TGW Chapter 14 Part 2

 

"Your Highness."

Sienna, who was in the middle of a conversation with Gilbert, turned her gaze. Beth gave her a subtle smile. They understood each other without words now.

Sienna let out a small sigh.

"Let them both in."

"Yes, Your Highness."

By now, this was a familiar scene in the Silver Palace.

It had been ten days straight. Not a single day passed without the two men showing up at the Silver Palace. The most convenient time to visit was just past noon, during the midday rest period, so their visits always overlapped.

The palace maids would have smiles blooming on their faces every day around noon. Even though the two men were unattainable and distant figures, just seeing them was a pleasure.

The maids were divided into two factions: the Marquis Rad faction and the Count Luke faction. The two men were polar opposites in terms of physical appeal, position, and status, so the choice completely depended on personal preference. The maids would engage in pointless debates, each defending the man they found more appealing.

"Her Highness will see both of you."

Beth came out to the waiting room and announced. The same scene played out yesterday and the day before. The two men's attitudes were almost always the same.

Marquis Rad appeared relaxed. He would sit comfortably while waiting and rise leisurely when Beth came out. As he passed by her, he never forgot to give a slight bow in greeting.

At first, Beth's gaze was only drawn to the Marquis's handsome face, but now she took in his whole figure at a glance. He was a tall man with a large build, but his size wasn't noticeable unless he stood next to someone else. He moved with an impressive agility.

‘Hmph.’

Joseph, who hurried to follow, always looked impatient. His expression was stiff, and his gait was rigid. The more Beth got to know him, the less favorable his impression became, which she found somewhat unfortunate.

It wasn't that Beth preferred Joseph; it was more of a human sympathy.

Emma, who was assisting Beth, whispered from behind.

"Which side are you on, Madam?"

Beth chuckled softly. She was well aware of the recent debates among the maids.

"What about you? Which side are you on?"

"I'm on the Marquis's side."

"What about the other maids? Who's more popular?"

"Hmm... It's about half and half."

"Really?"

That was unexpected. Beth thought Marquis Raad would be the clear favorite.

"There are, of course, those who prefer Sir Luke, but quite a few find Marquis Raad intimidating. They can't quite explain it, but they find him a bit scary. I think I understand what they mean."

"I see. I think I understand too."

Beth occasionally thought about this while observing Marquis Raad. His polite demeanor, refined speech, and elegant clothing seemed like a scabbard hiding the sharpness of a blade.

Just as the two men entered the reception room, Gilbert was about to leave after finishing his business. Gilbert had been away from the capital for a while due to family matters. His parents lived quite far away, so he was granted an extended leave.

He had returned late yesterday and came today to report his return. That morning, he had picked up some recent rumors that had been stirring up the capital from his fellow knights, but today was the first time he'd seen Marquis Rad in person.

Naturally, the Marquis, whom he should have been meeting for the first time, had a familiar face. Gilbert's eyes wavered with confusion.

‘Could someone really look so similar?’

He couldn't believe that the man before him was the same person he knew. The friendly, smiling man who had spoken to him—the secret escort—and Marquis Rad were as different as heaven and earth.

"Do you have something to say?"

Kuhn asked, snapping Gilbert out of his daze.

"My apologies. Please forgive my rudeness. I greet you, Marquis."

"Nice to meet you, Sir Gilbert."

Gilbert wondered, ‘Did I introduce myself?’ but assumed the Marquis must have heard his name from somewhere.

"Oh, by the way, Sir Gilbert."

Gilbert, who was just about to leave through the door, turned around.

"Yes?"

"A batch of fine swan feathers came in. I’ll have them sent to you."

"...Excuse me?"

"They’re better than the last ones. Both firm and flexible—they’re top-notch. You’ll like them even more when you see them."

"...Yes, um..."

Gilbert started to speak but then shut his mouth, conscious of the others around him. As he turned to leave, his face looked dazed, as if he had been hit.

Sienna saw the mischievous smile on Kuhn’s lips and frowned.

"Marquis Raad, don't tease my bodyguard."

"Tease? I have a fondness for Sir Gilbert. He’s quite a decent person."

"Apologize to him the next time you see him."

"Apologize?"

"Even if it wasn’t intentional, you deceived him."

