A great deal of manpower and material was mobilized for Prince Erwin's first birthday. In addition to what Franz had told Judith, banquets for the nobles were prepared, and orders were sent to each estate to greatly reduce summer taxes. In addition, at the Place de Michiels, preparations were made to distribute wheat bread, dried fruit, and freshly baked jam pies from the palace cooks to the people before and after the Prince's birthday.
Franz did not plan such a grand plan from the beginning. Rather, like Judith, he wanted to celebrate Erwin's birthday simply. It was not because he was not happy about his son's birthday, but because it was still early in his reign and he needed to be more careful with the royal budget. However, the Duke of Vergy stopped him.
"Your Majesty, because of the chaotic situation, you have kept your coronation ceremony simple. It is not only saving the royal budget and not spending it frivolously, but also setting an example and a model for the people, you must also hold a grand birthday banquet. Furthermore, this is Erwin's first birthday banquet, so to show the dignity of the royal family and the successor, you should not hold it too simply."
Franz did not insist any longer, since it was a reasonable argument. In fact, since it was the Prince's first birthday, this scale was not enough for the castles of the Duke of Vergy or other older nobles, but there was nothing he could do.
The fact that Krald, who is now dead, had been so extravagant and dissolute while alive made everyone in the royal family more or less nervous about such matters, especially Franz and Judith.
However, it was difficult to get started, so once the Duke and the finance manager came forward and convinced them that this amount of budget could be allocated, the rest proceeded without a hitch. However, as Judith said, making commemorative coins was something that should be done at a coronation or the founding of a country, so at first everyone was confused, but everyone agreed when someone said that it would be better than leaving behind a few portraits or pieces.
As Erwin's birthday approached, gifts began to pile up in the nursery at the Nation Palace. The court ladies spent a day and a half in the nursery, checking the names of the gift senders, unwrapping the gifts to make sure they were not dangerous, and checking the contents.
Judith smiled faintly as she watched the court ladies opening the box, then suddenly turned her gaze to the crib. The crib was empty because the nanny had gone out to sunbathe with Erwin.
The bed, made of sturdy, clean wood, always smelled good. The sheets and pillows inside had a warm, strange baby-like smell, and the doll Erwin always carried around had a similar smell.
The nursery had never had any incense or flowers, but she could smell the scent wherever she turned. The scent of a small but living human being, different from refined scents, was something Judith had smelled for the first time since he was born, and it was that amazing.
“Your Majesty!”
Judith, who was absentmindedly playing with a rocking toy while basking in the warm early summer sunlight streaming in through the window, turned her head in surprise. When she turned around, Mary Anne was standing there, blinking her big eyes.
“I'm surprised. Mary Anne, why?”
“What are you thinking so hard about? I called you three times, but you didn’t hear me. What are you worried about?”
“You called me three times?”
“Yes, right? Is that so?”
When Mary Anne asked for consent, the other court ladies nodded their heads. Then, they all stopped working and looked at Judith. Judith stroked the tail of the fluffy pigeon doll and smiled awkwardly.
“I’m sorry. I guess I didn’t hear you because I was thinking about something else. I guess I still haven’t gotten used to being called by a title other than ‘Her Highness.’”
“Here you go again. It’s already been over a year since you became Queen. What can we do about that?”
Mary Anne giggled and teased Judith. "Yes," Judith asked, turning around shyly.
“But why did you call me?”
“Oh, right! Look at this. This is Libencia Montfort. Isn’t this the woman that His Highness the Prince captured a long time ago? That, the second Prince’s...”
Government. Mary Anne trailed off as if mumbling. Many people sent gifts, but Judith's face showed a look of surprise at the unexpected name.
“Let’s see.”
At Judith’s words, Mary Anne unwrapped the package and took out the box inside. It was a box a little smaller than her head, and it had a cute bird-shaped pattern engraved in black along the edge of the lid. Judith carefully opened the lid and took out what was inside.
“Is it a bird?”
“You’re not saying it's alive, are you, Your Majesty?”
The maids, who had been wondering what would come out, chimed in one by one. It was a model so elaborate that even Judith momentarily thought it was a real bird.
It was a bit heavy for a baby toy and soft blue feathers covered its body. Its belly was white, and its legs, which stretched thinly downward, were brass-colored. Its eyes were set with round, black gemstones, and it looked cute and vivid as if it would tilt its head at any moment.
