Chapter 16
----------------------------------------------------------------- Translator: Diva Chapter: 16 Chapter Title: A Convenient Betrothal -----------------------------------------------------------------
She glared at Senevia with eyes full of suspicion.
What was her scheme in trying to send Talia along with her? The most that child could do was annoy her with some pointless prank.
But Senevia wasn't the type to mobilize even the Emperor for such empty nonsense. There had to be something else at play.
Aila stepped forward to object in a somewhat stiff tone.
"Isn't it usually the case that a woman of the imperial family embarks on a pilgrimage right before her marriage? Why send that child at this particular time?"
"Talia might be getting married soon, too."
Senevia said lightly.
Aila furrowed her brow. She'd never heard any rumors of a marriage proposal for Talia before.
No matter that she was born out of wedlock, Talia was still a princess whose name was on the imperial family tree. She wasn't in a position to have her marriage arranged quietly. This had to be a forced excuse to include her on the trip.
As she glared at the Empress with that suspicion in her eyes, Barkas's cold voice cut in.
"How remarkably timely that the marriage has been arranged."
Even at his blatant sarcasm, Senevia didn't lose her composure.
"With celebrations coming one after another to the imperial family, it's truly fortuitous. The proposal came only recently, so there's no official engagement yet, but His Majesty and I are considering it favorably."
A mocking smile curled at Barkas's lips.
"Might you tell us who this lucky groom is?"
"You've probably heard the name at least once. It's Verdain Serian, head of Count Serian's house. He formally sent a marriage proposal just a few days ago."
Senevia said, a benevolent smile playing on her lips.
"That child has been an adult for quite some time now, so she's of marriageable age. It seemed like a decent match."
Aila swallowed a burst of incredulous laughter. Verdain Serian was one of the Empress's most ardent supporters.
Rumor had it he'd once been the lover of Duchess Taren, holding the record for the longest duration. To marry her daughter off to a man like that—what madness.
The image of Talia appearing at the banquet hall with Count Serian flashed in her mind, making her stomach churn. A mother marrying her daughter to her old lover, and a daughter going along with it—both must be insane.
"Since that's settled, hurry her preparations for the journey."
The Emperor issued the order in a firm tone, as if to end the discussion, and gestured for them to withdraw.
Barkas, who had been gazing up at his liege with an inscrutable expression, bowed his head silently and rose slowly from his seat. Then he turned and exited the audience chamber.
Aila, who had been eyeing Senevia warily, turned to him with a bewildered look. She hadn't expected Barkas to withdraw so obediently.
After paying her respects to the Emperor, she hurried after him.
"Are you really going to take Talia along like this? Her marriage is just a plausible excuse. Senevia is surely plotting something terrible."
"Probably."
He replied indifferently as he descended the stairs with heavy steps.
Aila stared blankly at his retreating back, then gathered her skirts and caught up to him quickly. Grabbing his arm, she cried out in an agitated tone.
"Is that all? Even though we don't know what the Empress will do using Talia, you're just going to take her along blindly...!"
"What would you have me do?"
The man stopped and shot her a chilling glance. Aila flinched. Only then did she realize his mood had hit rock bottom.
He had been smiling at her just an hour ago. But now he was a stranger again, looking down at her coldly. He said with a scoff.
"Do you want me to defy His Majesty's command?"
"I just..."
"He is the sovereign of this empire, and I am bound by oath to the imperial family. Obedience is the only path for me. Isn't that what you imperials have always demanded of nobles like me?"
Aila froze at his unexpectedly sharp words. The man looked down at her with impassive eyes, then turned and started walking again.
Watching his back recede without a hint of hesitation, a wave of fear crashed over her. Like when she was a little girl, Aila ran and threw her arms around his solid waist.
"I'm sorry! I was just anxious and took it out on you. So don't turn away so coldly."
The tension slowly drained from the man who stood motionless. He let out a soft sigh, turned, and embraced her in return. Then, as he had in her childhood, he gently stroked her hair and said.
"You needn't worry. No matter what plot the Empress hatches, Your Highness will come to no harm."
She looked up at his face. The man who had turned away like an outsider was once again her loyal knight. Aila felt her turbulent emotions settle back into place in an instant.
A man who could unsettle her so easily and calm her with a few careless words... In his presence, her pride, dignity, and authority as a princess meant nothing.
Even after more than a decade together, Aila clung to his cool embrace that never warmed, gazing desperately into his pale blue eyes.
What was he seeing? Those bottomless, empty eyes always seemed to wander far away.
"I swore to the late Empress that I would protect you both to the best of my ability."
He said, brushing a few strands of hair stuck to Aila's cheek behind her ear.
"I intend to keep that promise no matter what. So Your Highness has nothing to fear."
Aila studied his face for a long moment before finally nodding.
Yes, as long as he was on their side, there was nothing to worry about. Nothing at all.
* * *
After trimming her broken nail, she felt utterly empty.
How many more weeks would it take to grow long enough to dig deep into flesh again? Talia looked down at the pink nail just starting to emerge at her fingertip with impatient eyes.
The pride from wounding the Crown Prince didn't last long. Her noble brother had surely sought a priest right away and healed his hand perfectly. Meanwhile, she had lost her secret weapon, which she'd carefully tended for weeks, all for nothing.
'I wanted to use it on Aila...'
How many times had she imagined jamming her nail into those emerald eyes whenever that woman looked at Barkas?
Talia scratched at the wound from the broken nail.
The scab peeled off, and beads of blood welled up. Her nerves grew sharper. She stared at the reddening nail, then slipped her index finger into her mouth, lightly sucking the blood, and stood by the window.
Today, it was especially hard to spot Barkas. There was no reason to cling to the glass enduring the harsh sunlight anymore.
She crossed the room with heavy steps, poured cold water from a pitcher into the basin on the shelf, and lightly washed her sweat-dampened face. Then came a knock at the door. The Nurse must have brought snacks again.
Talia wiped her face with a clean linen cloth and called out indifferently.
"Come in."
But the one who entered wasn't the short, plump-limbed quarter dwarf. It was a small boy with dark reddish-brown hair tied in a high ponytail and bright green eyes shining vividly.