(102) Just looking at it (3)
Victoria had several opportunities to reclaim her original life. If she had simply quietly accepted reality and lived as a Bronte's Princess, the world would have eventually forgotten the Arianna incident.
But Victoria, her eyes dark with hatred, couldn't think that way.
Ariana, whom she had ignored and despised, had defeated her, tarnished the reputation of the Bronte family, and even become a Princess of the East.
Victoria didn't want to accept that fact, nor did she want to forgive.
Every time she recalled the smile Ariana had on her face when she was taken away by the chief investigator, her heart burned black.
Victoria steeled her dull heart and spoke to her escort knight.
“Give me some water.”
“Young Lady, we still have a long way to go, so you must conserve water.”
“Am I in a position where I can’t even drink a sip of water right now? Hurry up and give me some water!”
Her body was so tired that she couldn't come to her senses.
Elegance and refinement were no match for the desert's thirst. Victoria, experiencing this for the first time, had no time to consider the image she'd cultivated for others.
Her throat felt like it was burning from the sandstorm and hot air.
The escort knights exchanged glances, then clicked their tongues as if they had no other choice and took out their water jugs.
“You should drink sparingly, Young Lady. You’ve already drunk too much...”
Victoria opened the water bottle and gulped it down, her ears twitching. Watching the water trickle down the corners of her mouth, the escort knights swallowed a sigh.
Victoria, who had seemed far more mature than her years when she set out, had transformed completely within four days of the desert journey. Helena's temper was so volatile that even the knights couldn't help but feel sorry for her.
They love to just abandon her and go, but that's impossible. They can only hope they arrive at their destination quickly.
Victoria, breathing heavily, spotted something the size of a fist running across the sand. It was a desert lizard.
'They must be happy. They don't even have a hard time in this heat...'
Suddenly, a good idea occurred to her.
Although she had resolved not to use it until it was truly necessary, the harsh environment she had never experienced before pushed Victoria into a corner.
Victoria ordered her knights to bring her the lizard.
The knights were indignant at the order to hunt, given their already difficult situation of moving, but they could not refuse the order of their master, Victoria.
They wasted time wandering around, trying to catch a few lizards. They were small, fast, and there weren't many of them.
“Just give me one and put the rest in the box.”
The knights felt a chill for some reason at the sight of Victoria fearlessly holding a lizard in her hand.
They moved towards their destination again.
Victoria smirked at the lizard in her hand, then ate it alive when no one was looking.
Victoria, who had swallowed the lizard's tiny heart, soon felt her body change. The desert heat became more bearable, her throat felt better, and the heat-induced prickle in her eyes subsided.
As soon as Victoria was freed from the excruciating pain, she regained consciousness.
'What have I done?'
Eating a lizard alive. Holding that disgusting creature in your hand and putting it in your mouth.
“Ugh...”
She felt nauseous. Her mind was spinning with the thought of losing her mind and acting inhumanely.
“Ahhhhhhh!”
A new scream echoed through the desolate desert.
News that the Crown Prince was planning to choose a Crown Princess spread throughout the continent.
Even though they knew that the Crown Prince would choose a family, the noble ladies were thrilled at the chance to become the most noble woman on the continent.
The nobles who had been eyeing the position of Crown Princess quickly moved to prepare their daughters for the palace. The Emperor and Empress, overjoyed at the Crown Prince's return to his senses, selected young ladies worthy of the position.
While the imperial palace was bustling with joy, the Third Prince visited the Lily Palace, where Royal Consort Aelra resided. Royal Consort Aelra gazed at her son, the object of her pride, and spoke calmly.
“His Majesty the Emperor was very pleased that the Crown Prince was actively choosing a Crown Princess.”
“Have you congratulated Her Majesty the Empress?”
“Of course. As soon as I heard the news, I went to see Her Majesty and offered my regards.”
"Well done, Mother. As expected, you move without me having to worry."
Royal Consort Aelra sighed softly.
"I didn't know the Crown Prince would come to his senses so easily. He seemed like he'd give up everything for Chloe."
“It seems like he's heard many stories from the Northern Lord.”
“Is there anything more Chloe can do?”
"Not at this point. If Chloe were to take any more active action, the Crown Prince would sense something suspicious."
Chloe was one of the women arranged by Royal Consort Aelra and Third Prince Harold. To keep the Crown Prince distracted by women of low status, they constantly placed women around him.
Even when Chloe, the daughter of a country Count with no land, succeeded in capturing the Crown Prince's heart, they had anticipated something like this would happen someday. However, it happened too soon. If only the Crown Prince had remained blind for two more years, or even just one.
“What are we going to do now, Prince?”
