An Unexpected Proposal-Chapter 45

“Is that how you see it? From my perspective, it seems more like he fears the child.”

Lady Morco clenched the ring Gajev had handed her. It contained the conversation between Cabelenus and Gajev, carefully recorded.

“His Highness is not someone who experiences fear.”

“We can’t know that for sure. We don’t know what kind of life he endured before coming to Schwarhan.”

“…”

“More than anything, the relationship between His Majesty and His Highness is far from normal. And usually, such relationships have a reason behind them.”

Lady Morco let out a deep sigh.

“What do you plan to do now, Aunt?”

“For now, I can only hope that the young lady awakens as soon as possible.”

“I was asking about what comes after.”

“Well, that remains to be seen.”

“I won’t be able to help you anymore.”

Gajev lowered his head, avoiding Lady Morco’s gaze. Just passing this information to her was already an act of betrayal against Cabelenus. He could not go any further.

“You have no need for the help of a child whose wounds have barely healed.”

“I know you see me as strong, but please, don’t overexert yourself.”

“I only ever do my best in all things. I am simply doing what I must.”

Lady Morco unconsciously clenched and released her hand. It had been decades since she had relinquished her knightly status, yet the habits formed over years of discipline still lingered.

‘I hope His Highness changes his mind, but that won’t be easy.’

Things of the past were like that. Whether they were good or bad memories, the more time passed, the more they solidified, becoming unquestioned truths. Expecting Cabelenus to change was nothing more than a distant hope.

“It would be best if this all passed quietly without issue, but… the sky is always clear before a snowstorm.”

“…”

“No one can defy nature’s order with mere human will. All we can do is prepare and minimize the damage.”

Lady Morco turned toward the window, hiding the weight in her heart beneath an aged smile.

The sky was particularly clear today.

***

“The weather is nice.”

“You seem to be in a good mood.”

“Of course. My position is finally becoming clear, isn’t it?”

Veloa gazed at her reflection in the mirror, curling her lips into a satisfied smile. The hours she had spent preparing herself had not gone to waste—she was breathtakingly beautiful.

“Really, everything is falling into place. And soon, it will be even better.”

With just one exception.

The leisure in Veloa’s smile twisted in an instant.

“Isn’t it ridiculous? A man who leaves his fiancée alone like this.”

“He must be busy.”

“That depends on who he’s busy for.”

Veloa lifted her chin and picked up an exquisite fan, its frame adorned with grand duke’s feathers. It was the finest quality, the kind rarely found even in royal circles. The gifts she received daily were no different—extravagant, luxurious, undeniably worthy of a princess.

“The gifts from the grand duke are all quite satisfactory.”

“They reflect His Highness’s devotion to you.”

“That’s how it should be. And yet… why do I feel as though these are nothing more than bribes to keep me quiet?”

The fan slipped from Veloa’s hand, landing weakly on the floor. With a slow, deliberate motion, she crushed it beneath the heel of her shoe before reaching for another. One ruined fan was no great loss. There were plenty more to replace it.

“To think he’s so anxious over some worthless slave. He should know when to stop his little love game. If he’s already acting like this before our engagement is even finalized, it’s becoming a problem.”

“The existence of the slave is still a secret, so it shouldn’t be an issue, should it? Frankly, if we hadn’t already been informed, we wouldn’t even be aware of her presence.”

“If he intends to keep her hidden in the shadows forever, then it’s fine. But the way he’s acting… I doubt that will be the case.”

“In the end, she’s just a slave.”

One of Veloa’s eyebrows arched upward. She, too, wanted to dismiss the girl as just a slave, but something about it didn’t sit right.

“The emperor said it himself. The grand duke went so far as to humble himself before the High Priest for help.”

“For that slave?”

“Yes. Just for that one wretched girl.”

Veloa couldn’t hold back her irritation.

Cabelenus’s actions made no sense to her. It was completely beyond her comprehension.

“Have you contacted the emperor again?”

“Yes. I have.”

Veloa’s sharp eyes flickered toward the enchanted communication mirror. The remnants of magic still lingered on its surface, a faint trace of the conversation that had ended just moments ago.

“A man impossible to read.”

“Indeed. A cunning one at that. He’s known all along that I was searching for that slave’s whereabouts, and yet he pretended not to.”

Veloa let out a scoff, her lips curling.

It was almost amusing how alike the emperor and Cabelenus were.

“Does that mean the emperor knew from the beginning where the slave was?”

“Yes. He knew everything. And he still played dumb.”

“That’s outrageous. Why would he do that? Aren’t we supposed to be on the same side?”

A hint of unease flickered in the knight’s eyes.

“Perhaps he’s planning to betray us.”

“He claimed he was waiting for the right moment.”

“The right moment?”

“He said the timing wasn’t right before, so he was waiting.”

“There’s something he’s scheming.”

“The nerve of a half-breed trying to play a game of wits. These lowborn creatures are always so desperate to survive, clawing and struggling like the vermin they are.”

Veloa shook her head in distaste. No matter how hard she tried to see them in a better light, those of impure blood always revealed their true nature.

“Then… are you going to sever ties with the emperor?”

“No.”

“But, surely…”

“It’s infuriating how he’s already trying to suppress me, acting as if I’m insignificant, but abandoning the emperor can wait. For now, dealing with that slave takes priority.”

Cabelenus had long since crossed the line for this to be dismissed as a mere preference for slaves. The potential existence of a child, the excessive sacrifices made for that wretched girl—none of it could be tolerated. No matter how trivial something seemed, if there was even a chance it could ignite a fire, it had to be extinguished before it spread.

“What do you intend to do?”

“For now, I’ll play along with the emperor’s tune.”

