(59) I can do it. (3)
The Emperor issued an imperial decree and left the court with Cyrus.
As they rode in a carriage to the palace, the Emperor gazed intently at Cyrus, who sat before him.
Cyrus, who had always smiled brightly while holding his mother's hand, had lost his smile. Everyone knew that the smile he occasionally showed was a well-crafted one.
Knowing that he had played a part in Cyrus's transformation, he felt a pang of guilt. Driven by suspicion and greed, he turned his attention away from the previous Northern lords and their wives, who had supported him materially and spiritually, like parents and brothers. He even drove out Cyrus, the man they held most dear, and attempted to seize the Northern Territory.
As time passed and he grew to be about the same age as the previous Emperor, he realized what he had given up and lost because of his greed.
His guilt made him vulnerable to Cyrus.
Ever since Cyrus, who had always greeted him with a bright smile and embraced him as a child, came to him frozen in place, and bowed his knee, vowing loyalty, the Emperor had been unable to raise his head to Cyrus.
Cyrus was staring out the window with those beautiful eyes.
“Are you feeling better now, Cyrus?”
“Thanks to Your Majesty’s concern, I was able to correct it before it was too late.”
“Did you care about that child?”
“It’s just that we had a connection, so I couldn’t pretend to know.”
He answered the question, but the wall in his voice was clearly palpable. The Emperor swallowed a sigh and said,
“I know you must have been disappointed in the Western Duke in this matter... but when you have children of your own, you will understand the Western Duke. The Western Duke is human, too. He must have crossed the line because he was weak-willed when it came to his own child.”
“Yes, I suppose so.”
Cyrus barely managed to suppress a laugh that threatened to burst out.
Even at this point, the Emperor still protected the Western Duke.
He supposes so. Because the Emperor would only say what he wanted, as sweetly as the tongue in his mouth.
Even while in the Northern Territory, Cyrus had been paying as much attention to the Eastern Territory as he had to the affairs of the Western Territory and the Empire. When his subordinate informed him of the upcoming custody trial for Ariana, he saw it as an opportunity.
Ariana was smart, and she would prepare perfectly. Cyrus was certain that the more perfect her preparations were, the more the Western Duke would cross the line to shatter them.
He thought he could exploit the Western Duke's crossing.
He intended to widen the gap that Ariana had failed to defend and open the floodgates.
He had arrived in the Empire before the trial, but had kept quiet, only seeking the Emperor after the reorganization results were out. He wanted to involve the Emperor in this matter.
He wanted to show the Emperor directly how the Western Duke had crossed the line. It had been successful, but not enough.
'Yes, this won't destroy the Emperor's trust in the Western Duke. But it has left a dent.'
The day the Emperor's trust in the Western Duke was completely shattered would be the day the Western Duke would pay for his past sins.
'Ariana was very good.'
It might have been hard for her, but it was an opportunity for Cyrus.
Watching Ariana in the West and helping her was the right decision. Ariana's future actions would become a crucial tactic that would strangle the Western Duke.
'Anyway.'
Cyrus recalled Ariana in court. She was so cute, her eyes wide open in surprise at Cyrus's appearance.
'She looked sick.'
She was pale.
In truth, the sweat beading on her forehead, her blue lips, and her small body barely able to suppress a tremble weighed heavily on his mind, making it difficult to concentrate on his testimony.
'Was she tortured by the Western Duke? No, the Western Duke wouldn't have done something so reckless before leaving the empire. Why did she look so distressed?'
He was concerned.
Even though he knew the Western Duke would take care of it, he was worried about whether he could just leave it like that.
Cyrus tapped his knee with his index finger and said to the Emperor,
“Your Majesty, I have somewhere to go for a moment, so I will go to the palace separately in time for the banquet.”
Even after Cyrus left the court with the Emperor, the people were still unable to leave, expressing their respect for the legal battle that had brought the Emperor and the Northern Duke to action.
Harold was the same.
“Wow. She is no ordinary young lady. To have the Northern Duke move even to His Majesty the Emperor.”
Cyrus's appearance made her forget her pain.
She couldn't understand why he, who should have been in the North, had appeared at the trial today. She also couldn't understand why he had even told them about his visit to the West and testified.
"I owe you a great favor."
Cyrus wouldn't have helped Ariana without reason, but his help was a ray of light to Ariana.
"Really."
She didn't wish he'd shown up before stabbing her in the stomach. She was simply grateful for the help.
Now, no matter how he tried to use her, she felt like she could be used without hesitation.
Ariana hadn't even noticed she was walking, holding the hand of the former Duchess Carradine. It wasn't until she heard her wet voice that she realized they were out of the courtroom.
"Arianna, you don't have to worry anymore. From now on, we'll protect you, and no one will dare lay a hand on you."
