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Chapter 67
Erne sincerely welcomed Velli back. Velli, though awkward, didn’t push her away from the warmth of her reception.
“So, Velli. One of the positions for my personal attendants has opened up. Would you take it?”
“W-What… Please take that back, Your Majesty. I’m just a lowly handmaiden without any title.”
Though Velli flusteredly refused, Erne had already made up her mind to offer the position if Velli ever returned.
“Please. You kept your promise, after all, even when I stayed with the Douglas Duchy. You showed loyalty by keeping the secret.”
Every time Erne treated her kindly, Velli struggled to keep a straight face.
Now that she knew the whole truth behind everything, it only made it harder.
“Your Majesty. If you marry my father… does that make you my mother?”
“…Huh? Haha. I suppose it does.”
“Then… can I call you Mother in advance?”
“Eh?”
“Do you not want me to?”
“O-Of course not!”
Watching Erne and Shuknen together, so close and familial, Velli gradually stiffened.
It wasn’t petty jealousy. It was the sorrow of watching the child she had finally found show affection to someone else. She had thought countless times: If only that was me…
But seeing Shuknen genuinely attached to Erne, all she could do was smile bitterly.
To hear her child call someone else “Mother”… That word—Mother—how many times she had longed to hear it.
Velli turned away, holding back her tears.
“Velli?”
“I must go prepare for Her Majesty’s breakfast gathering.”
“I’m sorry. I feel like I’m making you work the moment you returned.”
“It’s fine. It’s what I’m supposed to do.”
Velli smiled bravely, but Erne’s expression remained full of guilt.
If only she were a bit more selfish and calculating… Velli thought as she masked her face with a calm smile and bowed her head.
“…Mother?”
Erne’s face had grown pale.
Velli should have realized something was wrong earlier—her condition was worse than expected.
Then came Shuknen’s scream, ringing in Velli’s ears.
“Mother!”
Erne’s body slumped forward.
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“Her condition couldn’t be stabilized even with the herbal tonic?”
“Her Majesty has always been frail. And her breathing is extremely unstable. With all that has happened lately, the stress must have overwhelmed her. This is a dangerous time. Her Majesty needs complete rest.”
The moment Windsor heard that Erne had collapsed, he dropped everything and rushed to her.
Because the Queen’s health was a tightly guarded secret, Windsor had summoned his family’s personal physician, Hunter.
Shuknen sat at her bedside, clutching Erne’s hand, soaked in tears, refusing to let go.
“Velli. Take Shuknen outside.”
Windsor believed that what they were about to discuss was not something a child should hear.
But when they tried to gently pull Shuknen away, the boy burst into sobs.
“No! I want to stay with Mother!”
Everyone—Windsor, Hunter, even Velli—froze at the word Mother.
When did she stop being just a teacher, then ‘Her Majesty’—and become his mother?
Windsor pondered briefly.
Even I, her fiancé, call her by name or “Your Majesty.” When did Shuknen start calling her Mother?
With a dry, incredulous laugh, Windsor corrected himself.
No… I should be trying harder too.
Regardless, Shuknen wouldn’t budge.
“Waaaah! Dad, is Mom going to die?! Tell me!”
The boy sobbed so hard his small body shook. It was a side of him Windsor had never seen.
Tantrums he knew. But a heartbroken Shuknen, crying like the world was ending? That was new.
Windsor tried to choose his words carefully, but ended up sighing heavily.
“No one’s going to die. Do you think I’d let that happen?”
“Then why did Mother collapse?!”
“Shhh. We mustn’t wake Her Majesty.”
His voice was gentle, soothing, but Shuknen shook his head.
Windsor understood the boy’s feelings. But they couldn’t allow it any longer.
He gave Velli another look. After a moment of hesitation, she finally spoke up.
“Master Shuknen. It might be better to wait for Her Majesty outside.”
“How can I leave when Mother’s lying there like that?!”
Even Velli shrank back at the sheer stubbornness.
Eventually, Windsor waved his hand in surrender. Let him stay.
