80. Those congratulatory words
“His Highness.”
“I am a Prince too.”
"Me too!"
The employees sitting around the spacious table, as if by convention, kept shouting out the same names. Lisa, the last to enter the break room, clicked her tongue and watched the pitiful scene.
Who wouldn't be the servants of the city's greatest card-playing Prince? They all seem so fond of gambling. Now, even the victories and defeats of their masters' fights are being drawn into the betting game. This is truly the end of the world.
“Lisa, what about you?”
The maid, who had discovered Lisa, asked her a question with a bright face. It had been almost a week since the two had spoken, and the situation was so dire, they were quite excited.
Lisa, who had approached the table with the intention of venting her frustrations, suddenly frowned. Everyone here was betting on the Prince. It was a situation that was quite humiliating.
“I am Her Highness!”
Lisa took a bill from her pocket and placed it on the space marked Erna's name. She knew she shouldn't live like this, but she couldn't stand to see Erna ignored.
The servant, with a sympathetic look and a click of his tongue, wrote Lisa's name in large letters beneath Erna's. Lisa had just finished her loyalty bet when the bell rang in the Grand Duchess's bedroom.
“Shouldn’t you rest?”
Lisa looked at Erna's complexion with concern. Her health seemed to have deteriorated significantly lately, and she was becoming increasingly concerned. Yet, Erna herself seemed overly calm. It was unusual for someone who had just vented her frustrations.
“It’s okay, Lisa. I’m resting.”
“I don’t think you would normally call something like this a break, would you?”
Lisa's expression grew uneasy as she looked at the scraps of cloth covering her desk. Whether she understood her feelings or not, Erna continued her diligent cutting. Judging by the shape of the petals, she thought they were roses today.
“If I stay still, my mind becomes more complicated, so I like to do things like this to pass the time.”
Erna put down the scissors for a moment, rubbed her reddened fingers, and smiled.
Lisa, who had already seen the completed arrangement piled high, Erna's innocent face, and the flower petals filling the desk, simply let out an awkward laugh. Our Highness, though small in stature, possesses a magnificent spirit. It was clear that her concept of leisure was quite different from that of others.
Erna took a sip of her lukewarm tea and picked up her scissors again. Lisa, resigned, deftly began assisting Erna. She cleared away the scraps of cloth and brought in the necessary materials. It felt like a return to the days when the Hardys made and sold artificial flowers together.
“Your Highness, we can’t sell this back to Mr. Pent... right?”
The excitement that had risen over Lisa's face at the sight of the pile of artificial flowers soon gave way to frustration. It was simply not right for the Grand Duchess to sell artificial flowers at a department store.
If she were to sell it as if she made it herself, like the Hardy family did... that wouldn’t work either time, both of them were desperate for every penny, but now, after all, they were the First Princess and Grand Duchess of Letzen, and had risen to the position of maid to the most noble lady. Given the weight of the dignity and prestige she had to maintain, such deceptive business was difficult.
“How about giving it to the maids as a gift?”
Erna, who had just finished putting down the rose arrangement, asked with an excited face.
“Huh? What’s so attractive about people who gossip behind your back all the time?”
Lisa's face straightened, and she hurried to her feet. The flowers were all equally beautiful and luscious. She could now understand the profound sadness that had washed over Mr. Pent's face when he heard that he could no longer supply.
“This precious thing! How much money would it cost if you sold it?”
“I can’t sell it anyway. Hmm. Do you think they’ll hate it?”
"Of course not. Everyone must like it. But the problem is that they'll gossip about Your Highness."
"Then let's give it to the head maid. Maybe then she'll look at me favorably, at least with a single flower."
No way.
A sarcastic reply rose to the tip of her tongue, but Lisa couldn't bring herself to utter it. The slow-moving Madam smiled prettily.
Those who don't even fall for this laughter are truly guilty. The poisonous mushroom Prince in question is especially so.
“Excuse me, Your Highness. Would you like to give the Prince a gift as well?”
Lisa, who had been observing the situation, asked a question subtly.
While she desperately hoped for the two of them to get along, she truly hoped Erna would seize the victory in this fight. It's already heartbreaking to be in love with your husband, and to be crushed in your first fight as a married couple is just too sad and resentful.
