Chapter 26

“I mean, Sir Azil. Nothing’s going to happen, is it?”

“Well.”

Maribelle used her fingertips to trace the rim of the teacup that the maid had prepared. She was having a much more awkward tea party than previously with the addition of Ethelred.

The reason Ethelred came to Calende Palace was primarily because of Kir.

‘Will things be handled properly while the prime minister is away? I’ll have to send someone to get him.’

Maribelle piled up another spoonful of resentment against Kir after learning why he had come to the Calende Palace from Ethelred. Maribelle graciously handed Kir over to Ethelred, symbolizing her growing resentment. She, of course, adds some lies.

‘As soon as Sir Kir arrived, he poured the water from that vase onto the documents.’

‘No, when did I do that?!’

‘You also bothered Sir Azil. All of the books got wet because of you.’

‘What? That’s the Lady— Azil, you should say something about it as well!’

Kir, whose eyes were about to drop to his throat in absurdity, smacked Azil on the back, but Azil was just standing in a panic for some reason, and there was no significant response.

‘….’

‘—Azil?’

Azil came to his senses after Kir waved his hand in front of him a few times. Even though he claimed to have come to his senses, the fact that he was screwed up somewhere did not change.

‘I’m so sorry. I suddenly remembered something—I should get going.’

‘Hey?! How about me?’

‘I beg your pardon for leaving my seat ahead of time, Your Majesty.’

‘Enough. Go ahead and do it.’

Azil bowed his head and left the Palace of Calende quickly. Everyone in the garden was taken aback by his desolate demeanor as if walking to his death. Kir was naturally left in front of Ethelred with no way to clear his name of the false accusations.

Kir fluttered his long eyelashes and cautiously opened his mouth.

‘Well, Your Majesty.’

‘Tell me.’

‘I’ll do my best.’

‘Take him, Theovalt.’

‘Yes.’

Kir was dragged away by Theovalt, and Ethelred swept his bangs with a gloomy expression. His large hand flicked through his hair, and he lost some tension, making a  slightly relaxed expression compared to the cruel one he had just a moment before.

As evidence, Ethelred smiled as he looked at Maribelle.

‘Now it’s just the two of us.’

Maribelle couldn’t understand why she had to be embarrassed by the fact that there were only two of them left. Is it because Ethelred, who appears to be happier than usual, has an overly seductive smile? Because the back of her neck is tickled by his low voice?

She had no idea why, so she couldn’t respond. Maribelle’s final option was to change the subject.

‘It’s a shame that the tea party is messed up.’

‘We can do it again.’

What? Ethelred was ordering the maids to clean up the mess and bring in a new one while Maribelle blinked.

So, this new tea party was not at all Maribelle’s intention.

Ethelred openly dismissed the story of Azil, which Maribelle had brought up as a theme. To spend time with such chatter, there were many questions. Trying to get Kir was, in the first place, just a good excuse.

After a fruitless morning meeting, Ethelred made his decision. He’d rather ask her directly than worry about it. For example, Maribelle’s crush, who betrayed her, and her past love.

“I’d like to leave him alone and listen to your story instead.”

“My story?”

“Right.”

Ethelred put down the teacup from which he had taken a sip. His eyes rolled to the side before returning to Maribelle. So that was the story.

“I thought I didn’t know much about you.”

“Is it because I didn’t give you any information about the treason plot?”

“No, it’s much deeper than that.”

Her fundamental, unrequited love: Who the hell is he? Ethelred unknowingly squeezed his chin, then opened his mouth calmly.

“I didn’t inquire as to why you were so hostile toward your stepfather. I didn’t ask you any questions about the party’s strangeness a while ago. It had something to do with the love and betrayal you mentioned last night.”

“I couldn’t tell you because there were two of us before. We can hold the party without disrupting your schedule. I suppose I’ll have to get used to such a party in the future. I can’t continue to act like a fool.”

“…if you really think so.”

To avoid talking about the party, Ethelred held back what he wanted to say. It was the first time he had a conversation in which he did not make his intentions clear. He was almost out of breath every time he spoke in a softly commanding tone, trying to coax the information out of her.

Maribelle, who had no idea what Ethelred was up to, was simply sitting nicely.

‘How can I say this?’

Ethelred was struggling to get past the question that had popped into his head several times. Who did she have a crush on before? However, making a promise to ask her again next time would only waste more time.

Eventually, Ethelred tried to open his mouth again, “Your Majesty!”

A servant rushed in. Maribelle was confused by his sad and scared expression. Ethelred is here, who could scare Ethelred’s servant like that?

“T-there’s someone who is making a fuss and trying to find Your Majesty!”

Oh, he seems to have two lives. The mood changed in an instant when Maribelle realized something strange was going on. A similar sense of pressure to when Ethelred broke into a tea party not long ago.

Ethelred rose to his feet.

“Guide me.”

