Lady to Queen - Chapter 97 - Don’t Throw Me Away

Chapter 97 – Don’t Throw Me Away

“What…?” Rosemond said in numb disbelief.

“You’re infertile.”

“Don’t make me laugh. Who are you to judge that? The one who’s infertile isn’t me but you. The barren woman isn’t me! It’s you!”

“You’re right. I’m a barren woman,” Patrizia said in a dry voice. “But so are you.”

“What nonsense are you spouting?! Do you have proof?”

“I do,” Patrizia responded without an ounce of joy. “I’m the proof.”

“What kind of bullshit are you…”

“I made you infertile.” Patrizia went on to explain as if it were nothing. “Do you remember the perfume that I gave you not that long ago? In that perfume is a chemical that induces infertility. It’s made from a flower that’s native to the Brahms Islands.”

“…”

“You probably used it because you liked the scent, but that would have made you sterile. The effect is certain.”

“No…” Rosemond muttered, the blood draining from her face. Patrizia, on the other hand, remained stoic even while she confessed the deed; not because she was holding back her emotion, but because she didn’t feel any emotions at all. Her capacity to feel had long since dried up like a lake during a drought.

“I’m not sorry. Because of what you’ve also done to me.”

“No…no…”

“So just quietly disappear. Without leaving anything behind.”

“No…no…!”

Rosemond was unable to believe the reality that Patrizia had told her. She continued to repeat ‘no’ over and over like a mantra. Patrizia had played the ultimate trump card, and the tables had completely turned on her Rosemond. Of course, nothing else mattered when she was at death’s door, but the fact that she was no longer able to bear a child came as a huge blow to her.

“NOOO!”

She let out a guttural scream as she pulled at her hair. She was unable to handle the truth and had lost the last remains of her sanity. The screams that echoed throughout the prison pierced in Patrizia’s eardrums. Soon, the prison guards rushed over to Rosemond’s cell and gagged her to muffle the sound. Patrizia looked at the sight with blank eyes before slowly walking away.

Everything was over. Patrizia quietly left the prison, with a final goodbye to her political opponent and love rival.

“Farewell.”

May this be the end of our ill-fated relationship.

*

And in two days’ time, Rosemond was executed.

A large crowd gathered at the site. The normally quiet Imperial city was bustling with unrest, the atmosphere heavy.

The guillotine was set up in Gervianen Square, and a throng of people surrounded the area. And in the midst of this sat two dreary-looking people. Queen Patrizia was waiting with her husband, Emperor Lucio, to watch the execution.

“…”

“…”

Neither of the two said a single word to each other. It was then that Duke Witherford, who was next to them, shouted loudly, “Bring in the criminal!”

As soon as those words were emitted by the Duke’s booming voice, the criminal, Rosemond, walked towards the guillotine. At the sight of her accursed face, Patrizia’s own contorted briefly before returning to its original state. She calmly examined Rosemond’s appearance.

The unruly-haired Rosemond was held by two soldiers as she walked towards the guillotine, wearing a white dress. Her beautiful face was gaunt, her eyes barely open from sheer exhaustion. There were fingernail markings all over her body, as if she had harmed herself in prison, but the scariest sight was that of her face. Though her eyes were sunken in and looked up into the sky, her expression was desperate, as if she was hoping to wake up from a bad dream.

“The criminal, Rosemond, has attempted to assassinate the Queen of the Mavinous Empire, and I, Lucio Carrick George de Mavinous…”

Patrizia could hear the slight tremble in Lucio’s voice as he spoke, but she said nothing. She started to bite her lip without realizing it.

“…order her to be executed.”

The end has once again begun. Patrizia closed her eyes, her face a myriad of emotions. Everything is truly over.

“Begin the criminal’s execution.”

Patrizia lifted her eyes up to the execution stage one last time as Rosemond dragged her feet across it. Though her expression was void of emotion, Patrizia instantly knew that she was still holding on to her foolishness and anger even at death’s door. And…

‘Unfairness.’

Oh, Rosemond. Why do you feel so injusticed? You were the one who tried to kill me and usurp my throne, so why are you the one who looks that way?

Just then, Rosemond’s gaze found Patrizia, and Patrizia calmly returned her gaze. When their eyes met, Rosemond’s gaze turned sharp. She had no intentions of hiding her spite towards Patrizia, even at the end of her life.

Patrizia calmly returned Rosemond’s gaze before the gaze soon moved to Lucio. The gaze that Rosemond directed towards Lucio was surprisingly calm. Patrizia briefly saw a hint of guilt flicker across Rosemond’s face and bit her lip in response. It seems that she never spoke her true feelings until the very end. Patrizia watched Rosemond’s final moments without looking away.

“KYAAA!”

“AAAH!”

