In a dimly lit bar, a woman wearing a cocktail hat with an opaque veil held a crystal glass and a beautiful smile. In contrast, Mastiff, in a suit sitting opposite her, had a cynical expression, devoid of any emotion. He asked.
“Rosalia. Why didn’t you keep your promise?”
A deep, lingering anger settled over her. The woman called Rosalia, the Marchioness of Wales, covered her mouth and snorted.
“Thanks to that, you were able to remove the third shadow the Queen cherished. Perhaps you harbored feelings for that maid?”
“Well, it was a bit unpleasant.”
“Why would someone who is destined to become great be concerned about such a lowly thing?”
"You wanted to escape the shadow, didn't you? The first shadow. I didn't know you'd use it for such childish revenge."
The Marchioness, nicknamed "The First Shadow," pursed her lips. She placed a hand on her cheek, lowered her eyes, and let out a small sigh.
"You want to tell me about my weaknesses? My origins, my true identity, were all lies. And my life, too."
“Your weakness is your son. Because he is precious to you.”
"Yes, it's the only thing I have. It's my future, my new life. It's one of the devices the Queen has set up to control her informants, but there's nothing I can do about it."
She was laughing in a clear voice, then lifted her chin in a seemingly relaxed manner.
"Your weaknesses are also 'human.' You should be thankful you haven't developed another weakness."
Mastiff's malachite eyes darkened and became fiercely sharp, like a sharp cross-section.
“If you act so dogmatically one more time and don’t follow my orders, you’re finished too.”
"You're being too harsh. Isn't it enough to simply manage my doll, which I've spent years painstakingly crafting? I've even convinced her to become her closest confidant, as I've been in sync with the Queen's wishes, and to inherit the throne. Who else could be more qualified than me?"
The Marchioness's small face was roughly grasped in his large grip. Yet, seeing her amber eyes shining with a noble gleam, showing no sign of fear or panic, Mastiff frowned and opened his mouth.
"Soon, you and I will no longer meet. Medea and Frogen will turn against each other. I have come to give you a final warning."
“Yes, as you are the future supreme leader, I must follow whatever instructions you give me.”
"Don't mess with Noah Rotsilt. Be sure to keep the Princess well-managed and make sure she doesn't cross the line."
She smiled, her jaw clenched so tightly it hurt.
“Why? Because it’s your weakness?”
"He knows about our plan, yet he tolerates it. It's because his interests align. However, if you cross the line, you won't be safe either."
"You're aware of my existence. I don't understand how great that man is, which is why you're so flustered. So, what's the line?"
“Diana Clare’s personal safety.”
“Be afraid. Even if she is a real Princess, what on earth is she?”
"A medium that can send even the children you hold dear to your heart to hell. He doesn't just kill them for revenge. He knows full well a pain worse than death."
"Yes, I'm already developing a close relationship with Madame Rotsilt. I need to find an escape route. I'm holding back as best I can, but I have a feeling that the fake Princess will cross the line soon."
“Rosalia. Why didn’t you keep your promise?”
A deep, lingering anger settled over her. The woman called Rosalia, the Marchioness of Wales, covered her mouth and snorted.
“Thanks to that, you were able to remove the third shadow the Queen cherished. Perhaps you harbored feelings for that maid?”
“Well, it was a bit unpleasant.”
“Why would someone who is destined to become great be concerned about such a lowly thing?”
"You wanted to escape the shadow, didn't you? The first shadow. I didn't know you'd use it for such childish revenge."
The Marchioness, nicknamed "The First Shadow," pursed her lips. She placed a hand on her cheek, lowered her eyes, and let out a small sigh.
"You want to tell me about my weaknesses? My origins, my true identity, were all lies. And my life, too."
“Your weakness is your son. Because he is precious to you.”
"Yes, it's the only thing I have. It's my future, my new life. It's one of the devices the Queen has set up to control her informants, but there's nothing I can do about it."
She was laughing in a clear voice, then lifted her chin in a seemingly relaxed manner.
"Your weaknesses are also 'human.' You should be thankful you haven't developed another weakness."
Mastiff's malachite eyes darkened and became fiercely sharp, like a sharp cross-section.
“If you act so dogmatically one more time and don’t follow my orders, you’re finished too.”
"You're being too harsh. Isn't it enough to simply manage my doll, which I've spent years painstakingly crafting? I've even convinced her to become her closest confidant, as I've been in sync with the Queen's wishes, and to inherit the throne. Who else could be more qualified than me?"
