When leading Isabella to the King's quarters, Agosto displayed a strange ability that defies common sense.
As far as Isabella knew, Agosto had never even entered the Palagio Carlo. Yet he knew the unfamiliar castle inside and out.
The old, small side gate in the castle wall, the lock that broke when kicked, even the secret passage leading from the hole in the palace garden through the underground labyrinth to the King's quarters were all within his grasp.
“How do you know all this?”
“Didn’t I tell you? I have memories of a supreme being.”
Isabella asked what the "Supreme Being" was, but Agosto didn't answer. His eyes spoke.
'A lowly spirit like you is not qualified to know such things.'
Instead, he answered Isabella's next question.
“What can’t you do?”
“Not many. Not at the same time.”
Agosto smiled, revealing his white teeth.
“I can make all your wishes come true.”
Isabella laughed. That couldn't be right.
What she wanted at the time was a seat next to a man of Etruscan noble birth, far more handsome than Ottavio and even more handsome than Clemente, the man who had cornered her.
It wasn't a void that someone as lowly as Agosto could fill. Agosto chuckled, as if he had seen through Isabella's true intentions.
“Oh. You’re laughing. You may be laughing now, but soon you’ll remember me.”
After surrendering to Akirilou, Agosto was different.
To him now, the secrets of the universe, the past and the future, were 'seen'.
Agosto, walking beside Isabella in the secret passage of the Palagio Carlo, had the exuberance of a madman and the dignity of a cult leader's self-assurance.
“You are a woman with many wishes that you want to fulfill.”
He chuckled.
“I’m talking about desires that cannot be satisfied through normal means.”
Agosto was right. Even after becoming Leo III's official mistress, Isabella's desires continued to grow.
'The submission of Julia Helena.'
'Rubina's removal.'
'The Ruin of Cesare.'
'The Fall of Alfonso and Ariadne.'
'Never be denied anything by anyone.'
'Eternal beauty.'
And none of it could be achieved fairly or reasonably.
Isabella, lost in thought for a moment, noticed Leo III's puzzled expression and added as harmlessly as possible.
“It’s nothing special, he’s someone I had with me when I was at Count Contarini’s house.”
Leo III raised his chin in a gesture of surprise. The King had apparently asked Isabella, when she first appeared at the Palazzo Carlo, if she had anything or anyone from the family to bring.
“Why didn’t you bring it then?”
Well, at the time, she hated the sight of that guy who took advantage of the desperate situation and took her by force.
But she couldn't say that. She smiled faintly.
“I am a rolling stone.”
It was all too easy for Isabella to play the victim.
“At the time, I couldn’t bring myself to make a request because I was concerned about the reaction of Grand Duchess Rubina.”
She bowed her head slightly. The cotton veil covering her lower face added a touch of mystery to Isabella's appearance.
Leo III's skeptical gaze softened in an instant. It was as if his brain had stopped.
That was the beauty of a beautiful nation. In reality, her beauty had been ruined and lost due to a scar on her cheek. Yet, even with her eyes intact, she still possessed this magical power. That's why Isabella was so desperate to have them back.
“...With Her Highness Rubina wide-awake, how could I, who sleeps next to the Queen’s bedchamber, dare to bring my people into the palace?”
Blaming others always tastes sweet.
“Ugh, Rubina...!”
And yet, she had abused a child while he wasn't watching. No matter how vigilant he was, there was no stopping women's actions, and it was incredibly agonizing.
“Well, do whatever you want.”
Leo III readily accepted Isabella's request. He wasn't asking her to go to Rubina and argue with her on her behalf; he was simply asking for another servant to join the palace, so there was no reason to refuse.
“But, you know, Your Majesty...”
Isabella glanced at Leo III. Her gaze was filled with feigned innocence and pity. Leo III questioned her dubious demeanor.
“Yes? Why?”
“That dermatologist is a bit too conspicuous to be brought into the palace...”
Leo III spoke freely, whatever came to mind. With no one to worry about, he could easily throw out his wrong prejudices.
“Is he really ugly? Is he unsound? Is he blind or speechless?”
“No, that’s not it.”
Isabella hesitated and then confessed.
Only half.
“What kind of person is he...”
Leo III laughed heartily.
“What am I saying again!”
It was nothing special. It was just a chance to show off his generosity.
"I've heard that these days, many noble families deliberately bring in Moorish slaves. They even have dogs and cows at their disposal, so what's the big deal about my official government skin care practitioner being a Moor?"
