TGW Chapter 28 Part 3

 

A maid rushed into the Red Palace, her face pale as a ghost.

Patricia was entertaining guests in the drawing room, having deliberately invited a few noblewomen to join her at this hour. She had planned for them to witness the fallout of Marquis Rad’s scandal firsthand.

When Sonia, the middle-aged maid, heard a quick explanation of the situation from the breathless maid, her expression stiffened. She approached Patricia, who raised her voice with an exaggerated tone.

“What’s the matter?” Patricia asked, loud enough for the other noblewomen to hear.

The guests, intrigued, all turned their attention to Sonia. But Sonia, ignoring their gazes, focused solely on Patricia.

“I have urgent news, Your Grace. It’s a pressing matter.”

Patricia’s eyebrow twitched, immediately sensing that something had gone wrong. She forced a smile at the noblewomen.

“I was hoping to spend more time with you all, but it seems a small issue has arisen regarding tomorrow’s banquet preparations.”

“Of course, Your Grace. You must attend to urgent matters.”

“Absolutely, especially for His Majesty’s birthday celebration. We’re all looking forward to it, as always, Red King.”

The noblewomen placed their teacups down and rose to leave. Once they had departed, the maids began clearing the table, but Patricia waved them off.

“Leave it for now. Let’s hear what’s going on first. What happened?”

Sonia’s hands trembled. Knowing the Red King’s temper, she feared the impending storm that would follow her report. With a quivering voice, she relayed everything that had transpired at the Emperor’s retreat.

Patricia’s expression gradually emptied as she listened. Outwardly, she appeared calm, but her hands shook uncontrollably. The shock was overwhelming, as if the sky itself had collapsed. Her mind went blank, and she clutched her chest, leaning forward as Sonia cried out, “Your Grace!” and moved to support her.

Patricia irritably shrugged Sonia’s hand off.

“That...”

Her voice faltered. It felt as if something were lodged in her throat, blocking her breath.

“Bring her. The maid we sent to watch over Princess Fatima...”

Sonia understood immediately and hurried to comply.

“Yes, Your Grace. I’ll bring her right away.”

Sonia summoned all the maids of the Red Palace, but the one they sought was nowhere to be found. Despite questioning everyone, none could account for the missing maid’s whereabouts.

“She’s gone?”

“...Yes, Your Grace.”

Sonia knelt before Patricia. The Red King’s eyes blazed with fury, and she slapped Sonia across the face with all her might.

“How have you been managing the staff?!”

Sonia, unable to withstand the force, collapsed but quickly scrambled back up. Patricia struck her again, then again, each blow landing with a loud crack.

The drawing room was eerily silent except for the resounding slaps. The other maids stood by, heads bowed, trembling in fear.

Patricia only stopped when her hand throbbed with pain. Sonia’s face was a wreck—her cheeks swollen, her nose and mouth bloodied. Patricia glared at her, not a hint of sympathy in her eyes, only the seething rage that had yet to subside.

“Search the entire palace! Bring her to me, dead or alive! And if you don’t, you’ll all pay the price!”

Her venomous gaze swept over the terrified maids, who shrank like frogs under a snake’s stare, bowing even lower in submission.

The maids of the Red Palace scattered, desperately searching for the missing maid. They knew Patricia’s threat was no idle warning—failure meant death.

Patricia remained seated on the drawing room sofa, unmoving, her icy blue eyes staring into space. Her fists clenched so tightly that the veins bulged on her hands. At last, a maid returned with news.

“She was seen entering the Silver Palace.”

Patricia’s voice turned frigid. “The Silver Palace?”

“Yes, Your Grace. Someone saw her entering the Silver Palace.”

Patricia let out a bitter laugh.

“A rat.”

Her teeth ground together in fury. The idea that a mere maid had ruined her meticulously crafted plan was unbearable. She wanted to rip the maid apart with her bare hands, right before her eyes, to satisfy her rage.

“We’re going to the Silver Palace.”

Patricia stood, resolute. She would bring that maid back. She would make sure that the girl learned just how much of a luxury a peaceful death could be.

 

***

 

Sienna had brought Kuhn to the Silver Palace. She had succeeded in her plan to expose their affair to witnesses, ensuring the rumors would spread. Kuhn’s symptoms from the drug had improved significantly, though he still needed time to fully recover.