“It’s so cute... Is it a toy?”
“Oh, Your Majesty. Something is sticking out here.”
At Mary Anne's words, Judith turned the bird around a little. There was a small mainspring in a part that was not easily visible because it was hidden by the tail feathers. Carefully, it made a faint clicking sound, and then suddenly the bird's beak opened slightly and it began to make a sound that sounded like a living bird.
“Your Majesty! This bird makes a sound!”
“Is it a whistle-bird or a magpie?”
“No, neither of their feathers are blue. Your Majesty, what kind of bird is this?”
“Well... I don’t know. I’ve never seen such a bluebird before. It has a really pretty sound.”
When the mainspring was finished, the bird closed its beak again and became silent. Judith turned her gaze to the package that Mary Anne was still holding. The leather label on the end had the name of Libencia embroidered on it without a doubt. There was no congratulatory note or anything, but for some reason, she smiled.
“Put it away safely. And when Erwin comes, wind it up and play it for him. He likes birds.”
“Erwin, he doesn’t just like birds. He likes dogs and cats too! And horses. I’m sure he’d enjoy sheep and goats too.”
Among the ladies, some sometimes brought their dogs, cats, or birds with them when they entered the palace. If Erwin, who was being held by his nanny and went out for a walk, saw one of these small animals, he couldn't help but approach them and say hello. He would wave his small, chubby hands and talk to them eagerly.
Judith also sometimes saw Erwin like that. At those times, she would often feel a pang in her chest and feel like she was going to cry.
“By the way, this lady named Libencia Montfort, I used to think she was a very rude person, but I saw her today and she’s surprisingly kind. She even sent this gift to Erwin for his birthday.”
Mary Anne said in an excited voice, placing the bird in a prominent place in the crib. Judith smiled slightly as she recalled the last time she saw Libencia and replied, “Yes.”
“That happened. I was shocked.”
“I think I would have been surprised too. Was Libencia Montfort a person capable of such a thing?”
The sound of the pencil tip swiping across the paper was heard several times. Judith, who had piled up several cushions and was leaning against them, was staring at Franz’s face peeking out through the canvas. The sight of his shirt, unbuttoned, reminded her of what had happened in the room just a moment ago, and her ears felt hot.
“People change. I think Miss Montfort... has changed a little. I thought the same thing the last time I saw her.”
“They said she hasn’t been to the capital since then.”
“Did the Count de Montfort say that?”
“Yeah... Well, he’s been pretty quiet these days. I gave him some boring tasks on purpose, but he didn’t complain as much as I expected.”
“That’s fortunate.”
“That’s fortunate.”
Franz, who had just given a short answer, looked up and saw Judith. The more often he looked at her and the more carefully his hand moved the pencil, the more Judith felt that what he was touching with the tip of the pencil was not the paper, but her own skin.
Franz's impulsive remark about wanting to draw Judith's appearance. Judith, who was wrapped in sheets and not even properly dressed, looked at him as if she was wondering what he was talking about, but while he was fumbling around, Franz called a servant and prepared a canvas and pencil. The bedroom was as bright as day because he had lit more candles to draw.
“Come to think of it, this is the first time I’ve seen Your Majesty draw a picture.”
“I liked it when I was young. My mother was good at drawing... She would sometimes teach me when she had time.”
“Yes, that’s right. I remember seeing a small portrait of the late Queen that the late King drew a long time ago.”
“That wasn’t the only thing. Whenever he had time, he wanted to draw Mom. But Mom sometimes found it annoying.”
Franz smiled broadly. When Judith tried to move her body a little as if the cushions they had piled up were about to collapse, he winked and said,
“It’s difficult if you move.”
“Isn’t this even possible?”
“This is my first time drawing the Queen, so I want to draw you well.”
“They say that a great painter can even draw the wind in flight, Your Majesty.”
It was a hit. Franz, who had been blinking, laughed quietly and cleared his throat.
“Yes, then I’m serious if you say so.”
Then, if I tease you that you weren't serious until now, would you be upset at the unexpected?
Franz did not plan such a grand plan from the beginning. Rather, like Judith, he wanted to celebrate Erwin's birthday simply. It was not because he was not happy about his son's birthday, but because it was still early in his reign and he needed to be more careful with the royal budget. However, the Duke of Vergy stopped him.
