Chapter 50
Rose was troubled and sat to draw.
However, after a long time, there wasn’t even a single dot on the canvas. She just stared blankly at nothing but pure white. Instead of the drawing board in front of her, she drew and erased many things repeatedly in her mind.
‘Why Lady Muriel?’
She wasn’t Cassiax’s taste at all. It made no sense that a timid Lady like Muriel would fall in love and have a passionate love with him for a short time. If that was the case, then this marriage was based on a political calculation.
Montara… Montara marquisate…
As far as she knew, the Montara household had been the minister of foreign affairs for generations. Since the family had been abroad for a long time, there was no particular desire for power, nor did the family have much power in the capital. Nothing was outstanding enough to become the Crown Prince’s in-laws, but maybe that’s why they were the most suitable candidate.
Thinking about it, even Rose, when she was the Crown Princess, thought at some point she wouldn’t have been hated so much by the Imperial Family if it hadn’t been for her family’s background.
The nobles, who were hungry for power, despised the power the Etoile family would gain if their daughter became Empress, and the Imperial Family was wary of outsiders’ growing power. Amid so many conspiracies, envy, and jealousy, her misfortune also began to sprout.
‘Yeah, that’s it!’
If Rose was right, the Imperial Family’s decision made some sense.
‘But why the hell do you want to invite us to the wedding?’
In a situation like this, even if they attended, it would be natural to feel awkward.
Thinking about that, Rosé smiled bitterly. To ask for common sense from a man like Cassiax… even after he hurt her deeply.
‘There must be some kind of scheme. You have to pull yourself together.’
When this thought came to mind, Rose’s eyes suddenly burned enthusiastically. She held onto the brush tightly and looked at the drawing board.
What she wanted to draw came to mind clearly.
‘Cassiax Dumas. If you think that Rose Etoile will be helpless again, you are mistaken.’
* * *
On a peaceful afternoon, Janssen walked toward the main building while talking to a young civil servant.
“The number of murder arsons in Kaikman has drastically decreased, and they say they come every day asking for work.”
“That’s good.”
“Not only that. Hired immigrants bring their families and settle down, so it’s crowded enough to create a village. Children running and playing around in that ruined place. Can you imagine?”
“Ha. Yeah, I can’t imagine.”
“We don’t have to provide separate support as we did before. Instead, tax will be collected.”
“His Majesty will like it.”
A civil servant who had visited Kaikman for a business survey handed the report to Janssen.
“You’ve worked hard. I will convey the situation to His Majesty.”
The civil official politely greeted Janssen and left. There was no better news than Kaikman’s improving situation, since it had always been a subject of concern.
Jansen looked down at the report in his hand with a satisfied look on his face.
“I should also inform the Queen.”
He knew it was the Queen who had suggested a solution to Kaikman’s problem. There were many concerns and doubts from the ministers, but such good news eventually flew in.
‘If it’s a headache that can’t be eliminated, let’s bring in our enemies and use them.’ When her base, which had changed his mind, succeeded, Jansen had no choice but to admire it.
As he was pensive, he heard signs of people coming from right behind him. When he turned his head, maids passed by next to him, busily going somewhere.
“Secretary.”
Myriam and the maids who saw him bowed their heads slightly and greeted him.
“What’s going on?”
“They said something came in from outside the castle.”
“Oh, that’s right. It’s today.”
He had been informed in the morning that food for the winter and cold-weather items were arriving today.
As Myriam hurried back again, the maids followed her in line. In the last row, he saw Hannah.
“Ah! Miss Hannah!”
Jansen raised his hand slightly and called her warmly, but Hannah quickly bowed her head and kept walking without even looking at him.
“…Miss Hannah?”
He lowered his hand with an awkward face. This has happened a few times already. He was thinking of apologizing for what happened in the hallway last time, but every time she ran into him, she obviously avoided him.
He, who didn’t know much about women, could notice that something was clearly different.
“It looks like she’s really mad at me.”
He let out a small sigh as he looked at her back moving away.
* * *
Maxim had an early dinner and went out to the training grounds. As winter began, the days were getting shorter. Daily training should also be reduced.
As he went down the stairs, he raised his brows. Rose and Tulio were holding swords, and Rishar was watching from the side. He stared at them and slowly descended the stairs.
“No! That’s not it. Geez, Your Majesty, how many times have I said it!”
“I’m sorry, Tulio. I know it in my mind, but my body doesn’t move as I want.”
“Try it again. like this! Just the sword! Just grab it with your whole palm and don’t twist your wrist!”
