TSMMT Ch 146

Careless Mistake

Following the Queen's departure, silence settled over the palace of Lodbrog. The populace buzzed with speculation regarding whether she could procure grain.

Most remained skeptical. A few bellicose individuals loudly insisted on plundering Panborough's supplies rather than purchasing them, questioning the point of buying food. Yet those who held onto hope displayed unyielding faith in the Queen.

She was hardly a monarch to make empty boasts. The boundless trust among those who knew her stood firm, offering a glimmer of hope to the populace.

In due time, the grain purchased from Panborough arrived. Though everyone recognized it as a temporary measure and the outlook remained grim, the delivery provided a measure of stability.

Yet should this crisis persist, starving citizens would consume the crops meant for the autumn harvest, sparking a chain reaction of crop failures that could push the kingdom toward annihilation.

The King lay incapacitated after battling a dragon, while the Queen remained far from the kingdom. Though the primary chaos had been managed, a restless, ominous atmosphere left the royal castle teetering on thin ice.

Just then, Duke Levian and his daughter arrived at the royal castle.

Barging directly toward the King's bedchamber, Logaple greeted them with a furrowed brow.

[Logaple] "Lord Revius is not present."

[D. Levian] "Ah, I came to see His Majesty."

[Logaple] "His Majesty is currently bedridden with illness."

[D. Levian] "I merely need a brief glimpse to confirm he still breathes."

Logaple exchanged glances with the grim-faced knights. Stifling his repulsion, he looked back at the knights, whose expressions remained equally rigid. Had Duke Levian brought his own armed retinue, swords might have been drawn on the spot.

[Logaple] "That is..."

[D. Levian] "Is there an issue?"

[Logaple] "..."

[D. Levian] "Many suspect the Prime Minister and the Queen have conspired to confine the King and usurp state affairs! As a member of the Round Table Council, I must verify His Majesty's safety to dispel such rumors!"

Refusing him had escalated into an outright threat.

Just then, a voice entirely out of place in this tense situation echoed.

[Saruvia] "Please... I only wish to know if His Majesty is safe."

Logaple looked at Saruvia. Seeing her after a long absence, she appeared emaciated and frail. Though her sorrowful beauty drew men's gazes, not a single Vargrhati knight spared her a second glance.

Her eerily luminous green eyes, jewel-like and striking, harbored a chilling malice. In the past, he had considered her frighteningly beautiful, yet now she resembled a venomous flower, deeply unsettling.

Since when did she care so much for Guiscard to check his well-being?

Granted, Guiscard had shown greater interest in Lady Levian than in other noblewomen, though it was hardly the affectionate interest a man held for a woman.

[Saruvia] "Please."

She spoke earnestly with clasped hands. Logaple looked between father and daughter.

[Sharon] "Step inside."

Sharon, the Vice Commander, responded stiffly. There was no valid reason to refuse, leaving Logaple no choice but to open the door and admit them.

The Duke and his daughter entered as if expecting permission all along. Logaple's face hardened as he prepared to follow them inside.

[Chaker] "Leave it be. It's an order."

Chaker patted his shoulder.

Moments later, Duke Levian emerged alone, having apparently verified the King's condition.

[Logaple] "Where is Lady Levian?"

[D. Levian] "She wishes to remain behind and tend to His Majesty."

[Logaple] "What absurdity is this?!"

[D. Levian] "With Her Majesty absent, does he not require a woman to attend to his needs?"

[Logaple] "..."

[D. Levian] "How could we entrust His Majesty's body solely to servants and maids?"

He gestured disapprovingly. As the knights offered no reply, the Duke continued.

[D. Levian] "My daughter will care for His Majesty devotedly. It embarrasses me to say this, but she has harbored feelings for him for a long time, so she will attend to him with utmost devotion."

Unrequited love out of nowhere?

The knights wore incredulous expressions. Did he expect another woman to attend the King in the Queen's absence?

[D. Levian] "Is it not true loyalty to ensure someone cares for him meticulously?"

Logaple started to interject, but Sharon restrained him.

[Chaker] "Indeed. I agree."

Chaker offered a smooth smirk. Duke Levian released a sigh.

[D. Levian] "My daughter wept daily upon learning of His Majesty's condition. I brought her here fearing I might be preparing a funeral for her otherwise. I hardly wished for such an awkward arrangement either."

[Logaple] "..."

[D. Levian] "I shall inform the Prime Minister myself."

[Chaker] "Yes, please do so."

Chuckling, the Duke patted Chaker's shoulder.

Watching the Duke vanish down the corridor, Chaker brushed off his shoulder with an irritated scowl.

Logaple stepped closer.

[Logaple] "What could they be scheming?"

[Chaker] "We shall see in time. We need only follow orders."

Releasing a sigh, he continued.

[Chaker] "This is precisely why serving as a knight is far more tedious than mercenary work."

Several knights sighed in irritated agreement.

---

Back in the Holy See, the Pope officially declared aid for Lodbrog and publicly affirmed that the kingdom was no longer considered a hostile nation.

