It had been about half a day since the carriage departed from Tien for Rotaire and had run without stopping, and the sun had already begun to set over the horizon, but Judith's physical condition was beyond words.
Since they were far from the last village near the border, they had no choice but to stay overnight, but Judith had a hard time coming to her senses because she felt nauseous and her head hurt, perhaps due to motion sickness.
'Even if I die and come back, my body is still weak.'
Considering Judith during this period, it was only natural. Since she was young, she was naturally short-tempered, and whenever she got the chance, Eland would harshly criticize her for being unladylike, so she would listen to fewer people like that, so she was very angry.
The food was restricted. Because she couldn't eat properly, not only could she not grow, but no matter what she did, she withered like a dry plant. Judith has never had a deep sleep or spent any time comfortably.
After going to the Rotair Kingdom, those symptoms got worse. No matter where she looked, she felt like she was the only one who was unsightly and ugly among the noble ladies who were as gorgeous as newly bloomed flowers, which only added to the burden on my heart.
Thinking that she wouldn't do that anymore, she deliberately forced herself to eat more than she normally ate around lunch. Mary Ann, who was serving her dinner, was surprised.
But was she too ambitious? The feeling that her stomach was turning inside out was constant.
She could have asked to stop the carriage and let her rest for a while, but she deliberately didn't do that. Her head was filled with thoughts of arriving at Rotair as soon as possible and making a plan step by step.
Moreover, Judith did not want to give the impression that she was a Princess and a troublemaker to Franz.
They should hold each other's hands and share their faith, but it was obvious without asking Franz that he did not believe that at all.
Now Judith was nothing more than a thin stick standing alone and without anyone to rely on. Because of that anxiety, he was in the middle of a vicious cycle of not wanting to be around anyone and becoming more anxious by isolating herself.
If she wants to get to him, she shouldn't do it suddenly. Judith had no choice but to let herself get used to it, little by little, starting with the smallest things.
‘Is this how sparrow hunting is done?"
Judith laughed quietly, holding her head that was pounding because of her upset stomach. As the road got rougher and the carriage started shaking loudly, it became more difficult to bear.
"Oh...”
When she banged her head against the window and frowned, Franz, who had been staring out the window until then, opened the door leading to the coach seat without even turning his head towards Judith.
“Stop for a moment.”
Judith opened her eyes wide. But Franz caught a glimpse of her, opened the door, and got out of the carriage. Before Judith could even think about what was going on, Mary Anne stuck her head out through the open door.
“Princess!”
“Mary Anne, can you please give me a glass of water?”
“I knew you would, so I already brought it. Here, drink slowly.”
The water in the leather skin had a bitter and astringent taste, but Judith was in no position to care. But even though she cleared her throat, the headache did not go away.
“Please come down for a moment and get some air.”
Judith took Mary Anne's hand and got out of the carriage. As early summer was just beginning, the wind was lukewarm, but it felt a bit more alive as we were out in the open.
Judith, who had quietly closed her eyes while Mary Anne massaged her shoulders, looked at the back of Franz, who was standing alone at a distance. The Duke of Vergy's secretary seemed to be saying something to him, but he was seen shaking his head. The secretary soon left and Franz was alone again, staring blankly somewhere.
'What's happening all of a sudden?'
“Mary Ann.”
“Yes, why are you doing that?”
“Do you see that person over there who is riding in the same carriage as you?”
Mary Anne was riding in the same carriage as the Duke of Bergy's secretary. She said, gently taking Mary Ann's hand down from where Judith rested on her shoulder as she nodded her head.
“Go and ask if he knows why the carriage stopped.”
“Did the Prince stop the carriage? I thought the Princess said we should take a rest.”
“No, His Highness suddenly told me to stop the carriage. I’m worried that something may have happened, so go ask and come back.”
“Yes, just wait a moment.”
Judith, who was watching Mary Anne running towards the secretary, turned her gaze back to Franz. He was still standing in the same posture, looking towards a place where no one was around. It was like a stone statue.
'I've seen that back several times.'
At the royal palace in Rotair, Franz could sometimes be seen from afar. He was mostly alone. Judith remembered him standing in a deserted place like a window or balcony and looking at the sky in silence.
There were times when Judith wanted to approach and talk to that back every time she saw it. She had once tried to overcome her fears, but she couldn't hold a long conversation. Franz's answer was indifferent because she was afraid of him.
From some point on, it became a habit to pretend not to see Franz's back and leave the place. Should she not have done that then?
