# 47
“Who do you think is unworthy, Crown Prince?”
Helen realized that Henry's remark was an attack on Luan, so she asked him in a firm tone.
“I-I mean, well...”
Henry stuttered, unable to answer. At that moment, Rosanna turned to Luan.
“More importantly, I assume the young Duke also memorizes the Psalms?”
“...?”
"He's the same age as my nephew Henry, and they both study at Kimmich Academy. I'm looking forward to seeing how much he excels."
Helen knew that Rosanna did not ask out of curiosity, but to humiliate Luan.
‘How impertinent to belittle him!’
What made it even more painful was that Luan, as if he was accustomed to this, remained completely calm.
“Luann knows the entire New Testament by heart.”
This was actually an opportunity to show Luan's exceptional abilities.
“Luann, would you like to try?”
No sooner had Helen spoken than Rosanna let out a slight sneer.
“Even if you try hard, the Psalms don't come to mind easily, Your Majesty.”
She was about to refuse when Luan cautiously opened his mouth.
“My heart turns to the Lord, and His voice comes down to protect me.”
Luan's smooth recitation made Rosanna and the other noble ladies' eyes widen in surprise.
‘This may help Luan consolidate his position among the followers.’
Luan nodded to Helen, then turned his gaze directly to Henry...just as Henry had done to him moments before.
“Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit.”
“You, you…”
Henry felt Luan's fixed gaze, and his face immediately reddened.
“You are truly special at such a young age, young Duke.”
Rosanna couldn't hide her anger, so she gripped Henry's hand tightly and forced herself to smile.
The sight of Rosanna shaking in frustration and struggling to regain her composure was almost laughable.
“What a lowlife!…!”
In the end, Henry couldn't restrain himself, so he insulted Luan.
“What… did you just say?”
Helen, who was about to scold Henry, suddenly noticed a shadow approaching the garden.
“…Duke?”
It was Aachen.
‘He said he was going to check the area... Why did he come back so quickly?’
Aachen had a look of anger on his face, as he had apparently heard Henry's words.
“Henry Daphne!”
He called Henry's full name in an unmistakable tone of anger.
The only other time Aachen got this angry was when someone questioned Luan's legitimacy.
After Aachen heard the insult directed at Luan directly, he became even more angry.
“Your Highness Aachen! He is just a child who spoke without thinking!”
Rosanna immediately knelt down and begged him to forgive her.
But Aachen ignored her, and fixed his sharp gaze on Henry.
When Henry saw his aunt kneeling and trembling for the first time, he was so overcome with fear that he burst into tears.
‘If someone had said that to Shevlin, I would have been just as angry. But Henry is still a child, and this is a gathering of Belzeit's followers.'
“Your Highness.”
“...!”
Helen anticipated the consequences of this incident, so she held Aachen's hand tightly.
“Your Highness, later. Call Countess Reuel and the Crown Prince privately to discuss this matter.”
“……”
Helen Aachen's words finally calmed him down, and he exhaled forcefully.
“Why is Countess Reul doing this?”
Rosanna was watching the conversation between Helen and Aachen, and she seemed completely astonished.
“Let's end the reading session here. Everyone, please go home.”
Then Helen dismissed the guests.
“Countess Reuel and the Crown Prince, please stay.”
“……”
Everyone left, except Rosanna and Henry.
Helen took Luan and Shevlin to their room.
“Luann.”
She leaned down slightly to meet Luan's eyes, then gently touched his cheeks.
“Forget what was said before. Don’t let it affect you. You must never forget that you are truly precious.”
“I'm fine. Really...”
Luan said he was fine, but his eyes were a little red.
Although he pretended otherwise, Helen felt the sting of Henry's words in his heart.
“Luan, Chieflin. Stay here and play.”
Helen suppressed her feelings and got up and headed to Aachen's office.
Inside, Aachen was questioning Henry in a sharp voice.
"You must have heard such things before for it to seem so easy to you. Did your aunt teach you that?"
“I… I just… L-Luan was acting so condescending...”
Henry muttered, barely understanding his words as he sniffled.
"What?"
Aachen's voice turned into a sharp tone of disbelief.
“I...I'm sorry...”
