Chapter 138

Chapter 138

The King stumbled, leaning heavily against the Queen. Beneath his crown, streaks of gray were visible at his temples.

How had the King aged so much in such a short time?

Tu Nan’s gaze swept across everyone present from the corner of her eye.

Those raised in the Royal Palace were experts at acting from a young age.

Could one of them be the catalyst for the King’s current state?

“Cough, cough.” The King raised a hand to his lips and coughed twice. “Everyone, please be seated.”

The Queen helped him into the head seat. Only after the King was settled did she take her place beside him.

“Father, you must take care of your health,” Dennis said solicitously.

The King glanced at him and gave a raspy response, his voice sounding like grinding gravel.

“If you caused me less trouble, my health would naturally improve.”

An embarrassed expression flickered across Dennis’s face.

“Judy is here?” the Queen spoke up at the perfect moment, looking at Tu Nan with a smile. “You should stay in the Royal Palace for a while and keep Maria company. It won’t be too late to leave once she is married.”

“Yes,” Tu Nan replied with a smile.

“Cough, cough!” The King covered his mouth with a handkerchief and began to cough violently.

His back hunched slightly, and a lock of silver-white hair slid from his shoulder due to the exertion.

“Why isn’t Father’s illness getting any better?” Maria’s eyes reddened. “What will happen if this continues?”

The Queen sighed as well. “He has taken so much medicine, yet nothing seems to work.”

“Those doctors are all useless,” Eugene snorted coldly. “I think we should try a different approach.”

“Oh?” Dennis asked, sounding curious. “Since Eldest Brother says so, do you already have another way?”

Eugene shot him a look. “I have heard that the Forest Witch possesses miraculous magic. We might as well seek her out and give it a try.”

“Absurd!” Upon hearing this, the Queen interrupted him with a stern, sharp tone. “A Witch is an evil existence. How could she possibly cure your father’s illness?”

Eugene had always had a foul temper, prone to exploding like a firecracker. His eyes widened as he slammed his hand on the table and shouted, “That’s just a rumor! Besides, what does it matter if she’s evil? As long as we provide the trade items the Witch wants, she might be able to cure Father!”

“Enough!” The King’s voice sounded as if it were squeezed through his teeth. He cast a dark, gloomy look at everyone at the table. “I am not dead yet!”

“It is merely a common cough,” Tracy spoke up with a smile. “My wedding to the Princess is imminent. I am sure the King will recover because of such a joyous occasion.”

The King’s face, which resembled the bark of a withered tree, relaxed slightly at his words, and he forced a thin smile.

“Yes… I still need to see Maria get married. This poor child, her birth mother died young, and she has suffered much since she was little…”

Maria lowered her head, seemingly moved by his words.

Only Tu Nan heard her let out a nearly imperceptible, cold sneer.

Her birth mother had died young, her father had immediately married a new Queen, and now he was sacrificing her marriage for the sake of the country-yet he acted as if it were all for her sake.

“Why speak of such sad things? Let’s not make Maria upset.” The Queen waved her hand and signaled the servants to bring the food to the table. “Let us eat. We have a new guest today, so I specifically ordered the Kitchen to prepare two new dishes.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” Tu Nan stood and performed a formal bow.

Life in the Royal Palace was full of such inconveniences; one had to bow at every turn.

“You’re quite welcome,” the Queen said, beaming. “Maria’s guest is my guest.”
“The honor is all mine.”

Royal dining etiquette was tedious and complex. Tu Nan could only steal glances at Maria’s movements from the corner of her eye, mimicking whatever she did.

Although the Carter Family was on the brink of bankruptcy, they were still aristocrats, and their daughter had clearly been raised with proper etiquette.

Once the meal was finished, Maria set down her knife and fork and gently dabbed her mouth.

“Has Your Highness finished?” Tracy asked with a smile. “You don’t seem to have much of an appetite.”

Maria nodded slightly. “My father is ill, so I indeed don’t have much of an appetite.”

“Don’t worry about me, Maria,” the King said in a thick, muffled voice. “This little ailment is nothing to speak of. As for you, you’re about to be married; why are you still so distant with your fiancé?”

Before Maria could speak, Tracy cut in. “Your Highness is shy by nature, but there’s nothing wrong with that. Feelings should indeed be allowed to develop slowly.”

Maria smiled and rose, giving Tracy a slight curtsy. “Father is right. We are to be wed soon, so we really shouldn’t be so distant. Regarding the invitation for an outing that the Prince mentioned earlier-I accept.”

“The weather will be fine tomorrow. I think it’s a perfect day for a trip.”

A look of pleasant surprise crossed Tracy’s face. “That’s wonderful. Whatever Your Highness likes to eat, I will have someone prepare it immediately.”

“As you wish, Prince.”

“Good, good, good.” The King looked very satisfied, repeating the word three times. “It’s a fine time for an outing.”

“However,” Maria paused slightly, “I would like to bring Judy along.”

“Of course.” Tracy looked at Tu Nan. “Please, Miss Judy, do us the honor.”

“I certainly cannot refuse an invitation from the Princess and the Prince,” Tu Nan said with a smile.

“In that case, I might as well go along too,” Dennis suddenly interjected. “Father just said it’s a fine time for an outing, and now I’m tempted as well.”

“I don’t think it’s the outing you’re tempted by,” Eugene sneered.

“What do you mean by that, brother? I don’t understand,” Dennis said, playing dumb on purpose.

“Alright, stop arguing.” The King coughed twice more. For some reason, he didn’t refuse Dennis’s suggestion.

“If you want to go, then go,” he said in a slow, heavy voice. “Just don’t disturb Tracy and Maria.”

“It works out well-you can accompany Miss Judy while they enjoy themselves.”

The King was certainly calculating. Fearing she would interfere with Tracy and Maria’s bonding, he had specifically permitted Dennis to join them.

Everyone present knew exactly what kind of person Dennis was. The King’s intentions were as plain as day.

“Of course, Father. I’m not so blind as to lack that much tact,” Dennis said with a smug grin.

Since the King had spoken, Eugene naturally had nothing more to say.

“Miss Judy, I assume you won’t mind an extra companion?” Dennis asked with a smirk.

Given her current status, did she even have the right to mind?

Tu Nan glanced quickly at Dennis, shook her head gently, and then lowered her head in feigned bashfulness.

“It would be my honor.”

Seeing her reaction, Dennis smiled triumphantly.

His status as a Prince gave him all the capital he needed to be arrogant.

Tu Nan curled her lips into a faint smile.

The King’s move was an accidental blessing; she had been worrying about how to get closer to the Prince.