56.
Late… teens?
At that age, she would have made her debut several times over.
There was no way a noble young lady whose face the former imperial princess did not know would still remain in the imperial capital.
The woman who approached with an innocent face lowered her head to study her, sitting beneath the tree, then tilted her head and asked.
‘Are you carrying a child?’
The former imperial princess’s fingertips twitched.
Irritation flared within her, but she hid it so it did not show on the surface.
She was already used to such things.
‘I’ll hold this over you. It’s raining, isn’t it? Let’s hurry inside together.’
The woman came to her side without hesitation, took her arm, and helped her to her feet, then opened the umbrella toward the former imperial princess.
And as they walked toward the building, she chattered nonstop the entire way.
She said it was her first time seeing a pregnant person.
She also said she had been ill for a long time and had only lain in bed, but that now she had shaken it off and was healthy.
She said her current interest was embroidery, though it seemed she had no talent for it.
She laughed, saying it would probably be much faster to pester some young lady she became friends with later into embroidering for her than to finish anything by herself.
When the former imperial princess gave little response, she tilted her head from time to time, but perhaps realizing it was not a sign of dislike, she kept talking.
The former imperial princess gradually realized.
The House of Roxan’s… sickly heir.
The one who had lost her mother as soon as she was born, and not long after, lost even her father.
She had heard the girl was an invalid with only death awaiting her, but seeing her now, she looked exceedingly healthy.
The way she did not even ask the other person’s name, the way she casually grabbed hold of someone without formality, even her unladylike steps….
She had no refinement to speak of.
That did not mean she felt rude.
She simply did not seem like a noble.
But if she was like that, it would already be difficult enough for her to mingle with people who were proud and picky in so many ways.
The House of Roxan was an unusual family in many respects.
It had been an isolated house that had never had much contact with other families to begin with, and after the baron died, the sole remaining heir had been on the verge of death….
She likely had no proper chaperone. She probably had not been able to hold a formal debut either.
Then, the former imperial princess suddenly realized the woman had stopped speaking.
They had reached the entrance of the building.
The woman folded the umbrella, then turned lightly toward the former imperial princess.
Then she bent at the waist and whispered with a flushed face.
‘Little one, be born healthy.’
Whenever the former imperial princess thought back on that day, she always had the same thought.
Back then… she wished she had answered with something, anything.
The young woman smiled brightly at the former imperial princess one last time, then turned away without lingering, as though that had been her farewell.
Her retreating figure ran off with light, pattering steps.
It was a cheerful, airy rhythm.
The former imperial princess was somewhat young to become a chaperone.
Her status was high, but after marriage she was not treated very well by the family, and her reputation was not good either.
So the thought that had briefly crossed her mind that day faded after a few days and disappeared without a trace.
From what she heard, the young woman seemed to be having a rather noisy romance.
Rohwinas Canesion, of all people.
She did not think they made a particularly fitting pair.
The child was born healthy.
And the last piece of news that reached the former imperial princess, who now had something she had to protect, was….
‘Anastasia Roxan schemed to possess Rohwinas Canesion by feeding him a love potion.’
I murmured, my gaze fixed on the steaming teacup.
“…I see.”
“I thought you wouldn’t remember.”
The former imperial princess took a brief sip of black tea and replied as though it were nothing.
And when I raised my head, she met my eyes directly and said,
“Thank you for back then.”
“It’s not as though I did anything in particular.”
“That’s true too.”
The former imperial princess was quiet for a moment, as if choosing her words.
So I spoke first.
“Madam, I’m grateful as well. For not revealing who I was in front of everyone.”
“That’s true.”
As expected, the former imperial princess accepted thanks differently from everyone else too.
“You may speak more comfortably with me.”
“Of course I could, but this is more comfortable for me.”
…In that case, well, she should do as she found comfortable.
I took a low, deep breath, removed my mask, and set it on the table.
It was when I had lifted the teacup, now cooled to a suitable temperature, and barely taken a sip.
“Aren’t you curious? About who my child’s real father is?”
“Pardon?”
The former imperial princess laughed shortly.
“That’s how rumors are, originally.”
“….”
“She has the status of an imperial princess, so if she were innocent, she would have protested more fiercely. Then, if she explains herself, they say she has the status of an imperial princess, so the Britair family naturally has no choice but to remain silent, don’t they? Things like that.”
When I lifted my eyes to check, the former imperial princess was not looking at me.
Beneath her gaze, fixed somewhere far away, there was a faint trace of anguish.
