After the court physician was taken away, the old doctor, who showed up slowly for the change, was puzzled to see Judith alone in the King's bed.
“Where is the court physician?”
It is unlikely that he did not show his face in the palace at all, but he seemed to think so. Judith wiped the forehead of King Jedercayer, who was breathing faintly and regularly, then glanced at the softly lit incense burner and said.
“He will have difficulty moving for a while, so it would be a good idea to hire a new court physician.”
“What do you mean by that?”
When he asked back in an indifferent tone, Judith calmly told him what had happened without exaggerating a single word. However, the fact that the court physician ordered her to empty the ashes from the incense burner, and Bartholomew discovered the scene was intentionally left out.
The reason he was punished was because he forgot his duties and was lazy, and not because he was rude to her, the Princess. If he knew what had happened to the court physician, he would gnash his teeth at the Queen as well as Bartholomew, but even so, she couldn't get over the fact that he was lying down sleeping with the King's sick bed right in front of him.
As Judith expected, the old doctor only frowned and said nothing. This fact could not be reported even to the Queen. The fact that the court physician was lazy was proof that they had neglected the orders the Queen had given them.
If the Queen found out that, instead of watching Judith and making sure she didn't make a mistake, he was dozing off and got caught by the son of the Duke of Vergy and was beaten, she might get so angry and tell them to kill the court physician.
“As for the new palace doctor, I will speak to the Queen.”
The old man who bowed his head and pretended to have no respect was disgusting, but Judith did not show her feelings as she had always done. Whenever he, who had grown older, encountered that indifferent attitude that was completely uncharacteristic of a girl, he felt goosebumps at some point.
He said she was seventeen. Although it was a long time ago, there was a time when he was at that age, and he also raised children and had grandchildren. When they were seventeen, had any of them ever been like Judith?
There was absolutely no one.
In general, royal families and nobles are raised with strict etiquette from an early age, but not everyone who receives the same education is elegant. A person's natural disposition is so precise and harsh.
No matter how excellent the education from great teachers is, some people grow up to be bastards like Krald, while there are people who grow up like Franz even though they were neglected like street outcasts except when they were young.
But Judith was not like Krald or even Franz. Aside from the neatness of her ingrained personality, she had an old-fashioned composure that was hard to explain. It was a clever mask that she could only acquire after cultivating herself internally and externally over a long time.
Although he was not of noble birth, the doctor, who had only come into contact with royals and other noble people throughout his career, was familiar with the atmosphere emanating from Judith. The only strange thing was that the person with that aura was a young girl who was only seventeen years old.
"Oh... Please leave for today. I will take responsibility for the rest.”
The old doctor was flustered like never before in front of the expressionless and silent Judith. The fact that the court physician was dragged away and beaten may have also contributed to his embarrassment. Judith came outside, pulling down the ends of her sleeves, which had become dirty from burning the incense.
It was a time when there was still sunlight. Considering that she could always go out only when the sunset was approaching, this brief moment was so sweet. Judith, who was stretching herself, laughed at her own actions. She's not even a prisoner who just got out of prison. That's what she thought.
“Your Highness!”
Just as Judith entered the palace, Cheraan came running out. These days, she was the only one keeping watch over the Princess's palace without Judith present. The Queen's maids did not dare to come near the empty Princess's secret palace because Cheraan's eyes were wide open, fearing that a rat might come into the palace without her master.
“The rain has stopped. Change your clothes and go to Astel Palace.”
“To Astel Palace? Why?"
“The Duke of Vergy’s royal family came to visit. So, a message came asking you to have dinner with him at Astel Palace. It’s still a little early, but wouldn’t it be nice to go and talk in advance to make you feel better?”
Cheraan did not know that Judith had already met Bartholomew. Judith pretended not to be able to resist the temptation of Cheeran pushing her back, saying that she had to hurry up and get ready, so Judith went into the bathroom, washed her body, and freshened up her appearance. When Mary Ann saw the ash on her sleeve, she burst into tears, asking what trouble she had suffered, and it took time to comfort her.
“Shall we put on some pearl decorations?”
Cheraan asked, looking over her shoulder at Judith's face as she sat in front of the mirror. The white pearls seemed to go very well with the puffed-up, shaped black-blue hair.
“Anything is okay.”
As the time she spent with her increased, Judith's tone of voice toward Cheraan became more relaxed. It was Judith who was stubborn when she tried to force her to tone down her words. It was a satisfying change for Cheraan, considering that over time she would naturally open her heart.
“Your Highness is as uninterested in these things as I am.”
Cheraan burst out laughing. As she was attending to her royal concubine, the people she was more pleased with than anyone else were the Marchioness Ebelta and Cheraan's nurse. Cheeran, who rode a horse with her hair down like a mermaid, opened her sleepy eyes every morning and seemed unable to bear the satisfaction of picking out the accessories.
“It’s not that I’m not interested, it’s that I don’t know much.”
