Chapter 57
The king had another reason for keeping Grimaldi at a distance. It wasn’t simply because they opposed his opinions. Beyond the Grimaldis’ loyalty to the royal family, the king was wary of them. They could betray at any time. However, they wouldn’t see it as betrayal.
That’s what made it difficult. They believed their actions had grand justification and purpose—all in the name of serving the royal family.
“Well… if it’s His Highness the Crown Prince’s will…” Yuls said.
“I simply allowed Adrian Grimaldi, my guard, to stay at my residence when they asked for time to go out and see the Count who had come to Palesa. As Your Majesty must have heard, my love has strong family affections.”
A lie. Far from strong affection, they didn’t even seem to get along. The king wouldn’t believe it either. It was just a convenient excuse.
“Besides, I have a stake in this palace too. Though I’m a Duke, I’m still clearly of royal blood.”
“Very well, do as you please.”
“What intentions could I possibly have?”
Yuls answered. Whatever intentions he might have wouldn’t matter to the king. Everyone knew this. Claude as well.
“Fine, then let’s get to the main point.”
Saying this, the king rose from his throne and descended the steps. Standing on the same level, the king realized the Duke was even taller than he’d appeared from above. The previous Duke hadn’t been this tall.
“My faithful subject.”
Perhaps it was the witch’s blood.
“What is my son thinking?”
At the king’s words, Yuls lowered his gaze.
“And what is your Lady Connolly planning?”
❖ ❖ ❖
They say the royal family is cursed. No one knows what the curse is. Whether there really is a curse, when it manifests, or if there’s actually no curse at all. It must be different from the curse spoken of in Grimaldi.
When Yuls emerged from the audience chamber, only Adi remained in the antechamber. Though his conversation with the king had been long, it seemed no other high-ranking nobles had arrived. Only Claude had passed through.
“Nothing happened?”
“Nothing would happen in this place.”
That wasn’t what he meant. Claude must have approached, but he had no eyes and ears in this place.
“…Let’s go.”
Yuls said. Entering the gallery, they saw nobles waiting. The head servant guided some people to the antechamber. Those of lower rank couldn’t even enter the antechamber and stood in the gallery.
Even those standing in the gallery were the fortunate ones. There were those who couldn’t even get an audience.
Of course, if the king had directly invited them to Palesa and provided a residence, they could get an audience, but there were clearly those who hadn’t. Those borrowing other nobles’ residences, minor nobles whose existence the king didn’t even know of, and Count Grimaldi.
Yuls remained silent until reaching the residence. Adi followed quietly behind. Only upon reaching the residence did Yuls speak.
“What did you discuss with Claude?”
“We simply exchanged greetings.”
The lie was too obvious to even pretend to believe. Looking down at Adi silently, Yuls spoke.
“I don’t know what you’re planning, but it’s not him. That position can change at any time.”
“I don’t understand what you mean.”
“Choose me.”
…Was he suggesting rebellion?
“If you need someone to rely on, I’m better than him.”
“I rely on Your Grace enough—”
They tried to say they relied on him, but their mouth felt gritty. Honestly, they didn’t rely on him. And Yuls knew this well.
“No need to lie.”
Adrian Grimaldi stayed by his side for other reasons.
“I know you don’t rely on me.”
Because of wishes, because he promised to grant them. Though Adi didn’t believe Julius would act for their sake, they did trust him. At least he wasn’t someone who made empty promises.
“I’ve shown you how to use me, so why not try that?”
“I’m not sure what you mean.”
“Try seducing me.”
“…”
“I might let myself be seduced.”
He’ll probably use and discard me. Though Adi wasn’t familiar with court life, they weren’t ignorant of what happened here.
“I respect Your Grace’s preferences. But I’d like my preferences to be respected as well.”
“What are your preferences?”
“…”
“What type do you like?”
“…”
“Too shy to say?”
“That’s not it…”
“Then?”
“I’ve never thought about it.”