If she had endured her fear and kept talking to him, wouldn't he have been able to find a place to rest his mind?
'No, it's useless.'
At that time, Judith and Franz had already died once. The girl who was afraid of her husband died, and the boy who was unable to do anything for his weak wife and became more and more lost also died.
“Princess!”
Mary Anne rushed over, her hair tied on both sides shaking, and urgently called out to Judith.
“What did he say?”
“Well, that... He said he didn’t know either. He said I would know if I asked the Prince... But wouldn’t it be a bit awkward for me to go and ask His Highness the Prince? Why don’t you ask him a question?”
"Me?"
“Now all you have to do is get married and you will become husband and wife. What would you say if I asked you this much?”
Come on. Mary Anne nudged Judith like a naughty girl. She seemed to think that Judith's hesitation was probably due to shyness.
Judith, who had been hesitantly taking steps as she was being pushed by Marianne, grabbed the front hem of her dress and quietly walked towards Franz. Perhaps he didn't feel that he was being loved, or perhaps he felt it but pretended not to notice, he stubbornly didn't turn his head even when Judith got closer.
"Your Highness."
In the end, Judith called him first. He turned his head slowly. Perhaps because of the setting sunset, his normally amber eyes looked red.
"Why? Did you suddenly tell me to stop the carriage?”
He didn't answer for a moment. Although she was used to the lack of response, Judith was quite embarrassed. Maybe it was because she was anxious. After all, she wanted to get to Rotair as quickly as possible.
"Your Highness..."
“Are you asking because you really don’t know? Or is that also some kind of trick?”
“A trick?”
“Like you held out your hand to me from the carriage.”
"That... Why did you think it was a trick?”
“Unless it was a trick someone taught you, there is no way a Princess who grew up weakly like you could say such things to me.”
What is this...
'No, it's useless.'
At that time, Judith and Franz had already died once. The girl who was afraid of her husband died, and the boy who was unable to do anything for his weak wife and became more and more lost also died.
“Princess!”
Mary Anne rushed over, her hair tied on both sides shaking, and urgently called out to Judith.
“What did he say?”
“Well, that... He said he didn’t know either. He said I would know if I asked the Prince... But wouldn’t it be a bit awkward for me to go and ask His Highness the Prince? Why don’t you ask him a question?”
"Me?"
“Now all you have to do is get married and you will become husband and wife. What would you say if I asked you this much?”
Come on. Mary Anne nudged Judith like a naughty girl. She seemed to think that Judith's hesitation was probably due to shyness.
Judith, who had been hesitantly taking steps as she was being pushed by Marianne, grabbed the front hem of her dress and quietly walked towards Franz. Perhaps he didn't feel that he was being loved, or perhaps he felt it but pretended not to notice, he stubbornly didn't turn his head even when Judith got closer.
"Your Highness."
In the end, Judith called him first. He turned his head slowly. Perhaps because of the setting sunset, his normally amber eyes looked red.
"Why? Did you suddenly tell me to stop the carriage?”
He didn't answer for a moment. Although she was used to the lack of response, Judith was quite embarrassed. Maybe it was because she was anxious. After all, she wanted to get to Rotair as quickly as possible.
"Your Highness..."
“Are you asking because you really don’t know? Or is that also some kind of trick?”
“A trick?”
“Like you held out your hand to me from the carriage.”
"That... Why did you think it was a trick?”
“Unless it was a trick someone taught you, there is no way a Princess who grew up weakly like you could say such things to me.”
What is this...
Judith looked at Franz with a puzzled expression.
He had a ridiculous misunderstanding. Even if he didn't believe it, she figured it wouldn't have been an unpleasant first step at least. Did she underestimate Franz's dark personality too much?
“If I left it as is, I thought you would vomit all over your dress before the end of the day, so I told them to stop the carriage. If you’re trying to get my interest by pretending you don’t know about it or asking me questions like you’ve never done that, then it’s better not to do it.”
Judith was shocked. However, despite the harsh criticism, Franz's expression was not that grumpy. The voice was soft and the tone of speech was also quiet.
Judith turned away from the sun and looked up in silence at the slanted shadow of Franz's face. There was nothing but sadness in his sunken eyes. And underneath it all, there was deep hatred.
That hatred is not directed at her. Judith took a deep breath, trying to compose herself.
“In the end, it seems you were worried about me.”
Franz's eyebrows furrowed.
“What did you just say?”
