321

***

"Some rather vulgar stories have come up concerning House Escalante," said Alicia as she walked up to the table where Oscar was eating alone. Though her tone was cautious, her eyes shone with affection as they stared at the back of his head, wondering when he might deign to turn around and face her.

His back was straight and didn't move a muscle. Only his hand leisurely raised his wine glass like he hadn't heard her at all.

She walked briskly forward without any sign of disappointment. She then came to a stop next to him and elegantly placed a small pile of newspapers next to his empty plates. "Who could have predicted that the Inés Escalante would be so desperate for attention?"

Oscar glanced at Alicia's arm as it retreated past his head as though it were a pesky fly before his gaze settled on the newspaper placed on top of the pile. Asunto de Cuestión (The Matter of All Matters), it read.

Though it looked like any other newspaper, in actuality, it was nothing more than a source of gossip for the high-ranking nobles of Mendoza. At times, it discussed highbrow political debates as well, but it was mostly valued for its articles about anonymous individuals the cream of society could recognize. The stories about disgraced gentlemen and embarrassing wives were the most delicious morsels.

On the other hand, it was also a journal that reported on different kinds of stories.

The headline caught Oscar's eye: "A Hero Leaving for War Bidding Farewell to His Wife."

It was the kind of honorable yet mawkish sentiment, far from a true reflection of the Mendozan nobility-fantastical longing that people in remote cities expected to see from "those soft-skinned Mendozans." The nobles of Mendoza usually had no interest whatsoever in the plundering and invasions that occurred along the coast, but they were eager to voice their opinions whenever something became a popular topic of discussion, and their opinions often stemmed from this gossip paper.

It wasn't just the nobles of Mendoza. Though some might look upon it with envy, this story was fundamentally so riveting and romantic that most anyone would fall in love with it, regardless of gender or age. None could deny the value of the war the emperor had begun, and so the inevitable breakup would certainly arouse the readers' sympathy. Such stories were always very delicate and heart-wrenching: A hero often had an ideal, obedient wife, and sometimes, their very young children or ailing parents served as a poignant addition to the narrative. While no one really knew them, a pretty picture-even if not a true depiction of the couple-was enough to spark a day's worth of discussion in Mendoza.

In this case, however, the subject was indeed a hero and well-known by everyone in high society. And the woman crying in his arms had once been quite the opposite of a devoted wife that no one could have expected her to act this way. This changed things drastically-when it came to the amazing Escalantes, five days weren't enough to discuss the matter.

The article read: "An anonymous painter who happened to be present at the ceremony to bless the expedition captured the scene of Captain Cárcel Escalante and his wife, Inés Escalante, parting ways. The work embodies the untimely separation and heartbreaking sorrow of a young man and woman. This paper has purchased the exclusive publishing rights for this piece at a high price for our subscribers.

According to the painter, Lady Inés Escalante stood in place for a long while, tears streaming down her face after she gave her husband one last kiss and watched him ride away from the palace. The sight was so poignant that he could not bear to watch it for long.

Lady Inés Escalante eventually fainted in front of the hall where the ceremony was held and had to be carried away by her attendant. According to another noblewoman who attended the ceremony, Lady Inés Escalante then returned to the celebrations with a forced smile, her eyes still red. We cannot speak of Lady Inés Escalante without mentioning her graceful poise. For a moment, her grief over parting with her husband outweighed her need to act dignified, and..."

This story wasn't vulgar, as Alicia had described it. The story of Cárcel and Inés Escalante was being portrayed in the most beautiful way in a gossip paper beloved by the nobles of Mendoza. The painting of the two was quite accurate as well. The black-haired woman kissing her husband with her eyes closed and tears streaming down her face and the soldier whose eyes were furrowed as he kissed her back... Both looked very much like the two in question.

Oscar drank the rest of the wine in his glass in one long gulp. "How picturesque." His teeth were gritted so tightly that he wasn't sure whether his words made it past them. His hand, still holding his glass, trembled slightly until his wife's hand covered it and slowly led it down to rest on the table.

He hadn't been in his right mind for a while now.

Inés had told him that she would gladly die at his hands for Cárcel Escalante. Even if it meant that she would never be able to live another life. She had said that she didn't care, and that she would do anything for her beloved husband.

Whenever he recalled those words, a dark sense of fear gripped Oscar's heart. She said that she was willing to die-that she would die and disappear from his life once more. From this world.

"The sight was so poignant that he could not bear to watch it for long?" Alicia scoffed. "How ridiculous. Your Inés would never act so undignified. Don't you agree?" When Oscar didn't respond, she continued. "My lady-in-waiting told me that she saw Inés walk back into the hall on her own two feet. Then she came to our room later and was very rude to us, as you remember... As wonderful as the story may sound, if it is based on nothing but lies, it is no different from vulgar gossip."

"Does that matter? If anything, the words of your lady-in-waiting will be considered vulgar gossip. Anyone would think that it stemmed from you, as if you held a grudge against them for stealing your spotlight at the ceremony."

"Ah, yet again you enlighten me," Alicia said as she pressed a light peck to his temple, sounding elated.

Oscar raised his glass, refilled with wine, and stared at the ground with a dark look in his eyes. "Cárcel has gone to war-that is the most important matter. No one will dispute how heartbroken his wife was to see him go, how many tears she shed, or whether she truly fainted. The story is already beautifully wrapped up, and everyone who reads it will feel for the poor woman who was separated from her husband. That is unfortunate for you. Even if someone were to deny the details, do you think Inés would bat an eyelash?"

