LMJO 56

#56. She Doesn’t Like Things Like This

Princess Rahellica, the First Princess, who had come at the summons of her older brother Orien, frowned when she saw the man standing in front of the open door. Netepel, soaking wet, was standing there, tea dripping from his hands.

Knowing that he had ended up in that state right before Orien, Rahellica unfolded the fan she was holding to hide her face.

“You really… why do you keep sneaking in like this?”

If it were me, I’d just run far away. Rahellica, her tone frosty, lightly waved the fan adorned with amethysts. Netepel said nothing, bowing his head in silence. It was then that Orien approached them.

“Rahel, come inside. Why are you standing out there like that?”

Calling his sister in a voice as gentle as spring sunlight, Orien then spoke sharply to the other sibling.

“Can’t you disappear quickly?”

He extended his hand toward his sibling. Rahellica, folding her fan, placed her hand on it as if accustomed to the gesture. The hem of her pale violet dress fluttered.

By the time Orien had guided her to the sofa, the sound of the door closing echoed in the room.

Sitting on the sofa, Rahellica called to the figure before her.

“Brother.”

And the usual smile bloomed on her face. Her violet eyes, reminiscent of their mother, Empress Iris, curved with the expression. Orien, looking at his younger sister who resembled their mother in every way except hair color, recalled something their father had once said.

“A violet like a violet flower.”

Their father, Leveren, had been deeply passionate about that color. In truth, he had been passionate about everything about his wife.

But their mother did not love their father.

Poor father, Orien thought, shaking his head slightly as he picked up a new teacup. The servant who had come in with Rahellica was arranging the room and serving freshly brewed tea.

“Have a cup of tea too.”

Rahellica covered her mouth with her fan and spoke in a chilly voice. “I’m fine, thank you.”

“Actually, I brought tea with Mother before Brother called me.”

She waved the fan lightly. Orien noticed the amethysts delicately embedded on the fan she held.

“So Mother cherished this, huh?”

“Yes, she gave it to me a few months ago.”

Rahellica then unfolded the fan so he could see it in detail. The amethysts clinked together softly, and sunlight streaming through the window hit the gems, scattering light brilliantly.

Orien watched the sparkling stones for a moment and spoke.

“Didn’t Father give that to Mother long ago? I think he said it was one of her wedding gifts.”

There was a faint tone of reproach in his voice, teasing his younger sister for innocently accepting something with such deep significance. Rahellica smiled at her brother, who spoke of long-soiled wedding gifts.

“He said it would suit me better. Mother doesn’t like things like this anymore.”

She snapped the fan shut with a crisp sound and smiled brightly. A princess who, despite her age, did not want to marry and loved jewels and luxury, smiling in a way that constantly tempted their father.

Orien shook his head, helpless at his sister’s antics. “You really…”

“Even if Mother said that, how could you accept something so important?”

He then gestured to the servant standing nearby. “Go and bring the one by the window.”

Bowing deeply, the servant obeyed immediately. Orien received a box wrapped in red satin and untied it. Inside was a box made of deerskin.

Handing it to Rahellica, Orien said:

“It’s yours. Open it.”

The princess’s white fingers, maintained nightly with pearl powder and musk, touched the leather box. Rahellica raised her eyebrows upon seeing what was inside.

“A fan?”

“Actually, Mother knew you already had a fan.”

Orien explained to his sister, who held the fan decorated with garnets and black opals, shining it in the sunlight.

“I asked you to get something fashionable, so use this one.”

He gestured to the amethyst-studded fan she was holding in her right hand. “It’s not the old one. Aside from the memories, it’s nothing particularly special.”

Rahellica, turning the fan around, responded to her brother who was talking about long-dead memories.

“It’s beautiful, Brother. Thank you.”

Her voice carried a hint of coquettishness. Seeing his voice so like a little sister, Orien smiled.

“You fuss too much over these things. Give the fan back to Mother.”

“If Mother accepts it…”

“You should persuade her. Aren’t daughters usually close to their mother? She favors you the most among her daughters.”

It was already a widespread rumor outside the palace that Empress Iris, among her son and three daughters, cared especially for the eldest, Rahellica.

Since confronting her husband’s infidelity long ago, Iris had grown cold, but she always doted on her eldest, who resembled her exactly.

But Rahellica pouted her lips and said:

“You say only I’m favored. Talia and Helena would be upset if they heard that.”

“Rahel, you know…”

Orien paused briefly before adding:

“Talia and Helena were born after ‘that incident,’ so they didn’t grow up receiving much of Mother’s love.”

‘That incident’ referred to a bastard child entering the palace over twenty years ago.

Rahellica stared at her brother, who described their father’s sins as if they were disasters sent by the gods. Orien, with his red eyes inherited from their father, smiled at her.

“In a world where the gods are gone, isn’t it ironic?” Rahellica thought sardonically, but didn’t voice it. Orien continued.

“Rahellica, try to appease Mother’s heart. Father has spent twenty years atoning.”

Huh? Who hasn’t made a mistake in life? Orien’s soft words calmed his sulky younger sister. It was clear she had pouted because he told her to return the fan to Mother.

“I’ve realized after getting married… how could one endure being hated by a wife?”

Rahellica laughed like someone hearing something amusing.

“Oh, Brother, that’s a joke. As long as you don’t take another woman, your wife won’t hate you.”

Orien sighed deeply, seeing his eldest sister, who despite being over twenty-five, was still more childish than his younger siblings. He called her name firmly.

“Rahel.”

Only then did Rahellica give him the answer he wanted.

“Alright. I’ll return the fan to Mother, just as you said.”

She yawned lightly. Orien, looking at his sister who still seemed like a sixteen-year-old girl, said:

“Come to think of it, it’s your nap time. Go back now.”

“Yes, thank you for the fan.”

Rahellica rose, her pale violet dress hem swaying with her steps, a dress chosen personally by their mother. Orien watched her leave the room completely before setting down his teacup.

Soon after, word came that the Empress had thrown a fan into the well.

The days following the wedding ceremony were quite busy. Edren spent all his time in the study reviewing diplomatic documents brought under the guise of congratulations by envoys from various nations and drafting replies to send back.

An envoy came from Ophelia’s nation, Reden. Edren sent them back immediately without entering the castle, thinking that keeping them too long would only diminish Ophelia’s prestige.

He placed Prince Mahanas’s letter regarding canal toll adjustments on his desk and called his financial advisor, Salode.

“Yes?”

“Did Hazel handle the Queen’s guard duty well?”

“She didn’t seem to have any complaints.”

“Good. If any issues arise, tell me immediately.”

Edren then skimmed King Dares’s letter, which, like the prince’s, focused only on his own gain.

“Have you prepared Governor Galisa’s signet ring?”

Salode immediately replied as if expecting the question.

“It’s in the third drawer with the authorization documents.”

Edren placed the king’s letter atop the prince’s and leaned down, retrieving Governor Galisa’s documents and the signet ring from the drawer. These were prepared for Ophelia.

In his previous life, Edren hadn’t given these to Ophelia directly, sending them through Salode, his close aide, hoping they would get along.

But the one who really needed to get along with Ophelia was Edren himself.

After briefly checking for errors in the documents, Edren stood up. Time to see Ophelia.

“And about Brinwell… a clash might occur soon. What do you think?”

“There have been reports of minor unrest near the Kirios Mountains.”

Salode immediately added: “I’ll prepare accordingly.”

Edren nodded at his perceptive aide. Yes. Better to prepare thoroughly in case it escalates.

“You know, for matters where the outcome is clear, no preparation is ever too much.”