Breakfast Is Served, Princess
“Your meal is served, Princess.”
It was a rather late breakfast today. Given the timing, it might as well have been brunch. I stretched as I looked at the food delivered right to my bedside on a cart. No one scolded me for sleeping in, nor did anyone complain when I ate in bed. It was the ultimate privilege of being a princess.
“Mmm, delicious.” The appetizer made of shredded chicken breast, the soft bread, and the rich cream—everything was exquisite. After finishing my meal with quiet elegance, I remained in bed, enjoying a sweet, leisurely tea time.
“P-Princess…!” The maid looking at me had suddenly gone pale. Following her horrified gaze, I reached up and felt something warm trickling down.
“B-Blood…! Rosetta, quick, fetch the doctor!” The maid’s voice was frantic. When I touched my nose, my fingers came away stained with bright red blood.
…Poison…? That was the first word that crossed my mind. But for poison, there was no pain or abnormality in my body. My nose was simply bleeding, refusing to stop. Crimson stains, which would surely be difficult to wash out, began to bloom across my snow-white nightgown. The maids, looking as pale as if they were the ones bleeding out, frantically wiped at my face.
Not long after the maid rushed out, the royal physician burst into the room, gasping for breath. Seeing my state, his expression turned grave as he began his examination. It didn't take long to check my pulse and perform a few quick tests. Once he dabbed a medicated cotton swab inside my nose, the bleeding finally subsided.
Sighing in relief, the royal physician, Reynard, wiped the sweat from his brow and spoke with a cautious tone. “It is nothing life-threatening, Princess. It appears highly likely to be caused by mental fatigue… Perhaps the psychological burden of being confined to this room is taking its toll.”
Mental fatigue? Even today was proof enough that there was absolutely nothing uncomfortable about staying here. In fact, compared to my usual hectic schedule as a princess, this was practically a vacation. No, wait. Now that I thought about it, there was something that could be called fatigue. Having Carmel’s exquisite body within arm's reach and having to hold myself back—if I had to name a source of stress, that was undoubtedly the greatest one.
Just as I was lost in these thoughts, the door flew open, and someone called my name in a booming voice.
“Sera!”
It was King Pehart. Striding toward me with his royal cloak fluttering behind him, Pehart’s face was filled not with majesty, but with deep anxiety. He turned to the physician. “Reynard! How is Sera’s condition?”
Looking more tense than before, the royal physician repeated the explanation he had given me. Even after hearing that it wasn't serious, Pehart’s expression remained grim.
“Sigh…”
“I am fine, Father. I am just a little tired, that is all.”
“No. I thought wrong. I had no idea that staying in the same place as Carmel would place such a heavy burden on you… I am sorry. I must undo the punishment I handed down to you.”
Huh? Pehart seemed to be taking my condition far more seriously than I had anticipated. Well, seeing his only daughter bleed would do that to a father, I suppose. Granted, with Carmel trying to join hands with Lorencia, securing my freedom of movement rather than being locked up here might be necessary. But at the same time, it would be a shame to give up the privilege of sleeping in the same bed as Carmel every night. It was a situation that required a rather delicate choice.
Quickly calculating which option would benefit me more, I offered a polite smile and replied, “No, Your Majesty. If you withdraw the punishment you decreed as King, it will diminish your royal authority. Please do not worry about my health. I am staying here without any discomfort whatsoever. A little rest is all I need to recover.”
This was a textbook response for a dutiful princess devoted to her kingdom. Indeed, Pehart looked deeply moved.
“Sera…”
“However, allowing my health to deteriorate and troubling Your Majesty’s mind would also be a great loss to the kingdom. Let us keep the current arrangement for now, and if it truly becomes too difficult to bear, I shall speak to you again. Would that be acceptable?”
“Mmm… Yes, let us do that.”
Perfect. With this, I could maintain the current situation. At the same time, I had secured a way to put a stop to it whenever I wished. This was the best possible outcome.
Just then, the door swung open once more, and Carmel stepped into the room.
“Mother…”
Carmel’s expression was dark. Yet, she didn't look worried about me either. Her face was stiff, frozen in a cold mask.
“Ah, you are here, Carmel,” Pehart said. “According to Reynard, Sera needs absolute peace and rest. Please, stay by her side and take good care of her.”
“…I understand, Your Majesty.”
“I sincerely implore you. Seeing the two of you get along harmoniously is my greatest wish.”
“Yes. Do not worry.”
Pehart’s voice as he entrusted me to her care was one of the most solemn I had ever heard from him. After locking eyes with Carmel to emphasize his request and casting several worried glances my way, Pehart finally departed. The royal physician also left after giving various instructions to the maids.