“No way, Lisa.”
Erna, who was making a flower while lying face down on the desk, looked at Lisa as if she were about to hear some absurd story.
“No way.”
Erna, who had given a sharp answer, began to move her hands more diligently as if erasing the unpleasant name.
Unable to contain her rage, which surged to the very tips of her hair, she fought, but this wasn't the outcome she'd hoped for. The first day felt refreshing, but the second day left her feeling a little uneasy. On the third day, she quietly opened the door she'd kept tightly locked. She resolved to feign defeat and accept Bjorn if he came. But this time, the man proved even more responsive than Erna could have imagined.
Bjorn never once looked for Erna.
He slept alone, ate alone, went out alone, and acted as if there was no such thing as a wife in this house. His attitude was true to his threat that he would never see her face again. Erna, her pride wounded, fought back, steadfastly holding on, and their relationship had been stuck in a stalemate for a week. In this overly spacious palace, it seemed they could live their entire lives, ignoring each other.
Erna, who had calmed her stomach, which was starting to feel nauseous again after drinking tea, gathered the completed arrangement in one place. Roses, lilies of the valley, dahlias, and orange blossoms. The flowers that bloomed from her troubled heart filled a large basket.
Lisa began to harmoniously mix the flowers into a corsage. Erna was far more skilled at making artificial flowers, but Lisa was several steps ahead when it came to arranging them beautifully.
"The more I think about it, the more I regret it. These are top-quality products that deserve to be sold at a really good price!"
Despite her grumbling, Lisa diligently crafted gifts for the maids. She even decorated Erna's spring hat with the remaining flowers.
Just as she was putting on the hat, Mrs. Fitz stopped by. She stared at the two women, tense as if they'd been caught doing something wrong, and then, without further admonishment, began her report.
"The royal family will arrive at Schwerin Palace three days before the opening ceremony. The palace has informed us that there's no need to prepare any special gatherings that day. Her Majesty the Queen has stated that a family dinner is sufficient."
“Oh, yes. Then please prepare the banquet that day according to Her Majesty’s wishes.”
Erna answered slowly, trying to hide her nervousness.
Even for a family, the guests were not particularly small. The royal couple and their five children, Princess Louise's husband and younger siblings, and Erna herself would have easily filled the spacious banquet hall's table.
"This is the final list of guests to be invited to the two Princes' birthday banquet. Please check it out."
Mrs. Fitz politely held out the neatly organized list to Erna.
The royal family, including the King and Queen, were scheduled to stay in Schwerin for the time being to attend the opening ceremony of the World's Fair held in this city. Consequently, the twin Princes' birthdays, two days after the opening ceremony, were to be celebrated at Schwerin Palace, under the care of their mistress, Erna. This was her first real test, and she was incredibly nervous.
Erna carefully reviewed the list and continued her discussion. The nausea began just as Mrs. Fitz turned away.
As Erna ran to the bathroom, Lisa quickly followed. Startled, Mrs. Fitz stood there, staring blankly at the closed bathroom door.
“I’m sorry, Mrs. Fitz. I’ve made a grave mistake.”
After a while, Erna returned to her seat and apologized with a pale face.
“I will call the attending doctor, Your Highness.”
“No, you don’t have to. I still have some painkillers left.”
While Erna quietly shook her head, Lisa brought out the medicine on a small tray.
“Please don’t take that medicine.”
Mrs. Fitz winked at the maid who was trying to deliver the medicine to the Grand Duchess.
"First, call your doctor and get a checkup. It might be a symptom of the stomachache you've been suffering from, but I think it's best to get it checked out properly. You haven't missed your period this month, have you?"
“That period? Ah...”
When Erna blushed in embarrassment, Lisa finally gasped and took a deep breath.
What the heck. Oh my god.
Mrs. Fitz gave Lisa a stern order as she tried to suppress the urge to stamp her feet and jump.
"Go to the butler's office and tell them to summon the attending doctor, Lisa. Hurry."
A dark-brown stallion galloped through the spring forest.
The powerful clatter of hooves along the path, lined with new leaves and blooming spring flowers, finally ceased at the edge of the forest, overlooking Schwerin Bay. The horse's mane, breathing heavily, rustled gently in the gentle breeze that wafted from the sea.
