Chapter 17
I turned my face slightly so that I could clearly show my crying face.
"Florentia!"
"Ha, Grandpa..."
When he saw my crying face, I could see that my grandfather's anger gauge soared even further.
"Uh, mother."
When Mayron mumbled, he looked at the grandfather through her fingers wiping away the tears, a woman is walking with an angry face.
Unlike the grandfather who stopped in front of the Prince and the Knights, that woman, Shananet continued to walk.
And she stood in front of the Prince's escorts and said coldly.
"Get out of here."
It was just that, but the Imperial Knights had no choice but to step back and let Shananet pass by.
"Are you okay? Where did you get hurt?"
It was a calm tone, but the voice was trembling.
Probably, she was very worried because she knew the twins were with me.
I had no face, so I bowed my head.
"Tia."
Shananet called me.
And he said, wiping my wet cheeks from tears.
"Are you surprised a lot?"
"Oh, no, it's okay."
I said my sincerity in my face, but Shananet seemed to think that I was acting desperately.
He stroked my hair a couple of times and stared coldly at Astana.
"I heard in advance that the First Prince came to my house, but I didn't know he was such a rude guest."
Grandpa looked at me flashing and said.
“Have the Prince not heard of the promise between Lombardy and the Imperial Family?”
“I heard it.”
Astana wasn't able to raise her nose like a while ago, whether he was oppressed by my grandfather's energy.
However, that did not mean that I had a complete understanding of the atmosphere.
"Does my dad know about that ridiculous rule? There is a land in this Empire where Imperial Knights cannot enter, and if he knows, you wouldn't be standing still."
The moment Astana said that I saw the deep rush of my grandfather's face.
You're dead now, a little boy with no wraps.
"It is not the current Emperor, Jovanes, but an oath between the First Emperor, Romatili Durelli, and Benox Lombardy, the First Lord of Lombardy."
"Oh, my father's name ……."
The Prince seemed more shocked that my grandfather called the emperor by name rather than the long promises of the Durelli and Lombardy.Indeed, the original emperor's name should not be called privately.
But Grandpa is okay.
Because he is Lord of Lombardy.
It was clear what this long-standing oath means.
It's not just empty oaths.
It was an inviolable relationship.
And an alliance that must be maintained for the survival of the Empire.
That was the relationship between Durelli and Lombardy.
During the long history of the Empire, there have been several emperors struggling to escape Lombardy's influence, but none have succeeded.
It was the same with Astana's father, Emperor Jovanes.
Grandfather yelled at the nanny and the Knights next to Astana, who had lost her words.
"It's because the young Prince says he can't differentiate between right and wrong things, and you've also swept away!"
“Sorry, I’m sorry.”
The nanny and the Knights bowed their heads.
Although they were compelled to follow because they were so polarized by the Prince's command, they knew well what would happen if they touched Lombardy.
"I think this is a mistake that the Prince made as a child, and I will pass it over."
It was a saying that he would dismiss it as something that happened between children and not formally protest against the emperor.
If my grandfather protests against the emperor for breaking his oath, the emperor has no choice but to apologize.
It was a broad wish that he would endure this time to save Emperor Jovanes' side.
My grandfather, you're cool!
I trembled with emotion at the appearance of my grandfather who was so Lombardy.
Then there was a hand patting my shoulder.
"It's okay. Don't worry."
It seemed that Shananet thought I was still scared.
But Astana hasn't resisted her stubbornness yet.
He pointed at me and glared at me.
"Hah, but this happened because the girl didn't listen to my orders! She disobeyed the command to pick up my hat and threw it further away!"
"Be careful with your words, Prince."
Grandfather flashed his eyes again and warned.
"You say that my granddaughter should have picked up the Prince's hat like a servant."
“That's of course………!”
The nanny urgently grabbed the Prince's shoulder.
It meant to stop.
The Prince, who couldn't get rid of himself for a while, and groaned, struck the nanny on the cheek.
And the clothes she was wearing turned hard enough to flutter and said loudly.
"Let's go! I don't want to be somewhere like this anymore!"
That's all, really.
The Prince went away with his feet stomping, and peace finally came.
"My lady, I'm sorry."
"If we use our bodies, we don't know how they will come, so I can't...."
The guards who followed after the escorts apologized to me many times.
"It's okay. If you stopped at that time, It would have made him pull a sword, maybe that stupid one. "
And it remains.
I was looking at all the guards, and I saw two people standing on the stairs where the Prince had just come down.
They were Viese and Belsach, who were waiting for the Prince at the main entrance.
"Father! What happened to this! Why is the Prince so angry that he goes away......."
"Florentia."
My grandfather ignored Viese and called me.
I must be scolded.
I replied politely to look as pitiful as possible.
"Yes, Grandpa."
"Well done."
"Yeah?"
"Lombardy must be Lombardy in front of anyone."
Grandpa left just that and went back to the office.
I wonder if it really meant 'good job', but I felt better.
And my grandfather, this Lombardy, got better.
Shananet said to me who standing far away while looking at grandfather's back.
"It must have been a lot of surprise, so let's go to your place."
"I'm fine."
I was really okay, but I guess my young body wasn't.
