The Princess' Bedroom Doll

“What can I do for you? Princess.”

Duke Esther asked, sitting in front of Raha. They were facing each other in the reception room of the main palace. Raha was not the person to invite Duke Esther where she ate and slept, and some thought that Duke Esther would not have gone if she had invited him to the Palace of the Princess.

Raha, of course, did not suggest tea first. There were not even tea cups on the table, even though she had invited him to join us for a cup of tea. Perhaps it was only natural.

Because the Countess of Borbon, who died after drinking the poisoned tea instead of Raha, was the sister of Duke Esther.

“I have a question.”

“Go ahead.”

“If you give you my life, will you take it?”

“What do you mean?”

“Purely and literally.”

Raha’s body often stiffened in front of Duke Esther. Perhaps that was the reason. Her tongue also stiffened a little. She could not speak as fluently as she did before others, and began to spit out only simple words like a child. She did not know if it was because her mind stopped growing, as Harsel said.

“You want to avenge the Countess of Borbon.”

Duke Esther stared blankly at Raha.

“The Princess’s death will not bring back my sister.”

“It’s a compensation for what was taken from you. Isn’t revenge an attempt to inflict the same pain on the other party?”

“…….”

“Wouldn’t my death relieve the Duke’s heart a little?”

A moment of silence passed. It was a time that seemed seemingly eternal to Raha.

“Princess.”

Duke Esther glanced at the mere glass of water.

“I will not take revenge like that. Nor do I intend to do it that way.”

“Of course not.”

Under the table, Raha squeezed her hands together and asked.

“So, what will you do to get revenge?”

“…….”

“Duke Esther.”

“Princess.”

“Yes, Duke.”

“Are there any fools who will kindly explain to the target of their revenge how to do it?”

“…….”

“It may exist somewhere, but at least it’s not Esther. Princess.”

Raha slowly lowered looked down. Her beautiful eyes, with their long eyelashes drooping, trembled. Would they be that color if they froze just before the waves crashed down? The blue-sky eyes, the sea-colored eyes that had brought tragedy to so many people, looked like those of a frightened child.

“Princess.”

Duke Esther changed the subject with a blank expression.

“We have welcomed the wise men, and now we will welcome the priests. However, the High Priest and His Majesty do not get along well, so I would like the Princess to welcome them. As you know, Esther is a family that has had close relations with the Holy Land for generations, so I am asking you because we do not want any further conflict.”

“…… I see.”

“Thank you. Princess.”

Polite as always, but that was the only tasteless answer.

Raha gazed at the Esther family pattern on the duke’s chest. The crest of a star. In the Delo Empire, a star was a symbol meaning wise man.

But the name Esther itself was of star origin. Esther and the wise men were that closely related.

It was only natural that the first Duke of Esther was a wise man.

He chose to become a wise man himself in order to assist Delharsa, and since the Wise Men had never shed blue blood again, they were virtually the only bloodline. The Wise Men never married, never had children, and never conceived.

Therefore, the Esthers were the most solid in their position among their numerous noble families. This was probably the reason why he did not care about the complexion of Karzen. The Esthers were a family with close ties to the Wise men and, inevitably, to the Holy Land. That was probably why he had the highest rank among the eminent dukes of the empire.

The Duke of Winston alone was busy every day in his quest to rise higher. Wasn’t Duke Winston busy visiting Raha’s palace and talking to Shed today as well?

In comparison, Duke Esther was much more elegant. At least that was his exterior anyway.

“Princess.”

Duke Esther spoke after a few moments.

“There are only a few days left for them to be here, Your Imperial Highness.”

“I see.”

It was already established that she would marry Shed in the late spring, and that Raha would then leave for the Kingdom of Hildes. She was told that the maids had already decided who would stay behind and who would follow.

She thought they would all remain in the empire.

She did not expect that the maids, with the exception of the only daughter of the house, would mostly decide to follow Raha to the Kingdom of Hildes. These were the words she had heard a few days before. Ruminating on the story made her feel strange in a different way.

“Did you see the wedding gift that we sent to the princess from Esther as well?”

“I haven’t seen it yet. There are too many gifts coming in.”

It was superficially worded. There were too many presents. Raha’s palace was as big as the Empress’ palace. So many empty rooms that it was impossible to count them, yet there was no room to step on as the gifts poured in from all over. 

As it was, there would be more gifts that would not be opened even after Raha left for Hildes. Actually, when you are as big as the Duke of Esther, you are not such an anxious family…. ….

