CHAPTER 47………….
Three days after I got the information I wanted from Yulken,
I found myself in a rather awkward situation.
Today was an important day.
I had used everything at my disposal—information I had secured ahead of time, the memories from my regression, and every resource available—to lay out the best possible plan.
If all went well, I would be killing two birds with one stone.
But…
But this I had not anticipated.
“Why are you here?”
Because suddenly, someone blocked my path as I was briskly heading toward the Empress’s palace.
His platinum-blond hair, neatly swept back, glittered under the sun, and his crimson eyes were more dazzling than the finest rubies.
His features were as if carved from white marble, twisted now into a mischievous smile.
“I wondered where my consort was going alone, leaving me behind.”
“…I was just taking a walk?”
Leaving him behind? What a strange way to put it.
“Then would you grant me the mercy of accompanying you on this walk?”
With exaggerated theatrics fit for the stage, he extended his hand in invitation. He wanted to escort me.
I didn’t take it right away.
“……”
By now, I’d learned to read Arpad’s way of speaking.
This was him being as sarcastic as possible.
Why was he sulking this time? Honestly, this man was impossible to predict.
I tried to divert him, not wanting to add another unpredictable factor to today’s plan.
“Doesn’t Your Highness have official duties right now? Shouldn’t you be in an audience at this very moment?”
“…Yulken tattled, didn’t he?”
Arpad was even better than me at steering conversations in odd directions.
“Well…”
Technically, he wasn’t wrong.
Once I’d won over Yulken’s trust, he told me everything, whether I asked or not. That’s how I knew Arpad’s schedule.
He furrowed his perfect brow slightly, leaning closer.
“How in the world did you manage to tame that prickly man? I can’t fathom it.”
“I simply proved my abilities, that’s all.”
His sharp gaze then flicked past me, toward someone behind.
I knew exactly who he was looking at.
‘Sir Beltaine again…’
With lingering irritation, he muttered,
“First you tamed my ill-tempered aide in an instant, and now you carry an escort lover at your side wherever you go.”
“He’s not a lover, he’s my knight. You saw him swear the oath yourself.”
“Ah, yes. I was witness when he swore his entire life to you.”
“……”
Why did his words feel so irritating?
‘You can’t win against someone who refuses to speak sense.’
Arpad grinned slyly and asked,
“Do you remember what I told you last time?”
“What thing?”
“That no matter how many men you may have, I alone will be your rightful husband.”
“…Yes. That’s not exactly easy to forget.”
It was such an absurd line, it stuck.
“As your sole lawful husband, I demand the right to join you on your walk. Surely I have that much claim?”
“……”
…So this whole sulking act was because I didn’t immediately say yes to walking with him?
Half in disbelief, I placed my hand on the one he extended.
At once, his long fingers closed firmly around mine.
And just like that, all the sulky gloom on his face vanished.
…Seriously?
I felt as though I had just seen a lion act like a spoiled kitten.
In the end, I had no choice but to drag Arpad along like a shadow as I continued toward my destination.
‘Fine, whatever. If he insists on tagging along, I’ll make use of him too.’
The Empress’s palace had many gardens, but the most famous was the Rose Maze.
As the name suggested, it contained every kind of rose from across the continent, a display of the empire’s wealth and prestige.
Because it was such a treasured and important place, it was rarely opened to guests.
But today was special—it was the anniversary of the Empress’s enthronement.
In other words, her wedding anniversary.
Though she usually delegated most social affairs to her daughter, Evangeline,
today was different.
She was dressed in her finest gown, the imperial diadem upon her head, making her own grand appearance at the Rose Maze.
The Emperor, who received her invitation every year but never replied, would once again be absent.
The Empress knew this, yet she could never give up hope.
Every year she clung to the faint wish that perhaps, just once, he would come.
And on this day, in this cherished place, the Empress was met with an utterly shocking sight.
She froze in disbelief, her face contorting with insulted rage.
“Hahaha! Where are you, my love?”
It was a voice she knew well.