The Marchioness's small face was roughly grasped in his large grip. Yet, seeing her amber eyes shining with a noble gleam, showing no sign of fear or panic, Mastiff frowned and opened his mouth.
"Soon, you and I will no longer meet. Medea and Frogen will turn against each other. I have come to give you a final warning."
“Yes, as you are the future supreme leader, I must follow whatever instructions you give me.”
"Don't mess with Noah Rotsilt. Be sure to keep the Princess well-managed and make sure she doesn't cross the line."
She smiled, her jaw clenched so tightly it hurt.
“Why? Because it’s your weakness?”
"He knows about our plan, yet he tolerates it. It's because his interests align. However, if you cross the line, you won't be safe either."
"You're aware of my existence. I don't understand how great that man is, which is why you're so flustered. So, what's the line?"
“Diana Clare’s personal safety.”
“Be afraid. Even if she is a real Princess, what on earth is she?”
"A medium that can send even the children you hold dear to your heart to hell. He doesn't just kill them for revenge. He knows full well a pain worse than death."
"Yes, I'm already developing a close relationship with Madame Rotsilt. I need to find an escape route. I'm holding back as best I can, but I have a feeling that the fake Princess will cross the line soon."
Mastiff lit a pipe and exhaled acrid smoke with an indifferent look on his face.
"As expected of the Queen's Shadow, you're smart. If that happens, we'll have to change our plans. And you won't be needed either."
"I'm trying not to do that. It's a shame, isn't it? It's so hard to build that level of trust. And I've also figured out how to gain the trust of Diana Claire, who's not very trustworthy."
“You have to know how to behave yourself. If you want to be useful even then.”
Mastiff, sitting cross-legged, spoke, dusting cigarette ash off his sleek Oxford shoes. She rose from her seat and bowed.
"It's goodbye for now. Try to cut down on smoking. It's unpleasant for non-smokers."
The Marchioness of Wales took out her perfume and sprayed it on, hoping to dispel the smell of cigarettes that had permeated her dress. After she turned and left, Mastiff picked up a glass of whiskey. The ice in the crystal glass clattered. He took a sip, lowered his eyes, and immersed himself in thought, like ice melting into strong whiskey. The strong alcohol sank down, churning his stomach. In the hazy loneliness, a familiar voice faintly resonated.
“How about cutting down on smoking? They say it’s bad for your health.”
“...Disgusting. Did a ghost or something come over you?”
The royal family of this country throws a banquet that lasts all night. The upper class, perfectly suited to this splendid and extravagant setting, gathers to eat, drink, and be merry. It's a commemorative banquet marking the creation of a new federation and the election of a country to the permanent board of the International Peace Organization.
It feels strange, like I'm already having a victory party, shaking with excitement.
“Are you going to be outside?”
“Yes. I’ll be in the garden with Boaz for a bit. I’ll be heading in later.”
I was sitting on a bench in the palace garden, holding Boaz's leash.
I absolutely don't want to join the throngs of people filling the sumptuous banquet hall. The mere thought makes me feel suffocated and suffocated. Noah tilted his head and sat down next to me.
“Then I’ll be here too.”
“You can’t miss out, right? You go in first.”
He wore a gray suit with a glen check pattern, fiddled with his gray-brown tie, and lowered his eyes. His long, gently fluttering eyelashes were beautiful.
“You didn’t have to come.”
“No, since it’s a formal invitation from the royal family, I have to come.”
“You don’t have to do it if you don’t want to.”
I couldn't let the royal family dislike Noah, so I forced a smile on my face.
"The weather's nice, so I'd like to go and see the garden. If you go first, I'll be right there. I just want to be alone and reflect."
“Yeah, promise not to follow bad people.”
Noah spoke with a worried tone, even linking his fingers. He even went so far as to urge Boaz to watch over me.
His warm lips touched the corner of my eye, then lifted. A heat surged across my face, centered around the touch, and I rubbed my cheek, which had become red for no reason.
“It’s not even a child.”
“I’m worried because you're smaller and shorter than me.”
“Haha, I get it.”
“You have to come quickly. If you don’t come in ten minutes, I’ll come for you.”
Noah stood up with a pretty, dimple-like smile.
After watching him enter the banquet hall, I walked with Boaz along the porch leading to the garden. Walking through the verdant garden, welcoming the colors of the new season, felt pleasant. A cool breeze, a hint of summer, tickled my nose.
