(97) Reason for coming to the North (2)
Isaac asked curiously, seeing Cyrus looking more flustered than ever before.
"Cyrus, what's wrong with your expression? Where does it hurt? Should I check for you?"
“What is the Princess doing?”
"Why are you asking me what the Princess Consort is doing? I thought you were still here chatting with me, so I came here."
Isaac frowned.
“Surely you... Didn’t drive the Princess Consort away with harsh words, did you? I brought her here with the resolve to never send her back to the East!”
It was absurd to not return the Princess of the East to her own kingdom. But Cyrus felt it was a very good idea.
He wanted to keep her in sight.
Because with her, who carries death like fate, right before his eyes, he can ensure nothing happens. He can keep that beautiful smile on her face, which fades away like a daydream.
Then suddenly he came to his senses.
What am I thinking? Whether Ariana smiles or not is none of my business.
Cyrus' expression softened, and he spoke to Andrei.
"Investigate the Duke of Obelius. Even the number of rats running around in the warehouse."
“Understood, Your Excellency.”
Andrei answered with a grin. Cyrus turned to Isaac.
"You must have gathered a lot of good herbs. Make every kind of antidote you know."
"Understood, Your Excellency. Should we make some medicine that won't harm the marital harmony?”
As Cyrus glared at him, Isaac raised both hands slightly and nodded.
“Yes, Your Excellency. I will keep my mouth shut and do as you tell me.”
After the two left, Cyrus walked slowly through the spacious living room. He felt like he wanted to go see Ariana right away, but he couldn't figure out why.
Although there were risks, Ariana arrived safely in the North, and as long as she was within Cyrus's sight, there would be no major danger.
Yet, when he recalled what had happened to her, his heart ached more than when he had been ambushed.
The expression Ariana had made before leaving the parlor kept lingering in his mind. Cyrus clenched and unclenched his fists several times before turning and leaving the parlor.
Langster was one of the few who knew that Shini was Paganus. While he felt sorry for Shini's treatment before being rescued by Ariana, he couldn't shake the feeling that she was born with Paganus blood.
Plus golden eyes.
Since ancient times, golden eyes have symbolized bad luck: misfortune, suffering, death, and the like.
He was worried that Shini would bring yet another hardship to Ariana, who had already been through so many hardships.
However.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
Earlier, Shini had been standing right in front of Langster, who had been guarding Ariana's room, and was looking up at him blankly.
Langster had never exchanged a word with Shini before, and her sparkling golden eyes were extremely uncomfortable.
“I want to be friends with you, sir.”
Langster frowned at Shini's childish words.
Meanwhile, Shini had been eating nutritious food and taking medicine made by Isaac. At first, she was skinny and small, but in just a few months, she had grown rapidly and now exuded the maturity of a 17-year-old.
But since she hadn't learned much, she still felt like a child, and it was uncomfortable to see the discrepancy between her appearance and her actions.
“Your job is to assist the Princess.”
“Yes. But I still want to be friends with you, sir.”
Why is he doing this?
Langster took a step back to avoid Shini who suddenly approached him.
“What should I do to become close with you, sir?”
“You and I don’t have to be close.”
“But I want to be friends.”
Langster, swallowing a sigh, felt a presence nearby, so he reached for his sword and turned his gaze. Cyrus was striding towards him from the end of the hallway.
Cyrus, dressed in black, walked down the white-carpeted hallway, looking like a black demon. A black demon intent on capturing the Princess.
There was no such thing as a generous compliment about the dazzling silver hair or the perfect features that filled his pale face. If that man is called the god of the moon, then our Princess is as beautiful as the god of the sun.
Cyrus grinned as Langster reflexively blocked Ariana's door.
"The Vice-Captain of the White Knights seems to have no prejudices. I see you get along well with Paganus."
"I knew it would be difficult to deceive Your Excellency the Northern Lord, but I didn't expect you to reveal it so easily. Your Excellency, a wise man, would already know that I'm hiding this child's origins."
"What do you think? This is my castle, and I've confirmed that no one is eavesdropping."
Cyrus looked Shini up and down, standing silently beside Langster. Shini, who had sparkled when Langster was alone, shrugged her shoulders, seeming intimidated by Cyrus's presence.
Shini was very uncomfortable and scared of the Northern Lord.
“Did you say your name was Shini?”
“...”
Langster answered on behalf of Shini, who was too tired to answer due to Cyrus' gaze.
“Yes, Your Excellency. It is Shini. The princess herself ordered it.”
"You're lucky, Shini. If you had caught my eye first, your life wouldn't have been yours."
“...”
"You met a generous Princess and saved your life, so you'd better live for her. If you harbor any resentment, I'll show you the kind of pain that makes you wish for death."
“I will... give... my life... for... my master.”
Shini answered hesitantly.
