(136) Third Prince Harold (4)
His heart is pounding.
A living person's heart naturally beats, but Cyrus felt as if his had been stopped for a very long time. The moment he saw Ariana, his frozen heart began to beat again.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
So much that it hurts. So much that it's numb.
The moment he saw her, color returned to the world that had seemed black and white. A dazzling, sun-drenched feast of vibrant colors.
He almost hugged her without realizing it. If he hadn't seen her frozen, exhausted expression, he would have forgotten where he was and embraced her.
'Why?'
He couldn't understand.
The true nature of Ariana's powers was still unknown. There was a lingering suspicion that Ariana might be Paganus.
It is something that should be avoided, hated, loathed, and guarded against.
'Why on earth?'
He felt like he was going crazy.
No, maybe he's been crazy for a long time.
When Charlotte pointed out that Ariana was leaving after saying goodbye, she didn't look back at her, but only for Ariana's sake.
The moment the arrogant and cold Charlotte spoke to Ariana in a friendly manner, she realized that it was the result of Ariana's efforts and planning.
Knowing Charlotte's feelings for him, Cyrus didn't look back at Ariana as she left. He didn't want his actions to ruin Ariana's plans.
'But why?'
There was something suspicious about Ariana. He didn't completely consider her an enemy, but he couldn't see her as an ally anymore.
Cyrus has lived in that world all his life.
He's ignored the faintest suspicions, driven by a desire to believe, and found himself nearly suffocated dozens of times. With a weak heart, he couldn't protect the North.
After a long walk, Cyrus arrived at the main palace where the Emperor resided. He turned around, though Ariana was nowhere to be seen. As expected, the garden was empty.
Cyrus sighed softly and turned to the Emperor. Since this wasn't a formal meeting, they decided to meet comfortably in the reception room.
Emperor Kairian Blenwit smiled benevolently at Cyrus, his fatherly face adorned with affection. Crown Prince David was also with the Emperor.
Cyrus greeted them politely and sat down on the sofa.
“It’s hard to look at your face, Cyrus.”
“It is difficult to travel because of the commotion both inside and outside, Your Majesty.”
"Yes, yes. This time, you did a great job. I didn't realize the Paganus remnants were still so powerful."
"That's all that's been revealed. There are likely many more hidden. Perhaps there's a Paganus stationed nearby."
The three men briefly talked about Paganus and the international situation.
“By the way, I would like to give you a big reward for your achievements this time. Is there anything you would like?”
“I just did what I had to do.”
“But there must be something you need.”
“Nothing comes to mind right now.”
"Yes, then tell me when you remember. I'll give you anything you want."
Cyrus chuckled.
“Are you really going to listen to anything?”
“Then, as long as it doesn’t endanger our empire, I’ll listen to anything.”
“Understood. Since the Crown Prince is here as a witness, I will believe what you say.”
"Of course, Northern Lord. I am a witness, so there is no way the Emperor will retract his words."
The Emperor chuckled at the playful conversation between Cyrus and the Crown Prince. As the atmosphere softened, the Crown Prince spoke.
“By the way, did you know that the Eastern Little Lord and Princess of East have come to the empire? The Northern Feudal Lords have a close relationship with the Eastern Princess, right?”
"It's not a deep connection. I just ran into the Princess on my way here."
"Still, it's true that the Princess received great help from the Northern Feudal Lord. Did the East repay our kindness?"
“I have received my due from the East, and now it is all over.”
The Emperor, who was watching the two, said.
"Come to think of it, Cyrus. You're at the age where you should be getting married. You've been a Northern Lord for quite some time now. Wouldn't it be a shame if the position of Northern Lord Consort was left vacant for too long?"
“I still have a lot of work to do, so I don’t have time to worry about that.”
“Then should I take care of it for you?”
“It’s okay, Your Majesty.”
Cyrus wanted to end this uncomfortable situation.
