"Why did you say that?”
The reprimand continued, but Judith looked at Franz calmly. She wanted to touch his arm and reassure him, but for some reason, she didn't dare to do so, so she just smiled quietly.
“What are you so worried about, Your Highness?”
“Are you saying that now? Are you so foolish that you don’t realize that the Queen gave you this order in the hope that you would make a mistake?”
“Of course, I don’t know.”
“But why?”
“As you said, the Queen gave me such an order in the hope that I would make a mistake. Would she have listened to me if I had insisted that I could not follow the order?”
Franz was silent. Judith was right.
Queen Gilsis would have done whatever it took to make Judith serve the sick King. If she persisted and said she couldn't do it, she would only give the Queen an excuse to be happy and nothing would have changed.
But even taking these things into account, it was not easy to understand why Judith accepted the Queen's words so calmly. Even now that she was out of the Queen's presence, there was no sign of fear or anxiety on Judith's face.
On the way from Tien to Rotair with her, Franz once again experienced the strange sense of discomfort he felt when the bandits attacked the carriage.
The calmness she showed during the attack was not due to her personality, but rather as if she knew the situation in advance and was prepared for it. Judith's reaction to the Queen's sudden command a little while ago was no different from then.
But, Franz slowly shook his head as if that couldn't be possible. How can she know what happens in the future that hasn't arrived yet? It's too much imagination.
“...Boldness is something to be admired, but it would be good to consider that sometimes it can also lead to recklessness.”
“Don’t worry too much, Your Highness. For things that are beyond my power, I will ask others for help.”
Even though she knew that no one would help her once she entered the bed where the King was lying, Judith reassured Franz with an obvious lie.
***
Three palace doctors took turns checking on King Jedekayer's condition.
Few people knew that Queen Gilsis was secretly giving them money and jewels and looking after them privately. Only Judith remembered that they were in the Queen's hands.
“Originally, there was a chamberlain and an old maid each to serve His Majesty, but the maid returned to her hometown as it was time to retire, and the chamberlain also became suddenly ill, so there was a shortage of people. Your Highness, you must always keep that in mind and keep a close eye on His Majesty.”
The middle-aged courtier looked at Judith as if she had no clue and continued speaking. Judith pretended to listen to his words without saying a word and watched the King lying on the bed closely with her eyes.
“The cause of his illness is currently unknown. Your Highness's job is to stay by his side from morning to evening, help him eat by pouring him water and thin soup, and clean his back and arms. Also....”
“It’s ny job to change the bedding, check his condition at all times to see if there are any changes, and make sure other people don’t access the bed carelessly, right?”
“Yes, that’s right. You know it well.”
“What should I do with the medicine?”
“It’s our job to make the medicine and help him take it, so you don’t have to worry about it.”
I knew it.
Judith slowly pondered the doctor's words, which were no different from what she had heard before.
Although it was her job to take care of all sorts of things for the King, who lay awake all day, the most bothersome thing, administering medicine, was handled by the doctors and was never left to her.
As things that she had never thought of as strange before, or even had time to think about, came to her eyes one by one, a ray of suspicion took root in Judith's heart. That was why she couldn't take her eyes off the King who was lying flat on his back.
The courtier thought that Judith was too nervous to even look away, but the reality was a little different.
“Do you have any questions?"
“No. I will call you if I need help, so please stay away.”
The palace doctor muttered softly and left. Thus, Judith stayed in King Jedercayer's bedroom, and the doctor stayed in a small separate room across from it.
Nominally, it was to stay nearby to quickly respond if there was a change in the King's condition, but in reality, he knew that it was to receive orders from the queen and keep an eye on Judith.
Even if Judith makes a small mistake, they will rush to the Queen's palace and talk nonsense, exaggerating facts that do not exist. Judith had experienced this many times before, so she knew enough about their behavior to be sick of it.
These are people who have no great skills and only trust in the favor of the Queen and have risen to the highest positions among the palace staff. The King is unconscious and the Queen is soaring through the sky. It was obvious as to which of the two the doctors would be more loyal to.
'I just need to stay calm.'
Judith sat on a small, backless chair and quietly looked down at the King's face with his eyes closed. It was no different from what she remembered. The straight-closed eyes and the sharp-looking bridge of the nose despite his age were also reminiscent of Franz.
‘For now, this is the only way. So just stay calm.'
If she waits patiently, the King will definitely wake up at least once. In order not to miss that opportunity, various preparations were needed.
Catching the clues to the suspicion that arose like wildfire was also Judith's new task.
“Are you saying that that girl went to Your Majesty’s bedroom this morning as well?”
