Chapter 11
I felt an uneasy anxiety that everything was about to be ruined. A fire burned inside me. My stomach churned.
I knew that someday I would have no choice but to face Duke Rector face-to-face. But the shock of actually meeting him was beyond my imagination.
However, nothing had happened yet.
Nothing at all.
It was humiliating, but for now, I had to wait.
“I am Patrick, the Chief Chamberlain of Abel Palace. I will guide you to your rooms.”
Patrick, the Chief Chamberlain who had led us to the audience chamber, approached with a kind smile.
I swallowed my anger, took Keith’s hand, and followed after him.
Patrick walked at a moderate pace, neither too slow nor too fast, explaining as he went.
“His Majesty has converted one of the drawing-rooms into a bedchamber for you all. During the custody hearing period, the four of you will…”
“Well, well. If it isn’t my nephew-in-law and the father candidates.”
An unwelcome person cut Patrick off mid-sentence.
A feeling of despair washed over me.
*’Haah, of all times, I really didn’t want to see them right now.’*
Juliana Patelier and Etienne Patelier.
The two people responsible for my misfortune were blocking our path. Even without acknowledging them, I couldn’t help but notice them, looking as tacky and garish as ever.
*’What on earth are they wearing?’*
Juliana wore a heavy, wide-brimmed hat and a gaudy striped dress, while Etienne was clad in a jacket with shoulder pads as big as his head and pumpkin-colored trousers.
They looked like costumes for classical stage actors.
Unless they had deliberately dressed to look ridiculous, no one would dare enter the imperial palace in such attire.
“His Majesty has given us rooms. Do you know how hard it is to get a room in the imperial palace?”
What he said was true, but since everyone involved in this matter had been assigned rooms, it wasn’t that impressive.
The target of Etienne’s arrogant remark was me.
Did he think I was the easiest to pick on?
“I don’t see what’s so important about the custody of some insignificant brat to cause all this fuss.”
A voice full of contempt was directed at me. Even dressed to the nines, he seemed to have no intention of hiding his disdain.
Etienne’s gaze swept over Albert and Keith, then he glanced at me with a look of disgust.
“Getting undeserved treatment must have made you forget your lowly birth, you bastard child?”
Etienne grinned maliciously and showed me his clenched fist. I almost flinched reflexively, but I forced myself to hold still. Instead, I bit my lower lip tightly.
How many times had I been hit by those hands in my past life? I’d tried to count once, but I’d forgotten. The memories of the past stabbed at me, painfully.
“You can’t help inherited baseness, can you?”
Juliana clicked her tongue and added a remark.
It felt like the Patelier couple was testing just how far they could ruin my mood.
*’Meeting Rector was already more than enough to handle!’*
I couldn’t take it anymore.
I tensed my leg, ready to kick out and bite Etienne’s shin.
Just then.
“Restrain yourselves.”
Lef stepped between them and me, mediating the situation. With his nearly two-meter tall, imposing frame blocking the way, Etienne looked utterly tiny.
Etienne, who had raised his fist at me, glared at Lef with displeasure. However, upon seeing the body of a trained soldier, his momentum visibly deflated, and meeting Lef’s icy gaze, he trembled like a frightened dog.
“Yellow eyes…? The… Imperial Family!”
“If you wish to use status to suppress others, I’ll oblige. I am Lef Romanov, nephew of the Emperor and Guardian of the North. Dare you wield violence before His Majesty?”
His tone was calm, but every word was laced with contempt.
As he pointed out, in terms of social hierarchy, the Patelier couple were far beneath Lef.
With just a flick of Lef’s finger, the Patelier couple’s heads could be sent flying.
Etienne’s fist slowly lowered.
A frantic Juliana pushed her husband aside and stepped in. Then, with exaggerated gestures, she pretended to scold Etienne.
“Oh, honestly! This man always acts exactly as he thinks!”
“This is the imperial palace. Maintain your dignity.”
“My apologies, Duke Romanov.”
“Hmph! It’s time for the audience with His Majesty already.”
Etienne suddenly pulled out a pocket watch, backed away, and tugged at Juliana’s arm. It was obvious where he’d gotten that idea.
“Juliana. If we stay here any longer, our dignity will suffer. Let’s go.”
Though it was meant to be a whisper, his voice was loud. The two barely managed a bow toward Lef and scurried away in a panic.
It was comical to see them flee, wiggling their backsides in their ridiculous outfits.
