TKMLTE 110

CHAPTER 110

Translator: Rae

***

Diamond

She had thought he might not fall asleep, but fortunately, he did. Whitney continued to stroke his hair until he drifted off, and before long, Chesto was sound asleep.

Hearing his quiet, steady breaths, Whitney gently set down the book she had been reading. She looked at his peaceful face, and Rene’s words suddenly crossed her mind.

‘He really looks like an angel.’

Bathed in the sunlight streaming over him, his fair skin seemed to glow. As Whitney brushed aside the strands of hair covering his face, his features were fully revealed.

The thought of him rushing here first thing in the morning out of concern for her made the corners of her lips lift. Lately, she had been coming to realize just how overwhelming it was to be loved by someone. The light, floating sensation in her chest, the way her heart pounded fiercely as if striking against her eardrums—she liked it.

The deep blue eyes filled with affection never failed to fill her heart. They were like a clear sky after a storm—serene, undisturbed by even the faintest breeze. Just being with him was enough to put her at ease.

‘I never imagined things would turn out this way.’

She had never expected they would end up walking the same path, looking toward the same future. Back then, she had simply reached out to him out of guilt, believing she had to save him. She never expected that act to weave another thread of fate between them.

"Your Grace, the meal is ready."

She had been lost in thought, gazing at him for quite some time, when there was a knock at the door followed by a servant’s voice. Whitney turned her head toward the door.

As the door cracked open, a servant stepped inside. Whitney lifted a finger to her lips, signaling a quiet “Shh.” and waved her hand, motioning for them to leave. 

After confirming that the servant had left the room, Whitney finally turned to look at Cheston.

"Oh...… Did I wake you up?”

. His eyes were still hazy with sleep, and yet he smiled at her—radiant and unguarded. Whitney couldn’t help but think he looked utterly lovable in that moment. 

"I know."

“...Pardon me?”

“I know what you’re thinking.”

He reached out, gently cupping her cheek in his hand. Then, as he slowly sat up, he brushed a light kiss against her lips. Stretching as if fully refreshed, he rose from the couch, looking entirely comfortable.

Whitney froze for a brief moment before lifting her gaze to meet his. He smiled slyly, his eyes narrowing playfully as he extended a hand toward her. With a small shake of her head, as if conceding she couldn’t win against him, she took his hand and rose from the couch.

The two of them quietly made their way to the dining room, where they continued their meal in silence. Cheston sliced the meat and casually slid the plate toward her. Whitney dabbed her lips with a napkin before glancing at him.

“I thought this last time too, but you eat far too little,”

“This is enough for me. If I eat too much, my body will become too heavy and making it hard to move around.”

"You can still eat a little more."

He pushed the plate toward her once more. In the end, Whitney gave in, taking another bite of meat before setting down her fork. The chef’s skills were certainly impressive, but she had reached her limit.

“I don’t know what kind of information I’ll get from meeting the Ephirenne Family, but if they are not on good terms with House Leonhardt, they’ll likely take your side, Your Highness. If the queen’s actions are revealed, even more supporters will rally around you.”

"That’s possible. Or they might seek out someone they deem more suitable.”

“Even if they look for a distant relative, they wouldn’t have a legitimate claim to the throne. In the end, the only real choice is you, Your Highness. Besides, His Majesty the King favors you over His Highness Prince Carl, doesn’t he?”

“That’s only because I’m useful to him. There’s no other sentiment behind it. That’s the kind of person my father is.”

Cheston’s response was laced with sarcasm. Whitney had always known he harbored no affection for the king, but she hadn’t expected such a cold assessment. The emptiness in his gaze made her speak up.

 

"Aren't you worried about the banquet tomorrow?"

“Even if more things happen, I doubt I’ll be surprised.”

“Her Highness Princess Violet will be leaving once the banquet is over. The royal palace will be noisy after that.”

“The royal palace is always noisy as it is. With the social season in full swing, there are even more people staying here. Too many have sold their souls to alcohol.”

He frowned in obvious distaste. It was understandable—during the banquet season, most guests remained within the palace, indulging in excess. Unfortunately, tomorrow’s banquet would be no exception, drawing a large crowd.

“There will be just as many guests at our upcoming wedding. Will that be alright with you?”

“That’s different from drinking themselves senseless, clinging to women, and seeking pleasure. Those who come to celebrate are guests. There are far too many banquets in the Kingdom of Luowen.”

"Your Highness likes banquets, so I can't help it."

Whitney rinsed her mouth with tea. Perhaps it was to soothe the anxiety stirring inside her, but the queen had long since crossed the line. She squandered the royal treasury on luxury, yet even that wasn’t enough—she had taken bribes from nobles in vast amounts. And now, she ws even funneling funds to Cerulo in her desperate bid to secure the crown prince’s position for her son.

