It was an obvious fact that was not hidden from anyone that the king was favoring the second prince and delaying his installation as crown prince, which led to the outbreak of a hidden struggle for the throne between Denis and Fabrice.
Citizens began to demonstrate in the streets, denouncing the immorality of the Second Prince and demanding that the maximum penalties be imposed on him.
Although their numbers were not large, the mere appearance of negative opinions towards the royal family was in itself a serious problem.
Should this crisis be ended quickly so that the damage is limited to Fabrice only, or should it be left to damage the reputation of the entire royal family?
In the second case, not even Dennis will survive the consequences of the storm.
While he was smoking endlessly in his room, someone knocked on the door.
It was Danielle, Thérèse's maid.
"Mrs.
Danielle!
What makes you so happy…"
Silbang received her with a surprised face.
Danielle bowed politely to greet Dennis, and he bowed his head toward her in a dignified nod, then looked up at the ceiling and stared.
Without further ado, Danielle got straight to the point.
“We reached out to Prince Fabrice.”
“Where?
And what did he say?”
Silbang took it eagerly.
“He said he would attend the engagement ceremony and he was fine, and we verified the letter addressed to His Majesty the King.”
Danielle said it frankly, without trying to hide it.
In a situation where Dennis knew all of Thérèse's plots, there was no need to cover up.
“Source of the message?”
asked Dennis.
“We are still tracking him, but we are sure that he is from within the capital.”
Danielle replied, bowing her head.
“Okay.
You can leave.”
“One moment.”
Silbang came running out after Daniel.
Danielle was heading quickly to the princess's palace.
"Mrs.
Danielle!
Give me a minute!
Let's talk."
“Why?”
She said this while frowning severely, as if she was asking him to hurry.
“Why have you been avoiding me since last time?”
“Is this what matters to you during this fateful period?”
Daniel looked at Silbang with great annoyance.
Silbang was about to explode with rage at Daniel's disdain for him.
“No!
But you avoid me all the time!
Even when I look for you, you are always absent...”
“Who said I was avoiding you?”
Danielle said as if it didn't matter to her.
“So, this isn't true?”
“This is unreasonable.
Is this unfounded trust?
What would be the reason for me to deliberately avoid you?
Go and mind your business.”
Danielle looked at Silbang fleetingly, then turned her back and walked out of the palace.
Silbang remained standing, staring at Danielle's back as she walked away, bewildered.
the next day
All news reports of the street demonstrations were removed, and a small piece of news was published that Fabrice had been found somewhere.
It was little news compared to the sensational headlines of the previous days.
As if someone was deliberately trying to distract people.
Instead of articles denouncing the Second Prince, many articles were published introducing new products that would be displayed at the international exhibition.
Suddenly, a large article was published about the success story of a young orphan from the orphanage, which Dennis had visited several months earlier.
The main content of the article revolved around how the palace helped him settle in the capital safely, and his desire to return the favor to the royal family.
Shocked!
A loud sound like an explosion rang out in the room.
The face of the woman standing in front of the huge man turned to the side, and her injured cheek swelled up in an instant.
“Straighten your stance.”
The woman adjusted her head position.
Then the man hit her cheek again without hesitation.
The sound was like something was exploding.
Blood began to flow from the corner of the woman's mouth, who had received successive blows in the same place.
Her right cheek swelled abnormally.
The man was staring at her with an angry look, as if his anger had not subsided yet.
“Who ordered you to overthrow the Second Prince, or did you want to discredit the royal family?”
The eyes of the woman fixed in front seemed dry and devoid of any emotion.
“Answer me.”
The man roared.
"both."
“Then what?
Why did you do such a foolish thing that could harm even the First Prince?”
"I apologize."
“Don’t make excuses.
Your appearance disgusts me.”
"Yes."
“Watch yourself.”
The man sipped the cognac greedily, then slammed the glass onto the table.
As if his anger had not subsided yet, he filled the glass to the brim with cognac and sipped it in one go.
"Good."
“What is your primary duty?”
The man shook his head.
Then the woman answered without the slightest hesitation, as if she was reciting an incantation:
“Coronation of the first prince to the throne.”
“Yes.
Don’t do anything stupid, then I will really kill you.”
“I will remember.”
The man pointed his finger at her and said:
“Remember that you are in my hands, do not forget that.”
"Good."
The man waved his hand angrily as if to dismiss her, and she finally left the room.
When she closed the door and went out, she saw her brother waiting for her anxiously in front of him.
"Therese!
Are you okay?
Oh my God."
Richard saw Thérèse's bloodied face and was filled with tears.
Richard ordered the maids in his room to bring ice and compresses.
“Oh my God, your face...”
Richard groaned as he saw Thérèse's cheek growing puffier.
“I'm... fine... heh...”
Therese couldn't help but shed tears when she saw Richard crying.
“Don't cry.”
Richard hugged her.
He felt as if something was rising in his chest.
As if the phrase “Don’t cry” was a signal to go.
A sign that crying is allowed from now on.
The woman who had been standing firmly before the Marquis Engelger had disappeared, and Thérèse seemed at that moment to be a gentle, sad girl for her age.
“Brother... save me... please.”
“Okay...
Therese.”
“Please please save me.”
