Princess Limepale smiled brightly and slightly bent her knee.
“I appreciate your hospitality. My parents would be very grateful if they knew that Your Majesty Arkan had welcomed me so well.”
She continued.
“Can I meet Her Majesty?”
Arkan shook his head.
“She is still unconscious, so that would be difficult. I am sorry for coming such a long way.”
“No, it is fine. I will greet her when she wakes up.”
“I appreciate your hospitality. My parents would be very grateful if they knew that Your Majesty Arkan had welcomed me so well.”
She continued.
“Can I meet Her Majesty?”
Arkan shook his head.
“She is still unconscious, so that would be difficult. I am sorry for coming such a long way.”
“No, it is fine. I will greet her when she wakes up.”
There was no telling when Erdene would wake up. Arkan thought.
He thought it was just a greeting, but he suddenly wondered why she had made such an unexpected visit.
‘It’s not like I can find out right away. For now, it would be better to wait and see.’
Grand Duke Joelby of Stradhog was a man of few words, but he was strong-willed.
Although they were not close, Arkan trusted his character, and since the Grand Duke raised her with such care, he did not think that the Princess’s humanity would be mean either.
“Plat, you will guide the Princess.”
“Understood, Your Majesty.”
Plat stepped forward cautiously.
“I will serve you, Princess.”
Princess Limepale bowed slightly to Arkan and followed Plat with her maid.
Arkan suddenly smelled a strange scent from Limepale’s maid as she passed him, but he thought it was a scent popular in the duchy.
Princess Limepale looked around the palace of Vetor and praised the beautiful decorations.
However, unlike her who chattered lively, the maid who followed her was silent so Plat wondered for a moment if she was unable to speak.
“...Isn’t that right, Lisi?”
Even though the Princess asked, the maid simply nodded and did not open her mouth to answer.
Plat looked back at her, thinking that she was becoming increasingly strange.
Her head was slightly bowed, so her features were not clearly visible, but she was tall and had a straight posture.
She was wearing a long dress with sleeves that covered half of her hands, and the long lines looked neat as if she was not wearing a petticoat.
“This is it, Princess. If there is anything inconvenient, please let me know.”
“Thank you. Are you His Majesty’s chamberlain?”
“More or less. I handle all matters related to His Majesty’s personal affairs.”
“You must be very busy. Excuse me. It’s okay if I go now.”
The Princess nodded with a lively smile and went inside.
The maid who followed her glanced down at Plat, and her eyes were very sharp.
Plat could also smell the unique scent that Arkan had smelled.
Perhaps that was why he felt even more uncomfortable when she closed the door.
‘Is it because I have been busy with various things these past few days, or is it because I have grown old, as His Highness Pelarhar said? 'LI've been getting more and more nervous lately.'
Plat shook his head and retreated from the princess's quarters.
Erdene was still unconscious.
Arkan, who had opened the door to the Queen's palace with a glimmer of hope, couldn't hide his disappointment at Sophia shaking her head.
The maids of the Queen's palace were still silent, but with expressions that were darker than yesterday, walking around quietly and working diligently.
Each and every one of them seemed to be working hard as if Erdene would wake up soon if they did so.
Arkan seemed to understand their feelings.
They were trying not to let their hands rest to forget the fact that the Queen had collapsed and had been unconscious for two days.
Sophia was also looking after Erdene with a calm attitude, but she couldn't hide her worried expression. When Arkan approached, she said,
"Lady Wickes came earlier and shed tears, so I told you to go back. She’ll probably come back in the afternoon, and I’m afraid she’ll be very angry with you, Your Majesty.”
Arkan chuckled.
When More first met Erdene, she had turned pale as if she couldn’t even breathe properly, but now she was acting as Erdene’s mother.
“She rarely gets angry.”
“But not this time.”
“Don’t you want to get angry with me too?”
Sophia glanced at Arkan as she lightly wiped Erdene’s forehead with a soft cloth.
“Of course.”
Arkan let out another empty laugh at her blunt answer.
Before the afterglow of that laughter could fade, Sophia spoke again.
“Your Majesty is responsible for the fact that Her Majesty has collapsed. I dare not answer with such impious intentions. It’s just that Her Majesty has suddenly become like this, and I’m angry about everything.”
He thought it was just a greeting, but he suddenly wondered why she had made such an unexpected visit.
‘It’s not like I can find out right away. For now, it would be better to wait and see.’
Grand Duke Joelby of Stradhog was a man of few words, but he was strong-willed.
Although they were not close, Arkan trusted his character, and since the Grand Duke raised her with such care, he did not think that the Princess’s humanity would be mean either.
“Plat, you will guide the Princess.”
“Understood, Your Majesty.”
Plat stepped forward cautiously.
“I will serve you, Princess.”
Princess Limepale bowed slightly to Arkan and followed Plat with her maid.
Arkan suddenly smelled a strange scent from Limepale’s maid as she passed him, but he thought it was a scent popular in the duchy.
Princess Limepale looked around the palace of Vetor and praised the beautiful decorations.
However, unlike her who chattered lively, the maid who followed her was silent so Plat wondered for a moment if she was unable to speak.
