“Yes, Your Majesty. I shall now take my leave.” he bid her, bowing before he left, and Marianne had finally arrived after her private meeting with the king.
Eugene had immediately asked what happened during the meeting, and Marianne only informed her how he had to leave in haste for an emergency, and thus their meeting was cut short.
At the mention of an accident, worry laced Eugene’s expression.
“I hope it isn’t anything serious,” she told the Baroness, “Otherwise, this peaceful time we are experiencing will soon come to an end.”
“Rest assured, with the active period still ongoing, the king wouldn’t dare leave the palace for long periods of time.” Marianne assured her.
“You mentioned it’s quite far, is it not? Then that would mean it would be difficult to make a second trip today, isn’t it?”
“Yes, Your Majesty, you’re quite right.”
Eugene’s heart went out to the one involved in the accident. But despite her worry about their well-being, she couldn’t help but feel a little relieved as of the moment. Her mind was still reeling with the influx of information. It was very fortunate she wouldn’t be forced to make conversations with the king for now.
Because what new excuse would she use to refuse his advances? How long could she keep it up? If she couldn’t any longer, would she have to force herself to sleep with him just to keep up the ruse that everything was still all right in her world?
Truly, it was a blessing she wouldn’t have to contend with him tonight.
Despite her veteran experience of masking her expressions, Marianne could pick up on her sullen state. Assessing one’s feelings came naturally to the baroness, especially so since the queen was her sole priority nowadays.
But unless Eugene confides in her, Marianne could do nothing else but wait at their side. After all, it was still part of her duty to act according to her superior’s mood.
‘Is it another effect of her memory loss?’ Marianne pondered for a moment. It could be a somewhat delayed effect.
When the queen had lost her memory, Marianne expected it would take some time for her to adapt to her surroundings…
But that wasn’t the case.
In fact, she adapted quicker… suspiciously quickly than Marianne thought was possible for someone who lost their entire memories. And as time went by, the more familiar Marianne had become with her new personality, so much so she forgot the forewarnings of the doctor that treated the queen before…
“But does Her Majesty remember something after the meeting earlier?”
She asked that back then because she had immediately noticed the queen’s dismissive behavior.
My Queen, you hadn’t met with him for long, but did something during the meeting change your mind after all?
Of all the times for the king to leave the palace unattended…
Marianne couldn’t even advise him on how to improve his relationship to the queen.
“Your Majesty, it’s a lovely day outside, shall I arrange for tea by the bridge?” she asked Eugene, trying to change the somber subject instead. She hoped food would be a welcome distraction.
Eugene, who had been lost in her own thoughts, finally looked up, and met the baroness’ gaze. She eventually gave a soft smile upon her suggestion.
She could recognize from a mile away that Marianne, in her own way, was trying to comfort her. True, she doesn’t press or inquire further to whatever was troubling her, and though she might know very little of what goes on in her mind, it greatly touched Eugene that Marianne respected her enough to not demand the answers from her.
YOU ARE READING
(1) Living As the Villainess Queen
General Fiction'I want to travel to a place unknown to the many...' It was a passing wish to the weary and tired Eugene and she'd not think it'd ever come to pass... but it did. She opened her eyes and found she was sent to a novel-like world she wrote in passing...
