Lady to Queen

0Petronilla received her sister's reply and rushed over to the Imperial Palace. Her face was full of smiles as she had missed her sister so much. Patrizia also greeted her with a joyous look.     

"Nilla!"     

"Lizzy!"     

It had only been a week. However, others who saw the two would have thought it was a reunion for distant family members. Petronilla spoke to Patrizia in an impassioned voice.     

"My sister is the Empress! Oh, my goodness, Lizzy. No, now, should I call you Empress?"     

Patrizia responded to her sister's teasing antics, hitting her lightly so it wouldn't hurt.     

"No, Nilla. Just call me the same. Even if I am the Empress, us being sisters will not change."     

"How can that be so. But when it's just us two, I'll give it a little thought."     

"Alright. Oh, older sister, sit down. Your legs must be hurting."     

Patrizia placed Petronilla in a chair and asked Mirya for two cups of tea. Soon Mirya came back with two teacups, and Petronilla sipped the tea, then asked her sister.     

"What in the world happened Lizzy? Of course, the choosing of an Empress is up to His Majesty's discretion, but it would have been hard if you didn't get a good score from the contest."     

"I don't know too, Nil. Actually, I didn't get a good result in the first and second parts. I thought Lady Trisha's score would be high, so I thought she would be Queen."     

It seemed the impact of the third part was very great, but she didn't want to tell Petronilla that much. Petronilla, hearing her sister's words, shuddered.     

"Oh, really? Then, perhaps -- His Majesty has taken to you, Lizzy?"     

"..."     

Patrizia's face almost went rotten for a moment, but she barely managed to overcome it.     

"Who does that man like? Me?"     

Patrizia laughed sounding like someone who had heard some funny news. But even with that response, Petronilla pushed her thoughts.     

"Look at you. Why don't you think that? His Majesty may have a crush on you."     

"Sister... Did you forget the rumor that floated around?"     

Patrizia, who had finally reached the realm of taboos, spoke seriously.     

"His Majesty already has a lover. So maybe he took me for granted...."     

Patrizia kept her mouth shut. That's it. Why did he choose me? The Count's house was lower, so Lady Arzeldo could have been chosen, or even Lady Vashi. There was no particular reason she should have been chosen as Empress. Patrizia once again felt a sense of embarrassment at these questions but managed to ignore it. There was no way to know, even if one wondered why. Unless one asked the Emperor, there was no way of knowing.     

"...It must have been a mistake, Nilla. I don't expect anything from His Majesty."     

She quickly turned the conversation to the original topic. What could she expect from the man who killed her sister? Even if one was expecting something, it had nothing to do with herself. Patrizia said to Petronilla with a sinking gaze.     

"The romance you dreamed of won't happen to me. His Majesty is not my Knight in Shining Armor. The only thing I expect from this place is..."     

Patrizia stopped speaking for a moment as if her throat was stuck. Patrizia picked up her voice and spoke quickly again, "Just ... just respect as an Empress. That's it."     

After she spoke, she felt like it would seem very negative and somber in other people's positions. Petronilla's bright face was dark for an instant. She seemed to feel a great pity that the love in her sister's marriage, even though it was her own unrequited love, did not mix in the slightest.     

"Lizzy... did you sacrifice for me?"     

"It is not as noble as you make it sound."     

If this is a sacrifice, it was also a sacrifice that Petronilla had been a Queeness in the past. Whether she had lost in the game of chance, the fact that she had still become the Queeness, and then the Queen, was an undeniable fact.     

"Now, let us talk about something else."     

Patrizia deliberately changed the topic. The time with her sister was too precious to talk about a man she didn't care about.     

"Our parents know, right? When are they coming here?"     

"Of course they know. They asked me when I was coming here. When it would be best for them to come here?"     

"It does not matter, at any time, they are welcome. Well, I hope they come a little quicker. Mother, Father, I want to see them."     

"Got it. I'll tell them that."     

Petronilla put the empty teacup on the table and said cheerfully, "You know, I have plenty of time. I'll be here until the sun sets today. That's ok right?"     

Patrizia was all for it. She smiled and nodded her head.     

"Absolutely ok."