/
Winter in my 20 was particularly cold and harsh.
Leonard returned safely, but the atmosphere in the duke’s residence was heavy for some time after that.
Even after Leonard’s innocence was revealed, bad news about Peresca began to circulate among the nobles.
It wasn’t because they did not believe in Leonard’s innocence.
‘I guess they just noticed that the balance of power has been tilted.’
The flag of power was again transferred to the hands of Valer and Brande. And there was nothing easier to please them than to insult Peresca.
“There is nothing to worry about. It won’t last long.”
At dinner time, Father’s voice was as calm as ever.
“Don’t worry about the little things. Our job is to protect His Highness.”
The other side has been attacking with all sorts of cowardly means, but my father was adhering to a frustratingly savvy and honest way.
‘Well, Hamilton was a bit like that as well. Are all the people on this side like that?’
How strange.
The people who gathered under a bad-tempered person like Caesar were these honest people.
“May I ask what happened with Horio?”
I brought up the topic, knowing that it was an uncomfortable topic.
Leonard and Father looked at me at the same time, then dropped their gazes back onto the plate.
After a slight interval, Father opened his mouth with a shallow sigh.
“I thought it wouldn’t be easy to say.”
The result wasn’t very good.
“We’re sure they’re holding hands with the empress.”
“Yeah, seeing they threatened you with Leonard.”
The fact that the empress had been able to threaten me over the matter means that the empress could control the case.
I thought, rolling the hard-to-handle bean sprouts on the plate.
‘The Horio family is a wealthy businessmen. Then they must be people who think money is more important than fame.’
In other words, their weakness is ‘money’.
“What is the specific business of the Horio family?”
The answer came from Leonard.
“Ship trade.”
“Wow, it’s bigger than I thought.”
“That’s right. They have two large merchant ships.”
“Hmm.”
So, did something go wrong with that business?
The empress had offered to remove legislation that would damage trade.
‘Clearly, the prime minister was on the empress’s side.’
The Horio family was a place of money that the imperial family was leaning on. On the contrary, it was also a problem that could make the Horio family more gullible.
If that’s the case, then their weakness must be something beyond the reach of the Horios.
‘Like being caught in an illegal business.’
There is a possibility.
“We’d better get information from the workers on Horio’s ships.”
I put my thoughts together and gave my opinion.
“You mean the trader?”
“I mean the laborers. Those people have nothing to do with the Horio family, so they’ll be able to confide in something more easily.”
It takes a lot of people to run a ship.
Surely there will be workers who are hired for a short period of time. Such people don’t need to keep their loyalty to Horio if they get a bigger benefit.
“But do the laborers have important information?”
Leonard questioned.
“The ship is a narrow and isolated place, so even the lowest-ranking workers will have no choice but to know what’s going on inside.”
“Hmm. Helena’s words are true. Now is the time to hang on to even the smallest things.”
“If we send someone from the family, Horio will notice it, so I will send one of the knights.”
“That’s a good idea, but will Sir Dalton allow it?”
“The whole Order is full of spite over this, so I’m sure he will allow it.”
I nodded my head in affirmation. If it were Dalton, he’d be happy to do anything to smack Horio in the back of his head.
“Both of you, remember. A Peresca is never angry. We just pay them back.”
Father’s voice lived up to his words, and there was no anger at all.
But the tenacity of never giving up until they paid for the insults our family had suffered was evident.
As expected, I like this family.
I put the bean sprout in my mouth with a fork and smiled softly.
***
An invitation came from the empress.
It seemed that she had finally prepared an ‘official place’ for the crown princess candidate to declare her renunciation.
It meant that You have to go even if you don’t want to go.
“God, please don’t let me curse on the spot… please don’t let me lose my temper and draw my sword…”
“What a scary prayer, Helena.”
Leonard approached me, who was crushing the invitation and praying hard to God.
“I have to rely on God because I’m not confident in my will.”
“Hahaha. If you can’t keep your reason in the end, run to me right away. I will risk my life and let you run away.”
“Ah, I love you, Brother.”
I hugged Leonard’s neck tightly. Framing such a good older brother, you bastards.
“And, Helena. His Highness asked me to say hello to you.”
“Mm? Did you meet Caesar, Brother?”
“Yes. I wasn’t threatened not to meet His Highness.”
Leonard shrugged and said.
“So for the time being, I will be your messenger.”
“Ahaha, what do you mean by messenger?”
I purposely laughed aloud because I wanted to pass this lightly, but strangely, I felt like I was about to cry.
Once again, I felt deeply that I was far away from Caesar.
There was a time when we only met for half a day in summer, so why is it so heartbreaking to part ways when the season hasn’t even ended yet?
“By the way, His Highness asked me to tell you, ‘Don’t catch a cold while sleeping with your stomach open’.”
“Wow… He doesn’t give you a chance to fall in love, really.”
As expected, you bad person.
Normally, at times like this, I love you, I like you, I miss you, shouldn’t it be this kind of message?
“Then tell him I won’t let him go if he takes a break from sword training because I’m not there.”
“Don’t worry about it. These days, he’s been calling in knights and breaking records.”
“Gasp.”
