Chapter 5

More than that, she was so focused on other things that she couldn’t even listen to Marianne’s disgruntled lament.

Judith clearly remembered when she met Franz for the first time that day.

At that time, she cried endlessly in despair at the fact that she had to leave and go to a foreign country without Marianne. So, she couldn’t even feel strange that a prince-like figure came to pick her up.

But thinking about it now, isn’t that absurd?
No country in the world sends a prince directly to greet a princess from a poor country that was practically sold for money and isn’t even officially welcomed.

It was something that clearly showed how Franz was being treated in Roteia and how Queen Gilsis treated him, but Judith at that time couldn’t afford to estimate that.

Fear damages perception. When you are crushed by fear, you become unable to think. If you don’t think about it, even if a trap is put in front of you, you won’t be able to avoid it and you will die.
That was Judith’s greatest lesson from her past life.
No matter what comes, you shouldn’t be afraid. Even if it’s an enemy you can’t defeat, the moment you stop thinking, the fight ends without you even being able to attack.

“Miss Judith, it can get cold in the carriage, so take this with you. It will be difficult to take care of you because I ride in a separate carriage in the back.”

Judith took the bundle of fabrics from Marianne and nodded. She did not want to let her go, as the carriage of the attendants would without a doubt be narrow and uncomfortable, but Franz was also inside Judith’s carriage. Considering the conversation she had to share with him, it was better for Marianne not to be there.

“Right, if it’s too uncomfortable, just tell me. Hm? I will tell them to change your carriage to one that is more comfortable.”
“Hey, Miss Judith. Am I the kind of person to nitpick over something like that? You know how strong I am. Don’t worry about me. I’m more worried about Miss Judith. You also get severe motion sickness…”
“I won’t have something like motion sickness anymore. It’s alright.”
“Miss Judith, one’s physical constitution doesn’t change easily.”

As Marianne was stroking Judith’s shoulder in constant worry, she saw four carriages approaching with a rattling sound. Unlike the carriages often seen in the Tien Kingdom, the wheels were larger, and the roof was finished in an angled shape.

“That must be a carriage from Roteia! It’s different from Tien’s carriages.”
“Roteia doesn’t focus on needless decoration, unlike Tien.”
“Miss Judith, are you familiar with the Roteia Kingdom?”

At Marianne’s words, which seemed to be of surprise, Judith smiled awkwardly with a look that she had said something she shouldn’t.

“In Tien, everything is extravagant. That’s why I thought so. I don’t know anything about Roteia.”
“These days, Miss Judith is just like a different person. You even said things that seem like you have gotten older all of a sudden…”

As Marianne was about to start chatting, the door of the carriage that stopped in front of them opened. Judith’s eyes blinked slowly as she saw a middle-aged man, who had a habit of wearing a collar so stiff from starching that it stood up straight, coming out.

‘I’m sure this man was the secretary of Duke Vergi.’

The family of Duke Vergi of Roteia was the only family that supported Prince Franz. Duke Vergi, who was the younger brother of the deceased queen and Franz’s biological mother, was the only person in Roteia who could compete with Queen Gilsis at this time.

‘After Franz began to show signs of madness, the whole family was exterminated. They were accused of making him go crazy…’

Judith had also met Duke Vergi a couple of times, but back then, she couldn’t even look at his face properly.

Seeing Judith trembling and losing her vitality, Duke Vergi must have been very sad. Wouldn’t the fact that Franz, who had nothing to hold onto, and even his wife had to meet such an unreasonable woman, cause his mental illness?

If she wanted to take revenge on Queen Gilsis, she had to prevent the extermination of Duke Vergi’s family. And, for that to happen, Franz couldn’t show any signs of madness. For Judith, this was the most upsetting challenge.

What could she do to stop a person from going crazy?

“Princess, please get on the carriage.”

As Judith stood still, the Duke’s secretary, who had been waiting, said cautiously. She patted the worried Marianne on the back and then slowly climbed into the carriage. And then, she looked at the man sitting opposite her for a moment, with complicated eyes.

The person who was once her husband. The only person she thought she had no choice but to hold on to, even though she couldn’t share any affection or anything.
Franz Zedekiah.

“Your Highness.”

As Judith sat down, the secretary poked his head through the carriage’s open door. Whether Judith came inside or not, whether someone called him or not, Franz’s gaze was fixed on the window and did not move.

“I will follow you in the carriage in the back. If anything happens, we will respond right away, so please don’t worry, both of you.”

