I glanced at Celtic’s sense. Celtic could not read how I felt because I always looked gentle. I’ve decided to do as I please.
“Tell me.”
“My mother has done many good deeds by helping priests throughout her life.”
Vathorlia Rowenthal was a faithful believer. She actively supported the church’s charity work, the relief of the poor, the treatment of the poor, and the educational work, and periodically confirmed that the blessing could not be ruined.
It was different from my male family, who used to feed high-ranking priests and practice medicine as much as they wanted.
The priests, who felt sorry for the donation being used to call the pears of the high priests, had a great affinity for the Vathorlia and the Rowenthal’s.
Pael’s McKin was one of them, so he might have shown Tristan this favor.
“My mother distributed food for the hungry, firewood and blankets for those who were not in the light, and herbs for the sick. She didn’t waste Rowenthal’s fortune on behalf of others.”
A faint heat began to win over Tristan’s dry voice.
“If she had been a truly greedy man, I fear she would have used Rowenthal’s fortune only for herself and for our family.”
He clenched his teeth.
“Greed? It is not my mother who has truly committed the sin of greed, but the master who drools on the lost property…” He suddenly shut his mouth as if he were throwing up like an angry man. When he opened his mouth again, it was a dry voice. “…my mother is not a greedy person.”
Tristan was silent at the end of the sentence.
***
The rain poured into my room when the window was wide open. The cold, fresh rainwater that hit my face quickly drove out my slumber. The lady-in-waiting who entered the bedroom closed the window with a shrill scream. She wiped my wet body and washed it with hot water.
“Oh, my God, Your Imperial Highness! Why have you been doing that since morning!”
“It’s been a long time since it rained.”
“You shouldn’t underestimate the spring rain. It’s easy to catch a cold because the rain is heavy and the weather is cold.” The lady-in-waiting kept babbling and attending my morning. “I’ve heard that if you’re sick, the Crown Prince takes his anger out on the palace’s servants. I don’t want you to be sick.”
“I’ll try not to be sick.”
“But I’m really jealous of the kind and handsome brother, who cares with utmost sincerity like the Crown Prince’s. My brother isn’t really handsome.”
“Your brother will be upset if he hears it.”
“Upset! Ah. If you marry before the Crown Prince, your Highness will be sad too. Right?”
Hearing this story all the time, the long-lasting anger was burning and my head was sore.
“Then, why don’t you marry my brother?”
It was the worst curse.
I mean, it was, by my standards.
“If that’s the case, you’ll have nothing more to hope for! If Ypur Imperial Highness builds a bridge, I’ll know with Belgar’s grace.”
“You cheeky thing, ··”
After the Rowenthal’s rebellion, there was a massive change in the imperial family. Thanks to that, half of my lady-in-waiting disappeared, and the daughters of the aristocratic princes and aristocrats occupied the vacancy, who’s ambitious of the Crown Prince and the Aristocrats.¹
Jedis Bell, the lady-in-waiting, who is smiling brazenly in front of me, was uniquely ambitious among them.
Jedis, the same birth as of a knight in the “11 Swords”², never thought of hiding the fact that she was aiming for the throne of the Crown Prince, and furthermore the future empress. Whether it’s provocative, naive, ambitious, or hopeless.
“I know you like that.”
She was easier to deal with than other ladies-in-waiting who were dubious, so it was mistaken for favor. In that innocence, the heat exploded endlessly, but when I saw a brazen smiley face, the fan fell out of energy. I put the jam in the milk and stir it.
“I’m going to see my brother right after dinner.”
“Will you really let go of the bridge?”
“…..”
I pushed a spoonful of jam into Jedis’ mouth. Like an educated aristocrat, she was quiet when food was in her mouth. Thanks to you, I was able to finish my peaceful breakfast. The guards were waiting outside as they came out of the garnish.
Celtic greeted me with a gentle daytime. Gareth was standing crooked, yawning his teeth. The man with a strong impression, staring at Gareth pathetically, is Sir Digory Weinsphil, who is not a joke. The man next to him who smiles as if he’s a screw loose is ‘Sir Gereint Bell, who never wakes up once he sleep.’
The four knights were all knights belonging to Aurest’s “Eleven Swords.”
I opened my mouth, struggling to ignore Jedis and Gereint sending cursed hand signals to each other.
“The rest remains, and only Lord Celtic will follow.” I don’t know why, but it was the Crown Prince’s office that led the elated Jedis and Celtic. Aurest, who was stuck in a pile of papers, greeted me with open arms with a bright face.
“Erin!”
“Brother!” I reflectively jumped into Aurest’s arms and hugged him.
There was no smell of blood today.
