(150) Not okay (2)
Harold said with a smile.
“I guess you don’t like your mother very much?”
“That doesn’t mean you can treat her rudely, so I hope you’ll show proper courtesy to my mother.”
“Of course. She might become my mother-in-law in the future.”
"Do you really think so?"
Harold raised both hands slightly.
“Whoa, whoa. Why are you being so sharp?”
"What the hell are you doing? I heard what happened at Little Lord's party. You were there when Little Count Geo died, right? But I heard no one saw you at the party."
Harold frowned.
“Victoria, what on earth are you suspecting?”
“I didn’t say I was suspicious. Did you do something that would make you suspicious?”
“Ha. Your attitude... No, that’s enough.”
"Don't talk like you have no choice. Explain quickly. Why did you sneak into that party without saying anything that day? And why were you there when Little Count Geo tried to attack Ariana?"
Harold suddenly became annoyed.
'Who are you to dare tell me what to do?'
Just a few months ago, he found Victoria endearing. Of course, he wasn't completely in love with her, but he was somehow drawn to her mysterious gaze and aura.
When they locked eyes, it felt like an invisible force was grabbing his heart, and he even thought that maybe this was something similar to love.
But Victoria now.
'Is this what this girl looked like?'
Although she was pretty, the aura that made his heart flutter was gone. He didn't like the dark skin and large, round eyes that he once found so attractive.
'She's definitely pretty, but it's not the kind of face I normally like. Why was I so drawn to her? And she has such a strong personality.'
But now was not the time to dwell on such matters. The events at the Little Lord's party had aroused her suspicions. It was uncertain how the Eastern Lord would react after hearing the story, so the Western Lord's power was even more crucial.
“Victoria, come here.”
“I won’t go unless you explain.”
“Don’t do that.”
When Harold grabbed Victoria's wrist and pulled her, she surrendered to him, seemingly helpless. He gently hugged Victoria's waist and spoke.
"You hate the Princess of the East, don't you? So I thought it would be a nice gift to do something for that girl before you come."
“...So?”
"I was planning to show everyone the sight of Fabric pummeling that woman. Well, not really, but just pretending. But the fact that she was alone in the garden with a man during a party would have tarnished her reputation. I was planning to do that, but I didn't know that the Northern Lord would kill Fabric there."
“Are you serious? Can I trust you?”
Harold kissed Victoria's forehead.
"Of course, Victoria. I care about you so much. Without you, I wouldn't have made it this far."
At his plaintive voice, Victoria felt a little relieved.
'I was a little anxious today because I didn't use the power of blood... I guess this man really loves me.'
She swallowed back a sarcastic laugh. Even though it failed, Harold had tried to have another man abuse Ariana for Victoria's sake. That meant Harold had no interest in Ariana.
'Look, Ariana. Even the Third Prince has no interest in you. What if no one shows interest in you at this debutante ball?'
Victoria buried her face in Harold's chest.
“Thank you for doing that for me. But I’m jealous... so please don’t get too close to Ariana.”
"Of course I will. But if I get the chance, I might take a little revenge on that woman for you."
Harold continued speaking subtly, stroking Victoria's back.
“But Victoria, there’s a problem.”
“What is the problem?”
“Shall we sit down and talk?”
After moving to the sofa, Harold said as if nothing had happened.
“It’s not a big deal...”
Harold explained what had happened between the Crown Princess and Chloe. He didn't want anyone to know his failure, but now was the time to seek wisdom from at least one more person.
Victoria, who had been listening silently, clutched her skirt as the story became increasingly gloomy. She almost screamed.
That's not a big deal! It's a big deal! You could ruin everything!
She swallowed the words that were on her lips with difficulty. Realizing she was becoming too emotional, Victoria squeezed her eyes shut. For some reason, she has been having trouble suppressing jer emotions lately.
Harold quickly spoke about Victoria's appearance.
"But Victoria, things aren't as bad as they sound. It's been weeks, and Chloe's whereabouts are still unknown. And with the social season already upon us, the palace seems to be holding off on the investigation. The most important thing is the Crown Princess's health, and she's safe. So..."
“Harold.”
Victoria, barely able to control her storm of emotions, opened her mouth.
“Promise me one thing. Before you do anything from now on, you'll consult me.”
The corner of Harold's mouth twitched in displeasure, but Victoria didn't see it because she was glaring at him.
“Oh, of course. A married couple is one body, or something like that?”
