(147) Chloe Spencer (2)
She has to kick his hand away. She has to get away from him.
Even though she knew that, she couldn't move.
Ariana looked up at him with wide eyes, unable to blink.
“So I’ll do it, Princess.”
His voice was gentle. Perhaps it was an illusion, perhaps it was a lie, but it was so gentle that she wanted to lean on it, and it made her angry.
Why is this guy acting like this again? He pushed her away first, so why is he acting like this now?
Ariana wanted to snap at him, telling him not to pretend to care about her life, not to pretend to be affectionate, but she held back.
'This again.'
Being in front of him makes her emotional. Whatever his intentions, if he's helpful, she should be grateful, but she's tempted to vent her unpleasant feelings.
Ariana barely managed to calm her agitated emotions. Wanting to escape his fiery gaze, even for a moment, she slowly closed her eyes and opened them.
His red eyes still contained only Ariana.
“Yes. Can I sit back down on the sofa?”
Only then did Cyrus take his hand off Ariana's chin.
“As much as you want.”
Ariana headed to the sofa, taking a deep breath she'd been holding. By the time she sat back down, her emotions had mostly subsided.
"Chloe is the daughter of the Count of Spencer, a country nobleman. He's a fallen nobleman, barely holding on to his title. My research tells me that Count Spencer made his living by working the fields himself."
“I see.”
"In exchange for making Chloe his own, the Third Prince sends the Spencer family a monthly allowance. It's enough to sustain Count Spencer even without having to work the fields. He even sent Count Spencer a servant."
“He must be a servant who could cut off Count Spencer’s head with just one word.”
Ariana nodded.
"Since Chloe had nothing to lose anyway, she entered the palace as the Third Prince wished, worked as a maid, and approached the Crown Prince. And she succeeded in winning his heart."
“Chloe must have had a big hand in the Crown Prince’s attempt to run away a few years ago.”
"Yes. If the Northern Lord had supported the Crown Prince back then, the Third Prince could have easily removed him and assumed his position. If it became known that the Crown Prince had abandoned the empire simply for love, his supporters would have turned their backs."
“But the Crown Prince came to his senses sooner than expected and returned to the palace.”
"Besides, we've chosen a Crown Princess whom everyone agrees with, and now she's pregnant. If she gives birth to a son, it won't be enough to kill one Crown Prince. The Third Prince will lose his chance to inherit the throne forever."
"So that's why he abandoned Chloe so quickly. There's nothing more convenient for him to use than the woman the Crown Prince loves."
Cyrus crossed his legs and folded his arms. He tilted his head forward, tapped his forearm with his index finger, and then spoke, lost in thought.
“Are you trying to save Chloe and use her to keep the Third Prince in check?”
"That's right."
“Have you found a temporary place to stay?”
“I prepared a few things before coming to the Empire.”
Cyrus smiled faintly.
“As expected, the Princess is flawless.”
That statement is wrong.
Ariana always felt vulnerable when Cyrus was around. It wasn't a gap; it was a giant hole, and she felt awkward. It was even more so when she saw Cyrus' smile, like now.
Ariana said, looking down.
"I'll send someone to Count Spencer's side as well. So, don't worry about what happens next and just focus on getting Chloe out without anyone knowing."
"Yes. The Third Prince will try to silence Chloe immediately, so we need to move immediately. I'll let you know as soon as it's over, so Princess, go back and get some sleep."
Ariana answered "Yes" and stood up, looking back at Cyrus before leaving the living room.
“If you think it’s dangerous...”
“I know my life is at stake, Princess. So don’t worry and go and rest.”
Harold broke his arm while trying to save the Crown Princess from falling down the stairs. The Emperor, Empress, and Crown Prince came to Harold's bedroom to express their gratitude, only to return just moments later.
-“You’ve done a great job, Harold. You’ve done a very great job.”
The Emperor patted Harold on the shoulder and repeated the same phrase several times. His gaze, which had grown cold since the perfume incident, became as affectionate as before.
Harold chuckled and lifted his bandaged arm. It was unharmed, but he had to make this up to impress the Emperor. Thanks to his court doctor, who had told him his arm was broken and his ribs cracked, Harold was able to claim credit for sacrificing his life to save the Crown Princess.
'First, I need to deal with Chloe and Count Spencer.'
It felt a bit of a shame to abandon Chloe, who was so favored by the Crown Prince, but there was no other way. Chloe might change her mind and confess everything to the Crown Prince at any moment.
