Chapter 47.
It was just as I finished getting ready for my outing and stepped out of my room.
“Your Highness!”
Mari, who had been entering the hallway, spotted me and broke into a wide smile, dashing over before bending her knees deeply in a curtsy.
“You’ll trip, Mari.”
She hadn’t even properly learned court etiquette yet, but trying to mimic what she’d picked up over someone’s shoulder made her look utterly adorable.
“I told you, you don’t have to greet your sister like that.”
I couldn’t help myself and ruffled her hair vigorously. Mari’s cheeks flushed red like apples. I wasn’t sure if it was from the head pat or from calling me “sister.”
Perhaps because we’d spent so long as strangers, or due to her status as an illegitimate child. Every time I reminded her that “we’re sisters,” she acted profoundly humbled. Well, it would improve with time.
“Try saying it. Sister.”
“S-Sis…”
Mari hesitated, her face turning so red it looked like it might burst. I couldn’t hold back and burst into laughter, cupping her cheeks gently with both hands.
“All right, that’s enough for today. Are you on your way back from a walk?”
“Yeees…”
She seemed to like the garden. I’d seen her out strolling almost every day lately.
I smiled and stroked her cheek as if to say “good job.”
“Good. Make sure you eat a proper dinner. If you need anything, tell the maids anytime. Got it?”
“Um…”
Mari hesitated before asking.
“Would you like to have dinner together?”
My expression turned awkward in an instant. Mari, quick to notice, hurriedly retracted her words.
“Oh, I’m sorry. How dare I…”
“No, Mari. Don’t say it like that. It’s not that I don’t want to— I just have a prior engagement today.”
I was on edge, worried she might ask where I was going.
Fortunately, Mari just wished me well on my way with a deep bow from the waist and didn’t press further.
“See you later.”
I gave her a light hug and left Rene Palace.
I was heading to a family dinner after a long time.
The fact that Mari wasn’t included in this “family” felt even more peculiar now.
“Princess Rene has arrived.”
As I entered the dining hall at Solara Palace, it seemed I was the last one again this time.
Of course, I’d arrived a bit late on purpose, following Rene’s habit.
“You’re late, Princess.”
It wasn’t the first or second time, but Empress Gisela pointed it out every time I was tardy. I replied nonchalantly.
“I left on time, but I ran into a welcome face and got delayed.”
“A welcome face? Who?”
“Princess Mari.”
At that answer, the Empress looked flustered, Anton smiled, and the Emperor wore a slightly uncomfortable expression.
I shrugged and added.
“Fortunately, she seems to like the garden at Rene Palace.”
“Hm… That’s good to hear.”
“Indeed, Mother. I had no idea my sister was such a warm person.”
Anton chimed in with a sly grin.
“Before, you didn’t even care if that bastard child was alive or dead.”
“Anton, what kind of rude language is that in front of Their Majesties?”
I pointed it out with a smirk, and Anton looked momentarily taken aback.
He didn’t seem to think his words were impolite at all.
The problem was that no one else besides me called him out on it. As expected, Anton had educated himself in family matters.
“Of course I didn’t pay attention. I trusted that Her Majesty the Empress was taking good care of her all this time.”
“Me? Me?”
The Empress, suddenly singled out, looked bewildered and incredulous.
“I don’t understand why you thought I would be the one to care for her, Princess.”
“Isn’t it obvious? After all, Princess Mari is His Majesty’s child too.”
I widened my eyes and countered.
“Perhaps Your Majesty was too focused on Prince Anton to notice, but as Empress, you have a duty to look after the Emperor’s children, even if you didn’t bear them yourself. If my mother were alive, she surely would have done so.”
“When did I ever focus only on Prince Anton…!”
Empress Gisela jumped in protest.
“That hurts, Princess. I’ve treated you like a daughter born from my own womb…”
She looked on the verge of tears, clearly feeling deeply wronged.
It gave me a slight chill to think she might actually believe that.
“Is there something I haven’t done for you?”
“Well, I wouldn’t know. I’ve been fine on my own since I was very young.”