Ariana turned her head to stare at the former Duke and his wife, and then at the Eastern Duke. Duke Russell looked at Ariana with reddened eyes and said,
"You've suffered, Ariana. I'm useless. I lived without knowing you were suffering at the hands of such people. I'm truly sorry."
Useless.
She hadn't expected the Eastern Duke sitting in that noble seat to have such thoughts. The previous Duke, Theodore, spoke.
"You are now the rightful Princess of the East, Ariana. So do what you want, enjoy what you want. You can live as you please, understand?"
"We, Ariana..."
Carradine stroked Ariana's cheek.
"We don't ask anything of you. Just having you by our side is enough. We just need you to be part of our family."
The Emperor issued an imperial decree and left the court with Cyrus.
As they rode in a carriage to the palace, the Emperor gazed intently at Cyrus, who sat before him.
Cyrus, who had always smiled brightly while holding his mother's hand, had lost his smile. Everyone knew that the smile he occasionally showed was a well-crafted one.
Knowing that he had played a part in Cyrus's transformation, he felt a pang of guilt. Driven by suspicion and greed, he turned his attention away from the previous Northern lords and their wives, who had supported him materially and spiritually, like parents and brothers. He even drove out Cyrus, the man they held most dear, and attempted to seize the Northern Territory.
As time passed and he grew to be about the same age as the previous Emperor, he realized what he had given up and lost because of his greed.
His guilt made him vulnerable to Cyrus.
Ever since Cyrus, who had always greeted him with a bright smile and embraced him as a child, came to him frozen in place, and bowed his knee, vowing loyalty, the Emperor had been unable to raise his head to Cyrus.
Cyrus was staring out the window with those beautiful eyes.
“Are you feeling better now, Cyrus?”
“Thanks to Your Majesty’s concern, I was able to correct it before it was too late.”
“Did you care about that child?”
“It’s just that we had a connection, so I couldn’t pretend to know.”
He answered the question, but the wall in his voice was clearly palpable. The Emperor swallowed a sigh and said,
“I know you must have been disappointed in the Western Duke in this matter... but when you have children of your own, you will understand the Western Duke. The Western Duke is human, too. He must have crossed the line because he was weak-willed when it came to his own child.”
“Yes, I suppose so.”
Cyrus barely managed to suppress a laugh that threatened to burst out.
Even at this point, the Emperor still protected the Western Duke.
He supposes so. Because the Emperor would only say what he wanted, as sweetly as the tongue in his mouth.
Even while in the Northern Territory, Cyrus had been paying as much attention to the Eastern Territory as he had to the affairs of the Western Territory and the Empire. When his subordinate informed him of the upcoming custody trial for Ariana, he saw it as an opportunity.
Ariana was smart, and she would prepare perfectly. Cyrus was certain that the more perfect her preparations were, the more the Western Duke would cross the line to shatter them.
He thought he could exploit the Western Duke's crossing.
He intended to widen the gap that Ariana had failed to defend and open the floodgates.
He had arrived in the Empire before the trial, but had kept quiet, only seeking the Emperor after the reorganization results were out. He wanted to involve the Emperor in this matter.
He wanted to show the Emperor directly how the Western Duke had crossed the line. It had been successful, but not enough.
'Yes, this won't destroy the Emperor's trust in the Western Duke. But it has left a dent.'
The day the Emperor's trust in the Western Duke was completely shattered would be the day the Western Duke would pay for his past sins.
'Ariana was very good.'
It might have been hard for her, but it was an opportunity for Cyrus.
Watching Ariana in the West and helping her was the right decision. Ariana's future actions would become a crucial tactic that would strangle the Western Duke.
'Anyway.'
Cyrus recalled Ariana in court. She was so cute, her eyes wide open in surprise at Cyrus's appearance.
'She looked sick.'
She was pale.
In truth, the sweat beading on her forehead, her blue lips, and her small body barely able to suppress a tremble weighed heavily on his mind, making it difficult to concentrate on his testimony.
'Was she tortured by the Western Duke? No, the Western Duke wouldn't have done something so reckless before leaving the empire. Why did she look so distressed?'
He was concerned.
Even though he knew the Western Duke would take care of it, he was worried about whether he could just leave it like that.
Cyrus tapped his knee with his index finger and said to the Emperor,
“Your Majesty, I have somewhere to go for a moment, so I will go to the palace separately in time for the banquet.”
***
Even after Cyrus left the court with the Emperor, the people were still unable to leave, expressing their respect for the legal battle that had brought the Emperor and the Northern Duke to action.
Harold was the same.
“Wow. She is no ordinary young lady. To have the Northern Duke move even to His Majesty the Emperor.”
“It is surprising. I never dreamed I would see the Northern Duke here...”
“That is true. Did you see how everyone was more surprised than when His Majesty the Emperor arrived? Wow, I am glad I came. It was really fun.”
