It took several days for the wound on her back to heal and for Judith to be able to move around without difficulty. The therapists sent by Franz unanimously said that it was fortunate that the skin was not torn too deeply.
The appointment with Cheraan was naturally postponed. In the meantime, Judith was able to rest for a long time under the care of Mary Anne, who was extremely devoted.
Mary Anne's spirit, with her eyes lit up as if she would not allow anyone else to approach Judith at all, was truly terrifying. Even the maids, who touched and tormented her whenever they had the chance, were so hasty that they couldn't even get around Judith.
Helen stayed at the Queen's palace and did not return. She heard that the Queen was sick and wondered what would happen to her, but neither Judith nor Mary Anne cared.
“Your Highness, are you sure it’s okay? You may still be unwell, but it’s okay to postpone horseback riding until later.”
Cheraan, who was visiting for a visit, looked worried and reluctant when Judith asked her to go horseback riding as promised. But Judith smiled as if it was okay.
“Now it doesn’t hurt when I walk, and I only need to apply the medicine once before going to bed. It is a medicine that is applied to prevent scars, so the wound is completely healed.”
“I’m still worried. I wonder how worried Franz would be if something happened to you.”
“If I wasn’t feeling well, I wouldn’t have said this to Cheraan.”
Cheraan then reluctantly nodded, but she still didn't look refreshed. If Judith had only a strong physique, she wouldn't have been so worried. Just thinking about why Judith was whipped so hard just because she thought there was a place to beat her small body was astounding and made Cheraan click her tongue at the Queen's cruelty.
Judith must have recognized the complex sympathy in Cheraan's gaze and patted the back of her hand as if telling her not to worry.
Although she felt it from time to time, Judith did not look like she was seventeen at all. Although Cheraan is older, there are times when Judith seems to be the elder. Cheraan quickly changed the subject so as not to embarrass Judith further.
“Who brought you these flowers, Your Highness? The colors are really bright.”
“Oh, that’s... It was brought by the Marquis Lorina. He said it was from her wife and that it was a gift to visit me in hospital.”
Even before Cheraan, some nobles came to visit Judith. She was taken aback because it was unexpected, but she was soon able to figure out that it was the influence of the Duke of Vergy. Judith can't remember them all, but it was because many of the nobles who came to visit were moderates.
Although she could not say that she knew everything about the Duke's intentions, the moment Judith saw the nobles who had come to visit her, she astutely judged what she should do. In front of them, who were unable to hide their awkwardness with their faceless demeanor, Judith brilliantly portrayed the appearance of a weak and thin girl.
She also added that if anyone was indignant about the Queen's behavior, it was sometimes due to Judith's own shortcomings. She did not fail to pretend to stop the Queen, saying that the Queen was reprimanding her because she cared for Franz.
The nobles, who knew the temperament of Queen Gilsis and her attitude toward Franz better than anyone else, clicked their tongues in pity when they saw Judith like that. Among them, the weak-hearted Lady had tears in her eyes.
They thought that Judith was a naive Princess who knew nothing and was like a young bird caught in the Queen's trap. However, contrary to the rumors, Franz defended Judith, saying that the problem was not that she was foolish, but that she was too good-natured. Such judgment and public opinion were the results Judith wanted.
“It is said that the nobles who fall at the Queen’s feet and cannot move may not do this, but those who are not are criticizing the Queen’s behavior.”
Cheraan whispered in a low voice as if she was telling a secret. Her father, the Marquis Ebelta, was also like that, so it was natural that Cheraan knew about it.
Judith also guessed that fact. However, she did not get excited quickly. There was no way she could get what she wanted in the end.
Judith just dropped a few drops of water on the red-hot iron. More patience was needed to completely cool down the still boiling energy and turn it into rusty scrap metal.
“Your Highness.”
A maid made a sign from the doorway.
“Your Highness, you need to rest. What’s going on?”
Before Judith could speak, Cheraan spoke in a harsh voice to the maid. The maid seemed to notice her for some reason, and she slightly bowed her head more cautiously.
“I have all your robes repaired. Would you like to check it now?”
“Okay, bring it.”
When Cheraan suggested going horseback riding, Judith asked a maid to fix her old robe. The maid immediately returned with the repaired robe and presented it to Judith. Not only did she have the sleeves mentioned, but even the collar and bottom trim had been meticulously repaired.
“Your Highness, are you sure it’s okay? You may still be unwell, but it’s okay to postpone horseback riding until later.”
Cheraan, who was visiting for a visit, looked worried and reluctant when Judith asked her to go horseback riding as promised. But Judith smiled as if it was okay.
“Now it doesn’t hurt when I walk, and I only need to apply the medicine once before going to bed. It is a medicine that is applied to prevent scars, so the wound is completely healed.”
“I’m still worried. I wonder how worried Franz would be if something happened to you.”
“If I wasn’t feeling well, I wouldn’t have said this to Cheraan.”
