Judith, whose words trailed off, quickly realized that there was nothing she could do, so she gave up and relaxed her shoulders. The water was a little lukewarm than when she usually bathed, and it was close to body temperature, so much so that if she was still submerged in it, she wouldn’t even be able to tell if there was water or not.
Not only that, there was someone who would fill the water with hot water at the right time to prevent it from getting too cold or something. She told them many times that there was no need to make such a fuss, and she really thought so, but when she thought about how much they were all devoted to her, she couldn't complain about being locked in the bathroom for a few hours. It was even more so when she was in the position of receiving what was given without doing anything.
Judith stared at Mary Anne's face as she gently trimmed her fingernails. Although the water was lukewarm, sweat was dripping down her forehead, perhaps because she had been sitting close to her for a long time. Watching her concentrate without even frowning, although it must have been very hot and tiring, she suddenly felt a pinch in her chest as if salt had been sprinkled on her.
“Mary Anne.”
“What is it, Your Highness?”
Mary Anne raised her head and smiled brightly with wide eyes. Her expression was almost new as if she hadn't been there a moment ago. She could tell just by looking at her eyes how focused she was.
“When you get married, you should do this too. Definitely. I’ll prepare everything for you, from the bath to the make-up, with the best of everything.”
Mary Anne blinked her eyes in bewilderment at the unexpected words. Judith didn't stop there and slowly looked around at the other maids as she spoke.
“Not just Mary Anne, but you guys too. If you ever find someone you want to marry, just tell me without worrying about money for the wedding. Do you all understand?”
The maids looked at each other at Judith's serious words. Then, they suddenly started laughing as if they had heard a funny story.
“Your Highness the Crown Princess! Why are you suddenly saying something like that?”
“We are happy, but that is not why we are serving you.”
Judith, who had been listening to each person's conversation, nodded with a gentle expression.
“I know how much you care about me. That’s why I’m saying this. If you hadn’t helped me and cared for me, how could I have endured this big, unfamiliar place? You know what happened to Mary Anne and me before you came here.”
The maids currently in the Nation Palace were those who had been introduced to Judith by Cheraan and her father, the Marquis Ebelta when Judith was still in the Argent Palace. They had heard the story many times of how Helen and the maids of the Queen's palace, sent by Queen Gilsis, had consistently ignored Judith and harassed and bullied Mary Anne.
As Judith met Queen Gilsis and her maid Helen as soon as she arrived in Rotair, Mary Anne was at a loss for words for a while if she met anyone in Rotair. Fortunately, however, the maids she met after that, including Cheraan, were all good people, and Mary Anne, who had been hurt just as much as Judith, was able to gradually open her heart.
Now, several years had passed since she had come to Rotair, and in that time Judith had experienced many things she would never have dreamed of in her past life, but there were still times when she felt as if nightmares were lurking beneath her feet, difficult to shake off.
When she went into a place where the window was narrow and sunlight did not shine in well, she felt suffocated for some reason, and when she looked at the stone wall that had become wet after the rain, she remembered how she had cried and scratched at the wall until all her fingernails came off, and she would naturally turn her gaze away. No matter how hard Judith tried to calm her mind, some wounds could not be helped. Even if she achieved all her goals, there were sometimes wounds that she could not guarantee would completely heal.
But it was Mary Anne and the people who were always close to her who helped her not to have to ruminate on those miserable memories, and sometimes even made her feel like she had completely forgotten them. She couldn't help but feel grateful. They might not understand, but Judith couldn't forget that she was indebted to them.
Mary Anne and the other maids were now busy chatting about how wonderful the wedding reception would be. When there was a grand royal event, even the non-noble servants and maids would take turns getting a half-day off. This time, since the ceremony was to feature Franz and Judith, it was only natural that the people working at the Nation Palace would be even more excited.
Judith still had her eyes closed, soaking in the lukewarm water. She liked the scent that was thick enough to fill her nostrils, yet not overwhelming, rising with the steam. Just when she was about to fall into a languid drowsiness, there was a knock on the bathroom door.
“Your Highness, I apologize for keeping you busy. I have something urgent to tell you.”
It was Cheraan. Judith looked up at her, raising her body from where she had been lying slanted.
“Cheraan, what’s going on?”