This time, when he ordered her to push the Crown Princess, Chloe showed a displeased expression.
'The sooner I get rid of the horse that's done its part, the better. I need to get moving right away.'
The dungeon was filled with darkness and a foul odor: blood, mold, urine, and the stench of death.
Chloe leaned against the mossy, dirty wall and looked down at her palm. The sensation of pushing the Crown Princess's back still lingered in her palm.
-“Why did you do that, Chloe?”
The Crown Prince, who had come a few hours ago, asked with tears in his eyes.
-“If you hadn't done this, I wouldn't have abandoned you. You would always have been my first. Why, Chloe?”
She knows. The Crown Prince's first priority is always her.
No, it didn't matter if she wasn't his first. As long as she could watch him sit in a noble position and live a happy life, that was enough.
-“You have to think about your family, Chloe.”
But the Third Prince was not like that.
"Don't think that if you defy my will, your family will die in peace."
She has to kick his hand away. She has to get away from him.
Even though she knew that, she couldn't move.
Ariana looked up at him with wide eyes, unable to blink.
“So I’ll do it, Princess.”
His voice was gentle. Perhaps it was an illusion, perhaps it was a lie, but it was so gentle that she wanted to lean on it, and it made her angry.
Why is this guy acting like this again? He pushed her away first, so why is he acting like this now?
Ariana wanted to snap at him, telling him not to pretend to care about her life, not to pretend to be affectionate, but she held back.
'This again.'
Being in front of him makes her emotional. Whatever his intentions, if he's helpful, she should be grateful, but she's tempted to vent her unpleasant feelings.
Ariana barely managed to calm her agitated emotions. Wanting to escape his fiery gaze, even for a moment, she slowly closed her eyes and opened them.
His red eyes still contained only Ariana.
“Yes. Can I sit back down on the sofa?”
Only then did Cyrus take his hand off Ariana's chin.
“As much as you want.”
Ariana headed to the sofa, taking a deep breath she'd been holding. By the time she sat back down, her emotions had mostly subsided.
"Chloe is the daughter of the Count of Spencer, a country nobleman. He's a fallen nobleman, barely holding on to his title. My research tells me that Count Spencer made his living by working the fields himself."
“I see.”
"In exchange for making Chloe his own, the Third Prince sends the Spencer family a monthly allowance. It's enough to sustain Count Spencer even without having to work the fields. He even sent Count Spencer a servant."
“He must be a servant who could cut off Count Spencer’s head with just one word.”
Ariana nodded.
"Since Chloe had nothing to lose anyway, she entered the palace as the Third Prince wished, worked as a maid, and approached the Crown Prince. And she succeeded in winning his heart."
“Chloe must have had a big hand in the Crown Prince’s attempt to run away a few years ago.”
"Yes. If the Northern Lord had supported the Crown Prince back then, the Third Prince could have easily removed him and assumed his position. If it became known that the Crown Prince had abandoned the empire simply for love, his supporters would have turned their backs."
“But the Crown Prince came to his senses sooner than expected and returned to the palace.”
"Besides, we've chosen a Crown Princess whom everyone agrees with, and now she's pregnant. If she gives birth to a son, it won't be enough to kill one Crown Prince. The Third Prince will lose his chance to inherit the throne forever."
"So that's why he abandoned Chloe so quickly. There's nothing more convenient for him to use than the woman the Crown Prince loves."
Cyrus crossed his legs and folded his arms. He tilted his head forward, tapped his forearm with his index finger, and then spoke, lost in thought.
“Are you trying to save Chloe and use her to keep the Third Prince in check?”
"That's right."
“Have you found a temporary place to stay?”
“I prepared a few things before coming to the Empire.”
Cyrus smiled faintly.
“As expected, the Princess is flawless.”
That statement is wrong.
Ariana always felt vulnerable when Cyrus was around. It wasn't a gap; it was a giant hole, and she felt awkward. It was even more so when she saw Cyrus' smile, like now.
Ariana said, looking down.
"I'll send someone to Count Spencer's side as well. So, don't worry about what happens next and just focus on getting Chloe out without anyone knowing."
"Yes. The Third Prince will try to silence Chloe immediately, so we need to move immediately. I'll let you know as soon as it's over, so Princess, go back and get some sleep."
Ariana answered "Yes" and stood up, looking back at Cyrus before leaving the living room.
“If you think it’s dangerous...”
