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Chapter – 06
I was confident that the emperor, who wanted to pull the neutral Count Riotium’s family into the royal faction, wouldn’t refuse my father’s audience. And it wasn’t unusual for a young lady to accompany her father on a trip to the palace.
What troubled me slightly was that I was known as the Count Riotium’s daughter, who hadn’t been seen since her debut due to illness…
“Wouldn’t a palace visit be considered something like a dying wish for a count’s daughter, Father?”
“Don’t say such upsetting things, Rose…”
“Oh, Father, it’s just a rumor. I’m perfectly healthy. Please don’t be upset.”
I even dressed as plainly as possible to appear sickly.
It was a relief—I didn’t look too extravagant for a count’s daughter going to visit the palace.
“So, how do you plan to meet Count Decar?”
“I’ll go to him. Father just needs to come pick me up at the Greenery Garden next to the Administrative Palace.”
“The Greenery Garden… So you plan to appear there coincidentally while visiting the Administrative Palace?”
“Yes. My older brother roughly told me where the treasurer’s office is. Don’t worry.”
I had no intention of formally entering the Administrative Palace to request an audience with the treasurer. Rosemary Riotium carrying an official invitation there? That would be far too conspicuous.
I disliked unofficial ties to the social circle or the palace, and official ones were even worse. Any official involvement would surely end up documented in some book or record, potentially referenced in stories about the main characters. That was terrifying.
But if I sent Lennon without knowing anything, I might only irritate the crown prince, and I couldn’t ignore an invitation from the palace itself… So I concluded I would respond to the invitation in a “coincidental” and “unofficial” manner.
At least I could prevent people from constantly linking the Riotium name with the foundation.
“Rest in the shade for a while, Amy.”
“Yes, please be careful, Miss.”
The Greenery Garden. Compared to the many gardens of the palace, this one was rather modest. That was why few would bother to visit it.
So when a weak noble young lady, with no maid, wandered into the Greenery Garden, she ended up inside the Administrative Palace itself.
And despite that, she neither sought someone to guide her nor drew attention to herself, carefully looking only for someone’s office.
“Gerard said it was inside the East Wing… Treasurer… Decar…”
It was the weekend. On such days, only a few workaholics showed up at the Administrative Palace, and Count Decar was notorious even among them.
I had already sent someone to confirm that the count was in today. Thanks to the weekend, witnesses would only be palace maids or the count’s aides—none of whom would recognize me.
Count Decar wasn’t the type to spread useless rumors, either. If I spoke properly with him, I could clear up any misunderstandings about the foundation.
He would see that the foundation was harmless, unrelated to Ecllet, and naturally, the crown prince’s interest would fade.
“Ah, here it is.”
Decar. Seeing the nameplate felt almost like a relief. I knocked on the office door hurriedly, careful not to be seen.
But no response came from inside.
“Huh…?”
I had been told he was in, but was he not at his desk? Carefully, I tried the doorknob. Luckily, it wasn’t locked.
“Excuse me—”
The sentence didn’t finish. It couldn’t be.
I had to get inside before anyone saw me, but I froze with my hand on the doorknob.
The room was empty. And yet, Count Decar was not there either.
“….”
The imperial light of blond hair, sparkling emerald eyes, and a snowy white uniform adorned with gold.
The brightest light of the Venetia Empire.
Crown Prince Edgar Alexion of Venetia was standing inside Count Decar’s office. He looked at me in surprise and spoke first.
“Riotium…?”
At his puzzled voice, I forced myself to recall the proper royal etiquette, slightly lifted the hem of my dress, and bowed deeply.
“…I pay respects to the Light of Venetia.”
Despite the calm, polite words, my gaze fixed on the marble floor would surely betray my shaking heart.
I was shocked that the crown prince was standing in Decar’s office, and even more shocked that he knew I was a Riotium. How could he recognize me immediately…? I’d never even had an audience with him before.
“Please lift your head, young lady.”
Swallowing a sigh, I raised my head. A warning bell rang in my mind. This felt familiar from novels.
