Aaron crossed the threshold of the West Palace with a gentle smile. It was thanks to Amelia's permission to meet. Amelia still loathed Aaron, but at least she hadn't forgotten that they were cooperating against a common enemy.
“Your Ladyship, the High Priest here.”
“Tell him to come.”
The door opened as soon as Amelia gave permission. Without even looking at Aaron, Amelia tilted her teacup to her lips. Dressed in a formal dress, Amelia's profile resembled that of a noblewoman, not a Priestess.
“...”
Aaron stood frozen, not moving. He simply stared blankly at the woman, who hadn't even offered him a word to come closer. Then, Amelia gestured for him to come closer.
"What are you doing?"
Aaron instinctively sensed something had changed. Amelia had always been sensitive and irritable towards him. But the Amelia she was now was clearly a little different.
“I told you I had something to say. Come and sit down.”
It felt strange. The woman he'd once held in his grasp had begun to change, and now seemed to be escaping his influence.
“It seems like you’re more comfortable with regular dresses now.”
“If I’m going to do it, it’s better if it’s pretty.”
Amelia answered indifferently. In reality, it was far more splendid and beautiful than a plain white dress. Before seeing her, he had thought her black hair would stand out, but surprisingly, every dress Amelia wore blended naturally with her hair color.
Besides, since this boring role-playing will soon be over anyway, is there really any need to keep wearing a white dress inside out?
“As I said, the Emperor has banished all those he selected as commoner knights to the outer castle.”
But Amelia Escliffe, who acted like a proper noblewoman, was something Aaron didn't like. The Amelia Escliffe he loved had always been small, frail, and pleading. She wasn't the neat and dignified person she was now.
“It seems like he has no intention of bringing them into the palace.”
"So?"
Amelia asked calmly. As if Aaron had always given her orders on how to act in certain situations, shouldn't he be doing the same now?
“Tell the Emperor to bring them into the palace.”
“Is he the kind of person who would listen to me?”
Amelia's voice was laced with absurdity. He knew it, and with their relationship spiraling to the point of utter acrimony, he was gritting his teeth, ready to kill her. How could she possibly be asking him to bring commoner knights into the palace? Amelia's absurdity was justified.
“If you want to carry out your plan, you have to create such a situation somehow, don’t you?”
Aaron's argument was also valid. If the Duke of Russell and Aaron were working solely for Amelia, then it could be true.
"What on earth do you want me to do? Another fake oracle? Even people who weren't suspicious of me will be suspicious. You and the Duke of Russell should have handled this on your own."
Amelia glared at Aaron as she spoke, then turned her head and sighed. Her breath, thick with irritation, filled the air between them.
“No matter what I want to do, right now I don’t even know who the people who applied to the Knights Templar are.”
Amelia pursed her lips. It made her look like she was at a loss, completely unsure of what to do. Then, as if a thought suddenly occurred to her, she met Aaron's eyes.
“Bring me their list. They’ve probably already cleaned up their identities anyway, right?”
“If it’s a list...”
"I'll tell the Emperor that I've heard of the common knights' complaints. He said he would select them based solely on their abilities, but what he actually received was a foreign assignment."
It was a possible story. Aaron had used that excuse to ask Amelia to meet him.
“Since it was done under Duke Russell’s pressure, I don’t think they’d be very willing to make them knights directly under the royal household. They could just be used once at the banquet and then thrown away.”
"It'll come over," Amelia said with a confident voice. Even Aaron momentarily wondered, "Is that so?" The previous Amelia would have been unfamiliar with this.
"You can't make this decision on your own anyway, so consult with Duke Russell and bring me a list. If he refuses, I can't help you, but remember, I don't know their names and can't help you."
Aaron hesitated to answer. Amelia looked him in the eye and spoke bluntly. Unlike the other day, when she would busily avoid eye contact with him.
“...Let’s do that.”
