Novel Lived
Chapter 3: Chapter 1, Episode 3
Chapter 3: Chapter 1, Episode 3
Translated by KaiesV
Edited by KaiesV
I stopped at a conversation I heard coming from a room in the Royal Palace.
「Hey, have you heard?」
「I heard, I heard it, you must be talking about that lady-in-waiting.」
「Oh yes, that pompous bitch with the queen!」
「I thought she was just a retard, but it turns out she’s Raul-sama’s fiancé!」
「Raul-san, you mean that『Tragic Lover』Raul-sama!?」
「Yes, the epitome of single-mindedness, Raul-sama, captain of the 4th Kingsguard.」
「He can’t get married then, but she’s clinging to the position of fiancée. She’s pathetic!!」
「She thinks she’s going to get married someday or something. How old is that person?」
「She’s in her mid-20s.」
「No way, aren’t she an old hag then? How pitiful, Raul-sama.」
「I wonder if she is ashamed. Taking advantage of Raul-sama’s kindness and not breaking off the engagement.」
「Normally, I’d be too embarrassed to do that.」
「No way, if I could, I myself would make Raul-sama happy.」
「You’re not good enough. You idiot.」
「Not as much as she does. Even Raul-sama would prefer to be younger.」
They don’t know that I am listening, but they’re the ones who say whatever they want to say. They’re just young maids who work in the Royal Palace.
I let out a small sigh that they could not hear.
It has been ten years since then.
I graduated from the Royal Academy in one year, and I have been serving in the Royal Palace as a lady-in-waiting for nine years since then. It’s rare for a noble daughter like me to remain unmarried past the appropriate age and continue to serve as a lady-in-waiting, as it is often for the purpose of etiquette or to find a marriage partner.
For the past 10 years, places and people have changed, but the bad things said have always been about the same thing over and over again. The only thing that has changed is that people are now saying more about my age.
I serve Myra-sama, the 18-year-old queen of the Kingdom of Gran. Because of my background as an exchange student in the neighboring country of Quanda, I was able to serve Myra-sama rather easily.
Originally, it was her elder sister, the princess, who was to be proposed as the crown princess by Quanda, but due to various circumstances of Quanda, Myra-sama was chosen to carry the title. She was nine years old.
The Crown Prince was 20 years old at the time. They were married by the age difference. Even though it was a political marriage, I was worried that it would be difficult for a 20-year-old and a 9-year-old to make it work, but they are a very friendly couple. Of course, there have been twists and turns and they have overcome them. The current environment in which I can serve such Their Majesties isn’t a bad one for me.
What I don’t like, however, is that Raul’s affair is being glorified in the Royal Court and my reputation as his fiancée isn’t in a good spot.
Raul has been appointed captain of the 4th Kingsguard. The Kingsguard is organized in units from the 1st to the 5th, with the 1st unit attached to His Majesty the King, the 2nd unit attached to Her Royal Highness the Queen, the 3rd unit attached to His Majesty the King’s brother, the 4th unit attached to Her Royal Highness the Queen’s sibling, and the 5th unit attached to Their Majesties’ son and daughters. In other words, Raul is the commander of the unit with the queen and brother-in-law.
From my point of view, I can only say that he’s a man who is still chasing after the ass of Her Royal Highness the Queen, who’s now the mother of a son and a daughter, even though it has been nine years since the King and Queen were married.
The『Tragic Lover』mentioned by one of the maids is the title of a popular romance novel that dominated in all countries, regardless of the country. It is a story of a princess and a knight who fell in love through an unfulfilled love of mistaken identity, and their love is a pure and sincere tragic love story. The knight adored and protected the princess, and in the end he died, but for some reason, many ladies are attracted to Raul. They said that the way he adores and protects His Royal Highness the King and Queen is like the knight in『Tragic Lover.』
…It’s ridiculous.
That is my honest opinion.
It is a well-known fact that Raul has feelings for Her Royal Highness the Queen, and it was accepted that he knows this and serves beside her as her Kingsguard. One wrong move and it could be said that he is the official mistress of Her Royal Highness the Queen’s sibling, and it could become an ugly story. The fact that this is beautified in『Tragic Lover』is something I don’t understand.
If he were truly single-minded, he should quickly call off the engagement, and if he were truly innocent, he wouldn’t confess his love to someone who’s engaged to someone else. Raul should also deny the factually untrue rumor that I am clinging to my position as his fiancée. I think he knows I am being subjected to terrible rumors and he is leaving it at that because it suits him.
What kind of a knight of integrity and honesty is this? The only resemblance is in the appearance of that young man is his blond hair and blue eyes. Other than that, he’s too disrespectful to the people in the novel.
I let out another sigh.
I can’t stay here forever listening to myself badmouthing myself. As I turned on my heel, I saw people I did not want to meet.
