“Why not?”

Erdene’s tone was fierce, as if she wouldn’t let it go unless given a satisfactory reason, but Sophia had perfectly adapted to her fierce attitude, so it couldn’t have much effect.

As Erdene had initially thought, the more she saw Sophia, the more interesting she found her. Above all, her indifference and nonchalance were out of this world. Unlike her own mother.

Sophia said,

“If you continue like that, Your Highness’s writing skills will never improve.”

“Then you can just keep writing for me, can’t you?”

“What if I suddenly drop dead tomorrow?”

Erdene’s lips parted quietly.

She had the expression of a three-year-old who didn’t understand what Sophia was saying at all. Like a young child who didn’t even know what death was.

“That’s… an answer I didn’t think of.”

Flustered, Erdene stuttered in a way she never had before.

“I could understand if it were a battlefield where you could drop dead while just standing still. But why think like that while living in such a peaceful place?”

Sophia replied indifferently.

“Because I’m human. Isn’t it true that all humans, from the moment they’re born, are gradually approaching death? No one knows where that end will be. I don’t know if my last moment is about seven hours from now or seventy years away. So it would be much more economical and stable for Your Highness to perfectly acquire the skill of writing in the common language.”

Then, Sophia swiftly held out a sheet of paper in front of the still-puzzled Erdene.

Erdene furrowed her brows, wondering what it was, and wrinkled her lips while her cheeks twitched.

“What’s this?”

“You know what it is.”

“‘A Beautiful Handwriting Practice Textbook to Start Early,’ it says?”

Sophia nodded and pretended to clap using only her fingertips.

“I tore out a page from the textbook I used when I was five. I finished it in just three pages.”

“Are you testing how much you can turn my stomach right now?”

“Of course not, Your Highness. I assure you, as someone who has tried it, it’s hard to find a textbook as good as that one. My father made it himself. He has a deep appreciation for literature and especially… despises people with poor handwriting.”

“He’d want to kill me if he saw me, wouldn’t he? Your father, I mean. Even my father couldn’t fix my handwriting in the end.”

“Not to the point of killing you. But he would definitely come to see Your Highness every day. And he would request, in a solemn and polite manner, to practice writing for an hour each day.”

Erdene, with her arms hanging loosely, sighed into the air.

Then, picking up a long sheet of paper spread out on one side of the desk, she waved it flutteringly.

“Tell me your father’s name isn’t on this audience list, Sophia?”

Sophia nodded.

“Not yet. Since my mother committed a rude act against Your Highness and His Majesty, she has been exiled and confined, so my father said he won’t enter the palace for the time being. He’s someone who usually just reads in his study or writes anyway.”

I see. Erdene thought.

She had wondered why Sophia didn’t resemble the Viscountess Fiddlers at all, and it seemed she took completely after her father.

Erdene said,

“He seems to have a calm disposition. Your father, I mean.”

Sophia immediately nodded as if to agree.

“Very strict, too.”

Erdene let out another sigh and looked at the paper she was holding.

It was densely filled with dates, times, and names she didn’t even know.

It was the list of Betor nobles who wanted to meet the new queen.

“Putting aside the handwriting practice, why are there so many people to see? They should just barge in all at once.”

Sophia calmly corrected her words.

“Unfortunately, Your Highness. They’re not barging in, but coming to just get a glimpse of you.”

Suddenly, a smile filled with sarcasm appeared on Erdene’s face.

With an expression half-filled with contempt and absurdity, she skimmed through the audience list.

“Coming to get a glimpse of me, no, they’re coming to judge me, aren’t they?”

Sophia didn’t give any answer.

Erdene, who had tossed the paper away, abruptly brought over a small jewelry box and opened the lid.

Then, taking out the small accessories inside, she made a rather ridiculous expression.

“Hmm, so this is the new queen who came in this time. From Hirstenstein, was it? I heard everything from there is crude and unsightly. No, well, this is still better than a red-faced, lumpy potato. Alright, I’ll give ten coins.”

Erdene slid the small rings, brooches, and bracelets with her fingers, like a skilled merchant haggling at an auction.