Duke Vergi’s secretary was also an outstanding military officer. If it weren’t for him, Judith would probably have died without even reaching Roteia.

She remembered that bandits attacked the carriage midway through the journey. There were not many soldiers escorting them, so it was a situation in which everyone could lose their lives.
At that time, it was the secretary who killed the thieves alone. Judith smiled sadly, remembering the time when she was so scared that she couldn’t even lose consciousness.

‘Come to think of it, this person didn’t even try to save me back then.’

Judith, who glanced at Franz, fell into complicated emotions again.

When the bandits raided the carriage, not only did Franz not try to save Judith, he didn’t even try to save himself.
He had no will to live. Since then, already.

She didn’t know that at the time. However, she was very shocked and heartbroken that the person who had become her husband didn’t draw his sword once for her, even in such a dangerous situation.

Things like her aren’t loved by anyone.
If even her husband doesn’t save her, there is no one she can trust.

From then on, Judith became afraid of Franz. If he were to come close, it was hard to breathe, and she felt dizzy. Of course, the annexation was unreasonable, and Franz didn’t even want to touch Judith’s fingertips.

‘I was lonely.’

The lonely thoughts of the past poured down like a rain shower on Judith, who had her head down.

When she was imprisoned in the tower by the Queen, Judith fell to the ground and prayed to the guard to hang her neck. To please bring Franz to her. To let her look at his face and talk to him, that it was fine if it was just once.

Although she had not spoken properly with her husband in several years, at that time she had already heard that he had gone crazy, but Judith desperately needed him. She didn’t want to be imprisoned in a place like that under a terrible false accusation and die quietly.

She wanted Franz to believe her. If he could say just one word to save her, she wanted him to say it.

– Your Highness, Your Highness… It wasn’t me. I really didn’t do that. Prince Claude… H-how could I… Your Highness, please believe me. P-please… I, I…
– …
– Your Highness, Prince Franz… Please… sob, what, sob… Whatever you say, please…

When she remembered the cold feeling she had felt while touching the cold floor when she lied with her face down, bursting into tears, Judith was frightened again. Even the damp smell and temperature were vivid in her memory.

Back then, Franz ended up not saying anything to help Judith. He looked down at Judith with indifferent eyes, or with eyes that were innocent as if he knew nothing as he had already gone crazy, and left without a word. And that was her last meeting with him.

But why did he try to kill Claude?
Was it for her, or was it because he went crazy and lost his mind?

“Your Highness.”

Judith, who had been watching him silently for a long time, finally called him.

It felt so remote as if the last time she had called his name had been a hundred years ago, and she felt like she was going to burst into laughter and tears at the same time. Although she did not love him and was not loved by him, at that time, she felt pity for Franz.

He had never said that he believed her, nor he had ever told her a single word of kindness; but when he heard that she was calling him, he came to the tower. By then, the disease had already run its course, and he was going crazy.

At this point, she can’t love him, but she can make him the king.
After kicking out Queen Gilsis and her son Claude to a place worse than death, that position would naturally be taken by Franz.

“…”

A long time passed after Judith had called his name, and Franz slowly turned his head. Staring straight at him, Judith looked at his face for a long time without saying a word.

Was he someone who looked like this? It was ridiculous and humorous that her husband’s face was the most ambiguous.

He seemed a little younger than what she remembered. He was two years older than her, so Franz was now 19 years old. It was even before his coming-of-age ceremony.
And there were still no signs of illness, so there was a brightness in his eyes. He didn’t show the vitality or ambition of his age, or the excitement or curiosity that he would feel when he met a woman who would become his first companion, and his indifference brought out memories of Franz one after the other. Hair like flames that had just burned, sorrowful and beautiful eyebrows, and deep eyes that were accompanied by silence.

“Nice to meet you, Your Highness. My name is Judith Loerbinev.”
“…”

There was no reply from Franz. He looked out the window as if he were alone in the world, as if he couldn’t hear anything. Judith, who had remained silent for a moment, decided to try again with a little more courage.

“I wondered what kind of person you were, and seeing you in person…”
“… I heard.”
“Sorry?”

Franz’s lips, which had been quietly shut, opened and let out a muttering, like he was talking to himself. As Judith, who was startled by the sudden remark, asked, Franz sat upright, leaning against the window.

“I heard that you were a princess who spoke very little, but it doesn’t seem like that.”
“You heard about me?”
“I heard. So many times that I will never forget it.”

Franz, who said that, suddenly bowed his head and started laughing. Judith could tell who was talking about her just by looking at his expression.
It was Queen Gilsis, without a doubt.