The Queen Who Deserves To Be Tainted - Chapter 48.2

“It’s not good for a queen to be too humble.”

“…Thank you for your kind words.”

After responding briefly as he suggested, Elfreda decided it was time to wish him a happy birthday.

Originally, she had planned to do so after the banquet when he would come to Solar Palace… but seeing how busy he was today, she thought there might not be time for that, and perhaps she wouldn’t even get the chance.

Gifts could be delivered tomorrow, after all.

“And happy birthday, Your Majesty.”

“Thank you. I wasn’t sure if I’d hear it today.”

Elfreda blushed slightly and explained.

“Actually, I was planning to say it tonight… but you seem very busy today.”

“Then, I’ll hear more of it later. At Solar Palace.”

“Yes?”

Elfreda, surprised by the unexpected answer, looked at Ejnar, and he laughed as if her reaction amused him.

“Why that reaction? Didn’t you want that?”

“The banquet will go late… and there are many guests visiting you, Your Majesty.”

“True, but today is my birthday.”

He replied in a dry voice.

“I’d rather do something nice than just hear well-wishes from others.”

The implication of his words was clear, and Elfreda didn’t ask any further, though her face turned bright red as she pressed her lips together.

Ejnar quietly chuckled and added.

“And didn’t I promise the princess earlier? That I’d try harder from now on?”

“…So that was your honest feeling.”

Even though she had still been uncertain about his true intentions, she couldn’t help but be curious. She couldn’t understand his reasoning for visiting her regularly, especially without any form of contraception.

The idea that he might just be doing it for the typical married couple’s reasons didn’t seem to fully add up. They weren’t a typical couple, and it felt strange that that was the only explanation. Logically, it seemed like him seeking her out would only be a loss to him.

“Why would I lie about something like that?”

Or perhaps…

She looked at Ejnar with a nervous glance, and he responded with a smile.

“It seems you think I don’t want children. I wonder why that is.”

“…It’s not that Your Majesty doesn’t want children, but…”

Elfreda hesitated before answering honestly.

“I thought you wouldn’t want to have children with me.”

“Is that so?”

It was almost a relief that he seemed to understand the situation. His cryptic smile made her feel uneasy.

Ejnar found the situation amusing and decided to push it further. He wanted to see how uncomfortable he could make her.

“Why did you think I wouldn’t want a child with you?”

“Because I’m not human.”

Elfreda spoke her thoughts honestly, and Ejnar’s gaze sharpened with interest.

“…Because I’m from Makaeri?”

The truth was, Elfreda had never felt any pride or insecurity about her nationality. She had never been in a position to care about such things. While she lived in Makaeri, she rarely interacted with others, so she had never felt the pride that might come from being part of a nation that had conquered the East.

But now, for the first time, she felt regret about her nationality.

It was because of it that she was able to marry Ejnar, but ironically, it also meant she had to lock away her feelings and hide her heart. Expressing herself freely felt like a sin, and she couldn’t even dream about a future with her husband without fear.

“…Then, for the Queen.”

Ejnar asked quietly, his gaze focused on Elfreda’s face.

“It would be fine if I had a child with another woman from Machi?”

“….That is”

Elfreda thought she wasn’t truly clean on this matter, so she answered more calmly than when he had asked a similar question about a mistress in the past.

“If that were the case, I suppose it wouldn’t be something I can change.”

Elfreda thought, perhaps it would be better this way.

Of course, the idea of him being with another woman pained her… but at least it would be less painful than having a child born from her and Ejnar turned into a puppet of Makaeri or facing threats to their life from the Machi nobles.