The maids bustled about, changing my soiled clothes, replacing the sheets, and preparing warm food. Throughout it all, Carmel stood by the bedside with her arms crossed, her eyes fixed on me.
“You may all leave now,” Carmel commanded. “His Majesty has ordered me to care for the Princess, so I will handle the rest myself.”
“Pardon? The-The Queen herself…? B-But that is…”
Sensing the sharp edge in Carmel’s tone, the maids tentatively glanced at me for approval. Their hesitation only seemed to anger Carmel further.
“Do I have to repeat myself?”
“A-Ah, understood!”
As soon as the maids fled the room, Carmel drew closer. Sitting on the edge of the bed and crossing her legs, she sneered, “What a cute little stunt. Did you think doing that would get you out of here? You must be getting quite desperate.”
Did she think I had harmed myself just to cause a scene? It was a complete misunderstanding.
“No, Mother. I was truly just tired.”
“Sure, let’s go with that. But it seems your little scheme to escape using illness as an excuse has backfired. What a waste of blood.”
A cold smirk curled the corners of Carmel’s lips. She seemed to be deriving quite a bit of joy from the situation. She clearly had no idea what kind of conversation I had shared with Pehart before she walked in. Well, there was no harm in letting her indulge in her hollow triumph.
“Is that so? But seeing Mother cast everything aside to rush to my side… that alone makes it entirely worthwhile.”
Hearing my words, Carmel snorted in blatant derision.
“Hmph. You’re just trying to stop me from making my move anyway. Were you really that desperate to drag me down? This is the absolute limit of what you can do. It’s nothing more than proof of how utterly powerless you are while confined to this room.”
She was in an exceptionally good mood. Believing my plan had failed—and that I had resorted to such desperate measures as shedding my own blood—seemed to give her a massive sense of superiority. Even though the reality was the exact opposite.
“Well, you are free to think whatever you like. But since you sent all the maids away, I assume you will keep your word about taking care of me?”
I pointed to the covered bowl the maids had left behind. Inside was a warm potage.
“…What do you want me to do?”
“You have to feed me in their stead. I am under strict orders to rest, after all. Didn’t His Majesty emphasize that before he left?”
“Sigh… What utter nonsense…”
Carmel grimaced, looking thoroughly disgusted by the mere suggestion. But her expression soon shifted, and a smirk played on her lips.
“Fine. I shall grant you that much out of the kindness of my heart. Poor, helpless Sera… you had better get used to this powerlessness soon.”
The reason for her sudden change of heart was obvious: she viewed the act of feeding me as a confirmation of her own dominance. Carmel uncovered the bowl, scooped up a spoonful of potage, and brought it to my lips. She wore a mockingly benevolent expression.
“Say ah.”
Playing along like a pampered baby, I parted my lips and took the spoon Carmel offered, feeling a strange, thrilling shiver run down my spine. Even without intense physical contact, this wasn’t bad at all. Of course, the way Carmel and I interpreted this situation was entirely different.
“Fufu, hehehe… Yes, you look best when you’re behaving, Sera. If you stay like this, I might just raise you like a cute little doll. Fufu…”
Carmel seemed to genuinely enjoy the moment, her smile reaching her eyes. It was an expression far removed from that of a loving mother—it was a look of almost decadent pleasure. Well, let her enjoy it. As long as I could enjoy the sensation of being hand-fed by Carmel, nothing else mattered. I opened my mouth like a baby bird as the spoon approached once more.
At that exact moment, the door creaked open, and someone poked their head inside.
“Oh, u-um…”
It was Shinia. She had clearly tried to peek in without making a sound, but failed miserably. Frozen in our respective feeding and receiving poses, Carmel and I stared at Shinia as if we had been caught in a highly embarrassing act.
“O-Oh, I’m s-so sorry… P-Please… keep doing what you were doing… D-Don’t mind me… I-I’m sorry for interrupting…”
Hearing Shinia stammer awkwardly as if she had witnessed something she shouldn't have made me feel a bit embarrassed too. Technically, we were just following the King’s orders, and there was absolutely nothing for a mother and daughter to be ashamed of. But my embarrassment was nothing compared to Carmel's.
Clang!
The spoon, which had been just inches from my lips, clattered to the floor, spilling its precious contents. Carmel glared at Shinia, her face flushed bright red.
“H-Hieek!”
Shinia shrank back in terror. To her, Carmel’s expression was undoubtedly one of pure rage. But having dominated and humiliated Carmel for so long, I was the only one who could read her expression correctly.
Carmel was currently dying of sheer embarrassment.