"His Highness said such a thing?"
"Yes."
"I'm relieved that at least you have your head screwed on straight."
"...This is as far as I can go."
Gazeff gave a bitter smile.
Since becoming Cabelenus’s servant, he had never once gone against his will — he never imagined he would do something like this.
"Don't feel guilty. You did the right thing."
"For a loyal dog, right and wrong don’t matter. It’s the master’s place to judge, not the dog’s."
"Even if you imitate a dog, you’re still human."
“...”
"There’s no need to overthink it. The child isn’t even born yet. Why fear and reject such a small life?"
"His Highness simply does not want a child."
“Is that how it seems to you? I think he is actually afraid of the child.”
Madame Morco tightly gripped the ring Gazeff handed her.
Inside it, there was a recording of the conversation between Cabelenus and Gazeff.
"His Highness is a fearless man."
"That, we don’t know. We have no idea what kind of life he lived before coming to Schwarhan."
“...”
"First of all, the relationship between His Majesty the Emperor and His Highness is abnormal. And usually, such relationships exist for a reason."
Madame Morco sighed deeply.
"Aunt, what are your plans moving forward?"
"For now, I only hope the young lady wakes up soon."
"I'm asking about after that."
"Well, what should I do?"
"I don’t think I can help you any further."
Gazeff lowered his head weakly, avoiding Madame Morco’s gaze.
Just giving Madame Morco the information was already a betrayal against Cabelenus.
He couldn’t go any further than that.
"Surely you don’t think I’d rely on a child who’s only just begun to grasp how the world works?"
"I know you’re a strong person, Aunt, but I hope you don’t push yourself too hard."
"I always just do my best in everything. I'm simply doing what I must."
Madame Morco unconsciously clenched and unclenched her hand.
It had been decades since she gave up her knight’s title.
Yet, the habits formed over many years still lingered.
‘I hope His Highness changes his mind, but that won’t be easy.’
That was how old things were.
Whether it was a good memory or a bad one, the more time passed, the more it became natural and firmly ingrained, making it hard to change.
Hoping for a change in Cabelenus was, in truth, little more than wishful thinking.
"It would be nice if everything passed quietly without any problems, but the weather is always calm before a heavy blizzard."
“...”
"How can human strength defy the laws of nature? We can only prepare to minimise the damage as much as possible."
Madame Morco turned her gaze toward the window, hiding the heaviness in her heart behind a seasoned smile.
Today, the weather was unusually fine.
・・・・・
“It’s a beautiful day.”
"You seem to be in a good mood."
“Of course. Finally, my position is becoming clear, isn’t it?”
Veloa looked into the mirror and leisurely curled her lips into a smile.
She looked so beautiful in the mirror that the long time spent getting ready didn’t feel wasted at all.
"Honestly, I’m completely satisfied with everything. And it will only get better from here."
Except for just one thing.
For a moment, Veloa’s relaxed smile twisted.
"Isn’t it ridiculous? A man who leaves his fiancée all alone, endlessly."
“He’s just a busy man, after all.”
“That depends on who he’s busy with.”
Veloa elegantly picked up a fan, lifting her chin.
The fan, woven from splendid peacock feathers, was a top-quality item rarely seen even in the kingdom, and the gifts she received daily were no different.
“All the gifts from the Grand Duke are consistently impressive.”
"They represent His Highness’s feelings toward the princess."
"Usually, that would be the case. But why do these things feel like they’re telling me to just keep quiet and accept them?"
The fan slipped from Veloa’s hand and fell limply to the floor.
She casually crushed the fan under her heel and picked up another.
Breaking one fan was no problem.
There were plenty more to replace it.
"To be so worked up over a mere slave — there’s a limit to this love game. If he’s like this even before the engagement, I’ll be in trouble too."
"Since the slave’s very existence hasn’t been revealed, isn’t that alright? Honestly, if we hadn’t known anything, we wouldn’t have even been aware of her presence."
"It wouldn’t matter if that slave woman were to remain forever in the shadows, but judging by how he’s been acting, it doesn’t seem like she’ll be left that way."
“Even so, she’s just a slave.”