"The Crown Prince is still meeting Chloe, hiding from public view, so his feelings for her haven't cooled. Perhaps he's determined to solidify his position for another reason."
“I guess it’s to protect Chloe.”
“As long as we keep Chloe by the Crown Prince’s side, it won’t be difficult to figure out his movements.”
"Well."
Royal Consort Aelra made a displeased expression.
"Why, Mother? Do you really think Chloe would betray us? She knows that if she did, her father wouldn't die in peace."
The lifeline of Chloe's father, Count Spencer, was held by the Third Prince.
"The problem is that the Prince doesn't understand a woman's heart. Sometimes, a woman will abandon her family for love."
“But Chloe...”
"She's been loved by the Crown Prince for a long time, and he made a decision for her. What woman could hate a man who's willing to do something he hates to protect her?"
Harold gazed at his mother, who had survived the palace infighting and enjoyed the love of both the Emperor and the Empress. Her words were not wrong.
It was Royal Consort Aelra's wisdom to have many women around the Crown Prince.
“Then I guess I’ll have to consider Chloe as a discarded card and open the floodgates on the other side.”
“Have you thought about anything?”
“There are people who come to mind.”
Harold recalled the custody trial that had rocked the continent a few months ago. The face of the protagonist naturally came to mind.
Hair that resembled the sky on a fine day, a small, fair face, and clear blue eyes. A firm, unwavering demeanor throughout the trial, and even a faint smile on her red lips.
Even though half a year had already passed, he could still picture her clearly when he closed his eyes.
He wanted to get his hands on her. The desire to build a small cage and lock her in, to admire her lovely face every day, grew stronger with each passing day.
However, the guard of the Eastern Lord, who was trying to protect his daughter, was strong, and Harold did not yet have the power to deal with the Eastern Lord.
“I wonder if that person is the monarch of the East.”
At Royal Consort Aelra's words, Harold scattered Ariana's face and said.
"The lord may seem naive, but he's not naive. He's a desirable talent, but I don't have the confidence to take him under my wing yet."
"Yes. He's a beast, and it'll be hard to tame him, Your Highness. Then who will you join hands with?"
Harold knew that his mother was asking even though she knew everything.
"We should join hands with the Western Lord. Since His Majesty appeared during the custody trial and we were forced to look unsightly before him, he must be feeling a bit distraught."
Nothing was easier than winning over a desperate person to your side.
Empress Aelra smiled with satisfaction.
"The Prince's wishes align with mine. The Western Lord is a wicked man, but the Prince possesses the wisdom to overcome him, so we will be able to maintain good relations."
A month has passed since Ariana came to the North, and it is already December.
The northern region, which had been extremely cold since November, had become so cold by December that it was difficult to go outside. So, Ariana had been staying inside the warm castle for a while, not venturing outside.
That said, there was no time to be bored.
Usually, she met with Cyrus and talked with him; Isaac and Andrei often visited her, and the Duke of Hern invited many entertainers and dancers to give her banquets.
The employees of Maho Castle were extremely polite to Ariana, and the nobles and young ladies of the Northern Territory who occasionally visited also showed no thorns toward Ariana.
Ariana was living a dreamlike, happy, and comfortable life.
“Princess, His Excellency has sent you a letter.”
Catherine's words as she entered made Ariana think she had received a letter from "His Excellency the Northern Lord." The letter's sender was the Eastern Lord.
Only then did Ariana realize that she had never contacted the East since sending the telegram informing her that she had arrived safely in the North.
[Ariana.
How are you? It must be very cold in the North now. I'm worried you might have caught a cold.
Isabelle says you left her behind and still comes to visit me every day to harass me.
Chase Castle feels so empty without you.
But I'm doing well, so take your time in the North and come back.
Russell White.]
It was a short letter, but it conveyed the heartfelt emotions her father had poured into it. The sudden surge of emotion made her nose tingle.
Ariana impulsively took out a piece of paper and a pen, but stopped when she felt Catherine's gaze watching her from behind.
'Catherine will read this letter.'
As Ariana put down her pen, Catherine asked curiously.
"Princess, aren't you going to reply? His Excellency will be waiting."
“I thought it would be nice to reply with a small gift.”
“Oh my. His Excellency will be so happy to receive the Princess’s gift.”
“Is there a good gift I can give to my father?”
"Hmm. It's hard to send something too big, so how about something like cufflinks or a badge? A handkerchief would be nice too."
"It'll be fine. I'll have to go to the downtown area for the first time in a while. Catherine, let's get some rest."
It has now become a given that Ariana will accompany the Northern Lord when she leaves Maho Castle.
“Yes, Princess. I’ll have a warm bath ready for you when you get back.”
