Ominous Presence
Ominous Presence
As mentioned in the novel, I saw a terrifying man covered from head to toe in black armor. I watched in silence as sanguine blood trickled down the blade of the sword he held. If I tried to run away, I knew I would be nothing more than a game of chase for him. I slowly closed my eyes as he approached me, praying that he would finish me off with a single stab.
All of a sudden, I started shaking violently. “Are you all right, my lady?” I heard someone ask. “You’re covered in sweat.”
I sighed in relief when I opened my eyes and saw Merilyn’s worried face looking down at me. Oh, it was just a dream. Thank goodness.
✤ ✤ ✤
The emperor’s hands trembled as he read the crown prince’s letter. That vile rat! He was finally coming back after dragging his feet all this time, but he still wasn’t saying when he planned to return. Even though the letter listed several reasons for his delay, the emperor was still irritated since they were just excuses given by his irksome son.
He tore up the crumpled letter. “Now that one of them has sent a letter, we just have to wait for the other one,” he muttered coldly.
Suddenly, one of the servants at the door entered the office and began to whisper to the grand chamberlain. Afterwards, the grand chamberlain swiftly approached the emperor. “Your Majesty, Duke Floyen has arrived,” he mumbled softly.
“Bring him in,” the emperor ordered in a deep voice. The person he had been waiting for had arrived.
When the door to the office opened, Regis entered and bowed to the emperor. “I greet the sun of our empire,” he said.
“Welcome, Duke Floyen,” the emperor greeted with a sardonic smile. “Do you know how long I’ve been waiting for you?”
Despite the emperor’s sarcasm, Regis remained calm and responded coolly. “I apologize for not being able to come sooner. Both my mind and body have become weak these days…”
Although he was using being ill as an excuse, Regis’ face remained the same as usual. The emperor raised an eyebrow disapprovingly. He didn’t like what Regis was doing, but there was no time to argue with him. If it weren’t for the other people present in the office, he would’ve lashed out at him.
“I have something to discuss with the duke so everyone else can take their leave,” the emperor announced.
“I’m sorry?”
“But, Your Majesty…!”
The grand chamberlain and Count Pyrex, the head of the emperor’s royal bodyguards, tried to retort, but the emperor waved his hand and shooed them away as if they were pests. Soon, the only people left in the office were him and Duke Floyen. They stared each other down.
Intending to disclose his true intentions, the emperor opened his mouth. “Did you know, Duke Floyen?”
“What do you mean, Your Majesty?”
“About Marquis Lennox. I’ve recently heard that he is starting to have ulterior motives.”
Regis knew Marquis Lennox. He was a commander in the south known for being an outstanding tactician, and he possessed a great love for the empire.
“Ask Lord Floyen to protect the capital. He’ll buy enough time for us to go north and ask for reinforcements,” he had once suggested to the emperor. Regis hadn’t been particularly displeased with his decision back then since he had said it out of his loyalty for the empire, and it was true that the decision had helped to protect the capital in the end. Even so, that loyalty didn’t help Marquis Lennox win the emperor’s favor because he had done something out of concern for the crown prince.
“Ulterior motives…?” Regis asked.
“I’m referring to traitorous thoughts.”
Marquis Lennox having traitorous thoughts? Wasn’t he the man who devoted himself to the emperor during the war? Regis’ face hardened as he observed his sovereign. The emperor looked down at him.
“I hear that he had the guts to betray me by gathering a large number of soldiers behind my back.”
When he heard those words, theories started to flood into Regis’ head. Was it because of that? He wore a serious expression as he brooded over the news.
Then, the emperor continued, speaking in a disgruntled voice. He took Regis’ silence as an affirmation. “Isn’t it obvious that he’s started to have ulterior motives?” he asked. “All the nonsense he used to say—including how he had told me to bring the crown prince back here and educate him for the throne—makes sense now.”
Regis frowned slightly and sighed at the evidence the emperor employed. How could a man known as the empire’s greatest power be so dim-witted?
Ten years ago, Marquis Lennox had begun voicing his opinion about gathering military forces at the southern border in preparation for an invasion from Lagon. However, the emperor and the nobles in the capital had dismissed his suspicions as nonsense.
“What is making you doubt his loyalty, Your Majesty?” Regis asked.
The emperor grimaced at Regis’ question. Then, he gazed at Kirke’s ring on his finger. “I certainly don’t doubt your loyalty,” he said.
Even though the emperor’s words sounded assuring on the surface, Regis knew that it was a warning. He was indirectly implying that if he discovered Regis harboring any ulterior motives, then he would start pressuring him. Regis glared at the emperor as the latter fiddled with Kirke’s ring.
The emperor raised his head, smiling ominously. “As long as I have this leash, you’ll always be on my side.”
The moment he heard the word leash, Regis felt a fire begin to burn in the pit of his stomach. He calmed his anger, however, because it wasn’t the right time yet. Instead of keeping his glare trained on the emperor, Regis lowered his eyes deferentially. Mistaking the change in Regis’ expression as a sign of his intimidation, the emperor gave a boisterous chuckle.
“Unfortunately, I only have one leash. So, there’s no guarantee that others will be quite as loyal.”
Regis knew what the emperor was trying to say and fought off the queasy feeling settling in his gut. The emperor was trying to provoke him. Whatever the truth behind Maquis Lennox’s actions may have been, Regis had no intention of helping him as he was the commander who had cold-heartedly left him behind.
However, Regis hesitated for another reason. It would certainly take a long time to reach Marquis Lennox in the south.
The trip to the south and back could take about six months, so there was a possibility that he might not return in time for his daughter’s coming-of-age ceremony. Moreover, it was clear that the emperor would take advantage of Regis’ absence to place Jubelian under his surveillance, given his petty nature.
There wasn’t much time left… Regis clenched his fists, unable to suppress the growing rage he felt. At that moment, the emperor smiled slyly and swept at the ring he wore. Another warning.
Did he think Regis was afraid of such a thing? What a fool. Regis’ eyes froze over, his stare turning as cold as ice. From his seat on the throne, however, the emperor could only see Regis’ lowered head. He was oblivious to his subject’s thoughts.
I’ll make sure to tear you into pieces and kill you, Regis silently promised.
The emperor wore a patronizing smile. “So, you’re going to have to—”
All of a sudden, the door to the office creaked loudly, swinging violently open.
“Y-you can’t do this…!” the grand chamberlain cried, but the uninvited guest was unyielding.
“Get lost.”
His petrifying voice made the grand chamberlain’s blood run cold, so he stepped back in fear. The situation was more than enough of a reason for the emperor to call on the head of the royal guards, but the emperor only tensed, observing the intruder as he strode closer. The man wore a menacing set of black armor similar to what a skeleton knight might wear.
The emperor knew of only one person who would come in wearing such a thing. “You rat!” he cried. “How did you…?!”
The intruder removed his helmet, keeping his eyes trained on the astonished, sputtering emperor. His handsome face was soon revealed. He met the emperor’s gaze with a crimson stare.
“Long time no see,” he greeted.
The emperor’s face crumpled roughly. “Maximillian,” he murmured. Although he had uttered his son’s name, his voice carried no affection. “The letter you sent arrived this morning. How did you get here so early?”
The emperor’s tone was a cautionary one, but Max remained calm. “I left right after sending the letter,” he said.
“Do you think that’s normal—”
“Isn’t it better than being late?” he interrupted. He spoke with a deep, harsh voice as if to intimidate his father, his fierce eyes resembling that of a beast’s.
The emperor assumed his son would be as obedient as he was a few years ago, so this display stupefied him. This was a mistake on his part. He only called his son back to keep the duke in check, but he didn’t expect the brat to grow into such a brutal person. Although he appeared calm on the outside, the emperor was actually terrified by his son’s attitude. He feared that his son might bare his teeth and attack him.
The emperor swallowed dryly, his voice meek. “Still, people usually visit later to give the other party some time to prepare… arriving so soon is considered bad etiquette,” he said.
