(148) Chloe Spencer (3)
Cyrus told Ariana to go back and get some sleep, but Ariana couldn't sleep comfortably.
'I wonder if it's okay? I wonder if they found out?'
She really shouldn't have asked Cyrus to do that. Breaking into the palace, let alone anywhere else, wasn't something even Cyrus could easily accomplish.
She made an unreasonable request.
“Master, who is coming?”
Shini spoke to Ariana, who was loitering by the window.
Only then did Ariana sigh.
'You're safe.'
Only Cyrus could sneak into the heavily guarded mansion without warning at such a time. Even Louis once remarked, "It's a bit difficult to avoid the eyes of the Eastern Lord," so it must have been Cyrus.
“Shini, could you please step aside for a moment?”
“Yes, master.”
As soon as Shink left, there was a knock on the window leading to the terrace. Ariana opened it, and there he was.
Seeing him safe and sound brought an indescribable sense of relief. His expression seemed so peaceful, which made her even more reassured.
“Can I come in?”
Ariana nodded at Cyrus's question and stepped aside. Cyrus entered and looked around the room. After confirming that the room was safe, Cyrus spoke.
"The Princess's request has been successfully completed. I've sent Miss Spencer to my mansion for now."
“Are you hurt anywhere?”
Cyrus' eyes bulged into crescent moons.
“Are you worried about me?”
"I'm not so ruthless as to ask you for such an unreasonable favor and then not even worry about you, Northern Lord. Your injuries are..."
Ariana, who was looking over Cyrus, was startled to see that his hands were covered in blood and grabbed his hands with both of hers.
“Blood...”
Cyrus looked down at his hand that was being held by Ariana and said.
“It’s not my blood.”
"Then?"
“You fought an assassin? You really weren’t hurt?”
"I'm not hurt. I told you. I know my life is at stake."
Ariana examined Cyrus' hand closely.
Cyrus stared blankly at her as she stroked his hand, then looked away. The longer she stroked his hand, the stranger the feeling grew.
Cyrus, unable to bear it any longer, spoke in a suppressed voice.
“Haven’t you checked everything now?”
"Ah."
Only then did Ariana realize she'd been holding his hand too long and hastily pulled it away. A blush spread across her pale cheeks, as if pink paint had been dripped onto them.
“I’m glad you’re safe.”
She was cute, speaking so calmly despite her flushed face. Cyrus unconsciously reached out to touch her cheek, but stopped before his fingertips could touch it.
Ariana asked, looking at his hand near her cheek.
“What is this hand?”
“On the Princess’s cheek...”
“On my cheek?”
“What’s wrong?”
"Ah."
Ariana slyly raised her hand and stroked her cheek, looking like a squirrel. Finally, she lifted her head and asked.
“Is it okay now?”
Cyrus held back his response, "Not yet."
"Yes."
“Can I meet Chloe now?”
"That woman is currently sleeping, intoxicated by the scent of sleep. The Princess needs some sleep too. See you tomorrow."
Usually, Cyrus would disappear after he finished speaking before Ariana could say anything. So Ariana expected him to disappear without waiting for her answer this time, too.
But he didn't disappear; he still stood before her, as if waiting for Ariana to say something.
Ariana blinked and looked up at him before speaking.
“Yes. See you tomorrow.”
Cyrus smiled and disappeared.
Chloe woke up and looked at the white, clean ceiling and thought.
"Where am I? Did His Highness the Crown Prince save me?"
She was holding onto her hopes, even though she knew it couldn't be true, when she heard a soft voice next to her.
“Did you sleep well?”
Chloe sat up abruptly and looked around.
A woman with sky-blue hair sat quietly in a small chair next to the bed. Chloe had never seen her before, but she knew who she was.
Chloe hurriedly got out of bed and nodded to Ariana.
“How is the Princess...?”
"The Spencer family, who couldn't afford a single employee, finally found a way to make a living. Was it around the time Miss Spencer entered the palace?"
Chloe shrugged at the stinging words.
“A young lady from a rural noble family with only a title enters the palace and becomes the maid of the Crown Prince, and soon after, she establishes a family... No matter how good the salary of a palace maid is, isn’t this a bit excessive?”
'This person knows everything.'
It was good anyway.
Since Chloe had harmed the pregnant Crown Princess, she was already dead.
She was just curious. Why would the Princess of the East know about this and intervene in this matter? She's the only woman who regained her title a few years ago.
“What did the Third Prince promise you that you deceived His Highness the Crown Prince for so long and even tried to kill His Highness the Crown Princess, who was pregnant with the grandson?”
Chloe squeezed her eyes shut. Ariana knew everything.
'How did you know? No one knew about my relationship with the Third Prince.'
When Chloe didn't answer, Ariana continued.
