84. A good husband to a good wife
Prince Christian, who was eventually kicked out of the study where the men had gathered, returned with a sullen face.
Isabelle Dniester smiled as if she'd expected this, and gestured to the far end of the table. It was next to Princess Greta, who was sipping tea with utmost composure. Christian sighed, displeased at having to enjoy tea time with his youngest child, but obediently followed his mother's orders.
Erna surveyed the Dneister family with curious eyes. The Queen and Princess Louise, conversing in low voices. Princess Louise's younger siblings, cared for by their nanny. Prince Christian, still furious at being treated like a child, and Princess Greta, seemingly content. It was delightful to see their faces, each slightly resembling the other. Though their colors differed slightly, they were like beads strung on a single thread.
Erna, who had been staring blankly at the smiling Queen and Louise, suddenly felt a sense of emptiness and lowered her gaze. The thought that she was the only one with a face unlike any other made her feel a little lonely. Suddenly, she missed her grandmother. Everyone used to say that she and her grandmother looked so much alike.
“You can’t do that, miss.”
Erna, who had been studying the design on the teacup, suddenly turned her head in surprise at the sound of her nanny's voice approaching her. Louise's young daughter was standing there, clutching the hem of Erna's dress. The glittering gold thread and lace decorations were a sight to behold.
“It’s okay, just leave it.”
Erna smiled and pushed the nanny away. The child, who had been darting her eyes around, finally burst into laughter. Erna thought she resembled Duke Heine, but her smiling face was unmistakably her mother's. Perhaps that's why she reminded her of Bjorn.
Erna gazed with wonder at the small, chubby hands fiddling with her dress, the peach-colored cheeks, and the fine, ribbon-tied hair. It was her first time seeing a baby this close. Unlike Erna, who was nervous and unsure of how to interact with her, the baby smiled and played without hesitation.
"Hi."
When their eyes met again, Erna smiled awkwardly and waved. The child, who had been blinking at her with wide eyes, returned the gesture with a hand as bright as a maple leaf. Erna's smile had already brightened to a child's.
The child, who had been playing with the hem of her dress, began to pull Erna's hand, as if urging her to do so. With her other hand, she pointed to the palm tree on the other side.
Erna stood up quietly and walked around the garden room with the child.
Isabel Dniester, clutching her folding fan, watched the scene with interest. Louise, who belatedly realized who her daughter was and what she was doing, frowned and tried to call the nanny.
“I don’t think that’s necessary.”
Isabelle Dneister tried to dissuade her daughter with a soft voice. Meanwhile, Erna stood before the palm tree with her child. Her earnest demeanor, as she listened intently to the child's excited, babbling words, made her smile.
“I really don’t understand why you are so generous to the Grand Duchess.”
Louise grumbled as if she were displeased.
“Is there any reason why that shouldn’t be the case?”
“That’s not it, but...”
Swallowing Gladys's name, which was on the tip of her tongue, Louise clenched her jaw. Erna was now holding the child in her arms, as if nothing had happened. She'd met the children several times before, but she'd been so shy, so desperate to impress her mother, that she'd done something she didn't really want to do. It was disgusting.
Erna walked slowly around the garden room, holding the child, before returning to the tea table. Her shy smile, as if unaware of the attention, was utterly shameless.
"I didn't realize the Grand Duchess loved children so much. She'll be a wonderful mother in the future."
Louise, who had received her daughter from the nanny and was sitting on her lap, made a sharp remark. Erna, who had just taken her seat, slightly wavered in her eyes.
“While we’re on the subject, is there any news of pregnancy yet?”
“Louise. They’re still newlyweds.”
"But now it's time. Gladys brought me some exciting news as soon as she returned from her honeymoon."
The atmosphere instantly froze as the name came out of Louise's mouth.
Realizing her belated slip of the tongue, Louise flinched and examined Erna's complexion. Feeling resentful of her mother's continued defense of the Grand Duchess, she crossed the line.
“That’s rude, Louise.”
The low, muffled voice of Isabel Dneister broke the tense silence.
