“Then shall we set off now?”
“Wait a minute, Your Highness! I just need to grab one more thing!”
Thalia shouted urgently, hugging the dress she had been thinking about until the end, and Irina clicked her tongue from the side.
“Are you going to take it all?”
“I can’t decide which one is better. This blue dress is pretty, and this lime dress with ribbons is nice too.”
“You can just put both in.”
“I don’t have enough space in my suitcase!”
Thalia cried out in despair. Irina and I both burst into laughter at the same time.
Thalia's worries began when she heard that 'that Young Master' was also coming to the hunting festival. It seemed like their relationship had gotten much better since Entremette.
Well, it's understandable that when you first start dating, you'd want to show only your prettiest side.
“I’ve got some room left in my suitcase. Why not put one set in there?”
“Really? Your Highness, you are a real angel!”
Thalia shouted excitedly. As she ran to get my suitcase back, Irina whispered with a narrowed eye.
“If you accept everything like that, what will happen if the child becomes spoiled?”
“This much is okay, okay.”
“Your Highness, you didn’t even bring a dress...”
“You packed plenty of one-piece dresses. You even got new hunting clothes.”
The newly tailored hunting suit was made up of trousers worn inside a long skirt with slits on the sides and was as beautiful and elegant as the chief seamstress of Etoile had promised. Even Irina, who disliked unconventional attempts, nodded her head.
Irina's expression relaxed slightly as if she remembered my hunting outfit.
“But you only packed four sets for a ten-day trip...”
She narrowed her eyes again and sent a chill down my spine as she said that if it wasn't enough, she would call a tailor there and have it made.
Finally, after the servants had loaded Thalia's luggage, preparations for departure were complete.
The sun was shining brightly. I held Enoch's hand and climbed into the white carriage. As I opened the window, Enoch took a step closer.
“How long does it take?”
“We will arrive on the evening of the second day at the earliest.”
“That quickly?”
“The weather is much warmer than I expected.”
“I think it passes through the Ashkabad Duchy along the way. How long does it take to get there?”
Enoch did not answer right away, but he opened his mouth not too late.
“...It will probably pass by this evening.”
Brown hair and affectionate, flaxen eyes. A loving and loyal knight who is always there when I turn around. Enoch smiled again, not too late.
“It’s still windy, so close the windows and we’ll be on our way.”
As soon as I closed the window and sank into the cushions, the carriage began to move.
My head was in a mess. I wish I could just rest without thinking about anything. But looking at the curious faces of Thalia and Irina sitting across from me, that seemed like it would be impossible.
We've been so busy lately that we haven't had time to talk, so all three of us must have been looking forward to this day. I was exhausted before we even set off.
Eventually, it was Thalia who noticed and broke the silence.
“Your Highness. Can I ask you something?”
"Yes."
“I heard it from the maid a few days ago.”
"Yes."
“His Highness the Duke and Your Highness kissed at the training ground...”
“Yes... What?!”
I answered insincerely and almost got stabbed in the stomach without even drinking water.
Who on earth saw this? Cesare had also left the place, saying he was going to bring the horse to the stable, and I committed it after making sure there was no one around!
When I was speechless and just gaped, even Irina, who was pretending not to notice anything next to me, asked with shining eyes.
“Could it be that the rumor was true?”
“I even heard that Your Highness did it first that day..."
I swallowed desperately. Who on earth saw this, and from where and to what extent?
Thalia asked mischievously at my blushing face.
“I wonder if you woke up a little late the next day...”
“Oh my, no way! I'm not!”
No, really, these guys. What's the point of holding both cheeks and acting shy? There really isn't anything they can't say.
I replied, fanning my flushed cheeks with my hand.
“You guys really... Huh? There’s really nothing I can’t say.”
When I spoke, I realized that my elegant and refined way of speaking had disappeared somewhere. I was so embarrassed that even my accent had returned to its back-alley days. I quickly cleared my throat.
“Hey, hey, hey, we just kissed. Now stop asking about that guy.”
“But I’m curious. Marquis Batistan recently sent you several baskets of flowers.”
“He is currently in his prime since the succession to the Marquisate has been decided, but he is said to have refused all the dances of the young ladies, saying that he is in love with the Princess...”
“Since Your Highness got along so well with the Duke at the ball, the rumors didn’t spread much, but now it seems there are people who openly support the Marquis of Batistan.”
...What is that man doing? I had a feeling that he had been attending those boring classes recently. It turns out he had been hiding some kind of secret. Now it wasn't surprising.