As Tulio gave the demonstration, she opened her eyes wide and followed eagerly.
It was like a teacher teaching his disciple who lacked math skills.
“You’re having fun.” Maxim went all the way down the stairs, muttering to himself.
“But still, it has improved from before. It seems like it will take an insanely long time to complete the basic posture.”
“Thank you, Tulio.”
“If you’re going to give up, quit today. Because I don’t want to suffer in vain.”
“I’ll train hard, Master!”
As Rose cheered, Tulio smiled. He was nagging her, but his expression was strangely bright. It was a face that showed how much he enjoyed swordsmanship training with her. Because while teaching swordsmanship, she was his disciple, not his queen.
Besides, she said it clearly herself.
“Don’t treat me like a queen. Teach me strictly and harshly.”
‘One has to do what they were told to do. Who am I to dare to disobey her command?’
As Maxim approached them, Rishar noticed him first.
“You are here, Your Majesty.”
Ignoring Rishar’s greeting, Maxim narrowed his eyes and looked at Tulio. His cold eyes were asking ‘what are you doing here?’
Tulio opened his mouth, looking at Maxim with a bewildered expression.
“S-sire, the Queen said to me…”
“I asked him to!”
Rose, who was struggling in front of Tulio earlier, confidently came forward and answered in his place.
“I already told you. I want to learn swordsmanship. So I asked him, and thankfully he listened.”
“Yes. When the Queen said it, I thought it would be good to know the basics of swordsmanship. She can protect herself in a dangerous situation.”
Maxim was standing with his arms crossed, quietly listening to the two protesters.
Tulio scratched his head in bewilderment as if he had committed a crime, and Rose spoke again.
“You don’t have to apologize, Tulio. If you’re going to get angry, be angry at me. Because I’m the one who begged him.”
As Rose looked at Maxim with disapproving eyes, the air became awkward. After reading the subtle atmosphere of the two, Rishar opened his mouth right on time.
“If you’re worried about the Queen getting hurt, don’t worry, be at ease. Even though Tulio is ignorant, he’s the best at teaching swordsmanship.”
At Rishar’s words, Tulio was confused as to whether it was a compliment or an insult, and was angry for a moment.
Rose glanced at Maxim wondering if he was doing it because he was worried about her, as Rishar had said.
On the other hand, while looking at the blade of his sword to see if it was sharp, Maxim said bluntly.
“If you’re done, go. If you’re so eager to learn or die, do whatever you want. Don’t stand in front of me, it’s annoying.”
‘H-how can he be so obnoxious even when he talks?’
Rose looked at him and felt the urge to pinch his lips shut, as she often did to her brother Hans.
“Then I’ll go.”
As Rose walked away from the training ground, she turned back to Maxim as if something had come to her mind.
“I have something I want to give you. I’ll come to your office tomorrow morning.”
* * *
When Freddie opened the door, Rose leisurely entered his office. She was no longer unfamiliar with the room, since she had been inside once before.
“Queen.” Janssen greeted her. Perhaps he has some business inside.
Rose walked over to the chair opposite his desk and sat upright and gracefully. The two looked at each other’s faces without saying a word. Like they were having a staring contest.
Standing between Maxim and Rose, Janssen was pondering whether to leave the room or not.
‘I want to leave as soon as His Majesty orders me.’
He was preparing his mind to go out when the atmosphere got a little weirder.
“Janssen?”
Rose handed something to Janssen and pointed her eyes towards where Maxim was sitting. He approached her and accepted it.
“Please give it to His Majesty Maxim.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Janssen approached his lord with a square covered with purple silk.
“Her Majesty the Queen has told me to give this to you.”
When Janssen handed it over, Maxim took it reluctantly and swung the cloth open.
Janssen was also curious about the contents of the cloth, so he took a quick look.
When Maxim and Janssen saw the object, they both were startled, wondering what it was.
“Ask her what this is.”
Jansen, caught between the two, wondered what kind of skit this was. It felt unfair to be caught up in the middle of a couple’s fight.
‘If you’re looking at each other, just say it!’ He shouted to himself, but he smiled slightly and asked Rose.
“My Queen. His Majesty asks what is this…”
Before Janssen could finish speaking, Rose looked up at Maxim and answered.
“It’s a picture I drew for you. It seems like I haven’t given it to you yet.”
Maxim looked again at the picture she had given him and frowned.
“So what is this?”
“Can’t you see? It’s a black wolf and a white snake.”
“Do you think I’m asking because I don’t know what wolves and white snakes look like?”
