Chapter 83 Episode 12: Dionna, hang in there! (4)

“Brother Mukali!”

Dionna ran to Mukali, looking pitiful as her eyes brimmed with tears.

“Dionna?”

Mukali was startled and caught her by the shoulders.

He didn’t understand why she was like this when she was perfectly fine a moment ago, when she went to have teatime with his lord and the Princess.

“Seriously…the princess is too much.”

“…Her Highness?”

“She deliberately insulted me and humiliated me in front of His Highness Tarkan…”

“What did she do?”

“That…”

Dionna bit her lips tightly.

She didn’t know how to say it. That the princess treated her like someone who pooed often.

Just thinking about it made her so angry that her eyes were ablaze. If Aristine was in front of her right now, she wanted to slap her.

“I can’t bear to say it…”

Dionna looked up at Mukali, looking even more pitiful.

Naturally, she expected Mukali to be more outraged than her and feel angry at the Princess.

However.

“Hmm…if she really had ill intent, Milord would have stopped her. Isn’t that so?”

Dionna didn’t understand what Mukali was talking about.

“Our cultures are different so you might have misunderstood her intentions.”

Shouldn’t he be siding with her and wanting to cut down the Princess with rage?

“Dionna, I know you are a kindhearted kid. Try to understand.”

Mukali patted Dionna’s shoulder with his iron-like hand. Last night, Mukali was really shocked.

‘How can they…treat their master like that?’

For the Silvanus Knights, Aristine was their master. But to think they would be saying such nonsense.

It was too different from what Mukali expected.

‘What’s the point of harassing that little, thumb-sized princess?’

Mukali didn’t like harassing victims.

“And she is our lord’s wife now.” (Mukali)

“Brother Mukali…”

“My lord mentioned that you should use the right title earlier, so I don’t think it’s good if you still call her princess.”

“I—It’s a habit…I didn’t do it on purpose. I made a mistake.”

“I know, Dionna. It must feel awkward to call her that all of a sudden.”

Mukali smiled and nodded as if to say he understood.

“But that’s why we should make sure to get the title right even more. Other royals might think too much if they see us do it wrong.”

Mukali knew that the union between Aristine and Tarkan held great political importance.

Dionna lowered her head and bit her lips.

“Brother Mukali, you…”

“Hm?”

“No, it’s nothing.”

Dionna raised her lowered heard and flashed Mukali a calm smile.

“Like you said, I think I reacted too emotionally. Considering what kind of person His Highness Tarkan is, he would have stepped in if she was treating me badly.”

“Mn.”

Mukali nodded, as if that was only natural.

“Then I guess it would also be best if we stop the investigation of Her Highness?”

“Huh?”

“That…Her Highness and another man…”

Dionna made a troubled expression and blurred the end of her sentence.

Mukali’s lips parted.

Aristine was a pitiful victim. As a righteous warrior, Mukali strove to protect victims. Moreover, she was now his master’s wife, both in name and in reality. As a loyal warrior, Mukali had to protect the Princess.

‘But, but…’

Mukali felt a little conflicted for some reason.

The reason he met Aristine in the first place was to investigate an affair so if he stopped that investigation…

‘Then there’s really no reason to meet that thumb princess anymore, right? Then talking about the sword will also…’

Once that thought crossed his mind, his heart swelled with restlessness.

‘No, no. I haven’t figured this out yet.’

Regardless of if she was the victim or princess, she was not going to escape Mukali’s judgment.

It was best to keep the investigation going.

Furthermore, no matter how important this marriage was politically, it was impossible for him to leave a cheating woman by his lord’s side!

‘Yes, I have to find out the truth!’

Mukali looked proud as he nodded his head.

‘…And this can prove the thumb princess’ innocence.’

But only if Aristine was innocent.

There was nothing more mood dampening that a bunch of useless rumors and suspicion.

Mukali rubbed his left eye.

That was all it was; he didn’t really think Aristine was wronged. He was different from those people who easily caved to small and soft-looking things.

He was a cold-hearted, ruthless, and merciless warrior of the plains!

“What do you mean stop the investigation, Dionna? This and that are very different things!”

Mukali grabbed Dionna’s shoulder and spoke strongly.

“I think you misunderstood what I meant, Dionna.”

“Misunderstood?”

“I am not saying Her Highness is a good person and can’t have any ill intentions towards you.”

Mukali looked down at Dionna’s face.

“I’m saying believe in our lord.”

In her face, he could find a comrade whose face he couldn’t no longer see.

At those words, a faint smile crept onto Dionna’s face.

‘Right, I am special to His Highness Tarkan.’

Even Mukali who had been beside Tarkan for a long time couldn’t say much. The only reason that Tarkan was treating Aristine so gently now was because this was a marriage for peace.

They couldn’t have the princess crying and making a fuss that she was being treated coldly.

“You’re right. His Highness has always been kind of me.”

“Of course. You are Chantra’s younger sister, my lord can’t possibly treat you coldly.”

At those words, Dionna’s smile dried up like a riverbed in a drought.

Dionna had used Chantra(her late brother) to establish her position. But when other people only saw her as Chantra’s younger sister, she felt angry.

Especially when it was Tarkan.

‘…I am special to His Highness Tarkan even without my brother. How can you not know that!’

Her sea-blue eyes flashed with an insidious light for a moment. But Mukali was so engrossed in explaining what he meant, that he didn’t notice.

“I only said it must be a misunderstanding because Milord didn’t do anything, but I absolutely never said that Her Highness was a good person.”

“I see.”

Dionna smiled and nodded as if she wasn’t just glaring at him.

“Okay!”

Mukali was satisfied because he felt like his intentions were clearly conveyed.

“Don’t worry, Dionna. I will make everything very clear!”

“I’m not exactly worried…but I wish for His Highness Tarkan’s happiness.”

“Agreed. If Her Highness betrays our lord, she will not be able to get past my sword. I will not shrink back even if my opponent is a Princess!”

Mukali patted his scabbard and spoke heartily.

Seeing him like this, Dionna felt better.

‘I wouldn’t mind if this ignorant guy really stabs the princess.’

Of course, the ‘sword’ Mukali was talking about was probably not a real sword. Even if Mukali was simple, he wasn’t stupid.

While hiding her regrets, Dionna looked at Mukali and curved her eyes sensuously.

“Sure enough, Brother Mukali, you are the most loyal warrior to His Highness Tarkan.”

Mukali patted his chest proudly when he heard that.

“Then I will trust only you, Brother Mukali since I know you only wish for His Highness Tarkan’s well-being.” (Dionna)

“Yes! Leave it to me!” (Mukali)

Dionna turned away from the prideful looking Mukali. The moment she turned her back on Mukali, her face turned cold.

‘Words aren’t enough! You should be telling other warriors and spreading rumors that the Princess seems to be having an affair!’

Dionna ground her teeth.

‘Well, when he starts looking around for this affair, it is impossible for rumors not to spread anyway.’

With a twisted smile on her face, Dionna glanced at the tearoom where Aristine was.

‘You’ll see. In the end, I will be the one standing next to His Highness Tarkan and smiling.’