Chapter 4 – Jinx (2) 

For the first time today, the sound of a knock felt welcoming.  

The door opened, and behind Betier stood Rosetta. As soon as Rosetta met Lenoa’s eyes, she hurriedly bowed in greeting.  

‘She really does look like a squirrel.’  

Lenoa smiled softly.  

“Come in, it’s been a while. Sit here.”  

“Ah, yes…”  

Lenoa personally pulled out a chair for her guest. This made Rosetta feel incredibly embarrassed, as if she had committed some grave discourtesy. Even after the head maid, Betier, reassured her to relax, Rosetta’s face turned bright red.  

“I heard what happened. You called the palace physician for me.”  

“Yes… I did.”  

While it was true on the surface that Rosetta had done so, the person who had instructed her was someone else. As she debated whether to bring it up, she shuddered at the memory of what had just occurred.  

‘I will see to it that you face severe punishment!’

Kairan, the Queen’s secretary and a Grand Duke infamous for his cruelty among both maids and servants. For him, taking the life of a commoner like her would be as easy as flipping his hand.  

Fortunately, Lenoa seemed to be in good health, which was a relief. However, Rosetta knew that mentioning Kairan to Lenoa would likely cost her her life.  

“I-I heard that your cycle had been delayed recently, Your Majesty…”  

Rosetta had already learned about the Queen’s condition from the palace physician. The physician, out of consideration for Rosetta’s frantic insistence that something seemed wrong with the Queen, had shared this information with her.  

Of course, it was true that Lenoa’s cycle had been delayed. But Betier immediately noticed the flaw in Rosetta’s explanation.  

Maids were not responsible for attending to the royal family directly. Their duties were typically limited to cleaning or laundry around the palace. While Lenoa had interacted with maids on occasion, there was no way they would know about matters as private as her menstrual cycle—unless they were a lady-in-waiting or the palace physician.  

‘Something’s off.’  

Betier cast a suspicious glance at Rosetta but soon dropped it when she saw the cheerful expression on Lenoa’s face.  

“I see. Thank you. As a token of my gratitude, let’s share this cake together.”  

Only then did Rosetta notice the luxurious pastries, cakes, and tea set on the table. The realization that she could actually eat food she had only ever dreamed of left her speechless.  

Lenoa watched Rosetta devour the snacks with satisfaction. For a while, the three of them chatted about life in the palace, whether anything was difficult, and other small talk, enjoying their time together. About an hour later, Rosetta glanced at the clock and excused herself, saying she should leave.  

Lenoa opened the drawer of her dressing table and took out a jewelry box. She selected a ring adorned with a round topaz and handed it to Rosetta. The warm brown of the topaz suited Rosetta perfectly.  

“I-I can’t possibly accept something like this…”  

“This is my way of thanking you.”  

There was a rumor among the maids that Lenoa repaid kindness a hundredfold. When Rosetta had first heard it after sharing tea with the Queen, she had thought it might be true. Now, experiencing it firsthand, she was utterly dumbfounded.  

Even a small ring like the one Lenoa offered could feed Rosetta’s entire family for several months. She stood there, mouth agape, unable to bring herself to accept the jewelry.  

‘Gasp.’  

She suddenly noticed Betier glaring at her with arms crossed. In the end, Rosetta took the ring from Lenoa’s hand, clasping it tightly as she stammered her thanks repeatedly. Once Lenoa dismissed her, Rosetta disappeared like the wind.  

“She really does remind me of a squirrel. Don’t you think so, Betier?”  

Lenoa laughed warmly as she continued to enjoy the still-abundant desserts. Betier smiled faintly but couldn’t shake the unease lingering in her heart because of the maid’s words. Watching Lenoa happily eat her cake, oblivious to everything, Betier made a firm resolution.  

‘I’ll have to interrogate that maid, Rosetta, later.’  

***

The next morning, the palace was bustling. The day before, Merzen’s delegation had arrived in Celesta and spent the night at the capital’s grand temple. After breakfast, they had come directly to the palace.  

Lenoa, who had eaten a light breakfast in her bedroom, asked her maids to loosen her corset in preparation for her cycle. She didn’t want to wear it at all during her period, but today was the day she had to meet foreign dignitaries. Since they were from an allied nation, she had no choice but to endure it.  

The meeting with the foreign delegation was held in the grand conference hall beneath the Queen’s Palace. During her lessons as an heir, Lenoa had attended such meetings with her late father for practice, but this was her first time as Queen.  

Lenoa sat at the head of the long rectangular table, with her secretary, Kairan, and the delegation members seated on either side. Despite the discomfort of her tight corset and her poor condition, she managed to hide her distress and focus on the meeting.  

“Let us begin the meeting.”  

‘Huh?’  

Fortunately, Kairan took over the proceedings on her behalf. He skillfully reviewed the royal edicts brought by the delegation from the King of Merzen, steering the discussion in a direction that Lenoa could agree with.  

‘It feels like he’s the King, and I’m the secretary.’  

Though puzzled, Lenoa was grateful to Kairan. She resolved to convey her thanks to him later.  

The messages from the King of Merzen mostly consisted of congratulations on Lenoa’s ascension as the youngest Queen in history and hopes for continued friendly relations between the two nations. Since he had supported Lenoa’s claim to the throne, his tone was appropriately respectful toward the new Queen.  

