Chapter 12
12
“Don’t cross the line.”
“Her cheekbone is fractured. If it’s not healed, her face will be deformed.”
Like Gunther Paisley, Stone only said what he had to say. Then, he emitted light from his hand and healed Maria’s damaged face. Gunther Paisley didn’t stop him from doing so. More than anything, he hated the idea of Maria’s body being scarred.
“Heal the woman next to her too.”
“Excuse me?”
Stone’s gaze turned to Ero, who was tied up next to her. He stared at Ero for a long time before wearing an inscrutable smile.
‘Woman, is it?’
This wasn’t like the usual Gunther Paisley. He was usually so sharp, so why couldn’t he tell? It was probably because Maria was right in front of him. Stone healed Ero’s face as well.
“Never reveal your true form to Maria.”
“I had no choice to use the power of healing.”
Stone explained to Gunther Paisley. That man was wary and jealous of every male in the world when it came to Maria. Yet he didn’t even know that the person tied up next to her was a man…
‘There’s no need to tell him.’
Stone quickly reverted to his child form. There was no benefit to be gained from displeasing Gunther Paisley. More than anything, Maria wouldn’t like such a headstrong man. He could say with certainty that it would be difficult for Gunther Paisley to win Maria’s heart easily. Or maybe not. Maybe it would be different if Maria’s memories were fully restored. But Maria’s memories of Gunther Paisley wouldn’t easily return with any ordinary shock. This was because the emotions he had glimpsed in Maria were very complex and muddled.
Gunther Paisley returned to his quarters with Stone. He was concerned about Maria being tied to a wooden pillar, but there were things in the world that only he could do.
“Stone.”
“?”
Gunther Paisley called Stone, giving him a lollipop. When he became a child, his emotions were also half childlike, so there was no need to treat him harshly. Of course, his emotions were still far superior to those of a human child. Stone was a Spirit of Helland. Originally, as a Spirit of the abandoned land, his abilities were insignificant when they first met, no different from a human. As the land became fertile and its energy strengthened, the Spirit’s power also gradually increased.
“Does Maria still long for her ex-husband?”
Gunther Paisley still didn’t understand women’s hearts very well. Some said that love was separate from the desire to hate someone to death.
Stone was momentarily speechless at Gunther Paisley’s question. He clicked his tongue, his cheeks bulging with the lollipop.
‘Is he stupid? What woman longs for the man who killed her parents? She’d hate him.’
Stone briefly felt that Gunther Paisley’s question was foolish, but he couldn’t say he didn’t understand his anxiety. He had only blindly desired Maria for so long that he didn’t understand the complex principles of love. He must have only learned it in words. Love and hate and disappointment were completely different… But he couldn’t say that his own thoughts were absolutely correct either. There were many kinds of love in the world.
Moreover, Gunther Paisley had never had parents by his side since he was born, so he couldn’t know their value. Gunther Paisley was someone who had lived a more miserable life than anyone else but didn’t know familial love. A terrible sense of loss was also an emotion felt when one had something and failed to protect it.
‘What should I answer?’
He didn’t want to answer so easily for some reason. To win someone’s heart, one had to put in a lot of effort and care. Stone wanted to give Gunther Paisley that opportunity. It wasn’t because of a mischievous desire to tease him. But he couldn’t help but feel pleased… It felt like he had caught a big one.
‘I’ll definitely see Gunther Paisley begging.’
In this world, Maria was the only one who could make Gunther Paisley’s emotions fluctuate.
‘This will be fun.’
“Yeesh, she missesh him and wongsh for him.”
At Stone’s answer, the color drained from Gunther Paisley’s face. It was wise to run away in situations like this, so Stone quickly disappeared. Gunther Paisley slumped into a chair. He didn’t understand why human emotions were so messy and illogical. To still long for the man who had thrown him into the pit of tragedy. At that moment, Solskjaer entered.
“Great King, how long are you going to leave Maria like that?”
Solskjaer knew better than anyone how Gunther Paisley felt about Maria. Because of that, he was anxious that Maria might hate Gunther Paisley for treating her so harshly.
“Giving her a good house, fancy clothes, delicious food, and a lot of money doesn’t comfort or heal her.”
Gunther Paisley replied in a dry tone.
“I’m worried. I’m worried that Maria won’t understand the Great King’s heart. More than anything, I want Maria to become the Great King’s Queen.”
“Maria is my woman anyway.”
“What’s the point of having just the shell? If she doesn’t open her heart… Forgive me!”
Solskjaer spoke harshly out of frustration, but then he was even more surprised and bowed his head.
“I can’t have Maria completely?”
A dark shadow fell over Gunther Paisley’s face, and his turquoise eyes were covered in coldness and shone sharply.
“I just… Forgive me. I misspoke.”
