The moment he was stabbed in the side, Merton's mouth shut tightly.
Erdene didn't see Thelma covering her mouth, so she looked at Merton silently and furrowed her eyebrows.
"And, what?"
Merton shook his head and smiled awkwardly.
"No. We were only worried about Your Highness's well-being."
Erdene, who had been staring at him, laughed with a tired expression.
"What could be wrong? Eating, sleeping, and waiting for time to pass is all I do here."
The expressions of the three people sank at her answer.
It was because they had to admit that the Erdene here, the Erdene who had become the Queen of Vetor, was different from the people they knew and that she could not help but be different.
Erdene stood up and raised her voice as if trying to lighten the heavy atmosphere.
“But there are some good points, so don’t be so sullen. By the way, how did you come? There’s no way Tenek would have let you go just like that.”
“Who are we?”
Merton added when Thelma started to babble.
“Captain Thelma has made His Majesty Tenek look so innocent with her tongue.”
It was a sight that was obvious even without looking. Erdene, who burst into laughter, nodded and said,
“Anyway, since you’ve come all this time, we should stretch our bodies a bit tomorrow.”
The three people, their faces pale, grabbed the hem of Erdene’s clothes and pretended to hang on.
Erdene, who laughed off the fuss of her former subordinates, told them to get some rest and leisurely left the place.
When the door closed, only Ayman, who had an impatient temper, grabbed Thelma’s shoulder.
“Why did you stop Merton? Shouldn’t Her Highness know that too!”
“Keep your voice down, Ayman. What if Her Highness finds out about this right now? Don’t you know that if Her Highness finds out that there’s something suspicious about His Majesty the previous Emperor’s death, she’ll rush to Hirschsten right away? If you do that, the problem will get much worse.”
Merton nodded.
“Chief Thelma is right, Ayman. Earlier, I too... I was about to speak out of anger when I saw Her Highness, but I can’t say anything in this situation where there’s no plan. And think about it. His Majesty Tenek and Atelgadis have cleverly conspired to win over all the imperial nobles. Wasn’t that all? They sent out official documents to every corner of the empire, exempting them from taxes, and even the people turned their backs on Her Highness. What would Her Highness do if she found out about this?”
Thelma nodded as if she agreed.
“If there was clear evidence, then I wouldn’t know, but for now, aren’t we just suspicious among ourselves? In this kind of filthy place, you must be already upset, but you’re just pouring oil on the fire.”
The three people who had been silent sighed at the same time.
Erdene, who was leaning against the door and listening to the story that was rumbling out, clenched her fists and trembled as if the hairs on her body were standing on end.
Something that didn’t make sense.
When she heard the news that the Emperor had suddenly passed away, she was busy blocking the soldiers of Binotin who were suddenly attacking from all over the place and chasing them.
Erdene, who could never tolerate retreating, had been running wild for a whole week without eating or sleeping properly, searching for surprise troops hiding everywhere.
And then, just before the third all-out war, from which she could never retreat, the bad news hit her just an hour before departure. She couldn’t help the soldiers. She couldn’t escape alone.
In Tenek’s letter, which showed neither sorrow nor sadness, it said, ‘Don’t worry about the empty throne of the Emperor, and come back with news of victory.'
Erdene didn't see Thelma covering her mouth, so she looked at Merton silently and furrowed her eyebrows.
"And, what?"
Merton shook his head and smiled awkwardly.
"No. We were only worried about Your Highness's well-being."
Erdene, who had been staring at him, laughed with a tired expression.
"What could be wrong? Eating, sleeping, and waiting for time to pass is all I do here."
The expressions of the three people sank at her answer.
It was because they had to admit that the Erdene here, the Erdene who had become the Queen of Vetor, was different from the people they knew and that she could not help but be different.
Erdene stood up and raised her voice as if trying to lighten the heavy atmosphere.
“But there are some good points, so don’t be so sullen. By the way, how did you come? There’s no way Tenek would have let you go just like that.”
“Who are we?”
Merton added when Thelma started to babble.
“Captain Thelma has made His Majesty Tenek look so innocent with her tongue.”
It was a sight that was obvious even without looking. Erdene, who burst into laughter, nodded and said,
“Anyway, since you’ve come all this time, we should stretch our bodies a bit tomorrow.”
