Her face, with her makeup smeared and messed up from tears, glanced down at Anne Mille. Anne Mille quickly got up without missing that brief moment. Then, after sitting Libencia down on the sofa, she quickly sat down next to her. She also held her cold hand, which was shaking from anger.
“Miss Libencia, think about it. Who is it that makes you so angry right now?”
“Who? It’s because of him!”
Anne Mille sighed deeply as if to tell her to listen to the answer that came out without waiting even for a single second.
“That may be so, but who is the reason that Your Highness Krald is treating Lady Libencia so coldly? It’s because of that woman who disappeared, isn’t it?”
Anne Mille never criticized Krald in front of Libencia, even though she knew what kind of person he was. She was afraid that the words would leak out from other people's mouths, and she also knew that it would be better for her if she did something that could harm her even a little bit, not to come forward.
However, she could not completely ignore the conflict between Saragan and Libencia. First of all, she was under pressure from Count Montfort to support Libencia as a top priority, and if Libencia were to be completely pushed out of Krald’s interest, it would not be good for her either.
If Libencia were to return to the capital, it was clear that the current Krald would not even try to find her. That is unless Saragan suddenly disappeared.
Who would readily marry her, who was rumored to be Krald's mistress even before she became an adult?
“That’s because His Highness Krald loves Saragan! Surely you wouldn’t want to treat such a woman as royalty of a country. So, Lady Libencia, just do as I say.”
Regardless of whether she believed Anne Mille or not, Libencia could not help but feel tempted. This was because she could clearly foresee what would happen in the future if she continued on this path. If Krald were to suddenly make Saragan the Princess, then there would be no turning back.
“...Okay, tell me. What do you want me to do?”
Anne Mille put her lips to Libencia's ear. The hot, damp breath was unpleasant, but Libencia endured it by tightly closing her eyes.
The sun was shining brightly for once. The gardeners were busy trying to keep the plants in the garden from freezing to the roots before the weather turned completely cold, and the servants were running around all day, smearing soot on the chimneys of the large fireplaces to make sure they weren't clogged.
Judith stood at the window of the room overlooking the garden, watching the gardeners cover the tree trunks with straw and prune the bushes that were susceptible to frost. The sunlight hitting the glass and the bars made a grid pattern on the white table. Judith looked down at the slanted squares of light and touched one of them with her finger.
Queen Gilsis, Duke Laetian, and Krald. And even Iland. They are people who must be eliminated at all costs for Franz to succeed to the throne smoothly. The important issue was how to bring the isolated Grand Duchy of Melgan into this situation due to the chaos in the south and the destruction of Catania.
'Your Highness sent a letter to the Grand Duke of Melgulan, so we will have to wait and see what his response will be... but the Grand Duke will probably not refuse to cooperate with Rotair. If you think about the situation of the Duchy calmly, you will know that you cannot just trust Krald, who could explode at any moment.'
Whether the Grand Duke of Melgan took Rotair's hand or rejected it, the situation in the south was becoming more precarious by the minute. Rotair, who shared a border with them, was also at high risk of being drawn into the conflict, so it was a good idea to make them self-destruct at any cost. If the Grand Duke of Melgan was capable of thinking politically, he would have made the same prediction as Judith.
'We must find a way to separate Krald from the United Kingdom before he joins forces with it and pull Melgan's forces to our side by any means necessary. Then, some of the small southern states that follow the Duchy's lead will join in and... Ahh.'
Her head started to hurt as her thoughts trailed off. Lately, she had been getting headaches often without any warning. Judith, who had been tapping the table with her fingertips, lowered her head and rubbed her forehead. At that moment, she heard a commotion outside. The person who opened the door and came in was Franz, and unexpectedly, the palace doctor.
"Your Highness."
Judith stood up from her seat and was momentarily confused when she saw the doctor following Franz. Then, a worried expression spread across her face.
“Your Highness, are you feeling unwell?”
It was still broad daylight. According to today's schedule, Franz should have been meeting with officials by now. He had been busy drafting a budget to help the poor in each territory all winter, and he had not had time to get up from his chair. Judith was naturally surprised when he suddenly back to the palace.
But Franz's expression looked more serious than if he was in pain. The court doctor, who was awkwardly bending over, was watching him with a helpless expression. Judith asked.
