When Else opened her eyes again, she was close to the estate of her maternal family, the Baron Gerjon family. The estate faced southwest from Lugdun, separated by a wheat field, not far from Lugdun. Else got out of the carriage and looked at her grandfather's small castle. The shabby outer walls and fences. Spruce and fir, beech and birch trees... The castle, standing tall against the tall mountain, resembled her stubborn grandfather.
The trees forming a lush forest beyond the castle walls brought back memories of her childhood. If Else was still healthy, it must have been one summer just before she turned seven. Else remembered her grandfather’s big, warm hands that summer. He has now passed away, so she cannot meet him...
She looked at the coachman. Jules' husband unilaterally ordered her to leave Siena. At those words, Else got into the carriage without even knowing where she was going. She didn't have much luggage, and since she was told she could leave in three days, Else didn't think long about it.
So the place they arrived at was... The coachman, who had bowed his head deeply, drove the carriage away again. The gate opened, and the figure of a tall man appeared. It was her uncle.
She didn’t say goodbye to her mother. She remembered what the coachman had said before he got back in the carriage.
The trees forming a lush forest beyond the castle walls brought back memories of her childhood. If Else was still healthy, it must have been one summer just before she turned seven. Else remembered her grandfather’s big, warm hands that summer. He has now passed away, so she cannot meet him...
She looked at the coachman. Jules' husband unilaterally ordered her to leave Siena. At those words, Else got into the carriage without even knowing where she was going. She didn't have much luggage, and since she was told she could leave in three days, Else didn't think long about it.
So the place they arrived at was... The coachman, who had bowed his head deeply, drove the carriage away again. The gate opened, and the figure of a tall man appeared. It was her uncle.
***
She didn’t say goodbye to her mother. She remembered what the coachman had said before he got back in the carriage.
‘Lugdun’s exterior was scorched by the last fire... They said they were repairing the interior as well.’
Else nodded. Alexander said he would provide a place for her to stay after leaving Siena. That was Sybil’s intention, and it was his consideration. Else touched the corner of the parchment Alexander had given her. The texture of the parchment with Sybil’s black letters tingled in her heart.
After following her uncle into the castle, Else was introduced to the bedroom where she would stay with Abelard. She was told that it was the bedroom her mother had used before she got married to her father. Else looked around the bedroom. The furniture that her mother had used when she was a young woman was still there.
“What about my mother?”
“Fell asleep.”
She stared at her uncle, who had a waxy white face like her mother's. He was a man with bright blond hair and a slender figure, like her mother's older brother. Else had never seen her uncle before. She couldn't remember.
In any case, after her maternal grandfather passed away, the slender ties between them were severed. With Else leaving for Siena, Roate was in shambles, so Else must have been an unpleasant presence to him.
“Else.”
She asked her mother how she was doing as a greeting and turned her gaze. Her uncle called her softly. Else looked long at the arched window. 'Idun.' The greenery in Gerjon's territory had not yet faded. Else turned her gaze and stared at her uncle.
“Do you have anything to say?”
“No. Just rest easy.”
Sibyl had asked her to stay here until the castle in Lugdun was repaired. Even though he knew that Else was not on good terms with his mother's family, this might have been the best option for her. At least he thought there would be someone to look after her.
She looked around the place where her uncle had left, took out the parchment that Alexander had handed her, and looked down at it for a long time. She hadn’t read it yet. The King’s will... The last message from the man who had known about Else’s plan and had turned a blind eye to it. Her heart ached with bitterness.
'...Supreme glory of Travasta. Knight of the storm and thunderbolt. Rightful King of the Tulcs and the Deltans. Protector and conqueror of the realm. Sibyl III, eldest son of Pitroi and Bonaparte, hereby subscribes. The throne bequeaths to my eldest son, Abelard Roalec Diancourt Calixa Romanerei van Ricarlo III, the legitimate eldest son and heir of Sibyl III, King of Travasta. His mother, the Duchess of Montana, succeeded to the Duchess of Montana as the consort of the King under the strict discipline of the laws of the land...'