He was not a stranger to the fact that Raha deliberately pretended not to see the Duke of Esther’s gifts.

“It’s a pity that the Princess didn’t see the gift. It’s just the sincerity of Esther’s intentions.”

Duke Esther was not sorry at all contrary to what he said. Raha blinked her eyes.

What did he send? Would it be dried flowers?

“I’ll open it as soon as I return to the palace. Because I cannot ignore Esther’s sincerity now, can I?”

“Thank you. Shall the Princess go first?”

“Yes.”

“Goodbye, Princess.”

Duke Esther rose from his seat and watched Raha’s back for a moment as she walked away.

A spring breeze was gradually blowing through the parlor’s large windows.

Light and soft as spring petals, the hem of the dress worn by the Princess fluttered.

* * *

It was not full of dry flowers as Raha had feared.

“Princess. Look at them. It’s all beautiful.”

“Duke Esther really put his mind into it, didn’t he?”

When Raha returned to the palace and had the maids open Duke Esther’s presents, the maids seemed to be enjoying them more than herself. It was uniformly dazzlingly glamorous and sparkling, though, so it was a natural reaction.

The Duke of Esther’s family sent a total of 40 boxes of gifts, and Raha nodded her head as she let them open them all.

All the gifts were suitable for a princess about to be married. However, something was strangely missing from each one. For example, the dress, gloves, and shoes were included in one set, but no hat. Or a bracelet, necklace, and ring in one set, but no earrings.

It was not required, but since 20 of the 40 boxes were like this, Raha could not help but be a little concerned. Soon after, other gifts of similar resolutions sent by other high ranking nobles did not have this mistake.

“Isn’t that a mistake?”

Well…….

After looking at the 30 dresses Esther had sent her, Raha chose to try on a light yellow dress with a chest full of expensive beaded ornaments.

“What do you mean?”

* * *

“I think it means that he wants you to come to his owned salon.”

Jamela spoke. Raha raised her gaze from the papers she had been looking at.

“If a family has a large salon, wouldn’t it be such an honor if you came once, Your Imperial Highness?”

Esther was a family that operated a large organization. Naturally, they also had a salon.

“It is where the salon is located.”

“Then my guess may be correct.”

Raha’s chin tilted up at Jamela’s words. It was an inference that could be made without difficulty.

Recently, when Raha had a little more freedom of movement, some noblemen had sent her gifts of a similar kind. It was a very polite and well meaning salon invitation.

It did not mean that they wanted her to visit the salon and make sales. It was just that once the Princess visited, it would make the name of the salon very valuable.

That was how much the nobles were very interested in Raha’s steps. To be precise, they were very interested in the steps of the royal family, but Raha was the only female member of the Delharsa royal family who appeared in social circles today.

If they were ordinary aristocrats, yes.

But Duke Esther?

Of course, even Duke Esther could make such an invitation. But it was an invitation that was possible only if she wasn’t his target. The relationship between Raha and Duke Esther was…wasn’t it quite complicated?

Jamela did not know that “the nobleman” was the Duke Esther. If she knew, she might say something different.

Raha felt troubled. Pretending that she could not grasp the intention of Duke Esther, she decided to go to the salon once.

“Lady Jamela. Would you like to come out with me to Clock Tower Street?”

“With the Princess?”

Jamela’s eyes grew wide.

“It’s been ten years since I last went out on Clock Tower Street.”

‘”Oh, …… yes, of course. I understand, Princess. Let me show you around.”

Jamela was a little surprised. She quickly finished her calculations and nodded. Other than herself, there were no other Young Ladies in a position to accompany the Princess, or sometimes it was better not to be there.

Raha smiled.

“I will ask His Majesty.”

* * *

That evening.

Raha had dinner with Karzen after a long time. Karzen had been busy for a long time. It was a happy time for Raha.

For the first time in a long time, the emperor and the princess ate alone together, so the table was full of various kinds of luxurious food. Raha deliberately increased the amount of food a little bit, which she had always tried to end up eating inertially. Naturally, it was because of Shed.

She ate a little more of the juicy goose roast. As she ate more than usual, Karzen opened his mouth.

“It seems the food suits your palate. Raha.”

“Yes, it’s delicious.”

“I must give a reward to the head chefs of the main palace.”

“If the work is done well, they must receive an award. Good.”

Raha smiled. The chamberlain recorded Karzen’s words quickly.