[Episode 48] - A Little Tea Party Just for Princesses (1)
Light brown hair, so bright beneath the sunlight pouring in through the audience chamber windows that it could be mistaken for blond. Black eyes that held the sunlight sparkled like obsidian. A “girl” who looked to be about fifteen bowed her head and introduced herself.
“My name is Fiona Silverword. The ‘second princess’ of the Kingdom of Silverword greets Her Majesty Queen Vivian Liliensol.”
The moment I saw the woman who introduced herself as “Fiona Silverword,” goosebumps rose along my arms for some inexplicable reason. Rubbing my arms, where even the fine hairs had stood on end, I looked at “Fiona,” who was smiling softly.
‘What is this...?’
Originally, the “third prince” should have arrived here, just as in the original. Even the Minister of Foreign Affairs, who had gone on a business trip to the Kingdom of Silverword, had clearly said that the third prince would be participating in the delegation.
I met the eyes of the Minister of Foreign Affairs beside me, whose eyes were wide with bewilderment, but he merely shook his head vigorously, as if he had heard absolutely nothing about this either.
‘The original has changed again...’
So far, nothing good had ever come from the original changing. Like how Aurora, the first queen, whom I had believed to be dead, was alive, and because of that, the king, who had been a “player,” ended up like that.
The fact that the “third prince” who should have arrived with this delegation had changed into the “second princess” didn’t seem like it could possibly be a good thing either. I had no evidence, only suspicion, but...
“Um...? Are you all right?”
“Ah.”
When I fell briefly into thought, Fiona tilted her head and looked up at me. For now... welcoming the visiting delegation came first. I nodded and forced myself to smile.
“I sincerely welcome your visit, Princess Fiona Silverword. You must be quite tired from your long journey, so why not rest for the day first? A banquet to welcome the delegation will be held tomorrow evening, so I hope you will be sure to attend.”
“Thank you for welcoming us so warmly despite our sudden visit.”
Once the exchange was over and I raised my hand, the maids waiting nearby began guiding the delegation. After the delegates left the audience chamber, the Minister of Foreign Affairs let out a low groan and sank into thought.
“The second princess, not even the first princess... Huh... This is quite something.”
“Minister of Foreign Affairs, do you know anything about Princess Fiona Silverword?”
At my question, the Minister of Foreign Affairs shook his head and shrugged.
“Nothing at all. She is the ‘second princess,’ and even in the Kingdom of Silverword, she has rarely appeared outside. She barely participates in external events, and even when I went to their kingdom, I only saw her face once.”
From what the Minister of Foreign Affairs said, Princess Fiona seemed to have a timid personality. A princess who never attended outside events and stayed shut away in her room. It nearly made me dizzy, reminding me of someone I knew.
“Well... I do not know the details either. That is merely what I have heard. In truth, it may simply be that she never had the opportunity to come outside. The ‘first princess’ over there has such an excellent reputation, you see.”
“Reputation?”
“There are even rumors that if the first ‘queen’ in the history of the Kingdom of Silverword were to appear, it might be their ‘first princess.’ She is as popular as the first and second princes, who are in the line of succession.”
“Hmm...”
“Because the first princess is so popular with the people and so capable, perhaps Princess Fiona, the second princess, had no chance to step outside... That is merely my guess.”
The second princess, hidden in the first princess’s shadow.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs only shrugged and said it was all his speculation; there was nothing certain. There was no use in a group of people who knew nothing racking their brains together like this.
Since the “third prince” who was supposed to come had not arrived, the princess’s marriage meeting had gone out the window. The princess might be pleased when she heard. She had been avoiding me so much, saying she hated the idea of a marriage meeting.
I rubbed my furrowed brow and let out a small sigh. I felt uneasy about the original changing so suddenly, and the sense of incongruity I had felt when looking at that person named Fiona also unsettled me.
...I could only hope that this sense of incongruity was just my imagination.
“Well... the delegation will be staying for only a week, so even if the third prince has changed into the second princess, surely nothing much will happen. You have all worked hard today. Rest well, and I shall see you tomorrow.”
When I waved my hand, telling them to hurry and leave the audience chamber, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the various nobles hesitated for a moment, then bowed and left.
“Haa...”
Once everyone had disappeared and I was left alone in the spacious audience chamber, I let out a deep sigh without realizing it. Had I been getting more exhausted lately? These days, all I seemed to do was sigh more and more.
Since the marriage meeting with the third prince had been canceled, would the princess’s mood improve a little? It had already been two months since things became awkward between us, and I was growing worn out. I wanted us to go back to how we used to be as soon as possible...
Wiping my tired face with my palm, I quietly rose from my chair and trudged forward. I thought about resting for a bit, but I couldn’t, not with all sorts of thoughts constantly blooming in my head.
