Became a tyrant of defense games - Episode 174
◈ 174. [Side Story] Winter Silver
This is a story from when I was very young..
The villa where Second Empress Dustia and Third Prince Ash reside..
Countess Wintersilver and her daughter Serenade visited here again today..
While the Empress and the Countess were drinking tea and talking, Ash and Serenade were playing in the garden in the villa's courtyard..
“…….”
The serenade was lackluster today. Ash tilted his head in front of him..
“What's wrong, sister? what happened?”
sister.
No matter how much I begged him not to call me that, it was no use. Ash in her childhood always followed Serenade by calling her sister..
Ash asked, smiling innocently..
“Talk to me, sister! I'll solve everything!”
“Ugh, that’s… … in fact…….”
Serenade looked at the people around her and lowered her voice to a whisper..
“I heard again that it was heavenly.…….”
On my way here today, as I passed through the checkpoint at the entrance to the imperial palace, I heard the officers standing on guard whispering..
- A family of wealthy merchants keeps coming in and out of the imperial palace..
- 2Isn’t the empress also a genius? Playing with each other.
It seemed like he was doing it on purpose, as he didn't bother to lower his voice even though he could clearly hear everything..
Serenade sighed heavily..
“They say it's a breeze outside, but the kids are bullying me…….”
Serenade had no friends.
No noble child would associate with a daughter from a merchant family who bought a title with money..
However, if I had any commoner friends, that wasn't the case. Even though he bought his title with money, he is still a count..
There was no commoner child of the same age who wanted to hang out with the count's daughter..
Somewhere between nobles and commoners.
The Wintersilver family existed in a gray area..
Because of this situation, Ash was the first real friend Serenade had made..
“Prince Ash is the only friend I hang out with..”
“Hehe, it's me! My sister is my first friend too.!”
Ash was in the same situation..
In this spacious imperial palace, there was no one on the side of the Second Empress Dustia, who was a former combat slave..
His son, Ash, was also treated the same way..
Judging from legitimacy and family strength, it was obvious that the next emperor would be the son of the First Empress, and the First Empress openly expressed her sorrow for the Second Empress..
Because of this situation, no one tried to get close to the Second Empress and her son..
Except the people of Wintersilver.
“Don't be offended by what idiots say, sister..”
Ash stretched out his small hand and squeezed Serenade's hand..
“People who really have nothing to brag about, they only focus on things like family or lineage rather than their abilities..”
Serenade looked at Ash who said those words with surprised eyes..
The little boy's hands were warm.
“I promise, sister..”
Ash smiled like an angel.
“I will create a world where my sister doesn't have to listen to such words..”
“create the world……?”
“huh! Whether your blood is low or noble, that doesn't matter... … A world for outcast children like us. A world where mothers don't have to cry and sisters don't get bullied..”
Ash's tiny fingers squeezed Serenade's fingers..
“I… … I will definitely make it.”
Ash's young face showed both vague sadness and clear determination..
At this moment, Serenade had an intuition.
He said he was going to love this little boy..
Whether this boy keeps his word or not…….
With just one bright sparkle emitted at this moment, he realized that he would be chasing after this boy for the rest of his life..
That's what I thought as I looked at the boy's white smile..
***
Serenade suddenly opened her eyes..
It was early morning when I saw the pale sunlight seeping through the gap in the curtains..
I felt refreshed. Her body was light. Serenade quickly got up to her feet..
“Are you awake, master?.”
Elise, who was waiting outside the door, heard the call and came inside..
There was a basin filled with hot water on the tray that Elise was dragging..
“Good morning, Elise.”
“good morning. Here is the water for washing your face..”
“thank you.”
Since I took a bath last night and fell asleep, just washing my face was enough in the morning. Serenade washed her face while being attended to by Elise..
“Aren't you tired??”
Elise carefully asked Serenade, who was wiping off the moisture from her cheeks with a towel..
“You are already overworked, but suddenly you are giving dance lessons to His Highness the Prince every day.…….”
“…….”
“You only slept for 3 hours today. I'm worried about my master's health..”
At those words, Serenade laughed, covering her mouth with a towel. Elise blinked her eyes in confusion..
“master?”
“Elise. I look tired?”
“no… … You seem to be in a good mood..”
“that's right. I'm not tired at all. Rather, it's the opposite. It feels like it's going to fly?”
Serenade looked at the mirror in front of her. With her fresh face and her eyes sparkling she looked confident.
Sleep, it's okay even if you don't sleep..
‘I can't sleep right now?’
Ash came to see him first and asked him to teach him how to dance..
I don't know why this mischievous prince, who is probably better at ballroom dancing than anyone else in the capital, pretends to be inexperienced at dancing..
But I guess the reason was good.
Serenade couldn't hide the smile on her face while putting on light makeup and getting dressed..
In recent years, I have never had this much fun..
According to Ash's words, the Wintersilver family is now on the verge of extinction..
Serenade was setting up defenses against him as Ash instructed..
Know. This is not the time to be childishly happy..
But, to be really honest... … If it meant getting closer to Ash again for any reason or reason, Serenade was willing to pay whatever the price was..
