Pherenike - Chapter 113

The woman bowed her head to the ground in silence. It was a stubborn act of denial. Pherenike tossed aside her bow and gave a crooked smile.

No matter how long she pressed her forehead to the soft grass, it wouldn’t hurt; after all, how many years had she ruled the palace for raising the king, and now she was pretending to be lowly?

“Get up. I’d rather not hear rumors that I persecute the king’s mother.”

“This lowly servant could never claim to be His Majesty’s mother.”

“You kneel before me so readily, but never listen to a word I say.”

“Kybellaune.”

“Shall I take your noble arm and help you up myself?”

At those words, Ino finally managed to lift her head.

“…Kybellaune, I know you have your reservations about people from House Lavrentios.”

Because of your own origins. The implication was left unsaid. Though Ino’s face was still pale, there was a quiet defiance in her posture, as if bowing her head to the ground had actually made her more dignified.

It was as though she wanted to insist that any ‘discomfort’ stemmed not from Lavrentios’s faults, but from Pherenike’s own original sin.

The truth was, it wasn’t that Ino couldn’t yield to her, but that she couldn’t yield to whatever it was that stood behind her. But in the end, did it matter? Pherenike let out a quiet laugh.

“So my father, Vassilios, was a bearer for House Thasos, and House Thasos bears guilt before all of Lavrentios?”

“…….”

Eyes that could not quite bring themselves to deny it were, in a way, better than those of most men.

Ino was gentle, but not easily bent. She was, for the most part, a woman fit to raise a king, and fit to be entrusted with Leuce. Even so, as Vassilios’s daughter, Pherenike was dutiful in her own service.

Pherenike never disliked Ino. But she disliked anyone with a loose tongue.

“So I’m to be accused of shunning a woman I never even knew, all because of her bloodline. As if my own foot is falling asleep.”

Ino couldn’t voice it aloud, but her eyes gave the answer.

“I live beside a man who was born of Lavrentios blood, and yet, over the name of some distant woman.”

“Kybellaune, I, I was only worried that my careless words might bring harm to an honest woman. Pyra Lavrentios is one of His Majesty’s last remaining kin. Please, consider this carefully…”

“One of His Majesty’s last remaining kin.”

How many drops of Lavrentios blood actually flowed between Actor Nikandros and that distant collateral woman?

Blood is strong, but a name is stronger. And stronger than a name is a grudge. What made that woman a Lavrentios was the name at the far edge of her lineage, and what keeps her a Lavrentios is the old grudge that remains.

“To be chosen as the princess’s tutor is one of the few honors a woman can hope for, as you well know.”

Pherenike gave a faint laugh, as if to say, Surely a woman’s honor must be more than that.

“If Pyra Lavrentios truly sought a woman’s honor, she should have entered the sanctuary long ago.”

“Of course, Kybellaune. But if you suddenly expel her from court like this, it would be the greatest disgrace to her. And Kybellaune’s noble loyalty to His Majesty could now come into question…”

Without a word, Pherenike walked toward the target. Ino scrambled to her feet and hurried after her.

“Princess Leuce is the only royal daughter, born under Kybellaune’s glory, but she also carries the rare and precious blood of House Lavrentios. What is it you fear? Do you truly think Pyra would harm her own kin?”

“The princess’s mother is considered impure, and yet you tie her to the daughter of her father’s maternal grandfather’s distant cousin as if by the dearest blood.”

“No, no… It was I who recommended Pyra Lavrentios. Her dishonor is no different from my own. I beg you to spare a thought for this old woman’s dignity.”

“Your dignity?”

“If that means nothing to you, then at least reconsider for Princess Leuce’s sake. Forgive my boldness, but there is no woman better suited to serve the princess than Pyra Lavrentios…”

As Pherenike calmly pulled arrows from the target, she replied,

“Then don’t trouble me with things you find hard to say.”

“…….”

“Is the princess your child?”

Ino fell silent. Pherenike’s words weren’t just a warning not to meddle in the affairs of her child, but a warning to anyone who fancied themselves royalty.

“Answer.”

“…No, it’s Kybellaune.”

When Ino tried to help, Pherenike gently brushed her hand aside and began pulling arrows herself. Ino, humbled, bowed and silently vowed never to let Pyra near the princess again.

At that moment, a maid who’d been waiting at a distance quietly approached. Ino stepped back, placing the arrows she’d gathered at the queen’s side.

Had it been any other day, she would have stood proudly by the queen’s side to hear whatever the maid reported.

But Ino knew when it was time to withdraw. Today, she had fallen from the queen’s favor, and she could only hope it would not last long.