As the uncontrollable anger subsided somewhat, the Duke stared at Judith with an expression of complete disbelief.
All of this came from the head of the Princess, who was only seventeen years old. Is this really reality?
He knew that she was not what she seemed, but never in his wildest dreams did he expect that she would do something so bold.
“I’m embarrassed. I have heard about the Delaka Empire’s academy for a long time, but I have never thought of it like this.”
“It would have been impossible, no matter who thought it if His Majesty had not awakened. It cannot be said that it is the Duke’s fault.”
“I just can't believe it. How on earth did Your Highness...”
It may be that she doubted the King's medicine, but her actions that did not stop there were incredibly skillful and calm.
It must have felt like a sheet of thin ice just to be surrounded by palace guards who were looking for something to catch, but even thinking about it, he couldn't help but be surprised that the King had managed to regain consciousness by avoiding their eyes.
“How long do you think it will take to send the documents to the Empire and hear a response? We are running out of time."
“It won’t take long. This is because if we use a ship owned by the Duke's family, we do not have to undergo detailed inspection when passing through the waters leading to the empire. What is the date by which it must arrive in the Empire?”
“Until the middle of next month.”
Considering that about a third of the month had already passed, time was running out, as Judith said. But the Duke nodded his head with confidence, knowing what she was thinking.
“It will be possible. Even if more time is needed, you may be able to request that the academy make accommodations.”
“If you just do that, I can put my mind at ease a little.”
“Delaka has a friendly relationship with Rotair in many ways. Franz is the eldest son, so he is first in line of succession. Delaka will probably take that into consideration.”
“He does not have the status of Crown Prince yet. Wouldn’t that be a weakness?”
“The empire's laws are different from ours. Even though he is the King's eldest son, he is granted the status of Crown Prince through a separate coronation ceremony, but this is not the case in the Empire. To prevent a scramble for the throne, the eldest son is unconditionally granted the status of Crown Prince or Crown Princess. They know that Franz is the eldest son, so he will treat him as if he were a Crown Prince.”
Judith let out a small sigh as if relieved by the Duke's explanation. The fact that he was deprived of all the rights he should have as the King's eldest son was something he did not want to make known. There was concern that the royal family or nobles of the empire, who did not know the circumstances, would assume that Franz was not a suitable person to succeed to the throne.
“I feel a little more relieved now.”
Judith said that with sincerity. A sad smile appeared on the Duke of Vergy's face.
“Please contact me as soon as things progress. It would be fastest to go through Bartholomew, right?”
“Yes, Your Highness. It will be fast and safe. Even if it looks like that, my son has a big mouth.”
Judith also smiled faintly at the Duke's words. As the problem that had been making her anxious all along seemed to be steadily being resolved, it was difficult for her to control her excitement.
“By the way, how are you going to tell His Highness that His Majesty has awakened?”
“... I thought about that part several times. But I don’t think there is any other way than to be honest.”
“It bothers me that he doesn’t know anything about all this. Have you thought about what to do if he doesn’t want to go to the Empire?”
“...”
Judith closed her mouth and thought for a moment. Franz's reaction when he found out about it was difficult for even her to predict. It was natural for him to be surprised and embarrassed, and even thought that he might even feel angry or betrayed.
But even so, Judith had no intention of giving up on this task in the middle. The possibility of that happening was slim, but if Franz persisted in not going to the Empire, she was willing to do anything in front of him. If she had to get down on her knees and beg, she would do that, and if she had to fall down and bang her head and beg, she would do that too. She could even pretend to die.
If there is no future for Franz, she too is in danger of life or death. This incident, which surprised even the Duke of Vergy, was only the beginning for Judith. If even this doesn't go as planned, what should they do in the future?
However, even though she was so determined, Judith did not think that Franz would betray her trust.
He may be embarrassed, he may be angry, but he will go if she begs. She believed that he would be willing to take the step, even if it was an unwilling step.
He is a kind and considerate person by nature. If Judith explained it sufficiently, she was sure he would understand and understand.
“Your Highness?”
The Duke called her in a curious voice. Judith, waking up from her thoughts, shook her head and looked at him with a clear meaning.
