TSMMT Ch 76

A Place Where Stars Are Visible

The aftermath of their first wedding night in her past life remained a blur. Drowned in grief, Dianna had wept the entire day, unable to swallow a single bite of food. Time passed in a haze of madness. Day and night cycled several times, bringing Mirva and Lady Levian to her side.

Navigating these moments with a clear mind felt strange now, contrasting sharply with those empty days when she possessed no sense of self.

Following Guiscard's command to accompany him, they walked down the corridor. The familiar Lodbrog palace no longer carried the weight of a nightmare. As she cast a detached glance over the stone walls, her eyes met his gaze.

[Guiscard] "You must familiarize yourself with the layout of the palace."

[Dianna] "Yes, Your Majesty."

[Guiscard] "I shall…… escort you myself."

He intended to guide her personally?

He offered no further explanation, simply reaching out to clasp her hand. It felt strange—the gesture was awkward, yet entirely natural. Because Guiscard walked slightly ahead, Dianna could only stare at his broad back.

As they moved down the hallway, a group of attendants bowed in greeting. Shock registered on every face upon witnessing their clasped hands. Guiscard dismissed their bows with a curt nod and accelerated his pace, beginning to explain the layout of their surroundings.

The palace comprised three primary sectors: two detached wings and one main castle, alongside restricted areas Dianna had never visited. The main castle served as the hub for royal business and grand councils. Within its walls lay the audience chamber, the grand banquet hall, and the dining rooms, where administrators under the Prime Minister gathered to debate national policies and deliver reports to the King. This sector also accommodated foreign royalty and distinguished guests.

To the left stood a chapel for religious rituals, a minor banquet hall, and a theater. The right detached wing housed the coronation hall and laboratories dedicated to specialized research. Few people frequented this secluded wing; its subterranean level contained the royal mausoleum of past kings and queens, which opened only in the dead of winter.

The opposite sector contained the palace of the Queen and Queen Dowager. Much like the customs in Panborough, traditions forbade men from looking at a woman's face outside designated spaces, necessitating a separate residence exclusively for women.

Beyond the main castle and the detached wings lay areas Dianna had never explored. High-ranking servants who managed the main castle lived within it, while the remaining staff occupied the buildings further back.

Further behind stood the knights' quarters and the training grounds. Reflecting the Lodbrog Kingdom's historical preference for martial might over scholarly arts, the knights' barracks and training areas loomed massive. The entire domain resembled a fortress rather than a palace, complete with a blacksmith's forge and stables vast enough to hold the mount of every knight.

Skipping these military zones, Guiscard guided Dianna directly toward the garden.

[Guiscard] "And this place is……"

[Dianna] "This place?"

[Guiscard] "A spot where the moon—no, the stars are clearly visible."

He pointed toward the center of the garden, where a backless bench occupied the space. Dianna looked up at him, her thoughts clinical.

A backless bench? Why leave such an item here where a foreign dignitary might see it?

Dianna made a firm resolution. She refused to spend the next three years doing nothing but weeping. Even if she abstained from grand efforts to change her fate, she wouldn't allow grief to consume her during this marriage. Furthermore, the current Guiscard didn't crave her absolute suffering the way he did in the past timeline. Regardless of the circumstances, duties required attention.

[Dianna] "I shall instruct Mable to have the backrest repaired."

A chilling silence descended instantly at her words. Dianna searched her memory for the identity of the palace steward. Because Lady Levian had monopolized all administrative tasks toward the end of her past life, the name eluded her. Regret surfaced; she should have striven to be a more diligent queen.

[Dianna] "Is it not Mable? Who is the palace steward……"

Guiscard detested repeating himself. Dianna carefully monitored his expression.

[Guiscard] "No, handle that as you see fit."

A cold tone escaped his lips. Dianna wondered what error she had committed. She had received no instructions regarding the duties of a queen. Had Guiscard already mentioned the steward's identity before?

He walked away without another word. As a winter breeze swept past, he turned back to face her.

[Guiscard] "Return to your chambers and rest."

She nodded. His demeanor had shifted noticeably, turning ice-cold. Guiscard offered no further remarks, and Dianna remained silent.

Snow would soon carpet this desolate fortress kingdom, and Dianna would have to put effort into adjusting to her new reality. Just as she lost herself in thought once more, Guiscard abruptly stopped walking.

[Guiscard] "By the way, is your body faring well?"

My fever broke long ago, so why inquire about my physical state now?

[Guiscard] "I forgot that you overexerted yourself yesterday."

The instant the words registered, Dianna realized he referred to the intimate encounter from the previous night. She scanned their surroundings hurriedly before lowering her gaze. Though she intended to behave as if the memory didn't exist, they had shared a passionate union hours prior.

[Dianna] "I…… I don't suffer from such a minor matter."

She spoke while avoiding his eyes, her face burning hot.

Why voice such things where the maids can hear?

Lifting her gaze slightly, she caught an expression of blank surprise on his face. When she blinked to verify the sight, his features returned to an impassive mask.

[Guiscard] "A lady-in-waiting will soon be assigned to serve you."

