CH 34

A woman’s laughter, scattered like beads, was heard from somewhere

Geometric shadows hung like stairs over their heads. Trees of all kinds, trimmed in ways that would never exist in nature, casted shadows as bizarre as they appeared over the visitors’ heads. 

The flower beds, which bloomed with different flowers from season to season, were covered with honeysuckle and roses, and colorful bees and butterflies took delight in the splendid meal offered by the beautiful spring. The dazzling light that shone upon them was the late afternoon sun scattered over the glass garden.

Eugène slowly moved through the groups of people walking. He welcomed the serene afternoon after a long time. A languid breeze gently caressed Eugène’s cheek as if the thought had suddenly come to mind as he walked through the garden.

“The climate of the Estina Empire is blessed. That is undoubtedly a fact.”

Prince Cyrill, walking by Eugène’s side, opened his hand and spoke in a sincere voice. The transparent sunlight embraced the pale skin that had not been exposed to light for a long time. The Prince opened and closed his hand several times as if he would grab and keep the sunlight if he could. 

Eugène looked back at Prince Cyrill with a smile. He was now strolling through the imperial family’s garden with Prince Cyrill. The beautiful spring scenery of the Saint Tefylae Garden was one of the many points of pride of the Imbert Palace.

The beauty of this place was so well-known that the Prince exclaimed, ‘What a shame!’, in response to Eugène’s confession that he hadn’t enjoyed taking walks for a while now.

“If I could, I would like to take some of this garden’s spring. Roll it up in something like a piece of cloth and move it, lay it out like a tapestry whenever you need it, and simply walk into it. Would that not be so great if possible? If I could do that, this ghastly wanderlust of mine might also disappear.”

The Prince unusually said that his wanderlust was not because he wants to see the scenery of other countries, but because ‘he hated the cold’, grumbled as if he was really disappointed and looked up at the sunny sky.

The skin of the Prince up close was really white. Though the pigment of his skin was already light, it would become transparent enough to reflect the blue veins under his skin since he rarely came under the sunlight during winter. Eugène noticed that his sharp jawline had become thinner, and looked at Prince Cyrill’s side profile with a worried look.

“… Prince, do you have any concerns of late? You seem to have become even thinner.”

Cyrill had a sensitive physical constitution in which his stomach would not digest food properly if there was something bothering him. To begin with, he didn’t like to eat, so he was on the thinner side for a Kayedivian, but he also fasted whenever one thing or another bothered him, so in the end, he wouldn’t gain weight at all.

“Either way, my head is in a muddle because of the official duties, so where would I have the mind to have any other concerns? As always, it is because of the same thing. You do not have to worry about it.” 

Prince Cyrill said nonchalantly and waved his hand. Those who didn’t know anything would have easily believed those words, but it was just upsetting to Eugène as he knew the inside story. He had an idea of what the Prince was worried about. However, he was in a position where he was unable to give any advice in regard to Cyrill’s troubles, despite being clearly aware of them.

The day before yesterday, the Prince was offered a final negotiation proposal by the Emperor. It was the best from the empire’s point of view, but from Kayediv’s point of view, it was the worst proposal that could only be considered conditional surrender.

The problem was that no matter what choice he would make, there were still challenges that could not be solved. If the negotiation proposal is not accepted, the urgent fire cannot be extinguished immediately, and if it is accepted, he must carry out a task that carried significant risks in the long run. If one had the wits, one couldn’t help but realize what the secret warships were going to be used for in a foreign country. So it would be even more difficult to make a decision.

I can see why His Majesty warned me in advance. It is truly hard to bear it even though I only have to keep my mouth shut. 

Even though he knew the inside facts, he pretended not to, so the position of the person watching from the sidelines was not so comfortable. Though he had considered himself to be fairly impartial thus far, now that he looked at it, it didn’t seem to be quite like that.

As was always the case with the scale of compassion, he kept trying to incline his emotions in the direction of his heart. After enduring such complicated feelings due to the current situation, he felt as if he understood why the Emperor specifically ordered him to show ‘more loyalty than he did to his past lover.’

“Does the Emperor treasure you?”

Prince Cyrill, as if lost in thought while walking for a while with a confused expression on his face, suddenly asked a question out of context. Eugène was struggling to contain his feelings in his own way, so when he was asked a question by Prince Cyrill, he looked back at him with a puzzled expression. 

“Qts kbeiv sbe jrx remt j atlcu jii bo j revvfc?”

