Translator: Nox

Chapter 25

“I was under the impression that Your Majesty intended to avoid the bridal chamber from the very first evening.”

Only Ejnar and Robert understood the hidden motives for agreeing to the alliance with Makaeri. Because the truth remained a private matter, the Marchioness’s blunt observation didn’t shock or anger him. He suspected that if he were in her position, his own assumptions would have been identical.

“The previous queen didn’t raise me to be a man of such crude character.”

Though his uncle had functioned as a regent, the crown had always belonged to Ejnar.

Consequently, he harbored no personal greed for the queen’s seat; it was a position he had filled out of necessity. His mind drifted to the woman who had mothered him. Her spirit had been so gentle and selfless that it felt like a cruel twist of fate that she had remained nothing more than a consort.

“And certainly, Marchioness Magnum, you didn’t instill such behavior in me during my youth either.”

“….”

The mention of his formative years caused the Marchioness’s stony expression to yield just a fraction. Ejnar was well aware of her heart. To her, the late queen had been far more than a mistress; she was a soulmate, a younger sister, and a maternal presence all at once.

Ejnar had viewed her as a mother as well. It was a tragedy that a woman of her stature had been destroyed by the machinations of her own grandfather.

He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment.

“What is your reasoning for assigning Lady Haegan to the queen’s staff?”

The Marchioness’s voice had lost some of its edge. Ejnar opened his eyes to meet her gaze.

“As the sovereign, I want this palace to function without being derailed by private grudges. I sympathize with your pain, but your recent conduct has crossed the line.”

“That savage from Makaeri has usurped the place of the palace’s true mistress. You cannot have forgotten that.”

“If you find it impossible to keep your sentiments in check, perhaps it is time to relinquish your role as the head lady-in-waiting.”

“Your Majesty!”

“I am being quite serious, Madam. This bitterness is beginning to erode you.”

“You fail to see that this very bitterness is the only thing keeping me upright,” Marchioness Magnum snapped, her words dripping with resentment.

“I presumed Your Majesty shared that burden.”

“A monarch who allows fury to dictate his path will lose his sight and sink the realm,” Ejnar countered, rejecting her attempt at kinship.

“If I succumb to that, how could I ever face my kin who sacrificed everything for this land? My own rage would be my undoing. Is that the outcome you desire, Madam?”

“….”

Sensing she had pushed too far, the Marchioness pressed her lips into a thin line. Taking advantage of the quiet, Ejnar spoke with a softer, more persuasive tone.

“If you provide enough support for the queen to manage her household, Lady Haegan will be recalled to the main palace. If not, she stays where she is.”

“Is this your way of cutting me out of your life?”

“I have no wish to distance myself from you, Madam.”

Ejnar watched her with an inscrutable look.

“You are the solitary person left who shares my history with the late queen.”

“….”

The King was playing a ruthless hand. He was fully aware that this was her deepest vulnerability, yet he exploited it to ensure her compliance.

Marchioness Magnum took a shallow breath, forcing herself back into a mask of composure.

“I hear what Your Majesty is saying. I admit my actions were extreme.”

Her concession was followed by a sharp, clear vow that echoed through the room.

“However, I will never view that tribal woman as my sovereign. I will see to it that the palace runs as it should, but I will offer nothing beyond that.”

Loyalty of the heart could not be mandated, particularly from a woman as stubborn as the Marchioness. Ejnar hadn’t anticipated her devotion, nor did he want it. In truth, he had yet to fully accept Elfreda as his queen himself.

“I can only hope Your Majesty had a greater purpose for this diplomatic union.”

The Marchioness spoke with a hint of weary surrender.

She bowed and exited, leaving Ejnar to his solitude once more.

In the quiet that followed, he pondered. Given the depth of the animosity against her, perhaps it would be simpler to tell the woman the truth about his feelings.

He dismissed the notion almost instantly.

It was because of that very hostility that he had to remain guarded; he couldn’t risk a lapse in discipline that might tip Elfreda off. Furthermore, every additional person privy to a secret increased the risk of exposure. There was no benefit to showing his hand too early.

Ejnar had no way of knowing then how much he would later mourn this decision. At that moment, the thought of regret never even crossed his mind.

---

Elfreda struggled to suppress a smirk when she encountered Marchioness Magnum immediately upon Illene’s arrival at the Solar Palace. She was well aware that the Marchioness had eyes everywhere, but this level of surveillance was almost comical.

A flash of annoyance passed through her, but she kept her tone civil.

“I trust your health has improved, Madam?”

“I am quite recovered, thanks to your kindness and a much-needed leave of absence.”

The Marchioness offered the falsehood without a hint of hesitation.

“Your Majesty!”

An energetic voice rang out from down the hall, accompanied by the rhythm of hurried, elegant steps.

Illene had only left the Solar Palace that morning and hadn’t even finished settling in after her long break, yet here she was.

Elfreda watched Illene’s cheerful approach and allowed herself to hope that things had gone well.

Entering the office, Illene seemed momentarily taken aback by the Marchioness’s presence. She recovered instantly, offering a bright greeting.

“It has been some time, Marchioness Magnum.”

“Indeed, Lady Haegan. I understand you are taking up residence at the Solar Palace today?”

“The King has commanded me to serve the Queen directly. I look forward to our collaboration.”

The Marchioness offered no real reply, but Illene—clearly expecting none—turned her focus to Elfreda.

“I have returned, Your Majesty. It was too late in the day to visit many houses, but I shall redouble my efforts tomorrow.”

“Don’t be silly, Illene. I am already so grateful for everything you’ve done on my behalf.”

“It is my pleasure.”

Illene gave a humble nod before turning back to the Marchioness to explain the day’s findings.

“I spoke with several ladies who were invited to the tea party. Interestingly, not a single one attended. The timing seemed remarkably synchronized.”

“So the other ladies-in-waiting weren’t helpful?”

“They claimed they didn’t know the invitees or were on poor terms with them. It all felt very carefully arranged.”

Elfreda felt a pang of tension at the bluntness of the words, but Illene remained unfazed.

“I am relieved to see the Marchioness has returned. Perhaps the timing of your recovery is just as perfectly arranged as everything else.”

“…Is that what you think?”

“Your influence is unmatched. After decades in the royal court, I doubt anyone would dare decline a request from you.”

“….”

The Marchioness realized the corner she was in. If she failed to bring the noblewomen to the table now, it would be a public admission of her fading power.

If Elfreda had made such a pointed remark, the Marchioness could have brushed it off. But Illene was a veteran of the King’s inner circle and a master of social politics; she wouldn’t be fooled by transparent excuses.

A cynical smile touched the Marchioness’s lips.

It appeared Lady Haegan had developed a puzzling fondness for the foreigner.

Perhaps the bond had formed while she tended to the queen’s health before the wedding. It was irritating to see her work so tirelessly for the woman, almost as if she were executing a royal decree.

It stung like a betrayal of her own kind.

If Illene were a true patriot of Machi, she should loathe the queen. The King surely hadn’t ordered her to be this dedicated to the woman’s success.

With Illene’s presence at the Solar Palace, the Marchioness’s control was slipping.

She couldn’t shake the nagging suspicion that she had walked right into a snare of her own making.