Victoria had several opportunities to reclaim her original life. If she had simply quietly accepted reality and lived as a Bronte's Princess, the world would have eventually forgotten the Arianna incident.
But Victoria, her eyes dark with hatred, couldn't think that way.
Ariana, whom she had ignored and despised, had defeated her, tarnished the reputation of the Bronte family, and even become a Princess of the East.
Victoria didn't want to accept that fact, nor did she want to forgive.
Every time she recalled the smile Ariana had on her face when she was taken away by the chief investigator, her heart burned black.
Victoria steeled her dull heart and spoke to her escort knight.
“Give me some water.”
“Young Lady, we still have a long way to go, so you must conserve water.”
“Am I in a position where I can’t even drink a sip of water right now? Hurry up and give me some water!”
Her body was so tired that she couldn't come to her senses.
Elegance and refinement were no match for the desert's thirst. Victoria, experiencing this for the first time, had no time to consider the image she'd cultivated for others.
Her throat felt like it was burning from the sandstorm and hot air.
The escort knights exchanged glances, then clicked their tongues as if they had no other choice and took out their water jugs.
“You should drink sparingly, Young Lady. You’ve already drunk too much...”
Victoria opened the water bottle and gulped it down, her ears twitching. Watching the water trickle down the corners of her mouth, the escort knights swallowed a sigh.
Victoria, who had seemed far more mature than her years when she set out, had transformed completely within four days of the desert journey. Helena's temper was so volatile that even the knights couldn't help but feel sorry for her.
They love to just abandon her and go, but that's impossible. They can only hope they arrive at their destination quickly.
Victoria, breathing heavily, spotted something the size of a fist running across the sand. It was a desert lizard.
'They must be happy. They don't even have a hard time in this heat...'
Suddenly, a good idea occurred to her.
Although she had resolved not to use it until it was truly necessary, the harsh environment she had never experienced before pushed Victoria into a corner.
Victoria ordered her knights to bring her the lizard.
The knights were indignant at the order to hunt, given their already difficult situation of moving, but they could not refuse the order of their master, Victoria.
They wasted time wandering around, trying to catch a few lizards. They were small, fast, and there weren't many of them.
“Just give me one and put the rest in the box.”
The knights felt a chill for some reason at the sight of Victoria fearlessly holding a lizard in her hand.
They moved towards their destination again.
Victoria smirked at the lizard in her hand, then ate it alive when no one was looking.
Victoria, who had swallowed the lizard's tiny heart, soon felt her body change. The desert heat became more bearable, her throat felt better, and the heat-induced prickle in her eyes subsided.
As soon as Victoria was freed from the excruciating pain, she regained consciousness.
'What have I done?'
Eating a lizard alive. Holding that disgusting creature in your hand and putting it in your mouth.
“Ugh...”
She felt nauseous. Her mind was spinning with the thought of losing her mind and acting inhumanely.
“Ahhhhhhh!”
A new scream echoed through the desolate desert.
***
News that the Crown Prince was planning to choose a Crown Princess spread throughout the continent.
Even though they knew that the Crown Prince would choose a family, the noble ladies were thrilled at the chance to become the most noble woman on the continent.
The nobles who had been eyeing the position of Crown Princess quickly moved to prepare their daughters for the palace. The Emperor and Empress, overjoyed at the Crown Prince's return to his senses, selected young ladies worthy of the position.
While the imperial palace was bustling with joy, the Third Prince visited the Lily Palace, where Royal Consort Aelra resided. Royal Consort Aelra gazed at her son, the object of her pride, and spoke calmly.
“His Majesty the Emperor was very pleased that the Crown Prince was actively choosing a Crown Princess.”
“Have you congratulated Her Majesty the Empress?”
“Of course. As soon as I heard the news, I went to see Her Majesty and offered my regards.”
"Well done, Mother. As expected, you move without me having to worry."
Royal Consort Aelra sighed softly.
"I didn't know the Crown Prince would come to his senses so easily. He seemed like he'd give up everything for Chloe."
“It seems like he's heard many stories from the Northern Lord.”
“Is there anything more Chloe can do?”
"Not at this point. If Chloe were to take any more active action, the Crown Prince would sense something suspicious."
Chloe was one of the women arranged by Royal Consort Aelra and Third Prince Harold. To keep the Crown Prince distracted by women of low status, they constantly placed women around him.
Even when Chloe, the daughter of a country Count with no land, succeeded in capturing the Crown Prince's heart, they had anticipated something like this would happen someday. However, it happened too soon. If only the Crown Prince had remained blind for two more years, or even just one.
“What are we going to do now, Prince?”