Rosemond’s head was severed, her final screams echoing in all directions. Patrizia bit into her lip so hard that it started to bleed.

Everything was finished. Rosemond was dead. Upon noticing the tears that fell from her eyes, Patrizia quickly wiped them away. Those two teardrops that she shed were enough for the tragedy. With a somber expression, she closed her eyes.

Truly, everything was finished.

*

The first thing that Patrizia did when she returned to the palace was release her hair from its updo. Her dark turquoise-colored hair cascaded down her shoulders like the waves of the sea. After putting on a pair of black shoes, she walked over to the Central Palace.

“Her Majesty the Queen has arrived.”

“Let her in.”

At the sound of his voice, the doors opened. Patrizia slowly walked into the room. Her face was completely void of any emotion. Lucio, who donned a black uniform, was momentarily shocked upon seeing her appearance. It was the first time that he saw her let down her hair aside from when she first entered the palace as a queen candidate. Before he could ask her what was wrong, Patrizia spoke first.

“I will be leaving the palace.”

“…What?” Lucio asked after a long pause, his voice dazed.

“It is as I said,” Patrizia calmly responded.

“What do you mean you’re leaving the palace?”

“As I said, it is—”

“No, what I’m saying is…”

He then strode towards Patrizia. When he arrived right in front of her, she could see the worry in his eyes.

“What do you mean by that? Why, all of a sudden…”

“It’s not ‘all of a sudden,’ Your Majesty,” Patrizia replied coolly. “It’s something that I’ve been thinking of doing for a while. I wanted to step down from this position and leave after ending the fight with Rosemond, Your Majesty.”

“…”

“I’m so tired. I don’t wish to stay in the palace any longer.”

“Queen.”

“I don’t want to live as a Queen anymore.”

“I…”

He spoke as if his voice was parched.

“I’ve made many mistakes.”

“…”

“I know that you’re tired of me, and I know that you hate me. But…”

Lucio pleaded.

“Please don’t say you’ll leave the palace. Please… don’t say that you’ll leave me.”

“Your Majesty.”

“Queen, I beg of you…”

“I’m so exhausted. I’ve become disillusioned,” Patrizia said, her voice scratchy.

“If I stay here any longer, I think I’ll go crazy… so…”

“So you’ll leave me? You’ll leave me here by myself…?” He asked with a grief-stricken face.

“For me… if it can’t be for you, then for me…”

“…”

“For the selfish and deplorable me… can’t you stay?”

“I want to live my own life.”

“I’ll give you anything you desire. If you want treasures, I’ll supply everything I can find for you.”

“Wealth has no meaning to the daughter of a noble family such as me, Your Majesty.”

“If there’s something else that you desire, I’ll provide it for you. I’ll listen to all of your wishes.”

“…”

“Just stay by my side. Even if you hate me, even if you resent me, do it by my side.”

“I don’t even have the strength to hate or resent you now, Your Majesty.”

Patrizia stated her will politely but stubbornly.

“I simply wish to leave here and live with my family. A liberating place with no political enmity and schemes…”

“I will never touch another woman aside from you. I swear it to you. I will live only looking at you…”

“Your Majesty.”

Patrizia gently stopped his words. Despite seeing his futile expression, Patrizia didn’t waver and continued on.

“The thing I want the most is to escape from this place and live freely. I don’t want to live a wealthy life in a birdcage. I want to live a modest life in the wilderness.”

“…”

“Please don’t live only looking at me. I cannot return your feelings, Your Majesty.”

“I’m not asking you to reciprocate. I won’t ask anything from you. I won’t require anything. Just stay by my side. You can do whatever you want… so long as you stay next to me.”

“I’m sorry, Your Majesty.”

“Queen—Patrizia. Please…”

“I cannot do that.”

“I beg of you, don’t…”

Don’t throw me away. Those words that he so desperately wanted to say wouldn’t go past his lips. Though Patrizia knew what he was about to say, she nonetheless shook her head. This is what’s best for both me and you. Patrizia said her final words.

“I wish to leave the palace, Your Majesty. Please dethrone me under personal reasons. Please… I ask you of this.”

“I…”

I can’t do that. How could he? After he finally came to genuinely love her. After he finally was able to differentiate between love and sympathy. After he…

“I cannot allow it,” Lucio said.

Not after I’m finally able to properly meet your eyes for the first time.

“Your Majesty,” she protested.

“You can curse me for being a selfish bastard. You can insult me by saying I’m an impudent emperor.”

“…”

“But I can’t let you leave my side. I can never…”

“Even if I don’t love you?” Patrizia said.

“My love, my longing, and my heart all belong to you,” he vowed.

“…”

“I told you. You can hate me, despise me, and resent me. It doesn’t matter.”

So please, just stay by my side.