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The Arno estate became noisy with the news that arrived from the capital.
The death of the first prince!
Gautier was the first in line to the throne. Although there is a faction of two princes, almost everyone in Sevran considered Gautier as the next king. To that extent, the news delivered by the messenger was as shocking as the death of the king.
Bianca couldn't hide her confusion. She expected Prince Gautier to die, but that would be in two years. And the cause was different. The cause of death she knew was a death during the war.
Bianca always wanted to have certainty that the future could change, but not like this. Bianca's heart beat heavily.
Originally, in the war where Gautier died, her younger brother died, and her father died, so in a way, she could think that she had avoided the death of her family, but Bianca knew that life wasn't that easy.
She thought she had managed to prevent his death by convincing Johaseng not to go to war... In this case, she also doesn't know when, where, and how Johaseng will die. Of course, the same thing happened with the death of Zachary, the one she feared the most.
All of this was caused by not addressing the root cause. Exactly, Jacob. His existence...
Until now, their relationship had been fixed, so it was quite difficult to move forward. In other words, wouldn't Gautier's death be the starting point and Jacob's downfall? If we blame Jacob from this side for Gautier's murder...
Bianca tried to think positively, but she couldn't control her natural anxiety. Bianca felt a sense of suffocation and walked frantically from one room to another. The everydayness of always worrying about the deaths of the people around her, even though she was sensitive, pushed her further to the edge of the abyss.
While Bianca's head was filled with anxiety and impatience, Zachary went to visit Bianca. It was to bid farewell to Bianca before attending the prince's funeral.
As he entered the room, he looked at Bianca. He had no intention of changing his mind, but he felt anxious about leaving the territory after having a fight with Bianca.
Zachary spoke carefully with an uneasy attitude.
"I'm leaving. It won't take long. I'll be back in a month."
It was his own act of apology that Zachary spoke to her first. And Bianca knew it.
Bianca was equally anxious about being in the midst of a fight with Zachary. As she was stubborn, everything became chaotic.
And now that she thinks about it, she believes it would have been better if she had been kinder to him. She acted like a colt pierced by thorns for no reason, and she regretted it.
Of course, she would never have done it if the situation hadn't changed as dramatically as it has now.
After an eternity of silence, Bianca opened her mouth.
"...take some escorts just in case."
In the meantime, is this all she will say?
But she didn't know what to say in this situation. It was the first conversation she had with Zachary in a long time. It was just a month ago, but she completely forgot what they had been talking about before the fight.
But Zachary didn't mind. It was enough for him that Bianca accepted the conversation. A look of relief appeared on Zachary's face, which had hardened from discomfort and tension. Zachary responded with a slightly excited voice.
"Don't worry. Nothing special will happen."
Ironically, the tragedy of the first Prince's death softened their relationship. There was always happiness in misfortune. Although the weights of misfortune and happiness were different, and their situation was too insecure and superficial to be relieved.
The problem was that Bianca was the only one who was anxious. Unlike Bianca, who was terrified, Zachary seemed too calm. Bianca's frustrated voice rose unintentionally.
"I can't help but worry! We're burying the First Prince... The Second Prince doesn't like us. Now is the right time. If you ever have the chance to see my father, insist firmly that the second prince must be overthrown by any means necessary. You have no talent for things like politics or intrigue. My father will do that for you."
"I didn't want to cause you such worries."
Zachary laughed bitterly.
He didn't like Bianca's attention to politics and power struggles. The dark side of power was always messy. Zachary's job was to dig into the chaos and take the seat of power, and he hoped that Bianca would simply sit atop the seat that Zachary wore.
Zachary added words to alleviate Bianca's worries.
"The second prince cannot move recklessly yet. We still have Prince Heir Albert, and he is the most orthodox heir. His Majesty's heart does not tremble, so the position Jacob can aspire to, at best, is that of regent for Prince Heir Albert... Although I don't think that's possible. His Majesty will not leave his beloved lamb in the mouth of a wolf. He will bring another protector."
"Is there anyone worthy of that?"
"Well... That's a very difficult problem. Since Prince Heir Albert is engaged to Castile this time, he also has to control his approach. So, if he chooses one of the nobles, he won't be sure how much he can trust them... We can't recommend it too hastily on our part. Our true intentions will be questioned."
"......"
"His Majesty is older, but as I said, won't he hold on as long as possible until his grandson Prince Albert becomes an adult? At this moment, he must be saddened by the death of the first prince, but..."
In response to Zachary's naive and relaxed response, Bianca firmly shook her head.
"If that's the case, we don't know what will happen to Prince Heir Albert. For the second prince, it would be more advantageous to get rid of the Heir Prince."
"Don't you think Prince Gautier fell off his horse by accident?"