"Did he say that if you could just help him depose His Highness the Crown Prince, he would at least provide the Spencer family with enough support to establish a foothold in the capital? Or did he say that when the Third Prince became Crown Prince, he would place you by his side?"
“...”
“Miss Spencer. Are you so greedy for the position of Crown Princess?”
"No!"
Chloe shouted.
"That's not it, Princess. I didn't want to become the Crown Princess, nor did I want to make the Third Prince the Crown Prince. I, I just..."
It was foolish.
When Chloe received the Third Prince's offer, she was weary of poverty and dreamed of palace life. Working alongside high-ranking officials in the luxurious palace, she believed she could become that kind of person.
"I didn't know it would turn out like this. The Third Prince told me to seduce His Highness the Crown Prince, but I had no idea that His Highness would give his heart to a country girl like me. I really had no idea. I didn't know... I didn't know... His Highness was showing so much affection..."
Tears streamed down Chloe's cheeks, but Ariana watched indifferently.
“I just wanted His Highness the Crown Prince to be happy. But...”
“Once you step into the mud, it’s not easy to get out.”
Chloe nodded at Ariana's calm words.
It really was. Her foot sank deep into the mud, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't pull it out. She managed to get one foot out, but the next place she stepped was mud again.
“The Third Prince... said he would kill my parents, my younger brother... My younger brother is still young. I... I really don’t know what to do...”
Chloe muttered, not knowing what she was saying. Ariana, who had been silently watching Chloe, rose from her chair and approached Chloe.
Only then did Chloe raise her head and stare at Ariana standing in front of her.
Ariana was smaller than Chloe, but somehow she felt like she was standing in front of a huge mountain.
Despite her cold voice, Ariana's blue eyes held a gentle light. She felt like she had been thrown into a desolate ruin, but meeting Ariana's gaze, she felt like she was strolling along a forest path on a fine day.
“If you don’t know, I’ll tell you, Miss Spencer.”
“...”
"Since you attempted to kill the Crown Princess, the Spencer family won't be safe either. His Majesty the Emperor has probably sent men to arrest the Spencer family by now, and the Third Prince will likely be on his own. Perhaps the Third Prince will reach your family before His Majesty's men can."
Ariana told the horrible story as if reciting poetry.
Ariana stared at Chloe, who was clenching her fists, with eyes as clear as the clear sky.
“I will protect the Spencer family.”
"Yes?"
"I'll hide you somewhere where no one can see you. I'll even assign someone to watch over you. I won't give you anything extravagant, but I'll also send you enough money to live comfortably."
“Why... why are you doing that to me?”
“Because you are useful.”
"I... I don't want to work for anyone anymore. I'd rather just die. I'm done with..."
“Miss Spencer.”
Ariana gently took Chloe's hand.
"Stay safe with your family, and when the time comes, muster up the courage to testify against the Third Prince. Then, you and your family will be free."
Third Prince Harold nervously bit his thumbnail. The stinging pain made him look down and see he'd bitten so deeply that it was bleeding.
He nervously took out a handkerchief and wrapped it around his thumb, but then he couldn't stand the anxiety and jumped up.
"I don't think it'll work, Mother. I'll go and see how things turn out..."
“Sit down, Prince.”
Harold gritted his teeth at the Royal Consort Aelra's sharp command.
This morning, something terrible happened in the palace. The dungeon keepers were found drugged and passed out, and a masked man was found dead inside. Furthermore, Chloe had disappeared.
This happened in the dungeon of the imperial palace, of all places.
The Emperor was furious and ordered the culprit to be found and the identity of the masked man, who had been sent by Harold to kill Chloe.
Harold's heart nearly burst when he heard the news. He'd hired an assassin several times, so it wouldn't be easy to figure out his identity, but he didn't know for sure.
If it were discovered that it was Harold who sent the assassin, then it would be the end.
He will lose everything: his honor, his power, his status as a Prince, and perhaps even his life.
'Who the hell did that? Who stole Chloe?'
No matter how much he pondered, no one came to mind. No, there was one. Northern Lord Cyrus. With his abilities, he could have sneaked into the palace and entered the dungeon without anyone noticing.
But there is no reason for that.
'He couldn't possibly know about my plans. He's barely encountered me, and he never enters the palace. How could he know anything? He probably wouldn't even know Chloe's true identity.'
So who could it be? And why did they steal Chloe away?
'Was there anyone other than my mother who knew about Chloe and me?'
Even Chloe's family didn't know about their relationship.
'No, maybe that Chloe bitch was just messing around with her mouth.'
He thought about the maids and young ladies who had been close to Chloe. He considered the places she frequented. So many people came to mind that he couldn't narrow it down to just one.
Harold wanted to scream. No, he actually did.
“Ugh!”
