The small room attached to Therese's office.
Amid papers, documents, and newspapers scattered here and there, several people were moving quickly.
“Where are the results of the investigation that Her Highness ordered last time?”
“Here she is, Mrs.
Daniel.”
Ellie handed her the documents.
“Well you will ask for it first and also report on the nobles’ movements.”
“Yes, okay.”
While Danielle and her entourage of palace ladies were busy, a man entered quietly.
He gently slipped into the center of the turbulent room, which looked as if it had been bombed, and gave a refreshing greeting.
“Good morning, Mrs.
Daniel.”
“Her Highness the Princess is currently outside the palace, and I cannot tell you where she has gone.”
Danielle called out where Therese was without even turning to the side from which the man had entered.
Silbang glanced at her.
Her skin looked rough, as if she had been working overtime for days.
That dress too...it looks like the one I saw on her the other day.
“I did not come today to see Her Highness, but to see you, Mrs.
Daniel.”
Silbang said gracefully.
“What's wrong?”
“Can I say hello and check up on you after a long absence?”
Silbang gave a friendly smile and moved forward to gently massage Daniel's shoulders and neck.
Danielle felt relieved that the knot in her neck was loosening under his hands, but she didn't show it.
“You're like a boy who falls into the water, just be kind to me!
How long is this absence?
I only came here three days ago.”
Daniel pushed his hands away.
It was almost time for Her Highness to arrive at her office, and Daniel's headache began to throb.
For that reckless person to come here in broad daylight!
“It's been three days!
Don't you think that's a long time?
It felt like three years!”
Silbang pretended to cry and clung to Daniel urgently.
"Oh, come on!
Go away, you're distracting me!"
“Don’t treat me like that, Mrs.
Daniel, the prince is also outside the palace, so I came to have fun!”
As if Daniel's screams had not reached him, Silbang elegantly sat down on the only vacant chair in the turbulent room.
Then he raised his hand and called Eli, acting like someone calling a waiter in a café.
“Ellie, one cup of coffee, please.”
"Yes."
Ellie, who was arranging the documents, got up without hesitation.
Then Danielle slapped the back of Silbang's head hard.
“You bastard!
Go pour it for yourself!
Ellie is a high-ranking employee.”
"Yes!"
"Oh!
What do you have in your head?
It seems so empty!
Are you like that too?"
“What are you talking about?”
Silbang pretended his eyes were watering from the pain of the slap, then got up and heated the water naturally, as if he had intended to do so from the beginning.
He deftly pulled out a glass jar containing coffee beans, as if he knew where everything was.
“It is said that there are people in the kingdom who seek a minimalist life these days?
What do they call them... what was the name...”
“What do you mean by these incomprehensible words, Mrs.
Daniel?”
Silbang scolded her.
“Ah, my memory isn't the same anyway...
They say it's their job to get rid of everything and evacuate it.
Are you one of them?”
“Why do you ask?”
“I doubt you have reduced the contents of your brain to a minimum.”
“Maybe all I have in my mind is my love and care for you, Mrs.
Daniel.
That’s all.”
Silbang opened his eyes wide and adopted an innocent expression.
“Oh, really!”
Danielle clenched her hand and opened it as she stared at Silbang.
Verbal skirmishes between Daniel and Silpang seemed to be a common occurrence, as everyone in the room was busy with their work, unconcerned with them.
“By the way, can you go out and play like this while the prince is outside the palace?
Didn’t you tell His Highness?”
“The prince believes in meritocracy.
As long as a person finishes his work, he has no objection to taking a break.”
"Oh, boy!
The prince should see this side of you.
You're just pretending to be so dignified in front of him."
"Isn't the prince a hypocrite like me?
We both know each other's hypocrisy but we just don't show it!"
Silbang responded to Daniel sharply without missing a word.
“What?
You must find work and get it done before the prince asks for it, you reckless boy, who only does what he is told.”
Suddenly, Daniel launched a long speech and Silbang's facial expression changed, as if he had expected something.
“In our time, we would finish work, even if we had to stay up all night, before Her Highness ordered us to, wouldn’t we?
Also, in our time, we wouldn’t even imagine going out and playing in the middle of work time...”
When it seemed like Daniel's scolding would take too long, Silbang dropped the coffee he had been pouring and quickly got up.
“Wow!
Looks like I forgot some unfinished business.
Bye, Ellie, Mrs.
Daniel.
I’ll come later!”
Then he ran away.
“What?
This boy!
The adults give him expensive advice and then he runs away without listening?
You!
Stand there!”
“I'm leaving now...!”
The book Daniel threw almost hit Silbang by a hair's breadth.
Silbang had not finished his greeting yet.
The laughter of those present who were watching the two spread.
