“What’s the matter, lady?”
When the carriage of the Gennant family arrived at the mansion, a favorite maid of Tanya’s asked, looking astonished at her face. It was obvious that she was crying.
After getting out of the carriage, Tanya was once again discouraged as she thought about how to tell her father what had happened at the imperial palace. She felt like crying again.
“That’s…”
“Did Countess Rosewell do something rude to you again?”
The maid said to Tanya, her voice full of concern.
“Don’t worry too much, my lady. I have something for you, my lady.”
“What do you mean?”
“It’s about Countess Rosewell.”
She had been through a bad time earlier, but even under the circumstances, she couldn’t let a story like this pass her by.
Tanya’s eyes flashed with interest.
“What is it? Tell me.”
“Then, are you going to cheer up?”
“I’ll decide after I hear that.”
“Okay. Can’t you be surprised when you hear it?”
And what she was about to hear was, indeed, a story that would surprise her.
───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────
At a meeting the following morning, Jerald once again put Tanya’s punishment on the agenda.
“Yesterday, Princess Gennant confessed her sins.”
At the sudden announcement, the nobles were stunned, as there had been lack of evidence until just a few days ago.
“Your Majesty, how could she confess…”
“Yesterday, Countess Rosewell invited Princess Gennant to Camer Palace, and at that time she somehow confessed her sins.”
Jerald explained yesterday in a very nonchalant voice. Anyone listening would have thought he’d overheard the confession by accident.
“The Duke of Ashant, the Duke of Beaumont, and the Marquis of Ryder can testify that they heard the confession.”
“Is that true?”
“Yes, indeed; all three of us heard clearly yesterday.”
“Does that mean we can now bring Princess Gennant to justice?”
Jerald’s eyes turned to the Duke of Gennant.
“What do you think, Duke Gennant?”
“…What can I do when they even testified?”
Duke Gennant seemed embarrassed, but he seemed calmer than he thought. He didn’t seem resigned, so Jerald thought it was strange at the moment.
“As you wish, Your Majesty.”
“…Very well.”
Jerald nodded as if he had hoped.
“It turns out that Princess Gennant’s shoving Countess Rosewell on the stairs was an act of apparent malice.”
“…”
“Putting Princess Gennant into exile. Anyone have any objections?”
“None, Your Majesty.”
“None.”
“Then the sentence shall be carried out in three days.”
Jerald gave the sentence in a cold voice. And even as the sentence fell for his daughter, Duke Gennant closed his eyes until the end with a calm expression.
───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────
“The Duke of Gennant was calmer than I thought he would be.”
When he returned to the central palace after the meeting, Jerald’s servant spoke to him.
“It was unexpected. Last time he used his all to protect Princess Gennant.”
“I suppose he feels he has no choice,”
Jerald replied, sounding convinced.
“What can he say, I’ve gotten a confession out of her.”
“But he was so nonchalant about it, like he didn’t care what the consequences were…”
“…Well.”
Jerald also mumbled with a grave expression,
“If only he felt remorse, perhaps he would think that way…”
“Your Majesty, such words…”
“I cannot control his intentions.”
Jerald spoke in a calm voice.
“But the consequences will entirely be his to bear.”
“I’m working on locating his home base, Your Majesty. I will try to report it to you as soon as possible.”
“What about the army? Is it well-maintained to prepare for the worst?”
“I’ll report back soon, but yes, I’ve already spoken to the generals of each of the armies.”
“Good.”
Jerald nodded with a relieved face only then.
“Either way, I hope we can put an end to this whole sordid affair within the year, because I’m sure he’s just as tired as I am.”
“Speaking of which, Your Majesty, you don’t look too well.”
The servant asked with concern,
“Did you not sleep well last night?”
“I think I slept well enough.”
“It’s not just today, you’ve been looking a little tired lately. You’ve been getting dark circles under your eyes…”
“I suppose the anti-fatigue potion from the herb garden has worn off a bit.”
Jerald muttered, puzzled,
“I’ve been getting migraines a lot lately. I’m tired even though I slept as usual. It’s been a bit bad since last month, to be exact.”
“Well, the anti-fatigue potions aren’t a cure-all. Basically, you need to get more sleep than you’re getting now.”
But after saying this, the servant cautiously advised Jerald.
“But just in case, you might want to call in a court doctor for a checkup…”
“Chronic fatigue is nothing. It’s not that bad, they’ll just call it stress.”
