9. On Thin Ice

Princess Canary's handmaid, Gillia, was dissatisfied with the current atmosphere of thin ice.

Gillia was the maid who had served Princess Canary since she had just arrived in the Alankes Empire.

In fact, at first, it was difficult to even call her a lady-in-waiting. There were so many noble people who came to the Empire as hostages, and the Empire didn't feel the need to give each of them a noble companion. As a result, Gillia, who had been brought in as a maid at the lower end of the imperial castle, after one year of her service, she served as Princess Canary's attendant.

He entered the palace trembling at the thought of serving a high-ranking person, but Princess Canary was a good person. It took a timid and timid 12-year-old princess to attach her affection to Gillia, but after a few years, there was no one she trusted and cherished as much as Gillia. Gillia also liked a master who was easy to serve. If she served Princess Canary, she had no way to succeed, but since she came in as her maid in the first place, did she think she was successful? She only knew that she would grow old as her maidservant of the Hwang Seong, her hostage, so peacefully.

However, circumstances tend to take unexpected turns. She was so kind that Gillia's boss, who had been told by her other pawns that she was 'like a dunce', became Alan Keth's crown princess overnight.

Gillia knew very late that the handsome man who occasionally visited her master was the crown prince. Can there be such a good thing in the world of Gilia, who saw that she had cast out the evil crown prince and the good and beautiful Jesangjeon became the crown princess! She did and she clapped her hands and became her maid too. Princess Canary did not abandon her and her maid, Gillia. Gillia, who was only the daughter of a swineherd, was blessed with great fortune. So it was only natural for her that Gillia would serve her Canary Princess with all her heart and all her loyalty.

However, what he was always dissatisfied with was the prince who treated Princess Canary carelessly. When Princess Canary was with her wife, he wondered if he would break if he touched Princess Canary, or if he blew on her, he would fly away. Yes, it was far more peaceful than the scene Gillia usually saw inside the house, but sometimes she hated the prince when she saw her master sitting idly by.

In addition, these days, for some reason, the creation of heaven and earth continues to happen. Wouldn't the former Crown Princess, who was expelled by Princess Canary, come back as a great lord? So her master was still in a bad mood. She made her nervous and threw something at the prince and even her empress. Princess Canary, who shuddered each time, gradually lost her appetite.

So Gillia prepared a secret meal for today. It is pickled quince in honey. It smells good, but the strong nobles did not eat it well, but the common people often ate it. They had been pickled for several days with precious cloves and honey, so the princess was just hoping that she would be able to eat a little.

“Thank you.”

The princess, who had been tossing and turning until dawn, said that she had not been able to sleep for the past few nights. And when she put her quince and her pickled honey into her mouth from the plate in her Gillia's hand, Gillia leaped for joy. A slight smile appeared on Princess Canary's lips. Before long, the princess who had eaten more than half of her honey pickles carefully bit her surroundings. Canary opened her mouth to Gillia, who was tidying her princess's bed.

“Gilia. I need you to run some errands quietly.”

“Ah, yes!”

There were many times when the princess asked Gillia for personal matters, but it was the first time she dared to say 'quiet', so Gillia was thrilled. The content of the errand was unexpected. She asked the knight, Wilhelm Colonna, whom she had met at the Welcome Palace to deliver a promise. To that scoundrel?! Gilia almost squealed, but she managed to bend her back. She just couldn't help the displeasure coming out of her mouth.

“But Your Highness… … .”

“I happened to be beholden to him.”

The pale-faced princess carefully showed off a pair of gloves. It was a rough glove Gillia had never seen before. It was obvious whose gloves belonged to knights.

“He helped me when I was lost. However, it is difficult to express my sincere thanks for having eyes to see. Besides, the owner of the Welcome Palace suffered something bad a few days ago.”

“… … All right."

In the end, Gillia lowered her head. It seemed that her ever-good and timid master of her own was troubled by the fact that she was indebted to her. She knew that she was the only one who could help her master at a time like this, so Gillia put on an inconspicuous maid's outfit instead of her maid's uniform and left the palace of the Crown Princess.

Could you come to the greenhouse for a while at sunset? The man replied with an expressionless expression. In the evening, I have to dine with my master, so come to the courtyard of the midnight welcome palace. “But at that time, my master has a hard time going out… … .” Gillia replied dissatisfied, but the young man snorted.

“Then tell me it’s done. I have heard enough thanks.”

“… … .”

In the end, Gillia had to escape from the eyes of the other ladies-in-waiting, decorate Princess Canary, and escape from the Crown Princess' Palace at midnight. Her crown princess, uncharacteristic of her, wanted to dress her up according to her today, wearing sparkling white topaz on her ears.

He gave the patrolling servant a gold coin and asked him to leave. Seeing the precious person behind Gillia, the servant freaked out and ran away. After a while in the garden of the welcome palace, the man appeared.

The young man had black hair and clothes. His black curls, roughly swept back, swayed over his forehead, and below them dark, sharp eyebrows rested on the browbones. There was an atmosphere that made it difficult for people to resist in the languidly open eyes, so somehow Gillia wanted to praise herself. You expressed your displeasure right in front of my eyes! princess! I serve you with all my heart!

The firm and slender muscles of the shoulders and chest showed off their presence under the black shirt he was wearing in the light of the candles that lit the garden. He was a charming man. To the point where even Gillia's heart skipped a beat without even realizing it.

“… … I wish you would have come to the greenhouse.”

At the first words Canary uttered, the young man replied as if he was not interested.

“You know who I serve, don’t you?”

Such disrespect! Gillia almost jumped up without realizing it, but Canary was faster.

“I know. I know it very well.”

The moment he heard those words, Gillia was seized with an ominous feeling and looked at her master's face without realizing it. I know, it was because of the strange lukewarmness felt in the repeated words.

And Gillia immediately confirmed from Canary's face that his premonition was correct. Her cheeks, which had always been pale and pale, had the slightest hint of autumn leaves.

Gillia was confused. However, Canary did not let Gillia observe her further.

“Gilia. I don't want to be disturbed, so would you mind watching to see if anyone comes around?”

Is it a request to watch, or is it an order to celebrate guests? Or is it both? Gillia couldn't get a feel for it. However, as always, she bowed her head loyally and decided to carry out her master's orders. Because her master, whom she couldn't understand, was always right.

***

The only maid disappeared into the darkness of the garden. Canary glanced towards the Welcome Palace. You won't see this side well in the Welcome Palace. The promenade she always sought was in an exquisite location hidden in the shadow of a tree. The young knight in front of her had a sad face, whether he knew it or not. Her sudden gaze met, and Canary grabbed her involuntarily trembling heart.

"I-I'm here to return this."

A pair of sheepskin gloves that I had been holding all the way to this place. The opponent who confirmed it with his own eyes gave a small snort and held out his hand. The canary placed her glove on top of her hand, careful not to shake it too much.

“Thank you… … .”

next moment.

Knock, the man grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her. “Ah,” the canary screamed involuntarily. Her heart sank as her whole body was thrown off balance. It wasn't because she was afraid of falling. When she opened her spontaneously closed eyes.

The canary was clinging to the young man as if being hugged.

The man had bare hands without gloves, and with those hands he was holding the canary's waist tightly. Canary came dressed in her underwear, a bustier, and even her gown and cape. As if it touched her bare skin.

And the young man's face was right in front of hers. It was an interval that others could never call negative. At most, Michelle had never been this close to a man. If she moved even a little, the canary's face heated up at the look in his eyes, as if he would kiss her.

“Did you really come to get the gloves?”

The young man whispered softly. The canary was startled and tried to pull her body out, but she was not easy.

“My, what else can I get you other than gloves… … .”

At the creeping voice, the young man said "Ha." and she laughed slowly. The laugh forced him to exhale, and the hot breath touched the canary's lips and dissipated in the cool autumn night air. The canary was madly sorry for it. I wanted to entangle that breath without mercy.

The infatuation I had for the young man in front of me from the first time I saw him was swollen at this very moment.

“Leave this… … .”

But her lips were saying something completely different. The canary wanted to rip my mouth open. Let go! Even if I asked for more hugs, it wasn't enough. Please hold my waist with her hand. I wanted to hold his hand while holding his wrist. I wanted to put my flabby belly against the man's waist.

Was I such an impulsive person? Canary was so confused that she couldn't even look at herself properly. It was a time when she was trying to focus all her nerves on her wrists and back, to remember that sensation at all, until her youth set her up as an example of her soon-to-be knight.

"really?"

The man whispered in a lower voice than before. Unlike his sleek and beautiful appearance, the young man's voice was low and composed, but his voice was so seductive that it would not surprise me to say that it belonged to a demon that had crawled out of hell.

“Do you really want me to let you go?”

“… … .”

“At most, in the time of the passing of the moon, to return one glove to this garden.”

The man let go of Canary's wrist and touched Canary's ear lobe with the tip of his finger. Even the ear lobe became hot.

“I don’t think he walked around wearing such a pile of sparkling jewels.”

Canary stared at the young man in front of her with dizzy eyes. A sound like a strangled crow leaked from her mouth.

“Please kiss me… … .”

The young man giggled. Canary was sure. He was clearly her demon, crawling out of her hell to seduce her. If it wasn't for the devil, it wouldn't be so attractive.

***

'It's difficult... … .'

Dulcinea involuntarily clasped her hands together. It was because her heart was beating too fast. She had kissed her several times already, but each time they touched her heart would jump out of her throat.

It was the same today. The man's warm lips pressed against hers for a second, then fell immediately. It was a kiss that didn't mix with saliva, but it felt like the most lascivious kiss to Dulcinea.

“… … ah."

As soon as her lips parted, the dark-haired young man looked down at her as she sighed sadly, then smiled.

“Are you sorry?”

"that's… … .”

The man looked down at her for a long time as he hesitated to answer, then brought his face to her as if he could not touch it once more. Dulcinea was taken aback, but quickly closed her eyes because she was glad to see the man.

But the man, Wilhelm, left a gap barely large enough for a piece of paper to fit, and stopped. Instead, it was the man's thumb that touched Dulcinea's lips. Dulcinea opened her eyes in surprise at the touch, which was too thick and hard to be called lips. The young man presses Dulcinea's lips hard as if feeling regretful and lies down on the grass next to him.

“What can I do? Wouldn't Her Highness, who drowned early, pray in front of others tomorrow morning with plump, swollen lips?”

Wilhelm's tone as he glanced up at her was arrogant. He had treated her Dulcinea badly ever since the day she returned her leather gloves. But I didn't care about any of that. I didn't know that the man I love was treating me more comfortably than anyone else would be such a heartbreakingly happy thing.

The secret romance that had just started was so ecstatic.

I didn't want to admit that I fell in love at first sight. However, Dulcinea quickly fell for the knight of a woman whom her husband regarded as an enemy. If the man hadn't pulled me in first, she might have been hanging around him like an idiot, suffering from heartache. The man with devilish charm stole Dulcinea's heart and seldom let go.

Dulcinea pressed her pounding chest, kissed his finger, and tidied up her clothes. It was only a kiss, but his hair was disheveled from lying with a man in the woods. It's something to be astonished when others see it.

The tryst between the two continued once over two or three days. Since Daejong Church was right in front of her, great duties fell on her as the crown princess. Preparations to greet and greet the high priests of the temple and to attend the prayer meeting at the Daejong Church were waiting for Dulcinea.

