Chapter 04
“Then that makes it all the more reason I shouldn’t be sitting in this seat.”
Nadia opened her mouth with an awkward expression.
“I don’t know what His Majesty was thinking when he made me queen, but he will never seek me out.”
…She actually understands her position surprisingly well. Albina raised one eyebrow.
“So even if I were to learn about His Majesty, it wouldn’t mean much. Please take good care of His Majesty in my stead.”
Nadia even bowed her head politely to Albina at the end of her words. At that consistently calm attitude, Albina wore a flustered expression.
‘…She’s no ordinary one.’
She was Agnes’s daughter, but had she underestimated her too much because she was young?
To remain this composed despite several provocations. Albina furrowed her brow. In some ways, she seemed even more of a fox than Agnes.
‘I mustn’t be complacent either.’
It seemed no ordinary harassment would make her flinch. Albina looked at Nadia with a twisted mouth and then spoke.
“Of course, I will continue to serve His Majesty with all my heart as I have until now. It puts my mind at ease that the one who will become queen has said so first.”
“……”
“It would be troublesome to hold onto one so busy for too long. I’ll take my leave today, and we’ll meet again next time.”
Nadia rose from her seat following Albina. The two left the reception room and went out into the corridor. Albina slowed her steps, moving her gaze slowly as if searching for someone.
“Then I’ll be going now…”
“Albina.”
The moment she bowed her head in farewell, the corners of Albina’s mouth rose slightly at the voice brushing past her ear.
As if she had been waiting, she turned her head, and there stood Lev.
“Your Majesty!”
He had appeared at the perfect moment. Calling out to him in delight, she pulled Lev into an embrace, and he let out a small laugh and embraced her.
“Did you come to fetch me?”
“Yes.”
“Oh my, how affectionate.”
Mixing coquettishness into her voice, she subtly turned her head. Nadia’s expression was as calm as ever, but her eyes looked somewhat more uncomfortable than when she had been with her alone.
Seeing that change, an even brighter smile hung on Albina’s lips.
“You saw me earlierādid you miss me that much? Coming all the way here.”
Albina, naturally nestled in the king’s arms and sending him loving eyes, was unmistakably the picture of a lover.
Lev, too, as if accustomed to it, patted Albina and let out a small laugh. Then he whispered something into her ear, and Albina giggled and lightly struck the king’s chest.
“Oh, Your Majesty, really. How can you say such things in a place like this?”
“That’s why I whispered it.”
“Restrain yourself. We’re not the only ones here.”
Albina openly directed her gaze at Nadia. When Lev’s gaze also turned to Nadia, she was momentarily flustered, her eyes wavering, before she awkwardly smiled and bowed her head.
“I behold the great sun of Arbat.”
“……”
Lev glanced at Nadia bowing and then turned his head without a word. A brief silence fell.
Nadia grew increasingly uncomfortable. More than being blatantly ignored by the king, it was simply this situation itself.
‘…It’s awkward.’
It was the first time she had wanted to run away since coming to the capital. Even when facing Albina, she had been calm.
‘She must have been at His Majesty’s side for a long timeāno wonder Countess Velevin resents me.’
She understood Albina’s hostility for that reason, but the hatred the king held for her was on another level.
Standing before someone as a sinner could hardly be comfortable. Nadia’s gaze remained fixed on her toes.
Should she call it fortunate? Lev left just that one word and passed by the bowing Nadia. At his side, he had his arm around Albina’s shoulder.
Nadia slowly raised her head and watched their retreating figures. They were an incomparably affectionate pair.
How absurd was the reality that she occupied the Queen’s Palace. She quickly turned and left the corridor.
“……”
Lev turned back and briefly checked on Nadia’s figure. Then Albina tugged at the hem of Lev’s clothes and asked in an irritated voice.
“Your Majesty? I’m right hereāwhere are you looking?”
“She’s gone, so stop now.”
“Oh, she’s gone?”
The moment she heard that, Albina dropped the hand that had been touching Lev. Then she let out a short breath.
