CH ss - 1

Side Story 1: The Aftermath of the Hearing

Note: Highly recommended to re-read the last scene of the last main story chapter.

“At that time, the hearing hall was enveloped in such perfect silence that even the sound of a needle dropping could be heard.”

“Michael Ildreze Nacht.”

“Everyone couldn’t open their mouths. It was because there was no one who could beat Sienna Hesaros Kainosia, whose name was too brilliant, in terms of legitimacy, ability, or achievements…”

“When I called you by your full name, doesn’t it mean to shut up?”

“Didn’t you hear that?”

“…….”

Against the background of Hesaros’ laughter ringing in her ears, the veins of Sienna’s hands bulged out as she glared at the smirking Michael. She thought,

‘I shouldn’t kill him.’

She took a deep breath. She couldn’t kill Michael Nacht in a place like this. There was a reason that preceded human affection.

Michael had natural smarts. His brain should be squeezed for the empire’s prosperous future.

Sienna knew very well that a better revenge would be to exploit and use Michael slowly, over the next 50 or 70 years, until he withers away, rather than getting rid of him right here and now.

‘Yes… Wait and see, Michael Nacht.’

Unaware of what Sienna was thinking and soothing herself with, Michael changed his tone.

“I mean, who told you to be so cool when I’m not around?”

“Nice…”

In front of Michael, who started whining, Sienna began to search for headache medicine. Either way, Michael pursed his lips and grunted.

“I really wanted to see that Marquis Septima unable to even squeak.”

In the end, Sienna couldn’t stand it.

“That’s why you wrote a novel based on the records of the hearing?!”

‘To think that the hearing was broken up like that to save a guy like this. And a record has been left behind for generations to come!’

No matter how much Sienna thought about it, it’s like hitting the ground and wailing. She gnashed her teeth.

Unable to listen further, Isabelle interrupted.

“Your Highness, calm down.”

“Isabelle, the lieutenant that was carefully tying this guy’s nonsensical writing with a red ribbon. I remembered it clearly.”

(TL/N: pfft, Michael wrote the story on some pieces of paper, and Isabelle helped to tie them up!)

“…I will correct it.”

Fortunately, Isabelle was more conscientious than Michael. However, that fact did not soothe Sienna’s upset stomach, who felt ridiculed by her loyal knights—or rather, overly loyal knights.

Massaging her temples, Sienna declared with a sigh.

“Get out.”

“Yes.”

With a ghostly expression, Michael muttered, “But, Your Highness…” and dragged the weeping Isabelle out.

Before the door closed, a couple more words were heard: “It’s Sir Michael’s fault” and “No, you said it’s touching at some point!”

Sienna sighed as she facepalmed. Then, with narrowed eyes, she stared at the table covered with Michael’s writing and other documents.

There was a bit of belated regret.

‘It wasn’t something to be really annoyed about?’

The reason why Sienna burst out at something that could have been laughed off was because her nerves were nibbling elsewhere.

“…….”

Then, a knock was heard. It was Countess Gildinak, pushing a cart.

“Your Highness, the tea… Oh my goodness. What are you staring at?”

Sienna answered awkwardly, picking up Michael’s novel and burning it with purifying fire.

“My suitors.”

“Oh my God, what you’re burning right now is surely not the self-introduction of the suitors carefully selected by Her Majesty the Empress, right?”

“I do want to burn it if I can.”

“Ohoho. If not, then it’s fine.”

The countess smiled gracefully as she poured tea and moved plates of treats with a gentle touch.

It had been a while, but with the sudden addition in the imperial family and the emperor’s declaration of abdication, a tremendous amount of work rushed like a tidal wave at the Imperial Palace of Feyenoord.

‘Was it the people of Yebu that started calling, then followed by the people of the palace?’

The problem was that this was an extra bout.

The current goal of the Feyenoord imperial family was to settle the situation called ‘the rebellion of Duke Euros’. They didn’t have the energy to focus on anything else.

Sienna didn’t even have time to change the curtains after inheriting the palace once it was devoid of Arandier’s stuff.

There was no need to choose someone to be the head maid. Since there was Countess Gildinak.

Originally, the head maid position of the Imperial Palace should be filled by a noble wife, bearing the rank of a marquis at the very least, but…

At the time, the high-ranking nobles of Feyenoord were at a loss as to how far the new orphaned princess would go.

