(149) Not okay (1)
Harold's screams were so loud they reached the ears of the maids waiting outside. Royal Consort Aelra stared at him with wide eyes, then raised her hand and slapped him across the face.
Smack!
Harold's screams were interrupted by a sharp pain.
“Prince!”
Royal Consort Aelra glared at her son.
"Please, keep your composure. Why are you so shaken up over something so trivial?"
Harold gritted his teeth.
This wasn't just a small matter. At some point, the things Harold had built up, one by one, began to crumble. It was as if an invisible hand was chipping away at the foundations of Harold's construction, trying to topple them.
'Nothing works.'
It wasn't like this before. Everything went according to plan, no matter what he did. So he felt relaxed and confident. He felt like everyone was at his feet, and he could see through everyone's intentions.
'But now...?'
He had lost money and the Emperor's trust by investing in perfume, and not long ago, he had lost his good friend and right-hand man, Little Count Fabric Geo. Just when he thought he had barely regained the Emperor's trust, this problem arose.
'Yeah, investing in perfume... That's when it started.'
When he joined hands with the Western Lord and invested in a perfume business based on the information he provided, his fortune gradually began to crumble.
"Could it be that the Western Lord is the Crown Prince's man? Have I joined hands with the wrong person?"
However, the one who killed Fabric was the Northern Lord, who was on bad terms with the Western Lord. Chloe's attempt to kill the Crown Princess was carried out so quickly that the Western Lord had no time to hear about it. While he suspected the Western Lord wouldn't be involved, it was difficult to completely dispel his suspicions.
Royal Consort Aelra, who had been quietly staring at the teacup, said.
“Maybe it’s the Crown Prince.”
"The Crown Prince? That's impossible. That bastard is an idiot."
“That’s why. He might have done it because he wanted to save his lover.”
"Ah..."
It was a plausible guess. The Crown Prince had married the Crown Princess for political reasons, and there was no affection between them. He couldn't stand to see Chloe punished for attempting to kill her. He would have tried to save her somehow.
"If the Crown Prince had saved Chloe, she might have confessed everything to him. Prince, did you send someone to Count Spencer?"
“I also sent it to the Spencer mansion when I sent it to Chloe.”
"We should hurry and bring that family back. At least as long as their lives are in the Prince's hands, Chloe won't be able to speak carelessly."
But a few days later, the man Harold had sent returned and reported.
"The Spencer Count's mansion was already empty. I asked around, but no one knew where it was."
From the moment they heard that report, hell began for the Empress and the Third Prince.
Chloe, who had been the Third Prince's guiding force, had vanished, and even her family, who had been her lifeline, had vanished. It was uncertain when Chloe would confess everything to the Crown Prince, and when the Crown Prince would expose the Third Prince's crimes.
But as the days passed, the Crown Prince remained silent, the Emperor's people failed to discover the masked man's identity, and nobles departing for the social season began to enter the capital.
Some welcome visitors from the East came to find her as well.
Harold's screams were so loud they reached the ears of the maids waiting outside. Royal Consort Aelra stared at him with wide eyes, then raised her hand and slapped him across the face.
Smack!
Harold's screams were interrupted by a sharp pain.
“Prince!”
Royal Consort Aelra glared at her son.
"Please, keep your composure. Why are you so shaken up over something so trivial?"
Harold gritted his teeth.
This wasn't just a small matter. At some point, the things Harold had built up, one by one, began to crumble. It was as if an invisible hand was chipping away at the foundations of Harold's construction, trying to topple them.
'Nothing works.'
It wasn't like this before. Everything went according to plan, no matter what he did. So he felt relaxed and confident. He felt like everyone was at his feet, and he could see through everyone's intentions.
'But now...?'
He had lost money and the Emperor's trust by investing in perfume, and not long ago, he had lost his good friend and right-hand man, Little Count Fabric Geo. Just when he thought he had barely regained the Emperor's trust, this problem arose.
'Yeah, investing in perfume... That's when it started.'
When he joined hands with the Western Lord and invested in a perfume business based on the information he provided, his fortune gradually began to crumble.
