11. Gift.

Aran followed her and opened his mouth when they reached the front of her room.

 

 

“By any chance…are you…angry?”

 

Cornelia glanced at Aran before staring forward again.

She opened the door that her hand happened to reach and went inside.

 

 

“Why do you think that?”

 

She stepped into the antique-looking room.

Her expression didn’t seem to change much.

 

 

“Well…I brought her here without permission…so.”

 

Aran looked somewhat unsure of himself.

He was usually bright when he looked at her, but today was different.

 

 

She smiled slightly at Aran.

 

 

“Don’t be silly. How could I be?”

 

It wasn’t too bright, nor too dark.

 

 

She sat on the sofa and gestured to the sofa opposite her.

 

 

“It’s true that it’s not a pleasant situation, but I’m not angry.”

“Keung…”

 

 

Aran lowered his head.

 

 

 

 

Silence followed for a while as the maid brought tea and refreshments.

The tension continued as it seemed to be something that had to be kept secret.

 

 

When the maids all left the room and they were alone, she opened her mouth.

 

 

“So, tell me how you came to acquire her.”

 

Aran nodded and told her as he remembered.

He hesitated about the sexual relationship with Seorae in the middle, but eventually told her everything.

 

 

“……..”

 

 

As expected, she was silent for a moment after hearing it.

Her face was strangely distorted.

 

 

He had sex with the Emperor of Mei.

What kind of bullshit is this?

 

She tried to guess what the situation was and what Seorae was thinking by listening to Aran, but after listening to him, all her previous expectations were twisted.

 

 

She even wondered if sending Moae was just a thoughtless act.

Of course, that’s impossible.

 

 

Anyway, Aran had a relationship with both Seorae and Moae, and even held the two women together in one night.

In other words, the mother watched her daughter’s sexual relationship in front of her eyes.

Of course, this marriage cannot be refused, or a truly understandable incident may occur.

 

 

“You’ve had a bizarre journey.”

“Yes…”

 

She took a sip of tea.

It felt like her thoughts weren’t organized.

 

 

How should she accept this situation and how should she resolve it?

 

 

‘Anyway, it’s clear that that woman is aiming for the relationship between Aran and Huana.’

 

She didn’t let go of that thought for now.

As the ruler of a country, it was extremely reasonable and efficient to promote and exploit the division of other countries.

 

 

‘Sending the princess and achieving unbelievable results…it must be to stimulate Huana while empowering Aran. Maybe she knows about the Great Kingdom.’

 

 

“Um…”

 

 

As her thoughts continued, Aran opened his mouth first.

She threw a question mark with her eyes.

 

 

“About the legal wife…actually, there’s a woman I’ve already decided on…”

“Aran.”

 

She cut Aran off.

 

 

“You are a prince. You need a marriage worthy of that, and you need a partner. Not to mention if it’s a legal wife.”

“That’s…”

“It was dangerous earlier. What were you going to do if Iliana turned her back on you?”

“Huh?”

 

Iliana turning her back on him. It’s something he never thought of.

 

 

“That princess is a political marriage anyway, so there’s no need to try to win her heart. But Iliana is not like that. Don’t forget that Iliana is the top priority woman you have to deal with. That child is also a card that guarantees your legitimacy.”

 

Aran tried to say something, but closed his mouth after seeing her eyes.

 

 

“I don’t know who the woman you’ve decided on is. But if it’s a woman you met before Yeo (I) took you in, she must be a commoner.”

“…She’s a colleague from when I was an archer.”

“Okay. Let’s say that child beats everyone else and becomes your main wife. What will happen?”

“….”

“Why don’t you know that the child will end up getting hurt the most? She’s overtaken two women who are princesses, not just ordinary nobles, so how much will she be envied? And what about the eyes of the world? Not only that, but all the women you’ll take in the future will be nobles, won’t they?”

 

 

Aran lowered his head without saying a word.

 

“The position of main wife should be a woman who can control all the women you’ve taken in. How can a commoner girl handle noble women and princesses? Have you thought about all of that?”

“…I was short-sighted.”

“Yes. You were short-sighted. You’re not an ordinary person anymore. The women you take in are not ordinary people either. If there’s someone you really want to protect, you have to think deeply.”

“I will keep that in mind.”

 

 

Cornelia nodded.

 

“Oh, and…about that marriage.”

“?”

“I’m thinking of attaching Theodora to you.”

“Yes?!”

 

Aran was greatly surprised.

 

Theodora was someone who could be said to be Aran’s benefactor, and she was also the person most deeply involved in this war.

