Chapter 31
31
Maria was busy every day handling the work Gunther entrusted to her. As the kingdom was only ten years old, there were many areas where the system was not properly established. Maria first began to create guidelines for the management and supervision of immigrants. In fact, it was a very overwhelming task to do alone. However, Gunther promised that he would spare no support.
'He doesn't just seem like a mischievous man.'
Maria, who attended every meeting and watched Gunther's appearance, realized that she had been prejudiced by only seeing one side of him. He wanted to solidify the foundation of the country more than anyone else. He was more qualified as a Monarch than Henry, who worked haphazardly and only emphasized the Emperor's authority.
"Maria, how long are you going to just write?"
Ero, who was sewing with Nora, grumbled. She and Nora were pondering how to make Maria stand out the most during the Winter Rite, but she didn't seem to care about such things.
"Don't bother Maria, you immature thing. Isn't national affairs usually difficult?"
"Aing, still..."
"Come here and finish sewing this."
At Nora's scolding, Ero returned to her seat. The dress to wear for the Ritual was already excellent in itself, but they were very busy because they were adding a more splendid touch to it. So there was no time to laze around.
Maria stopped working for a moment and approached the two. Nora said something meaningful to Maria.
"Maria, if you think it's yours, never let it be taken away."
"?"
"I'm saying don't let it be taken away twice."
"Nora!"
Ero burst into anger. There was no need to bring up Maria's painful memories of becoming a deposed Empress. Abandoned by her husband, deprived of her Empress position, and suddenly chased away to this place. Where else could there be someone whose life is as extreme as Maria's...? To say such a thing.
"I'm saying don't do that from now on, even if you did in the past."
Nora's face was very serious. She looked like she really didn't want to say it, but she had to get it over with.
'What else do I have to lose?'
The two of them are just saying that out of unnecessary worry. I've already lost everything anyway. In fact, did I have anything in Helland that I owned enough to be taken away by others? When Maria smiled wryly, Nora sighed as if frustrated.
"Men are all like that. They hold the woman they like tightly in their hands and don't let go, but they can turn their eyes elsewhere as much as they want."
And they don't even feel any guilt. Sleeping with another woman once in a while is just fulfilling a instinctive desire without giving their heart, so they don't give it much meaning.
"Our Solskjaer isn't like that... Ouch!"
Thwack! Nora flicked Ero's insensitive forehead.
"That hurts."
"Anyway, don't stray from the Great King's side during the Winter Rite."
Only after Nora gave her advice full of worry did Ero nod at Maria as if she had gained a great realization. At that moment, Maria remembered what Gunther had said to her.
[Maria.]
[… ….]
[Like me.]
[?]
[No, make yourself love me. Very much.]
[… ….]
[That is an order.]
To order someone to love him, he's so arrogant, but my heart fluttered the moment I heard it. But the real surprise was something else.
[I won't force you to have you if you don't want to.]
Since Gunther said that to her, he sleeps in the same bed with her every day, but he doesn't even touch one of her fingers. I felt it before, but Gunther Paisley seemed to want a lot from me. No, you could say he has an unexpectedly pure side. Sincere heart or love... something like that emotion. Even I have never been deeply in love, so it's embarrassing.
'I've never done anything like that either.'
Suddenly, my heart became complicated. Maria got up as if shaking off the confusion and headed back to her desk. There was a mountain of work to do.
Gunther was busy reviewing and approving the immigrant situation report that arrived today. First, as Maria said, he temporarily established the Immigration Office and found people with administrative experience to appoint as managers. Maria was organizing the next steps, so there seemed to be no need to worry too much.
"Great King, about the Winter Rite."
Solskjaer carefully began to speak, watching Gunther's reaction.
"Will you spend the night with the Archwitch?"
"Isn't that customary?"
"But if Maria finds out..."
"We must distinguish between public and private matters. Listening to the Archwitch's fortune and spending the night together after the Ritual is part of the job."
Would Maria even care? I wish she would be jealous. Only I am happy and excited, but she probably has no thoughts at all.
"Since the Great King has decided that Maria is his woman, you should tell her in advance."
"Why bother? I'm doing work."
Even while answering, Gunther was secretly curious about Maria's reaction. A vain hope came that she might care. At the same time, his heart became bitter. Realizing that it was only one-sided love made him feel resentful towards her for no reason.
