Side Story 3. Even When a Loved One Leaves, Life Goes On
“No, but in that situation, he doesn’t take my side and just stands there blankly...! Does that make sense? Does that make sense?”
“Yes, brother-in-law, you went too far.”
Aila nodded mechanically and sipped her tea. After two hours of listening to her cousin Rachel's husband swear, her soul was worn out.
"...Hey, Aila. Can't you listen to me more sincerely? You're the only one who'll listen to my complaints.”
"Lady Rachel, please understand. Our young lady has a date with His Highness the Crown Prince soon, and I think she's distracted by it."
When Rachel grumbled at the strangely dismissive behavior, Lisa, Aila's maid, tried to comfort her by filling her cup with tea.
"It's a good time...! Is it really that good? Well, it was good when I was dating, too. Before we met, we'd get excited hours beforehand, and when it was time to part, we'd say we didn't want to part, so we'd do stupid things like walk back and forth on the same route several times, saying we'd drive each other back and forth..."
Rachel placed her palm against her cheek and gazed into space, making a gesture that seemed to recall a distant memory. It had only been about a year since their marriage, but her expression suggested she was reminiscing about a time decades ago.
"But aren't you upset? The engagement ceremony has been postponed for a year. If it were me, I'd probably still feel sad, even if I understood it was inevitable."
"Just like you said, it can't be helped. It's no one's fault, so who should be upset? It's heartbreaking, but it's not like the engagement ceremony has been postponed... My heart aches when I think about the pain he must have felt. He's still young..."
Aila answered Rachel's sudden question with a somewhat lonely smile.
"What makes him young? He's two years older than you. But if you look closely, you often act like an old man. At the ripe old age of eighteen, you act like a grown man, while treating the Crown Prince, who's much older than you, like a child."
At first glance, it may sound like nonsense, but to Aila, who was hiding the secret of having gone back in time, it was a meaningful statement.
Of course, even if you add in the six years that passed since she turned eighteen, she wasn't old enough to be called an old person, but she seemed to have matured earlier than her peers because she had been through so many hardships.
"Well, it's heartbreaking. Honestly, this isn't something you get used to, no matter how old you are. I think His Majesty the Emperor must be deeply heartbroken. I heard they had such a wonderful marriage..."
Aila nodded with a bitter expression at Rachel's words. Empress Selene, who had been in poor health, had recently passed away.
The reason the engagement was rushed from the beginning was due to the Empress's health. Growing increasingly frail, she wanted to hold her son's engagement ceremony while she was still somewhat healthy.
But, unfortunately, her last wish was not granted. Her condition rapidly deteriorated, and she died just weeks before their engagement.
Because of this, the engagement ceremony was postponed for a year. This was because imperial law prohibited ceremonies such as marriages and engagements for one year when an Emperor or Empress died, and a period of mourning was observed.
Of course, being the Crown Prince could not be an exception.
"Aren't you anxious? During the one-year delay in your engagement, another young lady could seduce His Royal Highness. It's times like these that you need to be especially careful. What would you do if some cunning person approached him, claiming to comfort him and seducing him? Isn't that what you're going to do?"
Rachel rested her chin on the table and asked with a mischievous expression. It was her own attempt to lighten the mood, which had become gloomy due to the sad topic.
"That's unlikely, but... if something like that were to happen, I'd challenge that young lady to a fair duel. Do you think she could beat me?"
Not knowing her intentions, Aila shook off her loneliness and playfully accepted the offer. Her expression brimmed with confidence.
Then Rachel's eyes narrowed. She looked as if she were dissatisfied with something.
“...Do you know that you’re strangely unlucky?”
“Why? Because I’m confident I’ll win?”
"No, that's not it. You're strong, isn't it? Just stating the truth. But it's a bit much to say it can't be true, my dear. Does that mean His Highness the Crown Prince is completely smitten with you? You're brimming with confidence."
