* * *
The delegations from other nations, arrived to celebrate the Empress’s birthday, gradually began arriving at the imperial palace.
The Imperial Household designated the upcoming Empress’s birthday as a public holiday and encouraged all the people to eat and drink in celebration.
A ball would be held at the imperial palace to coincide with the birthday, and a grand festival would unfold in the capital outside.
At other times, I would have gone out to enjoy the festival myself, but today that was not possible.
“Don’t go out anywhere. Stay inside your room.”
It was already miserable being confined to the imperial palace, and now the Crown Prince had even issued an order forbidding me from leaving my room.
“The palace will be noisy with the delegations, so be careful to stay out of sight as much as possible.”
“Why?”
“Because I don’t trust you.”
I had nothing to say. Then again, at this time of year the palace was crowded with people, and incidents were frequent.
“But wouldn’t it be all right inside the palace?”
“No. Stay only within your quarters and mine. No matter what.”
Crown Prince Adrian let out a sigh.
“But do I really not need to go greet the delegations?”
“Just staying still is your way of helping.”
The Crown Prince looked at me as if I were pathetic.
“You, who haven’t even mastered the basics of being a crown princess, want to greet delegations already? Do you intend to bring shame upon the imperial family?”
“Yes. I’ll stay quiet.”
Without hiding his gaze that said he could never trust me, the Crown Prince gave the strict order to remain within the palace and then left to receive the Empress’s guests.
It seemed he found me quite unreliable.
“I’ve already finished all of today’s studies, though.”
Madam Lucy and Terni, as always, had been of no help whatsoever with my studies.
Now that I thought about it, why was I being made to study history like this when all I needed to do was play the part of the crown princess?
“Is this sort of thing common knowledge too?”
Regardless, since I was told to do it, I had to.
After packing a few snacks, I headed to the library within the palace to fill in my lacking knowledge. I was walking along the corridor of Poinsettia Palace when it happened.
“Huh?”
A familiar person suddenly came into view. And that person saw me as well.
The moment our eyes met, the other person spoke first through the awkward air.
“……Lady Artienne.”
“Lord Diano.”
Having never had a proper conversation with each other, awkward words slipped out.
Diano, who usually served as the Crown Prince’s escort, was for some reason alone. Moreover, beside him stood people I was seeing for the first time.
A man of similar height and build to Diano but somewhat slimmer, and a small girl with her hair tied in two braids, shorter than Diano’s waist.
Perhaps he had addressed me formally because of those two.
An awkward silence passed. What on earth should I say at a time like this?
As I stood there at a loss, Diano spoke first.
“This is my family. They usually live on our estate, but they came to the palace for Her Majesty the Empress’s birthday, so we were exchanging greetings.”
“I see. It’s a pleasure to meet you both. I am Artienne of Obiedo.”
I recited the greeting Madam Lucy had taught me and smiled faintly.
Had we met elsewhere, the greeting would have been different, but this was the imperial palace.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lady Obiedo. I am Sissignu Benedetto, Viscount.”
If he was Viscount Benedetto, then this man must be the heir to Benedetto. The older brother, perhaps?
“Come now, Acacia. You should greet her too.”
Sissignu spoke to the small girl hiding behind Diano.
The cute little girl with two braids, called Acacia, hid behind Diano’s back again the moment her eyes met mine.
“A-Acacia…….”
At the tiny voice, I clenched my fist. I almost screamed. She was so cute!
“Please forgive my youngest sister’s rudeness.”
Diano said to me. For a man like him to have such a cute younger sister was far too unfair.
And her name was Acacia too? So cute.
“Hello, Acacia. It’s nice to meet you.”
I happened to have a lollipop with me, so I handed one to Acacia.
Seeing Acacia carefully accept it with her small hands, I clenched my fist once more at the cuteness.
How could such a cute creature possibly exist?
“Thank you…….”
Holding the candy with both hands, Acacia smiled faintly. Even that was so lovable I nearly died. Sissignu spoke.
“Forgive my presumption, but where were you headed? It seems we have taken up Lady Obiedo’s precious time.”
“I was simply taking a walk.”
I couldn’t very well say I was going to study, so I answered vaguely. Suddenly, Acacia cried out from beside me.
“Brother!”
“Hm?”
Acacia had shyly been trying to hand the candy she was holding to Diano, but Diano had gobbled it up without a second thought.
