Much like a tree gradually withers and sheds its leaves in fall, Lady Carol had begun to lose her strength.
She would regularly take breaks from her knitting to write letters to some unknown recipient. These letters weren’t delivered to anyone—they were simply stored in the small drawer of the desk near her bed. Cafetti made it clear I was never to ask any questions about it.
A change came just as we were entering mid-May.
“Ugh.”
Lady Carol had been drinking soup from a bowl on a table by her bedside. It contained oats that had been boiled until they’d been reduced to an unidentifiable mush.
“Lady Carol, are you all right?” I placed my hand against her curled back.
“Yeah...”
Lady Carol would gag whenever she consumed her soup—it was clear she didn’t enjoy the meal and had no appetite at all. Regardless, she always forced herself to eat.
“Should I take it away?” I asked.
Seeing her struggle with the soup like it was some sort of trial made me want to snatch it away from her.
“No, I’ll keep going. The little one doesn’t eat unless I do.”
The little one was the baby growing in her stomach.
The way she said it made the emotions in my heart spill out, only to get caught in my eyes as tears. She was such an incredible woman. Fate had cursed her, but she fought bravely against it so that her baby could be born healthy. She didn’t deserve to suffer for another moment.
Lady Carol carried another spoonful of soup to her mouth, finally emptying the bowl she’d been given. Meanwhile, I was hiding my face while I wiped away the tears collecting in my eyes.
“I’ll take it away and come back with something to wash it down.” I picked up the bowl and carried it down the stairs.
Cafetti was peeling a yellow fruit in the kitchen. Despite being incredibly sour, it was one of Lady Carol’s favorites. It must have helped reduce the nausea she felt after eating.
Once she’d finished removing all the bitter peel, Cafetti cut the fruit into six slices and served them on a small plate. “She finished her meal again today? Lady Carol really is a fighter.”
“Yes, she is. I’ll take the lemon up to her.”
Cafetti also added the spiral of lemon peel on the plate along with a mint leaf. “Here you go.”
I took the plate and carried it upstairs. The moment I put it in front of Lady Carol, she threw a piece into her mouth. As she chewed the pulp and swallowed its juice, the anguish on her face faded.
After she’d eaten three of the pieces, she sighed. “Phew. That was lovely. Thanks.”
“It’s my pleasure.”
I hadn’t been the one to prepare it, but I was glad she was done struggling with her food.
“It smells very nice,” I added.
The lemon peel Cafetti had put on the plate gave off a refreshing scent that tickled my chest. Combined with the mint, it felt like the very opposite of unappetizing—it was hard to imagine anyone coughing or gagging because of it.
“Do you want the rest, Riccie?”
“Oh, no thank you.”
I’d tried it once before, so I knew that its harsh sourness wasn’t for me. It was a strange thing for someone to eat by itself.
Lady Carol laughed. “I was kidding.”
Her teasing cheered me up. I knew she was enjoying herself despite the suffering she’d just gone through. That was enough to make me happy.
As I smiled to myself, Lady Carol said, “Riccie, I’d like you to do a favor for me.”
“Oh... I’ll eat it if that’s your wish.”
“No, not the lemon.”
Then what? Lady Carol had never had a reason to hesitate before asking me to do something. It was hard to imagine refusing any request she made.
“If you’d prefer to go back to serving the Ho family, then that’s fine, but... If my baby is born healthy, would you serve them instead?”
Serve? I assumed she meant it in the sense of working for.
“Um, would that mean I’d be working in the royal castle in Sibiak?”
“Maybe. It depends how things go for Yuri, but it’s definitely possible.”
That at least confirmed that I’d be living and working with her yet-to-be-named child.
“I-I’d rather continue to serve you, Lady Carol, if I may.”
Lady Carol looked troubled by my blunt request. “You’re still young, Riccie. I’d love it if my child looked up to you like a sister.”
“Like a sister? But I’m just a commoner. Won’t your baby be a...a princess?” People like me weren’t even supposed to speak around princesses.
“That doesn’t matter. However the crusade turns out, Yuri’s going to rule this kingdom. He’ll create a society where competent commoners can rise to great heights. That’s how he does things at Ho Company. If my child turns into a princess who looks down on commoners the way people used to, then she won’t have a good relationship with the kingdom’s people. She’ll never be happy.”
