Chapter 33

 “You need to wake up before the maid comes, Master.”

 “Why?”

 “Because it’s not a proper sight for the maid to see.”

 “I’m holding my woman, so why.”

 Larque was being stubborn. Ella laughed. At least she had succeeded in waking him up. She pouted her lips. She didn’t want to show this sight to the maid, not because they weren’t in San Parvale. Of course, it wasn’t good to show such a sight even in San Parvale.

 “What will make you get up?”

 “Kiss me.”

 The smile disappeared. The man had a quite calm expression despite saying something embarrassing. Ella stared down at him and slowly kissed him. Not missing, but precisely on the…… lips. She caressed the closed skin sensually. Before she knew it, the man’s hands wrapped around her shoulders. Ella pushed him away, pressing against his chest. After a time long enough to run out of breath, their lips finally parted.

Ella looked at him with a flushed face. His face was serene as every morning had been. So excessively neat that it seemed strange that she appeared disheveled in comparison. It felt almost like looking at a priest from the religious order.

 “Your Highness. I’ve brought the washing water.”

 A clear voice of a maid was heard from outside the door. Ella covered her chest with the blanket and buried her face in his chest.

 “The robe……”

 The robe was hanging not far away. Larque pretended not to hear, gently stroked the head of the woman who had buried her face in his chest, and then called in the maid.

 The royal hunting grounds took place in a forest that had been monopolized by the royal family for a long time. Solanche Forest. The vast forest, also known as the King’s Forest, still used the place name from old Arnor. The place name originated from when the founding king of Arnor, before his coronation, led his comrades in a small battle, lost more than half of his troops, and retreated, but it was still used by the same name even though Arnor had fallen. Ella blankly stared at the entrance of the densely green forest.

 The forest, thick with fir trees, oak trees, acorn trees, and various other trees, strictly prohibited entry to civilians except for forest keepers. Ella recalled the memory of entering the forest with Larque. For Ella, who had never been close to greenery except for the garden outside the Duke’s castle, the vast forest with no discernible end was always frightening, but the memory of visiting the cabin with the Duke when she was about nineteen was an extremely pleasant memory for her, who was pessimistic about everything.

 In the cabin, the Duke personally butchered and roasted the deer and roe deer he had caught and handed them to her. She couldn’t remember exactly what season it was, but oak trees were green near the cabin, and Ella gathered hazelnuts near the cabin to prepare dinner. The Duke was always a stern and cool man, but on that day, he was neither arrogant nor stubborn. Suddenly remembering that day made her feel gloomy. Regardless of social status, if they could live alone together somewhere in the world, even in a barren wasteland at the end of the world, would he be different from now?

 “Ella.”

 “Marie!”

 “How did you come here? No. Did the Marquis bring you all the way here?”

 “I said I wanted to come.”

 Marie held her swollen belly and stroked it slowly. Though she had said her due date was still some time away, Marie looked haggard. Ella gritted her teeth, hating the man who had impregnated her. No matter how she thought about it, Marquis Gwendel was a bad person. She had never thought he was a good person, but it was frustrating that he didn’t seem to think about the pregnant Marie at all.

 “I’m fine.”

 “But……”

 “It’s boring to stay in the palace. I don’t know anyone, and strangers keep coming into the bedroom.”

 “That may be true, but……”

 “If I’m here, I can see you and Sister Anita too. Today, Sister Ligita said she would bring her children. Plus, the Marquis said he would catch a deer for me. He said it would be a magnificent stag with antlers.”

 Marie smiled brightly. There was a sense that her smile was too innocent and naive for a twenty-four-year-old virgin, but Ella always loved Marie’s innocence.

 “Come here. Let’s stay together.”

