Chapter 105
As Monica and Melissa chatted, people passing nearby would occasionally call out to Melissa.
Apparently, Melissa knew more people than Monica had realized. Those calling out to her were customers of hers, after all.
"Come to think of it, it's unusual to see the little one at a party. What's up?"
"Um, I'm here to guard Tsetsilia-sama today..."
Apparently, Melissa hadn't heard about the matter of guarding Princess Tsetsilia from Raul.
When Monica explained the situation in a low voice, Melissa frowned in surprise while fiddling with the decorations on her fan.
"...Huh? You're the guard, eh...? From what I'd heard, the 〈Barrier Mage〉 had been pulling all sorts of strings, so I assumed that man would be the one guarding her."
"Louis-san was pulling strings?"
"That man arranged for the Second and Third Princes not to come to the castle while the princess was staying."
"What?!"
Monica's eyes widened involuntarily.
Isaac, the absent Second Prince, had said, "It's less that they haven't summoned us than that they'd rather we didn't come," but Monica never imagined that it was because of arrangements Louis had made.
"W-why...?"
"Why do you think? So the princess wouldn't be tempted by a handsome young prince close to her own age."
"For a reason like that...?!"
As Monica stood aghast, Melissa gave a thin smile and shrugged.
"Ridiculous, right? But the thing is, there are plenty of precedents, so I can't even laugh."
"P-precedents...?"
"Especially the Second Prince, with that face of his. He's renounced his claim to the throne, but there are still legions of women who want to marry him. Well, I can understand how they feel. Even I have gotten through more dull ceremonies than I can count by staring at Felix-dono's face..."
Hearing Melissa mutter as though savoring every word, Monica couldn't help thinking of her own apprentice.
(Ike has it tough too...)
Although the Second Prince had relinquished his claim to the throne, if he ever had children, they would undoubtedly become a spark for a succession struggle in the not-too-distant future.
Isaac knew that too, which was probably why he had fled high society and practically lived at Monica's house.
(Could that be why Ike has seemed so down lately...?)
The king knew the true identity of the Second Prince, yet prioritized national interests and overlooked his existence.
But what if the false Second Prince had a child?
Considering the country's future, the king might even secretly dispose of Isaac and his child. At best, he would exile them from the country.
Therefore, Isaac could never hope for an ordinary marriage or an ordinary family. For the sake of this country's future, he would have to remain single for the rest of his life.
(Could Ike have someone he likes, but be troubled because he can't have a normal marriage with that person...?)
How could she help Isaac?
As Monica fretted over it, Melissa, who had been gazing at Princess Tsetsilia, muttered under her breath.
"Hmm, so that's the Empire's... Oh, that lace stole is lovely. Isn't that Korvitz lace?"
Melissa was looking at the lace stole draped over Princess Tsetsilia's shoulders.
On closer inspection, the petals in the beautiful floral pattern even looked like fairy wings. It was a delicate, intricate design.
"...Korvitz lace? Um, is it different from Randor lace?"
"You don't know? It's ultra-luxury lace woven with magical formulas by a family in the Empire called the Korvitzes. That one's practically a high-end magic tool. They call it 'wearable art,' and it's not something you can get your hands on easily."
Weaving magical formulas into thread or embroidering them is an extremely difficult technique. Lana had struggled terribly with the embroidery on the robes, too.
Apparently, the Korvitz family of the Empire recreated that technique through lacework.
"Come to think of it, I hear the Empire brought a Korvitz lace veil as a gift for this visit. One that's practically a national treasure. I'm so jealous—I wanna see it."
Monica had heard a little about the gift from the Empire as well.
Apparently, it was extremely delicate, and an expert had even accompanied the delegation solely to oversee it.
(So that's what the gift was—the Korvitz lace...)
The word Korvitz snagged in Monica's mind. She felt like she'd heard it somewhere fairly recently.
As Monica wondered where she'd heard it, Melissa, still gazing at Princess Tsetsilia, muttered from behind her fan.
"Still, what an unimpressive woman. She can't compete with the Korvitz lace for impact."
It was an outrageous thing to say about a princess from another country.
Monica's eyes flew wide in shock, and she looked up at Melissa.
"Um, but Tsetsilia-sama is a very beautiful person, and she's so dignified..."
