EMW 25

"Ah, no, Lady!"

The moment Cherryna grabbed my wrist, another maid came looking for me. Cherryna quickly let go of my wrist and hid her hand behind her back. The maid glanced at Cherryna strangely and bowed her head to me.

"Your Highness, a message has arrived from Duke Roger's residence."

"Uung?"

"Ah. I'll explain it in an easy-to-understand way. Young Master Rodrick and Lady Ria have invited Your Highness. They said to come over and play. Will you go?"

"Am I going to play alone?"

"Yes. You have to go alone. Ah, Your Highness, the Crown Prince, your husband, is unable to attend due to his schedule."

"Okay! I'll go play with Rodrick and Ria."

I felt like I could finally breathe. I was going to a place without Spelman's spies and without Cerden. There, no one would be watching me.

Of course, Duke and Duchess Roger would be there, but they seemed like such nice people that they wouldn't suspect me. And harmless children like Rodrick and Ria wouldn't threaten or suspect me either. Right now, it felt like that place would be more comfortable than here.

And Cherryna and Rosie were being annoying anyway.

"We'll go too...!"

"No way. We're not friends anymore!"

I shook off Cherryna and Rosie.

"I'm going alone!"

And so, for the first time since getting married, I was going out alone. To the house with the 6-year-old brother and the 3-year-old best friend.

I never imagined those kids would be such a comfort. My heart kept easing. At an unexpected moment.

* * *

Ria shook Duchess Roger's skirt, her eyes sparkling. Ria moved her small lips and said,

"Really, really? Is Evelyn really coming to play?"

"Do you like Evelyn?"

"Uung."

Ria twisted her body.

"Evelyn has lots of toys! Evelyn has, uh. Um, Evelyn has a piggyback ride for Ria too! And, this is a secret. Evelyn is pretty. She's as pretty as my doll!"

"Aha."

Duchess Roger swallowed a laugh. I wonder who she takes after, being so crazy about pretty things. Duchess Roger, realizing the true nature of Ria's endless favor, said,

"Then you shouldn't bother her, okay? You have to share your toys too. And share your food."

She was worried that Ria, who had grown up being loved as the youngest, might grow up to be an unyielding child. Ria nodded vigorously.

"Uung!"

And that promise was broken not long after.

"T, this is Ria's!"

Ria had never shared her things with anyone before. Ria stared at Evelyn with a shocked expression without realizing it.

Tears welled up in her round eyes.

"T, this is Ria's doll!"

"Really? Then Ria can have it. I'll do this."

Evelyn readily gave in, not wanting to feel pathetic fighting with a child. In fact, she wasn't even old enough to be interested in these dolls and toys.

"T, this is Ria's too!"

"Ria!"

Duchess Roger scolded her. Watching Ria being dragged away to the thinking room while sobbing, Evelyn clicked her tongue inwardly.

'Ha, I feel pathetic.'

Making a child cry over a toy. Still, it was more comfortable than being in the Imperial Palace. Evelyn was fiddling with a toy when Rodrick said maturely,

"Ria is usually stubborn. I'm sorry, Evelyn. I'll apologize for her."

"No. Evelyn isn't upset at all. I feel bad for Ria. I'm the one bringing my toys."

If she had gifted that big dollhouse in the Imperial Palace, it might have been a good thing for both Ria and Evelyn. For some reason, that dollhouse in the Imperial Palace kept lingering in her mind.

Rodrick reached out his hand to Evelyn like an adult.

"I'll play with you. I'll lend you my toys too. I don't have dolls like Ria, but I have a horse to ride."

"Really?"

Rodrick nodded. It seemed better to follow Rodrick than to wrestle with Ria. As we moved, the maids followed us closely.

Rodrick's playroom wasn't far from Ria's playroom.

The 6-year-old brother opened his playroom.

And Rodrick led me to the rocking horse. He stopped me in front of the rocking horse, which seemed to be custom-made for Rodrick to ride, and said,

"His name is Sebi. My grandfather bought him for me. If it's Evelyn, I can let you ride Sebi once."

