Chapter 3: Entwined Destiny
Joseph's carriage left the Palace. Countess Pope had come out to greet Sienna. She chose her words carefully as she spoke to her.
"Was that the young lord from Duke Luke's family?"
"Do you know him?"
"I've seen him a few times at the parties I've attended. He's quite famous within our circles."
"Because his grandfather is Duke Luke?"
"That's one reason. He's also known to be a fine gentleman who is more beautiful than most maidens."
Objectively, Joseph was as handsome as Adonis. However, Sienna didn't agree with the countess's words. Thinking back to the moment she first saw him, she didn't feel anything for him at all.
"An invitation will be arriving soon. Please prepare for our departure from the Palace, Countess."
"Yes, I was surprised to suddenly hear that you decided to attend a party outside the Palace."
"He is a husband candidate."
"Ah... I see."
"Did you know about this?"
"I have heard of it here and there."
"The Red King told me today. She told me to make an effort to get to know him. I felt that it was troublesome at first, but I realize that the Red King is right. My husband will be the next Blue King. I cannot let just anyone obtain that position. In order to get to know someone better, I need to be able to see different sides of him. So I'm going to attend the party outside the Palace. I'll see everything for myself, listen to the chatter, and do my best."
Sienna raised her voice. She wanted the ladies-in-waiting around her to hear what she said. She wanted them to relay these exact words to the Red King.
"Are you planning on leaving the Palace often?"
"I think so."
"The lords and ladies will be excited to hear that, Princess."
Sienna's true intentions were to find out what Patricia was thinking.
* * *
They left earlier than the time written on the invitation. Sienna decided to take a ride around the capital instead of heading straight to the ducal residence. Duke Luke's residence was a short ride away, but Sienna left in the opposite direction.
Sienna's royal carriage and the carriages holding the rest of Sienna's entourage and attendants amounted to five carriages. Sienna frowned as she looked at the passing scenery outside her window.
'This isn't it.'
There were no other carriages in sight. Soldiers holding lances had come as public security and held back the crowd of people from disrupting Sienna's train of carriages. The capital was normally not like this. Carriages would be moving throughout the streets, and the people would freely go about their business.
Sienna didn't want to see regulated roads. She didn't want to see the amazed faces of the Empire's subjects as they watched the magnificently adorned royal carriages drive down the road.
When she had first departed from the Palace, Sienna was excited. The feeling of her heart racing from anticipation was a strange sensation, but it felt pleasant. Her excitement only lasted a moment. Her sparkling eyes quickly dimmed.
In order to receive permission to leave the Palace, she had met with the Emperor. The Emperor told her something meaningful.
「Princess, I understand that you have formed an attachment for your mother, but remember this: Before you are the Red King's daughter, you are a member of the Imperial family. Don't be swayed by personal feelings.」
Sienna didn't disagree. Sienna was already uneasy after having discovered a hidden side to her mother.
A cold wind blew inside Sienna's heart. The Emperor said that human feelings were useless, and the Red King said that a mother-daughter relationship was special... Her heart couldn't wholeheartedly agree with either of them.
As she looked out the window, something caught her eye. Sienna's eyes widened.
"Wait! Stop the carriage!"
Sienna's banged on the wall of the carriage as she yelled out. The driver pulled on the reins. The horse snorted loudly in surprise.
When Sienna's carriage suddenly stopped, all the other carriages following behind did the same. What happened afterwards shocked all of the attendants. Sienna opened the carriage door herself and stepped down.
'I definitely saw him.'
The head of a black-haired man standing above the rest of the crowd had caught her eye.
'Kuhn.'
It was definitely that man. She scoured the area with her eyes. She had only lost sight of him for a moment, but he had already disappeared.
"Princess, what's the matter?"
One of escorting knights hurried over to her. Sienna shook her head.
'Just what am I doing right now?'
She had done something shocking. She couldn't even explain why she did it. She felt a mixture of confusion over this unknown reason as well as a strange sense of disappointment.
"Long live His Majesty the Emperor!"
Someone shouted out. It returned everyone back to their senses. When Sienna had stepped down from her carriage, everyone was breathless. Now everyone was shouting. Their collective roars became one.
"Ar! Ar!"
"Long live His Majesty the Emperor!"
The name of the Empire was Ar. In the beginning, it was called the Empire of Ar.
Presently, the Holy Empire of Ar was the only ruling empire, but in the past, many countries boasted their own powerful empires.
The citizens of Ar believed their empire to be special. They put themselves above the others and called themselves the Holy Empire. This unofficial term became the official title of the Empire. The 'Holy Empire' symbolized the pride of the people. These people were confident that they were ruled not by a human but by a god.
This was why the level of awe given to the Imperial family by the commonfolk was so much greater than that given to royalty.
With beauty befitting of her noble status, the Princess met the expectations of her subjects. There was no way she could be human. If she was human, her blinding beauty was unexplainable. As expected, the Imperial family has the blood of the gods.
The Imperial subjects came to an illogical conclusion. Nobody cared about what led to these conclusions. Only the conclusion was important.
"Quickly help the Princess back into her carriage."
The knights quickly helped her up into the carriage. Whether the public was excited in a good way or bad, it was dangerous.
As the carriages faded away into the distance, the cheers continued. Even when they could barely see the carriages, the people were still noisily chattering.
"To think that we got to see the Princess with our own eyes. I can't believe it."
"I couldn't breathe. As expected, she definitely received the blood of the gods."
Hiding in the shadows of a building as he leaned against the wall, Kuhn straightened up and slipped through the crowd. He looked in the direction of the departing carriages as his eyes quivered.
