When Rihannan became Helena’s companion, she would often remain by the princess’s side for a period of time before returning home unless a special occasion arose. Rihannan would typically return to the mansion before dusk.
The duchess reminded Rihannan that she would check on her early in the morning as she had a busy schedule leading up to the wedding day.
However, contrary to her words, the duchess did not arrive until the first light of dawn painted the sky. Rihannan had already washed her face and changed into a new outfit adorned with regal embellishments.
The duchess’s smile extended to the corners of her eyes. “My Queen, did you sleep well last night? I apologize for my lateness. That rascal Basil kept me occupied until the break of dawn.”
Rihannan tilted her head. “You mean Basil?”
“Yes,” the duchess nodded, “I will fill you in on the details later. First, let us have a meal, My Queen.”
The pair enjoyed a cup of tea together after a simple breakfast. Soon, the duchess relayed to Rihannan what had transpired in the early morning.
“Well, My Queen, His Majesty expressed a desire to have breakfast with you this morning. Basil delivered his message, inquiring about your thoughts. In your place, I responded that you had only arrived at the Queen’s Palace the day before and were fatigued. I requested that you be given some time to rest.”
Rihannan listened to the duchess’s account, her eyes trembling with unease. She doubted what she had heard, finding it hard to believe Igor’s words. She briefly wondered if she had ever shared a breakfast with him that was not a necessary royal obligation. No memory came to mind. This was not unprecedented. A king and queen often dined together during lunch or in the evening, but breakfast together was rare.
“I apologize for making a decision on your behalf without seeking your opinion, My Queen.”
Rihannan shook her head. “No, you handled it well.”
The maid of honor not only remained at the queen’s side but also managed her schedule. This had also occurred in Rihannan’s time in Chrichton. She would arrange Helena’s meetings and then ask for her opinion. The duchess fulfilled her duties admirably. The maid of honor’s primary responsibility was to care for her master’s well-being, and that took precedence above all else.
“Please inform His Majesty that I will join him for dinner tonight.”
“Yes, My Queen.”
Then the duchess retrieved a thick book.
“What is this…?”
“It is a list of Arundell’s noble families. I have compiled a separate list of the major high-ranking nobles. Let us not concern ourselves with the lower-ranking ones for now, My Queen, but it is essential for us to memorize the names and histories of the high-ranking nobles. You will inevitably come face to face with them.”
Rihannan regarded the thick book with nervousness. The faces of those nobles suddenly appeared in her mind.
“It is a pity, Your Majesty. You lost your husband to your sister…”
“Your Majesty, I have heard that His Majesty refuses to share a bed with you. Is that true?”
Their cynical and derisive laughter echoed in her ears. When she looked at the familiar names in the book, those painful memories replayed like a montage in her mind.
The duchess observed her silently, and then her lips parted. “Humans tend to instinctively target those they perceive as weaker than themselves. It is human nature to crush those they view as weaklings. You must not give them any opportunity, My Queen.”
Rihannan was well aware of this.
As the duchess had said, those who grew up in the noble society governed by the laws of the jungle keenly felt the ebb and flow of power within the ruling class. Initially, they withheld their harsh words in Rihannan’s presence because she was the queen, but as they noticed the king’s lack of affection toward her, they grew bolder. And when Leticia appeared in court, the ridicule Rihannan faced reached new heights.
Now, Rihannan would once again face those nobles. But this time, she knew better. She would never allow herself to be devoured.
However…
Rihannan bit her lip. Would she be able to handle it well? This time, the late queen was no longer there to support her.
…Perhaps her time in Crichton had been trouble-free because Helena, the princess who wielded significant power, stood by her side.
“My Queen.”
Rihannan looked up, meeting the duchess’s gaze. She noticed Rihannan’s eyes trembling and saw her as a woman who wore her pain like an invisible cloak, visible only to those who looked into her icy-blue eyes. The duchess’s keen eyes saw right through her.
“My Queen, do you remember what I told you yesterday? That you would encounter many deceitful men and women, and that you would have no one to trust?”
Rihannan nodded. “Yes, I remember.”
“If you ever need a tool, use me, My Queen. Trust me. Trust what my eyes can see.”
Rihannan stared at her. A mischievous sparkle danced in the duchess’s eyes.
“…Why?” Rihannan asked.
“I like you, My Queen.”
Rihannan chuckled at the duchess’s unexpected remark. She found herself believing in her. “Alright. I will trust your eyes more than I trust myself at this moment.”
She had no choice, and the duchess was someone she could envision placing her trust in. Moreover, she needed the duchess’s assistance in preparing for the wedding ceremony. There was no time to acclimate herself to the palace, for she knew the upcoming month would be busy.
