CH 68

Chapter 68: Ina Periknen

Ina first met Elias-sama in the school’s rose garden.

Although anyone who is a student can enter there, it is a place that has been prepared for the daughters of high-ranking noble families. Ina found out later.

Deep in the complicated rose garden, in a secluded white gazebo, there was a handsome man with golden hair sitting on a white bench.

Monarchy - S3 Ep2 - The Glorious Re...

He was either asleep or had closed his eyes and didn’t move, with his elbows on the armrests and his head supported.

“…a rose fairy?”

Ina whispered unconsciously, and slowly, his blue eyes opened.

Red lips moved.

“Are you a fairy? Beautiful young lady.”

When Ina heard that voice, her heart jumped greatly.

“The security guard… Ah, I kept him away. Young lady, you can sit down.”

Ina hesitantly sat down next to him.

“Fairy-san, thank you very much.”

“I’m not a fairy, I’m Elias.”

“Elias-sama! I am Ina. Ina Madetoya.”

In this way, Ina and Elias-sama became acquaintances. It seems that Elias-sama also likes Ina and they started seeing each other often at the Rose Garden.

“I feel at peace when I’m with Ina.”

Sometimes, he would say that and even put his head on Ina’s lap and roll around on the bench.

It was later that I found out that Elias-sama was the Crown Prince and even later that I found out that he had a fiancée.

As time passed since Ina started seeing Elias-sama, her friends started avoiding her somewhat. And the number of times letters saying not to approach Elias-sama or that her pen or textbook was missing increased.

“Vilhelmina did this…”

Vilhelmina is the fiancée of Elias-sama.

She sometimes calls Ina and tells her not to see Elias-sama. Yes, that’s right. Because they are engaged.

“You don’t need to listen to Vilhelmina. Ina, listen to my words.”

But Elias-sama says not to worry about Vilhelmina, but to meet with him.

“Don’t worry, Ina and I will be together.”

“Yes, Elias-sama.”

Looking back, these were probably the most enjoyable times for me.

So, for the spring evening party, Elias-sama came to pick me up in a royal carriage to Madetoya’s house with a wonderful dress I had never seen before.

At that evening party, Elias-sama declared that he was breaking his engagement with Vilhelmina-san and accepting Ina as his fiancé.

And she was taken to the castle.

“Ina will receive education to become a future queen. Come on, Ina will learn quickly.”

That’s what Elias-sama said.

But, in the first place, the education for a lady of lower noble class, upper noble class, and a queen were completely different things.

For example, Father is a Baron. Viscounts and below cannot directly meet the royal family and do not have the opportunity to exchange words. In other words, one must learn how to greet and speak with the king or queen from scratch, and also learn how to receive greetings and manners of speech as a royal from subjects…

Ina is also overwhelmed by studies, and although she lives in the same castle as Elias-sama, she has very little time to meet him.

She wanted to let Elias-sama rest like in school, but she could not move freely because she was monitored by the female officials at that time.

Elias-sama became tired. And when Ina looks at him, he increasingly shows a sad expression.

In the autumn, Ina is told that she will become a foster child of the Periknen family and spend the winter in Periknen territory.

“When I come back in the spring next year, will I be able to become the bride of Elias-sama?”

“ye,… yeah. That’s right.”

Once Elias-sama said so, but Elias-sama seems to be lacking energy in his words.

“I’ll be waiting for you…I’m going now.”

I hugged Elias-sama, but he did not hug me back.

And so, Duke Periknen became my stepfather and the Duchess became my stepmother, and there were also step brothers and sisters.”

I don’t understand why Vilhelmina-sama’s house would take Ina in as an adopted child, but while studying with the family teachers who came to the territory, she goes shopping for dresses, eats delicious food, and is taken out to play.”

But Jurremi-san, who became my step-brother by obligation, did not seem to recognize Ina as a family member. Stepfather and stepmother told me to get along well with him, but it is usually difficult to get along with someone who suddenly has a big sister, you know.”

I sent many letters to Elias-sama. Although he did not reply much because he was busy, the letters written ‘I love you’ are carefully kept in a box.

The new year has started and I returned to the capital. Elias-sama came to see me immediately and I thought he was going to take me back to the castle, but I was told that I would still be at the Periknen house for a while.

Mother-in-law asked us to attend a tea party, and the tutor agreed that we should attend from a group of young people.

I received an invitation from a person named Milcah Sarusti-san and I was invited to the tea party. It is said to be a gathering of friends of the Count’s daughter, so it shouldn’t be too strict with etiquette.

However, during that tea party, I was taken to a room by Milcah-san who said she had something special to show me.

“It’s been a long time, Ina Periknen-sama.”

In the far end chair, Vilhelmina-san was sitting in a red dress, and from behind the fan she opened, she was staring at me with a cold emerald gaze.