(88) The trigger was pulled (4)
While Victoria pondered for a long time, the Western Lord waited without rushing. Finally, Victoria answered.
-“Did he run away with his lover? Abandoning his position as Crown Prince?”
The Western Lord smiled happily.
- "You're so clever, David. That fool is willing to throw everything away for a lover. Now you understand why I told you not to aim for the Crown Prince, do you?"
- "Yes, Grandfather. But the Crown Prince went to the North, so it must have been to ask for help from the Northern Feudal Lords. Will the Northern Feudal Lords help the Crown Prince?"
- "No. The Northern Lord must already know what it means to help the Crown Prince. Helping the Crown Prince is only harmful and not beneficial. He will never help him."
-“Then what will the Crown Prince do?”
-“What do you think we should do?”
There's no way she could know that.
Victoria thought for a long time and finally came up with an answer.
-“I think he’ll head to the South. The Southern Lord is practically in hiding, so wouldn’t it be better to go there to avoid the Empire’s attention?”
Seeing the Western Lord's frown narrow, Victoria realized she was wrong. Her heart sank, but the Western Lord quickly smiled and stroked Victoria's head.
- "Yes, you're too young to know that. But Victoria, if you aspire to be Crown Princess, you're not young at all. The moment you set foot in the palace, it will become a battlefield. To survive, you need to be able to easily figure out answers like this."
Then Victoria thought of Ariana.
Would Ariana have been able to figure out this answer easily?
- "The Crown Prince, who has not received help from the Northern Feudal Lord, will return to the palace. The Northern Feudal Lord likely convinced the Crown Prince that he must possess the power to protect his lover. I'm sure I did the same."
-"Ah...!"
- "The Northern Feudal Lord's position is still precarious, so he must maintain a good relationship with the imperial family. He is also close to the Crown Prince, so he won't be used as a pawn to abandon him. He will likely intend to install the Crown Prince on the Emperor's throne and then run wild."
-“Then... the Crown Prince will soon find a Crown Princess.”
-“Yeah, but don’t worry about that.”
Victoria was completely unable to read the Western Lord's thoughts.
If the Crown Prince wants to save the Crown Princess, isn't now the time to act? With Amanthal's power, she could harness the power of various beasts to seduce the Crown Prince.
The Western Lord noticed the discontent on Victoria's face and smiled.
-“Just wait. Someone more suited to the position than the Crown Prince will soon arrive.”
He added.
-“This old man will take care of this matter, so you should prepare to go to the Hinan region soon.”
The Hinan region was once a region ruled by the Pagans.
- "Since you've become Paganus, it would be best to meet their leaders directly and establish a relationship. On your way back, it would be a good idea to stop by North and establish relations with the Northern Lord. Keeping the enemy close is the safest option."
-“Will the Northern Lord... want to meet me?”
-“I’ll send him a letter. I don’t think he’ll openly say no, will he?”
From the moment Victoria asked to be made Empress, the Western Lord had no hesitation in using her.
Going to the Hinan region, or even to the North to establish a Northern vassal, could have put Victoria in grave danger. Yet, he had no qualms about sending his granddaughter to such a dangerous place.
But Victoria didn't dislike the Western Lord's ruthlessness. She felt that if the Western Lord disregarded his bloodline and used it to his advantage, he would surely be able to make Victoria the Empress.
Helena was still whining about the party and Ariana. She didn't even bother to look at what her sister was doing or what expression she was making.
She hated Helena. She was old enough to be a woman, yet she was so incompetent and knew how to grumble. Victoria hated her so much.
'But I'll do it well, Helena.'
Now that Ariana was out of the Bronte household, Helena was the only one left to exploit.
Victoria calmed down her bubbling annoyance for the day and took Helena's hand affectionately.
"It must have been hard, Sister. Don't be too upset. They'll all regret treating you that way."
The hunting season for the East has begun.