At that moment, Zachary's face hardened.
He hadn't thought of assassination because given that Gautier died in the capital, Jacob wouldn't have had any particular benefit.
Why now...?
If Zachary had been in Jacob's position, he would have dealt with the assassination of the enemy in the midst of the chaos of war.
Bianca couldn't understand why Jacob was moving now. But there was one thing Bianca knew.
How low the humanity of that man named Jacob was!
"If it's a coincidence, it's a very sweet coincidence for the second prince. If it happens once, it can happen twice."
Bianca scoffed. No matter how you look at it, Gautier's death was too strange. She couldn't understand what gain Jacob would get from killing Gautier at this moment, but perhaps he acted that way because it outweighed the gain he would get from not killing him?
Upon hearing Bianca's words, Zachary pondered. Even in his opinion, Gautier's death had many doubtful aspects. An instinctive warning to not overlook Bianca's words resonated in his mind. Bianca's argument was logically valid as well.
"Then I will tell His Majesty to move Prince Albert's residence to a safer place."
"I think that will reassure me."
Bianca smiled weakly. She seemed to feel more at ease, but there were still many things to worry about. Bianca murmured as if she were speaking to herself.
"The capital in the future will be like a war. A war for the throne..."
A corner of Zachary's heart burned as he looked at Bianca. It was the smile of Bianca that he hadn't seen in a long time, but seeing her so fragile didn't make him feel any better.
It would be better for him to not pay attention to the complicated circumstances of the royal family. It seemed that he had many concerns because the Blanchefort and Arno families were involved.
It's all because he's not good enough.
It's probably because he's not strong enough to be relied upon. Zachary's complexion darkened with guilt.
While Zachary regained control of his complicated mind, Bianca suddenly spoke.
"Then, don't forget the promise you made to me."
Zachary was taken aback by Bianca's sudden remark and searched within his mind to see if he had missed something. But if it was a promise, it wouldn't be very difficult to guess.
Zachary recalled all the promises he had made with Bianca up until now. They had decided to ride horses around the estate, float a boat on the river and play in the water when they had free time, and build a villa in the southern part to keep warm in winter because she feels very cold, and...
Only then did Zachary, who remembered, look at Bianca with a stiff expression. Bianca also looked at Zachary. Her sparkling eyes burned like dry leaves.
"If you encounter him in war, you decided to kill him."
"... I did. I wouldn't forget."
Zachary's lips curled, revealing his teeth. It was a smile that emerged unconsciously.
----
It was a terrifying smile for those unfamiliar with war and murder, but on the contrary, Bianca felt relieved.
"Definitely when there's a chance."
Bianca pleaded with Zachary. He couldn't openly kill Prince Jacob in the capital, but hadn't Jacob done something too audacious?!
To catch a fox, one must be as cunning as a fox.
The sad thing was that Zachary didn't have much talent for such conspiracy tactics and covert operations.
She felt uneasy about sending Zachary alone. But it wouldn't be a good idea to follow him. Since Jacob kept seeking opportunities to approach Bianca in the capital, the greatest help Bianca could give Zachary would be to stay on the estate.
Bianca struggled to contain the pounding of her heart.
"Then I'm going."
"I'll see you off."
"Alright. I don't think I can go to the capital because the horse's hooves will feel heavy if you see me off. You can watch me from here. Just that will make me happy."
"Still..."
Seeing Bianca hesitate, Zachary smiled softly and shook his head. He looked at Bianca silently, then reached out to touch her cheek.
Zachary's lips touched Bianca's and then parted. The light kiss that didn't even allow them to feel each other's breath left a deeper longing.
The bodies of the two burned and yearned for each other, to the point where it was regrettable that they had been separated for a month due to their pride. What they cared so much about Gautier's death faded away like a lie, and they only wanted to savor this moment.
Zachary's and Bianca's eyes met. Neither Bianca nor Zachary were good at talking or controlling their facial expressions, so their true intentions flowed through their eyes instead of through a few words. Although they didn't say anything, they could feel that the other person wanted the same.
Suddenly, Zachary wrapped his arms around Bianca's waist. Unlike the upper body trying to maintain distance, the lower body clung to the opponent. It was an instinctive act that emerged unconsciously. But it wasn't the right time. Zachary smiled bitterly and removed his hand from Bianca's waist.
"Then, I'll go and come back."
"Come back quickly."
"Then stay healthy."
Bianca looked at his back for a long time as he left the room, feeling the regret left by Zachary's fingertips. Bianca stared at the space where he disappeared for a long time, then turned and looked out the window.
After preparing to go to the capital, Zachary visited Bianca and mounted his black horse. Once on his horse, he looked towards Bianca's room. Bianca, leaning against the window, and Zachary's eyes met. The man who was in her room just a moment ago was about to leave...
