May Every Wound Be Fatal - Chapter 76.2
Surely I didn’t imagine things.
“Your Majesty, is something wrong…?”
“…It’s nothing.”
Reyna pretended nothing was amiss and began walking again, leaning on her cane. Even so, her eyes continued to wander toward the bushes where the child she had encountered the night before had vanished.
The garden was surrounded by dense shrubs and walls. The more she thought about it, the more she couldn’t understand how the child could have entered here.
As the events of the previous night were beginning to feel like a dream, Reyna suddenly stopped walking and finally asked Aileen.
“…What’s beyond that wall? This place is off-limits to anyone without His Majesty’s permission, isn’t it?”
“Oh…”
Aileen, who had no idea that Reyna had encountered someone in the garden at midnight, assumed she was trembling with fear of assassination.
Reyna had realized that her fall into the sea was no simple accident. However, she couldn’t imagine that she had thrown herself in, and instead believed that someone was after her life.
Having heard that the King had collapsed amid such circumstances, she must be terribly anxious…
Aileen regretted having relayed the news of the King’s collapse to Reyna as it was. She wanted to ease her unease, but since she couldn’t reveal the truth, there was little she could say.
“Of course, Your Majesty. Beyond that lies the ‘King’s Garden.’ Only the Wills may enter.”
“The King’s Garden? Ah…”
“No one can wander around this area. The King’s knights guard the garden all day long, so please don’t worry too much.”
Reyna knew of the King’s Garden as well. It was common knowledge among Eldamar’s nobility—even children knew that anyone who set foot there without being of royal blood could lose their head.
So it was right in front of this place.
Reyna absentmindedly gazed beyond the thick trees and recalled the child she had met in the darkness.
A platinum-haired child who had crossed the royal garden—accessible only to royalty—and wandered all the way here. The thought that the child might indeed be her own grew stronger and stronger. Her heart began to race.
Reyna suddenly glanced around. At that moment, everyone except Aileen was waiting outside the garden to avoid seeing her leaning on her cane. At this distance, it was perfect for a private conversation.
After taking a small deep breath, Reyna whispered to Aileen with a somewhat tense expression.
“Aileen, tell me now what happened to me.”
“Your Majesty, why suddenly…”
Aileen couldn’t hide her momentary fluster and instinctively looked around.
Reyna grasped Aileen’s hand firmly and met her gaze up close.
“Suddenly? Aileen. His Majesty is suffering alone like that—how can I keep hiding here forever?”
“…But the scholar said that recovering your health comes first…”
“I’m well enough by now. I want to be of help to His Majesty. Whatever happened, I can accept it. So please, tell me the truth now.”
“Your Majesty…”
“Tell me—what wrongdoing did the Dazbel ducal house, did my father, commit?”
Silence followed.
Aileen’s lips twitched hesitantly as if she wanted to speak but couldn’t. It seemed this was no ordinary matter, and Reyna felt an unavoidable tension.
It was a long while before Aileen finally spoke.
“That is… I dare not say it, Your Majesty.”
Reyna, who had naturally expected Aileen to tell her the truth, blinked her large eyes a few times, unable to process the situation.
“Why not?”
“Everything is for your sake, Your Majesty. Please believe me.”
“…That makes no sense. How long do I have to… You’re my handmaiden. You’re supposed to help me.”
“I’m sorry, Your Majesty.”
Aileen’s face twisted sorrowfully, and faced with her unexpected reaction, Reyna could say nothing more.
Her resolve to accept whatever had happened now seemed hollow, as fear suddenly gripped her. Perhaps it was a reaction of defiance.
“…Fine. I’ll find out for myself.”
Reyna leaned on her cane and limped past Aileen.
If Aileen wouldn’t tell her the truth, she would simply ask someone else.
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