Chapter 20
“Do you really have to go to the palace to see that…?”
Lizerne had been about to say there was no need, but then he looked into his daughter’s eyes, staring straight at him. That eager curiosity—she was just like Viela. He steadied his heart, which was about to turn sentimental, and answered.
“Well. There’s no particular reason you have to go see it, but there’s no reason you shouldn’t either.”
Maybe he’d read her thoughts well, because Anes’s face brightened a little.
Perhaps she just wanted to know what he was doing. After all, Anes also knew that everything he was involved in was meant to reduce threats to his life.
But Lizerne, who couldn’t possibly know her true intentions, simply spun up the happy circuits of a doting father.
Anes, on the other hand, had no idea why her father was smiling so warmly as he gave his permission—but she was relieved that she’d managed to win it so easily.
“I think it’ll be fun. Going there. Should we maybe make some snacks to bring along?”
Caught up in her excitement, she let out words she didn’t even mean. Snacks? She couldn’t even cook…
“Oh? That’s a wonderful idea. The knights’ morale will soar.”
For some reason, Lizerne laughed heartily, as though that were the most delightful thing.
“Snacks… hmm. Cookies would make them thirsty and they’d end up drinking a lot. Sandwiches would be better, don’t you think?”
“Ah, y-yes. Sandwiches…”
Anes forced the corners of her lips upward, careful not to let them twitch. Sandwiches… The first thing she thought of was her outing with Theowyn. Then she thought of how many knights there were. That was going to be a massive project.
Noticing the small crack in her smile, Lizerne guessed her worry and added, as he finished his meal:
“I only ever train the upper-ranking knights. They’re the very top tier, around forty or so. So there’s no need to look so alarmed.”
“Ah… haha. Okay.”
It was far fewer than she’d imagined, but still, it meant a grueling task lay ahead. Not that the marquisate couldn’t provide that much in ingredients…
Their dinner ended on that warm note, and both Lizerne and Anes retired to their rooms.
Lying in bed, Anes blinked her amber eyes slowly, carrying both new worries and a touch of excitement. In the quiet dark, her eyes glimmered briefly before they vanished beneath her lids.
“Missss… Why did you suddenly make a promise like that…?”
Early the next morning, Taryn was nearly washing romaine with her eyes closed, unable to fully wake.
Wouldn’t it be nice if the lady gave her something useful, like energy, in times like this? She thought such silly thoughts as she stacked the washed lettuce neatly.
At this hour, the head chef was usually preparing Lizerne’s breakfast before his early departure from the manor.
While waiting for him to finish, Anes and Taryn threw themselves into preparing ingredients.
“Sorry, Taryn. I only meant it as a joke… but I guess Father had already been thinking along those lines. I never expected him to accept it so readily.”
Her eyes were a little swollen as she washed tomatoes, and at the end she couldn’t quite open them. Instead she gave a vague little smile.
“Ugh… It’s nice that you’ll look good in front of the knights, and that’ll reflect well on the master too, but why are you doing this? Just leave it to us and go back to bed, Miss.”
All Taryn wanted was for her lady not to be dragged out of bed at dawn to help prep sandwiches.
“How could I leave this mountain of work and go back? It’ll be faster if I add another pair of hands.”
Anes had resolved to take responsibility for what she had caused. She didn’t want to mobilize everyone, nor force a few to be stuck here for too long.
While Taryn still fussed over her, Anes picked up a knife, swollen eyes or not.
After sharing breakfast with Lizerne and seeing him off, Anes hurried back to the kitchen.
“Oh, it’s almost finished?”
She had only helped with a little prep, but during her absence the head chef Belnaro and Taryn had already completed most of the work.
“You’re incredibly fast.”
“Well, of course. That’s what it takes to be the marquisate’s head chef. Other estates may have deputy chefs and such, but here I handle everything myself.”
Her cheerful voice rang out. Belnaro was so burly she could almost be mistaken for a man, but she was an energetic, hearty woman.
