Chapter 202. Esteban’s wrath2022.01.08.
On his way home from his mission, Enrique looked up at the setting sun. Was the road to the Javier Capital mansion this long? It’s just a road, but today it was just a burden. The flower of unrequited love that I secretly bloomed the moment I confessed my heart, it withered away.
‘It hurts much more than I expected.’
It was my first love. The fresh feeling that I didn’t even know what kind of heart this was was getting deeper and deeper as the years passed, and in fact, I suffered a lot. I enjoyed exchanging letters, so I spent a lot of time thinking about what sentences to write all night long. Because of that, it was just fine to swing the sword while suffering from fatigue the next day. For no reason, I took a walk on the road that His Majesty often goes for a walk. I could count on one hand the few times I actually met him. When I saw that smiling face, all my worries seemed to disappear. It was probably after that day that Enrique, who was happy just to have him, became presumptuously greedy to see him every day. At the time when the sunset fell on the streets of Ricavelli, the small hand he reached out to himself as he was being beaten by his father. With warmth enough to bring tears to my eyes… Kung. My heart sank. In my head, someone constantly warned me. You can’t have that heart. don’t go deep There will be no turning back. However, Enrique did not have the ability to stop the emotions that surged like a tidal wave without warning. Time passed. The unrequited love went deep. Enrique already knew that Mabel’s heart was elsewhere. I just didn’t want to admit it.
‘I couldn’t have known.’
A calmness flowed between the two, as if only the two of them existed in that space. Like a quiet moment in the middle of the day, the two of them seemed comfortable only when they were together. Enrique was just a rift in the meantime. Foolishly, Enrique harbored at least a glimmer of hope. The arrogance that maybe there might be a chance for oneself. Expectations were wonderfully missed.
“Thank you Enrique. for liking me.”
“I really like Enrique too, but it will be very different from Enrique’s feelings.”
A more cruel refusal because it was kind. Knowing that rejection takes courage, Enrique laughed so that Mabel wouldn’t mind it any more. But the inside was completely burned. I thought it would be easy, but it wasn’t as cool as I thought. That’s probably…
‘because my heart isn’t finished.’
But I didn’t feel miserable. Misery would come from regret, but Enrique had no regrets about liking Mabel. Rather, Enrique was grateful to Mabel. The brilliant savior of life that will never happen again. That fact won’t change, so I’m grateful to Mabel for giving me such memories. It was a painful but precious memory of unrequited love. Enrique’s steps toward his destination began to wander before he knew it. For some reason, I could only hear the chattering voices of people passing by. It was so noisy that I wanted to be alone, but there was no place for that. Entering an alleyway, Enrique used the shade as a shield to avoid the light of the setting sun. The smile that had always been on his face had long since disappeared.
‘Because there is no one here.’
Enrique held his breath and wept as he pressed his hands to the hot tears on his cheeks that were wet before he knew it. This was the last time I cried in secret. From tomorrow, I had to return to work as an escort knight for His Majesty the Emperor. The pain is only mine. May your Majesty always be in peace.
***
Several days have passed since the announcement of Veron’s shocking successor. Oscar, who finished training for the successor, entered the palace after a long time to find Mabel. As always, Mabel was in the office. After nodding to Enrique and Aidan, who were waiting outside the office, Oscar went inside. Apparently, she knocked and entered after the attendant said, but Mabel was so absorbed in something that she didn’t even notice Oscar coming in.
“shocking. don’t let go I won’t forgive you…”
Oscar crept towards Mabel.
‘Who are you expressing your anger like that? Is he also the emperor of Devlin?’
Assuming that it was, of course, Oscar peeked at the contents of the correspondence Mabel was working hard on. [I won’t leave you alone.]
‘…?’
Just as Oscar’s mind was filled with confusion, Mabel, noticing her brother’s approach, waved.
“Come on. When did you come in?”
“Mabel, when you’re having a hard time. Why are you so angry?”
“That’s right, this perverted grandfather doesn’t cooperate with my plans.”
pervert grandpa. Oscar immediately recognized who it was. The real grandfather, the Marquis of Gardenia, was definitely not. It was the title referring to Michael Abelardo, the God King of the Holy Nation Abelardo.
“You are the only one who can call the God King that way, Mabel.”
“no. Try the Oscars too. Come on pervert! grandfather!”
“Oh no, it’s okay.”
Rejecting the burdensome offer, Oscar stood at the head of his desk in the office and watched Mabel write a letter. I wondered why he didn’t use the communication magic tool, but the question was solved. It was too far to Abelardo, so they had to communicate by letter, not the right to use communication magic tools. Oscar, who had been watching from a distance, finally couldn’t hold back his curiosity and asked.
“What the hell are you talking about with the God King?”
“Are you curious, Oscar?”
“huh.”
“You know…”
Mabel laughed like a prankster and told Oscar about the plan. As Mabel continued to speak, Oscar’s face was stained with astonishment. The sheep that had been napping on Mabel’s lap jumped down on the floor and yawned in a dainty way before becoming gigantic.
[Even I won’t listen to that ridiculous request. Isn’t that right, Oscar?]
“I see…”
However, it was obvious that if Mabel’s plan went according to plan, it would cause great upheaval throughout the continent. Oscar shook his head in disbelief and sat down on the sofa next to him, resting his chin on his chin and looking at Mabel as he passed the time. Then, suddenly, I thought of Enrique outside the door.
