Sister I am the Queen in This Life [Novel] Chapter 143

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Translator: Harry Potta
Chapter: 143
Chapter Title: Shake Up the Board
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Queen Marguerite's palace, the eye of the storm, was a picture of calm stillness. On the surface, the Queen's palace had gone completely quiet, ceasing all external activities. This was partly because Queen Marguerite was so severely injured that she was in no condition to show her face in public.

"...This massage is to reduce the swelling and bruising."

Lady Carla, who had placed a piece of raw meat over Queen Marguerite's left eyelid and cheekbone, massaged the queen's hands and feet to improve her circulation.

"Ugh!"

As Lady Carla kneaded the area around her right pinky finger, even Queen Marguerite, who never complained of pain, couldn't help but let out a groan.

"Heavens, you're injured here as well, Your Majesty! Oh dear, your pinky nail is half torn off!"

At Lady Carla's fussing, the queen calmly stopped her lady-in-waiting.

"I didn't notice it before because it didn't hurt. The royal physician must have missed it while tending to my other injuries."

The royal physician had already examined her, but his visit didn't mean her injuries would heal instantly.

"Oh, Your Majesty..."

Queen Marguerite silenced the teary-eyed Lady Carla with a gesture.

"What is the situation outside?"

To the queen, who had decisively shifted to a more important topic, Lady Carla hurriedly gave her report.

"I have arranged for His Highness the Prince to stay in the Queen's palace for the time being, not his own. His Majesty the King, after his rampage that day, seems to have lost all interest in the prince."

To be precise, it was more like he couldn't stand the sight of him. After regaining his senses following a report from Count Marquez, Leo III seemed to have concluded that digging any deeper into Prince Alfonso's affairs would do him no good.

"...He is the sole heir to the throne. If his reputation is tarnished, there is no replacement."

If the marriage negotiations with the Kingdom of Gallico fell through this time, Leo III would seek another royal match. In preparation for that, it was right to protect the prince's reputation from even the slightest blemish.

Queen Marguerite sighed.

"Should I consider it a relief that Alfonso is an only son?"

She was using all the resources of the Queen's palace to give Prince Alfonso ironclad protection.

Only a minimal number of staff were allowed access to the annex of the Queen's palace where Prince Alfonso was staying. This was to ensure no one could gossip about the prince's condition. No outsiders were currently permitted in the Queen's palace, not even the king's closest aides.

"...Where is that girl?"

"She is staying in the guest quarters of the Queen's palace."

"At the opposite end from the prince," Lady Carla added.

Queen Marguerite had kept Ariadne with her instead of sending her back to Cardinal de Mare's residence. This was partly for protection. Sending a girl covered in bruises back home would surely attract unwanted attention.

The queen had a faint suspicion that Ariadne's home was not a completely safe place for her.

But the other half of her reasoning was to protect her son. Ariadne's father was a retainer of the Holy See; though his nationality was Etruscan, his position was closer to that of a diplomat for the Holy See. She did not want to leak even the slightest bit of information to a third party.

"Bring the girl to me. There is something I wish to hear her opinion on."

"Your Majesty, you still haven't recovered..."

"This is an urgent matter. And there is something I must discuss with her."

"...Very well. I will be right back."

***

Lady Carla returned with a girl wrapped in a deep green velvet robe. The girl entered with careful steps and, upon reaching the queen's private chambers, cautiously lowered her hood. It was Ariadne.

"I showed you a disgraceful sight."

She was referring to having witnessed the unvarnished scene of Leo III's assault. At Queen Marguerite's calm words, tears welled up in Ariadne's eyes.

The once-proud princess of the Brienne dynasty, the true heir, was now enduring her days in a distant foreign palace with a purple bruise by her eye.

Ariadne knelt on the floor and paid her respects in the manner befitting royalty.

"I, Ariadne de Mare, have received a kindness from Your Majesty the Queen that I can never repay, even with my life."

Queen Marguerite replied rather coldly.

"I was merely fulfilling my duty. It was not done specifically for you."

"...However, it is a fact that you saved me from a terrible predicament."

"Then let us see you repay that kindness."

Ariadne tensed at Queen Marguerite's words.

"I knew you were a quick-witted child back when I gifted you that jewelry box, but yesterday I saw just how fast your mind works. You were better than most strategists. Today, I would like to hear your perspective."

Ariadne, who had expected the queen to demand something far greater, let out a breath. She had wanted to say that such a thing was not enough to repay the kindness, but she stopped herself, fearing it would seem like she was needlessly talking back to the queen.

The debt could be repaid later, quietly, from the shadows. By saving the queen's life.

Queen Marguerite continued speaking without hesitation.

"Let us speak of the note in question. What should I do with it?"

"...That note. It would be best not to reveal it."

