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Chapter 59
The Emperor was furious.
“Your Majesty!”
“His father-in-law’s residence is in the capital, so there is no reason to come here! The Palace is already full of guests from afar.”
“But! What kind of conspiracy do you think they’re going to plan? Do you believe in Count Jared, who is like a fox?”
Cassiax lost his reasoning and retaliated with the Emperor’s wrath. The Emperor’s eyes sharpened as he looked at his son.
“Trust… I don’t trust Count Jared, but I do trust the Etoile family! No matter what anyone says, the Etoile family is the number one contributor to the establishment of the present Empire. You can’t deny that!”
As soon as the Emperor finished speaking, he swallowed a rough cough and clucked. The servants tried to approach him but he stopped them.
“Why did you pick a family that bothers you so much? Isn’t it your fault in the first place? If you had only married his daughter, she wouldn’t have gone north. Then there would have been no need for you to ask your sick father to deal with him! You idiot.”
“Father…!”
Cassiax’s face turned white with embarrassment and anger at his father’s fiery shouts. The Emperor continued to shout even though he breathed heavily.
“In the first place, didn’t this happen because of your stupid pride and fiery temper? Can you handle an Empire with a head like that? It’s a deplorable thing to have had only one son!”
In the end, words that should not have been said came out of the Emperor’s mouth. Those words stimulated Cassiax’s vicious nature and ignited a fire.
“I don’t want to look at you, so go back now!”
The Emperor gave the order while pressing his forehead as if in pain. He had a face that he wanted to die because he didn’t know if the son standing in front of him was his real son or not.
“You’ll regret leaving that northern asshole and the Etoiles alone! Don’t forget what I said!”
“Are you so afraid of him?! Isn’t he the guest you invited?! You’ve already lost! You’ve already lost to the Northern King!”
The Emperor fired the last arrow at Cassiax’s remaining rationality. He clenched his molars and spoke low.
“This ugly son will take his leave. You are very ill, please take care of your health.”
Cassiax left the room in such a cold mood that it felt as if a cold breeze had blown.
The Emperor kicked his tongue at the sight of such a son. He took the medicine the physician gave him a while ago, and the pain, that he felt as if his body was being torn apart, subsided. Supported by his attendants, the Emperor headed back to bed.
“Oh, Your Highness!”
Madam Trisha, who was heading to the Emperor, met Cassiax in the hallway. She smiled and greeted him, but Cassiax passed by without even looking at her. Trisha felt as if she had become an invisible human.
“Oh my gosh, so cold.”
Looking at Cassiax’s back, Trisha muttered to herself. She could definitely feel the murderous energy of the Crown Prince who just left the Emperor’s room. With a grin, she looked back at Cassiax.
“Mmh… we operate with the same mind. I think there will come a time when we will be on the same page.”
She quickly covered the laughter that broke out between her pretty lips with a fan. Just as Rose had provoked Cassiax to go to the North, Madam Trisha waited patiently for the time when his reasoning was numbed.
From early in the morning, the Etoile family’s wagons ran diligently. From the west of the imperial palace to the western annex of the Etoile residence. This was the place where Rose’s grandfather, who was ill, passed the title to his son, Count Jared, and stayed there until his death.
Built over a decade, this mansion was a historic old residence in the capital. The interior was elegant, the gardens were known for their beauty, and it was designed to be strong against attacks from outside.
The Count’s daughter and her husband were now staying in such a historic place.
Count Jared and Countess Audrey were heading there silently, holding only their hands tightly. They had finally come to face the dreadful reality in front of their eyes. Their faces showed their determination to accept anything they encounter in the near future.
“Where did Hans go at such an important time!”
Madam Audrey complained about the absence of her son.
“It will be fine, honey.”
Count Jared took his wife’s hand with a warm hand, but he, too, was nervous. As the head of a prestigious family and a businessman who leads a large business, he has experienced all sorts of things in the world.
Yet, it was the first time he felt such pressure. He was happy to go see his daughter, who wouldn’t hurt his eyes no matter how many times he sees her, but there was a sense of fear as well.
If the infamous northern King had not been Rose’s husband, how light and happy he would have been to go to see his daughter and son-in-law now. There wouldn’t have been any worries or anxiety crushing his chest like a stone.
It was the first time he realized how frightening it was to see with his own eyes what his well-raised daughter would look like after being married.
‘If he is a really devilish man like the rumors, then…’
‘If my daughter struggles and feels enough pain to want to die, then…’
Count Jared bit his molars so hard that his jaw muscles bulged.
‘I will bring her back at all costs. My daughter Rose, I’ll take her back into my arms.’