Else remembered the voice of Alexander, reading the words left by Sibyl in a low and stern voice. He had signed that he would succeed to the throne after he died in the person of Abelard. Abelard was a newborn baby. A baby who had just turned 100 days old...
'... Therefore, the Marquis of Aperato shall be regent. The Duchess shall leave Siena and go to a place where she can regain stability. She shall have the right to share in the property and fiefs as the spouse of I, Sibyl III. This shall be enforced without fail by the Privy Council.'
Her knees shook. Else rubbed the air absentmindedly. When did he know? What was he thinking as he watched? Else bit her lips.
'...I hereby order a reinvestigation of the crimes committed by the House of Roate, which was dismembered by Dolan's treason last month, and I hereby order that Else von Montana be posthumously promoted to Queen.'
'...'
'His Majesty has ordered that this be kept secret.'
So... So she was able to get out of prison. Else looked up at Alexander. It must have been quite difficult to handle everything without the Privy Council knowing. Even if it was the King’s order, it was still a matter of saving the woman who tried to poison the King.
'His Majesty...'
'Please leave.'
No more questions. Else pursed her lips. If he had died, everyone would have been in mourning. But Alexander was only in his royal uniform as a member of the King's guard. Yes. That was all that mattered. If Sibyl lived and Else could leave Siena...
That would be fine.
'His Majesty has left everything to be done after death, but... if it is a matter concerning your disposition, it may be done now.'
It was a monotonous voice. Else did not respond or nod. She turned her gaze to the swaying tree branches beyond the window.
A week passed. Else lived as she had in the villa. The only difference was that Jules and Jeanne were not there. When she came down from Siena, she had not brought the servants of the villa with her, so Else was completely alone. Once every two days, a maid came to clean the room and bring her food, but that was all.
So Else was the only one who could take care of her son. And that was better. Else did nothing but take care of Abelard. For the first three days, her aunt, the Baroness, checked on her and asked her to have lunch with her several times and take a walk in the garden, but when Else showed no sign of response and showed no interest, she soon gave up. After a week or so of arriving at her maternal home, she heard that a servant and two maids from Siena had come down to work at the Baron’s castle. They spoke in a royal dialect, as befitting royal people, and they moved briskly, as if they had done it before.
“Hello, Your Highness. My name is Gelda. I will be in charge of Your Highness’s care.”
“My name is Mila. I am in charge of the household, Your Highness."
It was two days later that two women with white faces and a royal accent, who did not look like country people, took charge of her bedroom. Else stared at the two women with indifferent eyes. The two women introduced themselves with bright smiles.
A maid from the royal capital suddenly appeared in this remote village. This was not an uncommon occurrence. Even though they were maids, maids who had been living in Siena, where high-ranking officials lived, found it ridiculous to work in the mansion of a nobleman in the countryside. The salary and treatment were far better in Siena, so why would they go all the way to this remote countryside?
However, they said that they was a maid introduced by her aunt's family. Then it made sense. Her aunt was the daughter of a low-ranking government official, and when she got married, she brought along many maids who worked at her family's house. One day, when they were having lunch together, she heard that they needed to hire more servants to accommodate the growing number of military family members.
“Please take good care of me.”
She nodded. Mila, the person in charge of the cleaning, looked around the bedroom and opened her lips.
“Your Highness, have you been out today?”
Else shook her head at the unexpected question. Mila gave Gelda a look. Gelda opened her lips as if she understood her signal.
“Then, how about you go out into the garden while Mila takes a moment to clean up the bedroom? The weather is nice today, so you could take a walk in the garden with the Prince.”
It was annoying. Else looked at the maids and then looked down at Abelard. Since leaving Siena, there was nothing but Abelard. He was a baby, so he had to be taken care of a lot, but Else had nothing else to do.
“Isn’t that right, Prince?”
