When she regained her consciousness, she was already in the carriage.
Zigrit avoided all the places that were easily attacked like he would never make a mistake again.
Rosena arrived in the capital, imprisoned in a windowless carriage.
In the meantime, he had been in physical contact with Rosena solely to gain strength.
Rosena rebelled so strongly that he couldn’t make much contact, she hated even that terribly.
Rosena got out of the carriage with her arms held by the knights. They pushed Rosena into the deepest chamber of the Crown Prince Palace.
All the windows were blocked by iron bars, and the door was also one that opened from the bottom and could not be opened from the inside.
She knocked on the door and screamed for days, but no one answered.
When it was time to eat, only trays of food were quietly pushed in.
It was a large room full of luxurious furnishings, but to Rosena it was a prison. She couldn’t meet anyone and she felt like she was going crazy. Whenever Rosena was distracted, she thought of Illian.
She had to escape from here for Illian and return to Astania. But all the original plans went awry, and there was no one to help her now.
Rosena, who was frustrated, closed her eyes tightly.
“You have to think for yourself.”
But there was no hope, only despair. She should do something to get out of here…
The sound of the lock unfastening was heard from outside. As soon as the door opened, Rosena raised her head.
Zigrit strode through the open door. Rosena stiffened and stepped back inside.
Zigrit, who appeared after a few days, stood in front of the door and looked straight at Rosena.
“I heard you haven’t eaten in a while.”
“….”
“What would you do if you collapsed?”
He spoke kindly as if he was worried about Rosena, but his eyes were cold. It was an attitude as if he was looking for a scratch on a precious thing.
He glanced at the untouched food.
“Aren’t you supposed to eat? To attend the national funeral.”
Rosena flinched upon the words of the national funeral. Recognizing this, Zigrit continued to speak with a very calm face.
“In a week or so, his funeral will be held. At that time, you should also attend as the third princess.”
Rosena looked at Zigrit in surprise. She knew there was going to be a national funeral, but she didn’t expect him to invite her himself. She looked at him, wondering what the hell he was up to, and Zigrit said calmly, as if he was talking about dinner.
“As soon as the national funeral is finished, we will open a divorce trial.”
It was obvious without asking whose divorce trial it was.
Count Estarot filed for divorce from Rania, who had died the other day, and won. Since there was a precedent, the divorce trial between Yerhan and Rosena would proceed smoothly.
“It will never go your way.”
Rosena shot coldly. Then the smile disappeared from Zigrit’s face.
Zigrit strode forward and stopped in front of Rosena. Then he quickly reached out and grabbed Rosena’s wrist, growling.
“You want to be locked up like this for the rest of your life, don’t you?”
Everyone knew he wasn’t joking. However, despite the strong suppression, Rosena’s eyes did not break.
Zigrit held Rosena’s wrist and whispered in her ear.
“Please make a wise choice.”
Zigrit released Rosena’s wrist and left the room. A hot red mark showed that he had just been gripping on to her.
Rosena looked at her palm and clenched her fist, but Zigrit could no longer shake Rosena. Because there was nothing that was more precious than living by Illian’s side.
Rosena closed her eyes and pondered.
A few days later, on the day of the national funeral, Rosena could leave this room. And that might be her last chance to escape.
Rosena ate the food she had never touched before.
Until then, she had to build up her stamina.
***
Black flags fluttered in the air throughout the empire.
This flag was only raised when a high-ranking nobleman above the marquis or the royal family died.
As a flag was raised, the object of remembrance was Yerhan, the third prince.
The mourning period was one month, during which no one was able to party and drink alcohol.
Zigrit wanted all the people of the empire to know of Yerhan’s death. So he thought he would crush the vain hopes of those who denied Yerhan’s death.
Yerhan reportedly fell while trying to escape while on his way to exile. It was a dishonorable death, but the crown prince was lenient and awarded the national funeral. That alone improved the crown prince’s reputation to some extent.
On the day of Yerhan’s funeral, Rosena wore a black dress with little embellishment. She looked emaciated even though she wore these black cotton gloves and covered her face with a black veil. It was due to the fact that she had lost weight through a lot of heartache during that time.
When everything was ready, the maids withdrew and two knights entered. These were those sent by Zigrit.
Rosena left the room with the knights.
“……”
As she walked down the hallway, she sensed an atmosphere of silence. The Crown Prince Palace seemed like a place no one lived.
Rosena got into the carriage following the guidance of the knights. Until that brief moment when the door closed, Rosena looked around quickly. Besides the two knights, there were also guards attached.
Rosena took a deep breath. It was easy for things to go wrong if she acted hastily.
After a while, Rosena arrived at the funeral.
It was winter, and there was no maintenance, so the area was covered with dry grass.
