2. Golden Invitations Cannot Be Refused (part 5)
“I’m just going to the imperial palace.”
“Why would someone like you go there! Do you think that’s Morris Castle? That you can freely come and go as you please!”
“Of course I’m going because I was invited. As you said, it’s not a place someone like me can freely come and go!”
Marcella’s voice, which she had been barely containing, grew louder. But Donner didn’t stop.
He shook off Orleigh’s hand and turned toward Marcella.
“There’s no party being held, so who invited you!”
“Who at the imperial palace could invite me! Of course it’s His Majesty!”
“Liar! Do you think you’ll be safe after impersonating the Emperor? Why would the Emperor invite someone like you!”
Liar? Impersonation? Does he think I’m happily going to the imperial palace right now?
Marcella clenched her fists and took a deep breath, looking at Donner who was berating her when he knew nothing.
“Because His Majesty and I are close friends! If you keep running that mouth, I’ll plead with His Majesty to put someone like you in the imperial dungeon!”
Donner’s eyes widened and his mouth fell open.
Marcella gave Donner one last glare and climbed into the carriage on her own without taking Arthur’s hand.
As soon as she got in and the door closed, the carriage departed.
As her excitement gradually subsided, Marcella covered her face with both hands.
“Lord Digory.”
At Marcella’s voice that crawled out, Arthur felt like the laughter he had been holding back would burst out, but he kept his mouth shut and barely held it in.
“Yes, Lady Marcella.”
“Will I be imprisoned for impersonation?”
“Impersonation?”
“I impersonated His Majesty’s friend.”
Arthur’s face turned red from trying not to laugh.
“Could you please keep it a secret?”
Marcella raised her head and pleaded with Arthur.
Seeing Arthur’s face red from holding back laughter, Marcella bit her lips.
He was the person who served closest to the Emperor. He had every right to be angry. She had dared to impersonate the Emperor’s friend, even claiming to be close.
When Marcella hung her head with a despairing face, Arthur secretly exhaled little by little to hold back his laughter.
“My lady, don’t worry—His Majesty won’t blame you for such things. He’s a merciful person.”
Merciful like a god in some ways.
Arthur nodded and reassured Marcella. But no matter what Arthur said, Marcella’s heart wasn’t at ease.
“That knight heard it too—how shocked and angry he must be…”
“Don’t worry, my lady. Orleigh’s loyalty to His Majesty is annoyingly, no, excessively strong, but he won’t do anything to trouble Lady Marcella, His Majesty’s close friend.”
“…Don’t tease me.”
Marcella kept pleading with Arthur to keep it secret from His Majesty, but Arthur just laughed and wouldn’t give her an answer.
“By the way, I’m worried about that troublesome man clinging to Lady Marcella. You don’t seem to have the strength to shake him off—what to do? I should tell His Majesty to prepare some tonic from the east.”
“Donner just finds everything I do disagreeable. He really hates me.”
“He hates you, my lady?”
“It’s been like that since long ago. Every time he sees me, he can’t wait to devour me, but I don’t know what I did wrong…”
“Oh…”
Oh, poor eldest son of Cravan, stupid eldest son of Cravan. This way, no matter how hopeless Nell is, he’d be better than him, hahaha.
Arthur felt too good.
“I thought Lord Digory was busy.”
“I’m always busy, of course.”
“If you’re busy, you didn’t need to come pick me up. You could have sent the invitation with someone else too.”
You didn’t need to go through the trouble of coming all the way here…
Then Arthur smiled brightly.
“Did Orleigh bother you?”
“…Not exactly.”
“You’re not denying it completely.”
Arthur chuckled.
He crossed his legs and looked at Marcella Morris straight on.
“Since you seem to find me bothersome, I wanted to show you that I’m very mild compared to others.”
“I don’t particularly think…”
Though she did think he was a con man.
Arthur smiled brightly, guessing what Marcella’s swallowed words might be.
“Then will you be friends with me?”
“……”
“I’d like to become friends with such a noble person who is His Majesty’s close friend.”
“Stop! Stop that story now!”
Marcella put her finger to her lips and made a shushing sound.
Arthur didn’t hold back his laughter anymore and laughed to his heart’s content.
“His Majesty will surely be delighted that you think of him that way!”
“Stop!”
Perhaps because Arthur had teased her the whole way, Marcella found it difficult to even make eye contact with the Emperor when he was right in front of her.
Seeing Marcella with her head hung low, Nell tilted his head.
“You seem to lack energy every time we meet.”
Did her attitude look too bad? Marcella was surprised and quickly raised her head.
Her lips moved but no words came out. She kept thinking about the fact that she had impersonated his friend, and her face flushed.
“Do you have a fever?”
When Nell’s hand reached out, Marcella was startled and shook her head while stepping back.
“No! Ah, I’m sorry. For suddenly shouting…”
Marcella’s voice crawled out.