“...Isn’t that right, Lisi?”
Even though the Princess asked, the maid simply nodded and did not open her mouth to answer.
Plat looked back at her, thinking that she was becoming increasingly strange.
Her head was slightly bowed, so her features were not clearly visible, but she was tall and had a straight posture.
She was wearing a long dress with sleeves that covered half of her hands, and the long lines looked neat as if she was not wearing a petticoat.
“This is it, Princess. If there is anything inconvenient, please let me know.”
“Thank you. Are you His Majesty’s chamberlain?”
“More or less. I handle all matters related to His Majesty’s personal affairs.”
“You must be very busy. Excuse me. It’s okay if I go now.”
The Princess nodded with a lively smile and went inside.
The maid who followed her glanced down at Plat, and her eyes were very sharp.
Plat could also smell the unique scent that Arkan had smelled.
Perhaps that was why he felt even more uncomfortable when she closed the door.
‘Is it because I have been busy with various things these past few days, or is it because I have grown old, as His Highness Pelarhar said? 'LI've been getting more and more nervous lately.'
Plat shook his head and retreated from the princess's quarters.
***
Erdene was still unconscious.
Arkan, who had opened the door to the Queen's palace with a glimmer of hope, couldn't hide his disappointment at Sophia shaking her head.
The maids of the Queen's palace were still silent, but with expressions that were darker than yesterday, walking around quietly and working diligently.
Each and every one of them seemed to be working hard as if Erdene would wake up soon if they did so.
Arkan seemed to understand their feelings.
They were trying not to let their hands rest to forget the fact that the Queen had collapsed and had been unconscious for two days.
Sophia was also looking after Erdene with a calm attitude, but she couldn't hide her worried expression. When Arkan approached, she said,
"Lady Wickes came earlier and shed tears, so I told you to go back. She’ll probably come back in the afternoon, and I’m afraid she’ll be very angry with you, Your Majesty.”
Arkan chuckled.
When More first met Erdene, she had turned pale as if she couldn’t even breathe properly, but now she was acting as Erdene’s mother.
“She rarely gets angry.”
“But not this time.”
“Don’t you want to get angry with me too?”
Sophia glanced at Arkan as she lightly wiped Erdene’s forehead with a soft cloth.
“Of course.”
Arkan let out another empty laugh at her blunt answer.
Before the afterglow of that laughter could fade, Sophia spoke again.
“Your Majesty is responsible for the fact that Her Majesty has collapsed. I dare not answer with such impious intentions. It’s just that Her Majesty has suddenly become like this, and I’m angry about everything.”
Sophia sighed, biting her lower lip. Arkan was surprised that Erdene could make even someone as meticulous and cool-headed as Sophia feel helpless anger.
When he realized that, Arkan felt a sense of helplessness several times greater than what Sophia had felt.
“Did the palace doctor visit?”
Sophia nodded slowly.
“He did. However, he said that he still hasn’t figured out why Her Majesty hasn’t regained consciousness.”
Arkan’s eyebrows furrowed faintly as he bit the inside of his lip.
Sophia spoke again.
“He had a fever a few more times since morning, but fortunately it wasn’t as bad as yesterday. The bath helped, and his breathing seems to have gotten a little better.”
“I’ll prepare it for today too.”
“I will do so.”
Arkan, who had been staring at Erdene with his eyes closed for a long time, rubbed his face with his palm.
“Oh, and the duchy of Stradhog sent yellow apples. The Princess herself brought them.”
“Yellow apples?”
Arkan nodded.
“Plat said... that there was something like that in folk remedies. I don’t know how helpful it will be, but let’s show it to the palace doctor.”
Sophia, who had thought he would understand right away, didn’t answer for some reason.
When Arkan raised his head, she looked down at him with a thoughtful expression.
“Why is that?”
Sophia looked up and held the cloth she had been wiping Erdene’s forehead in her hand as if hiding it.
“I don’t know if I should say this.”
“Go ahead.”
Arkan said immediately. He seemed ready to listen to anything for Erdene.
Even after receiving his permission, Sophia hesitated for a moment and began to speak cautiously.
“When you mention yellow apples, I remember something. When I was young, I had a long illness from autumn fever. The doctors said that if the fever didn’t go away within three days, the hot blood causing the fever would go to my head and I would become idiotic.”
“That’s what happened.”
Sophia blinked and continued.
“My mother brought me some yellow apples and made me a medicine. I don’t know what else she put in there, but the medicine helped me get my fever down.”
Arkan’s eyes widened slightly.
“The Marchioness made the medicine?”
Sophia answered.
“As you know, Your Majesty, my mother would never hesitate to do anything for me, even if it meant pulling a toad out of a mud puddle.”
It had been months since he had seen her, but it felt strange to imagine the always sullen and arrogant Marchioness Fiddler struggling in the mud and pulling a toad out.
Just like when he saw her lips curl up comically when she lied...
“...I can’t quite imagine your mother catching a toad, but anyway, I understand what you mean. But, do you have another reason for telling me that now?”
Sophia stood up and folded her hands politely.