On the grass was a row of chairs for mourners to sit on, and white lilies piled up like tombs on the opposite platform.
The golden coffin buried in lilies looked particularly lonely. When she thought of Yerhan lying in that coffin, her heart felt like it was going to explode any moment. She wanted to run right away, but she had no choice but to put up with it.
Tears became hot, and Rosena held only her handkerchief.
Dark clouds that seemed to contain rain passed quickly. It was a day when even the sunlight was weak, and the surroundings were filled with gloom.
Most of the seats were already occupied. Nobles dressed in black were present as mourners from an early hour.
There were people who sincerely mourned the death of Yerhan, but most of them were the reluctant ones because they were the vassals of the royal family.
Although they were dissatisfied with the unilateral notification from the imperial family, they remained in the position for a long time without showing any expression.
Rosena passed the nobles with the knights on either side.
The nobles murmured a little at the sight of Rosena walking resolutely with her back straight.
It was not uncommon for people to curse, saying, ‘How can she be so calm even after her husband died?’
Rosena sat in the front seat, leaving behind many rumors and accusations. Shortly after Rosena sat down, the golden carriage stopped.
The emperor and his wife got off the carriage and were dressed in black. They walked towards Rosena and sat down next to her.
Rosena looked forward and slowly raised her head. Then her eyes met with the empress.
The empress did not show her expression as much as usual, but raised the corners of her lips slightly. It was as if she had pulled out a tooth that had been decayed for a long time.
Rosena shook her head, clutching the handkerchief a little tighter.
Shortly thereafter, Crown Prince Zigrit arrived.
With his knights, he was wearing a black uniform and a dark red cloak. He walked forward and sat down next to Rosena naturally. As if Rosena became the crown princess.
“Rosena.”
Zigrit smiled and spoke to Rosena. But when Rosena stood up without hesitation, Zigrit frowned slightly.
Rosena never moved as Zigrit wanted.
He wanted to force her to sit down, but there were many eyes around. In the end, Zigrit had his attendant move the chair.
As the gap between her and Zigrit widened a little, Rosena sat down.
When everyone was seated, the remembrance mass was softly played.
The first order of the funeral was a wreath of the royal family.
The emperor and the empress got up from their seats and walked towards the stage where the coffin was placed. They put a white lily on top of the coffin. The dry act without much emotion continued in a ruthless manner.
The second time, it was the crown prince who stood up and stood in front of the coffin. He looked down at the coffin for quite some time.
Others only saw his back, so they couldn’t tell what kind of face he was making.
The second prince, who had been divorced from Asilia, was ill and could not attend, so Rosena’s turn soon came.
Rosena walked to the podium, lifting the hem of her black dress slightly. The feeling of stepping on dry grass was more vivid than anything else.
Rosena stood in front of the coffin and stood still for a long time. Yerhan….
She couldn’t bring herself to offer flowers. The moment she handed him the flowers, she really felt like she should let him go.
Rosena, who had stood silently for a long time, picked up the freshest and most beautiful lily with her slightly trembling hands.
A white lily that contrasts with the black gloves was placed in the center of the coffin.
Rosena slowly leaned back and pressed her lips against the coffin.
“Then, now, and in the future… my love for you will not change.”
A small whisper fell over the coffin.
Rosena, who could not take her eyes off of it several times, turned around slowly. She suppressed her emotions, but she didn’t realise that tears were already flowing.
After Rosena’s wreath was finished, Zigrit headed back to the front of the podium. He was in charge of the memorial service as a member of the royal family and Yerhan’s family. Rosena looked at him with hatred.
Standing in front of the podium, Zigrit opened the paper with a sad face as if wearing a mask. And he began to read the eulogy with a little bit of emotion.
When people who didn’t know anything saw it, they’d thought he had lost a brother he really loved. To that extent, Zigrit was a man who was accustomed to decorating.
The end of the useless long eulogy had come. Finally, Zigrit read the last sentence.
“May you return to the side of the divinity and have eternal rest.”
And it was the moment when he closed the paper on which the eulogy was written.
Everyone turned their heads at the sound of a chair being pushed back.
The man wearing a large hat slowly got up from his seat.
Everyone was confused by the man’s sudden action, but he opened his mouth.
“How can he close his eyes comfortably when he was falsely accused?”
The man’s calm voice froze everyone around.
“……”
Zigrit stiffened while holding the eulogy. He didn’t see his face, but his voice was familiar.
Zigrit, who came to his senses belatedly, ordered his knights to bring the man over. But it was quicker for the man to take off his hat and throw it away.
The dark clouds lifted and the sunlight shone brightly on his golden hair.
“Long time no see. Your Highness, Crown Prince.”
It was the third prince, Yerhan Herbet.