“It’s a bit hot.”
“Bear with it. We’re still outside.”
“Just link arms with me, then.”
“It’s still hot either way.”
Lev, who had answered indifferently, asked.
“So, was there any harvest from calling me all the way out here?”
“How did it seem to you, Your Majesty?”
“I wonder.”
Lev recalled the image of Nadia not knowing what to do as she watched his and Albina’s displays of affection.
There had certainly been no jealousy in those eyes. Only the discomfort of a stranger, or perhaps a sinner.
“She doesn’t seem particularly interested in this side.”
“You saw correctly. Agnes’s daughter is a more formidable woman than I thought. I let my guard down because she was young.”
Albina complained with a frown.
“No matter how I provoke her, she doesn’t flinch. She knows her position well, and she even calmly told me to take good care of Your Majesty.”
“As you say, she’s either a very cunning woman.”
Lev recalled Nadia’s clear, brilliant emerald eyes that had tried to look away from him, and finished his sentence.
“Or she simply has no interest in me.”
“Or perhaps both?”
Yes, perhaps both. Lev let out a small laugh as if to agree.
“If you mean to torment her, you’ll have your work cut out for you.”
“Well, we’ll have to see how long she keeps up that attitude.”
Albina muttered with cold eyes.
“Until then, you’ll have to help me a great deal.”
“And if I end up hearing that I’m following in my father’s footsteps?”
Albina laughed as if it were a fresh remark.
“Now, of all times? That’s something you should have been prepared for the moment you made me your mistress.”
“It wouldn’t be bad for such rumors to circulate.”
If he were compared to the father hated on all sides, how could he possibly become foolish? Everything was going as he wished. Except…
‘I didn’t expect Agnes’s daughter to understand her position so well.’
Of course, as Albina said, she might be a very cunning woman still hiding her claws. That would be far better.
If she did not resemble her mother’s nature and had no interest in him, and continued to pay him no mind, that would be quite troublesome.
For if one continued to torment prey that did not react, there would be no thrill. Should not Agnes’s daughter also wither away miserably like her mother?
Humans become most sordid when entangled in love affairs. The passing thought that it might be quite entertaining to see those calm, lofty eyes thoroughly crushed by desire crossed his mind and then quickly vanished.
***
The wedding approached quickly.
Having newly ascended the throne, there was much to attend to, so marriage was not on Lev’s mind. To him, who had chosen a queen for the sake of continuous hatred in the first place, a wedding ceremony could hardly be important.
He merely received occasional reports on Nadia’s activities from Lady Ryabova. But there was nothing specialāonly that she was quietly taking lessons on being queen.
It seemed her true nature would only become clear after she became queen. With that thought, Lev attended his own wedding.
“The bride, Nadia Turik, enters.”
Following the officiant’s introduction, the sound of footsteps was heard, but Lev did not turn around. He simply stared ahead with emotionless eyes.
Just then his eyes met the officiant’s, and the man gestured for him to turn around. Feeling annoyed, he slowly turned.
At that moment, pure white light poured into the temple. Lev reflexively furrowed his brow.
A moment passed, and when he quietly opened his eyes, the bride in a pure white dress was walking toward him. At the same time, he let out a hollow laugh.
The wedding dress, with its shoulders puffed up hugely like balloons, was in no way fashionable these days. It looked antiquated and even ridiculous.
It was probably Albina’s work. Without harming the king’s dignity, she had cleverly made only the bride look absurd.
The irony was that the bride wearing that dress did not look so shabby.
He even felt elegance and modesty emanating from Nadia in that dress.
It was a strange thing. She looked like a single sprig of lily of the valley just bloomed.
The moment the bride, with a face as white as the dress, met his eyes with her nervous green eyes, Lev finally blinked his eyes that had been still all along.
He blinked once more and completely shifted his gaze away from Nadia. While he was feigning indifference like that, Nadia came to stand beside him.
There seemed to be a faint scent of lily of the valley.