Therese buried her face in Richard's arms as if she was seeking pampering, while he wiped away her tears and shed his own tears as well.
“Don't cry, Therese.”
Richard carefully wiped away the tears that were streaming endlessly down her cheeks.
“I can't do anything when you cry.”
When the maids had brought the ice and poultices and put them away, Richard hurriedly wiped his tear-covered face and said to Thérèse:
“Let's apply compresses first.”
Richard placed the ice pack the maids had brought on her face.
“Brother... until when... until when do I have to live like this?”
“Therese...”
Richard staggered with a sad face, unable to complete his words.
Because he knows too.
These are chains from which she cannot be freed except by the death of the Marquis.
Therese said to him, while she was placing a wet towel from the melting snow on her cheek, her face swollen from tears and violence:
“Thank you, brother.”
Richard looked at her without saying a word.
This was only four days before the opening ceremony of the International Exhibition, and a week before Fabrice's engagement party.
“What a beautiful face...what happened?”
Danielle couldn't finish her words, and looked at Thérèse with a worried look.
Thérèse had remained in this state since her return from the Marquis Engelger's palace.
Opening day of the international exhibition
Since the King would be giving the opening speech, all members of the royal family had to attend.
Even Julian, who is on his sick bed.
“Anyway, it's satisfying that it's over here.”
Therese replied indifferently as she read the newspaper.
She had not been exposed to this once or twice.
She knew that the Marquis would summon her when he knew things had gone wrong.
That was somewhat expected.
And so was Richard, as usual.
Even when she clung to Richard while crying, it was only a fleeting moment.
She didn't expect him to do anything real for her.
She knows that his nature does not allow this.
Growing up, Thérèse was the only one who was directly abused by the Marquis.
The Marquis did not lay his hand on anyone but Therese.
But Richard felt anxious every time he saw Thérèse summoned before the Marquis, fearing that it would be his turn next.
Even though he knew that wouldn't happen.
It's been like this since childhood.
When she came back injured, he would take her to his room and treat her, while he would cry more than her.
But that was all.
It was a vicious circle that repeated itself every time.
“It is not one bit different from our childhood.”
Therese smiled wryly.
Because she felt that things would repeat themselves the same way.
A Marquis who does not change, a brother who does not change, and she does not change.
Thérèse interrupted her destructive thoughts and stared into the mirror.
It was more important to think about what to do in the future.
Newspapers published daily exciting articles raising expectations about the international exhibition: the number of countries participating, the new inventions that would be displayed, and the prominent figures who would visit Balwise from other countries.
All street protest articles have been removed.
As well as articles critical of the royal family.
The public did not realize that this was the result of deliberate censorship, and they naturally forgot about the street demonstrations and focused all their attention on the international exhibition.
That was fortunate for Therese.
But…
She was confused by the new and unexpected variable that had suddenly appeared.
Street demonstrations against the royal family!
It was a meaningful event, unprecedented in history.
Therese clearly admitted that she had miscalculated.
They are no longer naive people who trust the royal family and follow it without thinking.
They know how to distinguish right from wrong on their own.
This was an idea that had never occurred to her before.
What if the people realized that the royal family was no longer necessary...
Therese was suddenly afraid.
The question was no longer whether Denis would be crowned king or not, but whether the office of kingship itself could disappear.
She hoped it was just an illusion she had.
Fortunately, she had bribed the journalists in advance, otherwise she could not have avoided a bigger disaster.
Before negative opinions about the royal family spread further, she instructed that all articles related to Fabrice be removed.
Although they were paid articles that were published intentionally.
It pained her to hide the matter as if it had never happened.
But the position of king had to be kept in place until Denis came to the throne.
On the other hand, who kidnapped Fabrice was still unknown, which was a source of concern for her.
She considered carefully whether the sudden appearance of this variable would benefit or harm her.
Nothing was certain yet.
Jack was conducting an investigation to find who held Fabrice captive.
Perhaps the party that detained Fabrice could become an ally to help Denis as well.
Isn't there a saying: The enemy of your enemy is your friend?
At that moment, Elly entered a carefully decorated room.
She was coming back from meeting Jack.
“Ma’am, I have something to tell you.”
She approached her quietly and whispered in her ear:
“The prisoner has been secured.”
Therese understood and nodded, turning away from me.
Now, the most important thing was to appear flawless at the opening ceremony.
“It doesn't look like makeup will cover it all, ma'am.”
Her puffy cheek bore blue bruises.
“Pull my hair so that it hangs down and covers my right cheek, and get me a hat with a wide brim so that its shade hides my face.”
So the maids began searching the dressing room for hats with very wide brims and brought them.
“Today is the opening day and it is a joyful day, so it would not be strange for me to decorate the hat.
Decorate it to make it more eye-catching and luxurious.”
The maids came with peacock feathers, beaver fur, lace, and jewels, and began decorating the hat without leaving any visible space.
It showed her determination to completely hide her bruises.
“The prince will come soon to accompany you.”
"…Good."
Thérèse had avoided meeting him since her return from the Marquis' palace.
Even though it was only a few days, she wanted to meet him after the bruise on her cheek had subsided.
She didn't want him to see her looking like this.
She did not want his deliberate sympathy.
Because she always wants to appear perfect in front of him.
She hopes he doesn't notice.