"Could it be that the Western Lord is the Crown Prince's man? Have I joined hands with the wrong person?"
However, the one who killed Fabric was the Northern Lord, who was on bad terms with the Western Lord. Chloe's attempt to kill the Crown Princess was carried out so quickly that the Western Lord had no time to hear about it. While he suspected the Western Lord wouldn't be involved, it was difficult to completely dispel his suspicions.
Royal Consort Aelra, who had been quietly staring at the teacup, said.
“Maybe it’s the Crown Prince.”
"The Crown Prince? That's impossible. That bastard is an idiot."
“That’s why. He might have done it because he wanted to save his lover.”
"Ah..."
It was a plausible guess. The Crown Prince had married the Crown Princess for political reasons, and there was no affection between them. He couldn't stand to see Chloe punished for attempting to kill her. He would have tried to save her somehow.
"If the Crown Prince had saved Chloe, she might have confessed everything to him. Prince, did you send someone to Count Spencer?"
“I also sent it to the Spencer mansion when I sent it to Chloe.”
"We should hurry and bring that family back. At least as long as their lives are in the Prince's hands, Chloe won't be able to speak carelessly."
But a few days later, the man Harold had sent returned and reported.
"The Spencer Count's mansion was already empty. I asked around, but no one knew where it was."
From the moment they heard that report, hell began for the Empress and the Third Prince.
Chloe, who had been the Third Prince's guiding force, had vanished, and even her family, who had been her lifeline, had vanished. It was uncertain when Chloe would confess everything to the Crown Prince, and when the Crown Prince would expose the Third Prince's crimes.
But as the days passed, the Crown Prince remained silent, the Emperor's people failed to discover the masked man's identity, and nobles departing for the social season began to enter the capital.
***
Some welcome visitors from the East came to find her as well.
As soon as Isabelle saw Ariana, she ran to her and hugged her tightly.
“Ariana! Are you okay?”
"Yes?"
"I heard someone named Fabric Geo died here? Isabelle was really worried."
"Wiona, who had been coming in with Averaster, explained."
Averaster looked at Ariana and spoke with concern.
"After that news reached the East, there was chaos like no other. He insisted on going to the Empire immediately, and it was difficult to stop him."
“Who was making such a fuss...?”
“Who could it be? His Excellency the Northern Lord, my grandfather, Uncle Fellowes...”
Wiona intervened.
“Father, too, Princess.”
“Yes, that’s right. Even my father’s face turned pale, and he was swearing that Little Count Geo’s hand should be cut off immediately... I can’t tell you how hard it was to make him understand that Little Count Geo’s hand and neck had already been cut off.”
Isabelle snorted at Averaster's words.
"You're acting so calm. You were already making a scene, saying you should run there right away and get rid of Count Geo, the man who raised his son like that. Isn't that right, Wiona?"
“That’s right, we were the only ones in our right minds.”
“If His Excellency really comes to the empire, it will be a big problem.”
Although the East and the Empire agreed to gradually exchange information in recognition of his achievements in the war, this did not mean that the Eastern lord could freely enter and exit the Empire.
The Emperor has yet to formally apologize for the stigma the Eastern Lord had to bear so long ago. Perhaps the Emperor has not yet completely dispelled his suspicions toward the Eastern Lord.
In such a situation, if the Eastern Lord were to enter and exit the empire as if it were his own home, there would be those who would slander him, and the Emperor might once again doubt his sincerity, as he had before. Even his merits in this war could degenerate into ambitions to usurp the throne.
“The only person who could stop everyone was Averaster, but Averaster ended up being the most violent, so you can imagine how chaotic it was.”
Ariana laughed as she watched Averaster's face turn red.
"There wasn't anything serious enough to worry anyone. The Northern Lord intervened before anything happened."
“That Northern Lord is the problem!”
Averaster's voice grew louder.
“Who the hell is that guy to kill someone in front of you? Doesn’t he even know manners around women?”
"I agree, Averaster. It's been a while since we've seen eye to eye. Shall we pray to God to allow us to strengthen our bond as brothers?"
At Geor's words, Averaster frowned.