The two sat side by side on the sofa in the reception room as Kuhn listened intently to the detailed explanation of what had happened.

“You really... threatened one of the Red Palace maids?” Kuhn asked, astonished.

“I just spoke strongly, that’s all. I wouldn’t call it a threat,” Sienna replied.

Kuhn sighed, rubbing his face with both hands. “You’re not the type of person to do such things. Maybe I’m having a bad influence on you.”

Sienna frowned. She was about to respond when Kuhn lifted his head and continued.

“Even if you hadn’t intervened, I wouldn’t have fallen into the Red King’s trap. That drug couldn’t control me.”

“But if someone had seen you and Princess Fatima together, wouldn’t that have caused problems? Even if nothing happened, people would assume the worst based on appearances,” Sienna countered.

“...Maybe. But that would have been my problem to deal with. Now, your reputation is at stake. If you're dragged into this mess, your honor—”

Sienna was surprised by Kuhn’s reaction. She hadn’t expected him to applaud her actions, but she hadn’t thought he would be so adamantly concerned about the consequences.

“I should’ve gotten you out of there sooner, instead of lingering.”

“Kuhn.”

“Have you considered how this will affect your relationship with your mother?”

“Kuhn.”

“I don’t want you to lose anything because of me. I’ve already caused you to lose so much...”

“Kuhn!” Sienna finally raised her voice, cutting him off. Kuhn stopped talking and met her gaze.

“Enough. I can’t listen to you anymore. Who’s losing what here?”

“...”

“My honor? We’re already rumored to be lovers. What’s wrong with us acting like it?”

“But...”

“Let me finish.”

Kuhn obediently closed his mouth.

“If we follow your logic, then you should be mad at me. I knew you were walking into a trap and didn’t warn you. I didn’t even ask for your permission to use that trap for my plan.”

“That’s different,” Kuhn murmured.

“Why?”

“If you had known beforehand, you could have avoided it altogether. You wouldn’t have been drugged.”

“...”

“See? Your reasoning doesn’t hold up.”

“Sienna, it’s not the same.”

“It is the same.”

Sienna’s voice was firm, leaving no room for argument.

“And as for what I’ve supposedly lost—are you talking about the throne?”

Kuhn didn’t respond, and Sienna’s gaze grew even colder.

“I’ve told you before: the throne is something that comes from the heavens. If it were truly meant for me, no one could take it away. I move by my own will. The only person who can influence me is myself.”

Kuhn stared at her, momentarily speechless, before letting out a soft chuckle. He had once imagined a future where they walked side by side. Now, he realized he wanted to see the world through her eyes as well.

“And my relationship with my mother...”

Sienna paused, considering how best to explain. She didn’t want to delve into the emotional turmoil she had gone through over the years because of her mother. She wasn’t the type to complain about things that were already in the past.

She stood up and fetched a water bottle and a glass, bringing them back to the table. As she poured water into the glass, she spoke.

“Let’s say this glass is me, and the water is my mother.”

She carefully filled the glass to the brim, stopping just before it overflowed.

“What happened today was this.”

Sienna added a few more drops of water, causing the glass to spill over.

“There’s no such thing as a sudden event. Today was just the tipping point. It was already full, and the last drop made it overflow. That’s how things are between me and my mother.”

Kuhn stared at the glass, watching the water overflow, understanding the meaning behind her words.

“Do you get it now?” Sienna asked.

Kuhn nodded slowly. She hadn’t given him a detailed explanation of her history with the Red King, but he understood enough.

“But...”

His eyes shifted toward the glass.

“Can’t you warn me before it gets to that point?”

“Huh?”

“Before the glass is about to overflow... could you tell me when it’s almost full?”

Sienna chuckled softly, but Kuhn wasn’t joking. He genuinely feared that she might quietly endure things on her own until one day, she would turn cold and distant without warning.

“My mother...”

Sienna sighed heavily, her heart heavy with the weight of her thoughts. Despite everything, Patricia was still her mother. She didn’t believe her mother’s claims of love were entirely false.

If she had been just another noblewoman’s daughter, perhaps she would have reconciled with her mother. But as someone of divine blood, she had responsibilities. Even if she didn’t become Empress, she had to prioritize the well-being of the Empire and the royal family.