"Yes, live with that resolve engraved deep in your heart. The Princess, determined to reclaim the golden eyes that bring misfortune, must have saved you with even greater resolve than you."
Cyrus finished speaking and looked back at Langster.
“Will you please step aside?”
“I’m sorry, Your Excellency. The Princess is alone.”
"So?"
“In the East, we don’t allow unrelated men into a room where a lady is alone.”
“Then, will you tell the Princess that I have come to see you?”
Langster's mouth tightened in disapproval, but he couldn't refuse the invitation of the Northern Lord, the master of this Maho Castle. Ariana was merely a guest in the Northern Territory.
“Princess, the Northern Lord requests to see you.”
As Langster spoke, a small voice came from within.
“I don’t feel well. Tell them I need to rest.”
Langster said to Cyrus with a look that said, 'Did you hear that?'
“Your Excellency, the Princess is very tired from her long journey.”
“Oh, my. I heard you’re not feeling well, so I’ll send a doctor.”
Cyrus swallowed a laugh when he heard Ariana answer from inside the door.
"There must be no shortcomings in treating the Princess who has made the precious journey to the northern part of the country. I will send the most skilled doctor in the palace."
“Langster, tell him I’m just tired and want to sleep a little.”
"Princess."
“...”
“Are we going to keep talking like this with only one door between us?”
“...”
“Are you mad at me?”
Click-
The door opened, and a small face appeared. Even though it was just that, Cyrus felt relieved.
"I'm not angry, Northern Lord. Why would I be angry with the Northern Lord?"
“Then, as a distinguished guest visiting Maho Castle, you will not refuse my invitation, the host.”
“What kind of invitation is it?”
Cyrus hesitated for a moment before speaking, as he hadn't thought that far ahead.
"Walk."
Ariana couldn't understand Cyrus's behavior.
Why do you suddenly come and suggest a walk when you're always talking harshly?
Being with Cyrus made her feel uneasy, and she wanted to be alone. She had a lot to think about.
However, as a guest visiting the Northern Territory, it was impossible to refuse the Northern Territory's offer.
She had no choice but to put on her coat and come out, and Cyrus said.
“There’s no need for an escort. No one in Maho Castle would threaten the Princess’s life.”
“I’ll take Shini with me.”
“Is that so?”
Langster's expression was filled with discontent, but he didn't argue. From a guest's perspective, having an escort escort you every time was rude and showed a lack of trust in the master of Maho Castle.
It was warm inside Maho Castle, but as soon as they stepped outside, a cold wind blew. Cyrus said, watching Ariana's hair become tangled.
“It’s not very windy at this time of year.”
“Is a typhoon coming?”
“It’s not quite a typhoon, but the wind coming down Mount Graten is fierce.”
Ariana wrapped her thick fox fur coat tightly around her neck and sleeves, but she shivered as the wind blew through her neck and sleeves.
Cyrus, seeing that, took off the black coat he was wearing and draped it over Ariana's shoulders.
A pleasant scent came from the coat that was falling down.
“It must be cold in the Northern Territory, too.”
“I don’t catch a cold.”
“Is it because your body is cold?”
"In the Carha family, there are occasionally people born with low body temperatures like mine. It's probably a punishment for those who use the magic the gods have taken away to the end."
“But I don’t think you’ll catch a cold.”
Cyrus smiled slightly.
“Yeah, that’s a good point.”
How strange, thought Ariana.
When she left the reception room earlier, she was seething with anger, but after talking to Cyrus, her mood lightened as if nothing had ever happened.
It was the same before. When Cyrus told Ariana to establish herself in the East so he could use her. Even though she knew Cyrus's intentions were so kind to her, her heart froze.
Ariana, too, was determined to use him, but as time went on, she became dull.
It was strange to say that her heart had become numb because she couldn't see it. Her hatred and desire for revenge toward the Bronte family and the Third Prince hadn't faded in the slightest.
But the resentment toward Cyrus flared like a fire and then quickly died down. What remained in the ashes was something indescribable, something Ariana had never felt before.
A strange feeling, a little sweet and a little bitter.
“I heard you had a bad experience on your way to the North.”
Cyrus' voice brought Ariana out of her thoughts.
“I’m used to it.”
“You shouldn’t get used to it. Was it very dangerous?”
“It was more dangerous for Shini than for me. She got hit in the head harder.”
Cyrus didn't seem to care much about Shini's condition.
"Little Lord is strong and honest, so the people of the East like him. Little Lord will be a great help to Duke Obelius."
Ariana thought of Geor.
-“How should I ask for forgiveness?”
Those desperate eyes and voice.
He seemed so small and weak, as if he was pleading, begging, clinging, even though he was much larger than Ariana.
Ariana also recalled his last moments.
Geor did not spare his life to protect her father and actually died for him.
