My Sweet Deceiver - Chapter 65

Elliot jumped to his feet at the news that the leader of the protest had been caught.

 

“Really? Where is he?”

 

“He’s in convoy now.”

 

“I will interrogate myself.”

 

Elliot got up, and Philippe got up too.

 

“…I’ll just go there too, Your Majesty.”

 

“Yes, yes, yes. You have to go.”

 

Elliot was in a hurry to go to the interrogation, so he didn’t even get a proper greeting from Philippe.

 

Philippe bowed and left Elliot’s tea room.

 

Elliot dressed up in his coat and headed to the prison where the prisoner was to be interrogated.

 

According to the original plan, the ringleader was to be sent to the capital’s prison. However, he was being escorted to the royal prison because Elliot decided to interrogate him.

 

Of course, the prison guards were in a state of emergency.

 

There was even a minor disturbance.

 

It was because the nonsensical claims collided with each other.

 

Some said the King would directly interrogate the ringleader so that the criminal should be made to look like a criminal in advance, and some said that the King would directly interrogate the ringleader and should look neat.

 

The majority supported that it was all a plan to make the mastermind look like a criminal.

 

The prison guards hurriedly assaulted the ringleader to such an extent that they could not recognize his original appearance and then tore all his clothes.

 

The ringleader’s face changed into an ugly look in an instant.

 

The guards looked at the result with satisfied faces.

 

Then Elliot appeared in prison.

 

Elliot, who immediately frowned at the ringleader’s face, soon put on a satisfied expression.

 

The prison guards called for joy inwardly.

 

It was because the expectations were correct.

 

Elliot sat on a soft chair in front of the ringleader, who was tightly bound.

 

Due to the indiscriminate assault by prison guards, the ringleader was already in a state of confusion.

 

Elliot, who saw the instigator’s appearance, spoke indifferently.

 

“It doesn’t look like much. I thought he was a great person because he organized the protest.”

 

Then he clicked his tongue.

 

The prison guard came next to Elliot and recited the identity of the ringleader.

 

“Yes, he is the one. He is a commoner who lives in the capital city. He was given the title of a Baron, but since it was not a hereditary title, it is said that he worked as a butcher at the market. In the market, he seemed to be struggling. We figured out that he has quite a lot of assets.”

 

Elliot clicked his tongue.

 

“That’s pathetic. If you had tried harder, you would have received a hereditary title. Assets? How many assets do commoners have?”

 

Elliott was surprised when the prison warden whispered the details of the ringleader’s assets in a small whisper.

 

It was because the scale of assets was comparable to that of an aristocrat.

 

“A commoner with that much wealth? Did you say you were sick when the tax rate was raised? It’s ridiculous. Forfeit all the assets of interest. And I can’t just let you go. Or why would I have asked them to bring you to me?”

 

Elliot laughed grimly.

 

“I can’t forgive the person who made me suffer. To make me come to Lubern in the middle of winter. Shouldn’t you suffer as much as I suffered?”

 

With the King’s permission, the torture of the ringleader began.

 

Screams that continued intermittently resonated eerily along with the wind.

 

The screams of pain was cut off late at night like the legend of a man who lost his voice to a witch.

 

It was a night of strange silence.

 

* * *

 

The afternoon when Tehez always went for a walk.

 

A chill seeped through the windows.

 

She took one look out of the window and gave up on going for a walk.

 

It was already getting dark, as if the sun was setting.

 

It was because Lubern entered a harsh winter.

 

She seemed to be getting more and more depressed because the daylight hours were getting shorter, and she couldn’t go for a walk.

 

It was like the seasonal depression that she experienced every year around this time.

 

Of course, there was a reason for that, but there must be a lot to think about in many ways.

 

The atmosphere in the capital was so tumultuous that the size of the birthday banquet seemed to have to be reduced.

 

She thought for a moment that the New Year’s banquet would be difficult if this tension continued to rise.

 

However.

 

Tehez shook her head.

 

Wasn’t the New Year’s banquet a long tradition passed down since the country’s founding?

 

Compared to that, it seemed like she wouldn’t have to hold a banquet for a year or so.

 

She didn’t want to hear them say she was an extravagant prince.

 

On the other side.

 

She tightened her grip on the fountain pen.

 

Her fingertips turned white.

 

It was because it seemed that dirty rumours would cross the palace’s walls.

 

It must have already spread far and wide within the capital.

 

She didn’t want to hear about it until her birthday, which only happened once a year.

 

She even felt giddy at the thought of the nobles whispering behind her.

 

Tehez felt she was not confident. It was enough for her to have had such an experience at the beginning of her marriage.

 

Ellie, noticing her subdued mood, brought hot tea and cookies.

 

“Thank you.”

 

“Soon, there will be a regular checkup from the palace, Princess.”

 

“Okay.”

 

Regular checkups once a month have been continued without missing any. Every time she met the royal physician, she realized it had already been a month.

 

Soon the royal physician came to see her, carrying a thick file folder as usual. The paperwork that had swelled with each regular checkup was now a bundle.

 

The physician asked the same question as last time in a businesslike tone.

 

“It’s only been a month. Do you have any discomfort, Princess?”

 

“These days, I keep getting sick to my stomach, and I can’t digest well. Could you give me some digestive medicine?”

