《Dangerous Fiancee》


 Chapter 1

    Clink!


    The wine glass that fell on the stone floor was smashed to pieces with a crash.


    While the red wine was spilling over the floor like blood stains, the two awkward voices ringing lowly stopped suddenly.


    Marianne¡¯s fingertips trembled. When she stepped forward, biting her lips unconsciously, her view, which was hidden by the entangled rose bush, opened wide.


    It was Ober who was standing in front of the great lake of the back garden.


    Giyom, his bodyguard knight, was guarding him.


    ¡°¡­Ober. ¡±


    Marianne called his name as if she was calm.


    She wished he would not answer. She wished that he would fade away like the shade as if she grabbed the air when she extended her hand.


    ¡°Marie.¡±


    But it was a familiar voice that came back to her.


    ¡°It¡¯s fake, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Marie.


    That was her nickname that only Ober could call in this spacious mansion.


    Although she heard it clearly, Marienne asked him again. She had to because she thought she could have heard wrong. Logically, she should have heard wrong.


    It was impossible for Ober to do so. He was a good man. Regardless of when he was dating her or after he married her, he was always attractive and friendly.


    Her father, Duke Kling, disliked Ober very much. Although he was terribly humiliated by her father several times, he never gave her up.


    Without Ober, she could not have properly buried her father who died unexpectedly.


    ¡°Please answer me. Am I having a bad dream right now? if not¡­¡±


    ¡°Marie. I think you¡¯re drunk.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s impossible you did that. No, you can¡¯t. I must have heard wrong. Right?¡±


    Marianne almost cried as she approached him and grabbed his arms.


    ¡°Please, Ober. Save me from this nightmare.¡±


    Her transparent emerald eyes trembled with anxiety.


    ¡°Marie, calm down. What did you hear? Huh?¡±


    ¡°You said you would love me until you died. Yesterday¡­ and until this evening, you kissed my cheeks and smiled at me sweetly. You only whispered into my ear that I¡¯m your light and salvation! ¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I did!¡±


    ¡°Then, how can you¡­how could you do that to my father? If that¡¯s true, it¡¯s like I killed my father. How can you do this¡­?¡±


    ¡°Marie.¡±


    ¡°Ober, as a human, you can¡¯t do that. No, you¡¯re not that type of man, right? You were not. That¡¯s why I got married to you. Ober, how can you do this to me?¡±


    While Marianne was babbling to deny the situation, Ober¡¯s face was hardening gradually.


    Although her words were cut off in the middle and mixed with emotions because she was so surprised, her point was very clear.


    She was betrayed by her husband, whom she thought she could rely on after she was left alone after her father¡¯s sudden death.


    She overheard his plan to kill her.


    There was someone behind Duke Kling¡¯s sudden death, who was none other than her husband Ober. And she unwittingly helped him carry out his plan to kill his father ¡­.


    Ober slowly stroked Marianne¡¯s cheeks which sadly trembling. Although he stroked it so kindly as ever, what she felt from his touch was terrifying rather than comforting.


    ¡°Well, how could I do that to you?¡± he said in an irritating and annoying tone.


    Marianne instinctively sensed danger in her husband¡¯s instant change of his voice.


    As a woman who spent her whole life only at the home of a peaceful duke, she felt something like murderous temper in him. He had the same look and expression that she used to know, but she felt as if he were a total stranger.


    ¡°Ober¡­?¡±


    ¡°Why did I do that to you, Marie?¡±


    Ober grasped her shoulders as she stepped back. Although Marianen twisted herself with a slight moan and tried to escape, she was caught when he held her arms tightly. Her wrists hurt so much. His strong grip made her warn herself once again, ¡®I have to run away. Right now!¡¯


    At that moment, Ober said, ¡°Are you going to escape because I¡¯m worse than a beast? Or ¡­ . ¡±


    Mariane shook her arms as hard as she could.


    Ober let go of her arms as she wished, but he strongly grabbed her under the chin this time. He strangled her neck with his smooth fingers without hesitation. His strangling was not strong enough to kill her right now, but enough to provoke fear.


    ¡°Ooops ¡­ ! ¡±


    As he anticipated, Marianne almost clamped his arms with a moan.


    It was her first life-threatening experience. She desperately beat his arms and twisted his head to pull even her little fingers away from him. But it was too tough for her to push him away as she was like a woman raised like a flower in the manor.


    ¡°Did I do it to you because you are too stupid for what you have?¡±


    He did not hide his sneering at her.


    Once she mentioned her late father, Duke Kling, Ober had no reason to spare her life. He didn¡¯t need to pretend to be kind to her any more.


    ¡°Ober¡­ ¡­ . ¡±


    In the end, Marianne burst into tears. She was not a totally dumb woman like Ober said.


    She came as far as here because she was so blind to love, for which she could be blamed as a foolish woman. But she was smart enough to find out the truth of the whole situation surrounding her late father.


    She was thoroughly betrayed by someone she loved most.


    This was a strict fact that she couldn¡¯t believe at all, which tore her heart.


    Her cheeks were wet with tears. His eyes were too honest to deny it.


    Marianne knew what his eyes meant: a gaze mixed with deep disgust, a bit of sympathy, ridicule and his cold feelings instead of love or even favors.


    ¡°You deceived me, even though I trusted you. I really loved you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s very good proof that you were so stupid.¡±


    Ober let go of Marianne.


    Mariane sat down on the floor, with her legs getting wobbly. She coughed suddenly.


    She wasn¡¯t displeased at all, though she was thrown down to the rocky ground.


    It occurred to her that the bodyguard, who was standing behind him, was watching her all along, but she didn¡¯t judge her actions as shame.


    ¡°Marie, there is no love in the world.¡±


    She once devoted herself to and loved this man. He whispered to her about eternal love. Now, he told her that there was nothing like love in the world.


    She did not feel as if she was blinking and breathing well. All kinds of thoughts cluttered her mind, but she couldn¡¯t think of anything.


    ¡°You are only a pretty doll. You would be the same if you were sold off to someone other than me.¡±


    Dusting his crumpled clothes nonchalantly, he looked around.


    The back garden with a lake was the most secluded place in the mansion, even in broad daylight. All kinds of trees and flower walls were lined up everywhere, so there were many blind spots around the mansion. As it was so large and complex, it took more than half a day for more than people to find a dog when it ran into the back garden.


    How long would it take to find a duchess who got drunk and disappeared?


    ¡°If I can give you one comfort¡­¡±


    Ober beckoned to Giyom.


    ¡°You were a very good doll. You were more beautiful than anyone else, with great honor and wealth that was hard to compare with any other family. But you were as stupid and loyal to me like the others.¡±


    Giyom shut up her mouth, who plunked down on the ground.


    Surprised, she struggled, but she was stopped by Giyom, who was nearly twice her size.


    ¡°So I didn¡¯t want to throw you away until I became an emperor.¡±


    Ober pointed his chin to the lake. She resisted, desperately hitting Giyom.


    Not caring at all, Giyom walked to the lake, holding her in his arms as if he was holding a light cat.


    When he passed through the shallow edge of the lake, a cold wave began to wet her silk pajamas and white legs. Without hesitating at all, he walked into the water brimming up to his chest and then let go of his arms holding her.


    She did not know how to swim. She wanted to check out if her feet could touch the ground, but she couldn¡¯t control her body. As soon as she stiffened and floundered in the water, he pulled her hair and then pushed her head down with an enormous force.


    Marianne was buried under the water without being able to breathe a handful of outside air.


    Her airway sucked water instead of air. She felt pain because she could not breathe. Whenever her slender body struggled with the fear of death, the water of the lake swept her.


    ¡°Why did you come as far as here at this time? You made things lousy. A funeral is too annoying during the summer.¡±


    While Ober complained, Marianne couldn¡¯t pull her face out of the water even once until her body that made a sizable wave drooped.

 Chapter 2

    ¡°Let¡¯s go. Dispose of her wet clothes,¡± Ober ordered Giyom.


    While looking at the quiet lake for a moment, Ober turned back.


    Giyom, who looked like a drowning mouse, came out of the water and followed him.


    Marianne lay unconscious at the bottom of the lake they deserted, drooping like a wet piece of paper.


    She felt a deep drowsiness. The energy of near death was hovering around her like a hunter. She had no power to refuse it. Just before her heart stopped and the messenger of hell rushed in, what she thought for the last time was a simple regret.


    ¡®If I had known Ober¡¯s malice in advance, I would not have died so miserably.¡¯


    At that moment, the water deep in the lake where she sank sparkled brightly as if stars had exploded.


    It was dark everywhere.


    Heavy and moist pressure surrounded her body from head to toe. She was stuck in a space where she couldn¡¯t move even her fingers freely, let alone her arms and legs. It was warm, distant, and calm.


    ¡®Ah, it¡¯s water.¡¯


    Marianne suddenly realized that she was underwater. Then she opened her eyes before she knew. Her dark chocolate-colored hair floated in front of her eyes, tangled up like a water plant.


    ¡®It¡¯s annoying. I want to clean it up.¡¯


    When she thought so, the sense of her fingertips came back this time.


    As she reached out and pushed her hair to the side, a yellowish mass of lights stabbed her eyes over the wavy surface.


    ¡®It¡¯s so shiny. Who has turned on so many lights?¡¯


    The moment she stretched her arms further up to cover her eyes while frowning, something hot suddenly pulled her away roughly.


    ¡°My lady! What are you doing?!¡±


    The girl¡¯s voice bounced everywhere, along with transparent spray. It was a voice that she had heard a lot somewhere.


    Marane, sitting up with the help of somebody¡¯s pull, breathed out, which she had been holding back under the water. Oxygen passed through her nose and down the airway to inflate her lung. The sense of breathing that she didn¡¯t feel normally was so clear that she breathed in and out again and again. Though she just breathed, she felt a great pleasure.


    ¡°Oh dear, you¡¯ve learned a strange play from Miss Evelyn. ¡­ . I asked you not to play that weird game! Did you even bet who first jumped into the bath water to become a water demon first? ¡±


    The girl nagged her.


    Though she was rude, Marianne did not scold or get angry with her. She just focused on breathing for a while and suddenly jumped out of bed.


    ¡°Oh my, lady!¡±


    That surprised girl screamed again. Mariane embraced her shoulders with her arms as if she hadn¡¯t heard anything.


    Water demon¡­ A woman who was drowned like an idiot.


    She was Marianne herself. When she recognized death, her memories of death went back to their place just like the senses of her body that came back one after another.


    She died after drowning in the middle of the dark lake. Though she didn¡¯t remember exactly when she was out of breath, she could vividly recall the process of water filling her lungs instead of air and blurring her eyes, let alone the enormous power that pushed her head down.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to take a bath? I just brought the rose perfume from Marquis Chester.¡±


    She even remembered the man who was controlling the power from a distance.


    Marianne shivered with the revival of her terrible memories.


    ¡°You might have a cold again.¡±


    The girl grunted and covered her with a large bath towel.


    Marianne came out of the bath, helped by the girl. The sense of real walking on the floor was too clear for her to think she was hallucinating.


    ¡®How can this happen?¡¯


    Marianne raised her hands and slapped both cheeks. Her moist hands were wet with water and it felt like her cheeks were burning. Nevertheless, the surroundings were not distorted, nor were the dimensions changing. She didn¡¯t wake up from sleep, either. It didn¡¯t seem like a dream.


    ¡®Then, was the world I regarded as reality a dream? Perhaps¡­ Was it a dream where I was betrayed and killed by him?¡¯


    Marianne¡¯s hope died very shortly.


    ¡°My lady! Why are you acting like this today? Your birthday party is in two days! What if you get sick?¡±


    ¡°Birthday party? In two days?¡±


    ¡°Yes, there¡¯s only two days left. Your twenty-first birthday party! Oh my god, you¡¯ve been waiting for about a month. Are you going to pretend not to know that?¡±


    She felt dizzy, mired in more confusion.


    She was twenty-three when Ober murdered her.


    * * *


    The maid who nagged while helping her take a bath was Cordelli.


    Although there was a difference in titles, she was the daughter of her nanny and she was about the same age. Marianne grew up thinking of her as a friend and a sister.


    Cordelli also gave Marianne special treatment. Instead of assigning it to a junior maid, she took care of it by herself, and she stood by Marianne all the time while fulfilling her job as a housemaid. She was innocent and bright by nature. So, she felt strange about Marianne who suddenly started to have lots of suspicions, but she quickly adjusted herself and served her master.


    ¡°Cordelli, what¡¯s the date today? If I¡¯m twenty-one years old, it is 593 by the imperial calendar, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Right. Today is April 19, 593 by the imperial calendar. Are you testing me because I might not remember your birthday?¡±


    ¡°No, nothing like that¡­ What about my father?¡±


    ¡°He said he would be back before your birthday. I guess he¡¯ll be back today or tomorrow? Do not worry. He cares for you so much that he has changed his schedule to come back on your birthday party.¡±


    Thanks to her detailed answer, Marianne was able to gather some information while walking in the familiar hallway.


    In terms of space, she was in the Castle of Lennox and it was spring when she was 21. In the spring of that year, her father was out for an inspection tour of his territory, and Ober busily visited her house to win over her heart.


    Though she found it hard to believe, there was too much evidence. The structure of the house that she used to know, the familiar scenery that varied with her moving steps, and the voice of Cordelli who called her a lady instead of madame. Even the room that she was in now resembled the one in her own memory.


    ¡°You must be tired. Can I bring you some hot tea?¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome. Let me go ahead and pick the one with the best scent.¡±


    Cordelli responded kindly and left the room. Her footsteps faded away from the closed room.


    Marianne, left alone, looked around the room one more time.


    It wasn¡¯t the main bedroom of the house where she stayed as a duchess after marrying Ober, but the room of an annex.


    The annex was adapted to fit Marianne¡¯s taste, ranging from the small ornaments in the bedroom to the large trees and fences of the back garden. It was the result of his father Duke Klink¡¯s constant efforts for the only daughter of his family and his poor daughter who lost her mother as a baby.


    Duke Kling accepted no matter what request his daughter made, even though sometimes it was too excessive to hurt his prestige or if it cost too much.


    If there was one thing he desperately opposed, that was her marriage to Ober. He eventually gave in to her and made Ober his son-in-law.


    ¡®I didn¡¯t know that Ober was such crap. Neither my father nor did I know. If I had known about him in advance, things would have been different.¡¯


    Marianne walked to the window, chewing on her useless assumption like that.


    When she pulled the curtains, she could see the garden of the annex outside the window. The flower garden, which looked a bit blue as it got dark outside, was filled with cherry trees in full bloom, colorful tulips, fragrant lilacs, and less hyacinths.


    Obviously, it was a spring garden. It was so different from the midsummer garden of the dark lake where she was stuck. That dreamy scene clouded Marianne¡¯s thoughts.


    ¡®Have I really returned to the past? Or did I have a bad dream? But it¡¯s too vivid to think that this is a dream¡­ ¡®


    Lost in her thoughts, she swept her hand down the window. Touching the window as if she was reflecting on her memories, she suddenly looked at her hands. And then she frowned. She noticed the wounds between the ring finger and middle finger on her left hand. The surface of the skin was slightly bumpy, as if it had been cut by something and then healed. At first glance, it was like an uncolored tattoo.


    ¡®No way, this is¡­ ¡®


    After hesitating for a moment, she touched the wound gently. She felt strange when she touched it with her fingertips. Suddenly, she had goosebumps on her back.

 Chapter 3

    In fact, she wounded her finger in the winter when she was 22. While she was crying, holding her dead father¡¯s coffin, her finger was scratched by a nail that protruded from it and bled a lot. Luckily, her family doctor Laeneek, who was at the funeral, gave her first aid. But the ugly scar on that finger couldn¡¯t be removed.


    ¡°If you had your finger hurt in the summer or if you had tetanus, you probably would¡¯ve had to cut your finger. I am so glad that your finger looks okay. Since the wound is hardly visible, don¡¯t worry too much,¡± Codelli said. She could vividly recall Codelli¡¯s voice who said so on the day when the doctor removed her bandage.


    And the wound was still there on the same spot in the same shape as if to prove that her 23 years of life was not a dream.


    At that moment, someone knocked on the door.


    ¡°Lady, it¡¯s Hugo.¡±


    The person who knocked was Hugo, he butler of the house.


    She hurriedly hid her hand and looked out the window like a child caught stealing something.


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    When she okayed, Hugo opened the door politely and showed his manners. He seemed too young to be the butler of her house, but he was more capable than any of the other servants in the house and won her father¡¯s absolute trust. His sharp character and perfect attention to details could be confirmed by looking at his swept hair and tight shirt collar.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got a message for you.¡±


    ¡°Message?¡±


    When Marianne asked, Hugo answered in a polite tone.


    ¡°It looks like Duke Kling will come home soon. Originally, he was supposed to be back tomorrow afternoon, but he has adjusted his schedule a bit.¡±


    ¡°My father is coming now?¡± she asked in a trembling voice.


    When she walked out of the bathroom, she asked Cordelli about where her father was.


    Though her father left the mansion because of his inspection, she was told that he would return soon. Although she could not see him right before her eyes, she could believe the premise that his father was alive.


    In particular, Hugo¡¯s statement that her father would be here soon was clearly different from a vague answer that he was somewhere.


    ¡°Yes. he will probably arrive in about an hour.¡±


    ¡°I have to go out. I want to go out and wait for him.¡±


    She was about to run out to the gate when Hugo stood in front of her gently.


    As if she had read Hugo¡¯s mind, Cordelli spoke as she returned to the room, ¡°If you go out in a dress like that and get exposed to the cold air, Hugo and I could be fired today,¡±


    ¡°You still have some more time. You won¡¯t be late even after you get dressed up first.¡±


    She looked down at her body. Since she just came into her bedroom out of the bathroom, all she put on was loose silk pajamas and a thin gown for indoor wear.


    ¡°Got it. Let me get ready soon after changing clothes.¡±


    ¡°Let me tell the chief maid and help you prepare¡±.


    ¡°Don¡¯t do that. Mrs. Icell might be absent-minded with lots of other stuff because my father is suddenly coming back. That¡¯s why you¡¯re here, Hugo, right?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    As if he was caught off guard, Hugo bowed politely and went out.


    Cordelli put a tea tray on the table and looked impressed.


    ¡°I am just amazed by Duke Kling¡¯s dedication to you. In fact, he said his schedule was too tight for him to be back in time for your birthday. So, I was a bit worried. But he kept his promise! I think he is the most dedicated and kindest man in Aslan.¡±


    Forgetting her own position, Marian laughed at her praise of her father.


    Corelli¡¯s words reminded her of her father¡¯s kindness and affection.


    She wanted to see him as soon as possible, right now.


    Rather than an hour, she didn¡¯t want to wait another ten minutes.


    ¡°I agree. My father has cared for me so much like this, I think I have to repay for his efforts. Can you help me prepare for his return?¡±


    ¡°Sure. Let me call the junior maids and pick out the dress for you ¡±


    Cordelli quickly left the room as if she was more excited than Marianne.


    Left alone, she turned around and looked at the quiet room again.


    She felt it looked like a dream, but she became calm when she touched the scar on her left hand as if she memorized a spell. It was really strange.


    Though the scene unfolding before her eyes as was nonsensical and even ridiculous, she felt she was recovering the sense of reality little by little.


    It was only about a month or so after Duke Kling returned home after the tour.


    It took him so long partly because the Aslan Empire was large and vast, and partly because the two territories he ruled were too far from his house.


    Most of the great aristocrats with more than two territories had either pioneered or subordinated the land adjacent to their original territories. But Kling was a little different. The Castle of Kling was located at the southwest end and the Castle of Lennox was at the north end.


    Given this situation, a full month was not enough for him to make a good inspection trip. According to his usual schedule, it would take at least two months for him to finish the inspection tour, so it was thanks to Duke Kling¡¯s special considerations of his daughter that he cut down his schedule by 15 days and came back home. Before he left, he had promised to return before her lovely daughter¡¯s birthday, and as promised, he returned to his mansion in Lennox two days before her birthday.


    Several carriages arrived in front of the mansion, led by Astolf Knights, the elite knights of northern Lennox. Duke Kling got out of the middle one in a row of carriages.


    Marianne, eagerly pacing up and down at the entrance of the mansion, quickly glanced over a bunch of people. Even though there were only a few people moving around, her heart beat so fast that she could not find him. After sunset, the yard was lit by rows of lanterns, but what she saw was blurry. She realized after a long time that it was blurry because of the tears in her eyes.


    ¡°Oh, Marie. My lovely daughter!¡±


    In the end, Duke Kling recognized her first.


    She heard his familiar voice coming from far away.


    ¡®Marie, my lovely daughter.¡¯


    She breathed in when she heard that familiar and kind voice of his. She wanted to run and hug him right away, but her feet wouldn¡¯t move.


    The wound on her told her this was not a dream or hallucination.


    Nevertheless, she was stricken by the fear that her father coming nearer to her might be a ghost.


    ¡®If I approach him, look at his eyes and hold his hands, will I disappear in a handful of ashes? What if my body is broken like the frozen soil that buried my father during that cold winter? Maybe I¡¯m still dreaming a dream that I won¡¯t wake up from while being rotten in that lake¡­¡¯


    She crumpled the collar of her dress without knowing what to do.


    A light blue frill of her dress was squeezed out through her fragile hands.


    ¡°How have you been? I really pushed the horsemen hard to come back before your birthday,¡± said Duke Kling, who climbed up the stairs quickly while doing himself credit for his quick return.


    ¡°Marie? Why are you crying? Are you sick?¡±


    He was pretty much surprised at the wet marks around her eyes.


    In fact, it was not only Kling Duke, but also all of the people, including the chief maid, who were pretty much embarrassed at her reaction.


    ¡°Marie, what¡¯s wrong with you? Huh? What happened? Mrs. Icell, what happened during my absence? Why didn¡¯t you report it to me quickly? I clearly told you that you should report to me anything about her, right?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir. Except for what I reported to you regularly in letters, there has been nothing unusual or particular about her.¡±


    Chief Maid, Countess Elgot, was restless while watching her face.


    Given that there was no duchess and no successor, Marianne was the only woman that she had to take care of. Sometimes it was a greater sin to fail to meet her feelings than to rub the duke the wrong way.


    ¡°Dad!¡±


    If Marianne had not diverted Duke Kling¡¯s attention by calling him at that moment, Mrs. Icell and her maids would have been given a good scolding on the spot.


    Fortunately, the duke immediately turned his eyes from the countess and looked at his daughter. He wiped her wet cheeks kindly.


    ¡°Come on, Marie. Tell me what happened. Why are you crying?¡±


    ¡°Dad, I¡­ ¡­ . ¡±

 Chapter 4

    She wrapped her father¡¯s hand on her cheeks with her trembling hands. His hands were a bit cold in the night cold, but obviously they were the living man¡¯s hands as she felt warm.


    She could sense his deep feelings of sorrow and concern about her even though she was only one step away from him.


    ¡®This is real. He¡¯s my real father who is alive. It¡¯s so vivid. This can¡¯t be a dream.¡±


    She continued, ¡°I think I just had a bad dream. After I woke up, I missed you so much. What should I do?¡±


    And then she hugged him hard. She rubbed her face on his tight shoulders and laughed.


    Though she didn¡¯t stop shedding tears, she burst into laughter strangely.


    ¡®I¡¯m alive here! Your father is right here beside me!¡¯


    Surprised by her reaction, Duke Kling said, ¡°Oh dear! I thought my daughter was a lady, but you know how to play the baby like this.¡±


    In fact, they lived in the times when it was quite embarrassing for a lady over 20, and for a daughter from a noble family to play the baby.


    Nevertheless, she was always honest with her feelings. She didn¡¯t know how to lie. If she liked it, she nodded while she shook her head if she hated it. She didn¡¯t have to curry favor with somebody.


    And it was of course Duke Kling himself who raised her like that.


    Fortunately, he did not doubt her reply.


    As if he were less worried, he stroked her dark hair over and over again.


    Saying that one¡¯s dream always brought about the opposite outcome, he jokingly told her that he would not sit idle if she had such a dream again.


    She cried loudly in her father¡¯s arms.


    She wondered whether all this was possible. She wondered if it was real that she was dead in the lake or if she was twenty-one years old and talking to her father here, how she travelled back to the past. But all this did not matter at all to her. The fact that her father, whom she could reach out and touch, was alive here and breathing only mattered.


    She didn¡¯t care even if all this was her last dream, whose body was decaying in the lake bottom because it was the dream of the dead who wouldn¡¯t wake up anyway.


    ¡®If I want to defend this fantasy world, I can do anything and I will.¡¯


    She made a vow to herself before she completely recovered her senses in reality. And it was a promise that would change her life.


    * * *


    The next morning, Marianne woke up in a fresh mood after she slept soundly.


    Familiar colors and patterned ceilings in her room were reflected in her eyes.


    She heard chirping birds outside the window. It was an unrealistic peaceful scene.


    Instead of getting up immediately, she pulled a fluffy blanket over her eyes. She rolled her emerald pupils and looked around.


    Although she woke up from sleep, nothing particular changed in the world. Four seasons outside the window, the scenery inside the room and her hesitation before going to bed last night were all the same. She felt a sense of an unbelievably stable reality in them.


    ¡®No wonder¡­ I feel like I¡¯m back to the same place,¡¯ she thought to herself.


    That was a fantastic adaptation for a woman who died just yesterday and then was reborn back as herself two years ago.


    She felt like her own boldness was ridiculous, but she soon concluded that she was all right.


    After she met her living father last night, she decided that the world she was living in now was real. She thought that God who felt pity for her gave her a second life.


    She doubled down on her resolve and gently pulled the string by the bedside.


    She heard a small bell jingling outside the door.


    A little later, Cordelli cheerfully came in with two maids.


    ¡°Lady, are you awake? Good morning!¡±


    The maids opened the curtains of the room. The sun shining over the canopy was warm. She got up nicely. Her ordinary daily life began again.


    The maids working in the annex were usually kind and clever because the chief maid Icell paid particular attention to them. Thanks to them, she didn¡¯t experience much inconvenience in her daily life. She smelled a different flower scent from the basin water heated at a proper temperature every day. The tea that she enjoyed before breakfast was the highest quality tea available in the empire.


    That was the same now. She was done washing her face with warm rose water and sipped a hibiscus tea, which was probably dried up last year and carried on a trade ship. She was once again relieved that the sequence of her daily doings was not very different from usual.


    ¡°Lady, Here is the dress for you.¡±


    Mrs. Icell brought several dresses while she brushed her hair.


    ¡°Thank you. Let me put on this dress today.¡±


    She pointed to the peach-colored dress among many dresses that several maids were holding. She liked the rich ruffles at the end of the sleeves that looked like cherry blossoms in full bloom.


    Mrs. Icell returned the rest of the maids, except for the maid holding the peach dress, and then displayed the shoes and accessories they brought.


    It was not common for the chief maid to pay special attention to apparel in a noble family. As she was accustomed to the chief maid¡¯s especial care, Marianne naturally chose the items that she wanted.


    In no time, she chose light pink shoes and a pair of pearl necklaces and earrings, which were clear and fresh as if they were just dug out of the sea. Cordelli braided her hair on both sides side skillfully.


    ¡°I brought the replies to the invitation cards of your birthday party tomorrow. For now, I have selected the replies from counts and above. Would you check them out for yourself?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Please show them to me.¡±


    Mrs. Icell placed dozens of letters on the dressing table in front of her while she was busy prettying herself up. After looking at the necklace shining in the mirror, she picked up a bunch of letters.


    Familiar names on the envelopes revived her old memories. She turned over the letters with the seals of important noble families including Evelyn, the Marquis of Balua, best known as her closest friend in the northern social circles and Angelica of Count Essenbach. Those noblemen residing in distant territories probably left for her house.


    While she pushed the front letter backwards mechanically, she made a mistake. The letters that she was holding fell on the floor.


    As it turned out, there was only one letter left in her hand.


    The elegant handwriting carved over the red wax seal caught her eye.


    Ober von Chester


    It was his name.


    ¡°Lady, are you okay?¡± Mrs. Icell asked.


    The chief maid had the maids pick up the letters scattered on the floor.


    She could not take her eyes off the letter for a while.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m okay. I think I was too greedy a moment ago.¡±


    Smiling at her barely, she put down the letter with trembling fingers.


    Though she hardly had anything, she felt like throwing up.


    She felt stuffy as if a stone had been placed on her chest.


    That feeling was similar to the sense of her endless sinking into the deep water.


    She even felt as if somebody was pressing her crown down to the floor.


    ¡®It¡¯s dangerous.¡¯


    She jumped out of her seat, wrapping her cold neck with her hands.


    As she struggled while springing to her feet, Mrs. Icell quickly helped her.


    ¡°My lady, you don¡¯t look good. Should I call for the family doctor?¡±


    ¡°Well, no thanks. In fact, I haven¡¯t eaten anything since last night. Can you finish up the preparation for me? My father might have to wait if I delay further.¡±


    Mrs. Icell was a bit puzzled, but she followed her order.


    Helped by the maids, she repeated numerous times that she would be okay, while she took off a gown and pajamas, and put on the dress ironed out stiffly.


    ¡®Okay. Calm down. This is not underwater, I have not yet married him, and my father has not died. Marianne, please. Let¡¯s calm down, Okay?¡±


    This was what she wanted to say, but she kept it to herself deep inside.


    She felt okay momentarily because she repeated it as if she were reciting a spell.


    But she did not remove his name from her mind until she left the room after adorning herself.


    While she had breakfast with his father, while she called Hugo and Mrs. Icell to check out the preparation for her birthday party the next day, Marianne repeated that name all the time.


    It brought about a vivid image of that person.


    Ober, Ober von Chester.


    A young and promising marquis of the Chester family. A man with gray eyes and dark red hair. Her lover who wrapped her shoulders skillfully and kissed her fingers carefully. The owner of the voice who whispered to her that nothing beautiful in the world could be compared to her.


    And the betrayer who killed her father and killed her as well.

 Chapter 5

    In the end, Marianne had to cancel her afternoon schedule and return to her room.


    In fact, she had been earnestly waiting for a birthday party for more than a month, not hiding her excitement. All of a sudden, she suddenly looked dejected and said, ¡®Please take care of my birthday party, you two!¡± Hugo and Mrs. Icell looked at each other in embarrassment. Hugo cautiously asked her what happened, but she told him she had nothing in particular.


    Of course she wasn¡¯t okay.


    Could she be okay? She could not be okay. And she was not supposed to be okay.


    She sighed deeply, sitting in the bedroom alone. She let Cordelli out of her room with the excuses that she wanted to rest. Tears from her long eyelashes dropped onto her dress.


    Only then did she realize why she felt stuffy all morning.


    ¡®Going back to my past doesn¡¯t mean that my hurt feelings were healed. I am still the same.¡¯


    Her life in this world was her second chance. Whether it was a dream or real, she had enough time to change her future in this world. And she was determined to do anything to avoid falling into the same trap as she did before.


    But she really trusted and loved Ober until yesterday. That was her true feeling.


    Of course, she could now guess that there was wicked motivation behind his words and actions, but she could not say that her happiness and excited feelings when she didn¡¯t really know him were fake. Denying her feelings back then was too harsh for her. She felt so upset about the fact that she had to remember her happy memories of him as the humiliating moments because of his crime.That was too big a price for her foolish heart.


    ¡®Bad bastard! Why did you deceive me like this? Don¡¯t you know how much I trusted and loved you? You punishment won¡¯t be enough no matter how heavy it is!¡¯


    She wiped away ceaseless tears again and again.


    If she didn¡¯t get even with him this time, she would be sucked in again. She would rather curse at him while biting her lips. She wouldn¡¯t be dumb again. She knew all this well.


    But just knowing it didn¡¯t mean that things would work out well for her.


    ¡°Boohoo¡­¡±


    In the end, she cried loudly like a child. At her crying, Cordelli, who was pacing up and down outside the door, opened the door without her permission and came in with a worried look.


    But her tears never ceased. Rather, tears came down like a dam that opened a floodgate.


    The whole annex plunged into chaos when she cried. Not only the chief maid and the butler, but also Duke Kling, who came back less than one hour after hearing that, tried their best to comfort her in vain.


    She was beyond their control.


    In fact, she needed more time to recognize his betrayal and cry.


    The mansion, which was in chaos because of her crying, was back to normal in the evening. Marianne fell asleep after crying a lot as if the world fell, but she woke up because she was hungry, strangely enough.


    As a result, she had to eat soup with swollen eyes in front of her father, Cordelli, Mrs. Icell and Hugo, and the family doctor Laeneek, who just arrived for her checkup.


    She felt ashamed as she had to eat amid their attention, which she didn¡¯t notice when she was crying loudly.


    They constantly expressed worry while she was eating.


    She had to repeat like a parrot that she was alright whenever she was asked.


    None of those gathered there believed her, but she had no other choice but to say so.


    She couldn¡¯t confess to them, ¡®Actually, I was murdered by Ober yesterday, or more precisely, last night, at the back garden of the main house. Oh, before that happened, I was married to him, and my father died. But the culprit behind my father¡¯s death was going to kill me too. I was foolish enough to ask him directly and drowned in the lake. I was twenty-three years old then, but when I opened my eyes, I was twenty-one years old.¡¯


    She couldn¡¯t bring herself to say that. She didn¡¯t want to tell her father about that terrible process. Even if she told them about it, not everyone would accept it at once.


    Anyway, at this point in time, Ober was a nobleman who faithfully tried to win her heart with a good feeling. Even Duke Kling would not have guessed that Ober was not simply interested in his lovely daughter or his territories, although he hated Ober because of his family¡¯s overpowering power and his identity as the illegitimate child of the royal family.


    ¡®Knowing a secret I can¡¯t tell anyone is not as fun as a play.¡¯


    She suddenly got lonely and pushed the half-empty soup plate before pulling the blanket over.


    When she didn¡¯t show any further intention to talk with them, the people present in the mansion left one by one. Cordelli stayed to the end, took care of her bedding, and then blew out the candles before going out.


    Her room was quiet again. She curled up her body, sticking her head out of the blanket.


    Looking out the window through which the moonlight was shining through, she recalled that night again.


    As she already cried a lot, she felt a little more calm now than in the morning.


    ¡°Marie, there is nothing called love in the world.¡±


    She suddenly hunched her shoulders when she recalled the face and voice of Ober who said so.


    ¡°You are just a pretty doll. You would be the same if you were sold off to someone other than me.¡±


    She wanted to deny what he said. But that was the only reality she was left with. A pretty doll. The only daughter of a large aristocrat who must be sold off to someone with a significant dowry. Under the imperial law, the daughter could not succeed the titles of her family. Duke Kling had no illegitimate child or a nephew he could take as an adopted son. Since he loved his wife so much, who died more than two decades ago, he did not think of having a concubine or getting married again to get a baby boy.


    ¡®If I had a brother, would things work out differently because my father would have a son to succeed the family?¡¯


    She thought about it for a moment, but gave it up in no time.


    ¡°Hope what I am saying now can comfort you. You were a pretty good doll. You were more beautiful than any other woman, and you had great honor and wealth that was hard to compare with any other family, and you were as foolish as the others, but only loyal to me.¡±


    In any case, it could not be denied that a ¡°beautiful and stupid wife¡± and ¡°the honor and wealth of the Kling family¡± were part of what Ober coveted. He was a cold-hearted villain who deceived her with love and manipulated his father¡¯s death. If her father had a successor, Ober would certainly kill him.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t want to give you up until I became the emperor.¡±


    Before killing her, Ober lived with his wife Marianne only temporarily, and it wouldn¡¯t have been uncomfortable for him. There was no possibility that Ober would not kill Kling¡¯s successor who would be dangerous to him.


    She suddenly stopped thinking because she found some strange word in her recollection.


    ¡®Emperor? Until I become the emperor¡­ ?


    That made sense if the Ober family had a blood relationship with the Frei royal family. Actually, Erica, the wife of the first Marquis Chester and Ober¡¯s biological mother, was the late emperor Cassius.


    Although Ober did not inherit the platinum hair of the Frei family, there were widespread rumors in the social circles in many parts of the empire, including those in the capital, that Ober was the late emperor¡¯s illegitimate child. There was another rumor that there was a reason why Marquis Chester had no children other than Ober, though he slept with lots of women.


    There was even a rumor that Ober would have inherited the Castle of Frey instead of Chester, if Cassius and Queen Blair had not had a baby, who later became a crown prince.


    Marianne also heard those rumors in passing, but she had heard of them once or twice.


    Those who stayed around her did not like the conspiracies or groundless rumors originating in the capital. Rather, they enjoyed talking about flowers, paintings, poetry, and music much longer.


    Was it because of that?


    She often felt sorry for the label ¡®illegitimate child¡¯ attached to Ober¡¯s name. She believed his reassurances that he was willing to live in the Kling house with no successor as his son-in-law and succeed his achievement. She thought that his fervent efforts to win her heart despite her father¡¯s vehement opposition and all kinds of humiliation showed his true love of her as well as his loyalty to the empire.

 Chapter 6

    ¡®Why was such a man determined to be the emperor! I can¡¯t believe that. After all, were his desperate efforts to obtain his father¡¯s title and territories even by changing his last name no more than a means to bring about a rebellion against him?¡¯


    Pondering over the shocking revelation of Ober¡¯s dirty trick, she said, ¡°Oh my god! I didn¡¯t know he was so crazy about it.¡±


    She suddenly had goosebumps on her neck as she felt so cold at the moment. She pulled the blanket over her head.


    Rebellion?


    She saw such a fearful word in history books only, but she never felt like it was a big deal. Ober¡¯s dirty trick made her shameful about the fact that she had fallen in love with him, was carried away with that swindler¡¯s sweet talk of love, and was later betrayed by him.


    ¡°I wish it had been a dream.¡±


    Lamenting her fate, she was consumed by another agony.


    ¡°¡­Can I deceive such a swindler and stay safe?¡±


    In fact, that was the biggest problem. With a deep sigh, she pulled the blanket over her head. She felt like she could not go to sleep.


    * * *


    April 21, 593 by the Imperial Calendar


    Duke Kling¡¯s only daughter, Marianne¡¯s birthday party, was grandly held in the Lennox Mansion.


    It was the biggest party of all the social gatherings in the northern area this year. In addition, it was a place where she, whose face was seen at most three or four times per year, officially showed herself before lots of celebrities.


    There were lots of guests, including from lowly noblemen in remote areas, which took them more than three days by wagon, to higher noblemen with choice territories near Lennox who passed through the main gate. It was a great opportunity for those eager to open connections with the aristocratic family to deepen their friendship.


    Kling opened the main gate of his mansion and turned the entire garden into a party area.


    In addition, there were makeshift stands installed throughout the streets leading to the gate that provided food and gifts. Residents of the duke¡¯s territories and those who did not receive formal invitations could enjoy the party outside the mansion, while those invited could enjoy it inside the mansion.


    ¡®Wow, so many came! I feel sleepy now.¡¯


    Marianne, who slept fitfully last night, rubbed her eyes, standing on the balcony overlooking the party area. Cordelli woke her up in time so she was not late for the party, but she felt too tired. She didn¡¯t even know which dress she chose and how she fixed her hair.


    ¡°Marie!¡±


    Somebody called her cheerfully as if to wake her up.


    Trying to smile and turning her head, she was suddenly hugged warmly by someone before she knew.


    ¡°Evelyn!¡±


    ¡°Hi, sister Marie!¡±


    ¡°Hi, Angelica! I¡¯m glad to see you here too.¡±


    ¡°Because you sent me an invitation,¡± Angelica replied in a fresh voice. Evelyn heartily laughed as she let go of Marianne.


    ¡°Oh, how cute! You are telling me as if you came here because of the invitation. I know you came here to see someone you missed very much,¡± Evelyn said.


    ¡°Nope!¡±


    ¡°Are you kidding? I know you¡¯ve been looking at the place where the Astorp Knights have gathered.¡± ¡°Who? Me? Nope.¡±


    When Angelica, 18, was getting upset about her joke, Evelyn chuckled at her.


    Marianne watched both of them and smiled lightly. Just like she remembered them before her death, they were as cheerful as ever. They were also the type of friends whom she was allowed to mingle with casually.


    ¡°Thank you for coming!¡±


    Marianne reached out and hugged Evelyn and Angelica one by one.


    ¡°Congratulations, Marie!¡±


    ¡°Congratulations, sister!¡±


    Whenever they touched her cheeks, they offered kind greetings.


    ¡°By the way, you know what, Marie?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Marianne momentarily staggered while adjusting her loose lapel. Her face turned white.


    ¡®I was sleepy, but not sleepy enough to fall?¡¯


    While fumbling here and there, she realized that something had been placed on her eyes.


    It looked like a soft handkerchief. Subsequently, she felt like her hands were tied up from behind by somebody.


    ¡°What the heck is this¡­¡±


    ¡°Shush!¡±


    Evelyn kissed her ear gently even before she asked. Her unique laughter traveled into her ears, along with the weird whispering.


    ¡°There is a place you have to go now secretly.¡±


    * * *


    ¡°Evelyn, what the heck is this trick?¡±


    Marianne sighed, following her slowly step by step.


    Evelyn, the youngest daughter of Marquis Balua, was one of her few friends that she spent time with her as a child. Unlike Marquis Balua who was a faithful deputy of Duke Kling, Evelyn was very good at causing trouble by drawing her with her tricks, so much so that Marquis Balua had to spend about a quarter of his official working hours apologizing on behalf of his daughter.


    ¡°Trick? Do you think I am stupid enough to kidnap you, the hero of today¡¯s birthday party?¡±


    ¡°Kidnap? Is this kind of kidnapping?¡±


    ¡°Marie. If you don¡¯t keep quiet, I¡¯m going to call any knight here, so he can carry you on his back.¡±


    ¡°Eve!¡±


    Calling her by the nickname, Marianne was angry with Evelyn. Of course, Evelyn pretended to not have heard it.


    ¡°This is my last warning. Just keep walking. We¡¯re almost there now.¡±


    Marianne began to walk again, pushed by her from behind.


    Tip-tap, tip-tap!


    There were sounds of shoes in the quiet hallway.


    ¡°Angel, why didn¡¯t you stop Eve?¡± Marianne asked.


    ¡°Well, I know that most of Evelyn¡¯s tricks are crazy stuff, but this time it¡¯s a bit different,¡± Angelica said, slightly changing Marianne¡¯s direction.


    ¡°Angelica, remember you are an accomplice! ¡± Marianne said.


    ¡°Accomplice? Well, this is my temporary alliance with Eve, and I was forced to cooperate because she was doing this for you. I would never have helped Evelyn if she had taken the initiative.¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute, Angel. Isn¡¯t Eve responsible for having instigated this kidnapping trick?¡± Marianne asked in an embarrassed voice.


    But for her, which nobleman dared to play this kind of crazy trick?


    Even before she answered the question for herself, the sounds of their shoes in the corridor suddenly stopped.


    Click!


    There was the sound of a door opening somewhere.


    Marianne was slowly pushed by someone who looked like Angelica.


    When Marianne stepped forward naturally, a cheerful voice came from behind.


    ¡°Marie, it¡¯s only seven steps from there. Come seven steps to the front. Untie the handkerchief after that.¡±


    ¡®Seven steps? Walk seven steps from here?¡¯


    When Marianne looked back, she heard Angelica¡¯s excited voice this time.


    ¡°Happy birthday, sister. Have a good time and see you again later.¡±


    ¡°You guys kidnapped me all of a sudden like this. How can I have a good time¡­¡±


    Bang!


    Even before Marianne finished her words, the door was closed with a bang.


    It looked like Evelyn made a hearty laugh outside.


    ¡°Haaaa¡­¡±


    Marianne let out a deep sigh mixed with embarrassment.


    On her birthday, they used her best friends to lead her to a secret place. Obviously, it resembled a surprise party. Seven steps, and there would probably be a birthday present or something to put her through trouble.


    After all, what Marianne found most ridiculous at the moment was that she was counting her steps one by one while moving forward.


    Asking herself what the heck this was, she walked slowly.


    One, two, three, four, five, six and seven.


    The rustling sound of her dress when she dragged it across the carpet stopped.


    And then she untied the handkerchief that covered her eyes.


    She momentarily frowned at the strong light coming into her eyes.


    Her emerald eyes soon twinkled, with her clear pupils growing big with surprise.


    ¡°Pretty¡­¡±


    On the glass table was a jewelry box. The large silver box covered with red satin was filled with all-natural emerald ornaments that closely resembled her eyes.


    Grass-shaped and polka-dot earrings, a necklace with two pendants, a colorful brooch looking like the layers of laurel leaves, a minimally carved gemstone, a bracelet imprinted with a twig with buds, and a mini tiara embodying snowflakes sitting on winter grass, and so on.


    There was nothing really missing in the box. Gold, silver, and other gemstones combined with them boasted of a unique crafting method. Most of all, the emerald was dark in color and transparent inside, which indicated that they were of the highest quality. It was perhaps more expensive than diamond.


    Mariane slowly touched the sparkling jewelry with her fingertips. The unique texture of the cool jewels satisfied her sense of touch.


    Since she was born, she chose only the finest jewelry. Presented by people who valued clear eyes as a gift, emeralds were not as valuable to her. Typical colors, crystals, patterns, and craftsmanship could not satisfy her taste.


    But these jewels were more than satisfactory to her who had a discerning eye for jewelry.


    She felt like she could generously forgive the man who took the pains to prepare this gift, even though he orchestrated this childish trick.


    ¡°Do you like it?¡±

 Chapter 7

    She would have felt alright if it had not been for the owner of this familiar and creepy voice.


    Yes, she would have felt fine, indeed.


    Deep inside, she rebuked herself for her carelessness. Stupid. She forgot that if it wasn¡¯t for Eve, there were only two out of the many nobles invited to the mansion today who could do this to her. Her father Duke Kling and¡­.


    ¡°¡­Lord Ober. ¡±


    She could add the title ¡®Lord¡¯ to his name because she acted as rationally as she could at the moment. She stepped back from the jewelry box and raised her head.


    Ober, who was leaning against the pillar near the window at a distance, walked up to her.


    Marianne barely put up with the strong desire to turn and run right away.


    However, she moved back a few steps unconsciously as she couldn¡¯t hide her hatred.


    ¡®I wish I had not been duped by Eve and Angel. I should have stopped them.¡¯


    She regretted it instinctively, but she admitted that she was already late. At the same time, she even rationalized that she could not help it at this point.


    There were too many parties that Ober had held for her in her previous life, but obviously, there was not a single surprise party.


    ¡°You look more haggard than I saw you last time. Are you sick?¡±


    Ober had already come up close to her and stopped. He even inquired after her with a worried look and wrapped her waist naturally.


    She stiffened like firewood when he suddenly touched her. Then she smiled awkwardly and forcibly pulled his arms away from her waist.


    ¡°I¡¯m alright. I didn¡¯t mean to worry you.¡±


    He frowned slightly at her reluctant attitude. She saw his gray eyes under the dark red hair sink heavily.


    ¡°You look angry at me.¡±


    She was amazed by his pretty quick judgement of the situation.


    In the past, she would have been pleased with his warm considerations like that, but his sharp gaze now was like a blade to her. She didn¡¯t know what would happen tomorrow or right away if she lost favor in his eyes.


    She put her brain to work quickly because she had to avoid the situation right away.


    ¡°I really can¡¯t deceive you. I just can¡¯t believe it was you who instigated Evelyn and Angelica to play this ridiculous abduction game on me? Why didn¡¯t you tip me off in advance? I was surprised.¡±


    ¡°If I had told you in advance, I wouldn¡¯t have seen your lovely expression that you made in front of the jewelry box.¡±


    Ober skillfully responded to her complaint and looked at her eyes.


    She was helplessly held by him for a moment.


    Ober¡¯s eyes seemed very affectionate even though they had a color considered to be ominous.


    His fine looks and strangely erotic image were enough to make a sharp but fascinating impression. Maybe her former self might have loved this kind of dangerous feeling.


    But she shook her head as if she wanted to shake it off.


    In no time, she realized that he was puzzled by her strange reaction, so she had to come up with an excuse quickly.


    ¡°You¡¯re wrong. I would have been happy even if I had known it in advance.¡±


    ¡°Well, it looks like you like my gift. Is that right?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely. Who would not like this beautiful emerald?¡±


    She quickly reached for the jewelry box. She touched the necklace inlaid with diamond at the interval of two fingers and elegantly lined with two emerald pendants in the center.


    She handed the necklace to Ober.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t put it on my neck in person, I will be angry at you.¡±


    ¡°What a cute threat!¡±


    Only then did he smile lightly. He removed the existing garnet necklace. Then, he lowered his head and got close to her with the excuse of hanging the new emerald necklace on her slender neck.


    ¡°I hear that the pure green of emeralds symbolizes the everlasting spring and unchanging love.¡±


    Whispering to her like that, he let out his hot breath into her ears.


    Marianne grasped the hem of her dress, pretending not to show she had goosebumps.


    As soon as he put the necklace on her neck, she quickly pulled away her arms.


    She hurriedly trotted towards the mirror on one side of the room. The emeralds reflected in the clean mirror looked very good, just like jewelry made for her.


    However, the reality that she could not be fully pleased with its beauty complicated her mind.


    ¡°Thank you, sir. It¡¯s a special gift.¡±


    She smiled at him, pretending to please him as much as she could.


    ¡°This emerald is so precious that it¡¯s not readily available even in the imperial family. This is incomparably better than any other one. Please feel free to tell me if you want any other jewel. I can order one anytime.¡±


    He kept talking about it annoyingly without reading her complicated mind.


    If she had been innocent, she would have been stupidly moved by his getting her such a precious gift. When she found out his real intention, she just took his words with a grain of salt.


    What he just told her sounded like an implication that he already had the power and resources to buy as much as she wanted, which even the imperial family couldn¡¯t.


    ¡°This is a premium product that even the imperial family can¡¯t find. Can you really get me anything new?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Is there anything I can¡¯t get for you if you really want it?¡±


    ¡°Awesome! You really have great capability, sir!¡±


    She almost mentioned ¡®ambition¡¯ instead of ¡®capability.¡¯


    She wanted to leave the place as soon as possible.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think I have to be capable enough to win your heart?¡±


    Ober didn¡¯t hesitate to express his affection for her and approached her in front of the mirror. Looking down at her, he slowly wrapped her shoulders with arms. This time she couldn¡¯t find any excuse to avoid his physical contact.


    Stiffening, she rolled her eyes. Then she met his eyes which were looking at her in the mirror.


    His eyes were friendly, which seemed to whisper to her that he would kiss her right away and love her forever.


    She loved his eyes fervently until only a few days. She was thrilled when she hugged and caressed her. She promised she would love him forever, falling for his warm hands and honeyed words. She was just happy with him all the time. She naively thought love was everything because she didn¡¯t know anything.


    In fact, she might wish even now that she could think so. She might hope for it just a little bit.


    But Ober was a betrayer. His tenderness was his calculated favor. She was a witness who saw firsthand how his wistful eyes would change when mixed with contempt.


    How could she forget his wicked eyes?


    She could not forget his threatening eyes while she sank in the cold water and he said, ¡°You are an expensive doll.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s about time for the party to start. Please go to the garden first. Let me change into a new dress that matches this necklace.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good. You can come out slowly. The heroine of today¡¯s party is supposed to appear last.¡±


    He responded with a smile and then kissed her hand after raising it.


    She also smiled happily. Only then did he let go of her arms and walk out of the room.


    Bang!


    As soon as the door was closed, she roughly rubbed her hand that his lips touched on her dress.


    Indeed, she didn¡¯t want to be duped by him anymore. And she didn¡¯t want to be treated like a doll.


    * * *


    The party went on smoothly. The weather was clear and it was not windy. The invited aristocrats enjoyed the fresh spring garden as much as they could and waited for the heroine to appear.


    Marianne appeared at the party a little before noon. Her appearance was completely different from it when she briefly stood on the balcony in the morning. She was dressed in a pure white dress like the wings of an angel, and her neatly raised hair had a mini tiara that looked like a snowflake. Green jewels were also shining brightly in her polka dot earrings and necklace pendants.


    ¡°Oh my god, you look like a spring goddess sitting on a white snowy field.¡±


    Someone among the crowds exclaimed out loud, amazed by her appearance.


    The rumor that the emeralds, which closely resembled her eyes, were a special gift from Ober, the successor of Marquis Chester was spread less than an hour and became a hot topic among them.


    The mansion was en fete once again in the afternoon when Duke Kling appeared at the party. Tired of being congratulated for hours, Marianne could only relax while watching the opera that her father specially prepared for the party. Though she said repeatedly it was a performance that she wanted to enjoy so much, she wasn¡¯t interested at all in the contents or songs.

 Chapter 8

    She thought to herself, ¡±What gift did I receive from him on my twenty-first birthday? I think it was a jewel back then, but it¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen this emerald, so he¡¯s certainly changed the gift. Come to think of it, Eve and Angel had never thought of kidnapping me as a surprise. Why? Is there a separate rule in this world? After all, I¡¯m not simply repeating my past. If that¡¯s the case, how much more can I change?¡¯


    She focused on things like that while she was waving the feather fan mechanically.


    Meanwhile, it was almost sunset. Stone lanterns were lit up all over the place, and the party at the spring garden at night was growing more interesting. The orchestra, which was on one side of the garden and played cheerful music throughout the party, changed the music. They played waltz music with a slow tempo.


    ¡°Oh, I guess the ball is about to start,¡± Angelica said gladly when she heard a familiar beat.


    ¡®Dang it! Is there still some more on the playlist? Who the hell arranged this party?¡¯


    She was really annoyed, but she didn¡¯t express her feelings.


    She knew very well who planned this horribly long and extravagant party in great excitement for a month.


    ¡°By the way, Angel. You told the knight you had in mind to come here, right?¡±


    ¡°The knight that I like? I don¡¯t know a person like that.¡±


    ¡°Marie, please don¡¯t let her have any expectations. What¡¯s the point of that bastard coming here? Only Angelica has a crush on him. I think that knight seems to be interested in you, Marie. He¡¯s been looking askance at you all along. I¡¯m confident!¡±


    ¡°Nope! Sister Marie looked at me!¡±


    ¡°Really? I heard you telling her you don¡¯t have any knight in mind here.¡±


    ¡°¡­!¡±


    Put on the spot, Angelica blushed and stared at Evelyn sharply. But Evelyn chuckled at her as if she was so funny.


    Tapping her on the shoulder gently, Marianne pulled Evelyn¡¯s arm and said, ¡°So, who the heck is that knight she has in mind? Where is he now?¡±


    ¡°Hummmm¡­ Oh I see him standing right beside the fountain. Do you see a group of knights gathered over there?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that guy with black hair and a black cloak?¡±


    ¡°No, not him. You see the man with dark purple hair across him, right? Tallest among them, with a long scar on his cheeks. That¡¯s him. She has a crush on him. I just don¡¯t understand why she likes him so much when there are other great guys there. I think her preferences for a man are really unique.¡±


    Hearing Evelyin, Marianne rolled her eyes and tilted her head to the side.


    Although she couldn¡¯t clearly see him at a distance, she felt he was very familiar to her.


    That knight with dark purple hair was very tall and had a long cut on his cheeks.


    ¡®He can¡¯t be¡­?¡¯


    She narrowed her eyes and stretched her neck to confirm her educated guess.


    She felt like she could recognize him if he turned back a little more. But she couldn¡¯t see his face as he was standing with his back against her. While watching him changing his posture little by little, she became all the more impatient.


    In the end, she was about to step forward for a closer look when somebody said, ¡°The sun is already setting.¡±


    Suddenly, a large shadow stopped her.


    ¡°Lord Ober.¡±


    Marianne stepped back and confirmed the shadow¡¯s identity. He had disappeared into a secluded place with his subordinates a little while ago, but he came back all of a sudden and stopped her.


    ¡°You are still hanging around there. I thought you went back since you were so busy.¡±


    ¡°No matter how busy I was, how can I spend time at another place and not be here on a day like this?¡±


    She replied with a gentle smile and looked back his back quickly.


    ¡°You have a good time!¡±


    Angelica was about to leave the place, so Ober and Marianne could have some private time.


    She left with Evelyn, who was slow-witted enough to stick around a little more.


    Meanwhile, that knight standing near the fountain turned around for a moment.


    The moment Ober bowed to see Angelica and Evelyn off, Marianne could see that knight¡¯s face clearly even though he was standing far away¡­


    Was it because of her mood at the moment? She felt her eyes met his.


    ¡°Looks like you¡¯re looking for something.¡±


    Ober spoke to Mariane when he saw her trying to look for something. As if in doubt, he also looked at his back. At that moment, her heart pounded fast as if her big secret had been detected.


    She could make excuses by saying she was trying to look at that knight whom Angelica had a crush on. Her former self could have easily told him so, but she could not do so now.


    She did not want to go to the trouble of reminding him of her relationship with that knight.


    The little Ober knew about her, the better. As she firmly decided to get out of his claws, it would be better for her not to expose even the smallest information about her.


    ¡°Right. I was looking for a suitable spot.¡±


    Admiring her own quick response, she changed her expression dramatically. She really seemed to be looking for it with excitement and thrill. For a woman who had never tried to curry favor with somebody, she thought she led him on very well.


    ¡°The right spot?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I mean the right spot to dance with you.¡±


    She presented her hand in white lace gloves to him.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you here to invite me to dance?¡±


    Ober burst into laughter at her cute attitude.


    He lightly kissed her hand and murmured without removing his lips from her fingertips.


    ¡°If I didn¡¯t come for that purpose, it¡¯s not a gentleman¡¯s way to embarrass a lady.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie. You won¡¯t sit idly if I dance with another man.¡±


    ¡°Oops! I think I¡¯ve been caught! I can¡¯t hide anything from you either.¡±


    Ober didn¡¯t try to deny it and escorted her in a relaxed manner.


    She walked along with him. When asked about the right spot she had been looking for, she urgently pointed to a suitable spot in the garden.


    While walking near the fountain, she didn¡¯t forget to check the identity of that knight once again, pretending to look at Ober.


    Both of them stood in the middle of the stage. The dance began as Ober wrapped around her slender waist. The social dance was one of the basic skills that noblemen of the time were supposed to master. Following his gentle lead, she skillfully moved her feet. Dancing with him was not difficult at all. Drawing attention to her was also a no-brainer.


    ¡°You are so beautiful that I can¡¯t take my eyes off you. You look more lovely up close.¡±


    What made her feel uncomfortable was his breathing and gaze up close.


    ¡°I¡¯m so much flattered by your honeyed words that I¡¯m afraid I might pass out.¡±


    ¡°Well, you have charm like a pitta. You¡¯re an innocent girl, a lovely lady, an elegant lady¡­. Your angry face today was like a mischievous queen. How many more expressions are hidden in it?¡±


    Marianne felt a sting in her heart at his quasi-praise.


    The closer she was to him, the more difficult it was for her to put up with her feelings.


    Although she tried not to reveal her feelings, it seemed this man clearly noticed the slightest change in his sharp eyes.


    ¡°I hope you can love me, no matter how I look to you.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that because you are so lovely.¡±


    She talked too much. Reflecting on it, she leaned on his chest. Every time she made physical contact with him, she felt uncomfortable because of her memories and the tension in her previous life. However, she had no choice but to talk a lot to hide her trembling eyes.


    As it happened, she smelled the strange scent of fragrance from his lapel that touched her cheeks. It was very sad for her to feel a sense of guilt and betrayal from her nostalgic memories.


    ¡°Oh and¡­¡±


    He spoke as if to wake her up from depression.


    ¡°I received a report from my deputy late in the afternoon. I think I have to leave Lennox for a while because something urgent happened in my territory. I¡¯m leaving tomorrow. I think I may have to stay there for one month.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ so suddenly?¡±


    ¡®Are you leaving Lennox? For a month, starting tomorrow?¡¯


    Trying her best to control her glistening eyes with joy, she pretended to look upset.


    ¡°Well, important things always come along without notice. I can¡¯t predict them in most cases.¡±


    ¡°You have to go if it¡¯s urgent. Please come back safely when you¡¯re done.¡±


    ¡°Let me come back as soon as possible when I¡¯m done. Let me leave two of my deputies behind here, so if something urgent comes to you, please let them know about it.¡±


    ¡°You can come back before that happens. I¡¯ll be waiting for you.¡±


    She leaned back on him, pretending to feel regret on purpose.


    Only after she saw him leaving the place could she shout for joy.

 Chapter 9

    She couldn¡¯t believe her eyes when she heard that Ober would be absent for some time. His absence was a golden opportunity for her, though it was a pity that he left behind two of his watchers disguised as deputies. But it couldn¡¯t be more fortunate for her that she didn¡¯t have to pretend to overreact before him for the time being.


    Marianne felt depressed again because she didn¡¯t find any good or realistic way to get out of his clutches, though it was fortunate that he would disappear from her father¡¯s territories for the time being.


    While moving her steps mechanically, she kept racking her brain to get rid of him.


    As the future in this world seemed to be variable, there was no guarantee that Ober would certainly rebel against her father.


    As the lord of the wealthy Chester Castle, he was already a key player in the world of aristocrats. Was there any reason as to why he was trying to get credit from the Kling family?


    No matter how much she thought about it, she concluded the only reason for that was his ambition for the expansion of his power.


    Accordingly, his plan would still be valid, including his wicked trick on her.


    But she thought to herself, ¡®This guy cheated the world for many years to take away the emperor¡¯s throne. What if he moved prematurely and ended up being removed earlier than my father? He wouldn¡¯t be able to ask anybody for help. I don¡¯t know how much he can change with his own efforts.¡¯


    She barely held back a sigh coming up in her throat.


    In fact, the biggest problem facing her was that she could not tell this whole story to anyone.


    She knew even her father, who could be her most powerful ally, was not of help to her. Given the propensity of her father to overprotect her, it was too obvious that he would try to stop her from being entangled with a dangerous thing.


    ¡®What if my father were injured by the impatient Ober more seriously than in his previous life while trying to overpower him on my behalf?¡¯


    She crossed off one option. Eventually, she would have to rely on the power of her family, but she didn¡¯t want to have her father fight with him from the beginning.


    ¡®What should I do? Can I survive? How can I beat this guy who wants to be the emperor? No one would believe this wild story. Even if I try to entice him, I need some plausible excuse. I can¡¯t tell him anything properly.¡¯


    At that moment, she recalled a long word once again.


    ¡®¡­ Emperor?¡¯


    There was someone who would be hurt as much as her in his veiled plan: the nominal ruler who had absolute power in the empire and the only stranger who should regard this work as his own. Perhaps he was the man who could be her best ally.


    * * *


    The next day, Ober returned to Chester, his territory.


    As soon as she heard it from Hugo, the butler, she sent him on an errand.


    She put the letter in the dressing table carelessly, which Ober handed her shortly before he left, and wandered around her room nervously. Cordelli, who came in to bring tea for her, saw her and asked if she was sick before leaving the room.


    Hugo, who was sent on a ¡°quick and secret¡± errand, carried out her order nicely, befitting his famed working style. Less than an hour after he was given her order, he returned with the results.


    ¡°Iric!¡±


    Shouting at him, she ran to the door with a happy look. The big shadow that followed Hugo showed its due manners. It knelt down along with his silver armor jangling on the red carpet.


    ¡°This is Schmidt Iric, the Black Wolf of Astorp. I¡¯m honored to see you!¡±


    ¡°Stand up, please. You are now an official knight, so please stand up, Sir Iric.¡±


    Clearing her throat, she gave him a serious look.


    ¡°I¡¯m embarrassed. Please make yourself at home when you talk to me.¡±


    This man with a pleasant voice raised his body.


    His dark cloak embroidered with wolves and ivy, the symbol of the Northern Elite Knights Astolf,


    moved gently. Sunlight shone through the window on his dark purple hair and long scars on the cheeks. Although the scar on his face looked a bit rough, he was quite handsome.


    Hugo, who stepped behind Iric when he came, watched their heartwarming reunion before leaving the room quietly. Anyway, Hugo thought of going out at some point.


    ¡°Good. Please call me just lady instead of calling my official title. By the way, Hugo, don¡¯t run away yet!¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°I have something to tell you, Hugo. So please wait a bit there.¡±


    Hugo, who was told to wait, hesitated for a moment. He looked at her with a curious expression.


    But he bowed to her in no time and started to wait with his back straight. He always put the interests of the Kling family and the master¡¯s order first before his personal feelings.


    After asking Hugo to wait, she turned her attention back to Iric.


    ¡°You came to my birthday party with your colleagues yesterday, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes. His Excellency Duke Kling sent me a formal invitation.¡±


    ¡°Really? Then, my father already knew you joined the Knights of Astorp, right?¡±


    ¡°Well, I asked him not to tell you about it.¡±


    ¡°Why did you do so? Do you know how sad I was because you didn¡¯t send me any letters after you left? ¡±


    Staring at his eyes, which were much bigger than hers, she grumbled. But he looked at her with a kind expression and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I wanted to come back to you after I established myself in the Knights more proudly¡­¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? Since you formally joined the Knights of Astorp and held the official ceremony, you¡¯re already a proud knight.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was narrow-minded. Please forgive me. ¡±


    She stared at Iric who was politely bowing to her, and then smiled. She was happy and proud of him.


    ¡°Congrats! It¡¯s only been three years since you left. During that time, you finished training at the Knights Academy and you were formally appointed as a knight. My father has a discerning eye for a man like you. You look really cool now.¡±


    ¡°Without the grace and hospitality that His Excellency and your lady have given me, it would have been impossible for me to reach this point. If I have a chance, I would like to do everything for you at the sacrifice of my life.¡±


    Iric replied with a heavy voice as if he made a vow to her.


    That year, twenty years ago, when his country, the Lennox Empire, was ruined, the young Iric was left alone after losing his parents during the war. Escaping from the village occupied by the rebel forces, he went into hiding along the mountains and forests near the border. He almost led a life like a beggar. He got by every day by eating dry bark and wild fruits to satisfy his hunger.


    If he hadn¡¯t met Duke Kling, who came out to inspect his territories during the winter when there was an unprecedented snowstorm, he would not have died from cold and hunger.


    Fortunately, Duke Kling was a loving person. He offered hot food and good clothes to this messy, dangerous, unknown beggar boy. The next day the duke found him, he heard about the poor boy¡¯s situation through a servant with a good command of the Lennox language, who interpreted for the duke, and patted the boy on the shoulder kindly. That kind of hospitality was not found in typical noblemen, given the noblesse oblige of the times.


    Duke Kling¡¯s hospitality was far from temporary. Iric headed for his house instead of returning to the mountains. It didn¡¯t take long for a miserable and poor boy to become a strong and proud one. The duke was pleased with Iric¡¯s deep loyalty.


    After he discovered that the boy had a talent for fencing, he offered his full support. He arranged for the boy to be adopted as the son of Baron Schmidt, who lost his son in a tragic accident.


    Trusting the boy¡¯s character and ability, he also made him a temporary knight of his family.


    When he heard about the boy¡¯s outrageous dream that he wanted to join the Knights Academy in a different territory to become a knight, he gladly supported him financially, along with his recommendation letter.


    Marianne was the daughter of such a great benefactor to Iric. She dared to toy with the idea of making friends with him. He liked her meek character and bright smile, and she always treated him like a casual friend. He believed that his miserable life would be meaningful if he could protect her under any circumstances.


    ¡°Really? If there is anything you can do for me and my father at the sacrifice of your life, would you want to do it?¡±


    There was only one answer he could offer to this kind of question.


    ¡°Absolutely. I can make a vow right here before your eyes.¡±

 Chapter 10

    Marianne smiled at his reply with a satisfied look. She looked like a woman who had heard the answer she had been waiting for.


    ¡°I see how loyal you are. How about you, Hugo?¡±


    When asked unexpectedly, Hugo was bewildered for a moment before he said, ¡°Well, I am ready to.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure? I thought you would.¡±


    Her gaze darted between Hugo and Iric.


    ¡°I know you are loyal and trustworthy, so I want you to help me.¡±


    The butler devoted to the Kling family, and the knight who owed what he was to the duke. Marianne¡¯s request for their help was not unfamiliar to them. In fact, they already had experience with taking care of her requests or orders ranging from small chores to her personal matters.


    ¡°I will help you as best I can.¡±


    ¡°What can I do for you?¡±


    Without any doubt, Iric and Hugo replied in the positive respectively.


    ¡°I would like to visit the capital secretly. Right now. Tonight.¡±


    Naturally, she had no idea how to say these fearful words.


    They didn¡¯t expect she would something terrible like this at all.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The room was silent. Doubting what he just heard, Hugo was looking at her blankly while Iric was also staring at her with his suspicions.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you reply? You guys told me you would do anything for me and my father, right?¡±


    She shrugged her shoulders with a brazen expression. While Iric, who was more confused by her conceited attitude, was standing blankly, Hugo, who was dumbfounded for a moment, barely opened his mouth.


    ¡°Lady, you just mentioned the capital¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, the capital city.¡±


    ¡°Are you talking about a salon that recently opened under the name of ¡®Capital¡¯ in Lennox, or a shop, or¡­¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? Don¡¯t you know what the capital means? Milan! The capital city where the Lucio Imperial Palace is located, now under the direct control of the Frey imperial family. Please don¡¯t feign ignorance when you already understand my point.¡±


    Hugo, who was usually calm, was really embarrassed when she named the city by specifically mentioning the imperial family and the imperial palace. Even Iric, whose mouth was closed all along, had a serious look on his face.


    ¡°When you said you wanted to go there secretly, you don¡¯t want to inform your father about it?¡±


    With her sparkling eyes, she nodded instead of answering.


    ¡°I have to leave for the capital as soon as possible. I¡¯m not going to tell my father about it at all, but I¡¯ll tell him later. Do you understand what I mean?¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°I will not go there alone. That¡¯s why I called Iric. I¡¯m going to take a maid with me. Well, I¡¯m thinking of Cordelli. While I¡¯m away, please make some plausible excuses for me, Hugo. I don¡¯t I¡¯ll stay long there. One week at most. You can keep the people here in the dark about my visit to the capital, can¡¯t you? I¡¯m going to write a letter to my father in advance. If he ever finds out I left for the capital, just give the letter to him so you won¡¯t be hurt, Hugo. Can you promise me?¡±


    She pushed everything onto him without giving him any chance to refuse. Hugo was anxious to protest whenever she added a new request, but waited until she was done.


    ¡°No, you can¡¯t do this. How can you think of visiting the capital city, only accompanied by one knight and one maid without letting your father know about it? This is too dangerous!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not crossing the border, you know. I¡¯m just heading for the capital. If I use the big streets, it won¡¯t be dangerous.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, you should never go. Never!¡±


    ¡°As you know, Iric is a very reliable knight. Don¡¯t you trust him?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know that¡¯s not my point?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I need your help. Please help me once. I¡¯ll be right there.¡±


    ¡°It will take you six days on average even if you use the big street from Lennox to Milan.


    No matter how much you urge your horse forward, you should ride the horse at least twelve hours for four days. Besides, you are not strong enough to endure that dangerous and difficult journey. Even if you manage to leave secretly, His Excellency will find out anyway while you¡¯re on the way, right? Aside from his permission, he won¡¯t be able to sleep if he discovers that only one knight and one maid are accompanying you.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m asking you like this. I¡¯m your father¡¯s servant. I cannot do anything against his will.¡±


    Hugo¡¯s answer was firm. She bit her lip.


    She knew he would not easily go along with her request, but she needed his help.


    Someone like Hugo who knew the ins and outs of the situation of the Kling family could fabricate any information in and out of the family if he wanted. Hugo was the only person she needed who could persuade her father in case of an emergency.


    ¡°Please think twice about your visit. Even if you don¡¯t go to the capital, you can choose a fashionable dress or jewelry nearby, can¡¯t you? As for the man you want to see, you can meet an artist, a merchant, a priest, a nobleman, or anyone else you want to meet.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean. Anyway, I have to go there myself.¡±


    She was impatient. Hugo was right when he said that she could have anything and meet anyone without leaving Lennox. But the person she was trying to meet was an exception.


    ¡°Lady, His Excellency is always concerned about your safety.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    She was going to say, ¡®That¡¯s why I want to go there alone,¡¯ but she didn¡¯t.


    She lowered her shoulders and left out a sigh. Duke Kling didn¡¯t want to expose his daughter to the outside world as much as possible. Although he never got angry or shouted in front of her, he always kept his daughter inside the Lennox walls. The overprotection of his daughter was such that not only the people at his mansion but also those in the social circles knew about it. Because of his father¡¯s overprotective propensity, Marianne rarely spent more than three days in a castle other than the one in the north. It was almost impossible for her to travel outside the castle except for a great event like the new emperor¡¯s crowning ceremony.


    Given this, could she get his father¡¯s permission to travel to Milan without any clear reason? Of course not. Even if he granted permission, he would dispatch a big security team to protect her and have them report back to him in almost real time.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t know why you have to secretly go to the capital. If it is difficult for you to tell me about it, why don¡¯t you tell your father honestly? He would carefully listen to what you have to say.¡±


    ¡°I think he will. I would love to tell him, but I can¡¯t.¡±


    Marianne bit her lip. What Hugo asked her to do was actually what she wanted, but she couldn¡¯t do so. If she told her father honestly and asked him to keep the secret, her father would surely keep it. But would it be the end of the story? No way. Her father would immediately head for Milan to meet the Emperor on her behalf, or storm into Ober¡¯s territory and hold him by the collar and beat him. In terms of her allies, her father would be the perfect one.


    But there were her watchers at the mansion left behind by Ober.


    They would surely interpret her father¡¯s concern and protection of her daughter differently.


    She knew that her own action in itself was dangerous, and at the same time it would certainly implicate her father as well.


    She wanted to delay the conflict between Ober and her father as much as possible.


    Someday, both of them would have to confront each other, but she hoped that day would come later until she could find the most powerful and useful ally.


    ¡°If I may, can I ask you why you want to go to the capital alone?¡± Hugo asked.


    He became increasingly suspicious.


    ¡®I really didn¡¯t want to use this method,¡¯ she thought to herself.


    While looking at him blankly, she turned around.


    ¡°Iric, don¡¯t touch me from now on. It¡¯s my order.¡±


    It was an unexpected order. Despite that, Iric lowered his head slightly, putting his right arm close to his chest. It was an example of his obedience.


    She quickly pulled out the sword in his sheath.


    As soon as the eerie sound of her pulling the sword was heard, Hugo and Iric shouted at her with a stunned look, ¡°Lady!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s dangerous!¡±


    When they were about to grab the sword, she quickly aimed the tip of the sword at them. As the sword was heavier than she thought, she had to use both hands to hold it. Nevertheless, the two men stopped as if they had fallen under a spell.

 Chapter 11

    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you right now about the legitimate reason to make Hugo understand, but¡­¡± she said before she slowly turned the tip of the sword. As soon as Hugo and Iric saw the tip of the sword aimed at her own slender neck, they were more alarmed than before.


    Iric, who was ordered not to touch her, bit his lips and tried not to take away the sword from her.


    Hugo stepped forward in spite of himself, but he moved back two steps when he saw her pointing the tip of the sword closer to her neck.


    She said in a sincere voice, ¡°I¡¯m going there to protect me and my father.¡±


    Like vibrant spring buds, her big green eyes reflected her determination.


    Confirming her desperate resolve, Hugo and Iric couldn¡¯t say a word.


    ¡°I¡¯m not joking or playing with you. Although it¡¯s hard to explain, my father and I are now in danger. If you guys don¡¯t help us, we¡¯ll be hurt. Maybe we will die shamefully enough to make me feel that it would be more honorable for me to end my life with my own hands right now.¡±


    She didn¡¯t want to lose anyone in this world, whether it be father or herself.


    At that moment, there was only one driving force that made her reckless.


    ¡°If you want to save me, please help me this once while pretending not to know.¡±


    Her conclusion was sincere. Her clear eyes were moistened with tears. She was well aware that her action now was unusual, but that was the best option. Although she didn¡¯t know which was right or wrong, she was certain that it was her best option.


    ¡°I pledge to obey the order of my dear master.¡±


    In the end, Iric knelt down first. He could never go against her.


    ¡°Got it. Please put down the sword. Lady, please.¡±


    Hugo also spoke with an urgent tone. He was well known for his tough character, who wouldn¡¯t bat an eye for anything, but he gave in to her this time.


    Clank!


    Only then did she throw the sword. Was it because she was nervous?


    She felt as if her arms were asleep while holding the sword.


    ¡°You have to hide this from my father until he detects it. If my father detects it now, my plan will fail. So, promise me. If you tip my father off as soon as I leave this room, I will choose to run away and put myself in danger.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I promise you.¡±


    ¡°Iric, let me cancel my order to you a moment ago. Stand up.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Iric picked up the sword on the floor and put it back into the sheath. When he put it back, the tense atmosphere of the room disappeared in no time.


    She got impatient and said quickly, ¡°Now, please go out and get ready. I have to leave by midnight at the latest or before the main gate of my house is shut. As I am going on a business trip, it¡¯s better for me to go out as simply as possible. How about disguising me as a maid? My horse should be of a good breed, so take Iric with you and let him pick a good horse in person. If you need to report to me, come directly here.¡±


    She walked towards the dressing table after quickly telling them what to do. The letter Ober left for her had the names of the watchers disguised as his deputies. While she was breaking open the wax seal and opening the paper, Hugo shook his head with a troubled look and asked, ¡°Lady, I can choose a reliable servant by myself. As for a maid, I think you may need help from the chief maid. I understand it¡¯s best to have your plan exposed to the least number of people, but why don¡¯t you keep Mrs. Icell in the loop?¡±


    Even though he had a dumbfounded expression, Hugo¡¯s judgement was quick and accurate.


    She felt relieved by Hugo¡¯s suggestion and spoke, holding back a spontaneous grin.


    ¡°Mrs. Icell will be packing for me already.¡±


    Although she didn¡¯t say much, Hugo seemed to have sensed it. His desolate face was now mixed with emptiness and surprise.


    He said, ¡°¡­Well, I thought your threat was too good to be true.¡±


    ¡°Threat? I didn¡¯t threaten you at all. It was the only way for me to ask for your cooperation. Don¡¯t you think you and Iric were too demanding? Mrs. Icell and Cordelli offered to help me even before I finished my story. I guess you guys didn¡¯t trust me much. How disappointed I am!¡± she said in a sullen voice.


    Hugo and Iric just looked at each other as they were at a loss for words.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t meet again at the back door of the annex after I have dinner with my dad? Let¡¯s move as we don¡¯t have much time.¡±


    Waving at them quickly, she turned her attention to the letter. The quiet room only consisted of the sound of her turning over the stationery.


    ¡°Haaaa.¡±


    Hugo and Iric sighed in unison. Though they thought they were like fish caught in a net somehow, it was useless for them to regret their decision now.


    That night, a small wagon slipped out of the mansion. The wagon was sent out to take some servants and maids to the Castle of Kling, the duke¡¯s other territory.


    The wagon carrying some goods and food for them was very plain and simple.


    A servant was in charge of the horse and the maids dozed off with soot on their clothes as if they had been working before they left. The security guard at the main gate checked the pass as usual, scrutinized the carriage, and inspected it for any dangerous items inside.


    The wagon ran on the well-maintained roads of the castle. It passed through the southwestern gate of the castle before midnight.


    After about an hour of it running through the forest, there appeared a forked road. On the right side were the Piaget mountains leading to the Castle of Kling, and on the left side was the Sore River that ran to the capital city Milan.


    The horseman turned to the left without hesitation.


    Six days later, Duke Kling realized that he had been deceived by his daughter¡¯s trick.


    Recently, Marianne suddenly got sick and often went to bed early or woke up late. She went out on an outing early in the morning wind and took a bath at meal time. As she was in poor condition, Kling allowed her daughter to take a break as freely as she could.


    But he couldn¡¯t stay idly when he belatedly found out that the owner of the chocolate-colored hair, who he glanced from the balcony after returning from a walk in the back garden, was not her daughter, but a girl disguised as her daughter who had been chosen among the maids by Mrs. Icell.


    After the duke detected her trick, Hugo instantly briefed the duke about the situation and handed him her letter. Duke Kling opened the letter, trying to control his anger.


    Her distinctive smooth handwriting caught his eye.

 Chapter 12

    Duke Kling was silent for a while after reading her daughter¡¯s letter exactly twice.


    What he took seriously in the letter was her mention of ¡°the way to protect you and me.¡±


    That suggested that she did not leave recklessly for a trivial reason, but with a deliberate purpose in order to eliminate some threat imposed on them right now, which he didn¡¯t know at all.


    What she said in the letter could be ridiculous. She grew up without knowing politics and turbulence, which made her often play funny games or show troublesome stubbornness.


    He suspected she might have concocted a huge trick intended to deceive somebody or cause trouble for him.


    But Marianne usually didn¡¯t talk about Estelle when she was kidding.


    In the letter she clearly said, ¡®I can swear on Mom.¡¯


    He wanted to find his daughter immediately and question her, but he quickly admitted that he couldn¡¯t. He also admitted that he didn¡¯t need to ask why Hugo and Mrs. Icell didn¡¯t inform him in advance.


    Perhaps they were surprised to see his daughter¡¯s unprecedented actions and had no choice but to follow her orders. And it was none other than the duke himself who trained them like that.


    After all, he was no longer angry at his daughter. He even helped her by keeping her plan secret. But he couldn¡¯t accept her request that he should not send any more security men.


    What was more urgent than finding out the situation clearly was to keep his daughter safe.


    He secretly sent several knights with a few words to Milan before dawn on that day.


    Fortunately, Marianne¡¯s temporary plan was never leaked outside his mansion. As usual, there was a daily routine at the Lennox mansion, and guests visiting the mansion found nothing unusual in the intelligence they got from the mansion.


    That was the same for Ober¡¯s deputies to whom Marianne had Hugo and Mrs. Icell alerted before she left. Indeed, they were desperately and competently dealing with Ober¡¯s men.


    About ten days after she left the mansion, a surprising piece of news was delivered to the Lennox mansion. It was the emperor¡¯s order proclaimed not only to the Lennox Castle but also throughout the empire.


    The order, which was published on the busiest streets of each province of the empire, was written in dark and large characters as follows:


    * * *


    Early in the evening, there were urgent footsteps in the corridor leading to the emperor¡¯s study. A small man soon emerged, wearing large glasses and holding a bag full of documents. Curly pink hair, red eyes, and pale skin as if he were never exposed to sunlight, the body looked like a pink rabbit. Unlike his cute look, his expression was quite serious.


    He almost ran down the hall and stood before the door of the study.


    The servant on standby before the office recognized him and knocked on his behalf.


    ¡°Your Majesty, Sir Colin, the chief internal minister, wants to see you.¡±


    ¡°Let him come in!¡±


    The door was opened at his cold voice.


    Colin hurriedly came into the room and offered his greetings.


    He was impatient because he arrived later than the scheduled time.


    And his impatience made him make a mistake.


    ¡°May God give the honor of Airius to you! I¡¯m so sorry¡­Oops! ¡±


    A pile of papers in his arms slipped and spilled over the floor.


    ¡°It serves you right! How come you, not your servant, is bringing all that stuff like this?¡±


    The man, standing by the emperor¡¯s desk, clicked his tongue.


    ¡°I was in a hurry, so I didn¡¯t think about it¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey, is it something you have to think about at all? Are you so stupid?¡±


    A man with red hair and a big build like a bear approached the door. Then he squatted next to Colin who was picking up the messy documents.


    ¡°Thank you, Sir Jed¡­¡±


    ¡°If you are grateful to me, send a bottle of alcohol to the Treasury.¡±


    Officials working in the cabinet regarded anybody as a spy if he didn¡¯t know that the chief Treasury secretary was a notorious drinker. Colin replied in the positive, thinking that his complaint befitted his character.


    ¡°What about Duke Hubble? He said he would come this month, right?¡± Jed whispered lowly.


    With a sullen face, Colin shook his head while picking up the papers.


    Jed suddenly stood up without giving Colin any chance to stop him.


    ¡°Damn old man, Duke Hubble!!¡±


    Jed was just about to throw curses at him when someone called, ¡°Colin.¡±


    Eckart, the young Emperor of Aslan, inaugurated as the seventh emperor of the Frei imperial family, gently put down the quill pen after signing the edict.


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°I want to see the documents you have brought to me.¡±


    As soon as Eckart said that, Colin quickly picked up the rest of the documents. Still upset with a reddening face, Jed stared at Eckart and then snached the papers from Colin to bring them to the emperor. Collin, who was empty-handed all of a sudden, followed him silently.


    ¡°What¡¯s the point of looking at them? Too obvious! He¡¯s going to continue this childish resistance until he puts his own mole in the concubine palace.¡±


    Eckart held out his hand to Jed who was still fuming with anger.


    His blue eyes right under the graceful platinum hair inherited from the Frei family turned cold. Catching his blue eyes, Jed reluctantly handed over the papers.


    But Jed continued to complain as if he were still angry.


    ¡°How many months has he been resisting? He didn¡¯t come last month with excuses that he was sick, he didn¡¯t come two months ago, citing the frozen road, and he didn¡¯t come three months ago because it snowed too much. I just can¡¯t put up with his poor excuses any more.¡±


    ¡°Three months ago he said he couldn¡¯t come because he did not receive my message when he blocked the road for the messenger in person,¡± the emperor said.


    ¡°Do you think that makes any sense? Besides, he said he would come back to the cabinet meeting if you repeal the tax reform decree you proclaimed, but he didn¡¯t come. Now, he is trying to control your marriage to his liking,¡± Jed fumed.


    While handing over the documents, Eckhart pressed on his splitting temple. Jed¡¯s words were harsher than those he used in the imperial family, but they were to the point.


    Intrinsically ambitious for power, Duke Hubble hated Eckart even when he became the crown prince. Such hatred led him to boycott Eckart¡¯s ruling before and after his inauguration as the emperor of Aslan in an uncooperative manner. In recent years, his resistance became more serious. He not only organized anti-emperor forces, but he also wielded his power as if he already seized the power of the emperor in his hands.


    ¡°Ober?¡±


    While reading the documents with an annoyed expression, Eckart read aloud a familiar name.


    ¡°Colin. Did the Foreign Minister also say that he would not attend the cabinet meeting?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Colin slurred while standing at a distance and rolling his red eyes uneasily.


    ¡°Colin!¡± Eckart called him again, as for pressing on his quick reply. Colin helplessly opened his mouth.


    ¡°You¡¯ll see the reason if you read the next chapter, he said the quarry in Chester collapsed so much that he returned to his territory while he was on his way to the capital.¡±


    While Eckart was turning over the documents, Jed cut in out of curiosity.


    ¡°Quarry? Why did it collapse suddenly?¡±


    ¡°Marquis Ober said he didn¡¯t know why. But I suspect that somebody was involved in it because there was no earthquake or typhoon. Nor was the ground dangerous. And if you look closely at his letter¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, this is what Ober says, ¡®I urge you to quickly find concubines for the peace of the imperial family. And let me attend the cabinet meeting next time so that I can put forward a new revised tax law.¡¯ What do you think?¡±


    ¡°Yes, what you just read bothers me. Don¡¯t you think Ober is trying to throw his weight behind Duke Hubble?¡±


    Colin looked up at the emperor with an upset expression.


    ¡°Haaa! Not only the Interior Minister, but also the Foreign Minister intend to obstruct the emperor¡¯s governance? They are such crap! Aren¡¯t they your brothers under the family tree even if they hate you? How can they do this to you?¡± Jed fumed like a teapot boiling over a brazier.


    Eckart, who might have been more angry than anyone else, said nothing.


    Colin feared his heavy silence more than Jed¡¯s fiery anger.


    What was reflected in his blue eyes was not anger but emptiness. And Colin could not figure out what kind of feelings he hid in his eyes.


    ¡°When you return, send a messenger to Chester to find out the situation of the landslide damages and report back to me.¡±


    After a long silence, Eckart made the best decision he could make as an emperor.


    ¡°Let me put off the cabinet meeting today. You don¡¯t have to think twice about the matter of my marriage. So, don¡¯t even respond.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±


    Colin lowered his head in a depressed mood.

 Chapter 13

    After that, Eckart continued the conversation for a bit with them and then issued several edicts.


    Colin came out with a handful of edicts with a sullen expression after the meeting was over.


    ¡°I really can¡¯t work in this cabinet!¡±


    Jed was fit to be tied when he called a servant on standby and had him carry a golden tray full of the emperor¡¯s edicts, and continued, ¡°I wish those damned bastards would be struck by the thunderbolts falling from the sky!¡±


    ¡°No murder, please!¡± Colin said.


    ¡°Of course not. Anyway. The Euclid family, which produced hundreds of wise men like you, should answer like that. Why don¡¯t you monopolize all the goods words in this world?¡±


    Shaking his hand with fury, Jed disappeared to the left of the forked road, sneering at Colin.


    Colin, who had to go to the opposite side because his ministry was located in a different place, pouted.


    * * *


    The family of Marquis Euclid was among the top five distinguished noble families in Aslan. It was called the intelligence of the empire by producing the largest number of great scholars since the founding of the empire, and there were a few emperors who didn¡¯t have the great scholars of the Euclid family as their teachers.


    Even Emperor Frei VII was the best disciple who had been taught by Sir Simon, the Education Minister, since he was a crown prince. Sir Simon¡¯s three sons all served as royal officials, and Colin, the youngest of them, was the most famous.


    Colin von Euclid. His name was usually mentioned on two occasions.


    Firstly, his name was mentioned because of his extraordinary memory as he never forgot what he once saw, and secondly, it was mentioned as one of the closest few advisors of Frei VII. Marianne noticed Colin¡¯s capabilities for the second reason.


    ¡°Iric, what time is it now? I¡¯m tired¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a little past nine o¡¯clock.¡±


    ¡°Why hasn¡¯t he come back yet? I wonder if he¡¯s not coming back today.¡±


    ¡°There was nothing unusual about the servants¡¯ conversation¡­ It seems that he will finish his work at the palace a bit late today.¡±


    Iric opened his pocket watch again in a small pocket inside his jacket.


    Unlike his appearance when he came to the capital, he looked great as he was dressed in a formal suit now.


    Marianne smiled happily, thinking it was good that she bought him new clothes.


    ¡°It¡¯s so nice to see you dressed up like that. You look like Hugo.¡±


    ¡°Well, I feel rather nervous because I can¡¯t carry my sword here.¡±


    ¡°But you are much less noticeable that way. Please carry it like that a little more.¡±


    She pointed to a black cello case that was placed obliquely on the back of the sofa.


    Iric was going to say that he was nervous because of that case, but he shut up.


    ¡°Did you say we have guests here?¡± asked Colin.


    ¡°Yes. Two guests are here, and they said they promised to see you here today¡­¡±


    ¡°Me? Today? At my house?¡±


    ¡°Yes. They have been waiting for three hours until now. ¡±


    ¡°But I don¡¯t really remember that I made that promise. Who are they?¡±


    ¡°When I asked, they replied that she was the daughter of Count Spring.¡±


    ¡°Count Spring? I¡¯ve never heard of him.¡±


    At that moment, Colin heard someone talking outside.


    Drooping on the couch, she sat up straight and adjusted her hat. A black veil covering her face tickled her cheeks gently.


    In no time, the door was opened.


    She slowly stood up. Colin, who came in with a perplexed expression, became more embarrassed at a big man and a woman whose face was veiled.


    ¡°How do you do, Sir Colin?¡±


    ¡°Hi, it¡¯s nice to see you Count Spring¡¯s daughter!¡±


    When Marianne greeted first, Colin also responded hurriedly.


    ¡°It looks like you had a lot of work today. I heard that the officials with the internal ministry usually get off work at 7 PM, ¡± she said.


    ¡°Well, I had to handle some urgent stuff right before I left. By the way, I don¡¯t remember exactly. Can I ask what time we promised to meet?¡± Colin asked, blinked his red eyes, and tilted his head slightly. Marianne thought that Colin looked like a rabbit set free in the clover garden.


    ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t remember our promise,¡± she said.


    It was natural that Colin didn¡¯t remember it.


    In fact, it was at dawn today when she arrived in the capital. It was already afternoon when she was done shopping in the city after taking a nap. Besides, she was trying her best to act as the daughter of Count Spring, whose name she urgently devised because she couldn¡¯t reveal her identity to Colin. It was impossible as she promised to meet Colin in such a situation.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I usually hardly forget anything,¡± Colin apologized immediately.


    Was he naive or good-hearted? She wished Colin was a good-hearted man.


    She took off her hat, feeling a bit of guilt.


    When her black veil was removed, her dark brown hair and shiny green eyes were revealed.


    ¡°I guess you forgot because I made the appointment with you hastily today. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    She bowed her head slightly, put her right hand on her chest, and offered an apology.


    Colin stared at Marianne. Of course, he had been staring at her right after he came into the room, but after she took off her hat, he stared more intently at her. He opened his round eyes wide and opened his mouth as if he was surprised by something.


    ¡®Is he upset about me?¡¯ she thought to herself.


    She hastily opened her mouth when she noticed Colin¡¯s embarrassed response.


    She had to steal the show before she could be kicked out of the room as a swindler.


    ¡°Let me formally introduce myself to you. I am¡­¡±


    ¡°You must be Lady Marianne, right?¡± Colin asked, stunned.


    He continued, ¡°Marianne von Kling. The only daughter of Duke Wales, born in Lennox and called the spring of the northern area in the social circles¡­¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute, please!¡± Marianne urgently interrupted Colin.


    She was very embarrassed when he narrated her background in detail as if he were reading it from an encyclopedia.


    She asked, ¡°How did you know? Did you hear any rumors that I arrived in the capital? Did you know I would come here?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Nope. How can I? I just don¡¯t even know why you came to my house.¡±


    ¡®How fortunate!¡¯ She could feel relieved now.


    But she was still in doubt as to how he recognized her.


    In some respects, she felt unhappy about the current situation. In fact, she made all the efforts to hide her identity as well as those of Iric, Hugo, and Cordeli. For example, she disguised Iric as a servant and spent two hours trying to pick the most common dress at a nearby boutique to hide their identities.


    ¡°How did you know at a glance that I was the daughter of the Kling family?¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯ve seen you before.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ I don¡¯t think we have seen each other before.¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s the first time we¡¯ve met formally like this. But I¡¯ve seen you before. At the emperor¡¯s coronation four years ago. I couldn¡¯t attend the banquet because I was sick that day. But I just briefly saw you standing with the duke during the ceremony.¡±


    Oh my god!


    She exclaimed at his words before she knew.


    ¡°I hear the rumor that you never forget what you saw once. I think that rumor is true. Your memory is amazing!¡±


    Colin let his hair down when he found she was innocently surprised by him and smiled kindly.


    In fact, he was very fond of someone¡¯s praise of him. Noticing that, Jed made fun of him by saying he was childish, but he thought differently. He cherished the joy he felt when his intelligence was of help to someone else.


    ¡°Well, your emerald eyes were so impressive that I could hardly forget you. It was the first time I saw such bright green eyes. When I looked at your eyes so close, they are as clean and deep as the emperor¡¯s. Both of you have precious eyes like jewels.¡±


    As if to return her praise, Colin also praised her very much.


    He belatedly remembered the episode about her he heard from the northern area recently, but the lady with clear eyes was truly impressed by his kindness. He felt he could return her favor gladly as it was true that her green eyes were very beautiful.


    Meanwhile, Marianne grinned at him.


    Rather than being satisfied with Colin¡¯s compliments, she felt more satisfied that her efforts to look like Count Springer¡¯s daughter had paid off nicely.


    Above all, she liked the topic that he naturally brought up during the conversation.


    ¡°I¡¯m flattered, Sir Colin. His Excellency¡¯s eyes are the one and only green eyes in the empire that no one can imitate. How can I dare compare his eyes with mine?¡±


    ¡°Of course, you can¡¯t in terms of symbolic sense as he inherited them from his mother, the Queen. But your eyes are also very beautiful. In fact, I once envied your eyes.¡±

 Chapter 14

    ¡°Thanks for your compliments, but I envy your position all the more. Since you serve the emperor at hand, you always see everybody respecting him, right? As I hear, you¡¯re close to His Excellency more than any other minister. It looks like His Excellency values your talents very much.¡±


    ¡°Well, the Emperor is a benevolent person. Though my talents are limited, he says he needs my help, so I am trying to help him as best I can.¡±


    As he answered her questions out of courtesy, Colin smiled at her softly.


    ¡®Was he trying to sound me out?¡¯


    She instantly felt that way, but she didn¡¯t care because it was true he was one of the emperor¡¯s closest ministers.


    ¡°By the way, I would like to see the Emperor up close.¡±


    She should not have said so because Colin was surprised by her unexpected remarks.


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°Well, I want to see His Excellency up close.¡±


    ¡°In that case, you can submit a request for your audience with the Emperor and wait between three and seven days.¡±


    Colin suddenly shut up while saying so. He felt she, as the daughter of the duke, must know the basic process of having an audience with the Emperor.


    ¡°Are you saying that you want to see the Emperor at my recommendation?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°And I guess the reason you want to see the Emperor at my recommendation is because you can¡¯t afford to wait for his approval or you don¡¯t want your audience with the Emperor to be known outside, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. You¡¯re pretty good at understanding my intention.¡±


    Marianne responded gladly, clapping her hands, as if she was praising a puppy that brought a ball she threw away. He grinned brightly before he knew when she praised him, but quickly changed his expression. When his eyes met Iric¡¯s, who was standing behind the couch, he even cleared his throat and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know why you want to see His Excellency, but I don¡¯t take anybody¡¯s private request.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I respect your integrity, of course. As an empire official, you should be wary of any corruption. Furthermore, you should work for the public good as a loyal bureaucrat of His Majesty.¡±


    Blinking his big eyes, Colin asked, ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. Why are you asking for such a favor when you know that?¡±


    ¡°Sir Colin, did I put you in a difficult position when I told you I would like to see the Emperor up close?¡±


    When he heard her brazen question, he felt something ominous from her remarks.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to report to the Emperor about treason.¡±


    It took only three seconds for her ominous warning to be heard by the Emperor.


    ¡°Treason?¡± Eckhart asked as if he was dumbfounded. He nervously closed the book he was holding.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s true. Although it was a blasphemous expression, I¡¯ve been asked to convey to you what she said exactly,¡± Colin said, looking around the corridor on his study again and again.


    ¡°Do you have any specific evidence?¡±


    ¡°I asked her about it three times because I thought it was important, but I don¡¯t think she has found any solid material evidence.¡±


    Eckhart frowned further at his reply. Colin, who was just innocent, was restless.


    ¡°Was the information network in the northern area broken? I never heard Duke Kling¡¯s daughter going crazy or anything.¡±


    ¡°Well, there¡¯s some evidence on the premise that you fully trust her.¡±


    ¡°Colin, to the best of my recollection, I read something in last month¡¯s intelligence report that Ober often visited Lennox.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that is correct. It was an intelligence report that it was necessary to pay attention to him because he seemed to be meeting Duke Kling. The duke¡¯s daughter told me Marquis Chester was trying his best to curry favor with Duke Kling and herself.¡±


    ¡°Despite that, are you forcing me to trust her words?¡± Eckhart refuted in an annoying tone.


    If they picked the most influential family among the famous families of the empire, they could name the three dukes: Hubble, Lamont, and Kling.


    Among them, Hubble was dissatisfied with the imperial family, though he was a long-time relative of the family. Lamont continued to remain neutral and didn¡¯t try to stand out, befitting his family that produced the most judges. Duke Kling was a close friend of the Emperor¡¯s father, Cassius.


    But Eckart didn¡¯t believe that Kling would fully support him as his father¡¯s ally. Kling was his father¡¯s man, through and through. It was fortunate that Eckart was not on Hubble¡¯s side in terms of his power. Anyway, he was inadequate to be considered as his dependable ally.


    ¡°I¡¯m not saying you should believe her at all! I still have some doubt. Perhaps she might be a spy of the anti-imperial family force, as you are worried.¡±


    Clarifying his position, Colin pushed his round glasses with his fingertips.


    ¡°But the head of the treason that the duke¡¯s daughter pointed out was Marquis Chester.¡±


    Eckart, who was looking down at Colin without hiding the unpleasant expression, asked, with his shoulders hardened.


    ¡°Who did she say?¡±


    ¡°Ober von Chester, Marquis Chester, the Foreign Minister.¡±


    Colin¡¯s confirmation was a final blow to him. Colin began to offer lots of surprising tips to Eckart, who instantly freaked out in great confusion.


    ¡°According to her, Marquis Chester was approaching her in order to take away the duke¡¯s territories and knighthood. His goal was to usurp the royal throne, and he would kill Duke Kling and her when he didn¡¯t find any further use for them. She said she regretted it when she trusted his favor.¡±


    Eckart turned aside after a moment of silence. His golden hem fluttered between the bookshelves more than twice the height of any adult male. Colin followed him quickly.


    ¡°Is there any possibility that she was part of Ober¡¯s treason plan?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t deny that completely. But chances are not that high because the terms and conditions she put forward as a deal were so weird.¡±


    ¡°Terms of a deal? Did she propose a deal?¡±


    While slowly walking, Eckart stopped and stared fiercely at his shoulder. Colin also stopped as he was following him like a chick chasing their mother hen.


    ¡°Yes, she did. She was rude and ridiculous. Anyway, she wanted me to meet you and convey her message to you by all means. And if you are willing to punish the traitors, she would assist you by using all means and ways.¡±


    ¡°Using all means and ways?¡±


    ¡°Yes! She even told me that she was willing to collect information about Ober by pretending to cooperate with him. She also said you could use her for that purpose as much as you liked.¡±


    ¡°What does she want in return?¡±


    ¡°She said she would not ask for any honor or wealth as long as you could guarantee the safety of her and her father.¡±


    Obviously, her condition was weird. Eckart started walking again, only looking ahead.


    ¡°I¡¯m all the more suspicious of her condition. Couldn¡¯t her condition be double-edged? She could survive even if both parties go to ruins. Who knows? Ober may have ordered her to put forward this condition.¡±


    ¡°That makes perfect sense, but¡­.¡±


    ¡°Do you disagree with me?¡±


    ¡°If Marquis Chester succeeded in controlling Duke Kling, would he need this kind of gambling? In that case, he wouldn¡¯t want to give us the wealth and talented people too valuable for him.¡±


    ¡°Hmmmm¡­ ¡±


    ¡°Besides, Duke Kling, though not our ally, is most convinced of your legitimacy, who is the previous emperor¡¯s only son. If he had known about Ober¡¯s dirty trick, he would not have cooperated with Ober. And if he had not known, that¡¯s proof that his daughter¡¯s argument is true.¡± Colin repeatedly emphasized the point while glaring with his red eyes.


    As long as Duke Kling was alive, Ober would not be able to control Lennox. If that¡¯s the case, her mention of Ober¡¯s threat to her and her father was a plausible assumption.


    ¡°And even if she were a double spy for Marquis Chester, couldn¡¯t she be our double spy, too if you took the initiative on this deal? After all, what matters is to make sure that she is a spy who is loyal to Marquis Chester.¡±


    What Colin said was that she was a double-edged sword, after all.


    In other words, as it¡¯s a sharp weapon, though dangerous, it would be good to wield it well. Eckart thought Colin¡¯s words made sense.


    Nevertheless, he didn¡¯t make the decision readily.


    It wasn¡¯t because he was naive enough to deny the situation, or because he didn¡¯t think Ober¡¯s group was not that bad. Personally, he would have them kneel down before him and punish all of them harshly. He thought that¡¯s why he needed more specific motivation and evidence.


    He also needed a strong power and cause. His hasty decision motivated by anger would ruin him, not Ober.


    As if he had Eckart¡¯s number, Colin led him to the map on the second floor. When he pulled the red string, twisted with silk, there unfolded the continental map showing the huge land of Aslan.

 Chapter 15

    ¡°In my humble opinion, the Castle of Chester is pretty good land comparable to that of Duke Kling¡¯s, although it¡¯s the marquis¡¯s land. His reputation in the social circles is in some ways even more well-known than Kling¡¯s. In that respect, his determination to go through the trouble of being the duke¡¯s son-in-law is pretty suspicious.¡±


    ¡°If he had coveted the position of the duke, he would have certainly incited the nobles or negotiated with me directly.¡±


    ¡°I agree. Look at this map. If you trace the pattern of territories that Marquis Chester occupied, Lennox was supposed to be a region that he was not interested in terms of location or region. He chose mainly mining towns with mines or trading cities as the major centers of transport. Why does he covet Lenox?¡±


    Colin jumped up and stretched his hand as much as he could in order to draw a large triangle on the map.


    Lennox, bordered by the Faisal Empire and located in the northernmost suburbs, was a military city in every aspect. As it was the capital of the ruined Lennox Empire, it was self-sufficient and very wealthy without outside help. But it was not a land that produced expensive minerals, nor was it a land where the roads in all directions were centered like Chester.


    Nevertheless, Ober had some reason to own Lennox.


    ¡°Astolf Knights.¡±


    They were absolutely needed for successful treason. Of the four major national knights across the empire, they were the only knights that could be equal to the Eluang Knights, the imperial knights, and they were an invincible army in terms of combat capabilities. Unlike the knights of the other three provinces, they felt it more honorable to fall as the swords and shields of their lord, their real master, compared with the nominal monarch.


    ¡°Astolf Knights are comprised of the knights of the ruined Lennox Empire as the main pillar, and they are very loyal to the lord of the Lennox Castle. In order to have them all without bleeding, it was necessary for anyone to be the successor to Duke Kling and inherit his legacy!¡±


    Eckart pressed his temple with one hand as if he were experiencing migraines.


    He let out a long sigh and said, ¡°Your analysis is very correct!¡±


    The fact that he was kept in the dark about the whole situation unfolding up until now made him feel ashamed and angry about himself. If Marianne¡¯s argument was true, there couldn¡¯t be any clearer circumstantial evidence than that.


    ¡°Aside from all other conditions, she is the only daughter of Duke Kling. You know what that means, right? There¡¯s no better chess move for Ober to turn the tide in his favor.¡±


    Looking up to the Emperor, Colin appealed.


    Though it was discourteous, Eckart stared at the northern edge of the map instead of scolding Colin.


    ¡°Tell Jed to get all the information about Duke Kling and her daughter and report to me!¡±


    ***


    It was shortly after lunch when Jed went to the Emperor¡¯s study.


    He skillfully picked the intelligence report by the information network in the northern area from among a bunch of the Treasury¡¯s budget documents he brought on purpose. As it had all kinds of intelligence ranging from previously reported confidential secrets to non-reported general information, it was a huge amount of intelligence.


    ¡°I¡¯ve collected and sorted out this huge intelligence in only three hours. I think you have a very competent friend in me!¡± Jed said.


    ¡°Are you begging for my praise when you¡¯re bragging like that?¡±


    ¡°Please praise me if you know my intention.¡±


    Jed¡¯s grunting was his effort to break the ice.


    Eckart smiled faintly at his old friend¡¯s considerations. But as soon as he started to examine the intelligence, he made a cold expression again.


    ¡°I heard about her from Colin. Are you going to use her?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°That woman.¡±


    Eckart handed him a piece of paper instead of answering. That woman, namely, Marianne¡¯s name was found in each paragraph. It was not top-secret, but there was lots of trivial information that he didn¡¯t notice before.


    ¡°We didn¡¯t know this because Duke Kling didn¡¯t allow her daughter to go out, but there¡¯s a widespread rumor in the social circles of the northern areas that she¡¯s going to be Marquis Chester¡¯s wife.¡±


    ¡°It says so in this report.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s nonsense! Ober¡¯s obviously lured the innocent girl to make her his lover. Do you know how dedicated Duke Kling is to his daughter? Damned Ober! Duke Kling is not the type of man who would propose such a deal through her daughter.¡±


    ¡°I know. She said she didn¡¯t ask for his permission. ¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why she came all the way up to the capital to have a date with Ober!¡± said Jed angrily, tearing his hair out as if he felt frustrated.


    ¡°In Colin¡¯s opinion, we should use her, even though she might have come here to meet her lover.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m asking you to think twice because she is Kling¡¯s daughter.¡±


    At that moment, Eckhart lifted his sharp eyes slowly.


    ¡°You know that you shouldn¡¯t challenge Kling hastily, not to mention Chester and Hubble, right?


    Where can you find the guarantee that he is going to be your ally? That woman¡¯s ridiculous argument? I can verbally stab that damned old man with a knife five hundred times.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that. It would be better if you could show action instead of words and then be damned!¡±


    ¡°I beg your pardon?¡±


    Jed lifted his eyes hastily and raised his voice.


    Eckart laughed at his violent reaction.


    ¡°I was kidding, man.¡±


    ¡°Do not joke from now on. Let me crack a joke, not you.¡±


    ¡°Jed.¡±


    ¡°Why are you calling me?¡±


    ¡°Are you worried?¡±


    ¡°About what? Do you think I¡¯m worried because I and Colin would be unemployed if you fell into Ober¡¯s trap? Or because you are going to be jobless?¡±


    ¡°Nope. Because Duke Kling¡¯s territories are my mother¡¯s land.¡±


    Jed suddenly stopped moving his hands which were trimming his disheveled hair at the moment.


    ¡°Well, I can¡¯t deny that completely.¡±


    Previously, Queen Blair was the last remaining queen of the ruined Lennox empire. Her parents¡¯ family, the Romanov imperial family, was exterminated by the rebels, and the land they ruled was subjugated to Aslan that defeated the rebels. After that, Lennox was torn to pieces and distributed to the nobles in the form of a surrogate land.


    Nominally, the land belonged to Queen Blair. The nobles who were handed the land were merely her representatives who could not directly rule them.


    But the surrogate reign that lasted more than twenty years changed the real owners of those areas. All the grains in the fields and the fruits were donated to the imperial palace, but the residents in those areas relied more on their own lords. Accordingly, they were deeply loyal to their lords.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to give up that land that my mother used to own.¡±


    Eckart always wanted to regain that land. And Jed knew it for a very long time.


    ¡°Maybe this is a good opportunity for you to get it much more easily,¡± Jed said.


    That¡¯s why Eckart was swayed by his remarks. He was different from Ober, who connected with countless nobles behind the scenes, ranging from those during his father¡¯s time to Duke Hubble. As the young emperor, Eckart badly needed even one talented man and a box of gold. He had to think of easier and less costly ways more than anything else.


    Jed asked hesitantly, ¡°¡­How?¡±


    ¡°The duke¡¯s daughter offered me a deal.¡±


    Though he felt her deal was a bit suspicious, he decided to take it anyway.


    Eckart slurred the end of his sentence but let out a little sigh.


    After turning his eyes from Jed, he looked back at the troves of intelligence about Duke Kling and his daughter. Resting his chin on his arm, he turned to the next page and picked up the quill pen from the dark blue ink bottle.


    Then he said, ¡°Let me strike a deal with them.¡±


    Tok, tok.


    He lightly tapped the neck of the glass ink bottle with the nib of his pen.

 Chapter 16

    Tok, tok.


    There was the sound of somebody tapping the timber around the edge of the sofa with his fingers. Marianne came to her senses at the man¡¯s carefree voice. She just opened her mouth to ask what she just heard, but she couldn¡¯t move her lips or tongue freely.


    ¡°So, what you just said was that His Majesty asked me to marry him, right?¡±


    When she asked back hesitantly, that man who sat on the opposite sofa and snapped his fingers nodded slowly. Wearing a hooded robe almost upside down, he looked like a black demon from head to toe. As a messenger that the emperor sent, he looked very weird and unusual.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to say this, but I wonder if Sir Colin conveyed my message to the emperor incorrectly.¡±


    She told him what she really thought in spite of herself. Though it was a rude question, she had to ask because she really wanted to know if the emperor got her message right.


    ¡°Did what I asked Sir Colin to convey to the emperor sound more like a love letter?¡±


    ¡°You bet. I think the emperor thought that way too.¡±


    Colin, sitting next to that man, nodded without showing any displeasure as if he agreed.


    ¡°But why? I respect the emperor as a citizen of this empire of course, but I never told him I loved him or fell in love with him enough to go into the imperial palace.¡±


    Even before she was done talking, the hooded man sneered at her.


    Although she couldn¡¯t see his face properly because it was almost completely covered by the hood, it was obvious that he laughed at her.


    She stared at him, lifting her eyebrows sharply.


    ¡°The emperor knows that well, too. So, he probably won¡¯t ask too much,¡± said Colin, laughing softly to change the mood.


    She grumbled to the hooded man, ¡°Sir, please tell me directly. What is the criterion of his unreasonable demand?¡±


    At that moment, she was using honorific language for that hooded man. Although he did not reveal his identity, he would certainly be a nobleman because he was a representative of the emperor. Even if he were not, she thought she would need to treat him properly as he came her on the emperor¡¯s behalf.


    He replied, ¡°Well, as you argued, that might be the nonsensical stuff you wanted him to believe.¡±


    When he said that, she felt like she wanted to beat him with a teapot cap, regardless of his position.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think you are being too harsh now?¡± she said, holding back her anger.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think you overstated it when you argued that a competent minister of this empire was the instigator of treason? Compared to your argument, it is quite normal that the emperor proposed to you. For hundreds of years, it has been tradition for an emperor to strengthen his power through marriage to a daughter of an influential family.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not overstating it, but it¡¯s a fact that Marquis Chester is plotting treason. If he thought I made a false argument, the emperor would not have sent you here. I have already made it clear to the emperor that I don¡¯t want anything else in return except for my and my father¡¯s safety. And I¡¯ll do my best to cooperate with him even if he doesn¡¯t marry me,¡± she spoke out clearly. Since she didn¡¯t want to lose the initiative, she emphasized her every word.


    The man replied, ¡°The emperor doesn¡¯t enjoy uncertain gambling. All your words and promises are nothing but lipservice. If you want a deal instead of gambling, why don¡¯t you show him a surefire card? Even if you are gambling, you have to show something secure as a collateral.¡±


    There was a lot of weight in his firm tone that she could not reject outright. Despite his weird appearance, his voice was clean and refined.


    ¡°So, does he want to take me as his wife? Taking me hostage?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you have to use such a violent expression, but yes. He sees eye to eye with you when it comes to the purpose.¡±


    He didn¡¯t bat an eye when she made winning move by deliberately using such a violent expression. Obviously, he didn¡¯t care about her personal feelings ¡ª they were not important. To him, only the power was valid, and he clearly indicated that he would use her for the purpose.


    When he made such cruel remarks, he did not feel sorry for her at all.


    She could understand it from the position of the emperor. Although she informed the emperor of the alleged treason and offered a deal, she found her life in danger because she failed to present any specific evidence. In some respects, the emperor, not she, had the upper hand in the possible deal.


    So, it was important that she needed to unite with the emperor.


    She needed to have the emperor use her as a useful card as long as she could beat Ober.


    She knew it, but she felt unusually sad at the moment.


    Understandably she felt that way because she had been used to receiving unconditional trust and love from others in her life. Fortunately, she knew that she should not be affected by any emotional outbursts here.


    ¡°What if I don¡¯t want to get married to the emperor?¡±


    ¡°Well, that means you want to break the deal.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to give me a chance to convince you otherwise, right?¡±


    ¡°Well, you said you would use all kinds of means and methods to crush the traitors, right?¡±


    ¡®I wish I hadn¡¯t gone overboard back then,¡¯ she thought to herself.


    With some regrets, she raised the mug on the table. The tea became lukewarm while she was talking, but it was enough to wet her dry throat. The gentle scent of marigold calmed her troubled mind and bought her some time to think it over.


    When she thought about his remarks carefully, she felt the emperor¡¯s proposal was evidence that he accepted more than half of her deal. If he hadn¡¯t believed in her, or if he hadn¡¯t needed her help, he could not have made such a radical counteroffer. If she agreed, the emperor would be her best ally.


    But if she accepted the proposal, she should be the empress of Aslan.


    She never thought about it even in her dreams. Thanks to her father¡¯s deep love for her, she grew up thinking that the political marriage regarded by the sons and daughters of noble families as their fates going against the grain.


    How could she be the emperor¡¯s wife when she didn¡¯t love him at all?


    Since the emperor¡¯s proposal was so ridiculous, she didn¡¯t even think about the glory or honor as his wife. She just wanted to run to him right away after overturning the tea table and declaring that the ongoing deal was invalid.


    ¡°Then, please arrange for me to see the emperor in person. Even though this is a deal, it is something about having a woman as his wife. I don¡¯t like this kind of proposal through a third party.¡±


    Thinking of the villain who made her second life as devastated as her first, she sighed.


    ¡®My life was ruined because of that bad bastard Ober,¡¯ she thought to herself.


    ¡°Is that the condition of the deal you want?¡±


    ¡°Yes. So convey my message to the emperor clearly. If he wants to strike this deal, just show up in front of me and make that obvious proposal. Wouldn¡¯t it be fair for the emperor to give me a surefire card, too?¡±


    Having heard that, the hooded man laughed. She didn¡¯t like the way he laughed from the beginning.


    ¡°Sir, do you think I am funny?¡±


    ¡°No, I just thought you made an unexpected demand.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the emperor who made an unexpected demand to me. And I would like to point out that you¡¯re rude in terms of etiquette.¡±


    When she frowned, that man stood up. Colin, who was watching the situation, grabbed the end of his robe urgently, but he quickly removed the hood.


    The black hood was slowly swept behind his neck.


    The man had platinum hair shining like the Milky Way with blue eyes resembling the water of Lake Ronen.


    ¡°¡­Emperor?¡±


    When she uttered an exclamation like a sigh, Eckart walked over to her side.


    Then he took her hand, bowed at his waist, and kissed the back of her hand.


    She perceived his action as a series of interrupted famous movie scenes.


    She was so embarrassed that she couldn¡¯t even think about pulling her hand away.


    ¡°Lady Marianne. Would you please be my wife?¡±


    Speaking shamelessly, he made eye contact with her. His blue eyes were reflected in her green eyes.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    She glanced between at her hand held by him and his blue eyes.


    Was this a dream?


    She thought about it for a moment, but the warmth she felt in her hand was not fake.


    It was as real as what she felt when she returned to this life and hugged her father again.


    ¡°What is you answer to my proposal?¡±


    His platinum hair and blue eyes got closer to her.


    She stepped back before she knew it and retracted her hand.

 Chapter 17

    It was obvious why the emperor came to visit her after disguising himself as his own representative.


    In any case, it was good for her because she could skip the complicated procedures and quickly proceed with the deal. Of course, she didn¡¯t like his sudden proposal right before her eyes.


    ¡°I, Marianne and the daughter of Duke Kling, gladly accept your proposal.¡±


    She bowed slightly, trying not to tremble at all. She felt her heart beating fast when she put her hands on her chest in accordance with the established practices.


    Clap, clap, clap. Awkward clapping came out from the opposite side. The man who clapped his hands was Colin.


    Eckart raised his body and returned to his seat, clicking his tongue.


    ¡°Colin. I wonder whether you clapped hands as if you were the witness to my proposal.¡±


    ¡°Pardon? Well, this is your first proposal¡­¡±


    ¡°Sir Colin, are you kidding me?¡±


    ¡°Oh no¡­ Sorry¡­¡±


    Colin put down his hands, trying to make poor excuses. He cast down his glance like a dog whose snack was taken away. She felt sorry for his embarrassed look.


    Not caring at all though, Eckart crossed his legs after sitting back on the sofa.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t have flowers or jewelry right now. Let me give you a gift soon.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s too extravagant as a token of your taking me hostage.¡±


    ¡°Well, because there are lots of people who will be watching us in the future. Didn¡¯t you ask me first to observe basic manners and decorum?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not only for me but also for you.¡±


    Eckart twisted his mouth at her response. Watching them waging a war of nerves like that, Colin bit his lip, rolling his red eyes. It was a too calculated and rigid an atmosphere for a couple who just proposed to each other a moment ago.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get to the point now.¡±


    ¡°Well, I would like to start off by asking for your help in several things. Can you help me?¡±


    As if to say it was okay, Eckart raised his sharp chin.


    ¡°I want you to clearly understand that my intention has not been reflected in this marriage at all,¡± she said, shining her green eyes. Eckart frowned a bit at that.


    ¡°Do you want me to play the villain?¡±


    ¡°Well, heroes are misunderstood and go through trials by nature. In this manner, they can develop the strength to defeat the enemy.¡±


    Eckart laughed as if her remarks were ridiculous. How could a naive daughter of a duke dare to teach the emperor?


    He had to scold her for her rudeness, even though she was his partner in the deal.


    Her innocent rudeness to a representative of the emperor and her intentional rudeness to the emperor were completely different.


    But even before Eckart pointed it out, she stepped in all of a sudden.


    ¡°Although I hate him terribly, I think it¡¯s a waste to throw away my good weapon as his lover right away. If I still pretend to be affectionate for him, I think I can obtain one more secret tip about him. Of course, he will find out my feigned love in no time. Anyway, you need lots of intelligence about him.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you scared if Ober, betrayed by your love, sends an assassin to your bedroom?¡±


    ¡°Well, sort of. If Ober feels impatient, he will try to harm not only me but my father as well. You will be hurt, too, if that happens. For that reason, let me assume that I am forcibly engaged by your coercion. Would you agree?¡±


    Did she ask for too much shamelessly?


    She felt a prick in her heart, but pretended not to know it.


    Since it was the emperor who proposed marriage as the condition of a deal, she thought what she told him was not off the mark.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think that the nobles will blame me for my marriage without your agreement?¡±


    ¡°I believe you will fend off such criticism properly.¡±


    ¡°You are underestimating my cabinet ministers with a very innocent face.¡±


    ¡°Am I? But they¡¯re underestimating me and Your Majesty, too. ¡±


    Eckart stared at her intensely, resting his head on his right arm. His eyes shone like emerald without impurities. She did not avoid his glaring eyes, nor did she appear to flatter or play any pranks.


    Suddenly, he recalled the intelligence report that Jed brought.


    ¡®What did it say about her? She is naive and friendly, but hard to understand because she often causes troubles unexpectedly?¡¯ he thought to himself.


    ¡°Is that all you ask for me?¡±


    Eckart asked in a business-like manner after a brief silence.


    ¡°I have one more request. I¡¯d like to meet my father in Lennox. If possible, I would like to see him before our marriage. He doesn¡¯t know anything about this.¡±


    ¡°Let me think about it.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything particular to tell me?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s too late for me to have a dialogue with you for long. If I spend more time here, somebody will smell a rat.¡±


    Eckart loosened his crossed legs and stood up.


    ¡°You had better move your lodging here, too.¡±


    He put on the hood again that he had taken off. She stood up to see him off and said, ¡°Anyway, I have been disguised as the daughter of Earl Spring. The inn I¡¯m staying at is not bad.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a good place when I inspected it.¡±


    What he meant was his convenience was more important. Feeling offended a bit, she bit her lower lip and said, ¡°If it is inconvenient for you, let me move to another place. Let me find another inn near the palace.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t have to go to the trouble of finding one by yourself.¡±


    Eckart resolutely refused and left.


    Soon, the door was opened. While Eckart was leaving the door, he turned his head and said, ¡°Colin, escort her to another inn before it¡¯s too late.¡±


    Bang!


    The door was closed again.


    Escort? As if she couldn¡¯t understand, she looked at Colin with a perplexed expression.


    ¡°Can I help you with packing your stuff?¡±


    He laughed with an awkward expression.


    * * *


    The residential areas of the capital Milan was concentrated east of the Lucio Imperial Palace. It was the achievement of Theodore IX who moved all the people living in the west to the east to reorganize the capital more than two hundred years ago. He distributed the land outside the eastern gate of the Imperial Palace to the settlers and made lots of efforts for the redevelopment of the western areas.


    Since then, Milan¡¯s eastern area became what it is today. Along the streams flowing beneath the Alpha Bridge, there were many homes of commoners in the northeast while noble residences were located mainly in the southeast. The houses of the nobles, who had been succeeding their forefathers¡¯ knighthoods for many generations, became famous spots for the country bumpkins who came up to the capital. Small markets created in the alleys of the commoners¡¯ residential areas were also great attractions.


    The only exception was the Elior Mansion in the west, which did not belong to either area.


    His mansion was like a royal palace. Theodore I, who first laid the groundwork and erected the mansion¡¯s foundation named it the Elior Mansion, but it was no more than an ordinary house in terms of its size and use.


    The mansion had no owner, and only those who got the emperor¡¯s approval were allowed to stay there. As a rule, the royal family members favored by the emperor stayed there, or those who incurred the emperor¡¯s hatred lived there in captivity. There were only a few nobles who lived there for the past several hundred years.


    Its size was also amazing. Though it was not comparable to the imperial palace, it occupied the largest lot in the capital. There was an artificial lake in the garden of that mansion that closely resembled Lake Ronen, the largest and deepest lake in the empire. As royal family members mainly lived there, most of the building¡¯s form and interior equipment resembled the royal style.


    Above all, it was never opened to anybody completely. Parties and ceremonies were often held inside the mansion, but the participants only caught a glimpse of some of the outer gardens. Accordingly, many people considered the Elior Mansion as a mysterious and secret castle that appeared somewhere in the legends.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Standing in front of the main building of the mansion, Marianne was speechless for a moment.


    ¡°Wow!¡±


    Cordeli expressed admiration on behalf of Marianne. As she brought no maid, Iric looked around carefully, holding her bags.


    ¡°Are you sure I¡¯m going to stay here, Sir Colin?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t like it? This is the best mansion except Lucio Imperial Palace in the capital.¡±


    ¡®What are you talking about?¡¯ She wanted to ask back, but barely held back.


    ¡°Welcome, daughter of Earl Spring!¡±


    At that moment, someone spoke with a low voice. A group of people, who stood in a row along the statue of Airius erected before the entrance, bowed politely to her. She felt a bit creeped out.

 Chapter 18

    ¡°My name is Reinhart Kloud, the deputy chamberlain of the Interior Ministry. It is an honor to see you.¡±


    The man standing at the forefront bowed lightly. His formal suit was neat and he looked like he was in his 30s. If he was the deputy chamberlain of the imperial family, he would certainly a high nobleman with the title of earl and above.


    ¡°My name is Marianne.¡±


    She replied while holding the hem of her dress and bending her knees slightly.


    She didn¡¯t mention on purpose that she was the daughter of the Kling family because she felt it was not necessary to reveal her identity when she didn¡¯t know if he was an ally or enemy.


    He also did not use the honorific title Lady, assuming she might be an earl¡¯s daughter.


    However, he used very polite language. As she had been always accustomed to nice treatment, she didn¡¯t think his behavior was suspicious.


    ¡°I hastily arranged the accommodation for you at the emperor¡¯s urgent order today, so you might find lots of things lacking here. As soon as the day breaks tomorrow, let me perform some maintenance checks. Please understand until then.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for caring for me.¡±


    ¡°I am sorry, but I cannot stay in this mansion all the time because of my other duty. If you need anything, please let me know through Countess Reinhart, the temporary chief maid.¡±


    The woman, who appeared to be her age, moved two steps forward. Her elegant dress showed the latest trends in the capital. Even though she had a gentle smile, she looked conceited.


    ¡°I¡¯m Charlotte. You can call me comfortably.¡±


    ¡°Hope I¡¯m in good hands, Mrs. Charlotte.¡±


    Mrs. Charlotte looked slightly puzzled at that, but smiled in no time.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll go back. Have a relaxing night.¡±


    ¡°I have to go for an urgent business, too. Don¡¯t worry as I¡¯ll be back tomorrow!¡±


    Kloud and Colin said goodbye one by one and got back on the carriage that Marianne rode. She had no time to ask them why they brought her here. Aside from Kloud, Colin almost ran away, which she realized before long when the carriage was disappearing in the distance.


    ¡°Are you two in the back in the same group?¡±


    Mrs. Charlotte changed the topic. The people she pointed to were Cordelli and Iric, standing behind her.


    ¡°Yes, they are my bodyguard and maid. This is Iric, and this is Cordelli.¡±


    ¡°Nice to meet you. Ms. Cordeli, you can use a small room next to the bedroom on the second floor of the main building. Sir Iric, you can use the knights¡¯ room in the annex.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t they stay in the main building?¡±


    Iric, who had been shut up so far, opened his mouth for the first time.


    ¡°Why? Are you worried about the lady?¡±


    ¡°Well, if I am close to her, it is easier for me to cope with any contingencies.¡±


    ¡°All of the security guards here in the Elior Mansion are regular members of the Imperial Knights.¡±


    ¡°I know that.¡±


    Iric¡¯s stern answer sounded icy. When Marianne turned around to appease him, the chief maid laughed.


    ¡°Oh, he is a very loyal knight. Good. You can use the far right room on the third floor of the main building. As you insist, you have to take into account that the room was not cleaned.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Iric bowed to her. Mrs. Charlotte selected two maids to escort Cordelli and Iric to their rooms.


    Marianne followed her to the bedroom on the second floor. The room was in a clean and neat condition. After watching the maids unpacking her packages for a while, the chief maid left the room saying she would show Marianne around the mansion tomorrow.


    It was already late at night. Marianne simply washed herself with warm water and went to bed straight away. The fluffy blankets and bed were so comfortable, compared with those at her previous inn. She looked back at her day, rubbing her sleepy eyes.


    ¡®Why did they bring me to this mansion among the others? If somebody suddenly comes to stay here, he will surely draw the attention of other people here. Did the emperor do something that could invite other peoples¡¯ suspicion? He wouldn¡¯t do this recklessly. Isn¡¯t it better to announce our wedding as late as possible? I need some more practice to tempt Ober. Is my father doing well? He will be surprised to find out that I¡¯m going to marry the emperor. I would like to meet him as soon as possible to give him a briefing. If Sir Colin comes here tomorrow, let me ask him to arrange my meeting with my father quickly¡­¡¯


    As she was really tired, she fell asleep in no time.


    * * *


    When she woke up, it was right before noon the next morning. Partly because the blanket was so comfortable, and partly because she was too tired, she seemed to have slept in.


    She pulled the string connected with the silver bell as she watched the sun dimly shining through the curtains.


    ¡°Are you awake, lady? Good morning. Oh, no, it¡¯s already afternoon!¡±


    Cordelli greeted her with a cheerful voice. While the other maids called the servants to prepare the washing water and clothes, Cordelli put a cup of hot tea and a piece of paper on the bedside tea table.


    ¡°Mrs. Charlotte prepared the tea in person. I hope you like it.¡±


    Marianne, leaning on the bedside, reached out for the teacup. She held a mug of fresh jasmine in her right hand. After sipping it, she felt the temperature was right and the tea water was clean.


    Feeling good, she unfolded a bunch of paper on the tea table with her left hand. It was an imperial bulletin issued this morning. Perhaps it was delivered by Mrs. Charlotte out of courtesy, but she found it very helpful. Since she decided to make a deal with with the emperor, she had to keep abreast with the imperial news.


    While Marianne was leisurely reading the bulletin¡¯s title and key announcements, she almost spit out the tea in her mouth.


    ¡°Cough! Cough!¡±


    ¡°Lady, Are you okay?¡±


    When she choked on tea, Cordelli quickly picked up her teacup and tapped her back anxiously. While she coughed up as if she couldn¡¯t breathe properly, she did not take her eyes off the title.


    What a crazy thing this is!


    Instead of screaming, Marianne kept coughing until tears came out. She would have felt like crying even if she hadn¡¯t choked on the tea.


    She remembered telling Colin last night that she wanted to meet her father as soon as possible before her wedding news was announced to the public, saying her father didn¡¯t know anything about it. She knew Colin clearly replied he would give it a thought.


    ¡°You told me you would think about it! You lied! What a cheater!¡±


    Marianne screamed loudly before stopping her coughs.


    Those who watched her anxiously behind Cordelli looked at her with a surprised expression, but she didn¡¯t care.


    In the end, Cordelli quickly let them out of the room and comforted her.


    ¡°Please, calm down. Just relax and look at you. Your hands are trembling violently. If you hold the paper hard, you will be hurt. Open it slowly.¡±


    Her fingertips that crumpled the bulletin were trembling, and they were so pale.


    She slowly opened her hand, following Cordeli¡¯s advice. Several colored marks were clearly visible on the palm of her hand..


    ¡°Oh my god¡­ Doesn¡¯t it hurt?¡±


    Cordelli took a washcloth soaked with water and wiped her palm gently. She blew off the heat on her palm and shook her head.


    ¡°By the way, what do you mean by the cheater? Who dares to cheat on you?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    ¡°He is such a fool! Just tell me who he is. Let me inform Sir Iric about this immediately.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to.¡±


    ¡°Why? Is that crook much better at fencing than Sir Iric?¡±


    She murmured to herself, ¡®Well, I don¡¯t know that, but he can bring dozens or even hundreds of knights as good as Iric.¡¯


    But she couldn¡¯t tell Cordelli and gnawed her lips. She didn¡¯t tremble as much as before, but her sense of betrayal was still there. She couldn¡¯t put up with it.


    Although she didn¡¯t know its impact to the emperor exactly, it was a dangerous deal for herself. She came to the capital after deceiving not only Ober but also the residents at the mansion, her friends, and even her father. She couldn¡¯t be more desperate back then. She had bet everything on the deal. Things didn¡¯t work out as planned, and now she found herself in a situation where she had to marry the emperor. As long as she could save her father and defeat Ober, however, she was willing to risk anything. No matter what happened to her, she felt things would work out better for her than to die. But she paused a moment and thought to herself.

 Chapter 19

    ¡®I really wanted to meet my father and explain to him about the deal in person. Was the favor I asked Colin too much? Besides, they didn¡¯t prepare anything for the wedding. What if Ober thinks something went wrong and moves recklessly to harm my father? Can I go to the emperor right now and ask him to collect all the bulletins right away? No, it¡¯s too late.. now.¡¯


    With her shoulders drooping, she grabbed her splitting head with her hands.


    While wiping her hand, Cordelli laid down the towel sullenly.


    Knock, knock.


    Someone knocked on the door. Cordelli quickly sensed it and headed to the door.


    When the maid outside said something, she nodded with a very perplexed look.


    ¡°Well, Lady¡­¡±


    Marianne did not answer. Cordelli trotted toward her and sat down again.


    ¡°What shall I do? She said the emperor is here. Why don¡¯t you get dressed and go out to greet him? ¡±


    She was still silent.


    ¡®I don¡¯t care if the emperor is here or not. Why should I care about¡­¡¯


    While she was thinking to herself, she suddenly came to her senses.


    Emperor?


    She jumped out of bed.


    ¡°Yes. I have to go.¡±


    Like a predator who wandered through the grass and found its prey, she removed the blanket quickly with surprisingly sparkling eyes. After she came down from the bed like a lightning bolt, she put slippers on to go out.


    ¡°Lady, Wait a moment! Lady Marie!¡±


    Although Cordelli urgently called after her, she did not care. She pushed the maid who was waiting for an answer outside the door, and quickly passed through the antique artworks in the hallway which were hung on the walls every three steps. She didn¡¯t know how quickly she ran, but one of her slippers came off when she tripped over the carpet, which she didn¡¯t notice at all.


    She soon arrived at the main staircase leading to the lobby on the first floor. Catching her short breath, she looked at the front door at the end of the lobby. The door was opened wide and a group of people came in.


    ¡°Your Excellency!¡±


    She shouted at him with a sharp and crisp voice, which alerted the man standing at the forefront of the group. At her loud voice that resonated through the entire lobby, everybody naturally their eyes on her. Not caring about it at all, Marianne began to walk down dozens of lobby stairs toward him.


    Eckart, the very man who she shouted at, blatantly frowned. He ordered shortly after looking at both ends of the central staircase where she was hastily coming down.


    ¡°Step back, everybody!¡±


    His low voice rang heavily. At any moment, the emperor¡¯s order was an absolute law. The residents at the mansion, including Mrs. Charlotte, who were waiting to greet the emperor, as well as Colin and Jed, and the others who accompanied him, turned back back and bowed in unison.


    Marianne, who already came down the stairs, was crossing the lobby. She confidently walked toward him as if she was a triumphant general returning from the battlegrounds.


    She stopped right in front of the emperor and breathed out roughly.


    Rather than bowing to him politely, she even stared at him with an upset expression.


    ¡°You look poorly dressed! Did you bump into a robber in the middle of the day? I guess a robber can¡¯t come in as security is very tight around this mansion.¡±


    ¡°No. I met a cheater, not a robber.¡±


    ¡°Cheater?¡± Eckart asked casually, but some of the people standing around him became pale.


    They seemed to know the cheater she was talking about.


    Only Jed burst into laughter among them, but he was nudged in the rib by Colin.


    ¡°Yes, I was cheated on by a very bad cheater yesterday.¡±


    ¡°Oh. I¡¯m sorry to hear that.¡±


    What? I¡¯m sorry to hear that?


    She was at a loss for words at his shameless attitude.


    ¡®Are all the men in the Frey family bloodline all like this man? First Ober, and now the emperor¡­ Are they as good-looking as they are at cheating? Or do they promise in advance to cheat and betray naive and innocent people like me? Otherwise, how can they be so brazen like this?¡¯


    While she was venting out her anger, Eckart looked up the center stairs.


    It was Cordelli who appeared there late. She was holding a silk gown in her arm, and had gone out to catch up with Marianne. She was also holding one slipper that she picked up on the carpet.


    Cordelli stepped down the stairs falteringly at Eckhart¡¯s waving gesture.


    ¡°Then, this amazing welcome ceremony for me is kind of a protest to catch the cheater right now?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I have a lot to complain to that cheater.¡±


    ¡°Sure, if you want it. ¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you see it? I really want it.¡±


    ¡°I think so. Let¡¯s go back and get ready to meet the cheater then. But it looks like you can¡¯t deal with him when you¡¯re dressed like that.¡±


    When he said that, she looked back at her attire.


    Since she came out right after she woke up, her hair was dishevelled, wearing only a nightgown. She appeared here on foot with her unwashed face and a missing slipper


    ¡®So what?¡¯ she wanted to shout, but she was really in terrible shape.


    ¡°¡­I think I was discourteous. ¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome. I think I have to get used to your appearance like that in the future.¡±


    Having said that, Eckart reached out to her back.


    Cordelli had already come up to hand her a gown and put the slipper on her foot.


    ¡°But others don¡¯t have to get used to it,¡± he said coldly.


    Then he covered her shoulders with a silk gown.


    As the surroundings were very quiet, everybody might have heard him.


    His warning was cunning and dreadful, mixed with kindness and displeasure.


    While looking at his blue eyes when he approached her up close, she suddenly turned.


    She suddenly felt very strange. Mostly like he made the remarks to deceive those around him here, and she had no choice but to recall somebody who was pretty much accustomed to this kind of disguise.


    ¡°As the cheater will be hers shortly, don¡¯t lose him!¡±


    She left the lobby with Cordelli quickly.


    Only after he confirmed they disappeared into the central stairs could he free his men who turned around while he was talking with her.


    ¡°It looks like she is a very ferocious woman. I guess you can fall in love with her at first glance, Your Majesty! Have you ever met that type of woman before? I think you have a unique preference for a woman!¡±


    ¡°Sir Jed! Don¡¯t tease me!¡±


    ¡°Why? I¡¯m praising you now. Don¡¯t you agree with me, Your Majesty? Do you know what the noblemen¡¯s daughters in the capital call you? Invincible Blue Iron Wall! It¡¯s not just an ordinary wall, but an iron wall. Why do you think they gave you such a nickname? Then, the daughter of Duke Kling has made it. No matter how large the Aslan empire is, you will never be able to find a more beautiful girl like her. As your servant, I¡¯m deeply touched.¡±


    Jed gave him a long talk on purpose. There was something implicit in his joke, though.


    It was ironic to some extent, given his stance that he had been passive in this strategy from the beginning. As Jed knew the emperor¡¯s cold-hearted character since they grew up together as children, he only had the privilege of raising dissent against the emperor and plucking up his courage to resist.


    ¡°Your Majesty, don¡¯t pay attention to Sir Jed. It looks like she has already read the bulletin.¡±


    Colin stepped in and tried to read Eckart¡¯s mind.


    Eckart, however, was indifferent as usual, as if he didn¡¯t care at all about Marianne¡¯s mention of a cheater, and Jed¡¯s mention of Iron Wall as his nickname.


    ¡°I think that¡¯s why she was so upset. I gave her the imperial bulletin paper this morning.¡±


    Instead, it was Mrs. Charlotte who caught Eckart¡¯s attention.


    ¡°That¡¯s what you did.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. But I thought I had the right to know who she was.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but I don¡¯t want to go through that kind of lousy welcoming ceremony again.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, I will keep your precious warning in mind.¡±


    Mrs. Charlotte grabbed the end of her skirt and bowed elegantly.


    Then she skillfully changed the topic and asked to escort them to the reception room.


    The maids of the mansions and the servants brought by the emperor dispersed to carry out their assignments, and only a few people were left behind to accompany the emperor.


    ¡°I have a question.¡±


    While walking down the hallway, Eckart suddenly spoke to Mrs. Charlotte.


    ¡°Do you like the new owner of the mansion?¡±


    Mrs. Charlotte turned back at his question and smiled.


    ¡°I do not know yet¡­¡±


    When she deliberately slurred the end of her sentence, Eckart looked at her this time.

 Chapter 20

    Countess Reinhart was widely known to have accurate judgement and cold-hearted in the capital. Although her comment on Marianne would not influence his judgment, he felt it would be worthwhile to listen to her opinion.


    ¡°When I first met her last night, I believed that the woman before me was the daughter of Earl Spring. She was dressed simply, and had a few attendants. Most of all, I heard about her from Sir Kloud, the deputy chamberlain.¡±


    ¡°The deputy chamberlain is a man who keeps promises well.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a good man. That¡¯s why I like him. Anyway, I thought she was a little bit scared because humans are afraid of strange things, even if they are wonderful and beautiful. Then, all of a sudden, this daughter of an unnamed earl was chosen as the prospective empress, and at this mansion, she came to be served by the countess, who was equal to her mother in rank.¡±


    Mrs. Charlotte recollected what happened last night. Though Marianne was simply dressed, her clear green eyes glimmered in her eyes.


    ¡°But she wasn¡¯t scared. Rather, she skillfully managed people. She looked like any other daughter of a noble family. But that¡¯s what I was suspicious of. I was not sure if she had the guts by nature or she had a secret that I didn¡¯t know.¡±


    Eckart became fascinated with her episode about Marianne.


    Mrs. Charlotte said happily, ¡°I came to know her secret after reading he imperial bulletin that arrived this morning. I felt somewhat strange when she was too polite, and I now know the reason. As the daughter of a duke, she was probably accustomed to managing people, and she had no reason to be embarrassed at such treatment.¡±


    ¡°But her appearance at the welcoming ceremony a minute ago wasn¡¯t what you expected of a duke¡¯s daughter, right?¡±


    Mrs. Charlotte nodded.


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I expected at all. Even if someone threatens me with a knife on my neck, I can¡¯t say her appearance was the example of an elegant daughter of a duke. Besides, I¡¯d never seen such a spoiled daughter like Marianne among those who I taught or throughout the long history of Aslan. How can a daughter of a noble family run in pajamas and dare to get angry at you while complaining about a cheater?¡±


    As if she remembered what happened a little while ago, Mrs. Charlotte covered her mouth and chuckled.


    ¡°You asked if I liked her. Although I can¡¯t judge my new master by that criterion alone, I can¡¯t tell you that I respect her at this point. But it is true that her unique frankness is attractive.¡±


    ¡°The imperial family regards honesty as a virtue, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°You are right. I just wanted to watch her a little longer because I¡¯ve become curious about her. More than anything else, I¡­¡±


    While both of them were talking, they arrived in front of the reception room. The two waiters politely greeted them and opened the door wide.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t she your choice? In fact, I trust your own judgement rather than mine or Marianne¡¯s,¡± Mrs. Charlotte said meaningfully.


    But Eckart did not respond to her comment. He stared at her for a moment and quickly entered the room with a cool face as usual.


    Looking at his back, she smiled a mysterious smile.


    She felt that a very interesting situation in the near future would soon unfold.


    * * *


    After returning to the room with Cordelli, Marianne hastily adjusted her clothes to get dressed up. She combed the long dishevelled hair, tied it with silk straps, and wore a slightly pink frill dress. The long frills on the sleeves and the skirt fluttered like peacock feathers. As for her accessories, she chose a high-end ring and necklace carved into the crescent shape.


    Compared to her clothes at the Lennox mansion, she was dressed very simply and modestly.


    Though she didn¡¯t like these kinds of ornaments, she had no other choice because she had to choose among the clothes and ornaments that she had hastily bought in order to play the role of a daughter of Count Springer.


    ¡°I thought you would look great with whatever you are dressed in. No matter what you wear, it perfectly matches your body line.¡±


    Cordelli adjusted her dress with a happy look on her face. Marianne took her remarks as suggesting that she was ready for a fight. After she got dressed up, she left the room. A maid sent by Mrs. Charlotte beforehand showed her the way.


    The reception room of the main building was not far from the lobby. When she walked along the red carpet and arrived there, she entered the room alone, leaving Cordelli behind. The emperor and his entourage were waiting inside.


    ¡°May the glory of Airius, the great Lord, be bestowed upon Your Majesty!¡±


    Marianne slightly bowed to the emperor and sat on the opposite sofa. Unlike his unruly behavior a while ago, making a big fuss during the day, he was now incredibly elegant and gentle, making her wonder if he was the same person that she had seen in the hallway.


    On the emperor¡¯s right sat Colin and a stranger. The man looked like a swordsman with a large build and a strong impression. When Colin stood side by side him, they looked like a beast and a rabbit.


    ¡°Nice to meet you. This is Jed of Reno, currently working as the chief Treasury clerk.¡±


    Jed first greeted her as if he was conscious of her. Only then she realized that he was the only son of Earl Reno. Along with Colin, he was regarded as the emperor¡¯s closest advisor.


    Though Jed didn¡¯t like Marianne, she did not feel like his first impression was bad. In particular, the reddish curls of his hair were impressive. His aura was quite different from that of Ober who had similar hair. While Ober¡¯s hair was dark and calm, his hair was a bit more light and brighter.


    ¡°I¡¯m Marianne of the Kling family.¡±


    She lightly replied and asked Eckart, ¡°Does Sir Jed know all about this whole scam?¡±


    ¡°To some extent.¡±


    ¡°Oh, he was an accomplice of Sir Colin. I didn¡¯t know that.¡±


    At that point, Colin avoided her gaze with an expression like that of a surprised rabbit.


    ¡°You are so mean and cruel to me. I¡¯m just a misfortunate loyalist of the emperor who has opposed this scam strongly all the time,¡± said Jed with a bit of satire.


    She looked at the three people and opened her mouth again.


    She said to Eckhart, ¡°Without further ado, why did you lie to me a minute ago?¡±


    ¡°I never told you a lie.¡±


    ¡°When I told you I wanted to see my father, you said you would consider it.¡±


    ¡°Why is that a lie? I only said I would give it a thought, but I never promised.¡±


    He answered shamelessly. She felt more displeased because he said he wasn¡¯t wrong logically.


    ¡°Then are you saying that was the decision you made after considering my request as much as possible?¡±


    She straightened her neck tightly, grasping the hem of the dress unconsciously. She looked like a cat watching around, swelling and raising its tail high and crouching just before charging forward to scratch.


    ¡°Of course, I did.¡± Eckart was as composed as ever, folding his hands and sitting relaxed while he was being questioned. His peaceful attitude annoyed her even further.


    ¡°Ober is a cruel politician. If Ober concludes that he can¡¯t move my father according to his will anymore, he will poison my father or send an assassin to kill him even today.¡±


    ¡°I made the decision taking that factor into account too.¡±


    ¡°There are some watchers Ober left behind at the mansion. You said you¡¯d guarantee my father¡¯s safety, right? I can understand your decision to deny me the chance to meet my father, but you really have to take the measure to protect my father. Don¡¯t you think so?¡±


    Despite her stinging words, Eckart still had a carefree expression on his face.


    ¡°Lady, your father will be safe because of that bulletin.¡±


    Colin cut in as if he couldn¡¯t stand it anymore. Even though she didn¡¯t have an official wedding ceremony, she was almost a recognized finance of the emperor as of today, so Colin became more polite to her.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°The fact that the emperor has decided to marry you means that your father¡¯s forces have a higher chance of uniting with the emperor¡¯s forces. If somebody attacks your father in this situation, who is going to be singled out as the most likely culprit? And who will get the most out of your father¡¯s murder?¡±


    It was Ober, of course. Or his closest men.


    ¡°However¡­ even if Ober rises in revolt and fails, can¡¯t he throw the blame on you? For example, he could argue that the emperor coveted Lennox, so he killed the duke and took away his daughter.¡±


    Colin said, ¡°Right. That¡¯s possible. if the bulletin about the emperor¡¯s wedding had come out later, he might have stolen the show. But like you said, Marquis Chester is a thorough politician. He will not upset the applecart by moving recklessly. Many are watching his move in the capital, and it¡¯s been in almost a few decades that a new owner has come to the Elior Mansion. Maybe the rumor about the new owner of the Elior Mansion will spread quickly today or tomorrow. The emperor hastily issued the bulletin news, fully considering all these factors.¡±

 Chapter 21

    Colin¡¯s point was that the emperor blocked Ober from mounting a counterattack before he rose in revolt. That was a very plausible speculation, and Marianne agreed to some extent.


    ¡°But Ober may not act rationally as you think.¡±


    Marianne recalled her death just a few days ago.


    Her appearance at the garden that night was probably an unexpected variable that Ober hadn¡¯t planned for. And as soon as he was faced with the variable, he immediately changed his plan and drowned her in the lake. Maybe these people did not know Ober¡¯s true character yet.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Colin slurred the end of his sentence. It wasn¡¯t because he didn¡¯t know how to respond, but because he wasn¡¯t sure if it was okay to answer a little more.


    He hesitated and then looked at Eckart.


    ¡°If you know too much, it will be hard for you to deceive Ober because you are overly honest,¡± Eckart said, twitching his crossed fingertips. His tone was strangely provocative.


    ¡°If you¡¯re going to randomly select the intelligence you give me, I¡¯ll also selectively inform you of the tips that I¡¯ve obtained.¡±


    ¡°Are you threatening me?¡±


    ¡°No, I would call it an act of revenge, if I have to name it.¡±


    She held her own in response to his challenge. In terms of the influence, she knew she was no more than a daughter of a noble family, while the other party was the emperor. Nevertheless, if she found herself in a disadvantageous situation like this, she would jump into the fire in spite of herself.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t hide anything from me, I will not hide anything from you, either.¡±


    ¡°Was it because you were born and raised in the northern part of the border? You are always too scared.¡±


    ¡°Compliment? Thank you.¡±


    Mariane smiled brightly. Eckart looked at her acting shamelessly and then rang the bell on the table twice.


    Clang, clang!


    As soon as the bell rang, the back door of the reception room was opened and the waiters came in in groups. Not one or two, but dozens. One-third of them had colorful baskets and pots, while the rest were holding neatly-organized large and small boxes.


    After they came in an orderly manner, they put down the items on the table one by one. A path of blooming flowers trailed from the window to the couch where Marianne sat. Inside the boxes that opened with the creaking of hinges was a mountain of gifts. A variety of dresses and accessories, shoes and hats, gloves and fans were displayed.


    ¡°What the heck is all this¡­¡±


    ¡°If I didn¡¯t hide anything, you also said you wouldn¡¯t hide anything, right?¡±


    Dumbfounded by all the gifts, she let out a sigh.


    ¡°This is not what I want to know,¡± she said.


    ¡°Let me give this one as my proposal flower, and let me take the rest of them as stolen goods left behind by the cheater.¡±


    Come to think of it, she received his proposal yesterday. Though it was so unexpected and messy, she couldn¡¯t find anything like love in his confession.


    ¡°Your Majesty, I¡­¡±


    Eckart stood up before she was done talking. He motioned the waiters out of the room and walked slowly towards the cluster of flowers.


    ¡°Even if Ober recklessly mounted an attack, he couldn¡¯t possibly kill your father.¡±


    The reception room was piled with potted plants and bouquets which looked like a part of the garden. There were all kinds of flowers that bloomed in spring. Ranunculus, tulips, daisies, freesias, hyacinths, daffodils, and the lilies and roses with early buds in the Imperial Palace greenhouse. Many other flowers also emitted their own fragrances. Their fragrances were so strong that they even felt dizzy when they stood near them.


    Eckart wandered around a cluster of flowers and pulled out the stem of a flower with young buds. It was a unique lily, a rare breed called the Snow Queen. The tedious and boring report that Jed brought to him included even the kind of flowers that the daughter most cherished.


    ¡°By the time the imperial bulletin comes out in Lennox, the duke won¡¯t be there.¡±


    While she was carried away with the beautiful flowers, she opened her eyes wide with surprise at his remarks.


    ¡®Isn¡¯t my father in Lennox?¡¯


    ¡°The bulletin was dispatched all over the empire this morning. It will arrive in Lennox probably within four days. But it won¡¯t take one day for a messenger bird that I sent last night to cross the walls of Lennox, and another day for it to move during the night without being caught. Two days are more than enough. The messenger bird was a pheasant very well trained for military purposes.¡±


    Marianne¡¯s green eyes sparkled in the sun.


    Even before the bulletin was printed, the emperor sent that messenger bird in advance.


    ¡®By the time the newsletter arrived in Lennox, my father was out of it. If he was not in Lennox¡­¡¯


    ¡°Did you arrange for my father to flee in advance?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what happened.¡±


    He could describe it as ¡®escape¡¯, but maybe her father would be taken as hostage like her.


    If he could stay safe, however, that was the best option for him.


    ¡°I believe he is safe, isn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°If the owner of the messenger bird received the message on time.¡±


    ¡°Who is the owner?¡±


    ¡°Well.¡±


    Eckart walked back to the table. Marianne stood up after biting her lip. The hems of her pink dress brushed the wool carpet.


    ¡°Your Majesty, I did not ask for a deal because I coveted the gifts like this.¡±


    She pointed to a box of jewelry nearby. He slowly approached and stopped to face her.


    He looked down at her with his dark blue eyes.


    ¡°I fully understand that you can¡¯t trust me totally. But it¡¯s unfair to keep me away from important information.¡±


    Her firm tone and clear eyes reflected something like her strong will. That reflected her anger.


    ¡°I heard the knights don¡¯t show their backs to those they can¡¯t trust on the battlefield. But you already decided to show your back to me, no matter what. Is it your strategy to fight against your allies in the back when you are struggling to fight with the enemy forces in front of you?¡±


    Although she figuratively mentioned a knight to indirectly criticize the emperor, her remarks were like direct criticism. What she meant was that the emperor was trying to waste his forces instead of trusting his men on the battlefield. This was a direct attack on the emperor, which only Jed, not Colin, could initiate.


    Eckart frowned at her critical remarks.


    ¡°Do you think you¡¯re a great ally of mine to protect me behind my back?¡±


    ¡°If I betray, I can at least tear the cloak that covered your back.¡±


    ¡°I could kill you first before you do.¡±


    Eckart regretted a bit after answering her question in a fit of anger. He felt he didn¡¯t need to answer like that. He felt it was a shame for him to threaten a powerless citizen by showing off his power as the ruler of the empire.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I trust you. I decided to trust you. Although you won¡¯t sacrifice for me, I won¡¯t stab a knife in your back as long as I trust you. Do you want to go to the battlefield with someone who doesn¡¯t have that kind of moral obligation or loyalty?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like that type of person. He is too dangerous. It really exhausts me to stand against Ober alone as an enemy. You have to deal with more enemies than me. Why are you trying to keep me in check?¡±


    She spit out everything she wanted to say, but regretted it in no time. The other party was the emperor. She never heard that Eckart, namely Frey VII, was a tyrant, but if he ordered his men to drag her out of here on charges of defaming the royal family or for a violation of lese-majeste law, she had no other choice but to kneel before the guillotine.


    To make her restless, Eckart was silent for a while. As she wondered if he was thinking of how to punish her, she opened her mouth, looking at his face.


    ¡°Your Majesty. What I mean is¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, I hope you are not Ober¡¯s spy. ¡±


    ¡°Pardon? What did you say? What are you talking about?¡±


    She got upset and protested against his nonsensical response. So far, so good.


    But it would have been much better if she hadn¡¯t stepped on the long front hem of the dress while coming forward. A lily in Eckart¡¯s hand fell on the carpet.


    ¡°¡­


    ¡°¡­¡±


    It was thanks to Eckart¡¯s excellent reflexes that he could catch her timely. When their eyes awkwardly met up close at that moment, they slowly blinked. There ensued an awkward silence between them.


    ¡°Hey, folks, you picked a quarrel with each other only a moment ago. Don¡¯t you think you are trying to reconcile so quickly?¡± When Jed made fun of them, they quickly distanced themselves. She began to tuck up her skirt with an embarrassed look.

 Chapter 22

    ¡°Well, I could have just stabbed Your Majesty if I had been Ober¡¯s spy, right?¡±


    ¡°I hope you didn¡¯t fall down deliberately to prove it.¡±


    ¡°Anyway I¡¯m innocent. Can you believe me, please?¡±


    ¡°¡­ Let me try.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s an ambiguous answer. I hope you won¡¯t tell me later that you said you would try to believe.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s you who are not believing me.¡±


    ¡°Okay. It¡¯s up to you. By the way, can you let me know who the owner of the messenger bird is?¡±


    Although she looked careless, she eventually brought the conversation back to the main topic. Thinking that she was more persistent than he thought, Eckart opened his mouth slowly.


    ¡°Curtis von Knight.¡±


    It seemed like she heard it somewhere, but it was a strange name.


    ¡°Your Excellency,¡± Jed said.


    While she was recollecting each of the names she knew, Jed stepped forward with a displeased look.


    Eckart raised his hand slightly to stop him and explained kindly.


    ¡°Right now he is the chief knight of the Astolf Knights.¡±


    ¡°Do you mean the owner of the messenger bird is the chief knight of the Astolf Knights?¡±


    When she asked back, he slightly nodded. Jed sighed and stepped back.


    ¡°Since he was born and raised in Lennox, you might know Astolf¡¯s reputation well. He will protect your father. Are you relieved now?¡±


    ¡°Really? If that¡¯s true, I am a little less worried¡­¡±


    She slurred the end of her sentence. If her father¡¯s bodyguard was the chief knight of the Astolf Knights, who could be compared to the imperial Eluang Knights, she thought his capabilities had been proven. But that was not the problem.


    ¡°What did you say a moment ago? To me it sounds like he belongs to a different knight group.¡±


    When she pointed it out sharply, he looked a bit surprised.


    ¡°If you¡¯re asking me if he is a spy, you¡¯re right. He is one of my trusted sources in the north.¡±


    ¡°I was so naive.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I think so as you realized it only now.¡±


    She thought he had never comforted her. She stared at Eckhart with a sullen expression.


    ¡°I understand the Astolf Knights pledged allegiance to my father, the owner of Lennox, didn¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°I heard that as the new knights of the border they were especially loyal to their lord, but they are also my vassals. All the national or provincial knights groups in each region are under the direct command of the Eluang Knights, the imperial knights, according to the imperial law.¡±


    ¡°Really? Of course, that is¡­¡±


    She couldn¡¯t understand why he repeated the already known fact.


    At that moment, Jed cut in quickly.


    ¡°Lady, I want you didn¡¯t say anything that could invite misunderstanding. The master who receives the pledges from all the members of the national knights groups is not your father, but the emperor.¡±


    When he spoke resolutely, his eyes were very cold unlike before.


    She belatedly realized that she had touched the emperor¡¯s soft spot.


    In no time, she continued in an embarrassed voice, ¡°No, I didn¡¯t mean that. Obviously the owner of Astolf is the emperor! I heard that the Astolf Knights are different from other knights in terms of its history and atmosphere. So, I thought there were very few people who suspect that there might be a spy sent by the emperor among them. I¡¯m sorry if I made you uncomfortable.¡±


    She suddenly felt depressed and slightly bit her lips. When she lived in Lennox, she just took it for granted, but she didn¡¯t expect that it would really rub the emperor the wrong way.


    ¡°Well, what should I do? There are as many as three spies here in this room except you.¡±


    Eckart did not get angry. Instead he even grinned, teasing her with a joking tone. He didn¡¯t look threatening or repressing when he grinned, which made her feel a bit relieved. But she never thought there was something behind it.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t tease me. Perhaps there is a spy that Your Majesty has not found out about yet.¡±


    ¡°Right now, I know there are about five, but as you say, there may be more.¡±


    ¡°Oh my gosh. Five?¡±


    She became sullen somehow because she felt betrayed.


    She had never been betrayed by anybody before meeting Ober. She imagined several times how dreadful the shadow of power might be. When she was faced with a sober reality, however, she got very confused and complicated. Sometimes she wanted to run away because of fear, and sometimes she couldn¡¯t understand.


    Eckart, on the other hand, had lived an opposite life of hers. He could not sympathize with her deeply ¡ª he thought it was only natural for her to show anaive reaction.


    In a nutshell, there were too many things that she didn¡¯t know.


    For example, she didn¡¯t know what the nobel family members such as Ober had done to exercise power freely. She didn¡¯t know how many crooked guys eyeing for power lurked in the imperial family, the capital, as well as provinces and the towns of the neighboring country. She didn¡¯t know whether an ally like Ecart, now facing her, was hiding any dirty tricks behind her back. She didn¡¯t know how many of those standing by her now could turn their coats later on.


    ¡°As I hear from Colin, your knight is called the wolf of the Astolf Knights.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that is correct. He just became an official knight, but I can guarantee his competence.¡±


    ¡°What is his name?¡±


    ¡°Iric. Iric von Schmidt.¡±


    After he heard it, he pointed to the bell on the table.


    Colin, who stood closest to the table, quickly shook the bell once.


    In no time an attendant came in after he politely knocked on the door.


    ¡°Your Majesty, I¡¯m here.¡±


    ¡°Bring the daughter¡¯s knight Iric von Schmidt here. You don¡¯t have to take away his weapon.¡±


    ¡°Yes, will do, Your Majesty.¡±


    The attendant left the room after greeting him quickly.


    ¡°Why are you bringing Iric suddenly? You don¡¯t think he is Ober¡¯s spy, do you? Iric is not that type of person. ¡±


    ¡°Most people who don¡¯t seem to do that kind of stuff actually do it.¡±


    ¡°But Iric is different.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a good habit to trust people easily.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it a bad habit to doubt someone you can trust?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re confident enough, just think of my actions as a verification process. I want you to think about my position too. How can I take someone I don¡¯t know as the bodyguard knight for my fianc¨¦e?¡±


    While they were having a quarrel, somebody knocked on the door again. He allowed them to open it. Soon, a long shadow crossed the threshold and knelt down on the carpet.


    ¡°May the glory of the Airius be bestowed upon Your Majesty! This is Astolf¡¯s Black Wolf and Iric of the Schmidt family, and I¡¯m honored to see you.¡±


    Eckart looked down on Iric quietly and responded slowly.


    ¡°Stand up and come near me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m honored.¡±


    Iric stood up in an orderly manner. The long cuts on his cheeks under the purple hair


    were impressive. Because he was indoors, he wore light clothes instead of armor, but his build looked very muscular. Even though Eckart looked at him sharply, he showed no signs of timidness or distractedness.


    ¡°Colin.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Is the name Iric von Schmidt on the spy list?¡±


    ¡°Well, no. I remember it was not there. ¡±


    Eckhart already knew that his name was not on the list of the spies who were cooperating with Ober. Nevertheless, the reason he brought Iric to him and mentioned something like a spy in his face was because he wanted to distract and annoy him.


    ¡°See! Iric is not the man who can betray my father and me,¡± she said confidently.


    ¡°It looks like your black sword is too old to protect her, my fiancee and the future queen.


    Can you show it to me?¡±


    Iric, who was wearing the sword according to the emperor¡¯s command, released the sheath he put on his waist. Passing by the table and the emperor¡¯s closest advisors, he knelt again before the emperor and lifted the sword over his head.


    It definitely looked old. The pattern of the eight stars engraved on the sword was long worn out, and the few unattached gems on it also faded. By any standards, it was a very old sword worn out through the long years.


    Eckart pulled the sword from the sheath. As if Iric lubricated and sharpened it every day, its blade shone coldly. Eckart¡¯s blue eyes looking down on the silver sword were reflected clearly.


    At that moment, there was the noise of a sharp object cutting through the wind.


    And then there was the sound of something breaking open quickly.


    ¡°Your Excellency!¡± Jed yelled as if he were surprised.


    When they heard something noisy inside, the knights waiting outside opened the door and jumped in. Opening his red eyes widely, Colin was standing stiffly like a stone statue.


    Marianne also stiffened. She slowly opened her eyes, which she closed unconsciously a moment ago. Iric, who blocked her view, stepped back.

 Chapter 23

    When Iric stepped back, the upper part of his right arm was torn unsightly. A red line was drawn over its tight muscles. It wasn¡¯t deep, but it was a bloody sore wound.


    ¡°Iric? ¡±


    ¡°Are you okay, Lady?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Iric, but your arm¡­¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡±


    Iric replied kindly to her as if to comfort her who was surprised. She didn¡¯t understand his answer. And she couldn¡¯t believe what just happened before her eyes.


    She did not want to understand it either.


    A moment ago, the emperor threw the sword at her without any hesitation.


    ¡°Do you think that giving up your life easily is a sign of loyalty?¡±


    Eckart did not bat an eyelash despite his risky actions. He calmly motioned the knights out of the room.


    ¡°You can¡¯t protect anyone with a broken sword. Instead of thinking about dying for somebody, think about living together.¡±


    ¡°I will keep it in mind, Your Excellency,¡± Iric replied in a calm voice.


    After looking at Iric for a while, Eckart walked by her.


    ¡°Your Excellency!¡±


    Marianne called him, but he did not stop and look at her. His destination was a wooden showcase filling the back wall behind her.


    After taking out the sword stuck on the wall of the right side of the showcase, somebody grabbed him by the collar roughly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think this test is too harsh?¡± she asked, hiding her trembling voice.


    Her emerald-like pupils were moistened with tears. But she didn¡¯t look sad.


    Rather, her voice was sharp as she tried to calm down her anger.


    ¡°Duke Kling¡¯s daughter!¡± Eckart said, turing toward Marianne.


    ¡°The battlefield you have to survive in the future is not a fake threat like this.¡±


    He put the sword back in the sheath whose blade was slightly broken when it smashed the wooden wall. The distinctive sound of the metal raised everyone¡¯s alertness.


    ¡°I cannot leave your safety with someone like him who is not competent enough.


    Trust does not guarantee your life on the battlefield.¡±


    Trust, love, hope were all flash, and of no substance to him.


    Eckart was no longer deceived by vain feelings. It was not love and trust that he relied on.


    Rather it was wealth and power, information and doubt, sometimes hypocrisy and falsehood that he trusted.


    ¡°There is no guarantee that a knight like him will always stand by you.¡±


    Eckart gave the sword back to Iric. Iric politely received the sworded with both hands.


    ¡°Like you said, Milan will soon turn into a battlefield. In an actual battle, you can¡¯t use vague trust or innocence as a weapon. Little mistakes can lead to death, and blind swords don¡¯t take care of your life. You have to pay for what you know and what you do not know.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°If you really want to be an ally behind my back, you should try to realize the graveness of the battlefield and be prepared. You have to keep in mind that you can do terrible things or you can suffer at any time. If you want to fight someone, don¡¯t forget that you should be able to at least protect yourself.¡±


    He was done advising coldly. With that, his blue eyes disappeared from her sight.


    Saying briefly that he would contact her again, Eckart left the room.


    Jed and Colin walked behind him with serious looks on their faces.


    She stood still in the room with her back against the closed door. She looked around blankly.


    Flowers and gifts filled the room. A lily she loved most, which hadn¡¯t bloomed yet fell on the floor. Iric stood before her faithfully with scars on his cheeks and arm and a blue, sober voice. She felt dizzy all of a sudden.


    * * *


    ¡°I think you were too harsh,¡± Jed opened his mouth as soon as Eckart¡¯s entourage left the porch of the mansion. While they were walking toward the carriage at the edge of the garden, outsiders such as maids and servants as well as junior knights didn¡¯t follow them closely.


    As if he was very anxious to speak out in the room, Jed didn¡¯t miss the opportunity when he got out.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear that from my vassal who pointed out the daughter¡¯s rudeness with a straight face,¡± the emperor said.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s not my intention. I just pointed it out to her on your behalf because you might have felt uncomfortable if you had done so in person.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m saying it because you might not know how bad you looked when you pointed it out to her.¡±


    ¡°O my god¡­did I look so bad?¡±


    ¡°Yes, very much.¡±


    Jed coughed as if he were very embarrassed by Eckart¡¯s decisive answer.


    In fact, Marianne only talked about what she had seen and learned in the castle where she was born and raised, but her ignorance seemed to show the emperor¡¯s current situation in the empire. His nominal honor and power were part of the very precise and obvious reason why Ober had been bending over backwards to take Lennox.


    ¡°I¡¯m not trying to blame you. Neither you nor she were wrong.¡±


    ¡°Of course you were right, but you went too far when you threw his sword suddenly. If the duke knew this, he would break her daughter¡¯s marriage to you. He might take Ober¡¯s side in a fit of anger.¡±


    ¡°If he can turn coats because of my actions like this, he might as well do so as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°Oh my god. How can¡¯t a smart emperor like you read between the lines? What I mean is if you want him on your side, you had better have him warm up to you rather than incur his hostility.¡±


    ¡°Well, the object of my test was not the daughter, but her knight. As he knew that, he blocked her when I threw it at her.¡±


    ¡°Again, you are doing this on purpose, right? Do you think a lady who was loved and well raised for her life and a knight who went through ups and downs in the battlefield would feel the same shock?¡±


    Jed tightly grabbed Colin¡¯s shoulders who was walking quietly next to him.


    While walking blankly, Colin made a strange noise as if he stumbled.


    ¡°Look at this! How come the sword¡­¡±


    Jed belatedly realized that he was raising his voice in a fit of anger.


    ¡°Though Colin wasn¡¯t stabbed, he is still out of his mind because you threw the sword. Just think about how shocked she was when you did it.¡±


    When Jed was nervously complaining about his reckless actions in her room a moment ago, Eckart looked back.


    While Jed was grabbing his shoulder, Colin looked at Eckart with red eyes like a rabbit¡¯s.


    Obviously Colin was surprised, given that he silently followed the emperor without saying even one word all along. Eckart frowned. He closed his blue eyes with a very light sigh.


    ¡°Jed, it was you who was most reluctant to involve the daughter. How come you are trying to protect her so much now?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because you have already made her your ally. You told her about Curtis and seriously advised her about her future in a ferocious way. If you had planned to use her for a day or two and deserted her, you wouldn¡¯t have treated her like that.¡±


    ¡°Jed, that is anyway¡­¡±


    ¡°First of all, I wish you made a happy family,¡± said Jed, cutting off the emperor¡¯s words rudely.


    His words were his best wishes for the emperor in the form of advice, and his dark brown eyes reflected his longing for the emperor¡¯s wellbeing.


    Eckart could not say anything for a moment.


    Happy family. Happy family¡­


    ¡°¡­ Okay. I got it.¡±


    Having said that quickly, Eckart got into the wagon.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go back now.¡±


    He gave the order between the gap of the closing doors.


    He had a handsome face, but it was without any hope or expectation.


    * * *


    Tak, tak!


    An arrowhead with a slightly broken tip flew into the red dartboard.


    The man, dangerously sitting on the balcony railing on the top floor of the knights headquarters, put his hand back in a box of broken arrowheads. After a brief noise, he took out four arrowheads sandwiched between his fingers.


    Tak!


    There was a sharp noise as if an arrowhead had gotten stuck on the dartboard.


    However, there were already four new arrowheads on the dartboard at regular intervals.


    He shot dozens of arrowheads and then moved his wrist very lightly.


    The arrowheads were deeply stuck on the dartboard as if pressed down by a tremendous force. It would take half a day for the servant in charge of cleanup to pull out all of them.


    He was there for about ten minutes.


    As if he lost interest, he kicked the empty box hard. His swift and slender body turned halfway on the railing and sat outside the building. Like spilled ink, his black hair gently blew in the wind at sunset.


    It was around that time when a pheasant flew in from a distance.


    ¡°Vivian.¡±

 Chapter 24

    The black pheasant, all black like that man¡¯s hair, fell down silently without crying. There was a note in a small backpack attached to its chest. He read the note as if he was used to it.


    He opened his drowsy and detached eyes for a moment and then closed them again.


    He jumped off the railing. Vivian sat naturally on his shoulder and then flew into the door of the cage in the room when he opened it. The little sparrow, which was pretending to be the cage¡¯s owner until Vivian returned, could not even escape. Its sharp claws were stuck in the sparrow¡¯s body.


    Leaving Vivian behind, which was eating the sparrow, he left the room. While he was walking down the spacious staircase, he heard some noise at the hallway downstairs.


    ¡°Hey, Sir Curtis!¡±


    He bumped into Milgrane. He was one of the few who could handle Curtis comfortably when most knights found him hard to deal with. As Milgrane was sociable and easy to get along with, he often hit it off well with Curtis who was heartless and chilly.


    ¡°Did you have dinner? If you haven¡¯t yet, why don¡¯t we have dinner together? I won against Carlton on a bet. So, he is going to treat me to a big meal.¡±


    ¡°Sir Curtis, if you¡¯re busy, we can have dinner next time. Hahaha.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? Since he has decided to treat you, it won¡¯t make much difference if he joins you,¡± one knight said.


    ¡°Of course, it will! As for Sir Curtis, I know he is one of the top gluttons in the north! ¡± another added.


    ¡°Hey, man. Don¡¯t be so mean. Curtis is the pillar of Astolf in the future, Oh, he is already a big pillar there. I think I need to gain your favor if I can live comfortably later. Don¡¯t you think so, Sir Curtis? Give stupid Carlton a chance to flatter you! ¡± Milgrane said.


    Several knights around Sir Curtis giggled at Milgrane¡¯s joke.


    Curtis scratched his cheeks and smiled gently. He hardly ever smiled, so the knights surrounding him doubted their eyes momentarily.


    ¡°Well, I would love to join, but I¡¯m going to be busy from now on.¡±


    He even answered cheerfully in a clean break with his reticent and cold-hearted impression.


    When they looked at his completely different images, other knights stiffened like stone statues. One of them opened his ugly mouth, the other rubbed his eyes as if he had seen a ghost, and another beat his cheek to see if he was dreaming. Leaving them behind, Curtis left the place quickly. Walking down the stairs two steps at a time, he looked like a different person.


    As if he were happy, he lightly wagged the fingers of his folded hands behind his back. There some low whistling in the corner where he disappeared.


    It was the beginning, finally. Yes, finally¡­


    ***


    It was three days before the arrival of the messenger of the Imperial Public Affairs that Ober learned of the contents of the new bulletin.


    ¡°Say it again.¡±


    ¡°The daughter of Duke Kling was chosen as the emperor¡¯s fiancee¡­¡±


    Clink!


    The glass he threw at the wall shattered to pieces with a clinking noise.


    Laurent, the butler of the Chester family, looked at the carpet messed up with alcohol, ice, and pieces of broken glass. Spilt whiskey was Chester¡¯s specialty whiskey, a 22-year-old rare liquor. The strong smell of alcohol filled the room, not matching the cold atmosphere inside.


    ¡®What a waste! That whiskey is as old as I am¡­¡¯


    Without doubt, the only one in the family who could entertain such carefree thinking in this situation was Laurent, just like there was only one person in the Chester family who could spill such rare whiskey on the carpet.


    ¡°What kind of crap could spread such a groundless rumor?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a groundless rumor. This was already announced to the people on the streets in Milan. Assuming he takes a detour as there¡¯s a pile of stones we laid on the road leading to Milan, the messenger of the Public Information Office will arrive in Chester in a couple of days at the latest.¡±


    ¡°Who sent the secret letter? Do you have it now?¡±


    ¡°Yes. here you are. Its handwriting appears to be Duke Hubble¡¯s. ¡±


    Laurent took a small piece of paper from his inside pocket and put it in front of Ober.


    His grey eyes read the letters on the paper quickly and soon looked threatening.


    ¡°Damn it!¡±


    Ober crumpled the paper on his desk. The handwriting on the secret letter was that of Duke Hubble¡¯s. If he really wrote it in person as he was notorious for being arrogant and authoritative, at least the accuracy of the information was already guaranteed.


    ¡°This might be the emperor¡¯s unilateral trick. Since I persistently demanded that he should find and marry a woman, he might have taken any woman in a fit of anger. What about the moods at the Lennox family? Weren¡¯t there any unusual moves there?¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t get any unusual messages from Lennox, but¡­¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°I hear that they have a new owner at the Elior Mansion.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter¡­¡± Ober stopped while throwing a tantrum.


    ¡°Laurent, you don¡¯t want to say that the new owner is Marianne.¡±


    ¡°Well, I have to get more information about that, but isn¡¯t the timing perfect?¡±


    ¡°Bullshit! If Marianne had moved, I would have been tipped off by my moles in Lennox.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I think a bit suspicious¡­ Anyway, let me find out more.¡±


    Laurent took the watch from the front pocket of his vest. It was already past sunset.


    Regardless of something surprising going on in the capital, the Castle of Chester was still peaceful. According to his schedule, Ober had to attend an impending splendid dinner.


    ¡°What shall we do with the dinner?¡±


    Ober was agonized for a moment.


    In order to wear the emperor down, Ober didn¡¯t attend the cabinet meeting and destroyed a spotless rock mountain. Since the anti-emperor cabinet members, including Duke Hubble, supported him, he didn¡¯t have to fear the emperor. So, he returned to his territory for a few weeks of rest, waiting for the emperor to withdraw his edicts and surrender.


    But he didn¡¯t feel good instinctively when he read the bulletin.


    He thought the emperor¡¯s wedding couldn¡¯t be true, but at the same time he became suspicious about one thing.


    Not only the emperor, but also the fact that Duke Kling never moved recklessly.


    Then, these guys caused such big trouble and got involved in it!


    Besides, he felt suspicious about the Elior Mansion which recently found a new owner after a decade. Why now? Of course, this could be the emperor¡¯s trick, but even considering the possibility¡­


    ¡°Cancel the rest of the schedule!¡±


    Ober jumped up from his seat. His dark eyes under his red hair sparkled like a beast¡¯s as if they were sprinkled with the ashes of an ebony tree.


    ¡°Let me check it out with my own eyes.¡±


    * * *


    Shortly after Eckart¡¯s return, Marianne suddenly became ill. It was a sudden sickness.


    After she staggered back into the room, she fell asleep as soon as she lay on the bed.


    She started to have high fever in the evening. Her consciousness was faint, and she couldn¡¯t even open her eyes. In the end, Mrs. Charlotte urgently called for a doctor on duty.


    The doctor who examined her failed to name her illness. However, her symptoms alone seemed to be a passing cold, so he advised her not to worry too much and focus on lowering her fever. He prescribed some medications and mentioned the order and frequency of eating.


    Everyone in the mansion worried about the new owner in their own way.


    Mrs. Charlotte did not know exactly what had happened in the parlor, but she guessed that there was something like a collision when she saw the broken display cupboard and Iric concealing his wound. She quickly had the mansion people keep it a secret and changed the existing furniture with new ones.


    Iric also kept what happened that day to himself. Instead, he blamed himself, wondering if she got sick as she was overly shocked by his injury. He paced up and down in front of her bedroom every day. That was all he could do.


    Cordelli stayed up all night, shedding tears at her bedside, gasping for breath.


    Though she, too, did not know what happened, that didn¡¯t matter to her at all. She prayed long every night for her to wake up with a bright smile.


    Even Kloud, who came to check the progress of the renovation of the mansion, returned to the imperial palace after talking with Mrs. Charlotte outside his bedroom for a long time. His brief report about the new owner of the mansion was secretly delivered to the office of the emperor every day.


    Three days passed since she got sick.


    The mansion seemed very peaceful and calm, but the people inside were extremely nervous.


    Now everyone was worried about her life. Though her fever went down, she didn¡¯t get better.

 Chapter 25

    Even the doctor who initially thought she had a seasonal cold felt she was serious, so he asked about her condition every hour. If something went wrong, the doctor might be beheaded for neglecting to properly examine the prospective empress.


    In the meantime, Marianne was just dreaming.


    In her dreams, she was walking through a familiar garden. It was the garden in the annex of the Lennox Mansion.


    The fenced walls were covered with rambling roses, and small animals ran around under the shade of the elms. On the way to the lake, there were round stepping stones sparsely placed to guide the way.


    Marianne jumped on the stepping stones like a child. It¡¯s nothing special, but she was excited and happy. Falling, falling out. As she hopped here and there, grazing rabbits approached and mingled with her. As they were cute and lovely, she stretched out her legs toward the next stone.


    At that time, the underside of the stepping stones fell down, and the world was overturned. She was already in the middle of a generous lake under her feet.


    Her body sank deep into the lake.


    She held her breath unconsciously and floundered. She felt a wave of cold water all over her body. When she looked over her head, she saw a big hand popping up and pressing her crown down. A tremendous pressure submerged her deeper.


    She heard a familiar voice from afar. As if the owner of the voice was speaking with its face in an empty jar, some sound rang in her body.


    ¡°Marie, there is no love in the world.¡±


    She was short of breath.


    ¡°You are just a pretty doll. It would have been the same if you were sold off to someone other than me.¡±


    At that moment, she tried to say, ¡®No, that¡¯s not true.¡¯ But her answer didn¡¯t come out of her mouth;she felt more pain in her chest. Feeling a terrible sense of water seeping into her lungs, she grabbed a wave that she could not grasp at all.


    ¡®I want to live. I don¡¯t want to die stupidly. Please¡­ Can anyone help me please!¡¯


    Her soundless screams foamed bubbles and rose to the surface.


    At that moment, she grabbed something all of a sudden.


    ¡°Gasp!¡±


    She opened her eyes, flabbergasted. It was not the lake but her bedroom. The only lighting was a candlestick on a small table by the bed, but she had no problem identifying the surroundings.


    As she turned around, she noticed that it was someone¡¯s arm that she held tightly in her dream. When she rubbed her wet eyes, which might be sweat or tears, she could clearly notice the shape of the shadow.


    A man. Since it was bit dark, she didn¡¯t know exactly who he was. But she saw his bright hair, his eyes reflecting the warm colors and blue energy as well as straight facial features like finely cut plaster.


    ¡°Your Excellency?¡±


    She let go of the collar she was holding.


    ¡°¡­ Marie.¡±


    She only met him twice, but he called her nickname with a familiar voice.


    However, the emperor would not have called her by her nickname without any purpose, so this also seemed like a dream. Was it like a dream in her dream? She laughed quickly. When she thought it wasn¡¯t real, she began to spit out the words she wanted to speak instead of getting up and showing her manners.


