Beneath the Surviving Princess's Joyful Facade - Chapter 109

“Your Majesty, I will bathe separately.”

“Why?”

“Well, it’s not customary… I’ll explain later. It’s not appropriate to discuss this in the morning.”

“Alright,” Miesa agreed, recalling that certain topics were suitable for specific times of the day, and headed towards the bathroom.

Once she was out of sight, Eirik turned to the still-flustered Tilberg and asked, “Which room is it?”

“Oh, I will have a page guide you.”

Tilberg cleared his throat and immediately summoned a page to give instructions. Meanwhile, Eirik called the attendants who had come with Viscountess Manere.

The four attendants were, of course, Cullen, Vallek, and two elite knights, all disguised in servant attire. Given the disapproval of the Cladnier family’s presence in the palace, they carried no visible weapons, though they were far from unarmed.

“I’ll go alone. You all stay here. Vallek, stand guard outside the bathroom in case Her Majesty needs assistance.”

As Eirik gave his instructions, Tilberg, who had already noticed the oddity of the four in servant clothes, chose to remain silent.

The room Eirik entered, guided by the page, was well-maintained and clean.

Having bathed and changed quickly, Eirik emerged from the bathroom to find Miesa sitting expressionlessly in the center of the room. Viscountess Manere, the captain of the guard, Cullen, and Vallek were all lined up in the small room, nervously watching her, suggesting that Miesa was displeased with Eirik using a different room.

Feeling responsible, Eirik asked soothingly, “I didn’t expect Your Majesty to finish your bath so quickly. It’s almost time for lunch. Shall we return to the previous room?”

“No. I’ve ordered the food to be brought here.”

“Is that so?”

Ignoring the awkward expressions of those standing around, Eirik took a seat at the table. Miesa added nonchalantly, “And I plan to take my nap here too.”

“…I see.”

“Where shall we sleep at night? Together?”

Emphasizing the word “together,” Miesa made it clear she wouldn’t allow them to sleep in separate rooms. Eirik, who didn’t want to entrust her safety to others every night, agreed without objection.

“We’ll do as you wish, Your Majesty.”

“Then let’s sleep here. I checked, and the bed is big enough.”

Despite the effort everyone had put into inspecting the bedroom and bathroom earlier, they had no choice but to accept the queen’s request. Eirik, with a wry smile, suddenly remembered something and turned quickly to Tilberg.

“Oh, by the way, Her Majesty cannot eat new dishes.”

“I’ve already informed the kitchen. They will mainly serve easily digestible stews.”

Tilberg was handling things well, regardless of Eirik’s personal preferences. Apart from occasionally making inexplicable expressions, he even seemed to be favorably disposed toward Eirik.

After they finished their meal, Miesa, as declared earlier, headed to the bedroom, pulling Eirik along. He couldn’t refuse her grip.

In the reception room, over ten people, including Tilberg, the guards, Viscountess Manere, and the Cladnier knights, stood awkwardly, staring at the floor as the door closed.

The idea of a couple heading to the bedroom together during the day seemed rather indecent to Eirik, but seeing Miesa climb into bed and smile bashfully softened his expression.

“This was used by my grandfather’s mistress,” Miesa whispered.

As Eirik looked around the room, he murmured, “Did the queen of that time use a different room? Isn’t the queen’s and mistress’s rooms too close?”

“The queen was banished to a separate palace. I know because that’s the Celia Palace where I stayed.”

“I see.”

Eirik frowned inadvertently. Miesa asked softly, “Isn’t that man a scoundrel? He kicked out his wife and brought his mistress into the house.”

“…It’s not an easy question to answer. It involves the royal family.”

“We’re alone. Tell me what you really think.”

“If he were just a nobleman, he might have been called a scoundrel. Anyway,” Eirik said, steering the conversation away from the awkward topic, conscious of those outside.

“As of now, I suppose I am officially still Your Majesty’s ex-husband, or perhaps your lover, so this room is quite fitting.”

“My lover?” Miesa repeated, her eyes sparkling as she savored the words. Meanwhile, Eirik looked around the room.

“In a manner of speaking. Please rest first. You must be tired.”

“Yes.”

Eirik inspected every corner of the bedroom and even the view outside the window. Once he confirmed everything was secure, he lay down on the bed, and Miesa immediately snuggled into his arms.

