Chapter 038: Revenge
It has been a month since the celebration of the founding of the country. Now the servants could work more casually than during the country's founding party.
A young looking maid walked in while pushing a trolley containing several plates of snacks and a cup of Darjeeling tea into Queen Averia's greenhouse.
When the maid arrived at the table where Queen Averia was relaxing, she carefully placed all the snacks on the trolley onto the table. After all the snacks were successfully served neatly, now it was her turn to put the cup of tea on the table without spilling the slightest.
Unfortunately, luck was not on the young maid's side. The maid spilled the Darjeeling tea on the queen's beautiful new dress.
Averia started to wince in pain because her soft white skin was blistered from the heat of the tea. Seeing this, the young maid's entire body shook violently. She was so scared now.
"Guards, quickly take this unprofessional maid at work away! Break both her hands and throw him out of the palace. I don't need an incompetent maid!" Averia ordered the knight standing in front of her greenhouse.
One of the two knights who were on guard in front of the greenhouse came straight in and dragged the young maid out of there. The young maid could only scream while crying for mercy at Averia even though Averia didn't hear it at all.
"Damn it! All the maids here are so lousy. They're just as annoying as that bastard Beatrice," Averia cursed as she raised her sleeve and blew her hand that was on the hot tea.
The other knights who were guarding in front of the greenhouse suddenly came in to report something to Averia. "Your Majesty, Marquess Leondell said he would like to see you now. May I allow the Marquess to come in?"
"Tell him to come in immediately!" Averia replied firmly.
"Well!" The bodyguard immediately came out and relayed Averia's answer to Marquess Leondell.
A few moments later, a middle-aged man entered the greenhouse. The man with dark red hair, fat build and thick mustache was Marquess Leondell, Queen Averia's biological father and also the person who was suspected of being involved in the accident that caused Queen Caroline's death.
Marquess Leondell bowed halfway to Queen Averia. "May Goddess Nightingale continue to be with you, Her Majesty the Queen."
"Just tell me what you came here for, father!"
"After researching for the past two years, I have received important information from my subordinates regarding the concubine Beatrice," said Marquess Leondell.
"What's that?" replied Averia who seemed interested in Marquess Leondell's words.
"The woman you have been calling Concubine Beatrice is a fake! She is not Beatrice, Count Arbellion's daughter, but she is the daughter of a robber at the foot of the mountain who was assigned to replace the real Beatrice to become the king's concubine," said Marquess Leondell in full spirit.
"What?" shouted Averia who was really surprised at that time.
How come? His father said that the Beatrice he had known all along was a fake. Then he said the fake Beatrice was a commoner, but how could she master all the manners of a noble so well. It made Averia dizzy for a moment when she thought about it.
"My head is about to explode after receiving this shocking information. Are you sure about it, father?" said Averia again.
"Rather than us checking back on the fact of the authenticity of the woman claiming to be Beatrice, wouldn't it be better if we directly attack her? Once we take her down, that means we've also succeeded in taking down Prince Arthur. With that, no one else can interfere with Arnold to become the perfect crown prince. If that time comes, then it will be a revival for our family," said Marquess Leondell.
Averia who was initially gloomy immediately took a deep breath and said, "Yes, you are right father."
"Guards! Quickly call the crown prince here to meet me!" Averia orders.
~•~
Averia, Prince Arnold, and the twenty guard knights entered Marigold's palace presumptuously. Esther was really sick of seeing the two of them. That's because she already knew what they were going to do.
Surely they would slander him again and then they would either put him in jail or torture him straight away. In contrast to Arthur who was showing sharp glares full of hatred at Averia and Crown Prince Arnold.
"Guards, quickly arrest Concubine Beatrice!" Averia orders.
Esther looked at Averia sharply."Now for what else until you catch me?"
Averia laughed loudly at Esther's question. "In order to reveal your secret, fake Beatrice."
