Madam Lucy smiled brightly, as if she knew what Artie was wondering.
“Fu fu. Lord Essen served as the future Crown Princess for no small amount of time, yet Her Majesty the Empress gave this ‘Elena’s Necklace’ to Lady Artie. Why do you think that is?”
“That’s because, whether it’s Lord Essen or me, we’re both Artienne anyway…….”
Madam Lucy shook her head.
“No. Her Majesty the Empress bestowed it precisely upon the Lady Artie of now. It’s the same as officially recognizing you—not Lord Essen—as the future Empress.”
She had thought it wasn’t a simple bestowal, but having it confirmed so directly made Artie’s heart heavy.
“I also believe that Lady Artie will become the future Empress.”
“What?!”
At Madam Lucy’s bombshell remark, Artie’s eyes went wide.
“Ohohoho. What are you so surprised about? Isn’t it only natural for a Crown Princess to become Empress?”
“But Madam Lucy knows everything…….”
For someone who knew the secret to say such a thing—Artie couldn’t believe it.
“Yes. It’s precisely because I know everything that I’m saying this. It seems my master will not be changing from now on.”
What on earth was Madam Lucy seeing to say such things? Artie simply could not understand Madam Lucy.
As she resumed styling Artie’s hair, Madam Lucy continued in a lighthearted voice.
“Actually, within this imperial palace, I occupy a very special position. Because I have deep ties with Her Majesty the Empress and am the Crown Prince’s wet nurse, I receive unofficial treatment close to that of the imperial family.”
She vaguely remembered hearing that.
The wet nurse of the imperial family was an officially recognized position, but unofficially as well, she was treated with the respect due to another mother of the imperial family.
That was why nobles who wished to become the wet nurse of the imperial family were always overflowing.
“As the Crown Prince’s wet nurse, I could have lived without any trouble so long as I received the imperial household’s courtesy, but the reason I went out of my way to become the Crown Princess’s head maid was because Crown Prince Adrian asked for my help.”
“Ah.”
Madam Lucy didn’t need to say more for Artie to understand.
Probably because turning Essen into “Artienne” and making her a fake Crown Princess required attending to a great many things.
“Ohohoho. Of course, I accepted because it seemed very interesting! In exchange—or rather, I get to do all the styling however I like, so I’m very pleased with it.”
“I always feel grateful.”
Artie took this chance to convey her sincere feelings. Madam Lucy’s hands, which had been styling Artie’s hair, paused for a moment.
“In any case, because of that, when Lady Artie first arrived, I ended up treating you lightly. Please forgive my rudeness up until now.”
“Not at all. If anything, I was the one who caused trouble because I was lacking in so many ways.”
Madam Lucy’s smile deepened.
“That’s what I like about Lady Artie.”
Artie felt awkward. Because when someone said that, she herself didn’t quite understand what they meant.
As Artie lowered her head in embarrassment, Madam Lucy’s eyes sparkled as she took out a tiara.
“Now, though you couldn’t wear Elena’s Necklace, you must wear this on your head today!”
“That is…….”
It was the tiara that signified the status of future Crown Princess.
“It suits you well.”
Madam Lucy looked at Artie, whom she had styled, with great satisfaction. There were few people who took such pleasure in dressing someone up.
Artie’s expression was stiff, as if the tiara on her head bothered her.
Madam Lucy gave Artie a light encouragement.
“Don’t worry! Today, Lady Artie will be the star of the show! Ohohohoho!”
“I wasn’t worried about that…….”
The tiara hardly felt heavy, but the pressure of its meaning was truly immense.
‘I have to do well.’
She was glad to have received the recognition of the Empress and Madam Lucy, but her heart was heavy all the same.
Because this contract had its ending decided from the very beginning.
* * *
The tiara Madam Lucy had placed on my head kept weighing on my mind.
“You don’t look well. Are you all right?”
At Adrian’s words, Artie raised her head.
“No, I’m fine.”
“…….”
Conscious of Adrian, who had drawn closer, Artie’s face flushed bright red, and she hurriedly shook her head.
Adrian did not like Artie’s attitude, which somehow seemed to avoid him.
“Are you sick?”
“No. I’m really fine.”
“If you’re sick, tell me. Knowing about your condition is important to me as well.”
At Adrian’s words, Artie closed her mouth.
‘Is he saying this because I’m his fiancée?’
Her heart ached. Steadying herself with effort, Artie shook her head.
“I’m truly fine.”
