Chapter 5
5. Madame Monreille’s Music Lesson
After Madame Monreille and Madame Laval finished their discussion, I moved to the imperial palace’s music room to receive Madame Monreille’s lesson.
In the music room stood a splendid grand piano, and I sat down to play it.
Since I was self-taught, it was embarrassing to play in front of her, but Madame Monreille did not look down on me at all.
“For someone who learned on her own, Your Highness’s piano playing is quite remarkable.
With regular basic training, I believe you’ll improve even more.”
“Please teach me.”
“Let us start with finger positioning.”
Until now, I had played without really understanding where I should switch fingers when playing an octave.
When I learned the proper fingering technique and tried playing again, paying attention to the finger placement, I realized how much easier the same piece became.
It truly was proof that the basics are important.
“For now, let’s practice some exercises.
Then, we’ll move on to slightly more difficult pieces.”
“How well should I be able to play, ultimately?”
“It would be best if you could sight-read music to a certain degree.
If another noble or dignitary from a vassal state suddenly wants to sing, you must be able to accompany them on the spot.”
I had no intention of becoming a piano accompanist, but it seemed I had to at least develop a certain level of skill.
If I had had more time back in the academy, it might have been better to major in piano.
Since I didn’t have a solid foundation in piano and wanted something I could practice easily without needing an instrument, I had chosen vocal music instead.
“We’ll also have singing lessons. Which songs can you perform?”
“This one, I believe.”
When I showed Madame Monreille the song I could sing, she sat down at the piano and began to play.
I sang along to her accompaniment, feeling her listening attentively as she played.
When I finished, I thought I saw a faint smile on her lips.
“Your Highness has a beautifully resonant voice.
The emotional expression in your singing is wonderful as well.
It seems we can work on a more advanced level of vocal training.”
“Truly? I studied vocal music for six years at the academy.”
“That experience is clearly showing.”
Her praise made me feel relieved. Madame Monreille then taught me vocal warm-ups and stretches to do before singing.
“Please continue your practice daily, even if it’s just for an hour.”
“An hour for piano and another for singing?”
“If that’s difficult, one hour total is acceptable.”
Since I was also responsible for His Majesty Aleksanteri’s wedding attire and needed to make my own as well—along with crafting the artificial flower crown and bouquet—I was quite busy.
Still, I thought I could spare at least an hour each day.
If it was necessary to become a proper empress, I would make the effort.
Resolutely, I said to Madame Monreille:
“I’ll do my best, so please teach me thoroughly.”
“Of course—that’s my intention.”
Her reassuring words convinced me that Madame Monreille was someone I could trust.
She played the piano wonderfully; she must have studied it since childhood as part of noble education.
I was already nineteen—was it too late for me? The thought made me uneasy, but all I could do was follow her guidance and continue to practice diligently.
When tea time came, Madame Monreille and Madame Laval departed, and His Majesty Aleksanteri returned to the palace just as they were leaving.
I rose to greet him.
“Welcome home, Your Majesty Aleksanteri.”
“I’m home, Reisi.”
Without warning, he embraced me. Embarrassed, I nonetheless breathed in the faint scent of his cologne.
It was subtle—only noticeable when he came close—and had a refreshing yet slightly sweet aroma.
As I savored it, His Majesty gently released me.
“I couldn’t help but hug you, Reisi. I missed you. You didn’t dislike it, did you?”
“I was happy, though a little embarrassed.”
“You’re quite the shy one, aren’t you, Reisi?”
Smiling, His Majesty returned to his room to change, then came to the tea room where I was waiting.
We sat side by side on the two-person sofa—His Majesty’s favorite spot in the tea room, which was furnished with a comfortable sofa set.
After the tea was poured, the maid withdrew quietly to the corner of the room.
I then presented a small box I had prepared.
“This is the first artificial flower I ever made.
I wanted something we could share, so I turned it into a lapel pin for you.”
“A beautiful lavender color—your color, Reisi. I’m very happy.”
As he accepted it, I opened my own box, which contained a corsage made from the same artificial flower.
“Mine is the corsage, and Your Majesty’s is the lapel pin.”
“Let’s wear them together. A lapel pin made by you… it feels too precious to use, yet I want to show it off to the whole world.”
“That’s an exaggeration.”
“Not at all. Because you made it, Reisi, I want everyone to see it—though at the same time, I want to keep it hidden away and treasure it forever.”
His contradictory confession made me laugh, and he chuckled softly in return.
“As you advised me, I’ve started delegating my administrative duties to my aides.
I don’t know why I was so stubborn before.
I used to believe doing everything myself was the most efficient way.”
“Your Majesty…”
“But after entrusting them, I realized how capable my aides truly are.
Even if I were to rest for a few days, the palace would run smoothly.
So, I’d like to propose something to you.”
“What is it?”
“There’s an imperial villa on the outskirts of the capital, near a beautiful lake.
Would you come there with me?”
Since arriving at the imperial palace more than three months ago, I hadn’t once left the grounds.
If it was His Majesty’s villa, it must be a magnificent place—and the thought of a beautiful lakeside was alluring.
“Would it be all right for me to go?”
“Do you not wish to, Reisi?”
“I still have my bridal education, the wedding attire, and the flower work…”
“You can rest for a few days. You need time to breathe too.”
Hearing that from His Majesty made the desire to go bloom in my heart.
“Most of all,” he continued, “I haven’t taken a single vacation in the ten years since I became emperor.
I wish to spend my first true holiday with the woman I love.
Or… do you not feel the same, Reisi?”
“That’s not it at all! I want to go!”
Of course—His Majesty had been burdened by imperial duties for so long, with no chance to rest.
He had shouldered all the work himself, never delegating tasks, likely because he found it hard to trust those around him.
Now, by sharing the workload and building mutual trust, he would finally be able to relax a little.
“Understood. I’ll go with you.”
“Thank you, Reisi. I know it will be the perfect holiday.”
When I agreed, His Majesty hugged me with childlike joy.
He seemed far less hesitant to touch me these days—perhaps because our hearts had grown closer.
And as he held me, I felt a strange mix of nostalgia and fluttering warmth, remembering how I used to hold little Garne in my dreams.
“When will we leave? And how long will we stay?”
“We’ll depart in a week. It’ll be a five-day trip, four nights.
It takes about half a day to travel, but the carriage seats are very comfortable, so it won’t be tiring.”
“Is there a piano at the villa?”
“Yes. My father had one there because he loved hearing my mother play every day.”
In that case, I could continue my piano practice even at the villa.
As for embroidery, I only needed to bring my sewing kit.
Knowing I could continue both my studies and hobbies during the trip, I felt completely at ease.