"Then tell me, would you accept her becoming the future queen of our country? The queen is, so to speak, the highest-ranking woman in this country."
Monica faltered.
Princess Tsetsilia's bearing was perfect. Demure and refined, with a gentle, calm manner. She had even handled her audience with the king flawlessly. If it had been a class at Serendia Academy, she would have gotten full marks.
But Melissa said that alone wasn't enough to become queen.
"She must be used to formal society. Her manners are flawless, sure. But she has absolutely no presence. She's a little too weak to be made crown princess."
When Melissa mentioned presence, Monica thought of the beautiful young lady who had been on the student council with her at Serendia Academy: Bridget Graham.
Bridget was not merely beautiful; she was intelligent and dignified, and above all, skilled at entertaining guests.
Whenever Bridget dealt with guests from outside the academy, the atmosphere around them visibly brightened.
She would bring up topics her companion enjoyed to liven up the occasion, while never getting swept along, gathering the information she needed and accomplishing her own goals. With a single smile or glance, she could bring the other person completely under her sway. Bridget was that kind of person.
Princess Tsetsilia, on the other hand, committed neither discourtesy nor gaffe, but rarely introduced topics herself, and usually just quietly nodded along to what the other person said. She was passive, always responding rather than initiating.
"She's the type to become a puppet for some bad minister or chancellor."
"...That's awful."
Monica felt strangely sad.
She had barely spoken with Princess Tsetsilia, but even from what the royal guards had said, it was clear that she was a gentle and kind person.
It seemed terribly unfair that Princess Tsetsilia should have to endure such harsh criticism simply because she was to become crown princess, when she had done nothing wrong.
"She's so much more put-together than I am..."
As she muttered this, a hand reached over from the side and pinched her cheek hard.
Monica looked up at Melissa with tears in her eyes.
"S-sis..."
"Monica-chaaaan? I told you before, if you say 'someone like me' in front of me, I'll pinch you, didn't I?"
"S-sorry..."
Melissa released Monica's cheek and snorted.
"Becoming crown princess means everyone around you will be sizing you up like this. The Seven Sages are in a position to be judged too, so if you're going to enter high society, you'd better steel yourself."
"S-so I'll be sized up too...?"
Melissa curled her red lips into a malicious grin, her face taking on the look of an evil witch.
"If you just go with the flow and nod along to everything, you might find a marriage proposal arranged for you before you know it."
Remembering her exchange with Viscount Daryl, Monica let out a pathetic little squeak. High society really was terrifying.
Melissa had been watching Monica with a nasty grin as she hunched over and trembled, but then she suddenly looked into the distance and said, "Oh."
"Isn't that the 〈Mirage Mage〉? Huh, so he's guarding the Imperial side this time."
"The 〈Mirage Mage〉-sama...?"
Melissa was looking at a black-haired man standing diagonally across from them, with Princess Tsetsilia between them.
He looked to be around thirty. He was a large man wearing glasses, with an air more suited to a military officer than a mage.
He wore formal Imperial dress and carried no staff. That was why, to Monica's eyes, he looked like nothing more than an Imperial envoy.
"He's a fairly famous mage in the Empire. A skilled illusionist, and..."
At that point, Melissa fell silent and fixed Monica with a dangerous stare.
"Wait a second. The 〈Mirage Mage〉 hasn't come to greet you?"
"N-no, he hasn't..."
"What?!"
Monica flinched and hunched her shoulders at Melissa's shout.
Ignoring Monica's reaction, Melissa arched her brows.
"Normally, they should greet you first, then work with the Riddle Kingdom's side to provide security! He is totally looking down on you!"
"I-is that how it works?"
"If the 〈Barrier Mage〉 were here, they definitely would have come to greet him first."
Melissa wrinkled her nose and groaned, then snapped her fan shut.
Her green eyes, fixed on the 〈Mirage Mage〉, glittered with a dangerous light.
"All right, let's go knock him down a peg."
"...Huh? Wait, what?"
"They're looking down on one of the Seven Sages. You think I'm going to let that slide?"
Melissa Roseberg was the sort of woman who laughed harder the angrier she got.
Melissa bared her white teeth in a ferocious grin, and Monica trembled to her very core.