31. A Promise with the Council of Elders (2)
31. A Promise with the Council of Elders (2)
[Episode 31] - Promise with the Council of Elders (2)
Two hours before Vivian entered the conference room.
The ministers and the Queen Dowager-nim, who had already gathered, had been continuing their 'meeting' for several hours, excluding the Second Queen-nim. The main topic was none other than 'Regarding the treatment of the Second Queen-nim'. The ministers continued the discussion with serious expressions.
Vin Chaud, sitting in the Finance Minister's seat, raised his hand to gain the floor and shouted as if pleading with the other ministers. Exhausted from the hours of arguing, he was now almost appealing to their emotions.
"Did the other ministers not see it at His Majesty's funeral! The Princess-nim crying while held in the Second Queen-nim's arms! After seeing that, how can you try to kick the Queen-nim out right now!"
However, the reactions of the other ministers were cold. From the start, it was a fact known to everyone, including Vin Chaud, that she did not suit the position of the Second Queen-nim.
She hadn't even inherited the royal 'surname'.
She hadn't even received the King's 'affection'.
What reason was there to serve such a Second Queen-nim? That was the opinion of the other ministers. From the very beginning, when they were pushing to appoint the Second Queen-nim, the Council of Elders had earnestly pleaded with Vivian.
'Please, bring a small sun to this country.'
It wasn't that they were dissatisfied with the Princess-nim. It was just that the royal family was a place where danger always lurked. They were afraid that the royal bloodline would be cut off with just one Princess-nim.
That was why they had selected a candidate for Queen as quickly as possible, and appointed Vivian, who had been chosen, to the position of Second Queen-nim. But, far from a small sun, she hadn't even received the King's affection, nor had she received the surname.
The Council of Elders' dissatisfaction was immense.
On top of that, there were even rumors that she was a witch.
Vin Chaud slammed the round table again and shouted.
"His Majesty hasn't been gone for long...! In this situation, if you kick out the person the Princess-nim relies on, isn't that taking away her 'family' again! Isn't that right! Foreign Minister-nim!"
The Foreign Minister-nim groaned at Vin Chaud's shout. However, the Foreign Minister-nim could not back down either. He just hated the Palace Minister-nim who had assigned the Second Queen-nim as the Princess-nim's 'education supervisor' in the first place.
The Foreign Minister-nim raised his hand to get the floor, then stood up and continued in a calm voice. It was quite different from when he had shouted at Vivian.
"That is why, while she is still at a young age, we must distance the Queen-nim and the Princess-nim. Wouldn't the wounds caused when young heal faster?"
At those words, the Education Minister-nim stood up from his seat and shouted.
"Do you not know that wounds caused when young remain as even bigger scars when one becomes an adult! Foreign Minister-nim!! You, who are afraid of even a puppy because of childhood trauma!!"
"Why does that come up now!!"
"Isn't it the same!! You coward who is afraid of even a puppy's fangs!! Resign from your ministerial post!"
The meeting room instantly turned into chaos.
The ministers were instantly divided into two factions.
"To begin with, the Queen-nim is a person suspected of being a witch! How could you think of entrusting the Princess-nim's education to such a person! If the Princess-nim has been seduced by a witch right now...!"
"Watch your mouth! That is just a 'rumor' at best! How can you try to judge based on things that aren't facts! And you call yourself a minister! No, to begin with, should someone who is afraid of a puppy be in a ministerial position!"
"Why on earth does that come up now!!"
Like what was seen at the funeral, there was the faction that said the Princess-nim still needed someone she could trust and rely on by her side, and that at least 'for now,' she shouldn't be kicked out.
And the faction that said, since the royal rules aren't a joke, and there have already been two cases in history of queens who didn't receive the surname being kicked out, it didn't matter.
The Queen Dowager-nim, watching the meeting room divided exactly in half, let out a deep sigh. Originally, the Queen Dowager-nim had also intended to give Vivian a certain amount of assets and send her down to her 'family home', but...
The scene she had seen at the funeral kept flickering before her eyes.
Is it really the right choice to take the Second Queen-nim away from the Princess-nim like this...? The Queen Dowager-nim could not answer the question she asked herself. In terms of emotion, she didn't want to kick her out in the first place, but—
'The problem is that there have already been such cases in history. Since there is the Foreign Minister-nim who nitpicks about that, and other ministers. Talking about keeping the kingdom's rules and whatnot...'
There were already many such incidents in history.
A second queen who was not loved by the king and was eventually kicked out of the royal palace. It was a common story, and a story with only an obvious outcome. Such an obvious story was holding back the Princess-nim and the Second Queen-nim.
The Queen Dowager-nim, who wiped her throbbing forehead, eventually raised her hand to make the ministers shut their mouths. Seeing the Queen Dowager-nim's signal to shut up, the ministers instantly clamped their mouths shut and sat down.
"First, those ministers who think it is too early to kick out the Second Queen-nim right now, raise your hands."
Then, the ministers of the Palace, Finance, Industry, Culture, Education, and Agriculture raised their hands. In a situation divided exactly in half, the Queen Dowager-nim wiped her face as if exhausted once again.
"First, to state my thoughts, I also think it is too early to kick out the Second Queen-nim yet."
"But, Your Highness...!"
"Listen until the end. Kicking her out remains unchanged. It can't be helped. If that child had at least received the royal surname, it wouldn't be this much of a headache..."
At those words, everyone groaned. It was true. If at least she were 'Vivian Snow White' and not 'Vivian Liliensole', there would have been no need to continue this absurd meeting.
