While Merton was meeting Roelica at the Golden Castle, Erdene of Vetor was also meeting someone.
Although they were in different places and with different people, the level of discomfort was similar.
Erdene was sitting across from her, staring blankly at the Marchioness Fiddlers, who kept frowning, not knowing what to do with her expression.
Since Erdene didn’t speak first, the Marchioness had nothing to say.
It was embarrassing to talk to her now, considering her past actions, and to be honest, the Marchioness still had feelings for Erdene, so it was hard for her to pretend to be friendly.
‘In that sense, she’s a strangely honest woman.’
It was an attitude that could be called annoying, but Erdene was making a new evaluation of the Marchioness
Those who hide their true feelings and stick out their spines, or who think they are smart and commit all sorts of foolish words and actions, are better than those who are just as open as the Marchioness.
Erdene, who had been silent for a long time with the cooling tea in front of her, raised her glass and said,
“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you, Marchioness.”
The Marchioness Fiddler’s hooked nose twitched and frowned.
She finally straightened her expression, lifted her chin, and lowered her gaze.
“I see. I can’t tell you how fortunate it is that Your Majesty has woken up like this.”
“You’ve lost some weight? You don’t seem to be suited to provincial life, do you?”
“Of course not. It was a good experience to try to calm your mind in a quiet place.”
At that moment, the Marchioness’s lips were slightly curled up like a squeegee bag again.
Erdene bit the inside of her cheek and held back her laughter. It seemed that she could not shake off that habit in the end.
Erdene spoke again.
“You made my medicine.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Why?”
This time, the Marchioness couldn’t hold back her gaze.
Why? What kind of strange question is that?
Although they were in different places and with different people, the level of discomfort was similar.
Erdene was sitting across from her, staring blankly at the Marchioness Fiddlers, who kept frowning, not knowing what to do with her expression.
Since Erdene didn’t speak first, the Marchioness had nothing to say.
It was embarrassing to talk to her now, considering her past actions, and to be honest, the Marchioness still had feelings for Erdene, so it was hard for her to pretend to be friendly.
‘In that sense, she’s a strangely honest woman.’
It was an attitude that could be called annoying, but Erdene was making a new evaluation of the Marchioness
Those who hide their true feelings and stick out their spines, or who think they are smart and commit all sorts of foolish words and actions, are better than those who are just as open as the Marchioness.
Erdene, who had been silent for a long time with the cooling tea in front of her, raised her glass and said,
“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you, Marchioness.”
The Marchioness Fiddler’s hooked nose twitched and frowned.
She finally straightened her expression, lifted her chin, and lowered her gaze.
“I see. I can’t tell you how fortunate it is that Your Majesty has woken up like this.”
“You’ve lost some weight? You don’t seem to be suited to provincial life, do you?”
“Of course not. It was a good experience to try to calm your mind in a quiet place.”
At that moment, the Marchioness’s lips were slightly curled up like a squeegee bag again.
Erdene bit the inside of her cheek and held back her laughter. It seemed that she could not shake off that habit in the end.
Erdene spoke again.
“You made my medicine.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Why?”
This time, the Marchioness couldn’t hold back her gaze.
Why? What kind of strange question is that?
The Marchioness, who had been staring at Erdene so rudely, furrowed her eyebrows slightly.
“What do you mean?”
Erdene’s shoulders shook slightly.
“Isn’t that right? If you made it anyway, you could have put in whatever ingredients you wanted. You couldn’t have killed me for fear of the consequences, but even if I didn’t wake up, you could have just said, ‘I guess it didn’t work.’ Isn’t that right?”
The Marchioness Fiddler’s cheeks twitched.
She looked down at the poor tea with a resentful look, then sighed when she realized that it was none other than her own daughter.
The Marchioness, who had been frowning, said.
“To be honest, I can’t say that I made the medicine for Your Majesty because I liked it.”
“I know that you know that, and His Majesty probably knows that too.”
The Marchioness muttered, moving her lips as if to say, and then straightened her shoulders again.
“But what can I do? My daughter puts Your Majesty’s safety before her mother.”
In other words, if it weren’t for Sophia, would she have helped with something like this?
Erdene, who had been staring blankly at the Marchioness with a sullen expression, suddenly threw back her head and burst into laughter.
“Have you ever seen such an insolent rascal?”
The Marchioness Fiddler’s body flinched slightly.
However, she did not lose her upright attitude, and that made Erdene even happier.
How could she cook this stubborn and stiff thing and make it soft? It seemed like it wouldn’t be boring to live for a while just thinking about that.
“I called you anyway because I felt I should be grateful to you. The medicine was good, but I should also be grateful for the fact that you sent me someone as loyal as Sophia.”
The Marchioness pouted her lips as if she was displeased, but she coughed and bowed slightly.
“I heard that you took good care of my daughter. I should be the one to thank Your Majesty.”
That was the sincerity of the Marchioness Fiddler.
She considered her youngest daughter, Sophia, to be the most important thing in the world.
More than her husband, more than her other daughters.
“Can I get up now, Your Majesty?”