Thalia said, her tail wagging in embarrassment.
“We wish Your Highness could have both, no... But I think there must be someone you would be more drawn to.”
“Your Highness, tell me honestly. I will keep your secret for the rest of my life.”
“Which one of them do you like more?”
Both of them were really hard to believe, but it was hard to answer right away. If this was the moment of choice, it was clear. There was no comparison.
But no matter who it was, it was nearly impossible for me to end up with someone. I couldn't draw a future with anyone who came and went from this palace.
“...That’s right. Did you all hear that story?”
Irina must have noticed my gloomy expression, so she cleverly changed the subject. The conversation quickly turned to the dirty gossip about the third son of a certain Count.
I shook off my frustration and joined in on their conversation, pretending to be interested.
No matter how good the carriage is, it is difficult to travel for a long time. It is even more difficult if you cannot meet the person you were secretly waiting for.
The planned rendezvous with Laskan has become difficult. I was quite disappointed to hear that his departure had been delayed. The attendant said that there must have been some trouble on the front lines.
Anyway, after running for two full days, I was able to arrive at Antaria in Zarantello half a day earlier than expected. A huge island was visible in the distance across the narrow, rolling sea.
Border guards were guarding the only drawbridge connecting the island. It seemed that because the island was so large and so close to the border, criminals from abroad sometimes hid there.
Only the eldest sons of the thirteen families of the Privy Council, including the Emperor, were allowed to 'officially' participate in the competition for succession. But who would live by such strict laws?
People who were personally acquainted could be invited and brought along. After all, since there were also servants accompanying the nobles, it was not an island that would sink if it received a few more nobles.
“Stop and identify yourself...!”
One of the young knights who had been shouting out of habit checked the carriage and closed his mouth hesitantly.
While everyone else was unloading their luggage and causing a fuss to confirm their identity, the royal carriage I was riding in was like proof of identity itself.
Without delay, the defenders stepped aside on both sides.
“Her Highness the Princess is here!”
“Open the gates!”
After a slight commotion, the carriage started moving again. I opened the window wide and looked at the island that was getting closer.
Zarantello Antaria. Starting with a small circular island, it is said that there are small and large crescent-shaped islands connected by bridges. If you look at it from the sky, it must have looked like a giant fan.
The imperial summer palace was located on a round island immediately after crossing the bridge. Unlike the Winter Palace where the imperial family and collateral branches occasionally stayed, it was said to be as large as the main palace because large-scale hunting festivals were often held there.
That's where we'll be staying for three days. The competition will probably be held on the third island, the large crescent island at the very tip.
The area we were assigned to in the Summer Palace was the three floors of the West Wing. As befitting an imperial villa, the interior was spacious, comfortable, and splendid.
While the maids who had followed us began busily unpacking, I lay down on the couch on the terrace with Thalia.
“Your Highness, aren’t you hot? Shall I ask them to bring you some bath water?”
“It’s not hot, but it’s a little humid.”
We had come down south, and perhaps because we were on an island, our skin was already sticky. Irina said as she brought us tea in lukewarm water.
“I heard while receiving the tea that Lady Veronica has also arrived. They said that she went to the shooting range to practice shooting as soon as she got here.”
“Wow, really...”
Thalia said that with a look of disgust on her face.
I nodded in agreement with a very serious expression. Yes, even I thought that Lady Veronica was too inhuman.
She's pretty, she's talented, she works hard... If there was such a difference from the beginning, I wouldn't even be jealous.
I dawdled around until I had finished my tea, then got up, feeling a pang in my conscience.
“Should I go down there too then....”
“Shall I call Sir Cesare?”
“I want to just lie down in bed like this... But I can’t rest, right...?”
“Your Highness. Just rest today. Stay healthy.”
As expected, the only one who understood my heart the best was Thalia.
I leaned my arms on the terrace railing and looked down at the dense forest. The trees were so thick that I couldn't see an inch ahead of me.
Thalia shivered slightly, wrapping her arms around her shoulders.
“By the way, it would be really scary to go in alone at night. It’s so dark even in broad daylight... It would be completely pitch black, with no way to tell the difference between the front and the back.”
Wait. Suddenly, an ominous feeling crossed my mind. I asked stiffly.
“Surely, I’m asking this just in case, but I’m not the only one going in during the competition, right?”
“Oh my. You didn’t know?”
Irina covered her mouth slightly, looking surprised.