At the entrance to the forest beyond the walls of Elus City, many nobles gathered in a wide open space with a small stream flowing through it.
The forest, welcoming autumn, was ablaze with vibrant colors. Green, orange, red, and yellow leaves fluttered, and the sky beyond was clear and blue.
The weather was nice, so people's expressions were bright.
The nobles gathered in groups of three or five under tents set up here and there in the open space, discussing who would be the star of this hunt and which woman would receive the best prey.
Since her childhood, Wiona has consistently enjoyed the honor of being named "Woman of the Year." This was due to her being the only Princess of the East clan and her close relationship with the most skilled hunter, Averaster.
Wiona, wearing a dark blue dress, the same color as Averaster's hair, looked around the empty lot with an excited face and found Averaster.
As always, the good-natured Averaster was surrounded by young men. As Wiona, carrying a parasol, approached, the young men smiled sympathetically at her.
“Princess. You are beautiful today, too.”
"Today, I will present you with a good game. Please remember me."
Wiona smiled sweetly as she listened to the young people's words.
“Thank you, everyone. I just hope you don’t get hurt.”
At Wiona's gentle words, the young men shrugged their shoulders in excitement and dispersed to prepare for the hunt. Just as Averaster was about to leave, Wiona called out to him.
“My Lord.”
"Yes?"
“Will you bring me some great game this year, too?”
"Ah."
Averaster smiled brightly. The smile spreading across his lips was so dazzling that it made Wiona feel dizzy for a moment.
How can you smile so beautifully?
"Of course, I'll be first again this year. But what can I do? This year, I was planning on giving my younger sister the game."
“If it’s your sister... to Isabelle?”
Isabelle was not one to receive game as a gift, but rather to go hunting herself.
“No, Ariana. To our Princess.”
The moment Ariana's name was mentioned, Woona almost lost control of her expression, and her face contorted.
He said it with barely a smile.
“The Princess... seems to be bad at hunting. Even though she’s from the White family.”
"It's dangerous, after all. Our Princess needs to be somewhere safe. Many men among us are after our Princess. I will give her the best prey and protect her hand."
The one who offers the best prey gets the chance to kiss the back of the woman's hand.
Just a kiss on the back of the hand, yet you say you'll protect it.
While Victoria pondered for a long time, the Western Lord waited without rushing. Finally, Victoria answered.
-“Did he run away with his lover? Abandoning his position as Crown Prince?”
The Western Lord smiled happily.
- "You're so clever, David. That fool is willing to throw everything away for a lover. Now you understand why I told you not to aim for the Crown Prince, do you?"
- "Yes, Grandfather. But the Crown Prince went to the North, so it must have been to ask for help from the Northern Feudal Lords. Will the Northern Feudal Lords help the Crown Prince?"
- "No. The Northern Lord must already know what it means to help the Crown Prince. Helping the Crown Prince is only harmful and not beneficial. He will never help him."
-“Then what will the Crown Prince do?”
-“What do you think we should do?”
There's no way she could know that.
Victoria thought for a long time and finally came up with an answer.
-“I think he’ll head to the South. The Southern Lord is practically in hiding, so wouldn’t it be better to go there to avoid the Empire’s attention?”
Seeing the Western Lord's frown narrow, Victoria realized she was wrong. Her heart sank, but the Western Lord quickly smiled and stroked Victoria's head.
- "Yes, you're too young to know that. But Victoria, if you aspire to be Crown Princess, you're not young at all. The moment you set foot in the palace, it will become a battlefield. To survive, you need to be able to easily figure out answers like this."
Then Victoria thought of Ariana.
Would Ariana have been able to figure out this answer easily?
- "The Crown Prince, who has not received help from the Northern Feudal Lord, will return to the palace. The Northern Feudal Lord likely convinced the Crown Prince that he must possess the power to protect his lover. I'm sure I did the same."
-"Ah...!"