Max grinned cynically. The emperor must’ve been knocked down a peg since the last time they had met. He couldn’t believe a man like this was his father. Whether he intended to hide his feelings or not, Max’s eyes conveyed their clear contempt.
“Wouldn’t it be better to visit you sooner rather than later if I was planning on doing so anyway, Father?”
Pressured by his son’s menacing spirit, the emperor stiffened for a moment. “I-I can wait a day or two!” he hurriedly answered.
“Alright. I’ll keep that in mind from now on.”
As if he were satisfied with his son’s marginally softer answer, the emperor relaxed slightly. “You can leave for now,” he said. “I still have some things to discuss with Duke Floyen.”
Max whipped his head around in surprise. His master was here?
He confirmed the identity of the man facing the emperor. Then, he scrunched his nose harshly. Of all people…
Now that his master had seen him, he wasn’t sure what was going to happen if he tried sending an official letter as the crown prince. In addition, his master was definitely going to use any means possible to prevent any secret correspondence.
Max glowered at the duke in discontentment before turning back to his father. “What have you been discussing with him?”
Under Max’s gaze, the emperor inhaled sharply. His eyes were so frightening that it made him forget all about Marquis Lennox at the southern border.
What if this guy tried something while the duke was away in the south…? He tried to dismiss the thought, but his mind kept coming up with horrifying speculations. The emperor gaped at his son in fear.
Then, Duke Floyen spoke. “Your Highness, I am currently receiving confidential orders from His Majesty,” he said. “For now, I’d like for you to leave this place.”
At the duke’s words, the emperor felt like he could breathe again. “Yeah, get out of here!” he wanted to say, but he kept quiet.
However, there was no way that this insane prince was going to listen to him. “Are you ordering the crown prince around, Duke Floyen?” Max’s eyes were wrought with spite as he stared the duke down. Instead of backing down, however, the duke retaliated with his own warlike spirit.
“Then let me ask you this: are you defying an imperial order right now, Your Highness?”
When Regis brought this up, Max glared at the emperor. The emperor’s breath hitched in his throat as he fought desperately to avoid that gaze.
“I’ll see you later then, Father,” the prince said.
The emperor looked at Duke Floyen as his son turned away, leaving the office. Yes. Since Maximillian wasn’t going to listen to him, it would be best to leave these two to fight against each other for now.
The emperor kept his gaze determinedly locked on Duke Floyen. “Continue protecting the capital for my sake,” he ordered.
Regis smirked as he bowed. He wasn’t expecting this, but thanks to Max’s sudden appearance, everything worked out for him.
✤ ✤ ✤
A woman’s sharp voice rang throughout the gaudy room decorated in gold. “What? The crown prince is back?”
“Yes. He had just returned, and he had an audience with the emperor.”
“What was the emperor’s reaction to this?”
“Ah, well… he’s still talking to Duke Floyen…”
The luxuriously-clad woman nervously bit at her nails. Maximillian… she couldn’t believe he had already returned to the capital. Her eyes shook nervously as she turned her gaze to the man lying stretched out before her.
“What has the spy been doing, letting things turn out like this?”
Her subordinate sighed and shook his head. “It’s been a week since we’ve lost contact with him, and the prince decided to return without any prior notice…”
The woman’s beautiful face twisted into a grimace as she raised her voice. “How could you handle matters like this!” she shouted. “You’re all useless!”
At her outburst, a calm voice called out to her. “Calm down, Mother.”
The woman’s expression softened slightly when she realized who the voice belonged to. Although the girl was still young, she possessed immense beauty and a captivating aura. Looking at her tall, slender, and curvaceous body made the woman feel as if she was gazing into a mirror. Nevertheless, it is said that lions raise their young by pushing them over a cliff.
The empress gave her daughter a stern look. “Beatrice, I’ve clearly told you what you should do before you enter this—”
“Yes,” the girl interrupted with a sweet smile. “You told me to knock.”
The woman sighed. “You’ve got a bad habit of interrupting your mother as she speaks.”
Beatrice gave her mother a slight smile. “I only want you to stay healthy and well, Mother.”
“I can’t be well now that an eyesore has returned.”
Beatrice grinned. “I should go welcome my brother now that he has returned,” she said. Her relaxed gaze turned sharp as she continued. “So that no one else can welcome him.”
✤ ✤ ✤
After the havoc that Max caused, the emperor maintained a submissive attitude.
Regis knew he wouldn’t have to care about the emperor for a while now, so he left the office with a light heart. Then, a voice suddenly called out to him.
“Duke Floyen.”
His disciple, still clad in his iconic jet-black armor, had returned to being the crown prince. “It’s been a long time,” he said, his voice hostile. “You still look well.”
At his polite tone, the servants surrounding the prince froze in shock. However, Regis quickly saw through Max. A corner of his lips quirked up in a wry smirk. Judging from how despicable Max was being at the moment, he must’ve had something to tell him.
Regis silently observed Max for a moment. Then, he replied, “Long time no see. Have you been well, Your Highness?
“Yes, thanks to you. I’d like to talk to you about matters regarding palace security for a moment. Will that be okay?”
Max had his face covered with his helmet again, but even with his face concealed, Regis could tell what he was thinking. He knew Max was only using palace security as an excuse to try and provoke him.
Despite that knowledge, Regis willingly complied with his disciple’s prodding. “Of course, Your Highness,” he acquiesced.
✤ ✤ ✤
Arriving in the dining room, I noticed that my seat had been the only one prepared.
“Hello, Lady Floyen,” a servant greeted me.
I guess Father wasn’t here today. Recently, it felt like he had been staying home more, but it seemed that arrangement had only lasted for a short time. Well, this was how it usually was.
I sat down at the table to eat. As I slowly looked over everything, I noticed that there was less salad dressing present than usual. I should ask for more dressing. I glanced at the servant next to the table and parted my lips to say something, but before I could get a single word out, the servant smiled and spoke gently.
“Master is away because he had an important matter to attend to early in the morning,” the servant explained.
What? Why was he suddenly talking about Father?
“Uh… okay,” I responded, feeling a bit awkward. The situation struck me as a bit absurd, so I forgot what I was going to say. I kept my mouth shut for a moment as I tried to remember. Then, I opened it back up once I regained my train of thought. “Could you get me some more salad dressing please?”
At that moment, the servant’s eyes shook slightly. “Master promised to be back before dinner, so don’t worry,” he assured me.
No, but… that wasn’t what I asked for. I wanted some dressing.
I wanted to voice my thoughts aloud, but as soon as I saw the sorrowful look in the servant’s eyes, I couldn’t. Instead, I nodded in reply and forced a smile.
✤ ✤ ✤
Max removed his helmet when it was only him and the duke left in the room. Regis silently watched Max, stirring his tea with a teaspoon.
Then, he broke the silence.
“What did you want to discuss, Your Highness?”
At a glance, it seemed as if he was lowering his guard, but the truth was that he didn’t want Max to find fault with him.
Max recalled what his master had said in the past: “The imperial palace shall not know of our relationship as master and disciple.”
Even though it was just the two of them here, he still refused to let his guard down. Max sighed softly. He glared quietly at his master, inspecting him, but his master had no weak points to attack. His strategy was to pressure him after finding one, but seeing that such a strategy wouldn’t work on this opponent, he decided to convey his thoughts directly.
“What did you discuss with Father?” he asked.
Unchanging in expression, his master elegantly lifted his teacup. “I’m pretty sure I mentioned that it was a confidential order earlier,” he commented. Regis appeared somewhat villainous as he responded indifferently. Emotionlessly.
He had no intention of telling Max, so Max narrowed his eyes. He would just have to find out for himself.
“The imperial palace has been diligent about upping its security lately,” he said. “I heard an assassin attacked during my absence.”