Esther's face turned pale instantly. Her greatest secret has been uncovered by her greatest enemy as well. Even so,Esther still tried to deny it.
"What do you mean?Of course I am Beatrice. Is there any other Beatrice besides me?"
Averia immediately took her favorite spiked whip from one of the guards and began to whip Esther's smooth legs hard.Esther just screamed in pain every time a lash hit her leg.
Anne,who had been holding back her patience for the endless repression, immediately ran to protect Esther from the cruel lashes.
Seeing this Averia immediately smiled slyly. "Guards, quickly kill this old servant!"
Without further ado,two burly bodyguards immediately restrained Anne.Then another knight, took out his sharp sword from the scabbard and drew the sword right at Anne's heart. At that time, Anne immediately bleeds from her mouth.
Esther was silent for a moment when she saw the tragic incident. When Anne fell to the ground, Esther screamed louder than before. Esther used all her strength to free herself from the two burly bodyguards holding her back.
After releasing the two people, Esther immediately approached Anne who was covered in blood. At that moment Esther shed tears filled with great pain and sadness. Seeing Esther crying made Averia and Crown Prince Arnold laugh out loud.
"Anne, please don't leave me. Just wait a little longer, I'll take you to Livius so you can be treated," Esther mumbled.
Anne stroked Esther's hair gently.Then the caress moved to Esther's thin cheeks."Come on, Princess."
"As a princess, I order you not to leave me," said Esther firmly.
"Please... My life will feel empty if I lose you. What will happen to this careless me if you leave?" continued Esther.
Anne smiled a little. "Then you will grow up to be a wonderful princess."
"I think my job here is done. Thank you for growing up to be a kind and loving princess even though you always live in loneliness. I am very proud of you. Even if I am given one more chance to live life. I will continue to love you. Not as a Crown Princess nor the daughter of Her Highness Emelline, but a little girl named Esther who lives alone in her mansion. Goodbye princess," said Anne with a smile.
Esther's eyes closed tightly. No longer felt the breath from her nose. Anne is gone.
Esther rocked Anne. "Anne... Anne... Please don't joke like that. You can't leave me can you? I don't have anyone anymore."
"That's how I felt when you got Sarah killed by the knight commander. Then that's also the result for a commoner like you disguised as a noble and destroying other people's lives," Averia said while giggling and followed by Prince Arnold's laughter.
Esther looked at Averia and Prince Arnold with a gaze that was filled with hatred. To the extent that Averia and her son shudder in horror when Esther stares at them.
Esther walked over to Prince Arnold and grabbed him by the neck and lifted him so Prince Arnold's feet didn't touch the ground. Averia, who wanted to push Esther to let go of her son for some reason, was instantly blown away. She felt like there was a barrier so she couldn't approach Esther or her son.
Even Arnold himself was trying hard to free Esther's hand from his neck but his efforts didn't go smoothly.
"I've been patient enough with you all this time. But you're always looking for trouble with me. You even killed the woman I love the most," said Esther aloud.
"Prince Arnold, I curse your normally calm and peaceful life to be a mess. That face that you have been so proud of will rot from now on so that people will feel disgusted when they see you. Then you will live a life of suffering on the verge of death finished when the real royal star stabs his sword into your heart."
When Esther spoke like that, a green light appeared that filled the entire room. Then, the light disappeared and Prince Arnold immediately fell and fell on the ground. Even the barrier that was blocking Averia just now had disappeared. It seemed her magic power had run out after being used to curse Arnold.
Seeing this, all the knights immediately caught Esther. Averia immediately approached her son who was lying weakly on the ground with an aging and rotting face. Esther laughed very loudly. Either she was happy because she managed to get revenge or covered up her sadness.No one knew the reason for laughing like that.
"Quickly hold that mage in the dungeon!" ordered Averia who looked annoyed.
Esther was immediately taken away by the guard knights. Even so, her laughter still didn't stop as if she was making fun of Averia.