It was a bizarre sight. Two children, naked and thrown into a beautiful room, stared at each other across the bed, wrapped in blankets and sheets.
Erna screamed as Callion, wrapped in a sheet, moved his body.
“Don’t come! Oh, if you come, I’ll kill myself!”
“You, you shouldn’t come this way.”
Callion dismissed such a terrible misunderstanding. Then he glanced at Erna. Seeing her shivering like crazy, Callion clicked his tongue and said,
“You, don’t die.”
It was a sudden remark. Still, it seemed like he was being considerate of her, so when Erna was about to respond, he spoke again.
“Because if you die, something worse than you will come.”
At those words, Erna shouted, forgetting the situation she was in.
“That’s what I’m talking about! Who’s that about to die at any moment!”
It was just something she didn't want to see, but she helped in some way, and now she's hearing this.
'I really hate it.'
For a moment, her irritation with Callion surged, enough to make her forget the situation. Perhaps she had used all jer strength to speak. Callion leaned back against the bed, his head bowed, as if he didn't want to see her any longer. Seeing him not speaking or moving, Erna also leaned back against the bed, raised her knees, and buried her face in it.
'It's terrible.'
Even in Havand, her life was largely without hope. She lived only with the vague hope that perhaps someday, once she left the palace, she would find some happiness. But when she finally emerged, the outside world was even more terrifying than she had imagined.
Erna looked around the room. As befitting the centerpiece of the Grand Duke's castle, it was incredibly luxurious and beautiful. Perhaps he had truly hoped the two of them would spend the night together. The fireplace was burning warmly, and the herbs hanging on the wall emanated a pleasant fragrance. This made Erna even more terrified. Her knuckles turned white as she clutched the blanket.
As the night deepened, Erna vowed again and again that she would never forget the humiliation of that day. And that she would one day repay them. And when that day came, she would give that hapless Callion a hard kick.
Such a terrible night passed.
And 10 years passed.
Chapter 2. The Forgotten Duty
The Duchy of Hessengard was a country ruled by a Grand Duke, but it also boasted a powerful parliament. The parliamentary system, which began with the Grand Duke some five generations ago, is now firmly established in the Duchy of Hessengard.
The Parliament respects and obeys the authority and rights of the Grand Duke, and the Grand Duke, in turn, listens to the advice of the Parliament and recognizes the Parliament as his agent.
When the turbulent period following the suicide of the 17th Grand Duke began, and two foreign Grand Dukes arrived, the people of Hessengard feared the end of the parliamentary system. From the perspective of a country still possessing a strong monarchy, the Parliament was seen as an impudent force that dared to interfere with the monarchy.
However, even though the two countries still maintained checks and balances, the parliamentary system was still a good foundation for the Hessengard.
And Vanessa, who had been Speaker of the Assembly for ten years, sat in the conference room with a worried expression on her face. Before her, in an ornate box, lay a personal letter. Two of them, too.
Just as she was about to raise her cooled cup of tea to her lips, footsteps were heard outside, and the conference room door opened. Vanessa rose from her seat with a cheerful expression and greeted the person who entered.
“Are you here, Erna?”
The person who opened the door and came in was Erna. Vanessa gazed at her with admiration for a moment. The sunlight streaming through the window shone brilliantly on her waist-length, golden hair. With every step Erna took, shards of light sparkled on her hair.
Erna's steps as she entered the conference room were unwavering.
“How are you, Vanessa?”
Entering, Erna smiled brightly at Vanessa. Her eyes narrowed gently, but they couldn't completely hide the deep green irises shining beyond them. Erna's eyes, often praised as capturing the verdant green of summer, were especially radiant today.
Vanessa looked at Erna, recalling her appearance long ago. Her bright golden hair and deep green eyes were the same as before. But everything else had changed.
The red, angry pimples that had once littered her here and there had now vanished without a trace, leaving behind a spotless, flawless complexion. Her facial features, once slightly out of alignment due to her growing years, had now become more defined and mature, having fully matured. A round forehead, straight eyebrows, a high, sharp nose, and small, plump red lips beneath them.