It was obvious why the prince was now mentioning the very same assassination attempt that he had planned and instigated. He was wondering if the emperor had discovered who the mastermind behind the whole thing was. Regis knew the answer his disciple wanted to hear, but he had no intention of giving it to him.
“I don’t think it’s a matter you should be concerned about, Your Highness. All I can tell you is that the mastermind has not been revealed as of yet.”
In other words, Regis was saying that he would overlook what Max had done to avoid causing a dispute about it in the future. Max stared at his master for a moment, then smirked.
“How can I be of use to Father if I’m not informed about the matters he’s involved in?” he challenged.
“His Majesty has ordered me to remain silent on this matter. If things go wrong, both you and I will be charged with insubordination.”
Even though Max tried to use his status as the crown prince to his advantage, his master used the emperor’s status in retaliation, aiming to intimidate him.
Ah, how annoying. When they were working together, Max didn’t think much about his master, but now that a conflict existed between them, the man was quite a nuisance. He was aggravating. It was vexing how Regis was acting polite yet getting on his nerves about everything at the same time. Max didn’t have the capability to use force on him or the means to justify doing so, either.
Most importantly, Max was worried about sending a letter to Jubelian since it was clear as day that his master was going to be an obstacle. If Max tried to send a letter, Regis would definitely do something to interfere. Under these circumstances, it would be risky to send something official. Anger surged inside him, but Max couldn’t openly express his distaste to his master, so all he could do was glare.
“Then I guess we have nothing else to discuss,” he hissed through clenched teeth. “You can leave for now.”
His master gave him a cynical smile at his dismissal. “Rest comfortably, Your Highness.”
Facial expressions played a large part in psychological warfare. Perhaps that was why the term poker face existed. Max was aware that he was lacking in experience in every other aspect when compared to his master, but he was uncannily furious nevertheless. It felt as if he had given his master a reason to oppose him, allowing him to say, “I can’t give my daughter to a man like you.”
Fury flashed through him as he watched Regis leave the room. As soon as the door closed behind the duke, he hurled his teacup into the wall.
It didn’t break, however.
“I have safely protected this expensive, precious teacup worth as much as gold,” a man with black hair sang, twirling the teacup around in his hand. Given Max’s distress, however, it was impossible for him to register the man’s trivial joke.
Max disregarded his subordinate and picked up the letter that he had left on his desk. As long as he managed to deliver this letter…
Max rose to his feet. Then, he took off his armor and changed into something more comfortable.
“Where are you going?” the man asked.
“I’m going to ask Fresia for advice.”
When Max mentioned Fresia, the man opened his mouth, a grin dawning upon his playful face. “If you need advice, I’m confident that I could do a good job.”
Max stared at the man, his expression rather serious. “Victor,” he said.
The man stiffened at the sound of his name, straightening into something sterner. “Yes, Your Highness.”
Max tossed his helmet to the man. “If you get caught, I’ll kill you,” he warned coldly.
The man had readied himself to give the crown prince some advice, but was instead tasked with wearing his armor again. He sighed softly, a bit disappointed. Of course.
However, he didn’t know what his murderous lord would do to him if he complained about this role, so Victor bowed politely in return. “I’ll keep that in mind. Have a safe trip.”
When the crown prince disappeared from sight, he glowered at the helmet and cursed. “This goddamn armor,” he groaned. “I want to throw it in a furnace.”
“Victor.”
Victor inhaled sharply, realizing that his brutal prince had returned to the room and was now staring at him with fierce eyes.
“O-oh no, Your Highness. That’s not what I meant… I was just talking about how majestic the armor looks!” He quickly tried to cover for himself, but the prince’s expression showed no sign of easing up. Thinking that he was as good as dead, Victor prayed for his soul to rest peacefully.
“What are… some ways that I can send a letter to someone without getting caught by the master of the house?” Max suddenly asked.
At the unexpected question, Victor’s fear melted into bewilderment. He looked dumbfounded. “Huh? Why are you asking me something like that?”
Max scowled at him. “You know, now that I think about it, I’ve heard that you’re known as quite the womanizer amongst those in the army,” he commented bitterly.
Victor frowned. It was true that he often changed lovers, but he swore he had never cheated on anyone. A womanizer? That was a bit too harsh. The only thing he really had a lot of experience in was dating.
Victor grumbled under his breath for suddenly having been labeled an insult, before flinching when the crown prince spoke up again.
“So, stop acting like you don’t know and tell me how to send a secret letter to a hidden lover.”
Victor lowered his head at the sharp gaze coming from the prince’s terrifying eyes.
✤ ✤ ✤
With a white pigeon in his arms, Max stood absent-mindedly near the huge tree next to Duke Floyen’s mansion.
“I usually send a carrier pigeon,” Victor had said. “After all, people don’t really go as far as to monitor the sky these days.”
Max gazed at the carrier pigeon he trained as he recalled Victor’s advice. His letter was firmly tied to the pigeon’s thin leg.
Alright. Upon reading this, she should be relieved. When that happened… he speculated about what was going to happen for a moment, then stared at the carrier pigeon with determination. As if it felt threatened, the pigeon cooed pitifully.
“If you end up flying to the wrong place, I’ll kill you. So, make sure you do a good job,” Max grumbled before releasing the carrier pigeon.
For the sake of its survival, the pigeon headed straight to the balcony of Jubelian’s room.
✤ ✤ ✤
It was the day before the tea party. After making sure I had prepared everything I needed, I spent my time lazing around in my room. I was tired. I definitely wasn’t cut out for social events.
At that moment, I heard a tapping sound coming from my window. Did Max visit through the window again? That was highly likely, so I sat up and walked over to inspect the sound. Just as I was about to mindlessly open the window, I stiffened when I heard a flapping sound.
What was that? With trembling eyes, I peeked out the window and saw something I didn’t expect to see. I carefully studied the thing in order to identify it before I felt my blood run cold. Why would a pigeon be here?
Perhaps it was because I had just witnessed something so horrifically terrifying, but I discovered that I couldn’t even scream. Goosebumps peppered my arms then rapidly spread throughout my entire body.
In my past life, I worked part-time at a convenience store, and a pigeon had flown in one day, tearing everything apart. I tried to kick it out by shooing it away with a broom, but the little guy fluttered around the store, shedding feathers and shitting everywhere. The pigeon eventually left after a customer drove it away, but by then, I had already been traumatized.
“U-Uhh…” I crumpled to the ground, unable to scream. I felt suffocated as the pigeon stared at me through the thin window. As if it were threatening me, the little guy pecked at the window with its orange beak.
The window wasn’t going to break, was it? The worst-case scenario dominated my thoughts.
Then, I heard the door open.
“My lady! Oh my goodness!” Merilyn cried. “What are you—”
I shakily raised my hand and pointed at the window. “M-Merilyn! P-Please get that pigeon away from there!” I begged.
She had appeared just in time. At my request, Merilyn adopted a fierce look that didn’t suit her and approached the window. “You accursed bird!” she shouted. “Go! Go away at once!”
I was startled by her vicious behavior. Then, I felt my lungs kick back into gear once I spotted the pigeon flying away. I survived. Thank God.
Maybe it was because I was overcome by relief, but I suddenly remembered the nightmare I had last night. Did I have that nightmare because of this? I was taking a few deep breaths to calm myself when Merilyn next spoke.
“Oh, that pigeon looks like a carrier pigeon, my lady. It has something tied to its leg,” she said.
I narrowed my eyes. A carrier pigeon? Carrier pigeons were typically used to secretly send letters one wished to keep private and separate from the outside world. I pondered over a number of individuals who might send me something in such a way before concluding that it had to be one of the many people who wanted to threaten me.
Yeah. It must’ve been sent to scare me. I was absolutely certain of that conclusion.
“Could it be… a love letter from someone who has feelings for you, my lady?” Merilyn asked.
I blanched at her supposition. “There’s no way,” I said. “It would make more sense if it were sent by someone who disliked me.”