Gelda looked down at Abelard and asked brightly. Else narrowed her eyebrows. From some point on, Else had been taking care of Abelard like she had taken care of Sibyl. After Hermi passed away, she never took care of him again. Jules had even nagged her, saying, “What if we lose Abelard too?” However...
“After you come back from the garden and have some delicious tea, your bedroom will be clean.”
Mila began to urge her. Else had no choice but to put on a light shawl and carry Abelard in her arms. Mila praised her from the side, saying, “Well thought out.” Else took a heavy step. Abelard smiled brightly, perhaps glad to be breathing the fresh air for the first time in a while. Else walked through the garden with a faint smile.
“Maaaa-maaaa-.”
Abelard babbled as he extended his fern-like hand toward Else. Else, holding back tears, looked at the small, well-kept garden. Although the castle was shabby compared to other nobles', the garden was beautiful, having been carefully tended to by her grandmother.
Aster and daisy, climbing roses and daisies, water parsley, chrysanthemums, marigolds... The garden, which had been meticulously tended by her late maternal grandmother, was no less than that of any nobleman. Else, who was looking at the fountain in the center, lowered her gaze.
After following her uncle into the castle, Else was introduced to the bedroom where she would stay with Abelard. She was told that it was the bedroom her mother had used before she got married to her father. Else looked around the bedroom. The furniture that her mother had used when she was a young woman was still there.
“What about my mother?”
“Fell asleep.”
She stared at her uncle, who had a waxy white face like her mother's. He was a man with bright blond hair and a slender figure, like her mother's older brother. Else had never seen her uncle before. She couldn't remember.
In any case, after her maternal grandfather passed away, the slender ties between them were severed. With Else leaving for Siena, Roate was in shambles, so Else must have been an unpleasant presence to him.
“Else.”
She asked her mother how she was doing as a greeting and turned her gaze. Her uncle called her softly. Else looked long at the arched window. 'Idun.' The greenery in Gerjon's territory had not yet faded. Else turned her gaze and stared at her uncle.
“Do you have anything to say?”
“No. Just rest easy.”
Sibyl had asked her to stay here until the castle in Lugdun was repaired. Even though he knew that Else was not on good terms with his mother's family, this might have been the best option for her. At least he thought there would be someone to look after her.
She looked around the place where her uncle had left, took out the parchment that Alexander had handed her, and looked down at it for a long time. She hadn’t read it yet. The King’s will... The last message from the man who had known about Else’s plan and had turned a blind eye to it. Her heart ached with bitterness.
'...Supreme glory of Travasta. Knight of the storm and thunderbolt. Rightful King of the Tulcs and the Deltans. Protector and conqueror of the realm. Sibyl III, eldest son of Pitroi and Bonaparte, hereby subscribes. The throne bequeaths to my eldest son, Abelard Roalec Diancourt Calixa Romanerei van Ricarlo III, the legitimate eldest son and heir of Sibyl III, King of Travasta. His mother, the Duchess of Montana, succeeded to the Duchess of Montana as the consort of the King under the strict discipline of the laws of the land...'
Else remembered the voice of Alexander, reading the words left by Sibyl in a low and stern voice. He had signed that he would succeed to the throne after he died in the person of Abelard. Abelard was a newborn baby. A baby who had just turned 100 days old...
'... Therefore, the Marquis of Aperato shall be regent. The Duchess shall leave Siena and go to a place where she can regain stability. She shall have the right to share in the property and fiefs as the spouse of I, Sibyl III. This shall be enforced without fail by the Privy Council.'
Her knees shook. Else rubbed the air absentmindedly. When did he know? What was he thinking as he watched? Else bit her lips.
'...I hereby order a reinvestigation of the crimes committed by the House of Roate, which was dismembered by Dolan's treason last month, and I hereby order that Else von Montana be posthumously promoted to Queen.'
'...'
'His Majesty has ordered that this be kept secret.'
So... So she was able to get out of prison. Else looked up at Alexander. It must have been quite difficult to handle everything without the Privy Council knowing. Even if it was the King’s order, it was still a matter of saving the woman who tried to poison the King.