One of Veloa’s eyebrows quirked up.
She, too, wanted to define her as ‘just a slave,’ but couldn’t.
"The Emperor said that the Grand Duke, swallowing his pride, even asked the High Priest for help."
"For that slave, you mean?"
"Yes. All for just that one slave."
Veloa couldn’t hold back her anger and spoke in an irritated voice.
What Cabelenus did was beyond her comprehension.
"Also, have you been in contact with the Emperor’s side?"
“Yes. I did get in touch.”
Veloa, still huffing and puffing, turned her head toward the communication mirror.
The mirror, having only recently finished transmitting, still held a faint trace of mana.
“He’s a man you can’t read.”
“That’s right. A cunning man. He knew I was searching for that slave’s location but pretended not to know all along until now.”
Veloa smirked, raising the corners of her eyes.
As expected of siblings, she didn’t like the way either of them behaved.
“Did the Emperor know where that slave was from the start?”
“Yes. He knew everything but pretended not to. How infuriating.”
“Why on earth would he do that? Aren’t we supposed to be on the same side?”
Perhaps the Emperor intended to betray them.
An uneasy look flickered in the escort’s eyes.
“I heard he was just waiting for the right moment?”
"The right moment?"
“He excused himself, saying the timing was too early, so he was just waiting.”
“It sounds like he has a hidden agenda.”
"The nerve of a mongrel trying to scheme — honestly, those lowly creatures always struggle and thrash about in the most despicable ways just to survive."
Veloa shook her head in disgust.
No matter how kindly she tried to see it, impure bloodlines always showed their flaws.
“Then, are you planning to cut ties with the Emperor now?”
"No."
“But, surely…”
“It’s maddening that he’s already trying to undermine me by ignoring me, but abandoning the Emperor can wait. Right now, dealing with that slave takes priority.”
Cabelenus had clearly crossed the line, too far to be dismissed as merely having a filthy preference for slaves.
The possible existence of a child, as well as the excessive sacrifices made for a slave, were both utterly unacceptable.
No matter how trivial, if it had the potential to spark a fire, it had to be dealt with before the flames spread.
“What will you do?”
“For now, I’ll play along with the Emperor’s tune.”
“Wouldn’t it be better to avoid getting involved with him as much as possible?”
The escort cautiously voiced his opinion.
He didn’t want to provoke Veloa’s temper, but the Emperor was far too cunning and ruthless for the young princess to handle.
It was only natural to be vigilant, fearing they might just be used and then discarded.
“What if I don’t get involved? You expect me to back out now?”
"But…"
"Don’t even think about nagging me. I’ve already decided to borrow someone from the Emperor."
Veloa absentmindedly fanned herself with the fan and leaned back in her chair.
Her patience was slowly running out.
She never really liked waiting to begin with.
"It’ll attract attention if an outsider enters the castle."
"Don’t worry. Everything inside the castle will be handled quietly. Ironically, that sly Emperor has already deployed people inside. They’ll help me."
"He deployed people?"
"How do you think he found out where that slave wench was? I’m talking about the Emperor. He acted like he cared for his younger brother, but he had planted spies everywhere long ago. Even pretending to be a good older brother was just an act.”
Veloa openly clicked her tongue and curled her lips upward.
“I thought their bond was strong enough for him to hand over the throne, but I guess not.”
“It doesn’t matter what he’s thinking. Whatever scheme he has in mind, all that matters is that I get what I want. In the end, even if our intentions differ, our goal is the same, isn’t it?”
To make the Grand Duke the perfect emperor.
Veloa’s eyes curved gently into graceful arcs.
Though thinking about the slave put her in a bad mood, just imagining the ending quickly lifted her spirits.
“My engagement ceremony will go ahead as planned — and it will be grand. But the brighter the lights shine, the darker the shadows become.”
"That means..."
“On the day I fully enjoy my happiness, that woman will plunge into the abyss.”
And it would be utterly devastating and cruel.
Veloa gracefully adjusted the way she held her fan with an elegant gesture.
Just thinking about that day made her heart race.
・・・・・
The room was quiet.