“I will be able to persuade him.”
"Rest assured… You are doing it.”
"Yes. I am... I believe he will understand why I am doing this. I have no choice but to believe.”
The last words sounded almost like a mantra to comfort herself. The Duke saw Judith clenching her fists tightly. The shoulders that were carrying the anxiety and excitement looked unusually young, but Judith herself seemed to be larger than he actually was, which was strange.
The question of how is probably meaningless for now. There were endless questions about the slender girl in front of him, the Princess, who looked like she would collapse even if the sunlight hit her hard, but the Duke didn't ask any of them. He decided to do it.
The doctors were completely unaware of the significant change that had occurred in the King. It was still the case that Judith was called to the Queen every two or three days and scolded as she went, but now she seemed to have gotten used to it and did not get on her nerves toward Judith just because she had been to the Queen's palace.
It was a fortunate thing for Judith. She had Mary Anne prepare a more generous lunch for the King.
Until then, while serving and caring for the King, she had limited him to eating a slice of bread or rice pudding, but at some point, he started taking things like sandwiches, soup, and pies filled with ground vegetables. Mary Anne was more than happy to see Judith eating well, so she meticulously packed her lunch basket every day.
King Jedercayer's body seemed to be improving day by day. He was able to sit up longer and his grip strength gradually returned. His complexion also improved as he was able to eat proper meals rather than watery soups or soaked oatmeal.
“Is it today?”
Judith, who was cutting a sandwich into small pieces, looked up at the King's words. And immediately she answered yes.
“I mean today...”
“Are you nervous Your Majesty?"
“I’m nervous.”
The King laughed softly.
“It’s funny that I’m nervous about meeting my child, but yeah. You are right. I feel nervous.”
Tonight, Judith was planning to disguise Franz and bring him to the King's bed.
She overheard the doctors whispering to each other that Dakar's daughter, who was in charge of the King from evening to the next morning, was about to give birth and would not come to the palace until today and tomorrow.
It was decided to leave the soldiers in charge of security around the palace to the Duke of Vergy. When the sun went down and his room was empty, she would send most of the soldiers on a search under the pretext of seeing a suspicious person wandering around the palace. All Judith had to do was take advantage of the opportunity and bring in Franz, disguised as a servant.
The King said he was not sure whether he would be able to persuade Franz. Judith encouraged him but also put pressure on him that he must succeed. The King felt even more burdened because she was not openly pestering him.
“What are you going to do if Franz persists?”
Judith, who had already heard the same question from the Duke, just laughed quietly. Then she put a small sandwich into the King's mouth and spoke calmly.
“I will get down on my knees and pray.”
“Then do you think Franz will listen?”
“What would Your Majesty have done? If only the lame Queen had asked for something of you so earnestly.”
“Emerea didn’t expect much from me. But no matter what she asked, I would have no choice but to listen in the end. Even if she doesn’t ask me.”
“I think he will too. Just as your Majesty said to the late Queen Mother, perhaps His Highness too...”
“Do you believe in love?”
A red aura spread across Judith's white cheeks as if she had dipped paint into them. The King laughed out loud as if it was cute and funny. However, the answer from Judith was an ambiguous denial.
“He loves me... Rather than saying he did it, I believe it because he resembles you a lot. Just as Your Majesty was kind and generous to the Queen Mother, he is also probably... I think he will.”
“Do you think Franz doesn’t love you?”
Love?
“I’m embarrassed. I have heard about the Delaka Empire’s academy for a long time, but I have never thought of it like this.”
“It would have been impossible, no matter who thought it if His Majesty had not awakened. It cannot be said that it is the Duke’s fault.”
“I just can't believe it. How on earth did Your Highness...”
It may be that she doubted the King's medicine, but her actions that did not stop there were incredibly skillful and calm.
It must have felt like a sheet of thin ice just to be surrounded by palace guards who were looking for something to catch, but even thinking about it, he couldn't help but be surprised that the King had managed to regain consciousness by avoiding their eyes.
“How long do you think it will take to send the documents to the Empire and hear a response? We are running out of time."
