Episode 21. The Queen's Punishment
Meanwhile, in the main garden, a banquet was being held as if nothing had happened, but Queen Beatrix was listening to the head maid's report with a stiff expression.
It wasn't difficult to figure out the full story of the incident, as there was a maid who overheard the conversation between the young ladies and Olivia from beyond the maze wall.
The maid swallowed and nodded at the Queen's cold gaze.
“I’m sorry. I’ll try to find it as soon as possible.”
Margot, who was standing next to her, also turned her head with a dark expression.
The head maid was about to turn around cautiously, observing the two royals, when the Queen called out to her.
“Bring me the young ladies who entered the maze with Miss Olivia Liberty. And their mothers.”
The maid answered quickly, thinking that what was coming had come.
"All right."
If she had her way, she would have called the young men who had cornered Olivia the other day. It seemed they'd followed her in this time, too.
However, at the last banquet, the Queen was not present, and unlike the young ladies, no one had heard of it, so it was impossible to question them simply because they entered the maze at an exquisite time.
“Princess, please take care of the banquet for me.”
“Yes, I will.”
At the Queen's command, Margot bowed her head respectfully and left the place.
A moment later, the young ladies, summoned by the Queen, came to see her, their faces terrified. Their mothers, with stern expressions, were also present.
The Queen sat alone on the sofa, not even offering them a seat. The maids and knights lined up behind her, and the royal banners, slowly waving, further accentuated her majesty.
The Queen slowly tilted her teacup, her eyes scanning each of their faces.
A space cut off from the outside world, an uncomfortable and awkward silence, and the Queen's cold gaze.
The young ladies, who had confidently treated the royal guests, were tense, staring at their toes. Their mothers, too, instinctively realized they had made a mistake and sighed softly with heavy faces.
Madame Lier, unable to bear this uncomfortable silence, was about to cautiously open her mouth.
The Queen, who had put down her teacup with a loud click, opened her mouth.
“Do you know where the royal guest is?”
She referred to Olivia as a royal guest instead of her name.
Helena and the young ladies could only look at each other's faces and could not easily answer the Queen's question.
“Young Lady Lier.”
"Yes, yes?"
As Helena clenched her hands in a squeak at the sudden call, Madame Lier, who was standing next to her, took a step forward.
"Your Majesty, there must have been some misunderstanding. These children said they were only guiding Miss Liberty through the maze with pure intentions."
“...”
The Queen stared silently at Madame Lier, who finally stepped back. Helena felt as if she might faint as soon as her mother's shadow disappeared.
“Let me ask again, Lady Lier. Where did the royal guest go?”
“That, that... well... let’s go in together...”
“Yes, yes. Come over here and sit down.”
The Queen suddenly spoke with a gentle voice and pointed to the seat next to her. Helena looked at her mother in surprise, but Madame Lier tried not to look at her and simply pushed her back.
Even though the status is collapsing, the royal family is still the royal family.
The ladies who had watched the newly debuting fools lead the royal guests into the maze felt belated regret.
And she just hoped this would go smoothly.
Helena sat down beside the Queen, trembling.
"Tell me what you were talking about. Oh, you shouldn't keep looking back at your mother when you're talking to me."
"I'm sorry."
“So, where did the royal guest go?”
“That, that is... She suddenly turned around on her own and disappeared without a moment to catch up. That’s all.”
“...”
The Queen's gaze gradually grew sharper as she heard the explanation omit the intermediate steps. Helena herself also found her explanation absurd, and her head gradually lowered.
The Queen raised her head and looked at the other young ladies who were staring at the ground.
“You went in together, but then she turned around and disappeared without any explanation or reason... Is that how it is for everyone?”
The young ladies who had been bowing their heads to the Queen's soft question began to nod one by one.
"I see." The Queen muttered softly and called Madame Lier.
“Madame Lier.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“If you were a lady, what would you have done if a royal guest had entered a maze she had never seen before without warning, and had even lost sight of the guest?”
Madame Lier barely managed to suppress the sigh boiling inside her and answered calmly.
“I would have returned immediately, reported to Her Majesty the Queen, and gone to find the royal guest.”
