Chapter 40
40
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"Give Yan a snack."
I said to Beatrice as soon as I entered the room after parting with Gray.
I was trying to create an opportunity to talk to Yan, but Beatrice reacted immediately.
"I'll have it prepared."
"Yeah. Egg yolk, Sunflower seeds, and... I want to try feeding him dried fruit too."
"That much?"
Beatrice smiled, stopping as she was about to leave the room.
"Then I'll go to the kitchen myself to check the ingredients and prepare them. Would you like to play with Yan for a bit?"
Beatrice really moves according to my wishes.
I smiled contentedly and replied.
"Okay!"
"All the other maids will be waiting nearby, so call anyone you need."
"Okay, I got it."
As soon as Beatrice left the room, I ran to the window, and Yan was already sitting on the windowsill, waiting for me.
"Yan! How have you been? Nothing happened? Did you see the kitty? Did you see the kitty too?"
Yan chuckled and replied.
"Ask one thing at a time. I've been doing okay. Hestia treated me well."
"And?"
"I took care of the cat too. No worries now."
"Really? Really, really? It can't come to our palace anymore?"
Yan nodded seriously.
"Yeah, it can't come. So you don't have to worry about the cat anymore."
But no matter how confidently Yan replied, I couldn't easily believe it.
"But how...? How could you chase it away?"
"Huh?"
Yan retorted briefly and then burst into anger.
"Hey! Don't ask if you're not going to believe me!"
"Ah, no, it's not that I don't believe you, I'm just... curious about the method."
Yan replied coldly.
"You don't need to know the method. It's not like you're going to use it."
"Um... you weren't hurt this time?"
"Well, I wasn't really hurt..."
He seemed perfectly fine until just now.
Yan drooped his wings for a moment.
"I'm just a little tired. Have you collected any tears lately?"
I crossed my arms in front of my chest and glared at Yan.
"That's Gabi's, remember?"
"You'll regret it later, you know? A cold is a disease that heals on its own."
"No, it's not!"
I shouted, and Yan flinched, startled.
I quickly felt sorry and cupped Yan in my hands.
But... Yan seems to have grown a little?
"Yan, you seem to have grown in the last two days."
"Oh, huh?"
I expected him to be proud, but Yan was unexpectedly very flustered and fluttered his wings.
"Ah, no, it's not that I suddenly grew..."
I chuckled and stroked Yan's head.
"What's there to be embarrassed about? It's good for a baby to grow up quickly. Did Hestia give you a lot to eat?"
Yan nodded shyly.
"Yeah... I thought my stomach would burst."
"Gray is really nice. I should praise him more when I see him next time."
Yan unexpectedly expressed his opposition.
"...D-don't praise him too much."
"Why?"
"He's, um... very shy."
I knew it.
I nodded, thinking about Gray's reaction earlier.
"Yeah, that's true."
* * *
"Greetings, Princess. You look beautiful today as well."
Tailors arrived while Beatrice and I were feeding Yan snacks.
I wasn't particularly pleased, but I had to do what I had to do, so I slowly got up.
"Yeah, hello."
"You're greeting us! It's an honor, Your Highness!"
Does Rosa not usually greet them?
'Rosa Rostel La Perca, what is humanity to her?'
As I sighed, feeling pathetic for my sister, three completed dresses were unfolded.
"Now, shall we take a look at the dresses?"
Since we can only wear white during the Eah Festival week anyway, who would even notice if we had three dresses made?
As I thought that, my jaw naturally dropped.
'It would be different even if someone did see...'
They were all white, but the dresses were all different.
One had opals embedded all over the skirt, one had tiny satin ribbons all over the dress.
And the other was decorated with white sable fur around the neckline and lace edges.
'It's not even midwinter! Wearing sable fur to the Thanksgiving Festival?'
I must have worn these dresses before, but I couldn't remember at all.
'It's not only extravagant but also hot...'
I hate the tailors who suggested these dresses to Rosa, Chelsea who turned a blind eye to it, and even my mother!
Beatrice, unaware of my feelings, cheered and chimed in.
"I heard that Your Highness chose the designs yourself, is that true?"
The tailor clapped his hands in agreement.
"The young Princess's eye for fashion is extraordinary, isn't it? When I see this, she really resembles King!"
"Indeed."
Beatrice was very pleased and prepared for me to change.
I stood with my arms open and put my feet in and out, trying on all three dresses.
'They'll fit well, I guess...'
Aren't these clothes made for twins who look so alike that even their own father can't tell the difference?
Beatrice was satisfied and commented.
"It fits perfectly. And it's beautiful. His Highness will be pleased."
"We did two fittings on purpose."
Oh, Rosa...
While I was standing blankly, the next step came.
"What kind of hair accessories do we have?"
Each of the flat boxes that the tailors opened was full of hair accessories.
"We must prepare these ribbons and pins. They go well with the dress. Ah, is this opal?"
"Yes, madam."
Beatrice suddenly looked at me with shining eyes.
"They're all pretty, aren't they, Your Highness? How many do you want to choose?"
Three would be more than enough, but I couldn't disappoint those shining olive eyes.
"Yeah, well... as many as Tris likes."
So Beatrice chose twelve hair accessories with her mouth wide open.
The next step was gloves...
* * *
As evening approached, I heard a familiar sound of wind.
"They're coming!"
Beatrice quickly picked me up and went to the window.
Under the setting sun, the four Celestial Steeds, as fantastic as ever, pulled the golden carriage down.
In the garden, the festival lights were being tested, and the soft lights flickered, making the dazzling Celestial Steed even more radiant.
"Wow..."
As I admired as always, Beatrice held me close and muttered to herself.
"Every time the Grand Duke arrives, I respect our King even more."
"Why?"
Beatrice giggled.
"Because the Grand Duke, who is so wonderful, loves her with all his heart?"
Thinking about it, that's true.
Mother, that is, us...
We have to stop deceiving Father quickly.
'As quickly as possible.'
Before running out to the garden, Beatrice placed the lace cloak that Father had given me over my shoulders.
"It's so pretty, Your Highness. His Highness will be very happy. The bracelet suits you well too."
Although it's still too big and can be worn over the sleeves.
"Yan, if you wear this as a matching couple look with me just once..."
My little friend ran away far away before I could finish speaking.
"Mean..."
It was no use grumbling, so I had to go down to the garden wearing the cloak alone.
"Daddy...!"
"Baby, it's cold, why did you come out wearing that?"
Father asked, but he reached out his arms to me, looking happy.
"You're wearing the bracelet too. It's still too big, isn't it?"
"No, I really, really like it."
Father smiled brightly and picked me up.
"The picture that our daughter sent to Nigel was really wonderful too. I was so happy that you wrote me a letter for the first time that I had them both framed and hung in the gallery."
Letter?
'What I wrote wasn't really a letter, it was just three letters...'
The paper on which I had written 'Thank you' as if drawing it...
And he framed and hung the poorly drawn picture of me wearing the bracelet.
'Where exactly in the gallery hall?'
Imagining that scene, cold sweat ran down my spine.
'Without even knowing it, I did something terrible to Nigel Palace and the officials...'
In the meantime, we arrived at the banquet hall.
Thanks to Father's long-awaited return, the banquet was more lavish than usual, but he didn't pay attention to anything on the table.
He just looked at me again and again, looking at me as much as he was satisfied.
Then he shifted his gaze to Yan on my shoulder.
"Hmm? Not only our daughter, but Yan seems to have grown a little too?"
I glanced at Yan and agreed.
"Right? I think so too."
Then I quickly said what I had to say first.
"Ah, Yan went to Hestia. They gave him a lot to eat there."