'His Majesty...'
'Please leave.'
No more questions. Else pursed her lips. If he had died, everyone would have been in mourning. But Alexander was only in his royal uniform as a member of the King's guard. Yes. That was all that mattered. If Sibyl lived and Else could leave Siena...
That would be fine.
'His Majesty has left everything to be done after death, but... if it is a matter concerning your disposition, it may be done now.'
It was a monotonous voice. Else did not respond or nod. She turned her gaze to the swaying tree branches beyond the window.
***
A week passed. Else lived as she had in the villa. The only difference was that Jules and Jeanne were not there. When she came down from Siena, she had not brought the servants of the villa with her, so Else was completely alone. Once every two days, a maid came to clean the room and bring her food, but that was all.
So Else was the only one who could take care of her son. And that was better. Else did nothing but take care of Abelard. For the first three days, her aunt, the Baroness, checked on her and asked her to have lunch with her several times and take a walk in the garden, but when Else showed no sign of response and showed no interest, she soon gave up. After a week or so of arriving at her maternal home, she heard that a servant and two maids from Siena had come down to work at the Baron’s castle. They spoke in a royal dialect, as befitting royal people, and they moved briskly, as if they had done it before.
“Hello, Your Highness. My name is Gelda. I will be in charge of Your Highness’s care.”
“My name is Mila. I am in charge of the household, Your Highness."
It was two days later that two women with white faces and a royal accent, who did not look like country people, took charge of her bedroom. Else stared at the two women with indifferent eyes. The two women introduced themselves with bright smiles.
A maid from the royal capital suddenly appeared in this remote village. This was not an uncommon occurrence. Even though they were maids, maids who had been living in Siena, where high-ranking officials lived, found it ridiculous to work in the mansion of a nobleman in the countryside. The salary and treatment were far better in Siena, so why would they go all the way to this remote countryside?
However, they said that they was a maid introduced by her aunt's family. Then it made sense. Her aunt was the daughter of a low-ranking government official, and when she got married, she brought along many maids who worked at her family's house. One day, when they were having lunch together, she heard that they needed to hire more servants to accommodate the growing number of military family members.
“Please take good care of me.”
She nodded. Mila, the person in charge of the cleaning, looked around the bedroom and opened her lips.
“Your Highness, have you been out today?”
Else shook her head at the unexpected question. Mila gave Gelda a look. Gelda opened her lips as if she understood her signal.
“Then, how about you go out into the garden while Mila takes a moment to clean up the bedroom? The weather is nice today, so you could take a walk in the garden with the Prince.”
It was annoying. Else looked at the maids and then looked down at Abelard. Since leaving Siena, there was nothing but Abelard. He was a baby, so he had to be taken care of a lot, but Else had nothing else to do.
“Isn’t that right, Prince?”
Gelda looked down at Abelard and asked brightly. Else narrowed her eyebrows. From some point on, Else had been taking care of Abelard like she had taken care of Sibyl. After Hermi passed away, she never took care of him again. Jules had even nagged her, saying, “What if we lose Abelard too?” However...
“After you come back from the garden and have some delicious tea, your bedroom will be clean.”
Mila began to urge her. Else had no choice but to put on a light shawl and carry Abelard in her arms. Mila praised her from the side, saying, “Well thought out.” Else took a heavy step. Abelard smiled brightly, perhaps glad to be breathing the fresh air for the first time in a while. Else walked through the garden with a faint smile.
“Maaaa-maaaa-.”
Abelard babbled as he extended his fern-like hand toward Else. Else, holding back tears, looked at the small, well-kept garden. Although the castle was shabby compared to other nobles', the garden was beautiful, having been carefully tended to by her grandmother.
Aster and daisy, climbing roses and daisies, water parsley, chrysanthemums, marigolds... The garden, which had been meticulously tended by her late maternal grandmother, was no less than that of any nobleman. Else, who was looking at the fountain in the center, lowered her gaze.
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