Chapter 9

The carriage departed. When I saw the man sitting on the other side, my anger cooled and reality came. I'm in a carriage with a man I don't know. This impulsive behavior was not like that. It's hard. He was strange. I brought a cold carriage to the Imperial Palace of a woman I didn't know. Nevertheless, being with that man was strangely reassuring. It might have been to blame for his thoughtful behavior. He lent me a robe when I came out of the coffee house. No one would have thought I was Madeleine's princess. Olivia fiddled with the black robe that covered her knees. Again, bouquets and cards filled his head. Gifts purporting to be from Leopold. So many flowers and gifts to fill one room. Dare, who. with what intent. He purported to be a strong prince. Who dares. Madelaine, and you upbraided me.

"Take it."

"Yes?"

As Olivia blinked, the man held out a purple velvet box. Olivia paused as she accepted the box in a daze.

"Where did you get it?"

"That's it, in this carriage?"

"What is this?"

"Open it, okay?"

The man laughed shifty and got out of the way. In a pun-like conversation, Olivia opened the box. What's in the box.

"Gloves?"

Olivia muttered. It was a unique and pretty design to see for the first time. The tightly woven lace sparkled every time it received light. Big, the man was scowling. When Olivia, looking at her gloves, looked at the man, the man grimaced fondly at Olivia.

"You're not listening to me last time, are you? I have everything that's really precious, so I just tell you."

It's a gift. Olivia's eyes showed nail marks on the back of her hand as she smiled and tried to put on her gloves. Did you see this? Olivia put on her gloves. I was worried about the size, but my hand fit inside the glove. As if it was a tight fit. He raised his hand and looked at his glove, and he saw a man over his finger. As soon as their eyes met, Olivia gathered her fingers in a strange mood.

　 The man was invisible, but the staring gaze continued to be felt. At one point, the carriage folded into the outer road to the Imperial Palace. Instead of the gorgeous streets, Olivia, seeing the rugged walls and the armed Imperial Knights guard, said in a low voice: "Oh, my god, I'm not going to be able to do that."

"Get me off the front, a little away from the door."

"As I said."

The man said Olivia's words to the small window that led to the coachstone. The carriage headed a little away from the Imperial gates. The carriage stopped as it slowly slowed down. It was not too close or far to walk to the gate. He didn't ask, but the man turned over his robe's hat to the end. When the face was not visible, the man looked like a knight of the clan's performance. The man first got off the wagon. And he reached out to Olivia as if he were an escort. It was awkward to receive an escort, so Olivia raised her hand lightly, looking at the big hand for a moment. The thin lace gloves, the man's hands reaching beyond that layer, were much harder, larger, and warmer than he had thought. The knights of the Imperial Knights were approaching. Olivia looked back at the man for a moment.

"... It's Olivia Madelaine. My name."

"Olivia. It's a pretty name."

The man said, as if it didn't matter what surname was after his name. It sounded like I already knew I was a princess. In the attitude of the man, Olivia took a little more courage.

"When I come out, will you give me your name?"

The man did not answer. Olivia added small.

"... I'm not going to be a bad defeat for you."

Madelaine was thorough in return. Revenge was clearer.

"Of course, it's a very nice defeat, but unfortunately, it's going to be difficult today."

Of course I thought I'd answer that. A kindly man drew the line. Olivia struggled to hide her embarrassment.

"Yeah, then. Thank you for helping me."

"I don't want to give you a name. I had to go today."

In a voice of regret, Olivia recalled what I had said.

"When I come out, will you give me your name?"

　 With what confidence did he think he would of course wait. Olivia tried to remove her hand, as she blushed with embarrassment. The man's hand, which he touched like an escort, did not let Olivia go. As Olivia looked back, the man said in a voice mixed with laughter.

"Next time. Next time, I'll give you your name. With the most precious gifts."

"... There's not much of a gift that I can't get as a princess?"

"Then, you must be so precious that everyone will envy you, and the lady will accept it. For example."

The man slowly drew the horse.

