Iasonia immediately went to find Driene and secured a promise to travel to the southern region around autumn. Driene, seeing his sister hiding behind her, rubbed his forehead but ultimately agreed to his wife’s suggestion.
“Still, it can’t be this autumn. A new delegation is coming.”
As if he knew exactly who the main character of this story was, he looked at his sister and said that.
Juliet’s eyes widened at those words.
“A delegation is coming? From where?”
“Are you excited?”
Goodness, Driene let out a small sigh, but Juliet didn’t mind. That was just a pretentious gesture.
“Come on, brother, tell me.”
Driene, glancing at his eager sister, replied, “They’re coming from Nasant.”
“Nasant? It’s been a long time since a delegation came from there.”
Although they were neighboring regions, Rosenta and Nasant were not particularly close. The emperors of Nasant often looked for opportunities to invade the south. Rosenta was the leader of the alliance that the southern kingdoms had formed to resist them.
Therefore, delegations from Nasant didn’t come to Rosenta regularly. The relationship between the countries was highly variable depending on the regime.
Juliet hadn’t seen a delegation from Nasant since she was fifteen.
So, naturally, her feelings leaned more toward unfamiliarity than excitement. She asked, “Why is a delegation coming from Nasant? Is something happening?”
“No. They’re coming for peace talks, so you don’t need to worry. A new emperor has ascended to the throne. It seems they’re planning to pursue a friendly policy this time.”
However, as Driene said this, he frowned as if something was bothering him.
Juliet noticed this clearly but pretended not to. She thought he was just stressed out by various preparations.
“Exactly when is the delegation coming?”
“It’s scheduled for the end of the tenth month. Unless something unusual happens, they should arrive around that time.”
By then, the autumn flowers would be in full bloom.
New people and new flowers. Satisfied, Juliet smiled without realizing it. Driene, noticing her excitement, grumbled.
“It seems you enjoy it when your brother is busy.”
Of course, Juliet didn’t care.
However, despite her anticipation, Juliet couldn’t attend the welcoming event for the delegation from Nasant. She had caught a mild cold just in time.
“I told you repeatedly to wear thicker clothes.”
Driene continued to nag her even before heading to the banquet hall.
As he spoke, black jewels matching his attire dangled by his ear. Juliet glanced at them and turned away. She was already feeling unwell from fever and headache, and the nagging only added to her irritation.
With a heavy sigh at her sulky demeanor, Driene adjusted the messy blankets for her.
As he naturally tidied up her bedding, he said, “Do you think you’ll be able to go to the sea next year with this attitude?”
“I’ll be fine, so don’t worry.”
“Are you sulking again?”
“I’m not sulking.”
Anyway. Driene sighed once more. Juliet didn’t turn around to look, but she could tell he was rubbing his forehead.
However, the more stubborn one between the two was always the younger one, and that was the case this time as well.
Driene, wiping his face with a dry hand, said, “Alright, I get it. Just try to eat something when you feel better.”
He knew she hadn’t eaten anything since the afternoon, but Juliet didn’t respond.
Of course, Driene expected her to act that way, so as he left the room, he instructed the maid.
“Make sure to bring some food for the sensitive princess later.”
In response, Juliet said defiantly, “I’m not going to eat.”
“Tell her that if she doesn’t eat, there’s no sea trip next year.”
“That’s unfair!”
Driene skillfully received her outburst.
“Older brothers are always unfair.”
He replied playfully and turned to leave the room. Juliet glared at his retreating figure for a moment before irritably lying back on her bed.
Afterward, Driene sent a maid to check on whether his sister had eaten, so Juliet had to begrudgingly ask for food despite her sour mood.
Stirring the clear soup that had been brought to her whenever she was sick, she complained, “Can you make that noise stop?”
Music was constantly flowing from the banquet hall.
Considering the distance between the palaces, it was a whisper, but Juliet was annoyed even by that.
Of course, there was a reason. After stirring the soup a few times, she muttered softly to herself, “I was supposed to meet Rodel today.”
