Queen in the Shadows

Chapter 9

Even before dawn broke, the carriage carrying Elena and Riaveric was rushing through the dreary streets of Silence.

“Miss Elena, I just received word about your parents.”

“Really? What’s the update? Did they leave safely?”

When she heard that there was news about her parents, Elena acted highly concerned. She was so eager for the information that it was hard to believe that she was pretending.

“They were able to get out of the territory safely.”

“I’m so relieved. Thank you for your care, Riv.”

Riaveric then narrowed her eyes and spoke again. “But your mother may have overexerted herself during the journey. I heard that her health is poor.”

“What? M-Mama? Is she really sick? What is her illness? It’s all because of me. She must’ve gotten ill from heartbreak...” Elena babbled like someone who was half out of her mind and then lowered her head. Tears started to drip down into her lap. “Mama, Mama...oh, Mama.”

Elena cried bitterly out of longing and worry. It was so pitiful, like a young child who had lost their mother.

Riaveric’s eyes became slits as she looked for signs of deceit. She had intentionally given Elena false information in the hopes that the girl’s reaction would somehow prove that she had been involved in the couple’s escape. But what was this? She was sobbing so desperately—there was no way she could’ve even guessed that her parents had fled.

So she doesn’t know anything at all.

Riaveric bit her lip lightly. “Don’t cry. The doctor said it was a temporary fever. She’ll quickly recover with rest.”

“She must get well,” Elena said through tears. “If she doesn’t, I won’t have the confidence to live in the empire.”

“Of course.”

Only then did Elena pull herself together. She wiped her eyes with the handkerchief she had been given.

“By now, the two of them should’ve arrived at the Mariana Archipelago,” Riaveric told her.

“D-don’t they call that place paradise on earth?”

“Yes, they’re the absolute best islands to live on, in the whole world.”

Riaveric was shamelessly lying. While the Mariana Archipelago was called “paradise on earth” in oral fairy tales and novels, the reality was much different. It was a remote area that was crawling with pirates and had such strong waves that even fishing was difficult.

Although Elena clearly knew this, she pretended not to and happily clapped her hands. “I’ve heard that too. If it’s that place, I feel at ease. I hope they don’t have to suffer anymore and can live comfortably.”

“That...will definitely happen.”

When Riaveric saw how innocently relieved Elena was, she couldn’t help but question her own suspicions.

That is the level of naivety this child possesses... Am I the one who’s acting too sensitive? Elena kept showing that her maturity was subpar, so Riaveric felt strange about continuing to doubt her.

As for Elena, she felt relieved to see Riaveric looking confused—it was satisfying that the woman was unable to let go of her uncertainty.

Riaveric is suspicious of me. That means that Mama and Papa were able to escape safely.

Elena was happy about Riaveric’s suspicions because it confirmed that her parents hadn’t been tracked. If they had been caught, then there would be absolutely no reason for Riaveric to doubt Elena.

After a while, they arrived at the warehouse dock behind the wharf and got out of the carriage. They were then led by the middle-aged knight who had driven the carriage to a small ferry that was tied to the end of the dock.

The ferry bobbed a long distance through the water and fog until eventually, it reached the stern of a large, luxurious sailboat.

“Shall we go up?”

Led by Riaveric, Elena and the middle-aged knight climbed the ladder and boarded the boat. Perhaps because it was not yet ready to depart, there were no sailors visible on the deck. The atmosphere felt empty and eerie.

Riaveric walked across the deck and ventured into the interior of the boat. She stopped only when she reached a cabin at the end of the hallway. Candles in sconces were flickering outside the room.

She opened the creaky wooden door to reveal a spacious cabin with elegant furniture. At first glance, it was obvious that this was a luxurious cabin used by high-ranking nobles or royalty.

As soon as they entered, Riaveric locked the cabin door tightly.

“You and I will be staying here for the next ten days.”

Elena forced herself to smile. She could barely stop her stomach from churning.

* * *

“From now on, you are prohibited from leaving this cabin.”

It was a one-sided notice.

“Meals will be provided from the outside three times a day.”

She gave no room for rebuttal.

“You can use the bathroom in the innermost part of the cabin.”

Riaveric’s attitude toward Elena had changed. She was now treating the girl as a subordinate, and an authoritative manner had replaced her previously friendly attitude. Riaveric would use this time to teach her the basic culture and history of the empire.

I already know all of this.

Elena paced her learning and progress in a way that would not evoke criticism. If she was too smart, Riaveric would become suspicious. But if she acted too slow, Riaveric would definitely find fault and humiliate her.

Nine days of balancing on such a tightrope passed, and during that time, the sailboat also entered the empire’s waters.

“What is the term for the duty of nobles?”

“Noblesse Oblige.”

“Following that idea, Miss Elena will have to become a noble that other nobles look up to. It is your duty as the legitimate princess of the Grand Duchy of Friedrich.”