When she regained her consciousness, she was already in the carriage.
Zigrit avoided all the places that were easily attacked like he would never make a mistake again.
Rosena arrived in the capital, imprisoned in a windowless carriage.
In the meantime, he had been in physical contact with Rosena solely to gain strength.
Rosena rebelled so strongly that he couldn’t make much contact, she hated even that terribly.
Rosena got out of the carriage with her arms held by the knights. They pushed Rosena into the deepest chamber of the Crown Prince Palace.
All the windows were blocked by iron bars, and the door was also one that opened from the bottom and could not be opened from the inside.
She knocked on the door and screamed for days, but no one answered.
When it was time to eat, only trays of food were quietly pushed in.
It was a large room full of luxurious furnishings, but to Rosena it was a prison. She couldn’t meet anyone and she felt like she was going crazy. Whenever Rosena was distracted, she thought of Illian.
She had to escape from here for Illian and return to Astania. But all the original plans went awry, and there was no one to help her now.
Rosena, who was frustrated, closed her eyes tightly.
“You have to think for yourself.”
But there was no hope, only despair. She should do something to get out of here…
The sound of the lock unfastening was heard from outside. As soon as the door opened, Rosena raised her head.
Zigrit strode through the open door. Rosena stiffened and stepped back inside.
Zigrit, who appeared after a few days, stood in front of the door and looked straight at Rosena.
“I heard you haven’t eaten in a while.”
“….”
“What would you do if you collapsed?”
He spoke kindly as if he was worried about Rosena, but his eyes were cold. It was an attitude as if he was looking for a scratch on a precious thing.
He glanced at the untouched food.
“Aren’t you supposed to eat? To attend the national funeral.”
Rosena flinched upon the words of the national funeral. Recognizing this, Zigrit continued to speak with a very calm face.
“In a week or so, his funeral will be held. At that time, you should also attend as the third princess.”
Rosena looked at Zigrit in surprise. She knew there was going to be a national funeral, but she didn’t expect him to invite her himself. She looked at him, wondering what the hell he was up to, and Zigrit said calmly, as if he was talking about dinner.
“As soon as the national funeral is finished, we will open a divorce trial.”
It was obvious without asking whose divorce trial it was.
Count Estarot filed for divorce from Rania, who had died the other day, and won. Since there was a precedent, the divorce trial between Yerhan and Rosena would proceed smoothly.
“It will never go your way.”
Rosena shot coldly. Then the smile disappeared from Zigrit’s face.
Zigrit strode forward and stopped in front of Rosena. Then he quickly reached out and grabbed Rosena’s wrist, growling.
“You want to be locked up like this for the rest of your life, don’t you?”
Everyone knew he wasn’t joking. However, despite the strong suppression, Rosena’s eyes did not break.
Zigrit held Rosena’s wrist and whispered in her ear.
“Please make a wise choice.”
Zigrit released Rosena’s wrist and left the room. A hot red mark showed that he had just been gripping on to her.
Rosena looked at her palm and clenched her fist, but Zigrit could no longer shake Rosena. Because there was nothing that was more precious than living by Illian’s side.
Rosena closed her eyes and pondered.
A few days later, on the day of the national funeral, Rosena could leave this room. And that might be her last chance to escape.
Rosena ate the food she had never touched before.
Until then, she had to build up her stamina.
***
Black flags fluttered in the air throughout the empire.
This flag was only raised when a high-ranking nobleman above the marquis or the royal family died.
As a flag was raised, the object of remembrance was Yerhan, the third prince.
The mourning period was one month, during which no one was able to party and drink alcohol.
Zigrit wanted all the people of the empire to know of Yerhan’s death. So he thought he would crush the vain hopes of those who denied Yerhan’s death.
Yerhan reportedly fell while trying to escape while on his way to exile. It was a dishonorable death, but the crown prince was lenient and awarded the national funeral. That alone improved the crown prince’s reputation to some extent.
On the day of Yerhan’s funeral, Rosena wore a black dress with little embellishment. She looked emaciated even though she wore these black cotton gloves and covered her face with a black veil. It was due to the fact that she had lost weight through a lot of heartache during that time.
When everything was ready, the maids withdrew and two knights entered. These were those sent by Zigrit.
Rosena left the room with the knights.
“……”
As she walked down the hallway, she sensed an atmosphere of silence. The Crown Prince Palace seemed like a place no one lived.
Rosena got into the carriage following the guidance of the knights. Until that brief moment when the door closed, Rosena looked around quickly. Besides the two knights, there were also guards attached.
Rosena took a deep breath. It was easy for things to go wrong if she acted hastily.
After a while, Rosena arrived at the funeral.
It was winter, and there was no maintenance, so the area was covered with dry grass.