But Dulcinea never missed meeting a man. handkerchief and gloves. If there are black sheepskin gloves falling on Dulcinea's promenade, it means that we will meet on that day.

Gillia watched Dulcinea pick up the glove with a disapproving look each time, but she didn't speak at length because she knew that was the only time her owner, who was always pale, smiled.

All he did was act bluntly, saying, “If there is a problem, I will pretend not to know.” However, even though she had a clear face, she smiled when Dulcinea gave her a few gold coins.

Yesterday too, Dulcinea picked up a man's glove on the promenade. The place of the two people's trust was decided in the forest near the palace of the crown prince, where they met for the second time. It's because they don't have human eyes, and the man said he doesn't like the garden of the Phantom Palace. Gillia was out near the bush to look out in the distance.

Reinhardt Delfina, the reinstated Marquis of Rinke, followed the news that Rinke had been attacked for the brutality of her young knight. A cut mark was engraved on Hu Rinke's cheek, and Luden's thunder was furious when he saw the half-span wound on his lord, and heard that he crushed the bodies of the assassins.

The welcome palace was built to receive guests, so there was no prison, and assassins were thrown into the warehouse and tortured. It is said that the blood that seeped from the corpse climbed over the door of the warehouse and flowed down the corridor where the attendants passed, causing the attendants to vomit for days.

However, there was no such cruelty to be found in the young knight lying next to Dulcinea. In a glance, there was a thick neckline, stocky shoulders or broad chest and muscular waist of a man who had just become an adult. However, a strangely refreshing feeling made him look different. It was something that the knights serving the emperor or the crown prince did not have.

“Are you coming to the prayer meeting tomorrow too?”

“My master is leaving, so I will gladly attend.”

"okay."

After checking the eyes of the man lying on the grass, Dulcinea quietly lay down next to him. It was about an inch apart, but somehow I wanted to. It was rough to feel the dry grass as autumn deepened, but it was much cozier than lying on the wool beside Michelle. Wilhelm was lying on his back with his hands on the back of his head, and when he saw Dulcinea lying down next to him, his expression changed as he stopped praying.

“Why are you looking at me like that… … ?”

“Why?”

The man brushed his hair off and raised his upper body as if he was annoyed. Dulcinea was taken aback, but smiled brightly when she realized that the man was about to stuff a cloak under her head.

"I'm so happy that the precious Crown Princess is lying down next to a fool."

"ah."

I swear, even the pillow that the lowest maid in the imperial castle sleeps on will be better than this. But to Dulcinea, it was better than a feather pillow. If she had known that she would fall for a man she had met less than a month ago, would Dulcinea have gone to the Hall of Glory that day? would he have gone

Had I known, I would have gone.

"I'm not stupid. I love you.”

Dulcinea plucked up courage and spoke shyly. dear, sweetheart. Having said that, her heart trembled and she almost grabbed her heart without realizing it. How can that common phrase excite me so much? But the man burst into cynicism.

“Can you say that?”

“… … isn't it?"

"Well."

The young man blinked his dark eyelashes a couple of times and looked at her mischievously. Her pitch-black eyes, not knowing what was inside, had deep shadows that seemed like they were about to fall into them.

“Am I not your toy?”

“… … Why do you say that?”

“It's very common for noble ladies to play pranks with knights. And… … .”

The man paused for a moment, then snorted.

“There's no way you, who married the crown prince, would take your illegitimate child seriously.”

My heart sank.

It wasn't long before Dulcinea learned that Wilhelm was the Emperor's illegitimate son. Since the prince and the couple had no children, she set a date for Michelle and entered Dulcinea's bedroom. As always, it was a careless night, but that day was especially severe. Seeing Michelle looking nervous and chased, Dulcinea cautiously asked Michelle the reason.

<Damn it. Because of that bastard... … .>

It was natural for Dulcinea to be shocked when she learned the whole story. That was why Michel was so drunk at the Marquis Rinke's welcome banquet and why the empress was so angry. But more than that, what shocked Dulcinea was the fact that the man she had been begging for a kiss the night before had been the bastard.

Dulcinea was conflicted. However, one word from Wilhelm immediately changed her mind.

<The vile blood of Alanques seems to go into heat whenever he sees a woman from Canary.>

oh It was. The man had a knack for turning her heart upside down as easily as turning the palm of his hand. He said so nonchalantly and so seductively that it was inevitable that he fell for Dulcinea. What is the reason why men who inherited the blood of the great Alan Kess are uniformly tied to the princess who came as her hostage?

The moment Dulcinea heard those words, she felt captured by her own great and pitiful fate. She is a woman who has been taken as a hostage in a small island country and has lost noble men. But the young man tilted his chin arrogantly, as if that was the natural outcome. It was no exaggeration to say that his words were the words that charmed Dulcinea.

By the way, did the young man himself have a qualification for him?

Dulcinea was taken aback. What surprised her was not only that the arrogant young man might have her entitlement to be her illegitimate son. Because it was the first time she had told this kind of story since he met her. So, the feeling of loving Dulcinea... … .

She got up quickly. Leaves and blades of grass flowed through her hair, but she didn't have the brain to pick them up. Surprise, joy, and undefined emotions tangled in her head.

“Why do you think so? I'm not kidding... … how much i love you.”

Shall I tell you how much risk you are taking on meeting him? However, Wilhelm looked ridiculous and turned her head away from her gaze.

“You just enjoy kneeling down on Alanquez’s bloodline.”

“… … me?”

"yes."

"No. If so, how could I lie next to you now?”

A sneer formed on someone's lips and then disappeared. Dulcinea grabbed the man's shoulder as the man who had been looking away all the time looked like he was in a sense of embarrassment. But as soon as Dulcinea touched him, the man flinched and slammed her hand away. Her Dulcinea covered the back of her battered hand and looked at him with her surprised eyes, while her man also looked back at her with a look of bewilderment.

“Oh, I didn’t mean to… … .”

“… … it's okay. Come on.”

The young man hesitated, then was led as it was by her pulling hand. Dulcinea kissed the young man gently on the cheek. Then she whispered softly.

“The person I love is you. Don't talk like that.”

My heart trembled when I said, “I love you.” She had never even told Michelle that she loved her. Since Michelle fell in love with Dulcinea, divorced Reinhardt and took her, many thought that love would prevail between her crown prince and his wife.

However, Michelle valued herself who loved Dulcinea more than Dulcinea. She paid little attention to her feelings. Because of that, Dulcinea always sat quietly at his feet and chewed on the love Michelle bestowed upon her.

It was the same with Wilhelm. Dulcinea had magically fallen for this lustful young man, but his nonchalant attitude always bothered her. From the beginning, Wilhelm maintained the attitude of 'you seduced' Dulcinea, and only kissed Dulcinea when she asked for it. He told Dulcinea the blood of Alankes, but he said that he was just in heat. So Dulcinea kissed the young man and chewed her love again.

But what she had just heard suggested some possibilities. She even thought that the newly born knight of the great lord might have seduced her to catch the prince's weakness. However, at his word, Dulcinea recalled her long-forgotten sense of goodwill. That's what I thought when I saw the young man in that hall of glory.

How thrilling it would be if this man fell for me and struggled.

So, Dulcinea did not deny Wilhelm's words.

"But it's true that I want to get you on my knees."

“… … .”

Wilhelm's expression hardened. Dulcinea hugged Wilhelm's chest and buried her face in a whisper.

“Don't get me wrong. I just want to see you cling to me saying you love me.”

“… … under."

“I want to see you fall at my feet.”

“And you want to kiss the instep?”

At Wilhelm's words, Dulcinea met her eyes and smiled lightly. When she laughed like that, people always assumed that Dulcinea was a sad woman, with a young melancholy on her face. To this man, she said, he either wanted to be seen or didn't want to be seen.

"How did you know?"

“… … .”

Instead of answering, the man pushed Dulcinea away and looked away. Dulcinea quickly grabbed the man's cheeks and made her look at me, but Wilhelm let out a dejected sneer.

“If you do, then you won’t give up on that man.”

The man. I was talking about Michelle. it's like a heart Even if a hundred men like Michel came, he wouldn't trade with Wilhelm. Dulcinea's love for this clumsy, young, and deadly lover she had acquired was deep and deep.

But that doesn't mean you can't abandon Michelle and marry him. Her husband was the Crown Prince of the Empire, Michel Alanquez, and his mistress was the woman Michel gnashed her teeth. In a way, she was also an enemy to Dulcinea.

“Knowing my position, don’t say such things… … .”

So, Dulcinea had no choice but to gently stroke Wilhelm's cheek.

“I have the Duchy of Canary. And you have your master... … .”

“… … .”

“It is a fact that can be known just by looking at the seating arrangement of the prayer meeting.”

At the prayer meeting two days later, the seats of Reinhardt and Wilhelm were completely opposed to the crown prince. It was partly because of Reinhardt's position, but also because of Wilhelm, who is now the subject of rumors that are slowly growing.

Rumors that Wilhelm was the emperor's illegitimate child had already spread widely in social circles. The emperor also did not deny the rumor and remained silent. Michelle had been in and out of the emperor's room every day because of it, but the emperor said he hardly talked to Michelle either.

“Even if I choose you, you will not choose me.”

Dulcinea spoke like a joke. Isn't it? The story that he desperately saved the life of Reinhard Delfina Rinke was also heard here and there, mixed with his origin. The mad woman who stabbed the leg of the prince returned after finding the emperor's illegitimate son out of her resentment and obsession with Michelle.

“Was I in a position to choose you?”

“… … I was the one who asked for a kiss.”

the man said tearfully. It's a choice: Always leisurely pretending to be indifferent, eventually making me cling. Dulcinea kept his mouth shut and just caressed the man's firm chest. Wilhelm was silent for a long time before opening his mouth.

“Dulcinea.”

“… … .”

“What would you do if you could choose me?”

"What does it mean?"

Wilhelm lifted her loose hair and ran his hand through it before meeting her gaze. Strangely, in those eyes that had always seemed insensitive, there was a certain warm and deep feeling just now, and Dulcinea involuntarily swallowed her breath.

“Have you ever imagined standing in front of God, held in my hands under the sun?”

But it was impossible to come out of that mouth. Holding his hand and standing before God is something only married couples do. Dulcinea opened his mouth in amazement, then let out a low laugh. It would be impossible for her to hold hands with this man over the crown prince in her entire life.

“How could that be possible? I don't know if it's a dream."

However, Wilhelm was still looking at her with a hard expression on his face. Dulcinea hugged her man's chest as if to calm down and buried her face there. Then she whispered softly.

“I know your heart. The day I kissed you, I beat my chest in bed wondering why I had already met Michelle. But what can I do? It's an impossible love. Having come to this, I can only hope that we will be able to meet and love each other in the next life.”

“It’s the next life.”

Wilhelm whispered to her with a sneer hanging from the corner of his mouth.

“You know what, Dulcinea? I have already lived one life.”

“Is it?”

"yes. And I was your prisoner in a previous life too.”

"Oh my goodness… … . Are you someone who can say something romantic like this?”

Dulcinea smiled brightly and looked up at him. But the young man was not serious.

“I knelt down at your feet and begged you to let me go, but I couldn’t get away from you. You choked me.”

“And did you meet me in this life too?”

"yes."

“Are you going to be a prisoner again?”

