A night passed, illuminated by the subtle moonlight, giving way to a clear sky. Under the unusually bright sun today, I wore my unchanging smile.
“You didn’t have to personally see me off, Your Highness… thank you.”
“It’s only right since I brought the guest. Don’t worry about it.”
Viviana said with crossed arms. I bowed my head and smiled in appreciation of her kindness.
This is the main gate of the Merdellia Mansion. The beautifully manicured garden adorned the surroundings like a living breathing piece of art.
After finishing a luxurious breakfast, when I mentioned I would return home, Viviana came out to see me off herself.
“This was truly a precious memory. I’m going to brag about it when I get home!”
“…Right.”
For some reason, there was a peculiar look on Viviana’s face. Despite not showing any flattery as she advised me last night, I couldn’t tell what had displeased her.
Well, I didn’t particularly want to dwell on it.
“Then I’ll be going, Your Highness. I hope to see you again when fate allows.”
Viviana furrowed one eyebrow dramatically. Did she not like my words? While I felt perplexed by her unexpected expression, she crossed her arms and spoke in a blunt tone.
“I’ll send you a letter regarding the suggestion I mentioned before, so wait for it.”
“Ah.”
She had suggested that I provide information that would be helpful to the Merdellia family in exchange for protection from Mardian, who was becoming increasingly aggressive.
“Yes. I’ll be waiting.”
I smiled at Viviana. But her furrowed brows showed no sign of easing. Could it be that even the smile I wore felt insincere to her?
However, contrary to my expectations, Viviana stared at me intently and muttered softly.
“Are you feeling bad about what happened yesterday?”
“Excuse me?”
“…No.”
Her response was rather bland. But not wanting to press for an answer, I offered her a polite farewell and stepped onto the carriage’s stairs.
‘This carriage is about the size of a house…’
The carriage bestowed upon me by Viviana looked several times larger than an ordinary carriage. At the center, two crossed swords emblazoned the emblem of the Merdellia family, adding to its grandeur.
“Then, I wish you well, Princess Merdellia.”
“…Wishing you well.”
As I received Viviana’s somewhat ambiguous farewell, I climbed into the carriage.
Now it was time to return home.
I longed to see my mother again.
*
Finally arrived at home.
I opened the carriage door.
It wasn’t as flashy as the Merdellia mansion, and looked somewhat modest, but the cozy and comfortable mansion welcomed me.
“Tina!”
As soon as I got off the carriage, I heard her familiar voice. Her neat voice, tinged with concern, naturally spread a smile across my face.
“I’m back, Mother.”
With a bright smile, I dashed towards my mother. Even though I told her she didn’t have to wait, I really wondered how long she had been waiting right at the front gate.
As I jumped into my mother’s arms, she naturally embraced me tightly. With my face buried in her ample bosom, I felt like I was finally home.
“You suddenly decided to stay a day at the Merdellia mansion… do you know how surprised I was?”
“Hehe… I happened to become friends with the princess at the banquet. I’m sorry for worrying you, Mother.”
“You really are…”
Artaasha looked at me with complicated eyes for a while. Eventually, she sighed softly and gently stroked my head. Enjoying her tender touch, the fatigue from last night began to fade away.
“Mother, have you eaten?”
“I… haven’t eaten yet. Let’s eat together.”
Artaasha hesitated for just a moment. It was a brief hesitation, but I could tell she had already eaten. But perhaps she lied because she wanted to have a meal with me, even having eaten to her fill.
‘…What a foolish person.’
But that’s why I like her.
Even if the love she holds is not directed towards ‘me.’
I can be satisfied with this.
After cuddling in my mother’s embrace for a while, I soon met her blue eyes that resembled mine, breaking into a bright smile.
“Mother, if you’re okay with it… would you like to have that picnic we talked about earlier?”
“A, picnic? Right now?”
My mother’s eyes widened in surprise. Perhaps there was something on her mind, causing her to hesitate in responding.
“Ah… are you busy today? If so, we can go another time.”
But at my words, my mother quickly shook her head, a mature smile spreading across her face as she replied without delay.
“Oh no, that’s not it. I just happened to be a bit free today, so it’s perfect. Change into comfortable clothes and come out.”
Her hurried retreat into the mansion looked slightly different from her usual graceful demeanor.
*
In a garden near the Blanc family.