On the grass was a row of chairs for mourners to sit on, and white lilies piled up like tombs on the opposite platform.
The golden coffin buried in lilies looked particularly lonely. When she thought of Yerhan lying in that coffin, her heart felt like it was going to explode any moment. She wanted to run right away, but she had no choice but to put up with it.
Tears became hot, and Rosena held only her handkerchief.
Dark clouds that seemed to contain rain passed quickly. It was a day when even the sunlight was weak, and the surroundings were filled with gloom.
Most of the seats were already occupied. Nobles dressed in black were present as mourners from an early hour.
There were people who sincerely mourned the death of Yerhan, but most of them were the reluctant ones because they were the vassals of the royal family.
Although they were dissatisfied with the unilateral notification from the imperial family, they remained in the position for a long time without showing any expression.
Rosena passed the nobles with the knights on either side.
The nobles murmured a little at the sight of Rosena walking resolutely with her back straight.
It was not uncommon for people to curse, saying, ‘How can she be so calm even after her husband died?’
Rosena sat in the front seat, leaving behind many rumors and accusations. Shortly after Rosena sat down, the golden carriage stopped.
The emperor and his wife got off the carriage and were dressed in black. They walked towards Rosena and sat down next to her.
Rosena looked forward and slowly raised her head. Then her eyes met with the empress.
The empress did not show her expression as much as usual, but raised the corners of her lips slightly. It was as if she had pulled out a tooth that had been decayed for a long time.
Rosena shook her head, clutching the handkerchief a little tighter.
Shortly thereafter, Crown Prince Zigrit arrived.
With his knights, he was wearing a black uniform and a dark red cloak. He walked forward and sat down next to Rosena naturally. As if Rosena became the crown princess.
“Rosena.”
Zigrit smiled and spoke to Rosena. But when Rosena stood up without hesitation, Zigrit frowned slightly.
Rosena never moved as Zigrit wanted.
He wanted to force her to sit down, but there were many eyes around. In the end, Zigrit had his attendant move the chair.
As the gap between her and Zigrit widened a little, Rosena sat down.
When everyone was seated, the remembrance mass was softly played.
The first order of the funeral was a wreath of the royal family.
The emperor and the empress got up from their seats and walked towards the stage where the coffin was placed. They put a white lily on top of the coffin. The dry act without much emotion continued in a ruthless manner.
The second time, it was the crown prince who stood up and stood in front of the coffin. He looked down at the coffin for quite some time.
Others only saw his back, so they couldn’t tell what kind of face he was making.
The second prince, who had been divorced from Asilia, was ill and could not attend, so Rosena’s turn soon came.
Rosena walked to the podium, lifting the hem of her black dress slightly. The feeling of stepping on dry grass was more vivid than anything else.
Rosena stood in front of the coffin and stood still for a long time. Yerhan….
She couldn’t bring herself to offer flowers. The moment she handed him the flowers, she really felt like she should let him go.
Rosena, who had stood silently for a long time, picked up the freshest and most beautiful lily with her slightly trembling hands.
A white lily that contrasts with the black gloves was placed in the center of the coffin.
Rosena slowly leaned back and pressed her lips against the coffin.
“Then, now, and in the future… my love for you will not change.”
A small whisper fell over the coffin.
Rosena, who could not take her eyes off of it several times, turned around slowly. She suppressed her emotions, but she didn’t realise that tears were already flowing.
After Rosena’s wreath was finished, Zigrit headed back to the front of the podium. He was in charge of the memorial service as a member of the royal family and Yerhan’s family. Rosena looked at him with hatred.
Standing in front of the podium, Zigrit opened the paper with a sad face as if wearing a mask. And he began to read the eulogy with a little bit of emotion.
When people who didn’t know anything saw it, they’d thought he had lost a brother he really loved. To that extent, Zigrit was a man who was accustomed to decorating.
The end of the useless long eulogy had come. Finally, Zigrit read the last sentence.
“May you return to the side of the divinity and have eternal rest.”
And it was the moment when he closed the paper on which the eulogy was written.
Everyone turned their heads at the sound of a chair being pushed back.
The man wearing a large hat slowly got up from his seat.
Everyone was confused by the man’s sudden action, but he opened his mouth.
“How can he close his eyes comfortably when he was falsely accused?”
The man’s calm voice froze everyone around.
“……”
Zigrit stiffened while holding the eulogy. He didn’t see his face, but his voice was familiar.
Zigrit, who came to his senses belatedly, ordered his knights to bring the man over. But it was quicker for the man to take off his hat and throw it away.
The dark clouds lifted and the sunlight shone brightly on his golden hair.
“Long time no see. Your Highness, Crown Prince.”
It was the third prince, Yerhan Herbet.