Thinking of it as a common joke between lovers, Dulcinea asked a playful question. The man cupped her cheek and whispered in her ear.

"no. It will be a little different this time.”

"Oh my goodness. how?"

“You will be my prisoner and I will make you groan.”

Dulcinea's cheeks turned red. Her young man said that and pushed her away before getting up. Dulcinea also hurriedly got up and brushed off her dress. The darkness of the forest hides the two, but it was difficult to meet for too long. Besides, the empress was secretly dealing with the young man's owner.

Dulcinea was also vaguely aware that the empress was playing with the body of her predecessor, Hu Rinke. The current Rinke Hu was attacked by the assassins of the empress. A few days ago, Hu Linke secretly sent a letter to the Empress. She meant that she wanted the body of Rinke Hu back. She pretended not to know the empress.

So it was difficult for anyone to find out that Dulcinea was dating a young man. This man who is being harassed by that poisonous and obsessive woman must also be like that. Dulcinea suddenly spat out words of jealousy.

“Ah, I envy Rinke Hu… … .”

“… … You?"

The young man who was about to say goodbye widened his eyes unexpectedly. Dulcinea hesitated, running her fingers through her disheveled hair.

“Because she has you… … .”

“… … Didn't you take something from her?”

It probably didn't mean much. However, Dulcinea reacted more sensitively than necessary.

"That's not something I wanted to take away from you!"

“… … .”

Wilhelm shut his mouth in surprise. At the same time, Dulcinea also noticed that she had screamed too loud, and she covered her mouth in fright. And he apologized in a low voice.

“… … sorry. But really... … .”

“… … .”

“People say that I am a fairy who decided to sit in the seat of the crown prince, but I didn't even know he was the crown prince from the beginning... … .”

The sad eyes shook in confusion. Dulcinea soon clung to Wilhelm's chest and cried silently.

"Really. You're the only one I wanted first... … .”

“… … believe."

The young man tapped Dulcinea lightly on the shoulder. Dulcinea wanted to cry for a while longer, but it was too much. The tryst that lasted until dawn was too long, and Gillia, tired of watching her, was restless and returned to the two of them to urge her on her way.

Dulcinea turned around with red eyes. But the young man didn't just let her Dulcinea go. He took hold of her hand as she was about to leave, and whispered something meaningful in her ear.

“If you want it, you should have it.”

"what… … .”

“Let’s see.”

That was the last one Attracted by Gillia's urging, Dulcinea broke up with the man. What do you mean? Maybe he's trying to start a rebellion. Dulcinea could not sleep even after entering at dawn.

***

It was right before the prayer meeting that Dulcinea learned what the man meant. The empress of Castreya, who had grown splendidly, visited her crown prince prior to the prayer meeting. The empress caught between the two who were just getting dressed and were about to head to the temple together, whispered to Michelle.

“It seems that the girl is in a hurry.”

“It is a disgrace to lose my father's body. What is it?”

Hearing just one word, it was enough to clearly guess that Reinhardt Delfina and Rinke raised the white flag on this side. Michelle asked the empress in a remarkably pleasant tone. The empress replied with a sneer on her lips, but without clearing the slightest suspicion.

“The illegitimate son swears before God at the last rite of the Daejong Church.”

“What do you mean?”

“The Oath of Chevalier Adelpho.”

Michelle's eyes widened. The empress spat out the words, and she laughed short and sharp, as if she herself was also amazed.

"I heard that you have a big scar on your cheek, so I guess you're going to abandon that illegitimate child now."

But the biggest surprise was Dulcinea, who was listening to the words by the two of them. Before she married Michelle, she had taken intensive princess lessons because she needed to know the history of the Empire. So what Adelpho's oath was, too, she knew very well.

A vow to do everything for my brother. A younger brother's oath to live only in his older brother's shadow. From the outside, it only looked like Rinke Hu's humiliating attitude of trying to get his father's body back even if he had to swear an oath of allegiance to the crown prince.

However, Dulcinea, who remembered the words 'wait and see' from her passionate lover yesterday morning, couldn't help but think that way.

It means to hold hands before God. And when he said he would let him choose, he was serious.

Because that old oath also included a criminal takeover.

***

Daejong Church is celebrated for 7 days. And on the day after that first prayer meeting, the Heights Yelter was a drunken mess, regardless of the majestic divinity-tinged capital.

Most of the Treasury Office frowned at the news that he would become the treasurer of Lord Luden, but some of his colleagues congratulated him greatly. Thanks to his meticulous personality, he did a better job than anyone else, but many people felt sorry for him when he was kicked by his boss every time.

Heitz informed the Finance Office that he would quit after completing the budget execution right before Daejong Gyo Church, and today was the day Heitz's work ended. After the morning prayer meeting, Heitz and his companions shrugged their shoulders and drank heavily in the commercial street in front of the capital. However, until today, because of the nagging of his inflexible boss about working days, he crawled back into the Finance Office drunkenly.

Of course, they did not enter the Treasury Office empty-handed. He came in with a few bottles of alcohol and started drinking on the spot as soon as the afternoon shift was over. Perhaps they were the first treasurers to be drunk in the imperial castle!

The treasurers of the proud Alanques came to compare their drinking with each other, and Heitz became the second best drinker among them and retired triumphantly.

On a drunken day like this, nonsense always comes out of his mouth, so instead of heading straight home, he started walking in the garden near the Treasury Office. It was common for the emperor's treasurers to work through the night, so when the guards saw him dressed as a treasurer, they just nodded and passed by.

At this rate, even if it is an outside castle, it is impossible not to take issue with neglect of security. But the Emperor is no longer my superior, is he? So, do you have any loyalty to tell His Majesty the Emperor that 'Your bed is in danger'? Shall we just keep our mouths shut out of loyalty among the once overworked servants of His Majesty the Emperor? Heitz, who was giggling alone, noticed that he had been out of the country too many times. It was a forest near the crown prince's palace that would normally not come near it.

Among the finance ministers, it is a place where they do not even spit in that direction. The prince's extravagance was so well-known, and the treasurers assigned to the crown prince's budget had to be cursed at and punished by the crown prince every year. The gist of that swearing was always, 'What can I do with such a small amount of money!' Heitz was always envious of the prince who could call it a rat's tail.

'Anyways. Everyone comes here because they're out of luck.'

Heitz spat and staggered back. But there was something strange in his eyes. The white one was grown up in the corner of the forest. It was none other than the crown princess's dress, but to Heitz at that moment, it looked like something similar to a ghost. Naturally, Heitz opened his eyes wide. And so, unexpectedly, Heitz saw another face he knew.

Wilhelm Colonna. Luden's Thunder.

and the emperor's illegitimate son.

Needless to say, at that moment, Gillia, exhausted from watching for a long time, was dozing off all the time, and it became an opportunity for Heitz to glimpse the tryst. Heitz rubbed his eyes and checked the face he saw again. It was the same when I looked at it again. It was difficult to be mistaken for that beautiful, shrewd, and overbearing young man.

'What is that?'

Naturally, the Heights Yelter was the flagship. Isn't it? The first knight of lord Luden, who will become his new superior, is meeting with the crown princess, who is lord Luden's enemy, alone at such a place at this time?

In addition, among the rumors secretly spreading in the imperial castle, there was a story that the knight was the emperor's illegitimate son. I don't know who spread it, but people who heard the rumors knelt down because of the striking resemblance to the emperor's portrait in his youth.

So Heitz rubbed his eyes again and again. It was an unlikely combination. However, even if he rubbed his eyes, the scenery he saw did not disappear. Heitz clicked his tongue with a huh. Among the scenery he saw while working as the treasurer of Hwang Seong for several years, there were all sorts of stars. But do you have to do that?

'Is it too strange?'

He thought of Lord Luden, whom he would soon serve. A woman who said that he had been attacked the other day and had huge scars on his face. Because of her, he rarely had a chance to meet him even after he quit his job. After attending the prayer meeting at Daejong Church tomorrow, a message came asking me to see him if possible.

'What should I do... … .'

I'm sober. It was difficult for him to discern what he was seeing. Heitz finally decided to leave the judgment to tomorrow's self. He himself drank to the point of becoming drunk anyway, and judgments made while drunk usually do not produce very good results.

So, Heitz slowly backed away. At that point, the two of them were lying on their backs in the woods, so they couldn't be seen. Of course, Heitz's complicated mind became more confused.

***

Reinhardt had to get up early in the morning to attend the prayer meeting. It was her first public appearance since she was attacked, and it was only natural that all the attention of the nobles who attended her prayer meeting would be focused on her.

He debated whether or not to wear a veil, but in the end, Reinhardt decided to expose his injured face. About ten days after he was attacked. The wound on his cheek was barely beginning to heal. There was a disagreement over the red wound, but Reinhardt bandaged it and asked to take all of his herbs. The doctor had a disapproving face. It is possible that the wound will reopen.

But if so, even better. The reason Reinhardt exposed his face was to show off. Wouldn't it be great if you shed blood? Thinking so, Reinhardt touched his forehead.

“You are tired. I had a headache last night, so I barely fell asleep at dawn.”

“That’s right. But you are beautiful.”

Wilhelm, who had been waiting in front of the room to escort her since early morning, held out his hand and smiled. Reinhardt grabbed Wilhelm's hand and gave him a face.

“You’re kidding me, now. It's not like you can't see the scars you've earned because it's your eyes.”

“What are you talking about? How could something like a wound ever put you down?”

There were even scars on his bare face without makeup, so it gave off a sharp and strange atmosphere. I'd say it's dangerous. Reinhardt sighed.

“You have to cut it.”

“… … You said you have to look pitiful in the eyes of others.”

"yes."

While walking, Reinhard almost tripped and fell, so Wilhelm grabbed her by the waist.

"thanks."

“Lean on me.”

"yes."

Since the day she was attacked, Wilhelm did a wonderful job of supporting her, who was suffering from a bit of anxiety. In the eyes of others, it will look like it will go backwards at any moment. Reinhardt snorted.

After Wilhelm offered to swear the oath of Chevalier, she secretly contacted the Empress. At first she just wanted her body back. The empress replied that she didn't know what she was talking about, and she felt aggrieved. However, on her third contact, Reinhardt said that if she returned her body, she would have Wilhelm make Michel the Chevalier oath. Indeed, the empress seemed agitated. In the third contact, there was neither denial nor consent.

So, Reinhardt decided to reveal his injured self in front of the empress today. He was going to play a dethroned woman who triumphantly brought her illegitimate son to the capital, but died with a huge scar on his face.

His father's body was stolen and he was attacked. Her face, which was evaluated as pretty, had ugly scars, so her heart was shaken. Giving her illegitimate son to the safety of the Empress and Michelle, and returning Drinker's body to make it appear only that she was willing to back off, did so.

“But I wonder if this will work. Besides… … .”

“Besides?”

Reinhardt looked up at the beautiful face that was supporting him as if hugging him. The fresh expression of a young man who is arrogant and full of confidence, as if he had never failed.

“Didn’t you ask for the body back after you swore?”

“Because they will never give you a body first. So I have no choice but to offer myself first.”

“But, Wilhelm. And what if they don't keep their promises? Then it will be like my beautiful knight being taken away from me.”

“… … ah."

When Reinhardt whispered that, the young man's face brightened. Did I say something so pleasing? Shouldn't you be embarrassed at this part or whisper that you won't? Reinhardt's question was quickly answered. Wilhelm smiled as if he was overjoyed and spoke quietly.

