Third Arc (Fallen Heart) - 81. The King's Cold Nature I

One by one the noblewomen left the castle. While Claire and the maids calmed Lady Belle. Indeed, they couldn't help much since Lady Belle didn't say a word. What she did was drink the tea and sobbed. She couldn't say it out of embarrassment since her feelings were just one-sided from the start. She misinterpreted his act of formality as his kindness even though he had said everything from the start.

In another room, Angel was talking to Duke Nicolin about this. He had to straighten out what had happened so that there would be no misunderstanding between them. Even though it was heavy, Duke Nicolin understood Angel's decision and reasons. After all, as always he said everything on his rational basis and provided the second option on how he should treat his daughter next.

It was a big dilemma for Duke Nicolin. Lady Belle was his daughter so Duke knew how deep she fell for Angel. On the other hand, he didn't want to mess around with something that had good benefits for Euphorion. But since Angel had already said his refusal, Duke Nicolin decided to calm down Lady Belle first. After all, didn't Angel already say that he didn't want to appoint his queen yet?

Several hours had passed. The sun had almost reached the western horizon. Duke Nicolin had already returned with Lady Belle. Angel had finished his work and went to the training ground to do his routine. So only Cley and Claire were left in the study room.

"Do you know what happened to Lady Belle?" said Claire. Her hands cleared the documents on her desk.

"Didn't you accompany her earlier?" said Cley without turning his gaze at her. His hand moved his pen across the paper.

Claire took a deep breath.
"But she didn't say anything." She approached Cley's desk and stood in front of it.
"Tell me what happened?"

Cley put down his pen. His eyes checked his work once more.
"Information for information." Since he started his work earlier than Claire, he finished at the same time as her. After he put down the document, he turned to Claire with an annoying smile.
"Let's trade."

Claire pouted.
"I told you she didn't say anything. She just cried and drank her tea. Should I say how much tea she drank?"

But Cley's annoying smile had not disappeared.
"I didn't say I wanted to know about her. I wanted to know about 'her'."

"You mean Princess Rose?" Claire clarified.

Cley nodded.
"Tell me what are you both talking about?"

"About the nobles, aristocracy---"

Cley raised his hand, interrupting her.
"I don't want to know about that. I want to know what she said about His Majesty. Or maybe..." A teasing grin appeared on his face.
"Did she tell you how their first night was?"

She cringed in disgust.
"Why make you think she would tell me that?"

Cley's grin disappeared.
"Who knows?"

"Of course not."

"So what did she tell you about His Majesty? Any information is fine," he said without enthusiasm. His disappointment was clear.

"She said she loves him. For real. But she has some doubts about him."

"That's silly. Why would she doubt His Majesty?" A frown on his forehead. He knew Angel was the man of his words so this was unacceptable for Cley.

"They met on the battlefield, remember? What did you expect? A heart touching reunion? A complete trust? This is already good progress," she retorted.

He sighed.
"True."

"I told you mine. Now it's your turn."

"Lady Belle confessed to His Majesty and he turned her down," he gave a short explanation.

And that was enough to create excitement in Claire's eyes.
"Did she say she loves him?"

"Loud and clear."

She gasped and covered her mouth, not expecting that Lady Belle would say it so boldly.

"Also with tears. I felt awkward," Cley continued.

"And his reaction?" asked Claire curiously.

"As usual. He rejected her coldly," he said with a nonchalant shrug.

"She accepted it just like that?"

"Of course not. She asked why and mentioned her position. But she was speechless after His Majesty countered her with political reasons. That's a complete loss."

"Oof..." That explained why Lady Belle couldn't say anything.

"By the way, this is just between you and me. His Majesty has warned me about this," Cley warned her.

"What I said was also just between you and me," she reminded him.

"Got it." They nodded in unison.

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