“It was the Royal Family of Angelus that created those outdated documents. Are you sure you want to say that? Won’t Princess Eliza be cross with you?”
“Do you expect me to recoil at the sound of my sister’s name?!” When he shouted like that, it was obvious that Edward was scared. But Eliza was the most distinguished of all of the Queen’s forty-seven children, the princess that most agreed should be the next to ascend to the throne. Octavia’s grandmother had also said that the princess possessed bottomless political ambition. Her youngest brother, Edward, must have had a hard time. Octavia deliberately didn’t press the topic. Showing that much kindness was important.
“I will simply say this to Her Majesty the Queen—that the woman known as Octavia was not suitable for the House of Reine, that my sister’s judgment was clouded!” declared Edward.
“Don’t tell me you wanted so badly to disparage your sister to your mother that you withdrew your proposal to me? However you look at it, that’s terribly short-sighted.”
“I don’t wish to be lectured by someone like you, who cannot even behave like a lady. I favored you because you had my sister’s concern, but there was a limit to the disappointment I was willing to put up with.”
“I was a disappointment. I can only apologize. For my part, I thought you were a good fellow.”
Edward sneered at Octavia’s response. “Now you’re trying to flatter me?”
“No. I really did think you were a good, honest fellow. Even though you were forty-third in line—the youngest prince—you came here begrudgingly to seek your bride, wondering why you had to come to a lowly earl’s house. Then, after frowning upon me, you looked at Jessie with stars in your eyes. Even my grandmother burst out laughing. She said you’d struggle to live in the Royal Palace like that.”
“Do you mean to insult me?!”
“I’m not trying to insult you. I thought you might not be a bad man to have children with.”
Edward was startled and deflated.
Octavia’s father shouted, his face turning red, “So you are plotting something, aren’t you, Octavia?!”
“But I made a promise to my grandmother,” Octavia went on. “I promised that I would only have children with a man I truly loved. Therefore, I can only apologize to you.”
“Why are you apologizing to me?!”
“Because I find you lacking,” declared Octavia, staring Edward squarely in the eye. She thought she heard him gasp.
Practically foaming at the mouth, her father cried, “H-H-How can you show a prince such discourtesy?!”
Restraining their furious father, Jessie cried, “Octavia, what do you intend to do? I’ll work to convince Edward and our father to let you stay. You need only say that you will relinquish your claim to the peerage!”
“Don’t worry. I can go to the Royal Capital, where our grandmother left me a mansion. Princess Eliza also told me to call on her, should something like this happen.”
“Eh?” Octavia’s father made an idiotic noise, her former suitor’s face stiffened, and her half sister frowned. She didn’t know what they were all still worrying about, but it was public knowledge that the mansion in the Royal Capital had been left to Octavia, and that she had become acquainted with Princess Eliza through her grandmother.
“I’ll leave the rest to you.” Octavia left behind her peerage, her former suitor, and her family without regrets. Picking up her bags and her hat, still strewn across the floor, she turned toward the front door, her back to her family.
“Wai—”
She was not interested in knowing who had finally raised their voice to stop her. Octavia strode confidently out the door, then adjusted her grip on her luggage. The weather was fine outside. She stretched both hands out toward the blue sky.
“I can’t believe they really kicked you out,” a voice piped up. It came from the hat Octavia clasped to her chest. Bright red, triangular eyes and a zig-zag mouth appeared upon it. He had been her partner since before she could remember. She had heard that “Hat,” as she called it, was a name she had learned not only before “Father,” naturally, but before even “Grandmother.”
“You shouldn’t be surprised, Hat. This is exactly what Grandmother predicted. Didn’t you also bet that I’d be kicked out?”
“I guess. But to think they really kicked you out,” sighed Hat. “Not only are they after the title, but they’re probably about to start dividing up your Granny’s inheritance. On the day after the funeral... They’re a pack of hyenas.”
“I thought that we’d at least have another week or so left, too.” There had certainly been no outpouring of emotion. She recalled her grandmother once saying, “Well, there’s no time to waste on crying,” and smiling.
“How foolish they are! They haven’t realized that the true inheritance of the House of Reine is me, in my omniscience and omnipotence,” declared Hat.
“Well I’m no longer suited to be the earl’s daughter, so this is perfect. Grandmother always said that times would change. That one might be much freer without any titles at all.” As Octavia walked, she shook the dust from Hat. If she treated him too roughly, he would complain; but to regular people, Hat looked like a normal piece of headwear. They could not see his eyes or mouth, nor hear his voice. There were people around them at this very moment, but no one looked at them strangely.
“So, what are you going to do now?” asked Hat.
“Isn’t it obvious? I’m going to fulfill my promise to my grandmother.”
“How exactly do you plan to do that?”
“I’ll go to the Royal Capital, follow in my grandmother’s footsteps, and become a detective!”
Hat stretched himself out and spoke in a beguiling voice. “I don’t think a good-for-nothing like you is qualified to be a detective,” he sighed, “but, well, Eliza will probably give you a hand. Most of all, with our powers combined, we can do anything. Detective work is a perfect profession for those who are seeking something, after all. Shall we obediently follow Granny’s plan, then?”
“I also need to look for a husband. I do need to have children, you know.”
“Yes, that is also part of your duty, but do you have to say it like that? Just say you want to get married. You’re still only a maiden of seventeen, right?”
“I know. But before I get married, I want to try being deceived by the sort of bad men my grandmother told me about. That seems to be an essential experience for becoming a good woman.”
“Even though I am all-knowing and all-powerful, I’m really starting to worry about what awaits us.” Hat seemed weary, but Octavia found herself with a spring in her step. The cobblestone path, bordered by flower beds, led directly to the main street in town. She would grab a carriage there, and then head to the station on the outskirts of town. She was pretty sure she would find a vehicle called a steam locomotive there. If she booked a trip there she would arrive at the Royal Capital. The steps her grandmother had told her to take were etched on her heart. Beyond that was a world Octavia knew nothing about, but she had no choice but to stand up straight and carry on.
“By the way, what’s your idea of a bad man?”
Replacing Hat on her head, Octavia replied, “The kind of villain who schemes to overthrow the world?”
“Promise me you won’t get involved with anyone like that!” cried Hat. Octavia laughed and told him it was a joke.