Count Jared’s face, which was calm like a quiet lake, became hectic, like a whirlpool. He vowed so that no one in the world would be able to change his determination.
“We have arrived, My Lord.”
It seemed that they had just left the house, but the carriage had already arrived at the entrance of the mansion. The Count and his wife got off the wagon with nervous faces. They looked up at the black brick castle as if they were looking at a haunted castle.
“Let’s go in,” said Count Jared, holding his wife’s hand tightly.
At that time, Rose was still unable to get out of bed. The journey from Helevant to the Capital was difficult. She had fallen asleep, as if she had fainted, upon arrival at the mansion. The wide, fluffy bed made it feel like she was lying on a cloud.
It was a place where memories with her grandfather when she was young reside, so the comfort of coming home also filled her.
It’s been a long time.
The hazy feeling of waking up in the warm morning sunlight. If she was a little bit lazy in bed, she felt as if she would hear the voice of her mother, Countess Audrey.
‘Rose! Are you still procrastinating? Hurry up and get up!’
A knock on the door was heard amid such a pleasant hallucination. It was too realistic to be a hallucination. Rose’s closed eyes flinched.
“Milady! The Count and Countess are here! Hurry and get up.”
Rose’s eyes opened wide and lit up at Natalie’s words. She jumped out of bed and ran out of the room wearing a red robe. Just like the morning she woke up after being killed by Cassiax.
“Father!”
Rose ran to her father, who was waiting in the drawing room, and hugged him. Forgetting all the dignity of a noble family’s Young Lady and Queen of the North, she dove into her father’s arms like a lovable little girl.
“Rose!”
Count Jared, who was unable to sit on the sofa due to tension, choked as he saw his daughter.
Wondering if it was reality or a dream, he couldn’t believe he was holding the daughter he had sent to the north months ago.
“Rose… huuk.”
Seeing the Count and the Lady embracing, Natalie sniffed and left the room, feeling emotional. Countess Audrey, who would normally be busy scolding her, saying that she behaves like an immature child without dignity, was pressing a handkerchief to her eyes.
This time, Rose hugged Countess Audrey’s neck and kissed her forehead. Her emotions were overflowing. If she didn’t go to the North and had married Cassiax instead, she wouldn’t have had this emotional reunion with her parents.
Rose, who always doubted whether the decision to go to the North was the right one, realized she did well at this very moment.
There were many moments when her heart was about to weaken as she went through various situations, but now that she was hugging her parents like this, her shaky heart has become strong again. She wouldn’t let Cassiax harm her family and household again.
While enjoying the reunion with her parents, Rosé realized that she had forgotten something important.
“Where is he? Did he not wake up yet?”
Rose asked the servant standing in front of the door.
“If you mean His Majesty Maxim, he’s outside. Someone went to pick him up already.”
“Outside? Come to think of it, I don’t even see secretary Jansen.”
“The secretary too went out as soon as the sun rose.”
“What do you mean?”
“After talking with His Majesty, he left. His Majesty must have had an errand for him.”
Rose had a strange thought. ‘We arrived late last night, but Jansen left at dawn?’
‘When it comes to errands, there are many servants, but Jansen, who didn’t know the geography of the capital, went to do some errands himself. What’s happening?’
The more she thought about it, the more it felt like she had fallen into a labyrinth.
Rose walked towards the terrace connected to the drawing-room, feeling suspicious. When the door was opened, the spacious drawing-room had an open terrace and was connected to the central garden by stairs.
“…Rose?”
Count Jared and Countess Audrey held hands and followed their daughter quietly. Rose held the white comb-pattern terrace door with both hands and opened it wide. The transparent and sparkling morning sun flowed down like a waterfall into the drawing-room. Rose frowned at the sunlight and walked out of the terrace.
“Maxim.”
He was practicing swordsmanship with Tulio in a wide open space next to the fountain. She saw one of the attendants running to inform him.
“A sword fight in the morning.”
Madam Audrey frowned and muttered. It seemed that her prejudice against the northern King was too deeply ingrained in her mind.
“It’s daily swordsmanship training.”
Rose replied instead, standing up for him.
“Seems quite diligent.”
Count Jared, who was standing behind Rose, sided with her.
“Well, training isn’t bad for your health. It’s better than being lazy in bed.”
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Count Audrey seems to have decided to think in a good way after all. As if the attendant had finally informed Maxim, he stopped swinging his sword and looked towards the terrace.
“Oh gosh.”
She couldn’t see clearly because she was far away, but Countess Audrey was startled when she saw him turning her way. She instinctively took a step back behind Count Jared.
Maxim handed Tulio his sword and strode across the garden.
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