Chapter 40
Something I’d Never Thought About
I emphasized to Mia several times how much I loved her dress. While Mia responded calmly, it was Mary who grew shy and laughed instead. Mary, who usually had a very polished way with words, became oddly childlike whenever the topic turned to Mia.
Nanesha mentioned the ballroom’s chandelier, crystal cups, floral arrangements, wall decorations, and the collected artworks on display. Then our group noticed the white piano in one corner of the hall, and the conversation naturally shifted to the piano.
“I’ve heard that nobles in the Kingdom of Rundra all play the pi–a–no very well.”
“In noble families, everyone learns the piano from a young age, so they do enjoy playing it at banquets. But whether there are many who play it well is something I’d have to look into a bit more diligently.”
“It must be wo–nder–ful, everyone stepping forward to play the piano at banquets!”
What Nanesha was really saying—after circling around the point—was that she hadn’t found a noble piano performance she truly liked.
Having shown clear talent in painting and writing since childhood, Nanesha was particularly strict in her evaluations when it came to the arts.
Thinking that Mary, an Owen noble with a pragmatic way of speaking, hadn’t quite grasped Nanesha’s subtext, I swallowed my laughter on my own.
Mary and Mia made as if to move elsewhere.
Amid the bustling Grace family ballroom, I called Mary to stop. Mia stepped aside.
Only now did I finally have the chance for a private conversation.
From the very beginning, my reason for attending the Grace family’s ball had been to meet Mary and apologize to her.
What had dampened Mary’s tea party had involved Rachel. And after Rachel visited me while I was ill, perhaps the relationship between Rachel and me had changed slightly.
Still, the fact that I’d ruined Mary’s tea party had nothing to do with Rachel. I wanted to formally apologize for throwing cold water on her gathering.
“Miss Grace, may we step aside and talk for a moment?”
“Princess Daisy? Oh—of course.”
Mary held out her hand to me. Seeing it, I smiled.
While ladies holding hands signified closeness, the gesture reminded me so much of the way Cedric offered his hand that I couldn’t help but laugh.
Mary took my hand and led me between the pillars.
“I wanted to talk about what happened at the last tea party.”
Very Owen-like—I went straight to the point.
“You invited me to that tea party with good feelings toward me. You even put special thought into the refreshments for my sake, didn’t you?”
“I’m so glad you noticed, Princess.”
I continued calmly.
“And yet, at that tea party, I embarrassed the ladies. I ruined your gathering. That’s why I wanted to apologize. I’m sorry.”
“Oh my—Princess!”
Mary shook her head from side to side before speaking again.
“I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t awkward, but I never imagined it was something that warranted an apology from a princess. Thanks to that, I was even able to speak with Her Highness the Imperial Princess.”
“Even if I’m a princess, I believe I should apologize when I’ve done something wrong.”
“Then I mustn’t pretend not to notice Your Highness’s apology, so I’ll accept it graciously. Mm, still—becoming someone who has received an apology from a princess isn’t such a bad thing either.”
Mary lifted her fan to cover her smile. The pearls decorating it stood out beautifully. She continued,
“Well, you opened my eyes to a direction I’d never even considered. Though you’re a princess from another country, I felt you’d given me a lesson—that’s how I thought of it.”
I blinked a couple of times.
“A lesson?”
“As royalty who watches over a nation, you can always offer guidance to someone like me, a mere noble.”
Mary laughed softly—ho ho ho.
Her words sounded very strange to me. I had thought of myself as existing for the well-being of my people, but I had never considered things from the perspective Mary was describing. She continued,
“What I mean is that I see you as an adult. Of course, I’m a noble of Owen, so whether I choose to accept that is still my decision.”
Her last words were spoken a little more quietly, as if half to herself.
“What you’re saying feels very unfamiliar to me.”
“The Kingdom of Rundra thinks differently from the Owen Empire, doesn’t it? You may have heard—I’m part of the Rundra faction. I’m very interested in Rundra’s culture.”