"Yes. If you do well, I will do well. We're in the same boat, and I'll do anything for you until you reach that high seat. In fact, I'm prepared to do just that. So, Harold, don't go it alone. Talk it over with me."
"Yes, Victoria. I definitely will. I feel so secure having you."
Harold quietly left the Bronte mansion and climbed into the carriage. His faint smile crumpled as soon as the carriage door closed.
“You cheeky bitch!”
Victoria's arrogant behavior was disgusting.
Harold threw the box he had received from Victoria.
“How dare someone like you!”
Although she was the granddaughter of the Lord of the West, Victoria was ultimately merely a Princess of the Duke in the West. She was in no position to dictate to the Prince, a descendant of the Emperor.
He was disgusted by her obliviousness to the heights of the sky, clambering forward, seemingly unconcerned with the slightest hint of affection. Yet, it was miserable to have to endure it for the sake of the future.
David Blenwit ascended to the throne simply because he was the son of the Empress. Despite Harold's superiority in talent, popularity, and character, he could not surpass David.
‘If only I could become the Crown Prince...!’
So what can we do?
Because of the pact with the Crown Prince, Victoria had to be seated next to him. If Victoria became Crown Princess, Harold would no longer be able to treat her carelessly.
He didn't want to imagine a future with Victoria. He couldn't understand how he could possibly find her lovable.
'Rather than Victoria.'
Ariana came to mind. She exudes a delicate and elegant air, yet possesses a subtle strength and a high-minded air, and is also known for her polite manners. Ariana, delicate and noble, like a flower perched on a cliff.
A future with her was easy to envision.
He imagined her slightly arrogant eyes shining with sorrow only before him. She, who acted like a precious jewel in front of others, would submit to his commands and do as he commanded. She would laugh and cry at his every word.
"No, I think it's better to keep Ariana as my lover. Then she'll beg and cling to me, dreaming of the unattainable position of Crown Princess."
Thinking of Ariana made Harold feel a lot better.
'Come to think of it, it would be better if a woman as clever and vicious as Victoria were the Crown Princess. Then, no one would dare challenge my position.'
Victoria's plan was a way to kill two birds with one stone: take care of the unsightly Crown Prince, and destabilize the East, which might become a major enemy.
'No, three rabbits?'
If this plan succeeds and falls out of favor with the Emperor again, Ariana's position as Princess of the East will be greatly diminished. If she is cared for and cherished, even the most arrogant Ariana will crumble helplessly and fall into this embrace.
'If only Ariana were mine, the Eastern Lord would have no choice but to follow my will.'
Harold picked up the box he had thrown away earlier and opened the lid.
It was filled with dried tea leaves. They looked like ordinary tea leaves, and indeed, they smelled wonderful.
-“It’s poisonous if you just drink it, but drinking the brewed water once or twice won’t have any effect. If you drink it every day, the effects will gradually appear.”
-“The gift boxes Ariana brought with her when she came to the Empire are probably still somewhere in the palace warehouse. Put them in the box sent by the East.”
-“Have the maids in charge of the Crown Prince and Crown Princess prepare tea using these leaves. If they drink this every day, the effects will appear within a month.”
- "I have someone in the East mansion. I've hidden these tea leaves throughout the mansion. If anything goes wrong with the Crown Prince and his wife, they'll immediately mention the gifts from outside. After that, His Majesty the Emperor will handle it. It would be even better if you could steer them toward the East when the opportunity arises."
The Emperor once suspected that the Eastern Lord was in league with Paganus and was plotting to seize the throne.
'If you doubted it once, there's no reason you can't do it a second time.'
The Emperor was a timid and suspicious man. No matter how much merit his peers had earned in the struggle against Paganus for the empire, he was a timid man, prone to turning his back on them at any moment due to even the slightest suspicion.
If the Emperor were to discover that the gift from the East contained the poison that harmed the Crown Prince and Crown Princess, he would not delve further and instead turn his sword against the East. The old-fashioned and upright Eastern lord, instead of making excuses, would simply accept the Emperor's wrath.
'It would be better if even the lord raised his swords against the Emperor.'
No matter how strong the East military might be, the empire still had the Northern, Western, and Southern territories. The Eastern lords' swords could not possibly reach the Emperor.
'If my father dies and the country falls, what kind of expression will Ariana have?'
A surge of pleasure filled Harold's heart as he pictured her, weeping in despair. The thought of placing her, lost and crying for help, in a vase brought a smile to his face.
Harold closed the box's lid and placed it carefully on his lap. This box would bring him so much.
