Chapter 24
Letier scratched her head and asked.
“Do any kids like root tea, which is supposed to be consumed consistently until the age of seven to prevent endemic diseases, and I remember all of my friends hated it.”
“I especially hated it. It was too bitter for my taste.”
“I see…”
Letier let out in a dejected voice.
She had given up trying to understand the two Princes.
If the Princes say yes, let’s just think so…
Aiden watched Letier’s expression, then straightened his bent back.
“The hint ends here.”
Just then, another voice came from the doorway.
“Your Highness, there you are, I’ve been looking for you for a while, I’m sure you’re waiting…”
I turned to see a man with a long beard standing in the doorway, fidgeting.
Judging by the badge on his chest, he was Aiden’s assistant.
The crown prince glanced back at his assistant, and for a brief moment, his expression hardened completely.
He turned his head back to Letier and smiled.
“Princess, I’d better be going now, but I hope I haven’t taken up too much of your time?”
“Not at all! Oh, can I get you something? It’s the essence I made…”
“I would be grateful.”
At Aiden’s answer, Letier quickly turned around and poured the essence from the beaker into a transparent bottle.
She quickly wrote [Essence for wrinkles] on the label and stuck it on the side of the glass bottle.
“I can’t see any wrinkles on your face, but it’s the only thing I had on hand.”
“Thank you. It would be good to prepare in advance.”
He took the glass bottle and replied with a wide smile.
Aiden, who was about to turn around and leave the lab, stopped for a moment and looked back.
“Princess.”
“Yes?”
“Can I come over often?”
At Aiden’s question, Letier quickly nodded.
In this vast palace, there were only so many places the crown prince could be granted access to.
“Of course, Your Highness! you’re always welcome to come and give us feedback on our products.
“Okay, Princess Letier.”
Aiden smiled, turned around and left the lab.
Gazing at the door he had disappeared from, Letier repeated the words His Highness had left in a riddle.
“Root Tea…?”
Did I ever meet Your Highness when I was young?
*****
Leaving Letier’s laboratory, Aiden walked down a long hallway.
He had been headed for his original destination, but when he saw Princess Letier, he turned around and now he had to go back the way he came.
The secretary, the one who had called him out of the laboratory, followed the Prince without a word, and only when they came to a large door at the end of the hallway did he dart forward.
“His Highness, Crown Prince Aiden has visited.”
As the secretary lowered his voice, the two knights guarding the door bowed deeply toward Aiden.
They withdrew their hands and pushed open the large door.
As the door slowly opened, the back of a man could be seen in the audience room far inward.
A uniform with a neck-length collar and long sleeves. Gloves that covered all the wrists and boots with long ankles.
His jet-black hair was the only thing left of him.
‘… You still covered it up.’
Aiden motioned for the secretary to wait outside the room, then slowly moved closer to him.
“Brother.”
Hearing his half-brother’s voice calling him, Dante, who was standing there staring at the empty chair, turned his head.
Instead of the familiar red eyes, the shade of the black mask faced him.
Aiden smiled, the corners of his mouth twitching upward.
“Long time no see. I didn’t know you would walk directly into the audience room.”
“She sent seven people to tell me she had something urgent to say.”
It was a low, scratchy voice suppressed by the mask.
When was the last time I heard a normal voice without that mask?
Aiden nodded, trying not to let his mind wander.
Just in time, the door to the side of the room opened, and Rosenthal, the Empress of the Trillante Empire, entered.
“Prince Dante! And Prince Aiden. Thank you for coming.”
Dante and Aiden bowed their heads toward her almost simultaneously.
Rosenthal passed them with light steps and climbed the low steps in front.
“I Meet the Mistress of the Empire.”
It was a common greeting that anyone who visits the imperial palace would say.
However, upon hearing that ordinary greeting, Rosenthal raised her red lips.
Truly, it was a magical greeting that I never get tired of hearing.
Especially if you listen to that Prince.
The Empress sat with her back in a luxurious chair decorated with gold.
She straightened her back and took turns looking at the two Princes.
