Chapter 106
Instead, my gaze instinctively shifted to Isaac, who was behind me.
Realizing my mistake, I quickly turned back to Killis, but it was too late.
He had seen where my eyes had gone.
When our gazes met again, Killis offered a faint smile. There was a bitter, sorrowful quality to it.
“I see. You don’t.”
“This is just……”
I was merely being cautious.
But the fact that I hesitated, that I looked to Isaac, was telling in itself.
If I truly loved Killis, I would have answered immediately. Worrying about Isaac’s reaction would have come afterward.
“It’s fine if you don’t love me. But please, don’t provoke me anymore.”
“…….”
“Your Highness being kind to me only makes it harder for me to suppress my emotions and impulses, it is tormenting. So, please, I beg you to stop.”
Hearing Killis’s words, a pang of guilt and sympathy stabbed at my heart. In the end, I had no choice but to rise from my seat.
“I understand. But please rest a bit more before you leave. I’ll go ahead.”
“I will. Thank you for understanding, Your Highness.”
How could this possibly be something to be thanked for?
I swallowed the words that were about to rise and left the guest room with Isaac.
“Princess.”
As I exited, a maid called out to me. Her face was familiar; I had seen her often at Evgenia’s palace.
I could already guess what she was about to say. It must be that Evgenia wanted to see me before I left.
“Her Majesty Evgenia is waiting for you.”
As expected.
* * *
The place Evgenia had summoned me to was her bedroom. I never imagined I’d come here after the garden and the office.
The bedroom was such a private space that even her children could not enter it freely.
Allowing me inside was an immense gesture of goodwill and trust. Slowly but surely, I could feel my position shifting.
When I entered, Evgenia, dressed in simple indoor attire, was there. As I approached, she put down the documents she had been reviewing.
“Come closer.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
I moved right up to Evgenia’s side. Seeing her so comfortably dressed felt new and even a little strange.
Once the maids had all been dismissed, she spoke to me.
“I heard that Duke Yelpen collapsed from mana exhaustion. Is he all right now?”
“Yes, I left after confirming he had regained consciousness.”
“That’s a relief. Both Duke Harsen and Duke Yelpen……. You have many loyal people by your side, which is reassuring.”
I smiled but slightly averted my gaze. Loyal as they may be, their true intentions were often hard to discern.
When only three votes had been cast earlier, I had been anxious, unsure who might have betrayed me. Though the result had turned out well, the memory of that moment still made my chest tighten.
“What happened earlier……. You must have been quite startled, but you handled the defense with composure and skill.”
I almost reflexively said it was too much praise but caught myself. The last time I said something similar, Evgenia had advised me against unnecessary humility.
“I’m just grateful that Your Highness sees me in a favorable light.”
It seemed this was the right answer. Evgenia nodded in satisfaction.
“Nepheli.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“What do you think should be done about Duke Futurum?”
Startled, I looked at Evgenia. To think she would ask for my opinion on Duke Futurum’s punishment—it was entirely unexpected.
“I heard Your Highness intends to charge him with the crime of insulting the royal family…….”
“You were the one nearly falsely accused. I can’t conclude this matter without your input.”
“…….”
“Don’t hold back. Speak freely. If you wish, he can be imprisoned for a certain period. That would be a tremendous disgrace for him. Monetary compensation is also, of course, an option.”
Evgenia spoke more seriously than ever. Yet whether she truly meant it or not was unclear. After all, even Evgenia’s true thoughts were difficult to discern.
‘Is this an opportunity to weaken the power of the Futurum family?’
Even to my eyes, it was evident that the high-ranking nobles largely supported the Futurum family. Given that influence, the family—and particularly Morris Futurum—must be a significant thorn in Evgenia’s side.
Even in an absolute monarchy, one couldn’t entirely ignore the opinions of the nobility.
And…….
‘This applies to me as well.’
Even if I had Evgenia’s favor, imprisoning Duke Futurum would inevitably provoke backlash. As one of the highest-ranking nobles at the peak of current power, Duke Futurum couldn’t be handled lightly.
Acting rashly might demonstrate the authority of the royal family in the short term, but it wouldn’t be a beneficial choice for me.
If Evgenia used me as a scapegoat to deflect criticism, all the resulting arrows would end up piercing me.
Even if she defended me, it wouldn’t make much difference. The root of the issue was me, so it would inevitably be tied to my reputation.
‘I have to think long-term.’
That didn’t mean I could forgive Duke Futurum. He was undoubtedly my enemy.
After a moment of contemplation, I opened my mouth.
“I think…….”
Discussion
0 CommentsNo comments yet.