Nearly half a year had passed, and winter had already arrived. In the late autumn, when the chilling winds blew, they had already prepared for winter by bringing in winter pajamas, indoor clothes, warm imported wool carpets, and the finest goose down bedding. The stove warmed the room, emitting the scent of high-quality oak firewood. The upper class reportedly preferred expensive wood, like apple or oak, over acrid coal because of its distinctive aroma, even though it would eventually burn away.
Boaz, who had come to live with me in the palace, was curled up on a cushion, basking in the warmth of the fire. His ribs, emaciated since Noah's departure, were visibly exposed.
“Take good care of Diana. Don’t let her be lonely.”
Boaz followed me and watched me wherever I went, whether he was keeping Noah's previous request or was worried that I would disappear too.
“Hang the red ornament here.”
“Haha. You’ve put on too many ribbons, Sir Eileen.”
The maids and servants chattered happily as they hung colorful ornaments, garlands, and ribbons on the large Christmas tree. Ted, a large man with gray eyes who seemed out of place in this lovely atmosphere, strode over and placed a star-shaped topper in my hand.
“Please give it a star, princess. The fun is in the hands of the higher-ups.”
“Sir Ted, I appreciate your consideration, but I can’t reach it.”
“Milia, hurry and give the Princess a ride.”
"Yes!"
Millia crouched down in front of me, turned around, and smiled brightly. "No, that's not necessary," Maria advised, her face expressionless.
“Wouldn’t the Princess be embarrassed?”
“Oh, I see.”
Ted scooped me up in a hug. I thought this was even more embarrassing. After I'd put the topper on the tree, I absentmindedly patted his sturdy back, signaling him to take it down.
“While you’re at it, why don’t you hang up a bull-shaped garland too?”
“Isn’t it a deer? And why do you keep ordering me around?”
“I'm doing the hard work. It's heavier than it looks.”
Ted Dominic is a lieutenant colonel in the Royal Guards of the Capital Defense Command, and like Noah, he was knighted and given the title of Count. Recently, by order of the Queen, he was appointed as the Princess's personal officer, and we see each other almost daily. While this alone makes him seem incredibly busy, it's more like he's visiting me whenever he has free time than guarding me.
He'd come to visit under the guise of protection, treat himself to expensive drinks and desserts, join the maids in games, or coax them into going to his favorite bar. Of course, I had to buy them. For a Princess, I had a lot of freedom, so I could go wherever I pleased. Sometimes I'd go to a bar or casino with Barbara, and take Daniel to the theater or out for dessert. The problem was that I was followed by a platoon of maids, servants, bodyguards, and guards in dark suits or uniforms.
“Wow~ It really feels like Christmas.”
After finishing the decorations, Eileen, clutching white pine cones in both hands, blushed with joy. The maids' eyes also lit up with pride.
“I’m also looking forward to the upcoming birthday party.”
“It’s romantic that Christmas is your birthday.”
Ted, dressed in his knight's uniform with his medals on, crossed his arms and flashed his signature mischievous smile.
"Is there anything you want? Just tell me, and I'll buy it for you."
“A light aircraft or a new Ventner Off-Road 520.”
"The Queen would buy something so grand. How about I buy drinks that day, as your drinking buddy?"
“Let’s do that.”
Since entering the palace, I haven't experienced any particular inconveniences. In fact, I've lived a life far more luxurious and extravagant than I ever did in my previous life. I've always been surrounded by people, and everyone has been so kind and considerate that I barely have to worry about anything. It's as if they were born for me. I'm enjoying the comfortable and easy life I've always sought. Aside from royal duties like completing my officer's commission and training a successor, I have nothing else to do, and no other demands are placed on me. Outside of official events, I can simply shun public contact and laze around. I simply need to be treated like a Princess and remain still.
“Princess, I will tell them to prepare a dress for dinner.”
Maria summoned her maid of honor. A formal dinner with the Queen was imminent. After finishing my makeover, I headed to the Queen's chambers. As I entered the magnificent drawing room, I heard the soft sounds of a piano playing from inside. The Queen, seated at a white grand piano, smiled at me.
"Princess, did you come early because you wanted to go to the banquet hall with me? How sweet of you."
“Yes, this is my first time seeing you play the piano. I want to hear more.”
“Yes, there is still time.”
