The Camellia Tattoo - Chapter 82

It’s been exactly a week since an unwelcome guest arrived in the North.

During a social tea time, Loki suddenly spoke up his thoughts, which had been swirling in his head for days, bursting forth.

“How can you two be so close? Don’t you have any pride as royalty?”

His tone was consistently rude.

However, this time, it wasn’t just his usual spiteful demeanor; it was his genuine bafflement. Loki truly could not understand.

Jason and Igmeyer were both born out of wedlock. Didn’t it feel shameful to live among such people?

From his conversations over the past few days, he found the princess to be extremely educated and cultured. Yet, there seemed to be no one here that matched her level of culture.

To Loki, everyone in the North seemed foolish.

If he was the princess, he would have gone mad by now. How could one possibly live without a proper conversational partner?

“…?”

Amber easily discerned what the prince had left unsaid.

With a noticeable clink, she set down her teacup, signaling her displeasure, and fell silent for a moment.

‘I used to be like him. I judged Igmeyer solely by his status and underestimated his worth, thinking he lacked culture.’

Her views had changed significantly since then. That’s why she could treat Jason well. She had come to believe that a person’s worth isn’t diminished by being born out of wedlock.

Whether the prince would understand that was uncertain, but she felt compelled to speak her mind.

Amber calmly began to explain.

“The people here love Igmeyer. They don’t just respect and show loyalty; they offer him their unconditional affection.”

“Really?”

“He doesn’t procrastinate or avoid responsibilities. He always leads by example in solving problems. I respect my husband for that.”

“Because he solves problems? Not because he orders others to?”

To Loki’s retort, Amber responded evenly.

“Yes, he doesn’t just issue orders. He goes out into the field himself, looks around, and helps wherever necessary. If that’s not what’s expected of nobility, then so be it. But at least the people here love my husband for that attitude.”

The breeze was cool, and the sunlight was comfortably warm.

The reason Amber was dealing with the prince on such a fine day was simple.

If she didn’t, the prince would go around causing trouble, poking into everything.

‘Why is this done this way, and why is that done that way?’ he would ask, bothering the servants to no end, prompting Amber to take drastic measures.

She decided to keep the prince occupied all afternoon.

It seemed like he was doing this out of boredom, so keeping him entertained seemed like the right approach.

“I find it hard to understand.”

“You might, but an undeniable fact is that the North has its own traditions and culture. We’d appreciate it if you could respect that.”

Just leave it alone.

With that, Amber picked up her teacup again.

“Hmm.”

The prince snorted and leaned back in his chair, looking utterly bored.

“There are no parties here, no people to summon.”

“But there is peace. If there’s a book you’ve been wanting to read, perhaps this is a good opportunity to delve into some reading?”

“Boring. Books, that is. Maybe if it were about swordsmanship.”

In that offhand comment, Amber sensed his true feelings.

‘He must have been too self-conscious to properly learn what he wanted in the imperial palace. Maybe he could try here in the North.’

He could just ask to be taught, but the first reason he hasn’t is the ubiquitous priests. They wouldn’t side with the youngest prince.

‘So that’s why he’s been sulking around the castle?’

He could go directly to Igmeyer and ask…

‘Ah, but he can’t. It wouldn’t be proper for him to ask for help from someone of a lower status.’

What a curious situation.

If you want something, just go and say it. But when you can’t ‘order’ and it feels awkward to ‘ask,’ it’s hard to even start the conversation.

“And what about marriage? Is it good? Before I came here, the chancellor pushed his second daughter at me… I’m pondering whether to marry her or not.”

The chancellor held a high position.

But if such a chancellor has several children, well, the eldest son or daughter can marry into a good family, but for the second daughter, things get tricky.

It’s better to be connected with the imperial bloodline, even under pressure, than to marry her off to a lower status.

‘He made that calculation.’

No wonder the chancellor is quick-witted.

However, for Loki, that wasn’t bad news. Gaining the chancellor’s influence could strengthen his position.

It would surely improve his situation from what it is now.

“There are many reasons to maintain a marriage, but the reasons for a happy marriage are surprisingly simple. I’m not sure if I love my husband, but at least there is trust and friendship between us. He would never abandon his wife and child.”

Amber quietly held her teacup with both hands as she whispered.