Isaac asked curiously, seeing Cyrus looking more flustered than ever before.
"Cyrus, what's wrong with your expression? Where does it hurt? Should I check for you?"
“What is the Princess doing?”
"Why are you asking me what the Princess Consort is doing? I thought you were still here chatting with me, so I came here."
Isaac frowned.
“Surely you... Didn’t drive the Princess Consort away with harsh words, did you? I brought her here with the resolve to never send her back to the East!”
It was absurd to not return the Princess of the East to her own kingdom. But Cyrus felt it was a very good idea.
He wanted to keep her in sight.
Because with her, who carries death like fate, right before his eyes, he can ensure nothing happens. He can keep that beautiful smile on her face, which fades away like a daydream.
Then suddenly he came to his senses.
What am I thinking? Whether Ariana smiles or not is none of my business.
Cyrus' expression softened, and he spoke to Andrei.
"Investigate the Duke of Obelius. Even the number of rats running around in the warehouse."
“Understood, Your Excellency.”
Andrei answered with a grin. Cyrus turned to Isaac.
"You must have gathered a lot of good herbs. Make every kind of antidote you know."
"Understood, Your Excellency. Should we make some medicine that won't harm the marital harmony?”
As Cyrus glared at him, Isaac raised both hands slightly and nodded.
“Yes, Your Excellency. I will keep my mouth shut and do as you tell me.”
After the two left, Cyrus walked slowly through the spacious living room. He felt like he wanted to go see Ariana right away, but he couldn't figure out why.
Although there were risks, Ariana arrived safely in the North, and as long as she was within Cyrus's sight, there would be no major danger.
Yet, when he recalled what had happened to her, his heart ached more than when he had been ambushed.
The expression Ariana had made before leaving the parlor kept lingering in his mind. Cyrus clenched and unclenched his fists several times before turning and leaving the parlor.
***
Langster was one of the few who knew that Shini was Paganus. While he felt sorry for Shini's treatment before being rescued by Ariana, he couldn't shake the feeling that she was born with Paganus blood.
Plus golden eyes.
Since ancient times, golden eyes have symbolized bad luck: misfortune, suffering, death, and the like.
He was worried that Shini would bring yet another hardship to Ariana, who had already been through so many hardships.
However.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
Earlier, Shini had been standing right in front of Langster, who had been guarding Ariana's room, and was looking up at him blankly.
Langster had never exchanged a word with Shini before, and her sparkling golden eyes were extremely uncomfortable.
“I want to be friends with you, sir.”
Langster frowned at Shini's childish words.
Meanwhile, Shini had been eating nutritious food and taking medicine made by Isaac. At first, she was skinny and small, but in just a few months, she had grown rapidly and now exuded the maturity of a 17-year-old.
But since she hadn't learned much, she still felt like a child, and it was uncomfortable to see the discrepancy between her appearance and her actions.
“Your job is to assist the Princess.”
“Yes. But I still want to be friends with you, sir.”
Why is he doing this?
Langster took a step back to avoid Shini who suddenly approached him.
“What should I do to become close with you, sir?”
“You and I don’t have to be close.”
“But I want to be friends.”
Langster, swallowing a sigh, felt a presence nearby, so he reached for his sword and turned his gaze. Cyrus was striding towards him from the end of the hallway.
Cyrus, dressed in black, walked down the white-carpeted hallway, looking like a black demon. A black demon intent on capturing the Princess.
There was no such thing as a generous compliment about the dazzling silver hair or the perfect features that filled his pale face. If that man is called the god of the moon, then our Princess is as beautiful as the god of the sun.
Cyrus grinned as Langster reflexively blocked Ariana's door.
"The Vice-Captain of the White Knights seems to have no prejudices. I see you get along well with Paganus."
"I knew it would be difficult to deceive Your Excellency the Northern Lord, but I didn't expect you to reveal it so easily. Your Excellency, a wise man, would already know that I'm hiding this child's origins."
"What do you think? This is my castle, and I've confirmed that no one is eavesdropping."
Cyrus looked Shini up and down, standing silently beside Langster. Shini, who had sparkled when Langster was alone, shrugged her shoulders, seeming intimidated by Cyrus's presence.
Shini was very uncomfortable and scared of the Northern Lord.
“Did you say your name was Shini?”
“...”
Langster answered on behalf of Shini, who was too tired to answer due to Cyrus' gaze.
“Yes, Your Excellency. It is Shini. The princess herself ordered it.”
"You're lucky, Shini. If you had caught my eye first, your life wouldn't have been yours."
“...”
"You met a generous Princess and saved your life, so you'd better live for her. If you harbor any resentment, I'll show you the kind of pain that makes you wish for death."
“I will... give... my life... for... my master.”
Shini answered hesitantly.