However, she had no intention of sitting across from Erdene and joking around.
Erdene also knew the Marchioness’s thoughts, and she saw her off with a nod.
There was no greeting to see her again or to come back again.
After the Marchioness left the palace, Sophia came in shortly after.
She looked at the tea and fruit that she had barely touched, and let out a small sigh.
Although she had not seen or heard it from the side, her mother’s attitude and tone of speech were vivid before her eyes.
“Please forgive my mother’s rudeness, Your Majesty.”
“No, it’s okay. Your mother is a very interesting person. In many ways.”
“What do you mean?”
Erdene’s shoulders shook slightly.
“Isn’t that right? If you made it anyway, you could have put in whatever ingredients you wanted. You couldn’t have killed me for fear of the consequences, but even if I didn’t wake up, you could have just said, ‘I guess it didn’t work.’ Isn’t that right?”
The Marchioness Fiddler’s cheeks twitched.
She looked down at the poor tea with a resentful look, then sighed when she realized that it was none other than her own daughter.
The Marchioness, who had been frowning, said.
“To be honest, I can’t say that I made the medicine for Your Majesty because I liked it.”
“I know that you know that, and His Majesty probably knows that too.”
The Marchioness muttered, moving her lips as if to say, and then straightened her shoulders again.
“But what can I do? My daughter puts Your Majesty’s safety before her mother.”
In other words, if it weren’t for Sophia, would she have helped with something like this?
Erdene, who had been staring blankly at the Marchioness with a sullen expression, suddenly threw back her head and burst into laughter.
“Have you ever seen such an insolent rascal?”
The Marchioness Fiddler’s body flinched slightly.
However, she did not lose her upright attitude, and that made Erdene even happier.
How could she cook this stubborn and stiff thing and make it soft? It seemed like it wouldn’t be boring to live for a while just thinking about that.
“I called you anyway because I felt I should be grateful to you. The medicine was good, but I should also be grateful for the fact that you sent me someone as loyal as Sophia.”
The Marchioness pouted her lips as if she was displeased, but she coughed and bowed slightly.
“I heard that you took good care of my daughter. I should be the one to thank Your Majesty.”
That was the sincerity of the Marchioness Fiddler.
She considered her youngest daughter, Sophia, to be the most important thing in the world.
More than her husband, more than her other daughters.
“Can I get up now, Your Majesty?”
However, she had no intention of sitting across from Erdene and joking around.
Erdene also knew the Marchioness’s thoughts, and she saw her off with a nod.
There was no greeting to see her again or to come back again.
After the Marchioness left the palace, Sophia came in shortly after.
She looked at the tea and fruit that she had barely touched, and let out a small sigh.
Although she had not seen or heard it from the side, her mother’s attitude and tone of speech were vivid before her eyes.
“Please forgive my mother’s rudeness, Your Majesty.”
“No, it’s okay. Your mother is a very interesting person. In many ways.”
A rare blush appeared on Sophia’s expressionless face.
It seemed as if she was half embarrassed and half grateful.
“His Majesty is waiting for you, Your Majesty.”
Erdene finally remembered and let out an “ah. ”
“Yes, we were supposed to have dinner together. If I don’t go, he’ll be upset.”
“I don’t think he’ll be okay for three days and nights.”
Erdene nodded with a laugh.
“I’ll bet he won’t be okay for five days. If he’s upset, he’ll look ugly, so I’ll have to go to preserve that handsome face.”
It didn’t seem like that, but Her Majesty is quite picky about faces. Sophia thought.
The meal was prepared with not-too-oily and comfortable food, suitable for Erdene who had just regained consciousness.
Some of it was probably prepared by the chef himself, but looking at the plates, there were also things that Arkan must have fried the chef.
For example...
“This is a dish that only a few people in the empire know how to make.”
It seemed as if she was half embarrassed and half grateful.
“His Majesty is waiting for you, Your Majesty.”
Erdene finally remembered and let out an “ah. ”
“Yes, we were supposed to have dinner together. If I don’t go, he’ll be upset.”
“I don’t think he’ll be okay for three days and nights.”
Erdene nodded with a laugh.
“I’ll bet he won’t be okay for five days. If he’s upset, he’ll look ugly, so I’ll have to go to preserve that handsome face.”
It didn’t seem like that, but Her Majesty is quite picky about faces. Sophia thought.
***
The meal was prepared with not-too-oily and comfortable food, suitable for Erdene who had just regained consciousness.
Some of it was probably prepared by the chef himself, but looking at the plates, there were also things that Arkan must have fried the chef.
For example...
“This is a dish that only a few people in the empire know how to make.”
It was a soup made by boiling bones until the oil was clear, and then adding shallots and large-cut potatoes to it and cooking them until tender. It was difficult to make it delicious because it had to be seasoned with only pepper and spices.
Erdene opened her eyes wide after taking a spoonful of the soup.
It was much more welcome than she had expected.
Arkan, who had been watching her quickly finish half of the soup, smiled and sighed faintly.
“Thank goodness. It seems well-made.”
“It’s really delicious.”