“Wouldn’t it be better to avoid entanglements with him as much as possible?”

Her escort carefully voiced his concern. He had no desire to provoke Veloa’s temper, but the emperor was a man far too shrewd for a young princess to handle. It was only natural to worry that she might be used and discarded.

“And what do you propose I do? Back out now?”

“It’s just that…”

“Don’t start nagging. I’ve already agreed to borrow the emperor’s people.”

Veloa lazily waved her fan and leaned back against her chair. Her patience was wearing thin. She had never been one to enjoy waiting.

“If outsiders enter the palace, it will draw attention.”

“Don’t worry. Everything will be handled discreetly. Ironically enough, that scheming emperor has already stationed his own people within the palace. They will be the ones helping me.”

“He placed spies in the palace?”

“How do you think he knew the whereabouts of that slave girl? The emperor. He pretended to care for his brother, but he’s had spies planted everywhere for a long time. All that pretense of being a good older brother—it was just an act.”

Foll𝑜w current novℯls on ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm.

Veloa clicked her tongue and curled her lips in amusement.

“I thought their bond was strong enough for him to bequeath the throne, but I suppose I was wrong.”

“It doesn’t matter what he’s thinking. Whatever schemes he has, as long as I get what I want, that’s all that matters. In the end, regardless of our intentions, he and I share the same goal, don’t we?”

To make the grand duke a perfect emperor.

Veloa’s eyes softened into an elegant curve. The thought of that miserable slave soured her mood, but imagining the final outcome was enough to lift her spirits.

“My engagement will proceed as planned—a grand, extravagant affair. But the brighter the lights shine, the darker the shadows become.”

“…You mean?”

“On the day I bask in my happiness, that wretched girl will be cast into the abyss.”

And it would be brutal. Utterly merciless.

Veloa adjusted her fan with an elegant gesture. Just thinking about that day made her heart race.

***

The room was silent.

Wrapped in complete darkness, Alicia instinctively placed her hands over her stomach. The undeniable presence of life within her confirmed what she already knew.

And she welcomed it.

‘Thank goodness… it wasn’t a dream.’

Alicia closed her eyes, savoring the warmth beneath her palm. If she had never known it, she might have been able to remain ignorant. But once she had felt that warmth, there was no forgetting it.

Creak.

She didn’t know how long she had stayed like that, holding her stomach, but eventually, the door opened, and light spilled into the room. Alicia immediately sat up, checking for the visitor.

“…My lady?”

“Lady Morco.”

“Oh, dear heavens.”

Lady Morco rushed forward and wrapped Alicia in a tight embrace. Alicia blinked in surprise before hesitantly returning the gesture.

Lady Morco was trembling.

“I’m so relieved you woke up safely. No—more importantly, we need to summon a physician right away. We must check your condition and prepare a meal for you—”

“There’s no need to call a physician. I know my body best.”

“My lady…”

“I’m not in pain. If anything, I feel stronger than ever.”

Even in the dim light, Alicia’s face was undeniably radiant. It was hard to believe she had been unconscious for so long.

“You’re truly well?”

“Yes.”

“Then… that is truly a relief. I… I was so worried…”

Lady Morco raised a hand to her face, as if trying to suppress the emotions threatening to spill over.

“I’m sorry for making you worry.”

“No, my lady, this wasn’t your fault. If anything, the one at fault is…”

Lady Morco trailed off and let out a deep breath. Alicia waking up was a blessing, but that wasn’t the end of it. There were still problems to face.

“…Where is His Highness?”

Alicia attempted a smile, but it was clumsy.

Lady Morco hesitated, choosing her words carefully as she looked at her.

There was no way Alicia was truly unaffected. And yet, she was acting as if nothing was wrong. The sight of her pretending to be fine made Lady Morco’s heart ache.

“He should be in his office.”

“Then please, inform him. I have something to say.”

“Yes, my lady. I’ll do so at once.”

“Thank you.”

“…”

“What is it?”

Lady Morco hesitated before suddenly pulling Alicia into another embrace. Alicia remained still, her gaze dropping.

“…I’m sorry for deceiving you.”

“…”

“I never intended to truly deceive you. I only wanted to give you both the time to resolve things on your own. I never meant to betray you.”

Her hands, as they stroked Alicia’s back, were gentle.

Alicia hesitated before cautiously pressing her face against Lady Morco’s shoulder.

She had wanted to push her away, to resent her, but the warmth in her arms was too much like that of a mother’s. She couldn’t hate it.

“There’s no need to pretend you’re fine. Just as stagnant water rots, bottled-up emotions will only fester inside you. If you’re sad, say so. If you’re in pain, say so. You’re allowed to.”

“…”

“I may serve His Highness, but I also serve you. From the moment you arrived in Schwarhan, you have been my lady.”

Alicia’s fingers clenched tightly around Lady Morco’s sleeve.

She had never expected her to say such things.

No matter how kind Lady Morco was, she was ultimately Cabelenus’s person. Alicia had assumed she would tell her to simply obey his wishes. That was why she had tried to act as if nothing had happened.

She didn’t want to hear more cruelty—not from him, and not from her.

“…Lady Morco, you’re like a magician.”

Alicia let out a breathless laugh as she struggled to hold back her tears.

She had thought her tangled emotions were impossible to unravel. But with a single, kind word, they had been cut away in an instant.

“I’m glad my words brought you comfort. I never wanted you to be hurt. No one wishes to see someone they cherish in pain.”

“…”

“But… there’s no way to avoid pain forever. The world is not always kind. That’s why I want you to become strong, my lady. Strong enough to endure pain, not as something to fear, but as something to build upon.”

My young master. My beloved disciple.

With infinite tenderness, Lady Morco cupped Alicia’s cheek.