Where Fireflies Light the Moon

I grew up alongside Arthur Stevenson, who eventually became the Lord Chancellor. However, on the day of the royal physician selection, he disqualified me on the grounds that I had spilled a small amount of medicinal residue. Instead, he chose my younger stepsister. When I asked him why, he looked completely unconcerned. "Your sister wants the position, so what's the harm in a loving older sister stepping aside? A proper lady shouldn't be so jealous and willful. Consider today a small lesson for you." What he didn't realize was that if I couldn't enter the castle as a resident physician, I would be forced to enter as a royal mistress to the tyrannical King. Later on, word reached me that the cold, unfeeling Lord Chancellor stood outside the castle gates, drenched in the pouring rain for an entire day and night, asking for nothing more than a chance to see me. Chapter 1 The late autumn rain carried a chill that bit at my face. I looked at Arthur Stevenson in disbelief. As the Lord Chancellor, he was never supposed to be part of selecting the royal physicians. Yet, he chose to step in and flex his authority. "Attending to His Majesty requires utmost care." Arthur stood tall in his official robes. He pointed at that tiny bit of medicinal residue, his voice cold. "Miss Claire is clearly not qualified. Wouldn't you agree, Sir John?" Arthur then turned toward my younger stepsister, Eleanor Fletcher, and pointed directly at her. "This one, on the other hand, is careful. Let the choice fall to her." Beside him, Sir John, the Physician to the King, wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. Even now, he hadn't fully processed why the Lord Chancellor—a man usually buried in affairs of state who never bothered with trivial matters—would suddenly interfere in such a minor selection. "The Lord Chancellor is right," Sir John chimed in hurriedly before turning to look at me. "Miss Claire, you have been disqualified. You may take your leave now." The selection had always followed its own established rules, yet I was the very first person to be publicly criticized and dismissed by the reigning Lord Chancellor himself. I clenched my dress tightly. Unable to endure the mocking and curious looks from the crowd any longer, I turned on my heel and left. I walked away in such a hurry that I didn't even grab an umbrella. I wandered alone down the narrow passageways of the castle grounds, letting the misty rain soak through my clothes. Unbeknownst to me, Arthur had chased after me, holding an umbrella above his head. Following close behind him was Eleanor. "Why did you run off so quickly, Claire?" Eleanor had always picked on me, and having just beaten me in the royal physician selection, she naturally wasn't about to pass up the chance to mock me. "What's that expression? Oh right—running away with your tail between your legs." She looked smug at having beaten me, but I ignored her and looked straight at Arthur. "Why?" I asked. Why did he nitpick my performance on purpose? Even though the choice had nothing to do with him, he still chose to get involved. Arthur let out a soft sigh. "Claire, you lost to Eleanor once. Why are you making such a big deal out of it? Your sister wants the spot. As her elder sister, what's the harm in stepping aside for her? "A proper lady shouldn't be so jealous and willful. Consider today a small lesson. Besides, the status of a royal physician in the castle is a humble one. Why are you so obsessed with entering the castle?" I balled my hands into fists. From the start, Arthur had never once asked me why I had wanted to become a royal physician in the first place. "It's all my fault. I should've stepped aside for Claire," Eleanor spoke in a soft, delicate voice. Her eyes darting toward Arthur from time to time. I was never one to swallow my anger, so I turned to Eleanor and snapped back, "Don't you know your own limitations? Since when do I need you to step aside for me? Eleanor, with your third-rate medical skills, do you honestly think you're fit to treat the King? I hope you won't end up getting kicked out after just a few days!" Eleanor's face turned livid. Her medical skills were indeed mediocre. If not for Arthur, there was no way she would've been selected today. "Enough!" Arthur frowned and stepped in to speak up on Eleanor's behalf. "Claire, why can't you be half as gentle as Eleanor? Look at how jealous and willful you are! How can you possibly take good care of His Majesty? Consider this a lesson, and don't forget it." Chapter 2 My fingers trembled with rage. In the next second, I slapped Arthur across the face. "Arthur, do you really think that just because you're the Lord Chancellor now, you can lecture me whenever you please?" "How dare you! Who do you think you are to lecture me, Claire?" Eleanor opened her mouth to say something, but I glared her into silence. She was terrified that I might slap her