Gazing steadily at Artie, who wore a faint smile, Adrian furrowed his brow delicately.
He did not like Artie, who kept saying she was fine.
How could she say she was fine with a face that looked anything but fine?
‘This displeases me.’
He had succeeded in keeping Artie by renewing the contract, but Adrian did not feel he had truly secured her.
The fact that the moment his gaze left her, she seemed to be scheming about when and how to run away bothered him to no end.
‘At least I’ve bought some time…….’
Watching Artie calmly staring ahead, Adrian found the semi-transparent veil covering her face especially irritating today.
‘She doesn’t need to cover her face anymore, so why is she still wearing it?’
He wondered whether she didn’t know or was doing it on purpose, but Adrian could not easily ask the reason. His pride would be wounded.
Adrian glanced down at the first floor. The dance floor was already filled with people dancing.
He was wondering whether he should take Artie down there himself when—
“Sister!”
“Acacia!”
Diano and Acacia came up to where Adrian was.
Adrian watched Artie’s happy reunion with Acacia, then turned his gaze to Diano.
“The lower floor?”
“It’s full, as expected.”
The subject had been omitted, but Adrian understood at once who was full.
It must mean it was full of the humans he disliked.
“And Terni?”
“He said he’d come after eating a bit more.”
“Eating what?”
“He was eating a great deal of something.”
Adrian’s gaze turned back to Artie.
Artie, who had been calm just moments ago, was now smiling brightly like a fully bloomed flower upon meeting Acacia.
“Sister! There’s a festival outside—have you ever been to one?”
“Come to think of it, I’ve often seen it from afar, but I’ve never actually been.”
Actually, she had been, but according to Artienne’s backstory, she hadn’t, so this was the right answer.
“Waaah~ Acacia wants to go to the festival too!”
“Really? Why don’t you ask your brothers to take you?”
“No! I want to go with Sister Artie!”
“I’d love to go with you in my heart, but…….”
Artie trailed off and glanced at Adrian.
Adrian knew perfectly well what that gesture meant, but pretended not to.
“Let’s go together next time we get the chance.”
“Hing. I want to go now.”
“Sorry, Acacia. Someday we’ll definitely go together!”
When Acacia whined, Diano restrained his younger sister.
“Acacia. You mustn’t put Lady Obiedo in a difficult position.”
At Diano’s words, Acacia nodded with a sad expression. Artie’s heart truly ached.
‘Acacia, just endure it for three years! In three years, I’ll be free!’
Artie, thinking that if Adrian had heard her he would have answered ‘Will you really?’ consoled Acacia together with Diano.
“It should be about enough by now.”
The Founding Festival party grew more lively as time passed, but Adrian had no intention of staying until the end.
“Diano.”
“Yes?”
“I leave the rest to you.”
Diano felt a very ominous premonition.
“Are you returning?”
“No.”
Adrian’s gaze was fixed on Artie.
With his outstanding loyalty, Diano guessed what his lord intended to do just from the look in Adrian’s eyes.
Diano asked about the person most difficult to deal with.
“What should I tell Terni?”
“Make something up.”
“Yes.”
Adrian approached Artie, who was still happily chatting with Acacia.
And he took Artie’s hand and pulled her toward him. Her small body fell into his arms.
Unaware that Artie was frozen in surprise, Adrian spoke to Acacia.
“Acacia. I’m sorry, but I’ll be taking Artie.”
“Where are you taking her?”
Acacia asked with wide eyes. Adrian smiled faintly and answered quietly.
“It’s a secret.”
His eyes sparkled with mischief as he said it.
* * *
Midway through the Founding Festival commemorative party, while the atmosphere was still ripening, Artie and Adrian slipped out of Florence Palace.
As always, Artie assumed Adrian had simply grown tired of the party and left.
“Then I’ll be returning to Lily Palace now.”
“Where do you think you’re going.”
Adrian caught Artie as she politely tried to slip away and pulled her back in front of him, wearing a sullen expression. Artie tilted her head.
“Aren’t you going to rest now?”
“Yeah.”
Artie could not understand why on earth Adrian was acting like this.
What was displeasing him this time?
“There’s somewhere we need to go now.”
“What?”
“We need to hurry and prepare, so we’re going to Poinsettia Palace, not Lily Palace.”
“Where are we going?”
Artie had no memory of hearing anything about this in advance. Watching Artie’s surprise, Adrian smiled faintly.
“It’s a secret.”
