When King Grois fell ill and recovered within about a week, her father’s face as he informed her maintained its usual composed demeanor. But she somehow sensed there was an infinitesimal amount of anxiety beneath it.
For Zofie, her father was still an object of admiration. However, she was also aware that her father didn’t see her only as a daughter. The self reflected in her father’s eyes was seventy percent “beloved only daughter.” The remaining thirty percent was something hard—something that looked at a useful tool.
Two months after preparations began for the trip to Shtrois under the pretext of visiting the king, she was told this by her father.
“This stay might be a bit long.”
And when she reunited with the young man—who had gone through his coronation and now called himself Grois XIII—after a long while, what first filled her heart was a faint sense of incongruity. Next came clear surprise.
About a week before the evening party held at Gaillou Hall, Zofie was invited to the king’s tea party.
Attending with delight—or at least dressed to appear so—she was welcomed by the king into the tea room.
“Zofie-dono, how was Rue-Centrole?”
“It was wonderful! There were so many shops we don’t have in Gaillou… I walked around with such energy that I looked into every shop in sight.”
“That’s good to hear. Did you find any favorites?”
“I found a bird necklace made of gold filigree and ruby. Father bought it for me. It’s so adorable! I really wanted to wear it today too, but I was stopped because it would be rude when meeting Your Majesty…”
House Gaillou, to which Zofie belonged, was one of the wealthiest ducal houses on the Central Continent. It possessed a large quantity of national-treasure-class ornaments studded with the finest jewels. For her, who had been familiar with these items since childhood, no matter how high-class, a necklace displayed in a street-level shop for commoners was like a toy.
However, the girl truly loved that toy—worth enough to sustain commoners for about ten years. After all, it was “hers alone.” The enormous white crystal necklace of such brilliance that looking directly at it would blind one’s eyes was not “hers.” All such things belonged to the house.
“The necklace you’re wearing now is also beautiful, but that bird necklace must also be a very fine thing. Because it’s something Zofie-dono chose yourself. I’d very much like to see it. —If anyone from your house stops you next time, please tell them I permitted it.”
“That’s… um, it’s not something that would please Your Majesty…”
Zofie faltered at the king’s unexpected words. It was nothing special compared to the family heirloom necklaces. Wouldn’t the king be disappointed, or wouldn’t her aesthetic sense be belittled? Anxiety crossed the girl’s heart.
“That’s not it. I don’t want to see Gaillou’s family treasures. I want to see Zofie-dono’s treasure. I have such treasures too. Our house also has various treasures, but no matter how shabby it might look in comparison, I like this. Pure personal preference without the intervention of others’ evaluations. I think that’s what real ‘preference’ is.”
So saying, Grois XIII took out a small pocket watch from his coat and showed it to the girl. An ordinary gold watch without a single jewel attached. Even she, who didn’t know much about watches, could tell it was probably something affordable even for commoners.
The master of “the sole kingdom on earth that is the protector of Orthodox faith” said he liked it. He didn’t care what Zofie thought of the pocket watch. He was showing “this is who I am.”
What dignified behavior.
Something she had never felt at all from the previous him who used to raise his voice loudly, spraying spittle as he shouted things like “I’ll destroy the Empire!” or “I’ll campaign to the Lemur Peninsula to correct Orthodox doctrine.” The intelligent girl certainly felt the king’s quiet confidence. From being shown just one tiny watch, she felt the man before her as large. For instance, thick enough that if she were to leap into his chest, he would catch her.
“I understand! Your Majesty’s words have restored my confidence. I’ll show Your Majesty my special little bird!”
She was being accepted. King Grois wanted to see not the princess of House Gaillou, but Zofie as an individual daughter. It was a fresh sensation she had never once experienced.
“Were there any other treasures from your shopping in Rue-Centrole?”
At the young man’s slowly spoken words, Zofie couldn’t stop anymore. She chattered on about her Rue-Centrole experience at a pace somewhat too fast for a lady. Spreading her arms, moving them up and down, she gave a grand speech with exaggerated gestures.
The king listened with apparent enjoyment.
In the carriage on her way home after talking to her heart’s content, Zofie suddenly realized something. That King Grois’s manner was completely different from before.
In previous tea parties, he had done most of the talking, and the content was mostly martial. Even when she brought up different topics, they’d be lightly brushed aside, returning again to “conquest” or “great kings.”
But today, Grois had mostly just given acknowledgments. Yet it didn’t seem like perfunctory treatment either. The king had certainly enjoyed Zofie’s stories, and Zofie’s actions.
He interjected comments here and there, offered tea when Zofie’s voice seemed about to give out, and laughed properly at the exciting parts. His appearance was truly that of an adult man.
The girl suddenly felt heat in both ears.
—He might have thought me childish. He might have thought me improper.
She became a little anxious.
—When I get home, I’ll ask Mother. The secret to properly conversing with gentlemen.
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT GADGETIZEDPANDA.COM
For these past four years, Xavier had observed his daughter each time she returned from the crown prince’s tea parties.
The first time happily, the next time somewhat happily, the time after that appearing to be happy—her behavior upon returning home changed year by year.
Probably a meeting of hearts couldn’t be expected. But Zofie was clever. She would “skillfully” come to terms with it. She had the ability to do so. As her real father, somewhere in his heart was a feeling of dissatisfaction. Parents who don’t wish for their daughter’s happiness are rare. Like the many fathers in this world, he too wished for his daughter’s happiness from the bottom of his heart. However, as the Grand Duke of Gaillou, happiness’s priority was unfortunately second.
“Zofie, was His Majesty in good health?”
“Yes, Father. He was as well as ever.”
“I see. That’s joyful news. Did the conversation go well?”
“Yes. Very much so.”
Usually, her daughter who would energetically chatter on citing this and that example was today answering only briefly as if her mind were elsewhere. When he asked if something had happened, she immediately answered that nothing had.
—Has something gone wrong here?
Various “actions” might become necessary going forward. The Grand Duke of Gaillou was a pillar of the state. If he moved actively, it would create ripples in various places. He had just recently had a reunion with the king after a long while, but perhaps because his health hadn’t fully recovered yet, he was more taciturn than usual. That was the only impression he had.
—Once more, I need to have a thorough talk…
As he pondered in his bedchamber, his wife, the Grand Duchess, spoke to him.
“Xavier-sama? Are you worried about something?”
“Ah. It seems something happened between Zofie and His Majesty. There’s even a possibility she incurred his displeasure.”
Zofie’s mother smiled meaningfully.
“I spoke with her earlier. She gave me quite a lengthy report about today.”
“What? She told me nothing.”
“Of course. There are things difficult to tell one’s father.”
“What do you mean? Zofie always tells me everything…”
The expression on the Grand Duchess’s face as she looked at her husband was something indescribable—somewhere between a wry smile and a pitying smile.
Also check out my friend Localizermeerkat for more LN translations!
BUY THE SOURCE MATERIAL TO SUPPORT THE AUTHOR !!!
Kindly click on the green button above and contribute to filling the green bar if you’re interested in having another LN from the request page translated. Also, every donation is being used to purchase the source material and to fund more English translations.
Please consider joining my Ko-Fi membership. By becoming a member, you’ll also gain access to 2-10 additional chapters of all of the novels from this site translated into English. Last but not least your support will also assist me in upholding the translation quality and speed. For more information, please follow the link.
Donation for faster release is always welcome
Additionally, I am now accepting translation requests.