Cheraan turned her gaze with a displeased expression and slightly stuck out her lower lip. Knowing her personality of not being able to hide her emotions, it was not difficult to guess that something was wrong just by looking at her furrowed brows.
“Cheraan, what’s wrong? Tell me quickly.”
“We have a guest, Your Highness.”
“Guest? Who are you?”
She tried to think of a guest who might make Cheraan frown, but no one came to mind.
The first thing that came to mind was Krald or Duke Laetian, but they had already replied that they would not attend the wedding. Some people raised their voices, saying that it was rude for the second Prince to not attend the Crown Prince's wedding, but Judith and Franz had no complaints, so it was hushed up. But did they change their minds?
“Is the Second Prince here?”
“Huh? If he was that scoundrel, I wouldn’t have bothered to tell the Crown Princess. I would have kicked him out.”
“Then who the hell came looking for me?”
Cheraan still looked like she didn't want to talk. She sighed deeply with her lips pursed and wrinkled her nose.
“The brother of the Your Highness-hating King has arrived. He is the King of Tien.”
When Cheraan went to find Judith, Iland was wandering around the reception room.
He looked more like a loan shark from a back alley than the King of a country, walking around the reception room with an arrogant attitude, carrying a heavy load on his back.
He would touch the decorations, furniture, and curtains randomly and then snort, and if there was something that looked valuable, he would try to sneak it into his pocket while keeping an eye on the soldiers standing in front of the door. However, Neos, standing next to the table, was keeping watch with his eyes glaring like an eagle, so he could not steal it.
Iland glared at Neos, who was not taking his eyes off of him, with a look of displeasure before suddenly shaking out his sleeve. It wasn't because he was touched by something, but rather because he was intentionally revealing his discomfort.
If this was Tien’s palace, it would have been loud enough for not only the soldiers but also the chief chamberlain who had been waiting to come running and check his mood. However, Neos not only did not move from his seat, but he also did not even try to check Iland’s mood, which only made his discomfort grow.
'Damn it. Did you just carve a lump of iron and set it up? What's with those eyes? How dare you serve the Prince with those eyes.'
Just then, a servant in clean clothes brought out tea. Iland watched the servant carefully filling the cup with displeasure, then said.
“Where is Judith and what is she doing that she hasn’t shown up yet? Did you tell her correctly who came?”
The servant who was pouring the tea made a dumbfounded expression for a moment. Of course, he knew that the unpleasant guest in the reception room was the Crown Princess's real brother and the King of Tien. Even so, it was proper etiquette to address Judith as "Crown Princess" in front of her subordinates, so he couldn't help but be bewildered when Judith was suddenly called by her name.
“I have clearly stated my words. The Crown Princess will arrive soon, so Your Majesty, please wait a moment.”
“A younger sister should sit quietly and wait for her brother to come, but is it the etiquette of this country for a brother to sit and wait for his younger sister to come? Even if we leave aside blood relations and consider only status, she is only a Crown Princess! How dare she delay so much when you are not even a Queen! The King of Rotair is truly kind. How he takes such good care of such an impertinent daughter-in-law.”
The servant's eyebrows furrowed slightly as he lowered his head. It was not noticeable to Iland, but Neos saw it. He dismissed the servant with a short nod. Then he stared blankly at Iland, who was grumbling in frustration.
“Your Majesty the King of Tien.”
Neos's voice sounded very thick, low, and strict. Perhaps it was irritating to his nerves, and Iland turned his head away, immediately starting to crackle.
“Who are you calling with such presumption on the subject of soldiers? If I ask you something, you will answer.”
“Please forgive me if I have acted impolitely. I am Neos Bibiyu, the Second Commander of the Combler Knights. In Rotair, it is not rude for the Commander of the Combler Knights to speak to His Majesty the King first.”
It wasn't rude in any country, not just Rotair. Iland knew that too. He just wanted to find fault, but when the other person responded with an indifferent attitude, he got even more angry.
Furthermore, the fact that the person he thought of as a mere guard of the Crown Prince's Palace was the commander of the Knights of Combler was even more irritating. He was an elite soldier directly under King Jedercayer, and his rank was high, so it was obvious that he could not be ignored, and if he did something that would get him caught, it would only be disadvantageous for him.
“If you call, tell me what you want to say.”
His nervous attitude was still there, but it was a relief from Iland's usual temper. Neos lowered his chin slightly, maintaining a rock-hard expression.