“Tell me one more time.”

“What?”

“My beautiful knight… … .”

iced coffee. So, the young man seemed to like that Reinhardt referred to him as 'my' knight. Reinhardt smiled and stroked Wilhelm's cheek.

"yes. My dear Wilhelm.”

Right after that, Reinhardt was a little taken aback by the dramatic result of his words. The face of her young man, who had entrusted her cheek to her, turned bright red in an instant, from her neck to the tips of her hair. The change was so dramatic that Reinhardt had her eyes wide open. The knuckles of his hands that held him were also stained red like strawberries, and of course the fingertips trembled a little.

“… … Wilhelm?”

Confused by the change, Reinhardt unconsciously called the name of the young man in front of him. The young man peered into her face with thrilled eyes, and then, ignoring her gaze, lowered her head and buried her face in Reinhardt's shoulder, a luxurious sable cloak.

“… … this. Wilhelm. This is the hallway of the Welcome Palace.”

There were only ten servants standing to accompany the two until the prayer meeting. Besides, Mark and other knights were also waiting. Of course, Reinhardt flinched and was conscious of others' gazes. But Wilhelm didn't care.

“… … Wait. me now... … .”

“… … .”

"too… … I am so happy.”

At the words of that honest and fresh confession, Reinhardt's face eventually turned red. He hurriedly made eye contact with Marc, but Marc, as if imagining something, put on a happy expression uncharacteristic of a girl his age, holding his hands together and shining his eyes.

It was no different than the others. It was because the story that the lord of Luden and the knight had been hit by a boat was circulating too openly anyway. Everyone present came up with thoughts of various resolutions, ranging from 'It's worth it' to 'It's really good', but no one was surprised.

***

There are five temples in the Alanques Empire. Among them, the temple dedicated to Alutica, the god of fertility, had the largest scale, and it was the Great Shrine of Alutica in the capital that always supervised the prayer meetings of the Daejong Church.

In the morning before the Great War, magnificent wagons lined up. Even before the start of the prayer meeting, the temple was filled with people claiming to be the best. Beggars also rushed to the front of the temple. Most of them were beaten in the head by the guards and chased away, but the lucky ones among them even ran away with a smirk when they received even a single gold coin from the superiors.

“It’s a piece of shit.”

Seeing the splendid and messy scene, Pernaha Glencia, who was standing in front of the Great Temple, spat out. The great lord of Luden, Reinhardt, who was standing in front of him, looked back at those words and smiled.

“It is said that Daejong Church is a place for beggars. Aren’t they coming from all over the country?”

“It looks like a horse has bones.”

Pernaha sneered. Reinhardt replied without changing his expression.

“When I have something to say, I don’t say it back.”

“Like when you kicked out Thunder because there was no horse food.”

“At that time, I was truly sorry.”

As many factors flocked to the prayer meeting, they had to go through a body search before they could enter. Thus, the front yard of Alutica's Great Hall became a huge waiting area for high-ranking nobles. Pernaha Glencia, who arrived in the capital yesterday just in time for the Daejong Church, was no exception.

No one was an idiot to believe that Glencia's second son, who was present as proxy for the Marquis of Glencia, had come here to pray. That's why a lot of eyes fell on the two, no, three people who stood together. Reinhard Delfina Rinke, Pernaha Glencia, and Wilhelm Colonna.

It was only after arriving in the capital that Fernaha heard that rumors about the Emperor's illegitimate son had spread so openly to Alzen Total. He glanced at Wilhelm, who was standing behind Reinhardt, feeling the stinging gaze.

The young man still had a frighteningly cold face. Instead, he met me in front of me and smiled and held out his hand, and he grabbed it, but he still wasn't a likable person because he didn't have a smile. However, it was interesting that he had become strangely supple from his rough appearance. Does Luden's mad dog become elegant in the imperial castle? Just as Per Naha was thinking that, Reinhardt opened her mouth again just in time.

“I swear I don’t think of Glencia’s second son as a beggar.”

“That’s something to be thankful for.”

“If I had to argue, I would be more like a creditor who strode from the border to the capital.”

Tendons sprouted on Pernaha's forehead. The interests of both territories matched, so they lent the soldiers, but after all, Luden's debt to Glencia is enormous.

'No, I didn't ask for my debt to be returned right away.

“If the debtor dies, you can't get what you borrowed. It is the debtor's duty to check whether the collateral is safe or not. It looks like it may have been scratched a little without knowing it.”

So Pernaha also accepted. In the meantime, he was openly sarcastic about Reinhardt, who had been attacked and had a large red scar on his face. She was also sarcastic about Wilhelm, who was trying not to damage every single hair on her woman. That kid who was talking confidently made a great bet on the Battle of Youngji, but... … .

'I don't want my woman's face to be hurt like that.'

As if the provocation this time had angered him, Wilhelm's complexion changed drastically. Fernaha became cheerful. At one time, the child's fight was fighting on the battlefield, and Glens Changbaek was a good dog. That's the reason why he was called a bastard rather than a great article.

Bastards who don't know how to control their emotions can't be treated as knights. Of course, the soldiers of the frontier, including the Marquis of Glencia, didn't need to control their emotions, so they called themselves bastards, but that's out of the question anyway... … .

“So, how does the creditor feel?”

"I do not know. Do you really want to hear it?”

On the other hand, that woman who could afford to listen to anything was indeed Rinke Hu's daughter.

Reinhardt calmed down his young knight, who was furrowing his forehead at Pernaha's words, with a single gesture. The ability to immediately understand the meaning of Pernaha, the quickness to appease a man who would be angry with him first. And even the time to not be angry with Pernaha.

Wilhelm, who had revealed this, looked at Reinhardt and quickly put his anger away and retreated. Pernaha inadvertently admired. Reinhardt replied with a light smile at Pernaha.

"Even if you don't have to say it, it's enough to guess that you're standing next to me in front of the Great Hall."

The reason why the predecessor Rinke Hu is evaluated as a great commander is because he managed the battlefield calmly. If the Marquis of Glencia's decades of warfare in the north was close to dogfighting, Rinke Hu's tactics were nothing short of management.

Wilhelm Colonna fought a fiefdom war and turned Luden into a fiefdom, but that was the northern way. Since what they saw and learned was dogfighting, the high-ranking nobles in the capital thought that it could collapse at any time.

But Pernaha was sure. That this woman would manage that great estate in the style of Rinke Hu.

Of course, that will be possible only when other waves do not hit Reinhard Delfina or Rinke. That bastard in particular will need a proper leash. It seems to be doing pretty well now, but... … .

"line."

When the priest politely greeted him, Wilhelm quickly escorted Reinhardt. It was a complete monopoly, making it difficult for anyone around him to approach Reinhardt. That dog. Fernaha clicked her tongue.

A dog that does not want to be separated from its owner even for a moment will eventually make it difficult for the owner as well.

***

The arrangement of the seats for the prayer meeting in Daeshin Jeon was obvious to anyone. The emperor's family will be seated at the front of the long seats arranged in two rows under the statue of Alutica. It was common for the emperor and his wife to occupy the front two chairs side by side, and the capital's high-ranking nobles to fill the back in order.

But today was a little different. Reinhardt was guided to the seat right behind the imperial couple.

Even Reinhardt was surprised by the seating arrangement. This is because the seating arrangement of Daejong Church is usually decided by the empress. In the back seat of the Crown Prince and the couple were the great lords Pernaha Glencia and Rembaud. Is it to highlight the great lords?

But Reinhardt soon found out why. When they were being searched in front of the Great Hall, all the high-ranking nobles who had been snooping around to talk to Reinhardt were hesitant. It was like that. He was in a position where he would be exposed to the empress if he rushed to talk to Reinhardt. In addition, the distance between the seats is closer than usual, so if you say anything, the emperor and his wife can hear it all.

'Where am I going to talk to this slut?'

Empress Castreya's voice was as vivid as if she could hear it from the side, so Reinhardt caught his breath. Even during her days as the crown princess, she was always uncomfortable with the empress who was busy defending Michelle and keeping herself in check, and now she was the enemy to be most wary of.

Even though the emperor's family had not yet appeared, the intentions of the empress' maids who stood nearby were obvious. Besides, Reinhardt looked back from where he was standing and almost burst into laughter.

'I can't be fooled like this.'

Reinhardt suffered a wound on his left cheek. And the seat where Reinhardt was standing was right for him to stand obliquely to his left, exposing his left side to all the nobles standing behind him. just as expected. From the side of my eye, I could see several young ladies standing nearby staring at my face and holding their breath.

Reinhardt groaned and groaned involuntarily. He intentionally tried to expose the wound, but it must have been an ugly wound in the eyes of others. It seems that it is unavoidable to be a little disturbed. Wilhelm, who was standing right next to her, noticed her troublesome expression and whispered softly.

“Would you like to change seats?”

"no. Okay. I can't help it.”

After saying that, Reinhardt grabbed Wilhelm's arm and sat down. His sable cloak was beautiful, but the dress underneath it had no fancy collar, leaving the chin and neckline intact. There were not one or two people who hurriedly turned their eyes to the wound that sat down to his neck.

"oh… … .”

“I heard you were attacked, so… … .”

“But you could have hidden it… … .”

I swear, the empress must have thought that Reinhardt would come with his face covered. That's common. However, Reinhardt showed all of his scars, and it caused a more dramatic reaction than he expected. Everyone looked at Luden's great lord with pity, and seemed a little taken aback by the empress' disposition of her seat arrangement.

'The empress could be more angry... … .'

No one wants to be a bad person in front of others. Wouldn't it have been better to show the image of desperately wanting to hide it? Thinking so, it was when Reinhardt grabbed Wilhelm's hand.

“… … majesty."

It was an old name that I had already forgotten. I was really nervous. Who is calling me like this? Reinhardt turned his very sensitive face to look at it. I didn't know what kind of stupid person he was, but I was thinking of shooting a barrage of vitriol. However, the moment he looked at the watery eyes, Reinhardt's miasma was scattered like dust.

A beautiful, kind girl with shiny brown hair in a bountiful braid. Her old friend, Reinhardt, sat on her knees beside her, her gray eyes full of tears.

“… … Yohana!”

Reinhardt forgot his gaze for a moment and called her name with his eyes wide open. Her voice was full of warm feelings and joy that she had forgotten about. She, who served on her during her time as the Crown Princess, and the second daughter of the count who had allowed her to escape, also shed tears.

“Ah, Your Highness. Johana knew that we would see each other again like this. Oh my gosh… … .”

“Johana, Yohana.”

Seeing the great lord get up straight from the long chair and hug the woman he was pleased with, the nobles were agitated. However, neither of them shed tears while asking each other how they were doing, not caring about the eyes of others. It was a touching reunion, so someone with a weak heart was swept along and stole their eyes.

Had it not been for the situation where the emperor's family would soon enter the Great Hall, the two women would have filled the Great Hall with tears that day.

The joy of the reunion was also short-lived. Reinhardt quickly looked around. It was clear that Yohana mustered up her great courage to speak to her. How difficult it is for her to speak to her in front of others at this time when everyone is raising their eyebrows at her former queen, who has returned as the new high lord with her emperor's illegitimate son.

Sure enough, I saw a man who was restless nearby. Reinhardt asked, untangling her hands from holding her Yohana and wiping her tears.