“Wait a minute, Your Highness! I just need to grab one more thing!”
Thalia shouted urgently, hugging the dress she had been thinking about until the end, and Irina clicked her tongue from the side.
“Are you going to take it all?”
“I can’t decide which one is better. This blue dress is pretty, and this lime dress with ribbons is nice too.”
“You can just put both in.”
“I don’t have enough space in my suitcase!”
Thalia cried out in despair. Irina and I both burst into laughter at the same time.
Thalia's worries began when she heard that 'that Young Master' was also coming to the hunting festival. It seemed like their relationship had gotten much better since Entremette.
Well, it's understandable that when you first start dating, you'd want to show only your prettiest side.
“I’ve got some room left in my suitcase. Why not put one set in there?”
“Really? Your Highness, you are a real angel!”
Thalia shouted excitedly. As she ran to get my suitcase back, Irina whispered with a narrowed eye.
“If you accept everything like that, what will happen if the child becomes spoiled?”
“This much is okay, okay.”
“Your Highness, you didn’t even bring a dress...”
“You packed plenty of one-piece dresses. You even got new hunting clothes.”
The newly tailored hunting suit was made up of trousers worn inside a long skirt with slits on the sides and was as beautiful and elegant as the chief seamstress of Etoile had promised. Even Irina, who disliked unconventional attempts, nodded her head.
Irina's expression relaxed slightly as if she remembered my hunting outfit.
“But you only packed four sets for a ten-day trip...”
She narrowed her eyes again and sent a chill down my spine as she said that if it wasn't enough, she would call a tailor there and have it made.
Finally, after the servants had loaded Thalia's luggage, preparations for departure were complete.
The sun was shining brightly. I held Enoch's hand and climbed into the white carriage. As I opened the window, Enoch took a step closer.
“How long does it take?”
“We will arrive on the evening of the second day at the earliest.”
“That quickly?”
“The weather is much warmer than I expected.”
“I think it passes through the Ashkabad Duchy along the way. How long does it take to get there?”
Enoch did not answer right away, but he opened his mouth not too late.
“...It will probably pass by this evening.”
Brown hair and affectionate, flaxen eyes. A loving and loyal knight who is always there when I turn around. Enoch smiled again, not too late.
“It’s still windy, so close the windows and we’ll be on our way.”
As soon as I closed the window and sank into the cushions, the carriage began to move.
My head was in a mess. I wish I could just rest without thinking about anything. But looking at the curious faces of Thalia and Irina sitting across from me, that seemed like it would be impossible.
We've been so busy lately that we haven't had time to talk, so all three of us must have been looking forward to this day. I was exhausted before we even set off.
Eventually, it was Thalia who noticed and broke the silence.
“Your Highness. Can I ask you something?”
"Yes."
“I heard it from the maid a few days ago.”
"Yes."
“His Highness the Duke and Your Highness kissed at the training ground...”
“Yes... What?!”
I answered insincerely and almost got stabbed in the stomach without even drinking water.
Who on earth saw this? Cesare had also left the place, saying he was going to bring the horse to the stable, and I committed it after making sure there was no one around!
When I was speechless and just gaped, even Irina, who was pretending not to notice anything next to me, asked with shining eyes.
“Could it be that the rumor was true?”
“I even heard that Your Highness did it first that day..."
I swallowed desperately. Who on earth saw this, and from where and to what extent?
Thalia asked mischievously at my blushing face.
“I wonder if you woke up a little late the next day...”
“Oh my, no way! I'm not!”
No, really, these guys. What's the point of holding both cheeks and acting shy? There really isn't anything they can't say.
I replied, fanning my flushed cheeks with my hand.
“You guys really... Huh? There’s really nothing I can’t say.”
When I spoke, I realized that my elegant and refined way of speaking had disappeared somewhere. I was so embarrassed that even my accent had returned to its back-alley days. I quickly cleared my throat.
“Hey, hey, hey, we just kissed. Now stop asking about that guy.”
“But I’m curious. Marquis Batistan recently sent you several baskets of flowers.”
“He is currently in his prime since the succession to the Marquisate has been decided, but he is said to have refused all the dances of the young ladies, saying that he is in love with the Princess...”
“Since Your Highness got along so well with the Duke at the ball, the rumors didn’t spread much, but now it seems there are people who openly support the Marquis of Batistan.”
...What is that man doing? I had a feeling that he had been attending those boring classes recently. It turns out he had been hiding some kind of secret. Now it wasn't surprising.