Despite his cheerful words, Harold’s eyes were carefully studying Ariana.
The defeated Western Duke and Rachel sat like statues in the trial before being led away by the imperial knights, and Ariana was leaving the courtroom with the Eastern Duke.
'Ariana Bronte... No, it's Ariana White now.'
Intrigue arose.
Ariana, more pitiful than any woman he ever met, yet more noble than any other, drew his attention.
Ariana still felt like she was dreaming.
In the deep night, unable to see an inch ahead, moonlight poured down as she walked alone on a lonely road. The moonlight, as intense as the sun, illuminated the dark path, allowing Ariana to safely reach her destination.
'The Northern Duke...'
“That is true. Did you see how everyone was more surprised than when His Majesty the Emperor arrived? Wow, I am glad I came. It was really fun.”
Despite his cheerful words, Harold’s eyes were carefully studying Ariana.
The defeated Western Duke and Rachel sat like statues in the trial before being led away by the imperial knights, and Ariana was leaving the courtroom with the Eastern Duke.
'Ariana Bronte... No, it's Ariana White now.'
Intrigue arose.
Ariana, more pitiful than any woman he ever met, yet more noble than any other, drew his attention.
‘The Western Duke, the Eastern Duke, and now the Northern Duke too—all in my grasp to sway as she pleases. They’d look just perfect arranged in her vase.’
***
Ariana still felt like she was dreaming.
In the deep night, unable to see an inch ahead, moonlight poured down as she walked alone on a lonely road. The moonlight, as intense as the sun, illuminated the dark path, allowing Ariana to safely reach her destination.
'The Northern Duke...'
Cyrus's appearance made her forget her pain.
She couldn't understand why he, who should have been in the North, had appeared at the trial today. She also couldn't understand why he had even told them about his visit to the West and testified.
"I owe you a great favor."
Cyrus wouldn't have helped Ariana without reason, but his help was a ray of light to Ariana.
"Really."
She didn't wish he'd shown up before stabbing her in the stomach. She was simply grateful for the help.
Now, no matter how he tried to use her, she felt like she could be used without hesitation.
Ariana hadn't even noticed she was walking, holding the hand of the former Duchess Carradine. It wasn't until she heard her wet voice that she realized they were out of the courtroom.
"Arianna, you don't have to worry anymore. From now on, we'll protect you, and no one will dare lay a hand on you."
Ariana turned her head to stare at the former Duke and his wife, and then at the Eastern Duke. Duke Russell looked at Ariana with reddened eyes and said,
"You've suffered, Ariana. I'm useless. I lived without knowing you were suffering at the hands of such people. I'm truly sorry."
Useless.
She hadn't expected the Eastern Duke sitting in that noble seat to have such thoughts. The previous Duke, Theodore, spoke.
"You are now the rightful Princess of the East, Ariana. So do what you want, enjoy what you want. You can live as you please, understand?"
"We, Ariana..."
Carradine stroked Ariana's cheek.
"We don't ask anything of you. Just having you by our side is enough. We just need you to be part of our family."
She couldn't understand why those words, which had felt like pretense, were now feeling genuine.
Perhaps it was the renewed abdominal pain that dulled her heart, the old woman's trembling voice that piqued her interest, the moistness of the previous Duke's eyes that bothered her, or the wonder of the heavenly Eastern Duke sniffling. Or perhaps it was all of it.
Their words, once so repulsive, now felt sweet.
"Yes, thank you. But..."
Just as Ariana was barely able to explain her condition, a cheerful voice came from behind her.
“Congratulations on winning the trial!”
Ariana froze.
A voice she couldn’t forget, even in her dreams. A sweet, gentle voice that had driven Ariana to her death.
A voice she still didn’t want to hear, chains shackled Ariana’s wrists and ankles.
Ariana lowered her head, gasping for breath.
“It was a truly fascinating trial. To have His Majesty the Emperor and even the Northern Duke appear? It was like watching a truly entertaining play.”
The voice drew closer.
“Oh, this is our first meeting, isn’t it? I’m Harold Blenwit, the Third Prince.”
Harold stopped beside Ariana. As she lowered her head, Ariana’s eyes caught his shoes. As always, they were immaculately polished. Ariana had seen those pointed shoes countless times. They weren’t the same shoes, but the feeling was the same.
She felt like she had returned to that time, kneeling before him, bowing her head, listening to his “request.” She felt like she had returned to that foolish Ariana, who had hidden her fear and answered, “I’ll do it.”
Then, with a broad smile on his face, he cupped Ariana's chin with his index finger and whispered,
"You are the only one. Without you, I wouldn't have survived. It's all thanks to you that I've come this far."
