At the news that the Duke of Hessen had come to the mansion in person, the light in Daniel's ruby eyes sparkled in circles.
"I guess he came to see me! Father kept his promise."
The child's excited voice seems to brighten up the surroundings.
Children, being innocent, value even the smallest promises and are easily hurt by any broken promises. Only as adults, having experienced countless broken promises, do they calmly dismiss them, thinking, "Well, it was just a saying."
“I guess His Excellency knew that young master was coming to visit.”
A nagging feeling of discomfort crept into my mind, as if he came to see the Young Prince, but he didn't. I forced a smile and took Daniel's soft hand again.
His pretty red eyes look at me with anticipation.
“Would you like to go out for a meal together? That would be great.”
No? I'm not going. It's annoying, and I don't want to cause any trouble.
If I accept the dinner invitation, Noah might come back and say with a cold look, "That was the Duke of Hessen's last supper. I've already destroyed it."
That foxy guy is quite perceptive.
“Unfortunately, I don’t think that’ll work out. Have a good time, you two.”
Daniel pursed his lips with a slightly sad expression.
“It would be nice if we went together.”
“Then I will tell him so, Miss!”
Lenny quickly answered, as if she'd already decided not to go. Elsa, with her hands on her hips, wore a disapproving expression on her face, but a strange sense of relief crept through her.
“You are being rude to the end, refusing the Duke’s favor.”
"Lenny. Tell him I can't go because of the nanny who acts like a government."
Lenny, who was about to leave, turned his head at my words and looked at Elsa with an innocent expression. Then, as if she'd realized something, she blurted out a shocking statement.
“Oh, you were the Duke’s government?”
As the oblivious and kind Lenny smiled brightly, displaying her innocent nature, Elsa's face crumpled ominously. She looked like a witch, glaring fiercely at the innocent Snow White, who was doing nothing but singing with the birds.
“What did you say?”
I barely managed to suppress a burst of laughter at her high-pitched voice, which had been feigning grandeur. Meanwhile, the young Prince looked up at me as if to ask, "What is government?"
Elsa watched Lenny, who was dressed in a maid's outfit and had a young face, closely and then immediately spoke.
“What’s your name? I should call the head maid right now and give you a good beating!”
Lenny covered her mouth in surprise at Elsa's stern voice.
“No? Oh, I’m sorry.”
I'm quite upset. Who is she to decide the punishment? I tried my best to restrain myself from spewing harsh words in front of a child.
"Hey. Who are you to tell someone to beat a maid in another mansion? In this day and age, where would you find a barbaric employer who beats a maid?"
"Government? Isn't that a remark that even insults the Duke? And please, try to be careful with your words, Diana."
“What makes you so sure I’m a commoner?”
I glanced at her through my fingers, which had been pressing firmly against my eyes, and asked, "You wouldn't act like that to someone you've just met, unless you have malicious intent. There's something wrong with you."
Elsa, arms crossed, stood against my cold gaze and raised her eyebrows.
"Now that you're Medea's, isn't your former status essentially useless? The same goes for your fiancé."
I didn't want to deal with her anymore because she consistently gave me rather arbitrary interpretations and kept nagging at me. In reality, I was from a noble family, but I didn't want to make a fuss about being the daughter of an admiral who had discriminated against me and tried to kill me.
"I'm from the enemy country, so there's no point in telling anyone. It's annoying, so just be a commoner." I said, looking at Lenny and indifferently telling her to back off.
“Please give the young Prince some dessert, Lenny.”
“Yes, Miss.”
Lenny, who had a very timid expression on her face, turned around and smiled at me as soon as she turned her back on the nanny.
I was a little taken aback, but said nothing else. That smile was deliberate enough.
Pretending not to notice and then giving her a piece of shit, it turns out she's just a weakling. Actually, most of the people around Noah are extraordinary. Even the servants. Molly, whom I thought was just an ordinary maid, was actually a former lieutenant.
"You should go now, Elsa. Be sure to come back later to pick up the Prince."
Elsa's brown eyes seemed to boil at the commanding tone that clearly contained contempt.
