(86) The trigger was pulled (2)
To give up the throne to keep a woman by your side? Does that even make sense?
'I don't think he was that stupid.'
The Crown Prince, who came all the way to the North with his lover and insisted on such ridiculous things, looked like a fool who was laughable.
The Crown Prince continued to plead, seemingly unconcerned with how he would appear.
"I told His Majesty that I was ill and was going to the West to recuperate. No one will know I've come to the North."
That can't be possible.
The suspicious Emperor would have attached someone to the Crown Prince.
"If the Northern Lord helps, I can disappear with Chloe. Anywhere is fine. Even the harsh countryside is fine. So please, help Chloe and me disappear from this world."
Cyrus pretended to take a sip of tea to buy himself some time to think.
'It wouldn't be difficult for the Crown Prince to be attacked by bandits on his way back to the empire and fake his death. It wouldn't be difficult to change his identity and live on the outskirts of the North. But...'
Cyrus stared at the Crown Prince, who looked weak.
'The Crown Prince won't be able to endure that life.'
There was no way the Crown Prince or his lover could endure a life confined to the countryside with only a few employees.
'You may be blinded by love now and can't see anything, but even a thousand-year-old love will shatter if the hardships of life continue.'
There is nothing as vain as love.
Living a life completely different from that of the palace, it was obvious that their love would disappear like a sand painting blown by the wind, as if it had never existed.
Many nobles in the North married people who were not suited to their status and sang love songs.
Their successful marriage, despite opposition from their families, must have been a glorious start, as if they had conquered the world. But what about now?
'Most people have lovers and live together. Some couples even get divorced.'
If Cyrus helped the Crown Prince, and the Crown Prince and Chloe had a falling out and broke up, and the Crown Prince returned to the palace, Cyrus would be in an awkward situation.
Moreover, the vacancy of the Crown Prince's position was also a problem.
'If the Crown Prince disappears, there will be a fight for the throne. The empire will be in turmoil, and there will be those who want to get involved.'
Cyrus didn't want to make a fuss.
If trouble arose in the empire, the Emperor would constantly call upon Cyrus. He might even seek to borrow troops from him.
He didn't want to bring in new problems while the situation was still noisy both inside and outside the North.
Cyrus put down his teacup after concluding.
“I don’t know what the Crown Prince wants.”
“Didn’t I tell you? Help me escape.”
“If that’s the best outcome for Chloe, then I’m disappointed.”
The Crown Prince frowned.
“Disappointment... I will never let go of Chloe, no matter what happens.”
"I know. I understand... But think about it, Crown Prince. It must be incredibly difficult to abandon your status and live as a fugitive in the countryside."
“I will overcome all of that...!”
"I'm talking about Miss Chloe, not the Crown Prince. Of course, I can help you escape. I can pretend the Crown Prince and your lover met bandits and died. Then, from that point on, the Crown Prince and Miss Chloe would be considered dead."
Cyrus swallowed a sigh as he watched the Crown Prince blink. Why should I have to teach this fool every single lesson?
"I can arrange for you to live in a small, untouched village. But after that, I must also sever ties with the Crown Prince. Any communication between us will eventually reach His Majesty the Emperor."
"That will do, Northern Lord. As long as I have a place to live, that's enough."
"No, Crown Prince. It's not enough. That's where it all begins."
Cyrus spoke in a slow tone about the life of a commoner, almost a poor man.
The Crown Prince and Chloe, who will become ordinary immigrants, said that they will have to endure the villagers' ostracism and work to earn money, buy food, and do housework.
"And that's not all. A common woman's life is tough. Miss Chloe is so beautiful that some men will flirt with her, and others will sneak into the house to do nasty things when the Crown Prince is out at work."
“I’ll wipe out those guys...!”
"That can't be done, Crown Prince. If the Crown Prince were to kill someone, your identity would be revealed. I can't ask the authorities for help. The moment I do, your identity will be revealed. And I can't help you either. His Majesty the Emperor will hear about it."
The Crown Prince's eyes shook.
The Crown Prince clenched his fist on his knee.
"That's the life of a fugitive, Crown Prince. Is forcing Miss Chloe into that kind of life the Crown Prince needs to protect his love?"
The Crown Prince's blue lips twitched and then closed again.
He knew this would happen.
They probably thought that if they just ran away together, all their problems would disappear. They probably thought they could live happily ever after in a place where the Emperor was gone.
Without knowing what the life of a commoner is like, or what the life of a fugitive is like.
"There are many ways to protect love. It's good to love and marry, but protecting with power is also a way to protect love, Crown Prince."
