episode_0227

“I apologize, Your Majesty.”

This pitiful young knight had done nothing wrong. Nevertheless, he quickly apologized on behalf of the Princess. The Princess had risen later than the Queen. And the very situation of daring to make the Queen wait while she dressed was certainly not something that would be well-received.

“I will surely convey your message to the Princess.” “No. It’s alright. I will discipline her myself today. And you must be tired from guarding Lia late into the night. Get some good rest today, Rudie, Renaldo.” “Yes, Your Majesty.” “You two should also take a short break and then return. I have something to discuss with Lia alone.” “We shall obey your command.”

Clink. Rudie knelt before me. With a precise motion, he drew one of the two scabbards attached to his waist and presented it with both hands. It was a humble scabbard, but the sword’s hilt was a deep ruby color, unseen anywhere else. And it was a sword only the highest authority in this country could possess— The ‘Rose Saber.’

To overcome even the royal guards who must protect the monarch most closely, I must be able to defend my own life. In preparation for such a situation, I had commanded him to always carry the Rose Saber. Thump. I gripped the Rose Saber tightly in my hand. It felt familiar. Of course, it would, as I had wielded this sword since I first learned swordsmanship. Even now, I practice swordsmanship with the knights two or three times a month. It was to maintain even a slight bit of the swordsman’s sense, which had almost faded.

People say I am the most skilled swordsman among all the monarchs in history. But that’s not true. I know my skill is pathetic compared to when I was a maiden.

When I took the Rose Saber, the two royal guards retreated with the young knight. “……” Since I had no belt to hang the sword on, I simply held the scabbard in my hand. I forcefully pushed open Lia’s bedroom door. Clatter! As the door suddenly opened, Lia, who was inside, shrieked in surprise. “Ah?!”

Her accompanying maids also froze in shock. Lia had just put on her dress, with its straps still resting on her shoulders. Her flustered red eyes darted wildly, unable to find a place to rest. “Your Majesty…?”

The Queen. Alone, without a single attendant. Opening the door abruptly, clutching a sword. This situation must have been quite a frightening sight in Lia’s eyes. “Everyone, leave.” The maids, regaining their senses, bowed their heads and hastily exited the room. Left alone, Lia cowered with a dumbfounded expression. It seemed she had roughly figured out what was happening.

I chided her in a low voice. “You overslept again.” “I… I apologize, Your Majesty.” “I told you not to stutter. Speak clearly.” “I apologize, Your Majesty.” Lia spoke in a clear voice. No matter how flustered, Lia could not stutter. It was acceptable for others, but ‘Lia Lykene,’ the Princess of this nation, absolutely could not. A habit of stuttering was not only a significant blow to the dignity and authority of a nation’s princess. More than that, it was to prevent her from inheriting the undesirable traits left by her father.

But no matter how much I tried to erase his traces, I couldn’t remove them all. Lia’s oversleeping was now so frequent that it was no longer surprising. She even blamed herself for it. It couldn’t be helped. Even to me, Lia was a smart and spirited child, but this habit of oversleeping showed no sign of improvement. Perhaps it was her ‘innate disposition.’ …And proof that Lia was my daughter, and that man’s child.

Knowing there was no other way, I had to try even harder. This cold castle was merciless. Once I was gone, there would be no one to indulge Lia’s childishness.

“Lia. Everyone living here wakes up earlier than you, for your sake. Is it just here? No. Even people in small villages, cities, and other countries far away start their day when the sun rises. You saw it with your own eyes during your recent trip, didn’t you? How early the people of Breezedown wake up.” “……” “You are this country’s Princess. If something ever happens to me, and I can no longer sit on the throne… then everyone will look only to you. Will you show everyone such a lax appearance then?”

Lia didn’t know. She didn’t know what happened when I, a humble commoner, suddenly became the Queen of a nation. The ridicule from servants because my etiquette wasn’t perfect. The scorn from some nobles who refused to acknowledge me to the very end. The pain of even foreign envoys treating me with mockery. I don’t even know how I endured those years. I just tried, and tried again. To become a Queen everyone could acknowledge. To become a mother who could protect her only daughter. I swallowed all the criticism and arrows every day and endured.

Now, after quite some time, there were almost no one who disregarded us. But to change the ingrained perceptions of people, an indescribable amount of effort and dedication was required. Lia didn’t need to know all the pain I had endured. But she did need to know that we still had a long way to go. This child also needed to understand.

