TGW Chapter 14 Part 4

 

On his way out of the Iron King's palace, Kuhn turned toward the Silver Palace. As usual, he tapped lightly on the window frame a few times. When he pulled with some force, it opened smoothly.

‘The security is lax.’

Kuhn clicked his tongue at his own brazenness in sneaking in like this.

He hadn’t seen her for five days. He hadn't been able to visit the Silver Palace for five days ago due to the royal rites.

The royal family also served as priests to the gods. Therefore, they regularly presided over ceremonies at the royal palace. During the ceremonial period, which lasted several days, they refrained from going out and did not receive guests. The rites had ended yesterday.

The day after the rites ended was a day of rest. It was customary not to visit on such a day.

When Dian had summoned him to the palace today, Kuhn hadn't intended to do this. But seeing her briefly drained all his patience. It had been hard enough to keep a straight face while sitting there pretending to be composed.

Since he hadn't told her yet that Dian knew about their relationship, he couldn’t show his emotions at that moment. He wasn’t even sure she would be in her bedroom now. If she wasn’t, he would simply leave.

He quietly closed the balcony window and took a few steps inside the bedroom.

“Ahhh!”

A muffled scream erupted from inside the room. It was definitely not her voice.

‘Ah, damn.’

His back felt cold. Kuhn slowly turned his head in the direction of the sound, his stiff neck moving awkwardly.

He found himself staring into the wide eyes of Countess Pope. A young woman standing behind the countess’s wheelchair, presumed to be the one who had screamed, covered her mouth with one hand.

‘I’m in big trouble.’

All the blood in his body seemed to drain away, leaving his fingertips cold and numb. He could safely say that he had never felt this blindsided in his life. He hadn’t expected anyone other than her to be in the bedroom at this hour.

This was a rare mistake for him. Normally, before entering a closed space, he would always check for any signs of people. He wasn’t even aware that when he was around her, or in the spaces they shared, he completely let his guard down.

Kuhn’s mind went blank, and he stood stiffly. Beth was the first to regain her composure and take charge of the situation.

“Emma. Go outside. And don’t cause a commotion.”

“Yes, yes, Countess.”

Emma quickly left the bedroom. Kuhn turned his head away to avoid Beth’s piercing gaze.

There was no room for excuses. He couldn’t run away either, so he just waited for whatever was coming.

“Did you come to see Her Highness?”

“...Yes.”

“There appears to be an entrance to the Silver Palace I wasn’t aware of.”

“...”

“It doesn’t look like this is your first time. What if another maid had seen you instead of me? Even if they didn’t recognize you as the marquis, the palace would have been thrown into chaos just from the news of an intruder in Her Highness’s bedroom.”

Seeing Marquis Raad, Beth had a flood of thoughts. Her strong trust in the princess calmed her initial shock. On the other hand, she thought this was a good opportunity. She had always wanted to talk to Marquis Rad.

“I’ve often seen men win over women who are difficult to approach by lowering themselves rather than raising their own status. Is tarnishing Her Highness’s honor what you wish for, Marquis?”

Beth was just the head maid. She wasn’t in any position to interrogate a marquis, yet she hurled these humiliating accusations as if she were a high-ranking elder of the family.

Even if it was just a momentary glimpse, she wanted to see his true nature through his reaction.

“Absolutely not. She... Her Highness is not a foolish person. She wouldn’t allow such a thing.”

Beth closely observed the marquis’s expression. He was visibly flustered, but it didn’t seem like he was trying to suppress any anger.

“Even if Her Highness allowed it, you shouldn’t be doing this.”

“Yes, I was rash.”

“Moreover, Her Highness is already engaged. It is improper for her to have secret meetings with another man while having a fiancé. Although I am not in a position to give advice to Her Highness, she does listen to me. I plan to earnestly ask her not to meet you in this manner again.”

Kuhn sighed silently. It seemed he had made a bad impression on someone he should have been trying to impress.