I immediately bent down and bowed my head.
「Greetings, Marsha-san.」
It is a group led by Her Royal Highness Princess Priscilla. Of course, Raul, her Kingsguard, is also behind her. Every time I think about it, he’s like a brilliant goldfish.
He doesn’t even bother to stop and call out to me every time we pass each other.
「It has been a long while, Your Royal Highness.」
「Yes, it has been a very long while. Marsha, you don’t come to my palace at all. Come, let me see your face.」
「Thank you very much.」
I look up as I am allowed to do so.
「I hope Her Royal Highness is doing well.」
「Yes. I hope you are enjoying your stay in good health.」
「Yes, that assuring. The new pillow ceremony is coming up soon. I was worried that you might be nervous…」
The New Pillow Ceremony, it’s the first night of a Royal Marriage. In other words, it was the wedding night.
Because Myra-sama was young when she married, the new pillow ceremony was postponed until she turned 18.
「I was just coming to visit you to see if you could give me some advice.」
Chuckling, the ladies in the back are looking at Priscilla with respect, saying,「As expected of you, Priscilla-sama, you are so kind.」
However, I wondered how it would feel to discuss the New Pillow Ceremony in the presence of a man, even if he was a Kingsguard. Inwardly, I furrowed my brow.
「I am sure Myra-sama will be very happy to hear my kind words. But I apologise. Her Royal Highness the Queen has an appointment, so it’ll be difficult to meet with Her Royal Highness the Queen’s sister…」
Myra-sama doesn’t have a lot of free time. Her daily schedule is full. Even if she visited suddenly, the probability of meeting her is low.
I’d like to say that it isn’t polite to visit her in person without giving an advance notice, but I won’t. Because it’s obvious that it will be troublesome.
「Wait a second, you. Priscilla-sama has come all the way here. It is your job to make time for Priscilla-sama!」
It was a young lady with bright red hair and dress who said something unintelligible.
I don’t understand why I have to make time for Priscilla, even if it is for Myra-sama. Or what, are you going to say that Her Royal Highness the Queen’s sister has a higher priority than the Queen herself?
「Well, Riffi. It’s not like that. Even Marsha-sama is working very hard.」
「But…!」
I’m not talking about whether I can do my job or not, but about the fact that it is also convenient for us, but I wonder if this girl understand that.
The lady called Rifi, who is admonished but not convinced, glares at me sharply.
I thought of 『Riffi』in my mind and the lady who is nicknamed Riffi, and it occurred to me that she’s the daughter of Count Bower who had just made her debut in the social world. As I recall, the Counte had fine red hair, so I wouldn’t be mistaken nine times out of ten.
While I was trying to guess, the girls were engaged in some kind of theatrical exchange.
「But thank you, Riffi. I know you were angry for me.」
「Priscilla-sama…!」
「I’m sad that I won’t be able to meet Her Royal Highness, but it’s enough that Riffi was thinking of me.」
What a farce this is already.
The red-haired lady can’t hide her excitement at the sight of Priscilla, who is working hard with a melt-in-your-mouth smile. Moreover, other crony ladies are also moved to tears. Above all, Raul, who has been glancing at me annoyingly since a few minutes ago, is making me nervous.
「Let’s return noa. I’m sure She’ll see you this time.」
The way she puts it, it sounds as if Myra-sama is refusing her. If she had asked her properly before coming, Myra-sama would never have refused.
「I apologize, Marsha-san.」
「You don’t have to apologize..」
My frustration is about to reach its peak, but I must not show it. I don’t want to do anything that might cause them to take advantage of me. Because I don’t know how these people will interpret it.
I bow my head firmly and make it look like I was apologizing too.
「Oh, right, Raul. As an apology, could you give escort Marsha-san to the palace over there?」
I was perturbed, wondering what he was going to say.
「No, it’s alright. I don’t want to bother you.」
I hurriedly tried to refuse, but Priscilla-sama smiled and said.
「You don’t have to be shy. Because I know you both are too busy to go on dates often. It’s bad enough that I always have Raul all to myself.」
“Hey!” My words choke up at the way she was saying that.
「You’re engaged to be married. It’s important to have some time together once in a while.」
It may be out of her goodwill, but if I may say so, it’s nothing more than a big nuisance. Who would want to be alone with such a guy?
I looked at Raul and said, “Do something.” And yet.
「If you say so, Priscilla-sama, I have no objection. Thank you for your concern.」
Raul, with his head hanging down, felt dizzy.
「Fufufu, go ahead and take your time.」
Saying this, Priscilla-sama returns the way she came, fluttering her hands in the air. Her cronies glared at me with hatred and followed her.
All that was left was me, who couldn’t say anything, and Raul, who looked away until Priscilla-sama’s back was out of sight. And then there were the court sparrows sneaking a peek from a nearby area.
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