The Readymade Queen - Chapter 6

“Is there any evidence?”

“In addition to the guardian in the evaporated accident area, one of the guardians in the nearest area was found dead, pierced by a sword. The sword contained an ore called Penger, which was produced only in a place called Neven in Cardilinger.”

“Although it’s a fascinating evidence, how can it be evidence just because it’s a mountainous area?”

“Because Penger is one of the few items prohibited by the Marquess of Cardilinger from leaking. Not only the ore, any object containing even a small amount of ore, cannot go out of the territory. Except for the Marquess and his knights.”

“But that won’t be conclusive evidence.”

“That’s right. It doesn’t matter. ‘It’s leaked’, if they insist like that, it’s over. It’s not decisive at all.”

“Then the evidence is only ninety-nine percent out of a hundred…”

“Yes, that’s about it.”

“Is there any possibility of the Four Princes? The most obvious suspect has already been decided, it’s Marquess Cardilinger’s sword with ore. If you spill it on purpose, it would be stopped.”

Even before the Crown Prince’s death, Vilchius, the first Prince of Betis, the first Empress, and Killian, the fourth Prince of Catherine, the third Empress, were the most likely succession along with the Crown Prince. It wasn’t because the power of the Crown Prince was weak, but because their power was as strong as well. And among them, the first Prince was the most powerful. As long as the world knew that they were the best people when the Crown Prince died, would the first thing they do was return to doubt?

“I’ve used my head quite a bit, but I’m sure I’ve thought of something you’d think straight away.” Rakiel continued to speak with a grim face.

Regardless of the real situation, the person itself was disgusting.

“It’s still impossible with the three Empresses. For them, it’s much more advantageous for the Crown Prince to stay alive and keep the Crown Prince and the first Prince in check, rather than eliminating the Crown Prince and leaving the first and fourth Princes alone to completely take the crown.”

“I see.”

“Cardilinger, they didn’t do anything stupid to be suspected.”

“Then what?”

“They did it because they didn’t care if they got suspected. They knew that doubts would cease in their line anyway. The Emperor didn’t want to know the truth. I don’t know what kind of deal he made with the Cardilinger family.”

“You, His Majesty the Crown Prince… Are you going to stay still like this? It’s unfair.”

“In the first place, it’s not like the truth of the matter can move the Emperor. At this point, the death of the Crown Prince and the Duke won’t help Edelgard much if we move the public opinion immediately.”

Abigail frowned as if wondering. “If you’d gone straight to the ground, wouldn’t all the public opinion of the Empire be on your side?”

“That’s exactly what they want. The imperial public opinion is on my side but public opinion without a conclusion is just a moment. Without the next Emperor, it is the same as mine to declare war on the first Empress, which the Emperor tolerates without any conclusive evidence. How beneficial it would be to Edelgard now. You can’t eat your own flesh out of a moment’s resentment. It’s not the time to blow it up yet. You can’t throw away such an emotionally wasteful card without value. At least you’d better stay quiet until your presence is clear.”

The content of his cold voice was quite brutal. Abigail was a little tired of the man’s cold reason, enough to leave the death of his father and cousin, as something that could be used later. On the one hand, she understood that it couldn’t be helped. On the other hand, even though she was impressed, he and his father were not ordinary fathers and ordinary sons. It couldn’t be helped.

Abigail somehow came to think that she felt sorry for the man. Even though his father died unjustly, the fact that even that resentment should be hidden in the calculations made before him… Well, she didn’t know. She, at least, was able to cry without thinking about her father’s death.

‘You didn’t have it all, either. I think I can see it a little bit now. The hatred, anger, despair, determination, longing, lies beneath that calm face… There must be hundreds of feelings inside you. Yeah, It must be hard for you, too.’

“I don’t want them to move the way they want. I can’t just breathe quietly and shamefully after losing my father and the Crown Prince. The Empress has lost everything, I don’t want to leave her as a defeated woman. So I needed Violetta, I had to live even if I died, that’s why I chose you.”

Abigail looked at Rakiel silently.

“How can I stay still? The reason you’re sitting in front of me right now is because I don’t want to stay still.”

“…That’s your way.”

‘You, The way you care for your family.’

Rakiel’s mouth twisted up. “Yeah. That’s my way.”

“It’s not noble at all. It’s not even warm, but… All right, I got it.”

‘It will be different for each person anyway, I also came all the way here in my own way.’ Fourteen, ever since the day she left her hometown and headed to the capital with her family to avoid marriage, Abigail had lived only for her family. She wasn’t noble at all either. ‘It was also for myself and it will continue to be so. In order to do that, I had to follow that man’s way.’ For her family, she had to follow his way for her family.

