Lady To Queen Chapter 59

Chapter 59 – You Must Be Very Surprised

Rosemond stared defiantly at Baron Darrow, and Baron Darrow returned to Rosemond a servile look.

“Shouldn't you pay us for the cost of raising you?” he said.

Rosemond gave a snort. “Heh.”

The cost of raising her? Who was the one that forced her to live like a maid since she was ten, dressed her in rags, and let her half-brother get away with raping her? He dare he ask for compensation from her?

A fire of hatred flared up inside Rosemond, but she kept her signature smile on her face, and she leaned in and whispered an order to Glara. Rosemond then turned back to Baron Darrow.

“Alright. If that's what you want,” Rosemond said with a wide smile. “You should have said so earlier. Then I could have left yesterday.”

It's a pity, she thought regrettably.

“All right, money. That's good.”

Alas, was it money they wanted so she could finally leave her childhood misfortunes behind? They should have let her know before. Then she could have stuffed all the money in their throats until they suffocated and died.

Rosemond snatched the signed documents from Baroness Darrow. She smiled in satisfaction, accepted the purse from Glara, then threw a handful of gold coins on the Baron and his wife. The coins rained on their bodies and scattered on the floor with a clinking sound.

Rosemond gave her final, angry farewell. “I wish you a long life, Baron and Baroness.”

Please live until the day I become empress and completely destroy you.

When Patrizia woke up the next morning, she felt a profound sense of sorrow from what Lucio had told her last night. She dropped her head in shame.

“Oh…how can I look at his face now?”

Patrizia knew Lucio's core wound. In the past, she had distanced herself from him, but after hearing about his terrible childhood, she felt she could no longer treat him coldly. A part of her wished she hadn't heard his story.

“Is there something wrong, Your Majesty?” Mirya asked.

Patrizia kept her mouth shut. This was a private royal family matter, and no matter how careful Mirya was with her mouth, Patrizia couldn't reveal a word.

She shook her head. “I'm feeling under the weather today.”

After hearing those words, Mirya began to fuss and declared she would bring Patrizia a bowl of hot soup. The lady-in-waiting disappeared into the kitchens, and, meanwhile, Petronilla and the other maids helped Patrizia dress and do her hair.

“Ella, how much time left until Rosemond returns?” Patrizia asked.

Raphaella, who was watching the queen undergo her morning routine, answered after a brief moment of thought. “I don't know. Perhaps she's on her way back by now? Maybe a little less than a week.”

Patrizia gave a hum in reply. Some time later, Mirya reappeared with a bowl of pumpkin soup. Patrizia had lied when she said she wasn't feeling well, and she felt a slight prick on her conscience. She didn't show it, however, and gave a small smile and a “thank you” as she accepted the food.

After sipping a few spoonfuls, she casually started conversation again. “Mirya, I believe we need to redo the budget for Bain palace.”

“Of course,” Mirya answered. “Rosemond is just a young lady, not a baroness anymore. I believe it's appropriate too.”

“Yes. It's a little overdue, actually. The original budget cuts were on luxuries and other useless expenditures, but the number of court ladies serving in the Bain palace have already been reduced anyway.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. I'll have it done as soon as possible,” Mirya said.

Patrizia smiled and nodded. There was a certain pleasure in organizing one's surroundings. But she couldn't drop her guard; Rosemond was still a threat. The only comfort Patrizia had now was that the concubine was temporarily out of sight. Patrizia thought it prudent to sort out some affairs, when she didn't have to deal with someone who had no moral dignity.

Patrizia shifted topics. “How are the preparations for the National Founding Day?”

“They are almost finished, Your Majesty. There are only a few small tasks left now,” Mirya said with a pleased smile. “Congratulations. Beginning today, you'll be able to get some rest. You've been so overworked lately that I've been worried about you getting sick.”

“Fortunately, I've been gifted with vitality,” Patrizia said with a smile. She was still healthy even after sucking the poison, so she knew her body was strong. Patrizia finally emptied her soup bowl. “I'll go to the library today.”

Her mood had been less than jovial since Rosemond's appearance, and because of that, she hadn't been able to visit the library for a long time. Now that Rosemond was away, Patrizia could relax and enjoy her stroll. The sun wasn't as hot as she expected, so she finally managed to enjoy its freshness.

When she stepped into the cool library, the librarian, whom she hadn't seen in several months, gave a respectful bow. Patrizia browsed the bookshelves in the science section, looking for something she had wanted to read before. She finally found the bookshelf she wanted, and her face lit up in delight. Her joy was short-lived, however. “Oh, I found—ah.”

