“Why not?”
Erdene’s tone was fierce as if saying, ‘I won’t leave you alone unless you give me a convincing reason,’ but Sophia was also perfectly accustomed to her fierce atmosphere, so it wasn’t very effective.
Just as Erdene had thought at first, Sophia was an interesting person the more she saw her, but more than anything, her indifference and dullness were out of this world. Unlike her mother.
Sophia said.
“If you keep doing that, Your Majesty’s writing skills will never improve.”
“So why don’t you just keep writing for me?”
“What if I suddenly die tomorrow?”
Erdene’s lips opened quietly.
She looked like a three-year-old who had no idea what Sophia was talking about. She looked like a child who didn’t even know what death was.
'That’s... an unexpected answer.'
“If it were a battlefield where you could fall down dead even if you just stood still, why would you think that when you live in such a quiet place?”
Sophia replied nonchalantly.
“Because we’re human. Doesn’t everyone gradually approach death from the moment they’re born? No one knows where that will end. I don’t know if I have seven hours left or seventy years left. So it would be much more economical and stable for Your Majesty to learn how to write in the common language.”
Then, Sophia handed Erdene a piece of paper, still bewildered.
Erdene, who had been furrowing her eyebrows in curiosity, furrowed her lips and furrowed her cheeks.
“What is this?”
“You know what I’m talking about.”
“[Early Beginning Beautiful Handwriting Practice Textboo]?”
Sophia nodded and made a clapping motion with her fingertips.
“It’s a page torn from the textbook I used when I was five. I finished it in three pages.”
“Are you testing me to see how much you can turn my insides upside down?”
“No way, Your Majesty. I can guarantee that it’s hard to find a textbook as good as that one. My father made it himself. My father is well-versed in literature, and he especially... hates people with bad handwriting.”
Sophia said.
“If you keep doing that, Your Majesty’s writing skills will never improve.”
“So why don’t you just keep writing for me?”
“What if I suddenly die tomorrow?”
Erdene’s lips opened quietly.
She looked like a three-year-old who had no idea what Sophia was talking about. She looked like a child who didn’t even know what death was.
'That’s... an unexpected answer.'
“If it were a battlefield where you could fall down dead even if you just stood still, why would you think that when you live in such a quiet place?”
Sophia replied nonchalantly.
“Because we’re human. Doesn’t everyone gradually approach death from the moment they’re born? No one knows where that will end. I don’t know if I have seven hours left or seventy years left. So it would be much more economical and stable for Your Majesty to learn how to write in the common language.”
Then, Sophia handed Erdene a piece of paper, still bewildered.
Erdene, who had been furrowing her eyebrows in curiosity, furrowed her lips and furrowed her cheeks.
“What is this?”
“You know what I’m talking about.”
“[Early Beginning Beautiful Handwriting Practice Textboo]?”
Sophia nodded and made a clapping motion with her fingertips.
“It’s a page torn from the textbook I used when I was five. I finished it in three pages.”
“Are you testing me to see how much you can turn my insides upside down?”
“No way, Your Majesty. I can guarantee that it’s hard to find a textbook as good as that one. My father made it himself. My father is well-versed in literature, and he especially... hates people with bad handwriting.”
“He’d want to kill me if he saw me. Your father, I mean. My father couldn’t fix my handwriting either.”
“Until he kills me. But he’ll come see you every day. And he will solemnly and respectfully request that you practice your writing for an hour.”
Erdene, her arms hanging loosely, sighed into the air.
Then she picked up a long piece of paper spread out on one side of the desk and shook it.
“Would you tell me that your father’s name is not on this audience list, Sophia?”
Sophia nodded.
“Not yet. My mother was banished and disciplined for her rude behavior toward His Majesty and the Queen, and my father said that he would not be entering the palace for the time being. He usually spends his time reading or writing in his study.”
“Until he kills me. But he’ll come see you every day. And he will solemnly and respectfully request that you practice your writing for an hour.”
Erdene, her arms hanging loosely, sighed into the air.
Then she picked up a long piece of paper spread out on one side of the desk and shook it.
“Would you tell me that your father’s name is not on this audience list, Sophia?”
Sophia nodded.
“Not yet. My mother was banished and disciplined for her rude behavior toward His Majesty and the Queen, and my father said that he would not be entering the palace for the time being. He usually spends his time reading or writing in his study.”
That makes sense, Erdene thought.
Just when she thought Sophia looked nothing like Marchioness Fiddler, she turned out to be just like her father.
Just when she thought Sophia looked nothing like Marchioness Fiddler, she turned out to be just like her father.
“He must not be frivolous, I mean, your father.”
Sophia nodded as if to confirm that.
“He is very strict.”
