CHAPTER 05
The chef of Oak Palace spared no expense on ingredients for the princess’s tutor and her bodyguard.
Under a grand tree by the lake, the three of them spread out a mat and filled their bellies with smoked meat sandwiches, bite-sized pies, and black tea.
Kora let out a sigh of admiration after tasting the black tea with fruit jam.
“The aroma is incredible! I’ve never had tea this good before.”
Dianu furrowed her brows.
It was odd that Kora had no particular reaction to the sandwiches or pies, which were loaded with expensive spices, but fussed only over the tea.
Noticing Dianu’s confusion, Kora explained.
“We’ll throw away the pastries anyway, so the head maid allowed us to eat the leftovers. But the tea leaves are different.”
That makes sense. When we return, I’ll give her some of my tea leaves to share with the others.
Kora flustered, stammering.
“I didn’t mean it like that!”
It’s fine. I can keep it a secret from the head maid. I just want to thank her for coming this far.
Perhaps worried about getting scolded, Kora didn’t know what to do.
Eventually, Sir Marek Loisen, who had been eating the third sandwich beside them, stepped in.
“The lady made the effort herself, so just accept it.”
Even then, Kora hesitated a little until Dianu poured more tea into her cup, and she finally nodded.
“…Thank you. Dianu, you’re really kind.”
“Me?”
Dianu shook her head. After all, the tea leaves were provided indefinitely by the palace for guests. Even if Dianu drank five hundred cups, Oak Palace wouldn’t care.
She wanted to give it to the maids because she empathized with them. Despite their differences in status, Dianu knew that Kora, like herself, had to work with her own hands to survive.
In that sense, Dianu thought she was unlike most noble daughters.
Kora seemed more at ease in this setting. Even kneeling politely, she chattered away.
“Dianu, you must have studied a lot, right?”
“I studied letters, numbers… basically all sorts of study.”
Kora looked at her with a mix of admiration and respect.
“To teach the princess, you must be an outstanding tutor.”
“Well, I haven’t actually taught her yet…”
Having attended school for over ten years, Dianu was certainly better than a princess who had only studied in the palace. She even thought that if she were a man, she might have gone to university. But she had no way to prove her abilities since the princess refused.
After finishing the last pie, Dianu dusted off her dress and stood up. Sir Marek Loisen rose as well.
Dianu spoke cheerfully on purpose.
“We’ve eaten enough. Let’s go find Princess Elpenlira.”
Sir Marek suggested cautiously.
“If we search blindly, the sun will set. Let’s check the main landmarks along the cleared paths first.”
“Main landmarks?”
“The huntsman’s cabin, the pond, big trees… places that can serve as markers.”
“Good. Kora, rest here until we return before sunset.”
Kora looked at Dianu’s dress with concern. It was the most comfortable dress she owned for a walk, but not ideal for walking in the forest.
“Are you really okay?”
“What could go wrong? Even if something happens, Sir Marek will bravely protect me.”
Half teasing, the knight nodded seriously.
“I will protect your life.”
He was a man who didn’t understand jokes. Dianu sighed and walked quickly.
* * *
Despite Sir Marek’s vow to risk his life, there was nothing threatening Dianu.
The midday hunting grounds were strangely quiet. Apart from birds chirping and insects buzzing, there were no signs of animals.
Dianu and Sir Marek walked leisurely along the forest path. After about an hour, Sir Marek, looking down at the ground, spoke.
“Someone passed by on horseback. Not long ago.”
To Dianu, it looked like the same dirt path, but she trusted Sir Marek’s judgment.
“Could it be the princess?”
“Most likely. Outside of hunting, no one is allowed to ride here.”
Except for the royal family who can ride anytime, anywhere. Dianu understood the unspoken words.
She urged Sir Marek in a low voice.
“Quickly. We need to get there before Princess Elpenlira goes somewhere else.”
“I don’t think that’s necessary.”
“Yes?”
“Listen carefully.”
Sir Marek pointed into the air. Dianu quietly listened.
From somewhere, a singing voice could be heard.
It was a lyrical, beautiful melody carried by a woman’s gentle voice. The words were unclear, but it felt very sad.
Dianu whispered urgently.
“Sir Marek, stay here. I’ll go that way alone.”
“Eh? But…”
“Princess Elpenlira refuses a bodyguard. If you appear, she might run away again.”
Sir Marek looked conflicted but eventually agreed.
“Understood. I’ll wait here, and if anything happens…”
“I’ll scream loudly. Don’t worry.”
Of course, Dianu doubted anything would happen.
She carefully followed the singing without making a sound.