Could I finally start to restore my awkward relationship with the princess? Was it really a coincidence that, unlike in the original where the third prince came, the second princess had arrived instead? As for the delegation, I should ask the other ministers—
Sorting through my complicated thoughts one by one, I quietly headed to my room.
Praying that nothing would happen during the week the delegation stayed...
*
The fourth day since the delegation from the Kingdom of Silverword had arrived.
Fortunately, nothing had happened so far. I left matters of each country’s politics to the ministers, and I merely attended meetings and nodded along. The banquet welcoming the delegation had also ended without incident.
To the point that I wondered if I had been too suspicious, Princess Fiona had been quiet and caused no trouble at all. The only news I heard about Princess Fiona every day was that she was experiencing the culture and enjoying herself.
‘Was the sense of incongruity I felt back then just my imagination? I’m glad nothing has happened, but...’
I stabbed a piece of meat I had cut on my plate with my fork, then lifted only my eyes slightly to look at Princess Fiona, who was eating with me across the table.
Saying the kingdom’s food was delicious, she smiled bashfully with her eyes curved and ate the meat. It was a pleasant sight. Was Princess Fiona truly only someone hidden in the first princess’s shadow?
Putting her appearance aside, judging only by her behavior, Princess Fiona was acting like an ordinary child of about fifteen. Seeing her eat the meat so happily made me feel sorry for having suspected her so much.
Princess Fiona, who had been cutting her meat into small pieces, smiled bashfully and looked at the princess sitting beside her, who was diligently cutting her own meat. Since I had kept the two princesses together for the past few days, they seemed to have become quite close.
“Princess Titania, if the meat is difficult to cut, may I cut it for you instead?”
“I-It’s all right. I can cut it myself...”
“I’m sorry. I have a younger brother, but no younger sister, so I keep meddling. A younger brother is nice too, but still, I prefer a younger sister—”
Perhaps exhausted by Princess Fiona, who chattered without pause, the princess smiled awkwardly and kept nodding. Was that what it meant to have one’s energy drained?
The princess, who was usually full of mischief and energy, was frozen in place like an animal that had encountered its natural enemy, busy listening to Princess Fiona. Her awkward smile was obvious enough to see.
After I told her the marriage meeting had been canceled, my relationship with the princess improved very slightly. Perhaps because the period of awkwardness had been long, her attitude toward me did not change immediately, but it was certainly much better.
As we continued eating slowly, Princess Fiona, who had not stopped chirping like a baby bird, clapped her hands together and smiled brightly as if a good idea had come to her.
“Oh, right! Princess Titania, what is your schedule like today?”
“I-I don’t think I have anything in particular.”
“Then would you enjoy a tea party with me today? We brought all sorts of snacks from our Kingdom of Silverword. Since I have received so much, I wanted to share the taste with Princess Titania as well—”
In the middle of her nonstop chatter, the princess turned her head and looked at me. She looked at me with a restless expression, as if asking me to save her, but I smiled brightly and took Princess Fiona’s side.
“If Princess Fiona brings out fine snacks, then we ought to prepare the tea. There is plenty of good tea in the royal palace as well. I shall order it prepared, so why not spend the afternoon together with Princess Titania?”
“That is a wonderful idea! Your Majesty! It would be fun to find tea that suits our kingdom’s snacks—”
The princess’s face turned pale, and then she puffed out her cheeks and glared at me as if I were truly hateful. Whether she did or not, I put a piece of cut meat into my mouth and deliberately avoided the princess’s gaze.
Since the princess had sulked and ignored me until now, I merely wanted to be a little spiteful toward her. I had yet to hear even a single apology from the princess, so this much spite should be fine.
Wiping the corners of my mouth with a napkin, I smiled brightly and looked at the princess and Princess Fiona.
“Then I hope the two of you have a good time. If anything comes up, you may call for me at any time. Princess Fiona, Princess Titania.”
“Thank you always for your great consideration! Your Majesty Queen Vivian!”
“......”
The princess, who had not even put meat in her mouth yet had puffed out her cheeks, glared at me, but I rose from my seat first and slowly made my way out of the dining room.
As I passed behind the princess, she whispered to me in a voice so small that only I could hear it. A very brief phrase filled with genuine feeling.
“.....I hate you.”
“So do I.”
When I answered the princess, Princess Fiona, who had heard my mutter-like reply, stopped cutting her meat and peeked up in response.
“Pardon? Did you say something?”
“Nothing at all, Princess Fiona. I hope the two of you have a good time.”
With those words as my last, I left the dining room.
Through the narrow gap of the closing dining room door, I saw the princess looking at me as if she were about to cry, but I forced myself to close the door and headed to my room for a short rest.
Considering how much emotional hardship I had suffered until now,
this much spite should be fine.
After all, nothing much would happen just because two princesses were having a tea party.