TSMT 76

Chapter 76

A Place Where the Stars Are Clearly Seen

From her previous life, Diana couldn’t remember anything clearly after her wedding night. She only recalled falling into grief, crying all day long, and not even eating properly.

She spent her time as if she were out of her mind. Days and nights passed several times; Mirva came in, and Lady Riviang stayed by her side. Trying to live those days with full awareness now felt strange.

Following Giscarr’s command to “come along,” they walked through the corridor. The royal palace of Rodbrok, once so familiar, no longer felt like a nightmare. Glancing at it indifferently, Diana happened to meet Giscarr’s eyes.

“You should at least know the layout of the palace.”

“Yes.”

“I’ll… guide you.”

He would personally guide her? Without answering further, Giscarr took her hand. It felt strange—awkward yet so natural. Since he walked a little ahead, Diana could only look at his back.

As they walked, a group of people bowed to them. But when they saw their joined hands, their faces showed surprise.

Giscarr brushed off their greetings indifferently and quickened his pace while explaining the palace.

The palace was divided into three main areas: two star-castles and the main citadel. The other districts were places Diana had never visited.

The main citadel housed royal offices and large assemblies. The audience hall, the grand banquet hall, the dining halls—these were where the royal chancellor’s administrators gathered to deliberate national policies and report to the king.

Foreign royalty and honored guests also stayed there. On the left side were the chapel used for rituals, a small banquet hall, and a theater. The right star-castle contained the coronation chamber and various research facilities. It was sparsely frequented, and its underground crypt housed the tombs of past kings and queens, which were opened only in midwinter.

The other star-castle belonged to the queen and queen dowager. Much like in Fanborough, men were once forbidden to see women’s faces without permission, so women’s quarters were built separately.

Behind the main and star-castles stretched areas Diana had never seen. High-ranking servants lived inside the citadel, but the rest of the servants used buildings in the back.

Further back were the knights’ quarters and the training grounds. As Rodbrok valued martial strength over scholarly pursuits, the knights’ lodgings and training field were immense—like a fortress itself. There was also a massive smithy and stables large enough to house all the knights’ horses.

But Giscarr didn’t bother leading her there; instead, he led her into the gardens.

“And here…”

“Here?”

“This is where the moon—or rather, the stars—are clearly seen.”

He pointed toward the center of the garden, where there was a backless bench. Diana looked up at him and thought drily: A backless bench? What would foreign guests think if they saw this?

Still, Diana made a resolution.

She wouldn’t spend these three years just weeping. Even if she didn’t make some grand effort to change her fate, she wouldn’t drown in sorrow this time. Besides, Giscarr no longer seemed to be fixated solely on her anguish as in her previous life. Whatever the case, she had duties to perform.

“I’ll have Mabel repair the bench.”

At her words, a chilly silence descended. Diana tried to recall who managed the palace staff. Toward the end, Lady Riviang had taken care of everything for her, so she had never given it much thought. She regretted not being a diligent queen before.

“Wasn’t it Mabel? Who was the palace steward again…?”

Giscarr was a man who disliked hearing things twice. Diana nervously gauged his reaction.

“No, I’ll take care of it.”

His cold voice cut her off. Diana wondered if she had made some mistake. She hadn’t yet been told the queen’s duties—perhaps she had once mentioned a steward before? Without another word, Giscarr resumed walking. When the winter wind blew, he turned back and said:

“Go back to your chambers and rest.”

Diana nodded. Somehow his demeanor felt colder.

After that, Giscarr spoke no further, and neither did Diana. Soon snow would fall on this desolate palace, and she would have to adapt in her own way. As she sank into thought again, Giscarr suddenly stopped.

“By the way, is your body all right?”

Why ask if I’m fine now, so long after the fever?

“I forgot—you overdid it last night.”

At once Diana realized what he meant. Heat rushed to her cheeks as she lowered her head. She had pretended to remember nothing, but the night before, they had entwined passionately.

“T-That much won’t make me ill.”

