Lady To Queen Chapter 63

Chapter 63 – The Wife Who Tells Her Husband to Go To His Concubine

Exactly a day later, Petronilla returned to the Ephreney estate, and the ever-polite butler greeted her upon her arrival. Petronilla took a sip of the tea the butler prepared for her before beginning to speak.

“Butler. Please tell Madame January to write down the amount of money that she expects to spend, as well as the items she had purchased. We shall look over those and make our decisions then.”

“Yes, My Lady. That is a wise answer.”

“Ah, but…” Petronilla carefully thought over her words.

“Please speak, My Lady.”

“Is Madame January in the house?”

“She has gone out.”

“Oh, I see,” Petronilla murmured regrettably. “I must have drank too much tea.”

“Ah, the restrooms are on the second floor, My Lady. Shall I escort you there?”

“No need, Butler. Thank you for telling me.”

With that, Petronilla headed up the stairs to the second floor alone. She pretended to be heading to the restrooms the butler pointed out, before changing direction and walking to January's room, which she had confirmed on her previous visit.

She slipped into the empty room, then began rummaging through the various boxes and containers, making sure to keep her movements light.

'I need to find it…'

If she could just find a clue, then there would be a way to use it. On top of that, she could learn something that she didn't know beforehand. There may be something else that she hadn't even considered.

Petronilla quickly searched every inch of the room. Finally, in the fifth box that she opened, Petronilla found something. She nearly gave a loud exclamation before slapping her palm against her mouth.

-Click.

At that moment, the door opened. Petronilla's heart stopped.

“What are you doing in here?”

It was January. She looked at Petronilla with a thunderous expression, which Petronilla matched with a composed one of her own.

“Ah, I was going to the restroom and lost my way… I was going through the rooms to find a servant to ask directions, when I stumbled upon this beautiful room and couldn't resist taking a look inside. By any chance, is this your room, Madame?”

“…Yes.”

Because Petronilla stated that it was an accident, January couldn't question her any further without the master of the house present. January made no effort to hide the sour expression on her face, whilst Petronilla continued to compliment the room's interior with a gentle smile on her face.

“You've decorated this room beautifully. I couldn't help but admire it. My room is not nearly as pretty as this.”

“Well… there's nothing that you can't do so long as you have money,” January replied disingenuously, giving an acrid smile. “Now would you be so kind as to take your leave, My Lady? I don't really like someone else being in my room.”

“Oh my, I do apologize, Madame. I've done you a great inconvenience.”

“No, it's alright.”

“Then I shall take my leave.”

With those words, Petronilla hurried out of the room. She felt January's suspicious gaze on her back the whole time she walked away, she continued to hold her back straight as if she had done no wrong. Nervousness only encouraged suspicion, anyway.

Patrizia took a deep breath. The tiara she wore on her head felt heavier than usual. Seeing her nervous state, Raphaella came over to Patrizia's side and tried to ease some of her nerves.

“What's wrong, Your Majesty? Do you not feel well?”

“Haah… It's nothing like that. But for some reason, I feel nervous,” Patrizia replied with a weak smile. Hearing that, Raphaella—who was wearing a silver dress for the occasion—let out a hearty laugh.

“Your Majesty, have you not looked in the mirror yet? You're beautiful, Rizi.”

Patrizia's cheeks reddened. Such a cheeky girl, there was probably no one as naive as she was. As if agreeing with her thoughts, Raphaella spoke, wearing a motherly smile.

“You really look beautiful, Rizi. You look like an angel that fell from Heaven.”

“You're exaggerating.”

“I'm being serious though?”

While the two girls laughed and continued to banter, Petronilla entered the room. She was lovely as well, with her black and green velvet dress complimenting her fiery red hair. Patrizia gave a wide smile upon seeing her sister' appearance.

“Hurry over, Nilla. You look wonderful.”

“And you look absolutely gorgeous, Your Majesty. As expected of the Queen.”

Hearing her sister speak so uncharacteristically formal brought out a laugh from Patrizia. It was so awkward to hear.

“What about Mother and Father?” Patrizia asked afterwards.

“They'll be a little late. I came first.”

“Ah.” Patrizia put on a small smile.

“That aside, my little twin sister, you look much too gorgeous,” enthused Petronilla.

“Oh stop it.”

“No, really, you look beautiful,” Petronilla insisted. She adjusted Patrizia's golden dress. “Your dress looks pretty, and so does your hair. The tiara's sparkling.”

“Why're you being like this today?” Patrizia asked.

“My little sister, you're so pretty. You make your older sister jealous.” She giggled playfully, before her voice took on a disappointed tone. “If you were single, you would truly bring a tear to every man's eye.”

“What…” Patrizia's face flushed in embarrassment, and she hastily replied. “I'm fine as I am now, since there isn't anything that's burdensome to me.”

“Good for you. So where's His Majesty?”

“I don't know, and I don't care,” Patrizia said flatly.

