Chapter 04
Queen of the Starling Kingdom (2)
Perhaps noticing how completely exhausted I was after attending the grand banquet that followed the wedding ceremony, King Feliks allowed me to leave early.
After my body was cleaned by the maids and I changed into a loose nightgown, I slumped on the sofa, utterly drained—when a steady knock echoed through the room.
“Pardon me, Your Highness.”
Startled, I turned toward the door.
The newly crowned King Feliks stepped into the bedroom, narrowing his eyes slightly as he entered.
I quickly stood up from the sofa.
He was no longer dressed in the dazzling ceremonial attire from earlier. Instead, he wore a simple shirt.
Perhaps he had just bathed—his three-colored, mystical hair was slightly damp, giving him a more alluring appearance than usual.
As he walked toward me at an unhurried pace with narrowed eyes, anyone watching would have thought he looked composed and confident. However… to me, who had been seeing him in my dreams for ten years, it was obvious—he was nervous.
In the first place, he was the shy type, and narrowing his eyes was something he did when he was tense.
So, to let him know he wasn’t the only one nervous, I thrust both hands forward and looked up at him pleadingly.
“Your Majesty… I can’t stop shaking. I’m very nervous.”
Feliks blinked in surprise at my trembling hands, then let out a soft, amused smile.
“I see. I thought you, being older than me and born in a great nation, would be more accustomed to such things and composed… but perhaps that is not the case.”
His smile became more natural, and seeing that I was even more nervous than he was seemed to ease his own tension.
Feliks picked up two glasses from the table and poured a beautiful-colored liquor into them, handing one to me.
Then he sat down on the sofa beside me and gently tapped his glass against mine.
“To you, the new Queen of this country. Since we first met at the cathedral, we hardly know each other. I hope we can gradually learn about one another from here on.”
At his words, I averted my gaze in guilt.
…No, Your Majesty. I already know almost everything about you.
Your favorite foods, your dislikes, the people you like, the people you dislike, your hobbies, how you spend your free time… yes, I know far too much.
But if I said that, I would have to confess that I had been spying on him, so I kept my mouth shut.
“I have only just become king, so I will likely be busy for a while and may not be able to keep you from feeling lonely. However, let us have breakfast together every morning. I cannot adjust lunch or dinner for now, so you will have to take them alone.”
He sat calmly beside me, continuing to speak about our future life.
Ah… as expected, he is a kind man.
Even though this marriage could easily have been treated as a purely political arrangement, he still chooses to treat me with sincerity and try to bridge the distance between us.
“I heard you did not bring a single maid from your homeland. Since the customs here differ from yours, you may feel uneasy. So I have arranged for the daughter of my wet nurse to serve you as your personal attendant. She is very capable, so she should have no problem serving as your royal maid. If she does not suit you, tell me and I will replace her.”
Such a kind, kind, kind king.
Everything he said was filled with consideration.
I listened as if receiving precious treasure.
After he finished speaking, I gathered my courage and said, “May I also say one thing?”
I felt this was something I had to tell him tonight, and his gentle atmosphere gave me the courage to speak.
Feliks smiled with interest.
“Only one thing? That sounds important.”
I clenched my hands tightly in nervousness and looked straight at him.
What I was about to say would surely sound absurd to him.
He was tall, and I was short, so standing made the height difference feel overwhelming—but sitting brought us closer, making it easier to speak.
I took a breath and began.
“I have one secret. I must tell you about it.”
“Is it truly that important?”
He set down his glass as if fully prepared to listen.
“I am… a descendant of a lost witch.”
“…A witch?”
Feliks blinked in confusion.
“Yes. I possess one great form of magic. I can become a substitute for the person I marry.”
“My substitute?”
“Yes. If Your Majesty is injured or falls ill, I can take it upon myself and heal it within my body. The moment I take it on, your body will be restored to perfect health. Even if your injury or illness is life-threatening, I will not die from taking it on. It takes time, but my body can fully heal it.”
Feliks silently studied my expression for a while.
Feeling as though he was testing whether I was telling the truth, I met his gaze without looking away.
Eventually, he relaxed his shoulders and smiled softly.
“…I see. So you are a descendant of witches. In that case, I seem to have married an incomparable bride.”
“…You believe me?”
I widened my eyes in disbelief as he nodded with a smile.
He looked at me gently.
“Of course. You are my wife. I will believe you.”
“Your Majesty Feliks!”
I stood up without thinking and called his name loudly, grabbing his hand.
My chest filled with overwhelming happiness.
Ah—how wonderful, how wonderful!
The person most important to me believed the most important secret I had!
I beamed at him with a full smile, but then remembered there was more and quickly sat back down.
“Also, Your Majesty… after telling you my secret, I have one request.”
“What is it?”
He tilted his head curiously.
“The identity of the ‘Substitute Witch’ is extremely rare. If it becomes known, people with ill intentions may target me. So I would like this secret to be known by as few people as possible. In my homeland, only my family, my cousin, and a few trusted maids knew.”
“I see. That is reasonable.”
“Of course, it will be difficult for it to remain only between us, so you may tell those you trust. I will also inform my own maid.”
“Understood. Then this will be a secret between you, me, and my closest retainers.”
Saying that, Feliks extended his hand toward me.
Looking into my eyes, he lowered his voice slightly.
“Since I have heard your secret… it is time we created a new one together.”
And then—
The moment I heard that husky voice, a strange shiver ran down my spine.
Confused by his sudden change in atmosphere, I couldn’t say anything and simply placed my hand in his.
He lifted my hand to his lips and kissed the back of it without breaking eye contact.
“…Did I ever tell you that you are beautiful? Your white hair, shining like the snow of the Lestrea Mountains that our kingdom is proud of, and your purple eyes like our national flower—you possess the most beautiful colors of our land. Welcome to the Starling Kingdom, my Queen.”
Heat filled his gaze.
In an instant, my face turned bright red as I looked up at him awkwardly.
Seeing me like that, Feliks smiled—and gently leaned his cheek against my hand as if seeking affection.
“Don’t make that face. I only want to grow closer to you.”
Then, in a very gentle motion, he lifted me into his arms and carried me to the bed.
That night, I truly became the Queen of the Starling Kingdom in both name and reality.
