Franz playfully spread out both palms as if to say, “Do as you wish,” and took a step back. Judith became more cautious, thinking that this was the first doll she would give to Yvianne. She was going to examine each doll on the shelf, lightly brushing the cloth and pressing it to see how it felt. She didn’t even notice that Franz had disappeared around the corner.
After a long time of pondering over the shelves, the candidates were narrowed down to just three: the sheep she had chosen first, the rabbit that Franz had chosen, and a cream-colored bear with a floral pattern on the belly.
While she was thinking about which one to choose, Judith suddenly felt a presence nearby and turned her gaze slightly. She was so focused on the dolls that she didn’t even notice someone else coming into the store. It seemed she missed the bell. The clerk had also left the place and didn’t come out, so she was left alone, loitering in front of the doll shelf.
Judging from the design of her dress and gloves, she seemed to be a young woman of Judith's age. Her face was not clearly visible because she wore a bonnet that covered almost the side of her cheek, but her wrists, which could be seen slightly under the sleeves when she stretched her arms over the shelf, were dangerously thin and pale.
Judith, who had been looking at the small jade ornaments that were densely decorated along the brim of the bonnet, once again reached out her arm toward the rabbit doll that Franz had said was cute. At that moment, the woman standing right next to Judith also tried to pick up the same doll. The two people’s hands clapped in front of the doll.
“Oh, excuse me.”
Judith was the first to bow her head slightly. The woman curled her fingers for a moment, then turned slightly toward Judith, holding onto the brim of her bonnet as if she did not want to show her face.
“No, it’s me...”
The woman's movements, which had been slurring her words, suddenly stopped. The moment her half-hidden face was revealed by forcibly pulling the brim, Judith was startled and covered her mouth with both hands.
“Miss Montfort...?”
Judith spoke with her eyes wide open as if she had lost her mind. Then, Libencia, who had an equally bewildered expression, turned around and tried to run away as soon as she finished speaking.
“Wait a minute... Wait a minute!”
Judith grabbed Libencia's wrist without realizing it. Libencia instinctively tried to shake off her hand, but before she could swing her arm, she stopped moving as if she recognized who she was dealing with. Her rare pink eyes looked busily between her caught wrist and Judith's face. Her appearance seemed somewhat anxious.
“What’s wrong, Miss Montfort?”
“...What are you saying?”
“What’s wrong? I feel uneasy.”
Libencia bit her lips tightly. It was hard to tell whether she was feeling stung by being stabbed or was displeased because her weakness seemed to have been exploited. However, either way, it was clear that she was anxious. Libencia, who was still holding Judith's hand, turned her head to the side and spoke.
“I don’t want to stand out. Can you please let me go?”
“I have a question for you. Can I talk to you for a moment?”
Libencia glanced at the glass window that gave a clear view of the street as if she were embarrassed. As some of the people passing by turned their heads toward the store, she quickly turned away from the street.
As a young couple tried to push open the door and come in, Judith quickly grabbed Libencia's wrist and led her into the separate room the clerk had shown her. As soon as she closed the door and locked it, Libencia stared at Judith in surprise.
The interior was decorated quite cozy, like a small salon. There was a faint commotion as if a clerk had come out to greet a new customer. Judith checked once more that the door was locked and turned to Libencia.
“Would you like to sit down?”
Libencia hesitated for a moment and sat down on the chair. Judith, sitting nearby, let out a short sigh as if she didn't know where to start.
“It’s been a while. Isn’t it?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
Libencia replied briefly, her lips quivering with a somewhat pointed expression as she added.
“...Are you well?”
“Yes, so-so. Miss Montfort...”
“Your Majesty, what is it that you wish to ask?”
The tone was a bit harsh, but Judith didn’t care. Whatever it was, Libencia was on edge like a cornered animal. For a brief moment, all sorts of thoughts ran through Judith’s head, wondering if it had something to do with her marriage partner, if Franz’s worries were coming true, or if something was wrong with her.
“I heard you were staying in the new county for a long time. Did you come to the capital sometimes?”
“I didn’t come. I had some circumstances that made me want to come... I only came once or twice. But I went back right away without meeting anyone.”
“I’m sorry if it sounded like I was interrogating you.”