“P tjnf yffc kbcvfglcu jii atlr alwf, cba jii bo j revvfc, yea P vlv cba tjnf atf alwf ab jrx. Cgf sbe gfjiis Sygblc N’r wbra ojnbglaf reypfma, jr atf mbega rjsr? P ralii mjccba wjxf tfjvr bg ajlir bo atja ojma. Ktf rabgs P tfjg jcv atf ageat P rff klat ws bkc fsfr rffw ab yf mbwqifafis vloofgfca.”

After hearing that, he was curious about Eugène now. What in the world was he doing here that rumors about him were circulating on the West Coast all the time?

“I do not know what you have heard, but it is true that His Majesty treats me well.” 

The stories between him and the Emperor were intertwined with numerous secrets and state secrets, so they could never be passed on to anyone else. Eugène had no choice but to respond in a plausible way by only wrapping the exterior properly. Prince Cyrill frowned at his vague answer. He asked again, looking at Eugène, who seldom approached the point.

“Do you think the treatment is sincere? Does it not seem like there is something else happening on the inside?”

“I am well aware that His Majesty’s favor does not come from wholly pure intentions. There is no such thing as kindness without a price.”

“Is it not too favorable to interpret the other person’s intentions in that way? I do not know why the Emperor is so ostentatiously showcasing your existence. A sudden rise in fame and success will only antagonize the public. If he truly wanted to use you with care, would he not have chosen a more sequential procedure and method rather than going along with such a boisterous revelation?” 

Prince Cyrill’s question was rather sharp, displaying that he had not been sloppily educated as a successor to the duchy. Eugène, too, once had a problem for the same reason the Prince asked. After much consideration, it was initially concluded that the Emperor’s sudden selection was due to a lack of time.

The situation within the Confederation of Five Nations was suddenly changing, so he hastily summoned Eugène to keep up with him.

However, as time passed and knowledge about the Emperor increased, he had to admit that his original view was too mediocre and fragmentary. While the reason for his sudden selection was because of the tight time, the more fundamental reason was something else.

According to the conclusions drawn by the Emperor carefully observing the process of testing him… It was just the Emperor’s style. It was one of the ways he could test people in his own way. 

“I do not know. Since each person has a different method of selecting talent. Our Majesty attaches great importance to seeing how his vassals deal with unexpected situations.”

It was not intended to be advocacy. However, Eugène had a firm belief in the Emperor’s intention to select him, if not anything else. Prince Cyrill was astonished and looked at Eugène as he spoke irrefutably with conviction. He was well aware of how cautious Eugène was under normal conditions.

“I have never seen you speak like this before. Have you decided to swear allegiance to him?”

“That is right.” 

“What a surprise. I did not expect you to choose such a person. Since, in all sincerity, Ebroin V is not a good person.”

Prince Cyrill spoke his true feelings about Ebroin V. He frankly criticized him, and blatantly revealed that he didn’t like him. Eugène involuntarily burst into laughter at the reaction of the Prince who acted like an enraged child.

“As you said, he is not an honorable man of noble character. But following him gives me the belief that someday I will be able to achieve even greater things.”

Prince Cyrill had known Eugène for a long time, and could easily see that he was being sincere. Eugène did not make promises to others easily, but once he does, he keeps them no matter what. If he stepped in with such confidence in the Emperor’s character, he would follow him to the end, no matter what happens in the middle. 

“… I envy His Majesty the Emperor. It is not easy to gain the trust of a subject like you.”

The Prince of Cyrill said bitterly as he personally liked the character of Eugène de Chastan, but also highly valued his abilities. Eugène had always considered it a joke, but Prince Cyrill’s invitation to defect to Livonia was, in fact, not entirely a joke.

He didn’t actively suggest it because he knew that he, by no means, was qualified to have him, but still, there was always such a wish in his heart.

“I apologize, Prince.” 

Eugène knew how Prince Cyrill felt to some extent, so he quietly smiled and apologized.

“Do not apologize. It makes me feel pointlessly pathetic!”

Prince Cyrill somehow felt intensely emotional, but only grumbled since he thought he would feel more pathetic if he got angry in this situation.

“Oh, ladies. Good afternoon.” 

Prince Cyrill and Eugène had not seen the people approaching from across them as they were talking to each other and noticed their presence only after the other party got quite close and turned their eyes away. The group they faced on the same path as them were three ladies who are out on a walk with their parasols.

Eugène tried to greet them with his hand on his hat as per court custom and hesitated the moment he recognized the other person, but soon greeted her again as if nothing had happened.

“Good afternoon.”