"There is only one sword in the world that combines swords and gems."

"... I'm looking forward to it."

At the end of being able to see him once more than the gift he had given her, Olivia sank the grumpiness that had risen pointedly. His hand dropped, and Olivia walked toward the Imperial Palace. The knight, recognizing Olivia, bowed.

"Good evening, Lady. What's going on here?"

"I want to go to the Taijiazhuang Palace, can I rent a carriage for a while?"

　 * * *

"Lady Fair. Here's what happened today. His highness the Prince went to the streets of Lurheirn to see the princess."

As soon as she was at the Taeja Palace, the servant in front of the pious servants greeted Olivia with a bewildered face. Whether the lengths were staggered, or if Leopold did not appear at the appointment place. A lot of worry passed over the servant's face.

"I'm on my way to see the Prince. The servant. Than it. I had something to check."

"Yes. Lady Fair."

The seasoned servant took a bite right around him and led Olivia into the parlor. The door of the Taijiazhuang parlor was closed without a sound leaking out. Olivia sat on the sofa in front of the tea table and looked straight at the servant.

"The servant probably knows. On Wednesday, the day you did not come to your appointment, your Highness always sent flowers and gifts."

"Yes. Lady Fair. I know."

"By the way. His Highness the Prince did not know."

Oops, the tone passed on the servant's face.

"Is the servant the man who tried to destroy me?"

"Lady, no. It's a defeat. I'm just."

The servant could not speak.

"Is the servant who sent the card?"

"What card, do you mean?"

The servant's words were lost for a moment, as if in bewilderment. Olivia laughed coolly.

"I didn't know that the gift from the Taeja Palace was a mixture of cards that dared to impersonate your highness. The servant."

"That, that's what!"

The servant's eyes grew ever larger. After the storm in the parlor, one of the Taejang Palace's sisters-in-law killed the sound and crossed the patronage. The place where the sister-in-law headed was in the direction of the Empress's Palace. . . .

"So."

Olivia looked at her fingers one by one.

"The Prince sent me a gift from the palace, but I can't reveal who sent it. I don't know anything about cards at all."

"...."

"... Is that all the servant can say?"

"... Sorry. Lady Fair."

"Servant."

"... Yes. Lady Fair."

"I don't know if you know, but I like people like servants."

The servant looked inquiringly at Olivia instead of answering. It was the eyes that measured what the words were meant to be. A firm servant who had been watching him since Leopold was a child. Olivia smiled.

"Whether it's a gift or a flower. In fact, what matters. No matter who sent it with whatever intention, I think it was worth it if it was sent from the Taejang Palace to soothe my heart."

"Lady Fair."

"But not cards."

When the card story came out, the servant's eyes shook again. Olivia could not believe that she really didn't know. If you're as loyal as a servant, you're more.

"... Unbelievable. It happens that the imperial family dares to send a card purporting to be his highness the Prince to the princess."

"It happened. The servant didn't know the card was delivered. So on the same day today, I didn't come here."

"...."

"Nevertheless, if the servant doesn't step up, there's a limit to what I can reveal. The servant knows best than anyone that I, a princess who is not yet a formal prince, do not have the authority to command his majesty's servant."

Olivia laughed wryly. The servant made no answer.

"But what about the servants of the Tiase Palace who have been authorized to exercise their rights? At best, it would be rumored that the princess was defeated. And you know, two months ago, the youngest son of the servant entered the apprentice servant of the Tiase Palace."

"...!!!"

The servant's face, like a hard mask, broke in an instant. I should have noticed. The servant gathered up his two trembling hands and gripped them. A year ago, a princess was granted the control of Tiase Palace, the palace of Taejabi. It was a long late start compared to the previous fiancées who usually took the helm of the palace within two years of their engagement. The empress made an excuse for the lack of skills of the princess. However, all the servants knew that the princess had enough skills to do the work of the princess. As soon as she took the helm, what she did was to pick up an apprenticeship servant. All the servants sent my family to the story that children without a career could be sent to Tiase Palace. The servant sent his youngest son. My son, who was born a late boy, didn't change his job or his fortune. All the servants knew that I was planting my sioux in the Taejabi Palace. No one knew it would come back in shackles after all. As the servants calculated,the princess would have been counted. Olivia looked at the servant serenely. Under the calm, a cold rebuke poured forth like a frost.