Chapter 50
Rose was troubled and sat to draw.
However, after a long time, there wasn’t even a single dot on the canvas. She just stared blankly at nothing but pure white. Instead of the drawing board in front of her, she drew and erased many things repeatedly in her mind.
‘Why Lady Muriel?’
She wasn’t Cassiax’s taste at all. It made no sense that a timid Lady like Muriel would fall in love and have a passionate love with him for a short time. If that was the case, then this marriage was based on a political calculation.
Montara… Montara marquisate…
As far as she knew, the Montara household had been the minister of foreign affairs for generations. Since the family had been abroad for a long time, there was no particular desire for power, nor did the family have much power in the capital. Nothing was outstanding enough to become the Crown Prince’s in-laws, but maybe that’s why they were the most suitable candidate.
Thinking about it, even Rose, when she was the Crown Princess, thought at some point she wouldn’t have been hated so much by the Imperial Family if it hadn’t been for her family’s background.
The nobles, who were hungry for power, despised the power the Etoile family would gain if their daughter became Empress, and the Imperial Family was wary of outsiders’ growing power. Amid so many conspiracies, envy, and jealousy, her misfortune also began to sprout.
‘Yeah, that’s it!’
If Rose was right, the Imperial Family’s decision made some sense.
‘But why the hell do you want to invite us to the wedding?’
In a situation like this, even if they attended, it would be natural to feel awkward.
Thinking about that, Rosé smiled bitterly. To ask for common sense from a man like Cassiax… even after he hurt her deeply.
‘There must be some kind of scheme. You have to pull yourself together.’
When this thought came to mind, Rose’s eyes suddenly burned enthusiastically. She held onto the brush tightly and looked at the drawing board.
What she wanted to draw came to mind clearly.
‘Cassiax Dumas. If you think that Rose Etoile will be helpless again, you are mistaken.’
* * *
On a peaceful afternoon, Janssen walked toward the main building while talking to a young civil servant.
“The number of murder arsons in Kaikman has drastically decreased, and they say they come every day asking for work.”
“That’s good.”
“Not only that. Hired immigrants bring their families and settle down, so it’s crowded enough to create a village. Children running and playing around in that ruined place. Can you imagine?”
“Ha. Yeah, I can’t imagine.”
“We don’t have to provide separate support as we did before. Instead, tax will be collected.”
“His Majesty will like it.”
A civil servant who had visited Kaikman for a business survey handed the report to Janssen.
“You’ve worked hard. I will convey the situation to His Majesty.”
The civil official politely greeted Janssen and left. There was no better news than Kaikman’s improving situation, since it had always been a subject of concern.
Jansen looked down at the report in his hand with a satisfied look on his face.
“I should also inform the Queen.”
He knew it was the Queen who had suggested a solution to Kaikman’s problem. There were many concerns and doubts from the ministers, but such good news eventually flew in.
‘If it’s a headache that can’t be eliminated, let’s bring in our enemies and use them.’ When her base, which had changed his mind, succeeded, Jansen had no choice but to admire it.
As he was pensive, he heard signs of people coming from right behind him. When he turned his head, maids passed by next to him, busily going somewhere.
“Secretary.”
Myriam and the maids who saw him bowed their heads slightly and greeted him.
“What’s going on?”
“They said something came in from outside the castle.”
“Oh, that’s right. It’s today.”
He had been informed in the morning that food for the winter and cold-weather items were arriving today.
As Myriam hurried back again, the maids followed her in line. In the last row, he saw Hannah.
“Ah! Miss Hannah!”
Jansen raised his hand slightly and called her warmly, but Hannah quickly bowed her head and kept walking without even looking at him.
“…Miss Hannah?”
He lowered his hand with an awkward face. This has happened a few times already. He was thinking of apologizing for what happened in the hallway last time, but every time she ran into him, she obviously avoided him.
He, who didn’t know much about women, could notice that something was clearly different.
“It looks like she’s really mad at me.”
He let out a small sigh as he looked at her back moving away.
* * *
Maxim had an early dinner and went out to the training grounds. As winter began, the days were getting shorter. Daily training should also be reduced.
As he went down the stairs, he raised his brows. Rose and Tulio were holding swords, and Rishar was watching from the side. He stared at them and slowly descended the stairs.
“No! That’s not it. Geez, Your Majesty, how many times have I said it!”
“I’m sorry, Tulio. I know it in my mind, but my body doesn’t move as I want.”
“Try it again. like this! Just the sword! Just grab it with your whole palm and don’t twist your wrist!”
