Chapter 1
***
“I heard about your idea, and I really liked it.”
“I’m flattered.”
“I’m serious.”
Helena, who spoke in a firm voice, bent her eyes and smiled.
“Anyway, you can’t just say nonsense when it’s an event hosted by the Queen, right?”
“It’s an honor to hear Your Majesty say that.”
“Well, glory doesn’t feed you.”
A sharp joke flowed from Helena’s elegant lips.
‘Wow, did the Queen even joke like this?’
Ines occasionally saw the Queen at banquets, and she thought she was just impeccably elegant. Ines was speechless.
“I have to give you something, but I thought it would be better to proceed in the best way for the Countess of Brierton.”
“Wow, my Queen.”
“The Countess is already overflowing with wealth, so I don’t think money will be useful.”
Helena shrugged her shoulders.
“Looking at what has happened recently, I thought that the opportunity for you to showcase your talent as an artist would be the most useful. Am I wrong?”
“No, Your Majesty. Thank you for your consideration.”
Ines hurriedly bowed.
At the same time, Helena’s smile grew a little deeper.
“To be more honest, the Countess of Brierton was a little bit coveted.”
“……Me?”
“Of course. You should be…”
Helena glanced at Enoch with her playful gaze.
“The Duke of Sussex praised the Countess so much.”
For a moment, Enoch narrowed his brow and turned to Helena.
“My Queen.That……”
Enoch rushed to shut Helena up, but it was already too late.
Helena continued speaking as if to listen.
“The Duke said the Countess is an outstanding painter and must be recruited.”
“Your Excellency….”
Ines looked back at Enoch with her eyes wide open.
Effortlessly ignoring the gaze, Enoch pretended to be okay and straightened his back.
“I did not lie.”
But Helena saw it.
Enoch, who was usually expressionless, was slightly embarrassed.
As proof of that, Enoch was glaring at Helena with a resentful gaze.
Helena grinned and nodded her head.
“Who says what? I have no intention of denying that the Countess of Brierton is an outstanding artist.”
Helena, who interrupted Enoch’s speech at once, looked at Ines.
“I saw the series of <Hwabang Street> that was exhibited at the art exhibition the other day. It was very beautiful and unique.”
“It’s a pleasure to hear that you liked it, my Queen.”
“Today I’m calling you here to meet you, and we’ll talk about it in detail soon.”
Helena spoke in a soft voice.
“I wish you all the best in the coming art exchange.”
“……Ah.”
Ines, who swallowed a dry saliva, once again bowed.
“Thank you so much for this wonderful opportunity.”
‘I’ll have to say thank you to the Duke later.’
Ines vowed with determination.
Then Helena suggested.
“It’s nice to meet the Countess like this, so I’d like to treat you to a cup of tea. How about the count?”
“…..tea? Thank you.”
Although in a confused mood, Ines nodded her head quickly.
Even though she was a little embarrassed, she couldn’t miss the opportunity to have a private conversation with the Queen.
At the same time, Helena looked gently at Enoch.
“Then the Countess will go with me, and the Duke of Sussex, please visit His Majesty the King.”
Then Enoch made a distasteful expression.
“Why, His Majesty, suddenly…”
“That’s because the King has been waiting for the Duke of Sussex since morning.”
Helena added.
“He even said he really wants to have a conversation with his one and only brother, and postponed today’s government meeting until tomorrow.”
“….”
Unable to let go of any hope, Enoch asked.
“Why now? I can see him later.”
But Enoch’s hope was shattered by Helena’s mischievous reply.
“Isn’t it because the Duke of Sussex always avoids His Majesty the King?”
To be honest, even Enoch had nothing to refute.
As much as Edward had great fun teasing his brother, Enoch had also been avoiding Edward because he was annoyed. Just then, Helena squinted her eyes and said,
“Oh, and you know that it makes His Majesty sad when you make such a face in front of him, right? So please manage your expression.”
“All right….”
Enoch was eventually forced to stand up from his seat with a face full of discontent.
“Then I’ll leave.”
Finally, after looking at Ines with eyes dripping with regret.
Enoch walked out of the parlor politely.
At the same time, Helena clicked her tongue and spoke to herself in a small voice.
“Ugh, really. You have to be so full of lingering feelings.”
At the same time, Ines was a little bewildered.
Lingering feelings?
But she never had a chance to hear the answer.
It was because Helena looked back at Ines and smiled brightly.
“Then, shall we have tea together with us ladies?”
****
The fragrant aroma of tea wafted into the air.
Helena, who poured the tea directly into Ines’s cup, spoke softly.
“I hope the tea will suit your taste.”
“Oh, thank you.”
Ines drank the tea with a slightly nervous face.
Even in the midst of this, the movement of drinking tea was elegant without breaking any rules.
Conversational mannerisms and polite manners seemed to be well-educated from a good family. Helena observed the woman in front of her as if exploring.
Ines Brierton.
She was once the only heiress to the Count of Brierton and was now one of the few women in the kingdom to hold the title.
Although she went through one marriage and divorce, she still had a youthful face.
‘She’s twenty-three this year.’
After making her social debut, Ines married Ryan right away when she was 18.
Helena had met Ines a few times before at banquets, and she thought Ines was just a weak lady.
She wondered what had charmed Enoch, and Helena couldn’t help but wonder.
‘By the way, the Duke of Sussex couldn’t take his eyes off the Countess of Brierton earlier.’
It was really the first time she had ever seen Enoch pay so much attention to someone. As she recalled the image of Enoch she had just met, Helena suddenly opened her mouth.
“You know what? The Duke of Sussex really appreciates the Countess.”
“…..”
In an instant, Ines’s face heated up.
“That… I have received a lot of favors from the Duke that are difficult to repay.”
Helena looked at Ines like that with curious eyes.
Ines was always dignified and calm, but the moment ‘Enoch’ became a hot topic, Ines lost her composure in an instant.
Her appearance looked like a little girl who was lost in the sweetness of her first love and was helpless.
‘Maybe I was wrong?’ (Helena)
Maybe it wasn’t just the Duke of Sussex’s one-sided interest…
It seemed there were feelings on both sides.
Just then.
“My Queen.”
Ines, who was watching Helena, carefully opened her lips.
“May I ask why you think so?”
For a moment, Helena’s eyes lit up.
Sure enough, Ines couldn’t overcome her curiosity and was asking about Enoch. If she wasn’t even interested, she wouldn’t bother asking why the other person has a crush on her.
Even more so when she dared to ask the Queen a random question.
This meant that Ines was more curious about Enoch than the burden she had on Helena.
Helena replied politely.
“Well, it’s the first time I’ve seen the Duke of Sussex care so much about someone.”
“Is that so?”
“You’re not saying you didn’t know, are you?”
To that mischievous question, Ines lowered her eyes and answered carefully.
“How dare I judge the Duke’s feelings recklessly.”
“Hmm.”
Although Ines gave an easy answer, Helena knew.
That the lady in front of her right now was paying attention to Helena’s every move. Helena, who had been pondering for a moment, suddenly asked a question.
“Then.”
Helena, who was briefly lost in thought, suddenly asked a question.
“Do you know why the Duke of Sussex is the owner of Elton?”
“Yes? In fact, I haven’t heard of any particular reason.”
“It’s in consideration of the current King. At least I and His Majesty are guessing that way.”
Ines’ eyes widened slightly at the unexpected fact.
****
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