Chapter 65
Arden couldn’t focus on his work at all. He was dazed, as if his mind were elsewhere.
A month had already passed.
No matter how much he searched, he couldn’t even find a single strand of her hair.
Whenever he opened her room, it still felt like Leticia would be there. Out of habit, he opened her door. And more often than not, he found himself staying in her room instead of his own.
Knock, knock, knock.
“Your Majesty, it’s me.”
“Come in.”
The moment Raymond cautiously entered the room, he frowned. Was this even a space where someone could live? Papers were scattered all over the floor, to the point where they got in the way of walking.
With a sigh, Raymond bent down to pick up the papers. After just a few steps, his arms were full of them. He placed the pile on the desk and looked at Arden, who was leaning back in his chair.
“How long do you plan to keep this up?”
“What?”
“The Queen wouldn’t even want to return to this mess.”
“She probably doesn’t want to come back anyway.”
Arden glanced at Raymond with a sly smirk. It was pitiful to see him forcing a smile when he clearly wasn’t happy.
‘Where on earth could the Queen have gone?’
She was no longer in Brivent. It was as if she had vanished into thin air, leaving no trace behind. Just in case, Duke Castein had been sent home, but people were placed to keep an eye on him.
Although the news hadn’t reached other countries, rumors had quietly spread among the noble families. However, direct mention of the matter was strictly prohibited.
This was because Arden had issued a gag order. Thanks to this, word seemed to be slow in reaching other nations.
The golden star of the night sky—a phrase used to refer to Leticia, the Queen—was also used to track her whereabouts.
“Should we send communications to neighboring countries?”
“So you’re thinking of announcing that the Queen has disappeared?”
“…But we can’t keep pretending she’s here forever. Moreover, the Queen’s birthday banquet is scheduled soon. Hosting a banquet without her would be impossible… and canceling it would seem strange.”
“We’ll just say she’s unwell, and cancel it. No one will make a fuss.”
“The people of the kingdom may stay silent if their mouths are sealed, but we can’t predict how the Empire or other nations will react.”
Arden sat up and rubbed his face with his hands.
“Find her before it comes to that.”
“…Haven’t you given up?”
Raymond was surprised to see that Arden hadn’t completely given up. Based on the state of the room, he looked like someone who had already let go of everything—not just the Queen, but his own life as well.
“Even if she’s carrying another man’s child, it doesn’t matter. I just need to keep her by my side and verify it. If I claim the child as mine, no one will be able to argue.”
“What about the child you’ve already designated as the successor?”
“That child would probably be thrilled. He shudders at the thought of sitting on the throne.”
At Arden’s words, Raymond nodded, his expression one of understanding. True, if it were him, he’d also refuse the throne. The responsibilities were endless, the work exhausting, and one’s life constantly under threat.
Shaking his head to clear away useless thoughts, Raymond turned to Arden, who tilted his chin and spoke.
“So, what’s your business?”
“…Well, she’s here again today.”
“Who?”
“The one who’s been waiting for you every day. She seems incapable of giving up.”
Raymond shook his head in exasperation. Arden’s languid expression subtly cracked. Ever since word got out about the Queen’s disappearance, nobles had been pushing their daughters on him, day after day.
Among them, the one who visited him daily without fail was Lady Orbo. Seizing the opportunity after Leticia’s disappearance, she persistently frequented the palace. Of course, given her family’s background, Arden had no real reason to reject her. However, he had never been interested in anyone other than Leticia.
He couldn’t imagine seating anyone else beside him in her place.
“My answer is the same. Send her away.”
“But… she insists on meeting you this time. She says it’s something regarding Her Majesty the Queen…”
The mention of the Queen piqued Arden’s interest. He didn’t even have time to consider whether she was plotting to see him or if she truly had information. He abruptly stood and walked toward the door.
“Summon her to the drawing room.”
“Understood.”
Raymond blankly watched Arden’s retreating figure as he swiftly left the room.
“If he’s going to act like this, why didn’t he just do it earlier? What’s even the issue?”
He muttered to himself while quickly surveying the messy room. Soon, he called for the maids to clean it and instructed another maid to escort Orbo to the drawing room.
Having the person she had watched from afar now standing right before her made her heart race. She tried her best to calm herself.
“Lady Orbo, I hear you have something to tell me.”
“Your Majesty, I once heard something from a relative. They had met Verotin, who served as the Queen’s physician, and shared something they had been told…”
She clasped her hands together and lowered her head shyly, nervously fidgeting with her fingers.
“Continue.”
“It seems that Her Majesty the Queen was pregnant, and to silence him, she was abruptly sent to another country. While Her Majesty denied it vehemently…”
“You come to me with such a claim and expect me to believe it?”