“How shameless, to come to a place like this.”
A sharp, piercing voice cut through my romantic musings. Realizing in advance that this was an unpleasant person, I turned around to see Erita standing proudly in my direction.
“May God bless the Princess.”
"God, please do something about that woman," I muttered to myself, bowing politely as she giggled. Erita waved the maid away, then made a low suggestion.
“Would you like to talk to me alone? I’m trying to give you a chance.”
“I have to go into the banquet hall.”
"Would I do anything to hurt you? There are already people around who've seen us together, so even if I wanted to, I can't. Are you too scared?"
I paused for a moment, lost in thought. Was there a witness? The thought of using this opportunity to make sure they never touch me again surged through me uncontrollably.
“Yes, you can’t do it yourself.”
“Follow me, do you want to take that ugly broom-like dog with you?”
Erita narrowed her eyes and showed her displeasure as she saw Boaz with his tail hanging down next to me.
“The dog is disgusting.”
Boaz doesn't seem to particularly like her either.
“I think I should take him with me.”
“It’s a mess. Do it like that.”
I followed Erita to a remote corner of the garden. Passing the garden fountain, I stopped in front of the stairs leading to the royal car and carriage storage area and the artificial lake. Erita, her face bright with joy, smiled brightly.
"Come on, apologize to me and beg me. I'll make sure to tell my mother. Otherwise, things will only get worse."
“What should I pray for?”
“Do you want it to be more painful?”
“I didn’t do anything wrong, so why should I beg?”
Erita's mouth, which had been trying to appear relaxed in response to the dry answer, suddenly twisted.
"Why are you so arrogant and presumptuous? Anyone who sees you would think you're a Princess."
"I've never been rude. I don't value people who treat human life as if it were a fly's."
Erita's distorted face soon transformed into a mocking sneer. She gently lifted the hem of her organza dress and swayed joyfully back and forth.
"You're trying to oppose the royal family just because a lowly person died, and you're challenging Queen Medea at that. Your situation, which was already so detestable, has become a joke. My mother, you know, is so ruthless that sometimes I wonder if she's a heartless machine."
“So that’s how it turned out, Princess. That’s too bad.”
"You're so pathetic, you'll be miserable even if I don't intervene. I find that truly delightful. You've voluntarily embarked on the path to ruin. If you had offered a sincere apology and begged, I would have been more generous and merciful."
Erita suddenly approached me, her face peeking out, and burst into laughter. She seemed to revel in imagining how she would torment me and get me into trouble.
"If things continue like this, even Noah will be harmed. If you don't want to put him in trouble, wouldn't it be better to break up with him sooner rather than later? He doesn't love you. He can't love anyone else in the first place. And yet, I'm the only one who can truly love him."
"Love?"
The tattered love story, torn apart and re-attached with every presumption and justification, is now getting tiresome. I rubbed my forehead with a frown.
"Whether you love him or not, it doesn't matter. You should have gone and persistently seduced him, or at least stolen his heart. I'm not interested in men who succumb to the temptations of other women. Since that didn't work out, you took it out on me, the one who was being so annoying. It's so annoying."
"What?"
"You have to get what you want, by any means necessary, and yoy can't stand anyone touching what's yours. I'm the same way."
“How can someone like you understand me?”
"That's possible. Even if we each have different values and backgrounds, if you look closely, you'll find commonalities. What I'm trying to say is that you, the murderer, are twisted and utterly wrong. You killed Ayla and blamed someone else, yet you show no remorse. It's so shameless. It's so annoying and bothersome that I can't stand it any longer. They say noble or base depends on attitude, but aren't you being so shallow, regardless of your status?"
"You have nothing, yet you're so inferior to me that you try to teach me what you're so good at. It's not even enough to bow down to me and beg. I've called you out here to give you a chance to apologize, because you have such pride."
“This isn’t how you get an apology, Princess.”
When I smiled at Erita, her chin tilted disapprovingly. I approached her and firmly grabbed the jeweled pendant hanging from her neck. Erita's eyes widened as she felt herself being grabbed by the collar.
“Are you crazy? What the hell are you doing!”
“Me? You crazy bitch.”
“Whoa!”
I tightened my grip and tore off her ruby brooch, causing her body to tremble with a short scream. I held the brooch in my hand and shook it from side to side.
"I told you not to touch anyone who's not normal, right? If you hadn't touched me first and caused me harm, we'd both be better off."
