TSMMT Ch 79

The Audience Ceremony

Morning dawned on the day of the audience ceremony.

As soon as she woke, Mable informed her that Guiscard had gone out. The head maid carefully checked her reaction; Dianna cared nothing about his absence.

Dianna put extensive effort into her styling from early morning. The garments of the Lodbrog Kingdom differed from the bright colors of Panborough. For solemn events, the people here wore dark tones without exception. Clothes that people in Panborough would mock as funeral attire served as formal dress here.

Of course, ceremonies like weddings or proposal rituals involving native beliefs featured different styles.

Dianna selected a black garment. The black velvet gave off a smooth shine. A ruby larger than a thumb adorned the fabric.

Once she wore the dress, the maids finished her hair decoration quickly. The attendants gathered her hair into a pearl-decorated net and secured it before crowning her with a golden ruby tiara.

The maids brought color to her pale face and deliberately applied lipstick as red as a ruby. A black fur cloak with a white border wrapped around her shoulders. Draped in red gems and wearing richly embroidered clothing, Dianna looked dazzlingly beautiful.

[Maid] "You are... beautiful."

One maid spoke. Dianna looked toward her. Noting the maid's innocent expression, Dianna gathered that the girl had only recently arrived at the palace.

[Mable] "How dare you speak to the Queen that way! Forgive her, My Lady. The girl arrived only recently."

Mable apologized. Dianna dismissed the apology. The young maid probably offered sympathy out of a young heart, likely remembering the cruel words spoken by the knights.

Suddenly, Guiscard's voice echoed in her ears, recalling how he whispered that she was beautiful just as she prepared to sleep the night before.

[Dianna] "Thank you."

Dianna spoke with a faint smile. Whether it was sympathy or something else mattered nothing. For some reason, she wished to say those words.

At her response, a bright expression crossed the maid's face. Dianna suddenly thought that perhaps she had longed to say those words to someone else all along.

---

The audience chamber was modest, far smaller than the grand audience hall. Dianna took her seat upon the prepared throne. Royal knights stood at her side. Seeing six guards stationed around her, she acknowledged that some care had been taken.

Maids stood behind Dianna. A fair number of people surrounded her position. Of course, an experienced observer would instantly notice that these attendants held no real influence.

The unfortunate reality today was that the guests she had to meet were all high nobles—the exact type of people who would notice such details instantly.

The doors swung open, and Dianna opened her eyes wide upon seeing the first guest enter.

It was Grand Duke Blake. Adelheit wore a pure white suit in the Panborough style. The garment stood in complete contrast to Dianna's dark attire.

The pure white clothing suited his silver hair perfectly. The young man, who possessed delicate and elegant features, spoke to her with a soft expression.

[Adelheit] "The House of Grand Duke Blake greets the Queen."

Dianna strove to maintain a calm expression.

Adelheit approached her feet, dropped to one knee, and pressed a kiss against the back of her hand. His soft lips brushed her skin.

[Dianna] "O blue raven, sing forever in the tree of wisdom. I welcome Grand Duke Blake."

She mentioned the raven, the symbol of the Blake house. This followed the formal etiquette of the Lodbrog Kingdom.

[Adelheit] "You have become a complete citizen of the Lodbrog Kingdom, Dian."

At his familiar tone, the surrounding knights caught their breath. Their reaction made sense. Adelheit, who usually avoided politics and refused to form close ties with other nobles, now acted remarkably close to the Queen.

Dianna looked at Adelheit's face and let out a quiet sigh. The Grand Duke remained polite, yet his posture made it clear he desired a conversation.

[Dianna] "Everyone, leave us."

The knights exchanged glances at Dianna's command.

[Dianna] "I have private matters to discuss with the Grand Duke."

[ Knight] "However, Your Majesty, the other dukes are currently waiting outside."

She offered a slightly annoyed smile. She was the one receiving the greetings, and the right to decide whether to prolong a conversation belonged entirely to her.

The knight's words clearly reversed the roles of ruler and subject. The people of the Lodbrog always attempted to control her in this manner.

Suppressing her irritation, she spoke.

[Dianna] "I have no intention of keeping our guests waiting long. Do as I ask."

The guard prepared to argue, but Adelheit stood up and locked a fierce glare onto the man, instantly crushing the knight's spirit.

[Adelheit] "Since when did knights learn to brandish their mouths instead of their swords?"

A queen without a political foundation triggered no fear in them, but a powerful grand duke was terrifying. The maids and knights bowed and hurried out of the chamber.

[Adelheit] "Hah…… What is wrong with those fools?"

The moment the guards departed, Adelheit ground his teeth. Dianna offered a bitter smile and dismissed his concern.

[Dianna] "I thought you wouldn't come."

[Adelheit] "……Why would I do that?"

[Dianna] "Because, as you can see, I am reduced to this state."

Seeing Adel brought immense joy, yet she strove to conceal the emotion. A deep sense of shame filled her as well. The reality of a queen appearing so pathetically cut deep.

[Dianna] "And you…… opposed this marriage, after all."

[Adelheit] "Naturally. I opposed it because you didn't desire it. To be dragged away so suddenly and forced into marriage is absurd."

[Dianna] "……I am sorry, especially after you showed such concern for me."

He knit his brows.

[Adelheit] "How can you say that? You are my employee."

Dianna fell silent.

[Adelheit] "How could he commit such a savage act…… You are enduring threats, are you not?"

She opened her eyes wide. Adelheit stared intently at her face.

[Dianna] "It is…… nothing like that."

That reality belonged to her past life, not the current timeline.