It wasn’t Countess Gildinak to miss that opportunity.

Very casually, she asked, “Your Highness, will you give me the position of head maid?” With those words, she solved Sienna’s troubles and attained her own glory in one breath.

“Since that hearing, Your Highness’s popularity has been soaring day by day.”

“I think that is the most nonsensical point.”

The day Sienna unintentionally overpowered the chaotic hearing hall.

Sienna thought that all the so-called high-ranking nobles would grab her by the back of the neck because they couldn’t overcome their anger.

But that was a prediction that looked down on the nobles of the tough country of Feyenoord.

The moment they confirmed that the new crown princess, who had been criticized for being an orphan-turned-military girl, was not an easy-going person, they changed their attitude as easily and quickly as flipping their palms.

Or, it could be said that the brains of people who were paralyzed by the unprecedented incident of the death of the imperial grandson began to work busily again.

“Come to think of it, Her Highness was so noble even before she entered the imperial family?”

“Is that all? Even Her Majesty the Empress is pleased with her calling her ‘my daughter’ at all times.”

“She’s the second owner of Highsteer.”

“There is no possibility that Her Majesty will produce another successor.”

“Above all, her biggest advantage is that she is from Nacht.”

Ashiel, the son of the empress’ fifth cousin, was the closest to the imperial lineage within the current empire.

If it was another country, it would be easy for a rebellion to occur with him as the center, but Sienna was Nacht’s ward.

There was an easier way between the two.

“Following the old customs of the guardianship system and the bloodline of the imperial family… Of course, Her Highness the Crown Princess will marry His Highness the Grand Duke of Nacht, right?”

“…Rumor has it that the two of them kissed at the moment of victory…”

“Perhaps, but…”

“Oh, that’s not all. There are rumors that His Highness the Grand Duke visited a famous jeweler in the capital.”

“But these days, the two of them don’t seem that close.”

It was a cautious but undeniable fact.

‘Ashiel Nacht.’

In the very private gatherings of close relatives, he was already half-treated as Sienna’s lover, and she herself did not deny him.

However, in public places, Ashiel kept his distance from Sienna to the extent that it seemed strange.

Additionally, these days, he was passionate about using ‘formal speech’ towards Sienna.

Thanks to this, people who were not close relatives often babbled arbitrarily, saying, ‘Seeing that the grand duke uses such a polite tone and keeping his distance, the relationship between the two is just a lord-subject’s relationship’.

In such a situation, someone put forward this opinion:

“Well, since the two of them weren’t engaged even when she was a guardian of Nacht, isn’t it possible to say that the door is definitely closed?”

That’s true?

People thought about it. Is it really necessary for Ashiel Nacht to become Sienna’s spouse?

Like a flower that bloomed in the spring breeze, the love affairs of young men and women were delicate. Sometimes it worked, and sometimes it didn’t, right?

If there was no atmosphere between the two, now would be a great opportunity.

On the day when various perceptions changed in people’s heads, courtship letters began to fly to Sienna like a storm.

To be exact, it wasn’t to Sienna. The letters arrived at the office of Sienna’s mother, the empress, but the problem was that Arandier found this very interesting.

“I can’t give my daughter to any random bastard.”

While humming, Arandier, in the middle of her busy—actually overly-heavy—work, lined up portraits and smeared the faces of the worthless bastards with a cigarette.

Then, Sienna, who looked at the eccentric scene in shock, was given the portraits of the few who survived.

—This was the entire aftermath of the hearing.

If only she could turn back time. Sienna came back to her senses.

“Have some tea, Your Highness. Do you know? If the inside gets warm, something might happen.”

“I don’t think so, but…”

These were the words spoken by Countess Gildinak, a close ally who often lends her wisdom, so Sienna grunted and drank a little tea.

“There’s a way to solve courtship problems.”

“What?”

Seeing Sienna’s eyes sparkle, Countess Gildinak smiled and said,

“Well, of course, wouldn’t it be to choose one of them and get married?”

Ame: SIDE STORIES HERE WE COME!!!!!! There’s 8 in total, and I plan to update roughly once a week (y’know, I have a ton of other projects and there’s so much festivities these two months…), please do understand :”)