“By the way, Mabel.”
“huh?”
“What happened to Enrique? The fort’s expression was dark. Even if I ask, he won’t answer. You’ve been with Enrique the longest.”
“Um well…?”
If Enrique didn’t tell Oscar, it would mean he didn’t want to know, so Mabel couldn’t open her mouth.
“I must have heard what you said to the vassals again.”
“The two of you, go eat something delicious.”
Although she answered casually as usual, Mabel was actually worried about Enrique. It’s not hard to predict that you went to work pretending nothing was wrong, but in reality it won’t be. But there was not much Mabel could do. Treat Enrique as usual. so that the relationship does not become awkward. However, it was inevitable that Enrique’s sad expression at first glance made his heart ache.
***
The dungeon, which had been quiet for a while because there were no prisoners, was filled with people. Accompanied only by Lisandro, Esteban stepped on the damp basement steps of the prison.
“How are the Devlins doing?”
“Of course, the answer is silent. In case of self-destruction, I finished a body search in advance to see if there was poison in the teeth or other needles.”
“A gag?”
“What do you see me as? Of course I left it.”
“Good job Lisandro. They are the ones who will die by biting their tongues. Devlins are all poisonous.”
Esteban clenched his tongue disapprovingly and finally reached the lowest floor where Devlin’s spies were housed. The soldiers guarding the prison entrance recognized Esteban and stepped aside on their own. The smell of blood that had been wafting from coming down the stairs intensified as we headed towards the room where the prisoners were held. After passing other rooms full of moaning, Esteban’s steps came to a halt in the innermost room. It was the solitary confinement of the head of the spies.
“Open.”
At the soldier’s gesture, Esteban and Lisandro went inside. There were people who had already been battered by brutal torture. The blood was so clotted that it was impossible to tell what the original color of the clothes he was wearing and the color of his hair was.
“Wake up.”
At Esteban’s command, a soldier brought water as cold as ale and poured it on the spy. Chow-!
“Coke…!”
The spy woke up, struggling to open his swollen eyes. A soldier approached and removed the gag from his mouth.
“If Veron Arthur Devlica sent it, he would recognize my face.”
“Esteban… Nice… Whew! Er… mano!”
The spy, who spat blood in the middle, glared at Esteban with kind eyes, even though he was tired of the torture. It was a raw hostility engraved instinctively.
“Looks like you’re still alive.”
“Thanks to.”
Even in the midst of his misery, Esteban looked down and sneered at the spy who was speechless.
“I ask. What is the purpose of turning Aidan into a prince?”
“Aidan Devlica…is your Majesty’s own son…”
Esteban snorted and winked at the soldier, who noticed and moved away.
“I have no other ears to hear, so why not be honest. You know and I know that Aidan is not Baron’s son. is not it?”
“…”
The spy kept his mouth shut. There was a resolute will to not answer. Esteban didn’t expect to hear the answer to the question anyway. Instead, he asked another question.
“Is Aidan involved in the death of my wife Cianna Gardenia Ermano?”
At the sudden question, Lisandro jumped up and down.
“your majesty? What is that…!”
“Be still, Lisandro.”
In the dark, the blue eyes glowed fiercely, as if piercing a spy.
“Ha ha ha!”
He frowned in pain while still frowning. Esteban dissuaded Lisandro, who was watching, from trying to kill the spy with the sheath. pop. Laughter stopped. The spy looked up at Esteban with blurry eyes and opened his mouth.
“if there is?”
“….”
“A wonderful red-eyed dog from Devlin hid in Ermano ten years ago. It seems that the lord was offended by the guy who took off one of his arms. Seeing how he tried to destroy his most precious being.”
“…”
It was a clear voice that strangely did not struggle with pain. The one who couldn’t speak properly until just before.
“This is all I know.”
Don’t trust the words of your enemies. No matter how many times he repeated that in his head, Esteban couldn’t keep his cool. If Aidan was really the one who drove Cyana to death, then he could never have saved her life. But will Mabel really stay still? Perhaps he could never be forgiven by Young-Young’s daughter.
‘Siana. my lover. I love you more than life…’
Someone’s vague voice intervened in the gradually blurring consciousness.
“…under.”
“…”
“Your Majesty!”
“ah. …Lisandro.”
Lisandro, who took a sidelong glance at the spy who had closed his eyes before he knew it, led Esteban out of the prison. After inhaling the fresh air without the smell of blood, Lisandro looked back at Esteban with a confused face.
“What did you just hear?”
“It’s a story that even you don’t have to know about, Lisandro.”
“It doesn’t seem like a light issue. Why is Aidan-”
Esteban firmly cut off Lisandro’s question.
“Keep quiet.”
“But Your Majesty…!”
“This shouldn’t go on anyone’s ears. Even if the person who spread it is you, Lisandro, I will deal with it severely.”
“… I take orders.”
It was difficult for Lisandro to understand Esteban’s heart. To say that Aidan had something to do with the death of Her Majesty the Empress, Aidan would have been four or five years old at most. Regardless of whether he understood it or not, he did not know why he was silent.
‘He’s the type to bring Aidan in and question him.’
Lisandro predicted that the first reason why Esteban wouldn’t do that would be Mabel. Even if Esteban was secretly dealing with Aidan, Mabel would find out the truth somehow.
‘Because Aidan means more than an escort to His Majesty.’
It was the truth that Lisandro could see.
