I Will Become the Queen of the Enemy Country

“Elise! Have you heard the news? They say that Prince Karan and Prince Chase had a fistfight?”

There were familiar faces in the lodging. It was Deboa and Jasmine.

As soon as they finished hugging Elise, they mentioned the incident that happened in the morning.

It was just past lunchtime, but the rumor had spread too quickly.

“How did you find out?”

“Recently, our reporter has been staying in the palace.”

As expected, no one could match Deboa’s information gathering skills.

“Is it true? I can’t believe it even after hearing it.”

Elise sighed.

“Yes, it’s true. His Highness Karan and His Highness Chase fought. Therefore, I’m tired. Shall we have a cup of tea?”

Elise asked Regina for tea and took off her coat.

“Hmm, it seems that the rumor that Prince Chase can’t forget Elise is true as well.”

“Oh, Deboa, please. Don’t even mention such nonsense.”

Elise waved her hand.

For it to be true that Chase couldn’t forget her, it would have to be premised on the fact that he loved her.

But Chase has never loved Elise.

“Oh my! Nonsense? In the social circles of Bedrokka, it’s subtly spread as if it’s a fact.”

Jasmine, who she met after a long time, was much prettier than before.

Rather than a change in appearance, it was a change in expression that was significant.

Jasmine, who had gained confidence, had a sparkle in her eyes, and her tone became assertive.

When she straightened her back, she looked much taller, and her constant smile made the viewer happy as well.

“Jasmine is right. You don’t know what rumors are going around, do you?”

Elise couldn’t know because it wasn’t in the letter Deboa sent.

Elise didn’t want to hear rumors related to Chase, but she became curious when her own name was mentioned as well.

“What rumor are you talking about?”

“It’s about the discord between Iris and Prince Chase.”

“It’s a relief if it’s just a discord. Elise is mentioned as one of the causes of that discord.”

Elise was startled by what Jasmine and Deboa said in turn.

It’s ridiculous.

Until she left Bedrokka, people were fascinated by the love story of Iris and Chase, which was intimate and romantic.

But in just about two months, while she was in Tetris, public opinion completely changed?

“It couldn’t be helped. Iris came alone to every party. And she was escorted by other men. She does date Prince Chase regularly, but they don’t look that close.”

Deboa explained what had happened. If one just listens and sees, Iris and Chase were a typical show window couple. (TL: they look like friendly and lovely in the eyes of others, but actually don’t like each other)

‘Sister Iris must know about the rumor. If she’s my sister, she would never let such a rumor go around.’

Then what about Chase?

“Anyway, with the rumor and the coldness between the two, and the fistfight with His Highness Karan today, it’s just right for people to misunderstand. Prince Chase couldn’t forget Elise. Right, Jasmine?”

“Deboa is right.”

Jasmine agreed enthusiastically as she put down her teacup.

“It’s not good for Elise and His Highness Karan, but honestly, a lot of people are enjoying it.”

“What do you mean by that, Jasmine?”

Jasmine hesitated for a moment before speaking.

“Didn’t Iris act a bit nasty? She made a gang and harassed people, and ignored the poor girls…”

Jasmine looked gloomy as if she was recalling the past. Deboa, who was sitting next to her, patted the back of her hand.

“So there were girls who had a grudge against Iris. Including me. Iris, who claimed to be the best, was subtly ignored by the person who should have loved her, and people like me were thrilled. Isn’t it like punishing the evil and rewarding the good? Am I too bad?”

Elise shook her head. It’s Iris’s fault that she’s being criticized.

There were people who disliked her in the past. The difference from then is that they have united.

“Do you care about the rumors?”

Elise shook her head.

The rumor is not true, so it will disappear someday.

However, what Elise was worried about was Karan.

Following the morning’s fistfight and the rumor, what if Karan, like other people, misunderstands?

Seeing Jasmine and Deboa, she began to worry.

‘I have to go to the palace while I’m here.’

She was worried about the gaze Karan would receive.

In reality, Karan wouldn’t care about their gaze, but Elise believed that he was very sensitive.

Because he noticed the change in her expression amazingly and took care of her delicately.

‘Sensitive people get hurt a lot. Even if it’s not, it’s not like he won’t have trouble sleeping.’

Elise thought of Karan as a teenage boy.

‘I need to be more careful.’

“We got too excited. It’s not good news for Elise. Let’s talk about something else.”

Deboa changed the topic.

Afterwards, they exchanged stories about the accessories Jasmine made, the new reporters at the Phon newspaper, and Leber’s adaptation period.

They also had a long conversation about the gate subjugation.

Deboa and Jasmine finished their meal and left.

