Beneath the Surviving Princess's Joyful Facade - Chapter 141

“…How do we know that the body in this coffin is truly Anika?”

Fortunately or unfortunately, the body they had exhumed the night before was in a state of slight decay, but it was still preserved well enough to be recognizable. The embalming agents used on Vermel’s body had faintly permeated the coffin, and the cold weather that had frozen the ground afterward had also contributed to this preservation.

“You should be able to recognize that it is indeed Anika Semenov. But first, please answer my earlier question. If Her Majesty had harmed Anika Semenov, why would she have gone to the trouble of giving her a proper burial in the royal tomb?”

Eirik wanted a clear answer because Anika’s body had been better preserved than expected, and the scars on her body were still visible.

“Who knows? Perhaps it’s some spell of the goddess that we’re not privy to.”

“Wait, Lord Semenov, please watch your words.” The envoy jumped in alarm. Such a remark was dangerous as it implicated not only the tomb of a foreign king but also their religion.

“This won’t do. Her Majesty is offering the body solely out of goodwill. But I cannot overlook such offensive remarks. A spell of the goddess, you say? Are you suggesting that we’ve attempted some profane sorcery in the name of the goddess?”

“……”

The envoy struggled to mediate, while Ivan Semenov ground his teeth in frustration.

“I apologize on his behalf. I understand what you’re saying. Indeed, if the Queen of Esquillir had harmed Anika, there would be no reason to inter her in the royal tomb.”

Even to the envoy’s eyes, the opulent coffin was clearly significant. Although they didn’t realize it was a king’s coffin, they could sense that it was at least comparable to that of a queen.

“I will need a written statement confirming that you understand this.” Eirik handed a prepared document to the envoy. It stated that the Queen of Esquillir had provided a proper burial for Anika Semenov, who had taken her own life.

“She took her own life?” Ivan interjected.

Eirik explained, “Anika broke a window and used the glass shard to slit her throat. It seems she was left-handed, as the mark is on her left side.”

“……”

“Now, let’s proceed to confirm the body.”

The envoy, who had been standing awkwardly, requested to see the body. Eirik signaled Tilberg to prepare a new coffin. Removing the coffin would risk revealing that it had originally been Vermel’s.

“First, let’s open the coffin for verification, and then we’ll transfer the body to this coffin for handing over.”

Eirik explained to Ivan and the envoy once more, “I must warn you that there are many scars on the body.”

The Sidate envoys silently nodded in acknowledgment. Eirik then opened the coffin.

Inside, surrounded by jewels and embroidery, lay Anika. Bruises, still visible despite the makeup, and a stitched scar on the left side of her neck were clearly evident.

“Anika… Anika!”

As Semenov wept and clung to the body, Eirik handed the document to the envoy. The Sidate envoy, still holding the pen, hesitated and asked multiple times, “The new queen’s coronation was over a month ago. How is the body still in such a preserved state?”

“Have you not heard of the embalming process performed for the Esquillir royal family? Moreover, the ground was frozen solid due to the winter.”

“Ah… And what about the scars on the face?”

Even as Ivan’s wails filled the room, Eirik calmly addressed the envoy with a low, clear voice, “I’ve explained everything to you. You agreed to sign after verifying the scar on the left side of her neck. Now, are you going back on your word?”

“Oh, yes, of course.”

The Sidate envoy, though hesitant, couldn’t help but sign under the pressure of Cladnier’s stern presence. Eirik, bitter at the situation, nevertheless played the villain once more for Miesa’s sake. The sooner they were gone, the sooner this matter could be resolved.

“With all due respect, I will now transfer the body to this coffin. Please calm Lord Semenov.”

While the envoy restrained Ivan, who was wailing, and the Sidate lady who had been brought along tried to soothe him, the transfer of the body took place.

“The royal guards will escort the coffin to the border.”

Tilberg called in the guards to carry the coffin. The commotion seemed to have finally come to an end.

***

Around mid-January, when the various envoys had left and the chaotic atmosphere was settling, a carrier pigeon arrived from Cladis. The message reported that the Principality of Sidate had invaded and pillaged the border regions.

Miesa immediately convened the key ministers. Simultaneously, an envoy from the Principality of Sidate arrived.

In the middle of the Council of State meeting, the Sidate envoy announced a declaration of war.

“The late king of Esquillir, Vermelique II, subjected Anika Semenov of our homeland to horrific violence and abuse, driving her to death.”

The envoy’s voice filled the silent council chamber.

“However, the late king of Esquillir is no longer in this world. Therefore, Sidate holds his blood relative and the current queen of Esquillir, Miesania I, accountable.”

Miesa, seated at the innermost part of the council chamber, gripped the armrests of her throne so tightly that her knuckles turned white, her face pale.

“So, it’s war.”

Eirik, standing by her side, nodded as if it were nothing. He had suspected that their unfocused rage would eventually be directed at Esquillir.

It seems that the written agreement was useless against those who were determined to find fault. As Eirik smirked bitterly, Miesa, her face still pale, opened her mouth.

“No, wait.” Eirik realized she intended to say something to the Sidate envoy. He immediately bent down to whisper in her ear. “Your Majesty, the envoy merely conveys Sidate’s intentions. He is not a party to negotiations or persuasion.”

“……”

Reluctantly, Miesa nodded. Satisfied, Eirik, in accordance with the agreement, allowed the Sidate envoy to leave without any repercussions.

After the envoy left and no one else spoke, Eirik turned to Miesa and said, “We’ll begin preparations for deployment immediately.”

Miesa, still dazed, didn’t fully grasp the meaning of his words. “Begin what?”

“First, we’ll concentrate all the forces from the Cladis region at the border, and I’ll depart with the knights of our house in three days.”

“You’re going?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Why are you going?”

Miesa couldn’t believe what she was hearing and seeing. War. Sending Eirik to a dangerous place filled with swords and blood. And all because of what Vermel had done.

“Your Majesty, is there anyone in Esquillir with experience in war against Sidate besides me?”

“In this country, there are so many people…”

There wasn’t. As Miesa glanced around the room, she saw that among the ten gathered officials, the only armed person was the Marquise Crispin, who had no combat experience.

It wasn’t feasible to send the former Margrave of Cladnier, who was still recovering. Tilberg, with only close combat experience, wasn’t the right choice either.

Even the lords from regions outside Cladis could muster only a few hundred to a couple of thousand troops, and they lacked proper military leadership skills.

As Eirik watched the pale Miesa sit silently, he knelt before her. “Your Majesty, I must go. I have the experience of defeating them before.”

“Eirik…”

He whispered softly as he looked up at her, “Besides, this is the perfect opportunity. We need to obtain Finime’s antidote, don’t we?”

“I’ll get it by any means and return victorious from the war,” he added.

He truly intended to go to the battlefield. After hesitating, Miesa finally spoke. “Is there no way to prevent the war?”

If there was even a sliver of hope, she wanted to grasp it. But Eirik’s resolve was firm.

“They’ve declared war, and they’ve already begun slaughtering Esquillir’s sons and daughters on your land. We cannot back down.”

Miesa couldn’t find the words to respond.

Logically, she knew there was no other option. Every circumstance pointed to the necessity of sending him. But how could she accept the reality that she had to let him go?