“What despicable people.”
Lef muttered, glaring at the Patelier couple’s retreating backs.
His intervention was unexpected.
Though he was a party to the custody issue, he had been quiet except for when dealing with the monsters in the forest.
It must have been out of his utmost loyalty to the Emperor. It certainly didn’t seem like he liked me.
I mulled over Lef’s assessment of the Patelier couple.
Despicable people.
It truly made my blood curdle.
Combined with the encounter with Duke Rector, my mind was in turmoil.
As long as those people interfered in my life, I would never be free.
—
***
“You will feel better once you see your room. We’ve converted a drawing-room that the late Emperor enjoyed using.”
For Patrick, who saw all kinds of people in Abel Palace, the Patelier couple didn’t even register as a blip on his radar.
As if to console our downcast spirits, he cheerfully explained and led us to the east wing of Abel Palace.
“You four will be staying together during the custody hearing period.”
The most surprised by this was Albert.
“Four of us in one room?”
“Yes, that is correct.”
Before Albert could say anything more, Patrick stopped in front of a door ornately carved with vibrant patterns.
Having completed his guidance, Patrick gave a formal bow.
“If you need anything, please tell your assigned attendants. Or you may tell me directly. Meals and snacks will be prepared at the same time each day. If you have any requests, please let us know.”
After finishing, Patrick took his leave, and we entered the room.
The panoramic view of the spacious room, converted from a drawing-room, unfolded before our eyes.
A genuine exclamation of admiration escaped me.
“Wow, it’s amazing!”
Luxurious gold wallpaper, a marble fireplace with sofas enough for each person, and a large mahogany desk beneath the wall where a portrait of the late Emperor hungāall were in harmony.
The fireplace, the carpet, the shelvesāeverything in the room was dazzlingly splendid. It was incomparable to the rotten little closet I’d lived in my entire life.
Even the place we just saw was the drawing-room; further inside was the bedchamber. In that converted drawing-room, four adult-sized beds and four wardrobes faced each other in pairs.
Simple daily necessities were placed on each bed.
I cheerfully ran into the room, took off my shoes, and climbed onto the bed I wanted to use.
“I’ll take this one!”
Immediately, Keith jumped onto the bed next to mine.
“Then my spot is here!”
Albert’s gaze, watching me and Keith bounce on the mattresses, was cold.
“Keith, shouldn’t you decide Dafne’s bedside spot with some maturity and mutual agreement?”
“No way, staking your claim is a skill too.”
Keith looked at Albert as if he were pitiful and spouted illogical nonsense. That’s totally arbitrary! I couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity.
“Heh!”
Realizing that conversation wasn’t getting through, Albert sighed. Then he chose the bed facing mine. Lef quietly observed us before naturally sitting on the remaining bed that was his share.
“Peep!”
Oddrey, who had been holding her breath in my pocket, poked her head out. I took out the discontentedly chirping baby bird and placed her on the bed.
Clap, clap.
Albert clapped his hands to get our attention.
“We don’t have much time, so please pay attention, everyone.”
His tone was surprisingly serious, unlike when he was bickering with Keith.
Lef’s gaze turned to Albert, while Keith remained lying on the bed, only turning his body.
“His Majesty has pushed us all into one room. What do you think that means?”
Lef remained silent, as if he understood, while Keith waved his hand and answered.
“Well, didn’t you say he’d be wary of political reasons?”
“Exactly that. His Majesty wouldn’t have converted the late Emperor’s drawing-room just for amusement.”
“But then, wouldn’t it have been better to put us in separate rooms?”
“He’s setting the stage. That way, it’s easier to catch us if something actually happens.”
Despite his notoriety, the Emperor didn’t seem like a rigid perfectionist. He was more the type who smiled and laughed easily but still commanded authority.
But as the Emperor ruling the empire, he had to be calculating, even in small matters.
“Many people come and go in Abel Palace. It’s where His Majesty conducts state affairs and spends most of his time. Now all sorts of people will try to get involved in this matter.”
“Oh, I’d rather pass on that.”
“The longer this takes, the more His Majesty’s interest will turn into suspicion, and the more likely the Patelier couple will gain custody. And most importantly…”
Albert trailed off hesitantly and looked at me with a regretful expression.
“What is it?”
Lef, who had been listening silently, responded.
Albert averted his gaze from me, looked at the two men in turn, and muttered gravely.
“This matter will not reflect well on any of our reputations.”