"Your Majesty, because of the chaotic situation, you have kept your coronation ceremony simple. It is not only saving the royal budget and not spending it frivolously, but also setting an example and a model for the people, you must also hold a grand birthday banquet. Furthermore, this is Erwin's first birthday banquet, so to show the dignity of the royal family and the successor, you should not hold it too simply."
Franz did not insist any longer, since it was a reasonable argument. In fact, since it was the Prince's first birthday, this scale was not enough for the castles of the Duke of Vergy or other older nobles, but there was nothing he could do.
The fact that Krald, who is now dead, had been so extravagant and dissolute while alive made everyone in the royal family more or less nervous about such matters, especially Franz and Judith.
However, it was difficult to get started, so once the Duke and the finance manager came forward and convinced them that this amount of budget could be allocated, the rest proceeded without a hitch. However, as Judith said, making commemorative coins was something that should be done at a coronation or the founding of a country, so at first everyone was confused, but everyone agreed when someone said that it would be better than leaving behind a few portraits or pieces.
As Erwin's birthday approached, gifts began to pile up in the nursery at the Nation Palace. The court ladies spent a day and a half in the nursery, checking the names of the gift senders, unwrapping the gifts to make sure they were not dangerous, and checking the contents.
Judith smiled faintly as she watched the court ladies opening the box, then suddenly turned her gaze to the crib. The crib was empty because the nanny had gone out to sunbathe with Erwin.
The bed, made of sturdy, clean wood, always smelled good. The sheets and pillows inside had a warm, strange baby-like smell, and the doll Erwin always carried around had a similar smell.
The nursery had never had any incense or flowers, but she could smell the scent wherever she turned. The scent of a small but living human being, different from refined scents, was something Judith had smelled for the first time since he was born, and it was that amazing.
“Your Majesty!”
Judith, who was absentmindedly playing with a rocking toy while basking in the warm early summer sunlight streaming in through the window, turned her head in surprise. When she turned around, Mary Anne was standing there, blinking her big eyes.
“I'm surprised. Mary Anne, why?”
“What are you thinking so hard about? I called you three times, but you didn’t hear me. What are you worried about?”
“You called me three times?”
“Yes, right? Is that so?”
When Mary Anne asked for consent, the other court ladies nodded their heads. Then, they all stopped working and looked at Judith. Judith stroked the tail of the fluffy pigeon doll and smiled awkwardly.
“I’m sorry. I guess I didn’t hear you because I was thinking about something else. I guess I still haven’t gotten used to being called by a title other than ‘Her Highness.’”
“Here you go again. It’s already been over a year since you became Queen. What can we do about that?”
Mary Anne giggled and teased Judith. "Yes," Judith asked, turning around shyly.
“But why did you call me?”
“Oh, right! Look at this. This is Libencia Montfort. Isn’t this the woman that His Highness the Prince captured a long time ago? That, the second Prince’s...”
Government. Mary Anne trailed off as if mumbling. Many people sent gifts, but Judith's face showed a look of surprise at the unexpected name.
“Let’s see.”
At Judith’s words, Mary Anne unwrapped the package and took out the box inside. It was a box a little smaller than her head, and it had a cute bird-shaped pattern engraved in black along the edge of the lid. Judith carefully opened the lid and took out what was inside.
“Is it a bird?”
“You’re not saying it's alive, are you, Your Majesty?”
The maids, who had been wondering what would come out, chimed in one by one. It was a model so elaborate that even Judith momentarily thought it was a real bird.
It was a bit heavy for a baby toy and soft blue feathers covered its body. Its belly was white, and its legs, which stretched thinly downward, were brass-colored. Its eyes were set with round, black gemstones, and it looked cute and vivid as if it would tilt its head at any moment.
“It’s so cute... Is it a toy?”
“Oh, Your Majesty. Something is sticking out here.”
At Mary Anne's words, Judith turned the bird around a little. There was a small mainspring in a part that was not easily visible because it was hidden by the tail feathers. Carefully, it made a faint clicking sound, and then suddenly the bird's beak opened slightly and it began to make a sound that sounded like a living bird.
“Your Majesty! This bird makes a sound!”
“Is it a whistle-bird or a magpie?”
