“Get some sleep. I’ll be there in 30 minutes.”
“When we get there, uh, wake me up..."
I rolled the window down and fell back into the carriage. At least I felt less shaky if I closed my eyes and lay still.
I consoled myself with the thought of all the good things I would enjoy in Vostok: freshly baked, warm bread, hot stew, a soft, clean bed, a spacious room, all the things I had worked hard not to take for granted for half a year.
People are so cunning. It's scary to think that I'm the real Anastasia, and that only good things should be given to me.
"Your Highness."
Jacqueline whispered, tapping on the carriage window.
“We’ve passed the gate. We’ll be there soon.”
The anxiety that had suddenly welled up in me disappeared without a trace at Jacqueline's voice.
I felt the carriage slow down and eventually stop in front of a building. I resisted the urge to jump out at any moment and waited, but soon Jacqueline opened the carriage door.
Finally! I, who had been blushing, soon wrinkled my nose and held it in my hand at the foul smell of sewage that was creeping up on me.
Jacqueline held out his hand to me and said.
“The ground is muddy, so be careful when you get off.”
It's not that it wasn't; the ground was a total mess. After seeing only well-maintained stone paths in the capital, seeing a path like this after a long time made me realize that I was in the north.
I held Jacqueline's hand and carefully stepped down. Then I saw people coming out of the shabby building.
Jacqueline, who had noticed the man standing at the very front, whispered while bending down to straighten my clothes.
“The man is the lord of Vostok.”
“The man? But, the building and the clothes...”
“Although it is simple, this must be the lord’s mansion.”
I looked up at the three-story building with people coming out with unflattering eyes. The expression “simple” seemed like a compliment... It was a dreary atmosphere.
“Hello, Your Highness, the Princess.”
It was a voice so thick that it was overwhelming at that moment.
I gave Jacqueline a calculated nudge. Then I lifted my chin gracefully and held out my hand.
“Are you the Lord of Vostok?”
“Yes, I am the lord Theodore Seryozha Sol Vostok.”
He gave a brief kiss to the hand I held out, then straightened his back. I looked at the man carefully.
I heard he was forty-five, but his face looked older than his age, his stubborn eyes, his full lips, and the wrinkles that added stubbornness to his impression. I don't know for sure, but... he didn't seem to have a gentle personality.
He continued speaking in a stiff tone.
“It must have been difficult for you to get here. I will show you to your accommodations right away so you can rest.”
Every time he spoke, the veins bulged on his temples.
I answered a beat late, observing the two borzois baring their teeth at the lord's feet.
“Oh, rather than going to the lodgings, I’d like to take a look around the estate.”
“You must be very tired after a long journey.”
He emphasized the word 'very'.
It was only then that I realized the source of my discomfort. The Lord of Vostok was not welcoming me at all.
As I kept my lips tightly shut, he spoke to me as if to soothe me.
“You can always tour the territory. Today, let’s get some rest and recover our energy before we discuss our schedule again.”
Now, the attitude was that my opinion as a Princess was not important.
I could feel Jacqueline gritting his teeth beside me. I quickly grabbed his arm and pulled it. Then I gestured to the workers standing behind the lord.
They were people who had lived loyally to the lord's family for generations.
There was no benefit in directly opposing or contradicting the lord's will in front of such people. That would only leave a bad impression from day one. The northerners also had the characteristic of being more united than anyone else in the face of external attacks.
I decided to take it easy. We still have a month left, so there will be plenty of opportunities, even if it doesn't have to be today.
“...I will do as you say.”
Still, I couldn't help but feel a twist in my stomach. As I barely managed to smile and answer, a faint smile crossed the lord's face.
The lord snapped his fingers together and called out to one of the men standing behind him.
Soon, an old servant stepped forward.
“Butler. Bring Her Highness the Princess to her quarters.”
The room I was assigned was better than I had imagined. The mansion had a scary exterior, so I was prepared for a certain degree of shabbiness... Although simple, it had most of the things necessary for living.
A structure with two rooms connected, with a clean bed, mirror, window, curtains, and even a small dressing table.
The floor creaked with every step, but it was definitely one of the nicest rooms in the building.
