2. Golden Invitations Cannot Be Refused (part 4)
She could see Arthur striding over from a distance, looking angry about something.
Marcella instinctively realized that if Arthur came, it would be very difficult for her to return safely.
“Your Majesty, I just remembered something urgent—may I go back?”
Nell seemed to have forgotten whatever Arthur had earnestly asked him, but he nodded.
“Your Majesty!”
Arthur shouted with feeling at Nell, who had been told to give flowers but received them instead, who had thrown away his helper due to a communication error, and who had even forgotten the original purpose of apologizing and sent Marcella away.
“Your Majesty!”
“Yes.”
But Nell just tilted his head slightly and sent peaceful, indifferent eyes to the seemingly angry Arthur.
Arthur, who had so much he wanted to say, was struck speechless.
“It might have turned out well after all, Arthur.”
“What exactly turned out well? Phoenix, if you have any clever solutions, please tell me. I’m at the point where I should return the name ‘dirty schemer without a father.'”
When Arthur sighed, Phoenix patted his back and giggled.
“Don’t return it—keep it safe. You’ll need to keep using it.”
She pointed to Nell holding the rose and whispered in Arthur’s ear.
“Look, Nell keeps holding that rose close to his body. Have you ever seen him do that? He’ll probably sleep holding it tightly even when he goes to bed.”
“What good does that do? She’s going back to Morris territory the day after tomorrow.”
“Arthur the fatherless, why are you making such weak sounds unlike yourself?”
Phoenix’s eyes narrowed.
Arthur wanted to push her away because of the heat she unconsciously emitted, but the more he did so, the closer she would come.
“Do you think someone else will appear who interests Nell as much as her? Well, someone might appear, but how many years from now would that be?”
“So I’m trying to hold onto that lady… Oh, oh, Phoenix…”
Arthur looked at Phoenix and nodded as if understanding. Phoenix also smiled at Arthur.
Tamarin snorted at the two of them and plopped down next to Nell.
He watched Nell, who was writing something in a notebook with the rose tucked between his fingers. He tried to peek at what he was writing, but Nell’s handwriting was so terrible that no one else could read it.
“Those two’s delusions aside, what about you?”
At Tamarin’s question, Nell raised his head. He tilted his head as if he didn’t understand what Tamarin was saying.
The next day, a golden invitation was delivered to the hotel where Marcella was staying. Since it wasn’t Arthur Digory who delivered it, Marcella had let her guard down, but seeing the shining color of the invitation and the imperial dragon crest made her head ache.
“Please read it now.”
Moreover, the messenger urged her.
Marcella didn’t want to read it, but the knight who brought the letter was firm.
Seeing the golden insignia, he seemed to be an imperial knight, but to send an imperial knight as such an errand boy—it wasn’t hard to guess who had done it.
‘I was quite rude yesterday. I called you to apologize but was so delighted that I sent you back without even offering an apology. If time still permits for you, I would like to formally apologize, so please understand my heart and give me a chance to apologize.’
The handwriting was neat, but there were so many mentions of apology that Marcella wondered if she was reading it correctly.
She read the letter once more and looked at the knight who had come as messenger.
“Lord Digory wrote this letter, didn’t he?”
The eyebrows of the knight, who had been maintaining a serious expression, twitched. Marcella looked at him suspiciously.
“A carriage is prepared below.”
“…I haven’t said I would go.”
“It’s a golden invitation with the imperial crest.”
Don’t you value your life? The knight’s eyes said.
Marcella read the contents once more and sighed.
“I thought a golden invitation would be for something more important.”
“There is nothing His Majesty ordains that is not important.”
The knight showed displeasure. He seemed like a different type from Arthur Digory. A loyal, upright knight of His Majesty.
Marcella thought the insignia on his shoulder suited him very well.
“I have no power to refuse, do I?”
“My lady, why would you mention ‘refusal’ upon seeing this glorious invitation?”
The knight looked genuinely incredulous.
Marcella realized she had misspoken and raised her hands.
“I misspoke. After all, I received a golden invitation yesterday and today too. It’s too much of an honor for someone like me to believe.”
“Please be sure not to make mistakes in His Majesty’s presence. For someone like you, just meeting him is such a great honor… Do you understand, my lady? His Majesty ascended to the throne at sixteen, more noble than anyone. He is the only one comparable to the Dragon Slayer King. Since you didn’t see how His Majesty was in the final battle with the deposed Duke Ox…”
He chattered on about stories she didn’t want to hear.
If he had just been talking, it would have been bearable, but the knight didn’t miss a chance to slip in disparaging remarks about Marcella.
Marcella wrote down in her mental paper that she had briefly thought him dignified. Then she tore it into small pieces without mercy.
If Arthur Digory was unreasonable and a con man, this man was a rude man who was fanatically loyal to the Emperor.
“Lady Marcella!”