It didn't seem like a proper apology, but there was nothing else Judith could say in that situation. An awkward, brief silence ensued.
“Thank you for the present that Miss Montfort sent to Erwin for his first birthday. The boy still has that wonderful bird hanging in his playroom. It was Erwin’s favorite toy.”
“What is it?”
Only then did Libencia show her fresh expression again. After a moment of silence, she continued speaking somewhat hesitantly.
“I wanted to send it to the Princess on her first birthday too, but I didn’t send it because I was afraid it would become a topic of gossip.”
It was unclear whether the target of the gossip was herself or Judith, but in the end, it was a wise decision. Judith thought that Libencia had changed from the past. It seemed like she had become a completely different person from when she had done something without thinking.
“I heard you got married.”
“So the rumor has spread?”
“I don’t think many people know this yet, but...”
It seemed best not to mention that Bartholomew had told her this story. It would do no good for either of them to know that the palace was still watching the Count de Montfort. However, even without saying it, it seemed as if Libencia already knew that fact. There was a look of resignation on her face as she stubbornly avoided eye contact.
“Everyone will know anyway. What does it matter? I don’t care since I’m not going to live in the capital.”
“...Are he a good person?”
Although it was not a question thrown out thoughtlessly, Libencia's gaze as she looked at Judith was complicated. After a moment of silence, Libencia shrugged her shoulders and answered indifferently.
“He's a man who lost his wife. He also has a four-year-old daughter.”
Judith was momentarily speechless at the unexpected answer. The question of who he was from and whether he was someone who would have a suspicious conspiracy with the Count de Montfort seemed secondary. The more questionable question was how a proud and picky woman like Libencia could have married such a man.
Judith's face clearly showed her confusion, and Libencia laughed as if she had expected this.
“Why? Don’t you believe I married a man like that?”
“...To be honest, yes, that’s true.”
“Father’s plan has succeeded. He has searched so hard for a son-in-law to marry me. It is just that he is not the one you wanted. In the end, I have lost nothing, Your Majesty. I am still the only child of the Montfort family, and the man who married me has changed his last name to Montfort. When both father and mother are gone, all the land, whether fertile or poor, will be mine.”
“Mrs. Montfort’s husband... Are you saying that it wasn’t your father who chose him?”
“Yes. All the men my father brought were the same. They all looked very much like someone. My father, too, was still unconscious after being hit in the back of the head like that. At first, I thought it was the same, but there were more than one or two. After more than ten, it became so tiresome that I had to endure it.”
Judith could easily guess the name of someone who had been omitted in Libencia's words. It didn't seem like she was avoiding mentioning it out of politeness because Judith was in front of her. It was because a truly disgusted expression passed over Libencia's face.
'Perhaps His Majesty's thoughts were half right after all.'
Franz was worried that Count Montfort would use Libencia's husband and his family to plot evil. It was not a completely vain worry, as he had actually chosen people similar to Krald to marry Libencia. However, something happened that Franz, Judith, and even Count Montfort could not have predicted. Libencia chose the person she would marry herself.
“What family is he from?”
“It seems like he used to be a nobleman, but it’s been a long time since he fell from grace. I don’t know if it’s true or not. The person who told me that story was his grandfather, whose memory was fuzzy. He’s a sculptor. He stays in his studio all day. Considering his skills, he’s not that great.”
Libencia's attitude as she explained the other person was consistently cold, but she showed no sign of contempt for him. It was a change that would have surprised anyone who knew her before.
Given that everything Libencia said was true, Count Montfort must have been quite angry. Whatever he had planned, it must have been a bubble before it even started.
Moreover, the person who ruined the plan was none other than the Count's beloved Libencia. If it had been someone else, he would never have forgiven her, but the Count could not harm his daughter with his own hands.
“I wonder why I suddenly showed up in the capital, Your Majesty. I don’t know why you’re wondering, but this time I just came to buy a toy. The man loves his daughter very much, but the only toy he knows how to make is a wooden block carved into the shape of an animal.”
“...”
“The child wants to sleep with a doll, but since all he makes are hard things, why not sleep with a cushion? That’s why I came here to buy her a doll. She gets on her nerves when she sees a little thing twitching and looking at her.”