“I’ve concluded that my mother is a danger to the Empire and the royal family. I will fight her until she realizes her mistakes.”

Sienna knew there would likely never be reconciliation between them. Even in her dreams, her mother had never changed.

Kuhn gazed at her in silence before reaching out to pull her into an embrace. He could only imagine how much anguish she must have endured to come to such a firm decision. It would have been less painful if she had cried or expressed her sorrow, but Sienna wasn’t the type to do that.

He knew better than anyone that just because she rarely showed emotion didn’t mean she didn’t feel it deeply. There were no words that could comfort her. All he wanted was to hold her, to be someone she could lean on.

“Your Majesty, I’m coming in,” said Beth from outside, knocking on the door. The two of them adjusted themselves on the sofa, sitting side by side once more.

Beth entered, moving with ease in her newly modified wheelchair, which allowed her to cover short distances on her own.

“Your Majesty, the Red King has arrived.”

“My mother?”

Sienna hadn’t expected Patricia to come so soon.

“She’s demanding that we hand over the maid from the Red Palace who sought refuge here.”

Sienna smirked. Patricia had come not out of concern for her daughter, but to capture the defiant maid.

“Did you let her in?”

Beth hesitated.

“...I’ve stationed the guards at the entrance to block her. Forgive me, Your Majesty. I took the liberty of acting on your behalf.”

“You did well. I’ll go see her.”

As Sienna prepared to leave, Beth remained behind, turning her wheelchair toward Kuhn, who was still seated on the sofa.

“Marquis, how are you feeling?”

Sienna had told Beth that Kuhn had been poisoned and needed rest, though she hadn’t mentioned the aphrodisiac. Beth simply believed it was a non-lethal poison.

“I’m much better now.”

Beth’s gaze softened with a mix of emotions. She was still worried about Sienna. After all, Beth was the only one who had known in advance about what would happen today.

That morning, as Sienna was leaving the Silver Palace, she had said to Beth:

---

“Countess, after today, my relationship with my mother will change.”

---

Sienna had explained that the Red King was plotting to trap Marquis Rad and that she intended to stop it.

“Marquis,” Beth said, her tone serious.

“Yes?”

“Do you know what Her Majesty has sacrificed for you?”

Beth didn’t know all the details, but she believed that Sienna’s decision to sever ties with her mother had something to do with Kuhn.

She had been aware of the growing distance between Sienna and the Red King, but she had never imagined it would lead to a complete rupture. The Red King was Sienna’s biological mother and her greatest ally. The thought of the two parting ways weighed heavily on Beth’s heart.

Kuhn nodded slowly. “Yes, I understand.”

Beth swallowed her emotions, fighting back tears. She wanted to shout at him, to ask why he had appeared in Sienna’s life and disrupted everything. Yet, at the same time, she couldn’t help but notice how Sienna’s eyes sparkled with life whenever she spoke of Kuhn. That light in her eyes was beautiful.

“Don’t hurt Her Majesty. If she suffers because of you, I’ll never forgive you. Don’t think I’m helpless just because I can’t walk. I’ll make sure you pay for it.”

Beth’s warning was fierce, but Kuhn smiled warmly, not out of mockery, but in genuine respect. He placed a hand over his heart and bowed his head.

“I understand, Countess. I’ll remember that.”

 

***

 

As Sienna emerged, Gilbert, the knight in charge, gestured with a wave of his hand. The knights stepped back in unison, bowing their heads toward her.

"Silver King," Patricia greeted her, her face lighting up momentarily. But as soon as their eyes met, her expression shifted to one of sorrowful reproach.

"There are many who seek to drive a wedge between mother and daughter. For a mother to be blocked at the entrance when visiting her own daughter—what a sad day."

Sienna’s gaze shifted to the maids standing behind Patricia. There were over twenty of them. It felt as if Patricia had come armed for battle, her entourage resembling an army of well-armed soldiers.

"I informed everyone that I would not be seeing any guests today. The guards merely followed my orders. Now, what brings you here, Mother?"

"Silver King, will you leave me standing out here like this? This is hardly how one welcomes a guest," Patricia replied, her tone cuttingly sweet.

