Chapter 15
Fortunately, Princess Amelia and her followers merely conveyed, in the most elegant and refined manner possible, the message of “We don’t want to play with you,” before turning away with dignified indifference.
Phew… I was worried they’d get angry and shove me.
If that had happened, Kitty—already struggling in her uncomfortable dress and shoes—would surely have fallen over in an undignified heap, flailing helplessly on the floor.
In any case, relieved that the worst had been avoided, the two children hurried back to the Second Princess’s palace.
Several days later, the long-awaited visit from the eldest son of Marquis Roengreen finally arrived.
As planned, Kitty was dressed and groomed from the crack of dawn with the help of the maids Evan had sent.
They rubbed fragrant oil into her long, unruly hair before brushing it smooth, then hung countless cumbersome ornaments all over her. The process was far more complicated than she’d expected, but she endured it without complaint.
If I behave quietly for just half a day, I’ll be able to enjoy a peaceful life for quite a while afterward.
I just have to put up with it.
At that moment, one of the maids, noticing Kitty’s pale face tense with anxiety, carefully approached her.
“Your Highness… would it be all right if I applied a little rouge to your cheeks?”
Rouge?
Wouldn’t that just make me look ridiculous?
Though doubtful, Kitty nodded anyway.
“Then, please allow me to remove your glasses for a moment.”
The maid reached toward the large spectacles resting on the princess’s nose and carefully lifted them away.
As though terrified of accidentally touching the precious imperial princess herself, she removed them with the utmost caution. Only then did Cindy and the other maids assisting with the preparations finally see Princess Katrina’s bare face.
“…”
“…”
“…Aren’t you supposed to be putting on the rouge?”
Embarrassed that everyone had stopped what they were doing just to stare at her face, Kitty asked quietly.
At the princess’s solemn question, the maid holding the rouge snapped back to her senses and forced a gentle smile.
“…Ah… o-of course. On second thought… I don’t think it’ll be necessary.”
Instead of applying the rouge, she quietly set the cosmetic aside and merely tidied a few loose strands of Kitty’s hair.
Then, before Kitty could reach for her glasses again, the maid hurriedly asked,
“Um… Your Highness… is there a particular reason you must wear your glasses?”
“I can’t see without them.”
“You mean… you can’t see anything at all?”
That wasn’t exactly the problem.
Because of her long years spent fleeing with Sophia, Kitty had lived in darkness ever since she was very young.
One day, when she’d accidentally stepped into sunlight and burst into tears because her eyes hurt so much, Sophia had given her these glasses and told her to always wear them during the daytime.
Unsure how to explain such circumstances, Kitty merely parted her lips before giving a short answer.
“They’re just… too bright. These glasses block the sunlight.”
Perhaps because she sounded as though it were no big deal, the maid immediately made a suggestion.
“In that case… how about going without your glasses just for today?”
“Why?”
“To be honest… they don’t quite match Your Highness’s attire or the formality of today’s occasion. Of course, if you feel uncomfortable, we’ll help you put them back on immediately.”
My glasses don’t suit the occasion…?
Kitty’s fingers fidgeted uncertainly.
Formal etiquette and noble decorum were exactly the things she lacked confidence in.
“…Just for today… I guess it’ll be fine.”
The moment she murmured those uncertain words, the anxious maids watching her instantly beamed with delight.
“Of course, Your Highness! You’ve made an excellent decision. We’ve prepared a parasol, so you’ll be perfectly fine.”
“You’re absolutely beautiful.”
“Lord Roengreen must be so fortunate to become engaged to someone as noble and elegant as you.”
Although she had never once gone without her glasses before and felt deeply uneasy, the maids’ enthusiastic reactions left Kitty unable to object any further.
“Your Highness, we’ve just received word that the young lord has arrived.”
“O-Okay.”
As expected, the instant she stood up and took her first step, the entire world swayed.
Bathed in the sunlight streaming through the windows, everything shimmered and blurred before her eyes.
Supported by the maids, Kitty slowly left her room and descended the stairs into the palace’s small reception hall.
The hall was far too cramped to host a proper banquet. As she stood in its center while the maids fussed over her appearance and instructed her not to move, a dark figure entered through the wide-open doors.