The Queen Dowager-nim, chin resting on her hand on the round table, turned her head slightly and asked the Palace Minister-nim.
"How long do you think the Second Queen-nim should remain in the royal palace?"
"Yes! Your Highness! At least until the Princess-nim's mind and body are stable! However, the Queen-nim is suspected of being a witch! So I think it would be good to strip her of the Queen's position within 2 years!"
Then, the Education Minister-nim, who had raised his hand high, shouted.
"I object! I believe she should stay at least until the age when the Princess-nim's puberty ends! To begin with, isn't it ridiculous that people who are ministers believe in the existence of a fantasy like a witch!"
"What?!"
"And childhood trauma is not easily healed! Like that Foreign Minister-nim over there!"
"Hey!!!"
Because of the Education Minister-nim who kept scratching the Foreign Minister-nim's nerves until the end, the Foreign Minister-nim clutched the back of his neck. The Queen Dowager-nim judged that the Education Minister-nim's words also had merit.
Thus, the Queen Dowager-nim asked the ministers. How long they would like the Second Queen-nim to stay here. The ministers who opposed the Second Queen-nim being here said she should leave the royal palace within at least 1 year.
And the ministers who said the Second Queen-nim should not be kicked out yet also had opinions that continued to diverge on when she should be kicked out. 3 years, 5 years, 10 years. Seeing them start to fight each other, the Queen Dowager-nim let out a sigh.
Then, Vin Chaud, the Finance Minister, raised his hand and suggested to the Queen Dowager-nim.
"How about asking the Queen-nim directly."
"Are you losing your intelligence as your hair falls out! If you ask her that, wouldn't she naturally say she won't leave!"
"Foreign Minister-nim. If you don't shut up right now, I will release dogs in your office."
The Queen Dowager-nim, watching Vin Chaud and the Foreign Minister-nim growling and fighting, suddenly thought that Vin Chaud's suggestion wasn't bad. If she pressured the Second Queen-nim without asking her directly—
Wouldn't she be able to hear the Second Queen-nim's true feelings as well?
The Queen Dowager-nim raised her hand, focusing the gaze of the Foreign Minister-nim and Vin Chaud, who were fighting as if they would really bite each other, onto herself. And then, with a sly smile, she began to prepare one 'operation' she had thought of.
"You all, can you act?"
"Y, yes, acting, you say...?"
"Yes, let's put on a play with the Second Queen-nim as the protagonist. First— I will have you, Foreign Minister-nim, play the 'wicked stepmother role'."
"Y, yes?"
Thus, the Queen Dowager-nim began to explain the 'play' she had thought of to the ministers. That they would quickly pass the first agenda, and talk about 'Regarding the treatment of the Second Queen-nim' as the second agenda.
And in that agenda, the Foreign Minister-nim should pressure the Second Queen-nim with words. The other ministers should somehow distract the Second Queen-nim's mind. If they did that, wouldn't they be able to hear the Second Queen-nim's true feelings?
Then, the Foreign Minister-nim smiled meanly, saying that was his specialty.
The remaining ministers also agreed with the Queen Dowager-nim's words, and waited only for the Second Queen-nim's arrival.
While they were waiting like that—
The Chief Chamberlain outside the door announced the Second Queen-nim's appearance.
"The Second Queen-nim! Queen-nim 'Vivian Liliensole' is entering!"
*
The meeting eventually concluded with me remaining in the royal castle until the Princess-nim's academy 'graduation'. I was just grateful to the Queen Dowager-nim for extending it from the entrance ceremony to the graduation.
...It's a guess, but it seemed the meeting had already ended before I arrived. It seemed the Queen Dowager-nim had discussed with the Council of Elders nobles behind my back about what to do with me, who hadn't received the royal 'surname'.
However, that Queen Dowager-nim must not have been able to block the Council of Elders' opposition.
Out of 13 people including the Queen Dowager-nim, only 4. Only 4 people had taken my side. No matter how much she was the Queen Dowager-nim, perhaps she couldn't ignore the majority besides that.
Rather than feeling hateful toward the Council of Elders who hated me, I wondered, what on earth did Vivian do to make the Council of Elders hate her enough to want to exclude me right away?
And, if Ainsel were here at a time like this...
Wouldn't I have been able to make a better choice? Only that thought kept swirling in my head. I stroked the earlobe on the side where Ainsel used to be, even though there was no earring hanging there for no reason.
'When is that Frankenstein coming... I'm also worried about Silphy...'
I let out a small sigh and looked at the wine bottle in my hand. Holding a wine bottle in one hand and two wine glasses in the other, I am now at the detached palace where the Queen Dowager-nim resides.
Wanting to express my gratitude to the Queen Dowager-nim, I packed the wine that the Queen Dowager-nim likes and arrived at the detached palace. Since it was late at night when I actually packed it and came, I wondered if she might be sleeping, but—
As soon as I arrived at the detached palace, the Queen Dowager-nim's maid welcomed me. When I was guided by the maid and headed to where the Queen Dowager-nim was, I saw the Queen Dowager-nim sitting on the terrace, already having a drink.
I clinked the glass and bottle together, making a clear sound to let the Queen Dowager-nim know I had arrived. Looking at the Queen Dowager-nim who turned her head at the clear sound of glass clinking, I smiled slyly while holding out the wine and glasses.
"Let's have a drink with your daughter-in-law, Your Highness."
"...Are you crazy?"