Isabella was troubled. The atmosphere was good right now... Why should she just confess that the Moor was actually a man?
But she couldn't bring herself to let that sound leave her tongue.
Leo III, completely oblivious to Isabella's hesitation, chuckled and generously granted her permission.
“Bring him here quickly.”
He even showed her the kindness to think of a way to do it.
"Isn't Count Contarini's house in the capital empty right now? Since there's probably no one there anyway, why don't we send someone to his western estates and have them fetch him? If they come directly from there, the road to Taranto will be shorter and faster. Right?"
For Leo III, who had grown weary of using his brain because others had done everything for him, this was truly the ultimate act of consideration. However, Isabella declined the King's offer.
“No. He probably quit working for the Count and is somewhere in San Carlo.”
The King's eyebrows rose into a mountain shape.
“What does a skin care professional from a noble family do in San Carlo to make a living on his own?”
“That person is not only a skin care specialist, but also an excellent pharmacist and alchemist.”
Leo III's eyes flashed with a strange color. An alchemist?
The level of alchemy on the Black Continent was overwhelmingly higher than that on the Central Continent.
“So that’s why he was a Moor!”
As Leo III came to his senses on his own, Isabella nodded eagerly with a happy face.
"Well then, before we leave, I'll have my guards secure a room in the castle! They're looking for this or that person!"
A color came to Isabella's face.
“Well, then, can I call that person to Taranto right away?”
“Well, well. It would be great if you could get under control as soon as possible.”
Even on their first night together, Leo III felt a surge of excitement.
"Send someone quickly to post a room. I've heard he's a skilled alchemist, so I'm curious too."
Isabella smiled brightly and embraced Leo III. The pus had subsided, but the thick scent of perfume she'd applied to mask it still lingered. It was a blend of iris, sandalwood, and musk.
“Thank you, Your Majesty! As expected, you are the only one!”
In this way, the unprecedented situation of the Prince and his family acting separately from the King's court, going down to Taranto, was hastily decided.
"The northern border is so suspicious that I can't sleep. This winter, Alfonso de Carlo and the Knights of the Black Helmets will be stationed in the central region to guard San Carlo and show their loyalty to me.
- Leo III of Etruscan, the Etruscan monarch who protects the gods. "
The reference to the northern border was dropped briefly. Interpretations of what exactly this meant varied.
Those who knew that the northeast was infested with barbarians assumed that this referred to the bandits of Aseretto.
However, those who were somewhat ignorant of the situation and only saw and heard what was officially announced thought that this referred to the conflict between the kingdoms of Trevero and Gallico, which had the port of Pisarino between them.
Trevero demanded that Gallico hand over the port as promised. This was a demand based on a treaty in which King Philip IV of Gallico had promised Trevero the port of Pisarino if he passed the Allemand law of amnesty.
However, what Philip IV actually wanted to achieve by giving up the port of Pisarino was the ascension of his illegitimate son John to the throne, not the reversal of the lives of the million illegitimate children without his own son.
Philip IV, enraged by the bills he received for nothing, moved the Montpellier heavy cavalry to the nearest border with Trevero.
Well, whatever the King's reference to the "northern border" was, no one in San Carlo expected the Prince's Palace to actually act unilaterally. But the edict was right before their eyes. Reality always surpasses imagination.
The royal family of Carlo quickly packed their belongings under the command of Grand Duchess Rubina, and the noble families of San Carlo, who had received the sudden order to move, also hastily packed their belongings.
“Sister. If possible, I’d like to stay in San Carlo.”
Bianca, the young master of Taranto, was in love with Ariadne, the new mistress of the Prince's palace. She held real power but no official title. But regardless of such external circumstances, the atmosphere and mood between them were incredibly good.
“You should go down. It’s been a long time since you left the territory.”
Bianca had been away ever since she left Taranto to personally execute Ippolito. The journey to the kingdom of Salamanta was quite a journey, and upon her return, she spent a considerable amount of time lounging in San Carlo, cavorting with Alfonso and Ariadne.
“No matter how trustworthy the subordinates are, a territory that the monarch does not personally inspect will end up in disarray.”
“How do you know all that, sister?”
Ariadne smiled faintly without answering. She changed the subject.
“Bianca, I have something for you on the way back.”
“A book on imperial studies or something like that?”
The increased study time was a turnoff. Bianca was disgusted. Bianca was good at studying, but that didn't mean she enjoyed it.
Ariadne took Bianca's hand and led her into the next room. The only thing Ariadne wanted to give Bianca was left lying in the empty, bare room.