Since Arthur Digory hadn’t delivered the invitation today, she thought he wasn’t coming, but Arthur Digory was waiting to greet Marcella warmly in front of the carriage.
Marcella felt relieved despite herself, seeing the unreasonable con man who would save her from this rude knight. At least he knew that Marcella didn’t welcome this invitation.
“You’re so late, I wondered if you were feeling unwell again.”
Though he smiled and made snide remarks as soon as they met.
Marcella looked at the splendid carriage ostentatiously waiting in front of the hotel and let out a deflated laugh.
Passersby, nobles and wealthy people staying there were watching them.
“Lord Digory.”
“Oh, please don’t refuse, Lady Marcella. If you return to Morris territory like this, His Majesty won’t be able to sleep peacefully.”
“Lord Digory, I can’t let that statement pass. What reason would His Majesty have for not sleeping?”
“You’re quite exaggerated,” Marcella was about to say when the knight questioned Arthur first. Arthur shrugged and entered the carriage, extending his hand to Marcella.
“Come now, His Majesty is waiting, so shall we go?”
“Marcella!”
As Arthur urged Marcella and extended his hand, a still-young man’s voice was heard from somewhere.
Arthur’s brow furrowed for a moment, but he quickly put on a smile and looked at Marcella, who hadn’t yet given him her hand. Recognizing the voice’s owner, Marcella’s brow seriously contorted.
“You’ve been going around disgracing every eastern noble face, and you still dare to show your face!”
Why did she have to meet only people she disliked today? Marcella snorted at Donner, who was striding toward her but flinched when he saw the golden-insigniaed knight.
His face turned bright red at being mocked, and he began fuming.
“If you disgrace the east any more, I won’t let it slide!”
Donner roughly grabbed Marcella’s arm. Marcella’s eyes widened.
“What are you doing?”
Marcella tried to shake him off, but Donner wouldn’t let go.
A snorting sound came from inside the carriage. Though Donner didn’t know who was in the carriage, he could tell someone had just mocked him.
How dare they mock him—the eldest son of Count Cravan who ruled Wellings!
“Hey, I don’t know what kind of guy you are in there, but I am…”
“Let go, Donner. And.”
“I am the eldest son of eastern Wellings…!”
“Ah, ahem. Excuse me, I should have identified myself first. Isn’t this the eldest son of Count Cravan’s family?”
“Arthur Digory…!”
“Oh, it’s an honor that the eldest son of Count Cravan’s family in eastern Wellings knows my name.”
“Arthur the fatherless…!”
When Donner inhaled and spoke, Marcella glared at Donner with wide eyes.
Of course, Arthur Digory was an unreasonable con man and she didn’t like him either, but saying someone who had a perfectly living father had no father—even if that was his nickname, calling him that to his face was going too far.
On the other hand, Arthur found it hilarious that this young fellow couldn’t hide his fear while also being unable to guard his mouth.
But since it was in front of Marcella, he held back for now.
“Thank you for even asking about my father’s well-being. My father is healthy without any illness.”
Unnecessarily so. Arthur swallowed his words and smiled.
“Marcella, you…!”
Donner’s arrow of rage was strangely directed at Marcella.
Marcella grimaced because the arm he was holding hurt. She tried to shake him off, but the more she did, the tighter Donner held on.
“Let go, Donner.”
“I can’t stand watching you make the east disgraceful anymore!”
“What did I do? Wait, it really hurts, so let go!”
“Son of Count Cravan, your behavior is excessive.”
When the knight, who had been watching silently, grabbed Donner’s arm, Donner let out a thin scream.
“Orleigh, may we go first? His Majesty is waiting.”
“Yes. Please go first, Lord Digory. I need to have a word with this man.”
“Go easy on him, Orleigh. Dealing with the aftermath of a noble family heir is quite troublesome.”
“Hahaha. Lord Digory! What a joke.”
Orleigh laughed heartily, then stopped laughing abruptly when he saw Donner laughing along.
“Well then, let’s go, Lady Marcella. It was nice meeting you, eldest son of Count Cravan.”
Arthur waved at the pale Donner and extended his hand to Marcella again.
Without realizing it, today’s best smile came out. If that was His Majesty’s rival, oh, it was too easy to be laughable.
“Wait! Marcella! Where are you trying to go!”
Donner, held by Orleigh’s hand, made his last struggle by shouting at Marcella.
Marcella, who had been holding back her desire to retort because there were many watching eyes, was slowly getting irritated.
“You should go back to the east! Just because you came to the capital, do you think you’re something? You’re an eastern person!”
“Who said I’m not an eastern person? Why are you acting like this?”
“Then where are you going now! You’re not trying to go to Morris Castle!”
“Where I go is none of your business!”
“Why can’t you say? It’s because you’re going somewhere improper!”
Somewhere improper? What exactly does Donner think of me to say such things?
Though they were from the same eastern region and had to keep meeting whether they liked it or not, this was the first time he had said such harsh things.