Crichton’s Crown Prince had sent a substantial sum of money from their national treasury to celebrate the national ceremonial marriage between Crichton and Arundell. Various luxurious goods from Crichton would soon arrive within the royal palace. Having been married before, Rihannan was well-versed in the proceedings. Nonetheless, she sought the duchess’s advice.
“The wedding gown’s design will remain unchanged from past ceremonies. However, considering the changing season, we should alter the fabric materials. This will take some time. I will meet with the jeweler and the contracted designer first. What are your thoughts?”
The duchess was pleased with Rihannan’s suggestion.
“Yes. Since time is running out, let us proceed with that plan. We will arrange for you to meet with the pastor, merchants, and jewelers early tomorrow morning.”
Rihannan and the duchess spent hours discussing the details of the wedding, meticulously going through each aspect. Rihannan glanced at the time. It was cocktail hour. The duchess departed from the Queen’s Palace earlier than planned to attend to the matters they had discussed.
Rihannan was left alone in her chambers. She flipped through the pages of the thick book, studying the names of the nobles. Alongside their names were brief histories of their past. Rihannan appreciated the duchess’s meticulous attention to detail. Her assessment aligned with Rihannan’s previous knowledge. The duchess truly possessed a keen and accurate eye, as rumored.
There were fewer high-ranking nobles on the list compared to the past. This was to be expected. The late queen’s loyal supporters had been sidelined from the central political scene. There were names Rihannan did not recognize.
The future has truly changed, she thought.
However, aside from the few unfamiliar names, Rihannan had no trouble remembering the nobles from the past. As she flipped the pages, her expression hardened momentarily as she quickly checked the names of the lower-ranking nobles. There, in fine print, she spotted a familiar name.
Leticia Olbach.
Could it be the same person? she wondered.
No, it couldn’t be. Leticia was a relatively common name in Arundell. With just one clue, she couldn’t make a definitive judgment. Besides, it was difficult to remember the names of all the lower-ranking nobles. Perhaps there was a noblewoman from the past with a similar name.
Lost in her thoughts, a knock came at the door, and a maid entered, passing a letter to Rihannan.
“What is this?”
“A message from Her Majesty, the Late Queen,” the maid bowed.
Rihannan looked at the letter, seeing the diligent seal belonging to the late queen. The texture of the paper was unique, exclusive to the royal family for official matters.
She opened the letter and began reading its contents.
When Rihannan became Helena’s companion, she would often remain by the princess’s side for a period of time before returning home unless a special occasion arose. Rihannan would typically return to the mansion before dusk.
The duchess reminded Rihannan that she would check on her early in the morning as she had a busy schedule leading up to the wedding day.
However, contrary to her words, the duchess did not arrive until the first light of dawn painted the sky. Rihannan had already washed her face and changed into a new outfit adorned with regal embellishments.
The duchess’s smile extended to the corners of her eyes. “My Queen, did you sleep well last night? I apologize for my lateness. That rascal Basil kept me occupied until the break of dawn.”
Rihannan tilted her head. “You mean Basil?”
“Yes,” the duchess nodded, “I will fill you in on the details later. First, let us have a meal, My Queen.”
The pair enjoyed a cup of tea together after a simple breakfast. Soon, the duchess relayed to Rihannan what had transpired in the early morning.
“Well, My Queen, His Majesty expressed a desire to have breakfast with you this morning. Basil delivered his message, inquiring about your thoughts. In your place, I responded that you had only arrived at the Queen’s Palace the day before and were fatigued. I requested that you be given some time to rest.”
Rihannan listened to the duchess’s account, her eyes trembling with unease. She doubted what she had heard, finding it hard to believe Igor’s words. She briefly wondered if she had ever shared a breakfast with him that was not a necessary royal obligation. No memory came to mind. This was not unprecedented. A king and queen often dined together during lunch or in the evening, but breakfast together was rare.
“I apologize for making a decision on your behalf without seeking your opinion, My Queen.”
Rihannan shook her head. “No, you handled it well.”
The maid of honor not only remained at the queen’s side but also managed her schedule. This had also occurred in Rihannan’s time in Chrichton. She would arrange Helena’s meetings and then ask for her opinion. The duchess fulfilled her duties admirably. The maid of honor’s primary responsibility was to care for her master’s well-being, and that took precedence above all else.
“Please inform His Majesty that I will join him for dinner tonight.”
“Yes, My Queen.”
Then the duchess retrieved a thick book.
“What is this…?”
“It is a list of Arundell’s noble families. I have compiled a separate list of the major high-ranking nobles. Let us not concern ourselves with the lower-ranking ones for now, My Queen, but it is essential for us to memorize the names and histories of the high-ranking nobles. You will inevitably come face to face with them.”
