章節 35: Chapter 30: Ball of Boredom.
Chapter 30: Ball of Boredom.
Elizabeth's POV
The castle is decorated with a blue and silver theme to welcome the emperor back in his rightful place in ruling.
No longer volunteering to fight in the tidings of war but I don't believe that.
"Hah…"
Yet this party is boring with nothing else to do but go with the usual, make friends with the other noble children for future beneficial relationships.
While some of these noble parents are trying to set me up with their kid who I know is just being forced into an unwanted relationship with me.
I've already remembered who to keep my ties with and who I should not.
"Hmph."
And Victoria is ignoring me because of my father's ridiculous order of staying away, keeping things 'professional'.
"Thank you for giving me your time, as you all know I have just recently come back from my expedition on leading the army to expand our kingdom's territory- waging war on those demons."
My father was standing on top of the staircase, holding a wine glass in his hand and proposing a toast of his return. "I will be taking on duties that I left on my brother, and my sister who did well on keeping our diplomatic relationship with other countries- may it be fruitful for new opportunities."
He turned to me holding out his wine glass, my heart suddenly felt heavy, like everyone's eyes were poking holes into every part of my body.
"And to my daughter, the princess." He starts chuckling, and for some reason I wanted to run away.
Is he plotting something that has me involved?
"My wife's legacy lives on, let's give a toast- for the future." (Emperor Alastor) raises his wine glass up, before gulping down the entire drink.
Every adult noble follows before the music starts to play.
"..."
Musicians hired and ones that basically lived inside the castle composed classical melodies that made the human body sway, people in formal attires went into the center of the ballroom picking their own partner holding their hands and then proceeding to dance.
I considered not doing anything and just watching the people here get drunk, seeing the women fancy bachelors of the season.
"How fickle."
The color of my world was turning gray, the party becoming uninteresting that I wanted to find a place where I could be alone.
I couldn't go to Victoria's side because she intended to stay as far away as she could while keeping an eye on me.
"This sucks." I muttered under my breath, walking into the gourmet buffet of sweets that they had.
A familiar servant gave me my plate, I nodded in thanks looking at what sweets I can indulge myself into.
"H-Hello… your highness!"
Another noble child out to get me?
"Yes, greetings."
"I-It's been a while!" she appeared to be nervous, looking around and that was certainly oddly suspicious.
I have failed to realize that the voice that called out to me was Melrose, my cousin and the daughter of Duke Damien of Erhenzig.
She was holding her plushies and walking around with them.
How bold but still it was understandable knowing that she's still a child.
"Nice to see a familiar face, are you having fun?" I asked, motioning an order for one of my servants to go and grab my cousin a plate. "Indulge some sweets with me."
"Yes, your highness, I'm having fun." (Melrose) follows by thanking the servant that gave her a small plate before we moved together to browse the sweets laying in the sweets stand.
"You know you can call me by my name." I tell her and she blinks.
"P-Princess Elizabeth…"
I smiled satisfyingly hearing her say my name instead of the usual 'your highness' and proceeded to take a couple of strawberry cakes that were so small in portion and put them on her plate.
"Much better."
"Oh thank you, I like strawberries!" (Melrose) happily walked beside me, finding our way into a private table where no one else was sitting. "Mm~"
We sat down, and started eating.
"So your dad came back-! He looks like my dad- just the hair being different." (Melrose) tells me, and I wanted to tell her that they were brothers. Would you expect them to not look alike- but maybe I misunderstood. Other siblings tend to not look alike…
How should I know I don't have a sibling?
"Yes… I don't know what to make of it but I'm glad he's back home safely." I poked the side of my cake, plopping it into my mouth. The sugary cream melted in my tongue, the topic of my father on the other hand somehow made it taste sour.
Melrose is a kind child, but I don't know the limits of her tattle. I have to be careful of how I act around her knowing I don't fully trust her yet-
"Oh… um… you don't look too happy I think… that your dad came back." she fidgeted around. "I'm sorry um… I just couldn't help but notice it."