Harold said with a smile.
“I guess you don’t like your mother very much?”
“That doesn’t mean you can treat her rudely, so I hope you’ll show proper courtesy to my mother.”
“Of course. She might become my mother-in-law in the future.”
"Do you really think so?"
Harold raised both hands slightly.
“Whoa, whoa. Why are you being so sharp?”
"What the hell are you doing? I heard what happened at Little Lord's party. You were there when Little Count Geo died, right? But I heard no one saw you at the party."
Harold frowned.
“Victoria, what on earth are you suspecting?”
“I didn’t say I was suspicious. Did you do something that would make you suspicious?”
“Ha. Your attitude... No, that’s enough.”
"Don't talk like you have no choice. Explain quickly. Why did you sneak into that party without saying anything that day? And why were you there when Little Count Geo tried to attack Ariana?"
Harold suddenly became annoyed.
'Who are you to dare tell me what to do?'
Just a few months ago, he found Victoria endearing. Of course, he wasn't completely in love with her, but he was somehow drawn to her mysterious gaze and aura.
When they locked eyes, it felt like an invisible force was grabbing his heart, and he even thought that maybe this was something similar to love.
But Victoria now.
'Is this what this girl looked like?'
Although she was pretty, the aura that made his heart flutter was gone. He didn't like the dark skin and large, round eyes that he once found so attractive.
'She's definitely pretty, but it's not the kind of face I normally like. Why was I so drawn to her? And she has such a strong personality.'
But now was not the time to dwell on such matters. The events at the Little Lord's party had aroused her suspicions. It was uncertain how the Eastern Lord would react after hearing the story, so the Western Lord's power was even more crucial.
“Victoria, come here.”
“I won’t go unless you explain.”
“Don’t do that.”
When Harold grabbed Victoria's wrist and pulled her, she surrendered to him, seemingly helpless. He gently hugged Victoria's waist and spoke.
"You hate the Princess of the East, don't you? So I thought it would be a nice gift to do something for that girl before you come."
“...So?”
"I was planning to show everyone the sight of Fabric pummeling that woman. Well, not really, but just pretending. But the fact that she was alone in the garden with a man during a party would have tarnished her reputation. I was planning to do that, but I didn't know that the Northern Lord would kill Fabric there."
“Are you serious? Can I trust you?”
Harold kissed Victoria's forehead.
"Of course, Victoria. I care about you so much. Without you, I wouldn't have made it this far."
At his plaintive voice, Victoria felt a little relieved.
'I was a little anxious today because I didn't use the power of blood... I guess this man really loves me.'
She swallowed back a sarcastic laugh. Even though it failed, Harold had tried to have another man abuse Ariana for Victoria's sake. That meant Harold had no interest in Ariana.
'Look, Ariana. Even the Third Prince has no interest in you. What if no one shows interest in you at this debutante ball?'
Victoria buried her face in Harold's chest.
“Thank you for doing that for me. But I’m jealous... so please don’t get too close to Ariana.”
"Of course I will. But if I get the chance, I might take a little revenge on that woman for you."
Harold continued speaking subtly, stroking Victoria's back.
“But Victoria, there’s a problem.”
“What is the problem?”
“Shall we sit down and talk?”
After moving to the sofa, Harold said as if nothing had happened.
“It’s not a big deal...”
Harold explained what had happened between the Crown Princess and Chloe. He didn't want anyone to know his failure, but now was the time to seek wisdom from at least one more person.
Victoria, who had been listening silently, clutched her skirt as the story became increasingly gloomy. She almost screamed.
That's not a big deal! It's a big deal! You could ruin everything!
She swallowed the words that were on her lips with difficulty. Realizing she was becoming too emotional, Victoria squeezed her eyes shut. For some reason, she has been having trouble suppressing jer emotions lately.
Harold quickly spoke about Victoria's appearance.
"But Victoria, things aren't as bad as they sound. It's been weeks, and Chloe's whereabouts are still unknown. And with the social season already upon us, the palace seems to be holding off on the investigation. The most important thing is the Crown Princess's health, and she's safe. So..."
“Harold.”
Victoria, barely able to control her storm of emotions, opened her mouth.
“Promise me one thing. Before you do anything from now on, you'll consult me.”
The corner of Harold's mouth twitched in displeasure, but Victoria didn't see it because she was glaring at him.
“Oh, of course. A married couple is one body, or something like that?”
