The Duke of Vergy, who was quietly watching Judith, spoke.
“This Argent Palace, which is currently being used by Her Majesty the Queen, was originally a villa prepared for the Princess or female guests from other countries. His Highness Franz’s Astel Palace was built for Princes, but it would be too small for two people to share.”
"Then...”
“For generations, Rotair’s Princes stayed close to the Magnus Palace, where the central hall is located. They used it as the Prince's palace until he ascended to the throne, but when he succeeded to the throne, he moved to Magnus Palace.”
Judith knew what the Duke had in mind. There was an empty space to the east of Magnus Palace, currently used by King Jedercayer. It was more commonly called the nickname Blue Veronica's Palace rather than its original name of Nation. It was a nickname given because of its unique exterior wall and structure decorated with blue kyanite.
“The problem is... I think we should discuss it after His Highness returns.”
At Judith's words, the Duke nodded up and down as if saying yes. However, he did not forget to add one word to what he was saying, which was just pressing inside him.
“I think he, as well as you, know why this issue is important.”
The Duke, with one eye, squinted, stood up first, saying he would just leave. Judith, who had seen him off, lightly touched her suddenly flushed cheek with the back of her hand. Of course, she knew what the Duke was talking about. It was a remark with the royal grandson in mind.
***
“Are you combining your residences?”
“Yes, I guess adult Princes and Princesses don’t use separate palaces when they get married. I remember hearing that once too.”
“So, Argent Palace will be emptied?”
“I guess so, right? They say it was originally a villa for Princesses and guests.”
Cheraan sighed openly. The Princess's palace, which had been empty without much decoration or landscaping, was recently renovated and given a new name, and it felt like a waste to empty it all.
“Argent Palace suits you best.”
"Yes?"
"Sure. From the wallpaper color to the furniture, it was decorated only with things that go well with Your Highness. His Majesty gave us a separate name.”
When King Jedekayer renovated the palace for Judith and personally gave it a name, Cheraan was prouder of that fact than anyone else. This was because she knew well who the flow of power was focused on and the physiology of the social world, which was sensitive to its direction.
As Cheraan had expected, as soon as Judith's residence was named Argent's Palace, quick-witted ladies, including everyone else, were anxious not to come and see the sights. She couldn't help but snort every time she saw the nobles, who until then had been wary of the Queen and had not even spoken to Judith, came to see her, citing trivial reasons.
“Wait a minute, Your Highness. The fact that the Duke brought up the need to combine residences means...”
“That’s it, Cheraan. Because I know what you’re trying to say.”
As Judith spoke calmly, Cheraan wrinkled her nose and made a mischievous expression.
“You know what I was going to say?”
“Yes, I understand everything.”
Cheraan burst out laughing as she saw Judith's cheeks turn red. People passing by snooped around and looked at the two people as if they were surprised to see a noble lady wearing an expensive dress smiling brightly.
They were at Place Michiel in the center of the capital. It was the busiest among the major streets leading to the royal palace, and there were many luxurious shopping streets that even nobles could frequent, so the number of people passing by was beyond imagination.
Judith's time in Rotair could not be said to have been short, but she had not been out of the palace very often. This is because she was afraid of the risk of not knowing where someone might be hiding if she wandered around carelessly.
Although Judith had occasionally passed by the square in a carriage, this was her first time walking around here in broad daylight without a soldier accompanying her. Of course, in her past life, she couldn't even move around the palace as she wanted.
"People... There are so many.”
These were Judith's first thoughts as she looked around the crowded square. But Cheraan shrugged her shoulders as if this was no big deal.
“Have you never been out to the square, or there is a National Foundation Day or other festival?”
“No. Why is that?”
“Compared to those times, it’s quieter now. Come out and take a look at this festival. You will be able to understand what it means to be pushed around by people with no space to step.”
For a noblewoman, Cheraan had visited many places by herself. Was she only in the square?
Even the back alley, where the suspicious gambling took place all day long, was nothing more than her mysterious playground.
Judith laughed as she remembered that Cheeran had once brought her a strange-looking gold coin that she said she had won at a gambling table.
“The square is okay, but don’t wander around the back alleys. Because it’s dangerous.”
Cheraan was annoyed and looked at Judith. She looked like she was wondering how she knew that.
“I think, um... As far as I know, I have never been caught, Your Highness.”
“They say even walls have eyes and ears.”
As Judith spoke, tapping her eyes and ears, Cheraan suddenly became serious. Of course, she wasn't wondering if there really were eyes and ears on the wall as she said, but she seemed to think there might be some hidden meaning.
