Chapter 24
24
Nancy entered the Empress's dressing room and began selecting clothes.
"Betty, this one too."
Maria's dress fabrics were of the highest quality silk damask, and the jewels adorning them were also top-grade. Therefore, one of the Empress's dresses was worth enough to buy a decent house in the capital. However, Maria wasn't excessively extravagant when she was Empress. Most of the dresses were gifts from friendly nations. That's why Nancy knew better than anyone which of Maria's dresses were more valuable and which were less.
"Madam Akman, is it alright to take these clothes without permission from the higher-ups?"
Betty was very anxious.
"Higher-ups? With the Empress, the head of the Inner Palace, gone, who are the higher-ups?"
It wasn't as if Henry had decided who between herself and Laurent would manage the Inner Palace affairs. Of course, she knew that the former Empress Monica was also excluded. Monica's vanity was notorious throughout the continent.
"Is Nancy stealing?"
As expected, Laurent had followed her.
"There's no problem taking clothes that have no owner, is there? They're the deposed Empress's clothes anyway."
Nancy was confident. Burning the expensive silk damask would only be a waste. It would be better to take them and alter them slightly to wear. Any court lady knew that the national treasury was empty, and there was no capacity to order new dresses.
"Did someone give you permission?"
Laurent's clumsy yet sharp tone provoked Nancy. Nancy stopped choosing clothes and approached Laurent, saying,
"Laurent, you're good at Lastonian, aren't you? Save the acting for His Majesty."
When Nancy became serious, Laurent wiped the smile off her face and retorted sharply.
"Is it even appropriate for someone of your lowly birth to wear the Empress's clothes?"
Laurent humiliated Nancy with clear Lastonian words.
"The deposed Empress's clothes and the palace are all mine. So, take your hands off and get lost."
"Laurent and I are still His Majesty's consorts, aren't we?"
"What? You really—!"
Laurent, consumed by anger, grabbed Nancy's hair. Not to be outdone, Nancy also grabbed Laurent's hair. Soon, the two women were screaming and fighting fiercely, grabbing each other's hair. The maids, unable to watch any longer, intervened, but the fight only escalated as they took sides, and the maids also became entangled.
Crash! As the fight intensified, furniture was broken, and expensive ornaments were knocked over. The Empress's dressing room instantly turned into a chaotic scene. At that moment, a man's voice, like a thunderclap, stopped the fight.
"Can't you all stop!"
Henry, who had been informed by a Chamberlain, hurriedly came to stop the two women. However, even after seeing it with his own eyes, he was so dumbfounded that he couldn't speak for a while. One woman was the daughter of Count Seradu, and the other was a maid who had once served the Empress. Yet, they were fighting like vulgar women selling alcohol in the back alleys, grabbing each other's hair.
"Laurent, take your hands off Nancy!"
"Your Majesty!"
"Nancy is pregnant."
At his words, Nancy began to cry profusely. No, Laurent also started crying, claiming she was wronged, turning the battlefield into a sea of tears. Monica, who happened to be watching the scene from afar, whispered into Henry's ear.
"That's why not just anyone can be Empress."
Monica's words made Henry realize for sure that although he hated Maria, she was a perfect woman as an Empress. If things continued like this, the Imperial Palace would soon fall apart.
* * *
Gunther returned to the Royal Palace and immediately dealt with urgent state affairs. Then, he noticed the scarf around Solskjaer's neck.
"What's with that unsightly thing?"
It was obviously made by a woman. Solskjaer was particularly popular with women. He also liked women very much. Rumor had it that women visited Solskjaer every night.
"I received it as a gift."
"You seem to like it quite a bit."
To wear it immediately after receiving it from a woman. He felt somewhat envious... No, he had Maria. He had a perfect being by his side that no other woman in the world could compare to, so what was so special about that scarf?
"Great King, I'll be on my way now."
Solskjaer also looked very tired from the long journey.
"Don't worry about the Royal Palace affairs and get some rest for a few days."
"Thank you, Great King."
"Go on."
"Yes."
After he left, the Chamberlain entered, and Gunther spoke as if he had been waiting.
"I'm tired. Let's go to the hot springs."
At his words, the Chamberlain hurriedly took off Gunther's clothes. Gunther usually took off all his clothes before going to the hot springs and only wore a silk gown.
"Is Maria at the hot springs?"
"Yes, she is."
A smile spread across Gunther's face. He felt good at the thought of soaking in the warm water alone with Maria and relieving his fatigue.
"Are you that happy?"
The Chamberlain asked Gunther.
"What?"
"Your Majesty was just humming..."
"Was I?"
When Gunther asked back, the Chamberlain smiled. It was the first time he had seen Gunther humming, so he was surprised, but he was even happier. He knew better than anyone how fiercely Gunther had lived, so he hoped that he would have some leisure. It seemed that his wish was finally coming true.
