186 [186]

Karen looked at herself in the mirror. It was a splendid appearance that I had never seen in my long life. Raymond spared no money to Karen, and in addition, he was accustomed to all kinds of luxuries while playing as a pet for many older nobles, but the royal government was on a different level.

The silver dress cloth, which was carefully embroidered with gold and silver, was a revealing design, but it was a clothing that made people more tired of overwhelming splendor than sexuality.

A small diamond wrapped around the blue diamond, and its decorations wrapped not only around its neck but also its shoulders and chests. Countless jewels covered the entire dress, and the proportion of fabric and jewelry was almost the same.

Gold-crafted roses were attached to the chest and wrist, and pearl powder was lightly placed to add to the light of the clothes. Every time I move, pearl dust and gold powder fall. It was a clothing that I thought would be a lot of money if I just picked up what fell behind the dress.

The earring was also tingled with heavy jewels, and his head was covered with blue diamonds, diamonds and pearls of the same design as those wrapped around his neck and chest.

'You're going to break your neck.’

Karen thought so when she saw heavy jewelry that could be twice the size of Isela's cherished necklace. She was also criticized for being shallow because she was blatant and colorful, but compared to Prince Gwizu's taste, she was simple.

The clothes he gave me last time were also quite expensive, but they were not compared to these clothes. It gave a more intimate feeling, but it was like a commercial.

It is to inform people that this woman is the king's mistress. The splendor with such intentions has not only caught the eye, but also produced a sense of intimidation.

In his previous life, he felt rustic because his taste was old-fashioned, but after becoming such a lump of jewelry, it was not enough to discuss his taste. Without a doubt to evaluate the design, it is just a lump of jewelry.

This is not just a luxury, but a year's budget of local land.

"Whee."

Karen whistled as she looked at herself in the mirror. It wasn't enough to play and eat for life, but it was so heavy that it could not be disposed of anywhere if you ran away.

"I'm going to wear this once in my life."

"That's a good idea."

"…you're here, Your Highness."

"Yeah, I'd say it suits you, too, but…It looks pretty heavy. Can you spare me some money?"

"No, I'm happy."

"Yes."

Prince Gwiz slowly turned behind Karen, looking at her smile. It is to appreciate Tae.

"Catherine's never done this before...Even the dead ex-Queen. No woman in this country could be more expensive than you. How do you feel?"

Karen laughed.

"I think I'm being treated as expected."

Then he stroked his stomach. Karen whispered to Prince Gwiz.

"Because I'm pregnant with your child."

I'll give birth to your child. It's not Prince Louis. Your real child.

***

The first memory of Prince Louis was a summer day at the age of five.

The previous memory was so dim that it was not memorable. There was a time when I was sad that I didn't remember crawling or babbling for the first time, but that wasn't what Lewis could do.

"Come on, Lewis."

"Your Majesty! Did you see what I sent you?”

"Yes, I've seen it all."

At the age of five, it was the first day I was praised by people for writing. Even in Lewis' first memory, his grandfather was already an old man. The king, with his white eyebrows and beard, welcomed his young blood.

"Louis, did you write all these letters?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Lewis answered confidently. It was an ordinary letter asking how he was, but it was his first letter. And it was a letter that was ten lines long.

"Huh. Your nanny didn't help you, did she? Didn't the knights write it for you?"

"I used it all by myself."

"You must have had a hard time writing it."

"I like learning."

The king smiled and stroked his beard in a stiff answer.

"That's great. I see you put a lot of effort into your handwriting. Keep up the good work."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Looking at the smiling Prince Louis, the king spoke to the archbishop.

"I'm so happy that the king's son has been interested in his studies since he was such a child."

"Congratulations, Your Majesty."

"I wish the Archbishop had married and had children.”

"Huh, Your Majesty. I'm married to the Church."

Religion did not ban priests from marrying, but it was difficult for those with families to climb to high places. From the cardinal point on, they were all single, or at least had their children illegitimate. He smiled awkwardly, avoiding the king's eyes, as there were rumors that the archbishop had a illegitimate child.

"Yes, Lewis. What do you want as a prize for doing well? I'll get you whatever you want."

Lewis bowed his head and agonized, but he didn't want anything. I could already do anything I wanted to eat, see or do.

"I don't need everything because it's my grandfather's."

"Really? Sweetheart, these opportunities don't come every day."

