Christmas Is Coming
Christmas Is Coming
The next day, early morning.
The indoor garden of the Imperial Palace.
"Hmm......."
Selvia, who had been pacing restlessly with her red cape fluttering, glanced to the side.
"How does it look from the Chief of the Royal Medical Office's perspective? Does it seem okay?"
The Chief of the Royal Medical Office gave an awkward smile at Selvia's anxious demeanor.
"Your Highness. You've already asked three times."
"I just can't calm down. It's been so long since we last met...... So, how does it look?"
Selvia was asking whether her makeup had been applied well.
Selvia, who had awakened at dawn, had requested the Royal Medical Office staff to apply her makeup, and since such an occurrence was rare, the staff had applied their utmost care and skill.
Of course, even though they had taken great care, the style of makeup was not overly prominent.
They had used only a light foundation and powder to give her an elegant yet restrained beauty.
The lipstick applied to her lips was also a nude shade close to her skin tone.
Thus, it was so subtle that from a distance, one could hardly tell if she was wearing makeup or not.
To that extent, one could also say the makeup had been applied naturally and well.
"In my humble view, you are exceedingly beautiful. If Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Steiner were to see Your Highness the Princess now, I imagine he would naturally compliment your beauty."
Daniel, complimenting someone's beauty?
Selvia, who had been imagining Daniel complimenting someone's appearance, suddenly let out a small giggle.
It was because it didn't fit Daniel's usual image at all.
"I don't think he would, but I'd like it if he did. More importantly, are the preparations for the Christmas banquet proceeding well?"
The Christmas banquet was an important event hosted by the Imperial Household every year.
Although its scale had been greatly reduced since the Empire entered wartime, it still held a high reputation as a prestigious banquet attended by all nobility and high society, as well as the imperial family.
Originally, this banquet was overseen by the Emperor, but this time it fell under the jurisdiction of Selvia, who was serving as regent.
Selvia did not particularly like spending money on banquets, but this time she did not hesitate to open the national treasury.
Because the guest of honor for this banquet was none other than Daniel Steiner.
She intended to use the Christmas banquet as a pretext to celebrate the war hero's safe return.
Since the justification was clear, no one raised any objections, and thanks to that, Selvia was able to prepare the Christmas banquet smoothly.
The Chief of the Royal Medical Office, who had been watching Selvia's excited expression, smiled kindly and nodded.
"As you instructed, we have prepared a dinner tailored to Lieutenant Colonel Daniel's preferences. We have also airlifted ingredients from various nations to create the post-meal desserts. Moreover, the top-shelf whiskey intended as a gift for Lieutenant Colonel Daniel will be arriving soon, so I believe there is no cause for concern."
Selvia nodded after hearing the Chief of the Royal Medical Office's report.
As Selvia expressed satisfaction with how perfectly the banquet preparations were proceeding, the Chief of the Royal Medical Office carefully broached a new topic.
"Your Highness. Her Majesty the Empress commanded that a gift be delivered to Your Highness through the Royal Medical Office. May I present it to you now?"
"From Mother? What did she send?"
"That is......."
The Chief of the Royal Medical Office, who had been gauging Selvia's reaction, bowed his head as if apologetic.
"Her Majesty the Empress personally selected some undergarments for Your Highness the Princess. Her Majesty commanded that these undergarments be delivered to you along with the words, 'Wear them when it's important.'"
A lady-in-waiting standing beside the Chief of the Royal Medical Office stepped forward and slowly opened the lid of the undergarment box.
Selvia, who had unconsciously turned her gaze, froze the moment she saw the undergarments.
"What nonsense......."
Not only was the fabric coverage minimal, but the design was also bizarre and ludicrous.
The design, which looked like something a person driven by lust would wear, came across as unpleasant.
If the person who had given this gift had not been her mother, she would have been furious.
Selvia, whose face flushed hotly for no reason, waved her hand.
"Put it away."
"Understood. However, Her Majesty the Empress also asked that we pass on this message: 'My daughter is certain to refuse the first gift, so I have prepared another one.'"
"......What is it?"
As a rule, curiosity was bound to overcome displeasure.
When Selvia expressed her question, another lady-in-waiting stepped forward and opened the lid of a box.
Inside the box was a luxurious crystal bottle containing an unknown liquid.
'Judging by the pink color, it couldn't be.......'
As Selvia stared at the suspicious liquid with a cold gaze, grid-like veins stood out on her forehead.
"Put it away this instant."
Upon hearing the order, the ladies-in-waiting closed the box lids and stepped back.
The Chief of the Royal Medical Office was not greatly surprised, as he had known Selvia would not accept them.
He had merely followed the Empress's command.
"Tell my mother. If she sends gifts like this again next time, I will refrain from paying my respects to her for at least half a year."
Faced with Selvia's seemingly furious appearance, the Chief of the Royal Medical Office bowed his head deeply.
"I shall convey that to Her Majesty the Empress."
Selvia, who had been about to add a few more words, instead closed her mouth and shook her head.
