CH 3.04

Suddenly, Lesia sighed and said, “His Highness’ face is sooo angelic.”

Marie asked in surprise, “His Highness is beautiful? Isn’t he wearing an iron mask to hide his disfigured face?”

Until now, Marie had believed that the Crown Prince wore an iron mask to hide his scars.

“No, sometimes he goes for a walk without wearing a mask, and I swear, if you catch a glimpse of him, you’ll be amazed. He’s so beautiful.” Lesia’s face flushed slightly, as if recalling a memory.

“Truly, he looks like a work of art. If I had to choose the most beautiful person in the empire, it would undoubtedly be His Highness, rather than the Crown Princess candidates Lady Ariel and Lady Rachel.”

As a matter of fact, Lady Ariel and Lady Rachel were considered the most beautiful women in the empire.

‘No way,’ Marie thought, shaking her head inwardly. It seemed that Lesia was exaggerating.

Suddenly, question occurred to her. ‘But if he doesn’t have any scars, why does he wear a mask?’

The following day, Marie went to the Lion Palace for her night shift.

“You’ll be on duty here for the next week?”

“Yes, Miss.”

The senior maid who was exchanging shifts with her said, “Just come out at 10 o’clock and switch with the morning shift at 6 a.m. If His Highness summons you while waiting outside the office, then you must go. It shouldn’t be too difficult.” She then offered a word of caution, “There’s one thing you should keep in mind. Never, under any circumstances, should you wake His Highness if he’s asleep.”

She continued, “He has a really hard time falling asleep. So when he manages to do so, you must never disturb him.”

Marie asked in response, “Is it because of His Highness’ insomnia?”

“Yes, and it’s not just a regular insomnia. In fact, he didn’t sleep at all yesterday, and the day before that, he only slept for two hours. Even when he does manage to fall asleep, it’s often quick, as he gets waken up by nightmares.”

“…”

Marie was rendered speechless. She’d been aware of his condition, but she didn’t realize it was to that extent. ‘No wonder he sometimes look tired during the day.’ She didn’t notice it at first, but after spending the whole day by his side, she could tell.

“But what kind of nightmares does he have?”

“Well, only His Highness knows that. Anyway, do your best.”

With that, Marie began her night shift at the Lion Palace. As she sat in the waiting room under the moonlight, her mind drifted to an array of thoughts.

‘To think that the Crown Prince is suffering from chronic insomnia.’

She had always thought of him as a cold-hearted being, incapable of shedding blood or tears. However, the Crown Prince she met didn’t seem like the monster she had imagined all this time. Of course, he seemed merciless towards his enemies, but…

While she was lost in her musings, a bell in the corner of the room rang, jolting her back to reality.

‘Ah, it’s the Crown Prince’s summons.’

Marie quickly checked the bell, confirming that it’s the one connected to the office. With a sense of purpose, she made her way to the office.

“I have come in response to the summons.”

In response, the royal guard opened the door. It was late at night, so Almond had already retired to his bedchamber in the palace.

Creak.

As soon as the door swung open, Marie saw the Crown Prince seated behind his desk, his face covered by an iron mask.

“Marie?”

“Greetings, Your Highness.”

Rael, for some reason, seemed a little taken aback that she’s on duty.

“Is it your turn today?”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“I see. You must be tired.” His voice was cold as usual. But what’s this? Was it because she’d been thinking about him earlier? For some reason, she could feel a subtle ripple in her heart upon hearing him say, “You must be tired.”

“What can I help you with?”

“Ah, I’ve run out of ink. Could you bring me more ink and paper?”

With a quick glance, she noticed that he was writing a correspondence to a provincial magistrate. ‘He truly works hard.’

He had been busy all day, and yet, at this late hour, he’s still working. ‘If it’s because he couldn’t sleep, wouldn’t reviewing those documents only worsen his insomnia?’

Marie hesitated for a moment before voicing her concern, “Working late at night may have a negative impact on your health.”

He paused for a moment upon hearing her words. She worried that she might have overstepped her boundaries and offended him, but it didn’t seem to be the case. The corners of his lips, visible beneath the iron mask, subtly curved upwards.

Marie was caught off guard. Though it was faint, it was definitely a smile. It was the first time she had seen him smile.

‘He does smile, after all.’

However, the Crown Prince’s smile vanished instantly, as if it had been a figment of her imagination.

“I do want to sleep, but my mind is filled with pressing matters that keep me awake. Since I’ll be awake anyway, wouldn’t it be better to work instead?” He continued, “The more I work, the more comfortable my people will be.”

“……!”

Marie bowed her head. “I apologize for speaking out of turn. I will bring you the ink and paper now.”

She was lost in her thoughts as she looked for ink and pen in the storage room. ‘The citizens of the Eastern Empire are truly blessed to have him as a ruler.’

Yes, it now became clear to her. The Crown Prince was a wise ruler, despite his cruelty towards his enemies. No, rather, his ruthlessness in dealing with his enemies actually provided a sense of security for those under his protection.

‘If only I hadn’t been his enemy, things couldn’t have been different.’

Marie sighed, realizing the futility of dwelling on it.

