C107
I wanted to tell him to take care of it in the capital immediately, but it was dangerous because of the situation. The fact that the prince was assassinated while an envoy from another kingdom was here could become a major national issue. It was necessary to handle the situation naturally.
So it would be best to kill Jacob when he goes to the battlefield. That would be the most successful route, with the least possibility of being questioned.
Fortunately, Jacob was ostentatious and extravagant, so he often went to war. Zachary is a man who almost always lives on the battlefield, so it shouldn't be too difficult to manipulate the situation.
However, Zachary was not a man cunning enough to consider attempting to assassinate the royal family over political conflicts. The same went for Prince Gautier and Count Blanchefort.
Building a secret scheme from the bottom was considered an unjust act that went against chivalry. They were as naive as the insidious Jacob.
Bianca looked at Zachary. He was a knight among knights. Although she knew how absurd Bianca's argument was and that it could be seen as a slap from an ignorant woman towards his honor, Bianca was determined to persuade Zachary.
Even if she lied that she had found Jacob secretly meeting with an Aragonese spy, it would have been dismissed as absurd nonsense, but why not catch at a straw?
But contrary to Bianca's complicated thoughts, Zachary responded quickly and obediently.
"… I will."
While Bianca felt bewildered by Zachary's immediate response, Zachary pulled Bianca and laid her on the bed. A soft blanket wrapped around Bianca's legs. Zachary lay beside her, gently patting her shoulder.
His low voice sweetly filled Bianca's ears.
"You must be tired today, so go to bed early."
Zachary's behavior was so natural that Bianca felt even more confused.
Did Zachary really understand Bianca's words, or was it just an exhortation to appease her by dismissing it as nonsense due to panic?
But maybe it was because she was lying down, or maybe because the gentle hand that rubbed her back was soothing. Bianca's mind went blank, and soon she was overcome by a sleep mixed with fatigue.
"You must... you must do it."
Bianca murmured sleepily. Her chestnut lashes slowly fell, and then her pale green eyes disappeared. Only the sound of even breathing could be heard between her slightly parted rosy lips.
Zachary looked at Bianca, who had fallen asleep. He felt sorry for her tired and pale complexion.
Zachary's fingers tickled Bianca's cheek, but Bianca didn't move. That's how tired she felt. She seemed constantly nervous even in the banquet hall, but since this happened outside... Considering Bianca's usual resilience, she had endured it quite well.
The moonlight streaming into the room through the window illuminated Bianca's fair skin. The blue bruises left on her slender limbs wrapped in the white fur coat stood out clearly.
The fingers caressing Bianca were as gentle as feathers, but Zachary's eyes looking at her in the dim darkness were fierce. Zachary murmured softly, as if whispering to the sleeping Bianca.
"Don't worry. Even if you didn't want it, I would do it."
---
The next day, Bianca fell asleep.
It was due to accumulated fatigue and because no one woke her up.
Bianca's entire body throbbed as she woke up.
As usual, she called for Yvonne, but there was no response. Then Bianca belatedly remembered what happened yesterday.
Jacob was a fortunate knight in the tournament, but he was capable enough to reach the semifinals. Considering that Bianca's forearm was covered in bruises, Yvonne, who was struck by such a man, couldn't be fine.
Bianca got up and rang the bell on the bedside table. A maid, whom Bianca only knew by face, cautiously entered the room. She was a maid one or two years younger than Bianca.
"You've awakened, madam."
"Yes. How is Yvonne?"
She didn't ask where Yvonne was, but the maid, feeling embarrassed by Bianca's question and her concern for Yvonne, was startled. However, the advice Yvonne gave her was not to hesitate, not to lie, and tell the truth if there was any possibility of interaction with the madam. The maid quickly reported what she knew.
"Thanks to the Count's consideration, she is resting. She should have regained consciousness by now, shall I call her?"
"No, is she gravely injured, right?"
"I'm sorry. I don't know."
"That's okay."
The maid anxiously responded to Bianca's eyes as she relayed everything Yvonne had told her. When the master asked a question and the servant answered that they didn't know, they were usually criticized for being lazy and stupid. Furthermore, the older maids who used to serve Bianca in the past complained about her because she was demanding and sensitive, and they couldn't stand her... However, Bianca simply nodded without any problem and hurried to get dressed. That was it.
She had likes and dislikes, and her own preferences were clear. All she had to do was do what she told them to do, so she was easy to attend to for people like the maid who were not good in that area. Contrary to her worries, serving Bianca was easy, and the maid thought Yvonne was right.
"The madam just isn't good at expressing her feelings. As long as you're not ruder than usual, she will treat you kindly."
Now that she thinks about it, the maids who learned to weave with Bianca also praised her generosity. Bianca's lacework was a sensation in the capital. Would she be willing to share such skills? The young maid thought that something good could happen if she also followed Bianca.
