Chapter 433
When she saw this scene, Nova trembled, her stomach churning. She hurried to the back hall, covering her stomach and throwing up.
A moment ago, Maisie was still clamoring, but in the blink of an eye, she had met such an end. She looked up at Ray. He was smiling, but the smile made her bones chill. Nova could no longer bear it and fainted.
Ray quickly arrived and, seeing Nova’s pale face, shouted sharply, “How did you take care of Nova?” The maids all knelt on the ground, trembling and afraid to make a sound.
“Her illness was clearly improving. Why has it become so serious again?” Ray asked Sirena Madron, who was by Nova’s side.
Sirena frowned and stepped forward to say to him, “Your Majesty, it was Consort Maisie’s tragic appearance that scared her. I did not take good care of her. Please punish me, Your Majesty.” She knelt on the ground, and a trace of panic flashed in Ray’s eyes.
After a long while, he raised his hand and said to Sirena, “Sirena, you are my wet nurse; how could I punish you? Get up.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.” Sirena got up. She looked at Ray’s dignified face, thought for a while, and then said, “Your Majesty, the Queen Mother has not been feeling well recently and wants to see Your Majesty.”
Ray’s brow twitched fiercely. Since he became King in Ramberg, he had brought his mother over. It’s just that Gale did not agree with what he did. Gale and Ray often argued because of their different political views. Over time, the two rarely met. Gale was now living peacefully in the palace, spending her days transcribing scriptures, turning a blind eye to the affairs of the previous dynasty. Ray, on the other hand, acted arbitrarily in the previous dynasty, ignoring his mother’s advice. It had been three months since the last time they saw each other.
Ray thought for a moment, then started walking towards the palace. When he went there, Gale had just finished her rituals. When she saw him appear, a trace of surprise and heartache flashed in Gale’s eyes.
But when she sensed the hostility in him, Gale’s expression turned cold. Since Ray became the King of Virelda, he had changed so much that she almost didn’t recognize him.
“Queen Mother,” Ray stepped forward and nodded slightly to Gale.
Gale saw the stubble on his chin and sighed, “Take a seat.” The two have quarreled countless times, and the affection between them had become increasingly thin. She didn’t want to let those political affairs drive a wedge between her and her son.
Ray sat down and asked, “Mother, how has your health been recently?”
“It’s an old ailment.” Gale sighed softly, her body having already been nursed back to health by Athena. But as she got older, coupled with the humid and cold environment of Ramberg, there were signs of recurrence.
After the palace maid served the coffee, Gale held the coffee to her lips, but couldn’t help but say, “I don’t want to interfere in your affairs, but Ray, everything you’re doing now is becoming more and more incomprehensible to me. The entire Ramberg is spreading rumors that you are squandering your time with a mute concubine. The soldiers are fighting desperately on the front lines, but you are engaging in such shady dealings in the Core Palace. Aren’t you afraid of chilling the soldiers‘ hearts?”
“Maisie deserved to be punished for insubordination.” Ray retorted, like a young man whose sore spot had been touched, “Besides, although her brother is a general, he has repeatedly cut back on military supplies. If it weren’t for Maisie’s sake…”
“For her sake?” Gale suddenly raised her voice, “Do you think I don’t know? You secretly had the military supplies switched, deliberately framing Maisie’s brother! To monopolize military power, you can even resort to such insidious methods!”
Ray’s expression remained unchanged, his tone firm. “I am the King, and I should have the final say in this world! Mother says I am cruel, but if a monarch cannot even deter his courtiers, they will ride on my neck in the future. Because Maisie relies on her brother being a great general, she is arrogant. I have warned her long ago, but she didn’t know how to restrain herself. Now that she has hurt Nova, I have no choice but to take action against her.”
Seeing that she couldn’t dissuade him, Gale simply stopped trying. She sighed softly and asked, “Then what do you plan to do with Nova?”
“Naturally, keep her by my side.” Ray’s voice softened a little. “She has a gentle nature and is not jealous like other women.”
Gale smiled self-deprecatingly, “I heard that she’s very similar to Athena. Do you keep her because you like her, or do you regard her as a substitute?”
Ray’s face suddenly turned pale, as if someone had poked at his most secret thoughts. But immediately, his complexion returned to normal. “There is naturally a reason for what I do, Mother, you don’t need to interfere.”
“Okay, I won’t interfere with matters of the Core Palace, but I would like to remind you of a few things about the affairs of the former dynasty,” Gale said earnestly. “Ramberg is already located in a remote area, and the people live in poverty. Increasing taxes will only make life more difficult for them, won’t it?”
Ray smiled carelessly. “If we don’t increase taxes, where will the military pay come from, and what will we use to support the hundreds of thousands of troops? Without an army, how can I defend Ramberg?” Speaking of which, a glint of coldness appeared in his eyes. “Besides, there will be a fierce battle between Ramberg and the Grand Luminary Empire sooner or later.”
“But if this continues, the people of Ramberg will overthrow you even before Xander attacks!” Gale said.
Ray paused and said dully, “Your son knows what he’s doing.”
After saying that, he got up and said to Gale, “I still have things to do, mother. Get some rest early.” He gave Gale a respectful salute and turned to leave.
Gale looked at his departing figure, her eyes full of worry. Ray was walking on the edge of a cliff, and a little carelessness would lead to eternal doom.
“Sirena, bring Nova here. I want to see her,” he said. She wanted to see just how much Nova looked like Athena.
When Sirena brought Nova into the hall, Gale’s eyes suddenly widened. She heard that Nova and Athena only looked 70% alike, but looking at her now, she was exactly Athena. Gale looked surprised, and Sirena whispered in her ear, “The King asked the makeup artist to follow the portrait of Athena to do the makeup for Nova.” Gale then understood, no wonder.
Nova looked at the Queen Mother in horror, too scared to breathe. Although Gale didn’t like her, she didn’t want to make things difficult for her. “Take a seat.” Nova gave Gale a big salute, and then sat on the chair. Every frown and smile of hers resembled Athena. Gale was silent. Ray must have specially asked her to learn it.
“Has the King been treating you well these days?” Gale asked casually, but her eyes were fixed on Nova’s face.
Nova blushed slightly when she heard this, and she nodded lightly. The smile at the corner of her mouth was gentle. That was what Ray had Sirena specially teach her, as Athena looked like that when she was happy. Gale looked at her like that, and her heart felt blocked by something, so suffocating that she panicked. She finally understood that Ray was not just looking for someone similar. He clearly wanted to create a double of Athena in Athena’s image. From makeup to posture, from smile to eyes, even those inadvertent little actions were replicated one by one.
“Do you know why the King wants you to learn these?” Gale asked again.
Nova shook her head and nodded again. She used sign language to say, ‘I look like a woman the King likes.’ Sirena translated for Gale, and Gale was greatly surprised after hearing it. She actually knew, and she was willing to accept it.