The Queen Who Deserves To Be Tainted - Chapter 9.1
“Se—”
Elfreda turned around, her face filled with disbelief.
“Lady Serina…”
“It’s been a while, Elfreda.”
The ‘true princess’ of Makaeri. She was the one who should have worn the wedding dress Elfreda was wearing. Serina Makaeri approached her with a radiant smile.
“It’s nice to see you here. How have you been all this time?”
Despite Elfreda being the older sister, Serina’s informal tone prompted her to dismiss the guards to prevent any mishaps hurriedly. Nevertheless, Serina seemed unconcerned and asked her innocently.
“You’ve lost a lot of weight. Don’t you like the food here?”
“How did you get here? I heard the ship carrying the diplomatic delegation was shipwrecked.”
“How could no one come to the princess’s wedding? As soon as I heard the news, I immediately set sail.”
“Ah…”
“You don’t need to thank me too much. You’re going to do something very important, so it’s only right that I do this for you.”
Confused by her cryptic words, Elfreda furrowed her brow. Serina quickly continued speaking.
“I may have missed the wedding, but I’m sure it was beautiful. You’ve inherited your mother’s good looks, right? Use that beauty to charm the King here. Thanks to you, we might take over Machi without shedding a drop of blood.”
“…What do you mean?”
“Oh my, look at you. Are you pretending not to know, or do you really not understand?”
Surprised by Elfreda’s clueless expression, Serina laughed.
“Do you really not know? Did you think Father sent you here just for a spice trade? You’re more naive than I thought.”
“…So, I—”
Realizing the true nature of her political marriage, Elfreda asked in shock.
“If I bear the King’s child, do you plan to use that child to make Machi a vassal state?”
“My goodness, you’re just realizing this now?
“Princess!”
“Once you bear the King’s child, that child will become King here. Since you’re from Makaeri, we can easily manipulate your son to our advantage.”
Was she being coerced into betraying her country, to be cursed by her own people, even in death? Bearing a child, her own son?
Elfreda trembled at Serina’s callous words. With a quivering voice, she muttered.
“So, you came here to remind me of my duty.”
“I thought you would have understood by now. It’s surprising that I have to spoon-feed you everything. Are you really that foolish, Elfreda?”
Serina smiled beautifully.
“Now that you understand, let me warn you, don’t try to be clever with any other ideas. If you cause us even the slightest harm by your stupidity, I’ll reveal your true origins. Then what do you think will happen? A fake princess from an enemy nation, with no use in Machi? They might tie you up naked in the central square and stone you to boost morale. Or maybe you’ll face even worse.”
Elfreda, unsurprised as she had anticipated this, looked calmly at Serina, who continued with a mocking tone and expression.
“So be wise, Elfreda. Oh, and my mother, whom you love, sends her regards. She congratulates you on your marriage and hopes you’ll be an excellent queen in Machi.”
At these words, she flinched.
Seeing her sudden change in expression, Serina asked mockingly.
“Why do you like my mother so much? It’s pathetic, really. After all, you’ve grown up so much.”
“….”
“Abandoned yet still acting like a puppy that blindly follows its master.”
Serina couldn’t understand her because she was legitimately born from the Empress and grew up with ample love. Elfreda, having lost her mother at birth and neglected, received overflowing love from the Empress, albeit briefly.
Even if the Empress’s feelings had changed, the affection Elfreda received then was unforgettable. More than anything, without the Empress, she had no one to pour out her natural desire to be loved. Her future husband was not someone from whom she could expect love.
She knew others might find her foolish, but she didn’t expect them to understand. She often found herself ridiculous.
“Anyway, thanks to you, I’ll have my coming-of-age ceremony and marriage in Makaeri. Mother will be so pleased.”
“…I suppose she will be.”
Elfreda murmured, trying to ignore the bitterness in her mouth.
“I hope you find happiness in my place, Your Highness.”
“…What?”
Suddenly, Serina’s expression twisted, and she slapped Elfreda’s cheek.
Slap!
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