“With power..."
"His Majesty the Emperor cherishes the Crown Prince greatly, but if you don't have a wife and frequently leave the palace, rumors will surely arise. Your position will be shaken. How can someone who can't even keep his rightful place protect his love?"
Cyrus stopped there and fell silent, giving the Crown Prince time to think.
The Crown Prince was weak-willed, but not foolish. Though blinded by love and making foolish choices, if he were truly a fool, the Emperor wouldn't have cherished him so much.
The Crown Prince thought and pondered for a long time. Finally, he looked at Cyrus with sad eyes and said.
“Chloe and I can’t get married.”
"Marriage isn't the only way to spend a hundred years together, Crown Prince. Rather than sitting in the spotlight, absorbing all the schemes and intrigues, perhaps it's better to live quietly, receiving the Crown Prince's love from behind the scenes."
“Is it really in Chloe’s best interest to live as my lover for the rest of my life?”
"What Miss Chloe wants is the Crown Prince's love, not the position of Crown Princess. Only if the Crown Prince solidifies your position will no one dare to touch Miss Chloe."
The Crown Prince's shaking stopped. The sadness that had filled his eyes disappeared.
The Crown Prince looked at Cyrus with a look befitting his position and asked.
“Is there a family you would recommend as the Crown Princess?”
“Well, I’ve heard that Marquis Matherin’s daughter is very intelligent.”
"Understood, Your Excellency. I will consider it. I will send out the invitations soon."
The trigger was pulled.
Rumors spread quickly that Ariana's hair had been chopped off.
Less than two hours after the handy maid finished trimming Ariana's hair, all kinds of people were coming to Ariana's room.
The first person to arrive was Isabelle.
“You, why is your hair like this?”
At Isabelle's shout, Ariana turned to the mirror. Nothing much seemed to have changed, except that her hair had gone from waist-length to shoulder-length.
“Is it that weird?”
"It's pretty! It's pretty, but it's shorter! Why did you suddenly cut it? Long hair suited you so well!"
“I wanted to change my mood a bit...”
"A change of mood is a change of mood. Why didn't you at least discuss it with me before you cut it off like this?"
She wondered if changing her hairstyle was something she needed to discuss. As Ariana smiled awkwardly, Averaster arrived.
“Ariana, you cut your hair? Oh, that style suits you well.”
“Thank you, brother.”
"But you shouldn't have told me before you cut it. I thought something big had happened because you suddenly cut your hair short."
Her uncle, Fellowes, her grandparents, and even her father came to visit and had similar conversations, so she was completely out of it.
She just cut her hair a little, and the whole family is moving like this.
Even though her face was bruised and her hair was singed because of Helena, it was so different from her life at Bronte Manor, where she had ignored everything and was bewildered.
Ariana's living room was bustling with activity, as the event of cutting off two spans of hair somehow turned into a family gathering.
Ariana was surrounded by her family, munching on cookies diligently brought by the maids.
Every time this happened, Ariana felt like she was dreaming.
While at Bronte Manor, Ariana was never allowed into the drawing room. Whether the family gathered for a meal in the dining room or chatted in the drawing room, Ariana was naturally not given a place to sit.
She suddenly became curious.
'How are you guys doing? Are you having a good time now that I, who you hate so much, have disappeared?'
Helena felt like she was about to burst into tears.
After Ariana's custody trial, she was invited to a tea party for the first time in a long time. It was a small party held in the garden by a Countess, something she wouldn't normally attend.
But Helena, who was spending her suffocating time at Bronte Manor, needed an escape.
Her father, Jacob, had a lover and rarely came home, and her mother, Rachel, was constantly drunk. Victoria left the mansion, saying, "Grandpa told me to stay at the castle for a while."
Because of that, Helena was left alone.
The warmth had long since disappeared from the dining room where the family gathered every day and from the living room where they spent time together after dinner.
The atmosphere, which she thought would improve after a few months, only grew heavier.
With Ariana gone, the one she'd always vented her frustrations on, she took it out on the maids, and many of them quit. When one maid nearly died after being beaten by Helena, Rachel yelled, "If you kick any more maids out, you'll be kicked out too!"
Unable to vent her anger, Helena almost went mad.
In the meantime, she received an invitation to a tea party.
Feeling that people had finally forgotten about the Ariana incident, Helena hurriedly bought a new dress, dressed up, and headed to the tea party venue.
As a Princess and the recipient of the Duke and Duchess's affection, Helena was always the center of attention at gatherings large and small. Everyone wanted to impress Helena and carefully considered her mood.
She knew it would be like this this time, too.