As soon as the Queen got up and finished dressing, she asked Margit about the news of Judith. Margit, who had spied on the Prince's wife at dawn, adjusted the collar of the Queen's dress and nodded her head.
“After finishing breakfast, she went straight to bed.”
“Hmph, I mean she didn’t even cry and walked away with her head held high. I don’t know where that guts comes from.”
Margit awkwardly closed her mouth. At this time, if she had been Helen, she would have caught Judith's ugly face and belittled her as if she had been waiting for her, but she still lacked the courage to speak.
The Queen seemed offended by Margit's lack of response and coldly slapped away her hand that was smoothing out her collar. The way she hesitated and took a step backward was so foolish that it almost made the Queen sigh.
'I thought she knew how to act quite quickly, but she turns out to be as dull as a rock. She is so stuffy that she can live in her name?'
The Queen, who had dismissed all the maids with a wave of her hand, sat down on the long sofa and frowned. Recently, suffering from headaches has become more frequent. When she thought that all of this was because of that little Princess, she almost jumped up from her sleep and gritted her teeth.
She asked her to attend to the King so that she could see her crying and begging that she couldn't do it, but even the Queen, who was a terrible person, was a little appalled at how she just passed that off as if it was nothing.
She knew for a long time that there were more than one or two places that were worse than it seemed, but it was absurd that no matter what she did, she felt like she was pushing herself instead of being discouraged.
Judith's brother, the king of Tien, was not like that. Even though he was still young, he was like a foolish old man, blinded by greed and stubbornness. When told to give up his sister in exchange for money, he did not hesitate for a moment and laughed happily.
Even now, thinking about the way he flirted with her, saying that if he had known this would happen, he would have asked his late father and Queen to give his two or three more younger sisters, it was shocking.
Wasn’t he like a mixed bag?
Although it was her job to take care of all sorts of things for the King, who lay awake all day, the most bothersome thing, administering medicine, was handled by the doctors and was never left to her.
As things that she had never thought of as strange before, or even had time to think about, came to her eyes one by one, a ray of suspicion took root in Judith's heart. That was why she couldn't take her eyes off the King who was lying flat on his back.
The courtier thought that Judith was too nervous to even look away, but the reality was a little different.
“Do you have any questions?"
“No. I will call you if I need help, so please stay away.”
The palace doctor muttered softly and left. Thus, Judith stayed in King Jedercayer's bedroom, and the doctor stayed in a small separate room across from it.
Nominally, it was to stay nearby to quickly respond if there was a change in the King's condition, but in reality, he knew that it was to receive orders from the queen and keep an eye on Judith.
Even if Judith makes a small mistake, they will rush to the Queen's palace and talk nonsense, exaggerating facts that do not exist. Judith had experienced this many times before, so she knew enough about their behavior to be sick of it.
These are people who have no great skills and only trust in the favor of the Queen and have risen to the highest positions among the palace staff. The King is unconscious and the Queen is soaring through the sky. It was obvious as to which of the two the doctors would be more loyal to.
'I just need to stay calm.'
Judith sat on a small, backless chair and quietly looked down at the King's face with his eyes closed. It was no different from what she remembered. The straight-closed eyes and the sharp-looking bridge of the nose despite his age were also reminiscent of Franz.
‘For now, this is the only way. So just stay calm.'
If she waits patiently, the King will definitely wake up at least once. In order not to miss that opportunity, various preparations were needed.
Catching the clues to the suspicion that arose like wildfire was also Judith's new task.
***
“Are you saying that that girl went to Your Majesty’s bedroom this morning as well?”
As soon as the Queen got up and finished dressing, she asked Margit about the news of Judith. Margit, who had spied on the Prince's wife at dawn, adjusted the collar of the Queen's dress and nodded her head.
“After finishing breakfast, she went straight to bed.”
“Hmph, I mean she didn’t even cry and walked away with her head held high. I don’t know where that guts comes from.”
Margit awkwardly closed her mouth. At this time, if she had been Helen, she would have caught Judith's ugly face and belittled her as if she had been waiting for her, but she still lacked the courage to speak.
The Queen seemed offended by Margit's lack of response and coldly slapped away her hand that was smoothing out her collar. The way she hesitated and took a step backward was so foolish that it almost made the Queen sigh.
'I thought she knew how to act quite quickly, but she turns out to be as dull as a rock. She is so stuffy that she can live in her name?'
The Queen, who had dismissed all the maids with a wave of her hand, sat down on the long sofa and frowned. Recently, suffering from headaches has become more frequent. When she thought that all of this was because of that little Princess, she almost jumped up from her sleep and gritted her teeth.
