Sorry, the Patricidal Tyrant Seems Beastly - Chapter 60

The blade descends heavily.

The hand gripping the hilt tightens firmly.

The grip twists,

The leather of the hilt bites into the skin.

‘Don’t hold blades anymore.’

‘……’

‘In your next life, even if you’re bored or listless, don’t do anything.’

So that your hands won’t be cut by that blade.

.

.

Whose memory was this?

[This is the timeline separator]

A presence was sensed nearby.

Fingertips brushed Charlotte’s cheek.

“It’s become rough.”

A clicking of the tongue was heard beside her.

Charlotte’s hands quickly became rough.

Benjamin grasped the delicate wrist and traced downwards.

“Hands that shouldn’t hold a sword, but said to have the talent to wield one.”

Benjamin lowered his fingertips to touch below her nose.

Shallow breaths touched and dispersed from his fingertips.

He habitually checked her breathing and lowered his arm.

At that moment,

Charlotte shifted, burying her cheek in the pillow.

Her shoulders felt heavy.

Her body felt weighed down, as if a burden was on her waist.

“Are you stiff?”

Benjamin placed his hand on Charlotte’s waist, gently massaging the muscles.

“They say blades shouldn’t be handled carelessly.”

“But you were the one who assigned Lord Duncan to me.”

“I didn’t assign him to see you like this.”

Charlotte let out a faint sigh.

“My body feels a bit stiff.”

“You have almost no muscle strength.”

She tries to take slow, measured breaths.

“Please try to hide this from my grandfather.”

Charlotte added, shifting her body.

“I’m not sure how to explain it to him yet.”

“Why is that?”

“My affairs tend to unsettle the family’s minds.”

“That’s being overly cautious.”

“I’m still…”

“You can let yourself go a little. You try to widen the distance between people with caution.”

Benjamin trailed off.

Don’t learn it. We’ll raise the palace walls higher and guard your side, so don’t get close to dangerous blades.

“My grandfather also handled swords. My uncles were versed in both civil and military arts too.”

“You’re different from them.”

“I know. My life will be different from theirs.”

If I walk this path, I can clearly see what lies at the end of this road.

The day I grasp a blade in my hands,

If such a day comes, my delicate grip will be all torn and ripped apart.

‘Everyone’s concerns around me likely stem from the same context.’

Charlotte closed her eyes languidly.

Listlessness.

This stemmed from a sense of distance, trying to distance herself from the current situation.

Perhaps, she had imagined that if she stepped in deeply, the ground beneath her feet would be torn apart at the edges.

[This is the timeline separator]

Knock knock− Several maids knocked on the office door.

They quietly slipped into the office. Inside, a pen nib scratched steadily. Paper and sleeves rustled, and backlighting fell on the back of the person facing away from the window.

The nearby maids brightly lit the lamps. The reddish hair gleamed purple in the light. They placed the quill pen on the pen rest and quietly stepped back.

“How is it?”

“It’s quiet.”

Maids also guarded outside the office.

“How long has His Majesty been in the office now?”

“He’s been there all afternoon. We just came back from replacing the worn quill nib. Everyone by his side held their breath… We just left the quill pen and came out.”

Documents were neatly stacked on the side table. As reviewed documents piled up, the aides would organize them.

Charlotte overlapped the Pyurote local budget execution table on the desk. The budget execution details during the local recovery period were recorded, and the allocated budget amount for each day was entered in the tables.

She pressed the pen nib deeply. Her eyes, which had been scanning the executed budget, grew dry. Finally, she put down the document.

She tied up and organized the executed budget by category with string. Catarina murmured beside her, as if sighing.

“…I didn’t know you would review all these execution details in one sitting.”

“This is as much as I can handle. My eyes are tired now.”

She tied her thick hair up into a single ponytail. As she tilted her shoulder to the side, thin strands of hair escaped.

As Charlotte brushed her side hair back, her eyelids sank distantly as if submerged in water.

“I feel drowsy, maybe because of the medicine.”

“It must be the medicine that raises your body temperature.”

Charlotte stuck the quill pen in the inkwell and pressed her temple. She could feel her pulse at her fingertips.

The medical ward’s pharmacy had sent over medication, and perhaps because of it, her body felt hotter today. They said it was medicine to raise body temperature. Thanks to it, she had now recovered and her temperature had risen.

“It’s a bit hot.”

The inside of her palm throbbed. Her hands were dry and parched.

The presence beside her moved away.

“Are you uncomfortable somewhere?”

Charlotte lowered her arm.

Benjamin approached her side. Having just finished a meeting with his advisors, he had sent the attendants away.

“My wrists feel stiff.”

“Is it from holding the quill pen for so long?”

“……”

“You have very little muscle in your hands. It’s the first time I’ve seen a body with so little strength, so it’s disconcerting. I think I understand why your family is so desperate to put some meat on your bones.”

The tendons in her wrists ached dully.

“Have you eaten?”

Charlotte’s arm paused.

“Did you miss it again?”

“I-I’m sorry.”

The head maid bowed her head, flustered.

“Don’t scold her. I kept putting it off saying I’d finish this first, and ended up missing mealtime.”

“It’s better than being listless, but don’t miss mealtimes.”

Benjamin ordered the head servant to prepare lunch.

“Have you been taking the medicine sent by the medical ward regularly?”

“With people always by my side checking, how could I not?”

“The head of the family gave me a separate message.”

Her grandfather had exerted his influence on the imperial palace like this.

