Pherenike - Chapter 67

“Earlier, you said this child resembled me.”

“I know.”

“It’s better that she doesn’t resemble me.”

“…….”

“I think it’s good she resembles her mother instead.”

Perhaps it wasn’t so bad that the daughter resembled the woman he cherished. If that brought him happiness, Ino had forgotten the old days in front of this new life.

The cursed Axiothea, by now within the walls of Paetusa, must have been grinding her teeth, having raised a daughter only to have her bear the child of an enemy. What use was there in counting that agony?

As the king’s former nanny tenderly kissed the young princess’s forehead, the ladies leaving the court also suddenly thought of Axiothea.

“I began to understand a bit of Axiothea’s heart, having taken in a friend’s child. Her Majesty Pherenike must have been such a baby too, right?”

The one who brought the subject was among the younger and more naive ladies.

They were all part of various houses that had haphazardly filled the positions left by Actor’s fallen maternal house, strengthening alliances within their faction. To them, the name Axiothea was virtually taboo.

Yet, since the intention was innocent, no one reprimanded her, and they only looked at each other cautiously.

The eldest lady lightly dismissed the topic as if it were nothing.

“I had a brief encounter with Kybellaune in that ‘abandoned’ chamber when she was growing up. It was just like now.”

“Truly, she’s the spitting image of Her Majesty. Do you think His Majesty feels slighted at all?”

“If women unconnected by blood cling to the crib saying the baby is adorable, imagine how the father feels. Having a face that melts everyone just like her mother.”

“Still, it’s hard to imagine the king melting away.”

“Men want their children to resemble them, no matter how unworthy they are. It’s proof the child isn’t another man’s.”

“…….”

Someone took a deep breath. A red-haired woman at the edge of the group smirked slightly and said,

“Even if our king is perfect without flaw, he deserves a son who unmistakably resembles him more than a daughter whose paternity isn’t as clear.”

Her casually elegant smile followed her slightly mocking tone, despite having been fawning over the young princess just moments ago.

Although her words were loaded with implication, they were baseless suspicions. The queen had only moved between Lykke and the sanctuary for years, and ‘that prince’ had willingly confined himself within the walls of Paetusa as a prisoner. How could they have possibly conspired together?

However, the red-haired woman was the daughter of one of Actor’s maternal grandfather, Lavrentios, born to him in his old age. Therefore, she was a distant relative to the king.

The Lavrentios family had been like a tree shorn of its branches a long time ago, hardly having a few close relatives to speak of. She, in fact, appeared more as one of the few relatives of the king rather than a distant one.

Pyra Lavrentios was once considered an unfortunate orphaned girl in Lykke, who had missed her marriageable age. However, she did not succumb to her fate and instead carved a prestigious position for herself by seeking out influential elderly men in the palace.

This was before the Lavrentios regained their current status, and she took pride in having forged her own path from her humble and unfortunate beginnings. At the same time, she resented the fact that had the Lavrentios family not fallen from grace in the first place, she would not have had to enter the house of her old husband on her own volition.

How could it be that the Axiothea family still thrived? How could their prince still be alive and lead his troops into Lykke?

Pyra believed that Deucalion Paetusa’s life should have rightfully ended at the Antehe Council.

Yet, their king ultimately married the girl who grew up attached to the prince like a twin sister. Pherenike had enjoyed luxuries on the roof of the fallen Lavrentios.

The idea that the grandson of Lavrentios sought a successor from such a woman was baffling enough, and what they managed to produce was a daughter whose father was questionable.

Her disdain for the queen was evident across her arrogant face. A disdain that felt close and close, as if she were the king’s own sister.

Others were vaguely aware that there was no familial affection between the king and her, yet Pyra remained one of the few surviving descendants of the Lavrentios family.

Those who had momentarily been swayed by her words eventually remained silent, refusing to agree. Their fathers or husbands owed their lives to the queen.

When the Lavrentios family fell due to the actions of the Thasos family, Pyra had famously recounted the hardships she endured while wandering abroad with her frail father.

The tale of her returning to Evdokia alone, dragging a bier that wrapped her father’s corpse, was well-known. She had taken upon herself the arduous journey to bury her father in his homeland.

Pyra often boasted about this story when drunk, until someone directly asked her for the first time.

‘Why did you voluntarily endure such hardships your father hadn’t even requested?’

It turned out that the queen had made that insightful comment, merely looking puzzled.

“…By the way, I heard General Vassilios is returning within a few days.”

Someone tactfully changed the subject, although it wasn’t in a better direction.

Pyra left in a huff without looking back, her footsteps echoing her anger.