Rihannan regarded the thick book with nervousness. The faces of those nobles suddenly appeared in her mind.
“It is a pity, Your Majesty. You lost your husband to your sister…”
“Your Majesty, I have heard that His Majesty refuses to share a bed with you. Is that true?”
Their cynical and derisive laughter echoed in her ears. When she looked at the familiar names in the book, those painful memories replayed like a montage in her mind.
The duchess observed her silently, and then her lips parted. “Humans tend to instinctively target those they perceive as weaker than themselves. It is human nature to crush those they view as weaklings. You must not give them any opportunity, My Queen.”
Rihannan was well aware of this.
As the duchess had said, those who grew up in the noble society governed by the laws of the jungle keenly felt the ebb and flow of power within the ruling class. Initially, they withheld their harsh words in Rihannan’s presence because she was the queen, but as they noticed the king’s lack of affection toward her, they grew bolder. And when Leticia appeared in court, the ridicule Rihannan faced reached new heights.
Now, Rihannan would once again face those nobles. But this time, she knew better. She would never allow herself to be devoured.
However…
Rihannan bit her lip. Would she be able to handle it well? This time, the late queen was no longer there to support her.
…Perhaps her time in Crichton had been trouble-free because Helena, the princess who wielded significant power, stood by her side.
“My Queen.”
Rihannan looked up, meeting the duchess’s gaze. She noticed Rihannan’s eyes trembling and saw her as a woman who wore her pain like an invisible cloak, visible only to those who looked into her icy-blue eyes. The duchess’s keen eyes saw right through her.
“My Queen, do you remember what I told you yesterday? That you would encounter many deceitful men and women, and that you would have no one to trust?”
Rihannan nodded. “Yes, I remember.”
“If you ever need a tool, use me, My Queen. Trust me. Trust what my eyes can see.”
Rihannan stared at her. A mischievous sparkle danced in the duchess’s eyes.
“…Why?” Rihannan asked.
“I like you, My Queen.”
Rihannan chuckled at the duchess’s unexpected remark. She found herself believing in her. “Alright. I will trust your eyes more than I trust myself at this moment.”
She had no choice, and the duchess was someone she could envision placing her trust in. Moreover, she needed the duchess’s assistance in preparing for the wedding ceremony. There was no time to acclimate herself to the palace, for she knew the upcoming month would be busy.
Crichton’s Crown Prince had sent a substantial sum of money from their national treasury to celebrate the national ceremonial marriage between Crichton and Arundell. Various luxurious goods from Crichton would soon arrive within the royal palace. Having been married before, Rihannan was well-versed in the proceedings. Nonetheless, she sought the duchess’s advice.
“The wedding gown’s design will remain unchanged from past ceremonies. However, considering the changing season, we should alter the fabric materials. This will take some time. I will meet with the jeweler and the contracted designer first. What are your thoughts?”
The duchess was pleased with Rihannan’s suggestion.
“Yes. Since time is running out, let us proceed with that plan. We will arrange for you to meet with the pastor, merchants, and jewelers early tomorrow morning.”
Rihannan and the duchess spent hours discussing the details of the wedding, meticulously going through each aspect. Rihannan glanced at the time. It was cocktail hour. The duchess departed from the Queen’s Palace earlier than planned to attend to the matters they had discussed.
Rihannan was left alone in her chambers. She flipped through the pages of the thick book, studying the names of the nobles. Alongside their names were brief histories of their past. Rihannan appreciated the duchess’s meticulous attention to detail. Her assessment aligned with Rihannan’s previous knowledge. The duchess truly possessed a keen and accurate eye, as rumored.
There were fewer high-ranking nobles on the list compared to the past. This was to be expected. The late queen’s loyal supporters had been sidelined from the central political scene. There were names Rihannan did not recognize.
The future has truly changed, she thought.
However, aside from the few unfamiliar names, Rihannan had no trouble remembering the nobles from the past. As she flipped the pages, her expression hardened momentarily as she quickly checked the names of the lower-ranking nobles. There, in fine print, she spotted a familiar name.
Leticia Olbach.
Could it be the same person? she wondered.
No, it couldn’t be. Leticia was a relatively common name in Arundell. With just one clue, she couldn’t make a definitive judgment. Besides, it was difficult to remember the names of all the lower-ranking nobles. Perhaps there was a noblewoman from the past with a similar name.
Lost in her thoughts, a knock came at the door, and a maid entered, passing a letter to Rihannan.
“What is this?”
“A message from Her Majesty, the Late Queen,” the maid bowed.
Rihannan looked at the letter, seeing the diligent seal belonging to the late queen. The texture of the paper was unique, exclusive to the royal family for official matters.
She opened the letter and began reading its contents.
