episode_0030

[Episode 30] – Promise with the Council (1)

“Well then, now that everyone has gathered, let’s begin the meeting,” declared the Queen Consort with a clap of her hands. She sighed deeply and scanned the faces of those assembled in the council chamber. Whenever the nobles made eye contact with her, they promptly lowered their heads.

“First of all, I express my deepest gratitude for the hard work of all the department heads over the past two years. Despite His Majesty’s absence in governing the country, I am truly thankful that you have led the nation without causing any major incidents.”

The meeting began with the Queen Consort’s words of appreciation. I naturally assumed that the council members, like cunning foxes, would quibble and find fault with the Queen Consort’s words, but…

“No!! Your Highness, Queen Rosaria!! We have only done our duty as mid-level officials of the kingdom!!”

The actual members of the council were completely different from what I had imagined.

Elderly men with grizzled hair, standing at attention before the Queen Consort like disciplined recruits, trembled in front of her. When called upon, they immediately rose from their seats, nodded vigorously, and spoke up loudly in response.

Observing this, the Queen Consort chuckled softly and pointed her finger towards the head of the palace guards. In that instant, the head of the palace guards stood up straight from his chair and listened attentively to the Queen Consort’s words.

“It is the fault of the royal family for not taking care of you for nearly two years, so I won’t dwell on it. However, did you not overstep your bounds? Did Bangso, who was mediating among you, not fall behind even by half a step?”

“Oh, no, why would…!”

The elderly men laughed good-naturedly at the Queen Consort’s jest and continued their conversation. Somehow, as I watched the atmosphere of this meeting lose its edge, I couldn’t quite adapt to it.

In the game, the council members appeared quite sly and cunning. They seemed like old foxes who had been involved in politics for decades. That was the image I had of the council. However, the council members standing before the Queen Consort were responding to her words one by one, like new recruits standing at attention before a commanding officer, with their posture rigid and their responses sharp.

I poked Bangsho’s side as he sat next to me, absentmindedly stroking his head, ignoring the elders’ chatter in the council. In a hushed voice, I spoke to him.

“Wow, Your Majesty.”

“Bangsho, I’m terribly confused right now. Could you please explain?”

“What explanation do you seek?”

“Why did the nobles in the council suddenly become so tense in front of the Queen?”

“Oh, Her Majesty seems unaware.”

Bangsho chuckled at my question and then reminisced before continuing in a whisper, observing the Queen conversing with other nobles.

“I don’t know where to begin, but most of the ministers in the council received their education from Her Majesty when they were young, including myself.”

“Education?”

“Yes, it was when we first entered government service. At that time, His late Majesty suffered greatly from an illness.”

Bangsho continued his story with a nostalgic chuckle. As he turned to look at the Queen, he saw a court official still playfully teasing her like a puppy.

“At that time, it was none other than Queen Rosaria who took charge of state affairs on His Majesty’s behalf. But, looking back now, it was an unbelievable approach…”

With a wry smile, Bangsho gently patted his stomach, as if soothing an old wound, avoiding the Queen’s gaze as if reluctant to recall the past.

“…Anyway, it wasn’t a normal method. It involved fists, kicks, verbal abuse, and violence. I realized then that Her Majesty’s family wasn’t just a ‘knightly house.’”

“Her Majesty was once part of a knightly house?”

“You didn’t know? Before marrying His late Majesty, she was a lady-in-waiting. The story of how Her Majesty captured His late Majesty’s heart while wielding a sword is quite famous.”

In the game, it was an untold story. Originally, the queen was just an NPC who helped the princess in the game, and there was no personal story for the queen. That being said, Her Majesty the Queen was a “knight”…

“…After marrying His Majesty the King, Her Majesty the Queen couldn’t wield a sword, so she used her fists on us. At that time, we were young and didn’t have to participate in state affairs, but we had to attend all meetings at the order of Her Majesty the Queen.”

“Um, well…”

“At that time, if we made a mistake in speaking or brought incorrect information, any kind of mistake, Her Majesty the Queen’s fist would immediately strike our napes. There was no mercy.”

“That’s, that’s quite…”

“…To be honest, while it’s true that we owe much to Her Majesty the Queen’s teachings for being able to rise to the position of minister… the fist… the kicking…”

As Bangsho recalled the trauma, his whole body trembled. Seeing his pitiful state, I found myself unconsciously patting Bangsho’s shoulder.

Then suddenly, I realized it was quiet around us. Perhaps engrossed in Bangsho’s story, I turned my head slightly and looked at the Queen, only to find her and the other nobles staring intently at Bangsho.

