Hilane and Chevelyn went to the kitchen and sent everyone else away.
When they were alone, she hoped Chevelyn would feel comfortable enough to speak freely.
As she picked up a knife to cut the cheese, Chevelyn, who had been exploring the kitchen, came running.
“Cherry wants to cut it!”
“But this is dangerous…”
Hilane, worried about the knife’s sharpness, couldn’t say no to Chevelyn’s sparkling, eager eyes.
“Well, then use this one instead. Be careful not to get hurt.”
Reluctantly, she handed Chevelyn a wooden bread knife she had prepared on the side.
“Mom, look at this!”
“You cut it beautifully. Well done.”
Hilane praised Chevelyn and patted her on the back.
“Chevelyn, can you stir this for me?”
“Sure! Cherry loves stirring!”
She assigned Chevelyn the relatively easy task of stirring the dough and began preparing the fruits for the canapé.
“Mom, um, well…”
Chevelyn, who had been watching her with her face cupped in her hands, hesitated and mumbled.
“I saw something earlier…”
“Hmm?”
“What is a proposal?”
“A proposal…?”
“Yeah, a person named Aachen proposed to you.”
At Chevelyn’s question, Hilane put the whisk down beside her.
‘She saw everything earlier. She’s probably asking now after pretending not to know.’
Hilane approached Chevelyn, bent down to her eye level, and took her hands.
“A proposal is asking someone to marry you.”
She had asked her before about having a new family, but it was time to give a proper explanation.
“Mom going to marry that person. So… we have to move to the North.”
“…Are you going to abandon Cherry?”
Chevelyn’s face darkened as she hung her head.
“No! Why would Mom abandon her daughter? Who told you such a thing?”
Hilane, startled, held Chevelyn tightly. She bit her lip in distress.
“Why would I abandon you? I can’t live without you.”
The thought of being separated from Chevelyn was unbearable and something she had never imagined.
She felt sorry for not spending more time with her.
‘How much pain must she have felt? I didn’t realize it sooner.’
Her heart pounded heavily. She had no idea Chevelyn had been thinking like this.
“Chevelyn.”
Hilane cupped Chevelyn’s face and spoke.
“Do you remember what I said? The most precious thing to Mom is you, Chevelyn.”
“Yeah… Mom said that.”
Chevelyn replied softly, acknowledging what she remembered.
“Can you always remember that?”
“Why?”
“No matter what happens, knowing that I love you and will always be with you will make us happy together.”
Chevelyn’s face gradually brightened.
“Okay. Cherry won’t forget and will always remember that Mom loves Cherry very much.”
“Thank you.”
“Mom, remember too. That Cherry loves Mom very much.”
“Of course. I’ve known that for a long time.”
Hilane held back her emotions and wiped the tears from Chevelyn’s eyes.
“Mom… but why do people get married?”
“Ah…”
It was difficult to explain the political reasons to a child.
“Well…”
As she was choosing the right words to explain, Chevelyn asked another question.
“Does that person love you, Mom?”
“Well, I’m not sure.”
She didn’t really know Aachen, and she didn’t understand why he avoided her when they first met.
But he sent a precious gift for Chevelyn’s baptism and a heartfelt proposal letter, which confused her.
‘Aachen Requier Belzette.’
Hilane mulled over the unfamiliar name in her mouth.
“Your Highness.”
“What is it?”
“The Palace Office has come to see you.”
A maid entered and announced the visit of a minister.
“Tell them to wait for a moment.”
“They said it was urgent…”
The maid trailed off, looking troubled.
‘What could it be now? I hope it’s not something serious.’
“Chevelyn, can you go to your room and start eating the canapé? I’ll be back soon.”
Hilane sighed and stroked Chevelyn’s cheek.
[Mom, have a good trip.]
Understandingly, Chevelyn silently mouthed the words, being the sweet child she was.
‘Why isn’t she speaking properly? Ah… she can’t speak freely to me when others are around. That’s it.’
Hilane calmed her troubled heart and left a butterfly kiss on Chevelyn’s forehead.
She was worried about leaving Chevelyn alone.
‘What if she eats poison while I’m gone?’
Even though she had made the canapé herself and that was unlikely, anything could happen.