“Apologize to Erna.”
"Mother!"
"Hurry."
Despite her daughter's tearful retort, her expression remained stern. Christian and Greta, who had paused in their small talk and were observing her, simultaneously let out a small sigh. The children of the Dniester royal family knew full well that they could never stand up to a mother with such an expression. Louise was no exception.
"...Sorry."
Louise's face crumpled with humiliation as she reluctantly opened her mouth.
“I made a mistake. Please relent, Your Grace.”
“Oh, no. I’m fine. I’m really fine.”
Erna shook her head, flustered and at a loss.
“Thank you for understanding.”
Only when she met Erna's pleading eyes did she finally smile.
“I apologize again for Louise’s rudeness.”
Isabelle Dneister put the situation in perspective with soft, forceful words. Just as Louise's face flushed as she stared at her mother in shock, word arrived that the work in the study would soon be completed.
It was time for the family dinner to begin.
“It seems like Father has definitely changed his mind, too.”
Leonid's calm voice was followed by the sound of a ball rolling on a billiard table. Bjorn narrowed his eyes, observing the trajectory of the ivory ball, which this time seemed slightly off-center. As expected, the six-game winning streak was over.
“He uses that reading stand in his bedroom.”
Leonid continued speaking with a face that didn't show much regret. It seemed like the composure of someone who had built up a significant lead.
“A reading stand? Oh, that one.”
Bjorn chuckled as he chalked the end of his cue.
Prince Christian, who was eventually kicked out of the study where the men had gathered, returned with a sullen face.
Isabelle Dniester smiled as if she'd expected this, and gestured to the far end of the table. It was next to Princess Greta, who was sipping tea with utmost composure. Christian sighed, displeased at having to enjoy tea time with his youngest child, but obediently followed his mother's orders.
Erna surveyed the Dneister family with curious eyes. The Queen and Princess Louise, conversing in low voices. Princess Louise's younger siblings, cared for by their nanny. Prince Christian, still furious at being treated like a child, and Princess Greta, seemingly content. It was delightful to see their faces, each slightly resembling the other. Though their colors differed slightly, they were like beads strung on a single thread.
Erna, who had been staring blankly at the smiling Queen and Louise, suddenly felt a sense of emptiness and lowered her gaze. The thought that she was the only one with a face unlike any other made her feel a little lonely. Suddenly, she missed her grandmother. Everyone used to say that she and her grandmother looked so much alike.
“You can’t do that, miss.”
Erna, who had been studying the design on the teacup, suddenly turned her head in surprise at the sound of her nanny's voice approaching her. Louise's young daughter was standing there, clutching the hem of Erna's dress. The glittering gold thread and lace decorations were a sight to behold.
“It’s okay, just leave it.”
Erna smiled and pushed the nanny away. The child, who had been darting her eyes around, finally burst into laughter. Erna thought she resembled Duke Heine, but her smiling face was unmistakably her mother's. Perhaps that's why she reminded her of Bjorn.
Erna gazed with wonder at the small, chubby hands fiddling with her dress, the peach-colored cheeks, and the fine, ribbon-tied hair. It was her first time seeing a baby this close. Unlike Erna, who was nervous and unsure of how to interact with her, the baby smiled and played without hesitation.
"Hi."
When their eyes met again, Erna smiled awkwardly and waved. The child, who had been blinking at her with wide eyes, returned the gesture with a hand as bright as a maple leaf. Erna's smile had already brightened to a child's.
The child, who had been playing with the hem of her dress, began to pull Erna's hand, as if urging her to do so. With her other hand, she pointed to the palm tree on the other side.
Erna stood up quietly and walked around the garden room with the child.
Isabel Dniester, clutching her folding fan, watched the scene with interest. Louise, who belatedly realized who her daughter was and what she was doing, frowned and tried to call the nanny.
“I don’t think that’s necessary.”
Isabelle Dneister tried to dissuade her daughter with a soft voice. Meanwhile, Erna stood before the palm tree with her child. Her earnest demeanor, as she listened intently to the child's excited, babbling words, made her smile.