“Your Highness, what is the matter? And why did you bring the palace doctor here?”
“I heard you haven’t been feeling well lately. Why didn’t you tell me?”
A puzzled look appeared on Judith's face as she did not immediately understand what he was saying. Then, suddenly, as if she had realized something, she opened her lips slightly.
“Did Mary Ann tell you?”
“It’s not just Mary Anne. Cheraan has said the same thing to me. All the maids in the Nation Palace have been saying that you haven’t been feeling well lately, so why haven’t you said anything?”
There was a hint of displeasure in Franz’s tone. Perhaps because of his experience, he was particularly sensitive to Judith’s ignorance of what was happening to her. Judith frowned and smiled, somewhat embarrassed, as she saw the court doctor begin to dab the sweat from her forehead with a handkerchief, even though it was not hot weather.
“Your Highness, that’s... really nothing to worry about. It’s just that the seasons are changing, so I'm probably sleepy and tired a lot.”
“You can’t guarantee that can you? Okay, show it to the palace doctor.”
Judith sat down on the chair obediently, although she wondered if it was really necessary to call the doctor. There was not a single symptom serious enough to be considered an illness, but there was no reason to refuse to be examined either.
The court doctor took out a small notebook and several instruments for examination from a small leather box. He asked Judith about some of the symptoms she had felt recently and recorded her answers one by one in the notebook.
Judith had a calm expression as she answered the palace doctor's questions, but on the contrary, the palace doctor tilted his head with a strange expression as he listened to her answers. Franz, who had been watching him with an anxious expression, couldn't help but intervene.
“Is there something wrong with the Crown Princess’s body?”
The letters scribbled in the notebook were so messy that it was hard to read them. Instead of answering Franz’s question, the doctor rummaged through the box again with somewhat hasty hands and took out a thin, long glass tube from it. Then he looked at Judith once, and then at Franz.
“Your Highness, I know it is presumptuous of you to ask, but please step aside for a moment.”
Judith and Franz were both surprised to hear that. Franz shook his head firmly.
“Say anything in front of me.”
“No, I..m I cannot properly examine you if His Highness the Crown Prince is present.”
As the palace doctor fidgeted and kept nodding his head, the maids standing around also began to whisper among themselves with puzzled and worried expressions. Franz stood firm as if he could never do that.
“Why on earth are you telling me to leave? Are you going to tell all the palace maids here to leave as well?”
“The, uh, the palace maids are fine. Your Highness, I really need to examine Her Highness, so please just wait a moment....”
“Your Highness, please do as the palace doctor says.”
Franz, whose face was covered in a terrifying expression and whose anger was rising to the top of his head, turned around to look at Judith.
“Judith, now...”
“Isn’t it to examine me? Your Highness is worried about my health and has brought the palace doctor. So you must do as the palace doctor says. Otherwise, we will never know whether I am sick or not.”
Judith did not think that the doctor had any ulterior motives. Rather, she thought that there must have been something wrong with her body since he was trying to send Franz away. She did not know what the problem was, but if it was a serious illness that could not be treated, she wanted to prepare herself before telling Franz.
“I’ll be right outside.”
“Yes, Your Highness. It will be over soon. It will be no big deal.”
“Palace doctor, examine the Crown Princess carefully. Do you understand?”
“I will do so, Your Highness.”
Despite his firm resolve, Franz looked back at Judith several times, perhaps still worried, before finally leaving the door. Only then did Judith look at the palace in front of her with a serious expression.
“Miss Libencia, think about it. Who is it that makes you so angry right now?”
“Who? It’s because of him!”
Anne Mille sighed deeply as if to tell her to listen to the answer that came out without waiting even for a single second.
“That may be so, but who is the reason that Your Highness Krald is treating Lady Libencia so coldly? It’s because of that woman who disappeared, isn’t it?”
Anne Mille never criticized Krald in front of Libencia, even though she knew what kind of person he was. She was afraid that the words would leak out from other people's mouths, and she also knew that it would be better for her if she did something that could harm her even a little bit, not to come forward.