"Hmm. I suppose he might be upset. I’ll make sure to explain so Sir Gilbert doesn't misunderstand."

Joseph tried to hide his discomfort by taking a sip of tea. Again, they were talking about something only they knew. He was clearly the princess's fiancé, yet he felt like an intruder interfering between the two.

Since he had no legitimate reason to block the Marquis’s visits, Joseph stubbornly made sure not to give them the chance to meet alone. He couldn’t bear it otherwise.

But visiting the Silver Palace didn’t make him feel any better. Sometimes, it made him feel worse. No matter how hard he tried, the distance between him and the princess never seemed to close.

‘We both have the same opportunities.’

They met for the same amount of time every day. The princess spent less than an hour with the two of them. She hardly spoke during tea, and Marquis Rad didn’t display any impressive conversational skills either.

‘They just drink tea and leave without anything happening.’

Was it just his imagination? Joseph felt like each day he was standing still while Marquis Rad kept moving forward. The day before yesterday felt closer than yesterday, and yesterday felt closer than today. Oddly enough, the atmosphere between the princess and the Marquis grew warmer over time.

He even wondered if they were communicating telepathically in a way other couldn't hear.

It was no wonder Joseph couldn’t understand. The princess and the Marquis’s meetings didn’t end with their afternoon tea time. The real encounters happened afterward.

While Joseph left the palace, mulling over his inexplicable sense of defeat, Kuhn tapped on the window of the princess's bedroom balcony. It hadn’t been locked for some time. Kuhn would courteously knock a few times before opening the window and entering the bedroom. Today, he was later than usual.

‘That guy, being especially annoying today.’

Joseph, who usually left quickly, lingered today, constantly trying to engage him in conversation. He seemed to be fishing for information about the feathers Kuhn had mentioned to Gilbert, but Kuhn had brushed it off vaguely.

The spacious bedroom was a long rectangle with several doors, each serving a different purpose—one to the reception room, another for the maids, and so on.

Kuhn walked straight to Sienna, who was standing by the table. He hugged her from behind. As she turned her head back, it was natural for his lips to meet hers in a kiss.

A few light kisses followed. Their lips met and softly rubbed together, then parted.

Sienna grasped the sleeve of his jacket and pulled it up. She looked at the shirt cuffs that were now visible and tugged them to see more clearly. The buttons she had given him as a gift were fastened there.

"These don't match the outfit you're wearing now."

"Does it matter? It’s not like anyone else will see my cuffs anyway."

"You have more buttons than just these."

"If I use them often, they’ll wear out quickly."

"Do you like worn-out things?"

"No. If they wear out, I’ll just ask you for new ones."

Sienna chuckled in disbelief. She had been laughing more often. She didn't realize how often she laughed in front of him.

"Kyaa!"

Sienna let out a short scream as she was suddenly lifted. He picked her up and set her on the table.

He placed both hands on the table and lowered himself, leaning his upper body forward. With his head raised from under her chin, their faces were now close. Naturally, Sienna was looking down at him.

Sienna often felt strange when he deliberately made her look down at him like this. It felt like he was saying that he was letting her have the upper hand between them.

But he never seemed weak or submissive.

"How long do you plan to keep up this childish competition with Sir Luke?"

"I'll continue."

"Why?"

"Because I want to see you. And that guy doesn’t want to see me doing it, so what else can I do? We'll just have to see each other with him around."

"I don't get it."

"What don't you get? That I’m just letting that guy be?"

Sienna gave him a slight side-eye. Honestly, she found it a bit odd too. Since he reacted so sensitively to words like "engagement" and "fiancé," she expected him to clash with Joseph.

Even if he didn’t go so far as to harm him, she thought he would at least embarrass or irritate him.

But surprisingly, he was quite indifferent to Joseph. Sometimes, when Joseph said something arrogant, Kuhn would just laugh it off.

"My concern is something else. At this rate, strange rumors will start circulating."

"They won't. Not as long as we're meeting with him around."

"Three is okay?"

"It’s a meeting approved by the fiancé."

Sienna's mouth fell open in disbelief.

"How can you twist it like that?"

"Just watch. There won’t be any weird rumors. Even if we meet three times a day, it’s fine as long as he's around. And no matter who asks, he won't ever tell the truth. He’ll probably call me a friend. He's very conscious of how others see him."