“I will report all your arrogance and rudeness to the Duke and request that you forbid him from meeting with the Prince.”
“You’re banning meetings?”
Daniel, who had been standing silently, turned fierce as if his hidden sore spot had been touched. His red eyes, so cold they felt unfamiliar, turned toward his nanny.
"Why are you arbitrarily deciding when to meet Diana? That's my decision."
“You’re still at an age where you can’t make decisions.”
"Don't act like you're older than me. Elsa was the first to be rude to my friend. I know that much."
It was a clear, childlike voice, imbued with a majesty uncharacteristic of a child. Elsa, who had been acting like the mistress of the Duke's household, was daunted by her young master's scolding, and she glanced around.
“I’m sorry. I’ll come pick you up later.”
In the end, it was Daniel who put an end to this war of nerves. After Elsa left, Daniel looked up at me, his eyes returning to their innocent, kitten-like state.
“Sister. I’m sorry.”
“No, I should have held back, I’m sorry.”
I just thought he was a normal kid, but what he just showed me was like an angry kitten revealing part of his hidden nature.
Even a cute kitten might have a cute appearance, but it's bound to harbor sharp claws to protect itself. Not only does a scratch hurt, but the title "Heir to the Duke's Family" is firmly entrenched behind its back.
I smiled casually and took Daniel to the room.
Lenny, who brought out a Sachertorte with apricot jam and chocolate, and goat milk, kept smiling brightly at the sight of the young Prince. Daniel, holding a dessert fork, looked at Lenny and asked cautiously.
“Why are you laughing? Did I ask you something?”
“You are pretty. I have a younger sibling who is the same age as young Prince.”
“Is your younger sister pretty?”
“Yes. Even though we can’t meet, I always think of her.”
“I’m jealous. I wish I had a younger sibling.”
That would require meeting his new mother. The little Duke is still young, so there's a chance he'll meet his younger brother. I picked up my fork, thinking quite realistically.
After finishing tea time with dessert, I drew pictures and read books, and before I knew it, time had passed, and it was time to go home.
"Diana, there's a new opera premiere on Thursday. Do you want to go? I'm sure you'll love it. It's about a beautiful princess and a handsome knight."
Daniel offered, his small hand clenched and unclenched with a look of regret. Having firmly declined the dinner invitation, he seemed wary of rejecting it again.
“Yes, I’m looking forward to it.”
Daniel's face brightened at my positive answer. A knock sounded, the door opened, and Lenny came in.
“Miss, the car sent from Hessen has arrived.”
"Yes, Lenny. I'll see you off, young master."
As I was walking towards the front door, holding Daniel's hand, I saw a familiar man standing next to a luxurious black car parked far away on the portico.
"Father?"
Daniel's grip tightened. The Duke of Hessen, tall and handsome in a black frock coat, smiled at me. His face looked better than before. He must have come to fetch the Prince himself.
I smiled awkwardly and bowed to him. The Duke's red eyes widened with kindness as he bowed slightly in greeting.
"You said it would be difficult to eat together today. In that case, I'd like to look forward to another time."
It won't work today or ever, but I decided to use my social skills and politely refuse.
“Yes, I would like to have dinner with you when my fiancé comes back.”
"All right."
He nodded helplessly at my unwavering attitude, seemingly unable to help it. A hint of regret crept into the corners of his bitterly smiling lips.
He's a wonderful man, possessing a unique, lonely charm. Beneath his jet-black hair, his deep, piercing eyes, and his thick, dark eyelashes, his appearance resembles the foreign actors of the world I once lived in.
“Thank you, Miss Diana.”
He thanked me inexplicably. I abruptly averted my gaze from the Duke of Hessen, intending to conclude the conversation.
“Be careful on your way back.”
“See you next week, Sister.”
A smiling Daniel waved at me and followed his father into the car. I stood there alone, watching the car exit the mansion's main gate and disappear.
A gust of wind, still chilly, blew past, ruffling the hem of my skirt. Oh, right. I should have told them that the nanny was being rude.
Noah, wearing a light linen shirt, was sitting on the sofa, holding a pen and writing something on a piece of paper on the table.
