“I, I’ll be going now. Then...”
The Countess of Dover quickly disappeared without even saying goodbye. Veronica can’t say that she had no intention of mocking her situation, but she was someone she felt embarrassed to even pay attention to.
Veronica quickly looked away from her. Then she furrowed her brow at the intruder who had taken the seat opposite her.
“Who gave you permission to sit here?”
Zachary, the prodigal son of the nobles, the heir of Ashkabad, the cousin of 'that' Duke, smiled briefly.
“I heard a noise as I was passing by. What’s going on here?”
Veronica raised her eyebrows and glared at him. Her sullenness was also top-notch.
Even if it was called a sound, it was barely a whisper at close range. Who knew that he had been watching from the moment she sat down here?
Veronica snapped, her voice hoarse.
“You came to a place you shouldn’t have come to.”
“It’s not a place I come to often. I hate crowded places.”
“What can we do? That woman is gaining influence among the citizens.”
Veronica spat out the words as if chewing them out. That woman. Recently, the 'woman' that Veronica had been referring to was only one person. The Princess. The Emperor's successor who had been lost and then regained.
Zachary understood very well even what Veronica had not dared to say. Sitting in the coffee house that she had hated was probably a very suitable device for forming a common-sense empathy.
“But even to a place like this.”
“It’s nothing compared to the days when I was a cadet and rolled around the training grounds. Did you forget all about those days because I wore a dress?”
“No way.”
Those were the days when she would infinitely admire him for living so diligently with his face as blue and venomous as ever. From then on, he was very different from those who believed in noble families and tried to use tricks appropriately.
Whether it was skipping classes like him, taking exams by proxy, or skipping training once, even those who didn't acknowledge her could all agree on her tenacity.
Veronica ran her fingers through her hair nervously.
“You’ve been absent-minded for more than a day or two. What on earth is your cousin’s intention?”
“Even your true intentions. My cousin wouldn’t be that kind of person with such hidden agendas.”
Veronica glared at Zachary with narrowed eyes.
“Stop shaking. Is that woman really the Princess?”
Zachary barely suppressed the thought of being positive. It was better to swallow the thought that she might be the real Princess, regardless of how certain he was of her. At least not at a time like this when Veronica was in the worst mood.
Zachary smiled faintly.
“Even so, it will only delay your coronation by a few months. Even if she is a Princess, what can we do with someone who has not even received proper education as a successor?”
“...Are you sure?”
Veronica's expression softened as she saw Zachary nod without even a hint of hesitation.
Zachary pulled the teacup from the table and poured a spoonful of sugar into it. The spoon made a rattling sound as it hit the teacup.
He repeated the same actions as if it were free and then suddenly asked again.
“Have you never met her before?”
“Who?”
“Princess.”
“What can I do?”
“You have free access to the palace. You’re not the type of person to refuse a request for an audience.”
“It’s almost New Year’s Day, so we can meet then. There’s no need to go out of your way to ask for an audience.”
Veronica tried to respond in a calm tone.
Many people in the world were on edge about when they would meet for the first time.
More precisely, would Princess Kairak acknowledge the Crown Princess and step down from her position as successor?
Veronica laughed with her nose. That couldn't be possible.
Her whole life was like an arrow drawn toward a single goal. At first, it was her parents' wish, but soon it became her whole purpose in life.
There were only two ways to miss the target: either the shot was misfired from the start or it was blocked midway.
But she was confident that she could push through whatever was in her way. Veronica clenched her calloused hands.
In the end, it will be she who sits on the throne.
"Therefore..."
I couldn't continue speaking and turned to the chamberlain. The chamberlain bent down once more and hammered the nail in again.
“They are all people who applied to be maids.”
There were many letters piled on the silver platter.
Isabella was right. The first letter asking to be my maid had arrived only two evenings ago, and it had been coming at me like a flood, as if something had been holding me back.
I looked at the two letters on top in particular as if they were a plague. More precisely, at the seals stamped on them.
One was something I knew no matter how ignorant I was, and the other was something I couldn't possibly not know.
The letter on the right was from the Marquis of Tulear, who had a long-standing political alliance with the Duke of Ashkabad.
