TGW Chapter 20 Part 2

 

Sienna finished her duties and returned to the palace at dusk. She had attended several meetings throughout the day since morning. A sense of mental fatigue washed over her.

Entering her bedroom, she changed her clothes with the help of her maids and then dismissed them all. The maid who assisted the countess also left.

Only Beth remained. Sienna collapsed onto the sofa, leaned back, and closed her eyes. She only occasionally showed her vulnerable side in front of Beth.

"You look exhausted."

"I've been listening to chatter all day, and it's tiring."

"You should have dinner."

"Later."

Beth let out a small sigh. She hesitated, wondering if she should relay the news to the weary princess.

"Did you say it was freesia?"

"Yes."

Beth quickly answered the sudden question. Freesia was the flower the marquis had brought that morning.

"It has a pleasant fragrance."

Beth looked at Sienna for a moment before speaking.

"Your Highness, Marquis Raad..."

Sienna opened her eyes and slightly lifted her head.

"...is in the Red Palace."

Sienna straightened her back and sat up.

"I don't know the details, but I suspect he was summoned by the Red King."

"When?"

"About two hours ago, he went to the Red Palace."

"…But how do you know? Did you perhaps plant someone in the Red Palace?"

"Well…"

Beth hesitated before answering.

"I know a maid. It's not like I planted anyone in the Red Palace. The maid does cleaning chores near the Red Palace, and I just asked her to discreetly inform me if she sees anything noticeable."

Sienna laughed at the flustered Beth.

"I'm not scolding you. I didn't know you were capable of such things."

She was amused by this unexpected side of the countess. Beth blushed in embarrassment.

"The maid reported that the marquis couldn't enter the Red Palace and was standing at the entrance all this time."

The smile on Sienna's face quickly faded. She immediately grasped the situation.

"They're trying to humiliate Kuhn."

If there were unavoidable circumstances preventing a guest from being seen immediately, it would be customary to at least invite them inside to wait. The intention of keeping him outside, exposed to the gaze of passing palace attendants, was obvious.

Rumors would spread that Marquis Raad was waiting like a servant at the entrance of the Red Palace, awaiting a summons.

Sienna clenched her fists tightly. She wanted to run straight to the Red Palace, but she knew that wouldn’t solve anything. It would only make the situation worse.

"When did the maid relay this information?"

"Just before Your Highness returned, she said Marquis Raad was still waiting outside."

Almost two hours.

"That’s excessive, Mother."

He isn’t someone who should be treated this way.

"How foolish. Why are you enduring this?"

Her resentment towards her mother turned towards Kuhn, who was enduring the humiliation. She knew it wasn’t his fault, but her insides churned. She wanted to grab his arm and pull him away immediately.

"Can you let me know when Marquis Raad leaves?"

"I will send a maid."

"I don’t want my mother to know. I…"

Sienna couldn’t finish her sentence. She looked at Beth, who responded with a simple, "Yes, Your Highness." Did Beth understand what she was trying to say when even Sienna herself didn’t fully know?

"I'll have the maid keep watch from a distance near the Sun Palace without getting too close. She'll come and inform me immediately if she sees Marquis Raad leaving."

Sienna nodded. Beth perfectly understood what Sienna wanted.

About half an hour later, the maid returned. Beth conveyed the information to Sienna.

"She only saw the marquis leaving the Sun Palace and heading towards the administrative building."

Whether Kuhn left because he could no longer wait or if he had met the Red King, it was unclear. Sienna felt frustrated at not being able to grasp the situation.

"Your Highness, if you allow, I could go and see the marquis."

"…"

"I'll be careful not to be noticed."

"…Do that."

"Is there anything you want me to tell him?"

"To Marquis Raad."

Sienna paused for a moment before continuing.

"Tell him not to bring flowers to the Silver Palace from tomorrow."

Beth replied, feeling a sinking sensation, "Yes, Your Highness."

"They seem to suit each other well."

From what she observed, the marquis seemed to have feelings for the princess.

"Her Highness’s feelings aren’t light either."

The princess never showed it openly. When directly asked, she only gave a vague answer, saying she didn’t know.

But when Beth encountered the marquis in the princess’s chamber, she realized their relationship had already surpassed mere affection and that it was too late to separate them forcibly. It was better to see it through to the end.

"They need time to understand each other."

