Chapter 44

***

“Look, my Anastasia. These cards are pretty, right?”

My mother was obviously smiling.

But…..

I saw playing cards scattered everywhere near me.

Obviously, it was very pretty and colourful, as my mother said, even the gold leaf decorations on them were gorgeous.

It even has a subtle scent.

“Play with these as much as you wish, it’s good to touch a lot of things when you’re a baby.”

Surely enough the cards had a lot of different textures.

There were a lot of papers with various textures.

It was as if all kinds of paper distributed and made in this country, including high-end ones, had been gathered.

They even had wax seals of different crests in different shapes.

What I’m saying is, I am currently playing card stacking with the various invitations that had poured into the Duke’s Townhouse.

“Is it not fun? Aren’t the cards pretty?”

When I suddenly raised my head, my mother asked with a friendly smile.

‘As expected, she’s angry………’

She was hiding her emotions because she was in front of me, but as expected, Mother was angry.

It’s all because of the mountain of invitations that poured into the townhouse and at the last New Year’s ball.

King Luxius, who is a decent speaker on a respectable day, ruined the atmosphere of the ball, although it was very enjoyable after that incident.

‘People who live in the same place tend to have the same thoughts.’

In the midst of that chaos, I could see the nobles being divided.

Some of those who tried to look good to my parents became wary, and some were quick to curry favour with the king.

“Don’t worry too much, the Lord cares much for Parshan. How can the power of the lowly reach it?”

“The little duke Leventis ought to know how generous Your Highness is.”

The pale-faced set of ruined royals quickly succumbed to the flattery of several nobles and gave an order to the Grand Duke Leventis.

“Hmm, hmm. Since you’re getting old, and the little duke is still young, you may go now.”

It was unmistakably an order of dismissal.

On top of that, it was specifically given to the Grand Duke of Leventis.

“Oh, well, it’s a happy day, thus I shall overlook what happened with the little Duke! You should be thankful!”

The King acted as if he had shown great generosity with this one act alone.

The Grand Duke of Leventis, of course, was dignified even in the midst of this.

“Thank you for your consideration. Your Highness, then at your leave.”

The Grand Duke left with a slight bow.

Naturally, the King moved his chin disapprovingly after that.

“I.. I showed such benevolence, how can a word of apology not—!”

“Compose yourself, Your Highness!”

Therefore, pandemonium ensued agan.

‘The nobles changed how they addressed my mother as well.’

The people who called her “Princess” when we entered, changed their faces and began calling her “Duchess”.

‘The fact that there were a small number of people who were actually grovelling at the King’s side was even funnier.’

Perhaps because the King was simply ignorant, the nobles seem to have no intention of being meticulous.

They’re just taking the safest route.

Above all.

‘My mother was not angry because the nobles changed their tune on addressing her.’

My mother didn’t care about that in the first place.

My mother was angry because…

“You are the most precious and enchanting youngest of our family. All right, Anastasia?”

She was angry at the king’s vile suggestion of being a companion, and some of the nobles who sided with him.

* * *

“This is the crest of the Count of Hepato.”

“Count Hepato?”

“Yes, Count Hepato’s estate is in the southwest of the kingdom—.”

Us three siblings, after piling up quite a lot of cards, at some point began playing a game of matching the noble houses as we looked at the crests.

My brother, who is always motivated to study, even brought an aristocratic almanack and explained the crests to me and my sister.

‘Haha, the people who sent these invitations wouldn’t even be able to imagine that it would become toys this way.’

My mother rejected all the invitations that poured into the townhouse.

Nevertheless, the nobles still sent it recklessly.

‘If you really want to meet my mother, you check the contents of the letter first?’

The King and his wife were the ones who said anything about a ‘companion’, so there was no reason for Mother to do this to the nobles.

However,

[The King is the Duchess’ brother, surely his suggestion was for the betterment of the Duchess.

His Highness is an honourable person, so why doesn’t the Duchess reach out gently first?]

This ridiculous letter was sent by Count Hepato, whom my brother talked about a little while ago.

[I furtively asked the Queen, and it was revealed to me with great confidence that she was so nervous that day that her words came out so unseemly.

A companion? It is outlandish that she would say that to her child’s precious cousin.

I believe she was trying to indicate that it would be nice if Lady Anastasia were to become an attendant by her child’s side.

Unlike the Duchess, Her Highness the Queen has little experience with public appearances, so please kindly overlook her clumsy self?