Cheraan then reluctantly nodded, but she still didn't look refreshed. If Judith had only a strong physique, she wouldn't have been so worried. Just thinking about why Judith was whipped so hard just because she thought there was a place to beat her small body was astounding and made Cheraan click her tongue at the Queen's cruelty.
Judith must have recognized the complex sympathy in Cheraan's gaze and patted the back of her hand as if telling her not to worry.
Although she felt it from time to time, Judith did not look like she was seventeen at all. Although Cheraan is older, there are times when Judith seems to be the elder. Cheraan quickly changed the subject so as not to embarrass Judith further.
“Who brought you these flowers, Your Highness? The colors are really bright.”
“Oh, that’s... It was brought by the Marquis Lorina. He said it was from her wife and that it was a gift to visit me in hospital.”
Even before Cheraan, some nobles came to visit Judith. She was taken aback because it was unexpected, but she was soon able to figure out that it was the influence of the Duke of Vergy. Judith can't remember them all, but it was because many of the nobles who came to visit were moderates.
Although she could not say that she knew everything about the Duke's intentions, the moment Judith saw the nobles who had come to visit her, she astutely judged what she should do. In front of them, who were unable to hide their awkwardness with their faceless demeanor, Judith brilliantly portrayed the appearance of a weak and thin girl.
She also added that if anyone was indignant about the Queen's behavior, it was sometimes due to Judith's own shortcomings. She did not fail to pretend to stop the Queen, saying that the Queen was reprimanding her because she cared for Franz.
The nobles, who knew the temperament of Queen Gilsis and her attitude toward Franz better than anyone else, clicked their tongues in pity when they saw Judith like that. Among them, the weak-hearted Lady had tears in her eyes.
They thought that Judith was a naive Princess who knew nothing and was like a young bird caught in the Queen's trap. However, contrary to the rumors, Franz defended Judith, saying that the problem was not that she was foolish, but that she was too good-natured. Such judgment and public opinion were the results Judith wanted.
“It is said that the nobles who fall at the Queen’s feet and cannot move may not do this, but those who are not are criticizing the Queen’s behavior.”
Cheraan whispered in a low voice as if she was telling a secret. Her father, the Marquis Ebelta, was also like that, so it was natural that Cheraan knew about it.
Judith also guessed that fact. However, she did not get excited quickly. There was no way she could get what she wanted in the end.
Judith just dropped a few drops of water on the red-hot iron. More patience was needed to completely cool down the still boiling energy and turn it into rusty scrap metal.
“Your Highness.”
A maid made a sign from the doorway.
“Your Highness, you need to rest. What’s going on?”
Before Judith could speak, Cheraan spoke in a harsh voice to the maid. The maid seemed to notice her for some reason, and she slightly bowed her head more cautiously.
“I have all your robes repaired. Would you like to check it now?”
“Okay, bring it.”
When Cheraan suggested going horseback riding, Judith asked a maid to fix her old robe. The maid immediately returned with the repaired robe and presented it to Judith. Not only did she have the sleeves mentioned, but even the collar and bottom trim had been meticulously repaired.
Judith took her robe with an unimpressed expression on her face and looked at the maid with a bright smile on her face.
“You did it very meticulously. Did you also fix the parts I didn’t tell you about?”
The maid rolled her eyes here and there at her praise. Then she lifted her chin slightly and nodded her head as if to say yes.
“It’s what you told me to do, so of course I have to do it.”
“Very well done.”
After praising the maid, Judith took out a small velvet pouch from a drawer. The maid's eyes sparkled greedily when she saw heavy, sagging pockets.
Judith took out several gold coins from the pocket and placed them in the hand of the maid.
“You worked hard, so get it. When you can take a break from work, go to the city to buy fabric and eat whatever you want.”
“Thank you, Your Highness!”
The maid was so happy that she left the room. Cheraan, who was looking at her happy and depressed back with a gentle gaze, said.
“Your Highness, she only did what she had to do, but if you are so generous, she will have bad habits. It’s nice that you don’t hold back on praising her, but you praised her too generously.”
Judith smiled faintly with her lips pursed at Cheraan's words of concern.
“Yes, it is generous. She has never touched a needle in this dress, and yet she received enough gold coins to buy half a piece of good fabric.”
“What do you mean by that? So are you saying that she lied?”
"Is it so. That girl didn't want to do what I told her to do, so as soon as she got the robe, she handed it over to Mary Anne. So this is Mary Anne’s work.”
Cheraan got up from her seat with an angry look on her face. A maid dared to lie in front of the Princess with her shameless face. She deserved to be called out and scolded until her tears ran down.
“I will bring her back, Your Highness.”
“No, Cheraan. Leave her alone. As soon as Mary Ann got the robe, she told me the truth, but I told her to leave it alone. And the maid asked Mary Ann to repair it.”
“Your Highness, I have no idea what you’re thinking.”
Cheraan huffed as if her anger was not going away, but Judith just laughed without answering. Her pale fingertips caressed her robe, gliding gently with a hint of anticipation.