From someone to whom such words absolutely did not belong—
so it could only be deliberate mockery.
Forcing her face to smooth over, she demanded,
“What nonsense is this, Arpad?”
Yes—it was none other than Arpad who came striding out of the maze, shouting that unbelievable line.
Grinning widely, he answered,
“I was searching for my beloved wife.”
“And why, pray, would your wife be in my garden? Unless you’ve come here solely to ruin my party.”
He smiled brightly in return.
The Empress’s fury burned, but his dazzling looks still had their effect.
The noble ladies attending the garden party all flushed red at the sight.
Even among the Empress’s loyalists, a handsome face was still a handsome face.
“How could I ever spoil Your Majesty’s party? I didn’t even know one was happening.”
The Empress bit her lip.
He was taunting her openly.
‘As if to say, your wedding anniversary means so little it isn’t even worth remembering.’
And here she was, her lonely ceremony without her husband, gate-crashed by her stepson searching for his wife.
“Again, why are you looking for your wife in my garden?”
“As you know, this place holds memories for me as well.”
“…!”
The Empress’s face drained of color.
Those who knew the history reacted similarly.
And for those who didn’t, Arpad kindly explained.
“This garden was originally gifted by my father to my birth mother as a wedding present. So it’s filled with memories for me too.”
“……”
The current Empress, Isabel, had been nothing more than a maid to the late Empress, entering later as a secondary consort.
Even her wedding ceremony had been held in the simplest of forms.
The contrast was glaring.
The blooming roses might as well have frozen over in the tension.
“And so, while visiting this place of fond memories with my wife, we lost each other in the maze.”
Arpad tilted his head innocently.
“Has Your Majesty perchance seen my darling little squirrel?”
For a moment, the Empress was too stunned to even feel insulted.
“Little… squirrel…?”
Stammering, she echoed his words.
Arpad, smiling like a boy, nodded.
“Yes. My wife is so adorable I want to hide her away in my pocket, never to be shown to others.”
And the one who suffered most from this outrageous statement—
was the poor young lady hiding in a corner of the maze, trying to deal with her ruined gown.
Lady Hillia, who had been attending to Josephine Solenoux.
‘My ears must be broken. There’s no way I just heard that. No way!’
But her hearing was perfectly fine, leaving her forced to endure every mortifying word.
Even though Arpad had suddenly latched onto me, I carried out my plan.
In some ways, his presence made things easier.
He was like a black hole, sucking in all attention.
No matter where you dropped him, every eye would fix on him.
So I used him exactly where I needed him most.
Operation “I Choose You—Go, Crown Prince!”
“Distract everyone in the garden for a while.”
“Distract them? Any method is fine?”
“Yes. However you like.”
Just him strolling around silently would have been enough.
But I regretted not being specific, bitterly.
Because the moment I slipped behind the maze, Arpad cheerfully ran out and bellowed—
“Hahaha! Where are you, my love?”
I nearly bit my tongue at the sound.
‘Is he actually insane?’
But unfortunately, no.
He was being perfectly calculated, deliberately clawing at the Empress’s nerves.
And mine too.
‘This is deliberate. A hundred percent! He’s just trying to rile me up!’
In an instant, we became that obnoxious couple playing hide-and-seek in someone else’s garden.
And then came the killing blow—the little squirrel.
The effect was devastating.
‘Too effective. Honestly, it’s terrifying.’
A little squirrel?! A little squirrel?!
As I reeled, Josephine Solenoux—whose gown had just been ruined when Evangeline threw a teacup at her—looked at me hesitantly.
“…He’s looking for you, isn’t he, Crown Princess?”
“……”
Clutching the cloak I had lent her, she seemed unsure how to put her thoughts into words.
Awkwardly, she added,
“Your relationship… seems much better than the rumors say.”
“……”
I bit my lip.
And then, once again, Arpad’s maddening voice rang out—
“Haha! My little squirrel! Where are you hiding?”
…Why is it always me who ends up embarrassed?
