Chapter 37

“You have not only my daughter’s looks, but her abilities and character. Holden, on the other hand, resembles the late King. Why can’t you see that?”

Adamante’s tone was full of ridicule and contempt for the late King.

“I said enough.”

Adela pursed her lips and clenched her teeth.

“Your Highness! The Kingdom is in danger. The prosperity and peace you’ve created are under threat.”

“It’s not a Kingdom that can be threatened so easily.”

Fire flashed in Adela’s eyes.

“That’s true. You built it with your own hands. So stay in that position. Have you ever considered that this is the late Queen’s wish?”

“My mother was perfect. But if she were here, she wouldn’t force me into a role I don’t want.”

“My daughter cared more for the Kingdom than anyone.”

“Yes, so she became Crown Princess even though she didn’t want to—just as you wished.”

“To become Queen of a country is the highest honor. My daughter became part of the royal family through marriage, but you are different. You have royal blood—why refuse what’s yours by right?”

“Honor? That’s only true for you, Grandfather. No matter how high the position, if you don’t want it, it’s just a painful burden.”

Adela’s tone grew more intense.

“So you’re saying my daughter suffered?”

“My mother was the perfect Queen because she was the only one who had to bear the role she didn’t want.”

“That can’t be.”

Adamante stubbornly rejected the idea.

“But it seems even my mother wasn’t enough for you. Now you’re trying to push me into a role I hate.”

“It’s the best choice for the Kingdom.”

“That’s just your personal opinion. Mother gave us a choice. I refused, Holden accepted. The Kingdom doesn’t belong to you—it belongs to the royal family.”

At Adela’s words, Adamante’s cheek twitched.

“So show respect as a subject, and be loyal to His Majesty. It is His Majesty who rules the country. Any more interference is overstepping your bounds.”

Adela stood up abruptly.

“Joy, see the Marquis out. I need to get some sleep.”

Adela turned on her heel and entered the bedroom.

She was so dazed she couldn’t remember how she’d walked there. Her body trembled so much she couldn’t make it to the bed.

Unable to walk any further, Adela sank to the floor in front of the door.

Her emotions had grown more intense while acting out the scandal. She’d laughed and enjoyed herself with Braden, and indulged in desires she hadn’t known before.

As her mask broke, the feelings she’d hidden beneath it were released. So, what hadn’t bothered her before now felt overwhelmingly painful.

Long-suppressed frustration, burdens, and sorrows she hadn’t realized she carried rose up.

“So there were side effects like this.”

Adela let out a hollow laugh.

She had never once thought about it. Why her mother had devoted herself so much to the Kingdom’s prosperity.

But talking today, she understood. Her mother had carried the burden alone for her beloved children—just as Adela did for Holden.

Unlike herself, her mother had wanted her children to be free.

Tears streamed down her face.

If only her mother were alive.

Then she would have supported Adela and her brother.

She would have been a pillar of strength.

“Hng…”

Adela bit her lip, swallowing her sobs deep in her throat.

She missed Braden.

She wished he were here to hold her trembling body tightly.

***

When the bedroom door closed, Adamante looked at Logan, Alexa, and Joy, who were scattered around the sitting room.

His gaze was sharp as a sword tip, and except for Alexa, the knight, none could meet his eyes.

“You three, come with me.”

Adamante commanded.

“I must guard Her Highness.”

Alexa lifted her chin as she spoke.

“Guard? With that body?”

Adamante sneered, looking at Alexa’s slightly rounded belly.

“I can still guard her without trouble.”

Alexa’s voice was sharp. Guarding was her duty, and she couldn’t tolerate criticism of her work.

“Well. There’s nothing proper among you lot. With such useless attendants, how could Her Highness ever make sound decisions?”

Adamante had always disliked the commoners Logan and Joy. His eyes were full of contempt as he looked at them.

“That’s enough. Just do your jobs and keep Her Highness safe.”

Adamante stormed out of the room, his attendant following.

“K*ll him.”

Anyone who tarnished Adela’s reputation wasn’t worth keeping alive.