I will ensure to clear the air with the Queen to your satisfaction, please won’t you join us in the Tea party I will be arranging?]

This was a letter from the Viscountess of Dinea, famous for being the current Queen’s maid and close friend.

‘Clear the air with who?’

These two were the most spectacular, but the rest were not that far off, all wrapped up in pretty words; but the gist is that they all were hypocritical.

‘In contrast, the military nobles quietly sent a greeting letter respectfully.’

Just like me, they knew my parents weren’t in the mood for active social activities.

I sat back and looked at the family seals of the invitations scattered around like playing cards.

‘That means all these families here only wanted to be in good favour with the Duchy?’

My parents carefully put away the greeting letter.

‘They did good, if those from the other side named us as an enemy.’

Since it’ll be easy to do a background check in advance.

Usually it’s easier to identify a foe from an ally, but to think that they’ll do it on their own.

‘My dog will be excited.’

Also, I’ll feel a little more comfortable; it seems that I have one more way to protect my family.

How annoying; these things are messing up my parents’ New Year!

While I was looking through the invitations one by one, my sister shouted excitedly.

“Lara memorised a lot!”

“Then shall we match the families?”

I focused on the invitations around me, half listening to their voices.

“Eu, eung?”

Suddenly, my whole body was dragged away.

“Our youngest too, why don’t you play with your brother and sister?”

As brother Damian pulled me, while I was turning my back on them, all the way to his side. It struck me because my brother’s eyes looked like they were sending a question mixed with affection saying, “What’s our youngest thinking about so seriously?”

‘It’s probably because I was playing by myself with my back turned.’

Whether he knew it would strike me or not, he dragged me in his arms so that I could lean my back on his chest and talked affectionately.

“I’ll give you a present if you match the invitations well, okay?”

At those sweet words,

“Wow! Lara likes it a lot.”

My sister was innocently excited, and I smiled, masking the tricks and wicked schemes that filled my mind.

It was time to play the part of the oblivious youngest.

* * *

“What are you up to..”

My mother squinted at the castle that could be seen outside the carriage window.

One day, about two weeks after the New Year’s ball, the invitations pouring into the townhouse calmed down, and the Queen sent an invitation to have tea time.

[Duchess of Endeblanc, the sole Princess Tekla of Parsian.

I’d like to formally apologise to you for what happened during the New Year’s ball.

How could I disregard your feelings as a newly expecting mother myself.

I know the Princess is busy, but would you please make some time for the previously mentioned arrangement?]

On top of that, she also firmly called my mother ‘Princess’ of the Royal family rather than ‘Duchess’.

‘She didn’t seem like a person with much generosity.’

My mother was full of doubts as if she thought the same.

However, since the Queen had compromised, Mother could not refuse it thoughtlessly like the invitations of other nobles.

My mother hugged me with a slight sigh before getting out of the carriage.

“Our youngest, you trust Mom right?”

“Eung.”

I returned an obvious answer to the obvious question.

If I don’t trust my mother, who would I trust?

After hugging my older sister and older brother as well, she got off the carriage with a grim face as though she didn’t want to but had no choice.

However, the place where the maid guided us to felt different from what I thought in many ways.

“Welcome, Princess Tekla.”

As we entered the hall, the Queen approached us at once with a gesture of great exaggeration and greeting, unlike at the New Year’s ball.

Even with that kind look, my mother calmly bowed her knees and tried to pay her respects.

“To the mistress of Parsian, the mediator of the Saint and Evil–”

“It’s alright. Considering our relationship, why embarrass us with such a formal greeting?”

The corners of the Queen’s fully raised lips trembled convulsively.

Then she covered her exuberant mouth with her hands then opened her mouth as if she really couldn’t stop it.

“Everyone’s been waiting for you. Truely, I didn’t know.”

“Pardon? What are you…..”

“I heard everyone sent you rude letters about the incident at the New Year’s ball.”

Then the Queen shook her head and deliberately grabbed my mother’s hand.

“How unpleasant it must have been, it’s all my fault, yet they’re telling you to understand.”

The Queen then looked around with rather fierce eyes.

The nobles gathered looked at my mother with embarrassment painted on their faces.

“I’ve already told everyone that I was in the wrong. So won’t the Princess stop covering this up too?”

The Queen tapped my mother’s hand which she held.

‘What’s with this person?’

What does she think she is to force my mother’s forgiveness?

She didn’t even apologise.