    ¡°I thought I woke up, but it¡¯s a dream again. I thought I finally got out of Ober¡¯s brutal control, but I didn¡¯t know you were waiting for you before my eyes. You¡¯re so mean, indeed.¡±


    Eckart frowned a bit at that. He opened his mouth as if he wanted to protest, then shut up and sighed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong. I didn¡¯t come to blame you.¡±


    ¡°I guess so. This is my dream. I do not blame you, either.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m alright, indeed. I was just a bit surprised. It¡¯s not because I grew up in a comfortable greenhouse, you know? Anybody would have been surprised if they had been in that place. Iric, Sir Colin and Sir Jed would have been surprised. How fortunate is it that Cordelli wasn¡¯t there! She is more scared than me.¡±


    She chuckled as she spoke. Her croaky voice sounded drowsy as if she would disappear at any moment.


    ¡°Have you come here because you are worried about me?¡±


    ¡°Do you think so?¡±


    ¡°Well, to some extent. You might be here to keep an eye on your hostage, of course.¡±


    ¡°I think I know how you see me.¡±


    ¡°You bet. I thought you were very much cold-hearted, but it looks like I wished you were kind-hearted. Otherwise, you have no reason to be here, and you have no reason to call me in a soft voice. I hear one dream is the projection of one¡¯s hope, but since this is my dream, I can¡¯t make any excuse of calling it an illusion. I think you will tease me a lot if you figure it out.


    I¡¯m glad it¡¯s a dream.¡±


    At her frank soliloquy, Eckart frowned as if he were at a loss for words.


    He hurriedly changed the topic.


    ¡°I want to ask one question.¡±


    ¡°Please go ahead.¡±


    He was glad that she okayed it. Nevertheless, he hesitated for a while before barely opening his mouth.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to retract the deal?¡±


    It looked like he was asking her if her decision to strike a deal with him was an easy one.


    ¡°Retracting the deal? Me? Why? Are you crazy?¡±


    She was stunned to hear that. She even challenged the emperor by asking if he was crazy under the pretext of her dream, but she couldn¡¯t calm down.


    She momentarily thought if it was a dream, but she was consumed by another thought.


    Retracting the deal? She couldn¡¯t, given the fact that she invested so much to make this deal happen. She would be ruined if the deal fell apart this time.


    ¡°It was you who took the initiative to take me hostage. Was I such a worthless crap? ¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I mean. I don¡¯t want to release an important hostage like you.¡±


    ¡°Why do you say that? You said you would fight behind your back until I could protect myself.


    I think I will be able to do so soon. You need me, right?¡±


    ¡°Marie.¡±


    Eckart called her in a calm voice. Then he put his hand on her trembling shoulder unconsciously. The gentle weight and body temperature coming from his palm slowly calmed down her short breath. She held back her words at that moment.


    ¡°I just asked you. That¡¯s all. Isn¡¯t this your dream?¡±


    Eckart¡¯s face looked awful.


    But the light in the room, lit by only a couple of candles, was not much different from the darkness. His clenched fist was hidden in the shadows, and his blunt expression quickly disappeared beyond the darkness. Since she just woke up, she couldn¡¯t check out his face properly.


    ¡°Because this is a fight where you could lose a lot even if you win. You probably can¡¯t have a normal family or a peaceful life that you might have dreamed of, ¡±


    ¡°A peaceful life ..¡±


    She slowly took a long breath. She was now breathing evenly.


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised there is something you don¡¯t know.¡±


    Peaceful life. What peaceful life was he talking about?


    Was it like playing with the rabbits in the garden or living in an isolated greenhouse without any worry? Wasd it a life where loved ones loved themselves only like a miracle? Or was it a life where you took everything you wanted to have but threw away everything you didn¡¯t like, or a life full of happiness alone, completely separated from despair?


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to go back to that peaceful life ¡ª I came to see you.¡±


    But for Marianne, her past life was betrayal and death. It was a tragedy in which she was used by a beloved man, she pushed her father into the swamp with her own hands, and she sank endlessly under the lake like a fool.


    ¡°You are right. I was naive enough to believe that changing the future would be easy, and that everybody could trust me. All I knew was very shallow. But I thought vaguely everything would be fine. My previous life was sweet for a long time, though its last phase was harsh.¡±


    Previous life? Last?


    Eckart felt something strange about her remarks, but couldn¡¯t ask. Her tired face and subsequent words blocked his deep suspicion. He thought that her unfamiliar words were a metaphor for the ¡°peaceful life¡± that he spoke of.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. I think it was hard for me to admit this. And that¡¯s why I¡¯m dreaming of this.


    Like you said, I think I need more time to confirm and give up. ¡±


    She comforted herself. Since she recognized everything, she felt relieved and relaxed.


    All kinds of complicated thoughts whirled like a vortex and then disappeared far away.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m so sleepy all of a sudden. If you sleep a little more and wake up from this dream, I think I can do better. You said I might have to do something terrible or suffer a lot. I won¡¯t forget that.¡±

 Chapter 26

    Eckart quietly looked down at her wet eyes. Her eyebrows, which seemed large, became smaller and hid completely under her rich eyelashes.


    ¡°Anyway, there are no more terrible things that that¡­.¡±


    She murmured as if she was whispering to herself and then fell asleep.


    It was the next morning when she woke up.


    She woke up refreshed. She felt refreshed like a woman who woke up from deep slumber in a glacier for one hundred years. She had a long dream. Although her dream was vivid, she felt refreshed rather than tired.


    Cordelli cried while holding her. When she woke up, she made a big fuss, saying she would call for the doctor. The doctor, who had been terrified for the last few days, went out after checking her condition. Mrs. Charlotte then brought in a warm cup of tea.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t woken up for three days. Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m very fine. I think I can get up right now and eat three plates of steak.¡±


    ¡°What a relief! Then I wonder if you could do something about the loyal dog first? ¡±


    ¡°Dog?¡±


    At her question, Mrs. Charlotte put the tea tray down and walked to the bed.


    When she looked over the door which was not yet closed, she saw Iric pacing up and down.


    ¡°Are you saying now Iric is the dog?¡±


    ¡°Yes, he almost skipped meals for three days, pacing up and down around the door. He was like a dog waiting for her master. If you don¡¯t stroke it quickly, your dog might die out of too much anxiety.¡±


    Marianne burst into laughter at her remarks. She thought Mrs. Charlotte might have teased him so much as to compare him to a dog. In fact, Iric¡¯s behavior actually looked like a big dog.


    ¡°Iric!¡±


    Iric was surprised and looked around when she called him and checked out the atmosphere inside the room.


    ¡°Come in, Iric. It¡¯s ok.¡±


    Despite her approval, Iric couldn¡¯t step in easily.


    ¡°Iric, won¡¯t you come in? Shall I come to you?¡±


    When she said as far as that, Iric came inside quickly.


    She laughed again as he looked like a dog that lowered its tail.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lady.¡±


    ¡°Why are you sorry, Iric? I should be grateful. Is your arm okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m alright. I¡¯m fine now. ¡±


    As if he was embarrassed by her concern about the cut on his arm, he touched a long scar on his face several times. If Mrs. Charlotte had not cut in, he would have been standing beside her all day.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to interrupt you, but can I ask when it is my turn to talk with you?¡±


    ¡°Do you have anything to tell me?¡± Marianne asked, opening her eyes wide.


    Mrs. Charlotte took a red envelope from her small pocket and passed it to her.


    ¡°I received an invitation from Marquise Chester this morning.¡±


    ¡°Marquise Chester?¡± Mariane muttered, dumbfounded.


    ¡°Is there any new nobleman named Chester in the capital? Or the marquis wrongly spelled it¡­¡±


    Suddenly she thought of Hugo. When she said she was going to the capital without letting her father know, he asked her if there was a salon named Capital. When she confirmed it was the capital of Aslan, citing the Lucio Imperial Palace and the Frei family, she clearly remembered his eyes were trembling nervously.


    ¡°No way. Marquise Chester is the wife of the Chester family that you know. She is staying in the capital instead of his territory. Should I spell it? C, H, E¡­¡±


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t have to. I just asked to double-check.¡±


    Feeling a sense of guilt, Marianne opened the envelope. The red seal, engraved with the Chester family¡¯s crest, was torn quickly.


    The small card had a few lines in neat handwriting. She said she welcomed the new owner of the Elior Mansion, and hoped that she could participate in the time-honored tea party as a new member of the social circles in the capital.


    ¡°Is Marquise Chester¡¯s tea party an important ritual in the capital?¡±


    Mrs. Charlotte slightly twisted her eyebrows.


    ¡°Have you never heard of it?¡±


    ¡°Well, I think I¡¯ve heard it once, but I don¡¯t know much about it.¡±


    It was natural that she replied like that. She was a daughter of Duke Kling who had been raised like a baby bird over 20 years. She was treated like a princess of a small kingdom and basked in the awe and love of all the people at the rare social events hosted by the northern social circles. That alone was enough to make this naive lady¡¯s life affluent and happy.


    Mrs. Charlotte brightened her face and smiled again. One of her specialties was that she knew how to judge a situation calmly. Although she wasn¡¯t disappointed and hadn¡¯t lost interest in this cute lady, she felt it would be better for her to not have any expectations.


    She wanted to confirm one thing, though.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, I would like to explain to you about the social circles in Milan.¡±


    ¡°Please. That¡¯s what I wanted to know.¡±


    Fortunately, Marianne was very determined to learn and accept something new. Just because she was a daughter of a duke, she didn¡¯t want to pretend she knew something she didn¡¯t know. Neither would she throw a tantrum, complaining about the complicated situation before her.


    ¡°You had better listen to me too, Iric and Cordelli. You both should know the social events in order to accompany her.¡±


    At Mrs. Charlotte¡¯s advice, Iric brought two chairs into one side of the room. Cordelli and Ms. Charlotte sat next to the bed side by side and Iric stood with his sword at the foot of the bed.


    ¡°Do you know the two wives who represent the Milan socialite right now?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ I think I heard they were Marquise Chester and Duchess Lamont.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. You know well. Do you know that Duchess Lamont is the emperor¡¯s aunt?¡±


    ¡°Ah yes. I know that. I saw it in a book called The History of the Frey Family. Empress Kathrin was born as Frei V¡¯s youngest daughter, and she later got married to Justice Minister Duke Lamont and live in the capital. I heard they have a daughter.¡±


    ¡°I heard that you completed homeschooling through a tutor instead of completing the academy. It looks like your tutor used the latest version of the textbook.¡±


    ¡°Julia was a bit picky. She couldn¡¯t stand being left behind. ¡±


    ¡°I have not met her, but she seems to be a good fit for me.¡±


    While joking, Mrs. Charlotte put the teapot on the tray. The smell of the fragrant flower tea softened the air in the room.


    ¡°If you want to know the reason why the social circles in the capital have been blatantly divided into two groups as it is today, you have to go back to our predecessors.¡±


    Marianne received the teacup offered by Mrs. Charlotte.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t the two wives on good terms?¡±


    ¡°Nope. Their family roots are very different. The salon of Duchess Lamont inherits the salon of the late Empress Blair. If you go back further, it includes even the late grand empress¡¯s salon.¡±


    Based on her description, the duchess¡¯s salon looked equal to the salon of the imperial family.


    It was no wonder that the present emperor did not have a wife even after he was crowned as the emperor. Besides, he had no sister. In the end, the duchess, who was born as a daughter of the late empress, was succeeding the lineage of the imperial salon.


    ¡°On the other hand, Marquise Chester¡¯s salon succeeds Duchess Hubble¡¯s salon. Empress Fredi was born in the Hubble family, so the two families were friendly during their great great grandparents¡¯ days.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, the two salons have been estranged since the late Empress Blair.¡±


    ¡°Yes. There is quite a complicated situation involved.¡±


    Mrs. Charlotte paused for a moment and took a breath. Even before Marianne asked about it, she quickly resumed talking.


    ¡°Anyway, Marquise Chester was the late emperor¡¯s concubine, but she is not close to the imperial family today.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why she sent me an invitation?¡±


    ¡°In my judgment, yes. You are the only daughter of the Kling family as one of the three duke families in Aslan, who lived outside the capital. Besides, you¡¯re the emperor¡¯s fianc¨¦e.¡±


    ¡°It sounds like I¡¯m a very important person.¡±


    ¡°Sure. Everybody will think of you as a decisive weight that can blow away one side of this scale completely. Of course, even now the Marquise¡¯s salon still tilts closer to the floor.¡±


    At a glance, it seemed simple to include the daughter of the duke, the future empress, as a member of the salon, but it was more political and complicated than normal. The two salons in the capital were very different from the one Marianne used to run at Lennox. It was not the type of salon where she invited close friends and artists for tea and entertainment.

 Chapter 27

    ¡°You asked me if the Marquise¡¯s tea party was an important ceremony, right?¡±


    Marianne nodded, dropping her tea cup on the tray. Mrs. Charlotte sighed.


    ¡°The daughters who lost her favor at that tea party ruined debutante balls without exception. Entrepreneurs lost their clients. Some nobles saw the rank of their knights reduced. There are quite a few artists on the streets who couldn¡¯t sell their works. Young daughters often found it difficult to find their mates because their ruined reputation.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous. It¡¯s just a tea party. It¡¯s not a test.¡±


    ¡°Nope, it¡¯s a test. And it¡¯s only the marquise who decides to give them a pass or fail. Once they lose her favor, that¡¯s it. It¡¯s no use donating huge wealth or offering to serve her like a maid.¡±


    While listening to her, Marianne made a very displeased expression.


    ¡°She is too harsh.¡±


    ¡°But she has maintained such a domineering attitude for decades. You have to accept it.¡±


    It was a certain fact and reality that the leader of the high society in the capital was Marquise Chester. And it was clear that what she wanted was not expensive paintings or fancy jewelry.


    Her salon was rather close to a political party. The only difference was the gender of its members and its meeting place. However, in terms of impact, it was as influential as the cabinet meeting of the Imperial Palace.


    ¡°In the end, it¡¯s like a declaration of war.¡±


    ¡°Yes, although it¡¯s a little bit different from the general declaration of war.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, this is an invitation to the battlefield, right?¡±


    Waving the invitation, she laughed emptily. It was in her dream last night that she would be full steel her mind before going into the battlefield, but she never expected she would be attacked so quickly and blatantly.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to go there, you can refuse.¡±


    ¡°If I do so, I¡¯ll be tagged as a rude and stupid woman in the northern area because I was well-raised without any difficulties all my life.¡±


    Mrs. Charlotte was a bit embarrassed by her harsh tone. This naive lady always surprised her at unexpected moments, even though she had dealt with so many daughters from noble families.


    ¡°Well, what they are saying is not always true. If anybody dares to say that to a royal family member like you, they will be punished for insulting the royal family.¡±


    Marianne silently read the invitation again. She was not sure if it was the marquise¡¯s own handwriting. It was written in a fairly elegant font, which said the tea party date was tomorrow. Such short notice was often regarded as rude. But it looked like the marquise didn¡¯t care about it. In a sense, it looked like a threat that she would not give Marianne enough time to prepare.


    ¡°Mrs. Charlotte!¡±


    After turning it over in her mind, Marianne opened her mouth again.


    ¡°I have to write a reply.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to attend?¡±


    ¡°Sure. I can¡¯t give up even before I start.¡±


    When she reached out, Mrs. Charlotte took back her invitation.


    Marianne removed the blanket and woke up. Cordelli adjusted her untied gown.


    Iric turned back in surprise. Everybody around her in this mansion was nice to her.


    Once she went out of the mansion, however, she might be faced with dozens of people who were not nice to her. She had to be accustomed to the cruel situation.


    ¡°And one thing, I would like to ask you a favor,¡± she said.


    At that moment, she recalled what the emperor had told her and smiled bitterly.


    ¡°You have to pay the price for what you know and what you don¡¯t know.¡±


    * * *


    ¡°That¡¯s all, Sir Kloud.¡±


    ¡°Good job!¡±


    Kloud encouraged and sent out a senior servant who just finished briefing him. He again carefully reviewed the report, a summary of what he had already confirmed.


    The renovation of the mansion continued during the past few days when Marianne¡¯s life was at stake. There was a major renovation. The Elior Mansion was well maintained even when there was no owner, but since there was a new owner, it needed major renovation.


    Besides, the new owner was very special. She was the emperor¡¯s fianc¨¦e who would become the future empress. If there were any defects or shortcomings in the renovation, it was certain that those involved would be dragged before the emperor and haave their necks cut.


    The existing features of the garden were all changed, and all the rooms in the seven annex building were cleanly refurbished. Especially in the case of the main building, if anything was old or damaged, they were replaced with new ones. The number of servants and maids who were primarily hired to fill the short staff at the mansion was well over one hundred now. More shops were added in order to facilitate the supply of increased foodstuffs, firewood, and sundries.


    ¡°It was originally a great mansion, but now it¡¯s almost like a small imperial palace.¡±


    ¡°Well, it is already part of the Imperial Palace because it is the residence of the future empress.¡±


    Responding politely, Kloud looked at the woman who wrapped her shoulders.


    She was his wife, Mrs. Charlotte.


    ¡°Thanks a lot for your great job, Sir Kloud. You worked day and night for the past several days. Didn¡¯t the emperor tell you anything about a special vacation for you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s going to be difficult for the time being.¡±


    ¡°Oh my god! I didn¡¯t think the emperor was so mean. He is such a terrible employer.¡±


    Mrs. Charlotte sat down next to him with a joke. Kloud put down the report he was reading, and filled the teacup for her.


    ¡°Does the daughter of the duke go to sleep early?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. She is up and running now, but she hasn¡¯t yet overcome fever completely. She was busy all day long. Let me see. After breakfast, she wrote to Marquise Chester, and while reading the public bulletin, she kept asking about the situation in the capital. She checked the dress she was going to wear at the party. She was very surprised that the dresses the emperor gave her fitted her perfectly. I was also surprised. I don¡¯t know if it was a coincidence or if he had the dress craftsmen design for her.¡±


    ¡°Hummmm¡­¡±


    ¡°Anyway, I measured her and ordered some additional items. In the afternoon, I showed her around the mansion as she said she was not familiar with the structures of the mansion. She even went to the annex building for a first-hand look. Before going to bed, she took some books from the library and read them before falling asleep. I don¡¯t know how she got energized like that.¡±


    Anyway, she seemed to adjust herself well to the daily routines at the mansion.


    Kloud asked again, while reviewing his report to the emperor.


    ¡°Is there anything else special?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡±


    She recalled what happened this morning.


    ¡°In fact, I came here to see you because of that.¡±


    He put down his cup and looked at her with a serious look.


    ¡°She told me this morning that she had a favor to ask me. When I asked, she asked me to spread a rumor in and out of the mansion.¡±


    ¡°Rumor?¡±


    ¡°Yes, a rumor that there seems to be a bit of trouble between her and the emperor.¡±


    ¡°Trouble¡­ ¡±


    That kind of rumor was certainly strange. Although the engagement announcement was unprecedented, the emperor spared no care for her. And she also moved into this mansion with a calmer attitude than he imagined.


    ¡°Well, her request is not that difficult for me to accept. The day she entered this mansion, she made a big fuse by running to the emperor in pajamas, even calling him a cheater. Besides, after receiving him in the parlor, she suddenly collapsed and was sick over three days. I tried my best to stop any strange rumors from getting around. If you leak out a rumor on this, it will snowball and spread like wildfire.¡±


    ¡°It looks like you already have the rumor ready.¡±


    ¡°But don¡¯t you think that kind of rumor is not good for both the emperor and the daughter? I guess all the rumors about her when she was in Lennox would soon spread in the capital.¡± Mrs. Charlotte said in a slightly excited tone. Marianne was so suspicious.


    She was also well versed in the rumors about high society in other areas.


    And to her knowledge, Marianne was like a northern princess whose heart Ober had been trying to win until last month.


    Then how come she changed her mind overnight and accepted the emperor¡¯s proposal? Was she forced to take it instead of accepting it voluntarily? Threat? Her own request? Aside from her reason to come up to the capital, did she have a different man in mind, not the emperor? What if that person were Ober, the illegitimate child of the imperial family? What if the rumor was not about the trouble between her and the emperor, but about the troubling reality of her love?


    Mrs. Charlotte didn¡¯t have any definite answer to these questions.

 Chapter 28

    Meanwhile, the emperor got used to collecting letters sent by nobles about his prospective bride and use them as kindling. Hubble and Chester strongly recommended Roxanne to him as his bride candidate, but he rejected. Out of defiance, he didn¡¯t want to think about marriage. Jed¡¯s joke that the young ladies of the noble families regarded the emperor as ¡®Blue Iron Wall¡¯ was no exaggeration at all.


    Nonetheless, the emperor and daughter of Duke Kling chose each other as their spouses. One looked indifferent to her, but spared no effort to care for her, while the other caused trouble with an innocent face whenever she went. She announced her engagement to the emperor, shocking the entire empire, and now she asked Mrs. Charlotte to sow the seeds of their trouble in less than one week of her announcement.


    Mrs. Charlotte was accustomed to the deal and settlement behind the scenes. Naturally, she assumed there was some sort of promise between the emperor and Marianne. That¡¯s why she became more suspicious about them. Marianne was too ignorant of the situation to interpret her marriage as a political alliance, but their mutual attitude, or rather the situation, was too hostile to be taken as affection.


    ¡°I tried to sound out Marianne¡¯s feelings by citing Marquise Chester¡¯s letter, but she got angry, complaining that the marquise¡¯s way of running the salon was too harsh and irrational. Her anger didn¡¯t look like fake in my eyes.¡±


    From the beginning she did not believe Marianne altogether. Marianne was attractive enough, but it was one thing to regard her as an ally and trust her while it was another thing to feel interested in her as a human and have good feelings about her.


    ¡°If I could have my way, I would¡¯ve stopped their marriage,¡± she said.


    Kloud gladly agreed with her. He also felt the same way.


    ¡°But the emperor said as for all the matters in this mansion, we have to respect her wishes on the condition that he gets fully briefed about it,¡± Kloud said.


    Mrs. Charlotte sighed loudly at his words.


    ¡®Well, if that¡¯s the emperor¡¯s intention¡­¡±


    It was dangerous to leak any rumors about their trouble when they were not formally engaged yet. Nonetheless, Marianne was willing to take the risk.


    She touched the handle of the mug and got lost in her thoughts.


    Which way was it?


    Was it the last piece of the puzzle, or was she the most dangerous witch? Or perhaps neither?


    She was sliding in her thoughts about it all night.


    * * *


    Late in the morning, the huge iron gate of the Elior Mansion was opened. A luxurious six-horse carriage came out, accompanied by splendid knights. Their destination was the mansion of Marquise Chester, southeast of Alpha Bridge.


    It was of course Marianne who got inside the carriage. Cordelli pulled the lace curtains a bit. While looking out the window, she fidgeted at her handkerchief. The scenery of the capital streets as the carriage ran fast was unfamiliar to her.


    In fact, she didn¡¯t have many chances to visit the capital city. During her previous life, she had only come to Milan only a few times.


    ¡°It¡¯s going to take a while to get to the marquise¡¯s mansion. Are you okay? If you are uncomfortable with your dress, feel free to tell me,¡± Cordelli said.


    Marianne nodded instead of answering. Cordelli¡¯s words reminded her of one name.


    Erica Bayer von Chester. She was Ober¡¯s biological mother and the most famous woman of the late emperor¡¯s concubines. All the aristocrats throughout the empire including the capital knew her name. Marianne should have known more about her informally when she had a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law relationship with Mrs. Chester in her past life, but she did not know her well back then.


    Marianne met Mrs. Chester only once, only at her wedding. Mrs. Chester stayed with a smile throughout the wedding but never called her separately as her daughter-in-law.


    She didn¡¯t even share any well-wishing remarks with Marianne or inquire after her through letters. The wedding gifts were delivered by a person who had nothing to do with her, and even when her father died, she did not attend the funeral for health reasons.


    At that time, she believed everything Mrs. Chester said. She believed her mother-in-law when she said she was sick or when she said she was busy.


    ¡°Cordelli.¡±


    ¡°Yes, young lady.¡±


    ¡°Have you heard anything more about the marquise? For example, what do the maids say about her?¡±


    Cordelli narrowed her brows at her question.


    ¡°Well, I hear she is a scary woman. According to Lila, when a viscountess whom she served had been invited to her tea party once, she was most scared when Mrs. Chester got angry while breaking a teacup with a smiling face.¡±


    ¡°¡­ It looks like she can be violent sometimes. I hear even famous nobles allegedly got cold feet when they saw them. I don¡¯t think she can dare treat you roughly as you have a good relationship with Marquis Chester. Anyway, the emperor is behind you now. Unless she is ready to risk her life, she can¡¯t be rude to you.¡±


    Cordelli comforted Marianne with confidence. Of course, she would have no doubt agreed with Cordelli in her previous life. Back then she felt no one could hurt her easily, and she could achieve everything she had planned in the future.


    Come to think of it, she was well-raised without any worry, but she was too alienated from the truth. The wives of the northern social circles did not tell Marianne the inside story of what was going on in the capital, especially after her marriage to the Chester family had been decided.


    She heard once that Mrs. Chester¡¯s salon was big and magnificent, but she never heard that the salon¡¯s tea party served as a test to determine someone¡¯s life. They praised Marianne¡¯s beauty and attractiveness, but they didn¡¯t tell her that Mrs. Chester broke a teacup with a smile and ruined someone¡¯s future.


    Though she thought she was loved back then, she belatedly found out that she only knew the half truth. She couldn¡¯t repeat the same mistake now.


    ¡®Daddy¡­¡¯


    Marianne recalled the initiator of this strange love. She did not think that her father¡¯s overprotection was not love. She believed her father. There must have been some reason and meaning for that.


    ¡®But why¡­ Because my mother died early? Was that all?¡¯


    At this point, however, Marianne had to doubt it. She could no longer take things at face value. She couldn¡¯t do so anymore.


    ¡°Cordelli!¡±


    ¡°Yes, lady.¡±


    ¡°You are my maid, right? You should not betray me, okay?¡±


    At her unexpected question, Cordelli turned pale as if her face had been slapped by somebody.


    ¡°What are you talking about? How can I betray you? I¡¯m a confirmed defender of yours. Why are you saying that suddenly? What did I do wrong?¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I mean. As you know, I don¡¯t know many people in the capital. Except for you and Iric, they are all strangers to me. You might be curious why I left Lennox and why I got engaged to the emperor, but I¡¯ve not yet explained it to you. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Lady¡­¡±


    ¡°Can you trust me and promise not to lie to me?¡±


    How selfish and bad was she when she asked Cordelli to be faithful to her while she was deceiving everybody?


    Marianne couldn¡¯t hide her wet eyes, seized with remorse.


    ¡°Absolutely! You can talk to me about your situation later. I think Sir Iric must feel the same way. We all think that everything you¡¯re doing now is right. Oh, except for that strange play you learned from Evelyn,¡± Cordelli joked on purpose. She held Marianne¡¯s hands tenderly and made eye contact with her. Facing her eyes, Marianne felt relieved unconsciously.


    Marianne didn¡¯t want to lose these people who trusted her even without knowing the specific situation, trying to protect her tender world as much as they could.


    The emperor said she should not trust people easily, but Marianne wanted to feel the warmth of Cordelli and Iric a little more.


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    Marianne cast a glance over the window again instead of saying long.


    She saw her new battlefield was getting closer over the pure white walls of the castle.


    * * *


    Ober clenched his teeth. His clenched fists trembled. He did not want to believe the scene unfolding before his eyes. He let out a short breath. He arrived in the capital last night. It took him three full days to arrive in the capital from Chester.


    Arriving at his own mansion in the capital, Ober looked for Annette without even saying hello to his wife. Annette was one of the beloved maids his wife favored as well as his trusted mole in the house.


    Annette gave him a piece of intelligence that she gave to the marquise.


    ¡°They picked up new staff at the Elior Mansion this time,¡± she said.


    ¡°So what?¡±


    ¡°Well, according to our spy maid, the new owner was a woman with chocolate hair and emerald eyes.¡±

 Chapter 29

    Even before he heard the tip from her, Ober believed that the new owner was not Marianne.


    There were so many women in the world who had dark brown hair and green eyes. Of course, there were not many with such clear eyes, but there were still a lot of women with that color mix of hair and eyes.


    ¡°You know, there are countless women like her in this vast empire.¡±


    ¡°Marquise Chester wanted to check her by herself, so she invited that woman to the tea party. She received a reply today, which said she would love to attend. If you want to check her out yourself, please come to the main reception room tomorrow at noon.¡±


    Ober praised her and sent her back.


    Until that moment, he imagined an optimistic future desperately. He thought that the emperor, who heard some rumors about getting around in the northern social circles, was playing with a girl after bringing her to the palace.


    But that girl was none other than Marianne.


    Her dark brown hair just roasted chocolate, her clear green eyes that could be visible from afar, the shadow of her slender body and the maid who served her were familiar to him. That maid¡¯s intelligence report about the new owner was correct. Ober felt like he had been deceived.


    He felt instinctively that something went wrong when the woman got off the wagon.


    ¡®¡­Eckart, you mean bastard! How dare you take away my woman again?¡¯


    Barely cursing out his half-brother, he quickly turned back from the balcony.


    ¡°Marquis?¡±


    ¡°Step aside!¡±


    The waiter, who was waiting with the newly-picked wine and glass on the tray, staggered when Ober pushed him aside.


    He left without looking back. As if to show his impatience, he hastened his steps to the main building.


    He had to check her right away.


    The tea party was held in the parlor of the main building of the mansion.


    When she entered the parlor through the open door, helped by Cordelli, what occurred to her mind more than anything else was, ¡®If I go to a too gorgeous place, I can be short of breath.¡¯


    There were masterpieces and glass artifacts filling the walls everywhere, the chandelier shone brightly with crystals hanging around ¡ª the ornate rugs laid out so as to cover the floor, the long marble table laced with a woven lace rug, and the refreshment trays and ice buckets of wine and drinks made of gold. Even the half-open window handles and the edges of the chair were carved in gold of the family crest.


    If somebody showed a picture of this room to a commoner or a poor noble family, they would certainly reply that it was one of the chambers of the Imperial Palace that they had only heard about. Even Marianne, cited as one of the five noble women in the empire boasting of the most extravagant lives, felt overwhelmed. But she didn¡¯t feel afraid or jealous. The interior of the parlour and the attire of the guests were so luxurious that they seemed to demonstrate their conceited lifestyle as much as they could.


    How could she describe them? She felt all of their luxury would be gone tomorrow when the party was over.


    ¡°The last guest has arrived here!¡±


    Some guest shouted with a hilarious voice. The guests, who gathered in twos and threes, turned their attention to the person immediately.


    Marianne came to her senses when their attention was focused on her. Fortunately, she wasn¡¯t new to such attention.


    ¡°Let me introduce Marianne, the daughter of Duke Kling and Lennox as well as Duke Wales.¡±


    Cordelli revealed Marianne¡¯s identity with a clear voice. As her announcement was the same as the one that was already reported in the public bulletin, they began to whisper to each other immediately.


    ¡°Oh my god, the bulletin was true. How could this happen?¡±


    ¡°Look at that dress. The lace on her chest. Is that the work of the royal designer, Mrs. Margarita? I heard that Roxanne wanted the designer to choose one for her next time¡­ How can she come here with that dress?¡±


    ¡°I do not know. It looks like the emperor gave her it as a gift.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s too bad. I heard that she grew up in the northern corner without knowing which way the wind was blowing. How could she know the value of those gifts? Her nickname like ¡®the Spring of the North¡¯ is just a name only.¡±


    ¡°Watch your language! I heard she used to be a woman favored by the marquise¡¯s son Ober.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. She is the emperor¡¯s fiancee now. By the way, she is really pretty. In fact, I wondered how beautiful she was because she captivated the best two grooms of our time.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen such bright green eyes. She is so beautiful in my eyes. Ober or the emperor will feel the same, I think.¡±


    Numerous feedback from exclamations to praises were heard here and there among the guests.


    Mariane quickly examined the guests from the head table down to the lower ones, such as musicians with violins, old men with pocket watches, young or old knights wearing knights¡¯ uniforms, painters washing their brushes in front of the easel in one corner and the ladies dressed fashionably in the capital as well as young girls that were her age.


    What attracted her attention was a girl who sat at the end of the table.


    She was seated at a table closest to the head table.


    ¡®She looks as if she¡¯s shooting eye arrows.¡±


    In fact, that girl was sharply staring at her.


    Marianne examined her closely because she might have seen that girl somewhere in the past, but did not know her. She looked about the same age as her, but a little younger. She looked cute with a pretty blonde and very pale lime eyes like a doll. Without hardly blinking her eyes, she stared at Marianne, and that made her uncomfortable.


    ¡°Miss Roxy, it¡¯s not good manners to stare at somebody like that.¡±


    At that moment, she heard an unfamiliar voice behind her. That blonde girl called Roxy stood up from her seat. Marianne slowly turned halfway.


    The woman who had just entered the entrance was Marquise Chester. Her dark red hair and gray eyes, apparently passed down to her son Ober, swept before her eyes like an illusion.


    If she was the later emperor¡¯s concubine, she might be old enough to be in her 40s, but she looked much younger as if she were in her 30s. Her voluptuous figure and slender eyes emitted a dangerous yet attractive aura. Ober looked a lot like her in various aspects.


    ¡°Are you Estel?¡±


    Marianne, who was trying to greet her lightly, was surprised at her remarks.


    ¡°¡­Madame?¡±


    ¡°Oh, sorry. Lady Marianne. I am mistaken as you take after Estelle so much. Actually, she can¡¯t come here.¡±


    Mrs. Chester smiled as if it was not a big deal and covered her mouth with a fan.


    But Marianne¡¯s eyes trembled a lot. She never expected Mrs. Chester to call that name which was so special and precious to her.


    ¡°Do you know my mother?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Very well.¡±


    Mrs. Chester paused for a moment on purpose.


    ¡°I know her very well.¡±


    It seemed as if her short answer condensed lots of information in it.


    Marianne barely calmed down her trembling eyes. She was now in enemy territorye. She had to pull herself together here. She wanted to ask about her mother right away, but she felt that Mrs. Chester wouldn¡¯t let her know anything. And there were too many people who could overhear things. After hesitating for a moment, Marianne finally decided to introduce herself politely instead of asking questions.


    ¡°This is Marianne from the Kling and Lennox family. Thank you for inviting me to this place.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome. Roxy, would you come and support me?¡±


    The girl sitting at the end of the table approached her slowly. There was some ridicule on her cute face.


    Even though she was right next to her, Mrs. Chester called Roxy who was seated far from her for a certain reason. She wanted to show who was her favorite girl in this place.


    And that girl seemed to know it well.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, can I help you?¡± Marianne said, deliberately smiling, and supported her arms. The girl approaching stopped and stared at Marianne sharply like before.


    ¡°You¡¯re rude!¡± the girl shouted in an angry voice.


    ¡°Was your name Roxy?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me Roxy recklessly. You¡¯re not close enough to call me Roxy. We¡¯ve never met before, right?¡±


    ¡°Well, yes, you¡¯re right. May I ask who you are?¡±


    ¡°I do not like it! You already know me. Are you going to tease me?¡±


    Obviously Roxy said they had never met before, then she said Marianne knew about her. Teasing her? Who was teasing whom?


    Marianne looked at Roxy with a perplexed expression. Roxy was not familiar with her at all, so Marianne didn¡¯t know why she was so wary about her.


    ¡°Miss Roxy, this is not the mansion in Lonstat.¡±


    Luckily, Mrs. Chester cut in as a moderator. Though Marianne didn¡¯t know her full name, she was probably from the Lonstat family. Roxi stepped back with an annoyed look.

 Chapter 30

    ¡°Apologize to Lady Marianne.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to apologize? Do you want me to bring your parents here to offer apologies on your behalf?¡±


    ¡°That can¡¯t be¡­¡±


    Roxy bit her lip with a sulky face. After hesitating, she finally lifted the hem of her dress slightly and offered apologies, putting her hands on her chest.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lady Marianne.¡±


    Her sharp voice, like a cat¡¯s, trembled. Although she couldn¡¯t be more arrogant, Roxy seemed to listen to Mrs. Chester.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Stand up.¡±


    Marianne replied politely. Roxy stared at her sharply while adjusting her his posture.


    The marquise glanced at Marianne who was still supporting her arm, and began to walk with a mysterious smile. Her red dress was so colorful and long that three maids lifted the end of her skirt slightly from behind her.


    Roxy seemed to hate Marianne who was walking alongside the marquise. Roxy heard the guests whispering about her. She looked around with her red face. Her glance at Marianne was so frightening that they even felt as if she were hitting Marianne with her eyes.


    ¡°Marquis Chester?¡±


    Then Roxy cried in a surprised voice. At her mention of the marquise, many people paid attention to her, following her glance. The marquise also stopped slowly.


    Marianne was no exception. She heard that there were all sorts of people gathered at Mrs. Chester¡¯s salon, so she wondered if a certain famous marquise arrived late, but she doubted it in no time.


    ¡®I think I was called the ¡®last guest¡¯ when I entered?¡¯


    She looked puzzled and turned slightly.


    There stood a familiar figure at the end of the long rug.


    Marianne doubted her eyes at that moment.


    ¡°Marie!¡±


    It was Ober¡¯s call.


    Marianne stared at him with her body stiff like a stone statue.


    She was so embarrassed and even scared.


    ¡°Sir, I never invited you to this party,¡± the marquise, who turned belatedly, frowned slightly.


    ¡°Marie, why are you here?¡± Ober demanded, as if he couldn¡¯t hear the marquise. His calling her by her nickname, not her formal title, showed how shocked and angry he was. With a deep sigh, the marquise glanced between her son and Marianne. Those around them also looked at them alternately.


    All kinds of thoughts occurred to her mind during that short time.


    ¡®Why is this guy here when he has to stay in Chester? Did he already detect my secret plan and chase me right to the capital? Did he find out my father¡¯s location? How much does he know? How should I respond to his questions? I shouldn¡¯t be so hostile to him because I have to obtain as much information about him as possible, but I should not be caught.¡¯


    ¡°Ober.¡±


    Marianne called him with a trembling voice. Just as she felt so when Ober called her name, her calling his name without his official title suggested she was embarrassed. The guests once again whispered to each other when they called each other by their given names, which they usually did in private settings. In the meantime, Marianne secretly bit the inside of her lips. Soon, she felt bloody taste in her mouth and she was choked with tears, but not enough to drop tears.


    She had to bite the same spot once more, and this time it was really painful. She trembled while trying to hold back painful moaning. Releasing her grip on the marquise¡¯s arms, she staggered toward Ober miserably.


    ¡°Ober, why are you so late?¡±


    Dropping her overflowing tears, Marianne jumped into his arms.


    The guests kept quiet. Even someone¡¯s gulp out of nervousness was heard. Roxy was flabbergasted as if she were cut by a knife when she got up. The marquise was covering half her face with a fan of colorful feathers, but she fixed her gaze on both of them.


    Receiving their unwanted spotlight, Marianne rubbed her cheeks and wept over Ober¡¯s chest.


    ¡°Boohoo¡­ I waited for you so long¡­¡±


    ¡°Marie. What happened?¡±


    ¡°Boohoo, boohoo¡­¡±


    Her sad whimpering resonated through the quiet tea party.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it. Really, boohoo¡­I didn¡¯t want anything.¡±


    She didn¡¯t mean to cry so loudly, but her lips were sore inside. She cried out of pain naturally.


    While she felt the inside of her mouth burning, Marianne tried to pronounce her excuses clearly. As it had already happened in the presence of the guests, she just wanted them to spread accurate rumors about what happened now.


    ¡°Excuse us,¡± Ober said.


    She was not sure if he fell for it or just pretended to, but he asked to be excused first and helped her get out of the parlour. Leaving behind the guests wondering about her bizarre actions, she walked. Cordelli quickly followed her.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen that kind of strange woman before.¡±


    Since Marianne was almost wrapped in Ober¡¯s arms, Roxy was mad as hell, but she didn¡¯t care at all.


    ¡®It hurts¡­¡¯


    First of all, her lips that she bit inside her mouth felt really painful.


    ¡®What should I say next? Hope I haven¡¯t been caught yet.¡¯


    Deep inside, she was absent-minded with figuring out how she could cope with this embarrassing situation.


    Meanwhile, Ober went into a quiet room nearby. It was a bedroom. Stopping Cordelli outside the door, who was trying to follow her, he seated Marianne in bed and locked the door firmly.


    Click.


    It was also the first time that she felt so scared about the clicking sound of the lock.


    ¡°Marie.¡±


    He pulled a chair nearby and sat across her. She was looking at him with tearful eyes.


    ¡°I saw the bulletin. Something crazy happened. What happened in the meantime? What do you mean when you said it wasn¡¯t your intention?¡±


    She deliberately shrugged her shoulders and swallowed her cry. Beads of tears rolled down her cheeks.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to interrogate you, but I just want to know the situation. So, speak slowly.¡±


    As he was cold-hearted, she was not sure if he really felt sorry for her. But it was the first time he saw her crying, so she thought he could feel sympathetic.


    That was the only hope she could expect from him.


    ¡°Sir.¡±


    Marianne patted her wet cheeks with a handkerchief.


    ¡°Are you blaming me?¡±


    Ober took the handkerchief out of her hand and wiped her cheeks with his fingertips. She wanted to pull away his disgusting fingers right away, but she put up with it.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Then, do you think I betrayed you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m hoping you didn¡¯t.¡±


    His answer was mysterious. It was not a YES or NO, but ¡®I¡¯m hoping.¡¯


    It sounded as if Ober wasn¡¯t yet sure of the process of her becoming the owner of the Elior Mansion. In fact, she could now analyze somebody¡¯s motivation, which her former self would have never done. Feeling a bit unfamiliar with her own change, she adjusted her facial expression.


    ¡°I will never betray you, sir,¡± she said.


    With a little bit of decisiveness and sadness, her young voice was very natural. It was not a lie. It was Ober who first betrayed her during her previous life. As a result, this was the beginning of her very just revenge on him.


    ¡°So, can you believe everything I¡¯m saying?¡±


    At her sincere voice, he got up from his chair and sat next to her. Because of his weight, her bed shook slightly, with her body leaning over. He didn¡¯t miss the opportunity and put his arms around her waist. And he gently stroked her wet eyes and cheeks with his other hand. His soft physical touch made her feel goosebumps.


    She felt coldness at his delicate fingertips instead of warmth. She thought the role of a spy was more suitable for this man than her.


    ¡°Of course, I can believe you totally.¡±


    Having said that, Ober hugged her slowly and strongly.


    He breathed out over her crown heavily.


    ¡®My Lord in Heaven. I¡¯m sorry to keep lying like this. But please forgive me for lying because this poor soul once died. They say life is said to be a blessing given by you. I¡¯m doing this to live. And this bastard did wrong to me first. So please, please help me not be caught by him¡­¡¯


    While repeating apologies and prayer to Ailius the god, she opened her mouth slowly. She wanted to get out of his presence as soon as possible.


    ¡°I want to go back to you.¡±


    * * *


    ¡°So, you told Ober that I dragged you against your will and virtually confined you to this mansion?¡± Eckart said, bursting into fake laughter.


    He was hearing her explanation about her dreadful meeting with Ober at the tea party.


    ¡°It¡¯s true to some extent. Well, I could find out where I would stay only after I got out of the wagon that day,¡± said Marianne, shrugging her shoulders.


    ¡°Let me ask you, just in case. Do you know what it means to be the owner of this mansion?¡±


    ¡°Of course. I know it very well.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see. Even if you know, you don¡¯t want to stop treating me as a cheater, do you?¡±


    ¡°Whatever the result, if you cheat someone in the process, it¡¯s a scam.¡±


    Eckart looked down at her with a troubled look, and then let out a deep sigh.

 Chapter 31

    ¡°Well, I hope you are not a cheater,¡± Eckart said.


    ¡°Of course I¡¯m not a cheater to you. And I¡¯m going to do the same to Ober.¡±


    It was a decisive and puzzling answer.


    Eckart was amazed at her forthcoming attitude and innocent face. He felt it every time he met her, but she was a woman who was literally unpredictable.


    ¡°Do you think Ober believed everything you said?¡±


    ¡°I do not know. Maybe not everything, I think. He is pretty much suspicious.¡±


    ¡°He actually is, and I think he is better at deceiving people than you.¡±


    ¡°But privately he said he would contact me separately. If he hadn¡¯t believed what I said, he wouldn¡¯t have sent me back like this.¡±


    She couldn¡¯t read Ober¡¯s intention thoroughly, but she knew one thing more accurately than anyone else.


    Be it his genuine heart or not, he was not the type of person who kept anything unnecessary in his hands.


    ¡°He needs me too,¡± she said, slightly elated. Ober was a traitor, according to her. He was a betrayer who deserted his lover.


    ¡°Anyway, though you find it inconvenient, I hope we can meet secretly like this for the time being. Maybe he put his moles in the mansion, too. Being careful pays off anyway,¡± she said,


    as if to tease him further.


    ¡°Meeting you like this every time?¡± he asked back in embarrassment.


    In fact, today the emperor was also wearing a black robe from head to toe like he did on the day he first met her first. As he hid himself completely with a black robe, he could disappear right away in the shade of the garden any time.


    ¡°Well, I hope we can meet in an official setting to wrap up this whole deal, but that¡¯s impossible.


    Don¡¯t you think you will feel much more comfortable if you disguise yourself to meet me rather than me disguising myself and entering the palace?¡±


    ¡°¡­ ¡±


    There was nothing wrong with her remarks.


    ¡°I hope that isn¡¯t the trick of your communicating with Ober more easily.¡±


    At that point, she quickly changed her facial expression as if she ate rotten carrot stalks.


    ¡°Look. Don¡¯t you know what I did to deceive that bastard?¡±


    She gently pulled her red lower lip with her white fingers. Though the surroundings weren¡¯t very bright, she came closer to the emperor in a fit of anger.


    This allowed Eckart to take a glimpse of the wounds on her lips.


    ¡°I bit my lip as hard as I could because I could¡¯ve been caught if I had shed crocodile tears.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°It really hurt. I still feel pain on my lips. It really hurts even when I drink water.¡±


    Marian pouted a sullen face.


    ¡°Got it. I believe you.¡±


    ¡°I know you won¡¯t believe me even though you say that.¡±


    She finally asked the question that she wanted to ask.


    ¡°By the way, if I want to contact you suddenly, is there any other way for me to contact you without going through Mrs. Charlotte?¡±


    ¡°Do you need another method to contact me?¡±


    ¡°Well, I think so. I just wonder what I should do if something happens so urgently that I can¡¯t wait, or if I have something that I want to let you know without letting others know.¡±


    ¡°Hmmmm¡­¡±


    Eckart was lost in thought for a moment and then leaned in slightly.


    The moonlight made the contrast of his face even more pronounced along its curvature. His face was more handsome than the statue by a famous sculptor in Faisal, which she saw in Lennox¡¯s salon one day.


    ¡°Let me see if I can find another communication method.¡±


    ¡°Really? Thank you.¡±


    She came to her senses after she was dumbfounded for a moment.


    ¡°By the way, this garden is called Crescent Garden. Is that right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is.¡±


    Eckart felt strange when she suddenly changed the topic, but she looked around lightly, not caring at all about his reaction. As she felt like she carried out her plan to some extent, she could now enjoy watching the scenery around her.


    In the distance, a tiny crescent was hung between the tiny ranges of Nate Mountain. Mrs. Charlotte said there would be no better place in the capital than here to see the crescent moon rise in the western sky. It¡¯s perfect for watching the sunset or enjoying the early morning glow. Marianne looked a little sentimental and looked at Eckart. He was smiling again.


    ¡°Beautiful. I like it here. So, would you come here to meet me again?¡±


    She asked shamelessly, but she didn¡¯t feel nervous at all about being rejected.


    ¡°¡­Yes,¡± Eckart barely answered in the positive, to her surprise.


    ***


    A wagon parked in the shadow of the mansion drove along a remote path through the northern gate into the Imperial Palace. Though it was closed door without any security guards near it, it was actually a door used secretly when the emperor went out.


    The horseman pulled over the wagon under a willow in the quiet back garden of the palace, and opened the door. Eckarte got out of the wagon with his black robe. Only after he went farther away did the little carriage return to where it was.


    Eckart walked, muffling his footsteps. Deputy Chamberlain Kloud was waiting to greet him.


    ¡°Welcome, Your Majesty.¡±


    Eckart took off the black robe and gave it to him. Kloud escorted the emperor to the closed post. When he opened the wooden door covered with vines, a dark staircase appeared. Kloud lit a portable oil lamp on the wall skillfully.


    The two started to walk, holding the small lantern. The path that led straight down the stairs looked like a narrow cave because it was an old underground passageway. It was so narrow that only one adult male could barely pass through it. However, it was not a simple structure, and there were several forked roads on both sides of the road.


    ¡°It¡¯s time they got here by now.¡±


    Eckart opened his mouth first. Kloud checked the time.


    ¡°They arrived about three hours ago when we didn¡¯t take into account the time they spent quarreling with the guards at the palace.¡±


    ¡°That sounds good. Let¡¯s move right away.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    They didn¡¯t talk anymore after that. Only their walking footsteps were heard steadily.


    Holding the lantern at the front, Kloud found the right road skillfully.


    They walked like that for 10 minutes.


    At the end of the road, a bookshelf suddenly appeared. Kloud turned off the lantern, placed it on a shelf on a nearby wall, and then fumbled for the invisible bookshelf and gently pushed its seventh compartment. Then the bookshelf turned around miraculously.


    When they came out through the gap, they arrived at the emperor¡¯s study.


    Eckart left the study after checking out his clothes. He headed for the living room instead of the bedroom as usual. Kloud followed him.


    ¡°Announce that I¡¯m here.¡±


    ¡°His Excellency has arrived!¡±


    The chief chamberlain in front of the door announced in a clear voice. Eckart walked slowly through the wide door. Two men who were sitting at the golden table in the middle of the parlor stood up one by one. Both were familiar to him.


    ¡°May the glory of Airius be bestowed upon Your Majesty!¡±


    One of them with a profound voice greeted the emperor politely.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Duke Wales.¡±


    Eckart twisted his mouth and laughed.


    Wales von Kling. He was Marianne¡¯s father and the closest friend of his father and late emperor Cassius. When Eckart was a child, he vaguely remembered that he used to play, was wrapped in Kling¡¯s arms, and he learned how to walk. When he was old enough to distinguish right from wrong, and he hardly saw Duke Kling face to face.


    ¡°We haven¡¯t seen each other for a long time.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re very patient, Duke Kling. You offer me the same greeting every year, but you¡¯re not sick and tired of it at all.¡±


    Eckart didn¡¯t laugh while answering. His remarks were a reprimand of the duke¡¯s cowardly behavior who deserted the capital.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Your Excellency.¡±


    Kling bowed more deeply. Actually, he had been stuck in his provincial territory for more than twenty years. It was only once a year that he came to the capital to attend the emperor¡¯s birthday banquet. He rejected the position offered by the new emperor Eckart when he was inaugurated, so it was natural that he incurred Eckart¡¯s wrath.


    ¡°Curtis.¡±


    While sitting down at the head table, he called a name. Then a dark-haired man who stood next to Kling approached him.


    He stood exactly two steps behind the emperor¡¯s left shoulder as if it was his original place.


    Eckart just waited for that man to stop there instead of him hugging to greet him.


    ¡°Since we¡¯re going to have a long talk, sit down.¡±


    Duke Kling sat down, looking at the empty seat next to him.


    He didn¡¯t think the emperor¡¯s spies would not be operating in Lennox, but little did he expect that one of them was Astolf¡¯s chief knight. If Curtis hadn¡¯t come to tell him that ¡°The emperor is protecting your daughter,¡± and if Curtis had not recommended him to come to the capital, he would have continued to trust the spy a good knight of Astolf and use him valuably.

 Chapter 32

    Looking at the emperor bitterly, Kling thought to himself, ¡®Although people say the emperor¡¯s wings were clipped by Duke Hubble¡¯s overbearing power¡­¡¯


    He did not see Eckart as an incompetent emperor. He was the son of Cassius and Blair. There was nothing lacking in his qualities as the emperor. Even Frei¡¯s platinum feet and Romanov¡¯s blue eyes were just one of the numerous pieces of evidence that proved the young emperor¡¯s uniqueness.


    ¡°There were some disturbances on the way.¡±


    ¡°I guess so,¡± Eckart answered shamelessly. He put down the glasses on the tray brought by Deputy Chamberlain Kloud.


    It was not tea but wine.


    ¡°Well, I was not in the mood to have tea leisurely, but if you want tea, let me have them bring it to you.¡±


    ¡°No thanks. I would like to first¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you want to ask me why I didn¡¯t hide the fact that you came to Milan?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because I want to publicize your situation. Why do you think I kept you waiting here for three hours? I am the type of person who keeps the appointment well.¡±


    Duke Kling sighed slowly. He now realized that it was because of the emperor¡¯s political calculation that he had to hassle with the security guards at the palace gate and that he had to wait at the parlor for up to three hours.


    The rumors in the capital usually spread more quickly than expected. Perhaps tomorrow the rumor that Duke Kling could barely meet with the emperor would spread on the streets.


    ¡®But why?¡¯


    Kling filled the glass, still grappling with lots of curiosity. He was thirsty. In the end, he decided to confirm the most urgent matter first.


    ¡°Is my daughter safe?¡±


    Though he knew that kind of question would offend his honor, he didn¡¯t care because his top priority was his daughter¡¯s safety.


    ¡°Of course, she is. She is a woman who will be in charge of the imperial family¡¯s women¡¯s affairs. Do you think I pulled her eyes and cut her tongue?¡±


    Eckart spat out such cruel words without batting an eyelid.


    Kling¡¯s face turned pale instantly. It was not because the emperor¡¯s words were terrible.


    ¡°What do you mean by her ruling the women¡¯s affairs of the imperial palace?¡±


    His eyes, which were always mild, trembled. Curtis only said the emperor was protecting his daughter, but he didn¡¯t give any other information. Rather, he would have been less surprised if Curtis had told him she was detained in an old house or dungeon.


    ¡°Your daughter has been staying in the Elior Mansion after she was chosen as the emperor¡¯s fiancee,¡± explained Kloud suddenly.


    ¡°How come she¡­¡±


    Duke Kling could not finish his words. He narrowed his dark eyebrows.


    ¡°Your daughter visited my close advisor and told him that Marquis Chester was plotting treason. She was furious, arguing that Ober was using her and you to obtain Lennox. And she also said he planned to kill both of you after he was done. Didn¡¯t you know that?¡±


    At Eckart¡¯s bombshell announcement, Curtis was indifferent while Kloud frowned a bit as if he were surprised.


    Duke Kling was surprised the most among them, of course. He distorted his expression more blatantly than before.


    He already knew that Ober¡¯s favor was impure. But he was shocked that Ober had been plotting treason. And how did her naive daughter know about it in advance, whom he raised and protected from outsiders?


    ¡°Do you have any specific evidence?¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately there is no physical evidence, despite lots of circumstantial evidence. But your daughter said she would help me find it. She said as long as I guarantee the safety of her and her father, she would root out the traitors and make a big contribution to the empire.¡±


    Duke Kling finally realized what it was when she mentioned about ¡®the way of protecting me and daddy¡¯ in her letter to him before she left for the capital. He also knew the reason why she was so serious by citing his wife Estelle.


    ¡°How could I sit idly when your daughter was working hard for the empire? I agreed to accept her offer gladly. Though I was in a hurry to propose to her, I had to, because she would be safest with me.¡±


    ¡°But my daughter is too inadequate to be your wife, Your Excellency.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re very rude. How dare you discuss the qualifications of a future empress in front of me?¡±


    Although Duke Kling urgently pleaded with him to think twice, Eckart got furious by cutting him off quickly. His cold eyes as well as his elegant but sharp attitude overwhelmed the duke.


    ¡°No matter what, she is now my better half. I have chosen her. Although she is your daughter, I advise you against speaking recklessly about her qualifications as the future empress.¡±


    Duke Kling felt a huge sense of helplessness. It was like a feeling similar to despair. The young emperor already discovered exactly what his weak points were. Once he had Marianne taken from his protection, he had no other option than to accept the realities. His territories or his noble title were just nothing when compared to his daughter.


    ¡°Do you want Lennox too?¡±


    So, Duke Kling asked the emperor blatantly. He was willing to donate his territories or power to the emperor if he wanted them like Ober.


    Although nobody believed it now, he had never regarded Lennox as his own property. He felt he would have to give it back someday from the moment when he volunteered to keep that land in lieu of Empress Blair.


    So, he felt he could gladly hand over Lennox to the emperor even now.


    The reason he delayed returning it up until now was for the safety of his daughter, not for his greed for more wealth and land.


    ¡°Your daughter takes after you as you like to use violent language.¡±


    Eckhart seemed to understand what he was trying to say.


    ¡°To be precise, I would like to earn your trust.¡±


    In other words, what the emperor wanted was much more than the nominal land document or his useless official title.


    The emperor wanted something bigger than that, namely the power with which he can actually dominate Lennox.


    Stable loyalty and willing sacrifice that can correct this strange imbalance of power.


    In other words, the emperor wanted a harsh truth and shame that he had hidden for decades.


    ¡°I¡¯m not forcing you. but¡­¡±


    Eckart stopped talking and emptied the wine glass halfway. The lingering fragrance of the bitter wine tickled down his throat as if he was ready to say something with authority.


    ¡°You were a great bystander during my father¡¯s days. You didn¡¯t lose anything thanks to your way of conduct.¡±


    Though his voice was calm, the message was ferocious.


    Duke Kling took his words as not only annoying but also painful to his ears. He felt as if the emperor were stabbing his heart with a dagger that had been tempered in a furnace thousands of times.


    ¡°But it will be different during my era because your daughter will be my wife.¡±


    Eckart no longer concealed his sharp eyes. He spoke while looking straight at Duke Kling. His blue eyes reflected his anger, which was a sense of intense pressure that would crush the other party to pieces. Even Kloud and Curtis, who were not his target, changed their postures and held their breaths.


    ¡°Are you going to keep watching in this situation?¡±


    Eventually, Eckart¡¯s short and plain question sounded to him as follows:


    Eckart continued, ¡°You came to Milan for a long time. You¡¯ll stay here longer than you think. Carefully check out what¡¯s going on in the capital while you were absent here.¡±


    Then Eckart left the room. His heartless fury was apparent on his forehead under his crown.


    Kling was forced to bow his head behind the emperor¡¯s back.


    It was the moment that the success or failure of his second deal was struck.


    The Elior Mansion was peaceful at night.


    Marianne came back after she walked a little more after Eckart left the garden.


    And she went straight into the study.


    How long had passed? When she felt her eyes were stiffy, Mrs. Charlotte brought tea.


    The tea was brewed with peach leaves. A sweet, fresh scent spilled gently over the wood bookshelves.


    ¡°Thank you, ma¡¯am.¡±


    Mrs. Charlotte smiled gracefully at her greeting.


    ¡°What book were you reading?¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s not a book¡­ It¡¯s a collection of public bulletins for the past several years.¡±


    Mrs. Charlotte felt her shy voice was lovely.


    ¡°It looks like you are trying to figure out the political situation in the capital.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. there are too many things I don¡¯t know. When I went to the tea party the other day, I didn¡¯t know many of them, let alone their faces. For example, Mrs. Margarita or Roxy¡­¡±


    Marianne began to mention the names she heard first that day, but slurred because she recalled one of the faces so vividly.

 Chapter 33

    It was the girl with shiny blonde and fresh lime eyes who was staring at her with a cute expression at the tea party.


    ¡°Madam, do you happen to know Ms. Roxy? I think she was born and raised in Lonstat,¡± Marianne asked.


    Mrs. Charlotte replied without thinking too deeply.


    ¡°I guess you are talking about Roxanne.¡±


    ¡°Oh, her name was Roxanne.¡±


    She casually thought it was a pretty name like her face.


    ¡°She is a daughter Earl Lonstat cares about very much. Before you arrived here, there was a widespread rumor that she would be the emperor¡¯s fiancee.¡±


    ¡°As the emperor¡¯s fiancee?¡±


    ¡°Because Duke Hubble and Marquise Chester highly recommended her.¡±


    Now Marianne could understand the whole situation. She understood why Roxy stared at her intensely at the party. Obviously, Roxy thought she suddenly appeared and took away her promised status as the emperor¡¯s fiancee. Besides, her strong backers were Hubble and Chester. It was quite understandable that Roxy felt like her pride was offended when she realized Marianne beat her despite Hubble and Chester¡¯s strong backing.


    What kind of person was Earl Lonstat?


    ¡°What kind of answer do you want?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ a frank answer?¡±


    Marianne grinned, with her green eyes sparkling.


    Mrs. Charlotte shrugged her shoulders before answering.


    ¡°He is Duke Hubble¡¯s running dog.¡±


    Unlike her cool tone, her selection of words was very irritating.


    ¡°Do not misunderstand. It¡¯s not a nickname that I coined. Even the members of the Hubble faction allegedly don¡¯t like him. And there is a rumor that the man who gave him such a nickname was Hubble¡¯s son Sir Illius.¡±


    ¡°Sir Ilius¡­¡±


    ¡°He is called Minor Duke even after he turned 40 because Duke Hubble has total control of the family.¡±


    ¡°Well, I guess he is not on good terms with his father?¡±


    ¡°In public, he acts as if he respects his father, but who knows his intention?¡±


    Marianne was lost in her thoughts.


    ¡®Can¡¯t he be helpful to me? It¡¯s hard to imagine Ilius betraying his family. Well, Ober and the emperor are half brothers with different mothers,¡¯ she thought to herself.


    ¡°By the way, at the Marquise¡¯s tea party¡­ ¡­ . ¡±


    Mrs. Charlotte, who was watching Marianne carefully, opened her mouth.


    At that moment, someone knocked on the door urgently. When Marianne nodded slightly with a puzzled face, Mrs. Charlotte allowed her to come in.


    ¡°Lady!¡±


    It was Cordelli who came in. Her face was flushed red. Gasping for breath as if she came running, she came right to Marianne and hung on to her.


    ¡°Oh my god. Please go out quickly. Come on. He will arrive in the main building lobby soon.¡±


    ¡°Who is arriving? Who? Emperor?¡±


    Marianne stood up, led by her hands, and was almost pulled away. Mrs. Charlotte also made a perplexed expression.


    ¡°Duke Kling, your father has arrived!¡±


    Cordelli shook her head as if she felt stuffy.


    ¡°Huh? What are you talking about? How come my father came here¡­¡±


    As she couldn¡¯t tell Cordelli and Mrs.Charlotte about her dialogue with the emperor, she just said that and shut up. But she couldn¡¯t think straight at that moment.


    Counting the dates, it was five days, all told. If he had received the emperor¡¯s messenger early like the emperor said, he could have arrived by now in the capital on a horse with some rests.


    But the emperor said he arranged for her father to escape from Lennox to save him from danger.


    ¡°It¡¯s a decision befitting your dignity as the emperor. You always enjoy overturning the situation by catching somebody off guard.¡±


    It seemed that Mrs. Charlotte already figured out the situation without listening to her details. After hearing Cordelli, Marianne got more confused.


    It was the emperor¡¯s signature decision: he proposed hastily, he announced a public bulletin on his engagement to Marianne even before she stole the show, he hid the servants with gifts behind the door, and he threw a sword at her to test her bodyguard, etc.


    Marianne rolled the front hem of her soft evening dress suddenly and then ran blindly.


    Embarrassed, Cordelli tried to adjust her dress, but she was already running far ahead.


    The emperor told her that he arranged for her father to escape to a safe place. But he didn¡¯t specify where the safe place was. That uncertainty made her run now.


    When everyone thought that her father was sent to a remote and quiet place, the emperor thought the opposite, namely he could argue to them that he would defend her father by having him stand before everybody.


    It was something only the emperor could do. No one else could do it.


    Finally, Marianne arrived at the porch and smiled. At the same time, she was so choked with tears that the tip of her nose became red.


    ¡°Daddy!¡±


    As she thought, Kling was standing there due to the emperor¡¯s warm considerations.


    ¡°Marie!¡±


    Kling patted her delicate shoulders warmly. Like he did after returning from his inspection tour, he patted her warmly.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°About what?¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡­¡±


    A myriad of thoughts flashed in her mind.


    ¡®What should I tell him first? Ober¡¯s bad scheme? My deal with the emperor? The reason why I worried and deceived him? Otherwise¡­¡¯


    Marianne hesitated because she couldn¡¯t open her mouth easily.


    Duke Kling smiled graciously as if he knew her heart. He did not question her situation or rebuke his daughter who had deceived himself. Instead, he opened his mouth carefully after looking around.


    ¡°I am coming here after meeting the emperor. He told me he found a good wife.¡±


    Although others didn¡¯t know what he meant, she knew exactly what he meant.


    ¡°No, I can¡¯t be a good wife for the emperor.¡±


    ¡°No, don¡¯t say that. You will be the most precious woman to him,¡± he spoke if he was swearing. He even said something like a spell to himself.


    Marianne could not reply at all. Though he said it indirectly because of Cordelli and Mrs. Charlotte, she knew what he said implied that he would give everything to the emperor for his daughter¡¯s sake.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said.


    He thought he should have told her daughter much earlier.


    She also thought that it was she, not her father, who should have said that.


    ¡°No, Daddy, I was wrong.¡±


    When she said that hurriedly, Kling stroked her white cheeks gently.


    He told her softly in a comforting voice as if he was soothing a seven-year-old girl who cried after accidentally losing her favorite doll, saying she was okay.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you for a long time. I think we better move to another place for a long conversation. Escort me to your place now.¡±


    She nodded with wet eyes. She cautiously held his hands, whose warmth she didn¡¯t want to lose again.


    * * *


    The Elior Mansion was noisy late into the night due to the dramatic reunion of the duke and his daughter. Their conversations in front of the porch spread quietly but very quickly through the lips of the staff at the mansion. Though she didn¡¯t mean it, that was enough to be the source of the trouble between the emperor and Marianne.


    Marianne led her father to a private parlor near the second-floor bedroom.


    After some hesitation, she invited several more there, including Mrs. Charlotte and Cordelli to bring tea, and Iric as her bodyguard.


    ¡°Lady, you haven¡¯t met your father in a long time. If you are having him here by holding a tea party to welcome him, isn¡¯t it better to have a formal luncheon for him tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°Right. I guess you have a lot to talk with him privately¡­¡±


    ¡°No. In fact, I have something to tell everyone, not just my father.¡±


    People except the duke thought their presence would interfere with his reunion with his daughter, but Marianne insisted on having everyone there. It was her strength to carry out what she once decided.


    ¡°Let me tell you frankly, based on my trust in you. But don¡¯t tell anyone what you¡¯ve heard from me.¡±


    ¡°If you want it, we¡¯ll follow your request. Please don¡¯t worry,¡± Mrs. Charlotte encouraged her kindly. Others nodded lightly as if they agreed.


    Marian took a breath so big that they noticed her shrugging shoulders.


    After a short hesitation, she opened her mouth slowly.


    ¡°I informed the emperor of somebody¡¯s treason.¡±


    And before she finished her words, the four men in the room realized why they had to stay.


    What she was saying was a secret and desperate cry for their help.


    She finally confided to them about what happened for the 15 days.


    She accidentally heard Ober¡¯s plotting treason, and then discovered his hidden plan about her and her father. Though she loved him in the past, she completely gave him up. As it was something critical to the security of the empire, she felt the need to tell the emperor about Ober¡¯s treason. As she felt her father was worried, she secretly left the mansion to meet the emperor.


    That was the best option for her.


    As for Ober¡¯s treason, there was no specific evidence yet, so she volunteered to be a double spy to collect evidence. The emperor understood her intention and promised to guarantee her safety by making her his fiancee. However, she was having an uncomfortable relationship with the emperor while pretending to love Ober to gather information about his treason.

 Chapter 34

    That was the gist of what she told her audience in the room.


    Of course, she didn¡¯t explain something on purpose.


    For example, she didn¡¯t mention that when the emperor guaranteed her safety, it was her safety only as his ¡®hostage¡¯. She failed to mention it was actually the last moment in her life when she discovered Ober¡¯s treason. She also didn¡¯t say the reason she jumped into the fire at the risk of her life was because she couldn¡¯t ignore what was going to happen since she returned from death.


    Except for these three points, she frankly confessed the whole situation without exaggerating it or abridging. Although her story was not perfect, it was enough to convince them.


    Mrs. Charlotte was only slightly surprised when she first heard of the word ¡®treason.¡¯ Since then, she listened to the duke¡¯s daughter all along with a gentle expression on her face.


    Iric maintained a cool face all the time, but he gripped the handle of a sword while he was listening. Cordelli made an expression on her face as if her curiosity were solved, and then looked at her with a pitiful expression again.


    ¡°So, that¡¯s why you are now pretending to be at odds with the emperor?¡±


    Finally, Duke Kling asked, repeating her last words with a deep sigh.


    ¡°Well, yes. I can¡¯t desert Ober right now to discover some specific evidence about his treason plot. I¡¯m sure everybody except the people here will believe I¡¯m at odds with the emperor.¡±


    She bit her red lips gently and touched the handle of the rose-patterned mug. She gazed carefully at her father with clear green eyes and asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you angry at me, Dad?¡±


    ¡°Will you quit if I¡¯m upset with you?¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡­¡±


    She slurred. Her father let out a long sigh again.


    ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous. Don¡¯t you know how cunning Ober is? The marquise is a far more evil politician than you think.¡±


    ¡°I know, but that was the best option I could think of. I¡¯m closer to Ober than you or the emperor. I can pull the wool over him more easily than you. And I can¡¯t prove my claim if I can¡¯t find specific evidence¡­¡±


    Duke Kling felt sorry for her daughter when she tried to read his mind. She could have run away, pretending she didn¡¯t know, but she had no such an option in her decision.


    ¡°The emperor has guaranteed my safety as well as yours. I don¡¯t think I will be in danger.¡±


    He felt frustrated about her naive thinking, but at the same time he felt ashamed of himself.


    He felt his tender and young daughter was far more courageous than himself.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t worry too. I will never be hurt. I¡¯ll run away if I feel I¡¯m in a dangerous situation.¡±


    She grinned when she stood up and sat by his side like a butterfly. Her eyes sparkled when she played the baby, hanging onto his arms.


    If she had said that the emperor, given his character, could not easily lose an important hostage like her, he would have felt more convinced. But she could not say so. That was her best explanation that she could use to to convince her father regarding her safety.


    ¡°They say a daughter is supposed to take after her father, but you really look like your mom in a situation like this.¡±


    Duke Kling recalled his wife Estelle, who passed away a long time ago, in his lovely daughter.


    Although the emperor said that it would be the safest if she stayed with him, it was like her being at the edge of a dangerous cliff. That¡¯s why he raised and protected her in a safe place in Lennox. He wanted not to expose her to the danger of wicked people in the capital as best he could.


    But how much could he protect her when she was put in a dangerous position like now?


    Her place as the future empress was like the most dangerous and safest double-edged sword. She was already holding a poisoned chalice.


    He no longer wanted to lose his beloved family. So, the role he had to play in the future was already set.


    ¡°Don¡¯t leave the house alone recklessly. How surprised I was when I discovered you were gone!


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. When I thought Ober was going after you, I was so impatient. I¡¯m sorry I was too hasty.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mean your intention was wrong. You did the right thing. Maybe one day it might have happened like this¡­¡±


    ¡°Daddy.¡±


    ¡°But promise to discuss with me first before you get down to do something.¡±


    ¡°Yes, will do, Daddy.¡±


    They stopped talking at a point where they thought they found the best solution.


    Obviously, there should be something hidden in their request and answers, but neither of them asked further. Then he looked at the other three in the room and said calmly, ¡°I think I have to ask you guys a favor in advance. I hope my daughter is in great hands. She is more precious to me than any treasure in the world.¡±


    Mrs. Charlotte said, ¡°The emperor is as concerned about your daughter as you are. On the day the emperor made her the owner of the Elior Mansion, he gave me a special order to serve her well. And I¡¯m not stupid enough to disobey his order, ¡± Mrs. Charlotte said.


    ¡°Me too! I will serve her more especially! Please feel relaxed. You know the chief chamberlain praised me, saying I was the best maid who served her, right? I¡¯m going to stand by her for 24/7!¡± Cordelli said.


    ¡°I will swear again here on behalf of you and your daughter that I¡¯ll do everything to protect her.


    No enemy shall ever hurt her. I will swear on my sword,¡± Iric said firmly.


    In particular, Iric was about to kneel down to take out the sword and formally sword as a knight.


    Duke Kling laughed and raised him after tapping him on the shoulder.


    Looking at their reassuring actions, Kling felt much more relieved.


    But he was soon caught by new worries for Marianne when she frowned openly after sipping her tea and listening to their heartwarming responses.


    ¡°Marie?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m alright. I accidentally bit the inside of my lips while I was eating a while ago.¡±


    Marianne laughed awkwardly. She felt pain in her inner lips. She was stung by conscience when she lied, but she didn¡¯t want to tell her father that she injured herself to deceive Ober.


    ¡°I¡¯m stupid, right? I have to blame the chef here who is so good. He is as good as Brad, the chef at the Lennox Mansion.¡±


    Kling was aghast as he had to listen to her daughter¡¯s poor excuses. Suddenly something came to his mind. He put a small, round container on her palm. Its soft cover made of porcelain was engraved with the golden herb stem, a symbol of the imperial medical service.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±


    Marianne lifted the small container and opened its cover. What was inside was a soft ointment. She smelled soft grass.


    ¡°Sir Kloud gave it to me when I was leaving the palace. He said that it¡¯s a mild ointment that you can use in your mouth.¡±


    ¡°Sir Kloud?¡±


    Why did Sir Kloud give him the ointment? Why? How did he know about the wound in my mouth? He never visited the mansion today. Did anybody on the spot notice my trick? Did Mrs. Charlotte tip him off? No way, even Mrs. Charlotte noticed it.


    While Marianne was making various expressions in puzzlement, Kling smiled softly.


    ¡°I hear the emperor asked him to hand it to you.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Marianne recalled the emperor¡¯s troubled look in the garden. Though he looked indifferent there, he must have noticed that she was sick.


    ¡®It looks like he isn¡¯t such a bad person.¡¯


    She shrugged her shoulders and slipped the ointment into the inside pocket of her dress.


    ¡°Let me express my thanks to him later.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that sounds good.¡±


    ¡°By the way, what do you want to eat tomorrow morning? Let me talk to the chef quickly, so he can prepare the food. How about steak or steamed bass? I want to recommend raspberry tart for dessert. We used to have it often in Lennox. Is it okay with you?¡±


    ¡°Marie, it¡¯s breakfast, so let¡¯s have a light one.¡±


    ¡°No, I do not like it. I think you didn¡¯t eat properly because you came here hurriedly all the way from Lennox. You should eat a lot. After breakfast, let¡¯s take a walk together. Okay? There is a beautiful garden here. Let me show you around.¡±


    ¡°If you insist, sure. ¡±


    Kling laughed as if he could not wear her down. Mrs. Charlotte, Cordelli, and Iric who listened to their conversation smiled happily.


    Marianne smiled brightly and hung onto her father¡¯s arms. Indeed, for the first time since she left Lennox, there was kind of a lovely expectation on her face in place of the shadow of the dark complicated situation. She looked excited and thrilled.

 Chapter 35

    On May 5th, the emperor held the second cabinet meeting at Conrad Hall of the Lucio Imperial Palace. It was the second cabinet meeting, but it was the first time that all the cabinet members attended. In other words, the emperor could not govern properly for five months from the beginning of the year. Without the scandal involving his fiancee, the cabinet meeting would have been probably been postponed indefinitely.


    Jed cursed them with four-letter words when he saw the letters of Duke Hubble and Ober who belatedly showed their intention to attend the cabinet meeting. Colin kept silent with a bitter look, and Kloud hardly commented. Everyone seemed to think they were mean.


    But Eckart had been waiting for the opening of the full cabinet meeting more than anyone else.


    ¡°The emperor has arrived!¡±


    The chief chamberlain announced the emperor¡¯s arrival loudly.


    The cabinet members sitting on both sides of the long golden table stood up to express their due manners.


    ¡°May the endless glory of our god Airius be bestowed upon Your Excellency!¡±


    Eckart walked slowly, not caring at all about their usual greetings. Soon, he sat on the uppermost chair. Right after he was seated, he started to examine the participants from the end of the table with his blue eyes. A total of ten officials were called to the meeting.


    First, there were two secretaries from the archives office to record the meeting minutes. The top five cabinet members in charge of foreign affairs, home affairs, education affairs, finance, and law were seated closest to the emperor. Next to them was the chief of the Eluang Knights, the official imperial guard.


    The other two were standing side by side on both sides of the throne. On the left was the palace secretary in charge of running the imperial palace while the chief secretary serving the emperor at hand was on the right.


    ¡°Sit down, everybody.¡±


    He ordered coldly. The cabinet members were seated, starting with those close to him.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you around the palace for a while, and it¡¯s nice to see you all in one place.¡±


    His suggestive criticism subdued the atmosphere of the hall.


    ¡°I hear you have agreed to get married to the daughter of Duke Kling,¡± Duke Hubble opened his mouth blatantly without batting an eye. He could change the topic to his liking all of a sudden without using any unnecessary introductions. His gray hair showed that he had been bossing around in the palace for a long time.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to have the engagement ceremony sooner or later. As it¡¯s difficult for you to come to the capital every time, I think it won¡¯t be bad for you to stay here and attend the ceremony before going back,¡± Eckart replied with ridicule.


    ¡°The emperor¡¯s marriage is a national event. How come you are going to decide it without discussing it with the cabinet members at all?¡±


    This time, Ober stepped in.


    Eckart¡¯s blue eyes looked down at him sitting next to Hubble. His ash-colored eyes were staring straight into the emperor¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°I think your words are very rude. Are you going to interfere with me selecting my wife?¡±


    ¡°The empress is your wife, but she is Aslan¡¯s First Lady, above all. I think it would be proper for you to get the counsel of the cabinet members.¡±


    ¡°I made the decision because I thought deeply about your guys¡¯ advice. Wasn¡¯t it your advice that I should select my wife as soon as possible for the peace of the imperial family?¡±


    Obviously, the emperor made fun of Ober¡¯s letter reminding him of the need to find his bride as soon as possible, so he turned his head, hiding his sharp eyes.


    He clenched his fists beneath the table tightly. His discomfort, which he barely held back, was palpable to anybody looking at him.


    ¡°Do not be too angry, Your Majesty. Perhaps Ober, the Foreign Minister, meant well when he said that. As you have no father and grandfather, how can¡¯t we, faithful servants, be concerned about your marriage?¡±


    Earl McMillan, the Internal Minister, spoke, filling the teacup for the emperor.


    Though he spoke in a gentle tone, he was virtually siding with Ober. In other words, he was trying to appease Ober, not the emperor who got upset.


    ¡°That¡¯s a useless concern,¡± Eckart said, staring at McMillan. Although he wanted to throw the teapot on his crown right away, it was Curtis or Jed¡¯s way of doing things, not his own.


    ¡°Did you choose anyone from the imperial family who would be your witness when you swore your marriage to our god Airius?¡±


    Duke Hubble, who was silent, changed the topic again.


    ¡°Let me appoint Grand Duke Christopher and Queen¡¯s daughter Katrin for that role.¡±


    In response to Eckart¡¯s answer, the chief of knights guard turned his head slightly.


    Christopher De Frey. He was the chief of the Eluang Knights, Grand Duke Christopher.


    Prince Christopher and Princess Kathrin were the son and daughter of the first Emperor Cassius respectively. The eldest daughter, Alisa, had long left the empire by marrying the emperor of the neighboring Faisal Empire, and the second son, Christopher, still unmarried, served as the leader of the Eluang Knights. The youngest daughter, Kathrin, was the wife of Duke Lamont, the Justice Minister who attended the cabinet meeting today. She was often called Duchess Lamont.


    ¡°Are they lower than Duke Hubble in terms of the family tree?¡±


    ¡°Yes, they are. But they are direct family members closer to me.¡±


    Ober¡¯s eyes trembled at his decisive answer. He terribly hated words like bloodline, family lineage, immediate family, or legitimate children.


    ¡°I think the blessing of the young descendants is better than the blessing of an old man.¡±


    As Eckart expected, Duke Hubble acted calmly. Even if the hot-tempered Jed had shouted at him, ¡°I don¡¯t need congratulations from a cunning old man like you!¡±, Hubble would have stayed calm.


    ¡°Have you decided on the women who will help you prepare for the wedding ceremony?¡±


    ¡°Countess Renault and Lady Beatrice of the Marquis Euclid family will help.¡±


    When Eckart said that, Earl Renault, the Treasury Minister, and Marquis Euclid, the Education Minister, looked at the emperor. Although they were informed of his decision in advance, they agreed without asking back.


    ¡°I can understand your choice of Countess Renault. Isn¡¯t Beatrice single?¡±


    ¡°But I hear she has inherited the wisdom of her father, Sir Simon,¡± said Grand Duke Christopher, who had been silent all along.


    ¡°But don¡¯t you think you will have no trouble preparing when you have a woman who has actually performed the wedding ceremony?¡± said Duke Hubble, pointing to the emperor as if he didn¡¯t hear the grand duke.


    Eckart gently reached out to stop him.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about when it comes to the law and procedures because I have Mrs. Reinhardt who has been serving Duke Kling¡¯s daughter at the Elior Mansion early on. Perhaps she knows more about the imperial customs than you.¡±


    Duke Hubble shut up instead of protesting further. He dropped his olive-like eyes. Eckart was more concerned with his reaction than his outright hostility. His eyes clearly suggested that he was plotting something ominous.


    ¡°Duke Kling¡¯s daughter is like a flower that has grown long in the north. If you¡¯re going to plant it, you¡¯ve got to create some familiar soil for her,¡± Ober chimed in to support Hubble.


    But Eckart asked coldly, ¡°Marquis Chester, what do you want to say to me?¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Reinhardt is okay, but Mrs. Renault and Ms. Beatrice are not easy to meet, even in the social circles of the capital, right? What I mean is you need to create the environment that is not familiar to you but to Duke Kling¡¯s daughter.¡±


    ¡°You are speaking as if you know the environment that¡¯s familiar to her.¡±


    ¡°Well, how could I know that? I heard there was one place she chose in person and she went there after arriving in the capital.¡±


    Ober dropped his eyes, laughing shamelessly. Apparently, he was talking about the tea party Marquise Chester hosted. Convinced that Eckart was tipped by somebody about what happened at the tea party, Ober was trying to indicate that Marianne¡¯s choice of the tea party meant that she was now a member of Mrs. Chester¡¯s group.


    Eckart calmly looked down while holding the golden armrest of his chair.


    ¡°I see,¡± Eckart answered calmly.


    He suddenly recalled Marianne. If she hadn¡¯t offered him a crazy deal, he probably wouldn¡¯t have been able to say what he had to say from now on. He thought the next time he met her, he would give her due credit for that.


    ¡°But I have to disagree with you, Ober.¡±


    His blue eyes sparkled. He looked at the five top ministers.


    ¡°Duke Shane!¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±


    Duke Lamont responded to Eckart¡¯s call.


    ¡°Can you memorize Article One of the Great Law?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Article One of the Great Law of Aslan says that any imperial minister other than the top five ministers can be appointed or dismissed by the emperor¡¯s decision without the consent of the cabinet members.¡±

 Chapter 36

    For Duke Lamont, the Justice Minister, reciting that article was a piece of cake. He recited it clearly, and Eckart nodded with a satisfied face.


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± Marquis Euclid responded to the emperor hurriedly, and nodded slightly. Looking at him, Eckart thought Colin took after his father Euclid a lot.


    Members of Marquis Euclid¡¯s family were often overly wise. They knew the emperor¡¯s moods very well right before he caused trouble. Even if they found it out, though, they were resigned to the fact that they could not wear him down.


    ¡°I think Duke Kling¡¯s daughter needs more considerations, as Marquis Chester said.¡±


    Reciting in heart, ¡®considerations like the environment familiar to her,¡¯ Eckart tapped the armrest with his fingertips.


    ¡°So that¡¯s why I made the decision. Let me issue the order as the emperor. So, these secretaries will write down my orders and announce them immediately.¡±


    Two secretaries at the end of the conference table were busily moving their pens. The sound of them writing down his orders resonated throughout the quiet hall.


    Eckart, who was sitting back, corrected his posture. With his back straight, he said loudly in a cold voice, ¡°As of today, let me transfer Noark von McMillan, chief chamberlain, to the Treasury Ministry, and appoint Wales von Kling, Duke of Kling and Lennox, as the new Chief Chamberlain.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, how can you take¡­!¡±


    With an embarrassed expression, Earl Macmillan looked at Eckart. He was suddenly demoted from the Chief Chamberlain to an official with the Treasury Ministry under the direct control of the imperial family, which he could never understand.


    ¡°Where can you find soil more familiar to the daughter of Duke Kling than her father?


    As the duke is not familiar with the capital, he can adjust his life here while helping with the work of the imperial family beside me.¡±


    Eckart replied casually. As if he was reciting his breakfast menu this morning, he woke up the participants with a sharp voice.


    ¡°Wales was the best friend of my late father and emperor. There is no further glory than to serve the emperor, but given his title as the duke, he might not be suitable for his new position as the chief chamberlain,¡± Duke Hubble stepped in.


    Having said that, he stared askance at the emperor¡¯s golden seat. His staring suggested that the emperor¡¯s appointment of his late father¡¯s friend as the chief chamberlain was rude and excessive. His cold voice also reflected his concern in some respects. Of course, everybody already knew well about his real intention.


    ¡°Well, I initially wanted to appoint Wales as one of the top five cabinet members and handle state affairs, but as you know, there are no vacancies right now. If I want to appoint a new minister, I have to get the consent of the existing cabinet members, which is quite cumbersome to me. Aren¡¯t you going to retire and let somebody else take over the Internal Ministry?¡±


    ¡°I guess you want me to step down.¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t. As you know, I recognize your outstanding performance. My concern is that as you are old enough, you might get sick while bending over backwards to help me handle state affairs.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Duke Hubble, the Internal Minister, didn¡¯t reply. Eckart leaned forward, folding his fingers.


    He felt displeased with Hubble¡¯s attitude. Hubble surely hoped from the days of his father that Duke Kling would not come out to this tilted chessboard. His ancestors¡¯ warning about him was that he should never use Kling because the latter would be a threat to the anti-emperor rebels.


    ¡°By the way, the chief chamberlain can also attend this cabinet meeting, right? More than anybody else, he can help me at hand, and he is also in a good position to help his daughter after she officially becomes my wife. Besides, he has a good character and deep learning, so I believe he can carry out his duty very well as the Chief Chamberlain.¡±


    As he knew the chief chamberlain¡¯s duty better than anyone else, Eckart was determined not to give the position to any other man than Duke Kling.


    ¡°Wales is going to be your father-in-law soon. If you use him as the head of the important government agency like the Interior Ministry, you might invite criticism that you will be subject to the interference by your father-in-law¡¯s family.¡±


    Earl McMillan, who was demoted overnight, hurriedly protested.


    ¡°Watch your language, Earl Macmillan!¡± Eckart said, making a serious look.


    He went on, ¡°Your remarks are insulting, Sir Balter, who has been of great help to the government since the times of Frey V.¡±


    Earl McMillan¡¯s face grew dark suddenly at Eckart¡¯s rebuke.


    Sir Balter, namely Duke of Hubble, was a relative of Empress Frida. Thanks to that connection, Hubble was regarded as a living witness of power politics, assuming various important positions in various ministries including the imperial palace as well as one of the top five cabinet titles, let alone his current position as the Interior Minister.


    In the end, Count McMillan¡¯s words were like exposing the embarrassing aspects of his allies.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, that¡¯s not what I meant.¡±


    Then Duke Hubble cleared his throat. Earl McMillan shook his shoulders and lowered his head.


    ¡°I want my cabinet reshuffle implemented as soon as possible. Immediately send my order to Duke Kling, and the chief palace minister should consult with the new chief chamberlain to make preparations for my wedding ceremony.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± said Earl Leslie, the chief palace minister, and bowed politely.


    Eckart stood up, shaking his golden cloak as if to dismiss his meeting.


    ¡°Your Majesty! Please think twice about your reshuffle¡­¡±


    Earl McMillan strongly appealed, completely dissatisfied with his current title. But Eckart looked back coldly.


    ¡°Think twice? Do you think my order is wrong enough to require reconsideration?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mean that. I¡¯ve served you sincerely with all my heart. Please take into account my loyalty and service to you¡­¡±


    ¡°Since I appreciate your hard work, I transferred you to the Treasury. What more do I have to do for you? Is this because you don¡¯t like your new job?¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡± Earl McMillan was stunned as if the emperor accurately read his mind.


    ¡°I¡¯m disappointed. I believed that a faithful official like you would easily agree to take the job of taking care of imperial treasures.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not saying that, Your Majesty. You have misunderstood! How could I think of such a stupid idea?¡±


    ¡°If you think so, do not tarnish your loyalty with stupid things anymore.¡±


    His commanding tone was very cold. Earl McMillan jumped up and down like a fish caught in a fishing net, but soon withdrew, overwhelmed by the emperor¡¯s blade-like eyes and voice.


    Nonchalantly passing past the earl who was stepping backward awkwardly, Eckart ordered the secretaries, ¡°It¡¯s hard to discuss state affairs with the change in cabinet members, so let me reopen the third cabinet meeting in two days. Announce it again before each cabinet minister goes back. I am sure they won¡¯t, but make sure that all of them attend the meeting without making any excuses such as ¡®I forgot¡¯ or ¡°I was busy with another schedule.¡¯


    The secretaries bowed their heads politely to write down his order.


    Behind his quiet blue eyes was a creepy sound from a chair close to the emperor.


    Suddenly, there was heard the sound of someone gnashing his teeth.


    ***


    ¡°Hasn¡¯t this guy been looking for a way to save his life up to now? Then how come he¡¯s being so arrogant before us because he has found a new ally?¡± said Ober, squeezing the glass of whiskey as if he were about to break it.


    After the cabinet meeting in question was over, his cohorts who gathered at Duke Hubble¡¯s annex could not go back home when it was getting dark outside.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t he from the Frey family? I thought he could do that to us,¡± Ober said in a sneering voice.


    Then he stared at Hubble. He felt upset about Hubble because the latter treated him like a child even though he came of age several years ago. He was really pissed off when Hubble mentioned ¡®the Frey family¡¯ because he was related by blood to the late emperor Cassius.


    ¡°How can you stay so calm? Our idea of having the daughter of Sir Lonstat to be the emperor¡¯s wife fell flat. To make matters worse, you were stripped of the title of the chief chamberlain.¡±


    When Ober reminded them of the emperor¡¯s devastating decision, Earl Lonstat and Earl McMillan gulped down wine.


    ¡°What a clever guy! With Duke Kling on his side, I thought he would recklessly go after us, but it looks like he judged it was too early to attack the top five cabinet members. He takes after his late father in that respect.¡±


    ¡°You always overestimate the emperor. He¡¯s really stupid, compared to his late father.¡±


    ¡°Let me correct you, man. I think you¡¯re underestimating the emperor, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Oh my god! You¡¯re driving me nuts!¡±


    ¡°Hey, Ober, can you please tame your damn hot temper?¡±


    While listening to their dialogue, Mrs. Chester sharply cut in. Though she smiled elegantly, everybody knew that obviously she was very annoyed at the moment.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I couldn¡¯t hide it because I inherited it from my mother.¡±


    Glancing at Mrs. Chester, Ober clenched his teeth. While Mrs. Chester was having a staring match with Ober, Hubble¡¯s son Ilius suddenly hit the table with a bang.

 Chapter 37

    ¡°Damn it! Stop it! Do you think we¡¯re in the Chester Mansion now?¡±


    ¡°Show your manners, Ilius! Do you think you can solve the problem by bluffing like that? These days Sorman¡¯s barbarians do not fight in such an ignorant way,¡± Mrs. Chester quipped.


    Mrs. Chester stopped smiling instantly, looking at Ilius with disdain.


    ¡°What did you say to me? Barbarian? Ignorant?¡±


    Ilius¡¯s face flushed red immediately. He was very hot-tempered. When he couldn¡¯t stand his anger and growled like a bear, this time Duke Hubble stared at his son, clicking his tongue.


    Belatedly sensing his father¡¯s sharp look, Ilius turned around with a sunken face.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter even if the emperor relieves you of Chief Chamberlain. I didn¡¯t think he was going to keep you in that position for long anyway.¡±


    ¡°Gosh, sir! How can you say that?¡±


    It was too harsh for Hubble to say so in front of Earl McMillan. He couldn¡¯t hide his resentment.


    ¡°I think it was better for you. Just shut up and check out the situation of the Treasury Department and report it to me faithfully.¡±


    Hubble emphasized ¡®shut up¡¯ when he said it curtly.


    Earl McMillan had to shut up because he had done something wrong as the Chief Chamberlain. Hubble was a man with patience, but he was not that generous. Accordingly, McMilan just shut up because he could be fired at the Treasury if he wasted his breath again.


    ¡°What are you going to do with my daughter? I hope you won¡¯t have her live in disgrace for her life,¡± said Earl Lonstat with a sly smile.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be impatient. Even if Duke Kling¡¯s daughter has a ceremony, she is no more than the emperor¡¯s fianc¨¦e at this point, ¡± Hubble said.


    ¡°Good point. I¡¯m not sure if she can have the engagement ceremony peacefully, ¡± said Mrs. Chester with a smile and agreed with Hubble. Each word implied her malice, so her direct threat to ruin the ceremony would have sounded much softer than it was.


    She continued, ¡°How wise you are! In my mind, they don¡¯t match each other well. I heard that even before Duke Kling met the emperor, he was given a short shrift at the palace¡¯s main gate. There are lots of rumors going around that her daughter was forced to get married to the emperor, that the emperor kidnapped her, or she would be divorced even before her marriage.¡±


    The rumor was touched off by small gossip originating in the Elior Mansion. Even small things often snowballed into a big fuss when they were on the lips of noisy parkers.


    Upon hearing rumors about the trouble between the emperor and Marianne, Earl Lonstat immediately planted spies in the salons and social circles.


    ¡°Besides, Marianne allegedly loves Sir Ober more than emperor¡­¡±


    As there were lots of nobles who attended the tea party hosted by Mrs. Chester, it didn¡¯t take more than one day for the rumors to turn into a fait accompli.


    ¡°Marianne is a very naive lady,¡± said Ober calmly.


    Mrs. Chester slightly turned her head at his son¡¯s reaction.


    His fascinating eyes frowned quickly.


    He continued, ¡°But it¡¯s impossible to make her turn coats right now. Since the duke brought her up like a precious treasure, she is very picky and chicken-hearted. You will have to take some time to get her on your side.¡±


    Ober recalled Marianne¡¯s words as she jumped into his arms at the tea party.


    ¡°I want to go back to you.¡±


    Her green eyes sparkling amid her crying looked stupid and beautiful. Even though he didn¡¯t trust her entirely, her innocent actions emboldened his hope of taking her back.


    He assumed that it might be the emperor¡¯s intention to make him give her up. In fact, Marianne still loved him. So, he felt he couldn¡¯t easily let the emperor take away Marianne from him. He even thought he would rather make her his woman and use her for his own purpose.


    ¡°We have to focus on ruining their engagement ceremony, above all,¡± Ober said.


    He slowly swept his dark red hair, looking at those around him with dark eyes.


    * * *


    Eve was an orphan born in the slums. She didn¡¯t know who her father was, and her mother was a flower seller. Her mother gave birth to Eve without being married.


    Eve¡¯s mother was addicted to drugs since she was four years old. She sold flowers during the day but helped drug dealers at night. She bought drugs again with her pay. There was more drug residue and bugs than bread or potatoes in her house, and even that old house disappeared after she died from drug addiction, leaving Eve alone.


    When she turned seven, Eve began eating out of the trash. She slept wherever she found eaves. She ran barefoot here and there, regardless of dry and wet ground.


    Then, on a summer day when she was 15, she was noticed by a woman named Anne by chance. Anne asked, ¡°Hey, don¡¯t you want to eat hot bread as much as you can? You can live as decently as others if you do as instructed.¡±


    Anne¡¯s proposal was like natural water in a desert to her. Eve followed her without hesitation. Then she had a small room with a roof and windows. She could eat bread and soup twice a day, and she could burn some dry firewood on cold days.


    A so-called ¡®teacher¡¯ came to her room twice a week. The teacher was an old lady with gray hair. Eve learned from her how to comb tangled hair like a magpie, knot clothes, and sew. She also learned how to whiten stained clothing and make stew with meat and vegetables.


    She stayed there for three years.


    Anne finally gave Eve a new family name and given name. She also gave Eve a new job after some short training. Her workplace was the Elior Mansion that she had never seen before, even in a dream. She was sent there as a maid.


    Eve was assigned to the garden management team. She carried water to the flowers and trees as told by the gardener. She pulled weeds around the trails for easy walking, or polished benches and a fountain. As she went to the trouble of cleaning untrodden places in the mansion, she quickly memorized the complicated road in the back garden. Even though she worked so hard, Eve had never really seen what the owner of the garden looked like.


    It was close to disrespect to let the owner watch housemaids working. When the owner was taking a walk, they were forbidden from entering the garden. The owner didn¡¯t come out for a walk when she cleaned the garden.


    Eve heard some rumors while working there. Luckily, employees like her who saw Marianne at a distance said that the new owner was a very beautiful woman. Of course she was because young ladies of the noble families usually had white skin, thin waists, red lips, and tender hands.


    But according to Lotus, who had seen the new owner for the longest time, the new owner had a charm that was hard to compare with other noble ladies.


    She had sweet hair like chocolate, moist, sparkling emerald eyes as if they were just plucked out of the ocean, and loveliness, which seemed to fly away like a fairy when fitted with pretty wings on her back.


    Just like that woman.


    ¡®She is coming.¡¯


    Eve put a note in her apron pouch which she had been fiddling with. She didn¡¯t know what it was about because she couldn¡¯t read. Given Ann¡¯s facial expression, it seemed like an important message as she was told to convey it to the new owner secretly. She thought how good it would be if she served the new owner at hand. As a lowly maid, the most she could do was climb up a tree after cleaning the garden and waiting for the new owner to appear. By sheer luck, she overheard the gardener saying the new owner would appear in the garden today.


    ¡®How can I deliver it? I think she will scold me for me hiding in the garden secretly if I appear before her suddenly. If she is accompanied by a knight, he might cut my neck. It can¡¯t make any noise even if I drop the note since it¡¯s paper¡­¡¯


    Eve bit her lip while waiting nervously. Sitting on a dark tree and looking down from there, she glanced between the new owner and her maid approaching toward her. Fortunately, only two of them were coming.


    ¡®Can I climb down and ask for forgiveness? I might bump into her again in the future.¡¯


    Eve did not have many options from the beginning. There was no chance for a humble maid of low birth to meet the new owner alone.


    So, she felt it was the best to look away and disappear when the new owner was alone.


    That was the only safe and successful way. She might be beaten by her maid if she attempted to speak to the new owner, but it was much better to take the note back to Anne.

 Chapter 38

    Eve recalled Anne¡¯s face. Anne was a lady with a cold impression, though she was kind.


    If Eve didn¡¯t carry out her assignment, Anne might take back her fake last and given name. That was the last thing she wanted. She didn¡¯t want to be homeless again.


    ¡®It¡¯s better for me to just climb down and speak honestly. Fortunately, there is only one maid accompanying the new owner. ¡®


    Eve stretched her legs which were falling asleep and swung her body slightly. The noise of their moving footsteps on the grass was heard more clearly.


    At that moment, the tree she was stepping on broke apart. She fell from the tree with a bang.


    ¡°Oops!¡±


    Cordelli screamed and stopped in front of Marianne. Books such as the Precious Yearbook of Frei VI, the list of the royal designer Margarita¡¯s works, and the Romance Series: How to Trick the Duke went up in the air and fell down like falling leaves.


    Marianne opened her eyes slowly that she closed unconsciously a moment ago.


    She found herself hugging Cordelli who stood in front of her and stiffened.


    She was so surprised that even the fan she had been holding flew onto the grass in front of her.


    And next to it was a girl who fell on the ground.


    ¡°Oh my gosh! It looks like she fell from the tree!¡±


    Cordelli cried out in a surprised voice. Literally, there was a girl who looked like a maid who fell down at the base of the tree. There were some broken tree branches around her.


    ¡°Hey, are you okay?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    While Marianne was calming down, Cordelli asked carefully.


    Eve did not answer. While gazing at the strangely quiet maid, Corelli hurriedly made Marianne step back.


    ¡°But why was she on the tree?¡± Cordelli asked.


    ¡°Hummmm¡­ Did she take a nap there secretly?¡± Marianne answered peacefully.


    While stepping back, Marianne kept looking over her shoulders. The little maid who didn¡¯t move at all as if she were dead began to wriggle.


    ¡°Hm, it looks like she was injured¡­¡±


    ¡°I think so. But she is suspicious. I have to call Iric as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°Lady!¡±


    There was heard an urgent call from behind even before Cordelli finished talking.


    Marianne turned her head to the place where the voice came.


    Tall, purple-haired Iric was approaching with Astolf¡¯s black cloak fluttering behind his beautifully flanked shoulders.


    ¡°Iric?¡±


    He came running to her and quickly pulled the sword to be on guard.


    Although both of them screamed, the garden was so large that even those knights guarding the outside the mansion could hardly notice it. Iric¡¯s sudden arrival meant that he was nearby at the moment.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m fine. I told you to take a rest instead of following me. You¡¯re really stubborn. You told me you were on sentry duty at the main building yesterday. Are you not tired?¡±


    ¡°How can I neglect to protect you when this kind of dangerous thing happens?¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s dangerous to that girl, not me,¡± Marianne casually shrugged.


    She was surprised that the girl suddenly fell from a tree, but she didn¡¯t think it was dangerous. Any assassin sent by Ober couldn¡¯t have been lax like her. And the Eluang Knights¡¯ defense of the mansion was far more tighter. Besides, Iric was right beside her.


    If that girl was an assassin sent by Ober, Iric would take care of her. If she was tough enough for Iric to handle, he would die anyway. Nothing would be different even if she worried about it. Of course, her judgment was a valid guess, but it was too optimistic.


    ¡°You must always be careful even when you¡¯re inside the mansion. Step back. Let me take a look at her.¡±


    Iric approached her, who began to wriggle little by little.


    ¡°Who are you? Raise your head and show your face.¡±


    He aimed the tip of the sword at the maid¡¯s nape.


    Trembling at Iric¡¯s threat, she slowly raised her head. Marianne looked closely at the maid¡¯s face. She was an ordinary girl, but Marianne had never seen her before.


    ¡°Tell the new owner who you are.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, My name is Eve, Eve Ryans, and I¡¯m a maid here assigned to the garden care team. Oops¡­¡±


    Eve stood up to show her manners, but flopped down. Obviously, she had her ankle injured after she had fallen from the tree.


    ¡°Hours of garden caring is already over. Don¡¯t you know that you are forbidden to come and go out of the garden when the owner is taking a walk?¡±


    Scolding her more sharply, Iric pushed the tip of the sword even more. He was originally extremely devoted to Marianne, but after hearing about the whole situation upon Kling¡¯s return, he was simply overprotective as if he treated her like a glass doll.


    ¡°¡­Sorry! I did wrong!¡±


    Eve pleaded for his forgiveness.


    ¡®Damn it. They say the unlucky guy breaks his nose even if he falls on his back, and it¡¯s me!


    How come the branch that I was sitting on broke down?¡¯


    Even though she was lamenting deep inside, she couldn¡¯t just spit out. She felt dizzy. She knew she would be in trouble when caught by the new owner and her maid, but as she screamed, her bodyguard appeared suddenly. If she didn¡¯t make plausible excuses, she might be mistaken as an illegal intruder, and get punished heavily.


    ¡°Why did you hide on the top of a tree? Cordelli demanded, sticking out her face from behind Iric¡¯s back. Her face was mixed with some worry and vigilance.


    Eve put her brain to work while they were watching her closely.


    Although she didn¡¯t attend an academy, she learned to comb her hair and bake bread when she was over 15, but she did learn some other things more quickly.


    One of them was how to survive in the real world. It could be stealing someday, flattery another day, and a lie and betrayal other days.


    Eve said, ¡°Well, this is what happened. While working, I saw a squirrel, which was so cute. And I was done anyway at that moment. I pulled all the weeds and swept the stepping stones clean! Then I came up here, and the squirrel suddenly disappeared. I was too scared to look at you coming out for a walk, so I became more scared¡­¡±


    Eve knelt with her uncomfortable legs and bowed to the ground. As if she were ready for this occasion, lies came out of her mouth naturally. It was the most important for her to get out of this place safely.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I won¡¯t do it again! Please forgive me once. Please. I didn¡¯t mean to hurt you. I¡¯m serious. Please show mercy.¡±


    Her red cheeks and rubbing hands turned white. Tears fell on her soiled apron and soaked it.


    Indeed, she looked so miserable and pitiable. Unfortunately, that was not enough to put her in the clear.


    ¡°Lady, this maid may be lying to us.¡±


    ¡°Cordelli is right. Let me bring the knights on guard to take her.¡±


    Iric pulled a small silver whistle out of his pocket.


    Knights working in large mansions or castles usually carried whistles for emergency calls. When the whistle rang, the Eluang Knights¡¯ elite members would appear in just a few minutes and lead her away. Even if she was not an assassin or spy, she would be punished because she dared to disturb the owner of the mansion.


    While pondering a bit, Marianne walked forward a few steps. And then she grabbed Iric¡¯s wrist with her soft, white hand and stopped him.


    ¡°Lady?¡±


    He was bewildered.


    ¡°Eve?¡±


    ¡°Pardon? Yes, this is Eve, madame.¡±


    Eve bowed her face down.


    Suddenly, Marianne recalled Evelyn at the Lennox mansion. When she called her Eve, she used to smile brightly and take care of her well. This little maid didn¡¯t take after Eve at all, but she felt strange.


    Only Evelyn¡¯s nickname and this maid¡¯s name overlapped. Was it because they didn¡¯t meet each other for so long? Marianne felt strange and said, ¡°Don¡¯t you feel pain in your ankle?¡±


    ¡°Pardon? Oh, I¡¯m fine. I just sprained it a bit. This is nothing¡­¡±


    ¡°Eve, you shouldn¡¯t lie to me. If you lie, it¡¯s a bigger mistake than you falling from the tree and surprising me.¡±


    Eve had a very strange look at that. Her face was flushed with red all the more.


    Fortunately, Eve bowed deeply, so Marianne didn¡¯t see her expression.


    ¡°That¡¯s why you have to get punished for this.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m so sorry. I was wrong,¡± she begged for her forgiveness.


    Grinning awkwardly, Marianne said, ¡°Eve, I won¡¯t kill you.¡±


    ¡°Well then, please don¡¯t kick me out! You can beat me or starve me. You don¡¯t have to pay me a salary. So please don¡¯t kick me out.¡±


    Eve cried, begging for her forgiveness desperately. Marianne turned her eyes away from Eve and looked at Iric.


    ¡°Iric, have you memorized the structure of the mansion?¡±


    ¡°Not perfectly, but I know some of it.¡±


    ¡°Is there a way from this garden to the third annex without passing through the main building?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­yes. There is one way you can go past the lodgings behind the main building.¡±


    Iric gave her the correct answer, but he was nervous.

 Chapter 39

    The third annex was relatively close to the back garden. It was a building consisting of the medical officer¡¯s office dedicated to Marianne, with another one taking care of the inhabitants of the mansion and medical supplies room. Those familiar with the mansion called the 3rd Annex a medical building.


    ¡°Then take Eve to that building through that road,¡± she told Iric.


    Eve¡¯s eyes got round like beads. She now stopped begging with her hands. She even raised her head and looked up at Marianne without permission.


    ¡°Lady¡­ ¡±


    ¡°I wish I took you inside the main building, but you could be noticed by people there. Just tell them you missed your step. If you make that excuse,they won¡¯t look at you with suspicion and the chief maid won¡¯t punish you.¡±


    Marian grinned brightly instead of pointing out Eve¡¯s rudeness.


    ¡°But lady, this maid¡­¡±


    ¡°Dangerous? I know. Maybe you are. That¡¯s why I ask Iric. Am I too bad, Iric?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean? It is my calling and honor to remove the threats imposed on you.¡±


    ¡°Please do me a favor then.¡±


    It was a plain, lovely command, just like someone asking passersby to buy a bouquet of flowers on the street stands.


    Irick barely swallowed a sigh, but he already had an answer.


    ¡°Okay, I will follow your order.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    Only then did Marianne let go of his arm as if she felt relieved.


    Iric stared at his empty wrist and hurriedly hid it behind his back.


    ¡°Your first punishment is to get the right treatment.¡±


    Marianne looked back at Eve.


    ¡°Let me give you the second punishment after that.¡±


    Eve was aghast, looking at her blankly. Her green eyes looked nicer and sweeter than anyone she had ever met.


    ¡°Are you forgiving me?¡±


    ¡°Well, no. Not yet.¡±


    ¡°But why are you giving me this undeserved mercy?¡±


    ¡°You know, Eve. To be honest, I can¡¯t believe everything you say. I¡¯m suspicious about you.¡±


    Marianne folded her arms. The lace ornaments on her shoulders fluttered as she shrugged.


    ¡°But even if you¡¯re bad, Iric and Cordelli have already seen your face. They know your name, too. The security of this mansion is so tight that they even strictly control the entry and exit of the staff here. Since this happened, Iric will pay much more attention to protecting me. You can¡¯t run away or hurt me.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°And I sincerely hope you are not a bad person.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Eve didn¡¯t reply. She crumpled her white apron at Marianne¡¯s strange explanation.


    She looked up at Marianne with wet eyes, cheeks and nose.


    ¡°I guess you take her to the medical office as soon as possible. It looks like the tree she fell from is pretty high.¡±


    With a worried expression, Marianne looked at the treetop where Eve fell from.


    Bright spring sunlight was shining brightly through its abundant branches.


    Iric reaffirmed that there were no particular dangers around her. With great concern, he looked at her who wouldn¡¯t return to the mansion. She also rejected Iric¡¯s request that he would call other knights for help.


    After he had handed the call whistle to Cordelli, he finally disappeared with Eve who was limping along.


    ¡°Gosh, you¡¯re too good-hearted, Lady. If the emperor or Duke Kling had known about this, they would have fired me right away.¡±


    Cordelli grumbled, picking up the books strewn all over on the ground.


    ¡°What are you talking about? There are few maids like you who can pretend not to know this kind of thing when you have seen it. Besides, you protected me. You must have been surprised a lot. Thanks.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re welcome. I¡¯m your chief maid, right? That¡¯s my job.¡±


    Elated by her encouraging words, Cordelli smiled and piled the books one by one.


    Marianne moved closer to the grass to pick up the fan that fell there. The fan was thrown on the same spot on the grass. And beside it was a piece of folded paper which looked like a gift.


    ¡®What is this? Did the maid drop it?¡¯


    Marianne bent over to pick up the fan and the note.


    When she opened the folded note, she noticed a few lines in soft handwriting.


    ¡°Lady, you might have your finger cut by the sharp blades of grass. Wait, what is it?¡± Cordelli asked, with her eyes opening wide.


    ¡°Well, looks like a secret letter.¡±


    ¡°Ah, a secret letter¡­ What? Secret letter? That girl must have dropped it!¡±


    ¡°Cordelli.¡±


    Shush! Marianne put her hand to Cordelli¡¯s mouth and whispered in a low voice.


    small. While Corelli was looking around with a confused look, she hid the folded note inside the hand holding the fan.


    * * *


    ¡°I think you are safe now.¡±


    The 3rd Annex stood with long shadows at the end of the dense forest path.


    Its white pillars reflected the sunlight as if they indicated the building was a medical building.


    ¡°Thank you so much.¡±


    Eve moved back a couple of steps from Iric helping her and bowed to him.


    ¡°My master felt sorry for you and thus let me save your life,¡± Iric said coldly.


    When he grasped the sword on his waist with a dissatisfied look, the sword made a squeaking noise, creating a gloomy atmosphere.


    ¡°Don¡¯t expect you will get this kind of mercy again.¡±


    Eve nodded violently, curling up her shoulders.


    His look now was quite different from when he was worried about Marianne in the garden.


    The large blade scar on his face looked as depressed as the messenger from hell.


    She even felt he might threaten her with words like, ¡°Let me take out your intestines right away if you don¡¯t behave well!¡±


    Iric warned sharply, ¡°If you put my master in trouble once more¡­¡±


    Slurring the end of his sentence, he looked down at Eve quietly. Eve was overwhelmed by his cold look.


    ¡°I¡¯ll never, sir. I can promise you!¡±


    ¡°Okay, you can go now!¡±


    ¡°Yes. Let me go now!¡±


    Eve walked with her head down again. While limping to the medical building, she could not look back. She was highly conscious of Iric¡¯s sharp eyes.


    Iric stood at the edge of the forest until Eve disappeared into the building and returned.


    ¡°You severely sprained her ankle. Fortunately, the bones look fine. How did you get injured?¡±


    ¡°Well, I accidentally rolled down the stairs¡­¡± Eve responded to the doctor¡¯s question as Marianne instructed her, and then put her hands in the apron pocket habitually.


    But she couldn¡¯t catch anything there.


    Turning pale with embarrassment, she searched her pocket again and again.


    Now she overturned the apron entirely. Shaking it upside down, she didn¡¯t get anything but dust. She couldn¡¯t find that note she placed deep inside the pocket. She checked the lapel and sleeves too, but she didn¡¯t find it.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? Did you lose anything?¡±


    ¡°No, not really. I thought I put my hairpin here, but I think I left it home.¡±


    ¡°Then, sit down properly. You just strained your injured foot. Don¡¯t do it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Eve sat back on the bed, struggling to stay calm. She looked out the window aghast.


    The afternoon sun was warm and calm, and the road over the forest was quiet as if nothing had happened. ¡®I¡¯m totally ruined.¡¯


    Eve lamented deep inside and gazed at the garden blankly.


    * * *


    ¡°Now, good night. If you feel a bit suspicious at all, ring the bell. I¡¯ll be running to you right away.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Cordelli. Have a good night. Do not worry.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t help but feel worried, though. If I can have my way, I want to sleep next to your bed, not the room next door.¡±


    Cordelli seemed to be bothered by what happened to her during the day.


    Though Cordelli stood side by side with Iric and promised to keep it secret, Marianne still seemed nervous.


    Cordelli stayed to the end and checked her bedding, candlesticks, and curtains over and over again. She even volunteered to keep a night watch, but was almost kicked out.


    Marianne pulled the fluffy blanket over her chin and blinked her eyes.


    It was just dark in the room, and she couldn¡¯t see anything. As she grew more and more accustomed to the darkness, however, she now began to see the shape of the tapestry on the bedside. It was very quiet outside. Squinting her eyes, she checked outside the door, and finally put away the blanket after she got up.


    She put her hand through the curtains and opened the window a little bit. The wind was cold. She thought she had better put on something, so she wore a thick shawl hanging nearby.


    Next, she fumbled around the drawer of the dressing table with her fingertips. She caught a note with her fingertips. She put it in her pocket and finally squatted down in front of the bed.


    She found gentle shoe-shaped leather slippers when she lifted the bedspread. She took off the rabbit fur slippers she was wearing and changed into the new shoes. Hard touch and cool cold wrapped her bare feet.


    ¡®Good. Let me go out now. I hope she can come out as expected.¡¯


    Marianne quietly opened the door very slowly. The doorknob was half-turned and locked again with a light click.

 Chapter 40

    The corridor on the second floor was silent. As she could not go through the center corridor, she had to walk to the outer wall where the emergency stairs were located. She went down the stairs through the narrow hallway toward the outer wall.


    There were less people coming and going in the back of the mansion. Marianne walked quickly in the silence and she could hear her breathing. Perhaps during the day, she could have crossed this same path in a fresher mood than now. When she passed through a large flower garden with a few large trees, there unfolded the broad back garden finally.


    And¡­


    ¡®Got it!¡¯


    Marianne squeezed her fists, screaming with joy silently.


    A small shadow squatted and fumbled around the ground under the big tree she saw during the day. Marianne tightened her shawl and approached the shadow. As she walked along the grassy, soft dirt-covered side, she didn¡¯t make any noise. The shadow seemed to have no idea of who was right before it because it was absent-minded about searching for something, almost crawling on the ground.


    ¡°Eve?¡±


    When her name was called by a friendly voice, the shadow shuddered and stiffened.


    ¡°Are you here to find this?¡±


    Marianne took out a white piece of paper and shook it. The shadow, which stiffened like firewood, looked back very slowly. The moonlight shed the shadow¡¯s face.


    ¡°Madame¡­¡±


    The shadow was none other than Eve.


    ¡°Shush! It¡¯s alright.¡±


    Marianne looked around with her index finger lightly pressed on her lips. She reached out to Eve, who squatted down with her wobbly legs.


    ¡°¡­?¡±


    Turning pale, Eve looked up at Marianne with a perplexed expression.


    The owner of the mansion was reaching out to her. For an ordinary maid like her, her reaching out would certainly be a sign of supporting her.


    But the new owner of the mansion was the daughter of one of the most powerful noble families as well as the fiancee of the emperor. And when the nobles reached out to the maids, they usually had some similar reasons such as ¡°Give me everything I want right here.¡±


    But was there anything she, who got everything she wanted, wanted from a trivial maid?


    Even the little white note she was holding was already in her hand!


    Eve felt like there was nothing she could give to Marianne. Maid clothes were issued by the mansion management team, she had a small room where she could barely relax, along with her healthy body and life.


    ¡®Does she want my life?¡¯


    When Eve thought as far as that, her face began to turn even paler.


    She remembered Marianne clearly said during the day she did not intend to harm her, but she couldn¡¯t be sure. For she heard that the noblemen often changed their minds as they changed their dresses dozens of times a day.


    Besides, she was nervous about that note she dropped on the grass.


    She didn¡¯t know what it said, but did it hurt her feelings? What if she wanted to vent out her anger toward her as Eve was the messenger? What about her lying that she climbed the tree to watch a squirrel when she was there to convey the note?


    It was a serious matter from the beginning that she had the owner pick up the important note Eve dropped. As she was caught sneaking into the garden to search for it late at night, she had nothing to say even if she were killed.


    ¡°Madame, Please save my life! I was wrong!¡±


    In the end, she lay face down. Although her voice was small, it was like a scream. She felt pain in her ankle that she sprained during the day. But she couldn¡¯t care about it as her life was at stake at the moment. Tears began to come out and blurred her eyes.


    Marianne looked at her own hands and Eve trembling violently.


    ¡°Eve, I already said this during the day. I have no intention of killing you.¡±


    ¡°However¡­ You held out your hand to me¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, that was¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got nothing to give you but my life. I snuck into the garden and did not run errands properly. I deserve capital punishment. Even if you call that scary knight and cut my neck right now, I¡¯ve got nothing to say. But please save my life once. If you can save my life, I¡¯ll do everything for you. I won¡¯t lie again. I¡¯m serious!¡±


    Eve rubbed her wet eyes roughly with the hem of her sleeves. Marianne just twinkled her green eyes without finding anything proper to say. In fact, she was pondering over what Eve babbled about. She couldn¡¯t understand why Eve thought she would take her life when she reached out to her. Given the heaven and earth difference of their social status, and that she snuck into garden, Marianne felt that Eve might feel scared about her actions.


    Iric was a kind-hearted man in Marianne¡¯s eyes, but as he pointed the tip of the sword at her neck, Eve might have felt scared.


    What really mattered to Marianne was what came next.


    She mentioned somebody¡¯s errands, and she said she would do everything if Marianne could save her life. And she said she would not lie again.


    ¡®Isn¡¯t it a pretty good condition?¡¯ Marianne thought to herself.


    After thinking for a moment, Marianne shook her empty hand up and down as if to show her.


    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll save you. Then, why don¡¯t you get up and talk to me? I don¡¯t want to keep a patient kneeling like this for a long time.¡±


    Eve stared at Marianne, opening her eyes with surprise.


    ¡°What are you doing? Hands!¡±


    ¡°Hands?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, your hands!¡±


    As if she felt stuffy, Marianne went a step further and grasped her wrists in person. Though it was a little cold in the night breeze, Marianne¡¯s soft hands gave warmth to her skinny and chilly wrists. With a face about to cry, Eve couldn¡¯t pull away her wrists as Marianne held them suddenly. ¡®Is she going to cut your wrists?¡¯


    As if Marianne already read her mind, she decided to explain to her why she did so.


    ¡°Your ankle hurts, right? Let me help you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Madame! As you have saved my life, I will repay your grace forever! I will never make the same mistake again in the future!¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes. You have to keep your promise.¡±


    ¡°Yes! I will keep it! This is not a lie!¡±


    ¡°Got it. I trust you. It¡¯s late, so go inside.¡±


    Eve bowed so much that the crown of her head touched the ground. Dragging her limping feet, she disappeared to the side road of the garden. She looked back several times as she walked along. Marianne gently waved her hands with a calm look so that she could feel relaxed.


    As her talking partner disappeared, the garden was once again silent.


    Marianne stood up from the bench. Her exposed neck felt cold; she tightened the shawl once more and walked toward a bright place where the moonlight shone.


    When she opened and tilted the note, the handwriting was clearly visible. Although she already saw it during the day, she recited the sentence again and again.


    The handwriting was beautiful, but it was not Ober¡¯s. It was not exactly known whether A was Ober or ¡®Anne¡¯ that Eve mentioned.


    But the painting on the small seal in the corner of the note was certainly significant. A thin, slender snake was coiling itself.


    ¡®I see two snakes entangled in the seal of the Chester family. It¡¯s not exactly the same, but it won¡¯t be a secret note that Ober doesn¡¯t recognize He must have had someone write on his behalf or his aide might have volunteered¡­¡¯


    While speculating, she slowed down unconsciously and stopped suddenly.


    ¡®After all, does A want me to make an excuse for him to pass freely as the security of the mansion is so tight?¡¯


    At that moment, somebody appeared from behind and snatched the note from her.


    Suddenly, a hand suddenly appeared over his shoulder and snatched the note.


    ¡°Huuuuup¡­!¡±


    Stunned, she stiffened on the spot. When she tried to scream, he stopped her mouth with a big hand right before she did.


    During that short moment, all kinds of thoughts crossed her mind.


    ¡®Who is it? There was nobody in the garden. How long has he been here? Did you wait for me to be left alone? Eve is back? No, she is not tall. Knight? Attendant? Maid? Was there another spy in the mansion?¡¯


    The stranger whispered in a baritone voice.


    ¡®The stranger is a man, as expected. But his voice is familiar to me¡­¡¯


    Marianne quickly nodded, trying to trace her memories of that voice. His hand covering her lips slowly fell off. An oddly cool scent tickled her nose.

 Chapter 41

    ¡°It¡¯s good to see you acting as a faithful spy, but you still lack alertness.¡±


    His low voice hovered over her ears. His peculiar way of speaking and his message finally helped her think of one person.


    ¡°Your Majesty!¡±


    ¡°This place has lots of places for hiding, and there are few people at dawn. If you come out without a security guard, you should be aware of your back, not your front. Staying wary of danger at all times is one of the basic virtues of a spy.¡±


    ¡®Well, you are one hundred times, one thousand times more dangerous to me!¡¯


    Marianne wanted to scream, but barely held it back. She stared at the tall emperor with his narrowed round eyes. Looking down on her with a black robe covering his body, the emperor was like a messenger from hell.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you make it obvious you were here?¡±


    ¡°I did it. But you didn¡¯t notice it.¡±


    ¡°Why did you approach me right behind me and snatch the note from me? When you covered my mouth, I thought I was being kidnapped.¡±


    ¡°Well, I was wondering what you were focusing on so much. I didn¡¯t want to cover your mouth, but I couldn¡¯t help it because you could scream. I didn¡¯t want your faithful knight to wake up and come running to me.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve just scolded me, saying I was wandering around without my bodyguard, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because¡­¡±


    Eckart cleared his throat and said, ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s dangerous to let yourself be caught off guard just like you did. That doesn¡¯t mean you have to worry too much. I care a lot about the security of this mansion. I can guarantee you nothing serious will happen in this place.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, but I hope you can take care of my heart rather than this mansion.¡±


    Eckart frowned at her reply. But he said in a softer tone now, ¡°Were you surprised a lot?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely!¡±


    Mariane put her hands on her waist and shrugged her shoulders. She was going to complain to him more openly.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I apologize.¡±


    Eckart apologized too quickly.


    She slipped her hands from her waist furtively.


    She could find more fault with him by asking, ¡°Do you think your apologies are good enough?¡± but she felt a prick in her heart.


    Although she forgot it most of the time, Eckart was the legitimate emperor of Aslan. He was the only monarch of the empire and the master of the vast land of Aslan. Accordingly, the apology by Eckart of the Frei family¡¯s lineage, blessed by the blessing of Airius, was special at any time and in any situation.


    ¡°Got it. Please don¡¯t do it to me next time.¡±


    That¡¯s all she could say to respond to his special apology.


    Eckart looked at Marianne with a dumbfounded look, then shook his head with a long sigh.


    Although she didn¡¯t want him to feel sorry, it was the first time she saw his reaction like that. Fortunately, there was no intention or trick in his reaction, and he offered his sincerest apologies.


    Eckart turned his attention to the note he was holding.


    ¡°¡­Is this a secret letter from Ober?¡±


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think Ober actually wrote it. But its contents seems to reflect his will.¡±


    ¡°Who is that maid? A spy from Ober? I think I heard something like Anne in the middle of your dialogue with that maid.¡±


    ¡°Maid? Did you see me with Eve? How long have you been here?¡±


    When Marianne asked with her green eyes open wide, Eckart responded suspiciously.


    ¡°From the moment you raised the maid in person.¡±


    Oh my gosh¡­ How come you have been watching us without being caught at all? You¡¯re really scary!¡±


    Marianne wrapped her body with both arms as if she felt goosebumps.


    ¡°If I can add a little more, I don¡¯t think you showed that much mercy on that maid, though her legs showed that she looked uncomfortable. Excessive care makes them more uncomfortable.¡±


    ¡°Well, I just helped her stand up just once.¡±


    ¡°Think about your social status and the maid¡¯s social status Besides, if she were Ober¡¯s spy, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s better to avoid direct physical contact with her?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s just a maid. She ran errands for Ober, but she was clumsy and young.¡±


    ¡°I think I told you last time that it¡¯s not a good habit to trust people easily.¡±


    ¡°That maid is really¡­ Wait a minute, Your Majesty. Are you worried about me now?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Eckart was embarrassed at her sudden question.


    ¡°I can¡¯t beat you in terms of mercy. I know you¡¯re paying lots of attention to the security of the mansion where I¡¯ve been taken as a hostage, and now you are expressing concern about my safety simply because I showed some mercy to that maid.¡±


    Is it because he died once and survived?


    Marianne was not afraid to have a go at the emperor.


    ¡°Marianne!¡±


    But she didn¡¯t want to die again, so she quickly responded to his call.


    ¡°She¡¯s really okay. And it¡¯s not that bad to be kind to her because she is on Ober¡¯s side. If you listened to me before, you¡¯d know. Oh, didn¡¯t I tell you about it? She fell from a tree today. It¡¯s great to walk like that.¡±


    ¡°Fell from a tree? What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think I told you about it before. The fact is¡­¡±


    Marian briefed him about what happened during the day and her dialogue with Eve.


    While she was explaining, pointing to a nearby tree, he let out a sigh and narrowed his brows.


    ¡°She is not good enough for Ober to pick and use.¡±


    That was his conclusion after listening to her.


    ¡°I agree.¡±


    ¡°That means there¡¯s a middle-level manager.¡±


    ¡°As far as I know, none of Ober¡¯s aides are named Anne.¡±


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s an alias.¡±


    ¡°You may be right. It¡¯s a dangerous mission anyway.¡±


    Marianne nodded with a serious expression.


    Eckart glanced over the note and returned it to Marianne.


    ¡°The snake is a symbol of the Chester family. He seems to have compared you to a lily. He seems to want you to open your mansion for a large event where he can easily meet you. What are you going to do?¡±


    ¡°I thought about it all while eating dinner. Don¡¯t you think a party is good for that purpose?¡±


    ¡°Party?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. A big party such as a ball or celebration party. If people gather, it can meet Ober¡¯s needs, and at the same time, it¡¯s a good opportunity to get to know others. In fact, it bothers me that I came back too quickly from the marquise¡¯s recent tea party.¡±


    Eckart touched his slender jawline and thought. His blue eyes, obliquely lit by the moonlight, slowly closed and then opened.


    ¡°If you want it, you can hold a party.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. If I hold a party, I¡¯d like to ask you a favor¡­¡±


    ¡°Shush.¡±


    Eckart suddenly beckoned her to be quiet. Marianne shook her head, closing her lips suddenly.


    The garden was quickly silent. A bird fluttered and flew over their heads.


    Eckart frowned after finding a bird hovering in the sky.


    ¡°Looks like there are unwelcome guests here.¡±


    Unwelcome guests?


    Before Marianne asked who they were, Eckart turned back and leaned back against a big tree. And he swung his robe largely around her shoulders. He pulled her with his tight arms. She staggered at his pull. When she belatedly came to her senses, she found her cheeks touching his chest. She struggled while pulling herself away from him.


    ¡°Your Excellency, what are you doing¡­¡±


    ¡°Be patient for a moment.¡±


    Eckart bowed and whispered as if to comfort her. She shut up because of the strange atmosphere. Supporting her with his left arm, he hid his body by extending his black robe with his right hand as wide as possible.


    Soon, they faintly heard someone approaching them from afar.


    The two listened, holding their breath. The sound of leather shoes stepping on the ground with a constant stride and the sound of rubbing iron were alternately heard.


    ¡°Oh. Once they turn around the corner, they will appear before us. Who is on sentry duty next?¡± said one.


    ¡°Elric and Caiden,¡± answered the other.


    ¡°Elric seemed to have drank a lot yesterday. He might not want to work today.¡±


    ¡°Poor guy. How come he drank like that when he was supposed to be on duty today? He brought trouble onto himself.¡±


    Given their conversation, the unwelcome guests seemed to be the members of the Eluang Knights making the rounds of the mansion.


    Marianne raised her head slightly, feeling more relaxed than before. It was dark and stuffy inside his robe. Only a slight gap above the head allowed her to breathe in and out.


    Squeezing down the hood, Eckart turned his eyes and tracked the path of the two knights.


    His breathing out passed Marianne¡¯s crown, swept her forehead, and slipped down to her cheeks that got chilly in the night breeze.


    ¡®It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen his face up close.¡¯


    She looked at him as if she had been possessed by the moonlight. When she breathed out quietly, it bumped into his tight chest, and then it got mixed with his breath before being sucked into his breath.


    ¡®I know why the young ladies in the capital call the emperor the Blue Iron Wall¡­¡¯


    That¡¯s what Cordelli told her about the emperor, which suddenly crossed her mind.


    His nickname befitted his handsome look.

 Chapter 42

    Marianne once saw the portraits of the previous emperor and empress. One day she learned about imperial history from Julia. Emperor Cassius in the painting was a good-looking handsome man, and Empress Blair was a classical and elegant beauty. Blair¡¯s beauty was particularly impressive. Even though she wore a glittering crown and splendid accessories on her body, her face stood out among other things. Her golden hair and blue eyes like a lake were also the conditions of beauty that the daughters of the noble families coveted back then.


    Eckart seemed to be a mixture of his parents¡¯ appearances in an amazing proportion.


    His great skeleton took after his father while his impression and meticulous line took after his mother. His cold and sensitive handsomeness seemed like a tabernacle protecting him.


    If one was watching him closely, one would feel as if one were captivated by his handsome appearance.


    ¡®I just want to touch it very gently.¡¯


    Marianne even thought of that weird thing while watching him.


    But she came to her senses hurriedly and repelled it from her mind. She couldn¡¯t afford to toy with such idle thinking.


    In the meantime, it seemed that the unwelcome guests were just around the corner. It looked like they were passing by visibly, and then faded away. Along with the beat of their regular pace, the sound of the swords rattling and their chattering could be heard.


    How long had passed? The garden was quiet again.


    While looking at them tensely, Eckart felt relaxed when the knights left his field of view.


    Marianne stood on her tiptoes to get out of his tight arms. She pulled the collar covering the head with her small hands. Eckart¡¯s upper body slightly leaned forward when she pulled the hem of his robe. There was no problem up to that point.


    But they stiffened as if they were possessed by the freezing spell. Eckart had to hold his breath for a moment, and it took quite a long time for Marianne to recognize his warmth on her forehead. Even though they didn¡¯t look at each other at that moment, it was obvious what they were doing now. Eckart¡¯s lips touched Marianne¡¯s forehead as if he kissed her.


    There was a tremendous silence for a moment. Their tense moment was much heavier than that when they had to hold their breath in order not to be caught by the patrolling knights a moment ago.


    ¡°Well, can I speak now?¡±


    Marianne quickly stepped back and said, ¡°¡­Okay. You have to finish your words,¡± Eckart replied with his back straight.


    The hem of his long robe covering her body was put back to its original position.


    ¡°Let me discuss the size and schedule of the party with Mrs. Charlotte and let you know later.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got one favor to ask of you, but let me tell you later.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°Do you have anything more to say?¡± she demanded because she wanted to end the conversation quickly.


    ¡°I know several men I want you to make friends with formally. I came today to ask for your opinion and host an occasion for you to get acquainted with them. But as you are thinking of hosting a party, let me invite them to your party and meet you for friendship.¡±


    ¡°Not a problem at all. Who are they?¡±


    ¡°Duchess Lamont, Lady Rane, and Countess Renault. Lady Beatrice of the Euclid family.¡±


    Marianne once again memorized the four names mentioned.


    ¡°Are they members of Duchess Lamont¡¯s salon?¡±


    ¡°Right. Fortunately, it seems Mrs. Reinhardt is doing her bit well,¡± said Eckart, showing a surprised reaction.


    ¡°So, what are you going to do about that maid who fell from the tree?¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m going to watch her for a little longer. I¡¯ve told her something. I think we can use her as our spy later.¡±


    ¡°I hope you can keep in mind that you shouldn¡¯t trust people so easily.¡±


    Was he betrayed by someone close to him?


    Whenever he said something to her, he reminded her of that habitually. She was sick and tired of that.


    ¡°Yes, will do.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s better for you not to be too deeply involved in anything or approaching something too fast.¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course. I¡¯ll keep it in mind, too.¡±


    ¡°Are you applying the ointment well?¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course. Pardon? Ointment? ¡±


    While replying with a sulken voice, she suddenly came to her senses when he mentioned ¡®ointment.¡¯


    ¡°I asked Wales to give it to you. Didn¡¯t you receive it?¡±


    Oh, that grass-scented ointment!


    Marianne recalled a small barrel with a golden herb stem engraved on it. She groped the inside of her mouth where she bit the tip of her tongue unconsciously. She had a cold sore in her mouth, and it felt less painful after applying the ointment. So, she put it in the dresser drawer and applied it four or five times a day.


    ¡°I received it well. Thank you. I am much better now.¡±


    Marianne grinned at him, expressing her gratitude.


    But he narrowed his eyebrows as if he was displeased with something.


    ¡°Next time, try not to harm yourself like that.¡±


    ¡°Are you worried about me again?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t common sense that if a hostage is injured, it¡¯s hard to get the right ransom?¡±


    ¡°Oh, you are doing all this to get back the right amount of ransom for me¡­ ¡±


    ¡°I know I¡¯m asking for too much, but I hope a collaborator like you working with me won¡¯t harm herself.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I have betrayed your expectations.¡±


    Deep inside, she felt the emperor was not the type of person who would be a bad guy. She pulled the shawl and lifted the hem of her thin pajamas and pretended to show manners.


    ¡°Good night, Your Excellency. The night breeze is so cold.¡±


    Eckart nodded once as a sign that she could leave now.


    But as soon as she turned, he suddenly grabbed her wrist and turned her around to look at him.


    ¡°¡­?¡± She looked at Eckart with a perplexed look.


    ¡°I forgot one thing.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    Eckart seemed to hesitate for a moment and then raised her hand at shoulder height politely.


    ¡°This is my Informal greeting, but I express my gratitude to you as Frey¡¯s Eckart, not Aslan¡¯s Emperor.¡±


    Then he kissed the back of her hand without gloves with his lips that touched her forehead a moment ago.


    ¡°Gratitude to me?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have said that without your suggestion. When the day comes for you to pay the price, I will definitely repay your credit on this project.¡±


    ¡°Price? Credit? What is all this¡­¡±


    Marianne murmured with an absurd look, but Eckart let go of her hand without any further answer¡­


    He turned back. His black robe, which was darker than the night sky, erased its very existence as soon as it entered the moonless shade.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    Although she asked back at the empty place where he once was, his answer did not come back.


    In front of her there were only an empty bench, a tree, and a fence with blue rose vines.


    ¡°What the heck is this? He just said what he wanted to tell me and went away.¡±


    Marianne grunted openly, tightening the shawl around her shoulders. While she was quickly walking toward the main building, she felt especially cold on her forehead and the back of her hand. She rubbed her forehead with the back of her hand without any reason until the tender skin became slightly red.


    * * *


    It was almost two decades since Duke Kling returned to the Lucio Imperial Palace.


    The spacious Conrad Hall was a political sanctuary that the central ministers wished to step on, but it was just one of the halls of the imperial palace that he was not familiar with. It was also a place he thought he would never come back in his lifetime.


    He stared at the sunny windows in the hallway.


    There was the national bird of the imperial family, the ivory statue of the two-headed eagle Brenda reflected light, which was built in the garden outside the building. That strong image brought back old memories to him.


    It was only four years ago that the previous emperor Cassius died. However, Kling did not hold any important positions not only during the current Eckart¡¯s cabinet, but also during the Cassius¡¯s reign. While he was stuck in Lennox focused on raising his only daughter, powerful central bureaucrats kept taking away or losing the pendulum of power for generations in the capital. The last name Kling was gradually removed from the list of important names in the imperial court. Alienation from the central power was regarded as unfortunate for the noble family who thought of the world of honor. But the loss of his power was what Duke Kling himself wanted.


    It was a period when the power of the lords was no less than that of the emperor.


    Cassius was very uncomfortable with the Hubble family, which demanded excessive rights on the pretext of kinship. As the closest friend of Cassius, Kling wanted to support him more than anything else, while he did not want to be the source of any unintended trouble for him. That was why he didn¡¯t receive any top positions in the government except for his temporary duty as the chief secretary of the Interior Ministry. After he received the title of duke, he didn¡¯t take on any other government positions.

 Chapter 43

    Of course, there were a lot of people who felt he should have taken an important position in the government. However, he made the decision comfortably because he hated the power struggle in the capital.


    The problem was Cassius who trusted and valued him as his close friend. The young emperor often had him as his temporary advisor and asked for his counseling. Although Kling was determined to stay away from the central power, he had no choice but to follow the young emperor¡¯s order, which was beyond his control.


    In the end, he often went to the palace because of the emperor¡¯s order.


    It was at that time when he met Empress Blair and her little prince Eckart. Looking back, he regretted his decision to take charge of Lennox, the capital of the ruined kingdom, when he vowed not to take any government position again.


    ¡®Just like how I protected Estelle and Marie, I should have protected them to the end.¡¯


    He felt bitter when he remembered his actions in the past. He walked down the corridor, feeling depressed.


    Though he had lots of regrets, his actions were irreversible. He couldn¡¯t shake off any of the names that came to his mind.


    At that moment, he heard somebody tapping the floor with a cane.


    ¡°Oh, who is this? Aren¡¯t you Wales?¡±


    Duke Kling turned back at someone¡¯s greeting.


    A metal cane popped up from the corner of the hallway.


    ¡°Sir Balter!¡±


    Kling showed his manners. When Kling called his name, Duke Hubble walked up to him with a stride. Though he was holding a cane, he didn¡¯t seem to have any problem with mobility. His cane looked like an accessory.


    ¡°Looks like I¡¯m very lucky today as I¡¯ve met you who is harder to see than the emperor.¡±


    ¡°You look healthy, Duke Hubble.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m good. If you grow old, you need to know when to retire. But I¡¯m too healthy to retire. You might feel sorry that I¡¯m still working, right?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re kidding me, sir.¡±


    Kling gently responded to his stinging words.


    Hubble laughed as if he thought Kling¡¯s response was ridiculous.


    Their official titles were the same. The difference was that Kling was a former official during Cassius¡¯s reign, while Hubble started his job during Cassisus¡¯s father¡¯s reign. Unlike Kling, who didn¡¯t have grey hair yet, Hubble was an old man who swept hoary hair and carried a cane.


    They had differences in age, career, and experience, but Kling and Duke Lamont treated him with respect. That¡¯s why Kling used honorific language and respected Hubble who was the same rank as him.


    ¡°It¡¯s you who¡¯s cracking a joke now. Were we close enough to joke?¡±


    Having said that, Hubble hit the floor with a cane.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t stop by the capital often, so I have a lot of things to learn here. I hope you can help me a lot.¡±


    Klinger tried to change the topic by flattering him.


    ¡°Something to learn? It¡¯s you, not me, who I have to learn from.¡±


    But his opponent was Duke Hubble. He was sixty-six years old this year. At seventeen, he joined the Foreign Ministry as a clerk and served for 50 full years.


    There was little he could fear in the world, and his name itself was dreadful enough to arouse fear. As he was so skillful in life and politics, there was no chance he could be deceived by his opponent¡¯s shallow trick.


    ¡°So, you have sold your daughter to the emperor to get a government position? That¡¯s something I¡¯ve never done before.¡±


    By any standard, what Hubble said was too harsh.


    ¡°Sir Balter!¡± said Kling, frowning.


    He usually smiled when talking to somebody, so it was quite rare for him to change his facial expression suddenly, which meant that was the last straw he could stand.


    Nevertheless, Hubble did not stop. On the contrary, he went further as if to add fuel to the fire.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s nothing new. You did that before. I don¡¯t understand why you thought that territory was such a big deal back then, but you dragged your pregnant wife to that remote valley in the north¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop it, Sir Balter!¡±


    ¡°Why. Was I wrong? If you want to get angry, express your displeasure to the emperor. You gave your precious only daughter to him, but what you got was the trivial position of the Chief Chamberlain taking care of miscellaneous errands at the palace. If you don¡¯t fix the situation, you will see that even the territory you earned through hard work would be forcibly passed over to his hands. I guess you must be pissed off deep inside.¡±


    Hubble tilted his eyebrows and shook his head gently. His slanted lips showed how crooked he was.


    ¡°Ambition is for young people. Never has old blood like us taken the initiative and gotten good results.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Kling clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. His upper eyelid trembled. It looked like he was going to open his mouth and say something that nobody should listen to at all.


    Hubble tapped Kling on the shoulder as if he felt sorry for him.


    Not content with that, Hubble shook his head and whispered in his ears.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know that? These guys with the bloodline of the Frey family are just cold-hearted. Even if you make sacrifices for them, you will be betrayed and deprived of everything you have.¡±


    Hubble just made remarks almost close to treason, but he laughed casually.


    Kling stared at Hubble sharply instead of responding.


    It was a close call.


    ¡°Sir Balter, Sir Wales! You arrived early today.¡±


    Right at that moment, Duke Lamont appeared and greeted them gladly.


    As if nothing had happened, Hubble greeted by quickly raising his hand and left the place.


    ¡°Sir Shane!¡± said Kling, barely breathing out. When he turned to Duke Lamont for a long time, he heard Hubble tapping the floor with a cane while walking down the hallway.


    As if to hit the heated iron, his metal cane was hitting the floor noisily.


    * * *


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±


    Marianne looked at something on the table with a quirky face. It was a birdcage with silver frames and a diamond about the size of a baby¡¯s fist engraved on top.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know what it is? It¡¯s a bird.¡±


    It was a bird. A beautiful cockatiel with fluffy white feathers and a pointed yellow crown on its head.


    ¡°Why are you giving it to me?¡±


    ¡°Since you are not used to living in the capital, I thought it would be good for you to have something like this at hand.¡±


    ¡°Me?¡±


    Eckart nodded casually at her reply.


    ¡°When did I ask you¡­¡±


    At that moment, he put down the teacup with a bang.


    ¡°Oh, I now remember. How kind-hearted you are!¡±


    Marianne hurriedly corrected her tone and looked back at the cage with a troubled expression.


    Sitting on the reef and looking down, the parrot happened to make eye contact with her.


    Of course, she lied when she said she remembered it. But she could not say so.


    The place where the two met today was not the back garden but the parlor of the mansion.


    A maid and attendant were on standby. Of course, the place was not good for them to share their secret talk openly.


    ¡°Einz.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°This tea doesn¡¯t taste good. Go to the kitchen and look at the tea leaves and pick a new one.¡±


    ¡°Will do, Your Majesty.¡±


    As if she felt the same, Marianne let a maid out of the parlor, ¡°Cordelli, can you go with him and help? Einz is new to this mansion, so he won¡¯t be used to it.¡±


    She glanced at Cordelli and smiled. Quickly noticing it, she nodded and followed Einz.


    When the door was closed, only two people were left alone in the room.


    ¡°Please tell me now. What the heck is this bird? You haven¡¯t really brought me this as a pet, did you?¡±


    ¡°You bet.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like birds that much. Given the choice, I like puppies, cats, and rabbits.¡±


    Eckart heaved a long sigh, leaning on the sofa.


    It was the first time that he was faced with such a reaction from somebody who received his gift. Typically people were supposed to show honor and joy over the emperor¡¯s gift. In return, they flattered the emperor with all kinds of compliments, praising his gifts as something like a treasure that they would hand over for generations.


    Of course, Marianne didn¡¯t react artificially.


    Nonetheless, he felt bitter when she showed a rude reaction.


    In fact, he was now accustomed to her rude reactions.


    The more he thought about it, the more he felt frustrated by her reaction.


    ¡°Poibe is a parrot that has been trained for a long time. She can understand most of what you¡¯re talking about, and she memorize and convey some common expressions.¡±


    ¡°Well, pets look cute when they don¡¯t know how to speak. Like hairy pets that can¡¯t even understand what I¡¯m saying.¡±


    ¡°Really? I¡¯m sorry. I thought Poibe would be your favorite pet.¡±

 Chapter 44

    Marianne glanced inside the cage with wary eyes. While living in Lennox, she raised puppies, cats, rabbits, and even deer, but she had never raised a bird. A birds¡¯ appearance did not meet her aesthetic standards so much.


    Apart from that, however, she felt suspicious about what the emperor said.


    ¡®Why do I need a bird that can talk well?¡¯


    Marianne doubted her own memory and then suddenly clapped her hands.


    ¡°Got it! This is a messenger bird, right?¡±


    As if her reply was correct, Eckart felt a bit relieved.


    ¡°It¡¯s also a great species as a pet, too.¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­ Do I have to raise it myself?¡±


    ¡°The less others see it, the better for you. As she is smart, Poibe follows her master¡¯s words but she is very hostile to others.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I can¡¯t help but raise her by myself.¡±


    Marianne gently touched the cage¡¯s grate with her fingertips.


    If the bird were a messenger, her preferences were not an important consideration. When it¡¯s difficult to communicate with people, there¡¯s nothing better than using this bird to share news quickly and accurately. Even if one had to write and send a message, the flying bird would be far ahead of an animal running on the ground.


    ¡°You said her name is Poibe, right?¡±


    ¡°Yep. The owner who raised Poibe since she was a baby called it that.¡±


    ¡°I see. Let me call it Phebe. I think I had better give her a nickname to cultivate intimacy.¡±


    She carefully unlocked the cage. Opening a small door, Poibe naively trotted out with her small feet.


    ¡®Wow! She is cuter than I thought.¡¯


    When Marianne smiled happily, appreciating its cute look, Poibe suddenly flew off.


    ¡°Oops!¡±


    Marianne screamed and stepped back unconsciously. Poibe fled into the air, wandering around the chandelier on the ceiling before settling down on a golden candlestick fixed to the wall.


    ¡°Phebe! I was surprised!¡±


    Marianne growled with a sullen face. But Poibe looked down on the ground with her black and sparkling eyes that were like black beans.


    ¡°Come here, good girl!¡±


    Marianne did not give up and lifted her arm to open her index and middle fingers.


    ¡°Phebe, come and say hello. Huh?¡±


    Poibe shook her head and looked at Marianne. After hesitating for a moment, Phebe shuffled and flap on her fingers as if she understood Marianne¡¯s words.


    ¡°Oh, how cute!¡± Marianne exclaimed, forgetting she was surprised a moment ago.


    She thought she didn¡¯t like birds, but when she took a closer look, she felt that Phebe¡¯s reddish cheeks were lovely.


    ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Marianne. I¡¯m your new owner, starting today¡­ Ouch!¡±


    But peace did not last long. Poibe pecked Marianne¡¯s hand with her beak and flew back.


    ¡°Phebe! It hurts! I hear you follow your owner¡¯s words very well, but it was a white lie!¡±


    Marianne grabbed her head while the bird quickly flew away after pecking her hand.


    ¡°You! How come you peck your owner¡¯s. Ouch!¡±


    ¡°Fool.¡±


    ¡°What? What did you say?¡±


    ¡°Fool.¡±


    Poibe repeated the same word with very accurate pronunciation.


    Grabbing her head, Marianne was aghast.


    ¡®Fool? Did you say I was stupid? Was I treated as a stupid woman by a parrot?¡¯


    ¡°Your Majesty, you didn¡¯t cheat me again, did you?¡±


    She threw a tantrum at Eckhart unconsciously. He was sipping the tea he complained about a moment ago.


    ¡°What the hell is she doing? You said she is gentle to the owner, right? You said it¡¯s a good species as a pet, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    In the meantime, Poibe flew back to her and dishevelled her hair with claws. Her nicely-braided hair quickly became messed up as if someone grabbed it.


    Eckart calmly dropped the teacup on the table despite the fuss.


    ¡°Marianne, I can swear that I have always spoken to you honestly and frankly. It¡¯s too unfair for you to call me a cheater. Why don¡¯t you think about it again before calling me a culprit?¡±


    ¡°Why does she keep running at me instead of you? I am the owner! Ouch!¡±


    ¡°You must be hot-tempered. When did I say you were the owner? Poibe followed her owner¡¯s words, but she was hostile to others.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s the same logic¡­¡±


    Marianne suddenly slurred while getting angry with him. She opened her mouth wide as if she was embarrassed.


    ¡°Oh, what you mean is Poibe has another owner other than me, right?¡±


    ¡°Did you expect to be recognized as her master when you just met her for less than ten minutes? Let me repeat. Poibe is a very smart bird. Sometimes she can be arrogant. For example, she insists on choosing her own owner, or pestering the owner until she recognizes her new owner.¡±


    At that moment, she thought to herself, ¡®I really want to put both of you in the cage.¡¯


    It occurred to her that if she uttered what she thought a moment ago, she would have been executed on charges of royal contempt. If her friend, Evelyn, who enjoyed using straightforward expressions, had heard her, she would have concluded that there was no more she could teach.


    ¡°Phebe, you have to get along with me well. Admit it quickly and come to me.¡±


    At any rate, what was important now was to put Poibe back in the cage. Given Eckart¡¯s attitude, she could hardly expect him to help her, and she felt her pride would be hurt if she asked for an outsider¡¯s help. She even thought that she had to solve the problem by herself, given that Phebe would serve as a messenger bird that followed her owner¡¯s instructions well.


    In addition, she still had a ray of unbroken hope.


    All the animals she raised at Lennox followed her well. Unfortunately, Poibe looked especially wary. But Mariane had the experience of training and having Lilly, a cat abandoned by her previous owner, follow her well.


    Once she put Phebe back in the cage, she would please the bird with delicious food. She would bathe Phebe in the water with fragrant flowers, she would make a soft fluffy blanket like a cloud, and let her fly over the garden tomorrow¡­


    Marianne¡¯s dream was grand. And her trick was not bad either. But Phebe was still unruly.


    ¡°Hey! You naughty bird! Ouch! Stay still! Phebe!¡±


    Reality was always colder than she wished.


    Marianne ran around to catch her, holding a heavy cage. While she was running around, she had her head and hands pecked. She pretended not to get angry, trying to stay humorous. In the end, she got upset again and left vivid shoe heel marks on the carpet while trotting up and down.


    Eckart was silently watching that ridiculous scene unfolding before his eyes. Her action was so ridiculous that he didn¡¯t even want to stop her. He didn¡¯t smile nor did he get angry.


    ¡°Marianne!¡±


    ¡°Hey! You¡¯re so mean! Sometimes you have to do it even if you don¡¯t like it! Didn¡¯t your former owner train you that? If you¡¯re so rude like this, you should have said that you don¡¯t want to come to the new owner! How come you are so bad?¡±


    Now, the atmosphere was getting hotter. Eckart began to wonder if she was speaking to Phebe or to him while complaining to Phebe. While going after Phebe for a while, she committed a big discourtesy to the emperor by neglecting him, which was unforgivable.


    ¡®Indeed, she¡¯s always unpredictable. I really can¡¯t help her since she is so unpredictable like that.¡¯


    Eckart swept his face roughly with his hands as if he was pretty much upset.


    An unstable and unpredictable figure like her was a risk to his plan. He avoided the type of person that he could not trust or could cause trouble. Even if she took the initiative on this deal, it was he, not Marianne, who was in charge.


    Aside from the deal, he was the emperor of the Aslan Empire. If he decided, he could limit the behavior of the other party or punish him or her for their rudeness, based on their social status. Perhaps she knew it well.


    Suddenly he wondered why she was acting like that and why he was letting her act like that.


    ¡°Yes, good, Phebe. Come this way. Oops!¡±


    But before Eckart could ponder over it, Marianne, holding a cage, tipped over the armrests of the couch and fell down on the carpet.


    Bang!


    With the silver cage falling on the floor, Marianne lost her balance and flopped down.


    She just grabbed something at the moment. She felt something hard and warm pulling her back.


    ¡°I really can¡¯t take my eyes off from you for a moment.¡±


    He mumbled as if he gave up. Mariane slowly turned her head to the left.


    His green eyes were trembling like a ship sailing in the middle of a storm.


    ¡°Are you going to enter the cage as Poibe isn¡¯t coming along?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Or are you going to treat me as a couch?¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡±


    Marianne walked on eggshells. She belatedly found she was sitting on his knees unconsciously. When she was about to loosen her hands around his neck, Eckart lifted her up.


    ¡°Your Excellency!¡±

 Chapter 45

    Surprised, she hugged her neck again. Eckart took her to the table and dropped her safely on a flat carpet. She quickly released her arms tightly wrapped around him like shackles.


    She adjusted her entangled dress finally and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    She didn¡¯t know how to cope with the situation. She finally apologized and pressed her dishevelled hair with her hand. It seemed that she could hardly trim her tangled hair properly as Poibe pecked all of it.


    ¡°Fool.¡±


    Poibe, who was sitting down at the window, chirped up again as if to annoy her.


    Marianne stared at Poibe with an annoyed look. Poibe¡¯s uttering ¡®fool¡¯ came right at the moment, which made her even think her previous owner might be the emperor.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you like it?¡±


    ¡°Well, I hate the way Phebe acts.¡±


    ¡°Since Phebe offended you, do I you kill her and bring you another bird?¡±


    Marianne jumped at his suggestion.


    ¡°Don¡¯t do that!¡±


    ¡°Why? Based on my observation, it looks like you¡¯re going to starve her even if I keep her alive here.¡±


    ¡°Pardon? No way! I¡¯m going to feed her well even if I hate her.¡±


    ¡°I hope so. In fact, finding and raising such a smart bird isn¡¯t that easy.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not killing her!¡±


    Marianne grumbled at his suggestion. Eckart walked towards the window.


    He pushed the door with a large window. The sun was shining like a wave, with the smell of flowers entwined with the breeze. The parlor was on the first floor, so the balcony was directly connected to the garden.


    ¡°Then let me bring a teacher who can teach you how to train her.¡±


    He snapped his fingers twice toward the garden where no one was.


    A playful sound of his finger-snapping broke the silence.


    At the same time, a man suddenly appeared.


    ¡°¡­!¡±


    Marianne was so surprised that she closed her mouth with both hands. She saw an incredible scene unfolding right before her emerald eyes.


    This man, who literally fell from the sky, raised his body straight landing on the ground with a crouch. His black hair flew in the wind.


    He was wearing the official uniform of the Eluang Knights, but he did not look neat because he released the lock buttons on the neck and upper chest. He hung a pair of double-sword thinners which was different than the usual knight sword on both sides of his belt.


    Surprisingly, Poibe flew gently and sat on his shoulder. She even swiped her yellow feather on his cheeks.


    ¡°Phebe, you really are¡­¡±


    Marianne thought Phebe was discriminating against people.


    She put down her hands covering her mouth. Needless to see, that man was Phebe¡¯s former owner.


    Phebe pecked her hands, hair, dress, and messed up her hair, while she was so nice to him.


    ¡°Curtis.¡±


    Eckart called the man. Curtis heard his call and knelt down on the carpet. With his right hand on his left chest, he shook his head slightly and greeted Marianne.


    ¡°This is Knight Curtis, Eluang¡¯s Shining Sword, Astolf¡¯s Black Wolf, Your Majesty¡¯s shadow and spy in the North. I¡¯m honored to see you.¡±


    Marianne finally recognized his identity.


    This was the messenger bird¡¯s owner, whmo the emperor tipped her off last time. He was the emperor¡¯s spy hiding in the Astolf group.


    ¡°I¡¯m Marianne, the daughter of Kling and Lennox. Please stand up.¡±


    When she reached out kindly, Curtis stood up after placing his forehead and lips on the back of her hand.


    That was a weird way of greeting her. Although their actions were polite, one unleashed his formal knights uniform while the other had her hair dishevelled.


    Looking at them, Eckart sighed lowly.


    ¡°Thank you so much for having escorted my father to the capital safely. I really wanted to thank you if I met you.¡±


    ¡°I just followed the emperor¡¯s order.¡±


    ¡°But it was Sir Curtis who carried out his order directly.¡±


    As if her answer was a bit unexpected, Curtis narrowed his eyebrows and appreciated her compliment by bowing slightly.


    Marianne smiled at Curtis bowing to her.


    In one sense, Curtis betrayed her father, but in some respects, he saved her father and protected Milan. As he had such great capabilities as a mole, he would surely be of great help to her.


    ¡°Hope I¡¯ll be in great hands.¡±


    Her request had many implications. She scrutinized the man bowing to her.


    His black hair and eyes combined with his expressionless face sounded dismal. His build was slender and strong. He looked like a handsome man with cold-heartedness like Eckart, she felt he was different.


    If Eckart were like a sword that cut a thousand-year-old blue glacier sharply, Curtis was like a shade that grew without being exposed to the sun. As the emperor himself introduced Curtis, the word, the emperor¡¯s ¡°shadow,¡± seemed to describe his identity perfectly.


    ¡°Once or twice a week, take time to learn how to deal with the bird from Curtis.¡±


    ¡°Yes, will do.¡±


    ¡°Curtis, she says she has no experience with raising birds, so try to teach her as if you¡¯re teaching a five-year-old child. She will make a lot of mistakes, so be careful not to be rude to her by showing your hot temper.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Excellency.¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute. What are you talking about? I¡¯m not a five-year-old child. Although I¡¯m a beginner, I don¡¯t like that kind of description.¡±


    Marianne stared at Eckart with an angry look.


    ¡°Which level do you think you are at now?¡±


    ¡°Well, at least I¡¯m a 10-year-old child!¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah. That¡¯s great. Not five, but ten.¡±


    In a barren voice, Eckart swept his bangs with weary hands. His golden hair shining in the afternoon sun vividly sparkled.


    ¡°It¡¯s sunny outside, so you can start right away. Birds are more comfortable with the garden than indoors. Go out and learn for a couple of hours.¡±


    ¡°How about you?¡±


    ¡°Do I have to stay by you while you¡¯re learning?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need that kind of overprotection. I just asked you out of courtesy.¡±


    Marianne retorted, winking the other eye.


    Eckart went back to the couch and sat down with his back against it.


    ¡°I have some other things to do. Don¡¯t worry about me and focus on Curtis and training.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s what I was going to do anyway.¡±


    She turned, frowning at him, like a dog deprived of snacks.


    ¡°Sir Curtis, let¡¯s get out. Your Majesty says he is very busy.¡±


    When she stepped out onto the balcony, hitting the floor with her heels, she heard somebody knocking the door of the parlor.


    ¡°Your Majesty, this is Einz.¡±


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    The door was opened when Eckart okayed it. They were Cordelli and Einz who went out to bring freshly brewed tea. Einz, who came in first with the tea on a tray, bowed to him. Cordelli greeted, but she screamed as soon as she raised her head.


    ¡°Oh my god! Lady! You look so terrible!¡±


    Forgetting she was before the emperor, Cordelli rushed to her with a big fuss.


    ¡°What happened to your hair? It was pretty braided until you went out! Oh, what¡¯s wrong with the back of your hands? You¡¯ve got scars there. Did anybody harass you? Did somebody pull your hair? Who is it?¡±


    ¡°Oh no. I just¡­ ¡±


    Marianne struggled to calm down Cordelli, who was surprised at her mess.


    As if he stiffened at her messy appearance, Einz was standing while holding a tray.


    Curtis tickled Poibe¡¯s beak with a mysterious look.


    ¡®Hummmm¡­ nobody is on my side here.¡¯ Eckart sighed as he pressed his splitting temple.


    He didn¡¯t feel like taking issue with her rudeness.


    If he wanted to rebuke her, he should have done so from the beginning.


    There was a standard for everything. Aside from the fact that he had the power to pull her out and punish her, it would mean changing the standard if he asked for nicer treatment. And most people took a dim view of changing the standard.


    Marianne was like a chesspiece who was more important than anybody.


    In a situation where he brought her father Duke Kling to the central political stage, he couldn¡¯t undo the whole deal just because he didn¡¯t like her temperament.


    If he overly controlled her, he didn¡¯t know what trouble this innocent and fragile woman could bring about.


    At that moment, he recalled what Jed had told him before, ¡°If you are going to use her, don¡¯t make her feel hostile to you even if you can¡¯t make her like you.¡±


    Recalling his advice, Eckart closed his eyes, pressing his forehead.


    He broke the silence, talking to Einz in a resigned voice, ¡°Einz, get me some alcohol instead of tea.¡±


    * * *


    The room with double satin curtains was dark. There was a bed with the statue of Brenda carved on each corner in gold and a canopy woven from gold thread. On top of a drawer made of juniper wood, there was a gold candlestick with two candles on top. The oil painting on the ceiling was Goddess Anthea.


    A woman with a long blonde was sitting on the bed. Her dark blue eyes like Lake Lonen were staring in the air blankly. Her boney shoulders trembled every time she breathed in and out. Her haggard face had no vitality, but it was so beautiful. Eckart, who was 15 back then, glanced at her bizarre and terrible appearance.


    ¡°Mother!¡±

 Chapter 46

    This was the Empress¡¯s bedroom.


    ¡°Karl!¡±


    Although her voice sounded tired, she called Eckart¡¯s pet name with a clear voice.


    Her empty eyes, which didn¡¯t have any emotions, reflected his blue eyes, which was of the same color as her own.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Karl.¡±


    Empress Blair pulled her son¡¯s arm and embraced him. Kneeling in front of her bed, he touched his cheek against her swollen cheekbone and closed his eyes.


    It was a damn dream again.


    Although he knew he was dreaming, he did not wake up. This nightmare always ended when it ran its course. No matter what he did, he had to come back and feel it in her bosom.


    ¡°I won¡¯t dare to ask for your forgiveness.¡±


    As if to soothe him, Blair whispered, resting her chin on the crown of his head.


    ¡°So, please¡­¡±


    While touching his golden hair, the evidence of the Frey family¡¯s lineage, she suddenly grabbed his hair with a terrible grip. Eckart raised his head.


    Now their blue eyes, which were the only two in this whole world, looked desperately at each other.


    ¡°Promise me you will survive no matter what happens to you.¡±


    Eckart gritted his teeth without answering.


    Her skin, which was clean right before, had dark red spots on it. Her hollow eyes were red and bloodshot, and her lips that lost color were stained with blood here and there.


    Time passed, and Eckart became a twenty-one-year-old young man, not fifteen.


    ¡°Even if you crawl on the mud and chew rotten roots, you have to survive.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°And get even with them.¡±


    Blair began to shake her hands holding his hair. Her smashed and ruptured scars were broken like sand and scattered. Tears and blood came out of her blue eyes.


    ¡°Recover what I lost, and get even with them!¡±


    Eckart looked straight at her miserable face. He had to. She didn¡¯t loosen her tight grip on his hair. He couldn¡¯t even close his eyes or speak. He could feel only the sharp sense of her tears of blood falling on his cheeks.


    ¡°Karl, my poor son¡­¡±


    Blair became emaciated little by little, before only feeling lament. Just like a sculpture made out of snow melting away under the light of the sun, and a castle made of sand swept away by the waves, she turned into a handful of ashes, holding her son.


    Eckart extended his arms belatedly. He shook his arms violently as if he was trying to grab her non-existent body. He snatched away at the air in order to catch even ashes falling down to the floor.


    ¡°Your Excellency!¡±


    At that moment, an urgent voice rang through his ears.


    Eckart opened his eyes suddenly.


    ¡°It hurts! Please let me go!¡±


    Fully reflected in his eyes was Marianne, looking down at him, about to cry.


    He paused like a broken clock for a moment and then let go of her wrists.


    Marianne frowned, touching her numb wrists.


    ¡°You were sleeping in an uncomfortable position, so I tried to help you¡­¡±


    Although she complained, Eckart was so spaced out at the moment to even apologize.


    He had fallen asleep while he was seated, so his back was stiff. He erected his body and crouched forward. The documents barely sitting on his knees swept onto the floor.


    As he fully rested the back of his head on the chair, his stiffness traveled from his head to his back. He even had a headache because he drank before going to sleep last night. He pressed his temple hard with his slender hand and rubbed his stiff eyes.


    ¡°What time is it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s five o¡¯clock.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you wake me up?¡±


    ¡°You looked so tired. I heard from Sir Curtis that you hardly slept yesterday.¡±


    ¡°He made useless remarks. He seems to have slackened after serving for only a few years in the north¡­¡±


    Eckart stood up to adjust his collar compulsively, which hadn¡¯t been disturbed. He didn¡¯t know whether it was because of his dream, alcohol, or exhaustion, but he felt dizzy suddenly.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Marianne anxiously asked, supporting his arm.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Eckart refused her help. He was on edge when he replied. His face was noticeably pale.


    ¡°But you don¡¯t look well at all.¡±


    He felt her concerned voice sounded bizarre.


    She continued, ¡°You were frowning all along even before you woke up.¡±


    He felt disgusted and even nauseous. The illusion of her late mother, who had already disappeared, scratched his inner eyelids whenever he blinked his eyes.


    ¡°Did you dream a nightmare by any chance?¡±


    ¡°Damn it! I told you I¡¯m okay!¡±


    Eckart raised his voice unconsciously. He breathed out quickly, which he was holding back. He stared at her coldly. As it turned out, the words she picked were not good.


    Marianne stiffened at his unexpected violent reaction.


    The emperor threw a sword to test her bodyguard, Iric, and made fun of her with sarcastic remarks, but he had never shouted loudly without hiding his anger. In fact, he was getting so angry that she even felt like her life was at stake.


    ¡°I just said that because I was worried about you¡­¡±


    The end of her sentence faded. When her momentary fear disappeared, she began to feel resentful about him.


    ¡®What did I do wrong?¡¯


    She heard he sat up all night yesterday and had a hard time at the cabinet meeting the next morning. He didn¡¯t rest back home, and fell asleep while reviewing the documents all the time. She felt sorry for him and tried to help him sleep comfortably. Her wrists he grasped tightly still hurt, but he got upset instead of apologizing to her.


    ¡®Do you hate me so much? Even if you don¡¯t like me, how come you are so upset about me? Why do you get angry for my concern about you? You were nice to me when I turned ugly in the past. Besides, you embarrassed me by refusing my help when I held your hands. If you don¡¯t want to touch me, you can just express it by saying so. You know you lifted me up and put me down on the couch¡­¡¯


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said, biting her red lips. She suddenly felt offended.


    Funnily enough, she broke into tears suddenly. She knew the mood right now didn¡¯t warrant her tears. But her clear green eyes quickly became wet with tears.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t neglect your words. I apologize because I have made you uncomfortable with my overconcern.¡±


    ¡°Marianne!¡±


    ¡°Let me go back and reflect on myself. Please forgive me for not seeing you off.¡±


    ¡°Wait. I haven¡¯t allowed you to leave yet¡­¡±


    Eckart pulled her hand, which was lifting the hem of her dress. Caught by him urgently, she looked back.


    Her resentful eyes were reflected in his blue eyes, and her overflowing tears came down her flushed cheeks finally.


    After all, he did not say what he was going to say. With the veins standing out on his hand grabbing her, he let go of her after hesitating a bit.


    After bowing out briefly, she left the parlor without looking back.


    As if to show her dry feelings, she closed the door with a bang.


    ¡°Damn it¡­ ¡±


    Eckart ruffled his hair with his rough hands.


    Bang!


    He kicked the table hard against the couch, making a loud noise.


    ***


    After the emperor returned, Marianne was stuck in the room for a while. And it wasn¡¯t until dinner time that she reappeared at the dining room with swollen eyes.


    Obviously her face was swollen.


    ¡°What about my father?¡±


    When she asked in a croaky voice, Mrs. Charlotte replied, pouring lemon into a cup.


    ¡°He sent us the message that he couldn¡¯t leave the palace today.¡±


    ¡°Did he say he was busy?¡±


    ¡°Well, I think he had a lot to pay attention to because they passed agendas like a tax law and an engagement ceremony at the cabinet meeting.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ ¡±


    Marianne nodded roughly and raised fork. She dug up some vegetables on the plate and put some peas in her mouth.


    She felt a simple sense inside her mouth before the taste. It didn¡¯t hurt when the food touched the inside of her mouth. The herb ointment offered by the imperial medical office seemed to have been quite effective.


    ¡®How come he took pains to get me this ointment when he didn¡¯t like me?¡¯


    When she thought about the small pottery inside her drawer, she felt bad again.


    ¡®Well, he said that he can¡¯t get the due ransom if a hostage is injured. He even said he didn¡¯t want to work with a collaborator who was stupid like me.¡¯


    Looking back, there were all kinds of excuses to make a big fuss today. She nervously shoved the fork into the steak loaf.


    She was okay even if he gave her advice in a terrible way or didn¡¯t trust her since she was clumsy in everything. Just like he said, it was a fact that she grew up in a very comfortable greenhouse. She wished he had treated her more kindly, but given his noble status and natural character, she had reason to be grateful to him for his current attitude toward her.


    ¡®Nonetheless, I felt like I got a little closer to him.¡¯

 Chapter 47

    She made a deal with him, shared secret intelligence with him, and learned to set a trap with him. Although it was a short time of less than three weeks, she went through ups and downs that others would have never experienced.


    That was why she was mistaken.


    She felt she was close enough to him.


    In fact, he didn¡¯t scold her even if she behaved informally, he caught her when she fell, he helped her in her dream, and sent her an ointment when her mouth hurt. Although he said he couldn¡¯t work with a weak-hearted person like her, he was being nice to her. She was mistaken in all of these, though.


    ¡®I think I still have a long way to go. How naive and stupid I am¡­¡¯


    Treating someone kindly didn¡¯t necessarily mean being close to him or her. The emperor¡¯s goodwill toward her was the expression of his patience for her as his hostage and considerations as her supervisor.


    He was right. ¡®You should not trust people easily.¡¯ Even though she heard his serious advice many times, she believed the very person who advised her was an exception. She just felt ashamed of herself when she thought that she ended up with a terrible death in her previous life because she trusted people so easily.


    ¡°Lady!¡± Marianne woke up from her deep thinking when somebody called her.


    ¡°You don¡¯t like the meal? Do you want something else?¡±


    ¡°Pardon? No, that¡¯s fine¡­¡±


    Marianne looked at the plate in front of her. She saw meat loaves torn apart by the fork. Obviously, she kept poking the meat with the fork unconsciously.


    ¡°Sorry. The food is great, but I don¡¯t feel any appetite.¡±


    At her confession, Mrs. Charlotte quickly beckoned the maid to put the plates away.


    The maids and servants who were waiting near the table disappeared into the kitchen, each carrying a plate. Though they didn¡¯t dare to look at her face, they went away with lots of curiosity and worries about her.


    ¡°Would you like to go back to the room? Let me tell them to bring some tea.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Mrs. Charlotte supported her and left the restaurant. The mansion staff fixed their gazes at her back, when she, helped by Mrs. Charlotte, was walking back to her room with a distrait face.


    After meeting with the emperor for a long time, Marianne cried after leaving the room. Her hair was dishevelled as if it had been pulled by someone and the back of her hands and her dress were messy. Although her wounds weren¡¯t that bad, she obviously wasn¡¯t in good shape.


    The emperor also quickly went out of the parlor with a displeased look and left.


    When they went into the parlor, they found that the room was a mess with the couch and other furniture broken and strewn all over the floor, as if he intended to break them one by one.


    Naturally, they began to gossip about the emperor and Marianne. They even wondered whether the emperor beat her until they discovered later that the pet bird, which the emperor gave her as a gift, was responsible for the scars on her hands. Even after the fact became known, they suspected that the emperor who hated her purposely gave a bad bird to her.


    ¡°Phebe¡­ Where is that pet bird the emperor gave me as a gift?¡±


    ¡°Well, you didn¡¯t say anything, so I put it on the balcony of your bedroom.¡±


    Even though she was harassed by Phebe, she didn¡¯t hate the bird.


    She was so delighted to put Poibe in the cage with Curtis¡¯s help. Although it was a small achievement, she wanted to show it to the emperor. In the end, she was reproached by the emperor without mentioning Poibe, or Phebe.


    ¡°What about the party plan I asked you to take care of in the morning?¡±


    Marianne asked with a sullen face, shoulders down.


    When she recalled Eckart¡¯s scary face, she wanted to stay put on her bed without doing anything for three days.


    But time didn¡¯t wait for anyone. She felt Ober would be in the thick of plotting treason even at this moment. Though she hated the emperor, he was the strongest of her available cards to stop Ober¡¯s treason. She couldn¡¯t afford to play the baby or not.


    ¡°I¡¯ve compiled a list of those nobles whom you would like to send invitations to. And I¡¯ve submitted an official letter requesting cooperation with the palace affairs office after getting Sir Kloud¡¯s advice. And I think it¡¯s a good idea to order flowers and decorations in advance, so I¡¯ve informed the shop I¡¯m collaborating with.¡±


    ¡°How many days will it take to prepare the party in the fastest way?¡±


    ¡°For a banquet of this size, we need at least 15 days of preparation. If you want an earlier date, we can advance it by about five days.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s have that tea party in about ten days. Isn¡¯t it enough for your wife or others to prepare?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t really have to take into account those who are lower ranked than you.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s not what I mean. I just want to hold the party on that day.¡±


    Mrs. Charlotte laughed.


    Aside from the rumors on the street, it was a fact that Marianne would soon become the empress of the times, regardless of whether she had a formal engagement ceremony or not.


    Her power would not be taken as lightly once she became an empress. It was lucky for the maids and attendants at the mansion that she was kind enough to schedule the tea party by taking into account the situation of those who would be invited to the party.


    ¡°Okay. We¡¯ll carry out your order without any failure. So, please don¡¯t worry and go to bed early. You look pale, so I¡¯m worried that you might collapse,¡± said Mrs. Charlotte.


    ¡°Thank you. Please let Cordelli come in a moment. And make sure others don¡¯t come in my room until tomorrow morning.¡±


    ¡°Got it. Have a good rest.¡±


    Marianne stepped into the bedroom door that Mrs. Charlotte opened. When her long dress was completely drawn through the doorway, she locked the door carefully.


    She flopped down on the bed and lay on her back immediately. Though she had something to do, her eyes closed naturally. She felt the day had been too long.


    That night, a shadow snuck into the crescent-shaped garden at night.


    The shadow crossed the garden and came near the big tree, muffling their footsteps. After making sure no one was around, they squatted in front of the bench next to the rose fence. Then the person took a small letter out of their inside pocket and hid it under a decorative stone by the bench. Then the person left the garden quietly again.


    The next morning, the gardener led the maids and servants to clean up the garden. After cleaning and inspecting the garden, the garden was spick and span as usual.


    Except for one. Under the bench next to the rose fence, one of the decoration stones was placed crookedly unlike the other stones.


    * * *


    Spring pervaded the air in Milan in mid-May. The engagement date of the emperor was set. The most fortunate date, set through several cabinet meetings and internal reviews, was the last day of May.


    It was an event of the imperial family that came a long time after the emperor¡¯s crowning ceremony. Be it nobles or commoners, whenever two or more people gathered, they talked about the fianc¨¦e who would be a bride during a sunny May.


    ¡°It¡¯s wonderful that the day has come when His Majesty will receive his bride. I thought he might live alone all his life because the emperor regarded women like stones on the street.¡±


    ¡°I hear the bride is so beautiful that she puts in shade that those young ladies regard as beautiful. I hear the emperor is only four years older than the bride. When they pose for a picture side by side, they are the most fantastic couple.¡±


    ¡°In my mind, she is marrying for political reasons. Duke Hubble has no daughter, and Duke Lamont¡¯s daughter is the emperor¡¯s cousin, so he coveted Duke Kling¡¯s daughter. As she is his only daughter, I guess his big territory could be her marriage portion.¡±


    ¡°I think Duke Kling¡¯s daughter has found the most fantastic man. Given the choice between the marquis and the emperor, I would choose the emperor. How can you compare the wife of a marquis and the wife of the emperor? Besides, one is an illegitimate person while the other is not. The legitimate son is definitely better.¡± Of course, the marquis here was Ober.


    Their gossip continued endlessly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to say this, but don¡¯t you think the bride would be better off with Marquis Chester strongly backed by Duke Hubble rather than the powerless emperor? If she wants to live a comfortable life when she grows old, she should definitely get married to the marquis.¡±

 Chapter 48

    ¡°Right. Did you hear about it? It¡¯s Marquis Chester that the bride really loves. I hear their relationship grew deeper at the tea party that Mrs. Chester hosted recently. It looks like the rumors coming out of the social circles in the north is true.¡±


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t it all past history? Such a precious and beautiful lady can choose any bridegroom she wants, right? I hear her father Duke Kling is very dedicated to his daughter.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a little worried. I¡¯ve heard rumors that the relationship between the emperor and the bride is very bad. I wonder if the emperor has taken her against her will.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, Marquis Chester must be very upset because the emperor took her forcibly. It¡¯s like ¡®You do all the work and somebody else gets the credit,¡¯ right?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just disgusted by the way these higher-ups act despicably all the time. Who knows if the bride is secretly plotting with the marquis to use the emperor?¡±


    Besides, more speculations and rumors continued to spread from mouth to mouth. As she was born and raised in the north, there was relatively little information about her. Accordingly, most of the rumors were overwhelmingly groundless speculations about her. And the rumors drew more interest when the alleged trouble between the emperor and the bride was added, as Marianne had wished.


    ¡°Will the emperor attend the banquet today?¡±


    ¡°Well, Marquis Chester will come too. Won¡¯t he feel uncomfortable if he bumps into Ober?¡±


    People at the Elior Mansion was no exception. As it was a place where the protagonist of the gossip stayed, there was even more speculation among the people there.


    Maids and servants who carried the flowers that they had placed in the back garden of the main building gossiped about the party to be held today. Their main topic was about the participants, especially the rumored protagonists.


    ¡°But this is a banquet, plus a ball that happens on the eve of the engagement ceremony. His Majesty is also the main character. Won¡¯the come? I hope he comes so I can see his face. You know, he is really handsome.¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t you know he¡¯s visited here twice? Haven¡¯t you seen him before? Tough luck, man.¡±


    ¡°What is the point of him coming here? He always has a big quarrel with her and goes away. I just wish he stayed overnight and dined and walked with her.¡±


    ¡°Whew! How unfortunate our new owner¡¯s destiny is!¡±


    That had lots of implications. While they were walking side by side, they didn¡¯t gossip anymore. Though they didn¡¯t know in it detail, they noticed that Marianne was not on good terms with the emperor.


    The maid with a yellow vengeful flower pot in hand quickly changed the topic.


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen the marquis before. He is my type of man. There¡¯s something dangerous and enchanting about him. I can¡¯t describe it well enough. He¡¯s like a handsome wild animal.¡±


    ¡°What did you say? Your type? What about the marquis¡¯s type? Are you ignoring it?¡±


    ¡°Hey, wash your eyes. As for a man¡¯s appearance, our emperor is the handsomest. Look at his brilliant golden hair, and blue eyes like Lake Lonen. I wish I could drown in it. When I first saw him, I thought something like a picture or a statue was moving around.¡±


    ¡°Tut, tut. You don¡¯t know how to size up a man. When it comes to talking about men, a kind-hearted man is the best. Our emperor is too cold-hearted, so I¡¯m scared. But it looks like the marquis is very kind-hearted, isn¡¯t he? According to the participants, he was kind at the tea party and he was rumored to be kind-hearted in the social circles in the north, too.¡±


    ¡°Tut, tut. I¡¯ve been to the Chester house on errands several times. People there grumbled a lot when they talked about the marquis. Kind-hearted? Are you kidding? I just felt goosebumps when I took a brief look at him in the past.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it because the person who asked you was so ugly?¡±


    ¡°Nope. Not only the maids, but also the servants said the same thing! I¡¯m not ugly, man! I think I look more handsome than you.¡±


    One of the servants was furious when his friend made fun of him. Other servants and maids laughed at him heartily.


    ¡°Ugly!¡±


    And the next moment they stopped all at once as if they were struck with fear.


    One of the courageous maids found the source of the sound. Her eyes glanced over nearby trees, climbed up the stone walls and reached up to the two-story balcony with tight railings.


    ¡°Madame!¡±


    It was Marianne who was looking down with her chin on the balcony. Inside the silver cage beside her was a white-crowned parrot.


    The maids and servants hurriedly kneeled as if someone forcibly bent their knees.


    ¡°Ugly!¡±


    Poibe spoke loudly once more, as if to confirm the servant¡¯s remarks. The parrot spoke so well and clearly that all of them were very impressed.


    Lowering her head, one of the maids shut her mouth to hold back her laughter.


