Episode 65. Life is Timing
It was inside the carriage returning to the mansion. Lucy was beside her, organizing the day's events in her notebook. The sun was setting outside the window. It was the time when afternoon was turning into evening. Martha looked out the window and thought.
'I've done so much today. I want to live a leisurely life, but the world just won't leave me alone.'
She had solved the blueprint problem in the morning, and in the afternoon, she clicked with Countess Hartmann. Marchioness Deberg had also properly struck back today.
As she left the teahouse, Martha thought to herself, "Ah, that feels refreshing. It feels like someone has scratched the inner part of my back where my arms couldn't reach."
The carriage pulled into the main gate of the Valois estate. Maxim was waiting at the entrance. As Martha stepped out of the carriage, she looked at Maxim. His expression was different from usual. It was the look of someone who had been waiting for Martha for a long time.
"My Lady, Prince Leon has arrived and is waiting for you."
Martha looked at Maxim.
"Since when?"
"It's been about an hour."
As soon as Marta entered the front door, she took off her coat, handed it to Lucy, and went into the study. Leon was standing by the window. He turned around, as if he had heard Marta enter. His gaze was different from usual. It was expressionless, yet within that blankness, something heavy seemed to fill the eyes.
As Marta sat down, she said.
"Have you been waiting long?"
"No, I just arrived."
What was he talking about, saying it had been over an hour? Leon walked from the window and sat down opposite her. His movement as he sat was more cautious than usual. Noticing this, Marta thought, 'Something is going on.'
"Where have you been, Princess?"
"To a tea party arranged by Her Majesty the Empress. Her Majesty the Empress didn't come; only Countess Hartmann and Marchioness Deberg are here."
"Did you hear anything?"
Martha looked at Leon.
"No. Nothing at all. Is something wrong?"
Leon paused for a moment. That silence was strange. The silence Leon used to choose his words was different from the silence he used to search for the right words. Right now, it was the latter.
"His Majesty the Emperor went hunting today."
Martha looked at Leon.
"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is with him."
Martha waited. Leon placed his hand on the table and said.
"There was an incident during the hunt."
The study fell silent. It took Martha a moment to process those words.
"An incident? You mean poop?"
"Serena, don't joke around. An arrow was aimed at His Majesty the Emperor. However..."
Leon paused briefly.
"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince took the hit instead."
Martha froze. Lucy, who had heard the words, stopped at the study door, holding her notebook. Martha spoke.
"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince?"
"Yes. His Majesty the Emperor is safe. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is currently being treated. An arrow lodged in his shoulder. It didn't penetrate deeply, but there was bleeding."
Martha placed her hand on the table. It was an unexpected situation. Was it a simple accident?
"Was it a simple accident?"
Leon looked at Martha.
"They say a soldier did it by mistake, but we are still verifying it."
"The fact that we are verifying it implies it might not have been an accident."
Leon remained silent. Martha looked out the window. The sun had completely set. The garden was sinking into darkness. The lavender flowerbeds were visible dimly in the darkness. Martha thought. The Empress. The voice she had heard in the secret chamber came to mind. A low, cold voice. A voice without a mask.
"His Majesty is nothing but a hindrance to us right now."
And the voice of the Captain of the Guard.
"Will you make the preparations?"
To that, the Empress had answered as she did
"Not yet. But I must make the preparations. I must make them."
Martha looked at Leon.
"Young Master Leon."
"Yes."
"It could be the work of Her Majesty the Empress."
The study fell silent. Leon looked at Martha. Martha spoke.
"I once followed the Empress to her secret room and almost got caught. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince saved me then. I overheard it in that room. The Empress talking with the Captain of the Guard."
Leon leaned forward.
"What did she say?"
"She said the current His Majesty is nothing but a hindrance. She said preparations must be made. She was getting annoyed that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince isn't listening either."
Martha said, looking out the window.
"Those words might not be entirely unrelated to today. That His Royal Highness the Crown Prince took an arrow meant for His Royal Majesty the Emperor."
Leon looked at Martha. Her eyes were different. They were eyes filled with something sharp beneath a blank expression.