“It’s a tonic brewed with herbs good for boosting energy, so don’t skip it.”

The head maid whispered nearby.

“We’ve prepared the tonic.”

“Since she’s still on an empty stomach, bring it out again after she finishes her meal.”

“Then, I’ll tell them to come back in an hour.”

Soon, a meal was prepared in the banquet hall.

“We’ll escort you to the banquet hall.”

Steam rose gently from the food. There were plenty of appetizing seafood dishes. Large abalones were grilled in butter, and a stew was made with shrimp and other seafood.

“Do you often lose your appetite?”

“No, I was just in a bit of a hurry trying to wrap up the Popyuta work.”

“I’ve already heard that you often miss mealtimes.”

Charlotte ate the stew with a spoon.

“If you miss another meal on an empty stomach, I’ll hold the servants responsible.”

“That’s too much.”

“The head of the family is increasingly worried as you lose weight day by day.”

Benjamin seemed to know what kind of talk would stimulate Charlotte’s sense of guilt.

“If you skip another meal, I’ll have to report this to the Windsor family.”

It seems the Empress, who puts her own well-being last, needs to be reminded of her family’s concerns to take better care of herself.

“I’ll eat a little more stew.”

“The grilled abalone is good too. It’s mild.”

“Then I’ll cut some and eat it.”

“There’s eel as well.”

Benjamin took the knife and cut the grilled eel for her.

“It’s grilled mildly and the sauce isn’t too strong.”

The eel meat was tender. The marinated flesh melted in her mouth.

“Eat a bit more.”

“I’m full up to my neck.”

“Your stomach is too small.”

“You’ve already fed me so much.”

“If you have no strength or stamina, shouldn’t you first recover by at least putting on some weight?”

Her stomach gradually filled up.

She gently waved her arms, saying she couldn’t eat anymore.

“It’s time for your medicine.”

Soon the head servant brought medicine from the imperial medical ward.

“Eat and then take your medicine. The head of the family is so worried he asked about it personally.”

“……”

“The imperial doctors worked together to make this, so don’t leave any. This too will reach the ears of your family. They’re all watching over you behind the scenes, so don’t leave any medicine.”

The medicine bowl seemed to be getting bigger and bigger.

“It’s bitter.”

“Good things for your body are bitter.”

Benjamin wiped Charlotte’s mouth for her.

Charlotte was only released after taking all her medicine.

“It feels like they’ve brought only heavy foods to fatten me up.”

“It would be good to put on some weight too.”

Various medicines were added to the food as well.

They were boiled down like tonics, using medicinal herbs instead of spices.

Since they weren’t prepared according to proper formulations, the efficacy was less than a quarter,

But with her energy so depleted now,

Wouldn’t it be better to eat a little more to recover faster?

“It would be good to build up your energy a bit too.”

[This is the timeline separator]

“Your hands have become rough.”

Aaron applied ointment to her palms.

“Such a precious person’s body has been damaged.”

The delicate skin was slightly scorched.

“Is it because of the dirt?”

“What if calluses form?”

“It’s just a little sore.”

“I’m not sure if this is right.”

The hands that had gripped the sword hilt were red and swollen, and the skin burned.

“Usually noble young ladies would clutch their hands and whimper at even a little soreness.”

“I’m not that kind of ordinary person.”

This kind of soreness will become dull someday.

“Maybe it’s because the skin is still tender.”

It was a little sore.

Her hands had become dry and rough.

The head maid had applied cream with a tearful face.

She felt a little sorry seeing how sad they became at even the slightest scratch on her skin.

Aaron’s examination was over.

She received an opinion that her body had fully recovered.

“Move your body gently.”

“I am moving gently.”

“That’s not very reassuring.”

“There are many people watching over me, and I’m being careful too, so you don’t need to worry.”

Aaron sighed softly as he released Charlotte’s wrist.

“Your body has recovered now. You have good recovery.”

“It’s because there were people taking good care of me.”

“You must keep taking the medicine even if it’s bitter. Especially when your energy is low, tonic to replenish your body’s energy is important.”

Even with her body recovered, Charlotte remained the same.

A little listless.

Her eyes fixed on a distant void.

“Where are you looking?”

“I’m not sure.”

“Build up your physical strength. Energy is also based on physical strength. The strength of the body and willpower are ultimately physical strength. When a person falls down broken, and the future ahead seems too steep to gauge, there may be days when you want to give up and sit down. At those times, what pulls a person through is physical strength.”

To raise a fallen body.

To straighten a weakened heart.

“Find your center.”

Aaron bowed his head deeply. The old man’s back was hunched.

“Now, rest.”

Aaron packed up his things and left.

The head maid massaged Charlotte’s arms.

“Do you have no energy in your body?”

“I’m fine.”

“Then why are you closing your eyes?”

“I was emptying my thoughts.”

To find her center.

She leaned back on the bed.

Her body, reclining at an angle, tilted to the side.

‘Balance.’

Charlotte took measured breaths.

Her eyelids trembled faintly.

Shallow breaths escaped.

She recalled the advice exchanged during training with Pedlin.

“Empty your mind to find balance.”

“Pardon?”

“That’s what they were saying.”

“I apologize. I’m still lacking and find it difficult to gauge Your Majesty’s thoughts.”

“I thought it was over, but it wasn’t the end. That’s what I was thinking about.”

That it was all over now.

That this was the end of this life.

Perhaps she had stopped in her tracks at the misery, waiting for the end.

“It’s time for a change now.”