Episode 123. On the King's Palm
Olivia read it carefully from beginning to end, not wasting a single word. Then she turned her head to Lucy, who was watching her with nervous eyes.
"Did the content you are going to present write it yourself, Princess?"
"Yes."
Olivia, who had been facing Lucy with a smileless face, turned her gaze back to the presentation materials and spoke with sincerity.
"You really put your utmost effort into preparing this. I can tell that not a single sentence was written carelessly, and I can also feel that you fully understand the theme and content."
Beatrix, who had been listening intently to her words, found herself involuntarily raising the corners of her mouth.
Olivia handed Lucy's materials to Beatrix, who was sitting opposite her.
“Mother, would you like to take a look? It is so clear and concise that I can immediately understand what Princess Lucy is trying to present.”
“Hmm, maybe?”
As Beatrix took the materials, Lucy twitched her lips and stealthily took out some more books. Then, as if asking Olivia to take a look at this one too, she opened it toward her.
Then Usher and Noah also quietly approached Olivia and looked over Lucy's book over her shoulder.
“Oh... Lucy, you didn’t doze off?”
As Noah muttered while looking at the densely written notes, Lucy giggled.
“Noah, did you doze off?”
As Olivia raised her head and asked, Usher, who looked exactly like her husband, twitched his lips and nodded instead.
"I dozed off quite a lot."
Then, their mother across from them, frowned.
"Are you both proud of yourselves?"
Lucy laughed, her shoulders shrugging as if she had never cried. Then, suddenly, she made a tearful face.
“But, what if I really can’t go to school...”
“No, Lucy.”
This time, Beatrix took her daughter's hand and spoke firmly.
“You can go when you get better. Trust me. You’re going to school when your forehead and shoulder heal.”
“...Can you promise?”
"Then. Believe me."
Faced with her mother's stern expression, Lucy eventually nodded. Then, slumping her shoulders, she flipped through a book.
“I won’t be able to attend class while I can’t go... What should I do about that?”
Noah was genuinely surprised by his ten-year-old sister's worry. To think there would be a student who worries like this about not being able to go to school!
While he was genuinely surprised, Olivia cautiously made a suggestion.
"If you don't mind, Princess, I can come and teach you while you can't go to school."
...Huh?
As Noah reflexively looked at Olivia, Lucy excitedly asked back.
"Really?!"
Beatrix chimed in.
“A teacher who passed the professorship at Harrington University... isn't that even better?”
As the Queen winked at Olivia, Olivia mumbled shyly.
“Um... of course, I haven’t been able to attend a single class, though...”
"Then I guess you can try teaching this time?"
As her voice trailed off, Usher chuckled slightly and chimed in.
At that, Olivia's smile deepened even more.
Shortly after, once Lucy had completely calmed down, Olivia and Noah got into the carriage to return to the mansion.
“Thank you, Olivia. Thanks to you, Lucy has calmed down.”
Beatrix, who personally escorted Olivia to the carriage, expressed her sincere gratitude.
Olivia stared at Beatrix walking away for a while, then turned her head, and Noah, who was sitting opposite her, suddenly spoke up.
"Won't it be hard?"
“I actually think it will be fun. Good heavens, did you see the notebook earlier? Just imagine how hard she must have written with such tiny hands?!”
"I'm not the type to take many notes, so I wondered what she had written down so much of."
"The interpretations of the same scene are so different."
Olivia, who had been smiling faintly, suddenly recalled Leonard, who was as cold as frost.
"The Princess will be able to go back to school, right?"
She thought he would easily say yes, but surprisingly, Noah's silence was long.
It was undoubtedly a dangerous accident. It was fortunate that the situation ended there. However, isn't it too harsh to ban her from ever leaving the palace again?
Noah opened his mouth after a long while.
"I don't know."
“...Surely not.”
"Well."
Noah did not answer that question in the end, either.
Olivia stared at him silently, then turned her head to look at Herod, who was enveloped in darkness.
It was a night when her grandmother suddenly came to mind.