The Queen smiled with satisfaction at her answer.
“Indeed, that is a response worthy of the mistress of the prestigious Lier.”
The ladies tightly closed their eyes as if they sensed the impending punishment of the Queen, and the young ladies blinked as if they thought this was the end.
Helena also slowly raised her head and looked at the Queen. As it happened, the Queen was looking at her.
Just as the wall facing her seemed more frightening than her strict father, the Queen opened her mouth.
“Ladies in high society should have that level of sophistication.”
Uh...
“In that sense, I think the young ladies gathered here need a little more education.”
This isn't it.
The Queen turned her head, met the eyes of the young ladies' mothers, and gave an elegant order.
“For the time being, please refrain from attending banquets or social events so that you can gain more knowledge.”
“Ugh, Your Majesty!”
When Helena called her urgently, Madame Lier's rebuke flew.
“Helena!”
Helena looked back at her mother with tears in her eyes, but her mother stopped her with a look more stern than ever.
The Queen would not attempt to punish several noble ladies without proper witnesses. They were all from prominent families, and it would be a burden even for the Queen.
Still, they can't just let it go, so this is the best compromise they can make.
The moment you object, the Queen will call witnesses, and when that happens, things will get even worse than they are now.
The Queen stood up with a cold look in her eyes and spoke in a cold voice.
“I think it would be best to leave the banquet for today.”
“I apologize for any inconvenience. I will pay more attention to my daughter’s education.”
The young ladies bowed their heads together in fear at the sight of their mothers, and the Queen passed them by with a cold attitude.
Helena, who was intimidated by the Queen's aura, quickly ran to her mother and clung to her arm, sobbing.
“Oh, Mom...”
“You fool! Don’t show your tears and behave properly so that rumors don’t spread.”
"Yes..."
The price for ignoring a royal guest because she was a commoner has come back to haunt her.
And the prodigal sons, who had been watching the scene from afar, turned around, tucking their necks in like giraffes, as soon as the Queen's cold gaze flew towards them.
The Queen must have already noticed their behavior. However, there was no excuse to press them.
A moment later, the young ladies and their mothers who had been summoned by the Queen emerged from behind the screen with stern faces and quickly disappeared.
Mrs. Seymour, who was watching the scene, clicked her tongue slightly and whispered to her daughter, who was next to her.
“I guess they won’t be able to attend any banquets this year.”
Isabelle smiled and nodded slightly.
“I guess everyone cried.”
Mrs. Seymour looked at her daughter with a deep gaze and smoothed her disheveled side hair.
No one could compare to her daughter.
“See, Mom was right? There’s no good in going into a maze.”
“Yes, what...”
Isabelle looked around, her voice trailing off.
As soon as the banquet began, Noah entered the maze and never came out again. She was tempted to ignore her mother's advice and sneak into the maze, but he resisted, remembering Madame Zuberne's added words.
"If you were to encounter His Highness Prince Noah in the labyrinth, he would probably disappear without even offering a proper greeting. He has no eyes to see."
Yeah, she has to hold back. If she wants to face him more plausibly.
The banquet without him was truly boring and dull.
Noah, who often played in the maze with Usher, made his way through the path without hesitation. His stride was so wide and swift that Olivia had to practically run along with him.
For Olivia, who had been wandering the maze for hours without even having dinner, it was a daunting task, but she couldn't bring herself to tell the Prince to slow down. She clutched the hem of her dress and desperately chased after him.
How long did it take?
Noah, who had been walking without much thought, turned around at the sound of her heavy breathing growing louder. The moon, which had briefly peeked out, had disappeared, so he couldn't see her expression clearly, but the sound of her rapid breathing was ominous.
It was only then that he realized she was practically running to catch up with him.
If you ask if it's okay to go slowly, is that difficult to say?
But, thinking about it, she thought it might be difficult for her.
Noah's face, looking straight ahead again, showed a look of exhaustion.
If the royal family is so annoying, why are they going through all this trouble to find guests?
Despite all the warnings, he will not leave alone those pathetic bastards who created this mess.