    But the atmosphere at the moment wasn¡¯t good enough for their laugh.


    In fact, they were caught gossiping by her.


    To make matters worse, one of the two they gossiped about was Marquis Chester who was powerful enough to kill a bird in the sky, and the other was the emperor, the most esteemed person in Aslan.


    ¡°We¡¯re so sorry. We didn¡¯t know you were there¡­¡±


    If they didn¡¯t know she was there, they were supposed to beg for forgiveness. If Mrs. Charlotte had been with her, all of them would have been taken out of the mansion and gotten heavy punishment. But Marianne reached out and shook hands instead of pointing out their rudeness and arrogance.


    ¡°Just go and do your work.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Just go away before Phebe here makes a loud noise.¡±


    Marianne changed the direction of her face she was resting on the back of her hands. Her voice seemed very tired.


    The servants and maids all couldn¡¯t believe their ears. Their conversation included gossip about the emperor. If she made a mountain out of a molehill, she could report all of them to the Justice Ministry for execution. Even if she could show some mercy, they would have to be beaten or kicked out of the mansion, to say the least.


    But she told them to go away with no punishment.


    When she didn¡¯t punish them, they looked at each other¡¯s faces in bewilderment. They said goodbye to her and quickly left the garden. They had no time to figure out her intention. They urgently ran away before she changed her mind.


    ¡°Fool,¡± Poibe said in a clear voice.


    Marianne touched the cage as if she didn¡¯t hear anything.


    Fool.


    She might feel bad or get mad when the parrot said that, but she didn¡¯t feel like it anymore.


    ¡°Phebe. Am I stupid in your eyes?¡±


    The emperor never visited the mansion after that day. She could not meet him officially or informally. Although she didn¡¯t wait for him desperately, she wandered around the crescent-shaped garden every night in hopes that he might come to give her some important information. And every time she returned to her room empty-handed and fell asleep.


    After all, Mrs. Charlotte told Kloud who was invited to the party and what she wanted him to do.


    A short time later, she received a reply from the palace affairs office. According to the reply, they said it was difficult to approve her request to hold a ball on the eve of the engagement ceremony because of the emperor¡¯s tight schedule, so they recommended that she hold the ball together with the party. As she had no reason to object to it, she didn¡¯t send her reply.


    Curtis came to her three times in ten days while she was preparing for the party. He tipped her off about Poibe¡¯s appetite, especially her favorite snacks, how to trim her feathers, and what to check out when she was sleeping.


    She couldn¡¯t control Poiebe without his help, but she was close enough to Phebe so that the bird didn¡¯t peck her hair or clothes like when she met Phebe for the first time.


    ¡®I wanted to brag that I made this much progress.¡¯


    Marianne felt a bit lonely every time Curtis left after his tutoring ended.


    Curtis never opened his mouth unless he was talking about how to deal with Phebe.


    She felt his cold-hearted and nasty temper was exactly the same as the emperor¡¯s, which made her feel bitter.


    ¡°I wonder if the emperor had anything to tell me.¡±


    One day she asked Curtis as she couldn¡¯t stand her impatience.


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    He answered curtly. She would rather have not asked him.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t he worried about me since he left after getting so upset about me? He is so mean, right?¡±


    She thought to herself, ¡®I¡¯m a bit worried. I¡¯m curious if he sleeps well, if he had another nightmare, if he is eating well, if he wants to apologize because he feels sorry, or if he can¡¯t come because he is sorry.¡¯


    Then, Marianne looked up at the sunny sky. Intense sunlight was pouring in as if to show it was noon soon.

 Chapter 49

    Those who attended the party could be divided into two broad categories: principal guests and general guests.


    Naturally, those to whom Marianne sent special invitations in her own handwriting were principal guests. They were Duke of Hubble, Duke Lamont and his daughter, Grand Duke Christopher, Marquise Chester and her son Ober, Marquis Euclid and his daughter, the Earl Renault couple, Colin and Jed, the emperor¡¯s closest aides, and several other powerful nobles.


    Those of lesser importance participated as general guests. Although Earl Lonstat and his daughter as well as Earl McMillan would be regarded as principal guests at most parties, the place they were coming this time was a banquet-cum-ball on the eve of the emperor¡¯s engagement ceremony.


    ¡°Madame, guests are coming.¡±


    A maid reported to Marianne at the head table the parlor.


    A full-fledged ball was to be held in the evening, while the ladies¡¯ tea party was the main event during the day. Accordingly, those guests arriving now would be the daughters of the invited nobles.


    ¡°Get ready to greet them,¡± she ordered gently.


    The maid opened the door of the parlor wide.


    The guests waiting for the opening of the parlor in the waiting room were lined up in the hallway on time. When the door was opened, a madame and her daughter, who stood at the very front, entered, helped by a maid.


    ¡°Duchess Kathrin, wife of Duke Lamont and the second daughter of His Majesty Frey V under the blessing of our god is entering!¡±


    ¡°Lady Rane, daughter of Sir Shane, the Duke of Lamont, is entering!¡±


    As the order of entry was based on their rank, the highest and most brilliant of them, Duke Lamont, his wife, and his daughter were called first. She was the only living duchess of the three most powerful dukes of the empire.


    Marianne headed for the entrance, helped by Mrs. Charlotte and Cordelli.


    ¡°Madam, it¡¯s nice to see you here for the first time. My name is Marianne of the Kling and Lennox family. Thank you for accepting my invitation.¡±


    Duchess Lamont, seen up close, was a noble lady indeed. If Mrs. Chester was a strong, seductive red, she looked like a clean, noble gold. Her golden hair, evidence of the bloodline of the Frey family, and her olive eyes inherited from Empress Frida made her more elegant.


    ¡°Oh, I should rather thank you. I heard that you were picky about parties, so I didn¡¯t think you would invite me directly.¡±


    Though she had innocent beauty, her vigor was as good as any knight. She pointed out Marianne¡¯s actions without batting an eye in a soft voice, but Marianne felt uncomfortable about each of her words.


    ¡°I think I know how busy you are when I hear the rumors getting around in the capital.¡±


    She sharply glanced over Marianne with her olive eyes.


    ¡°Sorry, ma¡¯am. As I wasn¡¯t familiar with the social circles in Milan, I didn¡¯t show you proper manners when I got here. Please forgive me with your generosity. I hope you can give me valuable lessons in the days ahead.¡±


    Marianne put her hands on her chest and bent her knees slightly.


    It was natural that the duchess did not like her. None of the rumors were helpful to her, and she was highly conceited as a duchess and the daughter of the previous empress. Now, she had to take Marianne as her niece-in-law, who rushed to the tea party hosted by her rival, Mrs. Chester, as soon as she arrived in the capital. She had every reason to be annoyed at Marianne.


    ¡°I understand you have a lot of people around you for valuable lessons. I don¡¯t know if you need my help at all.¡±


    ¡°I think my mother is the best among them, so you want to receive her guidance, right?¡±


    Her daughter, standing at hand, quickly interrupted her sharp response. Marianne looked at her with gratitude.


    ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you, Ms. Rane.¡±


    ¡°Nice to meet you. My name is Rane. Since we are the same age and the same rank, please treat me like a friend. You can speak to me informally.¡±


    Rane smiled brightly, warming to her friendly. With a pleasing look, she was a bit taller than other ladies. She was the image of her mother, and she had a pair of dimples on her cheeks when smiling.


    ¡°Rane,¡± said her mother as if to point out her rudeness. However, she didn¡¯t care and hung on to her arms.


    ¡°Mom, let¡¯s go and have a seat. I can¡¯t stand up like this because my shoes hurt. I can¡¯t breathe well because of my dress. If I keep standing five more minutes, I think I have to tear off all the jewelry on my head and give them to the maids. Please!¡±


    That was true. She looked very uncomfortable in her dress.


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go.¡±


    Contrary to her expectation that the duchess would give her daughter a good scolding, she bowed out, as if she thought she couldn¡¯t help it. Taking a deep breath, she moved to the seats inside, helped by a maid.


    Only then did Rane wink at Marianne with a satisfied face.


    ¡°Ouch! These damn shoes!¡±


    She held the maid¡¯s arm and walked only a couple of steps before staggering.


    When she used indecent language, several people including her mother walking ahead looked at her at the same time.


    ¡°Cordelli, please help the lady.¡±


    Marianne quickly pressed on Cordelli. Rane didn¡¯t refuse her favor and grabbed Cordelli¡¯s arms. Only after holding their arms on both sides, Rane walked almost as if she was forcibly led away. She was almost being dragged by them.


    Looking at her back, Marianne broke into laughter unconsciously.


    ¡°Ms. Rane is a bit unique. You will discover it when you see her.¡±


    She recalled what Mrs. Charlotte told her about her one day when she asked her while reading a public bulletin in the study.


    At that time, she wondered why Rane was unique. She now seemed to know what it meant.


    To use the expression to her liking, Rane was in the same class as her bosom friend Evelyn. Rane was noisy and liberal.


    When she thought as far as that, she suddenly missed many people she left behind in the north. Evelyn, Angelica, Hugo, Mrs. Icell¡­


    At that moment, the maid announced the entrance of next guests.


    ¡°Duke Hubble Jr., Sir Elias¡¯s wife Eydue is entering!¡±


    ¡°Countess Erica, Mrs. Chester is entering!¡±


    Even before Marianne was lost in other thoughts, the maid continued to call the guests¡¯ names.


    Two noblewomen dressed gorgeously offered greetings to Marianne when they entered.


    ¡°Welcome. Eydue and Mrs. Chester. Thank you for coming to the party,¡± Marianne said, smiling at them. Actually, she found these two women most uncomfortable to deal with, but she deliberately tried to be friendly to them in order to deceive them.


    ¡°The duke feels unwell, so Duke Hubble Jr. and I came on his behalf. I hope you will understand generously.¡±


    ¡°Of course. Please send my best regards to him for his quick recovery.¡±


    In fact, Duke Hubble attended the cabinet meeting until last week without any problems. Marianne replied nicely even if she knew it was his excuse.


    The wife of Duke Hubble Jr. expressed gratitude to her and moved to her seat.


    She looked plain, compared to her colorful makeup. It looked like her luxurious necklace or dress seemed more memorable than her face.


    ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you again here, Lady Marianne.¡±


    But this woman was different.


    Marianne stared at her, imposing some sort of intense pressure by just standing beside her.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for what happened at the tea party the other day. I made you and Sir Ober uncomfortable because I was too absent-minded at that time.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome. Traditionally young lovers often talk about others¡¯ love stories. I don¡¯t think the marquis thought that you caused any trouble. It¡¯s a gentleman¡¯s honor to escort a lady directly to her house.¡±


    The marquise responded with a happy smile.


    She seemed to comfort Marianne on the surface, but it was almost disrespect when it came to the meaning of her words. She was not supposed to mention her affair with another man at a party to celebrate the emperor¡¯s engagement. That meant she mentioned it on purpose.


    ¡°Thank you for your understanding.¡±


    Marianne took pains to grin. She had nothing else to say.


    ¡°On my way here, I thought the banquet room was beautiful. It¡¯s sunny. It¡¯s going to be a very exciting party.¡±


    ¡°I hope you can enjoy it.¡±


    Mrs. Chester opened her fan and covered her eyes slightly. She quickly scanned Marianne with her dark eyes and walked away.


    ¡°Ms. Beatrice, the daughter of Marquis Euclid and Sir Simon¡¯s daughter are entering!¡±


    ¡°Countess Anelles, Sir Renault¡¯s wife is entering!¡±


    It was the first time Marianne met them, but she heard the familiar names several times before.


    The emperor made special mention of Duke Lamont¡¯s wife and daughter.


    ¡°Welcome! I heard both of you would help me with my engagement. They say it¡¯s hard to meet at social parties, so I was worried that it would be difficult to meet you again this time. Thank you for coming. Hope I¡¯m in your great hands.¡±

 Chapter 50

    ¡°I will do my best to help you not to cause any trouble,¡± said Beatrice, bowing deeply to her.


    Beatrice had red eyes with pink hair, as if to prove that she was Colin¡¯s sister. They were well known as all famous bookworms, so they were wearing glasses because they had poor eyesight. They looked neat and intelligent. But her tone was rather harsh, so she seemed a bit indifferent.


    ¡°Causing trouble? Never say that. You¡¯re too humble. I hear that among Sir Simon¡¯s four siblings, Lady Beatrice is famous as a wise woman who has inherited wisdom.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m flattered.¡±


    They exchanged pleasantries out of courtesy for a moment, and it was time to change the topic. Marianne suddenly shined her eyes and turned her eyes to the side.


    ¡°Countess Anelles, I heard that you were the chief maid for the previous empress, right?¡± Marianne grabbed her hand with an exaggerated gesture. As she heard only a rumor about her, nobody believed her feigned welcome.


    Probably they would assume she welcomed the countess for one of the following three reasons.


    First, she was trying to curry favor with the countess as she was forced to marry. Secondly, as some said, she would try to control the close aides of the marquis and the emperor after she got married, and lastly, she was just happy as a childish spoiled daughter from the north. But in fact, her attitude was the most prudent and sincere.


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. I was.¡±


    ¡°Oh, what I heard about you was true! I¡¯m happy to hear that. If an experienced lady like you helps me at hand, I won¡¯t have to worry at all.¡±


    ¡°Thanks. I owe it to the wise emperor¡¯s warm considerations.¡±


    Countess Renault, the mother of Jed, was calm and modest, unlike her son.


    But she felt estranged from her when she heard the countess¡¯s replies. She sensed a distance growing in her replies. She felt the countess had been holding back her bad feelings about her, even though she was trying to be polite. She felt sorry for her vigilant attitude. But at the same time, she was burning with more competition against the countess. According to Mrs. Charlotte, no one was more familiar with the history of the court than Countess Renault. Charlotte said once she became a close friend of the countess¡¯s, the latter would be the one who would swear allegiance to her.


    ¡°Please come on in. I have some sweet hydrangea tea for you. Let¡¯s talk while sipping tea.¡±


    At her prodding, Ms. Beatrice and Mrs. Renault moved to their seats.


    ¡°I think the tea will get cold if you stay here longer. Please greet the rest of the guests after tea time.¡±


    The quick-witted Mrs. Charlotte kindly encouraged her to move inside the party hall and supported her arm. Marianne nodded gently and turned around to walk to the head table.


    Ha!


    Someone burst out a sarcastic lament from behind the guests, as if he thought her behavior was ridiculous. Marianne could guess who he was even without looking back. She felt embarrassed while she was walking, pretending not to have noticed it, but she didn¡¯t look back.


    * * *


    The beginning of tea time was calm.


    The principal guests and general guests were all seated. Fragrant flower tea and rich black tea were served in the gold-plated teapots. Pure white trays were filled with desserts, which were pleasant to look at. The chef of the mansion was a master of baking and confectionery. Tender pink pudding contained candied rose petals, and the clam-made madeleine smelled of fresh lemon and rich butter. There were also colored macaroons with fruit jam and buttercream, and eclair with plenty of milk chocolate and vanilla. The souffle in a beautiful porcelain bowl was still hot.


    ¡°It¡¯s really delicious. It¡¯s not too sweet but it just melts in my mouth.¡±


    ¡°Gosh! Look at this pudding. Cute! Can¡¯t you lend me the chef just one day?¡±


    As they were in a special place serving all kinds of delicious dishes today, they were eating more with their eyes than their mouths. In particular, only Rane sitting at the inner table emptied the plate like a hungry man.


    Marianne pushed her dessert plate to her. Other young ladies would have refused it out of courtesy, but Rane gratefully appreciated it, holding a freshly refilled dish.


    ¡°Is it so delicious? You had lots of snacks this morning.¡±


    ¡°Try it, Mom. If you go back home, you might want to fire the chef right away.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you would take away the host¡¯s plate.¡±


    ¡°Marie, is it okay with you?¡±


    Rane looked up at Marianne, raising her head from the plate. Though she called her pet name without her permission, Marianne didn¡¯t hate it.


    ¡°Of course. Please eat as much as you like.¡±


    ¡°See! She said okay. All the food here is for eating, you know. I think all the young ladies sitting behind me want to eat like me. If I hadn¡¯t put on a corset, I would have already emptied three plates.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m wearing a corset too, but I just keep eating before I know it. This is awesome!¡±


    ¡°Well, I asked Nancy to do me a favor when I was getting dressed this morning. I asked her to loosen my dress so I can eat as much as I can.¡±


    Duchess Lamont grinned at that. She was very generous about her daughter. Typically, any noblewoman would have scolded her daughter for such behavior to save their face.


    Rane seemed to be well accustomed to her mother¡¯s generosity. It was good to see them grinning at each other.


    Marianne looked at the routine and warm scenes unfolding before her eyes. Suddenly she recalled an old name. Estelle. Her mother who passed away when she was so young that she couldn¡¯t remember her face. If she had been alive now, who Marianne could see only through her portrait, she would have smiled at her as kindly as the two women.


    ¡°I guess you¡¯re missing your mother.¡±


    At that moment, Mrs. Chester spoke to Marianne as if she had read her mind.


    Marianne was embarrassed at the moment, thinking to herself, ¡®Does my longing for Mom show up on my face? How can she read my mind? Is she good at mind-reading?¡¯


    ¡°If Estelle had been alive, she would have doted on you much more than the duchess cared for Rane.¡±


    Marianne heard her putting down the teacup roughly.


    ¡°Your mother already received the title of a duchess before she died. It is not polite to mention the name of the duchess recklessly,¡± said someone suddenly.


    Marianne looked at the source of that sudden voice.


    It was Countess Renault, who was staring at Mrs. Chester, holding her teacup. Anger was lingering on her face, so her facial change was more dramatic.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re right. I should have used honorific language as she was a duchess. I think I made the mistake of calling her pet name since I was so close to her.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°I was in big trouble when I called the first name of the late empress last time. I made the same mistake again. I forgot it again! What should I do?¡±


    ¡°Oh my goodness! Madame!¡±


    As soon as Mrs. Chester was done talking, a maid standing near Mrs. Renault screamed.


    The teacup with butterfly patterns already fell on her in an instant. Hot tea drenched Mrs. Renault¡¯s hand and the front of her dress.


    Nevertheless, Mrs. Renault was looking straight at Mrs. Chester.


    ¡°Oh, I wish you were more careful,¡± said Mrs. Renault.


    Mrs. Chester frowned at that furtively.


    ¡°Madam, are you okay?¡± Marianne asked.


    ¡°¡­Fine,¡± Mrs. Renault said.


    Only after Marianne asked her did Mrs. Renault turn her eyes from Mrs. Chester.


    ¡°Madame, if you allow me, Iet me escort her to a private room so I can help her change clothes,¡± said Mrs. Charlotte who was quietly observing the situation.


    Marianne nodded hurriedly.


    ¡°Yes, please go ahead. She may have been injured, so please call the family doctor to see if she feels any discomfort.¡±


    ¡°Sure, will do.¡±


    Bowing to her, Mrs. Charlotte helped Mrs. Renault leave the room.


    ¡°There¡¯s nobody like like marquise who can ruin the atmosphere.¡±


    This time, Duchess Lamont stepped in. The atmosphere quickly became more chilly.


    If the marquise had a quarrel with the countess, the stronger side would prevail.


    But it would be a different story if a duchess, higher than them in rank, stepped in.


    ¡°I think you¡¯re speaking too harshly. How can you say I¡¯m ruining the atmosphere?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s you who is speaking rudely. Why did you go through the trouble of recalling the old stories to harass the countess at the party to celebrate His Majesty¡¯s engagement?¡±


    ¡°Do you think the episodes about the late empress and duchess could be an excuse to harass others? If anyone hears this, they will misunderstand me. ¡±


    ¡°Really? Why don¡¯t you start talking about the late marquis Chester or Baron Bayer from now on?¡±


    Marquise Chester snorted at her sarcastic remarks. But anger was boiling in her narrow eyes.

 Chapter 51

    Mrs. Chester and Mrs. Lamont, who were running two major salons in the capital, were gathered in one place. Marianne felt so uncomfortable, sandwiched between them. Given the extreme unease of the host who was seated at the head table, other guests near her and those sitting at the end of the tables felt just as uncomfortable and could not even breathe.


    Agonizing over how to cool the overheated atmosphere, Marianne suddenly clapped her hands. All the guests fixed their gaze at her instantly as if they promised.


    ¡°Gifts for you! I forgot the gifts!¡±


    Her cheerful voice rang out in every nook and corner of the parlor. Cordelli quickly noticed it and beckoned the maid standing at the door to bring the gifts.


    Shortly after the maid disappeared, well-dressed maids and good-looking servants came in with something in their arms.


    ¡°Wow, it looks like the leaves of Goddess Anthea! Next to it is the divine stone of our main god Airius, right?¡±


    Looking at the gold plate in the maids¡¯ arms, Rane spoke amicably. When she reacted excitedly, the cold atmosphere began to melt away. Several women glanced at the gold plates and whispered behind their fans.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you already familiar with them? There are plenty of them in Duke Lamont¡¯s mansion.¡±


    ¡°There are several, but not many enough to tip over them. And it feels different to receive it directly.¡±


    Rane put down the spoon, retorting at Mrs. Chester¡¯s remarks.


    Anthea was the goddess of the earth loved by Airius. Justice, music, beauty and love were also under her control. According to the legend, she was so beautiful when she was born that even the moon closed her eyes and the flowers on the earth bloomed out of season.


    Airius fell for Anthea and won over her heart after his passionate wooing for 365 days. On the day they promised marriage, humans and fairies came to celebrate their sacred union.


    Concerned that she might be blind because of too much glory and beauty of the gods, Anthea blackened the transparent leaves and handed them over to the guests. Airius put divine power into the pebble so that they would not be lost in darkness.


    Aslan was an empire built under the protection of the gods. The royal families, who professed to be the descendants of Airius, held a masquerade ball the day before their engagement ceremonies to pay tribute to the gods. The participants were given brooches with dark silk masks and large rubies. The silk masks symbolized the leaves of Anthea while the ruby brooch symbolized the holy stones of Ailrius.


    ¡°How fortunate it is for the emperor to find his bride! If he didn¡¯t, I wouldn¡¯t get this gift until I died, right?¡± Rane said, shaking her mask and brooch back and forth. The guests standing in the back also received their gifts in excitement.


    The royal marriage was not a common event that took place every year, and not all nobles were invited. Accordingly, the gifts they received were very rare, which only large and powerful noble families could receive only a few times in all of their lives. As such, there were lots of noble families that handed down the gifts to their descendants as a family treasure.


    Even that sassy Roxanne was fiddling with the brooch with a sullen look.


    ¡°Thank you for your warm considerations.¡±


    Beatrice bowed to Marianne for the first time and thanked her.


    ¡°Thank you for your kind considerations.¡±


    Then the guests nearby thanked her in unison.


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome!¡± said Marianne, smiling with a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Then, it¡¯s time for me to thank you.¡±


    While the maids handed out gifts to the wives and their daughters, the servants went out after putting large and small shower gifts in order.


    Cordelli supported and escorted Marianne to the large space next to the table.


    As she moved, the other guests stood up simultaneously.


    This, too, was in line with the mythical ceremony. The humans and fairies who participated in the engagement of Airius and Anteia offered fruit, statues, flowers, and poetry to them. For this reason, it was customary for those invited to the eve ball to prepare one shower gift per family.


    ¡°This is Anthea Night!¡±


    Marianne stood before a big picture as high as her breasts. As it was one of the old famous paintings she saw in an art history book, she confidently spoke about the title of the picture.


    ¡°This is a masterpiece by Simony.¡±


    The person who prepared the gift seemed to be Duchess Lamont. Marianne greeted her, lifting the hem of her dress slightly.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if it is proper for me to receive this precious gift. There are only a few paintings by Simony in the empire, so they are very rare.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s good to know that I can give my gift to someone who knows its value.¡±


    Duchess Lamont replied with a slight aloofness. Even so, she didn¡¯t give it to her niece-in-law because she liked the latter. She just wanted to show to Marianne that she was affluent enough to give such an expensive and meaningful masterpiece to her. In a way, it was just a sophisticated way of showing her conceit.


    But it couldn¡¯t be a more welcome gift for Marianne who used to run a salon in Lennox where she discussed poetry, painting, and music with the participants.


    ¡°I will remember your kindness while looking at it at hand,¡± she said.


    Duchess Lamont stepped back with a satisfied face. She felt convinced that Marianne would like her gift best, although there were lots of other gifts on display on the back table.


    ¡°It is said that flowers bloom all year round in the north in spring,¡± Mrs. Chester said as if she was waiting for her turn earnestly.


    ¡°I hear there are over a hundred species of rare plants in the Lennox Mansion, but I think you will be seeing this species for the first time.¡±


    There was a large flower pot Mrs. Chester pointed to with the tip of her fan.


    The upper part of the stem was dense and plump, and as it went down to the root, it became thicker until it became as thick as Marianne¡¯s waist at the bottom. It was a bit bizarre, but the buds hanging on the tip of the stem were really pretty.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s my first time seeing this species. What¡¯s its name?¡±


    Marianne touched the flower tree with a curious look.


    ¡°It¡¯s called Adenium. It is said that it was transported from the Sorman Kingdom studded with deserts. It grows well and blooms even on dry ground, so it¡¯s called the desert rose.¡±


    ¡°Oh, how nice!¡±


    Mrs. Chester smiled in scorn at Marianne who was looking at the pot with an innocent look.


    Her dark purple fan naturally covered her mouth when she did so.


    ¡°Are there more rare flowers like this in the Chester Mansion?¡±


    ¡°Sure. If you want, you can stop by and explore my garden. If I¡¯m not available, let me tell the maids to take good care of you when you happen to visit.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for your kind considerations.¡±


    Marianne smiled brightly as if she was really happy. Mrs. Chester also gently bent her eyes over the fan.


    In other words, it was like Mrs. Chester¡¯s declaration that she would continue to keep informal relationship with Marianne in the future.


    Duchess Lamont snorted as if she felt her intention was ridiculous.


    ¡°Can I take a look at the next gift?¡±


    Standing before the gifts of Hubble Jr¡¯s wife and Beatrice, she called them close. Her green eyes became thin and blurred.


    * * *


    ¡°That¡¯s enough. You can go out.¡±


    The maids who adjusted the hem of the dress left the room.


    Mrs. Charlotte glanced at Mrs. Renault¡¯s dress in front of the mirror. The countess didn¡¯t fit Marianne¡¯s clothes, so she was wearing Mrs. Charlotte¡¯s spare dress. Although their taste in dresses was different, her dress seemed okay on the surface.


    ¡°How about your hands?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°What a relief! You might have been in big trouble if Marianne had finished talking to Mrs. Chester a bit earlier. Besides, tea was rather less hot when it spilled on your hands.¡±


    ¡°Charlotte!¡±


    ¡°I think the teatime is almost over now. Would you like to go to the waiting room right away? Or you can take a walk in the garden¡­¡±


    ¡°Charlotte.¡±


    Mrs. Renault repeatedly called Mrs. Charlotte.


    ¡°Yes, chief maid!¡± Mrs. Charlotte replied, after all. That was the most familiar call to her.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t forget the emperor¡¯s order, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I didn¡¯t. I have never forgotten it.¡±


    During the days when Empress Blair was in charge of the women¡¯s affairs at the palace, Countess Renault was her chief maid and Mrs. Charlotte was her chief assistant.


    ¡°Do not worry too much. I¡¯ve been watching her for a long time and I¡¯m convinced that Marianne is not on the side of the marquise.¡±


    ¡°Then, is she definitely on the emperor¡¯s side?¡±


    ¡°Well, I do not know. The thing is that she is not the marquise¡¯s woman.¡±


    Mrs. Charlotte smiled as she tied her fine ribbon again.


    ¡°I admit that Marianne¡¯s conditions are not bad. But she is too fragile to beat Mrs. Chester. I don¡¯t know if she had the will to win from the beginning.¡±

 Chapter 52

    ¡°Madame!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so nervous. You know how terrible and mean she is, Mrs. Charlotte.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I know. I know well.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe all the rumors on the streets, However¡­¡± Mrs. Renault said. Mrs. Charlotte quickly grabbed her hands. As the palms of her hands were wrapped with thin cloth, it felt a bit rough.


    ¡°Trust the emperor. He¡¯s the late empress¡¯s son. So, he will be pickier than us.¡±


    Mrs. Charlotte spoke softly. She wanted to persuade the countess with simpler and more certain words. If she briefed her about what Marianne had told a small gathering recently, she could lessen some, if not all, of the countess¡¯s concern. But she did not because Marianne wouldn¡¯t want it.


    Anyway, it was not necessary to keep the promise. And she didn¡¯t completely trust Marianne either. Nevertheless, she did not want to betray Marianne.


    ¡°You¡¯re helping the emperor with his marriage on behalf of the late empress. You can be proud of it, right? Who knows? After the emperor has a happy family, he can arrange a good bride for Sir Jed.¡±


    ¡°Which bride would take that troublemaker as her bridegroom? If the emperor forcibly arranges for him to marry a lady, I will try my best to stop him under any circumstances. That¡¯s an abuse of power.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Jed really takes after you, Madame!¡±


    ¡°Charlotte, don¡¯t say that insulting stuff to me. He takes after his father.¡±


    Countess Renault barely laughed. The anxiety that seemed to overwhelm her faded in her smile.


    ¡°When I meet Sir Arthur and Sir Jed in the evening, let me check out who looks more like you. So, don¡¯t worry. Let¡¯s go out. I know a very good path for walking.¡±


    Mrs. Charlotte smiled with her and folded her arms. They looked at each other with deep trust.


    * * *


    ¡°Cordelli, I¡¯m so stressed out¡­¡±


    After returning to her room after tea time, Marianne sat down on the couch. Her legs were wobbly like wet paper.


    ¡°You had a hard time there. Take a break before going to the evening ball.¡±


    Cordelli sat by her and braided her disheveled hair neatly again. Two maids came up, taking off her shoes and socks and raising her legs over a low stool. One massaged her calf, and the other gently wiped her bare feet with a warm towel.


    ¡°I laughed so much that my mouth hurts. I think I must have been so nervous.¡±


    ¡°I was so scared when I saw Duchess Lamont and Marquis Chester sitting side by side. I almost cried, not laughed. No wonder you were nervous in that situation.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I made a mistake, right??¡±


    ¡°Of course, you didn¡¯t. You are super!¡±


    Cordelli stretched her shoulders and raised her chin like a triumphant general. Since her action was so cute, Marianne burst into laughter. She felt so relieved as she was with someone who was so comfortable to be around. But her break didn¡¯t last.


    ¡°Madame, someone wants to see you,¡± Cordelli said.


    ¡°Tell that person that I want to see him later.¡±


    Cordelli said, shaking her head, ¡°If you want to see him later, it¡¯s up to you!¡±


    ¡°But on a day like this, if somebody has come to my room, isn¡¯t he here on an urgent mission?¡±


    ¡°Well, if it were not the emperor¡¯s message, there would be nothing urgent. Hey, is the messenger sent by the emperor?¡±


    ¡°Pardon? Oh, no, it is not, but¡­ ¡±


    Before the maid was done replying, Cordelli quickly cut in.


    ¡°See! You can see him later¡­¡±


    ¡°Madame, it¡¯s not the emperor, but he¡¯s come here on the emperor¡¯s order. You can see him briefly.¡±


    At that moment, a familiar voice was heard outside the door. Marianne lowered her leg on the stool. When she raised her back, the maid put her socks and shoes back on her feet. And the rolled-up dress hem was put back in place.


    ¡°Let him in, and you guys get out of here now.¡±


    Codelli stood up and moved behind the sofa. The maids went out of the room with a basin and a towel, and instead Jed, dressed in ceremonial uniform, came in with a flat box.


    ¡°I¡¯m honored to see you.¡±


    ¡°Please stand up and sit down comfortably.¡±


    Jed sat down on the opposite couch. The box in his hand was placed on the table.


    ¡°I urgently came to convey you something.¡±


    ¡°Did the emperor send you?¡±


    ¡°Yes. He told me that you would know if I reminded you of his request to you the other day.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see.¡±


    Marianne felt a little lonely. She couldn¡¯t think straight.


    She was grateful to the emperor for his accepting her request for the tea party despite his tight schedule. That would be his message that he would not give her up as an important hostage.


    But the fact that the emperor sent his messenger instead of him coming here in person meant that he didn¡¯t want to see her face to face.


    ¡°Is the emperor not going to attend today¡¯s banquet?¡±


    ¡°I do not know. He didn¡¯t say anything particular about it until this morning. Isn¡¯t it a ball on the eve of your engagement ceremony? I don¡¯t think he will leave you alone.¡±


    ¡°I hear that you have served the emperor for a long time, but you still don¡¯t know him well.¡±


    Denying her own remarks a moment ago, though, she waved to him with a bitter smile.


    Cordelli took the box and placed it on the back table.


    ¡°Won¡¯t you open it?¡±


    ¡°Let me take a look at it later.¡±


    She could figure out what was inside the box without opening it. She didn¡¯t want to open it here. Maybe the emperor knew the rumors about what was inside the box, so he might not want to see her in person.


    After watching her with a sullen face for a moment, Jed sprang to his feet and said, ¡°Let me head out first. I hear rumors about the amazing wine available in the banquet hall. Alcohol tastes the best during the day, after all.¡±


    He cracked a joke to break the ice, but nobody laughed coolly.


    ¡°Sounds good. Thanks a lot for your work. Please convey my gratitude to the emperor.¡±


    ¡°He will be happier if you see him in person and express your thanks.¡±


    She thought to herself, ¡®Well, is there any chance for that?¡¯


    Marianne made a faint smile instead of replying. Jed bowed to her and went out.


    Meanwhile, Cordelli was surprised when she opened the box in the back.


    ¡°Oh my god, madame! This is a gift from Marquis Chester, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Cordelli raised her hand high.


    The necklace and tiara embellished with green emeralds were eye-wateringly bright.


    * * *


    When the sunset glow reddened the grass, the banquet was finally held in the central garden of the Elior Mansion. It was the beginning of the ball on the eve of the emperor¡¯s engagement ceremony. As time went by, more and more guests were crowded. Those nobles and their daughters who could not attend their wives¡¯ tea party took their seats in the banquet hall as soon as they arrived late in the afternoon. They left sharp weapons and uncomfortable luggage at the entrance and instead were presented with the leaves of Anthea and the divine stone of Airius.


    Ober wore a black mask and a brooch on the left side of his chest. When he naturally got into the crowds, some approached and greeted him.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re finally here.¡±


    ¡°I knew you would come. I¡¯ve been waiting at the door to see you for a long time. My waiting paid off nicely.¡±


    At the night ball, everybody was supposed to put on a mask except for the two main characters. Even the maids and servants who carried food, as well as the guards had to wear masks.


    ¡°The reason for many people to wear the same masks and brooches is because they want to honor the practices of the myth. It also means everybody celebrates with one mind, regardless of the rank of title or social status. So, I hear the guests don¡¯t call each other¡¯s names.¡±


    Ober recalled someone¡¯s voice, who explained to him about the rules of the eve ball. He had no choice but to scoff at it. A mask was only a piece of cloth that covered the edges of the eyes. If they paid a little more attention, they could find out who the other party was by their voice or dress. Although they didn¡¯t literally call their names, the ball became a social meeting place for a long time after they found out each other¡¯s identities.


    ¡°Where is Marianne?¡± asked Ober.


    ¡°She was near the plane tree over there. She looked so miserable when I looked at her at a distance that my tears almost came down. If you look at her, you will be heartbroken.¡±


    A lady wearing a yellow dress spoke, pretending to wipe her hands with a handkerchief. She even felt sympathetic toward Ober.


    ¡®Looking miserable? I will be heartbroken if I see her in person?¡¯


    Pondering over her words, Ober went inside the crowds. Passing by the tables and crowds of people, he saw a tall plane tree. Underneath the tree was a woman in a light golden dress.

 Chapter 53

    ¡°I¡¯m honored to see the beautiful embodiment of Goddess Anthea.¡±


    Ober approached Marianne without any hesitation. She looked at him when he offered polite greetings. Those around them also began to focus on one place quickly.


    ¡°¡­Sir.¡±


    Marianne gracefully extended her gloved hands. Ober rose slowly after touching his forehead and lips on it.


    ¡°I would like to say hi to the emperor, too.¡±


    ¡°His Excellency¡­ He hasn¡¯t arrived yet.¡±


    ¡°Really? I¡¯m sorry to hear that.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to say sorry.¡±


    Ober stroked her cheeks as he looked at her with ardent eyes. At that moment, he was in the mood to show that kind of tolerance.


    The emperor didn¡¯t appear at the ball on the eve of his engagement. Marianne was alone. Those present at the ball already thought that Ober and she were an unfortunate couple who failed to get engaged.


    ¡°It¡¯s a gem that matches very well with the Spring of the North.¡±


    Above all, the accessories worn by Marianne satisfied him. They were the gifts that he gave her on her birthday last month.


    ¡°I hurriedly brought my stuff here from Lennox. When I came to Milan, I was so absent-minded that I couldn¡¯t bring them. But I wanted to use it today¡­¡±


    ¡°I think the emperor gave you a lot of gifts, too.¡±


    ¡°I have several, but he didn¡¯t give me anything for today¡¯s event. And I like it best. That¡¯s why I really begged him to get it for me. I even said if he didn¡¯t get it for me, I would not go to the banquet tonight.¡±


    Ober barely held back the urge to scorn at her.


    He truly missed Eckart at this moment. How shameful he would have felt if he had seen his childish fiancee begging her former lover because she couldn¡¯t forget him! The emperor must have known the rumors about her in social circles and on the streets. The emperor was not the type of person who turned to sweet talk and exaggeration to increase his power. Unless he was in desperate need, he wouldn¡¯t do it. Nevertheless, he accepted her request gently.


    ¡°I am glad to know you appreciate my sincere efforts to care for you.¡±


    Ober smiled softly with grace, expressing his gratitude.


    Marianne was like a fish already caught in his net. As long as she was in his hand, Ober really wanted the emperor to fall for this woman deeply for any reason. It didn¡¯t matter if he was obsessed with power or love. The deeper, the better. He wished the emperor would go crazy enough to bet everything on her. The more he did, the more he would regret it later. Carried away by his own stupidity, he would be strangled to death because of his sense of loss.


    ¡°Marquis Chester!¡±


    A large shadow popped up from behind. Ober looked back, frowning slightly.


    ¡°Giyom.¡±


    Giyom, his assistant and bodyguard knight, bowed to him. Ober briefly turned his back against Marianne.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Chester called you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go later.¡±


    Ober shook his hand as if her call was bothersome. And then he turned to Marianne.


    But Marianne¡¯s condition was strange. Her gaze was set on the ground, and her grasped hands held by each other were trembling visibly. If the breathing was disturbed, the exposed shoulders were trembling. Her shoulders were moving up and down as if she was short of breath.


    ¡°Marie¡­ No, Lady Marianne!¡±


    Ober first called her pet name, but belatedly corrected it. Of course, this was his calculated mistake.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you? Are you uncomfortable¡­¡±


    ¡°No! No!¡±


    Marianne replied as if she was screaming. Only then her eyes met his briefly. He made a more scary frown on his face than before.


    What was reflected in her fresh green eyes was none other than horror.


    ¡°My stomach suddenly got a little upset. Let me go back to my room for a while¡­I¡¯m too cold¡­¡±


    ¡°Lady.¡±


    Ober once again called her, but Marianne left the place without even saying goodbye.


    A maid caught up with her who almost went running, and helped her. But Marianne refused her help and rushed into the crowd.


    Watching her strange behavior, Ober beckoned to Giyom.


    ¡°Giyom, follow me.¡±


    * * *


    Mariane rubbed her blurred eyes hard. The lace of her gloves scratched the skin and smeared her makeup, but she didn¡¯t care. Her running steps slowed down gradually. She staggered and fell down several times, but she didn¡¯t remember it at all. Her clenched lips turned white.


    ¡°Giyom.¡±


    Again, that voice of his hovered around her ears. She had goosebumps from the crown of her head to her toes. She didn¡¯t know if she cried or screamed. She thought she felt better, though she cried a little at first, and then she could put up with it. It was because she had a goal. When she met that terrible bastard Ober, she pretended to laugh or cry before him and even lied to him, saying she wanted to go back to him. Though she felt it unpleasant when he touched her hand, she thought she could put up with that.


    ¡°Giyom.¡±


    But she couldn¡¯t stand that voice of his calling that name, and the guy who responded to his call.


    He only called the guy¡¯s name. In this life of hers, Giyom never put her in the lake. She will make sure he can¡¯t. She vowed that. Even though she knew it all, tears went down. She couldn¡¯t meet his eyes. It seemed that he would just lift her up and throw her in the lake again.


    ¡°Giyom.¡±


    She heard the name again. The name Ober called that day. Just a boring and annoyed call with no love or hatred. Too light a word to end a person¡¯s life. Recalling that, Mariane beat her chest. She didn¡¯t seem to be breathing well. There was something like an illusion waving before her eyes. With the insurmountable force crushing her head, deeply sinking under the water, there she was, struggling helplessly. Cold water was soaring in her airway and filling the lungs, and finally¡­


    Bang.


    Something blocked her way.


    Her light body hit against something and bounced off.


    Staggering like a flower with a broken trunk, Marianne grasped the air fleetingly, just like that night when she was trying to hang on a waterway that couldn¡¯t be caught.


    ¡°¡­ Marianne.¡±


    But this time it was different. She caught something warm and hard in her hands. She felt some sort of familiar warmth wrapped around her waist.


    She opened her eyes that she had closed unconsciously.


    ¡°Your Excellency!¡±


    Her wet voice trembled. She was disenchanted with the glimmering illusion a moment ago.


    Eckart frowned. He tightened his grip on her waist and raised her upright. He ordered in a low voice from behind.


    ¡°Curtis, go get Mrs. Reinhardt.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°Curtis.¡±


    His voice calling the name was annoying.


    At that moment, Curtis instinctively pulled a double sword, but put it back when the emperor stopped him.


    Snap!


    As if he wanted to replace his reply with the rattling noise of the metal sword, he disappeared over the nearby window quietly.


    Eckart now loosened his grip on her waist and scanned her from head to toe.


    ¡°You look terrible! Who came and told you about another cheater today? Few people know I¡¯m here.¡±


    She dropped the tears that welled in her eyes and bit her lip harder.


    She didn¡¯t get angry even if he sarcastically reminded her of the recent fuss she made. Rather, she felt relaxed and shed more tears.


    At least the emperor was not a man who would throw her in the lake. He might be angry with her, but he hadn¡¯t come to see her since then, and suddenly appeared now.


    She wanted to ask how he had been doing up to now, but could not ask.


    In the end, she cried again.


    ¡°Marianne, what really happened? Nobody briefed me about anything unusual about you until an hour ago.¡±


    Eckart no longer spoke to her when he found something strange about her. He stared at her sharply with his blue eyes.


    In the end, she with a pale face opened her mouth. She began to speak slowly and little by little.


    ¡°¡­Giyom. ¡±


    Marianne strongly pulled the collar of her dress before she knew. She pulled it so strongly that even Eckart with a tougher build came forward.


    ¡°He was here?¡±


    ¡°Yes. A maid saw him entering the back door back a little while ago.¡±


    He faintly sensed somebody¡¯s presence at the end of the hallway.


    Marianne clutched the collar tighter with her trembling hands. She looked up with her green eyes wet with tears. She shook her head unconsciously. Her breathing was disturbed.


    She had to explain to him, ¡®I want to leave this place. I don¡¯t want to see them. Even for a moment I want to be out of their sight. I want to be isolated from that terrible voice.¡¯


    But before she could speak, Eckart moved first. He put his arms around her back.


    He supported her with a soft but not weak force. The door nearest to them was opened as quietly as possible. The golden cloak and the dress hem disappeared into it, sweeping over the carpet. A very small noise of him locking the door sounded like a hallucination and then disappeared.

 Chapter 54

    The place they went into was a bathroom. Fortunately, there was no maid there, but the large marble bath was filled with warm water. As if a maid had poured hot water in there to cool it down, their view was blurred because of the water vapor in the bathroom.


    ¡°Damn it! How come she walked so fast? Are you sure she went this way?¡±


    In the meantime, somebody¡¯s footsteps in the distance were heard closer. That was the noise of a couple of men walking with heavy steps and Ober¡¯s displeased voice.


    Marianne managed to come to her senses. As there was only one she could turn to at that moment, she desperately held the hem of his robe.


    Her exposed neck and shoulders trembled bitterly like herbivorous animals. She felt cold even though she was in the warm bathroom.


    The moment she curled up her shoulder, Eckart quietly raised her arm.


    ¡°You are really bugging me. Giyom, are you sure you didn¡¯t meet Marianne? Was there any news that she had a big quarrel with my mother today?¡±


    ¡°Nope. I haven¡¯t heard anything about the marquise.¡±


    ¡°Then, why did you suddenly get scared and run away? You were just fine until then. What¡¯s unusual was that you appeared suddenly and my mother was talked about. What the hell made you scared? Did a monster with ten eyes stand behind you? Why didn¡¯t I see that?¡±


    Although she heard Ober¡¯s sharp voice in front of the bathroom door, Marianne managed to stand right there without collapsing because that golden cloak covered her shoulders.


    Eckart held her with one arm while his other arm was grabbed by her. That was it. They didn¡¯t make any eye contact, whisper words of comfort, or tap their shoulders.


    Nevertheless, she felt she was completely protected.


    She did not refuse his favor, nor did she want to. Of course, he protected her out of considerations as a gentleman or out of patience for the hostage, but it didn¡¯t matter.


    The thin cloth of cloak was her biggest and strongest shield at this moment.


    Marian closed her eyes while leaning her forehead on her tight chest.


    Only after Ober and Giyom disappeared in the distance did she burst into tears, which she had been holding back.


    ¡°O my¡­.Your Excellency.¡±


    ¡°Tell me anything.¡±


    ¡°I was done crying now.¡±


    Marianne stared at him her swollen red eyes. His blue irises slanted toward her.


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°You can let me go now.¡±


    Only then did Eckart pulled away his arm around her shoulders. The warmth that covered her shoulder disappeared.


    He stood like a statue while Marianne cried without asking her to stop crying or even ask why. This helped Marianne to have her cry out. After she had a good cry, she suddenly felt embarrassed without any reason.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Your ceremonial clothes got wet because I shed tears¡­ ¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care because the deputy chamberlain has brought spare clothes.¡±


    His cold voice echoed through the steam in the bathroom. Eckart moved back a couple of steps from his spot.


    ¡°Have you calmed down now?¡±


    ¡°Pardon? Oh, yes. Thank you,¡± Marianne nodded quickly.


    ¡°Then, can I ask you a question now?¡±


    ¡°What question¡­? ¡±


    Eckart bit his lips as if hesitating for a moment, but then opened his mouth as if he were determined.


    ¡°When you were in Lennox, were you ever abused by Ober or his deputies? Or were you exposed to his one-time violence?¡± he asked with a calm look. But she felt a terrible suppression of anger in his voice.


    ¡°Not necessarily¡­¡±


    ¡°Violence is the crime of the oppressor, not the oppressed. I won¡¯t let anybody blame you. So, please be honest with me.¡±


    Eckart seemed to regard her excessive alertness as proof of somebody¡¯s abuse of her. It was a reasonable guess of the third party who didn¡¯t know her situation.


    ¡°Of course I felt bad every time I bumped into him, but I¡¯ve never been physically harassed.¡±


    At least during her lifetime in this life.


    Marianne held back her breath for a moment while slurring. What she suffered at the end of her previous life was much more severe than violence or abuse, but she could not tell him about it.


    ¡°Why were you so scared a minute ago?¡± he asked.


    Marianne couldn¡¯t open her heart to him at that moment.


    ¡°I know you were not scared that much when you dealt with Ober as a rule. Is it because of his deputy at hand?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡±


    His blue eyes showed he was determined to get her answer. Marianne desperately put her brain to work to find the answer that didn¡¯t look like a lie but very close to the truth.


    ¡°I sometimes have a nightmare.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°The guy in my nightmare looks exactly like Ober¡¯s deputy.¡±


    He was seen twisting his eyes in the blurry steam.


    ¡°Seriously. Ober also looks like another guy in my nightmare. But he is not the same man. How can I describe him? Have you never had a nightmare like mine? A familiar face appears in your dream, but he is not the same person in the real world, but just looks the same¡­¡±


    She felt she was babbling incoherently while talking. She rolled her eyes back and forth in anxiety. There was no chance that the emperor could buy her poor excuses, given his meticulous character.


    ¡°Got it.¡± His reply was too unexpected, though.


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°I got you. I don¡¯t want to talk to you anymore, so you can stop.¡±


    She was embarrassed by his sudden chilly tone, which made her really feel resentful.


    ¡°I know you also have something you find hard to tell me, right?¡±


    ¡°Ah, are you going to get even with me this time, too?¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me why you were angry that day¡­¡±


    While sweeping up his golden hair, he stopped.


    ¡°And you didn¡¯t say you were coming today¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Thank you for bringing this necklace to me. But you didn¡¯t say anything when you asked for it. I knew you accepted my request only when I met Sir Jed today.¡±


    She touched the emerald necklace around her neck. When she grabbed a tangled pendant with diamonds, its corner pierced her palm sharply. It hurt. That pain led her to ask him lots of things she felt suspicious about him up to now.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you like me a lot?¡±


    ¡°¡­Marianne. ¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you come to the party? Did I make a big mistake that day? Did you ever worry about me?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Eckart did not answer.


    As the water got cold, the steam disappeared quite a bit. Now, their view became clear. His blue eyes which were transparent like colored glass sparkled. She was fully reflected in his eyes.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re treating me well as a hostage against your will, but you don¡¯t have to do so. Even if you treat me cruelly, I won¡¯t run away or break my promise to you.¡±


    She realized suddenly.


    She felt heartbroken when she said that. She realized why he figure reflected in his eyes was so small and pitiable, and why she didn¡¯t want to hear at all when, in fact, she wanted to hear any reply from him.


    ¡°I get confused about you because you often have mercy on me. I just wonder if I can ask you personal questions as a hostage.¡±


    Her eyes were quickly wet with tears when she said that. She rubbed her eyes in no time, and she raised her head, pretending to be calm.


    ¡°Because I was busy with handling a lot of state affairs,¡± Eckart answered belatedly.


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Though she was eager for his reply, she felt miserable rather than happy when she heard his curt reply. She couldn¡¯t even feel sad.


    He clearly told her before that if she didn¡¯t hide anything, he wouldn¡¯t hide, either. How deceitful and cunning were his words?


    ¡°And I¡¯ve never shown you any favor against my will.¡±


    He gave her another room for hope, but she knew his intangible promises would disappear like a dream tomorrow.


    ¡°¡­ you are so cruel.¡±


    Marianne took a deep breath. The feeling of moist air filling her lungs was much better than her sucking moisture in the water.


    It was that sense she felt when she was alive. Even though she rolled in the mud and tolerated sheer shame, she could feel it because she was alive. She decided she would be grateful for that. She decided to believe it was enough.


    ¡°Thanks for helping me a little, even though you¡¯re treating a hostage like me with respect.


    Sorry for showing you my terrible look. I won¡¯t do it again.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Let me head out first. I think I need to fix my makeup.¡±


    Marianne put her hands on her chest and slightly lifted the hem of her dress. With light golden ruffles swayed like a wave, she slowly left the room.


    Bang.


    Eckart stood long looking at the closed door.


    After she left, there was a faint, sweet smell of flowers in his arms and lapel that Marianne had left behind. Words that he couldn¡¯t bring himself to utter stirred his mind like a storm.

 Chapter 55

    It got dark out of nowhere. The atmosphere of the ball also heated up.


    Luckily, Marianne met Mrs. Charlotte before leaving the bathroom. Ms. Charlotte, who visited the annex in a hurry at the emperor¡¯s sudden call, was surprised to see her there.


    But she quickly and surely gave her a pass without asking further. Indeed, that showed her exceptional skill in coping with the situation as the former chief maid of the empress.


    Her crumpled dress gently fluttered like petals. Her swollen eyes were moderately covered by dark makeup and the shade of the night. It took less than 30 minutes for Mrs. Charlotte to apply ointment to her slightly bruised knees, put new shoes and socks on her, and call out the maids who helped her dress up to remind them of the need to shut up.


    As a result, Marianne returned as she initially appeared at the banquet hall. Though she was beautiful, she looked pitiable when her dress was dragged to the floor.


    ¡°Well, how pitiable and beautiful she is! If an angel with broken wings comes down, she will look like that lady.¡±


    Someone in the crowd surrounding her excitedly screamed.


    People tended to see what they wanted to see first and then selectively believed what they wanted to believe. Rumors were easily inflated and the truth was more easily hidden. Even though they observed Marianne who left in a hurry, they thought her sudden leave was related to her affair with a man.


    ¡°Lady Marianne,¡± someone said.


    Perhaps most people would believe so, except for him.


    ¡°Sir¡­¡±


    Marianne looked aside with an awkward smile. Already, several pairs of couples were dancing around, and Marianne stood on the lower stage, enjoying watching the dance without excitement.


    ¡°I was worried if you had any discomfort.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I suddenly didn¡¯t feel well a while ago. I think I showed you my terrible look as I was so absent-minded. I hope you forget it.¡±


    ¡°Refusing a lady¡¯s request doesn¡¯t fit a gentleman¡¯s code of act. You don¡¯t have to worry about it.¡±


    Ober replied while smiling as gently as possible. At the same time, he scanned her from head to toe.


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    He still checked out the emeralds wrapped around her whole body. He even looked closely at her makeup that was a little darker than before and her feelings reflected in her eyes.


    ¡°Rejecting a gentleman¡¯s request is not also a lady¡¯s virtue, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Ober reached out in an elegant manner.


    If he learned anything from his mother Marquise Chester and his political foster father Duke Hubble, it was how to control his hot temper. He learned how to wait for the time to step back and catch a trap before throwing a knife at the game.


    Although he didn¡¯t succeed every time after he tried, he learned how to decorate his trick in a more sophisticated and sociable way when he succeeded.


    ¡°Sir, thank you. But I am¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re already late. Your Majesty will not come.¡±


    Marianne looked around at Ober¡¯s words. Mrs. Charlotte and Cordelli were watching her. Though they put on masks, they were very worried.


    Her eyes glanced farther. Over there, noblewomen and the young ladies were dancing or talking with the gentleman and young people. Among them, there were many busybodies who came to the ball to inflate the rumors about Marianne and Ober every day.


    But she couldn¡¯t find the emperor in the crowds.


    The emperor was clearly inside this mansion until a few minutes ago. But he was not beside her at this moment. Perhaps he already returned to the Imperial Palace. She didn¡¯t even ask why he suddenly appeared before her after ten days.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this a party for ladies? It would be a sin for a human like me to ask to dance to the goddess of Anthea, but it would be a greater sin if I dare to leave the goddess alone.¡±


    Ober mobilized all kinds of sweet talk and whispered like a snake.


    Marianne felt miserable about herself when she discovered she couldn¡¯t give up her lingering attachment for him.


    She brainwashed herself at that moment.


    ¡®Okay, this is great. Let them think my relationship with the emperor is very bad as the rumors say. So, I don¡¯t have to lie to deceive them.¡¯


    When she finally decided, she said, ¡°You must be the most faithful priest of Anthea, Sir Ober.¡±


    In the end, she slowly put her hands on Ober¡¯s. Ober knelt down and put his forehead and lips on the back of her hands.


    ¡°Oh my god!¡±


    ¡°Good Heavens!¡±


    ¡°Gosh!¡±


    Exclamations and lament that broke out everywhere in the ball hovered around her ears. Perhaps tomorrow this would generate the hottest rumors in town.


    ¡°His Majesty is entering!¡±


    The tranquility of the garden where the ball was taking place was disturbed by the chief attendant¡¯s loud announcement. The orchestra stopped playing, and the big throng of crowds made their way for him.


    Several servants ran around and quickly laid the golden carpet. Iric and Curtis and the other senior knights of the Eluang Knights, who were scattered around the venue, lined both sides of the carpet with salutes.


    ¡°We¡¯re honored to see the incarnation of the great god Airius.¡±


    Chief of the Royal Guard, Grand Duke Christopher, was the first to show his manners.


    Then other nobles and their daughters, wives and young men bent down and bowed like dominoes. Their shouts of respect for him repeated like an echo.


    Only then did Ober stood up, hiding his ridicule of the emperor. As she looked at the emperor approaching closer to her at the end of the long carpet, Marianne didn¡¯t see Ober letting go of her hand and stepping back.


    ¡°I¡¯m a little late,¡± said Eckart, stopping at the end of the carpet.


    ¡°Did you wait long?¡±


    Marianne shook her head slightly with a confused look. His green pupils met her blue pupils face to face.


    He turned his attention to the man next to her after noticing her suspicion.


    ¡°It looks like you¡¯ve escorted her on my behalf.¡±


    Ober barely bowed just enough to show his slightest manners.


    ¡°Let me appreciate your efforts later.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m honored.¡±


    They exchanged a monotonous dialogue, but even those who were slow-witted easily discovered that they were waging a fierce war of nerves.


    ¡°Marianne, I hope you don¡¯t feel too sad, though I¡¯m a bit late.¡±


    Eckart came closer to Marianne. He put his moderately smooth and smooth hand near her rib bones quietly.


    ¡°Just think I was late because I was overly concerned about your wellbeing.¡±


    Then he bent his waist slightly for her, who was relatively short, and leaned forward so that people there could think both of them were on good terms.


    ¡°I wanted to give you something today.¡±


    As he intended, people around him covered their mouths and whispered. Not only noblewomen and their daughters but also nobles and young men knew how the emperor treated women. So, they couldn¡¯t believe what was happening before their eyes.


    Wasn¡¯t he called the ¡®Blue Iron Wall¡¯? He was far from that!


    ¡°Colin, bring me a gift!¡±


    Receiving their hot attention, he called his personal secretary Colin. As if on cue, he brought a box. Deputy Chamberlain Kloud, waiting right beside him, took over the box in the middle, and opened the lid of the box before Marianne with the emperor¡¯s short permission.


    ¡°¡­Your Excellency!¡±


    She looked at Eckart with a more troubled expression.


    ¡°This is a diamond that the priest of the Roshan Temple found in the forty-sixth tributary of Benua Falls. This kind of red diamond is rare among the treasures of the imperial kingdom that were banded down since the founding days. Even today, nothing is left for the emperor, except for this.¡±


    Eckart described the history of jewels as if he narrated a myth, and at the end of each of his sentences, those surrounding him whispered more.


    ¡°But strangely enough, this was newly found during my reign. What does that mean?¡±


    He untied the emerald necklace around Marianne¡¯s neck in person. The tiara on her head, the earrings on her ears, and all the ornaments that Ober gave her were removed without exception. Instead, a red and transparent diamond necklace was worn around her neck.


    At first glance, it was a big, brilliant jewel that was over 100 carats.


    ¡°This gem was born for you.¡±


    Holding their breath, the guests were stunned to watch the gem, which revealed itself finally.


    ¡°Your Majesty, I don¡¯t deserve this¡­¡±


    ¡°No, I can¡¯t find any better owner than you.¡±


    Eckart cut off her words sharply. She looked down at the jewel on her neck.


    The feel of the heavy and cool mineral seemed to penetrate deep into her heart just like his unpredictable and hard-to-understand words.


    ¡°It really fits you nicely.¡±


    Of course, his compliment was not something like a dagger to Marianne.


    The same was true for Ober, who was trembling while clenching his teeth.


    Ober had been waiting for the emperor¡¯s surrender more than anybody else. He wished that one day the emperor who fell for a woman could act stupidly before a large crowd, not knowing what to do. It didn¡¯t matter to him if the emperor gave her a diamond larger than that, or built a larger palace than the Lucio Imperial Palace.

 Chapter 56

    ¡®How childish he is! How dare you scorn me in such a nasty way?¡¯ Ober thought to himself.


    He never wished that his gifts to Marianne, which Eckart removed, would be discarded like that.


    Those emeralds were kind of a bondage he put on Marianne. Going beyond mere aesthetic value, the gems were physical evidence that proved his influence over Marianne. Anyone who planted their own spies in the social circles knew what those gems he gave to her meant. Nevertheless, Eckart openly cut off the leash he put on her in front of everybody, as if he was her new lover. Of course, the emperor himself and Marianne knew that.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be nice to start a banquet now?¡± Eckart said with a gentle smile on his mouth.


    The orchestra again began to play an elegant waltz.


    Soon, he moved the cuffs of his golden sleeves softly and reached out to her, saying, ¡°My dear Anthea. Please allow me to stay with you forever as you and I become light and darkness to each other.¡±


    Just like Airius wooed the heart of his beloved goddess Anthea, he invited her to dance with him politely and elegantly.


    ¡°I, Anthea, swear that even after a thousand nights and days, my blessings from the beginning will protect us.¡±


    After hesitating for a moment, she took his hands. His green eyes trembled slightly.


    ¡°Your Excellency!¡±


    Marianne whispered quietly, asking, ¡°Why did you do that?¡±


    The garden was lively, with the voices of people and the playing of musical instruments mixed. Most of the guests looked at the two waltzing in the middle of the stage. Although it was difficult for their conversation not to be overheard by others, everyone talked in a low voice as if they were whispering far away. So, there was less risk of their dialogues leaking out.


    Marianne asked Eckart, ¡°You didn¡¯t have to piss off Ober so openly, did you?¡±


    ¡°Well, the more dramatic the rumor was, the faster it was supposed to spread.¡±


    He grinned at her as if he put his lips to her ears and talked in whispers. Some of the young ladies surrounding the stage began to whisper, suspicious of their eyes. Even though they put on masks, their surprise was clearly visible to others.


    Marianne continued, ¡°If it was your intention to inflate the rumors, I think you¡¯ve had a great success.¡±


    ¡°No. Not enough yet. Hubble and Chester have a lot of people with lots of experience in politics. I need to disperse their suspicion of our relationship.¡±


    The golden dress and the cloak fluttered gently through the night breeze. Their shoes and boots moved in step with the waltz. As their dancing was so beautiful like a picture, young ladies and men dreaming of romantic love expressed envy, carried away with it.


    ¡°So I don¡¯t want you to tolerate a little bit more,¡± Eckart said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you mean¡­¡±


    Even before Marianne was done asking, he let go of her hand gently. In no time, he kissed her forehead lightly, covering her cheeks with his cool fingers.


    ¡°We have to make them believe the rumors about us are related to our love, so we can reduce the chance of our plan being detected,¡± he said.


    As if to prove his words, those surrounding the emperor couple showed more intense reactions.


    Excited, Rane knocked on Jed¡¯s forearm grinning brightly, while Roxanne was tearing off the bouquet that she received from a young lady a moment ago. While looking at the couple, Ober kept emptying his wine cup. Though the marquise wore a mask and covered her face with a fan, she fixed her gaze on the emperor couple.


    Marianne tried hard not to grab the emperor¡¯s arms. Her forehead felt hot as if it was burned.


    If what happened in the crescent garden was an accident, this was a thoroughly planned tactic.


    The feelings of the end were mixed, too¡­


    ¡°Nevermind. I know that a hostage like me doesn¡¯t have a choice,¡± she said, as if she had mixed feelings of joy and sadness. Each of her words had implicit meaning.


    Eckart tried to refute, but shut his mouth. He let out a sigh over her hair.


    ¡°Have you prepared this in advance for a long time?¡±


    ¡°To some extent.¡±


    ¡°When did you start?¡±


    ¡°From the day you asked me to bring Ober¡¯s gifts.¡±


    ¡°You had the necklace before that, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but I didn¡¯t have it for long.¡±


    Marianne gave up asking. She couldn¡¯t expect any good answer even if she asked more. In the end, all his actions proved that he prepared today¡¯s event to control the public opinion and not to give the enemy any time to come up with a counterattack.


    And his action was natural. That was the main reason why she formed an alliance with him from the beginning. It would be foolish to expect more than that.


    ¡°I met all the people at the tea party you mentioned to me. As our engagement is just around the corner, I¡¯m going to invite them here with that excuse.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve also made a connection to Marquise Chester. I¡¯ve been given her permission to visit her mansion at any time, so I¡¯m going to go there when she is away. I think I can get some clear clues on Ober¡¯s treason plot.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good.¡±


    They talked in a businesslike manner. Marianne didn¡¯t say anything after that. The playing of string instruments and guests¡¯ chattering replaced their silence.


    Eckart slowly turned around and looked down.


    His relaxed gaze passed through Ober¡¯s chocolate rich hair, round and straight forehead, and long and dense eyelashes like pine needles. Suddenly, he recalled what happened in the bathroom.


    ¡°I have a nightmare sometimes.¡±


    ¡°Sometimes you have some stuff that you find hard to tell me.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you like me at all?¡±


    ¡°Why haven¡¯t you come? Did I make a big mistake that day? Have you ever worried about me?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to treat me well because I¡¯m your hostage.¡±


    ¡°As you often have mercy on me, I¡¯ve come to misunderstand your favor.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so cruel.¡±


    Hallucinations like this became as sharp as metal and dug into every part of his body. Each time a sentence was completed, an excuse was made. In the course on the Disciplines of Kingship, a must for anybody who wanted to be an emperor, taught the monarch¡¯s lack of shame as a virtue. It meant that any emperor candidate should not act shamefully, but it emphasized the fact that it was not a sin even if he acted shamefully. Perhaps it was designed to deify the emperor and increase the value of the emperor¡¯s order.


    Accordingly, Eckart was not supposed to admit any excuses. Excuses were unacceptable to the emperor.


    The emperor was the standard of all the people. For this reason, the emperor rarely admitted his mistakes or errors before the stern historians of future generations reassessed them. They didn¡¯t have to. Some notorious tyrants did not admit their mistakes until the moment their necks were cut off at the guillotine.


    Since the emperor¡¯s honor was so important, the wise men of previous generations crafted cunning rules to guard against the emperor¡¯s mighty power. They suppressed the desire of the emperor through strict laws. They stopped the emperor from taking actions at the whim of their private feelings. Nevertheless, they taught that as the emperor was the country itself, his crown studded with nine jewels was the highest good on earth.


    But time rusted everything. It operated on the principle that the dam would break one day if you forcibly stop the river from running.


    Laws gradually faded and were used to protect the families, clans, politics and their political forces. Though it was not necessarily limited to the emperor, sufficiently distorted truth was the best excuse for killing their political foes even at the risk of violating morals, hurting others, and ruining even the country¡­


    Eckart was an aristocrat born and raised from the imperial family. He faithfully followed what he learned over 20 years. Before he turned ten, he relied on good faith, and after he turned 15, he went the opposite, any namely lived with malice.


    But since he met this woman, he began to quickly entertain suspicions that he held back.


    He felt like someone was slapping him in the face.


    ¡®Am I following the righteous path?¡¯


    How many people were forced to sacrifice in the name of suppressing their private feelings and defending public interests?


    ¡°Marianne.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    She now replied without even looking up at him.


    Eckart let out a very long sigh as if he was taking a deep breath. Then, he slowly opened his mouth. ¡°That day, I¡­¡±


    At that moment, someone was screaming.


    Ahhh!


    A sharp scream came from one of the tables where people were gathered.


    Stunned, Marianne staggered as she stumbled. She tightened her grip on Eckart¡¯s hand. He instinctively hugged her.


    ¡°Curtis!¡±


    Curtis was already running toward him before Eckart called. Curtis jumped over the table and quickly stopped in front of the two. Iric, who was on standby nearby stood by her quickly.


    ¡°A snake is inside my skirt! Oh my god!¡±

 Chapter 57

    A maid shrank with fright, almost crawling on the floor. When they looked at her, they saw a long snake slithering on the grass slowly.


    ¡°Oh! What is that ?! Oh my gosh!¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it viper? Catch it now!¡±


    ¡°Ahhh! It¡¯s so gross! ¡±


    The banquet hall quickly became a mess. The crowds dispersed in all directions. Grasping the situation, the knights pulled swords and came running. Before they arrived, however, somebody pierced the snake¡¯s tail with the pointed heel of her shoes. Almost at the same time, she cut through its neck with a knife at once.


    ¡°Rane!¡±


    ¡°Marianne!¡±


    Duchess Lamont and Ms. Beatrice, who were standing right behind, stopped her, frightened.


    ¡°Wow! Do you grow snakes at the Elior Mansion, too?¡±


    Brave snake hunter Rane bravely trampled on the dying snake harder.


    Noblewomen and young ladies around her covered their faces with fans or had the dry heaves as they couldn¡¯t stand it anymore.


    Briefly surprised by Rane¡¯s skillful handling of the knife, Marianne also frowned and turned her head. Eckart lifted his cloak and covered her, so she couldn¡¯t see it. His tight forearms touched her cheeks. A refreshing smell like that of a snow-covered lake or the breeze that passed through the pasture tickled her nose.


    He showed her too much favor again.


    Only then did Marianne realize her situation. As she was so absent-minded, she didn¡¯t even realize she was wrapped in Eckart¡¯s arms.


    The moment she was about to push him and turn, she heard someone on the other side shouting, ¡°Mother!¡±


    That voice was familiar.


    She felt ominous feelings like the knife stuck in the snake¡¯s neck.


    Marianne slowly looked away.


    She saw Countess Renault wrapped in Jed¡¯s arms, her body limp.


    ¡°The snake was a viper,¡± said Mrs. Charlotte said with a somber look.


    Eckart let out a heavy, long sigh. His dishevelled golden hair drifted slightly over his forehead.


    ¡°Fortunately, this snake was not poisonous. Her treatment was quick and the bite was far from the heart, so there would be no major aftereffects. The antidote that was in stock in the medical building was of the highest quality, so you don¡¯t have to worry about her too much.¡±


    As if to soothe Jed, Mrs. Charlotte quickly added a detailed explanation.


    ¡°It looks like she passed out a while ago. Did she wake up?¡± asked Marianne, who was nervous.


    ¡°She is unconscious. Her fever was up a bit, but not high enough to worry.¡±


    ¡°How about Sir and Sir Arthur?¡±


    ¡°Both of them said they would not step out of the room until their mother recovers her consciousness.¡±


    Marianne nodded with a terrible look. While watching her facial expression, Cordelli handed warm tea to her. When the refreshing scent of herbs warmed the air around her, she felt tired. But she couldn¡¯t even smell it.


    The party was stopped. The guards took care of the snake carcass, and most of the guests returned with heavy hearts. Colin argued that it was not right to send them right now because they were suspects, but Eckart ordered their dismissal, ignoring his request.


    If some cold water had been poisoned or someone had been attacked by an assassin, everyone on the spot would have been a suspect. But the snake was a natural animal. It was very difficult to find out whether it came in through the cracks or climbed over a high wall.


    As the banquet hall was crowded with many people who moved around on the grass, it was impossible to chase the traces of their footsteps on the grass. Even if the snake had an owner, it was impossible to find the owner because the snake didn¡¯t carry a name tag on its neck.


    ¡®It could be an accident, but I smell a rat because too many conditions are on the side of the snake.¡¯ Marianne touched the handle of the teacup with a puzzled look.


    The woman who first discovered the snake was the daughter of a viscount who followed Countess Renault. When the countess said she felt her ankle stinging, she lifted her dress a bit and wept while complaining that the snake in question popped out.


    Kloud interrogated her on behalf of Eckart, and reported that there was an extremely low probability of her being the culprit. They isolated her in a separate place, just in case they needed further questioning, but Eckart didn¡¯t think she was the culprit. Earl Renault also agreed, adding that everybody knew she had reptile phobia.


    Meanwhile, the staff at the mansion said in unison that they had never seen a snake. Even the old maid, Sophia, who worked in the mansion for more than 40 years, testified that she had never seen a snake in her life.


    The staff at the mansion used to weed daily and sprayed against the pest on the grass in the garden. Accordingly, it was impossible for snakes to slither into the grass there.


    ¡®If that¡¯s the case, who deliberately brought the snake here?¡¯


    However, all the guests arriving at the party had their bags inspected for any dangerous stuff, and no one was detected.


    And if anybody wanted to hide that large snake, it had to be hidden in the spacious skirt of a lady. As there was no specific evidence, they couldn¡¯t insult the ladies by lifting their skirts one by one.


    ¡°Where did the snake come from? I have no idea at all.¡±


    Marianne lamented while touching the teacup. Everyone in the room just kept silent.


    Although no one openly mentioned it, everyone was thinking that there would be someone behind this strange thing.


    ¡°There were a lot of people in the banquet hall. Why didn¡¯t anyone notice it until the snake was slithering to the table? And why was the countess among all the guests bitten?¡±


    ¡°Unless someone didn¡¯t control the snake, it¡¯s just her bad luck.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what the suspect must have aimed at,¡± said Eckart in a cold voice.


    ¡°The suspect must have planned that the whole thing would end up as an unfortunate accident by leaving no evidence. He probably picked a species that did not have fatal venom because it should be a moderate accident that should be forgotten after generating some rumors.¡±


    ¡°How did he do that?¡± asked Marianne, frowning.


    ¡°Why do you think the suspect chose a snake among many bad things?¡±


    Marianne recalled the secret letter she had received from Ober. The snake-shaped seal at the bottom of it was still vivid in her memory.


    ¡°The suspect wants to warn me,¡± said Eckart, clenching his fists as hard as he could.


    Dark blue veins and bones on the back of his hands grew clear as if they showed his surging anger.


    ¡°This is his clear threat that this won¡¯t be all next time, and at the same time he wants me to share my power even now,¡± he said.


    Marianne looked at the source of the voice as deep and low as the night. Eckart looked at her too. Their eyes met and got entangled.


    ¡°Why do you think Countess Renault among others was bitten, Marianne?¡±


    Was it an illusion? Marianne seemed to have seen some pain in his blue eyes.


    He continued, ¡°Because Mrs. Chester wants her role.¡±


    Only a few noblewomen were selected to help Marianne prepare for the engagement. Only a few women, including Mrs. Charlotte, who had already served as the chief maid at the mansion, were given the honor of serving the emperor and his future wife at hand.


    Countess Renault and Lady Beatrice. The emperor singled out them at the recent cabinet meeting.


    Pondering over his reply, Marian finally said, ¡°Then, please do as they please.¡±


    Eckart made an uncomprehending expression on his face.


    ¡°Marianne, you have to decide very carefully.¡±


    ¡°Well, I made a careful decision. If you bring someone else, she¡¯ll be hurt like the countess.


    As you said, you might get into bigger trouble next time.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s dangerous for you to keep the marquise too close.¡±


    Mrs. Charlotte dissuaded her with a worried look. But Marianne did not bat an eyelash.


    ¡°Your Excellency, Please think of it cool-headedly. Also, please don¡¯t forget your special assignment for me.¡±


    Although she described it elegantly, it referred to her role as a hostage.


    ¡°¡­ Marianne.¡±


    ¡°The next candidate to replace the countess is just one of those who will help me, right? I have other allies like Cordelli, Mrs. Charlotte, and Lady Beatrice.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°What are you worried about? Am I not the safest person from their standpoint? As long as they need me, they will never kill me.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t hesitate. You told me about it already. In other words, I have to pay the price for what I know and what I don¡¯t know. That¡¯s what you said. I think it¡¯s right that I have to pay the price for this. I don¡¯t want anybody else hurt again on behalf of you or me.¡±


    Eckart looked at her blankly. She was an innocent and pure lady until last month. She trusted people easily and hated the ugly aspects of politics. She was offended by somebody¡¯s trifling betrayal and she was too kind-hearted as if she was a woman born and raised in a different world from his, just like the daughter of a selfish bystander.

 Chapter 58

    In fact, that was what he wanted from her: sharp judgment and courage at the cost of sacrifice, constant goodwill and bold determination, behaving herself cunningly, knowing her place, as if to show off the conditions that will enhance her usefulness.


    What was more desirable in their relationship based on political interests?


    ¡°¡­ If that is your decision, I won¡¯t force you anymore. ¡±


    Eckart covered his clenched fist with the other hand. Though he wanted to spit out some other words, he shut his mouth like a surprised clam.


    This was the best decision. She was not wrong.


    Nevertheless, he did not know why he just felt stuffy. He did not want to know, and he should not know.


    * * *


    ¡°You obtained a snake that served its purpose very well.¡±


    Ober quickly emptied the glass of whiskey that Giyom filled.


    Mrs. Chester, who sat across the long table, clicked her tongue. A purple lace fan she was holding shook like a butterfly¡¯s wings.


    ¡°Excessive drinking is a shortcut to ruin. Haven¡¯t you learnt the lesson yet after watching your dead father? Anyway, men are¡­¡±


    ¡°Did the previous head of the Chester family die after drinking too much? Which idiot would take it at face value?¡±


    Ober made a ridiculous expression at her remarks. Mrs. Chester also shrugged, twisting her mouth slightly.


    The man they mentioned was the late Marquis Calvin von Chester. Though he was only an earl, he was awarded the title of marquis for the contribution he made during the Lennox war. He was well known as a womanizer who had affairs with lots of women, and an opportunist who offered to the emperor his wife he belatedly took. To Ober and Mrs. Chester, he was a father and a husband respectively. But neither of them called him a father or husband.


    ¡°If you are tired, go and have a rest. I hate listening to someone¡¯s drunk words.¡±


    ¡°That was a sure-fire way, but it wasn¡¯t something that Duke Hubble would approve. He likes a more noble way of doing it.¡±


    ¡°I am not a stupid Ilius. Why should I get approval from that old man for each and every little thing?


    At that moment Mrs,. Chester retorted in a displeased voice, ¡°What? Noble way? I just don¡¯t know if I could describe it as ¡®a noble way¡¯ that the emperor brutally killed Earl Dupling and Marquis Kylo, to whom he wanted to give one of the top five minister positions.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, it was known to the outside that they went hunting and were killed by a wild animal, right?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a rare coincidence that a snake appeared in the banquet room,¡± she said disdainfully, whose lips were a dark red rouge. She comfortably touched the seal ring on her right hand.


    A black snake was embossed on it.


    There was a pair of pythons in the seal of the Chester family. The black python Kiara and white python Rues. Chiara symbolized darkness and poison, while Rues symbolized light and wisdom. Both of them were engraved on the seal ring worn by Ober, now the head of the family.


    It was customary, however, to inscribe only one of them in the seal given to the immediate members of the family head. Until now, most women and children with Chester as their last name chose a ring engraved with Rues. Maybe they thought light and wisdom seemed less ominous than darkness and poison.


    But Erica, Marquise Chester, was different. She loved and valued Kiara much more. Throughout the long history of the Chester family, there were fewer than five people, including her, who chose Kiara.


    ¡°How skillful you are! It¡¯s amazing that you chose Mrs. Renault among so many guests as the target.¡±


    ¡°Beatrice is overly calm just like her father. It¡¯s hard to target her. But Mrs. Count is kind of hot-tempered, isn¡¯t she? What I mean is that those who are carried away by emotions easily are good targets. I like her very much.¡±


    Mrs. Chester smiled as if she was glad to hear that. Ober knew that she smiled sincerely, which creeped him out. He didn¡¯t really like it when others said he looked like his mother. But he sometimes felt even respect for her when he found her murderous design so elegant.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to Roshan soon, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I don¡¯t think the emperor is that stupid.¡±


    ¡°You can do whatever you want to do, but don¡¯t touch Marianne.¡±


    Mrs. Chester made a mysterious expression at that. With her eyebrows bent lightly, she smiled a smile of unknown intention.


    ¡°Bale.¡±


    She called his childhood name in a long time. Ober frowned to hear that. He did not like that name.


    ¡°Do you love her?¡± she asked.


    He felt her question was too ridiculous. He let out a sigh mixed with scorn.


    ¡°Mom, whose son do you think I am?¡±


    Love? Ober thought that word was very vulgar. He did not believe in the divinity of the god Airius, nor in the love of humans. Uncertainty and shallow illusions. He thought such false words were merely a means to deceive someone.


    ¡®Do I love Marianne?¡¯ he thought of her mother¡¯s question. Of course, he didn¡¯t. He just regarded what she had as useful. Her beauty, stupid attitude, territories and soldiers coming with her name, and the type of woman that the emperor coveted.


    If he succeeded in taking her, he will see the emperor ruining himself with jealousy and loss. When he added the power of her family, he would be able to restore the stolen throne. And he would be able to exploit both her attractive body and the rest of her life by feeding blind love.


    ¡°There is no love in the world. I learned it from you, Mom. I know how such trifling feelings make humans so powerless, and how wise it is to give up such feelings and have power and honor instead.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m proud of you. I¡¯m so happy to see you have grown well that I¡¯m almost moved to tears.¡±


    She reacted by deliberately pretending to wipe tears with her handkerchief. Ober snorted at her too obvious exaggeration. Their lookalike gray eyes faced each other.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m just as fond of her as you are. She is so cute as she reminds me of someone I know whenever I see her.¡±


    The marquise laughed once again as if she was happy.


    Ober quietly touched the empty glass while hearing her laughing. He tilted the glass Giyom was holding into his cup and drank whiskey again.


    ¡°Giyom.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°When was the date Yurt said he would come to the capital?¡±


    ¡°This month.¡±


    ¡°When he arrive, ask him to come and see me immediately.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Giyom bowed deeply. His indifferent face was hardened. Ober clicked his tongue without showing his pathetic feelings toward him.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be scared that much. Now he can¡¯t abuse you anymore. Why are you looking so scared when your master was changed time ago?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t waste your breath. Just let me know when you hear of his arrival.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Giyom bowed and stepped back. Ober pointed to the marquise¡¯s cup which was still full.


    ¡°This is a victory drink, Mom. Won¡¯t you drink it?¡±


    ¡°If you pick a champagne too early, the carbonic acid will be lost and will ruin its taste.¡±


    ¡°Your comment befits you as a long-time wine lover.¡±


    Ober rose from his seat and picked up the glass in front of her.


    ¡°Then, please excuse me. As you¡¯re going to be pretty busy soon, I think you had better have a good rest.¡±


    ¡°This is what I want to say to you,¡± said Mrs. Chester, smiling graciously at his son. It was a meaningful smile.


    ***


    In the morning two days later, there was a colorful procession coming out of the Lucio Imperial Palace. The two-headed eagle Brenda, the imperial bird of the Aslan Empire, and the seven-pronged trunk of a laurel tree were seen clearly at the top of the flag held by the flag bearer. It meant that the master of the procession was a member of the imperial family.


    Several carriages and horses carrying dozens of elite knights back and forth drove on the big streets in the palace. They smoothly headed for the south gate of the palace as people who recognized the procession of noblemen hastily made way for them.


    The clattering of horses¡¯ hoofs were heard from all sides.


    The procession soon arrived in front of Dona Bridge, where Lake Roen was within their view.


    In front of the bridge, there was another lavish procession.


    The doors of the four four-wheeled wagons, which seemed to carry noblewomen, opened one by one, and some familiar figures got off. Among the procession that stopped across the street, a man got off a wagon flying the flag of Brenda.


    ¡°May our god Airius¡¯s blessing be bestowed on Your Majesty!¡±


    A chorus of greetings to the emperor came out in unison.


    ¡°May our goddess Anthea protect you all.¡±


    The central figure of the long procession and Brenda¡¯s owner, Eckart, politely replied with her hands on chest. His dark blue cloak fluttered elegantly.


    ¡°Marianne!¡±

 Chapter 59

    Marianne, who had been at the front, looked up when he called her. She fell down her hand that was touching her red diamond necklace.


    ¡°It¡¯s going to be quite a long journey, so feel free to tell me when you feel discomfort anytime. Nothing is more important than your comfort.¡±


    Eckart gently kissed the back of her hand in silk gloves. Those around him whispered and felt a bit relaxed at that. Marianne went one step further as he led her.


    ¡°What about my father?¡±


    The moment the emperor¡¯s lips touched her forehead, she whispered in a low voice.


    ¡°Your father will stay and defend the Imperial Palace.¡±


    Eckart replied, removing his lips as slowly as possible. Soon the two were separated at a proper distance.


    ¡°¡­Thank you for your consideration. ¡±


    She expressed her thanks with an innocent look. When she slightly lifted her rosy dress and greeted him, she looked gorgeous as if the flowers were budding. In the eyes of those who stood far away, their physical contact was enough to have them think that she responded to the emperor¡¯s concern about her safety during the journey.


    Eckart let go of her hands and turned around. Cordelli helped Marianne get back in the carriage. Lamont Duchess, Marquise Chester, and Lady Beatrice, who were standing behind her, bowed to him briefly and got back into the carriage.


    ¡°Grand Duke!¡±


    The emperor called someone with a low voice.


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±


    Grand Duke Christopher, who was looking at this side while holding the white horse¡¯s reins, approached. His long, brilliant golden hair, tightly tied together, fluttered in the wind.


    Belying his age of over 40, his young face looked much like Eckart¡¯s. His neat Eluang Knights uniform fitted him well as if it was designed for him. His strong shoulder and sword showed that he was a knight who was soft but never weak-hearted.


    ¡°Let me emphasize it again. Pay special attention to the safety of these noblewomen.¡±


    ¡°Of course, will do. I will make sure there should be no danger to them. Eluang¡¯s elite unit is for Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Grand Duke!¡±


    His heavy call sounded more urgent than any other earnest request.


    Duke Christopher stared at his blue eyes quietly.


    He was a prince born and raised in the Imperial Palace. Because he did not marry and accepted the position of the chief guard instead of spending the rest of his life in the estate, he was to be a living witness of all that happened in the imperial court. And naturally he came to know the behind stories of the imperial family. Examples included the bad relationship between his and the Hubble family, the collapse of Aslan¡¯s ally, and the royal concubines who controlled the central government. Among them was the story about the lost country¡¯s princess with beautiful blue eyes and her son.


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    Duke Christopher bowed deeply to the emperor. That was his best goodwill and faith he could show to Eckart.


    ¡°Thank you. Please leave now.¡±


    Having said that, Eckart got in his carriage. A servant ran quickly to the back of the wagon with the worn-out foot stand, and Deputy Chamberlain Kloud looked around and closed the door.


    Duke Christopher jumped lightly and sat on the back of the horse. As the day was slightly cloudy, it was humid. He pulled the reins tightly as if he wanted to shake off his heavy heart.


    ¡°Eluang, have the whole ranks ready. We¡¯re leaving now!¡±


    He blew the silver whistle on his neck.


    * * *


    Roshan was a holy city located in the southwestern part of the Aslan Empire. This area, where the community of several temples including the main temple and priests were formed, served as the prime holy place overseeing the important rituals of the empire.


    The Roshan Temple, made of pure white marble, was a holy temple shining day and night. Those who had been to the temple at least once called the temple of the gods as the temple of stars, comparing it to stars, saying that it was like starlight that never went out forever as it absorbed sunlight during the day while and reflected moonlight at night. The shrine shone white and blue between the dark forest and valley looked mystic and holy like stars. It almost looked like a crystal of divine nature.


    Traditionally, temples were built in the area where priests could get closest to the gods, and the Roshan Temple followed that tradition. It wasn¡¯t until they passed through sheer sharp mountaintops and rugged mountain paths and across Benoua Falls with dozens of tributaries that they could see the Roshan Temple.


    ¡°Cordelli. Are we not there yet? I think I¡¯ll have a cramp on my ass.¡±


    It was too far and too rough for an average human to reach there.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be soon arriving at the mansion. You must be tired. I¡¯ll prepare bath water as soon as you get off. Soaking in warm water will make you feel better.¡±


    Cordelli soothed Marianne with a worried look. It was natural for her to come down with something as she had to sit in the carriage that ran for four hours each morning and evening, a total of eight hours per day.


    Fortunately, they stopped by mansions in each region and stayed overnight, but they had to slow down as it took time to take good care of the long procession. Mountain ridges looked magnificent, but they were too tricky and dangerous to climb right away.


    ¡°It¡¯s been three days already since we left, but I don¡¯t even see the waterfall, let alone the temple. When I moved from Lennox to Milan, my travel was tougher than this. Why do I feel it¡¯s harder now?¡±


    ¡°Well, you were impatient and in a hurry at that time. And your only goal was to get to the capital as soon as possible. Besides, the roads here seem to be much steeper. The streets were well paved from Lennox to the capital.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right. My butt didn¡¯t hurt as much as back then. It looks like my butt has already broken into 12 pieces.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really? Show me quickly. Let me stick them together.¡±


    Marianne grinned at her cheerful joking.


    ¡°It is so fortunate that I didn¡¯t take my father here! He can¡¯t even stop by the mansion because he was so busy with state affairs. He would have had a hard time if he had come here.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re going for the holy ceremony of engagement. I wish he had come. And it seemed that he wanted to come, too¡­¡±


    ¡°No. no way. It¡¯s dangerous.¡±


    Marianne resolutely replied, straining her eyebrows. Cordelli quickly gave in.


    ¡°I agree with you. Very tough roads here. He can attend your wedding and other ceremonies later anyway. Sir Iric is staying with him, so nothing will happen to him. Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, he should stay safe. He will,¡± said Marianne, as if she vowed.


    Her dark lips were closed tightly. She looked out the slightly open window. Beautiful scenery quickly passed by.


    It was because of the engagement ceremony that Eckart and Marianne went on a long and arduous road. Although a banquet that everyone enjoyed would be held in the imperial palace in Milan, the ceremony of them vowing their union before Airius had to take place at the Roshan Temple. No emperor in the history of the Aslan Empire skipped this process. As discussed at the last cabinet meeting, Duchess Lamont and Grand Duke Christopher accompanied them as they were was essential to the ceremony as the descendants of the Frey family. As their journey was difficult and important, those who would serve the emperor couple were selected strictly. This process was a bit complicated.


    Originally, Countess Renault and Lady Beatrice would have cared for and helped Marianne, but the countess was unconscious until their procession left Milan.


    Eckart allowed Jed to stand by and take care of her mother. Marianne also left Mrs. Charlotte in the mansion, so she could monitor her condition at all times. She hoped that Countess Renault could recover her consciousness, so she could apologize to the countess after she returned from Roshan.


    In the end, Mrs. Chester was selected to replace Mrs. Renault. Due to the tight schedule, the emperor had no time to hold a cabinet meeting, and even if it were opened, there would be no other option. It was the worst and best decision.


    On the other hand, Duke Kling, the chief palace minister, was regarded as the best candidate to accompany and serve the emperor at hand. Besides, he was the empress-to-be¡¯s father, so it was certain he would be chosen accordingly. However, Duke Kling remained in the Imperial Palace, and instead Deputy Chamberlain Kloud was dispatched in his place. Colin, who worked primarily as the emperor¡¯s personal secretary, was also sent as Duke Kling¡¯s deputy.


    There was only one reason he couldn¡¯t join the emperor.


    Marianne did not want him to come this time.


    ¡®This time he should not move at all. I¡¯ll make sure he won¡¯t move away from the palace as much as possible. The carriage is too dangerous for him.¡¯

 Chapter 60

    She closed her eyes tightly and vowed herself as if she tried to erase her terrible memories. Covered by her eyelids, she could see nothing. Nevertheless, one day last winter was vivid in her memory. Her father¡¯s funeral. On that snowy day, she plunged in despair while embracing her father¡¯s casket, which was as cold as snow.


    How much she regretted it after she detected Ober¡¯s cunning trick!


    If she had not been deceived by Ober, if her father had not changed his journey to accept her stubborn request, the wagon carrying her father would never have fallen down the cliff. Her father would not have hurt because of her, nor would she have been sent to the bottom of the lake by Ober¡¯s deputy. So in this life, nobody, nobody¡­


    ¡°Ahhh!¡±


    Marianne woke up from idle thoughts suddenly.


    The moment she noticed that Cordelli was screaming and reaching out to her, her body fell to one side.


    Thump!


    As if the carriage hit the rock, she felt a strong shock on her body. Marianne sat up slightly on the seat made of the fixed sofa. A glass of water on the table, a painting tool taken out to kill her boredom, and a silver cage without its owner floated in the air.


    ¡®Oops! It looks like my head, not butt, is going to break.¡¯


    The moment she felt time stopped, Marianne was absorbed in idle thoughts like that.


    She was out of touch with reality.


    In no time, everything inside the carriage was pulled back to the ground at a terrible speed as they couldn¡¯t fight gravity.


    ¡°Lady! ¡±


    A loud burst of sound pierced her ears, muffling Cordlli¡¯s shouting. Marianne fell off the sofa as if someone threw her out. She slipped from the sofa and sat down on the bottom of the carriage. As she instinctively grabbed the door handle, she could barely avoid rolling down.


    ¡°Are you okay, Lady? What should I do? What the hell happened?¡±


    Cordelli, who was thrown on the other side, crawled to her, removing the messy stuff before her. The carriage was still tilted to one side, with the windows almost on the floor and the doors on her right shoulder. One pair of abundant dresses swelled freely to block her view.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay except my butt. It looks like it¡¯s really broken.¡±


    Someone cleared the fluttering lace roughly.


    ¡°Oh my god. Does it hurt a lot? How could this happen if they didn¡¯t drive the wagon recklessly? Did they mess with the maintenance? How dare they drive the future empress¡¯s carriage so recklessly! How outrageous!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m okay. It looks like the wheels are missing as the wagon is tilted to one side like this¡­¡±


    ¡°Good Heavens! You have been so emboldened while you¡¯re in the capital! You are not surprised that much¡­ I guess Milan is not a good place to live. I know you were surprised to see a bug sitting on a petal in the past¡­¡± Cordelli said, glancing at her with an uncomfortable look. Her boisterous fuss made Marianne calmer. She even laughed rather than feared in such a messy situation.


    ¡°You bet. I¡¯m so glad you are okay, too. By the way you? Are you injured?¡±


    ¡°Well, I think I¡¯ll be okay even if I am born again. I was not injured at all. I don¡¯t think you have any broken bones. Can you stand up?¡±


    Marianne nodded. Cordelli supported her. She stepped on paper and a brush, which made some noise. Fortunately, the glass fell on the soft cushion.


    At that moment it was very disturbing outside the carriage.


    The sound of horses crying roughly, the sound of the knights¡¯ armor rattling, and their shouts to open the door were faintly heard.


    Marianne pushed the door stiffened by the impact of the bump.


    The door was opened wide with a loud noise. She got up and took her upper body out of the door. Just like sprouts shot forth from the ground, her small head came out of the wagon.


    As the carriage was tilted, the setting sunlight pierced her eyes. She frowned unconsciously and raised her hand to put up an awning.


    ¡°Marianne!¡±


    The first one she saw was a familiar face. His blue eyes and sparkling golden hair. His low voice when he called her name, as always.


    Come to think of it, she felt the voice was a little different. It was anxious and urgent, not calm.


    ¡°Your Excellency?¡±


    Marianne felt strange about his attitude. But before she thought further, Eckart jumped over the wagon and asked a barrage of questions.


    ¡°Are you okay? Are you injured at all? Were you surprised?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Cordelli is fine, too. By the way, how come the wagon suddenly¡­¡±


    She couldn¡¯t finish her words. Wrapping her back with his tight arms, he lifted her gently.


    As she felt she was losing her balance, she embraced Eckart¡¯s nape unconsciously. Her rosy dress swept through the wagon¡¯s door like the wind and then unfolded on the ground.


    Getting out of the wagon in a blink of an eye, she rolled her eyes. She swallowed dry saliva.


    ¡°¡­ Thank you. You don¡¯t have to take me out in person¡­¡±


    But Eckart was not listening at that moment. He was taking a deep breath like a man who would jump into a lake right away, and then breathed out long as if he poured his anger into his breath.


    She opened her eyes she closed a moment ago. He cast a sharp glance at those standing behind her.


    ¡°Who last inspected the wagon?¡±


    Marianne glanced at the crowd, watching Curtis, who was waiting nearby, taking out Cordelli.


    They stiffened as if they turned into trees in a group. Beatrice came to her with a worried look and Duchess Lamont and Marquise Chester were now getting out of the wagon.


    Other knights, maids, and servants bowed and hunched their shoulders in bewilderment.


    ¡°This is the guy, Your Majesty,¡± Duke Christopher said.


    He took the coachman who drove Marianne¡¯s wagon and had him kneel down.


    ¡°Your Majesty, please save my life! There was nothing wrong when I inspected it this morning! I¡¯m serious! Please have mercy on me. The wagon was perfect! If you can save my life, please, please¡­¡±


    The horseman stammered, knocking his head on the ground. Even though he was pleading for his life, with tears on his sore face, Eckart examined the wagon¡¯s path and its broken wheels with cold eyes.


    ¡°Although the roads here aren¡¯t as well paved as the roads in Milan¡¯s town, there weren¡¯t any roadblocks big enough to crush the wagon. How could this happen if you didn¡¯t tighten the wheels from the start?


    ¡°I don¡¯t know that¡­¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡±


    Eckhart asked back with an indifferent look. Wearing black boots, he walked over and took out a sword hanging on Christopher¡¯s waist.


    The noise of the metal sword ripped off the silence.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think your answer can convince me.¡±


    Eckart turned around with the sword. He cast a cold-hearted gaze at the horseman without even any pity.


    ¡°Please save my life! I was wrong. I¡¯ll never, never¡­¡±


    The horseman rubbed his hands, with his face ashen. Those around him turned their eyes as if they already expected the terrible outcome. Nobody stopped Eckart.


    There was no need to investigate the cause of the accident, such as whether the horseman was really deliberately loosening the wheel, or if it was an accident for unknown reasons.


    That was not important.


    Something that the emperor did not approve happened, and it was the worst casualty that would have injured the prospective empress.


    Only that was obvious at this point. As it happened by a commoner¡¯s mistake, not a nobleman, saving his life would be almost impossible. And someone had to be responsible for this accident, regardless of whether it was some dirty trick behind it or the chances of this were one in a million.


    Eckart lifted his arm high after adjusting his grip on the sword once.


    ¡°Your Excellency!¡±


    At that moment her red skirt blocked his view.


    ¡°¡­ Step aside, Marianne!¡± he shouted chilly.


    Mariane shook her head harder instead of stepping back.


    ¡°I was not injured even though the wagon was broken. I think it¡¯s because he stopped the wagon by calming down the surprised horses as best he could.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the horseman¡¯s bounden duty, and it¡¯s not a reason to lessen his guilt.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, I have to give some credit to the horseman for my safety. How can I let the man who saved my life die?¡±


    ¡°Marianne!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mean he¡¯s completely innocent. Like you said, this road is not dangerous enough to cause such a big accident. But this accident probably happened because of an unexpected thing. Besides, we¡¯re out on the journey for our good event. It¡¯s a bit ominous to see blood, so why don¡¯t you punish him differently?¡±


    Marianne¡¯s attitude was very stubborn. Even with the sharp blade of the sword before her nose, she didn¡¯t bat an eyelash.


    ¡°It is abandoning my duty if I don¡¯t punish his fault at the right moment.¡±


    ¡°Right. But sometimes you also need generosity as a supervisor who can pass over his staff¡¯s mistakes. It was not the violent wind but the warm sun that made the traveller take off his clothes on the way.¡±


    Even reciting an old fairy tale, she leaned toward the horseman who lay face down.

 Chapter 61

    ¡°What is your name?¡±


    ¡°My name is Barton,¡± he replied, his hands trembling violently.


    ¡°Aha, Barton. Okay. You came out for this journey for a happy event, so the emperor will forgive you this time, but you shouldn¡¯t make the same mistake.¡±


    ¡°Yes, madame! This will never happen again!¡±


    ¡°As you have made efforts for me, I¡¯ve begged the emperor for your mercy. But I can¡¯t save you from any punishment to save his face,¡± she said in a soft and firm tone.


    Barton lay face down again and replied, ¡°I¡¯ll accept whatever punishment you give me. Just save my life. I have a wife and children. They would starve without me. Please¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, you have a child. Is it a daughter or a son?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got one son and one daughter.¡±


    Hearing his words, she bit her lip gently as if she was thinking of something.


    ¡°Good. Then let¡¯s do this way.¡±


    She raised herself upright as she made a decision. Her red diamond on the neck shined brighter in the sunset.


    ¡°Barton and his son shall work for three years in the stables of the Elior Mansion. Barton¡¯s wife and daughter shall help the Elior kitchen for three years.¡±


    Her order was an overly benevolent command than punishment. He would not be beaten or punished at all, but he and his family members would be working at the Elior Mansion for only three years. Although they are supposed to work for free, they would be provided with room and board, just like other staff at the mansion.


    In the end, her order was like giving him a new job and cutting his salary for three years.


    Too generous a mercy, those around him began to whisper. Even Barton shook his head as if he couldn¡¯t believe his ears. The marquise frowned after covering her face with a fan while Beatrice had a happy smile on her face.


    Marianne just looked at the emperor quietly, folding her fingers as if she were waiting for his approval.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Eckart looked at the men around him with a firm expression. Though he was casual amid their attention, he had no choice but to be conscious of her order to Barton.


    Eventually, he let out a short sigh and nodded lightly.


    ¡°Oh, madame!¡±


    Barton repeatedly bowed to her as he was overjoyed. Her shoulders, stiffened when she was tense, drooped. Eckart handed the sword back to Grand Duke Christopher. In any case, the matter was solved satisfactorily, and the knights and men were pleased with Marianne¡¯s mercy. If she became the empress, there might be people who could depend on her for her mercy. For them, the more generous their master, the better.


    ¡°My hat is off to you for your generous decision. By the way, Your Majesty, don¡¯t you think you need a new wagon as her wagon was broken?¡±


    As if she didn¡¯t like the peaceful atmosphere, Mrs. Chester stepped forward and said, ¡°I wonder if Marianne can sit next to me as I have a vacant seat in my wagon?¡±


    Stepping aside a bit, she pointed to her gorgeous carriage. In fact, there was no extra carriage, but they had to travel further. Even if they found another way to get to the destination after arriving at a local official residence, Marianne¡¯s taking the vacant seat in Mrs. Chester¡¯s carriage right now was the most efficient way.


    Marianne knew it well. But she couldn¡¯t answer quickly. She didn¡¯t want to travel with her uncomfortably.


    ¡°As you have two maids in your carriage, I think my wagon might be a better choice because I didn¡¯t bring any maid.¡±


    As if she read Marianne¡¯s mind, Beatrice kindly suggested to her to take her wagon.


    It was hard to say that Marianne was very close to Beatrice, but she felt much more comfortable to be around her than Mrs. Chester. Besides, she remembered Eckart¡¯s request that she maintain a very good relationship with Beatrice.


    ¡°Given the choice, I think you might feel more comfortable in a more spacious carriage. We have to get there before sunset, so we better hurry up.¡±


    Duchess Lamont fanned it gently, pressing on them. Though she didn¡¯t intend to have Marianne share her wagon, it seemed she thought it was better for her to get in Beatrice¡¯s wagon.


    ¡°Alright, get in my carriage. You can let the maid get off and walk along,¡± said Mrs. Chester.


    ¡°Madame! Don¡¯t the maids belong to the noble family? Even if we are not far from the local official residence, it¡¯s unreasonable to have them walk along,¡± quipped Beatrice.


    ¡°Oh, how generous you are! If you think so, why don¡¯t you give them a ride in your wagon? You said you didn¡¯t bring any maids, right? It would be better if you shared your wagon with my two maids as well as yours, so they could chat on their way,¡± Mrs. Chester retorted.


    ¡°I thought you were only very good at ruining the atmosphere, but I think you are also very good at making things complicated, Mrs. Chester. Why are you making so many people uncomfortable?¡± Duchess Lamont cut in, making a frustrated expression while Beatrice and Mrs. Chester were having a quarrel.


    ¡°Duchess Lamont, it¡¯s not me but Miss Beatrice who is making things complicated. Don¡¯t you know Marianne¡¯s taste? Beatrice¡¯s carriage is too simple. Maybe even the knights over there will find it more comfortable to get in my wagon.¡±


    Mrs. Chester narrowed her eyebrows a bit and laughed with a strange look. When she mentioned Beatrice¡¯s wagon as ¡®simple,¡¯ it meant her wagon was shabby and uncomfortable. After all, her description of Beatrice¡¯s wagon was nothing but mockery.


    Beatrice raised her glasses once with her mouth closed.


    Of course, her carriage was not old or shabby. It was a carriage used by the daughter of an influential marquis in the empire. Naturally, it was made with good wood and a soft insignia. Books piled up inside were rare books, along with soft blankets and portable tea utensils that were among the best. Since Beatrice hated unnecessary luxuries, she did not decorate her carriage with cute accessories or carry luxurious items in the wagon like other girls. For example, there were no fancy props or ornaments, finely-crafted glasses, or a fan made from peacock feathers. The fact that she didn¡¯t bring a maid showed how frugal she was.


    ¡°How could you invite Marianne to get in a carriage like yours, Beatrice? She would most likely feel uncomfortable. But you don¡¯t have any available space in your wagon, Duchess Lamont¡­¡±


    Mrs. Marquis Chester made fun of the duchess furtively as if to tease her who had no intention to share her wagon with Marianne.


    ¡°I have a very nice wagon here. Is it wrong for me to have a seat available for Marianne?¡±


    The duchess and the marquise looked at each other sharply. The atmosphere eased by Marianne¡¯s merciful decision was frozen again.


    Marianne sighed while looking at the two women.


    As the marquise said, it was only a matter of personal taste after all. And she had no intention to insist on her own taste for someone else¡¯s wagon, which was only a means for her to travel to the destination.


    ¡°Well, I appreciate your kind offer¡­¡±


    The problem was that the situation was already overheated. Either side would be offended, depending on her final choice. Although the reasons were different, she hoped that Mrs. Chester or Beatrice would not offended by her decision. In particular, she did not want to give the impression that she sided with either of them.


    ¡®What should I do? Can I just tell them I want to walk? But it will cause inconvenience for others because they have to follow me by walking. I hate that.¡¯


    While she put her brain to work quickly, Eckart in a dark red cloak came behind her and said, ¡°Thank you for your goodwill, but she will come with me.¡±


    Eckhart wrapped her shoulders.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you like it?¡±


    Of course this was not a question, but an order.


    ¡°Oh, sounds good! I¡¯d love to.¡±


    Marianne replied quickly with a smile because she felt that perhaps this was the wisest option.


    ¡°Your Majesty, don¡¯t you have the deputy chamberlain and his men in your wagon? I¡¯m afraid you are going to move them into the ladies¡¯ wagons¡­¡±


    ¡°It does not matter!¡±


    When the marquise tried to find fault again, Marianne stepped in unconsciously. She didn¡¯t want to make things complicated anymore.


    At that moment, she saw several knights putting the horses driving the broken wagons back into the procession.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to get on a horse!¡±


    At her unexpected announcement, not only the duchess and the countess but also Eckart and Cordelli looked at Marianne in a suspicious way.


    ¡°Well, I hear the local official residence was around the corner, and I didn¡¯t really want to get in the wagon again. I¡¯m scared if it breaks again. Besides, the weather is so good¡­¡±


    Her hurried excuses, however, didn¡¯t appeal to them. She was faced with their cold look in an instant.


    ¡°But you will feel a bit uncomfortable if you ride a horse in your condition, and it¡¯s also dangerous.¡±


    ¡°I understand that, but¡­¡±


    ¡°She will be alright if we ride together,¡± Eckart said conclusively.

 Chapter 62

    After all, Eckart finally announced the decision in a low voice. Even before the marquise refuted him again, he called Grand Duke Christopher standing at a distance.


    ¡°Hey, let me ride a horse with Marianne. Let 20 knights including Curtis follow me and you take care of the rest of the procession, Grand Duke Christopher!¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡±


    ¡°They should follow me at least ten steps away from my horse.¡±


    ¡°You bet. Please wait a minute as I have to send the advance party to check out the road conditions ahead.¡±


    Eckart nodded. Grand Duke Christopher quickly left to call up the knights.


    ¡°I will never forget your efforts for me. Thank you.¡±


    Marianne appreciated their help at the right time. Although she felt Mrs. Chester¡¯s sharp look, she took the pains to smile, pretending not to notice it. As there were no more excuses, everyone went back to their places.


    The procession that stopped because of the accident waited for a while before leaving again. Twenty white horses each carrying a knight were ahead of the rider with an imperial flag.


    The scenic beauty of the sun setting in the mountain ridges was superb. The splendor of the setting sun fell through the dense tree trunks. The smell of grass and the fragrance of wildflowers carried by the evening breeze was everywhere. Even the hoofbeats sounded like the cheerful beat of percussion instruments.


    ¡°It¡¯s so different from what I saw inside the wagon. How pretty!¡±


    Marianne admired the landscape unfolding before her eyes. As if she had forgotten the accident a little while ago, admiration filled her face.


    ¡°Let¡¯s move by wagon tomorrow. The roads will be tougher,¡± Eckart said, reining in the horse tightly once more. He was supporting her back with one arm, who was seated on the horse slantedly. Her flowy long dress covered not only the horse¡¯s saddle but more than half its body. At a distance, the horse seemed to be wearing a red lace.


    ¡°Will do. I¡¯m sorry for what happened a moment ago. I didn¡¯t want to lose favor with anybody. In the end, I think I caused trouble for you.¡±


    Eckhart looked down at her, feeling her warmth. After a brief hesitation, he brought up a different topic.


    ¡°¡­ Weren¡¯t you really hurt?¡±


    ¡°Nope. As you can see, I¡¯m very fine.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t loosen up for the rest of your journey. Although the Eluang Knights will always be by your side, they will find it more difficult to escort you than inside the Imperial Palace. That¡¯s why the enemy is targeting you.¡±


    ¡°Do you think somebody has secretly instigated Barton to do that?¡±


    Marianne turned her head to look up at Eckart¡¯s eyes. He looked at her with hIs blue and cold gaze.


    ¡°I have no doubt that there is somebody behind this trick, regardless of whether it was his evil act or someone else¡¯s behind the scenes¡­¡±


    ¡°Why were you trying to kill Barton when you were not sure then?¡±


    ¡°Because I didn¡¯t want to have you hurt twice.¡±


    It was a decisive and heavy answer. She tightened her grip on the saddle.


    ¡°I know if Barton was really serious about killing you, he wouldn¡¯t have stopped there. But that can¡¯t prove his complete innocence. Should I still forgive his carelessness?¡±


    ¡°Who knows? Someone else might be the real culprit, right?¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t find the true criminal in that place anyway. If I found the real criminal, I would have to kill Barton. Even the true criminal might be a man of the lowest class, instigated by someone else. The harsher the punishment, the greater the pressure he will feel. ¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Everyone is afraid of death. So, they prefer the less dangerous side.¡±


    What he meant was that if Barton was a true criminal, he would receive the due punishment; otherwise, he wanted to instill fear into the true criminal to stop him from committing further evil.


    Marianne understood his point. But she did not want to regard someone¡¯s life as the natural weapon in fighting.


    ¡°What if it was just an accident?¡±


    ¡°Marianne, This is different from the snake accident at the ball. No matter how tough the roads are, it can¡¯t be coincidence that the wheels of a normal wagon are falling off without any damage to the shaft. In other words, it couldn¡¯t happen unless someone planned it in advance.¡±


    At that moment, Eckhart recalled the shape of the broken wheels of her wagon.


    The wagon she got in was almost new. It never drove long miles enough for the shaft to be worn out and broken. And the shape of the shaft showed that it was not broken due to any outside force or shock. Its overly clean circular axis added to the speculation that someone might have artificially tightened it loosely.


    ¡°Let me save Barton¡¯s life in response to your request. If he doesn¡¯t meet Chester or Hubble after returning to the capital, he will be safe for the next three years. I can promise that.¡±


    This meant that he didn¡¯t forgive Barton completely.


    ¡°Thank you for your mercy, Your Majesty.¡±


    As his suspicion was reasonable and justified, she nodded at that point.


    She was still more inclined to believe that Barton was not the true criminal. If he was, as Eckart said, it would be impossible to save his life. She already made a big concession by leaving Eve in the mansion.


    When they were done talking businesslike, silence fell again between the two.


    Marianne was lost in idle thoughts, looking afar. The scenery was still beautiful but not as attractive as before. Instead, she was troubled by complex political stuff messed up in her head.


    ¡®Was it really Barton? If not Barton, who would it be? Mrs. Chester? Duke Hubble? Ober? If they intend to harm me, can they also target my father? I left Iric behind because I was worried about my father¡¯s safety, but¡­¡±


    All sorts of assumptions and speculations dominated her thinking.


    She twisted her hair with her fingertips like a habit and suddenly realized she was leaning on his chest.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t know I was¡­¡±


    She erected her body and stiffened like firewood. As she suddenly raised her upper body, she slightly staggered. When she hurriedly looked for the saddle with her hand, she found a much larger hand rested on the back of her hand.


    ¡°Marianne.¡±


    It was a low and cool voice as usual. She could recognize that voice even among the crowds. ¡°You don¡¯t have to say sorry.¡±


    His other hand holding the bridle pulled her head lightly. Her tortuous chocolate hair again scattered on the chest of his dark red robe. The tip of his straight jaw pressed on the top of her crown gently as if he had set up a trap to stop her from running away.


    ¡°You are a woman who doesn¡¯t have to apologize to me for this kind of stuff.¡±


    She slowly blinked her big green eyes again.


    His heart was beating like crazy in her ears, so much so that her head felt like spinning. She was not sure if the beating was coming from his chest or her own heart was beating with thrill.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t I have to apologize?¡±


    She didn¡¯t intend to ask that question, which popped out as if the flower buds came out.


    ¡°Why do you think I¡¯m not the type of woman who doesn¡¯t have to apologize to you?¡±


    But he didn¡¯t reply.


    She stopped leaning on him and erected her upper body. She looked at him with an expression mixed with anxiety and hope in her eyes. His face, on which the sunset was shining, was a mixture of reddish light and infinite dark shades.


    ¡°That¡¯s because¡­¡±


    Only then did Eckhart realize what he said to her.


    In Aslan mythology, which he read as a child, the glow of the setting sunset was the hem of Astrid, the goddess of deception. Of course, young Eckart did not believe it. He just guessed that the sunset might be brilliant like that. Even though he was wet behind the ears, he also thought it was something like an exaggeration to promote the nobleness of divinity. But now, he rather hoped that the glow of the setting sun would really be Astrid¡¯s hem. Otherwise, there was no excuse for justifying his actions. As if he was bewitched by the goddess¡¯s beauty, he revealed his inner thinking. He was rarely embarrassed. He couldn¡¯t afford to reflect on why he did this stupid thing. He had a hard time answering what he had to answer right now. Though he didn¡¯t show any noticeable expression, he fumbled because he couldn¡¯t hide his embarrassment.


    ¡°¡­Is it because I¡¯m your important hostage?¡±


    But she interpreted his ambiguous actions quite differently.


    ¡°Is it because you want to show the people here that we are in love? Is it because you don¡¯t want to pay attention to this kind of trifling stuff because we have to attract their attention to our love affairs in the days ahead?¡±


    The more she said, the more emotional she was. Fortunately, Eckart tightened his left hand on which she was leaning on. The bones of the swollen back of his hand and the dark blue veins became clear as if they had been ripped out of the skin.

 Chapter 63

    ¡®Is it because she was a hostage too precious to give up or because she sucked when offended? Or was it because he didn¡¯t feel the need to bother and answer this kind of minor physical contact?¡¯


    Of course not. Absolutely not. He just didn¡¯t want her to apologize for these kinds of trifles. He didn¡¯t want to confirm that she was feeling a sense of distance. He didn¡¯t want to hear her asking for his forgiveness every time she put her cheeks on his shoulders, grabbed his hands, and leaned on his arms.


    ¡°Marianne, what I mean is ¡­¡±


    But he couldn¡¯t say that. It was he who planted such a deep sense of betrayal in her eyes.


    It was he who pushed her away coldly and did not make any excuses for her repeated asking.


    In such a situation, he would have given her some hope if he had overturned what he told her up to now. What should he after giving her hope? Could he really protect this woman?


    Eckart bit his lips with a long sigh.


    He had yet to take his revenge for her mother. He didn¡¯t yet forgive her father, nor did he throw him away completely. He could not know what to do with them. From a cool-hearted point of view, he would not even know how his fight against the rebel forces would end up.


    But what if she were hurt more, felt despair, and lost her life like her mother because he couldn¡¯t control his greed?


    ¡°No. You don¡¯t have to answer. I already know that.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Marianne.¡±


    ¡°Do not answer. please.¡±


    Marianne leaned back on his chest in a desperate gesture. Their entangled eyes were cut off coldly and scattered in the air. She pulled away her hands and grabbed the hem of her dress. Silence fell again on the clear forest road. Occasionally, she was weeping. Eckart stiffened like a stone statue after hearing all of it. All he could do was make an excuse for her to weep and help her to create a love affair with him. He didn¡¯t have the nerve to soothe her.


    At that moment, a white bird flew from afar. The bird settled on the saddle edge, flapping its shiny wings.


    ¡°Phebe?¡±


    As Poibe replied, it shook its chubby body back and forth. Its yellow crest nodded. Its black eyes sparkled like pebbles by the river.


    ¡°Did you enjoy the forest?¡± Marianne asked, hurriedly wiping her tears down to her chin. Poibe trotted toward her on its small feet and pecked up her arm.


    ¡°Sorry. My wagon was broken on the way. Your cage is probably in another wagon. I didn¡¯t even get a snack for you!¡±


    ¡°Peeyi.¡±


    Phebe usually spoke well, but it shook his head as if to protest by making a noise.


    But it didn¡¯t tear her hair with its claws or use its beak as a weapon like before. At least it meant that Phebe didn¡¯t regard her as an enemy. In fact, she freed Phebe from the cage to enjoy the forest on the way, but it came back to her on its own.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of you when I reach the residence. So, don¡¯t be angry.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m hungry!¡±


    ¡°Okay, Okay.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m hungry!¡±


    ¡°Gosh, how come you¡¯re so stubborn?¡±


    Marianne laughed while stroking its head, feeling pathetic about this small, tender creature.


    Her empty heart seemed to be a little warmer. She put the parrot over her finger and rubbed her cheek slightly.


    Without knowing the blue eyes right beside her cheek, Poibe spread its wings again as if it was done and soared in the sky, disappearing in the distance.


    They were approaching the local residence finally.


    * * *


    When they arrived at the residence, they hurriedly unpacked. It had been three days since they traveled, and now everyone was used to packing and unpacking.


    Marianne got off the horse, helped by Eckart. Her rose-colored dress fell softly to the ground as the glow of sunset faded. Fortunately, her tears were dried off on the way, and the two weren¡¯t stupid enough to show their previous emotional battle.


    ¡°Have a good rest.¡±


    ¡°You too, Your Majesty.¡±


    They exchanged simple greetings like that when they parted.


    The residence was clean and comfortable. As promised, Marianne fed Poibe meals and snacks, while Cordelli prepared warm water for her bath. As she took off her cumbersome dress and soaked in hot water, she felt the fatigue of the day piling up.


    Eventually she was exhausted even before she finished the bath. She skipped supper. She changed her clothes early and lay in bed. Cordelli took care of her bedding and other stuff to the end and blew out the candle before going out.


    It was calm everywhere. It was the best time for her to wrap up for the day and devise plans tomorrow. She had to analyze what happened during the day and prepare for the next day.


    But she felt something strange in her head. She had a lot on her mind, but she couldn¡¯t think of anything. It seemed that her brain refused to think. She didn¡¯t even want to think why. As if she was thrown into a wild field with nobody around, she just felt empty and lonely.


    Marianne did not realize that it was the defense mechanisms of the wounded. Others¡¯ love and favor was so close and natural to her. As she was rarely rejected by anyone, she didn¡¯t have many opportunities to understand the negative emotions that following rejection.


    In the end, she just closed her eyes, thinking she was good. Sleep caught up to her as if on cue.


    As heavy drowsiness intended to flee her, it quickly deprived her of consciousness.


    She fell asleep as if she had passed out, not even aware of the moment she fell asleep.


    * * *


    Around that time in Milan, Duke Kling sat in front of the desk at the Imperial Office. Almost all the candles on the candlestick melted, with candles dripping like tears. Thick piles of documents were piled up like a mountain, divided into those that needed the emperor¡¯s signature and those that didn¡¯t. The blue ink bottle was almost used up at the bottom. Each book in the stack reeked of dry dust.


    ¡°Sir, are you not sleeping?¡± Colin asked carefully while taking some books from the opposite bookshelf.


    In the meantime, there was the sound of Duke Kling writing something on paper.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s late, so you stop and go back home. Iric, you, too! ¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Iric said, standing near him like a knight statue.


    Colin urged him again after looking up at the tall knight. The cut on his face still bothered Colin.


    ¡°As for the wedding ceremony, you can get the emperor¡¯s approval when he returns. And the draft tax law will come up after the Treasury, the Interior and the Justice Ministries discuss it first. Don¡¯t work too hard, You worked till dawn yesterday¡­¡±


    ¡°The situation in the capital has changed a lot. As I¡¯m behind others in this field, I think I have to work through the night for several more days to catch up with them.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    Colin didn¡¯t finish his sentence and drooped his shoulders. His red eyes beyond the glasses were full of concern. He looked like a rabbit with its ears drooped.


    ¡°The emperor will be busier after he is done digesting his schedule in Roshan. So, we here at the Interior should prepare as much as possible to lessen his work.¡±


    ¡°Then, let me tell the emperor how hard you worked. By all means!¡±


    Colin clenched his fist and nodded violently.


    If he had a son, he would be Colin¡¯s age. Kling laughed nicely, thinking Colin, who would be the same age as his ¡®son,¡¯ if he had one, looked cute as he took care of him so well.


    ¡°Thanks, man.¡±


    But he soon frowned and cleared his throat. Come to think of it, he hadn¡¯t eaten anything all day. He felt thirsty belatedly. He swallowed a bitter smile. He was so absent-minded with work that he even forgot to eat. When he thought that he was now handling the work involving the emperor and his daughter, he became impatient and nervous. Nothing was more important to him than the two.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but can you bring me a glass of water?¡±


    At that point, Colin quickly grabbed one of the cups of water on his desk. Iric, who was standing on the opposite side, was quick-witted enough to grasp the glass bottle at the entrance of the library.


    ¡°Here you are¡­¡±


    ¡°Here you are¡­¡±


    Cling!


    The glass and the vase that the two men offered to him at the same time clashed with a big noise. The water inside was overflowing, and the two things slipping out of his hand quickly fell to the floor.


    Click! The water bottle and cup shattered quickly.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my fault. Sir, are you okay?¡±


    With his face turning white, Colin flopped down. He put down books in his hand and groped on the carpet. Iric stopped him and picked up the broken pieces of glass on the floor.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    But Kling said nothing. Colin, looking at him with an embarrassed look, raised his head toward the desk.


    ¡°Sir?¡±

 Chapter 64

    Duke Kling looked over the messy carpet for a while, but didn¡¯t say anything.


    ¡°Are you okay, Sir? Were you hurt?¡±


    ¡°¡­ Oh no, I¡¯m alright. Didn¡¯t you get hurt?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­¡±


    Colin looked at Iric who was cleaning up the floor with a worried look on his face.


    Although he reached out again to help him, Iric politely refused his offer.


    ¡°It seems dangerous to leave lots of broken pieces unattended. I think it¡¯s better to call a servant and change the carpet.¡±


    ¡°Sure, go ahead.¡±


    ¡°Let me call the servant to go get some water and new carpet! Wait a minute!¡±


    Then Colin, who thought that he had work to do now, quickly stood up and left the office.


    Iric stretched his back after collecting all the broken pieces on one side.


    Kling was still keeping his eye on the carpet. Iric, who had been watching him since he was young, noticed that he was uncomfortable.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you, sir?¡±


    Duke Kling tilted his head to one side for a moment and then shook his hand strongly.


    ¡°No, nothing. I¡¯ve been sitting at the desk for so long. ¡±


    He said it to himself as if to soothe himself. Iric narrowed his dark eyebrows.


    ¡°When did you say the messenger bird was coming?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll probably resend it tomorrow, so I think it will take another day or two if we think about the distance from her to Roshan.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Report to me as soon as possible.


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    Kling nodded as if he was satisfied. Iric began cleaning up the area to remove the carpet.


    The duke held his hands firmly with his back against Iric. He still felt creepy. He felt cold like a naked man because of his sore throat and thirsty.


    ¡®Maybe it¡¯s because of my mood. I think I¡¯ve been working too hard these days. Just one bottle was broken. I may be worrying unnecessarily. Nobody is going to be hurt¡­¡±


    He repeated the same thinking as if he was reciting a spell. The broken glass bottle and the water cup kept glimmering before his eyes. He took pains to erase the image that became increasingly clearer.


    A cold and ominous aura swept his office.


    * * *


    The next day, Marianne got up late. Barely waking up at Cordelli¡¯s prodding, she hurriedly prepared to go out. As she was scheduled to arrive at the temple today, she was nervous and impatient. It seemed like she had a long dream last night, but her head felt muddled and she couldn¡¯t remember.


    Cordelli brought out a bright lemon dress and an ivory cape. She had her long hair braided in one strand and decorated with flowers. She wore only one accessory for several days, which was a red diamond necklace presented by the emperor.


    Marianne yawned and let Cordelli decorate her. She washed her face and brushed her teeth in an instant. Then she put on clothes starting with underpants to capes one after another. While she was wearing long socks and cowhide shoes up to her knees, Cordelli put some chopped fruit into her mouth.


    ¡°Are you hungry? Please bear with it. I have asked them to prepare a light meal, so you can eat it in the wagon.¡±


    ¡°That sounds good,¡± she replied in a drowsy voice. Only then did she get one question. Cordelli said she asked them to prepare her meal.


    ¡®Does it mean she asked a maid to do the job?¡±


    She flashed her curious eyes and then came out of the residence, escorted by Cordelli leading her hand.


    Fortunately, the weather was clear. But she didn¡¯t even have the luxury of enjoying the fresh morning breeze because Cordelli almost pushed Marianne into a waiting wagon.


    ¡°Well, see you later. If you need anything, shake the bell out the window. I will be in Lady Beatrice¡¯s carriage!¡± Cordelli said in a cheerful voice, and closed the door.


    ¡°Cordelli?¡± Marianne asked back over the closed door. What came back was the sound of the horseman whipping the horse.


    Her wagon shook slightly as it started. The breakfast dishes, which were set on the table in the wagon, rattled together.


    Suddenly, there was heard the sound of someone closing a thick book.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Only then did Marianne look inside the carriage. His clear green eyes rolled around.


    Finding a man sitting on the far end of the couch opposite her, she swallowed dry saliva.


    ¡°Ooops¡­I think I got in the wrong wagon.¡±


    ¡°You got in the right one.¡±


    Putting the closed back on the side table, Eckart released his twisted legs.


    ¡°Well, you got in the wrong wagon, I think¡­¡±


    Eckart frowned a bit. His slender eyebrows were raised and his blue eyes waved like waves.


    ¡°Did you notice it when you came in? There was Brenda¡¯s insignia on the wagon.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­I didn¡¯t see it because I was pushed inside the wagon hurriedly.¡±


    ¡°This is my carriage.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I think so¡­ By the way, why did I get in this wagon?¡±


    As if she were really curious, Marianne shook her head just like Poibe when it tilted its head whenever it didn¡¯t like anything.


    Soon, his blue eyes became sterner.


    ¡°Did you ask why? Didn¡¯t I tell you already yesterday that since the road would be rough today, you would have to ride a carriage?¡±


    ¡°Ah, you¡¯re right.¡±


    ¡®Did it mean that you and I were going to share the same wagon?¡¯


    She bit her lip furtively. Never did she expect to ride the wagon with the emperor.


    Of course, it was a hundred times better than her sharing the marquise¡¯s wagon. It was not unusual for an emperor¡¯s fianc¨¦e to ride the same carriage as the emperor. And the emperor was not someone she found uncomfortable to be around.


    But it took a day to get to Roshane, no matter how fast the wagon drove. She never spent such a long time with Eckart so close. But if she got in the marquise¡¯s wagon, she would feel a different sense of tension and find it very inconvenient.


    Eckart was very good at reading the opponent¡¯s underlying intentions. Naturally, he read Marianne¡¯s reluctant expression on her face.


    ¡°Why are you still looking like that? Don¡¯t you want to ride the carriage with me?¡±


    ¡°Pardon? No, that¡¯s not what I mean¡­¡±


    Trying to read his countenance, she smiled awkwardly.


    ¡°Even if you don¡¯t like it, You have no other choice. Stay in my view until you arrive at the temple. You shouldn¡¯t have an incident like you did yesterday.¡±


    ¡°Pardon? Oh, yes, will do. Thank you for your warm considerations¡­¡±


    Marianne slurred at his strangely cold attitude.


    ¡°But why are we two alone here? How about Sir Kloud?¡±


    Still, she did not stop asking her curious questions. It really befitted her courage at the moment.


    ¡°Your attendant Cordelli will be in Euclid¡¯s daughter¡¯s carriage, and the deputy chamberlain and servants will be riding the newly-acquired wagon. You had better remember that I didn¡¯t force them to get in that wagon. They really refused to get in my wagon and decided to ride another one.¡±


    He came up with strong denial and clarification of his position as if he was appealing to her.


    He did not want to burden Marianne with this kind of stuff. At the same time, he didn¡¯t want to invite her misunderstanding and give her any expectations in vain.


    ¡°I see. I just thought that you paid special attention to me¡­¡±


    But her reaction was lukewarm. Rather, she seemed to think his considerations were a pity.


    Eckart poured out his unrefined raw feelings now.


    ¡°¡­ How long are you going to hold the doorknob?¡±


    In the end, he hurriedly changed the topic.


    Only then did she realize that she was still so close to the door. She let go of her hand holding the door handle. As if she was embarrassed, her round eyes opened wide.


    ¡°Sit comfortably and eat. If there is anything missing, call the maid.¡±


    ¡°No. This is enough.¡±


    Marianne slowly pulled over to the side. The hem of her broad dress was dragged to the back of the sofa.


    Eckart leaned further toward the window. His distance with Marianne was slightly further.


    It looked like he did so in consideration of her comfortable stay or he did so not to mingle with her in person. After opening the window, he turned his gaze to the outside landscape.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to eat, Your Majesty?¡±


    ¡°No thanks.¡±


    Hearing his quick reply, she did not ask again and picked up the fork.


    The tea got relatively cold. Looking at the color and fragrance, it looked like her favorite chamomile. After sipping it, she felt the flower scent from late spring and early summer hovering around the tip of her tongue.


    As it was breakfast, most of the food was a light finger food: two plates of fresh mangoes and sweet cherries, another dish filled with strawberries in syrup, a freshly-roasted cut pastry, and a piece of cake topped with fresh cream and a plate of immaculate milk pudding.


    All the dishes stimulated her appetite as if a chef who knew Marianne¡¯s appetite had prepared them.


    ¡°Delicious¡­¡±

 Chapter 65

    Marianne forgot everything for a moment and focused on eating. She skipped dinner yesterday, so she emptied all the plates filled with food one by one. Especially the milk pudding which was so sweet and soft. She suddenly thought of a familiar face: Rane.


    She wanted to have Rane taste this pudding. She liked sweet desserts, so she would open her eyes and exclaim admiration like she did last time, overly chatting about the need to find a new chef. When Marianne had a pleasant imagination like that, she burst into laughter.


    Eckart looked at her fresh smile quietly in the back seat of the wagon, so his greed could not disturb her.


    By noon, the procession came near Benua Falls which led on to the rugged valley. The field poppy nearby was spectacular. Passing the waterfall through the flower garden, they would soon arrive at the temple, finally.


    ¡°Oh, we¡¯re almost there¡­¡±


    Horseman Jason, who had been driving the emperor¡¯s carriage for 10 years since his predecessor, wiped his sweat and pulled the reins. From now on, it was important to slow down and drive the wagon carefully.


    The roads so far were rough but not too narrow. Although they were not as paved as those in the capital or Chester, they were not bad enough to drive a horse or carriage.


    But the road over the falls was very narrow and dangerous. A little misdirection would take the wagon fall down the rugged cliff.


    ¡°Damn it! Did these guys eat meat soup secretly last night? How come they are so strong?¡±


    Jason grumbled, pulling the reins harder and soothed the horses. The horses were very excited with runny noses even early in the morning. As if they knew they were near the stream, they became more excited at the sound of the waterfalls. It was tough to slow down their speed.


    ¡°Oh! What the heck are they doing?¡±


    Right at that moment, there was heard a loud shout from the procession in the back. Jason looked back quickly.


    Bang!


    There was a heavy roar.


    Eckart frowned heavily. Fortunately, the noise didn¡¯t come from his wagon. He quickly pushed the window, which he had closed to keep off the outside noise. He remained calm until a moment ago, watching Marianne sleep, but this time he looked out the window with an angry glance.


    ¡°Curtis. What¡¯s up?¡±


    Curtis, who was following him by the side, quickly checked out the situation and replied, ¡°The horses in the rear carriage are suddenly running wild. The knights are trying to control them, but they won¡¯t follow¡­ ¡±


    Bang!


    Another big noise was heard. This time it was accompanied by a sharp scream.


    Marianne woke up at the noise from her nap. She looked at Eckart in surprise and nervousness.


    Eckart once reached out to calm her down, and then looked out the window.


    ¡°The same is true of the other carriages as the horses are running wild now. If this goes on, I¡¯m worried about a chain clash¡­¡±


    Bang, bang!


    This time, a series of shocking noises was heard. Even before Curtis was done talking, the horses in the rear row of the procession suddenly ran like crazy. Several carriages drove in different directions. And they crashed into anything ahead, regardless of whether it was another wagon or a tall tree.


    ¡°Eluang! Protect the wagon!¡± Grand Duke Christopher quickly ordered.


    Running at a constant speed, the knights right next to the wagons tried to stop the horses. But they were so tough that it was not easy to control them. A knight even cut a horse, but the horses that got more excited after seeing blood ran more violently.


    ¡°Don¡¯t stimulate the horses! Break the link!¡± Christopher shouted again.


    The knights at the forefront smashed the wooden supports that connected the wagons and horses. Some fell from the horses as the surprised horses flung everywhere.


    Given the wild scene outside, obviously those inside the wagons must have been terrified.


    Every time the wagons were shaken, screams came out from inside the wagons.


    ¡°Curtis, stop the wagon.¡±


    Recognizing the seriousness of the situation, Eckart ordered coldly. Curtis nodded once.


    It was the moment when he kicked the belly of the horse trying to run ahead of others.


    Suddenly, the wagon rattled once and then began driving forward at a frightening pace.


    ¡°Damn it! Stop! Stop!¡±


    Horseman Jason screamed in an embarrassed voice. He hurriedly squeezed the reins very hard. But the horses snorted and ran harder. As they accelerated now, they soon reached full speed.


    Fortunately, the horses that drove the emperor¡¯s carriages were running forward, unlike the rest of the carriages that ran into the poppy fields up until now. The surrounding scenes quickly changed until they saw the open air through the window.


    Bang, bang, bang!


    They heard the loud noises of waterfalls like roaring thunder everywhere.


    ¡°Your Majesty¡­?¡±


    Marianne called Eckart with a trembling voice. She could not understand this situation at all.


    After breakfast, she took a nap for a while after reading a book. When she opened her eyes, she heard screaming everywhere as if she were in a battlefield.


    Damn it. Eckart cursed in a low voice.


    ¡°Curtis! Stop the wagon!¡±


    Eckart, who hardly shouted unless needed, shouted at him. Even before he called Curtis, his wagon already outpaced the one ahead of him. He quickly discarded his horse and got on the emperor¡¯s wagon. He pushed Jason, who was so surprised that he couldn¡¯t even scream, and pulled the reins. One of the reins made of leather was broken, unable to resist the enormous power of the horses.


    ¡°Oh my god! What should I do? Sir Curtis, these guys aren¡¯t strong like this, but suddenly¡­¡±


    Jason stuttered in embarrassment. Curtis took out the cloak of the Eluang Knights that covered his back.


    A pair of axes were hidden beneath the cloak, hanging on his shoulders. He held two axes the size of adult male forearms, in both hands.


    ¡°Hold the reins well. If you miss it, you¡¯ll be damned.¡±


    Handing the reins over to Jason, Curtis cut the wagon¡¯s right link without hesitation.


    The thick wooden support, which other knights tried hard to break in vain, was broken at once like a thin stalk. Curtis showed superhuman power.


    Jason couldn¡¯t keep his mouth open.


    ¡°Your Majesty, please hold on tight! ¡± Curtis yelled.


    Eckart grabbed the window frame with one hand and pulled Marianne with the opposite arm. The main body of the wagon shook terribly when it made friction against the ground. As there was only one support left, the weight of the wagon was down to one side. The table fell and the door opened wide open randomly.


    ¡°Oh my god, look at that waterfall¡­¡±


    Between the open doors was the endless cliff of the waterfall.


    ¡°Marianne!¡±


    She raised her head at his calling.


    ¡°Pull yourself together! Curtis will do his best, but if he can¡¯t stop the wagon¡­¡±


    Bang!


    The sound of roaring water was heard in the distance. A humid wind blew hard, and the wagon rattled loudly.


    Curtis hurriedly put an axe in the wagon roof. Putting the other axe into the front corner on the horseman¡¯s seat, he stretched out his legs and scratched the ground with the heels of his boots and then tightened both arms to keep balance.


    Fortunately, the wagon swept back on track. But the inside of the wagon was a mess.


    Marianne barely held back the urge to scream. The table was pushed toward the wall and the spilled objects fell over the loose door. The endless waterfall was like a huge hell gate. The objects that bounced off the edges of the cliff disappeared into the wild waters as if they were predicting her future.


    ¡°¡­ You might die if you fall down there? ¡± said Marianne, grabbing Eckart¡¯s collar.


    Her rich eyelashes trembled violently.


    ¡°But Your Majesty, I don¡¯t want to die like this.¡±


    It didn¡¯t matter whether all this mess was caused by someone¡¯s trick, or it happened at one-thousandth change, but she just did not want to end her life like this.


    She got this second life like nobody else. She didn¡¯t want to leave her beloved ones including her father even without touching Ober¡¯s hair. She didn¡¯t like that.


    ¡°You won¡¯t die.¡±


    Eckart tightened his arms holding her.


    Marianne felt his pressure on her back. Though it was a bit painful for a weak figure like her to endure, she relied on it mysteriously.


    ¡°Let me swear in honor of the Frey family that I will surely protect you. I promise.¡±


    Even his hopeful voice and sacred pledge to protect her was overly optimistic. It was almost impossible for her to survive, whether her wagon crashed into a rocky mountain or fell below the unknown waterfall. It would be pure luck if they recovered her body.


    Nevertheless, Marianne did not deny his reassurances.


    It was not because he was the most honored emperor on earth. Nor was it because he experienced a miracle he could not explain. She couldn¡¯t find any ground in his reassurances that everybody could understand, just like how she felt a solid defense in his cloak that covered her shoulders in the steamy bathroom some time ago.

 Chapter 66

    At that moment, a horse pulling a carriage made a strange noise and collapsed. The rest of the horses that were running in line got entangled and fell down. The wagon that was fast enough to run side by side with the wind suddenly lost speed.


    ¡°Oh, no¡­!¡±


    Jason flew into the air with a bridle. The horseman¡¯s seat that was connected to the horses was lifted straight and broken, and even the body of the wagon got off the track and turned obliquely.


    Curtis pulled his ax hard while falling over the broken rubble. But just before he lowered the wagon onto the road, the wooden wall of the wagon broke apart and the ax fell out.


    ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Curtis screamed. Though he acted quickly, it was too late. While he was falling between the fallen horses, the emperor¡¯s wagon bounced off the ground before crashing down the stiff cliff.


    ***


    There were several moments when Marianne couldn¡¯t believe it at all in her previous life.


    For example, the day she heard about his father¡¯s death or the night she overheard Ober¡¯s wicked tricks behind the rose fence. Or when the emperor took off his robe and proposed to her, and when she embraced her father again. She couldn¡¯t believe all these moments.


    Now, she was experiencing the same thing again.


    Marianne was blinking her eyes while she was being thrown off the cliff.


    Death was right at hand. Maybe it was the last moment of her life, but she didn¡¯t feel like it was real. Just like how Eckart once appeared in her dream, she felt like time stopped and she was in a dream. She and he were moving in the world where time had stopped.


    Bang!


    The corner of the carriage hit the end of the protruding object of the cliff. The edge of the wooden board was broken. The inside of the carriage was overturned once more.


    Eckart let go of the window frame he was holding. He no longer had to hang on to something. The tangled cloak fell and touched the wagon floor.


    He pulled Marianne into his arms tightly and soothed her. Below was the water, and the stream tributaries of Benoit Falls were flowing fast. He unscrewed the decorative belt that had been long hanging on his waist hurriedly.


    ¡°Breathe in deeply,¡± he whispered in a low voice.


    Marianne, with her cheeks on his chest, watched the waterfall pouring out of the torn door.


    The huge amount of water seemed to stop as if one year of rain had poured down all at once.


    It meant the waterfall was falling at about the same speed as the water.


    ¡°You will never die.¡±


    Marianne closed her big eyes once and then opened them. She felt her body was light as if flying in a land without gravity.


    Meanwhile, Eckart wrapped one end of the belt around Marianne¡¯s arm and fixed it. As he made the knot hurriedly, it wasn¡¯t good enough, but there was no time to make it any tighter. The sound of the waterfall gradually increased right up to her ears and then her head.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t let go of your grip on me¡­¡±


    He didn¡¯t finish his words as he was submerged under the water. They were pushed into the water with the pain that seemed to rip and tear them apart. There was a gap between their bodies that seemed to be attached as one. The evil power of nature pressed on them from head to toe. Marianne passed out by the impact of the crash. Her consciousness left in a moment like a candle blown out in the wind. It was fortunate for her because she had experienced drowning before.


    But in such an urgent situation, it was too dangerous. The relentless current pushed her deeper and farther. Her arms and limbs swayed slowly like a soft insignia.


    Flowing like petals in the water, she suddenly stopped as if caught by something.


    * * *


    Pain was fair to everyone. As he wrapped around her body, the impact that Eckart received was extremely unfair and severe.


    The moment he bumped into the surface, he felt so much pain that he could pass out. The whirlpools below the surface of the waterfall made his view blurry. Even though he tried his best to swim, he was caught in a strong current, and his body kept sinking.


    But he did not let go of his belt that he was holding. Relying solely on the senses of his fingertips, he pulled on the belt as best he could. The belt, made of tightly woven leather straps, was stretched around the arm and tightened. The strong current began to tear the edges of the leather stretched straight like a blade.


    He pawed the air dozens of times. Drifting on the violent current, the wreckage of the broken wagon turned into something like a blade and scratched his whole body. The breath left in his lungs went up to his chin. He could not know whether it was superhuman mental power or something else that suppressed his instinct to pass out right now.


    In the meantime, the current of the waterfall pushed both of them towards a quiet tributary.


    Although the current was still rough, it was easier for them to move because they could avoid the violent falling drops of the waterfall. He tried to catch Marianne with his forearms, which was as hard as they might explode quickly, and he finally took her back in his arms.


    Her white face was calm as if she had fallen asleep. When he wrapped her thin neck with his big hand, he felt a faint pulse rising up from the palm of her hand. Though it was weak, it was clear evidence that she was alive.


    Eckart put his mouth on hers without hesitation.


    His thin, shallow breath came out of him and permeated into her. As if to save the embers that almost went out, he cautiously and desperately put breath into her lungs.


    Soon, all the breath in his body was passed over to Marianne.


    Severe pains that swept his body belatedly swept over his blue eyes. Eckart slowly lost his mind. The two lips, which were closed tightly enough not to form any bubbles, fell apart easily. Meanwhile, his arms holding her were not released.


    Bang! The roaring waterfalls shook the shadows of the canyons.


    ***


    ¡°Send a carrier pigeon to the capital right now.¡±


    A sharp voice ripped off the air in the cool room.


    ¡°It¡¯s already out of our jurisdiction. We have to gather the three dukes in Milan and the top officials right now. The emperor had no successor¡­ ¡±


    ¡°Successor? Did you just mention successor?¡± Duchess Lamont asked, frowning. The maid, who was disinfecting the cut on her forehead, was pushed back by Mrs. Chester.


    Mrs. Chester responded at the duchess¡¯s sharp cold glance without batting an eye at all.


    She said, ¡°The emperor is still unmarried, and he has no brother or daughter. If you think about the safety of your empire, you should have a cool judgment.¡±


    ¡°How arrogant you are! Can¡¯t you shut up right now?¡± Duchess Lamont shouted at her, fully revealing her anger. Her long lashes and shoulders trembled violently. Her innocent and elegant face turned cold quickly. Her slightly tangled golden hair shone cold as if it symbolized the winter queen.


    ¡°How dare you mention the successor of the Frey family even if the emperor is not here?


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to believe what happened today either. Who would? But it doesn¡¯t make any difference if we continue on this way.¡±


    ¡°I told you to shut up.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know that, Mrs. Duchess? Benoit Falls is not a valley worth jumping into and splashing water playfully. There are fifty or so tributaries, large and small. Even if you deny the fact, the dead emperor can¡¯t come back alive.¡±


    ¡°Erica!¡± Duchess Lamont shouted at Mrs. Chester and stood up from her seat.


    As a dignified daughter of the royal family, the duchess could not ignore such insults. Flames of anger were burning in her olive-colored eyes.


    ¡°What you said is extremely rude! We can¡¯t confirm the death of the emperor yet at this point. How can you dare mention his succession? Are you stupid enough to revolt here?¡±


    ¡°Revolt? You¡¯re overstating it!¡±


    ¡°If not, how come you are so reckless? Are you responsible for this incident by any chance? Do you have any reason to ignore the procedure and make short work of the succession?¡±


    ¡°Madame, watch your language!¡± Mrs. Chester raised her voice. Her purplish hem was lifted up. She threw the fan in her right hand on the table. The maids around her hurriedly stepped back.


    She turned her head slightly and showed wounds on her neck. As if it was cut by a sharp object, there was a long line of blood drawn along the neck.


    ¡°I know that you don¡¯t like me, but you have to distinguish between the public and private matters. Do you think this would have happened like this if I had planned it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a scar that can endanger your life, as you know. That¡¯s not a losing business if you aim for the throne, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Oh my god! Do you think I¡¯m more concerned about the throne than my own safety? Well, I thought you were not stupid enough to think like that, so I¡¯m disappointed.¡±

 Chapter 67

    Just like two colliding swords, their invisible words stabbed at each other. They couldn¡¯t even afford to cover up their feelings and use gobbledygooks like they did in the salons. The two had just come out of the horror of death, and they were very perplexed for different reasons.


    The duchess did not want to admit the fact that Eckart might have died. In fact, she was more concerned about the possible death of the emperor than the marquise¡¯s arrogant attitude.


    As their personalities were so unique, they had never been close, but they were concerned about their only nephew, the emperor. Wasn¡¯t he the only legitimate son of the Frey and Romanov families? They never thought that he would disappear so vainly. It was too cruel to think of his tragic incident as the work of their main god Airius, it was too shameful to think he was killed by the rebel forces.


    In fact, Mrs. Chester had nothing to do with the wagon accidents yesterday and today, though nobody believed that.


    Obviously, she didn¡¯t devise this trick. On the contrary, she was suspicious of yesterday¡¯s accident and tried to share the same wagon with Marianne, just in case.


    If she planned nothing, it would be a lie, but what happened yesterday and today was out of her control. Even she wanted to find out the true criminal and hold him accountable for her injuries.


    ¡°Please calm down! It looks like the grand duke has arrived.¡±


    Beatrice, who had been pacing in front of the window all the time, shouted at them.


    She gestured toward nearby maids with her slender fingertips. Only then did he, who stood blankly like a stone statue, support the two women to sit down again. They were still staring at each other as if they were trying to kill each other. Although their hearts didn¡¯t melt yet, they were clearly conscious of others watching their ugly behavior.


    Beatrice came to the table with her one leg slightly limping. She chose tea ceremony as a way to cool down the heated mood. Three tea cups were slowly filled with light tea. Although the fragrant tea leaves immediately raised the room temperature, she still felt chilly and dizzy. Her fingertips trembled when she gently pushed the teacup before the two women.


    Using that brief peaceful moment, the maids again wiped their wounds and smoothed them.


    A little later Grand Duke Christopher came in through the open door.


    Beatrice folded her hands together and looked at the party that followed him.


    Duchess Lamont quickly asked him, ¡°What happened? Did you find them?¡±


    ¡°Not yet¡­¡±


    Grand Duke Christopher fumbled words. The atmosphere quickly became terrible again. He grabbed the hilt on his waist.


    The scene after the accident was a mess. Including the emperor¡¯s wagon that had been blown off halfway, none of the other wagons were intact. Duchess Lamont¡¯s forehead was wounded, Mrs. Chester¡¯s neck, and Beatrice¡¯s leg as well. Cordelli passed out after hitting her head hard and Kloud had many cracked ribs, not to mention other servants and maids.


    The only comfort was that there were no serious injuries for now.


    The grand duke suppressed his strong desire to search for the emperor himself.


    ¡°Pay particular attention to the safety of the ladies.¡±


    That was the command that Eckart emphasized before they started.


    He sent the two noblewomen, as well as Beatrice and Cordelli to the residence first.


    Maids and servants followed them. Kloud, while struggling to stand up, insisted on doing his bit.


    He then transported the injured knights and servants, and he divided the remaining staff into the search team and security team. As the processions were scattered all over the place, it took quite a while just to gather them back in one place.


    The advance party who went to check out the narrow trails of the waterfall soon came back. Curtis joined them later. Splashed with water and dust all over his body, he came back to report that Eckart, Marianne, and Horseman Jason were all missing.


    ¡°We must search for them at the tributaries right away. They must be alive. Increase the number on the search team. We have no time. Please, Captain¡­¡±


    Curtis begged with a look as if he was just pulled out of hell. He knelt down and put his forehead on Christoper¡¯s feet.


    Christopher raised and comforted him in person. He replied that he would immediately increase the search team.


    Watching him nearby, other knights all knew that although Curtis said they were missing because he wasn¡¯t sure of their life and death, all they had to do was recover their bodies completely.


    ¡°I divided the knights into several groups and ordered them to search in the tributaries, but we¡¯re pretty much short-staffed. Please temporarily select those maids and servants who were not injured,¡± said Kloud who followed Christopher. As if he felt severe pain in the ribs, he bent his waist a bit.


    ¡°Just take as many as you need. It¡¯s not time to keep several servants now. But do you think the people here would be enough? As the official residence in Roshan is quite remote, there are not many servants there these days,¡± Mrs. Chester said after washing her mouth with tea. Her voice was much calmer than before.


    ¡°So, I¡¯m also considering mobilizing the workforce of my estate nearby¡­¡±


    ¡°In that case, too many will come to know that the emperor was missing,¡± said Beatrice, putting down the teacup that she was holding. The warmth of the teacup around her palm quickly cooled down.


    ¡°You bet. But it is the most important thing to find the emperor¡¯s location, so I want to use every possible means. Right now we should mobilize all the people in the residence,¡± said Kloud, trying to hide his bitter feelings.


    ¡°By the way, why don¡¯t we inform the ministers in the capital as soon as possible?¡±


    In response to Mrs. Chester¡¯s persistent suggestion, Duchess Lamont made a frown as if she found a nasty bug on her face. She didn¡¯t even speak with her.


    ¡°What do you think?¡± Grand Duke Christopher said, looking toward Beatrice.


    Other people wondered why he asked her.


    Instead of Duchess Lamont, who was the highest rank as well as a daughter of the previous emperor or Deputy Chamberlain Kloud who served the emperor for a long time, Christopher asked Beatrice, the daughter of Marquis Euclid who just followed as an assistant of Marianne. How could Christopher, the chief commander of the Eluang Knights, ask Beatrice?


    But Beatrice didn¡¯t think his question was strange at all. As she was lost in thought for a moment, she focused her blurred eyes first. Her red eyes over the glasses sparkled.


    ¡°I think it is right to send a messenger to Milan urgently.¡±


    ¡°Biece!¡±


    Hearing her unexpected reply, Duchess Lamont called Beatrice with an embarrassed expression. As if she were suspicious of Beatrice¡¯s intention, Mrs. Chester¡¯s also opened a fan and covered her eyes.


    ¡°When you think of the distance from Milan to Roshan, we have to hurry. First, let¡¯s send a carrier pigeon first and then send the messenger tonight. We don¡¯t have to make it public, but we don¡¯t have to hide it on purpose.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the reason?¡±


    ¡°Because this is not an obituary.¡±


    She answered it clearly without any hesitation. Christopher Duke frowned a bit.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to dare to mention the emperor¡¯s life or death conclusively. I think our call for help has nothing to do with his life or death.¡±


    ¡°Do you mean a request for contingencies?¡±


    ¡°Yes. We can¡¯t use the support units from Milan as the search team. But if you wait until they arrive, it¡¯ll be too late. So, please emphasize these two things in the message. The type of support units should be a medical unit. As the emperor and Marianne might have been injured, they have to make sure there¡¯ll be no inconveniences in transporting them to the capital in case of an emergency.¡±


    As if she memorized the answers in advance, she spoke fluently. The crowd was silent for a moment. Duchess of Lamont and Marquise Chester also found it hard to raise any objections to her suggestion. She was the marquis¡¯s only daughter. As she was not a son, she could not take a government position or succeed his title, but she was a chop off the old block, taking after her father more than any other child in the family.


    ¡°How can you solve the lack of manpower of the search team?¡±


    Kloud hesitated for a moment and asked for her advice.


    ¡°You have to mobilize all the people around you.¡±


    ¡°But the manpower of the residence is limited. There are no noble families near the Roshan Temple, let alone ordinary houses. And there is a village where priests and their families live together, but they live very far away¡­¡±


    While explaining the difficult situation, Christopher suddenly stopped and burst into a hollow smile.


    ¡°Oh, let me try this¡­¡±


    Beatrice smiled faintly as if she appreciated his quick grasp of her intention.


    ¡°Yeah. Send a messenger to the Roshan Temple right now. Summon all the priests in the temple and ask them to lend us some people to help with the search.¡±

 Chapter 68

    Cough! A small cough came out once more.


    She couldn¡¯t stand the nausea, so Marianne raised her upper body halfway. Her head turned sideways. As she didn¡¯t have time to cover her mouth with her hands, she began coughing like a patient with asthma for about 20 years.


    ¡°Cough¡­cough! Oops!¡±


    A strong force squeezed her body as if it were going to pull out her intestines. Water and air came out of her mouth profusely, half through the nose and half through the mouth.


    She had a sore nose and throat that caused tears. Her chest felt so painful, but strangely enough, the more she coughed, the more refreshed she felt.


    ¡°Cough! Cough! Ahhh¡­¡±


    It wasn¡¯t long before her breath was back to normal. Marianne raised her hand to wipe her wet lips. Her arms felt heavy like a stone when she did so.


    Soon, she looked at her wrists with her green eyes, which were loosely tied with a leash, or an embellished belt worn by the emperor.


    At that moment, she recognized the reality. Everything that happened right before she lost consciousness came to mind at once. The sense of relief that she survived was fleeting.


    ¡°Your Majesty!¡±


    She called him and leaned toward the opposite end of the sagging leash. A dress wet with water tangled her legs. Even though pebbles on the shallow riverbed pressed hard on her knees and shins, she didn¡¯t care.


    ¡°Your Majesty! It¡¯s me, Marianne! Can you hear me¡­¡±


    Almost dragging herself to Eckart, she couldn¡¯t finish her words. Her lips curled up between her upper and lower teeth before she tightly bit them.


    ¡°¡­Your Majesty!¡±


    She put her trembling hands on his firm chest. She shook him slightly, but Eckart didn¡¯t even move. Red blood stains were clear on his forehead, which were visible through his wet and disheveled golden hair. On his smooth cheeks and nose ridge as well as near the slightly open anterior clavicle, red bloodstains were engraved as if they were cut by a blade.


    ¡°What the heck is this¡­¡±


    Embarrassed, she dropped her hand. Ominous feelings choked her throat. Even though she coughed a lot, she seemed to be suffocated once again.


    ¡°No? Your Majesty! Are you kidding me? Open your eyes! Please, Your Excellency!¡±


    Uncontrollable fear brought up her defense mechanisms. Marianne shook his shoulders, trying to smile.


    But Eckart did not answer. Like a doll made out of wax, he was shaken as she shook, just lying in one place.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like this kind of play¡­Don¡¯t¡­¡±


    She kept crying, making a pitiful request. As if she were struck by thunder, she put her trembling hand under his nose. There was no breathing.


    This time, she pressed on the neck of his chin with her three injured fingers. His freezing cold body welcomed her. As her hands were trembling so much, she couldn¡¯t feel the pulse well under his nape.


    ¡°No¡­I hate this¡­Please, please¡­¡±


    She poked through his wet clothes urgently with her hands. She barely fell down over his bare chest after she removed a couple of thin clothes. She shut her crying mouth with her ears on his heart.


    Please, please, please¡­ ¡­ .


    Her desperate wishes for his survival barely supported her mental strength. All the senses of her body were focused on her hearing. She closed her eyes, holding her breath.


    Then the wind of the forest, the chirping of birds, the sound of the river rippling over the gravel¡­


    Pounding. Pounding. Pounding.


    She heard some fine heartbeats fading away.


    ¡°¡­!¡±


    It was a pretty weak heartbeat, But Marianne jumped up. She was shocked and embarrassed at the same time, which soon turned to hope.


    ¡®He is still alive!¡¯


    Marianne rummaged in her dizzy memories.


    But she had never saved a drowning man. She had never seen anyone around her losing their lives for a similar reason. If there was anything remotely related to it, it was her own drowning in the water, assuming that this was an experience.


    ¡°I need to have him breathe again¡­¡±


    Of course, her experience didn¡¯t help much. There was nobody around at the moment. She couldn¡¯t ask for help, and she had nobody to give first aid to him. All this meant that his survival totally depended on her.


    While trying to stay calm, she laid Eckart straight down. And she whipped her brain that didn¡¯t want to think of anything as if she whipped a horse.


    ¡®Come to your senses, Marianne! You have got to think of anything to save his life. Resuscitation. How to wake up consciousness. How to bring back breath. How to save people¡¯s lives¡­¡¯


    After agonizing for a moment, she squeezed Eckart¡¯s forehead gently and took a deep breath.


    Soon her red lips touched his slightly open cold lips. Her trembling breath was blown into his heart like ink soaking a piece of paper.


    All she thought of while she was at it was to save his life. As she herself was just awake, she became dizzy and found it hard to take care of her own body every time she took a big breath.


    But she did not stop. Again and again, she cleaned his closed airway. Like a knight desperately breaking down the strong wall, she was squeezing all the remaining energy within her body.


    Eckart¡¯s chest shook a little whenever Marianne breathed into his heart. Over time, his chest shook more. At last, she did enough to recognize with the naked eye that he was in better shape than before. But he still did not recover consciousness yet.


    Once, twice, three times¡­ At first she easily counted, but it became more and more difficult as she continued to count. She felt exhausted from her shortage of breath. At the same time, the despair that she had pressed deep down raised its ugly head again.


    The tree of pessimism sprouted from the seed and began to grow its roots and branches at a terrifying speed, upsetting the whole applecart. Words like ¡®maybe, if, by any chance¡¯ wandered like evil spirits and created an ominous atmosphere. Her cold nape, which had been soaked in the river, was soaked with sweat.


    In the end, Marianne sat back. She thought she might not save him, but her fingertips again fumbled between his nose and the nape of his neck for any sign of hope. There was still no sign of his breathing.


    Her weary body fell again on his chest. When she held his wet collar, she felt cold but very faint warmth.


    ¡°Please¡­ Save him¡­I shouldn¡¯t lose anyone in this life. I promised I would lose nobody¡­Our god and goddess, please save his life!¡±


    Her lament soon turned to her crying. When she grasped his wet lapel, water drops dripped like tears. The sun hadn¡¯t set yet. She didn¡¯t know exactly where she was, but maybe it was a one corner of Roshan that their god Airius protected.


    Accordingly, the temple that they were supposed to arrive at today would not be far away. Perhaps the gods sitting on the pillars of the temple might overlook this scene.


    Thinking as far as that, she suddenly got enraged.


    ¡°What did I do wrong? If you¡¯re gonna take it all like this, why did you let me live again? Weren¡¯t you satisfied with taking my father¡¯s life alone? What are you going to take away next time? Who promised that? This is my life, but it sucks to be me right now! Why?¡±


    As she was angry, she spoke out curtly and bluntly. Her wet green eyes were filled with anger instead of resignation. Half was God¡¯s share, and the other half was her own.


    She was happy to have a second life. She was so grateful. So, she vowed that she would never repeat her sorrow of the past life. She vowed it dozens of times before she went to bed. She vowed to do everything she could, and she tried very hard.


    Was this the result?


    ¡®I lost my father in my previous life. Do I have to lose the emperor and play into Ober¡¯s cunning tricks in this life? How much more precious things should I lose before my nightmares end?¡¯


    ¡°Save him right now!¡±


    Bang!


    She pounded on his serene chest with her clenched fists to blow off some steam.


    * * *


    In the splendid back garden of the Imperial Palace, the weather was clear without a cloud in the sky. Warm sunshine rained down, and the fragrant wind blew through the sunny side and shade. Every time he stepped on a properly grown lawn, he felt its pleasant crisply sound..


    Alt, the pet dog he raised since childhood, wandered around the bridge, sniffing here and there. It wagged its tail wildly at the sight of its owner. When he threw the round silk ball, Alt was excited and ran wild on the grass. Its yellowish hair was blown by the wind to create a golden orbit.


    ¡°Karl!¡±


    Eckart looked back when someone called him.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been looking for you for a long time. I didn¡¯t know you were here.¡±


    Blair grinned her his son and embraced him. While the familiar smell of perfume tickled his nose, she kissed her son¡¯s forehead and stepped back. Only then did she see his face. He was so handsome. Under his bright blonde hair that resembled the sun, his deep blue eyes sparkled beautifully. There was no speck of sorrow on his face. It was full of happy smiles and warm affection.

 Chapter 69

    ¡°Mother!¡±


    Eckart replied slowly. He felt that his mother¡¯s bright smile was strange to him.


    ¡°Let¡¯s hurry up now. The Emperor is waiting.¡±


    Blair persuaded him kindly and pulled his arm.


    When he turned his eyes a little, he saw Emperor Cassius standing at the entrance of the garden. As always, he was majestic, fluttering a golden cloak embroidered with Brenda and laurel branches. When their eyes met, he raised his hand as if he was beckoning him to come up. There was a coy smile on the emperor¡¯s face.


    After hesitating a bit, Eckart took a step. His heavy steps started to move as Blair led him. Though he didn¡¯t know why, he felt he had to. He thought he should not be stubborn.


    ¡°Your Majesty!¡±


    At that moment, he felt somebody grabbing his arms suddenly.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t go!¡±


    He didn¡¯t know where she suddenly appeared, but the woman was crying and hanging on him.


    The woman looked like a noblewoman of a similar age. She looked terrible. Her dark chocolate-colored hair was messed up and her emerald eyes were trembling with pain.


    ¡°Please, Your Majesty. Don¡¯t go! You shouldn¡¯t go. Please, don¡¯t go!¡±


    Her desperate hands pulled his arm opposite of Blair. While Emperor Cassius was standing there, she dared to call Eckart the emperor rudely.


    Eckart frowned. Although he was the only child of Cassius and Blair, and he was crowned prince a long time ago, she could not call him the emperor because the incumbent emperor Cassius was still alive. As it was certain for him to succeed the throne, calling him the emperor would be regarded as very dangerous treason.


    ¡°Karl, you¡¯ll be late. Hurry up!¡±


    Nevertheless, Blair hurried again with a calm expression as if the woman was invisible. She intimately folded his arms and pulled his shoulders. But as Blair tightened her grip on his arms, Eckart¡¯s arm held by that woman slipped out.


    ¡°You promised to protect me!¡±


    The woman who missed his hand sat down and yelled.


    Although the woman was very desperate, she strangely did not follow. Instead, she cried like a child. Her shoulders were shaking miserably.


    While being led away by Blair, he kept looking back.


    He thought he had to listen to her mother, but he really hated leaving the woman alone there.


    If Blair¡¯s words were as strict as the god, that woman¡¯s words were infinitely weak and emotional. Of course, it was right for him to abandon the latter. Isn¡¯t the emperor god¡¯s agent who forgets his personal greed and chooses the cause?


    Aside from such a significant meaning, those who guided him were both his father and emperor Cassius and mother Queen Blair. The only two family members closest to him in this world who were bound by blood.


    But he found it more and more troublesome to turn away from that woman. Her bitter cries resonated into his ears strongly.


    Who could she be? He did not know why she was crying, nor did he know what he had promised to her. Nevertheless, he was heartbroken as if his heart was split in half.


    Every time he walked one step, he seemed to have thousands of thorns stuck on his toes.


    While he hesitated, his distance from the woman gradually increased.


    Eckart took turns looking at his mother¡¯s back and the woman crying from behind.


    Bark, bark!


    Discarding its favorite silk ball, Alt was running toward him, barking fiercely, as if the assassin¡¯s blade was right behind its back.


    ¡°Wait a minute, Mom!¡±


    In the end, Eckart pulled away his arm from Blair.


    ¡°Karl!¡±


    Leaving her urgent calling behind, he hurried to the other side. His body was instinctively shouting to him, ¡°Run!¡± A slender shadow ran through the wind and towards the woman and Alt.


    Bang!


    From the point where the fleeing shadow stopped, the land he had already stepped on began to be sucked into the black bottomless pit.


    * * *


    Cough! His breathing finally came back with a loud breath.


    Eckart woke up with terrible pain. To put it accurately, his breath came back first, and his consciousness followed slowly. Regardless of his will, water and breath in his lungs flowed back. His painful nausea began, as if he felt like he would vomit all his intestines.


    ¡°¡­Are you okay?¡±


    A few words were heard faintly and then cut off again. Marianne¡¯s warm hands slanted his head to the side. With the same force, she pushed his back and helped him lie on his side. At the same time, he felt enormous pain all over his body. He hunched his shoulders and frowned.¡±What should I do¡­¡±


    Now he could clearly understand her words.


    He scraped the floor instead of his splitting chest. Moist water and hard pebbles, not dry soil, slipped between his fingers. With just that much information, he inferred his location and situation.


    As the water didn¡¯t rise above his wrists, perhaps he would be in one of the shallowest tributaries. During that brief moment, he was pushed as far as here from the falls.


    If he was lucky, he might not be far from the temple they were heading for.


    And¡­


    His blue eyes sparkled on the belt around his wrist. There was something more important than that. He tightened his arms to raise his body and lifted his head slightly.


    ¡°Oops!¡±


    In less than a second, he had to plunge his head on the riverbed.


    He could tolerate the cough and dizziness that still didn¡¯t stop. But the pain in the forearms and back was so severe that he would rather pass out. He clenched his teeth so hard that he almost bit his tongue.


    ¡°Your Majesty! Don¡¯t get up! You¡¯re bleeding here¡­¡±


    After all, he lay down on the side and coughed everything up. He felt Marianne¡¯s hands trembling when she patted his shoulders. His continuous coughing lasted for a while and then decreased little by little. Only after he could get his breath back did he stretch his body again. When he took pains to lie down normally, he felt a terrible pain, and the strong sunlight pierced his eyes.


    A shadow soon fell over his face.


    ¡°¡­ Marianne!¡±


    Backlighting required a few more seconds for him to recognize her face, but he already found out the opponent¡¯s identity before his vision was restored.


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty! It is me, Marianne. It¡¯s me¡­¡±


    Marianne cried severely. Her desolate and lovely voice unwittingly gave him a rude awakening.


    He realized who was desperately hanging onto him in his dream a moment ago. He realized why she cried and pleaded with him. He realized why he didn¡¯t want to leave her alone there without knowing who she was.


    ¡°I was really¡­I was at a loss what to do if you didn¡¯t wake up¡­Of course, you will surely wake up, but what should I do? Because of me, you ended up like this. Boohoo¡­¡±


    She cried while talking to him. Biting her lip, she wiped his wet face hurriedly.


    When she wiped his face with her wet hands, it was stained with blood as if red ink spilled on it.


    Eckart frowned at that moment. He lifted his left arm, which was less painful. He caught her slender wrist in the air. When he examined her white and thin fingers, they were stained with blood. When he turned the inside of her hands, there was lots of blood on her palms.


    ¡°Were you hurt? How come you are so bloody¡­¡±


    His embarrassed voice slowly faded away. With his blue eyes, he quickly began to scan her from head to toe. There were a few thin or slightly coarse scars on her skin not covered by her clothes, but nothing was bleeding enough to wet her hand.


    ¡°This is not my blood.¡±


    Marianne pulled out her hand. She lifted one of Eckart¡¯s shoulders with one of her bloodied hands and swept his back very carefully.


    Eckart bit the inner side of his mouth unconsciously. He almost screamed.


    ¡°It¡¯s your blood, Your Majesty!¡±


    Like she said, there was a pool of blood on his hands. At first he thought he felt pain because his shoulder was broken, but it looked like his back had also been severely torn apart. Since his whole body hurt so much, he couldn¡¯t figure out exactly where and how he was injured.


    ¡°¡­I got it. How fortunate¡­¡±


    He kept muttering with a low voice. His left hand slightly covered his forehead and eyelids. He let out a sigh of relief.


    Marianne, who was sniffling while trying to stop his bleeding, listened to all his muttering.


    Her wet eyes grew big, and suddenly she got upset and shouted, ¡°Did you say ¡®How fortunate!? Why are you so fortunate about? Because your back was torn on my behalf?¡±


    Eckart opened his eyes again when faced with her fiery outbursts of anger.


    ¡®¡­It looks like my forehead was ripped, too.¡¯


    Even though he saw the new bloodstains on his palm that he put on his forehead for a moment, he didn¡¯t care that much. He didn¡¯t want to dwell on it because he was exhausted.


    ¡°It¡¯s all because of me. You were hurt so much because of me.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±

 Chapter 70

    ¡°Don¡¯t lie! If that¡¯s true, why didn¡¯t I get injured at all? We fell in the same water, but why were you the only one who got hurt? Does the Benoit Waterfall have any eyes that distinguish people?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯m so unlucky¡­ ¡±


    As soon as he caught her eyes, however, he felt that he had to restrain himself. He wanted to say a lot, but shut his mouth.


    Some emotions sometimes brought about the opposite behavior, just like how one would get angry when somebody expressed worry. That was the case for her.


    ¡°Why did you do this to me? Do you think I¡¯ll swear allegiance to you if you act like this? If that¡¯s the case, then you¡¯re completely mistaken. I already told you that I would cooperate with you fully even if you don¡¯t do me a favor!¡±


    He already knew that the target of her fiery fury was him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be angry. That¡¯s not what I intended.¡±


    If she thought she was trapped in the bondage of escape, he himself was much worse.


    Eckart found a plausible excuse instead of saying what he wanted to say.


    ¡°I just kept my promise. Because I promised it on the honor of the Frey family.¡±


    His low voice continued speaking as if to soothe her.


    Hearing that, Marianne remembered one thing he said before, which was as clear as a stigma.


    Keep the promise? She thought it was nonsense as well as a ridiculous excuse.


    How many promises were there on Earth that were comparable to the emperor¡¯s life?


    And was there any promise he shared with Marianne whom he took as a hostage?


    ¡°What good is your honor? What¡¯s the big deal about breaking such a promise? Do you think that the honor of the dead is better than the shame of the living? No! It can¡¯t be! You should survive to ensure the next!¡±


    ¡°Marianne!¡±


    ¡°What is the big deal about taking me hostage? Why did you do that? Why! Which emperor did this kind of reckless thing to keep his promise to the hostage? If you are in a hurry, you have to throw away even your most important hostage!¡±


    ¡°That makes sense, but I think you¡¯ve forgotten that the hostage is you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m telling you this. See, you¡¯ve sacrificed your safety on the promise that nobody would know if I died!¡±


    ¡°You have to take care of your own safety! While you think the world of the horseman¡¯s life, why can¡¯t you be more selfish when it comes to your own life? Even if your partner is a royal member, you should know how to use him or her as your shield when your life is at stake.¡±


    ¡°How you and I are in the same¡­¡±


    ¡°Enough. If you want to express your gratitude, it¡¯s enough already. If I hear your gratitude, I¡¯m afraid I am going to be given a good scolding.¡±


    Letting out a sigh, he swept his messy hair.


    At first glance, his voice was cold, but it was only a pun to cover his sense of guilt. Marianne was more upset by the fact that he replied sneeringly.


    She almost lost all this: his eyes more blue than the bottom of the waterfall, his sincere voice and his embrace of her shoulders before her fall, which he did for her safety just like her father in her previous life.


    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid to die. I¡¯m more scared if somebody died because of me. I hate that a hundred times more than me dying. If something happened to your life, I really would have¡­¡±


    Marianne buried her face in her hands while pressing on his shoulders and cried again.


    It was her shameful tantrum. She knew it. Nonetheless, she couldn¡¯t stop it. Comfort and anxiety, faith and disbelief, hope and despair, hate and love were all mixed up together in her mind.


    ¡°Marianne!¡±


    Eckart slowly pulled down her hands covering her face. Instead, he wiped her wet eyes and cheeks quietly.


    ¡°It¡¯s true that you¡¯re injured a bit. Given that you fell off the top of Benoit Falls, you survived unscathed. You and I are alive anyway.¡±


    Basking in the warm sunlight, Marianne felt his warmth on her face. Resentment and anger of him inside her melted away like burnt ash.


    ¡°So, don¡¯t cry. I will never make you an excuse for my death. Never.¡±


    His blue eyes appealed to her earnestly. Even Eckart himself did not know how earnest and desperate his gaze was.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Your Majesty. It¡¯s all my fault. I know¡­¡±


    Only Marianne felt it and only she could know it.


    In the end, she cried while she apologized to him. As if she was trying to hold back crying, she bit her lower lip.


    ¡°This is not your fault. It¡¯s just an accident,¡± Eckart said, shaking his head.


    Knowing that he didn¡¯t reproach her at all, Marianne recalled her actions and blamed herself.


    Wouldn¡¯t this have not happened if she had not offered him a deal? Was it because she stayed with him that her loved ones got hurt and died? What if her desire to protect everyone was a curse that hurt everyone?


    She began to question numerous things that she would never have had if she had lived as an easygoing and optimistic woman. When she had doubt and fear, she was anxious to get out of this hell desperately.


    But the blood stains on the dress she grabbed as well as the lingering pain on her face woke her up. At this moment, drops of her blood will continue to flow out and be mixed with the river and disappear, and the divine protection surrounding her remaining life will wear down. Probably not much time would be left for her.


    She took a deep breath. Aside from political interests and private feelings, her instincts for life and death motivated her.


    ¡°As you have protected me as promised, let me make a promise to you too.¡±


    With her two hands wet with his blood, she grabbed one of his hands wet with her tears.


    The thong tied to each of their wrists finally broke.


    ¡°I will protect Your Majesty from now on.¡±


    She swallowed anxiety and despair with her lingering cries. Her green eyes shone with strong determination as if it showed her steely will.


    ***


    Tak, Tak.


    Firewood in the fireplace was burning noisily. As if to boast that it was the only warmth in a cool temple, it made a cheerful and clear sound. Along the spot where the warm noise passed, the humidity of the nearby waterfall and cold air of the mountains disappeared.


    Wearing a snow-white robe and putting on a hood upside down, a priest sat in a chair in front of the fireplace and held a stick. When she flipped the tangled firewood with the long stick, the noise from firewood got louder.


    Tak. Tak. Tak.


    The priest stirred the stick more briskly as if the noise of firewood burning was music. At her gesture, firewood burned high at once, then burned down before burning high again. It was a burning fire on the ground, but it became hot air to warm the sky, geothermal heat to dry the water, and then a heat wave to melt the ice.


    ¡°Your Eminence, Cardinal!¡±


    A young priest came running from the entrance of the main hall at a distance.


    Cardinal Helena, Aslan¡¯s chief priest, as well as Aslan¡¯s 35th Cardinal, turned her head slightly.


    ¡°How naughty you are, Hilde!¡±


    She rebuked Hilde with an elegant voice and put down the stick.


    ¡°But he is not just an ordinary guest! A grand duke is here!¡±


    ¡°The Grand Duke has come here in person?¡±


    ¡°Yes. A few more knights have come along, but anyway, he was a grand duke!¡±


    Priest Hilde repeated the same words many times with a trembling voice. Helena was about to scold him, but she quit. She felt Hilde could make a mistake as a young apprentice. Hilde was only 12 years old. The grand temple was originally a difficult place for lower-class people to come in, and even the imperial event at the temple, where high-ranking aristocrats showed themselves, had stopped for decades. For Hilde, it was her first chance to meet such a giant figure.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Your Eminence!¡±


    Arsenio, who popped up behind Hilde, apologized instead.


    ¡°Hilde, go back to your room right now. Why did you stop writing a letter of apology and ran away? And now you acted so rudely before her eminence. Eat dinner in your room and write three more letters of apology by tomorrow morning.¡±


    Pulling the hem of Hilde¡¯s dress, Arsenio made a dreadful look. Hilde responded with a pitiful look, pulling down her eyebrows.


    ¡°You always hate me, Arsen. You¡¯re so mean. Even Her Eminence Cardinal Helena doesn¡¯t get angry with me.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right. Arsen is kinda mean.¡±


    ¡°Your Eminence!¡± Arsenio looked at Helena with an unpleasant look. Helena beckoned at Hilde. Hilde stretched out her tongue as if to mock Arsenio and ran next to Helena.

 Chapter 71

    ¡°If you take his side too much, you¡¯re going to spoil her,¡± said Arsenio.


    ¡°How come you¡¯re so cold-hearted? Have not raised you right?¡± said Helena.


    ¡°Cold-hearted? I did just¡­¡±


    ¡°You want to say you just did your duty? Okay. Pick up where you stopped working and go ahead. Where is the grand duke¡¯s party?¡±


    Arsenio, who had been cut off by Helena, made an embarrassed look. But she couldn¡¯t beat the cardinal and sighed.


    ¡°His party is waiting in the front courtyard.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not our custom here in Roshan to keep them waiting. Let¡¯s go!¡±


    Helena hurried ahead. Arsenio and Hilde hurriedly followed her. The three left the main hall and went down the stairs toward the front courtyard.


    In the front yard, three knights, including Grand Duke Christopher, were waiting after they got off the horses.


    ¡°We¡¯re honored to see the witness of great divinity, the holy chief priest, Your Eminence Cardinal!¡±


    Grand Duke Christopher showed his manners politely.


    In terms of the worldly rank, the cardinal was as honorable as the emperor. In particular, when they saw the cardinal, the god¡¯s disciple, it was the established law even for the emperor to show his manners politely.


    ¡°Please stand up, Grand Duke!¡±


    While talking to him, Helena took off her hood. Her forehead with her light azure hair over it was clearly marked with gold-plated butterfly-shaped scars.


    The butterfly pattern, called Renato, was god¡¯s stigma that only cardinals could obtain among many priests. The use of butterflies in seals representing the Roshan Temple was also part of the established customs originating in cardinal stigmas.


    ¡°I was waiting¡­¡±


    Her golden pupil glanced at the knights standing behind him.


    ¡°When I see a nice group of knights like you, I¡¯m worried rather than happy. I hope my prediction is not right, but let me ask. Did the emperor have an accident by any chance?¡± she asked with a gentle voice. She guessed the emperor¡¯s misfortune exactly. She already knew that a messenger with a sign of trouble would come, and she instantly felt that something ominous happened to the emperor because it was unusual that the messenger was a grand duke.


    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Christopher replied bitterly.


    ¡°Oh, I sensed it when even the embers looked like a disaster in fire¡­¡±


    Helena shook her head, clicking her tongue.


    To some extent, the tragedy had been predicted. She was informed of the pre-notice that the emperor¡¯s party was coming to Roshan to proceed with the emperor¡¯s engagement.


    But only the grand duke and three knights who looked haggard came on the promised date, not the emperor. Even the maids of the temple without any divine power could easily guess that the emperor¡¯s schedule was messed up.


    But Helena foresaw much more than that. The dizzying constellations last night, the nightmares of dawn, and the buzzing noise of the embers burning in the fireplace indicated a clear disaster. The ominous energy of all this turned into a sharp spear and pierced her crown.


    ¡°There were wagon accidents on the way here. His Majesty, Lady Marianne, and one horseman went missing after falling down the Benoit Falls. Most of the people that followed were injured, big and small.¡±


    ¡°Oh, God!¡­¡± Helena lamented.


    She crossed herself, putting her dry hand on her forehead.


    ¡°What is the condition of the injured?¡± Arsenio asked with a serious look.


    ¡°Fortunately, there were none who suffered life-threatening injuries.¡±


    ¡°God helped you,¡± said Aresnio, who also crossed her chest with a solemn expression.


    Christopher turned to the cardinal again and said, ¡°We divided the Knights into several search teams to find out the emperor¡¯s party, but we are short-staffed. I asked headquarters in Milan for support units but I couldn¡¯t wait¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, grand duke. Let me help you.¡±


    Helena quietly wrapped Christopher¡¯s hands.


    ¡°Let¡¯s make a search team composed of those priests who are familiar with the geography of the area. Is there anyone who remembers exactly where the accident happened?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­yes. The knight who has been to the scene of the accident should know.¡±


    ¡°Good. Please mark that spot on the map. If we know the location, we will be able to figure out which tributary they would have drifted into.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Christopher beckoned to a knight standing behind him. He quickly took out a portable map from his pocket. Arsenio helped him spread the map on the floor.


    ¡°Are the wounded staying at the official residence?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Then, let me send three teams of healing priests to the residence and include the remaining priests in the search team. If the condition of the residence is poor, you can carry those who can move to this temple for treatment.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your wise and compassionate consideration.¡±


    Christopher bowed to her once again, but he let out a deep sigh.


    ¡°Grand Duke, don¡¯t worry too much,¡± said someone cheerfully, as if to comfort him.


    Christopher turned his head towards the voice. Standing behind Helena, a girl holding onto the hem of a robe was staring at him intently.


    ¡°Hilde!¡±


    Arsenio, who took the map that the knight gave, shook her head and called her name as if to stop her. But Hilde shook her head, sticking out her tongue.


    ¡°Why? I can see it. Your Majesty¡¯s star is still twinkling, though the light has become a little weaker¡­¡±


    Christopher frowned at that a bit. It was still broad daylight with the sun shining. As the sunlight was so strong, the stars could be seen.


    ¡°Your Majesty¡¯s star?¡± asked the grand duke.


    ¡°Yeah. It was the star born when His Majesty was born. I can see his partner star next to it. Well, it looks like two. Hummm¡­it may not be two¡­I wonder if it¡¯s a shadow.¡±


    Her clear voice hesitated for a moment. She tilted her head to the side a bit.


