Chapter 97
<100화>
Arjen waited for the formula inscribed on the back of his wife’s white neck to vanish.
And a moment later.
“The tea is cold. Bring a fresh pot,” he said, slumping into his chair as if nothing had happened, calling out to the servants standing at a distance.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
One of the servants approached soundlessly and quietly poured the black tea into his cup.
Arjen savored the warm aroma of the tea.
Across from him, Grace had regained consciousness and was staring at him with a look of pure terror.
“…Arjen, you…”
“What is it?”
“…You… how could you possibly….”
Grace tried to speak, but her mouth suddenly clamped shut like a mechanical device.
“…….”
She let out a heavy sigh, unable to utter a word. She could only glare at Arjen with her beautiful, pale green eyes.
“You’re much more beautiful when you aren’t speaking nonsense, Grace.”
Only then did Arjen feel a sense of relief, letting out a long, relaxed breath.
In truth, he had guessed her intentions from the moment she invited him to tea.
Aisha’s black magic.
And, of course, the news of the public duel that must have reached her ears.
He hadn’t wanted to go this far, but unfortunately, Grace was a thorough and intelligent woman—far too much so to remain as Arjen’s ordinary wife.
That was why Arjen had accepted her invitation.
But he, too, had a purpose.
It was to silence the mouth of this talkative woman once and for all.
“The more you try to speak the Forbidden Words, the more you’ll find yourself suffocating. So please, fix your expression and give up.”
“…….”
Grace said nothing, but as she drew a sharp breath, her eyes burned with a fierce, vivid rage.
“A fine sight.”
She was exactly the kind of woman he wanted—quiet, unobtrusive, and merely beautiful.
Only now did Arjen begin to find his wife lovely.
“There are several Forbidden Words, so conversation might be difficult for a while. However, as long as you stay quietly within social circles and don’t concern yourself with outside affairs, it shouldn’t be much of a problem.”
The Forbidden Words were more numerous than one might think.
Black magic, and any description that alluded to black magic. Aisha, and any description referring to Aisha.
Crost. The Duke. Monsters. Magic and formulas were also set as Forbidden Words, and any mention of incidents related to Arjen’s past deeds was strictly prohibited.
In conclusion:
Grace had lost everything.
From the monsters and magic she had studied since childhood to the Crost family, whom she had held as reliable allies.
She had lost her very identity.
“…You…”
Grace squeezed the word out through gritted teeth as tears slowly welled in her eyes.
Eventually, a tear traced a path down her pale cheek.
“I don’t know what you’re thinking… but one day… you will pay for this.”
“Hahaha! How terrifying!”
Arjen could only laugh at his wife’s fury.
He had hesitated at first to use the forbidden black magic, but once he started, those doubts vanished.
Casting it on Grace was no different.
Now that she was unable to even mention magic, she could not break the spell placed upon her. To those who knew nothing of magic, she would appear exactly as she always had—the Queen Consort.
“Well then, enjoy the rest of your tea. I have matters to attend to, so I shall take my leave.”
Arjen gave Grace a joyful smile as she swallowed her tears, then stepped out of the glass greenhouse.
Now, the number of people who could speak of his crimes had been reduced from two to one.
Lady Aisha.
It was time to get rid of that brat.
“…….”
Left alone in the greenhouse, Grace watched his retreating figure and quietly lowered her head.
She felt like a bird trapped in a cage.
Tree, King Arjen’s aide, had found the King quite suspicious lately.
He had managed to learn magic and rise to the position of the King’s aide, yet all his work consisted of was spying on Queen Consort Grace or the Duke of Crost.
But lately, his master had been humming to himself every day, seemingly in high spirits for reasons known only to him.
All while making Tree handle the unpleasant background investigations.
“Your Majesty.”
“What is it?”
“It has been confirmed that the boy named Eibin is indeed an illegitimate child of the Pose Ducal Family.”
Tree’s current task was an investigation into the boy who had recently arrived in the kingdom.
“I see. I wondered how he could use the poison ability; it seems he does have the blood of House Pose in him after all.”
A faint smile touched King Arjen’s lips as he reviewed the report.
Seeing this, Tree suppressed a sigh and spoke cautiously.
“…Your Majesty. May I offer a word?”
“Speak.”