He should have been concentrating on his conversation with the Emperor, but his mind kept wandering elsewhere.
Little Lord Geor.
Are you saying that he came to the Empire with Ariana?
Since there was no mention of the Eastern Lord, it was clear that Geor and Ariana had come here together.
He hates it. It's unpleasant. It's annoying. It's bothersome.
His head was aching from all the loud screaming of emotions.
“How about our Charlotte?”
Cyrus barely managed to control his expression at the Crown Prince's question.
"The Princess is like my own younger sister, so I can't regard her with such feelings. Besides, the position of Northern Lord's consort would be extremely arduous, so I can't allow a noble woman to hold it."
"But that doesn't mean we can't take in a daughter from an unknown family. For the position of Northern Lord's Consort, we need to find a noble lady. Our Charlotte is perfect for that."
“Crown Prince.”
Cyrus glared silently at the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince averted his gaze, feeling a prickle.
"Yes, yes. Then what about our Fourth Princess? She has a kind and strong personality and a sincere side. I think she'd be perfect for the position of Consort of the Northern Lord."
The Princess was the daughter of the Empress.
Cyrus smiled broadly.
“Crown Prince, I will take care of my own marriage, so don’t worry about it.”
“But I mean well...”
“Stop it, David.”
The Emperor, unable to stand by and watch, stopped the Crown Prince.
The Emperor stared at Cyrus for a moment and then asked.
“Cyrus, do you have a woman in mind?”
“As I said, I don’t have time to worry about such things. Your Majesty, you know that.”
“I know. I know everything.”
The Emperor knew that Cyrus was constantly busy. He also knew that Cyrus was burdened with a heavy burden.
He knew it bothered him. Even though he tried not to show it, he felt a deep debt of gratitude to Cyrus.
Suspicious and anxious, he distrusted the Carha family, long loyal to the empire, and turned a blind eye to the deaths of Cyrus's parents. He also pretended not to notice the stigma attached to the previous Northern lord and his wives.
When the Emperor was embroiled in a struggle for the throne as Crown Prince, the previous Northern Prince and his wives had provided him with great assistance. Since then, he had been close to them like family, and he felt responsible for their deaths, treating Cyrus like a son.
"Well then, Northern Lord, since we won't be talking about marriage anymore, how about spending some social season in the Empire? Everyone will be delighted."
Cyrus gently declined the Crown Prince's offer.
“I’m sorry, but I’m leaving today, Crown Prince.”
Her heart pounded the entire walk, the unexpected encounter with Cyrus making her feel uncomfortable and irritated.
He's so cold to me, but why am I the only one feeling so warm? They've been going on for so long without even exchanging letters.
Ariana was angry at herself for not being able to properly let go of her foolishness for so many years.
These feelings are useless for future endeavors. In fact, they're likely to ruin things.
"You need to come to your senses. You've prepared everything for this very moment."
A cheerful voice came from next to Ariana, who was leaving the Rose Palace and placing a hand gently on her chest.
“Princess? I didn’t expect to see you here.”
A voice she doesn't want to hear at this moment, no, in her entire life.
Ariana turned her head, hiding her annoyance and giving a perfect smile.
There was Harold. He wasn't alone. His maids were with him. In Ariana's memories, Harold was always like that. He always played the part of a cheerful Prince, always friendly with his maids and attendants.
The maids looked at Ariana curiously. Harold said.
“Oh, is this your first time seeing her? This is the Princess of the East.”
"Ah!"
“Oh my, Princess.”
The maids greeted Ariana without any particular signs of wariness. Ariana bowed slightly in politeness, and then Harold spoke.
“It was fate that we met at the palace, so I will show you around the palace.”
Ariana looked up at Harold. His hazel eyes were shining with a kindness, as if they held no selfish interest.
But Ariana knew Harold's tricks well.
'It wasn't a coincidence that we met.'
Had Harold been alone, she could have easily refused the Prince's request. But he was with the palace maids, and she couldn't refuse the Prince's request in front of them.