    Hilde continued, ¡°Anyway, the two are holding hands like this. Both are sparkling side by side. But the light is disappearing little by little. It hurts. It¡¯s falling over the ridge over there.¡±


    Glancing at the empty sky, Hilde kept babbling. Golden eyes that exactly resembled Helena¡¯s flashed slowly as if a huge night sky and numerous constellations were spread ahead.


    ¡°But he will be fine because you are going to go there to save the emperor. Right?¡±


    She looked at the grand duke and smiled brightly.


    ¡°¡­ Sure. I¡¯ll go and escort the emperor safely,¡± Christopher replied after hesitating for a moment.


    Although he couldn¡¯t believe what she said and took it as a 15-year-old girl¡¯s babbling,


    it was full of hope and confidence, strangely enough.


    ¡°Well, Hilde. You should help sick people, too. Follow Arsen.¡±


    Stroking Hilde¡¯s black hair, Helena slightly pushed her shoulder.


    Hilde responded readily and left the place, holding Arsenio¡¯s hand.


    Innocently, she even dared to say goodbye to the grand duke by waving her hands.


    ¡°Grand Duke, Hilde is a star child born of the blessing of the goddess. Although she is clumsy, she has pure power. What she said is far from nonsensical, so don¡¯t worry too much like she said,¡± Helena whispered as she watched Hilde¡¯s back.


    ¡°¡­ I also hope that God has not forsaken us.¡±


    Grand Duke Christopher quietly prayed. It was his desperate pray.


    **


    The cool wind swayed through the leaves.


    Eckart, who lay on his side, opened his eyes. His blue pupils slowly looked over the nearby scenery. The river was rippling through the gravel on short trees, yellow dresses, ivory capes, blood-stained golden cloaks and white cloaks spread like flags, reflecting the sunlight. On one side of the shadow of the rock was his bedside with some of the ruins of his wagon.


    ¡®I can¡¯t go through this once more.¡¯


    Eckart sighed, remembering his struggle a moment ago.


    Eckart and Marianne, who lay like a lump along the river, washed their wounds with running water in a hurry. While looking at every corner of his body to see if he had any further injuries, she was fortunate to find a jackknife in his coat pocket.


    Compared to women of her age, she was very good at improvising. She pulled off the cotton drawers she was wearing. She didn¡¯t like its length, so she tore it with the knife and tied both ends.


    ¡°What are you doing now?¡±


    ¡°Stay still. I¡¯ve never done this before.¡±


    Soon, she wrapped it around his back and tightened it to stop his bleeding temporarily.


    As the wound was squeezed, he felt pain when he was breathing, but his blood mixed in the river soon diminished. She made a quick and wise judgment to stop his bleeding.


    As she succeeded, she became more ambitious. The gravel road with the water flowing along his back was not a good place for him to stay long. The sun was so warm. After he was in the water for long, however, his body temperature began to drop. They needed a place to spend the night in case the rescue team couldn¡¯t find them today.


    At that moment, he found a shady which was deep and flat like a cave nearby.

 Chapter 72

    Chapter 72: Chapter 72


    Fortunately, he could walk as he had no leg injuries, but it took him a while to get up from the spot where he lay on his back and sit down. He felt extreme pain when he raised one of his knees, and when he barely stood on two legs, he just wanted to faint as the pain was painful. ¡®I¡¯d feel more comfortable if I lost my mind instead!¡¯ he murmured.


    Although he was not much of a knight all his life, he was trained enough to protect his own body. Nevertheless, he felt like his whole body ached.


    ¡°Your Majesty, cheer up. You just have to go there. That¡¯s it. Lean on me more. I¡¯m stronger than you think. Come on!¡±


    Each time, Marianne comforted him and cheered him up.


    Of course, she had never held a thing which was heavier than a jewelry box.


    He could see her slender arm trembling. She had sweat on her nose and her bitten lips turned white. He wouldn¡¯t have blamed her even if she had given up in the middle. But she helped him to move as best she could. Just as he could not give her up in the water, she kept supporting him desperately.


    The two crawled half way and walked half way. With all their might, they crawled into the crevice near a rock mountain. As soon as they arrived, he immediately knelt down. As he felt the warmth on the back and dizziness, he felt faint. He was more short of breath than when he sank under the water. His broken arm was extremely painful, and as he bit the inside of his mouth so often, he could even taste of blood in his nose and throat.


    Marianne probably didn¡¯t have any stamina left. Nevertheless, she threw off her cape and dress.


    ¡°Why are you taking off your clothes, Marianne?¡±


    He had never seen a faithful lady of the noble family undressing right before his eyes.


    Trying her best to calm down, she answered with an embarrassed voice, ¡°I¡¯m just scared. I have to dry them anyway, so let me take them off.¡±


    As always, Marianne never listened to him seriously.


    She was struggling with her heavy and sticky dress for a long time. After all, the sleeves and chest trim were ripped apart, and the tight corsets and half-broken petticoats were also thrown away. Eventually, as she wished, she was clad in a cool slip.


    ¡°Wow, I can live now! Your Majesty, give me your cloak and coat. You shouldn¡¯t put on wet clothes for a long time.¡±


    Although she said it in the form of a request, it was closer to an order.


    She almost forcibly took away the cloak and coat from him, who was embarrassed at the moment. Of course, she did it carefully so that he could not feel hurt.


    He also struggled with his wet clothes as much as she did and he finally could catch his breath¡­ In the meantime, she took off one of her shoes and then put on his long boots instead.


    ¡°I feel like I¡¯ve been robbed before my eyes.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not robbery! I¡¯m just borrowing them from you briefly. I didn¡¯t ask for your permission because you would be fine with it anyway.¡±


    Responding to his jolly joke, she picked up a pile of clothes. The wet fabric was so heavy that some of the clothes she didn¡¯t hold tight dragged around her arms. She hung the wet clothes in the sun. She checked out the shallow stream on her way back. Luckily, there were floating the ruins of the wagon that had been pushed down here. Among them were pieces of wood of broken wagons, silver wine glasses, and she picked them up.


    ¡°Let me look around the nearby forest for a moment. Please wait a bit. You should never lose your mind.¡±


    Then she hurriedly ran out of the cave again. Not suitable for her white lace apron, her black boots that were too big for her disappeared in no time.


    The cave was calm in contrast to the real world.


    While she was away, he just helplessly waited. There was nothing else for him to do. Soon a sense of helplessness, gentle pain, and some mysterious feelings overtook him.


    At that moment, he suddenly recalled what she told him.


    ¡°Let me protect you from now on, even if I risk everything.¡±


    Eckart was currently the owner of Aslan. When he was young, he was a well-prepared monarch. Every year he led many knights¡¯ declaration for his protection, including those he heard at the Eluang Knights¡¯ inauguration. Although they were customary exaggerations or false oaths, they just swore by betting anything for his protection.


    But Marianne was not a knight. She was neither a maid nor a maid whose duty was to serve their master, nor a member of the royal family.


    She was the daughter of a duke who was smaller and weaker than him. She was taken as a hostage for political reasons. Even the terms of the deal between them for mutual political interests was his promise to protect her and her father¡¯s safety. Namely, he was the one who had to protect them.


    In that situation, he never expected that he would hear her pledging to protect him.


    But Marianne willingly promised it for him. He felt her weak voice was more true and sacred than the pledges of the strong knights. What was reflected in her green eyes was her clear will of self-sacrifice.That looked sincere to his eyes, which were accustomed to catching other people¡¯s intentions.


    After hesitating for a moment, he slowly extended his left hand. He felt pain in his back with that small movement, but he searched through the pile of stuff that she had piled up.


    Soon he caught a round, small ceramic medicine casel. The medicine box with the golden herb stem was the one he had given to her in the past. It came out from her pocket when she took off her dress.


    ¡°Why do you still have it? The wound didn¡¯t heal yet?¡±


    ¡°It did. I originally put it in a drawer but I took it back when I left for Roshan. I believed it would be a good charm for the engagement ceremony.¡±


    Her gentle voice was replayed like a hallucination. He softly touched the pottery with his injured fingers. His emotions quietly subsided like the mist of a lake at dawn. Looking back, it started in spring when he turned 15. The world of the young prince, composed of light and faithfulness, collapsed so easily. Since the day he learned about the secrets of the royal family, he had to endure a life where he could not depend on anybody.


    Faith betrayed him, and love hated him. He had to take into account misfortune in the offing before hope. He had to doubt somebody¡¯s favor and get used to hostility. He regarded it as defeat and injustice to express his true heart.


    ¡°Because it¡¯s your gift. Of course, you gave me a lot of other gifts, but I still think this is the sweetest gift.¡±


    However, at this moment, he had to admit there was an exception to the rules that sustained his life.


    Marianne. She was the only unconventional exception. She was a lovely intruder. She was a fellow in the battlefield who trusted him first when he couldn¡¯t trust himself. Boldly enough, she was a woman who promised to protect the emperor, and she was the daughter in the enemy¡¯s estate that he believed he should never love.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s mine. Are you stealing it now?¡±


    He was surprised by that voice and turned his head.


    She came back before he knew it and sat down nearby, pouring out what she collected in her skirt.


    ¡°Are you going to steal my medicine bottle because I borrowed your boots? Oh my gosh! I¡¯ve plucked this much grass for what!¡±


    She pointed at the pile of grass in an exaggerated voice. He saw a pile of grass, mixed with several pebbles of different shapes.


    He tried to stay calm while stroking his neck for a moment.


    ¡°Marianne, this is what I gave you in the past¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right! How come you want to take back what you gave to me?¡±


    ¡°Steal? I just looked at it. What¡¯s the point of me stealing this?¡±


    Then, he put the medicine bottle in front of her with a serious look on his face.


    ¡°Well, I can use it for this.¡±


    Then, she opened the lid of the medicine container and put a lot of ointment on her fingertips. She rubbed it on the middle of his forehead and down.


    ¡°¡­ ¡±


    He was speechless for a moment and looked at her.


    ¡°This ointment is quite effective. If I apply it like this, the wounds will quickly heal. I wish no scars will be left on your face¡­¡±


    Murmuring to herself, she squeezed the ointment again. Soon, the scent of the herb was on his cheeks, near his clavicle, and his bare forehead where the bleeding just stopped.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you apply it on your wounds first?¡± he asked.


    Then he tried to grab her hand and stop it, but she pulled away her hand and turned to the grass.

 Chapter 73

    Chapter 73: Chapter 73


    Several leaves of plants with white flowers among the green leaves were ripped off. She threw away the flower beds and buds as if they were useless.


    ¡®What is she doing?¡¯


    While he was wondering, he smelled something fishy at the tip of his nose.


    ¡°Please chew it well. Come on!¡±


    Marianne pushed the blade of grass between his lips as if she were humoring a child who didn¡¯t want to take medicine. Eckart knitted his brows more intensely.


    ¡°Why are you giving this¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s anesthesia. It¡¯s grass called Roshan¡¯s Star. This is poisonous, so you should not eat it. It¡¯s also called lunatic grass because animals go crazy after eating it unknowingly.¡±


    ¡°Then, why are you telling me to chew it now?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay because there is only a painkiller substance in the leaves. Are you worried if I poison you at all when I put all my time and effort into saving your life?¡±


    She looked down at Eckhart with a sullen expression. He felt very strange about her gaze, which was higher than his. In other words, he felt he was really protected by her as she looked down, just like her mother quietly wiped her forehead as a child when he had a fever and couldn¡¯t sleep.


    In the end, he shut up and chewed the blades of grass. The unique bitterness of raw grass hovered inside his mouth.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t taste good at all.¡±


    ¡°Medicine naturally tastes bitter anyway.¡±


    She brazenly answered and skillfully trimmed the grass she picked up. She separated only leaves from the branches of dense oval leaves along the stem in a bunch of grass resembling clovers. When she put herbs on flat gravel and crushed them with heavy gravel, the leaves quickly lost their shape and were torn off.


    Tak, tak!


    The sound of gravel clashing together was produced periodically.


    Eckart looked closely at what she was doing, and opened his mouth.


    ¡°Do you know how to distinguish between herbs and poisons?¡±


    ¡°Well, yes. To some extent.¡±


    ¡°What is that? Do I have to eat it, too?¡±


    Marianne burst into a smile and laughed at that. She was not supposed to laugh in such a situation, but strangely enough, she felt relaxed and lost track of time.


    ¡®Do all people in distress lose a sense of reality in this way?¡¯ she thought to herself.


    ¡°Does it really taste bad?¡±


    ¡°Very bad.¡±


    ¡°Do not worry. I¡¯ll apply this without having you eat it. This little grass is a marsh pennywort, and these branches are beautyberry branches. Both are effective for hemostasis, so I¡¯m going to put them on your wounds. It¡¯s common, but this medicinal herb is not everywhere, but I was so happy to find them nearby.¡±


    Listening to her explanation in detail, Eckart recalled the intelligence briefing report Jed brought to him recently. When reading it, he remembered that one of her hobbies was collecting medicinal herbs.


    ¡°I hear you were well versed in plants, but I didn¡¯t know you had such a deep knowledge of medicine.¡±


    ¡°I have been fond of flowers and trees since childhood. My father said that it¡¯s because I look like my mother. At first, I grew a lot of pretty plants, but I became interested in medicinal plants by chance.¡±


    Tak, tak!


    The sound of gravel hitting against each other filled the silence.


    ¡°I have a friend named Evelyn in the north. I think I was about 14 years old then. We had a picnic together. Eve had a fine personality, and she was not afraid of anything like Ms. Rane.


    Thanks to her, I learned to ride a horse, how to shoot a bow, and I learned to handle a very thin sword, though only briefly¡­¡±


    She was now reminiscent of her childhood days. Her green eyes glimmered as if she was immersed in her memories. He quietly waited for her to continue. Strictly speaking, their conversation like this was useless in this situation.


    For him, who had no interest in the lives of others, it was a dramatic change.


    ¡°Anyway, I went on a picnic with her, and gave Evelyn a beautiful flower. I wanted to give it to her as a gift because it was a rare flower that I hadn¡¯t seen before in the area. But that was poisonous.¡±


    Trivial stories like this sweetened their ears.


    She babbled on like a baby bird, and he looked at her as if he were watching a play.


    He even forgot for a moment the pain that seemed to touch all his nerves.


    ¡°Without knowing it was poisonous, we smelled flowers, touched its leaves, broke the stem and put it next to our ears. Of course, we were sick. I started studying medicinal herbs right after my fever was gone.¡±


    ¡°Wow! You¡¯re really quick at picking things up.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear it from you because you proposed to me as soon as you met me first.¡±


    She sharply looked at him.


    ¡°The family doctor at the Lennox Mansion used to work in the palace. He was also familiar with herbal medicine, so I learned lots of things from him ranging from the basic medical knowledge to the distinction method of poisonous flowers. When I think about it now, I was really lucky. If I hadn¡¯t made a mistake that day, I wouldn¡¯t have had any reason to be interested in pharmacy, and I wouldn¡¯t have been able to help you today.¡±


    Tak, tak. The periodic noise stopped when she was done talking.


    Marianne patted all the herbs she pounded and then laid gravel on them. She squeezed and opened her partially numb hands and then turned back toward Eckart.


    Looking at her as if he was enchanted, he met her bright green eyes squarely.


    ¡°Would you like to take off your clothes now?¡±


    She sat closer. The cloth rolled up for hemostasis was unfastened. One of the few buttons on his vest was quickly released, and the buttons on the shirt also opened gradually from the top.


    He stared at her blankly and then grabbed her slender wrist.


    ¡°Marianne, I can do it on my own ¡­¡±


    ¡°Please stay still. If the tourniquet gets loose as you move, you may bleed a lot.¡±


    Before she was done talking, she pulled away her wrists, knitting her eyebrows as if she was scolding a stubborn child.


    He helpless lowered his arms. Every time her warm fingers touched his skin very briefly, he was shaken by inexplicable emotions.


    ¡®What¡¯s the big deal about somebody taking off and put on my clothes? I have my staff do this several times a day back home. This is just a process for treatment¡­ Damn it, what kind of excuse do I want to make now?¡¯ he reproached himself.


    While he was checking his mental condition, his shirt front opened wide.


    Like chocolate that was hardened in a waffle-shaped mold, his upper body with smooth muscles was fully revealed. It was a pretty strong build even when she saw it twenty steps from her seat.


    ¡°What a relief. There are no big scars here.¡±


    He had bruises on various parts of his body, but he didn¡¯t have any major injuries like bleeding from torn skin.


    Feeling relieved, she gently wiped every corner of his body. Given that he didn¡¯t show any reactions when she pressed on his skin, he seemed to have no bone fractures.


    Meanwhile, he drew a sharp breath, staring at the stone wall over her shoulders.


    ¡°It will hurt. But try to endure it and stand up.¡±


    When Marianne pushed her arms between his sides to raise him up, he felt suffocated as if he was drowned again.


    Was it because he was wearing wet clothes for too long? Or was it the bleeding that caused his body temperature to drop?


    He felt warm or even hot because her bare shoulders were pressed against him.


    ¡°Oops!¡±


    From the moment she started to raise his upper body, he felt his back was hotter 100 times than before. He instinctively leaned toward her and tightened his left arm on the ground.


    She began to take off his clothes, holding him in her arms halfway. Every time she twisted his body, she heard him clenching his teeth to endure the pain. It was evidence of extreme pain that she could not even imagine. She carefully moved her hands as quickly as possible, like a mother carefully taking care of her baby.¡±It¡¯s all done. Let me just cut off the shirt on your right arm. Please lean here for a moment.¡±


    Short of breath like a fast runner, he leaned his head against the wall.


    She searched for the stack of items on one side and took out a jackknife. When she pulled on the shirt¡¯s arm tightly and cut it quickly, the silk was broken smoothly. The blood-soaked shirt fell.


    ¡°Awesome. You put up with it well. This way¡­¡±


    Trying to pull himself together, he twisted his body slightly after her words.


    Finally, the scars on his back were fully revealed.


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    She closed her mouth with the back of her hands unconsciously.


    She saw deep laceration from the base of the tailbone to the middle of his spine.


    The wound looked terrible as if that part had been carved out by a sharp knife. When she touched the wound with her trembling hand, blood still came up.

 Chapter 74

    Chapter 74: Chapter 74


    ¡°¡­ Was it torn a lot?¡± he asked with a tired voice.


    She started to cry right away at that.


    ¡°Was it torn a lot? How can you sound so carefree? You should thank yourself for not having eyes on the back of your head. If you look at it directly, it will hurt a hundred times more than now¡­¡±


    She spoke her mind in a fit of anger, but she came to her senses belatedly and shut up. It was not right to make the patient feel excessive fear.


    ¡°No, no, I was just kidding. I can treat this much. You¡¯ll be better soon.¡±


    Eckart grinned at her suddenly. When was the last time he heard someone¡¯s obvious but not that ugly lie?lying Of course, he knew she was not kidding.


    ¡°You are not good at lying¡±


    ¡°Ober thinks a little differently. But I¡¯m not good at lying only in front of you.¡±


    ¡°¡­ in front of me?¡±


    ¡°Yes, in front of you.¡±


    She casually replied while examining his wounds.


    He knew she answered to save her face. Thinking like that, he reflected on her words. She said she was not good at lying in front of him only.


    He felt sympathetic to her. She couldn¡¯t hide her affection for him in her eyes, and she was genuinely worried about his safety, expressing her sadness casually without knowing how violently his candidness was shaking him now.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid that the wound is so deep that you will have scars there. What should I do¡­¡±


    Just as expected, she pulled the gravel piled up with the pounded herbs toward her and murmured with an upset expression.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯m not actually going to walk around with my bare back. Who would care about the wounds on my back?¡± he said casually.


    She thought he said so in order to relieve her anxiety. But she was surprised when he mentioned nobody would care about the wounds on his back.


    She grabbed a bunch of herbs on the gravel, pouting her mouth like a child who got unfairly scolded. Soon she put her hand on the wound unexpectedly.


    ¡°I do care, I do.¡±


    ¡°Wait a moment, Marianne. Ugh..¡±


    He groaned while breathing in quickly. The muscles of his tense back trembled like nervous fiber.


    ¡°Is it none of your business that I do care about you? How can you say that about your wounds so carelessly? This is very precious evidence that you did stupid things to save a hostage like me.¡±


    Even though her tone was blunt, she carefully spread herbs on the wounds. She made frowned like a man touching a creepy toad against his will.


    At the same time, Eckart narrowed his brows. Although he felt increasing pain, it was not the main reason why.


    ¡°Marianne!¡±


    ¡°Why are you calling me?¡±


    When she responded coldly as if she was upset, he again grabbed something on the floor.


    He felt a sharp pain on the back and inside his mouth.


    ¡°¡­ I wasn¡¯t trying to save you because you were a hostage.¡±


    ¡°Well, let me give you the benefit of the doubt. I heard your excuses that you kept the promise for me on the honor of the Frey family.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that¡­¡±


    She took her hands off his back covered with fresh medicinal herbs. Then she grabbed a piece of blood-drenched dressing, which she had released from his body. Red water drops dipped to the floor like water stirred with a pen with red ink.


    ¡°¡­ I didn¡¯t want you to be hurt.¡±


    Unfolding and patting the cloth, she stopped for a moment. She looked at him with green eyes furtively. But as soon as he tilted his head to the side slightly, she dropped her eyes again.


    ¡°¡­ I don¡¯t want you to be hurt, either.¡±


    She hid her trembling fingertips under the fabric. And then she began to wrap the wounds again with her hands delicately.


    As if he felt a terrible pain, he grabbed his empty fists.


    She stretched her arms one more time and tied the wounds with the fabric once more.


    ¡°Because only you can save me.¡±


    With their eyes looking away, their gentle voices echoed through the silent cave wall.


    He frowned hard behind her back. She bit her lips over his shoulder and smiled awkwardly as her eyes met his.


    ¡°Did you think I alone was a good card for you? No. You are my most important card, just like the king of chess, the ace of poker.¡±


    It was formally correct. Only formally. There was a reason why she thought the world of him. But he could not point that out. He didn¡¯t ask if it was for only one political reason that he received undeserved trust and kindness from her up until now. For he had fear.


    It was exactly the same kind of fear he felt when she begged him not to reply after asking him why he was so kind to her.


    ¡°Do not worry. You don¡¯t have to comfort me against your will. I¡¯m stronger than you think, and I forget about difficult things easily. I also decided to discard my desires¡­¡±


    While babbling, she fumbled her words. She stared at the knotted lapel and soon pulled away her reddish fingers that touched his hard body slightly.


    ¡°¡­ Marianne!¡± he called her with a low voice.


    But she hurriedly picked up her clothes around and stood up.


    ¡°Let me hang these clothes to dry in the sun. Please go rest.¡±


    * * *


    Tak!


    Cordelli roughly lowered the oil lamp on the table by the door. A yellowish halo shuffled in the dark room. A shadow approached the empty bed with exhausted steps.


    The broad bed was used by Marianne last night. There were pillows and blankets neatly spread on the bed as if the maids arranged them together after the group left the official residence. There was not a single hair on the floor as if they cleaned it up very well.


    She got up again and went to the dressing table. In the mirror, there was only her dressed in a dishevelled outfit and there were a few simple objects on the dressing table. There was no fruit dish prepared for Marianne who overslept, her favorite perfume, or her favorite cosmetics and jewelry box she habitually used at the Lennox Mansion.


    It was just like a dream as if what happened yesterday morning was only a fleeting dream.


    ¡°Lady¡­¡±


    Cordelli quietly called Marianne.


    If Marianne heard her voice, might she open the door quietly and appear or might she wake up with sleepy eyes in the blanket or play the baby, hanging on her, complaining about her very tough schedule?


    Might she reappear, calling her name with a friendly voice like this?


    ¡°Lady?¡±


    Even though there was a mirror in front of her, Cordelli looked back in astonishment as if she was running to someone calling her name right now.


    ¡°Oh, you must be Ms. Cordelli. Why are you up already? I told you to lie down and rest for a while¡­¡±


    But the owner of the voice was not Marianne.


    ¡°¡­ Lady Beatrice.¡±


    ¡°You can call me Biche.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Lady Biche¡­¡±


    She answered feebly, trying to stand up, but staggered. Beatrice quickly helped her sit in bed. As she was also injured, she found it difficult to walk right away, but she did not care at all.


    ¡°See! You have to rest more. You still have a fever.¡±


    Beatrice comforted Cordelli and looked around. She noticed bags piled up like blocks on the other side of the bed. As nobody claimed them, they were piled up there unpacked.


    Despite her limited mobility, she still walked directly to the spot where the bags were piled up. When she opened the bag at the top, there were several clothes. She noticed a cape that looked a little warm.


    Beatrice, limping again, quietly put the cape over Cordelli¡¯s shoulders. She patted her on the shoulder kindly.


    Cordelli dropped her head, clutching the cape¡¯s edge. Usually she would have inquired after Beatrice safety first as she was injured, but she almost lost her mind.


    ¡°Lady Marianne must be ten times or even 100 times as cold as me¡­¡±


    ¡°Ms. Cordelli¡­¡±


    ¡°I just wish I had shared the same wagon with her. I lost consciousness, so I didn¡¯t know something terrible happened to her. She proudly boasted she would stand by the emperor and protect him by all means. What should I do¡­¡±


    In the end, Cordelli buried her face in both hands and wept.


    To her, Marianne was like a sister. She grew up with Marianne, sharing the same milk, and she was always with her when she was sad or happy. They ate and slept together. They laughed and cried together. It was natural that she regarded her as more precious than her life. Her identity as the closest attendant was Cordelli¡¯s pride. Although she did tough chores usually done by maids, she never complained about it. Sometimes she was the target of others¡¯ slander that she was coveting wealth or looking for a good bridegroom by using Marianne¡¯s favor as an excuse. But she didn¡¯t care at all.

 Chapter 75

    Chapter 75: Chapter 75


    ¡°I think she will be safe.¡±


    ¡°Lady Biche¡­¡±


    ¡°And you are not responsible for the accident. No one knew that would happen.¡±


    ¡°However¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t blame yourself. That doesn¡¯t help you at all, Ms. Cordelli. Think about this instead. If she looks at you now, what will she say?¡±


    Beatrice sat down next to her and tilted her head gently.


    ¡°Do you think she would have gotten mad at you because you were not with her or would she have said, ¡®I¡¯m glad you didn¡¯t hurt too much, so don¡¯t worry.¡¯ What do you think?¡±


    She patted her shoulders kindly while looking at her.


    Of course, Marianne would have said something to comfort her instead of blaming her. Cordelli recalled her kind and lovely face, voice, and gestures. She would definitely have inquired after her safety first instead of rebuking her or holding her accountable.


    Of course, that was on the assumption that she was still alive.


    ¡°I heard what the knights said earlier. They said they found a horseman¡¯s body in the tributary. It was the man who drove the emperor¡¯s carriage. So, I ¡­¡±


    Cordelli shut her mouth, unable to speak anymore. When she heard them, there were no words she could find hopeful as far as the emperor¡¯s carriage was concerned. Given the knights¡¯ mention of ominous things about the carriage, She couldn¡¯t even imagine any terrible misfortunes regarding the emperor and Marianne.


    ¡°I believe they will certainly come back safe and alive.¡±


    In the end, Beatrice changed the topic.


    ¡°If she comes back to the residence, she is going to use this room again, I guess. So, sleep soundly. Let us unpack that bag tomorrow so that she can live here comfortably whenever she comes back. Change the flowers in the vase, ventilate the air and that birdcage over there¡­¡±


    Suddenly, their conversation was cut off. Cordelli lifted her head after some silence.


    Beatrice was looking at a mountain of luggage, opening her eyes wide over her glasses.


    ¡°Lady Biche?¡­¡±


    Cordelli called her with a hesitant voice, and Beatrice was gazing at something far ahead. There was a half-opened silver cage without its owner in one shade of the luggage piled up from the door to the window.


    ¡°Ms. Cordelli, do you know when the cage was empty?¡±


    * * *


    Marianne suddenly opened her eyes.


    It was bluish and dark everywhere. It seemed like the sun had set while she was blinking.


    She curled up, releasing her arms while hugging her knees. Her stiff muscles woke up, screaming. She felt the whole body aching from head to toe as if she was beaten by someone.


    ¡®Yeah, I overdid myself¡­¡±


    Actually, she used up not only her physical strength, but also mental energy all day long.


    She had to do all the work on behalf of the wounded emperor. While she was at it, she didn¡¯t know it was hard because she was just too absent-minded. Even if she did, she couldn¡¯t afford to play the baby.


    No matter how hard or exhausted she was, she couldn¡¯t feel more painful than the emperor whose arm was broken and back was bleeding.


    She looked at him lying on the side while massaging her numb arms.


    The moonlight dimly lit his back, which was moving a little. Fortunately, he was covered with the shirt which was dried in the sun the most, with a splint on his broken right arm. No matter how strong of a build he had, he could not be insensitive to pain. His pitiable back showed that he looked more like a betrayed remnant than the emperor of an empire.


    ¡®He won¡¯t last long. The wound is too deep and he bled a lot. I already changed the grass to stop his bleeding three times. The pain was so bad that he couldn¡¯t eat anything properly.¡¯


    She shrugged her shoulders with a long sigh. It was early summer, but the night was pretty cold. She rubbed her bare forearms with both hands.


    ¡®Besides, it¡¯s too cold and I¡¯m hungry.¡¯


    The only advantage of being stranded near water was that it was easy to get drinking water.


    It was wet and cool near the river. The clothes in the sun dried much slower than in the fields. As she had nothing proper to wear, she had to wander around the valley in her slip all the time.


    It would have been much easier if she could make a fire because she could dry the wet clothes, heat herself up when it was cold, and send a smoke signal to signal where she was.


    But she couldn¡¯t find even flint, let alone embers. She hit wet pebbles together to make fire, but only her hands hurt.


    ¡®What should we eat if the rescue team doesn¡¯t come tomorrow? I think I saw raspberries a while ago. Can I pick some of them? Let me collect more anesthetics and herbs.¡±


    Still, she was still in a positive mood. She originally had an optimistic personality, but she had to stay positive and optimistic on purpose.


    And she could not end her life like this. She had to go back alive. There were too many people waiting for her. She still had a lot of work to do, something only she should do.


    She leaned against the stone wall. Her necklace breathtakingly hanging on her clavicle slipped back into place. She had red diamonds on her fragile fingers, which she touched gently.


    That jewel, which drifted through the rugged waterways and did not slip, inevitably brought out her emotions hidden in the deepest part of her heart.


    She remembered the emperor¡¯s replies to her questions.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t trying to save you because you were a hostage.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want you to be hurt.¡±


    Although he answered shamelessly, she had been upset all along.


    It was the second time the emperor avoided his replies as of yesterday. She could now easily guess that he was extremely reluctant to involve his private feelings in his political calculations. And she no longer wanted to embarrass him with her unilateral feelings.


    The emperor as her political partner was her last available card. That¡¯s why she vowed not to be greedy. She vowed that she should not give too much meaning to his favor. She vowed that she should deal with him as calmly and rationally as possible.


    ¡®It depends on me, but I can¡¯t work it out as I wish.¡¯


    However, she was often bothered by what he said. He said she didn¡¯t have to apologize, he vowed that would keep his promise by all means, and he wouldn¡¯t die because of her. So, she wanted to find just one possibility, in the hem of the cloak that covered her shoulders, his belt wrapped around her arms, and his hands touching her cheeks.


    ¡®But¡­I just wish he would be really mean to me like Roxy or Ober in my previous life. If he were, I wouldn¡¯t be confused about him anyway.¡±¡®


    At that moment, she was thinking about the emperor: cold-hearted, his blue eyes reflecting mockery, cutting off somebody¡¯s words heartlessly, and no show of any compassion¡­


    She let out a sigh again. She felt ashamed of herself as she found herself lost in such idle thoughts. Frustrated, she looked back at his back again.


    ¡®Should I have plucked up the courage to ask him what he meant by his replies?¡¯


    While she had lots of things in her mind, he seemed to fall asleep in peace.


    ¡®I¡¯m still scared to hear his reply. But he wouldn¡¯t have risked his life if he didn¡¯t like me. Was he serious when he said he didn¡¯t save me because I was a hostage? It bothers me to keep asking about it¡­¡¯


    His firm shoulders reflected in her green eyes moved up or down in line with his breathing.


    ¡®¡­ Should I ask him later after the engagement? I wonder if he is going to break it off because of that..¡¯


    His shadow shook very slowly.


    She shook her head. The shadow that sunk as if it breathed out did not rise for a long time. When a person went to sleep, the cycle of breathing was supposed to slow down a bit, but she thought this interval was a bit strange.


    ¡°Your Excellency?¡± She called him with a trembling voice.


    He didn¡¯t reply. Instead, his very slow breathing continued. He breathed very slowly.


    She hurriedly got up. She crawled to him and quickly reached out and touched his neck.


    At that moment, she felt that something was seriously wrong.


    ¡®Too cold¡­! ¡®


    She quickly removed the shirt covering his shoulders. She touched his arms, back, waist, chest, and hands, which were all cold.


    She climbed over his legs without concealing her astonishment.


    ¡°Your Majesty, please come to your senses! Can you hear me?¡±


    Eckart¡¯s eyes were closed as if he heard nothing.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t lose your mind! Open your eyes!¡±


    Biting her lip, she slapped him in the face. Only then were his tightly closed eyelids opened. As there was only the moonlight, his white hair and blue eyes sparkled whitishly. His face exactly looked like that of a dead body.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    He moved his lips slightly as if he wanted to say something.


    She put her ear near his lips.

 Chapter 76

    Chapter 76: Chapter 76


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­okay¡­¡±


    His voice was fainter than that of breathing, and cut off sparingly.


    ¡°Did you say you¡¯re okay?¡±


    She raised herself with an unbelievable look. Worry and astonishment, anger and fear, were mixed up in her mind.


    ¡°You¡¯re not okay. Your Majesty is not at all okay now! Why did you stick it out until you ended up in this condition? You should have woken me up!¡±


    She shot him a sharp glance and looked at his back. When she looked closer under the moonlight, only a little bit of sticky medicinal herbs were stained on his back. Luckily, it looked like the blood had stopped, but considering the amount of bleeding during the day, he was not in a safe situation.


    ¡°Why are you saying you¡¯re okay all the time? You¡¯re human. If you hurt, you bleed, and if you get sick, you have a fever! Why are you so stubborn when nobody is watching you here?¡±


    The more she spoke, the more upset she felt. Without replying at all, he just stared at her blankly. As if he was losing consciousness due to hypothermia, his eyes were half-closed, and his breathing was too slow.


    ¡°Can you speak frankly to me? You can do whatever you want after you return home alive. You told me you wouldn¡¯t die. You promised me you wouldn¡¯t do anything that could scare me off¡­¡±


    His tranquil blue eyes slowly closed and then opened.


    She quickly wiped the tears from her cheeks. Apart from being resentful about him, she had to come up with a way to increase his body temperature.


    ¡®¡­ If I could make a fire.¡¯


    This kind of wishful thinking made her upset. The clothes she hung were not yet dry, and it was like a suicide to cover him with the wet clothes. She was not sure how much time was left until sunrise.


    ¡°Wait a minute. Let me rake in some dry grass¡­¡±


    She was about to raise herself before flopping down again. Her wrists caught by him felt almost cold.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be right back. I¡¯m not running away. How can I run away and leave you behind here?¡±


    While trying to appease him, she twisted her wrists slightly to pull away from his grip. She had no time to argue with him.


    But he did not let her go. Even though he was like a dying corpse, he strongly hung on her with all his might that she couldn¡¯t believe at all.


    ¡°Don¡¯t¡­go¡­¡±


    He feebly but desperately said that, but it was the loudest voice he could make at the moment.


    She looked down at him with wet eyes. Of all the countless faces she had ever seen, his was the most helpless and weakest. At the same time, what he said was the most honest and earnest request ever.


    ¡°Maria¡­nne¡­¡±


    She bit her lip bitterly. Even in this desperate situation, she felt touched when he called her name and her heart throbbed.


    ¡°I¡¯m so¡­cold¡­¡±


    Having said that, his blue eyes closed completely. And his hands holding her wrists fell down helplessly.


    * * *


    Knock, knock.


    Knocks rang out in the quiet office. Duke Kling, who was burying his head in a pile of papers on the desk, looked up. When he looked at the clock, it was just past midnight.


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    Following his answer, the door opened. A large shadow slipped in quickly.


    ¡°I¡¯m honored to see your lord.¡±


    ¡°Stand up. I¡¯m sorry to call you so late.¡±


    ¡°Fine. I have been working late at night. By the way, I heard that I have something to pick up.¡±


    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t tell you to pick up¡­¡±


    Kling turned to the second desk in front of the bookshelf opposite of him.


    In between the gap of files piled up like a mountain, Colin¡¯s pink hair could be seen. He was asleep. His periodic breathing sounded like a lullaby.


    ¡°It looks like he was really tired. I tried hard to wake him up, but failed.¡±


    ¡°Well, once he falls asleep, it¡¯s really hard to wake him up, sir, even if he is not tired.¡±


    ¡°I guess he overdid himself for the past several days as he was too conscious of my presence. By the way, one of the attendants tells me that Colin¡¯s best friend is Sir Jed, and asks me to consult with you about what to do with Colin.¡±


    ¡°Which bastard spread such rumors? I can tell you clearly that he and I are pretty much rivals against each other.¡±


    It was Jed who visited the Palace Office late at night. He sighed, sweeping his red hair. Though he showed a very unpleasant expression, he didn¡¯t express it because he felt Duke Kling called him for some reason.


    Duke Kling smiled happily and added one more word.


    ¡°Besides, I hear Euclid¡¯s mansion is right next to Earl Renault¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­ Well, that¡¯s true,¡± replied Jed, admitting that they were close anyway.


    Jed looked around the messy desk. Then he picked up a coat roughly hung on a chair, presumably Colin¡¯s.


    ¡°How¡¯s your mother?¡±


    ¡°Fortunately, there seems to be no major aftereffect. She eats and sleeps well. It seems that she is more naggy than before.¡±


    Mrs. Renault, bitten by a poisonous snake at the recent banquet for the emperor and Marianne, came to her senses three days after the emperor¡¯s party left the capital. Mrs. Charlotte told Duke Kling that she felt great regret that Mrs. Chester replaced her as a counselor for Marianne.


    ¡°Good for her. How about Sir Arthur?¡±


    ¡°She is by my mother at the moment. He said he would return to the earl¡¯s residence tomorrow. It seems like he wanted to go back because the mansion was so good,¡± said Jed, pounding Colin¡¯s shoulders.


    ¡°Sir Colin.¡±


    As he was in deep sleep, Colin did not respond.


    ¡°His Excellency is looking for¡­¡±


    Colin stood up like a roly-poly even before Jed was done talking. As he couldn¡¯t sleep well for a few days, even the whites of his eyes looked reddish. As soon as he woke up, he looked around urgently.


    Watching the scene, Kling exclaimed at Jed¡¯s cunning method, with his jaw dropping.


    He shrugged his shoulders, making an expression on his face that read something like, ¡®How come you are surprised by a trick like this? I¡¯ve got much more than this.¡¯


    ¡°His Majesty? Where is he now?¡±


    ¡°Where is the emperor? I guess he has arrived at the Roshan Temple by now. By thy way, how come you are so dumb? It looks like he dumped the files into the trash bin when the servants were cleaning up. Or he might have drunk them with wine while having dinner. Why don¡¯t you tell me whether it tasted good or not?¡±


    Laughing ironically, Jed threw his coat to him. Colin shook his head down, dragging his coat over his head.


    ¡°¡­ Sir Jed? What business has brought you here?¡±


    ¡°You took it right out of my mouth. As a Treasury official, why the hell am I here to wake you up to send you home?¡±


    ¡°Really? I am not going to go back home¡­Oh, I was looking for the files that the duke had asked me to take care of a while ago¡­¡±


    When Colin was about to reach for the stack of paperwork, Jed quickly grabbed his arm and pulled it with a jerk. As he was relatively small, Colin quickly stood up on impulse.


    ¡°Duke Kloud asked you to go back home, not to look for the documents. So, you had better¡­¡±


    Jed¡¯s hands that grabbed his wrists clutched his shoulders more tightly this time.


    ¡°Stop being stubborn and go back home, won¡¯t you? You were sleeping here anyway, right? Just go home and sleep there. Why are you sticking around here and annoying your supervisor? I was told you slept in the janitor¡¯s room yesterday, right?¡±


    In the end, Jed frowned, forgetting his manners. Colin made a long face and looked at Duke Kling and Jed.


    ¡°But¡­ If I go away, Duke Kling has to take care of all the work¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey, switch your job with another protocol secretary tomorrow. Why are you trying to monopolize all the work? Do you think the Palace Office won¡¯t work without you? I can tell you this: you¡¯re now taking yourself too seriously. Others are anxious to take vacation leave, which is very normal, but you¡¯re not going home after work and trying to sleep here? Are you crazy? If the emperor returns, you have to be ready to work overtime for at least one month.¡±


    Jed shook his head a bit after reproaching Colin harshly.


    ¡°Of course, I think you¡¯re an exception, Duke Kling. Well, the father of this immature official Colin once said, ¡®Sincerity is not only an essential virtue of management, but sometimes it is a good aptitude to be excessive. And I agree with that.¡±


    Duke Kling, who had been in the office for several days, laughed a hearty laugh. They were not supposed to make a fuss before the duke, but he was pleased and glad to hear their argument. It felt good to temporarily forget what happened last night.


    Jed dragged Colin¡¯s neck, and Colin bowed to him, expressing his apologies.


    At that moment, the door opened up all of a sudden.

 Chapter 77

    Chapter 77: Chapter 77


    ¡°Your Lord!¡±


    As he was about to open the door, Jed bumped into someone who ran into it.


    Colin, whose neck was caught by him, stumbled and fell down.


    ¡°How come this bastard came in without knocking on the door¡­!¡±


    When Jed tried to blame the stranger with an annoyed voice, a knight in silver armor and a black cloak caught his eye.


    It was a familiar attire of the Astolf Knights. And there was only one knight who wandered around in the capital as far as he knew.


    ¡°We¡¯ve got the messenger bird from Roshan.¡±


    Iric knelt down before Kling as if he didn¡¯t care about Jed¡¯s words. He presented a small note to Kloud. His calm face had already turned white.


    Even before he listened to Iric, Duke Kling instinctively felt the misfortune of the emperor.


    The ominous spirit last night, which he briefly believed vanished, poured in terribly like a tide in time. While Kling was hesitant to ask him about the bad news, Iric continued with a miserable voice, as if he was vomiting blood, ¡°His Majesty and Marianne went¡­missing¡­in the waterfall¡­¡±


    The message that he could not properly convey struck them down like a thunderbolt.


    ¡°Missing? Did you just mention that they are missing?¡± Duke Lamont asked back in embarrassment.


    Conrad Hall was lit up like it was daylight when the night stars were still in the sky. The top officials were urgently summoned to face the harsh reality while sleeping in the middle of the night.


    Only Grand Duke Christopher, who left for Roshan with the emperor, could not attend the emergency meeting.


    ¡°That¡¯s correct. This is the grand duke¡¯s message brought by Roshan¡¯s messenger bird.¡±


    Everyone was astonished to hear that.


    Kling put the small note on the table. Chief Chamberlain Earl Lesley picked up the note with his trembling hand.


    ¡°The emperor and Lady Marianne went missing at the Benoit Falls because of an unexpected accident. We¡¯re searching for them with the maximum number of personnel. In addition, many people in the procession were injured. We¡¯re calling for emergency assistance units. In particular, dispatch medics and transportation units immediately. For more details, please check the messenger bird scheduled for arrival the next morning¡­¡±


    While he was reading the contents of the message aloud, cabinet members¡¯ reaction changed every minute, with sighs and denials coming out the same time.


    Ober was one of the members who was shocked by the accident. As if he had chewed a stone during a meal, he knitted his brows and looked at the man next to him.


    ¡°Missing at the Benoit Falls? Did they fall down there?¡±


    ¡°I just don¡¯t know exactly how they are missing. We have to wait for the messenger bird.¡±


    In response to Earl Renault¡¯s question, Duke Kling responded with a troubled voice.


    But it was far from positive.


    ¡°Can¡¯t we figure out the cause of the accident obviously even without waiting for the messenger bird tomorrow morning? What else is there except for missing from the waterfall if they were there? Do you think was so excited about the engagement ceremony that he went to the falls to dabble in water secretly without letting Christopher know?¡± said Duke Hubble, clicking his tongue. Apparently, he was not embarrassed at the news that the emperor was missing with his fianc¨¦e.


    Ober slowly licked his dry lips with his tongue. His ashy eyes glanced over Duke Hubble¡¯s calm attitude.


    ¡°Duke Hubble! What you have just said is overkill in this situation where the emperor¡¯s safety is unknown,¡± quipped Duke Kling.


    Marquis Euclid pointed out in a loose voice, ¡°It sounds like Duke Kling is also concerned about his daughter¡¯s safety. I appreciate your prudence as a cabinet member, which I think is right. But too much prudence can make you look indifferent to the emperor and Marianne¡¯s safety. I¡¯m afraid your loyalty could be questioned by others.¡±


    He made the remarks in a calm tone, but what he said was bitter criticism. Given the power of Duke Hubble and his influence in politics, Euclid¡¯s criticism was significant.


    ¡°How can I stay indifferent to the emperor¡¯s safety? Just blame me for my longevity. At this age, I can¡¯t afford to be surprised even by big accidents. I saw two emperors pass away on my watch. Compared to that, this is good news, isn¡¯t it? As you know, His Majesty is declared ¡®missing¡¯ at this point.¡±


    Duke Hubble tilted his eyebrows at Euclid¡¯s criticism as if it was ridiculous. He pronounced the word ¡°missing¡± with special emphasis as if he didn¡¯t like that word.


    ¡°Given that there were several injured in the procession, it doesn¡¯t seem like a simple accident,¡±


    Ober abruptly cut in, changing the topic.


    He continued, ¡°Isn¡¯t it serious? It was a procession accompanied by Duchess Lamont, Marquise Chester and Lady Beatrice of the Euclid family. As the Grand Duke did mention the injuries of the party, there must be the wounded among them.¡±


    As Ober¡¯s mention was a reasonable conjecture, those in close relation with the ones mentioned looked more gloomy.


    While looking around the cabinet members, Ober¡¯s eyes met Duke Hubble¡¯s. He found ridicule in his olive-colored eyes, which he didn¡¯t seem to hide on purpose.


    ¡°We have to wait for the messenger bird to grasp the whole situation in detail. Wouldn¡¯t it be more urgent to dispatch the support units first? As the grand duke requested, let¡¯s call up the medical unit and transport company first. If we have the basics ready in advance, we can check and dispatch them as soon as the messenger bird arrives tomorrow morning.¡±


    Earl Renault quickly rose from his seat to signal that they needed to hurry.


    ¡°Duke Kling has been ordered to take his place while he was away. He shall make the decision as soon as possible. Won¡¯t we be in trouble if we are late? Time is more precious than gold.¡±


    Contrary to the expectation that he would stand in the way, Duke Hubble also stood up.


    He struck the floor of the hall with his cane sharply.


    * * *


    Chirp, chirp.


    There was the chirping of a bird.


    Eckart opened his eyes slowly. As he was still drowsy, he unconsciously looked around.


    It was bright everywhere. The dazzling morning sun was pouring on the stone walls carved by wind and water for a thousand years. Not far away, the mixed sound of the stream and the wind swaying the branches brushed his ears.


    It was indeed a peaceful morning. Had it not been for his pain, he would have believed that this moment was a scene in a dream.


    As he regained consciousness and returned to reality, his numb senses also came back. First of all, his back was in pain. Thanks to the chewing anesthesia grass yesterday, he felt much better now. Feeling a little thirsty, he took a deep breath. His heart swelled and sunk when he breathed in and out. The fresh air of the forest soaked his lungs. He felt warmth on his chest as if to strike a balance with the cool air inside his lungs.


    ¡®¡­ Wait a moment. Warmth?¡¯


    Eckart frowned unwisely. Only then did he feel the fever over his body.


    He slowly looked down.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    It took less than a second for his blue-eyed drowsiness to wake up.


    ¡®What is it? Is it a dream? Am I seeing things now?¡¯


    He tried to move his arm violently while still denying it thoroughly. Soon he felt a huge pain as if his bones were cut into two pieces by an ax. That meant he was not dreaming.


    When he realized it, all of a sudden he started to have a fever as if his whole body was on fire. He felt the fever everywhere in his chocolate hair, warm breath, and arms wrapped around his waist. he had not sensed it a moment ago.


    ¡®Oh my god¡­¡¯


    He clenched his teeth and tightened his left arm. When he pushed his upper body back with all his strength, he was able to widen the gap, along with the excruciating pain.


    ¡°Um¡­¡±


    Marianne talked in her dream as if she was dissatisfied with the disappearance of the support on her forehead. She tossed and turned to get closer to him as much as he moved back. She hugged his waist again with her slightly loose arms and stuck to his bare chest, rubbing her cheeks on it. He could feel the soft touch of her naked body on the firm muscles of his upper abdomen. Now, he could feel it more clearly.


    ¡°Shit¡­¡±


    Eckart hurriedly turned his eyes away from her, along with four-letter words in a low voice.


    He was a clever man. He was smart enough to have mastered lots of books on law and ideology before the age of twelve. Before he turned fifteen, he learned all the famous tactics, administrative liturgy, history, and martial arts training manuals. Armed with such broad knowledge, it was impossible for such a genius not to understand this obvious and blatant situation.


    He knew that she saved his life by sharing her body temperature with him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t¡­go¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­so¡­cold¡­¡±

 Chapter 78

    Chapter 78: Chapter 78


    Eckart vividly recalled what happened last night. He couldn¡¯t believe that it wasn¡¯t a dream. He thought he snatched her wrists or saw her wet eyes in his dream, but that was not true.


    ¡®What the heck did I do last night?¡¯


    He clenched his lower lip. His mouth was dry. He was so cold last night, and now it seemed like his body was burning away. Every time he swallowed dry saliva, his swollen uvula went up and down.


    ¡°¡­Marianne!¡±


    Like a split tree, he stiffened and called her. She was breathing out instead of replying.


    ¡°Marianne, wake up now.¡±


    ¡°Uhhh¡­¡±


    She reacted annoyingly at his second call. Following her drowsy nasal voice, she put one of her slender legs on his thigh.


    He frowned more dramatically than ever before.


    ¡°Damn it, did you take off your pants too? You¡¯re driving me nuts, man.¡±


    He now lost his desire to wake her up. He felt time would rather stop forever.


    As if he wasn¡¯t content with his acting ugly last night, he was sharing a thin shirt with her to cover themselves! Even the Duchess Lamont couple, who were famous for their happily married life, would not have done this.


    He let out a sigh. While he was touching his splitting temple, she tossed and turned several times. Their legs became more entangled. It seemed that she regarded his body as a big pillow while asleep.


    He eventually gave up moving back. He couldn¡¯t move his body freely as he was injured, and whenever he moved little by little, the weird sensation of contacting her naked body quickly ate his patience.


    He held out his left hand, which he could move freely. With the left hand, he carefully groped around the back which was covered with dark brown hair. The shirt, which covered his shoulder slightly, slipped over to hers completely. Although he himself couldn¡¯t stand seeing his miserable condition, she was still a single noblewoman. He hoped that she would not feel that she had been defamed by his actions.


    ¡°¡­ Ummm, Your Majesty?¡±


    At that moment, she rubbed her sleepy eyes and raised her head to one side.


    ¡°¡­ Marianne!¡±


    He barely answered. While she almost habitually stroked his back and raised her hands to check for blood, she jumped up with a startled expression.


    ¡°Oh my god! I think I fell asleep before I knew. What should I do? I wish you had woken me up earlier. It¡¯s not bleeding, but are you still cold?¡±


    She expressed concern by asking a barrage of questions. She touched his forehead, cheeks, neck, shoulders, and chest with her warm hands one by one. Obviously she wanted to check his body temperature.


    Raising his head as high as possible, he groped for something on the ground as if he would be in big trouble if he dropped his eyes.


    The moment he grabbed the edge of his shirt on the floor, he found her face close to his eyes suddenly. He held his breath.


    ¡°Um¡­I don¡¯t think I¡¯m cold or hot ¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    She muttered while touching her forehead against his. His green eyes waved like seawater right before her nose.


    He grabbed his shirt more urgently. Without checking for the front or back, he roughly covered his body with that.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, so let me put on the clothes¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    She belatedly dropped her eyes. Human senses were usually in sync with perception. Only after she realized that she was naked did she tremble with a slight chill. She sat up straight and covered her shoulders with the shirt. Then she reached out to the clothes near her feet. Even without an attendant, she got dressed fairly easily, combed her tangled hair with a handmade rake and then hung the necklace she had released.


    ¡°Do you know that? It¡¯s my first time putting on the same clothes that I took off yesterday,¡± she said with a cheerful and carefree voice.


    Of course, he didn¡¯t listen to her. But he was realizing for the first time that he could be annoyed by the noise of others changing clothes.


    At that moment, she turned around with dry pants and the shirt she was wearing.


    ¡°Can I help you get dressed?¡±


    ¡°Oh, no thanks¡­¡± Eckart stopped her quickly.


    She pulled away her wrists he was holding, but stopped in the middle.


    ¡°No, you shouldn¡¯t do it by yourself. Don¡¯t be stubborn! You brought trouble to yourself because you were stubborn last night too.¡±


    Given her tone and actions, it was like she was reproving an unruly dog. He felt it was the first time he was treated like that in his life, but he had to forget about protesting early on.


    Her emerald eyes were trembling. They were the same ones he saw last night, which were overly adorable and honest, mixed with resentment and pleas.


    Reflected in her eyes was only one person.


    She barely took her eyes off from him; they were fixed like a magnetic pole.


    She cautiously buttoned his trousers and put them on his legs. While she was at it, he had to memorize the great law of the Aslan Empire while staring at the wall.


    ¡°Well, um¡­I¡¯m sorry for taking off your clothes rudely.¡±


    She apologized and fastened his buckle. She raised her slender arms and hugged his tight body hard. Although only a day had passed, he was supporting himself quite well when he sat.


    ¡°But since you passed out, I couldn¡¯t get your approval in advance. At first, I just held you in my arms and stuck it out, but you didn¡¯t get better. So, I had to take off your clothes to get as close as possible to raise your body temperature quickly¡­¡±


    ¡°Marianne!¡± He cut off her words quickly.


    Simply listening to her explanation, he felt pretty embarrassed. He revived the feeling of warmth wrapped around his body vividly like magic.


    He remembered her moaning exhales and warm arms tightly tangled around his like the roots of a tree.


    He felt warm in her soft and warm arms, just like a newborn animal¡­.


    ¡°Ummm¡­ I¡¯m not sure how unscrupulous I look to you, but¡­¡±


    He began to clarify his position with some self-reflection.


    Not caring at all, she was busy raising him. His words were cut off when he felt a sharp pain.


    She had him sit against a wall to one side and then began to put the shirt on his right arm.


    ¡°You saved my life. You shouldn¡¯t apologize to me, but ask for my gratitude.¡±


    He grabbed her wrist and stopped her. She slightly raised her head. Again, her eyes met his.


    ¡°I just did what I had to do.¡±


    ¡°No, you plucked up the courage to save my life. It was reckless. If something had gone wrong, we might have been frozen to death. Don¡¯t do it again.¡±


    ¡°Nope. If the same thing happens again, I will make the same choice.¡±


    She did not avoid his eyes.


    She refused the emperor¡¯s order right away, but didn¡¯t it fear at all. There was nothing like political calculation or selfishness in her eyes when she said that.


    He was speechless. He always wanted to see her eyes like this, but he was at a loss for words when he was looking straight at her.


    ¡°Anyway, your good intention to save the emperor is noble. It duly deserves to be rewarded, so I will definitely repay it when I go back.


    ¡°Reward?¡± she asked with a puzzled look.


    She added, ¡°I didn¡¯t do it with that in mind.¡±


    ¡°But the imperial law stipulates that anybody who saves a royal family member should be rewarded.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t have to do that¡­¡±


    She put the shirt on his left arm and adjusted the collar. She agonized over it while fastening the buttons.


    ¡°Are the rewards necessarily in the form of jewelry?¡±


    ¡°No. It doesn¡¯t matter if you want an estate, knightship, or a title.¡±


    She tilted her head with a pretty serious expression and shrugged her shoulders as if she had decided on something.


    ¡°Then, please grant my wish later.¡±


    ¡°Wish?¡±


    ¡°Yes, wish.¡±


    He narrowed his eyebrows because her wish was not in the category of rewards he was thinking of.


    ¡°What kind of wish?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t decided yet. Can you promise me to grant my wish, just once, whatever it is? I will swear I will never pray for anything that can harm you.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you like it? Then, forget it. I won¡¯t accept any reward other than that. There is nothing I covet among the rewards you mentioned.¡±


    What she said afterward sounded strange to him.


    Those around him always asked him for something. Usually they wanted something similar. Something like mighty power, rare riches, his outright favor, rich estates, or special knightship.


    And those especially close to him asked for something slightly different, such as his determination to withstand any trials, ruthless revenge, trust, and perfection befitting the owner of the crown made of nine gems.


    In the end, what they wanted was the expression of their specific desires.


    ¡°¡­ I promise you. Only once, whatever it is. I will grant your wish on the honor of the Frey family and my name.¡±


    His promise, therefore, was the first type of oath he made before her since he was born. He had never made a pledge without any purpose or process since he reached maturity.

 Chapter 79

    Chapter 79: Chapter 79


    ¡°Why do you like to bet on something on the honor of your name like a gambler?¡±


    She was not sure if he really knew the weight of his pledge to her.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m just kidding.¡±


    As she whispered while smiling, he felt all the lights nearby were reflected on her face.


    Her clear green eyes sparkled like the sun in a sunny spot burning the shade.


    ¡°Anyway, don¡¯t be stubborn again. You probably don¡¯t remember it all, but you had a close call yesterday.¡±


    She fastened the last button of the shirt and asked him a favor as if she wanted to get his reassurances.


    ¡°If you break the promise with me, I will never forgive you.¡±


    Her clear and embarrassing voice threatened him loosely.


    Until then, he didn¡¯t even realize that he made so many promises that he couldn¡¯t keep since he met her. He also didn¡¯t realize how much his promises would affect his life later.


    * * *


    Shortly after the supporting unit left the southern gate of the Lucio Imperial Palace, Ober returned to his special villa in the capital.


    The messenger bird arrived early in the morning, as Grand Duke Christopher had said.


    Among the news the bird brought by flying all night was the news about Mrs. Chester¡¯s injuries.


    As soon as Ober heard it, he instantly realized that she was not responsible for this accident.


    As far as he knew, his mother was not the type of woman who would risk her life to break the emperor¡¯s carriage. He might have doubted her if the accident had been limited to the emperor¡¯s carriage. But all the horses in the procession following the emperor¡¯s were running wildly, according to the message. Therefore, it was clear that somebody else was behind the accident.


    And there was only person among the suspects he felt was the main culprit. That suspect would benefit the most from the accident. He was a powerful cabinet member who had the power to make such a plot by controlling his minions in local areas.


    ¡°Hubble! It looks like this old dotard has gone senile.¡±


    Ober spat out foul words in a fit of anger.


    ¡°But don¡¯t you think he is too sophisticated to go senile?¡±


    Arnet on the opposite side shrugged his shoulders.


    Auber frowned violently and said, ¡°He is not sophisticated, but he lost his cool. He didn¡¯t kill them cleanly, right? Missing? What the heck was he doing? What if they come back alive? Look, it¡¯s a piece of cake to take your life. Did he do that to threaten the emperor? That¡¯s the clear evidence that shows that he went senile. He brought a poisonous snake at the banquet only a few days ago. No matter how stupid the emperor was, did he think the emperor didn¡¯t know who was responsible?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that makes sense¡­It doesn¡¯t befit Duke Hubble at all.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure he has gone crazy. If not, how could he hold the spear backwards at this critical point in time? Aside from my mother, how dare he start all this without keeping me in the loop?¡±


    Ober was very upset when he thought that not only his mother was injured in this accident, but also Marianne, who he asked Hubble not to harm under any circumstances, was pushed down the falls.


    After sizing up the accident, what angered Ober most was that Hubble dared to move and tear the cards in ¡®his¡¯ hands without his ¡®permission¡¯.


    Clenching his teeth, Ober shivered with anger. What happened in the morning came to his mind.


    After roughly forming the supporting troops and arranging cooperation among the departments, the two first left Conrad Hall. While suppressing his soaring anger, Ober barely asked, ¡°Was it your plot?¡±


    ¡°Plot? Marquis, don¡¯t try to blame me without any evidence!¡±


    Hubble didn¡¯t brief him at all with such a shameless expression.


    ¡°Do you intend to hide the secret from me? You should think about the time when the emperor returned as a dead body. There are not many candidates who can succeed the throne. Wasn¡¯t it you who said that it is also important to keep what you have as much as what you gain?¡±


    Duke Hubble did not reply. Ober was annoyed by his strange silence.


    He was not sure if his silence meant an implicit agreement or deliberate avoidance of his reply.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it too tricky for you to give guidance from here? It would have been easier if you had sought the marquise.¡±


    ¡°Well, the fewer people who know about this, the more effective it is.¡±


    What Hubble said was ambiguous. In other words, he virtually admitted that he was behind this accident, and at the same time all those involved in the accident were already killed.


    ¡°Why did you try to kill Marianne? I told you about it before. She is too precious a card to get rid of now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that. But don¡¯t all accidents inadvertently involve innocent victims? It is up to god, not me, to determine the scapegoat.¡±


    His olive eyes flashed quietly. Ober sneered at him without reservation.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know that you were such a faithful man. I wish Roshan¡¯s gods grant miracles befitting your faith.¡±


    Although he criticized him sarcastically, Duke Hubble didn¡¯t get upset.


    ¡°Marquis, don¡¯t hurry up. If you wait, you will naturally find out. Tell your scouts to check out the flag of the procession whether it is Brenda¡¯s insignia or dark blue clothes.¡±


    Ober grabbed a glass of alcohol and ice. Given that he emptied the glass quickly, he was pretty upset. The strong scent of brandy erased his bad mood little by little.


    However, the subtle, overwhelming voice of Duke Hubble still hovered into his ears.


    ¡°Giyom!¡±


    Giyom, who was standing behind Ober, came near. He tilted the brandy bottle he was holding. The empty glass that had only three or four pieces of ice was half full again. A translucent brandy glass went round and round in his hand.


    Alcohol was his rest and weapon. Strong alcohol refined dozens of times calmed him down and sometimes made him feel emboldened. As if to prove that, the hostility in his gray eyes slowly faded away. Of course, it did not disappear however. He just trampled, boiled, refined, and poured it deep into his stomach. It wasn¡¯t so hard to keep it there until he came to his senses, shaking off these lousy feelings.


    ¡°Choose some good breeds among the Kiara dogs.¡±


    Giyom bowed his head as a sign of obedience and stepped back.


    ¡°Arnette, release some more Roeth breeds at the duke¡¯s mansion. Right now!¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    She laid her hands on her chest and showed polite manners. Watching her neat skirt slipping out of the door, Ober emptied the glass.


    Clink.


    The half-melted ice made a sharp clink as if to reflect his feelings.


    ***


    ¡°¡­ Marianne!¡±


    Eckart knitted his brows furtively.


    ¡°Is there an orchard near here?¡±


    ¡°Nope. Just wood, stones, rivers, grass¡­That¡¯s all. I couldn¡¯t find any paths because it¡¯s so secluded and remote.¡±


    ¡°Then, where are we¡­.¡± he mumbled. His blue eyes showed he was a bit embarrassed.


    Her skirt was full of fruits. Black ripe audi, red raspberries, blue plums, yellowish apricots.


    Each of the different fruits stained her skirt with various colors. Not to mention the variety of the fruit, she had simply too many fruits.


    ¡°I just picked everything I could see. Because it¡¯s wild fruit, I don¡¯t know what they taste like. Do not worry. I only brought things that are definitely edible.¡±


    Having said that proudly, she sat down with her skirt spread wide. She came back with the fruits two hours after disappearing, saying she would get something to eat.


    The fruits that nature raised with sunlight, water, wind, and the earth looked delicious.


    As they were not raised by humans, their shape was a little more crude.


    The fruit¡¯s sour and fresh scent filled the cave they were staying in.


    ¡°I wanted to find more, but I got too many already, and it was too heavy. I¡¯ve cleaned them all, so you can eat them right away.¡±


    She put a ripe apricot in his hand. As she was very hungry, she picked up a plum right away. Her green eyes twinkled in anticipation.


    ¡°¡­Oops!¡±


    As soon as she bit the unpeeled plum, she threw it out as if she didn¡¯t like it.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s not ripe yet. It tastes weird. Ugh¡­¡±


    She awkwardly made an excuse and brushed her mouth with the back of her hand.


    She then picked up a mulberry with her slender fingers.


    ¡°Ah. This is delicious. Sweet.¡±


    Her small lips wiggled cutely. As if the fruits tasted really good, she made a happy expression while enjoying them. And then she picked some raspberries and apricots. While eating them, she made pleasant nasal sounds instead of complaining.


    He just looked at her blankly.


    As far as he knew, she was a woman who had the most peaceful life. Under the protection of Duke Kling whom he believed was a betrayed bystander, she was raised as a precious noble daughter in the long and high-walled area in the north. Naturally, she must have selected and enjoyed the best in the duke¡¯s estate, including material wealth, honor and affection.

 Chapter 80

    Chapter 80: Chapter 80


    If she were only slightly scratched by rose thorns, everyone from her mansion would be worried. If she asked for any type of fruit, they would pile up a mountain of it in a storehouse, and if she happened to pick an unripe one, everyone from the mansion ranging from a maid to the chief attendant would beg for punishment. If she wanted any particular dress, they would cross the sea and mountain to find the master designer, but even such a dress would often be thrown and collect dust in the corner of her closet by her whim.


    This woman, who grew up in such a comfortable environment, was now eating green fruit and laughing in front of his eyes. She wore a dress messed up with fruit juice, making her blush with her scratched cheeks.


    Eckart put the apricots he was holding back on her skirt.


    ¡°Your Majesty, why don¡¯t you eat? Do you have a bad appetite?¡± she asked with a worried look.


    He twisted his body instead of answering. Sharp pain went over his back. He grabbed a small pottery barrel next to a silver wine glass and presented it to her.


    ¡°Oh, can I apply the ointment? Does your forehead hurt?¡±


    She put down the fruit she was eating and opened the lid of the potter¡¯s bowl.


    The moment she was about to get some of the ointment inside, he took the barrel back.


    ¡°¡­? ¡±


    She looked at him curiously. Soon, she felt the rich smell of grass on her cheeks.


    He carefully applied it on her scratched face with his firm fingertips.


    It was a very friendly touch.


    She bit her lip tightly and blushed.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay, Your Majesty¡­¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯re not okay.¡±


    His black eyes got closer to hers. He put the ointment on her cheeks, neck, and then hands little by little.


    ¡°I¡¯m really okay, compared to you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you never say you¡¯re okay unless you compare me with you.¡±


    She chewed the tip of her lips. She tried to pull away her hands, but he gripped her wrists gently.


    She was slowly feeling the same sensation she felt on her way to the temple on a horst. It looked like the chain that extended from his body bound her heart, so that she could not run away. It was a scary but sweet feeling.


    After all, she had no choice but to wait until he was done putting ointment on her body.


    His knuckles much larger than hers were gently entangled with hers and touched. Although he only applied the ointment on her wounds, she blushed yet again.


    He carefully rubbed the scratches on her body as if he stroked a brush for the last time to complete a picture. He touched her wounds gently, like petting a newborn puppy.


    ¡°¡­ What the heck is this wound?¡±


    He seriously looked between her left ring finger and middle finger. There was a very light scar drawn up to the second knuckle of her middle finger.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s¡­I was hurt a bit before.¡±


    She replied as casually as possible. In fact, he noticed the sign of her previous life that even she had forgotten. It was a wound that she could not explain to him anyway. She felt it would be better to give it a pass by lying to him.


    ¡°In the past? What happened?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­I made a mistake while making a flower arrangement. Not a big deal.¡±


    He crumpled her eyes as if he was not satisfied with her answer. Although it was a little scar that didn¡¯t even stand out unless he looked closely, she was obviously cut by a sharp object.


    Considering her status and the environment in which she grew up, it must have been a big accident. Most of the noblewomen lived in an environment where they were unfamiliar with such wounds like that on their fingers. Accordingly, she was too humble when she said the scar on her finger was not a big deal.


    ¡°A flower arrangement? Did you hold the scissors upside down?¡±


    ¡°Pardon? No, I didn¡¯t¡­¡±


    She squeezed her fingertips to think of another excuse. His large hand was placed on her trembling fingers. In a normal situation she would have felt warmth in her hands, but she felt nervous at the moment as if a blade were under her chin.


    ¡°Marie.¡±


    Right at that moment a very familiar and nostalgic voice broke the silence between them.


    ¡°Fool.¡±


    Marianne and Eckart turned their heads at the same time. Poibe was standing at the entrance of the cave where the sun was shining through the shadows.


    ¡°Phebe!¡±


    She rushed over to Poibe without hiding her joy. Fruits on her skirt fell down.


    Poibe quickly spread its wings and flew into the air. She reached out to catch it in vain.


    ¡°Fool.¡±


    Its mischievous voice teased her as usual. Poibe sat down in front of Eckart, flapping its white feathers. Then it began to peck the fruit with its small beak.


    If she had been in her mansion in Milan, or the local residence or temple at Roshan, she would have quarrelled with Phebe a lot. But she poured more fruit in front of Poibe without showing any displeasure. At this moment she just appreciated its presence more than God¡¯s grace.


    ¡°Phebe, how did you find us here? Are you alone? Who is nearby?¡±


    Poibe raised its head while eating fruit. It tilted its yellow crest quickly and made some loud noise that didn¡¯t befit its small figure. It was a voice that the two could understand.


    ¡°He must be alive. We don¡¯t have time. Please, captain.¡±


    Eckart and Marianne frowned at the same time, but their reasons were different.


    ¡°Oh my god! Phebe¡­¡±


    She was astonished by its outstanding ability to imitate language. Poibe had imitated short sentences in its own voice, rather than imitating a human¡¯s voice. With that ability alone, it was much more excellent than other ordinary parrots.


    She was surprised that it could imitate such a long sentence, and its voice and tone were very similar to the owner¡¯s!


    ¡°It looks like Curtis is nearby.¡±


    But Eckart didn¡¯t like Poibe¡¯s imitated content and tone rather than appreciating its imitation ability.


    As a loyal knight, Curtis never knelt to anyone but himself. Although he was the emperor¡¯s proud knight, he would gladly shed blood for the emperor, if necessary. He was a man of few words, but he was out for blood all the time. He didn¡¯t know how to ask others a favor, and neither did he want it.


    Poibe¡¯s words were a clear petition. The captain it mentioned was probably Grand Duke Christopher, the leader of the Eluang Knights, and he would have begged like that before Poibe, forgetting his pride. He must have begged the Frei family that he hated the most to save the Romanov family that he felt so sorry for.


    ¡°Phebe, why don¡¯t you go and convey my message to Sir Curtis?¡±


    She whispered while patting the tip of Poibe¡¯s wing. Then she pulled out the emperor¡¯s blood-stained coat that she folded well. After agonizing for a moment, she took out a jackknife. Soon the golden tassel on the shoulder part was cut off.


    ¡°Let me hang this on you. Go ahead and tell him to come here quickly. The emperor was hurt, so he can¡¯t move. He shed a lot of blood, so he should hurry up. Huh?¡±


    She loosened the thin ribbon holding her hair. She put a ribbon on the ring on the end of the tassel, and then knotted it around Poibe¡¯s neck. At first glance, it looked like Poibe had put on a golden tassel necklace.


    Poibe pecked a raspberry and flapped its wings once. With the juice of red berries near its reddish cheek and beak, Poibe rolled its eyes.


    ¡°But he will be fine. Do not worry too much.¡±


    This time an unknown voice came out of it. It was the voice of a cheerful little girl.


    Before Eckart and Marianne doubted the owner of the voice, Poibe flew out of the cave. Its white feathers disappeared into the green forest across.


    * * *


    Curtis took a short breath. His black eyes between the disheveled black hair glanced around carefully. His crumpled uniform had blood, sweat, and dust in it. He looked like a beast that had lived in this canyon for a long time.


    He was alone. Although Christopher Duke assigned several knights to Curtis¡¯s search team, they could not keep up with his crazy running pace. The emperor¡¯s life was at stake. He had to move separately from his group who were falling behind.


    Eventually, just an hour after the search began, Curtis left all of them and began to wander through the tributaries, relying solely on intuition.


    He kept searching without letup, not eating or taking a sip of water. He couldn¡¯t waste even one second. He roamed everywhere, staying up all night. He crossed deep or shallow tributaries and even searched through the top of the rocky mountains and the crevices in the dark bottom. In the process he ripped apart many wild animals.


    ¡®His Majesty must be alive. I can¡¯t believe he will die like this.¡¯


    He recited it again like a spell.

 Chapter 81

    Chapter 81: Chapter 81


    His bloodshot eyes flashed wildly. When he maximized all the senses of his body, his vision was extremely wide, and all the sounds nearby pierced his ears.


    He heard several small animals running on the grass and the sound of the wind shaking the trees. He smelled the moisture from nearby waterfalls. At that moment, he instinctively sensed the shadow of a bird flying from afar.


    ¡°¡­ Poibe?¡±


    Curtis narrowed his eyes and looked up at the sky. A white bird flew through the green forest.


    As he looked closer, he clearly saw what it was. It was obviously Poibe, the golden crown parrot he sent to Marianne at the emperor¡¯s order. As it was better than any other parrot in terms of language imitation, he highly valued the messenger bird since childhood. For him, who had raised and trained many birds, Poibe was among the top five.


    ¡°Poibe. Why are you here?¡­¡±


    Poibe rested on his stretched arm and pecked on his lapel with its beak. With its mouth stained with some red juice, it nodded its yellow crest. There was a ripe golden tassel hanging on the neck.


    Curtis quickly changed his face. That tassel belonged to the emperor.


    ¡°The emperor is hurt and we can¡¯t move,¡± Poibe said.


    Marianne¡¯s voice, which was familiar to him, rang through the tranquil forest.


    ¡°Are they all alive? They¡¯re together right now, right?¡±


    ¡°They shed a lot of blood, so I need to hurry up. Huh?¡±


    Poibe replied casually to his urgent questions. He could infer several situations from the answers.


    First, the one who had Poibe imitate words was Marianne, which meant that she was alive.


    Second, Eckart was bleeding a lot and probably hurt so seriously that he couldn¡¯t move.


    Third, fortunately, they were waiting for him in one place.


    ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s hurry. You go ahead. I¡¯ll follow you right away.¡±


    Poibe flew high instead of answering. He fastened the boot straps and pulled a pair of axes from the back. His eyes filled with anxiety now regained vigor.


    In no time, the white cloak of the Eluang Knights began running through the forest.


    * * *


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think Phebe found us quite quickly?¡±


    Marianne pulled the straps of her black leather boots hard. With a little moan, she made a pretty ribbon knot with her slender fingers.


    ¡°I actually thought we might have to stay here for a day or two more.¡±


    Even though she tightened her boots, she felt a little loose. Obviously, her boots would be inconvenient for her long walk. She cut off the hem of her dress gown with a sullen expression. She was changing it to make a little less inconvenient when walking.


    Eckhart watched her doing it for a while and opened his mouth.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to go back?¡±


    ¡°Pardon? Of course, I do want to go back as soon as possible. That way, I can treat your wounds properly.¡±


    Marianne¡¯s answer was quick and without hesitation. He felt her reaction was very swift.


    Basically she wanted to go back on his behalf as soon as possible, but he felt a bit unpleasant unconsciously.


    ¡°But when I go back, I don¡¯t think I can afford to spend time with you like this, right?¡± she said as if she read his mind accurately.


    He shook his head to one side. Putting on a gown and knotting it at the waist, she looked at him.


    ¡°I feel some regrets about it,¡± she said.


    Indeed, she seemed to greatly regret it. A tender affectionate smile was reflected in her eyes.


    He looked at her eyes for a long time. Time paused momentarily. Her fresh green eyes scanned his eyes gently. Her eyes were honest, sweet, and lovely. Her eyes were a mirror that made him unable to hide anything, a divine prophecy that made anyone want to believe and the water of the Lete River that made one forget everything.


    Only then was he convinced that some feelings were boiling inside his heart. He couldn¡¯t retreat anymore.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have any regrets?¡±


    But knowing her heart and expressing his feelings was completely different.


    He bit the inside of his lips instead of replying. As the time was approaching nearer to return to the bloody battlefield, the forgotten realities that he forgot for a moment strangled him. They threatened to cover his eyes, close his ears, and shut his mouth.


    It was at that time that Poibe flew in out of the blue.


    ¡°Fool!¡±


    Poibe sat lightly on Eckart¡¯s knee.


    Fool.


    Perhaps it might have called Marianne, but he felt like Poebe¡¯s imitation was a whip against him.


    ¡°Phebe!¡±


    On the other hand, Marianne smiled at it with a bright expression. Poibe¡¯s return was evidence that somebody was around the corner to help them.


    ¡°Your Majesty¡­! ¡±


    Indeed, as expected, Curtis was approaching slowly over the gravel of a shallow stream.


    Although their clothes were messed up, Curtis was also dressed in tattered clothes.


    She thought for a moment that Curtis looked like a wounded animal.


    ¡°¡­ Curtis.¡±


    At last, Eckart called his faithful servant¡¯s name.


    Curtis scanned him during that brief moment. He could see signs of his desperate struggle all over his body. He wished the emperor called him as a survivor, but when he came to his miserable master, he was devastated with sadness.


    He knelt helplessly before the emperor. The surface of the creek splashed when he knelt before him.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. It¡¯s my mistake. I should have found you earlier¡­¡±


    A pair of axes held in his hand slipped. He grabbed water in his empty hands. He dropped his head deeply.


    Patting Poibe in her arms, she made a sad expression.


    Curtis was crying. Trying to muffle it as much as possible and clenching his teeth, he was crying so much that his jaw was trembling.


    His green eyes turned to Eckart. Unlike Curtis, he did not show a dramatic change in facial expression.


    ¡°Drink.¡±


    But when Eckart gave him a silver wine glass full of water, there was something resolute in his short command.


    Marianne seemed to know what it was.


    It was sorriness, gratitude, a little bit of self-reproach as well as trust and friendship. Perhaps it was a collection of feelings that he would never admit when asked straight away.


    ¡°I know your personality very well. Obviously you must have come here with no sips of water and no sleep.¡±


    She was quick-witted enough to stand up right away. Poibe jumped and sat on her shoulder. She took a glass of water from the emperor¡¯s hand and put it directly into Curtis¡¯ hand.


    Curtis looked at the glass of water, Marianne, and Eckart, who leaned against the wall over there. His black eyes trembled hard.


    ¡°You see, I can¡¯t go back without your help. The same is true of Marianne.¡±


    Marianne nodded loudly as if she agreed. Even Poibe said, ¡°Peep.¡±


    ¡°I will surely take care of you responsibly. But as your servant I¡¯ve made an indelible sin against you. I would gladly take it even if you punish me capitally.¡±


    ¡°Do not torture yourself. Did I ever let you do that?¡±


    Eckart frowned. His cool gaze and voice that restored authority was not different from his noble attitude. His words and gaze had the power to overwhelm and captivate others. Although he was messy, he didn¡¯t look servile or cowardly.


    ¡°Curtis. As long as I¡¯m alive, your mission is still valid.¡±


    Eckart slowly erected his body leaning against the wall. A sharp pain on the back pulled him out of the illusion.


    ¡°So¡­ Let¡¯s go back now.¡±


    His blue eyes looked over Curtis and Poibe and finally at Marianne. He concealed his innermost feelings about her as if blocking the downstream hydrologic gate.


    Even if he returned to the bloody battlefield of the capital, he would never forget this day as a lucky day in life and as a curse that made him dream of vain hope¡­


    * * *


    The night in Roshan was early and long.


    The priests got up before the sun rose and began to pray, and they did not finish praying until the stars rose at dawn. Meals were served once every morning and afternoon. The carts selling miscellaneous goods or visitors¡¯ wagons used to leave the temple long before sunset. If they were late, they had to spend nights trembling in the valley without lights.


    The temple on this day was not much different. There were lots of people coming in and out of the temple during the day due to the large-scale search, but they returned to their places when darkness fell.


    Cardinal Helena left the serene hall after an evening prayer. The reddish sunset was reddening the pure white temple. She took off the hood she was wearing and called Arsenio who was waiting at the entrance.


    ¡°No news about the emperor?¡±


    ¡°No, not yet at this hour¡­¡±


    Arsenio fumbled words as if it were her sin. Helena sighed deeply. Her golden eyes stared at the clouds flowing far away.

 Chapter 82

    Chapter 82: Chapter 82


    ¡°What about the grand duke?¡±


    ¡°When he got the report from the search team that just took over, he immediately went back to the residence. He said he would come again tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Did he leave the deputy chamberlain behind at the temple?¡±


    ¡°Yes. By the way, he was really stubborn. He had three ribs injured, but he kept asking about the updates from the search team every hour. As I hear from the servants, he didn¡¯t eat properly.¡±


    ¡°I understand he must be suffering from lots of pain. One¡¯s compassion is hard to resist even by divine power.¡±


    Helena clasped her hands in a spacious sleeve. There was a wind in the pine trees nearby with a gentle scent of incense.


    ¡°Your Eminence!¡±


    Priest Hilde approached them, fluttering her long robes. The fragrant wind gently entangled the girl¡¯s black hair.


    ¡°I am done writing letters of repentance!¡±


    Her small hands hung on Helena¡¯s arms. Helena stroked her hair silently.


    But her eyes were still looking further away.


    The gentle pulsating winds from the early summer fields blew over strongly.


    ¡°Hilde. I told you many times you should not run or make a loud noise before the cardinal. You wrote a letter of repentance on it again today. I think it¡¯s time you really learned the lesson as I have scolded you so many times.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because I was excited for a moment.¡±


    ¡°Whether you did it a second too long, you did wrong.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you change your job? Not as a priest, but as the deputy captain of the Nagging Knights?¡±


    ¡°What the heck?¡±


    Arsenio made a straight face. Hilde pouted her tongue, frowning at her. As Hilde recommended her job change the deputy, not the leader, Arsenio regarded her remarks as intended ridicule. Hilde¡¯s ridicule also reminded her that she always won second place in the exams for priests.


    But hitting the nail on the head with a naive face was one of Hilde¡¯s specialties.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got to do something about this naughty girl¡­¡±


    ¡°Your Eminence, Cardinal!¡±


    At that moment, a priest came running short of breath from the west entrance of the temple. Looking at her with a bright expression, Hilde grabbed Arsenio¡¯s sleeve.


    ¡°Uh, even Siel made a loud noise as she came running to the cardinal! Why don¡¯t you tell her to write ten letters of repentance? Oh, she should write 20 as she is much older than me, isn¡¯t she?¡±


    ¡°What is that nonsense?¡±


    ¡°Uh, Arsenio, you talk too loud! You have to write a letter of repentance, too. Since you didn¡¯t keep your word, you should write 100 letters, right?¡±


    ¡°Hilde! How dare¡­¡±


    As Arsenio stepped forward to grab Hilde¡¯s neck, Helena, who was watching the two quietly, reached out. Arsenio stopped.


    ¡°Your Eminence, they¡¯ve arrived! The emperor and Lady Marianne just arrived here through the western gate of the temple¡­¡±


    Taking her short breath, Siel pointed to it with her fingertips. At the end of the horizon where the sun was setting over the mountaintop, two long, or when looked more closely, three long shadows were getting closer.


    Helena went straight down the stairs and crossed the front yard. Siel was quick to help. Arsenio and Hilde, who were ready to fight in a short time, hurriedly followed.


    Soon two shadows stood in the middle of the front yard.


    ¡°May the grace of Airius, the Lord of light and heaven be bestowed on you! Helenal, Roshan¡¯s 70th Cardinal is honored to see Your Majesty, the great master of Aslan!¡±


    Helena politely knelt and offered greetings. Behind them the edges of the priests¡¯ garments were spread out on the floor. The Renato pattern on Helena¡¯s forehead sparkled in the setting sun.


    ¡°May you be under the eternal protection of the nine gods! Please stand up, Cardinal.¡±


    Eckhart answered calmly. He was on Curtis¡¯ back.


    Helena adjusted her posture and politely greeted her. While Marianne replied, her golden eyes looked at those who returned.


    While the emperor¡¯s knight and Marianne were in shabby dresses, the emperor looked the most miserable among them. His blue eyes were sparkling, but very pale. His face and neck stained with cold sweat showed how exhausted he was. Every time he breathed in, she noticed he had a fever. Obviously he was wounded so severely that he could not get off his back and stand on his own.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to receive your greetings like this.¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t say that, Your Majesty. I am very happy that you have returned safely.¡±


    ¡°Well, thank you anyway.¡±


    As soon as Eckart was done talking, Hilde laughed. Arseno pulled her collar and gave her a reminder. Hilde closed her small lips tightly.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to talk with you more, but you¡¯re not in good condition. Please come inside and get treatment first.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your consideration. Please have some healing priests take care of Lady Marianne and the knight immediately.¡±


    ¡°Of course. Arsene, Siel!¡±


    At Helena¡¯s gesture, Arsenio quickly ran towards the Priest Hall. Siel stood by Marianne and supported her.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Your Majesty.¡±


    Helena began to walk slightly ahead. Curtis and Eckart followed, followed by Marianne and Siel.


    Folding her arms, she scurried from the rear of them. She couldn¡¯t hide smile from her chubby cheeks with baby fat. Her golden eyes were fixed on one spot for a while.


    ¡®What a mysterious star.¡¯


    Her eyes sparkled, though she shut her mouth tightly.


    It was Marianne, not Eckhart, that she fixed her gaze on.


    * * *


    The annex of the temple was calm and comfortable. After the news about the return of the missing emperor and Marianne spread widely, the priests struggled to avoid making a big fuss out of it.


    They quietly gathered the healing priests, quietly boiled water to fill the bathtub, and quietly prepared meals and medicine. The largest room in the annex was reserved for the emperor, and Marianne used the opposite room. Curtis and Kloud, who were on standby at the temple, decided to serve the emperor in person. Marianne was assigned two female priests of her age, Siel who supported her and another girl named Hess that Siel called.


    The two girls put her in a bathtub which was small but full of warm water, and carefully washed her. Even though she hadn¡¯t bathed in two days, she felt like she hadn¡¯t done it in two months. Her body stung all over with her bruised arms and legs.


    ¡°Oops¡­¡±


    Marianne frowned unconsciously. In particular, she felt pain in her heel.


    ¡°Does it hurt a lot? Do you want me to lower the water temperature a little bit? ¡±


    Siel gently asked and massaged her calves gently. Marianne shook her head slightly.


    The stinging wounds had some meaning in some respects. It was none other than Marianne herself who chose a faster but the steeper road instead a longer but relatively flat road.


    Eckart had asked Marianne to choose the longer but flat road in consideration of her, but she ignored and insisted on her opinion, as always.


    ¡°I can walk. That¡¯s why I borrowed your boots. You know I¡¯m stronger than you think, right? You saw me yesterday. There is a reason why I used to hang out with that naughty girl Evelyn.¡±


    Thus, the three men continually took the short cut from the bottom of the tributary to the top of the mountain.


    Not to mention a carriage, they couldn¡¯t even ride a horse. It wasn¡¯t a trodden path from the beginning, but Eckart¡¯s condition was more of a problem.


    Even though he was on Curtis¡¯ back, he suffered terrible pain every step Curtis moved. Not only did it hurt when he had to correct his posture, but even while Curtis was walking on a flat road, he often suffered from short breath. To lessen his pain, Curtis tried to reduce the vibrations of his steps as much as possible, but to no avail. Even the slightest tremble gave him excruciating pain. Concerned about his worsening condition, Marianne found anesthesia grass on the way and put it into his mouth. That was all she could do.


    They walked on for four hours. As time went by, they stopped speaking, and only their harsh breathing was heard.


    Marianne had never walked this far. At first her feet hurt and her muscles were strained, but later her senses were numb, her legs were wobbly. By the time the temple was around the corner, she felt like forgetting about her dignity and crawling or rolling over and over there.


    ¡°How fortunate you are! The nine gods must love you. I think you and the emperor are the first to have survived after falling from the Benoit Falls,¡± Siel whispered. The smell of grass came out of the bath water mixed with the mineral spring of Santium that had the painkiller effects.


    At that moment Marianne thought momentarily, ¡±If I live with the gods¡¯ grace twice, I think I can come back alive from hell.¡¯


    But she was quickly surprised by her disrespect of the gods and blinked her eyes.


    ¡®Oh my god, what did I just think?¡¯


    ¡°Oh, you are pretty.¡± Hess, who wiped her body silently, opened her mouth slowly.


    ¡°Your eyes look like jewels! ¡± Her freckled cheeks blushed.


    Blinking her eyes, Marianne twisted her body slightly.


    Hess¡¯s one eye was white and was blurry as if she had lost her vision. She couldn¡¯t keep her eye straight and she bit her lip as if she was shy.

 Chapter 83

    Chapter 83: Chapter 83


    Marianne smiled at Hess who grabbed her hand and held a towel.


    ¡°Really? Thank you. Your eyes are beautiful, like opals.¡±


    ¡°Pardon? Oh no¡­Thank you.¡±


    Hess bowed with a rushed voice.


    Unlike the villagers in which she was born and raised, her fellow priests did not hate or laugh at her injured eye. They didn¡¯t point their fingers at her, nor did they label it as an ominous sign.


    But it was the first time Hess heard such a kind compliment.


    Hess quickly washed her body with a flushed face. Marianne smiled at her, looking at her often as if she was cute.


    The three were done taking a bath in a warm atmosphere. They dried her hair and applied ointment on the wounds all over her body. Although she was bare-faced, she still looked wonderful compared to her miserable appearance when she came into the temple.


    Siel politely handed over a dress that she laid on one side of the bed. A simple and plain dress was unfolded, usually worn by a poor baron¡¯s daughter. Without any delicate lace, the skirt was not even well shaped.


    ¡°Sorry, my dear. It¡¯s not good enough, but these are best clothes we have at the moment¡­¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? Maybe the worst clothes in the temple right now are mine and the emperor¡¯s. So, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Marianne pointed to her dress, stained with drops of blood, juice, earth, and dust. Siel laughed as she couldn¡¯t find anything to disagree with.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard a lot about the exemplary life of the priests who are honest but poor. So, don¡¯t be ashamed of it.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for understanding.¡±


    Siel and Hess helped Marianne dress up. Finally, a red diamond necklace was worn around her neck. The mix of overly fancy ornaments and an overly simple dress made her look a bit funny, but she didn¡¯t care at all.


    ¡°Then I will go see the emperor for a moment. As the room is opposite this place, you can rest here.¡±


    Marianne left the room, stroking her loosely braided hair. The fatigue and refreshment after the bath gave her a pleasant drowsiness. Her cheeks were reddish due to her elevated body temperature.


    As soon as she confirmed what the priests took out of the opposite room, she hardened her face.


    The brass basin was full of red blood. Between the half-open doors, there was a dreadful smell of medicine. In a moment, she had a guilty conscience.


    ¡®How can I forget the emperor¡¯s pain when I feel more comfortable now?¡¯


    Mariane ran into the room, pushing aside the servant holding bloody clothes.


    At the same time, Kloud¡¯s embarrassed voice came out.


    ¡°No, Your Majesty. You can¡¯t forcibly proceed with the engagement ceremony tomorrow in this condition.¡±


    Marianne stopped at the door like a broken wooden doll. The servant who left the room last closed the door.


    Click.


    Kloud, who habitually turned back and looked at the door at the small noise, changed his facial expression and stepped back. As Curtis was sensitive to any little noise, he had been watching her the moment she entered the room.


    ¡°Lady Marianne!¡±


    While the two showed their manners to her, Eckart, sitting slightly crouched at the end of the bed, slowly looked away.


    He was exactly like an injured soldier. He looked good as the servant wiped blood and dirt from his face, but he still looked haggard. The middle of his back was wrapped with white bandages. His broken arm was also wrapped in a clean cloth as if it was splinted anew.


    Standing still, she looked at his eyes.


    She could now discern why his complicated feelings were reflected in his blue eyes: terrible pains that had bothered him since yesterday and his protracted fatigue that he couldn¡¯t express in the cave.


    ¡°¡­ I don¡¯t know when I can get back to Roshan if I leave here.¡±


    It was Eckart who avoided her eyes first. He grabbed a silver cup on a low table. A blue bloodline was visible on the back of his trembling hand.


    ¡°It was probably the throne of the emperor, which was empty while I was away that those who plotted this incident were aiming for. Though they failed, they must hope for a different result from their original purpose.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Oh, what you mean is they want to at least break your engagement, even though their original purpose of killing you failed?¡± Kloud said with a frustrated expression. Eckart nodded.


    ¡°Now I got it. The first thing Ober aimed for was Lennox. Think about what rumors they have ever created. I¡¯m sure they¡¯re going to fabricate all kinds of rumors about my incident. For example, they can say ¡®Look at the incident even before they hold the engagement ceremony. Isn¡¯t it ominous? God did not allow it. It¡¯s a corrupt bond.¡¯ Right?¡±


    Eckart spoke evasively and took a breath. He tilted the silver cup. He emptied intense herbal alcohol in it.


    But it wasn¡¯t just alcohol that raked his stomach.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t anyone know how much Duke Kling cares for his only daughter? As you know, there is a strange rumor that I¡¯m forcibly trying to marry her. I think the Ober faction will mobilize all means to make the duke to break up her marriage.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s the same case for Marianne, who is regarded as Ober¡¯s woman.¡±


    His blue eyes, which were completely indifferent by now, glanced at her.


    Marianne looked at Eckart intensely all the time, but she didn¡¯t speak.


    ¡°And¡­ as they embarked on a dangerous plot, she needs a more stable position.¡±


    Kloud and Curtis were standing silently. They thought what the emperor said made sense, but didn¡¯t actively support it because of his safety.


    Eckart was their most honorable master. But they couldn¡¯t force the emperor to sacrifice himself after they saw him get severely wounded. They felt they would rather be more comfortable with sacrificing their lives on his behalf.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t it take another day or two for the supporting units from Milan to get here? You don¡¯t have to waste your time.¡±


    Eckart, who could not stand any unreasonable excuses, pressed them.


    ¡°But your engagement is a long and cumbersome ceremony, Your Majesty. Didn¡¯t the healing priest emphasize it a little while ago? She said you should not move as little as possible before your wounds are healed¡­¡±


    ¡°Then, make the ceremony as simple as possible.¡±


    Kloud, who was making various excuses to delay the ceremony, finally shut up.


    It was Marianne who suddenly cut in. She walked over to Eckart. Her blue skirt was gently dragged over the floor carpet.


    ¡°Let me meet the cardinal and ask her a favor. I¡¯ll tell her we are worried about your condition, and we want to go back to the capital quickly. If we play the baby, explaining our miserable situation now, nobody would doubt our situation.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Marianne.¡±


    Finally, Marianne approached him and sat right next to him. She took away the empty glass in his hand. Very briefly her finger touched his and fell off.


    Eckart bit his lower lip. His fingertips felt even numb. When he pulled away his hands, she laid her hands on them.


    ¡°We can¡¯t have the ceremony tomorrow. Let¡¯s do it the day after tomorrow.¡±


    She looked straight at him with her moist, shiny green eyes which looked like a jewel just lifted from the water.


    ¡°Marianne, if you say that on my behalf¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be mistaken. I¡¯m saying this because I¡¯m worried about you. I¡¯m just too tired. I want to have a good night¡¯s rest.¡±


    It was a white lie. Not only Eckart but also Kloud and Curtis could guess her intention.


    An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. It was only the ever burning fire that could melt her steely stubbornness.


    Although she had told such a blatant lie, she didn¡¯t bat an eye.


    She looked at Kloud and asked, ¡°Is the rest of the party at the residence?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Then, did they get the news that the emperor returned alive?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t conveyed the message yet. Unfortunately, the messenger bird was sent off to the residence¡­ As it¡¯s too dangerous for a messenger after dark, I¡¯m going to send him early in the morning.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see. Then make sure to send the messenger after sunrise. We have to make sure there should be no more injured people.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re too benevolent, Lady Marianne.¡±


    Kloud quickly praised her. She appreciated his compliment by smiling a little.


    But Eckart narrowed his eyebrows while hearing their conversation that was meant to persuade him.


    How could they expect him to believe their childish lies?


    Nonetheless, Marianne began to soothe and persuade Eckart more dramatically.


    ¡°Look, Your Majesty. We haven¡¯t yet conveyed the news about your return to the people at the residence. And the process of the grand duke at the residence will will arrive here tomorrow afternoon.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°Besides, do you think they can proceed with the engagement ceremony right away even if they arrive here? We need to have a day or so to prepare. Everyone was hurt and stunned by this incident.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t afford to pay attention to such trifling things¡­¡±


    ¡°Wait a moment. You don¡¯t want to say cruelly that you don¡¯t care about the situation of the servants and maids at the residence, right? I hope you don¡¯t. I don¡¯t want to be recorded as a tyrant¡¯s wife in history.¡±

 Chapter 84

    Chapter 84: Chapter 84


    At that moment, Eckart let out a sigh unknowingly. Apart from the fact that each of her words made sense, he was surprised to find himself persuaded by her gradually.


    He even took her annoying words differently. He felt more frustrated about her mention of ¡®wife¡¯ rather than ¡®tyrant.¡¯


    As always, Marianne smiled brightly with an innocent expression.


    ¡°So, please rest today,¡± she said.


    He inhaled a breath. Without any notice, her slender arms embraced his shoulders and waist. Even though she wasn¡¯t strong, he lay on the bed as she guided him. His hands, which seemed to push her aside right away, were gently put on her shoulders.


    Watching them, Curtis and Kloud frowned at the same time.


    ¡°You said you wouldn¡¯t be stubborn. Do you want to have your wedding suit stained with blood while attending the engagement ceremony? I¡¯m squeamish with blood by nature. If I see your blood, I¡¯m going to scream and pass out on the spot.¡±


    Looking down at his blue eyes, Marianne posed a threat that was not scary at all.


    ¡°¡­Got it. Let me have the ceremony the day after tomorrow.¡±


    In the end, Eckart gave in. While he was breathing in with a heavy heart, she pulled a blanket in person and covered him.


    Behind her back, Curtis and Kloud were casting a glance at her in confusion just like him.


    ¡°Sleep early. Don¡¯t think about anything. If you wake up tomorrow morning, let me come back so we can eat together.¡±


    Having said that cheerfully, she left the room.


    Thump!


    After the door was closed, the room was silent for a while.


    ¡°Well, hum¡­Your Excellency, I want to ask you something¡­¡±


    Kloud plucked up the courage to say something.


    ¡°No, later.¡± Eckart cut off his words. He already seemed to know what Kloud was going to say.


    ¡°Got it. Please call me anytime when you need my help.¡±


    Kloud lowered his head, not hiding a warm smile on his lips.


    He almost pulled out Curtis, who looked more serious than him.


    Soon, a strange silence settled in the room.


    Eckart let out a big sigh, covering his eyes with his hands.


    * * *


    The great hall of the Roshan Temple was the holiest sanctuary in the empire.


    The ninety-nine pillars, carved out of pure white marble, represented the dates when their god Airius stayed on earth. Underneath the enormous murals of the portraits of the nine gods, there was a flame that never ceased to burn. There were plates containing the holy water of Benoit Falls between the windows that reflected the light of the day and the darkness of night.


    Marianne walked along the spacious corridor. This was the only luxurious place in the temple that pursued extreme poverty. Anecdotes of the nine gods embossed on the pillars caught her eye.


    Gods ranging from the god of light Airius, to the goddess of the earth Anthea, the god of water Ran, the goddess of fire Serapina, the god of wind Zephyrus, the god of time Urd, the god of night Tanatos, the god of delusion Astrid, and the goddess of fate Kader.


    In addition to the seven colors of the rainbow as well as black and white, meaning light and darkness, nine colored gems representing the nine gods gleamed brightly everywhere. If it were daylight, the natural sunlight would have dyed the whole temple splendidly.


    Marianne slowly stopped. While she was looking at the oil paintings that filled the ceiling, a small door in the innermost side of the main hall opened up suddenly. It was a door leading to the cardinal¡¯s prayer room.


    ¡°Oh, star¡­ No, Lady Marianne!¡±


    The silence of the temple was broken at that moment.


    Marianne, who raised her head up, looked ahead. Next to the altar stood a girl she met for a moment when she entered the temple in the evening. She thought that the girl disappeared with Helena after escorting her into the room, but it seemed she was here all along for prayer.


    With her black short hair fluttering, she ran straight to Marianne. And then she raised the skirt of her priest robe slightly and greeted her awkwardly.


    ¡°I¡¯m honored to see you, Lady Marianne.¡±


    While smiling at her since she was so cute, Marianne had a strong sense of deja vu. She had heard this girl¡¯s voice before.


    ¡°Uh?¡­ Phebe?¡±


    She remembered Phebe imitating before her, ¡°But he will be okay. Don¡¯t worry too much.¡±


    That¡¯s what Poibe said when it came to Eckart and her, which crossed her mind quickly.


    It was exactly the same voice.


    ¡°Pardon? No, My name is Hilde. Hilde.¡±


    Hilde, who wasn¡¯t aware of the situation, looked up at Marianne with a sullen expression.


    ¡°Oh, sorry. Priest Hilde. Would you please forgive me for my rudeness?¡±


    Marianne sat down lightly at Hilde¡¯s eye level. The rustling hem of her skirt swelled up to Hilde¡¯s knee.


    Hilde gladly opened her eyes wide as if she was not angry at all. Cardinal Helena and senior priest Arsenio said she should always learn and try more, but never treated her as a formal priest.


    But Marianne called her ¡®priest¡¯, not a kid!


    ¡°Hmm, hmm! Absolutely. The priest of God regards mercy as her life and never spares forgiveness. It¡¯s all in god¡¯s scriptures.¡±


    Hilde put her hands on her waist, mimicking Helena¡¯s tone. When she straightened her chest and raised her head straight, she looked like a dog praised by somebody.


    ¡°Priest Hilde is very kind.¡±


    ¡°Of course. I am very nice, smart, eat well, and write letters of repentance. Though I doze off sometimes during morning prayer, I am the best among the many priests here as I know how to read stars the best.¡±


    Hilde grinned brightly at Marianne¡¯s praise. Her golden eyes twinkled in the glimmering torches.


    ¡°Oh, you know how to look at constellations¡­Awesome!¡±


    ¡°Yeah! Hilde can read the heavenly constellations and see the stars people are born with. ¡±


    Hilde answered without any hesitation.


    Marianne gently wrapped her shoulders. Most aristocrats were supposed to learn basic theology as part of their education. Marianne had also read some famous myths and the summarized Bible, so she knew roughly what Hilde meant.


    But she looked so lovely, cheerfully boasting with her little face.


    Marianne didn¡¯t want to put a damper on the girl¡¯s happiness, so she nodded, pretending not to know.


    ¡°Is each person born with a star?¡± Marianne asked.


    ¡°Of course. Her Eminence Cardinal Helena said that the rules of the universe follow the providence of God. She talks to me like this every day. ¡®All that is born to the world will be indwelled by the light of Airius. Humans, animals, and trees dwell on the earth under divine protection.¡¯ That¡¯s what she told me.¡±


    ¡°I think you can see the light.¡±


    Marianne praised her with an exaggerated voice on purpose. Encouraged more, Hilde raised her chin more highly. Deep dimples were on both sides of her chubby cheeks.


    ¡°Yeah. I can see it all. Helena said it¡¯s because I was born with the blessing of Goddess Anthea.


    I got the same protection as the cardinal. That¡¯s why my eyes shine like this. She says golden eyes are the mirror reflecting the goddess¡¯s foresight and the power to keep the abundance of the earth. Isn¡¯t it nice and pretty?¡±


    Marianne nodded heavily. Hilde, who boasted about herself as much as she could, bent her upper body with a satisfied expression. She pointed at the side of Marianne¡¯s ear with her small hand and whispered as if she was telling her a secret.


    ¡°Anyway, I can see your star too. It is still shining here.¡±


    ¡°Really? Can you see it when it¡¯s so bright around us?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Your star is very bright, so it is visible even during the day. So before you came here, I was looking at your star. You were holding the emperor¡¯s star like this¡­¡±


    Her babbling slowly stopped. Marianne blinked as if she was curious, and Hilde grabbed her hand quickly.


    ¡°Let me tell you a funny story.¡±


    Marianne rose from here seat as Hilde led her. The two walked hand in hand along the corridor. The hems of Hilde¡¯s white robe and blue dress swept over the cold marble floor.


    Hilde led her in front of the enormous mural of the nine gods. Even though early summer was around the corner, a magnificent picture spread up to the high ceiling above the burning fireplace.


    ¡°Everything is born with their own stars, but only human stars shine all day and night. The stars of dogs, cats, flower plants in the backyard, and mice that I hate are blurry and small. Even I am sometimes confused. Her Eminence says it¡¯s unfair, but you can¡¯t help it because there are so many new births in the world.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Marianne answered silently, holding Hilde¡¯s hands. Her green eyes reflected faint sorrow.


    Over the past month, she had to see and experience too many unfair and inevitable things. There were those who were inevitably wounded and died. It was the harshness of life that she realized only at the end of her previous life. She still didn¡¯t understand that huge reality. Even though she did not realize it properly, people were already injured and dead, including herself.

 Chapter 85

    Chapter 85: Chapter 85


    Hilde continued, ¡°Among the myriad of stars, only a few more special people can be born on the stars of the nine gods. Helena says receiving God¡¯s blessing is different from being born on God¡¯s star. Although I was blessed by Goddess Anthea, I was not born on her star.¡±


    She continued speaking with a cheerful voice. Her voice seemed cheerful for some time, but the more she talked, the more divine she became.


    ¡°So, I always wondered. Who was born on the star of Goddess Anthea? How friendly is the person? Since I was born to support the goddess in her blessing, can I become friends with that person if I met them? Then¡­¡±


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°The goddess¡¯s star, which had not been seen for some time, suddenly appeared!¡±


    ¡°Oh my goodness!¡±


    ¡°It was right next to the star of god Airius!¡±


    Marianne naturally got carried away with Hilde¡¯s explanation. Although Hilde was talking absurd old myths, she was captivated and curious as if she was listening to fairy tales with Cordelli in her childhood.


    ¡°Is it amazing?¡±


    ¡°Cool. Don¡¯t you think it was because the god and the goddess loved each other?¡±


    ¡°I think so too. So I called them twin stars.¡±


    ¡°How cute!¡±


    Covering her mouth, Marianne couldn¡¯t help but laugh. Hilde stared at her and blinked her big eyes.


    ¡°Lady Marianne?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Priest Hilde.¡±


    ¡°You love the emperor, don¡¯t you?¡±


    It was an expected question. But it was a straightforward and simple question that any child could ask if he or she knew about the purpose of the emperor was to come here to hold an engagement with Lady Marianne.


    But Marianne unconsciously frowned at the moment. Her heart pounded. Her heart trembled like a child caught doing something wrong.


    ¡°I know everything.¡±


    Tik, tik.


    The embers of the stove scattered here and there in a messy way. Her golden eyes turned reddish.


    ¡°The emperor was born on the star of Airius. I heard that twin stars are destined to be lovers or siblings. As you and the emperor are not brothers or sisters, both of you are supposed to be lovers, right?¡± Hilde blushed and laughed.


    But Marianne could not even crack a smile. She felt nauseated as if there was an earthquake in her heart.


    ¡°Did you say I was born on the star of Goddess Anthea?¡±


    ¡°Yeah! I told you earlier. Your star and the emperor¡¯s star were holding their hands together side by side and twinkling. Yesterday, the grand duke was worried about you, so I told him that the two stars were over the mountain, and that although they dimmed a bit, they would be fine if he sent the search team.¡±


    Although Hilde babbled for a long time, Marianne could not focus on her words. In the blink of an eye, she got confused.


    God¡¯s constellation?


    Was it that God had already prepared the end of her first life where drowned miserably in the lake, as well as her second life that she earned like a miracle? Did God even arrange for her to be the emperor¡¯s ally to fight against Ober? Did God also have her foolishly expect more of the emperor than her role as a political partner?


    ¡°But what¡¯s more strange is ¡­¡±


    Regardless of what Marianne was thinking about at the moment, Hilde mentioned another foresight in a whisper.


    ¡°You have two stars.¡±


    Two? What the heck?


    While Marianne made a perplexed expression, Hilde pointed to her left shoulder with her other hand that did not hold her hand.


    ¡°Right here, Goddess Anthea is still shining.¡±


    She drew a line horizontally in the air with her tiny fingers.


    ¡°And here, the star of Goddess Kader is asleep.¡±


    Mariane glanced behind Hilde¡¯s right shoulder that she pointed at. Of course, she couldn¡¯t see it. Only the long and colorful corridor filled her vision.


    ¡°As I didn¡¯t see you when you were a baby, I don¡¯t know exactly. But Goddess Anthea¡¯s star suddenly appeared a month ago, right? So, I think Goddess Kader¡¯s star must have been protecting her until then.¡±


    At that moment, Marianne was shocked as if she had her head hit. She had goosebumps from head to toe, which she couldn¡¯t understand.


    What she said was an infinite metaphor, but she could instinctively combine her past with Hilde¡¯s words.


    ¡°One month ago? Did you say a month ago? ¡±


    ¡°Yeah. It was last month that I first saw the star of Goddess Antea.¡±


    ¡°When was it last month?¡±


    Marianne pressed Hilde with an urgent voice. Hilde was a bit embarrassed by her sudden, rough attitude.


    ¡°Uh, um¡­As the fresh milk was served at breakfast the day after I saw the star¡­Around April 19?¡±


    ¡°Nonsense¡­¡± Marianne burst into laughter.


    April 19. It was two days before her birthday, when she awoke in the bathtub like a miracle after drowning at the bottom of the lake. It was the day when her father, whose funeral she saw, returned home alive after finishing provincial inspection tours. It was the day she said didn¡¯t matter if it were a dream, and that she vowed to protect this world by doing all things possible.


    ¡°It looks like nonsense, right? I also didn¡¯t believe it at first.¡±


    Hilde, meanwhile, understood Marianne¡¯s denial in a completely different way.


    ¡°They say when a star falls asleep, a person born with the star will sleep forever. But you¡¯re awake like this, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Why¡­how¡­¡±


    ¡°Maybe because you have received the last grace of Goddess Kader.¡±


    At that moment, there was heard an unfamiliar voice from behind her back. Hilde and Marianne looked back at the same time.


    ¡°Your Eminence!¡±


    Hilde waved her hands toward Helena as if she was happy to see the cardinal. Helena slowly walked along the corridor, dragging her robe long.


    ¡°Goddess Kader is the god of destiny. But it was not the only thing that Kader governed.¡±


    Marianne turned to see the giant nine gods¡¯ portraits. Of the nine gods lined side-by-side, the goddess with green hair, standing at the far right, was reflected in her clear eyes.


    Goddess Kader governed fate.


    She was a hero of mortality and resurrection. She was a god also called the ruler of revenge and courage. Of Anthea¡¯s four daughters, she resembled her mother the most. She was also the only one of the nine gods who suffered the ¡®night¡¯ and ¡®death.¡¯


    Marianne naturally recalled part of an old myth that she had heard.


    Tanatos, who ruled the darkness, felt most jealous about Kader among his brothers and sisters because Mother Anthea trusted and loved Kader most.


    Tanatos used the weapon of darkness, which everyone feared, as opposed to the light governed by his father, Airius. Humans feared him but distrusted him. Even his brothers and sisters fled far whenever he brought the night. Loneliness and silence brought him up, and the darkness-torn violence in him grew worse day by day.


    In the end, Tanatos dug a huge trap of the night and killed Kader. At this time, Tanatos earned death and Kader learned of mortality.


    She had been in endless sleep underground, where time did not pass for over 200 years. Kader woke up from a long sleep only when Anthea, who belatedly learned about her murder, brought her back to life through the roots of the world tree on earth. Thus, resurrection became her strength.


    Kader went to war with Tanatos on the day she woke up. Her own power as well as her mother¡¯s coexisted within her body. Kader was now Kader herself and part of Anthea.


    As he could not overcome the power of the mother god who gave birth to the seven gods, Tanatos eventually hid in the dark underworld with the night. Since then, he quietly carried away death and night only when his father, Airius, did not shed the light.


    This was the most famous episode of the myth on Kader.


    ¡°Goddess Kader was the only god whose divinity was linked to her mother Anthea.¡±


    Finally, Helena slowly stopped in front of the two.


    ¡°From the day she returned from death, goddess Kader made ¡®revenge¡¯ and ¡®courage¡¯ the weapons to defend her destiny. The cardinals of the previous generation used to interpret the change of Goddess Kader like this.¡±


    Her golden eyes shone brightly.


    ¡°It¡¯s one, but it doesn¡¯t become one. It is eternal but at the same time, it is not eternal. The goddess was herself but no longer herself, but at the same time she was still herself. So, her destiny is like this. All uncertain beginnings will aim for mortality, but a thousand resurrections will come again from the predetermined end.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°There are two stars protecting you. I think it¡¯s probably because of Goddess Kader¡¯s warm considerations.¡±


    Marianne bit her lip unconsciously. Her unbearable trembling spread to her fingertips and toes.


    Hilde anxiously looked up at Marianne. Her hands hurt as Marianne tightened her grip.


    ¡°But all this is about the story of the gods.¡±


    Helena stared at the embers bouncing off in the fireplace. Then she said in a somber voice,


    ¡°It is too great and painful for a man to bear¡­¡±


    Mariane looked straight at Helena.


    Her golden eyes seemed somewhat deep and compassionate as if Helena understood her messed-up life. It looked as if Helena, who didn¡¯t know her secrets, comforted her by saying how painful and terrible it was for her¡­

 Chapter 86

    Chapter 86: Chapter 86


    ¡°But the two goddesses would not have changed their special love for you,¡± Helena said.


    As she couldn¡¯t stand it anymore, Marianne closed her eyes. Her vision became blurry. At first she felt like all the nerves in her body were burning as if cut by a sharp dagger, and then she relaxed as if she were covered with a warm blanket.


    Although she could not understand anything, she felt a strange feeling that she understood everything. She felt her head was bleached white as if she was bewitched by something.


    ¡°Fate is not on the side of those who stop and accept it, nor on the side of those who reject it.


    It is the weapon of those who only move forward,¡± Helena quietly preached.


    Marianne opened her eyes again. Her vision was blurred all over. Tears flowed down her cheeks. She didn¡¯t want to cry, but her tears kept coming as if her lacrimal gland had burst open.


    Just like how one had to remove all the discharge from rotten wounds to heal, she cried out for a very long time.


    ¡°Lady Marianne, wasn¡¯t my story fun? I¡¯m sorry. I just thought it was so strange that there were only two stars¡­I won¡¯t do it again. Please don¡¯t cry¡­Boohoo¡­ ¡±


    Hilde, who was at a loss about what to do, also burst into tears, grasping her skirt.


    Marianne collapsed before her.


    ¡°Lady Marianne¡­Please don¡¯t cry¡­ I was wrong¡­¡±


    Hilde, who was still young, hugged her tightly. Marianne began to cry a lot, leaning on her small shoulders. Helena knelt down and patted her trembling back.


    It was a sweet and warm consolation, just as Anthea put vitality in the body of the sleeping Kader.


    * * *


    The next day, Marianne woke up late in the morning.


    She had a dull headache when she opened her eyes. It was perhaps because she cried too much last night. As she was rubbing her red, swollen eyelids, Hess brought a cold towel and covered them. If she could have her way, she wanted to roll on the bed all day long. But she had to get up and get ready to greet the group led by the grand duke that would arrive around noon.


    ¡°Priest Hess, did you deliver a meal to the emperor¡¯s room?¡±


    ¡°Pardon? Oh no. His Majesty seemed to be still sleeping.¡±


    ¡°Really? What a relief!¡±


    She let out a sigh of relief with a towel on her eyes. It was important to meet the grand duke¡¯s party, but she didn¡¯t want to break her promise to have a meal with the emperor this morning.


    While Hess was massaging her swollen legs, Siel brought medicine and ointment. Marianne drank the medicine in the silver bowl, applied ointment to the wounds, and changed the clothes after washing. As if it were too much for her to do it, she was groaning all along.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you exhausted? Want to rest a bit?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m alright. As you know, if you do something hard today, you are more tired the next day. Yesterday, you walked along a steep trail for four hours, so it¡¯s natural for you to be so tired now. His Majesty will be more tired.¡±


    Although Siel said it casually, she knew she lied. Siel blinked with a worried expression.


    ¡°Let me add some more painkillers in your lunch menu. I happen to have little bit of refined opium, so if I mix it with ¡­¡±


    ¡°Opium? You use the opium in the temple?¡±


    Marianne¡¯s eyes met hers in the mirror. Siel, who was combing her luscious hair, bit her lip and made an embarrassed expression.


    ¡°You know opium?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Opium is a highly addictive medicine with a lot of side effects, though it¡¯s highly effective. It¡¯s hardly ever refined before usage. I understand they don¡¯t use it unless it¡¯s an emergency¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re right. That¡¯s why we healing priests don¡¯t use it often¡­¡±


    Siel fumbled her words and quickly made a long excuse.


    ¡°But don¡¯t worry. The opium used in our temple has been refined many times, and there are few side effects because we use only the proper amount in a safe way. Sometimes it¡¯s more effective than using weaker drugs for a long time. I can guarantee we¡¯ll never do any harm to both of you.¡±


    Marianne smiled a bit and shook her head as she also showed an embarrassed reaction.


    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t ask with that suspicion. I¡¯m interested in herbs, but I haven¡¯t seen opium that¡¯s been refined properly. I asked you because it¡¯s amazing.¡±


    Watching her look, Hess hung a red diamond necklace around her neck. Marianne looked at herself in the mirror. While stroking the cool jewel, she suddenly grabbed Siel¡¯s hands that touched her head.


    Siel stiffened like a man caught stealing something. Her bright green eyes in the mirror showed she was a bit excited at the moment.


    ¡°Priest Siel. If you don¡¯t mind, can you show me that opium? If you share it with me, it would be better.¡±


    ¡°Pardon? Oh, let me ask the cardinal.¡± Siel nodded, smiling awkwardly.


    ¡°I¡¯m impressed with the great hall here to know you have precious things like refined opium on hand¡­ ¡±


    Although she said it as a compliment, Siel shut up instead of expressing gratitude.


    Hess put a thorny rose stalk between her hair, matching her red dress.


    Marianne liked that fresh rose. It was the plant of love that heralded the arrival of summer at the end of spring. She touched the thin petals delicately with her fingertips in excitement.


    ¡°By the way, didn¡¯t you mention the two men? You said you would never do any harm to the two men¡­¡±


    That¡¯s true. In fact, Siel said that casually without attaching any meaning to it.


    Marianne jumped up from the seat. As a result, a small round wooden chair rolled over. Surprised, Siel and Hess stepped back. At that moment, the front of her simple dress fluttered like the flag of the knights on the battlefield.


    ¡°Lady Marianne!¡±


    She ran out of the room, leaving the two behind who tried to stop her.


    Two guards were standing before the door of the emperor¡¯s room across the not-so-wide corridor.


    They were a priest holding a silver tray and Duke Kloud whose face looked tired.


    ¡°Good morning, Lady Marianne!¡±


    While talking with each other kindly, they greeted her as soon as they found her.


    Marieanne walked toward the room with a stride instead of answering.


    Without giving them time to stop her, she reached out to the silver tray. The lid of the white porcelain bowl was opened quickly.


    Inside was dark brown fine powder. The distinctive scent of opium tickled her nose before she touched her face.


    Ferocious emotions were reflected in her green eyes, which were a mix of anger, deep concern, a little bit of fear that she couldn¡¯t understand herself.


    ¡°How about His Majesty?¡±


    Kloud sighed lowly. He beckoned to the priest to get out first.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go in.¡±


    He opened the door with a voice as if he were resigned to the emperor¡¯s bad condition.


    Marianne stepped into the room without hesitation.


    The room was dark even though it was morning. Except for the beds and the furthest windows, they all had thick curtains. The window was slightly open for ventilation, but the scent of opium and the herbs was still everywhere. On the table were tea cups and silver cups that had been messed up. Of course it was not tea, but all kinds of drugs in them, she thought. Curtis, who was standing by the window with no curtains, looked at her and bowed. Briefly appreciating his greeting, she walked straight to his bed.


    Eckart lay asleep in an uncomfortable position, lying on the side. His rough breathing was heard amid the heavy silence.


    Marianne put her finger close under his nose. His breath was quite hot. She hesitated a couple of times and then put her hands on his forehead. Fortunately, his fever wasn¡¯t that high. The fever on his forehead was better than his condition last night when his body temperature was way down.


    ¡°He fell asleep only a while ago,¡± said Kloud who followed her after closing the door.


    ¡°Because his temperature suddenly went up last night, we had no other choice but to use opium. He couldn¡¯t sleep at all. Don¡¯t worry too much because we used it with the cardinal¡¯s guarantee and permission.¡±


    Though he briefed her calmly, they must have had a hard time last night caring for the emperor.


    Eckart was the type of man who didn¡¯t want to show others that he was weak. As he was quite stubborn, he desperately concealed his weakness even though his back was torn and he had lost consciousness from hypothermia. He would not have screamed as long as he could endure pain. Perhaps he must have endured all the pain all through the night until Curtis or Kloud broke his command and went to call the priest.


    Marianne slowly withdrew her hand. The back of her hand was not just warm but hot.


    ¡°Is he much better now?¡±


    ¡°According to the healing priest, yes, he is alright. She said he got the fever because he felt relaxed here. She added he could be up and running in one week once he gets over the hump, Kloud replied while roughly cleaning the bedside table.

 Chapter 87

    Chapter 87: Chapter 87


    Marianne opened her mouth only after chewing her lips once.


    ¡°Well, can I stay here a little longer?¡±


    Kloud turned to her at that. She hurriedly made a short excuse.


    ¡°I won¡¯t wake him up. Let me just watch him here.¡±


    She explained with a low voice for fear she might wake him up as he had just fallen asleep.


    Kloud grabbed some empty silver glasses on the table and stood up. Although she didn¡¯t notice it because the room was dark, there was a calm smile on his mouth.


    ¡°It¡¯s only the emperor who can refuse your request.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Thank you.¡± Marianne smiled gently.


    Kloud understood exactly what her smile meant.


    She was the woman that the emperor risked himself to protect, and the woman who risked her life to protect the emperor. At the same time, she was the only daughter of Duke Kling, who had long been away from the capital, as well as the flower of the enemy territory that had an affair with Ober, the emperor¡¯s political rival.


    Apart from the fact that she did not have any hostility toward the emperor, the emperor¡¯s men rightly had suspicions and wariness of her. Kloud also had his wife Mrs. Charlotte keep a constant watch over her. Perhaps she did not know it either. She wasn¡¯t stupid or immature as some had criticized meanly.


    Although Kloud told her that only the emperor could refuse her request, it was a little different as far as his safety was concerned. Not only he but also Curtis, standing over there, could exercise their right to overrule it in a situation where the emperor was asleep. If they waited stupidly in contingencies, that would be unfaithful and sinful.


    So, it was not because of their confirmation of her high status but because of their trust in her that she expressed gratitude to them. Their trust was so much so that they didn¡¯t search her or warned her to stay away from the emperor, who was put in a defenseless situation at the moment. Instead, they let her stay as much as she wanted.


    ¡°I will let you know as soon as we have the news from the local residence where Grand Duke Christopher is staying.¡±


    Having said that, Kloud left the room.


    Marianne looked around the room once and approached the portable chair under the window. When she lifted it gently without making any noise, Curtis, who was standing in the corner, popped up and moved the chair.


    She held her dress hem and thanked him before sitting down. He went back to his seat quietly. Obviously, Curtis was not an ordinary knight. When he came to pick up the chair and returned to his seat, he didn¡¯t make any noise at all that other people like her could sense.


    ¡®He¡¯s scary, but it¡¯s good for the emperor. I don¡¯t know how terrible a threat Ober¡¯s force will pose in the future¡­¡±


    Marianne quickly glanced back. Suddenly, something she saw yesterday in the cave came to her mind. ¡®It looks like you won¡¯t betray me, given that you cried a lot.¡¯


    With a reasonable conclusion, she looked back over the bed.


    The sharp bridge of his nose, forehead, and his sharp jawline was visible in the dark shadows. Although he was in bed due to the effect of the medicine, he in deep sleep.


    She sighed a long and thin sigh. She gazed at him peacefully as if she felt relieved.


    * * *


    The residence in Roshan was bustling even before breakfast because the messenger from the temple arrived early in the morning.


    Grand Duke Christopher ordered them to pack as soon as he confirmed the good news about the emperor. At his order, the entire residence was ready for their journey. Not only those in the kitchen but also those in the stables were busy preparing for the departure.


    ¡°I now see why the royal families are blessed by God. When I asked the butler of the residence, he said it¡¯s the first time hearing about a survival after falling from the Benoit Falls. He said he had been living at the residence for over 40 years, and it was the first time in his life that anyone had survived after falling into the falls.¡±


    Barton was busy handling something with his hands while listening to their chattering. He straightened his waist only after he securely fastened the spare saddle to the cart.


    A horseman like Barton who could drive a wagon for her would not do this usually, but he had to take his hands off from driving the wagon or repairing it after the recent accident. Eventually, Barton had to take care of cleaning up the stable usually given to servants and maids. It was up to him to clean up the lower seed and possibly stables. Barton didn¡¯t care. He just regarded his new assignment as her undeserved grace.


    ¡°How fortunate! Aside from the emperor, Lady Marianne is also safe. If it hadn¡¯t been her help, I would have already fallen to the underworld,¡± said Barton.


    Another servant Eddie said, shrugging his shoulders, ¡°You know Jason? I just feel sorry for that horseman who drove the emperor¡¯s wagon.¡±


    ¡°You bet. I really wish he could come back alive¡­¡±


    Barton brushed his hands with a bitter expression.


    Although Jason and Barton weren¡¯t very close, they used to greet each other and often shared meals. They clinked their glasses until yesterday, but one of them was not here anymore. ¡°Eddie, go there and make sure the food carts are fastened well. Let me clean it up here.¡±


    ¡°You are really nice. I¡¯ve seen some bad coaches telling me to clean up the alcohol dregs they left. Let me check it out quickly and help you.¡±


    Eddie had a bright smile on his freckled face. He ran towards the food wagon cheerfully.


    Barton began to tidy up the empty feeding bins of the horse barns.


    In fact, it didn¡¯t matter even if he left the horse barns messy because the servants of the mansion would clean it up anyway. Nonetheless, he checked and cleaned every corner of the horse barns.


    Many of the horses he cared for were hurt or killed in yesterday¡¯s accident. Every day he gave water to them, packed rice for them and stroked them. He sometimes treated them like family, and sometimes like a friend. Although they couldn¡¯t speak, at some point he thought that they understood him better than humans.


    ¡®They were not that wild. How come they suddenly started running everywhere?¡¯


    Letting out a sigh, he grasped the feeder. His drooping eyes gazed down.


    If I had known this in advance, I think I would have gotten them more apples and more straw.


    While lamenting, Barton narrowed his eyes. He was staring at the empty feeding bins and then scraped something between the feeders with his nails.


    It was something very small and white.


    He touched his fingertips under his nose, sniffed it, and then put out his tongue for a taste.


    Then he spat and suddenly shuddered.


    Ptui, ptui!


    Barton brushed his mouth with a more crumpled impression than before. He began to lay out the bins one by one, which he had piled up so far.


    ¡®I see it here. Not here. Again here¡­¡¯


    He examined each of the feeders with a serious expression. As he was not satisfied, he began to search in and out of the barns that housed the horses. As they were roughly cleaned up, he couldn¡¯t find it in any other feeder, but obviously some unidentified white objects remained in some of the feeders. Since there was only a small amount left, it was hard to find it unless closely examined.


    ¡°The straps were well fastened. By the way, what are you doing?¡± Eddie asked, who just came back after checking the food carts.


    Barton hurriedly put something he scraped from the feeders into his vest pocket, which was about half of his nail.


    ¡°No, nothing. I just was just thinking about the dead horses¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh man¡­You¡¯re so kind-hearted,¡± Eddie pretended to be mature.


    Barton looked back with a forced smile.


    ¡°Hurry up. We have to get to the temple by lunch.¡±


    * * *


    His heavy eyelids opened slowly like an iron door. His eyes with the color of the sea and the lake adjusted the pupils to the luminance of the dark room. The room was so quiet that the sound of his rustling on the bed felt like a loud noise.


    Eckart consciously blinked his stiff eyes. As soon as his eyes focused in front, he narrowed his brows in no time.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The first thing he saw was familiar faces.


    Eyebrows as smooth as a swallow¡¯s tail, and the rich eyelashes under her closed eyelids. Sharp nose and soft lips. And a couple of scratches on the cheeks¡­ The owner of this face was Marianne.


    She was asleep on the bed, with her face down. With her arms crossed, she placed her face on them, and let out steady breaths. He smelled the scent of the sunny early summer from the stems of the roses on her head.


    Eckart held back a sigh because he was worried his long breath would disturb her sleep.


    ¡®¡­ It looks like she already knows what happened at dawn.¡¯


    He made a perplexed expression.

 Chapter 88

    Chapter 88: Chapter 88


    As he couldn¡¯t stand it anymore, he drank melted opium, but he couldn¡¯t remember how he had fallen asleep since then. He tried his best to recall what happened.


    Kloud¡¯s voice and Curtis¡¯s glance. The feeling of his fever going down little by little. Cool serenity. Sleep coming on. The sense of walking in the air and the bottomless darkness.


    Nowhere in his memory was Marianne. Nevertheless, he could imagine her expressions, eyes, and voice.


    What if she entered the room the moment he was awake?


    She must have had worried about him. With a sad expression, she would feel bitter and bite her lip, and her green eyes would be filled with resentment and affection.


    Then she would¡¯ve probably shouted at him like this: ¡°Your Majesty, why didn¡¯t you tell me anything until you ended up being in this sorry state? You promised to tell me anything honestly, right? If you had told me sooner, I could have helped you earlier. You are really stubborn!¡±


    Her distinctive voice was vivid in his ears. Not content with that, she would have forced him to take medicine, lie down, and go to sleep. She would have waited by his side while he was sleeping. Without caring at all about others or complex political calculations, she would only wish he could sleep soundly, hoping to lessen his pain just a little bit.


    How much courage would it take for her to do this? How good and sweet should she be for this?


    Eckart made a bitter smile after he realized he was lost in such idle thoughts.


    He gave up unconditional love and trust for a long time. His beautiful and vain faith that goodwill and affection would turn the impossible into the possible didn¡¯t keep him.


    So, he vowed that he would never rely on such fragile feelings again. He wanted to live by giving up all hope and human desires. While leading such a life, he wanted to keep his mother¡¯s will to moderately follow the destiny of the Emperor, and hope to leave this world one day without any regrets.


    But this woman was ruining everything too dangerously and too enchantingly.


    He stroked her cheeks gently as she was asleep. His large hand that almost covered her face created a dark shade. While his tender hand moved along her facial lines, he recalled the fact that realities that were so heavy that he wanted to forget.


    ¡°Karl. Promise me you will survive no matter what happens.¡±


    That was her mother¡¯s desperate wish.


    ¡°Above all, I want you to have a happy family.¡±


    That was the vain hope that those officials close to him had.


    ¡°Do you want Lennox, too?¡±


    He still thought about the shadow of his father that he had not yet removed.


    The more he got stuck in it, that would be his weakness. He would rely on it and believe.


    He would be obsessed with it and hang on to it. He would give up more in order not to lose.


    He was not sure if he had already reached that point.


    He knew well about the symptoms of mysophobia that he had. It was a tower soaring toward the sky that he was afraid to dare to see from a distance. A lone divinity that was so far from the earth would be good not to obey the laws on it.


    But all the things on the top were at the risk of falling so easily.


    ¡®If I go any further here, it¡¯ll be dangerous. It might be really irreversible for me¡­I think I had better let go of her at this point¡­¡¯


    Eckart quietly bit his lip. The flesh inside his mouth was mercilessly chewed.


    At that moment, Marianne¡¯s eyes opened. His whole shape was gradually reflected in her green eyes.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Silence fell on them as if time stopped. Their eyes were tangled intricately instead of questions and answers.


    Eckart was stroking her cheeks when she opened her eyes. She blinked her big eyes and tried to look at his eyes and her cheeks.


    Knock, knock!


    They heard somebody knocking on the door. The door opened even before Eckart gave his permission.


    ¡°Sir, are they are sleeping¡­Oops! Your Excellency? Did you get up?¡±


    While whispering, Kloud raised his voice a little more in a good mood.


    Eckart pulled his hand away from her cheeks as naturally as possible and turned his eyes away from her. And then he grabbed the bedding as if to make up for his emptiness.


    ¡°Kloud, is there anybody else here?¡±


    When Eckart raised his head to look around the room, Curtis, who was standing in the corner, opened one more curtain.


    Sunlight penetrating the large window was shining into the room.


    ¡°¡­ Curtis.¡±


    Eckart called Curtis with a frustrated voice.


    ¡°I think I clearly told you when there were two in the room, you should let us know you¡¯re here.¡±


    ¡°I thought there weren¡¯t two. Sorry.¡±


    Eckart wanted to rebuke him for his silly answer, but eventually shut up because he thought it wasn¡¯t wrong. In the meantime, Marianne, who was looking up at him, gradually became more troubled.


    He once again questioned Curtis with a serious expression.


    ¡°How long have you been here?¡±


    ¡°From last night¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­ That¡¯s enough.¡±


    He didn¡¯t need to ask more. He was a man with a sense of quick judgement.


    He tried to tighten his left arm and raise his upper body. Then Marianne, who was just rolling her eyes blankly, got up awkwardly and helped him.


    ¡°Did you wake up, too?¡± Kloud approached the bed and asked.


    ¡°Oh, I just woke up..¡±


    Marianne replied casually with her gaze fixed on Eckart.


    ¡°I came to tell you that the meal would be ready around noon, but I told them to hold it until further notice because you were sleeping.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. What time is it now?¡±


    ¡°Two o¡¯clock.¡±


    Marianne woke up completely, patting her stiff waist. She thought she managed to sleep in an uncomfortable position for long, but at the same time, she hoped Eckart had a good sleep if he woke up a minute ago. Of course, she was more curious about his sleep, not hers.


    ¡°What about the grand duke¡¯s group?¡±


    ¡°In fact, that¡¯s why I¡¯m here to brief you that they just arrived at the entrance of the temple.¡±


    Marianne was very excited by his good news.


    ¡°Wow! That¡¯s why my eyes opened automatically. As you are physically uncomfortable, let me go out and meet them.¡±


    Even before he raised the objection, let alone his consent, Marianne greeted him by holding her skirt slightly and left the room quickly.


    She pulled the door latch hard. The wooden door was closed tightly.


    ¡°Whoo¡­¡±


    She let out a heavy sigh, which was rare.


    ¡°¡­ I thought your heart was bursting open.¡±


    Only then did she touch her cheeks, blushing. She felt her cheeks still burning even though Ecart pulled his hand away from her cheeks a while ago. She knew how carefully he touched her cheeks, so she almost burst into laughter because of his tickling. If she had laughed, he would have noticed that she was awake a bit earlier than him.


    ¡°I wish I had been caught pretending to sleep and then asked him what the hell he was doing.¡±


    She looked back at the door as if she missed his wistful gaze on her.


    Although her previous life was ended by betrayal, she had the experience of loving somebody dearly in the past. That meant she knew better than anyone else about the tremendous change that would follow after someone wanted someone else.


    And she knew through her gut feeling that it was a pretty good sign.


    Marianne quickly started running, holding the hem of her red dress. She felt like flying when she walked along the hallway.


    * * *


    A long procession stopped at regular intervals in the temple courtyard. They were Milan¡¯s guests who should have arrived two days earlier if they had stuck to the schedule.


    Grand Duke Christopher, who was standing at the front, jumped off the horse.


    Starting with him, the doors of the wagons lined up opened one by one. Duchess Lamont and Marquise Chester got off the wagon with the help of the maids.


    Cordelli set foot on the ground after Beatrice. The grand duke and the two noblewomen were exchanging pleasantries with the cardinal who came out to greet them. But Cordelli didn¡¯t pay attention to them and looked around.


    She scanned the walls of the magnificent temple and sideways with a nervous expression. The temple, which reflected the afternoon sunlight, boasted its holy and majestic appearance, but she could not afford to enjoy its beauty.


    ¡°Lady Marianne, I hear that the great hall of the temple looks different depending on the sunlight. Did you know that?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I hear that it is shining brightly in the starlight even at night.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so curious because I saw that only in a picture. I wonder how beautiful it is. I really hope the weather is good when we get there¡­¡±


    That was the conversation Cordelli had with Marianne on their way to the Roshan Temple, expressing their strong wish to see the temple. Naturally, Cordelli might be captivated by the fascinating temple. When she arrived, however, Cordelli was eager to find her who must be somewhere in the temple.

 Chapter 89

    Chapter 89: Chapter 89


    Cordelli searched for only one person.


    A woman with chocolate hair and innocent green eyes like buds. Her one and only lady who survived from death.


    ¡°Lady Marianne!¡±


    Her exclamation, which was close to a scream came out. Everybody paid attention to her.


    Not caring at all, she ran toward the woman she was looking for.


    She instantly ran to Marianne with her tearful eyes, dressed more simply than she.


    The closer she came to Marianne, the more she began to cry.


    ¡°Cordelli!¡±


    Marianne hugged Cordelli who came running to her like the wind.


    ¡°Lady¡­boohoo¡­Lady¡­¡±


    Cordelli had a lot to say when she met Marianne again, but she just wrapped her arms around her back, bursting into tears. She felt Marianne was more slender as if she lost weight.


    ¡°Cordelli. Don¡¯t cry. Were you hurt? You must have been surprised.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I was not injured. How is your condition? Oh my god, your face looks terrible. It must have hurt a lot. You shouldn¡¯t have scars there. Your nails were broken too. You know I trimmed them. Were you injured anywhere else? Are you sure the priests here have treated you properly?¡±


    Cordelli made a big fuss while touching her body carefully while crying.


    Marianne was very happy that she was the same as before. One of the sensations that brought her back to reality was the warmth in her arms like this.


    ¡°I¡¯m alright. It doesn¡¯t hurt very much. The priests here are kind, and Her Eminence Cardinal cares for me a lot. There are lots of things I want to ask you ¡­¡±


    Marianne properly left space for her, letting go of her as smoothly as possible so that she couldn¡¯t feel sorry.


    ¡°First of all, there are lots of people here I have to see. Okay?¡±


    ¡°Oops! I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Cordelli stepped back behind her, wiping her tears.


    Marianne did not blame her. Instead, she approached the cardinal and grand duke, the two noblewomen, and Beatrice.


    ¡°I¡¯m honored to see Your Eminence Cardinal.¡±


    Her rosy rustic dress swelled slightly like petals and then shrunk. She then gently bowed to the two wives behind her and made eye contact with Beatrice.


    ¡°My maid has grown up with me like my sister. Please forgive for her rudeness by showing your mercy.¡±


    ¡°Well, compassion doesn¡¯t know blood or knightship. People here care about you as much as your maid.¡±


    Helena stepped in and elegantly accepted her apology. As if they agreed with her, they replied with a gentle smile.


    Only Mrs. Chester narrowed her eyebrows, but she soon tried to hide it by feigning a smile. ¡°Lady Marianne, it¡¯s so fortunate that you are safe.¡±


    ¡°I am so glad that all of you are safe. I heard that all the wagons behind me were in an accident. I¡¯m looking at you up close now, and I think you were wounded a bit¡­¡±


    Marianne noticed the wounds on Duchess Lamont¡¯s forehead.


    ¡°I hear that there won¡¯t be any scars if you are treated well. They say Biche¡¯s legs will be alright if she gets a good rest for two weeks.¡±


    Mariane looked down at Beatrice¡¯s legs. As they were hidden beneath the dress, she could not know how badly injured she was. When she lifted her eyes anxiously, Beatrice smiled as if to make her feel at ease and said, ¡°Well, there are people who might have scars if they are not lucky.¡±


    Duchess Lamont cast a glance at Mrs. Chester with ridicule and contempt.


    Marianne looked at the white gauze wrapped around Mrs. Chester. There was something reddish between the woven fabric. It was evidence of her pain that was veiled by that.


    She recalled one more pain in the marquise¡¯s wound, which was more veiled than that.


    That made her heart beat, which she didn¡¯t feel at all when she saw Mrs. Chester¡¯s wound.


    It seemed Chester¡¯s pain had passed on to her.


    ¡°Did the emperor wake up?¡±


    In the meantime, Grand Duke Christopher turned his head to Marianne, as if he read her mind.


    ¡°Pardon? Oh, he woke up a little while ago¡­ ¡± Marianne muttered.


    Christopher¡¯s party hadn¡¯t yet met the emperor who came back alive. Of course, they wanted to confirm his condition themselves.


    But Eckart just fell asleep in the morning after he suffered from a high fever and insomnia all night. He fell asleep for several hours and woke up, but he looked faint because of the effect of the medicine. He didn¡¯t even have a sip of water or a piece of bread yet.


    She thought to herself, ¡®Can you give him a little more rest? You can meet him anytime today. If I make some excuses to put off their request for meeting the emperor, can they blame me? I¡¯m not going to block you from seeing him anyway. I hope they can put off seeing him by an hour or half an hour¡­¡¯


    Marianne did not immediately answer. Their gaze on her was intense now.


    ¡°The emperor is¡­¡±


    ¡°The emperor is already ready to meet you.¡±


    At that moment, Kloud greeted them. She didn¡¯t even realize that he had followed her. Marianne stepped back, biting her lip. Her eyes turned to the window of the annex where the emperor was staying. She felt like they had read her intention.


    ¡°I was told to escort you to the annex immediately. Let me guide you.¡±


    Kloud respectfully pointed to the annex building.


    Soon, Cardinal Helena and Grand Duke Christopher moved their feet. Kloud began to guide the two men by walking ahead of them. Duchess Lamont, Marquise Chester and Beatrice followed them.


    But Beatrice lagged behind a bit as her legs hurt. Naturally, the group slowed down a bit.


    While watching them disappearing, she quickly helped Beatrice. While rubbing her wet eyes, Cordelli quickly noticed them and grabbed Beatrice¡¯s arm from the other side.


    ¡°I¡¯m alright, Lady Marianne.¡±


    ¡°No, you are not. Were you hurt a lot? Are they saying you¡¯ll be alright after two weeks?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I heard I would feel better if I rest well because my sprain was not severe. It¡¯s just a bit inconvenient because they supported my ankle with a padded splint. There are people who are more injured than me, so take care of them first. Right now, Kloud walking ahead of us had as many as three ribs broken.¡±


    She frowned a lot at that.


    ¡°Three ribs broken?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Exactly speaking, he had cracks in three ribs. Didn¡¯t Kloud tell you about that? I heard that he shouldn¡¯t move much because he had to wait for them to fuse back together naturally¡­¡±


    ¡°No. I didn¡¯t know at all.¡±


    Marianne looked at Kloud who was walking way ahead. She now began to think about his actions up to now.


    Certainly he made casual expressions, but his left arm was stuck to his body as if he had wrapped it around his right side. At first glance it looked like he was trying to be polite, so she didn¡¯t think he acted like that because he was wounded.


    Come to think of it, however, he sometimes put his elbows near the ribs, or talked while crouching slightly.


    ¡®¡­Oh my god¡­He did that to hide his wounds.¡±


    Marian blamed herself for having failed to notice it at all.


    ***


    At first, her attention was focused on only one person. So, even if she felt suspicious sooner, she would have thought Kloud was trying to bend his waist to talk to Eckart at eye level.


    Beatrice said, ¡°It looks like he hid it because he didn¡¯t want to worry the emperor and Lady Marianne. Besides, he is very reluctant to show others his pain by nature. In that respect, he and the emperor have something in common. That¡¯s why the emperor trusts him.¡±


    ¡°You bet! Of course, I don¡¯t think it is necessarily good to take after somebody 100%.¡±


    Marianne replied with a sigh.


    Beatrice burst into laughter at that, but changed her facial expression in no time and said, ¡°Oh, sorry. I didn¡¯t know you spoke so candidly¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. That¡¯s true. I just wonder how those around the emperor are all like him. Don¡¯t you think their preferences are so unique?¡±


    ¡°Really? Well, he has a pretty unique discerning eye.¡±


    Beatrice didn¡¯t hide her smile. She wanted to point out that Marianne was included among those around him, but she didn¡¯t, deliberately pretending not to know.


    In the meantime, Marianne thought seriously about the faces of the emperor and his entourage. She recalled Colin, Jed, Kloud and then Curtis finally.


    Come to think of it, Curtis might act normally when in fact he was injured. It was obvious that he didn¡¯t even take a nap while Eckart was sleeping.


    ¡®Oh my god¡­how come they are all stubborn?¡¯


    She was complaining deep inside.


    At that moment, Beatrice asked, ¡°By the way, Cordelli, didn¡¯t you tell Lady Marianne?¡±


    ¡°Pardon? About what?¡±


    Cordelli, looking around her belatedly, asked back with a puzzled expression.


    ¡°You passed out for half a day because your head was injured when you hit it against something. The healing priest told you to take a break, but as soon as you woke up, you went to Lady Marianne¡¯s room. My heart was broken when you cried a lot, worrying about Lady Marianne.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Lady Biche!¡±

 Chapter 90

    Chapter 90: Chapter 90


    Cordelli¡¯s face turned white at Beatrice¡¯s reminder. If she were a maid, Cordelli might block her mouth right now, but unfortunately, Beatrice was a lady of the noble family, who was much higher in rank than she.


    While she was nervous, Marianne deliberately stared at her with a terrible look.


    ¡°Cordelli, how come¡­!¡±


    ¡°No, Lady. Listen to me, please. I¡¯m really alright. I¡¯m not dizzy now. It doesn¡¯t hurt¡­ I¡¯m really alright!¡±


    ¡°What? That means you were dizzy and painful until you got here, right?¡±


    ¡°Pardon? Oh no! I wasn¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie. You told me a while ago you were alright, and you said you were not injured at all.¡±


    ¡°Lady, please don¡¯t be angry. I¡¯m really alright now.¡±


    Beatrice looked at Marianne and Cordelli quarrelling with a pleasant expression.


    Meanwhile, the group arrived in front of the emperor¡¯s room in the annex.


    A priest, who was waiting for them, opened the door. Dressed in various kinds of clothes, they entered the room. The sound of their shoes periodically ringing in the corridor faded away on the carpet.


    ¡°May the glory of the great god Airius be bestowed upon you! The chief of the Eluang Knights, the sword of light and Lucio¡¯s shield, Christoper of the Frey family is honored to see Your Majesty!¡±


    Grand Duke Christopher, the leader of the group, knelt first and offered his greetings. It was not just polite, but extremely polite. It showed how long he had been waiting for this moment when he could show his most sincere manners to the emperor.


    ¡°We¡¯re honored to see Your Majesty.¡±


    Soon afterwards, people behind him followed suit.


    Marianne knelt and lifted her dress slightly. With her right hand on her left chest where the heart was pounding, she dared to look up at the man sitting on the couch.


    At that moment, everyone lowered themselves and bowed to him.


    His blue eyes in front of her overwhelmed her eyes.


    ¡°¡­ May all of you be under the protection of Roshan!¡±


    Eckart¡¯s low voice quickly overtook the atmosphere of the room.


    Although Marianne left the room a little while ago, he had already changed his clothes.


    His dark blue coat with the golden tassels was hung over his shoulders because of his injured arm. Despite his slightly pale face and few scars, his eyes were clear.


    ¡°I¡¯m a little relaxed to see you are safe.¡±


    Duchess Lamont broke the ice by initiating some nice words with a touching voice.


    People around her seemed to agree with her words and feelings.


    Marianne thought to herself, ¡®He must still feel lots of pain. I just don¡¯t know why he is sitting up straight without leaning at all? It looks like he didn¡¯t have opium as I don¡¯t smell of anything toxic¡­¡¯ She frowned while checking his condition.


    Eckart looked at their reaction and at the same time checked her face. He obviously noticed her frowning briefly.


    ¡°Not only the cardinal, but also the Grand Duke say I¡¯m alright when they see my miserable condition like this. You guys might have expected something terrible had happened to me, but I came back alive without any major injuries. That¡¯s why you are not moved at all even when my arm was broken like this, right?¡±


    Although he asked them in an interrogating style, his tone was not very sharp. In addition, the figures he mentioned were the cardinal and Duchess Lamont. Obviously he wanted to make them at ease, and those who guessed so had a little smile on their face.


    In fact, that was Eckart¡¯s intention, so he didn¡¯t show any discomfort, looking at their facial expressions.


    ¡°They say no one who falls down Benoit Falls survives. So, it is a miracle bestowed by God that you have come back alive.¡± Mrs. Chester said.


    ¡°Miracle¡­¡±


    The emperor repeated her words.


    As Mrs. Chester mentioned, he had to take it with a grain of salt.


    Eckart asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you think it very strange that these good normal horses ran wild at the same time as if they promised to do so?¡±


    Eckart twisted his mouth gently with a gratifying smile.


    ¡°I just don¡¯t know which one is a miracle compared to those who should have died but didn¡¯t and came back alive..¡±


    What he just said was a stern warning to her. Though he didn¡¯t reveal his anger, he was extremely displeased with her.


    As if she didn¡¯t want to be outdone, she responded, ¡°Of course, it is a more impressive miracle that you have come back alive.¡±


    She was a seasoned politician. In the blink of an eye, she already had the upper hand in a war of words with him.


    She continued, ¡°As for the accident, I think you can investigate further and punish those involved in the accident and those responsible for it. I think it had been plotted by someone, but it¡¯s too early to judge.¡±


    Of course, it was not difficult for her to turn the topic in her favor.


    Marianne was impressed with her way of speaking. Knowing that she was the most suspicious person in this room, she claimed that someone else was behind the accident.


    ¡®Those involved and those responsible?¡¯


    Pondering over Chester¡¯s expression, Marianne was shocked by the way she included those close to the emperor in the list of the ¡°responsible,¡± let alone those suspects involved.


    That showed the best of her cunning tactics as the queen of the social circles in the capital.


    ¡°What you just said sounds very suggestive. It looks like you are convinced that those involved and those responsible are not the same people,¡± Eckart said.


    Eckart was a royal family member who had suffered in the chaotic central political arena against him for over twenty years. Thanks to his exposure to the tumultuous political world, he could penetrate into and tear apart any political scheme or conspiracy.


    Mrs. Chester opened the fan she was holding.


    When she moved her wrist to fan, it created a small vortex around her.


    Some rich jasmine scent from her body spread everywhere.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s too obvious? If it wasn¡¯t an accident, but a wicked plot, the people involved in it and the people responsible for it would be different. The knight-in-chief who is in charge of your safety is Grand Duke Christopher. Was it possible for him to have his horses run wild to harm you? No way.¡±


    ¡°Of course not. I trust him. Then, who do you think is involved in this accident? Any clue?¡±


    ¡°Well, as I said a little while ago, I don¡¯t think you should reach a hasty conclusion.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Really? As you said so confidently, I thought you knew something. That¡¯s too bad.¡±


    Eckart twisted only one side of his mouth. His blue eyes shone sharply as if the sapphire was carved out from there.


    ¡°Your Majesty. Whether this was a wicked plot or an accident, I¡¯m responsible for having failed to ensure your safety. Please allow me to set up an investigation team within the Knights. I want to find out the cause of the accident as soon as possible and wait for the appropriate punishment.¡±


    Christopher asked for his approval, grabbing the sword around his waist.


    Eckart sighed briefly.


    ¡°Grand Duke Christopher!¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°This accident is¡­ Although I hope it is not, this is tantamount to treason in the worst case.


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°And I don¡¯t have any intention to forgive you unreasonably if you make any mistakes under any circumstances.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, the Grand Duke tried his best to find you everywhere more than anyone else,¡± Duchess Lamont stepped in when she heard his harsh words.


    Apart from the fact that what Eckart said was right, the Grand Duke was the prince of the previous emperor, namely his uncle. Like she said, the Grand Duke went out of his way to search for him, and all the royal family members were exempt from most crimes.


    The only exception was treason.


    Christopher gently stopped his sister who was trying to defend him. He bowed gently and replied, ¡°Your judgement is wise.¡±


    ¡°But I don¡¯t believe that you were involved in this stupid and obvious scheme to harm me.¡±


    ¡°I am just overwhelmed by your trust in me.¡±


    ¡°I will postpone your punishment until after the investigation because the punishment of those involved in treason and those responsible for the accident are totally different. This is not a matter that I should decide hastily.¡±


    Duchess Lamont stepped back with a confused look when the emperor made a temporary ruling on the Grand Duke¡¯s punishment.


    When she was the unmarried daughter of the previous emperor, she was well known for acting recklessly when she was not satisfied. So, her passive behavior at the moment was evidence that she took the matter very seriously.


    It was true that she wished for the emperor¡¯s mercy because he was from the same royal family. But she also knew the specialness of the royal family as much as she hoped for his mercy. In other words, she knew how great a crime it was for anybody to dare to destroy the blessed lineage of the royal family.

 Chapter 91

    Chapter 91: Chapter 91


    Among those who were not directly involved in this incident, she was the first who would grind her teeth with vexation at the threat to the descendants of the Frey family.


    Christopher smiled bitterly as if he understood his sister¡¯s feelings.


    ¡°But let me treat the merits and mistakes of the investigation team separately. It¡¯s not because I doubt your loyalty, but because I have to prepare just in case. So, I hope you don¡¯t take it to heart,¡± said Eckart.


    ¡°Not at all, Your Majesty. I just made the request to lessen your burden, so I¡¯m satisfied as long as the investigation moves ahead, regardless of the method.¡±


    ¡°Let me appreciate your loyalty gladly.¡±


    Eckart finally diverted his attention fixed on him. He glanced at the Grand Duke in the back.


    ¡°Kloud!¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±


    Sensing the emperor¡¯s eye signal, Kloud replied quickly.


    ¡°Did you inform them about the engagement schedule?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I conveyed it briefly.¡±


    ¡®Oh, I see,¡¯ Eckhart murmured to himself and beckoned to Curtis. Curtis, standing like a stone behind the couch, politely gave him the glass on the table.


    Quenching his thirst a bit, Eckart opened his mouth again.


    ¡°As you have already heard from the messenger, I¡¯m going to have the engagement ceremony tomorrow. Given my situation, make it as brief as possible. So, you can prepare for it by consulting with the priests¡­¡±


    There were some among them who made an expression that showed they disagreed, but no one came forward and expressed it.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to head for the capital in the morning the day after tomorrow. Let me notify you immediately if there is a change in my schedule.¡±


    Eckart handed the glass of water back to Curtis.


    Marianne looked closely at him. His eyes, breath, fingertips, and forehead were reflected in her emerald eyes.


    ¡°That¡¯s it. Except for the cardinal, everybody go back and take a rest.¡±


    He issued the last order for the day.


    Watching the situation quietly, standing in the corner, Helena dragged her white robe and headed to him. The rest of them left the room one after another with a brief greeting.


    Marianne was the last to stay in the room, but left finally. She looked back before she crossed the threshold, but his blue eyes were already fixed on Helena.


    She pulled the red hem with a long sigh.


    Thump!


    The door was closed from behind.


    * * *


    Everybody was busy in the temple in the afternoon. The members of the Grand Duke¡¯s party kept coming in and out of the bedrooms on each floor of the annex, unpacking their stuff, and the kitchen people were busy preparing food for their guests. In the front yard and stables, the servants were also busy with sorting out the cart¡¯s supplies and gathering horse food.


    ¡°Lady, what are you looking at?¡± Cordelli asked Marianne while opening a parasol after combing through the baggage.


    ¡°Huh? Suddenly the temple seems to be vibrant.¡±


    Responding to her subtly, Marianne turned toward her.


    She took her eyes off from the innermost window of the third floor of the annex where the curtain was opened halfway


    ¡°Afternoon sunshine is the strongest around this time. So, come this way. You must be especially careful about the heat, because you will be engaged tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    Marianne rested underneath the deeper shade of the parasol Cordelli opened for her, who was standing under the tall poplar tree. As the sun shining on her face disappeared, Marianne felt a little cold.


    Away from the strange vigor of the temple, she looked at the picturesque sight before her.


    After leaving the emperor¡¯s room, the party dispersed to their own rooms. Grand Duke Christopher disappeared with Duchess Lamont, and Marquise Chester returned to her room with the maids.


    She and Cordelli helped Beatrice move to the bedroom on the second floor. Marianne had a cup of tea that Beatrice served with gratitude, and chatted with her for a minute before going back to her room. After combing her hair neatly, Marianne came out to the garden in the front yard.


    It took her around one hour and a half for her to do all this.


    Marianne seemed to have completely returned to her normal life, but in fact, she always paid attention to one thing.


    ¡®I guess the cardinal took care of the emperor as she was left behind, but I¡¯m still worried about his condition. He hid his wounds on purpose when he could be caught at any moment, and I think he was sweating. I couldn¡¯t see clearly in the distance. And he had Curtis bring him a glass of water as he couldn¡¯t hold it. Obviously, he was overworking himself¡­¡¯


    Marianne bit her lip unconsciously. Just like she used to when she was agonizing, she rolled her hair with her thin fingers and then loosened it again.


    ¡°Well, Lady¡­¡±


    It was around that time that she heard a familiar voice.


    Marianne looked back. A man who looked like a servant was awkwardly standing outside the shade of the tree.


    It was Coachman Barton who drove her carriage.


    ¡°Barton?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes. Barton. I am honored as you recognize this humble man.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re far too modest. How can I forget? We¡¯re indebted to each other anyway.¡±


    ¡°Oh, not me, Lady. The emperor will punish me if he hears it.¡±


    Barton waved his hands, blushing. She chuckled as if she liked his innocent reaction.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. He is not here anyway. What business brought you here?¡±


    ¡°Well, the reason I came to see you is¡­¡±


    He scoured his pocket and pulled out a small, crude glass bottle.


    ¡°I think I should show you this¡­¡±


    ¡°Give me this. I have to check first if it¡¯s dangerous. ¡±


    Cordelli grabbed the vial from his hand with suspicious eyes. Barton quickly shook his head and said, ¡°I¡¯m not trying to hurt Lady Marianne. Don¡¯t taste it. Just look at it¡­¡±


    ¡°What the heck! That makes you more suspicious. Lady, you don¡¯t know what¡¯s inside, so let¡¯s call a knight or priest. Oops! Miss!¡±


    Marianne took the vial and opened it before Cordelli was done talking. With her back against Cordelli who tried to stop her, Marianne poured what was inside onto her palm.


    Something very small and white came out.


    Marianne stared at her palm and put her nose near it to smell. It smelled very light and faint like grass. She split the white clot to pieces with her fingertip. The split clot looked exactly like fallen spring flowers.


    ¡°Lady, please give it to me. Let me go and ask them. Come on!¡±


    Cordelli tried to stop her from touching it further, but it was not easy to grab her wrists because she opened the parasol to keep Cordelli away. As the two women wrestled, the innocent Barton nervously stamped his feet repeatedly.


    Meanwhile, Marianne suddenly spit on the floor after touching substance with the tip of her tongue.


    ¡°Oh my god, Lady!¡±


    Cordelli was frightened and covered Marianne with a parasol. She looked around with an embarrassed expression. But Marianne did not care and turned to Barton.


    Her green eyes sparkled with excitement and intellect.


    ¡°Barton. Where did you get this?¡±


    ¡°Before coming to the temple this morning, I cleaned up the luggage in the residence and found it in the horse feeders of the stable.¡±


    ¡°Horse feeders?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I found it in some feeders, but not others¡­¡±


    Barton looked around once more and lowered his voice.


    ¡°I think that¡¯s the debris of flowers.¡±


    ¡°Do you think so?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been more than thirty years since I bred and rode horses. My senior horsemen repeated warned me against this kind of flower, so I tried it myself as I was curious, and actually I grew it myself later. I¡¯m confident about it.¡±


    Hearing his confident reassurances, Marianne lowered her voice and said, ¡°Barton.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t leak this to anyone. When someone asks me why you met and talked to me, just say you just wanted to thank me for what happened the other day. Got it? Never tell anyone.¡±


    ¡°Yes, madame. I will follow your words even if I have to stick my neck out for you.¡±


    ¡°No, no, please don¡¯t stick your neck out for me. You know I barely saved your life.¡±


    Marianne deliberately joked while looking around. She put the white clot back into the glass bottle. She closed the lid tightly and hid it in the pocket of the dress.


    ¡°Let me tell the emperor about your services.¡±


    ¡°No, madame. How can a stupid man like me deserve any credit? I just¡­ if Jason was killed by someone else¡¯s scheme, I just want to know the cause of his murder and see those involved be held accountable.¡±


    Barton was done talking, and he had a sad expression on his face. When he looked up a little later, Marianne looked at him with a frown.


    ¡°Jason?¡±


    ¡°Oh, the horseman who drove His Majesty¡¯s carriage was Jason.¡±


    ¡°Was he dead, not injured?¡±


    ¡°Pardon? Yes, he was¡­ On the day you and the emperor were missing, the knights recovered his body from the tributaries of the falls. They said he seemed to have drowned, adding that he would not have survived by swimming because of major injuries.¡±


    The more he continued, the paler her face turned.


    Marianne clenched her fists without hiding her perplexed expression.

 Chapter 92

    Chapter 92: Chapter 92


    She couldn¡¯t believe the horseman was dead. Nobody told her about it. Neither the emperor, nor Curtis, the cardinal, or the priests. Even Beatrice, who informed her about Kloud¡¯s multiple wounds, didn¡¯t tell her about it.


    However, she did not want to blame anyone. In fact, she was not qualified to blame anyone for not having told her about the ominous story because she didn¡¯t pay much attention to his survival or death after the accident.


    The accident was urgent and imminent, and she herself had no time to check for the horseman at the last minute. Her selective indifference, however, severely tore up her conscience.


    It was indeed an excruciating pain for her.


    ¡®If he wasn¡¯t responsible for the wicked scheme, he was innocently sacrificed. I really hoped this kind of thing would never happen again since the countess was bitten by the snake¡­¡¯


    Marianne was helplessly lost in sadness. She was friendly and kind by nature. In the face of the death of a man of whom she had never conversed with, she imagined the sorrow of the man who left this world and the man who was still alive in this world.


    He must have had a family, a friend, and a beloved one. He must have had a cute horse, colleagues who worked together, and maybe he had an old friend he hated because of their quarreling. They could no longer see him in this world. They were deprived of the opportunity to tell him they loved him, missed him, and even hated him.


    ¡°Gosh, I wonder if made any mistakes¡­¡±


    Barton tried to read her mind because she looked bad so quickly.


    ¡°Oh, no. I just believed he was still alive. As you said he was not, I was surprised. Oh, that¡¯s too bad¡­I just hope you can wish Jason for his rest.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll pray for his rest on your behalf, too. Don¡¯t be so sad. Don¡¯t you think the lives of poor creatures like me are the same? You have to have dry firewood for the fire to burn well. There are people born to be fire while there are others born to be firewood.¡±


    Barton¡¯s words displayed harsh and familiar logic. Even Cardinal Helena, following the divine providence, said that it was the working principles of the world.


    ¡°Her Eminence Cardinal Helena said something is helpless even if it is unfair.¡±


    She recalled Hilde¡¯s clear voice.


    Something unfair but inevitable. Unfair, but helpless. Something inevitable¡­


    It was sweet talk to disguise a cause that could not be accomplished without sacrifice.


    It was also a common and sobering reality that it was impossible to have everything one wanted without losing anything. It would be the nasty shades of life she would have to go through again and again.


    ¡°Barton. I have to go as I have something to do. If you find something else, don¡¯t delay and come to see me. I really want you to see me first, if possible.¡±


    Marianne feigned a smile after she was done with her cowardly rationalization.


    ¡°Of course, will do. Have a good rest then. Let me leave now. Oh, by the way¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­? ¡±


    Marianne blinked her green eyes curiously. Barton scratched the back of his neck as if he was shy.


    ¡°Well, I know many have already congratulated you. I would like to congratulate you, too. As you are good and beautiful, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll lead a happy life.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Oh, thanks.¡± Marianne replied with a gentle smile.


    Barton bowed to her deeply and left. He straddled the green grass with a heavy step and walked away.


    ¡°¡­ Lady, are you okay?¡±


    Cordelli, who was still listening to their conversation quietly, hugged her shoulders and asked anxiously.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Marianne did not answer. Instead of feigning a smile, she exhaled a deep, long sigh.


    She felt bitter.


    * * *


    Leaving the garden, Marianne had Cordelli go on errands and while she headed for the third floor of the annex alone. The bedrooms of the party members were evenly distributed on the first and second floors, and the fourth and fifth floors. On the third floor were the emperor¡¯s bedroom and Marianne¡¯s.


    She walked through the long hallway and stopped in front of the closed door of the emperor¡¯s room. When the party returned, the chief servant was supposed to wait outside the door, but there was no one at the door. Ironically, he seemed to be away at the moment.


    Marianne looked around and raised her hand.


    Knock, knock, knock.


    The wooden door, whose color had faded after some time, rang twice at the knocking.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    There was no answer from inside.


    ¡°It¡¯s Marianne, Your Majesty!¡±


    Marianne revealed her identity in a slightly subdued voice. Nevertheless, there was no reply from inside.


    ¡®Is there nobody in the room? I wonder whether all the people in this room are now.¡¯


    She hesitated for a while and finally decided to open the door.


    But as soon as she held the doorknob with her white hand, the door suddenly opened.


    ¡°You scared me!¡±


    Stunned, Marianne stepped back. Barely holding back a scream, she was frightened out of her wits. She even yelped as if she was astonished.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Lady Marianne?¡±


    It was Kloud who popped out like a ghost.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got something to tell the emperor. Is he sleeping?¡±


    ¡°No, he¡¯s awake¡­¡± he murmured as if he was a bit embarrassed.


    His jacket was slightly undressed, with the front of his white shirt rolled up to the elbows.


    He had small drops of sweat on the forehead..


    She narrowed her eyes slightly. She looked at his unusual posture with suspicious eyes. He looked very serious.


    ¡°It looks like you can¡¯t see him now. If you can wait here, let me escort him here as soon as he is ready.¡±


    Glancing backwards quickly, he replied politely.


    At that moment, some warm air came through the slightly open door. The air rushing in like the tide was mixed with the bitter smell of herbs. Humid, fluffy heat tickled her cheeks and the tip of her nose. It was the temperature and smell of herbs boiling in a pot in the room.


    ¡°I wonder if he is very sick like he was at dawn. Did his wounds get infected? Does he have a high fever¡±


    Marianne concluded a reasonable guess during that short moment.


    Obviously he got sick again, she thought. In her eyes, he was overworking himself when he met the Grand Duke¡¯s party. When he was discussing with the Grand Duke about the accident, she noticed the unstable cycle of his breathing and his tightened fingertips.


    ¡°Pardon? Oh, no, no.¡± Kloud hastily denied.


    She narrowed her brows and stood on tiptoes to take a look around the room. As Kloud was taller than her, she couldn¡¯t see anything in the back.


    This time, when she moved to the side to see left and right, Kloud, smiling awkwardly, followed her and got around her to close the door gap.


    ¡°You look so suspicious. Did he tell you not to inform me?¡±


    ¡°Lady Marianne, no, that¡¯s not¡­¡± Kloud sweated and tried to explain.


    But Marianne had no intention of hearing him out. She already suspected that he would lie anyway.


    It was a kind of side effect the emperor was suffering from now. She now knew better than anyone that Eckart and his aides frequently abused the words, ¡®It¡¯s okay.¡¯ So, as far as the emperor¡¯s safety was concerned, she decided that she would not believe anybody unless she confirmed it herself.


    ¡°Would you please make way for me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m very sorry, but you can¡¯t right now.¡±


    ¡°I see. I can¡¯t if you insist,¡± she nodded, pretending to understand him.


    Feeling relaxed, Kloud slipped his hand holding the doorknob. And his body, which got pretty close to the door, was apart from it slightly.


    At that moment, she grabbed the opposite doorknob that had been closed all along, not blocked by Kloud, and opened it quickly.


    ¡°Lady Marianne!¡±


    Leaving him behind, who was embarrassed, she quickly grabbed the hem of her dress and pushed in her upper body first.


    Although she acted unreasonably sometimes, she was the daughter of Duke Kling anyway as well as the emperor¡¯s fiancee. Unless she rushed with a weapon, he couldn¡¯t touch her body. He helplessly moved back.


    ¡°Lady Marianne! The emperor is now¡­¡±


    He tried to dissuade her out of it by talking, but he finally failed.


    Staggering a bit, she stumbled into the room. She suddenly felt the muggy air inside.


    Even before she adjusted the hem of her tangled dress, she stiffened like a stone statue.


    The first thing that caught her eye was his back with no bandages, but there was nothing bandaged around it.


    When she looked around, she could see him sitting in a spacious bathtub, leaning slightly.


    ¡°He has been taking a bath¡­¡±


    Heavy silence fell after Kloud¡¯s belated explanation.


    Marianne slowly blinked her big eyes.


    At that moment, Eckart turned his eyes at her. She could see his trembling blue eyes and his feet were slightly drenched in water. He did not cover his body with anything except for a white towel in the pelvic area. Thanks to this, even the slightest muscle movement was easily noticed.

 Chapter 93

    Chapter 93: Chapter 93


    When he merely swept his wet hair once, the shape of his bones and tendons leading to the back of his hands and forearms, his nape and shoulders, his back and the waist were clearly visible. Just as he couldn¡¯t immerse himself because of his back injury, the surface of the bath tickled his knees and shins. The water drops on his elbows dipped onto his firm thighs. His figure was was like a picture. His masculine but not rough build was better than the exotic sculpture she once saw and admired.


    ¡°¡­ Marianne!¡±


    Marianne came to her senses suddenly after hearing his voice.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. I was afraid you were very sick again¡­¡±


    While saying so, her gaze was fixed on him.


    As a normal lady, she would have immediately turned or left the room. Or, she would not have pushed the deputy chamberlain aside to come in forcibly.


    Eckart looked at Marianne while narrowing his eyebrows.


    ¡°¡­ Why are you looking at me so intensely even after you said you were sorry?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    Marianne quickly raised her hands and covered her eyes.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t see anything.¡±


    What she said sounded cute, but it was a ridiculous lie. She seemed to act like a blatant fraud rather than tell a lie.


    Eckart sighed with a perplexed look. Kloud, who hastily held his gown and splint, bit his lip while trying to hold back laughter and looked out the window.


    ¡°It¡¯s too late. I wish you would rather not lie when you were so easily caught.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­let me assume I¡¯ve not seen you then.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough. It¡¯s not the first time you saw me naked anyway.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡­¡±


    Clink!


    After hesitating for a second, she rolled her eyes freely out of curiosity. She pulled away her fingers covering her eyes one by one, creating a gap between them. She now knew where the noise was coming from.


    Curtis, standing by the right side of the bathtub, next to Eckart, looked between his master and Marianne with a confused expression. A metal bowl of herbs and a bunch of bandages rolled on the carpet, perhaps slipping out of his hand.


    ¡°Curtis.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Sorry. I¡¯ll put new stuff on it.¡±


    Curtis hastily picked up a bunch of new bandages. Soon he began to wrap a white cloth around the wounds on his back applied with ointment. Kloud placed the splint, which he had removed for a while, on his arm and wrapped it repeatedly.


    While rubbing her green eyes through her fingers, she asked belatedly,


    ¡°Would you want me to go out for a moment and come back ¡­?¡±


    Eckart, who let Curtis and Kloud take care of his security, turned his head again with a slight frown.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Well, I think you might feel shy¡­¡±


    ¡°Me?¡±


    Eckart made a more mysterious look.


    ¡®No, I won¡¯t. Of course, I¡¯m naked at the moment, but you¡¯re not a minor who doesn¡¯t know anything, and we¡¯ll be engaged tomorrow. Why do you think only I will feel shy? Isn¡¯t it usually a woman who is supposed to be shy? Even if you¡¯ve seen me naked just once before, you and I are not a couple at this point but just a man and a woman¡­¡¯


    Thinking as far as that, he narrowed his eyebrows all the more.


    When he looked back, she had a similar attitude in the cave. Without hesitation, she pushed her arms through his sides, untied the collar, and unbuttoned the shirt. She was not reluctant to hug him naked, and did not blink an eye while wiping his almost naked body.


    Given the unique situation he was in, she stayed too calm as if she couldn¡¯t find her type of man or she didn¡¯t care at all about a man¡¯s nudity.


    ¡°No, not at all,¡± answered Eckart, pretending to be casual on purpose. His long eyelashes trembled faintly like her.


    ¡°Then, is it okay for me not to hide my eyes?¡± she asked without reading his mind.


    Then his blue eyes trembled more than before.


    ¡°I never ordered you to cover your eyes from the beginning. Besides, you are not covering your eyes, but around your eyes, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Surprised at that, she closed the gap between her fingers quickly. Her vision was dark again.


    ¡°That¡¯s because¡­ I just wanted to confirm what it was because Lord Curtis dropped something.


    ¡°¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Blamed without any reason, Curtis apologized readily, though. In fact, he thought that his reaction was excessive.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to come in on purpose. I would¡¯ve waited outside if Lord Kloud had let me know before I came in.¡±


    Kloud was about to say, ¡®I tried, but you didn¡¯t give me any time to do so.¡¯


    He made a very regrettable look, but couldn¡¯t tell the emperor honestly.


    ¡°¡­ Sorry.¡± In the end, Kloud willingly apologized twice.


    ¡°O, I didn¡¯t mean for you to apologize for that.¡±


    She was very grateful that Jed or Countess Renault, who were hot-tempered, were not here at the moment. As soon as he was done with the rough treatment, Eckart asked, ¡°So, what business has brought you here?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I want to show you something. I received it a little while ago¡­¡±


    Mariane put down her hands covering her eyes and searched her dress pocket.


    As soon as she took out the vial, he suddenly stood up without notice.


    The towel on his pelvis fell on the water. Almost at the same time, he put on a comfortable gown on his shoulders, which Kloud opened for him.


    Marianne, who stayed calm all along, had no choice but to look away.


    She turned her green eyes toward the other side of the room.


    Thanks to that, she couldn¡¯t see the long horizontal scar under his long bone, covered by a towel.


    Standing with her back against the empty bed, she looked at the decorations on the wall and the patterns of the blankets meaninglessly. Although she couldn¡¯t see, she heard the sound of splashing water and the rustling sound of towels. The sound of knotting a silky robe tickled her ears as if it was a cosmetic brush.


    Things that didn¡¯t bother her until a moment ago suddenly annoyed her like a thorn in her fingertips. It was not a big deal, but her heart began to beat. Her scratched face turned red.


    ¡®Let me think about other stuff¡­¡±


    She desperately tried to divert her attention. Sick and tired of observing the texture of the woven bed frame, she now kept counting the number of tassels on the pillowcase. In the meantime, she kept hearing robes bumping into each other and the metal noise of fitting his buckle.


    ¡°Marianne!¡±


    In no time, she heard his slow footsteps. His large hands wrapped her shoulders. As if all her efforts were in vain, she had to take a deep breath the moment she looked back.


    Eckart was so close. He was dressed in a relatively comfortable dressing gown. His hair was still a bit wet, and his shirt was buttoned only halfway up over the triangle bandages around the splint arm.


    Because of the height difference, she naturally came to look at his collarbone. Every time he moved his collar, she smelled his cool and refreshing body odor.


    ¡°It looks like you are blushing. Are you sick?¡± he asked.


    Human imagination had power with enormous potential. When she mixed what she saw today with what she had already seen, heard, touched, and smelled a few days ago, it had an enormous destructive power on her.


    ¡°Me? Oh, no. It looks like the room is too hot. Would you like some ventilation?¡±


    She rushed to the side and fanned her face with her hands. Hearing what she said, Curtis opened the window while cleaning up the bathtub.


    Soon, the cool breeze outside dispersed the hot air in the room. The fragrance of wild roses dispersed the scent of strong herbs gradually. And the heat on her cheeks subsided a bit.


    ¡°By the way¡­¡±


    While sensing the scent of the medicine slowly disappearing, Marianne suddenly looked up.


    ¡°Is it okay for you to stand like this?¡±


    ¡°Well. It¡¯s okay right now, but there¡¯s no guarantee that I¡¯ll keep standing.¡±


    ¡°Then sit down first. It¡¯s going to be a long story.¡±


    Marianne put the vial in his left hand, and helped him move to the bed.


    Again, she didn¡¯t hesitate to make physical contact with him.


    Eckart frowned a bit, but soon followed her guidance.


    While he walked a short distance, he looked closely at the small glass bottle.


    As soon as he was seated, he pushed it back to Marianne.


    ¡°What is this?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the proof that Barton brought me.¡±


    ¡°Barton? The evidence he brought?¡±


    While he was contemplating the connection of the two words that he could not easily understand, she opened the lid of the vial.


    ¡°Barton said he found it while cleaning up the stables in the residence. He said he found it in some of the horse feeders.¡±


    Eckart picked up what Marianne poured over the palm of her hand. It was a small white mass almost half the size of a fingernail.


    ¡°It looks like some debris. For example, that of latex, or something like a plant¡­¡±


    ¡°Right. Barton and I think it¡¯s the petal of anesthetic grass.¡±


    ¡°Petals of anesthetic grass?¡±


    Eckart frowned slightly. In fact, he was ignorant about grass and trees, but he knew the plant she just mentioned

 Chapter 94

    Chapter 94: Chapter 94


    It was commonly called the Star of Roshan. It was the grass that he chewed while he was moving all the way from the cave to the temple. It was the flower that she separated the leaves from and threw away. It was the poisonous plant that should not be used without permission, often called scopolia japonica because animals could eat it by mistake and run wild.


    ¡°¡­ This was the cause of the accident.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I think someone fed the horses this on purpose. It¡¯s not the type type of grass that horsemen can mix in the feed by mistake. Not only the horsemen, but also the servants who work in the stable know how dangerous this grass is to horses.¡±


    ¡°Did you say Barton brought it to you?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I made sure he would not leak it to anybody else. I told him to report to me first about any other evidence he finds.¡±


    ¡°What is the probability that Barton stole the show to put himself in the clear after he had caused the accident?¡± he asked calmly.


    ¡°Well¡­ I can¡¯t rule out that possibility, but¡­¡±


    She bit her lip once more.


    ¡°Please consider the possibility that he provided me this information as a favor.¡±


    He encountered her clean and faithful eyes.


    Her eyes showed she believed in his goodwill. Marianne would always check somebody¡¯s background first, which was something he didn¡¯t realize or didn¡¯t want to see.


    ¡°Marianne, who do you think is behind this accident?¡±


    At his random question, she pondered for a while and then opened her mouth.


    ¡°Well, it is a vicious and evil person who wouldn¡¯t care even if you and your entourage were injured.¡±


    He could not help but laugh at her reply unconsciously.


    She immediately frowned and made a sullen expression.


    ¡°Why are you laughing?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I just¡­I just felt the way you express your opinion was a little different.¡±


    A vicious and evil person? He admired her ability to describe her political enemy simply and clearly in this way.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think so? The suspect didn¡¯t target your wagon alone. He put all of us in danger. Even if the suspect is included in your entourage, he or she is definitely an evil person. The suspect caused this accident at the risk of their life.¡±


    ¡°Okay. I agree with you. So, I think it¡¯s unlikely that there is a suspect among the important men accompanying me on this journey.¡±


    ¡°Really? You don¡¯t think the marquise could have plotted this accident at the risk of her own life?¡±


    With her sparkling eyes, she asked this after he agreed with her. It had been a long time since he did that.


    ¡°For now, I mean. Of course, I¡¯m bothered by the wounds on Mrs. Chester¡¯s neck¡­¡±


    Eckart put the bit d of anesthetic grass he had been rolling with his fingertips back into the glass bottle. As if he was lost in thought, he slowly touched the mouth of the bottle with his slender fingers.


    ¡°If she had been behind the accident, she never would have answered my question that way. She is not the type of woman who hides her weapon.¡±


    There was something cold and terrible in his remarks.


    ¡°Mrs. Chester first raised someone¡¯s involvement in this accident, assuming there were those involved and those responsible. In other words, she put more weight on the premeditated scheme than an accident.¡±


    Marianne recalled her encounter with her a few hours ago.


    Like he said, Mrs. Chester wanted to ¡®reveal¡¯ rather than ¡®hide¡¯ as far as the accident was concerned. Of course the way she revealed something was indirect. The fact that she messed up the recent ball by releasing a poisonous snake showed how blatant her tactic was.


    ¡°Besides, she didn¡¯t have any exit out of her conviction. If she had known the ins and outs of this accident, she would certainly have secured a surefire exit to ensure her survival. At that moment, I realized that she didn¡¯t know exactly who was responsible for the accident.¡±


    Accordingly, there was only one thing which was close to ¡°hiding¡± in her remarks.


    In other words, her speculation about the true culprit. And her answer to the question of who really planned this terrible thing.


    ¡°Do you have any idea who might have planned this?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Well, if I can guess¡­¡±


    Eckart recalled the figures of the anti-Eckart force one by one except for Mrs. Chester.


    Ober who would choose the throne rather than his blood. Duke Hubble who wouldn¡¯t care at all even if he lost all the people heading for Roshan. Count Lonestat who failed to install daughter Roxanne as the emperor¡¯s wife. Count McMillan who might have had malice because of his sudden demotion. And those aristocrats in provincial areas who persistently opposed the new emperor and sided with Duke Hubble and Marquis Chester. Cabinet members who opposed the emperor. Attendants and maids included in the entourage.


    If only one of them would be the true culprit, that would be a good thing. But there was a low probability that many were involved in the accident.


    It might even have been committed by some of the aristocrats who seemed to be loyal to the imperial family.


    ¡°¡­ I think it¡¯s faster to pick someone that I don¡¯t have to doubt.¡±


    Having said that, he smiled bitterly. Ironically, the only person who had betrayed for too long could have made such remarks.


    While listening to him, Curtis and Kloud couldn¡¯t hide their sad expressions.


    Marianne also cast down her eyes in that heavy and dreary atmosphere.


