Ines looked up at Margaret, surprised by her unexpected reaction.

“……What?”

“Her Majesty the Queen has refused not only to have her clothes attended to but also to be bathed since the coup. Previously, those sent by the Claudia family served Her Majesty.”

“……”

“So, I noticed that she was hiding something about her body from others.”

Ines bit her lip at Margaret’s sharp deduction. It felt futile to think that all her efforts to conceal it had been in vain.

‘Could others have been thinking like Margaret?’

If so, there might already be someone who had figured out that what she was trying to hide was a scar.

She had covered her back with a shawl, but at night, she often wore a thin chemise. More people than she had expected had seen her in that state.

Plagued by these anxious thoughts, Ines began to bite her nails—a habit that emerged when she was nervous. Sensing Ines’s anxiety, Margaret comforted her with a gentle voice.

“Don’t worry too much. No one knows about the Queen’s scar. I just found out.”

As she said this, she casually dropped some scented oil into the bath.

The lavender-scented droplets mixed with the water, filling the bathroom with a subtle fragrance.

It was said that lavender helped calm the mind and body. Ines gradually regained her composure, reassured by Margaret’s unexpectedly calm response.

“……Alright.”

Ines sighed with relief internally. This meant that if she could keep Margaret’s mouth shut, no one else would know her secret.

At first, they would be shocked by the scar. Later, they might wonder why such scars were on the back of the noble daughter of Duke Claudia.

Eventually, they would come to a conclusion: Ines Claudia was not as cherished by her family as people believed.

Later on, there would be those desperate to uncover the truth. Not everyone who worked for the Claudia family had died.

Among the survivors, there was surely someone who knew her secret.

There is no such thing as an eternal secret.

She had thought that one day this secret might be revealed to the world. However, despite that, Ines sincerely wanted to hide it for as long as possible.

‘I need to silence Margaret first.’

Ines began to mentally review what she could offer Margaret. To keep the secret, she needed to provide something of material value. However, she didn’t have many treasures left. She had already given Llewellyn some items that could be sold for money.

After pondering for a moment, she spoke to Margaret.

“I’d like to keep this matter a secret. In return, I’ll give you as much jewelry as you want……”

“I don’t need anything like that.”

But Margaret flatly rejected Ines’s offer. Ines’s eyes widened, not expecting such a swift refusal.

“……Does that mean you won’t keep it a secret? Or is the price too low?”

Ines’s eyes trembled.

Margaret took Ines’s anxious hands in hers.

“You don’t need to offer anything to keep my mouth shut.”

“What?”

“I’ll keep what I saw today to myself. So, please don’t worry too much.”

A look of puzzlement appeared on Ines’s face as she regarded Margaret. When she thought about it, many things seemed strange.

She had assumed that Margaret, like Uriel, had become a lady-in-waiting to vie for a position next to Carlos. Uriel’s behavior had certainly suggested that was the case.

Yet, Margaret showed no interest in Carlos. She acted as if she genuinely intended to serve Ines.

This made Ines feel somewhat uncomfortable. No one had ever shown her such kindness without expecting something in return.

It was necessary to understand Margaret’s intentions clearly today.

Having reached that conclusion, Ines spoke with difficulty.

“Why?”

“……”

“As you know, my family is ruined. My reputation is also in tatters, so I can’t arrange a good marriage for you or compensate you materially. So why do you serve me? You have nothing to gain from serving me.”

Margaret, who had been smiling faintly, replied.

“It was about 12 years ago. I happened to see Her Majesty the Queen in Ternada.”

“You saw me in Ternada……?”

Ternada was the territory of the Claudia ducal family.

“Yes. I was from a collateral line of a count’s family, but my father lost all his wealth to gambling, so we were very poor. I worked in an orchard owned by the Claudia family.”

Working in an orchard? She had only heard that she was now the adopted daughter of the Count of Desley, not that she had such a past.

“One day, I was exhausted from work and very hungry. The sun was so scorching that I leaned against the shade of a tree to escape the heat.”

As Margaret reminisced about the past, a gentle smile appeared on her lips.

