She had always wondered what Princess Lockhart was like, but had no desire to know intimately.
“I told you that this is your last mission, and when you finish, you will leave for the farthest town in the empire.
I'm sure I can find a reasonable small town for you to live in.”
“……Okay, I’ll do it!”
Nicola sighed heavily and straightened her hair and clothes.
Her silver hair and blue eyes resembled those of Princess Lockhart.
She had never met the Duke and Duchess of Lockhart in person, but judging by their personalities, she thought Princess Lockhart was calm.
You're going to eat and get out of here.
After all, she couldn't live in the Empire after what she did to the Lockhart family.
'I'm sorry, mom and dad.'
Nicola looked at the pendant with pictures of her parents on it and made her decision.
The land where her parents were buried was in the empire, but the thought of leaving kept haunting her.
After much deliberation, Nicola entered Lockhart Hall and was overwhelmed with admiration.
The Duke's power was enormous.
Despite her status as Duke Hexagon's subordinate, she had never been near his palace, and this was her first time at the Duke's residence.
“What does Princess Lockhart look like?”
Just then, the voices of many nobles reached Nicholas' ears.
“How many years have it been since His Majesty the Emperor proposed to her, I heard from my cousin Jar Jar that Princess Lockhart’s beauty is…….”
“I heard that too, sir.
It is said that she is like an angel, and that His Majesty has asked for her hand in marriage, but she is in a state where she is unable to do this or that.”
“So the rumors were true after all, huh?
It’s a shame…….”
“From what I heard, the Lockhart family hid the princess on purpose.”
“Yes, but how many noble men have secretly met Princess Lockhart?”
“You mean an affair?”
Nicola remembered what she heard from Duke Hexagon.
Even Duke Hexagon knew nothing about the princess's appearance, except that her hair was silver and her eyes were blue.
It was impossible for what they said to be true.
But Duke Hexagon's questions were similar to theirs.
Whether Princess Lockhart's relationship with the Emperor is good or bad.
Nicola put on a hat and put away the things she had brought from home.
Once this was over, she was going abroad.
Everything had to be thrown away.
“But isn't that Viscountess Fortnum?”
“Yes, she is, but the things she brought with her also… cannot be called expensive.”
It was around this time that Nicola's eyes became fierce at the whispering voices.
“Can I buy these?”
And I heard a soft voice at the same time.
* * *
I grabbed as hard as I could for the herb which resembled wild ginseng.
What kind of windfall is this?
The memory herb was here.
Sweat dripped from my clenched hands.
“How much does it cost?”
“Princess!”
Just then, a knight came running, panting, and surrounded me.
"What?"
“Go, princess, what if you run away before you can come in!”
“I don't like formal interventions like that.”
In fact, I had more important things to do now.
As I was watching from the second floor, I noticed a young lady arriving.
It was Viscountess Fortnum, Emma told me.
She attacked her as soon as she noticed the memory herb in her things.
Fortunately, the people around me didn't seem to realize its value.
“Sell it to me.”
But the face of this terrified woman, where have I seen it before?
Where did you meet her?
I wondered if Viscountess Fortnum knew me, and she seemed surprised.
“Have we met somewhere before?”
"…… no!"
The woman's voice was incredibly low-pitched.
She was bent over like she had a cold, and I knew it was best not to get too close to her.
Just then, there was a sudden noise around me.
“Is Princess Lockhart here?”
All the chatter was directed towards me, and I realized that there were a lot of people around.
Oh, right.
I was in the middle of the hall.
I looked around for a moment, then the knights gave the signal and the horns honked in unison.
“Princess Enya Lockhart is on duty!”
I bowed at the call.
All eyes in the banquet hall turned to me.
“Who started that ridiculous rumor...”
“His Excellency the Duke of Lockhart and the Duchess are both beautiful, so it is impossible that their daughter is not.”
“Hmm”
The whispering voices were very audible in my ears.
I realized immediately.
Today it wasn't about showing my face to the public but how they would look at me.
The rumors about me seemed to extend far and wide.
"You are very beautiful."
“I think the only reason she appeared was to formalize her marriage to the Emperor.
She must be getting married soon.”
Misunderstanding increased.
“Since the Princess is organizing this bazaar on behalf of the Duchess, she must have brought something great.”
I rubbed my forehead, a headache forming in my head from the growing misunderstanding.
The only item I decided to donate to this charity event was a teddy bear.
“Eh, Your Majesty?
No, His Majesty only gave the princess flowers.”
Emma laughed and said that it was not the Emperor who gave the jewels, but my keen sense told me.
He was the emperor.
If I sold something he gave me, I would be in trouble.
“How dare you say that you sold my gift.
You will die now!”
……This end may be waiting for me.
Death to me if I'm lucky, and death to my entire family if I'm unlucky.
So I brought the safest thing I could find: a teddy bear.
It was an ornate teddy bear with jeweled eyes and nose.
Emma thought it looked good.
'Anyway, today I learned a terrible truth.'
The Emperor had not only given me flowers.
I had no idea he gifted me a bunch of expensive accessories.
When I realized how serious he was about marrying me, I realized that my escape was a rebellion of epic proportions.
'In that sense, this bear is safe because it looks like something I used to play with as a child.'
The pink bear's eyes were encrusted with sapphires and his nose was made of rubies.
The ribbon around his neck had ten small diamonds in the middle, making it a very valuable ornament.
This was certainly a luxury worthy of the hostess of this bazaar.
“His Majesty the Emperor would not only have asked the princess to marry him, I am sure he would have given her something of great value besides that.”
"assume?"
It is time to end the misunderstanding.
“I'm sorry I can't satisfy your curiosity, but-”
Just as I was about to open my mouth and begin the ceremony in earnest, the trumpet suddenly sounded again.
“?!”
What's that sound when there's no one to make a grand entrance like me?
"from……."
My jaw dropped open as I looked at the door.
Shiny gold flag.
Gold threads and gold cloth symbol of the imperial family.
“His Majesty the Emperor is here!”