Lyudmila seemed somewhat pale, as if she hadn’t slept well, but her expression appeared fresh. Asha offered refreshments with a smile on her face.
“Do you want to try this? It’s a crumble bar made of yesterday’s freshly picked apples.”
“Yesterday… wasn’t there the Empire’s Protection Day Ball?”
“Yes. I was bored at the ball, so I went out and made it.”
Lyudmila hesitated for a moment, then picked up a small piece on the plate Asha had cut and put it in her mouth. The crunchy and crumbly texture of the sweet and crisp crumble, along with the well-ripened apple, provided a delightful taste.
“I made it with apples that are firm and have a strong tartness. How is it? It seems like they’ve ripened well all summer because it hasn’t rained much.”
“Maybe it’s because it’s made into snacks… It’s delicious.”
Lyudmila now spoke frankly about snacks.
<This girl seems to be recovering the fastest.>
‘Right?’
<We can completely solve Prasti soon.>
‘What should I do then? I’ve never heard the details.’
<You just need to shock Prasti out of her.>
‘Shock her? You’re not telling me to hit her, are you?’
<It’s important for her to realize there’s Prasti in her. You have to know for yourself about something terrible in yourself.>
‘Is it useless if I tell her?’
<That won’t have much significance.>
Asha clenched her fist. Phoebe’s words were still somewhat abstract, but Asha had a vague sense of understanding. In the meantime, Lyudmila took another bite of the crumble bar.
“Where is this apple from?”
“Oh? Uh… nearby… Let’s go pick them together next time.”
Asha panicked for a moment and then turned her back.
“But, Lady Lyudmila, didn’t you say you weren’t feeling well yesterday and went to bed early? Are you feeling better now?”
“…I’m sorry for the inconvenience. It wasn’t a big deal, actually. I was a little tired, so I just went back early because I was afraid I might be a nuisance.”
“I see. I’m glad then… Well, I was a bit surprised because I didn’t hear that you were coming today. Did something happen?”
When Asha asked carefully, Lyudmila put down the crumble bar she was eating and lowered her head. Her dark hair flowed over her shoulders.
Asha reached out and tried to arrange the hair, Lyudmila grabbed her hands tightly and opened her mouth. Asha hurriedly pulled her hand back.
“Actually, I came in a hurry to apologize. It may be impolite to visit without notice, but I couldn’t endure it… Please forgive me.”
“Huh? No, it’s okay to come without notice, but Lyudmila, what… What are you apologizing for? Did something happen?”
Asha quickly shook her hand and examined Lyudmila’s complexion. Lyudmila, lips pressed together, spoke with a resolute voice.
“I’ve visited you until now not out of friendship and loyalty. I’ve deceived you all this time because I had other intentions.”
“Huh?”
“My parents wanted me to get engaged to Lord Karnov Neustadter. That’s why I came back to the capital. So, I’ve been visiting you all this time, trying to find a way to win his heart… and I’ve been imitating you, hoping he would notice me. I’ve been visiting to see and learn.”
“Oh…”
“I deceived Your Highness, so I’ll accept any punishment you give me.”
“Oh, um…”
Lyudmila’s fingertips, tightly clenched, were pale. Asha was momentarily surprised but, gripping the chair with both hands, she stood up and quickly moved to sit right next to Lyudmila.
“First of all, Lady Lyudmila, I’m very glad you told me the truth.”
“Yes? Oh, yes…”
Lyudmila flinched her body as Asha suddenly approached her side, looking embarrassed. Asha did not let Lyudmila move away, but held her hands tightly.
“But even if it wasn’t friendship until now, from now on, can’t it be friendship?”
“Yes…?”
“You said you’d take any punishment, right?”
“Yes, yes… I did, but… I said that, but…”
“Then from now on.”
Asha paused for a moment and pondered.
“Since it’s Lyudmila… Let’s see, yes. Lyuda!”
“What?”
“It’s too long to call you Lady Lyudmila. That’s why it’s Lyuda for short! I’m Anastasia, so you can call me Asha. If you’re a little shy, you can just call me that when there are no people around.”
Lyudmila looked stunned by the sudden development. As she blinked, Asha smiled bashfully and alternately pointed at herself with Lyudmila.
“Lyuda, Asha.”
“Oh…”
After a while, Lyudmila’s face turned bright red. She almost jumped up as if startled.
Asha, with a satisfied expression, looked at Lyudmila’s face, which was radiating a colorful and refreshing aura. When Lyudmila really stood up, Asha looked at her with a surprised expression.
“Lyuda, what’s wrong?”
“I… Whatever you call me, it’s Your Highness’s intention. I appreciate your generous heart even considering a nickname. You can call me comfortably. But I can’t dare to call Your Highness like that. It would go against the rules, and…”
“No, it’s really okay…”
“Without giving advance notice, I came without warning, and I’m truly grateful for being received like this. Then, before causing any more trouble, I’ll take my leave.”
As she asked for permission to leave, she seemed desperate. Asha could only nod her head with a bewildered expression.