Judith's gaze became strange. At first glance, it sounded like Libencia hated children, but for some reason, it didn't feel that way. Of course, she wasn't the type of person to suddenly transform into a gentle mother just because she had an unexpected child, but she didn't seem to hate children and couldn't stand them either.
After a long time of pondering over the shelves, the candidates were narrowed down to just three: the sheep she had chosen first, the rabbit that Franz had chosen, and a cream-colored bear with a floral pattern on the belly.
While she was thinking about which one to choose, Judith suddenly felt a presence nearby and turned her gaze slightly. She was so focused on the dolls that she didn’t even notice someone else coming into the store. It seemed she missed the bell. The clerk had also left the place and didn’t come out, so she was left alone, loitering in front of the doll shelf.
Judging from the design of her dress and gloves, she seemed to be a young woman of Judith's age. Her face was not clearly visible because she wore a bonnet that covered almost the side of her cheek, but her wrists, which could be seen slightly under the sleeves when she stretched her arms over the shelf, were dangerously thin and pale.
Judith, who had been looking at the small jade ornaments that were densely decorated along the brim of the bonnet, once again reached out her arm toward the rabbit doll that Franz had said was cute. At that moment, the woman standing right next to Judith also tried to pick up the same doll. The two people’s hands clapped in front of the doll.
“Oh, excuse me.”
Judith was the first to bow her head slightly. The woman curled her fingers for a moment, then turned slightly toward Judith, holding onto the brim of her bonnet as if she did not want to show her face.
“No, it’s me...”
The woman's movements, which had been slurring her words, suddenly stopped. The moment her half-hidden face was revealed by forcibly pulling the brim, Judith was startled and covered her mouth with both hands.
“Miss Montfort...?”
Judith spoke with her eyes wide open as if she had lost her mind. Then, Libencia, who had an equally bewildered expression, turned around and tried to run away as soon as she finished speaking.
“Wait a minute... Wait a minute!”
Judith grabbed Libencia's wrist without realizing it. Libencia instinctively tried to shake off her hand, but before she could swing her arm, she stopped moving as if she recognized who she was dealing with. Her rare pink eyes looked busily between her caught wrist and Judith's face. Her appearance seemed somewhat anxious.
“What’s wrong, Miss Montfort?”
“...What are you saying?”
“What’s wrong? I feel uneasy.”
Libencia bit her lips tightly. It was hard to tell whether she was feeling stung by being stabbed or was displeased because her weakness seemed to have been exploited. However, either way, it was clear that she was anxious. Libencia, who was still holding Judith's hand, turned her head to the side and spoke.
“I don’t want to stand out. Can you please let me go?”
“I have a question for you. Can I talk to you for a moment?”
Libencia glanced at the glass window that gave a clear view of the street as if she were embarrassed. As some of the people passing by turned their heads toward the store, she quickly turned away from the street.
As a young couple tried to push open the door and come in, Judith quickly grabbed Libencia's wrist and led her into the separate room the clerk had shown her. As soon as she closed the door and locked it, Libencia stared at Judith in surprise.
The interior was decorated quite cozy, like a small salon. There was a faint commotion as if a clerk had come out to greet a new customer. Judith checked once more that the door was locked and turned to Libencia.
“Would you like to sit down?”
Libencia hesitated for a moment and sat down on the chair. Judith, sitting nearby, let out a short sigh as if she didn't know where to start.
“It’s been a while. Isn’t it?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
Libencia replied briefly, her lips quivering with a somewhat pointed expression as she added.
“...Are you well?”
“Yes, so-so. Miss Montfort...”
“Your Majesty, what is it that you wish to ask?”
The tone was a bit harsh, but Judith didn’t care. Whatever it was, Libencia was on edge like a cornered animal. For a brief moment, all sorts of thoughts ran through Judith’s head, wondering if it had something to do with her marriage partner, if Franz’s worries were coming true, or if something was wrong with her.
“I heard you were staying in the new county for a long time. Did you come to the capital sometimes?”
“I didn’t come. I had some circumstances that made me want to come... I only came once or twice. But I went back right away without meeting anyone.”
“I’m sorry if it sounded like I was interrogating you.”
It didn't seem like a proper apology, but there was nothing else Judith could say in that situation. An awkward, brief silence ensued.
“Thank you for the present that Miss Montfort sent to Erwin for his first birthday. The boy still has that wonderful bird hanging in his playroom. It was Erwin’s favorite toy.”
