Please Answer Me - Chapter 133

“What are you saying!”

“The daughter of this household’s master. It seemed to me that she had deep feelings for you already, Riga.”

“She’s still young and doesn’t even know what love is. She was just speaking childishly for a moment.”

“Isn’t Rigaina also turning twenty this year? From what I’ve seen, you don’t treat Rigaina like a naïve child who doesn’t understand love.”

Mark, having downed another drink, looked at him with narrowed eyes. “Be honest with me. What really happened?”

“Nothing happened. I did send her away last time when she came into my room uninvited.”

“What? That young lady actually entered your room?”

Rashid sighed and rubbed his forehead. The audacious girl who had been following him around since he first came here had finally snuck into his room last time. He couldn’t bring himself to offend Hark’s daughter, so he politely sent her away. This was the result.

“So, in the end, you gave her some hope. Poor girl, she has no idea that your wife is none other than Princess Lysa.”

At this point, Rashid began to regret letting Mark into his room.

“Seems like you’re getting drunk. Maybe it’s time you head back?”

“No, I’m not drunk at all!”

“In that case, you should hurry up and get drunk.”

Rashid kept refilling Mark’s glass every time he emptied it. His plan was to finish the bottle as quickly as possible and send Mark out.

Mark tilted his head back and laughed heartily. “If I keep drinking like this, I’ll get sick. Take it easy! What’s the rush?”

Finally, they reached the bottom of the wine bottle. Rashid immediately handed the empty bottle and glass to Mark and shoved him out of the room.

With a red nose and a flushed face, Mark bowed deeply. “Then sleep well. Everything will work out with Rigaina, so don’t worry too much.”

Then he gave Rashid a sly smile. “And when you see Rigaina later, I’ll make sure to keep today’s events a secret. My lips are sealed…”

Rashid slammed the door shut in Mark’s face and thought to himself that it was indeed better not to drink.

***

By the afternoon, the queen felt a sharp headache coming on. Frowning slightly at the unfamiliar pain, she instructed the maid beside her.

“Postpone the remaining schedule for the afternoon until tomorrow. I need to rest today.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“And bring me some tea. The usual kind.”

“Yes.”

Before long, a teacup was placed in front of her. As she sipped the warm tea to soothe her headache, she suddenly realized the cause of her discomfort.

Recently, the queen had been paying close attention to Rosetta. More precisely, ever since the dinner a few days ago, the queen had been watching her daughter carefully.

Rosetta’s sensitive reaction to the smell of fish at that dinner had been bothering her. Though it was too soon to make any conclusions based on just one incident, the queen’s maternal instincts, honed through three pregnancies, strongly suggested that it might not have been an isolated occurrence.

Lost in thought, the queen summoned the maid again. “Go and bring me Rosetta’s nanny.”

Shortly after, the nanny knelt before the queen.

“I called you because I have something to ask.”

“Please ask, Your Majesty.”

“Has Iselle been visiting Rosetta’s room at night?”

If Rosetta was indeed experiencing morning sickness, the likely father was Iselle. Given Iselle’s usual temperament, this would be surprising, as he was not one to rush into things. He had always treated Rosetta with the utmost care.

However, since Iselle was the only man around Rosetta, the queen couldn’t help but think in that direction.

“N-no, Your Majesty. Lord Iselle only visits Princess Rosetta during the day.”

The queen pretended to comfort her. “I’m not accusing you or Rosetta. You can be honest with me. They are soon to be married, so it wouldn’t be an issue if they conceived a child early.”

If Rosetta had unexpectedly conceived, the queen would make sure to congratulate her and ensure she received proper care. At such a young age, Rosetta would likely be feeling frightened. The queen herself had carried Tanit before her marriage and had been consumed with anxiety, fearing that the news would get out. She didn’t want Rosetta to endure the same worries.

“…No, Your Majesty. Truly, nothing has happened between Princess Rosetta and Lord Iselle. I swear it.”

The nanny bowed her head deeply as she spoke. The queen didn’t think she was lying.

The queen had personally chosen this woman from her own family to care for Rosetta. At the time, Rosetta had barely survived a life-threatening ordeal and had lost her memory. The queen needed someone who would nurture her daughter with genuine affection rather than the shrewd and calculating manner of palace maids. It had been the right choice. Under the nanny’s care, Rosetta quickly recovered her former brightness, becoming a sweet child who seemed entirely untouched by past traumas.