━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━
Almost leaping out of the Taimir Palace, Lyudmila boarded the family carriage, fanning her hot cheeks with her hand in an attempt to cool down.
‘How can she be so informal?’
She never imagined that she would stand up, holding onto the chair with her buttocks firmly attached. The following words were just as unexpected.
– Since it’s Lyudmila… Let’s see, yes. Lyuda!
Suddenly, she wanted to use a nickname, shortening her name, and even asked her to call her ‘Asha.’ Lyudmila was dumbfounded by this sudden change.
Lyudmila thought that Anastasia would never see her again in the future. Despite thinking that, she had no choice but to come and apologize. She never imagined that the result would be calling each other by nicknames.
‘Call me Asha…’
Considering her higher status as a princess, it was understandable for Princess Anastasia to address her in any way she pleased. Even though they weren’t close, if she came to apologize and as a result, Princess Anastasia decided to use a nickname, Lyudmila had to accept it.
But to call her Asha!
Was she testing her?
She briefly entertained that thought, but looking at Natalya Bagration’s attitude – she called her ‘Asha’ without hesitation – it seemed not to be the case. However, this proposal was impossible, whether it was a test from Princess Anastasia or not. To dare to call a princess by nickname randomly!
‘Natalya Bagration is still young, clearly fearless in doing such things…’
Lyudmila inwardly mumbled for a moment, then sighed. It was difficult for her to accept herself still acting as she did yesterday, criticizing others freely and feeling embarrassed about it.
‘But… does that mean, she’s saying it’s okay to come again?’
– But even if it wasn’t friendship until now, from now on, can’t it be friendship?
Was she saying that with some special leniency? Probably. While continuing to bake cookies with Princess Anastasia, Lyudmila felt like she was making every possible mistake for the first time in the kitchen.
However, the princess never reprimanded her for those mistakes. Lyudmila finally leaned lightly against the wall of the carriage.
‘Come to think of it, since she told me to call her like that, refusing might have been disrespectful…’
If she told her to call her Asha, shouldn’t she have listened? Lyudmila suddenly regretted her actions, but now it was too late to turn the carriage around or take back what she said.
Lyudmila pressed her forehead against the carriage wall for a moment, contemplating. Once the coachman, who had stopped the carriage and asked, ‘Miss, is there a problem?’, her face, which had just cooled down, turned red again.
━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━
Lyudmila hurried out, and Karnov, emerging from behind the curtain holding a cooled teacup, appeared a little sad.
“This tea is so cold that it’s bitter…”
“…She won’t call me Asha.”
“Should I dilute it with water?”
“This has never happened before. What should I do now?”
“Would it be better if I put some jam in it?”
“Karnov!”
After Asha called out his name loudly, Karnov sighed and sat in the seat where Lyudmila had been. Asha, looking anxious, stared at him and spoke as if trying to catch him.
“When I said that, I thought she’d say yes, but she didn’t. What should I do?”
“If she doesn’t like it, she doesn’t like it. You can’t force it. If you force it, it will be a burden.”
“No, she liked it. I told her to call me by my name, and Lyudmila liked it. But why did she say she didn’t like it? Why?”
“Lyudmila Shchedrin is not Natalya, and considering her personality, do you expect her to just call you by your name willingly?”
“But still…”
“When you become a bit closer, she’ll call you by name.”
“Will she?”
As Asha spoke with a hopeful expression, Karnov, who had been listening quietly, pushed Asha’s forehead away with his index finger and stood up.
“I will not forget the grace of the tasteless tea today, Princess Anastasia. Don’t worry about useless things. Close the windows at night.”
“The window is not important. I’m not going to give you the back of my hand…”
Karnov reached out for a kiss on the back of the hand to say goodbye, but Asha murmured. Karnov pointed to the curtain with his chin.
“I’ve been thrown behind the curtains during the morning.”
“…”
In the end, Asha extended her hand with a teary expression. Karnov smiled faintly, not kissing the back of her hand, but turned it over and placed something small on Asha’s palm.
“Oh…”
It was a flower ring with a small violet next to a white dandelion. Asha alternately looked at the flower ring and Karnov’s face with a dazed expression.
“I made it while hiding behind the curtain.”
“It’s so beautiful…”
“It’s probably not what you had in mind.”
“Oh, right. Karnov, I misunderstood that, didn’t I?”
While Asha examined the flower ring with flushed cheeks, Karnov, who silently observed her, stood up.
“I’ll take my leave now, Princess. And again, close the windows at night.”
And without waiting for Asha to say anything more, Karnov left the room. Alone in front of the tea table, Asha silently stared at the small ring on her palm. It was now a delicately crafted ring made of flowers that had bloomed past their prime.
Sitting in a chair, she pulled her knees up and leaned her chin on them, trying the flower ring on her finger. It still looked like a sparkling jewel on her small hand, not yet fully grown.
Asha thought the finger with the ring felt a bit warm but decided not to take it off. She sat, looking at her palm with the ring, for a long while.
