[The Stranger]

The old capital, Paratan.

Once the most splendid place in the country, now just an old city visited by vacationers or brief tourists, has a lady more famous than the king’s villa.

These days, when royalty is merely a facade and titles are relics of a bygone era, Violet was the only person in Paratan who received treatment as a “Miss” from the locals.

Who is Violet Blanchet?

Her honey-bright hair rippled down to her waist, and her spring-flower pink eyes sparkled with intelligence. Every gesture, every step caught the eye, and her slightly upturned lips were breathtakingly lovely. Rumors said that anyone, even the king himself, would kneel before Violet Blanchet’s specialness and beg for just one glance.

In Paratan, where retirees finishing their remaining days outnumbered promising young people, this vibrant Miss’s presence was unparalleled. When Violet walked the streets, people were desperate to offer her something, anything, and those who received even a wave of her hand often fell hopelessly lovesick.

Had her two older brothers not fiercely protected their youngest sister, Violet would have spent entire days just reading love letters. This beautiful Miss actually had a specific time in her schedule dedicated to checking the passionate letters sent to her. While Violet didn’t appreciate her brothers’ overprotectiveness, she was grateful for this particular aspect.

“Another letter? Do I have to reply to this one too?”

Anyway, that’s the kind of person Violet Blanchet was.

A person surrounded by rumors that migratory birds planning to leave before winter would return for her bright laughter, and summer rain would refuse to stop its downpour just to steal a glimpse of her radiant profile.

“Yes, you should reply. If you really hate it, then don’t.”

Unfortunately, the protagonist of this story is not Violet Blanchet.

“See? I replied once and now they keep coming. I told you it’s better not to reply at all from the beginning……”

Violet Blanchet. The most beautiful, most intelligent, most famous lady in Paratan.

The protagonist of this story is—

“I don’t know. I really won’t help you write a reply this time.”

Her one and only confidant and personal maid, Julie.

“……Giving me that look won’t work. I really won’t help you this time.”

Just an ordinary young woman who had just come of age, with unremarkable features and no talent for enchanting birds with her singing voice—Julie.

※※※

“Miss, get up now. Before I flip this blanket right over.”

“So violent……”

“You’re more violent, doing this every morning. Get up quickly.”

Julie’s daily routine revolved around Violet. Her day began with coaxing the heavy sleeper out of bed and pushing her to the family breakfast table.

“I’ve drawn your washing water. Hurry and wash up. ……Or should I wash you myself?”

“No, no! I’m fine.”

Without a couple of prompts, Violet would dawdle endlessly. Since it wasn’t uncommon for her to doze off for an hour or two this way, Julie skillfully urged her Miss along while moving efficiently.

“Will you wear the purple dress we picked out yesterday?”

“Hmm, no! I want to choose a new one!”

“I thought as much. The weather is quite hot today. That one would have been too stuffy.”

Deciding what to wear was an important ritual for Violet. Since wearing clothes she didn’t like would leave her pouting all day, it was better to provide exactly what she wanted.

With practiced hands, Julie smoothed the folds of Violet’s dress and brushed her long hair. The golden locks flowed down without a single tangle, lusciously cascading.

During this time, Violet fiddled with the hair ornaments she would wear that day, chattering away.

“What’s for breakfast today?”

“Potato soup with white bread. White eggs and salad too.”

“I want something delicious for breakfast.”

“The mistress always—”

“I know, I know. Mother always says ‘breakfast light, dinner hearty.'”

Violet mimicked her mother’s rigid tone while pouting. Ayla Blanchet, who ran Paratan’s largest trading company, was busy instilling her personal beliefs in her only daughter.

One of those beliefs was “breakfast should be simple,” and another was “the best husband is a handsome man who doesn’t think too much.” Having proposed to the impoverished Viscount Edward Blanchet solely for his good looks, the authenticity of that advice was beyond question.

“I wish she’d care as much about my romantic prospects as she does about my meals.”

