Chapter 123: In the King's Palm
Olivia read it meticulously from beginning to end, not skipping a single word. Then, with a nervous look, she turned to Lucy.
"Did the Princess write this presentation herself?"
"Yes."
Olivia, meeting Lucy's gaze with a serious expression, looked back at the presentation materials and said sincerely, "You really put your best effort into preparing this. I can feel that you didn't write a single sentence carelessly, and I can also feel that the Princess fully understands the topic and content."
Beatrix, who had been listening to her words, couldn't help but smile.
Olivia handed Lucy's materials to Beatrix, who was sitting across from her.
"Mother, would you like to take a look? It's so well-organized that you can immediately understand what she's trying to present."
"Hmm, should I?"
As Beatrix took the materials, Lucy slyly took out other books. Then, she opened the books towards Olivia as if asking her to take a look at these as well.
Then Usher and Noah also stealthily approached Olivia and peered over her shoulder at Lucy's books.
"Oh… Lucy, you didn't doze off?"
As Noah muttered, looking at the dense notes, Lucy giggled.
"Noah, did you doze off?"
When Olivia looked up and asked, Usher, who looked exactly like her husband, pursed his lips and nodded instead.
"Quite a lot."
"Ah… Usher. Are you saying you didn't doze off?"
Then their mother, who was sitting across from them, frowned.
"Are you both proud of that?"
Lucy shrugged her shoulders and laughed as if she had never cried. Then, she suddenly looked like she was about to cry again.
"But, what if I really can't go to school……."
"No, Lucy."
This time, Beatrix took her daughter's hand and said firmly, "You can go when you get better. Trust me. You're going to school when your forehead and shoulder get better."
"…Can you promise?"
"Of course. Trust me."
Faced with her mother's firm expression, Lucy finally nodded. Then, she slumped her shoulders and flipped through the books.
"I won't be able to attend classes while I can't go……. What should I do about that?"
Noah was genuinely surprised by his ten-year-old sister's worries. He couldn't believe there was a student who would worry about this when they couldn't go to school!
While he was purely surprised, Olivia carefully suggested, "If the Princess is okay with it, I can come and teach her while she can't go to school."
…Huh?
At the same time that Noah reflexively looked at Olivia, Lucy excitedly asked back, "Really?!"
Beatrix subtly added, "A teacher who passed the Herollington University professor appointment, isn't that even better?"
As the Queen Consort winked at Olivia, Olivia mumbled shyly, "Well… of course, I've never taught a class before……."
"Then you can try teaching this time?"
As her voice trailed off, Usher chuckled and added.
Olivia's smile deepened even more at that.
A while later, when Lucy had completely calmed down, Olivia and Noah got into the carriage to return to their mansion.
"Olivia, thank you. Lucy calmed down thanks to you."
Beatrix, who had personally come to see them off at the carriage, expressed her gratitude to Olivia with sincerity.
As Olivia stared at Beatrix, who was getting further away, for a long time and then turned her head, Noah, who was sitting across from her, suddenly opened his mouth.
"Won't it be difficult?"
"I think it will be fun. Oh my gosh, did you see the notes earlier? How hard must she have worked to write so much with those tiny hands?!"
"I don't take a lot of notes, so I was wondering why she wrote so much."
Their interpretations of the same scene were so different.
Olivia, who was smiling softly, suddenly thought of Leonard, who had been as cold as frost.
"Will the Princess be able to go back to school?"
She expected a quick affirmation, but Noah's silence was surprisingly long.
It was definitely a dangerous accident. It was fortunate that it ended there. But, to never be able to go outside the palace again was too much.
Noah opened his mouth after a long time.
"I don't know."
"…Surely not."
"Who knows."
"Her Majesty said she would definitely send her, but will it still be like that?"
Noah didn't answer that question either.
Olivia quietly looked at him and then turned her head to look at Herot, which was shrouded in darkness.
It was a night that suddenly reminded her of her grandmother.
⚜ ⚜ ⚜
As Noah and Olivia returned, Beatrix went straight to her husband.
Leonard seemed extremely calm. Just like Noah had been when he came to find her on the morning of the warship construction event. He wasn't exuding a strong aura, nor was he being irritable.
"How is Lucy?"
"She's much more stable."
Leonard simply nodded lightly.
"Leonard."
"……."
"She's anxious about not being able to go to school. I managed to calm her down by saying that Olivia would teach her starting tomorrow. You should go……."
"I've been thinking, Trixie."
Leonard rarely interrupted Beatrix. Then, he stared at her intently and opened his mouth.
"I wonder if she really needs to go to school."
"Leonard."
"Since when have royals attended school? School? The university has a long history, but the boys' school was only established fifty years ago. Sending Usher and Noah to school was also said to be unconventional. I was educated by a tutor at that age, and so were you, right? What's wrong with that?"