Thalia said, her tail wagging in embarrassment.
“We wish Your Highness could have both, no... But I think there must be someone you would be more drawn to.”
“Your Highness, tell me honestly. I will keep your secret for the rest of my life.”
“Which one of them do you like more?”
Both of them were really hard to believe, but it was hard to answer right away. If this was the moment of choice, it was clear. There was no comparison.
But no matter who it was, it was nearly impossible for me to end up with someone. I couldn't draw a future with anyone who came and went from this palace.
“...That’s right. Did you all hear that story?”
Irina must have noticed my gloomy expression, so she cleverly changed the subject. The conversation quickly turned to the dirty gossip about the third son of a certain Count.
I shook off my frustration and joined in on their conversation, pretending to be interested.
***
No matter how good the carriage is, it is difficult to travel for a long time. It is even more difficult if you cannot meet the person you were secretly waiting for.
The planned rendezvous with Laskan has become difficult. I was quite disappointed to hear that his departure had been delayed. The attendant said that there must have been some trouble on the front lines.
Anyway, after running for two full days, I was able to arrive at Antaria in Zarantello half a day earlier than expected. A huge island was visible in the distance across the narrow, rolling sea.
Border guards were guarding the only drawbridge connecting the island. It seemed that because the island was so large and so close to the border, criminals from abroad sometimes hid there.
Only the eldest sons of the thirteen families of the Privy Council, including the Emperor, were allowed to 'officially' participate in the competition for succession. But who would live by such strict laws?
People who were personally acquainted could be invited and brought along. After all, since there were also servants accompanying the nobles, it was not an island that would sink if it received a few more nobles.
“Stop and identify yourself...!”
One of the young knights who had been shouting out of habit checked the carriage and closed his mouth hesitantly.
While everyone else was unloading their luggage and causing a fuss to confirm their identity, the royal carriage I was riding in was like proof of identity itself.
Without delay, the defenders stepped aside on both sides.
“Her Highness the Princess is here!”
“Open the gates!”
After a slight commotion, the carriage started moving again. I opened the window wide and looked at the island that was getting closer.
Zarantello Antaria. Starting with a small circular island, it is said that there are small and large crescent-shaped islands connected by bridges. If you look at it from the sky, it must have looked like a giant fan.
The imperial summer palace was located on a round island immediately after crossing the bridge. Unlike the Winter Palace where the imperial family and collateral branches occasionally stayed, it was said to be as large as the main palace because large-scale hunting festivals were often held there.
That's where we'll be staying for three days. The competition will probably be held on the third island, the large crescent island at the very tip.
The area we were assigned to in the Summer Palace was the three floors of the West Wing. As befitting an imperial villa, the interior was spacious, comfortable, and splendid.
While the maids who had followed us began busily unpacking, I lay down on the couch on the terrace with Thalia.
“Your Highness, aren’t you hot? Shall I ask them to bring you some bath water?”
“It’s not hot, but it’s a little humid.”
We had come down south, and perhaps because we were on an island, our skin was already sticky. Irina said as she brought us tea in lukewarm water.
“I heard while receiving the tea that Lady Veronica has also arrived. They said that she went to the shooting range to practice shooting as soon as she got here.”
“Wow, really...”
Thalia said that with a look of disgust on her face.
I nodded in agreement with a very serious expression. Yes, even I thought that Lady Veronica was too inhuman.
She's pretty, she's talented, she works hard... If there was such a difference from the beginning, I wouldn't even be jealous.
I dawdled around until I had finished my tea, then got up, feeling a pang in my conscience.
“Should I go down there too then....”
“Shall I call Sir Cesare?”
“I want to just lie down in bed like this... But I can’t rest, right...?”
“Your Highness. Just rest today. Stay healthy.”
As expected, the only one who understood my heart the best was Thalia.
I leaned my arms on the terrace railing and looked down at the dense forest. The trees were so thick that I couldn't see an inch ahead of me.
Thalia shivered slightly, wrapping her arms around her shoulders.
“By the way, it would be really scary to go in alone at night. It’s so dark even in broad daylight... It would be completely pitch black, with no way to tell the difference between the front and the back.”
Wait. Suddenly, an ominous feeling crossed my mind. I asked stiffly.
“Surely, I’m asking this just in case, but I’m not the only one going in during the competition, right?”
“Oh my. You didn’t know?”
Irina covered her mouth slightly, looking surprised.
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