"I need to verify this."
"Yes. And I think I need to go to the Imperial Palace."
Leon looked at Martha.
"To the Imperial Palace?"
"I will send an urgent letter to the Empress. Tell her I came because I was worried after hearing the news that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was injured. I need to see for myself how the Empress reacts."
Leon was silent for a moment. He stopped mid-sentence. He likely wanted to say something. Yet, his expression also revealed that he knew Martha was well aware of the danger.
"I will go with you."
"You must enter the Imperial Palace alone."
"I will wait outside."
Martha looked at Leon. His gaze held a refusal to negotiate.
"Understood."
Lucy thought as she took out her notebook outside the study. The day was not over yet. She sent an urgent letter first.
Your Majesty the Empress, I have heard the news that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has been injured. I am worried and would like to visit you. May I see you briefly?
Sincerely, Serena Valois.
Leon waited in front of the carriage while Martha sent the letter and prepared herself. As Martha stepped out the front door, she looked at Leon. Leon looked back at Martha. There was no word.
They boarded the carriage. The journey to the Imperial Palace felt faster than usual. Inside the carriage, Martha sorted out her thoughts. How she would handle meeting the Empress. What she should say and what she should not say. What she should read in the Empress's reaction. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was injured. Instead of His Majesty the Emperor.
Martha looked out the window and thought. If my hunch is correct. Had the son taken the arrow shot by his mother instead? Or had the son taken it to protect his mother? Either way, it was a heavy story.
They were in front of the main gate of the Imperial Palace. As Leon stepped out of the carriage, he said he would wait. Martha looked at Leon. He had waited for an hour earlier, after all. Leon stood facing the main gate. His posture was firm. It was a stance that showed his promise to wait was not just empty words.
Martha entered through the main gate. It was the hallway of the Empress's quarters. A lady-in-waiting guided Martha. Her pace was not fast. She tried to sense the Empress's condition from the lady-in-waiting's gait. The lady-in-waiting's steps were cautious. It was not a hurried pace, but a cautious one.
The door to the quarters opened. The Empress was seated in a chair. As Martha entered, the Empress rose to her feet. The movement was swift. It was the movement of rising out of joy.
"The Princess has come."
"Your Majesty, I was worried. I might have been rude, but I wondered if it was appropriate to visit like this."
"Rude? What do you mean?"
The Empress said, taking Martha's hand.
"You came because you were worried. Thank you."
As Martha held the Empress's hand, she felt its warmth. It was cold. The Empress's hands were always cold. But today, they seemed even colder than usual. Leading Martha to a seat, the Empress said.
"Did you hear the news?"
"Yes. That His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was injured."
"Something happened during the hunt "
The Empress spoke as she took her seat.
"I intended to leave, but I couldn't because I heard the news that the Crown Prince was injured. His Majesty the Emperor was also shocked and is currently resting. The Crown Prince is currently receiving treatment."
Her voice was calm. Too calm. Someone who could speak like this when her son was injured. Martha thought to herself as she listened. It felt like I was confirming once again what kind of person she was. The Empress looked at Martha.
"Still, it feels good that Serena rushed over so quickly to worry about me. It seems that someone getting hurt isn't necessarily a bad thing."
Was she crazy? This woman was definitely not in her right mind. Martha was conflicted about whether to agree with her or not. She couldn't decide which side would suit the Empress's taste better.
"Ah, right! Serena, would you like to see the Crown Prince before you go?"
Martha looked at Her Majesty the Empress.
"Yes?"
"The Crown Prince must have finished his treatment. He should be lying in his room. I thought he would be happy to hear that Serena came to visit."
Martha looked at the Empress. The Empress smiled and led Marta by the hand. She was already standing. As Marta stood up, she thought to herself, 'No... this wasn't part of the plan.'
The Empress led Martha out into the hallway. The Crown Prince's quarters were not far from the Empress's. As they walked down the hallway, the Empress said.
"The Crown Prince has been talking a lot about Serena lately."
"Is that so?"
"He'll be happy to know Serena is here."