"Yes. If you do well, I will do well. We're in the same boat, and I'll do anything for you until you reach that high seat. In fact, I'm prepared to do just that. So, Harold, don't go it alone. Talk it over with me."
"Yes, Victoria. I definitely will. I feel so secure having you."
***
Harold quietly left the Bronte mansion and climbed into the carriage. His faint smile crumpled as soon as the carriage door closed.
“You cheeky bitch!”
Victoria's arrogant behavior was disgusting.
Harold threw the box he had received from Victoria.
“How dare someone like you!”
Although she was the granddaughter of the Lord of the West, Victoria was ultimately merely a Princess of the Duke in the West. She was in no position to dictate to the Prince, a descendant of the Emperor.
He was disgusted by her obliviousness to the heights of the sky, clambering forward, seemingly unconcerned with the slightest hint of affection. Yet, it was miserable to have to endure it for the sake of the future.
David Blenwit ascended to the throne simply because he was the son of the Empress. Despite Harold's superiority in talent, popularity, and character, he could not surpass David.
‘If only I could become the Crown Prince...!’
So what can we do?
Because of the pact with the Crown Prince, Victoria had to be seated next to him. If Victoria became Crown Princess, Harold would no longer be able to treat her carelessly.
He didn't want to imagine a future with Victoria. He couldn't understand how he could possibly find her lovable.
'Rather than Victoria.'
Ariana came to mind. She exudes a delicate and elegant air, yet possesses a subtle strength and a high-minded air, and is also known for her polite manners. Ariana, delicate and noble, like a flower perched on a cliff.
A future with her was easy to envision.
He imagined her slightly arrogant eyes shining with sorrow only before him. She, who acted like a precious jewel in front of others, would submit to his commands and do as he commanded. She would laugh and cry at his every word.
"No, I think it's better to keep Ariana as my lover. Then she'll beg and cling to me, dreaming of the unattainable position of Crown Princess."
Thinking of Ariana made Harold feel a lot better.
'Come to think of it, it would be better if a woman as clever and vicious as Victoria were the Crown Princess. Then, no one would dare challenge my position.'
Victoria's plan was a way to kill two birds with one stone: take care of the unsightly Crown Prince, and destabilize the East, which might become a major enemy.
'No, three rabbits?'
If this plan succeeds and falls out of favor with the Emperor again, Ariana's position as Princess of the East will be greatly diminished. If she is cared for and cherished, even the most arrogant Ariana will crumble helplessly and fall into this embrace.
'If only Ariana were mine, the Eastern Lord would have no choice but to follow my will.'
Harold picked up the box he had thrown away earlier and opened the lid.
It was filled with dried tea leaves. They looked like ordinary tea leaves, and indeed, they smelled wonderful.
-“It’s poisonous if you just drink it, but drinking the brewed water once or twice won’t have any effect. If you drink it every day, the effects will gradually appear.”
-“The gift boxes Ariana brought with her when she came to the Empire are probably still somewhere in the palace warehouse. Put them in the box sent by the East.”
-“Have the maids in charge of the Crown Prince and Crown Princess prepare tea using these leaves. If they drink this every day, the effects will appear within a month.”
- "I have someone in the East mansion. I've hidden these tea leaves throughout the mansion. If anything goes wrong with the Crown Prince and his wife, they'll immediately mention the gifts from outside. After that, His Majesty the Emperor will handle it. It would be even better if you could steer them toward the East when the opportunity arises."
The Emperor once suspected that the Eastern Lord was in league with Paganus and was plotting to seize the throne.
'If you doubted it once, there's no reason you can't do it a second time.'
The Emperor was a timid and suspicious man. No matter how much merit his peers had earned in the struggle against Paganus for the empire, he was a timid man, prone to turning his back on them at any moment due to even the slightest suspicion.
If the Emperor were to discover that the gift from the East contained the poison that harmed the Crown Prince and Crown Princess, he would not delve further and instead turn his sword against the East. The old-fashioned and upright Eastern lord, instead of making excuses, would simply accept the Emperor's wrath.
'It would be better if even the lord raised his swords against the Emperor.'
No matter how strong the East military might be, the empire still had the Northern, Western, and Southern territories. The Eastern lords' swords could not possibly reach the Emperor.
'If my father dies and the country falls, what kind of expression will Ariana have?'
A surge of pleasure filled Harold's heart as he pictured her, weeping in despair. The thought of placing her, lost and crying for help, in a vase brought a smile to his face.
Harold closed the box's lid and placed it carefully on his lap. This box would bring him so much.
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