She asked her to attend to the King so that she could see her crying and begging that she couldn't do it, but even the Queen, who was a terrible person, was a little appalled at how she just passed that off as if it was nothing.
She knew for a long time that there were more than one or two places that were worse than it seemed, but it was absurd that no matter what she did, she felt like she was pushing herself instead of being discouraged.
Judith's brother, the king of Tien, was not like that. Even though he was still young, he was like a foolish old man, blinded by greed and stubbornness. When told to give up his sister in exchange for money, he did not hesitate for a moment and laughed happily.
Even now, thinking about the way he flirted with her, saying that if he had known this would happen, he would have asked his late father and Queen to give his two or three more younger sisters, it was shocking.
Wasn’t he like a mixed bag?
Queen Gilsis herself was never seen by others as an elegant and worthy person to serve. Even in her eyes, what Judith's brother was doing was a sight to behold.
She couldn't believe that she knew ten when she saw one, that Judith's brother looked like that, and that his sister was a normal human being.
She couldn't believe that she knew ten when she saw one, that Judith's brother looked like that, and that his sister was a normal human being.
Didn't the King of Tien even say it out loud? Her own sister is an ugly girl who can't even raise her head in front of others.
“I believed that, but now I see that it’s that guy’s fault. Is the girl being cheeky, or is that brother so stupid?”
Queen Gilsis suddenly got nervous and slammed the table. The rings on the knuckles of the fingers made a loud sound as they hit the hard bottom of the table.
“Bring the royal doctor to check on His Majesty.”
At the Queen's command, Margit hurriedly rushed out. Eventually, the doctor who was summoned bowed before the Queen in a more cautious manner than the one who came before her and kissed her ring to show his submission. Only then did Queen Gilsis' expression show a faint sense of satisfaction.
“Are you keeping a good watch?”
“Yes, Queen.”
“But why hasn’t there been any news so far? There’s no way that little girl wouldn’t make a mistake.”
“Well, that is..."
The palace doctor made up an embarrassed expression as if he knew something like this would happen, and recited a series of excuses that he clearly had prepared in advance.
“I believed that, but now I see that it’s that guy’s fault. Is the girl being cheeky, or is that brother so stupid?”
Queen Gilsis suddenly got nervous and slammed the table. The rings on the knuckles of the fingers made a loud sound as they hit the hard bottom of the table.
“Bring the royal doctor to check on His Majesty.”
At the Queen's command, Margit hurriedly rushed out. Eventually, the doctor who was summoned bowed before the Queen in a more cautious manner than the one who came before her and kissed her ring to show his submission. Only then did Queen Gilsis' expression show a faint sense of satisfaction.
“Are you keeping a good watch?”
“Yes, Queen.”
“But why hasn’t there been any news so far? There’s no way that little girl wouldn’t make a mistake.”
“Well, that is..."
The palace doctor made up an embarrassed expression as if he knew something like this would happen, and recited a series of excuses that he clearly had prepared in advance.
They take turns watching Judith, but for some reason, she doesn't show any signs of making a mistake, and instead of being embarrassed when they find fault with her, they criticize each detail and silence her...
Queen Gilsis's hands trembled as she listened to the series of words. Her tightly clenched fist had such force that it would have struck Judith in the face if she were in front of her.
“I don’t understand what kind of trick that cheeky thing is pulling at.”
“Relax your anger, Queen Mother. No matter how clever she is, she's bound to bottom out at some point.”
“I can’t shake that girl, it’s like she’s on fire inside. Either push on without stopping until she makes a mistake, watch with your eyes open, or do whatever it takes to catch the pod. Do you understand?”
“Well, I will do that.”
The doctor, who was only watching, quietly retreated when the Queen turned her gaze away. Since Judith's weaknesses could not be exploited no matter what, it was best for now to stay out of the Queen's sight.
Queen Gilsis's hands trembled as she listened to the series of words. Her tightly clenched fist had such force that it would have struck Judith in the face if she were in front of her.
“I don’t understand what kind of trick that cheeky thing is pulling at.”
“Relax your anger, Queen Mother. No matter how clever she is, she's bound to bottom out at some point.”
“I can’t shake that girl, it’s like she’s on fire inside. Either push on without stopping until she makes a mistake, watch with your eyes open, or do whatever it takes to catch the pod. Do you understand?”
“Well, I will do that.”
The doctor, who was only watching, quietly retreated when the Queen turned her gaze away. Since Judith's weaknesses could not be exploited no matter what, it was best for now to stay out of the Queen's sight.
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