I Will Become the Queen of the Enemy Country

“Elise, it’s still damp here.”

“It seems dry, Your Highness.”

“It’s damp.”

Muttering ‘strange,’ Elise brought a new towel. And for quite a while, Elise ruffled Karan’s abundant hair.

Until Leber found Elise. At the sound of someone looking for her, Elise put down the towel.

“It’s really dried, Your Highness. You may feel it’s not fully dry due to the cold. Shall I ask them to put more logs in the fireplace?”

Elise withdrew, stepping her left leg away that had been resting beside Karan’s thigh.

Karan gulped down his regret and tousled his hair.

“Yes, it has dried.”

He answered nonchalantly, then quickly tidied his hair with his hands and opened the door.

Leber, who had been pacing the hallway anxiously, looked back at Elise.

With a pale face, he bit his lip. Blood was smeared on his clasped hands.

Elise had a gut feeling.

That Melanie had lost the baby.

“…Is Melanie alright?”

Elise asked, blinking her eyes slowly.

****

The expressions of those having a late breakfast were not good. They had lost a life last night that never even saw the light.

Melanie regained consciousness briefly, confirmed the fact, and then fell into a faint sleep.

Elise and Leber kept vigil by her side all night, while Karan waited for Elise to decide Buck’s punishment.

In his heart, he wanted to kill or devour the bastard who put him in this predicament, but Elise said she wanted to respect Melanie’s choice.

No one could easily comment on the sudden tragedy that had barged in.

“I’ll get up first.”

Elise was the first to put down her fork. Seeing Elise’s plate still half full, Karan raised his eyebrows.

“Elise, eat more.”

“I’ve eaten enough, Your Highness.”

Karan was about to urge her more, but changed his mind upon seeing her expression.

She felt responsible for Melanie’s tragedy.

“If I hadn’t suggested the outing, the two wouldn’t have met.”

Following that train of thought, the heavy rains in Tetris would be to blame.

Elise rationally knew her words were mistaken. But the guilt wasn’t easily diluted.

“Let’s get up together.”

It’s not just Melanie who needs to rest. Elise too hadn’t slept a wink last night while tending to her.

If she is to look after Melanie, he must look after Elise.

“Your Highness should eat more.”

He had eaten more than Elise, but far less than his usual portions.

“No, I’ve had enough.”

“Ah, then we should too…”

As Haltbin started to get up hesitantly, Karan glared at him.

If they followed suit, it would only make Elise worry more.

“…need to eat more. Slowly, for a very long time.”

Haltbin pushed his lifted buttocks deep into the chair. Regina, Fiona, and Ruo also moved their forks cautiously.

“I’ll finish eating and go too.”

Inwardly, Karan expected Leber to get up and follow as he was a doctor.

But instead, Leber ordered more food.

“There’s nothing for me to do right now anyway.”

Leber added as if making an excuse, realizing Karan was doubting his qualification as a doctor, before shoving meat into his mouth.

“As a doctor, I’ve done all I could, so from now on it’s a matter of stability and consolation, you could say.”

Leber drew a clear line on the part he couldn’t be responsible for.

Something even Karan couldn’t handle.

Karan looked over at Elise. She nodded in understanding.

“Let’s go, Elise.”

Karan took Elise’s hand. Her hand felt rough, likely from handling the towel all night.

To think he made these delicate hands get wet…that bastard Buck deserves to die…

Karan’s hand tightened. It was Elise firmly grasping his hand.

Karan’s eyes, which had been burning with anger, instantly softened.

“Why, Elise?”

“Your Highness seemed ill at ease. I thought with all your duties, you shouldn’t linger here.”

“No, I’ve taken care of all urgent matters.”

Elise ended the conversation there, thinking it fortunate if that was the case. She wanted to console Karan more, but her mind was already full just thinking about Melanie.

“This is far enough, Your Highness.”

Elise released Karan’s hand in front of Melanie’s resting room.

Though reluctant, Karan took a step back. Even his brash self wouldn’t barge into the room of a woman who miscarried.

“I’ll be in the next room over.”

“Yes, because of that man’s treatment, I assume?”

More so because of you. I want to be somewhere close to you, even if just a little.

Karan nodded. Elise smiled faintly in parting and entered the room.

For Melanie’s sake, Leber had hung curtains around her bed.

Those who miscarry must rest deeply, so it was to block out the light.

Thus, Elise had to rely solely on sounds to discern if Melanie was awake or asleep.

