Chapter 33
“Your Majesty, I did occasionally engage in conversation with Karen, but it was merely to maintain decorum as a business associate of my father.”
Arden and Cardius’s gazes focused on her clear voice. Leticia tightly clasped her trembling hands and managed to smile faintly, curling her lips.
“He says he came to clear up misunderstandings. My father and I believed you were a person of the kingdom. Were we wrong?”
Cardius would still be acting. Since he desired her, he wouldn’t create a situation that made her uncomfortable. Leticia believed in that.
“Yes. I deceived the Vaute family out of curiosity. I would have sent a letter saying I’d come to the kingdom. I didn’t expect to be found out so quickly after making friends a bit early.”
With that sentence, she breathed a small sigh of relief.
She had thought her father knew everything, but fortunately, he hadn’t actually revealed it. However, it was terrifying to think about the next situation. Their meeting, and the sudden presence of a cardinal from the Papal State.
Everything felt strange. It was clear that things were changing around her.
“Hmm.”
Arden muttered softly. The light in his blue eyes sparkled even more.
His words implied that he wasn’t a person of the kingdom. Yet he was so confident.
There was only one reason.
Arden was observant. He was good at assessing the situation. His lips parted slightly, and a low tone filled the reception room.
“It seems the Emperor has quite a peculiar hobby.”
Raymond’s eyes widened at Arden’s words. The Emperor? Was that man the Emperor of Lusselon Empire? The unexpected appearance of such a figure left Raymond quite astonished.
“Is that so? It wasn’t a hobby, it was sincere.”
“Be careful with your words. This is a kingdom, not an empire.”
Their gazes clashed sharply.
“It might be best for others to step back at this point. What are the Queen’s thoughts?”
“Father and the Cardinal should step back. But as the Queen of Brirent, I have the right to hear the conversation.”
Leticia adjusted her posture and looked Cardius squarely in the eye.
“Why did the Emperor deceive me and approach me?”
Wasn’t that an unheard-of statement? She was curious about his intentions, why he was interested in her, what he wanted from her. Why she had to die like that.
“Well, would you believe me no matter what I say?”
Arden’s eyebrows twitched at Cardius’s words. His red eyes twisted unpleasantly as he smiled. Arden didn’t pay attention, as the smile didn’t seem genuine. It was just the subtle dynamic between the two that bothered him. Arden chuckled softly. Leticia was clearly wary of Cardius.
Every time his golden eyes brushed past her, they shimmered. Arden caught Leticia’s hesitation very well.
‘Was she aware, or truly oblivious?’
He opened his eyes slightly and scrutinized Cardius’s face. He had heard the stories. There was someone in the Lusselon Empire who was obsessed with blood, a man with red eyes. The Emperor of the Empire. He heard that he lost his reason when he desired something beautiful.
‘Beautiful things…’
Arden’s gaze involuntarily turned towards Leticia. Among the things she possessed, Leticia was undoubtedly the most beautiful.
Arden clenched his fist and scratched his eyebrow. Though tiredness flooded him, he didn’t show it. The fact that the Emperor himself had intervened bothered him. No, his very existence irritated him. Were they so close that he worried she might be in trouble? When he uttered the word ‘friend,’ Leticia’s expression subtly contorted.
She seemed to know something, but he couldn’t gauge what it was. It felt like blood rushing in the wrong direction. She even disliked the idea of the Emperor being involved in any way. Leticia thought that Karen’s presence had changed her, but perhaps she was right. Arden’s mood sank. On the contrary, his face remained calm, like the tranquility before a storm.
“You should speak your mind, whether it’s from the Empire’s perspective or the Emperor’s.”
“It was just curiosity. At first, hearing that the Queen of Brirent was beautiful made me curious, so I moved my schedule up a bit, that’s all.”
“You’ve known each other for quite some time, haven’t you?”
Cardius shrugged. Instead of responding, he took a sip of his tea. It was a way to avoid answering in an awkward situation, but it only intensified Arden’s suspicion.
“If you think the King won’t make it an issue, then there’s nothing to worry about. It’s the Queen’s dignity at stake here. If things go awry, she might have to say words that are hard to swallow.”
That might lead to suspicions like ‘the Queen of Brirent conspired with the Emperor of the Empire for secret dealings’ or ‘the hidden man turned out to be the Emperor of the Empire.’
Cardius knew that Arden wouldn’t make it an issue. There was a high chance of internal conflict within Brirent, and there was nothing to gain. Arden’s relaxed attitude brought a faint smile to his lips. His arrogant and relaxed demeanor annoyed him.
“If there’s no problem, then it’s not something the Emperor needs to worry about. It’s a matter between husband and wife, isn’t it?”
Arden asked, looking at Leticia. She nodded directly. Her golden eyes, expressing her position, were unwavering.
Even at this moment, her pupils shone like jewels, tempting others. They were like coveted gems, which irritated him.
“There’s nothing Your Highness needs to worry about. I wouldn’t harbor feelings for anyone other than Your Highness.”
Her casual smile made Arden’s chest ache. Why did he feel so uneasy?
By now, he was curious.
Was Leticia lying for someone else’s sake? Probably not. Her hand, which had been sitting next to him, nudged his fingertips.
“Her hand feels cold; there’s no warmth.”
It wasn’t a lie that he wasn’t feeling well; just touching her fingertips sent a chill down his spine. Arden narrowed his eyes slightly and covered her hand with his, wrapping it gently.
“If you’re not feeling well, you should go inside and rest.”
Even if it was a lie, it didn’t matter. As long as she didn’t leave his side, it was okay. So he decided to go along with what she wanted, pretending not to notice again.
Bishop Roan and Duke Castane exchanged glances.
Raymond glanced at them briefly before speaking. Even without words, his sighing voice conveyed his efforts.
“…Then please wait at the mansion until I have a separate letter for you, Duke.”
Duke Castane nodded. “I know it’s out of line, but… still, the relationship between the Queen and His Highness has improved recently. I’m sorry for this inconvenience.”
The Duke’s face looked sorrowful at Raymond’s words.
After seeing him off at the entrance and asking the steward for guidance, he returned to the reception room.
By the time the echoing footsteps in the corridor subsided, Duke Castane’s expression turned serious.
“Why… did you come from the Papal States to the Kingdom of Brirent? And for the Queen’s blessing, no less?”
Before coming to the palace, the Duke received an anonymous letter, which included an official document from the Kingdom of Cardius. Without that document, he might not have made it out alive.
“Would you care to join me for a drink? I feel we have much to discuss.”
Bishop Roan smiled, his green eyes twinkling. The Duke felt a familiar sensation at his smile, and tears welled up in his eyes at the scent of longing.
“…That sounds like a good idea.”
The two of them headed towards the guest room where Bishop Roan was staying.
