After her mother passed away, she went to the wardrobe with a serious expression to choose clothes to wear to the palace.
As Ophelia said, it had been quite some time since she had seen Winfred.
He usually made time out of his busy schedule as the Crown Prince to spend time with Aila, but lately, that hasn't been going so well.
These days, whenever he had free time, he would spend time with his father, Hiram, who was visibly depressed by the loss of his beloved.
In front of his son, he acted as if nothing had happened, joking around as usual, for fear of worrying him, but he couldn't hide the deep sadness and despair in his eyes.
Because of that, his meetings with Aila became less frequent.
While it might have been unpleasant to be pushed aside while they were engaged, she felt no resentment. This was thanks to Winfred's frequent letters expressing his apologies and his deepest feelings.
At the end of each letter, there was always the same picture: a self-portrait of him, with his hands clasped together in tears.
The comically simplified style, a departure from Ophelia's usual realistic style, was reminiscent of the style of her close friend Candice. It seemed she had learned this style through interactions with her during her stay in the empire.
How can she hate such a cute and adorable Winfred?
Aila chuckled softly as she recalled his picture and began picking out what to wear. She couldn't wait to see him again.
“Welcome, Your Excellency. His Majesty is waiting.”
Guided by the chamberlain, Roderick entered the Emperor's private quarters. The first thing he noticed upon entering was the strong smell of alcohol that filled the room.
“...You said you wanted to have a drink with your friends after a long time, but you couldn’t wait and started it first.”
"Oh, you're here. Sorry. My throat was so parched while I was waiting for you, so I was holding a drink."
Hiram greeted Roderick with a chuckle. A variety of appetizers were laid out on the table, but none of them had been touched.
“The bottle is too empty to be considered a thirst quencher.”
Roderick pointed to the half-empty bottle of liquor. It was a reasonable observation.
"Haha, you're so picky. You never let things slide. Don't worry. There's no limit to the liquor stored in the royal treasury."
Hiram poured his friend a drink with an embarrassed expression. He might not have had an unlimited supply, but there was enough for the two of them to indulge in some intoxicating festivities.
As soon as Roderick accepted the glass, Hiram gulped down his own. His usual relaxed and playful demeanor was gone.
"Please have some snacks with you, Your Majesty. You're feeling unwell. The Crown Prince has been concerned about Your Majesty's recent drinking habits."
At the Duke's worried expression, Hiram let out a snicker.
“Our Winfred is worried about me... Yes, I am a cowardly father who worries his son.”
“You know I didn’t mean to say that, right?”
While Roderick sighed softly and argued, the Emperor filled his glass again, downed it in one gulp, and slammed the glass down on the table.
The little bit of alcohol left on the floor splashed everywhere and soaked his sleeve.
"Why do you pretend not to know? You'd probably want to tell me, 'It's foolish to rely on alcohol to forget reality.' I know that, too. How foolish it is. I know full well that when I sober up, all that's left is pain."
His voice was filled with anger, and his eyes were darting around, unfocused.
If he were a small-minded person, he would be frightened by the emperor's fierce anger, and if he were disloyal, he might become dissatisfied and complain that the Emperor was taking out his anger on him by getting drunk for no reason.
But Roderick was neither. He simply stared down at the goblet the Emperor had placed down, his expression silent.
“...I never thought of that, Your Majesty.”
As he said this, Roderick took a sip of his drink, moistening his lips as if his throat was burning, and then continued speaking in a quiet voice.
"You must harbor a grief so deep within you that I cannot fathom it. The suffering of others is not something that can be easily judged. That's why I dare not offer Your Majesty words of comfort. And I dare not offer any criticism."
“...”
At his words, Hiram remained silent and just stared at his empty glass.
"If Your Majesty can't stand alcohol, you may. If you need a companion to drink with, please call me anytime. I won't refuse. However... I'm only asking you to bring some snacks for your health. If you're already feeling unwell, wouldn't it be unfair if your body were to suffer as well?"