“It’s difficult.”
Noah, who had been muttering to himself, turned his fountain pen deftly and became lost in thought. Jace, who had come to his hotel room, sat across from him, still looking uneasy. A light drizzle had fallen, perhaps due to the rain, and a thin layer of rain had soaked through his shoulders.
“What were you writing like that?”
“I’m writing a letter to Diana, but it’s harder than my college thesis.”
Jace, who was leaning back tiredly and loosening his tie, looked at Noah with a contemptuous look and scolded him.
“You’re doing something you’ve never done before. I thought you’d see each other in a few days.”
“I feel anxious because she is not by my side.”
"My dog is like that, too. That's why I was debating whether I should bring him. He can't live without me."
Jace was deeply concerned that his dog, whom he had left at home, might refuse food and wait for him. He adjusted his monocle neatly and brought up the main topic of the day.
"Dr. Ruegen will be arriving in Medea via North Caltz next week. I had a hard time finding him. He's been kept like livestock in the Lenin Federation."
Dr. Fred Ruegen, a former researcher at Frogen's Technology Development Department, tutored Noah, who had been interested in physics and chemistry since childhood. Jace recalled Dr. Ruegen's appearance, a gaunt, old man, and asked, "What is Dr. Ruegen like?"
“But why did you tell me to find that person?”
"Dr. Ruegen had made a remarkable discovery some time ago. He realized that Meyer III would use it in war, so he burned all his research and fled."
Although Frogen did not spare any research funds and support, many talented scientists, feeling skeptical and guilty about developing weapons that kill people, fled to other countries.
"He's getting quite old, so his memory is fading. And the data has been lost, so what's the point of bringing him back?"
“The information is here.”
Noah, with the corners of his lips raised leisurely, pointed to his head with his finger.
"Is there a library in there? With that brain, why bother with stocks? It's just such a bothersome thing." While Jace was lamenting, Noah continued.
“This field is not my specialty, but I need that person.”
“What did you find?”
"You wouldn't know even if I told you. Scientists estimated it would be about the size of a village, but theoretically, I think it could devastate an imperial capital."
Jace's mouth snapped shut as he saw the joy in Noah's eyes. He felt a sense of evil, and for a moment, he wondered if he was collaborating with a villain intent on world conquest, but he quickly brushed it off.
Because businessmen just follow the flow of money.
“I never thought that a discovery that I believed could help so many people would come to this.”
Noah, who had been humming along, chuckles.
"Is it some kind of lethal weapon? I don't know much about that, but I hear it's worth the money. What are your plans?"
"My job is to prepare a feast for my future Queen, a feast called the world. No one can interfere or even look down on it."
Noah's clouded eyes, covered with a mouth and smiling innocently, sparkled with a contradictory madness. Jace, seeing his partner overcome with a chilling joy, looked dumbfounded.
Was that what he meant by making Medea the pinnacle of the world?
He's already collaborated with Medea to produce cutting-edge military weapons, and now they're even building lethal weapons capable of destroying cities. Some nations still fight with outdated single-shot rifles.
A woman named Diana wouldn't have said something like, "Develop weapons of mass destruction and rule the world! I want to walk the path of tyranny!" like a demon queen.
“...Did the Princess ask you to do that?”
When he asked with a look of hesitation, Noah tilted his head as if he were asking an obvious question.
"The Princess said she wanted to live comfortably. She also said she didn't want war. It's simple. Just show overwhelming power as an example to the Frogen Empire, the cause of the war."
That is the motive behind the grand plan to gain world dominance by exercising the power to exterminate humanity.
Jace, who had been tapping his fingers as if he were typing on a calculator, took out another cigarette with a bewildered expression and lit it.
He's a creative madman. He might destroy the world and leave only himself and her behind.
Indeed, if he were to provide that level of power and establish international recognition by condemning a war criminal nation, he would have no choice but to allow the unusual marriage even if Noah were not a Medean.
Jace looked uncomfortable, thinking that he had somehow gotten involved in something big.
Noah, who was spinning a black fountain pen, chuckled.
