An Overdue Apology
Early that morning, a letter arrived for Olivia Grace. It had come from her family. She was able to condense its entire message into a single line.
Unfortunately, the marriage discussion with Sir Raphaelo Kedrey has fallen through.
She had expected as much from the moment she was chosen as a lady-in-waiting in the princess’s palace. Her father, worried she might be heartbroken, had added all sorts of consoling words, yet Olivia felt almost no disappointment.
From the beginning, I had no interest in the marriage talks. What’s happening inside the imperial palace right now is far more interesting.
Cayena subduing the head chef and head maid had been the most striking scene of her entire life. Even Olivia, merely watching from the side, had felt a chill run down her spine at the sheer weight of her authority.
“Lady Olivia, Lady Vera requests an audience.”
The maid assigned to her spoke with polite deference.
“Show her in.”
Olivia folded the letter and set it aside where it could not be seen.
Soon Vera entered the room. They exchanged brief greetings and sat facing each other across a table.
Vera looked more exhausted than she had on her first day in the palace, yet her eyes remained vividly alive. The gaze of someone who had found something worth devoting her heart to was more beautiful than any jewel. Olivia had only ever been worn down by the harshness of the world; she had never met someone like Vera who could truly see her.
Perhaps…
Her Highness Princess Cayena might become the first person to truly discover me.
Vera spoke first.
“We had hoped to arrange a meeting among the senior ladies-in-waiting, but something has come up.”
“What is it?”
“A guest will soon be visiting Her Highness at the palace. For that reason, we’ve decided to accelerate your training, Lady Olivia.”
Something felt off. There was no real need to pull an untrained lady-in-waiting aside for urgent lessons. The only reasonable interpretation was that they wanted Olivia to be the one to receive this guest.
“Sir Raphaelo Kedrey is scheduled to visit the palace regarding the Imperial Academy donation. Please ensure you attend to him well.”
Olivia was taken aback. She had only just received word that the marriage discussion between her and him had been called off. Yet beyond that awkwardness, what surprised her most was that Cayena had given her this particular order.
“I will obey if it is Your Highness’s command. However, I must first speak with Her Highness.”
She could not simply let a matter that might cause future complications pass without clarification.
Vera fully understood why Olivia was being cautious.
“The knight commander is currently reporting the results of the prisoner interrogation, so you may need to wait a little while.”
“That is fine.”
They waited outside the princess’s reception room until the business inside concluded. A maid soon emerged.
“Her Highness will see you now.”
Vera did not follow her in; she simply nodded. She would remain outside.
“Then organize an investigation team and head to that supplier immediately. Those thugs who indiscriminately assault commoners must be eradicated without fail.”
“By your command.”
Olivia continued to discover new sides to Cayena. None of the old image of her—spilling wine on another lady’s dress at a party—remained in these actions.
She really has changed from before.
Once the knight had left, Cayena turned to Olivia.
“You must have been startled by how noisy the palace has become right after you arrived.”
“Not at all, Your Highness. How could I fail to understand Your Highness’s will to restore discipline to the inner palace?”
By sheer coincidence, Olivia had witnessed Cayena systematically dismantling every department on her very first day in the palace. There had not been a single misstep in her conduct.
“I’m grateful you see it that way.”
Cayena sat on the sofa and gestured for Olivia to take a seat as well.
“Since you came to see me, I assume Vera has already told you?”
In truth, the subject of Raphaelo was rather uncomfortable. Olivia had decided she could not let the matter slide, yet bringing it up first felt embarrassing. It somehow seemed like a lovers’ quarrel.
“I fear that my inadequate handling may cause problems when receiving Sir Kedrey.”
She had phrased it indirectly, hoping Cayena might assign someone else.
“That won’t happen. A clever person like you couldn’t possibly struggle with simple hospitality.”
Olivia gathered her courage and decided to speak plainly.
“You may already know, but the marriage discussion between Sir Kedrey and me has been called off.”
Cayena answered with equal honesty.
“It was inevitable once you became my lady-in-waiting. And I didn’t think you would regret it.”
“……”
Olivia looked startled, as if caught off guard.
Cayena continued.
“I know what you’re worried about. I was once infatuated with the duke’s son and, blinded by jealousy, attacked you.”
Cayena rose from her seat and bowed deeply to Olivia.
“Your Highness!”
Olivia sprang up in shock.