“While the boy’s talent is exceptional, revealing him as a poison user may not sit well with public opinion.”
“Hmm.”
“The scandal involving the Duke of Pose has caused a general loathing for the poison ability itself. Wasn’t the public duel with the Crost family held specifically to bury the Duke of Pose incident?”
Arjen listened thoughtfully to the concerned words and nodded.
“By the way, how did this fellow escape? I heard the Doctia Kingdom sent everyone associated with the Duke of Pose to prison.”
He had changed the subject.
Seeing the King ignore his advice as usual, Tree swallowed another internal sigh.
“Though he is an illegitimate son, it seems he was treated as a non-entity within the Pose estate. It appears the Doctia Kingdom was unaware of his existence.”
“Oho.”
‘This isn’t the time to be interested in some illegitimate child.’
Tree bit his lower lip as he watched King Arjen continue to exclaim in admiration.
King Arjen was always like this.
All he ever desired was Queen Consort Grace’s brilliant magic and the Duke of Crost’s unbelievable abilities.
‘I should have become the Queen Consort’s aide instead.’
Should he resign?
But on the surface, there was no job as honorable or prestigious as being the King’s aide.
It was while he was troubled by these conflicting thoughts that Arjen spoke.
“Tree.”
“Yes, yes!”
Startled by the sudden call, Tree answered urgently.
“Are you my man?”
King Arjen was staring directly at him as he asked the question.
Taken aback, Tree bowed his head and answered quickly.
“Of course. Everyone in this kingdom is Your Majesty’s person.”
“No. I am asking if you are my man. I am asking if you will accompany me anywhere, if you are in the same boat as I am.”
Tree’s body stiffened as he met Arjen’s grey eyes once more.
Usually, the King was… how should he put it? He was a man who neglected his duties because he was too busy being envious or badmouthing others.
But now, Arjen looked as serious as a man about to commit a great deed.
Tree realized it then. Arjen was making him a secret proposal.
A conversation that must never be repeated to anyone—one that might even involve a request to break the law.
“Of… of course. I am Your Majesty’s man.”
He was reluctant, but he couldn’t very well say no to his face.
As Tree squeezed his eyes shut and bowed even lower, a low, satisfied chuckle drifted from across the desk.
“Then come with me. I have something to show you.”
Arjen rose abruptly, left his office, and walked toward the basement.
This was where the treasures of the Frozen Kingdom’s royal family were kept, and entry was forbidden to anyone who wasn’t of royal blood.
Naturally, Tree had never even thought of looking this way.
The place was treated as a legend among the people, so he hadn’t had the luxury of being curious about it in the first place.
As Arjen opened a shimmering door finished with extravagant gold, a luxurious and somber wine-colored hallway was revealed.
There were three doors there.
One was the room storing the ancestral treasures of the Frozen Kingdom’s royalty.
One was the room for Queen Consort Grace’s personal treasures.
The last one was Arjen’s room.
“I believe I’ve acquired a rare treasure, and I wanted to show it to you.”
Chuckling, Arjen opened the door to his room.
Tree swallowed hard.
The sight of the King opening the door seemed to move in slow motion. He was so curious, yet so terrified, that his heart hammered against his ribs.
Just what kind of treasure was it that the King of this nation would keep it so tightly hidden?
A chandelier made of first-class crystals?
No. If it were such a luxury item, he would have flaunted it rather than hidden it away.
Then what was it? What could it possibly be…?
As the door opened and the gap widened, Tree’s eyes began to bulge.
And then.
“Hello.”
In the room that was finally revealed stood a small boy. A young boy who looked to be about seven years old at most.
“…Your Majesty. That boy is…”
“Yes. The illegitimate son of the Duke of Pose, Eibin.”
Flustered, Tree scanned the room for the rare treasure, but aside from some strange potions placed on an old display stand, there was nothing particularly special.
‘Don’t tell me… Has the King finally gone senile and started calling this illegitimate child a treasure…?’
A look of disgust flickered in Tree’s eyes as he glanced at Arjen.
He thought it wasn’t too late to switch his allegiance to Queen Consort Grace after all.
“Eibin. Show Tree your ability.”
“Yes.”
It happened then.
At Arjen’s triumphant command, goosebumps erupted all over Tree’s arms.
In a room where not a single draft could enter, a sudden, piercing chill filled the air.