    She could not understand how Eckart tested Iric by throwing a sword at him the day when he first visited the Elior Mansion. She thought back then that he acted excessively because she lived a life that was more accustomed to goodwill than evil as well as trust than betrayal. It was because she thought there needn¡¯t be many conditions to trust and value people.


    ¡°The battlefield you must survive in the future is not a fake threat like this.¡±


    But now, she could understand Eckart¡¯s obsession with distrust to some extent.


    In her opinion, he must have been faced with a ¡±real threat¡¯ just like when he was stranded just few days ago rather than a ¡®fake threat.¡¯ And that for a long time, he had been dealing with some terrible things she couldn¡¯t even imagine.


    ¡°Faith does not guarantee your life on the battlefield.¡±


    He must have spent lots of days when he found it so hard to survive with naive faith or good faith. He would have been better off if he had been betrayed by love like her, or just deprived of power. Didn¡¯t he hover between life and death when he was faced with the sharp sword right under his chin? If he did, why did he have such a lonely and dark expression every time he was faced with that?


    ¡°Marianne!¡±


    She barely raised her head when he called her.


    ¡°You may feel sorry about what I have to say, but I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll be able to identify the true culprit of this accident.¡±


    ¡°¡­I guess you think it¡¯s hard to find clear evidence.¡±


    ¡°You bet.¡± Eckart nodded slowly.


    ¡°Two days have passed since the accident occurred. Most of the traces of the accident must have been erased. Since the incident was so big that you and I went missing, the knights must have focused more on the search than on the cause of the accident. The suspect must have had enough time to take care of it.¡±


    He stroked the glass bottle containing the anesthetic grass remnants over and over with his slender fingers.


    ¡°We were fortunate to obtain this evidence, but it won¡¯t be conclusive evidence. After all, it must be a man who mixed anesthesia grass with the horse feed. One of the servants might have done so.¡±


    Then he clenched the small bottle in his fist. Blue veins stood out from the back of his white hand as if they were angry.


    ¡°Well, I can summon all the servants in charge of the horse feed during the journey and interrogate them. Of course I can appease them by picking some of them for punishment and telling them I would forgive those who confess first. Suppose that a scared person confesses in the process. That could be a good option for us.¡±


    Marianne slowly blinked her green eyes at his remarks.


    ¡°In that case, the suspect can name the person who gave him an order.¡±


    ¡°Right. And if we find the guy with that name, the guy will mention another name. The next guy will cite another name. At the end of the day, you might hear the name of the real culprit who planned this evil scheme.¡±


    His method of investigation was the most basic and surefire method on the assumption that all those who were given the order would confess willingly. Furthermore, not any one of the suspects should have been killed or gone missing.

 Chapter 95

    Chapter 95: Chapter 95


    ¡°If Mrs. Chester had determined the culprit of this accident, I intend to use that investigation method at the risk of getting many people involved.¡±


    ¡°But Mrs. Chester did not answer your question clearly, so you don¡¯t have to carry out meaningless killing, right?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Yes, I ruled out that option without any reservation. The true culprit couldn¡¯t have done the sloppy job of making his name famous by using several servants if he had had planned this without letting her know.¡±


    Considering that, she seemed to figure out the likely culprit among many suspects. Mrs. Chester was a powerful figure who could be singled out as one of the top three anti-emperor figures.


    Accordingly, there were only one or two political giants who could plan such a scheme after keeping her out of the loop. While reviewing the names of those figures that Eckart deeply suspected, Marianne corrected her posture as if she had decided something.


    ¡°Is it because you thought it would be hard to find the true culprit that you excluded the Grand Duke from the investigation team?¡±


    ¡°¡­ I didn¡¯t know you could find it out. ¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not that stupid. Master Julia told me that if I had attended the academy, I would have been placed top at least twice.¡±


    ¡°Oh, sorry I didn¡¯t know you were a diamond in the rough,¡± Eckart answered, grinning at her, thinking she was probably the only woman who could be so arrogant at the emperor¡¯s praise.


    Meanwhile, Marianne touched her hair with her lips closed as if she was wrestling with some problems. Her head tilted to the right and the left respectively, and then she shut her mouth.


    ¡°Your Excellency!¡±


    Eckart looked at her when she called.


    ¡°You mentioned a little while ago that it would be faster to look for those who we didn¡¯t have to doubt rather than those who look suspicious, right?¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    ¡°Then, I¡¯m one of those who you don¡¯t have to doubt, right?¡±


    Eckart hesitated for a moment at her unexpected question.


    ¡°If you wanted to hurt me, you wouldn¡¯t have shared the carriage with me. And you wouldn¡¯t have had to wake me up after I crashed. And you wouldn¡¯t have had to help me maintain my body temperature at the risk of your life.¡±


    He studied her expression as if to read her intention, and then added a long explanation.


    When he was almost done, Curtis and Kloud changed their facial expressions.


    ¡°Of course, I can¡¯t rule out the possibility that you might have calculated such a strategy¡­¡±


    Eckart bit his lower lip without finishing his words.


    In his head, he already knew the answer. But he wanted to doubt her to the end because there was no goodwill without any condition.


    ¡®If she really wanted to harm me, she would have considered other methods.¡±


    Above all, he could not ignore what he saw, heard, or felt directly. Pounding herbs and picking green fruit with her scratched hands and checking his body temperature could not be all fake. When she was upset about him, complaining that he didn¡¯t tell her early on, or when she expressed concern about the scars on his back, she was sincere.


    If all her actions were fake, he could not keep her alive for long.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to believe your tears and oath were false,¡± Eckart said, looking at her coldly.


    ¡°Okay, that means you don¡¯t want to believe me with your own will, right?¡± she asked back with a look mixed with expectation and hope.


    Her question immediately made him defensive. He frowned a bit unconsciously.


    Although she said that after careful consideration, she felt she made a mistake.


    He was calm even after he fell from the stiff falls and broke his arm. Nonetheless, he was embarrassed before her innocent and lovely glance at the moment.


    ¡°Oh, what I mean is all your actions are not fake¡­By the way, aren¡¯t you good at hiding your real intentions, are you?¡±


    ¡°Well, only in front of you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I mean¡­¡±


    ¡°Thank you anyway. I think you trust me?¡±


    Marianne laughed brightly, cutting off Eckart¡¯s excuse quickly.


    He breathed a long sigh, captivated by her eyes.


    ¡°¡­ Even if you blame me for selectively distrusting people, I can take it, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Really? Are you sure? Can you look directly into my eyes and say it again?¡±


    ¡°Okay. And I was looking straight at you anyway for a while¡­¡±


    At her repeated questions, he strained his blue eyes a bit, but he frowned without finishing his words. He instinctively wrapped his body with his arms.


    As a result, the vial held in his left hand rolled on the bed.


    ¡°¡­ Marianne.¡±


    Instead of answering, she suddenly hugged him and put her lips close to his ears.


    She whispered in satisfaction, ¡°Do not worry. My oath is real. I won¡¯t break my promise to protect you by risking everything. Absolutely.¡±


    ¡°Got it. Thank you¡­¡±


    Leaning on Marianne¡¯s back with one hand, he spoke hesitantly.


    As he accidently put his nose on her neck, he smelled her sweet skin.


    ¡°Your Majesty, I will never betray you. Maybe Curtis Kloud will never betray you, too. Nor Sir Jed, Colin, and my father in the capital too¡­ ¡±


    ¡°I hope so, too. But wait a minute¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­ Pardon? What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Only then did she released her arm around his neck and pulled it back.


    ¡°My arm hurts a bit¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­! ¡±


    Even before Eckart was done talking, she stepped backward as if she saw a rat. Then she crawled back onto the bed with her knees. She touched his broken arm with her trembling hands.


    ¡°Oh! what can I do. What should I do? Are you okay? I¡¯m sorry. My gosh. I was so happy when you said you trust me¡­¡±


    She looked hyped up as if she owned the whole world until a moment ago, but she was now about to cry. In terms of facial expression, she looked much more painful than the injured.


    How could he blame her when she made a long face like that?


    Eckart eventually sighed, pulling her hand.


    ¡°OK. Give me some advance notice from next time.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± she replied with a sullen look. Her hands wiggled in his grasp.


    He realized belatedly that he was holding her hand too tightly.


    He let go of her hand as casually as possible.


    He only held her hand for a few seconds, but his palm felt hot.


    Then he hurriedly picked up the glass bottle on the bed as if he wanted to hold anything in lieu of her hand.


    ¡°By the way, why did you suddenly ask me if I trusted you?¡±


    He just asked her casually, but Marianne felt as if she woke up from her sleep because of his question.


    ¡°Ah. You¡¯re right. I didn¡¯t mean to ask that. I know you told me honestly because you trust me¡­¡±


    He avoided her gaze as if she hit the nail on the head. The glass bottle in his hand changed his perception of her. It was only noon today that he thought he should release her. But before half a day passed, he confessed to her that he trusted her, and a moment ago he heard from her that she was grateful to him for telling her honestly because he trusted her.


    Although he was swept away by fragile feelings, he also felt great fear.


    Uncontrollable affection was poison. It may ruin everything, but he couldn¡¯t stop it as he was already into it¡­


    ¡°I think that the true culprit couldn¡¯t trust anybody, so he couldn¡¯t share his scheme with even Mrs. Chester.¡±


    Marianne, who did not know his intention, spoke with a friendly voice as always. Her sweet but firm voice filled the room.


    ¡°If I can¡¯t pinpoint the true criminal at this point¡­¡±


    She took the glass bottle from his hand wildly and lifted it at eye level as if demonstrating the substance before doing the magic. Her blue eyes met his green eyes head on with the bottle held in between her thumb and index finger.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you try gambling just once?¡±


    She hid her hands behind her back and held the glass bottle in her other hand.


    Then she presented her two equally fisted hands side by side before him.


    Eckart was a clever man. He immediately discovered what she metaphorically meant by gambling. At the same time he was impressed by her trick.


    He always thought he tried to step side by side with her, but she could now overtake him.


    She was no longer a blunt sword with which she could just tear off the cloak behind his back.


    Rather, she was a dagger that can stabbed him in the heart in any direction with any force.


    ¡°Three times.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°If you had attended the academy, you would have been placed in the top place at least three times, not twice.¡±


    He patted her left hand lightly.


    Very pleased with his generous compliment, she grinned and opened her palm.


    On top of that was the glass bottle, of course.


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I was looking for.¡±


    She made a tempting smile at him. It was a dangerous and fascinating smile.

 Chapter 96

    Chapter 96: Chapter 96


    May 26 in 593 by the imperial calendar.


    It was not until two days after the prearranged feast that the engagement ceremony began on this day. The atmosphere of the great temple, which had been heavy because of an unexpected accident, was lively again. After the early morning prayers, the priests were busy looking for their seats. There was a strange but excited atmosphere visible everywhere.


    Marianne woke up at dawn and offered a brief prayer in her room.


    She knelt before the window and gathered her hands according to the precept of the temple that she had heard before. The dim dawn and serene mountain air filled the space between the half-open curtains. Amid the serenity of the temple, people began to move around and the scent of light opium wafted in from nearby.


    It seemed they had also begun making preparations in the emperor¡¯s room. She held back the desire to enter the emperor¡¯s room and took a look. Instead, she closed her eyes again.


    She prayed, ¡®Let nobody get hurt. Please help me protect them to the end and keep everybody safe¡­¡±


    On the day she promised to marry the emperor, Marianne¡¯s first prayer as his bride was for the oath of protection and wishes for peace. Her beautiful and sad wishes hovered in her closed mouth for a long time.


    After she was done praying, two priests came in. Siel and Hess, who had assisted her up close since her stay at the temple, agreed to help her get dressed and prepare for the ceremony.


    The two prepared two bathtubs in the room and filled them with water in turns. One was hot water and the other one was cold water. Marianne first washed her body with her hair mixed with lavender perfume. It was warm and comfortable enough to forget the aftereffects of the accident that had not yet gone by.


    But as the scent of fragrant flowers was absorbed into her body, Siel and Hess moved her into the cold water as if to keep the fragrance on her.


    ¡°My dear lady, I know you might not like it, but please be patient. The cold water is the holy water from the waterfall. Only the bride who has bathed in this holy water can receive the holy grace of the nine gods.¡±


    Siel spoke sweetly, sweeping her wet hair behind her ear. Marianne nodded, trembling in the cold.


    In the end, Marianne got out of the cold bath after they poured the holy water drawn from the waterfall over her head twelve times. Her neck even felt cold until they could dry her body and hair.


    Meanwhile, the sun rose high in the sky.


    ¡°Fortunately the weather is good today. It looks like it¡¯s clearer than the original festive day,¡± Siel with a brightly smiled, opening the curtains.


    Sunlight penetrated through the window, and Marianne drank her medicine and rinsed her mouth with clear tea. In fact, she was hungry, but she couldn¡¯t eat properly before the ceremony was over.


    Hess, who was applying ointment to her face and body, smiled when she smacked her lips unconsciously. Siel closed the bathtub, cleaned it up, and spread the sleeves of her priest robe that she had rolled up.


    ¡°Priest Hess, please comb her hair after you are done treating her.¡±


    ¡°Sure, will do.¡±


    ¡°Lady, let me go and bring the noblewomen and noble daughters.¡±


    ¡°Please.¡±


    Siel left the room with her permission.


    Hess applied the ointment carefully to the wounds between her fingers and pushed the tray containing the medicine. Soon, Hess held a comb made of juniper. Hess didn¡¯t have nimble fingers, but she knew how to move her fingers delicately and smoothly. Marianne felt drowsy and closed her eyes while Hess combed her hair. She felt good when Hess swept through her thick hair over and over. Hess¡¯s warm touch touched her tender feelings.


    Although Marianne couldn¡¯t remember, her mother would have combed her hair kindly like Hess if she had been alive, whispering, ¡®Marie, you are so beautiful¡­¡¯


    At that moment, Hess said, ¡°Lady Marianne!¡±


    ¡°Yes, Hess.¡±


    Marianne, who was lost in fleeting thoughts, opened her eyes suddenly.


    Across the slightly old but clean mirror Hess blinked her eyes, holding her hands together.


    Clearing her throat, she bowed politely and said, ¡°Congratulations on your engagement. Although I may not be of good help, let me pray for your happiness everyday.¡±


    She was done, followed by a brief silence.


    Marianne turned around and grabbed Hess¡¯s hands tightly.


    ¡°¡­ Priest Hess. Did you practice?¡±


    Without stuttering at all, Hess fluently spoke to her. She used to stutter even when she said short words as she was too nervous. But she expressed her wishes without pronouncing any wrong words.


    ¡°Pardon? Oh¡­that¡¯s what I wanted to tell you¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh my gosh. I was really touched. Thank you so much. I¡¯m already happy now.¡±


    Marianne suddenly hugged her who was at a loss about what to do.


    Her clear, sweet emerald eyes and Hess¡¯s shy opal eyes met each other.


    She prayed for Marianne¡¯s happiness without asking for anything in return.


    Marianne was so happy and sad about Hess¡¯ goodwill.


    She also recalled Barton¡¯s wishes that she would be happy because she was good and beautiful. She was overwhelmed by their prayers and wishes.


    If she went back to the capital, she would have to take more doubts and distrust than now as her weapon. She might have to deceive lots of people accustomed to weariness than trust, or be betrayed by them.


    ¡®Nonetheless¡­I can be happy¡­ Can I be alright? Just like Hess and Barton said, can I be happy in this life unlike my previous one¡­?¡¯


    Hess suddenly said, ¡°Oh, don¡¯t cry, Lady!¡±


    ¡°Am I crying now? No, I¡¯m not¡­Tears came because I liked it so much¡­¡±


    Marianne was snivelling with her wet eyes. Her heart felt warm.


    At that moment, Siel knocked on the door before entering the room.


    ¡°Lady, I have brought the noblewomen and the noble daughters.¡±


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    She quickly rubbed her eyes. As soon as she let go of Hess wistfully, the door opened.


    Siel had a lot of ceremonial dresses and holy things in preparation for the ceremony.


    Cordelli, Beatrice and Mrs. Chester came in after Siel.


    ¡°We¡¯re honored to see you!¡±


    ¡°Please stand up. All of you must be tired from the long trip, but I hope I¡¯m in great hands today.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an important day, so we will serve you as best we can so there won¡¯t be any inconvenience.¡± Beatrice responded politely their behalf.


    After greeting, the three opened their assigned luggage and spread them in the room.


    Cordelli was about to freshen up Marianne. She piled up a box of cosmetics she brought from Milan and placed it on the dressing table. She naturally pushed Hess to the side who stood behind her. She began to touch Marianne¡¯s face and head skillfully.


    ¡°Lady, did you cry? Your eyes are wet.¡±


    ¡°No. I had something in my eye.¡±


    Hmmm¡­ Cordelli looked at her suspiciously, but quickly changed topics.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you feel pain in the wounds? The scratches on your skin are still red. I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t cover them all with makeup. Let me make them invisible as best I can.¡±


    ¡°Does scratches look ugly?¡±


    ¡°Nope. Even though there are even a hundred scratches, you¡¯re still the most beautiful. I have just said that because I feel sorry.¡±


    Cordelli babbled while melting the crimson rouge.


    Marianne quietly swept her face in the mirror with her fingertips. She was bothered a bit by some wounds that had not yet healed. But the reason for her concern was different.


    At the very least, she wasn¡¯t worried about her scars as Cordelli said, nor was she worried about others noticing her scars.


    ¡°I mean it. Natural beauty like yours doesn¡¯t go away so easily. Think about Sir Iric. Even if he has a scar from the sword as big as this on his face, lots of daughters from the noble families are still trying hard to win his heart.¡±


    Cordelli seemed dissatisfied with her sullen response. In fact, she even mentioned Iric, who was very familiar to Marianne, to change her mood.


    ¡°Besides, the emperor had scratches on his face, right? What do they mean?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Gosh! That means you two are a perfect match for each other!¡±


    Marianne chuckled as if her remarks were absurd. Though she thought it was nonsense, she didn¡¯t feel bad about it.


    ¡°Ms. Cordelli is right. Your wounds are not scars but evidence of God¡¯s salvation. Your safe return itself is a miracle that deserves people¡¯s awe.¡±


    Chiming in, Beatrice laughed sweetly. Her red eyes beyond her glasses signalled something significant to her.


    What Beatrice wanted to say was that Marianne didn¡¯t have to see her scars as evidence of ominousness.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think so, Mrs. Chester?¡± In fact, Beatrice made the remarks with her in mind.


    In that respect, it was Mrs. Chester that Beatrice directed her message to.


    ¡°Of course. If you put on your dress and stand side by side with the emperor, you¡¯ll look like a picture.¡±

 Chapter 97

    Chapter 97: Chapter 97


    Mrs. Chester, who was arranging the flowers on the table, made a voluptuous smile.


    ¡°The bouquet would go well with your dress, too.¡±


    Beatrice pointed at the table with an eye signal.


    The bouquet was rustic and elegant. It was a bouquet of nine peonies mixed with the white jasmine branches that symbolized Goddess Astrid. A lot of green leaves and light-colored flowers were used to give off a fresh feeling.


    ¡°I originally tried to use more colorful flowers¡­¡±


    Focusing on the flowers, Mrs. Chester distorted her glance faintly. When she was thinking about the failed plan and broken pots, the scars on her nape felt painful.


    ¡°Most of the flowers I brought here perished because of the wagon crash. I hurriedly picked up some flowers from the temple garden. I hope you like them.¡±


    But there was no trembling in her eyes after looking at Marianne again. Her grey eyes resembed Ober¡¯s sparkly black gemstone eyes.


    ¡°Obviously I like them. I trust your discerning eye.¡± Marianne laughed brightly like a child who knew nothing.


    Meanwhile, Cordelli gathered her hair and braided it loosely. Beatrice pulled out the dress that she had folded neatly. The white and elegant dress spread, revealing its beautiful shape.


    Of the two priests who helped Mrs. Chester with arranging the flowers, Hess approached and helped her get dressed. She had nimble fingers, and put on fresh reddish rouge on her lips, a soft lapel over her thin slip, white stockings, and low-heeled shoes under a long skirt.


    Finally, a long, long veil covered the silver tiara, modeled after the wind of Zephyrus.


    ¡°Well¡­ how do I look?¡±


    Marianne looked around with a slightly awkward gesture.


    Her dress was a dobby silk dress, gracefully revealing her body line with a square neckline deeply slitted with the clavicle. Instead of wearing any lace or jewels, she had the edges of the skirt and sleeves embroidered with silver threads. Renato, the symbol of the temple, and the lily patterns of her family, Duke Kling, made a harmonious match.


    ¡°I heard that Mrs. Margarita, the exclusive designer of the Imperial Costume Bureau, paid special attention to it¡­¡± said Beatrice, raising the frame of her glasses.


    ¡°Wow! It¡¯s more than expected.¡±


    ¡°What a good match! You¡¯re beautiful.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit different from what you usually wear, but it¡¯s even more elegant, isn¡¯t it? I would say it¡¯s like a private uniform made just for you. Anyway, you look the most beautiful! I wish I would like to call a painter right away and ask them to draw a portrait. Wow! my lady looks beautiful in any dress!¡±


    Followed by Mrs. Chester and Priest Siel, Cordelli heaped her praise with a gentle voice.


    It was definitely a dress of unique and noble design. It emphasized purity rather than splendor, so it seemed to fit well with the sanctification ceremony.


    ¡°Do I look good, Priest Hess?¡±


    ¡°Pardon? Yeah! Yes, yes! Oh, you look like Goddess Anthea!¡±


    Hess, who looked aghast in one corner, replied loudly.


    As she couldn¡¯t meet her eyes because she was always shy, Hess opened her eyes wide in excitement, which was comparable to Miss Rane¡¯s thrilled expression when she looked at the dessert dishes at the recent ball at her mansion.


    ¡°Oh, thanks all! Thank you, Priest! ¡± Mariane replied, smiling playfully.


    ¡°If you are ready, I will take you to the main hall now.¡±


    Led by Siel, the rest of the staff picked up the holy things for the ceremony.


    Mrs. Marquis placed the finished bouquet on a square wooden tray, and Beatrice supported the glass lamp with two hands to hold the goddess¡¯s torch. Cordelli helped put the veil back on her face, which was thrown over her shoulder. Siel and Hess adjusted their priest uniforms and put on hoods.


    Soon, the closed door was opened.


    The moment Marianne lifted her head after crossing the threshold, the opposition door was also opened wide.


    Bright sunlight poured in from the large windows in the front and behind. The dazzling morning sun drew a dark shadow right in front of her.


    ¡°I¡¯m honored to see Your Majesty.¡±


    The owner of the shadow was Eckart. Marianne and others who followed her greeted politely.


    ¡°We¡¯re honored to see Lady Marianne.¡±


    This time, those standing behind Eckart showed their manners.


    Grand Duke Christopher had a pair of silver glasses containing the holy water of God Ran, and Duchess Lamont held a small jewelry box on the cushion. Cloud and Curtis assisted the emperor right next to him.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    But Eckart, who had to return their greetings, did not answer.


    She looked down and waited for his answer, but she slightly raised her head as the silence lasted longer than expected. She vaguely saw a figure as she couldn¡¯t clearly see because of the veil.


    Eckart was clearly dressed in a ceremonial suit as a pair with Marianne¡¯s dress.


    The pure white coat feathers of his suit were marked with the Renato emblem, as well as the shapes of Brenda and the laurel that symbolized the Frei imperial family. The tightly tied leather boots, the decorative sheath around his waist, and cloak that naturally cover his injured arm were also the works that embodied the best of Margarita¡¯s dexterity.


    Indeed, he had a noble appearance. Combined with his elegant sculpture-like body and beautiful face, he could be called the incarnation of Airius, which was only entitled to him.


    But when he looked at her, his glance sort of hardened. It looked like a stone statue that had been enchanted, and it seemed to be shocked at something. His blue eyes trembled slowly.


    In the meantime, about ten seconds passed. No response from the emperor. His silence was not too long or short, but as it continued, people around him began to show curiosity.


    ¡°¡­Your Excellency!¡±


    In the end, Kloud cautiously signalled to him.


    Eckart, who couldn¡¯t take his eyes off of Marianne, who seemed to have just popped out of the Bible, finally came to his senses at his call.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± He cleared his throat as if he was embarrassed.


    ¡°May everyone enjoy the benefits of Roshan¡¯s protection.¡±


    He returned their greetings like this belatedly.


    Eckart held out his hands with white gloves and slowly raised Marianne. Only then did those who had to bend their knees for a long time because the emperor didn¡¯t respond got up and changed their posture.


    ¡°Priest. Please guide me.¡±


    Kloud hastily wrapped up their greetings and had Siel walk ahead. Siel bowed her head and served as their guide.


    Soon, the two groups facing each other naturally merged into one. The two priests were at the forefront, Marianne and Eckart in the middle, and those holding the holy items followed at proper intervals.


    Marianne began to walk slowly, escorted by Eckart. As the distance between them narrowed, she looked at him and asked questions with a worried look.


    ¡°Your Excellency, are you uncomfortable? Didn¡¯t you sleep well last night?¡±


    ¡°¡­ No, I¡¯m alright.¡±


    Eckart tried to answer as nonchalantly as possible. But his hand holding her left arm was strained a lot.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    She glanced at Eckart with a dissatisfied look and shrugged her shoulders.


    ¡°If you are too tired during the ceremony, you must tell me. Don¡¯t overwork yourself.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m going to make sure you should not pass out at the sight of blood on my wedding suit.¡±


    ¡°Please keep your promise. I hear Mrs. Margarita made the dress with extreme dexterity. It¡¯ll be a waste of money if they can¡¯t get the blood off it and just throw it away.¡±


    Eckart looked at her as if he was embarrassed by her remarks.


    ¡°Besides, that suit fits you really well. I would say it¡¯s one of your best three clothes. Of course, you looked wonderful in any dress¡­¡±


    He shut his mouth as she continued, ¡°Oh, I hear even my dress was also made by Mrs. Margarita to match with your dress. How about it? Isn¡¯t it a bit unusual? Others say it looks a private uniform tailored for me. Do I look good in your eyes?¡±


    Marianne asked a barrage of questions, with her green eyes sparkling over her cloudy veil. She deliberately tilted her shoulders to show the line of her clothes.


    ¡°¡­ Alright. It looks good.¡± Eckhart hesitated for a while and replied.


    He rarely praised or expressed his opinion on the subject of someone else¡¯s dress, especially women¡¯s attire. Naturally, he couldn¡¯t explain his shock when she first saw her dress.


    Most of the noblemen were often satisfied with his meek reaction. Given his cold-hearted temperament, even his lukewarm reaction was regarded as a great compliment.


    ¡°And then?¡±


    Marianne wasn¡¯t content with his lukewarm reaction.


    ¡°What do you mean by ¡®then¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Is that it? I mean, ¡®You look okay?¡¯ That¡¯s it?¡±


    She lifted her eyes and met his eyes, and then looked down, not hiding her disappointment.


    ¡°It looks like you don¡¯t like my dress. I thought you would like it because everyone said it¡¯s pretty¡­¡± She now openly grumbled at his lukewarm reaction.

 Chapter 98

    Chapter 98: Chapter 98


    Eckart frowned and looked back at her.


    ¡°Marianne, I never said I didn¡¯t like it.¡±


    ¡°Well, when you looked at me like that, it¡¯s because you didn¡¯t like it. I was wondering why you¡­¡± Grabbing his arm, she went down the stairs, kicking the front of her skirt with her shoes as if she complained. She pouted with her eyes closed tight.


    Eckart breathed a deep sigh, narrowing his brows. He took the end of her dress to prevent her from getting hurt, and he even got closer to her so she could lean on him as she climbed up the stairs to the main hall.


    But his actions didn¡¯t help change her sullen mood.


    In the meantime, they arrived at the main hall and waited for the door to open. With her shoulders down, she let out a sigh. She just looked down.


    Eckart slowly closed his blue eyes and then opened them.


    This was the blatant and obvious demonstration of her anger. He could rebuke her for disturbing his mind over trifling things. He had no obligation to correct her misunderstanding, and it would not be wrong of him to ask her what the big deal was.


    ¡°¡­ I thought you were like a picture.¡±


    Even though he knew it all along, he uttered something wrong when he saw her dressed up.


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°¡­ It¡¯s not because I didn¡¯t like it, but because I felt for a moment that I was looking at a sacred image when I saw you a moment ago.¡±


    He was done with the self-justification. As soon as he said so helplessly, she suddenly raised her head with a happy expression. Her white veil fluttered in the wind.


    ¡°Really? Did you feel like you were watching a sacred image?¡±


    ¡°¡­ Yes.¡±


    ¡°Why? Is it because I¡¯m pretty?¡±


    ¡°¡­ Yes.¡±


    ¡°How much?¡±


    ¡°¡­ Very much.¡±


    ¡®Damn it. What am I talking about?¡¯


    While replying to her sudden questions, he doubted whether he was in his right mind. Clearly he replied as if he was enchanted by her. He felt like her clear eyes and kind voice tore apart his judgment.


    Meanwhile, she hung onto his left arm and whispered with an eager look, ¡°Now speak again in one sentence. How did I look in your eyes?¡±


    ¡°¡­ Marianne!¡±


    ¡°Quickly. We have to go in soon. Quickly. Please.¡±


    At this point, he should have told her to stop.


    While thinking so in his mind, he turned his eyes around and took a look at the people in the back.


    ¡®They shouldn¡¯t hear me¡­they shouldn¡¯t¡­¡¯


    She laughed happily as if she had the whole world when she heard his short compliment that he expressed with a feeble voice.


    ¡°Thank you. I¡¯m most happy when you praise me.¡±


    Eckart let out a sigh with an exhausted look.


    Although he was done in by this smart woman, he didn¡¯t feel bad when he looked at her smiling brightly. But he deliberately kept a distance from her by adding curtly, ¡°What is the point of all this? In fact, you¡¯re forcing me to praise you, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter to me. It¡¯s important that you told me what I wanted to hear from you.¡±


    Smiling brightly, she once again broke the wall between him and her. The wall collapsed too easily.


    ¡°Well, this is a secret, but I actually thought you were like a picture. Something like a sacred image of our god Airius.¡±


    While she was whispering, the door to the main hall opened.


    Siel and Hess stepped aside. Marianne corrected her posture and refined her attitude.


    Eckart led her into the temple and was once again convinced that she was too dangerous.


    The interior of the temple in the morning was like the exquisite combination of pomp and piety.


    Sunlight poured in from the glass windows that led up to the ceiling with the open curtains. The sunlight passing through the nine-colored gems along the ninety-nine pillars created enchanting halo on the floor and walls.


    Cardinal Helena waited for Eckart and Marianne with her hands clasped at the small altar in front of a giant nine-god portrait.


    On the wooden altar at about the level of her waist were an old, thick book of scripture, a sharp dagger, a silver kettle, and a few youthful green barley stems.


    Upon entering the main hall, Eckart and Marianne walked alongside the central corridor past the priests who took their own seats around each pillar.


    It was quiet and serene. It was so quiet that the could discern the sound of her dress sweeping over the golden carpet. That strangely heavy atmosphere added to the weight and meaning of this ceremony.


    While walking, she looked at the portraits of the gods in the front, which filled her vision.


    Among them, the images of Anthea with the golden hair hanging down and Kader with her swept green hair reflected in her eyes first.


    The night she cried, wrapped in Hilde and Helena¡¯s arms, she had to admit that the incomprehensible miracles that she experienced were perhaps the results of the gods¡¯ considerations.


    The loss of her father, Ober¡¯s betrayal, and her drowning in cold water¡­


    When she looked back, they were all predetermined for her. It was her cruel and brutal guesswork, but she could not find any more convincing answers.


    She was Kader, who was resurrected by Anthea, and at the same time, she was Marianne herself who was revived by Kader. Kader¡¯s trial was her own trial. The reason why her second life was the same as the first was probably because of the nature of destiny that Kader presided over.


    She was persuaded not because she understood it but because she instinctively realized it.


    Even though she didn¡¯t know the exact principle, she found herself convinced of it. She now trusted the priests¡¯ statement that their souls were tightly bound by the deity of the goddess.


    And faced with a wonderful and eerie miracle, Marianne boldly found a ray of hope.


    ¡®If the two goddesses are protecting me, I can use their protection in my favor.¡¯


    It did not matter whether her life and choices so far, or every moment of the rest of her life were all prepared by God or not. If God decided it for her, nothing would change even if a mere human like her refused it. In that case, she will have been swept to a predetermined place without her knowledge, like her second life right now.


    ¡®This is my choice. I won¡¯t regret it or pull back.¡¯


    Yet her current life was still her own. If she did not give up, she might find a way to follow one of the thousand resurrections left by Kader¡¯s fate, and that with the help of Anthea was said to be protecting her instead of Kader.


    ¡®If you think positively, you have two gods on your side¡­¡¯


    She gazed at Eckart walking by her side.


    Hilde said he was the master of the twin stars, born with the deity of Airius. If that were the case, perhaps his destiny was connected to hers because of the Divine Providence.


    ¡®Anyway, I¡¯ve got a precious man for me, not the gods. It¡¯s up to me to keep him.¡¯


    At this moment, her affection and faith in him up until now was neither a lie nor fake.


    It was hers only. Even if she could not be rewarded for that, or even if the results of that were already determined by God, that would be enough.


    While Marianne vowed to herself again, she saw the end of the long carpet. A pair of pure white shoes and boots slowly stopped.


    ¡°May the glory of Airius, the great god of radiant light, be bestowed upon you!¡±


    Helena offered courteous greetings to the two who reached the altar.


    At the same time, the priests lined up all over the temple knelt and bowed in a clean gesture. Dozens of skirts fluttered at once, creating a fascinating vortex-like effect of opening petals.


    ¡°On May 26, 1186 by the divine calendar, I will commemorate the engagement ceremony of Frei VII on the occasion of the festive day of Anthea, the great goddess of abundant land.¡±


    In the end, Helena¡¯s pure and clear voice proclaimed the beginning of the ceremony.


    Originally, the ceremony was a long ritual that took more than half a day. It was the principle for the participants to repeat dozens of prayers and hymns, as well as masses of communion and scripture responsse. Only after almost all types of holy procedures were reproduced could the engagement vows be made.


    But given the difficult situation, Helena decided to skip all of the upfront procedures at Marianne¡¯s request.


    So, the final ritual in which the two would swear their union to God, which was the most important of all the procedures, was to take place.


    ¡°In the beginning, nine gods blessed the land of Aslan and imparted the Holy Spirit, so that there would be his everlasting protection of the king and his family who will rule the land.¡±

 Chapter 99

    Chapter 99: Chapter 99


    Helena laid her hands on the old scriptures and slowly crossed herself after putting her hand on her forehead and chest.


    Eckart and Marianne slowly crossed themselves after her.


    ¡°I would like to bless you under the protection of the nine gods.¡±


    When Helena was done, two priests who knelt beside the pillar closest to the altar stood up.


    The two priests, who pulled down the hood of their white robes, supported the two so they could face each other.


    ¡°God Airius said, ¡®I will surely shed the first light in the sky on the royal lineage.''¡±


    Helena declared the blessing of the first god. Airius¡¯s protection was the Frey family¡¯s lineage itself. As if to prove his blessing, Eckart¡¯s golden hair shone in the sun.


    ¡°Goddess Anthea said, ¡®I will make sure the king¡¯s wife will reap the evidence of the abundance on earth.''¡±


    Helena declared the blessing of the second god. This time, the priest who supported Marianne politely offered the young green barley on the altar to her.


    Marianne held out her hands under the veil. She grasped the stem of the plain grain with her hands with her thin lace gloves. The grains that would grow and ripen in the future was evidence of the riches that Anthea allowed on the earth.


    ¡°Goddess Serapina said, ¡®I will impart undying embers to burn away and remove the unclean things and light up the night.''¡±


    When Helena declared the blessing for the third time, Beatrice walked behind the priest holding the glass lamp. The two approached the fireplace behind Helena.


    The burning embers there were with the sacred torch that had never been extinguished since the temple was opened.


    When Beatrice opened the lid of the glass lamp, the priest took out a piece of burning firewood with a stick the priest had put in advance. The embers burning the firewood soon were moved to the lamp quickly. Beatrice closed the lamp cover again and slowly returned to her original position.


    ¡°God Ran said, ¡®I will give you the endless water that is not dry, so that you can save lives on earth and wash away ominous disasters.''¡±


    When Helena was done with the fourth god¡¯s blessing, Grand Duke Christopher stepped forward with a pair of silver glasses. A priest received the silver cup from him and brought it to the altar.


    Helena raised two small silver kettles on the altar and tilted them. It was the holy water that filled the empty glasses, which they obtained before they fell from Benoit Falls.


    Eckart and Marianne took their own cup and drank half of it. Subsequently, the priests dipped the remaining water in their glasses and touched their foreheads, the tip of their noses, cheeks, and lips in turn. It was an act of cleanliness as if they created a protective shield made of water.


    ¡°God Zephyrus said, ¡®I will offer the constant wind that can blow away the tent of concealment that blinds truth and despair which cast mist before your eyes.''¡±


    Subsequently, Helena¡¯s declaration of the fifth god¡¯s blessing resonated through the main hall.


    Eckart lifted the veil over Marianne¡¯s head in person. A long, soft cloth was swept over the tiara, modeled after the wind.


    Now, with her veil removed, he could clearly see her. His blue eyes, as cool as the sea, and her green, as fresh as the forest, faced each other.


    ¡°Goddess Kader said, ¡®I will ensure you the fate that never goes wrong during a thousand resurrections, with the promise of righteous courage and retribution.''¡±


    At that moment, Marianne recalled the night again, looking at the jewelry box brought by Duchess Lamont. She thought of Kader¡¯s star that allegedly fell fast asleep over her right shoulder. She also imagined Airius¡¯s star that appeared like fate, perhaps shining behind his back, as well as Anthea¡¯s star, allegedly shining over her left shoulder.


    Helena mentioned it to her in the past, but her voice was so vivid now that she felt like she had heard it yesterday.


    Eckart took the engagement ring out from the jewelry box. The gold ring was in the form of three rings joined together. When the two outer rings joined together as if they held each other¡¯s hands together were separated, a heart-shaped ruby sparkled in the middle of the ring. Around the ruby, transparent diamonds formed a crown. The smooth loops of the ring were engraved with the names of Marianne and Eckart as well as the first and last verses of the holy scriptures that sought the eternal blessings of the nine gods.


    Duchess Lamont picked up the ruby-embedded ring with the verses of the holy scriptures and placed it on the middle finger of her left hand.


    Eckart then placed the ring with his name on Marianne.


    Marianne glanced at the ring that strangely touched the scar between her fingers.


    Fate and God¡¯s considerations, stars and resurrections, and all sorts of abstract sentiments complicated her mind and disappeared in a moment.


    In any case, it was Marianne and Eckart who vowed to stand here and live in the fast lane in the future. They were two humans injured and comforted by tender feelings¡¯ they were not Anthea and Airius.


    Marianne finally placed a ring with her name on him.


    ¡°God Astrid said, ¡®I will block pure lust and deception from each other and allow you a burning desire for your partner of destiny alone.¡±¡±


    While the seventh god¡¯s protection was declared, Eckart looked awkwardly at his hand with the ring.


    Eckart had never imagined having an engagement ring, but he was more concerned about her warmth when she touched him to place the ring on him. Even though he was wearing ceremonial gloves, he felt uncomfortable when she touched his finger. He felt she was very dangerous, but at the same time, he felt a strong desire to make this pain strangle his neck a little harder. Obviously, it was dangerous thinking.


    Luckily, Mrs. Chester offered to give him a bouquet at that moment.


    Eckart quickly changed his facial expression. He casually received the bouquet and passed it to Marianne. At that moment, his fingertips were entangled with hers again. He flexed his fingers gently.


    Her green eyes still glistened tenderly, and the bouquet of jasmine flowers, symbolizing Goddess Astrid, had a sweet scent.


    ¡°God Tanatos said, ¡®I will allow you darkness and the shadows to forget your wounds, and sleep together in the endless night.''¡±


    Helena declared the blessing of the eighth god.


    Marianne closed her eyes still, holding some bouquets and green barley stems. Her thick eyelashes cast a dense shadow under her eyes.


    Eckart swallowed dry saliva. After hesitating for a moment, he wrapped her slim chin with his left hand. He could her faint heartbeat under the palm of his hand. Cowardly, he felt relieved that the heartbeat cycle was a little faster, and he slowly overlapped his lips with hers.


    The surroundings were quiet as if time had stopped. The sunlight pouring over the window drew a long shadow of the two united in one.


    Their lips that touched lightly fell off slowly. When they opened their eyes, their eyes met strangely. Marianne laughed very gently so he could see it, while Eckart let out a long sigh without taking off his eyes off her.


    ¡°Goddess Urd said, ¡®I will make your everlasting royal family prove your oath, and allow you immortal history and unfailing eternity.''¡±


    And then Helena declared the ninth goddess¡¯s blessings.


    When Grand Duke Christopher and Duchess Lamont stepped forward, Helena politely handed the dagger on the altar to them.


    Eckart and Marianne cut the tips of their little fingers very lightly and dropped blood in the silver cup containing the holy water. Their red blood was mixed with clear water.


    Helena crossed herself again with two silver glasses placed them side by side on an old scripture.


    ¡°The nine gods¡¯ blessings will help you keep your promises and keep an eye on you.¡±


    Then, she slowly pointed to the back wall with her fluttering sleeves.


    ¡°Finally, report to the nine gods about your union.¡±


    At Helena¡¯s order, Eckart and Marianne stood facing toward the wall. The portraits of the nine gods leading up to the ceiling looked magnificent as if they were looking down at them.


    ¡°I, descendant of God Airius, the twenty-ninth emperor of Aslan, the seventh king of the Frey family and Eckart of the Frey family solemnly swear before¡­


    ¡°I, descendant of goddess Anthea, the twenty-fifth daughter of Duke Kling, the first daughter of Lennox, and Marianne of Kling and Lennox solemnly swear¡­¡±


    Eckart and Marianne identified themselves one by one and made a pledge.


    ¡°As husband and wife, we promise to share joy and sadness, respect unconditionally, love, and trust each other. We promise to be friends, family and lovers closest to each other.¡±


    His low, cool voice and her soft and gentle voice verbalized the oath as if they were singing in a chorus.

 Chapter 100

    Chapter 100: Chapter 100


    ¡°I guarantee the engagement of the two in the blessing of the nine gods on the name of Aslan¡¯s 35th Cardinal, Roshan¡¯s High Priest Helena.¡±


    Finally, Helena smiled lovingly and finished their engagement service.


    Timed with her declaration of the end of the service, the Renato pattern engraved on her forehead and his golden eyes, shining like a mirror of the gods, sparked like jewels.


    ¡°May the great and brilliant Roshan¡¯s blessing be with you forever!¡±


    Her final congratulatory prayer was as cheerful and crisp as the summer sunshine. Her face was bright as if she saw an auspicious sign.


    As the ceremony was formally over, the emperor¡¯s group at the temple was again ready for a long journey. Roshan¡¯s support unit was due to arrive early the next morning. Considering the distance back and forth, it would be better for them to take a day off before leaving, but Eckart insisted on leaving the next day.


    Even though the sun set later in the day as it was early summer, the sun went down earlier in the mountains than expected. After the engagement, they enjoyed a more lavish lunch than usual, and the members of his entourage re-packed their baggage, although they had just recovered from their injuries. It looked like they were determined to finish packing their stuff before evening. In fact, they were in the mountainous region, and their location was the great temple. After dark, it was difficult for them to walk one or two steps without lamps, and nobody dared to break the serenity of the quiet temple.


    Above all, there was another final procedure of the engagement ceremony at night.


    ¡°Your Majesty, you really won¡¯t eat anything at all?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Eckart replied casually, leaning on the sofa in a comfortable dressing gown. There was a nice dinner for two on the table next door, but it was only Marianne who was interested in the good-smelling food.


    ¡°I heard that you didn¡¯t have much for lunch.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Who said that nonsense?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­a loyal vassal who is very concerned about your safety.¡±


    Marianne replied playfully and pushed the meal table in front of him. Silverware extraordinarily sparkled by the light of the lamps on the table.


    However, he only pulled the glass instead of picking up the dishes.


    ¡°As you won¡¯t be able to sleep early anyway, please have your fill. Why don¡¯t we eat together?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t feel up to it. Please eat my share.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have any appetite?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡±


    ¡°Why? Are you nervous because you are spending the night with me?¡±


    Cough, cough.


    At that moment, Eckart coughed wildly just like he did right after opening his eyes at the tributaries of Benoit Falls. As the muscles of his upper body were strained, not only his arms, but also his back felt painful. Marianne rushed to his side and took the glass of water down.


    She stroked his upper back gently, which was not injured.


    ¡°Your Majesty, are you okay? I¡¯m sorry. I was kidding¡­¡±


    At her remarks, Eckart¡¯s nape turned more red.


    What Marianne meant by ¡°spend the long night together¡± was the last of the engagement ceremonies, which was called ¡°The Night of Anthea.¡±


    It was intended to honor the myth that Anthea¡¯s beloved daughter Kader resurrected from the dead. It was also a ritual in which the new king and his wife spent the night together to overcome disaster. That was why the lamps filled with unquenchable torches and silver glasses filled with holy water from the waterfall were placed side by side on the table.


    ¡°I¡¯m alright. So, go back to your seat¡­¡±


    Eckart barely stopped coughing. He pushed Marianne gently who was touching his back, with his left arm without any hesitation.


    He knew that he didn¡¯t mean it, but he reacted sensitively to her actions, which made him ashamed of himself. As it was so difficult for him to keep calm, he wanted to get away from her as soon as possible.


    ¡°Oh, sure, will do.¡±


    But Marianne did not get up after hearing what he just told her.


    Instead, she sat sideways slightly, holding the hem of her white muslin dress.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Eckart glanced at the new gap between her and himself which was less than a half span.


    In no time, he asked her rather bluntly, ¡°Mariannne, I asked you to go back to your place. Didn¡¯t you hear?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I heard well. ¡±


    ¡°Then, why are you still¡­¡±


    ¡°Because this is my place,¡± she answered decisively.


    Eckart frowned at that.


    He was a thoughtful man by nature. Like a prince who grew up in the capital where they attacked their opponents with indirect and elegant jibes, he had the habit of always seeking hidden meaning from somebody¡¯s words. His ability to distinguish between true and false, and discern the intent of somebody¡¯s lies was as good as veteran politicians.


    As the ruler of an empire, his skills were quite helpful in his ruling. However, when it came to his personal and special relationship with somebody that didn¡¯t necessarily require him to discern the other party¡¯s language, he should have taken a different approach.


    She said it was her place to be around him.


    Eckart pondered deeply over the implications of her remarks with some reasonable conjectures.


    Naturally, her volunteering to stand beside him had a political meaning. In fact, most of the time he experienced such a life.


    It became even clearer when he thought of what she recently obtained. She established her place as the emperor¡¯s closest aide to discuss politics and plot, his wife-to-be who vowed her marriage with him before God and the empress-to-be.


    So, when she told him it was her place to be around him, wasn¡¯t it something like declaration of war to him, because she got what she wanted? There was little possibility that she approached him with such a purpose, but he couldn¡¯t rule out the possibility that she was a spy trained by Ober to approach him with love.


    ¡°Come to think of it, your arms are uncomfortable, so I think I need to help you as you can¡¯t bring in any attendants.¡±


    Of course, Marianne didn¡¯t think of what he just assumed.


    Eckart clenched his fists with a blank look.


    When he looked at her clear eyes, he felt even shameful about what he always suspected as legitimate. He was aware that she couldn¡¯t find out what he had been thinking up until now, but he just felt ashamed of himself.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s not what I mean¡­Wait a moment. I don¡¯t feel like eating now¡­¡±


    Marianne was now losing patience. Eckart shut his lips tight, facing her green eyes that couldn¡¯t hide her great regret.


    ¡°¡­Are you sure you don¡¯t want to eat?¡±


    Marian asked back droopily like a wounded herbivore.


    ¡°I thought you could eat a little bit with me¡­We had lunch separately¡­It¡¯s our first meal together after the ceremony¡­ If you go back to the capital, you won¡¯t have much time to eat with me.. ¡±


    Murmuring feebly, she touched the edges of the tableware sadly. The dishes smelled very delicious as if to tease her.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I think I¡¯ve made you uncomfortable because of my unnecessary greed. Let me have them put away the table.¡±


    She stood up with a sullen expression and flopped down on the sofa again.


    The cushion was so soft that her hips didn¡¯t hurt, but she turned back when she was suddenly pulled by him.


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s eat now,¡± Eckart replied, catching her wrist. His reply was plain and short, but strangely urgent.


    ¡°No. It¡¯s okay. You don¡¯t have to eat unwillingly.¡±


    Marianne smiled faintly, shaking her head. Her uncomfortable smile made him more nervous.


    In fact, he was annoyed by the idea that he misunderstood her favor. His reaction was very fleeting, which she didn¡¯t notice. He also showed such reaction instinctively, but he felt like he trampled on her trust in him.


    His turnaround was amazing. He was restless like a kid caught doing something wrong, and his mouth went so dry that he felt even thirsty.


    First of all, he really didn¡¯t want to see any depression on her face. She even skipped her meals to make him feel better. As someone who failed to meet many people¡¯s expectations and hopes, he really couldn¡¯t stand one thing: he didn¡¯t want to disappoint her.


    ¡°Marianne, as I told you back then, I have never done anything for you against my will.¡±


    Marianne slowly blinked her green eyes. As she didn¡¯t respond immediately, he added, ¡°I¡¯m really hungry. I hardly had lunch as you said, and I couldn¡¯t eat properly for the past few days because of the pain.¡±


    He narrated a list of facts that would bring about human compassion. It was kind of a counteroffensive move by a politician who had to use his weakness as a weapon.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell me you would like to help me? As you can see, my arms are¡­¡±


    Then he finished his words by showing her his injured arm.


    Marianne hesitated for a moment and let out a short sigh.


    Though she was offended and depressed a little while ago, she now changed her mood and smiled at him gently.


    ¡°Got it. Let me help you.¡±


    While Eckart barely caught his breath, Marianne pulled his dishes in front of her and began to take some food on the plates.

 Chapter 101

    Chapter 101: Chapter 101


    Their dinner was extravagant for the temple food. Obviously, the imperial chef who was included in the emperor¡¯s entourage for this journey chose the best of the remaining ingredients to make the food.


    During ¡°The Night of Anthea,¡± the number of people as well as the access time was limited, so most of the dishes were arranged for them to eat conveniently without any additional help.


    Although Marianne always had a helping hand during her life, she skillfully helped Eckart enjoy the meal. Compared to other servants and maids, she was quite good as far as serving his food was concerned.


    Of course, there were some things that he was uncomfortable with.


    ¡°No, just stay still. Let me do it for you. Okay¡­try it.¡±


    Just like treating a child, she humored him to feed him the soup.


    ¡°Wait. Let me wipe your mouth.¡±


    Even though he didn¡¯t both hands injured, she took the napkin from him kindly.


    ¡°Marianne, you don¡¯t have to do this lowly service.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s a special situation right now. You hurt your arm.¡±


    ¡°Are you forgetting that my left arm is fine?¡±


    ¡°I know, but Lord Kloud said you need absolute rest. That means you should not move at all. He asked to keep an eye on you because you are going to move around if I take my eyes off of you.¡±


    Marianne put the meat, which had been cut into edible pieces, into his mouth, and put the other half in her mouth. Then she rinsed her mouth with wine quickly.


    ¡°Oh, please forget about what I just said last.¡±


    Eckart looked a bit perplexed. But he chewed and swallowed the meat in his mouth quickly.


    She grinned, looking at him with a satisfied expression.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°For what?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­just about everything.¡±


    Leaving alone Eckart, who frowned without knowing her intention, she took the rest of the food on the plates with a very pleasant expression.


    Although the dishes were simple, it was kind of a full dinner served from appetizers to desserts. Among them, Marianne ate the most delicious grilled sea bass with fennel and crispy, smooth creme brulee. Despite his refusal to eat at first, he also tasted all the dishes on the plates. It was true that he had a bad appetite, but he tried to enjoy the food deliciously because of Marianne who had a fork in front of his nose, with her eyes sparkling.


    When they were done, the priest who was allowed access came in with servants and had them clean up the table. The lights everywhere were all collected. Next came the tea they could have overnight, and a medicine tray prepared separately for Eckart and Marianne.


    The sun had already gone down while they were enjoying dinner. Instead of the reddish sunset, the darkness of the deep mountains covered the inside of the temple. The torch on the table was the only source of light in the room.


    ¡°The wound on your back still feels painful, right?¡±


    Despite the dim surroundings, Marianne asked, taking some opium and melting it skillfully.


    ¡°If I drink medicine, I can endure it.¡±


    Eckart received the silver cup offered by her. The peculiar strong scent of opium tickled his nose. Still, he felt the scent was much less stronger than before, thinking it was refined, or perhaps its dose was reduced.


    While he was taking the tasteless drug, Marianne quickly took her share of painkillers.


    And then she approached the windows and opened some of them. The scent of the medicine that hovered in the room flew out, and the cool night air came in.


    ¡°How long are you going to hide it from others?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ even if I keep them out of the loop, they will soon find out naturally. Someone may already know.¡±


    Eckart frowned because of the bitter taste of the drug left on the tip of his tongue.


    Back on the sofa, Marianne poured tea in a moderately warm mug. It was flower tea that he could drink to rinse his mouth.


    ¡°When you return to the capital, please make sure I check your medicine by all means.¡±


    While giving him teacup, she asked him a favor.


    It seemed she gave him a notice rather than asking for his permission.


    ¡°Opium is a medicine difficult to use. It¡¯s as dangerous as it is effective. I don¡¯t want to leave it to anybody else.¡±


    She didn¡¯t say that because she was ignoring the talented doctors with the Imperial Medical Service. Of course, there may be moles planted by treacherous officials like Hubble and Chester, but there was a clearer and more direct reason. She knew how Eckart handled his pain: excessive patience and desperate disguise. For example, he would suffer because of an excessive dose. He might sit up all through the night pretending to be okay after taking much potent dose than the normal dose.


    Perhaps the doctor would repeatedly remind him of the misuse of medicines, but he would most likely reject the doctor¡¯s reminder, as he was notorious for being stubborn in the Aslan Empire.


    So, there was only one way to ensure his safety as far as opium was concerned. Someone like her who could overcome his stubbornness, even with rude protests, could take care of his condition.


    ¡°¡­ Sure, if you want.¡±


    Eckart granted her request without agonizing long.


    He was thinking about his priorities after his return to the capital.


    Their conversation stopped for a minute.


    Mariane looked at his profile, holding a warm mug.


    A pale moonlight and the light of the torch cast a deep shadow along the outline of his bones. Along his straight forehead, straight nose, sharp jawline and slender nape, the shade was naturally spread like an ink painting. He seemed a little tired, but he was handsome.


    She suddenly recalled what had happened in the crescent garden.


    Late at night, she stared at this same face, contained in a large robe he was wearing. It was the first time she had seen him so close. After seeing his handsome face shining under the pure white moonlight, she thought he was a cold-hearted and handsome man like the maids said.


    That was only a few weeks ago, and now she was already used to seeing him and meeting his eyes at a close distance.


    Besides, she could now read his intentions hidden in his sober words. She could detect his considerations even when he pretended to be indifferent to her. She saw his face when he was desperately calling her feebly after almost losing consciousness. She also knew he patted her cheeks lovingly while she was pretending to be asleep.


    In other words, she came to know about him too much.


    Unlike Eckart, she was a woman who was honest with her feelings. She realized faster than he and agreed what was the power to drop her into hell and then bring her back to heaven instantly and where it came from. For she knew one¡¯s unbelievably fragile but strong desires, which was called often called love, could make people so helpless and at the same time so strong.


    ¡°Your Majesty!¡±


    When she called him, he slowly put down the teacup. She also put down the glass she was holding. He tilted his eyes and met her eyes. His eyes were cold-hearted but friendly.


    She just made eye contact with him, but she was already choked with emotions.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you cold? I think I should keep the window open a little bit more¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    Eckart answered, but he pulled a blanket from the corner of the couch. He unfolded the blanket with his left arm, which was uncomfortable, and even covered it over her shoulders as was in a thin dress.


    ¡°Let¡¯s cover us together.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine¡­¡±


    ¡°I know you don¡¯t feel cold, but just cover it together.¡±


    Marianne deliberately insisted, and he dragged the edge of the blanket slightly over his knee.


    In the end, she couldn¡¯t help but laugh. A happy, innocent, lovely smile covered her white face.


    As she felt good, the harsh reality and negative thoughts were pushed back. Instead, optimistic imaginations bloomed like flowers in her mind.


    ¡°You know, Your Majesty.¡±


    She gently leaned her head on his shoulders. She felt the loose muscles of his body tightly strained.


    ¡°Priest Hilde, you know her, right? That apprentice priest with black, short hair and golden eyes, always following the cardinal.¡±


    Marianne spoke casually. Like a chirping bird, her noble voice resonated throughout the quiet room.


    ¡°Hilde says you and I were born on a twin star.¡±


    Eckart couldn¡¯t understand her, but he couldn¡¯t ask her either. It looked like her body temperature on his shoulders and arms was squeezing all the veins of his body.


    ¡°Oh, the word ¡®twin star¡¯ was coined by Hilde. She seems to call something so divinely linked two stars like that. She says that usually people with twin stars become siblings or lovers.¡±


    Regardless of his pain at the moment, she just kept babbling, adding details.


    ¡°She said you were born on the star of God Airius, and I was born on the star of Goddess Anthea¡­¡±


    Eckart barely could understand what she was talking about.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it amazing?¡± she asked, looking at his blue eyes intensely.


    What the heck was amazing?


    Amazing because a person born on earth and a star in the sky were entangled in the same destiny? Or was it amazing because an invisible force defended humans?

 Chapter 102

    Chapter 102: Chapter 102


    ¡°Do you believe in the myth?¡± Eckart asked after giving her an ambiguous reply.


    ¡°Well, this is a secret you shouldn¡¯t tell the cardinal and the priests.¡±


    Marianne looked around as if she was going to tell him a top secret.


    ¡°I almost never believed it. I was an unfaithful believer, to say the least.¡±


    There was a faint smile on her face as if she was confessing her sin.


    ¡°But I¡¯m going to believe it as much as I feel it¡¯s beneficial for me. ¡±


    She began to condition her faith on the benefits, which he didn¡¯t expect at all.


    He turned his eyes away from her with a heavy heart.


    In fact, he couldn¡¯t think straight at the moment.


    In the meantime, Marianne stared at the quiet darkness outside the window, over the front table.


    As was the case with Eckart a little while ago, her white and beautiful face was also overshadowed by the light. Overlaid on top of it was his clear and firm resolution.


    He bit his lower lip tightly. He had seen such a face a long time ago in the deepest room of the Lucio Imperial Palace, in his mother¡¯s bedroom and sometimes in his long and terrible nightmares.


    At that moment Marianne suddenly said, ¡°So many people were injured and killed because of that bad bastard Ober!¡±


    Having said that, she reached out to the blanket and put her slender fingers on his injured arm. Even on her hands, which stroked his wounds, had scratches that were still red.


    Countess Renault, who had been left behind in the capital, was once unconscious after being bitten by a snake, and everyone who was on their way to the temple was injured both large and small. The horseman who drove the emperor¡¯s wagon fell from the steep falls and died.


    All these bad things happened in less than ten days. How many lives were silently lost, and how many more new deaths or injuries would be in the future, Marianne would not even dare to estimate. Although she didn¡¯t know exactly who was behind the terrible scheme, she could no longer hold onto the hope that it might have been an accident.


    ¡°I won¡¯t forgive the criminal who caused this accident. Never.¡±


    Faced with her decisive and intense anger, Eckart found himself relieved shamefully.


    ¡°If I need God¡¯s help, I will borrow it. If I need others¡¯ help, I¡¯ll ask for it. If anything will be useful as a weapon, I will use it all. So, I¡¯ll certainly have that bad brat pay the price for the crime he committed¡­¡± Marianne vaguely finished her words.


    She recalled the harsh death in her previous life and other terrible things: her crying, holding her father¡¯s coffin on that snowy day, her desperate hanging on to Eckart while losing consciousness in cold and pain, and Hess and Barton¡¯s undeserved congratulatory messages for her.


    ¡°I want to live happily this time,¡± she said.


    It was simple, but looked almost impossible for the two to achieve.


    Marianne slowly turned her head to look at Eckart. His blue eyes, which were a bit warm because ofthe lamplight, were staring at her like he did when he tested Iric, and like the time he appeared in her dream and scared her.


    ¡°Ah, of course it¡¯ll be with Your Majesty. You are not going to dump me after you knock down Ober, are you?¡±


    Eckart frowned at her question.


    ¡°Marianne, do you think I consider you a hunting dog?¡±


    ¡°No. Although I¡¯m lacking in many qualities, I think I can be your partner to lean on. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± She shamelessly shrugged her shoulders.


    ¡°Anyways, I want to be a good person to you. A person you can trust, a person whose betrayal you don¡¯t need to worry about.¡±


    Eckart was the very person who advised her not to trust people easily. Marianne understood his habitual distrust in people. She felt her blind trust might be one of the reasons for ruining her previous life.


    But one¡¯s nature was supposed to be easily changed.


    She intended to use even his distrust as a weapon in the future, but she felt more comfortable when she trusted people. She hoped that Eckart could do so if possible.


    ¡°So, I wish you were happy like me.¡±


    Her optimism always stood on his opposite side.


    Her gentle voice scratched his heart deep inside. He felt something like thirst strangling itself on the inside. In the past, he would have laughed off her words like that, but he didn¡¯t ignore anymore. Actually, he wanted to be happy like she said.


    ¡°Well, um¡­ I may be too presumptuous¡­¡±


    Marianne hesitated for a moment.


    Could someone¡¯s happiness be forcibly created by others just because he or she wanted it? Perhaps not.


    But Marianne wanted him to be happy.


    She wanted him to be happy again so he could enjoy overflowing love that would never know betrayal, so he could no longer believe that he was betrayed. She wanted him not to make such a lonely expression at the crossroads of death and life. She hoped that he would not stand it if he was sick, he could laugh if he was happy, and that he would not struggle with all his might not to trust somebody.


    ¡°As far as I can, I will do everything I can to make you happy. I promise.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Eckart could not reply to her reassurances.


    Marianne leaned back on his shoulder. As she didn¡¯t expect his reply, she closed her eyes slowly, looking through the dim window. Suddenly, the several days of arduous journey and ceremonies made her feel tired. The silence between them soaked their ankles like the water of a calm stream.


    In the meantime, their heartbeats, which had been pounding offbeat, slowly began to assimilate. The rhythm of heartbeats became one before they knew.


    Thump, thump, thump¡­


    Their periodic heartbeats became a very good lullaby. Marianne soon began to fall asleep and breathed out gently. It was a relaxing and comfortable breath that only people who fell asleep could have.


    Eckart stared into the glowing glass lamp while she was asleep.


    The torch that had never been extinguished since Serafina gave it to Aslan¡¯s first king


    was burning red and yellowish. The sacred flames broke the darkness around them. As if it were not content with that, the flames showed the raw feelings that Eckart had desperately hidden until then.


    She was a swamp to him.


    Led by an undeniable temptation, he stepped one foot into her swamp. A muddy swamp dragged him down little by little. He was being dragged a little further down, deeper into the bottom, down the dark black night so he could hide nothing.


    It was quiet everywhere, as if nobody would know if anything happened, or as if one could be forgiven even if he could do any ungodly and irresponsible thing.


    He still wrapped her white hand that slightly stuck out of the blanket. He should have woken her up to observe the nightly ceremony, but he did not.


    Instead, feeling pain across his back, Eckart kissed her forehead while she was asleep.


    His kiss was as sacred it was lustful. It reflected his desire that he never wanted to be caught by her. His lips that pressed hers came off a long time later, with his regrets. Her sleeping face was still calm like a child who knew nothing. Her innocence was fortunate and at the same time unfortunate for him.


    He wanted his desire for her to disappear on one hand, but he wanted a deeper desire for her on the other hand.


    ¡®What a cunning desire! How come I ended up being close to her like this? She might aim this knife at my neck eventually. There was supposed to be no harmless affection in this world. How did I end up with a close relationship with her?¡¯


    It was still quiet outside. He let out a long sigh with a terrible expression.


    He couldn¡¯t be sure of determining who was behind the wagon accident, what to do when he returned to the capital, how to deal with his previous emperors¡¯ secrets and how to prevent future rebellion.


    There was only one thing that was certain, and that he was going crazy about this woman.


    Early the next morning, the support unit from Milan arrived at the great temple of Roshan.


    The emperor¡¯s entourage, which had already prepared for the journey, carried their luggage and carried the wounded in wagons. When the rest of the horses and carts were finally ready to leave, the front courtyard of the temple as well as its front gate were densely packed with them.


    ¡°Your Majesty, I wish you a safe journey to Milan.¡±


    Cardinal Helena politely said goodbye.


    ¡°If you need help at any time, let us know. Roshan is a sanctuary of God as well as a sanctuary for the king who is an incarnation and agent of our God.¡±


    It was a declaration by the cardinal, but there was a strange twist in her words.

 Chapter 103

    Chapter 103: Chapter 103


    Of course, the point of her message was to protect, not harm the emperor.


    Eckart laughed casually because he knew it all.


    ¡°Thank you. I will never forget your help. May God bless and protect you.¡±


    ¡°I wish Roshan¡¯s blessings and protection will always stay with you.¡±


    Helena politely raised her hands and slightly bent her knees. Eckart raised her up and looked far ahead. He was looking for someone.


    Marianne, who Eckart was casting a glance at, was with the priests following the cardinal.


    Hilde, who was pouting as if she was crying, quickly pulled her dress.


    ¡°Priest Hilde.¡±


    Marianne sat down at Hilde¡¯s eye level.


    ¡°Will you come again? Later, even later¡­¡±


    Hilde was conscious of others as if she was like a punished dog. The tip of her nose was also slightly red.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I made you cry. But don¡¯t hate Hilde. I didn¡¯t do it on purpose. I just wanted to become friends with you, so I wanted to tell you a funny story¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I know. I know how much Priest Hilde likes me.¡±


    Marianne warmly wrapped Hilde¡¯s shoulders as she was sullen at the moment. Strangely enough, she just kept missing this young priest, perhaps partly because she did not have such a younger sister like her or partly because she and Hilde were intertwined with Goddess Anthea.


    ¡°I like Hilde so much. How can I hate this cute and wonderful priest?¡±


    ¡°¡­ Really?¡±


    Hilde was still a child even though she knew how to read constellations and make predictions about people¡¯s fortunes. Her mood quickly became brighter when Marianne said that.


    ¡°Of course. I found your story very interesting. So, I will come back later to meet you by all means. Or you can come to the capital to see me.¡±


    ¡°Will you meet me when I go to the capital?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely. I¡¯m going to invite the cardinal, Siel, Hess and you. Oh, do you like milk pudding or chocolate cookies?¡±


    Hilde hesitated for a moment; her eyes were sparking in excitement.


    ¡°Well¡­I have never tasted it before, so I don¡¯t know the taste. Is it delicious?¡±


    Marianne was a bit embarrassed by Hilde¡¯s answer. Children usually grew up eating sweets. So, she thought even if Hilde had grown up in the temple, she perhaps tasted dessert once or twice.


    But it seemed that the rules of the temple were stricter than she thought.


    After pondering a bit, Marianne quickly added to her words.


    Surprisingly, it was not difficult to turn her disappointment into hope.


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s very delicious. Next time when I see you, um¡­ If I have a wedding ceremony with the emperor, I will invite you. So, you¡¯ll be served a lot of sweet puddings and sweets. Be patient and wait for me. Can you wait?¡±


    ¡°Yeah! of course! Hilde grew big, so I can wait with maturity!¡±


    Hilde nodded with a big smile. Marianne hugged her with a bright smile.


    ¡°Priest Siel, Priest Hess. Thanks for your help! When I invite Hilde, I¡¯ll invite you two, too. See you again, okay?¡±


    In no time, she stood up and called the two priests standing behind Hilde.


    Siel and Hess briefly greeted her.


    ¡°I¡¯m flattered by your compliment,¡± said Siel.


    There was no reply from Hess.


    Marianne grabbed Hess¡¯ hand, as she couldn¡¯t see her eyes. Only then did Hess raise her face.


    Her blurred eyes were reddish.


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Priest.¡±


    Hess frowned with wet wet eyes and laughed.


    ¡°Lady Marianne, please be safe and be happy¡­¡±


    ¡°Sure. Until we meet again, take care, okay? ¡± Hess nodded, while still weeping.


    Marianne hugged the two tightly in turns. Their pale white robes that symbolized the temple and her colorful dress made an awkward harmony.


    ¡°Lady.¡±


    Meanwhile, Cordelli, waiting nearby, approached and supported Marianne.


    When she checked Cordelli¡¯s eye signal, she realized that Eckart was waiting for her, looking at her.


    ¡°Let me leave now. May Roshan¡¯s blessings stay with you all!¡±


    Marianne turned with a sad look. Her dark green dress resembling her eyes faded away.


    Three priests standing side by side crossed themselves toward her back.


    Although she left, the three prayed for her blessings with a low voice.


    ¡°May the nine gods protect and bless you forever ¡­¡±


    * * *


    ¡°Hilde. You must feel very sad as she is leaving.¡±


    Helena gently stroked Hilde¡¯s head next to her. The two stood at the end of a steep cliff in the back garden of the temple. They saw the emperor¡¯s party going down the hill in an orderly manner.


    ¡°I miss Lady Marianne already. Can I see her again?¡±


    ¡°Sure. You will be able to see her in time.¡±


    Even after hearing the cardinal¡¯s positive reply, Hilde often looked at the mountain road covered by trees.


    Then she suddenly turned to look at Helena.


    ¡°By the way, why did you tell me I should not tell the owners of other stars about the existence of their patron stars?¡±


    Her golden eyes, who was asking the cardinal bluntly, shone brilliantly in the morning sun.


    Helena was withdrawing her gaze at the emperor¡¯s procession in the distance. There was a gentle smile on her face when the cardinal looked down at Hilde. At first glance, it looked like a bitter smile.


    ¡°Hilde. There are some things that we had better hide from the world.¡±


    ¡°Why? It¡¯s usually bad to hide the truth, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Right. But sometimes it can be a curse if we reveal it. The human heart is so fragile and hard that they can do evil things and wage a war. ¡±


    It was a little difficult for the 12-year-old Hilde to understand, but she shook his head, frowning.


    ¡°God will eventually reveal it if we have to know¡­¡± she said with an elegant voice. The Renato emblem on her forehead was glowing gold like a stigma just stamped onto it.


    ¡°Let¡¯s wait a little longer.¡±


    Helena looked down the mountain again while appeasing her.


    In the end, the new foreknowledge she received last night hovered in Hilde¡¯s mind until the emperor¡¯s party finally left her sight. It was a double-edged prophecy of something ominous and auspicious.


    * * *


    The emperor¡¯s party who left Roshan took a smooth journey back to the capital.


    The support units dispatched from the capital were of a great caliber, composed of seasoned knights and doctors among the medical forces as requested by Beatrice. The transportation unit that carried them was also special. The carriages were renovated like beds with several flat sofas, and the medicine boxes were filled with high-quality medicines carefully selected by the imperial medical service.


    As a result, not only top figures such as the emperor and his fianc¨¦e, but also even servants and maids received the best treatment. In some ways, it was a more comfortable journey than the one traveling to Roshan.


    Marianne yielded her wagon to Kloud. Instead, she shared the emperor¡¯s carriage throughout the journey. On the surface, it was the result of Eckart¡¯s insistence that he would ride the wagon with her under any circumstances. In fact, however, Marianne wanted more.


    The gift box that the cardinal gave the emperor left included refined opium. During the journey, it was up to Marianne to control the dosage of opium based on the medications prescribed by the royal doctors.


    Eckart always frowned when he took medicine. But he never doubted or rejected the medicine that Marianne provided. It was a great privilege for her given the existing practices that the chief medical doctorvice, who accompanied them in his capacity as the emperor¡¯s chief physician, had to submit a full prescription.


    They stopped by the local official residence they had visited on the way to the temple and did a maintenance checkup of the wagons before departing again. On the fourth day of their journey, everyone led a peaceful life as if they had forgotten the despair and pain from a few days ago. Even the ominous rumors and speculations that loomed early in the accident turned into a sacred epic story and created awe among the local people.


    And just before the end of May, the emperor¡¯s party finally entered the imperial palace in Milan. It was their dramatic return after ten days.


    At the southern main gate of the Lucio Imperial Palace, where the sun set, the royal flags embroidered with Brenda and the laurel were lined up everywhere. The blue, reddish and slightly violet sunset shone in front of the palace.


    ¡°Now it¡¯ll be getting dark quite soon¡­Why haven¡¯t they yet arrived?¡±


    Colin, one of those waiting out there, asked with a nervous look.


    ¡°They will arrive in due time.¡±


    Standing next to him, Jed answered with a grim expression.


    ¡°According to the note that the messenger bird brought, they were supposed to arrive this afternoon. The afternoon passed long ago, and it¡¯s evening ¡­¡±


    ¡°As you know, things don¡¯t always work out as planned. Colin, I know you are often late for the daily briefing, so you race down with documents from the palace to the main office library, don¡¯t you? Sometimes you spread the official files in the air while offering greetings to the emperor.¡±

 Chapter 104

    Chapter 104: Chapter 104


    Blinking his red eyes slowly, he said feebly, ¡°I can understand that, but I¡¯m just worried if something bad happened to them.¡±


    Given what had happened to them a few days ago, Colin could say that.


    But Jed quickly glared at him with angry eyes and pressed on his shoulders. At first glance, Jed¡¯s touch seemed to comfort him, but it was a kind of furtive threat.


    Colin made a frown as Jed grabbed his shoulders tightly.


    ¡°Damn it. Don¡¯t say such awful things! At 19, you¡¯re an adult under the imperial law. So, as an adult, you¡¯ve got to learn how to be patient and wait calmly.¡±


    ¡°Sir Jed, I hear that one should be consistent in what you¡¯re saying to gain others¡¯ trust. Don¡¯t you remember what you told me today? When I was having lunch today, you told me I was not growing tall because I picked at my food like a kid, right? You called me a kid. And I heard you weeping in the room last time when I ¡­¡±


    Even before Colin was finished, Jed quickly put his large hand on his mouth.


    ¡°Haha. It looks like our dear Sir Colin saw pink elephants as he didn¡¯t sleep well for the past several days. Let me beg the emperor to grant you a special vacation as soon as he arrives. So, just shut your mouth. Shut up more tightly. Even if you breathe in and out through your nose, you won¡¯t die.¡±


    Jed laughed at him evilly with a barrage of threatening remarks.


    Colin tried to resist several times before giving up in no time.


    Jed was a civilian official who had no talent for fighting at all, but he was much taller and bigger than Colin who was in the same position. His many years of closely working with Jed reminded him quickly that he could not overcome his physical disadvantages.


    Among those waiting earnestly for the return of the emperor were the top officials, including the top five cabinet ministers. Although not favorable to the emperor, Duke Hubble or Ober also came out. As the waiting time was longer than expected, Hubble and Ober brought chairs and even tea tables in one corner of the conference room, but they couldn¡¯t leave the place because there were many who were watching them, and they didn¡¯t want to show disrespect openly.


    Among those who were so carefree as well as earnest, Duke Kling was waiting for the return of the emperor most nervously.


    Colin sighed as he stared at his back standing at a distance.


    From the day they heard about the news of the accident until today, almost everyone in the palace nervously waited for the emperor¡¯s return. In particular, Colin and Jed, regarded as the closest aides of the emperor, were very much anxious to see the emperor more than anybody else.


    When he heard the news that they fortunately saved the emperor and Lady Marianne and proceeded with their engagement ceremony before returning to the capital, Colin couldn¡¯t go to sleep almost every day.


    He didn¡¯t know how many times he ruined reports because he couldn¡¯t focus. Whenever he heard something new, he ran to see if it was a messenger bird. When a day passed, he erased it from the calendar and resented the slow passage of time.


    But even his extraordinary nervousness could not be compared to the duke¡¯s patience.


    It was always the emperor that his close officials took as the weight of the scale under any circumstances. In the worst case, they could do without Lady Marianne. They couldn¡¯t possess Kling¡¯s wealth and Lennox¡¯s troops without her, but they were willing to take it. Strictly speaking, they didn¡¯t take into account her and her father Kling in their political calculations from the beginning. Of course, their loss would be painful, but it would be possible to mobilize a force that could substitute Kling¡¯s force if need be.


    On the other hand, as Colin watched over the past few weeks, it seemed that Duke Kling had two weights, not one: the emperor and his daughter Lady Marianne.


    His only blood and the legitimate successor of the empire was someone who could protect her the best or possibly be the most dangerous. His most beloved daughter and the son of his best friend.


    Faced with the misfortunes of the two, Duke Kling miraculously balanced the weight of the scale without losing his composure. Colin¡¯s anxiety was nothing compared to his. Kling¡¯s patience was like resistance to fatal despair in that situation.


    Of course, Colin knew that if Kling made up his mind, he could desert the emperor and join Ober¡¯s faction. Nevertheless, Colin felt that Kling placed the emperor and his daughter on his own scale as almost equal weights.


    In fact, her daughter was a bit heavier, but Kling gave the emperor more power than Colin expected. The peace of the capital, guarded with Kling¡¯s enormous patience, was also a strategy for the emperor rather than his daughter.


    ¡°He must be okay, right?¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Jed asked back with a puzzled look. He didn¡¯t finish words as if he felt relaxed. He followed Colin¡¯s gaze and found a character, nodding to him gently.


    ¡°Of course. As long as Lady Marianne appears, he will be fit as a fiddle like before.¡±


    Boo!


    At that moment, there was the sound of longhorns from the guard post installed at the pillars of the gate. It signalled the return of the emperor.


    Everyone who had been earnestly waiting adjusted their clothes. Duke Hubble and Ober, who pretended to be indifferent, returned to their seats. Jed also let go of Colin. Standing on tiptoes, Colin looked at the end of a wide road over the shoulders of a throng of officials.


    The sound of their heavy footsteps were faintly heard. Soon, the vanguard of the emperor¡¯s long procession emerged. The golden flag of the Frei family fluttered in the wind at the forefront of the ranks, like a bunch of flags around it. When everyone felt relieved at the magnificent procession of the emperor as usual, Ober sharply glanced at Duke Hubble.


    ¡®¡­ In the end, you reaped the fruits of your actions!¡¯


    He already knew that the emperor was coming back alive, but he felt bad when he confirmed the procession right before his eyes. With a calm expression, he gnawed his molar teeth.


    ¡®You put your cards on the table, but what you got was only one of his arms injured. Didn¡¯t he lose out on the deal? If you wanted to hurt him, you should have disabled him, so he couldn¡¯t use his body. For example, making him blind, cutting his tongue or even maiming his two legs, so he can¡¯t use them again¡­¡¯


    While Ober was absorbed in his brutal imagination, the emperor¡¯s carriage stopped in front of the south gate. The emperor, who he imagined was a terrible figure in his head, got off the wagon vibrantly as if to tease him.


    ¡°May the infinite glory of Airius, our great god, be bestowed upon Your Majesty! We¡¯re honored to see you!¡±


    Everybody offered polite greetings when Duke Lamont started to lead the chant.


    ¡°I wish you all our god¡¯s blessings. Stand up, everybody.¡±


    Eckart in the golden uniform answered peacefully. He looked a bit haggard, compared to when he left the capital, but he was not that much different. His broken arm and scratches on his face didn¡¯t undermine his dignity.


    Ober was displeased with the emperor¡¯s attitude, which was much more composed than he thought. He chewed the inside of his lips when he saw a figure getting off the wagon after him.


    ¡°I¡¯m honored to see Lady Marianne.¡±


    Countess Leslie, the deputy chamberlain of the Imperial Family, greeted her politely.


    It was Marianne who followed Eckart. While everyone was looking at her, she wasn¡¯t interested in their hospitality. Instead, he stared somewhere with wet eyes, holding the hem of her blue dress.


    ¡°Lady Marianne.¡±


    Eckart calmly called her. Marianne belatedly sized up the situation and quickly wiped her wet eyes.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. May our Goddess bless you all. Please stand up.¡±


    After answering, Marianne turned back to Eckart. Although they didn¡¯t have any conversation, he nodded happily.


    Marianne immediately held the hem of her dress and walked quickly. She was almost running now. With her rich chocolate-colored hair fluttering violently, she soon arrived at her destination. ¡°¡­ Marie.¡±


    Duke Kling hesitated for a while and called her name, wrapping her in his arms.


    ¡°Daddy!¡±


    Marianne rubbed her cheeks on his collar and held his back tightly. He carefully wrapped her as if she were a sand sculpture. Soon, he tightened his hands and patted her on the shoulder.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I should have followed you. I wish I hadn¡¯t sent you alone¡­¡±


    ¡°No. Don¡¯t say that. I really thought it fortunate that you were left behind in the capital. I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re safe here. Seriously.¡±


    Marian smiled brightly with tears welled in her eyes. The sunset that turned red shone brightly on the wound on her white cheeks.

 Chapter 105

    Chapter 105: Chapter 105


    ¡°You have a wound on your face. Are you okay elsewhere? I heard that you weren¡¯t hurt much compared to the seriousness of the accident¡­ Do you still hurt?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m okay. I have no major injuries, and the wounds are almost healed now. How are you, Daddy? You¡¯re not injured, right? I haven¡¯t seen you for only ten days, but you look so haggard. Didn¡¯t you tell me intentionally you were not sick? Was there a threat or assassination?¡±


    Marianne hurriedly asked a barrage of questions and then swallowed dry saliva. She lowered her voice when she spoke her last words.


    Duke Kling smiled graciously and shook his head.


    ¡°No. I¡¯m in very good shape. Iric was faithfully by my side, so there was nothing bad. I just want to appreciate your considerations for my safety.¡±


    He gave her a gentle answer, and she felt relieved. Now she began to look for that familiar person that her father mentioned.


    ¡°By the way, where is Iric?¡±


    Duke Kling moved a step back and glanced at Iric who was standing on guard nearby.


    Marianne approached the black Astolf cape standing alone among the cloaks of the white Eluang Knights.


    ¡°Iric.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Lady!¡± Iric barely opened his mouth.


    Although he answered her call, he couldn¡¯t bring up any other topic. He was in a mess, afflicted with a mix of guilt and joy, despair, and responsibility. He felt he wasn¡¯t even qualified to apologize before her.


    He carried the sword only for the purpose of defending her, but she was injured.


    His hand holding the hilt shook faintly because it could not overcome his grip.


    ¡°Thank you, Iric.¡±


    Marianne laughed as if she appreciated his loyalty. Her white hand grasped Iric¡¯s tense arm gently. The cold metal armor that wrapped the joints froze her palm. But the warmth of her hands was hotter and stronger. Soon, her warm body temperature was transferred to his cool body armor.


    ¡°Were you surprised very much? I¡¯m fine. Seriously. Didn¡¯t you hear the news brought by the messenger bird? His Majesty was injured more than me. See, I¡¯m walking like this and laughing. Don¡¯t you still believe me? But I¡¯m serious¡­¡±


    While trying to make eye contact with him, she kept babbling.


    Irick looked at her hand instead of making eye contact with her. Something red was reflected in her affectionate hands.


    It was a thin, sleek ring made of pure gold.


    ¡°Safely¡­¡± Iric took a deep breath.


    ¡°I¡¯m so glad you have come back safely¡­¡±


    But he couldn¡¯t finish his words. His filthy and ugly feelings blocked his throat. He felt he could be satisfied with the fact that she was alive, but his cowardly greed turned it upside down in a moment.


    Fortunately, Marianne seemed to understand his silence from a slightly different angle.


    ¡°Oh, I am happy that you welcomed me safely with my father. I¡¯ve got so many stories to tell you, so let me talk to you when I take a walk with you later. Huh? Got it?¡±


    Iric barely nodded his head. Marianne took her hand off his arm and looked around.


    Meanwhile, Duchess Lamont and Marquise Chester, Beatrice, got out of the carriage and were received as warmly as Marianne.


    At that moment, Eckart was standing with Colin and Jed, along with their families. He smiled faintly at Jed whose face turned red as he was trying to hold back tears, and Colin kept wiping his tears.


    Among them was also Mrs. Renault who regained consciousness after Marianne left Milan.


    ¡®I have to apologize to the countess¡­ ¡®


    As soon as Marianne left Iric at the right time, a man dressed in black stood in her way.


    ¡°¡­Sir.¡±


    Ober seemed to make a twisted smile at her. His ash-grey eyes looked down at Marianne.


    As he put his hands close enough to touch her cheeks, she stepped back unconsciously.


    Iric, who had been quietly holding his position, politely supported her and stepped back.


    ¡°The wound doesn¡¯t befit your beautiful face.¡±


    Having said that, he dropped his hand. He showed clear displeasure as if he was annoyed her attitude or the wound on her face.


    ¡°I was waiting for you to come back safely with the emperor.¡±


    Then he immediately changed his face with a smile and began to say something nice.


    It was a white lie that he said he waited for her to come back safely. Maybe it was true in her case because he could think he could still use her to his benefit, but he couldn¡¯t really have hoped for the safe return of the emperor.


    The wagon accident at Roshan was an attempt to kill and hurt everybody regardless of title or knightship. More accurately, it was an attempt to murder the emperor by disguising it as an accident, not preplanned treason. Accordingly, what Ober really wanted to tell Marianne was like this: ¡°I was waiting for you to come back safely with the dead emperor.¡±


    Mariane slightly raised her hem, feeling goosebumps. She did not forget to smile at him.


    ¡°Thank you for expressing concern about me.¡±


    ¡°As I couldn¡¯t leave the capital because I had to handle foreign affairs, I couldn¡¯t pay as much attention to you as I wanted. As you are fortunately back in Milan, you will see how faithfully I have waited for you.¡±


    Ober reached out again with a gentle smile. His hands were close enough to snatch her wrist. Instead, his attitude was very rude and provocative, given that she had just gotten back from the engagement ceremony as the emperor¡¯s fiancee.


    In the end, Iric ran out of his patience while watching him from only one step behind.


    At the same time, Ober reached out, a long and dark shadow stood between them.


    ¡°You did it at the ball, and again today¡­¡±


    He grabbed Ober¡¯s wrist and squeezed it with his hand.


    As if it was the hand of a civilian official who had held a pen for a long time, it was white, and its bulging knuckles and veins proved that this man was accustomed to weapons.


    Marianne was familiar with the hand. She also recognized with his elegant but cold voice.


    Above all, she was familiar with the fragrance of his collar that had the scent of the air in the cool winter forest.


    ¡°You are always thinking of her safety first.¡±


    She didn¡¯t know when the man, who was meeting other people over there, came over to her. He was none other than Eckart.


    Eckart let go of Ober¡¯s hand only after he stood halfway in front of Marianne.


    His blue eyes bumped into Ober¡¯s dark sparkling dark eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised you are so faithful in supporting the future empress of Aslan. The joy of the empress who will have a loyal servant is also my joy. Indeed, your loyalty is very deep.¡±


    Ober¡¯s eyes became more ferocious as he clearly knew there was no sincerity at all in Eckart¡¯s praise of him.


    ¡°So, how can I not praise you?¡±


    ¡°¡­ I just did what I had to do, so I don¡¯t want any rewards.¡±


    But Ober quickly smiled back. There was sarcasm in the tone of his reply as if he didn¡¯t want to hide displeasure completely.


    Eckart correctly read the subtle contempt in his words.


    ¡°The modesty of a talented person like you is always pleasant. But this time you owe a lot to me. How long are you going to make me suffer from your debts?¡±


    ¡°¡­ ¡±


    And Ober clearly felt strange confidence in Eckart¡¯s remarks, which had a mix of cheerfulness and instinctive pressure.


    ¡°Just stop by my study tomorrow around noon. Don¡¯t refuse my order.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Yes, I¡¯ll do so.¡±


    Ober shook his head, feeling very uncomfortable.


    Eckart naturally turned around and looked at Marianne. Her green eyes glistened under the chin. He silently wrapped her arm and tightened his grip gently so it would not hurt in order to convey his message that he was asking for her agreement.


    ¡°Marianne, you must be tired as it¡¯s been a long journey. Go back to the mansion and take a rest. I can meet you tomorrow and discuss the reception.¡±


    What she said next was kind of a hint for him. She quickly made an embarrassed look on purpose.


    ¡°Oh, I can do without the reception¡­¡±


    There was an awkward smile on her face.


    She intentionally twisted her body slightly. Her dark green eyes quickly gazed at Ober, who was looking at her over his back, hidden by Eckart.


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t seem to be stupid enough to reject Your Majesty¡¯s considerations¡­¡± she said.


    Then she looked up at Ecart again. If anybody who didn¡¯t know her well saw her, she would be seen explaining to the emperor she was in a difficult position at the moment.


    Eckart held back the urge to burst into laughter. Trying to keep his face as best he could, Eckart let go of his arm slowly.


    Eckart¡¯s palm was empty and warm during that short moment as if his body temperature was transmitted.


    ¡°Escort Lady Marianne.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Iric, who stood like a wooden statue behind Marianne, politely replied.


    Escorted by Iric, she left for the place where the carriages were lined up.


    While she was walking away, she didn¡¯t forget to turn and look at Ober as if she missed him, which was not true, of course.

 Chapter 106

    Chapter 106: Chapter 106


    Eckart stepped toward the gate of the palace by twisting his body at a right angle. He briefly glanced at Ober, then turned his eyes toward the gate.


    ¡°I want to go back to the palace and relax. Please convey my gratitude to the top five cabinet members on my behalf.¡±


    ¡°¡­Sure, will do. Let me leave then.¡±


    The emperor¡¯s order was just routine in nature, but it was pretty much arrogant from Ober¡¯s point of view. He turned, suppressing the urge to grab the emperor by the collar right away.


    Only then did Eckart turn his eyes to watch Ober¡¯s back sharply as he was disappearing gradually. There was a slight smile on his mouth, which then quickly disappeared.


    A little later he went back to the road to the palace, with his cloak hanging over his shoulder and fluttering in the wind. Curtis silently followed him.


    Meanwhile, Jed, who was standing far away from the emperor and Ober, frowned before the cabinet members gathered to welcome the emperor back.


    ¡°Let me ask you this because I¡¯m so curious.¡±


    He often shook his head as if he was displeased with something.


    ¡°Did the emperor seriously hurt his head when he fell from the waterfall?¡±


    Everybody paid attention to his unexpected question.


    ¡°I understand he had some scratches on his forehead, but he had no major injuries. His primary physician also said there wasn¡¯t anything unusual about his injury.¡±


    Kloud replied to his question properly. Nonetheless, Jed made an expression as if he couldn¡¯t understand.


    While staying silent all along, Colin, whose eyes were swollen because of crying, quipped, ¡°Why are you asking that question, Sir Jed?¡±


    ¡°Well, I smell a rat because he has done something very unusual, which he has never done before.¡±


    ¡°Suspicious? About what?¡±


    ¡°For example, His Majesty has never grabbed that disgusting brat¡¯s wrist like that. As you know, he is obsessed with avoiding people he doesn¡¯t like.¡±


    ¡°Jed. Watch your language!¡±


    Mrs. Renault looked at Jed sternly, warning him sharply. Although most of the top officials didn¡¯t hear him because they were at a distance, she didn¡¯t want to see his son run into trouble by talking about the emperor¡¯s character jokingly.


    As she did to the previous empress Blair, Jed was the friend and servant of Eckart from the time she served as the chief chambermaid of the empress. As a result, she was extremely wary of her son acting frivolously as the emperor¡¯s close aide.


    It was Blair¡¯s decision to have Jed stand beside the emperor and grow with him, but it was Mrs. Renault who decisively helped them maintain a good relationship until now.


    ¡°Maybe because the emperor was worried if Marquis Chester would harm Lady Marianne.¡±


    Earl Renault, who was trying to read his wife¡¯s mind at the moment, tried to change the topic with a joke. Basically he was averse to fighting with others.


    ¡°You bet! That¡¯s why I¡¯m saying he¡¯s weird! In fact, I was terrified because His Majesty might break Foreign Minister Ober¡¯s wrist. I initially thought something urgent happened because he cut off my words and ran to him. Never did I think the emperor would grab him to play with an eye fight. He went there because he was worried about Lady Marianne!¡± said Jed, unable to calm down.


    Although Marquis Euclid was laughing at him, pointing out his cognitive problem, Jed didn¡¯t refute and just focused on his own remarks.


    ¡°It is natural that His Majesty pays special attention to her safety.¡±


    Beatrice, who was laughing while watching him seeing red, broke into the conversation.


    Seeing eye to eye with her, Kloud said, wrapping his injured ribs with his arm, ¡°As you know, the emperor emphasized the importance of Lady Marianne¡¯s safety before she left. That¡¯s why he was so uncomfortable with the crash at the falls as well as the wagon accident. You might not even imagine how angry he was at that time. I heard that he was going to behead the horseman right before his eyes with his own sword. Even the Grand Duke couldn¡¯t stop him¡­¡±


    ¡°Wait a second. Did you say the emperor was going to behead the horseman in person?¡±


    Jed cut off his words and asked back with an argumentative tone.


    Kloud nodded at that.


    ¡°Yes, he did. I was surprised because he never acted like that before. If Lady Marianne had not intervened to stop him, the horseman would have been killed by him.¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­ ¡±


    Jed couldn¡¯t hide shock and embarrassment at that.


    ¡°The emperor once told me he wished I could restore justice and be faced with a cool death. Then, did he try to behead the horseman even without any investigation just because her wagon was broken? Was it true?¡±


    Restore justice and coolly executed?


    While others were trying to understand what Jed said, he made a serious expression as if he had been betrayed by something.


    ¡°Please have the emperor¡¯s primary physician check his condition again.¡±


    As if he were staring at the emperor¡¯s eyes at hand, Jed felt very disappointed and resentful.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think the emperor is in his right mind.¡±


    * * *


    After the welcoming ceremony for the emperor was over, Ober returned to his mansion in the capital with his mother, Marquise Chester. On their way back, time passed quickly and it was already dark outside.


    ¡°Madam, Sir. Welcome back, ¡± Housemaid Annette greeted the two at the lobby.


    The maids and attendants lining up nearby took their clothes and disappeared.


    ¡°How fortunate it is that you have come back safely, Mrs. Chester. I was worried all along after I heard about the news about you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s nonsense! Anne, do you think I¡¯ve come back safely?¡±


    Mrs. Chester rebuked in an annoying voice. Her smooth fingers were pointing to the cloth wrapped around her neck.


    Annette politely bowed without showing embarrassment at all.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I arranged for your primary physician here to wait on standby. Can I call him now right away?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s have a meal first. I told you she didn¡¯t even have lunch!¡±


    Ober changed the topic with a sullen voice.


    ¡°Well, there is a gentleman waiting for you at the dining room right now.¡±


    ¡°At the dining room? Who?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s Baronet Yurt.¡±


    At her remarks, Giyom, who was standing next to Ober, stiffened all of a sudden. The sword hung on his waist rattled and made a little clink. Ober looked at him with ridicule.


    In the meantime, having heard Arnette¡¯s mention of Artrum, Mrs. Chester remembered what had happened some time ago.


    ¡°I remember he told us he would come here at the end of this month. Wow, he really is a man of his word!¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t the basis of the deal a promise? I can¡¯t use him if he doesn¡¯t know the basics.¡±


    ¡°You bet. But remember that he¡¯s a trader who maintained business relations with us even when Sir Calvin was alive. It is a piece of cake for him to curry favor with you.¡±


    ¡°How wonderful! I don¡¯t have to wait long to achieve my goal. I think he has prepared a very good menu for us. Shall we go and see him together?¡±


    Although Mrs. Chester did not reply, she did not show any disapproval, either.


    Annette quickly escorted them to the dining room.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take it.¡±


    Soon they arrived at the dining room.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re finally here. I¡¯m honored to see both of you. It¡¯s been a long time!¡±


    Yurt almost jumped out of the dining room as soon as the two entered and greeted him, chatting them up.


    He was fat and frivolous. He behaved frivolously, so he didn¡¯t look like aristocratic at all, even though he was wearing a gorgeous cravat in a luxurious suit.


    ¡°Long time no see! You left for Parse late last year in the fall, so it¡¯s been over half a year already.¡±


    Parse was the capital of the Faisal Empire. The Faisal Empire was one of the closest allies of Aslan, and its capital was not as far away, given that it would take just six months to make a round trip. After all, there was a reason for him to stay in the capital of that empire for such a long time, namely for a business deal.


    Originally a commoner, he was awarded the title of baronet after the Lennox War and posed as a nobleman. Besides, under the Calvin¡¯s protection, the previous marquis of Chester, he had a virtual monopoly of trading through lands. This was possible because Chester¡¯s estate was the hub of transportation that was connected to almost all of Aslan¡¯s roads.


    Yurt said, ¡°I was really frustrated because I wasn¡¯t able to see you up to now. No matter how much good alcohol I buy, there are few who can genuinely recognize its value. By the way, I¡¯ve stocked up on all the quality silk. If you look at it, you will be very satisfied.¡±


    ¡°Baloney! Faisal¡¯s fine wines are already on the market in Aslan.¡±


    ¡°I know. But I¡¯ve brought quite a few good wines, which you can try for the first time. Now, let me show you. Please sit down. I¡¯ve prepared a delicious dinner that goes with an awesome drink. Hey, what are you doing there? Come on, bring the wine for them.¡±

 Chapter 107

    Chapter 107: Chapter 107


    Soon they began to serve food. Along with the unique flavor of Faisal traditional tea, salted sturgeon eggs and thin blini were served as appetizers.


    ¡°How does it look, ma¡¯am? I¡¯ve carefully selected and brought only the finest caviar in Faisal.¡±


    ¡°Not bad.¡±


    After tasting it, Mrs. Chester replied, rinsing her mouth with tea. It seemed she liked it very much, given she didn¡¯t put down the dish right away.


    ¡°Great. I thought it would suit your taste. I couldn¡¯t forget it when you told me you enjoyed caviar, so I went to all the beach markets myself. I saw all kinds of fish in the southern coast as it was so vast and clean¡­¡±


    While Yurt was engaged in a meaningless conversation to flatter her, the main dishes which were lamb, steak, and wine were served. The bottle of red wine was made of transparent glass, elaborately carved using Faisal¡¯s unique craftsmanship.


    ¡°Try this wine right away. This is the best quality. It was made from grapes from the vineyards near the Ravi River in eastern Faisal. It¡¯s famous as they provide this wine to the Faisal imperial family. The taste is very good, but its yield is not that great, so the price is up to the seller.¡±


    While Yurt was bragging about it in various ways, Ober tasted a new wine and recommended it to Mrs. Chester. Giyom, who was waiting behind him, was handed a bottle from the servant at Ober¡¯s gesture.


    He first filled the marquise¡¯s cup and then filled it for Ober. The scent of aromatic wine wafted gently through the restaurant.


    Luckily, the wine tasted good enough to confirm Yurt¡¯s words. After feeling a little better because of good wine, Ober finally said what Yurt had been waiting for.


    ¡°As I¡¯ve received good wine, let me pay for it.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no. If you accept it gladly, I¡¯ll be satisfied with it.¡±


    ¡°Yurt, I don¡¯t believe what traders say because no business makes any trades that loses money.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, why are you saying that? I am stupid and lacking in many things, but I am not stupid enough to dare to make unfair profits from you.¡±


    Yurt tried to defend himself and then suddenly turned his eyes toward the shadow over his head. It was Giyom who came toward him, holding a bottle of wine.


    Soon, the glass was half full. During that brief moment when red liquid dripped into the empty glass, he clearly saw the mouth of the bottle that was trembling faintly.


    ¡°If I had thought so, I would not have sent my only son Giyom as a servant for you.¡±


    He laughed frivolously. His dark brown eyes sparkled in bizarre sadism.


    ¡°How brazen-faced you are!¡± said Ober.


    It was his father, Yurt, who abused Giyom.


    Looking at Yurt with contempt, Ober clasped his finger toward Giyom, who went back to his place, trying to make a blank expression.


    Yurt laughed louder as if to mock his son.


    ¡°Hahaha! Well, ¡®brazen-faced¡¯ is the best praise for a trader. I think my son would have been better off if he had resembled me in that respect.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, the servant who filled your cup today would be somebody else, not your son Giyom.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see. If Giyom were talkative like me, it wouldn¡¯t suit him as a swordsman. In some respects, he resembles his dead mother too much¡­¡±


    Yurt quenched his thirst with wine. Like a beast that found a prey, Giyom scrutinized his father from head to toe.


    Yurt continued, ¡°My son was poor at speaking, and he was emotionally stifling, so I was ashamed to show him to others. But as you were kind enough to accept him as your servant, I was so grateful to you.¡±


    As a father who sold off his son, he spoke shamelessly.


    Ober coughed as if he did not want to hear more.


    ¡°By the way, did you hear the news?¡±


    Yurt noticed the atmosphere quickly, and changed the topic.


    Ober picked up a fork and a knife instead of replying. He sliced meatloaf on a white plate with the moderately-sharp knife.


    ¡°I know one of the merchants I met while staying in Pars. His name was Amad who supplied alcohol to the imperial family. He is a top trader who dealt with the Parthian imperial family for generations. As he has gained trust from the emperor, he went in and out of the palace like his house, and he told me that there was something special among the gifts that were delivered to Empress Alesa this year.¡±


    ¡°A special gift?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Everybody in Faisal knows that Empress Alesa dislikes edged tools morbidly, right? So much so that she even hates the cutlery knife so much that all the food served at her residence are cut into pieces beforehand.¡±


    ¡°So what?¡±


    ¡°I hear that one of the gifts delivered to the empress¡¯s palace was a decorative sword.¡±


    He clicked his tongue, which annoyed Ober. Ober sliced the well-chopped lamb with a knife. The meat, which was roasted rare deliberately to fit his taste, colored the white dish with reddish blood.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know who he was, but he was very stupid. How come he didn¡¯t check the empress¡¯s basic taste before he gave the gifts to her? He would be lucky if he were not subject to heavy punishment.¡±


    ¡°You bet. More surprisingly, Empress Alesa received the gift without complaining.¡±


    ¡°What? Why?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ I hear that stupid guy is probably her uncle Duke Hubble.¡±


    Clang!


    As soon as Yurt was finished, a loud noise came from the top of the table. Ober turned his head and looked at Mrs. Chester.


    She was staring at Yurt with a frown, which was very unusual. The silver utensils that had been in her hands up until now were scattered on the plate.


    Ober confirmed her response and made a frown, too.


    As far as Ober knew, his mother had never shown any discomfort or irritation in this manner. If she didn¡¯t like something and decided to do something bad, she would have broken a plate or thrown out a dish.


    ¡°Oh my god. Was the dish not dried well? Madam, are you okay?¡±


    Yurt stood up instead of feeling timid. But he had to sit back down when she refused help.


    Mrs. Chester clenched her empty fist. She wiped the lamb blood splattered on the back of her hand with a napkin elegantly. Then she let out a deep and long sigh.


    ¡°Did anybody see it personally?¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°You just said Duke Hubble gave the cutlery to Empress Alesa, right? Did Amad, the person who told you the story, saw the sword that she received?¡±


    After laying down the napkin nervously, Mrs. Chester calmly doubted the credibility of his tip.


    Yurt politely replied after thinking unexpectedly but legitimately that her ashen eyes resembled Ober¡¯s.


    ¡°He told me he saw it directly.¡±


    ¡°Where?¡±


    ¡°In the palace of Prince Shahar. He told me he heard the prince saying that when he went there to deliver the liquor he ordered. As the second prince has a variety of hobbies, he asked the empress to bring the sword to him¡­¡±


    Mrs. Chester didn¡¯t respond. Her double eyelids slowly opened and blinked once.


    Yurt continued, trying to read her mind, ¡°But I think that¡¯s strange.¡±


    This time, there was the sound of Ober putting down utensils on the side.


    Now, Mrs. Chester and Ober focused on his voice.


    ¡°As you know, Duke Hubble used to send gifts to Empress Alesa, so it¡¯s not unusual.


    So, as her uncle, he must know she hates edged stuff. In fact, he never sent a common decorative dagger or jewelry tableware to the empress by mistake.¡±


    ¡°¡­ ¡±


    ¡°Furthermore, to the best of my knowledge, the prince used to collect wine bottles, paintings, and silk. He was not the type who could covet a sword¡­¡±


    Ober leaned back against the chair. A glass of wine in his hand was trembling in the air, with his gaze facing Yurt.


    As if he was sick and tired of doing business, Yurt¡¯s words had the power to stimulate their curiosity deep inside. Even though he was blinded by money and social status, he obviously didn¡¯t lose their gut feelings as a trader.


    ¡°Annette. I¡¯ve had enough, so let me go back to my room. I¡¯m too tired as I¡¯ve come a long way.¡±


    Calling a maid, Mrs. Chester stood up as if she seemed to have no questions. Annette quickly approached and supported her.


    ¡°Are you going back already? There¡¯s still a lot of food left. Why don¡¯t you try some more and listen to some more interesting stories?¡±


    ¡°Ober will treat you as a guest. So, enjoy!¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see. It was nice to see you after a long time. I¡¯ll see you again with a lot of things you like.¡±


    Mrs. Chester smiled slightly and laughed. But it disappeared quickly as soon as she turned back.


    Ober looked at her dramatic change of expression for a moment and looked down. Suddenly, he pursed his lips.


    ¡°You must be tired too¡­ I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t notice it. Can I go back and come back later?¡± Yurt asked, standing awkwardly.


    Ober did not immediately answer. He emptied the wine glass first, staring at him intensely.


    After a short but heavy silence, he said with a low voice, ¡°Okay, let me hear your interesting story on her behalf a little more.¡±

 Chapter 108

    Chapter 108: Chapter 108


    ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯s trying to shake up the succession plan.¡±


    With his back to the antique wooden door, Ober crossed his arms while listening to Yurt.


    He was leaning against the wall and looking inside the room like a slender black snake.


    ¡°The first prince Crown Prince Rashid is also Empress Alesa¡¯s biological son, right? Based on Yurt¡¯s explanation, Emperor Karim was also very fond of the crown prince until recently.¡±


    ¡°You bet. There¡¯s no reason for Alesa to pit her two sons against each other for the succession. One of them would end up being killed anyway. If they are unlucky, both might be killed.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m more suspicious. I understand Duke Hubble is known to have been the closest to Alesa among the late emperor¡¯s children. It¡¯s unnatural from him to give a strange gift that would draw the attention of the second prince. It¡¯s also very strange that he sent Empress Alesa a knife that she hated most¡­¡±


    Ober frowned as if he couldn¡¯t figure out the exact situation.


    ¡°Bale.¡±


    Sitting in front of the dressing table, she made eye contact with her son in the mirror.


    When his mother called his childhood pet name, Ober seemed very displeased.


    ¡°Was Duke Hubble responsible for the accident at Roshan?¡±


    ¡°It is an honour to me as you say so. I thought you would doubt me first.¡±


    ¡°If you were so dumb as to cause such an accident, I would have deserted you a long time ago.¡±


    ¡°If I had planned it, the emperor would not have come back alive like that. And you wouldn¡¯t have had that scar on your neck.¡±


    Ober pointed to her wounds with a look. She stroked the bandage around her neckline slowly. Her closed lips trembled faintly.


    ¡°As you said, Alesa is Duke Hubble¡¯s favorite nephew. She resembles the duke¡¯s sister, Empress Frida. After she was married to Emperor Faisal and left Aslan early, he took care of her by sending gifts in person every year. Accordingly, I don¡¯t think he intended to harm her or destroy her harmonious family. He is not a fool who is stupid enough to annoy the emperor of an ally with unreasonable intervention in its internal affairs.¡±


    Although Ober looked slightly dissatisfied, he nodded slightly as if he agreed.


    ¡°As for the gift, the fact that he sent a sword in particular¡­.¡±


    She seemed to have something more to say, but after hesitating briefly, she came to a new conclusion.


    ¡°Anyway, I think I know why Duke Hubble did it.¡±


    ¡°Tell me.¡±


    ¡°He wants to change the owner of the next throne.¡±


    Ober frowned again as if he couldn¡¯t understand the meaning of her remarks.


    ¡°But you just said he didn¡¯t seem to intend to destroy the peace of the Partiya family with unreasonable tricks.¡±


    ¡°Bale, you still don¡¯t know anything about Duke Hubble.¡±


    Only then did Mrs. Chester look back from her seat. Under her shiny dark red hair, her contrasting pale eyes shone violently.


    ¡°Why do you think the owner of the next throne that he wants to change is only in Faisal?¡±


    ***


    The next day, a guest entered the emperor¡¯s main palace. He was Ober with neatly-combed red hair, dressed in a stylish dark blue suit.


    He walked past a number of rooms guarded by attendants and walked the long hallway to the emperor¡¯s study. He was there an hour later than his appointment time, which was noon, but he didn¡¯t seem to be in a rush.


    His slow and periodic footsteps continued for a long time and finally stopped before the door.


    ¡°Welcome, Sir Ober.¡±


    The servant on security duty outside the door politely greeted him. Instead of replying, Ober raised the tip of his chin and looked at the door.


    But the door did not open. Nobody announced his rank and title to the emperor inside the study.


    ¡®Dang it. So annoying.¡¯


    Ober sighed and looked back at the servant. Although Ober didn¡¯t change his look much, he was obviously annoyed.


    Sensing his annoyance, the servant said quickly, ¡°His Excellency left a little while ago. He told me he would come back soon, so he conveyed his message you should wait here.¡±


    ¡°Where did he go?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know either.¡±


    It was an ambiguous answer. He glanced back at the hallway that he had walked so far.


    The long corridor that seemed endless filled his vision.


    The emperor¡¯s study was located on the innermost part of the main palace, close to his bedroom. There were few rooms around, but the rooms adjacent to the study were the emperor¡¯s private spaces which outsiders couldn¡¯t enter recklessly.


    It would be too annoying for Ober to go back and come back again, and he would be blamed if he entered any other room. He also didn¡¯t want to put off the appointment because he had lots of stuff to take care of, including one involving Duke Hubble. In the end, he sat on a simple chair next to the door without hiding his discomfort.


    He continued to wait in awkward silence.


    One minute became two, and soon it became five minutes, and then ten minutes quickly passed.


    ¡°Can I get you some tea?¡±


    ¡°No thanks.¡±


    He rejected the servant¡¯s favor and continued to wait another ten minutes. Suppressing the urge to kick the closed door right away, he waited another ten minutes.


    Ober now became so impatient like a volcano about to explode. Waiting for the emperor for about 30 minutes was not a big problem for most officials, but Ober couldn¡¯t stand it.


    So far, he was the man who had kept the emperor waiting, not vice versa.


    In formal meetings, such as cabinet meetings, or the official ceremony to welcome back the emperor, he could wait a long time as he was conscious of other officials. But he had never waited for the emperor this long in a private setting like today.


    Besides, the emperor was famous for being punctual. The reason that Kling who returned to the capital waited for a few hours to meet the emperor became a topic was because of the emperor. ¡°You said he would be back soon. How soon?¡±


    ¡°I do not know. As he said he would be back soon, I would guess he could come back within one hour¡­¡±


    ¡°One hour?¡±


    Ober eventually couldn¡¯t get the better of his anger and sprang to his feet.


    ¡°Of course, he can come back faster than that. I just wanted to tell you the approximate standard of ¡®soon¡¯ that you wondered about. Don¡¯t be too angry.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t know you guys here regarded one hour as the messy standard of ¡®soon.¡¯ I wish you had informed me about it in advance.¡±


    He ironically twisted his mouth.


    Time proved one¡¯s power. The reason Ober visited one hour later than the appointment time was also a kind of pressure because he wanted to confirm which side the weight of the scale was tilted further.


    Therefore, it was a war of nerves between them, which Ober thought would not benefit him. He stared at the servant sharply.


    ¡°As I am busy handling state affairs, let me go back. Please convey my message to the emperor clearly. I waited as many as thirty minutes here and went back. Tell him that I¡¯m going to assume I¡¯ve already received the award he promised.¡±


    ¡°Oh, His Majesty clearly told me you should wait here¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I have waited up to now. At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, they don¡¯t describe 30 minutes as ¡®soon.¡¯ And the emperor knows it very well, so keep your mouth shut and convey what I have just told you.¡±


    While the servant was at a loss about how to reply, Ober turned back, clicking his tongue.


    Right at the moment when he was leaving the study, there was heard a clicking sound.


    With an incredibly upbeat sound, the door that had been tightly closed opened.


    ¡°Harriot, please let him in as His Majesty has returned.¡±


    It was Deputy Chamberlain Kloud who stuck his face out through the door.


    He looked outwards and greeted Ober, who only barely looked around, clenching his teeth.


    ¡°Your Majesty, Sir Ober wants to see you,¡± announced Harriot with a loud voice.


    ¡°Let him in.¡±


    His approval came out fast and coldly as if he was waiting for Ober¡¯s visit.


    Ober burst into laughter at his announcement. With a displeased expression, he stared at Harriet and Kloud in turn.


    Kloud opened the door a bit more and stepped aside.


    His eyes were trembling with fury as if to tear apart everything within 1,000 years from his place. He forward a step, clasping his trembling hand tightly.


    The study was very quiet. Tall bookshelves were densely lined up like old trees.


    He walked after Kloud and vowed that if he later seized power, he would burn all of these useless large bookcases.


    ¡°¡­ May the glory of our god Airius be bestowed upon you. I, the Foreign Minister and Marquis Chester, am honored to meet you.¡±


    ¡°Stand up.¡±


    Eckart received his reluctant greetings and put down the quill in his left hand.


    ¡°Did you have anything unusual this morning?¡±


    ¡°¡­ No.¡±


    ¡°I was worried that something bad happened at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs because I waited for you for a long time.¡±


    ¡°¡­ I¡¯m sorry. ¡°

 Chapter 109

    Chapter 109: Chapter 108


    ¡°Okay. Anyway, I kept you waiting outside¡­ I waited for you in vain, so I handled urgent affairs first before coming back.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really? I didn¡¯t see you coming back.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because you went in and out of the first floor, while I went in and out of the second floor. Do you think there is only one door in this spacious study?¡±


    There were a few more doors, as he said, but Ober didn¡¯t believe it at all.


    Not only around Eckart¡¯s desk, but anywhere in his study, Ober could not find any evidence of his bustling movement in a short time. He smelled a rat because Eckart first pointed out he came late and that Kloud abruptly interrupted them.


    Ober thought that Eckart had been blatantly watching his actions while sitting here in his study.


    He must have instructed the servant something in advance, waiting for Ober to go back in a fit of anger until his patience ran out. And then right at the moment he turned, Eckart called him to his study.


    ¡°So, why did you call me?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you remember I told you I would repay my debt of gratitude to you?¡±


    Asking him casually, he picked up a teacup on the desk.


    ¡°I was agonized over what kind of award to give you. Everybody in the capital knows you¡¯re very picky. As you grew up, seeing and possessing only the best stuff, I wouldn¡¯t be able to save my face if I gave you an ordinary gift.¡±


    Ober looked at him without replying. He didn¡¯t even show any indication that he would gladly receive any gift from the emperor.


    ¡°So I decided to give you what only I can give.¡±


    Eckart did not point out his rudeness. Instead, he emptied the teacup and put it down. The medicine that smelled of grass went down on his throat with the fragrance of dark flower tea.


    ¡°You must have heard of the incident at Roshan. It was very terrible.¡±


    His low voice pressed down on his heart heavily. When he stopped speaking on and off, his intense anger shone like a flame.


    ¡°Although the cardinal said it was a trial that God gave me to prepare a miracle, I am only a human. You might not even imagine how painful it was when my flesh and bones were torn.¡±


    Ober found a lump of emotions that were hard to describe in writing in his blue eyes and low voice. It was like a terrible horror, or his true feelings with a murderous spirit.


    Ober suddenly questioned his character.


    ¡®When did the emperor start to express his feelings in this way?¡¯


    Even if the scheduled cabinet meetings were cancelled without any reason, or when he incited provincial mayors to ignore his edicts, Eckart never showed his anger. When he realized that acknowledging his weaknesses could be abused by his opponents, he did not cry even at the funerals of the late emperor and empress.


    Ober couldn¡¯t understand at all why this same person was now kindly talking about his defeat and tragedy.


    ¡°Many people left behind in the capital prayed for you and Lady Marianne¡¯s safe return, expressing their concern about your safety. I am sorry that I could not help you out in that turmoil.¡±


    ¡°Wow, you are an excellent example of a loyal servant. I understand why the late emperor valued you, Chester.¡±


    As Ober tried to make plausible excuses, Eckart mocked him with feigned flattery. He even faintly smiled at Ober.


    ¡°Your mother also told me she thought there seemed to be people involved and people responsible for the accident, but she said it was difficult to conclude clearly.¡±


    ¡°I think you probably said so because you could never know the exact cause of the accident without a thorough investigation.¡±


    ¡°You bet. I think it¡¯s a complicated and difficult matter. So, the Grand Duke, chief of the Eluang Knights, asked to form a separate investigation team, but I refused his request.¡±


    ¡°The Great Duke is a man of integrity, so there are lots of knights following him. If anybody forms an investigation team, I think he would be the perfect candidate.¡±


    ¡°Well, I thought there was another man better suited to dealing with this accident.¡±


    Eckart smiled softly as he lowered his eyebrows. His smile, which would have looked ecstatic to his fans, seemed to be a gruesome ridicule to Ober.


    ¡°Investigate what happened in Roshan on my behalf!¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty!¡±


    Ober kept a straight face. But Eckart did not give him any chance to talk back.


    ¡°I want you to investigate and find out clearly whether it was really an accident or a treacherous rebellion, so you can ally the concern of the empire and enhance your honor.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Didn¡¯t you want to give me the award? This is too honorable a task for me. I think you can find a better candidate.¡±


    ¡°You are a faithful servant not only for me but also for Lady Marianne. Among those injured in the Roshan¡¯s accident was Mrs. Chester, so you will be prudent in dealing with her. As you are the youngest and smartest of the top five cabinet members, you can start the investigation immediately. As my late father and emperor highly valued your talents, who can I find a better candidate than you?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Furthermore, it is a great task to find out the roots of treason, whose credit can¡¯t be compared with any other task. That¡¯s why I¡¯m going to give you a chance to obtain the highest honor and credit this time.¡±


    After he was done instructing Ober, Eckart beckoned to Kloud. Kloud approached Ober with a small gold plate placed at the edge of the desk.


    ¡°This is the commission of full power that entrusts you with full authority and respect to the special investigation.¡±


    Although Eckart was done, Ober did not move for a while. Eckart did not press him either.


    Breathless silence filled the room. The sound of the air blowing in through the slightly open window was heard.


    After a long hesitation, Ober picked up the golden envelope on the gold plate. As if he pondered over something, there was a strange calm in his expressionless face.


    ¡°If you do not intend to withdraw your intention, I¡¯ll gladly accept your order.¡±


    ¡°I hope you won¡¯t betray my deep trust in you.¡±


    Eckart smiled while encouraging him. The smile on his face was the most satisfying and pleasant one Ober had ever seen.


    After meeting the emperor, Ober left the study immediately. The heel of his shoes made a sharp rubbing sound as if it could damage the floor of the corridor.


    ¡®Arrogant bastard! Are you going to use me as a hunting dog?¡¯


    The golden envelope in his hand was crumpled miserably when he tightened his grip on it.


    He wasn¡¯t scared at all even after he crumpled the mandate from the emperor.


    Even in the absence of this kind of mandate, Ober always enjoyed power comparable to that of the emperor. This was just a piece of paper that he could burn right away.


    ¡®I don¡¯t know why you have assigned me to this task, but it¡¯s a miscalculation if you think I¡¯ll follow your will. I would have removed you from power but for Empress Alesa¡­¡±


    Ober quickened his pace, clicking his tongue as if he was extremely displeased.


    The corner of the crumpled envelope pricked the palm of his hand.


    He already knew who was responsible for the accident, namely Duke Hubble. But there was no possibility that Duke Hubble left any useful evidence related to the accident, and he was not interested at all in the supreme honor that the emperor promised to give him. Neither was his personal revenge for his mother, nor his agreement to seek justice or truth.


    In other words, as long as Ober was in charge of the investigation, it was certain that there would be no proper investigation. Even the emperor, who entrusted him with the job against his will, would probably know this.


    ¡®Why did he leave me with this investigation?¡¯


    Ober was among the three figures that the emperor suspected most.


    How could he dare to entrust Ober with the full power of the investigation?


    It was an overly dangerous gamble from the emperor¡¯s point of view.


    It was a kind of gambling aiming for a golden apple that would cause the internal division of Ober¡¯s faction. But if his bet went wrong, it meant that his enemy would hold the sword against him.


    That¡¯s why Ober felt more uncomfortable. The reason he accepted the emperor¡¯s request was because he wanted to prepare for Duke Hubble¡¯s shrewd dirty trick, but there was no possibility that the emperor would ever know this. Even for Ober, who had a vast network of spies in the capital and each region, just made the decision to cope with Hubbles¡¯ trick.


    ¡®Was there any other line of information that I didn¡¯t catch? Or was I lucky this time? If not¡­¡±


    While walking, lost in thought, Ober stopped slowly. He walked so fast that he didn¡¯t even know he was already out of the main building of the palace.


    Bright sunlight poured over the stairs made of marble. Covering his eyes with hands to avoid sunlight, he looked around when he found someone coming toward him by crossing the central garden.

 Chapter 110

    Chapter 110: Chapter 109


    ¡°Okay. Anyway, I kept you waiting outside¡­ I waited for you in vain, so I handled urgent affairs first before coming back.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really? I didn¡¯t see you coming back.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because you went in and out of the first floor, while I went in and out of the second floor. Do you think there is only one door in this spacious study?¡±


    There were a few more doors, as he said, but Ober didn¡¯t believe it at all.


    Not only around Eckart¡¯s desk, but anywhere in his study, Ober could not find any evidence of his bustling movement in a short time. He smelled a rat because Eckart first pointed out he came late and that Kloud abruptly interrupted them.


    Ober thought that Eckart had been blatantly watching his actions while sitting here in his study.


    He must have instructed the servant something in advance, waiting for Ober to go back in a fit of anger until his patience ran out. And then right at the moment he turned, Eckart called him to his study.


    ¡°So, why did you call me?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you remember I told you I would repay my debt of gratitude to you?¡±


    Asking him casually, he picked up a teacup on the desk.


    ¡°I was agonized over what kind of award to give you. Everybody in the capital knows you¡¯re very picky. As you grew up, seeing and possessing only the best stuff, I wouldn¡¯t be able to save my face if I gave you an ordinary gift.¡±


    Ober looked at him without replying. He didn¡¯t even show any indication that he would gladly receive any gift from the emperor.


    ¡°So I decided to give you what only I can give.¡±


    Eckart did not point out his rudeness. Instead, he emptied the teacup and put it down. The medicine that smelled of grass went down on his throat with the fragrance of dark flower tea.


    ¡°You must have heard of the incident at Roshan. It was very terrible.¡±


    His low voice pressed down on his heart heavily. When he stopped speaking on and off, his intense anger shone like a flame.


    ¡°Although the cardinal said it was a trial that God gave me to prepare a miracle, I am only a human. You might not even imagine how painful it was when my flesh and bones were torn.¡±


    Ober found a lump of emotions that were hard to describe in writing in his blue eyes and low voice. It was like a terrible horror, or his true feelings with a murderous spirit.


    Ober suddenly questioned his character.


    ¡®When did the emperor start to express his feelings in this way?¡¯


    Even if the scheduled cabinet meetings were cancelled without any reason, or when he incited provincial mayors to ignore his edicts, Eckart never showed his anger. When he realized that acknowledging his weaknesses could be abused by his opponents, he did not cry even at the funerals of the late emperor and empress.


    Ober couldn¡¯t understand at all why this same person was now kindly talking about his defeat and tragedy.


    ¡°Many people left behind in the capital prayed for you and Lady Marianne¡¯s safe return, expressing their concern about your safety. I am sorry that I could not help you out in that turmoil.¡±


    ¡°Wow, you are an excellent example of a loyal servant. I understand why the late emperor valued you, Chester.¡±


    As Ober tried to make plausible excuses, Eckart mocked him with feigned flattery. He even faintly smiled at Ober.


    ¡°Your mother also told me she thought there seemed to be people involved and people responsible for the accident, but she said it was difficult to conclude clearly.¡±


    ¡°I think you probably said so because you could never know the exact cause of the accident without a thorough investigation.¡±


    ¡°You bet. I think it¡¯s a complicated and difficult matter. So, the Grand Duke, chief of the Eluang Knights, asked to form a separate investigation team, but I refused his request.¡±


    ¡°The Great Duke is a man of integrity, so there are lots of knights following him. If anybody forms an investigation team, I think he would be the perfect candidate.¡±


    ¡°Well, I thought there was another man better suited to dealing with this accident.¡±


    Eckart smiled softly as he lowered his eyebrows. His smile, which would have looked ecstatic to his fans, seemed to be a gruesome ridicule to Ober.


    ¡°Investigate what happened in Roshan on my behalf!¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty!¡±


    Ober kept a straight face. But Eckart did not give him any chance to talk back.


    ¡°I want you to investigate and find out clearly whether it was really an accident or a treacherous rebellion, so you can ally the concern of the empire and enhance your honor.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Didn¡¯t you want to give me the award? This is too honorable a task for me. I think you can find a better candidate.¡±


    ¡°You are a faithful servant not only for me but also for Lady Marianne. Among those injured in the Roshan¡¯s accident was Mrs. Chester, so you will be prudent in dealing with her. As you are the youngest and smartest of the top five cabinet members, you can start the investigation immediately. As my late father and emperor highly valued your talents, who can I find a better candidate than you?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Furthermore, it is a great task to find out the roots of treason, whose credit can¡¯t be compared with any other task. That¡¯s why I¡¯m going to give you a chance to obtain the highest honor and credit this time.¡±


    After he was done instructing Ober, Eckart beckoned to Kloud. Kloud approached Ober with a small gold plate placed at the edge of the desk.


    ¡°This is the commission of full power that entrusts you with full authority and respect to the special investigation.¡±


    Although Eckart was done, Ober did not move for a while. Eckart did not press him either.


    Breathless silence filled the room. The sound of the air blowing in through the slightly open window was heard.


    After a long hesitation, Ober picked up the golden envelope on the gold plate. As if he pondered over something, there was a strange calm in his expressionless face.


    ¡°If you do not intend to withdraw your intention, I¡¯ll gladly accept your order.¡±


    ¡°I hope you won¡¯t betray my deep trust in you.¡±


    Eckart smiled while encouraging him. The smile on his face was the most satisfying and pleasant one Ober had ever seen.


    After meeting the emperor, Ober left the study immediately. The heel of his shoes made a sharp rubbing sound as if it could damage the floor of the corridor.


    ¡®Arrogant bastard! Are you going to use me as a hunting dog?¡¯


    The golden envelope in his hand was crumpled miserably when he tightened his grip on it.


    He wasn¡¯t scared at all even after he crumpled the mandate from the emperor.


    Even in the absence of this kind of mandate, Ober always enjoyed power comparable to that of the emperor. This was just a piece of paper that he could burn right away.


    ¡®I don¡¯t know why you have assigned me to this task, but it¡¯s a miscalculation if you think I¡¯ll follow your will. I would have removed you from power but for Empress Alesa¡­¡±


    Ober quickened his pace, clicking his tongue as if he was extremely displeased.


    The corner of the crumpled envelope pricked the palm of his hand.


    He already knew who was responsible for the accident, namely Duke Hubble. But there was no possibility that Duke Hubble left any useful evidence related to the accident, and he was not interested at all in the supreme honor that the emperor promised to give him. Neither was his personal revenge for his mother, nor his agreement to seek justice or truth.


    In other words, as long as Ober was in charge of the investigation, it was certain that there would be no proper investigation. Even the emperor, who entrusted him with the job against his will, would probably know this.


    ¡®Why did he leave me with this investigation?¡¯


    Ober was among the three figures that the emperor suspected most.


    How could he dare to entrust Ober with the full power of the investigation?


    It was an overly dangerous gamble from the emperor¡¯s point of view.


    It was a kind of gambling aiming for a golden apple that would cause the internal division of Ober¡¯s faction. But if his bet went wrong, it meant that his enemy would hold the sword against him.


    That¡¯s why Ober felt more uncomfortable. The reason he accepted the emperor¡¯s request was because he wanted to prepare for Duke Hubble¡¯s shrewd dirty trick, but there was no possibility that the emperor would ever know this. Even for Ober, who had a vast network of spies in the capital and each region, just made the decision to cope with Hubbles¡¯ trick.


    ¡®Was there any other line of information that I didn¡¯t catch? Or was I lucky this time? If not¡­¡±


    While walking, lost in thought, Ober stopped slowly. He walked so fast that he didn¡¯t even know he was already out of the main building of the palace.


    Bright sunlight poured over the stairs made of marble. Covering his eyes with hands to avoid sunlight, he looked around when he found someone coming toward him by crossing the central garden.

 Chapter 111

    Chapter 111: Chapter 110


    ¡°Sir Chester, if you¡¯re going back to the mansion right now¡­¡±


    ¡°No. wait for me here.¡±


    Ober coldly passed by the servant waiting for him at the entrance of the main palace.


    Just looking ahead, he walked down the stairs.


    The approaching shadow also slowed down its pace as if it also sensed Ober¡¯s slow pace.


    ¡°I¡¯m honored to see you, Lady Marianne,¡± Ober bowed to her elegantly.


    ¡°May God bless you. Please get up, sir.¡±


    Marianne hurriedly answered and asked him to stand up. Poibe, sitting on her arm, flew over and landed lightly on her shoulder.


    ¡°I was sorry yesterday. His Majesty recommended so strongly, I couldn¡¯t reject it¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. As he made the decision in consideration of your fatigue from the long journey, I think you would find it difficult to reject it.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for understanding.¡±


    Marianne smiled brightly as if she was pleased. Cordelli, who supported her, looked at him with an unpleasant expression and laughed awkwardly after discovering that she smiled.


    ¡°Are you on your way to see the emperor?¡± asked Ober.


    ¡°Yeah. He wanted to discuss with me about the reception of our engagement ceremony¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah, you had an engagement ceremony. I was so surprised that I even forgot the purpose of your journey to Roshan.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. If you¡¯re busy, you can sleep on it. As you said, so many terrible things happened. I still don¡¯t realize that I have been engaged.¡±


    While hearing her reply, Ober lowered his gaze slightly. The engagement ring on her left hand sparkled in the sun.


    He recalled Mrs. Chester¡¯s warning last night.


    ¡°Bale, don¡¯t underestimate her. Too much trust will make you pay the dear price by all means. Love and vow are fleeting. Fear is the only weapon that will keep your power.¡±


    ¡°How was your engagement ceremony? I heard you held a simple ceremony because the emperor was injured. Despite both of you were happy throughout the ceremony, I hear.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°You may not have had a ton of aftereffects of the accident ¡ª I¡¯m glad you look okay and mature. I heard that you went out of your way to save the emperor while you were missing. Indeed, you have all the qualifications of the next empress.¡±


    ¡°Not that¡­¡±


    Marianne didn¡¯t finish; she had a troubled face.


    Ober smiled softly and looked down at her. Ridicule and discomfort were always hidden in his kind smile.


    ¡°Can you give me some time? I have something to say to you.¡±


    In the end, Marianne gave in. Asking Cordelli to excuse her, she hurriedly led Ober to the shade of the garden.


    The central garden in front of the main palace was large and spacious. Unlike the back garden, which was the emperor¡¯s private garden, it served as an intersection that could lead anywhere in the Lucio Imperial Palace. There were often lots of knights and a bunch of maids seen passing by the sculptures along the artificial waterway next to the garden.


    Marianne pulled Ober into the shadow of the nearest sculpture. Poibe, sitting on her shoulder, flew away.


    When she looked at the other side of the waterway, there were several attendants who were going back for a shift duty after lunch.


    ¡°I was going to tell you later when I met you, but I think I have to tell you because you misunderstood so much.¡±


    Ober crumbled his eyebrows, blocking her in front of a statue. His big shadow pressed on her heavily.


    ¡°Misunderstanding? Did you say I misunderstood you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you are misunderstanding me a lot.¡±


    As she didn¡¯t convince him, there was some ridicule in his ashen eyes.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you remember what I told you before? I said I wanted to go back to you¡­¡±


    ¡°Of course I remember it. It¡¯s a vain promise now, of course.¡±


    ¡°Why do you think it¡¯s a vain promise? Sir, are you trying to give me up?¡±


    She reached out and grabbed his upper arms. Standing right next to him, she was much closer to him now.


    Ober twisted his mouth and squeezed her wrist and slowly let it go. He did it indifferently as if he were taking off a worm or a leaf stuck on his arm.


    ¡°Give up? Didn¡¯t you give me up? It¡¯s me, not you, who betrayed my trust.¡±


    ¡°No! I was engaged to the emperor to keep my promise to you!¡±


    She shouted with a perplexed look.


    Partly because her voice was too loud or partly because what she said was too absurd, Ober looked around with a frown. While looking at a group of servants over there with a sharp gaze, he looked back at her.


    ¡°You know that emperor and I fell from the falls because of a wagon accident, right? And you also know that he was seriously injured, right?¡±


    Ober nodded once with suspicious eyes.


    ¡°It was a terrible night. The rescue team didn¡¯t arrive that day. I was with the emperor alone.


    There was no doctor, no maid, no knight. I was so scared that I was crying for a while. Then, the emperor suggested an offer.¡±


    ¡°Offer?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. He promised that if he and I can go back alive like a miracle and hold the engagement ceremony safely, he can cancel his planned marriage with me before the wedding ceremony.


    Although he can¡¯t cancel it right away because of the dignity of the imperial family, he promised to break off the marriage by all means, saying my reward for having saved his life was greater than I imagined.¡±


    Each time she added explanation, his expression was strangely distorted. He soon made an expression that was neither smiling, nor frowning.


    ¡°So, you tried to save the emperor and got engaged in a good mood to curry favor with him?¡±


    ¡°Yes! It¡¯s a huge opportunity. If the emperor breaks off his engagement, my honor and my family¡¯s honor may be disgraced a bit, but what use is that honor if I can return to you?¡±


    She tried to persuade Ober with a desperate look. She grabbed the collars of his stiff coat with both hands and pulled them so that he could only focus on her without paying attention to other things at the moment.


    ¡°Ober. You love me, right? Even if my name and my honor are disgraced a bit, you want me even without that, right?¡±


    He did not immediately answer.


    He looked down at her for a long time, who was desperately begging for his understanding. But when he was not persuaded. After all, there was a faint smile on his twisted mouth.


    ¡°Haha. How naive you are¡­¡±


    What was reflected in his ashen eyes was a feeling of relief. It also looked like contempt or shallow sympathy.


    ¡°Lady Marianne¡­No, Marie.¡±


    He called her pet name with a low voice. The smile on his face quickly disappeared.


    Then he slowly lowered his body. She shrugged her shoulders because of his hot breath that she felt around her ears.


    ¡°If you really wanted to come back to me, you should have returned alive alone when you fell from Benoit Falls.¡±


    He recited advice close to rebellion with a creepy low voice.


    She blinked her eyes unnaturally, as if she did not immediately understand his words.


    She tried to move her lips as intended.


    Ober raised his body and came closer to her. When he put his left arm on the statue, she couldn¡¯t move. A shady and big shadow, which was too dark for a human body, covered her forehead.


    ¡°What are you talking about¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you think the emperor really will keep that promise? Do you think he will let go of you smoothly when he has already announced his fiancee to the whole empire? Besides, you have already been engaged to him at the temple.¡±


    ¡°¡­ ¡±


    ¡°He can¡¯t. The emperor deceived you. If he can come back to Milan alive, he can break any promise he made without any witnesses.¡±


    ¡°Oh no. He clearly promised¡­¡±


    ¡°Marie. The emperor is different from me. It¡¯s not because he loves you that he wants to have you as his wife by even abusing the power of the imperial family. What he wants is your family, your honor, your wealth, and¡­¡±


    Ober deliberately fumbled his words. He knew silence was a more useful weapon than any word at this moment.


    He was a good hunter, and she was a very good game. She was already a trapped animal, and a weak herbivore would not even dare to run away. Even if she ran away, he was confident that he would be able to catch her again at any time.


    And Marianne wanted him to believe her even if he continued to despise her.


    Marianne, not the fake Marianne that Ober was seeing now, but the real Marianne, who was doing a good job of a foolish scapegoat, clenched her fist, trembling at his brazen-faced threat.


    Although only one month had passed, she grew beyond what Ober could imagine. Unless he attacked her with physical violence such as putting a knife on her neck right now, his threats and lies would no longer hurt Marianne. She was now confident that she would not fall for his lies.


    ¡°Think about this. Why do you think Duke Kling has been stuck in the castle of Lennox up until now?¡± Ober asked. In fact, this was not a lie.

 Chapter 112

    Chapter 112: Chapter 111


    Marianne was speechless at his question and shut up. She rolled her green eyes slowly, pretending to be calm.


    ¡®Why did he suddenly mention my father? What does my father¡¯s secluded life in the estate have anything to do with this? He must be plotting some dirty trick¡­ ¡®


    Hesitating for a moment, she decided to give him the most obvious and safe answer.


    ¡°¡­ My father hates fighting. So, he tried to stay away from the political strife in the capital.¡±


    ¡°Political strife doesn¡¯t know the place. It can happen everywhere. Besides, Duke Kling was the late emperor¡¯s best friend. In other words, he could pull the strings if he wanted to. With such honor and power, he could sway politics even if stayed in his residence at Lennox Castle.¡±


    Ober contradicted her claim right away.


    ¡°Well, he might have wanted to focus on governing his own castle as the lord.¡±


    ¡°It may be the answer to his rejection of the emperor¡¯s offer, but it¡¯s inappropriate for his long secluded life. In addition, Lennox Castle, unlike the Kling Castle, is not a territory that has been handed down for generations, but a surrogate estate of the late empress. Granted it was the emperor¡¯s order, but was the land that one day had to be returned to the imperial family more important than the hereditary land of his family?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because¡­¡±


    ¡°Besides, it is the land where Duke Kling lost his beloved wife. It¡¯s not a good place for him to feel any attachment.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Marianne bit her lower lip without finishing her words.


    In her previous life, she would have argued with Ober that he misunderstood her father. But now she could not be confident that he was wrong.


    ¡°I know well that Duke Kling cares for you like his life. That¡¯s why I would like to say¡­¡±


    Ober wrapped his arms around her shoulders as if he was worried about her. Oddly, some strange warmth from his body pressed her shoulders like a rock.


    ¡°Sons and daughters of families with similar social statuses get married usually. It has been customary for the daughters and sons of dukes to marry their counterparts of the imperial restraint. In addition, Duke Kling and the late emperor were two close friends. So, they must have talked about the marriage of their son and daughter.¡±


    Marianne took pains to avoid Ober¡¯s eyes. She tried not to listen to him.


    Anyway, what he said was a lie. Ober was the type of man who used falsehood as a weapon rather than trust. He could plan any scheme to harm the emperor, his father and her.


    ¡°And you are the only daughter among those daughters of influential duke families who can marry the emperor now.¡±


    But unlike her reason, her body and mind began to be swayed by Ober¡¯s words.


    ¡°But why hasn¡¯t your father mentioned your marriage so far? Traditionally, marriage with somebody is arranged right after you turn ten, and then you get formally married when you come of age. Then, why did your father hide you in the castle of Lennox and didn¡¯t allow you to appear in the social gatherings in the capital?¡±


    ¡°Well, perhaps because he wanted to keep you by his side all his life? If not¡­ ¡±


    As if he knew everything about her, Ober stroked her pale cheeks with his long fingers.


    The raw skin on her face became slightly red as if it responded to his touch. While laughing, he tilted his head more inward. His hands around her face forcibly fixed her eyes.


    Finally, they made eye contact before they knew it.


    ¡°Just because he couldn¡¯t send me off to the emperor at the sacrifice of a nobleman or a knight?¡±


    In the end, their game was decided on the chessboard.


    ¡°Marie. Duke Kling may already have known that perhaps the emperor wants to make you, your father, and your family unhappy forever.¡±


    ¡®That¡¯s ridiculous nonsense!¡¯


    Marianne thought so, and let go of his lapel she had been holding unconsciously. Her hands quickly slipped and grabbed the frills of her dress.


    ¡°From now on, come to your senses clearly and run away as best you can!¡±


    Only then did Ober raise his tilted body to stand up. He adjusted his clothes and took a long breath. It was a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Come close to me.¡±


    Soon he kissed her elegantly, holding her hands. His hot breath and eyes penetrated her thin gloves. She simply stared into his dangerous ashen eyes.


    * * *


    ¡°¡­ Marianne, can¡¯t you hear me?¡±


    His low and elegant voice kept echoing into her ears.


    Stunned, she turned her head suddenly. Eckart was staring at her, resting his chin on his hand.


    ¡°Pardon? What did you just say?¡±


    ¡°I asked what it is the stone or iron that you are melting in the glass now.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    She put down the spoon she was mechanically stirring at the moment. The opium powder mixed with the tea had already melted long ago. As the amount of opium was much less than the first time, the smell was not so strong. Nonetheless, it was natural that the emperor could use such a parable.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was absent-minded for a moment¡­¡±


    Marianne pushed the white porcelain mug with blue flowers in front of Eckart.


    Eckart took a mug and slightly frowned.


    ¡°What were you thinking about?¡±


    ¡°Well, just¡­¡± Marianne looked around with a shy expression.


    She was in his study where there were many towering bookshelves that looked like a mountain range. Among the small windows with layers of curtains, only the glass window next to the desk where the two sat side by side was opened wide to bask in the sun. Poibe often trotted on a cleanly-polished window frame.


    ¡°I thought your study was great and cool. It¡¯s like a forest of knowledge. I really feel great here because books smell good¡­¡±


    Although Eckart did not entirely believe her words, he just swallowed the herbal tea instead of asking her why. It was a silver cup that could hold typical poison, but he did not confirm the right dosage of opium mixed in it, nor did he complain or go through the usual procedures of scrutinizing the medicine.


    Meanwhile, Marianne quickly noticed a small piece of chocolate on a fork.


    ¡°¡­ If you want, I¡¯ll make a study of this size for you. There¡¯s a library in the ladies¡¯ palace too, but it¡¯s a little smaller than this one. Or I can renovate or add an annex to the Elior Mansion¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, no! The study of the Elior Mansion is big enough for me. This kind of study is too big for me.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to decline my offer. When the new owner moves in formally, the mansion needs a total renovation anyway. If you become the empress, you may have a lot of new books to buy.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t really need it. Anyway, this library here has almost all the books published in the empire, right? If I want to read one, I can stop by. I¡¯m not interested in collecting books. Are you going to build a separate library for me because my presence here is inconvenient for you? Then, I can see you in the parlor, or send a list of books to Sir Kloud¡­¡±


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t have to go through that.¡± Eckart cut off her words resolutely.


    ¡°If you have any questions or concerns, just come and see me directly. As there are lots of watchful eyes in the parlor, it¡¯s much better for me to see you here in my study.¡±


    There was a strangely cool energy in his pleasant low voice. Given his tone, it sounded like scolding at first glance, but she rather took it as his awkward request.


    Thinking it was really strange, she looked at his eyes again and said, ¡°Okay, then. Build one for me.¡± As expected, she saw there was no more of the stern look in his eyes as soon as she replied in the positive. She didn¡¯t hide the smile on her lips.


    Eckart looked at her sudden smile with a suspicious look.


    ¡°Marianne, why are you laughing all of a sudden?¡±


    ¡°Because I like it.¡±


    ¡°Like it?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Her clear and forthright answer helped to stop him from frowning further.


    Although he felt her reply was very absurd, he eagerly tried to hide his feelings.


    ¡°I just don¡¯t know what part of our dialogue pleased you. Are you happy because of my offer to build a new library for you or because your offer to see me at the parlor was rejected?¡±


    ¡°Nope. How can I be happy with that?¡±


    ¡°They why¡­¡±


    ¡°Just because I like you.¡±


    She answered quickly and smiled. He was speechless for a moment and looked at her blankly.


    Her green eyes were refreshing like the fresh green of early summer, and the smile on her mouth was clean and lovely. Her face was just good enough to tell no lie or contain no malice.


    Her honest eyes and even breathing proved that what she said was true.


    ¡®¡­ Damn it. What am I talking about now?¡¯


    He even felt resentful about her, who was not looking at him with an innocent smile.


    ¡°Oh, as for the engagement reception. You asked me to pick any one I want, right?¡±

 Chapter 113

    Chapter 113: Chapter 112


    Marianne changed the topic without knowing what he was thinking deep inside at the moment. Eckart stared at her as she had brought up a new topic shamelessly, and eventually only breathed a long sigh as if he gave in.


    ¡°¡­ Okay. So, have you chosen one?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ve given it a thought, and I think we can hold the reception as a martial arts event.¡±


    ¡°Martial arts event?¡±


    She nodded without any reservation. He suddenly asked seriously while pressing his stinging temple, ¡°You¡¯re not going to participate in the event, are you?¡±


    ¡°No way! I¡¯m not talented in martial arts at all. I¡¯m a woman who knows my place very well.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m glad to hear that!¡±


    She pouted her lips at his dumb reply. However, she quickly calmed down and leaned over his desk. Her familiar red diamond necklace shook and sparkled in front of her arms supporting her body.


    ¡°At first, I thought you said that because you hated Iric, but when I looked back, I thought you didn¡¯t say that with any personal feelings.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Eckart immediately made a perplexed expression. She quickly continued even before he took issue with her remarks.


    ¡°You are right. Iric can¡¯t always be with me. Today, I was worried about him, so I let him use his vacation leave. How can a person work for 24 hours straight?¡±


    ¡°¡­ It¡¯s not necessarily impossible, but it¡¯s usually too demanding.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not just too demanding, but impossible. No, it¡¯s impossible. If you have Curtis in mind right now, don¡¯t even think about him as an example, please. Sir Curtis is an exception. He¡¯s weird. How can a person run around in the high mountains all day without drinking a sip of water or sleeping? He moved around in the mountains with you on his back for as long as four hours. And then he stood on security guard the next morning. Can anybody do it like him?¡±


    ¡°Um¡­¡±


    ¡°And I saw it myself. When Sir Curtis is walking, I don¡¯t hear any sound. It looks like he¡¯s nowhere, but he always stands by your side. He really looks like a ghost. Is he hiding somewhere here? If he really is, please ask him to listen to me. If he wants to stand by His Excellency, he has to take care of himself well. He seems to think his body is like stone. We¡¯re all fragile humans¡­¡±


    ¡°Marianne, I know you are wasting your breath, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Look, I¡¯m not worried about him without any reason. I¡¯m also worried about you. Why are you writing again when your arm was broken? I would have asked Cordelli even to feed me. He has to ask for help when he needs it. I just have no idea how he takes after his master so much¡­¡±


    She sighed and grumbled without hesitation.


    Eckart couldn¡¯t figure out how to react to her naive and gentle, but rude words. He casually looked around once and lifted the mug and quenched his thirst.


    ¡°Anyway, thanks for understanding my position, but I would like to make it clear that I didn¡¯t do that because I didn¡¯t want your protection.¡±


    ¡°Well, I think you were so radical when you received his greetings first.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because¡­¡±


    As soon as he opened his mouth as if to clarify, she lifted her upper body. She clapped her hands and folded her fingers naturally.


    ¡°Of course, I know. You needed to do so back then. I understand it now. But I was very surprised when I just stood there, watching you that day. Iric must have been much more surprised as you threw a sword at him. So, I decided that even if Iric spoke ill of you behind your back, I would not tell you that.¡±


    She laughed playfully and put her chin slightly over her folded hands.


    ¡°¡­ Do you still remember that sometimes?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Where would I go and see right before my eyes a nobleman throwing a sword? It wasn¡¯t not only special but shocking to me. Now I know you didn¡¯t mean to harm him at that time, but my heart sank when I saw you throwing the sword at him.¡±


    There was a heavier atmosphere hanging over Eckart¡¯s shoulders. He was accustomed to catching the intentions of anyone¡¯s words, and as a result he often found himself lost in thoughts.


    In rational aspects, Marianne¡¯s words were her light complaints. Her voice was not overly dark, her eyes didn¡¯t turn sharp, and she didn¡¯t use any words suggesting her betrayal or revenge. She was just recalling some episodes about Iric while she was talking about her past, and she expressed her big surprise at the time. That was it.


    If anybody involved in politics or official duty had made such remarks, Eckart would not have cared as much. For example, if his actions surprised the other party, he could just express regrets, no more, no less. If anybody disturbed his mind by recalling past events, it would never be strange for Eckart to punish that man.


    But the person right before him was was Marianne.


    She was like a thorn in his side who disturbed his routine life. Whether he wanted it or not, she was like a mutant that always made him resort to the magic of exceptions and irregularities. She made him care about trifling things, ask for forgiveness for what he never did wrong, and feel scared about disappointing even one person¡­


    Eckart, who hesitated for a moment, was finally done rationalizing poorly about


    what he had done.


    In its own way, it was kind of an indulgence for what he had to say next.


    ¡°Marianne, I still think my test of Iric was a must on that day. Maybe he will agree to it now.


    Even if you go back to those days, I will make the same decision.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I thought you would do so.¡±


    ¡°But whatever the reason, if you were bothered by that, I apologize because I was responsible for that. So, I promise not to blame you even if you blame me.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    This time she didn¡¯t reply readily as before.


    ¡°And I forgive you in advance, even if you heard Iric speaking about me disrespectfully and didn¡¯t tell me about it.¡±


    This time she tilted her head slightly over her folded hands, her gaze still fixed on his eyes.


    He began to be defenseless, faced with her stern gaze. He couldn¡¯t think straight.


    What he said a moment ago was clearly the best in his judgement. It was kind of his self-reflection for an emperor like him. He apologized for his excessive actions back then, promised he would be responsible and even pardoned her future crime.


    Nevertheless, he felt uncomfortable. All kinds of assumptions burst like firecrackers in his mind.


    ¡®Didn¡¯t my words ring true? Or did I apologize too late? Or did I make a frown? Or was my voice rather harsh? If not¡­¡¯


    ¡°Your Majesty.¡±


    She called him with a slightly lower voice.


    At that moment, he thought of what she expected to say next: dissatisfaction, disappointment, blame, disgust, pretense, etc. All kinds of her negative reactions that he could imagine came to his mind randomly and strangled his throat. And he was resigned to accept anything she would say to him.


    Actually, it was an inevitable result. He was a prince who learned that the silence of the ruler was more valuable than his understanding of others. He was not good at treating people honestly and having positive expectations of them.


    Accordingly, he was so anxious about her trifling reaction, but he first took into account the fear that he might be misunderstood rather than hope for her forgiveness.


    ¡°Your apology really suits you as the emperor.¡±


    But what she said next was neither blame nor hate.


    ¡°Why are you acting like a bad man when you speak so kindly?¡±


    He did not reply.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to get your apology, but let me accept it since you did apologize. I¡¯m really fine right now. As it happened inevitably in the past, I won¡¯t blame or resent you for that. Let me convey your preliminary pardon to Iric, so don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Marianne laughed again as if it was not a big deal. She unfolded her hands gently and took the mug. While she moistened her thirst with the moderately-cooled car, he just looked at her, carried away with a strange sense of freedom.


    ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s hold the reception as a martial arts event. It may be a little late. How about having a qualifying round first in each area, and have a banquet at the final match? We don¡¯t limit the genre of sports or the qualifications for participation. I think we can insert only one restriction clause.¡±


    She raised her index finger of her left hand as if to emphasize. Among the rest of her fingers, which she gently gripped, a golden ring on her middle finger reflected the afternoon sun.


    ¡°The restriction clause is any participant should not kill or hurt anyone while competing or showing their martial arts skills.¡±


    Eckart slowly lowered his left hand with the same ring. He then clenched and released his fist under the desk. His heart was pounding hard.


    ¡°Kloud, have you heard her suggestion?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I will arrange for each department to prepare for it.¡±


    Kloud, who was sorting out the paperwork piled up in front of the table, replied quickly.


    ¡°Thank you, Sir Kloud.¡±

 Chapter 114

    Chapter 114: Chapter 113


    Marianne looked at Kloud like Eckart.


    ¡°By the way, don¡¯t you think you¡¯re overworking yourself? Is there anyone else besides you who can serve the emperor? I know you were injured a lot in Roshan, too. I don¡¯t want to believe the emperor ordered you to cancel your vacation or forced you to hold out when you were sick.¡±


    ¡°No, not at all. Thanks to your warm considerations after I returned to the capital, I am much better now. In fact, His Excellency told me to rest more, but as I was stubborn, I kept working until now.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you should follow the emperor¡¯s order. I¡¯m sorry for Mrs. Charlotte, your wife, in various ways. How can I see you and your wife if your wounds get infected?¡±


    ¡°Fine. I will do my best to make sure you should not worry about me.¡±


    Kloud bowed to her with a gentle smile.


    She felt sorry for him as he didn¡¯t stop working to leave the room, but she slowly stood up instead of replying.


    ¡°Your Majesty, I have to leave now as I have to stop by to see Countess Renault in the afternoon.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to see the countess?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I haven¡¯t apologized to her since I saw her at the recent ball. I would like to see her before it¡¯s too late. I have got something to tell her¡­¡±


    Eckart nodded casually, feeling some regrets that she had to leave now.


    She put on the gloves she took off, took her foldable fan, and looked back at him at his eye level.


    ¡°Do you have anything more to say, Your Majesty?¡±


    ¡°Um¡­.¡±


    He seemed to be in thought about something briefly before he said, ¡°As for the gambling I talked about recently, I flipped my first card today.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes. Ober came to see you today. He didn¡¯t look so good. I guess your first move was quite successful.¡±


    Although he used a figurative expression, she could easily understand it. He put the teacup down roughly as if he was bothered by her remarks.


    ¡°Did you meet him? When?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I bumped into him on my way here. He doubted me as expected ¡­ So, I made plausible excuses.¡± She tried to answer as calmly as possible.


    But Ober¡¯s voice, which she deliberately tried to forget, came to her mind helplessly.


    Was it because of that? She could not stop replying to his question confidently.


    ¡°¡­ Was he willingly deceived by you?¡±


    Eckart already sensed she was taken in again, but he asked, pretending not to know.


    ¡°Your Majesty.¡±


    She called the emperor as if she was hanging onto something desperately.


    What she heard at the moment was her own voice when she called the emperor, but it was Ober¡¯s whispering that was louder and clearer in her ears.


    ¡°Marie. Duke Kling may already have known that perhaps the emperor wants to make you, your father, and your family unhappy forever.¡±


    She recounted Ober¡¯s words one more time before erasing them from her mind.


    Obviously Ober lied, she thought.


    If she wanted to know the exact reason for her father¡¯s secluded lifestyle, she could get the answer if she asked her father. The rest of what Ober said was his own cunning trick. To doubt her father was a trap Ober set for her. She thought she shouldn¡¯t believe anything she hadn¡¯t double-checked directly.


    ¡°¡­ Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m better at disguising my true feelings than you think.¡±


    Having said that, she laughed brightly as usual. When she called Phebe, the bird, which was pecking at something near the window, flew back.


    Now with the parrot on her shoulder, she said goodbye to him politely.


    ¡°Please take your medicine as I advised you before. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Let me contact you again.¡±


    He saw her off with a casual look.


    She gradually faded out of his sight, dragging her colorful dress slowly.


    The door of his study was opened and closed.


    ¡°Curtis.¡±


    Immediately, he called Curtis with a very low voice.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Curtis appeared quietly from the bookshelves behind him.


    He stared intently at the door of his study, which was a bit away from him.


    He was quiet for a moment, and then looked at the seat where she sat a moment ago.


    After watching it for a while, he opened his mouth.


    ¡°I want you to investigate something.¡±


    * * *


    Leaving the imperial palace, Marianne returned to the Elior Mansion. As she had free time before her scheduled visit to the countess, she thought she was going to rest for a while before changing her dress.


    But as soon as she entered the mansion¡¯s main lobby, she decided to reschedule.


    ¡°Daddy!¡±


    When she called cheerfully, Duke Kling looked back.


    ¡°Marie.¡±


    ¡°What business has you brought here? I wish I had come earlier if I had known it earlier.


    Did you eat anything? Did you sleep well?¡±


    She pulled her away from Cordelli who was supporting her, and hugged his arms without hesitation and played the baby. He smiled kindly and patted her.


    ¡°I just stopped by because I had something to pick up. I had lunch a minute ago and slept well.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie, Dad. I hear you went to the palace secretly yesterday, too. I heard everything about you from Codelli. She said after you had dinner with me, you went back to work at night.


    How can you sleep well in that small janitor¡¯s room?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m more worried about you. I understand you had a hard time traveling all the way back here. How come you are moving around already? Are you okay? Take a rest for a few more days.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know how fit I am now? I sleep very well and eat very well. Didn¡¯t you see me last night? I ate two pieces of big steak.¡±


    As she was babbling happily, he just laughed, casting a lovely glance at her.


    He felt like he got over fatigue right away when he saw her acting so cutely.


    ¡°By the way, are you going back to the palace now?¡±


    ¡°I should. I¡¯ve got some more work to do.¡±


    ¡°What is it? Is it urgent? Do you have to finish it right away?¡±


    ¡°Well. It is not that urgent, but¡­¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, can¡¯t you stay a little longer? I should visit Countess Renault anyway soon because I promised to see her when I came back from Roshan. Why don¡¯t we walk together until then? Come one! Thirty minutes, or fifteen minutes is okay. Okay?¡±


    As if hanging on to his arms, she begged, making eye contact. Her green eyes sparkled with big expectations. It was her lovely way of melting the opponent¡¯s heart.


    ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    As always, Kling, who always gave in to her, nodded pleasantly. Telling his servant to wait for a little more, he escorted her out of the house.


    With their arms folded side by side, the two headed for the back garden. The midday sun made the lush garden even brighter. Indeed, the two hadn¡¯t had private time in a long time, so the staff with the mansion stepped back and quietly followed them from a distance.


    Kling put up an umbrella for her in person. She leaned her head on his arms, fully appreciating his considerations.


    ¡°I just had wicked thoughts.¡±


    ¡°Wicked thoughts?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I just wished you were my servant or a knight.¡±


    What she said was very disrespectful, of course. But Kling responded with a good smile.


    ¡°Haha. Is it because you want me to put up an umbrella for you like this? Well, I can always do it for you even if I were not your servant or knight.¡±


    ¡°No, what I mean is¡­If you were my subordinate, you would not disobey my order, right? So, I¡¯m going to give you an order right now. Eat well and sleep well for three days from today. You shall work for only six hours a day, walk with me every day, and eat breakfast and dinner together. ¡±


    Duke Kling looked down at her daughter tenderly. The sunshade of his umbrella tilted further toward her.


    ¡°Of course, I know my subordinate wouldn¡¯t obey all my orders. Do you know how hard it was for me to have Iric rest today? He only gave up after I persuaded him for thirty minutes. If I hadn¡¯t threatened to fire him, he would not have obeyed my order.¡±


    ¡°As he is a loyal man by nature, it¡¯s very hard to have him follow your will. It¡¯s hard to change him.¡±


    ¡°Well, he listens to me very well when I give him other assignments. But he wouldn¡¯t budge a bit even when it¡¯s very obvious that he will have a hard time physically. He doesn¡¯t know how worried I am about him.¡±


    Marianne walked around the garden, babbling like a baby bird. Duke Kling responded with a gentle reply or laugh. They enjoyed a peaceful and leisurely walk in the dark for a while.


    While they were walking, chattering in a happy mood, they passed by several places.


    By the time they passed the flower garden, where crippled flowers were growing in abundance, she pulled his arms as if she had struck an idea.

 Chapter 115

    Chapter 115: Chapter 114


    ¡°Oh, have you seen the new garden I started to decorate? You haven¡¯t seen it, right?¡±


    ¡°I think I heard you were making a new greenhouse.¡±


    ¡°Really? Who told you about it? Oh, that¡¯s not important. Would you like to see it as you have come this far? It¡¯s not done yet, but you don¡¯t know when we can walk like this again¡­¡±


    When her voice faded, he made a very sad expression. But he quickly changed his expression and wrapped her hands with a smile.


    ¡°Okay. I¡¯d love to see it today and take a look at it again when you complete it.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good. You promise me, right?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°Well, then go right at the next fork. Right there to the bench over there.¡±


    He led her as she said. After passing through the rattan benches and a small fountain, they traversed a cluster of beautifully trimmed juniper and found a small edifice. It was a glass greenhouse decorated like a room with transparent glass as walls and ceiling.


    ¡°I hear they built it like this while I was in Roshan. Isn¡¯t it pretty? I¡¯m going to plant a bunch of my favorite lilies inside. I¡¯m also going to make Phebe¡¯s cottage here. Oh, where did it fly again?


    I think it was on my shoulder until I got out of the wagon¡­¡±


    Mariane looked around as if she was looking for Poibe. Leaning on her, Duke Kling looked around the greenhouse silently.


    The greenhouse was transparent, so it did not harm the surrounding scenery. At the same time, it made one feel separated from the outside world like one¡¯s private space. If she planted lilies and set up a cage, it would be more beautiful. Controlling the greenhouse¡¯s humidity, temperature, light and wind would require quite a lot of manpower and money, but it would be a perfect symbol to reveal Marianne¡¯s high social status.


    He would give the world to her daughter. Kling, who thought faintly and smiled at his own thinking, instantly frowned when he noticed something inside the greenhouse.


    ¡°¡­ Marie!¡±


    Marianne, looking at a nearby tall tree, looked at him.


    ¡°That flower pot¡­ Where did you get it?¡±


    ¡°A flower pot? Which one are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°The Adenium over there.¡±


    Concealing his trembling voice, he pointed to a flower pot by the greenhouse.


    ¡°Oh, that one! It¡¯s a flower pot Mrs. Chester gave me as a gift. I didn¡¯t know where I put it because I was absent-minded. I think I moved it here. By the way, how do you know that flower name? I didn¡¯t know it before.¡±


    ¡°¡­ ¡±


    Kling was speechless for a while. Marianne looked up at him with a puzzled expression.


    ¡°Daddy, what¡¯s the matter with you?¡±


    ¡°¡­ Marie. Do you remember when you received that gift?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I received it from her at the recent ball. Duchess Lamont gave me a picture of Simony, Miss Beatrice gave me a poem of Camille, and the wife of Sir Idu gave me a black pearl of Tristan¡­¡±


    Although she recalled the gifts she had received that day, Duke Kling couldn¡¯t focus on her.


    His heart was pounding at the moment. He stared at the strangely-shaped pot sharply as if he wanted to break it right away. He clenched his teeth violently and felt like he was being suffocated.


    ¡®Adenium? How could she send this flower at your engagement ceremony? How could she do such terrible things¡­¡¯


    Duke Kling barely concealed his full-fledged rage. His hand holding the sunshade trembled hard.


    ¡°Dad, what¡¯s the matter with you? Is there something wrong with that pot?¡±


    ¡°No, no. It¡¯s just a rare flower¡­ It looks like the marquise paid a lot of attention to that gift, but you need to be careful¡­ Anyway, she is Ober¡¯s mother¡­¡±


    Kling bit his dry lips. He laughed again like before. What he said to clarify his embarrassment was not groundless, either.


    But Marianne realized instantly that her father was trying to hide something from her. Almost at the same time, Duke Kling also realized that her daughter had noticed his disguise.


    The atmosphere quickly became awkward. Flowers of the greenhouse, which had been felt so sweet and fragrant a moment ago, didn¡¯t give him any more pleasure.


    Marianne had no choice but to recall Ober¡¯s words because of her father¡¯s lukewarm attitude. Her father would not tell her why he was so wary and nervous at discovering a flower pot. Given this situation, her father wouldn¡¯t tell her why he built the northern wall so high.


    ¡°¡­ Dad, I want to ask you one question.¡±


    She let go of his left arm she had been holding until now.


    ¡°I heard that you and the late emperor were close friends. The late emperor had lots of close vassals, but you were his closest friend and advisor.¡±


    She moved one step back and asked, ¡°Then, why were you stuck at Lennox all the time?¡±


    Duke Kling turned to her instead of answering. Her shadow, standing at the border between light and shade, was soon absorbed fully under the sunshade.


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen some public bulletins before. So, I asked Mrs. Charlotte. She said the late emperor called you to the palace in the capital several times¡­and the current emperor proposed some top positions, but you rejected them all. Why did you do so?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°You and the emperor were so intimate. Why didn¡¯t you help him?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    She silently glanced at Duke Kling who didn¡¯t reply. Her emerald eyes became dark against the sunlight. His silence disturbed her mind so deeply that she even wanted to hear his poor excuses.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know this well before, but they say that traditionally the duke¡¯s daughter was prearranged to be married to a royal family member before she turned. But you never said that to me. ¡±


    ¡°¡­ ¡±


    ¡°The current emperor is a good man. Sometimes he gives a cold shoulder to me on purpose, but he is very friendly. Mrs. Charlotte told me that when he was a child, he was an impeccable heir. Even if you were stuck in Lennox for so long, I think you would¡¯ve heard and known about this.¡±


    ¡°Marie.¡±


    ¡°I know you love me so much. Maybe you wouldn¡¯t want to force me to marry someone that I don¡¯t love. It¡¯s not because I don¡¯t know that¡­¡±


    Even if her father had suggested such a marriage to her, she wouldn¡¯t have accepted it easily. She did not learn to sacrifice herself to their unilateral political interests through her marriage. Of course, if she really met the prince to size him up before such an arrangement, she would probably agree to marry. But she was opposed to the type of marriage arrangement for political purposes without her consent.


    But what she asked her father today was a different matter. Apart from her consent, she wanted to know whether there was any such arrangement from the beginning, what her father really wanted to protect, and at the same time what he really wanted to hide from outsiders.


    ¡°Was I not qualified to be the emperor¡¯s wife? Or did the later emperor treat you poorly? Or was your relationship with him so bad that you couldn¡¯t even want to talk about my marriage, so you didn¡¯t want me to get out of the castle to hide that fact on purpose?¡±


    ¡°Marie.¡±


    Kling, who kept silent all along, once again called her. As if he was still hesitant, he let out a long sigh and said, ¡°¡­ The late emperor and I grew up together.¡±


    Finally, he began to tell her about his close relationship with the late emperor.


    ¡°We studied with the same teacher, went hunting in the same place, and spent the night discussing state affairs. As a child, I spent more time with him than his nanny and attendants. Rather than treating me poorly after he came of age, he called me so often that other noblemen were jealous of me.¡±


    His dark brown eyes slowly traced back his past. Although his gaze was fixed on Marianne, what he saw now was the shadow of his former self.


    ¡°As for the current emperor¡­ Like you said, he was a fine prince at that time. The late emperor tried to find the best match for him. Many noble families tried to win his heart to have their daughters marry the crown prince, but you were the first one he wanted to discuss with me about the arrangement of your marriage to him.¡±


    His large warm hands grasped her hand again.


    ¡°The late emperor always spoke to me from the moment your late mother Estelle was pregnant. Namely, he said if the baby was a daughter, he wanted to take her his daughter-in-law. He even said you were the only daughter among so many noblewomen that was perfectly suitable as his heir¡¯s bride. Since you were born and Estelle left this world early, he wrote a letter every month, doggedly asking me to arrange the marriage.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, what you mean by that is ¡­.¡±


    ¡°Right. It¡¯s not because you were not best qualified, nor was it me or my family that incurred his anger that I wanted to hide you.¡±


    Duke Kling shook his head as if he wanted to make excuses.


    At that moment, she felt something had gone wrong.

 Chapter 116

    Chapter 116: Chapter 115


    ¡°I made all the decisions. It was my decision not to leave Lennox, and it was again my decision to reject His Majesty¡¯s job offer.¡±


    In fact, she shouldn¡¯t have asked him now. Moreover, she shouldn¡¯t have heard what he had to say next!


    ¡°Marie, all I wanted was for you to stay safe and happy for a long time. I never wanted anything else. I¡¯m serious.¡±


    Marianne was deeply touched by her father¡¯s sincere voice. Ober¡¯s cunning words, which she had suppressed in her mind, burst like firecrackers in sharp contrast with her father¡¯s words.


    That was too bad a coincidence.


    Those were Ober¡¯s words.


    Those were her father¡¯s words.


    Those were the emperor¡¯s words.


    These words by three different men messed with her mind. Her other hand which was not held by her father at the moment, squeezed her mind as if to tear away the frills of her dress. Although she had so many questions to ask her father like iron melting endlessly in a furnace, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to bring them up.


    ¡®Dad, why did you consider it as unhappy for me to be the empress? Was it because their political rivalry in the court was too harsh? Was it because you were so worried about my heavy duty as the empress? If not, why¡­¡¯


    ¡°Lady!¡±


    At that moment Cordelli, who was standing there waiting, ran in a hurry.


    ¡°I just received a message from the palace. They have something that needs your approval, so they want you to go to the palace as soon as possible¡­¡±


    Cordelli¡¯s eyes slanted upwards slightly as if she was the main culprit that had broken the peace.


    ¡°You must go now, too. We¡¯re all set for your visit to the countess.¡±


    Marianne was just standing blankly like a statue in the court garden.


    ¡°Marie.¡±


    In the end, Kling let go of her hand first.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I think we should stop our walk for today.¡±


    He gestured toward a servant who was glancing at him impatiently from the distance.


    Recognizing its meaning, the servant bowed to him and turned back to make a beeline to the palace.


    ¡°We can talk more later when we have a chance again. Take care,¡± Kling said.


    Cordelli received an umbrella from him. He patted his daughter with his warm hand and slowly walked away. Marianne turned around belatedly and looked at his back.


    The burning sun drew a heavy, long shadow behind his shoulders.


    * * *


    Marianne¡¯s wagon that just exited the mansion was headed for Noble Road in the east.


    After a long drive along the well-paved road, a series of luxurious mansions with extensive gardens finally began to show off their splendor.


    It was a familiar but strange scene to her. There were also streets lined with noblemen¡¯s houses in the castles of Lennox and Kling, but they were different from the streets in the capital where noblemen lived.


    It was strange to her as she had visited Milan only several times during her previous and this life. She couldn¡¯t be confident enough to distinguish the houses by simply looking at the form of the building and the garden.


    Perhaps the only mansion she could identify on this street would be Mrs. Chester¡¯s.


    ¡®How come I only know the way to the place I hate going the most?¡¯


    She looked out the window of the wagon for a long time, feeling a bit sad. Several mansions, whose owners she didn¡¯t recognize, passed by as if she was turning a picture book. There was heavy silence inside her wagon.


    Meanwhile, Cordelli sat next to Marianne and quietly looked at her face.


    In her eyes, Marianne hadn¡¯t felt well since she met Ober in the imperial garden.


    She was in the same depressed mood after she visited the emperor¡¯s study and then took a walk with Duke Kling in the mansion.


    Cordelli thought she would have soothed her if she had played the baby, complaining she felt depressed, but the aura wrapped around Marianne was much heavier and more casual.


    Her unusual calmness made it even harder for Cordelli to speak to her.


    ¡°Phebe, you¡¯re almost there now. When you get off, you have to behave. Today our lady is visiting as a guest, so if you cause trouble, I won¡¯t comb your feathers.¡±


    Cordelli talked to Poibe, which was trotting on the couch with its little feet.


    As if she didn¡¯t hear it, Marianne was looking at the scenery outside the window.


    Only after Cordelli with a sullen look tumbled around Poibe¡¯s snack box three or four times did the wagon finally enter the main gate of the mansion she was supposed to visit.


    A couple of horses driving the wagon slowly stopped in front of the center flower garden.


    Marianne looked outside for a while even after the wagon stopped. After Cordelli called her with a worried look, she got off the carriage, helped by Cordelli. The bright sun was pouring over the top of her head.


    ¡°We¡¯re honored to see Lady Marianne!¡±


    Waiting for her earnestly, Mrs. Renault and Mrs. Charlotte politely greeted her.


    Marianne raised the two while watching Poibe flying into the woods.


    ¡°It¡¯s been too long, Mrs. Renault. You arrived here on time, Mrs. Charlotte.¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t keep you waiting, so I arrived a little early and had a chat with her. How did your meeting with the emperor go?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ Well, it was all right.¡±


    She laughed faintly. Ms. Charlotte, who was quick-witted, thought she might have been hiding something, but she returned with an elegant smile, pretending not to notice it on purpose.


    ¡°I apologize for inviting you to this shabby place. If you had something to say to me, it would have been easier for you to call me the Elior Mansion,¡± the countess suggested.


    Her tone was calm and humble, but it was strangely sharp.


    ¡°No. I insisted on coming to this place. I wanted to visit you in person and express my apologies sincerely.¡±


    ¡°Apologies? No way. I am not in a position to accept your apologies.¡±


    ¡°Madame!¡±


    ¡°And it¡¯s not a big deal that would require you to apologize. What happened that day was an accident anyway.¡±


    ¡°But¡­.¡±


    ¡°Even if someone plotted it with bad intention, there is nothing you can take responsibility for as long as you knowingly stood as an onlooker.¡±


    Mrs. Charlotte wrapped her arms as if to calm down the countess. Several maids lined up behind the countess and several servants standing near the wagon also glanced at each other and whispered among them.


    Watching them quietly, Marianne smiled awkwardly as if she was on the spot.


    ¡°I see. Then, let me tell you a different reason why I¡¯ve come to see you today. I hear that lots of rare objects from all over the world are arriving at your place here just like Mrs. Chester¡¯s mansion. Would you please show me some rare treasures if you don¡¯t mind? I¡¯m thirsty, so I want some tea, too.¡±


    Mrs. Renault knitted her brows while looking at her grinning. However, she slanted her mouth upwards slightly and bowed with a smile.


    ¡°¡­No problem. Let me escort you to the parlor first.¡±


    When she was done, the countess let go of Mrs. Charlotte¡¯s hand and came to her.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Marianne walked, helped by the countess. Mrs. Charlotte and Cordelli followed.


    Although Marianne looked at the countess¡¯s face quickly while walking along, she had no idea what she was thinking now as there was no expression on her face.


    The four soon arrived at the parlor. A middle-aged woman, who appeared to be the countess¡¯s chief maid, took the tea tray and served them. Although they exchanged a few words while drinking tea, the countess continued to respond in a consistent manner.


    ¡°This tea tastes good. Is this the leaf of Shina? I like it. I hear you can¡¯t get much of it because of its low yield. Did they bring some through a merchant vessel? Blanc Merchant Vessel? Or Rubrome Merchant Vessel?¡±


    When Marianne asked her questions like that with an interested voice.


    ¡°Yes. Rubrom.¡± The countess replied curtly.


    ¡°Got it. I hear Sir Arthur¡¯s two merchant vessels are monopolizing the maritime trading rights, and that explains everything. If you can obtain such a good quality item like this, no client will save their money to get it.¡±


    Even when Marianne praised her, the countess replied curtly again without showing any reaction. As the atmosphere between them was so tense, it was rather Mrs. Charlotte and Cordelli who were getting nervous while listening to their exchange of words.


    Marianne asked things like, ¡°Who made this mug?¡± ¡°When was that picture drawn?¡± ¡°Do you have any other masterpiece or gem?¡± ¡°I wish I had some dessert to have with tea,¡± ¡°The chef at the Elior Mansion makes sweet desserts,¡± ¡°In fact, I like wine more than tea,¡± and ¡°I think it¡¯s okay to have tea with you when I¡¯m free¡­¡±

 Chapter 117

    Chapter 117: Chapter 116


    Marianne kept babbling about what she wanted to say like an idiot who was slow-witted, and on such occasions, the countess reacted curtly by clearly showing her that she was now responding against her will.


    More than one hour passed like that.


    Apparently exhausted, Marianne stopped talking and kept sipping tea quietly. The countess¡¯s chief maid, hesitating with an empty teapot, went out, saying she would bring new tea.


    While another maid cleared the table, Marianne looked again at the countess.


    ¡°Madame!¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Do you hate me?¡±


    When Marianne asked blatantly, everyone turned their eyes at them at the tea table.


    ¡°Is it because I¡¯m close to people you don¡¯t like?¡±


    As far as those Mrs. Renault hated were concerned, the line was already clearly drawn. Anyone who had stepped into the capital¡¯s social circles was aware that she hated those who were uncooperative in the emperor¡¯s handling state affairs, including Mrs. Chester.


    ¡°Do you hate me because you think I¡¯m a temptress weighing Ober against the emperor, while currying favor with them, as the rumors say?¡±


    No one asked such straightforward questions like her. It was the first time that a noblewoman like her disgraced herself by quoting dirty rumors that were getting around on the streets.


    Reflecting on what they just heard, everyone except Marianne could not hide their extreme embarrassment.


    Even the maid who stepped back after cleaning up the table almost fell after missing her step and left the room, holding the tray.


    But it was the countess who coped with the tense situation quickly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe in rumors.¡±


    She continued, ¡°And it is just unthinkable for me to express my likes and dislikes about you. I totally follow His Majesty¡¯s decision to have you as his mate, and I don¡¯t have any intention to disobey the emperor¡¯s order. No matter who you hang around, I don¡¯t think I have the right to get involved.¡±


    At first glance, her reply seemed to be a humble excuse. But upon closer examination, she didn¡¯t deny that she was not clearly opposed to those who were uncooperative with the emperor. Nor did she have anything to do with those people who Marianne was hanging around with. In other words, she stuck to her original position with a firm conviction of her own.


    ¡°Really? I think I asked you some difficult questions earlier. Sorry.¡±


    Marianne smiled awkwardly with a sullen expression.


    Cordelli looked sullen as if she had been hurt too.


    Mrs. Charlotte looked at Marianne and Mrs Renault and looked a bit worried.


    The atmosphere quickly became heavy. Whatever the situation, the countess virtually rebuked Marianne, an immature lady about the same age as her daughter.


    Did the countess feel she was excessive? Thinking so, she let out a sigh.


    At that moment Marianne said, ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, can I have a look at your garden? Instead, I won¡¯t ask you to show me treasures. Of course, if you¡¯re uncomfortable with my request, you can refuse it.¡± She awkwardly asked her a favor with a downcast voice. Her green eyes, which looked lonely at the moment, sparkled as if she was begging.


    Mrs. Renault was confident that she had a discerning eye when sizing up people.


    Although she was not as good as Mrs. Charlotte, well known for her accurate appraisal of people¡¯s characters, Mrs. Renault was the wife of a nobleman who had two merchant vessels. She was also a woman who had years of experience of serving the imperial family.


    Thus, it was not difficult for her to identify those who sought to gain favor with a shallow trick, those who tried to escape crises with lame excuses or lies, and those who concealed pride with gentle laughter. She had seen so many people who were good but foolish, beautiful but wicked, and smart but unrighteous. But it was the first time that she had met a noblewoman like Marianne.


    ¡°Madame, I¡¯m so sorry. I didn¡¯t manipulate the accident at the ball on that day or looked on with any malicious intent. But the ultimate target of the accident was the emperor, and it was a tragedy that would not have happened if I had not entered Milan.¡±


    Jason, Cordelli, Beatrice, Sir Kloud, or even the emperor¡­


    Marianne mumbled their names inaudibly, and then came to her senses suddenly.


    ¡°Anyway, you were injured because of your loyalty to the emperor. Fortunately, you recovered well, but how can I say I¡¯m not responsible for your pain?¡±


    Mrs. Renault looked down at her feet with a firm look instead of replying.


    ¡°So, I¡¯ve wanted to say this to you all the time. Sorry. Please forgive me.¡±


    Marianne sat in front of her, with her back at an angle, while touching the flowers in the garden. She spoke with a calm voice and a gentle smile, so that she could be seen talking to Mrs. Renault about her favorite flowers by the maids and servants at her mansion.


    At that moment, Mrs. Renault changed her perception of Marianne. In her eyes, Marianne was not a foolish or an immature girl anymore. Rather, she was perhaps quite cunning, or very good.


    ¡°You said you didn¡¯t believe in the rumors circulating on the streets, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­ Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡±


    ¡°Got it. That¡¯s enough.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Please treat me coldly like you do today. That¡¯s how you can protect me and yourself.¡±


    Marianne smiled brightly and looked up at the countess.


    ¡°¡­Lady Marianne, I¡¯m sorry but I¡¯m not sure what you¡¯re talking about,¡± Mrs. Renault said, hiding her embarrassment as casually as possible at this moment.


    Marianne knitted her brows as if she couldn¡¯t see because of the bright sunlight and looked back at the flower garden. She touched a fully open Verbena and a few violets with her thin fingers.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t trust me. Of course you can trust me, too.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Anyway, I want you to believe what I¡¯m saying today, even though you might not want to believe it.¡±


    Marianne shook his head and gestured toward Cordelli lightly. She took two small pots and a shovel and sat down beside her.


    ¡°Ober is a traitor.¡±


    Having said that, she drove the clean, sharp shovel into the hard soil.


    ¡°He will soon destroy the emperor. Let me tell you this. He is literally trying to usurp the emperor¡¯s power. I¡¯m his expensive doll. When he doesn¡¯t have any further use for me, I¡¯ll be will be burned or shredded.¡±


    The countess couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and clasped both hands roughly. She felt like she was shocked as if she had been hit hard by a rock rolling down from the top of the high stone mountain.


    It was a big shock that made it impossible for her to stand upright.


    On the other hand, Marianne was still smiling while telling her such a terrible story.


    She was casual and peaceful as if she felt relaxed while talking with the countess.


    ¡°So, before Ober achieved his goal first, I decided to betray him.¡±


    Now, she lowered her gentle voice. She was now growing more aggressive in a clean break with her chattering or her getting cold feet in the parlour a little while ago. If anybody heard from somebody about her turnaround, they would never have believed that the two were actually the same person.


    ¡°You won¡¯t believe it, right? Of course, you won¡¯t. So, if you¡¯re in doubt, ask around. It doesn¡¯t matter if you ask Mrs. Charlotte, Sir Jed, or even His Majesty. Everyone knows what role I am playing now.¡±


    Mrs. Renault cast an embarrassed glance at Mrs. Charlotte who was standing nearby. Mrs. Charlotte sighed and nodded slightly. At the same time, the countess¡¯s last hope was shattered.


    ¡°Well, this is the key information that I have at this moment.¡±


    Marianne, who moved a flower to a flowerpot, stood up, dirting off her hands.