"No… you're perceptive for a little girl." I complimented her chuckling, making me want to pat her head. "How about you make this into our little secret?"
"Oh- okie. I also don't like my dad much so I get you. I promise to keep it a secret if you keep mine too." (Melrose) leans a little to me, we both watched the ball move its way onto us.
We were both daughters with daddy issues, who knew?
"Oh I also brought my maid today! Maybe she's making friends with your maid in the servant area?" (Melrose) tells me and I shake my head. "My maid is keeping watch tonight, I don't think she has any time to mingle with the other maids unless it is needed."
"Oh… maybe another time then!"
"Still I can't help but get bored… there really is nothing to do here but mingle and eat." I complained, I'm not close with anyone else to invite them to the library or something other than Melrose.
I could try getting close to someone, but my mind would have to calculate the risk and benefits for being close with this and that.
"Everything is just too much." I held my head feeling another headache incoming, I just had a breakdown yesterday and keeping myself together requires a lot more mental strength than I expected.
"Oh… is it because of what my daddy told me?"
What?
Speaking of Uncle Damien, I doubt my father even knows what kind of horrible things he did just to see me get hurt. "What did your dad tell you?"
"Well- I heard your dad and my dad talked together and um… I think he was asking for my dad to find some people who can teach you some things." She told me and I almost banged my head into the table. My father consulted Uncle Damien to find those tutors for me, I reckon one out of ten of those tutors would attempt to take my life.
Those ten subjects will haunt me in the future.
"Thank you for telling me." I replied to Melrose feeling my appetite leaving. "I'm full so I need to leave and be on my way."
"H-Huh?" She turns to my serving plate, some of my chosen desserts untouched. "But your cake is not finished?"
"The sweet taste is gone, I've lost the mood to eat. I'll be in my room retiring myself to rest." I excused myself, pushing the stairs giving Melrose a curtsy however my eyes widened in shock when she held my wrist in a gentle manner.
"Can I come visit again for tea, Princess Elizabeth?" Her nervous hands, I could feel it shaking. Looking around the scene, after I leave I don't think anyone should mess with Melrose after.
I nodded in answer, finding her company a delight anyways, "Once I feel a little better… I'll send a letter."
"Can Joe get a letter too?" She motions to her doll and I couldn't help but smile.
"Alright, I'll make sure he's invited. My servants will prepare a special seat for your plus one."
"Thank you, princess." (Melrose) nods gratefully in my direction, parting ways.
With that I left the ballroom and went out on my own.
"Your highness, where are you going?" (Victoria) was quick to come into my side and asked. "It's not safe to go alone. The knights are on different posts-"
"I don't want to be there anymore. I need to be somewhere alone." I kept my distance towards Victoria respecting my promise. "I don't like it there."
"...I see."
"I don't like that you're following me either." I stopped walking, turning to Victoria to push her away- but the look in her face made me feel hurt.
"Apologies, but to make it up to you- how about I show you… my favorite spot in the castle?"
Victoria's favorite spot around the castle- such a thing exists?!
My sour mood slowly faded away, it appears Victoria couldn't hold onto the rule she enforced on me for long!
It wasn't even a day! Such a softie! I knew my puppy eyes would work!
"You mean your favorite spot is not my room?" I asked, feeling a little offended, my room has all the best storybooks and wooden toys crafted by the best artisan in the kingdom.
Victoria shakes her head laughing. "No… but it was your mother's."
"My mother's?"
The revolutionary genius that made the wire mana system inside the castle so we can have lights in the night without casting any spells?
Helped the commoners with the same problem- and someone Victoria respects a lot.
"Why her room? I don't get how her room would make any difference to any regular room." I crossed my arms knowing it'll just be a plain minimalistic room, besides I think I visited it once or twice but I never found anything weird to report.
It was always damp and dark, I don't get why it's special.
"You'll understand why in a bit, your highness." she bends down to my level and pats my head. "Guess I'll have to disobey your father for a while, I just can't stay away from you when you're frowning."
