CECIA.
NEVER LOITER AROUND ANYONE FROM THAT "DIVINE" WHATEVER.
EVEN IF YOU CRANE YOUR NECK GAZING UP AT THEIR STRIKING LOOKS, IT'S JUST SOUR GRAPES ANYWAY.
HOWEVER, I, MARIANNE,
AS A STEWARD WHOSE FAMILY HAS LOYALLY SUPPORTED ROCHE NOIR FOR SEVEN GENERATIONS,
CANNOT SHIRK MY DUTY TO ENSURE THE CONTINUITY AND SAFETY OF OUR HOUSE.
THE WORLD MAY BE WRAPPED IN FANCY POLITICS AND HIGH SOCIETY,
BUT WHAT UNDERPINS IT ALL IS THE ORDER MAINTAINED BEHIND THE SCENES.
LADY MARIANNE, YOU RESEMBLE THE FOURTH- GENERATION STEWARD IN PARTICULAR.
CUT FROM THE VERY SAME MOLD.
AH... WHAT ON EARTH ARE WE TO DO WITH THESE SOCIALLY CLUELESS GRACES OF OURS...!
We have a long, long way to go!
BEFORE HER GRACE WENT FOR A STROLL,
SHE MENTIONED SHE WISHED TO GREET YOUR GRACE, SO I WAS ESCORTING HER.
A STROLL... THAT IS QUITE A PEACEFUL WORD, ONE I HAVEN'T HEARD IN A LONG WHILE.
THE STAFF, ON THE OTHER HAND, HAVE JUST FINISHED A TWENTY-FOUR-HOUR MARATHON MEETING AND ARE SPRAWLED FAST ASLEEP ACROSS THEIR DESKS.
OH, MY GOOD- NESS. YOU'VE BEEN OVERWORKING.
I WISH YOU WOULD REST WHILE WORKING, I AM WORRIED ABOUT YOU.
LEST YOUR HEART NARROW SO MUCH THAT YOU WOULD BEGRUDGE EVEN A DOG ITS STROLL.
AREN'T YOU REACTING A BIT TOO DEFENSIVELY TO A GRUMBLE BORN PURELY OUT OF ENVY?
I MERELY SPOKE OUT OF CONCERN, YET YOU ARE BEING OVERLY DEFENSIVE.
TH-THEY MUST NOT GET ALONG WELL...
HAVE YOU BEEN CRYING?
H-HOW DID YOU KNOW?
I-I WAS READING A BOOK LAST NIGHT...
IT'S NOTHING SERIOUS...
...AH...
DOES SHE NOT SMILE IN THE PALACE AT ALL...?
WELL THEN,
PLEASE HAVE A RESTFUL TIME.
AH, YES...
WHAT WAS THAT...?
SOMEHOW, I FEEL UTTERLY PATHETIC...
I WAS SURPRISED.
FOR HIM TO NOTICE IMMEDIATELY JUST BY LOOKING INTO YOUR GRACE'S EYES.
WHAT ON EARTH WAS THAT REACTION ABOUT...?
DID I LOOK PATHETIC TO HIM, STAYING UP ALL NIGHT READING BOOKS AND CRYING?
YES... HE TURNS OUT TO BE QUITE A SENSITIVE GENTLEMAN.
NO... STOP. DON'T DIG NEEDLESSLY INTO SOMEONE ELSE'S THOUGHTS...
WHAT DO YOU KNOW... WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT ANYTHING, RIEN?!
As if you're a Phrenologist!
WELL, IN MY OPINION, PERHAPS HE IS SIMPLY PAYING EXTRA SPECIAL ATTENTION TO YOUR GRACE...
YOU KNOW, CECIA...
Is there anything in this palace that I could be of help with?
...PARDON?
Your Grace! Please forget what that insolent man said earlier!
You are still in the middle of recovery!
You still cough at night!
still...
IF ONLY YOU WOULD JUST FOCUS ON RECEIVING LOVE!
PRINCESS RIEN.
SILVER LIGHT OF LUCIDORIA.
IT IS SIR THEORIX, THE CHIEF OF POLITICAL AFFAIRS.
YOU REMEMBER LADY MARIANNE'S EXPLANATION, RIGHT?
THEORIX DE BRECAIN. *CHIEF OF POLITICAL AFFAIRS.
*THE HIGHEST-RANKING POLITICAL ADVISOR WHO COORDINATES OVERALL STATE AFFAIRS AND ASSISTS THE MONARCH.
HE IS THE SECOND SON OF HOUSE BRECAIN OF THE CARDONIA EMPIRE.