 

 

“When you say…attach…are you talking about marriage…?”

“Yes. I’ve told that child too. I haven’t gotten her approval yet, but I wanted to tell you too.”

“….”

 

 

Aran couldn’t speak.

To be exact, he didn’t know what to say.

 

 

Cornelia looked slightly dark.

 

 

“That kid is a pitiful child. She got caught up in an ominous event and lost everything, and now she’s even lost herself. Originally, she had more talent than Iliana. She lost it all because of that incident.”

“That…no, that woman is a benefactor to me. Along with my mother. I don’t know if I can look at her as just a woman.”

“Well, that’s true. She’s like a benefactor to Yeo (I) too. I don’t know if it’s okay to give her to a guy with as many flaws as you.”

“Eck…”

“Kuk kuk…don’t you realize it? A man with many women is already a flaw in itself.”

 

 

She smiled slightly and spoke playfully.

The dark atmosphere was still there, but it still felt like they were connecting.

 

 

“Well, Yeo (I)’s position is that it doesn’t matter as long as you have the ability. Let others say whatever they want.”

 

 

Aran quietly expressed his gratitude to her words.

If she didn’t have that kind of personality, Aran wouldn’t have been able to be a prince in the first place.

 

 

She’s open-minded and warm.

It may be different for others, but that’s how she was to Aran.

 

 

“That kid…is planning to live alone for the rest of her life. That’s not good. Not for her, nor for this country. You’re the only man who has a connection with her anyway. Try to seduce her.”

“Se…seduce?”

“You seduced the Emperor and Princess of the Mei Empire, so surely you can seduce a tribute girl. Yeo (I) believes in you.”

“I’m, I’m not sure if you should believe in me that way.”

 

Cornelia laughed cheerfully as Aran spoke with a flushed face.

Aran’s face turned even redder.

 

 

 

 

 

 

“By the way, there’s one thing I’m curious about, Aran.”

 

 

She asked, wiping away the tears that had welled up after laughing for a long time.

 

 

“Didn’t that old woman’s husband say anything?”

“Yes?”

“I’m talking about Emperor Seorae’s husband. You couldn’t have not known. Didn’t he say a word to you when he saw you?”

“Ah…”

 

 

Aran hesitated for a moment before finally blurting it out.

 

 

“……He was…kicked out.”

“What? Kicked out? The husband? Why?”

“….Well…he came into the room while we were…doing it….so.”

 

Cornelia had a blank expression for a moment before bursting into laughter again.

 

 

It took quite a long time for her to calm down again.

 

 

“….She must have liked you quite a bit. To kick out her husband.”

“Ugh…”

“Hehe. There’s nothing wrong with being loved by the Emperor. If you behave yourself well. You’ll soon be a Great King, so you need to develop political insight. If you can’t do that, you need to keep a capable person by your side.”

“Um…are you talking about someone like…Nuna (older sister)?”

“That bitch is terrible at politics. All she knows is swords.”

“….”

“Nobles know a lot about politics. For example…Hancock.”

“Yes?!”

“…Why are you surprised?”

“But…Count Hancock knows a lot about politics. I can’t believe it.”

“Yeo (I) also thinks so. But what can you do? It’s the truth. Among the people around you, she’s the most politically savvy. She’s still a count, isn’t she?”

“….”

 

Aran still couldn’t believe it.

Of course, Hancock had shown political insight several times, but it was hard to believe because of her usual image.

 

 

“And even if it’s not for that reason……keep Hancock close.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

.

.

.

 

 

 

 

 

 

After Aran left, Cornelia, who was left alone, sighed.

 

 

She wanted to say it, but she couldn’t.

 

She couldn’t tell him that Princess Moae, whom Aran had brought, might become a spearhead dividing this country.

 

 

“It’s already spilled milk. I can’t stop their marriage.”

 

 

There’s no point in saying it.

That spearhead position is established by marriage, and at this moment, no matter what Aran does, it finds its role and activates.

The Mei Empire’s ambition towards Persia was already revealed.

 

 

“In the end, the only way is to eliminate the conflict between Huana and Aran. That’s my original goal anyway.”

 

 

She also felt that nothing would change much.

After all, isn’t it a problem that can be solved by eliminating the conflict between the two?

That was what she wanted to do in her lifetime, and it was also her immediate goal.

 

 

Even if one variable is added now, it doesn’t change that.

 

 

“I wish Huana had married Aran instead of Iliana…”

 

 

Her children and her country.

To protect both,

She pondered and pondered again.