Alicia instinctively wrapped her arms around her stomach in the pitch-black darkness.
She could vividly feel the power that confirmed the child’s existence.
Now, that truth was something she welcomed wholeheartedly.
'Thank God, it wasn’t a dream.'
Alicia closed her eyes and felt warmth over her belly.
The warmth she cradled was too real, too vivid to simply dismiss as a dream.
If she had never known it at all, maybe she wouldn’t understand, but once she had experienced that warmth, she could never forget it.
Click–
How long had she been holding the child like that?
The door opened, letting in a faint stream of light.
Alicia immediately sat up to see who had come in.
"...My lady?"
"Madame Morco."
"Oh my God."
Madame Morco rushed over and embraced Alicia tightly.
Alicia’s eyes widened, and then she returned the embrace just as firmly.
Madame Morco was trembling.
“I’m relieved you woke up safely. No — wait, let’s call the physician right away. First, we should check on your condition, then get you something to eat…”
“No need to call a physician. I know my own body best.”
"My lady."
“I’m not in pain. In fact, I feel stronger than ever.”
Even in the dark, her face looked too healthy to deny what she said.
It was hard to believe she had been unconscious at all.
“Are you really alright?”
"Yes."
"If that’s the case, I’m truly relieved. I really..."
Madame Morco couldn’t hold back her rising emotions and roughly wiped her face.
“I’m sorry for causing you worry.”
"No, my lady. It wasn’t your fault. If anything, the one at fault was..."
Madame Morco stopped speaking and let out a deep breath.
It was a relief that Alicia had woken up, but that wasn’t the end of it.
The problem still remained.
"...Where is His Highness?"
Alicia smiled weakly.
Madame Morco looked at her for a moment, carefully choosing her words.
She knew Alicia couldn’t possibly be unaffected, but seeing her pretend to be calm made her heart ache.
“He’s probably in his office.”
“Then contact him immediately. I have something to tell him.”
"Yes, I will."
"Thank you."
“...”
"Yes?"
Madame Morco, watching Alicia, whose true thoughts were hidden, finally embraced her again.
Alicia quietly nestled in Madame Morco’s arms, lowering her gaze.
“I’m sorry for deceiving you, my lady.”
“...”
“I never truly intended to deceive you. Since this is a matter between the two of you, I just wanted to give you time to resolve it yourselves. I never meant to betray you.”
The hand stroking her back was gentle and comforting.
Alicia hesitated for a moment, then carefully buried her face in Madame Morco’s shoulder.
Though she didn’t want to let her get close anymore because of the betrayal, the embrace she found herself in was warm and comforting like a mother’s, making it impossible to hate her.
“You don’t have to pretend to be okay. Just like stagnant water rots, holding in your emotions will rot you from the inside. If you’re sad, say you’re sad. If you’re hurt, say you’re hurt. It’s okay to do that.”
“...”
"I may serve His Highness, but I serve you as well, my lady. Ever since you came to Schwarhan, you’ve been my master." [1]
Alicia gripped the hem of Madame Morco’s clothes tightly.
She never expected to hear those words.
No matter how kind a person she was, in the end, Madame Morco was Cabelenus’s servant, so Alicia naturally assumed she would just obey his wishes.
That was why Alicia deliberately acted as if nothing had happened.
After hearing cruel words from Cabelenus, she didn’t want to hear any more cruelty from anyone else.
“…Madame Morco, you’re like a mage.”
Alicia forced back rising tears and gave a strained smile.
The tangled emotions, which seemed impossible to unravel like a wild knot, were abruptly cut away by a single kind word.
“I’m glad my words brought you comfort. I never wanted you to get hurt. No one wants to see someone they care about in pain.”
“...”
“But there’s no way to avoid getting hurt forever. The world isn’t always kind. That’s why I hope you’ll become someone strong, not someone who fears being hurt, but someone who uses those moments as a foundation to keep moving forward.”
‘My young master, and my beloved pupil.’
Madame Morco’s hand gently caressed Alicia’s cheek.
Translator's Corner:
[1] I translated this as "master" since I have already used the word "mistress" as a word with negative connotations.
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