The second daughter is twenty years old this year and just graduated from college. Graduating from college and gaining experience as a court lady is a very standard path.
Besides, this person was someone that Laskan had hinted at in advance, so I had expected that she would appear. But.
I touched the left letter with my trembling hands and then put it down.
A black eagle and a three-pronged spear. It was the distinctive seal of the Duchy of Valencia. I have no idea why this is here.
As far as I know, there are only two Princesses in the Duchy of Valencia. The second one is just over three years old.
It doesn't seem like a family that would send a three-year-old to be a maid, so the only one left is Princess Thalia, the eldest and heir to the duchy. And she is...
“She must be Your Highness’s cousin.”
Laskan said this as he handed me the letter.
“Considering that Your Highness’s position is still unstable, this is not a bad start. I recommend that you prioritize these two over a few more that may come in this week.”
I nodded my head in bewilderment. This isn't the end. Is more coming in from here?
Laskan flipped through the letters on the tray one by one, checked them, then gathered them in both hands and elegantly handed them to me.
“I think you can choose the remaining three from these as well. They are quite famous families.”
That's true. Irbis, Landschat, Dorchester...
Should I be surprised that there are so many nobles who can be recognized just by their family seals, or should I be glad that all those nights spent memorizing all the family seals were not in vain?
I received the letter and replied.
“I’ll do that. But I don’t want to pick all five at once. Just two for now. That’ll be enough.”
“As you wish.”
He nodded without showing any particular expression. Now that I think about it, he had been acting normal all day. As if the kiss we shared a few days ago had never happened.
I was the only one who was nervous, but he was exactly the same as usual. He had a face that was so elegant that it was annoyingly perfect.
Every time I see his face, I think of that night, and my fingertips tingle.
I was convinced by Laskan's attitude. He acted as if he was in love with me, but his true feelings were lukewarm. As Isabella said, it was all just political theater.
I felt a little angry, but I wasn't disappointed in him.
Instead, I made a firm resolution. Until this whole play was over, I would never give my heart to the Duke again. That way, I could completely disappear from his sight at the last moment.
“Does the food suit your taste?”
I quickly chewed and swallowed the food in my mouth in response to the Emperor's question. Then I smiled elegantly and answered.
“That’s really great.”
In reality, I can't even taste half of it.
I was not strong enough to savor the taste of food in front of the Emperor, even if it was veal cooked with great care by the palace chef.
Whenever the Emperor asked if the food was okay, I would smile, but now my mouth was starting to twitch. Seeing my half-hearted smile, he chuckled and continued.
“Still, you’re quite the lady impersonator. Countess Modre must have had a hard time.”
I almost nodded my head several times with a very gloomy expression, forgetting the situation.
To be honest, Isabella had been pestering me for almost two days, asking me if I remembered the proper etiquette for palace dining, if I could sit up straight, and so on.
If only we had more time, we would have practiced for all kinds of unexpected situations.
Despite all of Isabella's concerns, the dinner had been going smoothly for a week without any problems.
As soon as the Emperor put down his silverware, the main course plates were cleared away, leaving only the final course, dessert.
I opened my mouth abruptly as I saw the servant walking away with a plate that was not even half empty.
“Your Majesty, you don’t like meat dishes very much?”
At first, he didn't even seem to realize that I had opened my mouth.
It seemed surprising that I, who had been so tense throughout the meal and had not said a word, asked something first. The Emperor put down his glass of wine and asked back.
“What are you talking about?”
“You ate all the vegetables, but you left more than half of the meat.”
It's not that it wasn't true, it really was. That's why he's so skinny. His complexion doesn't look too good, either. Well, if you eat only vegetables and stay locked up in a villa like this, anyone would end up like that.
I pursed my lips, but then couldn't hold it in any longer and blurted it out again.
“You need to eat a balanced diet to be healthy.”
Somehow, as I said it, it felt like Olga used to nag me about my picky eating.
The Emperor chuckled as if he didn't care. His face naturally turned red at the sound. Well, who is worrying about whom right now?
“It seems like the Princess is trying to imitate her mother.”
That was such an unexpected statement. I was frozen, with my eyes wide open, not knowing how to take it.
Judging from the look of bewilderment on the Emperor's face, it seemed like he had said it without any intention, but rather, without thinking.