I sighed softly and glanced down at the stairs behind me.
“If the stairs are this high, there shouldn’t be any danger to your life.”
“What are you trying to do now?”
I chuckled at her embarrassed cry and slowly backed away. Then I shouted with all my might.
"Princess Erita! Don't do this! Even if you love my husband unrequitedly, how dare you try to kill me like this!"
My voice echoed everywhere. Erita, lost in thought, stood there, like a sculpture cast from a hardened plaster cast, looking at me.
“You know what a snowball is? It started rolling because you killed that one insignificant person.”
I raised my middle finger at Erita, who was dumbfounded, and threw myself down the stairs.
"As expected of the Queen's Shadow, you're smart. If that happens, we'll have to change our plans. And you won't be needed either."
"I'm trying not to do that. It's a shame, isn't it? It's so hard to build that level of trust. And I've also figured out how to gain the trust of Diana Claire, who's not very trustworthy."
“You have to know how to behave yourself. If you want to be useful even then.”
Mastiff, sitting cross-legged, spoke, dusting cigarette ash off his sleek Oxford shoes. She rose from her seat and bowed.
"It's goodbye for now. Try to cut down on smoking. It's unpleasant for non-smokers."
The Marchioness of Wales took out her perfume and sprayed it on, hoping to dispel the smell of cigarettes that had permeated her dress. After she turned and left, Mastiff picked up a glass of whiskey. The ice in the crystal glass clattered. He took a sip, lowered his eyes, and immersed himself in thought, like ice melting into strong whiskey. The strong alcohol sank down, churning his stomach. In the hazy loneliness, a familiar voice faintly resonated.
“How about cutting down on smoking? They say it’s bad for your health.”
“...Disgusting. Did a ghost or something come over you?”
***
The royal family of this country throws a banquet that lasts all night. The upper class, perfectly suited to this splendid and extravagant setting, gathers to eat, drink, and be merry. It's a commemorative banquet marking the creation of a new federation and the election of a country to the permanent board of the International Peace Organization.
It feels strange, like I'm already having a victory party, shaking with excitement.
“Are you going to be outside?”
“Yes. I’ll be in the garden with Boaz for a bit. I’ll be heading in later.”
I was sitting on a bench in the palace garden, holding Boaz's leash.
I absolutely don't want to join the throngs of people filling the sumptuous banquet hall. The mere thought makes me feel suffocated and suffocated. Noah tilted his head and sat down next to me.
“Then I’ll be here too.”
“You can’t miss out, right? You go in first.”
He wore a gray suit with a glen check pattern, fiddled with his gray-brown tie, and lowered his eyes. His long, gently fluttering eyelashes were beautiful.
“You didn’t have to come.”
“No, since it’s a formal invitation from the royal family, I have to come.”
“You don’t have to do it if you don’t want to.”
I couldn't let the royal family dislike Noah, so I forced a smile on my face.
"The weather's nice, so I'd like to go and see the garden. If you go first, I'll be right there. I just want to be alone and reflect."
“Yeah, promise not to follow bad people.”
Noah spoke with a worried tone, even linking his fingers. He even went so far as to urge Boaz to watch over me.
His warm lips touched the corner of my eye, then lifted. A heat surged across my face, centered around the touch, and I rubbed my cheek, which had become red for no reason.
“It’s not even a child.”
“I’m worried because you're smaller and shorter than me.”
“Haha, I get it.”
“You have to come quickly. If you don’t come in ten minutes, I’ll come for you.”
Noah stood up with a pretty, dimple-like smile.
After watching him enter the banquet hall, I walked with Boaz along the porch leading to the garden. Walking through the verdant garden, welcoming the colors of the new season, felt pleasant. A cool breeze, a hint of summer, tickled my nose.
“How shameless, to come to a place like this.”
A sharp, piercing voice cut through my romantic musings. Realizing in advance that this was an unpleasant person, I turned around to see Erita standing proudly in my direction.
“May God bless the Princess.”
"God, please do something about that woman," I muttered to myself, bowing politely as she giggled. Erita waved the maid away, then made a low suggestion.
“Would you like to talk to me alone? I’m trying to give you a chance.”
“I have to go into the banquet hall.”
"Would I do anything to hurt you? There are already people around who've seen us together, so even if I wanted to, I can't. Are you too scared?"
I paused for a moment, lost in thought. Was there a witness? The thought of using this opportunity to make sure they never touch me again surged through me uncontrollably.