When I was about to walk, my legs were relaxed and my legs almost collapsed.
Shananet looked at me, took a small breath, and said to the guard standing next to him.
"Would you be able to hold Florentia up to her place of residence?"
"Oh, yes! Of course!"
I was finally stopped by the guard and returned to my room, and I fell asleep somewhere on the way.
* * *
Today was also a busy day.
Gallahan wanted to see her daughter's face a little sooner, so he crossed two or three stairs and returned home.
"Tia, Dad is here! Um? What is sister doing here?"
At a very strange sight with Shananet sitting in the parlor, Gallahan went outside for a while and then came back in.
It was to make sure that they came to the house properly.
"Gallahan."
"Yes, sister."
"Would you like to sit here for a minute?"
Gulp.
Gallahan swallowed loud saliva to make clear the tongue.
Something was weird.
Gallahan, who confirmed that his daughter was asleep at Tia's bedroom, sat quietly on the sofa as Shananet ordered.
"Tia fell asleep quickly today, haha."
He trembled to relieve the awkward atmosphere without knowing it, but it was no start to Shananet.
Shananet said, looking with an expressionless face at Gallahan, who was rubbing the sweat on her palms on her knees.
"Florentia is going to be tired today. I was amazed at work during the day."
"This, what happened? What happened to Tia?"
When Gallahan, startled, asked in a loud voice, Shananet held a finger to her mouth.
"Are you going to wake up your daughter?"
Gallahan immediately shut up.
"Today during the day......."
In a quiet, quiet voice, Shananet explained to Gallahan what had happened during the day.
Contrary to what he thought he would run out of anger, Gallahan sighed and was silent.
"Gallahan. Although she's a smart kid, she's still a child. She's at an age that needs care from her parent."
Shananet said sternly.
"To leave your child alone like this every day. Do you have awareness as a father?"
"My thoughts were short."
Gallahan couldn't raise his head.
"That doesn't mean you're thinking that you should quit what you're doing and stick with Florentia, right?"
"Well, how do you do that... "
"The weak guy."
As if he knew it would, Shananet shook his head.
"How long do you think father will live in good health, Gallahan?"
Gallahan's shoulder flinched at her question.
Since he was born in a powerful family called Lombardy, it was always a concern.
"Don't let the stupid thoughts that if you lower yourself and lie down, you'll be able to avoid the storm."
Viese's tremendous desire for power was familiar to both brothers and sisters.
And when the position in Mansion is vacant, the greed will surely cause a storm.
"Now you must have the strength to protect Florentia. What will happen to your father and daughter right now, if you do nothing."
For the first time, Shananet was giving heartfelt advice to her youngest brother.
"Fortunately, you have a pretty good brain. You're easily likable, so it won't be difficult to deal with people. So use them to build your strength, Gallahan."
After speaking, Shananet stood up.
Gallahan, who got up in a hurry after being in thought, nodded to her.
Shananet, who walked to the door in an elegant step without even footsteps, suddenly looked back and said.
"From tomorrow, if you have anything to leave the house, send Florentia to me. I don't have much work like you."
"Oh, thank you, sister."
When Gallahan was surprised, Shananet rarely smiled and walked out of the room.
Gallahan, who was left alone, carefully opened the door to Tia's room.
He said quietly as he briefly touched the round forehead of his daughter, who was sleeping quietly, making a colorful sound.
"I'm sorry, Tia."
I thought that the mother who left first was loving her child with all her might.
The role of parents was not supposed to end there.
Gallahan swept Tia's forehead and made a firm determination over and over again.
I will protect my daughter no matter what.
* * *
Upon returning to the Imperial Palace, Astana was called by the Empress as soon as he changed his clothes.
The Empress smiled brightly and greeted her son.
"Did you have a good trip, Prince?"
Haven't you heard it yet?
Astana couldn't answer and hesitate.
The Empress, the empress, who saw her son was silent like that, said with smiling in the day time.
"You didn't listen to me. I told you to be careful about your act when you go to Lombardy."
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry."
Astana, who is a naughty child, became the most gentle son in the world only in front of the Empress.
"Sooner or later, the Prince will go back to the Lombardy mansion with a gift for your apology."
"But.........! Ugh!"
The Empress gripped the jaw of the Prince who was trying to protest.
"Prince."
"Yes uh, mother."
"It was very shameful today, right?"
"...... Yeah?"
The Empress gently touched Astana's face, as if when she was rubbing a wound.
"Answer, Prince."
"Yes, it was shameful."
"Which one?"
"I am someone that will become the Crown Prince and succeed My Country. By the way. But they say "
"They acted as if they could be the masters of this Empire, right?"
The Empress laughed like a joke.
"Lombardy are such people. They have lost respect for the Imperial Family, believing only in the power of decent money."
In the eyes of the Empress, there was a clear hostility.
"So don't ever forget today's work, Prince."
After all, his mother knows his heart!
"And that child named Florentia will someday regret being spoiled by our Prince. This mother will make it that way."
Astana nodded hard.
"I'll do it at all costs. So Prince just needs to listen to me."
"Yes, mother."
The Empress held Astana in her arms.
On the outside, it was a very beautiful mother and son.