“Make yourselves comfortable, gentlemen. To think that you have all rushed over here at my word that I have something to tell you… How pleased this mother is.”
It was just one word.
It’s a problem to say that one word seven times.
Aiden straightened his posture with a bored expression that didn’t show through.
I shifted my standing position and glanced at Dante, who was standing next to me, but he didn’t react.
“I’ll spare you my personal greetings, but the reason I’ve summoned the two Princes here today is… I would like to discuss in advance the agenda that I will propose at the upcoming cabinet meeting.”
Rosenthal’s shining blue eyes narrowed.
At the sight of the Princes concentrating on her words under the stairs, a thrill ran up her spines.
“… It has already been five years since His Majesty the Emperor was unable to exert himself in the affairs of state after an unknown cause of illness worsened. Until now, His Majesty’s illness has not improved significantly.”
Out of habit, she raised her fingers and looked at her manicured fingernails.
Beautiful long nails, smooth and charred.
“Since you both seem to be busy, I’ll cut to the chase: I was wondering, what do the Princes think, if I handle all of the auspicious letters that come to His Majesty from now on?”
“…….”
“…….”
There was no answer from either Prince.
Rosenthal opened her mouth once again, rolling her eyes.
“It won’t be long before His Majesty the Emperor returns to his senses. It’s not good to entrust difficult state affairs in a short and precious time to show only good things. Anyway, over the past few years, His Majesty the Emperor and I have never had a different opinion.”
At Rosenthal’s soft voice, Dante clenched his lower jaw.
She had already been deciding the affairs of the Trillante Empire by herself for several years.
She had refused to allow anyone but herself to know, claiming it was solely for the stability of the Emperor.
Now, It was just a new word to make a cause.
“There must be serious opposition from the vassals. They are fundamentalists with little flexibility. So, I want the Princes, who are like my two wings, to agree with my opinion… What do you think, Prince Dante?”
Rosenthal asked, raising her head obliquely.
She looked at the expressionless black mask.
After Prince Dante covered his face, she was happy with everything, but she didn’t like one thing.
She doesn’t know what the hell he’s thinking.
“Do you need my opinion?”
“Of course, the opinion of the First Prince of the Trilante Empire carries a lot of weight.”
The Empress deliberately spat out the word first Prince with force.
She never used other words.
Instead, when referring to Dante, she liked to use the word first prince, which is clearly distinct from the crown prince.
Rosenthal did not stop fiddling with her nails with her index finger and looked at Dante.
A voice came from the dark mask.
“You’d better not expect me to agree with you, I will not reveal my intention of refusal. And I don’t speak up in council meetings, anyway.”
“If that is the case, I understand. It wouldn’t be nice to see the Princes of the Empire openly defending the regent. This mother was short on ideas in that regard, does the Crown Prince think the same?”
Rosenthal asked, turning her head.
Aiden met her eyes, which were so much like his own.
Cloudy eyes, filled with a deep, dark greed.
“… I have no objection either.”
“Haha. The opinions of the two Princes are so much the same, so as a mother, I couldn’t be more proud. As if… we’re back to the days when you two were best friends?”
It was a light provocation.
Rosenthal, who was examining Dante’s unresponsive mask, sighed lightly as if she couldn’t help it.
“Well, then, you should probably go back. I’ve made my point, and I’ll leave you with that, and I’ll see you at the next cabinet meeting.”
“I understand, Her Majesty the Empress.”
The two Princes bowed their heads deeply toward the Empress on the stairs.
*****
After leaving the audience room, Dante and Aiden walked down a long red-carpeted hallway together, with some distance between them.
Aiden paid close attention to Dante as he followed behind, then stopped at a fork in the hallway where a large portrait hung.
Dante would go right here, and he would go left toward his room.
“Brother.”
Aiden spoke up.
Dante didn’t even react.
As he passed Aiden and turned to the right, Aiden opened his mouth again.
“Princess Letier.”
His steps, which had been walking with a regular stride the whole time, stopped abruptly.