As soon as Noah and Olivia left, Beatrix went straight to find her husband.
Leonard appeared extremely calm, just as Noah had been when he visited her on the morning of the warship construction ceremony. He did not exude an aura of strength, nor did he act ill-tempered.
"How is Lucy?"
"She has stabilized a lot."
Leonard just lightly nodded his head.
"Leonard."
“...”
“She’s anxious that she won’t be able to go to school. For now, I managed to calm her down by promising that Olivia would teach her starting tomorrow. You go there...”
"I've been thinking, Trixie."
Leonard rarely interrupted Beatrix. Then, staring intently at her, he began to speak.
"I wonder if she really needs to go to school."
"Leonard."
“Since when have royalty attended school? School? Universities have a long history, but schools for boys have barely been established for fifty years. I even heard that sending Usher and Noah to school was unconventional. Even I was educated by a governess at that age, and you were too, weren't you? So what?”
"The world is changing."
“You said it was the right to fall, right? Is surviving a life-threatening danger like today also that right?!”
“How could I possibly be okay with something like today? But it’s not like it happened inside the school..."
"Stop it."
"Lucy wants it, Leonard."
Beatrix spoke earnestly, but Leonard did not budge.
“You never know when something like this might happen again. Tell her to stay in the palace until she grows up a bit.”
However, this time, Beatrix had no intention of backing down. Her eyes gleaming with a piercing blue, she quickly shot back.
"No."
“...”
“As Lucy’s mother, I cannot back down this time, Your Majesty.”
“Trixie!”
"Do you know why Olivia's grandmother took her to Pulder? Leaving her familiar homeland for a completely unfamiliar land. And back then, crossing the sea meant risking one's life."
As Leonard blinked at the sudden remark, Beatrix cleared her throat and continued speaking.
“I heard she did it to send her granddaughter to school. In Pulder, even a grandmother could enroll her granddaughter, so she risked her life crossing the ocean. She thought that was more important.”
“...”
"Therefore, as Herod's Queen and Lucy's mother, I absolutely cannot back down this time, Your Majesty."
The gazes of the King and Queen met sharply in the air.
Beatrix felt a heavy weight on her face, as if standing before a mountain range like a wall, but she did not avert her gaze in the end.
Herod's council is largely composed of two axes.
The Ruble Party, centered on the Royalist Party led by the King and the aristocracy, and the Guild Alliance.
Most members of the Ruble Party are capitalists of commoner origin, and unlike members of the Royalist Party, they are elected through voting.
The reason Leonard was conscious of public opinion was precisely because of this Ruble Party.
Recently, Harold Beham, the leader of the Ruble Party, had been clashing with King Leonard several times over the issue of import and export tariffs. He pondered how he could undermine King Leonard's standing and elevate the position of the Ruble Party.
“That’s simple. Since the very existence of the King violates equality, all I have to do is constantly emphasize inequality to the people.”
"So, they continued to publish articles regarding the establishment of the Royal School as well."
"The playground of a noble school is like this, but the playground of a royal school is in this state," "The restrooms of a noble school have facilities like this, but the restrooms of a royal school are like this," etc.
"Then today, something very good happened."
"Princess Lucy's carriage and the wagon driver's carriage collided?"
“Yes, Mr. President.”
"How is Princess Lucy doing?"
"They say it was just a minor abrasion."
"Where is the wagon driver?"
"They say his legs and arms are broken."
“He must be under investigation?”
"I heard it was overloaded. They say the braking system couldn't handle the weight on the downhill slope, causing it to skid. He is currently under arrest and being investigated."
"How poor must the wagon driver be? He likely has a long line of children and may be supporting sick parents."
Harold Beam excitedly gave the order.
“Find out where that wagon driver lives right now. And contact the newspaper, too.”
How fortunate it is that newspaper companies are included in the Guild Alliance?
If they link the Royal School and Princess Lucy's accident together, they will be able to further undermine the King's standing. If they keep chipping away at him little by little like that, eventually he will end up becoming a scarecrow.