She avoided his eyes, face burning. Why say such things where the maids can hear? She glanced up and caught sight of his blank expression. For a moment she thought she saw something else, but when she blinked, his face was back to its usual impassiveness.

“From now on, a lady-in-waiting will be assigned to you.”

“……”

“I hope you’ll adapt to life in the palace.”

Ah. It was time to face Lady Riviang. Diana’s mind went blank. She knew she wouldn’t be able to control herself around that woman. Though she had once thought Lady Riviang a fool, things were different now.

Diana was from a defeated nation, while Riviang was a heroine of victory and one of the people who had made Giscarr king.

“…Can I choose?”

Diana asked cautiously. Giscarr frowned.

“Choose what? A lady-in-waiting?”

“……”

“Do you know of a suitable girl from any noble family?”

Maybe it was a genuine question, but Diana felt mocked. Her expression hardened. Giscarr spoke again, quietly:

“It wouldn’t look good for a foreign noblewoman to be chosen as a maid. Surely you understand that much.”

“……”

“I’ll handle this matter myself.”

Diana nodded weakly, her head in turmoil. By then, they had reached the main citadel. As if waiting, an administrator approached and greeted Giscarr, barely acknowledging Diana.

“Greetings to Your Majesty the Queen.”

Diana raised her head. A man with reddish-brown hair was looking at her, and her face stiffened.

It was Chancellor Ribus. She had seen him a few times when coming from Grand Duchy Blake. Though his bow was polite, his disapproval was obvious. Diana knew well how much he despised her.

“Like a parasite clinging to His Majesty, you finally caused this disaster.”

“Could you stop making that pitiful, revolting face? You reek of a siren’s stench.”

If others merely scorned her, Ribus hated her with his whole being. He could not accept that she was Giscarr’s wife. He blamed her for their discord and for everything that had followed.

“Whether you were framed or not doesn’t matter. You pathetically failed to protect the royal bloodline.”

“It’s your fault—your laziness, your indulgence, your failure to grow stronger. Wipe that disgusting self-pity off your face.”

“I hate that you’re even alive.”

She remembered when he had come to her after she wept over her child’s death—his voice cold and merciless. Diana’s breathing quickened.

“Your Majesty the Queen?”

“It’s… an honor to meet you.”

She forced her voice to remain calm.

“I’ve heard many rumors about you. Since you weren’t at the banquet, I thought I would only see you later.”

“Ribus.”

Giscarr’s voice rang out. Diana realized the man had meant to rebuke her absence from the banquet.

“I… was unwell.”

“You seem better now. Taking leisurely walks with His Majesty when he is so busy—how pleasant.”

Diana couldn’t meet his eyes. The sting of his past reproach pierced her heart.

“I was the one who ordered her not to attend.”

“Ah, is that so? But tell me, beloved Queen—was there such a tradition in Fanborough where a newlywed queen does not greet her guests?”

Ribus was the same as ever, sneering at both Giscarr and Diana. She knew Giscarr valued him, for he did not rebuke his insolence.

“That’s enough.”

But this time, there was weight in Giscarr’s tone. Ribus bowed slightly.

“Indeed. If I reproached Her Majesty despite your command, then I am the guilty one.”

Diana looked at him stiffly. Even while admitting fault, his sarcasm was plain. She stepped slightly out of Giscarr’s sightline and spoke.

“Out of concern that my background might tarnish His Majesty’s honor, I obeyed his command.”

“Hm?” Ribus regarded her coldly, as though waiting to see what nonsense she would spout. Diana suppressed her anger.

“Since I have neglected my duty as hostess, Chancellor, I ask you to arrange an audience. I will personally greet the guests.”

Ribus looked at her in surprise, as though he hadn’t expected her to speak so boldly.

“Queen.”

Giscarr called her, but Diana smiled even more brightly.

“Your Majesty, do you not recall our vow? I am your wife. I have no intention of neglecting my duty.”

“……”

“Of course, if I make mistakes, I hope everyone will look on with generosity. Surely you will as well, Chancellor?”

At her deliberate use of the word “Chancellor,” Ribus’s eyes widened.