“Your Highness, you’re not watching me, are you?”
Judith's eyes widened as she walked slowly.
“Is there a reason for me to monitor Cheraan?”
“Your Highness doesn’t have any. But...”
"But?"
“You received a favor from my father...”
Judith began to giggle and laugh.
“Cheraan, did you upset your father again?”
“He's not upset. He's become more picky these days.”
Cheeran had a confident attitude as if she was not stabbed at all. Judith suppressed her laughter because she thought she knew the reason.
Not only Judith but also her parents had already noticed that the relationship between Cheraan and Bartholomew had long since reached a delicate point where they seemed likely to be romantically involved. Their only daughter, who had acted as if she had no interest in marriage all her life, was becoming intimate with a man her own age, which was a situation that made the Marquis Ebelta and his wife want to raise their eyebrows.
This would be true even if the other person was a decent young man. Bartholomew was the eldest son of the Duke of Vergy. Although he was unfairly expelled from Combler due to problems with Krald, King Jedercayer has taken power stably, and if Franz returns soon and becomes Crown Prince, there is no telling what will happen next.
Moreover, even if he did not become Combler, it was natural that Bartholomew would take over the title when the Duke stepped down. Now, the only problem left for the Marquis Ebelta and his wife was to tame her daughter, who could not be considered a demure bride, to meet the standards of a noble daughter.
“How much of a nag you are. You didn't used to do that, but these days you do it more than my mother. Really, I didn’t think you would be like that as much as my father.”
While Cheraan was grumbling and complaining, the two arrived at their destination.
“It’s here, Your Highness.”
Judith raised her head and looked at the ornate stone sign. The sign was decorated with layers of colorful glass, jewels, and thin feathers, and had a vine-patterned border with the words ‘Zelicia’s Sweets Shop’ written on it in large letters.
“This is the popular snack shop, Your Highness. Zelicia is a fake kingdom that appears in children's books, and it is also the name of the owner of this store. It’s probably an alias, right?”
“This is my first time coming to a store this big. It looks like there are a lot of people inside, but I’m not sure if it’s okay to go in.”
Long before they reached the door, she felt a sweet smell tickling her nose. As Judith stood under the sign, she could smell the melting sugar and cream as customers came and went. The two people who were snooping past the large glass window that took up the entire corner wall passed a group of young ladies rushing out and entering the store.
The inside of the store looked exactly like something from a child's happy dreams. The walls were painted light pink and lavender and were decorated with plaster doves and butterflies, and large glass bottles were lined up on every shelf.
In the long, open hallway for customers to walk through while looking at the products, baskets were piled high with small cookies, caramels, nougat, and sugar cookies that anyone could pick up and eat.
“I wish Mary Anne had come too.”
Judith looked up at the glass jar filled with colorful jam cookies with a mesmerized expression and said to herself.
“That’s right. I guess I could have the other maids arrange the vases.”
Cheraan helped. She invited her to go with her several times, but Mary Ann flatly refused, saying she had work to do. She knew why Mary Ann was like that, as did Judith.
All the maids in the Palace of Argent knew that Judith treated Mary Ann specially. Mary Ann would always politely decline favors extended to her, saying she did not want to make her co-workers feel deprived.
“I’m going to buy a lot so we can all eat together. I'll look around and if I find something nice, I'll buy it for her...”
“My mother was wondering if she had heard of this store. I’m thinking of buying something for my mother.”
“You’re not just going to buy something for your mother, are you?”
Cheraan's hand, which had just picked up a molasses-covered licorice stick, stopped. The narrowed eyes stared at Judith.
“Your Highness, are you making fun of me?”
“Are I teasing you? I was telling the truth. Even those molasses-covered licorice sticks. I’m sure I’m not the only one who knows that Bartholomew really likes that.”
Cheraan quickly realized that continuing this topic would not be of much benefit to her. Pretending not to have heard Judith, she put some licorice sticks into a small basket and then selected some nougat sprinkled with nuts and dried dates.
Cheraan, whose cheeks were as red as someone sitting by a fire, muttered softly.
“I’m thinking of buying something to give to Bartholomew, but it’s not because I have any ulterior motives. As Your Highness knows, that person must usually like sweet things.”
Judith laughed as she remembered that Cheeran had once brought her a strange-looking gold coin that she said she had won at a gambling table.
“The square is okay, but don’t wander around the back alleys. Because it’s dangerous.”
Cheraan was annoyed and looked at Judith. She looked like she was wondering how she knew that.
“I think, um... As far as I know, I have never been caught, Your Highness.”
