Carlos Ivan’s eyes, silently gazing at the coffin, somehow appeared sad.

They were not just any mother and son. While it was natural for a son to love his mother and for a parent to cherish their child, their bond was particularly special.

The countess, treated like a courtesan in society, and her son, scorned by everyone as an illegitimate child, relied heavily on each other.

The story of young Carlos throwing filth at the noblewomen who tormented the countess was still well-known. He had even faced disciplinary action for that incident, but he never hesitated to defend his mother whenever she was harassed.

Carlos cared deeply for her. Who could truly comprehend the depth of his sorrow at losing her?

As Ines briefly recalled past events, a shadow fell over her face. The line of mourners laying flowers behind her had come to an end. With a final prayer, today’s memorial would conclude. By tomorrow, the countess would be laid to rest in the royal mausoleum.

She would likely be the only royal mistress to be buried there. People called it an honor, but it was questionable whether someone who had never enjoyed any privilege in life would find joy in being buried in the royal mausoleum.

As she pondered these thoughts, the memorial service ended with a prayer. Ines followed Carlos as they walked out. When they reached the entrance of the chapel, the sight of the pouring rain caught her eye.

The sky, gloomy since morning, had finally unleashed its rain. With a worried expression, she looked down at the ground.

The earth had long been muddy from the rain. It would have been nice if someone could assist her, but Margaret had been nowhere to be seen for a while.

‘What should I do?’

Should she wait until Margaret arrived, or…?

After a moment of hesitation, Ines looked at Carlos, who was ahead of her. She noticed his empty hand, holding nothing.

“Um, Carlos…”

Ines hesitated for a moment before cautiously reaching out to him. However, her courage was in vain as Carlos ignored her hand and continued walking.

Ines’s hand lingered in the air, having lost its purpose.

It was likely unprecedented for the king and queen to move separately during an official event.

It was common knowledge that the former queen, Joseph’s biological mother, and the late king did not get along, but even they maintained appearances during official occasions.

Feeling rejected, Ines instinctively shrank back. As expected, she heard whispers from those who had witnessed the scene.

She couldn’t make out exactly what they were saying, but their words were obvious. Ines’s ears gradually turned red. Wanting to leave the scene quickly, she took a step forward.

Someone approached Ines and held an umbrella over her.

“Take my hand, Your Majesty.”

It was Dairen, her escort knight.

Normally, she would have declined the knight’s offer, but she couldn’t navigate the rainy path with her cane. Moreover, it was better for appearances to have a guard by her side than to walk alone.

“Thank you, Sir Dairen.”

With that, Ines placed her hand on the escort knight’s arm and slowly began to walk.

* * *

The day’s scheduled funeral events had concluded.

After a hot bath, Ines sat absentmindedly, not even thinking of combing her damp hair.

Suddenly, she looked down at her hand, recalling how Carlos had ignored her earlier. She felt a pang of disappointment but then shook her head.

‘He must have been distraught because his mother passed away.’

While Carlos was away at war, the countess had fallen ill. He must have felt guilty for not being able to care for his sick mother. Moreover, since his participation in the war was due to their marriage, she understood why he was acting so coldly.

Ines clenched her fist and let out a quiet sigh.

She was hurt by Carlos’s indifference, but she also worried because she knew his pain was greater.

‘Is Carlos okay?’

The last time she saw his face, he hadn’t looked well. He seemed to be enduring something. She wanted to stay by his side and comfort him. But…

‘He probably doesn’t want me around.’

Perhaps even being in the same space was uncomfortable for him. She feared that approaching Carlos would only lead to more hurt.

So Ines couldn’t muster the courage. That realization pained her heart.

How long had she been consoling herself?

Eventually, Margaret entered the room. She had also changed clothes after getting caught in the rain.

“Your Majesty, what are you thinking about so deeply?”

Margaret approached Ines and began to dry her damp hair.

“Oh, it’s nothing…”

However, Ines’s excuse did not escape Margaret’s keen observation.

“I heard about what happened earlier. I’m sorry. If only I hadn’t left so suddenly…”

“It’s okay.”

Guilt was evident on Margaret’s face. She had returned late after getting lost in the unfamiliar layout of the palace.

Margaret felt deeply remorseful after hearing the whispers of the ladies. Even though Ines insisted it was fine, she couldn’t meet her gaze for a while.

“His Majesty was really too much. How hard could it be to hold your hand? What woman wouldn’t feel hurt in that situation, especially with so many eyes watching?”

As she recalled the earlier incident, Ines’s expression darkened.

“Who doesn’t know how much His Majesty cares for the Countess? He must be overwhelmed with grief over losing his mother. So, don’t worry too much.”

“…Yes, thank you, Margaret.”

Margaret offered comfort, but it wasn’t enough to heal Ines’s wounded heart. Still, Ines remembered to express her gratitude to Margaret. After all, Margaret was the only person she could truly rely on in the palace.

Having Margaret by her side made enduring difficult days a little easier. Ines always felt grateful to her. Perhaps sensing Ines’s feelings, Margaret continued with a gentle smile.

“I heard His Majesty has postponed all state affairs for the time being. He even canceled all scheduled appointments. He must be having a hard time.”

Carlos had never delayed state affairs or missed meetings before. Since he had only recently seized the throne and was short on manpower, he was constantly overwhelmed with work.

Being a man of strong responsibility, he was likely even more immersed in his duties. The news that he was taking a break from his official responsibilities deepened Ines’s concern.

‘At times like this, Carlos needs someone by his side to lean on.’

At the very least, she hoped Herman would stay by his side. As a comrade who had shared the battlefield with Carlos, he was someone Carlos trusted.

While Ines was lost in thought for a moment, Margaret, who was combing her hair, spoke up.

“At times like this, Her Majesty the Queen should be by His Majesty’s side.”

Startled by her words, Ines quickly looked up.

“Me?”

Margaret nodded in the mirror.

“If a wife doesn’t comfort her husband, who will?”

“But…”

Ines began to fidget with her fingers.

“You heard it too. His Majesty rejected me.”

He had even ignored her outstretched hand. So, she believed that just being by his side wouldn’t heal his wounded heart.

“People often say and do things they don’t mean in the worst of situations. At those times, they’re too caught up in their own emotions to consider others.”

“……”

“If it’s too difficult today, how about meeting for tea in a few days to ease the atmosphere? I have some excellent tea leaves that were given to me as a gift.”

“Thank you for your concern, Margaret.”

Ines expressed her gratitude, and Margaret smiled warmly.

“But it’s getting late. I’ll return tomorrow as soon as the day breaks.”

“Is it that late already?”

She must have spent longer in the bathroom than she thought. Margaret, ready to leave, bowed to Ines.

“Then, I’ll take my leave, Your Majesty.”

“Yes.”

As soon as the door closed with a soft click, Margaret’s expression turned cold.

Just as she let out a short sigh and was about to head back to her room, Raella, who had been waiting outside, called out to her.

“What are you thinking?”

Raella must have been waiting for her to come out. Margaret responded with a smile, feigning ignorance.

“What do you mean?”

“I thought you became a lady-in-waiting to get close to His Majesty. But your actions don’t seem to align with that. Why are you treating Her Majesty the Queen so well? There doesn’t seem to be any benefit for you.”

Margaret replied with a slight smile.

“I just want Her Majesty the Queen to be happier than she is now.”

Raella asked again, as if she had heard something strange.

“Are you serious?”

“Of course. She needs to be happier than she is now…”

Margaret’s voice trailed off.

“…because.”

“What did you say?”

Raella asked again, unable to catch her words due to the sudden whisper.

But all she received in return was Margaret’s enigmatic smile.