"how have you been doing?"

“Yes, Johana is doing well. There is no shame in sending Your Highness to that cold and distant place.”

“I am no longer Your Highness, Yohana.”

Hearing those words with a smile, Yohana nodded furiously with her watery blue eyes shining.

"Yes! Now you are the Marquis of Rinke! He is also the proud lord of the Empire! Johana believed that His Excellency would have such a good time. really... … .”

“Yohana, Yohana. Others are watching.”

When he lightly tapped the excited woman on the cheek, Yohana blushed and said "Oh my" and then looked around. And I met the eyes of the man who was looking this way. The man seemed to be thinking about it, but he walked away with a look of abandon as if he had noticed that Yohana wasn't going back there anytime soon.

“This is Frederick Schneider.”

"iced coffee. you know You must be Count Schneider.”

It was a high-ranking aristocratic family with a seat in the capital. Reinhardt smiled.

“Yes, it must be Johanna Schneider now.”

“Yes, it happened.”

"when?"

“Not long after His Excellency went to Luden... … .”

Johana replied as if embarrassed. He was good in the eyes Yohana's parents, the Countess and Mrs. Müller, were always attached to Reinhardt and gave trouble to her daughter, who refused to marry her. Even so, it's disappointing, but since the woman her daughter served even became her deposed woman, the count couple should have married Yohana before things got further complicated or her daughter's evaluation was lowered. Reinhardt smiled bitterly.

“Yeah, that’s great.”

“Yes. A boy was born while His Excellency was away.”

"Oh my goodness."

“It was my child who comforted me in my sorrow. the name is… … .”

Johana was really ready to tell everything from the time she was pregnant with the boy to the time she was two years old. If only Count Schneider hadn't noticed her on her. It was clear that Count Schneider would tolerate his wife, who was a maid of honor, expressing her happiness to the great lord, but she would not welcome any further display of friendship in front of others.

“Your Majesty will be back soon. I'm really sorry, Your Excellency."

A man with a handsome mustache bowed his head to her. Reinhardt nodded her head.

"no. I was also glad to see Yohana after a long time, but there must be a chance even if it is not in front of God to confirm the shining friendship. Yohana. Before I go back to Luden, I definitely want to visit the Welcome Palace.”

"Yes! Okay!"

Saying that, Johana looked behind Reinhardt with a curious face. Reinhardt said "Ah." and gestured. Wilhelm stepped out from behind her.

"It's Wilhelm. Sir Wilhelm Colonna. Wilhelm, this is Johana. A precious friend who has always been by my side. When you come to the Welcome Palace later, I will formally introduce you.”

The two bowed lightly. When Yohana looked closely, she saw a more beautiful young man and seemed to have many things she really wanted to say. But Count Schneider tugged at her sleeve again. Nevertheless, as if she had to say something, she took a step back and opened her mouth.

“Sir, I am really sorry. I'll apologize later, but... … .”

"What are you saying?"

“I was so happy to see that he had returned, so I tried to find the jewelry box I had kept. But it's already gone.”

“A jewelry box?”

Reinhardt's eyes widened. Yohana said again, embarrassed.

"The Marquise's jewelry box."

“… … ah."

Then I remembered. A jewelry box belonging to the Marquis of Rinke that Reinhardt sold to Johanna to pay for his trip to Luden after he was sentenced to be banished from the capital. Inside, there were historical jewels that had been passed down from generation to generation in the Rinke family. All but one flawed pearl passed into Johana's hands, and was then forgotten.

“I'm sorry, Your Excellency. I didn't know, but my mother said she sold it to help pay for my wedding... … . I was too busy to take care of it.”

It was good to see how it happened. Countess Müller and his wife must have been very displeased that the artist's jewelry remained in her daughter's hands after Rinke. The fact that the jewels of the Marquis Rinke family are expensive must have played a part. Wasn't that why he sold it under the pretext of Johana's dowry? Reinhardt quickly took one of her rings from her hand and held it to her. This morning, it was the Orient ruby ​​that Mark firmly inserted, saying that no matter how much he was a great lord, he could not go away empty-handed.

“No, Johana. I'm rather happy that you thought of me. This is the return of friendship that I belatedly return.”

“Oh my, Your Excellency. I can't take anything like this!”

“Count Schneider is waiting for you.”

Reinhardt quickly pushed Johana into her husband's arms. Johana wiped her tears again and said, “I will definitely visit you, definitely!” went away with a shout. Count Schneider and his wife seemed to be far behind Reinhardt, and the two of them broke through the crowd and disappeared to the back of the Great Hall. Reinhardt suddenly turned his head thinking about how much attention Johana must have received to break through all those people and run to me.

Her gaze met with Wilhelm, who was looking down at her. It was a somewhat grumpy face, but Reinhardt thought it was because of his mood and opened his mouth with a smile.

“Johana was the lady-in-waiting when it was raining.”

"Is that so?"

But the answer that came back was still blunt. Reinhardt whispered softly.

"Why?"

The young man blinked his thick eyelashes a couple of times, turned his head disapprovingly, and replied reluctantly.

“Listening to what you say, it seems that you are not a precious friend who has been by your side 'always'.”

"What are you talking about?"

“… … When you were in Luden, I never saw anyone like that. It's not like you came while I wasn't there.”

“… … Oh, Wilhelm.”

Only then did Reinhardt understand why Wilhelm was so rugged. Apparently, Wilhelm thought that Johana had abandoned Reinhardt and ignored him. He acted like an old man, so why do he act like a child who doesn't know anything at times like this? Reinhardt squeezed the inside of Wilhelm's arm. I could feel the hard arm muscles inside the soft sheepskin coat. Her tickling touch made Wilhelm glance at her.

“Don’t all people have circumstances? Would you have wanted to say Yohana?”

“… … You are too soft.”

“Wilhelm.”

Reinhardt whispered affectionately. She was determined to be very friendly from now on to this pitiful, only stranger. Now that she herself has been ruined, shouldn't she teach Wilhelm how to live in the world? Wilhelm was taken aback by Reinhardt's calm voice.

“Sometimes you have to be soft. Because human relationships are not something that can be cut off with a single knife. If it were you, would you be able to turn around and not look at me overnight, even if I did something bad to you?”

“… … Nope."

"right? So is Johana.”

Reinhardt smiled and squeezed the inside of Wilhelm's arm again a couple of times before releasing it. I could see that Wilhelm's face softened a little at that tickling yet intimate play of hands.

“Before Johana could not visit me, there were years she and I spent. Judging from the time of that friendship, it is good for me to think that Yohana must have had a hard time not finding me.”

“… … Why?”

“Yeah, it hurts me so much to think that she didn’t look for me on purpose.”

Wilhelm kept his mouth shut and was lost in thought. In the meantime, Reinhardt had been snooping around and accepting several nobles who cautiously greeted him. Priests came in to light candles and inspect the altar, as if the prayer meeting was about to begin. As the apprentice priests lined up, the people also busily returned to their places. Soon, the imperial family, including the emperor, will enter, and after the greetings, the prayer meeting will begin. Reinhardt tidied his hair proudly.

Then Wilhelm touched the side of her sable cloak. It looked like dust was sitting on it. She started tidying up the crumpled cloak while she was away, and Reinhardt stopped Wilhelm, but her knight didn't seem to fall off until the cloak was all tidied up. In the end, after unfolding her cloak in front of others, Wilhelm straightened her back and stood next to Reinhardt.

“Your Majesty the Emperor and Her Highness the Empress!”

“His Highness the Crown Prince and His Secret Service are served!”

The declaration of position rang out with a loud trumpet sound. The nobles gathered there all turned to the entrance, bowed their backs and bent their knees. It was the same with Reinhardt. Then, standing next to her, Wilhelm whispered softly.

“Will you?”

"What do you mean?"

Reinhardt also whispered. Wilhelm asked again and again.

“Even if I did a great mistake to you, would you try to guess my suffering… … .”

It was an awkward conversation. It would only be appropriate if he laughed and whispered, like a joke, saying, “It will happen to me too.” However, Wilhelm's tone seemed to be begging. As if someone who had made a really big mistake was begging for mercy at the end... … .

Reinhardt furrowed one eyebrow and slightly pulled his chin.

“Why do you say that?”

But those words were overshadowed by a standing declaration. “Everybody stand up!” At the roar of the ceremonial attendant's command, the nobles rose to their feet. The emperor was coming in ahead of me. He should have looked that way, but Reinhardt only stared at Wilhelm. No, it would be correct to say that he couldn't take his eyes off him. In the end, Wilhelm vomited in response to her persistent gaze.

“I want you to treat me the way you treat others.”

“… … Aren't you soft?”

“No, I just can't think of it that way.”

Wilhelm's lowered black eyelashes flickered. The gaze lingered on Reinhardt's left cheek, then fell back to his collarbone. Inside it, a sense of guilt flickered, turned on, and then disappeared into darkness again. The guilt was so deep and heavy that he could never guess the identity of the original sin nestled inside the young man.

Reinhardt was stunned, then gripped Wilhelm's arm again in deep sadness.

In the meantime, the emperor's family took their seats while being greeted by nobles. The prince and his wife went ahead of the emperor and lit seventeen candles on the altar at the end of the long road. It was a ceremony with the meaning of lighting a fire so that the gods could look down on this place in detail.

In the meantime, the imperial couple walked to their seats while being greeted by nobles. It was polite for high-ranking nobles as well as great lords to greet the passing emperor and couple. The representative of the high lord of Rembaud knelt down and kissed the hand of the Empress of Castreya. The empress smiled slightly.

“Glencia's second son, Pernaha Glencia, sees His Majesty the Emperor.”

Pernaha Glencia also played her part as the Marquess of Glencia's deputy. He stiffened his freckled face and greeted him with his dignity. The Emperor smiled brightly and welcomed Pernaha Glencia.

“It's only natural that the Marquis of Glencia is busy now that the long war is finally over. You see it a second time.”

“I am embarrassed.”

“I will call you soon.”

“I will gladly comply.”

No matter how the battle between the Marquis of Glencia and the Emperor was, a friendly picture was needed by everyone. There was no revealing of each other's feelings about the soldiers and the war. Fernaha Glencia also lightly kissed the back of Empress Castreya's hand.

“I didn’t expect Glencia’s second son to be so handsome.”

“It's the first time I've seen Her Highness. I apologize.”

“Please show your face often.”

It was a very friendly tone. Reinhardt lowered his eyelashes and listened to the entire conversation. The Empress of Castreya was always a difficult opponent, even when she was her crown princess. She was kind to everyone, but always cold towards Reinhardt. The reason was that of all mothers with sons. Something that Michelle might have had a much better match. When Reinhardt stabbed Michelle in the leg, it was to her surprise that the Empress of Castreya pursued her to prison and did not mutilate her.

The emperor eventually stood in front of Reinhardt. While the formal greetings were being exchanged, the emperor's eyes were already on Wilhelm. He was so anxious that there was not even a word of consolation for her visible wounds. Reinhardt stifled her snort and quickly straightened her bent knee. The emperor quickly stood in front of Wilhelm. Wilhelm got down on one knee.

“Wilhelm Colonna of Luden sees His Majesty the Emperor.”

“It's the third time I've seen it this close. How have you been?”

“Thanks for taking care of me… … .”