He still didn't like Amelia's change. Whether it was love for her children, revenge against a former lover, or a stubborn desire to prolong her own life, Aaron hated Amelia's vitality. He no longer wanted her to escape his influence.
“Where do you plan to go with Ian when work is done?”
Aaron asked as if he had no particular meaning. Amelia blinked slowly.
“Well, I guess there’s somewhere to go...”
And she answered with a self-deprecating laugh. Her eyes, which had been clear the entire time, seemed to have become slightly clouded.
“That’s not important right now.”
“...”
“Think about what you want to do next. Until I call you again next time.”
But in the next moment, the complex emotions that had been swirling across Amelia's face vanished. Only the loving face of Amelia Escliff, the one he had nurtured and cared for, remained before his eyes.
That was clearly a bad sign, since Aaron himself was feeling agitated and strangely uneasy.
"Your Majesty."
Ivan was staring blankly at Ian and Amelia when Amelia, snatching a toy covered in Ian's saliva, called out to him. This was a surprise to Ivan, who had assumed she wasn't watching him.
“What’s going on?”
It would be a lie if he said he wasn't surprised, but he answered Amelia's call with a calm demeanor.
“All the newly elected knights have been assigned to the outer castle.”
“...”
“It seems that God is also suffering because they pray every day.”
Amelia snatched Ian's toy and handed it to Mrs. Howard, then placed a perfectly good doll in Ian's hand. Ian took it in his mouth as if it were a given. Amelia frowned playfully for a moment, then smiled faintly, like a mother who is at a loss for what to do with her beloved child.
“He asked me to give them a chance, too.”
Even within the palace, her smile was considered benevolent. She was as kind and warm as sunlight, even to street orphans who weren't even her own children. It wasn't for nothing that she became God's representative.
"Chance?"
"On the day Ian is crowned Crown Prince, some wish to be honored with the opportunity to witness it. They will demonstrate their abilities before His Majesty and prove themselves worthy of guarding the royal family."
Amelia made a suggestion. Amelia's safety was a good offer for the Emperor, after all. However, instead of immediately rejecting Amelia's offer, Ivan watched the woman before him with a suspicious gaze.
“Even if it’s just a once-in-a-lifetime experience, they’ll be satisfied.”
“...”
“Wouldn’t that be better for Your Majesty than the complaints of those with power?”
Amelia asked in a gentle voice. Her tone sounded remarkably thoughtful and considerate. However, her words implied that she could exploit their discontent and incite a riot at any moment. That would tarnish Ivan's reputation as Emperor.
“Since when has the Priestess been so interested in politics?”
Ivan raised one corner of his mouth, a displeased grin on his face. He then asked Amelia a sarcastic question.
"I still don't know much about politics, Your Majesty. What can I say? I simply follow God's will and listen more attentively to the stories of the poor."
Amelia smiled brightly and gently stroked Ian's head as he played. Ian smiled faintly at the touch of his mother's hand.
“As the Emperor of Escliffe, I believe Your Majesty will share my thoughts.”
The tone of her question, "Are you, as the Emperor, despising and expelling commoner knights because of your status?" was as delicate as poetry. Sensing that nuance, Ivan's jaw tightened.
“...”
Louis, who was sitting there like a decoration, was a little impressed by Amelia's skill. Amelia was incredibly skilled at teasing the man she once loved.
“Yes. Your opinion is plausible.”
But his commotion was short-lived. A moment later, Ivan readily agreed with Amelia.
"But it's still dangerous to let strangers into the palace. Besides, I'm also concerned that Ian hasn't yet been given a decent escort..."
Ivan quietly closed his eyes and opened them again. His eyes, like those of an early summer forest, held no trace of affection. The Ivan Amelia encountered as the Emperor was always like that. To him, as the Emperor, Amelia could hold no special significance.
“I’d rather have a match where we test their skills.”
“...”
“I think it would be good to have the best of them serve as your and Ian’s escorts, and have the rest selected to attend the celebration.”
