“Playing the violin?”
I asked in surprise.
At the end of Nereus’ gaze was Ethan’s violin.
“When did you start learning the violin?”
Nereus asked while looking at the violin.
It was then that I remembered one more piece of information about Nereus. He had an old-fashioned hobby he was quite interested in music. After he ascended the throne, he said he would create the world’s largest orchestra. But he was trampled by me before he finished it.
“I don’t know how to play the violin.”
“I definitely heard the play before I came in.”
Nereus’ eyes narrowed.
“You must have heard it wrong.”
I pretend to be innocent. It is impossible to say that Ethan was there, and it was also a problem that I, who could not play the violin at all, was rumored to be as good at playing the violin as Ethan.
“Then this violin…?”
Nereus blinked and pointed to the violin.
“It must belong to the Duke of Bronte.”
“It’s laid out as if it had just been played.”
Violin and strings lying on the table. It looked as if anyone had just touched it.
I jumped up from my seat.
“Clara. let’s go. The King of Hark will be waiting for me.”
“Yes? Yes, Princess!”
Clara hurriedly packed her things and left the room with me.
“Prince Nereus, please guide me.”
“….”
Nereus seemed to want to say something more, but eventually took me and left the room.
“But what about the escort knight?”
As Nereus was leaving the door, he looked back and saw Stephan standing in front of the curtain.
Stefan had to follow me, but he couldn’t move and he was flinching.
“Oh, Stefan will come here to clean up. Right, Stefan?”
I made eye contact with Stefan, and Stefan nodded. I ran ahead of Nereus, he wrinkled his brow once and left.
Only after Dorothea and Nereus left the room, Stephan moved. Then he heard laughter behind the curtains. Stephan looked at the curtain and Ethan walked out leisurely from the inside.
He was smiling as he looked towards the door Dorothea had left. Then, he made eye contact with Stefan, who was as big as a giant.
Stefan was startled to see Ethan’s eyes, which were much smaller than usual.
Some unusual eyes. Even though he was hiding behind the curtain, he seemed happy.
“Princess, She’s really cute, right?”
Ethan asked with a smile.
Stefan, as usual, did not speak.
It’s true that Dorothea has a cute side, but somehow Stefan didn’t want to respond to this boy’s words.
Ethan is very beautiful, but he looked dangerous. It was strange to see a boy who was still only 12 years old and feel that intuition…
Then Ethan looked at him and tilted his head slightly.
“Are you always so quiet?”
“….”
“Are you not going to return to the imperial palace and be Knights of the Light…?”
Ethan asked with a smile.
‘Did he know about the Knights of Light?’
Stefan thought that this outgoing boy who had never taken a step out of Bronte’s estate might know more than he thought.
“What do you think of protecting the princess?”
“….”
Stefan did not answer.
“I thought you wouldn’t answer.”
Ethan smiled brightly.
At that pretty smile, Stefan narrowed his brow slightly.
‘As expected, this boy is a dangerous person.’
“You have to go, right? You are the princess escort knight. I’ll take care of it and go back.”
Ethan picked up his violin and told Stefan. Stefan looked at him with black eyes and turned away without a word.
* * *
“I am very sorry that Nereus hurt the princess.”
It is tea time.
King Hark apologized to me on behalf of Nereus. But his raspy voice seemed to ask me to regard his young son’s behavior as cute rather than sorry.
“Nereus is so comfortable with spirits that he summoned them again as usual.”
“….”
I left the tea cool and then sat still listening to their conversation.
So the king of Hark apologized in words, but he was also boasting that Nereus was good at dealing with spirits.
Knowing that I can’t handle spirits.
The pride of father and son is the same.
“Because he is a child who controls spirits like limbs. He wants the princess to understand that a little bit. If you know how to deal with spirits, you’ll understand.”
“Yes, I understand.”
I said with my eyes closed.
‘we usually say that is immature’, adding to myself.
No matter how well he treats spirits like his body, Ray has never used his spirits to harm or attack people. He always knew he would be careful because it was a power that ordinary people didn’t have.
But I kept my mouth shut, knowing that blaming Nereus for inexperience would not help my relationship with Hark.
King Hark looked at me and smiled.
‘She liked to sit quietly and politely.’
