Marquis Oleg offered to accompany Asha on her way back to the Imperial Palace, but she shook her head.
“It’s okay because there’s going to be someone to pick me up.”
There was no need to ask who it was. As if it was just in time, a carriage arrived at the mansion.
“Oh.”
Marquis Oleg took a short breath when he saw the person getting out of the carriage. The owner of the carriage was Karnov, a young man with black hair that gleamed silver under the winter sun.
“Here… How, why…”
Karnov stood in front of the mansion surveying the crowd gathered before him, appearing to quickly grasp the situation at hand.
“I greet the shining star of the empire, Her Highness Anastasia.”
Karnov first greeted Asha with a kiss on the back of her hand, then turned to acknowledge the others.
“It’s been a while for both of you.”
“… How, I mean, why is the deputy commander…”
“I came to escort Her Highness to the palace. It’s on the way. But, Marquis, you…”
Marquis Oleg blinked. What would make the deputy commander of the Imperial Army and the future Duke of Sedvoyer possess interest in the stroll of a princess, who was not even the crown prince.
Marquis Oleg, however, was quickly convinced. Karnov Neustadter was likely one of the most frequent visitors to the palace, and correspondingly, he would have been exposed to Princess Anastasia quite often.
With an overwhelming presence that pushed forward a world view unsuitable for the materialistic world and the taste of snacks made by her hands, even the world’s Karnov Neustadter may have had nothing special.
“Well, we…”
While Marquis Oleg hesitated on how to explain, Marchioness Tataricha added the explanation with a gentle smile.
“He’s here to pick up Lady Lyudmila. I had some things to give her, so I contacted him because it seemed we might need a carriage.”
Although it wasn’t a plausible reason, Karnov didn’t pay much attention. The real reason he was interested wasn’t why Marquis Oleg’s party was here but more about Lyudmila.
“Karnov, what’s wrong? Lyuda’s face is going to be pierced.”
“No… I just thought I haven’t seen Lady Lyudmila with her hair tied up before.”
Lyudmila lowered her eyes, slightly embarrassed. Karnov stared at her hair while her fist covered her mouth and then laughed.
“It suits you, Lady Lyudmila.”
“Her Highness made it for me.”
“That seemed to be the case.”
“What do you think? I tied it up nicely.”
When Asha pulled Karnov’s coat, Karnov removed her hand and draped a muffler with ample width over her shoulders. He had brought it along since he descended from the carriage.
“It seems you did a good job tying it, Your Highness.”
“No, the gaze seemed strange.”
“How was it strange?”
Asha’s lips twitched. It was challenging to describe Karnov’s rapidly changing emotions, which had sunk deeply and now seemed light-hearted.
When Lyudmila’s carriage was completely ready, Asha embraced the girls and got on Karnov’s carriage first. After saying a fierce goodbye to her friends outside the carriage’s window, Asha was brought inside by Karnov’s hand. Seated in the carriage, covered with the muffler over her shoulders from Karnov, she looked outside through the window. Karnov spoke with a nod.
“It seems the conversation with Marquis Oleg went well.”
“Yeah. I was really worried, but luckily…”
Asha buried herself deep in the seat and breathed a sigh of relief. Karnov, who was staring at Asha, opened his mouth.
“But why aren’t you using the ribbon I gave you?”
“Ribbon?”
Asha opened her eyes wide and touched the top of her head with both hands, noticing that one side was empty. One was tied to Lyudmila’s hair. On Lyudmila’s ponytail that Karnov just looked at.
“I thought of leaving it at home since I stayed overnight at a friend’s house and brought Karnov’s given one with me.”
“But you rarely wear it anyway.”
“Only on special occasions. Just in case it gets messy…”
“I’ll buy you more, so just do it. I gave it to you so you can use it. What if you don’t use it?”
“I also gave something to Karnov to use.”
“What?”
“A wish ticket. There are only a few years left before it expires. You know that, right? It’s over when it’s past its expiration date.”
Despite Asha’s complaint, Karnov only snickered and didn’t respond.
“Oh! I heard Karnov’s parents are coming to the coming-of-age ceremony, too.”
“Ah… that’s right. My parents have some matters to attend to.”
Asha glanced at Karnov for a moment and cautiously opened her mouth.
“Um, then, Karnov, would you… stay at the imperial palace until all that business is finished?”
“Why all of a sudden?”
“Oh, no… if you want to spend time with Alyosha. I’m sure Alyosha would give you a place to stay.”
Asha also knew that Karnov was not close to his parents.
“Right! Let’s do that! Stay at the palace until everything is done, until the coming-of-age ceremony. Anyway, the coming-of-age ceremony will also be held at the palace.”
Asha spoke a bit more assertively than usual. Karnov blinked in surprise.
“Karnov, you’ve already had your outfit fitted for the ball, right? I asked Joel to help. If there’s something you need to take care of at your mansion…”
“That’s not the case.”