Dismounting, Bjorn took off his riding hat and enjoyed the breeze. The calm sea and horizon sparkled dazzlingly in the sunlight. Fluffy clouds drifted across the clear sky, and the sweet scent of flowers wafted through his nostrils. It was a beautiful day, the epitome of spring. Bjorn chuckled, astonished that such weather could so depress a person's mood.
The weather resembles that woman.
Late one morning, as he stepped out onto the balcony to catch some fresh air, a thought suddenly occurred to him. It was the beginning of an unlucky day.
When the sweat cooled, Bjorn climbed back onto his horse.
After getting rid of the annoying woman, his life became peaceful again, as if he had returned to the way it was before marriage. Thanks to this, he has been enjoying horseback riding more often lately. It was a day he had absolutely nothing to lose.
The horse, running along the forest and riverbank, entered the garden when the afternoon sun was golden.
Two days ago, around this time, he ran into Erna, who was out for a walk with her maid. Even when their eyes met, she didn't turn away as abruptly as before, so he thought she'd decided to bow and come in. He wasn't entirely unwilling to pretend to be defeated and forgive her.
But Erna, holding her parasol to her face, blocked his view as she leisurely brushed past him. Ribbons and lace fluttered behind her as she walked briskly, as if to tease him. Bjorn had to remain there for a long moment, clutching the reins, trying to suppress the rage that had surged to the very tips of his head.
Sighing, Bjorn slowly crossed the garden, wiping away that unfortunate memory. As he reached the Grand Duke's entrance, a servant rushed out to greet him.
“Go to the Her Highness, Your Highness. The examination should be over by now.”
The servant who had been handed the reins stopped him with strange words.
“Examination?”
“You don’t know yet, do you?”
Even in front of Bjorn, who was frowning, he kept laughing, as if he had lost his mind. Bjorn, growing increasingly irritated by the situation, was about to speak when the attendant abruptly lowered his head.
“Congratulations, Your Highness. You will soon be a father.”
The congratulatory words, full of emotion, were no different from those of that day.
“His Highness.”
“I am a Prince too.”
"Me too!"
The employees sitting around the spacious table, as if by convention, kept shouting out the same names. Lisa, the last to enter the break room, clicked her tongue and watched the pitiful scene.
Who wouldn't be the servants of the city's greatest card-playing Prince? They all seem so fond of gambling. Now, even the victories and defeats of their masters' fights are being drawn into the betting game. This is truly the end of the world.
“Lisa, what about you?”
The maid, who had discovered Lisa, asked her a question with a bright face. It had been almost a week since the two had spoken, and the situation was so dire, they were quite excited.
Lisa, who had approached the table with the intention of venting her frustrations, suddenly frowned. Everyone here was betting on the Prince. It was a situation that was quite humiliating.
“I am Her Highness!”
Lisa took a bill from her pocket and placed it on the space marked Erna's name. She knew she shouldn't live like this, but she couldn't stand to see Erna ignored.
The servant, with a sympathetic look and a click of his tongue, wrote Lisa's name in large letters beneath Erna's. Lisa had just finished her loyalty bet when the bell rang in the Grand Duchess's bedroom.
***
“Shouldn’t you rest?”
Lisa looked at Erna's complexion with concern. Her health seemed to have deteriorated significantly lately, and she was becoming increasingly concerned. Yet, Erna herself seemed overly calm. It was unusual for someone who had just vented her frustrations.
“It’s okay, Lisa. I’m resting.”
“I don’t think you would normally call something like this a break, would you?”
Lisa's expression grew uneasy as she looked at the scraps of cloth covering her desk. Whether she understood her feelings or not, Erna continued her diligent cutting. Judging by the shape of the petals, she thought they were roses today.
“If I stay still, my mind becomes more complicated, so I like to do things like this to pass the time.”
Erna put down the scissors for a moment, rubbed her reddened fingers, and smiled.
Lisa, who had already seen the completed arrangement piled high, Erna's innocent face, and the flower petals filling the desk, simply let out an awkward laugh. Our Highness, though small in stature, possesses a magnificent spirit. It was clear that her concept of leisure was quite different from that of others.