- "The Northern Feudal Lord's position is still precarious, so he must maintain a good relationship with the imperial family. He is also close to the Crown Prince, so he won't be used as a pawn to abandon him. He will likely intend to install the Crown Prince on the Emperor's throne and then run wild."
-“Then... the Crown Prince will soon find a Crown Princess.”
-“Yeah, but don’t worry about that.”
Victoria was completely unable to read the Western Lord's thoughts.
If the Crown Prince wants to save the Crown Princess, isn't now the time to act? With Amanthal's power, she could harness the power of various beasts to seduce the Crown Prince.
The Western Lord noticed the discontent on Victoria's face and smiled.
-“Just wait. Someone more suited to the position than the Crown Prince will soon arrive.”
He added.
-“This old man will take care of this matter, so you should prepare to go to the Hinan region soon.”
The Hinan region was once a region ruled by the Pagans.
- "Since you've become Paganus, it would be best to meet their leaders directly and establish a relationship. On your way back, it would be a good idea to stop by North and establish relations with the Northern Lord. Keeping the enemy close is the safest option."
-“Will the Northern Lord... want to meet me?”
-“I’ll send him a letter. I don’t think he’ll openly say no, will he?”
From the moment Victoria asked to be made Empress, the Western Lord had no hesitation in using her.
Going to the Hinan region, or even to the North to establish a Northern vassal, could have put Victoria in grave danger. Yet, he had no qualms about sending his granddaughter to such a dangerous place.
But Victoria didn't dislike the Western Lord's ruthlessness. She felt that if the Western Lord disregarded his bloodline and used it to his advantage, he would surely be able to make Victoria the Empress.
Helena was still whining about the party and Ariana. She didn't even bother to look at what her sister was doing or what expression she was making.
She hated Helena. She was old enough to be a woman, yet she was so incompetent and knew how to grumble. Victoria hated her so much.
'But I'll do it well, Helena.'
Now that Ariana was out of the Bronte household, Helena was the only one left to exploit.
Someday, even a dumb older sister will have to be used.
"It must have been hard, Sister. Don't be too upset. They'll all regret treating you that way."
***
The hunting season for the East has begun.
At the entrance to the forest beyond the walls of Elus City, many nobles gathered in a wide open space with a small stream flowing through it.
The forest, welcoming autumn, was ablaze with vibrant colors. Green, orange, red, and yellow leaves fluttered, and the sky beyond was clear and blue.
The weather was nice, so people's expressions were bright.
The nobles gathered in groups of three or five under tents set up here and there in the open space, discussing who would be the star of this hunt and which woman would receive the best prey.
Since her childhood, Wiona has consistently enjoyed the honor of being named "Woman of the Year." This was due to her being the only Princess of the East clan and her close relationship with the most skilled hunter, Averaster.
Wiona, wearing a dark blue dress, the same color as Averaster's hair, looked around the empty lot with an excited face and found Averaster.
As always, the good-natured Averaster was surrounded by young men. As Wiona, carrying a parasol, approached, the young men smiled sympathetically at her.
“Princess. You are beautiful today, too.”
"Today, I will present you with a good game. Please remember me."
Wiona smiled sweetly as she listened to the young people's words.
“Thank you, everyone. I just hope you don’t get hurt.”
At Wiona's gentle words, the young men shrugged their shoulders in excitement and dispersed to prepare for the hunt. Just as Averaster was about to leave, Wiona called out to him.
“My Lord.”
"Yes?"
“Will you bring me some great game this year, too?”
"Ah."
Averaster smiled brightly. The smile spreading across his lips was so dazzling that it made Wiona feel dizzy for a moment.
How can you smile so beautifully?
"Of course, I'll be first again this year. But what can I do? This year, I was planning on giving my younger sister the game."
“If it’s your sister... to Isabelle?”
Isabelle was not one to receive game as a gift, but rather to go hunting herself.
“No, Ariana. To our Princess.”
