Chapter 16 – Shut Up
‘…What’s going on?’
Rosemond’s face hardened when she tasted the food on her tongue. She chewed it several more times to make sure that what she was experiencing was not wrong. The steak did not taste like pork. She put another piece in her mouth with an incredulous look. It still tasted of beef. Her eyebrows furrowed as she judged the situation.
Perhaps she only received the beef steak, and the pork steaks were served to the distinguished guests. However, the women who tasted the steaks looked satisfied.
“Oh, just as Her Majesty said, the steak is delicious. I didn’t know that the beef from the Mavinous Empire could taste so good.”
“I’m glad you enjoy it. Is it to your taste, Duchess Verica?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. Thank you for asking. I haven’t had steak like this in a long time.”
The guests were enjoying their beef steaks, and not a single person in the room turned angry at eating a pork steak. Rosemond’s face whitened at the realization, and Patrizia looked at her with a curious expression on her face.
“Baroness Phelps, what’s wrong? You look pale,” Patrizia said.
“A-ah…I’m not feeling well. I beg your pardon, Your Majesty.” Rosemond’s eyes swiveled in fear.
“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that,” Patrizia said in a generous voice. “Why don’t you go outside and have some air? Come back when you feel better.”
“…Then please excuse me.” Rosemond hid her embarrassment as much as possible, and calmly left the room.
Patrizia watched the concubine leave with a sharp gaze, then turned back to entertaining her guests.
Read the full chapters with no parts missing on WordExcerpt or Crystal Crater’s Patreon.
*
Rosemond stomped her feet in mortification over the disaster.
“What the hell happened?” she roared at Glara, who had accompanied her. “What is going on here? Why did it turn out that way?”
“M-My Lady…I don’t know. I did everything as you ordered. I even saw the pork exchanged with the beef with my own eyes.” Glara was upset as well. She double-checked everything Rosemond ordered her to do up to the last minute. Nothing a single detail was overlooked. But then why…?
Glara looked pleadingly at Rosemond. “I’m so sorry, My Lady. I wouldn’t be careless with your orders. It must be…it must be…”
“Then why did it go wrong, hmmm? Could anyone have exchanged the pork with the beef in that short of time?”
“Yes,” a third voice said, and Rosemond and Clara both stopped talking. They turned towards the sound of the voice, and saw Queen Patricia approaching them with a stone-cold expression on her face.
Rosemond straightened her shoulders. “Why are you out here insteading of entertaining the guests, Your Majesty?”
“I told them I had something to take care of. I won’t be long anyway.”
“Then you can just keep going to do your business,” Rosemond said with a smile. Patrizia smiled back, but then her face contorted furiously.
Smack!
Underneath the full moon, the harsh sound of friction ripped through the darkness. Rosemond stared at the Queen with an incredulous look, her hand wrapped around her abused cheek. Rosemond shivered with anger and glared at Patrizia as if she was going to kill her.
“Y-you—!”
Smack!
Patrizia slapped Rosemond again without a moment’s hesitation.
“You’re out of your mind, Rosemond. It must have happened ever since you became concubine.”
“What? You really—”
Smack!
It was the third blow. Rosemond clenched her teeth as she held her completely red injury, but she refused to let out a single groan of pain.
“Are you that crazy, Rosemond? Well, you did come from a lower family, and I understand that you did not receive a proper home education. But shouldn’t you know to respect the Moon and Sun of the Empire? A ten-year-old child knows that. What does that make you?”
Smack!
Blood started to flow from Rosemond’s cheek and stained Patrizia’s white palm. Patrizia looked carelessly at it, then wiped it on her red dress. She hadn’t planned for this to happen, but the red ending up being suitable for the situation. She adjusted her dress with her other hand.
“You still don’t know your place. It’s serious, Rosemond. You still need education.”
“…”
“I’ll tell you this only once, so listen. I am Lady Patrizia Lyla le Grochester, Empress of the Mavinous Empire, faithful wife of the Emperor who you say you love, and future royal mother of this country.”
“Ha, royal mother…don’t make me laugh…”
“You, on the other hand.”
