“Ugh!”
Ruston’s ugly scream echoed through the hallway.
Erdene, who had dragged him by the collar and thrown him in front of Marchioness Fiddler, grabbed Ruston’s back of the head and said,
“Apologize right now.”
Ruston struggled but couldn’t overcome Erdene’s strength.
No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t shake off even one of her hands or arms, and only then did he feel a chill down his spine.
The other three nobles who had been watching, including Ruston’s younger sister Reni, also watched this scene with pale faces.
Erdene said again,
“Do you want to apologize only if I slam your forehead on the floor right now?”
She pressed the back of Ruston’s head even harder. Ruston’s knees, unable to overcome her strength, hit the floor.
“Sorry, sorry... I’m sorry! I'm sorry, I, I apologize, Marchioness!"
Ruston quickly opened his mouth as he thought that his forehead might really hit the floor.
The place Erdene had grabbed began to feel a chill. Fear that his head would burst consumed his whole body.
"Please forgive me. I made a slip of the tongue!"
"That's not it."
Ruston's body froze at Erdene's words.
Marchioness Fiddler also frowned and looked at Erdene.
Only Sophia stared at the back of Ruston's head with a calm expression suppressing her anger.
"Sophia, you tell me."
Sophia looked at her at Erdene's words.
"Is it right to use the word 'slip of the tongue' at a time like this? As people say, I'm not familiar with the common language."
At that moment, Reni Harrow, who was standing behind him, let out a low groan and staggered.
If the Countess standing next to her hadn’t grabbed her in a hurry, she would have fallen backward.
Among those who had been spreading rumors that Erdene didn’t know how to use the ‘official language’ properly and continued to use the vulgar language of the Empire, was Reni.
“Come to your senses.”
Reni bit his lips tightly at the Countess’s words.
“If we get caught here, the Harrows are finished. Have you already forgotten what happened to Countess Zelma?”
Reni looked as if she was about to vomit at those words. Erdene was listening to all the whispers behind her, but for now, it was more important to break Ruston’s arrogant nose. However, she did cast her gaze towards Renie and the other nobles. With a smile that told them to behave themselves.
Ruston realized it and decided that it would be better to end this matter quickly rather than prolong the moment of pointless suffering and humiliation.
But even though he apologized, the hand that had been pressing down on the back of his head would not budge.
Now, his neck, which had been bent down, was stiff and numb.
Erdene looked at the Marchioness Fiddlers in silence. When her distorted face darkened, Sophia, who was standing next to her, whispered quietly.
“Mother.”
Only then did the Marchioness seem to come to her senses.
She looked down at Ruston, who was kneeling before her with his head bowed—forcefully—and then at Erdene with slightly tired eyes.
She lifted her obstinate, hooked nose upward, and pursed her trembling lips, speaking in a demanding tone.
“Since Your Majesty has been so considerate of you, I will not ask any more questions this time.”
And the Marchioness bowed her head to Erdene.
“I apologize for the inconvenience, Your Majesty.”
A faint smile appeared on Erdene’s lips as he looked at her, then disappeared.
As she quickly raised her hand that was still holding the back of Ruston’s head, he let out another ugly scream.
“Your Majesty!”
“Stop making such a fuss. This is the royal palace. Where are you raising your voice?”
“I, I’m sorry. Please...”
Erdene looked down at him, who had become contemplative, and said.
“You all know about Montiel Zelma. If you do something like this one more time and I catch your eye, you’ll end up in the same situation. Do you understand?”
“Oh, I understand. I was wrong...”
Erdene pushed Ruston’s head away as if she was throwing it away. He flailed his arms and legs and rolled on the floor.
“You pathetic things.”
At Erdene’s rebuke, Ruston and his party’s faces turned red and blue.
They hurriedly followed Ruston as he staggered down the hallway.
Those who had gathered around to watch this scene also quickly backed away, fearing that sparks would fly.
Soon, only Erdene, Sophia, and the Marchioness Fiddlers were left in the hallway. The Marchioness stumbled and leaned against Sophia’s arm.
“Mother, are you okay?”
“I’m okay. You...”
The Marchioness frowned.
She felt like biting her tongue at the thought of having tarnished her daughter’s face more than she had been humiliated herself.
And...
“Sophia.”
Sophia raised her head and looked at Erdene.
The simmering contempt and anger had disappeared, and only affectionate consideration remained in her pale blue eyes.
“Take your mother and go back now. Anne and Sabnake will handle the rest.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty. Then I will do as you say.”
Erdene nodded and turned around.
“Please wait a moment, Your Majesty.”
It was the voice of the Marchioness. Sophia panicked and grabbed her mother’s sleeve, but the Marchioness shook it off and took a step toward Erdene.