“I’m sorry?” Merilyn questioned. She looked like I had just uttered something that sounded ridiculous. However, I trusted my instincts and decided that this letter must’ve come from a terrorist who held some animosity against me.
“I want you to… do something to make sure that that bird never comes near this area ever again.”
“Yes, my lady. I’ll deliver your request to Madam Perez,” Merilyn answered, sighing deeply.
I watched as she headed out the door. Then, I sighed as well. Nothing was going to happen at the tea party tomorrow, right?
✤ ✤ ✤
Max was at his residence in Salon Blooms. He frowned as he inspected the carrier pigeon that had returned to him because the letter was still intact.
He definitely saw it land on Jubelian’s windowsill. Max clenched his fists as he mulled over if his master had already done something to interfere with his plan. If this carrier pigeon wouldn’t work, he would have to find another way…
At that moment, Fresia opened the door and entered his room. “Oh, Your Highness! Aren’t you supposed to be at the imperial palace?” She paused. “Um, what’s with the carrier pigeon and that letter? Isn’t that your seal?”
“It’s something I tried to send to Jubelian, but I failed.”
Fresia sighed at that. “You’re extremely fortunate that it failed.”
“What?”
The crown prince had answered dejectedly and absentmindedly, so Fresia raised her voice. “I mean, the lady doesn’t even know about Your Highness’ true identity! Wouldn’t it be strange for her to suddenly receive a letter from the crown prince when she had never even met him?”
Only then had Max understood what she meant. He furrowed his brows. “I see,” he murmured.
Releasing another sigh, Fresia continued. “If you wish to get close to the lady as the crown prince, you should first come up with an opportunity to meet her.”
“An opportunity...” Max echoed under his breath.
“Also, now that you’ve officially returned to the capital, please stay alert from now on. If Your Highness is found to be absent from the room—”
“Victor is standing in for me.”
“Oh. He must be wearing that armor again,” Fresia mumbled weakly, expressing her sorrow for Victor.
“It’s made of the finest amantarium, so it shouldn’t be too uncomfortable.”
That wasn’t what she meant… Fresia sighed at how her lord had completely missed her point.
“Has there been any new information from the imperial palace?” Max suddenly asked.
Fresia’s expression hardened. “The empress has been fabricating groundless rumors and spreading them,” she reported.
“Groundless rumors?”
She averted her gaze and tried to change the topic. “Well, there’s no other information that you should be concerned about other than that… oh!” She snapped her fingers as if she had just remembered something. “Now that I think about it, there’s some information saying that Marquis Lennox has been gathering more soldiers for his army.”
Max’s forehead wrinkled at the news. “That’s not information I shouldn’t be concerned about,” he stated.
“I’m sorry.”
Max glared at Fresia for a moment. Then, he began stroking his jaw as he mumbled to himself. “That man had never failed to voice how about gaining a larger army…” He trailed off. Suddenly, his eyes lit up. “Does that mean that there’s been suspicious activity from Lagon?”
“The spy living in Lagon’s territory said he didn’t see any sign of such things, though. He only mentioned how the plundering of food had been worse around the base lately, but that was it.”
“Have they figured out what the stolen food was for?”
“I was told it was to prepare for a famine. They’ve been drying precious non-grain products such as fruits and meat for storage.”
Max smirked. “Preparations for a famine, huh? That’s a pretty good excuse to collect provisions.”
Fresia’s eyes grew wide at the word provisions. Ah. Was that how they had been tricking everyone?
“Contact Marquis Lennox for a secret rendezvous,” Max ordered.
“But the emperor currently views Marquis Lennox in a negative light…”
“Yes. And if something were to go wrong, it might seem like a rebellion.”
She raised her voice at his stark remark. “That’s too reckless. This could be dangerous, you know!”
“It’s dangerous, but it can’t be helped.”
Speculating that the foolish emperor must’ve been thinking about launching an attack on the southern border, Max pondered over his course of action. What if he assisted Marquis Lennox before then and led the war against Lagon to victory?
It wasn’t long before he came to a decision.
“If we succeed, not only will the southern forces be on my side, but the rest of the empire will support me as well,” he said.
✤ ✤ ✤
The day of the tea party had finally arrived. After finishing the preparations, I looked over the teaware and snacks that were going to be present at the party. I had prepared a three-tier tray filled with small sandwiches, cookies, and cupcakes decorated with flowers. I had also picked out a tea set based on what noblewomen my age would enjoy.
Alright. This should be good enough.
At that moment, Merilyn called out to me. “The guests have arrived, my lady.”
Upon her announcement, I started making my way to the porch. When I reached the door, I saw a group of familiar faces. Among those faces was Lady Terrence.
Ah, I didn’t expect her to come.
When we made eye contact, she greeted me with a slight curtsy. “Thank you for the invitation,” she said. Despite what had happened between us last we met, she looked fairly calm. Why?
Before I could come up with an answer, all the other ladies followed suit and greeted me in turn. I acknowledged their greetings with a nod before noticing that a certain person had yet to arrive.
That reminded me, was Max… not coming today? I had asked if he was available just in case he wanted to attend, but he was currently nowhere to be seen.
Well, it wasn’t like we were actually dating… I understood if he wasn’t able to be here. This was the first party I was hosting, too. I didn’t want it to be grand, but I also didn’t want to make any mistakes and encourage others to find fault with me.
“Thank you all for accepting my invitation,” I said. Normally, it was customary for the master of the household to greet the guests, but since this was only an informal tea party, I hadn’t told Father about it. I was positive that he was just going to view it as something bothersome, after all.
I guess the butler would have reported to him about this… but it wasn’t like he had much reason to care, either.
Therefore, I greeted the guests alone. However, I could see that everyone had a strange expression on their face for some reason. Huh? Why were they making those faces?
Just when I had just noticed that something was off, I heard a voice resound from behind me.
“Welcome.”
Startled, I turned around to witness my handsome father decked a ceremonial suit.
Why was Father here? Before I could answer my own question, multiple voices rang throughout the porch.
“We greet Duke Floyen, the great hero of our empire,” the noblewomen greeted, politely bowing to Father in respect.
The duke was treated with a kind of reverence on par with how one would regard a king of a foreign country, and it was customary not to raise one’s head until such a person allowed it. Despite that, I couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable seeing my guests with their heads brought down.
I guess it couldn’t be helped, given that this was a hierarchical society. I tried to accept things as they were.
“You may raise your heads,” Father said.
The women lifted their heads in unison at the unexpected permission they were given. Even though Father was on the receiving end of several hopeful gazes that an ordinary person would usually find burdensome, he managed to speak in a way that sounded earnest.
“There’s no need to be so formal, seeing as you’ve all visiting as my daughter’s friends.”
His words made me feel strange. It was as if I had actually become his beloved daughter. Why was he doing this? I tried to organize my thoughts, but Father didn’t give me a chance to.
“Please, I wish you all a comfortable time.”
“Thank you for your consideration,” my guests said in unison.
After receiving their words of gratitude, Father turned toward me. “Have a good time,” he said.
I quickly pulled myself together and bowed as well. “Thank you, Father.”
“His Grace Duke Floyen is truly kind,” someone mumbled softly after Father had disappeared from sight.
Kind…
If we were like any other father and daughter, I would’ve made a great fuss to affirm those words. However, I could only nod passively.
What I had just witnessed was an unfamiliar sight even to me.
✤ ✤ ✤
Three minutes had passed since I poured warm water on the tea leaves in the teapot. A fragrant aroma emanated from the teapot when I lifted the lid to fish out the tea leaves. After I finished brewing the tea, I glanced toward Merilyn and pointed at the pot. “Please serve this to everyone,” I said.
I skimmed over the tea table for a moment, and as I did so, my eyes landed on the empty seat next to me. A cup sat in front of it.
He would’ve enjoyed this since the tea set had flower patterns…
I snapped back to my senses, realizing that I was thinking about Max even in his absence.
The attendees gushed about the tea in admiration. “Oh my goodness, the scent is wonderful.”
