The Queen Who Deserves To Be Tainted - Chapter 2.2

“As expected, only our Serena thinks of this mother.”

Amidst the cheerful conversation, the ladies-in-waiting busily prepared for teatime.

Elfreda, sitting on the floor, looked at them with a blank face. Although they were in the same space, she felt alienated, as if in a different world. Of course, it wasn’t jealousy or any empty emotion like that. How could she dare harbor such feelings toward a mother’s own biological daughter?

It was just that…

“Aren’t you leaving?”

The sharp voice pierced Elfreda.

As the Empress and Serena glared at her with displeasure, Elfreda quickly got up, lowered her head, and left. From the distant parlor, the harmonious laughter of Serena’s giggles and the Empress’s gentle laughter played together like an ensemble.

More than when the Empress had told her to marry the faraway Machi instead of Serena, Elfreda felt a deeper pain in this moment.

The wish to be a mother’s daughter was even more absurd than her wish not to marry into Machi…

Elfreda realized this once again.

* * *

A few days after hearing about the marriage, Elfreda received notice that all preparations for her departure to Machi had been completed.

She boarded a ship, accompanied by numerous attendants and an enormous amount of gifts.

However, despite the lavish arrangements, she felt nothing but unease throughout the journey to Machi. It wasn’t just the sorrow of leaving her homeland for a distant country, nor was it the awkwardness of receiving the extravagant treatment she had never experienced from the ladies-in-waiting.

It was the uncertainty of her future in Machi, even if she managed to cross this perilous sea route safely.

The purpose of this peace marriage was said to be the alliance between Makaeri and Machi.

While spices unique to Machi were popular worldwide, Makaeri, despite being a powerful empire in the East, was unable to obtain them. It wasn’t because they were far apart.

One of the countries that the first Emperor Gunnar of Makaeri, her grandfather, failed to conquer was Machi. This was because Machi was among the countries notorious for the strait on the sea route from Makaeri to Machi.

The strait was notorious for its rough and dangerous waters, and despite several attempts, the first Emperor had not achieved any significant success in conquering it.

That alone was enough to make Makaeri and Machi bitter enemies.

Regardless, it might have been fine to an extent.

The problem was that a few years ago, the previous King of Machi, in an attempt to aid a neighboring country that had been invaded by Makaeri, set out on an expedition with his prince and perished in battle.

Already, Machi had scorned Makaeri as barbarians for invading their land, but with the loss of both the king and the prince, the national hatred pierced the sky.

Following this, the nephew of the late king, who ascended to the throne, severed all ties with Makaeri, eventually leading to Makaeri offering the first gesture of reconciliation and proposing a peace marriage.

‘…What a desperate situation.’

As an illegitimate princess, it didn’t matter how she was treated or discarded in Machi.

Despite being known as the Empress’s eldest daughter in public, everyone knew her true origins. Would Machi truly remain ignorant of this fact until the end? And when the truth came out, how much more suffering would the despised barbarian queen have to endure?

The superficial position of being the queen brought her nothing but anxiety and worry, not joy or excitement.
In any case, Elfreda Makaeri safely arrived in Machi after about nineteen days.

* * *

“Welcome. I am Marchioness Magnum, who will be serving the Princess from now on.”

When she arrived at the palace, the expression of Marchioness Magnum, who came to greet her, was anything but friendly despite the empty words.

Sensing that her future life would be extremely challenging, Elfreda smiled without revealing it.

“Pleased to meet you, Marchioness Magnum.”

“I will escort you to your quarters. Please come this way.”

As Elfreda followed Marchioness Magnum, she made an effort to take in everything in the palace.

It was a country with a vibrant culture and a strong military, a nation that had rarely fallen under the hooves of the world-devastating Makaeri.

Consequently, the dignity of Machi, which possessed national power comparable to that of an empire, was evident throughout the palace. It was a clear contrast to the somewhat lacking grandeur of the Makaeri Palace, which was vast but lacked a certain aesthetic appeal.

She was almost mesmerized as she looked at the palace.

“Is it because she’s a barbarian? She’s gawking around, not knowing where to put her eyes.”

“The Makaeri Palace is nothing but grand in size, lacking any elegance.”

“Well, one wouldn’t expect any artistic sense from a barbarian.”

The murmuring of the ladies-in-waitings’ voices resonated sharply in Elfreda’s ears.