Zachary averted his gaze from Bianca, making a grimace as if he had made a decision. His heels spurred the horse. His black horse snorted, and immediately began to gallop forward. Behind Zachary, he saw Sauveur, Robert, and other knights following him. Bianca stared blankly at the procession that quickly moved away from the estate.
In the future that Bianca had seen in her dreams, many things were going wrong. The future was changing, and the future she had to change was also approaching. Bad news always arrives before the good news. That's how the future was.
Still, just because what happened in this moment is negative, whether it will be positive or negative for Bianca will only be known after this time has passed. Bianca tried to control her mind, but she bit her lip with uncontrollable nervousness.
"Please, I hope everything turns out well."
----
When Zachary left, Bianca anxiously awaited news from the capital. She was always looking out the window, unable to do anything. In times like this, she needed something she could do without thinking, so she purposefully grabbed the lace frame. However, the progress was not significant.
Time passed in vain day by day. A little over fifteen days had passed when Zachary returned. He had said it would take a month for him to return to the estate, but his return was faster than expected.
Although she eagerly waited for him to arrive quickly, when he did, she felt worried thinking that something had happened.
After receiving the report that Zachary had entered the castle, Bianca jumped up and ran to meet him.
"Madam, don't walk too fast! Be careful!"
Yvonne anxiously shouted from behind, but Bianca didn't hear her and headed towards the castle entrance.
When Bianca reached the first floor, Zachary, who had just arrived, was dismounting his horse.
Zachary's black cloak slid off the horse, and the wind ruffled his silver hair. It felt as if he had rushed without being able to rest properly.
Zachary's face hardened.
Sauveur, who was usually loud, also had his mouth shut with a serious expression. The sharpness of the atmosphere surrounding them was unusual to see.
What happened in the capital?
Guessing the gravity of the situation, Bianca inquired about the situation in the capital before greeting.
"What happened in Lahoz? Is His Majesty well? What about the Crown Prince?"
"The situation is very chaotic. His Majesty was very surprised. Perhaps because he was mentally very weak, he didn't leave his room. Meanwhile, the second prince tried to take the throne, but with the help of Count Blanchefort, he was safely stopped."
Zachary wanted to take this opportunity to uproot the base of the second prince, but he couldn't. It was because time was too short. As Bianca had mentioned before he left, things were somehow moving in a direction that would benefit Jacob.
"The situation is not relaxed enough to mourn the death of the first prince, so His Majesty has secured the matter regarding the successor. As expected, Crown Prince Albert has been confirmed as the first in line for succession. Following your advice, I took the Crown Prince to a safe place. But the problem is..."
Zachary frowned. Bianca looked him in the eye and asked cautiously.
"What's wrong?"
"...Aragon has invaded. Not as usual, but a full-scale attack. I need to prepare my army and go to war immediately."
"Aragon?"
Bianca's complexion darkened at Zachary's words. Seeing that they had just arrived and left, it seemed like they were right in front of their noses.
She had never considered Aragon's intervention. After she was declared Saint, she thought Aragon's intervention would be delayed a bit due to receiving the Church's protection, but on the contrary, it attacked earlier than anticipated... Bianca exclaimed incredulously.
"Why at this moment...?!"
"It seems that the fact that Prince Gautier is dead has leaked. They are planning to devour Sevran taking advantage of this confusing situation. It's a total attack. Sevran's borders are being simultaneously attacked."
Zachary twisted the corners of his mouth and smiled. He was also angry about this situation. It seems they thought they could conquer Sevran just because Gautier was dead, but it was a thought that couldn't be easily entertained without underestimating Zachary.
It wasn't just that. He had tried to reconcile with Bianca, but if he goes to war, he will be separated from her for several months. There was no reason not to be angry at Aragon for creating such a situation.
Zachary clenched his teeth to firmly remember that their invasion was a wrong choice. However, the inside was not revealed at all on the outside. Disguised as composure, Zachary casually said as if it were no big deal.
"Let's go back to the room and talk. I'll leave early in the morning, so I'll be able to sleep without worry at least for today. Robert, Sauveur!"
"Yes, don't worry, we'll prepare the army."
"Great. And Vincent, I ask you to supply the troops."
When Zachary gestured towards the commanders, they immediately moved in unison like Zachary's limbs. As everyone dispersed to do their work, Gaspard, who had been silently behind Bianca, approached Zachary.
"...Count. What should I do?"
"Wait a moment. I'll go and talk to Gaspard."
Zachary apologized to Bianca and walked away with Gaspard. Although she could see them with her own eyes, they were in a position where she couldn't hear the sound of their conversation.
What are they talking about that he doesn't want her to hear?
Bianca's eyes trembled with unease.
Tags:
TWB (Novel)