The Countess of Dover quickly disappeared without even saying goodbye. Veronica can’t say that she had no intention of mocking her situation, but she was someone she felt embarrassed to even pay attention to.
Veronica quickly looked away from her. Then she furrowed her brow at the intruder who had taken the seat opposite her.
“Who gave you permission to sit here?”
Zachary, the prodigal son of the nobles, the heir of Ashkabad, the cousin of 'that' Duke, smiled briefly.
“I heard a noise as I was passing by. What’s going on here?”
Veronica raised her eyebrows and glared at him. Her sullenness was also top-notch.
Even if it was called a sound, it was barely a whisper at close range. Who knew that he had been watching from the moment she sat down here?
Veronica snapped, her voice hoarse.
“You came to a place you shouldn’t have come to.”
“It’s not a place I come to often. I hate crowded places.”
“What can we do? That woman is gaining influence among the citizens.”
Veronica spat out the words as if chewing them out. That woman. Recently, the 'woman' that Veronica had been referring to was only one person. The Princess. The Emperor's successor who had been lost and then regained.
Zachary understood very well even what Veronica had not dared to say. Sitting in the coffee house that she had hated was probably a very suitable device for forming a common-sense empathy.
“But even to a place like this.”
“It’s nothing compared to the days when I was a cadet and rolled around the training grounds. Did you forget all about those days because I wore a dress?”
“No way.”
Those were the days when she would infinitely admire him for living so diligently with his face as blue and venomous as ever. From then on, he was very different from those who believed in noble families and tried to use tricks appropriately.
Whether it was skipping classes like him, taking exams by proxy, or skipping training once, even those who didn't acknowledge her could all agree on her tenacity.
Veronica ran her fingers through her hair nervously.
“You’ve been absent-minded for more than a day or two. What on earth is your cousin’s intention?”
“Even your true intentions. My cousin wouldn’t be that kind of person with such hidden agendas.”
Veronica glared at Zachary with narrowed eyes.
“Stop shaking. Is that woman really the Princess?”
Zachary barely suppressed the thought of being positive. It was better to swallow the thought that she might be the real Princess, regardless of how certain he was of her. At least not at a time like this when Veronica was in the worst mood.
Zachary smiled faintly.
“Even so, it will only delay your coronation by a few months. Even if she is a Princess, what can we do with someone who has not even received proper education as a successor?”
“...Are you sure?”
Veronica's expression softened as she saw Zachary nod without even a hint of hesitation.
Zachary pulled the teacup from the table and poured a spoonful of sugar into it. The spoon made a rattling sound as it hit the teacup.
He repeated the same actions as if it were free and then suddenly asked again.
“Have you never met her before?”
“Who?”
“Princess.”
“What can I do?”
“You have free access to the palace. You’re not the type of person to refuse a request for an audience.”
“It’s almost New Year’s Day, so we can meet then. There’s no need to go out of your way to ask for an audience.”
Veronica tried to respond in a calm tone.
Many people in the world were on edge about when they would meet for the first time.
More precisely, would Princess Kairak acknowledge the Crown Princess and step down from her position as successor?
Veronica laughed with her nose. That couldn't be possible.
Her whole life was like an arrow drawn toward a single goal. At first, it was her parents' wish, but soon it became her whole purpose in life.
There were only two ways to miss the target: either the shot was misfired from the start or it was blocked midway.
But she was confident that she could push through whatever was in her way. Veronica clenched her calloused hands.
In the end, it will be she who sits on the throne.
***
"Therefore..."
I couldn't continue speaking and turned to the chamberlain. The chamberlain bent down once more and hammered the nail in again.
“They are all people who applied to be maids.”
There were many letters piled on the silver platter.
Isabella was right. The first letter asking to be my maid had arrived only two evenings ago, and it had been coming at me like a flood, as if something had been holding me back.
I looked at the two letters on top in particular as if they were a plague. More precisely, at the seals stamped on them.
One was something I knew no matter how ignorant I was, and the other was something I couldn't possibly not know.
The letter on the right was from the Marquis of Tulear, who had a long-standing political alliance with the Duke of Ashkabad.
The second daughter is twenty years old this year and just graduated from college. Graduating from college and gaining experience as a court lady is a very standard path.
