“…….!”
Andrea was so startled that her arms drooped and hit the table, leaving her hands covered with cream and jam.
While she was wiping her hands like crazy, Astrid muttered.
“It’s really hard. I can’t eat anything properly…….”
Karina nodded her head.
“If I always follow the etiquette just like the princess, it would also be really difficult for me.”
“But I still have to follow the etiquette.”
Karina was genuinely puzzled.
Although Claude was the Duke of Tors, he didn’t seem to follow the etiquette.
Since the Duke doesn’t obey etiquette, what is the reason why his sister, the princess, should obey?
“Well, if this is an imperial banquet, you should follow it…… Can’t you just eat comfortably now?”
Astrid shook her head slightly. It was not a strong stir like Karina, but an elegant pass that shook very slightly.
“… Comfortably? I can’t eat comfortably”
“Why?”
“That’s…”
Astrid couldn’t answer the simple question of “why” properly and only her lips twitched.
Andrea shouted as if she was stunned.
“Why do you ask such an obvious question? Because she’s the princess of Tors!”
Karina shrugged her shoulders.
“Right now, the princess seems to be the only one here who can see her flaws, not like someone who doesn’t follow etiquette and drinks tea comfortably.”
Andrea looked speechless.
In fact, Karina wanted to ask, then, why the Duke of Tors doesn’t follow the etiquette.
However, Karina was so sensible that she did not bring it up in front of the duke’s sister.
“Of course, you must be proud of your perfect etiquette. But if you’re struggling to follow the etiquette all day long, what’s the use?”
Silence passed.
Andrea still stared blankly at Karina, and Astrid seemed to ponder something with her.
Finally, her mouth opened.
“I, I was suffering.”
“You looked uncomfortable from the beginning.”
Astrid only ate a castella the size of her finger and bit it while she ate a pickled peach, a strawberry tart and a scone that melted in her mouth.
It wasn’t that she was full or that the food didn’t suit her taste.
Karina was convinced that Astrid likes sweet food as much as she does herself
Astrid looked at Karina with regretful eyes every time she picked up a refreshment.
“Princess, please ignore it. You must not listen to a commoner.”
Karina snorted.
“Don’t both commoners and princesses get tired and exhausted?”
“How dare you compare the princess with a thing like you…”
Astrid looked up at Andrea.
“Andrea, don’t insult Madam Bloe.”
“Princess.”
“Would you mind staying out for a second?”
Andrea swallowed her dry saliva and looked at Karina and Astrid alternately.
“…if the princess wants it, I will do it.”
“I want it.”
Andrea quietly stepped back.
Astrid covered her face with her two hands. The water dripped through her small, slender hands.
Karina handed her her rough and unadorned handkerchief.
“Cry as much as you want.”
Astrid buried her face in Karina’s handkerchief.
“How did you know I was having a hard time?”
“Anyone other than me would have known, Princess. They just didn’t say anything. It would also be against the etiquette.”
Astrid raised her head.
Her white cheeks and nose were dyed red.
A watery voice came out of her small mouth.
“… Call me Astrid.”
“I beg your pardon?”
Karina doubted her own ears.
“Did you not hear me? Call me Astrid.”
“…. Princess, I can’t do that.”
“Why? Why not? I allowed it.”
“That’s…”
Because it’s against the etiquette.
Karina swallowed her back words.
She had just told her that she didn’t have to follow the etiquette all the time.
“Oh okay…… Astrid-nim.”
Astrid frowned at the honorifics behind her name, but she didn’t ask her to take it off.
She looked down at the table messed up with cream and jam as Andrea slammed her hand out loud, and she opened her mouth.
“We can’t drink tea like this. I’m sorry that our tea time ended in a mess.”
Karina couldn’t help but laugh.
“Looking back, I was the one who ruined it. princess… … There is no need for Astrid-nim to be sorry.”
“There is nothing that Madam Bloe has ruined. Rather, thank you. really.”
Astrid’s lips twisted slightly.
“No one, no one, has ever asked me if I’m having a hard time.”
Karina didn’t condemn Astrid for saying it was hard.
Astrid must have grown up with the expectations of those around her for who wanted her to follow the etiquette perfectly.
“Will you come again tomorrow?”
Astrid’s earnest voice was heard.
The sound reminded her of her childhood somewhere, and her heart sank.
‘This kid is just lonely. Like me when I was young.’
Karina thought for a moment.
She said that if she agreed to Astrid’s request, she would have to accompany her every day.
‘I don’t have time for that.’
Karina did not want to waste her time while staying in the Duke’s annex.
Now was her chance, as Claude had provided her with a good laboratory and her children the best tutor.
However, I didn’t want to refuse a 12-year-old girl who looked so desperate.
“Astrid, you said you’d apologize to my kids, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Then, will you come to the annex tomorrow?”
“……!”
Astrid was surprised and covered his mouth
“Can I do that?”
“Of course. If it’s okay with you, let’s have lunch together.”
“I want to go…”
Astrid’s eyes shone like a starry night sky.
* * *
That evening.
Karina informed Eduard of her lunch appointment with Astrid.
Eduard rejoiced and promised a grand table setting, but Roland and Melissa’s reaction was the opposite.
“Mom, do we really need to meet Princess?”
Roland asked eagerly.
“The princess is coming to apologize to you.”
“… … … I don’t like it though. What if they tell us we’re dirty again?”
“……… But I still don’t like it. What if she says we’re dirty again?”
“You guys are not dirty.”
Karina said with strength.
“The princess…. wants to apologize for being mean.”
“She is mean, that makes her a bad person.”
Karina was lost in thought for a moment.
She can hardly explain to her children that Princess Astrid is a child who is ignorant of so many things.
However, Roland and Melissa will not understand the explanation.
For them, Astrid was much older and a person with a high status.
“The princess has definitely done something wrong to you. And because she insulted you, she insulted me too.”
“That’s why she’s a bad person.”
Melissa proudly intervened.
“But apologizing after realizing her wrongdoing means she’s not a bad person.”
“…….”
“First, listen to her apology tomorrow. If you don’t like it, you can send the princess back right away.”
“……..Really?”
“Of course.”
Karina nodded her head.
“For me, you guys always come first.”
“……The princess may try to make you her own mother.”
Karina couldn’t help but laugh.
“Melissa! That’s a ridiculous idea.”
“Why? The princess doesn’t have a mother either.”
This time, it’s Roland.
Karina sighed.
“Anyway, that will never happen, so relax.”
Lunch the next day.
The children hid behind Karina’s back and greeted Astrid.
Astrid greeted the children with a tense face and gently approached them.
Her trembling voice echoed in the hallway.
“I’m really sorry. that… … I…. I was mean to you? right?”
“…….”
Melissa only hid behind Karina’s back even more, but Roland had the courage to strike her back.
“Yes. A lot.”
Astrid clenched her fist and apologized with an earnest voice.
“I’m sorry. I do think…that was really mean. I promise I won’t do that again.”
There was a moment of silence.
Karina promised to leave all the answers to the children, so she watched the three children quietly.
“…….Really?”
At Roland’s question, Astrid nodded vigorously.
“Yeah! Really, really.”
“How can we believe that?”
When Astrid was trying to answer someone rang the doorbell.
Karina frowned.
‘Who came to visit us?’
Thinking that it might be the duke’s messenger, Karina hurriedly opened the front door.
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“……..!”
Karina’s eyes widened.
Claude looked down at her and smiled faintly.
A single almond petal fluttered over his silver hair.
“Long time no see.”