Franz was embarrassed when he finished eating all the ice cream, saying that it was like having dessert before dinner. Judith said she would be full just by eating ice cream, but just in time, the chef brought her some cheese and a simple vegetable dish on toasted bread. As the sunset was setting, the two sat across from each other and enjoyed a light meal.
“But you...”
Judith wiped the crumbs from her fingertips with the edge of a napkin and began to speak carefully.
“Why do you never come to see His Majesty?”
Franz, who was chewing a small corner of bread, slowly stopped moving. His gaze as he looked at Judith did not contain much emotion, but for a moment, a strange sense of despondency, or a light-like melancholy, passed by.
“It’s because the Queen doesn’t want it.”
Franz answered briefly. It was only after she asked that he guessed that it would be true, but when he actually heard it, it was heartbreaking to the point of embarrassment.
“It’s been a long time since I saw my father.”
It's a cruel story. However, there was no vivid anger or longing in Franz's eyes. Only the cloudy residue of emotions was revealed as if reminiscing about something that had been given up a long time ago.
Judith wrinkled her forehead and was lost in thought. If King Jedercayer is alive and well, Queen Gilsis may not like the fact that Franz visits him frequently. If the King had not been sick in the first place, Franz would have already ascended to the position of Crown Prince, but even if that were the case, the Queen would not have given up on passing the throne to Krald.
But is it really necessary now? The King has been unconscious for several years, so why should Franz be prevented from going to see him?
‘Perhaps Your Highness...'
The doubts that were in the back of her mind continued to grow. Judith raised her head straight, thinking about letting Franz know the story, but soon changed her mind.
First of all, she has to wait calmly. Since she had requested an investigation through Cheraan and Bartholomew, it was important to remain cautious until the results came out. If the King was truly suffering from a rare disease whose cause was unknown, Judith would have to rush to find another way.
But if not...
“We take turns getting into trouble.”
Franz laughed briefly. Judith quickly straightened her frown and changed the subject a little.
“When I keep looking at your face these days, it’s amazing to me that you look a lot like His Majesty.”
"Exactly?"
Franz, who gave a short answer as was his habit, quickly added, remembering Bartholomew's words, 'Treat her more kindly, so that you don't embarrass her when you talk.'
“Which part?”
“The shape of the forehead... Even the shape of the eyes and nose. Your Majesty always closes his eyes, so I don’t know what it will be like when he opens them.”
“Ever since I was young, I have often heard that I resemble my mother and not my father. The nannies and maids who took care of me used to tease my mother, wondering if she gave birth to me alone.”
Come to think of it, Franz doesn't have very thick lines for a man. Bartholomew's facial features, face, and body outlines were clear and solid, but compared to him, Franz was rather delicate. The thin outline, coupled with the sad expression, always gave the viewer a sad and strange feeling.
“My hair and eye color, everything was inherited from my mother.”
Unlike Franz, King Jedercayer had hair that was closer to light brown. His eyes seemed to be closer to gray than Judith remembered.
Judith suddenly thought that it was because of the previous Queen that Queen Gilsis did not allow Franz to go to see the King.
When King Jedercayer regained consciousness, Queen Gilsis may have been anxious that he might suddenly regain his energy upon seeing his son, who looked just like the late Queen whom he missed so much, sitting next to him.
Judith thought that this too could be an opportunity. Isn't the passionate love story between King Jedercayer and the late Queen a story that even the maids would say was like a sad romantic novel?
“I didn’t know that you resembled the late Queen so much. I'm curious about what the late Queen Mother looked like, and I would like to see her portrait.”
Not only in this life but also in her last life, Judith had never seen a portrait of the late Queen. Direct royal family members usually draw several portraits and display them in various places. In fact, the portrait of King Jedercayer hung in the largest hall of the palace, and in the hallway where portraits of past Kings were displayed, but Judith had never seen a portrait of Queen Emerea anywhere.
She wonder if the Queen hid it somewhere. But wouldn’t Franz know its location?
“I didn’t know that you resembled the late Queen so much. I'm curious about what the late Queen Mother looked like, and I would like to see her portrait.”
Not only in this life but also in her last life, Judith had never seen a portrait of the late Queen. Direct royal family members usually draw several portraits and display them in various places. In fact, the portrait of King Jedercayer hung in the largest hall of the palace, and in the hallway where portraits of past Kings were displayed, but Judith had never seen a portrait of Queen Emerea anywhere.
She wonder if the Queen hid it somewhere. But wouldn’t Franz know its location?
Judith had that hope. However, it was shattered by Franz's words that immediately followed.