Ariana's rejection would create many rumors, including among the Prince, Ariana, and even the East.
'Yes, now it seems you're greedy for the power of the East, so I'll give you whatever you want.'
Ariana smiled and nodded.
“The road was so complicated that it was hard to find my way out, so I would appreciate it if you could guide me.”
Louis, who was in hiding, discovered Ariana heading to the Lily Palace with Harold.
'My Princess!'
Seeing Ariana for the first time in a long time, she couldn't help but smile at how beautiful she looked. The problem was the Third Prince standing next to her.
'Why is that person walking so affectionately with our Princess Consort?'
It was a truly unpleasant sight.
That won't do. The seat next to the Princess Consort belongs to our lord.
Louis frowned as the Third Prince tilted his head towards Ariana and whispered something.
'Do you want to die?'
It was a sight that made one reach for the sword. But, unable to stir up a storm in the palace, Louis held back, moved closer, and listened.
“My mother is also looking forward to meeting the Princess.”
Louis was amazed.
"Why are you introducing our Princess to your mother? Should I just kill him?"
At that moment, a whistle sound that only the trained ears could hear rang out.
The lord calls.
Louis quickly moved towards the main palace.
Cyrus had already left the main palace and was walking along the path leading to the edge of the garden. Louis quietly approached him and whispered.
“My lord, the Princess Consort is in the palace.”
Cyrus's pace slowed slightly.
“The Third Prince forcibly took the Princess Consort to the Lily Palace. The Princess Consort was in great distress.”
The Third Prince didn't drag Ariana away by force, and Ariana didn't show any particular signs of embarrassment, but Louis said so.
As Cyrus, who had been slowing down, stopped walking, Louis had a good feeling about this. But then a cold voice came, sending a chill down his spine.
“I told you to stay safe, but you just go around looking at useless things?”
“I’m sorry, my lord.”
"It doesn't matter to me what the Princess's situation is. I'll return to the West immediately."
His heart is pounding.
A living person's heart naturally beats, but Cyrus felt as if his had been stopped for a very long time. The moment he saw Ariana, his frozen heart began to beat again.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
So much that it hurts. So much that it's numb.
The moment he saw her, color returned to the world that had seemed black and white. A dazzling, sun-drenched feast of vibrant colors.
He almost hugged her without realizing it. If he hadn't seen her frozen, exhausted expression, he would have forgotten where he was and embraced her.
'Why?'
He couldn't understand.
The true nature of Ariana's powers was still unknown. There was a lingering suspicion that Ariana might be Paganus.
It is something that should be avoided, hated, loathed, and guarded against.
'Why on earth?'
He felt like he was going crazy.
No, maybe he's been crazy for a long time.
When Charlotte pointed out that Ariana was leaving after saying goodbye, she didn't look back at her, but only for Ariana's sake.
The moment the arrogant and cold Charlotte spoke to Ariana in a friendly manner, she realized that it was the result of Ariana's efforts and planning.
Knowing Charlotte's feelings for him, Cyrus didn't look back at Ariana as she left. He didn't want his actions to ruin Ariana's plans.
'But why?'
There was something suspicious about Ariana. He didn't completely consider her an enemy, but he couldn't see her as an ally anymore.
Cyrus has lived in that world all his life.
He's ignored the faintest suspicions, driven by a desire to believe, and found himself nearly suffocated dozens of times. With a weak heart, he couldn't protect the North.
After a long walk, Cyrus arrived at the main palace where the Emperor resided. He turned around, though Ariana was nowhere to be seen. As expected, the garden was empty.
Cyrus sighed softly and turned to the Emperor. Since this wasn't a formal meeting, they decided to meet comfortably in the reception room.
Emperor Kairian Blenwit smiled benevolently at Cyrus, his fatherly face adorned with affection. Crown Prince David was also with the Emperor.
Cyrus greeted them politely and sat down on the sofa.
