Chapter 1.1 – Mad Prince

She wondered if even someone who just leapt out of a fairy tale book could possibly be more beautiful than him. Shining golden hair as if gold itself had been melted and spun, skin as white and pure as snow, and deep, clear green eyes that seemed to see straight into one’s soul. Long, elegant golden eyelashes gently veiled those eyes. Even the teardrops sorrowfully clinging to those lashes. Watching him, looking so pitiful, curling up in the corner of the room as if terrified of Iana, with such a sorrowful gaze, Iana felt as if she herself were some sort of criminal.

The Empress wiped away her tears as she watched the Prince, who seemed desperate to squeeze himself even further into the corner, his body hunched as much as it could go. While Iana’s cold gaze swept over them one by one, not a single breath could be heard in the room. Untouched tea was cooling on the table, and the maids standing behind the Empress were as silent as shadows.

“When did these symptoms first appear?”

At Iana’s words, the Empress lowered the hand she had been using to wipe her tears and looked at Iana for a moment. She had thought the phrase ‘bloodless and tearless’ was only suited for a warmonger or her own husband, the Emperor, but this woman seemed as if not a single drop of blood would come out even if she were stabbed. Well, she was still human, so she must bleed. The blue blood said to belong to witches. How could she remain so unmoved when her beautiful Karl had ended up like this? Suddenly, a wave of sorrow washed over her.

When news spread that Karl had become like this, the Empire was thrown into chaos. The wise and gentle Prince. Frederick Karl Gosling, who was certain to become the next Emperor, had gone mad. Impossible. There must be some mistake. Amidst wild speculations and predictions, Karl’s condition only worsened by the day. Not only the Empire’s, but also the continent’s most renowned healers and pharmacists, and even those claiming to be spiritualists or magicians, had all visited the Imperial Palace in an attempt to cure him.

All hope had been for nothing; Karl showed not the slightest improvement. The healers and pharmacists shook their heads, calling it an unknown illness, and left. The spiritualist, after spouting nonsense about a demon’s possession, was dragged off somewhere. The magician, whether she had cast a spell or not, entered the room and then vanished without a trace. The astrologer prophesied that a noble person would appear and save Karl.

According to the somewhat famous astrologer, that noble person was clearly Iana Marseille, but the Empress was skeptical. Even if she was said to have changed now, remembering her notorious past as a villainess in society, to call her a noble person was absurd. Even the question she just asked now proved it, didn’t it? To ask since when he had shown such symptoms—how cold and heartless. Especially, there was not a trace of soft feelings like sympathy or pity in Iana’s expression as she asked, and that infuriated the Empress.

Indeed, even her appearance was far from gentle. The Empress looked at Iana’s calm face with a spiteful thought. Her serenely subdued violet eyes, lips tightly closed except when questioning, their reddish hue, and the long, jet-black hair all gave off a similarly cold impression. How could she possibly send her beloved Karl to such a woman? The very thought made her heart ache anew. The Empress spoke through her sobs.

“Lady, I know you have many grievances against Karl. But he is a patient now, could you not treat him with a little more kindness? Please, do not glare at him with such frightening eyes.”

She had never meant to glare, but Iana merely lowered her gaze quietly in response. It was a misunderstanding she often encountered, thanks to the sharp upward tilt at the corners of her eyes. Her dark, thick lashes only emphasized her sharp gaze, and the shining violet eyes between them could seem unsettling even to herself at times.

Suppressing her slight resentment, Iana spoke.

“I hold no grievances whatsoever, not even a little, against His Highness. Please, do not misunderstand. I am simply curious as to why you have called for me. What could a mere lady from Marseille possibly do?”

The claim of having no grievances was a lie. Iana—or to be precise, Alis Remaxion was a woman who held grudges, and her last words echoed what the Empress herself had said to others at the last ball Iana had attended. After speaking, Iana smiled sweetly. Her tone was plain, without a hint of sarcasm, but there was no one here who did not understand the meaning behind her words.

The Empress’s face flushed. She too remembered what she had said. How dare this impudent girl latch onto her every word? She wanted to scold her immediately, but at this moment, it was the Empress who was in need.

“I heard you are an excellent healer, Lady. And there are even rumors in Colmar that most illnesses heal themselves there.”

The Empress deliberately dragged out her words, watching Iana’s reaction.

“Rumors are always exaggerated. There’s no such place in reality. Not even in fairy tales.”

As expected, Iana was cold.

“I would like Karl to be treated in Colmar. No matter the cost, I will pay. In fact, whatever you need, I will provide it.”

The Empress, as if her throat were choked, covered her open mouth with her hand and stayed silent for a while. Then, barely regaining her composure, she continued.

“I could even grant you what you’ve always wanted. Didn’t you wish to be engaged to our Karl?”

Iana thought it was fortunate she had her head bowed. Otherwise, all her emotions would have shown. Was the idea of her engagement to Karl really so shocking as to make the Empress choke up? Iana had to steady her voice so that her sharp tone would not slip out.

“Your Majesty, people’s minds do change, do they not? I have heard that His Highness the Prince does not wish for it either. I am now mature enough to consider various circumstances and have long abandoned such absurd thoughts.”

At Iana’s words, Karl, who had been crouched all this time, lifted his head. As Iana turned her gaze toward him, sensing his stare, he drooped his head again and curled up. Iana’s cold gaze lingered on Karl’s hunched back for a while. Then she turned back to the Empress.

“I am far too lacking for His Highness Frederick Karl Gosling, who will someday lead the Empire. I sincerely apologize here for my past actions.”

Iana bent her knees slightly and gave a polite bow. So polite, in fact, that it almost felt insulting—perhaps it was just a feeling? Surely Iana Marseille would not dare such a thing, the Empress thought, but she still regarded Iana with a sour expression. She had heard the girl was only eighteen, yet facing her felt like dealing with a sly old noble.

“Th-then, tell me what it is you want, Lady.”

Iana tapped her cheek with her folded fan as she fell into thought. At the end of her gaze was Prince Karl. The man who had always despised her. Even at a ball, if their eyes met by accident, he would frown as if he had seen something filthy, not just coldly ignore her. She could guess why they wanted to bring Karl to Colmar even if she disliked the idea, but did it really have to go this far? The whole thing was just irritating.

‘What I want…’

The best thing would be for Karl not to come to Colmar at all, but that seemed impossible. There was only one way for a mere lady to refuse an order from the Empress of the Empire. Since she had been told to name her price, she would make an unreasonable demand and force them to give up.

Having finished her calculations, Iana slowly spoke.

“As you know, the distance from the duchy to Colmar is quite considerable.”

Of course it was. Colmar was originally Imperial territory. It was a forsaken land in the north, so when Iana bought it, the entire Empire had mocked her as a clueless girl.

“So, I would like to lay a railway connecting the duchy and Colmar. Of course, I will cover all the expenses myself.”

After speaking, Iana smiled brightly. As she turned her head at the piercing gaze, she saw Karl was looking at her.

What kind of lunatic reacts to every single word the other person says? So, Prince, wouldn’t it be better to either just keep pretending to be mad, or just drop the act and glare at me openly, like you used to, as if you wanted to kill me?

With that meaning in her eyes, Iana tilted her head to the side. Her eyes opened wide, filled with a mocking smile. She could see Karl frown and turn his gaze away. The nape of his neck slowly flushed red.