Cafetti looked me right in the eye. “Whatever happens, never act as though you pity her. You’ll smile as you talk to her. I’m sure you’ll feel sad when she tells you about what happened, and that’s fine, but don’t pity her. She’s the most important person in this entire kingdom. It’s fitting that she should face the most important struggle in this world.”
“All right...”
“Even if she loses the ability to walk, even if someday she needs help from others after emptying her bowels, it’s not your place to pity her. Always remember that.”
“I will, Miss Cafetti.”
Cafetti nodded and smiled. “Good. Now let me show you around the house. We’ll need to prepare a bed for you too.”
✧✧✧
About a week after my arrival, the young man I’d once seen from the manor’s window came to visit in a carriage.
When Cafetti greeted him with “Welcome home,” I wondered why. She later explained to me that he used to live here. That meant Lord Rook and Lady Suzuya had once lived here too.
So that’s what this place is, I realized. I’d only ever seen the couple in the manor, but I’d had a strange sense that this house would have suited them perfectly. When I imagined them living here as a married couple, it felt as though it was the most natural place for them to be.
Lord Yuri talked with Lady Carol, then—after staying the night—he left in the morning. I didn’t know what he’d told her, but I sensed that Lady Carol was more relaxed afterward.
For the past week, she’d been wearing a troubled frown and struggling to enjoy lighthearted conversation. She’d been so anxious to know what had become of the royal capital that I think she would have hurried there herself if it hadn’t been for her illness and her pregnancy. Now, however, Lord Yuri had swept all of her worries away.
In the days after he left, commonplace boredom appeared to replace Lady Carol’s concerns. I tried searching the drawers in the other bedroom and found a ball of yarn along with some knitting needles. With Cafetti’s permission, I took them to Lady Carol.
“Lady Carol, I found these. Perhaps they’ll help you pass the time.”
She looked at the yarn I’d brought. “What’s that? Some unraveled thread?”
It was as if she’d never seen yarn in her life. That surprised me, because I thought everyone knew about knitting. But then I reminded myself that she’d been raised in the royal castle. Maybe no one knitted there.
“W-Well, if you use these to weave the yarn, you can create all kinds of things. Sweaters, scarves...”
Lady Carol seemed to come to some sort of realization. “Oh, I get it. I’ve heard about people using needles to weave things by hand. So this is what it looks like. You could make things that a loom can’t.”
“That’s right. It’s so easy that many people do it for fun and a little extra income. Lady Suzuya often knitted in the manor. I suppose these were her knitting needles long ago.”
“Oh, really? They’re my mother’s...”
I was confused for a moment when she mentioned her mother. It took me a while to realize that she meant her mother-in-law.
“I’m not sure I should use them without asking,” Lady Carol said.
“I think it would be all right. Lord Yuri did say that you can use everything in this house as if it’s your own.”
“Then I’ll give it a shot. Will you teach me?”
“Of course.”
I took a pair of needles in my hands and began to show Lady Carol what to do. She soon grasped the basics and began producing a knitted strip as wide as her palm.
“This might not be a bad hobby. It’s like embroidery, except I don’t have to worry about pricking my finger.”
She used her fingertips to manipulate the needles. Her work was uneven at first, but it gradually got better as she got the hang of the process. It made me happy. The most respected and beautiful person in the kingdom was knitting in front of me. It was nice to have such an important woman all to myself for a while.
“It might be an ideal hobby for someone who’s expecting,” I said.
“Yeah. It takes my mind off things. I’ll try it for a while. Maybe I’ll even make something the little one can wear.”
“I think that would be wonderful.”
Some people found knitting tedious because it was delicate and time-consuming work, but that didn’t seem to put her off. She kept making precise little movements with her fingertips as she consumed the yarn—though her movements weren’t smooth enough to produce even stitches just yet.
After a while, I broke the cozy silence with a question that had been on my mind. “Um, Lady Carol, may I ask what sort of person he is?”
I had to wonder what sort of man a woman like her would choose to bear a child with.
“You mean Yuri? Hmm...” Lady Carol’s fingers came to a halt as she gave it some thought. “You might think he’s kind of scary if you’ve heard about the things he’s done. He’s accomplished unbelievable things, but he never makes a big deal out of them. Most people must think that he doesn’t care about anyone besides himself.”
“I see...” That does sound scary.
“Heh. Don’t look so frightened. I wouldn’t have fallen for him if that’s all there was to him, now would I?” Lady Carol said with a beautiful smile.
I had to accept that. Lord Yuri was the man Lady Carol had chosen.
“There are some really good things about him. He treasures the people close to him from the bottom of his heart. He wouldn’t think twice before giving his life for any of them. That’s why I’m bursting with happiness whenever I remember how much he cares about me.”
As she spoke, Lady Carol’s gaze grew distant, and happiness filled her eyes. I could tell just how much she loved him.
“The only reason he’s barbaric toward his enemies is because it’s necessary to protect those he loves. His friends rely on him, while his enemies fear him. Whatever scary stories you hear, you should remember one thing, Riccie—you have no reason to be afraid of him.” Lady Carol patted my head as she spoke. “He already considers you family. He’ll do whatever it takes to protect you, even if it’s terrible. So whatever happens, don’t fear him.”
I didn’t really get it, but I knew Lady Carol understood Lord Yuri well. I accepted what she said as the truth. These were Lady Carol’s opinions, after all.
“I see. That’s a relief.”
“Yep,” Lady Carol replied before going back to her knitting.