However the surrounding circumstances were not favorable. They hardly had a chance to speak properly. Beth worried that their feelings might grow irrationally without them truly knowing each other.

Love has a strange quality of becoming more intense when faced with obstacles. She had never seen a love that flared up quickly against opposition leading to a good outcome.

If love progressed rapidly without mutual understanding, it often turned into disappointment over time. It would lead to hurting and despairing each other.

Princess Sienna had never experienced failure before. If her first failure was in love, it would have a profound impact on her entire life.

"I hope Her Highness doesn’t get hurt. But if things don’t end properly, Marquis Raad will remain a lifelong regret for Her Highness. That’s not good either."

Beth wasn’t exactly rooting for the two to end up together. The "end" she envisioned wasn’t marriage.

She was a thoroughbred aristocrat, born and raised in a world where political marriages were the norm. No matter how much she liked romance, such stories don’t translate into reality.

Their union was unthinkable. Political interests were intricately intertwined. A reckless romance would lead to ruin.

The ideal outcome Beth envisioned was for the marquis to remain a beautiful memory for the princess, as a "passing love."

*** 

 

Kuhn raised his head as he walked toward where his carriage was parked. The pitch-black sky cloaked in darkness signaled a late hour.

Having spent time at the Red Palace, he had delayed dealing with matters that needed to be handled today. It seemed like it would take even longer if he took time for a proper meal, so he hastily made do with some bread for dinner.

He didn’t cling to formal banquets like other nobles. If circumstances didn’t permit, he could go without eating, and he was fine with just a snack to stave off hunger.

But it seemed others viewed it differently. As he placed a bread basket on his desk and ate while handling his work, the officials’ expressions became subtle. They seemed to think he was skipping meals because he had lost his appetite.

Recalling their gazes, Khun chuckled quietly. Unlike the sympathetic looks from those around him, Kuhn wasn’t bothered at all. Waiting for a few hours wasn’t a big deal.

"They say rumors in the royal palace have wings. How quick they spread."

The fact that he had been summoned to the Red Palace had spread widely among the officials. Eyewitness accounts of the Red King’s cold treatment of the marquis fanned the flames of the rumor. "Isn’t it?" quickly turned into "They said so," and soon became "It’s true." The officials interpreted today's event as a conflict between the Iron King and the Red King.

"Well, I can't say it's completely unrelated."

Tension was indeed simmering between them. For a long time, the Lyman family had held a firm grip on the imperial political scene. Additionally, the Red King had dominated the social circles. It was an order that had been established over many years.

Then, a challenger appeared to disrupt this order—the Iron King.

Until recently, no one considered the Iron King a competitor to the Lyman family. The Lyman family and the Red King were giants, and the Iron King was a small weed that could be trampled underfoot at any moment.

The change seeped in slowly, like a light drizzle. By the time people felt the dampness, their clothes were already soaked through. At some point, the Iron King’s presence had grown. The number of officials who spoke up in favor of the Iron King had noticeably increased. Many nobles had also grown fond of the Iron King.

The appearance of Marquis Raad was decisive. He created a sensation in the otherwise stagnant social circles.

People have a dual psychology of fearing change while also finding stability tedious. And as long as it doesn't affect them personally, they cheer for change.

Today's power dynamics in the empire have solidified. A select few monopolized the fruits of power. Most nobles thought, "It's not mine anyway and won't be in the future."

Marquis Raad and the Iron King brought winds of change. Perhaps many nobles had been waiting for such a day.

With Marquis Raad by his side, the Iron King no longer seemed inadequate to challenge the Lyman family. Recent public opinion even suggested that the Iron King appeared to be on par with the Lyman family.

But the truth was, they were still lacking.

"One should not underestimate the resilience of the Lyman family, which has swayed the empire for decades."

Kuhn was not swept away by the favorable public opinion. Public opinion tends to be fickle. People make superficial judgments. They are not allies. They are all bystanders. If the situation changes, they will change their stance in an instant.

He sighed. His mind was cluttered. The Red King, with whom he had spoken for the first time today, was an impressive woman.

"Smart."

Kuhn guessed that the reason the Red King summoned him at this time was both to flaunt her power and issue a warning. It was not natural to suddenly raise an issue after observing him bring flowers for a month.

