Morris hadn’t gotten any proper rest to begin with, and after being subjected to a relentless series of opponents, he was soon defeated by Elvira. So he simply pretended to pass out, using it as an excuse to rest.
However, Elvira had no idea what had really happened and believed she had single-handedly conquered Morris.
“Heh, well, look at that. Isn’t he even worse than yesterday? Seems you’re not so remarkable after all, Morris. Sure, you gave me a bit of trouble, but that’s about it.”
Looking at the ‘unconscious’ gray-haired knight lying half-naked by her side, the Witch Queen couldn’t help but show the composure and elegance of a victor on her face.
That look of satisfaction was as if she’d just claimed vast territories through war.
At this moment, Elvira’s mood was better than ever, and she didn’t mind sharing her good spirits with others.
After resting for a bit, Elvira tidied her clothes with a few simple movements, then got off the bed and headed for the door.
When she pushed the door open, Roselia, dressed as a maid, happened to turn around at the sound.
What Elvira saw was her gentle and intelligent confidante maid.
What Roselia saw, on the other hand, was a queen who, compared to her usual nobility and dominance, was now a touch sentimental and alluring.
“See, Roselia? I told you, you worry too much. That guy didn’t need me to sacrifice my sleep to conquer him at all. Sure, he was a bit troublesome, but that’s all there is to it.”
Facing her confidante, Elvira gracefully flicked her long hair with its white outer and blue inner streaks, looking every bit as if she had claimed victory with ease.
Roselia found this laughable—the pitiful Queen still thought she had subdued the Holy Knight with her own strength.
Of course, Roselia wouldn’t say this aloud. She simply showed a relieved smile and replied respectfully:
“It does seem that way, Lady Elvira. As expected of you. However, I believe you’re aware that Lord Morris was sleep-deprived, and his immobility greatly weakened his state. You might want to be careful not to underestimate him.”
Don’t be fooled—Roselia was actually rather wicked at heart; her gentleness was just an act.
But she did truly consider Elvira her superior, so she kindly reminded her not to get too smug.
She didn’t want her queen to turn from a domineering protagonist to a comedic one by accident.
“Heh, I know, I know. You really do love to worry, Roselia.”
Fortunately, Elvira wasn’t entirely arrogant, and she didn’t really believe she’d achieved an overwhelming victory. Hearing her subordinate’s advice, she just smiled calmly and teased her in return.
“Is that so? I don’t think so.”
Roselia blinked her eyes, playing up her lack of self-awareness, which only made Elvira’s mood even brighter.
Although the strict perfectionist type of head maid wasn’t bad, Elvira truly preferred a warm, gentle subordinate like Roselia, who always greeted others with a kind smile.
And despite Roselia’s lack of apparent authority, after she took on the role of head maid and managed the palace affairs, all the servants and guards became obedient, never showing any complaints or laziness.
That, in itself, was proof of Roselia’s remarkable skill.
With such a capable subordinate, Elvira was naturally at ease.
But for that very reason, she didn’t want such an outstanding subordinate to merely take care of her daily needs.
“You really don’t have any self-awareness, but I don’t mind it, Roselia. You should get some rest too. I’ll need your help handling government affairs tomorrow, and if you’re not well-rested, it’ll be a problem for me.”
Elvira was undoubtedly a willful and ruthless Queen, but on the other hand, she was very generous to those she favored.
The trust and importance she displayed now weren’t an act—they were genuine.
“Understood. I’ll go rest now. Thank you for your concern, Lady Elvira.”
Knowing this well, Roselia didn’t waste words. After a simple bow, she turned and walked off in the opposite direction.
The sound of the door closing behind her made it clear Elvira was also preparing to rest. Tonight, it seemed, would pass ‘peacefully.’
Roselia had only just reached the first corner of the corridor when she stopped.
Because standing there were two very familiar faces.
One was a red-haired woman with dragon horns and fairy ears, dressed in a pitch-black gown, exuding an otherworldly air with a cold expression.
The other had long twin teal ponytails, wore a strange yet dashing mask, and donned a black combat uniform that radiated the aura of a warrior.
It was none other than the fellow confidantes of Elvira—the Lady Marquis Sivelind and the captain of the Special Combat Unit, Dorinnia.
Together with Roselia, the Queen’s secretary, the three of them were Elvira’s closest aides and, together, the ones responsible for capturing the Holy Knight Morris alive.
Roselia hadn’t arranged to meet them here, so she was puzzled by the situation.
Before she could ask, the meticulous Dorinnia spoke first:
“Lady Sivelind and I were concerned Her Majesty might indulge herself too much and miss out on rest, so we were observing the situation here. But it looks like there’s no need to worry after all.”
Dorinnia’s voice was serious and earnest; just hearing it made one feel as if she was stating pure fact.
Yet, despite her calm demeanor, Dorinnia was actually quite nervous inside—after all, she was worried that her own “sneaking a taste” might be exposed and had waited here for that reason.
Thankfully, it seemed nothing had been discovered. What a relief—a false alarm.
“…Dorinnia is right. Though, I thought I was the only one concerned about Her Majesty’s excesses. Who would have thought you two were here for the same reason? We didn’t arrange to meet, yet all showed up tonight.”
Sivelind’s voice was equally cold; no matter when, she almost always wore an expressionless mask.
She was glad for her personality now, since her heart was still beating a little fast. Thankfully, her own “taste testing” hadn’t been discovered—she still considered Elvira a friend.
“That’s right, isn’t it? What a strange coincidence! But Lady Elvira is much more restrained than we expected; she’s already preparing to rest. So you two can be at ease and get some sleep as well.”
After hearing her colleagues’ comments, Roselia clapped her hands happily, then tilted her head with a gentle smile—she looked utterly harmless.
Yet inside, she was sneering.
These two had no idea. The only reason Elvira could go to bed early was because she had already “snuck a taste” in advance.
Not that this was her main reason, of course—at best, it was just a side effect.
——But the other two would never suspect what she’d done.
How ironic; Sivelind and Dorinnia were thinking the exact same thing.
All three of them were here tonight out of fear of exposure.
Even Roselia, who didn’t seem nervous, felt the same.
Otherwise, she wouldn’t have changed from her casual clothes to her maid’s uniform so quickly after finishing, hinting to Elvira that it was only natural for her, as head maid, to be here.
None of them were actually worried about the Queen, yet each one played the part of a loyal, concerned retainer to perfection—so convincing, no one could see through them.
Because each harbored their own secrets, the three didn’t linger long, instead returning to their rooms with their own thoughts.
After all, none of them wanted the Queen to discover what they’d done—nor did they want each other to know they’d secretly indulged themselves with the Queen’s captive.
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