“No, neither of their feathers are blue. Your Majesty, what kind of bird is this?”
“Well... I don’t know. I’ve never seen such a bluebird before. It has a really pretty sound.”
When the mainspring was finished, the bird closed its beak again and became silent. Judith turned her gaze to the package that Mary Anne was still holding. The leather label on the end had the name of Libencia embroidered on it without a doubt. There was no congratulatory note or anything, but for some reason, she smiled.
“Put it away safely. And when Erwin comes, wind it up and play it for him. He likes birds.”
“Erwin, he doesn’t just like birds. He likes dogs and cats too! And horses. I’m sure he’d enjoy sheep and goats too.”
Among the ladies, some sometimes brought their dogs, cats, or birds with them when they entered the palace. If Erwin, who was being held by his nanny and went out for a walk, saw one of these small animals, he couldn't help but approach them and say hello. He would wave his small, chubby hands and talk to them eagerly.
Judith also sometimes saw Erwin like that. At those times, she would often feel a pang in her chest and feel like she was going to cry.
“By the way, this lady named Libencia Montfort, I used to think she was a very rude person, but I saw her today and she’s surprisingly kind. She even sent this gift to Erwin for his birthday.”
Mary Anne said in an excited voice, placing the bird in a prominent place in the crib. Judith smiled slightly as she recalled the last time she saw Libencia and replied, “Yes.”
***
“That happened. I was shocked.”
“I think I would have been surprised too. Was Libencia Montfort a person capable of such a thing?”
The sound of the pencil tip swiping across the paper was heard several times. Judith, who had piled up several cushions and was leaning against them, was staring at Franz’s face peeking out through the canvas. The sight of his shirt, unbuttoned, reminded her of what had happened in the room just a moment ago, and her ears felt hot.
“People change. I think Miss Montfort... has changed a little. I thought the same thing the last time I saw her.”
“They said she hasn’t been to the capital since then.”
“Did the Count de Montfort say that?”
“Yeah... Well, he’s been pretty quiet these days. I gave him some boring tasks on purpose, but he didn’t complain as much as I expected.”
“That’s fortunate.”
“That’s fortunate.”
Franz, who had just given a short answer, looked up and saw Judith. The more often he looked at her and the more carefully his hand moved the pencil, the more Judith felt that what he was touching with the tip of the pencil was not the paper, but her own skin.
Franz's impulsive remark about wanting to draw Judith's appearance. Judith, who was wrapped in sheets and not even properly dressed, looked at him as if she was wondering what he was talking about, but while he was fumbling around, Franz called a servant and prepared a canvas and pencil. The bedroom was as bright as day because he had lit more candles to draw.
“Come to think of it, this is the first time I’ve seen Your Majesty draw a picture.”
“I liked it when I was young. My mother was good at drawing... She would sometimes teach me when she had time.”
“Yes, that’s right. I remember seeing a small portrait of the late Queen that the late King drew a long time ago.”
“That wasn’t the only thing. Whenever he had time, he wanted to draw Mom. But Mom sometimes found it annoying.”
Franz smiled broadly. When Judith tried to move her body a little as if the cushions they had piled up were about to collapse, he winked and said,
“It’s difficult if you move.”
“Isn’t this even possible?”
“This is my first time drawing the Queen, so I want to draw you well.”
“They say that a great painter can even draw the wind in flight, Your Majesty.”
It was a hit. Franz, who had been blinking, laughed quietly and cleared his throat.
“Yes, then I’m serious if you say so.”
Then, if I tease you that you weren't serious until now, would you be upset at the unexpected?
Judith pursed her lips slightly, thinking of picking on Franz unexpectedly. Because it was summer, the chemise she was wearing was so thin that all the lines of her body were visible. Franz's gaze slowly followed the soft curves, gliding over them. As if savoring them, as if caressing them.
For a while, neither of them spoke. Franz was really focused on the painting, and he rarely looked straight at Judith. His sharp gaze occasionally swung from the corner of the canvas and then touched Judith's eyelids, cheeks, nape of the neck, and chest.
For a while, neither of them spoke. Franz was really focused on the painting, and he rarely looked straight at Judith. His sharp gaze occasionally swung from the corner of the canvas and then touched Judith's eyelids, cheeks, nape of the neck, and chest.
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