NOVEL NEXT Episode 33
Episode 33
Osmund’s face hardened. Carlos gave an order to the knights.
“Take the boy and his father to the security forces to receive proper punishment. Keep my name out of it and only charge them for using weapons near the square.”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
The knights led the boy away, leaving only the two of them in the empty alley. Carlos slowly turned back to Osmund.
“I’m tired of pretending to fall for your performance.”
“I truly don’t understand why Your Majesty is acting this way. Are you planning to undermine your own authority?”
“Are you saying I should have had the child executed as punishment?”
“You certainly should have.”
Osmund insisted.
“Mercy and authority cannot coexist.”
“It sounds as though you’d prefer I become a tyrant, Duke.”
“As your loyal subject, I am simply offering counsel.”
He quickly added.
“Discussions have already begun among the nobles.”
“What discussions?”
“About whether Princess Verona is suited to be empress.”
The two men locked gazes, tension sparking between them. Carlos scoffed.
“Maybe I should make my marriage the main topic at the next court meeting?”
“This is no laughing matter. Many are opposed to raising a mere count’s daughter to the empress’s seat, regardless of her virtues.”
“And what about you, Duke? Are you opposed as well?”
“I’m not opposed, but I do agree that her status is lacking. What Your Majesty needs is legitimacy.”
Osmund spoke with the fervor of a devoted servant.
“A ruler should not be swayed by emotions, yet Your Majesty seems to be just that.”
“What can I do? I take after the previous emperor. It seems that blood truly does not lie.”
Osmund’s face stiffened momentarily.
Though he had been favored by the late emperor, surpassing the crown prince, he was still only a noble compared to Carlos.
Carlos’s words had struck deep, igniting the long-simmering inferiority buried in Osmund’s heart.
“I will make Verona Waterfall the empress, whether it pleases you or not. You have no right to interfere unless you bear the name of Clarence.”
“…”
“Now, you may take your leave. Perhaps a walk home would do you good, given your current state.”
Just then, the knights arrived with horses. Carlos mounted his steed and rode back to the palace.
Watching the unshakable emperor ride off, Osmund ground his teeth.
“Well, a formidable enemy is more entertaining, after all.”
He turned away, his black cloak embroidered with golden roses billowing behind him.
—
“Really?”
“I’m telling you, it’s true.”
Verona leaned against the bed’s headboard, still skeptical. Leti clutched his chest, exasperated.
“I saw it clearly from the balcony.”
“The duke really stayed in the banquet hall the entire time?”
“Oh, why can’t you believe me?”
Well, because there’s no one bold enough to act that way except Duke Osmund Portrey.
But Leti had no reason to lie, either.
The story she’d heard was that the person who fired the arrow was a child. Three of the neighbors confirmed that the child’s father, a hunter, had made the bow and arrow himself. Moreover, the child wasn’t the type to hurt others under anyone’s orders.
And who would have guessed the emperor would be there? Even Verona, who accompanied him, hadn’t known he’d go.
“He said it was nothing…”
But she couldn’t shake the feeling. Perhaps it was because of the wound on his face.
It had been just a slight graze, yet Carlos’s face had healed completely in less than a day.
Despite being amazed at his incredible recovery, she couldn’t stop thinking about it. How he had shown no hesitation even with an arrow possibly flying toward his back again, completely focused on protecting her without a trace of fear or surprise.
The memory kept replaying vividly in her mind, making her heart pound and giving her a dizzying sensation.
“Anyway, it was fortunate you arrived in time, Princess. We almost died.”
“Why?”
As soon as she returned in the duke’s carriage, Mary had rushed out, fussing over her and laying her down in the bedroom. Not knowing the details of the banquet’s events, Verona asked curiously.
“What happened? I thought nothing was amiss.”
“Nothing?”
Leti jumped in, exasperated.
“Do you know how hard it was for me to sit there pretending to be the emperor? Just being in the same space as that woman was mentally exhausting!”
“That woman? Mary?”
“Yes!”
“What did Mary do?”
Mary didn’t seem bothered in the slightest, so Verona was curious about why Leti was in such an uproar. Leti, looking indignant, ranted on.
“She had the nerve to ask, ‘Who would be fooled by this?’ saying the emperor wouldn’t just sit quietly in a corner!”
