Chapter 14
Drinking strong black tea in front of the fireplace was one of Count Heyrun's few pleasures.
Lately, his knees had begun aching whenever the weather turned cold, and walking through snow had become dangerous.
It made him realize that he was slowly entering old age.
"Are you planning to stay home again today?"
"Of course. I'd rather sit here with my wife and enjoy some warm black tea."
Count Heyrun laughed heartily and pulled the blanket tighter around himself.
Seeing him like that, the Countess chuckled and sat beside him.
"This winter is especially harsh. I wish spring would hurry up and arrive."
"Indeed. My dear, you've worked hard again this year."
"Hm? That's not something you usually say."
"I suppose I'm getting old. These days, I find myself wanting to enjoy even the most boring days."
Count Heyrun smiled and took a sip of tea.
Only a few years ago, he had still been fighting on the Empire's front lines.
But no one could defeat time.
"Look at me. I've already become a proper old grandfather. Hahaha."
"Oh, please. You're only fifty! You're still in your prime."
"Do you truly think so?"
"Of course! And you still have to take care of the puppy you insisted on bringing home. You have plenty left to do."
The Countess picked up the fluffy puppy sitting nearby.
"That's true. This little fellow is my responsibility too. You should help me a little, my dear. Hmm?"
"I'll think about it."
The Countess smiled beautifully.
"By the way, how is your 'Wise Retirement Plan' going?"
"So far, I've been using the weather as an excuse to visit the Imperial Palace less often. I'd say I'm halfway successful."
"Are you sure it's all right for you to avoid the palace like this? I'm a little nervous."
"I have nothing left to ask for. His Majesty knows very well how hard I've worked for the Empire. Surely he won't keep working me to death forever."
"If you say so.... I'm sure you know what you're doing."
Looking more relaxed, the Countess leaned against Heyrun's shoulder.
"When I was young, I wasn't allowed to raise a puppy. When I was in my prime, I was too busy with work. For the rest of my life, I'd like to do the things I've always wanted."
He smiled brightly, almost like a child.
Despite his reputation, Heyrun was a simple man who secretly loved warm, soft things.
However...
"Master, a letter has arrived from the Imperial Palace."
Something felt wrong.
It was probably the instinct he'd developed through years of noble life.
This was definitely the sort of feeling that meant trouble.
"Bring it here."
Heyrun put down his teacup and slowly looked over the letter.
[Imperial Princess]
"...?"
His eyes widened.
The Imperial Princess herself had sent him a letter?
Not the Empress, but the princess?
He quickly opened it and began reading.
[...Therefore, regarding Young Lord Kanter, eldest son of Duke Cartes, I would like Count Heyrun to serve as his guardian...]
Count Heyrun slowly placed the letter back on the table.
Then he rubbed his eyes.
"M-my eyesight must really be going bad. Whose what am I supposed to become...?"
With a single letter, Riena had destroyed his peaceful retirement plans.
The desk decorated with precious jewels looked more like a work of art than furniture.
Riena stared at it for a long moment.
"This is too small."
"Pardon? Ah, the desk? It's very delicate and beautiful. I thought it suited Your Highness perfectly...."
Her newly assigned aide wasn't particularly good at reading the room.
Countess Sertua jabbed him lightly in the ribs.
He immediately stopped talking.
"This suits me perfectly?"
The aide seemed unable to answer.
He glanced toward the other ladies, but they all avoided his eyes.
"I'm going to spend a lot more time sitting at a desk from now on. I don't think something this fancy and delicate will work. Don't you agree?"
"Y-yes, Your Highness! What kind of desk would you prefer?"
Riena pointed toward her bed.
The Imperial Princess's bed was enormous.
Four adult men could have comfortably lain across it with room to spare.
"Something about that size. And make it very, very sturdy."
"Then... what should we do with this desk?"
"Hmm. I'll give it to my little brother as a gift!"
Her mischievous golden eyes met Countess Sertua's.
Riena smiled sweetly.
Trinia's room was already cramped.
Now it contained two ladies-in-waiting, several maids, Trinia herself...
And a group of servants stumbling around while carrying an enormous desk.
The place was complete chaos.
"My son won't even be old enough to sit at a desk for years! Why would he need a desk?"
"Then do you intend to refuse a gift bestowed by Her Highness?"
"Oh my. Wouldn't that get you confined to your room again, like last time?"
Trinia bit her red lips and frowned deeply.
That damned gift had ruined everything before.
Even hearing the word gift was enough to make her teeth grind.
