“Eat a lot, Christine.”
It had been a long time since she had a meal with Christine. Pristin usually had simple meals, but for this first meal back together with her sister, she wanted to give her the best.
As the table was filled with a menu that seemed quite excessive for breakfast, Christine looked surprised and asked Pristin,
“Wow… Do you usually eat like this?”
“No. Normally, it’s half of this, at most.”
“Then…”
“It’s our first meal back together.”
Pristin gave a faint smile and looked at Christine.
“It’s a celebration. I wanted to give you the best.”
“…Thank you.”
Christine, fiddling with her fork, murmured,
“I should quickly regain my memories…”
“Christine, didn’t I tell you? Don’t feel pressured.”
Pristin spoke to Christine in an affectionate voice.
“I’m just happy that my long-lost sister is in front of me. Whether you remember or not… it’s no longer a matter of great importance to me.”
“Thank you for saying that.”
“Yeah. Eat a lot.”
Christine smiled and started eating the dishes in front of her, and Pristin looked at her sister’s figure with content eyes. It was the most pleasant morning since their time in Perk.
───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────
After breakfast, Pristin went to the herbal garden as usual.
After being away for more than a week, all the herbalists who saw Pristin greeted her with pleasure.
“Countess!”
In particular, Welsh seemed delighted to see Pristin.
“Are you finally back? I’ve missed you so much over the past week!”
“Did you wait for me? Thank you.”
“Of course. I was bored because the countess wasn’t here.”
“Didn’t anything special happen while I was away?”
“No, we were just as usual.”
Welsh, who shrugged her head, asked Pristin, too,
“How was it, Countess?”
“Hmm?”
“In Vaylern, I mean. Was it enjoyable?”
“Ah.”
A faint smile circulated around Pristin’s mouth. Naturally, thoughts of Christine in Camer Palace crossed her mind.
“Yes. It was a pleasant time.”
“Good to hear. But from today, you’ll have to work a bit harder.”
“Why?”
“Are you really asking because you don’t know?”
Welsh widened her eyes and spoke.
“We have the founding festival next week!”
“Oh, the founding festival…”
“You can’t possibly have not known, right? Everyone has been buzzing about it for a month!”
“Really?”
When Pristin asked back with a shy expression, Welsh shook her head.
“Countess, aren’t you too indifferent to the world?”
“Well, it seems so, and I should probably reflect on that.”
“It’s a very exciting festival. It’s the grandest event held in Limburg every year!”
Welsh confidently informed Pristin,
“I’m sure that after attending once, you’ll be eagerly anticipating it every year from then on!”
“Is it that exciting?”
“Yes. You should quickly find someone to go with. Everyone is already making plans.”
“Hmm…”
Pristin made a thoughtful expression for a moment before speaking.
“It’s okay. I already have someone to go with.”
───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────
That afternoon.
“Oh, Countess Rosewell, you came!”
Pristin attended a hastily arranged tea gathering of the empress candidates, which she was invited to that day.
“Thank you for inviting me, lady.”
“No, thank you. I thought you wouldn’t be able to come because you’re busy.”
The candidate, who invited Pristin, took special care of her.
“Please, have a seat. Your seat is prepared here.”
“Thank you.”
“We were all talking about the founding festival.”
It was the same topic Pristin heard in the herbal garden earlier. It indeed seemed to be a hot topic, and Pristin felt a bit anxious, as if she were lagging behind the atmosphere.
“I heard about it. It’s happening next week, right?”
“Yes. Right now, everyone is discussing who to go with.”
“Have you found a companion, Countess Rosewell?”
“Oh, I’m thinking of going with my younger sister.”
“Your sister?”
“Did you have a younger sister, Countess?”
“Yes.”
Pristin said with a smile.
“I actually found her during my recent visit to Vaylern.”
“Oh, from that distant northern land?”
“Somehow, you found your younger sister in that place…”
“The story is a bit complicated. Anyway, I found her with difficulty, so I plan to attend the founding festival with my younger sister.”
“That’s great! Congratulations on finding your sister.”
“Thank you.”
Congratulations poured in from all directions, and Pristin felt somewhat embarrassed. Smiling, she addressed everyone.
“Thank you for your congratulations.”
“Oh, by the way, there will be a fireworks display at 10:00 p.m. on the night of the founding festival. Be sure to attend that too.”
“A fireworks display?”
“Yes. I secretly went to see it before, and it was really beautiful. If you watch it, it will stay in your memory for a long time.”
“A fireworks display…”
Pristin murmured quietly. She had never been to the founding festival held in the capital, but for some reason, she felt it would be very enjoyable.
A faint smile crossed Pristin’s lips.
───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────
As soon as Pristin returned to Camer Palace, she called Christine and asked,
“Christine, do you have time next week?”