Besides, this person was someone that Laskan had hinted at in advance, so I had expected that she would appear. But.
I touched the left letter with my trembling hands and then put it down.
A black eagle and a three-pronged spear. It was the distinctive seal of the Duchy of Valencia. I have no idea why this is here.
As far as I know, there are only two Princesses in the Duchy of Valencia. The second one is just over three years old.
It doesn't seem like a family that would send a three-year-old to be a maid, so the only one left is Princess Thalia, the eldest and heir to the duchy. And she is...
“She must be Your Highness’s cousin.”
Laskan said this as he handed me the letter.
“Considering that Your Highness’s position is still unstable, this is not a bad start. I recommend that you prioritize these two over a few more that may come in this week.”
I nodded my head in bewilderment. This isn't the end. Is more coming in from here?
Laskan flipped through the letters on the tray one by one, checked them, then gathered them in both hands and elegantly handed them to me.
“I think you can choose the remaining three from these as well. They are quite famous families.”
That's true. Irbis, Landschat, Dorchester...
Should I be surprised that there are so many nobles who can be recognized just by their family seals, or should I be glad that all those nights spent memorizing all the family seals were not in vain?
I received the letter and replied.
“I’ll do that. But I don’t want to pick all five at once. Just two for now. That’ll be enough.”
“As you wish.”
He nodded without showing any particular expression. Now that I think about it, he had been acting normal all day. As if the kiss we shared a few days ago had never happened.
I was the only one who was nervous, but he was exactly the same as usual. He had a face that was so elegant that it was annoyingly perfect.
Every time I see his face, I think of that night, and my fingertips tingle.
I was convinced by Laskan's attitude. He acted as if he was in love with me, but his true feelings were lukewarm. As Isabella said, it was all just political theater.
I felt a little angry, but I wasn't disappointed in him.
Instead, I made a firm resolution. Until this whole play was over, I would never give my heart to the Duke again. That way, I could completely disappear from his sight at the last moment.
***
“Does the food suit your taste?”
I quickly chewed and swallowed the food in my mouth in response to the Emperor's question. Then I smiled elegantly and answered.
“That’s really great.”
In reality, I can't even taste half of it.
I was not strong enough to savor the taste of food in front of the Emperor, even if it was veal cooked with great care by the palace chef.
Whenever the Emperor asked if the food was okay, I would smile, but now my mouth was starting to twitch. Seeing my half-hearted smile, he chuckled and continued.
“Still, you’re quite the lady impersonator. Countess Modre must have had a hard time.”
I almost nodded my head several times with a very gloomy expression, forgetting the situation.
To be honest, Isabella had been pestering me for almost two days, asking me if I remembered the proper etiquette for palace dining, if I could sit up straight, and so on.
If only we had more time, we would have practiced for all kinds of unexpected situations.
Despite all of Isabella's concerns, the dinner had been going smoothly for a week without any problems.
As soon as the Emperor put down his silverware, the main course plates were cleared away, leaving only the final course, dessert.
I opened my mouth abruptly as I saw the servant walking away with a plate that was not even half empty.
“Your Majesty, you don’t like meat dishes very much?”
At first, he didn't even seem to realize that I had opened my mouth.
It seemed surprising that I, who had been so tense throughout the meal and had not said a word, asked something first. The Emperor put down his glass of wine and asked back.
“What are you talking about?”
“You ate all the vegetables, but you left more than half of the meat.”
It's not that it wasn't true, it really was. That's why he's so skinny. His complexion doesn't look too good, either. Well, if you eat only vegetables and stay locked up in a villa like this, anyone would end up like that.
I pursed my lips, but then couldn't hold it in any longer and blurted it out again.
“You need to eat a balanced diet to be healthy.”
Somehow, as I said it, it felt like Olga used to nag me about my picky eating.
The Emperor chuckled as if he didn't care. His face naturally turned red at the sound. Well, who is worrying about whom right now?
“It seems like the Princess is trying to imitate her mother.”
That was such an unexpected statement. I was frozen, with my eyes wide open, not knowing how to take it.
Judging from the look of bewilderment on the Emperor's face, it seemed like he had said it without any intention, but rather, without thinking.
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