    ¡°If you are smart enough, you already know why I told you this.¡±


    She stared at Mrs. Renault as if waiting for her response.


    Mrs. Renault hesitated for a moment and barely opened her lips.


    ¡°¡­ So, you want me to help you protect the emperor?¡±


    ¡°Right. I want you on my side. There are so many enemies in Milan. At the moment, the emperor¡¯s enemy is my enemy.¡±


    Marianne put her hand in the transparent bowl of water that Cordelli brought. The pieces of soil that had fallen out of her hands sank under the surface of the water where the sunlight clashed like a rainbow. The water quickly became dirty.


    ¡°Accordingly, don¡¯t you think the emperor¡¯s allies should also be my allies as well?¡±


    Marianne pulled her hand out of the dirty water. Cordelli changed the water. As if she put some perfume in it, the new fragrant water was overlaid on her hands. While Marianne was wearing the ring and gloves that she had taken off before entering the flower garden, Mrs. Renault said nothing.


    There was a peaceful silence between them.


    Marianne did not press for her reply and waited long enough, amazed at how much she could be patient.


    ¡°When did you decide?¡± In the end, the countess gave in first.

 Chapter 118

    Chapter 118: Chapter 117


    ¡°Well. About a month ago. That¡¯s why I came to Milan. I wanted to help the emperor.¡±


    ¡°The reason you decided to help the emperor was because you realized that Marquis Chester regarded you as an expensive doll like you said? I¡¯m sorry to use that expression, by the way.¡±


    ¡°Yes. He intends to kill me and my father after using us.¡±


    ¡°I understand the weight of political promises. Sometimes they are more powerful than any oath or command. That¡¯s the nature of power. Of course, I think the emperor has decided to accept you as his wife because he trusts you, but I can¡¯t rule out the possibility that the emperor must have taken into account your father¡¯s honor and forces when he made the decision to marry you. Maybe, the realistic power is the force that strengthened the union of the two more strongly.¡±


    Marianne nodded gently. In her previous life, she would have regarded Mrs. Renault¡¯s remarks as too harsh, but she could take it casually as if it were not a big deal.


    ¡°But every promise is a mutual commitment. No matter how strong the promise may be, it is made by humans anyway. In other words, you can change your mind easily in the turn of a hand, depending on your interests and mood.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the same for the emperor.¡±


    ¡°You bet. However, I have watched the emperor for a long time since I served the late empress. As far as I know, the emperor is not the type who can easily break promises even for political interests. But from what I have seen and spoken with you today, I feel you are a remarkably flexible person.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re afraid that I will betray the emperor, right?¡± Marianne said, grinning faintly.


    ¡°Lady Marianne!¡± Mrs. Renault¡¯s voice became more serious.


    ¡°I also heard what happened in Roshan. On the day of his return to the palace, I saw how he treated you. When I think about it now, I think the accident was an agreed plot¡­¡±


    She recalled Eckart on the day he returned to the palace.


    She vividly recalled his behavior, for example, when he looked at someone only, his glance became softer and he quickened his pace as well as his unprecedented hostility. She also heard that as someone who always stuck to formality and procedure, he even tried to behead the horseman in person.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you already know that the emperor doesn¡¯t depend on political tactics alone?¡±


    Marianne slowly blinked her eyes. If she had heard it the day before, or even this morning, she would have been pleased with that.


    ¡°I hope the emperor won¡¯t hurt anyone again under the label of political schemes. Of course, the emperor has a strong mentality, but he won¡¯t endure it if he is hit twice. And I myself am not sure if I can watch him stand up to that.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Again? Twice?¡±


    Mrs Renault shut up in a hurry when Marianne asked.


    Marianne wanted to ask immediately what Mrs. Renault was talking about, but she put up with it. Given the countess¡¯s character, it was obvious that the more Marianne asked, the more she would try to hide her reply. When pushed further, she might not be able to tell Marianne the whole truth.


    ¡®Why are there so many people around me who have secrets? I think I¡¯m the only one who doesn¡¯t know anything.¡¯


    Lamenting to herself deep inside, she changed her facial expression and shrugged her shoulders.


    ¡°Anyway, you don¡¯t have to worry about that.¡±


    ¡°It seems that you speak of serious and difficult stuff triflingly.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m serious. Apart from the political reason¡­¡±


    Marianne hesitated for a moment not because she had to lie but because she wanted to show Mrs. Renault her sincerity.


    ¡°I love the emperor too much for that¡­¡±


    The countess made a very strange expression at that. She tried to open her mouth as if to say something, then slowly squeezed her lips again.


    A darker shade than the shadow hung over her face against the sun. She gazed at Marianne with a very sad look.


    Marianne said, ¡°Let me have these pots as your gifts. If you are thinking of trusting me, please do not hesitate to contact me. I hope you can act as fast as possible. It¡¯s not just for me, but for the emperor. Too many thoughts sometimes make you miss the right timing.¡±


    Marianne was handed a Verbena pot and she held it preciously. Stroking its fragile petals, she felt she wanted to ask more, but she held back.


    ¡°¡­ Thank you for your advice, ¡± Mrs. Renault replied, looking at her green eyes.


    Complicated feelings began to eat at her mind at a frightening pace.


    * * *


    That evening, a guest visited Duke Hubble¡¯s mansion.


    He was an intruder who came without any appointment. However, the duke¡¯s butler immediately sent a notice to his master. The servant who ran to the duke¡¯s study came back after a while.


    ¡°He told me to escort you to the parlor. I will guide you there.¡±


    The guest sitting in the temporary space at the lobby drinking tea casually did not get up right away. After he finished drinking another cup of tea, with his servant standing next to him, he got up from his seat and had his servant walk ahead. Even the sound of his walking in the hallway was far from impatient.


    ¡°I¡¯m honored to see you, Duke Hubble.¡±


    Finally, the guest standing in front of the duke greeted him gracefully.


    ¡°Who is this? Welcome, Mrs. Chester! As you¡¯re a very well-mannered woman, you usually visit my house after making an appointment. As you¡¯ve come here without any appointment, it looks like you¡¯re on an urgent mission today.¡±


    Duke Hubble greeted her with a cynical smile. He didn¡¯t even look at her when she stepped in. The sound of his turning over the book he had been reading broke the silence in the room.


    ¡°Of course. The matter is so urgent that I rushed to your place rudely like this.¡±


    Not daunted at all by Hubble¡¯s rebuking, she sat down on the couch opposite Hubble, adjusting her long hem casually.


    ¡°Would you like some tea?¡±


    ¡°No thanks. I already drank enough tea because of your stupid servant.¡±


    She replied annoyingly, displeased with his cynical question.


    ¡°I think you had better fire that servant. If you continue to keep him, your friends may misunderstand your discerning eye. So, please make a wise decision. Does it make sense for a mere servant to disgrace the duke¡¯s honor?¡±


    Mrs. Chester smiled brightly. Although she was now advising Hubble who was around her father¡¯s age, about his own domestic matters, she didn¡¯t show any hesitation or reluctance.


    Only then did Hubble finally lift his gaze from the book. Perhaps it was because of his focus on reading, or because of his uncomfortable feeling that he knitted brows over his small glasses.


    ¡°¡­ Did you leave the maid behind?¡±


    ¡°All the maids at my mansion are clever. They¡¯re not as stupid as your maids here.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I agree with you on that. We all know that Mrs. Chester is the strictest woman in the capital. Well, they would be just be content with being kicked out of my house if they had to. The thing is they can¡¯t get a job, and you know that, too. I don¡¯t think you want to see them dying, cursing you to the end.¡±


    ¡°Oh, how terrible things can you say to me like that?¡±


    Mrs. Chester covered her mouth with a handkerchief, shuddering at his reply.


    ¡°Well, as far as rigour is concerned, you¡¯re stricter than me. I know you sent your pet dog that you had stayed with for 20 years to the slaughterhouse, right? Oh, your son, who you have raised for over forty years, still doesn¡¯t meet your expectations. That shows how strict you are.¡±


    When she put down her handkerchief that covered her mouth, she blatantly showed her cynical smile at him.


    Duke Hubble covered the book with a thump, which he had been holding until now.


    ¡°Let me tell you this: one must know one¡¯s place.¡±


    ¡°Of course. You¡¯re right. ¡± Mrs. Chester seconded gladly.


    ¡°So, that¡¯s why you set the trap on my way to Roshan?¡±


    ¡°¡­ ¡±


    ¡°Was it because my son Ober and I didn¡¯t know our places?¡±


    Hubble took off his tiny glasses, keeping his mouth shut. A strong muscle line appeared in his jaw at that moment, as if representing his character. It was a sign that could not appear without him clenching something hard.


    ¡°Madame.¡±


    Mrs. Chester did not avoid his eyes.


    ¡°The more cards you have in any game, the more fun you have.¡±


    She touched the sealed ring in her right hand, hearing his answer that gave her a feeling of intense pressure. Chiara, the symbol of darkness and poison, which was inscribed on her ring,


    tickled her fingertips.


    ¡°The cards kept changing hands and finally my turn came, but sometimes the card in my hand didn¡¯t look good. Last time I didn¡¯t think it was bad, but once the card changed hands, it wasn¡¯t as good as I expected.¡±


    ¡°¡­ ¡±


    ¡°What should I do then, Mrs. Chester?¡± Duke Hubble kindly asked.


    His olive-colored eyes naturally suppressed her surging rage.


    ¡°In that case, you have to take out a new card and boldly discard the one that can ruin the good one.¡±

 Chapter 119

    Chapter 119: Chapter 118


    If Mrs. Chester was a scorpion-tailed snake, Hubble was a lion with a bear¡¯s claws.


    No matter how sharp the sword was, it was less lethal than a plain wood sword if one¡¯s goal and path were uncertain.


    Her explicit and urgent attack could not penetrate his thick skin.


    Besides, Hubble was even waiting to be attacked in this obvious way. Just like he did with Ober, he did not have any intention to conceal his tricks even to Mrs. Chester.


    On the contrary, he wanted Ober and her to clearly see the blade of his sword and voluntarily feel pressured enough to follow him.


    He wanted them to realize who had been moving to change the giant continent ranging from Aslan, Faisal, Sorman, and the now-defunct Lennox into a game board.


    He wanted them to realize how many choices he still had and how easy it was for him to discard one of them.


    ¡°How can you guarantee that your new card will be better than your previous card? Don¡¯t you think you can ruin the existing good card with your new card?¡±


    Mrs. Chester was a smart woman. She fully understood his intention when he put it figuratively.


    ¡°Of course. As you know, luck is not monopolized.¡±


    ¡°It looks like you¡¯re too overconfident as someone who knows better.¡±


    Her bloody red rouge lips were twisted slightly when she said that.


    Hubble quietly glanced at her eyes staring at him. It was hard to judge what he was thinking at the moment.


    ¡°Mrs. Chester, don¡¯t you know that the chess game is completely dependent on who moves first?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°So, that¡¯s why you need a bold decision sometimes. For example, if you don¡¯t like the game this time, you need a strong determination to start a new game even by overturning the current game.¡±


    ¡°Duke Hubble!¡±


    ¡°Anyway, I started the game for fun. You don¡¯t need prohibited rules in enjoyment. Its origin is like a war, with no eternal ally or everlasting enemy. If I win and am happy, what¡¯s the big deal of changing the players facing me?¡±


    Hearing what he said, Mrs. Chester clearly realized that what he really wanted to kill in the Roshan¡¯s accident was not just the emperor. She clearly realized that he tried to smash all the family members that had the honor of the name Frei and other riddances to his power, including


    the ¡°northern jewel¡± as well as the ¡°snake of the Chester family¡± who had been raised like a pet dog in the garden.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you could speak to me like that¡­¡±


    Without even finishing her words, Mrs. Chester caught her breath. Her sharply trimmed fingertip scratched the seal of her ring.


    The trap he set on the emperor¡¯s way to Roshan was a gamble with heads and tails of the same coin. It was a game where no one new the winner, or rather, they did not need to know. If everyone died, he could start a new game, and even if everyone survived luckily, he could turn the table again. It was the number of voids as no results could diminish his odds.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be frustrated. Ober and you are still sitting at the table.¡±


    She thought that maybe Hubble wanted Ober and her to be in the same boat with him.


    ¡°I know what you mean.¡±


    Mrs. Chester quickly laughed after changing her facial expression.


    She made a fascinating smile, her eyes slanting upwards slightly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know you have a longstanding relationship with us? I wish you had informed us of your new card even if you discarded all the existing cards.¡±


    She touched her neck with her hand. Her hand, which had not yet completely healed, felt a bit warm, which soon became hot like a burnt wound.


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to overburden yourself alone. If you give me a chance, I can earn your credit by doing something that you like. For example, why didn¡¯t you tell me about the gifts for the emperor? As you know, I¡¯m on intimate terms with Prince Alesa. If I had known it earlier, I would have prepared a gift that matches with your sword.¡±


    Hubble laughed quietly after hearing what she said.


    ¡°By the way, the timing is great. I¡¯m surprised that the prince, who used to hate edged stuff, now accepts a sword as a gift. I didn¡¯t imagine this day would come. I wonder if you really forget what happened that day¡­¡±


    But his expression gradually grew dark, and he even felt displeased at her last words she didn¡¯t finish. His calm eyes were now glowing like olive flames.


    ¡°Send my best regards to Alesa, please.¡±


    Mrs. Chester said goodbye to him, smiling blatantly. Hubble simply stared at her with no reply.


    Immediately after she closed the door, she heard him breaking something in the room.


    She did not look back. She quickly crossed the corridor with a cold look. Her scarlet dress swept over it like a north wind.


    ¡®This dotard is crazy like hell. So, he wants to be a monster openly?¡¯


    She sneered at him freely now.


    ¡®How dare you talk to me so rudely? Do you think I¡¯m a pushover? He seems to think I and Ober are like his tools¡­¡¯


    Her pointed heels got stuck on the floor as if they showed how complicated her mind was at the moment.


    ¡°Is this Mrs. Chester?¡±


    A familiar man called her at the end of the lobby.


    ¡°What business has brought you here at this late hour, madame? Did your son Ober cause any trouble?¡±


    Mrs. Chester immediately confirmed who he was, and burst into clear laughter.


    ¡°Oh my god! I¡¯m so glad you appeared before me at a perfect time! I never thought I would meet you here.¡±


    She greeted the man warmly. He was Hubble¡¯s son, Elias, who quickly scanned her now approaching him with a wary look.


    ¡°Are you crazy? This is Duke Hubble¡¯s house. Why are you surprised to see me? It¡¯s me who should be surprised first!¡±


    Regardless of whether he was embarrassed or not, Mrs. Chester didn¡¯t care and stopped in front of him. Embarrassed, Elias moved one step back and asked if she was really insane.


    She knew many myths that were handed down to Aslan. The beginning of Aslan. Achievements of heroes. The tragedy of cursed monsters and the stories of feeble but sincere humans were handed down widely for a long time. Although she no longer believed in false divinity now, as a child she always liked myths. And as far as she knew, all the legends about evils were always mentioned with ¡®this.¡¯


    ¡°Master¡­¡±


    Fatal weakness. It would inevitably travel into the ears of a hero who would save the world, and finally it served as a fatal blow for the hero to destroy the monster.


    ¡°Right, master. Not now, but someday things will work out as I planned someday.¡±


    Mrs. Chester looked at Elias in satisfaction.


    As if she figured out the answer to the difficult question that had not been solved for hundreds of years, she clearly realized something.


    ***


    ¡°Your Majesty, you shouldn¡¯t overdo yourself like this.¡±


    The scissors that cut off the end of the bandage around his hand fell into the brass bowl. Ostashu, the chief physician of the Royal Medical Service, knotted a bandage knot skillfully.


    ¡°Bones and flesh must be left in one place so they can stick together. Can you take a rest even for a few days? Hopefully you won¡¯t get out of your bed.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡± Eckart refused at the drop of a hat. Ostashu resentfully stared at his back wrapped in white cloth.


    ¡°You said you want to get well soon, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I did.¡±


    ¡°So, please have a good rest. Even if you don¡¯t work for a couple of days, this empire won¡¯t crumble. Although I am a doctor who knows nothing about politics, I know you can never exchange your safety with anything else.¡±


    ¡°I am working while taking plenty of rest. As far as writing is concerned, I write with my left hand or have Colin write on my behalf. I¡¯m eating with my left hand, and I¡¯m trying to sleep more than four hours. I¡¯m taking the medicine you prescribed to soothe my inflammation.¡±


    But Ostashu let out a big sigh. Although he was competent enough to be appointed as the chief of the Royal Medical Service even before he was 40, he didn¡¯t know where or how to refute his stubbornness. It looked like the emperor wouldn¡¯t listen to him.


    ¡°Then allow me to check the wounds on your back often. In the case of your broken arm, waiting is the best medicine for now, but the laceration on your back requires more delicate treatment. I have to apply ointment on it so it won¡¯t leave any scars.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not necessarily a bad thing for the wound to leave scars, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Of course it¡¯s better than it not healing, but it¡¯s not good to leave scars like this. I hope you won¡¯t get any scars, but I would like to make sure you have as little scars as possible.¡±


    Ostashu replied with an absurd expression on his face. Eckart frowned, putting his arm in the dressing gown the doctor kindly opened for him again.


    ¡°¡­ Maybe scars are good for me as they can be valuable evidence.¡±

 Chapter 120

    Chapter 120: Chapter 119


    His whole body ache through the pain of his back wounds made him long for something rather than fall into despair.


    He recalled the doctor¡¯s rebuking voice that wasn¡¯t too pushy, his body temperature when he was raised up, and the man¡¯s buttoning and making the knots.


    ¡°Please tell me you don¡¯t want to listen to me. That¡¯s better than your sophistry,¡± Oustashu grumbled, not knowing Eckart¡¯s situation. Eckart sneered at himself by laughing.


    Obviously, what he said sounded like sophistry when others heard him, but it sounded like Bible passages in his ears.


    ¡°Anyway, you don¡¯t have to worry, Oustashu.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry but my job is to worry about your safety all the time.¡±


    ¡°It looks like you have time on your hands. If you really do, compile another medical book.¡±


    ¡°In fact, I wrote more books than others for the past 10 years. Of course, I will continue to write, but I can do so only after I treat you completely. I don¡¯t think I can¡¯t for the time being as I¡¯ll be busy taking care of you.¡±


    Oustashu stood up, picking up his medical instruments.


    ¡°Please go to bed before it¡¯s too late. I will come back tomorrow.¡±


    Eckart nodded at him as bowed out politely.


    A little later, the door of the emperor¡¯s bedroom was closed. Silence prevailed in the room that was too large for him to fall asleep alone.


    He erected his body, though he felt uncomfortable. Beginning with the candlesticks on the table by the bed, the lamps and candles from various parts of the room were turned off one by one. There was a reason he did it by himself instead of calling the servants for the job.


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    The window, which was closed, was pushed up at his order.


    ¡°Your Majesty!¡±


    It was Curtis who broke into the half-open window.


    He came into the room stealthily as a shadow, sliding down the window sill behind him.


    The cold air from outside was all over his slender body.


    Eckart walked back the bed with his back against Curtis. When he flopped down, he felt a sharp pain in his spine.


    ¡°I have found out something at your order, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Report to me now.¡±


    ¡°Ober returned to his mansion after leaving the palace, but he did not move. Instead, Mrs. Chester visited Duke Hubble¡¯s mansion and then left a little while ago.¡±


    ¡°Did she visit him alone?¡±


    ¡°I think so.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t unusual or strange that Mrs. Chester met Duke Hubble.


    ¡°The man Mrs. Chester met yesterday was Baronet Artroom.¡±


    However, if she met somebody else, that was something unusual, which the emperor should pay attention to.


    ¡°Baronet Artroom?¡±


    Eckart quickly traced his memory with a slight frown.


    ¡°Giyom¡¯s father?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. I hear that he recently returned from Faisal and visited her with some foreign trade goods.¡±


    Marianne feared the two during the eve of the recent ball so much that Eckart couldn¡¯t treat it lightly. Since that day, Eckart instructed Curtis to closely watch Ober and Giyom¡¯s deeds and actions and report back to him.


    Specifically, Curtis had been ordered to keep an eye on people who were related to the two by kinship, their frequent places and even their short meetings. Curtis gathered all kinds of tips about them and reported them to Eckart.


    ¡°Place some more moles to closely monitor them.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± Curtis answered politely.


    Eckart hesitated for a moment and opened his mouth again, ¡°¡­ What about Lady Marianne?¡±


    In contrast to the emperor¡¯s cautious question, Curtis continued to brief him mechanically.


    ¡°After returning to the Elior Mansion, she enjoyed a brief walk with Duke Kling and visited Countess Renault when the duke returned to the palace. She didn¡¯t stay longer than I thought, so she went back before sunset.¡±


    ¡°Anybody accompany her?¡±


    ¡°Knight Schmidt didn¡¯t accompany her as he was off today. When she left for the countess¡¯s mansion, she was accompanied by Viscount Klein¡¯s daughter, and when she came back, she moved with the three, including Countess Renault.¡±


    ¡°¡­ What did she do with Ober?¡±


    ¡°I hear she met him in the central garden and talked for a little while. One of the servants on duty saw them, but he didn¡¯t hear exactly what they were talking about because they were far away, but¡­¡±


    Curtis, who replied as if he had read the report in an indifferent manner, spoke evasively.


    His eyes slowly blinked, clearly indicating he was hesitating.


    Eckart ordered with his eyes instead of words. His dim blue eyes pressed over Curtis¡¯ head.


    ¡°¡­ Lady Marianne begged Ober, trying to tempt him. Ober seemed to threaten her, but he seemed to whisper sweet-nothings on the other hand. The servant heard her telling him, ¡°I held the engagement ceremony to keep my promise to you!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­ That¡¯s what I heard from the servant and others,¡± said Curtis.


    After he was done, Curtis bowed to him deeply. Eckart clenched his fists, with his mouth closed tightly.


    On the way back from Roshan, Marianne whispered to Eckart that she had thought of some excuses in case Ober doubted her. She boasted to Eckart that she would persuade Ober that the reason she was trying to maneuver until then was because she wanted to return to him.


    In that respect, Curtis¡¯s briefing about her was one of the excuses that she concocted back then.


    Therefore, what the servants observed after watching her meeting with Ober were her feigned actions. No matter what she did or what she said before Ober, that was not true, and she had no sincere or affectionate feelings toward him.


    Eckart knew it all, but at the same time, he felt displeased with her.


    He had this same feeling before. It was when he met her after the ball was over. At the time, she begged him to use her as a hostage. Back then, he didn¡¯t know the reason why, and he felt like he shouldn¡¯t know it. The discomfort he felt on that day overwhelmed him at this moment.


    But his anxiety today was a little different from what he felt at that time. Back then she did not hide anything from him, but today she was obviously hiding something.


    Previously, he tried not to appreciate her love, but today he tried not to appreciate her betrayal.


    ¡°¡­ Got it. Keep an eye on her. Always plant three moles just in case, and I allow you to take action without my approval in contingencies. The first and foremost priority is to protect Lady Marianne¡¯s safety. So, you don¡¯t have to consider anything else.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Go back and take a rest.¡±


    Curtis bowed to him instead of answering and stood up. Eckart knew Curtis would go against his order to take a rest and stay up all night. But he lay on the bed instead of stopping and blaming him.


    Curtis snuck out of the room just like how he got in. There was a whitish moonlight in his place.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m better at pulling the wool over someone¡¯s eyes than you think.¡±


    Subsequently, her sweet but awkward voice hallucinated in his ears and wandered through his whole body. He vividly recalled her trembling green eyes, along with her naive and affectionate confession that she couldn¡¯t hide any lie from him alone.


    Eckart crouched with his eyes closed. Instead of longing for her warmth, he suddenly felt a painful pain.


    ***


    Puck.


    A dull outcry came out.


    ¡°Kuhuk¡­! ¡±


    A man kicked hard by someone¡¯s heels fell and rolled on the floor, making a suppressed moan. Sprawled on the floor like a piece of torn paper, he quickly crawled back to his position.


    Although his face was normal, his legs and arms convulsed.


    He barely lay face down on the cold marble floor.


    ¡°You guys should have been killed a long time ago, but I¡¯ve saved you to pay your debt to me, but you didn¡¯t do anything¡­¡±


    Puck.


    The soles of his expensive cowhide shoes were pushed over the man¡¯s shoulders, knocking him down.


    ¡°Even if you can¡¯t make a contribution, you should at least do your job to get paid, right?¡±


    Ober looked down at the man annoyingly, who was crawling under his feet again, wheezing like an injured dog.


    ¡°I¡¯ve planted as many as twenty moles in the Elior Mansion, but you didn¡¯t find out anything until now. Do you think that makes sense? Do you think I¡¯m paying you for doing nothing?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, sir. If only you can save my life ¡­¡±


    ¡°Your life? Can¡¯t you come to your senses yet?¡± Ober¡¯s annoying tone became even sharper.


    In the middle of the day, when the weather was scorching, warm sunshine poured in from the window without curtains.


    ¡°Your life was already gone when I wiped out your real ID anyway. I can burn away your fake ID easily if I make up my mind. Why are you begging for your life when it¡¯s not worthwhile at all?¡±


    With the bright sunlight against him, Ober elegantly tilted his glass.


    While kicking and trampling on the man, Ober casually enjoyed the taste of wine.


    ¡°If you really want to beg me for your life, you should beg for something else. Well, let me think your life is still worth saving at this point.¡±

 Chapter 121

    As if he felt a bit better after drinking good wine, he dropped his voice softly.


    ¡°For example¡­ Your wife, Margaret, who is the maid of Elias¡¯s wife, or your brother Liu, who works at the stable of this house¡­¡±


    But the barbaric nature of his language was deeper than before.


    The man, who turned white at Ober¡¯s mention of his family members, spit out his saliva and stretched his trembling arm.


    ¡°Marquis, please don¡¯t touch my family¡­! ¡±


    ¡°Shut up. Do you think I summoned you here to hear your begging like that?¡±


    Ober stepped back from his standing position, out of the man¡¯s. The long shadow of his body covered the man who lay face down.


    ¡°As of now, let me relocate the moles. Keep an eye on Elias, Duke Hubble¡¯s son, well when you go back. In particular, monitor the movement of those who watch him, even though they are not my moles. Have half of the moles monitor Duke Kling¡¯s words and deeds, and the rest of them watch Elias¡¯s wife.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sure, will do. So, please have mercy on me, Marquis. Please. please¡­¡±


    ¡°Erez. My goodwill does not arise indefinitely. If you bring me a satisfactory result, of course, I¡¯ll give you a corresponding reward. By the way, I like fast and accurate information. Waiting long is not my cup of tea.¡±


    ¡°Absolutely. I¡¯ll meet your expectations by all means. So, please wait for a little longer.¡±


    ¡°Get lost!¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir¡­ ¡±


    The man stood up wobbly. Ober stared at him with a cold expression on his face when he adjusted his clothes and turned in a hurry. As the door opened, Giyom, waiting outside, came in, bowing to him.


    ¡°Sir, Lonstat¡¯s daughter is repeatedly asking to see you.¡±


    ¡°Is that stupid girl still in the mansion? I clearly told you to convey to her that I was busy, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I did. But she keeps insisting on seeing you, saying she wants to meet you even for a brief moment.¡±


    Ober waved his hand strongly as if he was sick and tired of her.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure she has been forced to come under Earl Lonstat¡¯s strong pressure. I just don¡¯t know how many days he has been protesting against me. How annoying! Never let her in here. If her mother goes back, I think she will also follow suit.¡±


    ¡°Got it, sir.¡±


    After he was done with his business, Giyom left the room.


    Massaging his nape that felt hurt, Ober slowly retraced what happened last night.


    Mrs. Chester looked surprisingly happy after she returned from Hubble¡¯s house in the evening.


    When he looked at her with an embarrassed expression, not knowing what she was up to, she whispered happily that she would soon draw a new card.


    She advised him that he prepare some moles just in case, as she had a good idea. Her new card was Elias. He was Hubble¡¯s only son as well as his biggest headache. He was often despised because of his hot temperament and his lack of political acumen, but he was an easy prey for political manipulation.


    Although Elias was stupid, he was not comparable to the duke¡¯s collateral relatives by blood.


    He was ambitious for political power, but very clumsy in calculating political dividends in the real world. Though he was foolish, he had lots of wealth, which meant people didn¡¯t need to be wary of him while they could get lots of political benefits by using him.


    Anyway, he had great potential as Mrs. Chester¡¯s new political target.


    Ober double checked his plans by turning the glasses round in the air habitually.


    The sound of him stamping the ground with his hard shoe heels echoed through the floor at regular intervals.


    He unconsciously walked toward the window where the sunlight was pouring in.


    When he stood in front of the window where the warm sunlight was pouring in, he had a good view of the outside courtyard.


    The lush gardens in the early summer were more vibrant under the sun.


    With lots of complicated thoughts in mind, he looked at the fountain giving off a pure white stream, the flowers that Mrs. Chester took care of, and the statue where parrots were playing around leisurely.


    ¡®¡­ Wait a minute. Parrot?¡¯


    His gaze suddenly ran backwards as if he was chasing something.


    His dark eyes finally stopped as if they were stuck in one place.


    He noticed a familiar woman hanging about in front of the flower garden.


    ***


    ¡°I¡¯m honored to see you, Lady Marianne!¡±


    ¡°May the Goddess protect you, Sir Ober!¡±


    Marianne greeted him with a bright smile, raising her dress hem slightly.


    At the same time, Ober naturally reached out.


    Suddenly her shoulders stiffened. Unfortunately, the man who snatched Ober¡¯s hands and pressed on them forcibly the other day was not with her at the moment. This place was a battlefield for her only. In the end, she looked back at Cordelli, who was supporting her, and inevitably put her hands on his. Although his hands were warm, She felt creepy when his scary breathing and forehead passed through the back of her hands one by one.


    ¡°Did you come to see my mother, Marianne?¡±


    ¡°Oh no. I just came to see the flowers here. Your mother gave me Adenium as a gift during the eve of the recent ball. She told me I could come and see the flower garden here as there are so many rare and strange flowers.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s why you were in the garden. If you had let me know in advance, I would have greeted you in person and shown you around.¡±


    Ober made eye contact with her with a kind smile.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Besides, I thought you were in the palace because it¡¯s still during the day when you are busy with work.¡±


    Of course she was lying to him. She would never come to the flower garden if she had known Ober was there. In fact, she deliberately came at this time because she was tipped off that Mrs. Chester was scheduled to go out at this time.


    So, Marianne, only grumbling deep inside, was just looking at her surroundings.


    On one side of the spacious room was a sofa and a table apparently reserved for guests. She was impressed with the showcases of art and wine bottles and antique desks in the back. The large vault and drawers were placed around the desk as if they served as a wall, showing the identity of the room openly.


    ¡°Wow, this place¡­Is it your study, Sir Ober?¡±


    ¡°Sort of. It¡¯s like my private office. I like to use my study and office separately, so I deliberately separated them.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see. I didn¡¯t know it because my father likes to use them together.¡±


    Marianne looked around and laughed brightly. At the same time, she tried to recollect the way back to the entrance that she came through with Cordelli.


    Although she wasn¡¯t sure, the room was obviously designed as a secret place of the main building. Ober said it was a private office apart from his study room and the parlour. She felt she had to grasp its structure instinctively.


    If she told Cordelli about this, she would certainly reply like, ¡®Yeah, that¡¯s why you shouldn¡¯t live in the capital.¡¯


    ¡°I think this is my first time seeing your private space. I like the atmosphere of the room. By the way¡­ Did I interrupt your work with my sudden visit?¡±


    ¡°No, not at all. I¡¯ve already done my work. While I was taking a break, I happened to notice you, so I told my servant to escort you here quickly.¡±


    ¡°Would it be okay for me to look around a little more? I would like to see the paintings and handicrafts over there¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that. I didn¡¯t think you were estranged from me enough to ask for my permission.¡±


    Ober stroked her back, replying slyly.


    Stunned, she pushed his chest with her hands. She realized that she had made a mistake right after she pushed him unconsciously.


    Looking down at her hands, which apparently tried to stop him, he raised his head with cold eyes.


    He showed extreme displeasure that made her feel goosebumps. In a moment, his chilly gaze was accompanied by a slight suspicion and light betrayal.


    ¡®Is he upset? What should I do? I shouldn¡¯t hurt his feelings.¡¯


    Marianne quickly put her brain to work, blaming herself for having acted to him instinctively.


    Soon she looked at the maids over her shoulders with a perplexed expression and then looked up at Ober with a pleading look.


    ¡°However¡­¡±


    Unfortunately but fortunately for her, Ober was the type of man who reacted sensitively to the words and moods of the other party.


    He immediately noticed her hesitating and sized up her gaze at him. He softened his rigid expression furtively and said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to be concerned about it, but if you¡¯re still uncomfortable, let me try to make yourself at home.¡±


    His ashen eyes stared at Marianne¡¯s back. A maid with the mansion bowed out when Ober gestured at her. But Cordelli did not move from where she was standing.


    Her eyes were even burning with anger as if she was pretty much upset about something.

 Chapter 122

    Cordelli was a woman who was not good at lying but could not hide her feelings well.


    She just shut up because she knew she was not in a position to intervene between Marianne and Ober. But she was not stupid enough to remain as an idle onlooker when Ober was acting rudely to the emperor¡¯s fiancee.


    Ober considered her attitude shameless and weird.


    In the past few years when he traveled to Lennox, Cordelli delivered gifts and letters to him, saying she hoped Marianne was in great hands. But after Marianne came to Milan, she often stared at him with dissatisfied eyes.


    ¡®Dang it! Is she already thinking of her as the future empress¡¯s chief maid? How stupid is she¡­¡±


    Clicking his tongue, Ober frowned a bit.


    Now, Ober¡¯s smooth hands reached out to Marianne, who was trying to walk toward the window.


    ¡°Sir Ober?¡±


    She got her second life only recently, but Ober tightened his grip on her waist as if he felt he was still very close to her.


    ¡°Do you feel thirsty? Would you like some tea?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Pardon? Oh, no thanks.¡±


    ¡°Then I don¡¯t think you need any maid to serve you while you¡¯re looking in the room.¡±


    Rather than asking for her understanding, he was telling her unilaterally.


    Held in his arms against her will, she rolled her eyes as his eyes moved.


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Mariane turned awkwardly and looked at Cordilli.


    ¡°Cordelli. Can you wait outside? Let me call you back after looking around the room briefly.


    I want to talk with Sir Ober too.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°You seem to be overly concerned. I¡¯m with him alone here. Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Of course, Marianne and Cordelli were well aware that the only man here, Ober, was the most dangerous human being. That¡¯s why Cordelli had to pretend to believe her excuses that she had made as best she could.


    In the end, Cordelli went out of the room with great reluctance.


    Correcting her facial expression, she turned back and said, ¡°She grew up with me since she was a child. She wouldn¡¯t leave me alone. Ever since the accident in Roshan, she is more worried about me than before.¡±


    ¡°I think so.¡±


    ¡°You know what? She really bugged me while I was travelling here from the Elior Mansion. Still, she is a very sincere woman, so please understand her generously. There are few who care about me so deeply as Cordelli.¡±


    Ober was a wicked man in using human lives as a means to achieve his goal. As someone who had been killed cruelly in his hands in her previous life, Marianne wanted no more victims like her. She had no problem making all kinds of excuses so as to not incur his suspicion.


    She couldn¡¯t believe she didn¡¯t feel humiliated while trying to curry favor with the murderer who killed her. Instead, she focused on making him let his guard down.


    She found herself amazed at her tremendous patience deep inside.


    ¡°I fully understand that. But¡­¡±


    Fortunately, he seemed to be interested in something else.


    ¡°Now that we are alone, I think we can talk a little more candidly.¡±


    ¡°Um¡­¡±


    Marianne grasped the hem of her dress when he stroked her waist without any hesitation.


    She felt creepy as if she felt like a worm was crawling on her bare skin under her dress.


    ¡°Sounds good, but can I look around the room first? I want to see the picture up close¡­¡±


    ¡°If you really like it, let me wrap it up when you go back.¡±


    ¡°What? You don¡¯t have to¡­¡±


    ¡°I can give you anything you want, regardless of whether it¡¯s alcohol or handicraft. So, why don¡¯t you focus on me now? They don¡¯t run away or disappear even if you put off watching it. But this opportunity may not come again.¡±


    She gradually felt he was pressuring her. As she couldn¡¯t avoid him anymore, she closed her lips without replying.


    ¡°Okay, Marie. Answer me.¡±


    In fact, from the moment he called her in the garden, she already sensed that this might be a golden chance for her to dissipate Ober¡¯s doubts about her.


    ¡°So, have you made up your mind to come back to me?¡±


    The moment she heard it, she was tormented in her heart.


    Of course, she didn¡¯t agonize over whether to betray the emperor or not, as Ober thought.


    Even if Ober¡¯s terrible words were all true, her enemy was still Ober for it was this man who ruined her previous life terribly.


    She was determined that she had to make him pay for his crimes. She would rather bite her tongue and die rather than go back to him. Her decision had never been shaken for a second since the day she got her second life.


    But it was also true that all the things she heard yesterday were not false, which was disturbing to her. She could not deny that her father¡¯s confession and Ober¡¯s voice were making her restless deep inside.


    Even at this moment, both reason and intuition were shouting with alarms in her mind. She felt like some hidden secret that she didn¡¯t want to know might come to light soon.


    ¡°If I come back to you¡­doesn¡¯t it mean that I have to betray the emperor?¡±


    What she felt most uncomfortable with was the implications in her calculated question.


    Even if she did not go back to Ober, it did not mean that her deep suspicion would disappear.


    She felt most terrible about her own incomplete conviction. She never knew how painful it was to wish to trust somebody so desperately.


    It was the first time she wanted to run away from him rather than wonder about the secret.


    ¡°Betrayal¡­¡± Ober repeated her words.


    He accurately understood what she was fearing at the moment.


    But he was mistaken in understanding why she feared him.


    ¡°I like your question. You expressed it very nobly.¡±


    He thought that Marianne, who was naive enough, felt reluctant about the act of betraying someone.


    ¡°Do you think it is not proper to express it like that?¡±


    ¡°Well, I think you can express it more clearly.¡±


    ¡°Then tell me. Express it in a way that you think is more proper.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s difficult, but I think you should express it on your side first because it¡¯s rather dangerous for me to listen to it without any determination.¡±


    Although his tone seemed to be very considerate to her, what he actually said was nothing but a threat.


    ¡®Won¡¯t he accept an ambiguous answer?¡¯


    Marianne hesitated for a moment and opened her mouth.


    ¡°I asked my father yesterday why he didn¡¯t leave Lennox a long time ago and why he overprotected. I also asked him why I didn¡¯t receive any proposal letters from the crown prince despite the traditional practices for the daughters of dukes to be prime candidates for him. I asked if I was not best qualified or if there was any other reason I didn¡¯t get a proposal letter.¡±


    ¡°I think you plucked up great courage yesterday.¡±


    ¡°My father¡­ He said it was all his decision. He said he did so because I just wanted to be happy. He said he stuck to his position for that reason for over 20 years.¡±


    ¡°That means¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes. My father didn¡¯t want me to be the emperor¡¯s wife. He didn¡¯t want me to be unhappy.


    What does it mean?¡±


    The more she talked, the more he lowered his eyebrows. Finally, he looked at her pitifully. ¡°Maybe you were right. I didn¡¯t want it, I really didn¡¯t want it¡­¡±


    Marianne¡¯s feigned confession to Ober was incredibly flawless.


    Her green eyes quickly got wet. Her cheeks became a little pale and her gaze also trembled. She crushed the dress with her hand with light scratches, and tears began dropping down her face.


    ¡°¡­Okay. Let me betray the emperor if I can come back to you.¡±


    Finally, her answer to satisfy his illusion came out.


    ¡°What a wise decision! How lovely you are!¡±


    Ober praised her a lot as if he wanted to applaud.


    ¡®How can he describe me as ¡®lovely¡¯ when I¡¯m crying in anxiety? What a jerk!¡¯


    Thinking like that, she wiped the tears on the other cheek.


    ¡°Marie. I will drag the emperor down from the throne and kill him.¡±


    Stunned by what he said next, she opened her eyes wide like a cat.


    That was exactly the type of reaction he expected from her, whom he thought was ¡°stupid.¡±


    ¡°He is a mean guy. He deceived you and took you away from me. Besides, he abused your goodwill and insulted your pure heart.¡±


    Ober gave such a shameless and ridiculous answer. If Evelyn later found this out, she would say she had never seen a guy who introduced himself in the most brazen-faced manner.


    ¡®How could I trust and love such a bastard in my previous life?¡¯


    In short, Marianne was speechless when Ober blamed the emperor like that. If she could turn back the clock, she wanted to go back to her previous life and slap him on the butt 100 times.


    ¡°In fact, the current emperor is too monstrous to wear the crown with nine jewels. To correct his wrong succession of the throne and get even with him for you, I will punish him in the most gruesome manner.¡±

 Chapter 123

    ¡°But you don¡¯t have to kill the emperor, do you?¡±


    ¡°No, I must kill him. Most of the nobles don¡¯t think he¡¯s suitable to be the emperor, but some supporters of the emperor will do whatever he wants because they have already become his running dog.¡±


    ¡°Nonetheless¡­¡±


    ¡°How can you conclude that those who were unhappy about dethroning the emperor would not threaten Duke Kling and you? You shouldn¡¯t give them any chance to strike back. It is right to deny them all the possibilities without any hope.¡±


    Ober spoke to her in a way that stopped her from questioning or disagreeing with what he said. Changing the topic quickly right after what he said was also his trick to fog her judgment.


    ¡°So, Marie, please try to detect his weakness from now on and let me know.¡±


    His hand, much bigger than hers, squeezed in between her slender fingers. Even though she was wearing lace gloves, her fingers hurt when his fingers were squeezed in. It was as if a snake was slowly squeezing its prey with its tail.


    ¡°As for his weakness¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, break down his wariness by using means and methods. Make him lose judgment so he can reveal his secrets and tricks voluntarily, and make sure he won¡¯t feel betrayed even when you stab him in the chest. Make sure he won¡¯t resent you even if you poison his tea and push him off a steep cliff.¡±


    Marianne bit her lip so as not to burst into laughter.


    Actually he was exactly doing what he wanted her to act like against Eckart as the stupidest and most beautiful woman.


    How would she feel someday if she recalled what had happened today? Wouldn¡¯t he blame himself just like he whispered to her?


    ¡°I¡¯m the only one you can trust. Do not believe anyone who you regard as close to you or anyone who seems close to you. Even your mother and father.¡±


    Marianne stared at his ashen eyes reflecting numerous hidden intentions.


    He was half right and half wrong. At this moment, she didn¡¯t believe anyone fully, including herself.


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case¡­You won¡¯t betray me, right?¡±


    Marianne asked him in her own interests without any hope and despair. She did not feel guilty or angst while deceiving someone.


    She continued, ¡°Are you going to love me without leaving forever?¡±


    She once believed his sweet promises, but she threw them away in her previous life. Sometimes she missed the days when she was thrilled to see him, but she didn¡¯t want to go back to those days or change the reality.


    Nonetheless, if there was one thing that she coveted¡­


    She wanted to ask someone else the question sincerely.


    ¡°Of course, I will.¡±


    But it was Ober who answered her question.


    ¡°If I correct everything, I will make you my empress. I promise.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Ober.¡±


    ¡°No other woman has driven me as crazy as you. I will cut the emperor¡¯s neck for you. I want you so badly. Please do not doubt me. I will never leave you.¡±


    Marianne nodded silently. She didn¡¯t want to show any exaggerated reaction, nor did she have any energy to do so because he was telling her a white lie. If anyone asked her how she felt being duped by somebody, however, she felt like she could explain it for three days and three nights.


    ¡°Can I make another confession to you?¡± Ober said.


    While she agonized over his white lie, he tried to touch her mind with sweet talk.


    ¡°The first time I saw you, I knew that you were the only light in my life!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Only you, Marie. I knew that only you were the goddess who would save me from this wrong world¡­¡±


    Ober wrapped her cheeks, whispering to her with wistful eyes. She did not want to kiss him. It was not a big deal to kiss him, and in fact, she felt it was so sweet to kiss him in her previous life. But now she just hated him. She just wanted to slap him on the cheek and run away.


    But she couldn¡¯t retreat anymore in order to deceive him. His suspicion would kill her. She had to put up with everything until she obtained decisive evidence.


    Marianne barely closed her eyes, trying not to bite her teeth.


    Right at that moment, someone threw the door open even without knocking.


    ***


    Earl Lonstat¡¯s mansion was an ordinary manor.


    Although his family was not one of the most famous and time-honored ones in the empire, it boasted of its own prestige and influence like other comparable noble families.


    His family was not the so-called pure-blooded noblemen as recorded from the first page of the history of the empire, but as earl, Lonstat made his name known in the capital¡¯s social circles.


    So, strictly speaking, his family could not be treated as a declining family.


    The ancestor of the family, Tiery von Lonstat, was originally a servant working in the royal library. As he had a position to work in the imperial family rather than an ordinary noble family, he was quite successful among the commoners. Fortunately, he was so lucky as to move up in his social status as he found favor in the eyes of Emperor Kremer V.


    Kremer V was an emperor who was generous to his servants. To give it a finer name, he was kind to his subordinates, and strictly speaking, he was easily swayed by his private feelings.


    He greatly cared for his servant Tiery who was very subservient. By the time the emperor replaced him with another subservient servant, Tiery changed his fate as a commoner completely.


    While one does not consider a small drop very much, an ant must use all its energy to move it. Tiery knew that he was like an ant, and he did his best to make a single drop of water for the emperor.


    Eventually, he climbed into the ranks of the noblemen before one generation passed. Whatever contribution he made, the most common noble title given to a commoner was baronet, the semi-noble class. But Tiery was exceptionally given the title of baron. As someone whose only strength was smartness, Tiery earning the title of baron was recorded as one of the most memorable events in the history of noble title award records of the empire.


    Tiery, namely the first baronet Lonstat, bought a mansion and made family genealogy like other noble families. He ordered a wagon and elegant robes to fit his new status as a nobleman, and formally hired a lieutenant to manage his small estate.


    And he made a plausible family motto.


    It was a good and common motto. The words used were noble and loyal to the imperial family, so the motto was suitable enough to show off to the outside.


    However, there was another practical motto that had been handed down to his family members, which Tiery asked his children never to forget before he died.


    Indeed, it accurately revealed the purpose of life.


    In any case, his descendants stuck to it and handed it down to generations.


    They lined up behind the powerful rather than a shameful honor.


    As a result, they got the title of baron during Kremer VIII¡¯s reign and finally earl in Frei III. During the current emperor¡¯s reign, the Lonstat family formed ties with Duke Hubble and Marquis Chester who had allegedly absolute power.


    Earl Lonstat was the one who deeply kept the family motto to heart. He repeatedly stressed to his son, who was to succeed his title, and his beloved daughter about various lessons of the family motto.


    ¡°Roxy, you are a precious daughter who will open prospects for your father. You¡¯re going to be the most precious person in the world.¡±


    ¡°Our family does not have any useless children. Roxy, you are smart unlike the other daughters of noble families, aren¡¯t you? So, don¡¯t let me down. Got it?¡±


    ¡°Roxy, history is written by the winner. Don¡¯t rub a duke, marquis or marquise the wrong way.


    If you become the empress, they will fall down at your feet. Don¡¯t forget that a moment¡¯s disgrace will earn you eternal power.¡±


    ¡°As things have gotten up to this point, try to get the marquis or the emperor on your side. That¡¯s why you have to use your good looks. The mirror is not for the purpose of your makeup. Aren¡¯t you ashamed of your ancestors?¡±


    Who said human greed had no end? Lonstat blatantly forced surrender and sacrifice on his daughter. He did not hide his huge greed. Rather, he wanted his children to agree and follow him.


    What mattered to him was not ¡°temporary shame,¡± but ¡°eternal power.¡±


    He led a life based on that motto, and taught it to his children all his life. So, he took it for granted that his daughter would think so too.


    Roxanne felt uncomfortable with her father¡¯s expectations. But on the other hand, she wanted to be recognized as a good daughter. Earl Lonstat bought whatever she wanted, and whispered in her ear that she was the most beautiful and valuable daughter in the world.


    Although he had a reason for showing such favor, his praise and concern for her served as the surest and greatest love in Roxanne¡¯s world.

 Chapter 124

    Roxanne naturally sought his recognition. Young Roxanne couldn¡¯t judge whether her father¡¯s love was wrong or not.


    From the day she returned from her debutante ball, she roamed through the social circles in the capital and socialized with them. She willingly gave in to the strong, but she was arrogant to the weak. Sometimes she wanted to stop trying and give up, but she endured it.


    She had to endure it because of her father¡¯s order. She thought it was her fate and value as well as her life goal.


    ¡°A moment¡¯s disgrace will bring about everlasting power.¡±


    So, she kept reciting it, believing that all her efforts would bring about her victory at the end of the day. She thought if she emerged as the final winner, she could be happy.


    But at this moment, Roxanne couldn¡¯t figure out what this shame could mean for her, and she didn¡¯t want to know.


    She looked at the two in front of her. She felt she might have seen some other persons, so she rubbed her eyes and checked them again.


    Unfortunately, the woman on the left was Marianne and the man on the right was Ober.


    Their physical contact was so close that even the wind couldn¡¯t blow through it. Obviously they seemed to have just kissed each other.


    ¡°How come they were involved in such an unscrupulous thing?¡±


    Her clenched white hands trembled while her light green eyes trembled in shock and anger.


    It was by pure coincidence that Roxanne heard a group of maids whispering among themselves. As she was about to go out to the balcony to avoid the attendant¡¯s uncomfortable eyes, she heard the maids whispering that Ober met another woman instead of her, who had been waiting to see him until then.


    Besides, she found out that the woman who came to see him without any notice was none other than Lady Marianne.


    If that was true, he was terribly rude to her as well as neglecting her outright.


    But she didn¡¯t want to make trouble that would make the Chester family and her family hostile to each other. However, she wanted to confirm what the maids said.


    She rushed to the flower garden and found Ober and Marianne stuck together, apparently whispering sweet nothings.


    ¡®I thought I was more than humiliated at the recent ball by them¡­¡¯


    Roxanne was so angry that she felt dizzy. Ober¡¯s selective meeting with Marianne confirmed his intentional neglect of her for several days. She felt that Marianne, not content with taking the position of the empress, was now coveting the last lifeline for her and her family.


    ¡°Hey, Roxanne! Didn¡¯t your etiquette teacher teach you any basic manners as a guest? You¡¯re so rude!¡± As if he didn¡¯t care at all about her, Ober rebuked Rosanne coldly.


    Roxanne thought to herself, ¡®How can he be so casual when he was caught kissing Marianne? How can he blame me? Me, and not someone else?¡±¡®


    Roxanne shouted at him as if she was slapped in the face.


    ¡°Sir Chester!¡±


    ¡°This is my private space. Not only you, but also your father can¡¯t even freely come to this place. Got it?¡±


    ¡°I know! So, I kept waiting for you to call me! I was going to wait forever¡­¡±


    Roxanne shook his shoulders, blurring her last word. Unbearable shame and anger destroyed her reason in no time. Tears came down before she knew it.


    If she had been in her right mind, she would have clenched her teeth and read his mind, but she felt too humiliated to do so. The sadness that she barely suppressed exploded like an active volcano. Uncontrollable anger made her act more recklessly.


    ¡°Why are you here, Lady Marianne? Oh, what did I see you doing a minute ago?¡±


    ¡°You dare to question me now?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me who came here first to see you! I waited to see you all day long, yesterday, the day before, and the day before that!¡±


    Roxanne yelled loudly with all her strength. Her small white face quickly became red like a ripe apple.


    Marianne let go of his hand that gripped her arm until then.


    And she moved one step closer to Roxanne. She did it as a means to deceive Ober, not as a weapon to hurt Roxanne. She knew she was not in a position to make excuses, but she felt she had to when Roxanne was treated badly by Ober.


    ¡°Sorry. I didn¡¯t know Roxanne was here first.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that! It¡¯s more disgusting than ignoring me!!¡±


    Her lukewarm compassion further fueled Roxanne¡¯s anger. She suddenly stopped before Roxanne because of her relentless condemnation.


    His warmth, who moved a step back, was felt again around her shoulders. His grip on her shoulders was a bit stronger than before.


    ¡°Miss Lonstat! Let me warn you that you had better watch your language from now on, although it¡¯s too late.¡±


    Roxanne laughed at Ober¡¯s shameless face.


    ¡°Why? Did I say anything wrong? Lady Marianne is playing the hypocrite right now. If she has become the emperor¡¯s fiancee, she should free Marquis Chester, right? If she can¡¯t give up Marquis Chester, she should have given up the post of the future empress. Don¡¯t you know, Marquis Chester, that you should not do this to me?¡±


    Ober did not answer. Instead, he was casting a glance at her with derision as if he were looking at an incomprehensible worm.


    Roxanne turned back to Marianne instead of Ober, who had no answer.


    Her anger was not totally directed toward her. At this moment she began to believe all his infidelity that she could imagine was true.


    ¡°You¡¯re so mean! Did you leak it to the maids on purpose, so you wanted me to witness this terrible thing in person?¡±


    ¡°Miss Roxanne¡­¡±


    ¡°Please answer me. Are you happy? Did you do that even when you knew all along that I was supposed to be his woman? What are you going to take away from me next time? No, why do you keep coveting my stuff? Are you doing so on purpose? What did I do to you?¡±


    She was gonna go broke at this point.


    As Roxanne hurled a barrage of abuses at Marianne. Cordelli, who was watching her unbelievable mockery while standing in front of the open door, suddenly entered.


    As Cordelli entered the room so quickly, the other maids had no time to stop her.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been watching you for a while, and I think your words are too harsh! Why do you think my lady is too mean to you? What you did to her is much, much worse! My lady didn¡¯t do anything wrong. She never coveted anything! What do you know about her?¡±


    ¡°Oh my god! How come your attendant is ignoring me now? How come you are shouting at me arrogantly?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s you who is shouting at my lady! My lady is a duke¡¯s daughter! How come an earl¡¯s daughter is so rude to a duke¡¯s daughter like this? You could have been sent to prison for insulting my lady!¡±


    ¡°What? Prison? Are you crazy? Who do you think you are, talking about etiquette? Do you think you are also a duke¡¯s blood because you are serving a duke¡¯s daughter? I¡¯m just dumbfounded by your daring behavior!¡±


    Roxanne and Cordelli huffed and puffed, engaged in a war of words.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s you who is crazy, Lonstat. Do you know the terrible things you have been doing?¡±


    It was Ober who poured cold water into the hot atmosphere.


    ¡°Get out of this place if you don¡¯t want to be dragged out.¡±


    He pointed out the door with his fingertips and coldly gave the order.


    ¡°I won¡¯t go! You haven¡¯t heard my story yet!¡±


    ¡°Giyom!¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t leave! Don¡¯t call him! I won¡¯t go!¡±


    Regardless of her desperate struggling, Ober beckoned to Giyom as if he heard nothing.


    Marianne watched the guy striking into the room, whose name she was not only familiar with but was also sick and tired of. Her shoulders shrugged and her fingers trembled unconsciously.


    She desperately retraced her memories. After trying to think of something that would bring tranquility, the first thing that came to her mind was on the eve of the ball.


    His golden cloak over her shoulder. His arm that supported her not to fall and the cool scent from his arms. His voice saying that he would allow no one to blame her. Such tender memories made her stand firm up until now.


    Ober glanced down at her as her shoulders were trembling faintly. The moment he was having a strange deja vu, Roxanne suddenly rushed towards him and wailed desperately.


    ¡°I do not like it! I got here first! I don¡¯t want her to take what¡¯s mine anymore. I don¡¯t want to lose anything! Marquis, don¡¯t you like me? You didn¡¯t do this to me before. If you don¡¯t like me, please tell me why. I¡¯ll fix it. I can fix it.¡±


    The front of her long dress hem was ripped off when somebody trampled on it.


    Roxanne knelt down in front of him as if her world were falling upside down.


    ¡°In the future, anybody associated with Earl Lonstat is forbidden to enter this residence. Anyone who violates my order should be expelled immediately, regardless of their position.¡±


    Ober completely dismissed Roxanne¡¯s desperate look.

 Chapter 125

    After ordering the servants and maids who gathered due to the sudden disturbances,


    he looked at Giyom who was winking at him to get rid of the dirty thing right away.


    ¡°Excuse me.¡±


    ¡°No! Marquis! Sorry¡­Let go of me! Sorry! I won¡¯t do it again! So please listen to me¡­ Ahhh! Let go of me! Yuck¡­¡±


    Giyom grabbed her waist as she was crawling on the floor. He shut her mouth with his large hand. Roxanne, whose body was smaller than Marianne¡¯s, was taken out of the room while she was struggling.


    Like Marianne herself at the last moment in her previous life when she was dunked into a quiet lake at night, his private space became quiet as if nothing happened. Quick-witted servants and maids hurriedly cleaned it up and went back to their place. Cordelli also reluctantly went out of the room.


    ¡°Were you surprised very much? I knew she was a jealous woman, but I¡¯ve never thought she did a terrible thing like this. I wonder if she is really crazy¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Just forget it. You don¡¯t have to care about it. I will make sure she won¡¯t harm you.¡±


    Marianne stared at her back for a while as she was disappearing. After a brief awkward silence, she nodded and took pains to smile.


    ¡°I¡¯m alright. Please don¡¯t reprove her too much. I understand Miss Roxanne hates me. If I meet her later and clear the air, I think will get along well again.¡±


    Fearing that he might send poison the Lonstat family because he was annoyed at Roxanne¡¯s attitude, Marianne quickly reassured him that she would reconcile with Roxanne.


    Ober frowned as if he thought she wouldn¡¯t go through the trouble of doing so. But what was important to him was to sympathize with Marianne, so he nodded silently.


    ¡°Above all¡­¡±


    Marianne felt nauseated by his actions, but she barely put up with it.


    And she just focused on what he had to do at this moment.


    Her green eyes concealed her fatigue and slowly looked around.


    ¡°I would like to take a walk for a change. Can you go with me to the garden? I won¡¯t refuse it if you show me around the garden.¡±


    ***


    Two days passed since then.


    As she had experienced before, the rumors getting around in the capital spread in a flash.


    Marquis Chester¡¯s mansion was a special place that drew the attention of busybodies and moles even when nothing special happened. As the moles Chester planted in various places secretly spread rumors, his mansion, which had been quiet until recently, was now topsy-turvy.


    And it was not without reason.


    Rumors originating in his house were about Lady Marianne, Duke Kling¡¯s only daughter, her former lover and one of Aslan Empire¡¯s most powerful men, Marquis Chester, and the daughter of Earl Lonstat who was ranked as the leading candidate as Chester¡¯s fiancee.


    In short, it was a scandal involving their entangled love affair, the people¡¯s favorite topic!


    ¡°Did you see that? No, did you hear? Lady Marianne came to the main palace today.¡±


    Moreover, there were more rumors getting around in the Imperial Palace than anywhere else, including the noblemen¡¯s districts.


    ¡°Oh my gosh. How brazen-faced she was! How come she came to see the emperor after she had an affair? Didn¡¯t they know anything about the rumors at the Elior Mansion?¡±


    ¡°Of course, they know. She knowingly came to the palace. But it looks like she didn¡¯t see the emperor. I hear the emperor was meeting someone to take care of state matters. I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the real reason. Kloud allegedly denied everybody for an audience with the emperor. Nonetheless, I hear she went back with a smile.¡±


    ¡°I think you would need guts like her to attract such powerful guys like the emperor and the marquis.¡±


    ¡°You bet. Yuria told me she was a very good person, but it seems she is totally different when dealing with men.¡±


    Before leaving after shift duty, several maids, sitting under the shade of the flower garden, babbled about rumors over snacks.


    As they say, the most interesting thing in the world was watching other people quarrelling. Each of the maids began to tell what they saw and heard.


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t scare me. Roxanne, the earl¡¯s daughter, cried out in an uproar, and Lady Marianne apologized to her, saying she didn¡¯t know she was there first. Wasn¡¯t it more scary? I¡¯d rather rebuke her right away in that situation.¡±


    ¡°By the way, Roxanne went too far. I hear she was pretty violent on purpose. If I were in Lady Marianne¡¯s shoes, I would¡¯ve slapped her. How can an earl¡¯s daughter be so rude to a duke¡¯s daughter?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me about it. Everybody knows how hot-tempered and violent Roxanne is. I heard she was taken out of the place by the marquis¡¯s attendant. She fell on the floor and begged him earnestly. How ugly! She is not a lowly housemaid, but a noblewoman!¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­but I would have gone crazy in that situation. Why? She missed the fish you almost caught, right? Count Lonstat often hangs around with Duke Hubble and Marquis Chester, so he must have thought that if his daughter couldn¡¯t be the empress, she could be Chester¡¯s fiancee. That¡¯s why Roxanne was quite busy trying to meet Chester for the past several days. I just feel sorry to hear that.¡±


    ¡°Why do you feel sorry for her? Don¡¯t you know that Chester has set his heart only on Lady Marianne? I think Roxanne didn¡¯t know her place and daydreamed until now.¡±


    ¡°By the way, is that rumor true, too?¡±


    ¡°Which rumor?¡±


    ¡°That secret meeting between Lady Marianne and Chester, which Roxanne said she saw. I hear the two were having passionate physical contact there¡­ According to the rumor, it looks like they were seen kissing passionately.¡±


    A dark-haired maid stuck her tongue out, winking at them in a humorous way. Then the maids around looked at each other, blushing.


    ¡°Oh, no. Did Roxanne see it? If that¡¯s the case, I can understand why she was so upset.¡±


    ¡°I think Lady Marianne is too mean. She already had the engagement ceremony, right? What about the emperor? Isn¡¯t she ashamed of herself as a lady?¡±


    ¡°Emily. Power and love are selfish by nature. You don¡¯t need any face-saving before your instincts. If you think about it, wasn¡¯t it the emperor who took away Marianne first?¡±


    ¡°Well, I read hundreds of romance novels, but they are nothing when compared to this scandal. Never did I think I would see this kind of scandal during my life! I guess reality is more cruel than fiction.¡±


    ¡°You took it right out of my mouth. Who will win eventually? His Excellency? Marquis? If not, is it possible that Lady Marianne will find another man? Who knows if she will suddenly fall in love with a nice knight or a prince of another country and flees there for a runaway marriage?¡±


    As if they enjoyed gossiping about the scandal, the maids laughed together.


    Even though the scandal involved the emperor and powerful noblemen, it was nothing more than a gossip topic to them. As long as they didn¡¯t bring it up before them, or someone leaked it to them, they could freely talk about it in a private setting.


    ¡°¡­ Runaway marriage? If that¡¯s the case, she would be killed even before leaving Milan.¡±


    Marianne, who was listening to their babblings across the high rose wall, was shocked because she was their main topic. She was directly involved in that exciting scandal.


    Marianne grumbled feebly and grabbed Cordelli¡¯s arm, who was huffing and puffing in a fit of anger.


    While being dragged out by Marianne, Cordelli stared at the wall with an unpleasant expression. She couldn¡¯t run over the fence as she was bothered by her quarrelling with Roxanne, but her face grew red like a ripe tomato as she couldn¡¯t suppress her anger.


    ¡°As things ended up like this, I would like to give them a good scolding with the warning that they shouldn¡¯t spout their mouths off. You went to the palace to give the emperor some medicine. Like they said, you were not expelled by Sir Kloud, right? And you didn¡¯t even kiss Ober when Roxanne saw you, right?


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right, but you shouldn¡¯t deal with the maids now.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°That rumor was created and spread by Ober on purpose.¡±


    ¡°Really? It wasn¡¯t Lonstat, but Marquis Chester who spread such groundless rumors?¡±


    Codelli asked back as if she couldn¡¯t believe it. Marianne nodded, crossing the garden along the maze-like fence.


    Roxanne definitely had not started the rumors as she was allegedly confined to her house after her shocking humiliation at the Ober¡¯s place. If she had, then the rumors would have included her own excuses. Or she would have attended a marquis¡¯ tea party held yesterday, telling everybody how unscrupulous Marianne was.


    The rumors, however, were not favorable to Roxanne, and they were also harmful to Marianne.


    Besides, the rumors did not contain any single word attacking Ober¡¯s responsibility or harsh attitude who committed the same infidelity as Marianne. The rumors were fully grounded on facts, but they had a mixture of lies and speculations that only one person would benefit from.


    Considering all the circumstantial evidence, the generator of the rumors was Ober.

 Chapter 126

    In fact, there were only a few people in the mansion that day who could understand the situation in detail as much as he did. And not many people could gossip about it without his permission. Accordingly, it was neither Roxanne nor Marianne who could spread such rumors. At the end of the day, it was Ober himself or a servant or maid who spread the rumors with Ober¡¯s tacit agreement.


    ¡®Rotten egg! You¡¯ve made up all these rumors! If I see you about this, you will certainly try to comfort me, saying I don¡¯t have to worry¡­¡±


    Marianne kept walking, stamping on the innocent ground. Cordelli quickly read her mind and followed her silently.


    The surroundings around her changed quickly. As she passed through the flower walls tangled with rose bushes, an empty lot suddenly appeared. It was a courtyard with an aspen forest on the left and a small pond on the right. In the back, the flower garden was lined up like a shield.


    Marianne slowly stopped, glancing over the thick grass.


    ¡°Lady, Lord Iric will be waiting for you at the front door. Wouldn¡¯t it be better for you to go back? You¡¯ll be in big trouble if you get lost because the road here is not familiar to me¡­ ¡±


    Cordelli was about to recommend her to go back with an anxious look when she heard something.


    ¡°Haat!¡±


    There was the lively sound of iron clapping.


    They were blinded by a dazzling sharp light that popped out to the side of a large cottonwood tree. When they looked again a little later, it was the reflected light of two knives. As if they were practicing swordsmanship, two men were entangled in wielding their swords.


    Whenever their swords clanked, a pair of blades gracefully cut through the wind. There was no hesitation in the motion of them pushing and attacking each other.


    Even though Marianne and Cordelli were not well versed in swordsmanship, they could immediately realize that their skills were outstanding.


    ¡°Oh my god! Isn¡¯t he the Grand Duke?¡± Cordelli asked, pointing to one of them.


    In Marianne¡¯s eyes, his long white hair and tall height obviously belonged Grand Duke Christopher.


    ¡°Next to him¡­ I can¡¯t see his face well. I don¡¯t think he is the emperor. Given his hair color, he looks like the emperor¡¯s relative¡­¡±


    Marianne narrowed her eyes to check out who he was.


    His golden hair tied up like the Grand Duke¡¯s fluttered in the air. He put on a loose white shirt, navy blue pants and leather boots that rose above the knees, with his sleeves rolled up to the elbows. Every time he wielded the sword, his strong muscles were revealed openly. He was shorter than the average adult, but his long legs and straight shoulders were steady and firm.


    He was a young man who looked like a boy in her eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s strange. As I far as I know, there are no relatives of the emperor who are around your age. As you know, the emperor has no brothers, the Grand Duke is unmarried, and the first daughter of the late empress has long been the empress of Faisal. Duchess Lamont doesn¡¯t have a son¡­¡±


    Reciting the emperor¡¯s family line, Cordelli shook her head.


    While recalling each of the characters she mentioned, Marianne suddenly opened her mouth as if she realized something.


    Her friend Evelyn, who she left behind in the north, often wore pants and rode a horse.


    For example, if she held a sword, she could easily defeat any beginner swordsman. She also bet money on shooting a bow to hit the leaves and took Marianne¡¯s money by winning every time. When she was banned from going out, she had her arm broken while climbing a wall secretly. She even played cricket in the middle of his garden with servants and maids.


    Just like aristocrats and commoners were different in their jobs, they thought gentlemen and ladies had separate roles in society. People blamed Evelyn, saying her reckless behavior was not suitable for a lady. By their standards, Evelyn was something like a ¡°freak.¡¯


    But Marianne liked Evelyn for that. Evelyn was more dynamic and vibrant when she rode on the field, wearing a cumbersome dress than when she was in a room with Marianne, reading books and stroking a brush, which she didn¡¯t like at all.


    In that respect, Marianne felt that the energetic young man should not necessarily be a son of the Frey family.


    ¡°Miss Rane!¡±


    Marianne shouted as loudly as she could. Then, the person wielding a sword over there turned to Marianne and shouted back, ¡°Ugh? Marie!¡±


    Soon, that familiar figure raised her hands as if to welcome her.


    As soon as she confirmed Marianne¡¯s presence, Rane threw away the sword she was holding.


    The early summer wind cooled the sweat on her forehead and neck. Her bright smile seemed liberated and refreshing like a bird in the meadows.


    ¡°Oh my gosh. How did you know I was here? This garden is located in a remote area, so there are few people coming here. Did you come to see me? Or my uncle?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ I just go here while walking along this way. I don¡¯t know my way around the Imperial Palace. Sorry. Did I disturb you? I was so glad to see you¡­¡±


    ¡°Haha. That¡¯s fine. Anyway, I almost won the game!¡±


    Rane laughed a hearty laugh, showing off her skills. Marianne smiled.


    Rane had the power to make the other party comfortable and pleasant.


    ¡°By the way, we¡¯ve not seen each other for a long time. I was really worried as you had an accident in Roshan. I earnestly waited for your return as much as my mother¡¯s. I heard that fortunately you weren¡¯t seriously hurt, but when I saw the emperor this morning, he looked pretty much haggard, so I was worried about you, too¡­¡±


    Rane babbled about lots of things that Marianne didn¡¯t ask. Marianne frowned a bit while listening to her.


    ¡°Does he look very bad?¡±


    ¡°Well, as you know, he doesn¡¯t take care of himself, so it¡¯s nothing new. By the way, didn¡¯t you come here to see the emperor?¡±


    ¡°Oh, he said he was in a meeting, so I said I would come back later.¡±


    ¡°Later?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t ask Lord Kloud to tell the emperor that you were here?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    ¡°Why? If Kloud told him about you, he would have delayed the meeting to meet you.¡±


    ¡°As he was busy, I felt like I couldn¡¯t go through the trouble of¡­¡±


    ¡°Hummm¡­¡±


    Rane narrowed her eyes with a dissatisfied look. Her olive-eyed pupil resembling her mother¡¯s glanced at Marianne.


    ¡°Mary, would you like to take a walk with me if you have time?¡±


    ¡°Sure, that sounds good.¡±


    ¡°Then, wait a moment.¡±


    As soon as she was done, Rane turned and started to run. She quickly ran away and picked up the sword she had left behind and explained something to Duke Christopher.


    Hearing what she said, he turned his eyes at Marianne. Marianne politely put her hands on her chest and slightly lifted the hem of her dress to show manners. Christopher also slightly bowed to her.


    He soon disappeared into the cottonwood forest without any resistance. Unlike Rane who was in comfortable slacks, he was formally dressed. His well-groomed lapels and neat hair left strange afterimages in her mind.


    ¡°All good now. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Rane quickly came back and offered to walk together, pointing to a pond nearby.


    ¡°I heard that the lotus planted in that pond is a very rare species. I hear you love flowers, correct? Let¡¯s take a look at them now.¡±


    Marianne gladly nodded her head. Rane asked to escort her, reaching out with an exaggerated gesture.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, lady!¡±


    Smiling at her sly move, Marianne put her hand on her arm.


    Quick-witted, Cordelli walked back one step and watched. Her white face had a bright smile as if the dark clouds covering her head had disappeared.


    ¡°By the way, you are not surprised?¡±


    ¡°Do I have to be?¡±


    ¡°Well, when I¡¯m wielding a sword like this, they usually open their eyes wide and shut their mouths first as if they had seen a crazy woman. My maid Nancy is still scared about coming near me like she was five years ago.¡±


    Rane¡¯s eyes glared in a funny way. Marianne could not hide the laughter at that.


    Cordelli, who was squinting, furtively covered her mouth, biting her lip.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you feel I¡¯m strange?¡±


    ¡°Well, not at all. I have a friend in Lennox who looks just like you. I¡¯ve already seen lots of funny stuff that she did before.¡±


    ¡°A friend like me?¡± Rane asked with a curious look. Marianne gave her a big nod.


    ¡°So, I don¡¯t think your actions are strange. Just a little¡­ It¡¯s different.¡±


    ¡°Something different¡­ Wow, that¡¯s a moderate expression. I would cite your expression as one of the best three moderate expressions.¡±


    They are His Majesty, my mother, father, uncle. And the next person is¡­


    Rane pointed to her with her eyes.

 Chapter 127

    Marianne shrugged her shoulders, blinking her clear eyes casually.


    ¡°I love flowers and jewelry, Miss Rane and his friends like swords and horses, and Beatrice loves books, right? Is it strange for one to be immersed in what they like and enjoy? It¡¯s important to live doing what you want to do. There are many times when you have to do something you don¡¯t really want to¡­¡±


    Marianne thought she was mentioning something like, ¡°Something you don¡¯t want to do but have to.¡± She swallowed dry saliva unconsciously.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s too annoying to care about what others think when it comes to what we like. Anyway, we won¡¯t harm others, right?¡±


    She consciously recalled the names of loved ones in her hometown. She also recalled the garden at the annex building, filled with flowers and trees in all seasons, and the faces of loved ones she used to play together with on the grass.


    The memories of her laughing together, crying together, thinking together, running away, and living every day together with them flashed through her mind.


    ¡°Of course I wanted to land a blow on her head when she left me alone on the tree and went away.¡±


    When Marianne recalled her memories and added, Rane put her hand on her forehead, saying with a smile, ¡°Oh, no, how could she do that? It looks like your friend Evelyn was too mean.¡±


    Marianne stopped in front of the pond, feeling envious ofher without knowing why.


    The pond looked like a mixture of water lilies and lotus flowers. The flowers of the water lilies which were in close contact with the surface of the water were sunburned in light pinks and purples. As it was still early summer, the lotus didn¡¯t yet bear all its buds yet, but there were a few that put out some buds due to the warm weather.


    Marianne, muttering with a small voice, slowly looked back at Rane and said, ¡°By the way, Miss Rane. Don¡¯t you think I¡¯m strange?¡±


    Rane took her eyes off of the pond and asked, ¡°Do I think you¡¯re strange? Why?¡±


    She made an expression on her face as if she didn¡¯t understand her question.


    ¡°If there are ten rumors going around in Milan these days, seven of them are about me.¡±


    Marianne laughed bitterly.


    There were not many who knew why she suddenly came to the capital and assumed a dangerous role. Besides, there were those who knew the situation but did not fully trust her.


    Rane was the daughter of Duchess Lamont who might have incurred the hatred of people for the first time as soon as she came to the capital. She was a cousin of the emperor, but at the same time she was on good terms with those close to Hubble and Chester, Marianne¡¯s main enemies.


    Of course, Rane was more friendly to Marianne than expected since she first met her. Marianne was very grateful for her kindness. Her hospitality on that day deepened like a tree growing tall under the sun, breaking down the walls of their hearts up to the point that they were close enough to walk with each other. However, in the social circles, they regarded it as the great virtue of the aristocracy to shamelessly smile at those they didn¡¯t like.


    It was a luxury for Marianne to expect Rane to deny the repeated scandals and rumors about her, even when she didn¡¯t yet explain the exact situation to Rane yet.


    ¡°Ah, I see. In fact, my mother was very wary of you at first. There were some rumors about you that could make them misunderstand you.¡±


    Rane nodded as if she had noticed the implications of what Marianne said.


    Rane continued, ¡°But I have a different idea. I believe only what I see and feel. And in my opinion, you are neither a cunning shovel nor a stupid lady. ¡±


    She used vulgar expressions in her reply, but Marianne didn¡¯t blame her for speaking candidly.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Marianne asked.


    ¡°I think you are a kind and good woman.¡±


    ¡°Can I ask why?¡±


    ¡°You gave me all your desserts at the last tea party. Unless you¡¯re kind and considerate enough, you can never do that,¡± Rane whispered playfully.


    Marianne laughed a little awkwardly.


    At this moment, Marianne thought that Rane¡¯s argument was not so solid enough to judge whether someone was good or bad. In fact, Marianne herself trusted and liked people for more outrageous reasons than she while Marianne felt strange about her own change like that.


    Rane leaned over her arms and got close to her body.


    ¡°Look at that pond! It looks like the leaves are floating in the muddy water before the flowers bloom, right? Honestly, they¡¯re not so pretty at this point, are they?¡±


    ¡°They might not be since there are much clearer and more colorful brooks in the Imperial Palace.¡±


    ¡°People who can¡¯t wait until the flowers bloom or those who come to the pond after the sun sets will think this place is just plain or dirty without knowing that pretty flowers are hiding inside.¡±


    Listening to her, Marianne looked at the quiet water quietly.


    ¡°Marie, isn¡¯t there something in the world that you can see only when we have to try to see the real thing?¡± Rane said.


    Marianne felt someone looking at her right beside her cheeks. She slowly turned her head.


    With her clear olive eyes under golden hair, which often reminded Marianne of someone else, Rane was smiling at her tenderly.


    ¡°This yard is my secret martial arts practice place. I often spar with my uncle here. That¡¯s why I often look at the pond every summer. After I finished practicing, I used to look at the flowers rooted in the mud for a long time. Then, something flashed through my mind suddenly.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Well, I felt this pond was very similar to the hearts of offended people.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°I wondered if the water of the pond was muddy because it was afraid to show its inside to the people transparently, but it bloomed such pretty flowers because it wanted to be loved by people. I wondered if it wanted others to appreciate the fact that it was so beautiful and fragrant¡­¡±


    Rane¡¯s distinctive voice scattered. Listening to her words mixed in the air, Marianne bit her lips. Somehow, she felt like tears would come down.


    ¡°So, you have to soak your hands in that muddy water in order to get that flower. You need to know how to wait at least, even if you look at them from far away. Only those who have overcome that adversity can see and love the flowers properly.¡±


    Rane let go of her arms slowly.


    Two pairs of their clean eyes faced each other, not too far or too close.


    ¡°Rumors coming out of the social circles are like muddy water. Those that look at me strangely are like that muddy water. I believe that you are a woman who can accurately appreciate and love the lotus blooming over there, and the other lotus.¡±


    ¡°¡­ I think you¡¯re the same, Miss Rane.¡±


    ¡°Oh really? Thank you. I always try to be that type of person.¡±


    In reply to her trembling response, Rane smiled brightly and grabbed her hands and said, ¡°Anyway¡­ Just as I trust you, someone else may be trying to find out who you really are.¡±


    ¡°Do you really think so?¡±


    ¡°Of course! Look around you carefully. There may be a poor lotus that needs your warm touch, other than me,¡± Rane said meaningfully.


    She slightly twisted the tip of her chin and pointed to her back.


    Marianne turned back and stared at the pure white palace towering high above the blue cottonwood forest.


    As if to pierce the sky, the tip of the pointed spire shone brightly in the sun.


    ¡°¡­ Thank you, Miss Rane.¡±


    Calming her troubled mind, Marianne gave her reply. Rane shrugged her shoulders slightly and shook her head.


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome. I just told you my own opinion. You don¡¯t have to thank me.¡±


    ¡°Really? That¡¯s too bad. The milk pudding I had on the way to Roshan was so delicious, I wanted to bring one to you. Maybe next time¡­¡±


    ¡°No, wait a moment! Milk pudding? Where is it? I¡¯m going to try it right away. Hurry!¡±


    It took less than a second before she with a cool and wary look turned into an adventurer who had discovered a secret map.


    She continued, ¡°Do you mean the milk pudding made by that chef last time? I really like pudding. Can you give me ten plates? You are a good person, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course, if you want, I can give you as many as twenty dishes instead of ten. But do you really think I¡¯m a good person because I gave you the desserts? Come on, slow down! Walk slowly, Miss Rane!¡±


    Not caring at all, Rane crossed the garden quickly, folding her arms with hers again.


    Embarrassed, Marianne trotted, almost dragged by her as Rane quickened her pace.


    Cordelli quickly adjusted Marianne¡¯s long dress and walked with her.


    The three soon disappeared into the shortcut between the cottonwood forests. Their cheerful laughter echoed along the road they walked.

 Chapter 128

    The tip of the pen with the feather of a white swan crumpled with a pleasant sound. Ink ran, leaving ugly stains on the bottom of the edict, set to be completed with the emperor¡¯s signature.


    Eckart looked at the ink on the feather tip spreading wider and darker on the edict helplessly.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pity that innocent swans have come to get their feathers plucked again.¡±


    Someone who suddenly shouted like that stole the broken quill from Eckart¡¯s hand. This man¡¯s action was not only rude but also senseless.


    But Eckart pushed aside the edict to the edge of the desk instead of rebuking him. Then he took out one of the stacks of papers and laid it out again, reaching out as if he wanted a new pen with a shameless expression.


    ¡°Your Excellency, do you know how many pens you have broken until now?¡± Jed asked, barely suppressing his frustration with his actions.


    He rummaged in the drawer for a new pen, frowning deeply as if he had chewed a rotten apple and spit it out. He then comforted himself, thinking sadly that his honor as the emperor¡¯s close advisor was not easily earned.


    ¡°Do I need to know that?¡±


    Eckart¡¯s fingertips were still twitching, his gaze fixated on the desk.


    ¡°Of course, you should know!¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­! ¡± Jed was at a loss for words at the moment.


    If Eckart wanted to find an issue with the relevant regulation, Jed had nothing to say.


    Eckart was the only master of Aslan, the emperor with a crown of nine jewels. He was an absolute ruler who didn¡¯t need to worry about crushing or burning a few quills a day. It was not his job to count the number of discarded pens and order new pens from the craftsman to refill the drawers even if he broke fifty more pens at the desk.


    But the draft of the edict and other documents were written by Jed himself. So, when the documents were damaged by accident while the emperor was signing them, it was Jed who had to draft them again.


    ¡°If you really insist, I have no choice but to do¡­¡±


    Jed suddenly put the quill pen back in the drawer. Instead, he took out an iron pen embossed with a laurel branch and put a thin metal nib on it.


    After making a new pen instantly, he handed it to Eckart with a triumphant expression.


    Eckart received it without any resistance.


    He looked at Jed, who seemed to challenge him to break it if he wanted to, and then a clean piece of paper was prepared on his desk.


    In no time, a hard metal nib ripped the paper and even scratched the desk.


    ¡°Ah! You¡¯re so annoying!¡±


    Jed shouted at him, losing his temper. Seeing red, he stared at Eckart intensely.


    ¡°If you have complaints, just speak out right now!¡±


    ¡°No complaints.¡±


    ¡°No, you have complaints! If you don¡¯t, why did you break five quill pens and even tear the paper¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my mistake.¡±


    ¡°Oh my god. You don¡¯t make any mistake usually, but why are you making such a silly mistake today?¡±


    ¡°Jed. Nothing¡¯s as dumb as arguing about the cause of what happened by coincidence.¡±


    While replying calmly, Eckart pushed the torn paper aside.


    As if he was dumbfounded, Jed stared at him sharply, who was the revered emperor as well as his old friend who seemed to be his worst enemy at this moment.


    ¡°If I had known this, I would not have requested you to give Colin special vacation leave. Why did you grant my request? You should have stopped me!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m disappointed you are working as the chief secretary of the Treasury Department when you don¡¯t think ahead at all. I¡¯m just worried if I can trust you and leave the financial affairs of this country to you.¡±


    As Eckart responded confidently, Jed got upset again.


    ¡®Is he going to pick a fight with me?¡¯


    Jed was not thinking of seriously challenging Eckart, which would be unthinkable for Kloud or Colin.


    It was a kind of friendly protest that only Jed among the numerous vassals of the emperor could think of and put into action.


    ¡°Your Excellency, tell me honestly.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m always treating you sincerely, Jed.¡±


    ¡°Is it because of Lady Marianne that you are cross with me?¡±


    While he was signing the documents, Eckart suddenly stopped and stared into the air.


    Although he grabbed the pen and finished signing the documents, he was already trapped into the trick set up by Jed who had been keeping an eye on his every move.


    Jed tightened his shoulders and straightened his back as if he cut the enemy leader¡¯s neck. Since he was a big guy, Jed felt he was more confident and proud by changing his posture even a little bit.


    ¡°Oh I now know it. That was the reason! I think that strange rumor has already reached the main office here at the Imperial.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Hey, don¡¯t guess about things blindly!¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to stare at me so angrily, Your Majesty!¡±


    Jed boldly faced up to him even if Eckart was glaring at him fiercely. Eckart shot him a look and then turned his eyes away.


    Jed opened his mouth as if on cue.


    ¡°The rumor is just a rumor. You know that, right? It was you who wanted to use Lady Marianne as a double-edged sword. Didn¡¯t you start this at the risk of a more dangerous situation? She is doing her bit very well now.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Why? At that time you were so peaceful and calm, but are you now worried about her as if she is like a child just at the edge of the water? Even if you know that the rumors are all lies, you can¡¯t sleep well at night because you are so upset, right?¡±


    Eckart did not answer and kept his mouth shut.


    Jed was right. It was Eckart himself who took her as a hostage and tried to use her as a double spy. He thought she was the perfect spy who could serve by freely shuttling between the emperor and his enemy Hubble and Ober as his fiancee as well as a fantastic card to shake the huge chessboard called Aslan, through which he could obtain hard evidence about their treason and gain Duke Kling¡¯s support.


    That was all he wanted from her. Therefore, like Jed recommended, he thought of using more cunning tricks, and decided he should.


    But the situation changed.


    Marianne was still a useful card to him, but he was uncomfortable with using her only for his own purpose. Of course, Jed knew the reason better than him who was deliberately annoying him at the moment. Jed knew how ridiculous and poor the reason was.


    ¡°Why are you so silent, Your Majesty? Is the rumor true?¡±


    Jed frowned at Eckart who seemed very nervous and uncomfortable at the moment.


    As far as he knew, Eckart was not the type of person who revealed his true feelings so easily.


    He rarely could go to sleep because he was so worried about somebody, or he was not the type of man who was now being optimistic, or rather pessimistic because of the groundless rumors circulating in the social circles.


    Normally Eckart would have sharply shouted at Jed to stop his nonsense, but he didn¡¯t this time.


    His unusual attitude eventually disturbed Jed¡¯s mind a lot.


    ¡°Oh my god, Your Majesty, I feel sorry as you act like this. I wish I had believed that new general who told me that you and Lady Marianne got very close in Roshan.¡±


    ¡°Curtis is not that new general, man.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter, right? Don¡¯t you remember you told me to do justice and then be executed? You tried to behead the horseman right after the wagon accident, right? That¡¯s why Lady Marianne was not injured at all while you were seriously wounded when both of you fell from the falls.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Jed.¡±


    ¡°Twenty years of our friendship seems to be nothing before your love. Is that the reason why you didn¡¯t want to involve her from the beginning?¡±


    ¡°If you say more and annoy me¡­¡±


    Eckart picked up the ink bottle without saying anything. When he tilted his wrist to pour it over a stack of papers, Jed, who seemed to be sneering at him, grabbed a pile of papers in astonishment.


    ¡°Hold on a moment! Sorry! Please calm down! What I mean is just¡­¡±


    Eckart put the ink bottle down in front of Jed desperately pleading with him to stop it.


    With a mix of relief and resentment, Jed stood up, looking at the ink bottle with a sultry expression.


    ¡°My father told me that the more you stop somebody¡¯s love, his or her love would be more passionate. That¡¯s the way how things work in this world, so how can I stop you? I think Lady Marianne is one of the two types of women when someone like you who is very suspicious is love with her.¡±


    ¡°¡­ ¡±


    ¡°She must be a woman who is warm enough to melt the ¡®Blue Iron Wall¡¯ of Milan, or she¡¯s a wicked villain who can¡¯t compare with Ober.¡±


    That was a very natural assumption. His assumption about Marianne¡¯s identity was something that his former self, or even his current self should always keep in mind.

 Chapter 129

    ¡°I really don¡¯t know now. I wouldn¡¯t dare to judge your relationship with Lady Marianne. If you really trust each other, I will be more than happy. I have always hoped for you to have a happy family. You know that, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­ Yeah, I know.¡±


    ¡°Damn it. I¡¯ve never thought I¡¯d have to say this¡­¡±


    Jed grabbed his red hair roughly and crumpled it as if he was frustrated. After hesitating a bit, he looked straight into the emperor¡¯s eyes as if he made up his mind. He straightened his body and swallowed dry saliva once.


    ¡°But Your Majesty. This is about treason. You should never forget that until the investigation is completely done.¡±


    Jed¡¯s voice was serious and low, unlike how it was before. There was a mixture of concern and responsibility, apologeticness and compassion in his dark brown eyes.


    Eckart breathed out slowly, his jaw tight. Meanwhile, Jed knelt without hesitation and put his hand on his left chest, asking for his forgiveness.


    ¡°I think I said something arrogant. Jed of the Renault family asks for your forgiveness.¡±


    In terms of the law and customs of the Aslan Empire, Jed¡¯s remarks were a reckless interference in his private affairs. Any advice that the emperor didn¡¯t ask for was rude, and even if somebody could offer advice for the public benefits without his request, it could still be stigmatized as unwarranted interference.


    ¡°I forgive you. So, stand up.¡±


    Eckhart did not blame Jed because he felt he was not qualified to do so from the beginning.


    ¡°Let me keep your advice in mind carefully.¡±


    He already knew exactly what Jed was trying to say.


    Eckart closed his eyes. The moment his eyelids blocked the light and color of the world, the remnants of human emotions reflected in his blue eyes slowly faded away. Anxiety and expectation, displeasure and shame, solitude and even a bit of sorrow left him.


    When he opened his eyes again, he was just the emperor, ruler of a flawless world, and the crystal of reason developed through divinity.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Let me make sure the things you¡¯re worried about don¡¯t happen.¡±


    Even his low voice rang authoritatively.


    Jed chewed his lips while looking at his casual attitude in a clear contrast to his nervousness from a moment ago.


    ¡°Your Majesty, I just¡­¡±


    ¡°If you want to leave before the sun goes down, sit there and draft the report I messed up again. I won¡¯t rip it this time.¡±


    Eckart cut off his words and pointed to a nearby auxiliary desk, gesturing with his chin.


    As if he was no more interested in talking with Jed, he casually checked his remaining work for the day.


    With a long sigh, Jed drooped his shoulders as he was troubled by Eckart¡¯s usual attitude.


    That night, Jed stayed put in the back garden of his mansion as soon as he got back home.


    Soon, in a warehouse where all kinds of silk across the empire were piled up like a mountain, servants picked up some strong alcohol from the warehouse and ran to the back garden.


    Just as the officials of the Treasury Department were regarded as spies if they didn¡¯t know Jed, the chief Treasury official, was a heavy drinker. The servants from Earl Renault¡¯s mansion were aware that they would be in trouble if they didn¡¯t bring strong alcohol when he drank heavily.


    It was usually one of two occasions when he drank heavily. Namely, he went on a drinking binge when he was very happy or when he was in a bad mood, knowing he wouldn¡¯t get drunk otherwise but didn¡¯t have any better idea.


    Given that someone like Jed, who didn¡¯t care about strong or weak alcohol, chose to drink strong alcohol, there was a high possibility that he was in a bad mood tonight.


    The servants, quickly noticing Jed¡¯s taste tonight, focused on carrying the bottles.


    Even though Jed drank heavily as if one was pouring water from a bottomless pot, he never acted violently to anybody even after he was heavily drunk. As long as they tried to meet his demands, he was just fine.


    However, one person at the house was worried about him rather than currying favor with him.


    ¡°Jed.¡±


    He turned his head toward someone calling his name, pushing out the empty bottles below his feet. Obviously, one of his servants must have reported about his heavy drinking.


    ¡°Yes, Mom.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you drink water if you¡¯re thirsty? Alcohol only makes the thirst worse.¡±


    Countess Renault responded casually and sat next to Jed.


    ¡°Well, I was regretting it. I know it, but I make the same mistake every time.¡±


    Despite his heavy drinking, Jed¡¯s face didn¡¯t change at all. His pronunciation was articulate and his eyes were clear. When he took off her coat, which was only a shawl on an indoor dress, his hands didn¡¯t tremble at all.


    She did not reject her son¡¯s kind gesture. She looked at the wine bottles on the table and the grass.


    ¡°Okay. Do you think you¡¯re a bit drunk today?¡±


    ¡°Not at all, Mom.¡±


    ¡°I guessed so. Why don¡¯t you give up drinking? Heavy drinking is also hereditary. I¡¯m not sure what it means to be drunk, but as you¡¯re younger and healthier, I assume you will never know.¡±


    ¡°Why do you make me sad by saying that its hereditary?¡± said Jed, joking at her.


    But he felt empty when he said so.


    While looking at him blankly for a minute, she reached out. What she held in her white hand was a glass. The glass was clean and dry as if nobody had never used it.


    She glanced at Jed, holding the empty glass. Jed then brought a new bottle and opened it. Soon, a clear liquor filled the glass with a distinctive scent. She emptied the cup cleanly without frowning at all.


    Jed hesitated for a minute and then filled the cup again.


    ¡°Mom.¡±


    Having called his mother, he examined the back garden where it was already dark.


    She was silent, sharing his glance at the garden. Obviously she was waiting for him to bring up any topic he wanted to at the moment.


    ¡°Mom, I heard that Lady Marianne was here to see you recently.¡±


    ¡°Yes, she did.¡±


    ¡°You must have met her for the first time in private. What¡¯s your impression?¡±


    The countess turned her head and looked at her son. She recalled Lady Marianne.


    Marianne was the very woman whom lots of people in Milan were blaming these days.


    Wearing a cunning prostitute¡¯s mask, she told the countess about the coming tragedy with a smile. She was a woman who asked her to be her ally for her political interests, when she in fact declared that she was already in love. What would she say about that strange and special girl?


    While the countess was worried, and at a loss for words, Jed couldn¡¯t stand waiting and opened his mouth first.


    ¡°So¡­ you felt she was good, right? Trustworthy, kind and good-hearted¡­¡±


    ¡°Well. You seem to have already decided on what you want to hear.¡±


    The countess crumpled her eyebrows a bit. Jed, who looked far away all along, turned around and sat beside her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know it? His Majesty has started to consider her to be very special.¡±


    As the roots of a tree stretched out below the ground and grabbed the soil, their eyes met and became entangled.


    Jed read her tacit acknowledgement in silence. He made a bitter smile. Rather than expressing joy that his guess was not wrong, he was conscience-stricken.


    ¡°I always hoped that the emperor could make a happy family. Since he was born with the destiny of the king, he could not marry a woman without any political considerations. But I don¡¯t think he could live without love. So, given the choice, I wished he would meet a good woman and lead a less difficult life.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Jed.¡±


    ¡°As you know, the emperor has no parents, brothers or sisters. So, I really hoped that he could meet a good woman he could genuinely rely on¡­¡±


    He slurred his last words and grabbed the neck of the bottle in his hand. Then he poured all the remaining alcohol onto the glass. The burning taste of strong alcohol roughly went down his throat like a sword cutting into a saw blade.


    ¡°So, I told the emperor today that he should carefully check out the gravity of his job.¡±


    He didn¡¯t show any signs of becoming tipsy at all. He more vividly recalled Eckart¡¯s face and voice that he witnessed.


    ¡°Do not worry. I will make sure the things that you¡¯re worried about don¡¯t happen.¡±


    Eckart¡¯s low voice, his calm look, and his cold-heartedness like arctic sea ice that froze the water so fiercely that no one could look inside. It was the light and shade of the one who chose to be the most perfect ruler rather than a weak human.


    ¡°Do you regret what you told the emperor?¡±


    ¡°¡­Well, I think I duly spoke out what I had to as his close advisor. Of course, I could be blamed for having advised him impertinently.¡±


    In fact, he might have been better off refraining from giving Eckart such advice.

 Chapter 130

    Of course, Jed couldn¡¯t bring himself to say something as far as that. It was not because he did not regret it, but because he had already a sense of guilt that would come after he admitted it. He even wanted to beat himself hard for that.


    Eckart was his closest friend in the world, with whom he grew up with before the emperor could learn how to walk. Although he didn¡¯t know why their parents made sure that they both grew together, there was a clear reason why Jed trusted and followed Eckart now.


    Eckart was a great prince. In Jed¡¯s eyes, there was no other legitimate ruler than Eckart during his time, and he was also the only ruler who could rule Aslan most fairly and greatly. Rather than living the life of a wealthy and peaceful bystander only for himself, Jed had firm conviction in the emperor that allowed him to be his close advisor, thus facing the harsh political realities.


    Jed thought it was his destiny to assist Eckart, Emperor Frei VII, to go down as one of the most successful rulers in Aslan¡¯s history. Eckart also expected him to carry out his job accordingly. Jed tried to do everything for the emperor. He gave all the wealth of his family and his personal loyalty to Eckart. He was proud of the fact that he was the emperor¡¯s close advisor in any place, so he sometimes did not hesitant to give him bitter advice.


    Therefore, he had no regrets about what he had done today.


    There was no chance that Eckart wished he would regret it. As Eckart knew why Jed had given him such advice, he would not resent Jed. Of course, Jed was not sure if Eckart really wanted to hear his advice in his capacity as his advisor.


    ¡°Mom, I sometimes feel something disrespectful. What if Eckart had not been born in the imperial family, but in a normal noble family?¡±


    Jed suddenly wondered what he really wanted to tell Eckart as his closest advisor.


    ¡°What if the emperor had grown up under the love of his parents without any threat to his life, failing and making mistakes like everyone else, crying and laughing freely as he wished and getting more accustomed to trust others rather than dwell in suspicion and wariness?¡±


    Jed was suddenly choked with tears, so he breathed in quickly.


    Everyone did their best, nobody did anything wrong, but no one was completely happy.


    When his hope was small, Eckart did not know if it was painful enough. It was a time when it was better for him to aim for a larger goal as an excuse as he was obsessed with merely surviving.


    He had no choice but to feel the desire for the empire and the imperial family as well as the power and honor more than his personal desires.


    Jed suddenly thought that perhaps his advice was the best excuse to force Eckart to sacrifice things without a sense of guilt.


    In fact, it wasn¡¯t Eckart who trapped himself inside the iron wall, but everyone around him, including himself.


    ¡°If Eckart had been born into a noble man¡¯s family, it may be a great loss to this empire, but I think he may have been happier than he is now.¡±


    ¡°Jed.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I think I could have chatted with him or advised him about love instead of that rubbish talk about politics.¡±


    The countess pitifully looked at her son¡¯s drooped shoulders.


    ¡°Don¡¯t blame yourself.¡±


    She put her wrinkled hands silently on the back of his trembling hands.


    ¡°Assumption is meaningless in history. No one knows who will be happier as the son of an ordinary noble family or as the successor of the Frey family. It is only God who makes us choose only one out of tens of millions of lives.¡±


    Jed slowly raised his head and looked at his mother. Despite his heavy drinking, his pale face and trembling eyes seemed to have made her recall old memories about him.


    She could still find the trace of her son¡¯s face as a kid, who, as a seven-year-old boy who accidentally smashed the prince¡¯s treasure while playing with him and studied his face to check if he was angry.


    ¡°What we can do now is¡­ ¡± she said, stopping for a moment to catch her breath.


    At the moment, she felt she had given her son too much burden.


    ¡°What we can do for the emperor at this point is to make sure we spare no efforts in making him fully happy.¡±


    But fate was destined to be like that.


    Fate was something you couldn¡¯t escape whether you knew it or didn¡¯t. Sometimes it was persistent, harsh, and tormenting, but you would have to put up with it for a long time despite that fact that it felt painful and burdensome.


    The countess rose from her seat. Jed slowly looked at her. She looked down at her son and smiled silently.


    ¡°Next time you see the emperor, just convey to him your honest opinion.¡±


    ¡°¡­You mean my inner feelings?¡±


    ¡°You bet. Tell him what you really want to say candidly. You know, the emperor is a tender-hearted man. He will listen to you and forgive you no matter what you say.¡±


    The countess comforted her pale-looking son, patting him on the shoulder. She took off the coat over her shoulders and put it back on his shoulders, hugging his red hair in her arms and stroking it several times. When she told him not to drink too much with a worried voice, he nodded slowly. Having said that, she left the garden.


    It was late at night. While returning to the main bedroom, she slowly recalled the daring voice of the woman who visited her mansion recently.


    ¡°He will soon destroy the emperor. He will literally usurp his power.¡±


    ¡°So, don¡¯t you think you should be my ally, too, as the emperor¡¯s ally?¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s true. Apart from political reasons, I love the emperor too much.¡±


    ¡°The sooner, the better. Not just for me, but for the emperor.¡±


    She reached her bedroom finally and let out a long and deep sigh. She barely admitted it while walking into her silent room.


    Maybe she didn¡¯t have any other choice in the first place.


    ***


    On June 4th, bright sunshine shone on Milan. Although the sunlight was a bit strong, the wind was moderate and the humidity was not high, so it was perfect for an outing.


    It had been five days since the emperor and his fiancee returned safely. The Imperial Palace was quiet, though a scandal involving Lady Marianne shocked the people on the Noble Road. At least it looked so on the surface. As always, secret rumors passed over the high white walls of the Imperial Palace, but the palace was extremely peaceful anyway. It seemed as if the palace was in the middle of the eye of a typhoon.


    As a result, the gates of noble families, who didn¡¯t need to pay attention to the emperor,


    opened in unison before noon. The wagons headed for Lake Ronen, Palatine Hill and Compiegne Forest drove fast, cutting through the clear air.


    Marianne loved to go on picnics during her childhood. As it happened to be, she had no schedule on that day, so Cordelli prepared for a picnic early in the morning as soon as she checked the weather. She put a white lace tablecloth, tea engraved with summer rose leaves, soft cushions, and parasols in a picnic bag.


    After having breakfast, Cordelli even enjoyed a sweet dessert. Then she put a snack for Poibe and hung it on the handle of the picnic bag. Cordelli said to Marianne who lay back on the bed after having a quick breakfast, ¡°You know what? I hear Milan has a rainy season in the summer. It¡¯ll rain quite a bit, so it would be hard to go out at that time.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, you told me you promised to take a walk with Sir Iric, right? Oh my goodness, I guess our god has blessed us with a perfect day for your nice walk today. Our lady is also receiving the favor of the nine gods. right?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°You told me you wanted to go to Lake Ronen last time, didn¡¯t you? Nowadays, many people go to Palatine Hill or Compiegne Forest. Any place is fine. Wherever you go, you will see lots of flowers and trees you like. Aren¡¯t you curious about how beautiful the flowers are because the weather is so good?¡±


    Marianne just sat down by the bed, staring intently at her sparkling eyes.


    Then Cordelli strained her eyes and held her hands.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go out, Lady!¡±


    She felt Cordelli was pretty much stubborn. Cordelli was determined to take her out of bed by all means.


    In the end, Marianne gave in to her demands. She got out of bed, changed into a light dress and told her she would also call Sir Iric for an outing.


    Cordelli was excited and sent someone to the stables. Then, she had two hard-working maids and three servants follow her, holding the picnic bag in hand and looking only at the hem of Marianne¡¯s dress.


    But the path Marianne walked was a bit strange. Cordelli walked along the familiar path and asked, ¡°Where are you going?¡±

 Chapter 131

    ¡°Of course, outing!¡±


    ¡°Then you should get on a carriage, Lady.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need it.¡±


    ¡°Pardon? We can¡¯t go there on foot! It takes at least 30 minutes to go to the nearest Palatine Hill by a carriage!¡±


    ¡°Well, you don¡¯t have to go to a faraway place for a picnic, right?¡±


    Answering shamelessly, she pointed somewhere with her fingertips.


    There was a table for tea at the place she pointed to. The chairs for three people were also carried to the place. The tablecloths, tea sets, cushions, and cushions that Cordelli packed were also laid out neatly one by one. The refreshing cherry aid was filled with ice in a glass, and the fruit and cookies cut into bite-sized pieces were placed on plates. They didn¡¯t need a parasol because a large sheet was stretched over their heads, providing a pleasant shade.


    ¡°Well, Cordelli. It¡¯s your turn. Turn over your cards first.¡±


    While hearing her voice, Cordelli recalled playing cards with her a long time ago.


    Placed on the delicate tablecloth, along with specially selected tea set, were thin cards.


    When she came to her senses, Cordelli found she had already poker cards in her hand.


    ¡°Cordelli, turn them over.¡± Marianne urged.


    Cordelli put them on the table quickly.


    ¡°Wow! It¡¯s triple!¡±


    Under number 5, three cards with hearts, diamonds and clovers were arranged side by side on the left side.


    ¡°Then Iric. Let me see your cards.¡±


    Iric then showed his cards.


    ¡°What. Another high card?¡±


    ¡°Sorry.¡±


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t have to be sorry to me, but I can¡¯t believe it! You got a high card ten times in a row. This is impossible even if you try hard!¡±


    Marianne sighed, looking at Iric¡¯s cards on the table. It was already the tenth one. Cordelli quickly grabbed the ice, sipping a cool drink while trying to size up the situation quickly.


    ¡°You already knew Sir Iric is not talented in poker. I think in the past you had two pairs just once before? Those pairs were the best he got in the poker game until then.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous. He got those two pairs only once after playing fifty games in a row. I thought you were better this time, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Let me try more.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough. I would rather teach Phebe poker.¡±


    Marianne threw her cards, with her chin on her left hand. Three aces and double sevens. It was a full house.


    ¡°I won again. Not funny.¡±


    Colored crystal balls used instead of chips rolled over the table.


    ¡°You¡¯re so good, lady. Of course Sir Iric is still a poor player¡­¡± said Cordelli, picking up all the crystal balls that Marianne had won. Iric scratched the wound on his cheek as if he was embarrassed.


    ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s no fun, guys.¡±


    Marianne pouted her lips and turned away.


    What came into her view was a glass greenhouse. The maids and servants, carefully selected by Cordelli, were busy planting flowers and a cage in the greenhouse instead of serving Marianne.


    The main planting species was her favorite ¡®Queen of Snow¡¯, and many more flowers in pots


    were lined up at the door of the greenhouse. In a greater or lesser degree, she loved all of these flowers.


    Ironically, however, what caught Marianne¡¯s attention was the potted plant standing alone over there. A desert rose with reddish flowers on its thick body, namely Adenium.


    This unique flower reminded her of two opposing characters. Her father Kling Duke and Mrs. Chester. The voice of her embarrassed father overlapped with her smile, who tried to show her sincerity by giving her the flower. She had a gut feeling that something ominous was hidden in it, but she was displeased because she couldn¡¯t figure out what it was.


    If it was poisonous, her father would have told her to throw it out immediately. If it was nothing particular, there was no chance her father would know its name when she didn¡¯t know either. As it happened, it was Mrs. Chester who gave the flower to her, so there was a possibility that Mrs. Chester had a plot in mind.


    ¡®What the heck happened to them? Where should I start to find out first?¡¯


    As Marianne made a serious look, agonizing over it, Cordelli pushed a plate of sweet snacks to her.


    ¡°Did you decide on a name for the greenhouse?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡±


    Marianne put a macaron into her mouth. Sour lemon cream stimulated her salivary glands. It tasted great. She focused on coining a name for the flower for a little while.


    ¡°Sea of Snow. What do you think?¡± Marianne asked, turning her head to Cordelli.


    ¡°Oh my goodness. That¡¯s a nice name. Since you¡¯ve planted Snow Queen flowers the most, I think there¡¯s no better name. Maybe the rumor will widely spread in the capital soon that the Elior Mansion has beautiful greenhouse called Sea of Snow.¡±


    Cordelli quickly saw eye to eye and pleased her. Marianne¡¯s eyes slowly turned to the side.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s a good name,¡± Iric cautiously agreed.


    Sea of Snow. Marianne recited the name of the newly created greenhouse and turned to the table with a satisfied expression.


    ¡°Iric.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°As for the reception for my engagement ceremony¡­¡±


    The moment she mentioned it, Iric clenched his fist quietly under the table. He was patient enough to keep a straight face up to this point.


    ¡°I decided to open a martial arts contest at the reception. I think I need to choose a new bodyguard for me.¡±


    Iric could not stay calm any more past that.


    ¡°¡­ Do you mean a new bodyguard?¡±


    ¡°Yes. That keeps bothering me. This time I won¡¯t give in, even if you refuse. So, don¡¯t be stubborn. I¡¯ve already the emperor about it.¡±


    He could not hide his terrible expression. At the same time, he got up from his chair and knelt down on the grass to show his respect for her decision.


    ¡°It¡¯s a wise decision¡­¡±


    When he looked down a bit, he could see her scratched fingers. The wounds on her body aroused a sense of huge guilt in his mind. Although she would never blame him, he was constantly disturbed by the wounds, regardless of that.


    ¡®If she had been wounded by his mistake and if he had been given the chance to protect her on that day¡­¡¯


    Agonizing over it, Iric looked down, clenching his teeth. His dull fingernails cut heavily into his palms as he tightened his grip.


    But he was supposed to be in his place, a few steps from her, not close enough to stand side by side with her and raise his head casually.


    His patience dissipated his unclean lust for her. In fact, he didn¡¯t deserve her.


    So, he didn¡¯t want to see his status as her personal bodyguard be taken away by somebody else.


    He was even ready to ask for her favor even if it was humiliating.


    ¡°As a knight who is lacking in everything, I reassured you that I would protect you, so I¡¯m just more than satisfied as you haven¡¯t expelled me until now.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Ugh?¡±


    ¡°As Duke Kling and you will continue to stay in Milan, please don¡¯t send me back to the Astolf knights division, leaving you behind here. Please grant my request. I¡¯ll be satisfied even if I stay at the Elior Mansion as a mere guard. Or I can be a horseman¡¯s helper or a gatekeeper at the Imperial Palace. So, please allow me to stay here¡­¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute. What the heck are you talking about?¡±


    Marianne hurriedly cut him off and recalled his remarks with a frown on her face.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t believe I was going to fire you, right? You didn¡¯t think so, right?¡±


    Suddenly Iric raised his head.


    ¡°Iric, you are so stupid. Why do you think I asked the emperor to choose a new bodyguard?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because I have disappointed you¡­¡±


    ¡°Disappointed me? You have never disappointed me! You protected my father well while I went to Roshan. You did you best at Lennox. When I suddenly came to Milan, you followed and protected me all the way, suffering hardships because of me. Why are you saying you have disappointed me?¡±


    Marianne raised him in person, with a perplexed expression on her face. When he was raised, she now had to look up at him as he was taller than her. She stepped back a couple of steps to meet his eyes.


    ¡°The reason I decided to hire a new bodyguard was because you can¡¯t stay by my side 24 hours every day. How can you keep working without any break? So, I need a replacement for you on a shifting basis.¡±


    ¡°I am fine. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s hard at all.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not okay, Iric. Oh, you stayed with Curtis several times¡­ Were you influenced by him who was addicted to work? Curtis was also notorious for working endlessly for the emperor. If you were, fix it as soon as possible. If you don¡¯t want to fix it, I think I have to consider firing you seriously.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­ Are you going to send me back to Lennox?¡±


    ¡°Of course! If a new guard is chosen, let me have a formal ceremony for you and the new bodyguard. You¡¯ll be designated the chief bodyguard because you have served me for a long time.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Thank you, lady!¡±

 Chapter 132

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome! Just take it for granted. Anyway, let me get back to the main point¡­ Why doesn¡¯t Iric attend the martial arts contest? I think you could win the awards with your excellent skills. Let me ask my father to prepare wonderful awards for the top winners.¡±


    Marianne leaned her head slightly and laughed. As her smile was so lovely, Iric also laughed.


    If he extended his arms, he would barely touch her. But that was the closest possible distance between him and her where he could block someone wielding a sword or an incoming arrow. That distance was what he could hope for the most. That was his allowed space, where he could not run away, retreat from, or come close to her.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine as long as I can protect my lady with this sword. I don¡¯t need anything else.¡±


    ¡°You integrity is too excessive. It¡¯s not good for you to stay away from worldly desires or desire for honor. I think you¡¯re fully qualified for the contest. The emperor has also given me the power to pardon one crime.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Pardon?¡±


    ¡°Oh, um¡­ Well, I originally received it, but the emperor said he would forgive you even if you curse him behind his back.¡±


    While Marianne was thinking of what to say next. Iric frowned a bit.


    ¡°How dare I commit such a disrespectful crime against the emperor?¡±


    ¡°Oh, as you are good, there is no chance you will¡­ But just receive it. Who knows, you might need it in the future. Anyway, take it. You may not need it now, but you never know. Who knows you if will hand it down to your offspring without using it in your life?¡±


    Although Iric made an expression as if he could still not understand, he agreed by nodding.


    Marianne took pains to erase Eckart¡¯s face from her mind, which naturally came to mind because she mentioned a pardon.


    She tried to erase her memories of the Adenium pot over there, her father¡¯s awkward voice, and Mrs. Chester¡¯s smiles.


    Instead, she pulled Iric¡¯s arm while beckoning Cordelli.


    ¡°Let¡¯s walk until they plant all the flowers. I promised to tell you what happened in Roshan, didn¡¯t I? There is a very cute apprentice priest¡­¡±


    * * *


    ¡°Your Majesty, could you do me a favor?¡±


    Someone¡¯s clear voice broke the silence in the parlor.


    ¡°Favor?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Eckart put the fork next to the steak slices that Kloud cut into fine shreds. That meant he wanted to stop eating for a while.


    In fact, he had a bad appetite. If he could have his own way, he just wanted to drink several cups of tea. But he was served a table with lots of delicious food because of a visitor who suddenly came to see him.


    Eckart wanted to have lunch lightly, as usual, he was bothered by Kloud, who was monitoring if he could empty his plate. Besides, he couldn¡¯t finish eating too early because he had a guest. His guest couldn¡¯t continue to eat while the emperor was done.


    Fortunately, however, his guest opened his mouth, ready to reel off a long story. Eckart could buy some time thanks to his interruption.


    ¡°I see. That¡¯s why you asked me to have lunch together.¡±


    ¡°If you say that, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m going to be called a very cunning person.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I can find out if you¡¯re cunning or not when I hear what you¡¯re going to tell me. Tell me first what you want to ask me for.¡±


    Eckart rinsed his mouth with red wine that came with the main dish. Although he was sick and tired of political favors, he felt that his lunch partner today wouldn¡¯t request for any impure favors.


    ¡°I want you to abuse your power just a little bit.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Eckart¡¯s prediction was off the mark.


    ¡°I feel like I don¡¯t want to hear any more.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no. Please listen to me a little more while taking me as a cunning person.¡±


    Eckart frowned, putting down the wine glass on the table again. Even before he asked again what he wanted to request, his lunch partner got down to the point.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. Just put my name on the final list of the participants in the upcoming martial arts contest.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Rane.¡±


    ¡°Oh, not my name, but a fake name.¡±


    His sharp eyes became narrower. Even Kloud, serving him at hand, was also surprised.


    Not caring at all, Rane continued to eat shamelessly even after she made such a bombshell request. She chopped large pieces of fresh meat and deliciously chewed.


    ¡°Fake name?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Any fake name is fine with me. All you can do is let me know which fake name you have for me later.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡®Where should I begin to point out her problem?¡¯


    Eckart sighed, pressing on his temple as he suddenly had a headache. Although he was embarrassed, he felt her actions were not unfamiliar. In some respects, she took after someone he knew very well.


    ¡°Why are you going to participate in the contest?¡±


    ¡°Oh, Marie told me it was not bad to pursue what I want to do.¡±


    Rane laughed brightly while answering.


    Eckart breathed a longer sigh than before. Although what she just said was ridiculous, her mention of Marie disturbed his mind very much.


    ¡°I hear there is no limit to eligibility for this fight, right? So, I can participate too.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, but it is cheating to put your name on the list of the finalists when you didn¡¯t even participate in the preliminary round.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I want you to abuse your power slightly. If I had met Marie a bit earlier, I would have participated in the preliminary round.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°And you know me well, right? I¡¯m a proven swordsman as recognized by my uncle. If I participated, I would get¡­ Would you want to hear my explanation? I¡¯m confident I would beat all the contestants and win them all.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t find any modesty in your attitude.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t really need modesty before facts. My father used to tell me too much modesty deceived others.¡±


    Rane wiped her mouth with a napkin and looked at him proudly.


    Eckart again sighed. It was the third time he sighed before her.


    ¡°¡­ Do you want to participate anonymously because the other party won¡¯t fight fiercely enough if he finds out your identity?¡±


    ¡°Wow! That¡¯s right. You¡¯re so smart as a disciple of Lord Simon!¡±


    ¡°Well. Does your mother agree with your idea of participating in the contest? I don¡¯t think your parents will like it.¡±


    ¡°Of course they don¡¯t like it. That¡¯s why I¡¯m flattering you now. You¡¯re the only one who can beat them. They can¡¯t stop me if I tell them I¡¯m participating at the emperor¡¯s order.¡±


    Rane giggled humorously.


    Eckart pushed the tableware to the side. He sat close to the chair, with his back against it.


    Kloud already seemed to be worried about her and said, ¡°After all, you want me to take responsibility for any trouble after the contest.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I hate ambiguity most. As I have already decided to be a cunning person, it¡¯s my best policy to be as cunning as possible. By the way, I decided to abandon every scruple before I came into this room. I¡¯m going to recover it when I go out.¡±


    Eckart hesitated for a moment and then nodded slightly.


    ¡°¡­ Let me think about it.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, I hope you can make a wise decision.¡±


    Pleading with him with an exaggerated voice, Rane stood up and showed her manners.


    Eckart shook his face as if he was turned off by her erratic behavior, but he didn¡¯t keep a straight face or show any anger.


    Her uncle Kloud was grateful to him deep inside. There were not many who could act freely before the emperor in the vast land of Aslan. There were only three or four who could be forgiven for their rudeness to the emperor.


    And Kloud knew how precious Eckart¡¯s expressions or gestures were when he sometimes showed it to them.


    ¡°Oh, by the way¡­¡±


    Rane stopped while pulling another dessert plate. As if she was pondering over something, she softened her expression and looked up at him.


    ¡°Can I ask you one more favor?¡±


    ¡°No more.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s for Marie!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s real.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you going to refuse it? Are you sure? You¡¯ll regret it. Just listen. You can decide later. Yesterday, it seemed like Marie was very tired, and I think this will be a very good present,¡± Rane said, her olive eyes twinkling. Eckart raised his hand and pressed on his eyes as if he was getting tired again.


    The ruler¡¯s hospitality could easily turn into poison. Eckart was not to be easily swept away by any words in favor of someone. Anyone who ruled a country was supposed to be impartial at all times, and any decision based on one¡¯s private emotions became an easy target of the opponents.


    Rane wasn¡¯t a woman against whom Eckart had to build a cold wall just like he did when he sat on Conrad Hall¡¯s golden chair. Anyway, it was obvious that when he made the exception, he might be faced with a greater risk.


    However, Rane¡¯s words that Marianne seemed to be pretty exhausted, and that he would regret it if he didn¡¯t listen to her already made him nervous and worried. Marianne was already a special exception for him.

 Chapter 133

    ¡°But Your Majesty, this is about treason.¡±


    At that moment, Eckart recalled Jed¡¯s serious voice and anxious look.


    ¡®That¡¯s right. So, I should not respond anymore.¡¯ He really thought so.


    ¡°¡­ What kind of favor is it?¡±


    After all, Eckart had to listen to Rane against his will.


    Although he hated himself terribly for that, he waited for her answer. His blue eyes sank down.


    Rane sighed, looking at the emperor and her cousin, who seemed pitiable at the moment.


    She whispered with a serious little voice, ¡°If it goes well, I¡¯ll give the credit to you. Please don¡¯t tell Marie about this for the time being.¡±


    In the meantime, Marianne was on a stroll with Iric and Cordelli and then left the garden after checking the half-completed greenhouse. Their short picnic ended like that.


    The three had a late lunch, which was led by Marianne. After eating well and basking in the sunlight, she sat in an armchair by the window and played with Poibe. Peaceful time passed slowly.


    A calm atmosphere brought drowsiness upon her.


    Finally, Marianne took a nap for a minute. She slept so well that she did not dream at all.


    When she opened her eyes, the sun was setting. People at her mansion were busy preparing for dinner. Cordelli, who was fanning Marianne next to her, laughed at Marianne yawning.


    ¡°Did you sleep well? The sun is already setting. I¡¯ve prepared dinner for you with the specially menu that you like.¡±


    ¡°Really? What is that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a secret. You can see it later.¡±


    ¡°Wow! I¡¯m so curious,¡± Marianne exclaimed, pouting her lips. Cordelli smiled and swept her disheveled hair behind her ears.


    ¡°It will take some time for them to prepare dinner, so why don¡¯t you wash first? Mrs. Charlotte has been heating up the bathroom. I hear she sprinkled petals in warm water and mixed a bunch of fresh lilac perfume. So, the smell was really good when I stopped by for a moment.¡±


    ¡°Really? Then let me wash up first. It is not polite to ignore somebody¡¯s sincerity.¡±


    Marianne followed Cordelli to the bathroom off the top of her head.


    Mrs. Charlotte and a maid who seemed to be middle-aged at a glance were waiting for her in the bathroom. When she took a bath, she was usually served by young maids who had tender hands, but sometimes experienced maids replaced them, so it was not unusual for Mrs. Charlotte to be with that middle-aged woman.


    Led by Cordelli, she changed into a soft gown, and stepped into the bathtub.


    When she soaked herself in the moderately warm water, her whole body quickly became relaxed.


    Every time she breathed in, a thick floral scent came into her body too.


    Mrs. Charlotte looked directly at the glass bottles and perfumes in front of the showcase on the side of the bathroom. Then she suddenly turned around and called Cordelli.


    ¡°Ms. Cordelli. What should I do? The Santiago that I should put in with the bath water ran out. I forgot I used it up yesterday.¡±


    ¡°Oh, let me go get it soon.¡± As soon as Cordelli heard it, she jumped up.


    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t think I need it because my wounds have almost healed¡­¡±


    Marianne tried to stop them, but Cordelli wiped her wet hands with a towel.


    Mrs. Charlotte smiled and said she was sorry.


    ¡°Are you going to get it directly? You can have a maid go on an errand.¡±


    ¡°No. I feel more comfortable when I go get it myself. Let me go there quickly. On my way back, let me ask the kitchen staff prepare some soft drinks. As the bathroom is a bit warm, Lady Marianne will feel thirsty soon.¡±


    ¡°Would you want to do that? Thank you. You can get Santiago from the medical office like you did last time. Oh, please take one more bottle of oil as well.¡±


    ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll be back soon! ¡±


    Cordelli left the bathroom right away cheerfully.


    ¡®I¡¯m really fine¡­¡¯ Marianne murmured to herself, rubbing her small cheeks that glowed with heat in the bathroom. When she folded her hands and poured water on her body, a maid, standing still, approached and sat on a chair by the bathtub.


    Mariane bent back her neck, leaning against the wall of the white bath. The maid began to wipe her body with a soft cloth.


    The interior was covered with immaculate water vapor and a dense aroma.


    When she gazed at it, with her neck backwards, the crystal chandelier sparkled brightly even inside the bathroom. It was a hazy scene like that of a dream or a fantasy.


    As she lay in the water, staring at a clear light source, she recalled the moment she just woke up in her second life. That was almost two months ago. But too many things had happened since then¡­


    ¡°Lady Marianne!¡±


    Marianne, who was immersed in her memories, frowned abruptly at that voice.


    Only Mrs. Charlotte and a maid were in the bathroom.


    But this voice was not Mrs. Charlotte¡¯s. Moreover, the maids of the mansion did not dare to call her name without her permission first.


    ¡®Who is it?¡¯


    Marianne raised her head upright. At the same time, she remembered who was the owner of this familiar voice.


    ¡°¡­ Madame Countess?¡±


    It was none other than Countess Renault who caught a wet cotton cloth with her sleeves rolled up, her combed hair with a bit of deliberate disheveledness and dressed in a maid¡¯s clothes featuring practicality rather than beauty.


    Surprised, Marianne looked at her, who gently patted her. Mrs. Renault even raised her finger to calm her down.


    ¡°How come you are here¡­ By the way, why are you wearing these clothes?¡±


    ¡°Sorry. Mrs. Renault wanted to see you as soon as possible, so I thought out about a trick like this. If she visited here formally, she will be exposed to many people here.¡±


    Mrs. Charlotte lifted the hem of the dress and gave an apology.


    Although Marianne could rebuke her sudden visit and lack of etiquette, she kindly looked at her instead of reprimanding her, covering her body a bit.


    Regardless of her secret visit here, the fact that she visited today meant that she was ready to reply to Marianne¡¯s question.


    This was much more important to Marianne than her trying to show due manners at this moment.


    ¡°So, did you make up your mind?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s positive, I guess.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you ask a question with one answer from the beginning? It took a little longer for me to realize it as I was stupid.¡±


    In response to her slightly lower voice, Marianne blushed with her sparkling green eyes.


    There was relief and joy on her face. But her joy did not last long.


    ¡°No, wait a second, Madame.¡±


    ¡°Please sit comfortably. Please give me your arm this way.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t really have to serve me like this!¡±


    Marianne leaned back and waved her hands.


    ¡°Let me serve you instead.¡±


    ¡°No. It¡¯s okay. I want to do it myself.¡±


    Mrs. Charlotte tried to stop Mrs. Renault, but she refused firmly.


    ¡°Lady Mariannne, you don¡¯t have to feel uncomfortable. Even when I was the chief maid of the late empress, I often took care of her petty requests.¡±


    ¡°However¡­¡±


    ¡°If you become the next empress, I wouldn¡¯t even have the opportunity to take care of this private service in my capacity as the countess. Besides, women¡¯s power struggles are also very intense. So, just think you are giving me the honor of serving you directly.¡±


    In fact, the chief maid who served Marianne at Lennox was also Countess Elgot.


    In terms of the title, Marianne didn¡¯t necessarily think Countess Renault was burdensome.


    The only problem was that Marianne didn¡¯t simply regard her as one of many countesses.


    Marianne looked at her with a troubled expression for a minute, and finally nodded, giving in to her stubbornness.


    The sound of her pouring water rang again in the tranquil bathroom. Mrs. Renault quietly whispered, pouring water over her shoulders.


    ¡°Lady Marianne, let me apologize. I¡¯m sorry, but I do not fully trust you yet. Apart from that, I decided to be your ally because I believe what you said is right in itself.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good. That¡¯s enough for me. ¡±


    ¡°But If there is anything I can do for the emperor, let me swear I will do my best, no matter what it is. If you want anything, just tell me.¡±


    ¡°If I want¡­¡±


    Marianne bit her lip first. She had already decided on what she wanted from the countess first.


    ¡°I heard you know a lot about the secret stories about the imperial family.¡±


    ¡°I hardly entered the palace since the empress¡¯s death five years ago. I know little about what happened in the palace after the current emperor took office¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know exactly when it happened. Maybe very old.¡±


    ¡°Then tell me. What I know could be what you want to hear.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps¡­ Do you happen to know about Adenium?¡± Marianne asked carefully.


    She tapped the surface with her slender fingers and picked up a petal floating in the water.


    ¡°As for Adenium, wasn¡¯t it Mrs. Chester¡¯s gift to you?¡±


    ¡°Right. That¡¯s it. I just wonder if you heard or know any stories about it. Especially any story related to Mrs. Chester.¡±


    The countess was silent for a while as she retraced her memories.

 Chapter 134

    ¡°Well, I have never heard anything special about it. ¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡±


    Marianne looked down with a little sigh. The petal she was touching was quickly torn in half.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll ask you something else.¡±


    ¡°Please go ahead.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid to say this, but I know very little about the previous emperor and empress, power struggle within the cabinet, and the rumors about noble families. I¡¯m trying to read official bulletins or seek advice from Mrs. Charlotte, but it¡¯s not easy. So, I asked somebody about one thing impatiently, but I haven¡¯t heard a clear answer yet¡­¡±


    Her eyelashes under her dark green eyes trembled nervously.


    ¡°Was there any bad blood between my father and the late emperor?¡±


    ¡°¡­ ¡±


    ¡°What I want to know is if there was anything that could have estranged them.¡±


    Mrs. Renault did not immediately answer.


    She was not sure whether it was Duke Kling or Eckart that she asked out of impatience.


    Regardless of who he was, she could probably not hear any frank reply.


    Love was not necessarily in contact with the truth.


    Sometimes love became a veil that blinded the harsh truths and sometimes it turned into a desire not to lose somebody, which often fettered the involved parties in a false world.


    ¡°As you already know, your father Duke Kling was extremely reluctant to get involved in central politics from the late emperor¡¯s days. He even refused to take one of the top cabinet positions that the late emperor offered to him. I think the late emperor, who had weak power, must have felt a great regret because he needed Duke Kling¡¯s help.¡±


    Mrs. Renault did not love or value Marianne like her own life.


    That¡¯s why Mrs. Renault refrained from replying to Marianne¡¯s appeal until now, not deciding whether to get involved in her matter.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    As if she felt something strange in Mrs. Renault¡¯s reply, Marianne looked a bit uncomfortable while listening to her.


    It wasn¡¯t because she already knew about what Mrs. Renault said, but because Mrs. Renault understood her question in the opposite way.


    What Marianne wanted to know was not why the late emperor avoided her father, but why her father avoided the late emperor.


    Namely, she wanted to know the reason why her father came to think of her marriage to the current emperor as unfortunate.


    ¡°Is that really it? Well, I know it because I read about it in the bulletins. I could hear the same thing if I stopped any maid at my mansion and asked about it.¡±


    ¡°Lady Marianne, there are books you haven¡¯t read yet that are better than the ones you have already read. I mean, those ooks that you read over time and completely understand rather than hearing somebody reading them to you without understanding much.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying I¡¯m so stupid that I¡¯m not qualified to read them?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Mrs. Renault frowned slightly as she sharply retorted. She sat closer to the rim of the bathtub and grabbed the countess¡¯s hands.


    Petals on the surface were swept away by the water.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t leave me out anymore. They always give me insufficient information. How do you cut an enemy with a dull sword? How do you fix a patient who doesn¡¯t show his or her wounded area?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°You know my father and the current emperor well, right? Will the time come when I can tell both of them about it?¡±


    ¡°Lady Marianne¡­¡± Mrs. Renault fumbled.


    ¡°If the time doesn¡¯t come, or if it¡¯s a long time later, if you jump into the enemy camp without even knowing your ally, will it help you any more?¡±


    Her gentle voice turned furious in an instant. At that moment, she tightened her grip on the countess¡¯s hands forcefully.


    ¡°I have already told you I would be your ally. Even a spy who doesn¡¯t even know which way the wind is blowing will definitely be deceived by the enemy¡¯s sweet talk. If I¡¯m in jeopardy, no one else can take my place. Absolutely nobody!¡±


    Mrs. Renault still hesitated to reply, with her hands desperately grasped by Marianne.


    Her pleading was more like a threat, but she felt sad rather than threatened.


    That was true. No one could replace this woman. She was the only woman with whom Marquis Chester was so obsessed and desperately tried to woo, while the current emperor was all out to defend her even at the risk of breaking the imperial rule.


    Marianne was a catalyst that aroused the desires of the two. Although what the emperor and Marquis Chester were trying to get from her might not be the same, they seemed to share the same desire for her. It was a different kind of love that aimed for a highly pure and sure desire, but their purposes were different.


    Regardless of the types of love, there would be no better practical card for the emperor or marquis to pursue.


    ¡°¡­ Okay, then. Let me tell you an old story.¡±


    Mrs. Renault nodded as if to soothe her. Then, Marianne¡¯s strong grip on her hands loosened like frozen snow melting under the spring sun.


    ¡°How much do you know about the late empress?¡±


    Asking the question, the countess leaned her to the side. Mrs. Charlotte came up and sat beside her. She soon felt Mrs. Charlotte gentle combing between the strands of hair.


    Led by their hands, she naturally closed her eyes. Ironically, her random question gave her a chance to reflect on the life of a figure.


    Marianne said, ¡°As for the late empress, I read something about her in a book. That¡¯s all. As far as I know, she was the last royal family member of the ruined Lennox Empire, the current emperor¡¯s mother, and she had allegedly blonde hair and blue eyes like the sea. Unfortunately, she died of Kinnis that spread in Milan.¡±


    Kinnis was an epidemic that swept Milan five years ago. It was an incurable disease with no available medicine for treatment. It was the curse of the ashes left behind by the fire. When people were afflicted with Kinnis, red spots formed all over their bodies, and the spots soon decayed their skin, causing oozing and bleeding. Patients usually died in less than two weeks while rubbing their decaying bones and internal organs. The scabs of their decaying wounds scattered into ash powder like pieces of burnt wood.


    Eckart was a tragic hero who lost both his father and mother at the same time because of that epidemic. He would have been succumbed by Kinnis too if he had not gone to the new winter villa in Ornus at the request of the empress that winter when the epidemic broke out.


    ¡°That¡¯s correct. Empress Blair was the seventh princess of the Romanov family, and Lennox, ruled by the Romanov family, was an ally of Aslan. Lennox collapsed in an instant due to the intense power struggle for succession and invasion of the rebels, but it was originally a powerful empire that was comparable with Faisal.¡±


    Right after Mrs. Renault explained, Mrs. Charlotte gave her an additional information kindly. ¡°And Nova, the center of the empire as well as the capital of Lennox where the Imperial Palace was, is now the Castle of Lennox. That¡¯s exactly where you grew up.¡±


    Marianne said, ¡°I know. I hear that the Lennox Mansion is a renovation of the old Lennox imperial palace. So, the garden is very large and its architecture is a little different from other castles. I really like the mansion. Although I stay here at the beautiful Elior Mansion, I often miss it.¡±


    Marian drew a picture of her old home in a dark vision.


    An annex filled with only her favorite things, and an elegant back garden large enough to play hide and seek, deer and rabbit, dog and cat roaming on the green grass. And the old familiar faces who always smiled at her brightly¡­


    ¡°Nova was soon transformed into a colony, along with other territories. The first person to be appointed as the chief of the Lennox Castle was Grand Duke Bertrand.¡±


    Mrs. Earl did not wait for her to be lost in old memories. Her stern voice telling the cold truth broke Marianne¡¯s idle thoughts.


    Bertrand was a late prince of Frei IV. The brother of Emperor Joseph¡¯s grandfather, Emperor Joseph, stayed close to his young nephew, late emperor Cassius. Although he led a somewhat dissipated life, he was not foolish enough to be stigmatized as an incompetent lord.


    Marianne remembered seeing his name faintly in the royal genealogy.


    ¡°But Lennox lost its master again. Grand Duke Bertrand died after three years because of a horse-riding accident. Naturally, everybody paid attention to who would emerge as the next ruler.¡±


    That was understandable. Lennox was the territory that bound the most vital areas of the Nova region. Of course, lots of powerful nobles coveted those territories with mines or farmland-rich lands, but possessing the capital of the ruined empire was what they valued most.


    In addition, Lennox was full of the ruined nobles, migrants who returned after the war, and estates that had not yet been sorted out, and abandoned treasures. As a result, possessing Lennox was to get them all.


    ¡°The candidate who could own Lennox was narrowed down to three: Duke Hubble, Marquis Chester, and Grand Duke Christopher.¡±

 Chapter 135

    As an uncle of Emperor Cassius, Duke Hubble was a nobleman who had the most extensive political connections in central politics. The late Marquis Chester, who served as Cassius¡¯s tool, earned credit by participating in the Lennox war. Grand Duke Christopher, who was Cassius¡¯s brother, was the youngest among them, but he was from the royal family who had no comparison in terms of royal bloodline and character.


    ¡°The Grand Duke was the most likely candidate among the three in terms of cause. Lennox at that time was ruled by Bertrand, so it was natural that as the same grand duke as Bertrand, Christoper was the legitimate successor.¡±


    ¡°However¡­ I understand he has been with the Eluang Knights since the late emperor¡¯s days. Did he reject Lennox back then?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Christoper rejected the rumors about his alleged takeover of Lennox, saying that he just wanted to concentrate on his duty as the chief of the Eluang Knights. After all, Hubble and Chester were set to compete for the possession of Lennox.¡±


    ¡°I have never met the two in person, but maybe Chester didn¡¯t beat Hubble, I think.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. If they had really engaged in a fight, Hubble must have won.¡±


    Mrs. Charlotte chimed in with the countess with her gentle smile.


    But instead of smiling along, Marianne opened her eyes, turning her head to Mrs. Charlotte.


    ¡°Really? Didn¡¯t the two fight over Lennox?¡±


    ¡°They had no time to do so.¡±


    Marianne was full of curiosity as she had assumed that it was the other way.


    ¡°Well, the reason is, a new candidate appeared before them all of a sudden.¡±


    ¡°A new candidate?¡±


    Mrs. Charlotte nodded quietly. Mrs. Renault opened her mouth in her stead.


    ¡°The rebels who occupied the imperial palace of Nova at that time were Lennox¡¯s old mercenaries. It was a very cruel army. They murdered all of the Romanov family members that recently hired them, plundering and killing all the civilians left in the palace. Aslan immediately sent troops to help its ally, but it was hard to put them down in a short period of time because they were quite sturdy and terrible soldiers.¡±


    ¡°But I understand that the Lennox War didn¡¯t last long¡­¡±


    ¡°Because there emerged a man who, actively serving as a war staffer, ended the war early before it could develop into a long battle. That man stole the show before Hubble and Chester fought over Lennox.¡±


    ¡°Can you elaborate?¡±


    ¡°This man formally requested the late emperor to allow him to rule Lennox.¡±


    ¡°He requested the late emperor?¡±


    ¡°Yes. He argued that he deserved the right to decide on the spoils of the war first.¡±


    At that moment, Marianne instinctively felt something ominous.


    She sat up slowly, with her head upright. The bath water became a bit cold, but it was still warm.


    But she felt the water she soaked herself in was strangely cold. She felt heavy and stuffy. It was like the grip of a monster that grabbed her ankles, so she could not run away.


    ¡°Was he my father?¡± she asked finally.


    Her voice shook violently. Mrs Renault replied calmly, squeezing the wet cotton cloths.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct. He was Duke Kling, your father. The late emperor accepted his request, converted Lennox into a territory equivalent to a duchy, and appointed him as the new chief of the Lennox Castle.¡±


    She felt goosebumps when she got out of the bath. She grasped the petals under the transparent surface with her soft hands.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe my father coveted Lennox. No way! He is not the type of person who covets land¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, everybody including me believed like that. Although Duke Kling was the closest friend of the late emperor, he had never been greedy for power or title. Kling was well aware that the late emperor hated the solidarity of noblemen, so he prohibited those knights or cabinet members following him, even in private settings. Who would have imagined that he would covet Lennox?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Even Duke Hubble, a veteran politician who spent his whole political life in the capital, didn¡¯t expect that. If he had known it in advance, he would have made short work of it.¡±


    ¡°Madame, are you really sure my father¡­I don¡¯t doubt what you said, but I just can¡¯t believe that¡­¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t believe it. I understand. But what I¡¯m saying is totally true.¡±


    Marianne¡¯s shoulders trembled, her lips closed.


    What Mrs. Renault said was sufficient to quench her curiosity, but at the same time it was something that she didn¡¯t want to know. She wanted to shut her ears and scream if she could.


    Throughout his life, Kling was the example of the most friendly type of man to Marianne. He was a man who loved her the most in the world, a father who was kinder than anyone else and a just and fair lord. All of the people in Lennox praised him without exception. They envied and cared for his tenderness and faithfulness.


    So, Marianne believed there must be a reason why her father overprotected his only daughter.


    When you love something too much, sometimes you just want to love it in your own way without knowing it¡¯s sometimes dangerous. In fact, that was the case when she was around five. At the time she wanted to share her delicious snack, so she shared chocolate cakes with her pet dog.


    ¡°I¡­ I didn¡¯t know that. In fact, nobody told me about it¡­¡±


    ¡°I guess so. Who could have told you about it?¡± Mrs. Renault asked back calmly. That made her feel like somebody whipped her wet back.


    ¡°¡­I see. Who could have done that? Nobody would have wanted to do so¡­ ¡±


    Marianne curled up with her knees up. She buried her pale face in her palms. Her protruding shoulder bone trembled. Although she came to know the whole secret, she was not happy at all.


    Mrs. Charlotte lay down the comb with a disturbed look. Mrs. Renault sighed quietly, looking at her wretched back.


    ¡®If it had ended there, it would have been better¡­¡¯


    She murmured without finishing her last words easily.


    What Marianne wanted Mrs. Renault to be her ally was for her to finish her words on her behalf, but the countess couldn¡¯t because Marianne was distressed at the moment.


    To Mrs. Renault, the secret story about Duke Kling was just one of the old hidden stories, but to Marianne, it was shocking enough to shake up the whole world that she had lived in until now.


    The pain of being betrayed by somebody that one trusted was different from that of being hurt by others. Self-disbelief tended to turn into self-reproach, and in the end the arrows of resentment would be shot back to oneself, not others.


    Mrs. Renault sighed again, with a heavy heart. Mrs. Charlotte changed the topic in her stead.


    ¡°Your father and your deceased mother were very close to the late empress. After the current emperor was born, they often stopped by the palace and became his playmate. It wasn¡¯t the late emperor, but your father before whom the current emperor first took off with a baby step.¡±


    Mrs. Renault placed warm water over her shoulders kindly. Marianne still curled up, not saying anything.


    ¡°But one year after the end of the Lennox War, they were not as close to the empress as before. In the meantime, Lennox changed hands once more, and your mother, who had left the capital, died after giving birth to you. Since then they became further estranged.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Of course, Duke Kling might have a reason for himself¡­but the late empress was very distressed after being estranged from them. Unfortunately, she was suffering from deep depression at that time. As such, she really depended on them, regarding them as her close friends, so she was distressed as she was separated from them¡­ ¡±


    ¡°¡­Depression?¡± Marianne asked, raising her head slightly. Her eyes were a little swollen.


    ¡°Yes, it was natural that she had depression. All of her blood had a terrible death in the hands of the rebels. Her country was ruined, and numerous innocent people were killed. I think that the pain she had to endure as the last empress of the downfall dynasty was near infinite. I couldn¡¯t dare to understand it.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Anyway, the only family left behind was the late emperor and the current emperor, only two¡­¡± said Mrs. Charlotte feebly, sorting her messy bangs. Her lonesome smile fell upon her face like a dark curtain.


    ¡°The current emperor was too young to understand his mother¡¯s sorrow. She was closer to not someone who could protect herself, but someone who could protect the emperor.¡±


    ¡°Did the late emperor comfort her?¡±


    ¡°At first he did.¡±


    The shade on Mrs. Charlotte¡¯s face grew thicker.


    ¡°Right after Lennox¡¯s fall, he often stopped by and tried to comfort her. And she seemed to have been comforted a bit. But the following year, the late empress suddenly began to have severe hysteria. She locked all the doors of the inner palace, saying that she didn¡¯t want to meet anyone. When the late emperor or the current emperor came, she had more severe seizures.¡±


    ¡°Why did she suddenly develop hysteria? You said the late emperor and the current emperor were the only family members left behind. They why¡­?¡±

 Chapter 136

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know the exact reason. I asked the late empress many times, but she said nothing.¡±


    Mrs. Charlotte swallowed dry saliva once. The whole bathroom was covered with a sweet fragrance, but she felt bitter, as if she were chewing bitter grass.


    ¡°Well, the late empress just stayed alive. I would say she was just alive. She was once as bright and beautiful as the sun, but she became thin like a dry twig in a tightly curtained room. It seemed that she found it hard to breathe.¡±


    Marianne was easily infected with someone¡¯s pain by nature. It was a while ago that she barely endured tears while listening to her story about her father. She was now immersed in late empress Blair¡¯s grief, whom she had never met before. It seemed that the woes of the dead empress seemed to resemble her own suffering at first glance.


    ¡®Did she want to hide in a very dark world, concealing a story she couldn¡¯t tell anyone? Did she think anybody could not understand her? Did she feel lonely as if there nobody was beside her in the world? Was she distressed enough to stay away from her husband and her son?¡¯


    ¡°And the following year, Mrs. Chester gave birth to a baby.¡±


    Hearing that, Marianne thought about Blair¡¯s situation at that time.


    ¡®Perhaps she might have wanted this terrible world to crumble like her homeland!¡¯


    Marianne opened her mouth with a miserable expression, her voice filled with surging anger.


    ¡°¡­ That baby is Ober.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. In the same year that Mrs. Chester¡¯s son was rumored to have the late emperor¡¯s blood, the late empress reopened the door of the inner palace.¡±


    Marianne bit her lip unconsciously. She knew better than anyone else that the late empress had to give up her ¡°right to ignore¡± what she had to do.


    ¡°You might think it¡¯s a tall story, but it¡¯s true. The late empress, who seemed to collapse at any moment, began to eat and asked me to comb her hair like before. Soon she met people every day and smiled well just like she did when she first came to Aslan. She even vowed that she would be a beautiful and elegant wife to the late emperor and a sweet and strict mother to her son.¡±


    Mrs. Renault¡¯s face became more gloomy as Mrs. Charlotte lowered her voice,


    The cloth in her hand spewed out water when she squeezed it.


    ¡°Lady Marianne. Can you guess why the late empress changed overnight like that?¡±


    Marianne looked at Mrs. Charlotte blankly instead of replying. Finally, she nodded heavily.


    Obviously she wanted to protect her son. She needed to make sure that as the mother of the future emperor, she would have to be a beautiful, loving Empress of Aslan, not the mad royal princess of the ruined country. She wouldn¡¯t want to be the biggest ¡®flaw¡¯ in her son¡¯s path.


    ¡°Fortunately, the current emperor grew up to be a good successor. But as he grew up, the greed of the aristocrats, including Marquis Chester, also grew rapidly.¡±


    Blair was born as a princess in a foreign country, and most of Lennox¡¯s nobles, who could serve as her political support, died after the war. Even the force of those who barely survived was greatly weakened in the process of them being absorbed by Aslan.


    Late emperor Cassius did not treat them badly, but he didn¡¯t give them any significant power so that they could not have any chance to rebel. His actions were like cutting off Blair¡¯s hands and feet.


    On the other hand, the aristocrats inside Aslan held very solid power. Although Cassius made sure they should not covet throne throughout his reign, his actions unfortunately provided a good excuse for revolt for some political factions.The power noble families including Dubble Hubble and Marquis Chester united around their factions to challenge the emperor, revealing their desire to usurp his power.


    ¡°You now know what kinds of terrible things their reckless bravado have brought about until now. You went through it in person this time.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I guess so. I do not know well but¡­ I didn¡¯t think the Roshan accident was the first time they caused such terrible things.¡±


    ¡°There were always such terrible attempts in the past, only with different degrees of brutality.


    The palace is a very cruel place, so they try not to remember what happened in the past,¡± Mrs. Charlotte said meaningfully.


    Marianne recalled Eckart¡¯s voice that she heard not a long time ago, but she felt distant.


    His cold voice severely disturbed her mind right now.


    Mrs. Renault, who was silent all the time, interrupted her thoughts again. She waited for Marianne¡¯s gaze to come back to her, and then asked calmly after she finally met her eyes.


    ¡°You asked me if something bad happened between your father and the late emperor, right? The late emperor lived with anxiety all his life. He had an obligation to be wary of all, but no right to trust anyone. How could he pleased with anyone who did not swear allegiance?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Every time they harmed the late emperor, the late empress did anything to protect him. Was there any possibility that she asked Duke Kling for help? And didn¡¯t the late emperor know it in one way or another?¡±


    Marianne clenched her fist underwater, fixing her eyes on the countess. The lukewarm bath water and her wet gown were crumpled in her small hands.


    ¡°In that situation, it would be very strange if the late emperor didn¡¯t resent Duke Kling.¡±


    Only now did Marianne seem to know why her father was worried about her misfortune.


    Her father already knew everything. He knew that the late empress Blair and Eckart resented him and his daughter. He knew they would not be able to forgive him and his daughter easily, and since he betrayed their trust, he himself could be also betrayed.


    Although he betrayed them, he was her most beloved father. That¡¯s why he didn¡¯t want to send her off to the emperor who resented him.


    ¡°Not only other occupied territories but also Lennox should have been returned to the late emperor long time ago. Lennox belonged to the late empress and now it is the property of her only blood, Eckart.¡±


    Mrs. Renault tried to ignore the despair in Marianne¡¯s face.


    How could anybody blame her who was born and grew up in the paradise of Lennox for twenty years without a choice?


    But the battlefield she decided to jump into was a hell of blood and flesh. She could not live forever without knowing the fact that the happiness she enjoyed until now was because of someone¡¯s misfortune.


    The countess felt pity for Marianne, but did not stop talking. In fact, she had wanted to say this at some point. She continued, ¡°If you really want to be Eckart¡¯s ally, please persuade your father directly. Please persuade him that although it¡¯s already late, he has to be loyal to the current emperor. And if you really love the emperor, regardless of all these political reasons¡­¡±


    ¡°Madame¡­¡±


    Marianne replied with a crying voice, but the countess cut her off.


    The countess let go of the cloth she was holding. Instead, she grabbed Marianne¡¯s trembling hands. Her heartbeat was pounding like crazy inside her gripped wrists.


    ¡°Don¡¯t hurt him anymore for whatever cause,¡± Mrs. Renault said.


    * * *


    That evening, the Elior Mansion¡¯s dinner menu was a veal steak and pasta with large shrimp. Smoked salmon salad, savory brioche and peach jam were also served to satisfy Marianne¡¯s appetite. Milk pudding that she had as many ten plates of it with Rane not too long ago and her favorite raspberry tart she used to enjoy with her father in Lennox was also served. Even the tea she would rinse her mouth with after dinner was prepared in five different kinds of brewed petals that she liked.


    ¡°Come on, lady. Please enjoy the food!¡±


    Cordelli smiled as if she looked forward to her praise. Marianne looked at the table with a perplexed look. A magnificent supper was ready right before her nose, but she felt her mouth was dry rather than feeling any appetite.


    ¡°¡­ Cordelli, did you prepare all this food?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Don¡¯t you remember you told me that if you ate something delicious, you would feel strong? So, I¡¯ve prepared all the foods that you like. I wish your father had a meal with you, but he has not come back yet. He seems to be still busy.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so sad. There will be another chance for you to have a meal with your father. I¡¯ll prepare well then.¡±


    Cordelli laughed tenderly. It was a special gift she prepared for Mariane to cheer her up, who had recently been in a bad mood since the morning picnic. Cordelli¡¯s clear eyes rolled as if she tried to read her reaction.


    ¡°¡­ Thank you. Let me enjoy it then.¡±


    Marianne could not turn away her tender consolation.


    ¡®I don¡¯t have to act odd. I have been ready for this anyway. He reminded me that I could do or suffer something terrible¡­ ¡®

 Chapter 137

    Even though she felt terrible at the moment, she still could swallow the food. She was busy devouring the food as if she was like a man suffering from pregorexia. Nonetheless, she became hungry strangely. Maybe because she felt an emptiness in her heart that she didn¡¯t feel she had eaten enough after emptying all the plates on the table.


    Anyway, she chewed food with a pale expression. But she could barely taste the food that she liked so much


    As soon as she returned to her room after the meal, she vomited everything.


    ¡°Lady!¡±


    Surprised, Cordelli screamed. Although she wanted to say she was okay, she was too weak to say anything. sudden nausea squeezed her whole body. She coughed while


    Cordelli and the maids quickly raised her. Without any resistance, she let herself dragged by them. She barely sat on the edge of the bed with her body limp like a broken marionette.


    The maids went out with her dirty dress and carpet. The floor was also cleared up.


    Marianne slowly blinked her spiritless eyes, blankly watching them clean up. While she changed into her pajamas, washed her mouth and hands, and had a medical checkup by the doctor, who was hurriedly called in, she remained still like a corpse.


    She really didn¡¯t want to think about anything. Her continuous breathing even bothered her. Her heartbeat that she usually did not recognize felt loud.


    Pounding. Huuu.


    Pounding. Huuu.


    Pounding. Huuu¡­.


    ¡°Lady Marie!¡±


    After some time, Cordelli called her with a gentle voice.


    Only then was she taken back to reality from a remote world. She was just breathing helplessly, but the surroundings were quiet and the room was dark. Only yellowish candles were emitting a soft light.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t answer when I called you many times. What were you thinking so hard about?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°According to the doctor, it¡¯s because you ate the food too quickly. He said he couldn¡¯t find any other problem after checking your condition. So, don¡¯t worry and sleep well. You¡¯ll be fine tomorrow morning.¡±


    Cordelli pulled the blanket up over her chin on the bed and covered her.


    ¡°If you¡¯re uncomfortable at dawn, you have to shake the bell. I¡¯ll be right back. Okay?¡±


    She stroked her hair with her warm hands. After she tapped her chest moving up and down unstably, Cordelli slowly got up.


    Marianne urgently grabbed her before she could leave. When she grabbed her strongly, Cordelli staggered and fell halfway over the bed.


    ¡°Lady?¡±


    ¡°Cordelli¡­ Please sleep beside me today.¡±


    So far, Marianne hadn¡¯t said anything like a wax doll, then she suddenly asked her an unexpected favor. Cordelli couldn¡¯t understand her behavior at all.


    She asked with a slightly worried expression, ¡°As a rule, you asked to get out quickly when I asked to sleep beside you. How come you¡¯re asking me for such a favor today?¡±


    ¡°Just today alone¡­ I don¡¯t want to sleep alone. Can you, please?¡±


    Her voice trembled faintly when she asked back. Cordelli looked at her face, narrowing her eyebrows.


    She could notice the strange anxiety on her face. Although she was not sure what the reason was, obviously there was something unusual about Marianne. After coming up to the capital, Marianne went through ups and downs, but she never asked her for this kind of request.


    In fact, Cordelli felt more comfortable and relieved when Marianne was easily surprised and stubborn like she used to be. As her closest maid, Cordelli also had a sense of duty that she should always be with Marianne and comfort her when the lady was looking for her to rely on.


    ¡°Why not? I can do anything for you when you want it.¡±


    ¡°Then come up here and lie beside me.¡±


    Marianne pulled her arms. Cordelli was dragged into the bed without changing her clothes.


    The two shared their pillows, lying down and facing each other. Their two round eyes blinked slowly as they stared at each other up close.


    Soon, Marianne¡¯s eyes were moist and shiny. Although the light was dim, they were too close for her to hide her tears.


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Lady¡­¡± Codelli comforted her maturely.


    Normally Cordelli would have asked her why she was crying, but she felt that she should not do so now.


    Marianne seemed to be in danger of collapsing at the slightest disturbance.


    Instead of replying, Marianne blinked a couple more times. Tears dropped suddenly.


    Cordelli reached out and wiped the tears dropped on her nose.


    ¡°Were you surprised a lot because you suddenly got sick?¡±


    She still didn¡¯t reply. Nevertheless, Cordelli continued to comfort her.


    ¡°My mother used to say that when one was sick, one was supposed to feel lonely easily. She advised me that if I felt like that, I should feel better if I had deep sleep.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Let me pray right here next to you all night that you can have a good dream. So, don¡¯t cry. Okay?¡±


    Cordelli twisted her body and reached out. She hugged Marianne tightly.


    Marianne snuggled up to her warm arms and curled her shoulders. She held onto Cordelli¡¯s collar with her slender fingers.


    ¡°Cordelli¡­¡±


    Marianne¡¯s voice calling her name shook like a boat on angry waves.


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t want to be sick¡­¡±


    Marianne bit her lip hard. Soon she felt bitter in her mouth, recalling her conversation with Mrs. Renault.


    She felt like Mrs. Renault¡¯s sharp response stabbed her body with a dagger. If what she said was true, her father was a kind of betrayer and bystander.


    Marianne believed that her father was sincere as much as he loved her. So, she had to admit she could not be relieved of the stigma of her father¡¯s betrayal.


    He was someone who had to endure the days without any light while her father only had his daughter in the shadowless land.


    At that moment, she also recalled Eckart¡¯s words.


    ¡®Was this the price of what I knew, like he said? That ¡®terrible¡¯ thing I had been doing to the emperor? If so, could I blame Eckart who, according to Ober, wished for the misfortune of the Kling family?¡¯


    While lost in thoughts, Marianne suddenly said, ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m going to be more ill. What can I do¡­¡±


    Of course she was not. That would be impossible.


    Her trembling voice was soon mixed with her crying. She began to weep as she was so choked up with overwhelming sorrow.


    She discovered the secrets of someone she trusted the most in the world. She realized that her life, which was always full of love, was a sand castle built on someone¡¯s pain. And that person was none other than Eckart whom she wanted to love and make happy.


    It was only natural that her heart and mind would crumble in sorrow and self-reproach.


    ¡°Lady¡­¡±


    Cordelli hugged Marianne more tightly, who was trembling like a wounded bird. She finally realized what her lovely lady was really afraid of. She knew that Marianne¡¯s fear was not physical pain, but her wounded heart. She realized that there was a big, heavy shade that her lady couldn¡¯t easily explain to her as they had grown up together for a lifetime. She realized that the cruel shade was biting her like a hunting dog.


    ¡°No. You won¡¯t be sick. By tomorrow morning, you will feel it was all like a dream.¡±


    ¡°Boohoo¡­I don¡¯t want to be sick¡­ I should not be greedy¡­Boohoo¡­¡±


    ¡°Do not worry. You won¡¯t be sick at all. I promise you. Please don¡¯t cry, lady.¡±


    Cordelli embraced Marianne harder.


    ¡®Please, Lord, our goddess, Lady Marianne¡¯s deceased mother, please feel pitiful for her. Why do you let her go through all this hardship? As you already know, there is no better woman than our lady. Please help her stop crying. Please¡­¡¯


    Cordelli prayed for her hundreds of times, tapping her on the shoulder gently. Even after she cried herself to sleep until dawn, she stayed beside her for a long time.


    Infusing unguaranteed hope over and over again into her heart, who was being eaten away from the unknown pain¡­That was all she could do at this moment.


    * * *


    ¡°¡­Good enough. Write up what I said and tell the Public Information Bureau to send this out as early as this evening. As we have to set the date of the final matches, tell the deputy chamberlain and senior protocol officials to attend the relevant meeting tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Sure, will do.¡±


    Edgedio, the protocol officer at the palace, politely received the document and returned to his seat. Originally, Colin was supposed to take his place, but he was forced to take vacation leave for three days because of Jed¡¯s bluffing.


    Although he spent only several days with Colin, Duke Kling felt somewhat strange whenever the protocol officer, not Colin, was sitting there.

 Chapter 138

    Kling leaned back in his chair, smiling bitterly. The glowing sun shining from the back of his head shone and reddened the desk. He felt tired after a long day¡¯s work. As he was almost done, Kling could go back home, but he didn¡¯t feel like it at all.


    At the moment he recalled someone¡¯s voice, which tormented him for the past several days.


    The voice was neither that of Duke Hubble nor Mrs. Chester, nor Ober. Rather, it was that of his most beloved daughter in the world.


    Just recalling her voice made him feel vividly as if she was standing before him with trembling eyes and voice. With a long sigh, he dropped his hand helplessly.


    Riding the carriage that Curtis drove hurriedly to the capital, he realized immediately that the time would come soon when he had to tell his daughter everything.


    The imperial capital was such a place. It was a city without eternal secrets. It was a place where even compassion and love were the means of power, and it was difficult to distinguish sweet lies from the cold truth.


    Anyway, Marianne would now be the new owner of that ferocious castle.


    Regardless of the type and purpose of the war, the victory and defeat in all battles depended on good intelligence. Duke Kling was prepared to give any information that would benefit Eckart once he entered the battle. It didn¡¯t even matter if it hurt his honor or power.


    Besides good intelligence, he would also spare no efforts to spend his wealth, estates, people and even the remainder of his life to help Eckart. In fact, he had been saving up all this for this very purpose. But there was one thing he didn¡¯t want to sacrifice under any circumstances.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t worry too much. Okay? I won¡¯t be hurt. Never. If I think it¡¯s dangerous, I¡¯ll run away immediately.¡±


    What he absolutely wanted to make sure of was his daughter¡¯s safety and her safe and calm daily life. He also promised to guarantee her safety during her life, without any wounds or danger for the rest of her life.


    On the very same day when Duke Kling came up to the capital, Marianne vowed before her reunited father that she would never be hurt. He did not believe her entirely. He knew well that it was not true. It was only natural that she would inevitably lose something while standing in the vortex of a strong political strife in central politics.


    And Marianne was threatened many times as if she was going to prove his distrust in her words. The snake on the eve of the ball, the accident in Roshan, and even the Adenium pot that she received from Mrs. Chester as her engagement gift were swords pointed at her at the end of the day.


    The reason she survived until now was because someone who wanted to harm her didn¡¯t yet want to kill her or she was lucky enough to survive with God¡¯s grace.


    Kling raised his body after leaning against the chair.


    ¡®I was too complacent. Fortunately, this time it stopped here¡­It was too reckless of a trick from the beginning. If things go wrong, is it the same as myself being thrown away to die first?¡¯


    He swallowed dry saliva once, closing his lips tight.


    ¡®I haven¡¯t told him yet, but they¡¯re moving faster than expected. I need to hurry up. Mrs. Chester won¡¯t give the same warning twice.¡¯


    As far as he knew, Marianne was too good and Mrs. Chester was too wicked and cunning. Simply comparing their temperaments, Marianne could not win the fight.


    What if she really falls in love with the emperor¡­


    Duke Kling arose from his seat as if he vowed something.


    ***


    Estelle, Duke Kling¡¯s dead wife a long time ago, was an honest and righteous woman.


    When she moved, based on the power of faith and affection, she was more reckless and foolhardy than any courageous knight. She even risked her own safety for what she believed to be right. And Marianne resembled Estelle too much, which always bothered him.


    ¡°Sir Edgedio.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    Edgedio, who was finishing the document to send out to the Public Affairs Bureau, responded quickly.


    ¡°Where is Sir Kloud right now?¡±


    ¡°Well. He told me he would stop by the Treasury Department and be back quickly. But as it¡¯s about time to report to the emperor, he might have headed straight to the emperor¡¯s office.¡±


    ¡°Then bring in a servant outside.¡±


    Edgedio stood up, nodding gently.


    Even before he left the room, however, the closed door of Kling¡¯s office was opened gently.


    ¡°Sir Kloud!¡±


    It was none other than Kloud who came in at the moment. Edgedio welcomed him very much as he came in at the right time.


    ¡°Oh, you didn¡¯t go straight to the palace, did you?¡±


    ¡°Well, I was just leave the emperor¡¯s office and came back here. I stopped by because the emperor asked me for additional documents.¡±


    Kloud suddenly stopped walking while passing through the desks with documents piled up like a mountain, and suddenly stopped walking because not only Edgedio but also Duke Kloud were looking at him intensely.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? The atmosphere is a bit strange here¡­¡±


    Kloud glanced around. He quickly noticed he was the focus of their attention.


    ¡°No, there¡¯s nothing special¡­¡± Duke Kling said, fumbling his last words and stooping down.


    He took out a small key from his pocket and opened the second drawer of the desk.


    He hesitated for a moment, and took out what was in the drawer.


    ¡°Sir Kloud. Leave the office early today. Since I¡¯m now free after a long time, let me report to the emperor in person this evening.¡±


    He smiled graciously and approached Kloud.


    The sunset behind him created a deep backlight along his slender cheeks.


    * * *


    ¡°What? He is not here?¡± Cordelli asked with a sad look.


    ¡°No, He just went to the palace to give the emperor an evening report¡­¡± Kloud replied with a smile. He now looked over Cordelli¡¯s shoulder to stare at Marianne, who was turning her eyes toward him blankly.


    ¡°I think I came here at the wrong time.¡±


    ¡°Well, I usually go to report to the emperor, but I couldn¡¯t stop him because it seemed like he wanted to have an exclusive meeting with the emperor. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s alright. As he is the chief of internal affairs of the palace, I think that¡¯s Duke Kling¡¯s rightful duty. It¡¯s me, not Duke Kling, who did wrong because I came here without any notice.¡± Marianne shook her head and smiled superficially.


    ¡°What should I do? I had them prepare a meal for him at the mansion¡­ Does it take long for him to report to the emperor? Well, they may have a meal together after he is done reporting, because it¡¯s dinner time anyway. You told me he would have an exclusive meeting with the emperor. I think he might have lots of things to say, right?¡± Cordelli said, with a sigh of regret.


    ¡°Well¡­ Maybe or maybe not. ¡±


    Marianne¡¯s reply was a bit surprisingly cold. Cordelli gazed at her with a sullen expression.


    Marianne was weak throughout the morning because she wept until the pale morning moon set last night. She stayed in bed until noon. She refused any meal or tea, let alone decorating herself. She just took a deep breath with blank eyes.


    But in the afternoon she became fine and felt okay as if nothing had happened to her. She reduced swelling of her eyes with an ice pack as much as possible. She searched for a nice dress and instructed Mrs. Charlotte to prepare a dinner like she did yesterday.


    Then she had them prepare a wagon to take her to the Imperial Palace. She felt that her father, even though he was crazily busy, would take time out for her if she made an unexpected visit. But it was Sir Kloud, not Duke Kling, who greeted her and Cordelli.


    ¡°Shall we go back?¡± Cordelli asked cautiously, trying to read her mind.


    In her eyes, Marianne¡¯s innocence was like huge bubbles, something like a barrier that would break apart and burst with the slight touch, completely shielding the world from the surroundings. And that¡¯s why no one could dare to touch the bubbles.


    All she could do was wait while watching Marianne. As it turned out, she had to go back empty-handed because her plan to meet her father suddenly failed. Cordelli was wondering how to comfort her who must have been very disappointed.


    ¡°It¡¯s hard for me to predict when he will be done reporting, but it won¡¯t take long if you wait,¡± Kloud said in a polite tone, suggesting indirectly to her that she wait until Kling¡¯s return.


    But she replied, ¡°Well, I don¡¯t like your suggestion. I don¡¯t want to bother them to satisfy my own desires. Besides, dinner at the mansion is not enough to invite the emperor as a guest.¡±

 Chapter 139

    ¡°Then why don¡¯t you put off the dinner at the mansion and dine together with Duke Kling and the emperor at the palace? If I order the kitchen staff even now, they can prepare the meal right away.¡±


    ¡°Dining with my father and the emperor?¡±


    ¡°Yes. After returning from Roshan, you haven¡¯t seen the emperor with your father, so I think it¡¯s a good idea for you two to have a meal with the emperor. You can discuss the protocols on the engagement reception and the next ceremony comfortably over a meal.¡±


    He gave her some plausible excuses for the three-way get-together, glanced around and twisted his body slightly toward her and whispered, ¡°His Majesty hardly has any food these days. I think it¡¯s because he usually eats alone¡­Please do me a favor. Have a meal with the emperor together with your father.¡±


    Kloud then corrected his posture. Marianne bit her lip, frowning a bit.


    In fact, she didn¡¯t want to see him for the time being as she was distracted so much after seeing Mrs. Renault, but when she heard that, she began to feel more worried than resentful about him.


    She recalled Eckart¡¯s haggard figure some time ago. He said he was okay even when he looked so pale and haggard as if he had taken a dip in the frosty sea.


    ¡°¡­Got it. But don¡¯t report to him that I came here first. Let me wait until he¡¯s done reporting.¡±


    * * *


    A little earlier, Duke Kling took the documents from Kloud and headed for the study of the main palace where Eckart was staying. At the end of the long corridor were an attendant and two servants who stood in front of the study.


    Duke Kling pressed on them to go back home early as his meeting with the emperor would be very long. When he even lied to them that the next servants on duty would come to take their place, those who guarded the door politely greeted and left, believing him.


    When they disappeared out of his sight, Duke Kling opened the door of the study and stepped in.


    The inside of the study was more calm than outside. He smelled the scent of cool peppermint from the incense burning on the wall. At the end of the golden rug was a large desk by the window which was surrounded by a forest of tall bookshelves.


    ¡°May the glory of our great god Airius be bestowed upon you. I¡¯m honored to see you!¡±


    Kling walked up to him to show his due manners. Eckart slowly put down the documents he was reading up close.


    ¡°I would like to wish you the same protection of Airius.¡±


    Even though a different man came to see him at a different time, the emperor accepted Kling¡¯s formal greetings casually.


    ¡°Do you have the list of nominees for the National Knights Division in each province that I requested?¡±


    ¡°Yes, here you are.¡±


    Eckart even asked for the material he wanted. The documents that Colin had put together early on before giving them to Duke Kling were now handed over to Eckart.


    Silence fell again.


    Kling was standing still. Eckart turned the pages and read a couple of pages before saying casually, ¡°Don¡¯t you see a chair next to you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°I know you¡¯re not as old as Duke Hubble. But I just think you are not young enough to stand until this meeting is over.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t take up too much of your precious time.¡±


    ¡°Well. I don¡¯t think that¡¯s true. You must have a reason for coming here in person to see me with these documents rather than asking your deputy to do the job.¡±


    Duke Kling grinned awkwardly when the emperor came up with a very sophisticated response.


    ¡°Sit down. Fortunately I¡¯m willing to listen to you, even if it takes time.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Eckart scanned the list again with his eyes. He checked several names with a silver quill.


    With his eyes and attention focused on the documents on the desk, he waited until Kling took his seat and sat down.


    While looking at the emperor seated in the chair, Kling took something out of his pocket and put it on the table.


    ¡°Your Majesty.¡±


    He touched it with his middle finger, which had a callus as he had been holding a pen for too long.


    ¡°Do you resent me, Your Majesty?¡±


    He stopped moving the iron pen for a moment and quickly moved it downwards.


    ¡°Do you want to reply in the negative?¡± he responded coldly, to which Kling smiled bitterly.


    ¡°No. I know you and your late mother resented me a lot.¡±


    ¡°Duke Kling!¡±


    Eckart put down the pen he was holding wildly on the table. His eyes staring at him were cold.


    ¡°You¡¯d better watch your language.¡±


    His elegant advice turned into an eerie warning to Kling. He saw Eckart was burning with anger as if the emperor asked him how blatant and brazen-faced he was enough to mention his late mother.


    While looking into Eckart¡¯s sharp eyes, Duke Kling recalled the face of someone who was more familiar to him than Eckart.


    His blonde hair was bright like a mix of sun and honey, and his eyes as blue as the sea on the far shore.


    Those were the words of the empress of Aslan who smiled beautifully while holding her son in her arms.


    Those were the words of the princess of the exiled kingdom who hid her crying under the black veil and straightened her back as Eckart¡¯s mother.


    ¡°Do you recognize this?¡±


    Duke Kling rose up from his seat. He opened a small box in his hand and politely put it in front of Eckart.


    When he looked down at it coldly, he became nervous and agitated.


    ¡°Duke Kling, why did you bring¡­¡±


    Eckhart now blatantly frowned. Although he hardly expressed feelings usually, he could not pretend to be casual and indifferent even when he saw it himself.


    Inside the box was a small ring. In the middle of the gold ring was an embedded blue hexagonal sapphire.


    ¡®Surely. No way, it can¡¯t be true¡­ ¡®


    He took out the ring carefully with one hand. He flipped it slightly and looked inside the ring, catching a familiar phrase.


    It was the first and last verse of the sacred scriptures that prayed for divine blessings.


    Eckart looked at Duke Kling with an unbelievable look. Apparently he was demanding some kind of explanation from Kling.


    Duke Kling caught his breath and replied clearly.


    ¡°The late empress gave it to me.¡±


    ***


    There was only one type of golden ring that engraved the verses of the sacred scriptures.


    Namely, it was the Kimel ring that the bride, the groom and their witness received at the engagement. It was the very same ring that Eckart, Marianne and Duchess Lamont received at the engagement ceremony in Roshan recently. It was Aslan old practice that the bride gathered the three rings and wore them as her wedding ring.


    Among the keepsakes left by the late empress Blair, the middle Kimel ring was the second ring that the temple craftsman made to celebrate her twenty-seventh birthday. Unfortunately, the first ring she put on at the wedding ceremony was lost early on. So, she wore her second Kimel ring all her life, which she made again the next year. And the ring was buried together as an accessory when she was buried in the sunny imperial mausoleum, which became a treasure found only in her portrait.


    Then, that second ring of Blair¡¯s was kept by Kling. It was right now in front of Eckart.


    Besides, it was in the hand of the very person who betrayed the owner of the ring most persistently.


    Duke Kling understood the fierce question reflected in Eckart¡¯s eyes and opened his mouth with a long sigh.


    ¡°¡­ Twenty years ago, it was on the night before I voluntarily requested to the emperor to give me the right to rule Lennox.¡±


    On March 6 during Frei VI¡¯s reign in 572 by the imperial calendar, spring rain came down in Milan where early spring already began. The rain that started in the morning didn¡¯t stop until night. The roads were wet and slippery, while the air was heavy. Cool moisture drifted around every corner of the capital.


    Thanks to this, the streets of the eastern part of the city, which would be crowded with people usually as well as the Noble Road were quiet like a tomb. The mansion where Duke Kling, the emperor¡¯s best friend of the time, resided was quiet like a marketplace that had closed a long time ago.


    A day seemed to pass quickly on cloudy days. The servants and maids who were in charge of the official mansions finished their work before dinner and went back to their quarters. Because of the dark clouds, the place without artificial lights turned into a world of darkness after dark.


    Knights occasionally moved around with glass lamps that seemed like fireflies.

 Chapter 140

    ¡°Estelle, We have to go back now. It¡¯s still too cold for you to be out for an outing at night¡­¡±


    Kling pulled and wrapped his wife¡¯s shoulders as she was looking at the garden from the annex¡¯s balcony when it was raining.


    ¡°But I don¡¯t feel cold at all.¡±


    ¡°I do not know. Would my baby think so too?¡±


    His wife Estelle was almost due. As she got barely pregnant right before she turned 30, the couple loved their pregnant baby so much. It didn¡¯t matter whether it was a boy or a girl. They just hoped that the baby would be born safely and grow up well with their overflowing love.


    ¡°Got it. Let me give in today, ¡± said Estelle, turning and patting her belly that was swollen like a mountain. The two left the balcony and went into the warm room.


    ¡°Do you want to eat anything tomorrow morning?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­Oh, I would love to eat sherbet, with a bunch of strawberry syrup sprinkled on it.


    As for the main dish, how about steamed fish? I¡¯ve been eating too much meat these days, so I feel like I want to eat some fish.¡±


    As she had bad morning sickness, he wanted to treat her to any food she wanted.


    ¡°Good. Let me tell the kitchen staff about it. If you want to change what you want to eat tomorrow morning, tell me anytime. Let me get everything ready¡­¡±


    At that moment, he suddenly felt cold in the back of his neck and stopped speaking any further.


    ¡°Honey?¡± Estelle called him as he couldn¡¯t finish his words.


    The sound of somebody twisting the door was heard clearly. Fear crept up her neck.


    ¡®There should be nobody coming through the balcony at this late hour. Robber or an assassin?¡¯


    Duke Kling hurriedly hid his wife behind his back and tried to call somebody who would help him, which was the best option for him at the moment.


    When he thought as far as that, he quickly twisted his body and tried to call anybody outside.


    ¡°Duke Kling!¡±


    The black shadow at the door on the balcony called him.


    It was a woman wearing a black cloak and a hat with a black veil. Even if it was soaked to the skin by the rain outside, Kling felt its heavy moisture even from a distance.


    Kling frowned. Although he could not be sure of the identity of the shadow, he could not call the servant in the opposite room of the house because the person¡¯s voice was too familiar to him.


    It was a woman¡¯s voice that he never thought he could hear up close like this except at a public or an external event.


    ¡°¡­ Her Majesty?¡± he asked.


    As if responding to his asking, the shadow took off the wide brim hat and black gloves.


    Her blonde hair was slightly wet from the rain. Her eyes were frozen blue. It was none other than Empress Blair.


    ¡°Oh my god, Your Majesty! How did you come here alone? It¡¯s raining so hard outside¡­¡±


    On behalf of her, who stiffened like a piece of wood, Estelle grabbed a blanket from a chair nearby and approached her.


    ¡°I came here to tell you something, Duke Kling,¡± she got down to the point without any introduction.


    Blair did not shrug her shoulders though she looked like she was about to collapse with a pale look.


    Her fingertips that grabbed the blanket handed by Estelle were trembling faintly.


    ¡°Please have a seat first and have some hot tea¡­¡±


    ¡°No. I do not need it. I¡¯m not here to share tea with you.¡±


    They once lived close together just like families only two years ago, but they no longer saw each other even in private places since then.


    In the meantime, Blair, exposed to all kinds of infamous rumors, closed the doors of her palace. Since last year¡¯s scandal involving her illegitimate baby, she had been meeting people and performing her job as the empress, but Kling could not meet her before the scandal broke out or even now.


    ¡°Duke, don¡¯t be mistaken. I have not forgiven you yet. You are one of the enemies that destroyed my fatherland. I will not forget it even if I die.¡±


    Her reason was clear. She resented the emperor so much. She didn¡¯t want to forgive anyone associated with the emperor.


    Duke Kling slowly knelt down, facing the owner of the inner palace, whom he had not met in nearly two years.


    He couldn¡¯t confidently express his apologies to her while looking at her eyes. He felt he didn¡¯t deserve to do so.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. How can God dare to ask for Your Majesty¡¯s mercy?¡±


    Blair glanced down at his head. Estelle stepped back with a complicated look, staring at the two.


    ¡°I told you that the only reason you participated in the Lennox war was to prevent unnecessary slaughter. I didn¡¯t know in advance that he was communicating secretly with the rebels.¡±


    What she said next was inaudible because of the sound of the rain hitting the window.


    That was good because what she said was not to be overheard by anybody because it was a secret.


    The cause of the Lennox War known to the outside world was the rebels inside the country.


    While Empress Karina¡¯s children were fighting fiercely for the succession to the throne, the mercenaries employed by the Romanov¡¯s imperial family revolted.


    Her third son, Prince Diamud, who survived to the end, asked for help from his ally, Aslan. In response to his request, Emperor Cassius sent the forces to crack down on the rebels, and completely destroyed them after five battles.


    When the war ended, the only survivor of the Romanov bloodline was its only youngest queen Blair, who was Aslan¡¯s Empress. As a result, the Lennox Empire was disintegrated and absorbed into Aslan as its dependent territory.


    That¡¯s what almost everyone on this continent learned about and remembered the Lennox War.


    But the fact was that Diamud and Cassius were cooperating with each other. As Diamud sought the succession of Cassius, he mobilized mercenaries and made a mock rebellion to take over the throne. However, Cassius secretly mobilized fake mercenaries and made them real rebels to kill all the descendants of the Romanov family except for Blair. After the war, Cassius shifted the responsibility for the war on the rebels, whose use was at an end, and murdered them all to remove all evidence¡­


    Blair didn¡¯t know that, which was natural, because it was kept as top-secret that Duke Kling, famous for his close ties with Cassius, came to know only when he led Aslan¡¯s forces to crack down on the rebels.


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s right.¡±


    And even if everyone else knew this, only one person, namely Blair, was not supposed to know under any circumstances.


    ¡°If that¡¯s really true¡­¡±


    Blair became the main victim of that tragedy against her will. And she came to know about it all too well.


    She took a deep breath and said, ¡°Please volunteer to be the new lord of Lennox at tomorrow¡¯s cabinet meeting.¡±


    After a long sigh, she ordered a cruel order to him. Heavy silence followed.


    Duke Kling lifted his head unconsciously and stared at her.


    It was early this month that Cassius¡¯ uncle Grand Duke Bertrand died after being thrown from a horse. Socialites and cabinet officials in the capital naturally focused their attention on who would be the new lord of Lennox. Some began to speculate on the likely candidates one by one


    ¡°¡­Your Majesty.¡±


    What was certain in their minds was that the name of Duke Kling was not among those likely candidates being talked about, because he was known to have no such ambition.


    Blair continued, ¡°I know how much Cassius values you. I¡¯m sure if you, not any other person, make such a request, he will grant it. Maybe he wants you to be the new lord more than me because he is a very calculative man as far as power is concerned.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Just leave the capital as soon as the emperor grants your request. Go and gather all the treasured articles and donate them to my son. I¡¯ve come here to say that.¡±


    Blair was trying to put Kling¡¯s name on the top of the candidates¡¯ list.


    Duke Kling could not hide his trembling gaze. He never expected she would give him such an order, and her motivation behind the order was very radical.


    This was an undeniable political conspiracy. She was even pressing him to give the practical benefits of Lennox to her son, not Cassius. Although she was the crown prince¡¯s mother and Emperor Cassius¡¯s wife, it was tantamount to treason to buy government positions and return his power to the crown prince when the absolute ruler Cassius was still alive.


    Besides, Blair was the legitimate princess of Lennox.


    Lennox did not place any gender restrictions on its successor. In other words, as the only survivor of her family, she had the legitimacy with which she could claim Lennox in lieu of her dead brothers and sisters.


    ¡°Your Majesty, what you mean is¡­¡± Kling could not continue easily.

 Chapter 141

    Given that she hated Cassius in her bones, it was never strange that she could think of using the crown prince to revive the ruined empire of Lennox.


    However, Blair already sensed his suspicion and ridiculed it, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t waste your breath. If I actually tried to rebel, why would I leak my plan to you? You¡¯re Cassius¡¯s trusted advisor and a prominent nobleman in Aslan. I¡¯ve never thought that your sense of guilt would overcome your solid loyalty to the emperor.¡±


    ¡°¡­ ¡±


    ¡°Duke, the Romanov family has already been exterminated. I¡¯m not thinking such a mean idea of breaking Aslan to revive Lennox. Although I hate this land ruled by Cassius so much, I have nowhere to return¡­¡±


    She murmured as if she was completely resigned to the hopeless situation surrounding her.


    ¡°Besides, the people of Lennox were only recently freed from the war. Perhaps they could have settled down and found new homes and workplaces by now. I don¡¯t want to make them suffer again because of my own greed.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Lenox was destroyed, I was dumb, and other members of the Romanov family were foolish. What is going to change even if I blame it?¡± Blair asked, smiling faintly. It was kind of the self-mocking smile of a woman who had already suffered too much self-hatred.


    ¡°I just¡­ I just don¡¯t want to lose even my son Eckart.¡±


    Her blue eyes looked sad when she confessed to him finally.


    ***


    Blair recalled the face of the crown prince who was only four years old. As if to prove that he shared his ancestor Frei¡¯s bloodline, he had vivid golden hair. With his blue eyes resembling hers, he used to jump into her arms with his sparkling eyes.


    On the day she ended up living like a corpse in the palace and reopened the doors, she called in the prince after a long time. Of course, she did not expect any great or touching reunion. Rather she was afraid he might cry and run away, feeling that she was strange because he was forced to stay away from her for a long time.