“Yes? Me?”
Caught off guard by the sudden question, Christine nodded hesitantly.
“I don’t have anything particularly special to do here. What’s going on?”
“I have a place to go with you next week.”
“Really? Where?”
“It’s a secret.”
“Where are you planning to take me? I’m curious.”
“You’ll definitely enjoy it. It’s been a long time since you and I…”
“Countess.”
As they chatted affectionately, Aruvina approached Pristin. Pristin asked with a puzzled expression.
“What is it, Madame Korsol?”
“His Majesty asks you to join him for dinner.”
“Oh, His Majesty?”
Pristin looked at Christine with a slightly embarrassed expression. Christine nodded, as if to say, “Go ahead.” After Pristin moved her lips a few times, she asked,
“Can I go now?”
“Yes. I was told you could go now.”
“Ah… I’ll be back, Christine.”
“Yes, Countess. Go safely.”
Pristin headed to the central palace as Christine saw her off. Was it because she had finished organizing her mind and found her younger sister? Her footsteps to the central palace were lighter than usual.
Pristin arrived at the central palace with a smile around her mouth. After a while, her footsteps reached the dining hall.
“Your Majesty, Countess Rosewell is here.”
“Come in.”
With short words, the door opened, and Pristin stepped into the dining hall of the central palace for the first time. Oddly, her heart trembled with each step forward. Pristin arrived in front of Jerald with a smile, slightly revealing her teeth.
“I see Your Majesty. Glory to the imperial family.”
“Welcome, Pristin. Sit down.”
The usual formal greeting from Pristin, which used to feel burdensome, might not have felt as heavy this time.
As Pristin maintained her smile, she arrived at the opposite side of Jerald. Jerald quickly noticed Pristin’s state.
“You look like you’re in a good mood today.”
“Oh, is that so?”
“Is it because you found your younger sister?”
“It’s a big influence.”
“It seems your sister can do things I couldn’t.”
“I found my sister thanks to Your Majesty as well.”
Pristin’s smile deepened.
“And Your Majesty also makes me feel happy.”
“…Hearing such words here feels somewhat awkward.”
“Is that so?”
Pristin unintentionally let out a laugh, and Jerald, who was watching her, muttered,
“As expected, it’s awkward. At least, I’ve never seen you laugh like that in front of me.”
“Not only in front of Your Majesty, but I’ve rarely laughed like this alone.”
“Why were you so serious before?”
“As you know, I was in a state of losing my sister, and also…”
Pristin paused for a moment before continuing,
“It was a time when I didn’t want to love Your Majesty.”
“…There was a time when you didn’t want to love me.”
“Did you think there wouldn’t be any?”
“It’s not that, but it’s bitter to hear it from your mouth.”
“…Well, that’s all in the past. I’ve sorted out my feelings.”
“Was there a reason your feelings changed?”
“I don’t know.”
Pristin answered with an unsure tone.
“Just as I didn’t make a resolution to love Your Majesty when I first met you, it’s not much different now that we’ve met again.”
“I see. I guess I’m a bit charming.”
At Jerald’s words, Pristin burst into a smile, and Jerald laughed playfully. This simple happiness wasn’t bad at all. Although it took quite some time to feel this situation as happiness, it was worth it.
“Let’s eat first. You must be hungry.”
Jerald called for the servants, and soon they entered the dining hall one by one, carrying various dishes. Whether he put in extra effort because of her arrival or it was how he usually ate, the table was adorned luxuriously and abundantly. Pristin admired the completed table.
“It’s too much.”
“If it’s too much, leave it. Don’t force yourself to eat.”
“Well, I won’t force myself, but still, it’s too much.”
“I wanted to serve as many dishes as possible.”
“You don’t have to pay so much attention. I eat well even without it.”
“You seem unaware. Do you know what day it is today?”
“What day is it?”
Slightly nervous, Pristin asked, wondering if it was some important day.
Observing Pristin’s face and realizing her tension, Jerald chuckled. Cute.
“The day when you arrived at the palace and we first dined together.”
“…Have we never had a meal together before that?”
“Considering your attitude until then, you probably wouldn’t have accepted any invitations.”
Pristin remained silent, her expression filled with a vague smile. Ignoring Pristin’s discomfort, Jerald casually continued.
“We’ll be doing many things together in the future, so it’s okay. In that sense, do you have time next week?”
“…Next week?”
No way…
“Next week is the founding festival.”
“Ah… yes. That’s right.”
“Why is your expression like that?”
Jerald asked, with his brow slightly narrowed.
“Could it be… you’ve already found someone to go to the festival with?”
Regrettably, Jerald’s guess was right. Pristin couldn’t bring herself to answer directly and wore an awkward expression.
Oh, what should I do?