The next day.
Leonard felt a deep murderous intent as he checked the front pages of major newspapers.
Although the newspapers tried to write their articles as neutrally as possible for fear of upsetting the King over Princess Lucy's matter, they nevertheless made sure to mention the impoverished circumstances of the wagon drivers.
It went without saying that Harold Beam was behind the article.
“Harold Beam, that bastard who deserves to be chewed to death, is really dragging this into everything.”
The press secretary cautiously asked while glancing at the King.
“What should I do?”
Leonard ran his hand over his rough face and spoke in a subdued voice.
“It is not even worth responding to. I am not saying I intend to retaliate personally; I am merely stating that I will punish the fact of overloading. What is the problem?”
“Wouldn’t they shape public opinion to bring up the issue of inequality again at the Royal School’s founding ceremony? After all, all members of Parliament are scheduled to attend. In addition, a large number of invited citizens are also expected to attend.”
“Why? Why don’t you just tell me to abolish the monarchy altogether?”
"Your Majesty..."
Leonard slammed his hand on the desk and let out a long sigh.
The establishment of the Royal School. It was a project that required considerable effort, but Harold Beam picked fights over every little thing, making excuses like the restrooms being different from those in aristocratic schools.
“I wish we could invite Princess Olivia to the founding ceremony...”
Then the press secretary muttered in a hushed voice.
“I don’t think the Duke of Rosemond will just sit idly by...”
Leonard sighed again, recalling Noah's irritated expression. It was clear that if he invited Olivia to the founding ceremony, she would cause quite a fuss.
"Wasn't that his condition for marriage? Noah is going to make a huge fuss."
He rubbed his face vigorously with his hands and lamented.
“Damn it. Being a King is so dirty.”
His daughter locked the door because he wouldn't let her go to school, his wife declared they'd sleep in separate rooms and went off to another, his son glared at him for looking after his wife—people in this world attach meaning to even the smallest actions.
"I'm going crazy."
Olivia read it carefully from beginning to end, not wasting a single word. Then she turned her head to Lucy, who was watching her with nervous eyes.
"Did the content you are going to present write it yourself, Princess?"
"Yes."
Olivia, who had been facing Lucy with a smileless face, turned her gaze back to the presentation materials and spoke with sincerity.
"You really put your utmost effort into preparing this. I can tell that not a single sentence was written carelessly, and I can also feel that you fully understand the theme and content."
Beatrix, who had been listening intently to her words, found herself involuntarily raising the corners of her mouth.
Olivia handed Lucy's materials to Beatrix, who was sitting opposite her.
“Mother, would you like to take a look? It is so clear and concise that I can immediately understand what Princess Lucy is trying to present.”
“Hmm, maybe?”
As Beatrix took the materials, Lucy twitched her lips and stealthily took out some more books. Then, as if asking Olivia to take a look at this one too, she opened it toward her.
Then Usher and Noah also quietly approached Olivia and looked over Lucy's book over her shoulder.
“Oh... Lucy, you didn’t doze off?”
As Noah muttered while looking at the densely written notes, Lucy giggled.
“Noah, did you doze off?”
As Olivia raised her head and asked, Usher, who looked exactly like her husband, twitched his lips and nodded instead.
"I dozed off quite a lot."
“Ah… Usher. Do you ever talk as if you don’t know me?”
"Are you both proud of yourselves?"
Lucy laughed, her shoulders shrugging as if she had never cried. Then, suddenly, she made a tearful face.
“But, what if I really can’t go to school...”
“No, Lucy.”
This time, Beatrix took her daughter's hand and spoke firmly.
“You can go when you get better. Trust me. You’re going to school when your forehead and shoulder heal.”
“...Can you promise?”
"Then. Believe me."
Faced with her mother's stern expression, Lucy eventually nodded. Then, slumping her shoulders, she flipped through a book.
“I won’t be able to attend class while I can’t go... What should I do about that?”