“I told you to sleep, yet you’re still awake.”

“I can’t sleep without you,” she replied firmly, inhaling his scent a few times as she snuggled closer.

“Her Majesty can’t sleep without her ex-husband?” he teased, whispering playfully, making Miesa giggle.

“That’s why I made you my lover. Or rather, my fiancé, since we’ll be married again soon.”

“One body, three roles. I’ll be quite busy for the next week.”

As Eirik chuckled, Miesa rubbed her cheek against his chest and soon fell asleep.

Gently, Eirik brushed the hair from her face. The shadows under her eyes showed how tired she was, making him feel tender. He softly kissed her hair.

As he listened to her gentle breathing, he felt his own tension ease momentarily.

Finally, the chains that had bound them were broken. For him, it had been only a few months, but for Miesa, it was a lifetime of entangled misery.

Now, Vermel was dead, and she was the queen, yet she still curled up into a ball to sleep, as if needing to protect herself. Watching her, Eirik gently patted her body through the blanket.

While Miesa slept, Eirik occasionally stepped out of the bedroom to attend to various matters. As soon as he emerged, the captain of the guard and Viscountess Manere, who had been seated in the reception room, stood up expectantly.

“I heard the coronation is scheduled for next week…” Viscountess Manere’s face was filled with anxiety at the thought of preparing for an event that usually takes months in just one week. However, Eirik calmly addressed each concern in order.

“Captain, please send someone to the temple to ensure everything is in order. Additionally, we need to officially announce the schedule. Prepare letters to send to each noble family and posters to be placed around the capital.”

“Understood.”

“Viscountess, please review the coronation ceremony procedures and list what is needed.”

As soon as Eirik finished speaking, Viscountess Manere replied cautiously, “Yes. However, the biggest issue is the attire for Her Majesty. It’s impossible to create a coronation gown in just one week.”

“I see.”

“If you permit, Margrave, I would like to visit the royal wardrobe to check if there are any suitable garments from previous occasions.”

“Do I have the authority to grant such permission?” Eirik asked, turning to Tilberg, who nodded.

“As Her Majesty’s representative, you have the necessary authority.”

“Very well, proceed with that.”

The brief meeting concluded. After assigning tasks to them, Eirik returned to the bedroom to look after Miesa.

A little while later, Eirik emerged from the bedroom again to discuss the imprisonment of the criminals with Tilberg. It was then that Viscountess Manere returned from the royal wardrobe.

“What if we alter the dress that Her Majesty’s mother wore for her royal wedding? It might be better than Her Majesty’s own wedding dress.”

Eirik shook his head at the memory of Miesa being swallowed by her wedding dress and asked, “Would it be appropriate for Her Majesty to wear a white wedding dress for the coronation?”

“The dress worn by Her Majesty’s mother is plain, so we can add embroidery and decorations. After all, she will be wearing a coronation mantle.”

“Can the coronation mantle be made in a week?”

“Yes. The mantle doesn’t need to be tailored to fit, so I’ve already sent word to start making it. This evening, Her Majesty can choose the fabric and embroidery design for the outer garment.”

Viscountess Manere was efficient in her work. She had consulted the royal protocol book and identified various necessities for the coronation.

“We need a few more ladies-in-waiting to serve Her Majesty. I can’t manage the royal duties alone.”

“For now, select a few temporary ladies-in-waiting yourself. By the way, can I also bring a few more people from the Cladnier estate?”

“One moment.”

Viscountess Manere checked the protocol book. It had been over 20 years since a king last took a spouse, so she didn’t remember the exact rules.

“A future queen can bring up to ten ladies-in-waiting from her family. Though there’s no specific mention for the royal representative, it should be the same.”

“Then I can bring six more.”

After a moment of contemplation, Eirik called Cullen and informed him of the additional people to be brought from the Cladnier estate. Cullen listened attentively but couldn’t help but question when Eirik mentioned his cousin’s name.

“You mean Lord Emmerich, sir?”

“Yes.”

Using one of the ten precious spots for someone like Emmerich, who had a reputation for being carefree, seemed odd, but Cullen nodded as usual and left to carry out the orders.

Meanwhile, Tilberg was busy directing the servants to organize various tasks. When Eirik inquired about the situation outside, Tilberg reported that the nobles seemed to be watching and waiting, while the commoners remained unaware of any changes.