Chapter 59.1

“Go away.”

As my words fell, the maids and eunuchs in the room left the room with heads bowed down. I also let the female guards out of the room. Finally I was alone and I heaved a big sigh.

I felt so dispirited.

From tomorrow onwards…no, from this moment, the following rumours must’ve started flying about:

‘The King finally laid his hand on a man.’

I let out another sigh and swept my gaze all around the room. It was decided to use this room since the inner palace where Princess Consort Jane resided had turned vacant; but there was nothing here that I was familiar with. I could count how many times I had ever spent the nights with Jane, so that was equal to how many times I had visited this room.

After Jane was pregnant with Alfred, she was not someone who behavedly waited in the Inner Palace, she also took the duty in country administration. She was someone I should call a comrade-in-arms in ruling this country together with me. She was unlike any other consorts, I assumed her as my confidant.

People around me said that I crazily loved the Second Consort Algarina, but that was not the case. I treated all my side consorts equally, even the money allocated to each of them was the same. Their only difference was that Algarina was the daughter to the leading Duke. She received a large financial support from her family; she wore far more luxurious dresses and her jewelleries were all resplendent.

The number of nights I spent with them were also equal but somehow Algarina was easily impregnated. In no time, she bore four children. However, that was all there was to it. She was nothing but one of the consorts waiting for me in the Inner Palace.

On the other hand, Jane jumped out of the Inner Palace and did her things next to me. It had never occurred to me that Jane would choose to be apart from me. I was resolved to part with Jane, but I still found it hard to accept.

I… maybe I lacked what they call sympathy or consideration towards others. Without realizing it, probably not a few people had fallen victim due to this shortcoming of mine.

I recollected Fania, who I thought of as nothing more than a small cute child, as he bellowed at me with tears dampening his face, “Give me back my father! How are you going to fix the House of Arginia!”

Inside me, Fania’s mother, Carina never left the position as my cute, adorable cousin; nothing more. Rather than a cousin, I treated her like a pet to dote on heavily. She would behave cutely at me and also come crying at me, but I only entertained her when I got free time at hand.

However, even pet owners were responsible for their pets; but the way I treated Carina, I only doted on her and didn’t even discipline her with common sense. On top of that, I found it bothersome when she cried at me, so I just passed it to others to handle. It hadn’t even fleeted in my mind that Rudolf—the one I passed her to—would have his life totally ruined.

Rudolf was my classmate in the academy. Our acquaintance started from there. In the academy, regardless of Rudolf’s own will, he was made as my close aide; and after graduation, he was given a wife that was rumoured to be my secondhand woman. He had no chance to lead a life of his own. It couldn’t be helped if he desired to break away from me. He must’ve wished to be apart from me so bad to the point of giving up his title of Duke Arginia.

‘After Jane, even Rudolf is going away…?’ I lamented inwardly.

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In our 3-way talk, I finally realized what a horrible thing I had done. It might have been too late nevertheless. I could not close my eyes at the long years of Rudolf’s sufferings.

Afterwards, apparently Rudolf and Fania had a private talk. For so long, Rudolf hadn’t seen Fania as his own child. It was due to my misleading behaviour. Although I did it without knowing, it was not something forgivable. Only after seeing the birthmark on Fania, for the first time, Rudolf realized that Fania was indeed his.

The following day, Fania came to me by himself. He told me to keep it a secret from Rudolf and Alfred, and he had a subtle expression on his face.

“Uncle…no, Your Majesty, I have some requests, so I came.”

“I made you suffer. I’ll try my best to fulfill it.”

“Thank you. There are a few things. Firstly, please approve the divorce between my father and mother.”

“Okay, that’s for sure. I’ll talk Carina into it.”

“That would really help. She listens to no one else, so please do that. Second, I would like you to take in my mother after their divorce.”

“Guhk… She’s not returning to the Viscount house?”

“That house is now inherited by his younger brother, my uncle. He refused to take her.”

“But, isn’t that where she is from?”

“There’s no way she could get along with uncle’s wife. He declared that he wouldn’t take her in because he still wants to retain his relationship with his wife.”

“…”

“I can leave this to you, right? Who was it that over pampered her so much that she became nothing but trouble until no one wants to take her, I wonder.”

“…I got it. I’ll make her enter the nunnery.”

“Make sure she can’t escape.” Fania bowed.

“Fania.”

“Yes.”

“I see you’re treating your own mother like strangers.”

“Well, when I was little, I could only see her maybe once a year? After I left home for the palace when I was 12 years old, I haven’t met her even once. It doesn’t feel like she is family to me at all.” In response to my question, Fania slightly chuckled and he showed me a matured face.

I was surprised that he could make that kind of expression. Up till then, I only saw Fania the same as Carina—an existence only to be pampered. I really was blind.

“And here’s my last request. Please accept my father’s feelings.”

“Feelings?” Baffled, I asked Fania in return.

“That’s right. I just remembered, in the spin-off story, there was a relationship between old men. Yeah, the thing they called DILF1 festival.”

“HUH? Fania, I don’t understand a thing you’re saying.”

“It’s okay, you don’t have to. It’s just something on my side. I was surprised that the BL game even included this part. I don’t know what those fujo ladies found enjoyable with old men getting together. Well, that matter aside. Previously, when I had the talk with my father, I straight up asked him. At first, he strongly denied it, but eventually he had reluctantly admitted it.”

“????”

Fania raved on very fast, but I couldn’t get anything he said.

“Father has held a love in secret, you know. From when he was still a student, it seems like he has liked you ever since, Your Majesty.”

“Eghk!”