[V7C8] An Existence to be Judged

During the exchange between Monica and Melissa, a handful of guests approached Melissa and offered a few words of greeting.

She was more well-known than Monica had thought. Those people were likely Melissa’s customers.

“Come to think of it, you hardly ever show up at these events. What’s the occasion?”

“Um, I’m here to guard Princess Cecilia today…”

Apparently, Raul had not informed Melissa about the escort mission.

Once Monica gave a brief summary of the situation, Melissa raised an eyebrow while playing with the decorations on her fan.

“…Hmm? So you’re the escort…? I heard rumors that the Barrier Mage was arranging things behind the scenes, so I naturally assumed he would be in charge.”

“Louis-san was arranging things?”

“Yeah, he made sure the Second and Third Princes wouldn’t be at the castle during the princess’s stay.”

“Eh!?”

Monica widened her eyes in surprise.

The absent Second Prince, Isaac, had mentioned that they didn’t want him coming. However, Monica never imagined that Louis was responsible for making this arrangement.

“B-But why…?”

“Well, to ensure the princess doesn’t fall for a prince who is closer in age, of course.”

“That’s all…!?”

In contrast to Monica’s surprise, Melissa simply shrugged her shoulders with a slight chuckle.

“Sounds ridiculous, right? But there have been countless precedents for such incidents.”

“P-Precedents…?”

“You know the Second Prince with that beauty of his. He may have given up his claim to the throne, but there are plenty of women who still want to be his wife. Well, I can understand why. I’ve lost track of how many tedious ceremonies I’ve endured by gazing at Prince Felix’s handsome features…”

Hearing Melissa’s heated murmurs, Monica couldn’t help but sympathize with her disciple.

(Ike must be going through a lot…)

Indeed, the Second Prince had relinquished his claim to the throne. But if he were to have a child, it could become the spark for a succession dispute in the not-too-distant future.

Isaac was probably aware of this, which might explain why he was avoiding the social scene and spending so much time at Monica’s house. Maybe.

(Ike seemed troubled recently… Could this be related?)

The King knew of the Second Prince’s true identity, but he chose to overlook Isaac’s existence, prioritizing the interests of the country instead.

But what if a child were to be born to the false Second Prince?

Considering the effect on the country’s future, it was very possible that the King might secretly dispose of Isaac and his child. At best, they might be exiled.

Thus, Isaac couldn’t possibly have a normal marriage and family. For the sake of the country, he must remain single for the rest of his life.

(Maybe Ike has someone he likes, but he’s struggling because he can’t have a normal marriage with that person…)

If so, how could she be of assistance?

As Monica pondered the issue, Melissa, who had been observing Princess Cecilia, began muttering under her breath.

“Hmm, so that’s the princess from the Empire… Oh, her lace stole looks lovely. That’s Kollwitz lace.”

Melissa was observing the lace stole draped around Princess Cecilia’s shoulders.

Upon closer inspection, the beautiful floral pattern of the lace resembled the wings of a fairy. It had an intricate and delicate design.

“…Kollwitz lace? Um, is that different from Randall’s lace?”

“You’ve never heard of it? The Kollwitz family of the Empire makes extremely high-end lace with magical symbols weaved in. Essentially, they are super luxurious magical items. Many call them ‘wearable masterpieces’ because of how rare and expensive they are.”

Incorporating magical symbols into weaving or embroidery was a highly challenging technique. Lana had struggled considerably when she made a robe with enchanted embroidery.

It seems the Kollwitz family of the Empire had a similar technique for lace knitting.

“Oh yeah, it seems the Empire brought a veil with Kollwitz lace alongside the princess’s visit. That’s practically a national treasure. I wish I could see it.”

Monica had heard a little about the gift from the Empire. Apparently, it was so delicate that a dedicated specialist was needed just to transport it around.

(Oh, so that gift was Kollwitz lace…)

The name “Kollwitz” lingered in Monica’s mind for some reason. She felt like she had heard it somewhere recently.

Monica wondered where, as Melissa, who had been staring at Princess Cecilia, began muttering under her fan.

“But really, she doesn’t seem like anything special. She can’t even compete with her Kollwitz lace in terms of impact.”

This was an outrageous statement when referring to a foreign princess.

