, even after returning from the dead. So she'll do it this time too. Because it's something she can endure alone, not something she has to pay for, achieving it is actually easier. The process will be bitter, painful, and agonizing, but perseverance is her trademark.
She said firmly.
“Get it for me.”
Ariadne nailed Sancha, who still seemed dissatisfied.
“This is an order.”
***
“Your Majesty. Regarding the Black Helmet Knights...”
This topic arose during the regular three-member cabinet meeting. The original members of this meeting were Baldassar for home affairs, Marquez for foreign affairs, and Contarini for the rule of law.
After the death of Count Contarini and the disappearance of Ottavio de Contarini from the capital, Lord Delpiano took his place and filled the void.
“The voices of concern are growing louder by the day.”
The one who had taken the initiative was the Marquis Baldessar. Count Marquez and Lord Delpiano looked at the Marquis in surprise at this brave act, which had not been discussed in advance.
Marquis Baldessar sighed inwardly at their gazes.
It's not that they didn't know their colleagues' feelings.
Even he wasn't happy about supplying imaginary material to Leo III, who was unpredictable. However, the public sentiment in San Carlo was too agitated to pass over it without mention.
“Can we consider them as the regular army of the Etruscan kingdom?”
Comments
Post a Comment