Erdene sighed again and looked at the paper in her hand. It was densely written with dates, times, and names she didn’t even know. It was a list of audiences from the Vetor nobles who were planning to meet the new Queen.
“Practicing your writing is one thing, but why are there so many people to see? I should have just told them to come in all at once.”
Sophia calmly corrected her.
“Unfortunately, Your Majesty. They’re not coming in, they’re just coming to get your stamp of approval.”
At that moment, a familiar, sarcastic smile appeared on Erdene’s face. She scanned the list with a half-contemptuous, half-ridiculous expression.
“They’re not coming to get their stamp of approval, but to evaluate me. Isn’t that right?”
Sophia didn’t respond. Erdene threw the paper away and suddenly took out a small jewelry box and opened the lid. Then he took out the small trinkets inside and made a very funny expression.
“Hmm, this is the new Queen that just came in. Hirschsten? They say all those from there are shabby and unsightly. No, this is better than a red-faced, bumpy potato. Okay, I’ll give you ten coins.”
Erdene slid her fingers over the small rings, brooches, and bracelets like a seasoned merchant bargaining at an auction.
“No, wait a minute. What’s with your eyes? I’ll get a person. Can you sell this? I’ll give you three coins. And you don’t sit well. My goodness, I don’t like the fact that your hair is black!”
With each word she spoke, the trinkets went back into the jewelry box.
When she finally closed the lid with a snap, there was only one piece left on the table: a pearl that Erdene had handled roughly and had been badly scratched.
“Hmm, but you’re not tall enough to not diminish the prestige of our perfect, elegant, and flawless King. Fine. I’ll give you a coin.”
She rolled the pearl around.
Sophia caught the rolling pearl with her fingertips with a look of disbelief and glanced over Erdene’s shoulder.
“First, Your Majesty. Let me tell you something. Your Majesty, you’re not like a tuna on the auction block.”
“Something like that. That’s what everyone else looks at me with. Don’t you? They observe, investigate, and figure out how to diminish me. You know that.”
Sophia let out a shallow sigh.
“Of course, I won’t lie and say there aren’t such people. But Your Majesty, you don’t think of yourself as such a worthless person, do you? Do you really think your worth is only in your short stature that doesn’t diminish His Majesty’s prestige?”
Erdene, who laughed out loud, sat up awkwardly and looked away.
“Of course not. But think about it. That’s what everyone else is talking about. His Majesty the King, who is elegant, perfect, and flawless, is doing this and that... No, then I’m full of problems, what is that?”
“Your Majesty.”
“Why!”
Erdene, who was feeling upset, grumbled as she replied, and Sophia glanced over her shoulder once more and said calmly.
“His Majesty is standing right behind you right now.”
Erdene, who was startled, turned her head away with an expression of disbelief.
It would have been nice if Sophia had made a dull joke, but unfortunately, her personality was far from joking.
Arkan, who was looking down at Erdene with a dumbfounded expression, said,
“I’ve heard the compliment, Your Majesty. I didn’t realize you thought so highly of me.”
Erdene, who was biting her lip in shock, glared at Sophia.
“Why didn’t you speak sooner?”
Sophia said.
“I wanted to speak, but His Majesty is already standing behind Your Majesty. But I can’t shut Your Majesty’s mouth, right? No matter how close I am to Your Majesty, that would be disrespectful. Anyway, I’ll tell them to prepare tea and come back.”
Erdene looked at Sophia’s back as she ran away, snorting, and crossing one leg over her knee.
Then Arkan, who had taken Sophia’s seat, grabbed her knee and pulled it down.
“What are you doing?”
“Sit up straight. It’s not good for your health.”
“I’ve always sat like this, and I’ve never been sick.”
“Let’s see if I can still say that when I’m old.”
Erdene grumbled again. But this time, instead of crossing her legs, she placed one foot on the stool.
“My perfect, elegant, and flawless husband has arrived, but his expression is not very good.”
“Then did you think I would run out barefoot because I was so happy?”
“Of course not. I have been treated like a fool since our first night together, so how could I possibly expect something like that? Even expectations like that are delusions that require treatment.”
That damned simplicity. Erdene shut her eyes tightly.
Since they had been sleeping in separate rooms that night, even now that almost five days had passed, the two of them had not shared a bed.
Could they have shared only one bed? Erdene had only stayed in the Queen’s palace, while Arkan had only used the King’s stateroom, study, and the makeshift bedroom next to the study.
It wasn’t that he was doing it to get revenge on Erdene.
The problem was that Arkan was too busy.
If he were to blame Erdene, it was her indifference that was the problem, not caring at all about the messy wilderness and the fact that her husband did not come to visit.
Arkan said.
“We saw each other briefly at lunch the day before yesterday, and this is the first time we’ve seen each other. But as a married couple, if I'm a perfect, elegant, and flawless husband, shouldn’t you be able to come out barefoot?”