Seeing Wilhelm unable to finish his words, the emperor turned to Reinhardt as if he had just remembered. A large red scar on Reinhardt's face. It only looked bigger because it was sitting on a pale face that hadn't returned to its blood yet. Even so, you didn't say a word. The courageous illegitimate child who suddenly appeared was such a welcome and good look.

Reinhardt glanced at the empress. just as expected. The empress was glaring at Wilhelm with her fierce gaze. For that moment, even Reinhardt didn't seem to notice. In her youth, she defeated the Emperor's enemies, and now Michelle's enemies are her targets.

“Oh, yes. After Rinke. Are the wounds okay? I heard about the raid. What kind of wrathful person stole the body? Even though it's after passing through the crystal gate, I have no face. The corpse of the ancestor Rinke Hu proves the friendship between the imperial family and the Luden domain.”

Is it really so? Reinhardt laughed inwardly. After all, my father died because of your son's ugly withdrawal from the riots in Sarawak. Will my father's body prove my friendship with you? A forgotten hatred boiled over. However, after shamelessly expressing regret, the emperor patted Wilhelm on the shoulder again.

Soon after, the empress sat down in front of her. The eyes of the two women collided in the air.

“… … Reinhardt Delfina Rinke of Luden meets Her Highness the Empress."

"Oh oh."

That was it. Even as Reinhardt bent her back and got up, her gaze was fixed on the empress's face instead of falling to the floor. The person who stole Rinke Fu's body. She could not think of anything other than the Empress of Castreya. Reinhardt had already attempted several negotiations with Empress Castreya. The empress, who continued to answer that she did not know what she was talking about, did not reply to the letter she had sent this morning.

If you wish, a letter to make Wilhelm kneel before Michel and make him swear by Chevalier. It's fine even after the oath, so please return the body. What did the empress think about the fact that if she did that, Luden would give the royal family the loyalty she deserved?

Without greeting, the empress passed Reinhardt and stood in front of Wilhelm. Wilhelm elegantly and neatly took the empress's hand and tried to kiss her on top of her. But her empress was quick.

With a thud, the empress pulled her hand out of Wilhelm's. Everyone in the vicinity was taken aback by the cold and harsh touch. She was the empress's embarrassing knight of the great lord. It was the moment when the rumors about the illegitimate child that had been spreading in the past gained power, and the nobles around them exchanged silent glances with each other.

Only those who were surrounded by them were calm. The emperor glanced this way, turned her head, and walked to her seat, while Wilhelm, without looking up at the empress, bent her back again. The eyes of Reinhardt and the empress met again. The air turned violent as the two women exchanged only hatred.

"after."

However, the empress immediately turned around with a smile on her lips and went to the side of the emperor. It was the smile of a victor. Seeing that smile, Reinhardt was convinced once again. The empress was the culprit of stealing Rinke Hu's body. I gnashed my teeth.

'Your proud son killed my father, and now you insult my father's body.'

He had no time to calm his angry heart. The one who appeared before Reinhardt's eyes was Michelle. The prince's arrogant eyes made him laugh as he came down after lighting all the candles on the altar.

“The wound looks big.”

“I am embarrassed.”

“Contrary to rumors, Luden's thunder seemed to be just a shower. You don't deserve to be a knight to hurt your master.”

Reinhardt couldn't stand the disparaging words.

“It is said that the seat of the imperial family is supreme, but it was only a blink of an eye a few times before His Majesty spoke of friendship with Luden. Why don't you keep your manners in front of the gods, even if you have to tell them to?”

“… … profit!"

“I am also bowing down to Your Highness.”

Michelle opened her eyes all at once and tried to say something. However, he was also the crown prince of Alanques, and he knew that it was not so good to talk any more to get caught in a place like this. So Michel passed Wilhelm without replying any more. He was ignoring Wilhelm. Everyone expected it, so he wasn't too surprised.

However, it was surprising that the Crown Princess did not follow Michelle and stopped in front of them. Those watery blue eyes that seemed to tinged with sadness lingered on Reinhardt, then stopped again in Wilhelm's direction. Seeing the Crown Princess not leaving, Reinhardt bent her knees.

"Luden's Reinhard Delfina... … .”

I once yelled at Michelle to take this girl's life, or at least cut off her wrists. But what the hell does a wrist like you mean? Princess Canary meant nothing to Reinhardt except that she was the enemy's wife. She once blamed her for tricking Michelle into killing my own father, but upon thinking about it a little more she could see that it was Michelle's fault too.

'I wonder how many choices you've had since you came to the Empire as a hostage.'

So Reinhardt had little regret for the languid woman who had taken the place that had once belonged to him. It's a pity, but as long as you're standing next to Michelle, you'll die in my hands, that's exactly what I thought.

But the woman thought differently.

“!”

The Crown Princess, who stared at Wilhelm and Reinhardt alternately, ignored her during Reinhardt's greeting and held out her hand to Wilhelm. It was her blatant disregard for Reinhardt. Reinhardt, who was still bending his knees, was a little taken aback, but he stood up because it was not unexpected.

However, it was somewhat unexpected that the Crown Princess reached out to Wilhelm. After ignoring herself, what good would she have to accept an example from Wilhelm? If she disregarded the Highlord of Luden, she should also disregard her knight. Even though he was the emperor's illegitimate child, why did he act like that when the empress and the crown prince ignored him one after another?

Seeing the back of his hand held out in front of him, Wilhelm looked down at it for a very short time before smiling.

It was a faint smile that only Reinhardt and the Crown Princess standing nearby could barely notice. Wilhelm looked up at the Crown Princess with her jet-black, insidious eyes, and grabbed her fingertips.

“Wilhelm Colonna of Luden sees Her Highness, Crown Princess.”

“Nice to meet you, Wilhelm Colonna.”

The woman answered in a thin voice. Wilhelm looked up at her this time and smiled so brightly that even the person sitting at her furthest feet before her substitute could tell he was smiling. The corner of the crown prince's mouth trembled slightly. Wilhelm slowly lowered her head and pressed his lips down on the back of her hand. Deep enough to overdo it.

As soon as the strangely deep kiss was over, the Crown Princess lowered her hand and put on her glove. It was something that could have been done by going to his seat, but Reinhardt stared at the crown princess, not knowing why he had to do it in front of them. Why? The Crown Princess, who had lightly caressed her gloved hand, looked at Reinhardt and gave a small sneer.

It was a smile that somehow wrinkled his forehead. It was like telling Reinhardt that he had won, even though nothing had happened yet.

It was natural that Reinhardt didn't make it something to laugh about with that royal family, but strangely, it was particularly uncomfortable. Even when the Crown Princess went and stood next to Michelle, and her high priest came in and her prayer meeting began, Reinhardt couldn't shake the subtlety and stared at the princess' pale silver hair.

***

While the prayer meeting was held in the imperial castle, the capital was close to a festive mood. This is because while the Daejong Church is open, donations and donations are made all over the capital, and goods are distributed to beggars and the poor in the imperial castle. The capital was full of people who wanted to let their children into the temple, as well as vendors to supply goods for a year to Halsey's temple, which did not open except at this time.

It was the afternoon after the prayer meeting when Heights Yelter met Reinhardt. In his hand was a bunch of flowers to present to Reinhardt.

Merchants of this period only sold flowers to offer to the temple. So, it was not easy to find flowers to present to others rather than temples. He slept until broad daylight to enjoy his free time because he did not go to work at the Finance Office, but was late to buy flowers. He entered the welcome palace with a shy face.

“Come on. What flower is it?”

Reinhardt, who combed his hair neatly, greeted him. As if he had just returned from the prayer meeting, his clothes were still growing. Wilhelm was still standing next to her. Heitz, who had just opened the door and walked in, smiled embarrassedly as he waved her bouquet.

"No matter how important it is, someone said that it's not polite to go to meet a woman empty-handed."

"Hmm. Are you a woman?”

Reinhardt jokingly replied. Heitz blinked his eyes and nodded his head.

“I’ll be grateful.”

“Yes.”

Marc took the flower and smelled it first to lightly test the poison. After hearing that it was okay, Reinhardt accepted the bouquet and smelled the incense. “It smells good.” "Is that so?" Mark went out again with flowers.

“I’m sorry. It's a situation where you have to be careful. I am not suspecting you.”

"I understand. That… … .”

Heitz glanced at Reinhardt's cheek. As soon as she returned to the welcome palace, she was treated by a doctor and her cheek was bandaged again. So Heitz couldn't see Reinhardt's wound, but he could tell that it was bigger than he thought.

“Oh, the woman’s cheeks… … .”

“I can't help it. Assassins aren’t going to stab each other, male and female.”

Heitz, who was embarrassed, answered as if to make an excuse.

"It's a beautiful person, but it's sad."

“… … Are you the kind of person who can say such a thing, sir?”

I thought he would be criticized for saying something presumptuous, but unexpectedly, the woman who would become his master opened her eyes wide and asked back. She can't even talk like that. Heitz felt a bit resentful.

“What kind of person did I appear to the lord to ask?”

"ah."

At those words, Reinhardt opened his mouth like an idiot and then laughed. Then, shyly, he covered his mouth for a moment. Only Reinhardt knew that it was because he was embarrassed and embarrassed that he had ruminated on his past life memories and pretended to know Heitz on his own.

“I’m sorry. The officials of the Finance Office have a strong impression that they are very rigid and only know money... … .”

So Reinhardt used the Treasury Office as an excuse. Heitz sulked a little, but it wasn't that he didn't understand her. Treasury officials had always been told that they were miserly mistresses, and the greatest mistress among them was the Heights Yelter. However, Heitz himself has always insisted on the word 'mistress' as 'rational thinking to efficiently use the tax revenue of the empire', so it was unfair.

“Not me.”

“Yes, yes. I'm sorry.”

Yeah, I feel like I laughed lightly before, but maybe it's because of my mood... … . Heitz narrowed her eyes. Anyway, it seemed like the atmosphere was going to freeze as she brought up her story about her wounds, but fortunately that didn't seem to be the case.

On the other hand… … .

Heitz glanced at the young man standing next to her. A beautiful man with black curly hair. The clothes he wore were also black, and even the tightly worn gloves were dyed black. So no matter how you look at it... … .

'It seems that what I saw that day is correct... … .'

Heitz still hadn't forgotten what he had witnessed in the vicinity of the prince's palace drunk. A young man in black who had a secret meeting with the Crown Princess. Those sharp eyes and curly hair were the kind of appearances that could not be mistaken for forgetting or mistaking. I have a lot of black curly hair and a lot of sharp impressions, but that combination is not common. It gives the impression that there will only be beggarly things for three years, even if you just run into each other.

Besides, what about the rumors surrounding him? I don't know who first spread it, but rumors that Luden's thunder was the emperor's illegitimate child had already spread throughout the imperial castle and social circles. The people who went to the Well of Eternity to check the portrait said they couldn't believe it, and everyone came out with their mouths wide open.

Besides, according to the story I heard before coming to the Welcome Palace today, the empress ignored the young man's greetings and left at the prayer meeting. The Empress of Castreya was always honest with her feelings, unlike the Emperor, who had a place for her domineering. Her behavior at the prayer meeting was all the more surprising, though, as she was a person who always tried to maintain a graceful manner, at least on outside occasions.

Rumors about the empress' cold attitude quickly grew. It is said that her emperor had a true lover, other than her empress, and that her empress killed her… … . Some were right and some were completely wrong, but only the emperor's family knew which of them was real, and Heitz couldn't possibly guess the truth.

