Ch#19

Episode 19

Actually, reading Arpad's emotions isn't easy.

He was born as the Crown Prince and has learned to act politically as naturally as breathing.

But for some reason, in front of me, he often acts like a child who doesn't know how to hide his feelings.

'Did a few days alone at the villa create some sense of intimacy?'

Or maybe there's another reason, but.

Anyway, it's not bad.

Until Arpad meets the woman he loves and asks for a divorce, we are co-destined.

A relationship called husband and wife, but in reality, it's a client and mercenary relationship.

Anyway, his expression now... seemed somehow pleased but trying not to show it.

Really, he's not a teenage boy, but a hard-to-figure-out man.

Well, how can a sane person understand a madman?

If you can understand, that means you're mad too.

Swallowing various retorts internally, I approached Arpad and made one request.

"Can you grant me one favor?"

"Why all of a sudden?"

I winked and whispered.

"Because I need something when we have an audience with His Majesty."

* * *

Currently, the center of attention in the Imperial Palace is undoubtedly the Crown Prince's palace.

And for good reason, as it's the site of the first marriage-by-abduction in 300 years just a few days ago.

No one expected them to brazenly show their faces together and enter the palace in broad daylight.

Everyone viewed this negatively.

"Isn't that too brazen?"

"Grand Duke Ludwig is just pitiful. His bride was taken, his honor is in the dirt..."

"It's really too much."

But no one could openly discuss this in front of the Crown Prince.

Everyone valued their own lives too much.

All they could do was gossip quietly behind his back.

This has been the case ever since Arpad showed precursors to the Madness when he was less than ten years old.

Except for a few fanatically loyal subjects, no one dared to openly oppose him.

No one wanted to become a victim of a Madness outbreak.

Even the current Empress was seriously injured during the Crown Prince's Madness episode, leaving her arm with lasting discomfort.

But she couldn't punish the Crown Prince for it.

Showing precursors to Madness is proof of having a strong dragon's bloodline among the imperial family.

Proof of being blessed by Artanus.

Arpad's vertically elongated pupils, beyond human, are exactly that.

The one with dragon's eyes.

In the Istride Imperial family, the dragon's bloodline was more important than anything else.

Even the Emperor couldn't easily depose Arpad from the Crown Prince position.

Because of that, Arpad was often treated like an untouchable bomb.

Since you never know when it might explode, just don't touch it—that was everyone's common thought when dealing with him.

Even his only blood relative, the Emperor.

When Arpad left the Crown Prince's palace with his rumored wife.

Gazes filled with fear and curiosity gathered from all directions.

But no one stepped forward or spoke to them easily.

They only observed from afar as if watching something ominous.

"......"

"......"

It felt like thorns of silence were strewn along every path.

Hilia concealed a bitter smile and trampled over those uncomfortable thorns of silence.

'Talk all you want. That won't guarantee my life anyway.'

Piercing gazes were directed at Hilia walking beside Arpad.

If looks were arrows, Hilia would have instantly become a pincushion.

She snorted and ignored that sharp, uncomfortable attention.

Thanks to that, Hilia, smiling brightly alone amidst the silence, stood out and shone more than anyone.

Thanks to being away from the sources of stress—Ludwig and Evangeline—Hilia's skin was like a peeled hard-boiled egg.

Her glowing skin showed no pores, and a cherry blossom pink blush faintly colored both cheeks.

Each time her large eyes blinked, long pink eyelashes hid and revealed deep violet-colored pupils.

Shy coral-colored lips smiled as if slightly nervous.

Her lush, pure pink hair looked sweeter than anything.

A tiara woven with amethyst, clear crystal, pink diamonds, and lavender diamonds in an acanthus flower shape adorned her head, making her pink hair stand out exceptionally.

A dress layered with thin milk-colored silk and cherry blossom lace, piled up like rich foam, further enhanced her pure image.

It also seemed to emphasize the deep-colored tiara based on amethyst.

Coincidentally, it was spring, and the cherry blossoms were in full bloom in the central garden of the Imperial Palace where Arpad and Hilia were passing.

As the wind blew right on time, countless petals showered down upon the two.

As if nature itself was blessing them.

Someone absentmindedly muttered without realizing.

"It's... like a cherry blossom fairy."

