Chapter 73
Cressida’s shadow fell over the crouching form of Grizelle. Startled by the sudden chill that cut through her loud sobbing, Grizelle flinched and lifted her tear-streaked face.
“Pathetic thing.”
“…Your Majesty the Empress.”
Cressida slowly curtsied, wearing a gentle, gracious smile. She met Grizelle’s eyes, staring straight into her.
“Where do you come from?”
“I… I am…”
“She is Lady Sylaria Rainier’s friend from her hometown, Your Majesty. She stayed for a time as a guest in the Lady’s residence.”
At Aria’s explanation, Cressida’s brow furrowed. Seeing the Empress’s face change at the mention of Sylaria’s name, Grizelle stammered in panic.
“I… I’m not friends with Sylaria anymore! She doesn’t even know I’m here!”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. After Sylaria got engaged to His Highness the First Prince, she acted like she’d become something great and told me to go back to our hometown right away. We aren’t friends.”
“Then why come to Arendtert? Did you want to be a prince’s fiancée yourself?”
At Cressida’s sharp question, Grizelle swallowed dryly. When she failed to answer at once, Cressida straightened.
“I see well enough what happened.”
“Mother…”
“Aren, you have disappointed me greatly. Did I raise you for this? To be snared by a harlot!”
At Cressida’s thunderous rebuke, Arendtert lowered his head. Grizelle’s eyes trembled at being so abruptly branded a harlot.
“I am not a harlot!”
“Tch. How long must a mother clean up after her son.”
Cressida clicked her tongue as though she had not even heard Grizelle’s protest. She let out a sigh, glanced around, and signaled a lady-in-waiting to close the doors before taking a seat on the sofa.
“There’s no helping it. This woman shouted loudly enough for the whole wing to hear. If we are to contain this mess, we must take her in. And to think it had to be someone tied to that girl Sylaria…”
“My apologies for this oversight, Your Majesty.”
“What is their compatibility rate?”
“Roughly… thirty percent, it seems.”
“Thirty? That’s hardly less than Sylaria’s…!”
Cressida, who had raised her voice in irritation, exhaled a long sigh. She drank the cold water Aria brought, then fixed a cold stare on Grizelle.
“Listen well. You will serve as the Second Prince’s consort. For now.”
“Mother!”
“Thank you!”
At Cressida’s pronouncement, Arendtert’s and Grizelle’s reactions split—one despairing, the other elated. The Empress cast a disapproving look at her son, then addressed Grizelle.
“Do not rejoice too soon. This is only temporary. Your sole duty is to purify Arendtert. Beyond that, you will remain quiet and invisible within the palace.”
“Yes! I will!”
“If ever a woman appears with a higher compatibility rate than yours, you will step aside. That is the condition for accepting you. Understood?”
“Yes!”
Grizelle answered with eager confidence. Not merely a fiancée, but a prince’s consort. Surely, that was a place far more secure than Sylaria’s. Arendtert might resist now, but fleshly ties could not be ignored. As they shared a bed, the compatibility would surely rise.
Elated, she asked carefully,
“Then… when will the wedding be? I should send invitations to my relatives back home…”
“Wedding? Hah.”
Cressida cut her off with a short, scornful laugh.
“After you have already shared the bedchamber, you speak of a wedding? It is enough that you and your body are here.”
“But you said I was the prince’s consort!”
“Yes. A ‘temporary’ consort.”
Cressida’s tone turned icy as she rose. At her words, Grizelle’s expression collapsed as though the sky had fallen.
To live here with no wedding.
That meant no official recognition at all. Pretty words aside, this was no more than making her a prince’s mistress.
Realizing Cressida’s true intent at last, Grizelle’s face drained of color.
“I… I don’t want that. Sylaria is the principal wife, but you mean to make me a concubine?!”
“If you dislike it, you may leave the palace. No one is forcing you to stay.”
Discussion
1 CommentReactions
RBluemoon238
She's a gold digger
One that found out what she was digging was foolsgold