The Wind Calms the Fire - Chapter 43

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 43
An attendant spoke up.
“The Fourth Prince likely remains in the Capital still. Shall I send someone to check?”
Enoch’s eyes twitched.
“Palace Official. You said the Fourth Prince’s private residence is in District 3?”
The Palace Official, who oversaw all attendants at Chammokyeon, replied.
“Yes, Your Highness.”
‘How peculiar.’
Enoch and the other princes all maintained private residences outside the Imperial Palace.
But all of theirs were located in District 1.
Not only was it closer to the Imperial Palace, but if one stayed outside the palace grounds, anywhere but District 1 would be beneath their station.
How could a member of the royal family maintain a residence in District 3, where every sort of commoner wandered about?
Enoch turned his gaze to the attendant who had just spoken.
“An unfamiliar face.”
Enoch’s expression and tone were neutral, but his eyes were cold.
“I am honored to assist Your Highness,” the attendant replied, bowing his head.
Hope flickered across the attendant’s face as he spoke.
He had mostly handled menial work like cleaning until a few days ago, when he assumed the position of personal attendant.
“Remove him from sight.”
The Palace Official bowed sharply and signaled the other attendants.
The attendant was dragged away on both sides, his expression one of sudden catastrophe.
Having fallen from the First Prince’s favor, the attendant would be cast out of the Imperial Palace.
First, he had offered his opinion without being asked. Second, that opinion had offended Enoch’s sensibilities.
There was no need to summon back the Fourth Prince, who had left of his own accord.
Arranging some gathering might change the Fourth Prince’s mind — and that would be troublesome.
An attendant entered and reported.
“Your Highness. His Majesty has issued a summons for the Grand Council Assembly.”
“At this time, so suddenly?”
Could it be connected to the Fourth Prince’s recent audience with the Emperor?
It seemed too much of a coincidence.
“When?”
“In five days, Your Highness.”
“The timeline is quite tight…”
Enoch rose from his seat.
He needed to meet with the ministers and confirm whether there were any state matters he was unaware of.
As he left, he issued an instruction.
“Find out when Heuk Seong departs the Capital.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
* * *
Rhea returned to her room and changed clothes immediately.
Her few outfits for going out had to be carefully maintained.
Even as she changed, Rhea kept replaying the image of Carion turning away so abruptly.
‘Does he not want to see me?’
She couldn’t understand why he had acted as though she were someone he couldn’t bear to encounter.
She considered following him and knocking on his door, but it felt too awkward to press the matter, so she’d simply come back to her room.
‘Is it because of last night? Would I have pretended not to know if I wasn’t comfortable? Not letting discomfort show is what social grace and courtesy are. Is that what they call being well-raised? Who among us wasn’t?’
The more Rhea thought about it, the more ungracious his behavior seemed.
All this time, she had kept moving forward while he retreated.
She had tried to help him sincerely, and she’d believed her intentions had reached him.
‘Does he really think of me as that kind of woman?’
In her previous life, she had learned that the existence of a princess pampered and ruling from on high was utterly different from that of a leader guiding an organization.
It was truly strange.
People took for granted a leader who ran about like a mere functionary far more than they did a princess who did nothing at all.
There were quite a few who, upon receiving help, mistook themselves for great people and then looked down on their benefactor.
Rhea felt it would be deeply sorrowful if Carion were such a contemptible person.
She wanted to believe his father’s son could never be like that, but after experiencing the world, she’d learned that the offspring of tigers were often not tigers themselves.
‘This is really disappointing.’
After all her grumbling, Rhea didn’t notice that her emotions had grown overwrought.
She had spiraled into speculation about Carion’s behavior and worked herself up alone.
It was unlike her, who usually judged people with such clarity.
The Spirit circled above her head in a delighted spiral, intrigued by the flux of her emotions.
A gentle breeze set her hair drifting.
Rhea smiled, taking it as the Spirit’s comfort.
‘Thank you. I’m all right.’
As she sank onto the sofa, her gaze fell on the bag resting on the low table, and she remembered.
‘Oh—the Chief did send a reply.’
She drew an envelope from the bag.
Her eyes widened as she examined its contents.
Inside lay a substantial Promissory Note issued by the Droaen Banking Guild.
It was twice the amount she’d earned selling forest-path information to Orbin.
Rhea’s mouth fell open in astonishment.
