It has finally happened.
I didn’t think it was really coming, though.
Hanging my head endlessly, I quietly swallowed my spit.
Now, at close range, in front of me was my fiancé before I died.
At the same time, the person who took that fiancé was also there.
And the atmosphere is nasty.
“I see you’re with a new man today. You’ve got a big heart, don’t you, Tia?”
Ah, what a nostalgic voice.
Although it had been browned by wine, it was the voice of Prince Gray, now King Gray, Rosemary’s fiancé.
“I am sure that you are the one who is going to take a new wife. Is there something wrong with you that no matter how hard you try, you can’t have children?”
I’m sure she had a prettier voice back then.
Tia’s voice, which should have been that of a protected and lovely young lady, contained a huge amount of resentment.
She says that but in fact, the king, who had many wives, was not blessed with children, and his only legitimate son was Prince Risel, who was born to Tia.
Scary rumors are circulating in the royal court that the queen has made it impossible for children to be born to his concubines.
The few maidens, including myself, had no choice but to bow our heads and wait for the end of this unpleasant marital conflict.
“I was surprised. They really don’t get along.”
After the storm passed, Niki spoke up as if she had no idea what she had just said, so I hurriedly covered her mouth with my hand.
“No, Niki. You don’t know who’s listening.”
I advised Niki, who responded with a fugafugu, then took my hand away.
(TN: I think it’s muffled)
“That’s true. But it’s a pity. I adored …….”
The great romance between the Crown Prince and Tia, who was so admired that it became a picture book.
The two, who are attracted to each other, overcame difficulties and were united after condemning the wicked Rosemary.
As I recall, there was a picture book of such a story circulating for a while, with slightly different names and settings.
“I can’t dream of love anymore.”
Since you already have a lover, wouldn’t it hurt him if you dream about love? I thought about it but kept my mouth shut.
“Don’t you agree, Marie?”
“I don’t …”
“Yeah! Marie is very popular, you know. People ask me why you don’t have a lover.”
At the sound of Niki’s frustration, I could only return a wry smile.
Niki and I were not the only women who had been summoned this time, who had renounced their implicit position as the crown prince’s fiancée.
Each of these women was looking for a marriage partner of their own class.
There are many well-positioned bachelors in the royal capital.
In the month since I started working at the Royal Castle, I have frequently seen couples forming.
Niki was right. Men do sometimes approach me.
Thankfully, only a few men are interested in me, possibly because they perceive me as a suitable wife due to my hard work ethic.
But I just can’t seem to get a positive feeling about it, and I keep wavering.
“Is there someone you’re after?”
“No way. I just don’t feel like it.”
“You say that, but…”
I knew what Niki was trying to say.
The marriageable age in this world is from the late teens to 20s.
I’m 18.
I knew that now was the best time to think about marriage.
But I just can’t bring myself to do it.
I had a feeling that I would eventually get married, but I thought about it as if it were someone else’s problem.
(Maybe because I learned my lesson during Rosemary’s. ……)
Rosemary spent less time not being a fiancée than she did before her death at the age of 16.
Since she could remember, she had been raised to be the crown prince’s fiancée and future queen.
The memory of her previous life, where she was abandoned, may have created a traumatic feeling for her, especially now that she is also a woman.
(I used to be a kid who fell in love with a knight)
The sight of the knight brought me back memories of Rosemary playing with her childhood friend.
Rosemary had more admiration for knights than for princes.
She longed for the pictorial image of a knight who would protect her with his sword and pledge his loyalty and often forced her childhood friend, a boy, and her young brother to play the knight.
Her childhood friend, who had patiently kept her company, I realized that he was still a member of the knighthood after her death when I saw a list of knightly officers I had seen while I was working.
The name written at the top of the list.
“Alberto …”
“Mr. Alberto?”
It seems that I unconsciously spoke out loud.
Oh shit, I thought, and then Niki’s face came closer.
“Could it be Alberto McClain? Does Marie actually like older people?”
“No, no! No, I don’t!”
I knew that denying it with my cheeks bright red was completely unconvincing, but I couldn’t hide my upset at the fact that I remembered my former childhood friend and muttered his name.
“I wonder how old Alberto-sama is. I think he is 36. He is still single and a Knight Commander, isn’t he? I can see why you like him!”
Niki’s mouth talked faster and faster as if she was happy at the thought of being able to speak of love with me.
“I mean, I like him. ……”
I was just saying his name out of nostalgia.
And there was no way I could honestly say that.
“Marie, you should have told me earlier! I can’t believe you like Alberto-sama!”
Oh, the story is getting more and more complicated: ……
I don’t have time to argue. I have to wait for Niki’s excitement to die down.
“That’s right! I’m sure he’s here now. Hey, come here!”
Suddenly, Niki grabbed my arm, and she started to run.
I managed to keep my legs from getting tangled and followed her.
“Watch out, Niki! Don’t run!”
A maid shouted when she saw us run in the middle of the royal palace.
I was about to shout, “This is impossible,” but Niki interrupted me this time.
“Look, there he is.”
Niki’s gaze caught me as she peeked out from the shadows of the grass, and I looked ahead.
The place where she took us was a knight’s training ground.
Dozens of knights were practicing swordsmanship, and among them was a familiar figure.
(Ah……!)
The same dark brown hair color. Although it’s been twenty years, his face still retains the old look.
(It’s Alberto …)
My eyes welled up with uncontrollable tears.
The aristocratic countenance and well-trained physique.
He is Rosemary’s childhood friend, Alberto, who wears the Knight Commander’s medal on his chest.
“It was worth it bringing you here, to see you to cry like this…”
Niki, who misunderstood my tears, looked happy.
I wanted to deny that she was mistaken, but I was thrilled to see him again and couldn’t say anything.
He was a squire when he was with Rosemary, but now his position has changed, and he is now the Knight Commander.
The memories of my Rosemary days were growing inside me, and I am still in love with him.
It was an emotion that I did not feel when I met Prince Gray, my former fiancé.
“He has a good face, a good position, a little older than most people, but he’s very popular because of his good looks, but Marie will do just fine!
I laughed at Niki’s completely supportive attitude.
At any rate, I said thank you.
“Is anyone there?”
Before I knew it, Alberto was standing in front of me.
He must have sensed my presence and came to check on me, probably because he was suspicious.
I hurriedly bowed to him.
“I apologize for disturbing you.”
I hurriedly apologized, and Niki hastily bowed her head as well.
“What does the maidservant want?”
His voice was cold, but the quality of his voice remained the same.
It was a more tenuous voice than Alberto’s before.
I was trying to figure out how to respond when Niki rushed in.
“Um, we have been waiting for you here to help us, sir Knight!”
Huh?
What is this girl talking about?
At this time, perhaps Alberto and I would have looked at Niki with the exact same face.
Speaking of Niki.
(What’s with your “I’ll take care of it” face?)
She looked at me and Alberto back and forth, smiling and laughing.
“Alberto-sama! Will you please hire us as attendants of the Order?”