next. Looking back at how Arthur and I grew up together, there had even been a time when I'd loved him.. However, his openly taking Eleanor's side earlier completely broke my heart. He knew full well how proud I was, yet he still chose to humiliate me like that. Right in front of Arthur, I spat, "Arthur, we're finished!" With that, I turned and walked away without looking back, leaving behind Arthur, whose face had turned pale. "Claire, you sure are lucky to be able to enter the castle. Who knows, you might even become the Queen, unlike Eleanor, who'll only be a royal physician and won't even get to see His Majesty regularly." Having heard I had failed to be selected, my stepmother naturally lost no time coming over to mock me. To enter the castle and serve the Sovereign ought to have been a magnificent honor. However, the current Sovereign was universally acknowledged by the court as a violent tyrant. An official had once sent his daughter into the castle, only for the girl to die a sudden, violent death within three days. After that, other ambitious figures tried sending their daughters in, but every one met a gruesome end through various "accidental" deaths. No parent who truly loved their daughter would ever send her into that castle. Father, however, was obsessed with climbing the social ladder. He had no sons, so he placed all his hopes on his daughters. After all, who was the most noble woman in the kingdom? The Queen, of course. Relying on the military contributions of my late grandfather, who had sacrificed his life for the kingdom, Father shamelessly begged for an opportunity to send his daughter into the castle. However, neither Eleanor nor I wanted to go, which was why we both wanted to become royal physicians. I was confident that I could secure the position and escape meeting the King, but Arthur had ruined it completely. Now, I was forced to enter the castle. My mother had passed away early, so Father handed total control of the household affairs over to his second wife. Although she didn't dare openly mistreat me as the legitimate eldest daughter, frequent taunts and insults were inevitable. "Indeed, Stepmother," I replied, refusing to let her walk all over me. "You had better watch out. With Eleanor's level of medical skill, she can only fool people who know nothing about medicine. The castle is filled with high nobility. If she fails to cure someone, she will be held responsible for it!" Hearing my warning, her face turned pale. "Claire! What nonsense are you spouting? You had better worry about yourself first! Everyone knows what kind of tyrant he is. Try not to lose your head!" I rolled my eyes at her. "Stepmother, you really are foolish! How dare you speak ill of the King like that? Aren't you afraid someone with bad intentions might overhear? Oh, right. What if I accidentally mention a few things in front of His Majesty? Do you think you'll be able to keep your head?" I had always had a sharp tongue. Stamping her foot in frustration, she pulled a bulging pouch out of her dress, threw it down, and turned to leave. I opened the pouch to look inside; it contained countless gold coins. Three days later was the day I had to depart for the castle. I had no idea when Arthur showed up. When he saw me busy packing my bags, a flicker of confusion crossed his eyes, but it vanished just as quickly. "Are you still angry?" Arthur waved a pie toward me. "It's your favorite beef pie from the shop on the west side of town. I brought it as an apology." Chapter 3 "It's inappropriate for the Lord Chancellor to burst into my bedchambers." I looked at him coldly and said, "Please leave." Arthur set down the pie and let out a helpless sigh. "Claire, I know you're still angry with me. But so what if you weren't selected as a royal physician? "Aren't you going to marry me anyway? It doesn't matter if you can't enter the castle. When you said things were over between us today, it really shocked me. I realize my mistake now." I looked up at the man who had grown up alongside me, and suddenly, I felt as though I had never truly known him. Arthur was far too overbearing. He didn't even ask for my opinion at all when he did all that. Seeing that I remained silent, Arthur pulled on my hand. "Claire, I've made up my mind. Why don't I come over three days from now to propose? Then, we'll get married." Three days from now? Wasn't that the exact day I was scheduled to enter the castle? The corners of my lips curled into a smirk, and a twisted satisfaction filled me. I wondered what kind of expression Arthur would have in three days when he found out I was no longer at the Fletchers' residence. I nodded. "Alright." Three days later, I was brought into the castle to meet His Majesty. I kept my head lowered, avoiding direct eye contact with him. "Are you the daughter Lord Fletcher spoke of, the one who has long admired me for a long time?" King Alexander spoke up, his voice carrying