(124) What are you (2)
Of course, Geor deserved it. Even if they weren't related by blood, Geor was Ariana's family.
In some ways, he was more qualified than Cyrus.
Even knowing that, he was still seething. A large mass was blocking his chin, and it was both hot and cold.
The sharp, unfamiliar sensation was annoying.
He wanted to get rid of this annoying Geor right in front of his eyes. If possible, right in front of Ariana's eyes, too.
As if noticing the hand moving slightly, Geor chuckled.
“Should I pull out my sword?”
Andrei turned to Cyrus in surprise. Instead of drawing his sword, Cyrus smiled elegantly and spoke.
"The Northern Territory isn't harsh on the Princess, so why does the Eastern Little Lord think the Princess would be a burden to us? Didn't the Princess say life in the Northern Territory was uncomfortable?"
It was said to be a panic attack, but Geor was relaxed.
"No way. Could it be that the Northern Lord thought of Ariana as a snitcher? Even if Ariana had been through something terrible, she wouldn't be the type to tell everyone everything."
Cyrus knew that too.
But Geor didn't like that he knew that too.
Who are you to know such things?
"But the Northern Territory... no, there's no need to go all the way to the Northern Territory. Given Isaac's personality, he wouldn't have let Ariana celebrate her birthday on the street. Judging by the fact that she left the Northern Territory without even celebrating her birthday, I can only assume something happened."
“...”
"Of course, the Northern Lord wouldn't have treated Ariana so cruelly. I believe that fact, just as I believe in God."
No, this man doesn't believe it.
Cyrus was sure of that.
Geor was different from the others in House White. He was suspicious and wary.
And now, Geor's vigilance was turned toward Cyrus. He realized what the blade of his guard was trying to protect.
Protecting Ariana. Keeping Cyrus away, no, keeping anyone away from Ariana.
He hated Geor.
Who are you to protect Ariana?
It was a good thing that more people were protecting Ariana, but he hoped that Geor wouldn't be one of them.
"Don't try to stop me, Little Lord. I have no intention of drawing my sword against the Princess. But what about the East? I heard that a Duke of the East repeatedly hurled a dark sword at the Princess's neck."
Cyrus watched with amusement as Geor's normally relaxed expression crumbled. But the moment was fleeting.
“It is a matter of the East, so the Northern Lord does not need to worry too much about it.”
"How could I not care? The Princess fled to the West to escape that threat."
Geor smiled faintly.
"Isn't it because, despite the threat, the West felt more uncomfortable that you rushed back to the East? And now, there's no such threat. I'll be by Ariana's side."
I don't need your help, Geor was saying.
Geor met Cyrus's eyes and spoke firmly.
“I will protect Ariana.”
The emotions that were welling up wouldn't subside. Normally, they would subside in seconds or even minutes, but they were running wild.
Managing emotions was a crucial task for a monarch, one that could be considered paramount. As a ruler, a monarch had to be able to step back from everything, observe, and feel.
But just now, while talking to Geor, Cyrus almost drew his sword without realizing it, simply out of frustration.
If the Northern Territory monarch were to see blood in a place like this, it was obvious what would happen next.
It's war. Innocent lives are being lost. Perhaps a full-scale attack could wipe the entire North territory off the map.
Cyrus was so overcome with emotion that he couldn't even think about it.
Geor was chatting with the young nobles as if nothing had happened. He seemed to blend in naturally, unlike someone visiting the empire for the first time.
In contrast, no one approached Cyrus first, fearing the chill that permeated his surroundings.
He hated seeing Geor laughing and talking to people.
Would that man still smile so brilliantly in front of Ariana? Would Ariana still flash that radiant smile she once gave me in front of him? Would they exchange fleeting but pleasant jokes, and occasionally, even clever tricks, and exchange strategies?
And did you give that man the same handkerchief you gave me?
He thought of the handkerchief he hadn't taken out since he first received it. He regretted not bringing it with him.
If that were the case, he would have taken it out and shown it off in front of Geor.
'How childish.'
Even he thought it was a childish imagination.
Why am I doing this? Why don't I feel like myself? Who is the owner of these thoughts right now? It's clearly not me.
His head was a mess with thoughts that he couldn't find the answer to.
He needed to get organized, but he didn't know where to start.
So Cyrus decided to break away from his thoughts of Geor and think about other things. Things he'd always done naturally. For example, the lost ancestral Black Knights, or Paganus, who was still secretly growing in power.
But as soon as he thought of Paganus, Ariana naturally came to mind.
'Why isn't Ariana here?'
The Crown Prince's wedding party was a grand celebration, a celebration that showcased her beauty far and wide. Royal families and delegations from most countries on the continent attended, and nearly all nobles from the empire and the four territories were in attendance.