“I greet Her Highness Princess Katrina, the Empire’s most exalted star. I am Patrick Juliana Roengreen, eldest son of the House of Marquis Roengreen.”
Standing straight with her chin slightly raised, Kitty noticed the subtle signal from the maid beside her and extended her silk-gloved hand toward the dark figure.
The figure presumed to be the marquis’s heir courteously lifted her hand and briefly kissed the back of it according to proper etiquette.
Around them, the maids showered them with compliments.
“They look absolutely adorable together.”
“What a perfectly matched couple.”
It was all flattering nonsense.
“Your Highness, luncheon won’t be ready for another two hours. In the meantime, would you care to enjoy some tea and conversation with Lord Roengreen?”
A tall figure—presumably another maid—approached from the direction of the kitchen and politely gestured toward the palace’s only drawing room.
She meant that everything had already been prepared there.
But Kitty didn’t understand.
Without her glasses, she could barely see.
More importantly, one particular word the maid had unconsciously spoken instantly caught her attention.
“Tea…?”
Kitty blinked several times before blurting out the first thing that came to mind.
“Then I’ll make some pudding for—”
“Yes! A walk! Why don’t the two of you take a pleasant stroll nearby while chatting?”
Fortunately, one of the older maids instantly realized what Princess Katrina was about to suggest and skillfully cut her off before disaster struck.
Tsk. What a shame.
She had just remembered an incredible pudding recipe.
If only the maid hadn’t interrupted, she could have treated the young lord to it.
Still, changing out of her long, expensive dress into comfortable clothes before entering the kitchen sounded like far too much trouble.
So Kitty obediently allowed the maids to usher her outside for a walk.
Well, pudding can always wait.
The only ones missing out are the maids and Lord Roengreen.
A light shawl was draped over her shoulders, and a parasol was immediately opened above her head.
It was certainly large and made of thick fabric, but even so, it couldn’t completely block the bright spring sunshine.
The moment she stepped outside the building on her fiancé’s arm, Kitty felt a wave of nausea.
Ugh… it’s so bright.
The cleared pathways, the budding branches, and even the dry shrubs all sparkled brilliantly beneath the spring sunlight, making her eyes ache.
Fortunately, Lord Roengreen held her arm firmly, preventing her from stumbling.
The dark figure gently squeezed the hand resting on his arm and quietly asked,
“Are you feeling unwell?”
“I’m fine. The sunlight is just too bright.”
Immediately, Cindy tilted the parasol even farther toward the princess.
“Now that I think about it, the sunshine has become wonderfully warm lately. It seems spring has truly arrived.”
Before Kitty could recover from her dizziness, she found herself having to answer the calm conversation initiated by the dark silhouette walking beside her.
Judging by his demeanor, Lord Roengreen intended to treat her with proper courtesy and noble etiquette.
Deep down, Kitty had worried he might resent this unfair engagement just as Princess Amelia did and take out his frustration on her.
Fortunately, that didn’t seem to be the case.
“So… you’ll be staying in the capital until summer, right?”
“Yes, Your Highness. Our family owns a townhouse on Chautier Avenue. We’ll remain there for the time being, and when autumn arrives, we’ll move to our villa in the warm southern region.”
“Oh… that’s nice. If you’re ever at the Imperial Palace and think of it, feel free to stop by anytime. I’ll bake you a cake.”
“…A cake?”
The words had slipped out by force of habit.
For a moment Kitty thought, Oops…
But then she figured it didn’t really matter.
She wasn’t being rude.
She wasn’t bullying him.
Surely saying she’d bake him a cake wasn’t inappropriate.
After all, cake was a perfectly harmless and pleasant topic of conversation.
“…Ah… so Your Highness enjoys cake. Next time I visit, I’ll bring one from Liberté Patisserie. Today I came straight to the palace as soon as I arrived from our territory, so I wasn’t able to prepare a personal gift for Your Highness. My sincerest apologies.”
“No, there’s no need. I’m going to bake it myself.”
The moment Kitty corrected his misunderstanding, the boy asked in bewilderment,
“…You’ll bake it yourself?”
“Mm-hmm. If you bake it yourself, you can pile on as much whipped cream, chocolate, and fruit as you want. Doesn’t that sound delicious?”
