Chapter 142: Chapter 141

The Lucio Imperial Palace was a beautiful and colorful castle that was hard to compare with any architecture of its time. Even though Marianne was born and raised in her own kingdom like the Castle of Lennox, there was something very special that could catch her eye.

Besides, it was one of the emperor’s most intimate rooms in the main palace. As it had a proper mix of his taste and the majesty of the royal family, it was natural for her to be curious.

“If you want to take a closer look at the palace, I can bring a servant who knows the way well.”

“No, it’s fine. I’ll just look around. You can’t keep His Majesty and my father waiting long.”

Marianne quickly refused his kind offer and shook her hand. She was busy scanning the paintings on the walls and the golden chandeliers on the ceiling.

“Okay. Since the emperor told me that you are free to come to this place, you can go and see anything comfortably.”

“Thank you.”

“If you go out the inner hall and turn to the right, there is a small balcony. It’s a good place for you to observe the flower plants in the garden that you like.”

“Thanks for your advice. I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Enjoy!” Kloud left the room.

Marianne began to explore the room in earnest.

The structure of the imperial palace was much more complicated than ordinary nobles’ mansions. The central corridors and halls used by many people were relatively clear and grand, but they were more complicated when it came to the private rooms inhabited by individual members of the imperial family.

In particular, the central part of the imperial palace, commonly referred to by palace people as the inner palace, was very complicated. At the intersection between rooms, there were often other rooms instead of corridors, and the aisle was divided into several branches as a labyrinth as they emphasized the importance of aesthetics rather than efficiency. If one got lost there, it would take a whole day to get back onto the right path.

However, the treasures everywhere help cloud visitors’ judgment. Actually, what caught Marianne’s attention was the imperial stuff that filled the rooms rather than the structure of the palace itself.

“Wow! Lady, this candlestick is so pretty. It’s the first time I’ve seen four stacks of candles like this. Look at the statue on top. How did they sculpt it so delicately?”

Cordelli admired the large four-stage candlesticks made of melted gold. With a naive look, her mouth was wide open, looking up at the top of the candlestick which was taller than her height.

“I like this picture.” Marianne stopped in front of a wall of a short passage connecting the room to the next.

Then, Cordelli quickly approached her, who, sitting on the couch next to the candlestick, pressed the cushion with her butt.

“Oh, it’s Simony’s picture. She is the same painter who painted <Anthea’s Night> that Duchess Lamont gave you, right?”

Marianne nodded, looking at the picture in the large frame.

“This is called <Brilliance of Punishment>. It’s Simony’s first painting.”

The Brightness of Punishment was one of Simony’s sacred documentary paintings on the power of Airius. She painted it after the war between Tanatos and Cader. It was a painting that symbolized the inability of night and death to travel during the time when light was visible.

Tanatos tried in vain to jump out of the ground during the day as he could not overcome his desires, but was thrown back to the underground by his father every time. Aslan parents often told their children about this story because it was very suitable for the promotion of virtue and rebuke of vice, along with the legend about Kader.

Recalling the oral narratives her nanny used to tell her, Marianne slowly examined the painting.

Airius was in the picture with his golden hair fluttering, which was passed down the Frei’s family. He was riding in a phoenix sky wagon offered by the goddess Serapina. He was holding the sun with a radiant light in one hand, and lifting the spear made with the sun’s light with his other hand and driving it on the ground. Tanatos made a distorted expression on his face as he descended along the tip of his spear. Tanatos hurriedly unfolded the night’s tent, covering his head, trying to flee underneath the land he had stood on.

“I can feel justice and magnificence in the picture, which fits well with the emperor,” said Cordelli.

“…I agree.” Marianne answered awkwardly.

Her lips seemed to say something more, but she quickly shut up. Previously, she would have been interested in the harmony of colors and the painting technique, but she was more interested in the theme of the picture.

‘… What did he think of while looking at this picture? As the absolute ruler and the master of nine jewels, as well as the agent of the great god, did he vow to punish all unrighteous things on earth? Or did he want to find some hopeless hope to drive out the darkness with light like Airius in the picture?’

If he had thought so, she and her father may have been one of his worst enemies.

Marianne swallowed a bitter smile. Even though she was looking at the great painting, her heart felt heavy as if she had a big rock in the corner of her chest.

“Lady, didn’t Kloud tell you there was a balcony if you go over there?” Cordelli asked, quickly noticing a gloomy look on Marianne’s face.

“Would you like to go there with me? It looks like the balcony has a very fine view of the flower garden.”

Instinctively feeling that she had to change her mood, Cordelli quickly supported her arm. She smiled and made eye contact.

Only then did Marianne take her eyes off the picture. Obviously she knew why Cordelli was trying to move toward the balcony, but she didn’t resist.

“Is the back garden of the inner palace different from what you saw in the Elior Mansion? Next time, you had better follow Kloud’s offer to get us a servant to show us around the garden. There must be more places in the palace you would like a lot.”

Cordelli deliberately talked gibberish, but Marianne silently followed her.

She thought she might feel better if she got some fresh air in the garden.

The scenery around them changed as they continued walking. They passed by jars carved with gold, imperial medallions engraved with Brenda and laurel, landscape paintings depicting Lake Ronen, and the gates carved with colored crystals.

Marianne slowly stopped at one of the doors.

Compared to the dazzling splendid doors and entrances around her, the door facing her was a bit small and monotonous. That strangeness stopped her.

‘Isn’t it a formal entrance? Where does this door lead to?’

Marianne shook her head slightly and looked around. She couldn’t see the servant guarding the door. There was no maid or knight to stop her there.

Recalling Kloud’s words that she could take a look anywhere, Marianne reached out as if she was drawn to some unknown force.

The small door opened slowly and quietly. She could smell cool mint and the musty odor of old books through the small gap of the door.

“So… I wanted to… Marie…”

A familiar voice was heard from behind the door. Strangely enough, his remarks, which she could not hear correctly, contained her name.

“…”

Marianne frowned. She was now used to drawing conclusions from some evidence.

The faint smell of books, one of the rooms inside the main palace and her father’s voice…

‘This is the emperor’s study!’

Only three things were enough for her to conclude that the space beyond the door was the emperor’s study.

‘Lord Kloud said that my father went to see the emperor to report about some palace matters…’

Marianne hesitated for a moment and looked back. Cordelli was staring at her with wide eyes.

“…”

“…?”

Marianne stretched her index finger over her lips and pressed it to signal Cordelli not to come toward her.

Although Cordelli didn’t know what was going on, she stood up where she was,with her mouth shut up. Though she followed Marianne’s order, she was unhappy.

Calm air. Careful touch. Her lady was acting cautiously and prudently like a thief stealing some treasure. Although she was not sure, Cordelli was convinced that Marianne was trying to do something secretly.

Cordelli called her by moving her mouth without saying anything, but she didn’t reply.

She left Cordelli alone in the middle of the hallway, quickly crossing the threshold while holding her long dress.

With very little noise, Marianne disappeared from her sight.

“Oh my god…What kind of scheme is she trying to make up?” Cordelli grunted with a feeble voice.

Strangely enough, Cordelli felt as if the door devoured Marianne.

She felt really strange.

* * *

Eckart didn’t say anything for a while.

He touched the blue gem of the ring for a long time with his fingertips.

The light reflected by sapphire penetrated his blue eyes so naturally.

He already knew that his late father betrayed her late mother cruelly. He heard it from his mother directly. Although he heard it ten years ago, he could clearly recall everything he heard that night when he heard about the secret stories of the palace.