The Queen Who Deserves To Be Tainted - Chapter 46.1

“Yes? What do you mean, Brother?”

“I just thought it might not be pleasant for the Queen to hear.”

He was unsure whether an unnecessary display of jealousy would positively impact the relationship, but Ejnar aimed to minimize any variables.

Rachela, seemingly caught off guard, slowly nodded.

“I’ll be careful, Your Majesty. It’s a shame, but I can’t keep acting like a child forever.”

“That’s right. You’ll have to get married soon, too.”

“I don’t have a partner… I’ll have to find one. I’ve been pretending like I was about to marry for so long.”

Rachela chuckled lightly, then gave Ejnar a look filled with relief.

“Well, I’m glad to see you so happy. I was worried with the peace marriage.”

“Worried I might neglect the Queen?”

“Would it be a lie to say I wasn’t? After all…”

She’s the granddaughter of the man who killed the late king and Prince Anders.

Rachela left her words unsaid, but Ejnar could almost hear them echo in his mind. Everyone likely shared the same thoughts, and that was the biggest reason for the suffering Elfreda experienced in Machi.

For a moment, Ejnar imagined what might have happened if he had really cast Elfreda aside, if he had treated her the way his true feelings would have dictated.

The others in Machi would have treated her with just as much coldness, and Elfreda would have been isolated, with even Illenne nowhere to be found by her side.

He thought for a moment how difficult that would have been for her.

But he also realized that it was her fate to endure this, and sooner or later, she would face it. And when that time came, it would likely be after Makaeri was gone…

Perhaps much, much worse.

‘Can she endure it?’

But it was not his concern. Ejnar closed his eyes for a moment before opening them again. In the end, the person who would be the most cruel to her was no one other than himself.

* * *

Meanwhile, Elfreda went to the powder room and changed into the new gloves Illenne had brought for her. Fortunately, the wine hadn’t stained her dress much, and it was barely noticeable, so there was no need to change.

Having restored herself as good as before, Elfreda was about to return to the banquet hall when, just as she stepped out of the powder room, her eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected face she saw.

“Oh my!!”

“Princes… Serina?”

Elfreda almost used a familiar title but quickly corrected herself, and Serina, smiling casually, looked at her.

Due to the prolonged bad weather near the East Sea, which had delayed their voyage, the Makaeri delegation’s arrival schedule had become unclear.

However, Elfreda had heard the miraculous news that the delegation had arrived the previous night. But she hadn’t paid much attention to the leader of the delegation, so it was a surprise to see it was Serina.

‘How long has it been since the incident in Machi, and now they’re sending her as a delegate here?’

The Emperor’s boldness, who clearly didn’t care about Machi’s opinion, was astonishing.

“It’s been a while, Your Majesty. It hasn’t been months, but it feels so good to see you in a foreign land.”

Like an old friend, Serina casually leaned into her, then asked.

“I was actually going to go greet the King. Would you like to come with me?”

Elfreda nodded, and Serina, linking arms with her, led the way toward the banquet hall. While the ladies-in-waiting followed at a slight distance, Elfreda spoke in a small voice.

“I didn’t expect to see you as a delegate again.”

“Well, it’s all settled now, isn’t it?”

Serina shrugged and retorted.

“It’s not really my nature to avoid things like that. Not for me, and not for Makaeri either.”

But even as she said this, the deep shame that had been festering inside Serina stirred. She remembered the humiliation she had suffered after returning to Makaeri after the events.

“How could you force me to endure such humiliation just to take over Machi so easily?’

The memory of apologizing directly to Elfreda had stirred up violent emotions throughout her journey home. As soon as she arrived, she immediately went to see her father, furious.