If the Red King had genuinely disliked the marquis's approach to her daughter, she should have intervened early on. She had waited for the marquis's floral gifts to draw more attention. Then, calling him in to issue a warning would have a greater effect.

When today's events spread, people would be reminded anew that the Lyman family and the Red King were one. They would realize that the Iron King's opponents weren't just the Lyman family but also the Red King and the Silver King, and they would be more cautious with their words.

"Red King... her mother..."

Today's encounter confirmed it. He could not coexist with the Red King.

"Can I ask her to abandon her mother? Would she choose me over her mother?"

He slightly furrowed his brow. His stomach hurt.

The carriage came into view in the distance. The coachman stood beside it, holding a lamp. Kuhn slowed his steps. Usually, the coachman would wait sitting on the coachman’s seat. His different behavior today was a signal.

The coachman, seeing Kuhn, lowered his head. Kuhn glanced around. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

"You are late today, Marquis."

"Yes, I have kept you waiting for a long time."

"Please get in."

Kuhn’s gaze lingered on the coachman for a moment. As he pulled open the carriage door and looked inside, his eyes narrowed. Without showing any reaction, he calmly got in. The coachman outside closed the door.

"Please forgive my discourtesy in meeting you this way, Marquis."

Countess Pope was sitting inside.

"The carriage should depart. Countess."

"Yes, it would be more natural if it departed. I am on my way out of the palace anyway."

Kuhn tapped on the wall of the carriage. Soon, the carriage began to move. The roads within the royal palace were well-maintained, and smooth without even minor depressions. There was little noise while the carriage was in motion, allowing for a conversation in low voices.

"Instead of stopping by the countess’s mansion midway, it would be better to go somewhere else first and then escort you home."

"I would appreciate that."

"Have you been waiting long?"

"No, not at all."

"Shouldn’t you always have someone to assist you?"

"I sent them ahead."

"In the future, you don't have to do that. Also, please don’t wait like this. If you have any business, just let me know. I will come to you."

"Thank you for your consideration."

Even if his words were not sincere, Beth appreciated them.

"I heard you had a difficult experience today."

Kuhn laughed quietly.

"The rumors certainly travel fast."

"Her Highness is aware as well. She doesn’t show it, but she is concerned about you, Marquis."

"…Please tell her there was nothing to worry about. Did Her Highness leave any message for me?"

---

"Tell him not to bring flowers to the Silver Palace."

---

The words of the princess, “Her Highness,” lingered only in Beth’s mouth. She had seen the princess’s heavy expression when she said it. But the phrase, lacking any further explanation, was just cold.

"...No, there’s nothing."

Beth chose not to relay the message.

The carriage slowed down. It seemed they were passing through the palace gates. After moving slowly for a moment, the carriage picked up speed again.

"Marquis, it would be best not to come in the mornings anymore."

Beth spoke as if it were her own opinion.

Kuhn sighed. He had already promised the Red King, that he could no longer present flowers. He smirked bitterly. She never once came out to meet him in the end.

"Understood. If what I intended as a good gesture becomes a burden to Her Highness, I should stop."

"If you suddenly stop coming, Her Highness will feel disappointed."

Kuhn chuckled softly. Really? She’d be relieved if anything.

"Come to see Her Highness."

"Does Her Highness wish for that?"

"It’s my opinion."

After a brief expectation, Kuhn muttered inwardly, "Of course." What more did he have to do to melt that ice princess?

He felt that the saying "out of sight, out of mind" didn’t apply to him. How long would it take for his feelings to cool? The longer he went without seeing her, the more muddled feelings piled up inside him, gradually filling up and clogging his breathing.

It felt like hunger or maybe thirst. The longing would be quenched if he could meet her and hold her in his arms.

"If Her Highness does not wish for it, even if I go, she will not meet me."

"You know a way to see her without her permission, don’t you?"

Kuhn raised his head. He stared directly at the countess.

"Be careful not to be seen."

Beth saw a flicker in the marquis's otherwise indifferent eyes. Her heart pounded embarrassingly. She worried she might be blushing, but thankfully, the carriage’s interior was not bright enough to show her complexion.

"Not too often."

The marquis grinned.

"Goodness."

Beth once again felt the allure of Marquis Raad, who had turned the social scene upside down. More attractive than the marquis’s perfect credentials was the way he, having fallen in love, let his emotions show.

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