***
“I heard the marchioness did this.
Where is she now?”
Cheraan stepped forward and answered.
“I’ve had her imprisoned by the soldiers, duke.”
“Your Highness, the marchioness couldn’t have done this alone.
There must be someone behind this…”
“We can’t be sure until we interrogate her, Uncle.”
Franz interrupted Duke Berzi, who was becoming increasingly agitated.
The duke, though he momentarily furrowed his brow, understood why Franz had intervened and reluctantly closed his mouth.
It was common knowledge that Helen had served the queen faithfully for many years.
Moreover, considering the recent events between Judith and the queen, it wasn’t far-fetched to think that Queen Gilsis had played a role in instigating Helen.
However, the marchioness had just been imprisoned, and nothing was certain yet.
Recklessly accusing the queen would only put Judith in an even more dangerous position.
The duke, knowing Franz’s concern, ground his teeth, clearly wanting to bring in not only the marchioness but also her husband.
At that moment, Cheraan spoke up, “The robe the princess was wearing was mended by the maid the marchioness brought with her.
That girl used to work in the queen’s palace, right?”
“Where is that maid now?”
“She’s locked up in a different place than the marchioness.
I saw Her Highness give her gold for mending the robe so well.
But how could she have been so careless?
It infuriates me.
If she had just been more meticulous with her stitching, would things have turned out like this?”
Cheraan, seemingly overcome with anger, stomped his foot and let out a frustrated sob.
Marquis Evelta comforted her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.
“Calm down, Cheraan.
It’s fortunate that Her Highness’ life wasn’t in danger.
She needs to rest, so let’s go and wait quietly.
Your Highness and Your Grace.”
Looking at them both in turn, Marquis Evelta bowed his head with a heavy expression.
Franz gestured to him, indicating that he could leave.
Cheraan, who he thought would insist on staying by Judith’s side, surprisingly followed her father without protest.
“Your Highness must take charge of interrogating the marchioness.
If we leave her be, Queen Gilsis will try to take her lady-in-waiting away.”
“Well, Uncle, do you really think so?
I think the marchioness won’t survive this.”
“What?”
“They say the queen’s palace has been quiet despite this major incident.
Whether it was an accident or intentional, they will likely try to pin all the blame on the marchioness.”
“Even so, she must be interrogated.
If there’s someone else behind this, we need to hear it from her directly, don’t we?”
Franz bit his lip silently.
Like everyone else, he also suspected that Queen Gilsis was behind the marchioness’s actions, but a nagging feeling pressed down on him.
He was even more frustrated by the unknown anxiety that he couldn’t understand.
Considering the queen’s temperament, there was a strong possibility that she wanted Judith dead.
She was the type who couldn’t bear to let even a small offense go unpunished—returning it tenfold or twentyfold.
She might have held a grudge against the young crown princess for the previous incident.
But would she have used such a clumsy method?
If it was Queen Gilsis, she would have used a much more insidious tactic.
“Your Highness, what are you thinking?”
“Nothing.”
The duke tilted his head in confusion.
The tangled event presented no clear answers, giving him a headache.
Franz pressed his brow and fell into thought.
* * *
Inside the carriage returning to Marquis Evelta’s estate, Cheraan was unusually quiet, as if she had become a different person.
The marquis, who couldn’t hide his bewilderment at the sudden incident, was clearly agitated by his daughter’s reaction.
“Cheraan, what are you thinking so hard about?
Tell your father.
My, do you know how worried I was?”
“There’s no need for you to be worried, Father, when I’m not the one who’s hurt.”
Only then did Cheraan smile, but her voice, while as cheerful as usual, didn’t seem to put his mind at ease.
“I’m relieved you’re not hurt, but I have no idea what’s going on.
The princess has only been here for a short time, yet there are so many incidents and accidents…?”
“She’s a quiet person, so a lot of people underestimate her and try to take advantage of her.
It’s not her fault, is it?”
“Who said it was her fault?
It’s not that, it’s that she is still so young and going through so much turmoil.
I’m worried if she can handle it.”
His voice trailed off, his concern unmistakable.
After all, Judith was still two years younger than his own daughter, Cheraan.
From the perspective of a parent, it was impossible not to feel sympathy for Judith, who was facing hardships without anyone to rely on.
A mysterious smile appeared on Cheraan’s lips as she listened to her father.
Glancing at her father, who was looking away with a troubled expression, she propped her chin on her hand and turned her gaze to the window.
‘No, Cheraan.
Just leave her be.
Marianne told me the truth as soon as she received the robe, but I told her to keep quiet.
And I asked Marianne to mend it.’
At the time, she couldn’t understand Judith’s intentions, but now it all made sense.
As she recalled Judith’s words while ordering the maids to drag the crying and wailing maid away, Cheraan felt a faint chill run down her neck.