The Princess of Havand, who was ridiculed for being ugly and unattractive, has now disappeared, and what remains is a beautiful face that amazes everyone who sees it.
It wasn't just the face that changed.
When she first arrived, her height barely reaching Vanessa's shoulders had grown so much that she now looked down on her. Her once plump body had also lost weight, now possessing long, slender limbs. Yet, she wasn't just skinny; she possessed the curves of a grown woman.
“Why is that?”
As Vanessa stared at her intently, Erna's eyes widened as if asking if something was wrong. Vanessa smiled and shook her head.
"It's nothing. Please take a seat. As you may have received, a personal letter has arrived from Havand."
“...You're not just from Havand?”
Erna, who had glanced at the table at Vanessa's words, quickly spoke sharply. The two letters on the table were sealed with different inscriptions. One belonged to Havand, whose emblem was a dragon, and the other to Aether, whose emblem was a bear.
“That means...”
Erna's face quickly contorted. At the same time, heavy footsteps could be heard coming down the hallway. Soon, the door swung open without a knock, just as it had when Erna had entered. In Hessengard, there was only one person who didn't need to knock, no matter where they went. Besides Erna, there was only one person.
“Lord Callion, you’re here too.”
Vanessa bowed her head towards Callion, who came in still smiling.
Over the course of ten years, it wasn't just Erna who had changed. Callion, who had opened the door and entered, was so tall that Vanessa had to crane her neck to see him. If he wasn't careful, he might bump his head against the door as he entered.
It wasn't just his height that had grown. Broad shoulders, firm chest muscles visible even in formal attire, and thick arms. His waist was slightly narrower than his chest, but his thick legs, supporting his sturdy frame, were so strong they reminded one of a wild horse.
Standing before him, looking at his large, sturdy body that felt intimidating, no one would know that the person in front of them was the skinny boy who looked like he was going to die at any moment ten years ago.
As Callion approached Vanessa, Erna, who had already moved far away, muttered with a frown on her face.
“...Even the earthworms came.”
At those words, Callion greeted Erna without even blinking an eyebrow.
“Long time no see, Pumpkin.”
Ten years have passed, and much has changed, but their relationship remains the same.
Erna and Callion sat at one end of a table that seemed large enough to seat several dozen people. Erna was at the left end. Callion was at the right end.
Now, in this castle, when Erna and Callion have to sit together, it has become a rule that Erna sits on the left and Callion on the right.
People said it was probably because the room on the left of the Grand Duke's bedroom was occupied by Erna, and the one on the right by Callion. Having thus naturally established their positions, the two Grand Dukes have become indispensable to the Hessengard.
It has already been ten years since the two became one through marriage and inherited the throne of the Grand Duke of Hesse.
People now believed that Hessengard was little more than a vassal state of two nations, and that Havand and Aether would exploit it for their own ends. However, this ultimately did not happen.
After the couple married, there were nobles who remained to support them. They were intent on intimidating the Hessian Parliament and selling the names of the newly crowned Grand Duke, thereby siphoning off Hessian resources. However, that year, a great plague broke out in the capital of Hesse.
The stench of burning corpses filled the capital, and the plague's aftereffects did not spare even the Grand Duke's castle.
“I must now return to my home country. I have much to report!”
Marquis Canavan, who seemed like he would stay by Erna's side for a very long time, returned to the Kingdom of Havand faster than anyone else when someone collapsed inside the Grand Duke's castle.
It was the same for Callion. When the healthiest knight among them collapsed with a high fever and died a few days later, everyone, making excuses, packed their bags and returned to the Aether Kingdom.
Thanks to this, only Erna and Callion were left in the Grand Duke's castle. This provided the two with an opportunity to escape the interference of the two kingdoms.
Fortunately, perhaps, it was a blessing. The Hessengard, who had to wait for someone else to come forward if trouble arose between the two, cared for them with affection. With their oppressors gone and strangers, yet caring, now present, the two began to change rapidly.
First of all, the biggest change was their appearance. Erna no longer tormented herself with binge eating, but instead ate only the prescribed amount at set times.
Callion was the opposite of Erna. He, who had been unable to even drink water, began eating several times more than the others, as if to make up for what he had missed.