    But Eckart did not cry. He repeatedly looked back at the door again and again for fear the door would be closed again, and presented her with a garden flower he hid behind his back.


    ¡°Mom, I missed you.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Can I come again tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°Of course, Karl.¡±


    ¡°Wow, I¡¯m so glad¡­¡±


    ¡± ¡­?¡±


    ¡°Because you remember my name, Mom¡­¡±


    Blair cried for a very long time that day. The world around her shone with sorrow. It was the pain that she could not bear without crying because her whole life was focused on this child who she could not help but love and her husband Cassius who she had no choice but to curse.


    ¡°Although he has Cassius¡¯s blood, he is still my son, the legitimate successor of the Romanov family. I can¡¯t compare my son with that dirty illegitimate son.¡±


    Duke Kling stared at Blair with a gloomy expression. He sensed the disgrace and bitterness contained in her words. Her cold frozen eyes were the crystal of sorrow that no one could comfort.


    ¡°Yes. I don¡¯t want to hand Lennox over to them. If that land falls into their hands, that¡¯s going to be a dagger with which they will point at Eckart¡¯s neck all the time.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°You know that, right? Lennox is the most important land among several annexed lands. You will never know how many treasures and great history were hidden there, or how many people were left behind during the war. Only I know that.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°But look, I can¡¯t even hand over the land I was born and grew up with my son. I can¡¯t go there in person and touch one clump of grass or a flower even though I¡¯m the only survivor of the Romanov family and Aslan¡¯s most respected empress¡­¡±


    Blair trembled as if she had been stabbed by a spear. Her eyes, which were sorrowful for a while, gleamed like daggers.


    ¡°Duke, are you really sorry for me? Did you really not know his ruthless plot?¡±


    The end of her dress wet with rainwater left a wet trail along with her steps. Blair walked straight and stopped in front of Duke Kling who knelt before her.


    ¡°Then please defend the land completely on my behalf by using all means. Even if you are blamed for being disloyal to the emperor or even if you are subject to many peoples¡¯ jealousy and suspicion, you have to defend Lennox.¡±


    She raised him up with her cold hands. And she took off the three Kimmel rings which were put on the ring finger of her left hand. When she opened her both hands, there appeared her sapphire ring shining blue as if her blue eyes had been pulled into it.


    ¡°If Eckart successfully takes the throne after Cassius, give it back to me.¡±


    Blair put the two other Kimmel rings back on her ring finger with the middle ring missing.


    The Kimmel rings looked fine despite the disappearance of the middle ring, the core of the three, just like her who was still sticking it out, as if nothing had happened, when she had part of her life completely torn away.


    ¡°This is a sign of promise between you and me. Although you can assume our meeting tonight never happened, someday you may have a chance to make excuses¡­¡±


    Duke Kling did not receive the ring readily, though.


    Few people understood her tragedy with this vast land. Among them, he was the one with the greatest sense of guilt. Though all the people regarded her order as harsh, he could not show disobedience to her at this moment, and he should not.


    But as soon as he received the ring, he would stay with a secret that he would hide for a long, long time. Perseverance would be as long as death, and its fruit would never be sweet.


    As she knew it very well, Blair was ordering him to atone for his sins by keeping the promise.


    ¡°¡­ Your Majesty. I will obey your order by all means. I swear solemnly in the name of our Lord.¡±


    At that moment, Estelle blocked him.


    She took Blair¡¯s ring in lieu of him and put it directly back into his hand.


    Blair turned back after a short silence. She tightened the heavy cloak wet with rain.


    ¡°I wish you good luck wherever you go, Your Majesty,¡± she said.


    Estelle handed Blair the hat and gloves she had taken off. Blair¡¯s green eyes were wet with tears as if she sensed that perhaps this was the last chance Estelle could confirm her true eyes.


    ¡°¡­ Estelle, I hope everything goes well with the delivery.¡±


    Blair whispered her wishes. Her eyes mixed with longing, regret and slight resentment were hidden under her black veil.


    Soon, the shadow disappeared into the dark rain.


    The only thing she left behind was a blue jewel ring that was as clear as her sharp eyes.


    Nobody knew where the ring disappeared and never recovered it even until the day of Empress Blair¡¯s death.


    And twenty years later, Kling was the only one who knew that the ring was not lost but kept by somebody, who was the lord of Lennox hidden in the shadow of the north, the selfish bystander during the previous emperor¡¯s reign.


    He was the only one who waited a long time until now, enduring the undue injustice.


    * * *


    Soon after Marianne nodded, Kloud led her to the parlor deep inside the main palace.


    ¡°Please wait here, and I will come back to you as soon as dinner is ready.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°Would you like to have tea in the meantime?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. By the way¡­¡±


    Marianne looked around slowly, supported by Cordelli. Her lace skirt which was as soft like a petals spread around and swelled. After she circled once, she could get a good glimpse of the room.


    ¡°Can I take a look around here?¡± Marianne asked a bit shyly.


    Although she asked the same thing when she was in Ober¡¯s room in the past, her reason this time was different. At that time, her main purpose was to gather information about him, and now it was her pure curiosity.


    ¡°It¡¯s my first time seeing this room. Awesome.¡±


    Kloud smiled lovingly at her honest request.


    Because of her father¡¯s overprotection, Marianne was not exposed to the capital as she didn¡¯t have a chance to come to the capital like the daughters of other noble families. After returning to Milan this spring, she had little opportunity to look around the palace.


    When she and Eckart devised a plan, she used mainly his study, and she didn¡¯t often come to the palace as she was conscious of the suspicious eyes of those around her. That¡¯s why she usually spent more time outside the palace, such as the Elior Mansion or Roshan¡¯s great temple or a wagon on the road.


    ¡°This room is used as the parlor when the emperor meets his friends or acquaintances. The atmosphere is a bit different from the main reception room on the outside of the main palace.


    It¡¯s a bit more simple but it still has an elegant atmosphere.¡±

 Chapter 142

    The Lucio Imperial Palace was a beautiful and colorful castle that was hard to compare with any architecture of its time. Even though Marianne was born and raised in her own kingdom like the Castle of Lennox, there was something very special that could catch her eye.


    Besides, it was one of the emperor¡¯s most intimate rooms in the main palace. As it had a proper mix of his taste and the majesty of the royal family, it was natural for her to be curious.


    ¡°If you want to take a closer look at the palace, I can bring a servant who knows the way well.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll just look around. You can¡¯t keep His Majesty and my father waiting long.¡±


    Marianne quickly refused his kind offer and shook her hand. She was busy scanning the paintings on the walls and the golden chandeliers on the ceiling.


    ¡°Okay. Since the emperor told me that you are free to come to this place, you can go and see anything comfortably.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°If you go out the inner hall and turn to the right, there is a small balcony. It¡¯s a good place for you to observe the flower plants in the garden that you like.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for your advice. I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡±


    ¡°Enjoy!¡± Kloud left the room.


    Marianne began to explore the room in earnest.


    The structure of the imperial palace was much more complicated than ordinary nobles¡¯ mansions. The central corridors and halls used by many people were relatively clear and grand, but they were more complicated when it came to the private rooms inhabited by individual members of the imperial family.


    In particular, the central part of the imperial palace, commonly referred to by palace people as the inner palace, was very complicated. At the intersection between rooms, there were often other rooms instead of corridors, and the aisle was divided into several branches as a labyrinth as they emphasized the importance of aesthetics rather than efficiency. If one got lost there, it would take a whole day to get back onto the right path.


    However, the treasures everywhere help cloud visitors¡¯ judgment. Actually, what caught Marianne¡¯s attention was the imperial stuff that filled the rooms rather than the structure of the palace itself.


    ¡°Wow! Lady, this candlestick is so pretty. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen four stacks of candles like this. Look at the statue on top. How did they sculpt it so delicately?¡±


    Cordelli admired the large four-stage candlesticks made of melted gold. With a naive look, her mouth was wide open, looking up at the top of the candlestick which was taller than her height.


    ¡°I like this picture.¡± Marianne stopped in front of a wall of a short passage connecting the room to the next.


    Then, Cordelli quickly approached her, who, sitting on the couch next to the candlestick, pressed the cushion with her butt.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Simony¡¯s picture. She is the same painter who painted that Duchess Lamont gave you, right?¡±


    Marianne nodded, looking at the picture in the large frame.


    ¡°This is called . It¡¯s Simony¡¯s first painting.¡±


    The Brightness of Punishment was one of Simony¡¯s sacred documentary paintings on the power of Airius. She painted it after the war between Tanatos and Cader. It was a painting that symbolized the inability of night and death to travel during the time when light was visible.


    Tanatos tried in vain to jump out of the ground during the day as he could not overcome his desires, but was thrown back to the underground by his father every time. Aslan parents often told their children about this story because it was very suitable for the promotion of virtue and rebuke of vice, along with the legend about Kader.


    Recalling the oral narratives her nanny used to tell her, Marianne slowly examined the painting.


    Airius was in the picture with his golden hair fluttering, which was passed down the Frei¡¯s family. He was riding in a phoenix sky wagon offered by the goddess Serapina. He was holding the sun with a radiant light in one hand, and lifting the spear made with the sun¡¯s light with his other hand and driving it on the ground. Tanatos made a distorted expression on his face as he descended along the tip of his spear. Tanatos hurriedly unfolded the night¡¯s tent, covering his head, trying to flee underneath the land he had stood on.


    ¡°I can feel justice and magnificence in the picture, which fits well with the emperor,¡± said Cordelli.


    ¡°¡­I agree.¡± Marianne answered awkwardly.


    Her lips seemed to say something more, but she quickly shut up. Previously, she would have been interested in the harmony of colors and the painting technique, but she was more interested in the theme of the picture.


    ¡®¡­ What did he think of while looking at this picture? As the absolute ruler and the master of nine jewels, as well as the agent of the great god, did he vow to punish all unrighteous things on earth? Or did he want to find some hopeless hope to drive out the darkness with light like Airius in the picture?¡¯


    If he had thought so, she and her father may have been one of his worst enemies.


    Marianne swallowed a bitter smile. Even though she was looking at the great painting, her heart felt heavy as if she had a big rock in the corner of her chest.


    ¡°Lady, didn¡¯t Kloud tell you there was a balcony if you go over there?¡± Cordelli asked, quickly noticing a gloomy look on Marianne¡¯s face.


    ¡°Would you like to go there with me? It looks like the balcony has a very fine view of the flower garden.¡±


    Instinctively feeling that she had to change her mood, Cordelli quickly supported her arm. She smiled and made eye contact.


    Only then did Marianne take her eyes off the picture. Obviously she knew why Cordelli was trying to move toward the balcony, but she didn¡¯t resist.


    ¡°Is the back garden of the inner palace different from what you saw in the Elior Mansion? Next time, you had better follow Kloud¡¯s offer to get us a servant to show us around the garden. There must be more places in the palace you would like a lot.¡±


    Cordelli deliberately talked gibberish, but Marianne silently followed her.


    She thought she might feel better if she got some fresh air in the garden.


    The scenery around them changed as they continued walking. They passed by jars carved with gold, imperial medallions engraved with Brenda and laurel, landscape paintings depicting Lake Ronen, and the gates carved with colored crystals.


    Marianne slowly stopped at one of the doors.


    Compared to the dazzling splendid doors and entrances around her, the door facing her was a bit small and monotonous. That strangeness stopped her.


    ¡®Isn¡¯t it a formal entrance? Where does this door lead to?¡¯


    Marianne shook her head slightly and looked around. She couldn¡¯t see the servant guarding the door. There was no maid or knight to stop her there.


    Recalling Kloud¡¯s words that she could take a look anywhere, Marianne reached out as if she was drawn to some unknown force.


    The small door opened slowly and quietly. She could smell cool mint and the musty odor of old books through the small gap of the door.


    ¡°So¡­ I wanted to¡­ Marie¡­¡±


    A familiar voice was heard from behind the door. Strangely enough, his remarks, which she could not hear correctly, contained her name.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Marianne frowned. She was now used to drawing conclusions from some evidence.


    The faint smell of books, one of the rooms inside the main palace and her father¡¯s voice¡­


    ¡®This is the emperor¡¯s study!¡¯


    Only three things were enough for her to conclude that the space beyond the door was the emperor¡¯s study.


    ¡®Lord Kloud said that my father went to see the emperor to report about some palace matters¡­¡¯


    Marianne hesitated for a moment and looked back. Cordelli was staring at her with wide eyes.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­?¡±


    Marianne stretched her index finger over her lips and pressed it to signal Cordelli not to come toward her.


    Although Cordelli didn¡¯t know what was going on, she stood up where she was,with her mouth shut up. Though she followed Marianne¡¯s order, she was unhappy.


    Calm air. Careful touch. Her lady was acting cautiously and prudently like a thief stealing some treasure. Although she was not sure, Cordelli was convinced that Marianne was trying to do something secretly.


    Cordelli called her by moving her mouth without saying anything, but she didn¡¯t reply.


    She left Cordelli alone in the middle of the hallway, quickly crossing the threshold while holding her long dress.


    With very little noise, Marianne disappeared from her sight.


    ¡°Oh my god¡­What kind of scheme is she trying to make up?¡± Cordelli grunted with a feeble voice.


    Strangely enough, Cordelli felt as if the door devoured Marianne.


    She felt really strange.


    * * *


    Eckart didn¡¯t say anything for a while.


    He touched the blue gem of the ring for a long time with his fingertips.


    The light reflected by sapphire penetrated his blue eyes so naturally.


    He already knew that his late father betrayed her late mother cruelly. He heard it from his mother directly. Although he heard it ten years ago, he could clearly recall everything he heard that night when he heard about the secret stories of the palace.

 Chapter 143

    The black sky where spring rain poured like a lullaby. The gloomy air which seemed as if it could snatch his ankle at any time. The coldness of the floor on which he knelt in front of the bed¡­


    Those were the words of his mother with a pale look on her face while whispering into his ears.


    Eckart slowly let out a very deep and long sigh.


    If what Duke Kling said was true, one of the persons that Blair said he ¡°should not trust¡± might be Blair herself.


    ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t like these kinds of excuses¡­¡±


    Eckart thought about all the possibilities imaginable, including the possibility that Kling got this ring and made a fake story, the possibility that he forcibly took it from Blair, or received it for some other reason or the possibility that he made a fake confession after robbing the imperial family shrine or the possibility that this ring itself was a fake.


    Whatever the reason, he thought about all sorts of possibilities that Kling might have been tricking him with.


    ¡°I think that¡¯s a pretty good excuse.¡±


    When he took into account all the possibilities, he concluded that there was a much higher probability that what Kling told him was true.


    ¡°So, in your logic, you rejected the emperor¡¯s offers of top positions in order to keep your promise with Blair, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡±


    ¡°Although this was not known to the outside, I understand that Emperor Blair wrote to you several times, asking for help.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve kept all the letters sent by the empress. Only I know where the mailbox is located, but even if someone finds out, they won¡¯t be able to guess what it is anyway.¡±


    ¡°You said her letters contained nothing except for your help, right?¡±


    Kling nodded.


    ¡°The empress wished that the day she met me didn¡¯t exist at all on the calendar. But I felt that it would be the best policy for me not to reply to her wishes.¡±


    It was because of Duke Kling¡¯s absolute thorough neutrality that he could maintain his reputation in the social circles. The first and last thing that he coveted was Lennox Castle, and he was never involved in politics since he became the new lord of the Lennox after Grand Duke Bertrand.


    Even after Kling came back to Milan amid everyone¡¯s attention, following a scandal involving her daughter¡¯s engagement to Eckart, many people believed that to be so.


    Now, Eckhart began to trust Kling more and more, given all the possibilities.


    In his assumption, Kling should have been away from the capital on purpose in order to keep his promise. That might be the only way for him to break down his opponents¡¯ wariness. He would have no reason to disobey the empress¡¯s order while she was alive, be it for his own shallow conscience or for his aiming for substantive power.


    ¡°Did you reject my offer for the same reason?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°You just told me that when I succeeded the throne safely, you would not have to honor your promise, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°But my inauguration ceremony took place four years ago, and now I¡¯m into the fifth year of ruling. As you attended my coronation with your daughter at that time, unfortunately your poor excuse that you didn¡¯t know it because you lived in a faraway and remote place is not persuasive.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Does that mean that you dare not recognize me as Aslan¡¯s emperor?¡±


    Eckart turned his back slightly. Obviously he was pressing Kling with a sharp glance.


    Though his blue eyes smiled faintly, that smile would instantly disappear the moment Kling came up with a disrespectful reply.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not true. How can I dare not to recognize your legitimacy as the emperor? I¡¯m confident that there is no better person than you who deserves to claim the crown of nine gods. What I mean is ¡­¡± Kling hurriedly shook his head. His face, which had always a half-smile, was distorted as if he was agonised. He nervously moved his lips several times.


    ¡°It was because I was cowardly.¡± Finally, he lowered his head weakly.


    ¡°It was because I was scared.¡±


    If he was a confessor before Asaln¡¯s main god Arius at this moment, Eckart was the judge of his crimes. Kling opened his mouth again as if he was pressed by some powerful force.


    ¡°While I left the capital under the pretext of keeping my promise with the late empress, I found that the anti-emperor forces became overly powerful. Although I expected it to some extent, my heart felt heavy when I realized I would have to face them.¡±


    ¡°Are you afraid to fight them?¡±


    ¡°No. Come to think of it, I¡¯ve led a secluded life until now, but I always thought sometime I would plunge into the battlefield created by power.¡±


    Kling Duke laughed bitterly. Although he was wary of the power struggle from the late emperor¡¯s days, people in the social circles believed that he had been secluded in Lennox for political interests. For what he possessed was too much and too valuable for him to lead a secluded life, indifferent to their attention.


    ¡°What I feared was neither the political strife itself, nor win or defeat.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°What I feared was the process.¡±


    Process. Eckart could guess what he would say next right after he mentioned this word because Eckart himself lost a lot in the process.


    ¡°Duke Hubble and Mrs. Chester are cruel bastards. They know the value of power so well, and they use all kinds of means to achieve their goals. How can they think of the morality of their wicked scheme? How can they value those lives sacrificed in the process of the political strife?¡±


    Duke Kling¡¯s clenched hands trembled with anger.


    He said in a furious tone, ¡°When I took your side because my promise with the late empress, or if I had shown any signs of shifting to the pendulum of power of any particular party, they would have certainly targeted the life of my only daughter because Marie was my only weak spot.¡±


    Eckart could not deny his words. In fact, he shared the idea that Marie was Kling¡¯s only weakness. That¡¯s why he brought Marie to the capital as she dared to strike a deal with him, and took her as a hostage to pull him out of his secluded life in the northern castle of Lennox.


    ¡°So, I wanted to delay the timing a little later until I could find a person or way to defend her safely¡­¡±


    Eckart was now almost certain that he could trust Kling.


    Kling¡¯s excuses so far were pretty much humiliating, but at the same time desperate and trustworthy because Eckart himself was one of those that knew better than anybody else that Kling would do anything for his daughter.


    In the meantime, Duke Kling barely caught his breath and said, ¡°You said you wanted to earn my trust, right?¡± He slowly knelt down.


    He continued, ¡°I will gladly offer you everything. I won¡¯t covet anything including wealth, honor or anything else. If you want anything from me, I will give whatever it is.¡±


    His calm eyes under the dark brown hair, apparently passed down to his daughter Marianne, were fixed on him. His swearing voice and gaze were honest and simple.


    Eckart found an old familiar face in his sincere attitude: his daughter who must have resembled him the most on earth.


    He was recalling her words to him in the past.


    Back then, she made such a pledge, leaning her hair against his shoulders.


    ¡°So¡­ Please make my daughter stay away from this political strife.¡±


    Kling leaned deeply, requesting earnestly.


    Eckart clenched his fist with a casual expression. The sharp blue jewel tormented his mind like a thorn in the palm of his hand.


    ¡°Duke Kling, do you know how selfish your request is?¡±


    ¡°I know. I¡¯m a cunning and shameless man, so even if you blame me for trying to seek my own benefits, I won¡¯t be able to deny it.¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s very contradictory for you to say so when you know my point very well.¡±


    ¡°But you will need me more from now on. Only when I continue to stay beside you on the mere pretext of keeping my good conscience, you will be able to fight them.¡±


    Kling raised his head again and looked at Eckart. His quiet eyes were now violently trembling like a boiling volcano.


    The only people who clearly knew what had been forgotten or hidden with the destruction of Lennox were Eckart and Kling since the death of Empress Blair. And in the current situation, Eckart¡¯s efforts to monopolize information by threatening Kling was a terrible strategy.


    Eckart could not make him his enemy. Kling knew too much. So, there were only two options to deal with him, namely having him at his side for his benefits or killing him to bury what he knew forever.


    The problem was that he was Marianne¡¯s father. Killing or turning against him meant betraying her. Would she, offering to strike a deal on the condition of her and her father¡¯s safety, voluntarily cooperate with him who threatened her father¡¯s safety?

 Chapter 144

    There was zero possibility for him to do so. Kling and his daughter were like a pair of cards placed side by side. The moment one of them was forcibly taken off from the other, the other card would become useless.


    ¡®¡­ Did she approach me from the beginning with that in mind?¡¯


    Eckhart breathed out slowly, pondering over that possibility.


    Whenever he recalled the Lennox War, the late emperor Cassius repeatedly praised Kling by saying that he could not have finished the war without the duke¡¯s wise strategy. Eckart thought his late father¡¯s praise of the duke was not that exaggerated. Anyway, the duke was never a pushover.


    ¡°I think you¡¯re very arrogant to say it like that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Duke, you are now threatening me. Do you think you can take responsibility for your crazy remarks?¡±


    ¡°If you want to punish me for my disrespect, I will receive it gladly. But what I¡¯ve got now is only Marie. I don¡¯t want to lose my family member again in their hands,¡± Duke Kling emphatically retorted.


    Eckart narrowed his eyebrows again. It was not because Kling dared not yield to the emperor¡¯s reproach.


    ¡°¡­Never again?¡±


    This very word uttered by Kling jarred his nerves sharply.


    ¡°Were they involved in the death of your wife?¡±


    Eckart was a clever ruler. He instantly found out the cause and result of the event involving the death of Kling¡¯s wife.


    ¡°Your Majesty, they do not hesitate to do anything to beat their enemy.¡±


    Duke Kling gave him a standard answer instead of denying it. But his voice grew heavier than before.


    ¡°I know that. Maybe much more than you. Don¡¯t you think they might try to kill you?¡± Eckart asked back coldly.


    There were too many people sacrificed in their hands for Eckart to feel regret each of the lost lives. So, Eckart realized a long time ago that patience and calculation were more helpful than sorrow and understanding. He also forgot about a peaceful life a long time ago. His recollection of the curse of those who prayed for his death was still vivid in his memory.


    ¡°Your Majesty, I wonder if they are already trying to do something¡­¡±


    ¡°Please answer my question first. Was it simply because of her sickness that your wife died or not?¡±


    Duke Kling tried to ask back, as if he guessed such a question, but Eckart cut him off.


    ¡°Duke!¡±


    His low voice pressed Kling hard.


    ¡°¡­ Marie is building a greenhouse these days in the back garden of the Elior Mansion.¡±


    Finally, Kling opened his mouth.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t finished yet, but she wanted to show me around, so we took a walk together¡­¡±


    He calmly recalled what he saw there recently.


    ¡°I saw a flower pot on the way to the garden.¡±


    Eckart quietly stared at him.


    ¡°My late wife and daughter love flowers and trees, but I don¡¯t really know much about plants. Every time I played a game of matching similar flowers, I mostly guessed wrong, so my daughter teased me all the time.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°But I could clearly detect that flower tree among many of them. Mrs. Chester gave it to Marie as her engagement gift.¡±


    Out of a lot of intelligence tidbits reported by Kloud, Eckart recalled one that he had reviewed on the eve of the recent ball. Among the various kinds of information handed to Kloud through his wife, Mrs. Charlotte, was a list of the engagement gifts that Marie received and their donors.


    ¡°Adenium.¡±


    Eckart confirmed the identity of the flower tree. Kling nodded silently.


    ¡°Twenty years ago, Estelle received the same flower. No, maybe it must have been sent to me, not Estelle.¡±


    The sunset that passed through the window cast a red light on his face.


    ¡°It was twice that Mrs. Chester gave something to Estelle.¡±


    Eckart looked straight at him silently.


    ¡°I remember she gave Estelle a gift first on the day I left the capital for Lennox. There was a blank small card and a flower pot among the packages I hurriedly packed. I asked who gave them, but couldn¡¯t find out. But one of the maids said she saw a court lady working at the empress¡¯s palace.¡±


    ¡°¡­ I guess the court lady must have been bought off by Mrs. Chester.¡±


    Duke Kling did not immediately answer. Only the shade on his cheeks became a little thicker.


    ¡°Estelle loved the pot very much. Every day she checked it and watered in person. I still vividly remember her saying with a smile that the snowdrop¡¯s floral language was ¡°hope.¡±


    Estelle was the only person who met Blair in person, who disappeared in the dark rain.


    Before she realized the truth of the war, she was as close to Blair as her sister.


    That¡¯s why she easily believed Blair too much. As Blair left without saying goodbye, she might have secretly conveyed her regret to Estelle through the flower.


    ¡°While the flower blossomed and fell and was ready to bloom again, Estelle gave birth to Marie and passed away. Her death was so sudden. The midwife who helped Estelle delivering the baby said that both the child and the mother were healthy. And in my eyes, she seemed to be recovering smoothly.¡±


    At that time, Kling¡¯s mansion in Lennox was shrouded in shock. Although her birth was a little later than those in her age, she was healthy throughout her pregnancy and was safe even after birth. Neither the doctor who cared for her, nor the midwives and maids who served her at hand ever imagined that Estelle would suddenly die.


    ¡°I prepared for her funeral, holding my baby girl who couldn¡¯t open her eyes yet. That¡¯s exactly what happened to me at that time. I still don¡¯t know how I survived all that ordeal.¡±


    Duke Kling laughed bitterly, which was a self-mocking smile.


    ¡°And I received a second present from Mrs. Chester then.¡±


    ¡°¡­ What was it?¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Chester sent flowers to Estelle¡¯s funeral, expressing her condolences. It was a bunch of white gypsophila flowers and a strange flower tree that I saw for the first time in my life. A blank card was stuck in the crevice of the pot.¡±


    Mrs. Chester was the type of woman who always showed off her weapon that way. She was shameless and cruel. After sending an assassin last night, she prayed for the victim¡¯s death, and the next morning she said greetings with a smile.


    Recalling her sarcastic joking when he survived the Roshan accident, Eckart quietly clenched his teeth. Just recalling it made him feel sharp pain under the waist as if he was cut a moment ago.


    ¡°¡­ Did you find the maid who told the lies?¡±


    ¡°I found her. Her body was found hanging at the largest cherry tree in the back garden of the mansion.¡±


    The atmosphere in the room sank more heavily.


    ¡°The maid was Estelle¡¯s favorite girl. She allegedly cried a lot while she was preparing for Estelle¡¯s funeral. Because of this, her fellow maids began to believe that she lost her life because of her excessive loyalty. In other words, she was so sad at Estelle¡¯s death that she made the very sad decision to hang herself¡­¡±


    Kling didn¡¯t finish last words. His tight shoulders shook faintly as if he stopped breathing at the moment.


    ¡°What could I say to them? There was no point of me explaining to them.¡±


    The dead maid was the only evidence that could reveal the cause of Estelle¡¯s death. But there was nothing like her will found in her room.


    Kling felt so frustrated as he couldn¡¯t find any specific evidence. He couldn¡¯t find out any clue about who killed her, when she was killed, why she betrayed the Estelle that she loved and followed so much. Only all kinds of unpleasant and fearful guesses snowballed. It was more painful than knowing the truth.


    There were a lot of precious things Estelle left behind.


    First of all, her only daughter Marianne. The secret promise inherited with a blue gem. A faint hope that she could get even with those who ruined her life someday¡­


    ¡°I belatedly investigated the pot sent by Mrs. Chester. The pot was clean. There was no poisons on the petals or anything impure in it. I searched like crazy, but I couldn¡¯t find any clues as evidence.¡±


    ¡°I guess you couldn¡¯t because she would not have sent a second gift if she had not removed all the evidence.¡±


    ¡°You are right. But¡­¡± Kling lifted his gaze.


    ¡°Your Majesty, I hear that a certain flower has several, not just one, flower language.¡±


    Eckart did not avoid his eyes.


    ¡°Back then I knew first that the snowdrops also had the floral meaning of praying for somebody¡¯s death.¡±


    ¡°¡­ ¡±


    ¡°I also knew that the mist flower and adenium each meant death and reckless love.¡±


    Right at that moment, they could hear someone moving faintly among the towering bookshelves.


    ¡°Duke, wait a moment¡­¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, it¡¯s not too late. Marie won¡¯t be able to beat Mrs. Chester or cheat Ober forever. As things stand now, isn¡¯t she the first to get hurt? I can¡¯t allow that. Please grant my request.¡±


    Eckart reached out and tried to stop him. The more Kling pleaded with him, the more passionately he spoke.


    ¡°You can blame me for being cowardly. You can execute me after the dust settled down. So, please ¡­¡±

 Chapter 145

    Strut, strut.


    There was clearly heard the sound of something hard and pointed tapping the floor. It was a noise that he could not ignore even though he was full of passionate feelings.


    Kling instinctively shut up and stood up. Eckart also grabbed the Kimmel ring and snapped his finger once.


    Snap!


    A cheerful sound rang in the room.


    Curtis revealed his position without delay. Near the small entrance on the second floor and the bookshelf, his white Eluang Knights uniform fluttered.


    ¡°¡­ Sir Curtis?¡±


    Duke Kling narrowed his eyes and confirmed the identity of the knight.


    But the strutting sound did not stop. That meant that the owner of this strange sound was not Curtis.


    Eckart intuitively sensed who it was. He quickly gauged the source of the sound.


    The owner of the sound was the one who was allowed to enter his palace freely at any time without his approval, someone he was close to or harmless to Curtis, who, in turn, wouldn¡¯t bother to stop when he knew that her visit was not authorized in advance, and the one who knew she was an unwelcome visitor but didn¡¯t reveal her identity first even at this moment¡­


    ¡°¡­Marianne.¡±


    Eckart spoke aloud with a deep sigh. Soon, a splendid dress pushed Curtis out of the way and stopped before him.


    It was Marianne.


    * * *


    Eckart¡¯s study was calm. There was some dust and the peculiar smell of books wafting through the high bookshelves like the alpine ridges.


    With the setting sun covering the shade of the bookshelves, Marianne was walking cautiously. To muffle her stepping as much as she could, she even wrapped his skirt with her hands and held her heels slightly.


    It was a place she visited to see Eckart several times, but she had never walked up to the second floor. She glanced around her familiar and strange surroundings quickly. And then she picked one decent place. It was a blind spot downstairs, where she could see half the place below the railing when she stood at an angle.


    ¡°So¡­ Please make my daughter stay away from the fight.¡±


    Her father¡¯s voice, which she could hardly hear clearly outside the door, was much clearer here.


    Marianne grabbed her lips and leaned her head slightly.


    Eckart was sitting at his desk as always. Under him, Kling was kneeling with his head down.


    Combining what he said earlier, she guessed that he was apparently requesting the emperor to exclude her from the ongoing scheme.


    ¡°Duke, do you know how selfish your request is?¡±


    ¡°I know. I¡¯m a cunning and shameless man, so I have nothing to say even if you blame me for seeking my own private interests.¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s very contradictory for you to say it when you know my point.¡±


    ¡°But Your Majesty, you will need me more from now on. Only when I stay beside you on the pretext of keeping my good conscience, you can fight your opponents.¡±


    Both of them exchanged sharp words. Neither of them made a loud noise, but given the meaning of their words, it looked like they were pointing their swords at each other.


    Marianne barely breathed back a long sigh. She just felt stuffy and frustrated.


    The pain was part of the price she had to pay. She knew why her father was kneeling there and how Eckart would feel while listening to him.


    In addition, the new trick over which the two might have been talking and arguing over was just a useless card. Although Kling vowed that he would use himself as a weapon to replace his daughter, she had no intention of conceding her role to anyone else. As she told Mrs. Renault, this was a fight in which no one could replace her.


    ¡°I think what you said is very arrogant.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Duke, you¡¯re threatening him now. Do you think you can take responsibility for your crazy remarks?¡±


    Nevertheless, the two were pointing the tip of their swords at each other. It was a meaningless battle indeed.


    Mariane released the hem of her dress that she had been holding while listening to Eckart¡¯s cold voice. It seemed that she would be better off stopping and mediating between them before the situation became overheated.


    Actually, she did not hear Kling¡¯s confession to Eckart about his secret promise with the late empress, so she didn¡¯t imagine that Eckart would easily forgive her father and herself. But she thought her father should apologize to him. Not only was it right, but in fact he did not want to be hated by Eckart. She knew it was her own desire, but she didn¡¯t want to be the type of woman who should feel hostile to him.


    She thought this might be a good occasion for their reconciliation. Although she didn¡¯t want to arrange a meeting like this, she had to arrange one someday. On this occasion, she might want to apologize to him for her father¡¯s disrespect and tell her father to correct what he did wrong until now¡­


    This kind of shameless and desperate wish of hers made her impatient at the moment.


    ¡°If you want to punish my disrespect, I will receive it gladly. Your Majesty, what I¡¯ve got now is my daughter alone. I don¡¯t want to lose a family member again.¡±


    But the next moment, Marianne stiffened as she was about to turn around.


    ¡°¡­ Never again?¡±


    Eckart asked in lieu of her who stiffened, leaning against the bookshelf.


    ¡°Were they involved in the death of your wife?¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, they do not hesitate to do anything to beat their enemy. ¡±


    ¡°I know that. Maybe much more than you. Don¡¯t you think they might try to kill you?¡± Eckart asked back coldly.


    ¡°Your Majesty, I wonder if they are already trying to do something¡­¡±


    ¡°Please answer my question first. Was it simply because of her sickness that your wife died or not?¡±


    Eckart repeatedly demanded as if he couldn¡¯t forgive his silence.


    Marianne shivered like a man pierced by a sharp spear. She clenched her teeth before she knew. She could not spit or swallow her breath as she was choked at the moment.


    She began to sense much more wicked and ominous feelings than what she had experienced in the bathroom of her mansion right before she heard from Mrs. Renault about her father¡¯s secrets.


    ¡°¡­ Marie is building a greenhouse these days in the back garden of the Elior Mansion.¡±


    Pressed hard by Eckart, Kling now began to reel off a long story.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t finished yet, but she wanted to show me around, so I took a walk with her¡­¡±


    Marianne instinctively realized that if she wanted to be a little more isolated from the enormous secrets that bothered her all the time, she should run from the place right now.


    ¡°I saw a flower pot on the way to the garden.¡±


    But she did not move even step. She couldn¡¯t sit down, close her eyes, or going back the way she came.


    Marianne was just standing there. She had to wait for her fate that would destroy her hope and expectations while standing.


    Could it be that her first life had come to a miserable end because she didn¡¯t know anything about these secrets?


    In retrospect, she never fled from all the options of her life. She failed to run as if it was her predetermined fate and curse for her to realize a new and terrible truth every moment.


    ¡°My wife and daughter love flowers and trees, but I don¡¯t really know much about plants. Every time I played a game of matching similar flowers, I mostly guessed wrong, and my daughter teased me all the time.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°But I thought I could clearly detect that flower tree among many trees. That was the flower tree that Mrs. Chester gave Marianne as her engagement gift.¡±


    The voice Marianne loved more than anything else was the ominous sign sent by God at this moment.


    ¡°Adenium.¡±


    Her tears, welled deep inside her body, dropped when she heard that. Every time she blinked, her colorful dress got wet with her tears, but she didn¡¯t even realize she was crying.


    ¡°Twenty years ago, Estelle received the same flower. No, maybe it was sent to me, not Estelle.¡±


    The sunset cast a red light on her feet like blood. She closed her eyes, feeling as if she were suffocated by that redness.


    She came to know about the story of her mother¡¯s death through her father¡¯s voice. She learned what the second gift Mrs. Chester had sent her was. She could imagine her mother who would have cared for the pot with a bright smile. She could imagine her father who had to bury his wife, holding a little daughter in his arms, and a dead maid who had been hung on a cherry tree in the back garden and the Adenium pot, from which no evidence could be found.


    And she finally realized that even her previous life that she felt was full of happiness was a terrible fantasy.

 Chapter 146

    Marianne couldn¡¯t stand any more and flopped down on the floor helplessly. She made a feigned laugh unconsciously. She felt dizzy. She couldn¡¯t grab anything as her hands were trembling. Her heartbeat was pounding at an abnormal cycle. She felt even buzzing in her ears.


    ¡°Your Majesty, it¡¯s not too late. Marie won¡¯t be able to beat Mrs. Chester or Ober forever. As things stand now, she will be the first to get hurt in this fight. I can¡¯t allow that to happen. Please grant my request to exclude her from the fighting.¡±


    Her father¡¯s pleading made her stand up finally.


    The heart of her sadness was not her resignation to the given situation, but her anger. She no longer wanted to be alienated from any truth. She wouldn¡¯t allow not only her father, but also the emperor, Ober, and Mrs. Chester, and even the gods of Aslan to ruin her life any more.


    She staggered to her feet, though her legs were wobbly. As she moved one step, her body ached as if she were rolling on pieces of broken glass on the floor. But she did not stop. She was overly impulsive, but at the same time calm enough. She was tormented by all kinds of emotions that she could never explain with words.


    Strut, strut.


    The noise of her walking on the floor, which she didn¡¯t try to muffle at all, was heard loudly through the hallway of the study. Ominous silence filled the hallway.


    Snap!


    Right then, there was the sound of somebody snapping his fingers. At the same time, something fell from the high bookshelves. The huge shadow that crouched on the floor slowly stood up.


    ¡°¡­ Sir Curtis?¡±


    Duke Kling identified someone who blocked her way.


    Marianne walked straight after noticing the white knight¡¯s uniform. She didn¡¯t go back or retreat. ¡°¡­Marianne!¡±


    In the end, Eckart recognized the unwelcome intruder. He called her with a sigh from a distance.


    Instead of answering, she reached out and pushed Curtis to the side. Curtis did not resist and stepped back silently. While Eckart, Kling and Curtis were looking at her nervously, she was fixing her gaze only on one person.


    She could see them downstairs clearly, with Eckart and Kling looking up at her. In particular, her father was stunned to find her there.


    She began to approach her father without any hesitation. Her excessive tension at the moment stiffened her body. As if she tightened her legs, she staggered while walking down the stairs.


    ¡°Marianne!¡±


    ¡°Marie!¡±


    They shouted at her urgently from downstairs.


    Eckart and Duke Kling unconsciously moved a few steps towards the stairs unconsciously, and stopped at her glowing eyes.


    Her green eyes, which were always warm and sweet, were as hardened as the emerald stones before processing. Neither of them had ever seen her face turn so chilly. It was the first time they saw her bloodshot eyes, angry look, and distressed heart. It looked like she was trying to put up with something as best she could.


    Eventually, Curtis, following Eckart¡¯s order, reached out to help her.


    ¡°Get out of my way.¡± But Marianne coldly shook off his hands.


    She stood up by herself and stepped down the stairs again.


    Strut, strut, strut.


    Her loud footsteps were scary.


    Eckart quietly signaled to Curtis with his eyes. Curtis soon disappeared into the entrance on the second floor. If Curtis did his job faithfully, it would be to make sure that the only four people here knew what happened in the study today.


    Meanwhile, Marianne came down the stairs and slowly stopped in front of her father, whose eyes were trembling.


    ¡°Marie. Why are you here¡­¡± Kling said feebly with a pale look.


    ¡°Daddy.¡±


    Although he was very embarrassed, he habitually reached out and tried to wipe the moistened tears on her cheeks.


    But she pushed his hand from her wet face. She did so slowly, but she clearly rejected it.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to plead with His Majesty.¡±


    Kling became more embarrassed by her unprecedented coldness. He had never been rejected by her when he comforted or did a favor to her for the past 20 years. He also had never seen her face and voice so cold and dry.


    ¡°I will not run away because this is a deal I¡¯ve proposed to him.¡±


    ¡°Marie¡­¡±


    Kling¡¯s face crumpled as if he was distressed. He clenched his teeth, which made his smiling lips stiffen.


    Just a little while ago, he vowed that he would honestly tell her about the secrets of the palace and Lennox. He still remained wedded to the idea that one day he would tell her the truth because he knew that eternal secrets were nothing but illusions. Besides, he broke the secret to the emperor, which he had been hiding from her for the past 20 years.


    Today, when he finally broke the promise that had been concealed for over twenty years, he had more than the evidence to support it.


    But this was not what he expected from her. He didn¡¯t want her to know about her mother¡¯s tragedy in a frivolous way because he thought it would deepen her anger much further. She had never learned how to calm down her anger properly. Accordingly, she didn¡¯t know how to control her overwhelming hostility. Above all, he raised her in a way that she could not live in such an environment in Lennox.


    ¡°But it¡¯s too dangerous. It may take more time and much more effort, but there are many ways we can exclude you from¡­¡±


    ¡°Please stop it, Daddy.¡±


    ¡°Marie. I can¡¯t lose you like your mother.¡±


    ¡°Daddy, please¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t tell you earlier. But this is the only way I can protect you. Maybe you might think my request to the emperor is selfish, but please trust me just once!¡±


    So, Duke Kling wanted to isolate Marianne from the upcoming misfortune, believing that his goodwill would be the best for his daughter, as always.


    ¡°Way to protect me?¡± she asked back.


    Marianne did not promise to do so like she did before. One of the main factors that ruined her previous life was her father¡¯s ill-advised affection for her.


    She asked back, with a perplexed look, shaking her head hard, ¡°No, Daddy. This is not the way to protect me. Do you want me to run away cowardly and hide while you are risking your life and fighting them? Do you think I can value my life when I survive like that?¡±


    ¡°Marie.¡±


    ¡°Do you believe that once you survive like that, I can be really happy? In the process, someone might get hurt and die for my peace. What if that ¡®someone¡¯ is you or the emperor? Well, the current situation shows you and the emperor are already at risk. That¡¯s how I¡¯ve come as far as here. Do you really think this is the right way of life for me?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°You should have told me much earlier that Mrs. Chester killed my mother, and that Ober is the child of that woman who killed his mother!¡±


    Marianne cried yelling at her father.


    ¡°Why did you let me live like this until now? I led a stupid life without knowing anything about it, as if nothing had happened. Even if those terrible things happened, I didn¡¯t take them seriously at all¡­¡±


    Duke Kling did not know that Marianne was living her second life. So, he misunderstood what she meant by the ¡°terrible things¡± was her brief love affair with Ober and her failure to realize Mrs. Chester¡¯s malice early on.


    ¡°¡­ Marie, my daughter. That¡¯s not your fault. It¡¯s my fault.¡±


    ¡°No. It¡¯s my fault. You don¡¯t know anything about what I did or what I suffered!¡±


    Marianne squeezed the hem of her dress. She couldn¡¯t keep standing without grabbing something.


    In the past, perhaps in her dream or a different world, she was Ober¡¯s lover and wife. She tried to understand the cold-hearted Mrs. Chester, and resented her father who opposed her dating Ober. She stuck it out even without drinking water to overcome her father¡¯s opposition. In order to have the son of her mother¡¯s killer, she wanted her father to understand and love Ober and his mother like her.


    Besides, she cooperated in Ober¡¯s scheme to change her father¡¯s inspection tour, coaxed by his sweet talk. And she lost her father on that journey. Giving everything she inherited to Ober, she sought comfort in his sweet talk. Wrapped in his arms, she said she missed her parents. After all, she was also murdered by him, who was not content with killing her father.


    Was her father now imposing her to lead a miserable and foolish life again at the sacrifice of somebody? She couldn¡¯t do so. She didn¡¯t want to.


    ¡°Marianne, calm down.¡±


    On behalf of Kling who stiffened before her icy attitude, Eckart spoke anxiously.


    Marianne was shivering as if she had just been rescued from icy water.


    ¡°Your Majesty.¡± Marianne turned and looked at his blue eyes.


    She wanted to see his eyes. Even at his moment when she was facing him, she missed his eyes. But even his handsome blue eyes did not comfort her.

 Chapter 147

    Of course, all this happened in her previous life. It did not happen in her present life given by God¡¯s grace. Neither her father, her only blood, nor Emperor Eckart who knew what¡¯s going on in Aslan, could blame her stupidity because they didn¡¯t know what she experienced in her previous life.


    As a result, it was she who was supposed to feel all guilt and self-reproach. Only she, who was now living a second life, could curse and blame her previous foolish life.


    She was willing to reprove herself. She reproached all the choices of her previous life and all the hopes she had in her present life.


    And she wished all this were a dream. She wished if you closed and opened her eyes, today was just one of those days when nothing happened¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I tried to apologize, but I really didn¡¯t know anything, so I¡¯m so ashamed and embarrassed to tell you that I didn¡¯t know¡­ But now I know how terrible it was. It¡¯s too late¡­Still, you are kind, so I want to ask for your forgiveness even now¡­¡±


    Marianne cried while speaking to Eckart. Her words were messed up while she was speaking.


    Eckart couldn¡¯t understand what she was trying to say exactly. Perhaps even the words that she might have chosen unconsciously tormented him. Strangely enough, he was more bothered when she said she ¡°suffered¡± than she ¡°committed¡± something. He also couldn¡¯t figure out why she wanted to apologize to him.


    But he couldn¡¯t think anymore. Even before he opened his mouth, he moved his body first.


    He quickly made two steps toward her and instinctively reached out.


    ¡°Marianne!¡±


    Eckart squeezed her wrist and pulled it strongly. Pushed by his strong force, the jewelry earrings she was about to swallow fell on the floor.


    ¡°I won¡¯t allow you to act recklessly any further.¡±


    His warning voice was full of anger. Swallowing jewelry or accessories was one of the methods that a noble lady chose to commit suicide. In fact, she tried to kill herself before his eyes.


    Marianne looked back at the earrings on the floor and raised her head again. Slowly blinking her blurred eyes, she smiled faintly.


    ¡°Your Majesty. The cardinal in Roshan told me that my life was the last grace of Goddess Kader. So maybe¡­ If I die again, then maybe I can go back to the good old days. I mean, going back to the days further away from the present, those days when nothing has yet gone wrong.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? This is just the stupidest thing you can choose.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, just let go of me. I can fix it. Please.¡±


    Marianne begged. But Eckart resolutely shook his head, saying, ¡°I can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Please!¡±


    ¡°Marianne, look! Your father is there. Your wrong decision will torment your father his entire life.¡±


    And perhaps it would be a shackle that he could never shake off.


    Eckart didn¡¯t speak further and just pointed to Kling.


    He was looking at her with a painful look, as if he couldn¡¯t believe what was happening before his eyes. There was no resentment or anger in his gaze. It was just full of self-reproof and despair.


    She became more angry at his expression.


    ¡°I know. I¡¯ve already done that to you before. So, please let me go! I can fix it. Even if something goes wrong, it¡¯s going to be all my fault. I won¡¯t blame anyone. I¡¯m just going to be responsible for the mistakes that others made because of me. Don¡¯t I have the right to take responsibility for myself? Why can¡¯t I make the decision this by myself? Just leave me alone. If I go back once more, then I really¡­¡±


    She was choked with tears. She breathed out suddenly. A huge force of unknown origin moved her. She felt as if someone pushed his hands from behind her back and squeezed her heart and lungs with one hand.


    ¡°¡­ Marianne?¡±


    She grabbed her chest unconsciously. She felt frustrated as if she were suffocated. Her head was killing her, and her heartbeat was pounding hard. Her irregular heartbeats sounded like thunder. She wanted to say something, or she seemed to have said something, but what came out of her mouth was just blurry moaning.


    ¡°Marianne! Are you okay? Take a deep breath. Can you hear me?¡±


    ¡°Marie! No¡­ Open your eyes! Come to your senses! Marie!¡±


    The bookshelves and windows passed before her eyes. Something hard hit her back. The voices of her father and Eckart were faintly heard in her ears.


    As a matter of fact, she realized that her body was tilting to the side strangely, and she just saw something black everywhere.


    She blacked out at that moment.


    ***


    Splash!


    Waves rippled over the blue lake.


    Marianne was suddenly plunged into the water from the air. Cold water quickly swallowed her.


    The impact she felt when she hit the surface awakened her consciousness, but when she was awake, she was already underwater, too far from the surface. She saw bright sunlight above the crown of her head, on the surface of the lake.


    Her sudden sinking soon caused her shortness of breath. She struggled, realizing that there was not much air left in her lungs. Every time she swung her arms, white drops of water obstructed her vision. When she stretched her feet as much as she could, her body began to rise little by little. She didn¡¯t know how to swim, but the water pressure that strangely pressed on her body was getting a little lighter.


    It was about the time she felt when coming near the surface of the water she felt she was too far away from.


    Some hands were pushed under the water and grabbed her wrist. Obviously, they were a human¡¯s hands, and they pulled her out of it with a huge force that she felt didn¡¯t belong to a human.


    As soon as she felt she was pulled out, she was thrown out of the water on to the ground.


    She felt the water surrounding her body was being sucked back into the lake.


    ¡°Cough! Cough! Cough!¡±


    She spat out water out of her nose and throat. While she kept coughing, suddenly a dark shadow appeared in front of her.


    When she raised her head, she saw a man. She looked up at her slowly.


    He was putting on sandals that seemed to be made of animal skin and tough twigs on his white bare feet. A short, milky white tunic worn by a mythical warrior. He was holding a long spear with five branches in one hand. With a bow and arrow on his back, a laurel wreath on his head exuded a fresh scent from the middle of his forehead. His dark green hair fluttered in the wind as if a part of the forest had been removed.


    ¡°¡­ Kader?¡±


    Marianne murmured while rubbing her wet nose. Then the person standing in front of her laughed gently and said, ¡°Okay. My name is Kader. I¡¯m the fourth child of our main God Airius, and the second daughter of Anthea. I control the sixth power of the nine original gods that preside over the destiny of the universe. I¡¯m glad you recognize me at once.¡±


    She replied with a mysterious voice that nobody dared to imitate in any pure language of the world.


    Marianne blinked her round eyes helplessly. How could a goddess she saw in the sacred documentary paintings stand in front of her?


    ¡®Am I now dreaming? Am I seeing things?¡¯


    She bit her lip at the incredible sight and frowned very much.


    ¡°If you really existed¡­Wait a minute¡­Was I really dead? Where am I now? Is this the Tanatos purgatory where sinful souls gather?¡±


    Kader listened to her and laughed a hearty laugh.


    ¡°You are the proof of my lovely courage. You are a timid child. Do you think this place looks like the shade of Tanatos?¡±


    Kader stepped aside from her, so she could see the surroundings.


    The place where the two stood was a very large field. Next to it was a beautiful blue lake where Marianne had just been floundering, and there were trees that boasted abundant leaves to Kader¡¯s left. An open field with no end was in the front, captivating her eyes. There were unripe green barley stems swaying along with the cool wind.


    ¡°There is no light of Father Airius in the shade of Tanatos. This is the land of Mother Anthea.¡±


    ¡°Can I come to the goddess¡¯s land without dying?¡±


    As Marianne shook her head, Kader looked down at her and said gently, ¡°Of course. You are the master of the star protected by your mother. Here you have the blessing of Anthea, and this is the sanctuary of destiny waiting for you to wake up. God¡¯s grace will be gone with the end of human life, so only the living can come here.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Marianne frowned.


    ¡°So, this place inside me¡­ It is real, but it doesn¡¯t exist in the real world¡­Do you mean this is a space created by the goddess¡¯ divinity?¡±

 Chapter 148

    ¡°This land is one of the many roots of the world tree. Since the roots of the world tree are connected with the grace of the blessed ones, they always present the land of human beings. But you humans can¡¯t see them with your eyes.¡±


    Marianne quickly gave up after trying hard to figure it out.


    If the person in front of her, or this person in the image of God, was really God, it would be impossible for a human like her to persuade or understand by human standards.


    So, she decided to ask a slightly different question.


    ¡°Can¡¯t anyone be brought here other than me?¡±


    ¡°Anthea said, ¡®Anyone who is divine may be able to unite with grace.¡¯ There are less than one hundred human beings who have interacted with the nine gods for over a thousand years¡­¡±


    ¡°Then, how did I get here? I can¡¯t go back forever?¡±


    When Marianne asked, Kader reached out instead of replying. Marianne hesitated for a moment and then stood up, holding her hand. The hem wet with water was heavy, but before she complained about it, Kader put her hand over her forehead.


    Her eyes were now colored in white light. Right at that moment, she recalled some impressive scenes from her present life.


    The cycle of unbearable memories seized her whole body. Her forgotten emotions came out like a storm. She barely stood up, but her cheeks quickly became wet with tears. If she opened her mouth, she would cry.


    ¡°Your fate was trying to wake me up hastily.¡±


    Kader replied belatedly and slowly withdrew her hands. The halo that shone like a small sun perished quickly.


    ¡°But the time has not come yet for you to wake up. The deity of Anthea has temporarily confined your soul in her blessings. Your flesh is still in the land of human beings, so it will go back there soon¡­¡±


    The goddess tightened her grip on the spear. But unlike humans, there were no veins on her hands, so nothing appeared on the back of her hands that seemed to be made with something.


    ¡°How pitiful you are¡­ As you are suffering from big trials, even your faith is wrong-headed.¡±


    Marianne didn¡¯t say anything, but Kader sympathized with her as if she knew everything. Her fingers as smooth as a stone statue carved by a skilled craftsman touched Marianne¡¯s cheeks.


    As the light reflected on her fingertips gently wiped her tear marks, her mental affliction, which was mysteriously wandering through her body, gradually went away.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be alright.¡±


    Kader stroked her head, looking straight into her green eyes.


    ¡°You are the evidence of my courage. Although you are weak and foolish, I¡¯ve made you a righteous and good human being.¡±


    This time, Marianne rubbed her wet eyes hard.


    Kader¡¯s strong and sincere voice had the power to wipe the bruises deep in her heart.


    Kader¡¯s declaration that she was alright, and that her life was rooted in justice and goodness was surprisingly comforting to Marianne.


    In no time, Kader grabbed her hands and pulled them. The goddess began to walk towards the end of the vast field. Marianne followed her as if she was bewitched.


    ¡°The grace I gave you before I fell asleep is neither immortal nor regenerative.¡±


    Strangely enough, Marianne felt pressured when she looked at Kader¡¯s back.


    ¡°The power of truth to correct what is wrong.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Indomitable will to overcome the failure.¡±


    ¡°¡­ ¡±


    ¡°As I knew that Anthea¡¯s love would dwell in you in the future, I prepared a weapon to protect you.¡±


    Kader rigorously finished her words. Marianne, who had shut her mouth the entire time, pulled her hand away from her. When she stopped suddenly, Kader, who was walking ahead, also stopped and looked back.


    ¡°However¡­I do not deserve your love and strength. I hurt all my beloved ones and I don¡¯t know how to use the power you gave me. I ruined myself in my previous and second life. So, I only wished I had gone back to my previous¡­¡±


    ¡°You are still stupid.¡±


    Kader cut off her words even before she finished talking. Her vivid green eyes burned with anger.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you clearly that the blessing I¡¯ve given you was not an infinite resurrection? Fate is never decided according to your will. Even if you go back to yourself as a child, do you think your life can be perfect without any single flaw?¡±


    Marianne dropped her head. In fact, she already knew it all, so she was speechless when Kader refuted her.


    If Kader¡¯s last grace for her was not reincarnation, death in her second life meant eternal sleep. It was just all over. That meant she could no longer use it as a weapon to erase her mistakes or flaws.


    Moreover, like Kader said, there was no guarantee that her father and mother, Eckart and her, Ober and Mrs. Chester, would all live good and happy lives even if she went back to those days when all these things took place.


    And the blessings given to her by the goddesses were not the power for her to determine others¡¯ lives as she wished. If she led a life in which she had to be conscious of others¡¯ lives, she would have to suffer forever, even if everyone else was happy.


    ¡°Trial and despair are the foundation of revenge by nature.¡±


    Kader penetrated all of Marianne¡¯s being. A fragrant wind shook the stems of green barley and quickly dried up Marianne¡¯s wet clothes.


    Marianne was soon wrapped in Kader¡¯s arms.


    Kader held Marianne¡¯s shoulders back with one hand holding the spear, and raised her chin with the other hand so she could look far away.


    ¡°Look. Even on my mother¡¯s beautiful land, Tanatos¡¯ shadow is always on the ground. Just like good versus evil, beauty versus ugliness, joy versus sorrow, light becomes complete with shadow.¡±


    Like Kader said, the real world before Marianne was one with all kinds of mysterious stuff.


    Light pouring from the clear sky without a cloud made the shadows of the trees and the flying birds below it. The shade without the sun made the grass and soil decay, but it was also a refuge for small animals getting away from the sun. Sunlight, indispensable for growing flowers and grains, sometimes dried up the land and brought about fire through the wind.


    ¡°Your hope and destiny will be like that, as well.¡±


    It was something like one but not one, eternal but not eternal.


    Marianne recalled the words she had heard from Helena, which her previous cardinals talked about the fate of Kader.


    And she realized suddenly that Kader was comforting and scolding her.


    Just as Kader herself realized her resurrection from the betrayal of Tanatos and created courage and revenge, Marianne realized that she would use the trials and despair in her life for her future hope and revenge. She realized that there was no eternal curse or immortal blessing. She also realized that instead of going back to the days when nothing happened, she would have to stick it out and survive¡­


    ¡°You are the evidence of my firm courage. You were chosen by the star of your mother.¡±


    Kader turned Marianne back. Their eyes resembling the color of the budding young leaves faced each other.


    ¡°Fight. Do not be afraid. Fix what is wrong and keep what is right. Even if you are injured and fall, you should move forward. Anthea and I will always protect you.¡±


    Marianne had resented the goddesses who would be watching her somewhere when she had Eckart beside her, who was unconscious, after they fell from Benoit Falls.


    When she discovered her father¡¯s secrets, and even when she realized her mother¡¯s tragedy, she actually felt some of the blame was to go to the goddesses.


    Whatever the great will of the gods, she was only one human being. It was natural for her to blame the two goddesses who would allegedly protect her whenever she was faced with a terrible situation. So, if she could meet the goddesses, she wanted to search for and drag them before her and ask them why all these terrible things happened to her.


    But just as much as she resented them, she also wanted to depend on them at the same time. In fact, her second life itself was possible because of god¡¯s miraculous power. If possible, she wanted to use their holy power and the name and honor of the divine rooted on the earth as a weapon in order to correct what was wrong, obtain revenge on the one who betrayed her in her previous life, and lead a happy life in the end.


    ¡°¡­You must keep your promise.¡±

 Chapter 149

    Compared to her previous life, Marianne was a little better at weighing some options in her present life. It was something like her sense of reality that she learned after meeting Eckart.


    Marianne began to rebuke herself a bit, but she soon finished justifying herself. And she looked straight into Kader¡¯s eyes.


    Kader again burst out into hearty laughter at her daring reply and attitude.


    ¡°That befits the size of your destiny!¡± said Kader, who seemed to be happy.


    ¡°Now, go!¡±


    After she said that, Kader moved back three steps. She held the spear correctly, which she was grasping at an angle, and cut Mariane¡¯s body. It was so quick and accurate that Marianne only realized it after she was cut.


    ¡°Kader¡­?¡±


    Even though she was cut in half by the spear, she didn¡¯t feel any pain. Embarrassed, she looked down at her body. What poured out instead of blood was a whitish, bright lump of light.


    ¡®Didn¡¯t she kill me?¡¯


    When Marianne wondered and lifted her head again, half of Kader¡¯s image was already hidden by the bright halo around her.


    ¡°Let¡¯s meet again on the day of awakening.¡±


    Her strong voice rang in the light like an echo.


    * * *


    Calm air. The familiar smell of the trees and the wind blowing somewhere. A slight chill that tickled the back of her hands and fingers.


    Marianne slowly raised her eyelids. The light of the crystals hanging on the ceiling was so dazzling to her eyes. When she frowned unconsciously, someones¡¯ touch around her hands quickly disappeared. She felt empty, strangely enough.


    ¡°Ostashu!¡±


    Somebody called the name with a low voice. Marianne recalled what happened. She seemed to have heard it several times somewhere.


    So, Ostashu, Ostashu, Ostashu¡­Was it von Louiche?


    ¡°Have you come to your senses, Lady Marianne?¡±


    He was Eckart¡¯s primary physician as well as the director of the Imperial Medical Service. He was there when she was returning from Roshan. She had seen his face several times when he came to see her for her meal menu.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m alright.¡±


    Mariane nodded slightly in bed. She felt nostalgia from the rustling pillowcase. Though it was hard to explain, it was clearly from the scent that she smelled when she met Kader, something she felt all the time in the real world.


    ¡®Obviously I¡¯ve come back to the real world.¡¯


    She took a long breath, lost in idle thoughts. Ostashu checked her pulse, body temperature, complexion and pupils. Although she wanted to say that he didn¡¯t have to check so thoroughly, she didn¡¯t want to bother to do it.


    After doing the checkup, Ostashu nodded toward the other side. Then he left the room immediately.


    Marianne turned her head to the side that he looked at, namely to his right.


    ¡°¡­ Your Majesty.¡±


    It was Eckart who was looking at her, about two steps away from her bed. His gaze that seemed more pale than usual looked heavy.


    ¡°¡­ Are you alright?¡±


    Marianne slowly got up and sat on the top of the bed.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay. Did I pass out for a moment?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Ostashu says you fainted with hyperventilating. He also said you might have passed out because of a big shock.¡±


    ¡°Where is my father? Oh, I left Cordelli standing outside the study when I came here¡­¡±


    ¡°I had Duke Kling go back home. Your maid will be waiting in another room. They are supposed to think that you are staying late because you are meeting me alone. Nobody should know you passed out here.¡±


    While going back to the mansion, she would have to be ready for Cordelli¡¯s grumbling. But there was no better excuse for her late return to the mansion than this. She looked down with a big sigh.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ve disturbed you again.¡±


    Eckart did not answer. She raised her head and checked his expression. Without approaching her, he was examining her condition with his blue eyes several steps away, which broke her heart.


    It was funny. She passed out after having heard all kinds of terrible things and expressing anger. Despite that, she felt she didn¡¯t like the way he looked down at her from several steps away, knowing that she was responsible for having disturbed his life.


    ¡°Are you upset with me? I¡¯m really sorry. Don¡¯t worry. Let me explain to Ober well¡­ ¡±


    ¡°Marianne!¡± Eckart cut her off with a sharp voice.


    ¡°Why do you think I¡¯m upset now?¡±


    She bit her lip slightly. Obviously she misunderstood. Quickly looking around, she sat down with her back straight. Her clear eyes were open wide.


    ¡°¡­ Ah, your arm¡­ Does it feel okay? Because I suddenly fell¡­ my father was a little further away, so you seemed to have supported me, I think¡­¡±


    But that didn¡¯t seem to be the reason why he got upset.


    In fact, he didn¡¯t blame her at all when he had his back wounded severely after he fell from the falls, holding her in his arms. He definitely wouldn¡¯t get angry because of that.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you tell me why¡­?¡±


    In principle, she was wrong to sneak into his study and overhear his conversation with her father. She felt dejected. There were so many things that bothered her.


    ¡®Is it because my father asked him to remove me from this fight? Mrs. Charlotte said Eckart didn¡¯t like his plan would go wrong¡­¡¯


    While she was pondering over wrong answers, Eckart suddenly reached out.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    What he placed on her palm was the ruby earring she was wearing. Not just one she dropped, but a pair. When she touched her earlobes belatedly, she found no earrings.


    Marianne reached out and tried to take back the earrings in his hand. Eckart, however, withdrew his hand and hid it behind his back.


    ¡°I know you¡¯ve been deeply distressed by what happened to the duchess. I¡¯m very sorry too. Nobody can comfort your sorrow.¡±


    Behind his back, he clenched his fist strongly. The sharp corners and the edges of the small gems caused pain on his palm when he gripped them.


    ¡°But Marianne. How can you try to swallow¡­?¡±


    In the end, he complained to her as he couldn¡¯t stand it anymore.


    He desperately erased her mother¡¯s illusion which was overlaid on her. His blue eyes trembled precariously. Obviously, his feelings were hurt.


    Only then did she realize why he was upset about her.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± She got up, removing her bedding.


    ¡°I won¡¯t do it again.¡±


    Her dressing gown and other clothes were taken off as the doctor had to examine her physical condition. She stood up and moved one step with bare feet. Her white and light chemise dress gently tickled her ankles.


    The moment Eckart was about to move back one step, Marianne grabbed his left arm.


    A bigger shadow taller than hers toppled.


    ¡°I did it as I was so surprised and angry¡­ I was mistaken for a moment. Seriously. Now I know I can¡¯t solve anything that way.¡±


    Eckart pulled his hand forward, as led by her. When he opened his palm and spread the faintly shaking fingers one by one, he finally saw it stained with blood.


    Taking the earrings stained with blood from his palm, she smiled bitterly.


    ¡°Do not worry. You won¡¯t lose your hostage if she commits suicide. I¡¯ll tell my father about everything in detail. I¡¯ll frankly tell him that this is a deal already agreed between us before he had a dialogue with you today.¡±


    ¡°Marianne¡­¡± Eckart frowned. Marianne raised her head to meet his eyes.


    He hesitated for a moment as he looked at her shiny green eyes under his chin. After some hesitation about what he wanted to speak first, he opened his mouth, ¡°Although your father¡¯s request is rather reckless, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s too much. And I¡¯m convinced that they are targeting you clearly¡­¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty.¡±


    This time Marianne cut him off and said, ¡°I want to ask you one thing.¡±


    Eckart was silent. Marianne now knew that it was his patience and permission.


    ¡°Why did you accept my nonsensical deal from the beginning?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°You needed me, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°You needed me to punish those trying to steal what you had and reclaim the knights in the northern area and the remains of the late empress buried there because my father would never have moved to be on your side if I was not held hostage like this.¡±


    Eckart knitted his brows a bit.


    In fact, her guess was valid enough. Anyway, the reason why she offered such a deal to him was because she wanted to ensure the safety of herself and her father. As a ruler, it was very natural for him to respond to her political deal with a corresponding political deal.


    ¡°If my father had made the same request back then, would you have said the same thing now?¡±


    Right this moment, what she said tormented him so much. As what she said now with a kind voice was true, he felt she was criticizing him now. He couldn¡¯t defend himself with any excuses.


    Eckart bit his lip.

 Chapter 150

    In fact, Kling had already made the same request to him. On the night he returned from Roshan, Eckart met Kling at the parlor of his palace, which was not far from his study. There, Kling earnestly asked him to exclude his daughter from this political strife. But he refused his request, clearly knowing Kling¡¯s intentions because he thought his daughter was a useful card in his political scheme. To put Kling on the forefront of the chessboard, he couldn¡¯t free her from his control.


    ¡°I voluntarily took this role by myself. You and I knew that we would be faced with this kind of danger, didn¡¯t we?¡±


    ¡°Marianne, it is up to me to determine the use of my hostage.¡±


    ¡°I know. That¡¯s why I¡¯m telling you now. Please don¡¯t forget what you originally expected of me.¡±


    Marianne replied firmly.


    ¡°Apart from your decision on my destiny, I myself do not want to chicken out from this fight. Come to think of it, almost nothing has changed. We only knew that they were eviler than we thought.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°You are the ruler of Aslan, the agent of our main god Airius, and the true owner of the nine gems. But that doesn¡¯t mean you can decide my fate on your own. Even Airius, our main god, probably couldn¡¯t do that.¡±


    Like just woven silk, his smooth fingers held her wrists quietly but firmly. Soon his heartbeat could be felt on his palm, which was irregular and uneasy.


    ¡°I promise you. I will give you back everything. Although my father made the mistake of betraying you, he won¡¯t repeat the same mistake in the future. Let me persuade my father sooner or later. If he has anything to return to you, I¡¯ll persuade him to do so¡­¡±


    At that moment, Eckart felt a strange sense of incongruity in her words.


    What Duke Kling pleaded with him in his study was that he would offer everything if he could hide Marianne in a safe place. Obviously he had already laid down all the weapons he had.


    But before he could try to think a little more, she carefully let go of his hand.


    Pretending to be casual, he squeezed and opened his numb hands slowly.


    Whenever he felt her warmth and then lost it, he badly wanted it back, no matter how often or how long he felt it. He found it harder to endure when he thought he might have her more than when he believed he should not have her. He felt his reason and patience that he had been holding onto tenaciously were shattered by a mountain of waves.


    ¡°Lord Kloud is very concerned about your health. If you don¡¯t want to eat, please do. I was asked to eat with you today, but I couldn¡¯t keep my promise. I¡¯m sorry, please convey my regrets to him.¡±


    ¡°¡­Got it.¡±


    ¡°By the way, please have Dr. Ostashu treat the cut on your palm. If the wound gets infected too, who knows if Duke Kloud might have to feed you.¡±


    Marianne laughed faintly, cracking a joke. But Eckart didn¡¯t even feign a smile.


    ¡°I¡¯ll rest in the mansion for a few days. I¡¯ve got something to think about alone¡­Of course, you won¡¯t have to worry about me. I swear by the name of the nine gods and my mother. So, please understand me even if I don¡¯t contact you.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Okay.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. I think I need new clothes to return home, so could you have Cordelli come here?¡±


    Marianne stepped back as if she was done.


    Eckart stepped back for a moment and then suddenly turned back.


    ¡°Marianne.¡± But that was it.


    His face, which had some forced smile on it until a little while ago, seemed exhausted.


    But he tried his best to look okay. At the same time, he felt sorry for her. He was aware she didn¡¯t feel okay even though she said she was alright, but nobody including himself could comfort her. He had experienced the same thing in the past.


    ¡°¡­Take care then,¡± he said. Then he turned around and left the room. He did not look back twice. If he met her eyes once more, he felt like he would hug her without standing it anymore.


    * * *


    The sky after the storm was supposed to be clear without a cloud. It was like that in the capital for the past several days.


    What happened in the emperor¡¯s study that day did not leak to the outside world. How fortunate!


    Curtis could fulfill Eckart¡¯s order without doing anything bad. Although several moles he planted in some places were busy collecting intelligence tips without any break, that was nothing special, given their routine daily work.


    The Elior Mansion was as calm as ever. As always, Duke Kling went to the palace early in the morning and left late. Sometimes he worked all through the night, taking care of lots of work at the palace office. When his vacation was over, Colin returned and helped him, confirming to him daily that there was nothing to worry about.


    But what concerned them was some exaggerated rumors about Marianne¡¯s safety. As temporary chief maid Mrs. Charlotte announced she would not accept any visitors for the time being and Marianne¡¯s prearranged schedules were all cancelled, some busybodies began to spread gossip about her. Even in normal times where there was nothing particular, they generated all kinds of rumors and gossip, which started small, but soon blew up into something different from the truth.


    When this kind of thing repeatedly came out of the Elior Mansion staff, the social circles in the capital were disappointed and lost interest. Some speculated there must be something else in Marianne¡¯s long silence, but no more gossip came out about it.


    Ironically, Ober played some role in dissipating such rumors and gossip. He didn¡¯t want people to have unnecessary suspicions of Marianne because he believed that any secrets about her should be used as his weapon.


    Of course, unlike most aristocrats, Eckart could get real-time briefing on the status of Marianne while he was staying in the main palace. So, any intelligence about her which didn¡¯t leak to the outside ended up coming into his ears. According to the report by the deputy chamberlain, fortunately, Marianne no longer thought of hurting herself.


    She spent four days in her bedroom without leaving it. Although she slept like an animal in hibernation, she also did some activities in the room. She ate a bit less than before, but she didn¡¯t skip meals. Yesterday she allegedly reviewed her schedules for the next week and chose one for rescheduling in person.


    Obviously, she didn¡¯t want to slack off while staying in the room, although even that was a bit too much for her at this point.


    It would have been much better for her if he or she had some more time to reflect on some pending issues. Among them, Marianne was troubled with the tragedy of the duchess, while Eckart was distressed by the past promises that Kling had made.


    But their hesitation soon became a good target for the enemy. While Marianne stayed put in the mansion, Mrs. Chester opened salons to meet people, while Ober also had secret meetings with important figures in the capital, including Baronet Artroom.


    Eckart and Marianne knew that they could not afford to do that.


    ¡°Your Majesty, you have a message from the temple. They say it¡¯s real. Yes, real!¡± said Jed, shaking the jewelry box he took from Curtis. He seemed satisfied.


    The first thing Eckart did through Curtis after sending Marianne back home was to determine the authenticity of the ring returned by Duke Kling. There were many famous jewelers and skillful craftsmen in the capital, but after deep pondering, he sent a messenger to Roshan.


    The recipient of the ring was Cardinal Helena.


    ¡°The cardinal said she could guarantee that the ring is genuine. The gold mixed with the type of silver mined only from Roshan is certain, and the method of engraving the jewelry and the letters engraved inside the ring are the same as those that used in the temple. So, there is little chance that this ring is a fake. Of course, you never know. There might be a 1% chance that it might be a fake.¡±


    Kimmel rings, used at engagements in the royal family, were all made under strict procedures and supervision at the temple. If the chief priest of the temple could guarantee it, there was no need for doubt.


    At last, the basis of his trust in Kling was completed at 100%.


    ¡°Got it, Jed.¡± Eckhart responded shortly and reached out to Jed.


    Smiling brightly, he handed the jewelry box with the ring to Eckart.


    He opened the lid of the jewelry box with one hand and placed it on the desk.


    Sunlight from behind turned through the sapphire and turned into blue flash.


    ¡°Congratulations.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, one of your worries went away, so please pretend to be happy! I also apologize for what happened last time.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Eckart only stared at the sapphire ring instead of replying to him.

 Chapter 151

    ¡°Are you still mad at me, Your Majesty? You told me you would forgive me¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not angry. That was not something you needed to apologize for from the beginning.¡±


    ¡°Then, why are you keeping a straight face like that? The ring that the duke brought you is genuine, and no matter how much you review it, there is little probability that the late empress¡¯s promise was false, right? Besides, the duke¡¯s request in return for the ring is for you to guarantee Lady Marianne¡¯s safety. There is no better deal than this, I think.¡±


    ¡°As for her hiding place, don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯ve already secured a special villa and safehouse for her. If I hurry up, I¡¯ll be able to move her to a new residence next week or the week after the next.¡± As Jed grumbled, Colin quickly chimed in.


    They saw eye to eye on this and waited for Eckart¡¯s decision. From the moment the two heard about the unhappy accident several days ago, their views were in exact agreement in two aspects.


    First, it was a little unfortunate for the emperor to lose a good card like Lady Marianne. If Duke Kling actively cooperated with the emperor, it would not turn out to be a bad deal. It was a pity that Kling¡¯s promise was revealed after his judgement that his daughter was in danger, but to take issue with it would not be a good idea.


    Anyway, the duke deserved to be praised for his hard work until now.


    Second, it would be even more welcome to consider him as a friend of the emperor, not his advisor. Even if his promise to the late empress was revealed, Eckart¡¯s suffering would not disappear overnight. But the fact that Eckart set his mind on his daughter would help Kling no longer feel a sense of guilt that he betrayed Eckart¡¯s mother.


    As this was going to be a fight related to treason, they understood that Eckart didn¡¯t want to use Marianne as a card on the dangerous battlefield. They would feel much more relieved if they could work out a plan to help Marianne escape on this occasion after wrapping up the Kling issue.


    But Eckart poured cold water over their idea.


    ¡°Put the plan on hold from moving her from the Elior Mansion for a while.¡±


    ¡°Really? Put on hold?¡±


    ¡°Why? If you drag your feet, they may smell a rat. I think Duke Kling wanted to move her as soon as possible. Most of all, you won¡¯t need to be concerned much if you move her out of the current residence as soon as possible. Of course, you might have some regrets as you can¡¯t see her for the time being¡­¡± Colin, who had big red eyes, said with an embarrassed voice.


    Jed was also embarrassed, but he tried to make some plausible excuses to move her.


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t want to flee.¡±


    After he said that, Colin and Jed looked dumbfounded, at a loss for words.


    ¡°Really? Did she say that?¡±


    ¡°However, the duke will never move easily unless the safety of his daughter is secured first. The reason he revealed his promise to the late empress only now was because he was concerned about his daughter¡¯s safety, right?¡± Jed said.


    What Jed said was a reasonable argument. Actually, that¡¯s why Eckart tried to convince Marianne on that day.


    Marianne flatly rejected his offer to exclude her from the upcoming political strife.


    He could still vividly recall the warmth when she grabbed his wrist forcefully.


    ¡°Well, good, Your Majesty. You also want her to step out of this battlefield right away, don¡¯t you?¡±


    asked Jed, knitting his dark eyebrows.


    Eckart squeezed the temples with his exhausted face resting on the armrest of his chair.


    Jed was correct. Regardless of her will or Duke Kling¡¯s will, he no longer wanted to use her in the ongoing political strife. If he could have his way, he wanted to isolate her and hide her in a secure place until the political strife was over. That¡¯s why he knowingly didn¡¯t stop Jed and Colin from working on an escape plan for her without his permission.


    Those were Marianne¡¯s words.


    Eckart was bothered by her resolute words all along.


    Of course, he had the power to break Marianne¡¯s resolve. It was the emperor¡¯s power that he most detested but used valuably above all else. It was the most desperate and hateful power of the emperor that he inherited from his father.


    If he wanted to use that power secretly, he didn¡¯t need anyone¡¯s consent. If he just wanted to use it as much as he could, he could mobilize all kinds of legal forces supporting the imperial family and the empire. As a result, it may be a piece of cake to confine a powerless daughter of a duke in a place for some time. The question was whether he had the right to betray her pledge.


    Eckart doubted the limitations of his rights as the emperor for the first time in his life.


    ¡®Did I have the right to decide on her goal, her anger, and her future on her behalf?¡¯


    ¡®Even if I have it and use it as much as I can, can she accept and understand it? Did she really want me to persuade her to give up revenge for her peace? Even if she doesn¡¯t want it, do I have to go ahead and confine her at the risk of her resentment if that¡¯s the only way to ensure her safety? In other words, like how my mother did the same thing to me?¡¯


    At that moment Jed said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you try to persuade her directly? In fact, Lady Marianne lost her mother in the political strife, so I think she will understand your concern fully.¡±


    ¡°Yes. The situation has changed now. As Lady Marianne is a woman full of understanding, she will understand your concern,¡± Colin said, as if to comfort Eckart. Jed next to him nodded.


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    ¡°And another one. Most importantly, you no longer need to feel a sense of unnecessary guilt. Whatever you decide, please keep it in mind, Your Majesty,¡± said Jed.


    Eckart bit the inside of his mouth at Jed¡¯s definitive statement.


    Jed and Colin had some misunderstandings about the reason why Emperor Blair asked Kling to take care of Lennox. Eckart did not want to let them know about the terrible tricks involved in the Lennox War. He didn¡¯t want to inform them about Empress Blair¡¯s true will and the fact that he was now paying the price of what he knew.


    He closed the jewel box cover instead of replying. His mother¡¯s relics, shining blue, disappeared into the dark green velvet box.


    * * *


    As it was summer in Milan, the day gained on the night gradually. In spring, it got dark quickly while dinner was being prepared, but during the summer, the sunset still lingered after dinner


    Marianne recalled what she had heard from Mrs. Charlotte when she just moved into the Elior Mansion.


    She said she would like to take a walk to the garden alone after the meal. Although Iric, Cordelli, and Ms. Charlotte said they wanted to serve her from a distance, she rejected their kind help.


    She overcame their persistent help by threatening that she would stay put in her bedroom again if they followed her.


    Eventually, after the guards were dispatched around the garden, she was allowed to go there alone after being handed over a knight¡¯s whistle to use in contingencies.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to take a long break. So, I hope you don¡¯t interrupt my break before I call you or come back.¡±


    After she gave them a short instruction, Marianne began to cross the garden alone.


    The rest of the people left behind seemed puzzled, but they had to see her off at a distance.


    The garden, with restricted access, was more serene than usual. Like Mrs. Charlotte¡¯s words, who said it had beautiful scenery, the sky with the setting sun and the shadows of the grass created a wonderful landscape.


    She saw large garden trees in many places, a fountain spouting out water, a bridge made of stone and a cluster of roses with colorful buds in full bloom. One of them that drew her attention was a glass greenhouse built in the middle of the garden. It was a transparent and warm flower garden all year round, which she named ¡°Sea of Snow.¡±

 Chapter 152

    The last time she visited it, it was only a small flower garden because it was under construction,


    but it was now complete, full of lots of stuff, including a cage for Poibe, tea tables, a few books and an easel.


    Marianne opened the greenhouse. The inside of the greenhouse was all red and green with the sunset streaming in all over the place. Her beloved lilies were lined up, basking in the evening light. The providence of the universe, penetrating through the flawless glass, created a dark shadow after her.


    ¡°¡­ Pretty,¡± she consciously said.


    It was a beautiful landscape, and she uttered exclamations with her mouth, but she didn¡¯t feel any happiness. Rather, her neck felt sore and chilly.


    In the end, Marianne gave up on the walk. Instead, she sat down in front of the lily bed.


    Although her long skirt dragged on the ground, there was no one here who would point out her behavior that didn¡¯t suit a noblewoman.


    She sat down and looked at the flower bed. She recited one sentence like a spell.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay. I¡¯m okay. Everything will be fine.¡±


    She knew better than anyone that she would be okay just by repeating like that. Still, she repeated the same words again and again. If she didn¡¯t, she felt so stuffy and felt as if she were suffocated.


    Kader, who she met in her unconscious, told her to move forward. She said it was her destiny to move forward even if she fell and broke down. She said if she fought without fear, she would protect her with Anthea all the time.


    Of course, even if Kader had not made that promise, she would have been willing to move forward. She did not have the slightest intention to forgive Ober from the beginning. She never intended to retreat because of fear. This was a fight where she had no choice but to be killed unless she beheaded the enemy, regardless of whether she would retreat, run or stick it out.


    That is why she strongly appealed to Kader to keep her promise. The more weapons of all kinds, the better for her.


    ¡°I¡¯m really okay¡­ No, I am not okay at all, but I should be okay¡­¡±


    Marianne pulled her knees up and wrapped her head in the small space between her knees.


    Soon, her cheeks became wet with tears.


    Obviously, her life was not so sad. After she met Kader in her dream, she sometimes felt her emotions becoming less sensitive than before.


    Marianne no longer struggled with sorrow like she did that evening. She never cried or got angry in and out of season. The anger that struck her like a tidal wave gradually became more subdued. She now admitted and accepted her mother¡¯s death, her father¡¯s betrayal, and the past days when she couldn¡¯t do anything.


    But that didn¡¯t mean that she was okay. She was a bit less okay than she looked and she wanted to cry just a little bit more, if possible.


    It seemed that there was a certain amount of sadness allotted for each person when faced with despair. She was okay during the day, but she cried when it got dark.


    ¡®It was good that I told them I wanted to be alone.¡±


    Tears dropped on her dress while she was lost in such thoughts. It would take some time for her swollen eyes to subside. She didn¡¯t want to worry the others.


    She didn¡¯t know how long she cried.


    The reddish setting sun disappeared, and night fell. Her wet eyes were dry for a long time.


    She felt a cold night breeze flowing through the open door.


    Right at that moment, she heard a familiar voice flowing from behind.


    ¡°Marianne!¡±


    Marianne immediately realized that it was Eckart¡¯s voice.


    His voice calling her name had some loneliness in it. It was a cold but sweet voice.


    Now, even when she was asleep, she could see whose voice it was.


    She straightened her curled shoulders and raised her head.


    ¡°Your Majesty!¡± She slowly looked back with a slightly subdued voice.


    But there was no one at the door of the greenhouse. There was no long shadow or any lingering smell of the northern wind.


    ¡°Fool.¡±


    Instead, it was Poibe which trotted to her with its small feet.


    ¡°¡­ Phebe. I was surprised.¡±


    Marianne sighed and turned back to the flower bed. She threw a little tantrum.


    Poibe shook its head once and flew. After a quick glance over the lily flower bed, Poibe again settled on her hem. As if it felt good, its smooth wings fluttered a couple of times.


    ¡°Do not play like that in the future.¡±


    ¡°Beep.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re at it again! You know how to imitate the human language, but you pretend you can¡¯t when you are scolded, right?¡±


    ¡°Mar-ri. Fool.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Don¡¯t say that I¡¯m a fool.¡±


    Marianne gently stroked Poibe¡¯s white body. Its warmth melted away her cold-hearted reason.


    ¡°When I hear your voice¡­ I miss you¡­¡±


    It was she herself who said she would never meet anyone. Nothing would be different even if she met them.


    ¡®Shouldn¡¯t I meet Daddy to persuade him to apologize and do something for his past actions?¡¯


    But she was avoiding her father as she was not strong enough to ask him. As a result, she didn¡¯t have anything to say to her father even if she met him.


    ¡°If I want to see the emperor, I think I have to ask Daddy about it tomorrow, right? Anyway, I can¡¯t keep avoiding him anyway. And I should begin to see Ober again¡­¡±


    ¡°His Majesty.¡±


    While it was murmuring while stroking its feathers, Poibe this time mimicked Marianne¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Okay, His Excellency. How come you listen to me now? I know you¡¯re not a good bird.¡±


    ¡°I miss you.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I miss him. But not yet. I¡¯m just ashamed to do so. Let me go and see him after I see my father and get his permission first. If I go and apologize to the emperor, won¡¯t he forgive me?¡±


    ¡°His Majesty!¡±


    ¡°Got it. Do you want to go with me to the palace, Phebe? Although you¡¯re a bad bird, let me take you there. Do you want to see Sir Curtis?¡±


    ¡°Fool. His Excellency!¡±


    Poibe rolled its little feet over her dress as if it were unhappy. It even pecked her fingers stroking its head. Its white wings fluttered frantically.


    ¡°Phoebe. What is it? You don¡¯t like something¡­¡±


    Even before she finished talking, a slightly heavy, long robe covered her shoulders.


    Wrapped around her was a dark robe. As if someone was wearing it until a moment ago, she smelled the faint scent of the owner of the warm coat: the cold smell from a mix of snow and wind on a cold winter day.


    If the smell could be named at all, it could be called loneliness.


    ¡°Your Excellency.¡±


    Marianne looked back, grabbing the collar of the robe. In its place that didn¡¯t move at all was a long, hanging line.


    ¡°Marianne!¡±


    This time, not Poibe, but the real Eckart called her name.


    ¡°It¡¯s still cold at night.¡±


    Marianne bit her lips at his voice.


    ¡®Your Majesty, why do you always appear whenever I¡¯m struggling? Why do you make me realize that I¡¯m not okay? Why do you look so lonely and so friendly to make me so helpless?¡¯


    When she opened her mouth, she wanted to ask her questions like that, so she just let out a little sigh instead of asking why. He got up while holding his hand.


    Eckart waited silently while she got up and adjusted her dress.


    Marianne did not look at his face until she buttoned her robe. She slowly checked his complexion, and then opened his left hand.


    ¡°Oh, you had your left hand treated!¡±


    ¡°¡­ Yes.¡±


    ¡°Do your arms and back feel okay?¡±


    ¡°¡­ Okay.¡±


    ¡°Are you eating well?¡±


    ¡°¡­ I just manage to eat.¡±


    There was a short conversation between them.


    ¡°What a relief.¡±


    Marianne laughed faintly. Eckart knitted his brows on her behalf.


    ¡°Marianne, this isn¡¯t the time to worry about me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m serious. Look. I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to pretend to be calm. When the day breaks, you can pretend to be calm as much as you can, but you don¡¯t have to now.¡±


    Marianne laughed a little brighter at his words.


    ¡°Wow, I¡¯m amazed the day has come when you are telling me that. In Roshan, it was me who asked you all the time¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°I think the world is worth living a little longer, right?¡±


    Marianne bent her eyes, teasing him as usual. Knowing that she was not qualified to stand in front of him, she was seeing him face to face as if she felt relaxed.


    That¡¯s why she realized a little later that his eyes were trembling.


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m just kidding. I¡¯ve been wearing no earrings and necklaces these days. There¡¯s only one thing that I can swallow¡­¡±


    Marianne raised her left hand. The Kimmel ring wrapped up in her middle finger glistened in the dim moonlight.


    ¡°This is too precious to swallow because this is one and only ring in the world.¡±


    She put down her hand and looked down.


    Along with the raised hand, her gaze fell down.


    With her head down, Marianne slowly touched her engagement ring. Indeed, it was her ardent and careful touch.


    While looking at her quietly, he opened his mouth as if he had decided on something.


    ¡°Marianne!¡±

 Chapter 153

    ¡°Do me a favor.¡±


    ¡°Please go ahead.¡±


    ¡°I would like to grant your father Duke Kling¡¯s request.¡±


    Marianne shook her head at that.


    ¡°Your Majesty, I already told you that I¡¯m not going to stay out of this fight, and that you can¡¯t change my decision.¡±


    ¡°I know. And I understand your decision fully. No political strategy or threat can change your mind.¡± Eckart spoke with a sigh.


    ¡°So I¡¯ve come here not to order but to request you.¡±


    At that point, his mouth felt dry.


    From the moment he was born, he was a ruler that would rise above everyone. It was his destiny that his life was more accustomed to commands than requests. While he was confident of strategically pushing his opponent to get the desired result, he did not know how to change his opponent¡¯s heart without any tricks or underlying intentions. Actually, he believed that he didn¡¯t need to know how.


    ¡°At first I was going to use you as a giveaway card. I needed Lennox, along with your father¡¯s power and intelligence.¡±


    Had he known that there would be a day when he would confess a terrible excuse like this, he would have studied how to anyway.


    ¡°Are you disappointed? But I, too, am nothing more than those who disguise themselves in terms of using any means and ends to achieve my goal. I¡¯ve been doing so, and probably will do so in the future.¡±


    She had no answer and simply looked up at him.


    He stiffened and swallowed dry saliva as if he was caught by her eyes. Right now he wanted to tell her something honestly that he had put off mentioning, which he had never told anybody before, but he found it so hard to do so.


    However, he finally opened his mouth, ¡°Marianne, I¡¯m not making this request as a politician or a monarch, but just as a fellow human like you.¡±


    This was also part of his politics in the broader sense, she thought. It was natural for him to remove any card that had a destabilizing factor.


    Unfortunately Eckart brainwashed himself even at this moment. She knew he was racking his brain now to overcome various complicated thoughts such as whether it was okay for him to say this, what to do if she rejected his request or whether his actions were right or wrong.


    But it was only her eyes that stimulated his desire to speak his mind this time.


    While his eyes trembling with ridiculous anxiety were reflected in her eyes, her eyes were just as nervous as his. However, they were lovely and pure.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to lose you in the process of this nasty political fight.¡±


    Marianne held her breath for a moment. She tightened her grasp on the collar.


    ¡°It¡¯s not because you are an important hostage, nor the daughter of Duke Kling, nor Ober¡¯s old lover. I just¡­¡± His blue eyes trembled sadly.


    Both Marianne and Eckart knew what kind of implications his next statement would have. Whatever form or expression he would use to express it, he would have only desire in it.


    ¡°I need you desperately.¡±


    It was love, which was the meanest and most sacred human desire.


    Her heart sank suddenly. All the scenery around her lost color, and even the sound of the wind blowing through her ears disappeared.


    ¡°Marianne, you are now my greatest weakness.¡±


    Marianne held back the urge to cry surging from deep inside.


    She was happy, but at the same time tormented. She knew now that loving someone was difficult but exciting. It was not her first time feeling love, but she trembled with the weight of feelings troubling her mind.


    ¡°They always prayed for me to stick to something and become weak because they felt that once they take it away from me, they could easily break me down. Someday they will certainly take you away from me too.¡± Eckart heaved a short sigh.


    ¡°By now you know very well how you feel when your loved one is sacrificed in the process of a power struggle, right?¡±


    Eckart could not accept the assumption that he might lose her. Just one, his late mother who appeared in his occasional nightmares, was enough for him.


    ¡°Marianne!¡±


    He reached out to Marianne who was silent for a while. His cold hands slowly wrapped her slender wrists.


    ¡°Please¡­¡±


    Eckhart pleaded with her the same way he did with a desperate look and sincere voice on the night they fell from Benoit Falls.


    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± Marianne smiled as best she could with moist eyes.


    ¡°I like Your Majesty too. I like you too much, really, very, very much. I miss you every day. I always miss you desperately. I hoped that one day you could tell me that I have become your dear lover. But¡­¡±


    After she made a candid confession to him, she barely pulled her wrist from his hand. He was looking at her in shock. It took some time for her to continue as if she was glad she could reject his request.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, but I won¡¯t run anywhere.¡±


    ¡°Marianne, you don¡¯t necessarily have to get revenge on them on your mother¡¯s behalf.¡±


    ¡°Right. Maybe it¡¯s my father¡¯s role.¡± She nodded meekly.


    ¡°What I want to do is to get revenge for myself in the past. Your Majesty, lots of things that we can¡¯t understand are happening in the world. For example, a man who almost died of sickness came back alive like a miracle, a man who was a young man until yesterday became an old man, or a man who believed that he was drowned but returned to the past when he woke up¡­¡±


    Marianne didn¡¯t finish her last words. She didn¡¯t know whether it was due to the mystical spell created by the night or the closed airflow of the greenhouse, but some strange power touched her deeply.


    ¡°You really don¡¯t believe it? But all these appear in fantasy story books.¡±


    She now looked down. What came into her eyes first was the ring on her left hand.


    In Roshan, they put on the rings and swore so before the gods. If he remembered that promise, could he understand her feelings? Even if he couldn¡¯t trust her completely, could he understand why she was so stubborn because they had become partners they could lean on?


    ¡°But it¡¯s a reality for me.¡±


    Making all kinds of excuses, Marianne raised her eyes again.


    In fact, she just wanted to talk to anyone. She wanted to get his or her understanding and comfort. Even just one word would be enough for her.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m living a second life now. I was Ober¡¯s wife in my previous life. I loved him, I lost my father after I was deceived by him, and I was murdered by him after he took everything away from me. Why? Because I found out so much about him. I found out that he was responsible for fabricating my father¡¯s wagon accident, that he would soon abandon me, and that he was seeking to dethrone you¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°On the eve of the ball, you asked me in the bathroom why I was trembling with fear. Giyom drowned me in the lake. Ober ordered him to kill me, and I had to be drowned in the water before his eyes. I paid the price for my stupid life.¡±


    Eckart listened to her silently. He clenched his teeth more firmly.


    Indeed, he felt what she just confessed was ridiculous and groundless, but he didn¡¯t feel like she was lying to him. Her story was too ridiculous for her to improvise it on the spot, but it was too plausible and reasonable to ignore it as a dream or delusion.


    He recalled the words she had spoken to him all the time, referring to places that were not real:


    previous life, last, occasional dreams, present life, the last grace received from the goddess, the old days when nothing wrong happened to her, and some secrets that she might have wanted somebody to detect by chance.

 Chapter 154

    He wanted to believe her. And even without evidence, he did not want to doubt her. Whenever he met her eyes, he realized several times how painful it was to tell lies from the truth in her words.


    ¡°In other words, I died once and survived. When I opened my eyes, I found myself back in spring two years ago. I thought this was my second chance God gave me, so I visited you.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Of course, you won¡¯t believe me¡­¡±


    ¡°I believe you because those are your words,¡± he said firmly.


    Marianne held his hands tightly. She was short of breath at the moment. She had wanted to hear those words the most. So, she couldn¡¯t believe her ears. She wanted to hear it one more time.


    ¡°¡­ Can you tell me one more time?¡±


    ¡°I believe you. Regardless of whether it is true or false, I believe you.¡±


    His low, calm voice without any deception or hesitation rang in her ears.


    Eckart was the man who emphasized distrust instead of trust since he first met Marianne.


    He first checked out the possibility of it being false despite the obvious evidence before his eyes.


    Mrs. Renault attributed it to his insecure life. She said it was his fate that he led a life where he couldn¡¯t believe anybody, and he should use someone¡¯s faithfulness as the means of control.


    Marianne fully understood his distrust. She knew well that his fastidious wariness was the force that had kept him alive until now. She knew that thoughtless trust in others was a threat like him putting a knife in his heart.


    He used to be that type of person until recently.


    But now he was telling her that he believed her absurd story, not even caring about the source of her words. He believed her just because she said that.


    ¡°Your Majesty, I¡¯m the one who hurt you.¡±


    ¡°Marianne, what happened in Roshan was an accident. It¡¯s not your fault.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not just what happened in Roshan. You know that you have paid for the price that I may have had to.¡±


    Although her confession was metaphorical, Eckart immediately recognized the true meaning of her words.


    This would be the reason why she wanted to apologize to him all the time: her atonement for her ignorant and brilliant happiness that she had enjoyed while Duke Kling left the capital and led a secluded life in Lennox, keeping his secret promise with the late empress to himself.


    ¡°I won¡¯t hurt you anymore in the future.¡±


    The only thing that bothered him was that her sense of guilt was too much. The duke promised to him that he would return his promise of the past and conditionally offer everything, but she acted as if she would even feel her father¡¯s guilt.


    Was she sorry because she couldn¡¯t take back the time that passed until now? If not¡­


    ¡°Do you still believe me? Can you forgive me?¡±


    He usually stopped and habitually speculated on her motivations behind her story.


    But that was not important. As long as he could get ahold of her, it didn¡¯t matter whether the reason was her sense of guilt or insecurity. He didn¡¯t care if it was curse and criticism or hatred and resentment.


    ¡°Marianne! I have never thought that you hurt me.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. You can stay beside me even at the risk of my pain and suffering.¡±


    Eckart caught her hands again. He lowered his upper body a bit and dragged her fingertips over his cheeks. Her right fingers gently swept along the faint scratches on his face.


    ¡°Scratch my face as much as you can, right here before me. Do it with your eyes, lips, your hands and warmth.¡±


    Eckart looked straight into her eyes and pulled her hands a little further down.


    Amid the deadly silence between them, he put his lips on her palm, which was a horribly sacred and at the same time more obscene kiss than any other act.


    ¡°Your Majesty, why are you so sweet to me like this?¡±


    Marianne finally burst into tears. She couldn¡¯t pretend to be indifferent anymore. It looked as if all her sadness hidden through the veins in the corners of her whole body poured out. She hugged him and cried loudly like a child.


    ¡°¡­ You have made me the person I am now.¡±


    Eckhart gently hugged Marianne, thinking he could have hugged her a little harder if his arms felt okay. He leaned his head on her and held her in his arms.


    ¡°So, all you have to do is take responsibility.¡±


    He spoke with an enthralling voice so that she couldn¡¯t run away.


    He set up a trap to block her exit, hoping that he could keep her breath, crying and affection for him from getting out of the trap, so she could stay beside him until the end of her life¡­


    * * *


    He felt like a big wheel of the wagon was moving. As the horseman whipped the horse, a small wagon carrying Eckart began to run in a lonely alley.


    Eckart took a deep breath, leaning against the seat inside the carriage. Instead of the mysterious scent that tickled his nose all the time in the garden, he smelled the dry, cool scent of the wood.


    It was a smell that he usually didn¡¯t care about at all. His servants were well aware that their master had light mysophobia, so they kept everything clean from small objects like stationary touched by him to a space like his bedroom and carriage.


    Eckart loved thorough cleanliness. To be precise, he was familiar and comfortable with clean stuff because no color and odor were like his conviction that nothing was hidden.


    But now he felt that the air inside the carriage was very cold. It was a strange feeling to him.


    ¡®¡­ I¡¯m crazy.¡¯


    Feeling ashamed, he stroked his face with his hand. He felt a very tiny wound at his fingertips.


    Then he remembered what he had done a little while ago. His face flushed as if there was fire under his feet.


    ¡®Damn it. What did I do to her? I think I said something that I wouldn¡¯t have if I had come to my senses¡­¡±


    He rubbed his lips roughly. Only after he opened the window could he recall what he told her before breaking up.


    After crying for a while, Marianne quickly pulled herself together. She wiped her wet cheeks with remarkable resilience, and said emphatically, with red, swollen eyes, ¡°Anyway, I can¡¯t accept your request.¡±


    She was really stubborn. Although he guessed that she would say so, she played hardball with him harder than he expected.


    ¡°The reason why I came up to this point was to destroy Ober. That¡¯s the means to achieve my life¡¯s biggest goal, and I don¡¯t want to be disturbed by anyone.¡±


    ¡°I promised you that night that I wouldn¡¯t forgive Ober. I want to have him pay for the price of his crime, and then I want to live happily ever after. It may be presumptuous, but I will do my best to make you happy too.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, just like you worry about me, I am afraid they¡¯re going to hurt you. So, I want to protect you by myself.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve always lived a life protected by someone else. And I know what the result of that was. What I needed wasn¡¯t behind someone¡¯s back for me to hide. Rather, it was a weapon with which I could beat back the weapon pointed at me.¡±


    ¡°Think about it. If my father had told me about their evil things, I would never have trusted Ober. Then I would have lived a much less regretful life by now. So, you telling me to get out of this fight is no different from my father¡¯s decision to confine me inside the walls of the northern area.¡±


    ¡°You said you believed me, right? I won¡¯t betray you or leave you. I¡¯ll convince my father. So, please believe and help me to live a life of my choice and decision for myself. Just help me live a life of my own as I wish.¡±


    Those were her words before they parted.


    In the end, Eckart was persuaded by her. He went to see her to ask her to not get involved in the political strife, but he rather promised to be her biggest supporter. When he thought of how to make excuses to Jed and Colin who strongly appealed to persuade her out of the fight, he felt stressed out. He would also stay anxious about her safety by making the decision to support her, but he couldn¡¯t help it.


    If his mother had given him a choice five years ago, she would never have let him take that decision. He did not want Marianne to live a life full of resentment. He couldn¡¯t afford to endure her resentment.


    ¡°How did I end up in this situation¡­¡±


    Eckhart scolded himself with a sigh.

 Chapter 155

    At first he thought she was a little daunting, naive and fragile.


    Though he accepted her deal because there was no better card, he didn¡¯t expect or want much from her. What mattered to him was her father Duke Kling¡¯s power.


    He had never wanted anything like the role of a wife from her. He had never dreamed of making a happy family thoughtlessly. The reason he accepted her deal or her proposal was no more than a trick to skip the complicated procedures and avoid others¡¯ suspicion. It was his shallow trick to take her hostage to prepare for contingencies.


    Eckart began to like her candid and clumsy courage at some point.


    He did not know exactly when it started. After he came to his senses, he felt much closer to her emotionally. He felt unfamiliar with her, but missed her. He thought she was reckless, but he wanted to trust her.


    In conclusion, he had to admit that she didn¡¯t want to go back to the days when all these things didn¡¯t happen.


    Eckart wore a hooded black robe that he put in one corner of his room. He adjusted its front with a long strap and buttoned it up under the neck. He hesitated for a moment before putting on the hood. Only then did he smell something sweet from the collar of the robe.


    * * *


    Duke Kling returned home shortly after midnight.


    The servant on night duty took his luggage. He rejected the servant¡¯s offer to bring tea and headed for his temporary study next to the bedroom.


    Several soft candles were lit in the study. As he often stayed up all night, the servant seemed to have turned on the candles in advance. Walking toward the desk with no doubts or wariness, he stopped, knitting his brows.


    ¡°¡­ Marie?¡±


    Duke Kling hesitated, narrowing his eyes.


    ¡°Daddy, I thought you¡¯d come here first.¡±


    Marianne, who was standing with her back to the desk, turned around and approached him.


    Her face exposed to the warm light was calm and bright.


    ¡°Do you want to work more after coming back home at this time? I think you¡¯re addicted to work. Please have dinner here at the mansion. Overworking hurts your health as much as alcohol or drugs.¡±


    Duke Kling looked at his daughter anxiously who was being so amicable to him at the moment. Since her abrupt visit to the emperor¡¯s study the other day, she just stayed put in her bedroom without even allowing her father to visit her. Stunned by her strange behavior, he never intruded on her privacy after recognizing that she didn¡¯t want to see him.


    It didn¡¯t matter to him why she acted like that. It was cruel to ask her when her feelings were severely hurt. He didn¡¯t want to use any reckless method until she returned to a stable condition.


    So, he stayed longer in the palace rather than in the mansion so that his daughter could rest as comfortably as possible. When he returned home, he came back at the latest possible hour not to disturb her and went to the palace very early in the morning.


    Four days had already passed. When he saw his daughter again, he wanted to talk with her a lot, but when he met her abruptly, he was more concerned about her condition.


    ¡°I am alright. Marie, are you okay? Mrs. Reinhardt and Cordelli told me I didn¡¯t have to worry about you, but¡­ You look gaunt a bit. Are you sick?¡±


    ¡°Daddy.¡± Marianne did not hear the last of his words. Instead, she hugged him hurriedly. She smelled the most familiar scent of perfume from him with whom she had been with for twenty years.


    Those were the words she said to him as a child.


    Since the day Marianne chatted to him as a child in his arms, Duke Kling had always used the same perfume. He didn¡¯t ignore it even when she murmured something in a dream. From the moment she was born, he put top priority on whatever she said.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Dad.¡±


    Just like how it was no use crying over spilled milk, she couldn¡¯t do anything about what had already happened. Perhaps she wouldn¡¯t forget what happened on the day her father died.


    ¡°You have always worried about me. You thought the world of me even though I was an immature and clumsy girl. You didn¡¯t get upset when I did that¡­¡±


    She blamed herself. She choked with emotions and cried. Hesitating for a moment, he tapped her on the shoulder slowly.


    ¡°Marie.¡±


    She thought his arms around her back felt heavier.


    ¡°You are the most beautiful daughter to me in the world.¡±


    ¡°Daddy¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have to be angry with you. It¡¯s my fault. I thought I should tell you all about it someday, but it wasn¡¯t that easy. At the end of the day, everybody would know about it, but I didn¡¯t want to let you know. I raised you like that, although I knew I was selfish. I put it off until tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, one more month, one more year¡­I kept delaying it until I ended up at this point¡­¡±


    He rubbed his cheeks on her soft hair. His calm voice was now mixed with tears.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Forgive me. ¡±


    His deep sigh permeated her hair. His sobbing disturbed his breath.


    ¡°Daddy, I was wrong. I will never do it again. I¡¯m so sorry¡­¡±


    She could not deny that her father¡¯s over-protection complicated her life. But she also realized that he made that decision purely in good faith and with extreme love. She knew it was the best option he could take as her father.


    And whatever her intention and the circumstances surrounding her, it was herself who easily tried to abandon her life that her father had been trying to protect for the past 20 years.


    ¡°I heard from the emperor today what you told him about on the day I snuck into his study. I didn¡¯t know you made such a promise to the late empress because I didn¡¯t hear the earlier part of your dialogue with the emperor. That¡¯s why I thought you were reluctant to see the emperor because of the Lennox matter¡­¡±


    Eckart, who had noticed Marianne¡¯s excessive sense of guilt, suddenly asked her before leaving the garden. He asked her exactly at what point of his conversation with Kling she started to overhear. As Marianne told him what she heard, he clarified with a perplexed expression.


    Marianne didn¡¯t reply.


    Although he didn¡¯t touch upon some top secrets, his explanation was enough to clear up her misunderstanding of her father.


    ¡°Marie, it¡¯s okay. It was purely my decision to hide that promise. You don¡¯t have to share that burden or feel responsible for that,¡± Kling told her.


    Eckart and her father were hurt by the promise. Nevertheless, they were more concerned about her light pain than their own suffering.


    ¡°I will give back everything to the emperor. If I can take you out of this fight, I will be his spear and shield. ¡±


    ¡°Daddy.¡± Marianne pulled herself away from his arms, wiping her tears.


    ¡°I told the emperor already that I would not run away from this fight.¡±


    ¡°Marie.¡±


    ¡°What Ober is plotting at the moment is treason. Regardless of Mom¡¯s tragedy you mentioned, this is a fight that will determine my future. Milan is a battlefield for me.¡±


    Duke Kling saw a nostalgic phantom in her sparkling green eyes burning with strong determination.

 Chapter 156

    ¡°Wes, you were not a knight but an official who swore to live by conscience and good faith. Even if the road ahead is steep and treacherous, if you know it¡¯s the right one, just go there. Please try not to be a shameful parent to our child.¡±


    Those were the words of his wife who, putting Blair¡¯s ring in his hand, advised him that he should be a proud father of her baby.


    If she had lived to this day and discovered this, she would have been willing to risk her life on the battlefield like Marianne. She would not have left him hesitating until now.


    ¡°If I force you to flee from this fight, can you respect my decision? If I die and you survive, can you live happily for the rest of your life?¡±


    Marianne reached out and touched her father¡¯s cheeks wet with tears.


    ¡°You told me that someday the truth would be revealed, that what I was doing was the right thing, right?¡±


    She wiped away her father¡¯s tears and held his hands with a smile.


    ¡°Let¡¯s do the right thing together.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Marie.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not too late yet. It¡¯s only the start now. So far, you have been trying to protect me. From now on, let me take the lead. So, let me protect myself and everyone. So, please be my spear and shield as well as the emperor¡¯s.¡±


    What she said now was different from what she told him on the night she returned to the capital. Back then, she falsely vowed to him that she would not be hurt. Obviously he didn¡¯t expect that his daughter, who he thought was so young and fragile as she was raised without any fear of difficulties and troubles, would say something so daring and mature.


    ¡°You are not going to let me fight my enemy without any weapons, right?¡±


    He did not hate his daughter¡¯s courage like that. Actually, it was bold and beautiful.


    The duke stared at his daughter¡¯s white and fine face for a long time. After a little long and heavy silence, he asked his daughter one last time.


    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯ll be alright? Do you think you won¡¯t regret it?¡±


    ¡°Nope, never.¡±


    He surrendered completely before her decisive and righteous answer.


    He even felt that perhaps the result of this fight had already been decided a long time ago.


    ¡°¡­ Okay. Let me follow your decision. How can I beat you?¡±


    Marianne again jumped into her father¡¯s arms, who let out a sigh as if he had surrendered.


    Relieved by his hand stroking her hair as always, she smiled faintly.


    ¡°Do not worry. My mother in heaven will certainly help me.¡±


    Goddess Kader¡¯s prophecy was right. She was moving forward little by little at every moment.


    ¡°But¡­ Why did you act so recklessly that day? You said if you die once more, you can fix it¡­How can you say such terrible things?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s because¡­¡±


    * * *


    After a stormy day, the sun rose anew. It was extremely calm in Milan.


    As it was past the beginning of June, the weather was getting hotter, and the humidity was rising a little bit as if it wasn¡¯t long before the rainy season would come.


    The Elior Mansion, which banned visitors for several days, was opened again because Marianne resumed her activities in social circles as scheduled, starting today.


    Numerous people focused their attention on her activities as she was at the center of the scandal. They gossiped about whom Marianne would go first to meet after her recuperation.


    By this time, gamblers in the capital were secretly playing for high stakes, depending on how accurately they could predict how often she went out and where she was going.


    Amid such huge attention, Marianne left the mansion as soon as she had lunch. The brilliant wagon carrying her left the gate and turned east.


    ¡°Will you really go there? Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll will. I¡¯m already going there. ¡±


    Cordelli was upset even before she got into the carriage. She snorted as if she opposed her visit.


    .¡±Even if you go there, you won¡¯t be treated well. You already saw her treating you badly and rudely several times, didn¡¯t you? I just don¡¯t know why you are so anxious to give a gift to her.¡±


    She sharply stared at the luggage compartment of the wagon with bitter eyes. Although she was only three years younger than her, Marianne felt she looked like a much younger sister whenever she saw Cordelli throwing a tantrum.


    Smiling at her, Marianne pinched Cordelli¡¯s cheek. Her cheek stretched up and back like a spring. Her flushed face turned more reddish when Marianne pinched it.


    ¡°Miss! Don¡¯t tease me!¡±


    ¡°Oh, how cute you are! Cordelli, you really like me a lot, don¡¯t you? Are you that worried about me?¡±


    ¡°Pardon? Of course! I was so happy that you were up and coming after you became lean these days. I was a little scared because you might pretend to be okay on purpose, but¡­¡±


    Her face, which turned red like an apple, quickly became sullen. Marianne quickly shook her head and eased her anxiety.


    ¡°Cordelli, I¡¯m really okay.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I guessed. It seems to me that you¡¯ve really gotten a lot better. Since you¡¯re going out for a long time, I wondered if you were going to a picnic or meeting someone, so I prepared as many as five dresses for you. But you are not going to the emperor or your father, Marquis Chester, or Mrs. Chester!¡±


    After pondering over the next candidate, Cordelli snorted again and said with a sullen voice, ¡°Why are you trying to meet Miss Ronstat? I hate that lady.¡±


    Marianne just laughed, resting her chin on the sofa¡¯s armrest.


    ¡°Why are you laughing? Anyway, you are so tender-hearted. If she treats you rudely again today, I¡¯m going to pull out all of her hair.¡±


    ¡°Cordelli.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m serious. I am not going to sit idly.¡±


    Apparently burnt out by her recent quarrel with Lonstat, Cordelli renewed her resolve to get even with her, clenching her fists tightly.


    ¡°Yes, yes. Do whatever you want.¡±


    Marianne nodded, a bit resigned to her strong resolve. She felt Cordelli would not listen to her at the moment. Of course, she would intervene if Cordelli really wanted a fight.


    As Marianne was about to grab a teacup on the table casually, Cordelli narrowed her eyebrows.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m serious! Do you think I can¡¯t beat her up? I¡¯m really good at fighting. Not long ago, I learned about self-defense skills from Mrs. Charlotte. I want to protect you. Self-defense with a fan. Anyway, it¡¯s amazing¡­If you don¡¯t believe me, can I show you later?¡±


    ¡°I believe it because you said that.¡±


    ¡°Oops!¡±


    Marianne spat out the tea in her mouth at the moment.


    ¡°Lady! What¡¯s the matter with you?!


    Surprised, Cordelli quickly grabbed a handkerchief and wiped her face. As soon as she stopped coughing, she stared intently over the couch.


    ¡°Phebe, how can you.. ¡±


    ¡°Fool.¡±


    Poibe, which was smoothing down its feathers casually, tilted its head. Its bright eyes were glistening. Obviously Poibe was doing it to tease her. But it was so cute that she couldn¡¯t respond, which made her more annoyed.


    ¡°Why are you scolding Phebe? Phebe says it believes me, right? It looks like Phebe is on my side. As I have been feeding it snacks faithfully, it has paid off!¡±


    Cordelli smiled happily, clearing up the messy table.


    Marianne coughed again. She was embarrassed as she felt mocked by the parrot.


    After recalling his voice at the moment, she felt strange about missing the emperor.


    He was looking down at her while saying that.


    ¡°Uh? But that voice¡­I think I heard it a lot before¡­¡±


    Marianne opened the window wide, pretending not to have heard Cordelli.


    As it turned out, the weather was amazingly good.


    In no time her wagon was driving through the Noble Road.


    * * *


    Servants at the Lonstat Mansion were very embarrassed by the appearance of an unexpected visitor. While they were at a loss about how to respond, the door was opened. Marianne¡¯s party, including Iric and Cordelli, had already entered the main residence while they were busy looking for Miss Lonstat.


    In fact, there was nobody who could stop them from entering the house, given that Marianne was a duke¡¯s daughter as well as the emperor¡¯s fiancee who already had the engagement ceremony. Of course, Earl Lonstat and his son might have stopped them recklessly, but fortunately they were not at the house as they had gone to the palace.


    For this visit, Marianne even had Iric accompany her, but she could enter the house so easily.


    ¡°Lady Marianne, sorry, but we hadn¡¯t heard that you would visit today¡­¡± said a maid.


    ¡°Oh, sorry. I didn¡¯t think that I¡¯d get permission to enter this place even if I notified you of my visit here. That¡¯s why I came here unexpectedly.¡±


    The maid was speechless as Marianne played hardball.


    ¡°I heard Ms. Roxanne has been feeling bad all this time. I was very worried because I couldn¡¯t meet her at social meetings. So, I¡¯ve come here like this. Can you tell me which way her bedroom is?¡±

 Chapter 157

    ¡°Well¡­can you wait in the parlor for a minute so I can ask the lady and then come back¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh my goodness. I don¡¯t want to disturb the patient like that. I should go and see her. I¡¯m not bad enough to harass the patient.¡±


    The maid was silent at her asking.


    ¡°So, where is her bedroom?¡±


    As she confirmed that Marianne was determined to see Ronstat, the maid helplessly escorted her to her bedroom on the third floor.


    The maid made the wise decision. She knew after Lady Marianne left, she would get a good scolding from Lonstat, but even in that case, she would be cursed at for several hours as punishment.


    If Lonstat annoyed Marianne, not only she but also her remote relatives would have to be ready for heavy punishment. Besides, her family was on good terms with Marquis Chester, who was as powerful as the emperor. It was natural that even Earl Lonstat checked Marianne¡¯s moods as they didn¡¯t want to turn all the prominent nobles in the capital as well as the imperial family against them.


    Wielding the power she possessed as much as she could, Marianne stopped in front of Lonstat¡¯s bedroom.


    Soon the maid knocked on the door and said, ¡°Lady!¡±


    There was no answer from inside.


    ¡°Lady! You have a guest here.¡±


    Again it was silent.


    Checking her face once more, the maid once knocked on the door more nervously.


    ¡°Lady, are you still in sleep? A guest is here to see you.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Lady? Miss Roxanne?¡±


    As if the silence in the room was her own sin, the maid nervously waited for Ronstat¡¯s reply.


    While looking at the closed door quietly, Marianne turned to her.


    ¡°Just open it. I think she is already awake.¡±


    ¡°Pardon? However¡­¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t want it? Can you step aside so I can open it?¡±


    ¡°Oh no!¡±


    The maid shook her head and hurriedly refused. Soon the door was opened. With Iric standing next to the door, Marianne walked in with Cordelli.


    The bedroom was pretty gorgeous for an earl¡¯s daughter. The furniture unified various colors and the gilt paintings on the walls caught her eye. The fragrance of the garden and the sunshine was streaming through the open window, and on the tea table in front of it there was steaming of tea. The puzzle pieces scattered next to it were half finished, showing that someone tried to put the puzzle together.


    Warning Cordelli with a look, who was already making a frown, Marianne approached an empty chair in front of the table and sat down.


    ¡°Well, it smells good. It looks like your taste is pretty classic. There are very few who make tea from lotus leaves these days.¡±


    Ronstat still didn¡¯t respond. While watching the patterns drawn with blue paint on the white teapot, Marianne turned her face to the bed.


    ¡°I brought a present for you too. Aren¡¯t you curious?¡±


    The blanket which was rolled up to cover her moved a bit.


    ¡°If I had known that you liked puzzles, I would have brought one from my house. I have a big puzzle that I¡¯ve got my eye on. As many as two thousand pieces¡­¡±


    In the end, Roxanne sprang up to her feet, kicking the blanket.


    ¡°Wow, you finally got up. It¡¯s been a while.¡±


    ¡°Lady Marianne, are you really crazy?¡±


    ¡°Hummm¡­Do I look crazy?¡± Marianne shrugged her shoulders casually.


    Roxanne¡¯s white face quickly turned red. And she clenched her small fists.


    ¡°How rude you are! You entered this room without my permission! Didn¡¯t the etiquette teacher in your house teach you about it?¡±


    ¡°Yes, she did. She taught me all the etiquette that I needed to know.¡±


    ¡°Where are your manners then?¡±


    ¡°But even you, who might have learned etiquette as much as me, were pretty rude to me, right?¡±


    Roxanne was speechless with a perplexed expression.


    In her eyes, Marianne was a cunning woman who pretended to be a good girl. At any place and in any situation, she pretended to behave kindly. Roxanne was surprised and upset at her seemingly worried look. That¡¯s what Roxanne felt when she bumped into Marianne at Mrs. Chester¡¯s house recently.


    Roxanne shouted at Marianne, ¡°Get out right away!¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m leaving soon. I have the next appointment in an hour.¡±


    ¡°Why did you come here and ridicule me? Haven¡¯t you been satisfied since that day? You¡¯re terrible! Does the emperor and Marquis Chester know what kind of person you are?¡±


    Roxanne bitterly retorted and scoffed at her. Marianne smiled at Roxanne, holding Cordelli¡¯s skirt tightly as she was about to charge at her at any moment.


    ¡°No, they probably don¡¯t know because I¡¯m pretending to be very weak before them.¡±


    Roxanne looked embarrassed at her unexpected confession. Cordelli, who knew it was true, slipped the fan she was holding in embarrassment at the moment.


    ¡°Mr. Roxanne.¡± Marianne finally turned and saw Roxanne face to face.


    ¡°I really¡­ I¡¯m here because I am worried about Roxanne.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°I was worried if you would become lean like a dried tree while crying all day and skipping meals without meeting anybody.¡±


    As she always did when she was in distress, Marianne looked down a bit, blurring her last words. She recalled what Roxanne shouted while being dragged out the Chester house recently.


    Her crying voice, begging Ober, crawling on the floor, broke Marianne¡¯s heart deeply. She was lifted and dragged by Giyom, with her mouth shut, and Ober acted as if nothing happened even when he ruined her reputation in social circles overnight. All this reminded Marianne of her previous life.


    ¡°Aha! You were not worried about me, but you wanted to ruin my life!¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter whether you believe it or not. I¡¯ve left the gift to your butler, so check it after I return. If there is anything else you want, let me know.¡±


    ¡°Are you trying to buy me off with a gift? Dream on.¡±


    Roxanne¡¯s hostile attitude clearly showed that she hated her very much.


    But Marianne didn¡¯t hate her so much.


    ¡°Mr. Roxanne, why do you hate me?¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? Yes, absolutely.¡±


    ¡°Because I am going to be the emperor¡¯s wife? Or because I¡¯m close to Sir Ober?¡±


    Hearing that, Roxanne sniffed and turned her mouth up as if she didn¡¯t want to talk.


    ¡°Do you love His Majesty?¡±


    ¡°Love?¡±


    ¡°Or Sir Ober?¡±


    Roxanne naturally scoffed at her question.


    ¡°Do you think I resent you because of that cheap feeling?¡±


    Roxanne stood up from the seat. She approached Marianne with white bare feet and an ivory chemise dress fluttering like butterflies. Then, her pale lime eyes stopped before Marianne¡¯s nose.


    ¡°I want power. I want the type of power with which I can throw you away at my fingertips when you¡¯ve done something terrible to me like this.¡±


    The wind blowing from the window scattered her bright blonde. Roxanne was smaller than Marianne, but she had a higher eye level than Marianne sitting in a chair. As she was very close to Marianne, Roxanne could look down on Marianne more dramatically.


    ¡°I see.¡± Marianne raised her head slightly and made eye contact with her.


    ¡°Where are you going to use that power when I¡¯m gone?¡±


    ¡°If I use it the way I want, what does it have to do with you? None of your business!¡±


    ¡°Of course, it has nothing to do with me, but I¡¯m just curious.¡±


    Marianne pushed back the air with a squeaking noise, scratching the floor.


    She continued, ¡°If that power was what you really wanted, I thought there would be a lot more you could try.¡±


    Now, Marianne stood up slowly without avoiding her sharp eyes.


    Marianne stood up, now looking down on Roxanne who was smaller than her, and said,


    ¡°As you said, this is the power with which you can get rid of the emperor¡¯s fiance and the lover of the most prominent nobleman, right? Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a waste if you use it only to ruin only one woman¡¯s life?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, of course, I¡¯m saying this on the assumption that you have this power.¡±


    Roxanne moved one step back with a frown.


    ¡°I want to get along with you, Miss Roxanne. I think that will be more helpful to you.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯ve taken away your lover?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better to deceive me rather than just antagonize me? Why don¡¯t you take back what you want after I first make you believe I¡¯m trustworthy?¡±


    Roxanne thought to herself, ¡®Who could tell the enemy how to defeat a friendly army? Unless the purpose is to distract the enemy with false information, no friendly army would tell the enemy their weakness. So all of those words will either be false or a trap. Accordingly, Marianne¡¯s reassurances should be a lie.¡¯


    Roxanne thought so, but she did not turn away from Marianne¡¯s eyes and voice.


    ¡°I have brought with me only one maid here when I came to the capital. I don¡¯t have many friends in Milan. Well, if you think about the rumors about me, I don¡¯t think I want to get along with myself.¡±


    Roxanne didn¡¯t reply, though.

 Chapter 158

    ¡°Think about my suggestion. This is a very rare and good opportunity, ¡± said Mariane, smiling with her green eyes sparkling. It was an innocent and lovely smile.


    ¡°Let me leave now. I¡¯m so relieved to see you in good shape.¡±


    Having said that, with which Roxanne couldn¡¯t be more pretentious, the unwelcome intruder and maid left the room. She could hear them disappearing from the door. A maid stuck her head out to look at them but closed the door quickly when she noticed Roxanne.


    ¡°My arse! What do you know about me?¡±


    Roxanne glanced at the closed door and stamped her feet to go back to the bed.


    After staring at the empty chair for a while, she finally screamed and flipped the blanket over.


    ¡°Ahhh! So annoying! How despicable! Ahhhh!¡±


    Leaving the Lonstat Mansion, Marianne¡¯s carriage headed to a mansion not far away.


    Although Marianne couldn¡¯t distinguish the many noble houses on both sides of the Noble Road, there was one that she could single out, which was Marquis Chester¡¯s villa.


    ¡°May the Goddess bless you. I¡¯m Annette of Levedev, and I¡¯m honored to see you!¡±


    It was Mrs. Chester¡¯s maid Annette who greeted her at the entrance.


    It was the first time Marianne shared greetings with her, but her black hair, which looked as if it had been soaked in black ink, was familiar to her. With neatly combed hair and a dark dress, she was always there where Mrs. Chester could find her easily.


    ¡°I wish you the blessing of the goddess, too.¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Chester is still in the main building¡¯s private room taking care of some work.¡±


    Annette stepped back with a businesslike reply. Marianne followed her with Cordelli while looking around.


    As she had come here several times, she was familiar with some of the stuff in the house. But that was not enough. She thought she might need to check out the people coming in and out of this house as well as the servants on rotation duty more carefully.


    The three men stopped in front of one room while Marianne was examining her surroundings carefully with a sense of duty. Just looking at the skeleton of the closed door and the walls on both sides, she could see how fastidious Mrs. Chester¡¯s taste was. Finding something that was not shiny seemed easier than finding a special gem.


    ¡°Madam, Lady Marianne is here.¡±


    ¡°Please let her in.¡± Mrs. Chester gladly replied.


    While Annette opened the door, Marianne took a deep breath, holding a folding fan.


    ¡°Welcome. May the Goddess bless you!¡±


    Mrs. Chester approached her with a pleasant look. Her wide rosy dress spreading on the carpet fluttered at her every step.


    ¡°I wish you Anthea¡¯s blessing too!¡±


    Marianne smiled brightly, wishing the goddess¡¯s blessing for the woman who killed her mother.


    In the large room behind her, there were a bunch of luxurious treasures ranging from pearl earrings and perfumes in glass bottles to mannequins with dresses on them and display cupboards higher than Marianne. She was not moved at all by this spectacular scene.


    There was a reason for Mrs. Chester to escort her into this room when she obviously knew Marianne was visiting at the appointed time.


    ¡°There are a lot of treasures here. What were you doing?¡±


    ¡°Ah, I was picking a present. I¡¯m sending it to Her Majesty Alesa, the Empress of Faisal. They are all good, but I want to send her the best, so I¡¯m checking them one by one¡­Oh, I forgot it¡¯s already appointment time. Hope I haven¡¯t hurt your feelings.¡±


    Mrs. Chester waved a black lace fan slowly. A strong scent of jasmine flowers wafted around Marianne¡¯s nape. She felt as if a shapeless snake was tightening her neck.


    But she thought she should not run away. The snake was an animal that crushed and swallowed its prey trying to flee. Some snakes allegedly checked the length and size of their prey to see if they could swallow it. As soon as the prey loses, the snake will stab it with its sharp poisonous fang and coil it with its long body.


    Marianne kindly grabbed her arms, trying to keep her nails from digging into her palms.


    ¡°Not at all, Madame. Can I help you if you don¡¯t mind? Maybe I¡¯m better at picking what you want.¡±


    ¡°Really? Well, you were once famous as the Spring of the North in social circles¡­ It would be strange if you didn¡¯t have a discerning eye. I¡¯m glad to receive your help. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯ll be helpful, but let me send your regards to Empress Alessa in my letter.¡±


    ¡°Oh, how considerate you are! I¡¯m honored if you can. Thank you.¡±


    The noble and despicable exchanges of pleasantries between them were over. After they exchanged routine pleasantries, the two began to appraise the treasures arranged throughout the room. Annette and Cordelli walked behind them and helped.


    ¡°I think this dress is a bit out of fashion these days. The ruffles are so poor. Wouldn¡¯t it be nice to put a lace on the breast?¡±


    ¡°Well, good. Let¡¯s do it this way. Empress Alessa has loved lemon color since she was a princess¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh. This spinel is really high quality. So much so that I want to have it too. Which craftsman worked on this? I purchased a new topaz a while ago, and I want to leave some to you to make earrings.¡±


    ¡°I think you have an excellent discerning eye. Anne, go and write a letter of introduction to Diane before this lady goes back home.¡±


    ¡°Okay, ma¡¯am.¡± Annette politely bowed and stepped back without missing their conversation.


    Marianne hardened her face when she was about to see the next one. Pretending to be as casual as possible, she looked back at Annette¡¯s back as she was disappearing.


    ¡®Anne? Mrs. Chester clearly said she is Anne¡­¡±


    She was the owner of the letter that maid Eve tried to deliver. She was Ober¡¯s minion whose exact name or identity was not known, but just called Anne.


    ¡®Was she so close to my area?¡¯ Marianne was stunned.


    Marianne tried to stay calm by swallowing dry saliva once. She thought Anne might be a mere coincidence because it was a common name, and that there was no possibility that Ober would openly plant her in a place like this.


    But before Marianne began to ponder over Anne a little more, Mrs. Chester called.


    ¡°Lady?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mrs. Chester. What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I just wondered if I gave you any burden with this gift selection¡­.¡±


    ¡°Not at all, Madame. It¡¯s not that difficult.¡±


    Mrs. Chester¡¯s ashen eyes looked up at Marianne with a smile.


    When she felt Mrs. Chester was reading her mind, Marianne quickly changed the topic.


    ¡°Thank you for your consideration. By the way, why are you sending gifts to Empress Alessa?¡±


    ¡°Oh, her birthday is coming soon. Duke Hubble recently sent a gift to her to celebrate her wedding anniversary, but he didn¡¯t let me know about it, so I failed to send the gift on time.¡±


    Mrs. Chester smiled all along when she spoke to Marianne, and her tone was not sharp or gloomy. Nevertheless, Marianne felt that she was very displeased.


    ¡°It looks like you have a special relationship with Empress Alessa. As far as I know, it¡¯s been more than twenty years since she left Aslan¡­ ¡±


    ¡°You bet. I don¡¯t know how she feels about me, but I really like her. I loved and loved her as much as I did Estelle, your mother.¡±


    Mrs. Chester replied with a smile. Marianne had no other choice but to smile after her, seeing her face to face, who didn¡¯t show any sense of guilt while talking about her mother.


    That was all Marianne could do for now. She even hoped that her feigned smile would not look awkward to Mrs. Chester.


    ¡°It reminds me of old memories. As he seems to have overcome her loss by now, I think I can tell something to a kind lady before me.¡±


    What Mrs. Chester had to say next was something that she didn¡¯t want Marianne to refuse. It was not anything like a request, but a unilateral declaration that she would say what she wanted to.


    Marianne barely suppressed the anger surging inside her. She then tilted her head with an innocent look while trying to curry favor with her.


    ¡°You said he has overcome it by now. Was he heartbroken in the past?¡±


    Mrs. Chester laughed, covering her face with a fan as if she already read her mind or sneered at her.


    ¡°Have you ever heard of the rumor that the Empress of Faisal is very uncomfortable about cutlery?¡± Mrs. Chester whispered with a fascinating voice as if she were telling a secret story.


    ¡°Well¡­I do not know. I think I have heard it before, but I¡¯m not quite sure.¡±


    ¡°There are probably very few in Aslan who know about it, but it¡¯s widely known in Faisal. It is a tacit agreement among knowledgeable people that even jewelry tableware, very blunt like this, should not be brought into her palace.¡±


    Marianne looked down at the box she was stroking.


    A knife carved neatly and hung with jewels at the end of it made a terrifying noise when it scratched the tip of Mrs. Chester¡¯s red fingernail.


    ¡°Did she have any memories of being hurt by something as sharp as a knife when she was young?¡±


    ¡°Exactly! How smart you are!¡±


    It was an obvious answer, but she praised it with an exaggerated voice.

 Chapter 159

    Marianne instinctively realized that this was not just a private talk or her dwelling on her own misfortune. Mrs. Chester, like a snake attracting prey, was setting the way for Marianne to arrive at a predetermined truth and answer.


    ¡°You bet. Empress Alessa went through a terrible thing when she was still just a princess. Her heart was broken by sharp things. I wonder how she felt when she found out about her closest friend¡¯s death¡­¡±


    Marianne¡¯s expression hardened, ¡°¡­ What did you mean when you said she found out about her closest friend¡¯s death? ¡±


    ¡°Miss, you know Empress Frida, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I do.¡±


    ¡°Do you know she is also Duke Hubble¡¯s elder sister?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I know.¡±


    ¡°Then, do you also know that Duke Hubble had another sister?¡±


    ¡°Really? Well¡­ Ah! Yes. But she was¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes. She was Lady Michaela, namely Marquise Blanchefort. She went missing nineteen years ago. Since then, Marquis Blanchefort¡¯s health has gradually declined. He has been completely retired from the central political stage for a long time. Everybody tries very hard not to mention his name because they don¡¯t want to annoy Duke Hubble.¡±


    Michaela Hubble von Blanchefort was the youngest sister of Duke Hubble and the sister of the late Empress Frida. It was purely because of Michaela that the Blanchefort family, who had no special characters or achievements, rose from a common baron family to the level of a marquis established himself in the central politics. Empress Frida and Duke Hubble did not seek her groom among the prestigious noble families because they planned to make her groom the central figure of a prestigious family.


    ¡°Mrs. Blanchefort had a very pretty daughter. She was Lady Rosetta. Empress Alesa called her Rose fondly. I¡¯ve met Rosetta several times. She was a lady who looked like a full blown summer rose. ¡±


    Rosetta, who had a very powerful noble family on her mother¡¯s side, grew up in splendor.


    Her cousins and brothers were either children of a duke or imperial family members, so she didn¡¯t lack anything, materially or spiritually.


    ¡°Lady Rosetta often visited the palace with her mother. She was most intimate with Princess Alessa and naturally got along well with her other cousins. Crown Prince Cassius was a very attractive young man. I assure you that all the daughters of noble families adored him during those days.¡±


    ¡°What you mean is ¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes. Lady Rosetta also adored Cassius very much. So much so that she wanted to be his wife and become the next empress.¡±


    ¡°But isn¡¯t marriage forbidden between cousins under Aslan laws?¡±


    ¡°Of course. However, there have been exceptions, like for Cremer VI. A cousin was adopted as a daughter by an aristocrat relative which changed her family status then she was accepted as his wife. After that, marriage between cousins was more strongly avoided, but that was a long time ago. It was not unusual for Miss Rosetta, who loved Cassius very much, to dream of being the next empress. ¡±


    ¡°In other words, she believed she could be an exception, right?¡±


    ¡°In fact, there were a lot of people around her who weren¡¯t bothered with that kind of workaround. Perhaps her uncle, Duke Hubble, was the most pleased with that option because he had no daughter.¡±


    The easiest and most powerful alliance in politics was one of marriage. Duke Hubble had only one son, but his elder sister Frida already had two daughters and two sons after marrying Frei V. In order to influence the next imperial family, it was necessary for the Hubble family to unite with one of them. Fortunately, his sister Michaela¡¯s daughter, Rosetta, had Cassis in mind. Although Rosetta was not his biological daughter, she was a much better choice than any other girl of a noble family without his family¡¯s blood.


    ¡°Duke Hubble, Marquise Blanchefort, and even Empress Frida tacitly agreed that Cassius and Rosetta should get married. People soon believed that Lady Rosetta would be the next empress. Could any other daughter of the noble family compete with Rosetta, who was the duke¡¯s cousin as well as the empress? No way. But you know, the late empress was not Lady Rosetta. To the lady who grew up with the princess and possessed everything she wanted, the failure of her first love must have been a huge pain.¡±


    ¡°So, Lady Rosetta had sickness of the mind¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, did everyone say that Rosetta had sickness of the mind because the late Emperor Cassius chose the princess of Lennox as his wife instead of her?¡± Mrs. Chester giggled again behind the fan. Her laughter was much more eerie and cheerful than before. ¡°If she really had suffered from that, I would never have missed Lady Rosetta like I do now. That lady was really a loud and outgoing character. She was not the type of woman who could lead a stupid life of staying put in her own room, crying and despairing after her beloved was taken by somebody else.¡±


    Marianne got an ominous feeling. She seemed to know how Alessa felt when she found out about the death of her best friend, whose life, as Mrs. Chester described, was a stupid one.


    ¡°Rosetta¡¯s love was a one-sided love, but what do you think the lady who was betrayed by her tender feelings did?¡±


    ¡°No way¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes. She ended her life nicely with her own hands. ¡±


    Marianne frowned as she couldn¡¯t stand it anymore. Ironically, Mr. Chester¡¯s words were perfect to elicit that response from her, but she didn¡¯t feel happy or fortunate at all.


    ¡°The person who first discovered Lady Rosetta¡¯s suicide was Empress Alessa. As I heard later, Rosetta stabbed herself in the heart. Obviously, she didn¡¯t want to leave any room for suspicion as far as her suicide was concerned. Oh, how nicely she ended her life! She clearly sent the signal that if she couldn¡¯t have Cassius, she would make him never forget her. Unfortunately, the late Emperor Cassius seemed to have forgotten her easily, but I can¡¯t help but compliment her courage. She didn¡¯t want to allow herself to be the shame of her family, right? I can¡¯t help but be captivated by her courage. ¡±


    Marianne felt pressed by a strange terror. She had never met someone like Mrs. Chester who spoke with such an exhilarated voice while describing such terrible things.


    Her nasty and strange fear soon turned into fervent anger toward Mrs. Chester.


    ¡®Was Mrs. Chester so happy while sending condolence flowers to my late mother? Did she laugh secretly at my father¡¯s funeral? Did she smile even while hearing that her maid was crying and hung herself by the cherry tree in the garden? How can a human being really do that? If this woman is really a human, how could she do such cruel and merciless things?¡¯


    Mrs. Chester continued, ¡°I heard that Empress Alessa reacted hysterically whenever she saw sharp things, so I was so happy to know that she received the sword sent by Duke Hubble. I¡¯m so fortunate that I can send her any gift now.¡±


    Mrs. Chester¡¯s sharp eyes curved gently. Marianne opened her mouth hard as if she was chewing sand.


    ¡°So, that¡¯s why Duke Hubble often showed hostile feelings to the imperial family?


    ¡°I do not know,¡± said Mrs. Chester, shrugging. She continued, ¡°Duke Hubble is a very cold-hearted politician. He¡¯s not stupid enough to turn his back on the imperial family because he lost a niece who wasn¡¯t his blood. It is true that the late emperor was very wary of the nobles trying to strengthen their power.¡±


    Marianne and Mrs. Chester were alone in the room, but Mrs. Chester bowed down a little and put her lips around Marianne¡¯s ear. With surprisingly calm breathing, she whispered, ¡°But who knows if he lost something so precious before that in the same very nasty way? Think of the wound. You know, it¡¯s more painful when someone pokes his finger into an open wound than the first cut of a blade. It is also painful to pretend that it¡¯s okay when it really hurts.


    ¡°Let me tell you this for your reference. There are only three people who have suddenly died in the Hubble family. Duke Hubble¡¯s wife died from illness, the Marquise Blanchefort went missing, and Lady Rosetta who was known to have died from mental illness. Among them Duke Hubble¡¯s wife was the only one whose cause of death was clear as she died from the Kinnis epidemic. ¡±


    Each of word she spoke broke Marianne¡¯s heart, but Mrs. Chester was smiling while telling such terrible stories. Marianne couldn¡¯t read her heart properly.


    ¡°Madame, Why are you telling me all this?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I think I talked too much as I was reminiscing about things of the past. Were my episodes too dull and stuffy for a young lady to listen to?¡±


    ¡°¡­ No, not at all. I always learn a lot from you.¡±


    ¡°If you think so, that¡¯s good. Just forget it as what I¡¯ve told you so far is just my dwelling on my misfortune. Okay, shall we choose a gift? I have to send it by the end of today to meet the deadline.¡±


    Mrs. Chester hurriedly passed her, as if she was impatient.


    Marianne watched the hem of her dress dragging behind her. The afterimages of the collar of her dress, as red as blood, flashed through her mind.

 Chapter 160

    ¡°Disgusting,¡± Eckart said, unequivocally. ¡°Are you okay? It would have been a hard job just to look into her face.¡±


    Marianne stared at Eckhart because she wondered why he first asked about her safety instead of Mrs. Chester¡¯s underlying intentions after he was fully briefed about her conversation with Mrs. Chester yesterday.


    ¡°Well, I have two answers to your question. One is candid, the other is not. Which one would you want to hear?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I want your candid answer.¡±


    She shrugged once and said, ¡°Well, I¡¯m not feeling okay, to be honest with you, but I have no other choice. I can¡¯t ruin it and be swayed by my emotions. Besides, I¡¯ve been investing too much in this fight to give up at this point. Don¡¯t look like that. You didn¡¯t do anything wrong. ¡±


    ¡°But ¡­¡± Eckhart fumbled his words.


    Marianne felt that he looked at her in pity as if he was looking at an injured puppy.


    ¡®Where did he learn this kind of useless responsibility?¡¯


    Marianne stood up with a perplexed look. Pulling Eckart to his feet from behind the desk, she led him by the hand and walked with him to the long sofa by the window. She didn¡¯t care whether her grip on his hand hurt or not.


    He cleared his throat to pretend to be calm and sat at the end of the couch.


    ¡°Now, if you really want to comfort me, please do it this way. ¡±


    Mariane sat in the middle of the couch and fell to the side to lay her head in his lap. His thighs stiffened beneath her cheek as she lifted his left arm and placed it on her shoulder. She lifted his arm so his wrist bent and his hand trailed down her shoulder three or four times.


    ¡°¡­ Marianne, who the hell is comforted by this? ¡±


    ¡°Me. I lie my head on Cordelli¡¯s lap and ask her to rub my shoulder when I¡¯m having a hard time. I asked my father for it often. My friend, Evelyn, sometimes played pranks on me by suddenly moving her legs, but she usually agreed to my request.¡±


    What more could he say when she said that¡¯s how she was comforted?


    Eckart took a deep breath. In no time, he carefully stroked her shoulder awkwardly. His touch was so light that she didn¡¯t feel even the weight of his hand.


    Under his innocent touch, Marianne suddenly twisted her body to look up at him. His big hand stopped in the air suddenly.


    Eckart hurriedly withdrew his hand, narrowing his eyebrows slightly. He looked down, but when his eyes met hers from beneath his chin he turned his gaze.


    ¡°Your Majesty!¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m curious about something. Can I ask you about it?¡±


    ¡°Marianne, you do not have to ask for my permission before asking me questions. ¡±


    ¡°Any question?¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡±


    ¡°Then, please make eye contact with me. When you talk, it¡¯s basic manners to make eye contact with the other person, right?¡±


    As she asked daringly, he had no choice but to turn his gaze back to her again.


    The sunlight coming from the window glistened in his golden hair. His breath was hot and fell over her face like a snowflake. As she was looking up at him, she could even see the halo of his eyelashes.


    ¡°I know I shouldn¡¯t relax like this, but I love it. What can I do? ¡±


    He blushed at her embarrassing comment.


    While she was amazed by his blushing face, he squeezed the back of the sofa, avoiding her eyes. If he pulled his arms back like that, his back would hurt, but he didn¡¯t care at all.


    If Marianne¡¯s head had not been in his lap, he might have leapt to his feet and ran out of the room right away.


    ¡°How can you say that to me so casually? ¡±


    ¡°What? What¡¯s wrong with me saying it? You just said I could ask anything ¡­¡±


    Marianne pouted and turned to the side again.


    He once again stiffened like a surprised animal then began to stroke her shoulder again after a brief moment of angst. She felt that even though he was clumsy, he was doing his best to comfort her.


    He spoke softly, ¡°Do not be too impatient!¡±


    Even his low voice seemed to comfort her.Eckart was an overly affectionate person. Just like the chestnut had sharp thorns to keep sweet and fragile fruit safe, his cold, high ¡°iron wall¡± was probably nothing but a defense in precarious positions.


    At some point, Marianne could see the soft flesh hidden behind his thorns. The hidden fruit was so sweet and fragrant that she did not want to yield it to anybody else in the world. She wanted to embrace his affection as well as his hatred of her.


    ¡°In fact, I was keeping an eye on Levedev¡¯s daughter, so I¡¯m going to order further investigation of her. I think it¡¯s very likely that the Ann the maid mentioned is Levedev¡¯s daughter.¡±


    Marianne nodded instead of replying. Even though it was rude, he didn¡¯t blame her. His thighs had relaxed beneath her cheek and stiffened again suddenly.


    ¡°I have to doubt Mrs. Chester¡¯s motivation to tell me about Marquise Blanchefort and her daughter¡­¡±


    Trying to snuggle into the shade of his body unknowingly, Marianne tried to reflect on Mrs. Chester¡¯s real intention.


    But even now, she couldn¡¯t detect her real intentions. She felt the purpose of Mrs. Chester¡¯s intention was too uncertain to regard as intimidating. She couldn¡¯t even know how much Mrs. Chester believed her. If Mrs. Chester regarded Duke Hubble as her enemy, she didn¡¯t need to reveal his flaws which should have been her advantage.


    ¡°It seems certain that she is falling out with Duke Hubble, given that Empress Alessa received the sword or Mrs. Chester prepared a separate gift for her¡­Considering other intelligence, I can¡¯t help but conclude that she is deliberately shaking the political chessboard after the accident in Roshan.¡±


    ¡°I think our betting is paying off. Do you think Mrs. Chester is trying to exclude Duke Hubble from the chessboard completely?¡±


    ¡°Maybe. It will be clearer, depending on what solution Ober will bring. ¡±


    ¡°Got it. I don¡¯t think Duke Hubble will take it lying down¡­ Let me wait for now. ¡±


    Marianne turned to the other side as if to show she was mentally disturbed.


    She stared into the fireplace. It was empty because it was summer.


    The bookshelf just to the right of the fireplace made some rattling sound then turned. A familiar face popped out of the dark space behind it.


    With eyes as black as his hair and dressed in Eluang Knights¡¯ uniform, he was none other than Curtis, whose presence could hardly be felt by anybody.


    As soon as he entered the study, Curtis looked at the surroundings and stiffened. The bookshelf shifted behind him, not quite closing. Though he was expressionless, he was obviously embarrassed and didn¡¯t speakEckart and Marianne were surprised, too and didn¡¯t speak.


    Marianne blinked her big eyes several times, desperately trying to figure out what she was looking at. A barrage of questions came to her mind like sprouting buds in spring.


    ¡®Was the bookshelf designed like that from the beginning? Did I not know that there was a bookcase with such a strange feature because I didn¡¯t like reading very much? Or did I like Eckart¡¯s voice so much that I fell asleep? Is this a dream? How can Curtis appear if this is a dream? Or is this the work of the Goddess Kader? She suggested meeting me on Awakening Day. Has the day come already?¡±


    With the two men fiercely suspicious of what was happening, Eckart first came to his senses and sighed,¡±¡­ How long are you going to stand there?¡±


    Curtis pushed the bookshelf back into its place while Marianne jumped up, looking at Eckart.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t a dream, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­ Nope.¡±


    ¡°Why did Curtis come out of the bookcase?¡± After she said that, she quickly looked around and asked in a whisper, ¡°How come he came out of bookcase?¡±


    ¡°Because there is a passage over there.¡±


    She frowned at his reply. Curtis, meanwhile, came close to the two and politely offered greetings. The moment the edge of his white uniform swept the floor and lifted back into the air, Marianne opened her mouth like someone who realized something.


    With her eyes glistening, she held his hands tightly and asked, ¡°It¡¯s a secret passage, right?¡±


    He wondered if this was something for her to marvel at, but he just nodded.


    ¡°Oh my gosh! It¡¯s real. I did not know that. It¡¯s amazing, wow¡­ ¡±


    Marianne mumbled and stood to walk away from the couch like someone who was bewitched by something.


    Her destination was obviously the bookshelf.


    Eckhart turned to Curtis, barely holding back the urge to laugh at her.


    Curtis¡¯ black eyes watched her in silence. He seemed to have no reaction as usual, but Eckart, who had known him for a long time, felt he was a bit embarrassed and felt awkward.

 Chapter 161

    ¡°Dang it! Didn¡¯t I tell you repeatedly that when you appear before me, you have to make me know you are around?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I knew both of you were together, but you told me the other day that I didn¡¯t need to be on alert when you were with Lady Marianne¡­¡± Curtis fumbled.


    Instead of blaming him further, Eckart looked at him as he walked away.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough. If I give you advice on this, get used to it as soon as possible from now on.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Yes, Your Majesty. Let me keep it in mind.¡± Curtis looked down for a moment before bringing up the reason he was there. ¡°I¡¯ve got a message from the mole you dispatched to Roshan.¡±


    ¡°How about Ober¡¯s minion?¡±


    ¡°I hear those who were supposed to be witnesses were led away, but I don¡¯t think they originally lived there. They are most likely pretending to be Chester¡¯s moles.¡±


    ¡°Chester¡¯s moles¡­.¡±


    Eckart gently touched his straight jawline with his fingers. Pondering over something for a moment, he glanced at Curtis¡¯s back and asked in a low voice, ¡°What about the situation in Lennox?¡±


    ¡°I conveyed the revised list Lord Feyegrino. As there was no particular protest from Marquis of Balua and Earl Essenbach, I don¡¯t think there is any problem with your plan.¡±


    ***


    ¡°Giyom.¡±


    Ober called his minion. Giyom, who was standing behind Ober, walked to the other side.


    Duke Hubble gladly let him go. There was a strange atmosphere arising like a haze.


    ¡°Now that you cleared up your misunderstanding of me, I will leave for now, if you don¡¯t have anything else to say.¡±


    ¡°Please do.¡±


    Duke Hubble reopened the book that he had been resting on his lap.


    Crunch.


    Hearing the noise of him twisting his neck, Ober rose from his seat and said goodbye, ¡°Have a good rest.¡±


    Inside the wagon heading back to his mansion, Ober murmured, buried deep in his fluffy seat,


    ¡°It¡¯s time to get rid of that old dotard.¡±


    When he stretched his legs across the sofa, Giyom sensed his mood and filled a wine glass.


    ¡°How many moles are left in Duke Hubble¡¯s mansion?¡±


    ¡°According to Miss Arnette yesterday, there were a total of fourteen, except for the two who we lost contact with. Fifteen, all told, including Erez.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to assign them to the duke anymore. Leave only one behind just in case, and have the rest of them keep an eye on his son, Elius.¡±


    ¡°Will do, sir.¡±


    ¡°What about the moles being dispatched to Roshan?¡±


    ¡°I had them prepare horses to take them there. By now, they are already on the way.


    As for the latest intelligence on the investigation, I updated the report and gave it to you two days ago.¡±


    ¡°The investigation is enough. Don¡¯t receive any more intelligence because there are many watchful eyes around. As for our moles, bring them back alive to the capital. They should never be lost until we find them useless.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep it in mind.¡± Giyom bowed politely.


    Ober lifted and turned the glass of red wine in the air. The liquid, the color of blood, climbed up and slid down the clear glass wall when he moved it.


    It was obvious why Duke Hubble took pains to invite him to witness the tragic end of Erez, one of the moles Ober planted in his mansion.


    It was nothing unusual that Ober planted his moles in Duke Hubble¡¯s mansion.


    Duke Hubble also must have known that there were other moles of Ober hiding in his mansion, but these days he began to get rid of them one by one for obvious reasons.


    Clearly Duke Hubble wanted to send a clear warning to Ober that he wouldn¡¯t approve of this kind of spying activity by Ober.


    Ober, who played cards and chess games with Duke Hubble several times, knew how he acted when he was at war. It would take some time for him to determine the value of any specific card, but once he was done judging its gains and losses, he never hesitated to take action.


    He was never afraid of anything once he decided on his winning card.


    ¡°And one more thing.¡±


    But people who were fearless in their use of power were supposed to be arrogant, and the haughty would eventually lower their guard.


    ¡°Let me convene with Kiara.¡±


    Ober extended his right arm and tilted the glass slowly. The wine inside fell to the bottom of his wagon in a long red stream through the air. Drops broke away from the stream and sprang up like drops of blood. The closed wagon was soon filled with a dark fragrance. The polished wood floor turned dark red, as if it was stained with blood.


    ¡°At Duke Hubbles¡¯ house tomorrow evening.¡±


    Recalling his mother¡¯s warning with respect to Marianne one day, he took a long and deep breath. The aroma of the wine filled the wagon, but he strangely smelled blood. It was a smell of death that resembled the scent of blood.


    * * *


    On June 13th, everybody at the Lucio Imperial Palace was busy as usual. The rainy season was about to start in Milan soon, and half the year had passed on the calendar.


    Coincidentally, the engagement reception was around the corner, so many officials in each internal affairs department of the palace were snowed under with work.


    Ober left the office of the foreign ministry in the late afternoon holding a thick folder of files. Typically, he would have headed for his house or a social club, but today, he turned to the main palace for some reason.


    He was one of those officials who, like Duke Hubble, did not report directly to the emperor unless the issue was very serious or important.


    Moreover, today there were no internal agendas that needed the emperor¡¯s urgent approval, nor urgent reports from outside. So, some officials who bumped into him near the main palace shook their heads and whispered among themselves.


    Finally, Ober stopped in front of the emperor¡¯s study. Harriet, who was on guard, standing like a stone statue of a temple, greeted him, ¡°Welcome, sir. Have you come to see His Majesty? ¡±


    ¡°Right. I¡¯d like to see him urgently, so hurry up!¡±


    Harriet frowned a bit. In fact, he was expecting some kind of sarcastic response from Ober such as, ¡®Well, who do you think I¡¯ve come to meet?¡¯, ¡®You guys are really stupid! Never flexible when it comes to handling things¡¯, ¡®Is the emperor not in again?¡¯, or ¡®Is he coming back soon? Of course, he will come back in an hour, which means ¡®pretty soon¡¯ by your standards here at the palace, right?¡¯


    But this time Ober didn¡¯t sneer at him and got down to the point.


    Harriet stepped into the main office where Eckart was working, while looking at Ober who seemed to be in good spirits. It wasn¡¯t long before he returned and said, ¡°You can come in now.¡±


    As Harriet was watching him with a suspicious eye, Ober entered the study.


    Passing by the huge bookshelves that he saw many times, Ober could never take a liking to them. He soon entered Eckart¡¯s office. He knelt before the emperor and politely said, ¡°May the glory of the great god Ailrius be bestowed on you! I, Ober, the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Marquis of Chester, am honored to see you. ¡±


    ¡°Get up,¡± Eckart replied.


    Ober raised his knees and looked straight.


    On the large executive desk, there were piles of reports sent by each department as well as his edicts to be published soon. Perhaps because he felt uncomfortable, Deputy Chamberlain Kloud was serving him, collecting the documents and dictating some edicts on his behalf.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re busy, but as I have some urgent issues that I can¡¯t delay reporting to you, I¡¯ve come here to meet you without any advance notice. I seek your understanding.¡±


    While checking the report submitted by Colin, which Kloud opened wide for easy reading, Eckart looked at him.


    Eckart was sensitive to people¡¯s moods. He immediately noticed that the Ober standing before him now was very different from the usual Ober who came to see him.


    At the same time, Eckart identified the reason for Ober¡¯s change.


    ¡°It looks like you¡¯ve come to keep faith with me.¡±


    ¡°Since you have rewarded me with an undeserved reward, how can I betray your expectation?¡±


    Ober smiled slyly. Skillfully, Eckart looked at his conceited attitude for a moment, and soon turned his eyes back to the files on his desk.


    ¡°I hope you will not disappoint me as you promised.¡±


    ¡°I also hope you will be satisfied with my answer.¡±


    Ober presented him with the document he was holding. Kloud received it and spread it in front of Eckart.


    ¡°To sum up the conclusion briefly, the accident in Roshan is presumed to be Duke Hubble¡¯s conspiracy to harm Your Majesty and Lady Marianne.¡±

 Chapter 162

    It was a terrible guess, but no one was embarrassed. Only Kloud frowned for a moment, but Eckhart and Ober had no change in their facial expressions.


    ¡°With the assistance of the western national knights, the Herod Knights, and the southern national knights, the Idil Knights. We searched more than 80% of the private houses and official residences within a 30-mile radius of our travel route. We also did a meticulous investigation of those areas near the temple and the site of the accident, questioning the staff of the official residences and the servants and maids who accompanied the journey.¡±


    ¡°Did you find any clues?¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, we have not yet found convincing material evidence¡­¡± Ober fumbled his words intentionally.


    Eckart looked at him after taking a quick review of the investigation report.


    ¡°But I have captured those who received a secret order from the duke,¡± said Ober.


    Looking across, Eckart rested his jaw on his right arm casually. As he moved his chin as if to ask him to continue, Ober knitted his brows a bit.


    But he soon continued casually, ¡°They are a father and son who live in a private house about eight miles from the accident site. The father said that there was a nobleman in the capital who approached him to pay his enormous gambling debt if he carried out a mission as instructed. So, at his order, this man disguised himself as a temporary servant in the official residence and mixed hallucinogens in the food distributed to the stables. The horses ran like crazy as the drug worked through their systems.¡±


    ¡°Hallucinogens¡­¡±


    Eckart closed his blues halfway. He recalled the Roshan¡¯s star residue that the horseman Barton had found. Although Ober hastily came up with a fake alibi to set up a trap, it was quite close to the standard answer.


    ¡°But the nobleman who promised them a big reward apparently did not appear for a while. On his way to the capital to protest, he was inadvertently discovered by the search team. As he was babbling about the accident, they interrogated him and extracted his confession. We are currently transferring him to Milan.¡±


    ¡°Is there any evidence that the noble in question in the capital who met them is associated with Duke Hubble?¡±


    ¡°They informed the search team what he looked like and what he was wearing as well as the suspect¡¯s name. The suspect¡¯s name is Erez, about six feet tall, big with black hair. He allegedly said he was a servant at the duke¡¯s mansion.¡±


    Eckart barely managed to hold back the urge to jeer at Ober.


    Obviously, only Ober or Duke Hubble would have plotted such a treason without informing Mrs. Chester about it. Besides, regardless of which of them plotted treason, he would not have revealed his moles easily. He would probably have killed his moles, or taken the measure to hide the moles from the outside world if he had not killed them.


    But Eckart already knew that Ober was talking nonsense. How could Duke Hubble let the father and son be captured by the search team? How could they have such detailed information about Duke Hubble¡¯s minion Erez? How could Erez voluntarily give these one-time scapegoats his personal information?


    Ober¡¯s investigation report was nonsense. Eckart didn¡¯t care much because he didn¡¯t expect Ober to investigate properly. If Kloud or Duke Kling had come up with this kind of investigation outcomes, he would have punished them on charges of defaming the imperial family. But since Eckart¡¯s goal of the investigation was something else, he just pretended to believe what Ober was talking about.


    ¡°So, did you arrest this guy named Erez?¡±


    ¡°I tried to take him away from the duke¡¯s mansion, but it was too late. As the duke had no use for him anymore, he seems to have been recently killed by the duke while trying to get rid of the evidence. According to the testimony of a servant with the duke¡¯s mansion, the duke¡¯s deputy took him and never returned.¡±


    There ensued silence after Ober finished talking. After thinking about something for a while, Eckart withdrew his arm supporting his chin, and erected himself upright.


    ¡°Got it. Let me wrap up the investigation here. Thanks a lot for your hard work.¡±


    ¡°My pleasure, Your Majesty. As you know, I have had a close relationship with Duke Hubble, so I disrespectfully toyed with the idea of covering up the fact and disguising it as an accident, but¡­¡±


    Ober slowly knelt on one knee again, making his heartfelt confession.


    Except for showing his customary manners when he entered or left the emperor¡¯s office, he had never voluntarily knelt before Eckart. Ober also knew very well that Eckart couldn¡¯t trust his report entirely because he knew the emperor was not dumb.


    This was like a play from the beginning. Ober knew he was one of the prime suspects with respect to the Roshan incident, but to his surprise, Eckart entrusted him with the exclusive power to investigate the incident. It was natural that Ober smelled a rat.


    ¡°As your loyal servant, I couldn¡¯t reject your trust in me. I am so sorry to report to you about such disrespectful investigation results.¡±


    But that¡¯s why Ober was willing to join this dramatic production today.


    ¡°I¡¯m amazed by your loyalty, Ober. I¡¯m deeply touched. Of course, I know very well you and Duke Hubble¡¯s families have maintained a very close relationship since the previous emperor¡¯s days. I have no regrets whatsoever for ordering you to investigate the truth. Although I realized how terrible the things they did are, how dare I compare you with the treasures on earth as I¡¯ve confirmed your righteous loyalty?¡±


    Well aware of Ober¡¯s cunning tactics, Eckart was not much different from him.


    So, Eckart chose words that were the exact opposite of the stigma of guilt he wanted to stamp on Ober¡¯s forehead. He spat out words one by one as if they were covered with goodwill curses. ¡°If the guy Erez was murdered, like you said, his body could still be kept in the mansion. Let me order the Justice Department to search his house and estates for his body. Also, I intend to confine Duke Hubble for investigation as he might try to get rid of other possible evidence.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a wise decision. But I think it is right for you to jail the duke in a dungeon by applying the relevant law strictly¡­¡± Ober said, looking up at him.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just house arrest the duke until the witnesses arrive in the capital and the duke is proved guilty after the court trials are complete?¡±


    ¡°Ober, if your report is true, the duke is certainly a traitor. ¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right. If the duke dared to harm you, he must rightly be executed. I have no intention to defend the duke at all.¡±


    ¡°Do you have any particular reason to put him under house arrest rather than putting him in jail?


    ¡°Your Majesty, the duke is your uncle on your late mother¡¯s side. Even if he made such a foolish decision, hasn¡¯t he made tangible contributions to Aslan as a cabinet official from the late emperor¡¯s period until today? Besides, the duke is an aging vassal who is over sixty years old. With that in mind, if you refrain from making a decision that disgraces the duke too much, it will be of great help to publicize your generosity to the people.¡±


    Ignoring his words, however, Eckhart quickly began calculating the gains and losses of his decision on Duke Hubble¡¯s fate.


    Ober¡¯s excuses about Duke Hubble¡¯s kinship relationship with Eckart¡¯s late mother and Duke Hubble¡¯s contributions to Aslan were not unfounded but insincere. As Ober already decided to forcibly take the duke¡¯s power, he had no reason to truly worry about the duke¡¯s disgrace, let alone the cruelty of the imperial power.


    Accordingly, Ober¡¯s remonstration was no more than his most obvious desire among the words he spat out after he came into his office. He had a reason to keep the duke in his mansion on Noble Road rather than confining him to a dungen. In other words, he had a reason to confine him to a place everybody could believe was totally isolated from the outside world, but at the same time was a safe place where he could do anything he wanted to the duke secretly.


    ¡°If you insist, let me respect your advice. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s good for me to have my way unconditionally.¡±


    Eckart made the decision after a short silence.


    ¡°Since you have made a big contribution by finding out the truth, let me take your advice.¡±


    The turning point in changing the times wouldn¡¯t necessarily be a giant and dramatic event. It sometimes started with a very small choice.


    At this moment, Eckart and Ober instinctively realized that whoever became the master of the next age, the glory of the past that shined until now would not last long.


    The one who could endure this crumbling time with strength and the one who would chew more, swallow up blood and flesh, would eventually emerge as the winner.

 Chapter 163

    After Ober left his study, Eckart immediately called Justice Minister Duke Lamont. He issued two decrees and gave one of them to him, along with Ober¡¯s investigation report.


    At the emperor¡¯s order, Duke Lamont confirmed the report and decree on the spot, lowering his head without hiding his miserable expression.


    As the source of the intelligence was doubtful, Duke Hubble plotted treason if Ober¡¯s report was true.


    Even if the report was false, he could never turn a deaf ear to it as someone who was in charge of the law and justice of the Aslan empire.


    ¡°As soon as the witnesses are escorted to Milan, I will interrogate them in person and take the necessary step for you to punish them when their charges are confirmed, and I will also immediately set up a special task force to dispatch to Duke Hubble¡¯s mansion and estates to prevent any loss of evidence.¡±


    ¡°Hurry up, but make sure you don¡¯t have any loopholes.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep it in mind, Your Majesty. Duke Hubble is probably still in the palace. If you permit, let me have him arrested immediately and confine him in the dungeon¡­¡±


    ¡°Given the gravity of his crime, it is right to have him imprisoned in the prison controlled by the Justice Department, but put him under house arrest, specifically in the bedroom of his mansion until his charges are irreversibly proven. Let me order the palace office to take care of the house arrest procedures, so focus on arresting the witnesses and the relevant evidence.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Yes, Your Majesty.¡±


    Duke Lamont seemed a little puzzled by Eckart¡¯s decision, but soon he obeyed and bowed.


    With a serious look Lamont hurried out of the emperor¡¯s study.


    Eckart brought in another person as soon as Duke Lamont left. After hurriedly sending one of his servants to the palace office, he was lost in deep thoughts. Sitting obliquely in the chair, he raised his fingertips and pressed near his temple out of habit.


    Given the intelligence and the situation, the witnesses were fake.


    Although he ordered Duke Lamont to interrogate them and search Duke Hubble¡¯s mansion and estates, perhaps the witnesses would not even arrive in the capital safely.


    Even if they arrived in the capital and came forward as witnesses, they could doggedly take aim at Duke Hubble during interrogation by Justice investigators, or disappear in the middle after shaking the chessboard by saying something outrageous. If they chose the former, that would mean that Ober wanted to completely destroy the Hubble family. If they chose the latter, that would mean Ober would keep him alive with nominal power. Given that Ober wanted to put Duke Hubble under house arrest, there was a high possibility that he wanted the latter option.


    But Duke Hubble would never join hands again with Ober if he were stabbed in the back by Ober, so there might be some sort of hidden deal between them¡­


    ¡°Your Majesty, the Chief Chamberlain has arrived,¡± Harriet announced clearly.


    As soon as Eckart okayed it, the door opened quietly.


    ¡°May the glory of the great god Airius be bestowed on Your Majesty. I, Chief Chamberlain and the duke of Kling and Lennox, am honored to see you.¡±


    ¡°I wish you the same thing, Duke Kling.¡±


    Kling got up after offering polite greetings.


    Eckart glanced up and down his body, and murmured with a bit of regret, ¡°You look great as you¡¯re dressed up like that, but you look too bright to be seen as the god of death¡­¡±


    Perplexed by his weird praise, Kloud and Kling exchanged a strange look.


    Not caring at their perplexed expression, Eckart looked at the duke a couple of times and reached out to his desk. He handed one of the imperial decrees that he kept after giving the other one to Duke Lamont to Kloud.


    ¡°What is this, Your Majesty?¡± Kling asked, holding the decree after receiving it from Kloud.


    Eckart slowly leaned back against the chair, crossinh his legs. His blue eyes were fixed on the opposite side and closed gently.


    ¡°Read it once. It¡¯s the first war report for preparing your revenge.¡±


    * * *


    Bang!


    He forcefully struck his cane on the floor. Subsequently, there was the sound of the chair legs scratching the carpet.


    ¡°¡­ Damn it. Growing old doesn¡¯t do me any good. My vision is blurry, and I can¡¯t hear well.¡±


    Duke Hubble got up and looked straight at the unwelcome visitors who came into the office of the Secretary of the Interior.


    Most of the officials were still in the office, but the atmosphere of the office was so quiet. No one dared to speak loudly. Even the slightest sign of them breathing and swallowing was annoying.


    ¡°As you are a generous man by nature, please tell this old man that bullshit once more.¡±


    Even without any strength, his presence seemed to squeeze everyone¡¯s head.


    Although his tone was soft, he was obviously displeased and bluffing, given the words he chose in replying.


    ¡°Based on the investigation report compiled by the Foreign Minister, I spot you, the Secretary of the Interior, Duke Balter von Hubble, as a suspect of rebellion effective immediately. In addition, I put you into house arrest indefinitely until further order. Your mansion as well as all your estates including the Castle of Hubble will be searched and denied access to prevent the destruction of evidence. In addition, your position as the Interior Secretary will be stripped temporarily, and all your rights and responsibilities will be suspended. The Chief Chamberlain will temporarily exercise the decision right on behalf of the Interior Secretary during your absence.¡±


    Standing amid overwhelming silence, Chief Chamberlain Duke Kling read out the imperial order in his hand clearly.


    ¡°Oops! I thought I was deaf, but it looks like the heat got to the emperor. Or he must have gone crazy.¡±


    ¡°Duke Hubble, don¡¯t disgrace His Excellency¡¯s honor recklessly. Keep in mind that your reckless remarks are also duly recorded and can be used as evidence against you by the Justice Department.¡±


    Duke Kling emphatically responded to his resistance. Duke Hubble silently glanced at the young man standing behind his right shoulder.


    The young official with curly pink hair and red eyes like rubies was busy writing down his remarks on a notepad. Obviously, he was the youngest son of Marquis Euclid, who claimed to be one of the emperor¡¯s close aides. Besides, on his left was a prominent member of the Eluang Knights who followed the emperor like a shade wherever he went. Obviously they were here to deliver the emperor¡¯s order.


    ¡°I think I have lived too long. Why am I being humiliated when I am alive?¡±


    Duke Hubble spoke loudly and walked directly to the place where Kling was standing. Every time he took a step, he hit the floor with the cane, freezing the atmosphere. That cold, angry noise soon stopped right before Kling.


    ¡°Duke Kling, it¡¯s been fifty years since I¡¯ve served as a cabinet minister. I mean, I¡¯ve devoted my time and energy to the empire as long as you¡¯ve been alive. When your father was a duke, I served with him for His Majesty Joseph. You have been stuck in the northern area until now, and you suddenly came back to the capital to threaten me like this? Are you crazy? Or are you stupid?¡±


    His olive eyes sparkled under his white gray hair. He spoke to Kling harshly as if he were rebuking a child, but Kling looked straight at him without batting an eye at all.


    ¡°The emperor has decided to put you under house arrest after fully taking into account your contribution to the empire. According to the Justice Department regulations, you were originally set to be confined to a dungeon instead of your comfortable mansion.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t run your mouth. Your arrogant remarks disgrace my honor. How can you take the measure you can¡¯t take responsibility for by using your fleeting authority? Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s too stupid?¡±


    ¡°I am completely following the emperor¡¯s order, and I am ready to be fully responsible for my remarks. Therefore, you can also take responsibility for your words and actions. Those charged with treason can be punished with execution, so please take it into account very well.¡±


    Duke Hubble blatantly frowned and then laughed. It was an eerie ridicule.


    ¡°You¡¯re talking gibberish as if I¡¯m guilty. When did Aslan¡¯s laws become evil enough to convict the suspect without any conclusive evidence?¡±


    ¡°The emperor has never concluded that you are the main culprit of treason. That¡¯s why he¡¯s giving you the chance to have a fair trial without being imprisoned immediately. ¡±


    ¡°Chance? Fair trial? Do you think it¡¯s fair to take away all my positions and power, confine me to my mansion and estates, so that I stay put in my bedroom and die? Is that a fair chance for me?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Kling nodded casually.


    Duke Hubble snorted at him as if he was dumbfounded.


    Though he was smiling, his face looked ferocious as if he would tear everything he caught in his hand.


    ¡°Get out of my way right now. Let me see the emperor right away.¡±


    ¡°His Excellency said he would not meet anyone today.¡±


    ¡°I told you to get out of my way!¡±


    ¡°There are knights waiting outside to escort you to your mansion. Please help us to stop any unpleasant things from happening.¡±


    ¡°Let me tell you again. Get out of my way!¡±

 Chapter 164

    Reaching the limit of his patience, Duke Hubble grabbed his cane and swung it hard. The solid metal cane hit the floor hard enough to make a squeaking sound. Although he was not as strong as he was as a young man, the cane was still swung very hard for an old man like him.


    But he didn¡¯t hit Kling as intended.


    Kling turned his head towards Curtis. Curtis, who had blocked Duke Hubble¡¯s attack with one hand, slowly pulled the cane down. Only then did Duke Hubble withdraw his arm with a displeased look.


    ¡°Duke Hubble, if you are truly unrelated to this treason, just wait . Pretend you are taking a vacation leave for a few days. If the witnesses are escorted and questioned by the Justice Department investigators, I think your innocence can be proven. If you become impatient and hurry to counterattack, you will look more suspicious in the eyes of others.¡±


    After he was done, Kling deliberately looked around.


    Officials of the Ministry of Interior, who were holding their breaths like corpses, could not take their eyes off the dispute between the two dukes. As soon as this meaningless battle ended, they would flee in all directions like birds and rats to spread what they heard.


    Of course, the majority of them were more indebted to Duke Hubble than Duke Kling, but power knew no shame by nature. As long as the miner who dug up this marvelous secret proved to be Marquis Chester, they would surely compare the weight of their force. Even Duke Hubble himself would do so.


    ¡°Duke Kling, this is a very mean slander. In other words, this is a slander without any evidence. How can a prudent man like you act recklessly? As the Chief Chamberlain, you need to stop the emperor from making wrong decisions by advising him well. Are you going to throw away your pride and become the emperor¡¯s puppet to make your daughter his wife?¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, there is no evidence that your claim is correct. Also, if it means being the emperor¡¯s puppet to follow the emperor¡¯s legitimate order, I would rather be the emperor¡¯s puppet than the instigator of treason. As long as you are doing the right thing, I don¡¯t think it is important to define its nature.¡±


    Both of them continued to exchange blatant accusations. Duke Hubble bit his lip. He stared at Kling with bloodshot eyes.


    ¡°Don¡¯t regret your actions. If the witnesses and the report turn out to be false, even the emperor will never forget what happened to me today.¡±


    Doubt breeds a crack in trust, and the crack changes the chessboard.


    Thinking that perhaps the weapon that Eckart tried to put in his hand was this kind of anxiety, Duke Kling stepped back and showed manners to Duke Hubble.


    ¡°Please come back to your original position soon. Take care.¡±


    * * *


    Duke Hubble¡¯s special villa in the capital was always crowded with people because those who wanted his favor and authority competed to make appointments with him, regardless of the weather, the season, the day of the week, or the time of day.


    As a result, the butler and chief attendant were busier than the bureaucrats of the idle departments in the cabinet. It was rumored that former chief attendant Countess Bailin, who retired four years ago, purchased a large house in the capital with the bribes she received from those who wanted to make the appointment.


    Tonight, the duke¡¯s mansion was quiet like a tomb. The mansion was much brighter than usual thanks to the guards surrounding it, but even the mayflies rushing toward the lights were disappearing somewhere. The sound of knights patrolling in their clanking armor was the only sound in the dark shade of the mansion.


    ¡°Even a dumb animal does not bite its owner who raised it. Damn the Frey family!¡±


    Duke Hubble put down the mug on the table with a thump.


    Only a few hours ago his mansion was messed up when the Justice Ministry officials searched it, so Duke Hubble didn¡¯t want to look at it. Fortunately, some of his friends at the Justice Ministry left behind luxury items such as cigars, popular teapots, teacups and books, but this was not enough to appease the duke.


    ¡°I can¡¯t understand their actions. How can he insult you openly in the presence of the officials?


    Think about the time and energy you have devoted to the empire, Dad? This young man is so arrogant! Could the Aslan empire have developed economically without your help? How ungrateful he is!¡± Elias, Duke Hubble¡¯s only son, raged while sitting next to him.


    He continued, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m confident you have a weapon to beat that bastard. Is there any nobleman in the empire who doesn¡¯t know your name? I think they will gather in groups and exercise their collective veto power.¡±


    Duke Hubble looked at his son with a puzzled expression.


    Elias was his only son, and he resembled his dead wife. Although he was born into an environment where he had nothing to envy in the world, he didn¡¯t grow up well. He was impatient by nature, simple, and narrow-minded. Although Duke Hubble invited famous scholars, philosophers, knights, and artists to teach him, Elias showed no particular talent. Even though Duke Hubble was the most powerful man in the Aslan empire after the emperor, he couldn¡¯t ensure his son¡¯s education.


    ¡°How stupid can you be when our family is in a crisis like this!¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°In your eyes, the emperor is the only weed you have to remove?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think so? Since Duke Kling has come to the capital, Eckart thinks he gained an alley and became arrogant enough to insult you¡­¡±


    He kept babbling on until he noticed his father¡¯s eyes and facial expression.


    Duke Hubble clicked his tongue, looking at his son hopelessly.


    ¡°You¡¯re already over 40. How narrow-minded you are! I got you many experts, so you could learn how to interpret the situation correctly, but you can¡¯t judge the situation we¡¯re in now.


    Why are you so stupid? Aren¡¯t you ashamed? What could a child learn from a parent like you?¡±


    Elias shut up at his father¡¯s relentless scolding. As his son clearly showed he was so upset, Duke Hubble pressed his fingers to his forehead as if he had a headache.


    ¡°Although the emperor¡¯s order is annoying and arrogant, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a big deal.


    Ultimately, the biggest harm to me is Ober, that damned bastard. That horrible jerk has stabbed us in the back. Don¡¯t you know who stabbed you in the back when you have been stabbed?¡±


    ¡°¡­ Sorry.¡±


    ¡°Since Chester has decided to remove me by all means, it doesn¡¯t mean anything for me to bring other aristocrats into my fold. This bastard has gotten me charged with treason! So, if I try to mobilize noblemen, it would be like my giving him a weapon with which he can attack. In order to overturn the situation, it would be much better for me to expose several soft spots of Chester and his mother and report them to the emperor. I can take care of the fake witnesses before they arrive in the capital.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by the weakness of Chester and his mother?¡±


    ¡°Well, Marquise Chester was originally from a baron¡¯s daughter but was almost sold off to a marquis¡¯ family and gave birth to an illegitimate son, Ober, as the late emperor¡¯s mistress. When she became powerful enough to dominate the social circles in the capital, she couldn¡¯t do it with a clean hand. The late marquis had a discerning eye for people, but it was just a pity that he never knew his wife was a terrible enough woman to kill him.¡±


    Duke Hubble said something significant. After hesitating for a moment, Elias turned to him and opened his mouth.


    ¡°Do you have secret documents or evidence to use as a weapon against them?¡±


    ¡°Elias, a promise without any substance is nothing but a false promise. Do you believe that you can move people with illusions?¡±


    Duke Hubble frowned. Although he was under house arrest, his gray hair and cold eyes showed his characteristics. Elias hunched his shoulders all the more, faced with his relentless arrogance.


    ¡°Then, let me meet the emperor with the evidence. As it is you, not me, who is under house arrest now, if you let me know about the location of the hard evidence¡­¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to. Let me write a letter to the emperor by myself. ¡±


    He cut off his son¡¯s offer immediately. Elias knitted his brows at once. He crumpled the fabric on his knees with his thick hands.


    ¡°Dad, can¡¯t you trust me? ¡± Elias demanded.


    But Duke Hubble was not swayed at all. Despite his sons resentful look, Duke Hubble decided to deal with the matter on his own.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have to do it twice when I can finish it at one go.¡±


    If he were offered the choice between not betraying the expectations of his family and implementing a political tactics with less losses, Duke Hubble would definitely choose the latter. He already ruled out his son¡¯s proposal, now mulling over how to deceive the knights surrounding his mansion.

 Chapter 165

    ¡®Perhaps at least one or two of the assigned knights will be able to serve as my messengers. There must be a reason for Ober to act arrogantly. He is now in the same boat with the emperor by forming an imperfect union, but if I take the oar away from the betrayer and drown him, the boat will move again as I wish¡­¡¯


    Right at the moment, Duke Hubble¡¯s closed door opened slowly and without notice.


    The two instinctively looked at the door. Something slipped inside the door. It was the edge of a dark satin dress. The light reflected on the fabric sparkled like a shining stream. The scent of the jasmine flower drifted into the room with the outside air.


    ¡°Oh, sorry. I¡¯ve been overhearing your conversation outside. I just feel so sorry for your son Elias.¡±


    She tossed a tightly woven black veil with her elegant hand. The woman making a pitiable expression was Mrs. Chester.


    Duke Hubble didn¡¯t respond. He did not ask how she entered the mansion currently surrounded by security guards of the Imperial Palace. Anyway, he shared lots of plots and tricks with her. Without that, he would not have paid any attention to her from the beginning.


    But the muscle under her chin swelled noticeably. Her dark eyebrows were turned up. The unwelcome intruder¡¯s visit was a matter of good or bad rather than possible or impossible.


    No matter how often she visited his mansion, she should have followed the due process of entering the mansion, let alone his room.


    Every servant and maid at his mansion was well aware of Mrs. Chester¡¯s fiery temperament, but most of them stuck to the strict procedures about outsiders¡¯ visits despite her strong rebuke and resistance because the owner of their mansion was more powerful than she was.


    But how could she ignore the procedures just because he was under house arrest?


    It was natural that Duke Hubble felt unpleasant and disgusted at her arrogant attitude as someone who had held an influential power since he was born. He had never felt such an unpleasant feeling even during the late emperor¡¯s reign, who had always kept aristocrats in check.


    ¡°The social circles were shocked because of you today. I hear you were put under house arrest. I was so surprised and worried that I ran straight here. You don¡¯t know how hard it was to appease the security guards here to come in. Hope you can appreciate my hard efforts.¡±


    Mrs. Chester approached the table while Hubble and his son stared at her. She bent her knees slightly for their understanding then slowly sat down on the sofa. Every time she moved, the scent of the jasmine flowers wafted into the room.


    ¡°Elias. Go and bring Wigden here.¡±


    Duke Hubble ordered in an annoyed tone. When Elias was about to stand up, Mrs. Chester spoke.