However, she could not completely ignore the conflict between Saragan and Libencia. First of all, she was under pressure from Count Montfort to support Libencia as a top priority, and if Libencia were to be completely pushed out of Krald’s interest, it would not be good for her either.
If Libencia were to return to the capital, it was clear that the current Krald would not even try to find her. That is unless Saragan suddenly disappeared.
Who would readily marry her, who was rumored to be Krald's mistress even before she became an adult?
Although Libencia was attractive, she was not a woman with a good reputation in high society. If she was not Krald's mistress, at least to Anne Mille, she was nothing more than a worthless nuisance. So there was no choice but to stop her at all costs.
“Even so, what can I do? If there’s something I like, I won’t give up no matter what anyone says. I’ve been like that since I was little! Saragan stays by his side day and night, nagging at me. How can I get her away? She won’t even let me near him!”
“That’s right! As long as Saragan is by his side, there’s no chance for Lady Libencia. So what should we do?”
Libencia blinked her frowning eyes. Her lips continued to quiver.
“What you’re saying is, let’s get rid of Saragan?”
“I’m just trying to recruit one of the maids currently serving her. You don’t need more than one. Just one will do!”
"Is it because you don't know how flirtatious those girls are to Saragan? they have no pride or shame. The beasts that have been driving are gathering together and supporting the Princess with what they call them."
“Even so, what can I do? If there’s something I like, I won’t give up no matter what anyone says. I’ve been like that since I was little! Saragan stays by his side day and night, nagging at me. How can I get her away? She won’t even let me near him!”
“That’s right! As long as Saragan is by his side, there’s no chance for Lady Libencia. So what should we do?”
Libencia blinked her frowning eyes. Her lips continued to quiver.
“What you’re saying is, let’s get rid of Saragan?”
“I’m just trying to recruit one of the maids currently serving her. You don’t need more than one. Just one will do!”
"Is it because you don't know how flirtatious those girls are to Saragan? they have no pride or shame. The beasts that have been driving are gathering together and supporting the Princess with what they call them."
“That’s because His Highness Krald loves Saragan! Surely you wouldn’t want to treat such a woman as royalty of a country. So, Lady Libencia, just do as I say.”
Regardless of whether she believed Anne Mille or not, Libencia could not help but feel tempted. This was because she could clearly foresee what would happen in the future if she continued on this path. If Krald were to suddenly make Saragan the Princess, then there would be no turning back.
“...Okay, tell me. What do you want me to do?”
Anne Mille put her lips to Libencia's ear. The hot, damp breath was unpleasant, but Libencia endured it by tightly closing her eyes.
***
The sun was shining brightly for once. The gardeners were busy trying to keep the plants in the garden from freezing to the roots before the weather turned completely cold, and the servants were running around all day, smearing soot on the chimneys of the large fireplaces to make sure they weren't clogged.
Judith stood at the window of the room overlooking the garden, watching the gardeners cover the tree trunks with straw and prune the bushes that were susceptible to frost. The sunlight hitting the glass and the bars made a grid pattern on the white table. Judith looked down at the slanted squares of light and touched one of them with her finger.
Queen Gilsis, Duke Laetian, and Krald. And even Iland. They are people who must be eliminated at all costs for Franz to succeed to the throne smoothly. The important issue was how to bring the isolated Grand Duchy of Melgan into this situation due to the chaos in the south and the destruction of Catania.
'Your Highness sent a letter to the Grand Duke of Melgulan, so we will have to wait and see what his response will be... but the Grand Duke will probably not refuse to cooperate with Rotair. If you think about the situation of the Duchy calmly, you will know that you cannot just trust Krald, who could explode at any moment.'
Whether the Grand Duke of Melgan took Rotair's hand or rejected it, the situation in the south was becoming more precarious by the minute. Rotair, who shared a border with them, was also at high risk of being drawn into the conflict, so it was a good idea to make them self-destruct at any cost. If the Grand Duke of Melgan was capable of thinking politically, he would have made the same prediction as Judith.
'We must find a way to separate Krald from the United Kingdom before he joins forces with it and pull Melgan's forces to our side by any means necessary. Then, some of the small southern states that follow the Duchy's lead will join in and... Ahh.'