“I know that His Highness the Crown Prince and His Highness the Crown Princess are consanguineous.”
"However?"
Not only that, there was someone who would fill the water with hot water at the right time to prevent it from getting too cold or something. She told them many times that there was no need to make such a fuss, and she really thought so, but when she thought about how much they were all devoted to her, she couldn't complain about being locked in the bathroom for a few hours. It was even more so when she was in the position of receiving what was given without doing anything.
Judith stared at Mary Anne's face as she gently trimmed her fingernails. Although the water was lukewarm, sweat was dripping down her forehead, perhaps because she had been sitting close to her for a long time. Watching her concentrate without even frowning, although it must have been very hot and tiring, she suddenly felt a pinch in her chest as if salt had been sprinkled on her.
“Mary Anne.”
“What is it, Your Highness?”
Mary Anne raised her head and smiled brightly with wide eyes. Her expression was almost new as if she hadn't been there a moment ago. She could tell just by looking at her eyes how focused she was.
“When you get married, you should do this too. Definitely. I’ll prepare everything for you, from the bath to the make-up, with the best of everything.”
Mary Anne blinked her eyes in bewilderment at the unexpected words. Judith didn't stop there and slowly looked around at the other maids as she spoke.
“Not just Mary Anne, but you guys too. If you ever find someone you want to marry, just tell me without worrying about money for the wedding. Do you all understand?”
The maids looked at each other at Judith's serious words. Then, they suddenly started laughing as if they had heard a funny story.
“Your Highness the Crown Princess! Why are you suddenly saying something like that?”
“We are happy, but that is not why we are serving you.”
Judith, who had been listening to each person's conversation, nodded with a gentle expression.
“I know how much you care about me. That’s why I’m saying this. If you hadn’t helped me and cared for me, how could I have endured this big, unfamiliar place? You know what happened to Mary Anne and me before you came here.”
The maids currently in the Nation Palace were those who had been introduced to Judith by Cheraan and her father, the Marquis Ebelta when Judith was still in the Argent Palace. They had heard the story many times of how Helen and the maids of the Queen's palace, sent by Queen Gilsis, had consistently ignored Judith and harassed and bullied Mary Anne.
As Judith met Queen Gilsis and her maid Helen as soon as she arrived in Rotair, Mary Anne was at a loss for words for a while if she met anyone in Rotair. Fortunately, however, the maids she met after that, including Cheraan, were all good people, and Mary Anne, who had been hurt just as much as Judith, was able to gradually open her heart.
Now, several years had passed since she had come to Rotair, and in that time Judith had experienced many things she would never have dreamed of in her past life, but there were still times when she felt as if nightmares were lurking beneath her feet, difficult to shake off.
When she went into a place where the window was narrow and sunlight did not shine in well, she felt suffocated for some reason, and when she looked at the stone wall that had become wet after the rain, she remembered how she had cried and scratched at the wall until all her fingernails came off, and she would naturally turn her gaze away. No matter how hard Judith tried to calm her mind, some wounds could not be helped. Even if she achieved all her goals, there were sometimes wounds that she could not guarantee would completely heal.
But it was Mary Anne and the people who were always close to her who helped her not to have to ruminate on those miserable memories, and sometimes even made her feel like she had completely forgotten them. She couldn't help but feel grateful. They might not understand, but Judith couldn't forget that she was indebted to them.
Mary Anne and the other maids were now busy chatting about how wonderful the wedding reception would be. When there was a grand royal event, even the non-noble servants and maids would take turns getting a half-day off. This time, since the ceremony was to feature Franz and Judith, it was only natural that the people working at the Nation Palace would be even more excited.
Judith still had her eyes closed, soaking in the lukewarm water. She liked the scent that was thick enough to fill her nostrils, yet not overwhelming, rising with the steam. Just when she was about to fall into a languid drowsiness, there was a knock on the bathroom door.
“Your Highness, I apologize for keeping you busy. I have something urgent to tell you.”
It was Cheraan. Judith looked up at her, raising her body from where she had been lying slanted.
“Cheraan, what’s going on?”
Cheraan turned her gaze with a displeased expression and slightly stuck out her lower lip. Knowing her personality of not being able to hide her emotions, it was not difficult to guess that something was wrong just by looking at her furrowed brows.
