1. Even Pretty Shoes Can Become Weapons (part 5)
Recalling her past self, Marcella’s face turned red like a tomato about to burst.
Marcella squeezed her eyes shut and wanted to scream. Why didn’t I recognize him? No, it was natural not to recognize him! After all, he had grown more than a head taller than three years ago, becoming a sturdy young man from a boy.
How could she have imagined that the person she thought was at most some duke’s second or third son would be Nell Hairi, who became emperor two years ago!
Marcella screamed internally.
Nell tilted his head slightly and looked at Marcella, just like three years ago. The difference was that due to his much taller height, he was looking down at Marcella instead of meeting her eyes.
“Marcella?”
Whether their eyes met or not wasn’t important to Marcella right now. If the rude and high-handed boy she met in the mountains three years ago was Nell Hairi!
Marcella recalled her past remarks and her face turned white. She had been rude and even insolent to the former prince, now emperor. What have I done!
“Sister-in-law?”
Teon called to Marcella, who had turned pale and was thinking of other things in front of the Emperor. But Marcella couldn’t hear his call.
“Count Morris’s proxy.”
Teon flinched and stepped back. Arthur Digory was smiling at Teon.
“Now, now, you two seem to have things to discuss, so how about we have a drink by ourselves?”
Seeing Arthur smile at him, Teon felt chills.
Teon absolutely didn’t want to have a ‘drink’ with him and secretly put strength in his legs, but Arthur pushed him away with force.
Sister-in-law! Teon screamed silently and sent Marcella a look of appeal for rescue.
When Marcella came to her senses, Arthur had already dragged Teon away. To be left alone with the Emperor. How could this happen!
“Marcella?”
“Y-yes!”
Marcella’s voice came out twisted from nervousness.
The man before her, Nell Hairi, had become emperor at the age of sixteen two years ago, defeating his other brothers. So that’s what it meant. The stench of blood!
“You look unwell. Can you make it to the basement?”
“The basement!”
What is he going to do to me in the basement!
Marcella was so surprised that she staggered backward and her legs got tangled, causing her to fall.
These shiny, tacky shoes! Marcella blamed her fall on the shoes and quickly got up.
Those watching Nell and Marcella from a distance murmured. Marcella’s face flushed.
“The sword that king used is in the basement of the main palace, so we have no choice but to go to the basement.”
“…Sword?”
“Didn’t you ask me to show you the Dragon Slayer’s sword?”
That was because I didn’t know you were Nell Hairi! Marcella felt like water was coming out of her back and eyes.
Nell looked down at Marcella with lowered eyes.
“Are you saying you don’t want to see it now?”
‘How dare you ask me to show you and then say it’s lies and bragging after making such a fuss?’ Marcella felt like she could hear words Nell hadn’t even said.
Marcella just moved her lips, not knowing what to say.
She had certainly wanted to see the treasure when she asked him to show her. But that was three years ago, and now it was different. Now that she knew he was Emperor Nell Hairi.
“Kero, kerhol, kek kek!”
A deliberately made coughing sound was heard from somewhere. About ten steps away, Arthur Digory was glaring at Marcella as if to kill her while nodding his head greatly.
Seeing that demonic face for a moment, Marcella made a “hik” sound and shook her head vigorously at him.
“No, I want to see it. Very much!”
Marcella swallowed her plea for mercy and said words to survive. Hearing Marcella’s answer, Nell turned his body and headed toward the ballroom door.
Marcella couldn’t move her feet at all. But she couldn’t just stand still with everyone’s eyes on her.
Marcella wiped the sweat that had formed on her forehead from nervousness. Her pretty makeup was probably all wiped off from the sweat.
“Keherok!”
Arthur Digory coughed threateningly again. He pointed his chin at Marcella and glared.
Teon, who was trapped by Arthur’s arm around his shoulders and couldn’t move, was looking at Marcella worriedly.
“Marcella?”
The Emperor called to Marcella, who wasn’t following.
Marcella agonized between Arthur Digory’s murderous gaze and the Emperor, then squeezed her eyes shut and followed the Emperor.
“Your steps are slow.”
“I’m sorry…”
Marcella’s voice crawled out. Nell looked down at Marcella quietly, then walked again.
Marcella hurriedly chased after him before he could say her steps were slow again.
When they completely disappeared from the ballroom, those left behind began to murmur all at once.
“Count Morris’s proxy.”
Arthur Digory’s voice was cold as he put his arm familiarly around Teon’s shoulder.
Teon felt chills for a moment and glanced at Arthur sideways.
Arthur the fatherless, the dirty schemer. He had countless infamies, and his eyes were shining.
“Let’s be friends.”
It was the most frightening thing Teon had heard recently, he was confident. Why such ridiculous words suddenly!
But Arthur the fatherless was smiling. Very happily too.
“Friends, Lord Digory, such…”
“Arthur.”
As Teon was about to refuse, Duke Digory approached them, glaring at his son with disapproving eyes.
Oh, honey. As I swore to you before leaving Morris Castle, I planned to safely and smoothly debut sister-in-law Marcella in the capital’s social circles. But what has happened? What have I done?
Teon wanted to deny the reality of meeting one after another the people he had hoped not to get involved with, preferably not to encounter, for a peaceful capital trip.
“Where is His Majesty going in such a hurry?”
The thin man with white hair stood before his son and Teon, displaying an intimidating presence hard to think of as an old man.
Arthur smiled at his father.
“How could I, a mere Digory, fully understand His Majesty’s deep intentions?”
“Can’t a servant who attends closely understand even that much?”
“If the Duke’s aide fully understands the Duke’s dark inner thoughts, then so would I.”
When Duke Digory glared at his son as if to kill him and began making hard laughter sounds, Arthur Digory also followed by laughing loudly.
Teon wished Arthur would remove the arm around his shoulder. Then he could at least run away.
Teon missed his wife and prayed to safely escape from the Digory father and son.
When Teon tried to slip away, Arthur put strength into the arm on Teon’s shoulder. Teon couldn’t escape.
