CH 25

“Why…?”

Adriana mumbled with a pale face.

“I guess he didn’t see it. The match is keeping him busy, and men are indifferent to begin with.”

Ophelia offered sympathetic comfort.

“Did he really not see it?”

It was Jane who added a sarcastic remark.

Frankly, Millicent agreed with Jane.

Did Frederick really not see the handkerchief?

Of course he did. Stepping on Adriana’s handkerchief was clearly intentional.

Frederick had noticed the silk handkerchief fluttering from his chest like a butterfly. He could see it when he lifted his helmet. He even saw his servants run to pick it up.

He stepped on it nonetheless. Smiling brightly like someone born to be loved.

“I don’t see why His Majesty would deliberately  ignore Lady Adriana’s sincerity.”

Elizabeth rubbed her rosary, gently retorting.

“…… well, His Majesty’s actions always mean something.”

Jadalin, who had been listening silently, wedged gloomily.

“I don’t know what that meant to Lady Adriana…” She smiled. It was definitely a taunt.

“I’m going to go get a little fresh air.

Adriana stood up, kicking her seat as if it were unbearable. She bowed reluctantly to the queen, bending at the knees, and walked briskly, forgetting her pretense of a limp.

“Poor Adriana.”

Jane murmured in an utterly pitiful tone.

“She was so elated that she almost had His Majesty captivated.”

“But, you know, His Majesty has been really exceptionally hospitable to Lady Adriana.”

Ophelia said.

“Why did he ask for her handkerchief first and then change his mind today?”

“His Majesty’s heart must be a riddle that you will never be able to solve.”

Jadalin snorted.

“Because sometimes my husband is like a pesky puzzle to me as well.”

But she didn’t dwell on it for long. Just like Frederick, who said he didn’t care much about why Jadalin had fallen from her throne, she didn’t seem eager to pay much attention to her husband’s whims, which was only his façade.

“Bring me some wine, Millicent.”

Jadalin shook her empty glass.

“Please, something cool this time.”

“…Millicent!”

Before Millicent could respond to the order, however, Mrs. Galbraith suddenly interrupted.

“I am sorry, my queen, but I must take Millicent with me.”

“Is something wrong?”

“Lord Warwick is bleeding. The royal physician is busy taking care of the other knights. And this maid knows how to treat wounds.”

“Oh, we must hurry before the Duke of Langlewood flies into the royal palace claiming his precious son is injured.”

For some reason Jadalin looked disgusted.

“I will go with this maid instead of Mrs. Galbraith, Your Majesty the Queen!”

It was Ophelia who suddenly came out among the attendants who were listening attentively. The way she volunteered so strongly was surprising.

Ophelia Thiel, daughter of the Marquis of Cadwall. She looked masculine with her squared jaws, giving off a very elegant air. She also had the compassion that diminished the ego characteristic of spoiled upbringing.

Well, this is only when compared to the queen’s other ladies-in-waiting.

“I will take care of Lord Warwick so that the Duke of Langlewood will have no room to worry.”

“Are you acquainted with Lord Warwick?”

Jadalin raised an eyebrow at Ophelia’s over-eager attitude.

“I am familiar with him.”

Ophelia avoided the queen’s pursuing gaze. Jaydalin looked at her with a calculating expression, then nodded her permission.

Thanks to this, Millicent went to see an injured man with an unexpected companion. Indeed, she saw a man sitting in the shade of a tree, stroking his broken wound, at the place Mrs. Galbraith had told her about.

“No, it’s not like I’m making a big fuss all the way to the queen, but why…?”

He panicked when he recognized Ophelia, the queen’s lady-in-waiting, who had appeared on Mrs. Galbraith’s behalf.

No, it was a little too subtle to call him a man. He was old enough to be a boy, but too young to be a young man. He belonged to the vague middle ground between the two.

Come to think of it, that certain Sir was the knight who had been defeated by Frederick in a match earlier.

the article that Frederick had lost to him in the match earlier.

Millicent noticed his brusque bright red hair. He was the assistant who served Rubert Mulally in the Cardinal’s office. He was the son of a certain duke who had made his social debut quite recently and was allowed to enter the court.

“The benevolent queen is worried, Lord Warwick.”

Ophelia said.

At that moment, Millicent was startled to hear his name correctly this time. The name Warwick was a family she was familiar with.

“I am also very worried about you, so I volunteered to come.”

“I am truly honored, Lady Ophelia.”

His red hair seemed as innocent as her face. He looked terribly impressed and kissed the back of Ophelia’s hand. His innocence was evident.

No matter that the two of them were in a good mood, Millicent put herbs on his torn arm. The surprise attack made the redhead jump in surprise.

“Be gentle, please!”

“How can a brave knight be scared of such a little thing?”

Millicent thought for a knight he made such a big deal about little things.

“A brave knight? Didn’t you see me compete earlier? I was defeated in one blow by His Majesty the King.”

The redhead scratched the back of his head in embarrassment.

“You must have had bad luck today.” Millicent replied appropriately.