“I will do whatever Diana wants.”
"I guess he came to see me! Father kept his promise."
The child's excited voice seems to brighten up the surroundings.
Children, being innocent, value even the smallest promises and are easily hurt by any broken promises. Only as adults, having experienced countless broken promises, do they calmly dismiss them, thinking, "Well, it was just a saying."
“I guess His Excellency knew that young master was coming to visit.”
A nagging feeling of discomfort crept into my mind, as if he came to see the Young Prince, but he didn't. I forced a smile and took Daniel's soft hand again.
His pretty red eyes look at me with anticipation.
“Would you like to go out for a meal together? That would be great.”
No? I'm not going. It's annoying, and I don't want to cause any trouble.
If I accept the dinner invitation, Noah might come back and say with a cold look, "That was the Duke of Hessen's last supper. I've already destroyed it."
That foxy guy is quite perceptive.
“Unfortunately, I don’t think that’ll work out. Have a good time, you two.”
Daniel pursed his lips with a slightly sad expression.
“It would be nice if we went together.”
“Then I will tell him so, Miss!”
Lenny quickly answered, as if she'd already decided not to go. Elsa, with her hands on her hips, wore a disapproving expression on her face, but a strange sense of relief crept through her.
“You are being rude to the end, refusing the Duke’s favor.”
"Lenny. Tell him I can't go because of the nanny who acts like a government."
Lenny, who was about to leave, turned his head at my words and looked at Elsa with an innocent expression. Then, as if she'd realized something, she blurted out a shocking statement.
“Oh, you were the Duke’s government?”
As the oblivious and kind Lenny smiled brightly, displaying her innocent nature, Elsa's face crumpled ominously. She looked like a witch, glaring fiercely at the innocent Snow White, who was doing nothing but singing with the birds.
“What did you say?”
I barely managed to suppress a burst of laughter at her high-pitched voice, which had been feigning grandeur. Meanwhile, the young Prince looked up at me as if to ask, "What is government?"
Elsa watched Lenny, who was dressed in a maid's outfit and had a young face, closely and then immediately spoke.
“What’s your name? I should call the head maid right now and give you a good beating!”
Lenny covered her mouth in surprise at Elsa's stern voice.
“No? Oh, I’m sorry.”
I'm quite upset. Who is she to decide the punishment? I tried my best to restrain myself from spewing harsh words in front of a child.
"Hey. Who are you to tell someone to beat a maid in another mansion? In this day and age, where would you find a barbaric employer who beats a maid?"
"Government? Isn't that a remark that even insults the Duke? And please, try to be careful with your words, Diana."
“What makes you so sure I’m a commoner?”
I glanced at her through my fingers, which had been pressing firmly against my eyes, and asked, "You wouldn't act like that to someone you've just met, unless you have malicious intent. There's something wrong with you."
Elsa, arms crossed, stood against my cold gaze and raised her eyebrows.
"Now that you're Medea's, isn't your former status essentially useless? The same goes for your fiancé."
I didn't want to deal with her anymore because she consistently gave me rather arbitrary interpretations and kept nagging at me. In reality, I was from a noble family, but I didn't want to make a fuss about being the daughter of an admiral who had discriminated against me and tried to kill me.
"I'm from the enemy country, so there's no point in telling anyone. It's annoying, so just be a commoner." I said, looking at Lenny and indifferently telling her to back off.
“Please give the young Prince some dessert, Lenny.”
“Yes, Miss.”
Lenny, who had a very timid expression on her face, turned around and smiled at me as soon as she turned her back on the nanny.
I was a little taken aback, but said nothing else. That smile was deliberate enough.
Pretending not to notice and then giving her a piece of shit, it turns out she's just a weakling. Actually, most of the people around Noah are extraordinary. Even the servants. Molly, whom I thought was just an ordinary maid, was actually a former lieutenant.
"You should go now, Elsa. Be sure to come back later to pick up the Prince."
Elsa's brown eyes seemed to boil at the commanding tone that clearly contained contempt.
“I will report all your arrogance and rudeness to the Duke and request that you forbid him from meeting with the Prince.”
