Moonlight Ball - Chapter 166

Esmeralda’s red lips formed a thin smile.

“The fetus is also a part of Martop, naturally. It’s Iris’ child. Just a single toe-nail of the child’s, you can’t take it away from the palace.”

The two male elders fell silent. In an instant, it felt like chilling magic had been cast, and the atmosphere grew tense. Sparks flew between the two female elders.

And around this time, there was a man who learned of this fact.

“Who, what, and how?”

The man, who had been high on drugs in his opium den, asked with narrowed eyes. It was true that he had been addicted to drugs for years, but these hallucinations and delusions were something new. What’s going on?

“It’s said that someone else’s soul has entered the body of the queen.”

Ah, maybe I’ve overdone the drugs. No matter how I listen, this is nonsense.

Caitlin In Samein, the Marquis of Samain, also the elder brother of Elaine Rosi, the teacher of Iris, stumbled to his feet while unable to make sense of it all. He couldn’t fathom what kind of nonsense this was.

“Bring some cold water. I need to wake myself up.”

The man, who had been waiting for his mind to become clouded ever since his wife, Lady Railan In Samein, passed away, sought cold water for the first time to clear his mind. With his clouded mind, it was difficult to comprehend such a thing.

But cold water didn’t help, and he eventually resorted to a cold bath. Still, that didn’t work either, so he summoned a priest from a nearby temple. The priest arrived at the opium den, cast a recovery spell with a puzzled and alarmed face, and promptly disappeared without looking back. After indulging in various activities for around five hours, Caitlin regained his senses. Quite literally, he regained his senses. He was still in a haze, his manhood swayed, and a cheap courtesan beside him was hesitating about leaving or staying, pondering when she should ask for money. As always in the opium den, the smell of drug smoke was thick in the air.

“Rosemary is gone.”

The man who used such words to describe the death of his youngest daughter was undoubtedly the only one in the world who would do so, the secretary was sure of that.

“Yes, Your Highness. It is confirmed that she has passed away.”

“But her body is still alive?”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Moreover, she’s pregnant?”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Ah, it makes me want drugs again!”

Caitlin clicked his tongue. And then his gaze met that of a courtesan. They had spent over a week entwined together. The courtesan gave him a teasing smile. Caitlin smirked and beckoned her with a gesture.

“Sorry, darling. I momentarily forgot about you, darling.”

She was just as unable to put on her clothes. She approached him cautiously and said,

“Oh, no, I’m ready as soon as I get the money.”

Her breast was about to touch his firm chest. She hadn’t even finished her sentence when her eyes widened. It was to be her last moment alive. The knight, who had stood beside Lord Caitlin Samein like a shadow, understood his master’s signal and approached the courtesan from behind, snapping her neck in an instant.

“Right, what’s the name of that foolish woman who entered that body?”

“Iris. Her name is Iris Elaine.”

It sounds like a name he had heard somewhere.

Somewhere… It feels like he’s heard it before. It’s such a familiar name.

Hmm.

Caitlin searched his memory for a moment. It’s a name that gives him the feeling he shouldn’t touch it. Why does it feel like someone mentioned this name? Who?

He soon burst into laughter. No matter which bastard mentioned it, even if it was the king, what use would it be?

Rosemary resembled Railan—the most. The child Railan gave birth to before dying. And to think that there was a thieving wench who took the place of the missing half. There was no reason to hesitate.

“Kill her.”

Caitlin spoke lightly. The guards of the Samein Marquis understood his orders absolutely, but this time the knight hesitated. First, the Marquis of Samein is talking about rebellion right now. Second…

“She’s supposedly pregnant. Are you alright?”

“Pregnant? Rosemary?”

“She came as the Queen’s Majesty.”

The knight tried to phrase his words as carefully as possible. She’s Rosemary, yet she’s not. She’s Iris Elaine. The anger within Martop is already raging, and both the royal family and Martop are said to be on the brink of war. Even though Queen Rosemary has passed away, no one seems to care about her death.

Caitlin fell into thought for a moment. Railan gave birth to Rosemary and died. Railan. Caitlin and Railan were a typical noble couple. Both of them had lovers, and Railan had Caitlin. They liked each other well enough, but it wasn’t love. Still, they were very close. They were such good friends that they could tell each other anything. To Caitlin, Railan was the only friend of that kind in his life.

It wasn’t love. Call it love, if you will, like those everyday things people chatter about. But it was something more precious than that.

Railan was frail, and Caitlin took care of her reasonably well. She hated interference, and he understood that. They were friends. Interference was wrong. They were free and understood each other perfectly.

But when it came to bearing Rosemary, they clashed completely. Railan heard stories that she might die, and Caitlin insisted on an abortion. It wasn’t love. There were already heirs to continue the succession.

<You don’t need to risk your life! >

And he got slapped.

< It’s my decision! I’m the one risking my life for my child! >

A fierce clash. Eventually, Railan won, and she died. Caitlin lost his only friend, his understanding companion. He believed it was good to marry a friend. They would be closest to each other. No, that was a mistake. It meant struggling with the legacy left by a friend. Struggling within those legacies left behind by a friend alone.

Caitlin couldn’t bear it any longer.

He let go of everything.

Oddly, Rosemary’s appearance resembled Railan’s the most. Her personality was Caitlin’s very image. It was intriguing that she died, and only Railan’s shell remained, bearing the king’s child.

“Before cutting her up, should I take a look at her face and see who this wench is?”

It was a decision made out of mere curiosity.