“What are you doing with the cufflinks, Princess?”
Lilia is remarkable, as expected.
She noticed it as soon as I came back to my room.
It makes sense give your belongings to someone.
It is said that the closer you are to the item, the more intimate it is with its owner.
Cufflinks are pretty darn intimate, right?
Some items have special meaning.
For women, the most special item is a handkerchief. In the case of men, their beloved articles with their own crests, and in the case of warriors, weapons such as swords and daggers, are given special meaning.
However, ornaments such as cufflinks, rings, necklaces and other accessories, which are familiar to both men and women, would not have had the same special meaning as a handkerchief, although they were meant to show intimacy.
If I had to ask, could it have been an insect repellent*?…Nope, I don’t need insect repellent. It’s not like I haver any ‘insects’ near me. (*** Repellant to keep the opposite sex away. ‘Insects’ in this case, are ‘other guys.’)
I’m sure His Highness Nigel has a mountain of ‘insects’ around him, but I don’t think I have any of them. If there were, it would be for my status and the status and property associated with it, not for my own sake.
Rather, I think it’s His Highness Nigel who needs an insect repellent.
Should I use the maiden’s trump card, the handkerchief? I thought, but then I reminded myself that it’s not so.
A handkerchief is only the heart. It is not something that can be flaunted as an insect repellent.
I heard that there are some men who tie the handkerchiefs they receive to the hilt of their swords as their medals…
Nigel-sama is not one of those people.
And I feel like it’s too late to give him something to show intimacy.
We are husband and wife, no matter how disproportionate in age.
I don’t see the need to reiterate our intimacy, and to begin with, there was no other option for me other than His Highness in the first place.
“His Highness put it on me as a good luck charm…What would an amethyst be a good luck charm for?
They’re so obsessed with this stuff! In this country, each thing we wear has a meaning as if wanting to make me unsure of what to wear.
The ‘length’ of a cloak and gloves is also determined by the status, and for girls, the skirt length of a dress is also determined by the approximate age.
Little children’s are knee-length, girls’ are about half the length of the floor from the knees after they have just finished the corolla ceremony…The calves are covered before and after the debutante, and the ankles are hidden after that.
It’s not a good idea to show off your legs without permission, so there is no such thing as a mini-skirt here.
In addition, “color” also has a meaning.
As we can see from the fact that there are certain colors that are forbidden to be used except by a person, the meaning of color is important.
In the same way, the word ‘jewelry’ has various meanings.
“I don’t think that’s what it means.”
Lilia urged me to sit down in front of the mirror stand.
“Then what does it mean?”
Today is a day with a well-scheduled day.
I suppose you could say it’s the day I make my debut in official duties as the Crown Princess in earnest.
So everyone has been very busy since this morning.
It may be a pity that I am the only one taking it easy, but I dare to take it easy as I feel that everyone will be in a hurry if I also take it easy.
“…Those cufflinks are the favorite of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.”
“Yes.”
I’ve seen him using these many times as well. I mean, unless the color doesn’t match up too well, he’d probably use these cufflinks all the time.
“I believe that your favorite item is a symbol of its owner…In other words, it is the claim from His Royal Highness the Crown Prince that he cares enough about the princess to let her wear his cherished things.”
“Who is he claiming to?…Maybe it’s against those who think my position has been shaken by His Majesty’s death?”
I wipe the pale beige pink on my lips with a thin cloth.
There is no such thing as tissue paper here. Instead, they use a thin gauze-like cloth.
It is probably reused somewhere, but I use it as a disposable cloth. I think it’s a waste, but at the same time I feel it’s natural.
“Of course there will be that, but I think it’s even more fundamental*** than that.” ( ***the Japanese term used for fundamental was “konpon-tekina” which can mean “basic,” “fundamental,” “the root,” “source,” etc.)
“Fundamental?”
“Yes.”
Lilia nodded confidently.
“Well, I’m not sure.”
Miredei warned me not to move when I tilted my head.
I don’t have time to change my clothes, but I have to change my hair somewhat.
Then the gloves and fan are also changed from white to light blue.
This light blue is Elzevert’s color.
“I would like to reiterate that those cufflinks are the known property of the Crown Prince for all the noblemen who frequent the royal court…I have no doubt that anyone of sufficient standing to attend today’s luncheon would understand the intentions of His Highness.”
“Intentions?”
“…I understood it as His Royal Highness the Crown Prince’s way of saying to consider Her Highness as himself, the Crown Prince. It could be interpreted in various ways, but I think it’s the best good luck amulet of all.”
Lilia smiles happily, saying that she can tell at a glance who the Crown Prince has in mind.
In the mirror, the make-up goes on again.
After my face is wiped with a hot towel, she again prepares my skin with lotion and oil.
I don’t use make-up. I don’t need to use make-up, but my skin is still smooth and moist.
I don’t have mascara or false eyelashes, but I already have eyeliner and eyeshadow.
The cosmetics are very diverse. They’re in pretty jars that make my heart sing just by looking at them, and the top of the mirror stand is like a parade of colors.
“Is it really such an exaggerated meaning?”
“…Your Highness, it’s his favorite item that he uses almost every day. And he gave it to Your Highness.”
“But you see, Lilia, His Highness has a tendency to be more troublesome than expected. I’m sure he doesn’t really care too much about what he wears. I think the reason why he uses it almost every day is because it would be a hassle to choose the right ones.”