“It’s hard to look at your face, Cyrus.”
“It is difficult to travel because of the commotion both inside and outside, Your Majesty.”
"Yes, yes. This time, you did a great job. I didn't realize the Paganus remnants were still so powerful."
"That's all that's been revealed. There are likely many more hidden. Perhaps there's a Paganus stationed nearby."
The three men briefly talked about Paganus and the international situation.
“By the way, I would like to give you a big reward for your achievements this time. Is there anything you would like?”
“I just did what I had to do.”
“But there must be something you need.”
“Nothing comes to mind right now.”
"Yes, then tell me when you remember. I'll give you anything you want."
Cyrus chuckled.
“Are you really going to listen to anything?”
“Then, as long as it doesn’t endanger our empire, I’ll listen to anything.”
“Understood. Since the Crown Prince is here as a witness, I will believe what you say.”
"Of course, Northern Lord. I am a witness, so there is no way the Emperor will retract his words."
The Emperor chuckled at the playful conversation between Cyrus and the Crown Prince. As the atmosphere softened, the Crown Prince spoke.
“By the way, did you know that the Eastern Little Lord and Princess of East have come to the empire? The Northern Feudal Lords have a close relationship with the Eastern Princess, right?”
"It's not a deep connection. I just ran into the Princess on my way here."
"Still, it's true that the Princess received great help from the Northern Feudal Lord. Did the East repay our kindness?"
“I have received my due from the East, and now it is all over.”
The Emperor, who was watching the two, said.
"Come to think of it, Cyrus. You're at the age where you should be getting married. You've been a Northern Lord for quite some time now. Wouldn't it be a shame if the position of Northern Lord Consort was left vacant for too long?"
“I still have a lot of work to do, so I don’t have time to worry about that.”
“Then should I take care of it for you?”
“It’s okay, Your Majesty.”
Cyrus wanted to end this uncomfortable situation.
He should have been concentrating on his conversation with the Emperor, but his mind kept wandering elsewhere.
Little Lord Geor.
Are you saying that he came to the Empire with Ariana?
Since there was no mention of the Eastern Lord, it was clear that Geor and Ariana had come here together.
He hates it. It's unpleasant. It's annoying. It's bothersome.
His head was aching from all the loud screaming of emotions.
“How about our Charlotte?”
Cyrus barely managed to control his expression at the Crown Prince's question.
"The Princess is like my own younger sister, so I can't regard her with such feelings. Besides, the position of Northern Lord's consort would be extremely arduous, so I can't allow a noble woman to hold it."
"But that doesn't mean we can't take in a daughter from an unknown family. For the position of Northern Lord's Consort, we need to find a noble lady. Our Charlotte is perfect for that."
“Crown Prince.”
Cyrus glared silently at the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince averted his gaze, feeling a prickle.
"Yes, yes. Then what about our Fourth Princess? She has a kind and strong personality and a sincere side. I think she'd be perfect for the position of Consort of the Northern Lord."
The Princess was the daughter of the Empress.
Cyrus smiled broadly.
“Crown Prince, I will take care of my own marriage, so don’t worry about it.”
“But I mean well...”
“Stop it, David.”
The Emperor, unable to stand by and watch, stopped the Crown Prince.
The Emperor stared at Cyrus for a moment and then asked.
“Cyrus, do you have a woman in mind?”
“As I said, I don’t have time to worry about such things. Your Majesty, you know that.”
“I know. I know everything.”
The Emperor knew that Cyrus was constantly busy. He also knew that Cyrus was burdened with a heavy burden.
He knew it bothered him. Even though he tried not to show it, he felt a deep debt of gratitude to Cyrus.
Suspicious and anxious, he distrusted the Carha family, long loyal to the empire, and turned a blind eye to the deaths of Cyrus's parents. He also pretended not to notice the stigma attached to the previous Northern lord and his wives.
