Translator: Nox

Chapter 24

“Is it your intention to dismiss me?”

“No, that isn’t it at all!”

Elfreda’s hands fluttered in a panicked gesture. She looked startled as she made her admission.

“I am truly grateful for your presence, Ilenne. I mean that sincerely.”

It appeared that despite coming from the Central Palace, Ilenne had remained untainted by the influence of Marchioness Magnum.

Elfreda felt as though this woman was the first person to show her genuine warmth since her arrival. It sparked a realization that even in this overwhelming fortress, she might find a single soul to trust—someone to whom she could reveal her true self.

As this thought took root, Elfreda’s gaze softened, shimmering with a sudden wave of feeling. A mixture of serenity and optimism washed over her. She began to believe that a dignified, human existence might actually be possible within these walls.

“It brings me such peace.”

Observing the Queen’s vulnerability, Ilenne pulled her into a silent, comforting embrace.

Elfreda’s eyes darted as she struggled to keep her composure, tucked against Ilenne’s slight frame. Though she was the taller of the two, she felt on the verge of breaking into sobs. Sensing this fragility, Ilenne whispered to her.

“My skills may be modest, but I will give you my absolute devotion. The King assigned me to your side for this very reason.”

The mention of the monarch caused a strange shadow to cross Elfreda’s face.

The King.

Her mind drifted back to the events of the previous evening.

He had been relentless, pushing her until she completely lost her grip on herself. It was hardly shocking that he was gone by the time she woke. The memory of him staying by her side until she drifted off felt like a hazy hallucination.

Life had become so grueling lately that even Ejnar’s most basic courtesies felt like fresh wounds, leaving her stung by her own inadequacy. Yet, here he was, issuing decrees for her benefit the very next morning.

Elfreda exhaled a soft breath and whispered to herself.

“That was quite thoughtful.”

“…I wonder. I’m not entirely certain about that,” Ilenne replied, her expression turning slightly strained. “Regardless, please call upon me for anything you require.”

“It is somewhat mortifying to admit, Ilenne, but I am currently facing a very precarious situation.”

“I understand, Your Majesty. I am listening.”

Elfreda held nothing back, recounting the full scope of her struggles. By the time she finished, Ilenne was visibly fighting to keep her jaw from dropping.

The Marchioness was far more treacherous than Ilenne had suspected; her behavior was steeped in cruelty and fraud. The attendants were no better. The sheer audacity required to fabricate lies regarding the Queen’s family and her childhood companions was staggering.

Ilenne reflected that regardless of the Queen’s lack of social seasoning, such treatment was inexcusable. The Marchioness had deliberately sabotaged the Queen’s education by omitting vital information. It was sickening to see a woman of such high rank stoop to such pathetic tactics.

Clarity and resolve filled Ilenne’s voice.

“Do not lose heart, Your Majesty. I have personal acquaintances among the noblewomen invited to the palace.”

“Is that the truth?”

“It is. I will seek them out and attempt to win them over.”

Success was not a certainty, of course. The Marchioness had spent decades, since the reign of the former Queen, weaving her web of influence. Ilenne, who had suffered the early loss of her mother, possessed nowhere near that level of social leverage.

Still, she refused to remain a passive observer while the Queen suffered.

“Is there a role for me in this, Ilenne?”

“My part is merely to ensure they enter this drawing room. After that, the outcome rests in Your Majesty’s hands.”

Ilenne squeezed Elfreda’s hand firmly.

“Entrust the beginning to me. I shall put forth every effort.”

“I cannot thank you enough, Ilenne.”

The tension finally bled out of Elfreda’s features.

Watching that relief take hold, Ilenne realized the depth of the agony the Queen had endured lately. She offered a sympathetic pat on the shoulder.

---

Meanwhile, within the walls of the Central Palace.

“…What is the reason for that tragic expression so early in the day?”

Ejnar directed a sharp, annoyed look at Robert. The attendant, seemingly prepared for the jab, shot back instantly.

“Tragic? Whatever do you mean?”