“Bianca. It’s a gift.”
As far as Isabella knew, Agosto had never even entered the Palagio Carlo. Yet he knew the unfamiliar castle inside and out.
The old, small side gate in the castle wall, the lock that broke when kicked, even the secret passage leading from the hole in the palace garden through the underground labyrinth to the King's quarters were all within his grasp.
“How do you know all this?”
“Didn’t I tell you? I have memories of a supreme being.”
Isabella asked what the "Supreme Being" was, but Agosto didn't answer. His eyes spoke.
'A lowly spirit like you is not qualified to know such things.'
Instead, he answered Isabella's next question.
“What can’t you do?”
“Not many. Not at the same time.”
Agosto smiled, revealing his white teeth.
“I can make all your wishes come true.”
Isabella laughed. That couldn't be right.
What she wanted at the time was a seat next to a man of Etruscan noble birth, far more handsome than Ottavio and even more handsome than Clemente, the man who had cornered her.
It wasn't a void that someone as lowly as Agosto could fill. Agosto chuckled, as if he had seen through Isabella's true intentions.
“Oh. You’re laughing. You may be laughing now, but soon you’ll remember me.”
After surrendering to Akirilou, Agosto was different.
To him now, the secrets of the universe, the past and the future, were 'seen'.
Agosto, walking beside Isabella in the secret passage of the Palagio Carlo, had the exuberance of a madman and the dignity of a cult leader's self-assurance.
“You are a woman with many wishes that you want to fulfill.”
He chuckled.
“I’m talking about desires that cannot be satisfied through normal means.”
Agosto was right. Even after becoming Leo III's official mistress, Isabella's desires continued to grow.
'The submission of Julia Helena.'
'Rubina's removal.'
'The Ruin of Cesare.'
'The Fall of Alfonso and Ariadne.'
'Never be denied anything by anyone.'
'Eternal beauty.'
And none of it could be achieved fairly or reasonably.
Isabella, lost in thought for a moment, noticed Leo III's puzzled expression and added as harmlessly as possible.
“It’s nothing special, he’s someone I had with me when I was at Count Contarini’s house.”
Leo III raised his chin in a gesture of surprise. The King had apparently asked Isabella, when she first appeared at the Palazzo Carlo, if she had anything or anyone from the family to bring.
“Why didn’t you bring it then?”
Well, at the time, she hated the sight of that guy who took advantage of the desperate situation and took her by force.
But she couldn't say that. She smiled faintly.
“I am a rolling stone.”
It was all too easy for Isabella to play the victim.
“At the time, I couldn’t bring myself to make a request because I was concerned about the reaction of Grand Duchess Rubina.”
She bowed her head slightly. The cotton veil covering her lower face added a touch of mystery to Isabella's appearance.
Leo III's skeptical gaze softened in an instant. It was as if his brain had stopped.
That was the beauty of a beautiful nation. In reality, her beauty had been ruined and lost due to a scar on her cheek. Yet, even with her eyes intact, she still possessed this magical power. That's why Isabella was so desperate to have them back.
“...With Her Highness Rubina wide-awake, how could I, who sleeps next to the Queen’s bedchamber, dare to bring my people into the palace?”
Blaming others always tastes sweet.
“Ugh, Rubina...!”
And yet, she had abused a child while he wasn't watching. No matter how vigilant he was, there was no stopping women's actions, and it was incredibly agonizing.
“Well, do whatever you want.”
Leo III readily accepted Isabella's request. He wasn't asking her to go to Rubina and argue with her on her behalf; he was simply asking for another servant to join the palace, so there was no reason to refuse.
“But, you know, Your Majesty...”
Isabella glanced at Leo III. Her gaze was filled with feigned innocence and pity. Leo III questioned her dubious demeanor.
“Yes? Why?”
“That dermatologist is a bit too conspicuous to be brought into the palace...”
Leo III spoke freely, whatever came to mind. With no one to worry about, he could easily throw out his wrong prejudices.
“Is he really ugly? Is he unsound? Is he blind or speechless?”
“No, that’s not it.”
Isabella hesitated and then confessed.
Only half.
“What kind of person is he...”
Leo III laughed heartily.
“What am I saying again!”
It was nothing special. It was just a chance to show off his generosity.
"I've heard that these days, many noble families deliberately bring in Moorish slaves. They even have dogs and cows at their disposal, so what's the big deal about my official government skin care practitioner being a Moor?"
Isabella was troubled. The atmosphere was good right now... Why should she just confess that the Moor was actually a man?