Beth gave the Marquis a passing grade for not attempting to defend himself or propose some sort of compromise.

“Since you’re already here, you might as well meet Her Highness. She’ll be back soon.”

One final test remained.

Beth was curious to see how the Marquis would handle this situation with the princess.

A short while later, Sienna, who had been delayed by a visit to the royal library, returned. Without explaining anything, Beth let the princess into the bedroom. And then she waited. Not long after, the princess emerged from the bedroom.

Sienna dismissed the other maids from the sitting room, leaving her alone with Beth.

“I heard it was a rather awkward situation.”

“I apologize for entering the bedroom without permission, Your Highness.”

“That doesn’t matter. I know you often bring snacks.”

“I was startled and ended up speaking rudely to the marquis.”

“It’s fine. Marquis Raad didn’t take offense.”

“What did the marquis say?”

Sienna chuckled softly.

“He said he got scolded thoroughly. He was complaining about how he broke out in a cold sweat.”

“Your Highness, I overstepped...”

“Oh, I’m not scolding you. You did well. I was also careless. I shouldn’t be doing things that would become a topic of gossip. There won’t be a repeat of today’s events. In the future, if you see something you think is inappropriate, please let me know. I sometimes think I don’t make the right decisions.”

Beth smiled with teary eyes filled with gratitude.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Beth decided to reserve judgment on Marquis Raad for now. His response had been perfect. And that’s why she couldn’t be at ease.

If he was genuine, that would be fortunate. But if he was hiding ulterior motives behind careful calculations, he was a dangerous man. He could potentially leave a devastating scar on the princess in the future.

“Your Highness, may I ask one impertinent question?”

Sienna paused for a moment before nodding, clearly guessing what Beth's question might be and feeling somewhat reluctant. Beth, however, was uncharacteristically bold this time and did not hold back.

“Do you have feelings for him?”

Sienna took a long time to answer.

“I’m not sure.”

He was different. Sienna acknowledged that the feelings she had when she was with Kun were unique. However, she couldn’t clearly categorize them as just liking or disliking. It wasn’t just a matter of present feelings but also concerns about the future. There were too many complexities involved.

“So, I was thinking…”

“Yes, Your Highness?”

“That man. Should I take him as a lover?”

“Your Highness!”

Sienna burst into laughter, watching Beth’s face pale in shock.

 

The next day, at the usual time, Marquis Raad did not appear at the Silver Palace. The maids, who had anticipated that the unseen battle between the two men would resume now that the rites were over, were buzzing with curiosity.

Though Marquis Raad didn’t come, Joseph did. He seemed momentarily bewildered by the absence of Marquis Raad, but soon a triumphant smile spread across his face.

‘It seems my words to the Red King had an effect.’

He firmly believed that the Red King’s influence had worked in his favor.

‘I should have done this sooner.’

With the troublemaker gone, Joseph felt a sense of relief and newfound confidence.

“Please inform Her Highness that I wish to see her.”

Beth replied with a troubled expression.

“Lord Rouk, Her Highness is not in at the moment. You should have informed us ahead of time if you planned to visit.”

It was customary to give at least a day’s notice. This was a basic protocol for requesting an audience.

The visits from the two men that had lasted more than ten days before the rites had been an exception. Strictly speaking, apart from the first day, they had essentially been receiving prior permission by saying, “I’ll see you tomorrow,” each time they left.

“I know she’s inside.”

Joseph didn’t believe Beth’s words. He suspected she didn’t want to meet him without Marquis Raad or, worse, that she was meeting with the marquis alone inside.

“I assure you; she is not here. Why would I lie about Her Highness’s whereabouts?”

Indeed, Sienna was not in. She had gone to the Red Palace to get permission to use the greenhouse.

“Then let me in. I want to check for myself whether she’s really not here.”

“How can a guest enter when the host is not present?”

