Chapter 8
8
Nancy headed to the detached palace as soon as dawn broke. It had already been three days since Henry had entered the detached palace to appease the enraged Laurent. To Nancy, those three days were like hell. Her chest felt suffocated by all sorts of lewd imaginings. No, it was actually happening. The two of them, entangled naked, must be lasciviously indulging in lust.
Indeed, a person's greed was endless. She used to be satisfied with just Henry glancing at her, but now that wasn't enough. The fact that he was having passionate sex with Laurent for three days and nights drove her to the brink of madness.
"Lady Ackman, waiting for His Majesty without prior notice is against protocol."
Henry, recognizing Nancy's merits, had granted her the treatment befitting a noble lady and provided her with a maid.
'Why am I Lady Ackman? I should be Mrs. Coburg.'
Nancy's lips, pressed tightly into a straight line, trembled. A life where she had to share the man she loved with another woman and compete for more favor. It was entirely her choice, but it wasn't easy to bear. The deeper her love for Henry, the more boundless her greed grew.
"Protocol? Laurent Seradu isn't the Empress either, for that matter."
"Yes? That's true, but..."
"Betty, I have His Majesty's child growing inside me."
Nancy glared fiercely at her maid as she spoke.
'This won't do.'
If Henry's wife were Maria Stuart, she wouldn't even dare to be jealous... Maria was a perfect woman in every way. She was so noble that she couldn't even be compared to a vulgar and cunning woman like Laurent. She could endure sharing Henry with Maria, but the situation changed if her rival was Laurent.
'I even betrayed the Empress, so why couldn't I do worse?'
Just then, Henry emerged from the detached palace. He frowned upon seeing Nancy waiting for him right in front. Commoners were like that; treat them a little too well, and they acted without any sense.
'Annoying.'
She should consider it a great honor just to be carrying the Emperor's child and staying in the Royal Palace, given her status.
"You didn't have to wait like this, Nancy."
"I am well aware that it is against protocol. However, I have something to say to Your Majesty."
"To me?"
Did he have any important words to hear from Nancy? Soon, Henry smiled awkwardly and headed towards the garden with Nancy. He resolved to firmly warn her that it would be troublesome if she acted without sense and bothered him.
"What is it?"
They had already circled the garden twice, but Nancy didn't easily open her mouth. She must be trying to play tricks, wanting to be with him.
"Your Majesty, are you going to welcome Miss Seradu as the new Empress?"
"Of course. She bore a prince."
"I could also bear a prince."
Nancy said, stroking her still-slender belly.
"What? Goodness..."
Was Nancy so foolish that she had forgotten her place and limits? Or was she just getting bold? She had spent her whole life serving others, so she should have that much sense. She didn't even know that she had achieved great success just by coming this far, considering she was from a peasant family, not even a commoner. Henry's face turned cold at Nancy's absurd words.
"Your Majesty, I want to be the Empress."
"?!?"
Henry looked at Nancy with contempt.
"I will make it so you don't have to repay the 10 million Gold, so please appoint me as the Empress."
"What did you say?"
His cold expression slowly began to ease. He thought she was just a vulgar thing being cheeky, but it seemed that wasn't all there was to it.
'Who knows more about the Empress and Gunther Paisley than I do?'
Nancy stared at Henry with a determined face.
* * *
The Royal Palace of Helland was completely different from the rumors of being ominous. It was so luxurious that it was hard to believe it was a desolate land. The nest of the Red Dragon, made of the finest marble. It was said to be a place overflowing with Gold and Magic Stones, and indeed, the marble pillars were gilded. The dome-shaped roof shone with gold, and expensive ornaments were displayed throughout the corridors.
'Is this man's Royal Palace?'
Maria looked at the Royal Palace she was standing in with an indifferent expression. To be exact, she was in Gunther's arms. Then, several black maids approached and bowed to Gunther. They looked at the woman their Great King was holding with great interest. It was the first time the Great King had brought a woman.
"Take her to the hot springs."
Gunther ordered the maids and then put Maria down from his arms.
"Yes, Great King."
They took Maria away somewhere in an orderly fashion. They were probably going to take her to the hot springs to wash her. Maria entrusted her body to the maids as they attended to her. She couldn't speak anyway, and it didn't matter whether they washed her in hot spring water or boiled her. She was just alive because she hadn't died.