'The Royal Medical Office simply could not refuse my mother's words, that's all.'
What fault could there possibly be on their part?
It was the moment when the resigned Selvia let out a low sigh.
"Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Steiner has arrived!"
An Imperial Guard soldier shouted loudly from the entrance of the indoor garden.
Startled, Selvia hurried over to sit in front of the table.
For good measure, she picked up a cup filled with black tea so as not to show that she had been waiting for Daniel.
As she did so, Daniel Steiner walked over confidently from the other side.
Daniel, approaching in his Imperial Army uniform, showed slight fatigue on his face, but even that came across as charming to Selvia.
'He seems to have gotten more handsome since I last saw him.'
She found herself staring at his face blankly, even forgetting to pretend to drink her tea.
Although in reality, his appearance was hardly any different from before he went to Belanos.
"Your Highness the Princess."
Drawing near, Daniel bowed his head in accordance with imperial etiquette.
He had judged that this was slightly more appropriate than a salute, given that it was a private summons.
Selvia, who had been silently staring at Daniel, let out a dry cough and lowered her cup.
"This isn't something to discuss standing up, so have a seat."
Daniel nodded and took a seat opposite Selvia.
Selvia was overjoyed that Daniel, whom she had thought dead, had returned alive, but since she could not allow the dignity of the Imperial Household to be tarnished, she spoke with as much restraint as possible.
"Congratulations on your safe return."
"It is all thanks to the grace of His Majesty the Emperor and Your Highness the Princess."
After Daniel's formal response, an awkward silence fell between them.
Selvia, not knowing where to pick up the conversation, spoke from her anxious heart.
"What do you think is the reason I summoned you, Lieutenant Colonel Daniel?"
Was she probing him? Daniel, who had unconsciously grown tense, answered as naturally as possible.
"I presume you summoned me to hear a detailed account of the negotiation results."
"I've already heard that to the point of blisters on my ears from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I summoned Lieutenant Colonel Daniel today for personal reasons."
"Personal reasons, you say?"
Selvia stalled for time by fiddling with her teacup.
It was because inviting him to the banquet felt, for some unknown reason, like asking him out on a date.
Selvia, who had been pondering how to phrase it so that Daniel would accept, opened her mouth with difficulty.
"Are you aware, Lieutenant Colonel Daniel, that a grand banquet will be held at the Imperial Palace to mark Christmas?"
"Ah. I have heard that preparations for the banquet are already underway."
"Then we are on the same page. I intend to formally invite Lieutenant Colonel Daniel to the banquet this time."
Now it was Daniel's turn to say he would consider it an honor.
So Selvia had been waiting, but Daniel did not answer readily.
Daniel, who had been weighing his words as if something was troubling him, gave an awkward smile.
"I do have a prior engagement, but if I adjust my schedule, it shouldn't be difficult to attend the banquet."
At the mention of a prior engagement, a question mark floated above Selvia's head.
"A prior engagement? With whom?"
"Ah. That is......."
Daniel paused briefly before speaking.
"I have an adjutant named Lucy Emilia, and we made plans to spend Christmas together. It's because neither my adjutant nor I had any particular schedule on Christmas."
Lucy Emilia was a figure Selvia also knew of vaguely.
After all, she was the woman who had earned merit in stabilizing the occupied territory of Nordia.
But she hadn't known that woman was making advances toward Daniel.
"Hmm......."
Selvia wore a thin smile as if she didn't mind.
"How fortunate. I shall also invite Lieutenant Colonel Daniel's adjutant to this year's Christmas banquet. Then there'd be no need to adjust your schedule, don't you think?"
The atmosphere had subtly grown heavy, but Daniel didn't notice and nodded.
"If you do so, my adjutant will also consider it an honor. I shall relay the message."
"Good. Then you may take your leave now."
"Understood."
Rising from his seat, Daniel bowed his head in accordance with etiquette.
As Daniel turned and walked out, Selvia quietly stared at his retreating figure.
In her half-lowered eyes, the previous excitement had vanished without a trace.
Lucy Emilia.
Selvia, who had been repeating the name of the woman Daniel had mentioned, lifted her cup and took a sip of black tea.
Dalgreuk─
The moment she set the cup down, Selvia's delicate lips parted.
"Chief of the Royal Medical Office."
Sensing that the mood had become serious, the Chief of the Royal Medical Office hurriedly approached and bowed his head.
"Listen carefully. I'm only going to say this once."
At the voice that seemed coated in frost, the ladies-in-waiting standing behind her also pricked up their ears.
"Contact the Intelligence Bureau and command them to conduct a thorough background investigation on Lucy Emilia. Everything—her education, date of birth, political leanings, hometown, interpersonal relationships, and even her family origin."
"Yes. Understood."
Having heard the Chief of the Royal Medical Office's answer, Selvia's blue eyes narrowed sharply.
'I need to know.'
Just who the woman making advances toward Daniel Steiner was.
'If it's not pure romantic interest but some kind of ulterior motive.......'
She was prepared to mobilize all her power to block it.