“I will bear it in mind, Your Majesty.” Perhaps it was because it had been a long time since I last scolded her. Lia, who was always cheerful and smiling, lowered her head with a somber expression. “Lift your head.”

Lia lifted her head again and looked straight at me. A few tears welled up in her small, gem-like ruby eyes. Dark, thick eyebrows and a rounded jawline. Her cheeks, soft enough to cup in both hands. A child like a scarlet doll, as if she were my spitting image. Ah… how could I say she wasn’t lovable? My most beloved child in this world. My only kin.

“Don’t cry, Lia.” “Your Majesty…” Though I had just chided her in a low voice, I found myself hugging Lia without realizing it. This is why I’d never be a good mother. I knew well that I should be as strict as I cherished my child… but whenever I saw my daughter’s face, my arm just bent like this instinctively. I patted her small back with a soft voice and whispered. “You can call me comfortably. Just for now.” “Mother…” Lia’s soft, warm breath caressed my ear.

Thump. As if to tell her that the mother who would protect her was right here. I hugged her tightly. Holding my daughter like this, I was struck by how much she had grown. When she came out of my womb, she was such a tiny little thing. Now, she had grown significantly taller, almost reaching my eye level, and I could feel her chest had also slightly blossomed.

My retainers had even suggested that since she was now 13, marriage proposals should start being exchanged. Unlike commoners, who believed a child could be born at around 15 years old at the earliest, nobles prioritized combining power and influence, so they tended to decide on marriages at a much younger age. Thus, their advice was that Lia should marry royalty from another country to unite or expand our territory. Of course, I didn’t listen. After all, I grew up as a commoner and married a commoner. The noble way of marriage was still difficult for me to readily accept. So, I wished for Lia to marry a man she truly loved, rather than for the benefit of the nation or family.

But most of all, she still seemed like an unknowing baby to me. I had no desire to rush her into marriage. Because I believed that marriage, too, should be Lia’s choice, not mine.

I asked in a warm voice. “My daughter, what were you doing late last night?” “I was looking at maps.” “What map?” “I was looking at a map of Dragonez.” With that, she pointed to the desk beside her bed. Lia’s bedroom had a large bookshelf and a desk. For Lia, who was always energetic, life in the royal palace was boredom itself. During the day, she could spend time by riding horses around the castle or practicing swordsmanship, but at night, there was nothing to do, and she would get incredibly bored. That’s why I had specifically arranged for her to have these, so she could read many books.

As I approached, there was indeed a rolled-up map lying there. I smoothed the rolled edge with my hand and spread it out. [Map of the Entire Dragonez Region] It was a map surveying the Dragonez region, west of Deseo. Maps were very valuable resources, so it seemed Lia hadn’t obtained it herself. She probably asked Uncle Joseph to retrieve it from the royal palace storage. Next to the map were notes Lia had written separately. She had organized the places she had visited, along with dates and place names, while looking at the map. How admirable.

“It seems it was an unforgettable experience.” “Yes.” Four days had already passed since Lia and I returned from Breezedown. As soon as I returned to the royal palace, I had to deal with backlog work, so I hadn’t had time to reminisce. It seemed Lia had been enthusiastically talking about her fun experiences to everyone around her. So, Uncle Joseph must have pushed me to have a talk with my daughter. Hmm. It’s true I’d barely spoken with Lia since returning. I should make up for lost time now.

“Let’s see—shall we sit down and look together?” I took the map and spread it on the reception table. We looked down at the map together, pointing to the places we had visited. “This is Teyldun, and we followed this road all the way up.” “Yes. Breezedown is here. I thought it would be quiet because it’s a mountain valley, but there were more people than I expected! Many peddlers passed by, and there were also people who came to see the Dragonez Mountains up close.”

“That’s right. Back when your mother lived there, it was a deep mountain valley, so there weren’t many people. Especially this western part. The path to the west was blocked by steep cliffs. But the people of Breezedown built a new bridge a few years ago and opened up the road. Since then, many people have started coming and going.” “But can the people of Breezedown just build such a big bridge whenever they want? Lord Goldburg came directly to you to get permission for a road. Isn’t this bridge also a road?” “That’s an excellent question.”

