Chapter 5
When I demanded to call for a doctor, Laren hurriedly gave instructions to another maid.
Obviously, Sidica's arm was not muscular, so I handed the princess over to Laren along the way.
We came back to my palace and laid the princess on my bed. Another maid quickly put firewood in the fireplace to warm the slightly chilly room.
The princess had a very high fever, and her whole body was quite hot, face tinged with a pink hue. Then the doctor came in a minute quicker than expected.
Laren approached me and whispered to my ear after she showed the doctor the princess.
The Duke of Javikin was also waiting, she said.
Of course. I'm waiting to see you today as well.
For now, Laren and I left the princess and headed to the drawing-room. As we went inside, the Duke sitting on the chair rose from his seat.
Cold-blue eyes that settled behind those curtain gray hair. He was an expressionless man. Rather than being handsome, he had a sharp, fierce face. He has an indifferent face that seemed to have devoid of feelings.
The age gap was so huge that he was always a difficult brother to Sidica.
"Glory to the Moon of the Empire. It's been a long time, Your Majesty."
A type of brother who does not ask about his sister's physical condition first. Sidica and the Duke are in such a relationship.
When the emperor was still in good health, he had nothing to do with the Empress, who was nothing but shameful.
For now, Laren and I left the princess and headed to the drawing-room. As we went inside, the Duke sitting on the chair rose from his seat.
Cold-blue eyes that settled behind those curtain gray hair. He was an expressionless man. Rather than being handsome, he had a sharp, fierce face. He has an indifferent face that seemed to have devoid of feelings.
The age gap was so huge that he was always a difficult brother to Sidica.
"Glory to the Moon of the Empire. It's been a long time, Your Majesty."
A type of brother who does not ask about his sister's physical condition first. Sidica and the Duke are in such a relationship.
When the emperor was still in good health, he had nothing to do with the Empress, who was nothing but shameful.
But suddenly, the emperor died, and the use of Sidica had formulated in her brother's mind.
"What are you doing here, Lord Javikin?"
As he greeted me and sat across my sofa, the Duke squinted his eyes.
"What are you doing here, Lord Javikin?"
As he greeted me and sat across my sofa, the Duke squinted his eyes.
But in an instant, I managed to become expressionless as he stared at me intently. By any chance, does he realized he's not talking to his real younger sister?
However, all of my bearings, weren't it ordered by the Duke? There's nothing strange about the way I am, right?
"Is there something on my face?"
He shook his head when I asked before composedly picking up the warm tea Laren had served.
"Nothing, Your Majesty."
I would generally be afraid of his face and eyes, but now I'm just another person. Furthermore, I am officially the Empress, therefore he should bow to me.
I stared calmly at the Duke. I thought I'd pretend to be a little scared, but I quit. If I was caught acting, it would be my loss.
The Duke looked at Laren without raising his tea. And then he turned his eyes again and stared at me.
I pretended to be oblivious.
That look probably meant to frighten the maids, but I never thought about it. The Duke's eyes grew sharper as he finally picked up his tea and drank it. I noticed the mood was a bit dreary.
"Are you not feeling well?”
"Yes."
The Duke, who hadn't able to frighten his sister, finally asked after her health. When I nodded, I just sat still, for I have nothing more to say.
It seemed terrible when there's no expression on his face. There was no pity, no worry, no feeling of doubt. He looks at others thoroughly. He wasn't merely looking at others, but he's eyeing them for their usefulness.
"Please state your business?"
I'm getting tired now. I'm so exhausted.
I worked hard in the morning and carried my child with me, but my body was so weak that I felt tired. I did not hide my current fatigue. I thoroughly appealed that I was not feeling well.
Then, reluctantly, the Duke opened his mouth, as if the appeal had worked.
"You seem to be not feeling well, so I'll come back next time."
"Please do."
The Duke neatly backed away.
When I returned to my bedroom, the doctor's diagnosis of the princess was conducted, and he had been waiting for me. After the doctor saw me, he quickly greeted me first.
"Glory to the Moon of the Empire. Your Majesty, the diagnosis is complete." The doctor broaches his words with difficulty. He said the princess was suffering from malnutrition.
Malnutrition...
Surely the weight of the princess was light. After the doctor left, I looked at the young princess lying in bed.
Under the warm blanket, the princess's body has not curled up anymore. But still, the frozen face seemed so pitiful.
Her mother was the second Empress. The two older brothers of the princess were the first empress' biological sons, and only the emperor cared for her after her biological mother died.
