At Lilia’s urging, I sit down in front of the mirror stand that she brought from the original palace.
The enameled basin that was brought in was filled with just the right amount of hot water and Lilia sprinkled some white powder into it.
I don’t know the ingredients, but it has a moisturizing effect. The water thickens slightly, and it blends in with your hand.
I rinse my face with warm, milky-white water, splashing it around. It’s like you’re washing away dirt and at the same time blending in moisturizing ingredients.
After wiping off the water with a fluffy towel, another layer of lotion is applied, and the cream is applied to finish the plumped-up area.
Once that’s done, it’s time to get dressed.
At the Crown Prince’s Palace, the dressing room is next to the bedroom, and I used to wash my face in there as well.
The Crown Princess’ Palace had a well-designed flow line, but this place, you know…
This room wasn’t originally intended to be used as a bedroom, although my bunk was brought in for my use, and I’m using it as a bedroom.
It’s more than twice as big as the original bedroom, so I wouldn’t mind using it for something other than a bedroom, but I don’t feel comfortable in this room for some reason.
But the adjoining room is too small to be used as a dressing room and Lilia judged that it didn’t have enough space to store and prepare various small items of clothing for daily use.
I now use it completely as a closet room.
My personal opinion is that it’s a mystery to me how much space they think I need in order to get dressed.
Certainly, in order to have many maids take care of their surroundings and change their clothes, it is necessary to have a certain amount of space.
It’s difficult in many ways to change alone though…
The day I turned thirteen, I started using a corset, albeit a soft one. Wearing a corset is difficult for one person. There are many clothes that can be worn without a corset, but the silhouette is still beautiful when with a corset.
If you have a husband who’s heart must be kept firmly, you can’t spare yourself any effort to look as beautiful as possible.
Even I have a maiden’s heart.
And there’s design trend to consider, too…
Nowadays, designs with lace on the chest are in fashion. Therefore, most blouses and one-piece gowns have buttons that fasten at the back. Then, there are some parts of the body that are inaccessible. Basically, the costumes here are made to be worn with the help of someone else, so many of them are difficult to wear by yourself.
Thank goodness there’s no crinoline or anything. (*** Crinolines are those stiff structured underskirts that women used to wear. Makes it puff out)
Even though there’s nothing I can do about the soft type of corset, I definitely don’t want to make corsets that look like torture devices a popular style, nor do I want crinolines or other devices that make skirts bulge.
Wasn’t the current fashion leader Princess Alienor?
I just hope she doesn’t come up with something like that.
But if something like that does seem to catch on, I’ll do my best to stop it from catching on to something different.
What kind of person is she? Princess Alienor
She’s His Highness Nigel’s younger sister, and from what I’ve heard, she seems to be very competitive. I can tell by looking at His Highness Al and His Eminence Shion, but perhaps Princess Alienor also has a brother complex.
While I hope they can get along well, there are some difficulties that are unique to women, so I don’t expect too much.
Didn’t His Highness say they got along very well?
In Dardinia, a princess is a princess, even if she’s married.
My mother Efinia also continued to be called by the title of ‘Your Highness’ and ‘Thea’ even after she married, and so did Princess Alienor, who is now the Countess of Diha.
Since Count Diha is one of the titles passed down to the eldest legitimate son of the Duke of Grachie, Princess Alienor will eventually become the Princess of Grachie.
Come to think of it, Lady Ariana was a relative of the Duke of Grachie.
The associations with Princess Alienor reminded me of the princesses who left this rear palace not long ago.
After His Majesty’s death, the rear palace was renewed.
Her Royal Highnesses Yulia and Argenna were both given detached residences in the capital, while the two concubines and the mistresses, who had been assisted by their betrothed, all received their titles and the pensions that went with them.
From then on, as long as they remained in the service of His Majesty, who had died, their titles and pensions would secure their future.
Though it’s not often that a person is renewed so completely and cleanly.
His Royal Highness did not allow any of His Majesty’s servants or those who served under His Majesty’s command to remain in the rear palace.
It is said that in most cases, it was normal for a mother-to-be to remain in the palace, and if Her Royal Majesty had wanted to, she would not have refused, but Her Royal Majesty herself requested to be transferred to the detached palace.
Her Majesty Yulia, whom I met at the end, said only that there were too many memories in the rear palace and left for the detached palace.
Even though my mother isn’t left, how could any other woman remain?