Aila scratched her cheek awkwardly, feeling uneasy for no reason, as her cousin clicked her tongue, as if she couldn't stand the sight.
“Did you hear that? That’s not what I meant. That... Win, no, His Highness the Crown Prince isn’t such a frivolous person...”
"Anyway, the fact that you're proud remains unchanged. Oh my, who on earth did you take after to be so unsellable?"
Rachel shook her head and took a sip of tea from her cup. Then, startled by the answer coming from behind her, she almost gasped.
“Who does she resemble? She resembles me.”
“Oh my, Aunt! When did you get here?”
Rachel skillfully wiped her mouth with a handkerchief and greeted Ophelia with a calm face.
"I just got here. I heard a rumor that a low-ranking magician affiliated with the Duke's family was having a good time here during work hours, so I came to crack down."
“Oh my, it’s already that time...! Oh, I’m surprised. What, it’s still break time?”
Startled by her words, Rachel checked the time and looked at her aunt with a tearful face.
"Just kidding, kidding. I came here because I was curious to see what you guys were talking about so enjoyably. Can I sit down? Would it be boring if I joined in?"
"Why are you saying that, Mother? Lisa, may I have another cup of tea?"
As Aila spoke with a bright smile, Ophelia sat down elegantly next to Aila.
Rachel, who was watching the scene, rubbed her chin and hmm, lost in thought.
"The two of you definitely look alike. Not only in looks, but also in your uncanny ability to sell. But I guess your eye for men isn't the same."
“What does that mean?”
"They say daughters are usually attracted to men who resemble their fathers, right? But my uncle and the Crown Prince... they're completely different types."
Only then did Ophelia understand her niece's words, covering her mouth and bursting into laughter. Unlike her mother, however, Aila blinked slowly, as if she still hadn't understood her words.
“Is that so?”
"Yes! My uncle is a manly man. It's like saying, 'Look! He's a man among men!' But look, His Highness the Crown Prince... He looks frail. You can't find anything similar between the two of you, no matter how hard you look."
At Rachel's paradox, Aila tilted her head in puzzlement.
“Well... I thought His Highness the Crown Prince looked quite similar to my father.”
“What do you mean? Are you saying that the black dot on his hair resembles something else?”
Rachel burst out laughing at her words, as if they were absurd.
"No, I mean... they're both affectionate. My father takes care of me silently from behind, and Winfred takes care of me delicately from the front... It's just that they express it differently, but they're both kind."
Aila smiled shyly and answered. Her cheeks were already flushed as she remembered Winfred.
Rachel looked disgusted at that "face of a girl in love." But Ophelia seemed to have a slightly different perspective, nodding in agreement.
"Your father is very affectionate. I was attracted to that."
She gazed off into space with a happy expression, reminiscing about a distant memory.
“Oh my, now even my aunt... I should stop talking. So, Aila, you don’t care if His Highness the Crown Prince is weaker than you?”
“Of course. I just need to be strong. The person next to me doesn’t need to be strong either.”
Aila shrugged in response to Rachel's question, then asked back with a mischievous expression.
“So, what about you, sister? Did you choose my brother-in-law because he resembles my uncle?”
“...Yeah. I don’t know what a person like him, who only knows how to study, would choose. Oh my, really.”
“Even if you say that, you still love him.”
Rachel, who had been shaking her head and shuddering, suddenly blushed bright red at Aila's sudden attack. She had been hit hard.
"Oh my, it's already this late. I should go, haha. I'll get up first, Aunt."
She stood up, flustered. She seemed embarrassed to answer, and was reluctant to answer.
Aila, who had been laughing with her mother while looking at her back, checked the time and got up from her seat.
"I should probably start getting ready now. My appointment with Winfred is fast approaching."
"Of course. It's been a while since I've seen you, too. Oh, by the way, I heard your father is going to the palace too. How about we go together?"
“Oh, you’re going to see His Majesty the Emperor. I’d be happy if my father could come with me.”