And now that there is no emperor, no one has taken care of her.
How worried was the emperor who left this little child?
If he knew his daughter was being neglected like this......He'll have tears of blood.
I thought of my mom. Did my mom cry a lot? I was a mean daughter, and I remained a mean daughter until the end.
"Laren."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
When I called for Laren while I was looking at the princess, she came up fast.
"Send in more maids in the Imperial Princess's Palace and release the budget. And..."
I paused at the end of my words. What should I do with the current lady-in-waiting and the maids?
They're just under Sidica's command. All the conditions laid from Sidica's mouth, so there will be no punishment given to them. They are innocent because it's what Sidica told them to do.
"Bring clothes and winter pajamas for the princess. Hot water, too."
Laren brought hot water and pajamas to change.
I gently wiped her hands with a warm towel, then her arms, and roll up her clothes little by little to clean her fragile body.
To my shocked, the body of the tawny girl whose clothes were lifted was covered with bruises.
When I first saw the blue bruise, I thought I was mistaken. The color of the bruises varied when I stripped up more layers of clothing. I said, "It's not only one, but there's more."
It meant that I was not mistaken.
However, all of my bearings, weren't it ordered by the Duke? There's nothing strange about the way I am, right?
"Is there something on my face?"
He shook his head when I asked before composedly picking up the warm tea Laren had served.
"Nothing, Your Majesty."
I would generally be afraid of his face and eyes, but now I'm just another person. Furthermore, I am officially the Empress, therefore he should bow to me.
I stared calmly at the Duke. I thought I'd pretend to be a little scared, but I quit. If I was caught acting, it would be my loss.
The Duke looked at Laren without raising his tea. And then he turned his eyes again and stared at me.
I pretended to be oblivious.
That look probably meant to frighten the maids, but I never thought about it. The Duke's eyes grew sharper as he finally picked up his tea and drank it. I noticed the mood was a bit dreary.
"Are you not feeling well?”
"Yes."
The Duke, who hadn't able to frighten his sister, finally asked after her health. When I nodded, I just sat still, for I have nothing more to say.
It seemed terrible when there's no expression on his face. There was no pity, no worry, no feeling of doubt. He looks at others thoroughly. He wasn't merely looking at others, but he's eyeing them for their usefulness.
"Please state your business?"
I'm getting tired now. I'm so exhausted.
I worked hard in the morning and carried my child with me, but my body was so weak that I felt tired. I did not hide my current fatigue. I thoroughly appealed that I was not feeling well.
Then, reluctantly, the Duke opened his mouth, as if the appeal had worked.
"You seem to be not feeling well, so I'll come back next time."
"Please do."
The Duke neatly backed away.
When I returned to my bedroom, the doctor's diagnosis of the princess was conducted, and he had been waiting for me. After the doctor saw me, he quickly greeted me first.
"Glory to the Moon of the Empire. Your Majesty, the diagnosis is complete." The doctor broaches his words with difficulty. He said the princess was suffering from malnutrition.
Malnutrition...
Surely the weight of the princess was light. After the doctor left, I looked at the young princess lying in bed.
Under the warm blanket, the princess's body has not curled up anymore. But still, the frozen face seemed so pitiful.
Her mother was the second Empress. The two older brothers of the princess were the first empress' biological sons, and only the emperor cared for her after her biological mother died.
And now that there is no emperor, no one has taken care of her.
How worried was the emperor who left this little child?
If he knew his daughter was being neglected like this......He'll have tears of blood.
I thought of my mom. Did my mom cry a lot? I was a mean daughter, and I remained a mean daughter until the end.
"Laren."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
When I called for Laren while I was looking at the princess, she came up fast.
"Send in more maids in the Imperial Princess's Palace and release the budget. And..."
I paused at the end of my words. What should I do with the current lady-in-waiting and the maids?
They're just under Sidica's command. All the conditions laid from Sidica's mouth, so there will be no punishment given to them. They are innocent because it's what Sidica told them to do.
"Bring clothes and winter pajamas for the princess. Hot water, too."
Laren brought hot water and pajamas to change.
I gently wiped her hands with a warm towel, then her arms, and roll up her clothes little by little to clean her fragile body.
To my shocked, the body of the tawny girl whose clothes were lifted was covered with bruises.
When I first saw the blue bruise, I thought I was mistaken. The color of the bruises varied when I stripped up more layers of clothing. I said, "It's not only one, but there's more."
It meant that I was not mistaken.
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