“There is not a single portrait of my mother left in the palace.”
“Not a single portrait...There’s nothing left?”
“When the current Queen ascended to her position, if there were portraits of the late Queen who died from illness hanging everywhere, she was said to be ominous, so they were all burned. I wanted to sneak even just one piece out, but I was too young at the time.”
Judith's lips trembled. When she cupped her face and looked as if she was about to burst into tears, Franz smiled faintly and shook his head, as if he wanted to comfort her.
“If you go to the Duke’s residence, there might be a portrait of my mother as a child left behind. I will talk to my uncle next time he comes.”
He seemed to think that the reason Judith was crying was because she was sad that she couldn't see the portrait. Judith quickly turned her head to hide the tears that seemed to overflow at any moment.
How can it be so terrible?
When the late Queen Mother died of illness, Franz was a child less than ten years old. What would a child who was so scared and devastated by the loss of his mother think as he saw the only things that would remind him of his mother being reduced to ashes in the fire?
“There is not a single portrait of my mother left in the palace.”
“Not a single portrait...There’s nothing left?”
“When the current Queen ascended to her position, if there were portraits of the late Queen who died from illness hanging everywhere, she was said to be ominous, so they were all burned. I wanted to sneak even just one piece out, but I was too young at the time.”
Judith's lips trembled. When she cupped her face and looked as if she was about to burst into tears, Franz smiled faintly and shook his head, as if he wanted to comfort her.
“If you go to the Duke’s residence, there might be a portrait of my mother as a child left behind. I will talk to my uncle next time he comes.”
He seemed to think that the reason Judith was crying was because she was sad that she couldn't see the portrait. Judith quickly turned her head to hide the tears that seemed to overflow at any moment.
How can it be so terrible?
When the late Queen Mother died of illness, Franz was a child less than ten years old. What would a child who was so scared and devastated by the loss of his mother think as he saw the only things that would remind him of his mother being reduced to ashes in the fire?
Judith couldn't even imagine how hurt he must have been as he thought about his mother being treated so sinisterly and unpleasantly.
"...Don't cry. I didn't mean to make you cry. I'll ask my uncle and get a portrait...”
“I’m not crying because of the portrait.”
In the end, Judith, holding her face, answered in a choked voice.
“I’m sad that you went through something like that, that’s why I’m crying.”
Franz's hand, which took out a handkerchief and handed it to Judith, paused in the air for a moment. A small tremor appeared in his eyes as he stared at Judith, who was shaking her shoulders and sobbing. He gently wiped Judith's eyes with the corner of his handkerchief. The tears that were constantly flowing were silently soaking Franz's feet like a swollen river.
The more flawlessly Judith worked, the more lax and lazy the doctors became. Dakar, the most senior, said in front of the Queen that he would keep a close eye on Judith, but when he came to work, he did not even lift a finger, let alone keep an eye on her.
“From today, Your Highness, please take a bowl of His Majesty’s medicine.”
Judith's eyes sparkled at Dakar's harsh words.
Take to the medicine several times. This means that Judith is in charge of making the medicine and even feeding it. It was said that they would pass on even the bare minimum of work that a royal doctor should do, but to Judith, who was going crazy wondering what they were feeding the King, there was nothing more welcome than that.
“I will.”
When the answer came back more obedient than expected, Dakar's pale eyebrows rose. But it only lasted a day or two that Judith behaved obediently. He turned his head, making a snorting sound as if it was no big deal.
“The medicine is prepared in advance by the doctor in charge every night. If you go to the kitchen, there is a small ring cauldron. Heat it up and give it to His Majesty. Offer the same thing as water or soup, but you must give everything in the pot.”
“I understand.”
After hearing the explanation, Judith went down to the kitchen and found that the empty ring cauldron was half full of medicine. When she poured it into a bowl, the color looked similar to what she used to eat when she was young. It looked like maroon, or it looked like dark green.
'It doesn't smell either.'
Judith put her nose to the pot and inhaled, but there was no smell from the medicine. Judith warmed the medicine just enough to make it warm and returned to bed. As she gently put a soft cloth between the King's teeth, like pouring water or soup, and spooned the medicine little by little, she could see it slowly going down the back of his throat even though he was unconscious.
“Dakar.”
Judith, who was halfway through the medicine, stuck her head out into the separate room and called out to the palace doctor. The old court doctor only stuck out his face with an expression that seemed like he was going to die of annoyance.
“Why are you doing that?”
“What ingredients is this medicine made from?”
“Why are you asking that?”