“I was going to…… save it and eat it later…… sob.”
Tears welled up in Acacia’s big eyes. Diano panicked.
“No, I thought you were giving it to me to eat.”
“I was going to eat it…… later…… waaah.”
When Acacia began to cry sorrowfully, Diano panicked and fumbled about. Sissignu pressed a hand to his forehead.
“Diano.”
“No, brother. This is!”
The cold gazes of both Sissignu and I turned on Diano. When Sissignu glared at him, Diano grew even more flustered.
I knelt to meet the gaze of the crying Acacia. Then I took two candies from inside my clothes and placed one in each of Acacia’s hands.
“Here, Lady Acacia. I have more, so you can eat these later.”
Acacia stopped crying. Unable to hide her tear-reddened eyes, perhaps embarrassed, she blushed and barely managed a nod.
“Lord Diano. Please don’t steal and eat these candies.”
“……Yes.”
Diano looked wronged, but he nodded meekly.
“Then please take your time and talk amongst yourselves. I’ll be on my way.”
I grasped my hem, gave a slight bow, and turned to head back toward the library.
When I waved to Acacia, whose eyes had met mine one last time, Acacia smiled shyly and waved back.
Seeing Acacia waving with the candy still in her hand, a smile spread across my lips before I knew it.
Chapter 4. The Crown Prince’s New Crisis
The delegation from the Sirius Empire was larger in scale than any other delegation. The gifts they brought could not be compared to those of other nations either.
The treasures they had brought in abundance were handed over to separate attendants, and Adrian headed straight for the largest and most splendid carriage.
Veronica, the Empress of Sirius, stepped down from the carriage under the guidance of her chief attendant.
Hair red as if ablaze, and violet eyes.
Empress Veronica bore a resemblance to Empress Ludmila—unsurprising, given they were sisters. Thanks to that, Adrian had no trouble recognizing his aunt.
“It’s been a long time, Adrian. I didn’t expect you to come greet me in person.”
“It’s been a long time, Empress Veronica.”
“Oh my, do away with the formalities. Between us.”
“Yes, Aunt. Mother is waiting inside.”
“I’ll get to see my sister’s face after so long. It was worth the tedious journey.”
“Then this way.”
“No, wait a moment.”
Veronica smiled brightly, then her expression soon furrowed. She turned to look at the carriage she had just stepped out of and narrowed her eyes.
“Ronen. How long do you intend to stay in the carriage?”
“I’m not coming out!”
“We’ve already arrived. Do you plan to eat and sleep inside the carriage, then?”
“…….”
When the small voice from inside fell silent, Veronica gestured to her chief attendant.
The chief attendant, as if this were a familiar occurrence he had been through many times, went inside without hesitation and came out carrying someone in his arms.
“Put me down! This is outrageous! To lay hands on a member of the imperial family! I’ll have you executed! Can you not hear my order to put me down?!”
The child struggled, then was eventually set down beside Veronica. His swollen cheeks and anxious, glaring eyes were striking.
‘A brat I absolutely do not want to get involved with.’
Just as Adrian reached that assessment—
“What are you looking at?”
At the brat’s single word as their eyes met, Adrian’s fist clenched on instinct.
Thwack.
“Aaagh! Mom!”
Veronica smacked Ronen on the back. Looking down coldly at Ronen as he cried out in pain, Veronica clicked her tongue.
“Do you still think this is Sirius? What kind of language is that to use with your cousin and the Crown Prince of Appennino, Adrian?”
“Tch.”
“Tch?”
Ronen clamped his mouth shut.
“Aren’t you going to apologize right now?”
Veronica urged him to apologize, but Ronen crossed his arms and turned his head away.
Veronica’s eyes narrowed.
“It’s all right, Aunt. Please go inside. Mother is waiting.”
Veronica still looked displeased, but at Adrian’s words she nodded reluctantly.
“The child is still young and immature, so I apologize on his behalf, Adrian.”
“It’s fine.”
“How did you grow up so well? There was a time when you were just a little thing.”
“That was long ago.”
“In any case, please take good care of our Ronen.”
Adrian nodded perfunctorily. He saw Ronen scrunch up his face, but that was none of Adrian’s concern.
Veronica added quietly, so that only Adrian could hear.
“If he doesn’t listen, you may hit him.”
Adrian realized anew that this smiling aunt was indeed his mother’s sister.
