Maximilian stared blankly at Devina for a moment.
Of course, he didn’t pay the smallest bit of attention to her wild remarks.
He was just trying to figure out why she was saying this.
“Please do it, Max.”
“I’m not going to do that.”
“Do you know why His Highness claimed to be Clarisse’s guardian?”
She lowered her voice.
“I asked him to do so.”
“No, Max only asked permission to sponsor the duchy.”
“In the end, it’s no different.”
No, it was rather good.
It was much better for the child’s educational environment to be the guardian of the king than the ambiguous position of Duke Sheridan.
Now Clarisse could go to the monastery or the academy to continue her studies if she wanted to.
Even though it’s a short freedom until the 18th birthday…
“His Highness sincerely expects Clarisse to achieve great results. Can’t you really guess why?”
“He has been a kind person from the beginning, Your Highness. Ever since I was little.”
“That person… wants it.”
Devina looked up at Maximilian with her fists clenched.
“He wants Max to love that child!”
“….?”
To the unexpected answer, Maximilian couldn’t even think of a word to answer.
“Even a normal child can grow at that age, but Clarisse even has the will to work hard.”
“That.”
“His Highness gave her wings to spread. To fly to the highest place within the given time. She’s a hard worker, and you will see all the growth.”
“….”
“Max, I know. You will be proud of the child who has flown high. And in the end…”
Devina’s eyes filled with tears as she looked at him now.
“You will truly love her.”
At this moment, through the slightly open hallway window, Clarisse’s laugh was heard.
Maximilian listened to the lively sound for a moment without realizing it.
“His Highness wants to see it. The way you love Clarisse, then cut her neck…”
“Your Highness the Queen.”
Maximilian sternly cut her off.
“Max, please listen to me! It’s not too late now. Come on, let’s take that child…!”
“First of all, I would like you to correct that title. The royal family doesn’t call each other lightly.”
“Max!”
“….”
“…Duke Sheridan.”
“Yes, and whatever His Highness’ intentions are, I don’t care. I am just satisfied as long as everything fits within the framework of the law.”
“I told you because you’re going to get hurt?!”
Maximilian didn’t reply.
“T, that, I may not have the right to say this to the Duke, but…”
Guessing his thoughts, Devina lowered her head again.
“I want to apologize for what happened then. I know I hurt you deeply.”
By ‘then’, she seemed to be referring to his fiancée, Devina, who one day suddenly married his younger brother.
“The fact that the wound was painful, that you got married to any woman, and that you still don’t believe me. But this is true.”
“A little… I think you’re mistaken.”
Maximilian pointed out one of her misunderstandings.
“I am not married to ‘any’ woman. My wife is an extremely wonderful and lovable character.”
“….!”
“Above all, the incident at the time never left me with scars.”
“But I am yours!”
“It was decided by the family. You will remember that neither you nor I put our hearts into the relationship.”
Devina’s face darkened for a moment.
Somehow, it seemed like she was hurt by his words, but Maximilian didn’t bother to correct his words.
Their engagement wasn’t sincere.
Devina spent her time playing around with various men, while Maximilian sat on the sidelines.
“To that child…You’ve always been sweet.”
The words she mumbled after a long time touched his long memory.
When they were both only six years old, Maximilian had a girl whom he genuinely loved, like a little sister.
「Max.」
Even the short title to call him actually came from that child.
Before that, no one called Maximilian so friendly.
“Ceci…”
It had been almost several years since Maximilian had used that nickname. Nevertheless, he soon recalled the loss of his six-year-old boyhood.
He thought it was pretty dull now.
“It’s a poor child. Because no one knew that the only daughter of the Marquis Kerno would go missing like that.”
Cecilia Curnow.
She was Maximilian’s real fiancée and closest friend. Even if it was only for a short time.
Cecilia disappeared completely from this world at the age of only four.
Because they hadn’t even found her body until now, the Marquis and Marchioness Curno were still living in the hope that their daughter might be alive.
Completely… half-mad.