If he died, Adela would return to the Kingdom.

Her reputation had been damaged. Action had to be taken before things got worse.

***

“What took you so long after meeting with the Princess?”

Braden asked at dinner with Shutal and Tera.

“We picked out the gift for you, Captain.”

Tera replied offhandedly.

Before marrying Shutal, Tera had met Braden in the monster hunting grounds. In private, she still called him ‘Captain’ as she had back then.

From her teens, Tera had shown a knack for business, heading to the monster hunting grounds. She bought the corpses of valuable monsters and proved herself in her merchant guild without her father’s help.

Braden was Tera’s main customer and the lifeline who protected her in dangerous hunting grounds. The same was true for Shutal. Many around Braden owed him their lives.

Thus, a group of people who respected and followed Braden began to form.

“My gift?”

Braden’s eyes sparkled.

“I heard you asked for a gift that suits you. The kind Princess agonized over it so seriously.”

“What did Adela pick?”

Braden leaned forward, curiosity written all over his body.

“What kind of gift suits you, anyway, Captain?”

Tera didn’t answer easily.

“I was just curious what Adela would choose, thinking of me. So, what did you pick?”

Braden was restless. Tera watched him with a gaze full of fascination.

“It’s no fun if you know in advance. Wait until you get the gift.”

“It’s not easy not to know, with all the fuss you made buying it.”

In Shutal’s hand was a draft of a gossip article set to go out tomorrow morning.

“Wow, the Princess really pulled off something big. Tomorrow will be wild again.”

Shutal exclaimed as he read the article.

“Are you two teaming up just to mess with me now?”

Braden felt his patience run thin and shuddered.

“If not now, when would we get to tease you like this? It’s been ages since it was this fun. You are all anxious, Captain.”

“I told you, it’s not even a spectacle.”

Shutal said.

“I thought it was just pointless fuss. Man, Liber should’ve been here for this.”

“Don’t even mention that crazy Liber.”

It was better not to deal with a genius troublemaker who hadn’t matured much and loved pranks. He was quite the exhausting presence.

“The gift was delivered to your lodgings. Hold back your curiosity for the pleasure you’ll soon receive.”

“Really?”

Braden put down his fork. He looked ready to dash out.

“Finish dinner before you go. No one’s going to steal it.”

“I’m not hungry.”

“There are things to talk about.”

Shutal’s voice, reading another report, became slightly stiff.

“Do it tomorrow.”

Soon, Braden rose from his chair.

“It’s urgent and important.”

Shutal looked up from the report.

“D*mn! Fine, talk.”

Braden slumped back into his chair.

“Marquis Adamante just parted ways with Princess Adela.”

“Thought he arrived yesterday. Met her late, then.”

“He’s a cautious man. He verified the rumors first. He’s been busy in his own way. He contacted the assassination guild. We’ll have to be careful from now on.”

“The idiots who accepted the job knowing it was the Captain are just stupid.”

Tera clicked her tongue and paused for a moment of silence.

May the would-be assassin rest in peace.

“From now on, always use the artifact for detecting poison.”

At Shutal’s words, Tera asked an out-of-the-blue question.

“Captain, did you ever get your ears pierced?”

“Why would I?”

“There’s a limited edition new detox artifact. Shaped like a piercing.”

“A piercing?”

“That’s the best. No risk of it falling off your body. As long as your ear doesn’t get cut off.”

Tera showed her left earlobe. It was a simple design with a red gem.

“Isn’t that too simple?”

Shutal eyed Tera’s earlobe carefully.

“If it stands out too much, it’ll go out of fashion.”

“The gem in the center—is that a magic stone?”

Braden was interested.

“Yes. Used to be clunky for the price, but now the processing technology for magic stones is so good, they’re as fine as jewels.”

“How about the color? Is there one that looks like sapphire? Or maybe emerald, like my eyes?”

“Since when did you care about piercing colors?”

Tera tilted her head.

“To make couple piercings with Adela. Should it be blue, green? Or swap for each other’s eye colors? I’ll take blue, Adela takes green.”

Braden was quite serious.