I walked over to the piano bench and sat down next to the Queen. Her white, fish-like fingers swam gracefully across the keys, and a familiar melody flowed out. As I listened, I recalled a moment last winter when my heart had been frozen with a chill.
I vividly remember his steady steps, his breath dissipating like a sigh. As I recalled the time I had to leave him without even saying goodbye, a tingling sadness surged from deep within my heart. I muttered, lost in thought.
“A song of farewell.”
“A song of farewell?”
The Queen stopped playing, tilted her head, and let out a faint laugh.
“I don’t think that’s the title.”
It's strange, I always come across this song whenever I break up with him. Perhaps Noah, left alone back then, felt similarly to me. It seems both the person leaving and the person left behind share the same sadness.
“It just means something to me.”
"I guess you could see it that way. The composer suffered from homesickness his entire life. He couldn't return to his hometown until he died."
The Queen smiled gently and stroked the back of my hand.
"When I was pregnant with the princess, I often listened to this song as prenatal education. At that time, I also missed my hometown."
“The three of us listened together.”
So this was what Noah had meant before. Of the three, the remaining one was me. Though deeply depressed, I maintained a smile and answered.
“Is that so? It’s one of my favorite songs.”
After dinner with the Queen, I returned to my room, exhausted. After bathing in warm water with bath salts, the maid dressed me in wool pajamas.
“Would you like a cup of tea before you go to bed?”
“Just bring me a glass of cognac.”
Maria, who was checking the temperature and humidity in the room before returning to the bedroom, bent down and suggested.
"Princess, you enjoyed the side dishes even at dinner. Why not try some tea that helps you sleep? Chamomile, lavender, and lemon balm are good for insomnia."
“Then I’ll drink lemon balm tea.”
Outside the darkened window, a powdery snow, like powdered sugar, was falling. It doesn't snow thickly here. Where Noah was, it must have been cold and snowy.
There was so little news, it was frustrating. Months had passed without a single letter, and my anxiety and fear were growing. Yet, I kept my cool. Everyone assumed the allied forces, including Medea, one of the powerful nations, would prevail, but the situation wasn't looking good.
After Prime Minister Groenendaal's assassination, the Belford Empire ultimately fell under the puppet regime of Frogen. With Belford now one of the conquering allies, the conquering forces advanced as far as Linzino, Francia's Maginot Line.
Adding insult to injury, a large-scale war has brought economies around the world to the brink of a Great Depression. Yet, the upper classes remain untroubled and show little sense of crisis about the war. Even I, living as a Princess in a palace, didn't really feel the impact.
“I brought some board games because I thought you might be bored, Princess.”
Ted, wearing a sable coat over his knight's uniform, came over, holding up a board game board and smiling slyly. With his jet-black hair, ash-colored eyes, and sleek, wolf-like features, he looked every bit like a Siberian husky.
"What are you talking about at this late hour? It's time to go to sleep. Come back tomorrow."
Maria rebuked him in a stern and solemn voice, but he paid no attention and placed one hand on his waist, puffing out his magnificent chest.
"You don't seem to have any sleep plans, Baroness Maria Cates. How about joining us? It's a popular game these days."
Ted, smiling jokingly, held in his hand a board game similar to Blue Marble, Monopoly. Sleepless and eager to play, I took a seat at the round table. Maria clenched her jaw and shook her head firmly.
“I have no intention of doing it.”
The night was deepening. The chilling winter wind rustled the windows, a faint sound audible. The clock had already struck midnight, but I had as much time as day, and the lights in my room remained brightly lit.
"Sir Ted, if you roll a 6, it's my land. Pay the rent. You can even auction off one of the properties. It'll be a monopoly of the exact same color."
"Why is the person who said she didn't want to do it the best? How can she roll the dice so amazingly? She even ate up the train station."
Ted, who had just happened to step on Maria's golden building, looked regretful as he counted his gaming bills. She tugged at the corners of her mouth and lifted her nose, secretly showing a hint of amusement.
“I just didn’t want to do it because it was so trivial.”
Millia and Eileen, already bankrupt from paying rent to Maria, the in-game landlord, laughed happily. I was also happy. They felt like close friends, and it was nice to be able to forget everything for a moment. The premise was pretentious, but I think I found a way to make it work.