Nell looked down at his hand awkwardly extended in the air and blinked.
Unable to bear the continuing silence, Arthur interjected.
“Your Majesty, it’s three o’clock.”
“Yes.”
Lowering his hand from the air, Nell looked at Arthur blankly. When I say it’s three o’clock, Your Majesty, you had something to say to Marcella.
Arthur spoke with his eyes, but Nell only tilted his head.
Ah, I shouldn’t expect such things to be done proactively by this person. I knew that, Arthur.
Arthur smiled faintly as if giving up and looked at Marcella.
“Lady Marcella, His Majesty says he has something to show you today.”
There, I’ve reminded you this much, so you remember now, right? Arthur looked at Nell.
But Nell just tilted his head and slowly moved his eyes.
The sword, the sword! Finally, Arthur opened his mouth wide.
“Are you talking about that sword?”
Marcella figured it out before Nell.
Arthur made a groaning sound inwardly while smiling happily at Marcella.
“Exactly, Lady Marcella. The Dragon Slayer’s sword in His Majesty’s underground treasury.”
Arthur deliberately spoke loudly and clearly. This way, the little rats hiding everywhere would go tell their masters.
“But that…”
It was quite embarrassing since she had flatly said she didn’t want to see it.
Nell looked into Marcella’s expression and fell into thought for a moment. No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn’t understand.
For some reason, Marcella had said she no longer wanted to see it. However, Arthur kept insisting they should show her the sword.
He had agreed because Arthur made such a fuss day and night, but he thought Marcella would refuse again. But now Marcella’s mouth didn’t produce the same firm refusal as before.
“Marcella.”
Usually when he called her, she would widen her eyes and look at him in surprise, but today it was even worse.
“If you don’t want to see it, you don’t have to force yourself.”
Marcella’s lips parted slightly, then she swallowed her words.
Nell wasn’t going to rush her and was prepared to wait for Marcella’s answer. He had plenty of time anyway.
“I… want to see it…”
It was really strange. He had thought she would refuse, but Arthur’s words were right. Arthur’s words were always right. But this time he had thought his own thoughts would be correct.
Nell pondered for a moment, then realized he couldn’t easily find an answer. He would have thought until an answer came, and if it still didn’t come, he would have pushed the problem to Arthur, but there was no time for that now.
Arthur was sending incomprehensible gestures again. Even when told he couldn’t understand, he always enthusiastically flailed his body.
“Let’s go to the basement.”
Arthur thought his intentions had finally gotten through to Nell, but it was just a product of coincidence.
Nell led the way, Marcella followed behind him, and Arthur stuck to the very end like a monitor.
There were more eyes secretly watching them, but Arthur smiled leisurely at them inwardly.
Today seemed to be going quite smoothly. Except for Marcella’s inability to hide her anxious expression as she kept looking around.
“My lady, is there something making you uncomfortable?”
When Arthur asked, Nell’s walking stopped.
Marcella didn’t know what to do with the attention focused on her and waved her hands.
“No, it’s not that.”
“If there’s any problem, please tell me.”
You should tell me quickly so I can solve it. Arthur smiled urgently. If it’s an urgent bathroom situation, it would be better to say so before reaching the basement.
Arthur approached Marcella slightly and told her the bathroom was that way.
Marcella moved her lips and looked away from Arthur with troubled eyes.
“I told Tamarin not to approach you.”
“Ah.”
A sigh of relief mixed with appreciation came from Marcella’s mouth, and Arthur quickly turned to look at Nell.
“Weren’t you afraid of Tamarin?”
Nell couldn’t understand why both Marcella and Arthur were looking at him with surprised eyes. Arthur especially looked shocked.
“…If you knew I was afraid, you should have stopped him then.”
Perhaps because she had called herself a close friend, or because he had shown a hint of kindness, Marcella’s resentful feelings inadvertently slipped out.
Nell’s eyes slowly moved and looked straight at Marcella.
“I had forgotten.”
Arthur kept making a fuss, so he had answered that he understood, but somehow whenever he saw Marcella, he would forget. This time too, he had completely forgotten until now when he remembered.
“I apologize for my divine beast frightening and hurting you.”
Seeing Nell bow his head slightly, Marcella didn’t know what to say and moved her lips.
She had thought the apology was just an excuse and that he kept calling her to torment her. She hadn’t expected him to actually apologize.
“I told him not to come within twenty paces of you, so it should be fine.”
Nell raised his head and gazed into the distance.
“He’s been following you.”
Marcella was startled and approached Nell’s side. Arthur also frowned and turned his head sharply.
Behind a tree, they could see a lion cub riding on top of Phoenix’s head. Despite usually fighting enough to blow away a building, they looked quite friendly.
I told them to stay quietly in their room, but they never listened to me. Arthur stamped his feet in anger at the two beasts, but could only see their mocking smiles.
“He seems to like you.”
