Beneath the Surviving Princess's Joyful Facade - Chapter 168

However, upon recognizing all the familiar faces and noticing them shivering like frightened rabbits, she decided it was acceptable for now. Satisfied, Miesa gave a small scoff and quietly asked Gella, “So, it’s still a secret, right?”

“Yes. We need to wait two or three weeks to be sure.”

“Alright. I know you’ll take good care of yourself, but if you need anything, just tell me.”

Gella, still holding on to her habits from her days as a doctor, took the opportunity to check Miesa’s hand and assess her complexion between their conversations.

Miesa, healthy from a life full of leisure and play, burst into laughter and pulled Gella over to sit at the table. As she did, the maid served water mixed with juice from Shrei berries, and Miesa generously added honey while sharing her news.

“I’m thinking of going to Cladis.”

“Pardon?”

“I plan to go back and forth between the capital and the estate like others do. You said it takes ten months for a baby to be born, so around July next year? No, I’ll return in the spring before that.”

“Ah…”

Gella regretted the short separation from Miesa, but she couldn’t hide her longing as she thought of Cladis.

“Suddenly, I’m craving dried Kalite fruit.”

“What’s that?”

“It’s a small fruit, about this size. It’s red, very sour, and incredibly sweet.”

“I had some yesterday. We have some at home. I’ll bring you some.”

“Yes! Please, Your Majesty, you must!”

Miesa was taken aback at seeing Gella’s unprecedented craving. Since going home to grab the dried fruit would cause a delay, she immediately called for a nearby attendant and gave an order.

“Go to the Cladnier mansion now and ask the head cook for some dried Kalite fruit.”

“Yes, understood.”

“Oh my, thank you so much, Your Majesty…”

Seeing Gella’s eyes glisten with tears, Miesa was bewildered. “Is it really worth crying over?”

“Actually, I’m having trouble eating much these days.”

“Why?”

“Well, Your Majesty, it’s called morning sickness.”

Gella, who had been explaining at length, quickly added when she noticed Miesa and Madam Manere’s faces darkening.

“It’s different for everyone. Sometimes you have it with your first child but not your second.”

“Just hearing about it sounds difficult.”

“But once the baby’s born, they’re so adorable. At first, they’re so tiny and wriggly, and after a while, they smell like milk, they’re soft and warm, and they’re just so precious.”

“Hmm.”

Miesa paused to think. Yesterday, it was Nea, and now Gella was pregnant too.

Come to think of it, her own health had improved, and she and Eirik had certainly been doing what was needed for pregnancy, so who knew when that result might come.

But she still wasn’t ready for it yet.

“Alright. If there’s anything you want, contact me in Cladis.”

“Okay. But my mother will be visiting in the winter, so I think I’ll be alright.”

Gella continued excitedly, “When my husband saw my face, he was worried, so I said it was because I missed home. He told me to bring my parents over.”

“Why doesn’t your husband let you go yourself, Gella?”

“Oh, well, that too, but it’s still early, and I can’t travel long distances… Besides, it’s harvest season, and there’s a lot to repair at the blacksmith. I’ll bring them over in winter. Letting commoners stay at the palace is a big deal in itself.”

Gella’s enthusiastic defense of her husband made Miesa laugh. But she didn’t forget to ask the new lady-in-waiting a question.

“When the queen’s mother arrives, which room will she stay in?”

“Pardon? It hasn’t been decided yet…”

The new lady-in-waiting, startled by the former queen’s sudden change in tone, bowed nervously. Miesa ordered that the government office she had once briefly used be refurbished, assigned two maids she had had her eye on to serve the queen’s mother exclusively, and added,

“Hagail—I mean, the king seems attentive to the queen, but he can’t be expected to think of such details. The queen’s mother isn’t familiar with court etiquette, so make sure none of this leaks outside.”

“Your Majesty…”

Gella was moved to tears, and Miesa squeezed her hand to comfort her. Despite the heavy ruby ring she wore, Gella’s hand, calloused and covered with small cuts, was still warm.

“What’s going on in the Flamtia region again?”

Miesa’s mood wasn’t great. She needed to return to the mansion where Eirik was waiting, but she had to stop by the king’s office first.

“Greetings, Your Majesty.”

Inside the completely renovated king’s office, a new captain of the guard stood in place of Tilberg.

After consulting with Grand Duke Hagail at the time of her abdication, Miesa had tried to place Tilberg in charge of the capital guard. However, he declined, saying he wanted to return to the estate where his eldest brother served as lord. When Miesa had attempted to reward his years of service with her own funds, Tilberg politely refused, explaining that he was going into seclusion, not retirement, and thus could not accept money.