“A series of deaths among prostitutes - an investigation into the causes of death is underway.”
“Rumors of a dispute between the First Prince and the Princess – Source: ‘The possibility of divorce is possible’”
“An in-depth analysis of Lady L – the personalities of the first princess and the future second princess as reflected in their fashion sense.”
“Facing a difficult choice...
What is the First Prince’s decision?
The First Prince, who benefited from the Second Prince's scandal, faces a new ordeal.
This was because the Second Prince's fiancée was determined to be the daughter of the noble Lumaxing family.
The Count Lomaxing family is a new nobility who made their fortune through the Lomaxing Bank and the Lomaxing Trading Company.
The claim that the LomaXing family's vast wealth will support the Second Prince with unwavering support is gaining momentum.
Rumors that an influential figure in the central region supports the Second Prince are now recognized as fact, raising his support base.
On the other hand, the First Prince faced an obstacle for which he had no solution.
While some praise his administrative competence for his successful handling of the flood damage, others argue, based on relief aid from an anonymous donor, that the First Prince did little.
Amid this division in the First Prince's assessment, he faces difficulty in the absence of clear news about the heir for years, and the lack of declared support from influential figures.
It is watched with interest how the First Prince will overcome this difficult ordeal.
Le Figaro newspaper – correspondent Jeremy Andre”
She frowned, wiggling her eyebrows.
Reporter Jeremy Andre.
It seems necessary to verify the identity of this character.
“What are you reading with such focus?”
Dennis's sudden appearance without knocking on the door was now somewhat familiar.
Thérèse wiped the look of astonishment from her face, quietly folded the newspaper, and placed it on the side of the desk.
Then she shifted the topic as if she were reading another article.
“It looks like the tennis tournament will be held soon.”
“My wife doesn’t even care about sports.”
“It's different now.
I walk every day and I also ride horses.”
Thérèse added that this was on the advice of the palace doctor.
“Sure.”
Dennis responded coldly and sat slouched on the sofa in front of Therese's desk, loosening his tie.
He looked pale, as if he hadn't slept for days.
“I'm tired.”
Reclining in his seat, Dennis raised an arm to cover his eyes.
“Don't you want some tea, Your Highness?”
Therese got up and grabbed the teapot.
“No need for tea, come here, Therese.”
Dennis tapped the spot next to him.
Teziz sat next to him.
“Can you comfort me a little while I sleep?”
Dennis laid his head on Therese's lap.
He was as light as a feather.
“Only fifteen minutes.”
“Aren't you sleeping more?”
“Well, I have about an hour...an afternoon meeting...and I haven't finished my review yet.”
He closed his eyes and quickly began breathing evenly.
Therese looked at his sculptural face silently.
His long, neatly closed eyebrows were truly beautiful.
This was the first time she had looked at his face from this angle.
He was always the one looking down on her.
Maybe I should take a break too.
Therese reached out and took the book in the corner of the desk.
It was an adventure diary of an explorer who discovered a new continent.
She didn't have time to read it, so she didn't put much thought into it.
How long did you read?
The high noon sun filled Thérèse's office.
She suddenly felt the sunlight stinging, so she extended her hand over Denise's face to make a shadow.
Dennis was sleeping and breathing like a baby.
My duty...my responsibility...my first love...the destroyer.
Thérèse looked at Denis sleeping under the shadow of her hand and fell into thought.
I said that we only have duties and responsibilities.
In fact, it may have been self-deception.
Loving someone who hates you is very difficult.
So, I…
I don't love you.
Therese traced Denise's face with her finger, as if carving it.
Almost touched him.
“This tickles me.”
Dennis opened his closed eyes.
His fresh green eyes hidden under his eyelids appeared.
His voice, slightly hoarse from sleep, was also attractive.
“I didn't even touch you, Your Highness.”
Thérèse hid her hands behind her back, like a child who had stolen something.
“How much time has passed?”
“Thirty minutes, Your Highness, it’s time for you to go now.”
Thérèse sat Denis down coldly.
“Great!
My wife is really cold.”
Therese did not respond to Denise's words and got up.
She felt a slight tingling sensation in her leg.
“Thank you for lending me your stone, wife.
I would like to return the favor.”
Dennis looked at Therese as he retied his tie.
Therese stared at him as he tied his tie in amazement.
He looked brighter than he should have been, reverting to his usual perfect princely image.
“Can I invite you on a date?”
Dennis bowed exaggeratedly and spoke politely, then raised the corner of his mouth in a wide, cold smile.
It was that smile that made her fall in love with him.
“How about we watch tennis together?”
"…Good."
Is there a woman in Valois who could refuse his offer?
She could tell there wasn't any.
Because he was too attractive.