“Rene.”
At that moment, the Emperor, who had been silent, interjected. I expected him to tell me to stop, but instead, an unexpected question came.
“Why didn’t your husband come?”
Of course, now that Friedrich and I were married, he qualified to attend the “family” dinner.
But I deliberately didn’t bring him. It was a measure to protect my husband from my in-laws’ nagging.
“I thought it was only for His Majesty’s direct family. Princess Mari isn’t here either.”
They’d be easier on me than on Friedrich, and they’d seize any chance to nitpick and attack him—no way.
‘Of course, judging from the triumph banquet before, he doesn’t seem like the type to just take it lying down…’
Anyway, it was enough for just me to get indigestion from this uncomfortable meal.
“If not, I’ll bring my husband and Princess Mari next time. The trip there and back won’t be boring.”
“No need. It’s better now than making it unnecessarily crowded.”
“And more suitable for important discussions.”
Then the Empress continued right away.
“Now that Princess Rene is married, isn’t it Anton’s turn, Your Majesty?”
“Isn’t it too soon? It’s only been a month since Rene’s wedding.”
“The Prince is eager to start a family. He held back all this time because the Princess couldn’t marry.”
Honestly, he’d only come of age last year—what could he have been holding back?
“Marriage isn’t easy. We need to start looking for a suitable match now to avoid delays. We can do the engagement first and hold the wedding later.”
Was this a strategy to push ahead while I was stalled by my “underwhelming” marriage?
“What do you think, Princess?”
“I’m all for it.”
They all widened their eyes, apparently thinking it was an unexpected response. Huh, why did they assume I’d oppose it?
‘It’d be great if an ambitious sister-in-law came in soon and pressured the Emperor to name an heir.’
It might speed up even more if Anton had a child.
“Hurry and get married, Anton. Living with someone you love is so happy. Isn’t that right, Father?”
When I asked the Emperor, who had married his former mistress Gisela right after Rene’s mother died as if he’d been waiting, he smiled awkwardly and avoided my gaze.
‘I did the right thing coming alone.’
This family was too embarrassing to show to my little sister and husband.
***
In the end, Empress Gisela unofficially decided to select candidates for Prince Anton’s consort.
As someone who was about to start picking a tutor for Mari, this was welcome news for me.
With summer beginning, the nobles who had planned to leave for vacation all stayed in the capital upon hearing this.
“As if the consort isn’t already decided— they should just go on vacation.”
I felt sorry for them as if it were my own issue and selected a few tutor candidates.
Filtering for politically neutral, unambitious lower nobles quickly left me with a handful.
“For now, contact the people on this list, Elsa. Be polite in your wording, and emphasize that they have the right to refuse.”
“Understood.”
“It’d be great if someone like you came along. Am I being greedy?”
“Should I include nobles on the brink of ruin in the criteria?”
“It doesn’t matter, but the order is wrong. You’re not capable because you’re desperate for money. You’re desperate for money despite being capable.”
“……”
She suddenly went quiet, so I turned my head and saw Elsa’s earlobes turning red. Her face remained expressionless, of course.
“Why are your ears turning red?”
“You’ve been generous with compliments lately.”
“Because I love you.”
I winked and piled on more, and Elsa’s face crumpled as if she’d heard something unbearable.
I giggled and handed her one of the many invitations I’d received, without even opening it.
“My dear Elsa— send a reply saying I’ll attend this invitation.”
“……You’ll attend? Without even opening the invitation?”
Elsa looked shocked, either at my cutesy affection or at my uncharacteristic decision to engage in social activities.
As a princess, Rene had neglected social duties, never hosting salons and ignoring most invitations.
“I’m free anyway. I just need to see who sent it.”
At that, Elsa checked the name on the envelope’s surface.
Adelina Weiss.
The pretty name was written in elegant cursive. Elsa’s expression turned even more puzzled as she asked.
“Isn’t she on the Empress’s side?”
Correct. More precisely, she was the one who would become Anton’s consort in the future.