The maids undressed Maria and washed her hair and body with the hot spring water. Then, they seemed curious about Maria's gray hair and exchanged glances and laughed among themselves. Did they know? That her original hair color was gold, like the roof of this Royal Palace. But now it was all useless. The maids washed Maria for a long time and then suddenly disappeared like the tide receding.
'Everyone's gone.'
The hot springs, which had been bustling, became quiet, and only a thick sulfur smell and hazy steam filled the air. And Maria was isolated inside. At that moment, a different light flickered in Maria's eyes.
'Now's the time.'
She hid her body in the water as it was. She submerged herself deeply in the hot spring water so that not a single strand of hair could be seen. It seemed like it would be good to have her breath cut off like this. As expected, if you want to die, opportunities arise somehow. She didn't want to live even a little bit, and there was no reason to live. The hot spring water that entered through her prayer should completely fill her lungs and make it impossible for any air to pass through.
Maria placed her hands on her chest and waited for death. But suddenly, something from the past came to mind. It was a beast-like boy. Red hair and bronze skin. He had the body of a typical warrior, but he didn't seem to be from the Lastonia Empire like her. Then, the boy tossed and turned and showed his back while lying face down. Soon, she saw herself diligently drawing on the boy's back with the feather pen Liberio had given her.
[What's your name? I'm Maria.]
[Maria...]
The boy repeated her name, but he didn't tell her his own name.
[Number 44.]
The boy said that he was called by a number.
[Um, then... how about it?]
The boy's face was not clearly visible. Also, she seemed to have suggested a name to the boy, but she couldn't remember it at all. Only his voice faintly lingered.
[My name?]
[Yes. Is it bad?]
[It's good.]
[I'm glad you like it.]
Maria looked at the boy with a momentarily pensive face. The two of them had been looking at each other for a very long time.
[I want to have you.]
The boy stared at her with turquoise eyes as if to pierce through her, and then repeatedly smiled menacingly.
[I can't.]
[Look here, you lowly slave is really getting out of line. Our young lady is going to be the Empress of Lastonia soon!]
Nancy shouted at him.
"Pfft!"
Maria unknowingly popped out of the water and spat out the water that had filled her throat. Just then, she saw a man standing in front of her like a solid wall. Maria coughed repeatedly and slowly raised her head.
'Gunther. This man also has red hair.'
The boy in her memory that had just surfaced also had red hair. The way he was looking down at her with burning eyes was somehow similar.
'Is it a dream, or a memory I've forgotten?'
"Beautiful."
Contrary to his fiercely hardened expression, very unexpected words flowed from his mouth.
Gunther couldn't take his eyes off Maria. Wet from the hot spring water, she was as sacred as a goddess. Her snow-white skin was bathed in a soft moonlight, creating a dreamy atmosphere, and even her sorrowful expression. Everything was perfectly beautiful. But she didn't seem to realize that she was naked, without a single thread on her body. But he was the same.
Gunther swallowed hard and tried to cup Maria's face. But Maria suddenly went behind Gunther and only looked at his back for a while without saying anything.
"?!?"
Gunther only turned his head and looked at Maria, who was innocently examining his back.
'Did she remember the Red Dragon?'
It seemed that she had finally recalled that fateful day when Maria was fifteen and he was seventeen. Then, a moist touch began to caress Gunther's back. It was as if she was feeling the Red Dragon drawn on his back with her fingertips. No, it was a seduction. Gunther's nerves twitched with every touch of Maria's fingertips. It felt like his flesh was melting at Maria's fingertips.
'You're touching me.'
A fool who drew it himself but doesn't remember. He had a glimmer of hope for a moment, but Maria's memory did not return. Although there was a deep darkness in her eyes that had briefly sparkled with clarity, it didn't matter. Maria was now his. But how long was she going to keep touching him like this? His patience wasn't that long.
"Ha!"
As Gunther let out a deep sigh, Maria only peeked out from behind his waist and sized him up. Then, she stepped back in fear.
'This man, he seems angry.'
It's not polite to touch someone else's body without permission. It was then. Gunther simply slung Maria over his shoulder.
'I must have you.'