TCORIM 11

Chapter 11

Nadia doubted her own ears. As she stood dazed in disbelief, the maids brought in a large box from outside.

Nadia blinked slowly and approached them.

She carefully opened the box wrapped in deep blue velvet. On a pure white cushion lay a sapphire necklace and earrings.

The small diamonds surrounding the large sapphires maximized the brilliance of the gems. Because of that, Nadia slightly furrowed her brow.

“Also, His Majesty the King has invited you to dinner tomorrow evening.”

Why? Nadia barely suppressed the words that nearly burst out.

She was not the only one wearing a bewildered expression. Even the maid delivering the king’s message wore an incredulous face.

Nadia turned to Olga as if asking for help.

As expected, Olga, who had been subtly knitting her brows, opened her mouth after a brief silence.

“You can simply wear these and go.”

“Have I done something wrong recently?”

At Nadia’s question, Olga let out a hollow laugh. Yes, this was the natural reaction. Olga shook her head and answered.

“I’m not sure. I do not know either.”

The ambiguous answer made Nadia even more anxious. To simply welcome the king’s favor—she knew what feelings he held for her.

He was the king who had tacitly permitted all the contempt she had suffered as queen. There was no way he would suddenly send something like this as a gesture of comfort.

“……Tell him I will attend.”

Her head was a mess, but she could not refuse the king’s invitation either way.

***

Late afternoon the next day. Nadia wore a deep blue dress and put on the sapphire necklace and earrings she had received as gifts.

The outfit coordinated in blue tones made her glossy blonde hair look even more radiant. And……

“How do I look?”

“……”

That beauty oddly reminded one of Agnes. At the sudden surge of displeasure, Olga unconsciously tensed her brow.

“Is it not good?”

Nadia’s voice was anxious as she keenly caught that expression. Olga pressed her lips together, then eventually shook her head with a short sigh.

Naturally, seeing such a reaction, Nadia could not be reassured.

“If there is anything lacking, please do tell me, madam.”

“It is fine. I do not think you could be more adorned than this.”

“But……”

Nadia seemed to have more to say but did not. She appeared to have judged that asking further would not get her the answer she wanted.

A correct judgment. Olga had no intention of speaking her true feelings.

Suddenly, she found herself strange. It would have been perfect to wound the queen, yet oddly the words would not come out.

‘If I said anything, she would fuss and fret and insist on changing her dress.’

Yes, because she did not want more work, Olga convinced herself that way.

Just then, word came from the Central Palace that the dinner preparations were complete. Nadia left the Queen’s Palace with a somewhat uneasy face.

The weather, which had been fairly warm during the day, was growing cold as the sun set.

Nadia, wrapped in an ivory shawl, walked slowly toward the Central Palace, deliberately composing her visibly nervous expression.

“Ah.”

At some point, a small exclamation escaped Nadia’s lips. When Olga turned her gaze in the same direction as Nadia, she saw Albina approaching.

Judging by the direction, she seemed to have come from the Central Palace. After a moment’s hesitation, Nadia greeted Albina first.

“It has been a while, Countess Velevin.”

There had been several moments when the two had crossed paths recently, but each time Albina had ignored Nadia.

No matter how much she was the king’s favorite, it was a bold act that Nadia could punish however she wished if she so chose.

But Albina maintained her insolent attitude as if she knew Nadia would not do so.

Olga thought that Nadia would be ignored again this time. Nadia also wore an expression with little expectation of being acknowledged.

However, at a distance where Nadia’s figure could be fully captured in Albina’s view, she came to a stop.

“Ah……”

Nadia, wearing a slightly flustered expression as if she had not expected this, also stopped. Albina’s gaze reached her neck.

After glaring at Nadia’s sapphire necklace as if piercing it, her gaze slowly moved to her ear. Olga saw Albina’s pressed lips tremble slightly.

“You are wearing a necklace I have not seen before.”

Albina opened her mouth in a slightly cracked voice. Nadia reflexively touched the area around her neck.

“Ah, this……”

Nadia hesitated briefly before answering.

“I received it as a gift not long ago.”

“Ah.”

Albina blinked once.

“I see.”

Even after the dry answer, Albina’s gaze would not leave Nadia’s neck.

Nadia suddenly had the absurd thought that that gaze might bite her neck.

But could it really be an illusion?

At that very moment, Albina slowly reached out and grabbed Nadia’s necklace.

As if grasping a leash.

“How pretty.”

Then she silently stroked the necklace. Even at the rude behavior and uneasy silence, Nadia simply stood still.

“But it does not seem to suit Your Highness very well.”

In an instant, the necklace cord dug into the skin at the back of her neck.

The moment Nadia let out a short groan of pain, Albina yanked the necklace forward hard. The cord snapped, and the large sapphire fell to the floor and rolled away.

Nadia looked back and forth between Albina’s hand, which held only the necklace cord, and the fallen jewels. After a moment of daze, Nadia was dumbfounded.

“……What is the meaning of this, Lady Velevin?”

Despite the stern voice, Albina’s expression was calm. It was a moment when she realized anew how insignificant her position was to her.

In truth, had Albina ignored her greeting and walked on as usual, she would have let it pass. But today she had gone too far.

“You must know that I have let slide the rudeness you have committed against me all this time.”

“Yes. And that is precisely why I can do such impertinent things, is it not?”

Albina curled the corner of her mouth as if in a slight sneer. Yet her eyes were coldly sunken.

Even though this was the moment when the woman who had remained still through every insult finally, for the first time, flared up.

“I firmly believe that Your Highness will not punish me or tattle to His Majesty. Of course, the same goes for this time as well.”

“It was His Majesty’s gift.”

“Oh my.”

Albina covered her mouth with an expression that was not at all surprised. The gesture only added to its artificiality.

“All the better that I broke it. This time, do try punishing me. Or tattle to His Majesty.”

Albina dropped even the remaining necklace cord and stepped on it with her foot. As Nadia watched with furrowed brows, Albina brought her face close to hers.

“If you punish me, I shall of course accept it. Come, try it.”

“……”

“As expected.”

At the sight of Nadia merely furrowing her brow and staring at her without moving, Albina let out a small scoff. Then, with the corners of her mouth slightly raised, she tucked Nadia’s flowing golden hair behind her ear.

“You are clever.”

Whispering in a very gentle voice, Albina finally moved her hand to Nadia’s earlobe.

She even brazenly pulled out the sapphire earring hanging from Nadia’s ear.

“I will be taking this as well.”

Nadia did not answer, but Albina paid no heed and walked right past her.

Since Albina had never committed such an outrageous rudeness before, the maids, including Olga, looked both pleased and quite surprised.

Olga was quietly observing Nadia’s condition when she suddenly turned around and spoke.

“Let us go. We will be late for dinner.”

It was the same calm voice as always. Olga asked.

“Will you go like this?”

“It is too late to turn back.”

Olga did not urge further. Having thus reached the Central Palace, Nadia was guided by the attendants to the dining hall.

“Her Highness the Queen enters.”

The enormous doors opened on both sides, and Nadia immediately met Lev’s eyes. He was already tilting a wine glass, waiting for her.

Nadia hesitated briefly before stepping inside. After a few steps, she stopped and bowed at the waist in courtesy.

“I greet the great sun of Arbat.”

Lev looked her over as if examining her, then subtly furrowed his brow.

“You did not come wearing the gift I gave you.”

“……”

Olga watched Nadia’s lips with a slightly tense expression. What words would come out of that mouth?