An unexpected name came up. The Empress seemed to be planning on having Crown Prince Zeta act as a guide for my palace tour.
“You’ll have fun meeting Zeta, Lady Roha. Not to brag, but he’s quite a catch.”
She added with a smile, “Since you’re already close with the stoic Armin, I’m sure becoming friends with Zeta will be no problem for you.”
“Pardon?”
My surprise was of no use. I couldn’t keep up with the speed of the conversation, especially when Armin’s name suddenly popped up again. Duchess Grey, who had been glaring at the Empress with displeasure, didn’t help either.
Soon after, Zeta, the Crown Prince, walked in, following the maid.
“Ah, you’re the one from the street…”
He greeted me warmly, recognizing me.
I had suspected he might remember me. After all, it wasn’t something one saw every day—a noble lady crying and walking around the streets. But the fact that he actually remembered me was rather awkward. Why would he remember a completely ordinary brown-haired lady like me?
“Oh? Do you two know each other?”
“Yes, we met once before, Mother.”
“I see. Zeta, this is Lady Roha. She just entered the palace today, so show her around.”
I desperately avoided the curious gaze of Prince Zeta, who was looking at me with interest, but he confidently extended his hand towards me.
I was hesitating, wondering if I should bring up my relationship with Armin. Just then…
“Vivi?”
Duchess Grey called my name. Her face had also hardened.
“Go on and enjoy the palace tour with the Crown Prince. I have some things to discuss with Her Majesty, so we’ll go back together afterward.”
Even with the Duchess’ words, the Empress merely lifted her teacup with grace.
I had no choice but to accept the escort of none other than Crown Prince Zeta. At this point, escaping this situation seemed like the only option.
It felt like being struck by a thunderbolt at an unexpected hour. Normally, I’d wake up late, read a book, and live a leisurely life. But now, I was embroiled in a silent rivalry between two noblewomen, without understanding their motives or reasons, desperately hoping I would just return home unharmed.
My life’s motto was to live comfortably in this complicated world. Yet here I was, tangled up with royal figures—far beyond what I’d ever considered for myself.
* * *
Vivian, who was fearful, looked back several times, but each time the Duchess waved at her with a calm gaze. However, once Vivian and Zeta had walked far enough, the Duchess’s expression turned cold.
“What’s going on here?”
Her tone was rude, even for someone speaking to the Empress, but no one dared to point it out. The Empress calmly replied to the Duchess’s question.
“What’s going on? I just invited a noble young lady over, that’s all.”
With a gentle smile, the Empress subtly prodded at the Duchess.
“You seem to be getting along well with Lady Roha, though. Is there any reason I shouldn’t meet with Lady Roha?”
“Let me be direct.”
Most nobles would have bowed their heads and been subdued by the Empress’s tone, but the Duchess kept her head high and continued the conversation.
“Stay away from Vivian.”
“Oh, ho. Lady Roha’s become an object, has she?”
“She’s already been marked as a potential bride for our family.”
“What?”
The Empress widened her eyes in surprise, looking as though she didn’t know.
“Well, isn’t this a coincidence? I feel the same way. Lady Roha is the talk of the town, isn’t she? Although she’s just a Vicount’s daughter, she received a second-class medal from the Emperor himself. Where else would you find such a suitable young lady for our Zeta?”
The Duchess sighed. She hadn’t wanted to talk this much, but she knew the Empress’s personality all too well. The more obstacles there were, the more fired up she became. Having never been unable to get what she wanted, the Empress couldn’t stand not having something she desired.
But the Duchess was uneasy. If things went on like this, she felt as if Vivian might be taken from her family and given to the royal family.
“Give up. Armin and that girl have already started courting.”
“Really? I haven’t heard anything about that.”
“You…!”
“Even if such rumors are true, what difference does it make?”
The Empress’s face remained calm, almost serene.
“If it’s made so that no one can speak of it, then it’s just a fact.”
The Empress shrugged her shoulders. If rumors about Zeta’s interest in Vivian spread, the game would be over.
It was true. The Duchess came from a distinguished family, but her current status was owed entirely to her position as the Empress’s cousin. So it was obvious which choice the Roha family would make between the Duchess and the Empress.