“You’re banning meetings?”
Daniel, who had been standing silently, turned fierce as if his hidden sore spot had been touched. His red eyes, so cold they felt unfamiliar, turned toward his nanny.
"Why are you arbitrarily deciding when to meet Diana? That's my decision."
“You’re still at an age where you can’t make decisions.”
"Don't act like you're older than me. Elsa was the first to be rude to my friend. I know that much."
It was a clear, childlike voice, imbued with a majesty uncharacteristic of a child. Elsa, who had been acting like the mistress of the Duke's household, was daunted by her young master's scolding, and she glanced around.
“I’m sorry. I’ll come pick you up later.”
In the end, it was Daniel who put an end to this war of nerves. After Elsa left, Daniel looked up at me, his eyes returning to their innocent, kitten-like state.
“Sister. I’m sorry.”
“No, I should have held back, I’m sorry.”
I just thought he was a normal kid, but what he just showed me was like an angry kitten revealing part of his hidden nature.
Even a cute kitten might have a cute appearance, but it's bound to harbor sharp claws to protect itself. Not only does a scratch hurt, but the title "Heir to the Duke's Family" is firmly entrenched behind its back.
I smiled casually and took Daniel to the room.
Lenny, who brought out a Sachertorte with apricot jam and chocolate, and goat milk, kept smiling brightly at the sight of the young Prince. Daniel, holding a dessert fork, looked at Lenny and asked cautiously.
“Why are you laughing? Did I ask you something?”
“You are pretty. I have a younger sibling who is the same age as young Prince.”
“Is your younger sister pretty?”
“Yes. Even though we can’t meet, I always think of her.”
“I’m jealous. I wish I had a younger sibling.”
That would require meeting his new mother. The little Duke is still young, so there's a chance he'll meet his younger brother. I picked up my fork, thinking quite realistically.
After finishing tea time with dessert, I drew pictures and read books, and before I knew it, time had passed, and it was time to go home.
"Diana, there's a new opera premiere on Thursday. Do you want to go? I'm sure you'll love it. It's about a beautiful princess and a handsome knight."
Daniel offered, his small hand clenched and unclenched with a look of regret. Having firmly declined the dinner invitation, he seemed wary of rejecting it again.
“Yes, I’m looking forward to it.”
Daniel's face brightened at my positive answer. A knock sounded, the door opened, and Lenny came in.
“Miss, the car sent from Hessen has arrived.”
"Yes, Lenny. I'll see you off, young master."
As I was walking towards the front door, holding Daniel's hand, I saw a familiar man standing next to a luxurious black car parked far away on the portico.
"Father?"
Daniel's grip tightened. The Duke of Hessen, tall and handsome in a black frock coat, smiled at me. His face looked better than before. He must have come to fetch the Prince himself.
I smiled awkwardly and bowed to him. The Duke's red eyes widened with kindness as he bowed slightly in greeting.
"You said it would be difficult to eat together today. In that case, I'd like to look forward to another time."
It won't work today or ever, but I decided to use my social skills and politely refuse.
“Yes, I would like to have dinner with you when my fiancé comes back.”
"All right."
He nodded helplessly at my unwavering attitude, seemingly unable to help it. A hint of regret crept into the corners of his bitterly smiling lips.
He's a wonderful man, possessing a unique, lonely charm. Beneath his jet-black hair, his deep, piercing eyes, and his thick, dark eyelashes, his appearance resembles the foreign actors of the world I once lived in.
“Thank you, Miss Diana.”
He thanked me inexplicably. I abruptly averted my gaze from the Duke of Hessen, intending to conclude the conversation.
“Be careful on your way back.”
“See you next week, Sister.”
A smiling Daniel waved at me and followed his father into the car. I stood there alone, watching the car exit the mansion's main gate and disappear.
A gust of wind, still chilly, blew past, ruffling the hem of my skirt. Oh, right. I should have told them that the nanny was being rude.
***
Noah, wearing a light linen shirt, was sitting on the sofa, holding a pen and writing something on a piece of paper on the table.