Erdene chuckled after eating the well-cooked potatoes.
“I thought I would never eat it in Vetor. How did you know how to make this soup?”
Arkan raised one eyebrow and deliberately pouted.
“Belen told me. I don’t know where or how he got it, but all the patients at Vetor eat it and it’s so delicious. I couldn’t tell who was the King and who was the knight commander.”
“Captain Wiziard?”
Erdene snickered as she recalled Belen running in with the recipe he had obtained somewhere.
Belen had been filling the empty spot left by her adjutant, Thelma, but she had never thought he would prepare something like this.
“Eat this too. They say it restores your stamina quickly.”
“Hmm, that’s a strange-looking mushroom.”
“Don’t be picky.”
When Arkan nagged her, Erdene pretended not to give in and put a mushroom in her mouth.
The smooth texture wasn’t very pleasant, but it was tasty.
While they were chatting and eating, Erdene suddenly said as if a thought occurred to her.
“By the way, what happened to Kensilom and Etonhorn? I heard that Kensilom sent a letter to try to avoid the issue last time.”
Arkan answered.
“We still have no way to thoroughly investigate Kensilom. We are discussing it.”
“I see.”
You didn’t send a spy. Erdene thought.
The seven countries inland had maintained a strong alliance until recently, so it wasn’t strange...
‘I wonder if Kensilom and Etonhorn are doing the same.’
She thought.
“By the way, since we’re on the subject, what on earth happened at Maple Mansion?”
Erdene’s eyes widened.
“How did Your Majesty know about that?”
Arkan wrinkled his nose slightly and placed another mushroom on Erdene’s plate.
“Are you kidding me? Just because you passed out doesn’t mean the rest of us were.”
“Did you beat up Captain Wiziard?”
Arkan slammed the table, his mouth wide open in bewilderment.
“Why is the topic going that way? Why would I beat up Belen?”
“Otherwise, why would Belen... Anyway, it seems like what you heard from Captain Wiziard is true. As you heard, a plant of unknown purpose and a large sum of money were found in the basement of Maple Mansion, and I ordered him to investigate. Do you have any new information?”
Arkan looked at her for a moment as if he was annoyed, then said.
“It seems like the men occupying that mansion were making some kind of deal with the herbalists of Kensilom. That plant is used to grow in Vetor, but it doesn’t grow there anymore. It only grows in special environments, but it seems that Kensilom, which is close to Vetor, still grows in large quantities.”
Erdene opened her eyes wide after taking a spoonful of the soup.
It was much more welcome than she had expected.
Arkan, who had been watching her quickly finish half of the soup, smiled and sighed faintly.
“Thank goodness. It seems well-made.”
“It’s really delicious.”
Erdene chuckled after eating the well-cooked potatoes.
“I thought I would never eat it in Vetor. How did you know how to make this soup?”
Arkan raised one eyebrow and deliberately pouted.
“Belen told me. I don’t know where or how he got it, but all the patients at Vetor eat it and it’s so delicious. I couldn’t tell who was the King and who was the knight commander.”
“Captain Wiziard?”
Erdene snickered as she recalled Belen running in with the recipe he had obtained somewhere.
Belen had been filling the empty spot left by her adjutant, Thelma, but she had never thought he would prepare something like this.
“Eat this too. They say it restores your stamina quickly.”
“Hmm, that’s a strange-looking mushroom.”
“Don’t be picky.”
When Arkan nagged her, Erdene pretended not to give in and put a mushroom in her mouth.
The smooth texture wasn’t very pleasant, but it was tasty.
While they were chatting and eating, Erdene suddenly said as if a thought occurred to her.
“By the way, what happened to Kensilom and Etonhorn? I heard that Kensilom sent a letter to try to avoid the issue last time.”
Arkan answered.
“We still have no way to thoroughly investigate Kensilom. We are discussing it.”
“I see.”
You didn’t send a spy. Erdene thought.
The seven countries inland had maintained a strong alliance until recently, so it wasn’t strange...
‘I wonder if Kensilom and Etonhorn are doing the same.’
She thought.
“By the way, since we’re on the subject, what on earth happened at Maple Mansion?”
Erdene’s eyes widened.
“How did Your Majesty know about that?”
Arkan wrinkled his nose slightly and placed another mushroom on Erdene’s plate.
“Are you kidding me? Just because you passed out doesn’t mean the rest of us were.”
“Did you beat up Captain Wiziard?”
Arkan slammed the table, his mouth wide open in bewilderment.
“Why is the topic going that way? Why would I beat up Belen?”
“Otherwise, why would Belen... Anyway, it seems like what you heard from Captain Wiziard is true. As you heard, a plant of unknown purpose and a large sum of money were found in the basement of Maple Mansion, and I ordered him to investigate. Do you have any new information?”
Arkan looked at her for a moment as if he was annoyed, then said.
“It seems like the men occupying that mansion were making some kind of deal with the herbalists of Kensilom. That plant is used to grow in Vetor, but it doesn’t grow there anymore. It only grows in special environments, but it seems that Kensilom, which is close to Vetor, still grows in large quantities.”
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