Amelia guessed. Even if she died, that fact would remain, like an immutable law.
“Your Ladyship, the High Priest here.”
“Tell him to come.”
The door opened as soon as Amelia gave permission. Without even looking at Aaron, Amelia tilted her teacup to her lips. Dressed in a formal dress, Amelia's profile resembled that of a noblewoman, not a Priestess.
“...”
Aaron stood frozen, not moving. He simply stared blankly at the woman, who hadn't even offered him a word to come closer. Then, Amelia gestured for him to come closer.
"What are you doing?"
Aaron instinctively sensed something had changed. Amelia had always been sensitive and irritable towards him. But the Amelia she was now was clearly a little different.
“I told you I had something to say. Come and sit down.”
It felt strange. The woman he'd once held in his grasp had begun to change, and now seemed to be escaping his influence.
“It seems like you’re more comfortable with regular dresses now.”
“If I’m going to do it, it’s better if it’s pretty.”
Amelia answered indifferently. In reality, it was far more splendid and beautiful than a plain white dress. Before seeing her, he had thought her black hair would stand out, but surprisingly, every dress Amelia wore blended naturally with her hair color.
Besides, since this boring role-playing will soon be over anyway, is there really any need to keep wearing a white dress inside out?
“As I said, the Emperor has banished all those he selected as commoner knights to the outer castle.”
But Amelia Escliffe, who acted like a proper noblewoman, was something Aaron didn't like. The Amelia Escliffe he loved had always been small, frail, and pleading. She wasn't the neat and dignified person she was now.
“It seems like he has no intention of bringing them into the palace.”
"So?"
Amelia asked calmly. As if Aaron had always given her orders on how to act in certain situations, shouldn't he be doing the same now?
“Tell the Emperor to bring them into the palace.”
“Is he the kind of person who would listen to me?”
Amelia's voice was laced with absurdity. He knew it, and with their relationship spiraling to the point of utter acrimony, he was gritting his teeth, ready to kill her. How could she possibly be asking him to bring commoner knights into the palace? Amelia's absurdity was justified.
“If you want to carry out your plan, you have to create such a situation somehow, don’t you?”
Aaron's argument was also valid. If the Duke of Russell and Aaron were working solely for Amelia, then it could be true.
"What on earth do you want me to do? Another fake oracle? Even people who weren't suspicious of me will be suspicious. You and the Duke of Russell should have handled this on your own."
Amelia glared at Aaron as she spoke, then turned her head and sighed. Her breath, thick with irritation, filled the air between them.
“No matter what I want to do, right now I don’t even know who the people who applied to the Knights Templar are.”
Amelia pursed her lips. It made her look like she was at a loss, completely unsure of what to do. Then, as if a thought suddenly occurred to her, she met Aaron's eyes.
“Bring me their list. They’ve probably already cleaned up their identities anyway, right?”
“If it’s a list...”
"I'll tell the Emperor that I've heard of the common knights' complaints. He said he would select them based solely on their abilities, but what he actually received was a foreign assignment."
It was a possible story. Aaron had used that excuse to ask Amelia to meet him.
“Since it was done under Duke Russell’s pressure, I don’t think they’d be very willing to make them knights directly under the royal household. They could just be used once at the banquet and then thrown away.”
"It'll come over," Amelia said with a confident voice. Even Aaron momentarily wondered, "Is that so?" The previous Amelia would have been unfamiliar with this.
"You can't make this decision on your own anyway, so consult with Duke Russell and bring me a list. If he refuses, I can't help you, but remember, I don't know their names and can't help you."
Aaron hesitated to answer. Amelia looked him in the eye and spoke bluntly. Unlike the other day, when she would busily avoid eye contact with him.
“...Let’s do that.”
He still didn't like Amelia's change. Whether it was love for her children, revenge against a former lover, or a stubborn desire to prolong her own life, Aaron hated Amelia's vitality. He no longer wanted her to escape his influence.
