(144) What happened at Little Lord's party (6)
Then, Louis stepped forward.
“It’s never excessive.”
“Louis, what’s wrong with you?”
"If Isaac had seen that man's behavior, he would have acted just like you, my lord. I believe you showed him great mercy by killing him in one fell swoop. If it were me, I would have left him to cry out in hellish agony for a little longer."
Isaac and Andrei swallowed a sigh.
Yeah, these are the people.
While the two friends clicked their tongues, Cyrus left the room without saying a word.
Cyrus rode his horse without hesitation toward the palace. As soon as he entered, the mood among the people changed. Knowing of the events at the Little Lord's party, they were even more terrified than before, and they avoided even making eye contact with Cyrus.
The Emperor and Crown Prince were waiting for Cyrus in the audience room. Cyrus strode over to them, stood before them, and bowed slightly.
After the brief greeting, the Emperor opened his mouth after ordering the other ministers and knights in the audience room to leave.
“Cyrus, what the hell are you doing? Killing Little Count Geo!”
“He was rude to the Princess of the East.”
"Killing someone for being rude? Haven't you ever considered reporting them to the authorities and having them punished through trial?"
"If it had been another woman he had offended, I would have done the same. But it was Princess of the East, Your Majesty. The Princess of the East."
Cyrus raised his head and stared straight at the Emperor sitting on a high throne.
"The Eastern Lord fought for the Empire long ago, even at the cost of great losses, but was once tainted with the stigma of allying with Paganus. He has yet to truly wash away that stigma."
When the past incident was brought up, the Emperor was speechless. He had a history of believing the cunning whispers of those around him and shunning his fellow lord. He later learned of his innocence, but even so, he refused to clear himself of the false accusations. He couldn't admit his own wrongdoing in front of others.
"The former Eastern lords are now slowly opening their hearts to the Empire. They even made significant contributions in last year's war. As Your Majesty knows, without the eastern shield, the Empire wouldn't be this peaceful."
Cyrus was right.
The empire was protected from external enemies by its strongholds. The Northern and Eastern territories, which protected the north and east, particularly the remnants of Paganus and various nations, played a significant role in ensuring the empire's security.
"But a mere eldest son of a Count's family has committed a grave offense against the Princess of the East. To forcibly take the daughter the Eastern Lord cherishes so dearly. Do you think the Eastern Lord will just sit by and watch? Fortunately, it ended with the life of the Little Count."
When the Emperor heard it, it was like that.
The Emperor knew how much the Eastern lord cherished his daughter. They were finally reunited after a long separation, and he would not mind if she were the apple of his eye.
"Your Majesty. Imagine if the Little Count had done something like that to the Princess. Would you leave him alone? Count Geo has touched not a mere young lady, but a Princess of a nation."
The Emperor was speechless at the words that drove the wedge into his throat.
Fabric committed the crime of attempting to tarnish the honor of a Princess of a country. If the Eastern Lord had been here, he would have targeted not just Fabric alone, but the entire Count Geo family.
"Since I killed Little Count Geo on the spot, even if the Eastern Lord later learns of it, his heart will be somewhat at ease. Your Majesty, instead of scolding me, you should praise me."
Although it was an arrogant tone, the Emperor did not rebuke him.
Watching Cyrus open his eyes and speak his mind, he was reminded of his mother, the former Consort of the Northern Lord. A strong woman with red eyes and hair as beautiful as the sunset.
"Crown Prince, you must not waver here. If there is something you must protect, look straight ahead. Do you wish for this country to fall into the hands of thieves?"
When the Emperor was the Crown Prince, whenever he felt weak and wanted to give up everything, the former Northern Lord Consort would harshly but affectionately guide him to the path of the Emperor.
He lost the former Northern lord and his wife, who had been such a steadfast support, to fear and suspicion. He watched their honor plummet, and he still hasn't been able to restore it.
Because it's something he has to admit he's wrong.
So, even when Cyrus acted rashly, he couldn't reprimand him. Every time he looked into his eyes, he was reminded of the previous Consort of the Northern Emperor, and the guilt he harbored toward her weighed heavily on his heart.
"Yes, I won't hold you accountable anymore. But you'll have to bear the brunt of Count Geo's resentment."
Princess Charlotte saw Cyrus enter and leave the palace, but she didn't approach him to speak to him as she had before. She simply watched him walk away in silence.
Even after Cyrus was out of sight, Charlotte stood there for a while before returning to the room.
A cold wind blew in her chest.
'I see.'
What happened at the Little Lord's party spread throughout the imperial capital within two days. Some people discussed the incident politically, but Charlotte saw it as nothing more than a political issue.
'The Northern Lord loves the Princess.'
Enough to cut off one's wrist and behead oneself without a second thought.
He said he was leaving for the North, but decided to stay in the empire until the social season.
