IT WAS A BIT DISAPPOINTING THAT IT DIDN'T PLAY OUT AS I HAD ENVISIONED, THOUGH.
STILL, IT WAS FAR MORE ENTERTAINING THAN EXPECTED, SO IT'S FINE.
LET US TALK FOR A MOMENT.
THERE IS SOMETHING I WANTED TO ASK.
HIGH-RANKING NOBLES OFTEN SHOOK THEIR HEADS, SAYING THE KING'S INTENTIONS WERE ENTIRELY INSCRUTABLE.
IN THE PAST, I THOUGHT I HAD NO NEED TO KNOW SUCH THINGS,
BUT NOW, I THINK I UNDERSTAND HOW THEY FELT.
CAPTAIN, ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME?
I AM LISTENING CLOSELY.
WHAT WAS I SAYING JUST NOW?
YOU WERE SPEAKING OF A GIFT FOR HER HIGHNESS.
YES, USING MY TUNIC AS AN EXCUSE TODAY—
AFTER SUBJECTING HER TO SOMETHING LIKE THAT,
HE ACTS SO NONCHALANT...
THOUGH I NEVER ONCE CALLED IT A GIFT.
WERE YOU NOT PONDERING WHAT TO HAVE CRAFTED FROM THE NEWLY ARRIVED TRIBUTE JEWELS?
...IF A ROYAL GIFT BESTOWED UPON A FAVORITE CONCUBINE IS PALTRY, THE KING'S DIGNITY SUFFERS.
THAT IS ALL IT IS.
WELL, ALL THE BETTER IF SHE MISTAKES IT FOR A GIFT.
ANYWAY, SEEING AS YOU HAVE SPENT YOUR LIFE MOVING FROM BATTLEFIELD TO BATTLEFIELD, CAPTAIN, I DO NOT EXPECT MUCH...
YET DURING DUTY HOURS, AT LEAST, ARE YOU NOT CLOSEST TO MY CONSORT?
SO I THOUGHT YOU MIGHT BE OF HELP IN DECIDING ON THE ROYAL GIFT.
JUST AS THE KING SAID,
I PERHAPS KNOW MORE ABOUT HER THAN THE MAIDS OF MOND PALACE DO.
FOR THEY MERELY HOVER AROUND ADELHEID, NEVER DRAWING CLOSE.
THAT IS WHY I CAN SAY WITH CERTAINTY.
ADELHEID WILL NOT SMILE AT THE KING'S GIFT.
SHE DOES NOT CARE FOR ADORNMENT.
ADORNMENT IS MERELY AN ACT TO SURVIVE THE KING.
NOTHING MORE, NOTHING LESS.
WHAT SHE TRULY LIKES IS...
"THANKS TO YOU, CAPTAIN, I REMEMBERED SOMETHING PRECIOUS."
...FORGIVE ME.
I, TOO, HAVE NO IDEA WHAT ROYAL GIFT HER HIGHNESS WOULD FAVOR.
HOW DISAPPOINTING. WHAT ARE WE TO DO IF YOU SHOW SO LITTLE INTEREST IN THE ONE YOU SERVE?
WELL... NO MATTER.
I SUSPECTED YOU MIGHT BE RATHER OBTUSE IN SUCH MATTERS, CAPTAIN.
YOUR MAJESTY.
DO YOU LOVE HER HIGHNESS?
...HA.
AS IF!
DO YOU NOT REMEMBER?
I AM CERTAIN I TOLD YOU I KEEP HER AROUND MERELY TO STAVE OFF BOREDOM.
...I MUST HAVE BEEN MISTAKEN.
AND WHAT ABOUT YOU, CAPTAIN?
...PARDON?
HAVE YOU, CAPTAIN, FALLEN IN LOVE WITH MY CONSORT?
MY TUNIC, WHICH ENDED UP IN THE KING'S HANDS WITHOUT MY KNOWLEDGE.