Cyrus told Ariana to go back and get some sleep, but Ariana couldn't sleep comfortably.
'I wonder if it's okay? I wonder if they found out?'
She really shouldn't have asked Cyrus to do that. Breaking into the palace, let alone anywhere else, wasn't something even Cyrus could easily accomplish.
She made an unreasonable request.
“Master, who is coming?”
Shini spoke to Ariana, who was loitering by the window.
Only then did Ariana sigh.
'You're safe.'
Only Cyrus could sneak into the heavily guarded mansion without warning at such a time. Even Louis once remarked, "It's a bit difficult to avoid the eyes of the Eastern Lord," so it must have been Cyrus.
“Shini, could you please step aside for a moment?”
“Yes, master.”
As soon as Shink left, there was a knock on the window leading to the terrace. Ariana opened it, and there he was.
Seeing him safe and sound brought an indescribable sense of relief. His expression seemed so peaceful, which made her even more reassured.
“Can I come in?”
Ariana nodded at Cyrus's question and stepped aside. Cyrus entered and looked around the room. After confirming that the room was safe, Cyrus spoke.
"The Princess's request has been successfully completed. I've sent Miss Spencer to my mansion for now."
“Are you hurt anywhere?”
Cyrus' eyes bulged into crescent moons.
“Are you worried about me?”
"I'm not so ruthless as to ask you for such an unreasonable favor and then not even worry about you, Northern Lord. Your injuries are..."
Ariana, who was looking over Cyrus, was startled to see that his hands were covered in blood and grabbed his hands with both of hers.
“Blood...”
Cyrus looked down at his hand that was being held by Ariana and said.
“It’s not my blood.”
"Then?"
“I ran into an assassin who looked like he was sent by the Third Prince. I’ve set things up a bit, so things will be chaotic for a while.”
"I'm not hurt. I told you. I know my life is at stake."
Ariana examined Cyrus' hand closely.
Cyrus stared blankly at her as she stroked his hand, then looked away. The longer she stroked his hand, the stranger the feeling grew.
Cyrus, unable to bear it any longer, spoke in a suppressed voice.
“Haven’t you checked everything now?”
"Ah."
Only then did Ariana realize she'd been holding his hand too long and hastily pulled it away. A blush spread across her pale cheeks, as if pink paint had been dripped onto them.
“I’m glad you’re safe.”
She was cute, speaking so calmly despite her flushed face. Cyrus unconsciously reached out to touch her cheek, but stopped before his fingertips could touch it.
Ariana asked, looking at his hand near her cheek.
“What is this hand?”
“On the Princess’s cheek...”
“On my cheek?”
“What’s wrong?”
"Ah."
Ariana slyly raised her hand and stroked her cheek, looking like a squirrel. Finally, she lifted her head and asked.
“Is it okay now?”
Cyrus held back his response, "Not yet."
"Yes."
“Can I meet Chloe now?”
"That woman is currently sleeping, intoxicated by the scent of sleep. The Princess needs some sleep too. See you tomorrow."
Usually, Cyrus would disappear after he finished speaking before Ariana could say anything. So Ariana expected him to disappear without waiting for her answer this time, too.
But he didn't disappear; he still stood before her, as if waiting for Ariana to say something.
Ariana blinked and looked up at him before speaking.
“Yes. See you tomorrow.”
Cyrus smiled and disappeared.
***
Chloe woke up and looked at the white, clean ceiling and thought.
"Where am I? Did His Highness the Crown Prince save me?"
She was holding onto her hopes, even though she knew it couldn't be true, when she heard a soft voice next to her.
“Did you sleep well?”
Chloe sat up abruptly and looked around.
A woman with sky-blue hair sat quietly in a small chair next to the bed. Chloe had never seen her before, but she knew who she was.
Chloe hurriedly got out of bed and nodded to Ariana.
“How is the Princess...?”
"The Spencer family, who couldn't afford a single employee, finally found a way to make a living. Was it around the time Miss Spencer entered the palace?"
Chloe shrugged at the stinging words.
“A young lady from a rural noble family with only a title enters the palace and becomes the maid of the Crown Prince, and soon after, she establishes a family... No matter how good the salary of a palace maid is, isn’t this a bit excessive?”
'This person knows everything.'
It was good anyway.
Since Chloe had harmed the pregnant Crown Princess, she was already dead.
She was just curious. Why would the Princess of the East know about this and intervene in this matter? She's the only woman who regained her title a few years ago.
“What did the Third Prince promise you that you deceived His Highness the Crown Prince for so long and even tried to kill His Highness the Crown Princess, who was pregnant with the grandson?”
Chloe squeezed her eyes shut. Ariana knew everything.
'How did you know? No one knew about my relationship with the Third Prince.'
When Chloe didn't answer, Ariana continued.