Roderick finished speaking, chuckling and pouring the remaining alcohol from his glass into his mouth. The alcohol content was quite high, and the taste made his face wrinkle.
“Roderick, you really are...”
Hiram glared at Roderick with a fierce gaze and opened his mouth. His face looked as if he was about to burst into a rage.
“Really... you’re a good person and a great friend. I’m sorry. I’m sorry... I shouldn’t have taken my anger out on you like that. I’m sorry.”
But instead of shouting, he suddenly burst into tears. Big tears streamed down his face.
"In fact, it might be you, of all people, who's scolding me for being foolish and relying on alcohol. And if Selene... if she saw me like this, she'd scold me for being pathetic."
Hiram gave a self-deprecating laugh. His voice was wet with tears.
"You don't have to blame yourself so much. Your Majesty is human, after all. It's okay to show a little weakness when times get tough, isn't it? I'm sure Her Majesty will be lenient and understanding towards this."
"I... can't show weakness. My world is crumbling, and yet I must endure. I am the Emperor, I am a father. If I falter, wouldn't Winfred be uneasy? And yet, I keep showing my weakness."
Hiram clutched the bottle and vented his frustration. Roderick felt relieved. He'd been worried by this unusual behavior, but it was his usual drinking habits that had surfaced.
"Your Majesty, you are a father, but you are also grieving the loss of a precious lover and family member. I think it would be best to put aside your worries about your grown son and focus on Your Majesty's feelings first."
“But our Winnie... is still so tender and soft...”
At Roderick's words, he pretended to touch something soft in the air and made a whining sound.
It seems that in his mind, Winfred was something like pudding.
"Your Majesty. His Highness the Crown Prince is no longer a child. He has grown so much. Lately... whenever he has free time, he visits Your Majesty and spends time with you. To take care of Your Majesty. He even turns down dates with my daughter, whom he adores so much."
“Is that so...”
At Roderick's words, Hiram, who had been bowing his head at the table, raised his head and pursed his lips.
“Didn’t you know?”
"Yes. I, lost in my own tears, didn't realize how deep my son's heart was... I was so indifferent. Our Win... our Winfred has grown so much..."
Hiram staggered to his feet, ready to run out at any moment.
“Oh, where are you going, Your Majesty?”
“We’re going to see Winfred...!”
When a flustered Roderick quickly tried to stop him, he shouted in a tongue-tied voice.
"...His Highness the Crown Prince is currently spending time with Aila. It's the first time in weeks that the couple has reunited. If you still want to go, I won't stop you... But I think it would be best if you sobered up a bit before you go."
Roderick sighed, his expression indicating he had a lot to say but was holding back. What good would it do to argue with a drunkard?
Fortunately, perhaps he still had some sanity left, and Hiram sat back down with a sullen expression.
"I can't be that inconsiderate father who interrupts a date. I don't want my future daughter-in-law to misunderstand that I'm a drunkard."
“...So, are you saying it’s okay for prospective in-laws?”
“You’ve seen me like this your whole life. Why are you making such a fuss?”
Hiram shrugged shamelessly and tried to pour a drink into Roderick's empty glass. But he had already drained the entire bottle.
"Oh, dear. We're already out of alcohol. Don't worry. The alcohol stored in the palace treasury is infinite."
“You said the same thing earlier.”
Hiram chuckled at Roderick's words and cracked open a new bottle. For a moment, he seemed to have returned to his former cheerful self, joking with his friend. But the next moment, a deep darkness settled over his eyes.
“Look here, Roderick.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Hiram, calling out to his friend in a feeble voice, stared out the window in silence for a moment. The sun was slowly setting, casting a warm glow over the splendid palace buildings, and his eyes felt strangely dazzled.
“...Will there ever come a day when this torn heart will be healed?”
He asked in a voice so desolate it sent a chill through the listener's heart. His bloodshot eyes held an immeasurable depth of sadness.