The nobles who couldn't enter the palace would have acquired a mansion somewhere on the outskirts of the capital and would be holding their own parties.
It was a great opportunity for Ariana to make herself known.
In fact, Rachel Bronte, Duchess of Bronte, was introducing her daughters to several royals.
While negative rumors about the Bronte family circulated throughout the Empire and the Eastern, Western, Southern, and Northern Territories, they did not spread beyond these lands. Royal families in distant lands showed interest and affection for the granddaughters of the lords of the great Western Territories.
"They're not powerful nations, but it wouldn't hurt to have ties to the royal family. They'll soon be preparing a strong rope. What does Ariana plan to do?"
It seemed like he knew what Ariana was thinking, but it was hard to know.
But he wasn't anxious.
He believed that everything she did had a reason and that the consequences would be significant later on.
‘I can’t believe it...’
There's nothing more foolish than trusting Ariana without even knowing her true identity. As the king of a nation, this was something he shouldn't have done.
It was the duty of a monarch not to think that his feelings were for himself.
“Your Excellency, the Northern Lord.”
Cyrus was pulled out of his thoughts by a small voice coming from beside him.
A well-dressed noblewoman stood there, her face terrified. Cyrus nodded, as if to suggest something, and the noblewoman cautiously handed him something.
It was a small folded piece of paper.
The lady handed him the paper and then, as if she had finished her work, ran away. Only then did Cyrus remember where he had seen her.
'The Princess's maid.'
Even though he knew what was written on the note without looking, he checked it anyway.
[Cyrus. I'll wait for you in the inner garden of the Rose Palace. -Charlotte-]
The Princess, who had briefly appeared at the beginning of the party, was waiting for Cyrus in the Rose Palace. Cyrus knew she would wait for him, but he crumpled up the note and stuffed it into his pocket.
He doesn't feel like talking to anyone right now.
He doesn't want to worry about controlling his facial expressions and not showing his emotions.
'Then what do you want to do?'
He knew the truth.
He didn't want to know, but he knew very clearly.
“Cyrus.”
Andrei, who was behind him, spoke in a small voice, not knowing when he had come.
“You look so unwell. Do you want to stop by the East on the way back?”
Cyrus turned around and glared at Andrei.
The red eyes darkened.
“What does my feeling unwell have to do with going to the East?”
“That’s... because the East has a Princess Consort. You feel good when you see her.”
Was that so?
Did seeing Ariana make me feel good?
Now, even that feeling was distant. When he thinks of Ariana, all he feels is a stabbing pain in his chest.
But it was clear what he wanted to do.
He wanted to go to the East. He wanted to see Ariana, to see if she was safe, healthy, and still smiling.
Cyrus looked down at the hand he'd been clenching for a time he couldn't even remember. Deep nail marks were carved into his pale palm.
“Now that we've shown our face, I think congratulations are enough.”
Cyrus walked towards the party door.
“I’m going back to the West. I’m going straight without stopping anywhere else.”
Ariana was sitting in the living room reading the newspaper.
[Helon flowers bloom all over the continent.]
The front page of the newspaper featured a portrait of Count Gabion, the man behind the successful Helon flower perfume.
The perfume sold more than Ariana could remember.
'It must be because the Third Prince intervened, unlike back then. The Western Lord and Duke Obelion must have also intervened in their own way.'
It was probably Duke Oberion's contribution that made the perfume of the Helon flower popular even in the East, which was not on good terms with the Empire.
'There weren't many victims in the East before, but there will be many this time.'
Isaac and Ariana were still in close correspondence. Isaac was also Cyrus's man, so she tried not to get too close, but when he kept sending her letters, she couldn't ignore him.
Isaac said he was ready to distribute the drug and would start selling it as soon as Ariana spoke to him.
"If a problem arises, investors will likely keep their mouths shut. Someone might try to cover it up by sacrificing just one Count Gabion."
The people who come to mind are the Western Lord and the Third Prince.
'But it won't go the way you want.'
If he had stepped forward from the beginning and tried to resolve the situation, he might have been able to make up for it to some extent, but the Western Lord and the Third Prince that Ariana knew were not people like that.
To them, the lives of commoners were as precious as the lives of flies. It was clear they wouldn't bat an eye even if countless commoners died for their perfume.
'It's a good thing you have such shallow thoughts.'
If she had to deal with people who had even a little bit of humanity and altruism, things would have been more difficult.
"I hope I never have to look back on my past, regretting or reflecting on it because of something like this. I hope I can live my whole life with my chin held high, knowing that I am the most noble of all. Just like that time when you drove me so hard."
