I Don’t Want to Be Loved

Chapter 84: I Owe It to Her

“Long time no see, Duchess Cessley. I heard you’ve gone back to your estate, but here you are,” Countess Lausanne smiled. 

“Yes,” the Duchess smiled stiffly, “at His Majesty’s command, I’ve come to serve the Queen, Countess Lausanne.”

Their conversation was short and brief, but Rihannan noticed from the Duchess’ tone that she had little feelings for the Countess. The Duchess was the sort of person who treated everyone with kind words and smiles, but toward the Countess, it was of clear hostility.

“Countess, how long have you traveled and what took you so long to get here? I sent a letter to Her Majesty yesterday,” Rihannan said with a smile.

“After receiving the letter, Her Majesty earnestly asked to see you again. That’s why I’m here today, Queen.”

She had flatly refused, but the Queen Mother refused her refusal. Rihannan sighed. How troublesome. It truly is difficult to avoid visiting her. 

“Okay. I’ll visit Her Majesty later…”

“Queen, Her Majesty would like to meet you at this moment’s notice.”

The duchess immediately reacted to the Countess’ remark. “That’s too sudden! Have you no basic courtesy?”

The Countess lifted the corners of her mouth. “Basic courtesy? Is it rude for Her Majesty, the eldest living royal member of the royal family, to want to see her daughter-in-law? On the contrary, isn’t it expected for her daughter-in-law to visit Her Majesty? This is simply basic courtesy, Duchess.”

“You would dare to find fault and blame Queen Rihannan?” the Duchess retorted. 

“She is not Queen yet. Officially, that is. And Countess, do you know that your attitude towards me is growing irkly rude? Remember, I serve Her Majesty!”

The atmosphere grew intensely severe. Rihannan was forced to intervene.

“Both of you, stop.”

Both the Countess and Duchess glared at one another, their looks deathly and vicious. But they stopped at Rihannan’s urging.

Rihannan sighed. “All right. I’ll see Her Majesty right now.”

“Queen!”

The duchess strongly protested against it.

“It is as the Countess said. It is only natural for me to visit Her Majesty,” Rihannan said, soothing the duchess’ worries.

This time, she could not refuse the Queen Mother’s request. She had sent her lady-in-waiting in person, and if Rihannan were to refuse this gesture, it would only insult her further. The Duchess was aware of this and thus could not easily deny Rihannan’s words.

And so she said, “Then I’ll cancel today’s schedule, My Queen.”

Today, the merchants would be called to the royal palace so she and Rihannan could choose the cloth and jewelries as previously discussed. It would take two hours to go to the seasonal palace where the Queen Mother’s stayed at from the royal palace. 

She and Rihannan would have no time to meet the merchants.

“I’ll get ready now.”

“No. Duchess, you don’t need to go,” Countess Lausanne said.

The Duchess fumed and glared at the countess. “I’m Her Majesty’s Maid of Honor. Not come? What are you implying, Countess?”

“Have you no shame daring to come to the palace Her Majesty resides in? Or have you forgotten what you and your husband did to Her Majesty?” the Countess said bitterly.

Rihannan soon realized why they came to this hostile relationship. Among those who had gone against the Queen Mother over the last six years were the deceased Duke and the Duchess who now serves her. It was natural that the Countess had some bitter feelings toward the Duchess.

“Then I’ll go by myself. Mrs. Cessley, please stay here.”

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“Queen!” The Duchess reacted violently. “You would go there alone at a time like this without His Majesty’s presence?”

“…She’s my godmother. I owe it to myself to visit her at least once…”

“But…!”

Rihannan smiled lightly. “It’ll be alright. I’ll be back by the end of the day. Don’t worry too much.”