“Prince, the nature of the Etruscan land is truly beautiful!”

When the Prince and the personnel of the Prince’s palace were resting, having set up a portable table and chairs in the open space next to the forest where they had stopped for a break during the move, Lady Rariesa, who got off her carriage, approached the gathering of the Prince’s palace’s personnel and spoke as if it was a matter of course.

It was as if she believed the Etruscan land was her future territory to rule as a queen, and that the prince was her future spouse, therefore Prince Alfonso should rightfully accept her.

Prince Alfonso, with an indifferent face, adhered to perfect etiquette without any error, and prepared a seat for Lady Rariesa by pulling the chair in front of him.

“Please, have a seat, Lady.”

Rariesa confidently sat in the chair Alfonso had pulled out for her. She no longer made an effort to speak Etruscan.

Instead, she made an odd effort. Whenever there was time, she would come to Alfonso and sit close to him and spoke incessantly.

“Is the southern star palace beautiful?”

“It is just a small palace for the winter. It may not be to your liking, so it would be better not to expect too much.”

Alfonso had praised the beauty of the southern star palace to Ariadne before, but he didn’t want to do so to Rariesa.

He didn’t want to please her by telling her a good story, and he was even less interested in showing off what he had.

Moreover, he worried that if he rashly said the southern star palace was beautiful, and the picky Rariesa was disappointed when she saw the real thing, he would have to console her somehow, which would be a headache.

Alfonso mechanically handed over tea and black tea to Rariesa who was seated. It was the typical escort manner a host and a fiance would show towards a guest and his fiancee. But Rariesa interpreted this differently.

“You remember whether I put milk first or pour the tea first! I’m so happy.”

Rariesa smiled brightly looking at Alfonso. The strange feeling she gave off, reacting overly joyous as if she was a child despite her mature features, was peculiar.

Why does she so strongly believe that I would be pleased by her signs of affection?

Ever since the masquerade, Rariesa acted as if two incidents from that day never happened the fact she lied about being accepted into Prie de Montpellier and her running into the garden.

Instead, she excessively clung to Alfonso and was excessively kind. It was as if she thought she could offset her mistakes by being kind.

‘Let’s act as if I didn’t make a mistake because I bowed to you and was kind. We are to be bound in the end. I will tolerate you for once. So, you should also be kind to me.’

Alfonso smiled along with Rariesa’s emotions. But his eyes were not smiling.

“Lady, your comfort is indeed my pleasure.”

Rariesa seemed oblivious to Alfonso’s expressionless sweet words. She responded to him without any hesitation.

“It’s like magic how you know what I like and dislike. It must be proof that we are fated.”

The weather was getting colder, and Alfonso’s heart was freezing over, following the season. The verdant foliage, the hot summer, the hydrangeas of midsummer, and the girl with dazzling green eyes seemed like a summer shower recalled in midwinter.

Recalling the happiness that could not be obtained, that would not return, hurt his heart a lot.

However, he was the father of all people, and he had his part to do for his people. Sacrifice. Suffering. Love for all people. For these, he had to set aside personal love.

That was the right thing.

The autumn of 1122 was bountiful, and the following winter was bonechilling cold. It was the same as in her previous life. Ariadne busied herself so that she would not be consumed by stray thoughts.

Despite the unprecedented event of the promised prince’s invitation not arriving, Ariadne was able to maintain her composure purely because she knew what was going to happen in the future.

If only one event of 1122 had to be selected, it would be the declaration of Asereto’s apostle as a heretic. In comparison, the definitive event of 1123 was the assassination of Queen Marguerite.

“Oh, it was such a mess.”

It was also the event that made Isabella the princess.

Right after Ariadne and Cesare got engaged, Rubina, the Countess who became her motherinlaw, committed a daring act.

She poisoned Queen Marguerite’s wine.

The Queen who drank the aperitif containing poison at the banquet hall died that very evening.

Countess Rubina claimed that she did not poison the queen, but a kind of arsenic, known as Salvarsan, was found at her residence. No one believed in the Countess Rubina’s innocence and she was immediately imprisoned.

After being investigated and tried, the Countess was quickly executed.

It was a big deal for a mere royal government to assassinate the mother of the nation, the queen, but an even bigger problem followed.