The moment Ariana's name was mentioned, Woona almost lost control of her expression, and her face contorted.
He said it with barely a smile.
“The Princess... seems to be bad at hunting. Even though she’s from the White family.”
"It's dangerous, after all. Our Princess needs to be somewhere safe. Many men among us are after our Princess. I will give her the best prey and protect her hand."
The one who offers the best prey gets the chance to kiss the back of the woman's hand.
Just a kiss on the back of the hand, yet you say you'll protect it.
Wiona said, trying hard to hide her seething anger.
“I bet the Princess is happy. It’s nice to have you so cared for.”
“Of course, I should take care of her. How cute and kind she is.”
“Unlike Isabelle?”
"Isabel, well... she's cute, if you ask me... anyway, since that's how it is, don't expect me to find any prey this time. Ah, but since there are many young men who admire the young lady, you'll have plenty of prey this year too. Well then, I'll be going."
Wiona quietly watched the back of Averaster, who turned around without any hesitation.
The first party was held to celebrate Ariana's official ascension to the throne. Since then, Wiona has hosted several parties and invited Ariana, but never once has she responded.
She wanted to learn more about Ariana and find out if she had any weaknesses, but Ariana didn't come out of the castle very often.
‘There must be a reason...’
At her first party, Ariana was flawlessly elegant, and her dancing skills were also admirable.
'She might have practiced painstakingly for that day. She lived like a maid in the West without learning a single thing. She couldn't possibly be that perfect. She must have hidden herself away, terrified of her true colors being revealed.'
Wiona was so angry.
'What did she say? Even so, she only lived in the West doing maid work...'
The surroundings became noisy, and Wiona was shaken from her thoughts.
A group of people was entering a clearing in the forest.
The Eastern lord and the little Lord, and Ariana between them.
Ariana, wearing a bright crimson dress as bright as the sun, had shorter hair than she seen her before. Her shoulder-length, sky-blue hair suited her perfectly, making her already youthful appearance even younger.
Ariana, who was between the size of a lord and a vassal, looked like a forest fairy.
'She's really pretty.'
The scattered people, now in small groups, quickly gathered around the lord and his party. Left alone, Wiona glared at Ariana, surrounded by people, before turning around.
***
The hunt began with Russell saying a few words and firing a shot into the air.
Isabelle came to the tent with a gun and said.
"Ariana, wait. I'll grab the best one and come back. Isaac, don't wander around in danger and enjoy a cup of tea somewhere safe."
Isaac answered with a bitter smile.
“Ahaha. Yes.”
"Well, I'll find some game to bring Isaac, just in case. A rabbit would be fine, right? Oh, and should I bring you a fox?"
“No, Miss Isabelle. Please don’t worry about me and enjoy the hunt.”
“It’s cold in the north, so I’ll catch a fox for you. You can make a fox scarf and put it on before you go.”
“Oh, yes...”
Isaac said as Isabelle left the tent.
"Miss Isabelle is truly... how should I put it? She's like the god of war. Did you know? The god of war hates listening to others."
Ariana smiled slightly.
"Still, I think my sister really likes Isaac. She's the type of person who doesn't talk to people she doesn't like."
"Oh dear. Miss Isabelle's kindness is too much for a weak-hearted man like me. My Lady, I'll go out and explore the forest."
“Yes. Be careful, guns are shooting everywhere.”
As Isaac walked out, removing the translucent cloth covering the tent, Ariana's maid, Catherine, approached her and asked.
“Princess, would you like some tea?”
“No, it’s okay. I can stay with Sini, so let’s give Catherine some rest too.”
“Yes, I’ll be nearby, so please call me if you need me.”
Only after Catherine left did Ariana find herself alone with Sini.
Sini, who had recovered enough to wander the garden a few days ago, stepped outside Chase Castle for the first time today. Her golden eyes gazed curiously at the scenery unfolding beyond the white curtain.
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