My Sweet Deceiver - Chapter 76

Only shards and bloodstains were left in the square in the sleet. Clots of unknown blood clung to the melted, soggy snow.

 

Long hours of work, stagnant wage growth, a slightly increasing tax rate every year, and the royal family’s misconduct. For some, it was a trivial reason, but for others, it was a reason enough to come out to the square and hold up a torch.

 

Aspirations for a better world. Dissatisfaction over a long period of time. All of those things were mixed together and Lubern was like a pot on the verge of boiling.

 

Only one. If only there was one fuse.

 

Protesters took to the square. Just before, Dennis had warned that the King would send troops. But protesters were dubious. No way, it was because of the thought that the King would really push the people out with the army.

 

However, Elliott’s was a b*st*rd.

 

Elliott, who accepted the protests as a challenge to royal authority, had no qualms about using violence. Citizens who lost their leader in vain moved in an organized manner. It was impossible to go through the same thing twice. When there were signs that the army was about to be deployed, Robert immediately cancelled the protests and dispersed the citizens. Those who could not escape were caught and taken away by the soldiers. All that was left in the square was snow.

 

Blood red snow.

 

Newspapers ran critical articles about the King’s extravagant army and the hard suppression of protesters. Negative reviews of Elliott increased as a result of the critical article.

 

Recognizing that his position was endangered by his articles on his military commitment, Elliot put pressure on the newspaper. He threatened to shut down the newspaper if it did not write positive articles about the King and the royal family.

 

In fact, there was also a brutal rumour that the owner of a newspaper, that published the most strongly criticized article, was missing. Then, the articles of the protest were completely removed, and only the articles of the upcoming New Year’s banquet were overflowed.

 

“If they left it a little longer, would he have withdrawn?”

 

Tehez held up a newspaper containing an article about the New Year’s banquet and spoke to herself.

 

Danielle noticed that Tehez was referring to the King, although she did not point it out. In fact, Tehez did not take any special action when negative news about Elliott appeared.

 

Danielle replied in a soft voice.

 

“Even if the King steps down, wouldn’t it be in vain if the royal family is disbanded?”

 

“Right.”

 

Tehez nodded.

 

Danielle inwardly agreed with the Republicans. Tehez did not know that she was in favour of them.

 

Danielle glanced at Tehez. Tehez was still reading the newspaper carefully to see if she had missed any articles.

 

Danielle felt anguish every time she saw her superior who did not know her true intentions. At one time, she wondered if she should let Tehez know about her feelings.

 

In fact, Danielle’s mother was to blame for becoming that way. Danielle’s mother was a commoner who came in as the third wife of a Baron with a large age difference.

 

The Baron, who had no children from his other two marriages, sought a woman to bear his seeds, regardless of her social status. Danielle’s birth mother, who was swollen with dreams of rising status, succeeded in marrying an aristocrat. She thought that was the end, but the Baron her mother married was an old man who would die today or tomorrow. In addition, the Baron family, which seemed plausible on the outside, was quietly crumbling without a viable source of income.

 

After their marriage, the Baron had Danielle and her younger brother, Ray, and died of old age just a few years later. The only thing left for the fading family was their father’s title. It was the title that was supposed to be inherited when Ray, who was not of age, grew up.

 

There was only one title, Baron.

 

However, after her father died, her mother, who started to engage in entertainment, eventually sold the title for gambling debts. Danielle quit the academy the day her mother sold the title to save her mother’s face.

 

She hadn’t done anything since. At the age of making her social debut if she were still an aristocrat, Danielle became the lady-in-waiting of an Ingeliger. It was thanks to the Viscountess house she worked at that she actively recommended Danielle. As soon as she became a lady-in-waiting, Danielle was assigned to Tehez Ingeliger, the First Princess.

 

As time passed, Danielle was trusted by Tehez and became her handmaid. And Tehez helped Danielle in regaining the title, which her mother had sold, so that Danielle’s younger brother, Ray, could inherit the title. Considering the grace of Tehez, she should hope for the existence of the royal family, but Danielle was sceptical.

 

It was because she had been tormented by her mother for a long time. It didn’t make sense to Danielle that she went into debt, bought a dress, and went to the academy for the title, which was only her façade.

 

But each time Danielle’s birth mother told her.

 

‘This is what aristocratic is, Danielle. Take a good look.’

 

However, what she could see was the mansion that was all falling apart and the luxurious accessories of her mother that contrasted with it. If it was the money to get those jewels, she wouldn’t have to go all over the place complaining.

 

Besides, how superficial was that aristocratic thing?

 

Danielle found out by chance that her mother had already cheated on her father, after learning he had two failed marriages. Her mother had instilled Danielle and her brother outside of him with the conviction that she must have a child of her own.

 

By meeting a man with similar hair colour and eye colour so that her father would not be suspicious.

 

Only to become noble.

 

Danielle saw it right away when she found out she wasn’t the son of a Baron.