He’ll be cleaning up a corpse soon. Maribelle quietly searched for the cup after seeing Ethelred’s expression. She can now relax and enjoy her relaxing garden tea party.

******

Ethelred had to let go of his sword and take deep breaths in vain as soon as he saw the face of the person who had caused the disturbance.

“—What has brought you here, Aunt?”

“Oh my goodness. Ether! It’s difficult to see your face.”

A beautiful middle-aged woman with blonde hair shining as if made of melted gold brushed away the protests of the servants and laughed as if revealing her royal bloodline. Despite her old age, her unchanging boldness and splendor wrapped around her like a cloak.

Innis Rhodain. Originally Innis Peopil, she was the second scariest person in the empire, and at this point, she was the only royalty other than Ethelred, and she was Ethelred’s aunt.

Ethelred took in the scene where Innis messed up the atmosphere of his Palace and sighed.

“Even in the Igcentium, you’re making a scene. You must have missed the guillotine.”

“Oh my goodness, nephew. There’s no need to be so cruel. These idiots didn’t tell me where you are. How dare they, do they know who I am?”

The back of the servant’s hand was being stepped on by Innis’  pointed shoes. She had a girlish smile on her face, but her tone and demeanor revealed the dignity of a lady experienced in cruelty. Furthermore, because she had lived her entire life without bowing to others, she had the arrogance that exuded from her bones.

Ethelred looked down at the distressed servant being stepped on, and gestured for another servant standing nervously beside him to take him away.

“Why are you crawling in to see me when we don’t have a good relationship? You’d better be glad if you go back with feet intact, Aunt.”

“I was wondering where the good attitude you were talking about went. It seems like it died together with your mother. How rude.”

“I didn’t realize you’d miss someone who already has your eulogy planned; I’ll send it to you next time.”

Ethelred’s ferocious gaze always made his opponents feel intimidated simply by meeting him, but it didn’t work against Innis. Rather, she regarded him as cute seeing him as her nephew, who had reached puberty.

“My child has already reached adulthood. That’s all for now. I didn’t come all this way to fight with you.”

With a clear smile, Innis poked Ethelred in the cheek with a fan she was holding. Seeing Ethelred look twice as annoyed as usual.

“I heard the news. I heard you have a candidate for empress in your palace. Apparently, there’s a scandal with you, and now you’re throwing a party for the child yourself. Let’s see what kind of beauty it is that left my nephew so possessed. And I heard she was from Edenbert.”

Rhodein, an Innis family member, was separated from Edenbert. Ethelred laughed mockingly because Innis was looking to create contact with Maribelle in any way that even such trivial matters was brought up.

“You don’t have to meet her. I’ll lend you the carriage since you walked. Please go back.”

Ethelred’s indifferent eyes were clearly irritated, but his voice was polite. Because he understands that threats will not be effective against his aunt. But Innis was puzzled as to why she was being treated so coldly.

“Why? You’re afraid I’ll run into her and slap her? I’m just a little curious. In this Imperial family, I’m the only adult left. Do you think it’s reasonable that I don’t even know the woman’s face of my only nephew?”

“What do you mean nephew?”

Ethelred laughed. As Innis’ pretense was becoming more difficult to tolerate, he had never shown such a malicious smile before.

“You only have one nephew, and his name is Baldwin. Why don’t you listen to me when I say something nice to you? I told you to go back. Aunt.”

“If this is you being kind I suppose you’d cut my throat if you were angry.”

She said it like it was a normal conversation. Ethelred was looking at Innis with indifferent eyes that appeared dull at first glance, but Innis who met his gaze knew better. That indifference contains a well-forged blade.

“This is no longer your home, and it is no longer welcoming to you, Aunt. I’m not sure what you would do when your nephew decapitates you.”

Ethelred frowned and ruffled his messy hair off his forehead. He walked, thinking he’d stopped her properly but he was still annoyed because he’d been interrupted during the time he had wanted to spend with Maribelle. His annoyance was only worsened by the fact that his opponent was her.

That’s annoying.

Ethelred was about to take a step back when their gazes met inadvertently. Ethelred frowned as he noticed the same red eyes with contempt staring at him. And then he laughed.

“Why do you see me that way? Would I even go so far as to say kill it?”

“—I am a member of the royal family. You will not be able to kill me no matter what you say.”

“Is that right? Then you can say that until you die.”

That’s frightening. Ethelred ignored Innis and continued on his way. He considered asking the knights to drag Innis away. Ethelred might have done so if it hadn’t been for what Innis said.

“However, that child is not from the Imperial family.”

Ethelred’s brow furrowed. Innis grinned at him in an instant.

“Oh, why are you staring at me like that? You’re going to kill me, aren’t you?”

Innis Peopil. She was the previous Emperor’s younger sister, and she was one of those who aided in the murder of Ethelred’s biological mother.