But she couldn't bring herself to let that sound leave her tongue.
Leo III, completely oblivious to Isabella's hesitation, chuckled and generously granted her permission.
“Bring him here quickly.”
He even showed her the kindness to think of a way to do it.
"Isn't Count Contarini's house in the capital empty right now? Since there's probably no one there anyway, why don't we send someone to his western estates and have them fetch him? If they come directly from there, the road to Taranto will be shorter and faster. Right?"
For Leo III, who had grown weary of using his brain because others had done everything for him, this was truly the ultimate act of consideration. However, Isabella declined the King's offer.
“No. He probably quit working for the Count and is somewhere in San Carlo.”
The King's eyebrows rose into a mountain shape.
“What does a skin care professional from a noble family do in San Carlo to make a living on his own?”
“That person is not only a skin care specialist, but also an excellent pharmacist and alchemist.”
Leo III's eyes flashed with a strange color. An alchemist?
The level of alchemy on the Black Continent was overwhelmingly higher than that on the Central Continent.
“So that’s why he was a Moor!”
As Leo III came to his senses on his own, Isabella nodded eagerly with a happy face.
"Well then, before we leave, I'll have my guards secure a room in the castle! They're looking for this or that person!"
A color came to Isabella's face.
“Well, then, can I call that person to Taranto right away?”
“Well, well. It would be great if you could get under control as soon as possible.”
Even on their first night together, Leo III felt a surge of excitement.
"Send someone quickly to post a room. I've heard he's a skilled alchemist, so I'm curious too."
Isabella smiled brightly and embraced Leo III. The pus had subsided, but the thick scent of perfume she'd applied to mask it still lingered. It was a blend of iris, sandalwood, and musk.
“Thank you, Your Majesty! As expected, you are the only one!”
***
In this way, the unprecedented situation of the Prince and his family acting separately from the King's court, going down to Taranto, was hastily decided.
"The northern border is so suspicious that I can't sleep. This winter, Alfonso de Carlo and the Knights of the Black Helmets will be stationed in the central region to guard San Carlo and show their loyalty to me.
- Leo III of Etruscan, the Etruscan monarch who protects the gods. "
The reference to the northern border was dropped briefly. Interpretations of what exactly this meant varied.
Those who knew that the northeast was infested with barbarians assumed that this referred to the bandits of Aseretto.
However, those who were somewhat ignorant of the situation and only saw and heard what was officially announced thought that this referred to the conflict between the kingdoms of Trevero and Gallico, which had the port of Pisarino between them.
Trevero demanded that Gallico hand over the port as promised. This was a demand based on a treaty in which King Philip IV of Gallico had promised Trevero the port of Pisarino if he passed the Allemand law of amnesty.
However, what Philip IV actually wanted to achieve by giving up the port of Pisarino was the ascension of his illegitimate son John to the throne, not the reversal of the lives of the million illegitimate children without his own son.
Philip IV, enraged by the bills he received for nothing, moved the Montpellier heavy cavalry to the nearest border with Trevero.
Well, whatever the King's reference to the "northern border" was, no one in San Carlo expected the Prince's Palace to actually act unilaterally. But the edict was right before their eyes. Reality always surpasses imagination.
The royal family of Carlo quickly packed their belongings under the command of Grand Duchess Rubina, and the noble families of San Carlo, who had received the sudden order to move, also hastily packed their belongings.
“Sister. If possible, I’d like to stay in San Carlo.”
Bianca, the young master of Taranto, was in love with Ariadne, the new mistress of the Prince's palace. She held real power but no official title. But regardless of such external circumstances, the atmosphere and mood between them were incredibly good.
“You should go down. It’s been a long time since you left the territory.”
Bianca had been away ever since she left Taranto to personally execute Ippolito. The journey to the kingdom of Salamanta was quite a journey, and upon her return, she spent a considerable amount of time lounging in San Carlo, cavorting with Alfonso and Ariadne.
“No matter how trustworthy the subordinates are, a territory that the monarch does not personally inspect will end up in disarray.”
“How do you know all that, sister?”
Ariadne smiled faintly without answering. She changed the subject.
“Bianca, I have something for you on the way back.”
“A book on imperial studies or something like that?”
The increased study time was a turnoff. Bianca was disgusted. Bianca was good at studying, but that didn't mean she enjoyed it.
Ariadne took Bianca's hand and led her into the next room. The only thing Ariadne wanted to give Bianca was left lying in the empty, bare room.
“Bianca. It’s a gift.”
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