Her wrinkled face was distorted with complicated emotions.
Erdene did not get angry or snap at the Marchioness who was staring her straight in the eye. She
simply smiled leisurely, like a winner, waiting for her to say something.
The Marchioness knew it too. She thought that she should feel defeated, but…
“...Why did you help me?”
Erdene’s eyes blinked. A ferocious beast, but a beautiful face.
Marchioness Fidlers thought that this was the first time she had properly seen Erdene’s face.
Erdene said with laughter.
“Didn’t you make me medicine when I collapsed and lost consciousness? As I told you before, you didn’t have to do it diligently. You told me it was for your daughter, but in the end, I owe you something, don’t I? I repay that debt today.”
Sophia, who had no idea about the conversation between the two, was shocked inside. She had never thought that her mother would say something like that to Erdene. It was even more shocking that Erdene just let it go.
Marchioness Fiddler’s lips twitched. Then Erdene interrupted her and continued.
“If it hurts your pride that I helped you, let me tell you that it was for Sophia and me, not for you. Sophia is the person closest to me in this castle. If I let her mother suffer such a ridiculous humiliation, it would be like letting someone pour sewage on my face. Do you understand what I mean?”
The Marchioness said,
“I don’t think it hurts my pride.”
Erdene raised one eyebrow as she was about to turn away. Her expression was amused.
The next moment, something that Erdene and Sophia had never expected happened.
The Marchioness Fiddler, who was unrivaled in pride and stubbornness, bowed before Erdene with great respect.
“I sincerely thank you for your generosity and for saving me from my predicament. Your Majesty the Queen.”
Ruston’s ugly scream echoed through the hallway.
Erdene, who had dragged him by the collar and thrown him in front of Marchioness Fiddler, grabbed Ruston’s back of the head and said,
“Apologize right now.”
Ruston struggled but couldn’t overcome Erdene’s strength.
No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t shake off even one of her hands or arms, and only then did he feel a chill down his spine.
The other three nobles who had been watching, including Ruston’s younger sister Reni, also watched this scene with pale faces.
Erdene said again,
“Do you want to apologize only if I slam your forehead on the floor right now?”
She pressed the back of Ruston’s head even harder. Ruston’s knees, unable to overcome her strength, hit the floor.
“Sorry, sorry... I’m sorry! I'm sorry, I, I apologize, Marchioness!"
Ruston quickly opened his mouth as he thought that his forehead might really hit the floor.
The place Erdene had grabbed began to feel a chill. Fear that his head would burst consumed his whole body.
"Please forgive me. I made a slip of the tongue!"
"That's not it."
Ruston's body froze at Erdene's words.
Marchioness Fiddler also frowned and looked at Erdene.
Only Sophia stared at the back of Ruston's head with a calm expression suppressing her anger.
"Sophia, you tell me."
Sophia looked at her at Erdene's words.
"Is it right to use the word 'slip of the tongue' at a time like this? As people say, I'm not familiar with the common language."
At that moment, Reni Harrow, who was standing behind him, let out a low groan and staggered.
If the Countess standing next to her hadn’t grabbed her in a hurry, she would have fallen backward.
Among those who had been spreading rumors that Erdene didn’t know how to use the ‘official language’ properly and continued to use the vulgar language of the Empire, was Reni.
“Come to your senses.”
Reni bit his lips tightly at the Countess’s words.
“If we get caught here, the Harrows are finished. Have you already forgotten what happened to Countess Zelma?”
Reni looked as if she was about to vomit at those words. Erdene was listening to all the whispers behind her, but for now, it was more important to break Ruston’s arrogant nose. However, she did cast her gaze towards Renie and the other nobles. With a smile that told them to behave themselves.
“I will answer Your Majesty’s question. ‘Slip of the tongue’ is a word that means saying the wrong thing by mistake. The son of the Harrow family has been rude to my mother several times, but I wouldn’t call it a mistake if it was just once.”
“Did you hear that?”
Ruston’s expression was not visible because the back of his head was pressed. However, she could easily guess what kind of face he was making just from the sound of his panting breath and his trembling shoulders. Erdene said.
“Say it again. This time, you have to do it right. As I said before, I hate people who make me say the same thing twice.”
Ruston’s mind became completely chaotic after those words. He had never thought of such a situation. Ruston glanced around urgently, and he saw people gathering in groups. People passing by stopped and looked around, wondering what was going on. Rumors would spread throughout the castle before half a day had passed.
Ruston ground his molars and shut his eyes tightly. They say that Ruston Harrow of the Harrow Baron House was held by the Queen and was on his knees...In a humiliating state, unable to move.
'Damn it, damn it! Damn it!’
