Chapter 28
Adrian answered the Queen’s question with a relaxed smile.
“I pursued her tirelessly.”
“Until she remembered me.”
“Until she could no longer bear not to look at me.”
“Even now, look.”
“I wanted to see her, so I found my way into the Navy somehow, didn’t I?”
That, too, was the truth.
From that day onward, Adrian was always somewhere within Elisa’s field of vision.
And he always smiled at her.
Elisa remembered the moment his crimson eyes curved into crescents.
When she struggled because her swordsmanship was not improving, he stayed up all night as her sparring partner.
She remembered how, during exam periods, he would remain seated in the library until the very end, and the moment she stood up, he would somehow already be beside her, following after her.
There had been a time when she walked through the garden with him.
The romance between Adrian and Elisa, so beautifully wrapped in sentiment, differed only in its ending.
Because Adrian Oberon had never once fallen in love with Elisa Shooter.
It was a memory she had desperately tried to forget.
It had naturally faded from Elisa’s mind after being buried beneath memories that were even stronger and filled with rage.
An insignificant truth drifted through the ship like a ghost.
☆☆☆
After that, as new dishes were served, the conversation naturally shifted toward praising the royal chefs.
When the formal meal came to an end, the Queen wore a satisfied expression as she commended Adrian and Elisa.
“Young Duke Oberon, Admiral Shooter.”
“You both performed splendidly.”
Even so, the Queen did not lower her guard toward Schultz Tugrahan.
Soon, accompanied by the deep blast of the ship’s horn, the familiar scenery of Roserica Harbor came into view.
The sightseeing voyage aboard the *Tenisi* was finally nearing its end.
People of all ages had gathered at the harbor to catch a glimpse of the enormous sightseeing ship, a sight that was rarely seen.
Enoch and the naval officers formed ranks and controlled the crowd.
The Queen and the Shulid delegation disembarked one after another to the cheers of the people.
As the Navy, including the Queen and Elisa, prepared to see off the Shulid delegation, Schultz Tugrahan deliberately singled out Elisa, who was standing one step behind the Queen, and spoke to her.
“My offer still stands.”
“So, I shall wait for the day your heart changes.”
“I can only apologize if Your Majesty ends up wasting your precious time.”
Although Schultz Tugrahan was looking at Elisa, it was Adrian who answered.
“Don’t be so certain.”
Despite Adrian’s provocative reply, Tugrahan merely smiled calmly, as though he had expected nothing less.
With that, Schultz Tugrahan led the Shulid delegation and was the first to leave the harbor.
Even after Schultz Tugrahan had departed, Adrian continued staring at the place where the delegation had disappeared.
As though he had truly met a romantic rival, the hand holding Elisa’s was clenched tightly.
Elisa tilted her head for a moment before arriving at the simplest conclusion.
As expected, Adrian Oberon really did have an iron stomach.
To willingly keep an illegitimate child by his side after looking down on such people so much and refusing to even acknowledge them as nobles.
She became even more curious about what exactly Her Majesty had offered him to make him put on such a convincing performance despite overcoming even his own instincts.
☆☆☆
Queen Anne Marie clicked her tongue as she watched Schultz Tugrahan’s retreating figure.
The formal luncheon had been perfect.
Young Duke Oberon and Admiral Shooter had carried out their roles flawlessly.
Of course, it had only been a role for Elisa.
Not for Young Duke Oberon.
And what about their performance at the ballroom?
The two had looked like the perfect lovers.
Yet Schultz Tugrahan had not even blinked at their display of affection.
He was persistent.
He had absolutely no intention of backing down.
Instead, the conservative nobles of Sepia had become the greater nuisance, claiming that Adrian Oberon marrying a woman of such birth would be a disgrace to Sepian history, while constantly pushing their own daughters forward to trouble the Queen.
Duke Roserica, who was attending to the Queen, remained silent so as not to provoke her displeasure.
He was terrified that his illegitimate daughter might anger the Queen and ruin Roserica’s future.
“Where in the world does Schultz Tugrahan get such confidence?”
“…”
“What exactly can he offer Admiral Shooter that makes him so certain?”
“Duke Roserica.”
“What do you think?”
“Answer me.”
The Queen had been speaking to herself before suddenly calling Duke Roserica’s name.
The thoroughly tense Duke Roserica hurriedly gave the answer he had prepared in advance.
“I-It is because my daughter is lacking.”
“I shall make sure she understands.”
But it was not the correct answer.
Queen Anne Marie looked at Duke Roserica with obvious dissatisfaction and clicked her tongue.
“Do you truly know your daughter so little?”
“Admiral Shooter is at the center of all of this.”