The lush garden filled with various colorful flowers was more than enough for a picnic. The fresh scent of flowers saturated the air, as the blossoms shone brightly in the sunlight. Under the shade of the trees, green grapes and lilacs mingled and blocked the light.
“Ah~ come on, Mother.”
At my request, my mother reluctantly opened her pursed lips. When I inserted the fork laden with pie, she chewed with her white cheeks puffed.
I handed the fork back to my mother and opened my mouth. She stared at me blankly for a moment before smiling and placing a piece of pie into my mouth.
Cool breeze, fragrant grass, sweet food, and the person I love the most in the world. A picnic spent with my mother was always a wonderful time.
“Tina, I have some good news.”
“Good news?”
Tilting my head in confusion, my mother cleared her throat a few times, then continued with a proud look in her eyes.
“Just yesterday, we completely paid off the debt to the Mirolians. There are still a few families left that owe us, but it seems we’ve extinguished the most urgent flames.”
“What?! Really?!”
“Yes. I think we might be able to repay our debts within approximately five years.”
I blinked in surprise at the unexpected good news. I had seen the amount owed to the Mirolians once before. I clearly remembered it being quite a sum.
She truly was a remarkable person.
In a family that was falling apart, leaving behind nothing but debt, she was repaying it with her own strength. The difficult task of earning money from scratch was something I, an ordinary person, couldn’t dare to evaluate.
“So I hope you won’t worry about debt, Tina. I want you to grow up bright, doing what you want.”
My mother’s cold hand on my cheek was a stark contrast to the warmth in her heart. My heart fluttered as I mumbled with my head bowed.
Tina, you are truly foolish.
With such a mother.
Running away is all you can do.
If Artaasha were my mother, Tina, if only I were Artaasha’s child…
“Tina?”
I lifted my head at the worried sound of my mother’s voice. She appeared calm on the outside, but her warm gaze was directed at me. I hugged her wordlessly.
“You’ve really worked hard… I’m sorry I couldn’t be of any help.”
While selling off all the jewels I received from the young ladies would certainly be a great help, doing so without repercussions would likely take around five years. Of course, there were illegal methods of selling, but then getting even half of their worth would be a struggle.
“What are you talking about, Tina? Just by being here, you are a great strength to me.”
“But…”
“Tina, what do you want to do in the future?”
“The future?”
“You too will eventually leave my side one day. Until then, I hope you find the things you want to do.”
At her unexpected words, I blinked in surprise. Instinctively, I tightened my grip around my mother’s waist. With a slightly sulky mood, I looked up at her.
“Where would I go? I will live with you for my whole life.”
“Tina, shouldn’t you live your own life? The world is vast. Surely, there will be things that bring you joy.”
My mother paused, her mouth opening and closing as she hesitated, finally closing her eyes tightly before continuing.
“You should think about marriage too. One day, a partner that will make your life happy might appear.”
“…Marriage?”
Marriage, huh.
A word I had never thought about even once.
And one I wouldn’t think about in the future.
“You may think it’s early now, but soon enough you’ll be at the marrying age.”
“No, I won’t get married. I intend to live my whole life with you; why are you saying such things?”
Perhaps my mind wavered at the word ‘marriage,’ as a sharper tone escaped my lips than usual. Yet, my mother only gently stroked my hair in response.
“Tina, I’m not forcing you to marry. I don’t intend to tie you down with marriage.”
“Then why say such things…”
“Being able to share your life with someone you love is a very happy thing. I hope that when you find someone you love, you can make the choice that brings you happiness.”
“Then I’ll marry you, Mother.”
At my unwavering answer, this time, my mother blinked in surprise. I clung tightly to her, looking up with tear-filled eyes.
“I only need to be beside you. Then we can get married, right…?”
“W-Well, but…”
My mother’s eyes trembled like a quaking leaf. Her earlobes seemed to turn slightly red as well. She averted her gaze from me and murmured softly.
“But you know, Tina, incest is strictly prohibited in the temple. There’s nothing I can do about that.”
“….”
An unexpected answer. I thought she would scold me for saying it wasn’t right, but for some reason, my mother was seriously contemplating my words.
“…Hehe.”
My sudden outburst of laughter chased away the heavy emotions I had been feeling.
“Ha ha!”
Honestly.
What a foolish person who can’t even take a joke.
And that’s what makes me happy.