“Well, she’s not wrong. Carlos isn’t one to sit and yawn in the corner, like you.”
“I wasn’t sulking in a corner! I was just sitting on the sofa on the balcony with my back turned.”
Verona could almost picture Leti acting all aloof by himself.
“You were acting all high and mighty, sitting alone and letting no one near you, weren’t you?”
“…”
“So that’s why Mary said something, didn’t she?”
“But she didn’t have to sit right next to me!”
“What?”
Leti’s face flushed pink.
“She said if it looked like there was distance between the emperor and princess, nobles would assume you two had quarreled. So she planted herself right next to me!”
“And?”
“She usually acts like she’d gobble me up if she could, so having her that close gave me chills. When I told her to back off, she glared at me.”
Leti whined, complaining that she had even threatened him, saying that if he didn’t perform his role well and got found out, he’d be in big trouble.
‘Since when is a dragon such a baby?’
Even if he was a hatchling, he was powerful enough to crush an ordinary human with a single swipe of his paw. Yet here he was, intimidated by a mere maid.
“She told me if I even moved a bit, she’d make me pay! I was half afraid she’d crack that champagne glass over my head!”
Seeing Leti’s exaggerated expression, Verona cut him off, trying to contain her disbelief.
“You’re a dragon. Why are you so terrified? There’s got to be more to it…”
“Who said I was scared?”
“Stop dodging and spill it. There’s obviously something suspi—”
“Princess, Lady Merelton has come to say goodbye.”
Just as Verona was cornering Leti, Luigi entered and informed her.
“It seems the duke’s carriage is waiting outside the annex. She’s likely planning to leave the palace right after bidding you farewell.”
“Oh, today’s Olivia’s last day.”
She’d almost forgotten. Though she had heard that Olivia had submitted her resignation, she hadn’t expected her to leave the day after the party.
“What should I do? Should I just let her go?”
“Hmm, just let her in.”
Since the duke’s carriage was waiting, Olivia probably didn’t intend to linger. Formality dictated that a noble lady leaving her position as a personal maid should give a proper farewell, so Verona nodded to Luigi to let Olivia in.
‘Besides, I probably won’t see her around much after this.’
If Olivia deepened her relationship with the duke and married him, they would occasionally meet at social gatherings or parties.
But knowing her ambition and desire for success, Olivia would hardly be satisfied with just the title of duchess. She would certainly cling to her “Master of Herbal Medicine” title.
Once she entered the academy, it would take considerable time to graduate. Achieving notable results and cultivating romance with the duke would require more dedication.
‘I probably won’t run into her again until my child is born.’
Rejecting her farewell might create unnecessary tension, so it was better to deal with her briefly.
“Princess, I came to say my goodbyes.”
“Come in, Olivia.”
Olivia curtsied gracefully, lifting the hem of her olive-green dress—a far cry from the usual maid’s attire. The luxurious, expensive silk was almost too extravagant for a mere viscount’s daughter.
“The duke gave this to me as a gift for entering the academy.”
Seeing Verona’s gaze, Olivia spoke as if fully aware of her thoughts.
“I am grateful to the duke for his continued sponsorship, which made it possible for me to decide on the academy.”
“That’s wonderful. Congratulations. It must be good to study what you’ve always wanted.”
“It’s all thanks to you, Princess.”
Verona felt puzzled.
‘What exactly did I do for her to say that?’
Smiling warmly, Olivia continued.
“I learned so much as your personal maid, things that books could never teach.”
“I’m glad to hear that, but I don’t believe I’ve done much for you.”
“Oh no, Princess, you’ve taught me so much. I believe it will be invaluable for the rest of my life.”
Olivia looked directly at Verona, smiling with narrowed eyes.
“Truly, thank you. The duke also feels the same.”
“The duke?”
“Yes. He often speaks of you.”
Why would he mention me?
Verona felt puzzled. She couldn’t think of any reason Osmund would discuss her with Olivia. She wondered what exactly he had been saying.
“That’s why, from the beginning, I thought you were truly remarkable, Princess.”
Even though Olivia was smiling charmingly as she spoke, a chill ran through Verona.
She wanted to tell her plainly.
[“I have absolutely no interest in that man, so you can have him.”]