Aurest, who consciously took over the greetings of Celtic and Jedis, threw the two away with a few gestures. A poor official who was waiting for approval was also kicked out.
“It’s nice to see your face since morning. What’s going on at this early hour?”
“I didn’t know what to do with him. Let’s make a case now.”
I looked round and round. Spring flowers were stuck side by side in the vase by the window.
It’s already spring.
But I still live in the winter.
Rowenthal’s rebellion, countless words running between his eyes, and soldiers falling apart with the blood that exploded whenever the soldier ran into each other,… Hiding in a carriage evacuating to the east tower, or St. Maselk Monastery, I was desperately convinced of Rowenthal’s victory and earnestly prayed whenever a lukewarm breath touched my clenched hand.
‘God, listen! Let my present body fall on the earth instead of breathing up blood and standing on two feet.’
Wish.
‘I may die in hell with him if I may be tormented forever.’
I can’t help but…
‘I pray that he will never see the snow melt and the buds sprout and bloom again.’
Is it because I wrongly begged God for what I should pray to the devil? Or is it because I doesn’t usually make donations?
The effect of prayer was not great.
Aurest saw the melting of snow, the bud, and the blooming of flowers again. I took a red flower out of the vase and put it around Aurest’s chest.
“It’s spring already.” The red flowers on his white top resembled bloodstains scattered over the snowfield. “I suddenly feel like I should present a flower to my brother before the spring flowers are all gone because of the rain.”
He touched the petals with a crooked smile around his mouth. Careful hands were weighted as if they were handling glass workpieces.
“It’s the first time that I found out that handing over something that was the owner’s thing to the owner is not a delivery or contempt, but a gift.”
“If you don’t like it, I’ll put it back where it was.”
“Hurry up. It’s a hassle. I’ll put it back on my own, so don’t worry about it.”
As Aurest unloaded his tea, I looked at the paperwork piled up on the work desk. Manpower issues, handling of Rowenthal-owned assets, dispatch of the Western Front. And letters, letters, and letters from the family with a married daughter.
First of all, I read a letter that caught my eye.
“Tired old men.” (Aurest)
Aurest put the teacup down like throwing it over a bundle of letters. He didn’t even care about the ink splashing on the letter paper.
“It’s a very sacred place to marry before you get any older, and creativity is no more than dust.” Aurest said irritably. “I know the repertoire hasn’t changed in years. Let’s have a date if you’re free. Let’s hunt if you’re free. Come to the ball if you’re free. Do I look so free?”1
There was a limited response for Aurest, who was nervous about marriage.
“That’s the old foxes who are only willing to give their daughter to the next emperor and make a fortune.” (Aurest)
I folded the former letter paper in my hand twice and threw it into the fireplace. Flames fluttered and swallowed the paper.
“It’s a waste of time reading these junk stories that are useless rather than being fire starter.” (Erin)
“What if you just throw it away? I haven’t replied yet.” (Aurest)
Unlike the content of the reproachful words, the voice was hard to laugh at. I smiled too.
“Reply? Aren’t they not enough to be honored?” I sat on the desk. Smile brightly as I swept the hair behind his ears. “Brother. Come on, don’t mind those things and do something fun with me!”
4. Underwater
“Your Imperial Highness the Crown Prince. This is Gail McHurt. May I come in?”
“You need to be patient.”
“… Your Imperial Highness the Crown Prince. This is Gail McHurt. May I come in?”
“Not yet.”
“… Your Imperial Highness the Crown Prince. This is Gail McHurt. May I come in?”
“Wait.”
“Your Imperial Highness the Crown Prince… This is Gail McHurt… May I come in…?”
Silence.
“Your Imperial Highness the Crown Prince, I’m Celtic Durak. I’m reporting the situation. Your Majesty’s right-hand, Sir Gail McHurt, is dying.”
“Check his death and call me back.”
“Your Imperial Highness…”
“Oh, yes, yes. Come in, come in.”
Gail McHurt, who won permission only after persistent pleas and pleas, opened the door to the Crown Prince’s chamber. Then something flew into Gail McHurt’s face. It hit his forehead and fell. Gail lowered his head and looked down at the floor. Then they checked the crushed object.1
×××
[1] Thanks to that, half of my lady-in-waiting disappeared, and the daughters of the aristocratic princes and aristocrats occupied the vacancy, who’s ambitious of the Crown Prince and the Aristocrats.: it means when Erin’s ladies-in-waiting was reduced, those who are ambitious to have a connection with the Crown Prince and other powerful Aristocrats occupied the position of those who are now gone.
[2] Jedis, the same birth as of a knight in the “11 Swords”: Jedis was born the same year as the knights in the “11 Swords”. Tristan was part of this 11 swords as he is the Blue Knight.