The Queen Who Deserves To Be Tainted - Chapter 40.1

Having finished his satisfying meal, Ejnar returned to his office with ease. It had been an interesting luncheon. While he had expected Elfreda to respond to his summons, he hadn’t anticipated that she would agree to make love during the day.

‘And she did so rather eagerly.’

If she had been intentionally avoiding him, she should’ve responded when he showed more eagerness, but that hadn’t been the case.

‘Though, I don’t think I was particularly eager.’

Furthermore, when he thought about their affair earlier, there were several things that seemed questionable.

As he focused on his work, he couldn’t help but be distracted by thoughts of Elfreda. At one point, he realized what was happening, and with a bitter laugh, he wondered if this, too, might be part of her plan.

“Marchioness Magnum requests an audience, Your Majesty.”

A visitor he had been expecting for some time but had been strangely silent until now.

Why now, of all times?

Ejnar stood up with a curious expression and headed to the reception room. There, Marchioness Magnum, who had been sitting with her back straight, stood up slowly and greeted him properly.

“I greet the golden sun of Machi.”

“Come in, Marchioness Magnum. I was wondering when you would show up.”

“Is it because of the matter with my half-cut staff?”

The Marchioness smiled slightly with an unreadable expression.

“Are you worried that I might blame Your Majesty for taking the side of that barbarian queen?”

“Not at all.”

“Of course not. The issue of the ladies-in-waiting is the queen’s responsibility.”

This was a reasonable statement, yet hearing it from Marchioness Magnum in this context made it seem far from casual.

After Ejnar sat down, the Marchioness also took a seat and continued speaking.

“Complaining to the King about such matters would be futile and ridiculous. Accepting the consequences of failure with humility is my virtue.”

“You still have the leisure to joke.”

He smiled slightly and asked, slightly curious.

“So what brings you to see me? Here to tell me how you plan to torment the queen next?”

“No. I’ve decided to stop such actions now.”

The unexpected answer made Ejnar’s expression shift in surprise. He wondered if it was a joke, though her serious tone made it clear she wasn’t joking.

“Your Majesty has repeatedly stopped me, and it’s ineffective, so, well…”

And though she didn’t want to admit it, that barbarian girl was surprisingly clever. Seeing her face when she saw Ejnar getting blood, she must not have received any advance warning from him. She had prepared on her own.

Considering that Ejnar, wanting to protect the royal family’s dignity, would continue to shield her, she couldn’t strike a decisive blow.

The Marchioness decided to adjust her strategy.

“When Your Majesty chose peace with Makaeri instead of an alliance marriage with Giver…”

Naturally, this referred to Elfreda.

Ejnar silently listened to Marchioness Magnum’s words.

“I had hoped for the alliance with Giver, but I didn’t dare to show it. I firmly believed Your Majesty had a plan with this marriage, no doubt.”

Anyway, Giver was already an ally of March, and even if they had entered into an alliance marriage, there was nothing to gain other than solidifying their existing relationship unless they planned to confront Makaeri together.

Moreover, they had lost the late king and prince while protecting Giver. This gave them the upper hand in their relationship. On the surface, the peace marriage with Makaeri was actually the better option.

Marchioness Magnum finally seemed to accept this and asked.

“Does your plan also include getting along well with Makaeri’s princess?”

“And if it does?”

“Afterward, will you divorce that barbarian woman?”

“I suppose so.”

At that moment, Marchioness Magnum’s eyes sharpened.

“I would dare to offer one more piece of advice, if I may.”

Ejnar waited to hear what the Marchioness would say, still with a calm expression. However, as her words continued, the relaxed attitude he had quickly faded.

“That woman has feelings for Your Majesty.”

Ejnar fell silent as if he had heard a completely unexpected piece of gossip.

A small, false, leisurely smile returned to his face after a moment. He then shook his head as if to dismiss the notion as Marchioness Magnum quietly elaborated.

“It may not be deep yet, but it’s definitely meaningful.”