She couldn’t possibly think it was just a coincidence.
The marchioness, who had desperately insisted she never pushed Judith, might not have been lying after all.
But Cheraan didn’t care about Queen Gilsis’ dog, whether it clung to her or not.
How could she have come up with this plan?
She knew Judith was different from what she had heard, but she didn’t think she could pull something like this off.
The smile on Cheraan’s lips grew wider.
She didn’t mind interesting people.
“Father.”
“What is it?”
The marquis turned to look at her.
Cheraan, leaning her head against the smooth window frame, said, “Would you write a letter of recommendation for me?”
“A letter of recommendation?
For what?”
“A letter of recommendation for me to become the princess’s lady-in-waiting.”
* * *
Judith regained consciousness three days after the incident.
Franz became noticeably anxious as the time she remained unconscious grew longer, relentlessly urging the healers to do more.
It was natural for Duke Berzi to feel a strange sensation while watching him.
As soon as she regained consciousness, the court immediately sent a servant to Astel Palace.
They were eager to put on a happy and relieved face in front of Franz, who had arrived in a hurry.
“Can I talk to her?”
“Light conversation is fine, Your Highness.
However, she still needs to rest, so it’s best to avoid topics that could cause her emotional distress.”
“I’m just going to ask if she’s feeling better, so don’t worry.”
Franz entered the crown princess’ chamber without hesitation as the courtiers made way for him.
Judith was sitting up against the headboard of the bed.
Her cheeks were pale, and her lips were chapped, but her face brightened when she saw him enter.
“Your Highness.”
He stood there for a moment, unable to speak, as he looked at Judith, who was smiling brightly at him.
Her clear eyes, for someone who had just regained consciousness, held a curious expression.
“Your Highness, why are you looking at me like that?”
“…Nothing.
How are you… any other pain?”
“My wounds are still sore, but I’m fine.
Don’t just stand there, sit down.”
Franz brought a chair over with his own hands and sat down near her.
This had happened before, and the thought made him feel empty, almost wanting to laugh.
“Everyone was worried because you didn’t wake up for three days.”
“I heard from Marianne.
I had no idea I was unconscious for so long.
I’m sorry for causing you to worry… ”
“It’s not the time to worry about me.”
His tone and voice were as gruff as ever, but Judith didn’t find it upsetting.
She knew he was worried about her.
“They say the marchioness pushed you down the hill,” Franz said.
Judith blinked without a word, not denying his statement.
“Yes, that’s right.
What happened to Helen?”
“She was executed yesterday for attempting to assassinate a royal.”
This time, she couldn’t remain stoic.
Her eyes widened as she stared at Franz.
“Who ordered the execution?”
“The queen.”
Queen Gilsis.
She barely held back a snort, clenching the sheet of the bed tightly.
She felt a chill run down her spine at the inhumanity of that decision.
In her previous life, Judith had witnessed how faithfully Helen served the queen.
This life was no different.
Yet, it was Queen Gilsis who had decided to execute her.
It was to avoid being blamed by the nobles beforehand.
It was obvious without even having to see it.
“It’s only been three days since I’ve been unconscious, and she’s already been executed.
There wasn’t even a proper interrogation, was there?”
“It’s possible to execute someone on the spot for attempting to harm a member of the royal family.”
“I had no idea the queen cared for me so much,” Judith’s voice sharpened.
Franz felt even more confused by her reaction.
In his opinion, this incident felt somehow out of sync, with a sense of instability from beginning to end.
He even thought, though he knew it was absurd, that maybe Judith had orchestrated everything.
But if that were true, he couldn’t understand her current reaction.
What was that emotion?
It seemed as though she was angry about the marchioness’s death itself?
“…The main culprit has been punished, so there will be no one else who will bring up this issue.
Even if there was someone behind it, it will be hard to find out.”
A strange smile appeared on Judith’s lips.
It seemed like she was both bitter and delighted.
It was unexpected that Helen was executed, but she wasn’t particularly sad or sorry.
It was just another way to know that Queen Gilsis was so wary of her.
If she was still someone who could be ignored, the queen would never have killed Helen.
Instead, she would have defended her, claiming it was impossible.
It was the result of her decision that being accused of being behind the attack on Judith was a bigger problem than executing a loyal servant who had served her for many years.
“What a pity.
It would have been better if she hadn’t done that,” she murmured in a calm tone.
She could tell that there was a hint of suspicion in Franz’s eyes.
She didn’t need to acknowledge it, but she didn’t feel the need to deny it strongly either.
‘Poor and noble prince.
Look at the poisoned chalice I’m handing you.
Watch as the eyes and hearts of those who dare to defy you melt away from this poison.’
This was only a small skirmish.
Even if it took years, or perhaps a lifetime, Judith’s final choice was only one.