The three people, their faces pale, grabbed the hem of Erdene’s clothes and pretended to hang on.
Erdene, who laughed off the fuss of her former subordinates, told them to get some rest and leisurely left the place.
When the door closed, only Ayman, who had an impatient temper, grabbed Thelma’s shoulder.
“Why did you stop Merton? Shouldn’t Her Highness know that too!”
“Keep your voice down, Ayman. What if Her Highness finds out about this right now? Don’t you know that if Her Highness finds out that there’s something suspicious about His Majesty the previous Emperor’s death, she’ll rush to Hirschsten right away? If you do that, the problem will get much worse.”
Merton nodded.
“Chief Thelma is right, Ayman. Earlier, I too... I was about to speak out of anger when I saw Her Highness, but I can’t say anything in this situation where there’s no plan. And think about it. His Majesty Tenek and Atelgadis have cleverly conspired to win over all the imperial nobles. Wasn’t that all? They sent out official documents to every corner of the empire, exempting them from taxes, and even the people turned their backs on Her Highness. What would Her Highness do if she found out about this?”
Thelma nodded as if she agreed.
“If there was clear evidence, then I wouldn’t know, but for now, aren’t we just suspicious among ourselves? In this kind of filthy place, you must be already upset, but you’re just pouring oil on the fire.”
The three people who had been silent sighed at the same time.
Erdene, who was leaning against the door and listening to the story that was rumbling out, clenched her fists and trembled as if the hairs on her body were standing on end.
Something that didn’t make sense.
When she heard the news that the Emperor had suddenly passed away, she was busy blocking the soldiers of Binotin who were suddenly attacking from all over the place and chasing them.
Erdene, who could never tolerate retreating, had been running wild for a whole week without eating or sleeping properly, searching for surprise troops hiding everywhere.
And then, just before the third all-out war, from which she could never retreat, the bad news hit her just an hour before departure. She couldn’t help the soldiers. She couldn’t escape alone.
In Tenek’s letter, which showed neither sorrow nor sadness, it said, ‘Don’t worry about the empty throne of the Emperor, and come back with news of victory.'
‘And you had to come here without even seeing Father’s coffin.’
Blood seeped out of her tightly clenched teeth, but Erdene didn’t even feel it.
Now she could understand everything that had happened. Things that had gone wrong exactly as if they had been cleverly calculated. While Tenek had taken the empty throne, she had been tied up on the battlefield, and when she returned, the entire empire was in his hands.
Where to start, who, and how to exploit.
It seemed like she wouldn’t be able to sleep tonight because she was worried about that.
The next morning, Erdene told Sophia to find clothes that were as comfortable as possible for her to move in.
“The clothes that the servants wear are fine.”
If it had been someone else, she would have fainted and said something about the Queen’s dignity, but Sophia simply followed along without saying a word.
At first, Erdene had a faint suspicion about Sophia’s overly obedient attitude.
It was true that she had wanted to keep her by her side, but she could not trust her as Sophia had said.
Sophia did not try to stop Erdene by giving her useless advice.
Only when she occasionally spoke harshly did she say, “You should use less provocative words,” but Erdene, who had somewhat figured out Vetor’s strict and sinister aristocratic culture, found this generosity difficult to understand.
Blood seeped out of her tightly clenched teeth, but Erdene didn’t even feel it.
Now she could understand everything that had happened. Things that had gone wrong exactly as if they had been cleverly calculated. While Tenek had taken the empty throne, she had been tied up on the battlefield, and when she returned, the entire empire was in his hands.
Where to start, who, and how to exploit.
It seemed like she wouldn’t be able to sleep tonight because she was worried about that.
***
The next morning, Erdene told Sophia to find clothes that were as comfortable as possible for her to move in.
“The clothes that the servants wear are fine.”
If it had been someone else, she would have fainted and said something about the Queen’s dignity, but Sophia simply followed along without saying a word.
At first, Erdene had a faint suspicion about Sophia’s overly obedient attitude.
It was true that she had wanted to keep her by her side, but she could not trust her as Sophia had said.
Sophia did not try to stop Erdene by giving her useless advice.