“I really don’t understand why you are so generous to the Grand Duchess.”
Louise grumbled as if she were displeased.
“Is there any reason why that shouldn’t be the case?”
“That’s not it, but...”
Swallowing Gladys's name, which was on the tip of her tongue, Louise clenched her jaw. Erna was now holding the child in her arms, as if nothing had happened. She'd met the children several times before, but she'd been so shy, so desperate to impress her mother, that she'd done something she didn't really want to do. It was disgusting.
Erna walked slowly around the garden room, holding the child, before returning to the tea table. Her shy smile, as if unaware of the attention, was utterly shameless.
"I didn't realize the Grand Duchess loved children so much. She'll be a wonderful mother in the future."
Louise, who had received her daughter from the nanny and was sitting on her lap, made a sharp remark. Erna, who had just taken her seat, slightly wavered in her eyes.
“While we’re on the subject, is there any news of pregnancy yet?”
“Louise. They’re still newlyweds.”
"But now it's time. Gladys brought me some exciting news as soon as she returned from her honeymoon."
The atmosphere instantly froze as the name came out of Louise's mouth.
Realizing her belated slip of the tongue, Louise flinched and examined Erna's complexion. Feeling resentful of her mother's continued defense of the Grand Duchess, she crossed the line.
“That’s rude, Louise.”
The low, muffled voice of Isabel Dneister broke the tense silence.
“Apologize to Erna.”
"Mother!"
"Hurry."
Despite her daughter's tearful retort, her expression remained stern. Christian and Greta, who had paused in their small talk and were observing her, simultaneously let out a small sigh. The children of the Dniester royal family knew full well that they could never stand up to a mother with such an expression. Louise was no exception.
"...Sorry."
Louise's face crumpled with humiliation as she reluctantly opened her mouth.
“I made a mistake. Please relent, Your Grace.”
“Oh, no. I’m fine. I’m really fine.”
Erna shook her head, flustered and at a loss.
“Thank you for understanding.”
Only when she met Erna's pleading eyes did she finally smile.
“I apologize again for Louise’s rudeness.”
Isabelle Dneister put the situation in perspective with soft, forceful words. Just as Louise's face flushed as she stared at her mother in shock, word arrived that the work in the study would soon be completed.
It was time for the family dinner to begin.
***
“It seems like Father has definitely changed his mind, too.”
Leonid's calm voice was followed by the sound of a ball rolling on a billiard table. Bjorn narrowed his eyes, observing the trajectory of the ivory ball, which this time seemed slightly off-center. As expected, the six-game winning streak was over.
“He uses that reading stand in his bedroom.”
Leonid continued speaking with a face that didn't show much regret. It seemed like the composure of someone who had built up a significant lead.
“A reading stand? Oh, that one.”
Bjorn chuckled as he chalked the end of his cue.
He thought it was absurd, but the gifts his wife brought him on their honeymoon were surprisingly well-received. His mother even praised Erna at dinner, saying she was using the flower scissors well. It might have been a deliberate compliment, but Erna was delighted, so that was all that mattered.
“His Majesty, King of Letzen, he are surprisingly easygoing.”
Bjorn approached the left side of the billiard table where his cue ball was and bent down. Despite his relaxed demeanor, his eyes, aimed at the ball, held a sharp edge.
The ball, struck with a powerful slash, deflected perfectly, scoring a point. Bjorn smiled with satisfaction and returned the cigar he'd placed in the brandy glass holder to his lips.
“The Grand Duchess seems like a good person.”
Beyond the dispersing smoke, Leonid's face became quite serious.
“Where has His Highness the Crown Prince gone, who so firmly declared that he did not like Miss Hardy?”
“That’s what I thought back then. I didn’t know what kind of person the Grand Duchess was.”
"Well, I'm glad you've corrected your views. But why all of a sudden are you talking nonsense??"
Bjorn took a sip of brandy and then picked up the cue again. Despite having consumed quite a bit, he was hardly intoxicated at all. Well, considering his usual drinking capacity, this could almost be considered an aperitif. As if to prove his point, Bjorn continued to score four points in a row, narrowing the gap.