Of course, this would be terrible for the noble ladies of the capital, not me. I should at least send a letter to Irina and Thalia, telling them not to come...
“Your Highness. Are you inside?”
It was Jacqueline. He had been carrying only a leather bag, but it seemed he had already unpacked his bags.
“Come in.”
Jacqueline had just changed his clothes and was wearing a comfortable shirt.
I burst out laughing at the sight of the tray in his hand. There was milk and bread mixed with honey, which he had managed to get somewhere.
He took a sip of milk in front of me and then offered it to me.
“You haven’t eaten anything all morning. But if you just start eating meat, it won’t be satisfying.”
He was very considerate, perhaps because he knew I had recently been poisoned. I was grateful for his thoughtfulness, so I quietly accepted the milk.
"Thank you."
I drank my milk in silence while the maids unpacked, and Jacqueline tore up some bread, seemingly more for throwing to the birds outside the window than for eating.
Soon, the servants who had been coming and going busily moved the last suitcase. I waved the maids who were organizing the luggage away.
“This should be enough for immediate use. I’ll ask you again later.”
The lord's maids bowed in greeting, closed the door, and left.
Jacqueline, who had been listening to the sounds in the hallway, opened his mouth only after the maids' footsteps had completely faded away.
“The lord sent his servant earlier. He said he would not be able to attend the dinner. He said something urgent had come up.”
“I see.”
“They’ll probably make similar excuses tomorrow, the day after, and a week from now.”
“...”
“That lord will not allow Your Highness to interfere in the management of the territory, let alone inspect it.”
I nodded my head in agreement. Jacqueline, feeling frustrated by my indifference, ran his hand through his hair and asked,
“What are you planning to do? Should I just catch him and use him as a weapon?”
“...”
I looked at Jacqueline with my eyes.
I tapped the glass I was holding with my finger to clear my head.
“The North was originally an exclusive area for foreigners.”
“...”
“Since they have been living well on their own up until now, they may have felt uncomfortable with the royal family’s intervention.”
“If they had really lived well, the territory wouldn’t have been in that state for 10 years.”
Jacqueline said softly, gritting his teeth.
Although his expression was a bit harsh, I agreed with him. The view outside the window was quite picturesque.
Even in summer, the branches of the trees are bare, the grass grows sparsely, the mud that has been frozen all winter and has just barely melted, the houses of the local residents built with shabby planks and the mansions that look like they are in dire need of repair...
Even if it had been deliberately left alone, it would not have been easy for it to become so colorful and backward. Even in the northern village of George, the lord's castle was as splendid as ever.
“So, you’re not just going to leave it like this?”
At Jacqueline's question, I looked away from the window and raised my head.
“Of course. The amount of money His Majesty has given for the competition is fifty thousand pieces.”
“Oh, oh my god..."
Jacqueline's face turned pale in an instant. I couldn't help but laugh at his serious expression.
Well, 50,000 gold pieces is roughly equivalent to the annual income of an average city.
Jacqueline, you'd be really upset if you knew that Veronica added the ten thousand she got in the second competition, so she starts with a total of sixty thousand.
“Anyway, if you spend that much money and don’t achieve even the minimum results... it means you’re not qualified to run a country in the first place.”
I said it lightly, but it was my true heart. How can I lead the empire as a fool who can't even persuade the Lord of Vostok?
Veronica was probably in a similar situation to mine. At least I had the advantage of knowing the physiology of the North well and having lived in a similar neighborhood for a long time.
If I can't do it in this situation and Veronica can...
I might have to admit that I was inadequate and that Princess Veronica was more suited to the position of Emperor.
I let go of the hem of the dress I had been holding onto. The haphazardly crumpled marks looked unsightly.
Exactly, just like me now.
I woke up feeling very uneasy. It was the fourth day since I arrived in Vostok and I hadn't seen the tip of that damned lord's nose.
Now it was confusing whether the lord's name was Theodore or the bastard.
Even the attendants, while pretending to be polite, were very uncooperative, from the very young maid who handled my washing up to the head maid who oversaw the mansion.
I was so angry last night that I went to bed grumpy, and maybe that's why I had so many nightmares.
I can't stand it anymore. I clenched my fists and made up my mind. If you respected my wishes this much, it was time for me to go out like a coward.