“…”
“You are Rosemond Mary la Phelps, baroness of the Mavinous Empire, a side woman for my husband, His Majesty the Emperor. At the same time, you are his subject, and mine. Do you understand?”
“I don’t, Your Majesty.”
Patrizia’s swung her palm again, but this time it did not reach its mark. Rosemond’s hand caught Patrizia’s wrist, while her other hand cradled her bleeding cheek.
“I don’t understand, Your Majesty,” Patrizia said with a mocking smile. “I don’t understand the fact that I am your subject, nor that you’re the mother of this empire.”
Patrizia fixed her with a cool stare. “That’s alright, Rosemond. It may be difficult to grasp if you’re stupid. I understand, and don’t worry too much. Those are things you will learn later in life.”
Patrizia pulled her wrist away, and using her other hand, she brushed Rosemond’s wounded cheek. Rosemond batted away Patrizia’s hand, but the queen looked on at her with a smooth expression.
“Even if you don’t want to learn, you will, and you won’t say anything more.”
“You are too confident, Your Majesty. What makes you believe that a queen without an emperor’s love has any power?”
Rosemond’s words were not wrong, but Patrizia hid her anger behind a smile. Rosemond sensed her fury, however, and smiled even wider. What she said was undeniable, even to Queen Patrizia. However, Rosemond’s glee was soon broken by Patrizia’s next words.
“The queen is not the same as a concubine, Rosemond. As I said before, I can gain power without using my body like you. If all the power was concentrated on the Emperor’s favorite mistress, this country would be ruined.”
“…”
“You know that, don’t you?”
It was true. Ruling a country was not an easy job. For a long time, the Mavinous Empire was able to preserve the empire and protect the dynasty because it was not ruled by the emperors’ temptations. There was a limit to where a concubine could intervene. The Mavinous Empire gave the queen equal power to the emperor to prevent such corruption.
It was the way things are. Rosemond understood that better than anyone, and it was why she so desired to become queen. If Lucio died and someone else became emperor, they would likely have little sympathy for her, especially if the current Queen was still alive. The concubine, who once monopolized the love of the emperor, had little protection for herself.
“For you to do this tonight. What an impertinent, disrespectful, vulgar…” Patrizia muttered in an angry voice. She learned of the plot four days before the banquet was to be held. She didn’t realize that carefully monitoring the movements in the Bain Palace would be so helpful. Patrizia immediately ordered Raphaella to uncover more of Rosemond’s conspiracy and inform the chef to store the beef in a secret place.
When Patrizia first learned of Rosemond’s scheme, she was quite shocked. She knew that the concubine would try to bring her down, but she didn’t expect her to plan it so quickly and boldly. At least Patrizia discovered it early, and was able to protect it.
And still, Patrizia blamed her own complacency. She almost walked right into a trap. This wasn’t just about herself, and if something bad had happened, the alliance between the two empires could have been jeopardized. When she realized the seriousness of the consequences, she felt deeply ashamed.
However, as much anger Patrizia felt towards herself, it grew tenfold towards Rosemond.
“The concubines have devised all sorts of ways to gain the emperor’s love, but at least they have not done anything to harm the country. What are you to do such a thing? This could have been an international disaster.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Your Majesty.” Rosemond suddenly changed her posture. She knew that the current situation was not in his favor.
Patrizia burst into laughter, but after she finished her face turned cold. “Don’t think about getting away with it, Rosemond. Were you so desperate to take me down? Enough to make this irrational move? You’re a terrifying one, my dear.”
“If you know that, then just pass over the seat to me, Your Majesty. Then I wouldn’t have reason to touch you.”
“I don’t think so. You know that leaving the throne means death in this country.”
There were no noble term limits in this country, and the only way to leave one’s position was death. In other words, one could be deposed if one committed a sin grave enough to be sentenced to death. Patrizia could never solve this situation cleanly. In a way, it was a pity. She wouldn’t be opposed to accepting the concubine’s offer otherwise.
“Give up, Rosemond. Then at least the Emperor will think of you kindly when you’re dead. That is as much as I can give you—”
“Shut up, Patrizia.”