“What is it?”
Only then did Libencia show her fresh expression again. After a moment of silence, she continued speaking somewhat hesitantly.
“I wanted to send it to the Princess on her first birthday too, but I didn’t send it because I was afraid it would become a topic of gossip.”
It was unclear whether the target of the gossip was herself or Judith, but in the end, it was a wise decision. Judith thought that Libencia had changed from the past. It seemed like she had become a completely different person from when she had done something without thinking.
“I heard you got married.”
“So the rumor has spread?”
“I don’t think many people know this yet, but...”
It seemed best not to mention that Bartholomew had told her this story. It would do no good for either of them to know that the palace was still watching the Count de Montfort. However, even without saying it, it seemed as if Libencia already knew that fact. There was a look of resignation on her face as she stubbornly avoided eye contact.
“Everyone will know anyway. What does it matter? I don’t care since I’m not going to live in the capital.”
“...Are he a good person?”
Although it was not a question thrown out thoughtlessly, Libencia's gaze as she looked at Judith was complicated. After a moment of silence, Libencia shrugged her shoulders and answered indifferently.
“He's a man who lost his wife. He also has a four-year-old daughter.”
Judith was momentarily speechless at the unexpected answer. The question of who he was from and whether he was someone who would have a suspicious conspiracy with the Count de Montfort seemed secondary. The more questionable question was how a proud and picky woman like Libencia could have married such a man.
Judith's face clearly showed her confusion, and Libencia laughed as if she had expected this.
“Why? Don’t you believe I married a man like that?”
“...To be honest, yes, that’s true.”
“Father’s plan has succeeded. He has searched so hard for a son-in-law to marry me. It is just that he is not the one you wanted. In the end, I have lost nothing, Your Majesty. I am still the only child of the Montfort family, and the man who married me has changed his last name to Montfort. When both father and mother are gone, all the land, whether fertile or poor, will be mine.”
“Mrs. Montfort’s husband... Are you saying that it wasn’t your father who chose him?”
“Yes. All the men my father brought were the same. They all looked very much like someone. My father, too, was still unconscious after being hit in the back of the head like that. At first, I thought it was the same, but there were more than one or two. After more than ten, it became so tiresome that I had to endure it.”
Judith could easily guess the name of someone who had been omitted in Libencia's words. It didn't seem like she was avoiding mentioning it out of politeness because Judith was in front of her. It was because a truly disgusted expression passed over Libencia's face.
'Perhaps His Majesty's thoughts were half right after all.'
Franz was worried that Count Montfort would use Libencia's husband and his family to plot evil. It was not a completely vain worry, as he had actually chosen people similar to Krald to marry Libencia. However, something happened that Franz, Judith, and even Count Montfort could not have predicted. Libencia chose the person she would marry herself.
“What family is he from?”
“It seems like he used to be a nobleman, but it’s been a long time since he fell from grace. I don’t know if it’s true or not. The person who told me that story was his grandfather, whose memory was fuzzy. He’s a sculptor. He stays in his studio all day. Considering his skills, he’s not that great.”
Libencia's attitude as she explained the other person was consistently cold, but she showed no sign of contempt for him. It was a change that would have surprised anyone who knew her before.
Given that everything Libencia said was true, Count Montfort must have been quite angry. Whatever he had planned, it must have been a bubble before it even started.
Moreover, the person who ruined the plan was none other than the Count's beloved Libencia. If it had been someone else, he would never have forgiven her, but the Count could not harm his daughter with his own hands.
“I wonder why I suddenly showed up in the capital, Your Majesty. I don’t know why you’re wondering, but this time I just came to buy a toy. The man loves his daughter very much, but the only toy he knows how to make is a wooden block carved into the shape of an animal.”
“...”
“The child wants to sleep with a doll, but since all he makes are hard things, why not sleep with a cushion? That’s why I came here to buy her a doll. She gets on her nerves when she sees a little thing twitching and looking at her.”
Judith's gaze became strange. At first glance, it sounded like Libencia hated children, but for some reason, it didn't feel that way. Of course, she wasn't the type of person to suddenly transform into a gentle mother just because she had an unexpected child, but she didn't seem to hate children and couldn't stand them either.
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