Ameethyst is a good match for Nigel-sama’s forbidden color as well.
It’s a simple design, and it must be a favorite.
But I wonder if it really has as deep a meaning as Lilia thinks it does…
Yeah…It’s not the fact that Nadir thinks so, but what the person who sees it thinks.
Perhaps it is Nigel-sama’s purpose to induce thoughts to think like Lilia.
And it’s definitely for my benefit.
“I believe that only Her Highness would comment on the Crown Prince in that way.”
“…Yes, I think so too.”
I think that with a little bit of pride.
That the range I can step into is broader than that of other people.
And I’ve been allowed a little bit of heart.
That’s my slight advantage now.
It’s such a small thing, though, that the age difference would make it all go away.
In truth, my biggest advantage is that I am officially the only wife, but this is rather a double-edged sword, so I don’t want to imitate it as if I were wielding it.
“Hey, Lilia.”
“Yes.”
I only wear a very light amount of makeup. It’s partly due to my age and partly due to the fact that I don’t really need to wear any make-up to be good enough.
I put in eyeliner and a smidgen of color to go over my eyes, which I hadn’t done anything with.
“…Be honest with me.”
“Yes.”
“…Is there anyone around me who has aspirations to become a concubine?”
It’s a bit of a roundabout way of asking, but I think this is as close as I’m allowed to get.
Because I am the Crown Princess.
I must maintain my dignity as the crown prince.
But I’m still concerned about what’s on my mind.
There’s also the cushion incident…
“…I’m aware that there are a number of people among those who were appointed to the Court at the time of the Crown Prince’s move for that purpose.”
“I see.”
“Would you like me to remove them?”
Lilia asks with a straight face.
If I nod here, I don’t know what kind of measures it will take, but Lilia would do something about it.
It would be a bit of a problem if it was done using disturbing means.
That’s not why I’m asking Lilia to stay by my side.
“No. You don’t have to do anything.”
There’d be no end to it.
Here’s the thing, eliminating the personnel being sent in this time will only bring in new ones.
In that case, it’s better just to know…
It’s easier to deal with them up close because it’s easier to understand the line between who and what kind of people they are.
“But, Your Highness…”
“I hope Nigel-sama doesn’t choose one of those blatantly obvious ones as his partner, but I don’t know what he likes, do I?”
“…I don’t think he’d do that at all. Probably.”
“Then, I’ll go the extra mile and leave it as it is. In the meantime, I need you to tell me who is and who isn’t.”
“…Understood.”
I added to Lilia’s distressed expression.
“Lilia, I think there will be more of these things in the future. I can’t rule out every single one of them…I just want to know that there are such people like that. If I know, I’ll be able to deal with it if it happens.
“What do you mean, “if”?”
“…For example, if Nigel-sama suddenly said he wanted someone else to be on his side, I would definitely be upset, and maybe even scream and cry.”
“I can’t imagine the princess crying and screaming.”
“I wouldn’t like it. Well, I’ve been known to cry and scream too…So if he’s found a woman he likes, don’t hide it, just tell me…I will prepare my heart?”
“Are you prepared?”
“Yes.”
Margo showed me a beautiful color palette that looked like flowers blooming and I chose a pale rose pink lipstick.
I wonder what it’s like to wear make-up at my age, but dressing up is like a woman’s mandatory battle preparation.
I’m not sure how confident I am, but at that time I’ll fight a woman’s battle, I’ll do my best!
At this time I was completely unaware that Lilia had misunderstood me.
Lilia had thought that I was ready to accept the woman of Nigel-sama’s choice as his queen, but I was thinking quite the opposite.
Even if I wasn’t good at it, it was necessary.
I was determined to take it head-on.
I didn’t have a choice.
I’m only a thirteen-year-old girl and I can’t fulfill my duties.
If someone says that such a person is necessary, I have no choice but to admit it.
Well, as expected, you wouldn’t ask a thirteen-year-old queen to admit her mistress, so maybe he’d be a little more considerate.
And I have the memory of a woman who lived for thirty-three years, not just a thirteen-year-old girl. That memory won’t allow me to cry myself to sleep.
Because there’s no way I’m going to run away before I start.
Besides, leading the rear palace as Nigel-sama’s princess means that I couldn’t distract or leave the women’s issues behind.
I would have liked to have been at least five more years older, but that was asking for something impossible.
I’m just going to have to figure something out now.
I told myself that in my mind.
Suddenly, I noticed that the maidservants were nodding their heads with some kind of knowing look on their faces.
Somehow, by the time I noticed, the perception had already been fixed among everyone that I had made a very healthy determination to endure.
And there was no way for me to clear up that misconception.
Well, there doesn’t seem to be a problem, so let’s just leave it at that.
If I’m going to be a little sly, it could be that it was more convenient for me.
“Speaking of which, Lilia, perhaps in another thirty minutes, His Highness will come to pick me up.”
The plan was to meet him in the antechamber, but His Highness Nigel had said at breakfast earlier that he would personally pick me up.
“…come all the way here?”
“Yes.”
Lilia gave me her usual warm expression, muttering quietly that His Highness might be surprisingly possessive.
I smiled at the mirror, still not understanding what she meant.
Good.
Gently, I grasped the fan.
Somehow, I thought I might be able to understand how an apprentice knight feels as he heads to the battlefield for the first time.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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