“They say even walls have eyes and ears.”
As Judith spoke, tapping her eyes and ears, Cheraan suddenly became serious. Of course, she wasn't wondering if there really were eyes and ears on the wall as she said, but she seemed to think there might be some hidden meaning.
“Your Highness, you’re not watching me, are you?”
Judith's eyes widened as she walked slowly.
“Is there a reason for me to monitor Cheraan?”
“Your Highness doesn’t have any. But...”
"But?"
“You received a favor from my father...”
Judith began to giggle and laugh.
“Cheraan, did you upset your father again?”
“He's not upset. He's become more picky these days.”
Cheeran had a confident attitude as if she was not stabbed at all. Judith suppressed her laughter because she thought she knew the reason.
Not only Judith but also her parents had already noticed that the relationship between Cheraan and Bartholomew had long since reached a delicate point where they seemed likely to be romantically involved. Their only daughter, who had acted as if she had no interest in marriage all her life, was becoming intimate with a man her own age, which was a situation that made the Marquis Ebelta and his wife want to raise their eyebrows.
This would be true even if the other person was a decent young man. Bartholomew was the eldest son of the Duke of Vergy. Although he was unfairly expelled from Combler due to problems with Krald, King Jedercayer has taken power stably, and if Franz returns soon and becomes Crown Prince, there is no telling what will happen next.
Moreover, even if he did not become Combler, it was natural that Bartholomew would take over the title when the Duke stepped down. Now, the only problem left for the Marquis Ebelta and his wife was to tame her daughter, who could not be considered a demure bride, to meet the standards of a noble daughter.
“How much of a nag you are. You didn't used to do that, but these days you do it more than my mother. Really, I didn’t think you would be like that as much as my father.”
While Cheraan was grumbling and complaining, the two arrived at their destination.
“It’s here, Your Highness.”
Judith raised her head and looked at the ornate stone sign. The sign was decorated with layers of colorful glass, jewels, and thin feathers, and had a vine-patterned border with the words ‘Zelicia’s Sweets Shop’ written on it in large letters.
“This is the popular snack shop, Your Highness. Zelicia is a fake kingdom that appears in children's books, and it is also the name of the owner of this store. It’s probably an alias, right?”
“This is my first time coming to a store this big. It looks like there are a lot of people inside, but I’m not sure if it’s okay to go in.”
Long before they reached the door, she felt a sweet smell tickling her nose. As Judith stood under the sign, she could smell the melting sugar and cream as customers came and went. The two people who were snooping past the large glass window that took up the entire corner wall passed a group of young ladies rushing out and entering the store.
The inside of the store looked exactly like something from a child's happy dreams. The walls were painted light pink and lavender and were decorated with plaster doves and butterflies, and large glass bottles were lined up on every shelf.
In the long, open hallway for customers to walk through while looking at the products, baskets were piled high with small cookies, caramels, nougat, and sugar cookies that anyone could pick up and eat.
“I wish Mary Anne had come too.”
Judith looked up at the glass jar filled with colorful jam cookies with a mesmerized expression and said to herself.
“That’s right. I guess I could have the other maids arrange the vases.”
Cheraan helped. She invited her to go with her several times, but Mary Ann flatly refused, saying she had work to do. She knew why Mary Ann was like that, as did Judith.
All the maids in the Palace of Argent knew that Judith treated Mary Ann specially. Mary Ann would always politely decline favors extended to her, saying she did not want to make her co-workers feel deprived.
“I’m going to buy a lot so we can all eat together. I'll look around and if I find something nice, I'll buy it for her...”
“My mother was wondering if she had heard of this store. I’m thinking of buying something for my mother.”
“You’re not just going to buy something for your mother, are you?”
Cheraan's hand, which had just picked up a molasses-covered licorice stick, stopped. The narrowed eyes stared at Judith.
“Your Highness, are you making fun of me?”
“Are I teasing you? I was telling the truth. Even those molasses-covered licorice sticks. I’m sure I’m not the only one who knows that Bartholomew really likes that.”
Cheraan quickly realized that continuing this topic would not be of much benefit to her. Pretending not to have heard Judith, she put some licorice sticks into a small basket and then selected some nougat sprinkled with nuts and dried dates.
Cheraan, whose cheeks were as red as someone sitting by a fire, muttered softly.
“I’m thinking of buying something to give to Bartholomew, but it’s not because I have any ulterior motives. As Your Highness knows, that person must usually like sweet things.”
Cheraan and barth, I'm really looking forward for their sweet relationship.
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