The Queen Who Shares Love
Chapter 64 The Wish

This was the incident after Isabella and Leticia practiced.

"I'm in love with Grand Duke Faust."

Rose choked on hearing Leticia's words. He did not believe what he heard. Leticia meant it and her eyes twinkled. Rose lowered her cup. 

Then take a long breath. "It turns out your taste is strange, yes Leti," Rose replied softly.

Dale briefly stopped but immediately sipped his tea.

"What are you gonna do next, Leticia?" ask Dale.

"I'll be Empress when the Grand Duke becomes Emperor. I will open Judith's eyes that Braun never loved her. Then, the Grand Duke will be the new father to Judith" Leticia said.

"Do you believe it?"

Rose was still suspicious of Grand Duke Faust. He was afraid that Leticia's incident with Braun was repeated again. Especially because of Grand Duke Faust's bad reputation first. He didn't want Leticia to get hurt again.

"I believe it," Leticia replied steadily.

"Good then. Don't forget to invite us to your wedding party" Dale replied with a smile.

Rose looked at Dale with a questioning look. How long has Dale hidden his feelings? Why not declare his love? But as soon as Dale's eyes were observed, Rose realized that her friend was sincere in saying that. There was no feeling of unwillingness or sadness like when Leticia said she would marry Braun.

"You didn't come to her wedding by yourself" Rose teased.

"You know how else I was busy and didn't like Braun from the start" Dale replied as he looked away.

Rose knows why Dale didn't come to Leticia's wedding. Dale didn't want to look sad at his friend's happy marriage. Then why did he support her? It is likely that he did not come on the day H.

"Dale can you stop investigating Isabella and the Grand Duke?" leticia.

"alright. I stopped seeing Countess Wollard anyway, she can be trusted. If it's the Grand Duke I'll believe how you feel." Dale looked at Leticia.

Rose was still observing Dale. Did Dale give up Leticia? Or is she no longer in love? Rose wanted to ask directly but surely Dale would dodge.

"Thank you Dale."

"If the Grand Duke hurts your feelings just tell us. We'll reply to him many times over." Rose pointed to herself.

"Of course, Rose."

Leticia smiled. He was sure that this time he would not regret it. The love Gerald gave me was not fake. His happiness will be achieved.

***

Prangs...

Mirror broken. Braun punched the mirror. Blood flowed in his hands. He vented his anger.

Charlotte's new smile coming to Braun's room instantly faded away. He approached her with worry.

"Don't hurt yourself, honey."

"Damn, shit, shit. Even after my father died, I was always compared to that person." Braun continuously cursed.

Not just comparing, the late Emperor asked Braun to be better than Gerald. In terms of strength, intelligence and everything. Nevertheless, Braun was constantly behind him. Unable to win fairly, he spreads rumors of Gerald's cruelty and ugliness. His father who knew about it let Braun. For his father, the most important thing was the position of his son. He was even pleased with his son's cunning.

However, even though Gerald has been hated by many, his father still forced and curbed him. He was never free from fulfilling his father's expectations. Braun, fed up, kills his father with the help of Duke Hilbright on the condition of marrying his foolish son. Leticia was completely unaware that Braun was only pretending to love her. Leticia falls in love with Braun.

Duke Hilbright, though famously clever and cunning, can also be lied to. Duke Hilbright wanted a grandson of an Emperor. Braun had no intention of having a son with Leticia. When Leticia gives birth to a son, she will kill him. Together with Charlotte, he plans Leticia's infertility. He married Charlotte again. Everything was planned from the beginning.

Charlotte holds Braun's injured hand, keeping him away from the mirror.

"I know, but calm yourself, dear."

"All the rumors I spread are gone. Now that person became a hero in the eyes of the people. Some even said that person should be the Emperor in my place." Braun looked at Charlotte who had bandaged his hand.

"Only you deserve to be Emperor, my dear. That's just a little folk's assumption." Charlotte leaned Braun's head against her shoulder while caressing him.

"Either from where the man learned of the foul actions of the nobleman he had captured. That person must have a reliable informant, he could even know the forbidden magic of the Pope." Braun began to soften his voice. 

"We have to catch the informant, get him on our side or eliminate him." Charlotte kissed Braun.

"You're right, honey." Braun replied by peeping the Second Empress's forehead.

"As we search for the informant, we can show the public that the imperial family and the person have a harmonious relationship. How about throwing a party at the palace to honor that person's achievement?" Charlotte was holding Braun's cheek.

"I don't like it. That person will be the center of everyone's attention." Braun turned his face.

Charlotte directs Braun to look at her. "I know, but be patient, baby. We also have to figure out the weakness of that person, then make him submit before us." 

"True, I'm going to make him bend his knees before me like his father begging my father." Braun grinned.

Charlotte was grinning. Various evil plans filled their heads.

Braun put his lips closer to Charlotte. Charlotte accepts him and makes Braun forget about the resentment and anger tonight.

***

One night two days before Isabella's arrival for tea with Judith and Leticia.

"Mother, when is Father coming?" ask Judith who is lying next to her mother.

"Mom doesn't know, maybe he's busy. Are you disappointed, honey?" Leticia stroked her daughter's hair.

The unrest in the Empire must have left Braun with no time to pretend to care about Leticia and Judith. Leticia thinks this is a good thing.

"True, I also lie often." Judith began to grumble as she rubbed her head against Leticia's body.

"What if your father isn't who you expect him to be, honey?" Leticia hugged her son.

"I'll be disappointed and upset." 

"Are you going to forgive your father?"

"Depends on the mistake. Why are you suddenly asking me this?" Judith looked at her mother's face while wondering.

Leticia kept smiling while touching her son's cheek.

"Just be curious, honey."

Leticia pecked her daughter's forehead. 

Judith smiled happily, hugging her mother. "May I invite Master to tea together?"

"Of course, honey." Leticia patted her daughter's back.

"I feel lonely these few days because my friends refused me an invitation to have tea with me, I think because of the riots in the Empire today."

There is indeed a difference between people who are friends with a certain purpose and sincere ones. They will go when people are in a bad time and come when they are happy. With this incident Judith could find out a friend who really wanted to be her friend not because of her status as an imperial princess.

"Mother will accompany you when you are lonely. Then, find a friend who is next to you in joy or sorrow. It doesn't take much, just a little is enough. Find a truly sincere."

"Good Mom."

Judith became sleepy and fell asleep. Leticia honestly couldn't bear to see her daughter like this. He was not loved by his father as he was. There was not even a friend who was beside Judith. Judith only had Leticia who always loved her. Leticia will always look after her beloved daughter. He did not want Judith to feel the same pain as him.