Sometimes, Lia would ask surprisingly sharp questions like that. She herself claimed to prefer physical activities, but in truth, she wasn’t particularly suited for them. From my perspective, having learned swordsmanship with boys since childhood, she seemed simply slow. When I was 13, I had mastered all the basics, but Lia was still awkward at even holding a stance. Even Teacher Vincent would jokingly ask where my ‘swordsman’s talent’ had gone. However, Lia was exceptionally intelligent instead. There were various amazing anecdotes this child had shown so far, but simply the fact that there was nothing to scold her about besides oversleeping, and that she understood the general principles of the world without needing a separate tutor, was enough to prove her intelligence.

I explained calmly. “Building new roads is a bit of a complex issue. Creating a path barely wide enough for one person to pass isn’t a big problem, but if it becomes wide enough for horses and carts, there’s a lot to consider. If a war breaks out, soldiers and supplies can move along this road, so the monarch needs to be aware of this path to use it for defense and offense to gain an advantage in the war. That’s why lords must always inform the monarch and get permission when creating roads.”

My gaunt, slender finger pointed to Breezedown. “…However, this village is the only place that doesn’t follow those conditions. Although it has always belonged to this country, it has not been under the monarch’s rule. No taxes are collected, and no royal knights are stationed there. It is simply a place where they live by themselves. So, they don’t need my permission, nor do they have an obligation to inform me.”

Lia’s face clearly showed the question, ‘How can that be?’ Perhaps it was because she had seen with her own eyes that the village was unusual. She seemed to accept that such a place could exist and asked the most fundamental question. “Even so, if a war were to break out… couldn’t enemy forces cross the Dragonez Mountains via this bridge?” “Of course. You saw that bridge yourself, didn’t you, Lia?” “Yes.” “If you were an enemy commander wanting to invade our country, would you want to lead your army there?”

Lia thought for a moment, then shook her head. “No. The road to Breezedown is too narrow and rugged. And if the people of Breezedown cut the bridge, we’d be trapped in the mountains.” “Exactly. A small mountain village would achieve a magnificent military feat by repelling an enemy army.” “Ah! So that’s what Louis meant!” Lia’s face brightened, as if a pleasant memory had surfaced.

“Louis told me. He said that when he guides outsiders, he never tells them about ‘the paths residents use.’ He said that’s how they can keep the village safe. I didn’t understand it at first, but now that I’ve heard your story, I understand!” The Princess giggled, then seemed to ponder again, a question arising. “But that’s strange. Why did Louis tell me all the paths residents use, even though I’m an outsider?” “That’s… because Lia is also a ‘resident of Breezedown’.” “Me? Really?” “Yes. Even though you were born and live in this royal palace, your roots are there. That’s why you can be a resident of Breezedown.”

“Ah…” “Or perhaps, Louis just told you because he likes you?” “What?!” When I subtly probed, Lia shot up like a startled cat.

“What’s wrong? You two seemed to stick together like glue, so I thought you got along well?” “That’s… well—he just told me not to go far and to stick close! He even scared me by saying a bear might suddenly appear!” “Hahahaha…” As I stroked Lia’s cute red hair, I suddenly saw an unfamiliar object beyond my daughter’s shoulder. Under the bed, in Lia’s still-unpacked trunk, lay a large hat woven from straw. I found myself staring at it. Lia, noticing my gaze, looked back at her trunk.

“Oh, that? Louis gave it to me as a gift.” “……” Lia brought ‘Louis’s gift’ and showed it to me. “Before leaving Breezedown, I gave Louis a cloak as a gift, and he said he didn’t have anything to give me right away, so he gave me the hat he was wearing. He said it was inherited from his mother, and since straw hats like this aren’t common in Deseo, it’s unusual—and also, it somehow seems to carry the scent of the mountains, which I like.”

I took the straw hat. As expected. This hat held vast memories. “Yes. That’s right. This hat… is a very precious gift.” On my gaunt fingers holding the hat, I felt a noble golden wave rising, as precious as the straw itself. These were memories. Marie’s memories.

Should I… look at the memories? No, I believe the answer has already been given. Marie’s straw hat passed to Louis. And then passed to Lia again— It was her merciful gift, meant to tell me the story I most desired to know. Opening this box of memories was solely my choice. “……” The decision didn’t take long. Just for a moment. Just for a brief moment, I decided to close my eyes.