Chapter 26.
Princess Mari Stade. Rene’s half-sister and the original story’s female protagonist.
In the original work, it was described that she had an unhappy childhood, neglected by her father…
‘But to forget her existence entirely.’
It said she had no trouble with food and living, but maybe that wasn’t the case?
If the emperor has forgotten her to this extent, it seems entirely possible.
“…Ah.”
Emperor Otto finally wore a look of realization and muttered.
“There was such a child.”
“How can you be so indifferent?”
“I’m more surprised that you remember her. I thought you didn’t care at all.”
Now he’s treating me like the strange one? I hid my incredulity as best I could and replied.
“My memory is better than Your Majesty’s, at least.”
“That’s true. When you get old, you forget things often.”
“Yet you still haven’t named an heir?”
I narrowed my eyes and pointed out the contradiction, and Emperor Otto looked embarrassed.
“Fine. It’s up to Your Majesty when you decide on the heir. Anyway, my interest in the throne is starting to wane. I’d appreciate it if you kept that in mind.”
“Hmm…”
“I’m serious. My personality is fickle, after all.”
With that, I bowed politely and left Solara Palace.
In the carriage back to Rene Palace, I asked Elsa.
“Where is Princess Mari staying now?”
Elsa’s eyes widened, as if she’d heard an unexpected question.
“I believe she’s at Nox Palace.”
“That’s the most isolated place in the imperial palace.”
“His Majesty the Emperor finds Princess Mari displeasing, after all.”
Emperor Otto didn’t treat the illegitimate child from his one-night affair with a court dancer as his own.
Still, in the original story, she was only denied her father’s recognition but seemed to live well enough, so I’d been relieved.
I should check for myself. I turned the carriage toward Nox Palace and muttered.
“Goodness, if he disliked illegitimate children that much, he should have been more careful with his conduct.”
“…”
“What, did I say something wrong?”
“…If I answer wrongly here, Your Highness will be fine, but I might end up on the guillotine.”
Elsa, always the master of self-preservation.
“But why the sudden interest in Princess Mari?”
“With the wedding approaching, I’m in a good mood. I feel like overlooking all sorts of things.”
By the time I’d replied in Rene’s characteristically arrogant tone, we’d arrived at Nox Palace.
Befitting the most remote palace in the imperial grounds, it had a rather desolate and eerie atmosphere.
It looked quite antique on the outside, which somehow made it feel even more haunted.
“Let’s go in.”
It’s a bit scary, but Elsa’s behind me!
For some reason, I trusted that Elsa wouldn’t bat an eye even if a ghost appeared and would just beat it down.
“…Does anyone even live here?”
The palace seemed well-maintained, but it was overly quiet, with no signs of life.
Just as I thought something was off.
“Y-Your Royal Highness?”
I turned at the surprised voice from behind, and a middle-aged woman was staring at me, her eyes trembling.
As soon as our eyes met, she hurriedly knelt and paid her respects.
“I greet the shining morning star of the empire!”
“Where is Princess Mari?”
I asked indifferently.
“I heard she lives here.”
“Ah, w-well…”
“I’ve come to see her.”
At that, the woman bowed her head even deeper and said.
“I-I’m terribly sorry, but it’s difficult right now.”
“Difficult?”
I asked without hiding my displeasure, and the woman flinched, her body shaking.
“Why?”
“W-well… She’s sleeping at the moment.”
“Asleep?”
I glanced outside, where the sun had long risen high, and asked.
“At this hour?”
“P-Princess Mari sleeps a lot…”
Well, she’s fifteen, right? That’s the age when you sleep a ton and grow.
“S-should I wake her?”
“No need.”
We’ve never interacted in our lives, and suddenly showing up to wake her would shock the poor girl. In the original, she had a timid personality.
“I’ll come back another time.”
“Pardon? Ah… Yes!”
The woman now bowed so low her head touched the floor as she said.
“A-at that time, I’ll make sure to wake her so you can have an audience.”
“Forget it. No need to force a sleeping child awake.”
As I said that, I glanced around Nox Palace.
The well-kept state suggests she’s not completely neglected.
Maybe I overreacted because I was shocked that the emperor forgot about Mari?
I looked at the woman, whose forehead was still on the floor, and asked.
“Are you taking care of Princess Mari alone, madam?”
“Pardon? Ah, yes. That’s right…”
“You must be working hard at a thankless job.”
To the woman, who wore a touched expression, I said indifferently.
“Continue to take good care of Princess Mari from now on. I’ve suddenly taken an interest in her.”
“Pardon? Ah, yes. Of course. That’s my duty…”
I left the muttering woman behind and exited Nox Palace.
It was so remote that it took quite a while just to get back to Rene Palace.
And as soon as I returned, what greeted me was…
“Y-Your Highness. I know you’re very busy with affairs…”
My wedding dress designer, with a face that looked on the verge of tears.
“But you really need to decide on the dress now…”
“Ah, right.”
I’d completely forgotten after leaving it to Friedrich!
“Getting the future husband’s opinion took longer than expected. I’ll decide today and let you know.”
“Th-thank you!”
The designer, who had been trembling, bowed repeatedly with a grateful expression before retreating.
Am I really that terrifying an image… Well, yes.
“What about Prince Friedrich? He’s not fighting with Duke Rommel, is he?”
“Both are staying put in their rooms, not stepping out at all.”
Hearing that, the sight of them sleeping with arms around waists feels like a past life.
I went to Friedrich’s room first. When I opened the door without knocking, again, Friedrich hastily hid something.
I raised one eyebrow and asked.
“Sewing again?”
“…Yes.”
Friedrich nodded slightly.
“But now it’s all finished.”
“Perfect timing. Actually, there’s something you need to decide right now.”
“Me?”
“Last time, I gave you the wedding dress designs and asked you to see which one suits me best.”
“Ah.”
“Did you think about it? Or did you forget…”
At that moment, I spotted a shimmering white fabric between the desk and bookshelf.
As I furrowed my brow and tried to look closer, Friedrich wore a flustered expression and quietly pulled something out from there. It was…
“A doll?”
And not just one—five of them.
Moreover, they had a strangely familiar white dress, blonde hair, orange eyes, even a veil and tiara.
No matter how I rubbed my eyes, this was…
“Is this supposed to be me?”
I picked up the dolls in different dress designs with a surprised face. Friedrich slowly nodded.
“I made them based on the designs you gave me last time. I couldn’t decide which one suited you best with my limited imagination…”
“Wow, so you made dolls modeled after me and dressed them in the designs? All five?”
Looking at the dress and accessory details, this must have taken a lot of time.
He even made veils and accessories. What am I supposed to do with this level of devotion…
I stared at Friedrich with a dazed face, then realized.
“So that’s why you were sewing without sleeping at night? With those tiny hands?”
The nearby maids muttered, ‘Tiny hands? That’s not quite…’ before clapping their mouths shut.
Of course, now they’re not tiny… more like pot lids, but anyway, I know about the tiny hands.
“With such small hands…”
I set the dolls down and grabbed Friedrich’s hands.
I carefully checked for any needle pricks, but they were spotless, without a single wound.
“Good, no injuries.”
“…”
But after hearing that, Friedrich wore an ‘Oh no’ expression for some reason.
