Chapter 128

My head spun.

His words about feeling frustrated surged through me like a wave of complex emotions. I moved my parted lips slightly. I…

A hot feeling welled up inside my chest.

“I was frustrated too,” I blurted out, without time to calculate and smooth my words.

“It was complicated! I thought I was prepared, knowing you had a place to return to, but when the time actually came, I was confused…”

Trying to treat him as “Duke Ludwig” all this time wasn’t just because he deserved that respect due to his position. My instincts warned me not to keep him close like before.

Because it would hurt if we became distant.

“I guess I wasn’t ready enough. But how much time would have been enough to be fully prepared?”

When Ludwig called himself “your Roche, now more than ever,” the wall of politeness I had barely upheld crumbled. I spoke my mind in the casual tone I had used with my loyal guard, Roche, over the past few months.

Even though it wasn’t appropriate to speak to the Duke like this.

But it was Ludwig who led me to this point of breaking down.

“Your country is in crisis, and I didn’t want to stand in your way. That’s why I suppressed my feelings and didn’t show them!”

My tone grew agitated as I spoke. I struggled to control my breathing and held back tears. I wouldn’t let them fall. As an actress, I could at least manage that.

Roche looked down at me with a calm expression. But I knew. He was acting just like me. I could feel the emotional turmoil in his eyes.

“Marlena.”

I froze. It was the first time he had called me by my name. I felt heat spread to my fingertips and toes. I widened my eyes and bit my lip.

“You’re right. Someone like me usually has to put romance aside for the greater good.”

“……”

“But if I put it off, I might miss out on the person I want as a ‘human Ludwig’ forever. Should I not be allowed to have that selfish desire?”

“……”

“And my feelings…”

Ludwig gently touched the corner of my damp eyes with his fingertips.

“They’re not interfering with what we’re doing now, are they?”

“…No.”

Indeed, according to Ludwig, being open about our feelings was actually beneficial for the operation. I bit my lip, conflicted.

“Then there’s no problem, Countess.”

Ludwig concluded with certainty. I stared at him intently, desperately searching for a flaw in his logic. I wanted evidence that this was a bad idea.

But as I kept searching, a question arose within my own heart. Why was I pushing him away so much? For what?

It was because…

‘Because I’m afraid that if I let myself follow my heart, something will go wrong.’

I let out a hollow laugh.

Thinking rationally like this doesn’t seem like me at all.

What kind of person is Marlena Balthus?

She took control of the theater scene in the Arlo Kingdom, which was tightly held by a powerful figure, in less than a year. She contacted Ludwig’s subordinates to help him regain his position when he was powerless and had lost his memory.

Even now, she’s handling matters as a key player in an international operation.

Would everything fall apart just because I followed my heart a little?

Ludwig and I both know our limits and act accordingly. Why was I so hesitant and scared, pushing him away?

Ludwig said he felt frustrated. And I…

I felt the same way.

The moment all the thorns I had raised meaninglessly broke off, I hugged Ludwig tightly. Unlike on the day of the Cordelia audition, this time I was the one pulling him close. Though it was an act we had repeated many times, this kiss felt incomparably sweeter than any before. It felt as if all obstacles had vanished. Strangely.

As our lips parted, we looked at each other, breathing heavily. Ludwig gazed at me with a slightly dreamy smile. I stared back at him, as if engraving that expression into my memory.

“Now I don’t care anymore.”

I declared at last.

“You brought this upon yourself, Your Grace.”

Ludwig laughed heartily at my words, pulling me into a light, swaying embrace.

“Then it seems everything is going according to my plan.”

He could be endearing and, at times, quite infuriating. I leaned my forehead against his shoulder and sighed. Despite wanting to rub my cheeks against him, I held back because of my makeup.

As I thought about it, I let out a chuckle. The old me, who was worried about ruining things because I couldn’t control my emotions, seemed so foolish now.

“Let’s see how far we can go,” I said, finally letting go of all hesitation.

* * *

In the Arlo Royal Palace.