The method used to efficiently restore low-cost tea leaves that had lost or warped their scent or was to give them a new scent entirely. This meant that giving good quality tea leaves a new scent would produce a very delicious and aromatic tea.
This was called cost-effectiveness, I thought with pride. Instead of purchasing new tea leaves, I had put a new scent into the tea leaves we already had at home. Thanks to this method, I didn’t have to spend a fortune preparing for the party. I smiled, thoroughly satisfied with my decision since I was able to save money and avoid embarrassing myself.
“Wow, I can smell a strong scent of roses coming from the tea,” someone whispered in awe.
“It’s amazing.”
“It’s more than amazing; it’s great!”
“The tea is really fragrant and delicious. It also pairs well with the food.”
“I agree. Plus, the floral decor makes it all very pleasing to the eyes.”
I was a bit taken aback from seeing the ladies appreciate what I had prepared since I hadn’t expected much of a reaction from them. After all, my initial goal wasn’t to become a member of the tea tasting party, but to simply save face.
I didn’t expect them to enjoy something as trivial as this. A strange sensation arose within me, and an absurd impulse struck me as I had been plunged into a state of confusion: I wanted to show them something even better next time. I wanted to prepare something without considering the cost.
I was brought back to reality when someone addressed me directly. “How did you get the scent on the tea leaves?” Lady Terrence asked. She gazed at me with keen eyes.
Ah, she brought me back to my senses. While I didn’t think she intended to do so, I had unintentionally received a lot of help from her.
“You know how the scent of tea leaves can disappear or go bad if you store them incorrectly?”
“Yes, of course.” I could see everyone nodding their heads like the tea enthusiasts they were.
“That was because tea leaves have the tendency to absorb the scents around them. So, if you mix dried petals or fruits with the tea leaves, then they will absorb that scent,” I explained. “If you want a stronger fragrance, then you could extract the oil from within those items and have the tea leaves absorb that instead.”
When I finished speaking, Lady Terrence watched me with a bizarre look in her eye as she sipped at her tea. Seeing how quiet everyone had become, I started to wonder if I had bored them with the description I gave.
Well, I guess all lengthy explanations tend to get dull. With this thought in mind, I decided to add something that they might find interesting to pick things back up a bit.
“After you brew the tea, you can reuse the tea leaves by drying them and putting them in the pockets of the clothing in your closet. It has a deodorizing effect.”
I heard someone marvel at my words. “Oh my goodness, that’s amazing,” she said.
“I’m truly amazed, Lady Floyen. How did you come to gain such knowledge…!”
“And it’s phenomenal how you came up with the idea of making tea leaves absorb the aromas of other things!”
The truth was that the ideas I had come up with were all other people’s knowledge I had picked up once before, but I couldn’t tell them that. If I were to do so, then I would have to tell them that I had been reincarnated.
Because of this, my response was vague. “Oh, I just happened to find out… it was all because of a coincidence,” I said. I silently prayed that someone would change the subject after noticing my ambiguous response to their praises.
Just in time, Lady Terrence spoke up. “Ah, I just thought of something.”
“Yes, what is it?”
She shot me a weird look when I answered her enthusiastically, but she promptly continued. “Have you all heard that the crown prince has returned to the capital?”
It was the first I had heard such news. If I had known earlier, I would’ve left and gone on a vacation or something. I guess it made sense since he would be present during the princess’ coming-of-age ceremony, though, and it would ultimately be useless for me to try to run away since all the nobles would probably be forced to attend.
“I see,” I responded flatly. I sipped my tea. A moment ago, it had been fragrant and pleasant, but now it just felt like I was drinking plain warm water. I squinted, feeling a headache coming on.
“Now that I think about it, there hasn’t been any news yet about who’s been chosen to become the crown princess.”
At the mention of the future crown princess, everyone fell silent as they tried to decipher each other’s expressions.
“I’ve heard rumors that he’s a terrible person,” one lady stated.
“Likewise. I’m afraid to be chosen to get married to him,” another commented.
I listened to their chattering for a while, then sighed softly. It was obvious that the crown prince needed to be avoided, but Father had already gone and chosen him as my fiancé.
I was silently resenting Father when the door leading to us opened. A handsome man with black hair, red eyes, and an appearance compelling enough to impress anyone who caught sight of him stepped foot into the drawing room.
“Max?”
He nodded at me. “Yes. I’m late… my lady.”
His polite words came out a little awkwardly, but compared to how he used to speak, it was perfectly acceptable. For some reason, after seeing his face, the uneasy feeling inside me subsided.
“Sit here,” I said, pointing to the seat next to me. As soon as he sat down, the members of the tea tasting party observed us oddly.
Um, why were they staring at us?
At that moment, Lady Terrence spoke. “I’m glad you have a partner, at least.”
“I’m sorry?” I replied.
She furrowed her eyebrows and clarified her meaning coldly. “What I mean is: you won’t be chosen as the crown princess.”
Her words flustered me. I know it was just us here, but was it really okay for us to talk this openly about the crown prince? I was thinking hard about how to react when the other ladies chimed in.
“I agree. I honestly don’t think anyone would want to become the crown princess.”
Even though I sympathized with them since the rumors, as well as the original novel, described what a terrifying person he was, there was a reason why I didn’t get involved in the slander. I heard the crown prince knew about everything that people said behind his back…
This wasn’t because he was an almighty character with superpowers, but because of an information guild he secretly controlled. If I could, I would trample him into a fine dust. However, as the unfortunate owner of a terrible fate, I couldn’t afford to speak ill of him. I could end up with an entirely different slew of problems if I joined the ladies in their gossip.
Suddenly, the rumors being mentioned around me started to grow more intense in nature. “I heard that even the former empress had shunned the crown prince.”
“You’re right. He’s apparently had a horrible personality ever since he was young.”
My face hardened at those words. I didn’t think I should let this continue. Up until now, I had done everything I could to avoid the crown prince. It would be awfully unfair if I were put back on my route to eventual death just because some people had gossiped about him at my residence.
I was trying my best to avoid him… I couldn’t just let them be. For this reason, I spoke carefully while remaining conscious of the possibility that one of the crown prince’s informants might be listening somewhere nearby. “Isn’t it too early to be jumping to conclusions when we haven’t even met him yet?” I asked. “He might be more generous than we think.”
When I had finished, I noticed that the noblewomen were all giving me sour looks.
“Oh, I guess… that might be true.”
“I-I agree!”
“You’re right.”
The atmosphere suddenly turned awkward as everyone began to stutter. I was well aware that I had just blurted out a bunch of nonsense, but they were never going to know that I had just saved them from their deaths. Did I really have to go as far as to do this? I was already busy trying to take care of myself…
I was feeling a little distressed when someone commented something about me.
“You’re so easy-going, Lady Floyen,” she said. “To have such a positive mindset… you’re such a role model.”
It was ambiguous whether she was being sarcastic or praising me, but it didn’t matter. Either way, I was tired, so I didn’t want to spend much longer having tea with them. They were probably not too happy to be with me, either. I would have to empty the teapot quickly so they could go home.
With this thought in mind, I diligently drank my tea. Ah, it was hotter than I thought it would be. I felt like I might’ve burnt my tongue slightly, but I acted like nothing happened. I quietly rolled my roughened tongue in my mouth to soothe it.
“I agree,” Max, who was quietly drinking his tea next to me, suddenly said.
He agreed? I guess he meant that I looked pretty easy-going. With this thought in mind, I put down my teacup.
I could see my reflection in his beautiful scarlet eyes. They resembled garnets or pomegranates. He gave off such a strong impression for a side character.
At that moment, I noticed a change in his expression. His lips had lifted into a smile and his eyes seemed to curve gently. Now that he was smiling, he gave off a completely different impression. When he was expressionless, he looked cold-hearted, but now, he looked friendly. He was so good at acting. People might genuinely assume that he honestly liked me.