Erna took a sip of her lukewarm tea and picked up her scissors again. Lisa, resigned, deftly began assisting Erna. She cleared away the scraps of cloth and brought in the necessary materials. It felt like a return to the days when the Hardys made and sold artificial flowers together.
“Your Highness, we can’t sell this back to Mr. Pent... right?”
The excitement that had risen over Lisa's face at the sight of the pile of artificial flowers soon gave way to frustration. It was simply not right for the Grand Duchess to sell artificial flowers at a department store.
If she were to sell it as if she made it herself, like the Hardy family did... that wouldn’t work either time, both of them were desperate for every penny, but now, after all, they were the First Princess and Grand Duchess of Letzen, and had risen to the position of maid to the most noble lady. Given the weight of the dignity and prestige she had to maintain, such deceptive business was difficult.
“How about giving it to the maids as a gift?”
Erna, who had just finished putting down the rose arrangement, asked with an excited face.
“Huh? What’s so attractive about people who gossip behind your back all the time?”
Lisa's face straightened, and she hurried to her feet. The flowers were all equally beautiful and luscious. She could now understand the profound sadness that had washed over Mr. Pent's face when he heard that he could no longer supply.
“This precious thing! How much money would it cost if you sold it?”
“I can’t sell it anyway. Hmm. Do you think they’ll hate it?”
"Of course not. Everyone must like it. But the problem is that they'll gossip about Your Highness."
"Then let's give it to the head maid. Maybe then she'll look at me favorably, at least with a single flower."
No way.
A sarcastic reply rose to the tip of her tongue, but Lisa couldn't bring herself to utter it. The slow-moving Madam smiled prettily.
Those who don't even fall for this laughter are truly guilty. The poisonous mushroom Prince in question is especially so.
“Excuse me, Your Highness. Would you like to give the Prince a gift as well?”
Lisa, who had been observing the situation, asked a question subtly.
While she desperately hoped for the two of them to get along, she truly hoped Erna would seize the victory in this fight. It's already heartbreaking to be in love with your husband, and to be crushed in your first fight as a married couple is just too sad and resentful.
“No way, Lisa.”
Erna, who was making a flower while lying face down on the desk, looked at Lisa as if she were about to hear some absurd story.
“No way.”
Erna, who had given a sharp answer, began to move her hands more diligently as if erasing the unpleasant name.
Unable to contain her rage, which surged to the very tips of her hair, she fought, but this wasn't the outcome she'd hoped for. The first day felt refreshing, but the second day left her feeling a little uneasy. On the third day, she quietly opened the door she'd kept tightly locked. She resolved to feign defeat and accept Bjorn if he came. But this time, the man proved even more responsive than Erna could have imagined.
Bjorn never once looked for Erna.
He slept alone, ate alone, went out alone, and acted as if there was no such thing as a wife in this house. His attitude was true to his threat that he would never see her face again. Erna, her pride wounded, fought back, steadfastly holding on, and their relationship had been stuck in a stalemate for a week. In this overly spacious palace, it seemed they could live their entire lives, ignoring each other.
Erna, who had calmed her stomach, which was starting to feel nauseous again after drinking tea, gathered the completed arrangement in one place. Roses, lilies of the valley, dahlias, and orange blossoms. The flowers that bloomed from her troubled heart filled a large basket.
Lisa began to harmoniously mix the flowers into a corsage. Erna was far more skilled at making artificial flowers, but Lisa was several steps ahead when it came to arranging them beautifully.
"The more I think about it, the more I regret it. These are top-quality products that deserve to be sold at a really good price!"
Despite her grumbling, Lisa diligently crafted gifts for the maids. She even decorated Erna's spring hat with the remaining flowers.
Just as she was putting on the hat, Mrs. Fitz stopped by. She stared at the two women, tense as if they'd been caught doing something wrong, and then, without further admonishment, began her report.
"The royal family will arrive at Schwerin Palace three days before the opening ceremony. The palace has informed us that there's no need to prepare any special gatherings that day. Her Majesty the Queen has stated that a family dinner is sufficient."
“Oh, yes. Then please prepare the banquet that day according to Her Majesty’s wishes.”