THOUGH I CANNOT KNOW THE FULL DETAILS, IT CERTAINLY WORKED AGAINST ADELHEID.
"IT WAS A BIT DISAPPOINTING THAT IT DIDN'T PLAY OUT AS I HAD ENVISIONED, THOUGH.
STILL, IT WAS FAR MORE ENTERTAINING THAN EXPECTED, SO NO MATTER."
THE PICTURE THE KING HAD ANTICIPATED, THE EVIDENCE TO LINK HER AND ME...
"FEELS LIKE MY CONSORT HAS STOLEN ANOTHER KNIGHT FROM ME."
...MY ANSWER IS THE SAME AS HER HIGHNESS'S.
...I SEE.
CAPTAIN.
YOU SHOULD THANK MY CONSORT.
YOU OWE HER YOUR LIFE TODAY.
YOUR MAJESTY, YOU WILL COME VISIT AGAIN SOON, WON'T YOU?
WELL...
IF YOU'RE BORED, YOU CAN SORT OUT YOUR SERVANTS.
WHERE ARE YOU LOOKING...
I'LL LET THAT MUCH SLIDE.
SEIZE HER IMMEDIATELY.
AH...!
Y-YOUR HIGHNESS... WHY...?
DON'T BOTHER PLAYING INNOCENT.
HIS MAJESTY HAS ALREADY PERMITTED THIS.
YOUR HIGHNESS! PLEASE HAVE MERCY ON ME!
HOW COULD I EVER DISOBEY HIS COMMAND?
I WILL NEVER... NEVER DO IT AGAIN...!
GET YOUR EXCUSES STRAIGHT.
IF YOU COULD NEVER DISOBEY HIS MAJESTY, HOW CAN YOU PROMISE ME YOU WON'T DO IT AGAIN?
...YOUR HIGHNESS, FORGIVE ME, BUT MAY I ASK WHAT IS HAPPENING?
OF COURSE. IT CONCERNS YOU AS WELL, CAPTAIN...
THIS PERSON STOLE YOUR TUNIC AND PLANTED IT ON MY BED.
THE KING SAW IT AND SUSPECTED SOMETHING BETWEEN US.
...YOUR HIGHNESS, BUT THAT WAS HIS MAJESTY'S-
I KNOW.
ALL OF IT.
I KNOW EVERYTHING.
I UNDERSTAND WHY YOU MADE THAT CHOICE,
BUT LETTING IT PASS WOULD BE ABSURD.
YOUR HIGHNESS...!
SO, WHILE YOU WILL FACE NO FURTHER PUNISHMENT,
YOU CAN NO LONGER WORK IN THIS PALACE.
YOU WILL RECEIVE NO LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION.
...Y-YOUR HIGHNESS, IF THAT HAPPENS, I...
IT WILL BE HARD TO FIND WORK ELSEWHERE AS A MAID.
THINK ABOUT IT. EVEN WITH A LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION, NO MATTER HOW YOU HIDE WHAT HAPPENED HERE,
RUMORS ABOUT YOU ARE BOUND TO SPREAD FROM SOMEONE IN THE PALACE.
NO ONE WANTS TO HIRE A SERVANT LACKING LOYALTY TO THEIR MASTER...
IN SHORT, YOU WILL NEVER FIND WORK AS A MAID AGAIN.
THE MOMENT YOU ACCEPTED HIS MAJESTY'S ORDER,
THIS OUTCOME WAS ALREADY SET IN STONE.
...IT WOULD BE BETTER IF YOU RAN AWAY BEFORE DAWN, BUT—
I AM HARDLY IN A POSITION TO GIVE SUCH ADVICE.
WHAT ARE YOU ALL WAITING FOR?
DRAG HER OUT AT ONCE.
The King summons the captain to consult him about a gift for Adelheid to be made from the tribute jewels, and questions whether he loves her. The captain says Adelheid does not care for adornment, but the king accuses him of being insensitive. Adelheid then has the maid who stole the captain's uniform and placed it in her bed caught and expels her from the palace.