“When we get there, uh, wake me up..."
I rolled the window down and fell back into the carriage. At least I felt less shaky if I closed my eyes and lay still.
I consoled myself with the thought of all the good things I would enjoy in Vostok: freshly baked, warm bread, hot stew, a soft, clean bed, a spacious room, all the things I had worked hard not to take for granted for half a year.
People are so cunning. It's scary to think that I'm the real Anastasia, and that only good things should be given to me.
"Your Highness."
Jacqueline whispered, tapping on the carriage window.
“We’ve passed the gate. We’ll be there soon.”
The anxiety that had suddenly welled up in me disappeared without a trace at Jacqueline's voice.
I felt the carriage slow down and eventually stop in front of a building. I resisted the urge to jump out at any moment and waited, but soon Jacqueline opened the carriage door.
Finally! I, who had been blushing, soon wrinkled my nose and held it in my hand at the foul smell of sewage that was creeping up on me.
Jacqueline held out his hand to me and said.
“The ground is muddy, so be careful when you get off.”
It's not that it wasn't; the ground was a total mess. After seeing only well-maintained stone paths in the capital, seeing a path like this after a long time made me realize that I was in the north.
I held Jacqueline's hand and carefully stepped down. Then I saw people coming out of the shabby building.
Jacqueline, who had noticed the man standing at the very front, whispered while bending down to straighten my clothes.
“The man is the lord of Vostok.”
“The man? But, the building and the clothes...”
“Although it is simple, this must be the lord’s mansion.”
I looked up at the three-story building with people coming out with unflattering eyes. The expression “simple” seemed like a compliment... It was a dreary atmosphere.
“Hello, Your Highness, the Princess.”
It was a voice so thick that it was overwhelming at that moment.
I gave Jacqueline a calculated nudge. Then I lifted my chin gracefully and held out my hand.
“Are you the Lord of Vostok?”
“Yes, I am the lord Theodore Seryozha Sol Vostok.”
He gave a brief kiss to the hand I held out, then straightened his back. I looked at the man carefully.
I heard he was forty-five, but his face looked older than his age, his stubborn eyes, his full lips, and the wrinkles that added stubbornness to his impression. I don't know for sure, but... he didn't seem to have a gentle personality.
He continued speaking in a stiff tone.
“It must have been difficult for you to get here. I will show you to your accommodations right away so you can rest.”
Every time he spoke, the veins bulged on his temples.
I answered a beat late, observing the two borzois baring their teeth at the lord's feet.
“Oh, rather than going to the lodgings, I’d like to take a look around the estate.”
“You must be very tired after a long journey.”
He emphasized the word 'very'.
It was only then that I realized the source of my discomfort. The Lord of Vostok was not welcoming me at all.
As I kept my lips tightly shut, he spoke to me as if to soothe me.
“You can always tour the territory. Today, let’s get some rest and recover our energy before we discuss our schedule again.”
Now, the attitude was that my opinion as a Princess was not important.
I could feel Jacqueline gritting his teeth beside me. I quickly grabbed his arm and pulled it. Then I gestured to the workers standing behind the lord.
They were people who had lived loyally to the lord's family for generations.
There was no benefit in directly opposing or contradicting the lord's will in front of such people. That would only leave a bad impression from day one. The northerners also had the characteristic of being more united than anyone else in the face of external attacks.
I decided to take it easy. We still have a month left, so there will be plenty of opportunities, even if it doesn't have to be today.
“...I will do as you say.”
Still, I couldn't help but feel a twist in my stomach. As I barely managed to smile and answer, a faint smile crossed the lord's face.
The lord snapped his fingers together and called out to one of the men standing behind him.
Soon, an old servant stepped forward.
“Butler. Bring Her Highness the Princess to her quarters.”
***
The room I was assigned was better than I had imagined. The mansion had a scary exterior, so I was prepared for a certain degree of shabbiness... Although simple, it had most of the things necessary for living.
A structure with two rooms connected, with a clean bed, mirror, window, curtains, and even a small dressing table.
The floor creaked with every step, but it was definitely one of the nicest rooms in the building.
Of course, this would be terrible for the noble ladies of the capital, not me. I should at least send a letter to Irina and Thalia, telling them not to come...