"You are right, Oscar, as always. Though it must be quite unfortunate for you as well." Her hand caressed his shoulder and swept up toward his neck before retreating.

"Lady Inés Escalante soon disappeared, but according to eyewitnesses, she maintained a calm demeanor while she remained in the hall. The newlyweds were so deeply in love that everyone in Calztela, where Captain Escalante was serving, spoke of their devotion; his sudden appointment to the war must have been shocking for them.

As the gentlemen and ladies of Mendoza, who witnessed firsthand the many passionate and even romantic capers the couple engaged in, may be aware of, there is also an aspect to this we may never fully fathom. How could anyone from such a peaceful city as Mendoza dare to imagine the pain of a young woman waiting for a husband who may never return?

However, as it is well-known that Lady Inés Escalante fully supported Captain Escalante's willingness to go to war, we can see that they are not only deeply in love, but also share the same upright and noble character.

The numerous medals adoring the captain's uniform attest to the many acts of courage and dedication we did not know about until today. Calztela must know of countless men like Captain Escalante and women like Lady Inés Escalante, who braved the storms and faced the specter of death. Boarding the navy ships with nothing but prayer on their side, they were parted from their parents, wives, and children whose names remain unknown to us. This should bring shame upon us who live in uninterrupted peace day after day."

"Your Highness's cousin is already known as a devoted hero because of his quick-witted wife, and your Inés seems to be eager to carve her husband's name onto her forehead, doing the same to his with her name..." Alicia smirked. "You've finally managed to be rid of him to isolate Inés here in Mendoza, and yet their bond is unshaken. What would happen if you were to touch even a hair on her head? What would people say? It will not matter whether her husband lives or dies."

"Alicia."

"His Majesty is desperate to bury the assassination attempt against Duke Escalante, but he is just as desperate to sell more war bonds that seem to sell so well the more he mentions the captain's name. And Inés has been taking over all of the newspapers published in Mendoza thanks to His Majesty."

Even the men who despised Cárcel Escalante had to have been taken by the sorrow on Inés's face, as regal as a queen. Though they could deny the success of another man by claiming all sorts of injustice and corruption, they could not possibly laugh in the face of the woman who was once known to be the most aloof and noble lady in all of Ortega. This was true at least for the gentlemen of Mendoza, and it meant that they could not help but see Cárcel Escalante in a positive light as well.

Only ten days had passed since the start of the war, and there had yet to be any news of the battle. For the first four days or so, the newspapers took turns decorating their front pages with paintings of Cárcel Escalante receiving the ceremonial sword from the emperor-a grand occasion that looked more like a coronation-and scenes of him embracing his wife at the same ceremony.

Mentions of how Duke Escalante suddenly disappeared during the ceremony, which had practically been held for his son, and the strange chaos reported by a member of the Imperial Council were relegated to the back pages of a few newspapers. This was due to the emperor's strict prohibition against discussing the matter publicly, perhaps because of the time in his youth when he had often displayed feelings of inadequacy and acted out of envy toward his brother-in-law.

Though some speculated about the duke's health because he had yet to appear in public since the ceremony, the popularity of his son's story overshadowed this as well. If he had died, even the emperor would not have been able to bury the news, which meant that the duke was at least alive. Oscar had requested an investigation, but the emperor had refused, saying that no one had been murdered, so there was no need to find a culprit.

"This won't do," Alicia said. "Cárcel Escalante's presence is now greater than ever in Mendoza, and Inés is cleverly controlling the situation. She may be pretending to let the incident with Duke Escalante fade for now, but we do not know when she might expose the truth to her and her husband's advantage. Whenever she makes an appearance at court, everyone looks up to her, even more so than they look up to the empress. Her Majesty is completely absorbed by the duke's health, and His Majesty is only interested in making money."

"So?" Oscar cast aside some of the newspapers with a faint smile and picked up a gossip paper that was targeted toward noble ladies- Cuestión de Gusto (A Matter of Taste). It reported that the wildflowers from Calztela that Inés had worn during the ceremony were in short supply due to explosive demand.

Inés had not changed a bit. She was just as she had been when he had been married to her. Oscar's smile turned pleasant for a moment before twisting into a snarl.

Alicia, looking calm and expectant, gently stroked his back. "If you have gone down the wrong path, you must change something. All of this is merely temporary. I will help you to ensure that those two will never find happiness together."

"Do not dare do anything to Inés."

"How much longer will you be content to simply watch her? That is not the kind of man you are. You should have everything you desire..." Alicia kissed his cheek, deftly emptying the fine powder hidden in her ring into his wine glass, out of sight.

Just then, an attendant hurriedly knocked the door and entered the room. "Your Highness! We have received news that the Ortegan forces have engaged in their first battle at sea and achieved an easy victory!"

Oscar, who had raised his wine glass again at his wife's lead, suddenly threw it against the wall. The glass shattered into a thousand pieces with a sharp crash.

Alicia glared daggers at the attendant before casting the broken glass a quick, rueful glance. What a shame. That medicine was wasted, but I suppose it will have to go down his noble throat dozens, even hundreds more times. A moment later, she put on a delighted smile, acting like anyone in Ortega at the news of a victory, and embraced her husband.