Chapter 302
Guardian [Part 4]
Queen Victoria's POV
Like he was now, Maximilian was a rather big child when he was still in my womb. I had a small stature, so I was worried childbirth would be difficult back then. I managed to give birth to him in the end, but I couldn't bear any more children after that.
I felt uneasy about only having one successor. Moreover, the king's older brother, His Highness Cain's undisguised ambition for the throne had always felt like a ticking bomb. After weighing everything, I decided to put forward a proposal.
"Take a royal concubine in."
While I studied the Kingdom's history, I also learned that the kings of the long-perished Hua Kingdom had multiple wives.
Not a lover but a concubine.
I wanted to keep His Highness Cain in check by giving the woman who would give birth to the king's child a befitting position and officially qualifying her child as a successor to the throne.
That man alone should never be made king.
"'What are you saying, Victoria! I have vowed to love you only...' Don't ever think I've forgotten how you told me you wanted to make Miss Rose your concubine several years after you said that."
Being told, "You're the only one for me," would make me happy as a woman. But as the queen, I wanted at least one more successor in consideration of the country's future.
Who knew this man would actually let my complicated maiden heart down in a mere few years...
"Th...That's! But! Uhh... But you know... it's cuz I fell in love at first sight."
He pouted when facing my cold stare.
"'Cuz'...? What is wrong with your way of speaking? Never mind, you truly are a hopeless man."
I must have been the only one who knew this pathetic side of our Kingdom's king.
And I was happy with that.
Because for him, letting me see this kind of face meant that I still held a special place in his heart.
Besides, that woman ended up being Rose Alicia Royal...
Her beauty could ruin our country.
If the king didn't marry her at that time, dozens... no, at worst, hundreds of lives could have been lost over her.
There was also a saying for it in the Hua Kingdom's language.
She must be the [beauty causing the downfall of a country].
[T/N: "The face that launched a thousand ships" from a poem describing Helen (from the Trojan Horse) is the English equivalent.]
Nothing could assure the Kingdom's survival more than a good relationship between married couples. This applied to both the king and me, and the king and Rose.
Actually, the king's love was too oppressingly passionate, so maybe each of us having half of his love was just the right balance.
"What are you laughing at, Victoria?"
"It was nothing, Your Majesty. Too much of anything is never good. Your Majesty, please fulfill your duties as king."
"Alright, I'll make you a fur coat after I hunt one-horned rabbits in Skyte Barony."
"Your Majesty, all one-horned rabbits only have brown or yellow fur at this time of year. If you are set on making me a coat, I prefer the pure white furred one-horned rabbits hunted in midwinter."
"...Victoria, you're as sharp as ever."
"Are Your Majesty sure you aren't the one being as much of a meathead as usual?"
"Pfft."
"Fufufu."
End of Queen Victoria's POV
At this time, the Royal Family was still unaware that the Empire was planning to colonize the Kingdom in search of magic stone resources.
The intel that the king would be leaving the Royal Capital was sent to the Empire by Holy Maiden Joanna, and the Imperial Army, who had been waiting for an opportunity to attack, began preparing to set sail.
The Kingdom was now exposed to the danger of the first war in history.
♠♠♠
Author's corner:
Serious: I came running upon your call mew mew mew meowwww
Crisis: Serious! So you're alive?!
Serious: Of course I am, Crisis! Looking forward to working with you again!
Crisis: ...Y-Yeah (Something's wrong with him. He's too hyper)
Serious: I heard that the Empire will attack the Kingdom no matter what, y'know? This is my and your turn to appear!
Crisis: ...Y-Yeah (Even till now, this guy hasn't learned anything)
Serious: MY TIME IS COMINNNNN'
Crisis: Calm down, you shouldn't make a racket in the first half. First thing first, look at the circumstances. This is important, got that?
Serious: *inhales* OOH YAAYYYYYY!
Comedy: Hey, hey, looks like you're having fun, huh, Serious. Lemme join in too, will ya?
Serious & Crisis: ...No, t-that... You got the wrong person, Sir... We didn't do anything. We haven't done anything.
Readers' corner:
[Reader A's comment]
Mr. Serious and Mr. Crisis seem to be in high spirits... but other than the fact that this novel has the "lighthearted" tag... we can easily guess their outcome.
[Author's reply]
That tag is indeed up there.
Speaking of tags, I remember someone saying the "Villainess" tag in this novel is a scam.
When I started writing, I planned to make this a story about villainess... But the main character ended up being a pervert before I realized.
(T/N: This novel's tags in the original raw site: R15, contains cruel depictions, reincarnation in another world, otome game, villainess daughter, family-centered sitcom, Western world setting, female main character, cat, insect, fluff, lighthearted, comedy)
[Reader B's comment]
War...
Tailless whip scorpions army: You called?
Imperial Army: *agonized cries*
Without a fight, the war ENDs.
[Author's Reply]
At last!
Will this be the debut of the Crane Wing Formation?
Eh?
But the Imperial army will scramble away in all directions as soon as T-150 comes into sight, won't they?