Noah was genuinely surprised by his ten-year-old sister's worry. To think there would be a student who worries like this about not being able to go to school!
While he was genuinely surprised, Olivia cautiously made a suggestion.
"If you don't mind, Princess, I can come and teach you while you can't go to school."
...Huh?
As Noah reflexively looked at Olivia, Lucy excitedly asked back.
"Really?!"
Beatrix chimed in.
“A teacher who passed the professorship at Harrington University... isn't that even better?”
As the Queen winked at Olivia, Olivia mumbled shyly.
“Um... of course, I haven’t been able to attend a single class, though...”
"Then I guess you can try teaching this time?"
As her voice trailed off, Usher chuckled slightly and chimed in.
At that, Olivia's smile deepened even more.
Shortly after, once Lucy had completely calmed down, Olivia and Noah got into the carriage to return to the mansion.
“Thank you, Olivia. Thanks to you, Lucy has calmed down.”
Beatrix, who personally escorted Olivia to the carriage, expressed her sincere gratitude.
Olivia stared at Beatrix walking away for a while, then turned her head, and Noah, who was sitting opposite her, suddenly spoke up.
"Won't it be hard?"
“I actually think it will be fun. Good heavens, did you see the notebook earlier? Just imagine how hard she must have written with such tiny hands?!”
"I'm not the type to take many notes, so I wondered what she had written down so much of."
"The interpretations of the same scene are so different."
Olivia, who had been smiling faintly, suddenly recalled Leonard, who was as cold as frost.
"The Princess will be able to go back to school, right?"
She thought he would easily say yes, but surprisingly, Noah's silence was long.
It was undoubtedly a dangerous accident. It was fortunate that the situation ended there. However, isn't it too harsh to ban her from ever leaving the palace again?
Noah opened his mouth after a long while.
"I don't know."
“...Surely not.”
"Well."
“Mom says she’ll definitely send it, but do you think she really will?”
Olivia stared at him silently, then turned her head to look at Herod, who was enveloped in darkness.
It was a night when her grandmother suddenly came to mind.
***
As soon as Noah and Olivia left, Beatrix went straight to find her husband.
Leonard appeared extremely calm, just as Noah had been when he visited her on the morning of the warship construction ceremony. He did not exude an aura of strength, nor did he act ill-tempered.
"How is Lucy?"
"She has stabilized a lot."
Leonard just lightly nodded his head.
"Leonard."
“...”
“She’s anxious that she won’t be able to go to school. For now, I managed to calm her down by promising that Olivia would teach her starting tomorrow. You go there...”
"I've been thinking, Trixie."
Leonard rarely interrupted Beatrix. Then, staring intently at her, he began to speak.
"I wonder if she really needs to go to school."
"Leonard."
“Since when have royalty attended school? School? Universities have a long history, but schools for boys have barely been established for fifty years. I even heard that sending Usher and Noah to school was unconventional. Even I was educated by a governess at that age, and you were too, weren't you? So what?”
"The world is changing."
“You said it was the right to fall, right? Is surviving a life-threatening danger like today also that right?!”
“How could I possibly be okay with something like today? But it’s not like it happened inside the school..."
"Stop it."
"Lucy wants it, Leonard."
Beatrix spoke earnestly, but Leonard did not budge.
“You never know when something like this might happen again. Tell her to stay in the palace until she grows up a bit.”
However, this time, Beatrix had no intention of backing down. Her eyes gleaming with a piercing blue, she quickly shot back.
"No."
“...”
“As Lucy’s mother, I cannot back down this time, Your Majesty.”
“Trixie!”
"Do you know why Olivia's grandmother took her to Pulder? Leaving her familiar homeland for a completely unfamiliar land. And back then, crossing the sea meant risking one's life."
As Leonard blinked at the sudden remark, Beatrix cleared her throat and continued speaking.
“I heard she did it to send her granddaughter to school. In Pulder, even a grandmother could enroll her granddaughter, so she risked her life crossing the ocean. She thought that was more important.”
“...”
