Lady To Queen Chapter 53

Chapter 53 – Are You Avoiding Me?

Petronilla had already arrived from the kitchens. “Is there anything interesting going on?” she said with a smile spread on her face.

“Ah…” Mirya said awkwardly. Petronilla was the only one among them that didn't know about what happened. In the end, Mirya saw no reason to hide if from the Queen's sister, and she eventually told her.

“It's nothing big.There was actually a little disturbance a few days ago.”

“Disturbance?” asked Petronilla with an interested look. It must have happened after she had gone home, and she took a guess. “Did it happen at night?”

Mirya nodded. “Her Majesty has sensitive ears, and she wakes up at the slightest sounds. She heard something a few nights ago, and when she searched for the source of the noise, she came across His Majesty.”

“…At the queen's palace?”

“Yes.”

“That's…strange,” Petronilla murmured.

Raphaella, who had thus remained quiet so far, agreed. “I know. Why was the Emperor there at that time? The maids of the central palace asked us to keep quiet too. I don't know with what authority they can say that…”

“Well, there must be a reason. We just don't know it,” Mirya said.

“Is that so?”

“By the way, did Rizi stay with the Emperor that night?” Petronilla asked.

“Yes. Then the Emperor ordered Her Majesty to be returned to her room near dawn.”

Petronilla fell into contemplative thought, and Raphaella looked at her curiously.

“Why, Nil? Do you know something?”

“No…however, I don't think everyone knows.”

“Her Majesty doesn't act like she knows about it either. It's better not to mention it.”

“Yes. There's no reason to pick at a scab,” Petronilla finished, then lifted the plate and gave a wry smile. “This tart is a new creation from the kitchen. It tastes wonderful. You should all try it.

“Give it to Her Majesty first, and we'll eat the leftovers, Lady Petronilla.”

“Of course.” Petronilla gave a toothy grin. Her signature innocent smile was as refreshing as the tart, and she airily walked to her sister's room and opened the door.

Patrizia looked up at her arrival. “Nil,” she said in greeting.

“You look eager, sister.”

Patrizia blushed. “There's nothing to be eager about,” she insisted. Petronilla walked forward and placed the tart at the tea table.

“Are you busy? If not, you should have a bite. The chef newly created this tart, and it tastes delicious,” Petronilla chirped.

“Really?” Patrizia said smilingly as she stood up. Her work wasn't that urgent, and she had plenty of time to enjoy a treat.

She strode over and sat at the table with her sister. After she tasted the tart, a wide smile spread across her mouth. It was sweet on her tongue.

“It's so delicious. That chef is amazing,” Patrizia enthused.

Petronilla smiled. “I think so too.”

Petronilla, who was waiting for an opportunity for conversation, soon brought forward a topic she wanted to talk about.

“Rizi.”

“Yes?”

“I heard you encountered the Emperor a few nights ago.”

“Ah…how did you know that—?”

“That's not important, Rizi.” Petronilla attempted a smile. “Did…did something happen?”

“…Happen?” A nervous lump formed in Patrizia's throat. How much did Nilla know? Patrizia kept her voice steady as she spoke. “What…what do you want to talk about?”

“Just anything. Something I don't know.”

“…Nothing happened,” Patrizia lied.

Since the beginning, there had been no secrets between the sisters. That promise had finally shattered today.

Patrizia did not do it out of distrust in her twin sister; she just wanted to be careful with her words. Petronilla already supported her so much with her job. Patrizia did not want to say anything that would worry or upset her sister, and, most importantly, Patrizia didn't exactly remember what happened that night anyway. All she recalled was a blur of frenzy. Petronilla's question was asked with that kind of thing in mind, but Patrizia did not know that.

“I'm telling you. I fell asleep almost right away, so there's not much for me to tell.”

“…I see,” Petronilla finally replied. “I…I thought something had happened. That's a relief.”

“Nil, you worry too much about me. Do I look like a toddler in the water?”

'But Nil is like a child sometimes,' Patrizia added quietly, and Petronilla laughed in reply.

Yes…if Patrizia said nothing happened, then that was it. “Let's get rid of unnecessary worries,” Petronilla said, and then changed to a lighter topic.

Lucio hadn't had a psychotic episode since that night.

Unlike the nightmares, fortunately the episodes were not frequent. If it were, rumors of his insanity would have spread right away. He wanted to prevent any tarnishment of the Imperial government, and there would be no other way to silence the mouths of the surrounding servants. Thanks to his careful management, only few people knew of his condition, including the maids of the central palace.

In the days following the episodes, he often suffered intermittent migraines. Medicine didn't work well, so he took quiet naps during the day, and strolled alone at night. The cool night air always refreshed his body. The pearly glow of moonlight relieved something in him that medicine could not.

The places he visited were the same Patrizia liked in her previous and present life. She was unaware of this fact, and Lucio only considered it a coincidence. The garden's beauty was what drew Patrizia in, but Lucio's frequent visits were for deeper and more spiritual reasons. She could choose any other place, but for Lucio, the garden was his sole sanctuary.

They always headed to the same place to think, so it was natural for them to run into each other again.

They stood by each other, but they did not speak. Lucio was hesitant, as well as Patrizia.

Every time Patrizia came to this garden, she always met the Emperor. She kept her expression blank despite her state of turmoil. What should she do now? Should she avoid him? Leave this place first?

She broke eye contact with him. It was best to just walk past him…slowly, very slowly. Just like this, to pass everything by.

Lucio's voice broke through the night. “Are you avoiding me?”

Lucio spoke to her first. Now that he questioned her, she couldn't go away. She closed her eyes tightly and answered.

“…Shouldn't you be the one who wants to avoid me?”

“Then should I be?”

Well, not if he was asking. What reason should they have to avoid each other? As she hesitated at his cryptic reply, he spoke again.

“Or should both of us?”

“I didn't think you would want to say you were avoiding me, as it would damage your dignity,” Patrizia said slowly, and then glanced at him. She could faintly make out his profile. There was no moonlight tonight, not even starlight. His face was shrouded with darkness. “So I'll try to avoid you first.”

“You're making wild assumptions. Or just shifting the blame.”

That may be true, Patrizia thought. But if she was avoiding him, what would be the reason? She was not displeased with him. Just uncomfortable. At the very least, she didn't hate him. In any case, wouldn't they eventually have to lie together and create a child in the future? Being in one place with him was neither pleasant nor unpleasant—just strange, unfamiliar.

“Not at all,” she finally replied. “…At least, I don't think we have enough reason to avoid each other to that extent.”

“Right?”

“Well…maybe,” he said.

She finally turned to look directly at him, and he did the same. The night was dark and moonless. They could barely see each other's eyes, nose and lips. Patrizia opened her mouth to say something, but he was a little faster.

“Then…”

“Do you remember?” he said.

She realized that he was talking about a few nights ago, and instinctively held her breath. She nodded silently.

“Are you afraid of me?” Lucio asked.

Patrizia was slightly taken aback. “What do you mean?”

“I've bared every part of my being to you. What you saw was not a dream.”

“You've seen me go mad, and now I'm asking—are you afraid?”

“You're speaking as if you want me to be scared of you.”

“…What?”

“It…it seems like it. Like you want me to be scared of you. Asking me if I'm afraid and watching my reaction.”

“I guess I must be weird too,” Patrizia finally said.

Lucio said nothing for a while, and she knew he was conflicted. She waited for him to gather his thoughts, then spoke again after some time had passed.

“I'm not afraid to look at you, and there's nothing about you to be afraid of,” she said softly.

“…but to my ears, strangely, that isn't entirely what you wanted to say.”

“I mean, am I wrong?”

Chapter end