Ultimately, I didn’t manage to stay until the end of the soiree that I’d been so keen on attending because of my hair—someone had disheveled it during my break. Even with the skills of my capable maid, it would have been difficult to return it to its original state. And even if we’d tried to cover it up by arranging it into a different, simpler hairstyle, it would’ve risked unwarranted speculation from any sharp-eyed attendees.
It wouldn’t have been a huge scandal because we’re married, but I didn’t want to expose myself to inquisitive stares. I quickly threw in the towel and just decided to go home. I didn’t know what my father had been thinking when he’d patted my head, but I optimistically interpreted it as, Hurry up and go home before you feel ill.
As expected, the next day, I came down with a fever. I hadn’t thought I’d been pushing myself particularly hard, but it had been a while since I’d socialized for such an extended period of time, so it must have strained my body and mind. If my father hadn’t given me an excuse to leave, I might’ve ended up in an even worse state.
I was only under the weather for a brief period, and my temperature went down immediately. However, Sir Leonhart vehemently reminded me that I was forbidden from overexerting myself, and I spent a week recuperating.
On the afternoon three days after my convalescence was complete, I was relaxing on our sunny terrace while drinking tea. My health was completely back to normal. In fact, I was bursting with excess energy, but I still hadn’t received permission to return to work. The only task I was allowed was writing reply letters to the people I had met at the soiree.
I thought I could do simple office work without any issues, but I was stopped by both Sir Leonhart and my aide. I felt like they were overreacting a bit, but I had been the one to insist on attending a soiree while pregnant, and I had come down with a fever, so I was facing the consequences of my actions. I docilely obeyed since I was entirely at fault.
I gently caressed my belly, which had begun to swell. “I’m sorry for being a careless mom,” I whispered apologetically to my child. I took a sip of lukewarm barley tea and murmured, “Maybe it’s about time to return to my domain.”
The high season hasn’t ended yet, but I can’t do anything more in the capital. That being the case, it’d be better if I returned to Prelier to begin my birth preparations while my health is still holding up. I may have reliable personnel taking care of things while I’m gone, but I’d still rather not be absent for too long. I’m concerned about how the medical and research facilities are faring, and I’ve already received inquiries about raden craftsmanship, so I need to meet with the artisan.
“Yeah, let’s go home,” I said to myself.
“That’s for the best.”
I was surprised to hear a reply to my soliloquy, and my eyes almost jumped out of my head. My maid and guard were standing a short distance away, and above all, they were true-blue professionals who wouldn’t speak unless addressed.
I turned toward the voice and saw Ratte standing in a spot where no one had been seconds ago. He sat on the white stone banister and smiled gracefully. He always pops out of nowhere. How is he so good at erasing his presence when he has such a gorgeous appearance that should theoretically draw people’s attention? It’s mystifying every time, no matter how many times I see him do it. I studied him like a spectator trying to uncover the secret behind a magic trick until I suddenly realized...
Ratte isn’t smiling.
No, that was an inaccurate statement. His expression was something you would call a smile. Narrowed eyes, upturned mouth—it was a pretty smile. If a stranger saw him, they’d think he was in a jolly old mood right now. However, I’d known him for a pretty long time, and I noticed that his eyes housed an icy glint that chilled me to my bones. The unsettling thing about Ratte was that he often smiled when he was in a bad mood, not just when he was in a good one.
“D-Did something happen?” I asked timidly. I was so nervous that my voice shook a little.
“Hmm? What do you mean?” His smile intensified.
Overpowered by his intimidating aura, I reflexively recoiled. I want to tell him off for answering my question with a question, but I can’t. How could I? Strange... I’m more or less supposed to be the master here.
Face twitching, I replied with an innocuous remark. “Um, if nothing happened, then that’s good. Yep.”
Ratte’s smile vanished. He grabbed the back of the metal garden chair on the other side of the table and sat down without asking for permission. Then he rested his chin on his hand and glared at me. His squinted eyes made it easier to tell that he was in a foul mood, but now he looked like a sulking child, and I no longer found him scary.
“Hey, can I eliminate it this time?” he asked.
Caught off guard, my eyes went round. I didn’t understand what he meant because he’d omitted the specifics. Unable to follow the conversation, I asked, “Eliminate what?”
Ratte’s mood dropped another notch.
Glare at me with as much spite as you want, but I don’t understand what I don’t understand.
“I was stopped last time, and I did a good job of exerting patience, right?”
I gave him a puzzled look. Is this some kind of riddle? Or should I take it at face value? He seems to be implying that something similar happened in the past—I stopped him from doing whatever it was, and he restrained himself. That’s why he’s asking if he can go uncontrolled and eliminate “it” this time.
“If you won’t be more specific, I can’t make a decision.”
He hesitated. “But...you’ll definitely say no if I tell you.”
“Then I’ll say no even if you don’t tell me,” I replied with a wry smile.
Ratte turned away. His reaction showed that he’d already known what my answer would be without needing to hear my reply. “There’s no value in letting that old fart live, though.”
I looked at him with surprise. And here I was finding it heartwarming how transparent Ratte was acting today. The sudden shift to a disturbing topic made me shudder. “Th-That’s what you meant by eliminate?!” When I realized that a person’s life had been on the line during our relaxed conversation, I broke out into a cold sweat.
“Come on. When it comes to that sort of ilk, they’ll never mend their ways no matter what happens. It would be better to swiftly eliminate him for the sake of the world, the people, and you.”
I kept an eye on his callous smile as I contemplated. Given that Ratte claims it’d be for my sake, then that means it’s a person who’s hostile toward me. I gather there are quite a few people who don’t take kindly to me, but there aren’t many who would pick a fight with me head-on. Even at the soiree, the only person who had the gall to flagrantly express his ill will was Duke Schletter.
“You know it was just a couple of snide remarks, right?” I replied, baffled.
Ratte scowled at me. “Even though he tried to hook your husband up with a mistress?”
“Oh...” I said in an idiotic voice. Come to think of it, something like that did happen. Sir Leonhart didn’t pay a shred of attention to her, so it totally slipped my mind. Did Ratte witness that? Or did he hear about it from someone else? Whichever it is, news of those events has reached even Ratte’s ears.
“Princess, even if you’re magnanimous enough to forgive him, he won’t be grateful and will continue to unilaterally treat you like an enemy. It doesn’t matter what wonderful deeds you perform or how many brilliant achievements you rack up. Because of his asinine bias of ‘She’s a woman, so I can look down on her,’ he will continue to deride you.”