“It’s a matter directly related to your health. Your health is the health of the empire. I cannot emphasize that enough.”
“How loyal. Thank you for your concern.”
“Then would you like to go to the bedroom and take a rest?”
“No.”
Jerald shook his head with a smile.
“Let’s go to Camer Palace.”
───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────
“…I really don’t think I have a knack for sewing,”
Pristin mumbled with tears in front of the embroidery frame.
“What is this even?”
She started sewing as a prenatal activity, but the result wasn’t very good. She sighed as she looked at the strange embroidered shape of a butterfly or dragonfly.
Christine’s embroidery, on the other hand, was as realistic as a real butterfly sitting next to her. Christine comforted Pristin with a reassuring voice as if she was okay.
“Don’t get too stressed. If you’re going to keep getting stressed then stop. It’s best for the mom to relax.”
“That’s true, but still, it would be nice to make something pretty since I’m doing a prenatal activity.”
“You could try something else for a prenatal activity. It doesn’t have to be sewing.”
“I wanted to make at least one baby outfit though…”
“I’ll make it for you. Isn’t it enough that their aunt makes it for them?”
“I think it would be better if you made it.”
“Right? I’m pretty good at sewing, too, so you don’t have to worry about that…”
“Countess.”
Then Aruvina approached the two people chatting. Pristin turned her head and asked,
“What’s going on, Madame Korsol?”
“His Majesty is here.”
“Oh, now?”
Pristin had no choice but to be a little nervous when she heard the words, because it was just time for the meeting to be finished.
‘I wonder what the outcome was.’
She was expecting it to come out well for him, but she couldn’t relax until she knew for sure.
“Bring him inside.”
After a while, the door opened and she heard Jerald walking in. Pristin greeted Jerald, who appeared, with a bright smile.
“Have you arrived, Your Majesty?”
“Pristin.”
“I see the sun of the empire.”
“Oh, Lady Lamont was with you.”
Jerald asked with interest,
“What were you doing?”
“Just, uh, practicing sewing?”
“Oh, sewing…”
Jerald laughed at the embarrassed answer.
“You were terrible at it. Have you gotten any better?”
“…No.”
“My sister wanted to make clothes for the baby she’s expecting, but I don’t think it’s quite right, Your Majesty.”
When Jerald saw the contrasting results on the embroidery frame, he agreed that it seemed to be the case. Only inside, of course.
“Don’t get too stressed. The most important thing is for the mother to be comfortable.”
“I promised my sister I’d sew her a baby outfit.”
“Thank you, lady. That’ll be a comfort to Pristin.”
“Well, I’ll leave you two to talk.”
Christine gracefully walked away, and Jerald continued to stare at Pristin’s embroidery frame. Embarrassed, Pristin finally put it down.
“Don’t look.”
“But I think it’s kind of cute if you look closely.”
“It’s bizarre.”
Pristin shook her head in disbelief.
“As expected, you didn’t touch things without talent.”
“That’s true. You’re better suited to working with your head.”
“Me? …Ah.”
Pristin laughed awkwardly when she realized that what he was referring to was Tanya’s confession.
“It wasn’t much of a deal. Today’s meeting… How did it go?”
“I sentenced Princess Gennant to exile.”
Pristin looked at Jerald, eyes wide.
“The death penalty is realistically hard. It doesn’t fit the price it deserves either.”
“No, it doesn’t. I wasn’t hoping for that,”
Pristin said, shaking her head.
“I was thinking a few years in prison at most. Exile is pretty strong.”
“I’m afraid you’ll be bothered if I leave her in the capital.”
“…Thank you.”
“How’s our baby?”
Jerald bowed his upper body and brought his face to Pristin’s flat stomach.
“Did you grow up a lot? Can you hear me?”
“It hasn’t even formed eyes, a nose, or a mouth yet, Your Majesty.”
“But it will hear my voice, won’t it? Because it’s a living thing.”
Jerald carefully stroked Pristin’s stomach curiously.
“It’ll have to get used to it’s father’s voice early. I’m not carrying our baby, unlike you, so we’ll have to train it early to get it used to it for when its born.”
“You’re being very proactive.”
“Because it’s our baby.”
Jerald said, staring at Pristin,
“It still feels like a dream, that I’m going to be a father.”
“I still don’t quite feel it either. It’s so early, maybe that’s why. Sometimes it hits me all over again and surprises me.”
“Still, I’m glad we found out early. We have time to prepare…”
At that moment, Jerald trailed off, his expression changing.
