#033. This Ribbon Is Going to Be Fania’s Favorite Accessory
Shopping was an absolute success. Fania, pleased with today’s haul, gave her instructions.
“Send the clothes to the Duke’s house once they’re finished.”
Since Blanche’s attendance at the Empress’s birthday celebration was confidential, Fania had introduced her as a distant relative at the boutique.
That meant the outfit couldn’t be delivered directly to the palace. Instead, it would first go to the Martina Duchy and be passed along later. Fania would also need to give Blanche some guidance, considering she wasn’t familiar with court events.
“Alright then, let’s go to a café, eat something delicious, and take a break!”
Fania tugged on Blanche’s arm, urging her. But Blanche, still too young to appreciate the joys of shopping, was slumped on the sofa looking pale.
“Ah… just a moment. I’ll wash my face first. Please wait in the carriage.”
“Should I come with you?”
“No, it’s alright.”
Well, it was just the bathroom, after all. If she got lost, she could always ask a staff member.
Satisfied, Fania headed to the carriage to wait for her.
“We’ll go to Renaissance,” she told the coachman.
“Yes, my lady.”
A few moments later, Blanche, looking a bit more refreshed, climbed into the carriage.
“The place we’re going to today is somewhere my sister recommended. It’s really popular among the ladies. She was going to take me herself, but I said I wanted to go with you first.”
“That’s very kind of you.”
Blanche smiled faintly. Though she acted mature, Fania knew she had a weakness for good food. Once they got there and she had something tasty, her eyes would surely sparkle with joy.
Imagining that cheerful expression, Fania grinned to herself.
“I’ll have two milkshakes, toast with kaya jam and scrambled eggs, pancakes topped with blueberry whipped cream, and sausages.”
“Certainly. Please wait a moment.”
Fania ordered exactly what her sister had recommended, and the server politely took the menu and left.
“By the way, have you chosen a gift for Her Majesty the Empress?”
Blanche took a sip of water before replying calmly.
“Yes. Though I’m not sure if Her Majesty will be pleased with it.”
A hand-embroidered handkerchief, perhaps? It was difficult to come up with a fitting gift from a princess of a small nation to the Empress, who already had everything. So Fania thought of the most universally acceptable present.
It was the same gift Fania had given her own sister on her seventeenth birthday—and her sister had said it was the best gift she received that year.
“It’s well known that Her Majesty adores you. I’m sure she’ll be happy no matter what you give her.”
Children under 15 weren’t allowed near the Empress, so Fania hadn’t seen it herself, but she was confident. Encouraged, Blanche tilted her head.
“Do you really think so?”
“Of course! Adults value the thought more than the item itself.”
But instead of nodding, Blanche asked,
“Would you feel the same way, Lady Martina?”
Perhaps because she was alone without family, Blanche sometimes showed this vulnerable side.
And whenever she did, Fania’s heart overflowed with the desire to hug her tightly. But with the table between them, she opted to express her sincerity instead.
“Of course. No matter what it is, if you chose it thinking of me, I’ll be happy.”
Blanche finally broke into a bright smile, her expression lighting up.
“I’m glad to hear that.”
Then, as if hesitating, she pulled something out of her pocket and offered it to Fania.
“This isn’t much, but… I wanted to thank you for helping me pick out clothes.”
It was a black ribbon adorned with a silver accessory—one of the few items Blanche had examined closely earlier.
Blanche had seemed indifferent to shopping overall, going along with everything Fania suggested. But this ribbon had been the only thing she’d truly scrutinized.
“You picked this out for me?”
Blanche looked down, embarrassed.
“I know I don’t have the best sense for these things… but I wanted to choose the gift myself.”
It was a very self-aware comment. The ribbon’s design was far too elegant for a nine-year-old—it would even be slightly awkward for Fania’s grown sister to wear.
Still, Fania was genuinely moved by the thought that Blanche had chosen something just for her. So she removed the cute, age-appropriate hair accessory she had carefully chosen earlier and immediately replaced it with Blanche’s ribbon.
“How do I look?”
There was no way it matched. Fania’s dress today was a pale yellow.
“You really don’t have to wear it. I just wanted to thank you…”
Sure enough, Blanche—who had a keen eye for fashion, if not style—looked awkward.
But Fania didn’t take the ribbon off.
“No way. It’s a gift from my dearest friend. I’m going to show it off to everyone.”
So what if it didn’t match? From today on, this ribbon would become Fania’s favorite accessory—because it was chosen by her most beloved friend.
If necessary, she’d even commission a new dress to match the ribbon.
“…In that case, at least pair it with a navy blue dress next time.”
Blushing shyly, Blanche mumbled the suggestion, and Fania beamed.
Yes. Next time, she’d wear a navy dress and go out with Blanche while wearing this ribbon.
*
“Get home safely, okay? I’ll come back when the clothes arrive.”
Lady Martina personally walked me right up to the Jasper Palace. Feeling a bit bashful, I waved her off. She was still wearing the ribbon as we parted.
That ribbon—I had bought it as a token of thanks. I never expected Lady Martina to actually like it.
I’m not used to receiving things. I’d rather give, even unilaterally. When I receive something and don’t return the favor, I get anxious. I don’t know when I’ll be asked to repay it.
In my past life, I never got anything without a cost. And the longer repayment was delayed, the higher the price.
But to see someone so delighted by a mere ribbon—one not particularly tasteful or stylish, even by Lady Martina’s own standards—left me feeling strange. My chest tingled; I felt oddly shy.
It wasn’t the first time I’d seen someone happy because of a gift from me, nor the first time I’d given something useless. But somehow, combining the two left me feeling… odd.
“Has the guest left?”
Because Lady Martina didn’t even step down from the carriage, Tula came rushing out belatedly. Yet she managed to remain composed and dignified even in a hurry, which pleased me.
“You’re perfect now.”
Always elegant and poised, even in the face of the unexpected. Never letting others see when you’re flustered.
Tula bowed with a smile at my compliment.
“Shall I prepare a snack?”
“No need. I ate outside. Was everything alright while I was gone?”
“Princess Electra and Prince Latro had a dispute in one of the shared areas. I mentioned the suggestion of relocating their labs to opposite ends, as you ordered, but they both declined.”
I had begun offering lab space to scholars, starting with Princess Delaira.
Delaira needed a glass greenhouse for cultivating Bracken, so I had no choice. It required a lot of investment, but for most others, a single room was enough.
Among them, Princess Electra worked with minerals, and Prince Latro with gemstones.
Since both had mild personalities and worked with stones, I had intentionally placed their labs near each other. But once they were side by side, they kept bickering. In a foreign country, isolated from home, couldn’t they just get along?
Eventually, I even considered giving up part of my residential floor to separate them, but now they were rejecting even that.
I had offered to move both of them so no one would feel like they were losing—but they still refused. I let out a heavy sigh.
“Then it can’t be helped. Assign more staff to the lab area and have them report any disputes immediately. If either of them crosses the line, we’ll use it as an excuse to forcibly relocate them.”
“…If I may speak freely, Your Highness?”
“Go ahead.”
A ruler must always be willing to listen to subordinates. Tula hesitated, then finally spoke after closing the door to my bedroom.
“I don’t think it’ll come to that.”