[Dianna] "……"

[Guiscard] "I want you to adapt to life in the palace."

Ah. Is it finally time to face Levian?

Her mind went blank. Dianna lacked the confidence to retain her composure upon confronting that woman. Though she knew Lady Levian was surprisingly foolish in her past life, the current power dynamic differed vastly. Dianna stood as a noble from a defeated nation, whereas Lady Levian was a major architect of the victory and a meritorious subject who placed Guiscard on the throne.

[Dianna] "Am I permitted to choose the lady-in-waiting myself?"

He knit his brows at her cautious inquiry.

[Guiscard] "Choose what? The lady-in-waiting?"

[Dianna] "……"

[Guiscard] "Is there a daughter of a specific noble house you have in mind?"

The question might have been genuine, yet she perceived it as mockery. Her expression turned rigid. Guiscard spoke in a quiet tone.

[Guiscard] "It would create an unfavorable impression for a foreign noblewoman to select ladies from the local aristocracy. Surely you understand this reality as well."

[Dianna] "……"

[Guiscard] "I shall manage the matter myself."

Dianna nodded weakly, her mind a tangled mess.

Meanwhile, they arrived at the main castle. An administrator approached immediately, as if waiting for their arrival. The officials offered Dianna a perfunctory greeting, barely acknowledging her presence.

[Revius] "I greet the Queen."

Dianna raised her gaze at the words. A man with auburn hair stood staring directly at her. Her features went rigid. It was Prime Minister Revius. She had caught glimpses of him a few times during her transit from the Blake Grand Duchy to the palace.

Although Revius offered a polite greeting, he made no effort to conceal his blatant displeasure. Dianna knew precisely how deeply this man loathed her.

A memory of his cold voice surfaced in her mind.

[Revius] "Clinging to His Majesty like a parasite, you ultimately caused this disaster."

[Revius] "Can you banish that disgusting, pitiful expression from your face? You carry a foul odor, much like a siren."

While others merely disdained her, Revius hated Dianna with every fiber of his being. He refused to accept her as Guiscard's wife, blaming her for the discord between her and the King and every catastrophe that followed.

[Revius] "Whether you were framed or acted of your own free will matters nothing. Pathetically, you failed to protect the royal lineage."

[Dianna] "……."

[Revius] "The fault lies with you. This is the price of your laziness and negligence, refusing to build your own strength. Drop that disgusting face of self-pity."

[Dianna] "……."

[Revius] "I detest the very fact that you are still breathing."

When Dianna had wailed upon learning of her child's death in the past timeline, Revius had visited her. On that occasion, he had delivered his icy condemnation.

Dianna's breathing accelerated.

[Revius] "Your Majesty?"

[Dianna] "This is…… the first time we meet."

She spoke, forcing her voice to remain steady.

[Revius] "I finally encounter the woman surrounding whom so many rumors swirl. Since you absented yourself from the banquet hall, I anticipated meeting you much later."

[Guiscard] "Revius."

Guiscard's voice cut in. Dianna recognized that Revius was deliberately criticizing her absence from the celebration.

[Dianna] "That was…… due to poor health."

[Revius] "You appear perfectly well today, holding back the busy King to enjoy a leisurely stroll. It is a beautiful sight."

Dianna couldn't meet his eyes. The bitter condemnation that once pierced her heart tortured her mind once more.

[Guiscard] "Absenting herself from the banquet hall was a direct command I issued."

[Revius] "Ah, is that so? Yet, my dear Queen, did the protocols of the Panborough royal court also permit a newly wedded queen to ignore the wedding guests?"

Revius remained unchanged. He delivered his icy sarcasm to both Guiscard and Dianna without distinction. She understood that Guiscard valued Revius highly, as the King typically refrained from suppressing his minister's insolence.

[Guiscard] "That is enough."

A heavy threat resonated in the King's tone this time. Revius relented slightly.

[Revius] "Of course. Since it was Your Majesty's command, blaming the Queen makes me the offender here."

Dianna observed Revius with a rigid expression.

To continue with such sarcasm even after learning it was the King's command—where on earth are his manners?

Moving slightly out of Guiscard's immediate line of sight, Dianna spoke.

[Dianna] "I obeyed His Majesty's command out of concern that my lineage might bring dishonor upon the King's reputation."

Revius fixed a cold glare on Dianna, his posture demanding to see what nonsense she would utter next. She suppressed her rising irritation.

[Dianna] "Since I have neglected my duties as the mistress of this palace, you, Revius, shall arrange an audience chamber for me. I shall greet the guests myself."

Revius stared at her in surprise, clearly caught off guard by her direct confrontational stance.

[Guiscard] "Queen."

Guiscard called her, yet Dianna offered an even brighter smile.

[Dianna] "Your Majesty. We established an agreement, did we not? I am your wife. I harbor no intention of neglecting my obligations."

[Guiscard] "……"

[Dianna] "However, I hope everyone demonstrates leniency should I commit an error. Surely the Prime Minister will do the same?"

Upon hearing her explicitly address him by his title, Revius' eyes widened.

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