“I could go to my brother-in-law’s territory to see my mother and learn the recipe for the medicine. However, I doubt my mother would let me go right away if she saw me. My mother cannot come to the capital until His Majesty orders, and since I am serving Her Majesty, I cannot freely go see her. However, regardless of all these circumstances, I think it would be inefficient for me to leave Her Majesty’s side and go somewhere else at this time.”
Arkan did not say anything and just stared at Sophia.
Thinking that even in this situation, talking about efficiency and inefficiency was very similar to Erdene.
It is unclear whether the two of them had compatible personalities from the beginning, or whether they became more alike as they grew closer.
Sophia said.
“Your Majesty, would you allow me to bring my mother here for a moment? It is not for my own selfish desires. I hope you understand that this is solely for Her Majesty's sake."
When he realized that, Arkan felt a sense of helplessness several times greater than what Sophia had felt.
“Did the palace doctor visit?”
Sophia nodded slowly.
“He did. However, he said that he still hasn’t figured out why Her Majesty hasn’t regained consciousness.”
Arkan’s eyebrows furrowed faintly as he bit the inside of his lip.
Sophia spoke again.
“He had a fever a few more times since morning, but fortunately it wasn’t as bad as yesterday. The bath helped, and his breathing seems to have gotten a little better.”
“I’ll prepare it for today too.”
“I will do so.”
Arkan, who had been staring at Erdene with his eyes closed for a long time, rubbed his face with his palm.
“Oh, and the duchy of Stradhog sent yellow apples. The Princess herself brought them.”
“Yellow apples?”
Arkan nodded.
“Plat said... that there was something like that in folk remedies. I don’t know how helpful it will be, but let’s show it to the palace doctor.”
Sophia, who had thought he would understand right away, didn’t answer for some reason.
When Arkan raised his head, she looked down at him with a thoughtful expression.
“Why is that?”
Sophia looked up and held the cloth she had been wiping Erdene’s forehead in her hand as if hiding it.
“I don’t know if I should say this.”
“Go ahead.”
Arkan said immediately. He seemed ready to listen to anything for Erdene.
Even after receiving his permission, Sophia hesitated for a moment and began to speak cautiously.
“When you mention yellow apples, I remember something. When I was young, I had a long illness from autumn fever. The doctors said that if the fever didn’t go away within three days, the hot blood causing the fever would go to my head and I would become idiotic.”
“That’s what happened.”
Sophia blinked and continued.
“My mother brought me some yellow apples and made me a medicine. I don’t know what else she put in there, but the medicine helped me get my fever down.”
Arkan’s eyes widened slightly.
“The Marchioness made the medicine?”
Sophia answered.
“As you know, Your Majesty, my mother would never hesitate to do anything for me, even if it meant pulling a toad out of a mud puddle.”
It had been months since he had seen her, but it felt strange to imagine the always sullen and arrogant Marchioness Fiddler struggling in the mud and pulling a toad out.
Just like when he saw her lips curl up comically when she lied...
“...I can’t quite imagine your mother catching a toad, but anyway, I understand what you mean. But, do you have another reason for telling me that now?”
Sophia stood up and folded her hands politely.
“I could go to my brother-in-law’s territory to see my mother and learn the recipe for the medicine. However, I doubt my mother would let me go right away if she saw me. My mother cannot come to the capital until His Majesty orders, and since I am serving Her Majesty, I cannot freely go see her. However, regardless of all these circumstances, I think it would be inefficient for me to leave Her Majesty’s side and go somewhere else at this time.”
Arkan did not say anything and just stared at Sophia.
Thinking that even in this situation, talking about efficiency and inefficiency was very similar to Erdene.
It is unclear whether the two of them had compatible personalities from the beginning, or whether they became more alike as they grew closer.
Sophia said.
“Your Majesty, would you allow me to bring my mother here for a moment? It is not for my own selfish desires. I hope you understand that this is solely for Her Majesty's sake."
He had expected that to happen.
Arkan had prepared his answer in advance, but he eventually lowered his gaze and sighed.
“Your mother...”
The Marchioness of Fiddlers had not liked Erdene from the beginning.
She had tried to gain the upper hand by suppressing her and lying to her.
If the Marchioness had heard that the Queen had collapsed, would she have been worried? She would not have.
Rather, it was easier to imagine that she would be happy.
“I know what Your Majesty is worried about.”
Sophia looked straight at Arkan.
It was a straight, stubborn gaze that had little in common with the Marchioness.
“If I decide that my mother cannot be of help to Her Majesty, I will be the first to send her back.”
Arkan had prepared his answer in advance, but he eventually lowered his gaze and sighed.
“Your mother...”
The Marchioness of Fiddlers had not liked Erdene from the beginning.
She had tried to gain the upper hand by suppressing her and lying to her.
If the Marchioness had heard that the Queen had collapsed, would she have been worried? She would not have.
Rather, it was easier to imagine that she would be happy.
“I know what Your Majesty is worried about.”
Sophia looked straight at Arkan.
It was a straight, stubborn gaze that had little in common with the Marchioness.
“If I decide that my mother cannot be of help to Her Majesty, I will be the first to send her back.”
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