“Rosena.”
Zigrit called out her name affectionately.
Rosena answered, narrowing her eyebrows involuntarily.
“Your Highness, the title which you called me was wrong.”
It felt like it had to be pointed out at least once. Calling her name like this every time would become a problem someday. And it didn’t feel right to be called by name.
“Ah, I’m sorry.”
Though he said that, Zigrit didn’t look particularly sorry. He must be doing that on purpose.
Rosena stared at him silently. With bright blonde hair and clear blue eyes, he always had a soft smile on his face.
At first glance, he had a handsome face that always wore a smile. But Rosena felt like he was wearing a mask.
She had no idea what he was planning under that smiling facade.
After a brief silence, Zigrit asked subtly.
“Do you know the founding myth?”
The founding myth?
Rosena was speechless for a moment at the sudden question, and then answered slowly.
“I don’t know the details, but isn’t that the story of a divinity who came to this land and founded an empire?”
“Yes. And there was always a rose by the divinity’s side.”
Rosena pondered for a moment and thought of a book or picture related to the myth.
As Zigrit said, the divine and the rose were always together, and the roses were unconditionally drawn together in the paintings drawn of the divinity.
But she couldn’t understand his true intentions as to why he was telling her this.
“I always thought… what is the existence of the rose to the divinity…”
His blue eyes gleamed in the light.
Rosena swallowed a breath upon seeing his piercing eyes.
When Rosena made a clueless face, Zigrid swallowed a smile and leaned forward.
“Have you ever felt that Yerhan is not human?”
“What are you….”
“Something strange must have happened while you were with him.”
“.….”
Surprised, Rosena took a deep breath. She tried to change her expression, but she couldn’t hide her shaking eyes.
Zigrit made an expression like that again.
A strong desire was burning beyond his clear blue eyes. That shady light seemed to hold and swallow Rosena.
Rosena felt like she wanted to run away immediately, but she couldn’t move a single finger.
“What do you want to say?”
Rosena, barely getting her nerves together, asked calmly.
Zigrit, leaning toward Rosena, straightened out. And he leisurely took a sip of tea. It was as if every single act was trying to get Rosena on the edge.
“I know the secret about it.”
Upon the gentle whisper, Rosena’s heart began to beat rapidly. He was saying he knew about what Rosena had been questioning.
Rosena was vigilant and avoided speaking.
“I don’t know what secret you’re talking about.”
Zigrit set the teacup down on the plate. There was a particularly loud sound when the porcelain clashed.
Zigrit looked straight at Rosena.
“It means that your existence is related to the power of the divinity.”
Zigrit smiled deeply when he saw her expression to his words, it was a face as if she had heard something wrong.
“Of course it’s the first time you hear this. That bastard wouldn’t have told you.”
Rosena bit her lip.
She was told that the power of the divinity is passed down to the royal family, the descendants of the divinity. However, Rosena treated it only as a legend, not as a fact.
Divinity existed only in historical books, and divine beings were often a staple in the founding myths of not only the empire but also other countries.
Therefore, people believed that it was invented by the royal family to consolidate their power.
Rosena frowned, wondering if Zigrit was playing a prank on her now.
“Looking at your face, it seems like you don’t believe it.”
Zigrit shrugged lightly. He lowered his posture before he spoke.
“The power of the divinity does exist. That is why only the royal family can fully subjugate the monsters.”
“….!”
Rosena flinched at the word of the monster.
Rosena had never seen a monster in person before, but she was familiar with it. And she heard that the one who cleared the monsters was Crown Prince Zigrit.
Does the divinity’s power really exist?
If so, what is the relationship between her and the divinity’s power?
“Your presence affects the divinity’s power.”
Rosena, who belatedly came to her senses, shook her head.
“What nonsense…”
“That’s why Yerhan married you.”
Everything Rosena was thinking about stopped at one word from Zigrit.
Rosena hardened, forgetting to exhale.
“He needs your strength.”
Zigrit got up from his seat and bent deeply. His hand, reaching out from the table, came closer to Rosena.
“Do you want to test if my words are true?”
His long, white fingers seemed like they would reach Rosena at any moment.
Rosena didn’t even think of stopping him. Her mind went blank, nothing caught her eyes.
Finally, Zigrit’s finger touched Rosena’s wrist. Zigrit’s face was filled with joy when he came into contact with Rosena.
Rosena came to her senses belatedly and pulled her hand away.
“What are you doing?”
Zigrit slowly pulled his body up with regret. As he sat back down, Rosena glared at him with a firm look on her face.
“I am the wife of the third prince. Please be polite.”