“Am I just any guest? I am her fiancé. If you won’t let me in, then she must indeed be here!”

“Lord Rouk, please do not be unreasonable.”

Joseph glared at Beth, visibly displeased. He had always felt that Beth was favorably inclined toward Marquis Raad. Beth had never actually shown any favor toward the Marquis, but from Joseph's perspective, just not taking his side was enough to seem biased.

‘She must have received something from the marquis.’

Everyone he met asked him about Marquis Raad. Lately, Joseph found the situation incredibly frustrating.

“Don’t make me out to be an unreasonable person. Countess, by what right are you stopping me, her fiancé, from seeing my betrothed?”

Beth remained silent. Since reason wasn’t working, there was no way to persuade him. Try as she might not to compare him to Marquis Raad, she couldn’t help herself.

The marquis had always been polite, addressing her with proper titles. From Beth’s perspective, Joseph had nothing that made him superior to the Marquis. Aside from being the princess's fiancé, what else did he have to offer?

“I haven’t been given any instructions to let you in while Her Highness is away.”

“This is so frustrating. You need to be more flexible, Countess. You should be able to assess the situation. Please, let Her Highness know I’m here.”

“I’ve told you she is not here.”

“Then prove it by letting me check for myself.”

Repeating the same thing, the verbal tug-of-war dragged on tediously.

If Beth had clearly stated, "She went to the Red Palace," Joseph might have been satisfied. But since she only said that Sienna was not here, he thought she was lying.

It wasn’t that Beth wasn’t perceptive enough to think of this. If Joseph had left quietly at the start, she would have told him. But his stubbornness made her want to spite him.

“Countess! Really!”

As they bickered, Joseph raised his voice in frustration.

“What’s going on here?”

Joseph turned at the sound of Sienna’s voice as she entered through the outer door and was startled. He had been so sure she was inside that his face turned pale. He had thought he had the right to accuse someone of lying since he believed the princess was inside, but it turned out he was wrong.

“Lord Rouk, why are you causing a commotion in my palace?”

“Your Highness, it’s just...”

“Countess.”

“Even though I told him you were not here, Sir Luke insisted on being let inside, Your Highness.”

Beth quickly explained. Joseph didn’t even have the chance to defend himself.

Sienna stared at Joseph intently, as if daring him to say something.

Joseph, intimidated, dropped his head. The humiliating memories from the ship surfaced again. That experience had left a deep trauma in him.

“Lord Rouk, the Red King would be disappointed to see you act so recklessly.”

“My apologies, Your Highness.”

Cold sweat trickled down his back. Joseph also had a rough idea of why he was chosen as the princess's fiancé. It was because he had gained the Red King's favor, but if that favor shifted, the engagement could be annulled at any time.

“Leave now. Next time, do not come without notice.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Without another word, Joseph withdrew. It looked like he was fleeing. Sienna clicked her tongue and went inside. She spoke to Beth, who followed her in.

“You’ve had a tough time.”

“It’s nothing, Your Highness.”

Beth recalled the recent scene and gave a bitter smile.

“It seems there are issues with proceeding with your engagement as it stands.”

A husband and wife should be partners, navigating life hand in hand. But the relationship between the two seemed too one-sided. The princess was like an authoritarian superior, and Lord Rouk seemed like a subordinate, constantly cowed.

A husband who couldn't even look his wife in the eye? Could that truly be considered a proper marriage? A husband who harbored feelings of inferiority toward his wife might seek comfort elsewhere, away from prying eyes. He might even resort to verbal or physical abuse in private.

‘But I can’t suggest that Her Highness should cater to her husband's whims.’

It would be better if he simply humbled himself before the princess, but the pride of noble heirs was not to be underestimated. They had all been raised to believe they were superior from a young age.

‘To find a man who can stand confidently before Her Highness...’

Just then, the image of Marquis Raad came to Beth’s mind, and she flinched. She stood there with a complicated expression, lost in thought.

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