a hint of amusement. Anyone could tell it was merely an excuse Father made up; he simply wanted to use me to climb the ladder of power. I broke out in a cold sweat and lowered my head even further. "Your Majesty, I have indeed had eyes for you for a long time." Since Father had put it that way, I could only play along. Otherwise, I would be accusing myself of deceiving the King! Alexander stood up as he continued his questioning. "Is that so? But how is it that I hear the noble ladies of the capital are terrified of me and are avoiding me whenever they can?" I clenched my hands, feeling cold sweat dripping down my back. "Your Majesty! Those are merely rumors. Your Majesty has not only established schools for women but also abolished forced princesses into political marriages. All the women are deeply grateful for Your Majesty's benevolence!" I was telling the truth. Alexander may be called a tyrant by others, but aside from his bad temper and his habit of constantly berating and hitting people, he never played by the rules. Before he ascended the throne, women were merely dependents of men, and it was a common practice in our kingdom to trade princesses for peace. However, after he came to power, he launched sweeping reforms. Not only did he abolish forced royal marriages, but he also established schools for women. Through recommendations and passing examinations, women could enter the castle as officials. Although the impact was still limited, it genuinely improved the lives of quite some women. Alexander chuckled softly. "Raise your head and let me have a look at you." Only then did I get a clear look at Alexander's face. How should I put it? He was undeniably handsome yet pretty. Even with dark circles beneath his eyes, it couldn't hide his features; he didn't have the rough, rugged appearance of an ordinary man. He stood tall, and although he looked somewhat lean and slender, he had a very pleasant presence. ‘His Majesty sure is beautiful,' I thought secretly to myself. "Mom?" Alexander's eyes widened in shock. I didn't understand what he meant, so I looked at him, confused. Alexander coughed twice, looking a little embarrassed. "Forget it… From now on, I shall bestow upon you the title of a Baroness, and you shall remain in my castle." With a wave of his hand, Alexander decided my fate, and that very evening, he visited my bedchamber. Chapter 4 When it came to spending the night with the King, I had already prepared myself for what might happen, yet I was still nervous. So, I lit a candle, hoping it would calm my nerves. To my surprise, Alexander did nothing at all; he simply slept by my side. He slept deeply and peacefully. I let out a sigh of relief. A matter like this was best delayed for as long as possible. When I woke up early the next morning, Alexander was already fully dressed, and I quickly rose to help him put on his crown. "I slept well last night. I will return to your bedchambers tonight," Alexander said to me. I nodded, smoothing out the folds of his robes. "Shall I have dinner prepared, Your Majesty?" "There is no need." Alexander waved his hand. "I have important matters to attend to in the evening, so I'll only come over to sleep." For fifteen consecutive nights, Alexander slept in my bedchambers. Wild rumors about me began spreading throughout the court, claiming that the tyrannical King had changed his ways. They said he had taken a new beauty, whom he hadn't beaten to death, but instead doted on endlessly, favoring her night after night. To all this, I simply wished to clarify: we really were just sleeping, and nothing more. Yet in the eyes of outsiders, I remained deeply favored. Because of my presence, Alexander had hardly scolded or beaten anyone recently. And thanks to his favor, I could stroll freely through the castle grounds. What I never expected, however, was running into Arthur. My maid had returned to the castle quarters to fetch my cloak, so for a moment, it was just the two of us, staring at each other. I turned on my heel, intending to walk away. However, Arthur stepped forward and grabbed my wrist. "Claire, why are you here? How could you hide this from me? Didn't we agree that you'd wait for me to marry you?" I shook off his grip and finally got a clear look at his face. He looked considerably gaunt and worn down recently. "Your Lordship, where are your manners?" I glared at him with disgust. "I am now a Baroness who serves His Majesty. If you keep tugging at me like this, you might not care about your reputation, but I do!" "You were supposed to be my wife!" Arthur grew emotional. I thought the man was out of his mind. "Lord Stevenson, please conduct yourself with respect!" Arthur's face turned pale. "I went to propose to you that day, only for your father to tell me you had entered the castle! Claire, why didn't you tell me? All I did was teach you a small lesson that day. Did you really have to punish me like this?" "And