My thoughts were being rather nonsensical, so I held back my laughter at that last idea.
“The fact that you don’t believe in rumors or judge others hastily is a great mindset to have… my lady,” he noted.
The laughter bubbling inside me subsided when I noticed something strange about what he had said. This guy… he almost spoke informally again.
It was frustrating to see him continue to make the same mistake, especially since this wasn’t his first time doing so. He should have gotten used to it by now.
Be careful, I thought as I sent Max a glare.
“I agree as well,” Rose suddenly stated, sympathizing with Max. When I gave her a peculiar look, she smiled sweetly at me in return. “Come to think of it, we’ve realized a lot of things from what has happened recently,” she said.
Realized what?
I was puzzled by her words, but then she elaborated further. “I mean about you, Lady Floyen. I actually thought you would be a scary person like the rumors said.”
At her confession, I felt a prick at my conscience. I actually was a scary person not too long ago…
Rose, who had no idea what I was thinking, continued. “But when I exchanged letters with you, I could tell that you were a really sweet and kind person.”
I felt odd hearing the words sweet and kind person being used to describe me as I had only pretended to be that way so that others wouldn’t grow hostile toward me. Because of that, I started to feel a little guilty.
“I agree.”
“Me, too.”
The noblewomen who concurred with Rose were named Mary Ann and Catherine. Although they were side characters in the novel, later on, they would become close friends with the princess in the future.
“Lady Floyen must have harmed Her Highness!”
“She’s right. I definitely saw her hand over the glass!”
Since they were originally people who would come to antagonize me, I became dubious at the sight of them expressing their favor for me now.
“I was very impressed with your behavior just now, Lady Floyen,” Mary Ann said.
I frowned. “Huh? My behavior?” No matter how hard I thought about it, I couldn’t understand what she meant. I was simply relieved that others thought I wasn’t a nuisance, let alone someone who behaved impressively.
As if to answer my question, Catherine placed her teacup down on her saucer beamed. “No matter how close a lady is to a friend, it’s not easy to reveal the secret behind making great tea like this.”
A secret? I only told them because I thought it was common sense… I became flustered, unaware that they would think this highly of me. “No, it’s just…” I began, but I couldn’t think of what to say. Of course, I was extremely grateful that they viewed me in a positive light, but I couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable since they were praising me after misinterpreting my behavior.
That was why I decided to be frank and confess that this wasn’t what I wanted. However, Mary Ann and Catherine stopped me before I could speak.
“I agree. I’m thankful that you trusted us enough to tell us this.”
“Although this is only my second time meeting you personally, I’m deeply moved by your kindness.”
This really wasn’t what I had hoped for. I sat in utter confusion.
“That’s enough, everyone,” Lady Terrence said.
Finally, someone who was capable of making a proper decision amidst all the people unable to form rational judgements here…
Lady Terrence continued, glancing over at me. “Although Lady Floyen kindly shared the secret behind her tea, answered all of our questions, and is a better person than we had originally thought, we should remain unbiased in our evaluations of the tea.”
Was it my imagination or did it seem like she was complimenting me somewhat? In any case, I had no intention of becoming an active member of the tea tasting party, so I quickly agreed with her. “She’s right. I would like things to remain unbiased as well.”
Lady Terrence nodded. “On that note, I’ll say in all fairness that the tea Lady Floyen had served us today seemed like an ordinary Darjeeling tea at a glance.”
It was true. The tea leaves looked pleasant to the eyes because they had flowers mixed in, but there was no way anyone was going to be staring at the tea leaves themselves because they were meant to be placed in some filter paper upon brewing. Well, I guess that meant I failed the membership test.
“But the process of using a special technique to give the tea leaves a new scent was excellent,” Lady Terrence continued, contrary to my expectations. “The fragrance was very nice as well. Could I say that it felt like a field of dewy roses had bloomed in my mouth?”
I was listening to Lady Terrence’s praise with a blank face, yet to process what any of it meant, when she warned, “Keep in mind that you will be kicked out if you break the rules of our party in the future.”
Kicked out? I didn’t have enough time to think about what that sudden phrase implied when the others around us began to congratulate me.
“Oh my goodness, congratulations!”
“We’ll be able to see each other more in the future!”
“We’re pleased to have you as a new member!”
That was when I came to my senses. Ah, Lady Terrence. How could you… have let me pass? I lamented to myself.
✤ ✤ ✤
“Oh, time passed by so fast!”
“We’ll let you know in advance when the next meeting is!”
The members of the tea tasting party bid me their farewells one by one.
“Could I write to you as well from now on?” Lady Terrence asked with a blush.
“Of course,” Jubelian nodded slightly.
Her face brightened. “See you next time!”
After she left, only two people remained in the empty drawing room. Max gazed at Jubelian with gentle eyes.
“I heard that even the former empress had shunned the crown prince.”
A bitter smile formed on Max’s face as he recalled those words.
“Don’t come back here from now on. I don’t know where the poison might be,” his mother had told him.
The reason why the former empress had driven her son away from her was because she was afraid that he could be poisoned. Max, aware of this truth, didn’t suffer from the growing rumors because he knew his mother loved him despite what others said.
“I’m sorry,” she had told him. “I don’t think I’ll be able to protect you.”
After his mother had passed, the only reason Max had been able to survive under Empress Isabelle’s evil influence was because of his newfound temporary ally, Duke Floyen. Empress Isabelle had known that using force wouldn’t be enough, so she attempted to destroy the young crown prince’s mind.
She spread malicious rumors to tear him apart. “The crown prince is violent and has a cold heart. He sheds neither blood nor tears,” they went. At first, Max felt angry and victimized, but even after he tried to denounce those claims, nothing seemed to change. Because of this, he chose to ignore the rumors about him, because even if he paid attention to each and every lie they told, the situation wouldn’t get any better.
Over time, he began to think that it wouldn’t be so bad to become the cold-hearted monster the rumors spoke about. He decided it would be better than being threatened by those who looked down on him.
Even so, when Jubelian had defended him during the tea party, something arose inside him and shook him to the core.
It was a strange sensation. How come she was so different from the others? Max watched Jubelian with a deepened gaze.
Suddenly, she turned to look at him. He could have glanced away, but he continued to stare, the desire to look into her eyes reigning over him. When their eyes met, the sound of his heart pounding rang loudly in his ears. Did she feel the same way as him? He silently hoped she did.
However, Jubelian only grumbled in return.
“I guess I’m stuck with having to engage in social events from now on,” she sighed.
What was wrong with social events? Max almost voiced his question unthinkingly, but he shut his mouth before he did. When he thought about it, Jubelian always acted strange. During the banquet, she was alone and had only answered others’ questions instead of starting conversations of her own accord.
He suddenly recalled the gossip he had heard about her one day: “It was Lady Floyen who made me interested in attending the banquet, especially since she always caused trouble…”
Only then did Max realize why he had become so angry back then. Was it because she was so similar to him?
Max finally opened his mouth. “Don’t worry,” he assured her. “Everything will be fine.”
✤ ✤ ✤
Fresia knit her eyebrows as she read the report from her subordinate. The secret rendezvous with Marquis Lennox was a success, but now the problem lied with the empress.
The latest rumor being spread by the empress was truly a malicious one. The report read:
The crown prince, who had been shunned by his own mother, has returned as a brutal tyrant who slaughters his enemies like a butcher. How could a man like him ever be a wise ruler?
“God damn this sly, evil bitch!” Fresia hissed.
If this was the public opinion in the empire, then the crown prince’s claim to the throne could be put into question until he made a great contribution.
Worst-case scenario, he would have to forfeit his status as the crown prince. Although she couldn’t say he was a nice person, Max had never crossed the line. During wars, he had always told her to keep the weak alive even though they couldn’t fight. As such, most of the stigma surrounding the crown prince had been unjustly wrought.
Despite that, whenever he heard anyone speaking dishonorably about him, Max only responded with indifference. “I don’t really care. Just report all the rumors you hear about me,” he would say.
