“The, the soldiers of Tildyen are very ti, tired from traveling a long way.”
To the Chamberlain’s perception, the mistress of Tildyen seemed less like a fragile and timid half-wit and more like a ‘knight’ of Tildyen who knew well enough how to fulfill his role. His eyes were naturally drawn to the well-tailored leather riding armor and the slender sword sheath at his waist.
‘Look at this, these people are treating me like an old man whose string has snapped. They’ve been spreading false rumors trying to drag me down. In the imperial palace, rumors are directly connected to one’s life!’
Chamberlain Buppu was a man who, when the prince he served died of an unknown illness a few years ago, lost all his power that very day and fell to the status of a wanderer within the imperial palace. On that day, a different Chamberlain came to Buppu, who had been ailing all night in sorrow, and said:
‘Hey, Buppu. Do you know what your weakness is?’
Buppu sniffled and looked up at the man standing beneath the moon. He was the Chamberlain serving Royster Claist, one of the princes favored as the next successor.
‘It’s that you’re in the dark about rumors. All power struggles in the imperial palace start from rumors, tsk tsk. My word, if you’re that honest, how will you survive in this imperial palace?’
The prince Buppu had served crossed the river of death too futilely to dismiss it as worthless advice. If he had paid more attention to the palace rumors, could he have prevented his master’s death? Buppu’s crying voice eventually echoed through the chilly garden.
‘Having fulfilled all responsibilities, you may now retire from office.’
From that day, Buppu was driven from his position as Chamberlain and, with the guilt of failing to protect his master, served here and there as a servant without a master to attend. He threw himself into physical labor and deliberately distanced himself from rumors about the princes. Then, after a long time, he had temporarily received back the position of Chamberlain.
“Go, good rooms to divide among them, and nu, nutritious me, meals…”
When the eyes of the short Chamberlain, who looked like a round belly, suddenly reddened, Anya stopped speaking mid-sentence and closed his mouth. Why is he looking at me like that? Anya was momentarily bewildered.
“Yes. Don’t worry, Your Highness. Just trust and leave it to this Buppu.”
Buppu’s family had produced Chamberlains for the imperial family for many years, but the power they possessed was very meager compared to those years. That was surely because Buppu’s father, grandfather, great-grandfather… all of them were full of personal affection that was unnecessary in the imperial palace—no, that should not be possessed. Buppu cursed such family history yet ultimately could not transcend the limits of that heredity himself.
The role of Chamberlain he took on after a long time made Buppu excited. Though it was temporary, it was enough to draw out the sense of duty he had buried. Seeing Anya reminded him of the last moments of the prince he had assisted. Ian Claist had also been a young boy like Anya, brilliant with intelligence.
‘Slacking off! I must stay sharp so such a thing never happens again!’
Buppu burned with determination and led the soldiers of Tildyen, who were still stealing glances at Eos Castle with a mixture of admiration and emptiness, to their quarters.
“My lords, this way!”
Still, since this wasn’t their first visit here, Riario and Sisou were somewhat better off. In fact, the two seemed to have their attention elsewhere rather than on Maneregia.
“Captain, I’ll be going. I’ll see you at the evening banquet.”
Riario looked like he was barely holding on with a face drained of blood and close to death. He moved along unsteadily, grasping each pillar in the corridor.
“Me too… I won’t intrude!”
Sisou shouted with both cheeks flushed red. He glanced back and forth between Evernight and Anya standing side by side, then with a “Khm,” clearing his throat, followed behind Riario. He even rushed over in a single stride to pat the back of Riario, who was finally grasping a pillar and retching.
Master Mage, are you all right? I’ll follow you.
Get away. It makes me more nauseous.
“Sir Ri, Riario and Si, Sisou… they’re not si, sick, are they?”
Anya looked with worried eyes at the two walking away. Maneregia, unlike Tildyen, was a region with mild weather year-round. Having come directly from the North, they might not have adapted to the climate.
“You don’t need to worry about them. More than that, you’ll be meeting the emperor and your brothers in the evening, so it would be more beneficial to worry about yourself.”
Evernight looked down at Anya with an indifferent face. Since coming to Maneregia, his manner of speaking had become somewhat stiffer. There were many listening ears in the palace, after all. Just then, Buppu, who had guided the soldiers to their quarters, came running over with his short legs working busily.
“Your Highness. No, my lady. I’ll guide you to the bedroom.”
See you in the evening. Evernight passed by Anya. Anya had much he wanted to say but had no choice but to let him go. Maneregia was a very long journey from Tildyen, so Evernight, who commanded the procession, must be very tired even if he didn’t show it. He couldn’t interfere with his rest.
《The human’s troubled heart is audible all the way here. How embarrassing.》
At the same time, Dragcals whispered. Anya truly felt embarrassed and hastily called out.
‘Please, Dragcals!’
Somehow Dragcals seemed to be blaming his foolish behavior. The androgynous voice snorted and soon disappeared.
《That one hasn’t changed.》
Even when leaving Tildyen, Dragcals had regarded Evernight as if knowing him.