This was all too complicated for me.
“I’m not sure I understand, but if that is your wish, then I’ll accept. I’d like for your child to grow up cheerful.”
If that was what helped her child’s happiness, then I had to agree.
“I’m so glad. I wasn’t much of a big sister myself, but I know you’ll do a great job of it. I’m really relieved. This has been weighing on me for a while now.” With that, Lady Carol relaxed and sank into her bedding piled up behind her.
A big sister...?
I’d heard that Lady Carol had been poisoned by her own sibling. I wondered what could have driven her sibling to do such a thing to a kindhearted woman like Lady Carol. I couldn’t find an answer. The younger sister must have been upset about something, but no matter how I racked my brains, I couldn’t imagine how she could’ve done something so cruel to the woman before me. If Lady Carol was my big sister, I’d be overjoyed. And yet, her little sister had tried to kill her.
“Riccie, please call in Cafetti.”
“Oh, as you wish.”
At Lady Carol’s sudden request, I went out into the corridor and rang the bell that was sitting on a small table outside. This was how we summoned each other from upstairs.
Cafetti soon came up. “What is it?”
“Lady Carol would like to see you.”
“I am here at your call,” Cafetti said as we both reentered the room. She approached Lady Carol’s bedside. “How might I be of assistance?”
“Cafetti, have Sham Ho and Lilly Amian returned to the royal capital already?”
“I’m afraid I’m not sure. Though peace was restored to the city, there has been some unrest, so it’s possible that they’re still in Kalakumo. Would you like me to summon them here?”
“Can you...keep this secret from Yuri?”
Cafetti’s face turned serious in an instant. She looked back at Lady Carol as if she was offended. “I can’t promise to abide by that request. I’m proud to serve Lord Yuri with complete devotion. If I feel there’s some circumstance that he should know about, I’ll be compelled to inform him.”
“I should’ve guessed. But I’m going to insist—hear me out, and I think you’ll agree.”
“Very well. I can agree to listen. Riccie.” Cafetti gave me a terrifying glare. “Stay in the garden until we’re done talking.”
When I looked at Lady Carol, she gave me a gentle smile and nodded.
As instructed, I left the room and headed straight for the garden. Once outside, I looked up at the little house I’d been living in for the past few months. Somehow, the peaceful atmosphere was gone, and I sensed that something big was about to happen. I wondered what the other two were talking about.
Their secret discussion didn’t take long. I heard the sound of footsteps descending, so I didn’t have to stay in the garden now that they’d finished.
Cafetti looked awfully troubled. When she noticed that I’d already stepped back inside, she said, “Come here.”
“Yes, Miss Cafetti.”
“Riccie.” Cafetti crouched down to my eye level and placed both hands on my shoulders.
Oh no. She’s going to say something serious, I realized. Cafetti always did this whenever there was something important.
The question she asked was completely unexpected. “Riccie, do you think I would ever betray Lord Yuri or do anything terrible?”
“No, not at all,” I answered without needing to think. I knew it was impossible. Cafetti would no sooner harm Lord Yuri than I would Lady Carol. There was more chance of the world ending than her betraying him.
“Good. Then forget everything Lady Carol said a moment ago. Pretend you heard nothing, and never mention our discussion to anyone.”
This came as a surprise too.
“You won’t mention it even to Lord Yuri and Lady Satsuki,” she added. “Do you hear me?”
I was struggling to keep up. All I could gather was that Cafetti was going to do something big, but it wouldn’t harm Lord Yuri.
“Is that what Lady Carol wishes?” I asked.
“Yes, that’s right. You can be sure beyond a doubt it’s what she wants.”
That left me only one option. “Then that’s fine, Miss Cafetti. I won’t say anything to anyone.”
“Good. You’re a smart child.”
Cafetti finally broke eye contact with me as she held me tight. She’d never hugged me like this before. We stayed like that for a while before she eventually let go and stood up.
“It’s getting late. Go help Lady Carol get ready for bed.”
“Yes, Miss Cafetti.”
After leaving me to my work, Cafetti headed out the back door looking like she had something on her mind.
Grown-ups sure have a lot to deal with, I thought as I picked up fresh white sheets and headed upstairs.