However, knowing that Max had been wounded by what happened with the former empress, Fresia didn’t dare to report this to him honestly. She needed to request for others not to speak about this rumor so that her lord wouldn’t hear about it.
She tore up the report containing the rumor and tossed it in the fireplace. As she watched the document burn, she began thinking of ways to make the rumor die down. She needed someplace that wouldn’t be affected even if the empress decided to act up…
At that moment, a familiar voice interrupted her thoughts.
“What are you doing?” Max asked.
Startled by his sudden appearance, Fresia pretended to be calm. “Oh, welcome back,” she greeted. When she turned her head to examine him, she noticed that his eyes were a bit mellow and that he had a somber aura. He looked calm.
“How did things go with Marquis Lennox?”
“Oh, we were successful in reaching him,” she explained. “He’s requested for us to send about 20,000 of our men.”
Losing 20,000 soldiers wasn’t a big deal, but Marquis Lennox’s army only consisted of around 60,000 men. Even if reinforcements were sent over, victory still wasn’t guaranteed.
He probably didn’t want to suffer a loss if he were to fail. If Max sent reinforcements as requested, it would be like putting those men on death row. Because of this, Fresia was hoping Max would refuse.
Contrary to her expectations, however, the heartless crown prince’s command differed from her wishes. “Send the reinforcements,” he said.
“What? If we do that, they’ll only be wiped out.” She tried dissuading him, but he was adamant about his decision.
“A small sacrifice is worth it if I can gain something bigger out of it.”
He was right. If Max supported the southern border, then he would be able to gain support from the southern forces, including Marquis Lennox. Even so, Fresia couldn’t find it in herself to be happy. Did she forget that those people were his men?
He sounded like a cold-blooded man who could abandon his subordinates for the sake of achieving his goals… she tried to deny her thoughts, telling herself that those were all just groundless rumors, but she couldn’t help the ache she felt in her heart.
It was all her fault for not advising him well. Fresia bitterly laughed at herself.
Then, she heard Max’s voice once more.
“However, send 50,000 men instead.”
50,000 soldiers were enough to guarantee a victory, but it would be a huge burden to send this many reinforcements since they made up a significant portion of his military strength. Knowing that Max was someone who didn’t like doing anything that would cause him to suffer any sort of loss, Fresia regarded her lord with astonishment.
“Do you mean that?” she gasped.
Objectively, it would be most beneficial for Max to send only 20,000 men because he still had a rebellion to execute. Even if they were annihilated, it would certainly be a loss, but it would be one that he could endure. However, unbeknownst to Fresia, there was another reason behind Max’s decision to send more than he technically needed to.
Jubelian wouldn’t consider him evil if he went as far as to do something like this, would she? Max smirked as he recalled her face.
Meanwhile, the sight of Max’s smiling face made Fresia recoil in fright. Yes, she was sure he would change his mind. His current decision was probably just a whim. A mistake.
However, Max didn’t take his words back. “If we only send 20,000 men, my soldiers would just end up dying in vain, wouldn’t they? I’d rather send a higher number to improve our chances of victory.”
Feeling deeply moved by Max’s determination, Fresia knelt on one knee. “My lord… you’ve grown into an excellent person.”
Her gesture brought a strange look to Max’s face. She had misunderstood him, so he frowned. He ended up hearing all kinds of things just from trying to look good for Jubelian.
As the unfamiliar feeling rose within him, Max quickly switched the topic. “There’s something I need you to do for me,” he said.
“Go ahead, my lord,” Fresia enthused. “I’ll carry out this duty at the risk of my life!”
When Max told her his request, Fresia looked perplexed. “What? You don’t want rumors about you and Lady Floyen to spread?”
“Yes.”
Why would someone who usually allowed rumors about him to run rampant care so much about another person’s gossip? Fresia was dumbfounded, but soon she realized that Max had begun to change after he had met Lady Floyen. She was really beginning to wonder what kind of person the lady was, having trouble believing that there was someone out there who could make the prince act like this.
Fresia’s eyes shone as she bowed. “I will endeavor to serve as best I can,” she swore.
After Fresia left, Max furrowed his brows as he recalled the contract’s clauses.
He should probably say goodbye to her before leaving.
✤ ✤ ✤
“A letter has arrived for you, my lady,” Merilyn said.
I checked the sender of the letter, discovering that it was from Lady Terrence, or Veronica as I had come to know her as. She sent me this so soon. Did she have something to say to me?
I removed the wax seal and opened the letter. Its contents were filled with descriptions about the unfair treatment she had received from Mikhail, such as him seeing multiple women aside from her at once. She ended the letter by expressing her worry for me, saying that Mikhail was abnormally obsessed with me.
This man should really be punished by the heavens. I let him go until now because of what I had done to him in the past, but I had been aware that he had been seeing multiple people at once back then. It was more like he was manipulating his personal relationships so that he could use them whenever he needed them, but even that distressed me.
Reading her letter reminded me of my foolish past. For some unknown reason, a bitter taste engulfed my mouth and I started craving something sweet. Should I ask Matthew to bake me a cake? But the ones at the tearoom were better than the ones he made…
My worries were cut short.
“Merilyn, could you get me ready to go out?”
“Yes, my lady. I’ll help you change into some new clothes first.”
After she finished helping me change, she started to make her way toward the door. “Please wait here for a moment. I'll report your outing to the butler,” she said.
“Okay.”
Max should be here tomorrow since he wasn’t here today, right? I smiled. Since I was going out anyway, I was thinking about buying Max a cake as well.
Suddenly, my planning was interrupted by a tapping sound at my window.
I stiffened slightly. It wasn’t a pigeon, was it? I nervously crept toward the window. I peeked out and sighed in relief when I spotted Max’s familiar face. I told him to use the door like a normal person, but he came by this way again. As soon as I undid the latch, he entered the room.
“Welcome,” I greeted.
“Are you going somewhere?”
At that moment, Merilyn’s voice filtered in from outside the door. “My lady, everything’s ready,” she announced.
My gaze flitted over to Max at those words. “Good timing. I was going to go get some cake. Let’s go together,” I offered. I assumed that he would accept since he was someone who could eat multiple slices of cake all by himself.
Instead of answering me, however, he just gazed at me stiffly. “I have something to say,” he eventually managed, his voice low.
I nodded, thinking that he was just going to say some nonsense like he usually did, but my eyes widened at the words that left his mouth.
“Something came up and I need to take care of it.”
I raised an eyebrow at the phrase take care of it, and asked if it was related to his occupation, which was something I had been thinking about since we first met. “Take care of as in mercenary work?”
“It’s similar.”
I wanted him to deny my suspicions, but he meekly confirmed them instead. I flinched with fright at the thought of him possibly getting hurt. “Is it dangerous?” I asked.
He looked at me and shook his head. “I don’t engage in fights I might lose.”
In short, he meant that he didn’t take on difficult tasks. Seeing as how my life motto was to live safely, I sympathized with him. “Good thinking,” I said. “There’s no need to push yourself into doing dangerous things.”
His eyes turned gentle. “I’m afraid I won’t be able to come by for a while because of this,” he muttered softly.
I was suddenly glad that I had clearly stated that we needed to inform each other of our potential absences in the contract. If things were to play out anything like they did before, he would’ve left without a word. By a while… he probably meant a few days, right?
Merilyn’s voice interrupted my inner thoughts. “Lady Floyen?”
I glanced at Max and replied, “Okay. Then let’s have some cake for now.”
Instead of responding, he smiled at me. I gaped at him in return, unsure why he was doing so. “There’s something around your eyes,” he noted.
Thinking that my makeup must’ve gotten smudged, I immediately took out my handkerchief, but he suddenly snatched it away from me. I turned to him, dumbfounded.
“You better get your head screwed on straight now that I won’t be around,” he warned me. “Don’t absentmindedly stand around. Keep your guard up.”
