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Chapter : 18
Unlike the awkward atmosphere of yesterday, the mood inside the carriage was bright.
“Do Her Majesty the Empress and the Archduchess enjoy musicals as well?”
“Of course. They like them very much.”
Princess Ariel also spoke to me and Lysianthus in a noticeably more relaxed tone.
“We’ve arrived.”
When we reached the theater, we were led to the VIP seats that had been prepared in advance and took our seats.
“What kind of musical is it, Your Highness?” I asked the princess.
“It’s a story about the tragic love of a princess from a defeated nation.”
The musical was very engaging.
It was about a princess who had lost her country and the king of the kingdom that had destroyed it.
They fall in love with one another, but there was no way she could live happily with the man who had killed her family.
In the end, it was a story of a love that could never be fulfilled.
“Wasn’t it sad?” the princess asked.
“Yes… It was pitiful and heartbreaking.”
Princess Ariel did not say another word until we returned to the imperial palace.
“You should go back now, Archduchess.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
By then it was already pitch dark. When I returned to the Archducal residence, the maids were waiting to greet me.
“Welcome back, milady.”
“Yes. Where is Luciano?”
“His Grace the Archduke has gone to the House of Duke Celedina.”
“I see.”
‘Well, Luciano is always busy.’
Thinking that, I went inside the mansion.
Luciano had visited the House of Duke Celedina regarding the mana stone distribution business.
“It’s been a long time, Father-in-law.”
“Please, come in, Your Grace.”
As soon as Luciano and Duke Celedina took their seats, they began discussing business.
“These are the documents related to the distribution of mana stones.”
The duke examined the papers carefully, then asked Luciano,
“Is a ship prepared to transport the mana stones?”
“Of course. They will be transported safely on ships built with the finest technology.”
Mana stones were a scarce resource, but one with many uses, so there were countless kingdoms eager to obtain them.
And the mine with the largest deposits of mana stones was the northern mine owned by the House of Duke Celedina.
Selling the mana stones extracted from that mine to other nations at a high price would yield enormous profits.
“Then let us decide after seeing the ship that will transport the mana stones.”
“Very well.”
Luciano smiled confidently.
After finishing their business discussion, they shared a meal.
“How has Her Grace the Archduchess been?”
“She is doing well, though there are times when my wife feels lonely. I would appreciate it if you could visit the Archducal residence from time to time.”
“Still, I am grateful that Your Grace takes such good care of the Archduchess.”
“It is only my duty as her husband.”
“And yet, the fact that that headstrong child was able to fulfill her duties as an archduchess is also thanks to Your Grace.”
After the meal, Luciano followed the duke’s suggestion to look at Estelline’s room and entered it.
“Is this the room my wife used when she was young?”
“Yes, Your Grace. It’s a place filled with her childhood memories.”
The room was large and splendid.
The pale lavender wallpaper, the deep purple canopy, and the ornate, antique table and bedside cabinet all seemed to reflect Estelline’s tastes.
On the wall hung a painting of Estelline as a child.
Smiling brightly and looking straight ahead, the Estelline in the painting looked different from the Estelline in Luciano’s memories.
In his memory, Estelline had always been a vicious woman, despite her young age.
But the child in the painting was nothing more than a pure, innocent little girl.
Luciano lost track of time as he stared at the painting.
“Your Grace?”
“Ah, it’s grown quite late. I should return to the Archducal residence.”
After bidding the duke farewell, Luciano returned home.
“You’re back, Luciano.”
Estelline had come out to greet him.
“It’s cold outside, my lady. To come out wearing only a slip…”
At the sight of her standing there in nothing but a white slip, his heart began to stir.
She no longer looked like the vicious woman in his mind, but rather like the pure girl from the painting he had just seen.
“Let’s go inside.”
“Yes, Luciano.”
The next day, I began preparing to attend the banquet at the Marquis of Feathering’s estate.
“Milady, you look absolutely beautiful.”
“Thank you.”
Wearing a navy-blue dress and tying my hair back, I looked at myself in the mirror.
“Milady, it’s time to go now.”
As I was adjusting my appearance, a maid beside me came over and urged me.
“Alright. Let’s depart.”
Just as I was about to get into the carriage, I saw Luciano coming out of the Archducal residence.
“My lady, are you going to the Marquis of Feathering’s?”
“Yes, Luciano. I’ll be back.”
“Please travel safely, my lady.”
After exchanging farewells with Luciano, I boarded the carriage and headed to the marquis’s estate.
“Milady, we’ve arrived. Please step down.”
“Alright.”
When I entered the Marquis of Feathering’s residence, many noble ladies were already gathered.
“I greet Your Grace the Archduchess.”
The Marchioness of Feathering stepped forward first to greet me.
“That Your Grace would attend my tea party—I’m deeply honored.”
“I’m delighted to be able to attend as well, Marchioness.”