"Uung?"

Wait a minute.

"Hurry. This is how you ride. I ride Sebi when Ria makes me upset."

Rodrick, who had kindly demonstrated, patted the rocking horse's back.

No, really, I'm okay?

"Evelyn, hurry up and ride."

Am I a rocking horse Yata tribe?

I really wanted to refuse, but at some point, I was being led by Rodrick's hand and riding the rocking horse in a crouched position.

"Is it fun?"

"Uung! It's fun!"

Creak, creeeaaak.

The rocking horse made a scary noise. Sebi doesn't seem to be having fun, brother... Can I get off?

Still, the time with Rodrick and Ria was quite refreshing. In the process, I almost broke the rocking horse, and there were fights with Ria, but when I was with them, I didn't have to worry about anything else.

Just that made it easier to breathe. Spelman's ghost retreated from me. At the end of the long day, only I was left.

Only Rosie.

Someone who can't be forcibly controlled by anyone... Myself.

* * *

And the next day.

Cherryna and Rosie handed me a cookie tin with triumphant expressions.

"Uung?"

"Take this with you. Do you remember what Father said? You have to get close to the Empress and Lady. You've met Lady Veronica a few times, and the Empress. Do you know who she is?"

Here comes the pressure. They're in trouble too, huh.

Meeting Veronica was no big deal, but meeting the Empress without raising any suspicion was another matter.

"Lady Veronica's mother, Your Highness. You have to see her too. Do you understand what I mean?"

"Why?"

"Because Father wants it. Surely, you don't want Father to come again, do you?"

Such petty threats. They were bystanders. Evelyn had no true friends or family. I was prepared for it, but experiencing it firsthand was different.

Even after seeing that, you want to threaten me with Duke Spelman?

I held back my anger and shouted.

"I don't want that!"

"See?"

Cherryna handed me the cookie tin. It was 1.5 times bigger than the one I took when I went to see Veronica before.

Ah, when am I going to eat all this?

The road to the Empress's palace was long and near. In fact, the Empress was a fragile person and wouldn't say a word even if I went without contacting her.

Because I'm Spelman's daughter.

Still, is it okay to just visit like this? Ha, geez. Respect for elders is out the window.

When I arrived at the Empress's palace, Veronica was there for some reason. It seemed like Veronica was also on her way to see the Empress.

Or maybe Cherryna and Rosie already knew. The fact that Veronica was going to see the Empress. How amazing.

While being so close to me, how did they get that information? No, maybe Duke Spelman's influence has already reached the entire Imperial Palace.

Thinking that way, I got goosebumps. But I suppressed those thoughts and waved my hand at Veronica.

"Ver!"

"Oh my, Evelyn! What brings you here?"

"I got scolded by my dad. For not saying hello."

I muttered sullenly. At my words, Ver made a face like she was holding back a laugh.

"So you came to say hello?"

"Uung."

I nodded. Veronica was a companion on the way to the Empress. And soon after, we arrived at the Empress's palace.

The Empress was a beauty with a slightly different vibe than Veronica and Cerden. It's not that the two don't look alike, but while Cerden has a sharp atmosphere, Veronica has a kind impression thanks to her round eyes.

In reality, Cerden has a much sharper personality.

The Empress looked exactly like Veronica. A complete puppy-like beauty. I could see why she was the mother of the two.

"Mother, this is Evelyn. And this is my mother. Evelyn is someone who wanted to say hello. Do you know who she is? You couldn't even properly greet her at the wedding."

That's right. Evelyn was just dragged around like a doll. Under Spelman's thorough control.

Scenes that remained sparsely in my memory came to mind. Augustine was attached like a gatekeeper, and Evelyn was cowering and nodding like a doll.

So the Empress is practically a stranger.

Veronica asked kindly. I nodded my head greatly.

"Uung. She looks like Ver! She looks like my husband too! Hello!"

At my energetic greeting, the Empress smiled faintly.

"Thank you for coming to visit, Evelyn. I wanted to meet you anyway."