"The world is changing."
"The right to fall, you said? Is risking death like today also part of that right?!"
"How could I be okay with what happened today? But it didn't happen inside the school……."
"Enough."
"Lucy wants to, Leonard."
Beatrix said earnestly, but Leonard didn't budge.
"Something like this could happen again at any time. Tell her to stay in the palace until she's a little older."
But this time, Beatrix had no intention of backing down either. She shone with piercingly blue eyes and quickly retorted.
"No."
"……."
"As Lucy's mother, I can't back down this time. Your Majesty."
"Trixie!"
"Do you know why Olivia's grandmother took her to Pulder? Leaving her familiar homeland for an unfamiliar land. Even though it was life-threatening to cross the sea back then."
As Leonard blinked at the sudden words, Beatrix cleared her throat and continued.
"She said she wanted to send her granddaughter to school. In Pulder, grandmothers can enroll their granddaughters in school, so she risked her life and crossed the sea. She thought that was more important."
"……."
"So, as the Queen Consort of Herot, as Lucy's mother, I absolutely cannot back down this time. Your Majesty."
The King and Queen Consort's gazes clashed sharply in the air.
Beatrix felt a stuffy feeling as if she had a mountain range like a barrier in front of her, but she didn't avoid his gaze in the end.
⚜ ⚜ ⚜
The Herot's parliament is largely composed of two axes.
The Royalist Party, centered on the King and aristocratic forces, and the Ruble Party, mainly composed of guild unions.
Most of the Ruble Party members are capitalists from commoner backgrounds and are elected through voting, unlike the Royalist Party members.
The reason why Leonard is conscious of public opinion is precisely because of this Ruble Party.
Recently, Herald Beum, the leader of the Ruble Party, had been clashing with King Leonard several times over import and export tariffs. He pondered how to undermine King Leonard's position and elevate the Ruble Party's position.
"It's simple. The King's existence itself violates equality, so you just have to constantly emphasize inequality to the people."
So he kept publishing articles about the establishment of the Royal School.
'The playground of the aristocratic school is like this, but the playground of the Royal School is like this.', 'The bathroom of the aristocratic school has these facilities, but the bathroom of the Royal School is like this.', and so on.
Then today, a very good thing happened.
"Princess Lucy's carriage collided with a carter's wagon?"
"Yes, Representative."
"What's Princess Lucy's condition?"
"She only suffered minor scratches."
"What about the carter?"
"His legs and arms are broken."
"He's being investigated?"
"He was overloaded. The brakes couldn't handle the weight on the downhill and slipped. He's currently detained and being investigated."
How poor must the carter be? He must have a string of children and be supporting sick parents.
Herald Beum was excited and ordered.
"Find out where that carter's house is right away. Contact the newspaper companies too."
How fortunate that newspaper companies are included in the guild union?
If he combines the Royal School and Princess Lucy's accident, he can undermine the King's position again. If he chips away little by little like that, he will eventually become a scarecrow.
The next day.
Leonard, who was checking the front pages of major newspapers, felt a deep murderous intent.
The newspaper companies also wrote articles as neutrally as possible, fearing that they would offend the King's displeasure with Princess Lucy's incident, but nevertheless, they made sure to mention the carter's poor circumstances.
It was needless to say that Herald Beum was behind the articles.
"Herald Beum, that son of a bitch who deserves to be chewed to death is finally bringing up this matter too."
The public relations secretary looked at the King's expression and cautiously asked.
"What should we do?"
Leonard ran his rough face down with his hands and said in a subdued voice.
"It's not worth responding to. It's not like I'm saying I'm going to take personal revenge, and I'm going to punish him for being overloaded, so what's the problem?"
"Won't they create public opinion and bring up the issue of inequality again at the Royal School establishment ceremony? All members of parliament are scheduled to attend that day. In addition, a large number of invited citizens are also scheduled to attend."
"Why? Why don't you just tell me to abolish the monarchy."
"Your Majesty……."
Leonard slammed the desk and then let out a long sigh.
Royal School establishment. It was a project he put a lot of effort into, but Herald Beum was constantly nitpicking. Saying that the bathroom is different from the aristocratic school and so on.
"I wish I could invite Olivia to the establishment ceremony……."
Then the public relations secretary muttered in a barely audible voice.
"I don't think Duke Rosemond would stand still……."
Leonard recalled Noah's irritable expression and sighed again. If he invited Olivia to the establishment ceremony, it was clear that there would be a huge uproar.
"He'll make a fuss saying that was my marriage condition, won't he."
He rubbed his face roughly with his hands and lamented.
"Damn it. Being a King is so dirty."
He locked the door, saying he wouldn't let his daughter go to school, his wife declared separate rooms and went to another room, his son is glaring with a fierce look to take care of his wife, and the people of the world are giving meaning to every little action.
It's driving me crazy.
