~Chapter 104~
Clip-clop, clip-clop.
The sound of horses’ hooves echoed. I was riding in a carriage, heading somewhere.
“My Lady, why are we suddenly going to the Imperial Princess’s palace?”
“…I was invited for tea.”
I answered Sophie in a low voice.
In my hand was a letter. I had been holding it since departure.
When I opened it, one short line stood out:
“This is Princess Alicia. Shall we have tea together… without my brother knowing?”
That was it.
A few days ago, a white carrier pigeon had arrived with this letter—sent directly by Princess Alicia.
Usually, letters reached me through official channels. But this one came secretly, which meant the Princess herself had arranged it in private.
That alone was puzzling. An invitation to tea, sent in secret? And she even used the words “without my brother knowing.”
‘…Why?’
Why did Princess Alicia want tea without Albert knowing?
Sure, there was nothing strange about having tea. But to go out of her way to keep it hidden—it was suspicious.
‘Does she want to befriend me behind Albert’s back?’
But why in secret? If she wanted to get close again, couldn’t we all three do so together, like in childhood?
‘No. It must be something she doesn’t want Albert to know. Something she has to say privately…’
As I folded the letter, a thought struck me.
I remembered the day of the hunting competition—when she had stared at me after I released the divine beast.
‘Could this be about that? No… it couldn’t be because of the divine beast, right?’
Just then, the carriage slowed down. We had arrived at the palace gates.
Sophie lowered the window and spoke familiarly to the guard.
“This is Lady Hartmann. She has an appointment with Her Highness, the Princess.”
“Yes. Confirmed. Open the gates.”
The carriage passed through the gates, rolling deep into the palace grounds.
Finally, it stopped in front of a small palace—the Princess’s residence, tucked away in a corner of the imperial palace.
“Lady Hartmann.”
As I stepped down with the help of a knight, a beautiful young woman with silver hair appeared.
Princess Alicia.
She smiled brightly and held out her hand to me.
“It’s been a while. I’m glad to see you. I’m Alicia.”
The place I was led to was the Princess’s garden, overflowing with flowers.
At the center stood a large tree, beneath which a table was set with all kinds of desserts.
I sat down, a little awkwardly, glancing around.
“Perhaps because it’s spring, the weather is so nice lately. Was your journey here tiring?”
The Princess sat across from me, speaking brightly.
“No, Your Highness. I came by carriage—nothing tiring about that.”
“That’s good. This place is in a remote corner of the palace, so newcomers often find it troublesome to reach.”
As her maid poured steaming tea, the Princess continued:
“Of course, you’ve been here before… but it’s been a long time, hasn’t it?”
“Ah…”
If Irene had exchanged visits with the Princess in childhood, she must have come here several times.
Of course, I had no memory of that.
“Thank you for the tea, Your Highness.”
I smiled, trying to act natural, and lifted the teacup.
“By the way… I didn’t know there was a garden like this. The flowers are beautiful.”
When I turned my head, I saw what had caught my eye from earlier.
Rows upon rows of blue irises—countless of them.
Most noble gardens I had seen were decorated with colorful flowers. But this garden was filled only with irises.
The sight was strange. At night, it might even feel eerie.
“Yes. At some point, I started planting them myself, and now the gardener maintains them.”
The Princess sipped her tea and turned to look at the garden.
“As I grew older, I came to like irises. Looking at them calms me.”
“I see…”
To me, they seemed more sad and lonely than peaceful. But everyone has their own feelings.
“The Crown Prince praises you often, Your Highness,” I said, trying to keep the conversation friendly.
“He says you’re wise and a great help with state affairs.”
“Really?”
She laughed softly, her eyes narrowing, slightly reminiscent of Albert’s but with a different sharpness.
“My brother does come to me for advice often. We’re close siblings, so we share trivial things too.”
“It must be reassuring, to share such things.”
“Yes. My brother… as a Crown Prince, and as a person, he is good. Though his soft heart is sometimes a problem.”
Her words felt oddly pointed. I glanced at her, when—
Clink.
Alicia set her teacup down and looked at me with firm resolve.
“Actually, the reason I asked to meet today…”
After a moment’s hesitation, she spoke clearly:
“I want you to stop your treatment.”
“Ha…”
After tea, as I climbed into the carriage again, I let out a deep sigh.
My head was spinning. Her cold voice still rang in my ears.
[My brother is so caught up in your treatment that he’s neglecting his duties. As the future emperor, this isn’t right.]
[To be honest, I hear the chance of full recovery isn’t even that high.]
[My brother won’t listen to me. That’s why… I want you to tell him yourself. Tell him you’ll stop the treatment.]
Only then did I recall something Albert had once said during tea.
[I often ask Alicia for advice. Though now…]
[Hm?]
[…Never mind. Anyway, she’s a good sister.]
That uneasy expression of his—so it was because of this.
They had clashed over my treatment.
Albert must have shared everything with her, believing she’d understand.
But what he received back was her cold response.
‘…To say such a thing right to my face.’
Telling me to stop treatment was no different from telling me to die.
Her tone had been gentle, but sharp all the same.
Princess Alicia was colder than she looked.
“My Lady, are you alright? You haven’t looked well since tea.”
Sophie’s worried voice pulled me from my thoughts.
I gave her a faint smile.
“Yes. I’m fine.”
The truth was—I didn’t think the Princess was wrong.
I could understand her reasoning.
But since I was the one directly involved, my heart couldn’t help but feel complicated.
