Chapter 28: CH 28

The parlor room, which was apparently visited by someone, was also organized by the new attendants.

‘You’ve changed so much.’

The long dark green sofa, which Esadien and I spent the most time with, disappeared somewhere, and only small single-person chairs with flower patterns were placed.

There was a plate full of chocolate on the table, and the teacup next to it was clear with rouge marks.

‘The Crown Princess…. may have come.’

I managed to suppress the wheezing sound and comforted myself like that. And I asked the attendant who looked at me in no way favorably.

“Where did the original servants go?”

“Without the permission of the chief servant, we cannot disclose the personnel affairs inside the Imperial Family.”

“Ha.”

I was so dumbfounded that I couldn’t help laughing.

In principle, that is correct, but in fact, the degree to which the servants have moved is a light gossip for the capital nobles.

So, this servant was saying that he didn’t want to tell you what was obvious.

‘Even if I’m not socially active.’

I looked straight at the attendant with a serious look.

“Hey, tell me who I am.”

“What?”

“Do I have to say it twice?”

“You-you are Princess Karinen, the fiancée of His Highness the Third Prince.”

“So, do you think the head of the servant will tell you not to say anything? To me, whom the Emperor considers like his daughter?”

“That’s…”

“Tsk.”

As I raised the momentum to investigate further, I clicked my tongue involuntarily.

‘What am I doing now.’

It’s no different from the original Minuelle, who tried to achieve what he wanted by ‘using her family to power’.

“That’s enough. I’m leaving.”

I turned around and walked, and I felt a sign that the attendant was often chasing me. I ignored it and looked straight ahead.

‘It’s probably on my mind.’

I tried to think that the person who visited would be the Crown Princess, but my hunch was constantly saying that it was unclear.

Last time, on a visit to the Imperial Palace, the Crown Princess said Esadien was out and Lafesch would have left work by then.

‘She said Lafesch leaves work early every time the Emperor calls.’

What if you two went out together that day?

All of a sudden, my eyes met the gloved hand that was tightly curled up.

“I went to the store and bought it. I thought it would look good on you.”

At that time, I was so happy that I let it go, but Esadien, a member of the Imperial Family, did not have to go out and shop in the shopping district.

I felt sick imagining Lafesch and Esadien riding around in one carriage, just like at sister Juella’s wedding.

I turned around slowly and asked the attendant who was still following me.

“By the way, say it.”

“Has Lady Celeste ever visited the third prince’s palace?”

“Yes.”

It was a more obedient attitude than before.

“How many times?”

“I don’t know about that.”

I wasn’t happy at all, but my lips went up.

Seeing that the attendant refused to answer, it didn’t seem like it was once or twice. In addition, the speculation that the visitor who entered the Imperial Palace a while ago was Lapeche became even stronger.

“Right. Excuse me.”

As I turned my back and came out of the palace, I felt very strange.

What kind of emotion is this? Disappointment? Feeling betrayed? Or is the feeling of missing millstone handle?

Whatever it was, I wanted to see Esadien’s face and hear just one word, but I didn’t know it would be this difficult.

“Haa… But I can’t ask the Emperor or the Crown Princess.”

It was when I opened the carriage door, muttering a sigh.

“You’re here?”

There was an unexpected person sitting inside.

“Ramande?! Why are you here?”

“I’m worried about you leaving in a hurry.”

“Is, is that so?”

Anyway, you’re still waiting for me. I was embarrassed because you did something I didn’t do.

Ramande added, dragging my stiff hand to the open door.

“These days, the potions in your room have decreased a lot.”

Ugh. I just thought you were filling it up, but I didn’t know that Ramande counted it himself.

“The Prince…. looks like he’s not there.”

I guess it was obvious from my expression. I just smiled bitterly, buried my face in the cushion.

“Then what will you do? Shall we go home?”

“Yes.”

I replied reflexively, then quickly changed my answer.

“No. I changed my mind. Let’s walk around the city for a while and then go back.”

For example, in a shopping district.

“What’s the matter? You told me to walk.”

“I don’t think you’re wrong either. You said you were depressed even if you stayed home too much.”

Even if the house is bigger than a large resort, it can be enough.

In fact, I wanted to meet Esadien, who was wandering outside the Imperial Palace, even by chance, but even thinking about it, I was miserable, so I couldn’t speak directly to Ramande.

“Yeah, then.”

Ramande, who did not know what I was thinking, immediately ordered the coachman to do something, and we soon arrived somewhere in Roquette.

“Where are you?”

“Should I say it’s the end of the street? If you go that way, there’s the designer’s shop where you matched the dress, and if you go this way, you’ll find a residential area.”

“Really? You know it well, Ramande.”

“Unlike Lady Minuelle, who’s a lazy person, I’ve been around quite a lot.”

“Isn’t that all because you want to be my guide?”