“Obviously, the Marchioness Curno was a foreigner from Grezekaia.”
Maximilian laughed bitterly at Devina’s comments.
Could it be that she is trying to put the blame on Clarisse?
“…You’d better really go back now.”
“Take my words seriously. Yes? I can give you special permission for any reason if you’re going to carry out the execution right away. You can kill a child as much as you want within the bounds of the law…”
“I have already given you an answer on this, so I will leave now, Your Highness.”
Maximilian turned his body away without listening to her.
“Wait a minute, Max!”
Then Devina grabbed his arm tightly.
“Please listen. I am really worried about you!”
By the time her voice was raised, a small light could be seen in the center of the hallway leading to the stairs.
Naturally, Devina and Maximilian looked back at the place at the same time.
Brielle, with a lamp, was standing there.
“…Ah.”
She turned pale in an instant, and soon bent down deeply.
“I, I’m sorry!”
What on earth is that an apology for.
Before Maximilian could think of an answer to the question, Brielle hurriedly ran down the stairs again.
“Ah… Really. What should I do?”
Devina’s voice, which seemed troubled, somehow seemed to be mixed with laughter.
Maximilian shook off her grasped arm roughly.
He knew it was a bit rude, but to be honest, he didn’t want to be with this woman anymore.
“….”
She persistently grabbed his arm again, but it was very easy for him to shake it off.
“Max!”
Soon after, he heard a desperate call from behind.
Maximilian didn’t turn around or stop walking.
* * *
Brielle quickly descended the stairs, passed through the porch, and went out into the garden.
‘W, what should I do?’
In her mind full of bewilderment, only unanswered questions were blooming.
Yes, Brielle knew that Her Highness the Queen had been engaged to Maximilian for a very long time.
But on the last trip to the capital, she had spent all her time nursing her mother, so she didn’t see Devina and Maximilian together.
‘I tried not to care about that more than anything.’
Everyone has a past.
Brielle also had an unrequited love that she kept to herself during her adolescence.
However, Maximilian is such a noble person that such a relationship is openly revealed.
So, she thought it wasn’t right to pay attention to such things one by one.
‘No, do I have the right to be jealous in the first place?’
A maid whose origins are unknown because she didn’t even know her real parents couldn’t put herself and the noble queen from Count Bexley side by side.
‘…So.’
Brielle thought of the beautiful Devina, who affectionately called him ‘Max’.
Was he happy for a moment that his lost fiancée was nice again? Or…
‘There’s no place for me to intervene in either of his feelings.’
Suddenly, she was out of breath before she knew it.
When she seemed to be losing her strength, the hem of her long skirt got tangled in her leg and she fell in the middle of the garden.
And she also falls to the floor like a child.
With a thump, the fallen lamp went out and the place became dark.
“….”
Her chin, palms and legs were rubbed against the stones on the floor, and it hurt quite a bit.
“Ugh…”
Brielle groaned and slowly got up.
It was a cloudy night, so she couldn’t see much, but she could still tell that her clothes were torn and dirty.
‘What should I do?’
If she went into the mansion like this, everyone would find out about her ugly fall.
Besides, if the noble woman of the capital brought by the queen sees this…
It was definitely something that could make people think that the Duchess of Sheridan is an incompetent person.
This was something that would soon damage Maximilian’s reputation, so she was concerned.
‘Ah… That’s not the problem.’
Brielle realized something more important than that proud honor.
That Clarisse was out there.
‘It would be a big problem if she stepped on the glass on the way back after seeing the stars.’
It was a bit embarrassing, but she had to quickly call someone to take a thorough look around here and get rid of all the sharp things.
Brielle slowly got up.
“Ugh.”
But soon, her injured leg throbbed and she stumbled on the spot. And when she is about to fall.
Tuk.
The owner of the big, warm hand that seems to wrap her arm completely..
Brielle could tell without looking back.
‘….!’
And she got into trouble.
‘Because of the Duke…. It seems I keep looking forward to it
Maximilian stared blankly at Devina for a moment.
