Published at 5th of July 2019 01:50:07 PM
Chapter 17
Chapter 17 – Want To Make A Bet? (2)
I woke the next day and saw Queen was gone . The window was slightly ajar, as if he had let itself out .
‘What a smart bird . ’
Even more impressively, he remembered to take the note from my desk .
“Countess Eliza . Did you clear the paper from my desk?”
I asked Countess Eliza just in case .
“No, Your Majesty . Is it gone?”
“Yes, I think Queen must have taken it . ”
Countess Eliza was also impressed with my story .
I thought about the bet as I made my way to the central palace . Queen was quite intelligent, so his owner had to be as well . Perhaps it was Emperor Sirim from Blue Bohean . I heard he was quite smart . Moreover, as Blue Bohean was a maritime country, it used messenger birds the most compared to other countries…
“Your face looks brighter, Your Majesty . ”
“Is that so?”
“Yes . I’ve been worried about your dark moods, but I’m glad the New Year’s celebrations seem to cheer you, Your Majesty . ”
“I see…”
More precisely, it was Queen’s presence that lifted my mood, but if it weren’t for New Year’s, he never would have come to me . Countess Eliza was right in the end .
I worked on my papers with a smile, and as soon as it was lunchtime, I returned to the western palace . I usually took my meals at the central palace, but I was worried that Queen would be waiting for me outside the window like yesterday .
“Again . ”
Queen was sitting outside the window again . Fortunately, the weather was clear and he was half-dozing off in the sunshine, instead of shivering in the rain . When I opened the window, Queen quickly came into the room and held out his leg . I pulled out the note and checked it eagerly, and once again saw the familiar handwriting .
– I’ll bet Queen .
I looked at Queen . The bird blinked his large eyes and tilted his head, oblivious to the contents of the letter .
– Gu?
“Your master wants to offer you, Queen?”
As soon as I spoke, Queen jumped and flapped his wings . I pulled Queen into my arms and placed him in my lap, and looked down at his magnificent golden plumage .
I wanted to have Queen . I have never seen such a cute, smart and lovely bird before . But…no matter what anyone else said, it was best if he stayed with his master . It would be heartbreaking if I won the bet and Queen was let go . No, that was not the best way to describe it . Queen would be abandoned by his master .
I was not so happy with the competition either . I was curious of course, but worry stopped me . The reason Queen’s owner and I could send messages to each other was because we were strangers . Would we be able to talk in this familiar way even after we have discovered each other’s identity? I had to be careful to preserve the dignity of my pose as empress, or else this comfortable atmosphere would disappear .
– Gu?
The bird tapped my hand as I sat still, as if he were impatient for me to start writing I hesitated and took Queen to my desk . I set him down, took out a piece of paper, and wrote a lie .
– Hint . I’m a man .
Queen squawked and flapped his wings as soon as he saw my message It sounded like he was laughing, and I felt embarrassed even though he was just a bird . I scratched his cheek, and Queen turned round and round and rubbed his head against my wrist .
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“Do you think it’s fun to lie to your master?”
– Gu!
I was glad he was having fun . I felt sorry for Queen’s master, but…they won’t find me if I wrote this lie . That way, we wouldn’t be able to find each other, and we could remain faceless friends like now .
“You like this too, don’t you, Queen?”
It was the day before the New Year’s celebrations officially began .
I greeted the last-minute arrivals, and checked on the New Year’s proceedings and the special banquet for the last day . I went to the western palace again during lunch hour to see if Queen was there today, but the effort was fruitless . Instead, Viscountess Verdi, who had been away for several days, returned . She still looked quite pale and distressed, but she greeted me .
“If it’s no trouble to you, Your Majesty, I…”
“It’s alright . Tell me . ”
“Can I borrow some money? ”
The red-faced Viscountess Verdi could not even explain the reason she needed it .
“About five thousand krangs…”
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The other ladies-in-waiting and I knew though, however . Perhaps it was for her son or husband . Though Viscountess had hurried back to her estate, she could not pull her family out of the mire . I promised to lend her the money without prying any further, and she repeatedly said she would pay me back and left the room shame-faced .
“I’d rather get divorced . ”
Laura was unmarried, and didn’t have much sympathy towards Viscountess Verdi .
“That’s as good as throwing away the Lux army . ”
Countess Eliza was patient in explaining this to Laura, but the young lady still didn’t seem to understand .
“But even if she went through divorce, wouldn’t her child be considered illegitimate?”
“While it won’t happen immediately, there is the possibility that he’ll lose the right to inheritance . That’s why she’s enduring, Laura . ”
“So what . If a troublemaker like him becomes heir, he’ll only end up sucking his family dry . ”
“Hush, Laura . ”
Countess Eliza glared at Laura and she pouted her lips .
“I’m only worried . ”
Viscountess Verdi returned to her estate again, but not everyone could eat comfortably . As soon as I finished my lunch, I quickly returned to the central palace . Near the end of my work day, something happened as I was taking a break .
“Your Majesty . ”
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One of the knights came inside my office and gave me an unexpected report .
“Prince Heinley wants to see you . ”
“Prince Heinley?”
Why him? I went outside and found him looking at a mural with his back to me .
“Ah . Your Majesty . ”
I approached him, and he turned his head and bowed like a knight again .
“I hope I am not too rude?”
“Not at all . What can I do for you?”
“I was told you would be finished with work around this time . Are you still busy?”
Did he find out my working hours? He was right though, and I replied that I was almost done and he grinned .
“That’s great . If you don’t mind, could you show me the palace? I’d like to look around, but it’s so enormous that I’m afraid I’ll get lost . ”
“Ah, then my lady-in-waiting–”
“You . ”
I was about to give him one of my ladies-in-waiting, but he interrupted me in a low voice .
“I wish for the Queen to do it . ”