Martha looked at the Empress. She was walking with her eyes fixed straight ahead. The Empress gripped Martha's hand even tighter and began walking at a faster pace. It was the profile of someone plotting something. That sinister smile, considering her son had come home injured. It was the profile of someone trying to manipulate the fact that the Crown Prince liked Martha to create something.
They were in front of the Crown Prince's quarters. The Empress opened the door and practically shoved Martha inside like a sack of luggage.
"I'll send the servants out. If he tells him Serena is here, the Crown Prince will regain his strength. Sit by his side and nurse him."
As Martha stepped into the room, she looked back. The Empress was closing the door from the outside. Her gaze signaled that she was discreetly stepping aside. It was the look of a mother wishing for the two of them to be happy together. However, that look was not the look of a real mother.
The door closed, and the room fell silent. Martha looked inside. The Crown Prince lay on the bed. A bandage was wrapped around his shoulder. His eyes were closed, and his face was pale. Fortunately, he was breathing. Irregular breathing. It was the breathing of someone in pain.
Martha sat down on the chair beside the bed. She had sat there somewhat bewildered. The room was silent. The only sound was the Crown Prince's breathing. Listening to that sound, Martha thought, 'There really wasn't a plan for this; how did it end up like this?'
Martha looked down at the Crown Prince lying there. A vivid white bandage, beneath which was a stain of red. It was the trace of bleeding. This shoulder had blocked the arrow aimed at His Majesty the Emperor. Looking at it, Martha wondered.
"Did he block it knowing it was an arrow shot by his mother, or did he simply jump in to block it for the Emperor's sake? Either way."
Martha looked at the Crown Prince and spoke in a low voice, as if speaking to someone asleep.
"Your Highness."
There was no answer.
"Are you badly hurt?"
There was no answer. Martha continued speaking while looking at the Crown Prince.
"I was worried. When I heard that something had happened during the hunt. That is why I came."
The room was silent.
"If Your Highness jumped in to block your Mother's arrow..."
Martha paused. Then she spoke again.
"I thought, 'So that is the kind of person you are.' Do you understand? I thought it was just like a grandchild's antics. I'm sorry for thinking that."
The room was silent. Martha continued speaking, looking at the Crown Prince's pale face.
"The Empress pushed me into the room and left. I don't know what her true feelings are, but she said Your Highness likes me. To be honest, I am not in a position to accept Your Highness's affection. For various reasons."
Martha looked at the bandage on the Crown Prince's shoulder.
"Get well soon. And..."
She stopped speaking. She tried to say something more, but the words would not come. It was then.
"Are you done talking?"
Martha froze. It was the Crown Prince's voice. His eyes were open. It was as if they had been open for who knows how long. He was staring at the ceiling. Then, he slowly turned his head toward Martha. Their eyes met. Martha felt as if her heart was about to escape.
"How long have you been awake?"
"Since before you started talking about your grandchild's antics."
Martha froze. The Crown Prince blinked slowly and said.
"I heard everything."
It took Martha time to process those words. The Crown Prince said.
"And just as Princess Serena said, it seems to be my Mother's doing."
His voice was hoarse. It was the voice of a sick person. Yet, there was no wavering in it. It was not a voice speaking aloud for the first time what had long been pondered, but rather a voice confirming what was already known.
Martha looked at the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince continued speaking while looking at the ceiling.
"I was by His Majesty's side at the hunting grounds. I saw the direction the arrow was coming from first. It was headed toward His Majesty."
He paused briefly, then spoke.
"I just jumped in. I didn't have time to think."
Martha looked at the bandage on the Crown Prince's shoulder. The Crown Prince looked at Martha.
"I knew Mother was the type to make me do something like this. It has been a long time."
The Crown Prince said.
"Still, it feels different experiencing it firsthand."
Those words were short and heavy. Martha looked at the Crown Prince. As he looked at Martha, the Crown Prince's eyes changed. They were different from before. They were not the eyes of someone who had regained consciousness. They were the eyes of someone about to speak for the first time.
"When I opened my eyes, you were there."
Martha looked at the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince said.
"I wondered if I was having the dream I had been hoping for."