“No, you’re right. I may not be able to have Maria completely. But if I can’t make her my woman, no one can have Maria.”
“Yes?”
“I’ll kill them.”
“!?”
“In the most cruel way, without a trace.”
* * *
Laurent was sulking because Henry hadn’t been looking for her for a week. Monica was the only one she could complain to about this, so she went to see her in a hurry.
“Why isn’t the new Empress’s coronation ceremony happening?”
“It must be because the additional tax collection is delayed.”
The Lastonia Imperial Family’s treasury was empty, so they couldn’t afford to hold a big event right away.
“Has the love disappeared?”
“Oh, no, that’s not the case. His Majesty destroyed the powerful Stuart family to make Laurent the Empress.”
Laurent’s excitement subsided somewhat at Monica’s words.
“That ugly woman used tricks, didn’t she? She was jealous of His Majesty and me.”
“Don’t be impatient. Nancy is pregnant, so he must be trying to treat her well.”
Monica tried to soothe Laurent. Still, she could roughly guess Henry’s inner thoughts. How could she not know her own child? He had a clear sense of what he liked and disliked more than anyone else. In particular, he didn’t have the patience to spend a week with a woman he didn’t want. He liked Maria so much at first, but once he got tired of her, he caused such a mess.
‘Nancy, that child must have offered Henry something tempting.’
Besides, Nancy was of humble status, but she wasn’t ugly. Her body was also decent. So there was no reason why Henry couldn’t be patient. More than anything, he wasn’t the fickle and simple Henry Coburg of the past. Moreover, he had suffered such humiliation at the hands of Gunther Paisley in front of his subjects…
‘Yes, it’s about Maria.’
The corners of Laurent’s lips twisted to one side as she saw Monica’s eyes moving busily.
‘That old fox has other intentions? I knew it. Nancy is coaxing Henry with something about the former Empress.’
Blood was thicker than water, wasn’t it? It seemed that favoring one’s own was the truth. Moreover, the most suspicious thing was that Henry didn’t mention the new Empress.
‘If I stay still, I’ll end up like the former Empress.’
She had barely chased the tiger out of the cage, and now she was about to be defeated by a rabbit.
* * *
At dawn, the punishment for Maria and Ero was lifted. But Maria hadn’t had a single drop of water since yesterday morning and was almost starving to death. Still, she had to go to the workshop. But a very strange thing had happened overnight.
‘Why doesn’t my face hurt?’
According to Ero, both of their faces had become perfectly fine. As if nothing had happened. Of course, the workers were also surprised. Everyone was shocked when she appeared with a lively face despite being beaten so badly by Nora yesterday.
‘I must eat lunch today.’
She had already been notified that she wouldn’t be given breakfast because of what happened yesterday. Maria was determined to work hard so she could eat, but at that moment, she was startled by her own thoughts. Until she was in the palace, she had tried to die. She had given up on her will to live, wondering what was the point of living so wretchedly. But she was shocked to see herself determined to live. She had no time to think about anything, she only had the instinct to want to eat and live.
‘Even if my parents die, I want to eat and live?’
Her instinct answered yes.
“Let’s go, Maria.”
At that moment, Ero grabbed Maria’s hand, pulling her out of her deep guilt. Finally, the work began. The workers skillfully sorted the gold and ordinary Stone masses and placed them in the leather bags in front of them.
Maria also looked at the oncoming Stone masses and found the stones mixed with gold as Ero had taught her. At first, she was doubtful, but as she did it, she could clearly see the stones mixed with gold and the ordinary stones. The workers couldn’t help but be amazed at Maria’s work, which had changed overnight. At that moment, Nora shouted.
“Those who want to go to the bathroom, go now.”
It was a short break time. Just then, Ero approached Maria.
“Maria, I’ll go to the bathroom first, so don’t leave your seat until then. I’ll be back soon.”
Maria nodded. Looking at Ero’s serious face, she understood what she was worried about. Finally, when Ero disappeared, the women next to her took out the gold from Ero’s leather bag and divided it into various bags. It was another attempt to harass Ero. Still, she had never imagined that they would harass someone so extremely and viciously. She could understand it yesterday because she couldn’t do the work, but this was clearly them doing something wrong.
‘Why are they doing that? That’s too much!’
Maria ran to stop them.
“Ah… uh, no.”
“What are you saying? You retard?”
Nora ran over as Maria mumbled and tried to stop them. She grabbed Maria by the collar and threw her to the dirt floor. Then came the merciless beating. Maria covered her head with both hands. Then, she felt pathetic for curling up to avoid being hit even a little less. No, her heart grew hot and anger surged.
‘Why do I have to get hit? What did I do wrong?’
At that moment, Maria grabbed Nora’s ankle as it came towards her face.