Chapter 31: A Mob Lady Speak Out
My name is Milcah, daughter of Count Sarusti. Today I went to the garden party hosted by Prince Crown Prince.
When I returned from the garden party, I immediately went back to my room and talked to my maidservant Signe.
“Hey, hey, hey, listen, Signe!”
“Yes, yes, what happened, My lady Milcah, you’re so excited. Did you see any nice nobleman at the garden party?”
“No, that’s not it!”
“No? That’s too bad.”
Signe made a pretend sigh and began wiping off my makeup with the cloth she had prepared.
“Vilhelmina-sama was at the garden party!”
Lady Vilhelmina, the daughter of Duke Periknen. I had been allowed to make her acquaintance. It was a shock to hear that she had been expelled from the Duke’s house on false charges and forced to marry a commoner, but it was nice to see her again after so long.
“Lady Milcah, you must have been fond of the young lady. How was she?”
“She was dressed in a rather chic outfit due to the fact that she’s married. Her husband beside her was thin, but he was behaving very friendly.
Signe turned around and started undoing my hair as she said, “I heard that the princess has been demoted to a commoner and is suffering from misfortune for interfering with the true love of His Highness.”
“That’s a lie, I didn’t see any signs of that. Of course, her clothing and jewelry can’t be compared to the former Vilhelmina-sama, but she never looked unhappy.
You see, Vilhelmina-sama was once told by the crown prince, ‘I am no longer a rose in the garden, but a thistle in the field!’ Isn’t that amazing?”
“…Well, isn’t that the truth? Not a noble but a commoner.”
I shook my finger.
“That’s sweet, Signe.”
“Please stop such mannerless gestures.”
“No, no Signe, this is a flower language. The thistle’s flower language is ‘revenge,’ which means that Vilhelmina-sama is saying that she will take revenge on the crown prince someday!”
However, Signe shakes her head.
“…Is My Lady Milcah reading too deeply into it? Or is it my lady’s wish that it be so?”
Signe continues while pulling a hairpin from my hair and undoing my braided hair.
“No, no, she also said some pretty sharp things. Like to Miss Madetoya, ‘You are beautifully dressed. Peacocks have beautiful feathers,’ you know! But she didn’t understand the irony at all!”
“Peacocks have beautiful feathers, but their legs are dirty,’ you mean?”
Yes, yes, it’s a proverb. Of course, since it wasn’t said behind her back, it just sounded like a compliment.
“And about Miss Madetoya’s tasteless decorations, she said, ‘like a midnight sun and the delicacy like a remaining moon in the daytime,’ you know. It’s impossible to imitate.”
“Hmm, really, is that so? Was it that bad, the decorations?”
“No, they were pretty, weren’t they?”
I talked to Signe about how tacky Miss Madetoya’s outfit and decorations were and how they were inappropriate for the garden party.
Signe was undoing my dress and loosening my corset while exchanging nods.
“I understand that both My Lady and Vilhelmina-sama feel that there is a problem with Miss Madetoya’s qualifications, but to the Crown Prince, the idea of ‘revenge’ seems…”
“No, that’s wrong. This is what Vilhelmina-sama said in the end, ‘The two of you match each other like the sun and moon shining straight.'”
“What does that mean…?”
I tried to wave my finger impatiently, but Signe stopped me. Don’t stop it. I’m in the middle of something!
“Straight, means.”
“…I see. An eclipse of the sun, huh. That’s quite a commitment.”
Yes, when the sun and moon align straight, the sun disappears behind its shadow.
“She was talking about our country’s royal power being compared to the sun! How amazing!”
“Fufu, My Lady Milcah really loves Vilhelmina-sama.”
Signe says this as she puts on my room clothes.
“Yes, right Signe. Vilhelmina-sama said that, so there must be a reason. Please look into it. She’s not the kind of person who just wastes away as a commoner in a corner of the capital.”
“However, for any noble family, she and her husband…”
“Peltra, Alex Peltra.”
“If Mr. Peltra is assisted, I’m sure the crown prince and royal family will take notice.”
Yeah, that’s right. I’ll think about it for a bit. Yeah.
“First, we’ll investigate. Carefully, okay.”
And if that person is in trouble and my father can’t move, if there’s anything I can do to help, I’ll quietly take action.