    ¡°Wigden? I think I have heard that name before¡­. Wigden¡­¡±


    ¡°Really? I¡¯m glad to hear that. That guy kindly escorted you back to your mansion before.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I didn¡¯t know his name was Wigden. You said something ambiguous at the end of your talk, so I was wondering what you meant.¡±


    She nodded as if she fully understood. Now, Duke Hubble¡¯s face, which obviously showed he was very uncomfortable about her presence, was distorted like crumpled paper.


    He was a veteran politician and more seasoned than anybody else. He was also a political gambler who played hundreds and thousands of games. In the capital, it was a piece of cake for him to solve the messed up puzzles or find the right pair of missing cards. He quickly began to make a plan for survival by finding the horses and cards that he failed to link because of his complicated thoughts.


    Ober¡¯s bold betrayal, Mrs. Chester¡¯s arrogant attitude, the missing knight, his servants who failed to ask him about her visit, and his son who shut his mouth even now¡­


    ¡°Elias!¡±


    The hidden card in this chessboard, which made everything possible, destroyed his tranquility.


    ¡°My goodness! How mean you are! You said you couldn¡¯t trust your son until a moment ago, but now you are calling him desperately because you badly need him. That¡¯s not good. Doesn¡¯t he feel bad if you use him like an object then throw him away?¡±


    Mrs. Chester sneered at him kindly. Unable to resist his father¡¯s sharp glance, Elias hesitantly stepped towards Mrs. Chester¡¯s seat.


    ¡°You¡¯re great, though. You are so smart to grab the situation so quickly. I¡¯m glad I didn¡¯t have to explain to you about complicated things. Awesome!¡±


    ¡°Shut up.¡±


    ¡°Please watch your language. You aren¡¯t in a position to command me now, are you?¡±


    Her face, which had been smiling all the time, quickly became cold.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ve been wondering what made this wolf-like bastard act so arrogantly. You think you can control everything because you were bewitched by that woman. How stupid you are¡­¡±


    And then Duke Hubble shouted back at Elias again, ¡°You idiot! You are a disgrace to my family! How dare you fool your father? How could you sell off the honor of my great family? Do you think those evil bastards will follow your wishes? How can you be so stupid? You have known all along what they have been doing to harm me until now!¡±


    ¡°Damn it! All this happened because of you!¡± Elias also shouted at his father, raising his head.


    He clenched his fists, shook his shoulders, and even stared at his father with bloodshot eyes.


    ¡°If you trusted me only once, if you just once told me what you have would be handed down to me, if you had told me that just one time, you would not have ended up being stuck in this situation!¡±


    ¡°You stupid¡­¡±


    ¡°Honor of the family? Authority and glory? Are you joking? I¡¯ve never enjoyed that anyway. If I can have them all, it¡¯s better for me to share it. At least this woman needs me. She has told me I have my own role to replace you! ¡±


    Listening to his excuses, Duke Hubble grabbed the armrest of the sofa. Bloody veins stood out on the back of his wrinkled hands. It looked like he would charge at him right away and slap him in the face.


    But Duke Hubble miraculously quelled his own anger. Then, he turned to Mrs. Chester.


    ¡°Good. This time you have shown a fantastic card. Let me admit frankly you have made a surprise attack on me successfully.¡±


    ¡°Only now you¡¯re praising me! I am so moved that I feel like my tears come out.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re not going to get what you want.¡±


    Duke Hubble sarcastically sneered at her and continued, ¡°As you know, if you do it like this, I can¡¯t hand down all that power to that stupid guy. Even if you incapacitate my power and confine me to my bedroom, do you think the rest of the nobles will support Chester without any resistance?¡±


    That made Mrs Chester show a very mysterious expression. She looked happy and annoyed.


    ¡°Oh my¡­ That¡¯s an answer that shows how much you underestimate me.¡±


    She was willing to sympathize with Duke Hubble¡¯s arrogance. She felt that was the very fearlessness of power or the kind of power that didn¡¯t know its limits. As he had never seen his life ruined before, he couldn¡¯t figure out what the worst is, even in this difficult situation.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s far from a good conclusion, but you¡¯re right. If Sir Elias forcibly took your title, those who supported your family would not betray you overnight. Although you might be doomed, you can overthrow the chessboard and regain power as long as there is a pivotal figure.¡±


    She folded the fan abruptly while gently fanning herself.


    ¡°Sure, as long as there is a pivotal figure.¡±


    Mrs. Chester smiled elegantly. But it apparently was mixed with her intent to kill him.


    ¡°¡­ Act smart. That guy doesn¡¯t know anything. What can you do with that useless jerk? The emperor will never see you as an ally anyway. This is just stupid self-harm,¡± Duke Hubble said, frowning heavily.


    His tone was calm, but there was something new between the syllables of his words, which clearly indicated that he was nervous.


    Mrs. Chester patted Elias¡¯ shoulder with the end of her fan instead of replying.


    Then Elias approached the window and unlocked the window.


    Soon, the window opened wide. In addition to the peculiar air in the night, snake-like slender shadows slipped into the room one by one. There were a total of four strangers, veiled from head to toe, each holding a weapon with blood still dripping from them.


    ¡°You told me last time that if I don¡¯t like this game, I need to make a decision that will generate a new game, even if that requires overturning the chessboard. ¡±


    The atmosphere in the room turned chilly like the middle of winter. Feeling the shadow of death coming up every moment, Duke Hubble bit his lip as hard as he could.

 Chapter 166

    Unfortunately, Duke Hubble remembered all the words he had spoken to Mrs. Chester.


    When he said that, the protagonist of the chessboard was Duke Hubble himself, and the owner of the new game that could change hands anytime was Mrs. Chester.


    ¡°What you told me was very valuable advice for me. Thank you very much,¡± Mrs. Chester said.


    But the situation changed completely now. The owner of the inverted game board was Mrs. Chester, and Duke Hubble became one of the pieces on the board.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t in a position to sympathize with Lord Calvin. I should have gotten rid of you before you gave birth to the emperor¡¯s son¡­¡± said Duke Hubble, with a feigned laugh.


    He was always a powerful man who wielded power by grabbing somebody¡¯s neck. Not only had he never seen the threat of life for nearly seventy years, but he took it so natural like breathing to use the assasination of his political rivals as his weapon. Had he ever assumed that he would be betrayed by such a vulgar woman like Mrs. Chester? Never.


    His political strategy was always strict to others, but he pursued it boldly without fear.


    That¡¯s why he didn¡¯t feel the need to plant his security men in and around his vast mansion when he went out and met someone.


    If only he had feared this enormous power, something behind that power, and his possible defeat¡­


    He regretted his decisions a bit for the first and last time in his life.


    It was his fatal mistake that he overestimated his power and took it for granted until now. He should have taken into account the assumption that he could be betrayed by incompetent families and arrogant acquaintances and friends. The hardship he was faced with now was too harsh to him who led an excessively luxurious life until now.


    ¡°You had better be prudent. Elias knows very little about the intelligence that you can make use of. If I die, some of it can be buried forever, and the other can be revealed to the world. Who knows if some of my secrets contain some intelligence about your wrongdoing in the past?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Any other card is not as good as the one in my hand. ¡±


    Mrs. Chester ignored his words by shrugging her shoulders.


    She continued, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about the new chessboard you were planning to generate because I¡¯m going to take it over. I like Empress Alessa as much as you.¡±


    Duke Hubble didn¡¯t respond.


    ¡°Do not worry about your successor, either. I¡¯ll make sure your death will go down as an honorable one in the empire¡¯s history just like you did for Mrs. Blanchefort, Lady Rosetta, and many other nobles¡¯ murders.¡±


    At that point, Duke Hubble¡¯s face was irreversibly distorted badly.


    ¡°And if you happen to meet the late Sir Calvin and His Majesty, please tell them this.¡±


    Mrs. Chester caught her breath at that point. After breathing out calmly, she said with a bright smile, ¡°Go to hell, you son of a bitch!¡±


    Soon the end of her smooth satin dress turned back slowly. There was the sound of the assassins running towards their prey. Although it was horrible, she enjoyed hearing the terrible screaming and the scent of blood, humming a tune. Her manicured fingertips tapped lightly on her ring engraved with black pythons.


    ¡°Oh, I think I made unnecessary remarks as you three would reunite in the purgatory of Tanatos, right?¡±


    She turned to Elias, whose face hardened, while looking ahead.


    Elias giggled instead of replying. It was a very strange expression. His face mixed with horror, relief, joy and despair was terrifying like that of a monster.


    But Mrs. Chester was not afraid of him. Elias was a crystal of the monster¡¯s bloody mutation and the weakness that destroyed that monster. He existed by violating the principles and morals on earth.


    ¡°Congratulations on becoming the new head of your family, Sir Elias!¡±


    To be sure, she was confident that she could become a great trainer of this ugly monster.


    * * *


    There was a sad cry ringing through the corridor of the serene hall.


    Cardinal Helena, who slept lightly, opened her eyes at the noise. There was still darkness everywhere. She got up quickly without delay.


    While roughly putting on the robe hanging on the old wooden chairs, she heard the cries from the hallway gradually closer to her room. Other priests also seemed to have woken up and opened the doors.


    Helena hurriedly lit the glass lamp. The door of the cardinal¡¯s room was soon opened.


    At the same time, the source of the crying sound, which was now in the front of Helena, jumped into her arms.


    ¡°Boohoo¡­Your Eminence! The stars¡­! ¡±


    Hilde, her face filled with tears and a runny nose, cried out. Helena gestured lightly at the priests who came out to the middle of the hallway, shaking their heads. In no time, they went back to their rooms, feeling drowsy and worried a bit.


    ¡°Hilde.¡±


    Helena slowly pulled Hilde¡¯s arms from around her waist. Putting down the lamp, she bent her knees to be at her eye level and looked into her innocent eyes.


    Hilde wrapped her arms around her neck. Her breathing pouring into the gap of her disheveled robe was hot and irregular.


    ¡°Calm down, sweetheart. It¡¯s fine. OK. Don¡¯t cry. ¡±


    She sobbed, ¡°Your Eminence¡­¡±


    Helena gently pat Hilde¡¯s back and wrapped her in her arms. But her crying did not stop easily. Her small, fragile body trembled like a surprised herbivore as if she couldn¡¯t endure her overflowing sadness. Helena thought she had to calm her down first, so she spoke kindly and casually while trying to soothe her, ¡°You¡¯re a good girl, Hilde. If you keep crying, Ars¨¨ne will tell you to write ten more letters of repentance. Did you forget that you suggested we go on a picnic to the flower garden tomorrow? Do you want to be locked in your room writing letters of repentance? ¡±


    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t like it¡­.¡±


    Only then did Hilde let go of Helena¡¯s neck. She rubbed wet eyes with clenched fists.


    Helena gently pressed down Hilde¡¯s rough hands and gently wiped her eyes with her hand.


    ¡°So, stop crying. If you listen to me well, I¡¯ll make a pretty wreath of summer flowers for you tomorrow, okay? ¡±


    She immediately stopped crying as if Helena¡¯s proposal was attractive, or her familiar and friendly voice calmed her troubled mind.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I promised not to, but I had a dream. In my dream, I was sitting in a very wide, black, barley field. Then, suddenly a star exploded and black and terrible debris rained down over my head¡­¡±


    Hilde continued to make excuses, even with a runny nose. Helena, patiently listened to her words, gradually became concerned.


    Dreams, huge green barley fields, an exploding star, dark and terrible debris¡­


    Hilde, born under the blessing of Goddess Anthea, often had foreboding dreams.


    Her golden eyes that closely resembled hers were the mirror of God¡¯s will as well as a prophetic book of the future. As she was young, she still didn¡¯t know how to handle her predictions. But Hilde had a much stronger potential than the cardinal in terms of the divine impact.


    Helena got up immediately. Holding the lamp in one hand and holding Hilde¡¯s small hand in the other hand, she quickly walked toward the backyard.


    Facing the open night sky, the two priests instinctively looked at the starry sky.


    ¡°Yes. There are few stars really. ¡±


    Hilde, who had more divine eyesight, spoke with a trembling voice. Hilde¡¯s fingertips became white as she clenched Helena¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Well, there was definitely a star of God Zephyrus over there¡­ I saw it twinkling during the daytime¡­¡±


    Helena gently bit her lip. She sighed a long sigh while crossing herself.


    ¡°That¡¯s a falling star.¡±


    Her lamentation continued. Hilde, who first experienced the fall of a divine star, felt creeped out and held the hem of Helena¡¯s robes tightly.


    ¡°I feel scared. What should I do? Why did it fall? I saw a star falling asleep, but I never saw a star falling. Can¡¯t I see it again? I didn¡¯t say goodbye to it. I don¡¯t like it. What can I do?¡±


    ¡°Well. I don¡¯t know why it fell, but¡­¡± Helena fumbled her words.


    Actually, Helena said that to soothe her. Hilde looked back at the starlight of the distant sky.


    There were numerous stars in the sky, such as stars twinkling wickedly, stars shining dangerously, stars standing firmly and silently in their places and stars hidden behind the clouds for a while. In addition, there were more constellations swimming in the chaotic celestial sea.


    If the stars on earth followed the flow of heaven, there would probably have a huge vortex in the capital.


    ¡°The star may be born again. There is a record that a divine star that has fallen can be revived later. ¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±

 Chapter 167

    Helena recalled the foreboding prediction that she had received when the Marianne¡¯s group left Roshan.


    But the sleeping star had not yet opened its eyes, while the star of Zephyrus fell without notice. It was not yet clear whether the prophecy was a good or evil sign, but it was as distant as sunlight at night, and the greed of those who lived on the earth would grow.


    ¡°But the waiting may be longer and tougher than you think.¡±


    Helena calmly closed her eyes. She prayed silently, ¡®Oh God, have mercy on the poor!¡¯


    ***


    On June 14, an obituary began to circulate at dawn in the capital Milan. It was about Duke Hubble.


    People on Noble Road were shocked by the sudden news. Although the duke was humiliated by the emperor¡¯s decree and had his mansion searched the day before, he still maintained his status as a powerful duke. There was no aristocrat who did not know the meaning and influence of his name not only in the capital Milan but also in the whole empire.


    His power and fame in the aristocratic society embodied the pinnacle of the yearning of all nobles of his age. His name, passed down from generation to generation, was associated with all kinds of strong and elegant words, and the honor and practical authority of his family were also as solid and brilliant as the diamond.


    So, none of them imagined that Duke Hubble could disappear so easily and suddenly.


    Indeed, some aristocrats who doubted the credibility of that information had moles spy on his mansion, but what they heard was not that it was somebody¡¯s mischievous disinformation, but that people at his mansion were solemnly preparing for his funeral.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t make any sense. How did Duke Hubble suddenly die? How could this happen¡­¡±


    Marianne was one of those who did not immediately believe his obituary.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it, but it¡¯s clear that the obituary from the duke¡¯s mansion is true. The funeral will be held tomorrow¡­ Are you going to attend? ¡±


    ¡°Of course I will. But¡­¡±


    She looked down at the obituary again. She slowly touched the notice written in neat handwriting slowly with her fingertips and finally stopped.


    ¡°Soon everyone in the capital will know about his death, right?¡±


    ¡°Maybe they will.¡±


    ¡°Do you know any other news related to this? For example, the cause of his death¡­¡±


    Mrs. Charlotte sadly dropped her eyebrows at her sharp question, making an expression as if she was proud of Marianne¡¯s bold question but felt sorry for that at the same time.


    Mrs. Charlotte knew that the moment Marianne first entered the Elior Mansion, she was a naive but kind lady who was pretty unpredictable. She knew how to use and love what she had naturally like breathing, but she was very bad at protecting someone or protecting herself with that power.


    But now her green eyes shining before Mrs. Charlotte showed she was no longer naive. Clearly, she wanted to read the flow of the truth and the unfolding development first rather than praying for the peaceful rest of the dead.


    ¡°There is a rumor that has begun to spread along with the obituary.¡±


    ¡°I knew it. What is that? ¡±


    ¡°It seemed that there was a rumor that the cause of the duke¡¯s death was suicide.¡±


    Marianne frowned at Charlotte¡¯s answer.


    ¡°Suicide? Don¡¯t you know that Duke Hubble would never commit suicide? Even though the emperor put him under house arrest, he didn¡¯t have any hard evidence that the duke was guilty without question¡­¡±


    ¡°According to the maids, it was his son Elias who first confirmed the duke¡¯s death. He allegedly found the will with the duke¡¯s body. ¡±


    ¡°His will?¡±


    ¡°I have no way of knowing the exact details of his will because Sir Elias seized and kept it, but it seems that the people at the mansion heard him crying loudly and lamenting. They had the impression that Elias cried because his father had been humiliated by the treason charges, given his enormous service and contribution to the empire through several generations. Not to mention the fact that he was stripped of his office and his mansion and estates were searched. He must have felt it as a great shame ¡­¡±


    ¡°According to the maids, what he complained about while crying was like a speech, so they could overhear.¡±


    Marianne¡¯s expression grew gloomy. Mrs. Charlotte nodded lightly.


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t it Ober who compiled an investigation report that played a decisive role in pinpointing Duke Hubble as the suspect? Doesn¡¯t everyone know that?¡±


    ¡°They would know. The fact that Duke Hubble had a quarrel with Duke Kling, the chief of the palace affairs, at his office of the Interior Ministry, was also spread. If they heard about it, they must know that Mrs. Chester was responsible for compiling the investigation report.¡±


    ¡°Despite that, did Sir Elias blame the emperor for his harsh decision, arguing that made his father commit suicide?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right to the best of my knowledge.¡±


    Marianne bit her lip unconsciously. Cordelli, who was watching her nearby, suddenly rummaged through her pocket and took out a handkerchief then pat her trembling lips with it. When Marianne turned back and looked at her, Cordelli shook her head wildly. Her worrisome actions made Marianne all the more disturbed. Perhaps even this woman with a warm and precious heart could be sacrificed in the name of political strife, just as the power and glory of Duke Hubble, which never seemed to crumble, transformed into a short and shallow obituary.


    Marianne sighed and raised her head as if she decided something. Her vivid green eyes shone brightly.


    ¡°Madame, in my opinion, this seems to be Ober¡¯s trap. I can hardly believe that Duke Hubble committed suicide for that reason. Of course, there¡¯s no such thing as never, but the probability is too low. There are reasons why people don¡¯t believe it easily, right? ¡±


    ¡°Well, I think I can speak a little more strongly than you think. Duke Hubble was never the type of person who commits suicide,¡± Mrs. Charlotte said firmly.


    As she agreed with her opinion, Marianne quickly continued her logical argument.


    ¡°Do you remember what you told me last time? Sir Elias had been reduced to the status of a minor duke for a long time because of Duke Hubble¡¯s wielding full power in the family. You told me he might respect his father on the surface, but you were never sure how he thought of his father deep down.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I remember. ¡±


    ¡°Maybe I should feel shameful and bad about this, but I thought at that time I could make use of Sir Elias. It¡¯s too hard for him to betray his father, but if you look at Ober and His Majesty, they are related by blood. So, if I had a chance to use him, I thought it was not necessarily bad to use him in my favor. ¡±


    Mrs. Charlotte smiled faintly. After all, Marianne couldn¡¯t change her nature. Only a few moments ago Marianne showed a steely heart and firm determination to go to the battlefield and wield a sword, but she was saying she felt shameful for toying with the idea of using Elias.


    She thought perhaps Marianne¡¯s greatest weapon was her goodness.


    ¡°So, what I mean is that if even a naive person like me thought of using Sir Elias, it is very possible that Ober or Mrs. Chester might have thought of using him.¡±


    ¡°Absolutely. That makes sense.¡±


    ¡°Right? That son of a bitch, Ober¡­¡±


    Marianne clenched her fist hard. The thin obituary crumpled in her hands.


    Stunned again, Cordelli patted the back of her hands.


    But this time she couldn¡¯t release the anger. She quivered with indignation from head to toe. Her anger quickly spread through the blood vessels soon gave way to her complex thoughts about Ober¡¯s motivation and Hubble¡¯s murder.


    Duke Hubble was one of her many enemies, strictly speaking. He was an object that she had to defeat by all means, and at the same time, the chief of those sharing the same goal with Ober. Maybe he might be responsible for fabricating the accident in Roshan. Considering the power he abused and all kinds of evil things he had done until now, it was probably the most legitimate and logical end of his life.


    If she were asked whether murdering Duke Hubble was the right way to solve the problem, Marianne could never agree. This was not a just punishment but murder by someone¡¯s greed. The duke¡¯s death was not for a better world, but a tragedy orchestrated for one person¡¯s interests.


    This kind of logical reasoning of the murder of Duke Hubble confused her.


    She asked herself, ¡®This is an incident involving a man¡¯s death. But is it right for her to use his death as the weapon for her political interests? Of politics? If not, do I have to stop to avoid it when there is more injustice and betrayal on the road ahead?¡¯


    ¡°Madame?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Lady Marianne?¡±

 Chapter 168

    ¡°If I don¡¯t feel so sad about Duke Hubble¡¯s death, am I not the same as Ober? ¡±


    Of course, there was a standard answer to this question. She was set to move on. She was a warrior who already decided not to let go of her weapon, even if the weapon in her hand hurt her a bit.


    Although she knew it, she felt she was not strong enough to defend somebody.


    ¡°If Ober and Elias joined hands to murder Duke Hubble, as we expected, they did something terrible for their own benefit. In a sense, it might be cunning if we can make use of the changes and cracks in their power,¡± Marianne said.


    Mrs. Charlotte quickly read the anxiety in her face.


    ¡°But I don¡¯t think that¡¯s what makes us turn into evil men like them.¡±


    Mrs. Charlotte silently wrapped her folded hands kindly.


    ¡°Since the days when he was the crown prince, his Majesty has often made use of the enemy¡¯s harsh tricks. Actually, he sometimes saved his own life by doing so. If that¡¯s the case, do you think the emperor is no different from Ober?¡±


    ¡°Of course not.¡±


    ¡°I believe there is no absolute good or absolute evil in the world. What kind of human being can establish and judge absolute standards unless he or she is God? We human beings are made to believe that the bread and the clothes we have in our hands are more important than the will of the great God from the beginning. ¡±


    Mrs. Charlotte smiled gently at her logic.


    Marianne continued, ¡°That¡¯s why everybody runs toward what they believe is right. It¡¯s also human right to determine which of the many definitions is more right and meaningful. So, even on this battlefield for power, won¡¯t the victory be determined by who believes in his justice more desperately?¡±


    Even considering the fact that she looked back on her own decision, thoughts and beliefs, Marianne was much better than Ober. She might not be the perfect example of goodness, but that imperfection was evidence that she was fighting her opponents in a sincere and courageous manner.


    ¡°Politics is not a war seeking perfect goodness. It¡¯s a process to win what you believe is just and is a little more beneficial to you than your previous circumstances,¡± Mrs. Charlotte said.


    ¡°¡­ Thank you, ma¡¯am. ¡±


    ¡°Do what you believe is right, Marianne. You don¡¯t have to throw away guilt unconditionally and be as cold as them, but you need to admit that there are things you can¡¯t accomplish with your good intentions. When you lead a life, sometimes there is a time when you have to compromise with reality.¡±


    Marianne nodded silently. At the end of her sigh, her eyes sparkled as vigorously as before.


    ¡°I know. Would you please prepare the thinnest paper and a quill with a sharp tip? I need to write a letter to His Majesty. ¡±


    * * *


    Tok tok tok.


    There was a noise like tapping glass with the tip of a quill. Although the noise was rather vague outside his study, it was very clear to hear in the serene study of the emperor.


    Eckart did not move at all after he heard it. He had been disturbed since dawn because of the news about Duke Hubble¡¯s death. As he couldn¡¯t sleep well last night, his head was pounding.


    Sitting diagonally in the chair, he pressed his tired eyes with the back of his hand.


    His vision went black and white as he opened them.


    In the meantime, the faint noise from outside sounded once again.


    He briefly agonized over whether to call Curtis, but he dropped his raised arm and straightened his back. He felt a shock of pain in his back. His blurred vision gradually returned to normal. As soon as he turned his eyes to the source of the noise, he noticed a familiar shadow.


    ¡°¡­ Poibe. ¡±


    Poibe was pecking at the window of his study. With a small backpack attached to its chest, it tilted its head cutely with sparkling black eyes.


    Eckart woke up and opened the window. Poibe flew in as if he had been waiting for him to do so, flew around the library, and soon landed on his desk. Then, it pecked at the backpack with its beak. He sat back at his desk and carefully took out the stuff inside.


    What was inside was a rolled letter of very thin paper from Marianne.


    The secret letter from Marianne was shocking from the first line. Eckart received numerous reports and letters, but no letter ever began like this.


    ¡®Hummm¡­.Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯ve never received this kind of letter before.¡¯


    With such a poor excuse, Eckart shut up his smiling lips. His fatigued eyes softened greatly when he read only the beginning of the letter, but he did not even know that he was already feeling relaxed.


    The letter was written in her elegant handwriting and soon she got to the main topic.


    Eckart silently read the letter. The memory of all the letters related to the duke¡¯s death hurt his eyes.


    Her educated guess was valid. Perhaps Elias was directly responsible for spreading the rumors about the cause of Duke Hubble¡¯s death. If that was the case, his purpose was too obvious and the contents of the rumor were too detailed to think of it as an accidental leak from his mouth. Rumors getting around in the capital must have been fleshed out by somebody else.


    Namely, the gist of the rumors was that Duke Hubble ended his own life because his pride was greatly offended by the emperor¡¯s humiliating decision.


    Perhaps Ober knew well enough that the general public could not believe such a shallow and blatant excuse. Most likely many nobles who didn¡¯t want to identify themselves openly were convinced that Duke Hubble was murdered by Ober¡¯s dirty trick. What Ober ultimately wanted was not to condemn the imperial family, but stoking fear in him. Ober might be expecting more nobles to realize that he was involved in the duke¡¯s death. By doing so, he would be waiting for scared nobles to succumb to him after realizing that the master of power has changed.


    Eckart already guessed that things would end up unfolding like this from the moment he accepted Ober¡¯s request to put Duke Hubble under house arrest and he received the intelligence report that the witnesses coming from Roshan might have been disguised as Ober¡¯s moles.


    But Eckart never wanted Marianne to detect this.


    He took his eyes off the letter for a moment. It took quite a bit of courage for him to read more. As he confessed in the greenhouse of the Crescent Garden, he was also a politician who would not rule out any means to achieve his goal.


    Occasionally, he ordered or ignored things that went against ethics and morals. Of course, he tried his best to pursue his political interests from a moral point of view, but he had no other choice but to use mean methods to get rid of evil guys that he couldn¡¯t defeat otherwise. Why? Because he wanted to survive. Because he lost so much. Because he promised to keep his mother¡¯s will. Of course, all of them were his cowardly excuses, indeed.


    In fact, that was also his most desperate and frank desire.


    Eckhart read that part over and over again. His blue eyes sunk into their own shades.


    Surprisingly, Marianne was comforting Eckart. She was not blaming him by arguing that he just remained as a bystander, knowing that things would end up like this. She comforted him by saying he did the right thing, so he didn¡¯t have to suffer too much guilt.

 Chapter 169

    Eckart was willing to pay whatever price he had to, and he never wanted anyone to understand his complicated feelings. In order to endure this terrible life, he took a lot of goods and lives, and at the same time, he reflected on a passage from the discipline of kingship that stated there was no shame for the monarch. He pushed a sense of abominable guilt into the deep unseen place in his heart. He felt it was his responsibility to endure it all by himself.


    So, he was not supposed to be comforted by her kind words like this.


    He thought so, but he touched the letters of the letter unconsciously as if he wanted to drink up every drop of Marianne¡¯s undeserved affection.


    He reached the end of the rather long letter.


    Eckhart frowned a bit. He couldn¡¯t even figure out what gift he would receive by putting the parrot on his finger.


    Anyway, it was what Maryanne requested. After he was done justifying his actions, Eckhart hesitated a bit before reaching out to Poibe.


    Poibe trotted around the documents, tilted its head once and jumped onto his finger. When he carefully bent his arms and placed it near his face, Poibe opened his beak and began to imitate Marianne¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Your Majesty. Did you really do what I told you?¡±


    He blushed when Poibe asked in a teasing voice. It sounded as if she was teasing him with a hearty laugh, with her green eyes sparkling. Even though the owner of the voice was not there, he felt ashamed.


    ¡°If you are listening to this voice, I will be very happy.¡±


    But the words that followed quickly took away his sense of shame.


    ¡°I miss you, Your Majesty.¡±


    Her lovely and sweet voice penetrated his heart.


    After it was done imitating her words, Poibe leaned forward. Its smooth beak gently touched his closed lips and briefly stayed there as if to convey her breath.


    Eckart stiffened for a while after Poibe carried out its job and flew back out the window.


    He grasped and opened his empty hand several times. His engagement ring reflected the afternoon sun. After pondering over the promise he had shared with her, he eventually pulled his hand closer to his face.


    He kissed the golden Kimmel ring warmly. It was an answer he wanted to convey to her.


    * * *


    The next morning, Marianne left the Elior Mansion and headed for Duke Hubble¡¯s mansion.


    As she was visiting there to express condolences, she was dressed more plainly than usual. Her dress, gloves, shoes and the veil on the hat were all black. After picking up a black lace fan, she rode in her wagon, accompanied by Mrs. Charlotte and Cordelli.


    The wagon was simple because it was stripped of its roof decorations and insignia. The uniformed Eluang Knights followed her wagon, escorting it from all directions. Only Iric was dressed in Astolf¡¯s formal uniform, and his black cloak fluttered behind him like a bannerol.


    Her wagon soon entered the Hubble mansion¡¯s courtyard. Marianne got out, helped by the two who accompanied her. Before the horseman and knights returned to their place, she signalled to Iric gently. Irick responded by nodding once instead of kneeling before her.


    The unspoken promise shared by the two was kept right away.


    Shortly after Marianne¡¯s party left for the main building, a white parrot flew silently among the knights as they left her.


    The mansion was crowded with numerous mourners. When she entered, most of the nobles stepped aside to make way for her. Thanks to that, she reached Sir Elias and his wife immediately without bumping into anyone.


    Marianne expressed condolences to Elias¡¯s wife, ¡°May the late duke rest in peace.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for coming in person for his sudden death,¡± she replied with a calm expression.


    ¡°I also would like to thank you for coming here,¡± said Elias, whose face was unusually pale.


    After that, he immediately changed his attitude and no longer used honorifics for her.


    Even though his father, Duke Hubble, died, he had to go through the process of obtaining the emperor¡¯s permission to formally inherit his father¡¯s title, but he acted arrogantly as if he did not care about it.


    ¡°Sir Elias, I guess you are in great distress because of your father¡¯s sudden death. I hope you won¡¯t be consumed by too much worry.¡±


    Concealing her disgust with Elias, she tried to appease the new master of the Hubble house.


    Elias twisted his mouth into a smile instead of replying.


    Marianne lifted her dress slightly to show manners before making herself scarce.


    She looked around the room again. While passing through the lobby and heading to the parlor, she soon found the woman she was looking for.


    Leaving Ms. Charlotte and Cordelli behind for a while, Marianne slowly walked near the window.


    ¡°Mrs. Chester.¡±


    Although she was dressed like a mourner, her dress was layered with colorful lace.


    When Marianne called her, Mrs. Chester looked back, ¡°Oh, you are here. May our goddess bless you, Lady Marianne. ¡±


    ¡°I wish you the blessing of the goddess, too.¡±


    Mrs. Chester welcomed Marianne with a smile.


    ¡°I thought you would be very surprised because of the sudden obituary, but you look fine.¡±


    ¡°I am! I still can¡¯t believe it. My heart is beating with sorrow and shock even now, ¡± said Marianne, raising her right hand with a sad expression.


    Mrs. Chester suddenly burst into laughter after seeing her nervously pressing on her heart.


    ¡°Well, the wind blowing through the capital is too strong for the Spring of the North to endure,¡± she said, referring to Marianne figuratively.


    Her ashen eyes scrutinized Marianne thoroughly.


    ¡°I¡¯m ashamed but that¡¯s true. That¡¯s why I tend to look for a tree that I can rely on.¡±


    Marianne smiled while trying her best to hide the discomfort at being dissected.


    ¡°Madam, as you already know¡­ When I came to the capital, I was in a hurry, so I could hardly pack anything at the time. When I was in Lennox, I used to host a salon and spend time with my close friends and noblewomen, but now I can¡¯t. That¡¯s why I¡¯m depending on you a lot, madame.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t know you were thinking the world of me. I feel like I have to cultivate a sense of responsibility for you, ¡± Mrs. Chester quipped sarcastically.


    ¡°So, can I ask you a favor?¡± Marianne stepped closer to her. She smelled the scent of a dark jasmine flower from her. ¡°As you know, Sir Ober was so upset with Lady Lonstat that he ordered her not to visit his house again.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes. I know that. Come to think of it, I haven¡¯t seen Count Lonstat and Miss Roxy for a long time. ¡±


    ¡°Some time ago, I met Miss Roxanne and we cleared the air between us a bit. So, I wonder if you can invite her again to your salon. As you have liked her for a long time, I hope you can show some mercy towards her¡­ ¡±


    Mrs. Chester knitted her brows at her suggestion.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t me but Ober who ordered Miss Lonstat not to come back again. Why are you asking me such a favor?¡±


    ¡°Of course I would ask Sir Ober the same favor, but the host of the salon is not Ober but you, madame. So I thought I should ask for your permission first. ¡±


    ¡°Hummm¡­ ¡±


    ¡°Is it too much to ask?¡±


    Marianne pressed her lips togethr, pulling her eyebrows slightly to show that her request was rather urgent and desperate.


    But Mrs. Chester did not immediately respond. She just stared at Marianne.


    She seemed to open her mouth very slowly as if to make her fret about it.


    At that moment, she heard a familiar voice from behind.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you stop keeping her wondering and respond?¡±


    ¡°¡­ Sir Ober. ¡±


    ¡°May the goddess protect you.¡±


    ¡°I wish you the blessing of the goddess.¡±


    Ober put his lips on her forehead and her hand and knelt down. Only after confirming that many were gathered around him, he deliberately raised his body politely.


    ¡°Oh, I was going to reply. I just don¡¯t know why you¡¯re so impatient¡­¡±


    Mrs. Chester sneered at him, fanning herself with an annoyed expression.


    Whether or not his mother was trying to pick a quarrel or not, Ober focused more on Marianne than her.


    ¡°She has such a peculiar personality, so she often plays pranks on people she likes. Very nasty taste.¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s fine. As I¡¯ve asked her a favor first, I think I should duly wait until she decides.¡±


    Marianne shook her head and slightly bit the inside of her mouth.


    Mrs. Chester did not deny it even though his son Ober pointed out her personality problems.


    Her carefree and arrogant attitude disturbed Marianne¡¯s mind.

 Chapter 170

    What they would have simply glossed over as eccentric habits must have been the tyranny that determined someone¡¯s life or death or course of life. That ¡®someone¡¯ would have included Marianne¡¯s mother and father, perhaps even the emperor¡¯s late mother, Empress Blair.


    ¡°I will allow Lonstat¡¯s access to my salon again, starting today. Would you please give me some time for lunch in return? ¡±


    ¡°Of course. Anytime!¡± Marianne nodded, smiling brightly. She smiled a refreshing smile that could not be dismissed as a feigned one.


    ¡°Thank you for your generous decision, ma¡¯am. I¡¯ll see you at the salon again. ¡±


    Only after checking her feelings to the end did she leave the main building, escorted by Ober. She deliberately pretended not to recognize Mrs. Charlotte and Cordelli¡¯s enormous concern about her as they waited nearby.


    The two walked past several mourners and headed for the quiet back garden. On one side of the well-maintained garden, condolence flowers were piled up like a mountain. They had been sent by the nobles who received Duke Hubble¡¯s obituary notice after scouting all the flower shops in the capital and the surrounding areas yesterday. White flowers such as lilies, daffodils, and summer chrysanthemums were piled high, boasting a sad and elegant appearance.


    ¡°Sir Ober,¡± said Marianne, pulling her black dress behind a pile of familiar lilies.


    The shadows of the two men appeared behind the flower wall created by the afternoon sun.


    ¡°Did you make this sudden and unexpected obituary by yourself?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Is that rumor getting around in the capital?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Although you said the emperor¡¯s decree offended Duke Hubble¡¯s pride, it seems that everybody believes that you drove him into the extreme situation where he ended his life.¡±


    She gave him some plain information that was moderately naive but not stupid. If she wanted to stay in touch with him, who tended to tell people apart based on the principle of necessity and needlessness, she could not pretend to know what was going on in the social clubs.


    ¡°Good. If that¡¯s the case, even the foolish ones will be able to grasp the situation. ¡±


    Ober shrugged and grinned at her. Marianne concealed her anger and held the fan in her hand so tightly as if to break it.


    Ober didn¡¯t show any guilt or hesitation while confessing that he fabricated someone¡¯s death.


    It seemed that murder was one of the simplest and most common weapons to him. Just like a giant didn¡¯t feel any guilt every time he stepped on an ant, Ober would never feel guilty about taking the lives of others.


    In fact, that was nothing new. Wasn¡¯t Ober the guy who worried about her funeral to be held in the summer while attempting to drown her in the lake?


    ¡°Well, all this was for His Majesty¡­¡±


    ¡°The emperor,¡± Ober cut her off with a sharp voice. ¡°You don¡¯t have to use that annoying honorifics for the emperor who is not here?¡±


    At first glance, he seemed to be considerate, but what he just said was a kind of treason by itself.


    Marianne helplessly shut up. Ober¡¯s eyes were too dark and gloomy for her to challenge him.


    ¡°¡­ I just wanted to ask you if this was part of your plan to kill the emperor. ¡±


    Only after hearing her reply the way he wanted to hear it did Ober brighten his expression slightly.


    ¡°Well, broadly speaking, yes, it¡¯s the same thing. Right now, I¡¯m in the process of sharpening the blade of a weapon.¡±


    ¡°Then, I wish you had tipped me off on this in advance. Do you know how surprised I was to hear Duke Hubble¡¯s sudden obituary? Besides, everybody was gossiping that you were responsible for the murder of Duke Hubble¡­¡±


    ¡°Did the emperor question you about this?¡± Ober asked, but she shook her head slightly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know yet. I was so surprised to hear the news yesterday, and I was so busy preparing to go to the funeral that I couldn¡¯t go to the palace¡­I¡¯m going to go there in the afternoon or tomorrow. ¡±


    ¡°Because Duke Hubble is gone now, the emperor will now move directly. Just visit the palace often to keep an eye on his movements. Especially check out anything suspicious in his study or bedroom. I don¡¯t care if it¡¯s a tiny clue or hint, so if you have anything suspicious, please contact me immediately. ¡±


    ¡°Okay, got it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s best for you to come and see me in person, but when things don¡¯t work out, you can send someone else to me. I guess there are some useful messengers hanging around the emperor¡¯s residence and the main palace. I mean those maids in the garden, the servants in the stables, the knights and staff at the main building¡­¡±


    Marianne swallowed even though her mouth was dry. She already knew there was more than one mole planted by Chester in the emperor¡¯s residence, including Eve, but it was the first time she heard him mentioning his moles. She felt maybe she could find out the identity of those spies even in the Imperial Palace.


    ¡°I know the garden maid once because she delivered the letter back then, but I don¡¯t know about the rest of the people you just mentioned. Of course, I can¡¯t stop people and ask them. How do I distinguish them? Is there an easy way for me to find them out? ¡±


    ¡°Hmm.They are not much different from others on the surface. The only way to find them is that they have a family sign on their back or chests¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not possible. I can¡¯t take off their clothes to find the signs. ¡±


    These days Marianne was a woman about whom there was a most unscrupulous rumor going around, but she was not crazy enough to take off the clothes of the knights and servants of the Imperial Palace. If the other party was a real spy, he would show his body and follow her order even if he were embarrassed. But what if he were just an ordinary servant or knight that had nothing to do with Obers¡¯ moles?


    If that took place, Marianne¡¯s reputation would crumble completely.


    ¡°You might feel a bit burdensome, but can you send me a list of them? I¡¯ll destroy it right away once I figure them out. ¡±


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a wise option.¡±


    ¡°Why? Do you think someone else can take from me while I¡¯m reviewing it? Then I¡¯ll just read and memorize it before burning it. ¡±


    Ober laughed instead of answering. Marianne couldn¡¯t figure out exactly what was the truth behind his laughter, so she tempered her impatience.


    As she already showed her cards, she would look all the more suspicious if she withdrew now.


    She tried to think she was playing poker right now. The man standing in front of her was just her partner playing poker, just like Cordelli, Evelyn, Angelica, or Iric. She felt it would be best to assume her partner right now was Iric, the worst poker player. In that case, her partner used to be easily deceived even when she pretended to change her facial expression.


    She decided to make her bid for victory right away. To borrow from the theory of tutor Julia who first taught her poker, winning the game depended on one¡¯s self-confidence. Calmness was the power to move the opponent.


    ¡°Ober, can¡¯t you trust me? ¡±


    Marianne moved one step back, shocked and disappointed. Then, Ober came closer to her and rolled his arms behind his back.


    ¡°Oh, how can¡¯t I trust you? You are my only salvation.¡±


    His low voice passed right beside her ear. She felt goosebumps at his hot breathing, but she laid her hands on his cheeks like a priest of God trying to confirm faith instead of shoving him away. Despite her very feeble grip on his face, he looked down and made eye contact with her.


    She tried to make her look as pitiable and sad as possible at the moment.


    ¡®He is being deceived. He won¡¯t doubt. He is being pulled over. Goddess Anthea, Kader, Cardinal Helena, priests Hilde, Ciel and Hess, please pray for me. He is being deceived, yes, he is¡­!¡¯


    In the end, Ober said, ¡°As there are not many, it¡¯s easier for you to find them when you get to know their faces rather than know their names. Let me send you a person to help you to find them out. So, choose anyone that you like.¡±


    At last, he gave her what she wanted to hear. After hesitating a little, she nodded.


    Then Marianne cut out the tangled gaze, pretending to lean on his nape. The Bible¡¯s blessing to pop out of her mouth without her knowledge swallowed with inhale. She sang in silent pleasures.


    ¡®Brilliant glory to both goddesses and faithful priests!¡¯


    ***


    ¡°Lady Marianne!¡±


    An unfamiliar voice was heard from behind her back. Marianne, who was about to get on the carriage, stood on the ground again. Dressed in a smooth silk dress, she looked back gently.


    ¡°Miss Roxanne?¡±


    ¡°I wish you the blessing of the goddess!¡± It was Roxanne who, wearing a black veiled hat, politely bowed to her.


    Marianne approached her and raised her up. She returned Miss Roxanne¡¯s greetings by saying the same thing briefly. After exchanging pleasantries, the two were standing in silence for a while.


    Marianne looked at Roxanne calmly without asking her anything.

 Chapter 171

    In Marianne¡¯s eyes, Roxanne seemed to hesitate to say something. Her trembling lime eyes underneath her neatly combed blonde looked up and down repeatedly. Her two hands, folded naturally, also seemed to be trembling.


    After further hesitation, Roxanne whispered in a small voice, ¡°I came to answer your suggestion to me last time.¡±


    Hearing that, Marianne smiled as if she already expected her answer. Although Roxanne didn¡¯t like her attitude, she deeply sighed after putting up with it.


    Her father, Earl Lonstat, supported Duke Hubble so fervently that he was even called Duke Hubble¡¯s minion. After it was widely known that his daughter was banned from visiting Ober¡¯s mansion, the earl and his people tried to rely more heavily on Duke Hubble. They even thought that even Ober was probably Duke Hubble¡¯s top minion.


    But last night the master, Duke Hubble disappeared. There was a rumor that Ober, the mad dog, bit his master to death.


    After receiving the terrible telegram about Duke Hubble¡¯s death, Lonstat quickly calculated the gains and losses.


    ¡®Do I need to keep my loyalty to the master who died by the mad dog that exposed its fangs? Besides, aren¡¯t we the descendants of Lonstat who value practical interests and power more than honor and faithfulness?¡¯


    Eventually Lonstat changed his attitude as soon as he heard Duke Hubble¡¯s obituary. The fact that his patron changed also meant that his daughter, Roxanne, knew clearly which political faction she had to belong to. Similar and slightly different names from the past dwarfed her pride.


    Ober, Mrs. Chester, and ¡­


    ¡°If I dare to be your friend, it would be a delightful and beautiful thing to compare it to one of the many glories engraved in the history of the Lonstat family.¡±


    Having said that, Roxanne checked her expression. She tried to express her feelings with the humblest and most polite words.


    ¡°I will be happy to do my best if you accept me as your friend.¡±


    Although Marianne didn¡¯t like it, Roxanne thought of her as her most favorable partner.


    That helped Roxanne come to the conclusion after a long angst. In fact, she was done justifying herself.


    In retrospect, Marianne never severely condemned her repeated rudeness. Although everyone was gossiping about her scandal, Marianne was the only person who came to inquire after her. Marianne even made a ridiculous suggestion that she should be her friend and maid. She even said Roxanne could deceive her to take what she wanted.


    ¡°Thank you so much for asking Ober and Mrs. Chester on my behalf to allow me to visit Mrs. Chester¡¯s salon again.¡±


    Those were the words that she heard from Mrs. Chester that she met a little while ago.


    Whatever the reason, it was Marianne who gave Roxanne a chance to come back to their comfortable castle from which she had been expelled from. It was only Marianne in this wide continent that held what she should have had.


    Perhaps Marianne would be Lonstat¡¯s only lifeline from now on, a lifeline of fate that would lift her above that high wall then drop her off an endless cliff.


    ¡°Good decision. I believed that you would make a wise choice, and you didn¡¯t disappoint me.¡±


    Marianne smiled brightly and grabbed Roxanne¡¯s hands, as she wished.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see you often in Mrs. Chester¡¯s salon but come to the Elior Mansion often. You¡¯re welcome any time. ¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ll do that. ¡±


    ¡°Oh, let me send you some more sets of your favorite puzzles. When Sir Arthur¡¯s merchant ships return, let¡¯s taste the new tea leaves. The new jewelry I ordered in the craftsman¡¯s workshop will be coming soon, and when it arrives, let¡¯s open it together. ¡±


    ¡°¡­ Thank you for your warm considerations.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome. Now that you¡¯re my friend, may I call you Miss Roxy instead of Roxanne? ¡±


    Friend.


    Earl Lonstat always told her that ¡®friend¡¯ was a fleeting illusion created by the weak. He said there was no eternal friendship as far as power was concerned, adding only those who had no power talked about love and friendship and leaned on the power and riches of the strong.


    That was correct. The reason she decided to accept Marianne¡¯s proposal was because she wanted to have power. Like Marianne said, she would gladly deceive others and take from them. After she had what she had to have, she would break that stupid romance.


    Roxanne nodded slowly with such a vow. If she could make Marianne softer and foolish, she had no problem at all even if Marianne called her Roxy.


    ¡°See you again, Miss Roxy.¡±


    As if she didn¡¯t know how Roxanne was thinking about her, Marianne got into the carriage with a happy expression and said goodbye. A long procession followed her.


    Only after the knight escorting her carriage left her view, Roxanne turned.


    ¡®¡­How stupid she is!¡¯


    She didn¡¯t know why, but she felt very bad. She felt really nasty and terrible.


    * * *


    By late afternoon, the funeral home, the late duke¡¯s mansion, came to a lull. The powerful nobles of the capital who visited early in the morning returned home after killing time briefly. Although the nobles in the suburbs of Milan were arriving one by one, they were considerably smaller in number than those who visited in the morning.


    Naturally, the atmosphere of the mansion gradually subsided and calmed down. Thanks to this, Elias and his wife could take time out for a break.


    ¡°I¡¯m tired. I¡¯m sorry, Elias. You have to receive guests for another six days,¡± said Mrs. Chester. She was one of the few guests who had not left the late duke¡¯s mansion until now.


    She muttered in annoyance, fanning herself alone on the couch. The weather was so hot that half the windows around the garden were open, but it wasn¡¯t as cool as she expected because the door was closed.


    ¡°I can¡¯t do anything about it. My father always told me I couldn¡¯t get anything for free, ¡± said


    Elias, rubbing his eyes as if he was tired.


    ¡°What are you going to do with the witnesses coming from Roshan?¡± Elias¡¯s wife asked, looking at Ober sitting across from her. She looked calm, as always. He sat still with a colorless, odorless, and dry gaze, like a man whose soul was gone. While spinning a wine glass, he met her eyes.


    ¡°They won¡¯t come here. They are already gone.¡±


    ¡°Did you kill them?¡±


    ¡°Well, they¡¯re too precious to kill, so I have put them to sleep for a long time. So, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    His ashen eyes stared at her. As he looked so terrifying at the moment, she shut her mouth like before, instead of asking more.


    If her husband, Elias¡¯s inheritance of his late father title, was formally approved by the emperor, she would be higher than Marquis Ober in rank. But even then, Ober would call the shots when important decisions were made. It was obvious that she would not be allowed to interfere with his handling affairs, let alone his decision, just like right now.


    ¡°Yes. We have got more important things to worry about now.¡±


    Mrs. Chester broke the ice in the mysteriously frozen atmosphere in the room.


    ¡°A welcome guest is coming from Faisal soon. Thinking of the distance, it seems to be a bit difficult for him to arrive here before the funeral is over¡­But he will be here by the end of this month or early next month. ¡±


    ¡°¡­ Do you really think Empress Alessa will cooperate with you? ¡±


    Elias asked with a slightly suspicious expression. His dark eyebrows were trembling.


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think it matters whether Empress Alessa cooperates or not. But it will be hard for her not to pretend to cooperate. She is not that stupid,¡± said Mrs. Chester, bursting into laughter as if she thought it was funny.


    ¡°We have a separate goal anyway. If we persuade that guy well, he is going to be a better card than Empress Alesa,¡± said Ober, putting down the empty glass of wine.


    Right at the moment, someone knocked on the door. When Elias okayed entry, an attendant came in and bowed.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°A new visitor has come to express condolences. Earl Spencer, Marquis Leman, Viscount Aquinas¡­¡±


    ¡°Okay. Tell them I¡¯m coming to see them shortly.¡±


    Elias cut him off as if he was irritated and waved his hand. Shortly after the attendant closed the door, Ober and Mrs. Chester stood up at the same time to leave.


    ¡°Now, please put your best foot forward when you see them. You play this kind of role only once in your life as the successor to your late father, who was competent. It¡¯s a very rare and special role. Of course, I know you don¡¯t want to do it again,¡± said Mrs. Chester.


    She greeted him by grinning and slightly bowing her head.


    ¡°I will be busy for a while. I¡¯ll meet you here when the guest arrives here from Faisal. Goodbye for now¡­¡±

 Chapter 172

    Ober followed her and soon disappeared. Elias and his wife left, murmuring they were tired. Soon the corridors of the third floor were filled with silence.


    The silence continued until the servants and maids at the mansion came to clean up.


    Outside the half-open window there was a tree with abundant leaves. The early summer wind circulated through the garden. At that moment, a small bird with white feathers flew off and quickly disappeared through the bright sunlight.


    The mansion was silent again. It was still a peaceful afternoon.


    ***


    ¡°The witnesses have disappeared,¡± said Curtis, bowing slightly to Eckart, while standing in the shadows between the bookshelves.


    Instead of answering, Ecart wrote something on paper. Curtis anxiously waited for his answer. Using his very sensitive hearing, Curtis began to identify and classify all the sounds in the serene study, including the sound of the tip of the quill tapping against the neck of the ink pot, the sound of the quill being inserted straight into the pen holder, the sound of the teacup being held by its owner, the sound of him drinking the tea, the sound of a chair being pushed back gently, the sound of walking slowly and even his slow and deep sighs.


    ¡°I guess Ober will come to see me to report that the witnesses have gone missing,¡± Eckart said.


    Curtis raised his eyes again and looked at him.


    Eckart stood and looked out the window where the sunset was pouring in like a flood.


    His cold eyes and vivid golden hair were dark as if he had been splashed with indigo.


    ¡°Choose the right candidates among the knights or moles to track down the missing witnesses.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°If you catch a suspect, don¡¯t hurt or wound him. Bring him here alive.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±


    Curtis left the study silently after politely showing courtesy to Eckart as he stood with his back to him. As he was immediately lost in other thoughts, Eckart didn¡¯t hear Curtis leaving the study.


    Standing before the desk with his back to it, Eckart reflected on what he had to do, action by action.


    Since the witness disappeared, he could not hold a trial to convict Duke Hubble of a crime. Ober wouldn¡¯t provide any further evidence because he achieved his goal. It was too early to use the residue of the anesthesia that Marianne brought. In other words, the cause of the crime was obvious, but there were no defendants, witnesses, or evidence left.


    The accident in Roshan would be forgotten or fade away little by little without being resolved for the time being. As a result, it was difficult to hold the Hubble family accountable for the crime. And he couldn¡¯t cancel the process of awarding the duke title to Elias, Duke Hubble¡¯s only son. Perhaps, it was Ober¡¯s strategy for Elias to replace the duke.


    And Eckart was willing to be duped by Ober¡¯s shallow trick. He even wished that on this occasion more nobles could fall under his influence.


    The capital, Milan, was a hunting ground that attracted nobles seeking power more than anywhere else. It was a place where it was natural to hunt for power, intelligence, and allies instead of animals. The people who gathered there started looking for their favorite grounds and hunting. Some had a grassy plain where animals easily gathered, and others had to wait for their prey in a barren valley.


    Eckart was a hunter who started from a disadvantageous ground. As a result, he was more skillful in dealing with traps and surprises than hunting lots of game.


    Rather than catching each of the ten young wolves hiding in the open field, it was much more effective to drive them to their home ground and start a fire in front of their entrance to catch them all at once. He dug a trap and waited for the leading wolf that could drive the young ones into their den.


    In that sense, Ober was the perfect man to take on the role of the leading wolf. He was a traitor with greater ambition than Duke Hubble, and he had much more fiery and daring temperament than the duke. He was careful enough to be cunning but arrogant enough to make mistakes.


    ¡®Ober won¡¯t keep Elias long. I guess more than half of Duke Hubble¡¯s force will switch their loyalty from Duke Hubble to Ober. The overload of power will surely make him move¡­¡¯


    Eckart massaged his numb muscles, wrapping his left arm with his right hand. Perhaps because of the splints that were always around it, even light movements felt stiff. The fingers of his right hand were also paler and thinner than the left ones.


    Eckart slowly bent his awkward wrists and arms as if they were not his. The knuckles of his finger joints shrunk then stretched out again.


    In the meantime, he heard the sound of the door being opened and closed from far behind.


    His long and deep thought distracted his sense of time. Eckhart thought it hadn¡¯t been too long since he gave orders to Curtis, and that the noise was also a sign that Curtis was leaving the room.


    ¡®I think I have to start using my right arm again. Let me ask Dr. Ostaschu when he comes in the evening¡­¡¯


    It was when he was toying with such idle thoughts when he sensed someone was coming up from behind him.


    When he realized something was pulling his body, it was after something like hot energy was already attached to his body.


    He instinctively stopped while trying to tear it away from his waist. Just before he twisted something that felt like a human arm, some familiar and sweet scent gently tickled his nose.


    He dropped his gaze to his waist instead of running away from the heat wrapped around his body. What he held with his left hand was a thin, warm arm. A ring that he could never mistake as a sharp object was shining on her hand that gently rested around his waist.


    Even the movement of her leaning her face on his wounded back was very careful.


    ¡°Your Majesty, what are you thinking about so hard?¡±


    Eckart relaxed slowly. Even though her actions were rude and dangerous, it was funny that he never thought of having her kneel before him and rebuking her, the owner of that affectionate voice.


    ¡°Even if I came here without asking you first, I wished you looked back¡­¡±


    He wanted to stay with her. On the one hand, he wanted her to warm up his body moderately, so he could lean on her a little bit more, but on the other hand, he felt the urge to pull his body away from her right away. In fact, he was feeling someone was hanging on his back for the first time in his life. It was unfamiliar and awkward, but not as terrible as he thought.


    ¡°It looked like you didn¡¯t miss me at all¡±


    ¡°¡­ ¡±


    ¡°I missed you so much. Today, yesterday and the day before yesterday I wanted to see you.¡±


    In fact, she overly played the baby to him, given that he didn¡¯t know who came into his study from the beginning, but she didn¡¯t care and hugged him more tightly. Then she pulled her neck straight and craned her head around his shoulder.


    His green eyes, which were tinted red in the setting sun, met her blue eyes.


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°Ugh?¡±


    ¡°I know you thought about me yesterday. Did you have Poibe run an errand like that? ¡±


    That made Marianne¡¯s facial expression look much brighter. She released her arms and quickly stood before him.


    ¡°As for my favor, did you really grant it?¡±


    ¡°Of course, because you requested it.¡±


    After hearing a satisfactory answer from him, Marianne chuckled bashfully.


    Her face, filled with happiness, turned sullen at the next moment.


    ¡°Then, when are you going to reply?¡±


    ¡°Reply?¡±


    ¡°Since I wrote you a letter, you should reply. Are you going to ignore my sincerity when you received my specially prepared gift? Oh my gosh, I didn¡¯t know you were so bad¡­¡±


    Eckart slowly blinked his eyes, looking a bit embarrassed. He noticed that she started to do some trick to tease him again, but he felt dizzy when he was faced with this kind of situation. Even the technique of speech and argument that he learned from Sir Simon were useless before her.


    ¡°I¡¯ve also come here to brief you about very rare and valuable intelligence.¡±


    ¡°Precious intelligence?¡±


    ¡°Yes, very precious intelligence. Probably the only ones who know it right now are Ober, Mrs Chester, Elias and his wife, Phebe and me. Aren¡¯t you curious?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I am¡­¡±


    ¡°Then, please answer me first.¡±


    Marianne turned her hands upside down and presented them before Eckhart. She shook her hands up and down and urged him to reply.


    Eckhart hesitated, reaching out and grabbing her left hand. He wrapped his fingertips around hers and turned his wrist to see the back of her hand. Because of the height difference, her hand moved from below his chest to near his chin.


    With her sparkling eyes fixed on him, he kissed her hand like he did at the crescent garden.


    It was a polite and elegant kiss. His hot breathing dissipated like a fantasy after sweeping over her engagement ring.


    ¡°¡­ Is this enough as my reply? ¡°

 Chapter 173

    It might be him, not her, who could not hide his feelings anymore.


    Eckart felt a sense of helplessness, along with a light guilt. He felt those feelings all his life, but now he didn¡¯t think they were awkward because of her.


    Meanwhile, Marianne was changing her expression every moment. Her surprised face turned a little red, and she soon bent her eyes to smile. Then, her face quickly turned calm.


    ¡°Well, yes. That¡¯s enough for your reply. But it¡¯s not enough for you to pay for the new intelligence I¡¯ve brought to you. ¡±


    Having said that firmly, she pulled away her hand gently.


    Eckart knitted his eyebrows as if he was put on the spot. It was not because he didn¡¯t like her trying to get the due credit for the new intelligence, but because he didn¡¯t know what to give her to satisfy her.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what reward can satisfy you¡­but if you have anything you want, don¡¯t be afraid to tell me. I will prepare whatever you want. ¡±


    Even in the face of her outrageous request, he responded seriously, which disarmed her disguise at once. She wanted to ask for a little more shamelessly but gave up.


    He was a man who would never make a vain and reckless promise, but he always vowed to do anything to her.


    She felt her heart pounding every time she appreciated his deep affection. Sometimes, she felt it was too much for her to endure, but she was still happy. She even wished she could keep all his love, even if she feels too burdensome.


    ¡°I took Phebe with me today when I went to the duke¡¯s mansion to express condolences. I came back early in the afternoon, and Phebe came back a little before I went to the palace. This bad but smart guy overheard something very important.¡±


    She decided to answer his questions before asking for the price.


    ¡°Phebe said the witnesses went missing. They were the witnesses that Ober had to bring to testify about Duke Hubble¡¯s crime. They must have been Chester¡¯s moles, too. Ober didn¡¯t kill them, but he would make them hibernate for a very long time.¡±


    Eckhart knew it already, but he nodded without pretending to know.


    He already expected what she would say next, but it confirmed what he already heard.


    She continued, ¡°Ober and Elias joined hands to kill Duke Hubble. It seemed that Mrs. Chester and Elias¡¯s wife were more influential than Ober and Elias in getting things done. And a welcome guest will come from Faisal.¡±


    But this intelligence was quite new and significant to him.


    ¡°From Faisal?¡±


    ¡°Yes. The guest will arrive by the end of this month or by early next month at the latest. Whether or not Empress Alessa is unwilling or unwilling to cooperate, she will have to pretend to do so, and the guest will be a better card than Empress Alessa if they can persuade him to be on their side ¡±


    ¡°Is there any other intelligence?¡± Eckhart asked with a serious expression.


    In his head, he was cross checking it with Curtis¡¯ briefing.


    ¡°Well, as soon as the servant came in to announce a new visitor, Mrs. Chester and Ober left the place, so there was no more intelligence. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s important, but if I tell you this¡­I think I heard Earl Spencer, Marquis Lehman, and Viscount Aquinas came. Oh, I also heard that when the guest from Faisal came, he asked to meet them again. ¡±


    ¡°Hmmm¡­¡±


    Eckart thought for a moment, then looked at her, who seemed to be asking for his praise.


    He smiled tenderly at her with a sincere heart. His straight mouth and sharp eyes drew an enchanting curve as if they were in sync. His passionate love for her, which he didn¡¯t realize, poured out through his hooded eyes.


    ¡°Now, it looks like you have become a real spy.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Let me appreciate your hard work very much. Once I find out more through Curtis, I will pass it on to you when I get more surefire intelligence. ¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­ Marianne? Are you listening to me? ¡±


    Eckart leaned his head toward her who was making a slightly blank expression.


    ¡°¡­ Ah yes. I know.¡±


    Mariane replied belatedly with a perplexed look, as if she just woke up. She even waved her hand in the air as if she was chasing a fly.


    ¡°Okay. Good job!¡±


    Eckart thought that her reaction was a bit strange, but accepted it and gave it a pass without any doubt.


    ¡°So, don¡¯t laugh outside recklessly, please.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just what I have said. I¡¯m going to keep your expression to myself. You can just keep your image as the ¡®Blue Iron Wall of Milan¡¯ as you used to. When you laugh in front of others, do so moderately¡­You know what I mean, right? ¡±


    ¡°Well. I don¡¯t know¡­¡±


    Eckhart looked down at her with a perplexed expression.


    ¡°Well, look at me well.¡±


    She smiled lovingly, gazing straight at him, standing beside the window to avoid the backlight of the sun. Then she returned to her spot and made a serious expression.


    ¡°How would you feel if I talked to Ober with a smile? Of course, I have to do it to deceive him anyway, and will continue to do so. But aside from that, how would you feel in that situation?¡±


    It was an absurd and even outrageous question, but Eckhart immediately realized.


    The moment he imagined the situation she proposed, he could come up with a much more accurate answer than lots of explanation.


    ¡®Marianne is laughing innocently and beautifully before that wicked and cunning man with an expression as if she can say she loves him. How would I feel?¡¯


    Eckart was filled with anger that he found hard to describe. Probably he couldn¡¯t feel more unpleasant than this.


    As if she pulled a face unconsciously, she clapped her hands, ¡°Right! That¡¯s my question. Namely, how you would feel in such a situation. Got it now? ¡±


    He could now quite accurately understand the meaning of what she said. He felt like he was caught doing something, which he should never have let others see.


    Embarrassed, he waved his hand in the air and swept his neck once. He cleared his throat unconsciously. When he tried to say something he had never mentioned before, he sighed first.


    ¡°Marianne, what you are doing is pointless jealousy. ¡±


    ¡°I know. But when I¡¯m dating somebody, I know it, but I can¡¯t help it. ¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Eckart was again at a loss for words. One of the words in her reply disturbed him..


    Dating? If he listed the words that he thought would not appear in his life, that was one of the ten words he would single out. What was more amazing was that he did not want to deny that word.


    ¡°I rarely smile unless I meet you¡­What does it mean to smile pretty? I never thought of doing so¡­To tell you the truth, isn¡¯t it you who smiles pretty much more often than I do? You smile at priests, knights, attendants, even maids and servants all the time¡­¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± he relentlessly interrupted Eckart, who was muttering to himself with a confused expression. ¡°I have something to confess to you. In fact, I¡¯m more cunning than you think. I may be cunning, but I don¡¯t want you to be, although I know I¡¯m selfish. ¡±


    ¡°¡­ ¡±


    ¡°Of course I can¡¯t force you to do it because I hate it. I know you didn¡¯t want me to, but you have been putting up with that until now. So, I tried to put up with it. ¡±


    ¡°¡­ ¡±


    ¡°But you told me that you would give you anything I want in return, right? ¡±


    ¡°¡­ ¡±


    In other words, what she wanted in return for her gift was, in her expression, for him not to smile or laugh pretty before others.


    Marianne shrugged her shoulders like a triumphant general.


    ¡°Be careful when you make a promise to others. Of course, you can promise me anytime. ¡±


    He didn¡¯t hate it, although she was trying to make such an obvious move on him. He felt that even the god Airius would not be able to save him.


    Resigned to her move, he accepted her request without any resistance when she hugged him.


    Although his body temperature rose when he touched her, he had no intention to resist or protest at all.


    This was the game he was supposed to lose from the beginning. It was a game he could never win as long as he loved her.


    ¡°Well, would you like to have dinner with me now? In fact, the price I had in mind before you smiled like that was to ask you to invite me to dinner this evening. But you can do me a favor if I ask it now, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­ Sure.¡± He nodded gently with a faint smile.


    ¡°Thank you. After dinner, I will tell you what I talked about with Ober and Mrs. Chester at the duke¡¯s mansion. Oh, let me tell you about my conversation with Roxanne, too.¡±


    Marianne babbled in satisfaction and left the study, led by him. Walking side by side along the corridor, she vowed firmly that whenever she found new intelligence about the Ober family, she would make this kind of unfair request of the emperor.

 Chapter 174

    Five days passed. Roshan finally had its rainy season at the end of June.


    The funeral of Duke Hubble proceeded without any accident. On a rainy day, many nobles watched his coffin being moved to the Hubble Castle.


    Marianne was there, too. Though her condolences were not 100% pure without any private feelings, she still prayed for his rest as best she could, believing that the price he didn¡¯t pay fully for his crimes when he was alive would be repaid in purgatory¡¯s flames.


    Ober went to see Eckhart on the day when Duke Hubble¡¯s coffin was moved out of the capital. And as expected, he reported to the emperor that the witnesses went missing. In the meantime, Ober was as arrogant as before, suggesting that many more nobles supported him where they hadn¡¯t before.


    His words didn¡¯t show anything that asked the emperor to punish him for his failure to bring the witnesses to the capital safely or shift the responsibility for the failure on him.


    What he showed now was only his unfettered greed.


    Eckhart did not rebuke Ober. Instead, he just made a deal with Ober. On the day that Grand Duke Christopher was ordered to return to the headquarters of the Eluang Knights, Elias received an imperial certificate acknowledging that he formally succeeded Duke Hubble¡¯s title.


    The Elior Mansion was busy earlier on that day.


    Marianne put a puzzle together with Roxanne who visited the mansion and drank tea.


    Mrs. Renault, who cleared the air after hearing from Jed about the situation, visited Duke Kling on the day he came back home early and had dinner with him. On the day the Grand Duke returned to the Knights, Rane brought a big cake to commemorate his uncle¡¯s innocence.


    Of course, she ate about three-quarters of the cake.


    The person Ober promised to send to Marianne sooner or later came three days after he made the promise. It was Arnette, Mrs. Chester¡¯s maid. She visited the mansion, making excuses of delivering Mrs. Chester¡¯s gift. Pretending to serve Marianne with Cordelli, she pointed out Ober¡¯s moles planted in the mansion directly. There were a total of eight moles hiding in the mansion, including the garden maid, Eve. In the afternoon, she entered the Lucio Palace and met seven hidden moles.


    ¡°Are there only seven moles in the Imperial Palace?¡±


    ¡°No, there are many more, but you don¡¯t have to memorize all of their names and know their faces. It¡¯s probably enough to know only those who are placed in the spaces you usually visit.¡±


    Marianne could read faint disbelief in her answer but did not express it.


    Annette said that the informant was called Roeth, and the assassin was called Kiara among them. And she gave Marianne a token to use when she wanted to order them. The ring made of clean silver had a snake-shaped decoration carved from obsidian.


    Marianne wore the ring on her little finger. Although she never mentioned the width of her little finger, it fit perfectly. She felt goosebumps.


    While Marianne was meeting several people, the clouds over Roshan¡¯s sky grew thicker.


    The drizzle everywhere brought together thunder and lightning in the distant lands.


    The rain clouds covering the sun for several days gathered throughout the capital.


    The weather was cloudy on the day when Marianne visited Eckart.


    ¡°If you really want to start rehabilitation, please do so. Your arm can become stiffened if you don¡¯t use it for too long. ¡±


    In the parlour located inside his residence there were candles here and there, even though it was broad daylight. Outside the dim window, the ever-increasing rain struck the window panes.


    ¡°But you must not flex your arm when you lift heavy stuff. You shouldn¡¯t ride a horse or practice swordsmanship. Of course, writing for a long time isn¡¯t good for your arm. You should eat with your left hand for the time being and keep the splint on your right arm except when you do rehab. The wounds on your back are not fully healed, so you have to be careful about moving your arm violently,¡± Oustaschu, the director of the Imperial Medical Bureau, gave detailed instruction, while disinfecting the wounds on Eckart¡¯s back.


    Eckart clicked his tongue, touching his right arm without the splint for a while, while the doctor was replacing the bandage.


    ¡°Just tell me not to do anything. If you say, ¡®I shouldn¡¯t do this or that,¡¯ it¡¯s like asking me to count the numbers with my fingers like a child, right? ¡±


    ¡°This is a very good rehabilitation exercise. Slowly repeat it and control of your muscles will come back. ¡±


    ¡°¡­Haha, I was joking. ¡±


    ¡°What Sir Jed told me was right.¡±


    ¡°What did he say?¡±


    ¡°He told me that Your Majesty had no talent for cracking jokes at all¡­¡±


    As soon as the doctor replied with a sigh, Marianne burst into laughter from the other side.


    ¡°¡­ Oh, sorry. I couldn¡¯t help it because Sir Oustaschu spoke in such a funny way.¡±


    Marianne, even though they looked at her in embarrassment, kept giggling.


    Strange to say, she found it interesting to see the emperor having a quarrel with somebody.


    ¡°I am very much honored if I have pleased you, Lady Marianne.¡±


    Spreading a sticky ointment on top of the wounds where granulation tissue was formed, he continued, ¡°I wish the emperor gave me the same pleasure, but he just keeps doing what I ask him not to do¡­¡±


    Marianne cleared her throat, while hearing the doctor¡¯s grumbling, ¡°Doesn¡¯t the emperor listen to you? He told me he was following your medical prescription well. ¡±


    ¡°Really? Even if he is not good at joking, he seems to be excellent at lying. ¡±


    In embarrassment, Oustaschu rubbed his hand stained with ointment onto the handkerchief. And then he made a determined look, as if he wanted to report it to the imperial general counsel.


    ¡°Did he say he was following my medical prescription? No way. Even if I asked him to take a few days to rest, he never listened to me. I also asked him to show me the wounds on his back, but he told me the wound wasn¡¯t necessarily a bad thing, and now he insists that it can be valuable evidence.¡±


    ¡°Sir Oustaschu!¡±


    ¡°It was the most ridiculous sophistry I have ever heard from patients. As expected, there is a big scar left on his back. I could have made it less ugly if he had followed my prescription.¡±


    ¡°Sir Oustaschu, please stop it¡­¡± Eckart signalled to him and cut him off, but to no avail.


    Marianne¡¯s look already changed like that of a hunter who found a beast caught in a trap.


    ¡°Oh, I see. I guess you have been distressed a lot because of the emperor¡¯s stubbornness.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate your sharing my feelings very much.¡±


    ¡°But it doesn¡¯t look like sophistry when he said the back wound could be valuable evidence.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    Oustaschu, who was in high spirits like a fox on a tiger¡¯s back with her praise, became embarrassed as if he had his head hit by somebody. Eckart put his hand on his forehead with a deep sigh.


    ¡°Sir Oustachu, if you¡¯re done, get out of here right now.¡±


    His order was firm, but there was a strange heat rather than a threatening tone in his order.


    Ostaschu alternately looked at Eckart and Mariane once, then put down a clean new bandage on the table. Then he grabbed the rest of the medical equipment and said goodbye.


    ¡°Your Majesty. You should never overwork yourself. Never, ever! ¡±


    Repeating his medical advice to the end, he quickly left before the emperor showed anger.


    Thump!


    When the doctor left, Marianne rose from her seat and went to the couch where Eckhart sat. The abundant fabric of her skirt swelled up and covered his knees.


    Eckart straightened his back to instinctively step back as she got closer to him.


    But she dared to grab his arm first. She quickly glanced at his back.


    The wound was healed well, compared with when she put the hemostatic paste on it.


    Given that he overworked himself everyday, the wound on his back was healing well without getting infected. However, the wound was scarring a distinctly different form of scar from the smooth skin around it. It wasn¡¯t very ugly, but it didn¡¯t look good. She didn¡¯t feel the scar was gross, but she rather felt sorry for him whenever she saw it.


    ¡°Oh, you remembered it! You once told me that this wound was a valuable proof of how stupid he was to save a hostage. ¡±


    ¡°¡­Sure, I remember it. ¡±


    ¡°Then, don¡¯t you remember what I told you right before you said that? I told you that others might not care about this, but I would care about it.¡±

 Chapter 175

    ¡°Well, what you meant was that this scar would become invaluable evidence at the end of the day. Who told you to make it scar like this on purpose and take it as evidence? Oh my god¡­how could you deliberately hurt your body to make a scar just because you heard about it first?¡± Marianne asked, while grumbling and picking up a bandage from the table.


    Eckart shut up, avoiding her eyes. He couldn¡¯t have the nerve to say he really wanted evidence even if it was the scar on his back. Instead, his nape turned red while he was putting up with his frustration. Soon she began to cover his wounds with a bandage carefully. The long and soft cloth was wrapped around his body several times.


    When she was almost done wrapping it, Marianne leaned forward to meet his eyes, ¡°Will you do that again?¡±


    ¡°Marianne, you may think it is my excuse, but it was definitely the best option in that situation¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that situation, but you have to make the best decision right now.¡±


    She gave him a terrifying smile and tightened the bandage with her fingertips. Her tightening wasn¡¯t strong enough to cause pain to him.


    Nevertheless, he immediately reversed what he said.


    ¡°No. It is my mistake. I won¡¯t do it again. ¡±


    ¡°Great. That¡¯s a good decision.¡±


    Only then did she loosen the bandage a bit. Her fingertips had turned white before she loosened her grip.


    She knotted the strings randomly and picked up the shirt he had taken off for treatment.


    Eckart tried to take the shirt out of her hands, but gave up after she rebuked him with her eyes.


    Just like he at Roshan, he knew that he couldn¡¯t win her as long as she decided to treat him as a patient. It was the best policy for him to accept whatever she wanted him to do, so he put his arm through sleeves one by one, leaned toward her and resented having so many buttons on his damned shirt.


    ¡°But I think I¡¯ve become too cunning.¡±


    ¡°Really? Do you think so? Why?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a little glad that it was me who made you do such stupid things without any hesitation.¡±


    She laughed lightly. It was a shy and lovely smile.


    ¡°So, don¡¯t do it for others.¡±


    Eckart silently looked down at her sparkling eyes under his chin. The moment she pulled back her arm, who was just done adjusting his collar, he gently wrapped her slender wrist with his strong hand.


    For a moment, silence fell on them. It was still raining hard outside. Heavy raindrops made them feel the air inside the room was completely separate from the outside.


    Even the warm glow of the candles hovered around the room and formed a mysterious boundary.


    Eckart clearly remembered a time that was separated from the world. Anthea¡¯s night, when he sat up all night, in the sanctuary of Serafina and the holy water of Ran in front of him. The darkness in which he felt he could be forgiven for doing what he wanted to.


    Marianne fell asleep deeply that night, but she strangely fell into the atmosphere similar to that of the night he recalled. The blue eyes she loved came nearer to her very slowly, little by little. In no time, her heart was pounding. Although they didn¡¯t say anything, she knew instinctively. If he got any closer, she would probably¡­


    Thinking like that, she was about to close her eyes.


    ¡°Your Majesty, it is Kloud!¡±


    Kloud¡¯s cheerful voice was followed by a cheerful knock.


    Marianne stepped back, opening her half-closed eyes. With a deep sigh, Eckart released her wrist. The time that had stopped at that moment began to return to its original speed on the occasion of Kloud¡¯s sudden visit.


    Kloud soon got permission to enter and showed due manners.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    There was a faint irritation in his voice when Eckart asked him.


    With many years of serving the emperor, Kloud opened his mouth unconsciously, ¡°As Lady Marianne has to go back to the mansion soon, I was preparing for it, but the rain has been getting heavier. I think the storm will start soon. As there are still dark clouds and it¡¯s very windy, it looks like she has to give up going back in a couple of hours.¡±


    At that point, the two looked out the window at the same time. They couldn¡¯t see anything in the dark garden. Like he said, even the window sill shook faintly in the strong wind.


    ¡°So, if I may suggest, Lady Marianne said the last thing on her schedule today was her visit to the palace.¡±


    Having said that, he was looking for the right chance to bring up the main topic.


    ¡°Lady Marianne, why don¡¯t you stay overnight at the Imperial Palace, if you don¡¯t mind?¡±


    ¡°At the palace?¡±


    ¡°Yes. If you don¡¯t have anything else on your schedule, you won¡¯t have to hurry home. If you insist on going back in this bad weather, the emperor will worry about you a lot. If both of you give me permission, I will contact the palace department to prepare for your bedding. The rooms in the palace are always tidy and clean, so you won¡¯t feel uncomfortable if you stay overnight. Fortunately, Lady Marianne¡¯s maid is staying in the palace, so it¡¯s not that hard for her to serve you. ¡±


    Marianne lowered her head, agonizing over it. Her green eyes looked out the window again. The tightly closed window shook loudly as if to press her reply. Obviously it was more windy than when she entered the palace.


    ¡°It¡¯s a sudden schedule change. Is it okay?¡±


    ¡°Of course. The palace department exists to handle such matters.¡±


    ¡°I see, but¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s up to you, Marianne. Decide whatever you feel comfortable about. If you decide to stay here, the deputy chamberlain will render the best possible assistance. ¡±


    ¡°Hummm¡­¡± She concluded shortly after some angst. She turned to Kloud again and said, ¡°Then please allow me be beholden to you. Let me stay overnight here.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not beholden to me, Lady Marianne! Actually, I have to be grateful to you for your considerate decision. As the weather is getting worse, let me go out and notify the people at the Elior Mansion that you¡¯re staying at the palace tonight.¡±


    Somehow excited, Kloud quickly left the parlor. After he closed the door, Kloud called a servant nearby and gave him detailed instructions.


    Marianne glanced back into the tranquil room and met Eckart¡¯s eyes. There was a moment of awkward silence. She suddenly closed her eyes before turning her body. She grabbed his right arm. Contrary to the cloudy weather, her mischievous face looked bright.


    ¡°Well, since you are here with me like this, do some rehab exercises here with me. Should we start playing with numbers?¡±


    The lightning struck, and the sky roared fiercely like a raging bull.


    Marianne flinched and pulled the blanket over her head. The fluffy blanket was crumpled and squirmed like a caterpillar as she moved. She grasped the pillowcase with her nervous fingers.


    She was in her best mood until she enjoyed taking a dig at him on the pretext of doing rehab and had dinner with him in the parlor.


    After she took a bath with the petals floating in the water and lay on a soft bed, she felt like she was in heaven. Her bedroom, next to the emperor¡¯s bedroom, was more luxurious than her bedroom at the mansion, and the pajamas they prepared fit her perfectly. The tea she had before going to bed was sweet and the scent of petal oil in the incense burner was also fragrant.


    ¡®But nobody told me it would rain so heavily like this!¡¯


    The problem was the weather became more and more worse as time went by.


    Lennox, where she was born and raised, had a much milder climate than Milan. The rain, which was cold enough to cool the heat for a short time, often came down in Lennox, but it never became such a violent storm. As she was accustomed to the warm sun and gentle wind, this heavy rain was almost a natural disaster to her.


    While she thought about that briefly, the sky was roaring again.


    Marianne curled up and shrugged before sticking her hand out of the blanket. The moment she pulled the rope on the bed, lightning struck fiercely outside. She put her hands back into the blanket as if she touched a frog. As if the bell was buried by the thunder, there was no sign of Cordelli¡¯s movement in the other room, where she might be sleeping now.


    After some hesitation, she pulled the line once again. At the same time, the thunder struck again.


    After a while, she pulled one more time, and this time the rainstorm and thunder played ensemble.


    ¡®What the heck? Why is there thunder when I shake the bell? ¡®


    She jumped up with a fit of anger and kicked the blanket. Her irritation now overcoming her fear.


    ¡®Okay, let me see who can win.¡¯


    She was naturally very determined to win. By now, she would just go to sleep or call Cordelli vocally, but she felt bad because she felt she would lose to the thunder if she did so.

 Chapter 176

    The simple truth that a human being cannot win against natural phenomenon vanished from her mind. She took a big breath as if she became a knight facing a duel. Then she watched the situation outside the window.


    The sound of the rain was still loud, but the thunder stopped. There was even humidity and coldness in the spacious, dark room. As she was tense, the sound of her swallowing nothing seemed loud. Finally, she was about to pull the string very carefully.


    Knock! knock!


    Somebody knocked on the door outside.


    ¡°Ouch!¡±


    She screamed as if she was hit by a whip. Terrified, she pulled the blanket over her head quickly. Although she heard the door being flung open, she couldn¡¯t afford to look out of the blanket.


    She pulled the blanket over her chest as if it was the last shield to protect her life.


    Then, she stopped and frowned.


    ¡®Wait a minute. I think it was the knocking sound, not thunder. It sounded like a door opening ¡­ Is it Cordelli?¡¯


    ¡°Marianne, are you okay? ¡±


    Contrary to her expectations, what she heard was Eckart¡¯s low and friendly voice, inquiring after her.


    She removed the blanket she had pulled over her head. When she swept her disheveled hair, she came to have a clearer view.


    ¡°Your Majesty!¡±


    The shadow standing in front of her bed moved slowly. After hesitating briefly, he carefully swept the disheveled hair tickling her nose over the top of her head.


    ¡°Oh, I think you were surprised. ¡±


    ¡°Why have you come to my room?¡±


    ¡°Curtis told me he heard several faint bells each time he heard the roll of thunder. I thought you weren¡¯t sleeping since you were ringing the bell.¡±


    Eckart looked at the side corridor in her bedroom then turned to her.


    ¡°Do you want me to call a guard? Or a maid¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, no. I¡¯m alright. Just let me go to sleep. I think I¡¯m tired.¡±


    ¡°But didn¡¯t you ring the bell because you needed something?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡±


    Right at the moment lightning flashed in the dark room and disappeared.


    Marianne quickly grabbed Eckart¡¯s sleeves. The moment he frowned at her desperate move, there was another frightening stroke of thunder.


    ¡°It seems you are very unfamiliar with this kind of weather.¡±


    Sometimes someone who is too quick-witted tends to raise others¡¯ eyebrows.


    Marianne pouted as she pulled her hands away from him.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not so scared, but I just can¡¯t sleep¡­¡±


    ¡°As we have this kind of heavy rain in Milan every year, I didn¡¯t know it was the first time you would experience this.¡±


    ¡°Cordelli warned me that there would be a lot of thunder and lightning, but I didn¡¯t know it was so severe. I wish I had hit the sack with firm determination.¡±


    Eckart grinned at her childish murmuring.


    ¡°Let me tell the servant to bring some more candles.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to¡­Were you asleep before you came here? ¡±


    ¡°No. I still have some documents to review. ¡±


    Only after answering her question did he feel he made a mistake. He watched her eyebrows twisting a bit in the thick darkness.


    ¡°I was going to wrap up my work slowly. Don¡¯t worry about it. I had a good rest last night, and the day before, too¡­¡± He urgently made excuses.


    Although he didn¡¯t commit a big sin against her, he found himself talkative before her with such a serious expression. He almost habitually did so after he met her.


    ¡°Oh no, I really need to check out if you¡¯re sleeping or not. ¡±


    Mariane quickly crawled out of bed. She put on soft slippers and wrapped a shawl around her shoulders. It did not matter whether he looked at her with a strange expression.


    She walked back to the door without hearing his excuses.


    Then she looked back and asked, ¡°What are you doing? Won¡¯t you go with me? ¡±


    ¡°¡­ ¡±


    Eckart froze like a stone statue in the central garden for a while.


    She tapped on the edge of the door as if she pressed him. He reluctantly walked through the door. Although he came out at her urging, he felt bitter.


    Regardless of his reaction, she led him in a cheerful mood. The two walked side by side toward his bedroom.


    ¡°Oh, wait a minute.¡± Taking a few steps, she suddenly froze because she stopped before a couple of corridors.


    ¡°A servant named Castal told me he was standing outside your bedroom¡­¡±


    She remembered the name of one of Ober¡¯s informants in the palace, whom Annette, Mrs. Chester¡¯s maid, gave her.


    Eckart supported her back with one arm and gently changed the direction of her steps. Thanks to him, she walked again naturally.


    ¡°That¡¯s all right. There are no servants to keep this corridor, and Castal is not on duty today. ¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see. I feel relieved.¡± She felt refreshed with a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Well, who cares? Would Ober be more pleased to know that I turned up in your bedroom late at night? I guess so because he told me I should do anything to deceive you. Well, come to think of it, there¡¯s no better chance than this in terms of me pretending to grant his request.


    Besides, I can monitor whether you go to sleep, on the one hand, and talk with you comfortably, on the other. ¡±


    ¡°¡­ ¡±


    ¡°Of course, if I use this method several times, I think I have to give him some intelligence about you. You can give me some, right? Ober is a very skeptical man. He hates anything useless, and he is very impatient¡­¡±


    Eckhart quickly glanced at Marianne with a mysterious expression.


    She was usually talkative, but usually she had lots of things to tell him, or added words to make fun of him. But he now got the impression that she was trying to justify herself. There was something awkward in her words.


    ¡°Marianne!¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°Tell me honestly.¡±


    ¡°About what?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it an excuse when you said you would monitor me?¡±


    She coughed at the moment, as if she got something caught in the windpipe.


    ¡°Excuse me? Please don¡¯t get me wrong. Do you think I am walking with you to your bedroom at night to extract information about you that I can give to Ober? I¡¯m just going to see if you¡¯re really sleeping.¡±


    ¡°No, not information¡­¡± He slowly frowned and smiled in understanding.


    He could feel differently now because he was always duped by her. It was more appropriate to say that the slope of the seesaw was changing.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you need someone? I mean someone who can let you know something instead of your handmaid, until the rain stops.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Oh, you already noticed it? I don¡¯t think I can pull the wool over your eyes.¡±


    Marianne quickly put him back on the defensive. Replying casually, she adjusted the shawl around her shoulders. She acted proudly as if she didn¡¯t want to make any excuses.


    Thanks to this turnaround, it was now Eckart who got embarrassed.


    He frowned a little bit like a man who was caught on the wrong foot, and sighed helplessly.


    ¡°Then, isn¡¯t this too cumbersome to me? I¡¯d better stay in that room until you fall asleep. ¡±


    ¡°No. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll go back to your bedroom after I¡¯m asleep and do more work. I was serious when I told you I wanted to make sure you go to sleep right away. ¡±


    ¡°But when I go to bed, you are going to go back to that room alone, right? After all, you won¡¯t go to sleep as you are scared. The storm in Milan won¡¯t stop so quickly. Maybe it won¡¯t stop until dawn. ¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯ve no other choice. I¡¯ll sleep next to you. ¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Embarrassed, he stopped on the spot. While walking ahead a few steps, she stopped and asked, ¡°Why? Can¡¯t I sleep with you?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s not what I mean¡­¡±


    ¡°Because you are shy? It¡¯s okay. You know, you¡¯re not sleeping next to me for the first time. In Roshan, you slept very well after you hugged me naked. Of course, you were unconscious back then. ¡±


    He just moved his lips without saying anything. After letting out a deep sigh, he swept his face with one hand and calmed down. Sadly, he was now getting used to the way she controlled him. He couldn¡¯t figure out how to point out her problems.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I will keep chaste until you are ready. ¡±


    To make matters worse, she grinned and pulled his arm. He followed her, losing any willingness to respond, like a cow being dragged to the slaughterhouse. He couldn¡¯t resist.


    He even found it hard to understand what she just told him.


    ¡°By the way, is there anything that Sir Curtis can¡¯t do? How could he hear the bell when the thunder was so loud? Cordelli in that room couldn¡¯t even get up at the bell. Anyway, thanks to you, I don¡¯t have to sleep alone, so I¡¯ll have to repay him later. I wonder what he likes. I mean other than birds¡­¡±


    The two arrived at his bedroom while she babbed peacefully.

 Chapter 177

    A small candle, a few letters, a bunch of reports, some paper apparently reserved for the emperor¡¯s secret order, and a writing utensil were on the corner table attached to the bed. Although he said that he would wrap up his work ¡®slowly¡¯, it looked like he would get down to work from now on.


    ¡°I was going to go to sleep after writing replies. I have to send them by this weekend at the latest¡­¡± He quickly made excuses, conscious of her sharp gaze.


    He walked quickly to his bed, then turned around and looked at her.


    ¡°Make yourself at home. If you want to drink something warm, I¡¯ll tell Curtis to prepare it for you.¡±


    It seemed like he was about to let her use his bed. While looking at him blankly, she flopped down on the bed.


    ¡°Marinanne?¡± He frowned slightly. She sat in front of the bed table, where he had been sitting until he left the room.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to go to sleep until you fall asleep.¡±


    ¡°¡­ ¡±


    ¡°I told you I¡¯m here to monitor you. If you¡¯re so worried, just finish writing replies and lie down there. Then I¡¯ll sleep next to you quietly. ¡±


    ¡°¡­ ¡±


    He protested in silence, but she gently tapped the empty seat next to her.


    There was another crash of thunder while they were silent. He could see her grasping the bed sheet casually under the light of a hazy candle.


    He helplessly sat next to her. He pulled her hand when she was about to return to her room and hung the loose end of his sleeve over her empty hand. She looked at him with a perplexed expression.


    ¡°You can crumple it as much as you wish.¡±


    She realized something at that. In no time, she smiled happily and grasped it.


    ¡°Good. If you don¡¯t finish it quickly, you will see your bed sheet turning into unironed linen.¡±


    ¡°Let me try my best to stop it happening.¡± He replied tenderly.


    His low and soft voice hovered in her ears for a long time.


    He turned his attention to the documents on the table. He read the secret letters quickly. She brought extra pen and paper to him to write something while he was absorbed in his work. She wrote the names of Ober¡¯s informants and assassins in the palace that she had remembered and made some patterns by drawing flowers on geometric patterns.


    In the meantime, the thunder crashed intermittently. When it crashed, she firmly grasped his sleeve. Although the rain and the storm were still strong, she didn¡¯t feel scared about the thunder like before because she had someone she could rely on at hand.


    Thinking it was a marvelous thing, she opened some folded notes for him to repay his help. While looking at the paper spread open, she broke a long silence and asked, ¡°By the way, all these secret messages were sent by your spies, right?¡±


    ¡°Correct.¡±


    ¡°But the alphabets are new to me. They are not Faisal nor Sorman, nor Shina¡­¡±


    On a small piece of paper were letters she saw for the first time in her life.


    Although there was a difference in the style of writing, they seemed to have a certain unified system in themselves.


    ¡°Are they something like a coded message?¡±


    He nodded lightly, diligently moving the pen, and said, ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. This is the code that my spies often use. ¡±


    ¡°Wow¡­ ¡±


    She wrapped her arms around his with sparkling eyes. His muscles felt tight, as always.


    ¡°Did you make the coded characters?¡±


    ¡°About half of them. I slightly changed the ancient Silan characters that only the immediate royal family members of Lennox used. I taught my spies to use it. As there was none who knew about it, I was less worried about a leak.¡±


    There was something very slight nostalgia in his voice. She looked at him with a loney expression.


    Just as he taught new coded words to his spies everywhere, there was obviously someone who taught him the secret characters of the old imperial family. Perhaps that person did not know. Did he ever imagine that the ancient letters that he had revealed to his one and only son would be used later as the language of the spies who protected him instead of recording the history of the shining empire? Did he ever imagine that every time his son used the ancient characters, he would be lost in grief while recalling the days when he learned the old stories and the secret characters?


    ¡°Can you teach me, too?¡± She intentionally asked with a bright voice.


    He looked back at her slowly.


    ¡°As it¡¯s a rare language, I won¡¯t tell anybody. After I learn it from you, let me use it only for you. In a sense, I¡¯m your informant, right? I think I am already fully qualified to learn it. No?¡±


    He tilted his head a bit and met her eyes. Her fingertips that held the sleeve crawled down slowly, covering his wrist exposed under the splint.


    ¡°Of course, I can teach you. It¡¯s not difficult at all. ¡±


    He barely took his eyes off of her then continued to write replies.


    Though his blue eyes looked calmly at the table, there was less and less warmth in his wrist. His pulse was hot and pounding. Contrary to his fast heartbeat, he slowly began to slow down writing the replies.


    ¡°However¡­¡±


    Eventually, he put down the pen. He pushed the incomplete replies to the side impatiently.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you need to learn today.¡±


    He sat diagonally facing her. She looked up at him up close.


    The angry rainstorm pounded the window loudly, but his heavy and ecstatic voice rang louder than the thunder.


    Was it because of the color of the warm candle? It seemed as if the flames were flickering in his eyes making them look like a blue lake and the sea. His eyes reflected something nervous or something like the vigor of an animal wanting to break out of its cage.


    ¡®It looks like he will devour me.¡¯


    Recalling his usual appearance, neat and classic, she let out a sigh silently. Her long breath trembled faintly.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to have you teach me today,¡± she said casually, letting go of his wrist.


    He withdrew it hesitantly. She put her hand on it again before he was deeply disappointed.


    Her fingertips scratched his warm open palm slowly, but he felt it keenly. All of his attention was on his palm.. Peripheral stimulation awakened the source of their desire.


    Thunder crashed.


    The moment she grabbed his collar instinctively, the shoulders of the two clashed.


    While they were focused on each other, everything in the world faded away. She forgot the thunder. He forgot about the complex situation and political tricks.


    Their breathing tickled each other¡¯s noses and their warm touches conquered each other¡¯s body.


    Every time she breathed deeply, her thin and slender fingers clenched his collar tightly. His big and warm hands gently wrapped around her neck. His fingertips, which seemed unfamiliar to her, crawled intently through her hair as if to devour her.


    ¡°¡­ Your Majesty!¡± She pushed him a bit. Even in the dark her face was blushing when she breathed in and out.


    ¡°Do they teach you how to kiss according to the imperial customs?¡±


    Her explicit question made him frown.


    ¡°I guess this is the first time you have kissed a woman, right? Did you have a secret lover I don¡¯t know about? Mrs. Charlotte has told me you¡¯ve never known a woman well, but you¡¯re too good at kissing as a beginner¡­¡±


    ¡°As a beginner?¡± He asked as if he was embarrassed.


    She hurriedly tried to appease his offended feelings, ¡°Oh, please don¡¯t get me wrong. I mean you are so good at kissing¡­¡±


    ¡°So, it means you already have a pool of men for comparison that you can judge whether a man is good at kissing or not.¡±


    But it was no use because what he was really interested in was totally different from what she tried to make excuses for.


    ¡°I swear, too¡­ It¡¯s my first time kissing somebody. Seriously.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean? Under the premise that your partner is me? Or in this life only? ¡±


    She bit her lip firmly. Otherwise, she felt like she would burst into laughter. His voice was a bit sharp, but she wasn¡¯t afraid of the discomfort he showed. Rather she felt nice and satisfied with that.


    After all, he was nicknamed the ¡°Blue Iron Wall of Milan¡± which nobody could conquer with any weapon in the world. This man, who lived with such a notorious nickname, was now showing caution against the illusions of a past life that would never exist in this world.


    How could she remain calm, faced with this amazing and lovely situation? She could hardly do so. It was also the first time that she felt her memories of a past life were ruining the moment, though they were usually useful.


    ¡°Your Majesty, this is a very meaningless jealousy. You know that, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I know.¡±

 Chapter 178

    ¡°Of course, I know,¡± Eckart pulled her in a little more toward him right after he replied. ¡°But you told me that even though you knew how stupid it was, you couldn¡¯t help but become jealous.¡±


    She held her breath unconsciously. She felt the hard splint and the warmth of his arm behind her back.


    ¡°Sir Oustaschu said you shouldn¡¯t overwork yourself.¡±


    As if to blame her for making idle complaints, he cupped her cheek with his other hand.


    She looked straight at him, so that his clear pupils could not avoid her, ¡°So, you should be willing to bear it.¡±


    His low voice and passionate expression made their subdued emotions run high again.


    ¡°In fact, I am a very selfish person, too.¡±


    They kissed again. Hugging him hard as he leaned over her, she slowly closed her eyes.


    Funny enough, she thought it would be ok if the rain came a little longer and scarier.


    The next morning, the heavy rain that had been falling as if the heavens had opened, eased a bit.


    She woke up late in the morning. She was alone in the spacious bed. Obviously, she went to bed after confirming that he was asleep last night, but when she woke up, there was nobody there. The table that had been messy was spick and span and pushed to one side.


    ¡®I wonder if he pretended to sleep then slipped out of this room at dawn. I¡¯m so sorry if he did. As the bed is so spacious, he could have relaxed here¡­¡¯


    Feeling empty, she stroked the bed next to her several times and slowly got up.


    She felt refreshed thanks to a good night¡¯s sleep. She swept her messy hair back and pulled the rope on the bed. While she was out on her slippers and a shawl, she heard a knock outside the door.


    ¡°My lady, good morning! Oh no, it¡¯s daytime. Did you sleep well last night? ¡±


    It was Cordelli who came in.


    ¡°Yes, I did. Did you also ¡­¡± she shut up in the middle of asking her.


    Cordelli was so excited while looking at her. Her chubby face was as flushed like a child sitting beside the fire, and her big eyes were full of excitement as if expecting something. It was as if she had everything she wanted to say all over her face.


    ¡°Cordelli. Let me tell you something. I only slept here and did nothing else. ¡±


    ¡°Oh my gosh. You really slept here! I¡¯m so happy to hear that!¡±


    ¡°Yes, I only slept. That¡¯s all!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine! What¡¯s the big deal about it when you are already engaged? You don¡¯t have to be shy. I will be serving you even after you marry the emperor. If you are shy about things like this, you will really find it hard to get by day after day.¡±


    Cordelli waved her hands, making a lot of fuss.


    Marianne sighed as if she was dumbfounded, and said, ¡°You are not listening to me at all.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have to call your doctor separately, right? As you can walk normally, you don¡¯t need to see the doctor. My mother used to tell me that it was the best to soak in herbal water to relax my muscles. I¡¯ve already prepared everything in the bathroom next door, so you can just go there. ¡±


    In an excited mood, Cordelli pulled her arm while babbling. Marianne sighed more than ten times, while she was being escorted by her.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for throwing cold water on your expectations, but nothing happened last night. As for rinsing my body with herbal water, I had done it too many times after the Roshan accident. I think it¡¯s better to put some perfume here¡­¡±


    The bathroom door was locked. Cordelli said, while taking off the shawl worn by Marianne wore and her soft bedtime dress, ¡°My lady, you can¡¯t deceive me even if you deceive everyone in the world. Put your hand on your chest and answer. ¡±


    She raised Marianne¡¯s hand and pretended to put it on her chest.


    ¡°You really didn¡¯t do anything? You didn¡¯t even touch him last night?


    Marianne retraced her memories last night as she was being questioned like a convict.


    Although she didn¡¯t do anything that Cordelli imagined, it was true that she touched and kissed him. For the first time, she kissed him properly, except for the short kiss they had exchanged as part of the engagement ceremony in Roshan.


    Marianne touched the tip of her lips unconsciously. Her simple touch poured out all her memories last night.


    His blue eyes had been full of strange heat, his voice had been low and ecstatic as if born in the deep sea, his fingers had trembled faintly while caressing her cheeks and his body had warmed her up. All this made her heart beat quickly when she recalled it.


    ¡®Yeah, obviously something happened between him and me.¡¯


    But wasn¡¯t it too negligible to be misunderstood?


    ¡°It¡¯s not that close¡­¡±


    ¡°Come on. You can just be honest with me. Now, soak yourself in the bath. I¡¯ll get your tense muscles to relax. I¡¯ve prepared three different types of oil by asking Sir Kloud. ¡±


    Changing the topic, Cordelli gently pushed her into the bathtub. She didn¡¯t seem to want to listen to Marianne¡¯s excuses any more.


    In the end, Marianne went into the bathtub with a deep sigh.


    The scent of the grass that she was familiar with tickled her nose. She recalled a small bathtub filled with Sant¡¯s decoction, and the scent of the hemostatic plant paste that she smelled when she hugged his body that had been as cold as the ice sheet in Roshan.


    She was thinking of Eckart even when she was recollecting her memories of that common scent. Obviously, she was deeply into him. It was an incurable malaise that the emperor¡¯s primary physician, Ostaschu, or Dr. Raenek, the family doctor of the Lenox mansion, could not treat.


    ¡°Oh, lady! You promised not to play that terrible ghost game any more!¡± Cordelli said.


    While hearing Cordelli¡¯s grumbling, Marianne lowered her head into the water. Warm water hid the blush on her cheeks.


    ***


    Eckart was busy writing something down on paper. He was composing an imperial order in his study with the lamp on instead of relying on the sunshine. He signed at the end of a new decree to be sent to Duke Kling and put down the pen for a moment. Then, he took a thin sheet of paper out of the drawer.


    Half the paper was torn on the left. Instead, dense patterns were drawn in a row in the lower right corner of the paper. A piece of paper with floral patterns on the Meander pattern. It was the same paper on which Marianne scribbled last night.


    He felt around the paper delicately and for a long time, like a blind man reading Braille.


    Although he tore off and burned the spy list, which could be said to be worth reading, he felt around it again and again as if interpreting that nondescript pattern. When his fingertips touched the traces of ink without any warmth and life, they created heat hotter than the flames of the lamp.


    Now it seemed that he even felt vain things. He leaned against the chair, mocking himself.


    The only noise in his quiet study was the sound of rain outside the window. While hearing the roaring thunderstorm, he folded and opened his numb hand. His trifling actions made him miss Marianne¡¯s face. His gaze naturally drifted into his memories of the tickling touch of her fingertips scratching the palm of his hand, her warmth humming in his blood, her emerald eyes that made him crazy with just a look, her arms boldly wrapped around his neck and her sweet and soft lips like the flesh of ripe fruit.


    He was at a loss for words when she asked with a penetrating gaze.


    When he thought how embarrassed he was back then, he belatedly blushed.


    ¡®I think I am doing crazy things everyday. You always make me ¡­.¡¯


    Eckart touched his lips with a sigh. Although it was past noon, he felt like their passionate feelings last night seemed to be still boiling.


    He was always wary of his feelings and desires. He brainwashed himself into thinking that he should not go overboard on anything and led a temperate life until he met Marianne. But when he got close to her, he could not hide anything. Like a person walking in a thorny field, he was nervous and desperate. He stayed calm even in the presence of Mrs. Chester after she secretly put lethal water in his bedroom, but he was nervous when he gently touched Marianne¡¯s body.


    At that moment, someone knocked on the door and identified himself, ¡°Your Majesty, it is Kloud.¡±


    Eckart quickly hid the torn paper into his desk drawer as if he was caught stealing something.


    He felt pain in his stiff arm again.


    ¡°Lady Marianne has just returned to the mansion,¡± Kloud said.


    Kloud politely placed the imported tea set on one side of the desk.


    ¡°Did she eat?¡± Eckart asked.

 Chapter 179

    ¡°Yes, she had lunch with Klein¡¯s daughter. It was a luncheon, but it was her first meal of the day after she woke up. So, she was served a soft and light meal. Fortunately, she ate almost everything.¡±


    ¡°Did you get a new dress for her from the royal costume bureau?¡±


    ¡°According to Klein¡¯s daughter, the size of her clothes were correct, and she also liked it.¡±


    ¡°Did you make sure she returned safely?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve assigned a separate servant to see her off and dispatched six members of the Eluan Knights to escort her. Although it¡¯s still raining, the wind died down, so I think she had no problem going back home. I have also informed Mrs. Reinhardt, so she will be ready to welcome her to the mansion. ¡±


    ¡°As you know, the climate here is much different from where she was born and grew up. As it¡¯s humid and cold here, she might get sick easily. Tell the medical bureau to send some medicines to her before dinner.¡±


    ¡°Actually, in anticipation of your order, I picked some herbs to prevent colds and tea leaves that should help her relax.¡±


    ¡°Nice job.¡±


    Kloud opened his mouth as he poured tea into an empty mug.


    ¡°Would it not have been better for you to check her condition in person if you were so worried about her? I guess she would have been very happy if you had a meal with her and sent her off from your palace.¡±


    Eckart carefully asked while touching the handle of the mug, ¡°¡­ Did she feel regretful about it?¡±


    ¡°I do not know. She didn¡¯t say exactly that, but she asked me where you were and what you were doing. She also asked whether you ate, whether you left your bedroom too early because of her, whether you overworked yourself because she took too much of your time¡­¡±


    ¡°She is always worried about me for nothing. She is too kind-hearted,¡± Eckart said with a soft smile. Just by hearing about her words made him feel like he could hear her voice vividly and see her bright face right before his eyes.


    He knew she would express concern about him like that. So, he wanted to stay beside her until the morning, eat breakfast together, and see her off.


    But he couldn¡¯t act casually when he saw her the next morning because he said something embarrassing to her last night.


    In fact, he experienced too little happiness to deal with her shamelessly the next morning.


    If not, he would not have left the room hurriedly early in the morning after watching her sleep for a bit. For him, the sweet and happy moments were pieces of unfamiliar strange fantasy. They were small, wistful and precious times that he might break by mistake if he held them recklessly.


    ¡°¡­Well, I really couldn¡¯t do it. Like she said, I should listen to her when she says I shouldn¡¯t do something.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    Kloud shook his head at his puzzling reply.


    Eckart recalled her face, which was so solemn and serious. He closed his lips unconsciously like his nickname ¡®Blue Iron Wall of Milan¡¯¡­


    ¡°Nothing. Just send the documents to the palace office.¡±


    * * *


    ¡°Marie. There¡¯s a very interesting rumor about you in the palace, ¡± said Ober with a smile.


    His voice was mixed with a strange sarcasm and a bit of annoyance.


    She let it go in one ear and out the other, while she was absorbed into moving her brush across the page.


    ¡°I heard that you came out of the emperor¡¯s bedroom this morning. Is it true? ¡±


    She didn¡¯t reply.


    ¡°Marie¡­ Marie?¡±


    Calling her repeatedly, Ober narrowed his eyebrows.


    But Marianne kept her mouth closed. Immersed in painting, she bent at her waist. Drawn on the small frame-sized paper were lots of Greek frets, elegantly modelled after summer roses and lilies among various Meander-shaped patterns.


    As soon as she was done painting the last pattern, Ober took the brush in her hand.


    ¡°Sir Ober!¡±


    ¡°I feel sorry about that. I know your paintings are quite popular in the women¡¯s salons in the northern area, but I don¡¯t feel good at all as I¡¯m being beaten by your painting.¡±


    He cast a sharp glance at her, as if to make her feel pressed. She straightened her waist while washing the paint from the edge of her hand. After throwing a handkerchief on the table, she turned and approached him.


    ¡°What do you mean you are beaten by painting? I think that¡¯s a gross exaggeration.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not an exaggeration. I just told it as it was. I came to see you through this heavy rain, but you have been looking at the table all this time instead of me.¡±


    ¡°Please understand me. I did so because I wanted to present this picture to you. ¡±


    ¡°No matter how good your painting is, how can I compare it to your eyes and your time? I believed you knew better what I wanted from you¡­¡± Ober quipped at her, narrowing his eyebrows.


    Deep down Mariane hurled abuse at him, but on the surface she tried to look as lovely as possible to him. Perhaps if Eckart had seen her expression, he would have been very upset.


    ¡°Ober. My time is already yours. My eyes, all my interest, and¡­¡± Marianne fumbled.


    She then fell in his arms naturally. His sharp jaw was turned to the table.


    Ober didn¡¯t soften his hardened face even after she snuggled into his arms. He didn¡¯t look where she was pointing, nor laugh or frown.


    ¡°Even those patterns that I have memorized on your behalf.¡±


    As if he felt what she just said was something significant, he slowly turned his eyes at her and asked, ¡°Patterns you have memorized on my behalf?¡±


    ¡°Yes. There were several documents on the side table in the emperor¡¯s bedroom, and one of them had a pattern like that. ¡±


    She didn¡¯t lie. It was none other than Marianne who designed the pattern and scribbled on a blank paper for fun.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you remember you asked me to bring you any clue or hint, no matter how trifling it was? So, I memorized the pattern. I tried to draw it as closely as possible for all my deficient drawing skill. ¡±


    ¡°Have you not seen the contents of the other documents?¡±


    ¡°No. Other documents were all sealed¡­ As the characters were too small and the room was so dark, the emperor couldn¡¯t read the characters he was writing. You know how hard it rained last night, right? Oh my god, I thought all windows would be torn apart. I knew there was a rainy season every year in Milan, but it was the first time I had experienced such a ferocious rainstorm. I was so scared and surprised ¡­ ¡±


    When she shuddered, with her hand on the chest, Ober once again examined the picture on the table with a businesslike smile.


    He knew most of the symbols of the underground organizations doing activities in the empire.


    They included a gang of drugs and people involved in human trafficking, an association of professional counterfeiters and petty thieves, errands taking care of trivalities, mercenaries who would do anything as long as they were satisfied with the rewards and the intelligence peddlers who were good at disseminating intelligence.


    But the patterns that she drew did not match the symbols of any of them.


    ¡®Is it a new coalition of assassins in the south? It¡¯s a pattern I¡¯ve never seen before. ¡­ . ¡®


    With a serious look, he was lost in thought. She opened her mouth, happily watching him agonizing about the fake patterns she made.


    ¡°Ober, are you concerned about other things while with me? ¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not. In fact, I was impressed by how hard you worked for me. ¡±


    ¡°Let me try more. If I can go back to you, I will do anything. ¡±


    At that, Ober looked down at her pitifully.


    ¡°I thought I would be okay, but I feel a bit distressed.¡±


    ¡°Pardon? For what?¡±


    ¡°Well, I feel sorry as I have to keep watching this lovely lady falling into the cunning emperor¡¯s arms.¡± He then slightly turned up his mouth. He really looked displeased, grimacing as if he was tormented because he couldn¡¯t help but send his lover to the enemy camp.


    She changed her facial expression, realizing once again that he was quite good at faking.


    She was sick and tired of that. She knew she could not be beaten by him anymore.


    ¡°Ober.¡±


    She pulled his collar with her slender fingertips. When she put her face on his collarbone, she smelled a strong scent of perfume. She was familiar with that from a long time ago or only a couple of months ago, but she felt it strange now. At this moment, she recalled her good old memories, such as the scent of the wind and trees, the scent of a man she wanted to hug for very long as he looked so lonely like conifers born in dense winter forest.

 Chapter 180

    ¡°You know you¡¯re the one and only lover to me, right? I didn¡¯t do anything romantic with the emperor last night. I just went to his room on the excuse that I couldn¡¯t fall asleep because of the rainstorm. I went to bed fatigued, trying to find any clue while waiting until he finished his work. When I woke up, it was already morning.¡±


    ¡°Marie. I¡¯m not going to doubt or rebuke you. It¡¯s me who told you to do anything to deceive the emperor. ¡±


    ¡°However¡­ ¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter even if you do more wonderful things in the future. You are mine anyway, right? Just like I¡¯m yours.¡±


    Ober gently stroked her cheek. She showed a little bit of tears as if she felt relieved.


    ¡°Next, look carefully at the rotation order of those who take care of the emperor¡¯s bedroom.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    ¡°Since Earl McMillan was demoted, it became more difficult for me to gather intelligence about what¡¯s going on inside the palace¡­¡±


    She immediately noticed that he was intentionally fumbling. That meant that he was waiting for her answer because he expected something from her.


    ¡°You can rest assured. As you know, the current chief of the palace affairs department is my father. These days he seems to be quite busy as he has to take care of the Interior Ministry.


    Let me ask him furtively. Do not worry.¡±


    ¡°Great. I believed you would give me a wise answer. My judgment was not wrong. ¡±


    Ober kissed her forehead proudly. She held back the urge to lift her dress and kick his ass.


    He stepped back and grabbed the picture on the desk. He didn¡¯t want to stay with her any longer as he felt he heard all she had to say for now.


    ¡°Let me take this gift gladly. I like it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that.¡±


    ¡°Can I give you good news in return?¡± She nodded, with her eyes sparkling. ¡°When the rainy season is over, I think there will be an engagement reception. I hear that preparations for the martial arts contest at the reception are in full swing inside the palace¡­¡±


    He put on the gloves that he had taken off, ¡°You will get a very good knight after the reception.¡±


    ¡°¡­ a very good knight? ¡±


    ¡°As he is the man who will protect you, I¡¯ve chosen him with great care. You can definitely look forward to it. ¡±


    He came close to her, smiling at her enchantingly. His breathing was scattered over her nape.


    ¡°Okay. I look forward to it.¡±


    She saw him off with a smile. He left the room. There was silence back in the room, mixed with the sound of rain. Staring at the closed door, she turned back sharply. She walked across the room in annoyance.


    ¡°As for the very good knight¡­ Is he going to send Roeth, an informant or Kiara, an assassin to me?¡± She murmured and rubbed her stiff neck. As if she wanted to wipe off the dirt, she kept doing it for a while.


    ***


    Dozens of wagons stopped at the border¡¯s gate.


    The Euroslaf gateway facing the borders of the Faisal empire, located in the northernmost part of Lennox, was the busiest gateway for those crossing the border. It was also called the central gateway because it was much larger than other gateways. As there were well-paved roads and plenty of amenities, most of the traders shuttling between Faisal and Lennox used the Euroslaf gateway.


    Artroom, one of the top three traders in Aslan, was also a regular customer who used the Euroslaf gateway. Mordos examined the procession of the familiar traders. Among the carriages lined up in rows, a colorful, unloaded wagon stood at the front of the procession. He approached the wagon, humming a tune. When he approached, he saw a familiar face through the half-opened window of the carriage.


    ¡°Oh, who is this? Sir Mordos? Luckily for me, you are on duty today!¡±


    ¡°Oh, please! Don¡¯t give me that ¡®sir¡¯ title.¡±


    Mordos looked around and raised a finger and put it on the center of his lips.


    ¡°No problem at all. I think I told you before. Your father has the same title as mine, baronet, and you are a member of the Northern Knights, so you deserve that title!¡±


    ¡°Well, if you think so, I will take it¡­ ¡± Mordos fumbled, stroking his chin as if he was satisfied.


    Under the law of the noble system in Aslan, those below the rank of baronet could not be called ¡®Sir¡¯ in order to distinguish them from official nobles.


    Knights who were formally officiated were given the title of Sir, regardless of their class.


    Mordos was not an officiated knight but an apprentice. As a result, he was not qualified for the title.


    Regardless of the fact, however, Mordos felt good when the other party called him like a noble.


    After clearing his throat, Mordos touched the sword on his waist.


    ¡°By the way, you¡¯ve come back early. Your procession seems to be a little shorter than usual. I thought the merchant procession of Yurt was always very long, and once they crossed the border, it would take several months for you to come back here.¡±


    ¡°It looks like the captain of Astorlf Knights couldn¡¯t say anything even if he were sentenced for his negligence of duty. He doesn¡¯t know an excellent knight like you with such a good memory and discerning eye is being wasted like this here. ¡±


    Yurt chuckled, praising Mordos highly. But as Mordos looked inside the wagon, Yurt grabbed one of the pockets next to him and gave it to him.


    ¡°Ugh? Please don¡¯t. You know. My boss is very strict.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m giving it to you. Take it quickly!¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to. I¡¯m fine¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh my god¡­ I¡¯m in big trouble if someone notices me. A little bit of flexible attitude is the virtue of the knight. If you want to be a great man in the future, you should pay attention to your appearances. Now, just think you picked it up on the road and treated yourself to some nice wine this evening. If you are really uncomfortable, use the money quickly. Got it? ¡±


    Yurt intentionally pushed the pouch into his pocket. Although Mordos waved his hands, trying to refuse it, he eventually looked around and put his hand in the pocket to check the pouch.


    Laughing at him, Yurt cleared his throat and said, ¡°Well, I have to go now. I¡¯m busy.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes. You¡¯re always busy. Wait a moment.¡±


    Mordos stepped back and blew the whistle once. Then the low-level guards who were checking Yurt¡¯s procession stopped checking and withdrew all at once.


    The head of the procession finally began to move forward.


    ¡°Let me treat you to a drink next time. I brought some nice wine from Faisal.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your kind words. Please take care!¡±


    Yurt smiled and raised his hand. After Mordos saluted, he closed the window and turned to the front.


    ¡°Hummm¡­. it looks like you¡¯re very good at buying off people.¡±


    Someone¡¯s interesting voice was heard inside the carriage. Although his pronunciation was fluent, it was mixed with accents, strange enough.


    ¡°I¡¯m flattered, sir. I just have money, and there are no people who don¡¯t like it. That¡¯s it.¡±


    Yurt laughed, wiping the sweat off his sleek face. Although he gave a polite answer, he had been pouring a lot of bad words deep down.


    Lennox was an area with less climate change than Milan, but they could still notice the change of seasons. As it was past mid-June, the temperature in the northern part of the country was quite high. So, when trapped in a narrow space in a wagon, it quickly became muggy.


    Normally, he would not have crossed the gateway at this time of the year. At least he would have opened the window of the wagon, or put on loose pajamas and laid down with a cool bottle of water and an ice pack.


    However, Yurt had a guest on his journey this time. As the guest was very special, Yurt could not treat him roughly. Of course, Yurt couldn¡¯t let him use another wagon. He was not supposed to let anybody know he was carrying this special guest.


    ¡°By the way, aren¡¯t you hot, Your Excellency?¡±


    ¡°Well. Not that much.¡±


    The man, who Yurt called ¡®Your Excellency¡¯ casually shrugged.


    ¡°It¡¯s much hotter in Faisal than here. Of course, it¡¯s less humid here, but I¡¯m rather cold.


    I would say I feel like shivering. I think I need some more time to get used to it. Maybe it¡¯s because I am acclimating to the climate in Aslan.¡±


    ¡°Maybe. If you feel uncomfortable or need anything, please let me know at any time.¡±


    Smiling at him reluctantly, Yurt crumpled the wet handkerchief in his hand. In this hot weather, the guest was sipping hot liquor, dressed in a thick Faisal coat. Just looking at him made Yurt upset.


    ¡°But it¡¯s summer here, so it may be hotter and more humid in the capital city of Milan. After crossing the Sor River, you had better change into Aslan clothes¡­¡±


    ¡°Sure, will do. I may feel a little uncomfortable, but it¡¯s not good to attract others¡¯ attention.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re very smart.¡±


    Yurt barely answered and gulped down the cold water he had reserved for himself. But he couldn¡¯t tell the guest why he hadn¡¯t changed clothes before crossing the border if he was so concerned.


    He vowed for the 74th time that once he arrived in the capital, he would receive the full payment for his service.

 Chapter 181

    It was still cloudy and hot in Milan.


    It continued to rain everyday even after Marianne stayed overnight at the Imperial Palace.


    The storm was so severe the first day, but the next day it died down. When she began to feel at ease, there was another thunderstorm filled with lighting.


    On that stormy night, Marianne called Cordelli without exception and stayed up with her late into the night. She was not as scared as the first day, but she was still a little scared to sleep alone. So, like she did in childhood, Marianne chatted with her on the same bed until dawn before falling asleep.


    When the rainstorm died down, she often visited the Imperial Palace to see the emperor.


    Eckart always took time out to see her even if he was quite busy. Each time she met him, she pressed him to play a simple game with his hands on the pretext of helping him do rehab exercises such as chess, Othello game, poker, origani, hitting Petal, cat¡¯s cradle, drawing pictures, or making mud sculptures.


    ¡°Oh, dear. That¡¯s a mismatched card. ¡±


    She checked the cards she had turned over and put them down with a sullen look.


    Flipping cards was also one of the rehab exercises she devised.


    ¡°Now, it¡¯s your turn, Your Majesty.¡±


    He extended his splinted right arm over the table. It was a simple game played mainly by young children, but he just followed as she told. He had no objection even if she played more childish and easier games. If she enjoyed the game, he also enjoyed it.


    She skillfully turned the cards over and found pairs of diamonds, hearts, clover, and spades. His stack began to pile up in front of him. It was a simple game, but it made him use his memory well and concentrate because he had to find the exact shape, color, and number to make matches.


    She had a serious expression, watching the remaining cards going away quickly.


    Eckart chuckled unconsciously, while turning the cards over.


    These days he learned something new while playing games with her. It was Marianne¡¯s strong determination to win. Although she admitted her defeat clearly, she pressed him to play the game again if she lost, even though she didn¡¯t bet anything.


    ¡°Um¡­ I think I¡¯m going to lose, as things stand now.¡± While she was murmuring pitifully, he finally turned over the mismatched card.


    ¡°Oh! That¡¯s a mismatched one. My turn!¡±


    Mariane quickly flipped the card again that Eckart turned over. Then, she began to carefully match the cards.


    He looked at her earnest expression while she was immersed in the game.


    When her dark green eyes glistened and rolled up and down to match the confused cards, she frowned like a child. Her red lips were curled a bit between the teeth and turned a bit white.


    The light of the lamp, lit nearby, cast a dark shadow under her rich eyelashes. He looked closely at her lovingly sleek cheeks, cheerfully moving hands, and shoulders that softly shook with the cycle of her breathing¡­


    ¡°Wow! I¡¯ve got them all matched!¡± She screamed, clapping with joy.


    He came to his senses as if he woke up from a dream.


    ¡°Really? Let me count them now.¡±


    The two counted their cards. She checked the number of cards, with them divided in both hands, while he spread them on the table and counted with his fingertips.


    ¡°Twenty-five, twenty-six, twenty-seven! I¡¯ve won! ¡±


    ¡°Got it. You have won. ¡±


    He collected twenty-six pairs. She smiled happily after winning by just one more pair.


    ¡°Is there anyone who has beaten you in this game yet?¡±


    ¡°Yes, there is only one.¡±


    She looked sullen at his reply. Although the card game was unofficial, she felt really good because as a lady of a duke¡¯s family, she beat Aslan¡¯s most honorable man.


    He couldn¡¯t beat her in chess, so he lost five rounds in a row, but he won four out of nine Othello games. Of course, she lost, given the winning rate. He felt sorry about that, but it was okay.


    He won six of seven games in a row in the poker game. In fact, he had never lost as far as the poker game was concerned.


    He said she was the first person to beat him in the poker game in the empire. She wished she had beaten him in the card flipping game, too.


    ¡°Who beat you?¡±


    ¡°Colin.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    But as soon as she heard the name, she didn¡¯t feel any regret. There was no point in her having the desire to beat a player like Colin who could accurately recollect anything once he had seen it.


    ¡°Have you ever defeated Sir Colin?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­I lost mostly, but maybe, I won a few times. ¡±


    ¡°Really? That¡¯s amazing. ¡±


    ¡°But I feel ashamed to say it¡¯s my victory¡­¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°I was thirteen then, and Colin was seven years old. Even at that age Colin beat me several times. What a marvelous talent. Jed has never beaten Colin in terms of memorizing.¡±


    She laughed heartily while tilting her teacup to quench her thirst.


    ¡°I have gained good information about him. Let me tease Sir Jed when I see him later.¡±


    ¡°Well, he won¡¯t admit it. As he has never played the game as an adult, he would argue the game was invalid back then. Jed is as competitive as you. ¡±


    ¡°Really? As you say, I would like to play a game with him and beat him. Which game is Sir Jed good at? I want to win him in the game he is good at, if I have to play.¡±


    When one wants to compete with someone, it¡¯s common to look for the other party¡¯s soft spot, not strength, in order to win. On the contrary, Marianne said she wanted to beat him in the game he played very well.


    For reasons he didn¡¯t know, Eckart felt ashamed before her clear eyes, just like he did in Roshan. In his case, he was always looking for someone¡¯s weaknesses. To him, it was as natural as finding the answer to a certain formula, and he never thought it was wrong.


    When he was faced with her righteous temperament, he felt very cowardly.


    And that was comforting to him. On the other hand, it was a great comfort to him that such a good and kind woman was so frankly smiling and speaking to him up close. He had a vague but firm sense of responsibility that he wanted to keep her, so that she could continue to see the world in the same way as she does now.


    Eckart hid his feelings with a light smile and said casually, ¡°Well, there are certain things he likes. Alcohol, worry and jokes.¡±


    ¡°Then, should I compete with him in drink?¡±


    ¡°Drink?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I like to drink a lot, too. ¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t beat him there. Don¡¯t you know Mrs. Renault is such a heavy drinker?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Renault?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I hear that¡¯s her unique talent that she inherited from her mother¡¯s family, Earl Flemming. She never gets drunk no matter how much she drinks. Ironically, Jed inherited it from his mother Mrs. Renault. Ordinary drinkers can never beat him. He drinks alcohol like water without frowning at all,¡± Eckhart said in a threatening manner.


    No matter how much Marianne liked to drink, how could she beat the drunkard?


    Eckart didn¡¯t want her body to get harmed with heavy drinking.


    However, she let his expression of worry in one ear and out the other, as always.


    ¡°Wow, as you say so, I really want to beat him.¡±


    ¡°No¡­ You probably won¡¯t ¡­¡±


    ¡°One needs to measure to see if something is short or long! I guess some of the things Sir Arthur has imported this time are expensive and tasty wine. I¡¯d love to bet on that. Can you serve as a judge?¡±


    The bookshelf in the library turned smoothly while the two men were chatting like that.


    When Curtis slipped out of the secret passage and knocked on the bookshelf instead of the door, Eckart and Marianne looked at him.


    ¡°May the blessings of Airius and Anthea be bestowed on you, Your Majesty. Knight Curtis is honored to see you.¡±


    ¡°Stand up.¡±


    Curtis stretched his bent knees and walked near the table where the two people sat.


    ¡°Long time no see, Sir Curtis. If I knew I would meet you today, I wish I brought Phebe here. Ah, thanks for hearing the bell on behalf of Cordelli the other night when it rained a lot. I will repay your kindness sooner or later,¡± she said with a bright smile.


    Curtis agonized briefly over whether it was okay to appreciate her promise to repay him, but lowered his head when Eckart signalled to him.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to. Thanks for your kind words¡­¡±


    ¡°No, I feel uncomfortable if you refuse. My father and I have felt uncomfortable all along because we didn¡¯t repay you properly enough when you have helped us on many occasions, including the Roshan accident. Oh, Phebe is the bird you trained, right? I owe it to you that I could control Phebe well. I asked the emperor what you liked, so wait for a few weeks. I¡¯m preparing a nice present for you. ¡±


    ¡°¡­Thank you,¡± Curtis agreed to receive it reluctantly.


    ¡°Curtis.¡±


    As soon as the two finished talking, Eckart quietly called him. There was no sign of anger or urgency at all in his call, but Curtis immediately knew that Eckart wanted to know what business brought him here. He got down to the point right away. His black eyes sparkled.


    ¡°I¡¯ve found out who the guest from Faisal is.¡±

 Chapter 182

    Four more days passed. Meanwhile, the rainy season came to a lull in Milan, and the warm sunlight began to pour down.


    Marianne visited Mrs. Chester¡¯s salon for a long time and met several people. It was now her job to help Mrs. Chester, the host of the salon. Mrs. Chester called her kindly in front of everyone and talked with her and took care of the details as if to show them who her new favorite woman was.


    Roxanne, who reappeared at the salon after almost a month¡¯s absence, volunteered to help Marianne and followed her. Many women in the salon began to gossip about her, Roxanne raised her head and smiled at them. Even when someone sarcastically said she looked better than before, Roxanne didn¡¯t get angry. But Marianne saw her clenching her crumpled handkerchief with her back to them.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. Something urgent happened suddenly, so I have to stop the party now. Let me open the salon until evening, so you can go back and enjoy it.¡±


    As soon as Mrs. Chester said so and left the parlor, Marianne took Roxanne to the back garden, saying she wanted to get some fresh air outside.


    ¡°The weather is good, isn¡¯t it?¡± said Marianne.


    ¡°¡­ Yes, it is.¡± Roxanne said feebly. Marianne looked at her pitifully, but Cordelli, who was supporting her on the other side, snorted, grumbling deep inside, ¡®Why are you so lazy when you volunteered to help Marianne?¡¯


    Marianne calmed down Cordelli and pointed to one end of the garden.


    ¡°There¡¯s a rose garden when you head over to the main entrance. Would you like to go there? There¡¯s a fountain and a bench. It¡¯s perfect to take a break there. ¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Let me escort you there.¡±


    Roxanne walked toward the place Marianne pointed to. Since she decided to be Marianne¡¯s friend, Roxanne acted passively like someone without her own opinion.


    The quiet air blew over them. There were flowers that fell after the heavy rain, but most of them bloomed greener and brighter thanks to the rain. It looked like Mrs. Chester took care of them in advance, predicting heavy rain.


    Marianne glanced at Roxanne, passing by the flowers that survived. Thanks to the fresh scent of summer, they felt the afternoon sun warmer.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. You don¡¯t have to react to what others say about you. Isn¡¯t it the tradition here on Noble Road where they create groundless rumors and the truth is buried easily?¡±


    Roxanne didn¡¯t reply.


    ¡°Anyway, you can come back to the salon here, Miss Roxy. That¡¯s important.¡±


    Roxanne did not answer. Instead, her fingertips trembled faintly while she was helping Marianne. She was not sure if it was because Roxanne wanted to hear something from somebody or if Roxanne felt unhappy about her sympathetic remarks.


    Instead of speaking to her anymore, Marianne just walked forward. Everyone sometimes wanted to keep silent. Perhaps Roxanne wanted it now.


    They soon arrived in front of the rose garden. Rare varieties of roses, which were not readily available on the market, were shooting out new buds. Cold water gushed from the fountain and cooled their heat.


    ¡°Oh, how pretty! Why don¡¯t we sit on the bench over there¡­¡±


    Marianne stopped while walking toward the bench behind the fountain.


    There was a guest who was already sitting on the bench first. He was a gentleman dressed in a black suit. Tapping the ground with a decorative stick with his legs crossed, he turned his head up and looked at Marianne when he heard them coming toward him.


    His eyes met hers. His olive eyes were familiar to her. He looked at her intensely. She gave him a faint smile at first, but she soon hardened her face.


    There was an awkward standoff between them for a moment. While the two were looking at each other, Cordelli approached her, looking at Marianne curiously.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you?¡±


    However, Cordelli also freaked out when she saw him. Roxanne joined them, knitting her brows, but she could not understand logically why the two were showing such a reaction.


    ¡°Who is that man? Do you know him, Lady Marianne?¡± Roxanne asked.


    ¡°¡­ No. I don¡¯t know, ¡± Marianne replied firmly, looking straight ahead.


    But unlike her denial, she couldn¡¯t take her eyes off of him easily.


    Only then did the man get up from the bench slowly. He was pretty tall. His long hair that let down to his waist was dark green like Marianne¡¯s eyes. He was not big enough to be overbearing, but given the fit of his robe, he had quite a strong build.


    He walked in long strides toward Marianne.


    She thought he looked much taller up close, when he already approached and leaned forward and presented his face close to her nose.


    ¡°Go away! How can you be so rude without showing any manners?¡±


    Cordelli screamed out loud and reached out. She pulled Marianne behind her back just like a mother bird trying to protect its baby bird.


    But the man straightened his back with a smile, not a bit embarrassed.


    ¡°Oh my¡­ it was your eye color,¡± he said with an elegant voice, a little higher than that of an ordinary man. His soft voice had a faint foreign accent. Marianne, who had often met famous artists around the world since her old days at Lennox, quickly recognized its mysterious difference.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen such clear and green eyes like yours. Are there many people in Aslan with eyes like yours? ¡±


    The man bowed very lightly and smiled at her. His fleeting smile had the power to make the other party feel good.


    ¡°Oh, I apologize if my question offended you. There are many people in my area who have the same eyes like this woman, but your eyes and this lady¡¯s are rare. Especially your eyes.¡±


    He alternately looked at Cordelli, Marianne and Roxanne.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you formally introduce yourself if you are a gentleman? A lady doesn¡¯t talk to just anybody,¡± Roxanne said sharply.


    ¡°Sorry. It looks like I interrupted your precious time. ¡±


    He soon went down on one knee skillfully and reached out toward Marianne.


    ¡°I would like to introduce myself. I¡¯m Akad of Elam. ¡±


    There was a moment of awkward silence. But before she was ashamed of his hand, Marianne slowly pushed Cordelli to the side.


    ¡°My lady?¡± Cordelli called her in embarrassment. Pretending not to have heard her, Marianne bit the inside of her lips, placing her hand over his.


    Akad of Elam wasn¡¯t his real name.


    Dark emerald hair and olive eyes, a voice mixed with the peculiar accent of the people in the Faisal Empire. He was a man who knew Aslan¡¯s noble laws well enough to distinguish her class from others and how to call her properly according to the Aslan customs.


    There was only one person who satisfied all those conditions: Shahar Ibn La Partia.


    That was probably his real name. Ober was confident that as the second prince of Faisal, he would be a better card than Empress Alessa. He was the very guest that Ober mentioned as Faisal¡¯s nice guest, who would be coming to Milan soon.


    ¡°¡­ I¡¯m Marianne of Duke Kling¡¯s family.¡±


    ¡°Marianne. It¡¯s a name that goes very well with a lady. I will never forget it. ¡±


    Shahar didn¡¯t take his eyes off of her, while kissing the back of her hand.


    ¡°I¡¯m flattered by that,¡± she withdrew her hand, pretending to be as casual as possible.


    With a kind smile, he looked like a man who would never get angry, but he did not look weak or soft. Of course, he was not the type of man who would make the other party wary of him first. If she had not heard from Ober about his looks beforehand, she would have regarded him as a little strange foreigner and forgotten him.


    She knew that this kind of man was much more dangerous, so she covered half her face by opening her fan.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of the last name Elam. It looks like you are probably not an Aslan nobleman.¡±


    ¡°Elam is a castle on the west side of Faisal. There are many lakes, large and small, where they built lots of Parthian imperial villas. My distant relatives also live there. I would like to invite you to Elam in due course¡­¡± Shahar smiled again. His glowing eyes captivated her. ¡°How about taking our encounter today as a chance for that purpose?¡±


    Cordelli sneered at that. Their conversation was too friendly to be taken as their first meeting.Marianne hastened to find an answer before Cordelli exploded with anger.


    ¡°Well. I know that Elam is a wonderful castle, but I¡¯m not sure if His Excellency will allow me to leave Milan. ¡±


    ¡°¡­ His Excellency?¡±


    Hearing that, Shahar knitted his brows as if he pondered over something. Then he quickly laughed with a confident look, saying, ¡°Oh, you¡¯re the lady he mentioned! The unprecedented whore who controls the emperor and Marquis Chester¡­¡±


    Cordelli yelled at him even before he finished talking, ¡°Hey! What the hell are you talking about? Watch your language!¡±


    Roxanne quipped, ¡°Our lady is the only daughter of Duke Kling. What¡¯s more, she¡¯s formally engaged to His Majesty! What the hell did you say? Whore? Oh my god, what gentleman can dare babble such groundless rumors before a lady? You are not a gentleman but a crazy jerk! Who the hell allowed you to come here? Get back ten steps from my lady! Otherwise, I¡¯ll call the knights!¡±

 Chapter 183

    ¡°My lady, Miss Roxy is right. I don¡¯t know what noble title he or his father has in his home country, but I think it¡¯s very unlikely that he is a high-ranking aristocrat comparable here in the Aslan empire. How can a man with such a title be rude to you? Obviously, this guy was born in a plain family and didn¡¯t learn manners properly. I feel disgusted at the way he is speaking to you so rudely. Even though he is from a foreign country, you shouldn¡¯t deal with this guy who doesn¡¯t know elementary etiquette,¡± Cordelli said, fuming and frowning.


    Marianne alternately looked at the angry Cordelli and Roxanne. She thought she had to stop them, but she couldn¡¯t think of any plausible excuses right away.


    The man was standing too close for her to remind Cordelli that she had already told her about the man briefly. And it looked like Roxanne would be upset about her, not him, if she reminded Roxanne that she was also very rude to her recently.


    And on the other hand, she thought to herself, ¡®Yeah, he is really rude. But as I already know that man is a Faisal¡¯s royal family member, I don¡¯t feel that bad, but Codelli and Roxanne might feel he is a crazy guy. I don¡¯t know if he is rude by nature or behaving rudely on purpose? ¡®


    She felt she didn¡¯t need to give him a bad impression from the beginning because she was not sure how he would be used by Ober.


    Marianne grabbed Cordelli¡¯s arm, who was about to go get Iric right away. Roxanne, whose temper was as fiery as Cordelli¡¯s, also expressed hostility to him without hiding her displeasure with him.


    ¡®I¡¯m in trouble now. What should I do? ¡® Marianne looked around, agonized for a moment.


    Right at that moment a familiar shadow was approaching her from the central entrance. Dressed in the capital¡¯s latest fashion and neatly swept hair, which was pretty dark as if soaked in dark red paint, he was none other than Ober.


    ¡°Sir Ober!¡± She did not hesitate to call his name loudly. When she called, not only Cordelli and Roxanne but also Shahar turned their eyes at him.


    ¡°May the blessing of Anthea be bestowed on you, Marianne!¡±


    Approaching her, he greeted her politely. She smiled brightly as he raised his body after kissing the back of her hand.


    ¡°I wish you the same blessing of Anthea. I thought you were at the palace. I wonder why you are staying at the mansion at this time. ¡±


    ¡°I left early because I had an appointment with a special guest.¡±


    ¡°As for the special guest¡­¡± Marianne glanced at Shahar standing next to him.


    ¡°Yes. Have you already introduced yourself?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. He says his name is Akad of Elam in Faisal. Right?¡±


    Shahar laughed, looking at her eyes.


    ¡°Oh, as I don¡¯t know Aslan¡¯s manners, I think I have behaved rudely to the lady.¡±


    ¡°Oh my¡­ Is that true?¡± Ober knitted his brows with a worried look. Marianne smiled faintly, waving the fan gently.


    ¡°Let me apologize on his behalf. It is the first time that Sir Akad visited Aslan, so he doesn¡¯t seem to know proper etiquette. It¡¯s my fault. I wish I had dispatched a servant to escort him¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Everyone makes mistakes at first,¡± Marianne said.


    As the two expressed apologies and forgiveness with an exaggerated tone, Shahar looked at Ober and Marianne alternately with a very interesting expression.


    He was still smiling, but he seemed to enjoy their conversation as if it were an interesting play, rather than feeling sorry for his rudeness.


    As if she noticed the weird atmosphere, Cordelli snorted with a sullen expression. And Roxanne, pretending she didn¡¯t get upset at all, shut her mouth after Ober arrived.


    ¡°By the way, why did Sir Akad come as far as Milan? To meet you? Is he your close friend?¡±


    ¡°Of course, Sir Akad is a good friend of mine, but it¡¯s too far for him to come here to simply inquire after me. Regrettably, he came a bit late to express condolences. ¡±


    ¡°Ah, condolences¡­ ¡± She deliberately paused for a moment. She had to pretend to have realized it as naturally as possible.


    ¡°Have you come to express condolences about the late Duke Hubble?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. I left as soon as I got the news, but only now I have arrived. ¡±


    ¡°I see. Your eyes are very similar to the olive-colored eyes allegedly handed down by the Hubble family.¡±


    At that point, Ober¡¯s face hardened briefly. But he quickly smiled to skillfully conceal his intimidating look.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s because he is a distant relative of the late Hubble, or his eyes may have coincidentally overlapped with the characteristics of the Hubble family¡­ I hear that in Faisal, unlike Aslan, there are many people with olive eyes.¡±


    ¡°Got it. I did not know that. I met several Faisal sculptors, but they all had dark eyes. Well, as you are the minister of the foreign ministry, you have met far more foreign envoys than me, I think.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but I¡¯ve never seen anybody with as beautiful and vivid green eyes as you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, how kind of you! I¡¯m flattered.¡±


    Ober livened up the atmosphere before naturally raising her hand to kiss in farewell.


    ¡°I wish I could talk more, but Sir Akad¡¯s schedule is a little too tight¡­ Let us leave now. ¡±


    ¡°Yeah. It was a pleasant conversation. Sir Akad, don¡¯t worry too much. I will never blame your rudeness again. ¡±


    Shahar gently grabbed her hand after Ober released it. Although Ober was looking at him with an ominous look, he didn¡¯t care and put his lips on the back of her hand, making eye contact with her. .


    ¡°Thank you for your kind consideration. I will surely repay it later. ¡±


    ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t have to.¡±


    ¡°I will definitely repay you. Absolutely!¡± He replied firmly, smiling brightly.


    ¡°If you insist¡­¡±


    She withdrew her hand with a light smile.


    Shahar looked at his empty hand with regret, but soon left the place with Ober.


    But he looked back at her more than five times while walking toward the wagon pulled near the porch, as if he had lingering wistfulness.


    ¡°What the hell is he doing here? Is he really a distant relative of the late Hubble? Although the color of his eyes are similar, I haven¡¯t heard anything about it from my father¡­Besides, he didn¡¯t seem to have deliberately acted rudely at first, given his polite manners. Don¡¯t you think so?¡±


    Only then did Roxanne open her mouth and grumble.


    Marianne belatedly shrugged after quietly watching Mrs. Chester¡¯s wagon following Ober and Shahar¡¯s carriage.


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know. Do you think he fooled us, Miss Roxy?¡±


    ¡°In my opinion, Yes. He suddenly changed his attitude when Ober arrived. Wasn¡¯t he conscious of Ober? It looks like he is weak before the strong, but strong before the weak,¡± Cordelli pouted, answering before Roxanne.


    Looking at Cordelli with a smile, Roxanne quipped, ¡°¡­ Exactly. I didn¡¯t expect that you had such a discerning eye, Cordelli.¡±


    ¡°I beg your pardon?¡±


    ¡°Why are you angry? I¡¯m praising you. ¡±


    The two, who had just seen eye to eye on Shahar, were now about to pick a quarrel again.


    Marianne opened the fan and roughly put it down on the palm of her hand with a snap.


    The boiling atmosphere of the two cooled down. They turned their eyes to her right away.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but shall we stop walking here? It¡¯s much hotter than I thought and I want to go back and rest. ¡±


    With a reasonable excuse, Marianne naturally led the two to walk towards the exit of the garden. She was lost in thought while walking toward the wagon.


    She felt she had to go back and do something right away.


    * * *


    ¡°The woman named Marianne, ¡± Ice in the glass tilted to one side, creating a cool noise.


    ¡°Is she the woman you love?¡±


    Ober put the tilted cup down on the carriage table. When he looked at Shahar across the table, there was suspicion and a bit of annoyance in his ash eyes.


    ¡°It looks like you¡¯ve heard the rumors in the street. Who is this guy Yurt?¡± Ober asked.


    ¡°Oh, it seems you don¡¯t love her. Then, is she the woman you need for your interests?¡± Shahar asked.


    ¡°Well, If you love, you need her.¡±


    ¡°Hummm¡­. you thought you came to love the woman because you needed her.¡±


    Shahar grinned gently. Be it coincidence or inevitability, his judgement of Ober was very accurate.


    Ober clenched his teeth tightly. When he devised this plan, he predicted how Shahar would react, but he realized that Shahar was a very sophisticated guy when he sized him up in person. There was a faint but intense ambition behind Shahar¡¯s gentle expression. Ober turned his mouth up, feeling a strong displeasure.


    ¡°I hear that the emperor loves her dearly. I wonder if he needs her all the more because he loves her. If he wants to embrace that woman with such a lousy reputation, he wouldn¡¯t love her just because she is cute. Usually the members of the royal family bet their lives on their honor.¡±


    ¡°Of course most of them do, but what you are saying seems pretty contradictory.¡±


    ¡°Me? Well, I¡¯m not in that league. My title is not proper enough to put me in that league that values my honor more than anything else.¡±


    While talking about himself, Shahar acted casually as if he were indifferent. However, there was still something significant in his words that looked just banal.

 Chapter 184

    Chapter 184: Chapter 183


    Ober put the tilted cup down on the carriage table. When he looked at Shahar across the table, there was suspicion and a bit of annoyance in his ash eyes.


    ¡°It looks like you¡¯ve heard the rumors in the street. Who is this guy Yurt?¡± Ober asked.


    ¡°Oh, it seems you don¡¯t love her. Then, is she the woman you need for your interests?¡± Shahar asked.


    ¡°Well, If you love, you need her.¡±


    ¡°Hummm¡­. you thought you came to love the woman because you needed her.¡±


    Shahar grinned. Be it coincidence or inevitability, his judgement of Ober was very accurate.


    Ober clenched his jaw tightly. When he devised this plan, he predicted how Shahar would react, but he realized that Shahar was a very sophisticated guy when he sized him up in person. There was a faint but intense ambition behind Shahar¡¯s gentle expression. Ober turned his mouth up, feeling a strong displeasure.


    ¡°I hear that the emperor loves her dearly. I wonder if he needs her all the more because he loves her. If he wants to embrace that woman with such a lousy reputation, he wouldn¡¯t love her just because she is cute. Usually the members of the royal family bet their lives on their honor.¡±


    ¡°Of course most of them do, but what you are saying seems pretty contradictory.¡±


    ¡°Me? Well, I¡¯m not in that league. My title is not proper enough to put me in a league in which I would value my honor more than anything else.¡±


    While talking about himself, Shahar acted casually as if he were indifferent. However, there was still something significant in his seemingly banal words.


    Karim, the current emperor of Faisal, took power after winning the bloody fight for succession. He killed not only his half-brothers but also his blood brothers in the process. After the terrible battle, Karim hoped that there would not be any more bloody fighting among his descendants. He believed that securing a firm successor in advance was the most efficient way to suppress the ambitions of the potential successors.


    Accordingly, after Alessa¡¯s first son, 1st Prince Rashid, was named as the crown prince, the imperial instructors taught Shahar that freedom and indulgence were more valuable than honor. Karim¡¯s children born to his concubines were also taught the same.


    Shahar naturally liked drawings more than books, women more than the sword, and alcohol more than the horse. Many of the pleasures and nightlife of the empire were his, but he couldn¡¯t claim any justice or great cause. If anyone earned respect and fame that was great enough to challenge his authority as the next successor, that would be regarded as treason.


    ¡°Well, don¡¯t you think the order of succession can be changed at any time? ¡±


    Ober gave him a glass, saying something significant.


    Shahar glanced at Ober, knitting his brows. After a moment of silence, he answered with a cheerful voice, ¡°That¡¯s funny. I like you, Ober, and that woman, too.¡± Ober frowned slightly at his reply.


    He was Aslan¡¯s foreign minister. Regardless of how many innocent people had to be killed before he took his position, his talent as the minister of foreign affairs was outstanding.


    There was no one better than him in terms of identifying the diplomatic documents favorable to their own interests or mixing subtle words and the motivations of foreign envoys trying to take a handful more of land and wealth.


    Based on his years of experience and long precedents, he discovered that the likes and dislikes of the imperial family of a country didn¡¯t not necessarily mean simply good or bad.


    In short, Ober knew that Shahar wanted to ¡°own¡± Marianne.


    ¡°Marinane is going to be a very useful card in the future.¡±


    ¡°Now you tell me how you frankly feel about her. You love the value of the woman rather than the woman herself, right?¡±


    ¡°Sure, because her value is also part of her.¡±


    ¡°Really? Then, I¡¯ll ask you one thing. Which is more important to you, that woman or my value?¡±


    ¡°How can I dare to compare her with your value? I think your suggestion is overkill.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you know that¡¯s not what I mean, right?¡±


    Feigning a smile, Ober clenched the glass in his hand. By nature, he would have pulled him out of the wagon and cut out his tongue, but Shahar was the one that the late Duke Hubble tried to promote as the next successor of Aslan instead of him. As long as Ober intended to use him as a card to achieve his goal, Ober couldn¡¯t act recklessly. No matter how disgusting Shahar¡¯s actions were, Ober had to curry favor with him. Until it became clear that Shahar was aiming at Faisal¡¯s throne instead of Aslan¡¯s, he was also a cumbersome relic that the late Duke Hubble left behind.


    ¡°Do you want to take her as booty?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I loved her at first sight. I like her clear eyes, her cheerful voice like the bird¡¯s chirping, and her fair skin. I¡¯ve slept with many pretty women, but she is the first woman I¡¯ve ever wanted to have sit next to me. ¡± Shahar extolled the merits of Marianne in excitement.


    While talking about her, he even had the nerve to evaluate the taste of the alcohol, which rubbed him the wrong way again.


    ¡°So, won¡¯t you give her to me? Let me give you a new card that can meet all your needs instead of her.¡±


    Ober did not answer rashly. His smooth fingers touched the cold surface of the glass.


    He felt bad, looking at Shahar rolling his olive eyes, which exactly resembled the late Duke Hubble¡¯s. Duke Hubble, Empress Alessa, Grand Duke Christopher, Duchess of Lamont, and her daughter, Rane¡­ None of them who had olive eyes like Shahar made him happy.


    ¡°You know I have five sisters, right? It doesn¡¯t matter whether they have been born to my mother or to my father¡¯s concubines. All of them are single. Meet them in person later and pick one that you like. Maybe they will like you immediately. They know it¡¯s much better to be the empress of Aslan than to marry the ordinary nobleman in Faisal. ¡±


    Ober liked Shahar¡¯s proposal very much.


    Above all, he felt great about the fact that Shahar assumed him as the next emperor of Aslan. Furthermore, the woman Shahar had in mind in terms of exchanging Faisal¡¯s princess was Marianne, which was a perfect solution.


    Marianne was purely Ober¡¯s card, nothing more or less, but Ober felt displeased that Shahar was coveting his card.


    But could she continue to work for him even after she became Faisal¡¯s empress?


    ¡°Well, Marianne won¡¯t have any regrets even if she becomes Faisal¡¯s empress. It will be much better for her if she gets married to a good man like you,¡± Ober said.


    Would Marianne, who already betrayed Eckart, be afraid to betray her second husband?


    Ober thought she would not. Her stupid love of him was blind. Ober was confident that he could degrade her as much as he wished. The brighter the color of the drawing paper, the more fantastically it would absorb dark paint. If he could persuade her well, he could have her poison the tea of the emperor of Aslan¡¯s ally.


    ¡°Okay, I have no choice. Let me yield her to you. Instead, please keep your promise.¡±


    ¡°Sure. I am a man who keeps promises very well. You can trust me.¡±


    Ober and Shahar laughed heartily, facing each other. The glasses in their hands made a clicking noise. The scent of premature celebratory drink wafted into the wagon.


    * * *


    The three wagons that left Ober¡¯s mansion soon arrived at the late Duke Hubble¡¯s mansion.


    Elias and his wife, who had been informed beforehand, welcomed them. Ober introduced Shahar as Faisal¡¯s nobleman Akad, and Elias received his condolences with a stern expression.


    They brought up lots of memories of the late Duke Hubble, the same old stories and junk episodes about him.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pity that a man with such a discerning eye like Duke Hubble died a sudden death,¡± said Shahar. He was serious. Actually, the late Duke Hubble recognized the desire that had been boiling in him earlier than his parents and brothers. Although he was in the same boat as Ober, who killed the late Duke Hubble, because things got screwed up he would not have come to this point if the late Duke Hubble had not recognized his ambition in the first place.


    ¡°I wish you rest in peace forever.¡± Shahar mourned with all his heart.


    The moment he entered the private parlor of the mansion, he forgot everything.


    His flexibility in any situation was one of his great advantages.


    ¡°Now, why don¡¯t you tell us what you really want to say instead of your heartless words?¡±


    Mrs. Chester gave an attractive smile, looking at the rest of them sitting at the table.


    She sent the servants and maids down to the first floor earlier because it would be most beneficial to have as few people as possible when they discussed something secret.

 Chapter 185

    Chapter 185: Chapter 184


    Mrs. Chester¡¯s maid, Annette and a man, apparently Shahar¡¯s attendant, stood a little far from the table. What was unusual about their presence was that they were ready to write, holding a pen and paper.


    Mrs. Chester said, ¡°I really believed this kind of meeting would happen from the moment that the late Duke Hubble presented a sword to your mother Empress Alessa. To be more precise, from the moment that the late Duke Hubble asked you to deliver the sword to Empress Alessa.¡±


    She got down to the point right away instead of beating around the bush.


    ¡°Probably the late Duke Hubble asked you to take over the role that Ober was supposed to assume in the future, right?¡±


    Shahar sat arrogantly on the couch and tilted his head slightly. He ostentatiously moved his long twisted legs up and down .


    ¡°But does it make sense for Faisal¡¯s proud prince to take over his place? No way. That was really a rude offer,¡± Mrs Chester said.


    ¡°You bet. Wouldn¡¯t there really be a position perfectly suitable for him?¡± Elias chimed in, trying to support her.


    Resting his chin on his hand, Shahar looked at the two alternately and loosened his twisted legs. The heel of his boot made a squeaking noise when it hit the floor.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you honest with me? Mrs. Chester, you want to tell me your son Ober has an eye on a particular position, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course, that¡¯s true, too. Everyone has a position suitable for them. Don¡¯t you think Ober also has a position suitable for him?¡±


    She retorted with an elegant voice. Chuckling, Shahar turned his eyes at Ober, ¡°Ober, you¡¯re a carbon copy of your mother.¡±


    ¡°I sometimes hear the same thing from many people.¡±


    ¡°Sometimes we can¡¯t believe a man was born to the same parents because of his different looks, but sometimes we can immediately believe a man is a chip off the old block. Isn¡¯t it amazing, Sir Ober?¡±


    Shahar¡¯s next prey was Elias. When he turned his attention to him suddenly, Elias cleared his throat and said, ¡°Oh yes, you¡¯re right. Look at my children. My son takes after me, but my daughter doesn¡¯t. Everybody says she takes after my wife more than me.¡±


    Shahar burst out in laughter at his reply, thinking to himself, ¡®How stupid this guy is! I¡¯m mocking your temperament now, man!¡¯


    At that moment, Shahar erased the lingering wishes that remained in him. He felt the late Duke Hubble¡¯s forces would switch their loyalty to Ober. Elias was too stupid to rule great power.


    While Elias was laughing without knowing which way the wind was blowing, the rest of the people there hid their mockery of him by laughing. Even his wife felt pitiful about her husband.


    ¡°Good. We don¡¯t have to beat around the bush as we are in the same boat anyway.¡±


    Shahar leaned forward a bit in the chair.


    ¡°If you help me gain the honor I deserve, I will help you take over the position you duly deserve.¡±


    ¡°What a wise decision!¡± Ober praised him slyly. He bowed to Shahar out of courtesy.


    ¡°Would you like to hear my secret plan right away?¡±


    ¡°It looks like you are very well prepared. What would you have done if I had refused your offer? ¡±


    ¡°Well, I thought I didn¡¯t have to worry about that because you are not stupid enough to miss this golden opportunity. ¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re also good at picking up good words to listen to. You are a man of versatile talents, Ober.¡± Shahar smiled in satisfaction, resting his chin on hand.


    Ober pushed the glass in front of him to the edge of the table and unfolded a dark red scroll in the middle of the table.


    It was a map drawn on fabric with colorful tassels. The map, which appeared to have enlarged the topography of some of Aslan¡¯s vast land, had the names of the main castles and natural objects clearly engraved. The Castle of Lennox, located at the northernmost of the empire, surrounded by deep and shallow rivers flowing below it and the mountain ridges occupying the edges of the huge Piaget Mountains had several gateways on the borders, including the Euroslaf gateway¡­


    ¡°Ancartium?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s a castle that will play a very important role in this strategy.¡±


    Shahar silently glanced at the picture of the castle on the far right of the map. Unlike Aslan¡¯s domestic regions, where the heights, facilities, mountains, and rivers of the terrain were relatively clear, the Ancarthium area was drawn roughly except for the border, with only its name written in both languages. Perhaps it was because they were concerned about the diplomatic problems that could arise when the maps were drawn thoughtlessly and circulated in other countries.


    Here was a map that could prevent any possible breach of diplomatic etiquette in a place where they were about to discuss a revolution that would change the owner of the throne at the height of the two empires.


    ¡°Did you say that you are the foreign minister?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°Sorry to hear that. It would have been a great advantage for the empire if a talent like you had continued to serve as the foreign minister.¡±


    He laughed sardonically at Ober¡¯s bizarre contradiction. His gaze was still fixed on the map on the table.


    Ancartium.


    Shahar recited the vivid name of the castle deep down. It was the land between Aslan and the far end of Faisal. It was the sacred land in which Aslan and Faisal formed the fourth peace alliance twenty years ago after the Lennox War. It was a safe zone that had never been invaded by bloody weapons or the hooves of horses for hundreds of years.


    And it was Faisal¡¯s largest and safest western road since it became Crown Prince Rashid¡¯s territory.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to start here.¡±


    Ober pointed to the middle of the border between Aslan and Faisal.


    ¡°Are you going to start a war from the beginning?¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m going to make it look like a war.¡±


    ¡°Your intention to create a loophole by causing turmoil is good, but the alliance between Aslan and Faisal has been established for more than two hundred years. I think it will cost too much for me or you to endure. ¡±


    ¡°Right. Maybe it will cause too much trouble for Ober alone to endure. ¡±


    Mrs. Chester put down the wine glass with an elegant gesture.


    ¡°So, I think we have to make those who can and should endure it take responsibility.¡±


    Shahar made eye contact with her. His significant smile quickly gave him a rude awakening.


    ¡°For example¡­ Like the owner of Lennox and the head of Ancartium.¡±


    ¡°Duke Kling, the owner of Lennox Castle, is the highest of the few close aides to the emperor. There are several more other than Ancartium ruled by the emperor, but there will be no more important area than that in the event of armed conflict between the two countries. ¡±


    ¡°We have already deployed a number of clever spies in several gateways of Lennox, including the Euroslaf gateway, and in the Astolpf Knights, the northern national knights. If ordered, they would immediately cross the border and invade Faisal¡¯s territory and massacre as needed.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm¡­¡±


    ¡°As you have come here, I think there will be spies from Faisal who will cross the borders of Aslan and do the same thing,¡± Ober quickly added.


    Shahar could easily discover the meaning in his words. What Ober suggested was that as Aslan¡¯s unilateral aggression was not only disadvantageous to Ober, but also it could be an occasion to develop into a bigger war, he would make both sides responsible for the war..


    ¡°Well, I can do that for you. And then?¡±


    ¡°Even if it¡¯s a small conflict, it¡¯s going to spread to Pars, the capital of Faisal soon. But since both sides must take responsibility, and the two empires are so large, they won¡¯t declare a full-scale war. Besides, Aslan has the prince state of Sorman in the south, while Faisal has the prince state of Belasq in the east. Don¡¯t you think you should avoid playing a bad hand in the battle?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. No monarch wants to break the pact that they have been keeping for hundreds of years because of a temporary war and invite the invasion of Sorman or Belasq.¡±


    ¡°In conclusion, the war will end after repeated local conflicts because the residents in Lennox and Ancartium will live under my and your rule anyway. We don¡¯t no need to kill many people. In that case, it is going to be more difficult to take care of the consequences¡­¡±


    ¡°Ober, your introduction is rather long. In short, you mean there¡¯s something else you have in your mind, right?¡± Shahar hit the nail on the head, smiling at him brightly.


    Oberdo turned up his mouth slightly and replied, ¡°In order to end the fight, we must conclude a new peace treaty customarily. All we need is Eckart and Rashid to come to that place for the treaty.¡±

 Chapter 186

    Chapter 186: Chapter 185


    ¡°In other words, you want to check in advance the place where they will die, right? Oh my gosh. How kind of you¡­ It looks like you¡¯re going to be a good husband and father in the future. ¡±


    Shahar laughed like a child, cracking a joke.


    ¡°Well, it won¡¯t be difficult anyway. There¡¯s no chance that his father will go there directly¡­ At least, he will be accompanied by Rashid, or he will send Rashid to Ancartium as his surrogate.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough as long as the crown prince appears in the battlefield.¡±


    ¡°Well, I can give you reassurances about that. A war looks like an unpleasant thing at first glance, but depending on how you finish it, it can be your incomparable achievement. And my father wants all the honor on his watch to belong to Rashid.¡±


    ¡°It will be much easier on my end. Eckart doesn¡¯t have a surrogate because he has no father, no brother, and no child. If you have to find one, if any, it would be Grand Duke Christopher, who is rather bothersome¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry about it. But nowadays, my mother talks a lot about her childhood. When she is homesick, there¡¯s nothing better than her meeting her brother. If she makes up her mind, she can bring him anytime by pretending she is sick.¡±


    ¡°The thing is how to influence her to make up her mind.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. As you know, a gift from Mrs. Chester was delivered to the empress¡¯s palace without any problem recently. That means Empress Alessa has already made up her mind.¡±


    Faced with Ober¡¯s subtle pressure, Shahar looked at Mrs. Chester.


    The gift Mrs. Chester sent to Empress Alessa through the merchant group Artroom on the occasion of the death of Duke Hubble was kind of a warning. It was like a declaration of war that whatever promise Alessa shared with Duke Hubble was now a handful of ashes. At the same time, it was a sharp reminder that there was nobody who could replace her son Ober.


    There was no more suitable evidence to prove that the owner of power that Alessa was expecting to rely on changed.


    ¡°Empress Alessa is a wise woman. Maybe her discerning eye is better than mine. Of course, she might not know that one of her two sons could be sacrificed¡­¡± Mrs. Chester said.


    She shook her wrist while spreading the fan.


    A light breeze spread the scent of jasmine from her body to every corner of the room.


    ¡°What can she do? That¡¯s her fate anyway. It¡¯s because the damn god has not allowed us fairness in our lives.¡±


    While looking at her intently, Shahar turned his eyes away from her. He murmured something to himself. His long green hair fell down as he slightly tilted his head.


    ¡°So, Ober, who do you want to kill? Rashid? Or your half brother? ¡± Shahar asked.


    When he mentioned ¡®half-brother¡¯ Ober had faint convulsions around his mouth.


    Still, he could open his mouth without frowning. He knew that if he could put up with the discomfort at this moment, he could remove the man called such a horrible word in the near future.


    ¡°Those disguised as Faisal¡¯s spies will kill the emperor.¡±


    ¡°Then, let me send to Rashid those who disguised as Milan¡¯s knights,¡± Shahar replied, chiming in with Ober. Ober just smiled. Shahar was a good partner in that he was smart enough to understand his point immediately.


    The only thing that bothered Ober was that Shahar tried to be condescending as if he called the shots, despite the fact that their class was almost the same.


    ¡°If you get rid of Rashid first and let me know, I will wrap it up at the right time.¡±


    ¡°When is good?¡±


    ¡°The sooner the better. Hopefully before the beginning of the summer.¡±


    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll take action as soon as I return.¡±


    ¡°As for controlling the wartime public opinion and financial sharing, and the gathering of aristocrats in each area, Sir Elias and his wife will render support and cooperation. Mrs. Chester and I will focus on keeping the secrets and gathering intelligence,¡± said Ober, signalling to the Elias couple and Mrs. Chester one by one.


    Shahar leaned back on the sofa with a glass of wine.


    ¡°If you¡¯re willing to help me, I will definitely repay you. I hope you can complete your mission even if it¡¯s difficult. From now on, any mistakes will soon reveal our weakness,¡± Shahar said.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I will gladly do my best with all my heart.¡±


    ¡°Great. I¡¯m so reassured by your promise. I wish Duke Hubble had watched your proud promise like that before dying.¡±


    Elias chuckled again without knowing which way the wind was blowing. Shahar signalled to his servant by moving his chin, hiding his scorn of Elias with a bright smile.


    ¡°Rasan!¡±


    His servant quickly finished writing, listening to his master¡¯s impatient voice. He soon approached the table. And he spread the paper on which he had been writing down until now, so that everyone could easily see. There was a faint scent of less dry ink on the paper. It smelled fragrant like alcohol fermented with flowers.


    ¡°This is¡­¡±


    Knitting his brows, Ober quickly began to read the characters on the paper.


    The paper in which the alphabets of Aslan and Faisal were mixed was kind of an agreement.


    What the two discussed until now was recorded in several sections.


    ¡°¡­Sahar, the less any evidence of the secret stories we shared until now, the better. ¡±


    ¡°Ober, this is a kind of diplomatic agreement. Does it make any sense for you to plot such a reckless thing without any agreement? As the foreign minister, I think you would know better than me about this kind of agreement. ¡±


    ¡°Our verbal promise is also a serious one. As you know, this is not something we can even start without trusting each other. Can¡¯t you trust me? ¡±


    ¡°No, I trust you very much. But if I say I trust you, can you believe me?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I believe.¡±


    ¡°Really? Then, why is that beautiful woman over there busy writing down our dialogue? Is she drawing a portrait of me because she likes me? Can you show me if she is done?¡±


    They looked straight at each other sharply. Although they were smiling at each other, it was not genuine, of course.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be upset, Shahar. She is writing down our dialogue to carry out your order. I¡¯ll burn the minutes sooner or later,¡± Mrs. Chester quickly interrupted, sensing the cold atmosphere in the room as they were becoming more tense. She folded the fan with a snap.


    As soon as she heard that, Annette stopped the pen. She patted a thin sheet of paper across the wet paper and quietly wrapped the portable document board in her arm.


    Shahar smiled and leaned forward, raising his upper body. He pointed to the agreement paper laid out side by side on the table. He then knocked on the glass with his fingertips.


    ¡°So, why don¡¯t we keep one copy of this to avoid any further headaches?¡±


    ¡°¡­ ¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t take it too seriously. I¡¯m just saying I want to ensure one more safety measure. I will never blame you if things go wrong, but I don¡¯t want to be killed like the late Duke Hubble even before things go wrong.¡±


    In the end, Shahar made clear that he wanted to have something like a certificate to prepare for his possible betrayal.


    Mrs. Chester smiled casually at Shahar¡¯s gentle criticism. Her gray eyes rested on Shahhar¡¯s eyes for a while.


    She soon shrugged her shoulders. Her dark red lips started to move slowly.


    ¡°Good. Please go ahead. If we can earn your trust, we can write down as many as ten certificates like this. Right, Ober? ¡± She turned to him, raising her chin slightly.


    Ober did not answer. Instead, he looked at his mother once, who took after him, Shahar¡¯s disgusting eyes, and finally at the agreement on the table.


    Finally, he was about to hold the pen as if he made up his mind.


    ¡°Oh, wait. I forgot an important article,¡± Shahar interrupted, smiling slyly.


    ¡°Rasan. Write down an additional clause here. You didn¡¯t record the dialogue between me and Ober while we were coming here.¡±


    Then, Rasan sat down, kneeling before Shahar¡¯s feet and politely held a pen.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir. What should I write? ¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ Immediately after signing the peace treaty, he surrenders all his ownership of Lady Marianne, the daughter of Duke Kling, to Shahar. That¡¯s pretty much what you can write down.¡±


    When he said that, there was a shocking atmosphere in the room. Elias and his wife, as well as Mrs. Chester, looked at Ober with a suspicious expression.


    ¡°Oh my¡­ you need to add one more line below it,¡± said Ober without any embarrassment.


    Naturally drawing their attention, Ober pointed to the bottom of the agreement that Rasan had just completed adding Shahar¡¯s words.


    ¡°Add this, namely, on the condition that the transfer of ownership of Marianne will take place only after I, Ober, successfully get married to one of the five princesses of the Faisal family.¡±

 Chapter 187

    Chapter 187: Chapter 186


    It was a sudden and shocking deal, but none of them objected. When Rasan looked at him as if he asked for his approval, Shahar nodded gently. The sound of his writing the additional clauses filled the deadly quiet room.


    ¡°Aslan is really fortunate to be ruled by a man as delicate as you, Ober.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m honored if you say so. It¡¯s because I have learned your virtue and wisdom.¡±


    Shahar laughed heartily. He signed the pair of documents with the additional clauses and handed them to Ober. Ober also signed in the blank space and put down the pen.


    As Shahar had been staring at him all the time, his eyes met Ober¡¯s as soon as the latter raised his head after signing.


    They read clearly the desires and aversions that were not concealed in each other¡¯s eyes.


    Their conviction that they couldn¡¯t trust each other gave them a strange sense of stability. Betrayal was a proposition that was first predicated on trust. Neither trusted, but they believed that their distrust would serve as the prime driving force for the success of this outrageous agreement.


    ¡°I hope you will have turned into a wise ruler when I meet you next.¡±


    ¡°I wish you can become a king who will go down as one of the greatest in the history of Faisal.¡±


    The muggy summer air cooled down and blew past them.


    It was a time when distrust was in the vogue like a plague.


    Bleep. She heard a bird chirping.


    Marianne, who was almost hanging on the balcony of her bedroom, jumped out of bed.


    As the night sky was dark as if black silk spread, she could not recognize the shape of the small body until Poibe flew near the main building.


    ¡°Ma-rie,¡± Poibe imitated her name cutely, folded its wings and landed lightly on Marianne¡¯s arm.


    She patted its body gently.


    ¡°Phebe. So, how did it go?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll give you a snack. What do you want? Plums? Grapes? Or sunflower seeds? ¡±


    ¡°Grapes?¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    She went near the birdcage hanging from one side of the balcony with Poibe on her arm.


    Under the elegant silver cage was a small table carved from marble.


    She reached out to a plate of grapes among the many bowls of snacks that Cordelli prepared. She put three or four grapes on an empty spot on the table. Poibe flew up and landed next to it.


    She also pulled out a chair and sat down. She waited for a moment for Poibe to catch its breath and have a snack then leaned her upper body on the table only after Poibe ate two grapes quickly.


    ¡°So, you conveyed my message to the emperor well, right?¡±


    Hearing that, Poibe raised its head while pecking at the table.


    Poibe imitated Eckart¡¯s message, ¡°Good job, Marianne. Investigation of that guy is still underway. If I have any new intelligence, let me let you know through Vivian, so don¡¯t worry about it today and have a good rest.¡±


    After that, Poibe ate grapes again casually. She quietly stroke Poibe¡¯s warm body, reflecting on Eckart¡¯s wistful voice.


    ¡°Thank you, Phebe .¡±


    She whispered with her wet voice. She fell on her table, pillowing her head on her arm.


    Her eyes filled with the night light trembled like a wave.


    On the surface Poibe was only a pet parrot she raised, but she had regarded Poibe as a dear friend for some time. It was natural that she felt so because they were so close now. Initially Poibe didn¡¯t let her touch it, but now they were close enough for it to let her stroke its feathers while eating something.


    She always kept the cage open so that Poibe could fly freely. Poibe often disappeared randomly, but whenever it heard her call, it quickly returned and chirped. Poibe shared her snacks, walked the garden together, and drowsed on her shoulder when she took a nap.


    In terms of enjoying the same daily life, the two were like family members living in the same house.


    Besides, Poibe was also Marianne¡¯s secret informant. Poibe easily memorized her message and conveyed it to Eckart. When it overheard someone¡¯s conversation, it conveyed it to her. Thanks to this, Poibe often snuck into places she couldn¡¯t enter and overheard conversations.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I assign you a difficult task every time¡­ ¡±


    That¡¯s what happened today. As soon as she returned home after parting with Roxanne, she asked Poibe to listen to everything it could at the Hubble mansion. In fact, Poibe heard the conversation among Elias, Ober and Mrs. Chester last night and conveyed it to her, so she felt she could gather the information about Shahar by using the same method.


    Unfortunately, she didn¡¯t get as much information as she wanted, but she felt that if Poibe could fly longer than today, it could bring her more useful information.


    ¡°Can you go with me there one more time tomorrow?¡± She asked kindly.


    Poibe ate the last grape cleanly then rolled its small feet on the table, with its eyes twinkling.


    ¡°Fool.¡±


    ¡°Right. I¡¯m a fool, so you have to help me. You¡¯re a really smart and nice bird, right? I know everything. ¡±


    ¡°Got it. Tell them I¡¯m going out now.¡± Poibe flapped its white feathers and mimicked Elias¡¯s voice. As if it was displeased, it pecked at the cuffs of her nightgown. When she kissed its round head, however, Poibe gently folded its wings and stayed still.


    ¡°Good. Let¡¯s find something out tomorrow. You might be busy, so go to sleep quickly. Good night, Phebe. ¡±


    ¡°Good night, my lady,¡± it mimicked Cordelli¡¯s voice.


    Usually Poibe teased her, but sometimes it played the role of a good pet.


    She was so happy with Poibe that she didn¡¯t know what to do, and in the end she showered this small and lovely friend with kisses, holding its body with both hands until its sharp crying rang out in the tranquil garden.


    ¡°Ma-rie! Fool!¡±


    The next day Marianne and Poibe visited Mrs. Chester together as they promised the night before. Now, the servants there, who were accustomed to her visit, welcomed her. They all knew what people called her in the street, but she was still most likely to be the next empress.


    It didn¡¯t really matter how disgusting and harsh abuse people in the street were hurling at her.


    The emperor fiancee, Marquis Ober¡¯s lover, Mrs. Chester¡¯s favorite woman¡­


    These three titles alone were powerful enough to overshadow all the bad criticism heaped on her.


    ¡°May the eternal blessings of Goddess Anthea be bestowed on you. We¡¯re honored to greet you!¡± The servants and maids greeted her in unison when she entered the house


    As she recently attended the salon hosted by Mrs. Chester, they seemed to be more gentle than before.


    ¡°May the goddess bless you, too.¡±


    She let them stand up with an elegant voice. Just before the splendid central front door was closed, she made sure Poibe had flown out of the residence.


    ¡°Where is Sir Ober?¡±


    ¡°I think he is in the main office.¡±


    ¡°Then, let me go straight to his office without meeting him here. Please bring me tea in the office instead of the parlor. ¡±


    ¡°Sure, no problem.¡±


    A senior maid followed her order without any objection and gave lower-level maids some orders.


    Helped by Cordelli, Marianne followed a servant who asked to escort her. The three arrived in front of Ober¡¯s office, while she was checking out the decorations that she could take as the direction inside the mansion.


    ¡°Marquis Ober, you have a guest. ¡±


    When the servant announced and knocked, the door was opened by half.


    It was Giyom who stuck his head out from inside.


    She instinctively froze as soon as she made eye contact with him, but she was not supposed to look scared now. While she tried to laugh as naturally as possible, Giyom confirmed her face and had the servant leave. And he was blocking the door and turned as if he was trying to say something.


    ¡®He can just step aside. Why is he trying to block me like this?¡±


    She instinctively felt suspicious about Giyom¡¯s defensive attitude. She had encountered a similar situation to this before.


    At the moment she recalled Kloud¡¯s face, who looked embarrassed while trying to block her


    And she recalled what kind of method she used to quench her curiosity at the time.


    This time, she felt she didn¡¯t need to wait until Ober let her come in.


    She quickly pulled her arm away from Cordelli holding her at the moment.


    Before Cordelli, who was embarrassed, caught her, Marianne pulled hard the other door Giyom didn¡¯t grab. The sound of her turning the doorknob was heard.

 Chapter 188

    Chapter 188: Chapter 187


    Giyom turned around at the sound. His response was faster than she expected. As a result, the door that had just opened was blocked by his arm and closed in less than two seconds.


    Fortunately, she was shorter than Giyom.


    Her bright green eyes shone brilliantly in the afternoon sunlight. Underneath her stretched arm, she had a glimpse of the gap between the door and his body, as if she was appreciating a good painting. Indeed, it happened in the blink of an eye.


    ¡°What are you doing here? Isn¡¯t Sir Ober in? The maid I met at the front door said he is in the office¡­¡± She brazenly asked and stepped back.


    ¡°Giyom, escort her inside. ¡±


    As if he already heard her complaint, Ober¡¯s voice was heard from behind Giyom¡¯s back.


    Only then did Giyom bow to her and leave the door. Coming to her senses belatedly, Cordelli quickly helped her.


    When she entered the room through the wide open door, Annette, standing in front of the cupboard-lined cabinet, greeted her by raising her dress slightly.


    Ober walked toward her in stride.


    ¡°May the goddess bestow blessing on this lovely lady.¡±


    His hot breathing scattered over her thin lace gloves.


    ¡°I wish you the blessing of goddess Anthea!¡±


    When she was about to withdraw her hand after greetings, she suddenly felt somebody pulling her from the other side. The moment she thought she was falling, she felt dizzy and someone grabbed her from behind. She barely stood up, holding his hand wrapped around her waist when she felt some unfamiliar breathing on her neck.


    ¡°I smell a very good scent from you. Did you roll in the flower garden before you came here?¡±


    She thought to herself, ¡®Is this guy crazy? Isn¡¯t he a pervert? ¡®


    Holding back the urge to ask him, she secretly signalled to Cordelli with eyes.


    Cordelli, who turned red like a ripe apple, saw her eyes and turned up her mouth. Given that the fan in her hand trembled, Marianne would have used self-defense skills she had learned from Mrs. Charlotte if Cordelli had not blocked her.


    ¡°Well, I took a bath with rose perfume this morning¡­Maybe it¡¯s because of that.¡±


    In response to her answer, Ober lowered his head deeply. Cordelli, standing in front of him, tried to make her expression as gentle as possible, but she couldn¡¯t stop frowning.


    She just felt terrible when the breathing of the most unpleasant man in the world touched her body. She felt touching a repulsive toad would be better than this.


    ¡°I will pick up some new perfume bottles for you soon. Lilies, roses, acacias and daffodils you like¡­ What else do you want? Tell me anything. Let me get you everything. ¡±


    ¡°Thank you. That¡¯s enough. ¡±


    Marianne quickly replied, turning in his arms. His arms wrapped around her waist seemed to have loosened a bit, but he hugged her tightly.


    ¡°Ober. Your face looks a bit tired. Are you okay?¡±


    She reached out and touched his cheeks gently. Of course, Ober¡¯s face was quite fine, and she wasn¡¯t worried at all even if it got much worse than now. But she had to do so in order to change the topic.


    She brainwashed herself that it was somebody else that held her in his arms now.


    Somebody like Eckart, golden hair and blue eyes sparkling enough to blind her, a man always snowed under with lots of work cannot sleep easily until the starlight of the first dawn disappears, a man sitting by her side holding her sleeves on the night of thunder and rain, a man who felt jealous of her past that did not exist anymore¡­


    Soon her eyes looking at Ober were filled with extreme anxiety. She was almost crying.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Do I look so pale to you? ¡±


    ¡°Yeah. you look kind of haggard¡­ Ah, you had a special guest from Faisal yesterday. Didn¡¯t you sleep well because you had to pay attention to lots of things? ¡±


    ¡°Well, I went to bed slightly later than usual¡­ ¡±


    ¡°Look. You can¡¯t deceive my eyes. When is Lord Akad returning? Unless you don¡¯t have to take care of it in person, why don¡¯t you let your servants do it? He said he came to express condolences for the late Duke Hubble, not to see you anyway. I think you carried out your duty by giving him conveniences.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m already acting like that. He¡¯ll probably return today or tomorrow, so don¡¯t worry too much. ¡±


    Although she couldn¡¯t believe him entirely, Shahar would soon be leaving Milan, if Ober was right. Perhaps he would go back to the Faisal Empire, or go somewhere else.


    If not, it would mean that nobody would be able to find him.


    ¡°By the way, we have the martial arts competition tomorrow, ¡± Ober murmured as if it was not a big deal, while she was trying to collect the intelligence for Eckart,


    But she could feel some sort of pressure from his short response.


    ¡°Oh my goodness. I didn¡¯t know that. Already tomorrow? It looks like yesterday I was very much worried when the rainy season would end.¡±


    ¡°As the weather is nice, the banquet will be fun.¡±


    ¡°I hope so. I have been looking forward to it because I waited a lot.¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t forgotten the gift I prepared for you, right?¡± Ober said meaningfully. Marianne smiled brightly and nodded.


    ¡°Of course. You said it was a great knight. In fact, I have lots of expectations because of that. Everybody in the capital knows you have the best discerning eye, so I think the knight you mentioned will be terrific. I can¡¯t even imagine him. It looks like he is a much stronger knight than Iric.¡±


    ¡°No matter what you imagine, he will probably not disappoint you.¡±


    Ober did not regard humility as a virtue. And she knew it well, so she felt a little nervous when she heard that.


    ¡®If that knight is so terrific like he said, I wonder if he might be one of the most competent. Maybe it¡¯s Kiara, the assassin.¡±


    Although Iric mostly stayed by her side, she was afraid she might not be able to move around freely if Ober¡¯s mole was assigned to her as her bodyguard after scoring good results in tomorrow¡¯s martial arts competition. But her rash movements would only invite Ober¡¯s suspicion and resentment, so it was difficult for her to block Ober¡¯s men from getting good scores even if she knew Ober¡¯s cunning tricks.


    ¡°Oh, by the way¡­¡±


    After some angst, she looked at Ober again. Her gaze mixed with life and exhaustion was fixed on him up close, when she said, ¡°How do I know that knight is your gift for me? Can I identify him if I just keep waiting? ¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll naturally know before the competition begins.¡±


    ¡°Really? It looks like it¡¯s a fun game, just like the treasure hunts I used to do when I was young.¡±


    Marianne made an excited expression on purpose.


    ¡°That was a fantastic figure of speech. If you find my gift and put it in the right place, you win. ¡±


    Regarding her as stupid, Ober willingly smiled at her. His gaze at her, as if he was looking at an immature child, was, in fact, a definitive trap to deceive himself.


    He thought that Marianne was a valuable hostage he could make use of. She was like a chess piece that nobody dared to touch unless he pushed it out in the middle of the chessboard first. She was like a joker hiding in his hand from the beginning. She was like a decisive winning card that even if it was in the hands of someone else, he would eventually take it back.


    ¡°May the Goddess of Victory Kader bless your decision tomorrow.¡±


    Ober fully loved Marianne¡¯s folly, but he still did not realize the fact that her betrayal was always predicated in all the treasons he plotted. He also didn¡¯t realize the truth that her ignorance and love would remain unchanged in the name of contempt and lies.