Chapter 6 – The Target of Revenge
“Her Majesty is pregnant.”
No one said congratulations. The queen was known to loathe the king, so the news was hardly cause for celebration in the palace.
Upon hearing the word pregnant, the ladies-in-waiting exchanged furtive glances. The queen herself, who was the one expecting, kept silent and stared out the window.
“My cycles have been irregular… How far along am I?”
The royal physician peered at Diana’s abdomen using a magical device.
“An estimate would be around twelve weeks, Your Majesty.”
“I see. Thank you. You may all leave.”
Left alone in her chamber, Diana stared blankly at the sky. Inside her sunken belly, there was a child. A child.
It didn’t feel real.
There’s a baby in this small stomach? A baby? My baby?
She spent the whole day stroking her stomach. That monster and I… we created a child? Diana almost pinched her belly, but couldn’t bring herself to do it.
The fact that there was life growing inside her felt strange and wondrous—yet, above all, it was horrifying.
Clutching her abdomen, Diana began to cry. So I’ve even ended up carrying that bastard’s child! Is that it?! She gagged and hiccupped, then began to strike her stomach with her fists. Over and over again.
There was, of course, a certain way to ensure it would be gone—by taking abortive medicine or ramming her belly into the sharp edge of a piece of furniture.
But she just… couldn’t. She kept hitting her stomach with her hands until she cried herself to sleep.
Diana accepted the cup held out by Lady Revien. It was a tea gathering arranged to “celebrate” the queen’s pregnancy, attended by noblewomen close to the Revien ducal family.
“The physician said this tea is good for the child.”
“…”
When Diana simply looked at the cup, Lady Revien pouted as if offended.
“What’s wrong? Do you think I’ve put something in it?”
Lowering her naturally charming eyes, she pursed her lips. Seeing that sunlight-warmed, lovely face, Diana glanced back down at the teacup.
“How rude, Your Majesty. What could the lady possibly have done to you?”
One of the older noblewomen scolded her. She could hear the murmurs spreading around the table, and even the knights nearby seemed to be speaking loudly enough for her to hear, criticizing her. Right… with so many people here, surely Lady Revien wouldn’t harm me. Even if she wanted to, I can’t refuse anyway.
Diana drank the tea.
And then—
“Ah—ah! Aaaaaah!”
She lost the child.
As Diana screamed in agony, Lady Revien looked down at her and smiled coldly.
“Anne!”
The doors to Diana’s bedchamber flew open. She looked toward the man striding in—it was Giscarr. His violet eyes were trembling, his face anxious. Diana, pale as a corpse, looked back at him.
“You’ve returned quickly.”
He hadn’t been gone long since his departure for war. And come to think of it, his appearance was far too neat, as if he had rushed back without fighting.
“I heard… about the child—”
Seeing the strange excitement in his face, Diana realized that no one had told him what had happened to the baby.
“I was told you were pregnant, and the child—”
“It’s gone.”
“What?”
Giscarr’s expression changed instantly. The warmth in his eyes vanished in an instant.
“It’s gone.”
“…”
“It’s gone! I took medicine.”
Diana shouted the words as if they were a curse. She hadn’t even decided yet whether she would love or hate this child.
“Why? Did you want to see a child born from a Penborough slave?!”
Her mind was already breaking.
She had known about its existence for barely a day, and for three months the foolish mother had unknowingly neglected it.
So… should she be glad that this monster was gone? Or should she grieve?
The thought made her laugh bitterly.
She decided to tell him what had happened at the tea party. If Giscarr truly cared for the child, perhaps he would at least avenge it.
“Your Majesty, the child—”
But before she could finish, Giscarr spoke with the expression of someone who had just heard something unspeakable.
“Don’t tell me… you erased the child yourself?”
After that slip from Giscarr, Diana fiercely insisted that Lady Revien had killed the child.
Surprisingly, Giscarr immediately ordered Lady Revien’s arrest.
Diana’s face was drained of color.
“How could I possibly harm the king’s child, a royal heir, in front of everyone?” Lady Revien exclaimed in shock.