“You did it very meticulously. Did you also fix the parts I didn’t tell you about?”
The maid rolled her eyes here and there at her praise. Then she lifted her chin slightly and nodded her head as if to say yes.
“It’s what you told me to do, so of course I have to do it.”
“Very well done.”
After praising the maid, Judith took out a small velvet pouch from a drawer. The maid's eyes sparkled greedily when she saw heavy, sagging pockets.
Judith took out several gold coins from the pocket and placed them in the hand of the maid.
“You worked hard, so get it. When you can take a break from work, go to the city to buy fabric and eat whatever you want.”
“Thank you, Your Highness!”
The maid was so happy that she left the room. Cheraan, who was looking at her happy and depressed back with a gentle gaze, said.
“Your Highness, she only did what she had to do, but if you are so generous, she will have bad habits. It’s nice that you don’t hold back on praising her, but you praised her too generously.”
Judith smiled faintly with her lips pursed at Cheraan's words of concern.
“Yes, it is generous. She has never touched a needle in this dress, and yet she received enough gold coins to buy half a piece of good fabric.”
“What do you mean by that? So are you saying that she lied?”
"Is it so. That girl didn't want to do what I told her to do, so as soon as she got the robe, she handed it over to Mary Anne. So this is Mary Anne’s work.”
Cheraan got up from her seat with an angry look on her face. A maid dared to lie in front of the Princess with her shameless face. She deserved to be called out and scolded until her tears ran down.
“I will bring her back, Your Highness.”
“No, Cheraan. Leave her alone. As soon as Mary Ann got the robe, she told me the truth, but I told her to leave it alone. And the maid asked Mary Ann to repair it.”
“Your Highness, I have no idea what you’re thinking.”
Cheraan huffed as if her anger was not going away, but Judith just laughed without answering. Her pale fingertips caressed her robe, gliding gently with a hint of anticipation.
***
On the day she decided to go horseback riding, the weather was sunny from the morning. As she had promised, Cheraan brought a very gentle horse. Perhaps because the horse was still a little young and had been carefully groomed, the brown fur that covered his entire body was very soft for a horse. It was cute that his fur was a different color as if only the tips of his hooves had stepped on white snow.
“You need to hold on tight to the reins, Your Highness. Don’t be afraid, just straighten up and look into the distance.”
Cheraan tirelessly gave the same advice to Judith, who was a little stumbling because she was not used to it, over and over again. At first, it was a bit precarious, but when they reached the point where the walls were no longer visible, Judith's posture became quite stable.
The number of attendants following them was nearly ten. It was all Cheraan's influence. This was the result of threatening the Princess, saying that even though it was nearby, it was her first outing and that she would have to be escorted straight away.
Among the accompanying personnel was Helen. Perhaps she was sent by the Queen who had been lying down sick, but when she returned to the Princess's palace, she followed Judith with a very innocent expression on her face the whole time.
“It’s pretty cool.”
Judith looked up at the sun-drenched sky and said. Although it was about to get hot, there was a fairly cool breeze, perhaps because it was not close to noon. The weather was pleasant for both people and horses to run comfortably.
“The sky was a bit cloudy last night, so I was worried about what would happen if it rained, but I’m glad the weather was nice. I think God is also happy that Your Highness's body is completely healed.”
Cheraan glanced at Helen, who was following them, and raised her voice as if to listen. Sure enough, deeper wrinkles appeared between Helen's eyebrows.
'She's an old, mean crow-like woman.'
Cheraan snorted and turned her head towards Helen, whose expression darkened with displeasure.
Compared to Helen, who was in the position of Marchioness, Cheraan, who did not yet have her own title or spouse, was just a young girl, but she was someone who could not be touched hastily. Her father, the Marquis Ebelta, was a very strong-willed person when it came to his daughter, but it was in many ways better for Helen to keep quiet now that the Queen's reputation among the centrist nobles had been ruined.
It would have been quite embarrassing if she had tried to argue with the Princess or Cheraan and had been counterattacked. It was clear that if Helen was rude to Judith, the centrist nobles, including the Duke of Vergy, would accuse it of being Queen Gilsis's intention.
No matter how long Helen had been loyal, Queen Gilsis mercilessly drove out anyone who stood in her way. So, when Helen humbled herself, it was for herself rather than for the Queen.
“It’s here, Your Highness.”
As they left the forest, an open hill appeared. She didn't think it would be that high, but the view looking down from the horse was quite impressive. Judith was amazed.
“I can see pretty far away. It’s a good thing I came.”
“Is that so? But even though it looks like this, the slope is quite steep. If you fall, you could get seriously hurt, so be careful.”
Cheraan said. Judith lowered her head slightly and looked at the slope falling toward the ground. Although the plants were growing green, rocks were sticking out here and there, and there were places where the dirt road was exposed.
“I guess so. I have to be careful.”
Judith's voice as she spoke to herself subsided significantly.
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