“I know my life is at stake, Princess. So don’t worry and go and rest.”
***
Harold broke his arm while trying to save the Crown Princess from falling down the stairs. The Emperor, Empress, and Crown Prince came to Harold's bedroom to express their gratitude, only to return just moments later.
-“You’ve done a great job, Harold. You’ve done a very great job.”
The Emperor patted Harold on the shoulder and repeated the same phrase several times. His gaze, which had grown cold since the perfume incident, became as affectionate as before.
Harold chuckled and lifted his bandaged arm. It was unharmed, but he had to make this up to impress the Emperor. Thanks to his court doctor, who had told him his arm was broken and his ribs cracked, Harold was able to claim credit for sacrificing his life to save the Crown Princess.
'First, I need to deal with Chloe and Count Spencer.'
It felt a bit of a shame to abandon Chloe, who was so favored by the Crown Prince, but there was no other way. Chloe might change her mind and confess everything to the Crown Prince at any moment.
This time, when he ordered her to push the Crown Princess, Chloe showed a displeased expression.
'The sooner I get rid of the horse that's done its part, the better. I need to get moving right away.'
***
The dungeon was filled with darkness and a foul odor: blood, mold, urine, and the stench of death.
Chloe leaned against the mossy, dirty wall and looked down at her palm. The sensation of pushing the Crown Princess's back still lingered in her palm.
-“Why did you do that, Chloe?”
The Crown Prince, who had come a few hours ago, asked with tears in his eyes.
-“If you hadn't done this, I wouldn't have abandoned you. You would always have been my first. Why, Chloe?”
She knows. The Crown Prince's first priority is always her.
No, it didn't matter if she wasn't his first. As long as she could watch him sit in a noble position and live a happy life, that was enough.
-“You have to think about your family, Chloe.”
But the Third Prince was not like that.
"Don't think that if you defy my will, your family will die in peace."
Chloe knew Harold well. He pretended to be a gentle and cheerful young man, but he was actually cruel and cold-hearted. He didn't hesitate to kill a child.
Chloe loved the Crown Prince, but she couldn't ignore her parents and younger sibling. Zhe couldn't stand by and watch them die a horrible death.
"Don't worry, Chloe. The Crown Prince loves you, so he won't let you die. And of course, neither will I. I'll somehow mitigate your guilt and get you out of prison quickly, so you can rest assured about that."
Chloe knew full well that those words were lies. No matter how much the Crown Prince loved Chloe, there was a sin he couldn't help. Let alone the Third Prince.
'I will die. Probably at the hands of someone sent by the Third Prince.'
Maybe that would be better. She was just worried about her family.
'The Third Prince will have to be content with my life alone. He won't touch my family.'
Chloe leaned her head against the wall and closed her eyes. How long had she been like that?
A smell other than blood, mold, urine, and death lingered in her nostrils. A sweet, warm smell she had never smelled before.
'This is...?'
Chloe tried to open her eyes, wondering what the smell was, but her eyelids wouldn't move. Her body felt weak, and she had difficulty breathing. So Chloe gave up trying.
'I see. The Third Prince has already sent someone.'
Then darkness came.
Cyrus carried the sleeping Chloe on his shoulder, intoxicated by the scent of sleep. As he was about to walk back the way he'd come, he sensed someone approaching, so he pressed himself against the wall and used stealth.
The dungeon door opened, and a man clad in black walked silently toward him. His face was covered by a mask, making it impossible to identify him, but Cyrus could tell he had several hidden weapons hidden beneath his clothes.
'If I had moved just a little slower, I would have been late.'
The assassin sent by the Third Prince noticed that Chloe's cage was empty and looked around in confusion. However, he failed to notice Cyrus, still breathing, nearby.
The assassin, who had gone all the way inside the bars to look around, came out of the bars with an embarrassed look on his face.
Cyrus, without taking his eyes off the assassin, pondered for a moment before pulling a dagger from his pocket. He then thrust it into the neck of the assassin, who was passing by obliviously.
Phew-!
The assassin sucked in a breath with a sickening sound. Blood spurted out as Cyrus drew his dagger.
The assassin grabbed his throat and looked around for his attacker. Fear filled his eyes.
The assassin, with one hand clasped to his throat wound, seemed ready to attempt something, while the other pulled out his weapon, which he tossed and swung carelessly. But the man's attacks, bleeding profusely as he died, posed no threat to Cyrus.