He smiled a little. It seemed as if such a thing didn’t matter to him.
Rosena added another sentence firmly without being shaken.
“Don’t insult me and him.”
Rosena got up immediately and looked down at Zigrit. He stared at Rosena without a sign of displeasure.
“I’ll take my leave.”
With one last greeting, Rosena turned her back.
Then, Illian and the knights, who were waiting from afar, quickly approached Rosena. They didn’t even sit down so that they could jump out right away just in case anything happened.
“Let’s get out of here.”
At Rosena’s words Isaac and Karlan immediately opened the door.
Out of the store, Rosena walked recklessly. First, she wanted to go as far away from the crown prince as she could.
Rosena started walking faster and faster, and the knights followed.
When the small Illian couldn’t keep up with the quick pace, Isaac picked him up.
Rosena was so lost in thought that she completely forgot about the three people who were following her.
For what purpose did the crown prince say such a thing?
Her presence affects the divinity’s power.
Rosena shook her head. There was nothing confirmed. There was no evidence other than the crown prince’s words.
It was very funny to hear his words and believe it blindly.
And what ability does she have to affect the divinity’s power?
Rosena was just an ordinary human being, and just a few years ago, she was just a count’s daughter, who had no ties with the imperial family.
Rosena, who was erasing what Zigrit had said one by one, suddenly stood still. His last words never got out of her head.
About Yerhan marrying her…
Her chest was throbbing. Her whole body throbbed like it’s an old pain.
Rosena looked down at the empty ground.
After all, it was a marriage with a purpose. If the words of the crown prince were true, and Yerhan offered marriage because of it, there was no point in resenting him. He was doing his duty diligently.
“Your Highness.”
Isaac carefully called out to Rosena.
After not answering for a while, Rosena raised her head and looked at them. Everyone had worried expressions.
“…I’m sorry, was my action too sudden?”
When Rosena apologized, Isaac shook his head. He seemed to have many questions, but he did not dare to ask Rosena. It was presumptuous to dare ask her a question.
“Illian.”
Rosena stretched out her arms out towards Illian, who was in Isaac’s arms.
At the sight of Illian murmuring, Rosena became even more sorry.
She couldn’t control her emotions properly, so she made the child anxious.
“Did mom walk too fast? I’m sorry.”
“Yeah…”
Then Illian hugged Rosena. Rosena hugged Illian tightly and put him on the floor.
As Illian grabbed her hand, Rosena turned her gaze to Isaac and Karlan.
“I won’t tell you to keep what happened today a secret from him.”
She had no intention of hiding that she had met the crown prince.
Rosena was unashamed because she stepped back first.
Rosena shook her head as she tried to tell the story she heard when she was with him.
Anyway, the crown prince’s words were just nonsense.
“And the conversation I had with the crown prince was not a big deal. He just said something a little… strange, I don’t think you need to worry about it.”
“…All right.”
Isaac and Karlan didn’t ask anything. Rosena, who had softened her heart a little at their attitude, looked down at Illian and said,
“Shall we go eat something delicious now?”
Rosena grabbed Illian’s hand as she nodded and started walking slowly.
***
After returning to the palace, Rosena immediately locked herself in the bedroom without eating.
She thought it was okay, but she was still disturbed from the meeting with the crown prince during the day.
Especially when she thought of Yerhan, her heart ached. After a simple wash, she wore a thin slip dress,
Rosena sat at her desk before going to bed.
While shopping earlier, she stopped by the store in the middle and got a letter secretly.
Rosena pulled out the letter and looked down.
Her heart was pounding because she didn’t expect that a reply would come already.
She carefully peeled off the wax seal and took out the paper. Cursive, golden letters were on the black paper.
At first glance, the letters written in Astanian looked like pictures, so she stared at it for a moment.
Then Rosena came to her senses soon after and started to read the letter.
[Dear Rosena,]
The letter was from Lady Elisa, the mistress of Marquis Helis, whom Rosena owed to in Astania.
Rosena read the letter slowly with longing.
The opening began with Lady Elisa’s witty greeting.
She said she heard rumors about the marriage of the third prince, and was surprised because she didn’t even think it would be Rosena.
In the part of whether to call her Your Highness in the future, the marchioness’ smiling face flashed in front of her eyes.
Rosena learned indirectly about what happened in Astania through a letter.
Nothing particularly big happened, and the little things that were centered around the marquis made Rosena laugh.
When the end of the letter was seen, Rosena felt sad and read the writing more slowly.
[Oh, I have one more thing to tell you. This time, Kayla is going to the Imperial Academy.]
“…?”