[Adelheit] "Then why on earth did you marry him? When we first met, you were clearly fleeing from something."

[Dianna] "……."

[Adelheit] "Guiscard Lodbrog executed your father, Duke Brienne. Furthermore, he maimed your older brother, cutting off your family lineage entirely. Were you not attempting to escape from him?"

Her features turned rigid.

[Dianna] "No, the thing I was fleeing from was……"

She opened her mouth to speak, but the words died in her throat. Though Adelheit treated her kindly, the Grand Duke remained an outsider. She could never bring herself to voice her secret. It stood as her absolute taboo.

[Adelheit] "Dian. Is your younger sister held captive here?"

[Dianna] "Pardon?"

She thought of Alexa.

Held captive……? So many chaotic events had transpired that her expression stiffened.

[Dianna] "She is merely staying here for a brief period."

[Adelheit] "You know the truth. The King brought her here intentionally to display his leverage over you."

Was that his motive? Was it a threat after all?

Yet she doubted that interpretation. Even if the situation were a threat, she could never share this secret with Adel.

[Dianna] "I am fine. Alexa will be safe as well. She is not a hostage."

Dianna had no choice but to speak those words. Adelheit burned with righteous indignation.

[Adelheit] "……What exactly is fine about this?"

[Dianna] "……."

[Adelheit] "Dian. You know the truth. This marriage is completely broken. It is a union that will bring you misery."

[Dianna] "……."

[Adelheit] "Right now, everyone is preparing to condemn you. For an audience ceremony like this, ladies-in-waiting from prominent houses that support you ought to serve at your side. To maintain proper dignity, the guards should be commanded by the leader of the Vargrhati Order, the King's most powerful vassals."

[Dianna] "……."

[Adelheit] "Yet you possess no high-ranking ladies-in-waiting, and your guards are pathetic."

[Dianna] "……."

[Adelheit] "It seems the King never bothered to consider these matters when taking you as his wife."

He spoke with open mockery. An intense hostility toward Guiscard coated his words.

Dianna stood frozen, unsure how to respond. The Grand Duke felt deep anger over the abysmal treatment she endured.

[Adelheit] "Dian, why on earth do you refuse to take action?"

She opened her eyes wide at his question.

[Adelheit] "Ask for my help. If you say you object to this, I shall rescue you."

He spoke with deep sincerity. Staring into his clear eyes, she opened and closed her mouth soundlessly.

[Adelheit] "This dynamic is abnormal. You carry the same expression you wore when you first arrived in Neust."

[Dianna] "Is…… that so?"

She lightly touched her face, framed by the extravagant clothing. His words held truth.

[Adelheit] "Dian, if you loathe this, state it plainly. You don't have to live your life this way."

His perfectly upright words felt detached from reality.

A brief flare of irritation toward him sparked within Dianna. Born as the sole heir to a grand duchy and showered with affection his entire life, Adelheit understood nothing. He had never endured betrayal, nor had he experienced the horrors of a wretched life.

Observing her stiffening features, Adelheit let out a soft laugh.

[Adelheit] "I knew it, yet you still refuse to consider my words."

[Dianna] "……."

[Adelheit] "It is likely because I failed to earn your trust, Dian. After all, I deceived you as well."

Dianna gestured a refusal. She harbored no resentment toward Adelheit. Rather, she had found it amusing to watch him struggle to maintain a transparent deception. In reality, the duration of his deceit had been remarkably short.

[Dianna] "I am the one who should be grateful. I know you overextended yourself to shelter me."

She had assumed Adelheit would sever ties with her by this point. He possessed absolutely no reason to shoulder significant political risks to assist her.

[Dianna] "Therefore……"

[Adelheit] "Then, since I have already overextended myself, shall we take it a step further?"

[Dianna] "Pardon?"

Adelheit didn't criticize her helplessness. Instead, a playful expression crossed his face, mirroring his demeanor from the past.

---

Dianna received the high noble families. Because she understood courtly etiquette perfectly, she managed their greetings with natural grace.

The aristocrats intended to judge her character. She fully anticipated enduring a few mocking remarks, yet the nobles opened their eyes wide upon seeing the figure standing beside her and quickly curbed their tongues.

She understood the reason instantly. It was due entirely to the Grand Duke standing directly at her side.

True to his word about pushing boundaries, Adelheit remained by her throne, personally attending to her. This action was equivalent to an official declaration that the House of Blake supported Dianna Brienne.

Adel stood beside her with complete naturalness.

[Adelheit] "I am fine. No one possesses the power to criticize me for supporting you."

With those words, he had ordered the knights inside and stood at the forefront.

Dianna had considered dismissing him multiple times. If she firmly refused his presence, he would leave. Yet she felt isolated. Having Grand Duke Blake stand at her side brought an unexpected wave of strength. His gaze offered silent encouragement to remain strong.

She had absolutely no idea why he treated the daughter of a ruined Panborough duke with such kindness. If this was mere sympathy, she resolved to accept it gratefully.

While waiting for the arrival of the House of Levian, the doors swung open. Dianna tensed, wondering if she would confront Levian here. Yet the figure who entered was completely different.

In stark contrast to the pure white attire of the Grand Duke, the newcomer resembled black death itself.

Looking as though he had just stepped inside from the freezing outdoors, Guiscard locked his gaze onto Dianna.

[Adelheit] "You have arrived, Your Majesty."

Adelheit offered a bright smile. Guiscard's eyes froze ice-cold.

[Guiscard] "Why is the Grand Duke standing in this place?"

---

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