I sighed as I watched the bloody confrontation of between the two of them.
‘These guys… Can’t they just make up and move on?’
I thought I was wasting time by making them reconcile by themselves, so I decided to take the extreme measure: I boiled my knees.
I think it’s better to have visual effects than to stand and beg.
‘It’s still carpeted, and it’s worth boiling.’
That’s when I thought so, Max spoke up.
“Juvellian, I am the one who should apologize!” I frowned at Max’s hurried words.
“Max, I…”
“Get up.”
“So, now….”
“Come on!”
“Because I will apologize!” I was so moved to see him keep telling me to get up. “I have an important matter to tell my father now…” I heard my father’s voice above my head.
“Okay, first get up and talk to me.” Suddenly, I wondered at the sight of the two getting along so well.
‘What’s wrong with them?’
I was embarrassed for a moment, but I remembered that I had not achieved my intended purpose yet.
‘It’s too early to let your guard down, because your father didn’t accept his apology.’
My immediate goal is to withdraw the scandal. Instead of getting up, I answered, shaking my head.
“Father, it’s my fault if Max is being rude now. So please forgive me…” Even before my words were over, my father nodded.
“Yes, I forgive you. So get up.”
‘Em, this easy?’
Somehow, I was looking at my father. Max reached out his hand to me.
“Now,” I took that hand, and I felt his warmth. He raised me up, and then he wrapped himself around my shoulder.
‘What a strange feeling.’ He used to be someone who was cold towards me when I first met him. ‘To think he would reach out like this.’
My father said coldly when I stared blankly at my hand.
“But that doesn’t mean I allowed you two dating,” I sighed at the determined voice.
‘Yes, it can’t be easy.’
***
Regis stared at his daughter in sorrow.
‘It’s my fault.’
He was in a situation where he couldn’t give her the love she deserved even if he wanted to. Nevertheless, Regis wanted to do everything she wanted but there was something untenable in the present situation.
‘You can choose whoever you want. Whoever but him, though.’
A Prince who is distrusted by his father, the Emperor. Max’s situation was like a candle in the wind.
The majority of aristocrats were distrustful of the Crown Prince based on malicious rumors, and Empress, who took control of the Senate, was sending an assassin to Max while manipulating public opinion in the Empire.
“The Crown Prince is a tyrant with no blood or tears, who only sees our troops as chess piece.” The rumors started a long time ago, but the disciple really became as cold-blooded as the rumors.
At first, as a teacher, he thought about the debt owed to the Previous Empress (Tn; Max’s mom) and tried to educate the disciple again and again. But what came back was only cynicism.
<Wouldn’t it be efficient if the majority could benefit from the sacrifice of a few?>
If she marries Max, a cold-blooded man who sees peoples as a chess pieces, Juvellian’s future was obvious. Regis raised his eyes sharply and looked his disciple.
‘He’s a fool, his arrogance knows no bound and he would use any means in order to accomplish its objectives, even if it’s a pawn.’*
Over the years, Regis had witnessed many situations that could act as evidences. Max was a man of poor character, but distinguished himself in his resourcefulness. Even if it looks ordinary without being outstanding, he has leadership and encourages the morale of the group.
It was Regis’ opinion that like a pawn that reached the end of the rank and was promoted to queen, the possibility was inherent to everyone.*
‘When you marry a guy who doesn’t know his people are precious, there’s only a thorny path.’
Regis was staring at the foolish disciple with a sad eye.
“I’m not asking for permission right away, Father. It’s okay for a while, so I’m asking you to watch.” A sharp but strong voice, eyes that were an harmony of blue and purple. Juvellian seamed to be firmly determinate to have a relationship with Max.
‘Even if I don’t allow it, she will do it with her stubbornness.’
Wasn’t it widely known that there were no parents who could win over their children?
So did Regis. He couldn’t resist his daughter’s stubbornness.
‘Like Mikhail, you’ll break up. A bit of disappointment we surely make her change her mind.’
Regis was going to slowly let his daughter know about Max.
“All right,” said Juvellian with a bright smile, without knowing the dark thoughts of her father.
“Thank you, Father.” Seeing that innocent face, Regis felt his heart throbbing.
‘I’m sorry, but everything is to protect you.’
“Well, Father. I have something to talk to Max. Can I go up there?” He said he would wait and see it, but was it because he didn’t give permission? My father stared at us coldly and only nodded once.
‘Well, actually, getting permission is not the purpose.’
My purpose is to make my father give up my marriage proposal with the prince.
Even if my father fiercely opposes our relationship, it is enough if I make him give up marriage proposal.
“Then I’ll go.” My father still didn’t even respond.
‘Yes, you must be disappointed in me with this.’
A sigh came out. Now, instead of inheriting property, I’m in a situation where I can’t even get married.
‘Now the only answer is independence. Until then, let’s hold on somehow.’
So I came to my room with Max. Sella and Mary were together, as if they was making my room.
“What about Marilyn?”
“Ah, she’s going to the laundry for a minute.”
‘It can’t be helped.’