Straining her ears for any stirring, Elise judged that Melanie was still slumbering.

To avoid waking her, Elise tiptoed carefully, raising her heels.

Thinking she should change Melanie’s sweat-drenched clothes, Elise opened the curtain and was startled.

“Melanie, you’re awake?”

Melanie was sitting up, leaning against the headboard.

Her head turned very slowly. Elise froze, still grasping the curtain.

Melanie was crying soundlessly. Tears streamed ceaselessly down her cheeks, enough to soak the front of her nightgown.

She didn’t cry out in anguish or thrash in pain, but her sorrow was utterly palpable.

Elise found herself at a loss for words.

“…It’s gone, isn’t it?”

Melanie spoke in a hoarse voice. The implied subject referred to the child that had been in her womb until yesterday.

Unable to find her voice through the lump in her throat, Elise could only nod.

A soft wheezing sound escaped Melanie’s lips. While tears streamed endlessly from her eyes, she forced an upward curl of her lips into a smile.

“And that bastard? Did he run away?”

“No, he’s here. What would you like me to do with him, Melanie? I’ll do as you wish.”

Melanie was confused. She had loved him, had been happy to carry his child.

There were times she resented the baby for coming after he left, times she tortured it saying “It’s because of you I suffer.” But looking back, it had all been happiness.

That feeling drained from her body in an instant. Along with the child. Outwardly she appeared fine, but her chest felt hollow.

“Elise, what do you think? That man…can he be of use again?”

Her love had cooled. But she pitied the child who had departed. If she spent time with that man, perhaps the child would return.

Elise put down the curtain and took a seat on the chair beside the bed. She gently wiped Melanie’s tears.

“Melanie, I regret having to say this, but…”

Elise’s hands tightened around Melanie’s as she continued, not taking her eyes off the ceaseless clear streams of tears.

“Stains on laundry can be removed, but stains on a person cannot.”

“So?”

“If it were me…I would discard him.”

“But we could have a good life again, couldn’t we? If I try hard…”

“No.”

Elise cut off Melanie mid-sentence, seeming to anticipate the words about to come out.

–”If I try hard, he’ll change his heart.”

–”It was just a momentary lapse on his part.”

–”His true feelings must be different.”

The kinds of things Elise had said about Chase.

“Listen carefully, Melanie. People never truly change.”

“Hic.”

The final thread of Melanie’s hope snapped. Only then did she collapse into sobs. For a long while, Elise stroked her heaving back.

A very long while.

****

“Agh, to me, why, why are you doing this?”

Buck let out a series of squawks. He was dangling from a rope that descended from the ceiling.

His wrists and shoulders felt like they would dislocate, and the inability to reach the floor with his feet made him anxious.

But even more dreadful and terrifying was being unable to see. And having no idea why he was suspended there in the first place.

Karan twitched his ears as he watched Buck squirming and squawking like a dangling cocoon.

He had placed a chair about five paces away from Buck and sat observing him.

Nearby stood Haltbin.

“Haltbin, must I listen to that bastard’s screeching? It’s hardly a pleasant voice.”

“You need not, Your Highness.”

“No, no muzzle. Don’t want a muzzle!”

A muzzle would make it hard to breathe. More importantly, he’d have no chance to proclaim his virtuous character.

Karan chuckled.

Was muzzling the only way to silence someone?

How impoverished the imagination of man.

“You cannot even be taught.”

Scratching the end of his eyebrow, Karan flicked his finger. Haltbin struck Buck’s throat forcefully.

With a strangled scream, Buck’s body convulsed on the rope.

He lost his voice.

And his eyes, his arms and legs… And…

Buck was erased from the nation of Tetris forever.

****

After an extended period of suffering, Melanie finally arose. She did not ask about Buck’s whereabouts. Even if she had, Elise had nothing to tell her.

“I sent him to an appropriate place. Somewhere he can never meet Melanie again.”

When Elise inquired about Buck, Karan asked her not to pursue the matter further.

Such requests were rare from him, so Elise readily agreed.

The rest of the party returned to the palace, while Melanie decided to determine her new residence after further care from Leber.

A week passed, and Melanie came to see Elise.

The grave ordeal seemed to have taken its toll, as Melanie looked haggard, her demeanor completely changed.

“I have something to say. It concerns His Highness Chase.”

Elise stopped what she was doing and dismissed Regina and Ruo.