Judith said, blushing slightly. Cheraan wasn't particularly interested in the accessories, but she still had an eye for things, having grown up looking and listening over her shoulder. Cheraan grinned as she put the flawless pearl pin into Judith's hair.
“I don’t know much either, so when I get home these days, I study until my brain explodes. My mother is so happy, shedding tears every night.”
Judith laughed softly at Cheraan's joke. She also liked the fact that her reflection in the mirror was not shabby and shameful.
In her previous life, every time Judith stood in front of others, all she could remember was how embarrassed she looked and wanted to hide. This was especially true in front of Franz. No matter how pathetic the relationship was, he was her only husband, and if she thought that she would look shabby in his eyes, she would often burst into tears out of misery.
But not anymore. Even though there was nothing that could compare to those girls who were as beautiful as flowers in full bloom, Judith did not flinch. It's okay if she isn't so beautiful that Franz loses his mind. What if she's not attractive?
It will be her who crowns him. She would also be the one who would give him a sword with a blue edge and whisper to him to cut off the heads of those he hated with that sword.
If she could do that, it would be nice to have a face. If necessary, it was okay to not have any jewels or silk.
“Shall we go?”
As Judith stood up, Cheraan quickly came to her side. Cheraan was much taller, so when they were together, Judith looked even thinner than she actually was. The long sword proudly stuck at the waist of Cheraan's dress also helped make Judith look relatively weak.
When the two arrived at Astel Palace, the servant told them that Franz and Bartholomew were out to the royal palace. As the day is getting closer, Judith wonders if they can have tea at the garden. Judith walked away with a puzzled feeling. And before she could even leave the corridor leading to the back garden, she heard the sharp sound of metal clashing.
In general, royal families and nobles are raised with strict etiquette from an early age, but not everyone who receives the same education is elegant. A person's natural disposition is so precise and harsh.
No matter how excellent the education from great teachers is, some people grow up to be bastards like Krald, while there are people who grow up like Franz even though they were neglected like street outcasts except when they were young.
But Judith was not like Krald or even Franz. Aside from the neatness of her ingrained personality, she had an old-fashioned composure that was hard to explain. It was a clever mask that she could only acquire after cultivating herself internally and externally over a long time.
Although he was not of noble birth, the doctor, who had only come into contact with royals and other noble people throughout his career, was familiar with the atmosphere emanating from Judith. The only strange thing was that the person with that aura was a young girl who was only seventeen years old.
"Oh... Please leave for today. I will take responsibility for the rest.”
The old doctor was flustered like never before in front of the expressionless and silent Judith. The fact that the court physician was dragged away and beaten may have also contributed to his embarrassment. Judith came outside, pulling down the ends of her sleeves, which had become dirty from burning the incense.
It was a time when there was still sunlight. Considering that she could always go out only when the sunset was approaching, this brief moment was so sweet. Judith, who was stretching herself, laughed at her own actions. She's not even a prisoner who just got out of prison. That's what she thought.
“Your Highness!”
Just as Judith entered the palace, Cheraan came running out. These days, she was the only one keeping watch over the Princess's palace without Judith present. The Queen's maids did not dare to come near the empty Princess's secret palace because Cheraan's eyes were wide open, fearing that a rat might come into the palace without her master.
“The rain has stopped. Change your clothes and go to Astel Palace.”
“To Astel Palace? Why?"
“The Duke of Vergy’s royal family came to visit. So, a message came asking you to have dinner with him at Astel Palace. It’s still a little early, but wouldn’t it be nice to go and talk in advance to make you feel better?”
Cheraan did not know that Judith had already met Bartholomew. Judith pretended not to be able to resist the temptation of Cheeran pushing her back, saying that she had to hurry up and get ready, so Judith went into the bathroom, washed her body, and freshened up her appearance. When Mary Ann saw the ash on her sleeve, she burst into tears, asking what trouble she had suffered, and it took time to comfort her.
“Shall we put on some pearl decorations?”
Cheraan asked, looking over her shoulder at Judith's face as she sat in front of the mirror. The white pearls seemed to go very well with the puffed-up, shaped black-blue hair.
“Anything is okay.”
As the time she spent with her increased, Judith's tone of voice toward Cheraan became more relaxed. It was Judith who was stubborn when she tried to force her to tone down her words. It was a satisfying change for Cheraan, considering that over time she would naturally open her heart.
“Your Highness is as uninterested in these things as I am.”
Cheraan burst out laughing. As she was attending to her royal concubine, the people she was more pleased with than anyone else were the Marchioness Ebelta and Cheraan's nurse. Cheeran, who rode a horse with her hair down like a mermaid, opened her sleepy eyes every morning and seemed unable to bear the satisfaction of picking out the accessories.
“It’s not that I’m not interested, it’s that I don’t know much.”