“Make sure she doesn’t eat anything else… and the canapé should not be touched by anyone but you.”
If she gave a stern warning, no one would dare to do anything foolish.
“Yes, I will taste the canapé first to check for any issues before giving it to the princess.”
“Do so.”
Hilane, reassured by the quick-witted maid, left.
“Your Highness!”
The minister, who had been pacing the corridor, quickly approached Hilane as soon as he saw her.
“What is it?”
He was in charge of Chevelyn’s baptism and was also preparing for this informal ceremony.
‘Did something go wrong with the ceremony preparation?’
The minister, slightly bowing his head and lowering his voice, looked around nervously.
“Um… there was a meeting at the Senate…”
“And?”
“They are opposing the marriage between Your Highness and His Grace the Archduke. It seems the news of the national marriage has leaked to the Senate.”
Opposition. The word hit Hilane’s ears with astonishment.
“…Why?”
Despite the legitimate grounds, the Senate’s opposition left Hilane speechless.
“I heard it from Countess Kin, so I’m not fully aware of the situation inside. I couldn’t go in.”
Even though she didn’t know the exact reason for the opposition, she couldn’t ignore it.
After Emperor Roman’s collapse, the emerging nobles began to reveal their ambitions, and the imperial power was no longer as strong.
Glazé, troubled by these issues, had balanced power with the support of her maternal family.
Thus, the emerging nobles couldn’t act rashly, but the Senate, composed of central nobles, held immense influence.
Without being a member of the imperial family, one could not enter the meeting in the middle.
“I will go to the meeting room. Lead the way.”
Reluctantly, Hilane followed the minister, brushing off the dust from her dress.
* * *
When Hilane arrived at the meeting room, she saw Countess Kin in front.
“Countess Kin. Announce my arrival.”
Nodding slightly, Countess Kin raised her voice more than usual.
“Her Highness, the 4th Princess of the Peztaine Empire, Princess Hilane, is here!”
As the grand door opened and Hilane entered the meeting room, she sensed the tense atmosphere.
Seeing Glazé’s puzzled eyes, it was clear She hadn’t expected her.
Hilane walked steadily towards her.
“I greet Her Imperial Highness, Crown Princess Glazé, the little sun of Peztaine.”
She greeted Glaze respectfully with a smile.
“As a party involved in the national marriage, I came to hear the Senate’s opinion. May I?”
“Of course. Have a seat.”
“Thank you, Your Highness.”
Sitting in the place of honor next to Glazé, Hilane met the gaze of Marquis Leon, the head of the Senate.
“I greet Her Highness, the 4th Princess.”
Marquis Leon bowed slightly.
“May Freya’s light be with Princess Hilane.”
Following him, everyone paid their respects to Hilane.
With her hand on the round table, Glazé resumed the meeting.
“Marquis Leon, why are you opposing the national marriage?”
At Glazé’s inquiry, Marquis Leon frowned and spoke.
“If the princess remarry, Princess Chevelyn will follow. However…”
Hilane quickly grasped Marquis Leon’s intention.
If Chevelyn went to Belzette, it would be a significant problem for the Senate.
Chevelyn, the royal child with the most pure Peztaine blood, was young but a direct descendant.
If anything happened to Glazé, who had no children, they saw an opportunity to control the next emperor, Chevelyn.
‘How dare they try to use my daughter?’
Hilane’s anger was palpable. Marquis Leon flinched slightly and spoke cautiously.
“Could you reconsider the national marriage?”
Hilane immediately refused.
“No. That would be difficult.”
“Pardon?”
Marquis Leon’s brows furrowed, as if he couldn’t believe what he heard.
“The Grand Duke of Belzette has already accepted. How can we withdraw now?”
“Then… how about proceeding with the national marriage, but having Princess Chevelyn stay in Peztaine?”
Marquis Leon suggested, pretending to be generous. His intentions were transparent.
“Have the princess… stay in Peztaine?”
Hilane got a good idea from Marquis Leon’s suggestion. It would leave him with nothing more to say.
Hilane smirked.
“I’ve already informed Freya about the marriage and received approval.”
In Peztaine, it was extremely frowned upon not to believe in the religion.
“Do you dare try to negotiate with that?”
Just denying the existence of the deity was considered blasphemy.
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