Chapter 5 - CHAPTER 4. THE QUEENESS COMPETITION BEGINS

What was the topic back then? Maybe…

“I’ll give you all three hours. Let yourself be the subject and express yourself through embroidery.”

It was embroidery. As the subject exactly matched the one from the previous three years, Patrizia almost exhaled out loud. It felt weird, as she was expecting it to a certain extent, but it was amazing how it could be a perfect match. She wondered about what she would work on as she went to her assigned position. She was very good at embroidery, but she did not particularly enjoy it. Even more, she didn’t have to show her talent in this position. Because this was a place that she had come to fail, and not to pass.

Excluding herself, the four Queeness seemed to have decided as they were busy with their needle threading. But Patrizia did not feel that urgent because she did not want to be chosen. She was thinking about what might not be a noticeable thing to do.

“….”

Then she accidentally made eye contact with the Emperor. The Emperor was not someone she would have been able to look straight at, but no one seemed to notice the fact since she was not close to him in distance.

Patrizia looked up at the Emperor who had ordered the deaths of herself and her family with a dazed look. With excellence radiating from his beautiful face, he might have been thinking of his hidden lover Rosemond, as he seemed to give off eyes of intrigue. Patrizia stared at him for some time, then slowly turned her head. Because she passed the judgment of what could be called a meaningless stare. Time continued to pass and she knew she had to have something for her embroidery. She gave a deep sigh internally, and with a careless expression began her stitching.

Three hours later, the maids collected the chutes from the five Queeness. Since the embroidery was done, all that was left was an announcement.

The beginning was in the order of each father’s position, the Duke of Vashi was first, then the Count of Arzeldo, the Marquis of Divar, the Marquis of Grochester, and finally the Marquis of Bringstone.

Lady Vashi chose to embroider a precious flower, the skolor, that bloomed for the shortest period of time in the Marvinus Empire, and Lady Bringstone represented her family with a sword. Lady Divar had the laurels to symbolize victory.

“Lady Grochester, the announcement please.”

And Patrizia was lavender. Asked by the Duchess of Efreni to explain why Patrizia replied with insincerity.

“I want to become someone who brings fragrance to His Majesty like lavender.”

Because the answer was so short and simple compared to the other ladies, the Duchess of Efreni gave her a look that seemed to ask if that was all, but Patrizia looked up wistfully, nodding her confirmation. The Duchess of Efreni, with a tremulous look, returned to her duties and requested an explanation from Lady Arzeldo.

During that time, Patrizia spaced out. There was no particular reason why she chose lavender. No decent subject came to mind, and then she recalled the lavender-scented perfume that Petronilla was always sprinkling on.

She always put on that perfume, so Patrizia always remembered Petronilla when she saw lavender. It would become difficult if she showed too much sincerity anyway. She thought she had behaved well.

The Emperor did not know what Petronilla had gone through. So he wouldn’t even know the meaning of the lavender she had embroidered. Even the fact that it was Petronilla’s favorite flower.

And then she remembered that there was a great variety of meanings from lavender. Fidelity, hope, silence, abundant scent, please respond to me, etc… Patrizia laughed wryly as these words matched the end of her sister perfectly. To the end, her sister did not let go of her fidelity and hope towards the Emperor’s spirit. Her sister who wanted her Husband’s answer and scent.

“You worked hard. The Queeness may all return.”

Patrizia turned towards the door at the Duchess of Efreni’s words and thought, ‘she wouldn’t.’ Even if she, unfortunately, became the Empress, she would not keep her fidelity to the Emperor and hold on to hope as her sister did. She would do so even if this meant this would end as a comedy.

“Lizzy.”

Patrizia stopped walking at the familiar voice. She smiled brightly as she turned around to see a smile reflecting hers on the woman’s face. Patrizia called out the woman’s name.

“Rafaela.”

“The flowers were pretty? Your embroidery skills didn’t go anywhere.”

Showing a bright smile as she walked closer, this woman was the Marquis of Bringston’s Lady Rafaela. As a wallflower in society, this was the only person she could confide her deep thoughts with. Although she was exactly one year older than herself, this was not a particular feat due to Rafaella’s desire to be friends.

“You too Ella. The sword was cool. El Dorado right?”

El Dorado was the name of Rafaella’s sword. Rafaella laughed.

“Good eye. I think they all must have figured it out. By the way, it’s surprising that you came instead of Nilla? You were the one who hated the mere mention of royalty.”

Indeed. Patrizia laughed wryly. It was better to gloss things over in this case.

“You’re right.”

“But why?”

“Just…I thought it would be better than sending her.”