Even if the marquis’s household technically only had two family members, there were still plenty of servants. She alone was responsible for feeding all of them.
“That’s true. You’re amazing, Belnaro.”
Just one basket was already packed full of sandwiches. She was filling a second, and now even a third was on its way.
“I may have suggested it, but… the knights are lucky. They’ll get to eat Belnaro’s sandwiches. That’s probably why Father said to make sandwiches in the first place—because he knew.”
She wanted to say something nice to Belnaro, and remembered reading in a book that her father had always liked her sandwiches.
“Oh my, really? That makes me so happy! I should’ve put in even more effort.”
Her delighted response made Anes feel proud of her memory for recalling that passage at just the right time.
Yes… If only she had read to the very end of the book, she might already know why she would one day harm this empire.
Because everything was so peaceful, she didn’t want to know the rest of the story. Yet at the same time, she felt a pressing weight that she must.
“Taryn, could you go fetch Tamohan? I don’t think the two of us can carry all these baskets.”
Anes had grabbed a handle, intending to lift one herself, but then glanced at Taryn. To carry all three baskets, they’d probably need four people.
“Father… I’ve come to see Marquis Cesare Lizerne. I’m Anes Lizerne.”
At the palace gates, the guards looked puzzled at the mention of the crown princess-to-be’s name. They’d already been told by the crown prince’s aide to expect her, but still…
“Ah, yes. Welcome, Lady Lizerne.”
After all, it wasn’t strange for her to come visit her father, the marquis. They opened the gates without hesitation.
“Wow… wowww. It’s the palace, Miss!”
Taryn’s curious eyes sparkled brightly. Was this how the marquis felt, watching her? Every time she was full of curiosity, he’d look at her with fond amusement.
Anes thought she’d like her father to feel the same pleasant warmth when he looked at her.
“If you wanted to see the palace, you should’ve said so earlier. You could’ve come anytime.”
She herself had never thought of coming, despite her father and fiancé being here. Maybe only once, when summoned by the emperor?
From others’ reactions, it seemed she had never come before.
“Oh, come on. The palace isn’t some playground you can just pop into. It’s only more mysterious if you can’t go whenever you please.”
Smiling like a girl lost in a dream, Taryn gazed up at the palace.
Even after entering, the carriage drove for quite some time, passing several massive buildings, until a wide circular one came into view.
“That’s the training hall, Miss! We’re almost there!”
Tamohan’s voice carried unusual excitement. After all, the imperial knights were every man’s dream. The coachman of their household had once seriously dreamed of becoming a knight, so he had been thrilled to work as the marquis’s coachman, since Lizerne was commander of the order.
Their good spirits seemed to rub off on Anes.
She couldn’t just stay gloomy when she was surrounded by such positivity. If she weakened, bad things would come even faster.
If she truly wanted to stop that and let these people live happily, she had no choice but to become strong. In any way she could.
There would be countless more times when she wavered—but she was fortunate to have so many good people by her side.
Oh. Right. She was getting married soon.
What was sad… was that she’d have to leave this Lizerne household, full of such good people.
In the palace, would she really find people as good as these?
Had she left all these kind people behind, only to marry and end up surrounded by nothing but villains in the palace—and twisted as a result…?
“Miss! Time to get down!”
The carriage had already stopped. Tamohan had climbed down and was lifting a basket full of sandwiches.
In front of the training hall, a knight was already waiting. Had the gatekeepers told him she was coming?
“Welcome, Lady Lizerne. The commander awaits you inside.”
Despite his massive frame, he bowed with surprising grace. Anes returned his courtesy with a polite bow of her own.
“Thank you for greeting me despite being busy. May I see my father right away?”
She hadn’t known she could speak so prettily. But it was good that she could offer proper respect to someone who welcomed her kindly.
The knight smiled warmly at her words and turned to lead them inside.
“Oh! Forgive me.”
But after only two or three long strides, he suddenly spun his huge body around. The three who had just started to follow him stopped short in fright. Taryn, unable to keep hold of the heavy basket, nearly dropped it straight onto the ground.