‘If I could hold that person's hand and dance today, just for that, I would…….’
Suddenly!
“miss!”
At that time, Serenade's door opened roughly and another maid rushed in. She looked at the serenade in surprise..
“What's wrong? What happen?”
“The Count has a seizure again! hurry……!”
“My father?!”
Serenade stopped dressing up and quickly ran out of the room. Elise followed closely behind her with a stern expression on her face..
The Earl of Wintersilver had a seizure in his bedroom..
Fortunately, by the time Serenade arrived, the resident priest had cast a spell and stabilized the Count..
“father!”
As the serenade entered the bedroom, the Count, who was lying on the bed, lifted his trembling chin and looked at his daughter..
“Three, serenade.”
The count's face showed signs of illness..
The yellow face was skinny and full of age spots..
The Count held out his bony hand to the side, and Serenade took her father's hand..
“I'm here, father. Are you okay?”
“Serenade, my daughter... … my dear daughter…….”
Serenade's face hardened at the count's next words..
“What about seeds? The seeds of the royal family are?”
“…….”
“Did you receive it? I received the Holy Silver gift from Prince Ash.?”
Serenade pursed her lips. The count was busy.
“Why is there no answer? How much money did we pour into the imperial family to receive just one seed?…….”
“……father.”
“Don't forget, Serenade. The humiliation and humiliation our family has suffered…….”
The Count looked up at the ceiling and muttered to himself..
“Even when he became a baron, he was criticized for buying his title with money, and even when he became a count, he was criticized for being born out of nowhere. No matter how many millions we earn, we can't erase this stigma engraved in our blood.”
“…….”
“There is only one way to erase this stigma. The noblest blood in the world should be mixed into our family..”
Serenade closed her eyes tightly..
Grandfather and father too.
The complex about status and lineage was enormous. I wanted to go up by any means necessary..
So what I chose was money. The top was on a roll and he got the title he had hoped for..
But clairvoyance did not disappear..
An engagement was made with the imperial family, but even though Prince Ashe came of age, the actual marriage did not take place..
Serenade was already predicting the breakup of the engagement..
Then the father said.
- Even if the marriage talks are broken, you don't have to mix blood with the imperial family! Pirado!
- At least beg from Prince Ash! At least get some seeds.!
What on earth does that mean??
They obtained the seed of the third prince, a fool who could not become emperor, in a situation where the breakup of the engagement was almost certain. What does it mean??
However, the obsession with status and lineage that had been passed down for generations was already beyond the realm of rational thinking..
Imperial bloodline, imperial bloodline…….
Her father yelled at her every day, and eventually Serenade had to go to Ash and talk to him..
Please give me compensation for our family's dedication to you all these years..
Your seeds... … give it to me.
How could she beg like this from a man who no longer cares about her?.
Serenade just wanted to die in the misery of having her last remaining pride torn apart..
And what came back from Ash was a cold, disdainful look..
- In the end, you are just like everyone else..
But I got the agreement.
When Serenade returned home crying, her mother... … Countess Wintersilver was about to leave her mansion, despite her husband's objections..
- You're crazy to make your daughter do this.!
- What's really mean is not your family, but your heart..
Her mother left with only one word of apology to Serenade..
After my mother left, my father became ill and became bedridden, and Serenade took over and ran the Winter Silver Merchants' Company..
Prince Ash did not keep his promise..
So time passed again and we arrived at the present..
“Your mother, she doesn't understand.”
The Count muttered under his breath..
“Since she was born into a noble noble family, she feels the pain of being outsiders by blood… … I don't understand.”
“…….”
“Serenade, do you understand? If you have low blood like this father, you will definitely understand..”
Serenade, who had remained silent, grasped her father's hand tightly once more and then stood up..
“I'll go out, father. Have a good rest.”
The Count's heavy muttering continued to be heard behind Serenade as she left the room..
“We must have imperial blood in our family. Only then… … I can escape this curse…….”
Serenade covered her mouth and walked down the hallway..
I couldn't breathe..
It felt like black tar instead of red blood was flowing through the veins of my body..
No way, I couldn't breathe..
***
Wintersilver upper building. 4th floor.
Serenade came running out of breath and suddenly opened the door.,
“huh?”
Ash was sitting there..
“What, why are you here so early??”
In the bright morning sunlight, the third prince of the empire was dazzling..
Black and lustrous hair. Clear gaze facing each other. A smile that looks like a painting.
Suddenly, it felt like it was in that villa when I was young..
The serenade made my heart throbbing..
- I promise, sister..
okay.
What I loved about you was… … It wasn't because you were a prince or because your blood was noble..
Just because you were experiencing the same pain as me.
And because you embraced my wounds and comforted me.
‘iced coffee.’
Serenade slowly lowered her head..
Why couldn't I say this then?.
What I need is not your blood, not your seed, just.
I only had a piece of your heart…….
“serenade?”
When Ash asked curiously, Serenade quickly adjusted her expression..
“no, it's nothing.”
Due to my tendency to cry a lot, my eyes quickly became red, but I believed that the morning sunlight would cover them up..
With a smile, the serenade said.
“Shall we dance, my friend??”
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