Leonid, who had taken off his glasses and placed them on the table, looked at Bjorn with deepened eyes.
The Grand Duchess was doing her best for her husband. Those who revere the tragic Crown Princess Gladys as a myth seem to be trying to ignore her, but if we set aside such prejudice, her sincere efforts were evident even to others. Therefore, perhaps the one who should be concerned was her indifferent husband, Bjorn.
When his turn came, Leonid approached the table again. Calmly grasping his chalked cue, he scored three consecutive points to secure the victory. Bjorn accepted the defeat without much regret. His twin brother was obsessed with winning, but he was also quite detached from games where he wasn't in the best position.
“You have a good wife, so why don’t you try being a good husband too?”
Bjorn's brow furrowed at the words spoken by Leonid, who was wearing glasses that had been removed.
“That doesn’t sound like something someone who has kept a husband waiting for his good wife in the billiard room until this hour should be saying.”
The cigar smoke that Bjorn spun around and exhaled dispersed whitely into the air.
Leonid paused for a moment, then sighed softly and sat down across from him at the table. It was he who had first suggested they play billiards. They were there to discuss the foreign royals they would meet at the opening ceremony of the Expo in two days and the issues they would bring. It was a long-standing habit of the brothers to discuss important matters at the billiards table.
“Now that it’s over, go back.”
“Is there any alcohol left, Your Highness?”
Refilling his just-emptied glass, Bjorn made a remark that was quite impudent. Leonid shook his head with a hollow laugh, then quenched hia thirst with the cold water placed before him.
“The bald eagles have broken their stubbornness.”
The sound of a glass of brandy being set down after a sip resonated clearly.
“There will be no touching of government bond interest rates or taxes on securities.”
“What do you want in return?”
"Your most pressing need is to resolve your financial deficit with Letzen's funds. It seems they want to sell the Northern Railway construction rights. Or they could come up with another plan. Well, it's up to Maxim and His Majesty to decide what to give and what to receive."
Bjorn put the cigar back in his mouth, shaking off the long ash. His demeanor was as if he was saying it was no longer his business.
Knowing that he never re-engaged in matters he had already abandoned, Leonid didn't pursue her questions further. Based on the information Bjorn had gathered from his last visit, he had already decided on a general direction.
“I suddenly became curious.”
Leonid, who had been deep in thought, frowned and began to speak.
“If you add that itinerary to your bank work, what on earth did you do on your honeymoon?”
“I took care of everything, so please don’t interfere, Your Highness.”
“Bjorn. I think you are...”
“My good wife, Leonid.”
Bjorn cut Leonid off in a tone that felt even colder because it lacked any strength.
“I know her better than anyone else.”
Bjorn, who had been staring blankly at Leonid, smiled faintly. His face was filled with confidence.
“And I, too, am a pretty good husband, if you get to know me.”
Leonid, momentarily stunned by the playful remark, eventually burst into laughter. A few more jokes were exchanged, and before he knew it, midnight had passed.
Leonid set down his half-empty glass as Bjorn poured himself another glass of brandy. The memory of Pavel Lohe overlaying his face deepened Bjorn's gaze.
"Why?"
Leonid, holding a glass of water, asked indifferently.
"Just."
Bjorn leaned back in his chair and took a deep drag of his cigar.
“I’m so unlucky.”
With a hiss, the long puff of smoke slowly dissipated. Leonid, who had been staring blankly at him, eventually ended up laughing as well.
“What are you talking about? You crazy bastard.”
“His Majesty, King of Letzen, he are surprisingly easygoing.”
Bjorn approached the left side of the billiard table where his cue ball was and bent down. Despite his relaxed demeanor, his eyes, aimed at the ball, held a sharp edge.
The ball, struck with a powerful slash, deflected perfectly, scoring a point. Bjorn smiled with satisfaction and returned the cigar he'd placed in the brandy glass holder to his lips.
“The Grand Duchess seems like a good person.”
Beyond the dispersing smoke, Leonid's face became quite serious.