"Therefore, as Herod's Queen and Lucy's mother, I absolutely cannot back down this time, Your Majesty."
The gazes of the King and Queen met sharply in the air.
Beatrix felt a heavy weight on her face, as if standing before a mountain range like a wall, but she did not avert her gaze in the end.
***
Herod's council is largely composed of two axes.
The Ruble Party, centered on the Royalist Party led by the King and the aristocracy, and the Guild Alliance.
Most members of the Ruble Party are capitalists of commoner origin, and unlike members of the Royalist Party, they are elected through voting.
The reason Leonard was conscious of public opinion was precisely because of this Ruble Party.
Recently, Harold Beham, the leader of the Ruble Party, had been clashing with King Leonard several times over the issue of import and export tariffs. He pondered how he could undermine King Leonard's standing and elevate the position of the Ruble Party.
“That’s simple. Since the very existence of the King violates equality, all I have to do is constantly emphasize inequality to the people.”
"So, they continued to publish articles regarding the establishment of the Royal School as well."
"The playground of a noble school is like this, but the playground of a royal school is in this state," "The restrooms of a noble school have facilities like this, but the restrooms of a royal school are like this," etc.
"Then today, something very good happened."
"Princess Lucy's carriage and the wagon driver's carriage collided?"
“Yes, Mr. President.”
"How is Princess Lucy doing?"
"They say it was just a minor abrasion."
"Where is the wagon driver?"
"They say his legs and arms are broken."
“He must be under investigation?”
"I heard it was overloaded. They say the braking system couldn't handle the weight on the downhill slope, causing it to skid. He is currently under arrest and being investigated."
"How poor must the wagon driver be? He likely has a long line of children and may be supporting sick parents."
Harold Beam excitedly gave the order.
“Find out where that wagon driver lives right now. And contact the newspaper, too.”
How fortunate it is that newspaper companies are included in the Guild Alliance?
If they link the Royal School and Princess Lucy's accident together, they will be able to further undermine the King's standing. If they keep chipping away at him little by little like that, eventually he will end up becoming a scarecrow.
The next day.
Leonard felt a deep murderous intent as he checked the front pages of major newspapers.
Although the newspapers tried to write their articles as neutrally as possible for fear of upsetting the King over Princess Lucy's matter, they nevertheless made sure to mention the impoverished circumstances of the wagon drivers.
It went without saying that Harold Beam was behind the article.
“Harold Beam, that bastard who deserves to be chewed to death, is really dragging this into everything.”
The press secretary cautiously asked while glancing at the King.
“What should I do?”
Leonard ran his hand over his rough face and spoke in a subdued voice.
“It is not even worth responding to. I am not saying I intend to retaliate personally; I am merely stating that I will punish the fact of overloading. What is the problem?”
“Wouldn’t they shape public opinion to bring up the issue of inequality again at the Royal School’s founding ceremony? After all, all members of Parliament are scheduled to attend. In addition, a large number of invited citizens are also expected to attend.”
“Why? Why don’t you just tell me to abolish the monarchy altogether?”
"Your Majesty..."
Leonard slammed his hand on the desk and let out a long sigh.
The establishment of the Royal School. It was a project that required considerable effort, but Harold Beam picked fights over every little thing, making excuses like the restrooms being different from those in aristocratic schools.
“I wish we could invite Princess Olivia to the founding ceremony...”
Then the press secretary muttered in a hushed voice.
“I don’t think the Duke of Rosemond will just sit idly by...”
Leonard sighed again, recalling Noah's irritated expression. It was clear that if he invited Olivia to the founding ceremony, she would cause quite a fuss.
"Wasn't that his condition for marriage? Noah is going to make a huge fuss."
He rubbed his face vigorously with his hands and lamented.
“Damn it. Being a King is so dirty.”
His daughter locked the door because he wouldn't let her go to school, his wife declared they'd sleep in separate rooms and went off to another, his son glared at him for looking after his wife—people in this world attach meaning to even the smallest actions.
"I'm going crazy."
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