When the Emperor was embroiled in a struggle for the throne as Crown Prince, the previous Northern Prince and his wives had provided him with great assistance. Since then, he had been close to them like family, and he felt responsible for their deaths, treating Cyrus like a son.
"Well then, Northern Lord, since we won't be talking about marriage anymore, how about spending some social season in the Empire? Everyone will be delighted."
Cyrus gently declined the Crown Prince's offer.
“I’m sorry, but I’m leaving today, Crown Prince.”
***
Her heart pounded the entire walk, the unexpected encounter with Cyrus making her feel uncomfortable and irritated.
He's so cold to me, but why am I the only one feeling so warm? They've been going on for so long without even exchanging letters.
Ariana was angry at herself for not being able to properly let go of her foolishness for so many years.
These feelings are useless for future endeavors. In fact, they're likely to ruin things.
"You need to come to your senses. You've prepared everything for this very moment."
A cheerful voice came from next to Ariana, who was leaving the Rose Palace and placing a hand gently on her chest.
“Princess? I didn’t expect to see you here.”
A voice she doesn't want to hear at this moment, no, in her entire life.
Ariana turned her head, hiding her annoyance and giving a perfect smile.
There was Harold. He wasn't alone. His maids were with him. In Ariana's memories, Harold was always like that. He always played the part of a cheerful Prince, always friendly with his maids and attendants.
The maids looked at Ariana curiously. Harold said.
“Oh, is this your first time seeing her? This is the Princess of the East.”
"Ah!"
“Oh my, Princess.”
The maids greeted Ariana without any particular signs of wariness. Ariana bowed slightly in politeness, and then Harold spoke.
“It was fate that we met at the palace, so I will show you around the palace.”
Ariana looked up at Harold. His hazel eyes were shining with a kindness, as if they held no selfish interest.
But Ariana knew Harold's tricks well.
'It wasn't a coincidence that we met.'
Had Harold been alone, she could have easily refused the Prince's request. But he was with the palace maids, and she couldn't refuse the Prince's request in front of them.
Ariana's rejection would create many rumors, including among the Prince, Ariana, and even the East.
'Yes, now it seems you're greedy for the power of the East, so I'll give you whatever you want.'
Ariana smiled and nodded.
“The road was so complicated that it was hard to find my way out, so I would appreciate it if you could guide me.”
***
Louis, who was in hiding, discovered Ariana heading to the Lily Palace with Harold.
'My Princess!'
Seeing Ariana for the first time in a long time, she couldn't help but smile at how beautiful she looked. The problem was the Third Prince standing next to her.
'Why is that person walking so affectionately with our Princess Consort?'
It was a truly unpleasant sight.
That won't do. The seat next to the Princess Consort belongs to our lord.
Louis frowned as the Third Prince tilted his head towards Ariana and whispered something.
'Do you want to die?'
It was a sight that made one reach for the sword. But, unable to stir up a storm in the palace, Louis held back, moved closer, and listened.
“My mother is also looking forward to meeting the Princess.”
Louis was amazed.
"Why are you introducing our Princess to your mother? Should I just kill him?"
At that moment, a whistle sound that only the trained ears could hear rang out.
The lord calls.
Louis quickly moved towards the main palace.
Cyrus had already left the main palace and was walking along the path leading to the edge of the garden. Louis quietly approached him and whispered.
“My lord, the Princess Consort is in the palace.”
Cyrus's pace slowed slightly.
“The Third Prince forcibly took the Princess Consort to the Lily Palace. The Princess Consort was in great distress.”
The Third Prince didn't drag Ariana away by force, and Ariana didn't show any particular signs of embarrassment, but Louis said so.
As Cyrus, who had been slowing down, stopped walking, Louis had a good feeling about this. But then a cold voice came, sending a chill down his spine.
“I told you to stay safe, but you just go around looking at useless things?”
“I’m sorry, my lord.”
"It doesn't matter to me what the Princess's situation is. I'll return to the West immediately."
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