Episode 5
* * *
Three days later, the imperial palace.
“… … “Yes, I am sorry, Miss Carneluti.”
Unable to resist my father’s pestering, I gave up my life of being confined to bed for the past few days and went to see Khalid.
‘Where on earth do you have time to be like this? I have no intention of visiting the crown prince any time soon.’
The voice of command I heard from my father a few hours ago echoed in my head again.
He forcibly pulled me up, who was buried under the blanket with a swollen face.
‘I didn’t get along well with the former crown prince. Why can’t we do that with the current crown prince? ‘Please come back quickly.’
My father yelled at me with a face like a yaksha. Then I instructed my maid, Laura, to wash me and change her clothes.
Feeling repulsed, I showed my feelings by not even responding.
However, in the Veldemar Empire, a child who rebelled against his parents was no different from a high traitor.
And I was the daughter of a family that fully embraced my father’s expectations.
Even though I wanted to yell at them to leave me alone, there was a reason why I couldn’t.
When I came to my senses, I found myself sitting in a carriage heading towards the imperial palace.
So, I visited Khalid’s palace in person.
He disappeared as if he had already predicted the future.
“I’m sure he stayed until morning… … .”
“It would be meaningless to ask where he went. “The head maid is having a hard time too.”
I heard the news that Khalid was appointed to the Crown Prince immediately after the funeral.
It is said that because the impact of Izar’s death was so great, Khalid quickly agreed to move the palace without any special ceremony.
But what kind of agreement is this? Even today, three days later, Khalid was still staying in the second prince’s palace.
Moreover, even when servants asked when he would move the palace, he consistently ignored them and said, “I don’t know.”
“I’m sorry again. You’ve become an expert at outrunning the guards… … .”
The head maid of the 2nd Prince’s palace was at a loss and apologized to me.
Behind her, the knights who had lost sight of Khalid’s tail were crying despite their size.
I must have experienced being treated like this by Khalid more than once, but does he make that face every time? … .
I left the Second Prince’s Palace behind, burying in my heart the question of the possibility of such a possibility.
Laura, the maid who had accompanied me from the Carnelluti mansion, followed behind me.
Now that I think about it, I haven’t gone out even once since I went to Izar’s funeral.
I glanced back at her and muttered indifferently.
“The weather is nice for once. “I came to see Khalid on a day like this, but I got rejected and had to go back.”
“Oh my, Renata Missai… … .”
It’s not that it wasn’t, the weather was really nice. Early winter, the sun was warm and the wind was cold.
When I exhaled, cool steam formed around my mouth, but the cape made of pure white fox fur made me forget the cold.
“But anyway, let’s just stop by De Vina boutique and then go back… … Ah, Lord Cassian.”
I was walking to the place where the carriage was parked. I looked up to see a tall man coming from the other side, and it turned out to be Cassian.
Under the bright sunlight, clear golden eyes looked at me.
Despite his blunt appearance, the man had a surprisingly friendly voice.
“You’re wearing a pretty cloak, Miss Carneluti.”
“You can call me Renata. “You gave me permission to use the Gyeongdo name, right?”
“… … So, Miss Renata, how have you been? By the way, where are you coming from?”
Because of his long eyes and sharp jawline, Cassian strangely reminds me of a snake.
I answered, still pretending to be indifferent and pretending that nothing had happened.
“The second prince’s palace.”
“Ah, looking for Khalid?”
“after… … “Maybe.”
I felt like it would hurt my pride to say yes, so I looked the other way. Cassian giggled and slowly rolled his eyes.
“This is a secret, but Khalid was actually with me just a little while ago.”
“ah… … “So where are you now?”
“Khalid would hate it if I told you.”
“That doesn’t matter. “Even if I don’t tell you, Khalid hates me anyway.”
ha ha ha! Cassian laughed out loud again.
What’s funny? I didn’t find it funny at all. So I calmly waited for Cassian’s answer.
He covered his lips with the back of his hand, which was red from the cold, and only after a long time did he open his mouth.
“Khalid is from 3rd Avenue Kzeelin… … .”
* * *
Kzeelin 3rd Street.
“Well, let’s just go back, lady. yes? It’s too bad for just the two of us to go here… … .”
Cassian told me that Khalid was located on Kzeelin Street, which had the worst security in the capital.
He then said that it was not a place for a noble lady to go out alone, so it was recommended that she not go there.
When I first heard that, I wondered how serious it was.
But when I came here and saw it in person, I immediately understood what Cassian was saying.
Kzeelin 3rd Street had such an inhospitable atmosphere that it was questionable whether this was truly the imperial capital.
The maid Laura’s shoulders were shaking and her round brown eyes were rolling.
“Go back and get the escort driver. “If it’s caught incorrectly, you won’t be able to retrieve even the bones.”
“But if you turn the alley here, you will find Khalid’s bar.”
“Hey. I don’t know. Even if something happens, I don’t know.”
“What don’t you know? “If something happens, you are jointly responsible with me.”
“Renata Agassi!”
Laura opened her lips as if wondering what kind of sound was coming out of the blue. I passed through her alley with Laura by my side.
Beggars with shabby looks and old soldiers who returned from the war with one limb missing.
And black orphans who look like they have never been washed since they were born.
The owners of the dilapidated stores that were open here and there were keeping their eyes wide open, anxious to see if thieves would come in, and there was almost one drunkard in every alley who was drunk and loudly singing in broad daylight.
“Is the second prince, or rather the crown prince, really in a place like this?”
Laura, who was snuggling next to me, asked in a whisper.
“He’s a pervert, so he likes places like this a lot.”
“yes?!”
I comforted her in shock and tried to ignore the tramps who were staring at me with piercing gazes.
Then he opened the door of a shabby bar that appeared just a few steps in front of him.
“Hahahaha! Karl, show me the lesson!”
“If Carl wins, I’ll pay for today’s drinks!”
“A guy who ran away after being harassed by a debt collector speaks well!”
It felt like my eardrums were vibrating from the shouts of the men who seemed to be using loudspeakers.
The inside of the bar was a world unknown to me.
The terrible smell of old wine stings your nose, and the musty air filled with the scent of men’s sweat.
As soon as I open the door, the deep, meaningless looks in my eyes cling to me at an alarming speed.
For a moment, I couldn’t help but be embarrassed. Of course, there was no sign of discomfort when walking down the street, but inside the bar, the sign was even worse.
I ended up in a place I should never have come to. Because of that damn Khalid.
I shook my head to shake off the random thoughts. Let’s come this far and blame Khalid. I don’t know if it’s the prince’s palace, but I came here of my own free will.
Of course, I was very afraid that if I went back without even meeting Khalid, my father would scold me to the point where I was in tears.
widely. Percussion. Thump, thump, percussion!
“Aaaah!”
The inside of the bar seemed larger than it looked from the outside.
The drinkers were each sitting with their butts pressed against the half-broken chairs, their eyes glued to one place.
They shouted, wiping the wine that had spilled from their dark-bearded mouths with their sleeves.
