🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 65
“That’s…”
Calliope giggled as she watched him get hit by his younger brother.
“Is that fun?”
“Yeah. It’s fun. Can’t it be?”
When he asked back cheekily, Relazé grabbed the back of his neck as if his blood pressure had risen.
“About a broken engagement…”
Calliope answered Arsène’s question on his behalf.
“It’s when Prince Relazé doesn’t listen to his wife and ends up getting kicked out of the house.”
“Oh, I see.”
“Now you’re even making up proper words?”
Arsène’s impressed exclamation and Relazé’s incredulous reaction erupted simultaneously.
Of course, Calliope ignored one side entirely.
“I know that. I heard you should always listen to your wife.”
“Truly a learned person…!”
Calliope clapped her hands together with admiration.
“Who gave you such a wonderful lesson?”
“Aegis did.”
“Oh my.”
Calliope muttered, glancing at Relazé.
“You have an advisor better than yourself, don’t you?”
“Hey, you really…”
Relazé, flustered, suddenly stopped talking.
In an instant, his expression stiffened, and the atmosphere shifted, making Calliope sense something was off.
He rolled his eyes and looked around, signaling on the floor with words.
-
Watcher.
“What?”
Calliope furrowed her brows.
A watcher in the royal palace? Who could it be?
But the answer wasn’t hard to guess.
Who could carry out surveillance against a Sword Master inside the palace?
-
Regalia?
Relazé nodded as Calliope wrote the word symbolizing the ruler and imperial authority.
‘Quite the character,’ she thought.
After all, this was the emperor who had secretly stolen magical stones from border territories without hesitation.
‘Could such a person really be his child?’
Since she had decided to marry Relazé, she would inevitably draw the emperor’s attention, whether she wanted it or not.
‘The empress wants Lucius and me to marry,’ she recalled.
Then it was highly likely that the emperor tacitly approved as well.
‘For now, he’s permitting the engagement to secure control over the magical stones, but engagements can always be broken.’
Even if they managed to marry safely, she couldn’t let her guard down.
‘The opponent is the emperor.’
In fact, in imperial history, there were cases where the emperor’s influence led to divorces.
‘It would be fortunate if they just divorced. But what if he tries to seize the family using Relazé?’
Calliope’s gaze grew cold.
‘I believe you wouldn’t…’
She quietly observed Relazé playing with Arsène.
So far, she hadn’t seen anything suspicious in him.
Sometimes, she even felt as if he disliked royalty despite being a royal himself.
Of course, she knew blood was thicker than water, and family ties could be strong shackles or powerful motives.
But for now, Calliope decided to trust her instincts.
If Relazé betrayed her as ‘Arenfrit,’
It wouldn’t be too late to think about the consequences then.
‘Well, there’s plenty to do, so I won’t be bored.’
Just then, Arsène, having successfully climbed a tree with Relazé’s help, waved at her proudly.
“Calliope!”
Right, there was no need to suspect Relazé just yet.
Calliope stood up and moved toward the two men waiting for her.
Arsène, having run around excitedly all day, had dozed off by sunset with his head on Calliope’s lap.
Calliope brushed his light green hair and spoke softly.
“You must be really tired.”
“I’m surprised he’s only falling asleep now after running around so much,” Relazé said.
“You can’t beat a child’s stamina.”
“That’s true,” Relazé agreed unusually gently, picking up the sleeping Arsène.
“I’ll take him to the 9th Prince’s palace.”
“You’re not letting him sleep here?”
Calliope asked, getting up to follow him.
Relazé created a barrier around them, muting all sounds, and explained.
“Except for the Crown Prince, princes and princesses cannot stay together in the same palace for extended periods. Sleeping together is absolutely forbidden.”
“What?”
“Arsène is young, so he has more leeway.”
“You’re joking, right?”
Calliope couldn’t believe it, but Relazé’s expression didn’t change.
Realizing it was all true, she let out a sigh.
“No wonder the prince’s palaces are scattered all over.”
Originally, all royals lived in the central palace. This changed when the current emperor took the throne.
He built small villa-like buildings across the vast palace grounds and distributed the royals among them.
“Afraid they might conspire in a rebellion?”
“Something like that.”
Calliope clicked her tongue.
“What a ridiculous law.”
“I agree,” Relazé said.
It wasn’t surprising; the emperor would do anything to keep power in his hands.
Calliope exhaled.
“Are we going to the 9th Prince’s palace now?”
“Of course.”
The two walked together toward the 9th Prince’s palace, which wasn’t far from the 7th Prince’s palace.
When they reached the guarded entrance, Calliope stopped.
She remembered not being allowed in last time.
Strangely, the soldiers didn’t stop her this time.
“Can we go in?”
“Of course, Lady Calliope.”
Their politeness was impeccable.
“You are the one to marry the 7th Prince. His majesty has ordered that you be treated with royal courtesy.”
Calliope sneered inwardly.
‘They just want the magical stones.’
Still, it was good they could enter the 9th Prince’s palace now.
‘We can at least make sure he sleeps safely.’
But Relazé’s expression was unusually tense.
“7th Prince?”
Calliope nudged him and glanced at the soldiers.
‘What’s wrong?’
“Nothing.”
Relazé shook his head when she asked with her lips.
“You should know soon enough.”
“What do you mean…?”
Grabbing her hand, he strode into the palace.
Caught off guard, she followed him and was soon in shock.
“This… is a prince’s palace?”
The interior was a mess, unfit for a palace, let alone a royal residence.
Stairs coated in pale dust, cobwebs in every corner, grimy curtains, and creaking windows.
It looked abandoned for a long time without anyone maintaining it.
“This way,” Relazé said, turning right. At least the corridor they were in was clean.
“This is Arsène’s room.”
Calliope was relieved when the door opened.
Fortunately, the room was in good condition.
The marble floors and wallpaper looked recently renovated, furniture was sturdy and high quality, and rugs and bedding were clean.
Relazé laid Arsène on the bed and tucked him in carefully.
Then he turned to Calliope.
“You look curious.”
“I’m waiting for you to explain.”
Relazé gazed at the sleeping Arsène.
“None of the attendants assigned to Arsène have lasted more than six months.”
Calliope tilted her head.
Arsène was a sweet, kind child—not proud or arrogant like typical royals, but affectionate and warm.
Yet the attendants couldn’t endure?
“This will be a long story, so sit down.”
Relazé pulled two chairs to the bedside, took one, and gestured to Calliope.
As she sat, he deployed a sound-blocking barrier around them.
Seeing the pale dome surrounding them, Calliope asked,
“What do you mean the attendants couldn’t last?”
Relazé lowered his gaze, his long lashes casting shadows under his eyes.
“They all… died.”