The moment Cheston became the crown prince, Cerulo would undoubtedly march upon the Kingdom of Luowen. They would fabricate whatever justification necessary to justify their invasion. That meant the problem had to be prevented before it could unfold. 

“When you and I get married, even more will unfold. We need to sort everything in order before then.”

"Will it be going well?"

"Whitney Orléans. You have to trust me."

At his deep, unwavering voice, Whitney replied with a smile.

“There may be many things I can’t trust, but if there’s one thing I do believe in, it’s you, Your Highness.”

“Ah, I knew coming here today was the right choice.”

Cheston rested his chin on his hand and smiled brightly. Tomorrow felt like something to look forward to in a different way.

“This summer is going to be a good one, Whitney.”

When he spoke her name once more, she responded fondly, as if answering his call.

“I think so. Cheston."

***

The queen felt a sense of unease upon receiving the letter from Cerulo. First, the sudden d*ath of Maurice, and now the news that the diamond had slipped through her fingers—one misfortune after another.

She immediately sent an urgent message to Yohareim, but didn’t receive any reply.

"Jane!"

"Yes, Your Highness.”

“Send someone immediately to find out what’s going on. Something feels off. We’ve lost the diamond again this time!”

The term ‘diamond’ was the queen’s code word for the slaves she sent to Cerulo.

“Understood. I will send someone to Yohareim. But with the banquet happening tomorrow, will it be alright?”

“What could possibly happen? It’s a banquet hosted by Princess Violet, so there won’t be any disturbances. Besides, that b*tch is supposed to announce her engagement—she wouldn’t want any trouble at her own event.”

The queen crumpled the letter and burned it in the candle flame. What unsettled her most was that, no matter how much she searched, there was no trace of Elenia.

To uncover the king’s weakness, she needed to get her hands on that woman. Yet, as if she had never existed, Elenia had vanished without a trace.

Ha! Nothing is going as planned. At this rate, everything will fall apart. And what on earth is Carl up to?”

“His Highness is currently having tea time with Her Highness Princess Violet."

“...It seems their relationship have improved.”

“Yes, perhaps because she heard about what happened to Maurice.”

Jane responded calmly to the queen’s words. No matter what, there was no way Carl and Violet had suddenly grown closer. Not long ago, Carl had come to her, eyes blazing with anger, demanding answers.

Why had she overlooked that?

“I need to find out where Carl has been recently. Somehtingb about this doesn’t sit right…”

“I will look into it immediately. However, His Highness Prince Carl’s movements have likely already reached His Majesty the King.”

There was no way the king wouldn’t have been aware of it. The queen took a deep breath, forcing herself to stay composed, then took back her previous order to Jane.

“There’s no need to look into that. If Carl is involved, the king won’t stand idly by.”

If the funds were cut off, Cerulo might no longer support her. Adelaide reassured herself, telling herself it was only natural to feel anxious. Even those aligned with Carl had shown signs of wavering. In the end, this incident had eliminated a potential weakness, solidifying the base of her support even further.

“I should choose a dress for the banquet. This will be the last time before Carl becomes crown prince that Cheston takes center stage. I can’t allow him and the duchess regnant to hold the public’s attention.”

At her command, Jane immediately summoned the maids to bring out the dresses. The queen’s momentary anxiety vanished, and once more, she lifted her chin with an air of dignity as she stood before Jane.

"Your Highness only needs to shine, just as it always is.”

At Jane’s words, the queen chuckled lowly, settling onto the couch. Jane was right. She couldn’t allow all eyes to be drawn to those two at the banquet. Moreover, the duchess regnant’s recent actions had only further solidified Cheston’s position.

She had already noticed that many noble families were taking his side.

“I heard the Duchess Regnant of Orléans’ wine will be featured at the banquet, is that right?”

“Yes, many are purchasing it in hoppes of winning the opal.”

“You’ll have to play a little trick, Jane. You must help me shine, don’t you think?”

“If that is Your Highness’ wish, I will do so.”

"I can trust you this time, right? Last time, the results were disappointing, and I was greatly let down.”

“……I will not disappoint Your Highness."

Jane bowed her head. They had failed to uncover the traitor, and even the carriage accident had amounted to nothing—the duchess regnant was unharmed, and Cheston wasn’t k*lled.

“There is something prepared in the drawer. I don’t need to tell you what it’s for, do I?”

"Of course.”

She took a small vial from the drawer and stepped back. Only then did the queen tilt her head toward the maids who had entered with the dresses.

“Hurry now, for the perfect banquet. Red would be best. I must make it clear to everyone that the throne belongs to no one but me.”

The red dress was embroidered with golden thread. As the queen gazed at the fabric, reminiscent of Carl’s crimson eyes, a satisfied smile graced her lips. She turned to the mirror, admiring her own reflection, and murmured.

“Will I finally be able to see the duchess regnant’s face twisted in despair this time?”

***

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