Chapter 5 – Adaptation (Part 14)

In the main palace’s private reception room, Queen Agnes, Princess Karinsa, and King Clois were having afternoon tea. King Clois opened his mouth again to persuade his younger sister.

“Karinsa, I understand your feelings, but if you go to the Administrative Palace recklessly like today, won’t it paralyze the state’s affairs? If you really want to, wait outside until the court meeting ends to see him.”

“But we can’t properly sit down and spend time together that way. At best, we’ll just exchange greetings in passing. Brother, you really don’t understand.”

At Karinsa’s retort, King Clois sighed.

“Princess Karinsa, won’t you have a new interest in a few months? Besides, the Duke is currently engaged, so if you approach too closely, it won’t be good for either of you.”

Despite Queen Agnes’s gentle advice, Karinsa remained unusually firm.

“No, this time is different. My feelings won’t change even after a few months.”

“You always say that. Think about the people swayed by your whims.”

“This time it’s really different. Of course, Cassius is tall, handsome, and has an aura of melancholy while being consistent and not speaking frivolously. He’s such a wonderful person. It’s true I fell for him because of that, but that’s not the only reason I want to marry the Duke.”

“How can you talk about marriage with feelings that will change in a few months?”

“If you and Sister-in-law suddenly disappear like Mother and Father did one day, who in this royal family will protect me then?”

King and Queen’s faces hardened at the unexpected question from Princess Karinsa.

“Karinsa! If it weren’t you, such words would be close to treason. What on earth are you thinking?”

Clois scolded her, but Karinsa remained resolute.

“Everyone in this palace thinks I’m just a child, so they’re busy catering to my feelings, and I’ve behaved accordingly. And perhaps that’s right. I’m just a naive princess with no power or knowledge. If… something happened to both of you, how many people in this Kingdom would purely protect someone like me?”

Even seeing King Clois’s face turn pale, Karinsa continued speaking.

“Earl Kumaran? Marquis Orga? Or other ministers? They all tried to shake you when Father passed away. At that time, only the Grendel household firmly supported you, Brother Clois.”

Queen Agnes, too, forgot to maintain her usual dignified composure and couldn’t close her mouth at Princess Karinsa’s unusual demeanor.

“I will eventually get married and leave the palace. But I don’t want to go to a distant foreign country where everything is unfamiliar and I know no one. Nor do I want to marry into a noble family obsessed with aligning with the royal family. Is there anyone besides Cassius who can protect me for who I am, without any ulterior motives, and remain loyal to the royal family and me until the end?”

When Princess Karinsa, whom they thought was just whimsically demanding as usual, listed her reasons for choosing Duke Grendel, King Clois was left speechless.

“But Princess, no matter how loyal Duke Grendel is to the royal family, His Majesty cannot force him into marriage. Even if ordered, he might reluctantly comply, but he would never become a loving husband to you. Do you want a marriage without affection?”

Queen Agnes’s words brought King Clois back to his senses, and he chimed in.

“Yes, yes. You’ve heard the rumors about the late Duke Grendel, haven’t you? He practically imprisoned his wife at home and gave her no affection, leading her to fall in love with a portrait artist and be confined to a country villa. Despite that, the late Duke was rumored to have mistresses everywhere without batting an eye.”

Clois gulped down his cold tea to clear his throat and continued.

“Cassius isn’t the type to give affection to anyone either, and if you become lonely, you’ll soon fall for someone else. Even if you’re a princess, once you become the mistress of the Ducal household, this brother of yours can’t solve everything you might face there.”

Queen Agnes, who had been listening anxiously, also joined in.

“Yes, Princess. Above all, the Duke is already engaged. The Grendel family values honor, so would they want to break off an engagement without the other party’s fault? You know well how upright his character is.”

However, Karinsa was not easily swayed.

“At lunch, Cassius and the daughter of the quasi-baron Serenze seemed to have a very business-like relationship. If he’s not the type to easily give affection to someone, he probably doesn’t have any for his current fiancée either. As long as there’s a justification, breaking the engagement shouldn’t be a problem.”

Listening to Karinsa’s words, Clois rubbed his forehead.

“Still, no. Unless Cassius develops feelings for you and proposes, I will never command him to marry you. This is for both you and the Duke!”

“Oh, come on, Brother. Of course, I don’t want that either. If I marry because of a royal command, what would that do to my dignity?”

Clois fell silent for a moment at the Princess’s words. He had expected her to beg him to command it, but her unexpected reaction caught him off guard. Seeing his expression, Princess Karinsa laughed softly.

“Just give me the opportunity to win Cassius’s heart. You can do that much, right? If you don’t create opportunities as I ask, I’ll visit the Administrative Palace every day!”

With these words, Princess Karinsa left the reception room like the wind. Clois stared blankly at the door through which his sister had exited.

“When did she become such a scheming adult?”

“She’s not so young anymore. She’s a year older than Miss Serenze, who is marrying the Duke. While she may not be a complete adult, she’s no longer a child.”

“I knew she would eventually get married and leave this palace, but I didn’t expect it to happen so soon. Moreover, I didn’t realize she felt so insecure about her position… It seems I didn’t pay enough attention back then…”

“At that time, Your Majesty, you were suddenly burdened with stabilizing the country and had no time to think of anything else. Your own position was precarious as well. Though the Princess struggled then, she’s healthy now and has grown up well. She doesn’t blame you, Your Majesty.”

Clois recalled how, after the sudden death of his mother, the late Queen, his father passed away shortly after, as if following her. They were days he couldn’t forget, even if he wanted to.

The late Queen was a distant relative of the southern royal family, known for its rugged mountainous regions. True to her origins, she enjoyed vigorous activities. The ministers worried that her lively nature might not suit the serious King, but contrary to their concerns, the couple was very affectionate.

Before Karinsa reached adulthood, there was an unprecedented heavy rain that severely affected the southern country. Facing floods and famines, the southern country sought help from surrounding nations.

Clois’s mother, the late Queen, was well aware of the southern royal family’s incompetence and couldn’t ignore the plight of her native country’s people. Thus, she headed there as a diplomatic envoy along with relief supplies.

‘Did she really have to go personally for the relief efforts…?’

The late Queen personally surveyed the affected areas and distributed the supplies brought from Brunchia, caring for the disaster victims, but she was caught in a massive landslide and died.

The late King, after seeing the Queen’s remains returned from the south, nearly stopped eating and neglected his health, immersing himself in state affairs like a madman, eventually falling ill and passing away within days.

Reflecting on those times, Clois, lost in sorrow, found solace in Queen Agnes’s embrace, who gently patted his back.

“If only their relationship hadn’t been so good, maybe Father wouldn’t have passed away like that too.”

“If that were the case, both you and the Princess would have grown up ignorant of love, leading a superficial life like other royals or nobles. Living a life in the palace filled only with a sense of duty.”

King Clois sighed.

“Yes. Having seen their genuine love, I hoped Karinsa would also have such a marriage…”

“Are you considering marriage to Duke Grendel?”

“Realistically, how often can a princess marry someone she loves? I always hoped she would choose safety over love, but now there seems to be someone who satisfies both. The Duke has also parroted his desire for a match that doesn’t threaten the royal family. If Cassius shows even a hint of interest, it might be worth considering.”

Agnes understood Clois’s feelings. The two, deep in thought, embraced each other and pondered.