“No, wait a minute. But why do her eyes look like that? She looks like she’s about to kill someone. Can this even be sold? I’ll take three coins off. And her sitting posture is terrible too. Oh my, now that I see it, I don’t like her hair being black either!”

With each word she uttered, the accessories went back into the jewelry box.

When she finally closed the lid with a click, there was only one accessory left on the table.

It was a pearl that had been badly scratched by Erdene’s rough handling.

“Hmm, but she’s short enough not to damage the dignity of our perfect, elegant, and flawless His Majesty the King. Alright. I’ll give one coin.”

She rolled the pearl.

Sophia, with a dumbfounded expression, caught the rolling pearl with her fingertips and gestured with her eyes over Erdene’s shoulder.

“First of all, Your Highness. Let me tell you one thing – you are not a tuna put up for auction.”

“That’s kind of similar. Everyone looks at me with that expression. Don’t they? Observing, exploring, trying to understand and belittle me. You know that too.”

Sophia let out a shallow sigh.

“Of course, I won’t lie and say there aren’t people like that. But Your Highness, you don’t think of yourself as such a worthless person, do you? That’s not true, right? Do you really think your worth is just your short height that won’t damage His Majesty’s dignity?”

Erdene, laughing loudly, sat in a crooked posture and turned her gaze.

“Of course not. But think about it. Everyone says the same things. About how elegant, perfect, and flawless His Majesty the King is, and so on… Then what, are you saying I’m full of problems?”

“Your Highness.”

“What!”

When Erdene grumbled back as if she was alone, Sophia glanced over her shoulder once more and calmly said,

“His Majesty is currently standing right behind you.”

Startled, Erdene turned her head in disbelief.

It would have been nice if Sophia was making an unfunny joke, but unfortunately, her personality was far from humorous.

Arkan, who was looking down at Erdene with a dumbfounded expression, said,

“I heard the compliments well, Queen. I didn’t know you thought so highly of me.”

Erdene, who was opening and closing her lips in exasperation, glared at Sophia.

“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

Then Sophia said,

“I was about to tell you, but His Majesty was already standing behind you. It’s not like I could cover your mouth, could I? No matter how close I am to you, that would be disrespectful. Anyway, I will go and instruct them to prepare tea.”

Erdene looked at Sophia’s back as she ran away, then snorted and crossed one leg over her knee.

Arkan, who had taken Sophia’s seat, grabbed her knee and lowered it.

“What are you doing?”

“Sit up straight. It’s not good for your body.”

“I’ve always sat like this and never been sick.”

“Let’s see if you can say that when you’re older.”

Erdene grumbled again. But this time, instead of crossing her legs, she put one foot on a stool.

“Your perfect, elegant, flawless husband is here, but you don’t look too happy.”

“What, did you expect me to run out barefoot in joy?”

“Of course not. I was locked out on our wedding night, so how could I have such expectations? Expecting that much would be a delusion requiring treatment.”

Locked out, my foot. Erdene closed her eyes tightly.

After spending that first night in separate rooms, nearly five days had passed, and the two still hadn’t shared a bed.

Not just a bed. Erdene stayed only in the Queen’s Palace, while Arkan used only the King’s audience chamber, study, and the makeshift bedroom attached to the study.

It wasn’t that he was deliberately trying to retaliate against Erdene.

The only problem was that Arkan was too busy.

If one were to place some blame on Erdene, it would be her indifference to both the disastrous wedding night and her husband not visiting her.

Arkan said,

“We briefly saw each other during lunch the other day, and this is the first time today. Still, we’re a married couple, so if your husband is perfect, elegant, and flawless, you could at least come out barefoot, couldn’t you?”

In fact, the two had a minor fight during lunch yesterday as well.

A quarrel over the use of tableware had inevitably turned into a cultural dispute… and Erdene still hadn’t fully resolved her resentment.

She retorted bluntly,

“That’s not my assessment, Your Majesty. Go to the people who love you endlessly. They’ll come running out not just barefoot but naked to welcome you.”