HOUSE BRECAIN HAS PRODUCED NUMEROUS CARDINALS ACROSS GENERATIONS,
AND IT IS ALSO A HOUSE THAT HAS PRODUCED NO LESS THAN THREE PALADIN ORDERS.
ON THE SURFACE, THEY PROFESS TO BE PRO-LUCIDORIA,
BUT THEY TAKE EXCEPTIONAL PRIDE IN THEIR PALADINS.
PALADINS ACT SOLELY FOR THE RAENE RELIGION
AND DO NOT SWEAR FEALTY TO THE HOLY KING,
SO IN REALITY, YOU CAN CONSIDER HOUSE BRECAIN AS A CHECK AGAINST THE LUCIDORIA ROYAL FAMILY.
SIR THEORIX,
THE OFFICIAL AUDIENCE BETWEEN HER GRACE AND THE SENIOR STAFF HAS NOT YET BEEN SCHEDULED.
WOULD YOU PLEASE STEP ASIDE FIRST?
PRINCESS.
COULD YOU RECITE CHAPTER 4, VERSE 12 OF THE BOOK OF SIDERA?
...SIR THEORIX!
CEASE THIS INSOLENCE AT ONCE!
THIS MAN. HE IS TRYING TO TEST ME.
YOUR GRACE...
TRUE LIGHT DOES NOT CONCEAL ITSELF,
...THIS VERSE IS CLEARLY AIMED AT ME.
AND A STAR DOES NOT LOSE ITS WAY EVEN IN THE DEEPEST DARKNESS.
IF YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF WISE, MEASURE FIRST WHERE YOUR FINGERTIPS REACH,
AND LOOK UPON THE GROUND BENEATH YOUR FEET.
IS HE TELLING ME NOT TO BE ARROGANT AND ACT CLEVER AFTER HIDING AWAY IN THE DARK?
CAN YOU RECITE CHAPTER 11, VERSE 22 OF THE BOOK OF ARGE PROVERBS, SIR THEORIX?
O YOU WHO SEEK THE FRUIT OF WISDOM THROUGH VAIN QUESTIONING,
THE ANSWER THUS OBTAINED IS NOTHING MORE THAN CATCHING SIGHT OF A SINGLE SEED,
AND HE WHO IS SATISFIED WITH IT REMAINS A MAN OF PARCHED EARTH.
PRINCESS.
RECITE CHAPTER 7, VERSE 15 OF THE BOOK OF SAINT SEVERUS.
WISDOM LEARNED IN ISOLATION IS LIKE A FACE GROWN WITHOUT A MIRROR,
UNABLE TO KNOW ITS OWN UGLINESS UNTIL IT STANDS BEFORE OTHERS.
SIR THEORIX!
YOU HAVE CROSSED THE LINE, SIR!
NOW, SIR THEORIX,
RECITE CHAPTER 13, VERSE 4 OF THE GOSPEL OF GEMINUS.
THIS SUBJECT HAS COMMITTED A GRAVE DISCOURTESY.
I OFFER MY DEEPEST APOLOGIES.
WHAT IS THIS SITUATION RIGHT NOW?
IS SIR THEO ACTING LIKE THAT BECAUSE HE DIDN'T KNOW THAT VERSE?
WELL, HE WALKS AROUND LOOKING LIKE AN APOSTATE MONK, BUT HE'S ACTUALLY A DEVOUT MAN. Just as bizarre as the fact that someone with a goatee is popular with women..
SIR THEO HIMSELF BOASTED THAT HE HAS A DEDICATED FAN BASE.
BY THE WAY, ISOLDE, DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT VERSE WAS? Gemi.. whatever.
Just as bizarre as the fact that someone with a goatee is popular with women..
Gemi.. whatever.
...THOSE PEOPLE,
DON'T THEY LOOK LIKE VENDING MACHINES THAT SPEW SCRIPTURE VERSES WHEN YOU PUSH A BUTTON?
...YOU DON'T KNOW EITHER, DO YOU?
OTTER AND HUMMINGBIRD APPROACHING.
BEST BUDDIES~
...SHOULD I SAY HER VOICE IS MELODIOUS?
IT'S GENTLE, YET CARRIES SO CLEARLY.
YEAH.
IT HAS RESONANCE.
Clockwork Lovers Chapter 12 tells of Princess Rien encountering Sir Theorix, the Head of Political Affairs, during a walk in the palace and being tested by him with verses. Accompanied by Cecia and Marianne, Theorix asks Rien to recite from the Book of Sidera, Rien answers back and corners him, and Theorix apologizes and withdraws. The chapter also contains a jarring emotional break when Rien is noticed to have been crying.