The first thing she saw was a horse drinking from a flowing stream. This was clearly the owner of the tracks Sir Marek had found.
The elegant white horse perked its ears and glanced at Dianu. She instinctively tried to smile but couldn’t because the singing had stopped.
The woman holding the reins stared straight at Dianu. Seeing her for the first time made Dianu catch her breath.
She was an unrealistically beautiful girl. Her flowing blonde hair fell freely without any ornament, and she wore riding pants and a jacket over her slim body. Her pale face, as if she hadn’t seen the sun for a while, was bloodless, but her eyes burned with an unidentifiable emotion. The bow in her hand was clearly used, not decorative.
If she didn’t resemble the emperor so much, Dianu might have thought her a forest spirit.
“Who are you?”
Princess Elpenlira said, her voice cold enough to freeze everything around. It was hard to believe this was the same voice that had sung so sweetly before.
Dianu cautiously stepped through the bushes toward her. She was close enough to grab the princess if she leapt over the stream.
“It’s an honor to meet you. I am Dianu Ortensa, summoned by His Majesty the Emperor to serve as your tutor.”
Even after a long pause, the princess didn’t raise her head. Dianu finally had to lift her own posture when she could no longer maintain it.
The princess stared at her with ice-cold eyes. Though they were almost the same height, it felt like she was looking down from high above.
It’s over. Dianu instinctively felt that this meeting would not go positively. The beautiful girl before her radiated hostility from head to toe.
Princess Elpenlira spoke, her tone mocking.
“A tutor? Ridiculous. What could you possibly teach me?”
For a moment Dianu flared, but she was smart enough not to show it. She had already practiced patience with various scenarios, anticipating the princess’s temper.
Dianu smiled faintly and spoke obediently.
“…If you give me the chance, I will prove it.”
The princess didn’t seem interested. She lightly climbed onto the back of the white horse, tilting her head in curiosity. Her movements were astonishingly elegant and swift.
The gaze from atop the horse was arrogant and cold. Dianu could not help but think of the emperor. The faces were similar, yet his expression had always been kind and gentle. It was amazing how the same face could show such different expressions.
Dianu shouted desperately as the princess turned the horse’s head.
“I understand that you don’t want to take lessons. But I have my own circumstances too.”
“I don’t care about your circumstances.”
“My circumstances are the emperor’s orders. Doesn’t that matter?”
The ice-cold expression on the princess’s face cracked slightly. But Dianu had no time to savor that victory. The princess whispered something to the horse, and it leapt forward, stomping fiercely with its hind legs.
Dianu couldn’t even scream. She could only watch the massive beast surge toward her.
“Miss Ortensa! Duck down!”
If she hadn’t dropped immediately, she would have been trampled by the horse.
The horse jumped over Dianu, who had curled herself up, thrashing as if excited. Someone lightly wrapped their trembling shoulders.
It was Sir Marek. He looked up at the princess on the horse with a mix of shock and reproach.
“Princess Elpenlira, what on earth are you doing?”
“She is someone His Majesty specially sent for you. How can you threaten her like this!”
The princess didn’t flinch. She stared at Sir Marek with eyes burning cold with anger. Dianu, trembling like a leaf in his arms, was completely ignored.
Her legs weakened, but she couldn’t collapse. She forced strength into her toes. The humiliation was worse than the fear.
The princess spoke coldly.
“If you’re unhappy, confess to His Majesty. Isn’t that your specialty?”
“Princess Elpenlira!”
“And tell him this: I will never marry.”
The princess gritted her teeth.
“Better to kill me, and then dress my corpse and send it to Arasas!”
With that, the princess turned her horse. Dianu and Sir Marek could only watch as she disappeared swiftly into the forest.
Cold sweat ran down Dianu’s back. Her vision blurred and her stomach churned as if seasick.
Covering her mouth, Dianu fought back the urge to vomit. Sir Marek gently patted her back, concerned.
“Are you all right, Miss Ortensa?”
“…Do I look all right?”
“It might not comfort you, but Princess Elpenlira is an expert rider. You wouldn’t have been hurt even if you hadn’t dodged.”
Dianu shook off Sir Marek’s hand and struggled to stand. Her face flushed slightly at the embarrassment, but more importantly, she realized something crucial.
“Princess Elpenlira doesn’t dislike lessons. She simply doesn’t want to marry.”
“……”
“That’s why she’s running away like this. I understand His Majesty said he cannot do anything about her.”
Sir Marek let out a heavy sigh.
“…Even His Majesty cannot make someone who refuses stand at the wedding altar.”
“If he could, would he have done it?”
Sir Marek paused to think, then shook his head with a bitter smile.
“I don’t know.”