Petronilla looked at her with a strange smile. “Alright. Well, you have plenty of company. Such as me and Ella.”

“You have to find your future husband, sister. You'll worry our parents if you don't.”

“Even without you saying that, Mother's been pushing me to find someone. At this rate, I wouldn't be surprised if I was sold off to a family.”

Petronilla gave a humor-filled laugh, then walked towards the food table to grab a cocktail. Meanwhile, Patrizia pressed her hand against her forehead, as if she was already worn out.

“The event hasn't even started, Your Majesty. What will you do if you're already this tired?” Raphaella asked.

“It's just because it's my first time… it's making me a little nervous. Do you not need to go on patrol?”

“The most important task of a guard is to escort the person they are to watch over. I will not leave your side, today.”

“Don't be like that. Do you think that something will happen to me again today?”

“You never know. Why, do you wish to go on a date with His Majesty?”

“As if,” Patrizia replied without even an ounce of sincerity in her voice. “There's no way that will happen. We're not even that close.”

“Sure, sure.”

Right then, someone from afar called for Raphaella. Hearing it, Raphaella figured it was her family. She gave a sideways glance to Patrizia.

“Hurry and go,” Patrizia said.

“Can I, Your Majesty?”

“Of course. You also have a right to enjoy the National Founding Day Festival. You know how much effort I put to organizing this.”

A bright smile split across Raphaella's face. The evening makeup that she applied really suited her.

“Thanks. I'll be right back,” she whispered to Patrizia before disappearing, leaving Patrizia alone. Just as Patrizia was starting to feel a little more calm, she found Lucio walking towards her. She rearranged her features to a blank look.

“Why are you alone?” he asked.

Why was he trying to start a fight on a day like this?

“Can I not be alone?” she snipped.

“It's just that you don't even have a guard or your ladies-in-waiting with you.”

“My servant girls went to get some cocktails, and Raphaella briefly left to greet her family.”

“That leaves you vulnerable.”

“I organized this party. I've prepared everything so that nothing will happen even during a large gathering such as this. Please do not worry.”

“…I suppose.”

Patrizia turned her head away without a word. Despite her obvious dismissal, Lucio stayed where he was. In the end, Patrizia opened her mouth again.

“Why aren't you with the princess?”

A few days ago, Rosemond finally disposed of her Darrow lineage and became a princess of Ephreney. Her name was now Rosemond Mary Lune Ephreney.

“You're probably the only wife who would tell her husband to go see his concubine,” Lucio commented in a peculiar voice.

“Please,” Patrizia said coolly. “There are probably many wives that would do the same. It wouldn't be surprising, especially if they have already been disappointed by their husbands and no longer expect anything from them.”

“…Right.”

Though she said such harsh words, his tone remained calm. He probably couldn't say anything, seeing as he knew he was one of those husbands she talked of.

“Then why are you alone, Your Majesty?” Patrizia then asked.

“I needed a break.”

“How come?”

“It was getting so noisy. I don't really like loud events.”

That was one thing that they had in common. Patrizia forced a look of indifference. A few moments later, Mirya brought back some light cocktails and, upon seeing Lucio, greeted him.

“Greetings to the Great Sun of the Empire. Glory to His Majesty, the Emperor.”

“Her manners are impeccable. As expected of a lady-in-waiting of the queen,” Lucio remarked.

There was no point in commenting on his words, so Patrizia ignored him and downed one of the cocktails, before returning the empty glass to Mirya. As she made to leave, it was Mirya who spoke up, instead of Lucio.

“Your Majesty? Where are you going?”

“I feel a little claustrophobic. I think I need some fresh air.”

With those words, Patrizia took about three steps, before stopping herself and turning back to Lucio.

“I'm only saying this just in case, but please don't think of following me,” she said bluntly.

Despite her undisguised rejection of his company, Lucio looked unperturbed. If anything, the person who looked most uncomfortable upon hearing Patrizia's words was poor Mirya. With an unconcerned expression, Patrizia strode over to the terrace.

Meanwhile, Petronilla was lost in her own thoughts as she drank the cocktail that she picked up from the food table. It was about what she found in January's room a few days ago. Powered by the alcohol, she thought about it so much that her head started to hurt.

I need another drink, Petronilla thought as she picked up another red cocktail from the table.

“Ah!”

Someone bumped into her, and she let out a short yelp as the cocktail she was holding spilled all over her dress. She fell to the floor, and she scowled as she picked up the now empty cocktail glass on the ground. At least it didn't shatter.

“Ngh…”

“Are you alright, my lady?”

Right then, a voice that she's heard once before entered Petronilla's ears. She looked up towards the voice with a dazed expression.

A man with brown hair and maroon eyes… Where had she seen this man before? Where…?

As if the man was thinking the same thing, his face suddenly morphed into a grateful expression upon seeing Petronilla.

“Oh!”

A voice that remained in Petronilla's memories exclaimed out loud.

Chapter end