After getting dressed, Bianca went straight to Yvonne's room.
As soon as Bianca stepped out of the room, Sauveur, who was guarding her door, quickly followed her.
"Where are you going?"
"To see Yvonne."
Since Yvonne was her lady-in-waiting, she was assigned a small room near Bianca's chambers. Bianca didn't take long to reach her room.
Yvonne's room was remarkably simple compared to Bianca's, but it was the best treatment she could receive as a maid.
Beside Yvonne's bed was Gaspard. It was something Bianca had guessed since Sauveur was Bianca's escort. When Bianca entered, Gaspard stepped aside.
Yvonne, lying in bed, saw Bianca and tried to sit up. Bianca quickly stopped her movement and approached her.
"Lie down."
Yvonne looked at Bianca and smiled faintly.
Yvonne's cheeks were blue and purple. Bianca's face twisted as she saw Yvonne only managing a half-smile because her cheek hurt.
Bianca sat in the chair next to Yvonne's bedside, biting her lip.
"I'm sorry, Yvonne. Because of my stubbornness..."
Bianca murmured, feeling down. When Bianca apologized to Yvonne, Sauveur, who had taken a step back, jumped in surprise. Gaspard also startled and looked at Bianca, not comprehending. Because he never thought Bianca was a person who could apologize. Yvonne, who was actually listening to the apology, naturally shook her head.
"It's not my lady's fault. It's the fault of those wretched sluggards."
Yvonne's voice was weak, but her tone was vigorous. She had no reservations in calling Prince Jacob and the jester Fernand sluggards.
"I'm glad at least one of them received their punishment. I had no idea that the Second Prince was such a heartless person. Are you all right, madam? Fortunately, I heard that the Count arrived in time..."
Gaspard seemed to have informed her about yesterday. Bianca laughed awkwardly as she turned her head, contemplating how to conclude yesterday's incident.
"Well, yes, I'm fine. It wasn't a big deal. I just wanted to know how you were... I couldn't bring up the topic earlier because the situation yesterday was very bad."
Although her arms still hurt, Bianca hid the fact that she was injured to alleviate Yvonne's worries. But her lies were clumsy. Yvonne, who used to be close to her, could see through Bianca's lies. Yvonne smiled bitterly and waved her hand.
"Oh, it's all right. It was for the madam's sake. Don't get tangled up because of me. I saw it yesterday, and really... You understood, madam, didn't you? You shouldn't even go near the second prince."
"Don't worry. I never had the intention to do so in the first place. Yesterday was just my bad luck."
Bianca nodded in response to Yvonne's request. She wouldn't go anywhere where Jacob and her path would overlap.
----
"The madam shouldn't even be able to go on the walks she likes. Her chambers must be noisy because people are sneaking in to see her because of the lace she talked about yesterday..."
"I'm sure she'll be fine as long as she has an escort. I acted hastily... I won't go out like that again. Now that I think about it, Sir Gaspard must have been scolded a lot by the count yesterday. I'm sorry."
"No."
Gaspard silently shook his head. But Bianca wasn't so naive as to believe it completely. Bianca laughed bitterly. Gaspard would definitely say no, so there was no point in discussing it further. It's more important to ensure this doesn't happen again. Bianca sighed deeply and shook her head.
"I'll make sure this never happens again."
Bianca's shoulders slumped.
In a way, the trip to the capital was her first step outside the territory as the "Countess of Arno." But the first trip turned out like this. She couldn't afford to return to the capital again. In reality, coming to the capital had its benefits, but the mental fatigue weighed more on her.
Bianca added, patting the back of Yvonne's hand over the blanket.
"Anyway, hurry up. Even if I have an escort, I don't have the motivation to go for a walk if you're not there."
"I will try to recover quickly, madam."
Yvonne twisted the corner of her lips a little more than before and responded with a smile. However, one corner of her mouth was still stiff. Bianca, feeling disheartened to see it, couldn't make eye contact with Yvonne until the end, and gently turned her head to avoid her gaze. She reflected once again on the crazy consequences of her hasty actions.
She remembered what Zachary said to Jacob yesterday.
"It's a bit of a cliché to say that a weak dog barks the loudest, but sometimes the cliché hits the mark. In war, the dog that barks often dies first. I think His Highness needs to bark a little less."
Zachary was probably referring to Jacob, but Bianca thought she was the barking dog. Without any skill, she just raised the volume of her voice... If Zachary wasn't standing behind her, she would have been beaten without being able to do anything.
Until now, Bianca had lived by merely enjoying what was given to her. There were only a handful of things she earned with her own hands... Fortunately, she started a lace business, but it was something she started as a background for bribes after her return, and not for a specific cause.
She neglected her duties as a noble wife, even when she arrived in the capital. She didn't participate in any social activities and only spent her time quietly.