“Cheraan, what’s wrong? Tell me quickly.”
“We have a guest, Your Highness.”
“Guest? Who are you?”
She tried to think of a guest who might make Cheraan frown, but no one came to mind.
The first thing that came to mind was Krald or Duke Laetian, but they had already replied that they would not attend the wedding. Some people raised their voices, saying that it was rude for the second Prince to not attend the Crown Prince's wedding, but Judith and Franz had no complaints, so it was hushed up. But did they change their minds?
“Is the Second Prince here?”
“Huh? If he was that scoundrel, I wouldn’t have bothered to tell the Crown Princess. I would have kicked him out.”
“Then who the hell came looking for me?”
Cheraan still looked like she didn't want to talk. She sighed deeply with her lips pursed and wrinkled her nose.
“The brother of the Your Highness-hating King has arrived. He is the King of Tien.”
***
When Cheraan went to find Judith, Iland was wandering around the reception room.
He looked more like a loan shark from a back alley than the King of a country, walking around the reception room with an arrogant attitude, carrying a heavy load on his back.
He would touch the decorations, furniture, and curtains randomly and then snort, and if there was something that looked valuable, he would try to sneak it into his pocket while keeping an eye on the soldiers standing in front of the door. However, Neos, standing next to the table, was keeping watch with his eyes glaring like an eagle, so he could not steal it.
Iland glared at Neos, who was not taking his eyes off of him, with a look of displeasure before suddenly shaking out his sleeve. It wasn't because he was touched by something, but rather because he was intentionally revealing his discomfort.
If this was Tien’s palace, it would have been loud enough for not only the soldiers but also the chief chamberlain who had been waiting to come running and check his mood. However, Neos not only did not move from his seat, but he also did not even try to check Iland’s mood, which only made his discomfort grow.
'Damn it. Did you just carve a lump of iron and set it up? What's with those eyes? How dare you serve the Prince with those eyes.'
Just then, a servant in clean clothes brought out tea. Iland watched the servant carefully filling the cup with displeasure, then said.
“Where is Judith and what is she doing that she hasn’t shown up yet? Did you tell her correctly who came?”
The servant who was pouring the tea made a dumbfounded expression for a moment. Of course, he knew that the unpleasant guest in the reception room was the Crown Princess's real brother and the King of Tien. Even so, it was proper etiquette to address Judith as "Crown Princess" in front of her subordinates, so he couldn't help but be bewildered when Judith was suddenly called by her name.
“I have clearly stated my words. The Crown Princess will arrive soon, so Your Majesty, please wait a moment.”
“A younger sister should sit quietly and wait for her brother to come, but is it the etiquette of this country for a brother to sit and wait for his younger sister to come? Even if we leave aside blood relations and consider only status, she is only a Crown Princess! How dare she delay so much when you are not even a Queen! The King of Rotair is truly kind. How he takes such good care of such an impertinent daughter-in-law.”
The servant's eyebrows furrowed slightly as he lowered his head. It was not noticeable to Iland, but Neos saw it. He dismissed the servant with a short nod. Then he stared blankly at Iland, who was grumbling in frustration.
“Your Majesty the King of Tien.”
Neos's voice sounded very thick, low, and strict. Perhaps it was irritating to his nerves, and Iland turned his head away, immediately starting to crackle.
“Who are you calling with such presumption on the subject of soldiers? If I ask you something, you will answer.”
“Please forgive me if I have acted impolitely. I am Neos Bibiyu, the Second Commander of the Combler Knights. In Rotair, it is not rude for the Commander of the Combler Knights to speak to His Majesty the King first.”
It wasn't rude in any country, not just Rotair. Iland knew that too. He just wanted to find fault, but when the other person responded with an indifferent attitude, he got even more angry.
Furthermore, the fact that the person he thought of as a mere guard of the Crown Prince's Palace was the commander of the Knights of Combler was even more irritating. He was an elite soldier directly under King Jedercayer, and his rank was high, so it was obvious that he could not be ignored, and if he did something that would get him caught, it would only be disadvantageous for him.
“If you call, tell me what you want to say.”
His nervous attitude was still there, but it was a relief from Iland's usual temper. Neos lowered his chin slightly, maintaining a rock-hard expression.
“I know that His Highness the Crown Prince and His Highness the Crown Princess are consanguineous.”
"However?"
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