When the attack failed, the assassin staggered and tried to flee. Cyrus slashed deeply into the assassin's back with his dagger.
“Ugh...”
The assassin's knees buckled. Only then did Cyrus emerge from hiding.
The assassin blinked at the sight of Cyrus's silver hair. His eyes widened in shock as he belatedly realized his identity.
“Your... Your Excellency...”
"Don't worry, Chloe. The Crown Prince loves you, so he won't let you die. And of course, neither will I. I'll somehow mitigate your guilt and get you out of prison quickly, so you can rest assured about that."
Chloe knew full well that those words were lies. No matter how much the Crown Prince loved Chloe, there was a sin he couldn't help. Let alone the Third Prince.
'I will die. Probably at the hands of someone sent by the Third Prince.'
Maybe that would be better. She was just worried about her family.
'The Third Prince will have to be content with my life alone. He won't touch my family.'
Chloe leaned her head against the wall and closed her eyes. How long had she been like that?
A smell other than blood, mold, urine, and death lingered in her nostrils. A sweet, warm smell she had never smelled before.
'This is...?'
Chloe tried to open her eyes, wondering what the smell was, but her eyelids wouldn't move. Her body felt weak, and she had difficulty breathing. So Chloe gave up trying.
'I see. The Third Prince has already sent someone.'
Then darkness came.
***
Cyrus carried the sleeping Chloe on his shoulder, intoxicated by the scent of sleep. As he was about to walk back the way he'd come, he sensed someone approaching, so he pressed himself against the wall and used stealth.
The dungeon door opened, and a man clad in black walked silently toward him. His face was covered by a mask, making it impossible to identify him, but Cyrus could tell he had several hidden weapons hidden beneath his clothes.
'If I had moved just a little slower, I would have been late.'
The assassin sent by the Third Prince noticed that Chloe's cage was empty and looked around in confusion. However, he failed to notice Cyrus, still breathing, nearby.
The assassin, who had gone all the way inside the bars to look around, came out of the bars with an embarrassed look on his face.
Cyrus, without taking his eyes off the assassin, pondered for a moment before pulling a dagger from his pocket. He then thrust it into the neck of the assassin, who was passing by obliviously.
Phew-!
The assassin sucked in a breath with a sickening sound. Blood spurted out as Cyrus drew his dagger.
The assassin grabbed his throat and looked around for his attacker. Fear filled his eyes.
The assassin, with one hand clasped to his throat wound, seemed ready to attempt something, while the other pulled out his weapon, which he tossed and swung carelessly. But the man's attacks, bleeding profusely as he died, posed no threat to Cyrus.
When the attack failed, the assassin staggered and tried to flee. Cyrus slashed deeply into the assassin's back with his dagger.
“Ugh...”
The assassin's knees buckled. Only then did Cyrus emerge from hiding.
The assassin blinked at the sight of Cyrus's silver hair. His eyes widened in shock as he belatedly realized his identity.
“Your... Your Excellency...”
Cyrus smiled at him.
"Just let him die there. Then everyone will be too curious to know what you are to bother looking for this woman."
Cyrus swung his dagger once more, leaving a trail of destruction in the dungeon. It looked as if several men had broken in to kidnap Chloe, leaving only one dead. He then left.
***
Louis, who was waiting outside the palace, said as he took Chloe from Cyrus.
“I could have done something like this. Why didn’t you just leave it to me?”
“The Princess asked me personally, so I can’t pass it on to someone else.”
Louis smiled happily at Cyrus's answer.
"You're right. But I smell blood. Are you hurt?"
“The other guy died.”
“What about the aftermath?”
“I left it alone.”
“The palace is going to be noisy. Where should I take this woman?”
“Hide her in the mansion for now. Go meet the Princess and receive instructions.”
At Cyrus' words, Louis smiled again with satisfaction.
"Following Princess Consort's instructions is paramount. There's a saying that if you listen to your wife, you'll get bread even in your sleep. I believe these are truly valuable words."
Cyrus stared at Louis.
He couldn't understand why Louis, who was usually reserved, was so excited.
“Louis.”
"Yes, I know. There is no time for unnecessary talk. Then I'll make the first move."
After Louis left, Cyrus also walked away. His steps toward Ariana were light.
Exactly four hours have passed since he received Ariana's request. What would her expression be like if he told her he completed the difficult task she'd asked him to do in just four hours?
Cyrus wanted to see Ariana soon.
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