Aila nodded at her mother's words.
“No, but in that situation, he doesn’t take my side and just stands there blankly...! Does that make sense? Does that make sense?”
“Yes, brother-in-law, you went too far.”
Aila nodded mechanically and sipped her tea. After two hours of listening to her cousin Rachel's husband swear, her soul was worn out.
"...Hey, Aila. Can't you listen to me more sincerely? You're the only one who'll listen to my complaints.”
"Lady Rachel, please understand. Our young lady has a date with His Highness the Crown Prince soon, and I think she's distracted by it."
When Rachel grumbled at the strangely dismissive behavior, Lisa, Aila's maid, tried to comfort her by filling her cup with tea.
"It's a good time...! Is it really that good? Well, it was good when I was dating, too. Before we met, we'd get excited hours beforehand, and when it was time to part, we'd say we didn't want to part, so we'd do stupid things like walk back and forth on the same route several times, saying we'd drive each other back and forth..."
Rachel placed her palm against her cheek and gazed into space, making a gesture that seemed to recall a distant memory. It had only been about a year since their marriage, but her expression suggested she was reminiscing about a time decades ago.
"But aren't you upset? The engagement ceremony has been postponed for a year. If it were me, I'd probably still feel sad, even if I understood it was inevitable."
"Just like you said, it can't be helped. It's no one's fault, so who should be upset? It's heartbreaking, but it's not like the engagement ceremony has been postponed... My heart aches when I think about the pain he must have felt. He's still young..."
Aila answered Rachel's sudden question with a somewhat lonely smile.
"What makes him young? He's two years older than you. But if you look closely, you often act like an old man. At the ripe old age of eighteen, you act like a grown man, while treating the Crown Prince, who's much older than you, like a child."
At first glance, it may sound like nonsense, but to Aila, who was hiding the secret of having gone back in time, it was a meaningful statement.
Of course, even if you add in the six years that passed since she turned eighteen, she wasn't old enough to be called an old person, but she seemed to have matured earlier than her peers because she had been through so many hardships.
"Well, it's heartbreaking. Honestly, this isn't something you get used to, no matter how old you are. I think His Majesty the Emperor must be deeply heartbroken. I heard they had such a wonderful marriage..."
Aila nodded with a bitter expression at Rachel's words. Empress Selene, who had been in poor health, had recently passed away.
The reason the engagement was rushed from the beginning was due to the Empress's health. Growing increasingly frail, she wanted to hold her son's engagement ceremony while she was still somewhat healthy.
But, unfortunately, her last wish was not granted. Her condition rapidly deteriorated, and she died just weeks before their engagement.
Because of this, the engagement ceremony was postponed for a year. This was because imperial law prohibited ceremonies such as marriages and engagements for one year when an Emperor or Empress died, and a period of mourning was observed.
Of course, being the Crown Prince could not be an exception.
"Aren't you anxious? During the one-year delay in your engagement, another young lady could seduce His Royal Highness. It's times like these that you need to be especially careful. What would you do if some cunning person approached him, claiming to comfort him and seducing him? Isn't that what you're going to do?"
Rachel rested her chin on the table and asked with a mischievous expression. It was her own attempt to lighten the mood, which had become gloomy due to the sad topic.
"That's unlikely, but... if something like that were to happen, I'd challenge that young lady to a fair duel. Do you think she could beat me?"
Not knowing her intentions, Aila shook off her loneliness and playfully accepted the offer. Her expression brimmed with confidence.
Then Rachel's eyes narrowed. She looked as if she were dissatisfied with something.
“...Do you know that you’re strangely unlucky?”
“Why? Because I’m confident I’ll win?”
"No, that's not it. You're strong, isn't it? Just stating the truth. But it's a bit much to say it can't be true, my dear. Does that mean His Highness the Crown Prince is completely smitten with you? You're brimming with confidence."
Aila scratched her cheek awkwardly, feeling uneasy for no reason, as her cousin clicked her tongue, as if she couldn't stand the sight.