"Oh?"

Queen Marguerite gazed at Ariadne as if demanding a further explanation. Sensing a hint of suspicion in her gaze, Ariadne offered a clarification with a wry smile.

"Of course, my own interests are involved. I would suffer all manner of hardship if the note bearing my name were to be made public. However, the primary reason I say this is to protect His Highness Prince Alfonso."

Ariadne added.

"This means it should not only be kept from the public but also kept secret from His Majesty King Leo III."

Queen Marguerite understood Ariadne's intention perfectly.

"My husband, if he got his hands on such evidence, would likely use it to threaten my family into finalizing the marriage alliance."

"..."

Lady Carla, who was listening beside them, wanted to exclaim, 'Surely not!' but the words wouldn't come. She knew the queen's assessment was correct.

Ariadne answered clearly.

"I agree entirely with Your Majesty's insight. King Leo III's primary objective appears to be the finalization of the marriage alliance."

The qualities of his daughter-in-law were not a consideration for Leo III. Queen Marguerite watched Ariadne with sharp eyes.

"Why do you think so?"

In truth, she knew this because she had seen confidential documents while assisting with state affairs as Prince Regent Cesare's fiancée in her past life. But she couldn't give that answer. However, if you know the right direction, clues pointing that way are always scattered about.

"From its very inception, the failure of this marriage alliance was never considered an option. One can tell from the fact that the Kingdom of Gallico sent the Grand Duchess herself to Etruscan."

In this era, chastity was an unmarried woman's greatest virtue. It was taboo to even let a daughter leave the house unless under carefully arranged circumstances.

So, to send a high-ranking noblewoman of marriageable age to a foreign palace for months—even with an entourage and the queen being her distant relative—was an act that did nothing to help her reputation.

If these marriage negotiations were to fall apart, Grand Duchess Lariesa would face considerable difficulty in finding her next match.

But the queen countered.

"That shows the Kingdom of Gallico's desire for the alliance to succeed, not the intentions of the Kingdom of Etruscan, does it not?"

Ariadne smiled faintly and held up one finger.

"One, the Grand Duchess of Gallico could not have crossed the border without Etruscan's permission. If Etruscan had entered these negotiations lightly, they would surely have forbidden her entry, as a breakdown in talks would become exceedingly burdensome."

She held up a second finger.

"And two, the unusually long stay of the delegation."

Ariadne tilted her head.

"I may not know the details, but the Gallican side must have made a significant number of audacious demands. Otherwise, there would be no reason for the delegation to remain here for so long. Despite this, both kingdoms are still engaged in negotiations, pushing and pulling. This can only be interpreted as a sign of the highest authority's will to see this alliance through, no matter what."

Not a single word Ariadne spoke deviated from the actual facts. Queen Marguerite concealed her admiration and returned to their original topic.

"Very well. Continue your explanation regarding the release of the letter."

"The letter must not be revealed. If the Grand Duchess's letter is made public, the investigation into her will inevitably reveal that Prince Alfonso has the blood of a high-ranking Gallican noble on his hands."

Ariadne gave a light smile.

"Putting aside the fact that one poor girl's life will be utterly ruined, of course."

Ariadne pressed on without hesitation. Amidst the gravity of the situation, she spoke with a lightness, as if it were not her own story.

"There are too many ways for Prince Alfonso's name to be exposed. My name will be brought clearly to the surface, so some will draw a connection there. Grand Duchess Lariesa herself might also confess that she acted out of jealousy over the prince."

Lady Carla, who had been listening, could not hold back and interjected with a scolding.

"To think that people could connect you to Prince Alfonso just by hearing your name! You must have carried on a truly scandalous affair!"

Instead of silencing Lady Carla, Queen Marguerite simply changed the subject.

"It's not just that. There was a witness who saw Alfonso kill Duke Mireille."

Ariadne's eyes widened. This changed everything. If there was already a witness, there was no reason not to reveal the letter. It would be impossible to hide Prince Alfonso's involvement anyway.

"Fortunately, the witness was not of sound mind. A jester who went mad after eating the wrong kind of mushroom last autumn."

"Then..."

"His Majesty Leo III had that witness hanged immediately."

Ariadne's green eyes shone. This was a huge clue that revealed much about Leo III's position.

"Officially, that testimony has been silenced. But anyone who needs to know, knows."

Queen Marguerite gazed steadily at Ariadne.

"Now, do you still believe I should hide Lariesa de Valois's letter?"

Ariadne looked Queen Marguerite straight in the eye.

"If you are forced into making a choice..."

She said, a smile in her eyes.

"It will inevitably be the worst possible move."

Ariadne declared to Queen Marguerite in a confident voice.

"Shake up the board. You can only get what you want if you make your opponent move as you lead."