Karl tapped lightly on the table.

“The Duke himself appeared. Moreover, he perfectly matches the appearance of Ludwig Rohitham.”

Ludwig’s distinctive feature, his violet eyes, were like his identity card. Additionally, an investigation of those claimed to be his loyal subordinates confirmed their identities. There was enough reason to trust him.

If the person seeking help from the Arlo Kingdom truly was Ludwig, it would be in the national interest to assist him.

“The Red Crow fortifying their power in the Duchy of Rohitham cannot be ignored.”

For reasons unknown, the Red Crows’ primary target was the Arlo Kingdom. If they were to use a puppet Duke to gather strength in the background, it would be a significant threat to the country.

After completing his calculations, Karl initiated communication with the Duchy of Rohitham.

“Extend an invitation to the Duke to visit the Arlo Kingdom.”

The purpose of the invitation was to establish friendly relations.

The leisure activity for fostering these relations would be attending a performance.

Magical communication devices had the advantage of real-time conversation but were limited by distance. Therefore, ‘communication stations’ were necessary for direct communication between the leaders of different countries.

These stations were spaced apart within a range that allowed real-time communication. When the Arlo palace contacted the Rohitham Duchy, an operator at the first station received the message, relayed it to the second station’s operator, and so on. Once the communication reached the Rohitham Duchy, operators at each station repeated the messages verbatim, bridging the communication.

Thus, there was a delay between sending a message and receiving a response.

“Now, let’s see how they respond.”

Given Rudolf’s unusual reluctance to engage in external activities, Karl was unsure if the invitation would be accepted. However, according to Countess Marlena Balthus, Rudolf would certainly take the bait. There was something making him uneasy.

‘Why is this taking so long?’

Karl almost yawned as he waited. Little did he know that at that moment, Rudolf was arguing with the Red Crows’ faction at the ducal estate.

– Your Majesty, a message from the Duke.

“Oh, let’s hear it.”

– ‘I am immensely pleased by the invitation, especially to the premiere of the new play by the finest troupe in Arlo.’

“Is that all?”

– Yes.

Karl clicked his tongue in annoyance.

Well, then, should I throw a stronger bait?

‘The Duke advised me to do so.’

Karl pondered for a moment before speaking.

“There’s more to enjoy than just the play. Do you know? Recently, a mysterious young man appeared in our capital, stirring up the social scene. There are even rumors of a scandal with the troupe leader.”

That should be enough. Mentioning the violet eyes directly might backfire. Karl hoped his words would sound like idle gossip from a chatty old man.

And then he waited again. At least, having just thrown the bait, the wait was now filled with anticipation.

When would the reply come?

Staring at the magical communication device wouldn’t make the answer come any faster, but Karl did so anyway. A few minutes later:

– Your Majesty, a message from the Duke.

It came.

Karl unconsciously straightened his posture.

“Yes, what did the Duke say?”

– He is intrigued by the story of the mysterious young man. He wonders if this young man might also attend the play.

Karl couldn’t help but feel a sense of triumph.

It seems news about ‘Adonis’ has reached their ears as well.

However, the information available abroad is limited, and it would be difficult to rashly eliminate someone so conspicuous. The current heightened vigilance, due to Oscar Crestwell’s death, made it even more complicated.

Anyway, Rudolf’s reaction almost confirmed that Marlena’s claim was true.

“Tell Countess Balthus to arrange the invitation well. Perhaps a personal meeting might also be needed?”

By now, Karl was thoroughly engrossed in the intrigue of the operation. He felt slightly disappointed when the Duke declined a direct meeting.

Thus, Duke Rudolf of Rohitham decided to visit the Arlo Kingdom.

Upon hearing the news, Marlena intensified the preparations for the performance of ‘Hamlet’.

Ludwig also began contemplating the timing and method of revealing himself to Rudolf.

Meanwhile, the two of them started openly displaying their relationship. Rumors spread quickly, and Ludwig’s presence left a strong impression on the social scene.