Beneath the Surviving Princess's Joyful Facade - Chapter 114

Miesa inwardly clicked her tongue. To claim he wasn’t treated as a person without understanding what it truly meant was the height of weakness.

But he was a loyal servant, so she felt she should at least grant him this. Reluctantly, Miesa agreed. “Fine. Don’t blame me if I send you back after three days.”

“Thank you!” Duke Salachez seemed genuinely pleased. As Miesa stared at him blankly, he rubbed his hands together contentedly and stood up, extending a hand toward Eirik as if to shake it.

“Cladnier, I suppose we’ll be seeing each other every day now!”

“…Please sit down again,” Eirik responded, noting that the duke had risen without the queen’s permission.

Duke Salachez protested, looking aggrieved. “What? Are you saying now that the deed is done, we’re not friends anymore?”

“Duke, what are you talking about?”

“Friends? Are you two friends?” Miesa asked, turning in surprise.

“Eirik, you have a friend?” She blinked in genuine astonishment, and Eirik gave a weak smile. Somehow, both Miesa and Duke Salachez had the same unexpected reaction.

“Your Majesty, I do have friends.”

“Who else is your friend, Eirik?” Miesa pressed.

“Well, the people in the knighthood—”

“The knighthood? They’re colleagues or subordinates, not friends,” Duke Salachez interjected, but Eirik ignored him and offered another name.

“If you mean friends, there’s Emmerich as well, whom Your Majesty met last night.”

“Emmerich is your cousin. Can cousins be friends?” Miesa countered, curious.

Eirik hesitated, glancing between Miesa and Duke Salachez. “Well, in that case…”

Do I really not have anyone to call a friend? Eirik found himself at a loss for words, and Duke Salachez seized the moment.

“Yes, Your Majesty, under such scrutiny, it seems I am the only one left. I am the Margrave’s only friend, and he is my only friend too.”

Miesa was taken aback. She thought Eirik had no friends, but here he was, having silently made a friend outside.

Of course, Miesa had never had what one might call a friend. Gella, who was in a similar relationship, was indeed precious to her, but could not be considered a friend. Even if she would never dismiss Gella herself, their master-servant relationship could easily break if Gella decided she couldn’t take it anymore.

Miesa sighed, frustrated, and muttered, “I’m going to make a friend too.”

“Of course, Your Majesty will soon form strong bonds with good people,” Eirik reassured her, casting a sharp glance at Duke Salachez, who was oblivious, intent on making a good impression on Miesa.

“I can be Your Majesty’s loyal subject and a good friend, should you allow it,” Duke Salachez suggested with a twitch of his lips, but Miesa shook her head and rose slowly. She didn’t want to interfere with Eirik’s friendship, nor did she particularly like this presumptuous man.

“I’ll choose my friends myself.”

Besides, she disliked the idea of a practically unfamiliar duke trying to claim a spot in her life so abruptly. Miesa stood to put an end to the conversation, but now she wasn’t sure what to do next.

“Is that the end of the conversation?”

Looking around, she realized everyone’s eyes were on her. It seemed the first audience was concluding.

The meeting ended sooner than expected. Miesa checked the shadows of the trees outside the window and asked Eirik, “It’s not lunchtime yet, is it?”

“There’s still some time,” he replied.

Now was the moment she had been saving for. Miesa turned to Eirik, her lips pursed in a shy smile. “I’d like to go see your gifts.”

“Well then—”

“Oh, did the Margrave give Your Majesty a splendid gift to commemorate your accession?” Duke Salachez interjected, but Eirik thought what Miesa was about to do shouldn’t be witnessed by the duke. He extended an arm to stop Salachez.

“Hold on. This isn’t an occasion for you to accompany us.”

“In fact, you don’t have to come either,” Miesa said cautiously, catching Eirik off guard.

“Pardon?”

Miesa had her reasons. She didn’t want to show a more twisted side of herself to someone who already understood her abnormality to its limits.

What he said in the carriage on the way back to the palace also made sense. Hanging Vermel’s body on the castle wall could provoke resentment.

Eirik wouldn’t know exactly what had happened to Miesa at their hands. If he saw how she dealt with them without knowing the circumstances, he might misunderstand her actions as excessive, and she didn’t want to reveal all her past to him either.

As Miesa stood there, gauging Eirik’s expression, he spoke again with his usual calm demeanor. “Understood. However, there is one thing I’d like to ask.”

Miesa looked at him with slight concern, wondering what he wanted to say, but Eirik shook his head as if to reassure her. “Do whatever you wish, Your Majesty. I’m fine not knowing what happens in that room.”

Relieved, Miesa smiled, and Eirik continued in a low voice, “I’m worried about Grand Duke Hagail. He is still struggling with what happened back then.”

“I see,” Miesa replied, understanding his implication. Grand Duke Hagail was also a victim and likely still harbored a deep-seated grudge from the past. After a moment’s thought, she agreed readily.

“I’ll send a box to the Grand Duke in a few days. Offering the oldest one should show respect to the royal elder.”

Eirik paused in mid-nod, then leaned in to whisper in her ear. “…It will be intact, won’t it? Grand Duke Hagail’s condition is more serious than Your Majesty might expect. If the gift inside the box is in pieces, it could backfire.”

Miesa pondered briefly, then smiled reassuringly. “Don’t worry.”

Can he really not worry? Eirik studied her smiling face and eventually sighed, straightening up. “Very well. By the way, who will escort Your Majesty to the office?”

“Perhaps the Captain of the Royal Guards?”

“Only one captain? I strongly suggest taking one of the Cladnier’s attendants as well,” Eirik advised, concerned about safety.

“If you insist, I’d like Cullen. He’s discreet,” Miesa agreed readily.

“Let’s do that.”

As Miesa turned to leave the reception room, Duke Salachez hesitated and tried to follow. Eirik quickly stepped forward and took his arm, pulling him back. “You’ll need to stay and have a word with me, Duke.”

“Oh dear, I only have three short days to prove my usefulness to Her Majesty…” Salachez protested.

“You can prove it later,” Miesa said, leaving the room with an eager expression, as if she couldn’t delay any longer. Duke Salachez, staring at the door in disbelief, sat down with a sulky face, and Eirik sighed as he sat across from him.

“First of all, you should be mindful of your words and actions in front of Her Majesty.”

“Cladnier, now that it’s just the two of us, can’t we speak more casually?”

“Shut your mouth as much as possible.”

“But shouldn’t I diligently demonstrate my usefulness to Her Majesty?” Duke Salachez said brazenly, and Eirik sighed again. The next three days seemed destined to be excruciatingly long.

Miesa’s footsteps grew lighter as she walked down the corridor.

Vermel’s end had been far too easy. Therefore, she planned to let the remaining ones live long, savoring the joy it brought her. How disappointing it had been when she finished all the sweets she had bought in town. At least with sweets, she could keep the packaging as a cherished reminder, but with humans, once they were gone, they were gone for good, so she had to be cautious.

Like waiting for dough to rise in the kitchen, she had only stored Eirik’s gift for a day, yet she felt this eager. Would she really be able to keep it for long? She mustn’t finish it all within a few days, like those sweets back then.

Lost in her delightful contemplation, Miesa turned to Viscountess Manere, who was following her, and asked, “Where is Tilberg? Among the attendants from House Cadnier, there is one called Cullen Emmanes. Summon both to the office.”

“I heard you mention this earlier, so I already told them in advance,” Viscountess Manere replied, bowing slightly. Her words pleased Miesa greatly, who then spoke as if bestowing a grand favor.

“Since you have taken my hand, I will allow you to attend the gift-opening ceremony.”