To give up the throne to keep a woman by your side? Does that even make sense?
'I don't think he was that stupid.'
The Crown Prince, who came all the way to the North with his lover and insisted on such ridiculous things, looked like a fool who was laughable.
The Crown Prince continued to plead, seemingly unconcerned with how he would appear.
"I told His Majesty that I was ill and was going to the West to recuperate. No one will know I've come to the North."
That can't be possible.
The suspicious Emperor would have attached someone to the Crown Prince.
"If the Northern Lord helps, I can disappear with Chloe. Anywhere is fine. Even the harsh countryside is fine. So please, help Chloe and me disappear from this world."
Cyrus pretended to take a sip of tea to buy himself some time to think.
'It wouldn't be difficult for the Crown Prince to be attacked by bandits on his way back to the empire and fake his death. It wouldn't be difficult to change his identity and live on the outskirts of the North. But...'
Cyrus stared at the Crown Prince, who looked weak.
'The Crown Prince won't be able to endure that life.'
There was no way the Crown Prince or his lover could endure a life confined to the countryside with only a few employees.
'You may be blinded by love now and can't see anything, but even a thousand-year-old love will shatter if the hardships of life continue.'
There is nothing as vain as love.
Living a life completely different from that of the palace, it was obvious that their love would disappear like a sand painting blown by the wind, as if it had never existed.
Many nobles in the North married people who were not suited to their status and sang love songs.
Their successful marriage, despite opposition from their families, must have been a glorious start, as if they had conquered the world. But what about now?
'Most people have lovers and live together. Some couples even get divorced.'
If Cyrus helped the Crown Prince, and the Crown Prince and Chloe had a falling out and broke up, and the Crown Prince returned to the palace, Cyrus would be in an awkward situation.
Moreover, the vacancy of the Crown Prince's position was also a problem.
'If the Crown Prince disappears, there will be a fight for the throne. The empire will be in turmoil, and there will be those who want to get involved.'
Cyrus didn't want to make a fuss.
If trouble arose in the empire, the Emperor would constantly call upon Cyrus. He might even seek to borrow troops from him.
He didn't want to bring in new problems while the situation was still noisy both inside and outside the North.
Cyrus put down his teacup after concluding.
“I don’t know what the Crown Prince wants.”
“Didn’t I tell you? Help me escape.”
“If that’s the best outcome for Chloe, then I’m disappointed.”
The Crown Prince frowned.
“Disappointment... I will never let go of Chloe, no matter what happens.”
"I know. I understand... But think about it, Crown Prince. It must be incredibly difficult to abandon your status and live as a fugitive in the countryside."
“I will overcome all of that...!”
"I'm talking about Miss Chloe, not the Crown Prince. Of course, I can help you escape. I can pretend the Crown Prince and your lover met bandits and died. Then, from that point on, the Crown Prince and Miss Chloe would be considered dead."
Cyrus swallowed a sigh as he watched the Crown Prince blink. Why should I have to teach this fool every single lesson?
"I can arrange for you to live in a small, untouched village. But after that, I must also sever ties with the Crown Prince. Any communication between us will eventually reach His Majesty the Emperor."
"That will do, Northern Lord. As long as I have a place to live, that's enough."
"No, Crown Prince. It's not enough. That's where it all begins."
Cyrus spoke in a slow tone about the life of a commoner, almost a poor man.
The Crown Prince and Chloe, who will become ordinary immigrants, said that they will have to endure the villagers' ostracism and work to earn money, buy food, and do housework.
"And that's not all. A common woman's life is tough. Miss Chloe is so beautiful that some men will flirt with her, and others will sneak into the house to do nasty things when the Crown Prince is out at work."
“I’ll wipe out those guys...!”
"That can't be done, Crown Prince. If the Crown Prince were to kill someone, your identity would be revealed. I can't ask the authorities for help. The moment I do, your identity will be revealed. And I can't help you either. His Majesty the Emperor will hear about it."
The Crown Prince's eyes shook.
The Crown Prince clenched his fist on his knee.
"That's the life of a fugitive, Crown Prince. Is forcing Miss Chloe into that kind of life the Crown Prince needs to protect his love?"
The Crown Prince's blue lips twitched and then closed again.
He knew this would happen.
They probably thought that if they just ran away together, all their problems would disappear. They probably thought they could live happily ever after in a place where the Emperor was gone.
Without knowing what the life of a commoner is like, or what the life of a fugitive is like.
"There are many ways to protect love. It's good to love and marry, but protecting with power is also a way to protect love, Crown Prince."
“With power..."