He glanced at Velli briefly, then looked away.
What came next was practically top secret—but as Erne’s trusted handmaiden, Velli could be allowed to hear.
Even when Erne was staying at his estate, Velli had served her loyally and kept her secrets.
Windsor never doubted her loyalty.
“They still haven’t been found? There must be some Star Chasers left.”
“I’m sorry. I’ve deployed our private soldiers, but they’ve vanished without a trace. Likely due to the previous Queen’s orders. They’ve cut off all ties and gone into hiding, afraid of being exposed and killed.”
Velli, who had unintentionally overheard Windsor and Hunter’s conversation, turned pale and froze.
The Duke of Douglas is searching for the Star Chasers? Why?
It was clear now. They knew Erne’s condition was linked to a curse.
Of course—someone of Windsor’s caliber would’ve immediately sensed the abnormal energy in Erne’s body.
Velli bit her lip hard, cursing her own carelessness.
Anyone could see she looked like someone with a guilty conscience.
When Windsor’s gaze landed on her, she didn’t bother to hide her fear or unease.
“But the Star Chaser’s energy was definitely detected last in Rank.”
“Her Majesty’s hometown.”
“Yes. We believe Her Majesty was cursed before her royal status was restored.”
So, it wasn’t the late Queen who cursed her?
Windsor’s anxiety deepened. Not knowing the enemy was the worst situation possible.
Especially when it concerned Erne.
With a heavy sigh, he finally said, “Speed up the search. And… we need to meet Her Majesty’s closest friends.”
“You mean the twins?”
Hunter, too, knew about Rivera and Noma.
He was more than just a physician—he was loyal to the Douglas Duke.
When Windsor nodded, Hunter replied, “They may already know. The Duke gave them separate orders.”
“It’s not them I trust. It’s the Crow Guild’s intelligence. But with Her Majesty collapsed, I can’t wait any longer.”
Hunter bowed his head at the cold declaration. He intended to contact the Crow Guild per Windsor’s orders.
Once Hunter left, only Shuknen’s quiet sniffles remained.
Windsor gently rubbed the boy’s trembling back.
“Her Majesty will wake up and laugh at how puffy your eyes are.”
“Hic…”
“She doesn’t like crybabies.”
“Sniff… You don’t know anything…!”
Truly his son—sensitive to the idea of being disliked by Erne.
Windsor smiled bitterly and interlocked his fingers with Erne’s frail hand.
Now he could tell how much she had overworked herself.
She hasn’t been eating properly…
Not that she ever had time to. Overcome with guilt, Windsor lowered his head.
It felt like her collapse was entirely his fault.
He had promised to protect her. To be her sword. And yet, she ended up like this while he noticed nothing.
He knew she was frail. He even suspected a curse. But because Erne never showed it outwardly, he had dismissed it time and again.
Yes. This is my failure.
Even after becoming her fiancé… what had he done while his fiancée was suffering?
Windsor smiled bitterly and brought her cold, delicate hand to his cheek.
The touch was cold, but gentle. His nose tingled with emotion.
“Just hold on. I’ll find the Star Chasers and break the curse on your body.”
The pain, the unimaginable suffering she must have endured silently…
Just thinking about it made Windsor want to cry.
The ruthless Duke of Douglas, said to have neither blood nor tears, broke down again in front of the woman he loved.
Velli, watching this from a distance, looked like she might collapse.
Her fingers trembled violently.
Shuknen sobbing his heart out, calling for his mother, and the Duke, who tried to soothe him but could not hide his own sorrow—
Velli made up her mind.
And then, slowly, she approached the father and son.
“Duke. Young Master.”
She knew she’d be blamed. Knew she’d face harsh words.
But that was okay.
“I… I know a way.”
Even if it meant bearing punishment, no matter the price—Velli was prepared.
Both pairs of eyes turned toward her.
She felt their gaze as she spoke.
Though pale and on the verge of collapse, her voice did not tremble in the slightest.
“I know how to break the curse on Her Majesty. And I… I will do it.”
