CH 53

"...Indeed, this information has not been passed on to you?"

Julian, who did not seem to mind Renato's intimidation, brushed his golden hair, which was darker in color than Mariabelle's, up in annoyance.

"The new fiancée has not made any progress in her education as a queen, and her chief advisors have told me that she will never be recognized as the crown prince's consort."

"We all knew that when he wanted a commoner's daughter to be his queen, didn't we?"

Renato snickered at that.

"I think Mariabelle is the same."

Even Mariabelle, who had received a good education as the daughter of the Marquess of Berkeley, had a hard time. Annette, who was a commoner, would have had an even harder time.

"But didn't Annette know how hard it would be, how did she plan to keep her true love alive?"

"Yes, that's true." Mariabelle said.

But His Royal Highness the Crown Prince did not understand that. It seemed to him that Mariabelle had managed her education very easily.

"Easy..."

Julian looked painfully at Mariabelle, who muttered in dismay.

He knew Mariabelle, who, since becoming the crown prince Edward's fiancée, had never returned to the Berkeley estate, had instead devoted herself to the queen's education.

Their father, James, once protested that Mrs. Dudley's education might be too strict.

However, as a result of the excellent Mariabelle tackling new tasks one after another, he was told that it would be all right, and he could no longer interfere.

Edward was also excellent, but once he learned one thing, he was satisfied with that.

So further knowledge inevitably became a challenge for Mariabelle.

In interpersonal relationships, Edward chose his aides based on their likes and dislikes, and Mariabelle was instructed to deal equally with those with whom she found uncomfortable.

As a result, with the exception of a few people, she was surrounded by only those who were sympathetic to the future queen.

'Always obey the crown prince.'

Obediently following Mrs. Dudley's words, which sounded like a curse, Mariabelle looked like a puppet.

'It was not that I was not heartbroken that Mariabelle, whom I passed in the royal palace, had forgotten the innocent smile of her childhood.'

'But I could not let her go and become Edward's fiancée.' Julian thought.

This was because, while the Duke of Danzel wielded immense power in the royal court, the only one who could compete with him was Mariabelle of the Marquise of Berkeley.

Edward probably did not understand the efforts of Mariabelle in the slightest.

Mariabelle also knew this, and it hurt.

Julian thought her appearance, like a wilted flower, was tragic, but he understood well that it was not his role to comfort her.

"Belle. Your efforts are not in vain. A flower that is only beautiful is of no use once it withers. I love you because you are the flower that will stand alongside me, the perfect lady who will eventually become emperor." Renato said.

Renato gently took Mariabelle's hand as if he were holding something fragile.

Looking up at Renato, Mariabelle's green eyes swayed with the flickering of the lamp.

"The flowers will wither without... water,  will you water them forever?"

"Forever, if you want."

At Renato's words, Mariabelle smiled beautifully as if a flower had finally blossomed.

Her silky golden hair, her emerald eyes, which seem to be filled with starlight, and her lips, which were wet and red, were all so lovely.

Renato couldn't resist the urge to hug her, but he restrained himself because they were in front of Julian.

Then he asked Julian a question while holding Mariabelle's hand.

"So you're telling me that the crown prince wants Mariabelle to be his concubine?"

Julian, on the other hand, was surprised to see them so close.

He had heard from James that they were on good terms, but he had not expected it to go this far.

She was suddenly married to the crown prince of the Gallerian Empire. He had thought that he must have had some sort of agenda and had chosen Mariabelle.

However, Renato in front of him was, for all intents and purposes, in love with Mariabelle.

Julian didn't know what was going on, but for the time being, he felt Renato's gaze telling him to "explain," so he decided to talk about the current state of the royal palace.

"Well... It is very difficult for me to tell His Highness the Crown Prince this, but for some reason, the royal court has decided that Mariabelle is not the official queen of the Crown Prince, but is to be married as a concubine. Please listen to me on that premise."

"What is this nonsense?"

"The royal court is almost entirely in the hands of the Duke of Danzel. The family that was on your side changed a lot during the time your father and Mariabelle were away from the royal court. The number of families that used to be on your side has dwindled considerably." Renato said.

"The fact that Mariabelle's engagement was broken off by the crown prince could be taken to mean that she lost the factional war with the Duke of Danzel."

"Nobles think of the survival of their own house first."

"That is why many of them gave up on the Berkeley family, which lost the war, and switched sides to the Duke of Danzel."

The Duke of Danzel has taken Annette, the crown prince's new fiancée, as his adopted daughter. He is an advocate, although her former status as a commoner makes it difficult for him to educate her for the Queen position. Perhaps he thinks that until his own daughter is raised, the more time it takes to educate her, the better."

"Did you know that he took the concubine who bore his daughter as his successor?"

"Did you know that?" Renato asked Julian.

"I asked the Marquis de Berkeley."

"My father went as far as..."

Julien thought for a moment and then turned to Renato.

"I understand. If my father trusts you so much, I will tell you the current situation of the kingdom."

Hearing that, Renato felt Mariabelle's body stiffen slightly, and gently pulled her delicate body closer.