Chapter 42
—
“So, I’m giving you a chance.”
“…A chance, you say?”
“To leave the palace. As you said, we can’t keep this a secret forever. Use your studies as an excuse and run far away.”
“The king will suspect something.”
“Sometimes you seem smart, and other times you act foolishly. Verotin, His Majesty is already keeping an eye on you. It seems you didn’t realize that.”
The frustration was evident on his face. It really seemed like the queen planned to keep silent as long as she could. Realizing this, Verotin’s mind worked quickly.
“If Her Majesty the Queen helps me leave the palace, I will never inform His Majesty.”
“That won’t be difficult. One more thing. I’d like you to introduce a quack among those you know as my personal physician.”
“…What?”
“I need someone who can’t properly diagnose me. That way, we can avoid incidents like what happened to you.”
“Oh…!”
Verotin nodded. Staying here meant it wouldn’t be strange if he died at any moment. So, taking the chance to leave as the queen suggested would be beneficial for his survival.
“The opportunity is now. Since there’s a banquet, nobles will be coming and going. His Majesty will be distracted, so inform Raymond and leave immediately.”
At Leticia’s words, Verotin stood up in a daze. She took a jewel from her drawer and handed it to him.
“This wasn’t intentional, but consider it my small sense of guilt for involving you.”
“Your Majesty… may I ask one thing?”
Verotin fidgeted with his hands. No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn’t believe the queen had lain with another man. The child in her womb was surely His Majesty’s.
“If you find out what you’re curious about, can you handle it? Whether it’s true or not, what’s important is what His Majesty believes. It might be better for you not to know anything.”
“…Thank you for your consideration.”
He prescribed the necessary medicine for her and gave his final farewell.
‘It’s done. I’ve bought a little time with this.’
Knock, knock, knock.
“Your Majesty the Queen. It’s Ruena. May I come in?”
“Come in.”
Ruena entered cautiously and glanced at the door Verotin had just exited.
“He said it’s just a simple cold. It seems I won’t be able to attend the banquet today.”
“His Majesty has also advised you to take care of your health during the banquet.”
“I see.”
—
Leticia lay down on the bed. The thought of seeing Cadius made her feel uneasy, and since she was told she could rest, she had no intention of attending. Soon, Joanna brought water along with the medicine.
She took the prescribed medicine and lay down on the bed, closing her eyes.
❖ ❖ ❖
The palace of Brivont was busier than usual. Arden disliked holding a banquet for the emperor. If there were any excuse to drive him away, he would send him back to the empire immediately.
Unfortunately, Cadius was a very thorough person, leaving no room for error. Arden buttoned up his white uniform and looked in the mirror. It would have been more perfect if Leticia were by his side, but he felt more at ease without her.
‘At least her gaze won’t reach him.’
Whenever Cadius’s red eyes turned to Leticia, Arden’s mood sank. He knew, even if subconsciously, that she had a way of attracting people’s attention.
“Your Majesty, remember, he is the Emperor of the Empire. You must not forget that.”
“What have I done?”
“I’m worried about what you might do.”
“Someone might think you are my wife.”
“…Please don’t say such creepy things.”
Raymond shuddered and showed his disgust. Arden glanced at him and laughed lightly.
“You’re getting more whiny.”
“…What’s wrong with you today?”
“I’ll make sure there’s nothing to worry about, so leave it at that.”
He didn’t want to hear nagging from the morning. Raymond was great in every other way, but his excessive worry was a problem. He knew too little about human psychology. Telling someone not to do something only made them want to do it more.
As if reading that sentiment, Raymond’s mouth snapped shut.
“The Emperor?”
“He should arrive on time.”
“Has the Pope of Arserion arrived?”
“He is expected to arrive tomorrow.”
“What do you think about relations with Arserion?”
“I see it positively. In the long term, there’s nothing to lose, and it can serve as a check against the empire, which is good.”
Here’s the continuation of the translation into English:
—
“…Both of these men are bothersome,” Raymond said, narrowing his eyes.
