12.
I personally brought Agatha back to my palace.
Agatha still seemed dazed and couldn’t lift her head, simply scurrying after my maids with hesitant steps.
“Oh my, Your Highness,”
My maid, Brillint, widened her eyes at the unfamiliar face.
“Who is that child?”
“Oh, this is Agatha.”
I handed Brillint the parasol I had been holding and sat down on the sofa.
“I found her while out on a walk, so I brought her back with me.”
“Agatha… Ah, that’s the child Your Highness had been looking for, isn’t it?”
Perhaps curious about our conversation, the timid Agatha glanced up at me cautiously.
Seeing her pink eyes, I smiled innocently.
“I heard you’re quite good at taking care of flowers. Is that true?”
“Ah, y-yes. My late foster father was a gardener…”
As expected. That matched exactly what was written in the original story.
Clapping my hands lightly, I spoke excitedly.
“That’s perfect! I’ve been needing someone to help me care for the garden lately. I think I planted too many flowers.”
“B-but I’m not exceptionally skilled or anything…”
“Tsks—”
Agatha hesitated, and Brillint made a disapproving sound.
“Her Highness is personally making this offer. Are you thinking of refusing?”
“Really? Being by my side would be much more comfortable than working at the laundry. Still don’t want to?”
When I looked at her with my wide, childlike eyes, Agatha quickly shook her head.
“N-not at all. Thank you so much for your kindness, Your Highness.”
“Good, Agatha.”
I smiled brightly and gave Brillint instructions.
“Then have someone relocate her right away! And update the records to say she’s my maid~!”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Brillint nodded and turned to Agatha.
“To update your records, we’ll need your date of birth as well as your name. When’s your birthday?”
Agatha seemed overwhelmed by everything happening so suddenly.
When she stammered out her birthday, I smiled.
“It’s not far off. Just… a month and two days from today?”
Hehe, I wonder how desperate Govad will get.
He was probably planning to confess to her on that very day.
A male lead revealing everything on the female lead’s birthday, huh…
Romantic, sure.
But before getting caught up in the romance, he should have thought more carefully about how much the heroine suffered.
Especially when most of it happened because of him.
Otherwise, a fox like me might just snatch her up first.
“Now that I think about it, you and Brillint have the same eye color! Such a pretty peach blossom hue~.”
Brillint, my maid, was the daughter of Duke Sandrin.
Agatha probably didn’t know that much, but she seemed aware that Brillint was of high nobility.
She couldn’t even lift her head, staring at the floor the whole time.
Brillint pouted slightly and muttered toward me.
“Your Highness, really… Pink eyes might be rare, but still…”
I didn’t bother answering her complaint and just kept smiling brightly.
Because Agatha, Brillint… she’s your sister who was kidnapped the moment she was born.
That’s why their eye colors were identical.
As soon as I discovered through Mother’s diary that Agatha was the lost second daughter of House Sandrin, I had Modeway look into it immediately.
And upon close observation, we confirmed a tiny star-shaped birthmark on the inside of Agatha’s calf.
Exactly the same shape and location as Brillint’s.
It was said their late mother, the Duchess of Sandrin, had the same mark as well.
Isn’t it just fascinating?
A commoner heroine who’s actually the daughter of a noble family…
Of course. No fantasy novel is complete without that trope.
Even the spirits fluttered around Brillint and Agatha in excitement.
[Fools~ The little sister they’ve been searching so desperately for is right beside them~.]
[Tsk tsk, I suppose it’s impossible for humans to see the truth with such narrow sight.]
Since the spirits had read Mother’s diary with me, they also knew Agatha’s true identity.
Modeway perched on Agatha’s head and asked,
[Master, when will you tell them they’re sisters?]
I tilted my head slowly.
Hmm, maybe when the tension is at its peak?
It probably won’t take long.
Until then, let’s keep this twist just between us.
The spirits burst into giggles at my answer.
*
The Emperor officially announced the marriage between Govad and Evwa.
As a result, Evwa became so busy she didn’t even have time to visit me.