Rodel was the daughter of the prime minister and her longtime friend. Juliet had even coordinated outfits with her for today. She planned to wear a light blue dress while Rodel chose a dark green one, both considering their eye colors.
Now, it all felt completely pointless.
Frowning, Juliet took a spoonful of soup and set the dish down.
“I’ve eaten.”
It was more accurate to say she had tasted it rather than actually eaten, but Driene, who would have nag her, was now having a good time among the people. Juliet could easily imagine him joking with the delegation.
I speak the imperial language well too.
It was truly the case. She could read books written in the imperial language and engage in conversations fluently.
While it was a basic requirement for royalty to be educated, Juliet had a certain confidence in her language skills. It was courage born from experience, as she had always excelled in those areas.
But what good was that? Sighing heavily and lowering her head, a maid comforted her.
“Don’t be too disheartened. The banquet isn’t just today, you know.”
“I know that.”
But today was the last chance for Rodel to attend.
She was about to marry her fiancé, and in Rosenta, there was a custom that couples set to marry would take a break from social activities to gather their thoughts.
Even though Rodel’s future husband was from another kingdom, she had decided to adhere to that tradition alongside him.
But Rodel couldn’t possibly break that custom.
In that sense, today’s banquet could be seen as the last social event she could attend with her.
As Juliet turned over with a gloomy expression, the maid asked, “Is it because of Lady Afro?”
Afro was Rodel’s family name. Juliet nodded slightly.
“Today is probably the last official event she can attend before her marriage, and I couldn’t go.”
She had even coordinated her outfit.
Juliet recalled the light blue dress she had set aside for the occasion. She had chosen all the accessories to match it, including a pearl hairpiece received from the delegation of Barigton and a sapphire necklace.
Of course, those things could be worn on other days, but they wouldn’t hold the same meaning then.
Juliet blinked away her gloom. The maid, watching her, offered comfort.
“The Lady Afro will likely come to visit you separately. So don’t be too sad.”
☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓
In fact, Rodel came to see her four days later.
“Juliet.”
The woman, whom Juliet hadn’t seen in a long time, was as beautiful as ever. Juliet approached her friend without hiding her delighted expression.
Rodel embraced her familiarly. The woman’s auburn hair, which was a foot longer than hers, cascaded down her smaller shoulders.
After holding her long-time friend for a while, Juliet asked, “Have you been well?”
“I’ve been well. But Juliet, you seem a bit thin.”
“I was sick.”
“Yes, I heard. You had a cold, right? Are you feeling better now?”
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
It was merely a coincidence that the timing overlapped; it wasn’t a sickness that lasted long.
She would have preferred to have been sick a bit earlier. Juliet smirked at the thought of how Driene would have reacted if he had heard and took her friend’s hand.
“Let’s not stay here; let’s go to the garden. The autumn flowers have bloomed.”
Although her beloved turmeric wasn’t in season, there were many other flowers in the garden. Hibiscus and various chrysanthemums were in full bloom.
Near the most beautiful flowering tree in the garden, a refreshment table was already set up. The fragrant tea and candied fruits were gifts from the delegation of Nasant.
The candied fruits, while not exactly to her taste, were colorful and glossy, making them visually appealing wherever placed.
Juliet offered them to her friend sitting across from her. “Try this; it’s a snack gifted by the court of Nasant.”
“Is it a snack that suits your taste, Juliet?”
“Honestly, it’s a bit sweet. But it’s so pretty and colorful that I wanted to serve it.”
Rodel smiled knowingly at her softly added remarks. “It really is beautiful.”
“It looks like a glass bead.” Saying this, Rodel popped a piece of the candied fruit into her mouth. Juliet waited for her to swallow, eager to hear her opinion on the taste.
However, what Rodel said after finishing the candied fruit was different.
“Do you not like the delegation from Nasant?”
“Why?”
“It seems like you’re not as happy as when other delegations have come.”
Juliet let out a small sigh at those words and nodded in agreement. It was true.
“There isn’t anyone in this delegation that I can get along with.”
Juliet recalled the first meal she had shared with the delegation from Nasant.
