The sailors' grim and ghastly expressions immediately brightened when they heard coins jingling inside the bulky bag. One sailor grabbed the bag from the man right away."Aye, I agree, friend. We can settle this like men," one of the sailors said. "You've got to learn to discipline that boy, my friend, or he'll die young.""Ha-ha, yes..." the man laughed nervously.The sailor looked over his shoulder at his comrades.We're not mad, are we?" he questioned."Of course not. I was just out here wondering if the little boy had gone insane," one sailor said. "Everything is fine. We're doing well here."The others agreed, nodding vigorously. Someone suggested they go to the bar for a drink, which they did; later, they were discovered drunk as a fiddler.Only the man and the boy remained in the dock.The man wiped the cold sweat from his brow and turned to face the boy gazing out at the blue sea. "Your Majesty, what is going on? I'm as confused as a bee without nectar! Please, Your Majesty
Soup spoons and plates flew overhead, and the inn quickly became chaotic. Meanwhile, the boy and the man sat in the corner, eating quietly."You'd better keep an eye on your groin, or you'll find yourself without balls!" exclaimed the enraged woman."Aye, curse you, woman!" exclaimed one man, immediately covering his lower area."The young lady happens to be leaving the estate and soon to board the ship to Coulson," the woman explained. "How about you come with me? We'll inform the young lady that you spit on her mother's grave!""I spit on yer' mother's grave!" retorted the man.The boy froze, his grip on the fork slipping. He jumped to his feet and walked over to the rowdy table."What exactly did you say? The young lady, she's leaving Ehrlich?" the boy inquired.The man and woman were perplexed by the boy's sudden appearance, but they told him what they knew."Ah' heard it from a relative who worked in the mansion, kid," the man explained."The young lady sold some properties and
Six years later...Tars, capital of Coulson.In the garden full of fallen leaves, gentle noblemen gathered. Many were nicely dressed, all full in their warm woolly clothes hinting at the clear autumn weather, a stark contrast to their tense faces. They were holding a long wooden stick that did not match their elegant attire.A white ball sat atop the slumbering maple leaves. Meanwhile, a woman's voice was heard, and the gentlemen stared, breathless."And... start!"The ball rose and leaped into the air as soon as the woman's battle cry fell.The sight of the gentlemen moving quickly and running after the ball was somewhat amusing. One gentleman threw his stick at the ball, successfully catching it, but another person from the side quickly snatched the ball from the gentleman. The thief quickly turned around and ran towards the other side at a frighteningly fast pace.“Oh no!”The thief yelped horribly as he ran fast on the narrow path blocked in between the trees. He was stopped by tw
"No, I won't," said the silver-haired woman, shaking her head.“Why? "Come on, choose one," the princess instructed."Do it on your own." The silver-haired woman turned away and flatly refused the princess.Because the king adored his daughter, her words and commands were equivalent to the king's orders. She was known for her fiery temper, and no one could calm her down, not even the royal family, her relatives, or the nanny. As a result, no one dared to speak to the princess in a manner befitting their image.Helen burst out laughing and jumped out of her chair. "I was only joking. Don't tell me you thought I'd make you all jump into the lake and drown in this freezing weather."'You're the type to do that,' the young nobles thought as they awkwardly laughed.Helen's arms were crossed. "Of course I'm not going to do it." We'll stop here because Alice said so."One gentleman blushed as he heard her words. He was the source of their anguish because of his earlier veiled sarcastic remar
Alicia had no idea why Ivan despised Coulson; perhaps his mother was of Coulson descent. It didn't matter to Alicia any longer.Regardless, each time Ivan attempted to usurp Coulson by increasing Ehrlich's maritime power, he was met with fierce opposition from the Queen. So long as the alliance with Coulson remained intact, the Queen thought Ehrlich should exert more effort to keep the Toulouse Empire in check.Toulouse was in the heart of the continent, while Coulson was on the coast.To prevent Toulouse from growing in power, Ehrlich and Coulson formed a coalition through national marriage a long time ago.Alicia remembered his enraged voice and his rage behind closed doors. "Do you ignore these obvious issues because you're of Coulson blood?" he'd ask."Alicia, Ehrlich's young king is fearless," Helen sighed.Helen's abrupt remark made Alicia smile bitterly. She was surprised to hear his name from the princess."Alicia, you're twenty, right?" I'm not sure what happened to you prior
Alicia then bid her farewell and exited the room.When Alicia first arrived in Coulson six years ago, she quickly became Helen's companion. Helen was the youngest royal child, and the House of Coulson adored her. Many noblemen tried to win the princess' heart, but they were unable to stand her temper. But Alicia, who was also of royal blood and the princess's age, appeared like a knight in shining armor and became Helen's true friend.Alicia was genuine, which Helen appreciated. Alicia grew on Helen despite their extreme personality differences. Helen had a fiery temper, whereas Alicia was gentle and patient.They fit together like two complete puzzle pieces.The princess even asked, begged, for Alicia to live with her in the palace, but Alicia refused. Her stomach grumbled at the thought of the palace.Alicia strolled out of the princess' residence and through the palace's central garden. The sun began to set, and cold air crept through the cracks in her clothes. Alicia came to a hal
Chirp… chirp… chirp…Alicia focused her attention on the sounds of birds chirping in the sky. A bird's nest sat atop a nearby large tree, and the mother eagerly fed her young."You're as tall as I am... "Children grow up so quickly," Alicia said quietly.She happened to pass by a bird's nest some time ago and secretly observed it on a regular basis. The mother bird then laid her eggs a week ago, while the father bird carefully cared for them.Then one day, Alicia noticed soft chirping sounds coming from the nest. They've hatched. They've matured.Alicia remained motionless in her seat and stared intently at the birds. Previously, the mother bird would go out hunting for food while the father bird, perched on a nearby tree, watched Alicia with gleaming eyes.Alicia laughed as she observed their antics. The father and mother bird were currently busy feeding their hungry children. They alternated between feeding and guarding.Alicia unconsciously stroked her belly as she watched the baby
Alicia gave a weak smile. "No way, Latty. I'm used to living in this place. After all, what's the point? In Ehrlich, I have no family. Latty, how about you? Do you miss your home?""To be honest, Miss..." Latty responded with caution. "I thought you'd pay a visit to Ehrlich the last time the Count died. And... there's... also... your mother's grave..."Like Latty, the marquis, Alicia's uncle, and Dimitri were shocked when they realized she had no intention of visiting Ehrlich and attending her father's pitiful funeral. However, they quietly set the matter aside and did not pursue it any further. Though they were unaware of the details, they did notice Alicia's dislike for Ehrlich.They had no idea what it was.'What had happened in Ehrlich?' they'd wonder.Alicia was in a lot of pain when she first arrived in good ol' wild and barbaric Coulson (as Latty liked to call it... in private). Nightmares frequently struck her in the middle of the night. Her dream, a great torment, was of Pat