TCORIYH - Chapter 5

She was so focused on other things that she couldn't even listen to Mary Anne's dissatisfied lamentations.

Judith clearly remembered meeting Franz for the first time that day.

At that time, she was so devastated that she had to go to a strange country alone without Mary Anne that she just cried endlessly. So she didn't even find it odd that someone as big as the Prince had come in person to pick her up.

But when she thinks about it now, isn’t it absurd?

What country on earth would send a Prince directly to welcome a Princess from a poor country who is not a Princess who is officially welcomed, but who is almost taken away by paying money?

It was clear how Franz was being treated in Rotair and by Queen Gilsis, but Judith at that time did not have enough time to guess it.

Fear corrodes insight. When you are overcome by fear, you cannot think of anything. If you can't think, even if a trap is placed in front of you, you won't be able to avoid it and you will die.

That was the biggest lesson Judith learned from her past life.

No matter what came, she should not be afraid. Even if it's an enemy she can't defeat, the moment she stops thinking, the fight will be over before she can even attack.

“Princess, it might be cold in the carriage, so take this with you. I go in a separate carriage in the back, so it will be difficult to bring it to you every time.”

Judith took the bundle of cloth offered by Mary Anne and nodded. She did not want to send her away, as it was clear that the carriage with the servants would be narrow and uncomfortable, but Franz was also in the carriage that Judith would ride in. For all the stories she had to share with him, she was better off without Mary Ann by her side.

“Okay, if it’s too uncomfortable, just tell me, huh? I’ll tell them to change the carriage to a more comfortable one.”

“Oh, Princess too. Am I the kind of person who would question something like that? You know how strong I am. Don't worry about me. I'm more worried about Princess than I am. You also get carriage sickness a lot...”

“I won’t get motion sickness anymore. It's okay."

“Princess, the constitution does not change easily.”

While Mary Anne was stroking Judith's shoulder with constant concern, four carriages were seen approaching with a clattering sound. Unlike the carriages often seen in the Kingdom of Tien, the carriages were larger and the roof was finished in an angled shape.

“I think that’s Rotair’s carriage! It’s different from Tien’s carriage.”

“Rotair doesn’t focus on unnecessary decoration like Tien.”

“Princess, do you know much about the Kingdom of Rotair?”

Judith laughed awkwardly with an expression that seemed like she was surprised by Mary Anne's words.

“Everything about Tien is flashy. I guess that's why they did it. What do I know about Rotair?”

“These days, Princess, you seem like a different person. You suddenly said something as if you were very old...”

Just as Mary Anne was about to start chatting, the door of the carriage that stopped in front of them opened. Judith's eyes slowly blinked as she saw a middle-aged man with a stiff, starched collar getting off as a habit.

'This person was the Duke of Vergis' secretary, obviously.'

The Vergis Duchy of Rotaire was the only family that supported Prince Franz. The Duke of Vergis, Franz's biological mother and younger brother of the deceased Queen, was the only person in Rotair around this time who could rival Queen Gilsis.

'After Franz started showing signs of mania, I lost my mind. Accused of making him crazy....'

Judith also met the Duke of Vergis a couple of times, but she didn't even see his face properly those times.

The Duke of Vergis must have felt very sorry to see Judith shaking and dispirited. Wouldn't Franz, who had nothing to hold on to, be upset that even his wife had to meet such an absurd woman?

If she wanted revenge on Queen Gilsis, she had to prevent the extinction of the Duke of Vergis. Also, for this to happen, Franz had to not show mania. For Judith, this was the most disturbing problem.

What should she do to prevent people from going crazy?

“Your Highness, please get in the carriage.”

As Judith stood still, the Duke's secretary, who was waiting, spoke cautiously. She patted Mary Ann's back, who had a concerned look on her face, and then slowly got into the carriage. Judith then looked at the man sitting across from her with complicated eyes for a moment.

The person who was once her husband. The only bond she felt she had no choice but to hold on to, even though nothing else could share their affection.

Franz Zederkayer.

“Your Highness Franz.”

As Judith sat down, the secretary stuck his head into the open door of the carriage. Whether Judith came in or not, and whether anyone called him or not, Franz's eyes were fixed on the window and did not move.

“I will follow in the carriage at the back. If anything happens, we will respond right away, so please don’t worry, both of you.”

The Duke of Vergis' secretary was also an outstanding military officer. If it weren't for him, Judith would probably have died before even reaching Rotair.