“It won’t take long. This is because if we use a ship owned by the Duke's family, we do not have to undergo detailed inspection when passing through the waters leading to the empire. What is the date by which it must arrive in the Empire?”
“Until the middle of next month.”
Considering that about a third of the month had already passed, time was running out, as Judith said. But the Duke nodded his head with confidence, knowing what she was thinking.
“It will be possible. Even if more time is needed, you may be able to request that the academy make accommodations.”
“If you just do that, I can put my mind at ease a little.”
“Delaka has a friendly relationship with Rotair in many ways. Franz is the eldest son, so he is first in line of succession. Delaka will probably take that into consideration.”
“He does not have the status of Crown Prince yet. Wouldn’t that be a weakness?”
“The empire's laws are different from ours. Even though he is the King's eldest son, he is granted the status of Crown Prince through a separate coronation ceremony, but this is not the case in the Empire. To prevent a scramble for the throne, the eldest son is unconditionally granted the status of Crown Prince or Crown Princess. They know that Franz is the eldest son, so he will treat him as if he were a Crown Prince.”
Judith let out a small sigh as if relieved by the Duke's explanation. The fact that he was deprived of all the rights he should have as the King's eldest son was something he did not want to make known. There was concern that the royal family or nobles of the empire, who did not know the circumstances, would assume that Franz was not a suitable person to succeed to the throne.
“I feel a little more relieved now.”
Judith said that with sincerity. A sad smile appeared on the Duke of Vergy's face.
“Please contact me as soon as things progress. It would be fastest to go through Bartholomew, right?”
“Yes, Your Highness. It will be fast and safe. Even if it looks like that, my son has a big mouth.”
Judith also smiled faintly at the Duke's words. As the problem that had been making her anxious all along seemed to be steadily being resolved, it was difficult for her to control her excitement.
“By the way, how are you going to tell His Highness that His Majesty has awakened?”
“... I thought about that part several times. But I don’t think there is any other way than to be honest.”
“It bothers me that he doesn’t know anything about all this. Have you thought about what to do if he doesn’t want to go to the Empire?”
“...”
Judith closed her mouth and thought for a moment. Franz's reaction when he found out about it was difficult for even her to predict. It was natural for him to be surprised and embarrassed, and even thought that he might even feel angry or betrayed.
But even so, Judith had no intention of giving up on this task in the middle. The possibility of that happening was slim, but if Franz persisted in not going to the Empire, she was willing to do anything in front of him. If she had to get down on her knees and beg, she would do that, and if she had to fall down and bang her head and beg, she would do that too. She could even pretend to die.
If there is no future for Franz, she too is in danger of life or death. This incident, which surprised even the Duke of Vergy, was only the beginning for Judith. If even this doesn't go as planned, what should they do in the future?
However, even though she was so determined, Judith did not think that Franz would betray her trust.
He may be embarrassed, he may be angry, but he will go if she begs. She believed that he would be willing to take the step, even if it was an unwilling step.
He is a kind and considerate person by nature. If Judith explained it sufficiently, she was sure he would understand and understand.
“Your Highness?”
The Duke called her in a curious voice. Judith, waking up from her thoughts, shook her head and looked at him with a clear meaning.
“I will be able to persuade him.”
"Rest assured… You are doing it.”
"Yes. I am... I believe he will understand why I am doing this. I have no choice but to believe.”
The last words sounded almost like a mantra to comfort herself. The Duke saw Judith clenching her fists tightly. The shoulders that were carrying the anxiety and excitement looked unusually young, but Judith herself seemed to be larger than he actually was, which was strange.
The question of how is probably meaningless for now. There were endless questions about the slender girl in front of him, the Princess, who looked like she would collapse even if the sunlight hit her hard, but the Duke didn't ask any of them. He decided to do it.
***
The doctors were completely unaware of the significant change that had occurred in the King. It was still the case that Judith was called to the Queen every two or three days and scolded as she went, but now she seemed to have gotten used to it and did not get on her nerves toward Judith just because she had been to the Queen's palace.
It was a fortunate thing for Judith. She had Mary Anne prepare a more generous lunch for the King.