“He has a very bloody atmosphere. Everybody’s crazy about the gray wolf waking up.”
“Fuhaha, what is that?”
Caesar, a murderous man. I’d love to see that.
“Oh, and one more.”
“…?”
“I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you properly. … He asked me to tell you that.”
… Ah
‘It’s not Caesar’s fault.’
It was my will to choose Caesar. He didn’t understand no matter how many times I had said it.
No, he must’ve understood.
It was just painful that he had hurt someone who was precious to him. Just like me.
“… Please tell him to pay back the apples later on with dessert as interest.”
I said with a bitter smile.
I endured it, but my eyes suddenly were blurred in an instant. I raised my head a little to keep the tears from flowing.
Noticing me like that, Leonard gently hugged me.
I put my head on Leonard’s shoulder and somehow swallowed the tears.
***
The empress’s tea party included not only aristocrats but also business owners and entrepreneurs.
‘You seem to want to spread the word that I have given up on the crown princess seat.’
The time that seemed as if those people had done nothing while holding their breath was an incredible driving force.
“You are dazzlingly beautiful today, Princess.”
When I entered the tea room, the empress first approached me and greeted me.
It was annoying to see her smiling without care.
“Thank you for the invitation.”
“You’re welcome. After all, it was a place reserved for the princess.”
“I think I’m going to shed tears as I am so moved by your kindness.”
“This is no trouble.”
The empress smiled with her face covered with a fan. Only the eyes narrowed in the shape of a crescent moon could be seen over the fan.
“Since the princess said she wouldn’t do it unless it was a deal, I was just setting up a place for a small deal.”
… Ah.
Are you talking about the day the arrows were shot?
‘What’s this? You like to hold a grudge.’
I smiled softly and turned my gaze to the side.
“Princess. The offer to get along with me is still valid.”
“… Pardon?”
“Don’t you realize it now? Under whose protection is the safest.”
Oh my gosh. She’s so tenacious. How scary.
“Princess and I seem to have more similarities than I thought.”
“Really? But I don’t think so.”
“Really?”
“At least I know how to tell right from wrong.”
At my calm rebuttal, one of the empress’s eyebrows twitched over the fan.
“…Then, I’m sorry to hear that.”
Tak, the empress folded the fan and turned her back on me and turned towards the people. And she clapped her hands together, grabbing people’s attention.
“Everyone, could you please pay attention for a moment? The princess wants to clear up your misunderstandings.”
The chattering space fell silent for an instant. Everyone looked at me with strange eyes.
Among them was Yulika Brande.
“Come on, Princess. Go ahead.”
The empress smiled like a fox and urged.
I closed my eyes for a moment and then opened them.
I felt that the eyes of people who would be interested in stories that would attract others’ attention were all directed at me.
“Contrary to what you might have guessed, His Highness Caesar and I are not at all in a relationship to discuss marriage.”
The atmosphere stagnated.
“There is no chance that I will become the crown princess.”
***
The meeting wasn’t over, but I left first. Of course, no one stopped me.
To them, I would be nothing more than a dog that was defeated by the empress.
‘Still, it’s disrespectful to not give me a servant to see off.’
As I trudged down the hallway, I let out a small sigh.
Have I gotten too used to living and being treated like that? I’ll take this opportunity to get back to my roots.
“Ah, Princess.”
As I was walking, chasing the shadows that fluttered on the floor of the hallway, I heard Hamilton’s voice in front of me.
I looked up and saw Hamilton and Caesar.
When I saw Caesar, my heart sank. There was no smile or voice.
Then Hamilton approached me and talked to me.
“Are you going to Her Ladyship the Empress tea party?”
“Pardon? Ah… yes.”
“Alright. Then… Mm, we’ll get going.”
Hamilton looked up and nodded to me.
‘Ignorant Hamilton. You shouldn’t have dragged this on by saying some nonsense.’
I resented Hamilton inwardly and bowed my head slightly to greet him. Then I bowed my head to Caesar, and Caesar also lightly bowed to me and passed me by.
‘How can I get away with this?’
I wanted to look back, but I clenched my teeth and walked forward.
‘What are you thinking, Caesar?’
He seemed to have lost all his emotions, like a boy in a fairy tale with winter in his heart. I thought it would be as cold as ice if I touched it with my hand.
Maybe I am too.
Did Caesar see me like that as well?
‘I should’ve smiled.’
That thought came to my mind belatedly.
I turned right at the end of the hallway. To go down the stairs, I had to cross a narrow hallway with no windows.
On either side of the hallway, doors leading to rooms or other hallways were placed alternately.
“It’s quiet.”
It wasn’t the usual route for people to come and go, but today it felt particularly bitter.
Let’s hurry back home.
And let’s just swing our swords so much that we can’t even think. If you’re tired, you won’t have to think in vain before going to sleep.
Can I sleep without thinking about Caesar…
“…?”
My thoughts were suddenly dragged aside.
Suddenly, one door in the hallway opened, and an outstretched arm grabbed me and pulled me into the room.
My body was quickly sucked into a dark room with no witnesses and no lights on.
Tak.
The sound of a door closing was heard in the dark.