Rosena read the sentence again, wondering if she had read it wrong. But no matter how many times she read it, the content was the same.
Rosena put the letter down for a moment. Kayla was the youngest daughter of the marquis
couple, she was the one who Rosena taught.
“I can’t believe the child is coming to the Imperial Academy…”
Astania is a very closed country, so the aristocrats there do not study abroad, instead, they studied at the Astania Academy.
No matter how interested she was in the empire, Rosena didn’t expect her to make this decision.
If Kayla was to attend the Imperial Academy, it would be unprecedented.
The empire was eager to interact with Astania, but Astania gave no reason to.
By the way, Kayla was coming to the Imperial Academy meant that Astania no longer took a closed position.
Furthermore, Marquis Helis has great influence in Astania as he is an indirect line of the king. Then it was clear that the empire would not miss this opportunity.
Using this as a stepping stone, Astania might be pulled out completely.
“…Am I worrying too much?”
Rosena shook her head.
If Kayla goes to the Academy, she will stop by the capital before that.
Recalling the day she met Kayla, Rosena folded the letter finely and placed it deep in the drawer.
***
After returning to the palace, Illian was stuck in his room and didn’t eat dinner.
He went out with his mother, whom he loves so much, but his mood crawled on the floor.
Laying on the bed, Illian recalled the crown prince.
Illian was terrified upon seeing the eyes that looked at him as if he was looking at a bug.
So far, he had been confident that he wouldn’t lose to anyone, but the crown prince was an exception.
Illian was very upset that he had been frightened for a moment. And he was angry that he was of no help to Rosena.
Illian, who hit the bed with a small hand, leapt to his feet. At this rate, he would be nothing but a burden. At least he wanted to protect himself.
And if he can be of strength to Rosena…
Illian got up from bed, changed his clothes and left the bedroom.
The hallway where everyone fell asleep was quiet. Illian, who came out of the vacant lot to connect the garden through the hallway, was hit by the wind.
The early summer wind contained mild heat. Ilian, who was staring toward the garden, opened his mouth.
“Are you there?”
There was no answer. But Illian turned slowly with conviction.
After a while, Isaac, who was hiding behind a tree, appeared.
Isaac narrowed his eyes and looked down at Illian.
Illian looked up at the scabbard attached to Isaac’s waist once, and then slowly raised his head.
“Teach me swordsmanship.”
“Rosena.”
Zigrit called out her name affectionately.
Rosena answered, narrowing her eyebrows involuntarily.
“Your Highness, the title which you called me was wrong.”
It felt like it had to be pointed out at least once. Calling her name like this every time would become a problem someday. And it didn’t feel right to be called by name.
“Ah, I’m sorry.”
Though he said that, Zigrit didn’t look particularly sorry. He must be doing that on purpose.
Rosena stared at him silently. With bright blonde hair and clear blue eyes, he always had a soft smile on his face.
At first glance, he had a handsome face that always wore a smile. But Rosena felt like he was wearing a mask.
She had no idea what he was planning under that smiling facade.
After a brief silence, Zigrit asked subtly.
“Do you know the founding myth?”
The founding myth?
Rosena was speechless for a moment at the sudden question, and then answered slowly.
“I don’t know the details, but isn’t that the story of a divinity who came to this land and founded an empire?”
“Yes. And there was always a rose by the divinity’s side.”
Rosena pondered for a moment and thought of a book or picture related to the myth.
As Zigrit said, the divine and the rose were always together, and the roses were unconditionally drawn together in the paintings drawn of the divinity.
But she couldn’t understand his true intentions as to why he was telling her this.
“I always thought… what is the existence of the rose to the divinity…”
His blue eyes gleamed in the light.
Rosena swallowed a breath upon seeing his piercing eyes.
When Rosena made a clueless face, Zigrid swallowed a smile and leaned forward.
“Have you ever felt that Yerhan is not human?”
“What are you….”
“Something strange must have happened while you were with him.”
“.….”
Surprised, Rosena took a deep breath. She tried to change her expression, but she couldn’t hide her shaking eyes.
Zigrit made an expression like that again.
A strong desire was burning beyond his clear blue eyes. That shady light seemed to hold and swallow Rosena.
Rosena felt like she wanted to run away immediately, but she couldn’t move a single finger.
“What do you want to say?”
Rosena, barely getting her nerves together, asked calmly.
Zigrit, leaning toward Rosena, straightened out. And he leisurely took a sip of tea. It was as if every single act was trying to get Rosena on the edge.
“I know the secret about it.”
Upon the gentle whisper, Rosena’s heart began to beat rapidly. He was saying he knew about what Rosena had been questioning.