Erna screamed as Callion, wrapped in a sheet, moved his body.
“Don’t come! Oh, if you come, I’ll kill myself!”
“You, you shouldn’t come this way.”
Callion dismissed such a terrible misunderstanding. Then he glanced at Erna. Seeing her shivering like crazy, Callion clicked his tongue and said,
“You, don’t die.”
It was a sudden remark. Still, it seemed like he was being considerate of her, so when Erna was about to respond, he spoke again.
“Because if you die, something worse than you will come.”
At those words, Erna shouted, forgetting the situation she was in.
“That’s what I’m talking about! Who’s that about to die at any moment!”
It was just something she didn't want to see, but she helped in some way, and now she's hearing this.
'I really hate it.'
For a moment, her irritation with Callion surged, enough to make her forget the situation. Perhaps she had used all jer strength to speak. Callion leaned back against the bed, his head bowed, as if he didn't want to see her any longer. Seeing him not speaking or moving, Erna also leaned back against the bed, raised her knees, and buried her face in it.
'It's terrible.'
Even in Havand, her life was largely without hope. She lived only with the vague hope that perhaps someday, once she left the palace, she would find some happiness. But when she finally emerged, the outside world was even more terrifying than she had imagined.
Erna looked around the room. As befitting the centerpiece of the Grand Duke's castle, it was incredibly luxurious and beautiful. Perhaps he had truly hoped the two of them would spend the night together. The fireplace was burning warmly, and the herbs hanging on the wall emanated a pleasant fragrance. This made Erna even more terrified. Her knuckles turned white as she clutched the blanket.
As the night deepened, Erna vowed again and again that she would never forget the humiliation of that day. And that she would one day repay them. And when that day came, she would give that hapless Callion a hard kick.
Such a terrible night passed.
And 10 years passed.
***
Chapter 2. The Forgotten Duty
The Duchy of Hessengard was a country ruled by a Grand Duke, but it also boasted a powerful parliament. The parliamentary system, which began with the Grand Duke some five generations ago, is now firmly established in the Duchy of Hessengard.
The Parliament respects and obeys the authority and rights of the Grand Duke, and the Grand Duke, in turn, listens to the advice of the Parliament and recognizes the Parliament as his agent.
When the turbulent period following the suicide of the 17th Grand Duke began, and two foreign Grand Dukes arrived, the people of Hessengard feared the end of the parliamentary system. From the perspective of a country still possessing a strong monarchy, the Parliament was seen as an impudent force that dared to interfere with the monarchy.
However, even though the two countries still maintained checks and balances, the parliamentary system was still a good foundation for the Hessengard.
And Vanessa, who had been Speaker of the Assembly for ten years, sat in the conference room with a worried expression on her face. Before her, in an ornate box, lay a personal letter. Two of them, too.
Just as she was about to raise her cooled cup of tea to her lips, footsteps were heard outside, and the conference room door opened. Vanessa rose from her seat with a cheerful expression and greeted the person who entered.
“Are you here, Erna?”
The person who opened the door and came in was Erna. Vanessa gazed at her with admiration for a moment. The sunlight streaming through the window shone brilliantly on her waist-length, golden hair. With every step Erna took, shards of light sparkled on her hair.
Erna's steps as she entered the conference room were unwavering.
“How are you, Vanessa?”
Entering, Erna smiled brightly at Vanessa. Her eyes narrowed gently, but they couldn't completely hide the deep green irises shining beyond them. Erna's eyes, often praised as capturing the verdant green of summer, were especially radiant today.
Vanessa looked at Erna, recalling her appearance long ago. Her bright golden hair and deep green eyes were the same as before. But everything else had changed.
The red, angry pimples that had once littered her here and there had now vanished without a trace, leaving behind a spotless, flawless complexion. Her facial features, once slightly out of alignment due to her growing years, had now become more defined and mature, having fully matured. A round forehead, straight eyebrows, a high, sharp nose, and small, plump red lips beneath them.
The Princess of Havand, who was ridiculed for being ugly and unattractive, has now disappeared, and what remains is a beautiful face that amazes everyone who sees it.