In some other countries, the palace of the previous king is taken over by the next king, but this is not the case in Dardinia. To say that their customs are different from those of Ishtra and Syram is an understatement, and they are not incompatible with each other.
Lilia said it was for my safety, but she didn’t say anything about it.
His Highness told me that he had done a lot of work on the rear palace when he moved me to the palace. I smiled and nodded to him, saying it would be all right, since His Highness had told me that he would be inconvenienced by the temporary residence because of the unfinished renovations.
There are rumors that the renovations were not done for me, but for the people His Highness is going to place in the new palace.
When I came to the palace, I realized that in the closed world of the Imperial Palace, all kinds of rumors were really flying around.
I was not very interested in rumors in the other world, so I didn’t know much about them, and I was happy to ignore them, but that was not the case here.
I have to keep the rear palace in check.
Of course, Lilia and Miredei, Alice and Julia are also very helpful.
But Alice and Julia will leave the palace after the coronation and will be married before the summer, and Lilia is still young in age, even though she’s has decided to become my chief lady-in-waiting, eventually.
Lilia said, with a bit of regret, that His Highness Nigel would probably send an older person whom no one could ever complain about as the Queen’s lady-in-waiting.
I think the candidates were the mother of someone in His Highness Al’s entourage or Phil-Lynn’s mother.
My ears heard the muttering words that I should be ten years older, but if I had been ten years older, I’m sure I wouldn’t have met Lilia, and I don’t know if I would have come to trust her as much as I did.
I hope we can get along just fine.
On the other hand, I thought that His Highness would never send a strange person.
His Highness is very cautious because of his regrets about this and that of the past.
He seems to be very selective about the new handmaidens.
The truth is that we need to add about ten more people to our staff, but there is only one new member, Margo.
Margo is the granddaughter of a magistrate who works for the government, and she has a small estate in a very cold region of the north. Until recently, she had been living in a small village on the estate, but her grandfather, concerned about her future, had sent her to the rear palace through his connections.
Her parents had already died, and the only family she had was her grandfather, who was a legal guardian, and he was worried about what would happen to her after his death.
Well, that worries me.
My grandfather was a legal officer, but his position as a bureaucrat and aristocrat was a one-time thing. The estate has no specialties, and the land is not that rich as it is in the north, and a good marriage is not arranged by using such a small piece of land as a dowry.
Fifteen-year-old Margo said that she aspired to be a lady-in-waiting like Lilia and Miredei. She was happy that she was lucky enough to be working for me.
Lilia also said that from now on there would be more and more aspiring ladies-in-waiting, as well as apprentices
The queen’s lady-in-waiting is what men call a high-ranking bureaucrat, which is why it is a dream come true for any girl who wishes to work.
There are two types of maidservants in the rear palace, the ladies-in-waiting and the apprentice maidservants, as well as the career type who aim advance…It’s two extremes…
“What do you think, Your Highness?”
Miredei turns the mirror over to me to check my hair.
For my first public appearance as the only Princess of His Highness Nigel, I had considered tying it up like an adult woman, but in the end, I decided to braid the sides and let it hang down and adorn it with jewelry pins.
I decided not to wear the twin-tails I had often done in the past because they made me look too young.
“Good.”
“Are you feeling a little twitchy on the side?”
“It’s okay. It doesn’t hurt, and the pins aren’t sticking.”
“It’s good.”
These decorative pins with sparkling crystal work flowers are so wonderful that I’m afraid to ask about the price. Yellow, purple, scarlet, green, blue and silver crystals…The way the little flowers made of various shades of crystal are scattered over my hair is gorgeous.
I’m not yet old enough to wear a tiara, how sad.
It is not considered a noble thing for a pre-adult girl to wear jewelry. Almost the only thing such a girl is allowed to wear at my age is a hairpiece.
I dare not stand too tall.
Everyone dares to treat me as an adult, but it will be the flower crowning ceremony in three months anyway.
I don’t think there’s any need to push myself here.
I know everyone is trying to impress upon Nigel that he has me as a princess, but I think that dressing up in a strange, grown-up way all the time will emphasize my childishness even more.
And I’m prepared, too.
Throughout Dardinia’s history, it has been the practice to have more than one princess.
There have been countless examples of protecting only one princess as a rersult. However, even a king who is said to be a lover, has had concubines.