“Your Highness. Are you inside?”
It was Jacqueline. He had been carrying only a leather bag, but it seemed he had already unpacked his bags.
“Come in.”
Jacqueline had just changed his clothes and was wearing a comfortable shirt.
I burst out laughing at the sight of the tray in his hand. There was milk and bread mixed with honey, which he had managed to get somewhere.
He took a sip of milk in front of me and then offered it to me.
“You haven’t eaten anything all morning. But if you just start eating meat, it won’t be satisfying.”
He was very considerate, perhaps because he knew I had recently been poisoned. I was grateful for his thoughtfulness, so I quietly accepted the milk.
"Thank you."
I drank my milk in silence while the maids unpacked, and Jacqueline tore up some bread, seemingly more for throwing to the birds outside the window than for eating.
Soon, the servants who had been coming and going busily moved the last suitcase. I waved the maids who were organizing the luggage away.
“This should be enough for immediate use. I’ll ask you again later.”
The lord's maids bowed in greeting, closed the door, and left.
Jacqueline, who had been listening to the sounds in the hallway, opened his mouth only after the maids' footsteps had completely faded away.
“The lord sent his servant earlier. He said he would not be able to attend the dinner. He said something urgent had come up.”
“I see.”
“They’ll probably make similar excuses tomorrow, the day after, and a week from now.”
“...”
“That lord will not allow Your Highness to interfere in the management of the territory, let alone inspect it.”
I nodded my head in agreement. Jacqueline, feeling frustrated by my indifference, ran his hand through his hair and asked,
“What are you planning to do? Should I just catch him and use him as a weapon?”
“...”
I looked at Jacqueline with my eyes.
I tapped the glass I was holding with my finger to clear my head.
“The North was originally an exclusive area for foreigners.”
“...”
“Since they have been living well on their own up until now, they may have felt uncomfortable with the royal family’s intervention.”
“If they had really lived well, the territory wouldn’t have been in that state for 10 years.”
Jacqueline said softly, gritting his teeth.
Although his expression was a bit harsh, I agreed with him. The view outside the window was quite picturesque.
Even in summer, the branches of the trees are bare, the grass grows sparsely, the mud that has been frozen all winter and has just barely melted, the houses of the local residents built with shabby planks and the mansions that look like they are in dire need of repair...
Even if it had been deliberately left alone, it would not have been easy for it to become so colorful and backward. Even in the northern village of George, the lord's castle was as splendid as ever.
“So, you’re not just going to leave it like this?”
At Jacqueline's question, I looked away from the window and raised my head.
“Of course. The amount of money His Majesty has given for the competition is fifty thousand pieces.”
“Oh, oh my god..."
Jacqueline's face turned pale in an instant. I couldn't help but laugh at his serious expression.
Well, 50,000 gold pieces is roughly equivalent to the annual income of an average city.
Jacqueline, you'd be really upset if you knew that Veronica added the ten thousand she got in the second competition, so she starts with a total of sixty thousand.
“Anyway, if you spend that much money and don’t achieve even the minimum results... it means you’re not qualified to run a country in the first place.”
I said it lightly, but it was my true heart. How can I lead the empire as a fool who can't even persuade the Lord of Vostok?
Veronica was probably in a similar situation to mine. At least I had the advantage of knowing the physiology of the North well and having lived in a similar neighborhood for a long time.
If I can't do it in this situation and Veronica can...
I might have to admit that I was inadequate and that Princess Veronica was more suited to the position of Emperor.
I let go of the hem of the dress I had been holding onto. The haphazardly crumpled marks looked unsightly.
Exactly, just like me now.
***
I woke up feeling very uneasy. It was the fourth day since I arrived in Vostok and I hadn't seen the tip of that damned lord's nose.
Now it was confusing whether the lord's name was Theodore or the bastard.
Even the attendants, while pretending to be polite, were very uncooperative, from the very young maid who handled my washing up to the head maid who oversaw the mansion.
I was so angry last night that I went to bed grumpy, and maybe that's why I had so many nightmares.
I can't stand it anymore. I clenched my fists and made up my mind. If you respected my wishes this much, it was time for me to go out like a coward.
Support Novellate!
Comments
Post a Comment