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Chapter : 14
“I’m so sorry for turning you into this.”
Hot tears streamed from Meryl’s eyes.
“I’m sorry that only now have I finally opened my eyes. I’m so sorry that I realized who you truly were so late, Emblin.”
Emblin’s brow furrowed as if she were about to cry. Meryl lay down beside her, pulled her tightly into her arms, and said,
“My poor, pitiful daughter.”
Everything felt like a dream to Emblin. Meryl was hugging her… calling her name and speaking with a clear mind. This was the first time she had ever been touched without being struck. Yes, it felt like a dream. If this really was a dream, she wished she would never wake up.
But Emblin’s body told a different story. Fearing Meryl, it kept trembling uncontrollably. It was instinctive terror. She was almost afraid that this would make her wake from the dream.
Meryl noticed it too. She could see what she had turned Emblin into. She had made her lose faith and trust in people. She had made it so she couldn’t trust anyone at all. Regret that came far too late….
Meryl sat up again and perched on the edge of the bed. The very thought that she could play the role of a mother to Emblin was nothing but her own delusion. Her expression darkened on its own, and a sense of loss washed over her.
Emblin flinched in fear. She had dared to reject Meryl. She had angered her. Now cruel scolding and blows would surely rain down on her. Her body shook. Fear piled upon fear.
Seeing that, Meryl realized who would be a suitable guardian for Emblin. Tris Aike. Elga had said so. He had come in a rage, but after seeing Emblin, he had shown them how to stay by her side. He had even left behind precious ointment from the Aike territory.
That wasn’t all. He had also sworn that if Emblin were to marry him, he would protect her so that nothing like this would ever happen again. In a way, it might be fortunate. Thrown suddenly into a situation like a cesspit, yet he hadn’t lashed out recklessly. Tris must have been terribly troubled too. That thought struck her deeply.
If Tris were to become Emblin’s knight…. If he were to protect her…. She should write him a letter.
Meryl spoke softly.
“I’ll tell you about the Ledian territory. The Ledian territory where I was born is….”
For Emblin, who had lost so much because Meryl had fallen in love and turned away from reality, as she revisited her past memories and reflected on herself….
She saw Emblin’s trembling begin to subside. She could feel her listening with interest. Meryl continued in a calm tone.
“My favorite place is called Winter Garden. Winter Garden was originally a fortress made by carving out a cave in a cliff. But when your great-grandfather was repairing it, he discovered that the cave wall was unexpectedly very thin. So he broke through it. And beyond it lay another world….”
Before she knew it, Emblin had fallen into a deep sleep. In her dreams, Winter Garden appeared—a snow-covered, other world…. There, Emblin was free.
The expression on Duke Aike’s face as he walked along the forest path was strange. They had safely left the capital, yet something felt off, as if he had left something behind. In the end, he called Tris, who was following behind, over to his side.
“Yes, Father.”
“How did you take His Majesty’s words?”
At that, Tris recalled what had happened that afternoon. He had waited all day for the king’s summons, tense. He had thought about marriage and compensation—what the king might demand, and how he might refuse. But it had been unexpected. When King Akers finally appeared after the long wait, he said there would be neither marriage nor compensation. Instead, he said this:
<I need Duke Aike more than anything. So whenever I need you, stand by my side. Swear that, and we’ll consider past matters settled.>
It had been wrapped up so neatly that it only made him more uneasy. He felt as though he had been thoroughly toyed with. Tris spoke with firm conviction.
“We’ve been played.”
“Why do you think that?”
Tris cut in coldly.
“Because he can’t use Princess Emblin anymore due to the scandal. But to just pretend it never happened—does that make any sense?”
“Then why would he change his mind?”
“He’s gained something that rivals Aidark.”
Duke Aike let out a satisfied smirk. As expected of his heir—his judgment was quick.
“I think so too. Most likely the Ledian territory.”
Why had Queen Meryl been kept alive all this time? Because he hadn’t been able to obtain ownership of the Ledian territory. But now he clearly had. Otherwise, that greedy king would never have ended things so easily.
“Looks like madwoman Meryl made a deal.”