“The future of Sepia’s Navy rests upon a single choice she makes.”
“Do you think she is unaware of that?”
“I was short-sighted.”
“You should stay out of this.”
“If the Duke steps in, all you’ll accomplish is earning Admiral Shooter’s resentment.”
“Yes.”
“I shall remember that.”
Suddenly, something felt off.
Was Elisa truly valuable enough for the Queen to think so highly of her?
She was nothing more than an illegitimate child.
Then Duke Roserica realized something.
Since Queen Anne Marie had arrived in Roserica, she had never once, not even out of courtesy, asked after his son Deren or his daughter Kiiene.
The only one of his children whose name had crossed her lips was Elisa Shooter.
☆☆☆
The moment Adrian stepped off the ship, he gave an order to the adjutant he had brought from the North.
“Bring Garon Heisen here.”
“And no matter what it takes, Elisa must not find out about this.”
Exactly one hour later, his capable adjutant, once one of the elite soldiers of the Crow Knights, dragged Garon Heisen into the Navy’s underground prison.
The memory of being dragged away without understanding why and beaten by Elisa Shooter the previous night was still vivid in Garon Heisen’s mind.
And now, not even twenty-four hours later, he instinctively realized the same thing was about to happen again.
“Seven years ago…”
“Did you take my warning as a joke?”
“A-Adrian Oberon?”
It was a voice he had not heard in a very long time.
But that voice now carried a strength it had not possessed during their cadet days.
It was the overwhelming presence that belonged only to someone who stood above others.
Once again, Garon Heisen keenly realized the difference between himself and Adrian.
He threw himself flat onto the ground.
It was the pitiful instinct of survival.
“I told you never to approach Elisa Shooter again.”
“You should have remembered that the only reason your father is still allowed to occupy a high-ranking position among the Northern Knights after disgracing the Grand House of Oberon is because of my mercy.”
“I-It wasn’t my choice.”
“E-Elisa kidnapped me!”
“Do not dare utter that name with your filthy mouth.”
“Not before I cut out your tongue.”
Adrian’s crimson eyes flashed.
Garon trembled in terror.
“I-It was the Admiral of the Navy who kidnapped me.”
“I-I didn’t approach her because I wanted to!”
“Garon Heisen.”
“There is a limit even to lying.”
“I-I’m not lying…”
“For what reason did Elisa Shooter kidnap you?”
“W-Well…”
Only then did the atrocities he had committed flash through his mind.
Did Adrian Oberon know all of it?
“There were more than enough witnesses who saw you insult her on the deck.”
“So why are you showing no sign of confessing that part?”
He knew.
That was exactly why he was being punished now.
“I-I was wrong.”
“P-Please.”
“Just once.”
“Give me one last chance.”
“A-Adrian, please.”
“Tell me everything that happened to Elisa.”
“Leave out not a single word.”
“W-What happened was…”
Garon desperately forced his sluggish mind to think.
How much did Adrian Oberon actually know?
“Go ahead.”
“Keep your mouth shut and see what happens.”
Adrian had no time to waste either.
The Navy’s loyalty toward Elisa was absolute.
Everything had to be finished before news of the underground prison being opened reached her ears.
As Garon continued hesitating and testing his patience, Adrian drew his pistol.
Click.
The sound of the weapon being cocked echoed above Garon’s head.
“I-I’ll tell you!”
“I’ll tell you everything from beginning to end!”
“Then speak.”
“I-If you’ll just lower that gun first…”
But Adrian had no intention of lowering the pistol aimed at Garon.
“You’d better not mix any lies into your story.”
“If you’re curious what will happen when what you say differs from what I already know…”
“Go ahead and find out.”
A faint sneer curved Adrian’s lips.
Garon crawled forward, trying to grab Adrian’s trouser leg, but Adrian kicked him away before his hand could even touch him.
With a look of resignation, Garon began haltingly recounting everything that had happened during the party aboard the ship.
With every word that left Garon’s mouth, Adrian’s expression disappeared a little more.
Standing perfectly still, Adrian looked like a cold marble statue.
Watching Adrian’s reaction, Garon also confessed everything that had happened after the Navy dragged him away.
“I-I’ve told you everything.”
“So let me go.”
“If Elisa Shooter finds out I’m here…”
“M-My tongue…”
At that moment—
Creak.
The door to the underground prison slowly opened.
Amid the eerie sound, a shadow faintly appeared within Garon’s field of vision.
Then a clear voice, utterly out of place in the underground prison, echoed through the chamber.
“You’re already too late.”
A death sentence had just been pronounced upon Garon Heisen.
☆▪︎▪︎▪︎☆