"I'm not joking, Geor. Of course, I'm very grateful to the Northern Lord for helping us, Ariana, so long ago. But... killing someone in front of Ariana? What on earth does he think Ariana is?"
Isabelle replied.
"What do you mean? I see him as a proud warrior. The Northern Lord has acknowledged Ariana."
"Why is Ariana a warrior? Ariana has never been to war, and we wouldn't let that happen to her."
Isabelle and Wiona looked at each other and smiled.
"What does this guy not know? There's war in the women's world, too. Maybe it's even more intense than that."
“My husband is still young and doesn’t know how fiercely women live every day.”
“What does that mean? Do you understand, Geor?”
Geor smiled brightly.
“I know. I’m more mature than you.”
“You were talking about brotherly love and such. Why did you turn your back on me so suddenly?”
While Geor and Averaster were bickering, Wiona approached Ariana and asked her.
"Princess, Victoria Bronte. Isn't it time for her debutante too? She came, didn't she?"
It was as if Victoria had been more affected than Ariana. Ariana smiled brightly at Wiona and answered.
“I heard she arrived last night.”
"After that news reached the East, there was chaos like no other. He insisted on going to the Empire immediately, and it was difficult to stop him."
“Who was making such a fuss...?”
“Who could it be? His Excellency the Northern Lord, my grandfather, Uncle Fellowes...”
Wiona intervened.
“Father, too, Princess.”
“Yes, that’s right. Even my father’s face turned pale, and he was swearing that Little Count Geo’s hand should be cut off immediately... I can’t tell you how hard it was to make him understand that Little Count Geo’s hand and neck had already been cut off.”
Isabelle snorted at Averaster's words.
"You're acting so calm. You were already making a scene, saying you should run there right away and get rid of Count Geo, the man who raised his son like that. Isn't that right, Wiona?"
“That’s right, we were the only ones in our right minds.”
“If His Excellency really comes to the empire, it will be a big problem.”
Although the East and the Empire agreed to gradually exchange information in recognition of his achievements in the war, this did not mean that the Eastern lord could freely enter and exit the Empire.
The Emperor has yet to formally apologize for the stigma the Eastern Lord had to bear so long ago. Perhaps the Emperor has not yet completely dispelled his suspicions toward the Eastern Lord.
In such a situation, if the Eastern Lord were to enter and exit the empire as if it were his own home, there would be those who would slander him, and the Emperor might once again doubt his sincerity, as he had before. Even his merits in this war could degenerate into ambitions to usurp the throne.
“The only person who could stop everyone was Averaster, but Averaster ended up being the most violent, so you can imagine how chaotic it was.”
Ariana laughed as she watched Averaster's face turn red.
"There wasn't anything serious enough to worry anyone. The Northern Lord intervened before anything happened."
“That Northern Lord is the problem!”
Averaster's voice grew louder.
“Who the hell is that guy to kill someone in front of you? Doesn’t he even know manners around women?”
"I agree, Averaster. It's been a while since we've seen eye to eye. Shall we pray to God to allow us to strengthen our bond as brothers?"
At Geor's words, Averaster frowned.
"I'm not joking, Geor. Of course, I'm very grateful to the Northern Lord for helping us, Ariana, so long ago. But... killing someone in front of Ariana? What on earth does he think Ariana is?"
Isabelle replied.
"What do you mean? I see him as a proud warrior. The Northern Lord has acknowledged Ariana."
"Why is Ariana a warrior? Ariana has never been to war, and we wouldn't let that happen to her."
Isabelle and Wiona looked at each other and smiled.
"What does this guy not know? There's war in the women's world, too. Maybe it's even more intense than that."
“My husband is still young and doesn’t know how fiercely women live every day.”
“What does that mean? Do you understand, Geor?”
Geor smiled brightly.
“I know. I’m more mature than you.”
“You were talking about brotherly love and such. Why did you turn your back on me so suddenly?”
While Geor and Averaster were bickering, Wiona approached Ariana and asked her.
"Princess, Victoria Bronte. Isn't it time for her debutante too? She came, didn't she?"