She had never held such wealth in her hands before.
As a princess she had wanted for nothing, yet she’d never had reason to spend her own coin.
She held the Promissory Note close for a moment, then slipped it carefully back into the envelope and stowed it in her bag.
The same weight of gold held entirely different value in the Zephyros Kingdom and the Empire.
What one could do with money—the range of its power—was altogether different.
The Zephyros Kingdom was small, ruled by absolute monarchy, and harbored old customs that looked upon the flaunting of wealth as vulgar.
But in the Empire, there was scarcely anything that money could not accomplish.
The wandering band she had led had evaded the Empire’s relentless pursuit partly through the force of wealth.
They had survived on the covert backing of those from Annexed States and Subject States who had accumulated fortunes.
A knock sounded at the door, followed by Penny’s voice.
“Come in.”
“Your Highness. General Kassim has returned. He says he has something to report to you.”
“Very well. I understand.”
Rhea rose and made her way to the receiving room adjoining her bedchamber.
Kassim entered a moment later with heavy steps and bowed in greeting.
“I have returned, Your Highness.”
“You must be exhausted. What did you find?”
Kassim answered with a contemplative expression.
“It is quite different from the Kingdom.”
“It is, isn’t it.”
Rhea nodded in understanding.
In the Capital’s District 5, the residents were mostly well-to-do commoners.
It represented a middle income level by the Capital’s standards.
And yet it rivaled the homes of the upper classes back in the Kingdom.
“After surveying District 5 thoroughly, I viewed several properties on the market. It occurred to me that half the brokers are swindlers. Though I made my budget clear from the start, they first showed me houses worth double what I’d stated. Then, with each showing, the properties grew progressively smaller—human nature being what it is, having seen something fine at first made everything afterward invisible to my eyes. I spent the whole day viewing houses, but I could not bring myself to decide today. I thought I should explore further.”
Rhea found it strange to hear Kassim speak at such length, rambling as he was now.
His time in District 5 had clearly stirred complex feelings within him.
“It seems the first house you saw made quite an impression on you.”
“No, I think it was simply because it was the first.”
“If it pleased you, buy that house.”
“…Your Highness? But the budget….”
“I’ve procured more funds. Double the original budget? That’s well within reach now. Since we’re buying anyway, let us acquire something truly fine.”
“Your Highness….”
In truth, Kassim had never fully accepted in his heart the King’s decision to make the Kingdom a Subject State of the Empire.
Why should an independent nation surrender its sovereignty of its own will?
Coming all the way to the Imperial Capital, he had awakened to the reality that he had lived his entire life in a narrow world.
This had only deepened his reverence for the Princess, who stood ahead and showed him the way.
He had come to feel the weight of his own inadequacy.
Throughout his time as part of the delegation, he could only do as she commanded.
‘Self-pity is a luxury I cannot afford.’
If all he could do was obey orders, he would excel at nothing else but that.
What lay within his power was to give his utmost effort.
“Yes, Your Highness. Tomorrow I shall examine it once more, thoroughly. Please entrust me with any labor that requires only my body.”
“Thank you, Kassim.”
Rhea spoke with sincerity—words she had wished to say for some time now.
He was a loyal subject of the Kingdom, who had fought desperately against enemy forces until the very end to protect his King, and fell in that battle.
Merely having him at her side was a profound source of strength.
* * *
Carion entered the Study, closed the door behind him, and only then did he realize what a foolish blunder he had committed.
He turned sharply, reaching for the door handle, but couldn’t bring himself to pull it. Instead, his forehead came to rest against the frame.
He didn’t need to see her face to know what was written there.
‘She must think I’m insane.’
Like a man staring at a wall, he remained motionless, lost in thought.
‘Why on earth did I do that?’
If someone asked him why, he’d have no excuse to offer.
The moment he looked at her, he experienced something he never had in his entire life—an inexplicable phenomenon.
Everything else faded. She alone filled his vision.
All he could think was that he had to escape this moment, and fast.
It wasn’t shame over what happened last night that made him want to avoid her—nothing of the sort.
Rather, he couldn’t tear his eyes away, and gripped by some primal alarm that he might repeat last night’s mistake if he lingered, he fled.
Without thinking, his gaze drifted downward. Mercifully, there was no sign of reaction.
What was this strange surge of excitement?
He placed a hand over his left chest. His heart was racing abnormally.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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