“…”
“I’ve never thought about who I might like or what type I prefer. I didn’t have the luxury for such thoughts, and I just expected to… yes, just planned to be with whoever the family arranged.”
Though they had been so compliant at first, things were different now. It wasn’t just about Lev Jid. Though they weren’t sure exactly what the Count planned, they wouldn’t survive intact. They might be locked away in some tower of Grimaldi Castle, never to emerge. They had to escape somehow.
“What type do you like, Your Grace?”
“I…”
Yuls closed his mouth. He was the same. He had never recognized liking someone, never judged what his preferences might be.
Until recently.
“I like your type.”
“…”
It sounded more like a sentence or warning than a confession. Adi looked at Yuls, unsure how to respond. Words circled in their mouth, but they couldn’t figure out what to say. Finally, Adi opened their mouth with a “Well…” and said:
“Thank you.”
“…I didn’t expect to receive thanks here.”
For a warning, it was quite sweet. Like how poisonous creatures decorated themselves brilliantly to stand out, that red seemed to indicate poison. They felt they shouldn’t get close.
“My saying I like you is a kind of warning.”
“Is there something I should be careful about?”
“Yes. If you don’t want to face something frightening, stay away from me when possible. All men are wolves.”
“There are no wolves in the South, so you seem unfamiliar with their habits. Wolves are actually monogamous, so rather…”
Adi was about to say they were similar to or better than humans, but feeling this might sound like defending Woodpecker, they just said, “Never mind.”
“Why stop? You seemed to like wolves.”
“Your Grace isn’t a wolf but a woodpecker, aren’t you?”
“…Right, I’m a woodpecker. And you’re the gray plague.”
Adi closed their mouth. It was true. Grimaldi. Originally Grimaladi. The gray plague that enveloped the North. When the ashes from burning witches covered the world, people called those who created that situation by that name. With awe and fear.
“Yes.”
Though rhythm and pronunciation changed with time, making it seem as if there was no plague now, that was the origin of Grimaldi.
“The plague that covered the Northern forests.”
Like pathogens that turned the world to ash. They deserved to be cursed.
“That was a mistake.”
Yuls quickly corrected himself.
“I didn’t mean to demean you. The sarcasm just slipped out.”
The Woodpecker King.
Though it was a term for Yuls, he didn’t like it. Seeing the boy born with red hair instead of his father’s blonde, the witch called him a woodpecker. Though the name Woodpecker itself referred to the bird, the witch’s meaning was different.
Woodpeckers are cruel birds. Their strong beaks can attack not just trees but other birds. The crimson head feathers found only in males resembled the hair color of the woman the witch hated. And her own hair as well. But the witch wouldn’t acknowledge this. She simply considered the child a woodpecker.
A woodpecker parasitizing the oak forest.
A human parasitizing the witch.
Perhaps the witch hated her son as much as she loved him.
“To some, your family might have been like a plague, but at least the royal family is indebted to you.”
He had wondered if things would have been different if he had inherited the Dalkatir name instead of Woodpecker, but Yuls wasn’t a Dalkatir, nor could he be a witch. He must live accepting his dissatisfied self. He can do that.
“I’m indebted to you, Adrian.”
Do twins really share one destiny?
“So use me to collect on that debt.”
When someone dies, does their destiny transfer to their twin?
“Not Claude.”
Actually, what if Adrian Grimaldi, not Adrina Grimaldi, was his destiny? The witch was playful enough for that. And she wanted this bloodline to end.
He wasn’t sure. What was certain was that Yuls had some feelings for Adi. A tiny spark ignited in his chest. Though faint, it felt like it might spread uncontrollably at any moment and consume him.
He both hoped that moment wouldn’t come and wished it would.
“You seem to think I have some relationship with His Highness.”
“I do.”
“…”
“Don’t think I have no eyes and ears here.”
Yuls’s hand came to rest on Adi’s head. The fine, curling hair wrapped softly around his fingers.
“Don’t mount a falling horse, Adi.”