“You told me to stop the carriage because you could see that I was suffering from motion sickness. That’s why you were worried about me.”
"I am...”
"Thank you."
Judith bowed to him in the Tien style, slightly stepping back on one toe. Franz's lips softened slightly as he watched that scene.
“...You're going to the palace to see the Queen.”
Judith, who had been lowering her head, looked upward. It was surprising because it was the first time he had spoken to Judith since they met.
Besides, it's about Queen Gilsis. Judith slowly straightened her bent knees, waiting to see what he would say.
“Don’t bow like that.”
It was a much more subdued tone than she had ever heard before. Judith's eyes widened in surprise when she realized the change, and then she blinked quietly.
The plan was to demonstrate Rotair etiquette so perfectly that no one would be able to open their mouths in front of not only Judith but also Queen Gilsis. In a gathering of aristocrats dressed like peacocks, she did not want to be ridiculed twice for failing to follow etiquette that she did not know about.
But Franz warned her about it first. He touched his lips, perhaps interpreting Judith's silence favorably, then rolled his eyes hurriedly and suddenly fell to his knees on the floor.
Not only Judith, who was watching but also Mary Anne and others who were standing far away were startled by Franz's actions. The people of Rotair had no choice but to do so because in Rotair there was a law that they had to kneel only in front of the King and Queen.
But Franz looked up at the dazed Judith with grave eyes and said.
“For the first audience, kneel like this and hide your hands under the hem of your dress so they are not visible. Then bow your head deeply and remain there until you are given permission to raise your head.”
“Ah, I understand, Sir. Please stand up now. People...”
“Of course, it would be best not to think about receiving praise for following the etiquette well.”
Franz, who spoke self-deprecatingly, stood up. Then he reflexively squatted down at his feet and began to shake off the dirt from his knees with his bare hands.
He had a ridiculous misunderstanding. Even if he didn't believe it, she figured it wouldn't have been an unpleasant first step at least. Did she underestimate Franz's dark personality too much?
“If I left it as is, I thought you would vomit all over your dress before the end of the day, so I told them to stop the carriage. If you’re trying to get my interest by pretending you don’t know about it or asking me questions like you’ve never done that, then it’s better not to do it.”
Judith was shocked. However, despite the harsh criticism, Franz's expression was not that grumpy. The voice was soft and the tone of speech was also quiet.
Judith turned away from the sun and looked up in silence at the slanted shadow of Franz's face. There was nothing but sadness in his sunken eyes. And underneath it all, there was deep hatred.
That hatred is not directed at her. Judith took a deep breath, trying to compose herself.
“In the end, it seems you were worried about me.”
Franz's eyebrows furrowed.
“What did you just say?”
“You told me to stop the carriage because you could see that I was suffering from motion sickness. That’s why you were worried about me.”
"I am...”
"Thank you."
Judith bowed to him in the Tien style, slightly stepping back on one toe. Franz's lips softened slightly as he watched that scene.
“...You're going to the palace to see the Queen.”
Judith, who had been lowering her head, looked upward. It was surprising because it was the first time he had spoken to Judith since they met.
Besides, it's about Queen Gilsis. Judith slowly straightened her bent knees, waiting to see what he would say.
“Don’t bow like that.”
It was a much more subdued tone than she had ever heard before. Judith's eyes widened in surprise when she realized the change, and then she blinked quietly.
The plan was to demonstrate Rotair etiquette so perfectly that no one would be able to open their mouths in front of not only Judith but also Queen Gilsis. In a gathering of aristocrats dressed like peacocks, she did not want to be ridiculed twice for failing to follow etiquette that she did not know about.
But Franz warned her about it first. He touched his lips, perhaps interpreting Judith's silence favorably, then rolled his eyes hurriedly and suddenly fell to his knees on the floor.
Not only Judith, who was watching but also Mary Anne and others who were standing far away were startled by Franz's actions. The people of Rotair had no choice but to do so because in Rotair there was a law that they had to kneel only in front of the King and Queen.
But Franz looked up at the dazed Judith with grave eyes and said.
“For the first audience, kneel like this and hide your hands under the hem of your dress so they are not visible. Then bow your head deeply and remain there until you are given permission to raise your head.”
“Ah, I understand, Sir. Please stand up now. People...”
“Of course, it would be best not to think about receiving praise for following the etiquette well.”
Franz, who spoke self-deprecatingly, stood up. Then he reflexively squatted down at his feet and began to shake off the dirt from his knees with his bare hands.
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