The Reason I Made Her My Queen - Chapter 3

“Satisfied with a lesser-born bride? Is the Kingdom of Fabra that desperate for women?”

“You said it. We haven’t met her yet, but rumors say she has an unimpressive appearance from the Kingdom of Carnia.”

“I’ve got it! She must look like a monster!”

“Oh no! If that’s true, then this country is being ruled by monsters!”

“Hahaha! Indeed!”

“Good thing we don’t have to deal with such a man.”

“Oh? But he’s the king—if things go well, you could even become a concubine. Why not give it a try?”

“No way. Besides, the Head Maid wouldn’t allow it. I heard she even opposed Princess Elvira marrying a foreign king.”

“What? Really?”

The maids who had accompanied the queen’s procession from their homeland, the Kingdom of Carnia, were happily indulging in palace gossip.

They were the personal maids assigned to Queen Elvira, who had married King Ramiro of Fabra.

Before the marriage, their positions had been somewhat carefree. Serving as maids was like adding prestige before marriage. Being assigned to a princess especially one who became queen meant they wouldn’t struggle to find good marriages. They all expected favorable matches to come their way. Every one of them planned to return home in a few years and marry.

“Still, the king made quite a bold move. Even if it was to form an alliance.”

“Right? It’s surprising. His Majesty doted on the princess.”

“I totally thought he’d marry her off to a noble from our own kingdom.”

“I wonder what will happen now. Accepting such conditions, Poor Princess.”

“Truly. Well, I suppose there are unavoidable circumstances. But for that king… Out of all his many children, he particularly adored the princess, yet he agreed to let her husband have ‘concubines and mistresses if he wishes.’ Considering the king we’ve known until now, don’t you think?”

The chattering women’s conversation continued.

They didn’t know.

The true meaning of the alliance between the two kingdoms.

The real reason Carnia wanted Princess Elvira to marry King Ramiro.

That this marriage had been proposed by the Kingdom of Carnia.

Just as they were getting carried away with their conversation, a cough came from a nearby door.

The stern tone made them abruptly stop talking.

“Head Maid!”

One of the maids hurriedly responded.

The person who opened the door and entered the room was none other than the Head Maid herself.

“You there—refrain from speech unbefitting Carnians.”

“W-we apologize…”

Though it was too late now that the Head Maid stood before them, the maids straightened their postures.

“Honestly. This is a foreign country. Though considerably inferior to Carnia, it is still a royal palace. Have some awareness.”

“Yes…”

The maids replied with bowed heads.

“Well, that’s enough.”

The Head Maid averted her gaze from the maids and looked around restlessly.

“By the way, where is Nila? Has she not returned yet?”

At the sudden inquiry about her whereabouts, the maids fell silent.

Because she was precisely the person they had just been discussing.

“Yes… not yet…”

“How outrageous!”

At their hesitant reply, the Head Maid raised her voice in anger.

“Go bring Nila back at once!”

At the Head Maid’s shout, the maids bolted from the room as if launched.

However, the Head Maid’s wish would not be granted.

That was because Nila had not returned to the queen’s quarters since the first night.

The harem was an isolated place.

No one came or went freely.

Only the king alone could move freely through the harem.

Unaware of the maids’ intentions, Nila was already in the king’s hands.

There was no way they could retrieve her.

After all, Nila wasn’t even in the harem.

They still didn’t know.

That Nila, whom they had mocked, had gained the king’s favor.

No matter how much she was scorned in her homeland, Nila was a princess of a kingdom.

A bastard child, but still a princess.

The Head Maid, who always started by belittling their own princess, had forgotten this fact because Nila had been such an object of contempt.

Just because those around them treated her that way didn’t mean it would be “normal” in another country.

They didn’t understand how it would be perceived if others learned Nila was Petronila, Princess of Carnia.

Precisely because they were like this, they failed to grasp the severity of the situation.

And the Kingdom of Carnia was no different.