“I should have apologized for my rudeness long ago.”
That was not all. No matter that Olivia had been revived by magic in her previous life, Cayena still needed to apologize for the horrific act of trying to poison her.
“I’m sorry.”
Olivia could not doubt the sincerity in her voice. Yet this apology felt far too much. Cayena had not done anything to warrant such remorse. At most, she had ruined one dress and been ignored in greeting.
“Please, Your Highness. I am not troubled by it.”
Cayena gave a small laugh.
“…Of course you aren’t.”
In her previous life, Olivia—revived by magic right after being poisoned—had not blamed Cayena. Instead, she had pitied her for being manipulated by Rezef into committing such a terrible act.
That must be why she’s the true heroine.
Cayena added in a light tone.
“Besides, I will be marrying a far better man. So please stop suspecting anything regarding Sir Kedrey.”
Olivia’s eyes widened.
Marrying another man…?
She assumed Cayena was simply saying it to reassure her and relaxed her expression.
“Now can you receive my guest with an easy mind?”
Olivia replied with a respectful curtsy.
“I will attend him in a manner that brings no disgrace to Your Highness.”
Olivia mastered her role in a single day. As Cayena had said, the task was not difficult. It helped that the guest she would receive was not a particularly demanding person. Olivia kept only one instruction firmly in mind.
Sir Kedrey prefers his black tea brewed strong.
Soon afterward, the Kedrey family carriage arrived at the palace.
So that is the man.
There was no need to search. The tall, handsome figure with pitch-black hair and crimson eyes stood out at once.
“It is an honor to meet you for the first time. I am Olivia Grace.”
Raphaelo lifted his head at the familiar name. Wheat-colored hair and green eyes. She matched the description he had seen in the portrait. He immediately understood whose idea it had been to send her to greet him. It had been the princess.
For some reason, Raphaelo’s mood sank.
Were the words she spoke to me sincere after all?
He could not fathom why the princess would play matchmaker. Still, since Olivia was the lady-in-waiting who had come to receive him on the princess’s behalf, he greeted her with due courtesy.
“Yes, it is a pleasure to meet you. I am Raphaelo Kedrey.”
Olivia found the situation strangely surreal. The man she was greeting for the first time was the heir of the house that sponsored her own family. Because of that connection, she had endured the princess’s displeasure until now.
Up to that point, it was the sort of thing that could easily happen in high society. But a marriage discussion with the son of her family’s sponsor was the stuff of novels.
It’s a common trope in status-raising romances.
She had never imagined she would rise in status by becoming a lady-in-waiting rather than through marriage.
But I never dreamed of rising in status to begin with…
What she truly wanted was simply one person with whom she could speak her true thoughts, someone who could understand her as she understood them.
Olivia spoke.
“Her Highness has been occupied all morning with matters concerning the inner palace. She is personally handling various tasks, including the interrogation of prisoners.”
“I see.”
“Allow me to escort you inside first.”
Olivia treated Raphaelo with strictly businesslike courtesy.
Baston, who had come in place of the aide Jeremy, whispered to him.
“Master, isn’t that the young lady the marriage talks were about?”
“Yes.”
Baston let out a small sound of admiration.
“She’s quite a beauty, isn’t she?”
Raphaelo did not answer.
“Still, of course, compared to Her Highness the Princess…”
“Baston.”
Hearing his name, Baston realized he had once again run his mouth too far.
“Who gave you the right to make such judgments?”
As expected, Raphaelo’s characteristically cool rebuke, utterly devoid of emotion, returned.
Baston thought a boss who cursed and kicked him would be preferable, and slapped his own mouth.
“No, Master. I’m just a fool who knows nothing of chivalry. This mouth of mine just—!”
Raphaelo regretted not bringing Jeremy instead. He had allowed Baston to accompany him only because the man had been so enthusiastically eager to serve as escort upon hearing he was visiting the princess. That had been a mistake.
“But Master, that young lady seems rather extraordinary too, doesn’t she? Her expression didn’t change at all.”
Raphaelo had also received his mother’s unilateral notice the previous day that the marriage discussion had been withdrawn. For most noble young ladies, it would have been a matter of wounded pride or deep heartbreak. So it was strange. He did not think Cayena would act with so little consideration.
…What am I even thinking?
Raphaelo was stunned at his own thoughts. Had he truly just defended Cayena by assuming she would never be inconsiderate toward others?