“Yes, you can’t do it yourself.”
“Follow me, do you want to take that ugly broom-like dog with you?”
Erita narrowed her eyes and showed her displeasure as she saw Boaz with his tail hanging down next to me.
“The dog is disgusting.”
Boaz doesn't seem to particularly like her either.
“I think I should take him with me.”
“It’s a mess. Do it like that.”
I followed Erita to a remote corner of the garden. Passing the garden fountain, I stopped in front of the stairs leading to the royal car and carriage storage area and the artificial lake. Erita, her face bright with joy, smiled brightly.
"Come on, apologize to me and beg me. I'll make sure to tell my mother. Otherwise, things will only get worse."
“What should I pray for?”
“Do you want it to be more painful?”
“I didn’t do anything wrong, so why should I beg?”
Erita's mouth, which had been trying to appear relaxed in response to the dry answer, suddenly twisted.
"Why are you so arrogant and presumptuous? Anyone who sees you would think you're a Princess."
"I've never been rude. I don't value people who treat human life as if it were a fly's."
Erita's distorted face soon transformed into a mocking sneer. She gently lifted the hem of her organza dress and swayed joyfully back and forth.
"You're trying to oppose the royal family just because a lowly person died, and you're challenging Queen Medea at that. Your situation, which was already so detestable, has become a joke. My mother, you know, is so ruthless that sometimes I wonder if she's a heartless machine."
“So that’s how it turned out, Princess. That’s too bad.”
"You're so pathetic, you'll be miserable even if I don't intervene. I find that truly delightful. You've voluntarily embarked on the path to ruin. If you had offered a sincere apology and begged, I would have been more generous and merciful."
Erita suddenly approached me, her face peeking out, and burst into laughter. She seemed to revel in imagining how she would torment me and get me into trouble.
"If things continue like this, even Noah will be harmed. If you don't want to put him in trouble, wouldn't it be better to break up with him sooner rather than later? He doesn't love you. He can't love anyone else in the first place. And yet, I'm the only one who can truly love him."
"Love?"
The tattered love story, torn apart and re-attached with every presumption and justification, is now getting tiresome. I rubbed my forehead with a frown.
"Whether you love him or not, it doesn't matter. You should have gone and persistently seduced him, or at least stolen his heart. I'm not interested in men who succumb to the temptations of other women. Since that didn't work out, you took it out on me, the one who was being so annoying. It's so annoying."
"What?"
"You have to get what you want, by any means necessary, and yoy can't stand anyone touching what's yours. I'm the same way."
“How can someone like you understand me?”
"That's possible. Even if we each have different values and backgrounds, if you look closely, you'll find commonalities. What I'm trying to say is that you, the murderer, are twisted and utterly wrong. You killed Ayla and blamed someone else, yet you show no remorse. It's so shameless. It's so annoying and bothersome that I can't stand it any longer. They say noble or base depends on attitude, but aren't you being so shallow, regardless of your status?"
"You have nothing, yet you're so inferior to me that you try to teach me what you're so good at. It's not even enough to bow down to me and beg. I've called you out here to give you a chance to apologize, because you have such pride."
“This isn’t how you get an apology, Princess.”
When I smiled at Erita, her chin tilted disapprovingly. I approached her and firmly grabbed the jeweled pendant hanging from her neck. Erita's eyes widened as she felt herself being grabbed by the collar.
“Are you crazy? What the hell are you doing!”
“Me? You crazy bitch.”
“Whoa!”
I tightened my grip and tore off her ruby brooch, causing her body to tremble with a short scream. I held the brooch in my hand and shook it from side to side.
"I told you not to touch anyone who's not normal, right? If you hadn't touched me first and caused me harm, we'd both be better off."
I sighed softly and glanced down at the stairs behind me.
“If the stairs are this high, there shouldn’t be any danger to your life.”
“What are you trying to do now?”
I chuckled at her embarrassed cry and slowly backed away. Then I shouted with all my might.
"Princess Erita! Don't do this! Even if you love my husband unrequitedly, how dare you try to kill me like this!"
My voice echoed everywhere. Erita, lost in thought, stood there, like a sculpture cast from a hardened plaster cast, looking at me.
“You know what a snowball is? It started rolling because you killed that one insignificant person.”
I raised my middle finger at Erita, who was dumbfounded, and threw myself down the stairs.
Comments
Post a Comment