Enough to come all the way from the far north to help with the Princess's custody trial.
Enough to drag the Emperor into that trial.
That's how much Cyrus loves Ariana. He's been making his feelings so clear.
Charlotte thought of Ariana, who had come to the palace just a few days earlier and captured both the Empress's and the Princess's hearts. Her kind eyes, her polite yet confident tone, her graceful demeanor—there was nothing about her that they disliked.
'Does the Princess know the Northern Lord's heart?'
She gets it. It's so obvious, of course Ariana would know.
'You must have known my feelings toward the Northern Lord. Did I seem ridiculous?'
She felt like she had lost so much. It felt like Ariana had stolen Cyrus' heart, even though she never had it before.
She hated and disliked Ariana.
Charlotte stared blankly at the cat-paw-shaped gloves Ariana had given her, then spoke to her maid.
“Burn that thing.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
The maid, knowing the Princess's heart, answered obediently and left with the gloves. Even though the gloves had vanished from her sight, Charlotte's heart still felt empty.
Charlotte said to the other maid.
“I need to meet the Princess of the East. Please prepare a carriage.”
Despite the Princess's sudden visit, Ariana calmly greeted Charlotte, showing no sign of surprise. Charlotte stared intently at Ariana, who smiled as if nothing had happened, despite the incident at the party.
'Yes, she is such a pretty person. And such a strong person.'
She'd been almost toyed with by a man and seen blood before her eyes. So, it was only natural that she wouldn't be bothered, but Ariana didn't show it at all. Just like Cyrus.
The maids busily prepared a comfortable space for Charlotte and Ariana to converse. Fragrant tea and snacks were provided.
After everyone left, Charlotte spoke first.
“I was surprised that something unpleasant happened at the party.”
“Yes, Your Highness. I was surprised and embarrassed, but I’m okay now because many people are looking after me.”
“When you say ‘the one who looks after you,’ do you mean the Northern Lord?”
“No. My brother and my maids.”
“I didn’t know that the Northern Lord would kill Little Count Geo for the Princess, but did the Princess know that he would do it?”
“Not at all. I was very embarrassed.”
Ariana narrowed her eyes slightly.
“I was wondering if the Northern Lord had a bad relationship with the Count Geo family.”
“Is that really so?”
"Yes?"
“Do you really think that way?”
Despite Charlotte's sharp question, Ariana showed no sign of being flustered. She stared at Charlotte with eyes as clear as sapphires.
Charlotte felt embarrassed for no reason as she met his deep, clear eyes.
'What am I doing? Why did I come all the way here?'
I should stop, I should go back, she thought, but her mouth moved on its own.
"The Princess must know my feelings for the Northern Lord. There's never a day when my story isn't whispered in high society."
"Your Highness, I've only just begun to dip my toes into high society. But what happened at the party gave me the inkling that feelings existed between you two, something I wasn't aware of."
Fortunately or unfortunately, the incident between the Princess and the Northern Lord at the party didn't spread widely. The death of Little Count Geo was even more shocking.
“I must have looked funny, Princess.”
"Yes?"
This time, Ariana seemed genuinely surprised. Only when Charlotte saw Ariana's wide eyes did she realize she had no idea.
'You don't know the mind of the Northern Lord. You can't even guess.'
A self-deprecating laugh escaped her.
'I wanted so badly to know his mind, but in the end I got nothing, and you don't even care what the Northern Lord's mind is like.'
If Ariana didn't know anything, she wasn't guilty.
But Charlotte still hated it.
“Princess. No one makes fun of you.”
"No, they'll laugh at me. I harbored vain hopes, desperately wanted them, expressed them, and ultimately got no good answer. How ridiculous. It's been obscured by Little Count Geo's scandal, but someone will clearly remember and someday mention it and mock me."
"Then isn't it frivolous to mock that? An unmarried woman loving a man and having the courage to express her feelings is neither shameful nor deserving of ridicule."
Charlotte's eyes shook.
Ariana smiled elegantly.
"You can just let those who are so shameless gather together and babble as they please, Your Highness. There's no need for a noble lady to worry about the minds of such people, is there?"
Only then did Charlotte remember how Ariana had lived before she became a Princess.
A poor Princess who wore clothes worse than those of a maid, was poorly fed and skinny, and was abused without learning anything.
Even after Ariana became a Princess of the East and was treated as a saint for caring for the victims of a major incident, some still mentioned the custody battle. Some even called her "a vicious woman who had disgraced her mother and sisters."
“Is it possible for a Princess to think like that?”
A smile formed on Ariana's lips. Unlike her previous beautiful smile, it was a smile filled with loneliness.
"The people who have always neglected and mocked me have always been my mother, older sister, and younger sister. If I hadn't been able to think that way, I wouldn't have been able to survive."
