Chapter 15
Letícia gently opened her eyes.
She felt a refreshing sensation along with a sense of suffocation. Trying to get up under the weight of a heavy blanket was difficult.
The thick quilt was pulled up to her neck. She struggled to lower it and sat up.
As her head turned slowly, her golden eyes moved busily, as if searching for someone’s trace.
‘Indeed, it was just a dream.’
Letícia looked at the empty space beside her with relief.
If Arden had really been next to her, it would have been strange.
She couldn’t imagine how she would have looked at him. Probably not with such an indifferent expression.
Letícia turned her head to look out the window. The warm sunlight was streaming in.
‘…What a strange dream. It felt so vivid.’
She brushed away the emerging thoughts and pulled the blanket. Soon, there was a knock on the door, and Mary entered.
“Your Majesty, are you awake? I’ll prepare your washbasin.”
The maids came in with a silver basin filled with water. Once Letícia was somewhat composed, she asked Mary about her schedule.
“Do I have any special appointments today?”
“No, Your Majesty, but you must have lunch with His Majesty.”
“…Is it that day again?”
They had lunch together on the same day every week. Strangely, lately, they had been having meals together more frequently.
Looking at the clock, there seemed to be plenty of time even after visiting the duke’s mansion.
There wasn’t much to discuss.
Arden needed to avoid contacting Karen directly. Now that she knew who he was, any direct contact would be enough to create misunderstandings.
If she didn’t know his identity, that might be different. But now she did.
‘Karen might take the risk to reveal himself directly, or he might use someone else.’
Letícia got up from bed and sat at the vanity, looking into the mirror as she spoke to Mary.
“I need to visit the Bovart mansion to meet with my father. Please inform the maids before lunch.”
“Understood. I’ll also apply some ointment to your wounds.”
“My wounds are bothering you, huh? You applied ointment to me last night as well.”
“…Pardon?”
Mary blinked slowly, tilting her head to the side.
“Didn’t you apply ointment to my cheek while I was asleep last night?”
“I’m sorry, but according to Her Majesty’s orders, no one entered the room.”
“That can’t be true…”
Letícia’s words made Mary and the maids look at each other with questioning eyes. But none of them seemed to have applied ointment to the queen’s cheek.
Were they afraid of offending her?
But looking at the maids’ expressions, it seemed like genuine ignorance.
For some reason, Arden came to mind at that moment.
Since the maids were guarding him, no one could have missed Arden’s visit. Those who wished for a better relationship between them wouldn’t keep his visit a secret from her.
‘Let’s think logically.’
Letícia scoffed as if mocking herself and lowered her head gently.
It couldn’t have been Arden who bluntly applied the ointment, right? It was unimaginable.
If it had been him, with his big fingers, the ointment wouldn’t have been applied so delicately.
It was a careful and affectionate touch.
‘…There’s no way Arden would have applied the ointment.’
She sat back in the chair, looking at her reflection in the mirror.
The long scar running across her white face caught her eye. The gaze kept lingering on the fairly long wound.
“I should wear a big hat today.”
“I’ll prepare one.”
“It might cause trouble if rumors spread outside, so it’s best to be careful.”
Mary nodded and hurriedly prepared Letícia’s attire.
Letícia left the room to visit the Bovart mansion. She needed to meet her father and discuss things thoroughly.
She hadn’t sent any letters, so he would likely be at home unless there was something urgent.
‘Surely he’s not with Karen.’
Father and I didn’t have a proper conversation. He said there was nothing to worry about.
She was anxious. What if she hadn’t cut off ties with Karen yet? She was soon scheduled to visit the kingdom from the empire.
“Mary, did the other maids gossip when Father came to the palace?”
“There was no gossip.”
“Tell me anything, no matter how trivial.”
“There really was nothing.”
“Then everyone must have only talked about my meeting with Father.”
Mary didn’t deny it. The queen who hadn’t sent anyone away on the first night. The queen who hadn’t received any love from the king and hadn’t fulfilled her duties.
That was her. That was the recent change in her reputation.
When Letícia fell in love with Arden in the past, she was honest with her father.
Because she knew he didn’t love her.
She didn’t want to show her father a slow death, but she felt he needed to know.
If his only remaining daughter suddenly died after her mother disappeared, it would hurt him.
It must have been after that. When her father introduced her to Karen.
‘It’s because of me.’
He must have used all sorts of sweet words on her father.
Pretending to be good for Letícia and saying things he didn’t mean.
Karen was someone who knew his weapons well. His red eyes could instill fear, but his smiling eyes could disarm people.
Whenever his silver hair fluttered in the wind, she felt a strange feeling. His gentle voice and his quick perception of what others needed.
Before her father fell for him, she had to pull him away.
Her father said she didn’t need to worry, but Letícia was still anxious. She felt she needed to separate him from her father to feel at ease.
Letícia boarded the carriage with Mary and closed the door. She glanced at the palace through the window before turning away.
“He must be in his study.”
“Yes, but… no.”
Mary hesitated for a moment before shaking her head. It didn’t seem like anything important, so Letícia didn’t ask.
Looking out the window for a moment, she saw the curtains drawn in the study.
“Was there anything else after that?”
“There was something strange. Your Majesty seemed calm the opposite of the previous day.”
“…Is that so?”
“Yes, you seemed peaceful, as if the anger had completely dissipated…”
“After such fierce anger, you must have felt relieved.”
Letícia leaned back in the carriage and closed her eyes.
‘It’s still not settling.’
Maybe it was because the carriage was shaking, but her stomach felt uncomfortable. Was it because she hadn’t eaten properly lately?
Letícia tried to ignore the uneasy feeling in her stomach and tried to sleep.
—
“Your Majesty, Queen Letícia has gone to the Bovart mansion.”
“I heard.”
Arden replied without looking at Raymond, who was delivering the message, and focused on his documents.
Raymond observed his king, who seemed refreshed and focused on his work, without saying a word.
‘I should have spread some rumors.’
Raymond felt a bit disappointed seeing his lord so lively. But if rumors spread, they might identify the rumor monger. Besides, it seemed that the queen had left her room without anyone noticing.
Whenever the queen was involved, his lord often acted strangely. Raymond was the only one who knew, which was a problem.
There was affection hidden within his calmness.
He wasn’t good at expressing himself, but he must have genuine feelings for the queen. But there was one thing he wanted to ask.
Amidst the strange letter and the sudden visit to the mansion, wasn’t it strange?
He didn’t suspect the queen, but he couldn’t help but wonder if there was something she was worried about or if she was meeting someone else.
“…Aren’t you curious why she’s visiting?”
“I’ll find out.”
“I’m investigating. That’s why it would be better to assign someone else…”
“If rumors spread about me sending people after the queen, what would become of my dignity?”
Arden raised his head with a disgruntled expression, furrowing his brow.