Of course, he didn’t pay the smallest bit of attention to her wild remarks.
He was just trying to figure out why she was saying this.
“Please do it, Max.”
“I’m not going to do that.”
“Do you know why His Highness claimed to be Clarisse’s guardian?”
She lowered her voice.
“I asked him to do so.”
“No, Max only asked permission to sponsor the duchy.”
“In the end, it’s no different.”
No, it was rather good.
It was much better for the child’s educational environment to be the guardian of the king than the ambiguous position of Duke Sheridan.
Now Clarisse could go to the monastery or the academy to continue her studies if she wanted to.
Even though it’s a short freedom until the 18th birthday…
“His Highness sincerely expects Clarisse to achieve great results. Can’t you really guess why?”
“He has been a kind person from the beginning, Your Highness. Ever since I was little.”
“That person… wants it.”
Devina looked up at Maximilian with her fists clenched.
“He wants Max to love that child!”
“….?”
To the unexpected answer, Maximilian couldn’t even think of a word to answer.
“Even a normal child can grow at that age, but Clarisse even has the will to work hard.”
“That.”
“His Highness gave her wings to spread. To fly to the highest place within the given time. She’s a hard worker, and you will see all the growth.”
“….”
“Max, I know. You will be proud of the child who has flown high. And in the end…”
Devina’s eyes filled with tears as she looked at him now.
“You will truly love her.”
At this moment, through the slightly open hallway window, Clarisse’s laugh was heard.
Maximilian listened to the lively sound for a moment without realizing it.
“His Highness wants to see it. The way you love Clarisse, then cut her neck…”
“Your Highness the Queen.”
Maximilian sternly cut her off.
“Max, please listen to me! It’s not too late now. Come on, let’s take that child…!”
“First of all, I would like you to correct that title. The royal family doesn’t call each other lightly.”
“Max!”
“….”
“…Duke Sheridan.”
“Yes, and whatever His Highness’ intentions are, I don’t care. I am just satisfied as long as everything fits within the framework of the law.”
“I told you because you’re going to get hurt?!”
Maximilian didn’t reply.
“T, that, I may not have the right to say this to the Duke, but…”
Guessing his thoughts, Devina lowered her head again.
“I want to apologize for what happened then. I know I hurt you deeply.”
By ‘then’, she seemed to be referring to his fiancée, Devina, who one day suddenly married his younger brother.
“The fact that the wound was painful, that you got married to any woman, and that you still don’t believe me. But this is true.”
“A little… I think you’re mistaken.”
Maximilian pointed out one of her misunderstandings.
“I am not married to ‘any’ woman. My wife is an extremely wonderful and lovable character.”
“….!”
“Above all, the incident at the time never left me with scars.”
“But I am yours!”
“It was decided by the family. You will remember that neither you nor I put our hearts into the relationship.”
Devina’s face darkened for a moment.
Somehow, it seemed like she was hurt by his words, but Maximilian didn’t bother to correct his words.
Their engagement wasn’t sincere.
Devina spent her time playing around with various men, while Maximilian sat on the sidelines.
“To that child…You’ve always been sweet.”
The words she mumbled after a long time touched his long memory.
When they were both only six years old, Maximilian had a girl whom he genuinely loved, like a little sister.
「Max.」
Even the short title to call him actually came from that child.
Before that, no one called Maximilian so friendly.
“Ceci…”
It had been almost several years since Maximilian had used that nickname. Nevertheless, he soon recalled the loss of his six-year-old boyhood.
He thought it was pretty dull now.
“It’s a poor child. Because no one knew that the only daughter of the Marquis Kerno would go missing like that.”
Cecilia Curnow.
She was Maximilian’s real fiancée and closest friend. Even if it was only for a short time.
Cecilia disappeared completely from this world at the age of only four.
Because they hadn’t even found her body until now, the Marquis and Marchioness Curno were still living in the hope that their daughter might be alive.
Completely… half-mad.