“When I was young, I was very weak and took medicine often, but all the medicine I took back then had a terrible smell and an unbearably bitter taste. However, this medicine you are taking does not have any smell, so I am asking because I am curious.”
The soft, wrinkled lips murmured for a moment. Judith couldn't tell if it was because he was trying to make up an excuse, or if he was offended by Judith asking a useless question.
“The reason the medicine His Majesty takes does not smell is because the herbs were mixed separately to prevent the smell.”
"...Right."
If she asks him to tell her what herbs and how much were mixed together, Dakar will look suspicious. Judith nodded with a nonchalant expression, as if all her questions had been answered at that point, and then focused on taking the medicine again. When the spoon lightly hit his teeth, King Jedercayer's eyelids seemed to flutter slightly for a moment, but she soon realized it was an illusion.
'Your Majesty.'
Judith was suddenly looking at the King's motionless face with sad eyes.
'I don't want it for myself. Please open your eyes for Franz's sake and for your son who is withering day by day.'
For him who couldn't even leave behind a single portrait of his mother. Judith poured the medicine with a prayerful spirit.
"...Don't cry. I didn't mean to make you cry. I'll ask my uncle and get a portrait...”
“I’m not crying because of the portrait.”
In the end, Judith, holding her face, answered in a choked voice.
“I’m sad that you went through something like that, that’s why I’m crying.”
Franz's hand, which took out a handkerchief and handed it to Judith, paused in the air for a moment. A small tremor appeared in his eyes as he stared at Judith, who was shaking her shoulders and sobbing. He gently wiped Judith's eyes with the corner of his handkerchief. The tears that were constantly flowing were silently soaking Franz's feet like a swollen river.
***
The more flawlessly Judith worked, the more lax and lazy the doctors became. Dakar, the most senior, said in front of the Queen that he would keep a close eye on Judith, but when he came to work, he did not even lift a finger, let alone keep an eye on her.
“From today, Your Highness, please take a bowl of His Majesty’s medicine.”
Judith's eyes sparkled at Dakar's harsh words.
Take to the medicine several times. This means that Judith is in charge of making the medicine and even feeding it. It was said that they would pass on even the bare minimum of work that a royal doctor should do, but to Judith, who was going crazy wondering what they were feeding the King, there was nothing more welcome than that.
“I will.”
When the answer came back more obedient than expected, Dakar's pale eyebrows rose. But it only lasted a day or two that Judith behaved obediently. He turned his head, making a snorting sound as if it was no big deal.
“The medicine is prepared in advance by the doctor in charge every night. If you go to the kitchen, there is a small ring cauldron. Heat it up and give it to His Majesty. Offer the same thing as water or soup, but you must give everything in the pot.”
“I understand.”
After hearing the explanation, Judith went down to the kitchen and found that the empty ring cauldron was half full of medicine. When she poured it into a bowl, the color looked similar to what she used to eat when she was young. It looked like maroon, or it looked like dark green.
'It doesn't smell either.'
Judith put her nose to the pot and inhaled, but there was no smell from the medicine. Judith warmed the medicine just enough to make it warm and returned to bed. As she gently put a soft cloth between the King's teeth, like pouring water or soup, and spooned the medicine little by little, she could see it slowly going down the back of his throat even though he was unconscious.
“Dakar.”
Judith, who was halfway through the medicine, stuck her head out into the separate room and called out to the palace doctor. The old court doctor only stuck out his face with an expression that seemed like he was going to die of annoyance.
“Why are you doing that?”
“What ingredients is this medicine made from?”
“Why are you asking that?”
“When I was young, I was very weak and took medicine often, but all the medicine I took back then had a terrible smell and an unbearably bitter taste. However, this medicine you are taking does not have any smell, so I am asking because I am curious.”
The soft, wrinkled lips murmured for a moment. Judith couldn't tell if it was because he was trying to make up an excuse, or if he was offended by Judith asking a useless question.
“The reason the medicine His Majesty takes does not smell is because the herbs were mixed separately to prevent the smell.”
"...Right."
If she asks him to tell her what herbs and how much were mixed together, Dakar will look suspicious. Judith nodded with a nonchalant expression, as if all her questions had been answered at that point, and then focused on taking the medicine again. When the spoon lightly hit his teeth, King Jedercayer's eyelids seemed to flutter slightly for a moment, but she soon realized it was an illusion.
'Your Majesty.'
Judith was suddenly looking at the King's motionless face with sad eyes.
'I don't want it for myself. Please open your eyes for Franz's sake and for your son who is withering day by day.'
For him who couldn't even leave behind a single portrait of his mother. Judith poured the medicine with a prayerful spirit.
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