“It’s difficult.”
Noah, who had been muttering to himself, turned his fountain pen deftly and became lost in thought. Jace, who had come to his hotel room, sat across from him, still looking uneasy. A light drizzle had fallen, perhaps due to the rain, and a thin layer of rain had soaked through his shoulders.
“What were you writing like that?”
“I’m writing a letter to Diana, but it’s harder than my college thesis.”
Jace, who was leaning back tiredly and loosening his tie, looked at Noah with a contemptuous look and scolded him.
“You’re doing something you’ve never done before. I thought you’d see each other in a few days.”
“I feel anxious because she is not by my side.”
"My dog is like that, too. That's why I was debating whether I should bring him. He can't live without me."
Jace was deeply concerned that his dog, whom he had left at home, might refuse food and wait for him. He adjusted his monocle neatly and brought up the main topic of the day.
"Dr. Ruegen will be arriving in Medea via North Caltz next week. I had a hard time finding him. He's been kept like livestock in the Lenin Federation."
Dr. Fred Ruegen, a former researcher at Frogen's Technology Development Department, tutored Noah, who had been interested in physics and chemistry since childhood. Jace recalled Dr. Ruegen's appearance, a gaunt, old man, and asked, "What is Dr. Ruegen like?"
“But why did you tell me to find that person?”
"Dr. Ruegen had made a remarkable discovery some time ago. He realized that Meyer III would use it in war, so he burned all his research and fled."
Although Frogen did not spare any research funds and support, many talented scientists, feeling skeptical and guilty about developing weapons that kill people, fled to other countries.
"He's getting quite old, so his memory is fading. And the data has been lost, so what's the point of bringing him back?"
“The information is here.”
Noah, with the corners of his lips raised leisurely, pointed to his head with his finger.
"Is there a library in there? With that brain, why bother with stocks? It's just such a bothersome thing." While Jace was lamenting, Noah continued.
“This field is not my specialty, but I need that person.”
“What did you find?”
"You wouldn't know even if I told you. Scientists estimated it would be about the size of a village, but theoretically, I think it could devastate an imperial capital."
Jace's mouth snapped shut as he saw the joy in Noah's eyes. He felt a sense of evil, and for a moment, he wondered if he was collaborating with a villain intent on world conquest, but he quickly brushed it off.
Because businessmen just follow the flow of money.
“I never thought that a discovery that I believed could help so many people would come to this.”
Noah, who had been humming along, chuckles.
"Is it some kind of lethal weapon? I don't know much about that, but I hear it's worth the money. What are your plans?"
"My job is to prepare a feast for my future Queen, a feast called the world. No one can interfere or even look down on it."
Noah's clouded eyes, covered with a mouth and smiling innocently, sparkled with a contradictory madness. Jace, seeing his partner overcome with a chilling joy, looked dumbfounded.
Was that what he meant by making Medea the pinnacle of the world?
He's already collaborated with Medea to produce cutting-edge military weapons, and now they're even building lethal weapons capable of destroying cities. Some nations still fight with outdated single-shot rifles.
A woman named Diana wouldn't have said something like, "Develop weapons of mass destruction and rule the world! I want to walk the path of tyranny!" like a demon queen.
“...Did the Princess ask you to do that?”
When he asked with a look of hesitation, Noah tilted his head as if he were asking an obvious question.
"The Princess said she wanted to live comfortably. She also said she didn't want war. It's simple. Just show overwhelming power as an example to the Frogen Empire, the cause of the war."
That is the motive behind the grand plan to gain world dominance by exercising the power to exterminate humanity.
Jace, who had been tapping his fingers as if he were typing on a calculator, took out another cigarette with a bewildered expression and lit it.
He's a creative madman. He might destroy the world and leave only himself and her behind.
Indeed, if he were to provide that level of power and establish international recognition by condemning a war criminal nation, he would have no choice but to allow the unusual marriage even if Noah were not a Medean.
Jace looked uncomfortable, thinking that he had somehow gotten involved in something big.
Noah, who was spinning a black fountain pen, chuckled.
“I will do whatever Diana wants.”
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