'But the Crown Princess mette eyes... … .'

Thinking that far, Heitz went to his senses. The young man standing next to Reinhardt was blatantly glaring at Heitz, who was staring at me in thought.

“Ike, sorry. I was thinking about something else for a while... … .”

“… … Think of the future in a place where you are alone.”

“Sorry, yes.”

The young man fired at him mercilessly, and Reinhardt lightly dissuaded him.

“Wilhelm. don't be so He is someone I will see for a long time.”

"Yes."

The shrewd young man responded surprisingly obediently to Reinhardt's words. Heitz shook his head lightly to get her thoughts out.

From the day he saw the tryst between the crown prince and that young man until now, Heitz had been quite worried. No matter how you look at it, it was because the first knight called Luden's Thunder did not understand at all how he met the Crown Princess, Princess Canary, who dethroned Reinhardt in front of her and became the crown prince's wife. If I were to try to find a link, would it be that the body of the previous Rinke Hu was stolen?

But that wasn't a clever answer either. There were those who claimed that the theft of Rinke's body was the work of the empress. The empress was a person who was able to steal the body of her husband, Rinke, and if she was really the culprit, it would not be strange for Reinhardt to contact her empress. However, even there, there was no corner for the crown princess to jump out, so Heitz was worried about making her head explode.

Could it be that the illegitimate child had eyes with the Crown Princess? I even imagined what to do. But that is just nonsense. To say that, isn't that man's eyes looking at Lord Luden extremely obedient and blind?

“Hey, sit down.”

“Ah, yes.”

Just in time, Mark brought out the car. He had brought the flowers Heitz had gifted him, too, in a nice vase. Reinhardt made a few jokes about flowers, and Heitz shrugged his shoulders. At the same time, the matter about Wilhelm was pushed to the back of my mind.

There was also a calculation that there would be nothing to be gained by telling Reinhardt that the knight had met with the Crown Princess, while putting the knight named Wilhelm behind him. He is the lord he just decided to serve. But what's the use of taking a look at that woman's henchmen before starting her first job? From now on, it is important to gain her trust, but there will be nothing to gain from being branded as a gossip.

I swear, it was a calculation that Heitz wouldn't have made if he knew what Reinhardt was thinking. Reinhardt had already known Heitz from his previous life. However, Heitz did not know that, and in the end, Wilhelm's tryst was buried deep in Heitz's consciousness.

“Have you cleaned up everything?”

"Yes? That's right. All that remains is to leave at any time.”

Hayes nodded in response.

“Excuse me, but when are you leaving the capital?”

"I know. Originally, I was going to leave before Daejong Church, but... … .”

Reinhardt became a subtle face. The emperor would probably try to set Wilhelm in front of people at the banquet at Daejong Church. Since it was an event where all the high priests from the seven temples gathered, everything was concentrated in the Daejong Church. It was only natural that numerous donations and donations were made, but the thing the temples dealt with the most unknowingly was proof of lineage. There were a lot of cases in which nobles' out-of-wedlock, who were not normally recognized by the family, were admitted into the family after receiving the priest's proof that they had cleansed themselves of the original sin of blood. Of course, everything was premised on a huge donation.

The emperor's original sin, entangled in the blood of an illegitimate child. It is laughable that a child born by coveting another woman after leaving her wife has original sin, but it is even more ridiculous that a priest can wash away that sin in exchange for money. But the funniest thing was that the emperor really wanted to do that.

Anyway, that's why Reinhardt couldn't leave the capital until the Daejong Church was over. Right after the proof of that lineage, Wilhelm will swear an oath of Chevalier to Michel... … .

'I can hit that old man like a raccoon in the back of the head.'

How will the emperor react? Will he be disappointed? It was something that Reinhardt couldn't understand. I don't know what thoughts Wilhelm had, but he had a calculation that at least he wouldn't object, even on the side of Glencia, who was in debt for lending the privates. If Wilhelm swears the oath of Chevalier, that's proof that he won't enmity with the imperial family. Glencia would swear a deep friendship with the imperial family where Wilhelm would be incorporated, and would not have to reduce the number of enlisted men.

However, he could not be certain how his knight, who was still unknown to him, would break Chevalier's oath. Reinhardt took a sip of his tea, trying to clear his complicated mind.

“It has become difficult. Maybe I should stay for a while after Daejong Church.”

Heitz narrowed his eyes.

“Then what shall I do?”

At Heitz's words, Reinhardt replied after pondering for a while, "Hmm."

“I guess you have to decide.”

“Me?”

"yes. Would you like to wait for me and go with me, or would you like to go to Luden first?”

The reason Reinhardt hired Heitz is, of course, to use him as treasurer. It is now called Great Luden Manor, but it is difficult for Mrs. Sarah to manage the combined territory, which was originally six territories, by herself.

In fact, one o'clock was in a hurry. The situation itself in the imperial castle over the vast territory integrated into Yeongjijeon is absurd. Since the privates were borrowed from Glencia, it was a shame to be the leader.

And what about the finances? Even the treasure chests and tax calculations taken from the six territories brought out a sigh.

“Where will the lord take the main castle?”

“My base will be Orient Castle. So you can go to Orient Castle too. However, you have to look around all six territories, including Luden and Orient, and come up with a tax plan.”

It was Reinhardt's decision after much thought. Luden was too far and cold. It was a small manor, and the roads were often cut off in winter, making it inappropriate for the owner of the great manor to stay. On the other hand, Orient, a wealthy manor, was the largest in the East and not far from the capital. In winter, it was relatively less cold and rich, and the granary area was wide, so it was not bad to raise soldiers.

“Just hearing that is terrifying.”

“Isn’t it fun just listening to it? The entire ledger of the East's best estate is in your hands.”

Heitz grinned.

“I fear the lord the most. No matter how many referees there are, why would you trust me to entrust the entire ledger of the new estate?”

“You believe in the existence of the person who asked you to buy the flower.”

The smile hardened. Heitz was not naturally the type to be shaken in front of others, but at that moment, I couldn't hide the shaking in my heart.

“Are you going to pass it off as saying that you really know? if not… … .”

“I know, Heights Yelter.”

Reinhardt smiled and looked at the vase by the window. Heitz brushed her hair up with a confused face.

"good. Then may I go first?”

“I like that you don’t talk nonsense. Progress is also fast.”

"haha."

Heitz swiped his nose once and replied that he would visit Delmaril, Orient, and Luden far away. Reinhardt gestured to Marc. What Marc brought with him was, again, a bag of gold.

“I still have some of what you gave me last time.”

"That's the money I gave you to buy alcohol, so use the rest to buy alcohol. This is a woman.”

“I will do a tour of the empire.”

“Since you are my person, I should eat good food in good places.”

The man questioned Reinhard suspiciously.

“Excuse me, but how did you survive in Luden with a distribution like this?”

The fact that Luden is a poor estate is because it was so famous. Such spending could not have been possible in such a poor and small estate. Reinhardt laughed out loud at that confident tone.

“I had to sell even one of my mother’s pearls!”

“That’s great.”

“The word came out, so it’s a word. Is there any way to track a specific gem?”

Reinhardt wrinkled his nose and asked. Heitz realized right away that it was the jewel she had just spoken of about her predecessor, the Marquis de Rinke. She wants to find the jewels she sold.

“My mother's jewel is Countess Schneider... … It was originally taken by Yohana, the daughter of Count Müller, but she is said to have been sold by her wife to provide her dowry. I sold it because I was in a hurry when I sold it, but it would be nice if I could get it back.”

Since it was the jewel of the prestigious Marquis of Rinke, there must have been quite a few historical treasures. Just as Reinhardt got his father's body back, he wanted to find those jewels again, even though they had come now.

“When is that?”

“It must be a year since I was dethroned.”

“If it was disposed of at once, there is a possibility.”

Reinhardt's face brightened at Heitz's words.

“If you have a famous jewel, it is possible. There are collectors who only look for such gems. It wasn't that Count Müller sold it because of poverty, so he must have spent time looking for people who would pay a good price for it. Maybe it's a bit difficult for lesser-known gems... … .”

“You don’t have to find them all.”

“If so.”

At the level of Hwang Seong Treasurer, there was bound to be some knowledge in disposing of and buying jewels. Heitz said that it would be difficult for him to step forward right now, so he would ask his friends before going to the Luden Territory. “I will pay the case. Use this as a down payment.” Another bag of gold dust passed into Heitz's hands. Heitz accepted it with a shy face.

“Why does it seem like I came as a mercenary and not as your treasurer?”

“I trust you more than mercenaries, what are you talking about?”

Reinhardt laughed heartily.

"It's time for dinner soon. Shall we eat?"

“Oh, that would be… … ”

“You are late.”

It was a word thrown in the middle of the sun. A meal at the welcome palace, it must be delicious. It was Wilhelm, who had stood by the two of them without saying anything. Reinhardt's face became cryptic.

“Did I have another schedule?”

The young man looked down at Reinhardt expressionlessly and said.

“The High Priestess of Alutica wanted to visit you to bless the Luden Territory.”

The words are a blessing, but in the end, he said that he would take good care of the temples in the Luden Territory, and in the meantime, he was trying to collect donations. On such a subject, he was a high priest and his neck was so stiff that they did not come to visit them, but he asked Reinhardt to visit them. Reinhardt replied with a clear expression of annoyance.

“Do I really have to do that today?”

“I checked the schedule of High Priestess Alutica, but the only time we can visit freely is this evening.”

“Gee, Heets. I'm sorry.”

Reinhardt immediately agreed and asked Heitz. Heitz waved his hand.

“Aren’t you the great lord? You're going to miss the construction. I may go to my house.”

"yes. Let's have a meal later in the Luden Territory.”

“Thank you for your words.”

After bowing, Heitz got up and got down on one knee in front of Reinhardt. Reinhardt naturally held out his hand. Heitz also lightly pressed her lips to the back of her hand and stood up. As soon as he stood up, he met eyes with Wilhelm, who was standing right behind Reinhardt. Hayes flinched slightly at that moment. It was because her black eyes staring at her were alive and blue, like those of a beast.

"ah… … Goodbye Lord Colonna. We hope to see you again.”

"Yes."

It's not very rare. The 'yes' he replied to that blond lord was so soft. He couldn't understand how the 'yes' that came back to Heitz was sharp and creepy, like being cut with a knife.

Even after receiving the crest proving that he was Lord Luden's treasurer, turning around and leaving the room of the Welcome Palace, that glare continued to follow Heitz. He couldn't help feeling constantly uncomfortable. As soon as he left the Welcome Palace, Heitz licked his lips.

“No, I swear I have no interest in that lord.”

If Reinhardt had even told the story of the woman who told her to buy flowers for me, that young man would already know that I was not very interested in that lord.

'But why are you staring at me like that in check?'

Objectively, no, even if Heitz gave himself a generous score from his own point of view, Wilhelm was a very respectable young man. He is so incomparable to himself. It is safe to say that he has no muscles in his body because he has been rotting for several years as the treasurer of Hwang Seong, and his face is the height of mediocrity. There was no need for that young man, who had a solid body and was strong, to keep Heitz in check.

'Is that lord interested in me by any chance?'