When he wrinkled his eyes, Ramande nodded with a ridiculous smile.

“I guess so. Then where shall we go, my lady?”

Ramande reached out with an exaggerated attitude like a play, arrogantly placed his fingertips on my hand, and answered.

“Since we’re out, should we go shopping?”

“I’d be happy to serve you.”

However, if expectations are high, disappointment is high. There was nothing in the jewelry shop that caught my eye more than I expected.

“I really wanted to say, “From here to there, send everything to the Grand Duchess House”.”

Ramande asked me as I came out of the room after looking around.

“Why aren’t you buying anything?”

“Not really…. There’s nothing better than staying at home.”

“Oh, I’m sure you will.”

“As expected, right? My sisters made it by order for me…. Oh, and come to think of it, if you want to shop, you just have to order from the top of our list.”

“Speaking of which, do you want to go take a look? Upper Roquette Branch.”

“That’s a good idea.”

It was a walk with a different purpose, but flirting with Ramande was surprisingly effective in making me feel better. It reminds me of the time when I was in the Sumender.

Thanks to this, I was walking slowly to the main street with a light heart. A girl came into my eyes, suggesting something she had in her hand to the people.

“What is he selling?”

“Would you like to know?”

I wasn’t that curious.

However, when I was about to shake my head, the child who was pushed by a passerby fell down.

“Oh, my.”

Something like colored thread spilled out of the basket. The tearful child picked it up one by one and shook off the dust.

When I saw it, I couldn’t pass it, so when I nodded, the driver standing behind me approached the child, said something, and brought him here.

“Hello.”

“Oh, hello…”

It was the first time he had ever dealt with an aristocrat. The child was trembling with his back almost at a right angle.

“You can turn your head. The priest is here too. Are there any injuries?”

“Oh, no. it’s okay.”

“It’s good. Then will you show me what you’re selling?”

“Yes…?”

I guess he didn’t expect me to be interested in his basket. The startled child raised his head, alternated between Ramande and me, and turned red.

“That…”

When the knight coughs from behind, he hands out the basket to him. The knight showed us the basket only after taking the cloth and making sure there was nothing strange inside.

“Wow. Is it a bracelet?”

It was a kind of wish bracelet made by weaving strands of colorful threads.

“Ramande, remember? I made this when I was little and gave it to you.”

It was when I just started learning weaving in the temple.

The color thread was overflowing, and the bracelet was easier to complete than a tapestry, so I remember being obsessed with making bracelets in the beginning.

“Of course. If you keep wearing it after making a wish, it will come true on the day it breaks, so I wore it until it really breaks.”

“Ahaha. That’s right. It was.”

Even at the same age, Ramande was a tenacious child. I immediately felt an itch on my wrist, so I took it out.

“Come to think of it, what was your wish?”

“……”

Until then, Ramande’s mouth, who had been talking softly, was closed.

‘Why aren’t you talking?’

When I turned around to see if he had bitten his tongue, the nape of his neck, which was rolling a string bracelet in his palm, was a little hot.

“Ramande?”

“Uh? Yes?”

Moreover, when his eyes meet, he is even embarrassed.

“Well, you’re not supposed to say it.”

It was a dubious excuse.

“Ramande, are you…..”

“By any chance? By any chance, what?”

“It’s because you don’t remember, right? Right?

You always teased me for forgetting things like that quickly!

When she was in high spirits and questioned, Ramande opened his lips slightly and soon sighed.

“….as long as you’re quick-witted.”

“If you make fun of me as a pink goldfish, I won’t let you go.”

I poked at Ramand, laughed for a moment, and asked the child.

“Hey, I want to buy all of this. How much do you want?”

“Yes?”

The child’s eyes and mouth opened at the same time. And once again, the knight’s nonsense continued.

“Ah, that, I don’t know how many of these there are….”

The coachman, watching from the side, stepped up to see as he felt sorry for the child who was at a loss.

“Well, Princess. Maybe a copper coin for a bracelet.”

One silver coin for one hundred copper coins and one gold coin for ten silver coins. The coachman meant that I could give one or two silver coins roughly.

But it’s a lot of money for a child to carry alone. I had not forgotten the backstreet story I had heard from Ramande a few times.

“Hmm, do you live with your parents?”

“Oh…no, Princess. My parents aren’t there, and I live in an orphanage.”

She was a princess. He was a smart child who learned exactly what the coachman once called her.

“Okay, then let’s go there.”

The knights, the coachman, and the child who was involved were surprised and opposed, but Ramande knew why I was doing it.

“The Princess ordered it, so you just have to follow it. It won’t take long, so don’t worry.”

As I got into the carriage first, I heard Ramande’s voice from behind.

I was a little touched. I was very grateful to have a friend who knew what I wanted and why.

‘I’m glad I have you.’

When I made eye contact with Ramande, I smiled with all my heart.