“Didn’t everyone laugh at me?” He was irritated. “If my lance had touched His Majesty’s armor, it wouldn’t have been so ridiculous.”

“Everyone was busy watching His Majesty, so they wouldn’t have cared enough to laugh at you.”

The redhead tilted his head at Millicent’s matter-of-fact reply.

“I’m very confused whether it’s a kind consolation or a rude ridicule.”

“You’re a servant girl! You should address Lord Warwick politely.” Ophelia raised her voice.

“It’s alright. If you think about it…” The redhead waved his hand.

“You must be that maid who His Highness the Cardinal said he took care of you when you were homeless.”

After all this time he stared at Millicent’s face.

“Sometimes, Cardinal Mulally can be very harsh…”

Millicent was thrilled.

“I always get nervous when I’m in front of His Highness the Cardinal.”

Opilia raised an eyebrow, but the redhead seemed to think it was just a funny episode.

“What’s your name again?”

“Millicent.”

The redhead nodded.

“My name is Clayton Warwick.”

The expression on his face, accompanied by a sudden statement, looked naive again.

However, he was a person not to be underestimated. Warwick would be the most prestigious family in the Holy Kingdom of Kintland.

In particular, the head of the family, John Warwick, owned the tremendously large fiefdom of Langlewood, located on the northeast side of the kingdom. It had traditionally existed as an independent principality without central interference. In a word, it meant good land for lordship.

The Duke of Langlewood once supported Frederick II. Perhaps the intention was to check the other nobles from banding together.

This turned out to be an outstanding decision now that Frederick III had ascended to the throne. This was because it bought favor with the king, who emerged as an absolute monarch.

“You are the son of the Duke of Langlewood.”

Millicent was now impressed in many ways.

Even though the young knight was in a humble position to learn the royal court and social circles for the time being, it seemed unusual for Rubert to have a son from a prestigious family to work with him.

Even though Rubert was the second son of a butcher, he had risen to truly incredible heights.

“Well, yes.” Clayton looked embarrassed.

“The bleeding has stopped.”

He awkwardly changed the subject.

“It stings much less than it did earlier.”

“It’s a potion made from a mixture of cucumber grass and lavender in season.”

Millicent applied it and handed him the rest of the potion.

“You can reapply later.”

“Thank you.”

Clayton smiled and extended his hand.

“You’re really good at what you do, aren’t you?”

So far, only two men had ever expressed appreciation for a mere maid. Both of them, however, had a slightly different atmosphere.

There was a strong sense that there was something hidden behind Frederick’s goodwill. Here, however, there was really nothing but genuineness in Clayton’s appreciation.

It was like looking at a newborn calf. Millicent didn’t dislike it. Perhaps it was because he was the son of John Warwick, Duke of Langlewood.

Many years had passed… for in Millicent’s mind, the favor she once received from the Duke of Langlewood in the past remained vivid.

“Why are you staring at me so intently?” He tilted his head at Millicent’s gaze.

“I thought the red hair looked good on you.” She moderated the truth that she couldn’t confide in.

“You, you too, have beautiful blue eyes like jewels in the sky…”

“The sky…?”

Clayton seemed unaccustomed to the courtly way of speaking, praising one another with  their tongues dipped in honey. He was flustered, unable to even get a simple metaphor right.

“Give those compliments to the ladies and get the medicine.”

Millicent snickered.

Their fingertips touched when she handed it over.It was a natural contact. Still, Clayton jumped strangely.

“Oh, oh, much better than before!”

“You already told me that.”

“Well, yes…”

Millicent stared at him, not knowing why he was suddenly so restless.

However, that stare seemed to be rather more of a problem. Clayton’s face had already turned so red that was enough to cook an egg.

It was one more incomprehensible sight for Millicent.

Ophelia, who was watching the flustered Clayton, turned pale as a corpse at her low objection. Her dark brown eyes flickered back and forth between Clayton and Millicent.

“I’m glad you’re feeling better, Lord Warwick.”

Ophelia said, as if trying to get his attention.

“Ah, yes. Tell the queen thank you—no, I must go and tell her in person.”

Clayton’s speech was still slurred.

“Now, if you’ll excuse me. The kitchen is busy.”

Whatever it was, Millicent was annoyed and she excused herself and stood up.

“Wait a minute, Millicent! Um…huh?”

Clayton, who jumped to his feet in a flash, suddenly stopped.

“…Why is His Majesty the King looking at us?”

He murmured.

Frederick, visible from across the stadium, was resting as he waited for the finals to follow. Glitter sparkled from his helmet as he took it off and drank the water the servant passed to him.

And Clayton was right. Frederick’s gaze was fixed on them.

“Is he looking at me?”

Clayton hesitantly pretended to bow.

“No, is he looking at you?”

He turned his gaze to Millicent in the distance. With this, Ophelia looked at Millicent as well. Each of their gazes was filled with somber thoughts.

They were all full of complex emotions that Millicent could never understand.

“Well, I’ll leave you to it. The kitchen is busy.”

She immediately chose the easy and comfortable way out. Millicent, who was now twice as much annoyed as before, started running and shaking the medicine box so that no one would hold her back.