When it came to matters concerning Rosetta, the queen knew she could trust the nanny. Moreover, lying to royalty was tantamount to courting death, and the nanny was well aware of that. Since the queen had already reassured her, there was no reason to hide anything.

“Is that so? Perhaps I was being overly sensitive…”

Just as the queen was about to dismiss her doubts, she noticed the nanny’s fingers trembling slightly on the floor, a sign that spread to her shoulders. The queen’s expression hardened. Only then did she consider other possibilities.

“…Very well. You may go.”

The nanny visibly sighed in relief as she left the room.

After the nanny left, the queen fell into deep thought. By the time her tea had grown cold, she had made up her mind. She called for the maid again and issued an order.

“Send someone to investigate the retreat where Rosetta traveled recently and gather some information.”

***

As she headed to the audience chamber, Rosetta’s thoughts were in turmoil.

Just a while ago, her mother had suddenly summoned the nanny. Both Rosetta and the nanny had been taken aback by the unexpected call, but as it was the queen’s order, Rosetta had no choice but to send the nanny away. Now, Rosetta was on her way to meet with merchants, accompanied by Allen, without the nanny.

“Why do you think Her Majesty suddenly called for the nanny? Could she have noticed something…?” Allen, who was walking beside her, whispered nervously.

Allen had no idea about the possibility of Rosetta being pregnant. His concerns were focused on the various things that had happened to Rosetta in Arden.

“Perhaps she simply wanted to ask about me, as she sometimes does. Let’s not jump to conclusions.”

“I really hope that’s all it is,” Allen mumbled, hoping fervently that his fears were unfounded.

Rosetta shared his sentiment. If her mother had discovered the truth, Rosetta couldn’t begin to imagine what might happen. Though her mother loved her dearly, it was impossible to predict what choices she might make as a queen.

Soon, they arrived at the entrance to the audience chamber.

“Her Royal Highness Princess Rosetta is entering!”

At the guard’s announcement, the large doors to the chamber opened. Inside, numerous merchants were already waiting. Rosetta walked past them, heading straight toward a long bench on a raised platform, away from the merchants. Once she was seated, the maids covered her with a thin cloth and arranged some light refreshments before her.

Rosetta raised her hand and waved lightly. “Let’s begin.”

The maids promptly displayed the prepared items before her, and Rosetta selected the ones she liked. Occasionally, she asked the merchants questions, but this was rare. Rosetta’s primary concern was to finish the task quickly so she could find out why her mother had called for the nanny. She made her decisions without much hesitation.

“I’ll take this and that.”

The items Rosetta selected were set aside, while the others were taken back by the merchants. Most of the important jewelry for the wedding had already been chosen, so today she was just picking out additional items, which didn’t take much time.

“Next, we will show you the silks. Please wait a moment.”

While the maids arranged the new items, Rosetta sipped her tea and considered her mother’s potential suspicions. It seemed likely that her mother had noticed her reaction to the fish at dinner and was now wondering if it was due to morning sickness. Though the nanny would never reveal the truth, it would be difficult for her to hide her emotions entirely. This could put the nanny in a difficult position.

Rosetta hadn’t yet told Iselle about the pregnancy. She planned to inform him once she was certain. Although she expected Iselle would ultimately accept the child, she still felt it was wrong to deceive him like this. Moreover, she couldn’t predict what thoughts might be lurking in his mind.

She was utterly lost. What did this marriage mean for them? Would it bring happiness to anyone, or was it doomed to be a source of misery?

And then there was Rashid. It pained her deeply to think that he might live his entire life without ever knowing about his child…

Lost in these thoughts, she was startled by the maid’s voice.

“Princess, the silks are ready for you to choose from.”

“Oh, right.”

Rosetta straightened her posture and turned her attention to the fabrics before her. Thanks to her experience dyeing cloth with the Quat tribe, she had developed a better eye for textiles. Unlike the jewelry, which she selected with a casual glance, Rosetta took her time examining each piece of silk, touching them and considering them carefully.

As she was doing so, she caught a familiar scent.