As Tulio gave the demonstration, she opened her eyes wide and followed eagerly.
It was like a teacher teaching his disciple who lacked math skills.
“You’re having fun.” Maxim went all the way down the stairs, muttering to himself.
“But still, it has improved from before. It seems like it will take an insanely long time to complete the basic posture.”
“Thank you, Tulio.”
“If you’re going to give up, quit today. Because I don’t want to suffer in vain.”
“I’ll train hard, Master!”
As Rose cheered, Tulio smiled. He was nagging her, but his expression was strangely bright. It was a face that showed how much he enjoyed swordsmanship training with her. Because while teaching swordsmanship, she was his disciple, not his queen.
Besides, she said it clearly herself.
“Don’t treat me like a queen. Teach me strictly and harshly.”
‘One has to do what they were told to do. Who am I to dare to disobey her command?’
As Maxim approached them, Rishar noticed him first.
“You are here, Your Majesty.”
Ignoring Rishar’s greeting, Maxim narrowed his eyes and looked at Tulio. His cold eyes were asking ‘what are you doing here?’
Tulio opened his mouth, looking at Maxim with a bewildered expression.
“S-sire, the Queen said to me…”
“I asked him to!”
Rose, who was struggling in front of Tulio earlier, confidently came forward and answered in his place.
“I already told you. I want to learn swordsmanship. So I asked him, and thankfully he listened.”
“Yes. When the Queen said it, I thought it would be good to know the basics of swordsmanship. She can protect herself in a dangerous situation.”
Maxim was standing with his arms crossed, quietly listening to the two protesters.
Tulio scratched his head in bewilderment as if he had committed a crime, and Rose spoke again.
“You don’t have to apologize, Tulio. If you’re going to get angry, be angry at me. Because I’m the one who begged him.”
As Rose looked at Maxim with disapproving eyes, the air became awkward. After reading the subtle atmosphere of the two, Rishar opened his mouth right on time.
“If you’re worried about the Queen getting hurt, don’t worry, be at ease. Even though Tulio is ignorant, he’s the best at teaching swordsmanship.”
At Rishar’s words, Tulio was confused as to whether it was a compliment or an insult, and was angry for a moment.
Rose glanced at Maxim wondering if he was doing it because he was worried about her, as Rishar had said.
On the other hand, while looking at the blade of his sword to see if it was sharp, Maxim said bluntly.
“If you’re done, go. If you’re so eager to learn or die, do whatever you want. Don’t stand in front of me, it’s annoying.”
‘H-how can he be so obnoxious even when he talks?’
Rose looked at him and felt the urge to pinch his lips shut, as she often did to her brother Hans.
“Then I’ll go.”
As Rose walked away from the training ground, she turned back to Maxim as if something had come to her mind.
“I have something I want to give you. I’ll come to your office tomorrow morning.”
* * *
When Freddie opened the door, Rose leisurely entered his office. She was no longer unfamiliar with the room, since she had been inside once before.
“Queen.” Janssen greeted her. Perhaps he has some business inside.
Rose walked over to the chair opposite his desk and sat upright and gracefully. The two looked at each other’s faces without saying a word. Like they were having a staring contest.
Standing between Maxim and Rose, Janssen was pondering whether to leave the room or not.
‘I want to leave as soon as His Majesty orders me.’
He was preparing his mind to go out when the atmosphere got a little weirder.
“Janssen?”
Rose handed something to Janssen and pointed her eyes towards where Maxim was sitting. He approached her and accepted it.
“Please give it to His Majesty Maxim.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Janssen approached his lord with a square covered with purple silk.
“Her Majesty the Queen has told me to give this to you.”
When Janssen handed it over, Maxim took it reluctantly and swung the cloth open.
Janssen was also curious about the contents of the cloth, so he took a quick look.
When Maxim and Janssen saw the object, they both were startled, wondering what it was.
“Ask her what this is.”
Jansen, caught between the two, wondered what kind of skit this was. It felt unfair to be caught up in the middle of a couple’s fight.
‘If you’re looking at each other, just say it!’ He shouted to himself, but he smiled slightly and asked Rose.
“My Queen. His Majesty asks what is this…”
Before Janssen could finish speaking, Rose looked up at Maxim and answered.
“It’s a picture I drew for you. It seems like I haven’t given it to you yet.”
Maxim looked again at the picture she had given him and frowned.
“So what is this?”
“Can’t you see? It’s a black wolf and a white snake.”
“Do you think I’m asking because I don’t know what wolves and white snakes look like?”
