(Chapter 3)
With a pang of regret, she gently brushed the armrest of her mother’s chair before settling into the one the butler had pulled out for her.
Had the magician sent her back? If so, why now? If she had been sent back just one week earlier, she might have been able to save her parents.
Her expression hardened with vexation, and a hush fell over the dining room.
“Are you alright, My Lady?” the butler asked. Fortunately, he assumed Seirena was mourning her parents, not mistaking the Countess’s seat for her own.
“Oh, yes. I’m fine. How is Ezra?” The name of her only younger brother came out of Seirena’s mouth.
*Thank goodness,* the butler thought, relieved.
Two days ago, upon hearing the news of her parents’ death, Seirena had looked at Ezra with an expression that suggested she would never forgive him, and then she had retreated to her room. He had worried that she might be blaming her brother for their parents’ death, but it seemed his fears were unfounded.
He replied in a low voice, “He hasn’t left his room, My Lady.”
“I see.”
Ezra must be struggling too. Having already lived through this event, Seirena could now reflect with a little more perspective. Even though they both lost their parents, she was about to turn twenty. Ezra, however, was only thirteen. For a thirteen-year-old boy, the death of his parents must be even more difficult than for a nineteen-year-old girl.
“I’ll go up after breakfast. Please make sure he doesn’t starve.”
The butler was briefly startled by the maturity of Seirena’s words, which were unlike her. Lady Seirena had changed overnight. The naïve, fainthearted young lady was speaking with the wisdom of someone ten years older today.
Had losing her parents suddenly brought her to her senses? The butler thought so and replied, “Understood,”
“Oh, and also,” Seirena said, opening her mouth as if something had just occurred to her while eating an omelet filled with ham and mushrooms.
It was warm food after a long time. For months in prison, all she had eaten was cold, watery gruel and bread so hard her teeth could barely make an impression. Even for a wicked queen, such treatment was outrageous. Remembering that even an imprisoned nobleman convicted of murder was afforded decent meals and furniture, Seirena knew it was all her uncle’s doing.
“Please do not contact Lord Hunter yet.”
“Lord Hunter?” The butler’s eyes widened. Had Lady Seirena just referred to her uncle as Lord Hunter? He was shocked by Seirena’s unbelievable choice of words and asked again, “Are you referring to your uncle, My Lady?”
“Yes. Do I have another uncle besides Lord Hunter?”
*It would be troublesome if I had another guardian.* The butler was too flustered to speak, seeing the slight frown on Seirena’s face.
The old Seirena liked her uncle. The deceased Earl of Hunter had been on good terms with his brother and had even gone so far as to ensure his brother could use the best house in the family estate. Her uncle’s daughter and Seirena’s cousin, Adrianna, was not particularly close to Seirena. But because Seirena liked her uncle so much, she often sent Adrianna trendy items from the capital every year.
“I have already contacted Lord Hunter, My Lady…”
The butler had, therefore, assumed Seirena would naturally want him to contact her uncle.
*She didn’t?* Seirena’s look of utter astonishment was visible in the butler’s eyes as he struggled to hide his dismay.
“You contacted him? When? By whose authority?”
“I—I contacted him, My Lady. Because of the funeral…”
“You contacted Lord Hunter because of the funeral? When I am here?”
Seirena, who had stood up in anger, stopped herself abruptly. She shouldn’t be angry like this. The butler had done what he thought was his duty.
The past Seirena had done nothing but weep all day. She wouldn’t meet anyone or listen to anything. Although the butler’s actions bordered on overstepping his bounds, he must have judged that the immature Seirena was incapable of managing her parents’ funeral.
“…I apologize, My Lady.” The butler quickly offered an apology. At his apology, Seirena also sat back down.
He had contacted her uncle. *Damn it.* If he arrived, he would surely try to become Seirena’s guardian.
Every noble must remain under the care of a parent or guardian until they turn twenty-one. She had planned not to inform her uncle of her parents’ death until she found a way to avoid this. The best outcome would be not to contact her uncle until next winter, when Seirena turned twenty-one. But there was no way the news of the Earl and Countess of Hunter’s deaths would not reach her uncle’s ears for an entire year.
*How long will it take for Uncle to get here?* If it snowed, it would take half a month, but it wasn’t cold enough for snow yet. *Then it will be a week.* Seirena quickly calculated the time allotted to her and spoke to the butler.
“I am the mistress of this house. Please consult with me before proceeding with anything.”
“I apologize again, My Lady.”
The butler asked for her forgiveness once more. Seirena pushed her plate aside and rose from her seat.
One week.
In one week, she had to rush to find a solution. Only then would she survive. And she could save Ezra, too.