Only when she occasionally spoke harshly did she say, “You should use less provocative words,” but Erdene, who had somewhat figured out Vetor’s strict and sinister aristocratic culture, found this generosity difficult to understand.
'I wondered if she was pretending to listen obediently while reporting her every move to her mother or someone else...'
Sophia was reflected in the mirror, wrapping a long wooden string around her waist and tying it tightly.
Erdene stared blankly at her slightly bowed head before lifting Sophia’s chin with her fingertips.
“Your Majesty?”
Sophia looked up at Erdene with a puzzled expression.
Erdene, who was smiling with a subtle yet satisfied smile as if she was joking, said,
“I have had many aides who would gladly pretend to die for my one word, but you satisfy me very much.”
Sophia, who was still blinking as if she didn’t understand, took a step back and lightly bowed her knee.
“It’s an honor.”
“You follow my orders obediently because you don’t care much about me, do you?”
Erdene’s dark green eyes, which seemed intelligent, moved slowly as if trying to read her intentions.
Sophia looked down intently and smiled faintly, almost imperceptibly.
“Yes, Your Majesty. To be more precise, it’s not that I don’t care, but rather that I don’t think anything Your Majesty does is wrong.”
“Isn’t that just your opinion?”
Sophia tilted her head calmly.
“Your Majesty, I can confidently say that my taste is the best of all the nobles of Vetor that you have ever seen.”
Erdene laughed out loud. It was a cheerful laugh.
“I have never forgiven anyone who has fallen out of favor with me. However, when I see you, I think I might be able to overlook the rudeness your mother committed toward me to some extent.”
Sophia answered.
“I dare not ask Your Majesty to atone for my mother’s wrongdoing in Your Majesty’s name. However, if Your Majesty would be lenient, I would be grateful.”
Erdene smiled and turned around again. When Sophia finished dressing up, Erdene’s appearance in the mirror was nothing more than that of a young and pretty servant.
Her long hair was tied up tightly, and she wore a light shirt, wide-legged trousers, and a vest.
The upper part of her sleeves was held in place with leather shoulder straps, making her look like a hunter.
“I heard that Commander Wiziard asked you to let him observe the duel today?”
Sophia nodded at Erdene’s question.
“Yes. How did he know that Your Majesty was going to spar with the imperial military officers today... He asked if he could come and ask Your Majesty in person. Your Majesty is asleep, so I can’t ask right now, but he told me to wait at the parade ground tomorrow morning...”
“Good job. It would be helpful to experience it at least once, rather than just observing it.”
Erdene turned around, waving her arms vigorously, and looked back at Sophia with a low smile.
“But he's pretty strong, isn’t he? He's got a lot of grit. I didn’t use all my might back then, but if he had been hit to that extent, he would have been completely devastated, so it’s admirable that he came forward and asked to learn from me.”
Sophia’s shoulders shrugged lightly.
“That’s why I gave him some extra points.”
When Erdene appeared in the parade ground dressed like a maid on vacation, the officers of Vetor, including Belen Wiziard, gaped.
On the other hand, Thelma, Merton, and Ayman, who had arrived early and were waiting, seemed more familiar with Erdene’s current appearance than the one they had seen yesterday.
“Your Majesty, I greet you.”
Before Sophia could even give him a hint, Belen quickly ran out and knelt before Erdene.
The other officers, who seemed to have brought him along, had nervous expressions on their faces until they saw Belen kneeling and bowed to her.
“Are you all better from last time?”
“Yes, I am all better. I heard that Your Majesty was going to spar with the officers of the empire today, so I came to ask to observe.”
“Can you tell just by looking at them? Let’s fight in person before I spar.”
Belen looked up in surprise.
Erdene felt satisfied for the first time in a long time as she saw the anticipation and triumph in his eyes.
A skilled blacksmith felt a sense of pride when he had high-quality iron in front of him. The corners of his mouth slightly went up in anticipation of heating it up and hammering it until his mind was sharp and he would create another incomparable sword.
“Ayman!”
Ayman, whose body was already shaking and shaking his butt, suddenly stood up.
The soldiers of Vetor who had come out to watch opened their eyes wide in surprise at his physique that looked like a mountain rising.
Erdene looked down at Belen.
