Elena stood by the window and watched two figures moving in the dark. She felt sorry for what was going to happen to them in the future, but things had already left her hands. She got up from the wheelchair and dragged her legs, slowly walking towards the table.

There was a small card lying alone with a square chip.

“…It is finally starting.”

It took her a very long time to get here. It’s been a long time of patience, but the end would be sweet. After all’s said and done, she would be able to return to where she was supposed to be. She was going to get back the life that she had lost for decades.

Elena smiled faintly and picked up the card.

〈 To my dear aunt, Elena Borwen.

―Your loving niece, Lee. 〉

* * *

‘Let go! Let go of me!’

The two men easily subdued the struggling girl. The girl still couldn’t go. Her rebellion was strong, but she was already being dragged out of the room. Before long, tears began to fall from the corners of her girl’s eyes.

‘…I can’t go! I can’t go! Give Hert back! Give me Her!’

An old woman frowned and said to the girl who kept crying.

‘Someone shut her mouth.’

I’m going to die of the noise, seriously. At the same time as the woman’s murmur, a thick cloth was placed on the girl’s mouth. Mmph! The girl shook her head wildly and tried to spit out the cloth, but the tightly tied cloth showed no sign of falling from her mouth. The girl, helplessly, was dragged to the carriage.

‘Hey, can I give you some advice? Next time, learn to doubt.’

The woman opened her mouth to the girl who had been thrown into the carriage like a bale and fell on the floor. Through her bunched messy hair, the girl glared at the old woman, but she only snorted and looked down at the girl. She said, tapping the girl’s forehead with the tip of her long, trimmed fingernails.

‘Oh, look at that. What are you going to do staring at me like that? Again, it’s all your fault that you’re like this. Who told you to get fooled?’

‘…….’

‘That guy’s stupid too. He was deceived by you to become a gladiator slave.’

Hazel eyes looked down on the girl and lips curled up.

Tears welled up again in the girl’s eyes when the boy was mentioned. No, it is not true! I’ve never cheated on Her… Suddenly, the girl flinched and stiffened her body. Because she suddenly wondered.

Has she really never deceived Hert?

How would she explain when she didn’t tell him about the contract? She could have been honest with him over and over again, but it was her who kept it hidden. It was for him, using that excuse. If that’s not deception, what is?

Seeing the girl’s pale complexion, the woman pretended to give a friendly smile and whispered in a cynical voice.

‘Yes, if that kid really mattered to you, you shouldn’t have hid anything from him.’

‘…….’

‘It’s all your fault. You abandoned that child.’

The girl wanted to say no. It’s not her fault… She didn’t abandon him. But nothing came out of her throat as her voice was choked. Instead, a voice in her head spoke. Can you really say it’s not your fault? You swear?

Eventually, the girl broke down and cried. No no… The woman spoke to the confused girl again.

‘Stupid b*tch.’

With a bang, the carriage door closes.

The girl realized that she was being dragged into hell.

No.

I didn’t want this

‘Tessa!’

Tessa trembled and woke up from her dream with someone’s cry.

* * *

“Your Excellency, the other side is withdrawing!”

One of the knights on the wall shouted loudly. Hert got up and ran up the wall. When he picked up the cope, as the knight said, the soldiers were quickly retreating. The knight next to him said urgently.

“What should I do?”

“Wait. They may come again. We don’t have to go after them.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Even if they disappeared, Hert did not relax. This could also be an opponent’s tactic. Hert had seen and experienced various tactics firsthand while traversing the battlefield. A very small foresight and misunderstanding can determine the outcome of the battle that day. And so, countless times he saw those who lost their necks.

“Your Excellency, this is a sudden report from the castle!”

At that moment, another knight rushed to Hert and knelt in front of him on one knee. For a moment, Hert had a strange foreboding feeling.

This has happened once before. When he was a gladiator slave, when he thought his enemy must have died, it came to attack him from behind. It was a very fleeting moment, but the moment he turned his back, he felt that feeling.

It was a feeling he never wanted to experience again.

Because it almost killed him.

The back of his neck cooled and his heart began to beat rapidly. His mouth was dry. Hert looked down at the knight.

The knight on his knee shouts again.

“Two wives are currently missing!”

His head turns white. Hert reflexively grabbed the knight by the collar.

“Say that again. What is it?”

