How the Abandoned Queen Made That Man Kneel - Chapter 18
The two blades collided, creating a flash-like light in the hazy dust that had risen.
The sharp metallic sound quickly crossed the training ground, and the sword Antonio was holding cracked and finally shattered.
Even the honorable title of captain of the Imperial Guard had to yield before Farnes.
“Ugh, I lost. I really can’t see any way to win.”
The captain of the guard, Antonio, looked down at his blade, which was shattered beyond recognition, and broke out in a cold sweat.
If this had been a real war, it would have undoubtedly been his neck torn to shreds instead of the sword.
“Forgive my impertinence, Your Majesty, but your movements seem excessively rough today. It’s as if you have something else on your mind.”
“……”
As always, Farnes answered with silence, accepting the towel offered by Duke Ludwig and wiping his face.
A cool breeze blew.
His shoulders, which had been rising and falling violently from the intense training, gradually settled like a calm sea after a storm.
Ludwig tilted his head.
In his 20 years of being close to the imperial family, there had never been a time when it was so difficult to gauge his mood.
Ever since the end of the last ball, what on earth has he been thinking about so intently all day?
Just as his breathing became so calm that one might think he had stopped breathing altogether, Ludwig could no longer hold back and opened his mouth.
“Your Majesty. It seems that heavy concerns are reflected in your mind.”
Farnes’ hand, holding the towel, slowly fell from his face to below his waist.
His face, quickly dried of sweat, seemed to be focused on someone elsewhere, neither staring at the near void nor looking at distant mountains.
“Ludwig.”
“Yes, Your Majesty. Please command me.”
“Find out anything you can about Shallen Riche and Rose Riche. If possible, in connection with that child Casalin.”
Ludwig skillfully hid his bewildered expression and bowed his head once more.
“Forgive me, Your Majesty, but may I ask why you are giving such an order?”
“…Casalin.”
“Pardon?”
“It wouldn’t be bad to know where the shadow cast on that child’s face comes from.”
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Unless she was suffering from paranoia, the atmosphere in the room had somehow changed when she woke up these past few mornings.
The chemise she had neatly folded the night before was very slightly disheveled.
There was warmth left on the sofa.
As if someone had visited while she was asleep.
Even when she asked the palace guards, feeling utterly uneasy, she only received the answer, “We didn’t see anyone suspicious.”
“Oh, could it be someone who harbors ill intentions towards Lady Casalin?”
When she confided in her maid Rogia that she felt like she was being watched by an invisible gaze lately, the timid girl had already begun to spread her wings of ominous imagination.
At first, she couldn’t even make eye contact, her face full of guilt, but as Casalin approached her first, showing generosity, she began to open up little by little.
Of course, they hadn’t become close friends in just a few days, but at least they had progressed to the point where they could have tea together without awkwardness.
“If that were the case, I wouldn’t be safe by now. The strangest thing is that they never touch me while I’m asleep.”
“For now, I’ll report it to the Public Security Bureau. Please be careful for the time being.”
“Thank you for your concern. I’m wondering if I should request a guard knight to be assigned.”
Casalin sighed heavily and rubbed her face, which had become noticeably rougher.
Not only was her appearance a mess due to barely sleeping out of anxiety, but her nerves, which were never particularly gentle to begin with, had become sharply on edge.
At this rate, she might break down somewhere before even returning to the Khan Kingdom.
“How about learning some basic self-defense?”
“Martial arts for a woman’s body?”
“What kind of world do we live in now? Try to find someone around you who can teach you.”
Vague faces of numerous people flashed through Casalin’s mind, but among them, not a single one could be called a friend.
All relationships were bound by pretense and self-interest.
It suddenly hit her that even after 10 years of debuting in high society, she didn’t have a single person she could open her heart to comfortably.
In the past, she would have run straight to Shallen at times like this, but…
“Unfortunately, there’s no such person.”
“Wh-why not? There’s His Majesty the Emperor, isn’t there?”
“Are you serious?”
When Casalin asked incredulously, it was Rogia who timidly tilted her head in return.
“Haven’t you heard the rumors circulating in the palace lately? Everyone’s been in an uproar since the ball…”
“What rumors?”
“They’ve all been whispering that His Majesty the Emperor has his eye on you as his next bride candidate. But that rumor… is it true?”
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After finishing tea time, as she walked across the garden, Casalin had to try quite hard to ignore the whispers of people that were seeping into her ears.
Until now, she hadn’t paid attention, but really, most of the nobles were talking about her.
Spreading nonsense like she had volunteered to be a concubine, or that she must have used a love potion.
‘His Majesty simply showed me human kindness, that’s all.’
With healthy and excellent young ladies everywhere, why would he be crazy enough to mark her as a bride candidate?
Casalin shook her head alone and naturally turned her steps.
The place where her feet, which had been hurrying somewhere, slowly came to a stop was the sword training ground on the outskirts of the imperial palace.