It was quite frankly ridiculous for him to be saying such things to me because he was someone who lacked knowledge about worldly affairs, but as I was about to tell him to mind his own business, he continued speaking.
“We’ll have some cake together when I get back. Also… don’t turn your attention to anyone else while I’m gone.” With those final words, he jumped out the window.
He just said what he had to say and left again. I watched as he went, then closed the window. Well, he would be back in a few days. Everything would be fine.
I was about to head out as planned when I suddenly sighed. “Merilyn, I’m sorry about this, but I think I’ll stay home instead,” I said. For some strange reason, I had lost my appetite. I didn’t feel like eating anything anymore.
Slowly, I closed my eyes as an intense wave of fatigue came over me.
✤ ✤ ✤
“Lady Jubelian!”
I jolted awake at the sound of someone calling my name. When I opened my eyes, I discovered that I wasn’t in my room.
Ah. I dozed off at Rose’s tea party. Perhaps it was because I hadn’t been sleeping very well lately, but oftentimes, I would stare off into space, eventually dozing off. When I looked around, I could see Veronica pouting at me.
“Wake up, Lady Floyen. You fell asleep in the middle of a conversation.”
It had already been two months since I had passed the test to become a member of the tea tasting party. I had attended four tea parties since then, and had become quite close to the other members.
Father had been rather quiet lately, and there still wasn’t any news from Max… I had no idea that a while was going to end up becoming two whole months. Maybe this was why everything around me felt so calm.
“I’m telling you, Sir Nathan got slapped in the face by his fiancée, Lady Swan.”
“Oh my goodness. Why?”
“I heard that he was seeing Lady Swan’s cousin behind her back!”
…I guess it wasn’t all that quiet, after all.
At any rate, the important thing was that Father hadn’t been interfering with my relationship with Max these days. Moreover, I didn’t have a clue if my blind date with the crown prince had been cancelled or not, but there hadn’t been any mention of it since he returned to the capital.
Should I have been glad about this? I pondered over it as I took a biscuit and dropped it in my mouth. The saltiness of the biscuit made its sweetness much more prominent. Max would like this, I thought.
Unlike me, the other members were chatting away without sparing the biscuits a glance.
“Her Royal Highness’ coming-of-age will take place soon,” someone noted. I stopped eating and focused on the conversation more.
The royal princess’ coming-of-age ceremony was about a month and a fortnight away, wasn’t it? Originally, that was when the royal princess was meant to slap me in the face for grabbing a lady’s hair and causing a scene. I was to become the first victim of Beatrice, a royal who was known to be very direct and straight-forward.
Along as I stayed as I was now, I figured things would be okay. Mikhail had been rather quiet as well.
At that moment, I heard an excited voice speak up.
“That’s what I’m saying! I’m wondering what kind of dress I should wear to the banquet.”
“You’ll be at risk if you dress up too fancily. If you somehow end up catching the crown prince’s eyes, then…” she trailed off.
“I get scared just thinking about it.”
Alright. I should dress as plainly as possible should the time come. With this thought in mind, I waited for the tea tasting party to conclude. Then, the door burst open and someone rushed into the drawing room while making a big fuss.
“Rose! Oh, my god! Do you know what I just heard?”
Rose narrowed her eyes at the interrupter. “Nate! How could you enter without even knocking?”
After Rose’s scolding, Nate, her brother, looked flustered. “Ah, excuse me, ladies,” he said sheepishly. “I apologize for the sudden interruption.” His blushing face combined with his ginger hair made his whole head look bright red. The tea party members giggled at the humorous sight.
“What made you rush in here like this?” Mary Ann asked.
“Oh, I was just here to inform everyone that Lagon has declared war on us,” Nate answered.
The shocking news caused a great commotion amongst us.
“Lagon? It couldn’t be!”
“Will we be okay?”
Unlike the others who were startled by the news, I simply sighed. I had already known this would happen from having read the novel. Marquis Lennox, who had been trying to expand his army, would go to war and fail. The ones who were going to save the empire from the crisis were supposed to be the emperor and Father, who would join the war to aid him.
Nevertheless, the next bit of news that Nate provided us with was different from what I had remembered. “Yes, of course,” he nodded. “Marquis Lennox has been successful in defending the southern border since he started preparing for everything two months ago. And in the midst of the confusion, the crown prince beheaded Lagon’s commander.”
What? The crown prince? I became confused by this strange turn of events. They differed vastly from the original novel.
Nate continued, clueless about what was going through my head. “In a month, the palace will be holding a victory banquet.” He glanced around at all of us. “It’ll be a banquet that all nobles will be obliged to attend,” he announced.
I frowned at this. Ugh, I didn’t know the crown prince was going to play an active part in the war like this. And now an unexpected mandatory banquet, at that… the ominous premonition I had before must’ve been about this. I gulped down the remainder of my black tea, but it had gone cold during this disturbance. It was so… bitter.
Unlike me, the others were making a great fuss.
“Tell us all the details about what happened,” Veronica stated, her eyes shining with anticipation.
Nate nodded with a blush. “Yes, of course.” He ended up taking a seat at the table. “Do you know how Marquis Lennox had been lobbying to expand his army?” he began.
“Yes, I’ve heard of this.”
“And you know that his requests were ignored, right?”
“Of course.”
“Because of that, he was secretly expanding his army, but it only amounted to about 60,000 men. At that time, the crown prince had noticed a few unusual movements from Lagon, so he sent reinforcements to aid him.”
“Unusual movements?”
“It was said that they were storing suspiciously large amounts of grain as well as drying any food that could be stored for an extended period of time. The crown prince found out and instantly determined that they were meant to be provisions.”
The ladies began to murmur among themselves after listening intently to Nate.
“Oh, my goodness. I didn’t know he held such wisdom. He sounds like a completely different person now!”
“I agree!”
Listening to them whisper, Nate’s voice excitedly went up a pitch. “Marquis Lennox had originally requested 20,000 men, but the crown prince generously lent 50,000 men instead—which was about half of the men in the northern garrison—saying that any less would prove a useless sacrifice at best.”
“Oh, wow!”
“He also ordered the soldiers not to attack the weak ones who couldn’t fight, which boosted his public opinion in Lagon as well,” Nate continued.
Why would the crown prince be so generous? I tried to guess what his motives could have possibly been, but I felt too lazy, so I gave up. No matter his supposed heroism, he still bore the essence of a sadist. He was a terrible man who shed neither blood nor tears.
Despite that, it seemed that everyone else around me began to believe differently. “Wow, during a time where even the knights have abandoned their chivalry. How amazing!”
The monstrous crown prince being chivalrous? Just the thought of that sounded ridiculous. I understood why they were saying these things since they didn’t know what kind of person the crown prince really was, but still, I had hoped that they would stop praising him because it was making me uncomfortable. Unfortunately, it did not stop. The flattering comments continued pouring in.
“If you think about it, the crown prince being unattractive doesn’t make sense.”
“You’re right. I’ve heard that Her Majesty, the former empress, was renowned for being quite beautiful.”
“Maybe he’s extremely handsome, so he covers his face with a helmet because he’s afraid that he’ll be looked down upon by others.”
Even if someone’s mother was the most beautiful woman in the world, there was still a chance that her child could end up ugly. More importantly, what mattered wasn’t his appearance, but the fact that he was a crazy tyrant. Appearances weren’t everything… one wrong step could ruin someone’s entire life.
I sighed as I recalled how I used to follow Mikhail around for his charming face.
“Ah, Lady Jubelian,” Veronica prompted. “Would you like to go to the temple with me tomorrow?”
I would’ve gone with her in the past, but since I had been feeling oddly lethargic lately, I felt reluctant to go. Just as I was about to decline her invitation, however, she urged me on some more.
“Why don’t you come with me? Sometimes going to new places helps you feel better.”
I wasn’t sure how she managed to sound so convincing, but I ended up sighing and nodding at her words. I hadn’t even been allowed the chance to refute them.
