144 - Pieces of the Broken Glass Slipper
Shattered Glass Slipper Shards 144
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Sir Ayres acted as if he had plenty of time after finishing training with me each time. Just looking at the work he introduced, it didn't seem any different, so if it were someone else, I would have really believed him.
But there was no way that being a knight of the Imperial Palace was such a leisurely job. Even the knights of a family were busy all day long, so how could a knight guarding the Emperor have free time?
In the end, all of this could be said to be consideration for me, and it was evident from the fact that he returned to the Imperial Palace as soon as he left the mansion. He was really dividing his time into small pieces to meet me, in order to pass on the information he knew.
Today's meeting was also a time created by almost setting aside his scheduled events. Anyone else would have been annoyed by the notification that was close to rudeness, but he accepted my request as if he was truly delighted. And he arrived exactly on time for the appointment.
Marie led Sir Ayres to the garden where refreshments were prepared. He greeted me politely, who had arrived in advance, and sat down in the guided seat. It was the first time we had met in a place other than the reception room, so he complimented the garden instead of the usual greetings, showing his manners.
"It's a beautiful garden."
The garden, which the Bishvarts Family's gardener had cultivated with great care, was full of colorful flowers. A refreshing breeze was blowing from the lush greenery, as if to announce that summer was approaching soon.
"The gardener would be very happy to hear that. Please have some tea, Sir Ayres."
"It has a nice scent."
He lifted the teacup and smelled it, then widened his eyes. His expression softened like the spring sunshine, as if he liked the scent.
"I prepared this tea especially because you were coming, Sir. I hope you like it."
He was very pleased with my kind smile and began to drink the tea. His ears, which were slightly revealed through his flowing hair, were flushed red.
"I don't know if you were embarrassed by my sudden request for a visit. Was I too rude?"
"Not at all. I can come running anytime if Lady Roshan wishes."
"Thank you for just saying that."
Sir Ayres waved his hand and denied my addition that he was always kind. It was an attitude that this level didn't even count as kindness.
"But you're always the only one who shows me this side of you, Sir Ayres."
I deliberately feigned a sullen attitude and spoke in a low voice. My shoulders, which were more slumped than usual, were full of sorrow.
"Lüce must also care about Lady Roshan, right?"
"His Highness can't stop what he does, can he? Just like what happened yesterday."
"Yesterday? Wasn't he at the hunting grounds yesterday? What on earth happened?"
Giving him an insecure opening, he eagerly jumped at the bait. He didn't even think about why I had 'invited' him and bothered to bring up this story. He was just anxious about my feelings.
In fact, I would normally talk about various things and then bring up the main point at the end, in order not to arouse his suspicion.
But today, I decided to express the anxiety I had without measuring this and that, in order to buy his sympathy.
Because I felt betrayed by Lady Roshan, I was going to perform a cheap farce that now you're the only one for me, in order to shake him up. Because I knew well how weak he was to the words 'you're the only one' since he was similar to me.
Therefore, I started by appropriately spitting out shocking words, in order to prevent him from thinking rationally due to embarrassment.
"Sir, as you know, I wasn't the one who approached you first. Lady Lüce is the same. But His Highness doesn't seem to think so. He keeps testing me. So, I won't meet you anymore after today's meeting."
Michael Ayres' beautiful face contorted with embarrassment. He jumped up as if he was about to shout, but soon realized that he had shown an unsightly appearance and immediately sat down. But the voice that came out was one tone higher than usual.
"What do you mean? His Highness doesn't think so? Won't you tell me what happened yesterday? You won't meet me again, what a painful thing to say! Rather, stab my heart with a sword. That would be better."
"No, he'll think I'm a foolish woman who's afraid of trivial things and tattles. So, I can't tell you."
"I swear on my honor, that will never happen."
"Really?"
"Yes. That is truly so."
I put a handkerchief over my mouth with a sad expression, in order to drag out the time and make him anxious.
And when I thought enough time had passed, I opened my mouth and completely betrayed his expectations.
"No. I guess it won't work after all. It would be better to just end it like this for your honor and my safety. Besides, a beautiful woman who sincerely desires your affection is more suitable for you than a heartless woman who doesn't accept your love."
"Who decides that? Please don't do that. You said I could be happy because of you. Isn't that enough? Please, don't push me away. I beg you like this."
At this point, it was necessary to make him aware that he was doing this because he was thinking of 'you' and not me. As if he was unknowingly expressing the anxiety he had been trying to hide until now, he asked in a subtle voice, pretending not to know.
"But are you happy because of me, Sir?"
"More than anything."
There was not an ounce of hesitation in Sir Ayres' answer that he was happy. It was so firm that I was embarrassed to ask. A foolish love that sublimated his suffering into joy for the sake of the other person was emitting a distorted light.
It was an intended answer, but why does it taste so bitter? I avoided his gaze and muttered.
"Would His Highness think so too?"