Meanwhile, in the main garden, a banquet was being held as if nothing had happened, but Queen Beatrix was listening to the head maid's report with a stiff expression.
It wasn't difficult to figure out the full story of the incident, as there was a maid who overheard the conversation between the young ladies and Olivia from beyond the maze wall.
The maid swallowed and nodded at the Queen's cold gaze.
“I’m sorry. I’ll try to find it as soon as possible.”
Margot, who was standing next to her, also turned her head with a dark expression.
The head maid was about to turn around cautiously, observing the two royals, when the Queen called out to her.
“Bring me the young ladies who entered the maze with Miss Olivia Liberty. And their mothers.”
The maid answered quickly, thinking that what was coming had come.
"All right."
If she had her way, she would have called the young men who had cornered Olivia the other day. It seemed they'd followed her in this time, too.
However, at the last banquet, the Queen was not present, and unlike the young ladies, no one had heard of it, so it was impossible to question them simply because they entered the maze at an exquisite time.
“Princess, please take care of the banquet for me.”
“Yes, I will.”
At the Queen's command, Margot bowed her head respectfully and left the place.
A moment later, the young ladies, summoned by the Queen, came to see her, their faces terrified. Their mothers, with stern expressions, were also present.
The Queen sat alone on the sofa, not even offering them a seat. The maids and knights lined up behind her, and the royal banners, slowly waving, further accentuated her majesty.
The Queen slowly tilted her teacup, her eyes scanning each of their faces.
A space cut off from the outside world, an uncomfortable and awkward silence, and the Queen's cold gaze.
The young ladies, who had confidently treated the royal guests, were tense, staring at their toes. Their mothers, too, instinctively realized they had made a mistake and sighed softly with heavy faces.
Madame Lier, unable to bear this uncomfortable silence, was about to cautiously open her mouth.
The Queen, who had put down her teacup with a loud click, opened her mouth.
“Do you know where the royal guest is?”
She referred to Olivia as a royal guest instead of her name.
Helena and the young ladies could only look at each other's faces and could not easily answer the Queen's question.
“Young Lady Lier.”
"Yes, yes?"
As Helena clenched her hands in a squeak at the sudden call, Madame Lier, who was standing next to her, took a step forward.
"Your Majesty, there must have been some misunderstanding. These children said they were only guiding Miss Liberty through the maze with pure intentions."
“...”
The Queen stared silently at Madame Lier, who finally stepped back. Helena felt as if she might faint as soon as her mother's shadow disappeared.
“Let me ask again, Lady Lier. Where did the royal guest go?”
“That, that... well... let’s go in together...”
“Yes, yes. Come over here and sit down.”
The Queen suddenly spoke with a gentle voice and pointed to the seat next to her. Helena looked at her mother in surprise, but Madame Lier tried not to look at her and simply pushed her back.
Even though the status is collapsing, the royal family is still the royal family.
The ladies who had watched the newly debuting fools lead the royal guests into the maze felt belated regret.
And she just hoped this would go smoothly.
To fall out of favor with the queen in society means all marriage prospects are blocked. What family would willingly take a young lady who has incurred the royal family's displeasure as their daughter-in-law?
"Tell me what you were talking about. Oh, you shouldn't keep looking back at your mother when you're talking to me."
"I'm sorry."
“So, where did the royal guest go?”
“That, that is... She suddenly turned around on her own and disappeared without a moment to catch up. That’s all.”
“...”
The Queen's gaze gradually grew sharper as she heard the explanation omit the intermediate steps. Helena herself also found her explanation absurd, and her head gradually lowered.
The Queen raised her head and looked at the other young ladies who were staring at the ground.
“You went in together, but then she turned around and disappeared without any explanation or reason... Is that how it is for everyone?”
The young ladies who had been bowing their heads to the Queen's soft question began to nod one by one.
"I see." The Queen muttered softly and called Madame Lier.
“Madame Lier.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“If you were a lady, what would you have done if a royal guest had entered a maze she had never seen before without warning, and had even lost sight of the guest?”
Madame Lier barely managed to suppress the sigh boiling inside her and answered calmly.
