The Queen Who Deserves To Be Tainted - Chapter 15.2

Indeed, her actions today would be unimaginably disrespectful and audacious in Macaeri. Was it ever conceivable for Elfreda, the Emperor’s illegitimate child, to dare touch Serina carelessly, the Queen’s legitimate daughter, even with the tip of her finger?

Thus, even if she had a motive to hide her background from the people here, originally, she wouldn’t have responded in such a ‘head-turning’ manner.

No, she wouldn’t have.

If Ejnar hadn’t kept impressing upon her the dignity of a queen and the position as the spouse of a king, if she hadn’t developed a sense of duty not to disappoint him, at least in such matters.

Still, she couldn’t just say all this outright. Knowing it was unavoidable didn’t make it any less frustrating or unfair. She was also concerned he might find these situations tedious. Of course, anyone would think the same, not just him…

“…Is it true that you hit first?”

Caught in her worries, Elfreda was taken aback by the unexpected question but nodded after a moment. The order of events might have been a bit mixed, but…

A sigh escaped Ejnar then, leaving Elfreda uncertain of its meaning.

“Fine, well. As long as you weren’t just on the receiving end…”

His gaze sharpened as he advised her.

“Remember, Macho does not just sit back and take it. If we’re hit once, we strike back twice, thrice.”

Ejnar’s voice carried a significant weight.

“That is our rule.”

The word ‘our’ made Elfreda’s heart thump heavily. He included her in ‘our,’ as if saying she was now part of Machi as if showing a hint of warmth towards her. Despite her previous intimidated state, she couldn’t help feeling uplifted.

Nodding as if to commit his words to heart, she cautiously spoke.

“About Princess Serina’s issue…”

“It’s not for you to step in.”

Ejnar’s previous kindness turned cold as he drew a line.

“Focus only on your matters.”

Then, word came that the doctor had arrived, and Ejnar left. Elfreda was left awkwardly silent before she received treatment for her injuries from the palace doctor.

The doctor, brimming with curiosity but focusing solely on the treatment, seemed almost comical, though she had already endured the ultimate embarrassment in front of Ejnar, so it was easy to ignore.

‘What happens now…’

She felt stifled by her powerlessness in the situation. She hoped, perhaps wishfully, that things wouldn’t escalate further.

* * *

In the midst of the council hall, filled to the brim with nobles clamoring for vengeance over the incident of Serina’s escort killing civilians of Mach, the noise level was like a bustling market.

“We must execute the queen and the princess immediately as retaliation. This is an insult to Machi!”

“Let’s lead our armies to attack Makeri and avenge the Previous King and Prince Anders!”

“How dare they look down on Machi! Your Majesty, this incident cannot be overlooked!”

Amidst this chaos, Ejnar felt a throbbing headache.

‘…What are these people thinking?’

How could they spout such baseless nonsense?

Even if the Emperor of Makaeri was considered a coward compared to Gunnar, Makaeri remained Makaeri. They were barbarians who had managed to conquer vast territories for the first time, uniting numerous tribes to dominate the east and even establishing a nation.

Even if Machi mobilized everything or even formed an alliance, launching a preemptive strike on Makaeri was a sure way to failure.

The formidable strait that Makaeri had crossed to reach Machi would serve as a significant obstacle should Machi attempt an expedition against Makaeri. While using the neighboring nation of Giver as a base was an option, it was a risky venture even for Giver, which had barely fended off an invasion from Makaeri a few years ago.

These fools clearly didn’t understand the vast difference between defending one’s country from invasion and embarking on an offensive expedition. However, Ejnar did not bother to explain this in detail.

He had a quicker and more effective method in mind.