Erna answered slowly, trying to hide her nervousness.
Even for a family, the guests were not particularly small. The royal couple and their five children, Princess Louise's husband and younger siblings, and Erna herself would have easily filled the spacious banquet hall's table.
"This is the final list of guests to be invited to the two Princes' birthday banquet. Please check it out."
Mrs. Fitz politely held out the neatly organized list to Erna.
The royal family, including the King and Queen, were scheduled to stay in Schwerin for the time being to attend the opening ceremony of the World's Fair held in this city. Consequently, the twin Princes' birthdays, two days after the opening ceremony, were to be celebrated at Schwerin Palace, under the care of their mistress, Erna. This was her first real test, and she was incredibly nervous.
Erna carefully reviewed the list and continued her discussion. The nausea began just as Mrs. Fitz turned away.
As Erna ran to the bathroom, Lisa quickly followed. Startled, Mrs. Fitz stood there, staring blankly at the closed bathroom door.
“I’m sorry, Mrs. Fitz. I’ve made a grave mistake.”
After a while, Erna returned to her seat and apologized with a pale face.
“I will call the attending doctor, Your Highness.”
“No, you don’t have to. I still have some painkillers left.”
While Erna quietly shook her head, Lisa brought out the medicine on a small tray.
“Please don’t take that medicine.”
Mrs. Fitz winked at the maid who was trying to deliver the medicine to the Grand Duchess.
"First, call your doctor and get a checkup. It might be a symptom of the stomachache you've been suffering from, but I think it's best to get it checked out properly. You haven't missed your period this month, have you?"
“That period? Ah...”
When Erna blushed in embarrassment, Lisa finally gasped and took a deep breath.
What the heck. Oh my god.
Mrs. Fitz gave Lisa a stern order as she tried to suppress the urge to stamp her feet and jump.
"Go to the butler's office and tell them to summon the attending doctor, Lisa. Hurry."
***
A dark-brown stallion galloped through the spring forest.
The powerful clatter of hooves along the path, lined with new leaves and blooming spring flowers, finally ceased at the edge of the forest, overlooking Schwerin Bay. The horse's mane, breathing heavily, rustled gently in the gentle breeze that wafted from the sea.
Dismounting, Bjorn took off his riding hat and enjoyed the breeze. The calm sea and horizon sparkled dazzlingly in the sunlight. Fluffy clouds drifted across the clear sky, and the sweet scent of flowers wafted through his nostrils. It was a beautiful day, the epitome of spring. Bjorn chuckled, astonished that such weather could so depress a person's mood.
The weather resembles that woman.
Late one morning, as he stepped out onto the balcony to catch some fresh air, a thought suddenly occurred to him. It was the beginning of an unlucky day.
When the sweat cooled, Bjorn climbed back onto his horse.
After getting rid of the annoying woman, his life became peaceful again, as if he had returned to the way it was before marriage. Thanks to this, he has been enjoying horseback riding more often lately. It was a day he had absolutely nothing to lose.
The horse, running along the forest and riverbank, entered the garden when the afternoon sun was golden.
Two days ago, around this time, he ran into Erna, who was out for a walk with her maid. Even when their eyes met, she didn't turn away as abruptly as before, so he thought she'd decided to bow and come in. He wasn't entirely unwilling to pretend to be defeated and forgive her.
But Erna, holding her parasol to her face, blocked his view as she leisurely brushed past him. Ribbons and lace fluttered behind her as she walked briskly, as if to tease him. Bjorn had to remain there for a long moment, clutching the reins, trying to suppress the rage that had surged to the very tips of his head.
Sighing, Bjorn slowly crossed the garden, wiping away that unfortunate memory. As he reached the Grand Duke's entrance, a servant rushed out to greet him.
“Go to the Her Highness, Your Highness. The examination should be over by now.”
The servant who had been handed the reins stopped him with strange words.
“Examination?”
“You don’t know yet, do you?”
Even in front of Bjorn, who was frowning, he kept laughing, as if he had lost his mind. Bjorn, growing increasingly irritated by the situation, was about to speak when the attendant abruptly lowered his head.
“Congratulations, Your Highness. You will soon be a father.”
The congratulatory words, full of emotion, were no different from those of that day.
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