Those words settled into the room, just as they settle into a teahouse. Martha thought as she received those words. This isn't right. I know this isn't right, but...
The Crown Prince looked at Martha.
"Thank you for coming."
The voice was different. It wasn't the voice of His Highness the Crown Prince. It was the words of twenty-three-year-old Pierre Moncler. It was the words of a man lying down, having blocked an arrow his mother had sent with his shoulder just that day.
Martha thought as she received that gaze. She had thought it was like a grandchild's playful antics. But it wasn't. No, she didn't know how to interpret it.
Martha looked at the Crown Prince and said.
"Get well soon."
The Crown Prince looked at Martha.
"Is that all?"
"It is all."
The Crown Prince looked at Martha. Something passed through his eyes. It was something like a smile. A smile that came despite the pain. The corners of his mouth turned up ever so slightly.
"You are heartless."
"You must recover quickly so you can see a heartless person again."
Hearing those words, the Crown Prince looked up at the ceiling for a moment. Then, with his right hand, which was closer to the bed, he tightly grasped Martha's hand. And he said.
"I want to see you again."
Martha rose from her seat. The Crown Prince looked at Martha. Martha looked at him for a moment, then averted her gaze.
"I'll be going now. Please rest."
The Crown Prince said.
"Princess."
Martha stopped. The Crown Prince spoke.
"It is true that my Mother is fond of the Princess. However..."
The Crown Prince said, closing his eyes.
"Liking someone is a different matter from not treating them disrespectfully."
Those words lingered in the room. Martha looked at the Crown Prince. He remained with his eyes closed. Was he falling asleep again from exhaustion, or was he holding back what more he had to say?
Martha opened the door and stepped out into the hallway. As she walked down the hallway, she thought to herself. Life is full of taking a step backward, I suppose.
Entering this room today was not part of her plan. She hadn't known the Crown Prince would be awake. She certainly hadn't expected to be caught saying it was like a grandchild's antics. Yet, the things the Crown Prince had said wouldn't leave her mind.
It seems like my Mother's doing. I opened my eyes, and there you were.
Be careful. Martha muttered to herself as she walked down the hallway. I don't know how to look at this person.
It was in front of the main gate of the Imperial Palace. Leon was there. It was just as he had said. He had said he would wait, and he was waiting.
Seeing Martha come out, Leon walked over. Standing in front of Martha, he scanned her up and down. It was a look checking to see if she was hurt.
"Are you alright?"
"I am fine."
"And the Empress?"
"The Empress just welcomed me."
Leon looked at Martha. Martha said as she walked.
"I saw His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."
Leon said as he walked beside Martha.
"How is he?"
"He is conscious. He even spoke."
Leon looked at Martha. Martha spoke while looking straight ahead.
"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince said he thinks it was his Mother's doing. He said he jumped in after seeing an arrow heading toward His Majesty at the hunting grounds."
Leon remained silent. Martha continued.
"It seems he knew for a long time that the Empress was the kind of person to order something like this."
Leon said as he walked.
"I must submit this to His Imperial Majesty."
"Yes. And Prince Leon."
Leon looked at Martha. Martha spoke.
"Among what His Royal Highness the Crown Prince said... No."
Leon looked at Martha. Her gaze did not waver. Martha looked at Leon for a moment. Leon said.
"I will wait. Even if not right now, for the words you were about to say but stopped."
The two looked at each other. Martha averted her gaze first and said.
"I'll be going."
As Martha walked toward the carriage, Leon followed closely behind. As he walked, Leon clenched his fist tightly.
[Lucy's Secret Shock Journal Chapter 65]
His Highness the Crown Prince collapsed after taking an arrow aimed at His Majesty the Emperor instead.
The Princess went to assess the situation, but unexpectedly ended up nursing His Highness the Crown Prince. The Princess was rambling on to herself like a fool, but His Highness the Crown Prince heard everything.
Princess, that is why I always told you to be careful.
They say His Highness the Crown Prince held your hand.
Princess, I made a bet with the other servants about who would make physical contact first, and I was on Young Master Leon's side.
Thanks to you, I lost 3 silver coins. Please give me my money back.
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