She remembered that in the middle of this journey, bandits attacked the carriage. Since there were not many soldiers guarding, it was a situation where everyone could lose their lives if they were not careful.

It was that secretary who single-handedly killed the thieves at that time. Judith smiled forlornly, recalling the time when she was so scared that she couldn't even faint.

'When I think about it, this person didn't even try to save me back then.'

Judith glanced at Franz, and her eyes became complicated again.

When thieves attacked the carriage, Franz not only did not try to save Judith, but he did not even try to protect himself.

He had no will to live. From then on.

Judith didn't know that at the time. However, even in such a dangerous situation, she was extremely shocked and heartbroken that her husband did not even draw his sword for her.

Someone like Judith is not loved by anyone.

If even her husband doesn't save her, there's no one she can trust.

From then on, Judith became afraid of Franz. Whenever she was near him, she had trouble breathing and felt dizzy. Of course, a merger was impossible, and Franz also did not want to touch Judith's fingertips.

'I was lonely.'

Lonely thoughts of the past poured down like a shower on Judith's head as she lowered her head.

When she was imprisoned in the tower by the Queen, Judith fell on her face and prayed to the jailer, intending to hang herself. Please bring Franz back. She said it would be nice just once, so she could look at his face and let her talk to him.

This was a husband whom Judith had never spoken to in years, and who at the time had even been told that he had gone crazy, but he was someone whom Judith desperately needed. She was falsely accused and locked up in a place like this. She didn't want to die without a word.

Judith hoped Franz would believe her. She wished he could say just one word for her.

- Deterioration, degradation… Not me. I really didn't. I didn't degrade Krauld... Oh, how could that be... Dear, please believe me. Please... I, I...

- ...

- Dear Franz... Please… What, uh...  Say something, please...

When Judith fell to her knees and burst into tears, recalling the cold sensation she felt as she touched the stone floor, Judith was once again horrified. Even the damp smell and temperature were vivid.

At that time, Franz did not say anything to Judith. He looked down at Judith with indifferent eyes, or rather with innocent eyes, as if he was already crazy and didn't know anything, and left without a word. That was the last meeting with him.

So why did he try to kill Krald?

Was it for her own good, or was it because he went crazy and lost his mind?

“Your Highness Franz.”

Judith, who had been looking at him in silence for a long time, finally called out to him.

It felt so distant as if the last time she called his name had been a hundred years ago, that she felt like laughing and crying at the same time. She did not love, she was not loved, but at that time she felt sorry for Franz.

She never said a single kind word to him, saying that she trusted him, but when he heard that she was calling him, he came to the tower. By that time, the disease had already taken its toll on him and he was often going crazy.

Judith can't love him now, but she can make Franz a King.

After driving out Queen Gilsis and her son, Krald, to a place more miserable than death, that position would naturally fall to Franz.

“...”

Even after Judith had called his name, Franz slowly turned his head a long time later. Judith looked at his face staring directly at her in silence for a long time.

Did he look like her? 

It was absurd and even funny that the face of the man who was her husband was so ambiguous.

He seemed a little younger than Judith remembered. He was two years older than her, so Franz is now nineteen. He hasn't even had his coming-of-age ceremony yet.

And there were no signs of illness yet, so there was a gun in his eyes. There was no sign of the vitality or ambition typical of his age or the excitement or curiosity one might feel when first meeting the woman who would become his companion, but that indifference brought out memories of Franz one by one. 

Hair like freshly lit flames, beautiful, sorrowful eyebrows, and deep, silent eyes.

“Nice to meet you, sir. My name is Judith Lorebinev.”

“....”

There was no answer from Franz. He was just looking out the window as if he was in his own world and couldn't hear anything. Judith, who was silent for a moment, decided to show a little more courage.

“I was curious what kind of person you were, but now that I see you in person....”
 

“...I heard it.”

"Yes?"

Franz's lips, which had been silently closed, opened, and mumbled something that sounded like he was talking to himself. When Judith, surprised by the sudden remark, asked back, Franz straightened his body, which had been leaning against the window, and sat down.

“I heard you were a Princess of very few words, but that doesn’t seem to be the case.”

“Have you heard about me?”

“I heard. So many times that I can never forget it.”

After speaking up to that point, Franz suddenly lowered his head and started laughing out loud. Just by looking at his face, Judith could tell who was telling the story about her.

It must be Queen Gilsis, without a doubt.

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