“Where do you plan to go with Ian when work is done?”
Aaron asked as if he had no particular meaning. Amelia blinked slowly.
“Well, I guess there’s somewhere to go...”
And she answered with a self-deprecating laugh. Her eyes, which had been clear the entire time, seemed to have become slightly clouded.
“That’s not important right now.”
“...”
“Think about what you want to do next. Until I call you again next time.”
But in the next moment, the complex emotions that had been swirling across Amelia's face vanished. Only the loving face of Amelia Escliff, the one he had nurtured and cared for, remained before his eyes.
That was clearly a bad sign, since Aaron himself was feeling agitated and strangely uneasy.
***
"Your Majesty."
Ivan was staring blankly at Ian and Amelia when Amelia, snatching a toy covered in Ian's saliva, called out to him. This was a surprise to Ivan, who had assumed she wasn't watching him.
“What’s going on?”
It would be a lie if he said he wasn't surprised, but he answered Amelia's call with a calm demeanor.
“All the newly elected knights have been assigned to the outer castle.”
“...”
“It seems that God is also suffering because they pray every day.”
Amelia snatched Ian's toy and handed it to Mrs. Howard, then placed a perfectly good doll in Ian's hand. Ian took it in his mouth as if it were a given. Amelia frowned playfully for a moment, then smiled faintly, like a mother who is at a loss for what to do with her beloved child.
“He asked me to give them a chance, too.”
Even within the palace, her smile was considered benevolent. She was as kind and warm as sunlight, even to street orphans who weren't even her own children. It wasn't for nothing that she became God's representative.
"Chance?"
"On the day Ian is crowned Crown Prince, some wish to be honored with the opportunity to witness it. They will demonstrate their abilities before His Majesty and prove themselves worthy of guarding the royal family."
Amelia made a suggestion. Amelia's safety was a good offer for the Emperor, after all. However, instead of immediately rejecting Amelia's offer, Ivan watched the woman before him with a suspicious gaze.
“Even if it’s just a once-in-a-lifetime experience, they’ll be satisfied.”
“...”
“Wouldn’t that be better for Your Majesty than the complaints of those with power?”
Amelia asked in a gentle voice. Her tone sounded remarkably thoughtful and considerate. However, her words implied that she could exploit their discontent and incite a riot at any moment. That would tarnish Ivan's reputation as Emperor.
“Since when has the Priestess been so interested in politics?”
Ivan raised one corner of his mouth, a displeased grin on his face. He then asked Amelia a sarcastic question.
"I still don't know much about politics, Your Majesty. What can I say? I simply follow God's will and listen more attentively to the stories of the poor."
Amelia smiled brightly and gently stroked Ian's head as he played. Ian smiled faintly at the touch of his mother's hand.
“As the Emperor of Escliffe, I believe Your Majesty will share my thoughts.”
The tone of her question, "Are you, as the Emperor, despising and expelling commoner knights because of your status?" was as delicate as poetry. Sensing that nuance, Ivan's jaw tightened.
“...”
Louis, who was sitting there like a decoration, was a little impressed by Amelia's skill. Amelia was incredibly skilled at teasing the man she once loved.
“Yes. Your opinion is plausible.”
But his commotion was short-lived. A moment later, Ivan readily agreed with Amelia.
"But it's still dangerous to let strangers into the palace. Besides, I'm also concerned that Ian hasn't yet been given a decent escort..."
Ivan quietly closed his eyes and opened them again. His eyes, like those of an early summer forest, held no trace of affection. The Ivan Amelia encountered as the Emperor was always like that. To him, as the Emperor, Amelia could hold no special significance.
“I’d rather have a match where we test their skills.”
“...”
“I think it would be good to have the best of them serve as your and Ian’s escorts, and have the rest selected to attend the celebration.”
Amelia guessed. Even if she died, that fact would remain, like an immutable law.
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