Until now, it had been fine because the estate was running thanks to Zachary and Vincent's support...
Now, in a few years, there would be a great war. A war so grand that it couldn't be compared to anything fought before. Prince Gautier, who hadn't moved from the capital until now, finally went to war and lost his life. And Jacob would ascend the throne...
In that war, everyone who would become Bianca's shield would die. Her brother, her father, and eventually Zachary... she had to stop it.
She was a weak dog, and she knew it. If she didn't have much skill, she had to cling to the shield to protect herself. And besides, she had to protect those who would be her shield.
Fortunately, Bianca knew the future. Each of her actions might seem insignificant, but as such, it would distort Jacob's plans. Bianca's pale green eyes shimmered with determination.
----
Fortunately, Bianca no longer had to worry about encountering Jacob in the capital. It was because that night, Zachary suggested returning to the estate as soon as possible. Bianca gladly accepted the offer. To be honest, she was looking forward to welcoming him with open arms.
Originally, she intended to stay in the capital until the end of the grape harvest, but they decided to leave Lahoz at the beginning of the harvest. The king would try to retain them, but by then there was no justification for coercion, as the tournament and other important events like the royal wedding ceremony had already concluded.
They decided to use Bianca's health as an excuse, but it wasn't a lie because it was true. That's how tired Bianca felt.
When she informed Count Blanchefort that they would return early, she regretted it deeply. The Arno estate and the Blanchefort estate were not so far apart, but not close enough to come and go frequently.
"If we part now, when will we be able to see each other again?" Bianca filled her mind with complicated thoughts under Gustave's sad gaze. If he was going to feel so bad about parting like this, they could stay in contact. She hadn't heard from him so far... However, Bianca, who couldn't blame her father because she knew better than anyone the fear of being rejected, consoled him with a forced smile in his place.
"Now, I will write to you often."
"Okay..."
Gustave nodded, but there was a hint of regret. However, since it was inevitable, he tried to take it calmly.
"I made a fool of myself in front of the Count of Arno."
"No. You can come and visit us whenever you want. You'll be very welcome."
"It's nice to hear that. But since you're busy with the war, how often can I go to an ownerless property? That's why I couldn't ask the Countess, who had to protect her territory, to come."
Gustave laughed. Bianca realized later that was why Gustave hadn't set foot on the Arno estate until now. Of course, it didn't make sense that he hadn't sent a proper letter, but after all, it would only hurt his feelings. Because he wouldn't have her father to refresh old memories.
Bianca cleared her throat and looked directly at her father, standing tall.
Seeing Bianca as if she was about to say something important, Gustave also straightened up and listened. Since what she was trying to say was a delicate matter, Bianca spoke carefully.
"I heard from my husband that Aragon's momentum is unusual. It's been quiet for a while, but... It's not that they've given up on invading Sevran, it's just that they're aiming for the right moment."
Zachary, who was sitting next to Bianca, nodded as if responding to Bianca's words. Encouraged by it, Bianca continued speaking fluently.
"At that time, there might be pressure for the Blanchefort family to join the war. If that happens, my brother will have to lead the army and go to war. I know my brother is a great knight and he did well in the tournament... But my brother is the heir of the family. If something like that happens, don't let my brother go unless it's really dangerous."
Bianca's words were resolute. As soon as they decided to return early to the Arno estate, Bianca asked Zachary about the situation in the neighboring kingdoms. Zachary seemed a little perplexed by the unexpected and sudden question, but calmly explained the situation.
The knowledge she learned was mixed with the future facts she knew. And she began working behind the scenes to create the future she wanted. One step in the plan was to prevent Johaseng from going to war.
"Bianca, that's none of your concern."
When the story about himself suddenly became a hot topic, the embarrassed Johaseng dissuaded Bianca. The same happened with the bewildered Gustave.
"Tch," Gustave clicked his tongue and said.
"Aren't we nobles of Sevran? If the kingdom is in danger, not participating for the sake of territory safety goes against the honor and duty of a noble. You know that too."
"Father."
Bianca put on a serious expression. When Bianca, with an unfamiliar expression on her face, looked at them intently with a stern look, both Johaseng and Gustave had no choice but to keep quiet.
The tip of Bianca's eyebrow tilted downward, emitting a sad gaze.
"My husband is already on the edge. Always on the brink of death..."
Part of it was an act, but the other part was sincere. Everyone venerates Zachary as an undefeated god or something like that, but Bianca couldn't believe it. Instead of questioning his abilities, it was because she knew that eventually he would be killed on the battlefield.
Zachary's death is unsettling, so her brother's shouldn't be any less. To prevent her father and brother from going in vain like in the past, Bianca desperately tried to persuade them.
"If both my husband and my brother go to war, I won't be able to live due to anxiety."
Tags:
TWB (Novel)