Then, Louis stepped forward.
“It’s never excessive.”
“Louis, what’s wrong with you?”
"If Isaac had seen that man's behavior, he would have acted just like you, my lord. I believe you showed him great mercy by killing him in one fell swoop. If it were me, I would have left him to cry out in hellish agony for a little longer."
Isaac and Andrei swallowed a sigh.
Yeah, these are the people.
While the two friends clicked their tongues, Cyrus left the room without saying a word.
Cyrus rode his horse without hesitation toward the palace. As soon as he entered, the mood among the people changed. Knowing of the events at the Little Lord's party, they were even more terrified than before, and they avoided even making eye contact with Cyrus.
The Emperor and Crown Prince were waiting for Cyrus in the audience room. Cyrus strode over to them, stood before them, and bowed slightly.
After the brief greeting, the Emperor opened his mouth after ordering the other ministers and knights in the audience room to leave.
“Cyrus, what the hell are you doing? Killing Little Count Geo!”
“He was rude to the Princess of the East.”
"Killing someone for being rude? Haven't you ever considered reporting them to the authorities and having them punished through trial?"
"If it had been another woman he had offended, I would have done the same. But it was Princess of the East, Your Majesty. The Princess of the East."
Cyrus raised his head and stared straight at the Emperor sitting on a high throne.
"The Eastern Lord fought for the Empire long ago, even at the cost of great losses, but was once tainted with the stigma of allying with Paganus. He has yet to truly wash away that stigma."
When the past incident was brought up, the Emperor was speechless. He had a history of believing the cunning whispers of those around him and shunning his fellow lord. He later learned of his innocence, but even so, he refused to clear himself of the false accusations. He couldn't admit his own wrongdoing in front of others.
"The former Eastern lords are now slowly opening their hearts to the Empire. They even made significant contributions in last year's war. As Your Majesty knows, without the eastern shield, the Empire wouldn't be this peaceful."
Cyrus was right.
The empire was protected from external enemies by its strongholds. The Northern and Eastern territories, which protected the north and east, particularly the remnants of Paganus and various nations, played a significant role in ensuring the empire's security.
"But a mere eldest son of a Count's family has committed a grave offense against the Princess of the East. To forcibly take the daughter the Eastern Lord cherishes so dearly. Do you think the Eastern Lord will just sit by and watch? Fortunately, it ended with the life of the Little Count."
When the Emperor heard it, it was like that.
The Emperor knew how much the Eastern lord cherished his daughter. They were finally reunited after a long separation, and he would not mind if she were the apple of his eye.
"Your Majesty. Imagine if the Little Count had done something like that to the Princess. Would you leave him alone? Count Geo has touched not a mere young lady, but a Princess of a nation."
The Emperor was speechless at the words that drove the wedge into his throat.
Fabric committed the crime of attempting to tarnish the honor of a Princess of a country. If the Eastern Lord had been here, he would have targeted not just Fabric alone, but the entire Count Geo family.
"Since I killed Little Count Geo on the spot, even if the Eastern Lord later learns of it, his heart will be somewhat at ease. Your Majesty, instead of scolding me, you should praise me."
Although it was an arrogant tone, the Emperor did not rebuke him.
Watching Cyrus open his eyes and speak his mind, he was reminded of his mother, the former Consort of the Northern Lord. A strong woman with red eyes and hair as beautiful as the sunset.
"Crown Prince, you must not waver here. If there is something you must protect, look straight ahead. Do you wish for this country to fall into the hands of thieves?"
When the Emperor was the Crown Prince, whenever he felt weak and wanted to give up everything, the former Northern Lord Consort would harshly but affectionately guide him to the path of the Emperor.
He lost the former Northern lord and his wife, who had been such a steadfast support, to fear and suspicion. He watched their honor plummet, and he still hasn't been able to restore it.
Because it's something he has to admit he's wrong.
So, even when Cyrus acted rashly, he couldn't reprimand him. Every time he looked into his eyes, he was reminded of the previous Consort of the Northern Emperor, and the guilt he harbored toward her weighed heavily on his heart.
"Yes, I won't hold you accountable anymore. But you'll have to bear the brunt of Count Geo's resentment."
***
Princess Charlotte saw Cyrus enter and leave the palace, but she didn't approach him to speak to him as she had before. She simply watched him walk away in silence.
Even after Cyrus was out of sight, Charlotte stood there for a while before returning to the room.
A cold wind blew in her chest.
'I see.'
What happened at the Little Lord's party spread throughout the imperial capital within two days. Some people discussed the incident politically, but Charlotte saw it as nothing more than a political issue.
'The Northern Lord loves the Princess.'
Enough to cut off one's wrist and behead oneself without a second thought.
He said he was leaving for the North, but decided to stay in the empire until the social season.