 Ella went to the tent prepared for servant girls, avoiding the tents of the noble ladies. The noble ladies’ tents were not far from the entrance to the royal palace, but the servant girls’ tents were set up in a more shaded area. There were as many maids and servants mobilized for a simple tea party as there were people who prepared the banquet last night. Shaved ice to cool the noble ladies from the heat, wine with thin ice, aged cheese, bacon, and tropical fruits that were hard to find even in the southern part of the kingdom were placed on wooden tables with silver tableware.

 Ella seated Marie in a chair and left the tent. In the morning, the knights had gone hunting with the king. The knights-in-waiting of each family escorted the knights and the king. Ella had eaten breakfast and had been outside since before noon. Shelooked at the tent where the noble ladies’ laughter was becoming more cheerful. Their tents had the banners of each family hanging. The king’s royal consort, Sirena, had not attended because the young prince was suffering from a mild fever, but the queen was still laughing brightly with her ladies-in-waiting. Ella glanced at the tent where the king, noble ladies, and young ladies were staying, then looked down at Marie. Anita looked dazed as if tired, and only Ligita was smiling cheerfully while watching her son play.

 “Shall I bring you something?”

 “No.”

 “I’ll bring you something to drink.”

 Marie smiled weakly. Ella, anxious to do something for her, rushed out of the tent. Just as she reached the makeshift kitchen where the chef and kitchen servants had gathered, thinking of bringing some juice mixed with fruit and cake, she saw them. Though all servants would gossip about servant girls with disdainful eyes, that was behind their backs. When servants actually saw beautiful servant girls, they couldn’t be cold to them even if they felt uncomfortable.

 Ella knew how effective her bright smile was. She got some food from the palace servants and went to the tent.

 “With a shortage of hands, these idle women who just spread their legs are all gathered here, what a sight……”

 It was a high and sharp voice. Ella stared at the woman who had personally come to such a humble place. The young face in a simple dress looked unfamiliar. However, it didn’t seem to be Marie who was receiving her disdainful gaze. Ella stopped walking and looked at them.

 “I’m sorry, madam. Ri-right now……”

 “You acted so high and mighty when the Marquis was around as if it was your own house. Do you actually know you’re sorry? Do you even know the sin you’re committing against the lady, someone like you?”

 Marie was pale, with her hands clasped together. Her sons beside her looked up at the woman, terrified. Ella walked toward them. However, seeing her approaching, Marie came out of the tent and bowed her head to the woman.

 “I’m sorry, madam. If there’s something you want me to do, I’ll do it right now. What should I do? Let’s go quickly. If I stay here, I think it might cause trouble for my friends.”

 Marie said with a smile. At the word “friends,” the woman quickly looked around the tent, made a horrible expression as if seeing something dirty and impure, and then turned around. Marie followed her with small steps. Ella put the tray down on the table and looked back at them. It didn’t seem right to leave them like that. Ella clenched her fists under the afternoon sun.

 Henrietta de Nestro was the daughter of a knight-in-waiting who served Gwendel. The family, which had been loyal to Gwendel since before Kylaq began, was still faithful to Marquis Gwendel, and at the end of that faithfulness, they finally saw the light. Nestro’s daughter had become the companion of Marquis Gwendel. The daughter of Nestro in that supreme, majestic, and lofty position.

 The owner of that honorable family crest was her husband and lifelong companion. Although Henrietta was not a country bumpkin, she fell in love in an instant as if by magic. Like the queen who crossed a long sea voyage, dressed in a bunch of rustic dresses, and walked stiffly as if she were a peacock. She wouldn’t live looking only at her husband’s shadow in such a foolish manner. Above all, she had rights.

 Henrietta stared at the woman. Her name was Marie. Because it was the nickname the Marquis used to refer to the woman, she didn’t know her real name. Her lemon-colored bright hair, covering her shoulders, was long and luscious. Her two eyes, set in light green, were exceptionally beautiful and were called the specialty of San Arzok, the Marquis’s castle. The most beautiful thing in Gwendel’s territory was neither San Arzok, built by the first Marquis, nor Henrietta, the Marquis’s wife. Therefore, Henrietta always hated her.