Chapter 70

At that time, Matthias and Johann were on the third floor.  

They were on the terrace in the Crown Prince’s private quarters, to watch their daughters.  

“…At last, our Lucia has arrived.”  

Seeing Lucia arrive, Matthias drew a gentle arc at the corner of his lips.  

“Congratulations on Lady Lucia’s first tea party.”  

“…She was such a tiny little thing, but she’s grown up so quickly.”  

Matthias wore a regretful expression.  

“Sigh, next is her debut into society? Time goes by so fast, it’s annoying.”  

He let out a big sigh.  

“If Lady Lucia dances with young gentlemen, you’ll be beside yourself.”  

“You think you’ll be any different?”  

“…I hadn’t thought of that.”  

Johann looked taken aback.  

“Children grow up so fast.”  

“……”  

Johann froze like a statue.  

“There’s no need to be so gloomy. It’s only natural for children to grow up and leave their parents’ arms.”  

Matthias patted Johann’s shoulder.  

“…That may be, but letting them go won’t be easy.”  

“…True.”  

Both of them looked down at the children in the garden with somber faces.  

“It makes me want to cherish our time together even more while they’re still with us.”  

“That’s right.”  

After this, Johann and Matthias lost track of time as they talked.  

The topic was always the same.  

Endless pride in their daughters.

* * *

Around the same time, Lia was heading to the east annex.  

‘I should make some magic potions for the first time in a while.’  

Isabella had given her the laboratory that was prepared when she made Penelope’s medicine last time.  

“Lia, I heard you’ve been making potions in the room next to Rafaella’s all this time.”  

“Yes.”  

“From now on, use the laboratory in the east annex.”  

Isabella placed the key to the laboratory in Lia’s hand.  

“…Is that really all right?”  

She opened her mouth in surprise.  

“Of course. Take as many ingredients as you need, too.”  

Isabella said it was one of the rewards for healing Penelope, but Lia was still very grateful.  

Just as she was about to head out to the main lobby, someone blocked her path.  

“Oh? It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”  

It was Prince Florian.  

‘…There was no mention of the Princess coming, so why is the Prince here?’  

What a headache.  

“…I greet you, Your Highness the Prince, the noble light of the heavens.”  

Lia swallowed a sigh and bowed.  

“You looked like you were walking very happily.”  

Florian barely acknowledged her greeting as he stepped closer.  

“Where are you off to?”  

“…I was just going for a walk in the garden.”  

“Hmm, is that so?”  

“May I ask what brings you here, Your Highness? The Princess isn’t coming today…”  

“I don’t always just follow my sister around, you know.”  

He winked one eye.  

It was a look that would make most women swoon, but not Lia.  

“Today I’m running an errand for my mother.”  

His crescent-shaped eyes were captivating.  

“She said to deliver a letter to the Dowager Duchess, so I said I’d do it since I was free.”  

“…I see.”  

He must have plenty of free time, taking on errands for the staff.  

“But I heard the Dowager Duchess went out briefly with her daughter?”  

Ah, she had said she’d make a brief visit to a certain Countess who was ill.  

“So I said I’d take a walk in the garden, and now I’ve just come in…”  

He gave her a charming smile.  

“…And here you are, right in front of me.”  

“……”  

Lia was flustered, not knowing what he was getting at.  

“Hmm, I’ve already finished my walk, so it’d be odd to ask you to join me…”  

Lia let out a sigh of relief without realizing it.  

‘At least he’s not being as pushy as last time…’  

Luckily, there’s no one else in the mansion right now.  

“Aren’t you a little too happy?”  

Florian grinned slyly.  

“……”  

…It was obvious, wasn’t it.  

“When dealing with the Imperial Family and nobility, you have to know how to hide your expression, Lia.”  

He wagged his finger at her, speaking as if teaching a child.  

“Didn’t the Duke teach you that?”  

“…I apologize, Your Highness.”  

“As long as you know. Can I ask you one thing?”  

“Pardon?”  

“If you answer, I’ll let you go, so don’t make that face.”  

Florian mimicked her stiff expression.  

“…What is your question?”  

She just wanted to answer quickly and get to the annex.  

“Well, it’s a bit personal. …Do you still have feelings for the Duke?”  

He asked a question she couldn’t have imagined.  

A bit personal? It was completely personal.  

“He’s the man who abandoned you, isn’t he? Most would hate him, but you don’t seem to.”  

She didn’t know what that had to do with the Prince.  

“…It’s all in the past, so I don’t resent him.”  

“Not resenting him means you still have feelings for him?”  