“Then you can come to the Imperial Palace! I’ll take good care of you.”
“What? To what extent?”
“Well… I can even prepare tea early in the morning, and… I’ll… Oh, why are you so hesitant? Just come. I’ll sing you a lullaby when you take a nap.”
“Lullaby?”
“I’ve never officially sung a song, but I’ve often heard Arten play it.”
Karnov briefly pondered, looking at Asha with a fleeting gaze. Asha’s expression was more desperate than ever.
“It’s an unheard lullaby from the imperial princess. I’d be more than happy to go.”
“If you make fun of me for being tone-deaf, I won’t forgive you.”
“You won’t?”
“What? Do you want to make fun of me?”
As Asha clenched both fists tightly, Karnov quickly shook his hands.
“No way, Your Highness Anastasia.”
Asha waved her fist in front of Karnov and threatened him.
“Just give it a try.”
“Even if you’re terrifying, I won’t do it. So, loosen your grip on your fists a bit.”
Karnov grabbed Asha’s wrist and gently spread out each finger. Despite claiming that it tickled, Asha didn’t pull her hand away.
━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━
“Ah-ah. Karnov… You said Karnov will come to the Imperial Palace today, right?”
“Yes, Your Highness. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince said he had a room ready.”
In the early hours of the morning, Asha sat crouched in front of the oven, watching as scones, bathed in golden light, rose steadily.
In the past, Karnov had occasionally stayed at the palace, citing the busy responsibilities of commanding the Imperial Army as the deputy commander. So, this time, nobody considered it particularly unusual.
<After acting so spinelessly all the time, why now?>
However, Phoebe, who knew that Asha’s opinion was strongly included in this matter, was upset. Asha yawned loudly and rubbed her eyes because she was sleepy but firmly bit her lips.
‘If the puzzle is wrong, forcing it together might cause more harm than just wounds.’
Karnov’s relationship with his parents was different from that of Lyudmila and her parents or, even, the emperor and Yuriev.
Unexpressed love can be clarified, and misexpressed intentions can be corrected. Still, the absence of love cannot be manufactured. In a place where love is lacking, only a facade of affection, blended with inferiority and hatred, emerges.
Even if Karnov claimed not to be affected by it, or even if he had overcome it by now, Asha understood that even if they were ignored, the intentions of those who were once absent couldn’t be erased.
“Even if Karnov is really okay…”
If the puzzle direction is wrong, reversing it will align it, if the puzzle piece doesn’t fit, forcing it will only cause more damage. If the touching parts are rough, smoothing them out will help, and if the direction is unclear, asking someone nearby will provide guidance.
However, a completely wrong puzzle, an unassigned misfit piece, cannot be fitted, no matter how hard you try. If you try to force the wrong puzzle, the piece of the puzzle will be damaged.
There is no need to match such a thing.
<Always retreating, and now acting so stubborn. When did you learn to be this firm?>
Phoebe flew up. Listening to Phoebe’s voice, it seemed that she had been worried about Asha constantly being soft with everyone.
The scent of the scones, now a golden brown, wafted through the kitchen. Asha, who had been frantically busy baking since early dawn, yawned once again in front of the oven, while Phoebe chirped in anticipation.
‘Phoebe taught me.’
At Asha’s words, Phoebe’s feathers rose and then shrunk. Phoebe twisted her body, making a chirping sound.
<Me? When did I?>
‘Because Phoebe brought me here.’
If it wasn’t for that mysterious disconnection and restart, Asha herself wouldn’t have known.
There was no need to make an effort to turn the hearts of those who had decided not to give love. The hearts of those who decided not to love someone weaker than themselves, to hate and resent, and to package it as if it were another form of affection would never change through the efforts of others.
Asha realized it in the love of Yuriev and Irina. The family in her past life was not her puzzle piece, but rather a broken piece of glass.
If you try to grasp it, you will only get hurt. Even if you force a mismatched puzzle piece, nothing will be completed.
But, coming here, Asha learned. She learned from the love of Yuriev and Irina. The missing parts can be filled with something new in the future.
“So…”
As the bell rang in the oven, Asha yawned loudly once more, put on her big kitchen gloves, and took out her scones. There were nine scones lined up with hot steam. A slightly sweet yet savory scent came up.
“Clotted cream and braised apples would be good.”
Asha smiled proudly as she took out the white clotted cream and homemade apple jam that she sealed last year.
━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━
Alexei gently leaned over to support Asha’s tilted head, and with a quick move, he placed his sleeve beneath her hand, ensuring that the teacup she held wouldn’t spill onto her clothes.
The early morning tea time was more of a simple breakfast with scones and sandwiches, tailored to Alexei’s schedule, and it was a time when the sun was gradually rising and setting.
On the opposite side of Alexei, a little girl was dozing off with a tea cup in her hand.
