Chapter 20

In any case, it was clear she was not an easy opponent.

“Um, you’re not overdoing it, are you?”  

Albina asked in a worried voice.  

“You never used to get migraines.”  

“……”  

“I’m worried I might have stressed you out.”  

Lev stayed silent for a moment, then spoke.  

“It’s not as disgusting as I thought.”  

Even he was surprised, but it wasn’t incomprehensible. If he could fake kindness, what was a little more? Maybe even worse things wouldn’t be difficult.

***

Urgent news arrived at the central palace in the early morning. At Arbat’s western border with Murk, the Kennen Border Earl had fallen into Murk’s trap during battle and was taken hostage.  

Lev immediately convened an emergency meeting to discuss a rescue operation. But their efforts seemed pointless when unexpected news arrived from Kennen the next day.  

“If you invite the King of Murk and treat him as a brother, Your Majesty, they’ll release Earl Kennen Border.”  

Lev let out a dry laugh at the surprising condition. That was all it took for the prisoner’s release?  

It also meant Murk’s king would come in person to Arbat’s capital.  

What was his intention, stepping into the heart of enemy territory?  

Was he so confident he’d make it out alive?

‘Is it courage, or does he have something to rely on…’  

Lev discussed whether there was a hidden scheme behind such an unusual condition.  

No matter how they examined it, the risk was all on Murk’s king. If he genuinely wanted peace with Arbat, it wasn’t a completely unreasonable condition.  

If Murk truly wanted to conquer Arbat, he would have sent a large army from the start.  

But according to reports, it was only a local conflict. It seemed mostly to show off military strength.  

It was absurd that Earl Kennen Border got so caught up in this.

“Murk’s king is trying to subjugate the Numer Kingdom right now. Maybe he’s stabilizing the south while focusing on the north.”  

Anton sounded almost relieved.  

“Your Majesty, there’s no reason not to accept.”  

Lev agreed. He wanted to preserve peace as much as possible.  

Because of King Ivan’s incompetence, Arbat had suffered heavy military losses for decades. It was best to avoid a full-scale war with Murk.  

Lev wrote a formal invitation to Murk’s king and handed it to Anton, who took it with a relieved expression and then spoke cautiously.

“But Your Majesty, normally the Queen’s palace would host the welcoming banquet for Murk’s king…”  

“The central palace will host it. It’s too much to ask of a newly made Queen.”  

Lev interrupted Anton and, after a moment’s thought, added,  

“It would be good to include Countess Vellevin.”  

“Oh…”  

Anton covered his mouth and murmured,  

“That’s really cruel to Her Majesty. She’s already so invisible…”  

Lev smiled as if it was nothing.  

“Isn’t that why I made her Queen?”

***

“…So Countess Vellevin is preparing the banquet, not Her Majesty.”  

“If that’s the case, why didn’t they just make Countess Vellevin the Queen? It’s pointless.”  

“No, this is definitely more humiliating for the Queen. There’s never been a Queen with so little power.”  

Nadia listened quietly to the maids’ gossip behind a pillar, then slipped back to her room.  

It wasn’t new. She barely felt embarrassed anymore when she overheard such talk.  

Giving up her evening walk, Nadia sat at her desk, turning her attention to documents with plenty of time left, then unconsciously touched her lips.

‘See? His Majesty hates me.’  

Knowing that, she hated herself for being shaken by the King’s playful kiss and his body’s reaction to her.  

She knew it wasn’t sincere, so there was no reason to be troubled. She should have brushed it off, but the memory of that kiss kept bothering her.  

‘No, it’s normal. Anyone would have been flustered in that situation.’  

She tried to comfort herself with such thoughts.

“It’s too important a task for Her Majesty. It’s not just any banquet, but a major political event tied to the prisoner’s return.”  

Olga suddenly said this. Nadia looked at her.  

“Countess Vellevin is experienced in court banquet preparations thanks to her mother. It’s only right she handles it, since there must be no mistakes.”  

It sounded like a warning not to argue, but to Nadia it felt strangely comforting.  

It was as if Olga was saying it was about experience, not the King’s dislike or disregard for her.  

“Thank you.”  

Of course, that wasn’t Olga’s intention, but Nadia decided to take it that way.  

Olga frowned at Nadia’s faint smile, then sighed and turned away.

***

Nadia was excluded from all preparations, but as Queen, she had to attend the banquet.  

The King sent word through his attendant about what outfit he would wear that day. No matter how much he hated her, he couldn’t show such feelings at a diplomatic event.  

Nadia decided to wear a new dark green satin dress similar to the King’s. With a deep emerald necklace and earrings, she looked very glamorous.  

Even those couldn’t hide Nadia’s dignified and striking features.  

Rather than just a noblewoman, she radiated a mysterious aura, like a goddess of the forest.

“They say she’s the daughter of his enemy…”  

“Anyone would be captivated by her looks.”  

Seeing Nadia enter with the King, all the Murk people whispered as such. The praise confused the Arbat people present—should they be pleased or annoyed?  

Nadia looked at the King as she took her seat beside him. A faint, almost vanishing smile hovered at his lips.  

Feeling his gaze, the King turned and met Nadia’s eyes. She quickly looked away, and thought she heard laughter beside her.

“The King of Murk is arriving.”  

A man with bronze skin and long red hair entered the banquet hall. Hokon Murk. The young King of Murk who ascended the throne purely through martial prowess, surpassing his brothers.  

His body was rough and intimidating, but his face was handsome, almost childlike. The Arbat women’s eyes wavered as he entered.  

Hokon nodded briefly from across Lev and spoke.

“Thank you for inviting me, King of Arbat.”  

Lev rose to greet his guest.  

“Welcome.”  

Nadia also stood beside Lev. Smiling warmly, she looked at Hokon, who stared at her for a moment. Nadia was a bit flustered, but kept smiling.

The banquet’s mood was lively. Arbat and Murk’s traditional dishes alternated on the table, and dancers performed a blend of both nations’ styles.  

It was clearly an event for harmony.

‘Is this Countess Vellevin’s work?’  

Nadia felt embarrassed—she still wasn’t confident she could handle things so well. The King’s judgment was correct. If she made a mistake at such an important event, it would be disastrous.

Then Nadia noticed a dancer’s thigh had a knife strapped to it.  

‘…Did I see that right?’  

As Nadia blinked, the dancer moved away. Soon, the dancer circled closer to Nadia’s side—where Hokon Murk was.

A bolt of lightning flashed in Nadia’s mind—an instinctive warning.  

As the dancer drew a blade from beneath her skirt, Nadia stepped in front of Hokon. It was too late for the dancer to pull back.

—Thud!  

The dancer’s knife stabbed into Nadia’s chest. The cold blade pierced her flesh, chilling her spine.

If she died here, she’d have paid back one debt to the King. If she could atone, even a little, it wouldn’t be a pointless death.