“It’s a good thing they haven’t become too attached yet. Don’t you agree?”
“Is that really something you should be saying now?”
“With someone like Armin, he’d make a decent husband and find a good wife.”
A spiteful remark followed.
“Of course, he’s still not as good as our Zeta.”
* * *
“Excuse me, Your Highness.”
“Hm?”
“Do you think we’ve seen enough of the palace now…?”
The Empress’s palace had already become so distant that it appeared as a small dot, surrounded by the white brick walls of the magnificent, beautiful building.
Prince Zeta had shown me around the palace, pointing out various highlights—fountains in the gardens, sculptures, and fences adorned with rare and exquisite roses.
At my words, Prince Zeta seemed to realize something and scratched the back of his neck, looking embarrassed. Seeing his discomfort, I quickly tried to reassure him.
“My legs are just a little sore.”
“Oh, then would you like to sit over there for a moment?”
Prince Zeta gestured to a bench made of white marble. It felt like I could simply return, but I couldn’t bring myself to make things awkward for him, so I nodded and agreed to sit down.
As I sat on the bench, my previously tense nerves began to settle. Only then did my sharp instincts start to work properly.
The real reason the Empress had invited me here—she had mentioned it was to thank me for helping the nanny—but from what I saw, that couldn’t have been the entire reason.
The Empress likely wanted me to get closer to Prince Zeta. How was I going to navigate this situation?
To my surprise, the conversation started to flow more easily. Prince Zeta brought up the topic himself.
“You seem pretty close to Armin.”
“Hm? Oh, yes.”
“Why were you crying that day?”
This time, I rubbed the back of my neck. It was an awkward situation to explain.
I had realized my feelings for Armin too late, and I had told him I would help him get along with another young lady, even though I had secretly liked him. I cried so much that day because I couldn’t express my feelings. It was a foolish thing, wasn’t it?
I couldn’t say that, of course. If I did, I would have to mention Lady Rose, and the rumor that she considered me a sworn enemy had already spread throughout the Roha family. I couldn’t make the situation worse.
“I… I just had a misunderstanding with Armin.”
“I see.”
Prince Zeta was surprisingly easygoing. Unlike the Empress, whose smile carried an intimidating aura, Prince Zeta had a way of making people feel at ease. He didn’t press me for details on uncomfortable topics.
“You must have been a bit uncomfortable.”
“Huh? What do you mean by that…”
“It seems like my mother forced you to come to the palace. Am I wrong?”
“Ah…”
“I think she got anxious when she heard that Armin had become close to another young lady, since she’s been friends with the Duchess for so long. I hope you can understand.”
Even though Prince Zeta was only a year younger than me, his maturity shone through in his words. I nodded at his calm explanation.
“I didn’t think you would remember me.”
“Oh, actually, it’s because of Armin. I’ve never seen him so uneasy before, so I remembered you.”
From the way he spoke, it seemed like Prince Zeta and Armin were indeed close friends.
“So, of course I remember you. You’re the one who made him that way.”
He asked me with a curious look.
“Armin and you are not just friends, are you?”
I hesitated for a moment but then nodded. For some reason, I felt like I could be honest with him.
“I thought so. That’s why I’m sure you felt even more burdened by my mother’s actions. I’m sorry about that.”
“No! You don’t need to apologize, Your Highness. It’s my fault for not explaining properly.”
“No, it was actually a good thing you didn’t tell her. If she knew, she would have made things worse for you.”
Prince Zeta smiled mischievously.
“Honestly, I don’t really enjoy these kinds of encounters either. But if it’s okay with you, I could tell my mother a little white lie.”
“What…?”
“I’ll tell her that I don’t like you at all. That way, she’ll back off.”
It was an unspoken suggestion to let him take the fall. I nodded furiously. If it would get me out of this irritating situation, I didn’t care who took the blame.
“Maybe I should say the meeting was so unpleasant that you never want to see me again?”
“What?”
Zeta laughed at my bluntness, clearly surprised by my suggestion.
“Do you really think it’s necessary to go that far?”
“If we’re doing this, it might as well be certain.”
I emphasized my point, raising my voice just a bit.