Only the first Founding King is said to have protected a single woman completely, and the records of that king are not known clear as there are many scattered records.
It must be done…and
I will only do what I can, and I believe His Highness’ intentions in this matter take precedence.
But I wonder if I should ask His Highness how many women he intends to include in the rear palace?
Even I have my own mental preparations to make.
With His Highness Nigel’s accession to the throne, I can’t remain a little princess for long.
Not only is everyone trying to treat me as an adult, but I am also developing a proper awareness of myself.
Because I will be Nigel-sama’s Queen.
The Queen’s primary job is to manage the women of the rear palace.
Her Royal Majesty Yulia did a good job of it. I’m still not as good as her, but I hope I can learn from her.
I don’t want to just be protected.
It is said that in the past there were queens who interfered in politics under the guise of helping out, but that is not what I want to do.
I have something to do, and I want to be of service to His Highness Nigel in the process.
I’m not going to be a queen who’s all about just being adored and protected…loved.
Of course, being loved is important.
“Would you please turn around, Your Highness?
“Yes.”
I spun around, following Lilia’s words about the silhouette since the gown was longer than usual.
The shoes were also made with a little heel. However, since they are thicker heels rather than thin ones, it is unlikely I would lose my balance.
It’s simple, but a little heel makes me feel more mature.
“They look great on you.”
“Thank you.”
I smile at Lilia’s praise.
The daytime gown is a silver base with a layer of translucent white lace.
Every time I move, the lace skirt shows through the silver skirt underneath, and it’s such an elegant outfit.
White is like a bridal gown, and maybe a little mind-blowing.
I’m not going to neglect winning the heart of Nigel-sama.
I know how lucky I am to have someone I love…and how special it is to have them like me.
But I don’t want them to just think I’m cute.
It’s not that I don’t like to be thought of as cute.
It’s just that I don’t like to be thought of as only that.
So I’m no longer going to run away from the Crown Prince, and the duties of a queen because of my youth.
Well, I’m sure there’s still a lot of things I can’t do because I’m too young.
To tell you the truth, of course I don’t want to let let other woman into the palace.
A queen who is only thirteen could probably stop the first few from getting in by crying and being selfish, but using youth as a weapon is a double-edged sword, and this is a move that will eventually become useless, and I think it would be a negative thing if people think I’m a troublesome woman because of it.
Just fulfilling my duties normally.
We take it for granted as a queen.
They need to think that age has nothing to do with it.
For now, I’ll see how well I can do with the chief lady-in-waiting that’s been sent to me.
The one who is currently coordinating the ladies of the rear palace is the former chief lady-in-waiting.
She is an elderly person named Countess Leidsfeld, and she will be taking some time off at the time of His Highness Nigel’s accession to the throne.
Did I mention I’ll be able to move into the official chamber properly after next month’s Founding Festival…?
It’s been a long time since I moved into this room in the palace’s rear wing, but I still can’t get used to the size of this room.
Compared to the Crown Princess’ Palace, each room is much larger.
“The gown you will wear today will be white with lots of jade blue and silver.”
Today, there are several ceremonies at the palace.
So I will be wearing a formal gown.
It’s a special gown made especially for today, and I love it.
“Your Highness, I would like to inform you of our plans for today…After dressing, you will have a light breakfast and then you will participate in the ceremony in the funeral home before attending a luncheon. This lunch will be attended by the four dukes and the next highest noble families. The lunch will be followed by an audience with the four dukes together with His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.”
“I understand.”
“And tonight is to be the night of the evening party, when the nobles will join us in the great hall of the main palace.”
“Is this going to be a ball?”
“Yes…Her Highness doesn’t have to dance with anyone but the Crown Prince. She’s not yet an adult.”
“Is it okay that I am attending before coming of age?”
“Yes. At the request of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.”
“Yes, I understand.”
Official events are suddenly happening all over the place.
“Well then, Your Highness, let’s hurry.”
“What?”
“…We don’t have as much time as usual, but His Royal Highness the Crown Prince would like to join you for breakfast.”
Miredei laughs.
“…Oh no. Have I kept him waiting a lot?”
The plan until yesterday was to have separate breakfasts, so I was a bit flustered.
But I’m happy.
“He told us not to worry about it because it was so sudden.”
I stood up and began to fidget, and everyone looked at me with a smile on their faces.
I’m already used to that kind of gaze, but it was still a little embarrassing.
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