Her head started to hurt as her thoughts trailed off. Lately, she had been getting headaches often without any warning. Judith, who had been tapping the table with her fingertips, lowered her head and rubbed her forehead. At that moment, she heard a commotion outside. The person who opened the door and came in was Franz, and unexpectedly, the palace doctor.
"Your Highness."
Judith stood up from her seat and was momentarily confused when she saw the doctor following Franz. Then, a worried expression spread across her face.
“Your Highness, are you feeling unwell?”
It was still broad daylight. According to today's schedule, Franz should have been meeting with officials by now. He had been busy drafting a budget to help the poor in each territory all winter, and he had not had time to get up from his chair. Judith was naturally surprised when he suddenly back to the palace.
But Franz's expression looked more serious than if he was in pain. The court doctor, who was awkwardly bending over, was watching him with a helpless expression. Judith asked.
“Your Highness, what is the matter? And why did you bring the palace doctor here?”
“I heard you haven’t been feeling well lately. Why didn’t you tell me?”
A puzzled look appeared on Judith's face as she did not immediately understand what he was saying. Then, suddenly, as if she had realized something, she opened her lips slightly.
“Did Mary Ann tell you?”
“It’s not just Mary Anne. Cheraan has said the same thing to me. All the maids in the Nation Palace have been saying that you haven’t been feeling well lately, so why haven’t you said anything?”
There was a hint of displeasure in Franz’s tone. Perhaps because of his experience, he was particularly sensitive to Judith’s ignorance of what was happening to her. Judith frowned and smiled, somewhat embarrassed, as she saw the court doctor begin to dab the sweat from her forehead with a handkerchief, even though it was not hot weather.
“Your Highness, that’s... really nothing to worry about. It’s just that the seasons are changing, so I'm probably sleepy and tired a lot.”
“You can’t guarantee that can you? Okay, show it to the palace doctor.”
Judith sat down on the chair obediently, although she wondered if it was really necessary to call the doctor. There was not a single symptom serious enough to be considered an illness, but there was no reason to refuse to be examined either.
The court doctor took out a small notebook and several instruments for examination from a small leather box. He asked Judith about some of the symptoms she had felt recently and recorded her answers one by one in the notebook.
Judith had a calm expression as she answered the palace doctor's questions, but on the contrary, the palace doctor tilted his head with a strange expression as he listened to her answers. Franz, who had been watching him with an anxious expression, couldn't help but intervene.
“Is there something wrong with the Crown Princess’s body?”
The letters scribbled in the notebook were so messy that it was hard to read them. Instead of answering Franz’s question, the doctor rummaged through the box again with somewhat hasty hands and took out a thin, long glass tube from it. Then he looked at Judith once, and then at Franz.
“Your Highness, I know it is presumptuous of you to ask, but please step aside for a moment.”
Judith and Franz were both surprised to hear that. Franz shook his head firmly.
“Say anything in front of me.”
“No, I..m I cannot properly examine you if His Highness the Crown Prince is present.”
As the palace doctor fidgeted and kept nodding his head, the maids standing around also began to whisper among themselves with puzzled and worried expressions. Franz stood firm as if he could never do that.
“Why on earth are you telling me to leave? Are you going to tell all the palace maids here to leave as well?”
“The, uh, the palace maids are fine. Your Highness, I really need to examine Her Highness, so please just wait a moment....”
“Your Highness, please do as the palace doctor says.”
Franz, whose face was covered in a terrifying expression and whose anger was rising to the top of his head, turned around to look at Judith.
“Judith, now...”
“Isn’t it to examine me? Your Highness is worried about my health and has brought the palace doctor. So you must do as the palace doctor says. Otherwise, we will never know whether I am sick or not.”
Judith did not think that the doctor had any ulterior motives. Rather, she thought that there must have been something wrong with her body since he was trying to send Franz away. She did not know what the problem was, but if it was a serious illness that could not be treated, she wanted to prepare herself before telling Franz.
“I’ll be right outside.”
“Yes, Your Highness. It will be over soon. It will be no big deal.”
“Palace doctor, examine the Crown Princess carefully. Do you understand?”
“I will do so, Your Highness.”
Despite his firm resolve, Franz looked back at Judith several times, perhaps still worried, before finally leaving the door. Only then did Judith look at the palace in front of her with a serious expression.
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