Whether Bangsho noticed this or not, he looked contemplative as he gazed at the Queen, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.

“Is the reminiscing over, Bangsho?”

“I, I am deserving of death, Your Majesty the Queen.”

“Understood. Then let’s resume the meeting.”

Bangsho, breathing a deep sigh of relief, wiped his chest as if to confirm he was alive, then leaned back in his chair. Feeling somewhat weary myself, I leaned back in my chair and let out a small sigh.

*

The administrative department of the kingdom is divided into twelve departments: the Royal Palace, Treasury, Foreign Affairs, Internal Affairs, Judiciary, Education,

Territory, Industry, Culture, Agriculture, Maritime, and War.

The heads of these administrative departments are the elders of the council, and in the old days, it was often the high nobles who occupied these positions. The upper class merely for show, while the lower ranks toil away.

The queen consort, who was dissatisfied with the system, nurtured her disciples over five years with the intention of gradually fostering talent from within to handle state affairs.

Several decades later, a remarkable event unfolded where ministers from a staggering nine departments resigned from their positions in a total of twelve departments. Filling these vacancies were none other than the disciples personally raised by the queen consort over the course of five years. These nine individuals took on ministerial roles.

It wasn’t due to royal favoritism. These nine ministers had simply risen to their positions based solely on their pure abilities, breaking through the barriers of lineage, connections, and academic background.

They are now—

“Hail the Queen Consort’s decision for a council meeting!”

“Hail!”

“The agenda for the meeting hasn’t even been announced yet.”

They earnestly wagged their tails before the queen consort.

Is this… the Elder Statesmen Council that I know?

Especially, the palace ministers were so desperate that they were almost showing their tails. It was already known that the palace ministers were puppets of the queen consort, but the old men wagging their tails was pitiful to witness.

Bowing deeply, a palace minister pleaded with the queen consort, “Your Highness, the princess of the royal bloodline is only six years old. It is natural for the princess to ascend the throne, but she is still young. Please, Your Highness, make a decision to protect the princess.”

“Your Highness, this is necessary!”

“That’s right! Your Highness, your decision is for the good of the country! Your Highness!”

Except for Bangsho, eight of the ministers almost wailed before the queen consort, imploring her. What could possibly be making them so desperate?

As if irritated, the queen consort waved her hand, and the ministers fell silent. Then, after letting out a deep sigh, she slowly raised her head to look at the ministers.

“…I understand. Fine, enough of this. Let’s conclude this matter here. Then, onto the next agenda—”

…? Can we just brush over this so casually?

However, before there was even time to worry about it, the next agenda struck me like a blow to the throat. As soon as the next agenda was mentioned, the bright eyes of the ministers, which had been fixed on the queen consort, turned sharp enough to pierce through a person.

“Regarding the Treatment of the Second Queen, Vivian Lirienne Sol.”

…

The atmosphere, once filled with laughter and chatter, froze in an instant. They seemed tamed like ordinary animals, but in reality, they were more like wild beasts, their sharp fangs bared as they scrutinized me.

The silence settled, albeit momentarily.

An elder seated in front of a sign labeled “Ministry of Foreign Affairs” raised his hand, seizing the floor. As the Queen Consort granted him permission to speak, a minister from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs rose from his seat, glaring at me as if he could tear me apart.

“First, before we begin our discussion, I would like those ministers who believe that Her Majesty the Second Queen should stay here to raise their hands.”

In response to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, several ministers raised their hands. The Queen Consort, Bangsho, and the palace and education ministers—these four were among them.

As if there was nothing more to see, the Minister of Foreign Affairs gestured for the other ministers to lower their hands.

“As Your Majesty has witnessed, your position within the council is not particularly esteemed. To be frank, my sincere wish is for you to leave this place immediately.”

…

“For two years, Your Majesty has not received His Majesty’s ‘favor.’ You have not even received the ‘blessing’ of the royal family. Now that His Majesty has passed, do you have any reason to remain here?”

…

“From the outset, you must understand why we chose you as the Second Queen. We clearly asked you before you became the Second Queen. We wanted the ‘little sun’ of the kingdom.”

It was an indictment. It was so much of an indictment that I couldn’t say anything. The Minister of Foreign Affairs seemed to wait for my response, gazing at me intently. Meeting his gaze, I lifted my head.

“I… No, I am currently in charge of the princess’s ‘education.’ I am working to further—”

“I understand. However, we can always bring in an educator with skills equal to those of the queen. In fact, we have plenty of outstanding ladies and noblewomen who surpass the queen in their abilities.”

