Chapter 32: The Portraits of the Swallow Palace

The battle must have dragged on; there had been no word from Judith for hours since she departed. Once mealtime had long passed, Fria’s empty stomach let out a miserable growl.

Hidden away inside an alcove, utterly absorbed in reading, Lord Fria finally lowered his book and rubbed at his stiff shoulders after remaining in the same posture for so long.

Far above, the frescoes painted across the ceiling depicted figures from ancient mythology.

“Lord Fria is part of the Empire now, after all. You should study its history first.”

He remembered Judith proudly saying that once while handing him a thick history book.

According to it, successive emperors had commissioned painters to recreate scenes from mythology using the faces of themselves and their empresses, all in the name of reinforcing imperial authority.

Do they really resemble them?

Comparing the painted figures overhead with the imperial portraits of Owen displayed throughout the library halls, Fria quietly examined their likenesses before letting out a small laugh at himself.

“What a pointless thing to do.”

“A collection of imperial portraits? We do have one, but it’s classified as a restricted archive. You would need authorization from higher authorities.”

The middle-aged librarian responsible for the history section peered curiously at Fria.

“You don’t appear to be an official. Are you from abroad? A student, perhaps? Where are you currently staying?”

After spending his days dealing with demanding scholars, the librarian seemed delighted to encounter a young visitor for once.

Fria had only asked out of idle curiosity. Since rumors about the former crown prince and his supposed lover circulated endlessly, he thought he might as well confirm what they looked like himself. But hearing special permission was required presented an unexpected obstacle.

The oily man he had encountered before had been easy enough to deceive, but official paperwork was another matter entirely. The moment he wrote anything down, the identity of the phantom physician Gir would surely be exposed.

“Then never mind.”

He would simply have Judith handle it later.

As Fria turned away, the librarian suddenly called after him.

“You wouldn’t happen to be from Alphenia, would you?”

Though blond hair was uncommon in the Empire, it wasn’t as if his face plainly announced “foreign-born.” Yet everyone seemed to guess it immediately.

“I am.”

“I thought so. The clothes gave it away too. And you’re far too pretty to be local.”

The librarian chuckled.

“People from your homeland always dress like weasels dipped in oil. Men ought to have some dignity to them. Ah, my apologies. No offense intended.”

“None taken. You may have a point.”

“Well, if it suits you, then that’s all that matters.” The librarian leaned closer conspiratorially. “Actually, there’s something I wanted to ask.”

“What is it?”

“That fellow from Alphenia, the master of the Swallow Palace. They say portraits of him are circulating through the markets.”

“Portraits? You mean paintings?”

“Would you like to see one? I obtained this privately. Tell me whether it’s accurate.”

Fria blinked in surprise.

Portraits of him?

Curiosity immediately overcame him, and he leaned closer as the librarian carefully unfurled a rolled sheet of paper.

“There. What do you think? Does he really look like this?”

‘…Who exactly is this supposed to be?’

Aside from the blond hair, there was not a single resemblance.

The figure in the portrait had sharply upturned eyes like a cat, lips painted thick crimson, and a seductive beauty mark near the eye that Fria certainly did not possess.

The expression was arrogant enough to intimidate anyone who looked upon it. Around the figure’s neck hung strands of pearls, while fingers adorned with enormous ruby rings toyed lazily with the necklace.

And above the portrait fluttered a mocking banner bearing a single cruel word:

Male prostitute.

“Doesn’t he resemble him?” the librarian asked eagerly.

“…Isn’t this supposed to be a woman?”

“Well, he’s a concubine, isn’t he? Practically the same thing.” The librarian frowned. “Why? He doesn’t look like this?”

“Where do people even buy these?”

“There’s a black market for them. Quite popular these days. Easy enough to obtain if you know where to look.”

“The portraits are popular?”

The librarian snorted as though Fria had asked something ridiculous.

“Of course they are. People hang them up so they can curse the man responsible for threatening the imperial bloodline.”

“…Curse him?”

“Not that yelling at a painting will suddenly produce an imperial heir.” He waved dismissively. “Still, these things pass. Men fancying men isn’t all that special. I’ve tried it myself once or twice. It loses its novelty quickly enough. His Majesty will come to his senses eventually.”

So he truly was hated this much.

Fria stared silently at the portrait for a long moment.