It was as if Victoria had been more affected than Ariana. Ariana smiled brightly at Wiona and answered.
“I heard she arrived last night.”
***
Victoria walked towards the drawing room with Rachel.
The Bronte family rented a mansion located about halfway down the street. It wasn't very large, so it was a short walk to the drawing room.
"Victoria, I know you're getting along well with the Third Prince, but you need to look further. You shouldn't give yourself away so easily, yes?"
Rachel repeated the same words she had said several times.
Victoria answered coldly.
“I’ll take care of it, so don’t worry, Mother.”
Rachel's expression hardened, but Victoria ignored it and nodded to the maid waiting outside the reception room. The maid knocked on the reception room door and spoke.
“The Duchess Rachel Bronte and Princess Victoria Bronte are entering.”
Harold stood facing the painting on the drawing room wall. Victoria knew he simply wanted to appear knowledgeable about art.
His profile was nearly perfect: tall, dazzling blond hair, flawless skin, and a high nose. His slightly upturned lips gave him a charming air, his chest was firm, his waist was slender, and his legs were long.
He was a wonderful man, different from Cyrus, but Victoria couldn't help but fall for him. Perhaps it was the comparison to Cyrus, or perhaps it was because Harold was so much like her.
'Anyway, I'm going to marry that man. He'll make me the most precious woman.'
As Victoria hid her feelings, an elegant smile appeared on her lips. Rachel opened her mouth.
“Third Prince, I think you like paintings.”
“Ah, Duchess.”
Harold then turned theatrically and smiled, as if he had only just noticed the two people entering.
"I enjoy looking at them. I especially like the paintings of emerging artists. Their paintings are imbued with purity and ambition."
“Oh my, you must be quite knowledgeable. How can our Third Prince know everything?”
While Victoria was nagging her to straighten up, Rachel was laughing heartily and praising Harold.
After the custody trial and Helena's marriage, Rachel had been changing, without even realizing it. Her true nature, hidden in a comfortable and peaceful life, surfaced in the face of adversity.
Now there was only one thing Rachel wanted.
To marry off her only remaining daughter to a good man.
For that, Rachel would do anything.
"Would it rather be Victoria? Every time I meet Victoria, I'm always amazed by her knowledge. It's all thanks to the Duchess's excellent teachings."
“How beautifully you speak. Hahaha.”
Victoria wanted to shut her mother's mouth as she laughed, her voice cracking. She wanted to yell at her mother to stop being so vulgar.
But she didn't show it at all and just bowed her head slightly towards Harold.
“Prince Harold.”
"Victoria. You've become even more beautiful since we last met. Ah, Duchess. There's something I'd like to share with you alone..."
“Ah... really? But I guess there are a lot of eyes watching...”
“Mother, I have something important to tell the Prince. Please leave.”
Rachel was deeply hurt by Victoria's cold tone.
“Victoria...”
“Come on in.”
Rachel looked at Victoria with wavering eyes, but Victoria's gaze was fixed on Harold. Rachel's heart pounded at Victoria's attitude, as if Rachel didn't even exist.
As expected, Victoria has changed.
It wasn't just Victoria. Her husband and Helena had all changed. Joyson, her youngest son, who was studying at the academy, hadn't returned home since the custody trial, sending a single letter saying, "I'm ashamed."
'Nobody needs me!'
There was a time when everyone relied on Rachel. Not only her two daughters, but even her husband, Jacob, would always consult her first when something important was going on.
But now everyone treated Rachel like a stray dog, like an unnecessary burden.
'No one wants me..'
Rachel barely managed to swallow back her tears and said,
"Yeah, that's right. I think it'd be more fun for the young people to chat comfortably with each other than with me. Let's have a good time."
No one paid any attention to Rachel. Harold smiled politely, but Victoria still treated her like she didn't exist.
Rachel turned and left, feeling her world shake. Her knees buckled as she barely made it out of the reception room and closed the door.
The maid was startled and helped Rachel up.
“Oh, Duchess. Are you alright?”
"No."
The tears she had been holding back soon soaked Rachel's cheeks.
“It doesn’t seem okay. Nothing is okay.”
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