CH 29.1

Reina and Sid arrived a little before Iveca was ready, so she asked them politely to wait for her. In her haste, Iveca carefully but noticeably packed a dagger inside the Judicial Affair Bureau uniform, which Reina spotted immediately. Iveca smiled, though through embarrassment.

“It’s not that I don’t trust you two… It’s just nice to have something like this. Call it assurance.”

“Yes, of course.” Reina replied coolly. She remembered that Iveca couldn’t throw this dagger when she was ambushed; when she tried to take it out, she got a knife right in her back for her effort. She recalled the situation for a moment, before noticing Iveca clearly had something she wanted to say.

“Oh, Reina, I was meaning to speak with you about something. There was a really strange happening during the ambush.”

“Yes?”

“After I was stabbed, someone grabbed me and supported me, but my vision was very blurry. Obviously, she looked unfamiliar, and her hair was pink… and I called your name without realizing it.”

Reina said nothing, so Iveca continued.

“She was as tall as you, and her eyes shone green. Do you know any investigation officer like that? Come to think of it, it’s like she saved me, but I couldn’t even say hello, given my condition.”

“There are many people in the Bureau of Investigation, you know,” Reina smiled and waved her hands, “I can’t memorize everyone. It’s not like there are just one or two people.”

As soon as Iveca tried to say something with her eyes sunken, the maid suddenly announced that they had a visitor. A guest this early in the morning? Iveca thought, opening her eyes in surprise. She told them to come in blankly. She swallowed her dry saliva as she was nervous at the unexpected visit. When the maid returned, she was flanked by two men.

“My Queen, I’m sorry for our visit being so early in the morning.”

Ewill Esselburn and Anriq Renka stood shoulder to shoulder in front of her. Iveca sighed and guided them to her table with trembling hands, and had her maid unload the tray. Ewill sat in front of her with a hardened face and coughed uncomfortably.

“If you can tell the Bureau of Investigation officers to go…”

“Not a chance, Count Esselburn.”

It was Sid who answered his words. His tone was so determined that Ewill didn’t push the issue further. Iveca looked back and forth at Sid and Ewill, then blinked her eyes and spoke.

“After the attack, I am not to be by myself.”

“I heard that the motive has been revealed. The Baron…”

“The Baron said it had nothing to do with the first attack.”

“Hardly.” Ewill sighed. “Now the Queen has made so many enemies that it is impossible to even track down who is behind it. At yesterday’s meeting, the talk about representation of the common people came out. My Queen, how far are you trying to go?”

Iveca circled the teacup lip with her finger without saying anything. Ewill looked for her twice and confronted her twice as if he was scolding her. After a moment of hesitation, she spoke up.

“It’s an inevitable trend. No matter how much you close your eyes, time goes by. Do you think Amethan will be safe facing the Republicanism that swept the continent?”

“Maybe it’s time for a change. But why should it be under the Esselburn name?” Ewill rolled his eyes and looked at her. “From a distance, it might be the right thing to do. We also know that this decision will receive great praise in future generations. But why do I have to sacrifice the name of Esselburn?”

Iveca lowered her eyes. It was Anriq who broke the silence.

“I’ve told you several times to stop, My Queen.”

Iveca stared at him. He used an honorific with her very rarely, and she knew that this time it was to make a point. She would not be fazed by it.

“Your Highness is using the Queen’s background to push his thoughts forward. Otherwise, why would you insist on presenting a ball in the name of the Queen? Surely that wasn’t your intention?”

Even Sid raised an eyebrow at the harsh remarks. It was ridiculous for a guard to openly discuss the King’s intentions. Reina and Sid exchanged glances, and Iveca lifted her eyes and looked straight at them, a new fire burning.

“I created it. Of course my name should be on it.”

“My Queen…” Anriq started, but Iveca cut him off.

“Why can’t I put my own name while I’ve been thinking about it every day, discussing it with legal staff, and referring to every single word? It’s the right thing to look at from afar, and the future generations might praise it, but why do you keep saying that my name is the actual problem?”

Reina opened her mouth slightly to Iveca’s sharp voice, which she had never heard since coming to the palace.

“It’s something that I can do better than His Highness,” Iveca continued, “to the extent that His Highness asked me directly.”

While her face seemed determined, like it would never yield, she could even hear her own resignation as if she had strangely let herself go. It was Anriq, not Ewil, who met her changed eyes.

“Because it’s dangerous. I understand your desire to follow the will, but if you ever considered the incongruity of his attitude towards the Queen…”