“His, His Majesty the Emperor practices swordsmanship at the training ground every morning. Why don’t you go and see?”
Casalin was utterly dumbfounded at herself for actually coming here after hearing Rogia’s casual remark.
What was she going to do here when she probably wouldn’t be able to meet him anyway?
She was about to turn back, thinking she should leave before others noticed her, when it happened.
“They say the late Emperor was also such a handsome man in his youth. He must take after him completely.”
“Look at that graceful and elegant figure. Doesn’t it seem like the incarnation of beauty has been reborn?”
In one corner of the training ground, young ladies who had just come of age were gathered in small groups, secretly watching Farnes.
Seeing the shy blush on their faces, Casalin hesitantly approached the railing.
Clang!
In the hazy dust, two blue-edged swords clashed with a sharp, shattering sound.
Farnes was crossing swords with the captain of the Imperial Guard, his magnificent upper body clearly exposed under the sun.
As the young ladies said, it was a sight too beautiful to put into words.
But more than that, what caught Casalin’s attention were the fruits of effort beading on Farnes’ forehead.
Even though he had already reached the highest position and enjoyed unparalleled power, he still diligently trained his body and mind every day.
Seeing that, Casalin’s heart strangely fluttered.
“I’m sorry, everyone, but you can’t do this here.”
It was then.
A guard on patrol nearby rushed over and cautioned the young ladies.
“We’ll just watch quietly. Is that not allowed either?”
“It’s not. This is His Majesty the Emperor’s private training space. Please leave now.”
“Aww.”
The young ladies couldn’t hide their disappointment.
Somehow, Casalin found herself in a situation where she was being chased away along with them.
Feeling like she had been caught peeking, Casalin belatedly blushed.
Thinking she should hurry and leave before Farnes noticed her, she was about to turn back when…
“…Casalin?”
At the familiar voice stabbing into her back, Casalin tightly closed her eyes.
A chill named shame crept like an insect from her toes to cover her entire body.
In the brief moment it took to slowly turn towards him, Casalin pondered the greatest dilemma of her life: what explanation to give.
Making that anguish meaningless, Farnes spoke.
“…What’s this. You look like you haven’t eaten in days.”
“Pardon?”
“Did something happen?”
Farnes gently grasped Casalin’s chin with his thick hand, turning it this way and that as he examined her closely.
Then, as if demanding a quick answer, he frowned crookedly.
“I asked if something happened.”
When no one else had noticed.
Even Rose and Shallen, who saw her face every day, had passed by indifferently, yet how did he notice at once?
It seemed more than just the Emperor’s characteristic quick perception; his eyes held an inexplicable concern and worry.
“How did you know?”
When Casalin asked back in bewilderment, Farnes, as if frustrated, gave her a light tap on the forehead.
It was a tap that was all show but actually didn’t hurt at all.
“Ouch!”
“As if it wasn’t enough that you were already walking around all thin and wobbly without any meat on your bones, now you show up looking like a sick patient after just a few days. How could I not notice? Really.”
“Why are you suddenly getting angry? And when have I ever wobbled? Do you think I’m an octopus or something?”
“Are you daring to talk back to the Emperor now?”
As Casalin didn’t back down easily and kept her eyes wide open, Farnes let out a chuckle as if he couldn’t believe it.
Duke Ludwig and the guard knights, who had unintentionally become spectators, were almost pale watching the two bicker.
It wasn’t because of Casalin talking back to the Emperor.
They were shocked by Farnes, who seemed to be holding back a smile as if he was having the time of his life while dealing with her.
“With that face like a sulky acorn.”
“You keep comparing me to small and insignificant things. I’ll have you know, I’m quite tall for a woman.”
“I didn’t particularly say you were small, but you’re getting worked up on your own.”
“…!”
As Casalin’s already large eyes grew even rounder and her face turned bright red, Farnes burst out laughing as if he couldn’t hold it in any longer.
It was the first time he had laughed so heartily, so the surrounding courtiers couldn’t hide their astonishment.
Especially Duke Ludwig and the captain of the Imperial Guard, who had served him for many years, had turned pale as if they had seen a ghost.
‘Why are they all reacting like that…?’
Casalin looked up at him blankly, her face still not completely free of embarrassment.
When their eyes met, he ruffled her hair roughly.
At that moment, the sunlight that had been hidden behind the clouds poured down dazzlingly, illuminating his handsome smile even more brightly.
For some reason, she couldn’t take her eyes off that sight.
“I wonder how something like this rolled into my imperial palace.”
“Pardon?”
“Just talking to myself. Don’t mind it.”
Something felt off, as if it definitely wasn’t meant as a compliment.
Casalin fiddled with the top of her head where his large hand had lingered for a while.
It would have been fine if he had stroked it a bit more.
That unconscious thought dispersed into the air on the refreshing yet sultry spring breeze.
*
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