 

At the same time as offending her mother for her unwillingness to commit immoral acts, Danielle had developed a distaste for nobles.

 

When Tehez, who did not know Danielle’s intentions, said something contrary to her thoughts, she felt more and more uncomfortable. In the end, she committed the rudeness of being silent at the words of her superior in the carriage last time, but she couldn’t express her feelings in front of Tehez.

 

It was only natural that Tehez, who had received an elite education from the lineage of Ingeliger, a great aristocrat and a contributor to the founding of Valloise, wanted to maintain the status quo.

 

Danielle, however, turned her words away.

 

“The Marquis Ingeliger has returned to work this week.”

 

“…I’m glad he is feeling better.”

 

There was no expression on Tehez’s face. But she folded the newspaper and picked up the teacup on the desk.

 

“And Sir Richard said he would like you to visit the Marquis in the near future. Since the Marquis has recovered, Sir Max says he will go abroad again.”

 

“…Got it. Do I have plans for tomorrow afternoon?”

 

Danielle answered while checking Tehez’s schedule.

 

“You don’t have any plans for tomorrow afternoon.”

 

“Then call me to meet them tomorrow afternoon.”

 

“Yes. All right.”

 

Danielle thought she changed the subject so it wouldn’t be obvious, but it seemed obvious. There was an awkward atmosphere between Daniel and Tehez.

 

Tehez put down the teacup and looked at Danielle.

 

“Danielle. Even before…”

 

When Tehez called her Danielle’s name, as if trying to say something to her, there was a welcome knock.

 

“Is Madam in?”

 

It was Dennis who poked his head in.

 

“Prince! Why are you here at this hour?”

 

Tehez got up and greeted him. Danielle casually retreated to the room next door and moved out of the place.

 

“I was passing by to prepare for the New Year’s banquet.”

 

“Aren’t you too busy preparing for the banquet?”

 

“Nevertheless, I have to do what I have to do. I think it’s time for your praise.”

 

“What kind of praise?”

 

“I heard that my wife has been taking care of her meals lately?”

 

Dennis looked into Tehez’s eyes and said.

 

Tehez bowed her head in shame.

 

“Yes. I think my stamina has strengthened.”

 

“Nice, well done.”

 

Dennis stroked Tehez’s cheek. It was a warm touch from him.

 

It had been a long time since she had seen him face to face since the last time they had an argument in his room. Although he had given her four birthday presents.

 

Both Dennis and Tehez had seen each other several times as if they were passing by due to their busy schedules. However, she did not have time to see him face-to-face. In addition, Dennis has been away from the palace frequently lately, probably because he was busy with his external affairs.

 

Dennis raised his head, saw something and smiled. He saw the potted plant placed behind Tehez’s desk in a sunny place.

 

“Prince, You don’t intend to tell me, did you?”

 

“You’ll know when it sprouts, so don’t be impatient, Madam.”

 

Dennis answered in a confident voice.

 

“I hardly ever get a feel for it.”

 

Dennis answered by touching the tip of Tehez’s nose with his finger.

 

“You will love it when it sprouts and blooms. I bet you.”

 

At Dennis’s words, Tehez noticed that what was put in that pot was a flower.

 

Dennis sat down in the chair in Tehez and placed her on his lap. Then he buried his nose in the nape of her neck and drew in a breath.

 

He took several breaths in and kissed Tehez’s neck lightly.

 

“Ah… Prince.”

 

“Yes.”

 

Dennis answered, but did not part his lips on the nape of her neck.

 

“It’s still office time.”

 

“I can’t let you work, Tehez. You can work a little later.”

 

“No… wait”

 

Tehez felt something hard on her back. The heat seemed to rise to the tips of her ears.

 

“Looks like I’ll work a little longer.”

 

He leaned his face on Tehez’s back, motionless as if he were asleep. When she turned her head to look behind her, she saw a black shadow under his well-groomed eyes.

 

“Did you not sleep, my Prince?”

 

“Yes. A bit lately… Tehez, will you come to my room tonight?”

 

“What?”

 

He rubbed his face against her back as if whining. His warm body temperature reached her.

 

“It’s so hard to go to your room while being covered with night dew. Shall we combine our palaces?”

 

Dennis spoke to her in a playful tone.

 

Even the Kings who were rumoured to be on good terms had separate palaces from their Queens. That was the tradition of Valloise, but a man named First Prince was encouraging her to break the unwritten rule.

 

“That’s a bit…”

 

“You don’t like it?”

 

“No. It’s not that kind of problem…”

 

The problem was Tehez’s reluctance to break the rules.

 

Dennis was busy. Tehez gave a small answer.

 

“I will think about it, Prince.”

 

She nodded her head and Dennis smiled broadly and kissed her on the cheek and forehead.

 

“Ah, Prince, stop, stop.”

 

Tehez burst into laughter.

 

Dennis was looking at her with an expression that he couldn’t stand anymore because she was lovely.

 

(To be continued in the next part)

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