“Where has His Highness the Crown Prince gone, who so firmly declared that he did not like Miss Hardy?”
“That’s what I thought back then. I didn’t know what kind of person the Grand Duchess was.”
"Well, I'm glad you've corrected your views. But why all of a sudden are you talking nonsense??"
Bjorn took a sip of brandy and then picked up the cue again. Despite having consumed quite a bit, he was hardly intoxicated at all. Well, considering his usual drinking capacity, this could almost be considered an aperitif. As if to prove his point, Bjorn continued to score four points in a row, narrowing the gap.
Leonid, who had taken off his glasses and placed them on the table, looked at Bjorn with deepened eyes.
The Grand Duchess was doing her best for her husband. Those who revere the tragic Crown Princess Gladys as a myth seem to be trying to ignore her, but if we set aside such prejudice, her sincere efforts were evident even to others. Therefore, perhaps the one who should be concerned was her indifferent husband, Bjorn.
When his turn came, Leonid approached the table again. Calmly grasping his chalked cue, he scored three consecutive points to secure the victory. Bjorn accepted the defeat without much regret. His twin brother was obsessed with winning, but he was also quite detached from games where he wasn't in the best position.
“You have a good wife, so why don’t you try being a good husband too?”
Bjorn's brow furrowed at the words spoken by Leonid, who was wearing glasses that had been removed.
“That doesn’t sound like something someone who has kept a husband waiting for his good wife in the billiard room until this hour should be saying.”
The cigar smoke that Bjorn spun around and exhaled dispersed whitely into the air.
Leonid paused for a moment, then sighed softly and sat down across from him at the table. It was he who had first suggested they play billiards. They were there to discuss the foreign royals they would meet at the opening ceremony of the Expo in two days and the issues they would bring. It was a long-standing habit of the brothers to discuss important matters at the billiards table.
“Now that it’s over, go back.”
“Is there any alcohol left, Your Highness?”
Refilling his just-emptied glass, Bjorn made a remark that was quite impudent. Leonid shook his head with a hollow laugh, then quenched hia thirst with the cold water placed before him.
“The bald eagles have broken their stubbornness.”
The sound of a glass of brandy being set down after a sip resonated clearly.
“There will be no touching of government bond interest rates or taxes on securities.”
“What do you want in return?”
"Your most pressing need is to resolve your financial deficit with Letzen's funds. It seems they want to sell the Northern Railway construction rights. Or they could come up with another plan. Well, it's up to Maxim and His Majesty to decide what to give and what to receive."
Bjorn put the cigar back in his mouth, shaking off the long ash. His demeanor was as if he was saying it was no longer his business.
Knowing that he never re-engaged in matters he had already abandoned, Leonid didn't pursue her questions further. Based on the information Bjorn had gathered from his last visit, he had already decided on a general direction.
“I suddenly became curious.”
Leonid, who had been deep in thought, frowned and began to speak.
“If you add that itinerary to your bank work, what on earth did you do on your honeymoon?”
“I took care of everything, so please don’t interfere, Your Highness.”
“Bjorn. I think you are...”
“My good wife, Leonid.”
Bjorn cut Leonid off in a tone that felt even colder because it lacked any strength.
“I know her better than anyone else.”
Bjorn, who had been staring blankly at Leonid, smiled faintly. His face was filled with confidence.
“And I, too, am a pretty good husband, if you get to know me.”
Leonid, momentarily stunned by the playful remark, eventually burst into laughter. A few more jokes were exchanged, and before he knew it, midnight had passed.
Leonid set down his half-empty glass as Bjorn poured himself another glass of brandy. The memory of Pavel Lohe overlaying his face deepened Bjorn's gaze.
"Why?"
Leonid, holding a glass of water, asked indifferently.
"Just."
Bjorn leaned back in his chair and took a deep drag of his cigar.
“I’m so unlucky.”
With a hiss, the long puff of smoke slowly dissipated. Leonid, who had been staring blankly at him, eventually ended up laughing as well.
“What are you talking about? You crazy bastard.”
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