“Please, take a seat. Everyone is waiting.”
Once I sat down, the tea party began.
“The tea I’ve prepared today is lemon balm. Please enjoy it.”
The noble ladies smiled and began chatting pleasantly.
“Oh, by the way—Your Grace, I hear you’re establishing an orphanage in the Archducal territory?”
At that moment, one lady asked in a subtle tone with a meaningful smile.
“It’s simply for the children of the slums.”
The ladies seemed curious about my true intentions.
“But to do something with more loss than gain just for children from the slums…”
One noblewoman spoke as though she couldn’t understand my choice.
“I’m not doing it for profit. I simply wish for children who have lost their parents and wander the slums to be able to live safely.”
“Still, I think founding an orphanage is a good idea! These days, many nobles are troubled by the things the slum dwellers do, right? If an orphanage is established, those issues should decrease.”
It left a bitter taste.
I was establishing the orphanage for the children, but the other noblewomen supported it merely for the sake of their territories.
‘Well… either way, if more nobles establish orphanages, won’t conditions for the children in the slums improve?’
“Have you all heard the news?”
“What news?”
“They say the imperial family is holding a banquet for Princess Ariel, who has returned to the empire for the first time in four years.”
“Oh my, then Her Highness will finally appear in imperial society again.”
The noblewomen showed great anticipation at the mention of Ariel.
“Are you not looking forward to it as well, Your Grace?”
“I’m very much looking forward to it.”
There was much talk among the ladies about Princess Ariel.
“According to rumors, Princess Ariel will be choosing her consort this time.”
“I heard she already has someone she loves among the people of the empire.”
“Who could it be—the man who will become Her Highness’s consort?”
“Whoever it is, becoming the princess’s consort would naturally earn the Emperor’s favor. Everyone knows how much His Majesty cherishes her, don’t they?”
As the discussion about the princess grew more intense, the Marchioness of Feathering intervened.
“I don’t think it’s proper to continue talking about Her Highness when she isn’t present. Let’s change the subject.”
And with that, the discussion about the princess came to an end.
Soon, the young ladies moved on to other topics.
The tea party was more enjoyable than I had expected.
Perhaps because only noblewomen of the emperor’s faction were present, there was no one who insulted me, which made things much more comfortable.
“Please come again next time, Your Grace.”
“Of course. Please send me another invitation. I’ll be waiting.”
After bidding farewell to the marchioness, I returned to the Archducal residence.
“Did you enjoy the tea party, milady?”
“Yes. I had a pleasant time today.”
I chatted with the maids as I soaked in the bath.
“You must have been the most beautiful one there today, milady, right?”
“Don’t exaggerate.”
“Milady, you heard the news too, didn’t you? That the imperial family is holding a banquet.”
“Yes, I did.”
“It really must be true that His Majesty cherishes the princess. To host such a grand imperial banquet just for her…”
“Of course. She’s his only cousin.”
Talking with the maids while bathing, I lost track of time and ended up bathing for quite a while.
“Haa… I’m exhausted.”
My whole body ached.
I was so tired that I lay down on the bed without doing anything else, and sleep quickly overtook me.
When I woke up after a deep sleep, warm sunlight was already streaming into my room through the window.
Right on time, the maids entered my room carrying wash water.
“Milady, the wash water is ready.”
“Did Luciano go to the palace again today?”
“His Grace left early this morning to inspect the territory.”
“An inspection? He didn’t say anything to me. What’s going on?”
“The steward said His Grace went to inspect the slums in preparation for establishing the orphanage.”
I was surprised to hear that Luciano had gone to inspect the slums early in the morning.
I had thought he would be opposed to the orphanage, so I felt grateful that he was instead taking such an active role.
“Milady! There’s a hunting competition during the Festival of the Gods, right? You’ll give His Grace a handkerchief, of course?”
“A handkerchief? What handkerchief are you talking about?”
I was well aware of the Festival of the Gods—it was an imperial festival created to honor the three primordial gods.
But—
This was the first I’d heard of such a custom, so I asked the maids instead.
“Oh, milady, honestly!”
The maids burst into laughter at my words.
“It’s tradition to give a handkerchief to your family member, fiancé, or husband at the hunting competition to wish them victory.”
“Is that so? Then I suppose I should make one too…”
“There’s still plenty of time before the competition, so you can think about it slowly, milady.”
“Alright. I understand.”
After the maids helped me into an indoor dress and left, the steward Edgar entered the room.
“Milady. It’s Ed.”
“Come in.”
Ed placed some documents on my desk.
“What are these?”
“Since preparations for wintering are complete, there are no major financial difficulties, but these are the matters that require your attention, milady.”
Just as Ed said, perhaps because winter preparations were over, the workload had noticeably decreased.
“Very well. I’ll do my best to take care of them.”
Ed bowed respectfully and left the room.