"Are you using Lord Rouk?"

"He's useful."

"...You’re sly."

"I'm doing everything I can to see your face."

"Isn't that something you're naturally good at?"

"That’s harsh. Give me some credit."

He leaned in and peppered Sienna’s face with small kisses. Sienna laughed but blocked his lips with her hand, annoyed.

After several failed attempts, Kuhn stood up straight. The situation reversed in an instant. Now Sienna was looking up at him.

As he leaned forward, Sienna's back slowly reclined onto the table. She was barely maintaining a sitting position when his hand moved to support her back.

Tilting his head to the side, his lips brushed against hers. He lightly bit her lip and pulled back.

Sienna lowered her eyes. This time, she didn’t block or avoid him. It was an intimate signal they shared, even without setting rules.

His lips met hers again. Sienna opened her mouth. Between their breaths, a faint nasal sound was mixed. At the end of the deep, warm kiss, he murmured like a sigh.

"Mmm. Sienna, your kissing skills are improving day by day."

Laughter escaped through their still-connected lips.

"I told you. I learn quickly."

"That's why it's a problem."

"Why?"

"Because I'm reaching the limit of my patience."

Sienna laughed as if she had heard an amusing joke, but Kuhn couldn’t laugh. He found himself increasingly facing moments when his patience was wearing thin.

 

Just as Sienna feared, rumors spread. An unmarried man, especially one as prominent in society as Kuhn, visiting the Silver Palace every day was bound to spark gossip.

And as Kuhn had predicted, despite the widespread rumors, there wasn’t much negative talk. This was because Joseph, the princess’s fiancé, was always there with them.

Had only Joseph, the fiancé, visited the princess often, there would have been speculation that the two had already developed a deep relationship.

However, since the three of them met together, people perceived their meetings more as a gathering rather than any sort of romantic involvement. Subtly, people began to want to join their "gatherings."

Joseph was often asked the same question by people:

"I heard you’re on friendly terms with Marquis Raad? I’ve always thought you were very sociable, Lord Rouk. Hardly anyone has managed to have a conversation with Marquis Raad, but you’ve become close friends with him."

He didn’t have the courage to say, "That’s not true," to those who praised him enviously. Joseph either laughed it off or sometimes boasted.

Before he knew it, the rumor that Joseph was Marquis Raad’s only friend had taken root as truth in the social circles. The rumor eventually reached Dian’s ears. Dian summoned Kuhn. As soon as Dian saw Kuhn's face, he laughed heartily.

"As expected, you’re clever. Because of your frequent visits to the Silver Palace, those who suspected our close ties have started to get confused."

"......"

Kuhn was caught off guard. That was certainly not an intended outcome. These days, his only concern was the princess, and he hadn’t been thinking about anything else.

"You even included the Silver Queen’s fiancé in your meetings. You truly have an incredible knack for strategy. His name was Joseph, right? The grandson of Duke Rouk didn’t seem to have a generous nature, so how did you manage to win him over? Are you really friends with him?"

Kuhn snorted. He had heard the rumors too and had let people misunderstand.

"Friends? Hardly. That man despises me."

"Then how do you manage to visit the Silver Queen?"

"What does that have to do with him?"

"It’s not liked the Silver Queen’s fiancé is bringing you there... So, the Silver Queen herself is agreeing to see you? Every day?"

Kuhn nodded. Dian’s expression gradually hardened.

"Is the Silver Queen suspicious about our relationship?"

"..."

Dian had both strengths and weaknesses, but stupidity wasn’t supposed to be one of them. Kuhn realized he might need to revise his assessment of Dian.

"It’s not that."

"Then what?"

It was time to tell Dian the truth.

"...I’m interested in her."

Dian's reaction was unexpected. While surprised, he also seemed deeply troubled.

"You don’t have to go that far."

"What?"

"You don’t have to go that far, I’m saying."

Kuhn furrowed his brow.

"What do you mean, ‘that far’?"

"It’s not the Silver Queen’s fault. She just didn’t know. Her speech and expression may seem stiff, but she’s actually very compassionate. People who appear perfect often have soft hearts on the inside. And no matter how mature she seems; she’s just turned twenty. She’s only just come of age, you bastard!"