Enough to come all the way from the far north to help with the Princess's custody trial.
Enough to drag the Emperor into that trial.
That's how much Cyrus loves Ariana. He's been making his feelings so clear.
Charlotte thought of Ariana, who had come to the palace just a few days earlier and captured both the Empress's and the Princess's hearts. Her kind eyes, her polite yet confident tone, her graceful demeanor—there was nothing about her that they disliked.
'Does the Princess know the Northern Lord's heart?'
She gets it. It's so obvious, of course Ariana would know.
'You must have known my feelings toward the Northern Lord. Did I seem ridiculous?'
She felt like she had lost so much. It felt like Ariana had stolen Cyrus' heart, even though she never had it before.
She hated and disliked Ariana.
Charlotte stared blankly at the cat-paw-shaped gloves Ariana had given her, then spoke to her maid.
“Burn that thing.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
The maid, knowing the Princess's heart, answered obediently and left with the gloves. Even though the gloves had vanished from her sight, Charlotte's heart still felt empty.
Charlotte said to the other maid.
“I need to meet the Princess of the East. Please prepare a carriage.”
***
Despite the Princess's sudden visit, Ariana calmly greeted Charlotte, showing no sign of surprise. Charlotte stared intently at Ariana, who smiled as if nothing had happened, despite the incident at the party.
'Yes, she is such a pretty person. And such a strong person.'
She'd been almost toyed with by a man and seen blood before her eyes. So, it was only natural that she wouldn't be bothered, but Ariana didn't show it at all. Just like Cyrus.
The maids busily prepared a comfortable space for Charlotte and Ariana to converse. Fragrant tea and snacks were provided.
After everyone left, Charlotte spoke first.
“I was surprised that something unpleasant happened at the party.”
“Yes, Your Highness. I was surprised and embarrassed, but I’m okay now because many people are looking after me.”
“When you say ‘the one who looks after you,’ do you mean the Northern Lord?”
“No. My brother and my maids.”
“I didn’t know that the Northern Lord would kill Little Count Geo for the Princess, but did the Princess know that he would do it?”
“Not at all. I was very embarrassed.”
Ariana narrowed her eyes slightly.
“I was wondering if the Northern Lord had a bad relationship with the Count Geo family.”
“Is that really so?”
"Yes?"
“Do you really think that way?”
Despite Charlotte's sharp question, Ariana showed no sign of being flustered. She stared at Charlotte with eyes as clear as sapphires.
Charlotte felt embarrassed for no reason as she met his deep, clear eyes.
'What am I doing? Why did I come all the way here?'
I should stop, I should go back, she thought, but her mouth moved on its own.
"The Princess must know my feelings for the Northern Lord. There's never a day when my story isn't whispered in high society."
"Your Highness, I've only just begun to dip my toes into high society. But what happened at the party gave me the inkling that feelings existed between you two, something I wasn't aware of."
Fortunately or unfortunately, the incident between the Princess and the Northern Lord at the party didn't spread widely. The death of Little Count Geo was even more shocking.
“I must have looked funny, Princess.”
"Yes?"
This time, Ariana seemed genuinely surprised. Only when Charlotte saw Ariana's wide eyes did she realize she had no idea.
'You don't know the mind of the Northern Lord. You can't even guess.'
A self-deprecating laugh escaped her.
'I wanted so badly to know his mind, but in the end I got nothing, and you don't even care what the Northern Lord's mind is like.'
If Ariana didn't know anything, she wasn't guilty.
But Charlotte still hated it.
“Princess. No one makes fun of you.”
"No, they'll laugh at me. I harbored vain hopes, desperately wanted them, expressed them, and ultimately got no good answer. How ridiculous. It's been obscured by Little Count Geo's scandal, but someone will clearly remember and someday mention it and mock me."
"Then isn't it frivolous to mock that? An unmarried woman loving a man and having the courage to express her feelings is neither shameful nor deserving of ridicule."
Charlotte's eyes shook.
Ariana smiled elegantly.
"You can just let those who are so shameless gather together and babble as they please, Your Highness. There's no need for a noble lady to worry about the minds of such people, is there?"
Only then did Charlotte remember how Ariana had lived before she became a Princess.
A poor Princess who wore clothes worse than those of a maid, was poorly fed and skinny, and was abused without learning anything.
Even after Ariana became a Princess of the East and was treated as a saint for caring for the victims of a major incident, some still mentioned the custody battle. Some even called her "a vicious woman who had disgraced her mother and sisters."
“Is it possible for a Princess to think like that?”
A smile formed on Ariana's lips. Unlike her previous beautiful smile, it was a smile filled with loneliness.
"The people who have always neglected and mocked me have always been my mother, older sister, and younger sister. If I hadn't been able to think that way, I wouldn't have been able to survive."
Previous Next
Comments
Post a Comment