Henry shuddered, and clung to Rosanna's side, seeking cover behind her.
“His Highness Aachen...”
Rosanna looked around in confusion, not knowing where to look.
Helen felt something was wrong.
This was the same woman who had publicly insulted her at the banquet and never hesitated to show her feelings.
Moreover, she was not one to fear Aachen. She always stood confidently, with her arms crossed.
“But she looks so scared now?”
Aachen raised his voice, but that alone was not enough to explain her reaction.
"Your Highness, it's best to stop here. This will make Luan's heart even heavier. And the Crown Prince is still a young child."
Helen intervened and gently ran her hand over Aachen's back to calm him down.
“I...”
“…At the moment, Countess Reuel and the Crown Prince are prohibited from entering Hestor Castle.”
“Your Highness! This…”
Rosanna started to protest, but suddenly fell silent.
“...Henry, let's go.”
“Yes, aunty...”
Rosanna led Henry out of the office.
For a moment, Helen lowered her gaze, feeling responsible for what had happened.
“Your Highness, I’m sorry.”
“Why are you apologizing, my wife?”
Aachen looked at her as if he did not understand.
"I should have paid more attention. Luan was hurt by that."
“No, ma’am. I should have been more polite, as this is your first time hosting a reading gathering... I just showed you an unpleasant sight.”
Aachen lowered his head, looking extremely ashamed.
“...I apologize.”
“No, Your Highness, it's okay...”
There was an awkward silence between them as they avoided looking at each other.
“By the way, Your Highness.”
"Yes?"
“Weren't you supposed to be checking the area? You came back too early... Did something happen?”
Helen wondered why Aachen had returned so quickly.
“I'll tell you later.”
“Okay…then, have a rest.”
When Helen saw that Aachen was avoiding the question, she did not press her.
Outside, in front of the carriage, Rosanna and Henry had not yet left.
"Henry, stop crying! You're annoying me!"
“H-Heck... Aunty, I-I'm sorry...”
Rosanna scolded Henry, who was sniffling impatiently.
“Countess Reuel.”
Helen approached them.
“…Her Highness the Grand Duchess.”
“I have a question.”
“Here you are…”
Seeing Rosanna so submissive for the first time was strange.
“Earlier, in the park, why did you kneel down?”
It was a spontaneous act, in which you abandoned all dignity in front of other noble ladies.
Rosanna's expression turned bitter as she answered.
“Her Highness doesn’t know why, does she?”
"What do you mean?"
“When His Highness the Duke was still the Crown Prince of Riquier… there was a time when his magic got out of control.”
Rosanna's response was completely unexpected.
"The magician's agitation...can affect those around him. It may even lead to death."
“Death...”
That heavy word made Helen visibly nervous.
“His Highness’s eyes from earlier… were as they were then. I instinctively begged him to forgive me. If the agitation had not stopped… I might have died.”
Rosanna let her right arm hang motionless, as if recalling something terrible.
“The Duke almost lost control of his magic…?”
Only then did Helen realize why Rosanna was desperately seeking forgiveness.
Her willingness to accept punishment without resistance was the reason.
“Just before, he was about to go berserk. I will never forget that scene.”
“…….”
“I never expected that you would be the one to stop him, Your Highness.”
As Rosanna said, Helen had previously held Aachen's hand to calm him down.
“Only one person can stop the wizard's rampage.”
Rosanna's eyes filled with tears.
“Countess Reul?”
“Congratulations. Not only have you become His Highness’s wife… but you are truly the only person who can stop him.”
Rosanna's voice trembled as she spoke, and her dress trembled slightly as Henry clung to the hem.
“Auntie…”
“Her Highness the Grand Duchess, I really liked His Highness… I really liked him.”
Rosanna looked at Helen, her eyes shining with tears that had not yet fallen.
“But… if I’m not the one who can restrain him, then I guess I should leave him alone.”
Obviously, the past incident left a deep scar on her soul.
Rosanna got into the carriage with Henry, and they set off.
As Helen watched them walk away, she thought back to their conversation.
‘Stop a wizard’s rampage…’
It wasn't easy.
And at that moment, Helen was convinced.
Aachen's look at her...
It had nothing to do with the night she spent with his twin brother.
♡Olivia♡