Arden thought to himself that Verotin deserved to die. Even if killed, that loose tongue of his would still wag. The people of the kingdom had come to know of the Queen’s disappearance through whispers and silence, but the fact that she was pregnant was something known to only a select few.
Arden, Raymond, Head Maid Serna, and Verotin, the Queen’s physician.
Orbo, noticing the subtle change in Arden’s expression, seemed flustered. She raised a hand to her cheek and lowered her gaze.
“I didn’t believe it either. But seeing how she suddenly disappeared… I started thinking that maybe what I heard was true.”
Her long eyelashes and shiny brown hair swayed as she spoke. Her green eyes, which flickered toward him, were reminiscent of a lush forest.
Anyone who saw her would surely turn for a second glance. Her beauty was captivating to that extent, but to Arden, she stirred no emotion.
If anything, her reddish hue brought to mind someone unpleasant, making him uneasy. If it hadn’t been for Cadius, his relationship with Leticia wouldn’t have deteriorated to this extent.
Feeling suffocated once again, Arden picked up the cup of liquor and drank deeply. The sharp scent tickled his nose, but he still felt as though Leticia’s scent lingered around him.
Orbo carefully observed his reactions, choosing her words meticulously. If she said something to displease him, all the effort of meeting him would be wasted. She knew the only reason he had agreed to meet her was because she claimed to know something about the Queen.
Her mind raced, and after what seemed like a resolution, her tone became steady yet cautious.
“I’m not sure how to put this…”
“Say it exactly as you heard it, without adding or omitting anything.”
“I heard that Her Majesty the Queen is seeing another man. What’s certain is that he isn’t from Brivent. It’s said that Her Majesty has fallen in love with someone else…”
Orbo tried to remember every word she was saying as she spoke. That way, it wouldn’t be difficult to match her story later. She aimed to seize the opportunity to take Leticia’s place beside him.
‘It has to be now.’
How could she forget the humiliation Leticia had inflicted on her? Orbo possessed far greater wealth than Leticia. And that wasn’t all—her family, the Count of Belita, held enough influence to shake the kingdom. Their ambitions were beyond imagination.
This also meant they were prepared to do anything to place Orbo in the Queen’s seat.
Leticia wasn’t here anymore. Despite sending people to search, she hadn’t been found, and perhaps she had crossed a path she couldn’t return from. Thinking of that made the corners of Orbo’s lips curl upward.
‘Please, just die somewhere!’
The only reason Leticia could occupy a position Orbo herself deserved was one thing—Leticia had inherited even a fragment of the elves’ power. With money at her disposal, information flowed naturally to Orbo. She carefully masked her expression and bowed her head deeply.
“They said she planned to escape with that man.”
“And how would you know that?”
“At a banquet held some time ago, I had a private conversation with Her Majesty. At that time, she secretly sought my help, and I couldn’t refuse the Queen’s plea. How could I?”
She hugged herself, trembling like a frightened woman, her voice shaking. Even so, Arden didn’t completely believe Orbo’s story.
“So, do you know who this man is?”
“…That…”
“Lady Orbo Belita. You yourself mentioned ‘that man.’”
Orbo looked even more troubled than before. After a moment of hesitation, she spoke cautiously.
“I don’t know his name. But she did say he wasn’t from Brivent… She also described him as having eerily red eyes. Ah, and she mentioned being frequently seen together and exchanging letters…”
She took a letter out of her pocket and showed it. Her eyes glistened with transparent tears as she looked up at Arden.
“I don’t want Your Majesty to be hurt. Please, don’t look at it… I can’t believe Her Majesty the Queen stayed by your side with such feelings…”
She dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief while sneaking glances at Arden, who was reading the letter. His expression remained impassive as he quickly skimmed through the contents.
I can’t endure this any longer. I’m carrying your child. I will give birth to this child.
Since you won’t grant me a divorce, I have no choice but to run away. The only person I love is you.
I don’t want to stay in a place where I don’t belong anymore. I’ve made up my mind, so I will come to you.
I love you.
Leticia Boarte.
It was undeniably Leticia’s handwriting. However, Arden didn’t want to believe that the contents of the letter were written by her.
‘Leticia Boarte.’
Arden murmured the last name she had signed. Leticia hadn’t even used his surname.
He placed the letter on the table. He felt as though his entire being was being torn apart by anguish. He couldn’t even muster the composure to suppress his boiling anger.
“Your Majesty, I know it may be presumptuous, but…”
“Lady Orbo. If you know it’s presumptuous, keep your mouth shut and leave this place. I’m not in the mood to listen to any more nonsense.”
Arden declared coldly, his gaze icy and unyielding.