They were more surprised after saying it. They hadn't meant to say it, and since everyone was keeping quiet, the sound was too loud.

Feeling the piercing gazes from all around, the person who mentioned the fairy bowed their head deeply.

But while no one openly agreed or approved, everyone thought similarly inside.

'I wondered why His Highness the Crown Prince went as far as marriage-by-abduction, but I get it now.'

'It's admirable.'

'No wonder Grand Duke Ludwig went crazy having such a bride taken away.'

'And she's a bride who brings the Delphin Ducal Family as a dowry...'

While everyone was overwhelmed by Hilia's appearance, the most carefully adorned in her fourth life.

Hilia nonchalantly approached and took Arpad's arm, leaning against him. Extremely affectionate and natural.

Simultaneously, sounds of barely contained shock came from all sides.

"Gasp!"

"How fearless!"

"Even if she's a bride taken in marriage-by-abduction, will His Highness the Crown Prince tolerate that?"

"He's absolutely not someone who would allow it..."

Ignoring the surroundings, Hilia opened her mouth as if wanting to be heard. A voice that sounded pitiful, as if she couldn't help being anxious and worried.

"What if His Majesty doesn't like me?"

And then something happened that plunged the onlookers into even greater astonishment.

Arpad answered very affectionately.

"That won't happen, so rest assured."

This time, sighs of astonishment grew even louder.

"Gasp!"

"His Highness is smiling! Oh my! I've never seen such a sight!"

"Seeing him smile so affectionately... he's so handsome. I wish he'd smile at me too... I mean, no!"

Considering Arpad's looks and status, there should normally be many women flocking to him.

But no one dared to approach recklessly, naturally because of the ominous rumors surrounding him and his sharp demeanor.

But seeing him smile affectionately at his new bride now, the ominous rumors and Madness were almost forgotten.

The crowd looked at the Crown Prince anew.

How beautiful a man he was.

This made even those who had never coveted Arpad before jealous of Hilia standing beside him.

'How lucky. Even if taken in marriage-by-abduction, if the other party is like that...'

'But the Crown Prince's Madness is famous, right? Who knows what will happen to that woman because of it.'

'No, before that, will the Emperor even acknowledge it?'

This was currently the hottest issue.

Arpad's marriage-by-abduction.

And whether the Emperor would acknowledge it or not.

Everyone also knew that the Emperor had summoned the Crown Prince and Hilia to make that decision.

Most watched with curiosity, some watched as if enchanted and cheering, while many others watched the two entering the main palace with negative gazes.

* * *

I walked to the main palace, leaning against Arpad as if to hide my tension.

No matter how much I pretended to be nonchalant, negative gazes were pouring down suffocatingly from all sides.

Walking through that was harder than expected.

At least Arpad seemed unfazed, so I could lean on him, which was fortunate.

Now we entered the main palace, passed through the corridor, and arrived at the waiting area for the Emperor's audience.

After the chamberlain went in first to meet the Emperor, only the two of us remained.

"Phew..."

Just as I tried to let out a sigh of relief and unlink arms.

"......?"

What, why won't it come loose?

Looking up in puzzlement, Arpad whispered with a serious expression.

"We have to keep it up."

"Now there's no one watching..."

Arpad's whispering tickled my ear.

"No. There are. The Emperor's eyes are watching us."

"......"

That's true.

The Emperor is a man who suspects even his own son, and even himself.

To get our marriage acknowledged by him, we mustn't let our guard down for a moment.

"I understand."

I could feel Arpad's hand holding my arm tighten with unusual strength.

'Is he perhaps nervous about meeting his estranged father?'

In my past lives, it was the Emperor who killed Arpad when he went mad.

The relationship between the two seemed as precarious as walking on a blade.

I smiled slightly and whispered to Arpad.

"Are you worried? Don't worry, just trust me."

Arpad's face twisted as if baffled.

But before he could retort, the chamberlain opened the door and spoke to us.

"You are summoned."

There was no more time for small talk.

We entered the audience hall arm-in-arm, as if to show off.

And the Emperor's eyes—more precisely, his eyes upon seeing me—trembled minutely but distinctly.

I knew the reason well.

'Because the dress, tiara, and necklace I'm wearing now are all heirlooms of the late Empress!'

And I knew well that the Emperor's greatest weakness was precisely the former Empress.

Translator: Nox