This is exactly… the “victim” route, isn’t it?
“…Young lady, forgive my rudeness. I cannot look away from you, that’s all.”
A line the main heroine Ecllet might have heard, so embarrassing that I almost stumbled backward.
Thankfully, I didn’t say what I was thinking—it would have completely violated royal etiquette.
Why was he acting this way? There was no one else around, so there was no reason to perform so diligently.
Ah, right. I’m a Riotium.
Everyone knew the crown prince was kind to ladies, but I saw through his polished words—there was no sincerity in them.
“…Young lady, are you not feeling well?”
“No, I am fine, Your Highness.”
I cut him off coldly without realizing it, creating an awkward silence. I made no effort to continue the conversation.
I needed a moment. A moment to come up with an excuse before he asked.
“…But… why have you come to Count Decar’s office?”
Meeting Count Decar directly meant revealing to the crown prince that Rosemary Riotium represented the foundation. A loyalist like Decar would surely report that to the prince, naturally.
Yet revealing it directly changed everything.
I had been too focused on avoiding direct involvement, and I had almost opened one of my most important cards too easily.
“Young lady?”
I needed a suitable excuse. Something plausible, with only circumstantial suspicion, no hard evidence.
Ah, Gerard!
“My older brother… at the request of Count Fior, I have come to see Count Decar, Your Highness.”
Gerard, heir of a long-standing noble family, received a courtesy title the same year as Count Decar.
He would have socialized with other nobles who received titles that year. So he and Count Decar could talk about hobbies.
That was enough.
“…Count Fior asked Count Decar?”
“Yes, Your Highness. He said there was a painting that he wished Count Decar to appreciate.”
Fortunately, Count Decar was known for his interest in painting, and I happened to have a suitable painting, making future dealings manageable.
“I am unsure if you are aware, but your illness and inability to participate in social activities are widely known.”
“Oh my, is it really that well-known?”
“I had heard from Count Riotium that you were too ill even to visit the palace… I cannot tell if I misunderstood, or if your brother had grown distant from his cherished younger sister.”
“Excuse me?”
Before painting my brother as cruelly exploiting a sick sister, I needed to explain quickly.
“My apologies, Your Highness. But today I am well enough to accompany my father to the palace. I have never seen the Greenery Garden and wished to view it. To avoid appearing reckless, I requested my brother’s help, so please do not misunderstand him.”
The crown prince’s face darkened from the previously charming expression.
“The Greenery Garden isn’t renowned enough for a Riotium young lady to spend her time on, is it?”
“All the gardens of the Venetia Palace are beautiful. It isn’t about fame; I simply wanted to see this one.”
“Of all the gardens… this one?”
“…Because my father used to work at the Administrative Palace. I was curious about a trace of his past.”
I felt guilty using my father as an excuse and hoped the prince would just let it go.
“Ah. Count Riotium has a fine daughter indeed.”
Had he seen through me or just accepted it?
The crown prince, among the main characters, was at least kind to ladies. He cared for Ecllet, considered others’ feelings, and could speak pleasantly.
So he seemed likely to treat this as a minor matter and let it pass… though one could never be sure.
He might follow up later or question Decar.
“I shall deliver Count Fior’s request to Count Decar on your behalf, young lady.”
“…I cannot trouble Your Highness with that.”
“Consider it my way of asking forgiveness for my earlier rudeness.”
After pretending to ponder for a moment, I nodded.
Naturally. I had no desire to stay and deal with either of them.
“Then I shall take my leave… my maid in the garden will be worried, Your Highness. It has been an honor to meet the Light of Venetia.”
Even as I turned, I realized the crown prince was approaching quickly.
The decorations on his white uniform jingled slightly.
“I would like to escort you to the garden. May I?”
Smiling to hide my unease, I shook my head.
“That is unnecessary, Your Highness. Your thoughtfulness is enough.”
“…Please return safely, young lady.”
As I walked away, I realized. We both were simply suspicious of each other.