Judith said, blushing slightly. Cheraan wasn't particularly interested in the accessories, but she still had an eye for things, having grown up looking and listening over her shoulder. Cheraan grinned as she put the flawless pearl pin into Judith's hair.
“I don’t know much either, so when I get home these days, I study until my brain explodes. My mother is so happy, shedding tears every night.”
Judith laughed softly at Cheraan's joke. She also liked the fact that her reflection in the mirror was not shabby and shameful.
In her previous life, every time Judith stood in front of others, all she could remember was how embarrassed she looked and wanted to hide. This was especially true in front of Franz. No matter how pathetic the relationship was, he was her only husband, and if she thought that she would look shabby in his eyes, she would often burst into tears out of misery.
But not anymore. Even though there was nothing that could compare to those girls who were as beautiful as flowers in full bloom, Judith did not flinch. It's okay if she isn't so beautiful that Franz loses his mind. What if she's not attractive?
It will be her who crowns him. She would also be the one who would give him a sword with a blue edge and whisper to him to cut off the heads of those he hated with that sword.
If she could do that, it would be nice to have a face. If necessary, it was okay to not have any jewels or silk.
“Shall we go?”
As Judith stood up, Cheraan quickly came to her side. Cheraan was much taller, so when they were together, Judith looked even thinner than she actually was. The long sword proudly stuck at the waist of Cheraan's dress also helped make Judith look relatively weak.
When the two arrived at Astel Palace, the servant told them that Franz and Bartholomew were out to the royal palace. As the day is getting closer, Judith wonders if they can have tea at the garden. Judith walked away with a puzzled feeling. And before she could even leave the corridor leading to the back garden, she heard the sharp sound of metal clashing.
"What is this sound?"
“It’s a sword, Your Highness.”
Cheraan's eyes sparkled. As someone who loved swordsmanship, it seemed like she couldn't bear to hear such a sound in an always quiet Astel Palace.
Arriving at the garden, Judith could not hide her surprised expression. Franz and Bartholomew were sparring in an empty yard where even the servants had retreated. It was admirable to see Bartholomew, who had a massive physique, swinging his sword so nimbly, but Franz, who was no less impressive, was also unusual.
"Ah!"
The moment the sword swung by Bartholomew penetrated Franz's shoulder, Judith was startled and moaned as if she were screaming. However, Bartholomew's sword could not touch a single hair of Franz.
Franz bent his wrist diagonally to let go of a direct attack, and as soon as he got a moment of freedom, he kicked the ground and caught the enemy off guard in the opposite direction. The movement was so precise and sharp that even Cheraan could not believe her eyes.
Kang!
With a sound, one sword fell to the floor first. It was Bartholomew's. He was looking down at the sparring blade that came close to his neck, then he raised both his hands and burst out laughing.
"I lost."
“You need to practice more, Trainee Bartholomew.”
Franz snorted cheerfully. Bartholomew, who was giggling happily despite being defeated and wiping his forehead, finally found Judith and Cheraan standing at the end of the corridor.
“Meeting Your Highness the Princess.”
As Bartholomew bowed, Franz also turned his head. He too was drenched in sweat from head to toe. His cheeks were redder than usual as he rolled up his damp bangs and smiled shyly.
“Did you wait?”
Franz said. But there was no answer from Judith.
“Your Highness.”
Cheraan touched Judith's back at the sudden silence. Judith suddenly started shaking like someone who had just woken up from a nap. A shadow fell over Franz's face as he saw her frozen in silence.
“What happened?”
He came closer in an instant and she felt heat coming from him. Judith unconsciously shook her head and took a step back. Her heart was beating too fast. A thumping sound seemed to flow down her throat and out of her lips.
“Nothing happened...”
“You don’t look good.”
Franz's fingertips touched the hair that fell slightly next to her ear. As his face came closer, Judith's cheeks became red, as if she had been exposed to heat.
"I lost."
“You need to practice more, Trainee Bartholomew.”
Franz snorted cheerfully. Bartholomew, who was giggling happily despite being defeated and wiping his forehead, finally found Judith and Cheraan standing at the end of the corridor.
“Meeting Your Highness the Princess.”
As Bartholomew bowed, Franz also turned his head. He too was drenched in sweat from head to toe. His cheeks were redder than usual as he rolled up his damp bangs and smiled shyly.
“Did you wait?”
Franz said. But there was no answer from Judith.
“Your Highness.”
Cheraan touched Judith's back at the sudden silence. Judith suddenly started shaking like someone who had just woken up from a nap. A shadow fell over Franz's face as he saw her frozen in silence.
“What happened?”
He came closer in an instant and she felt heat coming from him. Judith unconsciously shook her head and took a step back. Her heart was beating too fast. A thumping sound seemed to flow down her throat and out of her lips.
“Nothing happened...”
“You don’t look good.”
Franz's fingertips touched the hair that fell slightly next to her ear. As his face came closer, Judith's cheeks became red, as if she had been exposed to heat.
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