“I’ll bring up the Flamtia issue gradually, but are you aware of the lords’ war in the Popper and Kanite regions three years ago?”

The king slyly provided the wrong year, and Miesa corrected it out of habit.

“It wasn’t three years ago; it was four.”

“It was when the lord died—”

“Not the lord, the heir. What exactly are you trying to confirm?”

Miesa felt her anger rising. Whenever Hagail saw her face, he tried to use her as some sort of archive, and it was unbearably annoying.

“Right. Do you remember what happened back then when the heir died?”

“The eldest son of Lord Popper died during a night raid at the Battle of the Poya River, and they later adopted a successor. It turned out that successor was a distant nephew.”

The reason for these sudden cryptic questions was that, ever since ascending the throne, Hagail had struggled with a lack of understanding of the state of local lords prior to his reign.

The Duke of Salachez, who was closely attached to the new king, had suggested that the former queen stored years of official records in her mind and had an uncanny ability to piece together information even if some details were missing.

Thus, Hagail had detained Miesa when she visited Gella at the palace to ask her some questions, and as expected, she answered them with ease.

Ever since, Hagail had looked for opportunities to run into Miesa, and today, he had lingered in the corridor for a long time upon hearing she was coming. He had begun bombarding her with questions as soon as they sat down, but Miesa wasn’t inclined to cooperate easily.

“Nothing’s wrong in Flamtia, right? Then I’m leaving.”

“No, no, let’s help each other out here. If anything happens, I’ll share the information with you. It’s not right for you to do this without any return.”

“……”

True. If she went to Cladis, she’d get news even later, so information directly from the king would be useful. Just as she was about to stand up, Miesa furrowed her brow and sat back down.

“So, what do you need me to confirm?”

“Well, it’s about something from five years ago…”

While they talked, Duke Salachez, who had returned to the office, looked exhausted.

“Your Majesty, you have arrived. I have delivered the documents to Count Raviate.”

The king responded with one sentence, “Ah, Duke. Have you received a reply from Marquis Hetav?”

“Ah… I will send a follow-up letter.”

As soon as Duke Salachez left the office, Miesa asked in a low voice, “What’s with the duke now?”

“He’s trying to create a new title, but to do that, he needs to show results.”

The king explained as if it were only natural. He had doubled Salachez’s salary since ascending to the throne, but hadn’t granted him the honor he truly desired.

“I have to decide on a name for the new position, but I’m terrible at that. It’ll take at least six months, maybe a year. Maybe even longer.”

So Duke Salachez was left toiling endlessly, chasing the faint hope dangled before him. Miesa mentally clicked her tongue at Hagail’s ruthless behavior.

It was already late in the evening when Miesa returned to the mansion after spending a long time in the king’s office, having her memory thoroughly plundered. Exhausted, she sat down in front of the dining table.

“You were later than expected, dear.”

“Don’t even get me started. It’s like Hagail’s trying to drain the marrow out of me.”

When Miesa recounted what had happened at the palace, Eirik frowned after listening.

“From now on, I think I should accompany you whenever you enter the palace.”

“In return, he said he’d share information. Since we’re about to leave for Cladis, it might be useful—”

“I’m not sure if any information given by a snake-like king will be of much value.”

Could that be true? At Eirik’s words, Miesa’s tired mind began to turn again.

Come to think of it, Hagail’s questions had ultimately been based on records that they could have verified if they had spent the time and manpower. Suddenly, Miesa felt wronged. Had she been too earnest in responding to Hagail’s occasional requests for opinions and advice?

Miesa sighed weakly, mumbling, “I think I keep getting caught up in his schemes because I let my guard down in front of Hagail.”

It’s not that Miesa blindly trusted her cousin’s goodwill. She simply believed that the king, who was mindful of Gella, wouldn’t stab her in the back. However, she knew it was wise to remain cautious, especially since things could change drastically if Gella were to flee.

Seeing Miesa’s dejected face, Eirik hesitated. He had upset her with his blunt words again.

“The king has given you enough assurance that he won’t harm you, which is why you unconsciously let your guard down. You didn’t fall for his schemes—you just graciously offered your help.”

Even so, Miesa’s expression didn’t improve much. After a moment of silence, during which he appeared lost in thought, Eirik shook his head and spoke again.

“No, I was hasty. Rather, we can take advantage of this situation.”

“How?”

“By comparing the information the king gives us with our own, we can find out what he’s hiding or trying to distort.”

“…Oh.”

“We’ve found a way to figure out what the king is plotting from a distance without much effort—thanks to you.”

Now that she heard it, it made sense. Hearing Eirik’s explanation, Miesa couldn’t help but smile.