‘Yet you left Marquis Rad standing outside, as a spectacle for others,’ Sienna thought, her mind dripping with sarcasm, though she chose not to mention it now.

"Please, come in. However, I cannot allow the maids of the Red Palace to enter."

"Silver King, these maids are my arms and legs."

"This is not the Red Palace, Mother. I cannot permit so many outsiders into my residence."

Patricia’s smile faltered slightly. "It seems my visit is not a welcome one today."

"As I mentioned, I had planned not to meet anyone today."

Patricia sighed, her expression softening as she spoke in a gentle, placating tone.

"Very well. It seems I’ve disturbed you while you wanted to rest. I came in haste, unable to control my emotions after hearing some distressing news. As we age, it becomes harder to keep such things in check. I’m only here to retrieve one person, and then I’ll leave."

"Why are you looking for someone here, in my palace?"

"One of my maids fled here. Apparently, she committed a crime and, fearing punishment, sought refuge in your palace."

"This is the first I’ve heard of it."

"Silver King, you couldn’t possibly know everything happening in such a large palace. Perhaps she’s hidden herself away, or one of your maids has hidden her."

Sienna turned her gaze to Gilbert.

"Sir Gilbert, have there been any intruders? Is our security so lax that people could sneak in without my knowledge?"

"Absolutely not, Your Majesty. I stake my position on this: there are no intruders within the palace, unknown to Your Majesty."

Sienna’s eyes flicked back to Patricia. "It seems you’ve been misinformed."

"Silver King, this won’t do. That maid belongs to me, and she’s a criminal. It’s only right that I retrieve her."

Patricia’s face tightened slightly, though she still forced a smile.

"Stop making baseless accusations. I trust my people. If Sir Gilbert says there’s no intruder, then there isn’t one."

"It is you who’s being unreasonable, Silver King. Even political enemies among neighboring lords hand over criminals when requested. If you truly have nothing to hide, you can prove it by allowing me to search. If I fail to find her, I’ll admit my mistake and never bring it up again."

Mother and daughter stood face to face at the entrance to the Silver Palace, their words clashing. Behind Patricia stood the maids from the Red Palace; behind Sienna were the knights and maids of the Silver Palace, as if they were split into opposing factions.

Everyone was holding their breath. The tension in the air was palpable.

Sienna let out a small chuckle. Misinterpreting the gesture as a sign of agreement, Patricia’s expression brightened.

"Do you mean to search my palace, Red King?" Sienna’s voice was cold and mocking.

The smile vanished from Patricia’s face. Even her fake pleasantness disappeared, and her complexion paled in an instant. She stared at Sienna in shock. Sienna had always called her "Mother," but addressing her as the "Red King" carried a grave significance.

"You’ve brought an army of maids to flaunt your power and demand to search my palace for a supposed criminal. You’re disturbing the Imperial hierarchy, Red King. The only person who can issue me orders is His Majesty the Emperor."

"Silver King, that’s not... I didn’t mean it as an order, I—"

"This sort of insolence will not be forgiven a second time. Leave now."

Patricia’s pale eyes filled with fury. "In front of my own people... you humiliate me like this? Do you think I will ever forget this insult?"

Sienna glanced at her mother coldly for a moment before turning sharply.

"Sir Gilbert, escort the Red King out."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Silver King! You can’t do this! Will you really never see your mother’s face again? You cannot leave it like this!" Patricia’s voice cracked as she screamed after her.

But Sienna kept walking, unmoved by her mother’s pleas. She neither slowed down nor stopped. Her eyes burned as she blinked slowly, fighting against the stinging sensation. She had expected to feel hollow, but the pain was sharper than she had anticipated.

Her mother continued to disappoint her. The emotional distance between them hadn’t lessened at all. Waiting any longer wouldn’t change things. Clinging to hope would only be foolish.

Sienna motioned for one of the maids to come over.

"Go to Duke Rimone’s residence. Tell him to come to the Silver Palace after sunset."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Sienna’s mind was clear: she needed to separate her mother from Duke Rimone. Just because she was breaking with her mother didn’t mean she had to make an enemy of the Rimone family as well.

‘I’ll use whatever I can.’

The real question was, would Duke Rimone choose family ties over power?

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