As Ophelia said, it had been quite some time since she had seen Winfred.
He usually made time out of his busy schedule as the Crown Prince to spend time with Aila, but lately, that hasn't been going so well.
These days, whenever he had free time, he would spend time with his father, Hiram, who was visibly depressed by the loss of his beloved.
In front of his son, he acted as if nothing had happened, joking around as usual, for fear of worrying him, but he couldn't hide the deep sadness and despair in his eyes.
Because of that, his meetings with Aila became less frequent.
While it might have been unpleasant to be pushed aside while they were engaged, she felt no resentment. This was thanks to Winfred's frequent letters expressing his apologies and his deepest feelings.
At the end of each letter, there was always the same picture: a self-portrait of him, with his hands clasped together in tears.
The comically simplified style, a departure from Ophelia's usual realistic style, was reminiscent of the style of her close friend Candice. It seemed she had learned this style through interactions with her during her stay in the empire.
How can she hate such a cute and adorable Winfred?
Aila chuckled softly as she recalled his picture and began picking out what to wear. She couldn't wait to see him again.
***
“Welcome, Your Excellency. His Majesty is waiting.”
Guided by the chamberlain, Roderick entered the Emperor's private quarters. The first thing he noticed upon entering was the strong smell of alcohol that filled the room.
“...You said you wanted to have a drink with your friends after a long time, but you couldn’t wait and started it first.”
"Oh, you're here. Sorry. My throat was so parched while I was waiting for you, so I was holding a drink."
Hiram greeted Roderick with a chuckle. A variety of appetizers were laid out on the table, but none of them had been touched.
“The bottle is too empty to be considered a thirst quencher.”
Roderick pointed to the half-empty bottle of liquor. It was a reasonable observation.
"Haha, you're so picky. You never let things slide. Don't worry. There's no limit to the liquor stored in the royal treasury."
Hiram poured his friend a drink with an embarrassed expression. He might not have had an unlimited supply, but there was enough for the two of them to indulge in some intoxicating festivities.
As soon as Roderick accepted the glass, Hiram gulped down his own. His usual relaxed and playful demeanor was gone.
"Please have some snacks with you, Your Majesty. You're feeling unwell. The Crown Prince has been concerned about Your Majesty's recent drinking habits."
At the Duke's worried expression, Hiram let out a snicker.
“Our Winfred is worried about me... Yes, I am a cowardly father who worries his son.”
“You know I didn’t mean to say that, right?”
While Roderick sighed softly and argued, the Emperor filled his glass again, downed it in one gulp, and slammed the glass down on the table.
The little bit of alcohol left on the floor splashed everywhere and soaked his sleeve.
"Why do you pretend not to know? You'd probably want to tell me, 'It's foolish to rely on alcohol to forget reality.' I know that, too. How foolish it is. I know full well that when I sober up, all that's left is pain."
His voice was filled with anger, and his eyes were darting around, unfocused.
If he were a small-minded person, he would be frightened by the emperor's fierce anger, and if he were disloyal, he might become dissatisfied and complain that the Emperor was taking out his anger on him by getting drunk for no reason.
But Roderick was neither. He simply stared down at the goblet the Emperor had placed down, his expression silent.
“...I never thought of that, Your Majesty.”
As he said this, Roderick took a sip of his drink, moistening his lips as if his throat was burning, and then continued speaking in a quiet voice.
"You must harbor a grief so deep within you that I cannot fathom it. The suffering of others is not something that can be easily judged. That's why I dare not offer Your Majesty words of comfort. And I dare not offer any criticism."
“...”
At his words, Hiram remained silent and just stared at his empty glass.
"If Your Majesty can't stand alcohol, you may. If you need a companion to drink with, please call me anytime. I won't refuse. However... I'm only asking you to bring some snacks for your health. If you're already feeling unwell, wouldn't it be unfair if your body were to suffer as well?"