Tris’s brow furrowed. If Meryl was a madwoman, then King Akers was a madman. After all, he was the one who had done that to his own daughter without even verifying the rumors. Emblin’s pale face still lingered before his eyes.
But what was the use of saying anything? All the nobles, including his own father, accepted what she suffered as only natural. He too had grown up learning obedience, yet he was furious.
If he or his siblings were in such a situation…. His fists clenched on their own.
This time Tris asked Duke Aike,
“But Father, who do you think spread the rumor?”
Duke Aike smirked and asked back,
“Who do you think?”
“The one who first brought it up.”
“Kisling? What reason would Duke Kisling have to do that? Even if he did nothing, wealth from Aidark would roll in. What the king wants is strong royal authority.”
“Well, that may be the king’s will, but Duke Kisling’s thoughts could be different.”
“That’s unlikely. Duke Kisling is despicable, but quick with calculations. He wouldn’t do something that brings loss.”
“Then who do you think it is?”
At first, Duke Aike had thought it was Emblin herself—that she had clung to Tris because she didn’t want to marry. But after seeing King Akers today, his mind had changed.
“I think it was King Akers. That he spread the rumor to take the Ledian territory from Queen Meryl. Drawing you in was probably to take compensation from me if things didn’t go as planned. He wanted my power to weaken, since I’m the strongest among the lords.”
Tris pondered this. Duke Aike’s words made sense. Excluding royalty like Duke Kisling, Duke Aike was indeed the most powerful lord, and thus the greatest obstacle to strengthening royal authority. Still… had the king really plotted all this? It didn’t seem like it. He had looked too emotional for that. There seemed to be something else…. Just then—
“No need to think further.”
Duke Aike cut off his thoughts sharply.
“We can’t let the king have his way. We need strength and unity.”
Once back in their territory, he would have to send someone to Count Lorem at once. He needed to push forward the marriage with Idella as soon as possible. If the king was moving like this, he too had to prepare countermeasures. Then suddenly he remembered something.
Duke Aike spoke in a stern tone.
“Above all, this is when I need your help. So remember my words well. If you oppose me again, I’ll strip you of your position as heir. Don’t take this lightly.”
“I understand. As you say, I’ll go to Dello Castle and reflect.”
“That’s right.”
As Tris stepped back, Duke Aike muttered under his breath,
“If that boy finds out, it’ll be nothing but trouble. We have to finish it quickly.”
Indeed. If Tris learned that Idella was to be married off to such an old man, he would forget that children were their parents’ property and cause an uproar again. That couldn’t be allowed. And if by any chance he tried to spirit Idella away, it would be disastrous—so while Tris was at Dello Castle, everything would be settled.
Meanwhile, Duke Kisling was having the same conversation with Lukra.
“So Meryl finally handed over the seal. Otherwise, he’d never have let Duke Aike go so easily.”
Lukra added with a faint smile,
“That won’t be all.”
“You mean there’s more?”
“I think Yohas will become queen. And then naturally, the bastard will become the heir.”
For a moment, cruel anger flashed across Duke Kisling’s face. It meant a situation he truly despised was about to come. But it couldn’t be helped. If King Akers chose that path, there was no stopping him.
“I see. If that happens, we can’t stay still either.”
“Of course not. A bastard must never become king. We can’t allow such a precedent.”
“Exactly.”
Duke Kisling glanced at the carriage. Tuke was inside. He needed to recover before spring.
“Don’t worry about Tuke. I’ll take care of it.”
“I’m counting on you.”
Duke Kisling looked forward again. So it was going to end up like this after all. He had wanted to avoid it so badly, but if the king came out like that, he wouldn’t remain idle. No matter what, he would make sure the spring jousting tournament was held. There, he would drag Emblin out and claim her as the prize. After gaining justification for the throne that way, he would strike at the capital.
Duke Kisling muttered in a sinister tone,
“A bastard will never become king.”
Whooosh. He lifted his head to look at the sky. The wind felt sharply cold. Clatter, clatter. Behind the sound of the carriage, it felt as though winter itself was racing toward them.