It was Lucio's appearance that once again blind-sided her.

She blinked in confusion. What was he doing here? She stood there blankly, too surprised to even give him a proper greeting.

Lucio noticed her presence. “Queen.”

“Ah…”

“You must be very surprised,” he said with a small chuckle, and Patrizia managed to pull her thoughts together.

“Greetings to the Sun of the Empire. May the road ahead be full of light.”

“You haven't changed at all,” Lucio murmured wryly at the display of her perfect manners. Patrizia bit her lip, not liking the way he was looking at her.

“What are you here for?” he asked.

“I wanted to read a book,” replied Patrizia. 'While Rosemond is gone,' she added mentally.

Lucio, however, seemed to read her thoughts. “She's no longer in the library. You don't have to feel uncomfortable about coming here.”

“You know all the little details,” Patrizia replied sarcastically, and Lucio looked away awkwardly.

Patrizia sighed. Unless she figured out what their relationship was, this was bound to happen. Patrizia always responded with contempt towards Rosemond, but Lucio was not a man that could be solved with simple logic. He was a man that was too complicated for Patrizia to work out.

On one hand, he was her husband that shamelessly kept a concubine; on the other, it wasn't exactly a scandal for an emperor to have other lovers. That was the weakest excuse for Patrizia to resent him, and now that she knew the nature of his relationship with Rosemond, it was even harder to do so.

Life was too complicated. Perhaps it would have been better if Patrizia had met Lucio before Rosemond did.

“If you're uncomfortable with me here, I'll leave,” Lucio said.

“You don't have to,” Patrizia responded curtly, then turned away to continue searching for the book. Her best course of action was to just quickly finish what she had to do and return to the palace.

Patrizia was so absorbed in her task that she didn't notice Lucio staring at her. He felt guilty for burdening his past on her, but at the same time, he was grateful. People tended to treat him differently after hearing stories like his, as if he were a glass bottle that shattered too easily if you touched him. Patrizia, however, carried on as usual, and contrarily, Lucio felt rather special. As much as he appreciated her actions, he did feel sorry for her.

Patrizia noticed him a moment later. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

He smiled lightly. “I'm sorry if I made you feel bad.”

“No, I…”

Patrizia didn't expect an answer like this. She wondered if she had done something wrong. She cleared her throat and went back to searching for the book. Something caught her eyes.

“Yes, I found it.” She stood on tiptoe and stretched out her hand, but the book was just out of reach. A little further, and—

She managed to pull it out of the shelf, but suddenly, the five or six other books next to it came tumbling down. She squeezed her eyes shut. Why were books kept so high up there? Why did no one take consideration for short people?

Instead of feeling pain, however, she heard a groan from above her.

“Ugh…”

Her eyes cracked open, then widened when she saw Lucio.

“Your Majesty…?”

“Ugh…you have to be more careful.” Lucio had blocked all the books that had fallen on her with one arm. He leaned down to pick them up and insert them in their original place.

“are you alright, Your Majesty?” Patrizia asked worriedly.

“I'm alright,” he lied. In truth, his arm felt painful, but he said nothing. He was sure that she would fuss over him, even if she pretended not to care.

“Are you alright, Queen?” he asked.

“I wasn't hit by anything. Are you sure you're alright?”

“I'm fine. There's nothing to worry about,” he insisted. The book Patrizia had been looking for was in front of her, and he picked it up and handed it over.

Patrizia accepted it with wide eyes. Before she even had the chance to thank him, he had already turned around and was walking away to the entrance, indifferent to the bows of her ladies-in-waiting.

“…Although he's annoying, he's a very good man,” Patrizia murmured to herself.

“I heard a loud noise earlier, Your Majesty. Are you alright?” Mirya asked after they returned to the queen's palace.

“I'm fine. It was His Majesty that got hurt, not me,” replied Patrizia in a quiet voice.

“His Majesty?”

“Yes, he got the book for me.”

It continued to bother Patrizia, and she had a grave look on her face. Mirya noticed the queen's inner changes and spoke carefully.

“Did His Majesty call for a doctor?”

“Maybe he didn't,” Patrizia said.

Lucio didn't seem to give any regard to his body. Patrizia turned gloomy as she remembered the Emperor's past.

“Mirya.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Call for a doctor anyway. Only a few books fell, but they were too thick to ignore.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. I'll send one to the central palace.”

Mirya understood the queen's meaning, and went out of the room with a smile.

Meanwhile, Patrizia's shoulders relaxed as if a heavy burden had been lifted from them. She didn't notice it herself.

Chapter end