"Did he say that if you could just help him depose His Highness the Crown Prince, he would at least provide the Spencer family with enough support to establish a foothold in the capital? Or did he say that when the Third Prince became Crown Prince, he would place you by his side?"
“...”
“Miss Spencer. Are you so greedy for the position of Crown Princess?”
"No!"
Chloe shouted.
"That's not it, Princess. I didn't want to become the Crown Princess, nor did I want to make the Third Prince the Crown Prince. I, I just..."
It was foolish.
When Chloe received the Third Prince's offer, she was weary of poverty and dreamed of palace life. Working alongside high-ranking officials in the luxurious palace, she believed she could become that kind of person.
"I didn't know it would turn out like this. The Third Prince told me to seduce His Highness the Crown Prince, but I had no idea that His Highness would give his heart to a country girl like me. I really had no idea. I didn't know... I didn't know... His Highness was showing so much affection..."
Tears streamed down Chloe's cheeks, but Ariana watched indifferently.
“I just wanted His Highness the Crown Prince to be happy. But...”
“Once you step into the mud, it’s not easy to get out.”
Chloe nodded at Ariana's calm words.
It really was. Her foot sank deep into the mud, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't pull it out. She managed to get one foot out, but the next place she stepped was mud again.
“The Third Prince... said he would kill my parents, my younger brother... My younger brother is still young. I... I really don’t know what to do...”
Chloe muttered, not knowing what she was saying. Ariana, who had been silently watching Chloe, rose from her chair and approached Chloe.
Only then did Chloe raise her head and stare at Ariana standing in front of her.
Ariana was smaller than Chloe, but somehow she felt like she was standing in front of a huge mountain.
Despite her cold voice, Ariana's blue eyes held a gentle light. She felt like she had been thrown into a desolate ruin, but meeting Ariana's gaze, she felt like she was strolling along a forest path on a fine day.
“If you don’t know, I’ll tell you, Miss Spencer.”
“...”
"Since you attempted to kill the Crown Princess, the Spencer family won't be safe either. His Majesty the Emperor has probably sent men to arrest the Spencer family by now, and the Third Prince will likely be on his own. Perhaps the Third Prince will reach your family before His Majesty's men can."
Ariana told the horrible story as if reciting poetry.
Ariana stared at Chloe, who was clenching her fists, with eyes as clear as the clear sky.
“I will protect the Spencer family.”
"Yes?"
"I'll hide you somewhere where no one can see you. I'll even assign someone to watch over you. I won't give you anything extravagant, but I'll also send you enough money to live comfortably."
“Why... why are you doing that to me?”
“Because you are useful.”
"I... I don't want to work for anyone anymore. I'd rather just die. I'm done with..."
“Miss Spencer.”
Ariana gently took Chloe's hand.
"Stay safe with your family, and when the time comes, muster up the courage to testify against the Third Prince. Then, you and your family will be free."
***
Third Prince Harold nervously bit his thumbnail. The stinging pain made him look down and see he'd bitten so deeply that it was bleeding.
He nervously took out a handkerchief and wrapped it around his thumb, but then he couldn't stand the anxiety and jumped up.
"I don't think it'll work, Mother. I'll go and see how things turn out..."
“Sit down, Prince.”
Harold gritted his teeth at the Royal Consort Aelra's sharp command.
This morning, something terrible happened in the palace. The dungeon keepers were found drugged and passed out, and a masked man was found dead inside. Furthermore, Chloe had disappeared.
This happened in the dungeon of the imperial palace, of all places.
The Emperor was furious and ordered the culprit to be found and the identity of the masked man, who had been sent by Harold to kill Chloe.
Harold's heart nearly burst when he heard the news. He'd hired an assassin several times, so it wouldn't be easy to figure out his identity, but he didn't know for sure.
If it were discovered that it was Harold who sent the assassin, then it would be the end.
He will lose everything: his honor, his power, his status as a Prince, and perhaps even his life.
'Who the hell did that? Who stole Chloe?'
No matter how much he pondered, no one came to mind. No, there was one. Northern Lord Cyrus. With his abilities, he could have sneaked into the palace and entered the dungeon without anyone noticing.
But there is no reason for that.
'He couldn't possibly know about my plans. He's barely encountered me, and he never enters the palace. How could he know anything? He probably wouldn't even know Chloe's true identity.'
So who could it be? And why did they steal Chloe away?
'Was there anyone other than my mother who knew about Chloe and me?'
Even Chloe's family didn't know about their relationship.
'No, maybe that Chloe bitch was just messing around with her mouth.'
He thought about the maids and young ladies who had been close to Chloe. He considered the places she frequented. So many people came to mind that he couldn't narrow it down to just one.
Harold wanted to scream. No, he actually did.
“Ugh!”
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