The Queen Who Deserves To Be Tainted - Chapter 23.1

Was there really such a thin and delicate barbarian?’

The Makaeri Ilenne had known and seen are all robust and well-developed. Yet Elfreda, though tall, had skin so pale that it looked sickly and a body so emaciated that it seemed on the verge of collapsing. Of course, she was already exhausted by the near drowning, though the stark contrast from the typical image of Makaeri seemed to leave a lasting impression.

As the only handmaid in the central palace, it naturally fell to her to take care of Elfreda.

Whether she liked it or not, Elfreda was to become the future queen, and since the king needed to marry her, she put considerable effort into her care.

“Help me… Please help me…”

Amid her fever, she groaned and constantly whimpered. It seemed like she was having nightmares about the pond incident. Listening to her repeatedly was somewhat annoying at first, but eventually, she began to feel sympathy for Elfreda’s tear-streaked face.

Was it because she was about to become the queen yet still looked so frail as if she hadn’t had a proper meal? Or was it because she had come to a distant foreign land with no one to rely on and had just barely escaped death?

Whatever the reason, it wasn’t as unpleasant as Ilenne had initially thought, and the longer she cared for her, the more Ilenne’s initial suspicions eased.

It wasn’t just because of Elfreda’s fragile appearance or her seemingly sorrowful eyes.

“Thank you, Ilenne. You’re being so kind to me.”

“I’m sorry, Ilenne. I must be such a bother to you.”

Elfreda always expressed gratitude and apologies for even the smallest things. Her oddly submissive demeanor and seeming sensitivity to others’ reactions came to mind.

Considering her status as the feared princess who conquered the East and terrorized the world, it felt quite unnatural. Even a lower noble wouldn’t be so considerate towards their servants. From her behavior, she resembled a fallen noble rather than a princess.

However, given her noble birth, Ilenne had to admit that she had an overly considerate nature that didn’t quite fit her lofty status.

Ilenne gradually found herself believing that Elfreda might not be as cruel and malevolent as her initial prejudices suggested. To put it more dramatically, Elfreda seemed so kind that it almost felt wrong to keep a constant watch over her every move.

Yet, Ilenne wondered if she was being too lenient and if this sort of sentiment wasn’t something one could freely express in the palace of Machi.

Nonetheless, even if it didn’t entirely dispel her suspicions, it wouldn’t be a bad thing to soften her antagonism a bit. This was more a matter of human-to-human interaction than a national issue. At least in Machi, Elfreda was a completely isolated and vulnerable individual with no one to turn to.

As long as she didn’t engage in betrayal, there was no need to remain so on edge. With that in mind, Ilenne decided to ease up a little on Elfreda.

“Is there really nothing to be compassionate about?”

Suddenly, the delicate figure of the Queen from the wedding came to mind, and Ilenne’s musing was interrupted by a disbelieving voice.

It was Ejnar’s uneasy voice.

“I’m not sure if it’s a good idea to send you to the Queen’s side. I hope nothing disappointing will happen.”

“Not at all. Regardless of my concerns for her, there’s absolutely no need to worry about Machi being betrayed.”

Ilenne’s voice was firm as she reassured him.

“No matter what anyone says, I’m Your Majesty’s loyal servant and a faithful subject of Machi.”

In truth, Ilenne didn’t think Elfreda would disappoint her in such a way, but she kept that thought to herself. For now, it seemed more likely that something interesting would happen rather than something dangerous.

The King was clearly not his usual self, and the Queen had the power to change even Ilenne’s own opinions.