She didn’t know who had sent her back, but she had been given a chance to set things right. Seirena was grateful for that opportunity, even if it had been the Devil who gave it to her. Because she would be able to undo the countless foolish and idiotic choices she had made.
“Please prepare the carriage.”
“The carriage, My Lady?” The butler asked again as she went upstairs to change.
At his expression, which seemed to question why she needed a carriage, Seirena paused. *What? What did I do wrong this time?*
The butler asked again, “Aren’t you going to the Knights’ Order?”
*Ah, damn it.* Seirena realized her mistake. Before becoming Queen, she preferred riding a horse over a carriage. She was a Knight, and no Knight rode a carriage to the Order.
“You’re right. Please prepare a horse for me.”
*A horse. Will I be able to ride it?* Pondering this, Seirena changed her clothes.
Had it been eight or nine years since she last rode a horse? In that sense, the Knight’s uniform was the same.
“Shouldn’t you stay home a little longer, My Lady?” Anna said, sounding worried.
Seirena stood before the mirror, gazing blankly at her reflection. This was the Knight’s uniform she was wearing for the first time in eight, no, nine years. She used to feel sick of it every time she put it on, but she never imagined she would miss it.
And her body. The smooth skin, free of any scars, brought the reality home once more.
*I am back.* Seirena thought as she mounted the saddle.
***
The Kingdom of Tainmurth is a nation of Knights.
Legend says that five Knights defeated a Dragon and established the country on that land. The strongest of the five became King, and the other four swore to protect the nation. Therefore, all nobles in Tainmurth must serve the nation as Knights in the Order for at least two years. Including the cadet period, that’s a minimum of five years.
*It’s not so bad,* Seirena thought, riding her horse. In the past, she had found it tiresome. She had wanted to escape the Knights’ Order. But not now. Knowing the life that awaited her, the Knights’ Order was a precious opportunity to live a different life.
“Oh my, Seirena?”
Seirena arrived at the Order, left her horse at the stable, and was greeted by a familiar face. It was a Knight she had been close to in the Order. Her name was…
“Moana.”
It came back to her. Seirena breathed a sigh of relief. Before she returned, the last time she had seen her, after Seirena had quit the Knights’ Order, was at her second trial. Queen Seirena was being tried on the charge of bringing men into her room every night. Among the men she was accused of dragging into her room was her deceased brother, Ezra.
When Seirena sat stunned by the outrageous charge, a few people in the spectators’ gallery stood up and shouted, “It’s a lie!”
Moana was one of them. Seirena recalled her raging, shouting, *How dare they fabricate an incest charge when they couldn’t find any real crime to pin on her!*
It was an odd thing. Almost all the female Knights in the Order had vanished before Seirena became Queen due to a certain incident. She heard that Moana had also quit the Order around that time. And Moana and Seirena had not met until that trial was held. Eight years. Moana had become so enraged at the trial for a friend she hadn’t seen in at least eight years that she flew into a frenzy. She was later penalized for contempt of court, Seirena heard.
“Are you okay?” Moana asked, taking Seirena’s hand. The face asking if she was okay looked young.
Seirena stared blankly at Moana’s face. Because of the memory of the trial, Seirena didn’t immediately recall what Moana was asking if she was okay about.
“I came by yesterday, but the butler asked me to come another time.” With Moana’s follow-up, Seirena realized that Moana had tried to visit her the day after her parents died. She had been worried about her friend who had lost her parents.
Moana had continued to visit after that. But Seirena had never received any of her visits until she became Queen.
Why?
Had her uncle prevented it?
Perhaps. Seirena bit her lip, realizing again how foolish she had been in her previous life.
“I see. Thank you for coming.”
“Of course, I had to come. Are you okay?”
*No, I’m not.*
*But I will be.*
*I have to be.*
Seirena nodded and said, “Yes. Well.”
Unlike her usual self, Seirena’s reply was short. *She’s not usually like this,* Moana thought. She looked at Seirena’s face and noticed the deep concern etched there. Losing her parents overnight must have been a great shock. Moana squeezed the hand she held and asked brightly, trying to lift the mood, “So, what brings you to the Knights’ Order? I thought you were on leave.”
A noble could receive two weeks of leave for the mourning of a parent. But Seirena was not there to request leave.
She shook her head and said, “I won’t be taking leave. I have something to check at the Order. What about you?”
“Oh, I thought I should notify the Order of the news.”
*The news?* Seirena wondered what she meant, but soon realized the news Moana was referring to was the death of the Earl and Countess of Hunter.
*You had such a good friend, Seirena Hunter.*
Seirena smiled bitterly and asked, “Want to come with me?”
“Weren’t you here on official business?”
She could certainly be excused from official duties due to her mourning.
But there was something she needed to confirm at the Order. Seirena shook her head and began walking with Moana toward the main building of the Knights’ Order.