At Patrizia’s words, Rafaella seemed to agree and laughed quietly. Patrizia was right. Patrizia was better suited to this position than Petronilla. Regardless of whether she didn’t like this kind of position. She didn’t like this, and she didn’t care about the Empress’s position, but she had no choice. She was 20 years old and was the daughter of the Marquis of Bringston.

“I want to fail. That’s why I deliberately put a sword. In fact, it was even stitched horribly, but anyways, His Majesty has to plan to have a woman as a wife that wants to handle a sword.”

“…”

Actually, it wasn’t important whether a Queeness held a sword or not. What was important was that the Emperor already had someone in mind. But this was impossible to share and so Patrizia merely laughed and played along.

“I, too. I just want to get back home after this week has passed.”

“Lizzy, you and I have every chance.”

After Rafaella said that, in an excited tone she asked further.

“If you become the Empress, shall I become your knight? That would be fun, too.”

“….”

Again, Patrizia laughed without answering. Actually, Raffaella had followed Petronilla when she became Empress and entered the palace as her knight. She was very loyal and at the same time was the only one holding Petronilla together, but the ending was not good. One day, when an assassin broke into the palace of the Empress, she died trying to save Petronilla.

Patrizia, who remembered what happened then, bit onto her lips without realizing it. Rafaella saw this and slowly lifted her hand towards her lips.

“Ah…”

“Don’t bite your lips, Lizzy. It’ll hurt.”

She was the same as she had been in her previous life, laughing while worrying over her. She did not change. As the Emperor’s love for Rosemond did not change, the fact that she was her true friend also did not change. Patrizia laughed at her worries and barely opened her lips to say a word, “I hate Ella getting hurt.”

“A soldier is always going to get hurt, Lizzy. If I became your knight, it wouldn’t be bad to die defending you.”

“Ella!”

Patrizia screamed in a way unlike herself, and Rafaella laughed brightly while saying lightly, “It’s a joke, Lizzy. You don’t believe in my skills?”

“Don’t say such things. Should someone who will be the master of the Marquis of Bringstone say that?”

Patrizia’s face grew slightly pale in memory of her previous life, and Rafaella noticed, so she smiled mischievously and hugged her breathlessly.

“I said it’s a joke. I can’t say anything in front of you.”

Rafaella roughly ruffled Patrizia’s teal-colored hair and laughed as if she were talking about something private.

“Now, go to my room and have a cup of tea. My maid really makes a good tea.”

Four days later, the second contest began. In the same mood as on the first day, Patrizia arrived at the competition spot. Whether she failed or passed, realizing it didn’t matter, she had naturally become more at peace.

“This is the second topic.”

The Duke of Witherford presented the second subject. At that moment Patrizia once again remembered her previous life. What was the second theme? Oh, that’s right. It was some kind of problem. Three hours were given to answer the problem in any way. That problem’s answer in her memory was blurry, but it didn’t matter. She had no desire to guess correctly.

“The Marvinus Empire’s first Emperor asked the first Empress this question. When it comes it is like sheep, and when you come into contact it is like a hawk, and when you pass it is like stone, guess what this is. The time given is three hours in total. Find out the correct answer to the problem during that time. It doesn’t matter what method you use. Questions and entries are also allowed in the Imperial Library.”

Since she had entered as a Queeness, it wouldn’t do to show a lack of sincerity as she would be gossiped about instantly. She had to show at least some sincerity. Patrizia wondered where she would pass the time, and decided to head to the library. The Imperial Library was a place where the entrance was limited and was not often visited.

As she entered the quiet library, Patrizia met a woman that seemed to be the librarian. She quickly glimpsed at Patrizia’s white dress and then turned her head away.

The only person who had come to the library was herself, and the interior was fairly quiet, to the point of looking deserted. Patrizia contemplated what to read before heading over to the history section.

Her eyes focused on a book that was at the top. Even though she wasn’t on the short side, because it was located in such a high location that she had to reach on her tiptoes. Even then, there was no point. Her long fingers, that repeatedly seemed to almost touch, finally clutched onto the book.

“Ah!”

The problem was that all the books that were next to the one she wanted fell down together. Several books landed on the floor with loud thuds. Patrizia clutched her chest hard worrying someone would punish her, but luckily nothing happened. Maybe it was because the section she was in was far from where the librarian was.

She bent her knees and picked up the books, and as she was about to stand on the spot, someone pushed forward a book. She opened her mouth reflectively and displayed gratitude.

“Ah, thank you.”

As Patrizia slowly lifted her head as she took the last book, her face couldn’t help but harden.