Episode 71 - You
People had been gathered in the imperial palace office since morning. The Emperor was holding a meeting with several ministers, including Leon. The gathering was to discuss who would be suitable for the vacant position of Captain of the Empress's Guard. The office remained quiet as the conversation continued. The Emperor was examining documents and was about to ask Leon something when the office door opened.
It was the Empress. There was no knock. She simply opened the door and burst in. As she entered, the Empress scanned the office once. Her face showed nо concern, even as she confirmed the ministers were present.
The Emperor looked at the Empress.
"What brings you here? Without any prior notice."
The Empress walked toward the Emperor, sat down in an empty chair beside him, and said.
"I have come to make a suggestion."
The ministers exchanged glances. It was not common for the Empress to barge into an office like this. One could sense from her demeanor that she had come with a firm resolve. The Emperor closed the documents and said.
"Speak."
"I would like to formally propose a marriage between the Princess of Valois and the Crown Prince."
The office fell silent. The ministers froze. Leon froze. The Emperor looked at the Empress with surprised eyes. The Empress continued.
"The Duke of Valois is the Imperial Household's number one retainer. I believe there is no better family than this for a Crown Princess. Furthermore, the Princess of Valois is someone I have seen up close myself. She is fully qualified."
The Emperor's gaze seemed to be trying to read the Empress's true intentions. He wondered what ulterior motive this woman had for pushing this marriage through. The Emperor knew that the Empress intended to completely bring the Duke of Valois into her grasp. Becoming the Crown Princess meant the Princess of Valois would be completely within her protection.
However. The Emperor pondered deeply. The connection between the Duke of Valois and the Imperial Household through marriage was not merely about entering the Empress's protection. If a ducal family that was the Imperial Household's number one retainer were bound to the Crown Prince through marriage, the foundation of the Imperial Household would become even more solid. And the Emperor knew that the Duchy of Valois was now on his side. Through Leon, through Edward, through Claude. If the Duchy of Valois were to become the Crown Princess... the Emperor's eyes gleamed.
The Empress was pushing this marriage as part of her own plan, and if it actually came to fruition, it wouldn't be bad for the Emperor either.
"It seems the Empress and I are on the same wavelength today."
The Empress looked at the Emperor at his words. The Emperor gave a thumbs-up and said.
"The Princess of Valois would make a good choice for our Crown Princess. I am glad to."
The Empress froze for a moment. Her expression showed she hadn't expected the Emperor to accept it so easily. She had thought persuasion would be necessary, but the Emperor was accepting it even more enthusiastically.
The Empress looked at the Emperor as she fell into thought for a moment. He was smiling at her. The Empress bowed her head once and said.
"That works out well."
Then she left the office. The door closed. As she walked down the hallway, the Empress's expression changed. She looked thoughtful for a moment, then a smile soon rose on her face. The Empress muttered to herself.
"You think you'd be happy if Serena came in. Serena is already on my side. I wonder what your expression will be like when you find out that the Valois family, the pillars of the Emperor's faction, are actually my closest confidants. Hoho."
The Empress's laughter echoed through the hallway for a long time. Inside the office, which the Empress had left, the Emperor naturally looked at Leon as he unfolded his documents again. Leon had been silent for some time. He hadn't said a single word from the moment the Empress entered until she left. He was expressionless. However, that lack of expression was different from usual. It was a face that looked as if it had been struck hard by something. Leon swallowed hard. The Emperor saw it.
"Why?"
Leon looked at the Emperor.
"Are you uncomfortable because the story of your former fiancée came up?"
Leon looked at the Emperor. After a moment of silence, he opened his mouth reflexively.
"No."
The Emperor looked at Leon. He tried to read something in Leon's expression, but soon turned his eyes back to the documents.
"I see."
Leon looked straight ahead. The Emperor resumed the meeting. Leon answered. He looked at the documents. He spoke. Yet, it felt as though all of this was happening automatically. Like someone whose head was here, but whose mind was elsewhere.
It was afternoon. Martha was out in the garden. She was sitting on a bench next to the lavender flowerbed, poring over documents related to the hot springs. However, she could not concentrate on the papers.
News had already arrived that the Empress had proposed a marriage to the Emperor today. Edward had sent a letter from the Imperial Palace. It was a short letter.