"I daresay, I reviled Madelaine. Do I have to stay still?"

"And, Lady."

The servant bowed to Olivia in a daze.

"Only once have mercy. Lady Fair. Please, have mercy only once."

So Olivia pretended to be more affectionate and said.

"Servant. You don't have to do this. As I said, I want to have a good relationship with the servant. So, I won't look at the servant's face and ask who sent the flowers and gifts."

"Thank you, thank you. Lady Fair."

"Instead, color who the card is."

"Yes. Yes. Lady Fair."

"Of course, this is a request I give to the servant."

Olivia smiled thinly. The servant left the parlor in a panic. Olivia, who remained in a tight position until the door closed, sighed still in the quiet parlor. Lucky. The servant of the Taeja Palace was the poorest of the four servants of the palace. If he hadn't belittled me, things wouldn't have worked out so easily. Then, when I mentioned my youngest son, I remembered the appearance of a servant who was tired of blue, and I felt strange. Is it all about the original father? Do you want to protect my child that far? My father reminded me in my head. It had already been a few days since I saw my father. My father always frowned at me. Olivia sweetened her lips and hoped that the servant would come to catch the killer. However, the sister-in-law, whom the servant brought to be the killer, opened her mouth very easily, contrary to Olivia's expectations.

"I just did what Countess Chaise told me to do! Please save me. Lady Fair. Wrong!"

The sister-in-law, who was crying on her knees, was only a child who wanted to be thirteen or four years old. Countess Chaise. It was the countess who belittled me at the Taejabi Palace. The empress's amputee-like sister-in-law. Olivia put her head on. The Empress will cut off the lizard's tail. * * * At that time, Duke GIOVANNI MADELAINE entered the parlor of the Empress's Palace. The empress greeted the duke with a pleasant smile. It was as beautiful as a rose, but the duke knew that the Empress's nature was like a poison thorn.

"Worship the moon of the empire. See your Majesty the Empress."

At the Duke's greeting, his aide, Lord Huxley, offered a bouquet before the Empress.

"Oh, that's such a nice flower. It would have been a sudden request, but thank you for visiting. Duke."

"I heard you had something to tell me."

The duke went straight into the matter. The empress looked at the duke's back with a troubled face. At that obvious glance, the duke looked behind me, feeling his head. Among the Empress's sisters-in-law, there was a woman with a poisonous blue face. It was a stranger face to the duke, who knew all the people of the Empress. If so, the newly arrived Countess Cheise. The empress spoke with difficulty.

"It's a disgraceful rumor, but the duke must have heard it. Olivia, that fine child is spending Wednesday afternoon alone."

Olivia. The duke's mouth stiffened as he was afraid of the name. At the only weakness in which this statue-like man reveals feelings, the empress was sincerely amused. Oh my god. Who knew that 'that' Giovanni Madelaine, the most upright and sincere wife of the empire, would make an illegitimate child. Fourteen years ago, the empress recalled the rumors that had made the empire shudder. It was the joy of the empress that Madelaine, the pillar of the Imperial party that confronted my family, a noble family, stood like this.

"I'm so sorry. I need to talk to the prince better."

"If you have anything to say, I'll go back."

"Indeed. How do I say this?"

The empress continued to drag her horse and measure the duke's inner circle.

"To soothe Olivia's relief, she told the servant of the Prince's palace to take a gift, and the sister-in-law added these comforting words to her death."

"...."

"I know her heart, but why don't you turn to say something like this that's going to fling in the cold? But you'll hear what your father says. I just don't want to see Olivia for this."

Twirling said, but the bottom line was one. Tell Olivia to stay still and put pressure on her. The empress twinkled in her eyes.