“The princess looks just like the late Majesty the Empress. She was really beautiful.”
He looked at me, and as he spoke, the Duke of Bronte nodded in agreement.
“Maybe she would have been just like this if the late Majesty the Empress was young. But the princess’ eyes and hair color are the same as those of the Milanaire.”
Empress Alice had black hair and pink eyes, said King Hark.
I knew it too. I’ve never actually seen it before, but there was a large portrait of Alice left in the Imperial Palace.
I was quite fond of the portrait. I just liked the woman in it. A young gentle smile on red lips. Unrealistic pink eyes. Black hair resembling Theon. Because Alice’s maternal family was of the Fried family, Alice had an atmosphere similar to Theon’s.
“Perhaps when the princess grows up, she will become a great beauty. Right, Nereus?”
In response to King Hark’s sudden question, Nereus, who was crushing the cake with a fork, glanced at me.
“She is pretty.”
How can the word “Pretty” be so bad?
I did not give Nereus a single glance, only watching the tea cool down.
“By the way, I heard that you came to recuperation because your health was not good?”
“Fortunately, after several years of recuperation, I have recovered a lot.”
“If it’s comparable to Nereus, it’s as if he has completely recovered his health. But, did the Emperor say nothing?”
Even though I was fully recovered. he won’t tell me to come back.
“I prefer living here. It’s comfortable.”
I said so and took a sip of the cooled tea.
Maybe it was thicker than usual, so I drink a little bit of black tea.
* * *
Hark’s work has gone smoothly ever since then. It was because there was no problem with Nereus, So Hark and his people went up to the Lampas safely.
‘Next time, I’ll have to reject even Carnan’s orders.’
I didn’t like social activities from the beginning, but this gave me more reason to avoid it. Because the attitude of ignoring me did not apply to the people of Hark.
Even the nobles around this area, who at first loved me and liked me as a princess, became more and more talkative as my recuperation took a long time.
‘I will live like this.’
no matter what they say
For me, doing nothing was peaceful.
Fortunately, after Hark’s work, I was able to return to her normal daily routine.
The only change was that Joy’s ‘Grace of the Month’ had been cut off two months ago.
I thought she might have skipped the first month for some reason, but since the second month she didn’t come, I started to worry.
“Why doesn’t this month’s grace come? Maybe the potato is dead?”
Has she starved to death? Or was someone beat her to death because of her arrogant personality? Is she in jail? Or maybe she was completely kicked out of the area.
I was seriously concerned. I was even more worried because she was such an idiot who couldn’t tell the difference between the front and the back.
“Don’t worry too much. I guess she is tired now and has quit. It’s even more amazing what she has done so far.”
Clara told me who was worried about Joy, not to worry, but I felt bored and empty.
The most sullen was The chef, who was by far carrying out his monthly mission with that month’s grace.
But soon, it happened.
“Princess!!”
“No, is this child here again?”
“The princess said I could come and visit her!”
Stefan and I, who were in the backyard, heard the voice and immediately recognized the protagonist.
Delighted by the voice, I stepped lightly out to the main gate. As expected, there was a girl in a shabby outfit, Just like when we first met her. No, with a bigger sack than then.
However, the uncomfortable posture of kneeling and lowering her head was different from before.
“What’s going on, potato?”
Joy, who was on her knees, lifted her head.
“Take this.”
Joy pushed the sack that had been placed next to me with all his might.
There were more potato grains than the last time in the surprisingly heavy sack.
“Are you here to repay the favor?”
I thought that Joy, kneeling politely, was pretty cute.
“Princess. You promised last time, didn’t you?”
“Promise?”
what promise?
“Save me!”
Joy put her forehead on the floor and bowed her head deeply.
“What is in this sack is all that I can give to the princess right now! I’ll give you all this. So please help me. I’ll pay you back even by grinding my damn body!”
Joy’s voice was trembling.
I was quite awkward because Joy’s appearance, which had been good so far, was nowhere to be found.
“Hey, potatoes. What do you want me to help you with?”
When she asked for help, I asked with a serious expression.
“My father owes a debt to the count but he couldn’t pay it back… Damn, they took me and my brother.”
Joy gripped the dirt with his black hands.
* * *