Her Majesty the Empress proposed a marriage to His Majesty the Emperor. His Majesty the Emperor accepted.
Those two lines were the entirety of the letter. As Martha read the letter, she thought, 'It was bound to happen.' It was what she had expected. Even though she had anticipated it, it felt different now that it was actually happening.
Closing the documents, she looked at the garden. The lavender was swaying in the breeze. The afternoon sunlight had settled upon the flowerbeds. It was a peaceful scene. Yet, amidst that peaceful scene, Martha thought of Crown Princess. She pondered what it meant for that title to be attached to her.
It was a second life. In her first life, she was the Head Lady-in-Chief. In her second life, the Crown Princess. Martha muttered to herself. Life is truly extreme. A leader is a leader, whether it is the Head Lady-in-Chief or the Crown Princess.
Just then, footsteps were heard from the direction of the mansion. Martha turned around. The Crown Prince was striding toward her. Martha froze when she saw him. The Crown Prince looked at Martha as he entered the garden. The Crown Prince had come to the Valois ducal estate in person. It was the first time the Crown Prince had visited the estate.
As Martha was about to stand up, the Crown Prince raised his hand and said.
"Please sit down. It will only take a moment."
The Crown Prince sat on the bench next to Martha. Seeing the bandage on his shoulder peeking slightly out from under his uniform, Martha knew that the Crown Prince was not fully recovered. Even so, the fact that he had come to see her so urgently surely meant it was about the marriage. The Crown Prince's expression was cautious. It was as if he had come to say something, but was agonizing over how to bring it up.
"Today, Mother proposed a marriage to Father."
"I heard."
"You already heard."
The Crown Prince looked at the garden. He watched the lavender swaying in the breeze for a moment, then looked back at Martha.
"What do you think, Princess? Regarding this marriage?"
Martha looked at the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince continued.
"You may say no if you don't want to. I will find a way to stop it."
Those words were sincere. It was palpable that he did not want to drag her into it against her will. The Crown Prince had not come to push this marriage through, but rather to first ascertain what Martha thought.
Martha looked at the Crown Prince.
"Thank you for your concern. However, I will handle it myself."
The Crown Prince looked at Martha.
"I want to know what you mean by 'handling it myself.'"
"First, I'll have to think about it. Besides, a marriage isn't just a matter between me and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. There are many things to consider."
A brief silence followed. A gust of wind swept by. The lavender swayed to one side before standing up again. The Crown Prince spoke.
"The Princess."
Martha looked at the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince spoke while looking at the garden.
"I know that Mother is pushing this marriage because she wants to trap you in her grasp. She likely wants to use the Valois ducal family to her liking. But I will not let that happen."
The Crown Prince continued.
"If you come to me, I will stand against Mother and protect you."
Martha looked at the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince looked at Martha. Their eyes met. The Crown Prince took a moment to catch his breath and said.
"I like you, Serena Valois. So when the topic of our marriage came up, honestly, excitement outweighed any thoughts about your position."
The garden fell silent. The only sound was the lavender swaying in the wind. The Crown Prince continued.
"Please do not regard this engagement merely as a trap; could you consider it with me, taking into account my feelings as well?"
Those words struck Martha deeply. She looked at the Crown Prince. Twenty-three. Crown Prince Pierre Moncler. She had thought he was a man gentle on the outside but calculating on the inside. The man who blocked his mother's arrow with his shoulder. The man who said he thought it was a dream when he opened his eyes to find her there. The man who saved her from danger several times.
She had thought of him as a grandson. Looking at the Crown Prince, Martha thought, "He is sincere."
That made her heart heavier. Martha spoke.
"Your Highness."
The Crown Prince looked at her.
"I will think about it."
The Crown Prince looked at her. At the words 'I will think about it', neither a refusal nor an acceptance, the Crown Prince immediately realized it wasn't a rejection and found himself smiling involuntarily. Then, rising from his seat, he said.
"I will wait."
And he left the garden. Martha watched the Crown Prince's retreating figure. As his back moved away, the garden fell silent again. Martha looked at the lavender. A cool breeze blew once more.
After evening had passed, Martha was alone in the study. She had documents spread out, but she wasn't reading them. The words the Crown Prince had spoken today kept swirling in her mind
"I like you. Please don't think of it as a trap."
As Martha closed the documents, she thought, "I can't sort this out."