Of course, Geor deserved it. Even if they weren't related by blood, Geor was Ariana's family.
In some ways, he was more qualified than Cyrus.
Even knowing that, he was still seething. A large mass was blocking his chin, and it was both hot and cold.
The sharp, unfamiliar sensation was annoying.
He wanted to get rid of this annoying Geor right in front of his eyes. If possible, right in front of Ariana's eyes, too.
As if noticing the hand moving slightly, Geor chuckled.
“Should I pull out my sword?”
Andrei turned to Cyrus in surprise. Instead of drawing his sword, Cyrus smiled elegantly and spoke.
"The Northern Territory isn't harsh on the Princess, so why does the Eastern Little Lord think the Princess would be a burden to us? Didn't the Princess say life in the Northern Territory was uncomfortable?"
It was said to be a panic attack, but Geor was relaxed.
"No way. Could it be that the Northern Lord thought of Ariana as a snitcher? Even if Ariana had been through something terrible, she wouldn't be the type to tell everyone everything."
Cyrus knew that too.
But Geor didn't like that he knew that too.
Who are you to know such things?
"But the Northern Territory... no, there's no need to go all the way to the Northern Territory. Given Isaac's personality, he wouldn't have let Ariana celebrate her birthday on the street. Judging by the fact that she left the Northern Territory without even celebrating her birthday, I can only assume something happened."
“...”
"Of course, the Northern Lord wouldn't have treated Ariana so cruelly. I believe that fact, just as I believe in God."
No, this man doesn't believe it.
Cyrus was sure of that.
Geor was different from the others in House White. He was suspicious and wary.
And now, Geor's vigilance was turned toward Cyrus. He realized what the blade of his guard was trying to protect.
Protecting Ariana. Keeping Cyrus away, no, keeping anyone away from Ariana.
He hated Geor.
Who are you to protect Ariana?
It was a good thing that more people were protecting Ariana, but he hoped that Geor wouldn't be one of them.
"Don't try to stop me, Little Lord. I have no intention of drawing my sword against the Princess. But what about the East? I heard that a Duke of the East repeatedly hurled a dark sword at the Princess's neck."
Cyrus watched with amusement as Geor's normally relaxed expression crumbled. But the moment was fleeting.
“It is a matter of the East, so the Northern Lord does not need to worry too much about it.”
"How could I not care? The Princess fled to the West to escape that threat."
Geor smiled faintly.
"Isn't it because, despite the threat, the West felt more uncomfortable that you rushed back to the East? And now, there's no such threat. I'll be by Ariana's side."
I don't need your help, Geor was saying.
Geor met Cyrus's eyes and spoke firmly.
“I will protect Ariana.”
***
The emotions that were welling up wouldn't subside. Normally, they would subside in seconds or even minutes, but they were running wild.
Managing emotions was a crucial task for a monarch, one that could be considered paramount. As a ruler, a monarch had to be able to step back from everything, observe, and feel.
But just now, while talking to Geor, Cyrus almost drew his sword without realizing it, simply out of frustration.
If the Northern Territory monarch were to see blood in a place like this, it was obvious what would happen next.
It's war. Innocent lives are being lost. Perhaps a full-scale attack could wipe the entire North territory off the map.
Cyrus was so overcome with emotion that he couldn't even think about it.
Geor was chatting with the young nobles as if nothing had happened. He seemed to blend in naturally, unlike someone visiting the empire for the first time.
In contrast, no one approached Cyrus first, fearing the chill that permeated his surroundings.
He hated seeing Geor laughing and talking to people.
Would that man still smile so brilliantly in front of Ariana? Would Ariana still flash that radiant smile she once gave me in front of him? Would they exchange fleeting but pleasant jokes, and occasionally, even clever tricks, and exchange strategies?
And did you give that man the same handkerchief you gave me?
He thought of the handkerchief he hadn't taken out since he first received it. He regretted not bringing it with him.
If that were the case, he would have taken it out and shown it off in front of Geor.
'How childish.'
Even he thought it was a childish imagination.
Why am I doing this? Why don't I feel like myself? Who is the owner of these thoughts right now? It's clearly not me.
His head was a mess with thoughts that he couldn't find the answer to.
He needed to get organized, but he didn't know where to start.
So Cyrus decided to break away from his thoughts of Geor and think about other things. Things he'd always done naturally. For example, the lost ancestral Black Knights, or Paganus, who was still secretly growing in power.
But as soon as he thought of Paganus, Ariana naturally came to mind.
'Why isn't Ariana here?'
The Crown Prince's wedding party was a grand celebration, a celebration that showcased her beauty far and wide. Royal families and delegations from most countries on the continent attended, and nearly all nobles from the empire and the four territories were in attendance.