"Why is His Highness's opinion important?"
"If it's a threat to have a heart aimed at with an arrow, wouldn't it be worth considering enough?"
Sir Ayres stood up again. He wanted to check if I had any injuries, but he couldn't bring himself to do so, so he tried to calm his excitement by walking back and forth around the chair a few times. His tightly clenched fist was visibly trembling.
But soon, as if he couldn't stand it, he asked me, and if I answered that I had an injury, he was about to rush into the Imperial Palace right away. His eyes were so fierce.
"You're not hurt, are you? Please tell me that's the case."
"Fortunately, I wasn't hurt. But Lady Roshan said it was a test. She told me that she couldn't step forward because His Highness had secretly sent a signal. I was so scared that I couldn't stand it, but she was expressing it with the word test and brushing it off as if it was nothing."
I called him 'Sir Ayres' in a moist voice.
"Can you imagine how I felt when I heard that? I felt like I was left alone in the world. Even Lady Roshan left me in such a dangerous test. Now you're the only one left for me."
"Me?"
He looked at me as if he couldn't believe it. I nodded weakly and continued.
"You've never put me in danger or left me in such a situation, or done anything that would harm me. You said that you only wanted my happiness even in the harsh words you said a little while ago."
Sir Ayres was staring blankly at me with a blissful expression as if he had the whole world. Before I knew it, his fist had loosened and was shaking helplessly.
"But His Highness doesn't want that, so what else can I do? Since he's giving such a dangerous warning, I have no choice but to back down. I'm not brave."
I had never once told Sir Ayres that I would accept his heart. I was just maintaining a lukewarm attitude and using his affection.
But the words I was saying now were different from before. It was as if I had feelings for him, but I had no choice but to give up because of the Crown Prince. It was a subtle trick to run away because my life was threatened.
Of course, anyone who was thinking properly would have been puzzled by the sudden change of heart, but for Michael Ayres, there was no more exciting sound than this. Perhaps his reason was paralyzed to the point of disappearing somewhere.
"Can't I alone give Lady Roshan courage? No, His Highness wouldn't have committed such rudeness to Lady Roshan for just that reason. So, please don't be afraid of meeting me."
"Then what reason do I have to receive this threat? Is it related to the insult Pulcher gave me?"
It was a long time ago that the Empress insulted me, but it wasn't a lie. However, I hid when I received it. This was because I knew that the humiliation I received from this mother and son would make Michael Ayres spit out the truth.
And as I expected, he had an expression mixed with a moment of hesitation, conflict, and guilt - probably about the Crown Prince - and then nodded his head as if he had made a big decision.
At the same time, he came to me and knelt down, which was no different from showing complete obedience and reverence to me as an example of a lady.
"I always want to confess only the truth in true language to the person who took my heart, but this situation makes me have a false tongue and confess deception. I hope my suffering doesn't become a burden to Lady Roshan. However, the only thing I can say for sure is that there will be a tragic event."
Could the tragic event that will happen in the future be anything other than 'treason'? If so, it makes sense that the Crown Prince is so wary and filters out the people around him.
The small sun of the Empire seemed to already know. So, he wasn't so surprised despite the Witch's prophecy. Now I was starting to see the picture little by little.
I feigned a pathetic voice as if I couldn't stand it anymore.
"If you suffer because of me, Sir, there will be no more tragic event than this. Therefore, I will push the soaring curiosity deep inside my heart. I don't want to do anything that will trouble you."
"I'm the one who wanted to help Lady Roshan. So, don't feel burdened."
I shook my head and said.
"I know how loyal Sir Ayres is to His Highness. He's also a loyal friend of Lady Roshan. So, how can I ask about what they're trying to hide?"
"It's better than weighing down Lady Roshan's heart."
The Crown Prince's vigilance was right. I wasn't someone who could be helpful to them. I was urging betrayal in this way from their loyal friend. So, I could be said to be 'poison' to them.
"Then I'll ask you one more thing. Pulcher invited Lady Roshan and called her in the past. Do you know the reason for that? It seems to be related to me, but no matter how much I ask, she doesn't answer. Oh, of course, you don't have to say it if it's also difficult to answer."
Then his face noticeably hardened. Was it difficult to answer? Or was it something else? What was in Sir Ayres' eyes was faint anger.
"Sir Ayres?"
After a while, he sighed and opened his lips. His lowered eyes were full of hostility towards others. The target was the Empress.
"According to Lüce, it was a story that she wanted her to cooperate so that Lady Roshan could get closer to His Highness."
So, the proposal wasn't made to Roena first? If so, it was understandable that Emery Nilam pressured me while mentioning grace. Also, she was anxious that Lady Roshan would appear and was playing tricks that didn't even work.
But one question that arose was why the 'mother' had to 'get closer' to the 'woman' to the 'son' even while giving her. This was like saying that she would use Roena or me to check on the Crown Prince's recent situation. Why on earth?