“Back then, when Your Majesty visited the orchard, you gave me an apple. That apple was so sweet and delicious… it was undoubtedly the best fruit I’ve ever tasted.”

Ines tried to recall the memory from Margaret’s words, but nothing specific came to mind. Noticing her struggle, Margaret continued.

“It’s natural that Her Majesty doesn’t remember. No one recalls feeding a stray cat from ten years ago.”

“That’s…”

“People are currently calling Her Majesty a villain, but I know that’s not the truth. In fact, anyone who works as your lady-in-waiting for a few days would realize it. They’re merely projecting their resentment and anger towards the Claudia family onto you.”

Ines’s eyes trembled slightly at the kind words directed at her.

Besides her mother, Margaret was the first person to speak to her in such a way.

Margaret squeezed Ines’s hands firmly.

“I’ll be on your side, Your Majesty.”

“……”

“The palace needs someone who supports you right now. Please allow me to be that support.”

Ines hesitated. She had never made someone her ally before.

“It’s not anything grand. Just think of me as a friend who listens to Your Majesty’s worries.”

“A friend?”

She had people she called friends, but they were all entangled in complicated interests. There wasn’t a single person she could truly call a friend.

“I…”

Ines hesitated, afraid to trust others.

“A few days ago, Uriel entered His Majesty’s chamber.”

Startled by those words, Ines quickly raised her head.

“I saw Uriel returning to her room half-dressed early that morning. It was obvious to anyone that she had been with someone intimately.”

It felt as if her heart was sinking.

Even though she had seen it with her own eyes, hearing it from someone else was another shock.

“The intentions of those who entered the palace as Your Majesty’s ladies-in-waiting are clear.”

“……”

“Even if Uriel has left the palace with her father, you shouldn’t feel relieved.”

Margaret began to offer her advice.

“Next, it might be Count Colsen’s daughter. Or perhaps a newly appointed lady-in-waiting.”

“……”

“If Her Majesty doesn’t secure her position, these events will continue to occur.”

Ines understood this as well.

Not a single thing Margaret said was wrong. Without support and being labeled a villain by the people, she had no place to stand.

To confidently maintain her position beside Carlos…

“You need to conceive.”

Yes, as Margaret said, having a child was the only way.

“You must have a son and make him the heir to secure your current position.”

Ines lowered her head.

“I know. I know that’s the only way I can keep my place. But…”

Suddenly, the memory of her first night with Carlos flashed through her mind. She couldn’t forget the look of hurt on his face, filled with hatred and betrayal.

“I ruined it.”

Her attempt to hide the scar had hurt him, and she had ultimately ruined the chance to improve their relationship.

“I didn’t want to show the scar, so…”

As she recalled that day, Ines’s hands began to tremble.

Would it have been better if she had been more honest then? Or if she had expressed it differently? Would today’s events have unfolded as they did?

Unanswerable questions echoed in her mind. Watching Ines, Margaret spoke.

“There used to be a rumor in society that His Majesty and Your Majesty were actually old lovers.”

Ines flinched at those words.

“But Duke Claudia wouldn’t have wanted to marry his cherished daughter to an illegitimate son.”

“……”

“You two had a connection that people didn’t know about, right?”

In society, that rumor had long been accepted as fact. Otherwise, Carlos wouldn’t have made Ines queen against everyone’s opposition. It was a decision that could only be made with genuine feelings.

Ines answered with silence. Margaret, understanding her meaning, gently wrapped her other hand around Ines’s.

“I’ll help you. Even if it’s not like before, I’ll help make your relationship closer than it is now.”

“You’ll help me?”

“Yes.”

“Why on earth…”

To Ines, it felt like a strange kindness.

“I told you, didn’t I? The fruit you gave me back then was so sweet and delicious.”

Margaret replied in a soft voice. Ines stared at the smiling lady-in-waiting.

The reason for her help felt so trivial.

She didn’t even remember giving the apple. But still.

Ines sank deeper into the bath.

She was too lonely and exhausted to simply reject and refuse someone who approached her with kindness.

—

T/N: The savior of the story is Margaret. Margaret is the best girl! 😀