TLB 29

Chapter 29

“Apologies, young ladies, but there is no time. Her Highness the Princess has little patience. Please hurry your steps.”

Apparently dissatisfied with our pace, Aldita, who had been walking ahead, glanced back and urged us forward. I couldn’t say a word in response and simply quickened my pace. If she said to walk faster, then I had to. I wasn’t here just for my own reasons—I was representing the Sylkar family in all but name.

As we kept pace, the maid passed through a wide hall and opened a pair of glass doors. Through the gap appeared a stunning garden. She held the doors open and, once we stepped through, strode ahead again.

Wow.

Even while walking, I couldn’t help but widen my eyes.

It was… such a breathtaking garden. I had thought the Duke’s garden was beautiful, but this was another level.

From the fountain flowed crystal-clear water, and elegant marble statues were arranged throughout. Rose vines bloomed beautifully on the green lawn, and a white peacock strolled quietly. As we walked along the colonnade lined with ivory pillars, the faint sound of violins tickled our ears. Huh? Violins?

“…Wait. Where is that violin sound coming from?”

As I whispered, Aldita turned back sharply.

“The royal musicians are performing.”

“M-Musicians?”

“Yes. For you two young ladies.”

Wait—what? Musicians? You mean if you just command them, they’ll perform like this? That’s absurdly extravagant. I’ve never seen anything like this at the Duke’s house. While I was still awestruck, we arrived deep within the colonnade at a small, separate house.

Well, “small” was relative—it was about the size of a single-story mansion for commoners. A knight stood guard at the door. The maid turned to us and explained:

“We’ve arrived. This is Her Highness the Princess’s private playroom, specially made by His Majesty the Emperor. Please go inside.”

Yet again stunned by the scale of it all, I blinked in disbelief.

This whole building was a playroom? Wait, is this the place where the interview was held, too? I quickly looked at Myra. She was also wide-eyed, gazing around in wonder. From the look on her face, it seemed this was her first time here as well. Good, that meant I wasn’t the only one gawking.

Aldita approached the door, knocked lightly, and opened it. It looked like an ordinary door, but as soon as it opened, a room with gilded walls and a massive chandelier came into view.

“We greet Her Highness, the Thirteenth Princess.”

The maid who had escorted us all this time bowed deeply to the girl sitting by the window—Anna.

I was stunned by her greeting posture—one leg extended far back, bent deeply enough that her knee nearly touched the floor.

At the maid’s loud greeting, the princess by the window finally turned toward us. And—

The moment I saw her face, I froze.

“…Huh?”

There, by the gently rustling curtain—sat Anna.

It was Anna.

She wore a pastel dress layered with colorful frills—like petals wrapped around a child. Despite the ornate dress, the face within it was unmistakably familiar. The face I had loved and cherished so much.

The face I never got to see one last time—how regretful that had been.

I swallowed hard.

I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.

It was Anna.

Anna… is the Thirteenth Princess?

“A-Anna?”

I whispered, unable to hide my shock.

Anna, who had always been bitter about not being able to learn how to read?

The Anna who, without telling us, was almost tricked by Nad into joining his cult just to learn?

The Anna who was kidnapped and never seen again—

My sister, Anna?

“Anna?”

Still unable to believe it, I repeated her name with a stammer—but there was no reply.

And yet, I was certain. It was truly her. I had reunited with Anna, just like with Myra. As I called out to her with a bright smile—

That’s when it happened.

Anna’s expression twisted into a terrifying scowl. Then—

“Ow!”

The maid who had just bowed to her clutched her forehead and cried out. Huh? Confused, I looked down and saw a wooden toy carriage rolling near her feet—my face stiffened.

No way. I couldn’t see exactly what happened since I was behind the maid, but… did Anna throw that? She actually threw it?

I was still blinking in shock when—

“Who gave you permission to say the princess’s name so casually? How are you educating my playmates?!”

Anna shouted sharply. Despite being a child, her face was shockingly vicious. At her scolding, Aldita fell to her knees on the spot. I moved Myra behind me protectively, expression hardening.

“We deeply apologize, Your Highness!”

The maid prostrated herself. I kept a stern face, watching this clash between the maid and Anna. Anna glared at the maid as if to kill her, then stomped and huffed.

“Shouldn’t they be kneeling too?!”

By “they”… did she mean us?

Myra and I looked at each other, then hastily performed the curtsey we’d barely learned.

What is this?

Even as I curtseyed, I slowly processed everything I’d just seen.

Anna… it was her, but…

What I saw just now was no different from the kind of behavior I hated most while living in the backstreets of Othern—abusing petty power, lacking the barest sense of dignity or respect for others.

When I lived in the slums, Anna had seemed to despise that kind of thing more than anyone. She had even told me so many times, “If I ever gain power, I’ll never treat those weaker than me unfairly.” It had been a lighthearted, hypothetical promise—but I had believed her.

Can your environment… really twist you this much?

“Hey.”

At that moment, Anna’s gaze met mine. Her eyes sparkled mischievously, as if I were her new target. She stomped over, then jabbed my forehead with her index finger.

“What’s with that scowl? Daring to frown after saying a royal’s name out loud. Anna, huh? Where’d you hear that name?”

“…”

I was dumbfounded.

Without realizing it, my head tilted back in disbelief. Anna found it amusing and kept poking me with her finger, smiling crookedly.

“You think I wanted to play with you? Please. It’s only because Mother specifically told me to befriend the Duke’s daughter. You’re only here because of your connections, and yet you’re late and frowning?”

I was speechless. That this person could be Anna. I wanted to believe it wasn’t true… but people really can change like this.

Then—

“Oh? You’re laughing?”

Apparently, she saw the faint laugh that escaped me, and her expression twisted fiercely.

“A brat who’s only here thanks to her family’s name dares to sneer?”

Well, that’s rich—look who’s talking.

What should I do with her?

The authority Anna wielded wasn’t something she had earned herself. It came from her father—the Emperor. Ah. Now I understood why my mother had told me, “No matter what happens, endure it.”

She must have known what kind of person Anna had become in the palace.