“Obviously, the Marchioness Curno was a foreigner from Grezekaia.”
Maximilian laughed bitterly at Devina’s comments.
Could it be that she is trying to put the blame on Clarisse?
“…You’d better really go back now.”
“Take my words seriously. Yes? I can give you special permission for any reason if you’re going to carry out the execution right away. You can kill a child as much as you want within the bounds of the law…”
“I have already given you an answer on this, so I will leave now, Your Highness.”
Maximilian turned his body away without listening to her.
“Wait a minute, Max!”
Then Devina grabbed his arm tightly.
“Please listen. I am really worried about you!”
By the time her voice was raised, a small light could be seen in the center of the hallway leading to the stairs.
Naturally, Devina and Maximilian looked back at the place at the same time.
Brielle, with a lamp, was standing there.
“…Ah.”
She turned pale in an instant, and soon bent down deeply.
“I, I’m sorry!”
What on earth is that an apology for.
Before Maximilian could think of an answer to the question, Brielle hurriedly ran down the stairs again.
“Ah… Really. What should I do?”
Devina’s voice, which seemed troubled, somehow seemed to be mixed with laughter.
Maximilian shook off her grasped arm roughly.
He knew it was a bit rude, but to be honest, he didn’t want to be with this woman anymore.
“….”
She persistently grabbed his arm again, but it was very easy for him to shake it off.
“Max!”
Soon after, he heard a desperate call from behind.
Maximilian didn’t turn around or stop walking.
* * *
Brielle quickly descended the stairs, passed through the porch, and went out into the garden.
‘W, what should I do?’
In her mind full of bewilderment, only unanswered questions were blooming.
Yes, Brielle knew that Her Highness the Queen had been engaged to Maximilian for a very long time.
But on the last trip to the capital, she had spent all her time nursing her mother, so she didn’t see Devina and Maximilian together.
‘I tried not to care about that more than anything.’
Everyone has a past.
Brielle also had an unrequited love that she kept to herself during her adolescence.
However, Maximilian is such a noble person that such a relationship is openly revealed.
So, she thought it wasn’t right to pay attention to such things one by one.
‘No, do I have the right to be jealous in the first place?’
A maid whose origins are unknown because she didn’t even know her real parents couldn’t put herself and the noble queen from Count Bexley side by side.
‘…So.’
Brielle thought of the beautiful Devina, who affectionately called him ‘Max’.
Was he happy for a moment that his lost fiancée was nice again? Or…
‘There’s no place for me to intervene in either of his feelings.’
Suddenly, she was out of breath before she knew it.
When she seemed to be losing her strength, the hem of her long skirt got tangled in her leg and she fell in the middle of the garden.
And she also falls to the floor like a child.
With a thump, the fallen lamp went out and the place became dark.
“….”
Her chin, palms and legs were rubbed against the stones on the floor, and it hurt quite a bit.
“Ugh…”
Brielle groaned and slowly got up.
It was a cloudy night, so she couldn’t see much, but she could still tell that her clothes were torn and dirty.
‘What should I do?’
If she went into the mansion like this, everyone would find out about her ugly fall.
Besides, if the noble woman of the capital brought by the queen sees this…
It was definitely something that could make people think that the Duchess of Sheridan is an incompetent person.
This was something that would soon damage Maximilian’s reputation, so she was concerned.
‘Ah… That’s not the problem.’
Brielle realized something more important than that proud honor.
That Clarisse was out there.
‘It would be a big problem if she stepped on the glass on the way back after seeing the stars.’
It was a bit embarrassing, but she had to quickly call someone to take a thorough look around here and get rid of all the sharp things.
Brielle slowly got up.
“Ugh.”
But soon, her injured leg throbbed and she stumbled on the spot. And when she is about to fall.
Tuk.
The owner of the big, warm hand that seems to wrap her arm completely..
Brielle could tell without looking back.
‘….!’
And she got into trouble.
‘Because of the Duke…. It seems I keep looking forward to it
