Chapter 84

Unanswered Questions (7)

“I’m glad I met you.”

“Whatever the reason is, that’s enough.”

Arthur got up from his place and dressed as if he didn’t want to hear anything more. She felt strange when she looked at him from behind.

He has never shown his back to her since that day.

It was her who always showed her back to him. When she thought of that, her mouth was strangely bitter. What did he lose while being by her side? What did he give up on?

“What am I to you?”

It was a strange question to her, too. Despite her sudden question, he calmly buttoned his shirt.

Arthur, who turned around only after dressing up, looked at her with empty eyes again in neat attire.

“Me.”

“What?”

“I see myself.”

“How can I be you?”

“Mary, I’m here only when you’re here.”

Arthur seemed to give the same answer even if she asked again.

Coming up to her staring at her blankly, he lightly kissed her forehead and said.

“When you stop, I stop, and when you die, my time and everything stop every day. Because you’re the reason for my existence.”

“It’s an unexpected answer, but it’s not unlike you.”

“So, Mary, you shouldn’t hate me, no matter what I do.”

Arthur, who hugged her tightly enough to crush her, buried his face in her shoulder. She felt strange anxiety when she heard not to hate him, but she couldn’t say anything.

“Because that was the only way I could do it.”

“What in the world…”

“I’ll call the maid, so get ready and come out. I have to say my greetings before I go.”

It was after the trembling voice disappeared nowhere again. The slightly blurred focus was suddenly invisible.

His words sounded as if she might abandon him. Or he did something unforgivable to her.

‘Maybe it’s both.’

One, can she abandon him? No, the answer to that question was not easy to answer.

Since she has been feeling it every time, she vaguely knows that there’s something wrong, and that there’s something hidden between Arthur and her.

And the fact that the day is not far away.

The invisible string tightened her body again. Her throat was sore and she brought her hand to it, but there was nothing.

Soon after, the maid came in and she started making final preparations before her leave.

It may not be the last time in the Palace, but it was clear that she could not come for a while.

Preparations for the succession to the throne were, of course, to be made at Arthur’s castle. It was nominal medical care because her body was not completely better yet.

“When will you come back if you leave?…….”

“I’m going to keep going back and forth from now on. I just don’t stay in the Imperial palace.”

The maids who stayed in the Imperial palace knew implicitly why she stayed in Arthur’s territory.

However, they seemed to be worried about the Imperial dispute that had just begun.

Was it because of her slightly changed appearance that they had compassion for their master, or was it to stand on the side of those in power?

Whatever it was, it didn’t matter to her.

“Was it enough to get worried by you guys? Seeing you worry about useless things.”

“……!”

“Oh, never mind.”

When a cold voice flowed out of her mouth while leaving her body still, the maid, who realized that what she said was wrong, hurriedly bowed her head.

This is good. That she’s quick to catch on. It was also that she knew Mary that well. She was comfortable thanks to that.

“As long as you know.”

At the end of that, only silence flowed through the room. When the door opened, Arthur was seen. She still felt awkward with a smile, smiling at her as if he had waited.

A different expression and atmosphere than before. She was frowning at the way he hid her again.

“You must feel better all of a sudden.”

“The moment I’m with you is always good.”

“I like it, too. It’s fun to see the expression that changes every time.”

Watching him change his feelings for her from time to time felt like watching a movie. However, she decided not to pay attention because she didn’t want to match his mood.

That changes nothing.

Arthur only put a minor force on his hand, held by her words, but there was no other reaction.

“You’re here, sit down.”

Her father looked bright when he saw her. She didn’t know if he heard anything, but he looked very good overnight.

‘He was worried, but did he feel relieved after hearing about the bill?’

She sat down and looked at her father’s face. She couldn’t get a clue, so she carefully brought it up.

“You must have heard something good. I don’t think it’s because the bill was passed safely.….”

“The story is about a document that has already been organized. You did better than I thought.”

“It was a fight to win.”

Her father laughed loudly at her, talking casually as if it were natural. What makes him so happy?

The reason ‌the spoon for holding the food stopped was because of the unexpected words her father said.

“The Grand Duke said that he would come to the Imperial Palace regularly with you from now on.”

“……Really?”

She was the only one who was nervous, and neither her father nor Arthur changed their expression. There was always a reason why he readily suggested it.

Her father’s face, who could not have known this, was full of laughter.

Still, a smile spread across her lips without realizing that she had not seen him in a long time without a shadow.

Of course he had to come, but it seems she couldn’t say it was because of treatment.