Chapter 48
—
Leticia, who arrived at the lounge, stared intently at Orbo. There was a lot of hesitation despite Orbo saying she had something to say.
“Lady Orbo, my time is not my own.”
“Oh… I’m sorry.”
With a tense expression, she took a sip of her tea. Then, with a smile on her lips, she spoke.
“I don’t know if I should say this, but… wouldn’t it be better if there was no interference?”
“I don’t like beating around the bush, so just speak.”
By this point, Leticia was beginning to get irritated. Those who drag out their words rarely have anything truly important to say. Perhaps Leticia was also pretending to have something important to say just to make time.
It wasn’t easy to have time alone with the queen. If Arden had been beside her, Orbo wouldn’t have dared to approach. So, Orbo must have acted to seize this opportunity, and Leticia was curious about the motive behind her actions.
“My relative is studying medicine. Apparently, he happened to meet Her Majesty’s personal physician.”
Leticia’s face showed a ripple of surprise at the unexpected mention of someone. The person Orbo was talking about was undoubtedly Verothin. He was one of the few who knew her secret.
Leticia hid the embarrassment rising on her face and looked at Orbo with a steady gaze. Orbo’s lips twitched as she blinked slowly.
“Her Majesty mentioned that you sent him abroad for further study. Is that correct?”
“Yes, that’s right. Since he was so eager to learn, I sent him abroad. It would be better for me if he learned more.”
“He has a bad drinking habit. He must not have touched alcohol while staying in the palace, as he had to be on standby all the time. But now it’s different, isn’t it? Alcohol tends to bring out the stories in one’s heart.”
Seeing Orbo’s triumphant demeanor, it seemed she had revealed something she shouldn’t have. Leticia maintained a calm expression and tilted her head slightly.
“It seems Verothin has been causing some trouble. Judging by the nonsensical rumors floating around.”
“…Aren’t you curious about what he has been saying?”
“Well, it’s probably nonsense. Though it’s known that he went abroad thanks to me, that’s just an external excuse. He fled to survive.”
A shadow fell over Orbo’s face. She clenched her fists and said,
“But, what if Her Majesty also finds out about this?!”
“What fact are you talking about?”
Leticia smiled leisurely, waiting for Orbo to speak. If Orbo mentioned that she was pregnant, Orbo would likely reveal that she was expecting a child. However, it didn’t matter.
Even if she said it, Arden would not believe it. He believed he couldn’t have children, and Leticia had never shown any sign of it to Arden.
—
“Wow, Her Majesty the Queen…”
“Are you saying that I’m pregnant?”
Orbo’s eyes widened in surprise. Leticia smiled softly, savoring the aroma of her tea. The floral scent would make her remember today’s events for a long time.
“Why did Verothin flee abroad as if escaping? If you think about it for a moment, the answer should become clear, right?”
“I don’t understand what you mean.”
“Lady Orbo Bellita, I thought you were quite perceptive, but it seems I was mistaken.”
“…”
“It has been quite some time since the King and I married, but we have not had a child. What do you think is the reason for that? People say it’s because the King doesn’t touch me, so there’s no chance for offspring. But you see…”
Leticia set down her teacup and narrowed her golden eyes.
“It hasn’t been long since the King ascended the throne in place of his deceased brother. Many still view the King unfavorably. Do you think it’s right to give them another option?”
“That’s not it. I’m just worried…!”
“Worried about me? No, it must be that you’re worried about the King. If there is a child in my womb, you’d think it’s not the King’s child, wouldn’t you? Or am I wrong?”
“No! That’s absolutely not the case!”
“Is this Lady Orbo’s opinion, or is it the opinion of the Bellita family?”
“It’s solely my own independent action. The family has absolutely no concern about this.”
Orbo’s face turned pale. It seemed she had only just realized her mistake.
“Verothin was my long-time personal physician. I respect his skills, but this time he made a mistake. However, since it’s a sensitive issue, I couldn’t just let it go. I offered some leniency… I never expected that he would spread such useless rumors. Surely, Lady Orbo, you don’t believe those words, do you?”
“Of course.”
“I thought you might be holding a grudge for not being able to sit here and were trying to take this opportunity to expel me.”
“…That can’t be.”
She awkwardly laughed and wiped the sweat from her face with a handkerchief. Judging by the trembling of her lips, she seemed quite flustered. As the expressions of both women shifted, the atmosphere changed.
Orbo’s once-confident demeanor quickly turned into one of wanting to flee from the place. She fidgeted with her cup, forcing a smile as if she were trying to hold back her discomfort.
—
“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear what happened today, so you should forget it too.”
“Th-thank you.”
“It wouldn’t do for someone as lovely as you to suddenly disappear from society. Don’t you agree?”
“I am simply grateful for Your Majesty’s consideration.”
She bowed her head, almost as if crawling on the floor. With her pride shattered, all she could do was grip the hem of her dress tightly.
Taking advantage of her visit to the lounge, Leticia headed to the garden before returning to the banquet hall. She walked with the maid who followed her to the garden set up behind.
She turned her head to look around.
“Let me know if someone comes.”
“Yes, I understand.”
Ruenna stayed at a distance, guarding her.
Without hesitation, Leticia removed her tight, uncomfortable shoes. A sense of liberation quickly enveloped her. Though the heels were lowered, walking around in them was still a discomfort. She sat in a chair and enjoyed the cool breeze. As she lifted her dress slightly, the breeze caressed her bare legs.
“Ah, it feels so refreshing.”
Massaging her legs with her hands, they felt lighter than before. She leaned back and closed her eyes. Listening to the rustling of the leaves in the wind, a smile spread across her face.
Suddenly, her hand stopped. The words Orbo had spoken kept lingering in her mind.
‘I need to find Verothin.’
After being given a chance to escape, he was kicking it away himself. What could he possibly be saying…
She sighed deeply.
Fatigue overwhelmed her, and she covered her eyes with her hand. She hoped the warmth of her fingers would transfer to her eyes, but unfortunately, Leticia’s hands were cold.
‘Well, this is sobering.’
Pressing her fingers against her eyes, she eventually stood up. The soft earth and grass under her feet brushed against her as she walked. The cool sensation traveled up her toes.
“Where did you go…”
Her gaze shifted to the darkening surroundings, drawn by the deep voice carried by the breeze. As the figure slowly became visible, Leticia’s expression hardened.
Turning her head to look at Ruenna, she saw her with a sorrowful face, staring at her.
—
“Don’t blame me for saying it, since I told you not to.”
“…I just came out for a moment because I was feeling stifled. I was about to go back in.”
Leticia bent down to put on her shoes. However, Arden, who was further away, bent down first and gently brushed off the dirt from her feet. He took out a handkerchief from his pocket and cleaned her feet until they were spotless.
“It’s getting cold, so you should go inside.”
Arden placed her foot on his lap and looked at the shoes she had left on the floor.
“I will. I was just about to go in.”
Leticia tried to move her foot to put on the shoes, but his hand held her delicate ankle. Startled by the intense warmth, she recoiled and tried to pull her foot away.
“Your Majesty?”
“How do you expect to put on shoes with your feet like this?”
“It’s okay. The banquet will end soon, so I can manage.”
He sighed briefly, then picked up the shoes with one hand and lifted her up from the chair.
“Arden!”
She was startled and called out his name. Her golden eyes widened in surprise at the name that had slipped out.
“Don’t shout in my ear. I can hear you even if you speak quietly.”
“Put me down.”
“Going barefoot into the banquet hall would be worse than being carried to the room.”
“…….”
Leticia had no choice but to hold tightly onto the hem of his clothes. With her head bowed, she was carried into the building in his arms.
—
