A Calculated Kindness
“Call for the physician!”
Vera immediately poured cold water over Cayena’s arm.
Cayena frowned at the stinging pain. Fortunately, the contact had been brief, so the burn was not severe.
Lydia threw herself to the floor, begging for forgiveness.
“I have committed a crime worthy of death! Please forgive me, Your Highness!”
Even a minor injury to a member of the imperial family was a grave offense. To have burned the empire’s only princess… immediate flogging would not have been unjust.
“Lydia! Have you lost your mind!”
“Enough.”
Cayena stopped Vera.
“I frightened everyone for no reason. It was my fault for failing to explain that the pie needed time to cool. Do not scold her.”
How could any of this be Cayena’s fault? The claim was absurd.
At that moment the physician burst into the room, breathless.
“The physician has arrived, Your Highness!”
She showed him her reddened arm. It stung only slightly; the condition was otherwise good.
“A few days of diligent ointment should suffice.”
At those words, everyone let out a silent breath of relief.
“It is fortunate the burn is light.”
Though it was not a serious injury, the matter could not simply be overlooked. Yet Cayena comforted Lydia with gentle grace.
“You must have been terribly startled, Lydia.”
“This servant was… inadequate…”
“It is all right. You are still young; mistakes are possible.”
Lydia is the same age as Your Highness.
Vera felt a faint throb at her temples.
“Since it is already prepared, I shall send half of the remaining pie to Rezef.”
Cayena noticed the leftover pie had cooled and ordered it arranged with the other refreshments. The kitchen servants were deeply moved by her calm and generous demeanor.
“This is yours, as promised.”
The head chef, impressed by the way Cayena had turned chaos into an act of mercy, accepted the pie with sincere respect.
“Thank you, Your Highness.”
Cayena spoke to the maids as well.
“You must all have been startled. Take Lydia and go rest.”
“…Yes, Your Highness.”
Vera settled the situation and escorted Cayena back to her bedchamber.
“Lydia will never truly repent for this, Your Highness.”
She had endured the maids’ insolence for some time, but today she could no longer remain silent.
“Why are you so lenient?”
Vera gazed at Cayena’s gauze-wrapped arm and asked the question like a sigh. Cayena smiled softly at the worry in her voice and took her hand.
“I thought you understood that my leniency toward them is not born of genuine goodwill.”
Vera froze.
I suspected it was intentional, but…
Having her conjecture confirmed as fact sent a chill down her spine.
“Haven’t you been watching me all this time?”
“…!”
Vera was momentarily speechless. How had she known? Had her surveillance been so obvious? She forced her mind to steady and answered carefully.
“…This servant was too foolish to understand Your Highness’s meaning.”
Cayena wore an expression that seemed to ask, Truly? Vera could only swallow dryly.
“Your Highness, the refreshments are ready. What would you like us to do?”
A maid entered with the report.
Cayena assigned Vera a task as though testing how she would convey the recent events.
“Deliver the refreshments to Rezef yourself and return.”
“…Yes, Your Highness.”
Vera accepted the order with a complicated look.
Rezef had lacked appetite since morning.
“…I am tired.”
With many nobles visiting the imperial palace lately and the need to keep Prince Heinrich in check, there were countless matters demanding his attention.
“What might my sister be doing now?”
He asked his aide out of habit.
“The last report stated she went to the kitchen in the princess’s palace.”
Busy receiving visitors, Rezef had found little time to see Cayena and thus inquired after her whereabouts dozens of times a day. Thanks to this, Xenon could confidently claim he knew her movements better than anyone else in the palace.
Rezef tilted his head at the unexpected location.
“The kitchen?”
It was a place that seemed to have no connection to Cayena whatsoever.
“What is she doing there?”
“The maids were attending Her Highness, so we received no detailed report.”
What could she possibly be doing in the kitchen?
Curiosity stirred within him.
Lately the person occupying his thoughts most was Cayena. Ever since she had collapsed after drinking poison, she had become an entirely different person.
And the one reaping the greatest benefit from that change was Rezef himself. In particular, the preparations for her coming-of-age ceremony had brought him many advantages. Nobles who had once been reluctant to tie themselves to the imperial family were now beginning to move, all because Cayena was the empire’s sole princess.
Her value had risen accordingly. Rezef found himself reevaluating her usefulness.
Even setting political gain aside, her transformation had brought him many positive effects.
The somehow more mature Cayena matched his mood perfectly whenever she was near. He had once thought her nothing more than a beautiful but foolish doll. He had been wrong.
Rezef was surprised to realize that time spent with her was more enjoyable than expected. When had she become someone with such influence over him? Strangely, the realization was not unpleasant. He even felt a pang of regret at the thought of sending her away in marriage.
“A maid from the princess’s palace has arrived. Shall I admit her?”
At his aide’s words, he gave a light wave of the hand. Soon Vera entered the receiving room.
“This servant greets Your Highness the Prince.”
“Enough.”
He waived the usual formalities—an uncharacteristic courtesy. It was not because Vera was one of his people, but because she had been sent by Cayena.
Vera offered a small word of thanks and passed the silver tray in her hands to Xenon.
“These are refreshments prepared personally by Her Highness the Princess.”
Rezef frowned in puzzlement at the explanation.
“…My sister? Herself?”
“Yes.”
What was this? His eyes widened at the unexpected answer. Xenon, standing nearby, looked equally perplexed. They had heard she went to the kitchen, but the idea that Cayena had made the refreshments herself was astonishing.
“Bring it here.”
Xenon set the tray on the table. When the cover was lifted, the gentle aroma of apple pie rose softly. The plate the accompanying maid offered held cookies, scones, jam, and buttercream. The teapot was still warm. From it, Rezef felt an inexplicable sense of warmth.
“This apple pie was made by Her Highness the Princess with her own hands.”
Rezef studied the pie with wary eyes. At least its appearance was fine. The scent was pleasant as well.
“Truly made by my sister?”
“Yes.”
At Vera’s calm reply, he stared at the pie a moment longer before picking it up and taking a bite. Xenon, silver needle in hand and prepared to test for poison, flinched in shock.
“Your Highness!”
How could he eat it without hesitation, not knowing whether harm had been done to the food?
Moreover, the person in question was Princess Cayena. Xenon had grown quite wary of her lately; her intentions had become impossible to read.
Yet Rezef paid no heed to such concerns. Instead, he was surprised by how well it suited his palate. He had lacked appetite all morning, but the pleasantly tart flavor—sweet without excess—stimulated his hunger.
“What is this scent? Something besides apple. I like it.”
It was called apple pie, yet a mysterious additional fragrance lingered. Vera explained from the side.
“She added cinnamon powder.”
“Ah, cinnamon.”
He found the bittersweet taste and aroma of cinnamon quite agreeable. The sharp edge fatigue had given his nerves softened. It was almost comical that a single snack could affect his mood so profoundly.
Vera poured warm honey tea beside him, then dipped the silver teaspoon she had prepared into the cup. Nothing happened.
“Did my sister possess such talent?”
After eating two slices of the pie, Rezef wore a satisfied smile. Since he had some free time, he thought it might be pleasant to share a cup of tea with Cayena.
“What is my sister doing at this moment?”
Vera could not answer immediately. She bowed low and spoke with care.
“…In truth, there was an accident in the kitchen.”
Rezef, wiping his hands on a damp napkin, paused. He set the napkin down and stared at her.
“An accident?”
“One of the maids accidentally spilled the hot pie on Her Highness’s arm, causing a burn.”
At those words, Rezef’s gaze grew icy cold.