Diana and Giscarr sat in the audience chamber, hiding the truth from those assembled.
“She’s right. There’s no way she would do such a thing. Who would dare to harm a royal heir in public?” shouted some of the nobles who had attended the tea.
Diana looked at them and said,
“Then who fed me the abortive poison?”
Her calm question stirred whispers among the crowd. Tears welled up in Lady Revien’s bright blue eyes.
“No one at that tea party poisoned the queen.”
“Really?”
The voice that followed was dark and dangerous, as if it had risen straight from the depths of hell. Giscarr’s fury was palpable. Diana thought the truth might finally come out.
But the world was never fair.
“I know Her Majesty dislikes me,” Lady Revien said in a trembling voice. “But to go so far as to use the king’s own child to frame me—that’s too cruel. Isn’t it true, Your Majesty, that you orchestrated everything yourself?”
What she said was exactly the suspicion Giscarr had already harbored.
“Your Majesty, Sir Alsio has captured a suspicious person in the palace.”
“…”
“I wanted to let this matter rest, but for the sake of my honor, I must bring it to light.”
At her signal, a man in chains was brought in and forced to kneel. Diana had never seen him before—but he seemed to recognize her.
Looking right at her, he shouted desperately,
“Your Majesty, why…? Didn’t you promise to spare me?!”
“Who…”
Before she could finish, Lady Revien cut her off.
“This man sold abortive medicine to the queen.”
“…!”
Diana slowly raised her head to look at Lady Revien. The atmosphere in the room shifted—the king’s aides, knights, attendants, and the nobles who had been at the tea party all now looked at her with expressions of revulsion.
“No… I never—”
She shook her head frantically.
“I swear, I never…”
Her voice trembling, she looked at Giscarr. His face was as cold as ever. For the first time, she shook her head like a child.
“Believe me… I would never… do such a thing…”
It was all Lady Revien’s doing—she could still see the woman’s arrogant smile as she forced the poison into her mouth.
But the truth had already been rewritten.
Looking at Diana’s desperate expression, something strange flickered in Giscarr’s face—something that almost looked like pleasure.
“…Giscarr.”
When she called his name, he spoke without looking at her.
“A person wouldn’t harm their own body like that. And what mother would kill her own child?”
Was he… believing her? Could it be that he truly knew the truth?
But Lady Revien’s voice rang out firmly.
“No, that’s a lie! There is evidence.”
“Evidence?”
“Your Majesty, why do you hide everything? Did you not harm your own body while carrying the royal heir?”
Harm? Diana’s face showed confusion.
“Didn’t you want to get rid of the child? I know about the bruises on your stomach.”
Her pale face turned even whiter. Yes… the moment she had found out she was pregnant, she had beaten her own stomach mercilessly.
“They were such dreadful bruises that I, as her lady-in-waiting, could not help but notice.”
“…”
“Your Majesty, you may confirm it yourself.”
Giscarr looked into Diana’s face. This time, she couldn’t bring herself to lie.
But from her expression alone, Giscarr seemed to decide. A faint smirk curved his lips.
“There’s no need to confirm it.”
“…”
“This matter will be closed.”
His voice was cold, and as he rose to his feet, the sharp pressure in the air pressed down on everyone present. Giscarr smiled faintly as he took Diana’s hand.
Why did that warm touch make her shiver?
Without resistance, she let him lead her away.
A cold hand and a hot hand clasped together.
Giscarr looked at her, the corner of his mouth curling upward as he raised his sword. Is he going to kill me? Will he finally kill me now? Diana flinched and closed her eyes.
“Urgh!”
But instead of her death, she heard the muffled cry of a man—it was the one accused of selling the abortive medicine.
“No man should be allowed to enter the queen’s chambers.”
Giscarr muttered cryptically. Diana trembled, then turned to look back.
She had fallen perfectly into their trap. Giscarr did not believe her.
She saw Lady Revien’s lifted smile and the nobles standing behind her.
Everyone here—everyone—was a monster.
She realized she truly hated this place. Tears slid down her closed eyes.