Since Marilyn was mainly in charge of the job, I felt a little uneasy. But I said calmly.
“Get me tea and cookies for two. Use my favorite teacups.”
“Yes!” When the maids, full of spirit, left the room, I turned around closing the door.
‘Now let’s seriously discuss the contract- What?’
I could see him taking over my couch with a very comfortable look.
‘No matter how much we’re in a contract relationship, can you be more formal now?’
I sighed for a moment, but I prepared several white papers and two quill pens and called him.
”Hey, come over here,” he came to the tea table at my call. “Sit down.” I pointed across from me and suggested a seat. As he sat down, I said, poking paper in front of him. “From now on, I’m going to write down some clauses on our contract. If there’s anything you want to ask me, write it down.” Then he picked up the quill pen and began to write it down. I did not write down the clause, but looked at it wonderfully.
‘You are left-handed. And the writing is not pretty.’
It was when I was looking at him because I was amazed at his handwriting. He creased his brow slightly.
“It’s smeared.” Perhaps the usual notation is the direction used by the right-handed person. No matter how carefully he use it, he can’t help but feel uncomfortable?
“Here.” I took my handkerchief out of my pocket and handed it to him. He took the handkerchief without saying anything, and wiped the ink off his hand. Soon he squeezed the smudged area and started writing again. I sneaked a glance at what he wrote, and laughed in vain.
<During the duration of the contract, Juvellian should never meet another man.>
‘I don’t want to meet other men, so I’m having a contract relationship…’
At that time, he spoke in a crooked tone.
“Why are you laughing without anything to laugh at?”
Of course it was true, but it hurt my pride a little to admit it.
“I just saw it. It’s a little strange.”
“What are you wondering about?” Usually, mercenary guilds teach how to write and read. Because mercenary have to read the request and the contract to take the job.
“Your look so free-spirited. Did the guild teach you how to read and write?” Max frowned when she said he had a bad handwriting.
“I didn’t learn from the guild, but from my mother.” The moment I heard that, I was overwhelmed with extreme embarrassment.
‘I made a mistake.’
It would have been upset because it wasn’t someone else, and I was so sarcastic about what his mother taught him. I said with a gulp.
“Well, just before…” Then, the door opened.
“Lady, it’s late.” Mary came in with Sella, and I nodded to mean that it was okay.
“It’s okay, come on set the table.” Soon there were appetizing cookies on the tea table.
‘Ah, it looks delicious.’
When I picked up the tea pot and poured it into the glass, the soft yet slightly bitter scent tickled my nose.
‘Well, I was concerned that Marylin was absent, but they did the job very well.’
As soon as I was about to give two maids a short compliment, I had no choice but to sigh slightly. The teacup the maids brought was a pink cup full of flowers.
‘Is it going to be all right?’
You probably don’t know the meaning because you’re not a nobleman. I laughed as I thought so.
***
When he first saw the teacup, Max doubted his eyes.
‘Did you know what you just gave to me?’
Expensive teacup were a pride, but it’s also a measure of how highly the owner thinks of the guest. A precious and beautiful teacup will be offered to ladies. And for male guests, tea is usually served in tea cups that don’t have flowers or are not light in color.
There were often night-satisfied leaders who argued with tea cups. But even they had never handed out tea cups with such splendid flowers, only rubbing the cruelty of the Crown Prince with a monster-shaped teacup.
“You’ve brought me a cup of tea like this…” It was whether she intended to insult him, or had it given to him without knowing. It was either one of the two.
‘Do I look weak?’
If he though about it, it was not an unreasonable assumption because Juvellian could have wanted to make a joke. Max was stared at Juvellian with doubts.
“Oh, this is my favorite teacup.” An innocent voice that seemed to know nothing. Max, who was listening to Juvellian, stared at the teacup again. Although the flowers looked loathsome, the gold collar was luxurious and the shape was fine. Looking at it, he thought it was worth watching.
“It’s all right,” At those words, he could see Juvellian smile. Max grinned, bringing a cup of tea to his mouth.
____________________
Tn; So, I don’t play chess but my angelic little sister does, so she explained to me. (She took after my mom who used to be a model “back in her days”-as she says, so my sister got the looks and the brain. Sigh- Life is really unfair and I don’t like genetic too much.). ヽ(´ー｀)ノ
Well to go back to our matters, for those who, like me, doesn’t play chess: there are two sides. The Black side and White side containing black chess pieces and white chess pieces… If the White Pawn (the piece with sphere head) reached the edge of black side (vice versa), it can be promoted into other chess pieces except the King (the Knight; the one who can move in L and can jump from pieces to pieces, the Rook; the one who can move horizontally and vertically, the Bishop; the one who can move diagonally, and the Queen; the one who can move diagonally, vertically, and horizontally). In Chess, the pawn is the only one who can promote itself from either of the four.
Also, the queen is considered to be the most powerful chess piece, and if you promoted the pawn (which is always seen as a bait) into a Queen, it will be powerful.
The pawn who can be a queen here is, obviously, Juvellian. (Was it clear? I tried my best)