“Yes. I’ve heard.”
“I’ve even studied Rundra’s etiquette and customs separately. The reason your thoughts differ from mine—hmm, could it be nothing more than a difference in culture?”
I tilted my head slightly at her words. Mary smiled faintly.
“If you find it unfamiliar, that too is your way of thinking, Princess. How could I dare say otherwise?”
Mary, taller than I was, bent down slightly and leaned closer at an angle.
The deep purple satin skirt of her dress pressed closer as she lowered her voice, as if sharing a secret.
“Since you’re so transparent and pure, Princess, I’ll be a bit more honest as well. Her Highness Princess Rachel accepted my apology. In truth, that means the Grace family has formed a distinct connection to the Imperial Princess—something other families don’t have. From the Grace family’s political standpoint, that’s a good thing.”
This time, I understood exactly what Mary was saying. As a member of a count’s family, any action she took would naturally involve calculation.
“That’s my way of calculating things. As for what my other friends think, I’m not quite sure.”
Mary spoke deftly. Even considering Owen’s pragmatic manner of speech, I thought Mary was remarkably candid.
Since the topic had come up, I asked whether her other friends had attended the ball as well. They hadn’t—they were traveling together in another region of Owen.
“Anyway! I’m honored just by the fact that you put thought into this, Princess. I’m so happy!”
“I’m relieved to hear I didn’t unsettle your heart, Mary Grace.”
“Then—you’ll allow me to send you an invitation again next time, won’t you?”
Mary beamed. I was grateful that she felt comfortable with me, and I replied that of course she could.
“Then I’ll take my leave now. I can’t monopolize all of your time. Our Grace family ballroom is beautiful in every corner—please enjoy it to the fullest.”
Mary winked. She bowed lightly in the Rundra style, then walked toward the other guests.
I reflected on my conversation with Mary. Royalty and nobility. Guidance.
Things I’d never once considered.
Wasn’t it enough for royalty who weren’t rulers simply to love their people?
Though her unfamiliar words broadened my perspective, no matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t imagine a day when I’d move through the world with the same mindset as Mary.
Watching her retreating figure, I then turned and walked back into the crowd.
Cedric and Diamond’s group had moved elsewhere and were chatting while I spoke with Mary. As I approached, Cedric stepped aside slightly to make space next to him.
As true ladies and gentlemen, no one asked about my private conversation. Stretching my neck forward, I wondered whether there were any macarons left. Cedric noticed and showed me a plate—two macarons sat on it.
“Thank you, Duke.”
Before eating, I bowed my head to Cedric. He returned the gesture with a silent nod. Depending on the color of the shell, the filling had a different flavor.
“Princess Daisy, have a drink as well.”
Yuri, standing beside Nanesha, said with a smile.
“Where is it?”
“Shall I bring it to you?”
Yuri said yet another astonishing thing. He truly adored Nanesha. News of their marriage might just turn Yuri into a dancing magician.
“I’ll accept the thought, Yuri.”
“So the princess has finally accepted my heart.”
Yuri drew out his eyes in an exaggerated smile again. Diamond burst into laughter beside him. What on earth did Diamond’s group find so funny?
“I kept thinking this time that Yuri was being excessively cheerful.”
Nanesha said something that didn’t seem directed at anyone in particular.
I liked all of Diamond’s friends, Yuri included—but I’d never once thought of Yuri as a cheerful person.
“He does seem quite cheerful.”
Cedric accepted Nanesha’s comment and agreed. I decided to think that it wouldn’t hurt for a citizen of Rundra to appear positively in the eyes of an Owen duke.
Then Diamond’s group’s conversation veered off in a strange direction. They suddenly began debating which would be stronger—a ball made of mud or one made of snow. Thankfully, they weren’t speaking loudly.
Finding it utterly uninteresting, I tuned them out and looked at Cedric.
Our eyes met immediately.
Cedric also seemed entirely uninterested in Diamond’s group’s conversation.