“What? How could that be?”

In fact, many are worried that the queen’s influence on the princess’s education might lead the princess to develop a difficult personality similar to the queen’s.

“Even the suspicion of being a ‘witch’ surrounds the queen. This negative influence could extend to the princess as well—”

I sensed malice from the Minister of Foreign Affairs as he interrupted me. My explanations fell on deaf ears thereafter. It felt as if my expulsion had already been decided.

“But—”

“I will not stand for this!”

As Queen Mother, unseen until now, raised her hand to stop him, I couldn’t contain my boiling emotions and rose abruptly from my seat, slamming the table with both hands.

No explanation was sufficient. No matter what I said, the Minister of Foreign Affairs paid no heed to my story. If that was the case, all that remained was to plead.

“…I will give up everything the ministers desire the queen to relinquish. You may take the jewels in my chambers, and you need not provide me with any further maintenance allowance.”

“…”

“If that is still insufficient, I will truly step down from the position of queen. Instead, grant me the opportunity to work in the palace. I am willing to handle the princess’s affairs or take on menial tasks within the palace.”

The Minister of Foreign Affairs remained silent. Instead, it was the Queen Mother, who had merely watched me until then, who asked me, as if questioning the truth of my words.

“Why are you speaking as if I would really ask you to work as a maid?”

“Would I say such a thing without being fully prepared? I am willing to do anything, even lick the soles of your feet, to stay here.”

“Disgusting…”

The Queen Consort let out a sigh as if in disbelief, covering her mouth with her hand while resting her chin on the other. Frankly, it was more of a “let it be” attitude at this point.

If she really intended to cast me out, I had half a mind to grab onto the Queen Consort’s ankle right here and refuse to let go. That’s how impossible it was for me to leave the princess alone like this.

Furrowing her brows, the Queen Consort asked me, “…Why are you so determined? If it’s because of the rumors about the witch and the fear of the temple, then send your envoy to my temple. Then, even if you leave the palace, the temple won’t touch you.”

“It’s not because I’m afraid of the temple, Your Highness.”

“In that case…”

I simply…

I lifted my head, flashed a gentle smile, and looked at the Queen Consort. She, in turn, met my gaze with a slightly surprised expression upon seeing my smile.

“I just want to be someone the princess can rely on. I want to help her by her side until she grows up, even if it’s just until then.”

“……”

“That’s truly all I desire.”

After that, silence descended in the council chamber for a moment.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, seemingly having nothing more to say, sat waiting for the Queen Consort’s decision. Is there no way to appeal to her? Should I really grovel at the Queen Consort’s feet?

Just as I wondered how to navigate this situation, something crossed my mind. I immediately turned to look at the “Minister of Education” sitting at the round table.

“Your Excellency, Minister of Education.”

“Yes, yes, Your Majesty.”

As far as I know, it is certain that royal family members enter the ‘Academy’ under the supervision of the Minister of Education when they turn 15. Am I correct?”

“Yes, yes… You are correct. When the princess turns 15, she will also enroll in the Academy. By enrolling in the Academy, she will interact with royalty from other countries and develop social skills-”

Until the princess becomes an adult, we may not be able to stay together… but perhaps, could he allow me to remain until the princess enters the Academy, the main stage of ‘Autumn’ in the game?

If I only saw the princess entering the academy, I felt I could leave her side with some peace of mind. There are many others there who can help the princess besides me.

I immediately pleaded with the queen mother.

“Your Highness, could you please allow me to stay here until the princess enters the academy?”

“…Until the princess turns 15?”

“Yes, as far as I know, even if one is of royal blood, they cannot leave for three years after entering the ‘academy’ until graduation. So, I will leave the palace myself after the princess enters the academy.”

The queen mother, as if contemplating for a moment, stroked her chin and then glanced at the ministers beside her. The ministers, without any response to the queen mother’s gaze, simply looked silently at her.

Then, the queen mother, exhaling deeply, gestured for the secretary recording the meeting at the door to come over. The secretary quickly ran over and took a seat beside the queen mother.

“Secretary, write this down immediately.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“The second queen, ‘Vivian Lirienne Sol,’ will be stripped of her position after the princess’s academy ‘graduation ceremony.’ After that, Vivian Lirienne Sol will restrict access to the palace. Until then, she will faithfully attend to the princess’s education.”

“…Thank you, Your Majesty.”

“…This is a ‘promise’ between you and the kingdom, so you must faithfully keep this promise.”