Chapter 20
The sheer absurdity of the situation gnawed at her. They had barely been wed, yet he was already performing the role of the doting spouse with such dedication.
From a political standpoint, Makaeri gained significantly from Elfreda holding Ejnar’s affection. Still, that strategic advantage did not justify the humiliation of groveling before a baseborn child. The notion that she, a direct descendant of the imperial line, had to offer a formal apology to a worthless bastard in the light of day was utterly preposterous.
“If you continue to stall, the King is going to find your behavior suspicious. I beg you, Your Highness—!”
“Silence! I will manage it!”
Serina let out a low, predatory snarl. She pulled in a deep, stabilizing breath and fixed her gaze directly on Elfreda. Without pausing to even draw air between her words, she spoke with clipped speed.
“My apologies, Sister. I am deeply sorry for the complications this matter has caused and truly regret my actions.”
Elfreda was at a loss for how to react to such a hollow gesture. Serina’s delivery lacked even a shred of remorse; it sounded far more like a formal challenge to combat than a plea for forgiveness.
Desperate to put an end to the spectacle, Elfreda managed a stiff nod and a strained smile.
It was hard to believe she was actually witnessing an apology from Serina. Even if the girl’s posture was defiant and her heart wasn’t in it, the mere fact that she had been forced to verbalize an apology was staggering. To Elfreda, it felt as though the natural laws of the universe had been upended.
Serina shot a glance at Ejnar, her eyes questioning if he was satisfied, while the representative from Makaeri quickly intervened to smooth things over.
“It is my sincere hope, Your Majesty, that this unfortunate event does not sour the bond between our great nations.”
“Naturally, that is a priority.”
Ejnar turned his gaze back to Elfreda, a slow, relaxed smile spreading across his face.
“The Emperor has truly blessed me with a magnificent bride.”
His mouth curved upward, yet his eyes remained cold and unreadable.
Elfreda attempted to return the smile, but her expression was so forced that she feared the envoy and Serina would see right through the facade if they took a step closer.
“….”
Ejnar watched her with an intense, lingering stare for several moments before finally looking away.
The moment her duty was done, Serina departed for Makaeri. She likely viewed this as a once-in-a-lifetime humiliation she would never repeat. Regardless of diplomatic requirements, she clearly had no intention of remaining in Elfreda’s presence a second longer than necessary.
In her mind, she had compromised her very dignity by uttering those words.
The soldiers tied to the civilian’s death met their end under the edge of national justice, and the bereaved were granted proper restitution. Once word circulated that Serina had personally bowed her head to the King and Queen, the fires of public outrage began to die down.
Makaeri had fulfilled its obligations to a reasonable degree; now, it was a matter of waiting to see how the political landscape shifted.
In the wake of the scandal, Elfreda saw her royal responsibilities restored, reclaiming the duties Marchioness Magnum had previously seized. Even though the crisis had been averted, the Marchioness appeared deeply dissatisfied with the outcome.
Elfreda studied the woman’s sour expression before speaking up.
“You were likely hoping this would be the perfect chance to have me stripped of my title.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“…That is precisely the sentiment written all over your face, Marchioness Magnum.”
The bluntness of the accusation caught the older woman off guard. The Marchioness’s features twisted in a momentary lapse of composure, prompting a small smile from Elfreda.
“I am only teasing. We should probably get the postponed tea parties back on the calendar, shouldn’t we?”
“…Yes, quite right.”
The Marchioness’s mouth twitched as she forced a response.
“I shall schedule the first one for next week. Would that be acceptable?”
“That sounds perfect.”
Internally, the Marchioness felt nothing but contempt for Elfreda’s gentle tone. She harbored the private belief that the Queen was being arrogant, thinking she had secured her position just because one storm had passed. She resolved to ensure Elfreda learned just how precarious her reality truly was.
Elfreda’s debut as the hosting Queen arrived. She had spent the preceding week in a flurry of meticulous planning, inviting the cream of the nobility. Every detail of the reception hall was flawless, and the refreshments were curated with the utmost precision to ensure her guests were impressed.
However…
“…This can’t be.”
All the preparation in the world meant nothing without an audience. Elfreda stood in the center of the silent, vacant room, unable to mask her shock.