what kind of lesson did you teach Lady Fletcher, Lord Stevenson?" Alexander's voice suddenly rang out. I turned around and saw him approaching, accompanied by another nobleman and two attendants. I quickly created a distance between myself and Arthur. "Your Majesty." Arthur bowed his head as well. "Your Majesty." Then, he nodded toward the nobleman behind Alexander. "Good day, Lord Commander Reed." "Good day, Lord Stevenson." The Lord Commander, Cedric Reed, nodded back to Arthur. So he was Cedric Reed. I couldn't help but look up and steal a glance at him—the legendary war hero who had subdued the northern frontiers at the age of seventeen. He was the god of war of our kingdom, yet why did he look so fair and refined? "I heard Lord Stevenson speak of teaching Lady Fletcher a lesson?" Alexander spoke in a casual, indifferent tone. "You sure have the guts to command my woman!" Although Alexander's tone remained calm, Arthur was terrified enough to drop to his knees. "No, Your Majesty. I was merely joking with Her Highness. I beg Your Majesty's forgiveness." Alexander looked at me, then looked at Arthur, and suddenly chuckled. "Lady Fletcher has served me for some time now. It is time to raise her status, lest someone decide to casually ‘teach' her a lesson again." Alexander turned his gaze and spoke to the young attendant beside him. "From now on, Lady Claire Fletcher shall be bestowed with the title of a Duchess." Chapter 5 A duchess's status was considered equal in standing to the Lord Chancellor, and the only other person with a status higher than the duchess was the queen! As soon as these words left his mouth, not only was Arthur stunned, but even Cedric was taken aback. For a gentlewoman from an unremarkable family—who had been in the castle for barely two weeks ago—to be appointed as a duchess was simply unheard of. "Your Majesty, you can't do that!" Arthur instinctively objected. "Lady Fletcher has neither royal blood nor come from a distinguished family. How can she be a Duchess?" Alexander did not speak. However, Cedric, who was standing beside him, spoke up, his voice edged with sarcasm. "Your Majesty truly remains as headstrong as ever. But Lord Stevenson, how could you or I ever presume to make decisions for His Majesty?" "Indeed, neither of you can make decisions for me," Alexander said, glancing sideways at Cedric, whose expression immediately darkened. Arthur wanted to say something more, but Alexander had taken me by the hand. "Enough. You may both take your leave. I wish to have a proper conversation with the Duchess." "Your Majesty, there is truly nothing between Lord Stevenson and me," I said as I followed behind Alexander, attempting to explain. "We grew up together, but before entering the castle, I had called it quits with him." He merely waved his hand dismissively. "I know all about your affairs with him. Do you think I'd take just anyone in?" I frowned, feeling a little perplexed, and finally voiced the question that had been weighing on my mind. "Your Majesty, forgive my impudence, but… you and I have not truly shared a relationship in reality. Why would you protect me like this?" Alexander's footsteps halted. He turned around to look at me—or perhaps, he was looking through me at someone else. "You may not know this, but you look very much like my late mother." The former Queen Mother who had passed away early? I felt somewhat bewildered. I had seen portraits of the Queen Mother, and I did not look like her at all. Alexander coughed twice. "When I'm by your side, I sleep very well. I rather like having you around." So that was why. I looked at Alexander and noticed that the dark circles beneath his eyes had faded considerably. In an instant, I understood why his temper used to be so foul. If someone couldn't sleep well all the time, how could they possibly be in a good mood? Thus, I offered, "Your Majesty, I have some knowledge of medicine. I can check your pulse and help improve your health." Alexander shook his head. "My health is under the care of Sir John. You need not worry." I understood that Alexander did not fully trust me yet, so it was only natural for him to decline. Seeing the disappointed look on my face, Alexander coughed twice to change the subject. "As for making you a duchess, you do not need to worry about what the court thinks. I have plenty of ways to make them keep their mouths shut." I nodded, looking at Alexander with a hint of admiration. That night, Alexander slept in my chambers once again. Perhaps because he was overly exhausted from the past few days, he slept very soundly. Thinking about the decree that made me a duchess during the day, I felt somewhat excited. As I casually tossed and turned, my hand brushed against a patch of moisture on the bedding. Instinctively, I brought my hand to my nose to smell it. It was… the scent of blood. My mind went blank for an instant. Then an impossible suspicion struck me.