Chapter 3: Entwined Destiny
Joseph's carriage left the Palace. Countess Pope had come out to greet Sienna. She chose her words carefully as she spoke to her.
"Was that the young lord from Duke Luke's family?"
"Do you know him?"
"I've seen him a few times at the parties I've attended. He's quite famous within our circles."
"Because his grandfather is Duke Luke?"
"That's one reason. He's also known to be a fine gentleman who is more beautiful than most maidens."
Objectively, Joseph was as handsome as Adonis. However, Sienna didn't agree with the countess's words. Thinking back to the moment she first saw him, she didn't feel anything for him at all.
"An invitation will be arriving soon. Please prepare for our departure from the Palace, Countess."
"Yes, I was surprised to suddenly hear that you decided to attend a party outside the Palace."
"He is a husband candidate."
"Ah... I see."
"Did you know about this?"
"I have heard of it here and there."
"The Red King told me today. She told me to make an effort to get to know him. I felt that it was troublesome at first, but I realize that the Red King is right. My husband will be the next Blue King. I cannot let just anyone obtain that position. In order to get to know someone better, I need to be able to see different sides of him. So I'm going to attend the party outside the Palace. I'll see everything for myself, listen to the chatter, and do my best."
Sienna raised her voice. She wanted the ladies-in-waiting around her to hear what she said. She wanted them to relay these exact words to the Red King.
"Are you planning on leaving the Palace often?"
"I think so."
"The lords and ladies will be excited to hear that, Princess."
Sienna's true intentions were to find out what Patricia was thinking.
* * *
They left earlier than the time written on the invitation. Sienna decided to take a ride around the capital instead of heading straight to the ducal residence. Duke Luke's residence was a short ride away, but Sienna left in the opposite direction.
Sienna's royal carriage and the carriages holding the rest of Sienna's entourage and attendants amounted to five carriages. Sienna frowned as she looked at the passing scenery outside her window.
'This isn't it.'
There were no other carriages in sight. Soldiers holding lances had come as public security and held back the crowd of people from disrupting Sienna's train of carriages. The capital was normally not like this. Carriages would be moving throughout the streets, and the people would freely go about their business.
Sienna didn't want to see regulated roads. She didn't want to see the amazed faces of the Empire's subjects as they watched the magnificently adorned royal carriages drive down the road.
When she had first departed from the Palace, Sienna was excited. The feeling of her heart racing from anticipation was a strange sensation, but it felt pleasant. Her excitement only lasted a moment. Her sparkling eyes quickly dimmed.
In order to receive permission to leave the Palace, she had met with the Emperor. The Emperor told her something meaningful.
「Princess, I understand that you have formed an attachment for your mother, but remember this: Before you are the Red King's daughter, you are a member of the Imperial family. Don't be swayed by personal feelings.」
Sienna didn't disagree. Sienna was already uneasy after having discovered a hidden side to her mother.
A cold wind blew inside Sienna's heart. The Emperor said that human feelings were useless, and the Red King said that a mother-daughter relationship was special... Her heart couldn't wholeheartedly agree with either of them.
As she looked out the window, something caught her eye. Sienna's eyes widened.
"Wait! Stop the carriage!"
Sienna's banged on the wall of the carriage as she yelled out. The driver pulled on the reins. The horse snorted loudly in surprise.
When Sienna's carriage suddenly stopped, all the other carriages following behind did the same. What happened afterwards shocked all of the attendants. Sienna opened the carriage door herself and stepped down.
'I definitely saw him.'
The head of a black-haired man standing above the rest of the crowd had caught her eye.
'Kuhn.'
It was definitely that man. She scoured the area with her eyes. She had only lost sight of him for a moment, but he had already disappeared.
"Princess, what's the matter?"
One of escorting knights hurried over to her. Sienna shook her head.
'Just what am I doing right now?'
She had done something shocking. She couldn't even explain why she did it. She felt a mixture of confusion over this unknown reason as well as a strange sense of disappointment.
"Long live His Majesty the Emperor!"
Someone shouted out. It returned everyone back to their senses. When Sienna had stepped down from her carriage, everyone was breathless. Now everyone was shouting. Their collective roars became one.
"Ar! Ar!"
"Long live His Majesty the Emperor!"
The name of the Empire was Ar. In the beginning, it was called the Empire of Ar.
Presently, the Holy Empire of Ar was the only ruling empire, but in the past, many countries boasted their own powerful empires.
The citizens of Ar believed their empire to be special. They put themselves above the others and called themselves the Holy Empire. This unofficial term became the official title of the Empire. The 'Holy Empire' symbolized the pride of the people. These people were confident that they were ruled not by a human but by a god.
This was why the level of awe given to the Imperial family by the commonfolk was so much greater than that given to royalty.
With beauty befitting of her noble status, the Princess met the expectations of her subjects. There was no way she could be human. If she was human, her blinding beauty was unexplainable. As expected, the Imperial family has the blood of the gods.
The Imperial subjects came to an illogical conclusion. Nobody cared about what led to these conclusions. Only the conclusion was important.
"Quickly help the Princess back into her carriage."
The knights quickly helped her up into the carriage. Whether the public was excited in a good way or bad, it was dangerous.
As the carriages faded away into the distance, the cheers continued. Even when they could barely see the carriages, the people were still noisily chattering.
"To think that we got to see the Princess with our own eyes. I can't believe it."
"I couldn't breathe. As expected, she definitely received the blood of the gods."
Hiding in the shadows of a building as he leaned against the wall, Kuhn straightened up and slipped through the crowd. He looked in the direction of the departing carriages as his eyes quivered.