The nobles who couldn't enter the palace would have acquired a mansion somewhere on the outskirts of the capital and would be holding their own parties.
It was a great opportunity for Ariana to make herself known.
In fact, Rachel Bronte, Duchess of Bronte, was introducing her daughters to several royals.
While negative rumors about the Bronte family circulated throughout the Empire and the Eastern, Western, Southern, and Northern Territories, they did not spread beyond these lands. Royal families in distant lands showed interest and affection for the granddaughters of the lords of the great Western Territories.
"They're not powerful nations, but it wouldn't hurt to have ties to the royal family. They'll soon be preparing a strong rope. What does Ariana plan to do?"
It seemed like he knew what Ariana was thinking, but it was hard to know.
But he wasn't anxious.
He believed that everything she did had a reason and that the consequences would be significant later on.
‘I can’t believe it...’
There's nothing more foolish than trusting Ariana without even knowing her true identity. As the king of a nation, this was something he shouldn't have done.
It was the duty of a monarch not to think that his feelings were for himself.
“Your Excellency, the Northern Lord.”
Cyrus was pulled out of his thoughts by a small voice coming from beside him.
A well-dressed noblewoman stood there, her face terrified. Cyrus nodded, as if to suggest something, and the noblewoman cautiously handed him something.
It was a small folded piece of paper.
The lady handed him the paper and then, as if she had finished her work, ran away. Only then did Cyrus remember where he had seen her.
'The Princess's maid.'
Even though he knew what was written on the note without looking, he checked it anyway.
[Cyrus. I'll wait for you in the inner garden of the Rose Palace. -Charlotte-]
The Princess, who had briefly appeared at the beginning of the party, was waiting for Cyrus in the Rose Palace. Cyrus knew she would wait for him, but he crumpled up the note and stuffed it into his pocket.
He doesn't feel like talking to anyone right now.
He doesn't want to worry about controlling his facial expressions and not showing his emotions.
'Then what do you want to do?'
He knew the truth.
He didn't want to know, but he knew very clearly.
“Cyrus.”
Andrei, who was behind him, spoke in a small voice, not knowing when he had come.
“You look so unwell. Do you want to stop by the East on the way back?”
Cyrus turned around and glared at Andrei.
The red eyes darkened.
“What does my feeling unwell have to do with going to the East?”
“That’s... because the East has a Princess Consort. You feel good when you see her.”
Was that so?
Did seeing Ariana make me feel good?
Now, even that feeling was distant. When he thinks of Ariana, all he feels is a stabbing pain in his chest.
But it was clear what he wanted to do.
He wanted to go to the East. He wanted to see Ariana, to see if she was safe, healthy, and still smiling.
Cyrus looked down at the hand he'd been clenching for a time he couldn't even remember. Deep nail marks were carved into his pale palm.
“Now that we've shown our face, I think congratulations are enough.”
Cyrus walked towards the party door.
“I’m going back to the West. I’m going straight without stopping anywhere else.”
***
Ariana was sitting in the living room reading the newspaper.
[Helon flowers bloom all over the continent.]
The front page of the newspaper featured a portrait of Count Gabion, the man behind the successful Helon flower perfume.
The perfume sold more than Ariana could remember.
'It must be because the Third Prince intervened, unlike back then. The Western Lord and Duke Obelion must have also intervened in their own way.'
It was probably Duke Oberion's contribution that made the perfume of the Helon flower popular even in the East, which was not on good terms with the Empire.
'There weren't many victims in the East before, but there will be many this time.'
Isaac and Ariana were still in close correspondence. Isaac was also Cyrus's man, so she tried not to get too close, but when he kept sending her letters, she couldn't ignore him.
Isaac said he was ready to distribute the drug and would start selling it as soon as Ariana spoke to him.
"If a problem arises, investors will likely keep their mouths shut. Someone might try to cover it up by sacrificing just one Count Gabion."
The people who come to mind are the Western Lord and the Third Prince.
'But it won't go the way you want.'
If he had stepped forward from the beginning and tried to resolve the situation, he might have been able to make up for it to some extent, but the Western Lord and the Third Prince that Ariana knew were not people like that.
To them, the lives of commoners were as precious as the lives of flies. It was clear they wouldn't bat an eye even if countless commoners died for their perfume.
'It's a good thing you have such shallow thoughts.'
If she had to deal with people who had even a little bit of humanity and altruism, things would have been more difficult.
"I hope I never have to look back on my past, regretting or reflecting on it because of something like this. I hope I can live my whole life with my chin held high, knowing that I am the most noble of all. Just like that time when you drove me so hard."
Previous Next
Comments
Post a Comment