Revenge of the Betrayed: The Domineering Duke Falls for Me のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 281 - チャプター 290

Miranda hurriedly dropped to her knees, her voice trembling with fear. “It was my ignorance that caused me to offend Your Majesty the Queen. I beg Your Majesty for forgiveness!”The Queen Dowager, who had been intending to win Miranda over and earn her loyalty, was already displeased with the Queen’s manipulative ways. She found Miranda’s words quite reasonable. Without waiting for the Queen to respond, she reached down and helped Miranda to her feet, chiding her gently, “You silly child. You only spoke out of concern, offering words of comfort for the Queen’s sake. How could she or I not see that? The Queen was only teasing you, and you took it seriously. Look how frightened you are!”Hearing how the Queen Dowager so openly defended Miranda, the Queen grew even more resentful. The girl hadn’t even made it to the King’s bed and already dared to lecture her—with the Dowager’s protection and the King’s favor on top of that. If Miranda managed to whisper a few sweet words to the King in

That afternoon, Miranda remained composed, listening closely to every word exchanged between the Queen and the Queen Dowager. Though her face revealed nothing, her mind raced, analyzing tone and subtext, reading between every line. After accompanying the Queen Dowager through luncheon and returning to her chambers at the Pavilion of Frosted Moons, she seized a moment of solitude.She approached a maid sweeping near the colonnade and spoke in a low voice, “Tell Lord Reginald I must see him. It is urgent.”Then, raising her voice just enough for nearby ears to hear, she added lightly, “Such a pity—these flowers were vivid and lovely only yesterday, and today they’re already beginning to wilt. Be careful when sweeping, or you’ll damage the branches and ruin what’s left.”The girl, Lisa, was the one Reginald had instructed her to use as a go-between, should the need arise.Lisa bowed slightly. “Yes, my lad

“Even so,” the King said, his expression returning to calm indifference, “dividing them will not be easy.”His voice was steady, deliberate.“The Queen may be dull and self-willed, and yes, she clearly harbors resentment toward the Queen Dowager. The Dowager in turn may be disappointed—perhaps even angry. But their relationship remains in a kind of balance. The Queen Dowager has always placed the interests of the Blackwell family above all else. Even if she suspects the Queen’s ingratitude, she will still protect her in moments of crisis. To spark a conflict strong enough to cause real damage within the family… that is unlikely.”A soft breeze stirred, carrying with it the gentle fragrance of the lotus pond—but it could not dispel the faint note of disappointment that lingered in his voice.Miranda, too, understood the truth of it. Her reply was low, but resolute. “If it were merely a matter of mutual displeasure, I would agree—it would not be enough

The King’s smile deepened, faint but unmistakable, as he spoke with a tone that carried a trace of dry amusement.“With all the hints you’ve laid out before me, Miranda, if I still couldn’t grasp your meaning, it would no longer be a matter of wisdom—it would be sheer stupidity.”He paused, letting the air settle before continuing, “Ordinary slights may be endured, but when one’s power is truly threatened—even family will turn to blood. And if the seed of suspicion is sown, fanned with the right words and timing… then yes, it may not be impossible to drive a wedge between them. Wouldn’t you agree?”“I would, Your Majesty,” Miranda replied, nodding. “But my goal isn’t to turn them into enemies. I only need the Queen Dowager to begin doubting the Queen—to withhold the unwavering support she’s shown her all these years.”Her tone was calm, but its meaning precise.There was something in her voice that hinted at more—an unspoken layer to the plan yet to be revealed.The King’s curiosity o

Miranda bowed her head and obeyed. “Yes, Your Majesty. This story I’m about to tell is one I once read in an old volume. It was titled ‘Two Beggars as Friends.’”She continued calmly, “It tells of two beggars who were once the closest of companions, sharing everything and speaking without reserve. But even the most intimate of friends, like teeth and lips, sometimes clash. They would argue, quarrel, and even fight. Beggar A might leave Beggar B bruised and bleeding, while Beggar B, in his rage, could nearly break A’s leg. In their fury, they’d wish the other dead. But once the anger passed, they would always reconcile and become as close as before.”The King gave a faint nod, his lips curving slightly. “Such a friendship is curious indeed.”“Years passed, and Beggar A joined the army. He rose through the ranks by merit and became a great general, famed throughout the realm. One day, as he passed through a city, he happened upon his old friend, Beggar B, who had remained a beggar. But