Just then, the study door opened. It was Leon. Martha looked at Leon. It was the first time they had encountered each other since he had turned back from the reception room door a few days ago. Everything that had happened in the meantime had accumulated between the two of them. As Leon entered, he said.
"I heard the Crown Prince visited."
Martha looked at Leon and said.
"That isn't the priority."
Leon looked at Martha.
"Let's start with the story of you coming to the reception room a few days ago and just turning back."
Leon was silent for a moment. Martha waited. Leon opened his mouth.
"That day, I was about to come in, but I remembered something urgent and turned back immediately. I was worried that greeting you would make things late."
"Was it urgent?"
"Yes."
"That day, you must have heard it outside. My words about His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and I getting involved. Isn't that why you left?"
Leon looked at Martha. Silence fell. Leon spoke.
"No."
Hearing that answer, Martha thought. Cowardly. The moment that thought crossed her mind, Martha spoke.
"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince visited today."
Leon looked at Martha.
"He asked if I could consider our relationship better. He says he likes me."
Leon said nothing. It wasn't that he was silent. The words just wouldn't come out. Leon picked up his teacup and put it down. He looked out the window, then at the table. He didn't look at Martha. Watching him, Martha thought. He feels like he should say something, but he can't.
"Young Master Leon, what about you?"
Leon looked at Martha.
"Do you have feelings for me?"
Leon continued to stare at Martha. Martha continued.
"Are you going to cowardly evade this question again, just like you did earlier?"
Her words echoed softly throughout the study. Leon looked visibly flustered. It was the first time Martha had seen Leon so flustered. Like a broken person, he would open his mouth only to close it, then open it only to close it again. It is difficult
Martha looked at Leon. Leon glanced at Martha, who was looking at him. It was an expression she had never seen on Leon before. He was not the one known as the cold-blooded young master of the Ashford ducal family. He was Leon Ashford, a young man of twenty-three. He wore the expression of someone who wanted to say something but was afraid to speak. Leon opened his mouth with difficulty.
"I am sorry."
He paused for a moment before continuing.
"Today is a day when it is difficult to answer anything."
Leon rose from his seat.
"My Princess, may I come back after I collect my thoughts?"
And without even a proper farewell, he walked toward the study door. The door opened, then closed just as Leon left.
Martha watched the closed door. The study fell silent. Martha sat there. She said nothing. She tried not to think about anything. She tried to open the documents again. But... her hand would not move.
Martha slowly closed her eyes and opened them. Looking at Leon, who had been her fiancé before breaking off the engagement, yet with whom she had weathered crises together and who taught her things she had never known. Martha had wondered a few times what her future would be like living as Serena. Pierre was nowhere to be seen, but she was certain that Leon would always be by her side in some form.
However, during their conversation today, Martha was disappointed in Leon several times. She realized that this feeling, which had blossomed without her even noticing, was unrequited love, and seeing Leon remain silent without offering a corresponding response, she felt an inexplicable sense of betrayal.
For Martha, this was a feeling she had never experienced before in her life. Unconsciously, she slumped down from her seat. She sank to the floor. She hugged her knees. And she cried. She cried silently at first, then sobbed uncontrollably. It felt as if everything she had held back for so long was coming out all at once.
She couldn't tell exactly why she was crying. Was it because of the Crown Prince's words? Was it because of Leon's cowardice? Or was it simply because the entire situation was too overwhelming?
She had lived for eighty years. Sixty years as a chief lady-in-waiting. She had never once cried over things like this. Was it because she was nineteen? Or was it because this was her second life and she was accepting so many things for the first time?
Martha buried her face in her knees and wept. The study was silent, with only the sound of Martha's sobbing heard, and beside her, a candle burned quietly.
[Lucy's Secret Shock Journal - Episode 71]
It is said that today at the Imperial Palace, discussions took place regarding the marriage between His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and the Princess.
Shortly after, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince visited the Duke's estate and confessed that he liked the Princess.
Then, shortly after that, Prince Leon arrived. He conversed with the Princess in the study for quite some time before leaving with a grim expression. Even today, he did not properly return my greeting.
Since the Princess was left alone in the study, I tried to go in, but I heard a sound from the door. The Princess was crying. I did not open the door. I felt like I shouldn't.
The Princess cried today.
Support Novellate!
Comments
Post a Comment