“Dale is a good cook.”
“But why are you so thin?
Miss, it really bothers me when you're like that.”
Emma pursed her lips and fed me more cake.
“What is this anyway?”
Emma asked as she picked up a sheet of paper that was lying on the bed.
The paper was covered in marks of writing, erasing, and rewriting, and it was a letter.
“Miss, who are you writing to?”
"Dale.
I was supposed to write him when I got home."
“Oh…….your husband must be worried, because he hasn’t heard from you.”
“Shh, don’t tell my husband here too.
Dad might kill him if he finds out, you know.”
Emma shook her head pityingly.
“Isn't that why I advised you to start a family?”
“Are you sure this is advice?”
"But it is the strongest solution, isn't it?
The young lady will not marry the Emperor, and the handsome man will not leave her.
Two birds with one stone, isn't it?"
“Just calm down, Emma.”
I cut Emma's nonsense and got back to writing.
“Can you pass this message to Dale for me?”
"certainly."
Emma grinned and put the letter in her pocket.
“By the way, Princess, why did you suddenly decide to return to the main house?
What was the reason for your change of mind?”
“There's something I want to find.”
“Something you want to find?”
I looked at Emma in surprise.
"You know, Emma.
I brought you back to my house when you were a baby, didn't I?"
“Yes.
It was you who saved me, Miss Enya, and I will never forget that day.”
Emma looked at me with a smile.
“So do you remember anything else?”
“Any memories?”
“You have been with us in my house since I was a little girl.”
Emma was the maid who brought her in.
Emma had been drugged as a test subject for the Hexagon and was dying.
Fortunately, we were able to afford to treat her at our home and nurse her back to health.
Since then, she has pledged loyalty to our family and we have given her a new name, Emma.
It took her a while to shake off the Hexagon's trace, but now she was completely free.
“When I was younger……, I was a new maid, newly trained, and because of where I came from, I wasn’t allowed near you.”
“…….”
Emma's eyes narrowed as if she remembered something.
“I remembered you were sick before.”
"I?"
"Yes.
“I remember when I came here and passed all these tests, there were a lot of drugs in the lab, and I remember seeing some coming up to you every hour.”
I didn't remember that.
“Could this have anything to do with what you're looking for?”
“It is possible.”
If I was taking pills every hour, I must have been very sick, and I didn't remember it.
If I'd been sick since I brought Emma home, I had no idea, even though I was old enough to remember.
“Then why don't you try the memory herb, miss?”
“Memory herb?
What is this?"
“It is a poisonous herb used to torture confessions, but if you ingest a small amount it can be used as medicine.”
“Is there such a medicine?”
"I know it's supposed to be good for memory.
It was used to treat dementia."
“Is it in our greenhouse?”
“Ah, no.
The Memory Grass used to be rare, but I think it's almost extinct now, and I heard it's one of the few rare examples that doesn't exist in our family.”
“Do you know any way to get some?”
“Maybe, from what I know…….”
“I might have this family.”
* * *
“I can't believe she found out about the birthday gift before it was given, you chose a poor way to give it.
I can't help it, since you already gave it, but you still have to give it on the day.
But I'm not sure there is a gift that would have a greater impact, which is why that gift makes sense…….”
“…….”
Dale's complexion turned dark at the sound of Assistant Getty's muttering.
The panicked assistant hurriedly covered his mouth.
“Shut up, Jetty!”
“What?
“Don't worry.
Your Majesty.
The book was not an appropriate gift to give in the first place.
Everyone will think so.”
The other assistants nodded in agreement.
But Dale's expression remained frozen as he stared at his papers.
“……Ah, there is still time!
"I'm sure there are other gifts that the princess would like to receive."
“But don't try everything, buddy!”
The assistant grumbled and dragged Getty out the door.
With Getty's noisy departure, a stifling silence fell in the room.
The Emperor's anger was slowly rising, and his body began to tremble like an aspen tree.
The terrifying truth had overshadowed his joy at the news of Princess Lockhart's return to her family.
'The wedding at last!'
His aides' expectations were disappointed, but nothing happened.
Perhaps the reason was the lack of time with the princess, or perhaps the Emperor's condition had worsened, and he was dying from exhaustion.
Zeta Team Leader Suhu pondered the matter, then remembered.
“It was a wonderful gift this year because it was delivered directly to the Princess from the Princess’s husband.”
“…….”
Dale shuddered slightly at the emphasis on the word.
His grip on the pen grew tighter, and he raised his head to look at Suho.
His eyes were cold, but he seemed willing to listen.
Suhu did not miss the emperor's flattery.
“Your Majesty, may I bring you another gift for this occasion?”
For years, Dale sent gifts for Enya's birthday every year.
In addition to flowers, he would collect necklaces, dresses, earrings, shoes, watches, brooches, and all kinds of other expensive things to give her with his heart overflowing with love.
For some reason, Enya seems to think he only gave her flowers, but she doesn't need to know that.
However, for Dale, the celebration of Enya's birth was the greatest joy and festival of the year.
Like a child looking forward to opening a present, Enya's birthday was a special day to look forward to.
It was not known whether Enya was pleased or displeased with the gift except from the Duke's words, but it was said that she liked it.
Perhaps the Duke of Lockhart was right not to disclose the sender of the gift that came with the flowers.
If he had told her it was from him, she would never have worn it.
The hat Enya was wearing when they first met in Grunwald was a gift from him on her sixteenth birthday.
He felt like his heart would explode at the thought of this unexpected gesture.
It's been a long time since Enya meant so much to Dale.
A childhood relationship that Enya does not remember.
“Of course, as Emperor, I must make the preparations, and as usual, I must deliver it privately through the Duke.”
Dale's response made Suho stop to think.
“With all due respect, Your Majesty.
May I offer my opinion?”
With Dale's permission, he opened his mouth.
“I don't think the Lord will let Princess Lockhart go easily now that she's back in the family.”
“I understand”
Dale had guessed.
Enya said she would return as soon as possible, but it would be a long trip.