Gunther fluttered his red silk gown and headed to the hot springs. He walked so fast that the Chamberlain, who was ahead, fell behind. Finally, as he approached the hot springs, he could hear Maria's laughter and the laughter of other women. The quick-witted Chamberlain went in first to inform them that Gunther had arrived, and the laughter that had been heard outside stopped abruptly.
However, Gunther, in his haste, strode into the hot springs. And he saw a very shocking sight. A man was alone in the tub. Moreover, the man was as beautiful as a woman. If you only looked at his face, you would mistake him for a woman. However, seeing him naked, it was clear that he had a man's body.
"Who are you?"
At Gunther's voice, Ero hurriedly came out of the water. At that moment, the Great King saw Ero's naked body clearly. He saw that he was a man with the same thing as him on his lower body. Ero quickly came out and covered his body with a towel.
'I haven't seen that face in the palace before.'
Gunther was not in a good mood. A strange man was bathing in the hot springs that only he and Maria used. Ero greeted Gunther and hurriedly tried to leave the hot springs.
"Stop right there."
Gunther's voice echoed, and Ero stopped immediately. Then, Ero saw Gunther approaching him with wide eyes and realized that Gunther didn't recognize him at all. He had always been by Maria's side, so why? Of course, he quickly realized the answer. He was not wearing women's clothes and was showing his bare body, so he couldn't be associated with Maria's friend. Ero sensed that something was terribly wrong.
"I asked who you are."
"I'm Ero. Maria's friend."
"Maria's friend?"
Now that he looked at him, he didn't even know his name. Suddenly, Gunther's rough hand grabbed Ero's neck roughly.
"Agh!"
"Do you want to die?"
"Agh... Uh."
Just then, Maria and Nora ran in from outside and tried to stop Gunther. Gunther couldn't understand why Maria had come to the hot springs with a strange man. Not only that, but Maria took Ero's side and shouted at Gunther not to scold him.
"Shut your mouth!"
Gunther roared at Maria. It was the first time she had seen Gunther's face so scary. She flinched in surprise.
"Why does a male bastard know my woman?"
"That's not it."
Thud- Gunther's fist struck Ero's face, and she fell to the marble floor.
"Ah... Ugh."
Maria grabbed Gunther's leg and tried to stop him.
"Let go. Unless you want to die by my hand too."
"!"
Gunther was like a beast who had lost his mind. He looked like a crazy person who only had murderous intent and was trying to kill everything he saw. Gunther forcefully pressed his foot on Ero's neck.
"Agh!"
Eventually, Ero screamed in agony and fainted, and Maria waved her hands and ran to Gunther, shouting.
"That... No. Child... Uh."
Ero was not the kind of person you would misunderstand, and she explained that he was her best friend. Of course, Gunther, who was out of his mind, couldn't understand. Instead, he grabbed Maria's chin roughly and shouted fiercely.
"Did you enjoy deceiving me? Did you think I was a fool in your eyes?"
Maria dared to have another man by her side, and the two seemed to be very close. But he didn't know anything about it and was just covering his eyes.
"Maria, look closely. I'm going to burn that bastard you've been sleeping with alive."
Maria shook her head, crying at Gunther's harsh words. Eventually, Nora, who couldn't stand it any longer, stepped forward.
'I knew this would happen.'
That's why she had asked Maria before bathing.
[Maria, does the Great King know that Ero is a man?]
[Oh, I don't think he knows.]
Maria shook her head, saying that he probably didn't know.
[I don't know if it'll be okay.]
Nora was quite surprised by Gunther's attitude towards the boy. Gunther's obsession with Maria was greater than she had expected. She wondered if such a man could easily accept the fact that there was a man by his woman's side... If he already knew, there would be no problem, but she was worried. In the end, her worries became a reality.
"Great King, please listen to me."
Nora shouted, prostrating herself before Gunther.
"Were you in on it too? Did you turn a blind eye to Maria sleeping with that bastard?"
"That's a misunderstanding."
Nora shook her hands violently, denying it.
"A misunderstanding?"
Nora told the whole story as calmly as possible. About Ero's identity. She also told him how Maria, including herself, regarded Ero. Fortunately, Gunther didn't get angry enough to interrupt Nora's words.
"So that bastard is a woman?"
"Yes."
At Nora's answer, Gunther laughed loudly. And he grabbed his hair and abused himself. He was so distracted by Maria that he didn't notice who was by her side. If it had been him in the past, it would have been impossible. He was the one who had always keenly discerned the nature of people. He was so crazy about Maria that he couldn't see an inch ahead.
"Don't be ridiculous. As long as that bastard has a × on his body, his essence will not change."
"Great King!"
"Chamberlain, call the soldiers!"
At his command, soldiers appeared at the hot springs.
"Lock that bastard in prison."
Gunther's voice was as cold as frost.