Baroness Mason, wearing a felt hat and cashmere coat, frowned as she passed the training grounds and spotted Ted lying on a bench, basking in the sun. She approached him, who was lazing around, and gave him a gentle pat on the shoulder. Baroness Mason and Ted were classmates in the Royal Guard, comrades and friends alike.
“Ted, are you carrying out Her Majesty’s orders well?”
"You want me to entertain the Princess? I'm working very hard. Tell Her Majesty I went to see her yesterday, exhausted from work, and played Monopoly until dawn."
"Besides that, Her Majesty is eyeing you as a potential husband. Apparently, he had his eye on the Duke of Hessen because of the Princess's marriage history, but he stubbornly refused."
"Even I don't think I could marry a woman who was my friend's wife. There's no such thing as infatuation. It's just strange that Colonel Rotsilt, known for his madness, would obediently follow it."
Baroness Mason narrowed her brows and pulled one corner of her mouth tight, her expression stern.
"You are now Her Majesty's knight and a lieutenant of the Allied Forces. Answer my questions."
"You've already been promoted? Anyway, do you think it makes sense to seduce a married woman?"
“Because it’s an order. You’re a knight following Her Majesty’s orders, right?”
"Isn't it a matter of taste? Would she fall for the seduction of a man who's the complete opposite of that pretty guy?"
“What about you?”
It was a casual question from Baroness Mason, her arms resting on her waist. Her gloved fingers twitched disapprovingly. Ted, who had been lazily lying on the bench, quickly sat up, his gray eyes widening. His expression was slightly moved.
“As expected, Zelda, you thought I was cool too.”
“Yeah. You’re popular, from a good family, and handsome, so you’d be a good match for the Princess.”
“No. I want to ask for your subjective opinion.”
“Yes, I guess you should just pour some expensive alcohol under the pretext of seducing the Princess.”
“I got caught.”
Ted, who had lay back down again, stared at the back of the Baroness as she walked away, then chuckled and muttered to himself.
“She was married and living well, but now her life is being reshaped at will. How could she possibly look at another man?”
Ted, born into a noble family, didn't attach much significance to Diana's Cinderella-like rise from exile. He admired the young woman's expressionless patience in enduring countless changes, but he didn't consider it a just reward for a life of luxury. He knew that material wealth was meaningless if it was spiritually impoverished. Her dull green eyes were as hollow as those behind a smiling mask, and while she desperately waited for a man named Noah Rotsilt, who had left for the war, she never asked anyone for news of him.
“I guess holding out like that is reaching its limit.”
The feelings he had for her were pity and compassion.
“Take good care of Diana. Don’t let her be lonely.”
Boaz followed me and watched me wherever I went, whether he was keeping Noah's previous request or was worried that I would disappear too.
“Hang the red ornament here.”
“Haha. You’ve put on too many ribbons, Sir Eileen.”
The maids and servants chattered happily as they hung colorful ornaments, garlands, and ribbons on the large Christmas tree. Ted, a large man with gray eyes who seemed out of place in this lovely atmosphere, strode over and placed a star-shaped topper in my hand.
“Please give it a star, princess. The fun is in the hands of the higher-ups.”
“Sir Ted, I appreciate your consideration, but I can’t reach it.”
“Milia, hurry and give the Princess a ride.”
"Yes!"
Millia crouched down in front of me, turned around, and smiled brightly. "No, that's not necessary," Maria advised, her face expressionless.
“Wouldn’t the Princess be embarrassed?”
“Oh, I see.”
Ted scooped me up in a hug. I thought this was even more embarrassing. After I'd put the topper on the tree, I absentmindedly patted his sturdy back, signaling him to take it down.
“While you’re at it, why don’t you hang up a bull-shaped garland too?”
“Isn’t it a deer? And why do you keep ordering me around?”
“I'm doing the hard work. It's heavier than it looks.”
Ted Dominic is a lieutenant colonel in the Royal Guards of the Capital Defense Command, and like Noah, he was knighted and given the title of Count. Recently, by order of the Queen, he was appointed as the Princess's personal officer, and we see each other almost daily. While this alone makes him seem incredibly busy, it's more like he's visiting me whenever he has free time than guarding me.
He'd come to visit under the guise of protection, treat himself to expensive drinks and desserts, join the maids in games, or coax them into going to his favorite bar. Of course, I had to buy them. For a Princess, I had a lot of freedom, so I could go wherever I pleased. Sometimes I'd go to a bar or casino with Barbara, and take Daniel to the theater or out for dessert. The problem was that I was followed by a platoon of maids, servants, bodyguards, and guards in dark suits or uniforms.