“You’re not worried about the people around Her Majesty the Queen, are you?”
“Sometimes, you’re remarkably quick to notice unnecessary things.”
“Why is that unnecessary? When thinking about the future of the Kingdom of Brivont, the most important matter is the relationship between Your Majesty and Her Majesty the Queen. It’s not just me who thinks so.”
“You must not have much to do, being so interested in others’ affairs.”
“…But this is my job.”
Arden lightly ignored Raymond’s words and walked towards the door. Then, he turned his head slightly and spoke.
His sharp jawline and languid eyes, combined with his neatly styled hair, made him look like a painting. Arden’s very presence exuded arrogance and nobility.
“Are you going to keep staring? Don’t space out, you look foolish.”
The arrogant king didn’t forget to say something to irritate Raymond.
As Arden stepped into the banquet hall, he frowned.
‘Is his sense of timing always this precise?’ He clicked his tongue at the sight of Cadius, who had arrived right on time.
Before the banquet even started, his mood had soured. The only consolation was that Leticia was not by his side. Every time he saw the emperor’s inscrutable smiling face, his annoyance surged.
“I didn’t expect such a grand event,” the emperor said, smiling and provoking him. Arden responded nonchalantly.
“Since the Empire has graced us with a visit, how could we do anything less?”
It was better not to give any room for criticism. Although Arden was not enthusiastic, he tried to maintain at least the minimum courtesy required by the kingdom’s duties. This minimal courtesy led to a somewhat confrontational conversation.
Cadius’s mocking comments were met with Arden’s calm retorts. There was an underlying tension in their words. With his smile unchanging, Cadius suddenly scanned Arden’s side.
“The queen is not present. It feels empty without the flower of the banquet.”
“She is not well and cannot attend. You won’t see her until the banquet is over.”
“Hmm, that’s unfortunate. I hoped to catch up with my friend before returning to the Empire. I must hope for her swift recovery.”
Cadius casually used the word “friend” in front of Arden.
“You must have been very close friends. It’s delightful to see such good relations between the Empire and the Kingdom; many people will be pleased.”
“I hope today’s banquet will lead to continued peace between the Empire and the Kingdom.”
The emperor responded with a smile to Arden’s sarcastic tone. The emperor was good at saying things he didn’t mean. Arden nodded indifferently and returned to his seat. With the two seated, the banquet began.
The unexpected visit of the emperor brought a slight tension to the banquet hall. The appearance of a stranger always brings a sense of novelty, especially when the person is handsome and imposing.
Moreover, Cadius was the emperor of the Empire. His visit to the Kingdom of Brivont, despite there being no previous interactions, carried significant political implications.
Here’s the continuation of the translation into English:
—
If this event opened the door to new interactions, it might usher in a new era for the kingdom. The nobles wore expressions that were both excited and tense. Their primary interest, however, was Leticia.
Since she hadn’t appeared in society, they only had rumors to go by regarding the queen’s life. They expected to see the subject of these rumors, but she did not appear.
“Do you think she’s really sick, or is it just an excuse?”
“There’s no way. I’ve heard their relationship has improved recently. But isn’t that made up too? The king wouldn’t embrace a queen who lied.”
“Heh heh. They might even lie about having an heir.”
“Emel, if that’s true, the Duke of Castane would be thrilled. He made a good match with his daughter, and it would be a profitable business for him.”
They laughed quietly, hiding behind their fans, glancing around to check if anyone was listening, then lowered their voices further.
Arden’s blue eyes darkened as he listened to the nobles’ gossiping. He began to take note of those who mentioned Leticia.
When he raised his hand slightly to call Raymond, the latter approached and bent down.
“There are people here who don’t belong at the banquet.”
Raymond immediately understood what Arden meant. Straightening up, he glanced around and asked, “Which families are you referring to?”
“Some families are talking out of turn. Should I be the one to hear this, Raymond?”
“There will be no disturbances to trouble Your Majesty.”
—