“I don’t know the officers of Vetor very well. So you choose someone to face Aiman.”
Belen blinked and sat up with a grin.
“I understand, Your Majesty.”
Sophia was reflected in the mirror, wrapping a long wooden string around her waist and tying it tightly.
Erdene stared blankly at her slightly bowed head before lifting Sophia’s chin with her fingertips.
“Your Majesty?”
Sophia looked up at Erdene with a puzzled expression.
Erdene, who was smiling with a subtle yet satisfied smile as if she was joking, said,
“I have had many aides who would gladly pretend to die for my one word, but you satisfy me very much.”
Sophia, who was still blinking as if she didn’t understand, took a step back and lightly bowed her knee.
“It’s an honor.”
“You follow my orders obediently because you don’t care much about me, do you?”
Erdene’s dark green eyes, which seemed intelligent, moved slowly as if trying to read her intentions.
Sophia looked down intently and smiled faintly, almost imperceptibly.
“Yes, Your Majesty. To be more precise, it’s not that I don’t care, but rather that I don’t think anything Your Majesty does is wrong.”
“Isn’t that just your opinion?”
Sophia tilted her head calmly.
“Your Majesty, I can confidently say that my taste is the best of all the nobles of Vetor that you have ever seen.”
Erdene laughed out loud. It was a cheerful laugh.
“I have never forgiven anyone who has fallen out of favor with me. However, when I see you, I think I might be able to overlook the rudeness your mother committed toward me to some extent.”
Sophia answered.
“I dare not ask Your Majesty to atone for my mother’s wrongdoing in Your Majesty’s name. However, if Your Majesty would be lenient, I would be grateful.”
Erdene smiled and turned around again. When Sophia finished dressing up, Erdene’s appearance in the mirror was nothing more than that of a young and pretty servant.
Her long hair was tied up tightly, and she wore a light shirt, wide-legged trousers, and a vest.
The upper part of her sleeves was held in place with leather shoulder straps, making her look like a hunter.
“I heard that Commander Wiziard asked you to let him observe the duel today?”
Sophia nodded at Erdene’s question.
“Yes. How did he know that Your Majesty was going to spar with the imperial military officers today... He asked if he could come and ask Your Majesty in person. Your Majesty is asleep, so I can’t ask right now, but he told me to wait at the parade ground tomorrow morning...”
“Good job. It would be helpful to experience it at least once, rather than just observing it.”
Erdene turned around, waving her arms vigorously, and looked back at Sophia with a low smile.
“But he's pretty strong, isn’t he? He's got a lot of grit. I didn’t use all my might back then, but if he had been hit to that extent, he would have been completely devastated, so it’s admirable that he came forward and asked to learn from me.”
Sophia’s shoulders shrugged lightly.
“That’s why I gave him some extra points.”
When Erdene appeared in the parade ground dressed like a maid on vacation, the officers of Vetor, including Belen Wiziard, gaped.
On the other hand, Thelma, Merton, and Ayman, who had arrived early and were waiting, seemed more familiar with Erdene’s current appearance than the one they had seen yesterday.
“Your Majesty, I greet you.”
Before Sophia could even give him a hint, Belen quickly ran out and knelt before Erdene.
The other officers, who seemed to have brought him along, had nervous expressions on their faces until they saw Belen kneeling and bowed to her.
“Are you all better from last time?”
“Yes, I am all better. I heard that Your Majesty was going to spar with the officers of the empire today, so I came to ask to observe.”
“Can you tell just by looking at them? Let’s fight in person before I spar.”
Belen looked up in surprise.
Erdene felt satisfied for the first time in a long time as she saw the anticipation and triumph in his eyes.
A skilled blacksmith felt a sense of pride when he had high-quality iron in front of him. The corners of his mouth slightly went up in anticipation of heating it up and hammering it until his mind was sharp and he would create another incomparable sword.
“Ayman!”
Ayman, whose body was already shaking and shaking his butt, suddenly stood up.
The soldiers of Vetor who had come out to watch opened their eyes wide in surprise at his physique that looked like a mountain rising.
Erdene looked down at Belen.
“I don’t know the officers of Vetor very well. So you choose someone to face Aiman.”
Belen blinked and sat up with a grin.
“I understand, Your Majesty.”
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