The woman who seemed the oldest among the three women answered calmly. She was Viscountess Wemmel, Countess Patrí’s older sister, and had the same eyes as the Countess. Beside her were the esteemed daughters of Count Freyr and Baron Dumont, who were also companions of Countess Patrí. 

The young daughter of Count Freyr, who Eugène remembered as the ‘lady with a puppy-like impression’, stared at Eugène with her big brown eyes wide open. Even today, the young daughter of Baron Dumont didn’t look very good and couldn’t return back the greeting, and quietly avoided his gaze with an expression imbued with melancholy.

There is no need to be cautious to that extent.

Eugène thought bitterly as he looked at his former wife, as she still seemed guilty of their divorce. He didn’t know what was going on in her mind, but he really didn’t have any particular grudge against her.

It was he who had left the young lady lonely for a long time, and even though he knew she had fallen into a trap, he could not save her. They were a couple who failed to fulfill their obligations to each other, and neither had done anything wrong to blame the other. 

However, to act like he was still acquainted with her in a place like this would only put her in a more difficult situation. After finishing off his usual nod, Eugène stepped back and resumed his walk.

Prince Cyrill didn’t exactly seem to remember Louise, but just sensed that something strange had happened, and followed Eugène with a brisk pace. The Prince was quite curious about what was going on but did not open his mouth thoughtlessly, perhaps because they were not so far away from the ladies.

How many more steps do we have to take?

“… Um- Baron Amieux.” 

Someone suddenly called his name from behind.

Pause. Eugène’s feet stopped on the spot. He quickly recognized the identity of the thin voice calling him. After a moment’s hesitation, he politely turned back to show decorum.

Louise approached him cautiously, leaving Viscountess Wemmel in her place, who turned around in bewilderment at her sudden action. The young daughter of Count Freyr, who seemed to be a little slow-witted, was at a loss halfway between, but when Viscountess Wemmel took hold of her elbow, she was relieved and remained with the Viscountess.

“Did you call, Hon Louise Dumont?” 

Eugène responded to her call with a calm and gentle demeanor. Louise tilted the large parasol over her shoulder and looked at Eugène. The small face was a perfect heart shape, but somehow it felt like only her eyes were sunken in. Was she this skinny the last time he saw her?

Eugène sensed something odd after seeing her under natural light after a long time. If she was pregnant, it wouldn’t be inadmissible if she gained weight, but she seemed thinner than before. Besides, her thin stature wasn’t on the healthy side either, rather she was brutally skinny to the point she looked sickly.

Eugène carefully concealed his surprise and thoroughly scrutinized her appearance. The skin of the young woman, which had always been lovely, had lost its vitality and had become dull. Not only was her skin rough and dry, but there were also dead skin cells that could not be easily hidden even when powdered.

Are you that emotionally distressed?  

Eugène felt sorry for her after seeing her visibly emaciated.

After all, she had not been able to get married even though it had been months since the Duke of Fernand was busy preparing for a formal engagement. She probably could not sleep at night as she would always be terrified of being caught that she was pregnant, but she must also feel completely surrounded since she was in a situation where she had to live in the court where there was no place without people’s eyes. Eugène could only imagine how troubled she was inside.

“It has been a while, Baron Amieux. Have you been well?”

She barely greeted me in a small voice as if muttering. Eugène calmly nodded and greeted her back. 

“I am doing well. Have you been well, Hon Louise Dumont?”

“I am always safe and sound since the adults around me take good care of me. Thank you for your concern.”

Louise whispered in a thin, trembling voice, as if frightened, even though she had spoken to him first. Eugène didn’t know how she gathered the courage to speak to him, but as he saw the eyes around them gathering one by one, this meeting was not of the nature to be dragged on for a long time.

“I-I heard the Baron helped the last time I fainted at the party.” 

She brought up the matter with difficulty. Eugène accepted the conversation naturally so that it was easy for her to continue.

“I remember. Come to think of it, I was unable to check up with you after moving you to the long chair. Were you okay?”

“Yes. It was mild anemia. I am not feeling well these days, so I often collapse like that. It bothered me the whole time that I could not even pay my gratitude for your help in such a difficult time. Thank you so much for always being kind to me even though there are far too many things I have done wrong.”

“Please do not mention it. I simply did what I was supposed to do as a gentleman.” 

“No, it is not. I am… I apologize. I only wanted to say that I will always be grateful.”

No matter how one looked at it, it seemed like Louise had more to say. Nevertheless, she couldn’t speak till the end and shut her mouth in the middle of it. She hesitated for a moment and took off the long glove that reached her wrist for protection against the sun and placed her hand on Eugène’s arm.

“Thank you, Baron.”