Until then, while serving and caring for the King, she had limited him to eating a slice of bread or rice pudding, but at some point, he started taking things like sandwiches, soup, and pies filled with ground vegetables. Mary Anne was more than happy to see Judith eating well, so she meticulously packed her lunch basket every day.
King Jedercayer's body seemed to be improving day by day. He was able to sit up longer and his grip strength gradually returned. His complexion also improved as he was able to eat proper meals rather than watery soups or soaked oatmeal.
“Is it today?”
Judith, who was cutting a sandwich into small pieces, looked up at the King's words. And immediately she answered yes.
“I mean today...”
“Are you nervous Your Majesty?"
“I’m nervous.”
The King laughed softly.
“It’s funny that I’m nervous about meeting my child, but yeah. You are right. I feel nervous.”
Tonight, Judith was planning to disguise Franz and bring him to the King's bed.
She overheard the doctors whispering to each other that Dakar's daughter, who was in charge of the King from evening to the next morning, was about to give birth and would not come to the palace until today and tomorrow.
It was decided to leave the soldiers in charge of security around the palace to the Duke of Vergy. When the sun went down and his room was empty, she would send most of the soldiers on a search under the pretext of seeing a suspicious person wandering around the palace. All Judith had to do was take advantage of the opportunity and bring in Franz, disguised as a servant.
The King said he was not sure whether he would be able to persuade Franz. Judith encouraged him but also put pressure on him that he must succeed. The King felt even more burdened because she was not openly pestering him.
“What are you going to do if Franz persists?”
Judith, who had already heard the same question from the Duke, just laughed quietly. Then she put a small sandwich into the King's mouth and spoke calmly.
“I will get down on my knees and pray.”
“Then do you think Franz will listen?”
“What would Your Majesty have done? If only the lame Queen had asked for something of you so earnestly.”
“Emerea didn’t expect much from me. But no matter what she asked, I would have no choice but to listen in the end. Even if she doesn’t ask me.”
“I think he will too. Just as your Majesty said to the late Queen Mother, perhaps His Highness too...”
“Do you believe in love?”
A red aura spread across Judith's white cheeks as if she had dipped paint into them. The King laughed out loud as if it was cute and funny. However, the answer from Judith was an ambiguous denial.
“He loves me... Rather than saying he did it, I believe it because he resembles you a lot. Just as Your Majesty was kind and generous to the Queen Mother, he is also probably... I think he will.”
“Do you think Franz doesn’t love you?”
Love?
Judith did not know exactly what the feeling of love was. Her previous life, which was difficult and painful, was too cruel to reflect on such feelings.
"I am... I don't know what love is, Your Majesty. Are concerns and caring and love different?”
“Worrying and caring can also be part of love, but that alone cannot be called love.”
“I don’t know if you would consider me a loving wife. But I know I care for him.”
“Love is defined by everyone. Also, even if your loving heart is the same, how you accept it changes over time. So I can’t guarantee that I know everything, but if Franz is like you like I said, I can’t help but think of you as a wife worth loving.”
Judith, who was quietly chewing the corner of the sandwich, looked confused at the King's words, but her expression brightened slightly.
"I am... I don't know what love is, Your Majesty. Are concerns and caring and love different?”
“Worrying and caring can also be part of love, but that alone cannot be called love.”
“I don’t know if you would consider me a loving wife. But I know I care for him.”
“Love is defined by everyone. Also, even if your loving heart is the same, how you accept it changes over time. So I can’t guarantee that I know everything, but if Franz is like you like I said, I can’t help but think of you as a wife worth loving.”
Judith, who was quietly chewing the corner of the sandwich, looked confused at the King's words, but her expression brightened slightly.
Try this series too:
- To Help You Understand [Ongoing]
- The Cup Of Revenge Is In Your Hand [Ongoing]
- I Ended Up Living Up Next Door With My Ex-Husband [Ongoing]
- The Crown I Will Take From You [ New!]
- The Terminally Ill Princess Hold The Least Of A Mad Dog [Ongoing]
- The Fake Daughter of the Brium Family [New!]
- The Princess Imprints The Traitor [Ongoing]
- If Regrets Keeps Us Alive [New!]
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