When the delegation unfolded the final royal edict, Lenoa let out a sigh of relief.  

‘It’s finally over.’  

She had been staring intently at the numerous edicts brought by the delegation. Now that the last one was being read, she felt as though she could float with joy.  

‘Once this is done, I’ll skip lunch and just rest.’  

But the delegation’s message left her breathless.  

“His Majesty, Luet Merzen XVIII of the Kingdom of Merzen, conveys his hope that Her Majesty will find a suitable partner soon and, if none is available, offers to introduce his 1st Prince.”  

Unlike the emotionless tone of the delegation member reading the edict, Lenoa felt her mood plummet, as if she might collapse at any moment. She tried to force a smile, but even a fake one wouldn’t come.  

Of course, the Merzen royal family had supported her claim to the throne, but she had heard similar remarks even before her ascension. They were no different from other factions.  

She recalled learning about the First Prince of Merzen during her lessons on royal lineage. All she knew was that he was three years younger than her.  

But she never imagined that her first meeting with them would lead to a proposal for a political marriage.  

‘Sigh… What should I say?’  

Already feeling unwell, Lenoa racked her brain for a response. Although she had been trained extensively in royal rhetoric, it was of no help to her now.  

At that moment, the silence was broken. The person who spoke was not Lenoa.  

“I will respond to the message on Her Majesty’s behalf. This meeting is for discussing state affairs, not matchmaking.”  

“…?!”

Kairan’s icy voice froze everyone in the room.  

Among those caught in the chilling atmosphere, Lenoa glanced at Kairan. Before she realized it, his usual sharp expression had returned. His cold response felt as though it could instantly shatter the bonds between the two nations that had been built thus far.  

Lenoa discreetly reached under the table and grabbed Kairan’s hand. Startled, he exchanged a silent glance with her.  

‘That’s not what I meant. Let me correct it.’  

Kairan glared fiercely at Lenoa for a moment but eventually nodded slowly. However, his expression remained unyielding.  

Lenoa steadied her voice and addressed the delegation.  

“My apologies. It seems that Grand Duke Kairan, my secretary, spoke out of concern for me. Allow me to clarify. While I’m grateful for the sentiment, I must decline.”  

Unintentionally, for the first time, Lenoa referred to Kairan by his name rather than his title or full name. Kairan’s expression momentarily changed at her words, but she didn’t notice.  

Only then did the delegation relax their previously rigid expressions, replacing them with formal smiles.  

“Understood. We will convey your message. Thank you, Your Majesty.”  

With the final royal edict concluded, the meeting came to an end.  

Despite the maids’ attempts to dissuade her, Lenoa insisted on dragging her weary body outside the Queen’s Palace to personally see off the delegation. She had learned that bidding farewell to honored guests was an essential duty of a true monarch.  

After the delegation departed, Lenoa, supported by the maids, returned to her bedroom. The moment her adornments were removed, she collapsed onto her bed. She lay there with her eyes closed for a long while before pulling the bell cord.  

When Betier arrived promptly, Lenoa spoke in a faint voice.  

“I’ll have a simple lunch today. Bring it here.”  

“Yes, Your Majesty.”  

“And…”  

Lenoa struggled to sit up as she continued.  

“What’s on my schedule going forward?”  

“Now that the meeting with Merzen’s delegation is over, there’s nothing for a while. The debutante ball is still over a month away.”  

Knowing her master’s schedule was a basic skill for a personal maid. After answering, Betier urged Lenoa to lie down again. Lenoa sprawled back onto the bed. She had suspected as much, but knowing there was nothing pressing on her schedule was a relief.  

She voiced one of the wishes she had been holding in her heart.  

“Once my cycle ends, I’d like to visit my nanny’s estate. For some rest.”  

While the best way to rest during her cycle was to stay in her room and do nothing, she couldn’t entirely ignore the watchful eyes around her.  

More than anything, she missed her nanny. The nanny had cared for Lenoa since she was a child. After the Queen Dowager’s passing, the nanny had become a cherished maternal figure in Lenoa’s life.  

It was customary to part ways with one’s nanny upon reaching adulthood, so after Lenoa’s coming-of-age ceremony, the two had tearfully bid farewell.  

Even after leaving the palace, the nanny and Lenoa had kept in touch. The nanny had married the Viscount Elwen, a former commander of the Imperial Knight Order, and had become the Viscountess Elwen. The Elwen couple had since retired from public life and were living out their days in a mansion in the capital. The former commander had also treated Lenoa like his own daughter alongside the nanny.  

Recently, Lenoa had learned through letters that the couple, unable to have children of their own, had adopted the son of a maid from the viscount’s household—a commoner boy who was now an orphan.  

‘The boy is three years younger than you, with black hair and red eyes, and he’s quite handsome’

Lenoa suddenly remembered the postscript in the letter and laughed.

“That sounds nice. It’ll be good to see Viscountess Elwen after so long. But… while I can send word to the viscount’s house…”  

Betier trailed off, hesitating before mentioning the name of someone Lenoa disliked.  

“First, you’ll need to seek approval from Secretary Grand Duke Blandi.”