The rigid, uncompromising followers of the Old Church softening their stance left everyone thoroughly bewildered. Until rumors circulated attributing the shift to the 'divine response' Dianna had received during prayer.

With the Pope granting approval and the New Church unable to offer valid objections, the Kingdom of Lodbrog was accepted into the fold amid general astonishment.

Dianna offered a bright smile.

[Pope] "This amethyst statue was sculpted over two generations by devout believers and holds immense significance for the Holy See."

Where the Pope gestured, stood an angel statue roughly the size of a three-year-old child.

Accustomed to clear amethysts, Dianna had never seen one displaying such vibrant, multicolored hues. Radiant purple gleamed under the sunlight, reminding her of Guiscard's eyes.

No, his eyes are far more beautiful.

She knew large raw amethysts were exceedingly rare and usually contained mixed hues, whereas Guiscard's pristine violet eyes possessed far greater beauty. She wondered if he had awakened by now.

[Dianna] "I am grateful."

[Pope] "This stands as a token of our friendship, so please treasure it."

[Dianna] "Naturally."

Rosalia gazed at the amethyst sculpture with sparkling eyes, entirely captivated by its beauty. And understandably so.

[Rosalia] "It is so beautiful."

Observing her sparkling eyes, the Pope spoke benevolently.

[Pope] "I am delighted that the young lady fancies it. For her enjoyment, why not keep it on display until your departure? It will serve as an inspiration to all priests and visitors."

[Dianna] "That is a splendid idea."

She offered a gentle smile.

Upon receiving the statue, the delegation hastened their departure preparations. Regardless, returning to Lodbrog was far preferable to remaining in the Holy See, where they were treated like barbarians.

Dianna had completed her own preparations as well.

Following a chaotic day of packing…..

[Leoniel] "Your Majesty! Disaster has struck!"

Lady Kragel and Lady Eirick came rushing forward in panic.

Not a single day passes without incident.

Dianna released a frustrated sigh inwardly. Rushing to the scene, she found a sobbing young girl, Rosalia Islag.

[Dianna] "What in the world...!"

[Rosalia] "Waaaah! I am sorry!"

Dianna looked at the statue, shattered disastrously upon the floor. Though she had hoped otherwise, every broken fragment was purple amethyst.

The gift presented by the Pope as a symbol of goodwill lay shattered, leaving Rosalia sobbing helplessly in utter panic.

[Inez] "My apologies. While we were preoccupied with departure preparations, my eyes left her for a brief moment..."

[Clover] "What madness is this?!"

Clover barked at Inez with bloodshot eyes. The amethyst statue gifted as a gesture of friendship lay in ruins.

[Rosalia] "Waaaah! I tripped and fell! I am so sorry!"

[Adelheit] "Lady Islag, please be quiet for a moment!"

He whispered urgently. At this rate, the priests would catch wind of the disaster.

[Leoniel] "She must have done this on purpose!"

Lady Kragel gnashed her teeth.

[L. Eirick] "How could she commit such a foolish blunder?!"

Even Lady Eirick shouted in utter dismay. Everyone pointed fingers at Rosalia for her childish mistake. Ruining a gift of reconciliation was a massive disaster.

Dianna stared intently at the girl weeping helplessly over her blunder.

Approaching Rosalia, Dianna squatted down beside her. Taking her small hands, she spoke softly.

[Dianna] "You must have been terribly frightened. Are you injured?"

[Rosalia] "Y-Your Majesty..."

[Dianna] "It was my oversight for failing to assign someone specifically to guard it."

[Rosalia] "Ah..."

Widening her eyes, the girl hiccuped and lowered her head. Dianna gently embraced her, patting her back.

[Rosalia] "Sob... I made a terrible mistake!"

[Dianna] "It is all right. A child need not worry over such matters."

Embracing the trembling, weeping girl, Dianna pondered. She couldn't bring herself to blame a young child crying softly under everyone's judgmental gazes.

A child who shouldn't have made a mistake, a child who had committed one anyway, and the surrounding crowd censuring her as if it were natural.

Those hostile, cold gazes…

It felt like looking at her younger self, or her isolated self in the Lodbrog Kingdom in her past life.

A broken amethyst angel statue alone could freeze relations once more. This was the Holy See, where people attached the utmost importance to such 'omens.'

What if outrage erupted over claims that the statue was deliberately destroyed, sabotaging the grain support? Would the Pope simply stand by and watch?

[Leoniel] "W-What should we do?"

Should we hide it first?

Just as Dianna considered the option, a sharp gasp echoed. Turning around, she spotted Ionia standing behind them. They had been exposed before making any move.

Ionia silently shifted her gaze from the shattered statue to Dianna and Rosalia. Expecting a furious outburst, Dianna was caught off guard when she spoke quietly.

[Ionia] "Don't make a scene."

[Dianna] "..."

[Ionia] "It is not as if you intend to broadcast this to the entire world."

Uncharacteristically, Ionia kept her voice low.

---

A reader request, hope you enjoy it. If you do, feel free to leave a rating or review on Naver Series and KakaoPage.