#53. She Must Have Called My Name
Netepel had insisted that Haslen’s marriage was a mistake, even going so far as to bring up Haslen’s name. Although I usually take a friend’s opinions somewhat seriously, his went so far that it only made me resentful.
Moreover, I doubted whether he had even come to Reden around the same time in the past. If Netepel had truly been to Reden, he could have easily contacted her.
Yet Netepel never sent any news. When we were young, Mahanas disliked their involvement, but after Netepel became an adult and was recognized as a prince, that didn’t really seem to be the case anymore.
There was no one else to discuss these unresolved questions with. Tilting her head slightly, Ophelia looked down from the platform at the small box and sealed envelope the attendant was presenting.
Since no unauthorized person could step onto the platform where the throne was, the attendant standing behind her accepted the items on her behalf.
Now, since there were other things to attend to besides opening Netepel’s letter, Ophelia ordered the attendant to put them aside separately.
She then spoke to the man still bowing before her.
“Go and tell your master that I received them well.”
Netepel’s attendant seemed flustered that she did not immediately inspect the gift and letter but withdrew as ordered. After he left, Ophelia called the knight standing behind her.
“Hazel.”
Ophelia hesitated for a moment. They weren’t exactly close, so perhaps it would have been more proper to call him “Chessa.”
But the knight with sunset-colored hair was already by her side. Ophelia spoke to the knight who seemed to be smiling quietly even without her saying anything.
“Go and tell Gilrod’s daughter to come here.”
Hazel responded cheerfully and descended the platform. Ophelia watched the knight stride toward a brown-haired woman far off.
Idren, who was leaning toward her, asked,
“Have you become close enough to call Hazel by name already?”
“…It’s not that we’re close. She introduced herself to me by her name.”
Idren grumbled again, seemingly displeased by something.
“I should have introduced myself by name, too.”
“Why?”
“Then you would have called me by name.”
“You do call me sometimes.”
“Only when you’re angry.”
Ophelia recalled. Did I really only call this man by his name when I was upset?
Now that she thought about it, she tended to say “you” more often when she was feeling fine.
But the same went for him. Ophelia retorted to the man looking down at her with expectant eyes.
“You rarely call me by name either.”
“How often do you say my name, then?” Idren replied before she could say more. “Ophelia.” The rounded sound brushed past her ears. It was a pleasant voice with nothing irritating about it.
Knowing he wasn’t really calling her, Ophelia just let it pass. Idren kept repeating her name. “Ophelia. Ophelia.”
“Why do you keep calling me?”
She was clearly annoyed, but the man chuckled quietly. Ophelia saw a boyish smile lift his chin—like fresh summer greenery…
“You don’t call my name.”
…So, calling him boyish was really just being childish herself.
Frowning, Ophelia turned her head to grant the wish of the unusually lively man. Just then, Hazel spoke from behind her.
“Your Highness, I have brought the person you asked for.”
Hearing that, Ophelia looked to the side. A knight she hadn’t noticed ascending the platform stood beside her.
Feeling a bit awkward, Ophelia cleared her throat softly and looked down toward the platform. A woman, who looked nothing like her father, was bowing nervously.
“Come up onto the platform.”
“Th-thank you.”
Ophelia frowned at the woman’s stammering, unbefitting someone from a good family.
Before the woman fully approached her, Idren whispered softly.
“Gilrod is watching this way.”
“I understand.”
Whatever Ophelia said or did to Gilrod’s daughter would surely reach the ears of that father. Though he wasn’t very experienced in politics, Ophelia understood that much.
The man who was not on good terms with Idren wouldn’t have sent his daughter here with good intentions.
What caught her attention, however, was that the daughter seemed to have a bad relationship with her father.
Ophelia knew she was just as intolerant of those who resembled Mahanas and that man, as she was merciful to those oppressed by them. This tolerance was deeply ingrained by the varied experiences her older brother had given her.
So she could at least offer the kindness of asking the other person’s name. Ophelia said to the still downcast woman,
“Raise your head.”
The woman stammered again.
“Th-thank you.” She waved her hand slightly as if to refuse to be too polite about the small things. Ophelia studied her face.
The first thing that caught her eye was the pale green eyes. Seeing the flushed red cheeks beneath, Ophelia was certain the woman bore no resemblance to her father.
“What is your name?”
“Si-Siana Nebel.”
And Siana wished she could just die on the spot.
To be stammering even at such an important moment.
She knew she would be beaten by her father on the way back. Siana clearly remembered the scolding her father Gilrod gave her in the carriage on the way to the castle.
“If you show that awful attitude at the banquet, I will have your tongue cut out.”
Her father had made such threats several times before, but this time Siana thought he might actually do it. His mood had been low since yesterday.
When the fourth prince at the border took the throne through rebellion, her father was one of the fiercest opponents of the new king’s ascension.
While he was meticulous about who could overhear his words elsewhere, he was comfortable revealing his ambitions only in front of his only daughter. Siana knew exactly what he was thinking.
“If the prince in Brinwell takes the throne, our family can act as relatives to the royal family.”
After saying that, her father always added,
“We’ve wielded great power all this time; we can’t lose that just because some brat committed a little treason.”
But that “we” did not include her. Siana painfully understood that fact.
Her father, who had been calmly waiting for the Brinwell ship to arrive at the port the day before, grew furious when the ship didn’t arrive by the end of the wedding.
“That blue-faced brat must have done something.”
If her father noticed her at a moment like that, she would surely be hit, so Siana tried to slip away to a place where no one was.
But she was one step too late.
“I was a little annoyed to send only the ruby… but I suppose I’ll send this bitch along with it.”
Grabbing her elbow tightly as she tried to climb the stairs, the man said so. Siana let out a small scream from the pain in her bones, but the brutal grip didn’t loosen.
Thus, she was prepared as a congratulatory gift to the new queen.
Dressed appropriately as a gift, loaded into the carriage, Siana cautiously asked her father sitting in front of her.
“B-but will Her Majesty the Queen accept me?”
Unlike the previous generation, her father was on very bad terms with this royal family. The young king had not forgotten those who insulted him before securing the throne.
And the queen he brought wouldn’t like her.
Then her father looked down on her coldly and struck her on the back of her head. The loud sound and the searing pain that made her bow her head wide-eyed shocked Siana.
A cold voice fell over the bowed girl.
“You’re foolish. Who would accept someone like you? Your role is to be chased away by the queen.”
A maid riding along tidied her disheveled hair as if used to it. Holding back tears, Siana listened to her father’s continuing words.
“The new queen who just came to the castle wouldn’t do anything to displease her husband. If she knows you’re a Nebel, she won’t keep you near.”
Then her father added in a sneering tone.
“A queen who refuses to accept a wedding gift — if the royal family catches wind of that, it’ll be quite a scandal. When you’re driven away, be sure to claim the queen insulted you. Understand?”
Siana could not tell her father that insulting the royal family was punishable by death.
Now the moment was coming. Closing her eyes tightly without realizing it, Siana waited for the new queen to send her away.
When she had been presented along with the ruby, the queen had said nothing, but upon reflection, she probably could not keep Siana near.
If cast out, she would have to testify wherever her father told her to. The thought of being put in front of others already scared her.
That was when she heard an unexpected question.
“Is it alright to keep Siana in the castle?”
