If she desired to reach Seongdo, Anika could have gone to the nearest kingdom—Sloan. The King of Sloan could never refuse if she asked for personal protection, for whatever lies she made up.

Odds would then be in her hands—they couldn’t question a person who claimed to not remember anything, after all.

He recalled the behavior of the queen over the past three years. As the queen of this kingdom, she had no sense or will to lead her people. Then, what was her purpose behind marrying him? Was she only after the wealth and convenience of being his wife?

But, she already had those even before she married him!

Everything appeared vague to him that Kasser could only massage his temple in annoyance.

“Don’t say such presumptuous things, Your Majesty! You have to try. You only sleep in the queen’s chambers once a month, but still, I heard that you are always occupied. When do you plan to build affection between you and your wife? When will your people see your successor?”

Kasser answered simply. “Are you going to give me s*x education now?”

“Your Majesty!” Marianne reprimanded like a mother would her son.

Although his face remained stoic and aloof, a small grin crept its way up the king’s perfectly sculpted lips. 

“All right. I’ll try to make good news soon.”

Marianne’s eyes grew round. It was the first time she heard this optimistic answer from the king. She spoke with a joyful look.

“You promise.” 

Kasser nodded. Not for the sole purpose of reassuring Marianne, but he was indeed determined.

Whether the queen was suitable as a mother of his apparent heir or not, he had decided that such  a matter must not be discussed with Marianne. He needed a successor. There was no reason to waste the last three years of patiently wishing for one.

Mother?

He looked at the woman who stood as his mother ever since. A grateful look flashed across his face.

I grew up well without one.

♚

It was only in the late afternoon that Eugene realized what the king meant when he said, “I’ll go tomorrow,” during their grim lunch yesterday.

“So, tonight… the king will visit me?” she asked Zanne incredulously, her throat felt parched suddenly.

Zanne answered with a nimble nod.

“Yes, Anika. It’s the first day of every month.”

“Do you mean to say that on the first day of every month, the king visits me in my chambers?”

“Yes. Sometimes he’s busy with politics so he lets you know that he can’t come. But there was no word of any meeting today so he might visit you tonight, Lady Anika..”

“Did I ever refuse?”

Zanne blushed at the question. “I’m afraid not.”

What a rush this is!

Since they were married, they would naturally act like a couple, but Eugene was not prepared for any of this at all! Drowned in her thoughts, she almost forgot about Zanne’s presence.

Am I only dreaming? 

Not long from now, the king would visit her and expect that she gives herself to him.

Moreover, no matter how bad the royal couple’s relationship could have been, the man was irrefutably Jin Anika’s husband—not hers. It felt as if she was having an affair!

“How can I resist…” she started to ask Zanne but swallowed her words at the last moment, feeling uncertain of how her query might sound to her. A queen must never feel this way towards the king.

It would be better to talk to the king in person than to express her concerns through Zanne, she surmised.

Maybe he would understand…

After a tumultuous conversation with the king, she conversed with Marianne, who came after a while over a cup of tea.

Marianne was a decent, and amicable person. She must have heard from the king that Anika had lost her memory, for she acted considerate towards her. Unlike Kasser, Marianne listened to her sincerely and willingly.

Her attitude of humbling herself before the queen, a sure sign of sincere respect, was unpretentious.

After a long conversation with her, there were a few keywords that became imprinted on Eugene’s mind, in her recognition of the woman.

Former chief general, acting queen, and the king’s former nanny. 

These were enough to give Eugene a sense of what position Marianne held in this kingdom. And she now knew why Jin Anika loathed Marianne.

Jin Anika was a character with a lot of personality problems. She was an ill-natured, outspoken, chauvinist who used others for her own good.

It would not have been possible for her to tolerate Marianne, who had an unobtrusive presence as the chief general.

I’m sure Marianne had a very bad relationship with Jin, but she’s very warm about the way she treated me yesterday.

At this moment, only Zanne, the king, and Marianne knew that the queen was having a problem with her memory.

Zanne was also a woman, so Eugene felt comfortable asking her questions. But with her being only a maid, there was a limit to what she knew and could do.

She was only certain that the king was constantly occupied with his royal responsibilities.

I’d better get Marianne’s help. I need her advice.

“Zanne.”

“Yes, Lady Anika?”

“Send an errand runner to the former chief general and tell her I ask her to come and visit me tomorrow.”

“I will, Lady Anika, as soon as possible.”

“Did you talk to the former chief general yesterday? You seem to have a lot of respect for her.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

It was almost too sudden—the serene face of the servant quickly morphed into a look of absolute trepidation, realizing her mistake.

Immediately, with a pale face, she knelt on the floor. “I’m sorry, Anika. Forgive me.”

Eugene looked at her in confusion. Despite her being shaken, she was able to make out a few words.

“Anika, you forbid everyone to call you by your title instead of your name… If one makes mistakes, you—you…”

Zanne didn’t need to continue as Eugene understood right away what she was trying to say. Several maids had died in the past because of this petty reason.

Eugene would be lying if she said that this did not bother her one bit—she blamed herself somewhat…

I, who can’t hurt a fly transmigrated into a villainess, who punishes people until their bodies give up…

Is there anything more ironic than this?