Roderick finished speaking, chuckling and pouring the remaining alcohol from his glass into his mouth. The alcohol content was quite high, and the taste made his face wrinkle.
“Roderick, you really are...”
Hiram glared at Roderick with a fierce gaze and opened his mouth. His face looked as if he was about to burst into a rage.
“Really... you’re a good person and a great friend. I’m sorry. I’m sorry... I shouldn’t have taken my anger out on you like that. I’m sorry.”
But instead of shouting, he suddenly burst into tears. Big tears streamed down his face.
"In fact, it might be you, of all people, who's scolding me for being foolish and relying on alcohol. And if Selene... if she saw me like this, she'd scold me for being pathetic."
Hiram gave a self-deprecating laugh. His voice was wet with tears.
"You don't have to blame yourself so much. Your Majesty is human, after all. It's okay to show a little weakness when times get tough, isn't it? I'm sure Her Majesty will be lenient and understanding towards this."
"I... can't show weakness. My world is crumbling, and yet I must endure. I am the Emperor, I am a father. If I falter, wouldn't Winfred be uneasy? And yet, I keep showing my weakness."
Hiram clutched the bottle and vented his frustration. Roderick felt relieved. He'd been worried by this unusual behavior, but it was his usual drinking habits that had surfaced.
"Your Majesty, you are a father, but you are also grieving the loss of a precious lover and family member. I think it would be best to put aside your worries about your grown son and focus on Your Majesty's feelings first."
“But our Winnie... is still so tender and soft...”
At Roderick's words, he pretended to touch something soft in the air and made a whining sound.
It seems that in his mind, Winfred was something like pudding.
"Your Majesty. His Highness the Crown Prince is no longer a child. He has grown so much. Lately... whenever he has free time, he visits Your Majesty and spends time with you. To take care of Your Majesty. He even turns down dates with my daughter, whom he adores so much."
“Is that so...”
At Roderick's words, Hiram, who had been bowing his head at the table, raised his head and pursed his lips.
“Didn’t you know?”
"Yes. I, lost in my own tears, didn't realize how deep my son's heart was... I was so indifferent. Our Win... our Winfred has grown so much..."
Hiram staggered to his feet, ready to run out at any moment.
“Oh, where are you going, Your Majesty?”
“We’re going to see Winfred...!”
When a flustered Roderick quickly tried to stop him, he shouted in a tongue-tied voice.
"...His Highness the Crown Prince is currently spending time with Aila. It's the first time in weeks that the couple has reunited. If you still want to go, I won't stop you... But I think it would be best if you sobered up a bit before you go."
Roderick sighed, his expression indicating he had a lot to say but was holding back. What good would it do to argue with a drunkard?
Fortunately, perhaps he still had some sanity left, and Hiram sat back down with a sullen expression.
"I can't be that inconsiderate father who interrupts a date. I don't want my future daughter-in-law to misunderstand that I'm a drunkard."
“...So, are you saying it’s okay for prospective in-laws?”
“You’ve seen me like this your whole life. Why are you making such a fuss?”
Hiram shrugged shamelessly and tried to pour a drink into Roderick's empty glass. But he had already drained the entire bottle.
"Oh, dear. We're already out of alcohol. Don't worry. The alcohol stored in the palace treasury is infinite."
“You said the same thing earlier.”
Hiram chuckled at Roderick's words and cracked open a new bottle. For a moment, he seemed to have returned to his former cheerful self, joking with his friend. But the next moment, a deep darkness settled over his eyes.
“Look here, Roderick.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Hiram, calling out to his friend in a feeble voice, stared out the window in silence for a moment. The sun was slowly setting, casting a warm glow over the splendid palace buildings, and his eyes felt strangely dazzled.
“...Will there ever come a day when this torn heart will be healed?”
He asked in a voice so desolate it sent a chill through the listener's heart. His bloodshot eyes held an immeasurable depth of sadness.
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