‘In the end, that man’s way becomes my way. Otherwise, nothing will be achieved. In the first place, I didn’t choose it because it was a good path. So there is no need to beautify that man’s way or saying all the good things. Yeah, it doesn’t matter. Actually, I don’t have the right to do that and I also have no intention of doing so. I started on my knees to beg for my family and my own life and for the wealth that would fall on my family.’ Simply, Abigail was a little grateful that the man had a heart. Not just for political purposes, that man also had a heart for his family. At least it would be a small but good cause for herself. Rather than just a political tool, it felt much better to be based on that little sincerity.

“I will accept it. That way of yours.”

Rakiel looked at Abigail with an expression that seemed to say, ‘what are you?’

“You look like you want to say ‘you don’t have the right to choose in the first place’. I know, but I wanted to tell you.”

“…”

“I want to accept it. I’m not forced to be dragged around, but I’m with you because I really accepted it.”

The man’s cool eyes stared at her as if they were measuring her and slowly his lips opened. “Is that your pride?”

“No.”

The eye contact was still cold, but Abigail laughed as if she hadn’t seen it. The man’s eyes narrowed.

“This is my way.”

Rakiel laughed. “You don’t like marionettes on the line?”

“Yes. Isn’t this a pretty good conspirator? At least when things go wrong, this fake princess of yours won’t step out on her own, making excuses, like ‘I couldn’t help it then, it wasn’t my will.’”

“When things go wrong, no matter how hard you try to get out of here, nothing changes for you.”

“I don’t want to talk about the difference between the results.”

‘Yeah, we’ll all die one way or another. That’s why, at least if you are the emperor.’

“Of course it is. But would it be okay to keep someone closest to you who might be preparing to make excuses that you couldn’t help it? I’m asking if you can trust someone like that.”

‘They say they don’t want to risk their lives on excuses or inevitable things that have to be said.’

“Oh, well. You’re thinking that because you risked your family’s life, I don’t have to trust you in the first place? There is no need to be bothered on purpose.”

“But Duke, trusting is not reassuring to a person’s weakness.”

“From the beginning, things like trust are not allowed.”

“Have you been living your life without trusting anyone?”

“If I had trusted, I wouldn’t have been alive now.” The words ending in the twisted mouth were light enough to be mixed finely without laughter, but the black eyes of a man whose depth was unknown have been tightening.

Abigail shuddered at the feeling as if they were wandering inside her. But Abigail tried to.

‘I started on my knees, but I didn’t want to crawl on my knees until I died. Even if I can’t escape this relationship, I should have at least made it possible to pretend to be equal.’ Abigail couldn’t unilaterally put her family on that man’s hand. Then she was anxious and didn’t know she would go crazy someday.

‘So, in order to reassure you, I can pretend that I am not completely confident, and if I die, it will be the result of my will.’

“I need some recognition of your trust and my position.”

Rakiel laughed as if her words were ridiculous, but Abigail continued without hesitation. “Just because you trust me, doesn’t kill you. Just, I mean, trust me. Not my weakness.”

“Really, your way is so annoying.”

“Didn’t you believe His Majesty the Crown Prince?”

“…and she’s cheeky. How dare you put the Crown Prince on my line.”

“We, first of all, I’m your cousin. The only one in the world now.”

‘Although it is fake…’ With a small whispering addition, Abigail shrugged.

Rakiel laughed briefly as if he were pleasant. “You don’t think that you’re being rude too much, right now?”

Rude was a choice of words enough to kill Abigail’s spirit, but Rakiel’s words were far from criticizing or reproaching.

Abigail asked the matter calmly. “Isn’t this what your Excellency wanted? I’m like…”

“Behave like you’re the real one?”

“Yes.”

“Yeah, you’re doing great. But I think our conversation topic is a very trivial thing that doesn’t matter. Why does the Princess hold on so much?”

“I need the trust of the duke.”

“It’s a nuisance to each other. I won’t abandon you unless you betray me in the first place.”

“It’s not like that.”

The eyes of the man who was looking at Abigail as if he was interested in her were getting tired. ‘If I drag my words a little longer here, that man might be really angry.’

Rakiel bit nervously and said, “You seem to be putting a lot of importance on your mind and conscience, but I’m sure you’ve been forced to take this job, and you’re relatively free from remorse or guilt. Isn’t it? You can just blame me and turn everything into a situation you couldn’t help. You don’t have to be ashamed of your “mind” or “conscience” that you consider so important. But I don’t know why you have to take responsibility for yourself.”

“Conscience. You got it wrong, your Excellency. I’m being timid. I couldn’t risk my life and my family on the will of others.”

The man laughed silently. Abigail looked at him quietly. There was no reason to feel bad. ‘It’s true that I said more than I did.’

“So, you have the same will, too. In an even position with me, you will have the same size of responsibility… That’s pretty good. Are you somehow trying to avoid the unilaterally tied position?”

“Yes, that too. How you get started is always important.”

“What can I do with the ‘start’ that you want?”

“We can’t afford to leave a contract, so just tell me again for sure.”

“…”

“Acknowledge my position and trust me.”