"Yes, live with that resolve engraved deep in your heart. The Princess, determined to reclaim the golden eyes that bring misfortune, must have saved you with even greater resolve than you."
Cyrus finished speaking and looked back at Langster.
“Will you please step aside?”
“I’m sorry, Your Excellency. The Princess is alone.”
"So?"
“In the East, we don’t allow unrelated men into a room where a lady is alone.”
“Then, will you tell the Princess that I have come to see you?”
Langster's mouth tightened in disapproval, but he couldn't refuse the invitation of the Northern Lord, the master of this Maho Castle. Ariana was merely a guest in the Northern Territory.
“Princess, the Northern Lord requests to see you.”
As Langster spoke, a small voice came from within.
“I don’t feel well. Tell them I need to rest.”
Langster said to Cyrus with a look that said, 'Did you hear that?'
“Your Excellency, the Princess is very tired from her long journey.”
“Oh, my. I heard you’re not feeling well, so I’ll send a doctor.”
“Langster, tell him it's not worth showing the doctor.”
"There must be no shortcomings in treating the Princess who has made the precious journey to the northern part of the country. I will send the most skilled doctor in the palace."
“Langster, tell him I’m just tired and want to sleep a little.”
"Princess."
“...”
“Are we going to keep talking like this with only one door between us?”
“...”
“Are you mad at me?”
Click-
The door opened, and a small face appeared. Even though it was just that, Cyrus felt relieved.
"I'm not angry, Northern Lord. Why would I be angry with the Northern Lord?"
“Then, as a distinguished guest visiting Maho Castle, you will not refuse my invitation, the host.”
“What kind of invitation is it?”
Cyrus hesitated for a moment before speaking, as he hadn't thought that far ahead.
"Walk."
***
Ariana couldn't understand Cyrus's behavior.
Why do you suddenly come and suggest a walk when you're always talking harshly?
Being with Cyrus made her feel uneasy, and she wanted to be alone. She had a lot to think about.
However, as a guest visiting the Northern Territory, it was impossible to refuse the Northern Territory's offer.
She had no choice but to put on her coat and come out, and Cyrus said.
“There’s no need for an escort. No one in Maho Castle would threaten the Princess’s life.”
“I’ll take Shini with me.”
“Is that so?”
Langster's expression was filled with discontent, but he didn't argue. From a guest's perspective, having an escort escort you every time was rude and showed a lack of trust in the master of Maho Castle.
It was warm inside Maho Castle, but as soon as they stepped outside, a cold wind blew. Cyrus said, watching Ariana's hair become tangled.
“It’s not very windy at this time of year.”
“Is a typhoon coming?”
“It’s not quite a typhoon, but the wind coming down Mount Graten is fierce.”
Ariana wrapped her thick fox fur coat tightly around her neck and sleeves, but she shivered as the wind blew through her neck and sleeves.
Cyrus, seeing that, took off the black coat he was wearing and draped it over Ariana's shoulders.
A pleasant scent came from the coat that was falling down.
“It must be cold in the Northern Territory, too.”
“I don’t catch a cold.”
“Is it because your body is cold?”
"In the Carha family, there are occasionally people born with low body temperatures like mine. It's probably a punishment for those who use the magic the gods have taken away to the end."
“But I don’t think you’ll catch a cold.”
Cyrus smiled slightly.
“Yeah, that’s a good point.”
How strange, thought Ariana.
When she left the reception room earlier, she was seething with anger, but after talking to Cyrus, her mood lightened as if nothing had ever happened.
It was the same before. When Cyrus told Ariana to establish herself in the East so he could use her. Even though she knew Cyrus's intentions were so kind to her, her heart froze.
Ariana, too, was determined to use him, but as time went on, she became dull.
It was strange to say that her heart had become numb because she couldn't see it. Her hatred and desire for revenge toward the Bronte family and the Third Prince hadn't faded in the slightest.
But the resentment toward Cyrus flared like a fire and then quickly died down. What remained in the ashes was something indescribable, something Ariana had never felt before.
A strange feeling, a little sweet and a little bitter.
“I heard you had a bad experience on your way to the North.”
Cyrus' voice brought Ariana out of her thoughts.
“I’m used to it.”
“You shouldn’t get used to it. Was it very dangerous?”
“It was more dangerous for Shini than for me. She got hit in the head harder.”
Cyrus didn't seem to care much about Shini's condition.
"Little Lord is strong and honest, so the people of the East like him. Little Lord will be a great help to Duke Obelius."
Ariana thought of Geor.
-“How should I ask for forgiveness?”
Those desperate eyes and voice.
He seemed so small and weak, as if he was pleading, begging, clinging, even though he was much larger than Ariana.
Ariana also recalled his last moments.
Geor did not spare his life to protect her father and actually died for him.
Comments
Post a Comment