Dian, who had been fervently defending the Silver Queen, suddenly raised his voice in the end.

"..."

"..."

An awkward silence fell between the two.

Kuhn sighed deeply and lowered his head.

‘They really are siblings, aren’t they?’

Why did these otherwise dissimilar siblings have to resemble each other in this particular way? Kuhn reflected seriously on himself. Had he lived such a deplorable life that both siblings would misunderstand him in the same way? He felt a wave of self-loathing.

"Listen carefully."

"Kuhn."

"Shut up and listen to me. What kind of friend treats someone like garbage?"

Staring into Dian’s eyes, which were still filled with distrust, Kuhn spoke earnestly.

"It’s not about some hidden agenda. It’s not because of some ulterior motive. I like her. I want her. I... Damn it! Why do I have to confess something to you that I haven't even confessed to her yet?"

Dian blinked in confusion. It was the first time he’d seen Kuhn lose his temper like this.

"You like her? You mean... as a woman?"

"With that level of understanding, how are you going to rule as Emperor? This empire is really going to go down the drain soon."

Despite Kuhn's biting sarcasm, Dian wasn’t offended. It was rather surprising. Even though he hadn’t shown it, Dian had sometimes wondered if Kuhn might not be interested in women at all.

Despite not liking aristocrats much, Kuhn was quite diligent in interacting with people. He was a cynical man, but when it served his purposes, he could smile warmly.

He frequently had to attend the decadent parties of nobles out of necessity. Out of curiosity, Dian had accompanied him a few times. No matter the situation, Kuhn never seemed to falter.

He could still remember Kuhn’s expression when he nonchalantly pushed away women clinging to him almost naked, looking utterly bored. At first, Dian had been impressed, but later he began to doubt Kuhn’s sexual function.

"Well, that’s a relief."

"What is?"

"Just... something."

At least as a fellow man, he didn’t have to pity him.

Dian cleared his throat, bringing himself back to the present.

"So, what are you going to do?"

"Is that a real question?"

"Yes, I mean, what exactly do you want to do with the princess?"

"What do I want to do? If I didn’t intend to see this through to the end, I wouldn’t have started at all."

"...Huh."

Dian’s expression grew serious.

"You’re serious."

Usually, in such situations, the alliance between two people could easily break.

Dian had yet to secure an overwhelming hold on power. If his key ally Kuhn were to end up with Dian’s rival, the princess, people would assume Kuhn had ulterior motives. They’d suspect he intended to enthrone her as the emperor, gain control over the empire, and perhaps even ascend to the throne himself someday.

But Dian understood Kuhn’s situation—he was bearing the fate of his entire clan on his shoulders. For Kuhn, who desired nothing more than a place where his clan could live independently and securely for generations, wielding imperial power was of little interest.

This was why Dian trusted Kuhn. He had promised that once he became emperor, he would give Kuhn what he wanted. If Dian kept his promise, Kuhn would never betray him.

"What do you want me to do to help?"

"You just need to stick to the plan. Reclaim your right to succession, solidify your position as the imperial heir, and ascend to the throne without causing any trouble."

"You think the Silver Queen will quietly step aside? The throne was almost within her reach."

"Once she realizes it wasn’t rightfully hers, she won’t pursue it. That’s just her character."

Dian frowned. His words came out sharply.

"How do you know so much about the Silver Queen’s character?"

Kuhn continued, ignoring him.

"And when you become emperor, govern the empire wisely as a good ruler. Don’t leave her any reason to have regrets. That’s how you can help me."

"...That’s a broad and vague plan. What if I oppose it?"

"Why would you?"

Dian grinned mischievously.

"Not for political reasons. After all, an older brother is still an older brother. What if I just don’t think you’re suitable as a husband for my sister?"

"You won’t."

"What makes you so sure? Things are different when a man is after both a friend and his sister."

"If you had a sister, you said you'd make me your brother-in-law."

"Uh, well..."

Dian recalled clearly what he had said in the past. He was at a loss for words. Kuhn gave a relaxed smile as he looked at Dian.

"Just like you said, an older brother is still an older brother. Thanks for giving your permission in advance."

<PREVIOUS | NEXT>

Previous

Next