* * *

In the middle of the hall, people went round and round to the sound of the music. Next to them, three or four people were laughing and chatting, and on the outskirts, lonely people who couldn’t get involved in all these currents were spending their time endlessly, occupying the wall.

Jean turned her head slightly to look at her husband. Seeing his tense face, she sighed. She turned her head back and opened her mouth in a very low voice that only her husband could hear.

“Smile.”

“…….”

“You know what this place is.”

“Bu, but…….”

“Shh!”

The king quickly shut his mouth at the queen’s scolding. He rolled his eyes and looked around. There were quite a few people staring openly at this place.

In the end, the king forced the corner of his mouth to go up. However, the corners of his lips that he barely raised were trembling slightly because he was nervous. Seeing this, Jean couldn’t stand it and sighed lightly.

“I don’t know how I got a husband like you.”

“Do, don’t say that… I’m trying too…”

“It’s a problem because I don’t see that effort.”

Jean replied coldly, beckoning the maid standing near her to bring water. She wet her throat with cool water and seemed to be getting a little better then.

What’s the point if her husband was king? The truth is, he’s an idiot who couldn’t do anything by himself. But because the king was an idiot, she could become the queen, and at this point Jean decided to spare her words.

“Sorry…”

“It’s okay. I wasn’t expecting it.”

“You …”

“It’s okay though. I like you, too.”

Rams’ face reddened slightly at Jean’s words. Like. Dealing with the little king was easy for Jean. From the moment they first met, the king had a crush on Jean.

Maybe that’s why she heard that the king didn’t even know that it would be the biggest obstacle for him, and he even showed his willingness to approve the marriage. The meaning was stronger than expected, so the opposing forces had a hard time. Thanks to this, Jean was able to marry the king, despite many objections.

‘…There are eyes.’

Jean sipped the water again and looked at the spacious hall where the banquet was being held.

Today’s banquet was held to commemorate the arrival of the Tehera envoys. Now that the opening of the railway connecting Benshan and Rudiren is about to open, the envoys have stepped up to Mussieux to celebrate it.

Of course, Jean knew that this was only externally, and in reality, it was to solidify the old treaty again. Because there was still a lot of talk about Chaldiueus’ strike. Perhaps, as bait, Tehera may push for another deal.

‘Sister said that the treaty with Tehera would be void, but… There must be a way for me to know what they’re doing.’

Jean glanced at the Tehera envoys scattered throughout the hall, trying not to show her throbbing head. They came to greet her and the king after the banquet had begun, so she could remember their faces.

Jean, who was carefully checking to see if there was anything wrong, found a man entering the hall.

‘…I wonder why he’s not coming?’

Under the dazzling lemon-colored hair, a high nose bridge and fresh blue eyes. The excellent appearance befitting a person who grew up as a nobleman stood out from afar.

Duke Callias.

A cousin of the current young king, Rams the First, and the nephew of the previous king, he was now the first in line to the throne. In other words, if the current king, Rams, died, the throne would go to that man.

Thus, Jean’s sister, Beatrice, was most wary of that person. She is also thinking about when to push him away.

“Your Majesty.”

Jean quietly called her husband. But her gaze was still fixed on the Duke who was walking towards them. Rams, who was next to her, was startled and straightened his confused posture for a moment.

“Calm down. Don’t be swayed like last time.”

“…Yes.”

“Your Majesty is the king of Mussieux. Don’t be pushed by the Duke. Your Majesty knows who’s behind you, right?”

“But…”

“Shh!”

As Jean shut him once more, the king closed his mouth and nodded his head.

Not long after, Duke Callias came to their place. The king accepted the duke who bowed his head naturally as a greeting. Although it was awkward, he accepted it skillfully. However, in Jean’s eyes, she could clearly see her husband, who was still struggling with it.

“It is an honor to have been invited to this place. Isn’t this a good day? It might be a day that will go down in history.”

“…Right. Let’s enjoy the ball comfortably.”

“Yes, thank you.”

After greeting the king, the duke turned his body this time and looked at Jean. Blue eyes scan every nook and cranny of the young queen, Jean. He reached out with a gentle gesture and kissed the back of Jean’s hand.

“Callias also greets our beautiful Queen. I hope you have been well?”

“Yes, long time no see, Duke Callias.”

Jean naturally drew her hand from the Duke’s, and answered.

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