“If you intend to lie, you should really consult a looking glass first.”

“There is nothing wrong with my appearance.”

Despite his denial, Robert’s eyes remained fixed on Ejnar with blatant disapproval.

“What possessed you to send her away?”

“You’ll have to be more specific.”

“I am speaking of Ilenne!”

The King let out a small sound of realization.

“Why was she suddenly transferred to the Solar Palace?”

Ejnar fought back a grin as he watched Robert’s obvious irritation.

“Are you actually demanding an explanation from me regarding the Solar Palace? That falls under your purview. If the internal management of the palaces is failing, that is hardly my concern.”

“That is a poor excuse,” Robert grumbled. “It is nonsensical for the Central Palace to be completely devoid of female staff.”

“The Central Palace has always been the domain of male officials, Robert. It has never employed maids. Miss Haegan was merely a unique case.”

“…I suppose that is true.”

Robert looked increasingly cornered, his words failing him. Ejnar, enjoying the spectacle, allowed a small, mocking smile to pull at his lips.

“At least the rumors will die down now. Honestly, her prospects for a good marriage would have been better had she stayed here.”

“Beg pardon?”

“It is only a short-term post. Once it concludes, I shall take it upon myself to find a suitable husband for Miss Haegan.”

Robert’s complexion shifted through several shades of crimson.

Ejnar bit his lip to keep from laughing out loud. It would have been even better if Ilenne were present to witness this. He decided against mentioning that he planned to bring her back once the current crisis passed, choosing instead to twist the knife.

“Do you not have any aspirations for matrimony yourself, Sir?”

“I do not. At my time of life, what point is there…?”

“You are my junior. Do not speak as if you are an old man.”

“That isn’t the issue! We aren’t discussing my marriage!”

His face now a deep scarlet, Robert pivoted the conversation desperately.

“Was Ilenne’s transfer truly just about the Solar Palace? Is there some hidden motive?”

The question gave Ejnar pause.

Ilenne had voiced a similar suspicion earlier. He began to wonder if his intentions were being wildly misread. He considered the possibility that people might suspect he harbored some personal sentiment for her.

The sheer ridiculousness of the idea caused him to sharpen his gaze.

“What other motive could I possibly have?”

“Perhaps you relocated her just to bury me under even more work.”

“….”

Ejnar stared at his dense assistant, momentarily speechless. The fact that Robert’s mind had jumped to something so mundane after Ejnar had briefly worried about something more scandalous made him huff a laugh. He shook his head.

“It seems you have unmasked my grand scheme.”

“Your Majesty! Is this truly your aim?”

Ejnar allowed Robert to continue his whining, feeling a quiet sense of irony. He mocked himself internally for even worrying about such things.

To him, she was a Makaeri first; her being a woman was entirely secondary.

---

Shortly thereafter, Marchioness Magnum arrived for her scheduled meeting. Ejnar received her with his usual icy calm.

“I offer my respects to the King, the radiance of Machi, our Great Sovereign and Lord of all.”

Her curtsy was flawless, yet her face held a trace of arrogance. She didn’t look ill or fragile; rather, she looked like a woman nursing a grudge.

Ejnar’s mind immediately went to Elfreda’s ghost-white complexion.

The Queen had looked deathly ill despite her claims of health, but he pushed that image aside and spoke to the woman before him.

“I was informed you were indisposed with a fever.”

He hadn’t believed the report when he heard it, and seeing her looking perfectly healthy now only confirmed his skepticism. Still, he maintained the polite fiction.

“Have you recovered your strength?”

“Was it the Queen who informed you of my absence?”

“Who else would bring such matters to my attention?”

He caught the faint sound of the Marchioness grinding her teeth in frustration.

“You have been frequenting the Queen’s quarters quite often lately.”

“Is there a rule forbidding a King from visiting his Queen?”

“In a typical marriage, no.”

The Marchioness didn’t hide her irritation. Her eyes screamed of a perceived betrayal, as if she were demanding to know how he could turn against her after everything. To her, it was an unthinkable disappointment.