And now Riena's personally selected ladies-in-waiting were mocking her on top of that.
Her anger boiled over.
"Whose side are you on?"
"Oh? Are we dividing ourselves into sides now?"
The viscountess in particular seemed to be enjoying her new assignment far too much.
Her laughter from behind her hand was perfect for getting on Trinia's nerves.
"Um... could you please tell us where you'd like us to put this?"
The servants holding the heavy desk were trembling as they asked.
Trinia irritably pointed toward the corner.
"Put it over there!"
"Yes!"
The servants' voices boomed through the room, completely unaware of her mood.
Trinia crossed her arms and sharply turned her head away.
"Lady Trinia certainly worries a lot. Her Highness clearly adores the prince this much, so why are you complaining?"
"Ha!"
"I heard this is a one-of-a-kind desk. Her Highness truly has such a generous heart!"
As the ladies continued praising Riena, Trinia let out a hollow laugh.
She gave it because she was thinking of our prince? Please. She probably got a newer, more luxurious desk and dumped this old one on him!
She was practically snorting with rage.
Then she glanced at the clock and suddenly stopped.
A faint smile appeared on her face.
She turned back toward the desk and gently touched it.
"Still, it isn't easy for someone her age to be this generous toward a younger sibling."
"Y-younger sibling? What do you mean, younger sibling? Watch your words!"
"Her Highness calls him her little brother so often that it slipped out."
The ladies crossed their arms and turned away with snorts.
The Imperial Princess herself calls him her little brother. What are they going to do about it? I'm the one who gave birth to the princess's younger brother!
With a deep, mocking smile, Trinia stroked the desk.
"By the way, where are all these jewels from?"
"Who knows? Even we've never seen them this close before. Anyway, we should be going now."
"Oh my, is it already this late? We'll come again."
The moment their assigned time ended, the ladies stood as though they had been waiting for it.
If not for the Imperial Princess's request, none of them would ever have become Trinia's attendants in the first place.
Without the slightest hesitation, they left the room.
Trinia muttered several curses at the empty room.
Then the door slid open again.
"Have you been resting?"
"I greet Your Majesty the Emperor."
Her rose-colored eyes immediately turned soft and sorrowful.
She looked so pitiful that one might have mistaken her for a lost deer pretending to be human.
"You don't look well. Did something happen?"
At the Emperor's question, Trinia immediately gave him a bitter smile.
"It's nothing.... How was your day, Your Majesty?"
The Emperor frowned.
"Didn't I ask you first?"
His tone was firmer than expected.
Trinia paused for a moment.
Then, with perfect timing, she let out a deep sigh.
"I suppose I'm simply frustrated from spending the entire day trapped inside this room."
"That's why the Imperial Princess personally chose ladies-in-waiting to keep you company."
When Trinia looked at him with tear-filled eyes, the Emperor's expression became awkward.
How many years had it been since a woman had cried while clinging to him like this?
Perhaps when he had still been Crown Prince and told Trinia that the late Emperor wouldn't allow him to bring her into the Imperial Palace?
Or when Trinia had become pregnant with Prince Turio?
The Empress was not someone who showed tears.
Something deep in the Emperor's heart tightened.
"...Tell me. Do you dislike the ladies-in-waiting?"
"They all treat me very well...."
The Emperor pulled Trinia into his arms and stroked her back.
"Stop crying like a child and tell me what's wrong. How can I help you if you refuse to speak?"
Taking her chance, Trinia burrowed deeper into his embrace.
"Your Majesty, I don't want anything. Not gifts, not anything else.... I just want to live like this, receiving only your love. That's all I want!"
At that moment, Emperor Francio's gaze landed on the desk.
"Isn't that the Imperial Princess's desk?"
"......"
"It seems Riena gave it to you as a gift."
Instead of answering, Trinia simply nodded.
A tear rolled down her pale cheek.
"Her Highness took pity on her younger brother, separated from his mother, and gave him this gift.... But whenever I look at the desk, all I can think about is the prince...."
Trinia began crying heavily.
The Emperor, however, only stared at her with furrowed brows.
"Younger brother...?"
Although Trinia's confinement had been lifted, she was still only allowed to see the prince once a week.
She wanted to suggest that the clever Imperial Princess knew this and had deliberately used the desk to torment her.
Suppressing the corners of her lips, which threatened to curl upward, Trinia delivered what she believed would be the final blow.
"Surely Her Highness wouldn't have given me the desk if she knew the circumstances...? Hic... I want to personally give the prince Her Highness's gift, but... I can no longer do that...."
