50. A Little Tea Party Just for the Princesses (3)
50. A Little Tea Party Just for the Princesses (3)
[Episode 50] - A Small Tea Party for Princesses Only (3)
"Because I don't want you to end up like me."
Titania looked at Princess Fiona, who was smiling bitterly, and couldn't say a word. Why was this person acting like this all of a sudden? Why did she hate Mother? Why was she telling her these things?
Titania couldn't get a read on it at all.
Unconsciously, she clenched her fist, and the chocolate she was holding melted, turning into a mushy mess in her palm. The sticky, mushy sensation felt similar to Princess Fiona's words and actions, making Titania frown.
While she was just opening and closing her mouth, not knowing what to say, Ainsel, who had been silent until now, shouted, Beol-reok!
-What on earth are you saying!! It is an undeniable fact that in the past, Vivian-nim used to work people to the bone and bully the maids, and was truly a hopeless person, but...!
Ainsel, with both fists clenched Kkwak!, shouted at Princess Fiona.
-She is different now! The current Vivian-nim is truly trying hard to become the Princess's 'parent'! For an outsider who knows nothing to believe only rumors and say such things to the Princess...!
It was to the extent that one could imagine the mirror hanging around her neck trembling. She was shouting so passionately that even without seeing her, one could imagine her angry expression, making Titania chuckle.
Holding the excited Ainsel in one hand, Titania glared at Princess Fiona. Princess Fiona's gaze was still fixed on her, as if she were truly worried.
"You said you didn't want me to end up like you...?"
"Yes, it's obvious that staying by her side won't lead to a good outcome. Princess Snow White, I am telling you this out of genuine concern."
The answer came immediately, as if there wasn't a shred of a lie. How could she be so sure? Titania hated that mouth that spat out, as if it were obvious, that she would regret being by her Mother's side.
She hated that this sudden guest was badmouthing her Mother without even knowing her. She wanted to give a brilliant retort to Princess Fiona's words and make her unable to even open her mouth again, but...
Titania, who was only ten years old, didn't know how to insult people brilliantly. Since she had never even tried to insult anyone, she didn't even know how to respond in this situation.
Having never stepped into high society, Titania hadn't learned the art of backhanded compliments. After thinking hard and long, she had no choice but to follow the 'memories' of what she had seen and grown up with.
Since there was only one person around who could serve as a textbook for this kind of thing.
It was almost natural for Titania to take this action.
Titania crossed her arms, narrowed her eyes, lifted her chin, and tilted her head ever so slightly to the side. Then, she raised the corners of her mouth slightly, making an expression that looked like she was sneering at someone.
Yes-
"Thank you for your concern, but it's unnecessary. Princess Fiona."
Just like when Vivian dealt with other nobles.
"I'm not doing too badly as it is."
"...Really? But that woman..."
Titania, who had slumped into her chair, even crossed her legs and lifted her chin. Seeing her look exactly like Vivian, Princess Fiona was slightly flustered and frowned.
As if she really didn't want to see it.
"Do not call her 'that woman' so carelessly. She is my mother and the Queen of this country right now. Or is it the correct way to address parents in your country to call them 'that woman'?"
-Heuk.
For a moment, Ainsel couldn't help but gasp and cover her mouth. She realized in an instant who the ten-year-old Princess had learned such bad words and behavior from.
-Parents are a mirror to their children...!
Ainsel was shocked, but Titania took the words as a compliment and blew a puff of air, Heung!. Ainsel's words were practically saying that she had acted exactly like her Mother.
'I did it! It was perfect!'
The moment Titania raised the corners of her mouth confidently, thinking she had perfectly imitated her Mother, Princess Fiona also covered her mouth and started giggling.
Thinking that laughter was mocking her, Titania frowned and looked at Princess Fiona, but Princess Fiona didn't seem to have any intention of stopping her laughter, and was busy laughing until she shed a few tears.
"Huhu, huhuhu, ha... was I this bold when I was young?"
"......? Yes? What did you just say?"
"It's nothing. Princess Snow White. Ha... that's right. I was too rude. I am a princess participating as an envoy from a neighboring country."
"...?"
Princess Fiona, who spoke as if reminding herself of her role, wiped her face with her palm and let out a small sigh. Then, she rolled her eyes and looked at Titania, who was sitting with her legs crossed.
The sight of her perfectly imitating Vivian. The way she looked down on people arrogantly and the way she tilted her head to ignore people. Her behavior was no different from a delinquent, rather than a princess.
Princess Fiona, watching that sight, let out a deep sigh. Shaking her head as if she couldn't understand it at all, Princess Fiona forced the corners of her mouth up again and smiled.
"...That's all for today. Princess Snow White. I'm sorry for being rude today."
"Knowing that is enough. I hope this doesn't happen again."
"Huhu, won't you tell the Queen about today?"
Twitch. One of Titania's eyebrows shot up. The fact that she was still treating her like a child made her think, 'I really should tell Mother.'
However... if she really told her Mother about today as she said, she felt like she would truly become the 'child' she was being treated as, so Titania decided to keep her mouth shut.