"Women pretend not to, but they keep it inside. So please think carefully this time."
"Think carefully?"
"The most difficult thing in the world is a woman's heart."
Gunther stared at Solskjaer, who was speaking seriously, for a long time, then smiled and replied.
"I will."
In fact, Gunther had no time to seriously think about the Winter Rite. These days, the only things on his mind were how to fix the kingdom's system or when Maria would remember him.
'You don't know. That we are destined.'
Gunther smiled helplessly, looked through the documents, and got up from his seat. It seemed like it was time to clear his head.
"Let's go to the Immigration Office. I need to see where and what kind of humans have come this time."
"Yes."
Allan Seradu was waiting for the Witches near the Helland border. Soon, the Helland Winter Rite would return, and the Witches' large-scale money-making would begin. He only brought two skilled mercenaries with him. Having too many people would only make them stand out.
Just in time, the Witches appeared. Among them, the Archwitch Samantha, riding a white horse, stood out.
"Samantha."
When Allan approached, Samantha stopped her horse. Samantha, with her shining blonde hair, outstanding appearance, and voluptuous figure, was so beautiful that the title of Witch seemed out of place. If someone who didn't know her saw her, they would praise her as a goddess. Even at this moment, as he looked at her, Allan's heart fluttered.
"Allan? What brings you here?"
Allan watched with admiration as Samantha got off her horse and walked seductively towards him. The two greeted each other happily.
"You are still as beautiful as the moon goddess."
Allan respectfully kissed Samantha's hand as if he were treating a noble lady.
"You're still as good at melting people's ears with sweet words."
"Why don't you melt?"
Allan whispered softly in Samantha's ear.
"I wanted to wait for Samantha to make a good offer."
"Money-making?"
"Money-making? You should refrain from saying such worldly words with those petal-like lips."
"Anyway, you're the best at melting people with words."
Samantha laughed out loud. As if she didn't know him. When Allan Seradu came to such a rough place, it was either because he had an urgent matter or because there was a big deal that could make money.
"Take us to Helland."
"Allan and the mercenaries?"
Samantha asked back in surprise. Until now, she had never taken men, or people who used swords, when performing the Ritual. This was because it could upset Gunther's mood. If that happened, their livelihood would be cut off in an instant. The Witches lived for a year on the money they received for performing the Helland Winter Rite, so this opportunity was very important.
"Don't worry. We won't harm Samantha. I have something to check in Helland. I'm not trying to cause trouble."
"But that's..."
"Just let us in. Then I'll pay you as much as the Great King of Helland gives you."
"Really?"
Samantha's eyes sparkled at the mention of payment. But she shouldn't easily allow it. She needed to know what Allan's hidden intentions were. Of course, he wouldn't spill the beans easily because he was suspicious. She needed to know their plan to deal with it.
"Okay."
"Thank you, Samantha."
Maria headed to the Immigration Office. This was because she needed to know what kind of immigrants had come this time in order to create administrative documents.
"Many have come. It looks like there are 300 people."
Ero clicked his tongue as he looked at the people gathered at the Immigration Office. He had heard rumors that the number of people immigrating to Helland was increasing every year, but he didn't know it would be this many. At first, they looked down on it as the land of barbarians, but the world was slowly changing.
As the immigrants lined up in several rows, the recorders began to assign them unique numbers and record them. Maria went around to each station, checking whether the people doing administrative work were doing well. Some people were assigning numbers haphazardly, regardless of gender or age. She asked them to rewrite it.
"Maria, I checked to see if they were organizing the documents well as you told me to."
Before coming here, Maria had written down what Ero had to do. It would have been nice if Nora had come too, but she didn't know how to write, so she only brought Ero. Fortunately, Ero had a good eye and was good at talking, so he was a great help.
"Let's go, Maria."
Just as Maria nodded at Ero's words, she heard a familiar voice from somewhere.
"Maria Stuart."
Someone called my name. Maria was startled and looked around. Then she met the eyes of a blonde man.
'Aiden?'
An unbelievable sight, Aiden was standing right in front of me. Maria stared at him, frozen in place like a stone statue. Soon, Aiden ran up and hugged Maria.
"You were alive. Maria!"
'How is Aiden here?'
Aiden's family must have not escaped Henry's persecution either. Maria burst into tears, overwhelmed with emotion. At that time, Ero rushed over, his face pale.
"Maria, behind you..."