Rosena was vigilant and avoided speaking.
“I don’t know what secret you’re talking about.”
Zigrit set the teacup down on the plate. There was a particularly loud sound when the porcelain clashed.
Zigrit looked straight at Rosena.
“It means that your existence is related to the power of the divinity.”
Zigrit smiled deeply when he saw her expression to his words, it was a face as if she had heard something wrong.
“Of course it’s the first time you hear this. That bastard wouldn’t have told you.”
Rosena bit her lip.
She was told that the power of the divinity is passed down to the royal family, the descendants of the divinity. However, Rosena treated it only as a legend, not as a fact.
Divinity existed only in historical books, and divine beings were often a staple in the founding myths of not only the empire but also other countries.
Therefore, people believed that it was invented by the royal family to consolidate their power.
Rosena frowned, wondering if Zigrit was playing a prank on her now.
“Looking at your face, it seems like you don’t believe it.”
Zigrit shrugged lightly. He lowered his posture before he spoke.
“The power of the divinity does exist. That is why only the royal family can fully subjugate the monsters.”
“….!”
Rosena flinched at the word of the monster.
Rosena had never seen a monster in person before, but she was familiar with it. And she heard that the one who cleared the monsters was Crown Prince Zigrit.
Does the divinity’s power really exist?
If so, what is the relationship between her and the divinity’s power?
“Your presence affects the divinity’s power.”
Rosena, who belatedly came to her senses, shook her head.
“What nonsense…”
“That’s why Yerhan married you.”
Everything Rosena was thinking about stopped at one word from Zigrit.
Rosena hardened, forgetting to exhale.
“He needs your strength.”
Zigrit got up from his seat and bent deeply. His hand, reaching out from the table, came closer to Rosena.
“Do you want to test if my words are true?”
His long, white fingers seemed like they would reach Rosena at any moment.
Rosena didn’t even think of stopping him. Her mind went blank, nothing caught her eyes.
Finally, Zigrit’s finger touched Rosena’s wrist. Zigrit’s face was filled with joy when he came into contact with Rosena.
Rosena came to her senses belatedly and pulled her hand away.
“What are you doing?”
Zigrit slowly pulled his body up with regret. As he sat back down, Rosena glared at him with a firm look on her face.
“I am the wife of the third prince. Please be polite.”
He smiled a little. It seemed as if such a thing didn’t matter to him.
Rosena added another sentence firmly without being shaken.
“Don’t insult me and him.”
Rosena got up immediately and looked down at Zigrit. He stared at Rosena without a sign of displeasure.
“I’ll take my leave.”
With one last greeting, Rosena turned her back.
Then, Illian and the knights, who were waiting from afar, quickly approached Rosena. They didn’t even sit down so that they could jump out right away just in case anything happened.
“Let’s get out of here.”
At Rosena’s words Isaac and Karlan immediately opened the door.
Out of the store, Rosena walked recklessly. First, she wanted to go as far away from the crown prince as she could.
Rosena started walking faster and faster, and the knights followed.
When the small Illian couldn’t keep up with the quick pace, Isaac picked him up.
Rosena was so lost in thought that she completely forgot about the three people who were following her.
For what purpose did the crown prince say such a thing?
Her presence affects the divinity’s power.
Rosena shook her head. There was nothing confirmed. There was no evidence other than the crown prince’s words.
It was very funny to hear his words and believe it blindly.
And what ability does she have to affect the divinity’s power?
Rosena was just an ordinary human being, and just a few years ago, she was just a count’s daughter, who had no ties with the imperial family.
Rosena, who was erasing what Zigrit had said one by one, suddenly stood still. His last words never got out of her head.
About Yerhan marrying her…
Her chest was throbbing. Her whole body throbbed like it’s an old pain.
Rosena looked down at the empty ground.
After all, it was a marriage with a purpose. If the words of the crown prince were true, and Yerhan offered marriage because of it, there was no point in resenting him. He was doing his duty diligently.
“Your Highness.”
Isaac carefully called out to Rosena.
After not answering for a while, Rosena raised her head and looked at them. Everyone had worried expressions.
“…I’m sorry, was my action too sudden?”
When Rosena apologized, Isaac shook his head. He seemed to have many questions, but he did not dare to ask Rosena. It was presumptuous to dare ask her a question.
“Illian.”
Rosena stretched out her arms out towards Illian, who was in Isaac’s arms.
At the sight of Illian murmuring, Rosena became even more sorry.
She couldn’t control her emotions properly, so she made the child anxious.
“Did mom walk too fast? I’m sorry.”
“Yeah…”
Then Illian hugged Rosena. Rosena hugged Illian tightly and put him on the floor.