The moment my cheeks puffed she pokes a finger on my skin trying to test its squishiness.
"But I'm not frowning." I tell her looking away, knowing I was indeed frowning.
"Grumpy?" she gave me this really annoying grin, tilting her head.
…
"...a little."
"Don't be grumpy, princess I won't follow your father's orders because not going to lie-" she leans into my ear giggling to whisper. "He kinda stinks now."
"Gasp! He does?"
"Yeah, I'll find a way to protect you and fulfill your real mom's wish." She held my hand, not minding the other maids around as we went to the other side of the castle.
"It's a good thing you got her curiosity and passion for research. I know you'll love what she left for you…" (Victoria) seemed so excited to show me my mom's room.
Did she leave something important behind in that room?
"Can you give me a hint on what it is?!" I swayed Victoria's hand happily, we were getting back to how we were-
"Who really is the former empress?! You guys speak so highly of her but I never see many of her portraits around." Though I've heard rumors that the reason for that is because the emperor couldn't help but break down every time he sees a portrait of her.
"Your mother is one of the craziest women I've ever met."
"...that's one compliment."
"And I come from the military so that speaks a lot."
Is she really that crazy? All her other prepared gifts for me when it came to my birthday was normal- nothing weird.
"She told me to give this gift to you when you turn eighteen, but- I'm afraid the emperor might've… nevermind." She stopped, and I was left to finish her sentence.
The emperor might…
Destroy it?
Pawned me away first to be married before I got the chance to obtain the gift?
We walked in silence but then I realized this part of the castle had no servants left.
"Halt!"
But I suppose there were a few guards patrolling the area, ones that I didn't know.
"It's me, Victoria Crumwell." (Victoria) introduced herself with no hesitation towards the guard. She may be a maid now and even without the title of general she's still strong, I really want to be like her when I grow up.
"Oh it's you- you know you're not allowed to go in these parts anymore Victoria…" He sighs, scratching the side of his head before turning to my direction.
"Hello." I gave him a little wave, and that almost broke his back.
"The princess-?! What is she doing here-?! I mean-! Your highness, it is good to see you." He bowed first before looking back at Victoria in fear.
"Oh no… if I get caught letting you snoop around in these parts I'll be fired." The guard shakes his head but Victoria remains smiling. "Come on, I know that smile-"
"Remember how I let you copy off of me back in the military academy?"
"Y-Yeah…?"
"How about you return the favor before I send a letter knowing my influence, I'll just say you cheated and you don't want to get home so soon after landing a job here right?" (Victoria) became a different person in front of my eyes. I watched her talk to the desperate soldier who cowered and in the end let us have free reign around the forbidden area.
"You're so cool…!" I shouted knowing we were safe and out of earshot from the guard.
Victoria lets out an embarrassed laugh before scratching her chin. "I learned that from your mother, so you know some of my crazy and reckless side- I got it all from her."
"Was she also good with kids?" I asked, Victoria seemed to be good with them so maybe she got that from my mom too?
"Oh she wasn't. That's why she was excited and anxious when you suddenly popped up in her belly." She laughed so loudly, continuing, "I learned how to be good with kids with my… good friend in an orphanage I stayed in before."
"The shouts and mood swings the empress did, how she'll never become a good mom for you." (Victoria)
Oh…
The empress is really kind then…
"Um… the empress sounds like she really did care about me a lot, huh?" If I had two moms, that wouldn't be so bad.
"That's why… while I feel happy you are calling me mom- I feel guilty everyday that you know… I'm taking something away from my friend."
"So that's why… I'm sorry Victoria."
"Don't apologize, princess-"
"But I mean… don't you think she's going to be more happy seeing you in heaven taking really good care of me?" I asked, looking down on the carpet floor. "If I were mom I would be happy that I found someone I could call 'mom' in her stead."
"...I never thought of it that way."
A moment of comfortable silence engulfed us both, getting a little closer day by day.
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