“What do I trust you with?”

“Except for trusting the Duke, I have no choice but to die for my family. I’m in a position where I can’t escape the Duke’s trust. Thinking about the situation, you will not survive unless you trust me… ”

“…”

“Because the most important thing is, more than anything, I trust you.”

“That’s because I can’t escape your trust, too?”

“Except the option of the Duke killing me, yes. It is true that you have more choices than me. But if we’ve said this much, let’s think about it except for trivial things. Excluding all of my weaknesses and your circumstances, did you see the backstory in the contract?”

Rakiel’s mouth went up sharply.

‘How can that man laugh? It was still unlucky for that man to laugh, but this time’s laugh seemed close to consent, even though it seemed unlucky.’

The man leaned deeper into the sofa and spoke with a drowsy face. “You and I are not in a position to negotiate in the first place.”

“You were staring at me like you were going to kill me if I said a little more, and the Duke needs a simple statement. You’ll just have to be cool. Why are you so impatient…”

“I was trying to compliment you for being so good at pulling yourself out of that disadvantageous position like a negotiation.”

The following words were a compliment and Abigail calmly shut up.

“That’s against me, too.”

The man had the extraordinary arrogance of praising himself while being serious and praising others. So even when she heard compliments, the first thing she felt was unlucky rather than feeling good.

The man immediately uttered his covenant. “Edelgard’s son and Dilloa’s daughter are equally conspirators and risk each other’s lives and do not go against the contract according to their trust. 806th year of the Empire, 46th day of spring.”

“Until the day I die.”

“Yes, until the day I die.” Rakiel, who responded to Abigail’s addition with a smile, slowly rose from his seat.

The story must have been over for now, and Abigail looked at it with a smile on her face because she seemed to be in shape.

Anyway, when that man disappeared, it was calm for several hours. Rakiel said with a straight face again. “You, if you’re laughing so hard thinking about going out and going back to sleep.”

“What do you think I am?!”

‘It would be nice if you were leaving this room’, added Abigail with her eyes. Of course, she was thinking of doing more sleep.

The man smiled as if he were replying with a friendly face. It was ominous to be friendly. “I’m afraid your unproductive lifestyle, which seems to be an addiction to sleep, is prohibited from today. Why? You have a lot to do as you’re breathing from today.”

Act 1, Chapter 2.

The first man who suddenly appeared with a luxurious leather notebook and a fountain pen, which seemed to be worth five dresses at first glance, stood up and looked at Abigail. And until the moment Abigail got out of bed and sat on the sofa, he was just staring at her without saying a word. Abigail met his gaze with an unknown desire to compete, but suddenly realized something and relaxed her eyes. In the first meeting, a person with a high status had to ask first.

Abigail realized again that she had lived far from the aristocracy for several years, and that she had lived quite far away from the court with such detailed manners and the fact that she had a different identity from that smart, noble young man. He seemed to stand there deliberately, as if to remind her of his identity.

Abigail was a little embarrassed and looked at the man. She clearly knew who she was. How ridiculous it is for her to “exercise” her identity. However, she had to adapt from now on even though it was uncomfortable.

Abigail spat out a question to the man with a sigh. “What is it?”

“Kyle Thornton, Your Highness.”

‘No, not your name, but what are you and me doing here right now’, Abigail asked with her eyes.

As if reading those eyes, Kyle spoke with confidence. “My position is the Duke’s First Assistant, I’m a close ally of Lord Edelgard. As one of the few people who knows about the Lady, no, your Highness, along with her Highness the Empress, Duke Edelgard, and Countess Gilde, my main work is to investigate people, back-door operations, staff, schemes, and collect corruption of lords…”

Whether he’s doing his masterwork behind her or in front of her, Abigail wasn’t interested in his name, his job, or everything he did. Anyway, the estimate was enough, and when Abigail frowned at the endlessly pouring self-introductions, Kyle’s unstoppable babbling stopped.

Thinking if she showed too much disgust at the first meeting, Abigail tried hard to smile and asked in a gentle tone. “You don’t have to go around introducing yourself right now. I think I’ll find out by myself. What are you doing?”

“Oh, first of all, we’ve been investigating about you, your Highness.”

“Investigating?”

Whether Abigail’s face stiffened or not, Kyle continued speaking.

“The path after the death of Viscount Dilloa was captured, but before that, even asking around is impossible.”

It was just a childhood, but Kyle’s face was serious and Abigail’s face became serious. ‘Before my father died,’ Abigail bit her lips for a moment. The anxiety that there might be something more that she didn’t know began to gnaw.

“I just spent my childhood as an ordinary rural aristocrat. What’s wrong with my father before he dies?”

“What are your Highness’s specialties and hobbies?”

“…”

“What?”

“…”

“Your Highness?”

Abigail was sorrowed at the question that came back in vain, but soon she managed to raise her hardened mouth to a smiling face.