Monica widened her eyes in shock and looked up at Melissa.

“Well, um, but Princess Cecilia is, erm, very beautiful and dignified…”

“Okay. But can you accept her becoming the future queen of Ridill? The queen is, in a sense, the pinnacle of all the women in the country.”

Monica faltered in her words.

Princess Cecilia’s behavior had been flawless. She was graceful, elegant, and had a gentle demeanor, standing firm even during her audience with the King. If this was a class at Serendia Academy, she would undoubtedly earn a perfect score.

But according to Melissa, that wasn’t good enough for a queen.

“She’s used to social events and can behave appropriately, I’ll give her that much. But she has a fatal lack of charm. A bit weak to be the Crown Princess, I’d say.”

When it came to charm, Monica recalled Bridget Greyham, the beautiful lady who was a fellow student council member during their time at Serendia Academy.

Not only was she beautiful, but she was also intelligent, dignified, and, most importantly, excellent at hospitality.

Whenever Bridget entertained visitors to the academy, the atmosphere of her guests became noticeably more cheerful.

She would liven the mood by bringing up each guests’ preferred topics. Yet at the same time, she would maintain control over the conservation, gathering all the necessary information and accomplishing whatever goals she had. With only a single smile or a glance, Bridget could grasp the heart of anyone she was talking to.

On the other hand, Princess Cecilia, while never rude or making any faux pas, rarely initiated a conversation and often just nodded quietly in response to her companion’s words. She was passive and reserved.

“That’s the type who will end up as a puppet of the ministers.”

“…Oh no.”

This made Monica feel a bit sad.

Although Monica had barely spoken with Princess Cecilia personally, the members of the Imperial Guard said she was a gentle and kind woman.

Through no fault of her own, she had to endure such harsh words just because she was going to be Crown Princess.

“But she’s so much better than me…”

Interrupting Monica’s mutters, Melissa reached out her hand to pinch Monica’s cheek.

With teary eyes, Monica looked up at Melissa.

“O-Onee-san.”

“Monica-chan? I told you before, right? I’ll pinch if you say things like ‘everyone is so much better than me’.”

“S-Sorry…”

Melissa released Monica’s cheek and scoffed.

“Becoming the Crown Princess means getting judged by everyone around you. Even the Seven Sages are in a position to be judged. If you’re going to step into high society, you had better brace yourself for that.”

“S-So, um, I really am being judged…?”

Melissa curled her red lips into the smile of a wicked witch.

“Yeah. Just keep nodding along, and you’ll end up engaged before you notice.”

Recalling the earlier interaction with Viscount Daryl, Monica let out a pathetic whimper. High society was more frightening than she thought.

After grinning at the trembling Monica, Melissa looked into the distance and voiced another comment.

“Oh, it’s the Dream Mage. So he’s the escort from the Empire side this time.”

“…Dream Mage?”

Melissa was referring to the black-haired man standing diagonally behind Princess Cecilia.

He was a tall man with glasses who appeared to be around 30. To be honest, he looked more like a military officer than a mage.

The Dream Mage wore the formal uniform of the Empire and carried no staff. To Monica, he had seemed like just another envoy from the Empire.

“Yeah, he’s a pretty famous magician in the Empire, known for his skill in illusion magic and… Wait.”

Melissa paused, turning to stare at Monica with a somewhat ominous look.

“Don’t tell me you haven’t been introduced to the Dream Mage yet?”

“W-Well, no, not yet…”

“What!?”

The volume of Melissa’s voice caused Monica to flinch. Ignoring Monica’s reaction, Melissa raised an eyebrow and explained.

“The proper etiquette is for him to initiate the introductions, showing his intention to cooperate with the escort on the Ridill side! Not doing so is practically the same as spitting in your face!”

“I-Is that so?”

“Yeah. If it was the Barrier Mage in charge, I’m certain he would have introduced himself immediately.”

Melissa grimaced and snapped her fan shut. Her green eyes locked onto the Dream Mage with an ominous glint.

“Alright, I’ll give him what’s coming.”

“…Huh? What?”

“He is making a mockery of the Seven Sages. I won’t take that lying down.”

Melissa Roseberg was the kind of woman who put on a smile when she was furious. The fierce grin revealing her white teeth caused Monica to tremble in fear.

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