"...I will keep today a secret. So, do not insult my Mother ever again. The person who raised you and my Mother are different people. Please do not see them as the same."
"Different people... Yes, they are different. I'm sorry. I think I was a bit emotional today. The tea party was enjoyable. Let's have a more pleasant conversation next time."
At Princess Fiona's bow, Titania walked out of the garden with long strides. Just in case, she turned her head to look at Princess Fiona, who was waving her hand.
An unpleasant woman. And, a rude woman.
That was what Titania thought of Princess Fiona. She felt bad because she realized that all the laughter Princess Fiona had shown her Mother at the tea party today was 'fake'.
Thinking that she was a 'rude woman' who hated her Mother for some reason and was trying to sow discord, Titania shuddered and started running to her room.
And on the other hand, she also thought that Princess Fiona was a pitiful person.
If everything she said about being hated and loathed by the 'Second Queen' while growing up was true, she could understand what she said today just a little bit.
Although the memory was starting to fade now, before her Mother changed, she was no different from what she had described. Like the days before she was seven when there was no one around her.
Titania shook her head, shook off the bad thoughts, and started running to her room. She wanted to see her Mother right now, but she couldn't because she was still in a meeting.
'If I meet her in the evening, I must start by saying I'm sorry.'
She thought that if she apologized sincerely, saying she was sorry for avoiding her and that she wouldn't do it again, her Mother would accept it with a smile.
Thinking that if she apologized like that, she would hug her, and imagining being held tightly in her Mother's arms for the first time in a while, Titania couldn't stop the corners of her mouth from rising on their own.
Since she hadn't been with her Mother for almost two months, she thought it would be nice to sleep with her Mother for the first time in a while. They usually slept in the same bed, but lately, they had been awkward, so they slept in separate rooms.
Thinking such happy thoughts, Titania arrived at her room, had Ellie help her remove her makeup, and flopped onto the bed, staring at the ceiling. Ellie had said the meeting would end before dinner.
Looking at the clock, there was still plenty of time until dinner. Titania puffed out her cheeks, saying time was moving too slowly, crawled under the covers, and chatted with Ainsel.
When Titania asked Ainsel how she should reconcile with her Mother, Ainsel advised her to write a letter of apology, and Titania blushed, saying a letter was embarrassing.
While spending time chatting with Ainsel like that, Titania blinked her eyes at the drowsiness that was creeping in. She even yawned loudly and looked at Ainsel with dazed eyes.
"Wake me up before dinner..."
-Yes, when you wake up, let's go apologize to Vivian-nim together. I haven't been able to go near Vivian-nim lately because I promised the Princess... Honestly, I'm scared of how angry Vivian-nim will be.
"Then I'll ask her not to scold you..."
-Please, I beg of you...
Unable to overcome the sleepiness, Titania asked Ainsel to wake her up in the evening, slowly closed her eyes, and took a nap under the covers.
Saegeun-saegeun.Saegeun-saegeun.
A nap so deep that she wouldn't know even if someone kidnapped her.
*
Immediately after the tea party ended, Princess Fiona, who was waving at Titania as she walked away from the garden, covered her mouth with her hand and held back her laughter.
"My, she's bold. What could be different?"
At the sight of Titania looking back at her from afar, Princess Fiona couldn't help but smile with complex emotions.
She smiled bitterly at that bold appearance, and giggled at the sight of her glancing around, checking other people's reactions.
"Right, I wasn't that bold."
An answer that didn't know if it was a monologue or a conversation with someone. When Titania disappeared from the end of her gaze, Princess Fiona, who had slumped into her chair, lifted her head and sighed.
"I only came to check for a moment..."
Saying she didn't know what the situation was, Princess Fiona let out a small sigh and wiped her face. Then, she crossed her legs and tilted her head, imitating Titania from earlier.
"...My, why on earth would she follow such a look. She shouldn't show this kind of look in high society. Right?"
Princess Fiona, who had uncrossed her legs, took a comfortable position again and stared blankly in the direction Titania had disappeared.
"...No matter how much I think about it, I don't understand. You know. That woman's personality. Selfish, violent, seeing people only as tools, and a woman who must get what she wants to be satisfied. There's no way there could be even a shred of affection in the heart of such a woman."
Princess Fiona, frowning, tapped the table with her finger and fell into thought. The moment she was sighing, saying she didn't understand, a good idea came to mind, and she smiled brightly.
"Originally, a parent's true feelings come out when the child is not around. Isn't that right? A parent wouldn't treat their child with their true feelings in front of them, right?"
Princess Fiona, who had gulped down the remaining half of the teacup, stood up from the chair, stretched her arms above her head, and yawned.
"So, let's put on a play. The title is... something like 'A Pubescent Girl's Runaway'? Ah, is she too young to be called pubescent?"
Princess Fiona, who smiled Pishik, waved her hand in the air. That gesture was similar to the act of stroking a child's head.
"I'll prepare the letter. The handwriting will be the same anyway. Should I scribble it a bit?"