“Wow~ It really feels like Christmas.”
After finishing the decorations, Eileen, clutching white pine cones in both hands, blushed with joy. The maids' eyes also lit up with pride.
“I’m also looking forward to the upcoming birthday party.”
“It’s romantic that Christmas is your birthday.”
Ted, dressed in his knight's uniform with his medals on, crossed his arms and flashed his signature mischievous smile.
"Is there anything you want? Just tell me, and I'll buy it for you."
“A light aircraft or a new Ventner Off-Road 520.”
"The Queen would buy something so grand. How about I buy drinks that day, as your drinking buddy?"
“Let’s do that.”
Since entering the palace, I haven't experienced any particular inconveniences. In fact, I've lived a life far more luxurious and extravagant than I ever did in my previous life. I've always been surrounded by people, and everyone has been so kind and considerate that I barely have to worry about anything. It's as if they were born for me. I'm enjoying the comfortable and easy life I've always sought. Aside from royal duties like completing my officer's commission and training a successor, I have nothing else to do, and no other demands are placed on me. Outside of official events, I can simply shun public contact and laze around. I simply need to be treated like a Princess and remain still.
“Princess, I will tell them to prepare a dress for dinner.”
Maria summoned her maid of honor. A formal dinner with the Queen was imminent. After finishing my makeover, I headed to the Queen's chambers. As I entered the magnificent drawing room, I heard the soft sounds of a piano playing from inside. The Queen, seated at a white grand piano, smiled at me.
"Princess, did you come early because you wanted to go to the banquet hall with me? How sweet of you."
“Yes, this is my first time seeing you play the piano. I want to hear more.”
“Yes, there is still time.”
I walked over to the piano bench and sat down next to the Queen. Her white, fish-like fingers swam gracefully across the keys, and a familiar melody flowed out. As I listened, I recalled a moment last winter when my heart had been frozen with a chill.
I vividly remember his steady steps, his breath dissipating like a sigh. As I recalled the time I had to leave him without even saying goodbye, a tingling sadness surged from deep within my heart. I muttered, lost in thought.
“A song of farewell.”
“A song of farewell?”
The Queen stopped playing, tilted her head, and let out a faint laugh.
“I don’t think that’s the title.”
It's strange, I always come across this song whenever I break up with him. Perhaps Noah, left alone back then, felt similarly to me. It seems both the person leaving and the person left behind share the same sadness.
“It just means something to me.”
"I guess you could see it that way. The composer suffered from homesickness his entire life. He couldn't return to his hometown until he died."
The Queen smiled gently and stroked the back of my hand.
"When I was pregnant with the princess, I often listened to this song as prenatal education. At that time, I also missed my hometown."
“The three of us listened together.”
So this was what Noah had meant before. Of the three, the remaining one was me. Though deeply depressed, I maintained a smile and answered.
“Is that so? It’s one of my favorite songs.”
***
After dinner with the Queen, I returned to my room, exhausted. After bathing in warm water with bath salts, the maid dressed me in wool pajamas.
“Would you like a cup of tea before you go to bed?”
“Just bring me a glass of cognac.”
Maria, who was checking the temperature and humidity in the room before returning to the bedroom, bent down and suggested.
"Princess, you enjoyed the side dishes even at dinner. Why not try some tea that helps you sleep? Chamomile, lavender, and lemon balm are good for insomnia."
“Then I’ll drink lemon balm tea.”
Outside the darkened window, a powdery snow, like powdered sugar, was falling. It doesn't snow thickly here. Where Noah was, it must have been cold and snowy.
There was so little news, it was frustrating. Months had passed without a single letter, and my anxiety and fear were growing. Yet, I kept my cool. Everyone assumed the allied forces, including Medea, one of the powerful nations, would prevail, but the situation wasn't looking good.
After Prime Minister Groenendaal's assassination, the Belford Empire ultimately fell under the puppet regime of Frogen. With Belford now one of the conquering allies, the conquering forces advanced as far as Linzino, Francia's Maginot Line.
Adding insult to injury, a large-scale war has brought economies around the world to the brink of a Great Depression. Yet, the upper classes remain untroubled and show little sense of crisis about the war. Even I, living as a Princess in a palace, didn't really feel the impact.