“Did you hear that? That’s not what I meant. That... Win, no, His Highness the Crown Prince isn’t such a frivolous person...”
"Anyway, the fact that you're proud remains unchanged. Oh my, who on earth did you take after to be so unsellable?"
Rachel shook her head and took a sip of tea from her cup. Then, startled by the answer coming from behind her, she almost gasped.
“Who does she resemble? She resembles me.”
“Oh my, Aunt! When did you get here?”
Rachel skillfully wiped her mouth with a handkerchief and greeted Ophelia with a calm face.
"I just got here. I heard a rumor that a low-ranking magician affiliated with the Duke's family was having a good time here during work hours, so I came to crack down."
“Oh my, it’s already that time...! Oh, I’m surprised. What, it’s still break time?”
Startled by her words, Rachel checked the time and looked at her aunt with a tearful face.
"Just kidding, kidding. I came here because I was curious to see what you guys were talking about so enjoyably. Can I sit down? Would it be boring if I joined in?"
"Why are you saying that, Mother? Lisa, may I have another cup of tea?"
As Aila spoke with a bright smile, Ophelia sat down elegantly next to Aila.
Rachel, who was watching the scene, rubbed her chin and hmm, lost in thought.
"The two of you definitely look alike. Not only in looks, but also in your uncanny ability to sell. But I guess your eye for men isn't the same."
“What does that mean?”
"They say daughters are usually attracted to men who resemble their fathers, right? But my uncle and the Crown Prince... they're completely different types."
Only then did Ophelia understand her niece's words, covering her mouth and bursting into laughter. Unlike her mother, however, Aila blinked slowly, as if she still hadn't understood her words.
“Is that so?”
"Yes! My uncle is a manly man. It's like saying, 'Look! He's a man among men!' But look, His Highness the Crown Prince... He looks frail. You can't find anything similar between the two of you, no matter how hard you look."
At Rachel's paradox, Aila tilted her head in puzzlement.
“Well... I thought His Highness the Crown Prince looked quite similar to my father.”
“What do you mean? Are you saying that the black dot on his hair resembles something else?”
Rachel burst out laughing at her words, as if they were absurd.
"No, I mean... they're both affectionate. My father takes care of me silently from behind, and Winfred takes care of me delicately from the front... It's just that they express it differently, but they're both kind."
Aila smiled shyly and answered. Her cheeks were already flushed as she remembered Winfred.
Rachel looked disgusted at that "face of a girl in love." But Ophelia seemed to have a slightly different perspective, nodding in agreement.
"Your father is very affectionate. I was attracted to that."
She gazed off into space with a happy expression, reminiscing about a distant memory.
“Oh my, now even my aunt... I should stop talking. So, Aila, you don’t care if His Highness the Crown Prince is weaker than you?”
“Of course. I just need to be strong. The person next to me doesn’t need to be strong either.”
Aila shrugged in response to Rachel's question, then asked back with a mischievous expression.
“So, what about you, sister? Did you choose my brother-in-law because he resembles my uncle?”
“...Yeah. I don’t know what a person like him, who only knows how to study, would choose. Oh my, really.”
“Even if you say that, you still love him.”
Rachel, who had been shaking her head and shuddering, suddenly blushed bright red at Aila's sudden attack. She had been hit hard.
"Oh my, it's already this late. I should go, haha. I'll get up first, Aunt."
She stood up, flustered. She seemed embarrassed to answer, and was reluctant to answer.
Aila, who had been laughing with her mother while looking at her back, checked the time and got up from her seat.
"I should probably start getting ready now. My appointment with Winfred is fast approaching."
"Of course. It's been a while since I've seen you, too. Oh, by the way, I heard your father is going to the palace too. How about we go together?"
“Oh, you’re going to see His Majesty the Emperor. I’d be happy if my father could come with me.”
Aila nodded at her mother's words.
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