For a moment, he considered shaking off Erdene as if he were ready to die. But his instincts, the instincts that were directly connected to his life, cried out seriously. That was stupid. This woman could snap his neck here with just one hand. That was true.
“The Marchioness... I spoke presumptuously. Please...forgive me...”
“Don’t mumble, you son of a bitch.”
Erdene’s grip tightened a little. Ruston almost screamed.
“The Marchioness, I spoke presumptuously! Please forgive me...!”
Even if he held on with all his might... it was meaningless.
Ruston realized it and decided that it would be better to end this matter quickly rather than prolong the moment of pointless suffering and humiliation.
But even though he apologized, the hand that had been pressing down on the back of his head would not budge.
Now, his neck, which had been bent down, was stiff and numb.
Erdene looked at the Marchioness Fiddlers in silence. When her distorted face darkened, Sophia, who was standing next to her, whispered quietly.
“Mother.”
Only then did the Marchioness seem to come to her senses.
She looked down at Ruston, who was kneeling before her with his head bowed—forcefully—and then at Erdene with slightly tired eyes.
She lifted her obstinate, hooked nose upward, and pursed her trembling lips, speaking in a demanding tone.
“Since Your Majesty has been so considerate of you, I will not ask any more questions this time.”
And the Marchioness bowed her head to Erdene.
“I apologize for the inconvenience, Your Majesty.”
A faint smile appeared on Erdene’s lips as he looked at her, then disappeared.
As she quickly raised her hand that was still holding the back of Ruston’s head, he let out another ugly scream.
“Your Majesty!”
“Stop making such a fuss. This is the royal palace. Where are you raising your voice?”
“I, I’m sorry. Please...”
Erdene looked down at him, who had become contemplative, and said.
“You all know about Montiel Zelma. If you do something like this one more time and I catch your eye, you’ll end up in the same situation. Do you understand?”
“Oh, I understand. I was wrong...”
Erdene pushed Ruston’s head away as if she was throwing it away. He flailed his arms and legs and rolled on the floor.
“You pathetic things.”
At Erdene’s rebuke, Ruston and his party’s faces turned red and blue.
They hurriedly followed Ruston as he staggered down the hallway.
Those who had gathered around to watch this scene also quickly backed away, fearing that sparks would fly.
Soon, only Erdene, Sophia, and the Marchioness Fiddlers were left in the hallway. The Marchioness stumbled and leaned against Sophia’s arm.
“Mother, are you okay?”
“I’m okay. You...”
The Marchioness frowned.
She felt like biting her tongue at the thought of having tarnished her daughter’s face more than she had been humiliated herself.
And...
“Sophia.”
Sophia raised her head and looked at Erdene.
The simmering contempt and anger had disappeared, and only affectionate consideration remained in her pale blue eyes.
“Take your mother and go back now. Anne and Sabnake will handle the rest.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty. Then I will do as you say.”
Erdene nodded and turned around.
“Please wait a moment, Your Majesty.”
It was the voice of the Marchioness. Sophia panicked and grabbed her mother’s sleeve, but the Marchioness shook it off and took a step toward Erdene.
Her wrinkled face was distorted with complicated emotions.
Erdene did not get angry or snap at the Marchioness who was staring her straight in the eye. She
simply smiled leisurely, like a winner, waiting for her to say something.
The Marchioness knew it too. She thought that she should feel defeated, but…
“...Why did you help me?”
Erdene’s eyes blinked. A ferocious beast, but a beautiful face.
Marchioness Fidlers thought that this was the first time she had properly seen Erdene’s face.
Erdene said with laughter.
“Didn’t you make me medicine when I collapsed and lost consciousness? As I told you before, you didn’t have to do it diligently. You told me it was for your daughter, but in the end, I owe you something, don’t I? I repay that debt today.”
Sophia, who had no idea about the conversation between the two, was shocked inside. She had never thought that her mother would say something like that to Erdene. It was even more shocking that Erdene just let it go.
Marchioness Fiddler’s lips twitched. Then Erdene interrupted her and continued.
“If it hurts your pride that I helped you, let me tell you that it was for Sophia and me, not for you. Sophia is the person closest to me in this castle. If I let her mother suffer such a ridiculous humiliation, it would be like letting someone pour sewage on my face. Do you understand what I mean?”
The Marchioness said,
“I don’t think it hurts my pride.”
Erdene raised one eyebrow as she was about to turn away. Her expression was amused.
The next moment, something that Erdene and Sophia had never expected happened.
The Marchioness Fiddler, who was unrivaled in pride and stubbornness, bowed before Erdene with great respect.
“I sincerely thank you for your generosity and for saving me from my predicament. Your Majesty the Queen.”
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