“I would have returned immediately, reported to Her Majesty the Queen, and gone to find the royal guest.”
The Queen smiled with satisfaction at her answer.
“Indeed, that is a response worthy of the mistress of the prestigious Lier.”
The ladies tightly closed their eyes as if they sensed the impending punishment of the Queen, and the young ladies blinked as if they thought this was the end.
Helena also slowly raised her head and looked at the Queen. As it happened, the Queen was looking at her.
Just as the wall facing her seemed more frightening than her strict father, the Queen opened her mouth.
“Ladies in high society should have that level of sophistication.”
Uh...
“In that sense, I think the young ladies gathered here need a little more education.”
This isn't it.
The Queen turned her head, met the eyes of the young ladies' mothers, and gave an elegant order.
“For the time being, please refrain from attending banquets or social events so that you can gain more knowledge.”
“Ugh, Your Majesty!”
When Helena called her urgently, Madame Lier's rebuke flew.
“Helena!”
Helena looked back at her mother with tears in her eyes, but her mother stopped her with a look more stern than ever.
The Queen would not attempt to punish several noble ladies without proper witnesses. They were all from prominent families, and it would be a burden even for the Queen.
Still, they can't just let it go, so this is the best compromise they can make.
The moment you object, the Queen will call witnesses, and when that happens, things will get even worse than they are now.
The Queen stood up with a cold look in her eyes and spoke in a cold voice.
“I think it would be best to leave the banquet for today.”
“I apologize for any inconvenience. I will pay more attention to my daughter’s education.”
The young ladies bowed their heads together in fear at the sight of their mothers, and the Queen passed them by with a cold attitude.
Helena, who was intimidated by the Queen's aura, quickly ran to her mother and clung to her arm, sobbing.
“Oh, Mom...”
“You fool! Don’t show your tears and behave properly so that rumors don’t spread.”
"Yes..."
The price for ignoring a royal guest because she was a commoner has come back to haunt her.
And the prodigal sons, who had been watching the scene from afar, turned around, tucking their necks in like giraffes, as soon as the Queen's cold gaze flew towards them.
The Queen must have already noticed their behavior. However, there was no excuse to press them.
A moment later, the young ladies and their mothers who had been summoned by the Queen emerged from behind the screen with stern faces and quickly disappeared.
Mrs. Seymour, who was watching the scene, clicked her tongue slightly and whispered to her daughter, who was next to her.
“I guess they won’t be able to attend any banquets this year.”
Isabelle smiled and nodded slightly.
“I guess everyone cried.”
Mrs. Seymour looked at her daughter with a deep gaze and smoothed her disheveled side hair.
No one could compare to her daughter.
“See, Mom was right? There’s no good in going into a maze.”
“Yes, what...”
Isabelle looked around, her voice trailing off.
As soon as the banquet began, Noah entered the maze and never came out again. She was tempted to ignore her mother's advice and sneak into the maze, but he resisted, remembering Madame Zuberne's added words.
"If you were to encounter His Highness Prince Noah in the labyrinth, he would probably disappear without even offering a proper greeting. He has no eyes to see."
Yeah, she has to hold back. If she wants to face him more plausibly.
The banquet without him was truly boring and dull.
***
Noah, who often played in the maze with Usher, made his way through the path without hesitation. His stride was so wide and swift that Olivia had to practically run along with him.
For Olivia, who had been wandering the maze for hours without even having dinner, it was a daunting task, but she couldn't bring herself to tell the Prince to slow down. She clutched the hem of her dress and desperately chased after him.
How long did it take?
Noah, who had been walking without much thought, turned around at the sound of her heavy breathing growing louder. The moon, which had briefly peeked out, had disappeared, so he couldn't see her expression clearly, but the sound of her rapid breathing was ominous.
It was only then that he realized she was practically running to catch up with him.
If you ask if it's okay to go slowly, is that difficult to say?
But, thinking about it, she thought it might be difficult for her.
Noah's face, looking straight ahead again, showed a look of exhaustion.
If the royal family is so annoying, why are they going through all this trouble to find guests?
Despite all the warnings, he will not leave alone those pathetic bastards who created this mess.
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