“The mistress caring about your partner? Didn’t you throw a fit when you were younger, saying you shouldn’t need permission to date?”

“Ugh….. I didn’t know any better then. I should have at least looked at the faces of those handsome friends Mother offered to introduce me to.”

“Why not ask her now?”

“He’s already married.”

“Goodness, already?”

“I want a real romance, not these childish letters. Do they think only they like pretty things? I like pretty things too! I want to date someone as beautiful as me!”

But having grown up seeing the faces of the Blanchet men, who were no less beautiful than Violet herself, there was little chance of finding a man in this old city who could meet the young lady’s standards.

Violet stomped her feet and sighed heavily. Julie naturally urged her along to the dining room. To others, she might be a noble and lovable Miss, but to Julie, she was a cute but high-maintenance Miss with unnecessary amounts of initiative.

“Oh my……”

Julie straightened her tense back and groaned. Unlike Violet, whose crying sounded like a clear stream flowing, Julie’s voice was rough and unrefined.

Having entered as Violet’s companion, Julie, unlike other servants, wasn’t heavily involved in physical labor or handling fire. She might help when hands were short, but her usual duty was to attend to Violet and provide companionship.

She wasn’t treated like a Miss, but she wasn’t a kitchen maid either—she was relatively fortunate. Being admitted to the viscountal household because she was a girl Violet’s age who could read and write was, yes, truly fortunate.

Julie counted on her fingers how many years she had been in the mansion. Having entered before turning ten, it had been exactly 10 years now. She had spent more time with Violet than with her own family.

Violet Blanchet wasn’t a difficult mistress to serve, and after years as companions, they had become closer than family. Although Julie never forgot her position as someone who received wages from the Blanchet family and attended to Violet daily.

“Julie! Teach me embroidery today!”

“You’ll just run away halfway through again.”

“No, I’ll really finish it this time. I’ll make your favorite flower and give it to you as a gift.”

Still, Julie and Violet were the best of friends.

※※※

Paratan was abuzz with news that the king’s long-empty villa would be welcoming its owner. What kind of place was the ‘king’s villa’? With high gray stone walls surrounded by lush green vines, it was like a fairy tale castle to children.

The city was filled with excitement at the news that the doors of the largest but never-entered mansion in Paratan would be opening. Though the monarchy had become nominal in this era, he was still a ‘king,’ and in any case, a ‘king’s son.’

“So? So?”

“The person coming is a prince, they say. Something about coming to recuperate because his health isn’t good? Yes, I think that’s it.”

“When will he arrive?”

“It shouldn’t take more than five days. The magic circle at the temple site is still intact.”

“But the magic circle is far from here.”

“That’s why it will take three or four days.”

The magic circle and the king’s villa were at opposite ends of the city. Though it was unclear why the villa had been built in such an inconvenient location, thanks to this, their ‘prince’ would have to cross through Paratan and greet the citizens.

“Will I be able to see him too?”

“Of course. Wouldn’t it be stranger if you couldn’t see him from this street?”

Julie opened the window wide, feigning nonchalance. Without even craning her neck, the ancient vine-covered villa was clearly visible. The gray walls, once a playground for children, grew brighter day by day as workers tended to them.

After pruning the branches that had reached for the sky and stripping away layers of stains, it truly looked like a beautiful mansion fit for a king’s rest.

“Hey, if he’s a prince, he must be handsome, right?”

“……Pardon?”

“I mean, he’s a prince after all—wouldn’t he be handsome?”

Violet’s eyes sparkled with anticipation.

“He must be more handsome than Edgar or William, right?”

“Oh, um, that might be… difficult, don’t you think?”

Julie deliberately avoided the amethyst-bright eyes. Violet’s two older brothers were beauties no less striking than Violet herself. With looks praised as the most beautiful not just in Paratan but in the entire country, Julie worried about Violet’s overly high standards and answered vaguely.

“Well, having been raised in the palace, he must be quite handsome. Surely he can’t be ugly?”