“It’s all thanks to you, Princess, yet I haven’t even been able to come thank you in person! I’m so sorry!”
Reading her hastily written letter, I chuckled softly.
It’s fine, Evwa. I moved everything to plan this outcome for you, after all.
Pushing her letter aside, I stood and declared energetically,
“Alright! Today is our lovely tea time~!”
“Yes, Your Highness. The carriage is ready.”
With Brillint’s prompt, I stepped lightly out of the palace and climbed into the carriage.
Today’s tea party was hosted by the First Empress—the mother of Darian.
Since the Empress’s death, the First Empress had gradually filled her absence, solidifying her influence.
…Though originally, it was Mother who had the Emperor’s favor.
As I was briefly lost in thought, we arrived at her palace.
Taking the hand of the attendant, I stepped down from the carriage and saw an unexpected figure waiting.
“Good afternoon, Neroli.”
“Oh? Kinia!”
I beamed and walked toward my half-sister, Kinia.
She naturally led me inside, speaking as we went.
“You seem to have regained your strength. I’m glad.”
“Yeah! It’s still hard without Mother… but I’m trying to be strong.”
“That’s the right mindset. We can’t wallow in sorrow forever—not with the burdens we carry on our shoulders.”
Her words made me smile a bit bitterly.
That’s exactly why I wanted to avoid attention in the first place…
Perhaps sensing my slightly somber mood, Kinia added with a faint smirk,
“If my mother or Darian died one day, I’d only mourn for a day and be done.”
“Really?”
“I mean it. I’ve prepared myself.”
Whether by accident, assassination… or even choice.
Her red eyes, murmuring such words, held a firm resolve. In a way, it seemed she had already transcended everything.
So different from Darian, even though they’re full siblings…
…Or maybe not.
Come to think of it, the original story described Darian and Kinia as quite similar.
Original Darian was said to be calm and detached…
Maybe it was his madness that changed him?
The current Darian was like a blazing inferno.
Especially when he looked at me.
Mother even wrote in her diary how shocked she was the first time she saw him.
She blamed herself, thinking if she hadn’t twisted the original story, Darian wouldn’t have turned out this way.
If he hadn’t met me, would he really have become more like Kinia?
Lost in such meaningless thoughts, I followed Kinia into the garden, where flowers were in full bloom.
At the center was a round table, surrounded by empresses in lively conversation.
The First Empress greeted us gracefully.
“Kinia brought Neroli along, I see.”
The other two empresses chuckled as well.
“How close they are.”
“I always wanted a daughter. Such a shame.”
I politely bowed and sat with Kinia.
The empresses continued their conversation.
“I didn’t expect Govad’s wedding to be scheduled so soon.”
“Just a month away… It must be a lot of work for you, First Empress.”
“It’s no trouble. Govad’s wedding is a joyous event for the Empire.”
As she said this and lifted her teacup, the others smiled subtly and sipped their tea.
After a short lull in conversation—
The Third Empress spoke leisurely.
“Oh, by the way, have you all heard? The reason Govad kept delaying his marriage?”
She came from Count Zellaur, the owner of the Empire’s largest newspaper.
She was known for her keen eye for gossip and quick access to the latest rumors.
The Second Empress showed a hint of curiosity.
“Wasn’t it just because he was busy with state affairs?”
“If that were the case, I wouldn’t even bring it up.”
The Third Empress lowered her voice, clearly enjoying the attention.
“Apparently, Govad had a lover he was seeing secretly.”
“Oh my, is that true?”
“Of course. I even found out what he recently purchased in secret.”
The First Empress, intrigued, set down her cup and looked at her.
As the other empresses focused on her, the Third Empress added with glee,
“It was a ring. His Highness the Crown Prince bought a ring.”
“A ring?”
“Yes! A pink diamond ring. The one that caused such a stir in high society when it went up for auction a month ago!”
As soon as she finished, I beamed.
“Pink diamond! I saw a picture of it too. It was the prettiest peach blossom color!”
At that moment, I heard someone behind me stumble.
I didn’t need to look to know who it was.
I simply smiled brightly.