As Illian grabbed her hand, Rosena turned her gaze to Isaac and Karlan.
“I won’t tell you to keep what happened today a secret from him.”
She had no intention of hiding that she had met the crown prince.
Rosena was unashamed because she stepped back first.
Rosena shook her head as she tried to tell the story she heard when she was with him.
Anyway, the crown prince’s words were just nonsense.
“And the conversation I had with the crown prince was not a big deal. He just said something a little… strange, I don’t think you need to worry about it.”
“…All right.”
Isaac and Karlan didn’t ask anything. Rosena, who had softened her heart a little at their attitude, looked down at Illian and said,
“Shall we go eat something delicious now?”
Rosena grabbed Illian’s hand as she nodded and started walking slowly.
***
After returning to the palace, Rosena immediately locked herself in the bedroom without eating.
She thought it was okay, but she was still disturbed from the meeting with the crown prince during the day.
Especially when she thought of Yerhan, her heart ached. After a simple wash, she wore a thin slip dress,
Rosena sat at her desk before going to bed.
While shopping earlier, she stopped by the store in the middle and got a letter secretly.
Rosena pulled out the letter and looked down.
Her heart was pounding because she didn’t expect that a reply would come already.
She carefully peeled off the wax seal and took out the paper. Cursive, golden letters were on the black paper.
At first glance, the letters written in Astanian looked like pictures, so she stared at it for a moment.
Then Rosena came to her senses soon after and started to read the letter.
[Dear Rosena,]
The letter was from Lady Elisa, the mistress of Marquis Helis, whom Rosena owed to in Astania.
Rosena read the letter slowly with longing.
The opening began with Lady Elisa’s witty greeting.
She said she heard rumors about the marriage of the third prince, and was surprised because she didn’t even think it would be Rosena.
In the part of whether to call her Your Highness in the future, the marchioness’ smiling face flashed in front of her eyes.
Rosena learned indirectly about what happened in Astania through a letter.
Nothing particularly big happened, and the little things that were centered around the marquis made Rosena laugh.
When the end of the letter was seen, Rosena felt sad and read the writing more slowly.
[Oh, I have one more thing to tell you. This time, Kayla is going to the Imperial Academy.]
“…?”
Rosena read the sentence again, wondering if she had read it wrong. But no matter how many times she read it, the content was the same.
Rosena put the letter down for a moment. Kayla was the youngest daughter of the marquis
couple, she was the one who Rosena taught.
“I can’t believe the child is coming to the Imperial Academy…”
Astania is a very closed country, so the aristocrats there do not study abroad, instead, they studied at the Astania Academy.
No matter how interested she was in the empire, Rosena didn’t expect her to make this decision.
If Kayla was to attend the Imperial Academy, it would be unprecedented.
The empire was eager to interact with Astania, but Astania gave no reason to.
By the way, Kayla was coming to the Imperial Academy meant that Astania no longer took a closed position.
Furthermore, Marquis Helis has great influence in Astania as he is an indirect line of the king. Then it was clear that the empire would not miss this opportunity.
Using this as a stepping stone, Astania might be pulled out completely.
“…Am I worrying too much?”
Rosena shook her head.
If Kayla goes to the Academy, she will stop by the capital before that.
Recalling the day she met Kayla, Rosena folded the letter finely and placed it deep in the drawer.
***
After returning to the palace, Illian was stuck in his room and didn’t eat dinner.
He went out with his mother, whom he loves so much, but his mood crawled on the floor.
Laying on the bed, Illian recalled the crown prince.
Illian was terrified upon seeing the eyes that looked at him as if he was looking at a bug.
So far, he had been confident that he wouldn’t lose to anyone, but the crown prince was an exception.
Illian was very upset that he had been frightened for a moment. And he was angry that he was of no help to Rosena.
Illian, who hit the bed with a small hand, leapt to his feet. At this rate, he would be nothing but a burden. At least he wanted to protect himself.
And if he can be of strength to Rosena…
Illian got up from bed, changed his clothes and left the bedroom.
The hallway where everyone fell asleep was quiet. Illian, who came out of the vacant lot to connect the garden through the hallway, was hit by the wind.
The early summer wind contained mild heat. Ilian, who was staring toward the garden, opened his mouth.
“Are you there?”
There was no answer. But Illian turned slowly with conviction.
After a while, Isaac, who was hiding behind a tree, appeared.
Isaac narrowed his eyes and looked down at Illian.
Illian looked up at the scabbard attached to Isaac’s waist once, and then slowly raised his head.
“Teach me swordsmanship.”