It wasn't just the face that changed.
When she first arrived, her height barely reaching Vanessa's shoulders had grown so much that she now looked down on her. Her once plump body had also lost weight, now possessing long, slender limbs. Yet, she wasn't just skinny; she possessed the curves of a grown woman.
“Why is that?”
As Vanessa stared at her intently, Erna's eyes widened as if asking if something was wrong. Vanessa smiled and shook her head.
"It's nothing. Please take a seat. As you may have received, a personal letter has arrived from Havand."
“...You're not just from Havand?”
Erna, who had glanced at the table at Vanessa's words, quickly spoke sharply. The two letters on the table were sealed with different inscriptions. One belonged to Havand, whose emblem was a dragon, and the other to Aether, whose emblem was a bear.
“That means...”
Erna's face quickly contorted. At the same time, heavy footsteps could be heard coming down the hallway. Soon, the door swung open without a knock, just as it had when Erna had entered. In Hessengard, there was only one person who didn't need to knock, no matter where they went. Besides Erna, there was only one person.
“Lord Callion, you’re here too.”
Vanessa bowed her head towards Callion, who came in still smiling.
Over the course of ten years, it wasn't just Erna who had changed. Callion, who had opened the door and entered, was so tall that Vanessa had to crane her neck to see him. If he wasn't careful, he might bump his head against the door as he entered.
It wasn't just his height that had grown. Broad shoulders, firm chest muscles visible even in formal attire, and thick arms. His waist was slightly narrower than his chest, but his thick legs, supporting his sturdy frame, were so strong they reminded one of a wild horse.
Standing before him, looking at his large, sturdy body that felt intimidating, no one would know that the person in front of them was the skinny boy who looked like he was going to die at any moment ten years ago.
As Callion approached Vanessa, Erna, who had already moved far away, muttered with a frown on her face.
“...Even the earthworms came.”
At those words, Callion greeted Erna without even blinking an eyebrow.
“Long time no see, Pumpkin.”
Ten years have passed, and much has changed, but their relationship remains the same.
Erna and Callion sat at one end of a table that seemed large enough to seat several dozen people. Erna was at the left end. Callion was at the right end.
Now, in this castle, when Erna and Callion have to sit together, it has become a rule that Erna sits on the left and Callion on the right.
People said it was probably because the room on the left of the Grand Duke's bedroom was occupied by Erna, and the one on the right by Callion. Having thus naturally established their positions, the two Grand Dukes have become indispensable to the Hessengard.
It has already been ten years since the two became one through marriage and inherited the throne of the Grand Duke of Hesse.
People now believed that Hessengard was little more than a vassal state of two nations, and that Havand and Aether would exploit it for their own ends. However, this ultimately did not happen.
After the couple married, there were nobles who remained to support them. They were intent on intimidating the Hessian Parliament and selling the names of the newly crowned Grand Duke, thereby siphoning off Hessian resources. However, that year, a great plague broke out in the capital of Hesse.
The stench of burning corpses filled the capital, and the plague's aftereffects did not spare even the Grand Duke's castle.
“I must now return to my home country. I have much to report!”
Marquis Canavan, who seemed like he would stay by Erna's side for a very long time, returned to the Kingdom of Havand faster than anyone else when someone collapsed inside the Grand Duke's castle.
It was the same for Callion. When the healthiest knight among them collapsed with a high fever and died a few days later, everyone, making excuses, packed their bags and returned to the Aether Kingdom.
Thanks to this, only Erna and Callion were left in the Grand Duke's castle. This provided the two with an opportunity to escape the interference of the two kingdoms.
Fortunately, perhaps, it was a blessing. The Hessengard, who had to wait for someone else to come forward if trouble arose between the two, cared for them with affection. With their oppressors gone and strangers, yet caring, now present, the two began to change rapidly.
First of all, the biggest change was their appearance. Erna no longer tormented herself with binge eating, but instead ate only the prescribed amount at set times.
Callion was the opposite of Erna. He, who had been unable to even drink water, began eating several times more than the others, as if to make up for what he had missed.
Comments
Post a Comment