That night passed quietly. It was a surprisingly calm night.

And late in the afternoon the next day, a guest arrived.

“I would like to hear more about the story we shared yesterday.”

It was David in disguise.

****

The fact that Karan and Chase had a fistfight spread quickly in the palace.

The first person to hear the news was David.

“Your Highness, right now in the corridor, the prince of Tetris and His Highness Chase are fighting…”

David, who was momentarily lost in thought due to a shocking advice from Elise, jumped up and ran out into the corridor.

By the time he went out, the situation was already over.

Elise had collapsed and was moved to Chase’s palace. Only Chase was left in the corridor.

“Chase, what’s this commotion?”

David ran a mile and looked at Chase. Chase’s face was bruised.

David frowned as he recalled Karan’s big hand. David reached out, intending to examine Chase’s wound.

Then Chase slapped David’s hand away.

“Are you joking?”

Chase glared at David. His eyes were different than before.

David didn’t think Chase liked him, but he didn’t think he disliked him either.

But looking at his eyes now…

‘He looks at me like looking at an enemy.’

Was the mental shock from the fight with Karan too great?

David interpreted Chase’s sudden change in attitude that way.

“Chase, let’s go inside. Tell me what happened once we’re inside.”

“I don’t need it, Your Highness.”

Chase pushed David away. Chase was on guard.

“Don’t interfere with my business.”

Leaving those words behind, he turned away coldly. Chase’s escort knights and servants flowed out like the tide.

The nobles who had been quietly watching the situation in the corridor also dispersed, taking cues from each other.

David chewed over Chase’s attitude in the quiet corridor.

He seemed to hear Elise’s words somewhere.

[Be careful of Prince Chase.]

David found it hard to accept that he was doubting Chase.

He pondered all night. His worries continued until the next day.

‘Chase is trying to harm me?’

Once doubt sprouted, it grew quickly.

‘When? How? Did he have the intention to harm me in the last duel? Ha, there’s no way. There’s no way I’ll be doubting Chase.’

He doubted, then believed, then blamed himself for doubting, and then doubted again as the day dawned.

In the morning, the decision he made with a cloudy mind was simple.

‘Let’s prevent it in advance. Just in case.’

David was worried about his own safety, but he also didn’t want Chase’s life to fall into the abyss due to a wrong choice.

So he visited Elise in the afternoon. Because she seemed to know something.

Even though he didn’t make an appointment in advance, Elise welcomed David.

“I apologize for the unpleasant incident in your palace yesterday.”

Elise started with an apology for the fistfight between Karan and Chase.

“No, I should have gone out in advance. When I found out and went out, the situation was settled and I couldn’t help. More importantly, I heard you collapsed yesterday, are you okay?”

“Yes, thanks for the concern, I’ve recovered well.”

“Where did Prince Karan go?”

David picked up the teacup. The fragrant tea smelled the same as the one he once had from Chase.

“His Highness Karan is at the training ground. Shall I tell him you’re here?”

“No, I don’t want to disturb the training. Today, I came to see Princess Elise.”

Karan was sensitive to the story about Chase.

If Karan could help in the conversation, it would be different, but otherwise, there was no need to face him unnecessarily.

“Understood, Your Highness. Please feel free to speak. Why did you come to see me?”

Elise had a hunch about the reason for David’s visit, but she pretended not to know.

It was because of David’s reaction last time.

David, who had made up his mind to come, couldn’t bring himself to speak right away.

Elise emptied two cups of tea while he was hesitating.

“Chase.”

It was when Elise was filling the third cup of tea. Elise put down the teapot and gathered her hands on her lap.

David, who met Elise’s gaze, let out a hollow laugh.

“I was too hasty yesterday. You said that Chase would harm me, didn’t you?”

“Yes, I did.”

“Can I hear why you thought so? You wouldn’t have made up a story to simply slander Chase. I don’t know if I should say this, but you didn’t part badly with Chase, did you? You were with Prince Karan first…I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to dig up the past.”

David used a syntax where he brought up the topic first and apologized later.

It was a rude syntax, but David was completely unaware of it.

‘There was no one around to point it out.’

Even though the prince apologized, what could be the problem? Rather, he was surrounded by people who thought it was too generous.

It was here that David’s lack of popularity was revealed.

He had no one to tell him the right thing, and no one to scrutinize the truth and admonish him.

‘That’s why Iris got him.’

“Princess Elise, I want to know more. Why did you think Chase would harm me?”

Was he ready to accept the truth?

The blue eyes of Elise and the red eyes of David collided in mid-air.

A tense battle to gauge each other’s sincerity began.

It was like a fight between fire and water.