Perhaps it was the renewed abdominal pain that dulled her heart, the old woman's trembling voice that piqued her interest, the moistness of the previous Duke's eyes that bothered her, or the wonder of the heavenly Eastern Duke sniffling. Or perhaps it was all of it.
Their words, once so repulsive, now felt sweet.
"Yes, thank you. But..."
Just as Ariana was barely able to explain her condition, a cheerful voice came from behind her.
“Congratulations on winning the trial!”
Ariana froze.
A voice she couldn’t forget, even in her dreams. A sweet, gentle voice that had driven Ariana to her death.
A voice she still didn’t want to hear, chains shackled Ariana’s wrists and ankles.
Ariana lowered her head, gasping for breath.
“It was a truly fascinating trial. To have His Majesty the Emperor and even the Northern Duke appear? It was like watching a truly entertaining play.”
The voice drew closer.
“Oh, this is our first meeting, isn’t it? I’m Harold Blenwit, the Third Prince.”
Harold stopped beside Ariana. As she lowered her head, Ariana’s eyes caught his shoes. As always, they were immaculately polished. Ariana had seen those pointed shoes countless times. They weren’t the same shoes, but the feeling was the same.
She felt like she had returned to that time, kneeling before him, bowing her head, listening to his “request.” She felt like she had returned to that foolish Ariana, who had hidden her fear and answered, “I’ll do it.”
Then, with a broad smile on his face, he cupped Ariana's chin with his index finger and whispered,
"You are the only one. Without you, I wouldn't have survived. It's all thanks to you that I've come this far."
She believed those words. It felt good to be useful to him, to be acknowledged by him.
She was so foolish.
"But the young lady won't show her face to me. I'd like to say hello to the young lady who has captured the hearts of His Majesty the Emperor and the Northern Duke."
Russell, noticing that Ariana was acting strange, quietly grabbed her arm and stood her up behind him.
"Princess, Third Prince. Princess of the East."
"Ah."
Harold smiled.
“Excuse me, Your Excellency. I forgot. My heart was racing at the thought of seeing such a famous person before me.”
“The Princess is exhausted from the trial, so I think it’s time to leave. I guess it’s best to postpone the greeting until later.”
“Oh, of course.”
Only then did Ariana come to her senses.
‘Yes, I am now the Princess of the East.’
A Princess of a country that even a Third Prince could not act rashly against.
Perhaps later, when the Third Prince caught the Emperor’s eye and gained power similar to that of a Crown Prince, but not now. The current Third Prince was simply one of many Princes.
“Let’s get into the carriage, Ariana.”
Carradine took Ariana’s hand firmly and led her to the carriage. She felt the Third Prince’s piercing gaze on her back, but she no longer trembled.
Ariana walked without wavering. As if pain didn't exist, as if she wasn't afraid, she walked proudly to the carriage.
But reaching the carriage was her limit.
The wine-colored dress she was wearing had kept it hidden, but the blood trickling from where the knife had been stuck was soaking wet.
'At least after I get into the carriage. After I'm out of Third Prince Harold's sight.'
But no matter how hard she pushed herself, she couldn't stop her vision from blackening.
Her knees buckled.
"Ariana!"
With the old woman's cry, Ariana lost consciousness.
She was so foolish.
"But the young lady won't show her face to me. I'd like to say hello to the young lady who has captured the hearts of His Majesty the Emperor and the Northern Duke."
Russell, noticing that Ariana was acting strange, quietly grabbed her arm and stood her up behind him.
"Princess, Third Prince. Princess of the East."
"Ah."
Harold smiled.
“Excuse me, Your Excellency. I forgot. My heart was racing at the thought of seeing such a famous person before me.”
Unless one was the Crown Prince or Princess born to the Emperor and Empress, the status of the Third Prince born to the concubine was lower than that of a Duke.
“Oh, of course.”
Only then did Ariana come to her senses.
‘Yes, I am now the Princess of the East.’
A Princess of a country that even a Third Prince could not act rashly against.
Perhaps later, when the Third Prince caught the Emperor’s eye and gained power similar to that of a Crown Prince, but not now. The current Third Prince was simply one of many Princes.
“Let’s get into the carriage, Ariana.”
Carradine took Ariana’s hand firmly and led her to the carriage. She felt the Third Prince’s piercing gaze on her back, but she no longer trembled.
Ariana walked without wavering. As if pain didn't exist, as if she wasn't afraid, she walked proudly to the carriage.
But reaching the carriage was her limit.
The wine-colored dress she was wearing had kept it hidden, but the blood trickling from where the knife had been stuck was soaking wet.
'At least after I get into the carriage. After I'm out of Third Prince Harold's sight.'
But no matter how hard she pushed herself, she couldn't stop her vision from blackening.
Her knees buckled.
"Ariana!"
With the old woman's cry, Ariana lost consciousness.
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