Chapter 16
“I’ve been short-sighted.”
Raymond immediately replied and took a step back.
To not assign someone was because of his own dignity…
Although he was serving his lord, he was truly consistent.
Finally, he brought out the words he had kept inside.
“But you seem in good spirits today.”
“I got some sleep.”
A smile gently crept onto Arden’s lips. Raymond found the faint smile on his otherwise expressionless face unfamiliar.
He wanted to keep asking out of curiosity. Was there progress in the relationship between the queen and him? He looked forward to the subtle changes in their relationship and wondered what impact it would have on the palace.
‘If the queen really has that power, perhaps it’s worth expecting something.’
Who knows if spring will come to the frozen palace.
“…Have you checked on it?”
“Well…”
Raymond felt frustrated by Arden’s ambiguous answer. What on earth was his lord thinking?
“I’ll check during lunch.”
“…Yes, of course.”
After that, Arden remained silent.
It seemed like dinner with the couple would be awkward. Raymond glanced at him and remembered the upcoming lunch.
‘Just thinking about it makes my breath catch.’
Raymond also had to focus on his work and couldn’t continue the conversation.
—
Letícia felt nostalgic visiting the Bovart mansion after a long time.
“Your Majesty…!”
Seeing the royal carriage stop, the steward rushed forward to greet her.
Helentain, the steward, had a somewhat complicated expression. Although he was secretly pleased with Letícia’s sudden visit, he also seemed uneasy.
“How did you come without prior notice?”
“I came because I had urgent business. Is Father inside?”
“Yes, he is. He’s in his study. He expressed regret that he couldn’t have tea with Your Majesty when you visited the palace a few days ago.”
“Good. I have important matters to discuss with Father, so prepare some tea.”
Helentain promptly asked for assistance and left to prepare the tea.
Following the steward’s guidance, Letícia headed towards where her father was.
The Bovart mansion, visited after a long time, hadn’t changed. She must have visited often, but why did it feel so welcoming?
Eventually, Letícia stood in front of her father’s study. Seeing his somewhat anxious expression, her own expression hardened.
“Father, I apologize for coming without notice.”
“Couldn’t you at least send a letter? If you had said it was urgent, I would have made time.”
“Did you have other plans?”
“…Not really. I just worried that my meeting you might not bode well for you.”
The duke stopped his work and approached, sitting on the sofa. Letícia felt concerned seeing her father looking a bit tired.
‘Does he have a lot of work lately? Or is there something I don’t know?’
She couldn’t know if something happened at home without being told. Even though she was already out of the mansion, she still worried about her father, who was left alone.
How much more would she have to worry in a house without a mother?
“Even if rumors spread, what would they say? There’s no one to blame for wanting to see my daughter and coming to the mansion. And it’s not like you visit often.”
She said, facing the duke.
“And Your Majesty, you don’t seem to be interested in me.”
“People’s levels of interest vary. You seem very worried. Did Karen say something to you?”
“I doubt it. It’s been quite a while since I’ve seen him.”
Moreover, they sometimes didn’t talk even when he visited the mansion.
“Father, did you introduce me to Karen knowing his identity?”
Letícia brought up the main topic without beating around the bush.
“Well…”
The duke was about to speak when a knock interrupted.
Knock, knock, knock.
“Your Grace, I’ve brought the tea. May I come in?”
The voice of the maids made Castanein, the Duke, pause what he was about to say and allowed their entrance.
As the maids came in, they laid out a simple spread of tea and snacks on the table along with the teacups.
“…”
“…”
Amidst the busy maids, the two facing each other didn’t move an inch, simply staring at each other.
Unable to converse through their gazes, Castanein and Letícia didn’t look away.
“Well, then, we’ll take our leave.”
Leaving the neatly arranged tea and snacks on the table, the maids discreetly exited.
“In response to your question, yes. At that time, you loved the king, and you were dying.”
“Father, he…”
Letícia choked back the words rising to her throat.
She wanted to say that he was someone who would take everything away and lead them to ruin, but what he had done so far was only kind to her and her father.
“Karen… He promised to make you happy. No, not Karen, but the Emperor of the Empire, Cadius Velope. He pledged it in the name of the emperor.”
“…Do you believe that? Even if you believe, how could you make a deal with the emperor of the Empire?”
“I couldn’t afford to lose you, my only one.”
“Father, you know. A man’s love is useless if I don’t love him.”
“…You also opened your heart to Karen.”
“That’s not…”
That wasn’t love.
It was just a comfortable relationship where she could confide in him as a friend. Even if someone asked if she had any other feelings, Letícia could confidently answer no.
“Father, that’s not love. I was just glad to have a friend.”
The Duke of Castanein showed a bitter smile.
“I didn’t know my daughter’s heart well enough. Don’t worry, the conversation with the emperor went well.”
“…Really?”
“Yes, he agreed obediently.”
That was unlikely. As Letícia listened to her father’s words, she became increasingly uneasy.
“The emperor agreed? He sent a letter to visit the kingdom from the Empire. Did you hear that?”
“The king asked me. I said I didn’t know, so you are not involved either. I also learned from the king… However, the emperor promised not to harm you in any way. So don’t worry.”
It wasn’t such a simple matter. It was strange that the person who had sacrificed everything to get her was now retreating without saying anything.
‘He’s not plotting something, is he?’
Maybe he’ll inform Arden about their collusion.
What her father had done was nothing short of treason.
Letícia’s chest tightened with frustration.
“If this matter is known, the Bovart family will be accused of treason.”
“Letícia. So you should act like you didn’t know anything. If something happens, you know nothing.”
The Duke of Castanein firmly instructed her.
It was always like this.
Whenever something happened, she was left to shoulder it all alone.
Even when her mother disappeared, her father tried to find her alone, but eventually hit a dead end.
“No, it’s actually going well. I’ll report the truth to His Majesty and step down from the position of the queen.”
Already, Karen might have planned everything to get her.
If she stepped down from the position of the queen before the war broke out, the tragedy that had been so harrowing would not happen.
“The king won’t allow it. I heard about it when I went there this time.”
The Duke of Castanein said, placing the teacup down.
“The two seem to have gotten along better than before. I felt relieved to see you being loved by the king.”
It was just an act.
There was no love or emotional exchange, just a relationship purely carried out of obligation. However, seeing her father’s relieved expression, Letícia found it hard to say otherwise.
“Father. I don’t love the king anymore.”
Castanein’s movements stopped at Letícia’s words.
He looked at her with eyes filled with surprise.
After a moment of silence, he spoke.
“…Is that true?”
“Yes, I don’t love the king. So there’s no reason for me to step down from the position of the queen, right?”
“Do you believe the king?”
Letícia’s eyes widened in surprise at her words.
Thank you for the chapters.❤️