“Ah, here it is.” Having found the ink and paper, Marie brought them to the Crown Prince’s office.

“I shall take my leave now. If there’s anything else you need, please summon me immediately.”

Marie bowed, ready to withdraw. However, just as she was about to leave, the Crown Prince called out to her.

“Marie.”

“Yes, Your Highness?”

“Are you going to stay up all night?”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“I see.” The Crown Prince nodded and after a brief pause, he said something unexpected. “The night air is cold. Make sure to keep yourself warm.”

“…!”

Marie’s eyes slightly widened. She was speechless for a moment, before bowing her head. “Thank you for your concern, Your Highness.”

As Marie was about to leave the office, she tentatively said, “Your Highness.”

“Yes?”

“Since it’s late at night, may I offer you a cup of tea?”

At her words, the Crown Prince raised the corners of his lips slightly. It was the same faint smile she had seen earlier. “That would be nice. Please do.”

Marie quietly prepared the tea.

Was it because she unexpectedly discovered a different side to him? Suddenly, for some reason, her mind was in turmoil.

‘Why did I offer the Crown Prince tea?’

She’s so confused.

Perhaps, his unwavering work ethic and chronic insomnia had touched her heart so deeply that she felt an urge to give him a cup of warm tea.

‘I don’t mind doing this much for him.’

She recalled the contents of her dream.

‘Tea ceremony is a practice that requires wholeheartedness, so when tea is brewed with utmost sincerity, it purifies the body and mind.’

The woman in her dream had high expertise in the art of tea ceremony. With the same tea leaves, the tea she brewed had a completely different taste that amazed everyone. It was not the result of her technical skills but rather, the sheer devotion and passion she infused into the brewing process.

‘Right, the art of brewing tea cannot be done properly without pouring one’s heart and soul into it,’ Marie thought, recalling the contents of her dream.

Gradually, just like the woman in her dream, a sense of clarity enveloped her body and mind. The inner turmoil in her chest subsided, replaced by a tranquil state of mind.

‘It’s a shame that I can’t use high-quality water*. After all, water is the essence of tea.’

Compared to the rich tradition of tea ceremonies in the East, Europe’s tea-brewing practices were simple. Steeping tea leaves in hot water was the extent of it. Because of that, they don’t store specific kinds of water for making tea.

‘It can’t be helped. The most important thing lies in the brewing process itself, rather than the specific type of water. It shouldn’t be brewed at too high or too low a temperature, nor should it be brewed for too short or too long a duration, as it significantly influences the taste.’

To produce a tea of superior quality, one must achieve a harmonious and balanced infusion, tailored to the specific kind of tea leaves.

That’s why tea ceremony is regarded as an art form.

Drip, drip.

Under the soft moonlight, the water came to a boil. By observing the amount of bubbles forming on the water’s surface and listening to its sound, Marie gauge the temperature. She became fully absorbed in that moment, letting go of any wandering thoughts in her mind.

She brewed the tea with all her heart, aiming to achieve a harmonious blend of its color, aroma, and taste.

As the tea finished brewing, Marie carefully poured the tea into a teacup and made her way to the Crown Prince’s office.

“What’s this?”

“I brewed it with tea leaves brought by Arab merchants from the East.”

The crown prince’s expression became surprised as its aroma wafted through the air. “I always drink this tea, but today, the aroma seems a lot richer. Did you use special spices?”

Marie shook her head. Mixing other flavors would spoil the taste of tea. The deep aroma comes from brewing the tea for a longer time and at a slightly lower temperature, which was most suitable for that particular kind of tea.

“I tried a slightly different method. I hope it suits Your Highness’s taste.”

“Thank you “

As soon as the Crown Prince brought the teacup to his lips, his eyes widened. The taste that enveloped his tastebuds was light and pure, unlike anything he had ever drank before. Even though it was the same type of tea he’d always drank before, it was incomparable in its richness and purity.

“This… is remarkable. It tastes like when an envoy from the East brewed tea for me. Did you brew it yourself?”

“You flatter me, Your Highness. I’m glad it suits your taste.”

The Crown Prince then sent a look of genuine admiration to Marie, who simply bowed her head.

Aside from her musical, culinary, and deductive reasoning skills, her expertise in tea ceremony was also exceptional. The more he got to know her, the more he discovered her countless abilities.

‘She’s truly amazing.’

The Crown Prince said in a low voice, “Thank you for serving me such fine tea.”

“No, it’s still lacking, but I appreciate your kind words.”

“No, it’s not lacking. By the way, Marie…” Rael called her name with a serious tone, causing Mari to look puzzled.

“Yes, Your Highness?”

“There’s no need to be afraid.”

Marie’s eyes widened. “What… do you mean?”

Marie became speechless as he calmly continued, “I’ve been observing you these past few days, and it seems like you’re quite afraid of me. I don’t harbor any ill will towards you, so there’s no need to be so frightened.”

“…”

“Don’t feel burdened. If you have other abilities, use them for me and for the people of this empire. If you’re concerned about the others’ scrutiny, don’t worry, I will protect you from them.”

Upon hearing the Crown Prince’s words, Marie bit her lip.