“Not a single soul has arrived.”
Marchioness Magnum stood beside her, the picture of false commiseration despite her rigid posture.
“The results speak for themselves.”
“….”
“How would you like to proceed?”
“Why is the room empty? Where is everyone?”
“Who can say? Perhaps they all had personal matters to attend to. Sudden illnesses or urgent family business can be so unpredictable.”
The Marchioness allowed a thin, sharp smile to touch her lips.
“Then again, it is possible they simply had no desire to attend.”
Elfreda shifted her gaze to the Marchioness. The woman maintained a mask of neutrality, yet a mocking joy danced behind her eyes. It became instantly clear to Elfreda that this boycott had been orchestrated by the woman standing next to her. She bit her lip in frustration.
“This is a disaster. The monarchy cannot function if the nobility refuses to engage.”
“Indeed, that would be quite problematic.”
Despite her words, Elfreda was at a loss. Attendance at such social functions was a matter of choice, not a legal requirement. If she tried to exert her royal authority to force them, she would only succeed in becoming the laughingstock of the elite.
She considered seeking Ejnar’s intervention but quickly dismissed it. It was a firm, unspoken rule that the King did not meddle in the politics of the inner court. Furthermore, she had no bridge to the social circles that had been under the Marchioness’s thumb since long before her arrival.
“What do you suggest we do, Marchioness Magnum?”
The Marchioness let out a short, airy sound that was half-laugh, half-sigh.
“If the ladies of the court do not recognize your status, there is very little I can do to assist you.”
“But isn’t that your primary function? To ensure these things happen?”
Elfreda pressed her lips together, fighting to keep her voice steady and professional.
“I am a foreign queen with no local connections. Surely you can bridge that gap?”
“Even I lack the power to force people to change their feelings against their will.”
“Then we must find a way to persuade them. I need to understand the personal tastes of everyone on that guest list.”
The Marchioness looked at her with blatant condescension, as if the suggestion were beneath her.
“Ah, so you intend to purchase their loyalty with trinkets?”
“If they are cold toward me because I am a stranger, then I have to earn their favor through other means.”
“An admirable effort, I suppose. However, Your Majesty…”
The Marchioness’s face fell into a theatrical display of regret.
“I find myself quite unwell. I believe I require several days of bed rest.”
“…What are you saying?”
“I have been feeling a chill since dawn. It would be dreadfully irresponsible of me to risk passing a contagion to the Queen.”
Elfreda was stunned into silence by the sheer audacity of the move. The Marchioness offered a hollow alternative.
“Perhaps you could consult the other ladies-in-waiting? They are surely well-versed in the social dynamics of the capital.”
“How long do you intend to be away?”
“I must be cautious until the symptoms clear. Perhaps three days, though it could take a week.”
“….”
Elfreda knew that every hour this dragged on played into her enemy’s hands. By tomorrow, the story of the Queen’s empty tea party would be the primary gossip in every manor.
As Elfreda wavered, the Marchioness let out a performative cough. Feeling the onset of a stress-induced headache, Elfreda gestured for her to leave.
“Fine. Go and recover.”
“Do look after your own health, Your Majesty. You mustn’t strain yourself.”
Elfreda didn’t bother replying to the empty platitudes. If the Marchioness had decided to sabotage her, there was no point in further conversation.
Left with no choice, she attempted to follow the woman’s suggestion and turned to the other staff.
“Can you tell me anything about Duchess Egisa’s preferences?”
“I’m afraid not, Ma’am. We move in different circles…”
“What about Countess Vignon?”
“My mother and the Countess have a rather strained history, so I avoid her…”
The maids were just as obstructive. Elfreda felt a dry, bitter laugh bubble up in her throat.
She realized then that a woman who controlled the nobility would never have left the domestic staff to their own devices. They were all compromised.
She thought about reaching out to her former tutors, but they too were beholden to the Marchioness. Relying on them would likely only provide more fodder for the rumors of her incompetence.
Elfreda was utterly isolated.
As Queen, it was beneath her dignity to go door-to-door begging for friendship. She felt trapped in an invisible cage, paralyzed by a mounting sense of helplessness.
Three days passed in this stifling silence.