“W-wait a minute,” Elena stuttered. She raised her head. “The grand duchy?” She seemed dumbfounded, as if she couldn’t figure out if that was true.

“Princess Veronica is the only blood relative of Grand Duke France, the head of one of the four great families of the empire. This is also to be your new identity.”

“G-goodness me.” Elena paused in surprise and her lips twitched upward. “Th-the grand duchy...that’s beyond my imagination.”

As Elena kept trying to hide her wide smile, Riaveric became more convinced that this woman was a snob who was blinded by material ambition.

“We will end here today, so get ready.”

“N-now?”

“We’re going to disembark.”

Elena was finally able to leave the cabin after almost ten days. Her mood grew slightly better as she let the sea breeze carry away the anger that had built up in the cabin while she’d stayed with Riaveric.

Just like when they had boarded the sailboat, they climbed over the railing, went up a ladder, and transferred to a ferry. After about three hours, they reached the shore. When they crossed the wet, sandy beach, they climbed into a four-wheeled carriage hidden in some bushes.

“Riv, where are we going?” Elena asked.

“A safe house.”

“Safe...house?”

“It’s a very secret place. Only a few people in the grand duchy know about it.”

Riaveric turned her head to look out the window. This gesture indirectly expressed that she no longer wanted to continue the conversation. Elena also shut her mouth. Her question had just been an obligatory one anyway—there was no reason for her to ask since she already knew where they were going.

The carriage kept going without stopping, which was not an easy feat. The mountain road they rolled along was unmaintained, and it was hard to tell where they were going since not a single beam of moonlight shone from the sky.

Finally, they arrived at a mansion that was apparently the safe house. It was located in a secret place surrounded by forests, so one could never find it unless they knew the way. Elena’s expression turned cold as she gazed at the exterior of the mansion, which was now just a stone’s throw away.

The main culprit, the one who drove me to destruction, is in there.

No matter how hard she tried to remain calm, Elena’s heart was beating so intensely that she felt like she’d lost her mind. What kind of expression should I make when I meet him? Will I be able to handle my raging anger? Hundreds of thoughts and uncontrollable emotions were endlessly clashing inside her mind.

And then, the carriage stopped. As Elena followed Riaveric and exited the carriage, a neatly dressed maid bowed politely to them.

“This is Jane. She will be serving you here,” explained Riaveric. “She is deaf and can’t speak, so if you need anything, just write it down in your notebook and show it to her.”

Elena made eye contact with Jane to greet her, but then she had to quickly follow Riaveric into the mansion. They entered the main hall, which had a fancy and prominent chandelier, crossed the hallway to the right, and arrived in front of the marble door of the reception room.

“He is in there.”

“You mean... him?”

“As soon as he heard the news that you were arriving, he didn’t hesitate to come running from the capital.”

Elena’s heart was beating rapidly. Just like when she had first encountered Riaveric in this lifetime, a storm of uncontrollable emotions raged inside her.

Riaveric carefully placed her hand on the doorknob and then threw open the marble door with all her might. With the door open, Elena could see a person standing in the far corner of the room. He was a middle-aged man whose straight posture belied his age—he possessed so much dignity that many considered him to be the model of nobility.

Elena recognized who he was in one glance. How could she forget him? She could still picture the sneer that he’d worn when he’d watched her die.

“Y-you...really...”

His words came out ragged as he stared at Elena. His eyes shook and his lips trembled. Like a saint who was witnessing a miracle happen before their eyes, his expression hovered between joy and despair.

It was almost a shame to witness his discomposure among such sparse company—it was quite a sight. But Elena knew better—she got goosebumps from the knowledge that all of this was an act, a farce full of hypocrisy and lies.

“My daughter... Did you really come back alive?”

He was the one who had brought Elena to ruin. A person who wasn’t even worth being called a human.

Grand Duke France was coming ever closer.

She bit her cheek with her molars. Her clenched fists shook like aspen trees due to her uncontrollable anger. Her memories of his face—the face that had ridiculed her and sent her to her death—were still vivid. She was swept up in hateful thoughts of murder.

Calm down. You can’t get carried away by your emotions.

Elena restrained herself. Now was not the time to kill this person to satisfy her resentment. What she wanted was not only the complete destruction of Grand Duke France, but also of Riaveric and Veronica. Until that day came, she would let go of her anger and wag her tail as if she were their loyal dog.

The Grand Duke couldn’t take his eyes off Elena. “Did that really happen, Veronica?”

“I-I...”

As Elena stood in front of him, she lowered her gaze, unable to even make proper eye contact. Since it seemed like Elena didn’t know what to do, the Grand Duke extended his hand.

She flinched when the back of his hand touched her cheek. A chill snaked up her spine.

Elena felt disgusted, like she would be if insects were crawling all over her face.