Seeing his hesitation, the librarian hurriedly added,

“Perhaps it’s inaccurate? Different painters depict him differently.”

“It resembles me,” Fria answered quietly. “Quite well.”

“Really?”

The librarian brightened immediately before carefully rolling the portrait back up and tucking it away.

“My wife insisted I get one. Personally, I’ve little interest in such things.”

Then, with an awkward cough, he added,

“Some people dislike anyone from Alphenia on principle, but I’m not one of them. If you ever need books, feel free to stop by.”

“I’ll remember that.”

As Fria walked away, the librarian shook his head in disbelief.

“Still, strange tastes those nobles have. That young man there is elegant and handsome enough… yet somehow His Majesty prefers that other one.”

****

“Lord Fria! You waited a long time, didn’t you? I’m so sorry.”

Judith finally returned, dramatically wiping imaginary sweat from her brow.

“Those officials were impossibly stubborn. Regulations this, procedure that, they kept arguing over every little thing.”

“So you failed?”

Fria played along lightly.

Judith had stormed off earlier determined to demand more maids for the palace, insisting they were desperately understaffed.

“Who do you think I am?”

Lifting her chin proudly, Judith flourished a signed document beneath Fria’s nose.

“I secured five additional attendants.”

“Five?”

“They said two should be enough! I nearly collapsed clutching my neck in outrage, but then reinforcements arrived.”

“Reinforcements?”

“Lady Lindgart herself appeared.”

Judith lowered her voice excitedly.

“She rarely leaves the secluded palace, but she came to meet her father, the Minister of Finance. Unfortunately, I got so worked up arguing that she overheard everything from the next room and came out to help.”

Judith’s eyes sparkled.

“She said someone cherished by His Majesty deserved generous support. It was my first time seeing her in person, she was so graceful and gentle. Truly dignified. Those rumors about her must have been nonsense after all.”

“What rumors?”

“The ones I mentioned before…”

Judith cupped her hands around her mouth and whispered dramatically.

“That she and His Majesty were… involved.”

“Ah…”

“I told you before it was probably just gossip. She didn’t seem remotely like someone who’d harbor feelings for her own brother-in-law. It’s just malicious people spreading rumors.”

Judith grinned.

“She even said she herself had little need for attendants, so perhaps they should all be reassigned to the Swallow Palace instead. The Finance Minister looked terribly uncomfortable.”

“Is that so? She sounds kind.”

Lord Fria nodded along, mostly to reward Judith’s hard work.

“And she asked after your well-being too! Said she hoped to meet you someday. Once she spoke up, the minister approved everything immediately. The new attendants start tomorrow.”

Judith puffed out her chest proudly.

“This is why connections matter in life!”

Lindgart.

Fria had heard that name before, during the tea gathering he once attended.

Larissa, Justina, and Emmeline had deliberately glanced toward him while speaking.

“She was originally supposed to become empress.”

“Unlike certain people, she possesses true elegance.”

“Completely different from those who shamelessly force themselves where they don’t belong.”

“What can that person possibly do? He can’t even bear an heir.”

“His Majesty is merely fascinated by a new toy for now.”

“Eventually one of us will become empress.”

“Once that happens, the first order should be cleansing the concubine palace.”

“Starting with the low-born mudfish lowering its dignity.”

“By then, he’ll probably already have been thrown out.”

They had clearly intended to provoke him.

Yet Fria himself agreed with every word.

All he wanted was for time to pass quietly.

Though they praised the former crown princess merely to insult him, even Judith’s description suggested Lady Lindgart truly possessed admirable character.

“What kind of person is she?”

Judith blinked.

“You mean Lady Lindgart?”

“Yes. Since she helped us, I became curious.”

Judith stared for a moment before suddenly misunderstanding entirely.

“Lord Fria is far prettier.”

“…What?”

“I mean it! Lady Lindgart is lovely, of course, but not even comparable.”

Ah. So that’s what she thought he meant.

Judith herself had secretly worried about the rumors too. Men, after all, often lacked restraint when it came to forbidden relationships.

Lindgart possessed refined beauty and quiet elegance worthy of a crown princess.

But compared to Lord Fria, whose beauty could topple kingdoms, she paled considerably.

“That’s not what I meant.”

Fria sighed deeply at Judith’s hopelessly appearance-focused answer.

“Forget I asked.”

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