Why does Dragcals know Evernight? Anya called to Dragcals again, but the spirit who had already disappeared pretended not to hear.
“My lady?”
As Anya was blankly staring at Evernight’s retreating back, Buppu asked with a smile.
“Yes, gu, guide me please.”
Anya moved his reluctant steps.
* * *
Fortunately, the reluctance was quickly forgotten. Eos Castle had many annexes large and small, and the separate palace prepared for the lord and lady of Tildyen was the eastern annex where sunlight shone well. Anya thought about visiting the palace where he had stayed during his time as a prince, but decided to just rest instead since it would only bring bitterness.
Having departed immediately after returning from the lake, seeing the bed made his body reflexively drowsy. Just as he was feeling like soaking his body in warm water, a knock sounded in orderly succession.
“Your Highness, it’s Buppu. I’m coming in.”
Right on time, Buppu arrived accompanied by maids.
“I’ll help you prepare for the evening banquet.”
Soon, following him, maids came carrying a huge copper bathtub and baskets containing various tools. The maids skillfully filled the bathtub with water, then spread cloth embroidered with silver thread along the edge of the tub. And on top of that, they displayed white soap, a comb with dense bristles, fragrant oils imported from the East, and more.
“…I, I’ll do it myself.”
Even in Tildyen, he had never received bathing service from servants except at the wedding. Anya was not accustomed to such things. Then Buppu showed a stern expression.
“My lady, not only the princes but other dukes will also attend the banquet. To elevate Duke Evernight’s dignity, shouldn’t you show a dignified appearance as a prince and as the mistress? Ah, of course you’re already wonderful, but… what I mean is…”
Anya followed Buppu’s gaze and examined his own appearance. His hair was tangled here and there from not being managed for weeks, and while his body didn’t smell, it didn’t smell fragrant either. The clothes he wore were quality riding armor, but they didn’t look luxurious or stylish at all.
“Al, alright.”
Anya had no choice but to follow Buppu’s words. Above all, wasn’t it for Evernight’s sake?
When bathing in Tildyen, his body always shrank in the biting air, but here there was no opportunity to feel such signs. Though only a few months had passed, Anya somehow missed that cold a little.
“Oh my…”
As Anya sat in the middle of the steaming bathwater and removed his clothes, one of the maids involuntarily cried out in surprise. Buppu also had a slightly flustered face.
It was because of the numerous scars on the prince’s back. There were all kinds, from scars where the bruising had already faded to yellow, to scars still darkly bruised and not yet healed.
‘They say Northerners are quite barbaric even when having relations… has this 12th Prince suffered such humiliation?’
Everyone was exchanging glances saying as much.
“Thi, this is… from an accident where I fe, fell.”
Anya said so with a small sigh. He couldn’t let Evernight be misunderstood because of him. Besides, it wasn’t really a lie, was it? Of course, it was from falling off a cliff. There was no need to confess that far.
Moreover, when having relations, Evernight was… rough, but not barbaric. Anya instantly felt heat rising and covered his face with his hands.
“Your Highness. You must have really suffered.”
Perhaps mistaking that Anya was embarrassed, the maids immediately soothed Anya gently. One rubbed Anya’s back with soft cloth, and another washed away the dust in his hair from running along the long journey while calming Anya as if singing softly.
“Though there are scars, you have a straight and proper back. Your Highness has such a beautiful body line!”
“And how soft your hair is. Any man who touches Your Highness’s hair would be amazed by the texture.”
Anya’s toes curled reflexively at these ticklish words he was hearing for the first time in his life. Buppu stood at the doorway watching this scene proudly. It was all thanks to Buppu slipping money to the maids before coming here.
“We’ll let your hair down long, but braid the side hair and tie it back, finishing with a laurel branch ornament.”
Soon soft hands rummaged through Anya’s hair. The maids of Tildyen hadn’t paid much attention to Anya’s grooming since the wedding. Anya hadn’t requested such service either.
“You look so wonderful, Your Highness. When you enter the banquet, no one will be able to take their eyes off you.”
Anya also knew these maids were being excessively kind. Neither in Tildyen nor Maneregia was there anyone who would show kindness to him without compensation. By now, Anya knew this much well enough.
‘Probably… that fellow pulled strings. But why?’
Anya directed the question toward Buppu. Buppu smiled and bowed his head.
Lastly, they dressed Anya in rippling crimson silk clothing. The texture sliding smoothly down his body was fabric that couldn’t be obtained in Tildyen. Anya cast a questioning look at Buppu again.
“The clothes you brought from Tildyen were wool or thick fabric, so when I consulted Duke Evernight, he ordered me to prepare separate attire.”
“…His lordship?”
“Yes, he told me to obtain clothes suitable for the banquet… I hurriedly sought out a tailor, but with time being so short, this was the best.”
Buppu showed wisdom by adding that the duke had given him a tremendous amount of money with deep emotion, but not mentioning the man’s expression that had been clearly annoyed.