Politically speaking, the king raised one eyebrow in an interesting way.

Don't you come every day?”

When the five-year-old boy panicked, the king realized that he had seen Lewis too politically. The old man waved his hand.

"I come every day, Am...Is there anything you want? People want to give as much as they want to receive."

"Do you want to give me a present?"

"Yes."

Prince Louis kept thinking and answering.

"Then please read the book together on the next holy day."

And the answer was very appropriate for the king's mood.

"Yeah, I'll do that. And it's a gift to keep studying hard."

It was a fountain pen made of gold. For the five-year-old Prince Louis, it was nothing more than a nice writing instrument, but the Archbishop, who noticed that it was used by the king all along, meddled with a little concern.

"Isn't it too luxurious?"

"Is it a complaint?"

"No, Your Majesty."

The king gave me a writing tool for signing. Not to his own son, but to his grandson.

The archbishop lowered his eyes and bowed his head to the young crown prince. In any case, he had known the king for more than 60 years beyond his social status. The king's feelings were understandable. Prince Gwizu's behavior was known to the archbishop.

Even a king could not have had his children his way.

"I might have to give a gift, too."

The archbishop muttered so. And soon the prince prayed for size and sincerity.

***

Prince Louis was having a very proud and happy time that day, as the king, the archbishop, the Count of Princesses and the knights of the nannies, all deliberately fussed and praised him.

It's just a little expensive, but it's exciting enough for a five-year-old. Prince Lewis was holding a fountain pen and testing the pen that the Marquis of Pancake was spinning.

The Marquis used to twirl his pen with his chin when he was bored, which seemed so cool to Prince Louis' eyes.

"Well…."

However, it was rarely successful. The pen rolled down from its unremarkable hand. Louis fell over the desk the seventh time he dropped it and rolled away. Oh, Lewis stood up to pick it up.

The pen rolled and stopped, and Louis lay prostrate to pick it up. But there was a hand that snatched it before it could reach it.

"What is this?"

He was Prince Gwiz.

Prince Louis' father. But Lewis couldn't laugh like he did to his grandfather, the king. Prince Gwiz picked up a fountain pen and looked at it. The king's name was engraved on the pen stand, which was made of gold and diamonds. Gwiz squinted at the name.

"It's--it's His Majesty's property.”

"Your Majesty has given you a compliment to congratulate you on your writing."

The nanny knelt down and bowed her head and quickly answered Prince Gwiz. Lewis couldn't get up and held the nanny's hand. The nanny's hands were shaking.

"I didn't ask you."

"I'm sorry."

Prince Gwiz made eye contact with Lewis, fiddling with a golden fountain pen. Lewis blushed a little at the sight. I felt a little strange.

"Your Majesty gave it to you as a gift."

Lewis waited for Prince Gwiz to tell him that he was also good to him and that he should continue to be honest. Or he waited for Prince Gwiz to kick and swear at him.

Strangely, Prince Gwiz looked at himself with a look that seemed likely to do both. However, Prince Gwiz gave Lewis a fountain pen with a blank face.

"You're making all the fuss.”

That was Prince Louis' first memory.

It was not particularly sad or angry. But it was especially memorable in Lewis' short life.

Even a nanny and a knight and a companion to play together cheered and encouraged Lewis to read, write, or learn, but Prince Gwiz, Prince of Wales' father, did not like it at all.

It was a few years later when he began learning royal politics that recognized that competitive relationships were prioritized over blood ties.

As he began to learn history and politics, Prince Louis realized that it was a little strange that his grandfather, the king, was not handing it over to his son at an advanced age.

And in many history, I realized that father and son are also competing for the throne. The relationship between himself and Prince Gwizu is similar.

"No, Your Grace... Deep down, I love you, King Louis."

The Marquis of Pancair said so, but he was not sure himself. Lewis just laughed bitterly at the Marquis, the godfather and his future servant.

"It's all right."

There is just that kind of relationship. A father may not love his child, may be in competition, or may rather wish to die. Some fathers may hate to grow tall and feel bad about learning letters.

"It's all right. Just go do your job."

"Your Highness."

He didn't need to know what an ordinary family was like. I knew from birth that I was in a different environment than others.

Prince Gwiz naturally learned that he had a cold eye to see him, so there was nothing to be sad about. There were so many others who loved themselves.