Chapter 3

Nadia had no idea how the preparations for her marriage were progressing.  

However, she didn’t even dare to ask, so she lived as if she were dead, just as she had first promised Olga.  

It wasn’t such a difficult thing to do. After all, being designated as Queen meant she was busy all day with Queen’s lessons.  

For Nadia, who had grown up neglected by her mother and received little proper education, it was a very tough schedule, but she never complained.  

On a day when she was almost confined by her grueling routine, someone came to see her.  

“The Countess of Vellevin wishes to meet you, My Lady.”  

Nadia knew well who the Countess of Vellevin was. She’d heard the maids gossiping not long ago.  

“His Majesty took a mistress even before the royal marriage, didn’t he?”

“Yes, Lady Albina was granted the Vellevin Earldom.”

“He must cherish her quite a lot. But why did he choose Agnesa’s daughter as Queen, then?”

Nadia recalled the silver-haired beauty who had glared at her at the execution ground.  

“Why else? It’s revenge for the late Queen Anna. He wants her to become just as miserable.”

But Nadia thought she didn’t even deserve to be miserable. She never considered the Queen’s status truly hers from the start.  

“Do I need to go myself?”  

“Do you not wish to meet her?”  

“I’d like to go myself for some fresh air, but lately I’ve been so busy with Queen’s lessons.”  

Just thinking about today’s remaining schedule made her sigh unconsciously.  

“I really can’t find any time to go out. If possible, I’d prefer the Countess to come to me.”  

Albina’s maid, expecting Nadia to get angry, was left dumbfounded. Nadia, meanwhile, continued calmly.  

“If she comes, I’ll try to make time somehow.”  

Ha, she truly isn’t ordinary—just as expected from Agnesa’s daughter.  

‘Look at her responding without batting an eye. She’s saying she’ll be Queen, after all.’  

Nadia had no such crafty intentions, but Albina’s maid interpreted it that way.  

Albina, hearing the story, thought the same as her maid.  

“She’s trying to establish a hierarchy.”  

No matter how favored she was by the King, Nadia was the official Queen, so she was telling Albina not to order her around.  

Of course, it wasn’t wrong, but the opponent was Agnesa’s daughter. Albina wondered if Nadia didn’t know her place, and felt both annoyed and incredulous.  

“Are you really going to go?”  

Her maid, who had been to the Queen’s palace, asked with an unpleasant expression. Albina answered as if the question was obvious.  

“I have to. She challenged me, so should I just ignore her? That’s unacceptable for a knight.”  

Albina was one of the elite troops who had marched into the capital with Lev. Having succeeded in such dangerous and reckless tasks, she wasn’t afraid of confronting Agnesa’s daughter.  

“I need to put her in her place.”  

Of course, it wouldn’t be easy with only her own strength. Albina whispered instructions to her maid, who nodded brightly.  

“As expected of you, Lady Albina. That wicked woman won’t stand a chance.”  

Albina smiled in agreement.

***

A few days later, Albina wore a tight-fitting silver dress and went to the Queen’s palace.  

The dress mercilessly revealed her silhouette, but it made her voluptuous figure stand out even more.  

Albina looked around the Queen’s palace with a sentimental expression, but soon her face turned cold.  

She suddenly recalled what Lev had said to her the day Agnesa died.

“Torment her well, Albina. She’s the daughter of the woman who drove my mother to her death.”

Of course, she would torment her well. Albina’s expression, sharpened like a blade, immediately softened when she saw the person who came out to greet her.  

“Madame Ryabova.”  

Albina quickly approached her mother’s old friend and hugged her.  

“It’s been a while. You’ve been through so much.”  

“I’m at peace, more than I am troubled by worry.”  

Olga replied with a calm voice. Albina seemed to take it as mere politeness, but it was sincere.  

Nadia, more aware of her place than expected, never caused trouble; she just stayed in her room, attending lessons as if she were dead.  

“I’ll take you to the parlor.”  

“Yes.”  

Albina responded with a smile. The path to the parlor was familiar. Albina looked around, her face briefly lost in memories.  

“Everything here is just as it was.”  

“There’s no reason to change it.”  

“True, if Agnesa’s daughter dared to touch anything here…”  

Albina laughed as if it were a meaningless comment.  

“His Majesty would never forgive it before we would.”  

Olga agreed in silence.  

Soon, they arrived at the parlor, and Albina saw the wide white marble round table.  

It had been a while, but it felt familiar. As Albina sat and looked around the unchanged interior, footsteps were heard.  

“Nice to meet you, Countess of Vellevin.”  

She heard a voice for the first time. The sentimental look on Albina’s face vanished in an instant.  

Turning her head, she saw a woman in a straight gold dress. Her hair, falling below her waist, shone like spun gold and was lustrous.  

Her gentle eyes sparkled emerald green like embedded gems, and her nose, though high, had a pleasing curve rather than being sharp.  

Her bright red, full lips were harmoniously arranged in her small face, giving her an impression of beauty even at a glance.  

Her figure was slender and tall, and she looked as if she barely ate, with little flesh on her body. But her chest and hips were adequately full, creating a sensual contrast.  

She had thought Nadia was beautiful when she first saw her at the execution ceremony. But the discomfort that followed came from the fact that her beauty originated from Agnesa.  

Nadia looked softer, but she resembled Agnesa greatly.  

‘Certainly, if this woman becomes Queen, His Majesty will never become weak.’  

A woman whose very existence reminded him of his mother’s death and the hardships of his youth. Albina stood up, forcing a smile she didn’t mean.  

“It’s an honor to be received by someone so busy.”  

Up close, her skin was truly white and smooth.  

Albina had often heard her own skin was pale wherever she went, but Nadia seemed even paler than herself. She looked like she was carved from the white marble she was sitting on.  

“I’m sorry for being unable to properly host you due to my circumstances.”  

Nadia sat with a genuinely apologetic expression. Albina secretly sneered, thinking Nadia was being insincere.  

“You’ve been through a lot lately.”  

“Pardon?”  

“You’ve lost all your family.”  

Albina smiled, not hiding her hostility from the start. Nadia was momentarily flustered, but after a brief silence, she spoke.  

“With His Majesty’s circumstances, I don’t deserve to show grief over losing my family.”  

At those words, Albina’s smile disappeared. How dare Agnesa’s daughter mention Queen Anna’s death? Anger surged from deep within her.  

“That’s true. If you think about why Queen Anna passed away, you’re right.”  

“……”  

“I’m glad you understand your situation well. I was worried you might not.”  

Nadia said nothing, like a criminal. Albina felt her annoyance ease a bit, but the irritation didn’t disappear.  

She wanted to see Nadia lose her composure and be shaken.  

“In any case, since we both serve the same man, I wanted to meet so we could get along.”  

Albina smiled with her eyes curved like a crescent moon and threw out a rather provocative remark.  

“I was first in order. If you have any questions about His Majesty, feel free to ask.”  

How would she react? Would that wicked Agnesa’s daughter glare at her in outrage, or would she assert her Queen’s authority and tell Albina to know her place?  

Albina waited for Nadia to react emotionally and answer back, but the reply was unexpected.