Chapter 28
“Unni, you look really tired.”
Mayra murmured. She was all dressed up beautifully, with a pink velvet ribbon in her hair that made her lovely brown hair and blue eyes shine even brighter. I stared at her blankly and offered a short compliment.
“You look really pretty.”
“Yeah. Count Wintel’s family sent over some clothes for me, and the Duke’s house spared no expense in decorating me.”
Wow. How can a six-year-old talk so maturely?
I didn’t realize Mayra’s actual age until after she started living with us. She was one year younger than me—just six. I had been shocked. Back when we met in the back alleys, I thought Mayra and Anna were the same age as me or maybe just a few months younger. Of course, I was still the big sister of the group back then, but that was more because I was the strongest, so the hierarchy just formed naturally.
Anyway, despite being younger than me, Mayra was truly clever. Like that time we first met—her adorable acting skills to fool her brother. And once she figured out that her place in the ducal house was beside me, she clung to me like her life depended on it. Hebe, who told me all this, seemed to find Mayra somewhat annoying. What did she say again? That she was “pretentious,” I think.
But… I didn’t find her that annoying. I mean, how annoying could a six-year-old really be? One who had to use acting even with her own parents just to defend herself? And sometimes, when she acted so grown-up like that, understanding her position and carefully choosing her place in the world… I couldn’t help but feel sorry for her, even though I did care for her.
“No, I’m not tired.”
I brushed it off, but I really was tired. Not just because I had to wake up at dawn. It was because of Jute. That boy, who had spoken so freely and then suddenly vanished right before my eyes. Just remembering him made my head throb.
Apparently, he had really left the ducal house for good. I heard Albrecht and Saldir discussing the “deserter” during breakfast.
“He didn’t show up for morning drills. His bed was made, and he left a resignation note saying he was quitting.”
“Why? Was the training too harsh? Did someone give incomprehensible orders, or was there some violence within the unit?”
“We don’t know. He was a weird guy, sure… but he wasn’t bad at what he did.”
I had a very strong feeling I knew who this “deserter” was. So it was real.
He really came just to look at flowers and ran away because it was too much for him…
He was definitely a strange guy. I shook my head unconsciously as I thought about that morning. He probably wouldn’t show up again. Maybe I should just forget the name “Jute.”
“Unni, unni!”
That was when I was jolted back to my senses by a hand shaking me roughly.
“We’re here! You need to get ready to get off, you know? Why do you keep shaking your head like that?”
“Ah.”
Mayra was bustling about and shouting. In her small hands, she was holding a fairly large gift box. It was an offering gift for the Imperial family, prepared just the day before by Count Wintel’s house. I had a gift too, handed to me by Holne. Mine was a relatively small box… What was inside again? I think it was a gold hairpin. A rather large one, about the size of half a child’s palm. It was pretty, though. A small bird pecking at jewel-like berries nestled among golden flowers.
“I hope she likes our gifts,” Mayra muttered.
“Mine’s a toy. I heard the princess likes dolls, so they prepared a beautiful princess doll for her. It’s really expensive, made by an artisan exclusively for the imperial family… Actually, I wanted that doll too.”
She whispered this, and I closely observed the envy that flickered across her face.
“Then don’t give it to the princess—keep it for yourself.”
“What? Unni! How could I? It’s for the princess!”
Mayra burst into laughter at my sudden suggestion. I was actually a little serious. We could just leave the doll in the carriage and say we forgot it.
“How could I be an imperial playmate without a gift?”
“Well, you and I are friends even without gifts.”
“That’s because we’re special, unni.”
Mayra held her box tightly in her small hands. Her act of pretending to calculate everything so logically was actually quite cute.
“We’re special. You saved me. Without asking for anything in return.”
She looked at me with those serious eyes as she said this.
“You even saved me from that stupid brother of mine. But aside from our relationship, all other relationships need things like this. Give and take.”
“…”
I know. I probably know better than you, Mayra. I gave her a bitter smile. Still, it hurt me to see her giving up something she wanted because of that knowledge. But how could I explain this to a clever little girl who already weighs her own interests?
“Let’s go, unni.”
Seeing me speechless, she must’ve assumed I agreed with her, because she took my hand and tugged it. Right. Let’s go. We’ll see when we get there.
“Okay.”
Holding her hand, I opened the carriage door.
“Oh! Wait, you can’t open the carriage door on your own—!”
Mayra shouted at the same time. As I opened the door, I came face to face with an imperial attendant who had bent down to open the door for us. Aha. So that’s why Mayra yelled. I was supposed to wait for the attendant to open it.
The attendant’s uniform was ridiculously ornate. Wow. Even the embroidery was done in gold thread. I used to think the servants of the Saillcar family dressed extravagantly.
Come to think of it, I think I was taught that rule… but I had forgotten. I blinked and acted as if I hadn’t opened the door myself. The attendant looked briefly flustered but quickly composed himself and extended his hand to me.
“Shall we disembark?”
“Thank you.”
I smiled sweetly and took his hand. When I looked back at Mayra, she had already composed herself like a perfect little lady, fixing her dress as if she had never shouted a moment ago.
* * *
It was my first time entering the imperial palace of the Otern Empire.
They said I had been returning from the palace the day I was kidnapped—that is, the day I entered this young body. But since I remember nothing of it, it’s better to call this my first visit.
As soon as we entered the main palace, we were brought to the Reception Hall.
When the grand palace gates opened, what caught my eye was the dizzying height of the ceiling, the beautiful mural painted above, and the magnificent marble columns with intricate carvings.
“Wow.”
A small gasp escaped my lips. It was truly awe-inspiring. So this is what it looked like. The marble floors beyond the red carpet shone like mirrors, and the gold-trimmed ceiling soared overhead. Walking along the long red carpet in the central hallway, I saw elaborate portraits and finely woven tapestries adorning the walls. The portraits weren’t labeled, but they clearly depicted members of the royal family.
It was overwhelming. While I was still admiring the hall, a woman approached us briskly. She wore clothes similar to those of the attendant who had helped us out of the carriage.
“Nice to meet you. I am Aldita, caretaker to the 13th Princess. I’ll escort you to Her Highness now… She’s been eagerly waiting for you both.”
Introducing herself, Aldita gave us a once-over, then immediately turned and began walking ahead. At the mention that the princess had been waiting, Mayra and I snapped out of our daze and quickly followed her in hurried steps.
Is this chapter meant to be locked? The next two are unlocked.
This has been a fun story so far so thanks for translating!