 

The royal physician looked at her and rebuked her.

 

“I have repeatedly told you to cut down on coffee. How many cups do you have a day these days?”

 

“…About six cups.”

 

Tehez’s voice crept in.

 

That was 3 cups less.

 

The royal physician spoke to her in a firm tone.

 

“Cut down more. Can you not drink coffee at all? And are you eating alright?”

 

“Eating meat doesn’t digest well, so I eat mostly vegetarian food.”

 

“Adequate meat intake is also important.”

 

Regular checkups, as usual, turned into a time to listen to the nagging voice of the royal physician.

 

“And what time do you go to bed? How are your symptoms of insomnia these days?”

 

“That’s pretty good.”

 

Not wanting to hear her nagging, Tehez lied about it even though she hadn’t had a good night’s sleep lately.

 

“And menstruation is a few days later than last month.”

 

Whenever the male courtier spoke about menstruation, Tehez felt ashamed, even though she knew it was her job to ask about it.

 

She straightened her back more, trying not to show her own shame.

 

“Yes.”

 

“The symptoms of insomnia have improved, so I won’t give you sleeping pills. Make sure to eat on time and exercise.”

 

Even after that, the palace doctor returned after giving some more advice.

 

After hearing the nagging bombardment of the royal physician, Tehez, with her head dizzy, rose from her seat.

 

“I can’t do this. I must go for a walk today,” she said in a determined voice.

 

Her quiet stomach seemed to stir again.

 

Danielle said with a surprised face.

 

“Are you talking about going out in this weather?”

 

The sky was dark, probably because of the delay in the checkup.

 

It was because the sun had already set.

 

“I will go alone.”

 

“No, Princess. The sun has already set, and it is dangerous.”

 

Her maids discouraged her.

 

Tehez sighed and compromised.

 

“Then I will take Yarol with me.”

 

As Danielle put on her coat, Ellie pulled out her clothes from her hangers.

 

“Princess, please let me accompany you.”

 

Tehez led Yarol, Daniel, and Eli to the garden after the sun had set.

 

But as soon as she stepped out, a cold wind hit her face relentlessly. Her hair was flying, and the hem of her dress kept coiling around her legs, making her walk difficult. It was a very fierce wind.

 

Only then she realized it was useless for her to come out to change her mood.

 

On the contrary, would it be better if she didn’t feel any better?

 

Still, now that she was out, she thought it would be nice to walk around the garden at least once.

 

Tehez looked at the darkened sky once.

 

Ellie said in a cheerful voice, perhaps because she noticed her mood.

 

“Princess, when will it snow this year?”

 

Tehez was fed up.

 

“Snow? Ellie, you haven’t become a capital person yet. Is it really nice to see snow?”

 

At Tehez’s answer, Ellie babbled excitedly.

 

“Sure. It was hard to see snow in my hometown. Snow is boring in Lubern, but the first snow is worth celebrating anyway. Because it’s the first time.”

 

Tehez smiled at the words of Ellie, who was still young.

 

Danielle was also smiling at Ellie as if she was cute.

 

At that time, two human figures shimmering on the other side were reflected.

 

Sensing their presence, Yarol placed her hand on the scabbard, ready to unleash it.

 

“Somebody there? Give me a name!”

 

Yarol shouted, and soon the other person shouted.

 

“Princess, it’s Sylvan!”

 

Danielle’s face lit up immediately upon hearing the familiar voice.

 

In the dark street, it was Dennis and Sylvan that appeared.

 

Tehez ran to him.

 

Dennis took her in his arms.

 

Burying her face in his coat smelled of cold winter.

 

The smell of wind in his coat seemed to indicate that he had stayed outside for a long time.

 

“Why did you think of coming at this hour, Prince?”

 

“Are you disappointed I didn’t come for the night, my wife?”

 

He retorted to her with a mischievous face.

 

“I missed it so much today.”

 

“You mean me?”

 

“No, garden. I went out and came back because I wanted to get some fresh air here.”

 

Tehez looked at him. Dennis also faced her.

 

Dennis’ shiny eyes were full of affection for Tehez.

 

‘How can I hate you, who appears in front of me every time I’m about to fall into depression…?’

 

As soon as she saw him, Tehez forgot about her meeting with the royal physician and felt that all her moodiness and depression for no reason had disappeared.

 

Dennis affectionately tucked her hair to the side. His fingertips were cold as they brushed her skin.

 

“Your hands are cold.”

 

“You can warm it up.”

 

He was staring at Tehez as if teasing.

 

“What is that?”

 

Tehez replied with a sullen expression.

 

“Something I like right here,” he added as he looked at her questioning face.

 

“Yes, you.”

 

Tehez put on an embarrassed expression.

 

Still, it was an expression that did not dislike Dennis’ words.

 

The attendants took a few steps back for the time of a loving couple.

 

Dennis adjusted Tehez’s clothes.

 

“Why are you out when the weather is cold?”

 

“I was taking a walk, Prince. Where did the Prince go?”

 

“Uh, waiting outside the palace. How’s your dinner preparation going?”

 

“Yes. I’m thinking of reducing the scale a bit this year.”

 

The two walked hand in hand and matched their steps.

 

Their cold hands were warmed by each other’s warmth.

 

(To be continued in the next episode)