“I brought some board games because I thought you might be bored, Princess.”
Ted, wearing a sable coat over his knight's uniform, came over, holding up a board game board and smiling slyly. With his jet-black hair, ash-colored eyes, and sleek, wolf-like features, he looked every bit like a Siberian husky.
"What are you talking about at this late hour? It's time to go to sleep. Come back tomorrow."
Maria rebuked him in a stern and solemn voice, but he paid no attention and placed one hand on his waist, puffing out his magnificent chest.
"You don't seem to have any sleep plans, Baroness Maria Cates. How about joining us? It's a popular game these days."
Ted, smiling jokingly, held in his hand a board game similar to Blue Marble, Monopoly. Sleepless and eager to play, I took a seat at the round table. Maria clenched her jaw and shook her head firmly.
“I have no intention of doing it.”
The night was deepening. The chilling winter wind rustled the windows, a faint sound audible. The clock had already struck midnight, but I had as much time as day, and the lights in my room remained brightly lit.
"Sir Ted, if you roll a 6, it's my land. Pay the rent. You can even auction off one of the properties. It'll be a monopoly of the exact same color."
"Why is the person who said she didn't want to do it the best? How can she roll the dice so amazingly? She even ate up the train station."
Ted, who had just happened to step on Maria's golden building, looked regretful as he counted his gaming bills. She tugged at the corners of her mouth and lifted her nose, secretly showing a hint of amusement.
“I just didn’t want to do it because it was so trivial.”
Millia and Eileen, already bankrupt from paying rent to Maria, the in-game landlord, laughed happily. I was also happy. They felt like close friends, and it was nice to be able to forget everything for a moment. The premise was pretentious, but I think I found a way to make it work.
***
Baroness Mason, wearing a felt hat and cashmere coat, frowned as she passed the training grounds and spotted Ted lying on a bench, basking in the sun. She approached him, who was lazing around, and gave him a gentle pat on the shoulder. Baroness Mason and Ted were classmates in the Royal Guard, comrades and friends alike.
“Ted, are you carrying out Her Majesty’s orders well?”
"You want me to entertain the Princess? I'm working very hard. Tell Her Majesty I went to see her yesterday, exhausted from work, and played Monopoly until dawn."
"Besides that, Her Majesty is eyeing you as a potential husband. Apparently, he had his eye on the Duke of Hessen because of the Princess's marriage history, but he stubbornly refused."
"Even I don't think I could marry a woman who was my friend's wife. There's no such thing as infatuation. It's just strange that Colonel Rotsilt, known for his madness, would obediently follow it."
Baroness Mason narrowed her brows and pulled one corner of her mouth tight, her expression stern.
"You are now Her Majesty's knight and a lieutenant of the Allied Forces. Answer my questions."
"You've already been promoted? Anyway, do you think it makes sense to seduce a married woman?"
“Because it’s an order. You’re a knight following Her Majesty’s orders, right?”
"Isn't it a matter of taste? Would she fall for the seduction of a man who's the complete opposite of that pretty guy?"
“What about you?”
It was a casual question from Baroness Mason, her arms resting on her waist. Her gloved fingers twitched disapprovingly. Ted, who had been lazily lying on the bench, quickly sat up, his gray eyes widening. His expression was slightly moved.
“As expected, Zelda, you thought I was cool too.”
“Yeah. You’re popular, from a good family, and handsome, so you’d be a good match for the Princess.”
“No. I want to ask for your subjective opinion.”
“Yes, I guess you should just pour some expensive alcohol under the pretext of seducing the Princess.”
“I got caught.”
Ted, who had lay back down again, stared at the back of the Baroness as she walked away, then chuckled and muttered to himself.
“She was married and living well, but now her life is being reshaped at will. How could she possibly look at another man?”
Ted, born into a noble family, didn't attach much significance to Diana's Cinderella-like rise from exile. He admired the young woman's expressionless patience in enduring countless changes, but he didn't consider it a just reward for a life of luxury. He knew that material wealth was meaningless if it was spiritually impoverished. Her dull green eyes were as hollow as those behind a smiling mask, and while she desperately waited for a man named Noah Rotsilt, who had left for the war, she never asked anyone for news of him.
“I guess holding out like that is reaching its limit.”
The feelings he had for her were pity and compassion.
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