Florian replied, dissatisfied.  

“…He is the head of House Blumhart and the Princess’s fiancé. How could I dare harbor any feelings?”  

She wondered what answer he wanted to hear.  

Lia grumbled inwardly.  

“Really? So you have no feelings for the Duke at all?”  

He smiled meaningfully.  

She wanted to ask what that had to do with him, but somehow felt she shouldn’t.  

“Good answer. Now you can go for your walk.”  

He finally let Lia go.  

Lia left the lobby as quickly as she could.  

She thought it must be her unlucky day.

* * *

The first tea party of Imperial Princess Lucia ended in great success.  

“I wonder how everyone found my first tea party today.”  

“It was wonderful, Your Highness.”  

“Yes, I think it will be one of the happiest days of this year.”  

The young ladies all spoke up at once.  

They weren’t just being polite.  

“Thanks to you, Your Highness, I was able to taste the Imperial Palace’s wonderful desserts.”  

“Is that so?”  

Lucia, despite it being her first tea party, performed her role as hostess perfectly.  

She seemed to have forgotten the unpleasantness at the start and took care of everyone.  

“I’m sure there were things I could have done better since it was my first time, but I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it.”  

Lucia smiled in relief.  

“Well then, I hope you all have a safe trip home.”  

The young ladies took turns bowing politely to Lucia and left.  

Rafaella was about to do the same.  

“Lady Blumhart.”  

If Lucia hadn’t stopped her.  

“…Yes!”  

Surprised, Rafaella answered loudly, then quickly covered her mouth with a “Gasp!”  

“You must have felt bad today, but thank you for handling it so gracefully.”  

“Oh, I…”  

Rafaella was flustered by the unexpected thanks.  

“If it were me, I would have grabbed those girls by the hair, tea party or not.”  

Lucia raised her fist tightly.  

“I was surprised that you were more mature than I am, Lady Blumhart.”  

“…Thank you.”  

Rafaella replied, flustered by the compliment.  

“If you don’t mind, would you like to come to the drawing room and chat a bit more?”  

“It would be an honor, Your Highness.”  

Lucia took Rafaella to her own drawing room.  

“Thank you so much for helping me earlier, Lady Lucia.”  

Once they sat on the sofa, Rafaella bowed her head.  

“How could I stand by while someone was rude to my godfather’s daughter?”  

Lucia furrowed her brow.  

“If it hadn’t been my tea party, I would have just…”  

She muttered under her breath.  

“…You were so cool.”  

Rafaella, who hadn’t heard the mutter, gave her a thumbs up.  

Rafaella’s cheeks were tinged like a peach.  

“I was only imitating my father and mother.”  

Lucia, suddenly shy, fiddled with her dress.  

“Still, you really seemed like a wonderful hero from a fairy tale to me.”  

Rafaella covered both cheeks with her hands.  

“…Ugh, Lady Blumhart. I know this is terribly improper, but!”  

Lucia suddenly stood up.  

“May I pinch your cheeks just once?”  

“…A-as much as you like!”  

If it was a request from the Imperial Princess who had helped her, she didn’t mind her cheeks being pinched.  

Rafaella eagerly offered her cheeks to Lucia.  

“…My goodness, they’re so soft and squishy!”  

Lucia didn’t hesitate to knead both cheeks.  

“If I had a cute little sister like you, Lady Blumhart, I’d be so happy.”  

Lucia had always wanted a younger sibling.  

Especially a cute little sister like Rafaella.  

But with her mother’s weak health, she couldn’t beg for a sibling.  

“Your Highness, please calm down and stop. Lady Blumhart must be uncomfortable.”  

Lucia’s maid approached and tried to stop her.  

“All right. But she’s just so cute!”  

“Your Highness.”  

The maid tried to speak to Lucia again.  

“…I wish I had an older sister like you, too, Your Highness.”  

Rafaella spoke shyly.  

Lucia, with charms different from Penelope, was also someone Rafaella liked very much.  

“Really? Then why don’t we become sworn sisters?”  

Excited, Lucia mixed informal and formal speech.  

The maid let out a small sigh and stepped back.  

“I’d like that.”  

Rafaella smiled brightly and nodded.  

She didn’t know exactly what “sworn sisters” meant, but she understood “sisters.”  

‘It’s like family, hehe.’  

“Then since we’re sworn sisters now, let’s speak comfortably. How about it, Rafaella?”  

“Okay!”  

“To celebrate becoming sworn sisters, can I give you a hug?”  

Unable to resist Rafaella’s cuteness, Lucia gave her a big hug.