"His Majesty the Emperor cherishes the Crown Prince greatly, but if you don't have a wife and frequently leave the palace, rumors will surely arise. Your position will be shaken. How can someone who can't even keep his rightful place protect his love?"
Cyrus stopped there and fell silent, giving the Crown Prince time to think.
The Crown Prince was weak-willed, but not foolish. Though blinded by love and making foolish choices, if he were truly a fool, the Emperor wouldn't have cherished him so much.
The Crown Prince thought and pondered for a long time. Finally, he looked at Cyrus with sad eyes and said.
“Chloe and I can’t get married.”
"Marriage isn't the only way to spend a hundred years together, Crown Prince. Rather than sitting in the spotlight, absorbing all the schemes and intrigues, perhaps it's better to live quietly, receiving the Crown Prince's love from behind the scenes."
“Is it really in Chloe’s best interest to live as my lover for the rest of my life?”
"What Miss Chloe wants is the Crown Prince's love, not the position of Crown Princess. Only if the Crown Prince solidifies your position will no one dare to touch Miss Chloe."
The Crown Prince's shaking stopped. The sadness that had filled his eyes disappeared.
The Crown Prince looked at Cyrus with a look befitting his position and asked.
“Is there a family you would recommend as the Crown Princess?”
“Well, I’ve heard that Marquis Matherin’s daughter is very intelligent.”
"Understood, Your Excellency. I will consider it. I will send out the invitations soon."
The trigger was pulled.
***
Rumors spread quickly that Ariana's hair had been chopped off.
Less than two hours after the handy maid finished trimming Ariana's hair, all kinds of people were coming to Ariana's room.
The first person to arrive was Isabelle.
“You, why is your hair like this?”
At Isabelle's shout, Ariana turned to the mirror. Nothing much seemed to have changed, except that her hair had gone from waist-length to shoulder-length.
“Is it that weird?”
"It's pretty! It's pretty, but it's shorter! Why did you suddenly cut it? Long hair suited you so well!"
“I wanted to change my mood a bit...”
"A change of mood is a change of mood. Why didn't you at least discuss it with me before you cut it off like this?"
She wondered if changing her hairstyle was something she needed to discuss. As Ariana smiled awkwardly, Averaster arrived.
“Ariana, you cut your hair? Oh, that style suits you well.”
“Thank you, brother.”
"But you shouldn't have told me before you cut it. I thought something big had happened because you suddenly cut your hair short."
Her uncle, Fellowes, her grandparents, and even her father came to visit and had similar conversations, so she was completely out of it.
She just cut her hair a little, and the whole family is moving like this.
Even though her face was bruised and her hair was singed because of Helena, it was so different from her life at Bronte Manor, where she had ignored everything and was bewildered.
Ariana's living room was bustling with activity, as the event of cutting off two spans of hair somehow turned into a family gathering.
Ariana was surrounded by her family, munching on cookies diligently brought by the maids.
Every time this happened, Ariana felt like she was dreaming.
While at Bronte Manor, Ariana was never allowed into the drawing room. Whether the family gathered for a meal in the dining room or chatted in the drawing room, Ariana was naturally not given a place to sit.
She suddenly became curious.
'How are you guys doing? Are you having a good time now that I, who you hate so much, have disappeared?'
***
Helena felt like she was about to burst into tears.
After Ariana's custody trial, she was invited to a tea party for the first time in a long time. It was a small party held in the garden by a Countess, something she wouldn't normally attend.
But Helena, who was spending her suffocating time at Bronte Manor, needed an escape.
Her father, Jacob, had a lover and rarely came home, and her mother, Rachel, was constantly drunk. Victoria left the mansion, saying, "Grandpa told me to stay at the castle for a while."
Because of that, Helena was left alone.
The warmth had long since disappeared from the dining room where the family gathered every day and from the living room where they spent time together after dinner.
The atmosphere, which she thought would improve after a few months, only grew heavier.
With Ariana gone, the one she'd always vented her frustrations on, she took it out on the maids, and many of them quit. When one maid nearly died after being beaten by Helena, Rachel yelled, "If you kick any more maids out, you'll be kicked out too!"
Unable to vent her anger, Helena almost went mad.
In the meantime, she received an invitation to a tea party.
Feeling that people had finally forgotten about the Ariana incident, Helena hurriedly bought a new dress, dressed up, and headed to the tea party venue.
As a Princess and the recipient of the Duke and Duchess's affection, Helena was always the center of attention at gatherings large and small. Everyone wanted to impress Helena and carefully considered her mood.
She knew it would be like this this time, too.
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