"The Crown Prince is still meeting Chloe, hiding from public view, so his feelings for her haven't cooled. Perhaps he's determined to solidify his position for another reason."
“I guess it’s to protect Chloe.”
“As long as we keep Chloe by the Crown Prince’s side, it won’t be difficult to figure out his movements.”
"Well."
Royal Consort Aelra made a displeased expression.
"Why, Mother? Do you really think Chloe would betray us? She knows that if she did, her father wouldn't die in peace."
The lifeline of Chloe's father, Count Spencer, was held by the Third Prince.
"The problem is that the Prince doesn't understand a woman's heart. Sometimes, a woman will abandon her family for love."
“But Chloe...”
"She's been loved by the Crown Prince for a long time, and he made a decision for her. What woman could hate a man who's willing to do something he hates to protect her?"
Harold gazed at his mother, who had survived the palace infighting and enjoyed the love of both the Emperor and the Empress. Her words were not wrong.
It was Royal Consort Aelra's wisdom to have many women around the Crown Prince.
“Then I guess I’ll have to consider Chloe as a discarded card and open the floodgates on the other side.”
“Have you thought about anything?”
“There are people who come to mind.”
Harold recalled the custody trial that had rocked the continent a few months ago. The face of the protagonist naturally came to mind.
Hair that resembled the sky on a fine day, a small, fair face, and clear blue eyes. A firm, unwavering demeanor throughout the trial, and even a faint smile on her red lips.
Even though half a year had already passed, he could still picture her clearly when he closed his eyes.
He wanted to get his hands on her. The desire to build a small cage and lock her in, to admire her lovely face every day, grew stronger with each passing day.
However, the guard of the Eastern Lord, who was trying to protect his daughter, was strong, and Harold did not yet have the power to deal with the Eastern Lord.
“I wonder if that person is the monarch of the East.”
At Royal Consort Aelra's words, Harold scattered Ariana's face and said.
"The lord may seem naive, but he's not naive. He's a desirable talent, but I don't have the confidence to take him under my wing yet."
"Yes. He's a beast, and it'll be hard to tame him, Your Highness. Then who will you join hands with?"
Harold knew that his mother was asking even though she knew everything.
"We should join hands with the Western Lord. Since His Majesty appeared during the custody trial and we were forced to look unsightly before him, he must be feeling a bit distraught."
Nothing was easier than winning over a desperate person to your side.
Empress Aelra smiled with satisfaction.
"The Prince's wishes align with mine. The Western Lord is a wicked man, but the Prince possesses the wisdom to overcome him, so we will be able to maintain good relations."
***
A month has passed since Ariana came to the North, and it is already December.
The northern region, which had been extremely cold since November, had become so cold by December that it was difficult to go outside. So, Ariana had been staying inside the warm castle for a while, not venturing outside.
That said, there was no time to be bored.
Usually, she met with Cyrus and talked with him; Isaac and Andrei often visited her, and the Duke of Hern invited many entertainers and dancers to give her banquets.
The employees of Maho Castle were extremely polite to Ariana, and the nobles and young ladies of the Northern Territory who occasionally visited also showed no thorns toward Ariana.
Ariana was living a dreamlike, happy, and comfortable life.
“Princess, His Excellency has sent you a letter.”
Catherine's words as she entered made Ariana think she had received a letter from "His Excellency the Northern Lord." The letter's sender was the Eastern Lord.
Only then did Ariana realize that she had never contacted the East since sending the telegram informing her that she had arrived safely in the North.
[Ariana.
How are you? It must be very cold in the North now. I'm worried you might have caught a cold.
Isabelle says you left her behind and still comes to visit me every day to harass me.
Chase Castle feels so empty without you.
But I'm doing well, so take your time in the North and come back.
Russell White.]
It was a short letter, but it conveyed the heartfelt emotions her father had poured into it. The sudden surge of emotion made her nose tingle.
Ariana impulsively took out a piece of paper and a pen, but stopped when she felt Catherine's gaze watching her from behind.
'Catherine will read this letter.'
As Ariana put down her pen, Catherine asked curiously.
"Princess, aren't you going to reply? His Excellency will be waiting."
“I thought it would be nice to reply with a small gift.”
“Oh my. His Excellency will be so happy to receive the Princess’s gift.”
“Is there a good gift I can give to my father?”
"Hmm. It's hard to send something too big, so how about something like cufflinks or a badge? A handkerchief would be nice too."
"It'll be fine. I'll have to go to the downtown area for the first time in a while. Catherine, let's get some rest."
It has now become a given that Ariana will accompany the Northern Lord when she leaves Maho Castle.
“Yes, Princess. I’ll have a warm bath ready for you when you get back.”
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