In fact, the two had a minor fight at lunch yesterday too.
An argument about using cutlery had inevitably escalated into a cultural fight... Erdene was still resentful. She snapped.
“That’s not my assessment, Your Majesty. Go to the people who love You so much. They’ll come out barefoot and not even wear clothes to greet you.”
“Hmm, this is the new Queen that just came in. Hirschsten? They say all those from there are shabby and unsightly. No, this is better than a red-faced, bumpy potato. Okay, I’ll give you ten coins.”
Erdene slid her fingers over the small rings, brooches, and bracelets like a seasoned merchant bargaining at an auction.
“No, wait a minute. What’s with your eyes? I’ll get a person. Can you sell this? I’ll give you three coins. And you don’t sit well. My goodness, I don’t like the fact that your hair is black!”
With each word she spoke, the trinkets went back into the jewelry box.
When she finally closed the lid with a snap, there was only one piece left on the table: a pearl that Erdene had handled roughly and had been badly scratched.
“Hmm, but you’re not tall enough to not diminish the prestige of our perfect, elegant, and flawless King. Fine. I’ll give you a coin.”
She rolled the pearl around.
Sophia caught the rolling pearl with her fingertips with a look of disbelief and glanced over Erdene’s shoulder.
“First, Your Majesty. Let me tell you something. Your Majesty, you’re not like a tuna on the auction block.”
“Something like that. That’s what everyone else looks at me with. Don’t you? They observe, investigate, and figure out how to diminish me. You know that.”
Sophia let out a shallow sigh.
“Of course, I won’t lie and say there aren’t such people. But Your Majesty, you don’t think of yourself as such a worthless person, do you? Do you really think your worth is only in your short stature that doesn’t diminish His Majesty’s prestige?”
Erdene, who laughed out loud, sat up awkwardly and looked away.
“Of course not. But think about it. That’s what everyone else is talking about. His Majesty the King, who is elegant, perfect, and flawless, is doing this and that... No, then I’m full of problems, what is that?”
“Your Majesty.”
“Why!”
Erdene, who was feeling upset, grumbled as she replied, and Sophia glanced over her shoulder once more and said calmly.
“His Majesty is standing right behind you right now.”
Erdene, who was startled, turned her head away with an expression of disbelief.
It would have been nice if Sophia had made a dull joke, but unfortunately, her personality was far from joking.
Arkan, who was looking down at Erdene with a dumbfounded expression, said,
“I’ve heard the compliment, Your Majesty. I didn’t realize you thought so highly of me.”
Erdene, who was biting her lip in shock, glared at Sophia.
“Why didn’t you speak sooner?”
Sophia said.
“I wanted to speak, but His Majesty is already standing behind Your Majesty. But I can’t shut Your Majesty’s mouth, right? No matter how close I am to Your Majesty, that would be disrespectful. Anyway, I’ll tell them to prepare tea and come back.”
Erdene looked at Sophia’s back as she ran away, snorting, and crossing one leg over her knee.
Then Arkan, who had taken Sophia’s seat, grabbed her knee and pulled it down.
“What are you doing?”
“Sit up straight. It’s not good for your health.”
“I’ve always sat like this, and I’ve never been sick.”
“Let’s see if I can still say that when I’m old.”
Erdene grumbled again. But this time, instead of crossing her legs, she placed one foot on the stool.
“My perfect, elegant, and flawless husband has arrived, but his expression is not very good.”
“Then did you think I would run out barefoot because I was so happy?”
“Of course not. I have been treated like a fool since our first night together, so how could I possibly expect something like that? Even expectations like that are delusions that require treatment.”
That damned simplicity. Erdene shut her eyes tightly.
Since they had been sleeping in separate rooms that night, even now that almost five days had passed, the two of them had not shared a bed.
Could they have shared only one bed? Erdene had only stayed in the Queen’s palace, while Arkan had only used the King’s stateroom, study, and the makeshift bedroom next to the study.
It wasn’t that he was doing it to get revenge on Erdene.
The problem was that Arkan was too busy.
If he were to blame Erdene, it was her indifference that was the problem, not caring at all about the messy wilderness and the fact that her husband did not come to visit.
Arkan said.
“We saw each other briefly at lunch the day before yesterday, and this is the first time we’ve seen each other. But as a married couple, if I'm a perfect, elegant, and flawless husband, shouldn’t you be able to come out barefoot?”
In fact, the two had a minor fight at lunch yesterday too.
An argument about using cutlery had inevitably escalated into a cultural fight... Erdene was still resentful. She snapped.
“That’s not my assessment, Your Majesty. Go to the people who love You so much. They’ll come out barefoot and not even wear clothes to greet you.”
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