“No matter how much I explained, even if I was wholly innocent, a perfect logic that would convince them was ultimately close to impossible.”
“….”
“It’s true that my husband slipped while inspecting a mine. He was injured fairly badly too.”
“….”
“Even now, we aren’t on very good terms. Our personalities simply clash too much.”
The former imperial princess shrugged.
“If we argue even a little, they say those rumors from back then might have been true after all. It gets stirred up again.”
“….”
“All that happened was that the child came a little early.”
Not knowing how to react, I sat there with an earnest smile on my face.
“Come to think of it, it seems we never knew anything at all about what kind of person you were.”
I flinched.
“In truth, there are probably more people like me. People who couldn’t step forward and say anything… but who felt something was off about that incident, people who had questions.”
And slowly… I set down my teacup and raised my head.
“So what I mean is… I’m sorry I couldn’t raise my voice on your side back then.”
A voice that sounded awkward, embarrassed, a little warm, and a little hesitant.
I stared blankly at the former imperial princess for a long while, then hurriedly lowered my gaze.
I had received an apology.
An apology I probably would not have received for much longer if I had not come here.
Perhaps I….
A sincerity I might never have known if I had shut myself up in the mansion and let time flow endlessly past.
Regardless, the former imperial princess suddenly clicked her tongue cynically.
“If you look for them, people who betray their lovers are everywhere, and taking concubines after marriage is nothing unusual, and yet those very people don’t even know what it means to truly love someone.”
“….”
“But only with things like this do they get excited, saying they must bring down the hammer or make an example of someone.”
Just then, the door burst open, and the little one came running in unsteadily and clung to the former imperial princess’s leg.
With practiced ease, the former imperial princess lifted the child and sat him on her lap.
“My child isn’t well-behaved at all. I wonder who he takes after.”
“Ah, yes.”
“Hamel. You should greet her. She’s the person who saved you.”
The little one stared at me from within his mother’s arms, then said something and nodded.
“His speech is still a bit unclear… but being a little late to develop isn’t bad either.”
The former imperial princess lightly pinched the little one’s nose as if he were adorable, then let go.
It was a gesture full of affection.
“Why on earth did he climb up there?”
“You can see everything well from high places.”
At my answer, the Former Imperial Princess let out a short laugh.
"Anyway, as long as you've decided to come back, that's enough."
"Huh?"
"Since you've come back. That's what matters now."
"……."
"Hamel's birthday is coming up soon, so may I send an invitation?"
"Ah, yes. Of course."
"If you're busy, you can just send a gift this way."
"Ah."
"I'll look forward to it."
"Aah…… yes……."
What on earth was I supposed to gift the Emperor's nephew and the Former Imperial Princess's only little one?
As I emptied the teacup with a complicated expression, the Former Imperial Princess refilled it with tea.
"There's plenty. Since there's still a lot left."
"Yes……."
In the end, I laughed helplessly.
* * *
The moment I entered the party venue, people's gazes briefly gathered before scattering.
Who knew a single day could be this long.
Outside was already pitch-black, but the party was still being held in full swing.
If anything, it felt like 'This is where it begins!'
Chandelier lights were illuminating every corner brilliantly.
In the distance, I could see the Count talking and laughing with some man.
The moment I saw that man's hair color, the Former Imperial Princess's little one came to mind.
'He must be from the Britear family.'
Then, sensing someone approaching from behind, I felt a few light taps on my back.
"Excuse me……. Lady Daena is very drunk right now."
I turned to see a young lady with a youthful face, about my height.
And sure enough, when I went over, Daena was sitting there with a flushed face fixed in a vacant expression.
"Why did you drink so much?"
Daena glanced at me, then tapped the seat beside her.
"Come here and sit."
I went and sat down.
"You've never had anything like this before, have you?"
It was the staggeringly famous '97 vintage wine.
I stretched out a trembling hand.
"And this, too."
"What is it?"
"Top-shelf brandy that even my father says he can't get his hands on……"
"……."
I swallowed hard.
"And…… look at these."
I stared, mesmerized, at the cocktails laid out by Daena's outstretched fingertips.
"Ooh."
I could feel the young lady who had clearly brought me here to stop Daena staring at me with trembling pupils.
I threw my arm around Daena's shoulders, showing off our closeness.
"You saw what a rough day I had today, right?"
"I saw."
"So we have to drink, right?"
"We have to drink."
Daena raised her glass and shouted.
"Let's drink it all!"
I was gladly overcome with emotion.
You brat, you really know how to party!