Chapter 3

On the evening of the formal banquet, the dining room welcomed no more than fifty esteemed guests. Among them were powerful nobles of the empire, individuals whose influence resonated throughout its territories. To earn a seat at the table alongside the king and queen required not just noble status but also a distinguished title, with stringent selection criteria ensuring only the most prominent figures received invitations. Their faces were familiar to palace denizens, owing to their frequent visits.

Yet, their minds were hardly focused on the feast before them.

Observing the Knight Commander, the nobles couldn’t help but marvel at his refined demeanor, which seemed incongruous with his savage reputation. Despite enduring the rigors of warfare, he appeared more distinguished than ever, his youthfulness adding to their allure.

All eyes inevitably gravitated towards a man seated with stoic composure, his expression betraying no hint of boredom. Admiration for his strength and beauty transcended gender boundaries. Despite humble beginnings, his remarkable achievements had propelled him to the forefront of society. Even the most arrogant nobles couldn’t ignore his wealth, fame, and overwhelming support from the masses.

While the usual gossip about the queen typically monopolized conversation, the presence of the young war hero diverted attention, allowing Lelusha to maintain her position with ease.

Despite the dining room’s opulent decor adorned with masterpieces by renowned artists, all eyes were captivated by a man whose visage rivaled any artwork. Only Lelusha spared a glance at the empty seat beside her.

Her husband’s tardiness went unnoticed until he sauntered in with an unapologetic air. None dared confront him as he casually strolled around, audibly criticizing the apparent extravagance of the setting without bothering to lower his voice.

Lelusha refrained from mentioning that she had allocated just 70% of the usual budget for the evening’s dinner. To do so would invite mockery, insinuating she lacked the acumen to spend money wisely.

“Dine,” Jocelyn’s curt command signaled the start of the meal, which initially proceeded without incident. However, chaos erupted abruptly as Jocelyn choked, spewing blood and collapsing. It was then that Lelusha sensed something was gravely amiss.

“Your Majesty!” Panic engulfed the room as Jocelyn was swiftly attended to by the royal physician and moved to the bedroom. Meanwhile, armed knights stormed into the dining room, sealing off the exits.

The only one maintaining an air of nonchalance amidst the chaos was Matthias, calmly dabbing his hands with a handkerchief. Whether he had foreseen the event or simply remained indifferent to Jocelyn’s plight, he appeared unruffled, steadying the faltering Lelusha until assistance arrived.

Lelusha gazed vacantly into the knight’s impassive countenance as he gripped her arm firmly.

The dinner preparations had been meticulously overseen by Lelusha herself. Just thirty minutes prior to the banquet, Jocelyn’s sudden illness, marked by vomiting blood and collapse, confounded all present. Every utensil had been thoroughly inspected, leaving no room for oversight, including the food.

Impossible.

Each attendee had been carefully selected by Lelusha; over half were royalty, and the nobles present had played pivotal roles in Jocelyn’s ascent to the throne. The likelihood of regicide against the fledgling king, who had only reigned for two years, at a royal banquet seemed exceedingly slim.

Thus, the situation was baffling. In an environment devoid of hostility or opportunity for poison, an attempt on Jocelyn’s life had occurred.

“We’ve apprehended the culprit!”

The culprit was swiftly brought forth, bound by guards. A young servant girl, barely of age, trembled in fear, her pallid face betraying her lack of audacity for such an act against the king.

“Are we certain about this girl?” Lelusha’s voice cut through the tension, prompting the guards who had escorted the girl to nod in affirmation.

“There were eyewitness accounts from the servants, claiming they saw her tampering with the utensils. Furthermore, she confessed to her actions,” one of the guards explained.

“…Confessed?” Lelusha couldn’t fathom that this young servant could act alone in such a heinous deed. She appeared too young, scarcely more than an apprentice.

“Who coerced you into attempting regicide against His Majesty the King?” The soldiers demanded.

As the girl trembled, she lifted her head, locking eyes with Lelusha. At that moment, an unsettling sensation gripped her, sending shivers down her spine.

The girl hesitated, her lips quivering before she tightly shut her eyes and pointed a trembling finger.

“…It was the Queen who ordered me to do it!”

Realization dawned upon Lelusha, confirming her worst fears. She had fallen into a trap.

***

Confined within the confines of the secluded Queen’s palace, Lelusha pondered her circumstances. The signs had been evident, signaling the inevitable outcome. It commenced with Jocelyn’s brazen appearance alongside another woman on the official platform.

Though she had sensed his affection waning since his coronation, he had adeptly maintained a facade, carefully delineating between public and private matters. Despite any private indiscretions, he had meticulously avoided public scrutiny, ensuring rumors of infidelity never gained traction. So why had he so carelessly paraded his mistress in the public square?

Not only had he failed to conceal his indiscretion, but he had also publicly unveiled the presence of a mistress. What could this possibly mean?

She knew it was only a matter of time before her reign came to an end. She had anticipated it thoroughly, yet even with full awareness, she was at a loss for words.

Her abdication seemed inevitable—a natural progression. Her position had relied solely on the king’s affection, which had waned considerably since the early days of his reign. Two years on such precarious ground had stretched far longer than she had expected.

It was time to relinquish her throne. There was nothing inherently surprising about it. It was just the manner in which it was unfolding that left her bewildered.

Poison was found in the king’s utensils, and the young servant insists it was all orchestrated by the Queen.

She’s merely a kitchen maid we recently hired, barely a month into her service.

So, she arrived after the dinner preparations began.

There was little doubt that it was a scheme concocted to frame the Queen, whether by Jocelyn himself or his mistress, Princess Odette. With the likelihood of any investigation being slim, there seemed little point in probing further.

A modest wife harboring resentment towards her husband and plotting his poisoning… It’s a motive that’s easy enough for anyone to understand.

Lelusha had steeled herself to accept the outcome with humility. If she were to be dethroned, she wasn’t certain where she would go, but the prospect brought a sense of relief. She preferred a quiet existence to desperately seeking affection from a man she once loved.

So, she waited in silence for a week. When Jocelyn finally awoke and news circulated that the poisoning incident had been resolved, there was no surprise that no investigation had taken place. She hadn’t faced interrogation even once during her confinement.

While she remained trapped within the palace, outside, the Queen had already been cast as the prime suspect in the attempted regicide against the King. The atmosphere was tense, with fears that it wouldn’t end with just abdication.

Falsely accused and unable to defend herself, with no allies to turn to within the palace, Lelusha felt a profound sense of loneliness. She realized how pathetic her life had become, devoted solely to one man who now saw her as an enemy.

As she grappled with the realization that she may have lived her life amiss, an unwelcome visitor arrived in the dead of night, disrupting the slumber of the palace.

“Oh, apologies for disturbing your beauty rest,” the intruder quipped, accompanied by Princess Odette, dressed casually, and Matthias, clad in his warrior’s garb.

“Apologies for the late hour, but urgent matters compel my presence,” Jocelyn continued, prompting only silence from Lelusha.

“As the lady is wise, explanations seem unnecessary,” he added.

With poise, Lelusha interlocked her fingers and stood tall, meeting Jocelyn’s gaze directly. “Are you suggesting I should relinquish my position?” she inquired.

“Do you truly believe I desire merely that? Stripping you of your title would be a trifling matter,” Jocelyn remarked, settling into a seat. Princess Odette followed suit, while Matthias remained vigilant by the door.

Gazing down at Lelusha, Jocelyn issued a chilling command.

“You will die here, my lady.”