Thinking that far, Heitz said, “Hey,” and tore his hair to himself. She fulfills all her delusions. She has a dark height, but she is a pretty good groom-to-be, so she has dated a few times. But I swear, the lord's eyes on him were closer to the ones he picked up a useful stone on the road, not the looks on a decent man.

'Or love that lord to such an extent that I don't want any man to approach me.'

Rather, it seemed more believable. In fact, the rumor that the lord of Luden and the knight met each other and shared a bed hadn't been heard for a very long time. There were dozens of provocative stories that snowballed with rumors that the young man was the emperor's illegitimate child.

'Then why did you meet the Crown Princess? Did I just get it wrong?'

It was hard to imagine why he could meet the Crown Princess in a dark forest over a woman he loved so much. It doesn't even make sense to hold hands while being like enemies... … . Heitz left the castle while continuing to tilt his head.

It was a cold day, and the evening wind was fierce. I heard that Luden is much colder than here. He put his hands in his pockets, thinking that he should get a thick fur coat and leave. Something rustling touched my hand. When I pulled it out, it was a letter that Heitz had put in after reading it over and over again in the afternoon.

Baron Yelter is located near Helka Manor. It was a letter from his older brother, who was managing a small estate that wouldn't be strange to call it a field plot. It was a reply to Heitz's letter that he had resigned as treasurer of the imperial castle and had gone under Lord Luden, and his older brother's heart was full of concern for his younger brother.

… … And the heart of a dear cousin.

“If you don’t know, make sure to buy at least one present. Heitz is always hated because he doesn't understand a woman's heart. If you don't know what to buy, flowers are the best. I always put fresh flowers in the parlor... … .」

At the end of the letter, it was written that he was looking forward to visiting the manor at least once since it had been a while since he had seen his face. Heitz closed the letter with a smile. Seeing that the sun was slowly setting, it seemed that they would have to leave tomorrow morning for the Luden Territory.

***

“I’m sorry, Marc, but would you like me to cut your hair just once more?”

Reinhardt, who had sent Heitz, beckoned and called for the lady-in-waiting. However, it was Wilhelm who came out with the comb. “Oh,” Marc blinked, then quickly said, “I’ll pick out a gown.” and he left the parlor. Sitting on the sofa, Reinhardt bent his neck and looked at Wilhelm as he approached him.

"you?"

“I want to do it for you.”

“Do you know how to do it?”

Wilhelm rolled his eyes and smiled.

“I’ve seen you from the side a few times. If you are not satisfied, then I will call Mark again.”

Reinhardt couldn't hold back a laugh at the way he answered softly, as if he had become Mark. Wilhelm grabbed the fluttering Reinhardt's hair and untied the ribbon. He ran his fingers through the waves of fine blond hair, as if sweeping them up along his neckline. The calloused fingers were rough, but Reinhardt didn't hate it.

The tips of his fingers dug into his hair and pressed hard against Reinhardt's scalp. Reinhardt closed his eyes and rested his head on Wilhelm's hand, as if the headache that had been pressuring him all day seemed to be getting better.

“Where did you learn this… … .”

The end of the conversation was also stretched out. Wilhelm whispered softly.

“I heard that noble ladies have attendants who only do massages.”

"You're not a massage attendant... … .”

“I swear I would go mad with jealousy if you had an attendant like that. It's better for me than to see someone you don't know grab your shoulder.”

Others will faint when they hear it. When he muttered, "You use Luden's thunder to massage me," Wilhelm returned the kiss instead of replying back. He lifted his head slightly and placed his warm hand on the back of his head. Reinhardt smiled, squinting his eyes at the soft lips that touched his forehead.

"you."

“What if you are so defenseless in front of the man you are courting?”

It is he himself who made people defenseless, but he blames them like a joke. Reinhardt tried to turn her body around, but he couldn't because Wilhelm held her by the shoulders exquisitely and pressed him hard.

When the tension in his shoulders and neck relaxed, Wilhelm took up the silver comb again and combed Reinhardt's hair. It was clear that he hadn't noticed Mark for a day or two with his skill of gently brushing his hair from the tips and unraveling the strands.

I tried to tell her to brush her left hair a little, but there was no need. Because Wilhelm was already paying attention. Wilhelm meticulously combed her hair so that the wound on her left cheek wouldn't be irritated.

“… … You were sick.”

“What, you mean wounds? Isn't that a natural thing? The knife tore through my flesh, and I’d be lying if I said it didn’t hurt.”

Reinhardt replied indifferently. He could feel Wilhelm's fingers pulling his hair together. As soon as the black ribbon was knotted, Reinhardt looked at himself in the polished silver mirror. he was perfect

"Oh my gosh. You don't even need a mark.”

“That is exactly what I want.”

Wilhelm, who had sat down next to her like a spoiled dog, answered. Reinhardt said ha, and laughed.

“What about the disappearance of the mark?”

"Nope. I will take care of your every move. Do you know how I want to do everything without lifting a finger?”

Reinhardt frowned and smiled again.

"You're going to make me very sick."

“What are you talking about?”

As Marc entered with his gown, Reinhardt lightly pushed Wilhelm away. As if feeling sorry for Wilhelm, he kissed the end of his blond hair and then I stood up too.

When I left the Welcome Palace to meet the priest, it was already dark as the sun had set. However, it was during the Daejong Church period, so the road was brighter than usual. There were a lot of people, so carriages were prohibited on the big road, and the two of them rode together on a big horse after thinking about it. Reinhardt wanted to ride alone, but couldn't overcome Wilhelm's insistence, who was worried about her injury.

Reinhardt asked cheerfully as soon as he went outside.

“Is that on purpose?”

As if hugging her, Wilhelm, on horseback, casually struck her from above.

“What do you mean?”

“Dinner with Heitz. Anyway, the only thing I'll talk about when I meet with the high priest is donations, but even if I don't have time, if the great lord came to the temple to donate, how could I refuse?”

“Did you notice?”

“I don’t know you.”

Reinhardt replied as if sighing, and lightly hit Wilhelm's belly with his elbow. Wilhelm groaned loudly.

“Don't do that. I don’t know why you’ve been complaining so much lately.”

“Complaint.”

"yes. much... … .”

Reinhardt rolled her eyes and tried to measure the time, but Wilhelm smiled and grabbed the reins with one hand and hugged her waist with the other hand. It was inside her cloak, so it was invisible to others, but Reinhardt was startled.

“Am I that cute?”

"under… … ?”

"I'm not complaining."

He really is. Reinhardt finally turned his head to look at Wilhelm. As if he had waited, Wilhelm made eye contact with him and smiled.

“You are really kind to me these days, so it’s great.”

At those words, Reinhardt realized ah. yes. After that attack Reinhardt saw how Wilhelm changed that day because of him. He thought that if he had broken it, it would be nice if he could love it to the fullest and return it from now on, so he rolled it a little more affectionately. I wonder if Wilhelm noticed that sign as well. To her, as her thirsty youth digs into her foe's weakness, so she digs into Reinhardt.

“After that, I kept getting greedy. Can I quit if you don't like it?"

“… … I don't hate it, Wilhelm.”

In response to my hesitant answer, the hand that was holding my waist immediately became stronger. At the end of the hand that gripped his side happily, a feeling of embarrassment spread together. Maybe it's because it's a place where even a fairly close person seldom comes in contact. There was a sudden hook and somewhere in the chest swayed. Perhaps it was because he suddenly realized that the young man holding him was not that small child, but a man much bigger than me.

Only then did Reinhardt become aware of Wilhelm's size once again. She rode her horse without much thought, but she was now pulled into Wilhelm's embrace. She will look more like that because of the cape. She leaned back on her back, her chest was too wide, and her hands holding her waist. There were several pieces of cloth between Wilhelm's hand and my bare skin, but strangely, I was overly concerned about the body temperature of that hand.

Wilhelm also seemed to notice that Reinhardt had suddenly frozen. He lowered his head and buried his nose behind Reinhardt's left ear. Of course, his lips touched the nape of his neck.

“When you were hurt in my place, at first I wanted to crush all those who dared to hurt you. After killing them all, he wanted to kill me, Reinhardt.”

“… … Wilhelm.”

“I even wanted to hang myself and die. All the way to your room, with every step I heard hellfire devour me.”

Did you think that Every time she saw the wound, she knew it made her look guilty, but she didn't know it was enough to make her want to die. "Don't do that," she tried to reply, but her lips barely moved. She couldn't tell if it was the heat on her neck or something else.

“But strangely, you treat me more kindly than before… … .”

“… … .”

“I found out too late. You didn't want me to die, so you got hurt instead. Right?”

“Obviously.”

Even if a frog were stepped on by a shoe, it would make a better sound than this. Strangely, his throat choked up and he barely answered, but Reinhardt felt like he would pass out at the voice that came out of his mouth. Why do I sound like this

“Then I can’t die. You don't want me dead.”

“… … .”

“Every time I see your face, I think about it again. The wounds you suffered are proof of your love for me... … .”

“… … .”

"sorry. You must be sick. But every time I see your scars, I get happy. You don’t like me like this.”

Barely, she shook her head. She couldn't even look back at Wilhelm. Wilhelm lifted his face from the nape of her neck and laughed. The young man's small smile tickled Reinhardt's downy hair. Reinhardt just squeezed the front handle of the saddle.

“As I always say, I like you, Reinhardt. I love you. I love you more than before. really… … .”

My ears get hot. Reinhardt suddenly wanted to put on a hood. Right now, his face is probably black, not red. On the main street of the capital where Daejong Church is held, among the hundreds of people walking down the street, there will be drunk, hot, and shy people, but among them, your face will be the most red. It hasn't been a day or two since Wilhelm whispered words of love to me, but strangely, I couldn't stand it anymore because I was ashamed.

'Oh My God.'

family, siblings, children. She was shocked by the confession of the man she always believed was right to embrace and hug her. She said let's deal calmly, but what the hell did she become? The arrogant woman who had decided to take care of the broken man suddenly thought of herself and suddenly felt like going into her mouse hole.

What kind of arrogance is that! I wondered if the only thing I could give this child was love, but looking at it now, it wasn't even that. The love that the young man who thought he was torn apart by the wind has infinite love for me... … .

Then I heard a clatter, a clatter. It was the sound coming from the scabbard of the ancestor Rinke Fu, which Wilhelm always wore. It was natural for the scabbard to shake as he was walking along the street on horseback, but why did that sound suddenly reach Reinhardt's ears? Reinhardt blinked.

Is it infinite?

I had a sudden thought. Will the blind love of a broken youth be intact? Reinhardt's fingertips suddenly became cold. She turned her head hastily. No, Wilhelm. It's not like that. Any human will save you from that situation. I'm so great... … .

However, the moment he turned around, the gaze met Reinhardt, and he lost his words. It was alluring. The eyes of a man in love, glistening in the festive lights. He could see all the shadows wriggling behind him. Reinhardt had a hunch. The moment you hold on to that, you will be swallowed up by that shadow.

Nevertheless, there are some things that cannot be resisted. Reinhardt lifted his chin and closed his eyes, his head slightly twisted. He was impulsive, but the devil kissed him as if he had been waiting.

It didn't matter if the people passing by were buzzing or if the knights accompanying the two stopped talking in bewilderment. It seemed that the shadow dancing over Reinhardt's eyes could be seen through his eyelids.

The reins were loose. The horse stopped. The sound of the powerless clanking of the sword also stopped.

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