Rosary was annoyed by Cesia’s unpolished, almost wild-animal-like appraisal of the tea. Then again, Cesia hadn’t been wrong, so her opinion might just be reliable. As Rosary hid those rude thoughts, there was a knock on the door.
Rosary stood up to respond, and the maid in the antechamber between Cesia’s chambers and the corridor answered the door.
“Baroness, His Royal Highness, Prince Marcus will arrive shortly.”
“Oh, all right. Very well,” Cesia said. She still wasn’t used to people answering the door for her. Marcus always popped into the Second Division and the training ground without warning, so he had always come to see her before she had ever thought about wanting to see him.
Her maids quickly made new tea and fixed her appearance. She felt like she looked like she was waiting with bated breath to see him, which was a bit embarrassing.
After a short while, Marcus entered. He cut a perfect, princely figure with his semiformal attire and smoothed-down hair, having just come from participating in a meeting of parliament. His appearance was somewhat more formal than Cesia was used to; as he passed some treats he had brought to the maid, Cesia felt a bit of distance between herself and him.
Cesia had stood up to greet him, but she was frozen still, and the words wouldn’t come out. Marcus smiled and began a standard greeting.
“Hello, my fiancée.”
“How do you do, my future husband?” Cesia responded, then curtsied. Marcus had entered the room only after being ushered in, but he had been quick, and Cesia still had on the dress she wore for relaxing in her private quarters. It was different from the civil servant’s uniform that Marcus was familiar with; it felt vulnerable, somehow, and suddenly, she felt embarrassed, like a young girl.
Marcus took her hand and led her to the balcony. Opening the glass door and going outside with her, he lifted a single eyebrow and spoke. “The scenery here isn’t very good.”
“Really? It’s out of the way and seems like it’d be easy to escape from,” Cesia said.
Marcus burst into laughter. “Don’t go falling again.”
“Please don’t say it like it’s a hobby of mine, Your Royal Highness,” Cesia said in a huff.
Amused, Marcus drew nearer to her, bringing his face close to hers. Their noses touched, then he kissed her cheek. He kissed her again on her forehead to prompt her to close her eyes, then gently brushed his lips against hers before slowly separating. As he peered at her from close up with his beautiful, jade green eyes, Cesia blushed, still not used to the sight. “What did you do today?” he asked.
“I had etiquette lessons in the morning, then I attended a garden party in the afternoon.” Cesia’s studying to become a princess consort was going smoothly. She had spent more time on her studies than most, so she was already equipped with much knowledge in areas as diverse as culture, history, and even languages, which were all required to be a cultivated noble. Thanks to that, she had been able to spare time for training to become a lady.
“Oh, that’s right…” Marcus said. “You must’ve been bored. You don’t have to go if you’d be pushing yourself. My mother hardly ever attends those lessons.” He smiled.
“A lady like Princess Muriel might be able to get away with that, but I’m still new to all of this. I have to get everyone to remember my face first,” Cesia said with a troubled smile. Marcus had made it out to be so simple, but it wasn’t as easy as he had suggested.
Marcus frowned. “I’m sorry. You’re doing your best, and I didn’t take that seriously.”
“It’s fine. I chose this path because I wanted to be by your side.”
“But don’t push yourself too hard. I didn’t choose you as my fiancée to make you miserable,” Marcus said. Cesia tried to force herself to smile, and he gently caressed her cheek. “You seem a bit tired after all.”
“Not at all, I’m not—”
Marcus hugged her tightly, slowly stroking her hair. Cesia hadn’t had anyone do that to her since her parents, who had died when she was young, so she initially went stiff. However, she slowly relaxed at the feeling of his solid, warm hand.
“Ah… did you cast magic on your hand? I’m feeling sleepy…”
“That means that you’re tired. You must’ve been nervous, and your body was agitated,” Marcus said. He gently patted her back. Soothed, drowsiness rapidly overcame her.
“Mhmm… No, I can’t. Didn’t you have some business with me? Any more of this, and I’ll fall asleep.”
“I don’t mind,” Marcus said. “I just came to arrange the next evening party.”
“That’s definitely important…”
Marcus partially carried Cesia as she drifted to sleep. He thought how she looked as she tried to fight against it was cute, like a child dozing off during dinner. After he cast a spell on her that made her slightly warmer, she completely nodded off, swallowed up by sleep.
“I didn’t think you’d actually…” Marcus said. I’ll be scolded again later, he thought. He cradled her in his arms and took her back inside, where Rosary was already waiting next to a fluffy couch holding a blanket.
“The baroness has been straining herself lately somewhat…” Rosary said.
“Isn’t it the job of a lady’s maid to help with that?” Marcus said, smiling slightly. He lovingly laid Cesia on the couch, got the blanket from Rosary, and gently pulled it over her.
“The baroness feels insecure if she doesn’t at least somewhat overwork herself…” Rosary said. “Everything she’s learned until now isn’t enough for her to stand on her own. She’s been plunged into an entirely different world, after all.”
“I see.”
As Maria, Marcus knew that Rosary had bullied “Selene.” Cesia hadn’t ever given in, but it was true that Rosary had ganged up on her with multiple others to bother her. Marcus knew that the lady’s maid had received high praise when he had assigned her to Cesia for a limited time, but he also worried. Now, however, watching Rosary take care of Cesia reminded him of how a big sister or a senior at work took care of a younger counterpart, and he was forced to admit to himself that he had been worried over nothing. He had no way to find out what exactly had happened when they had worked for Juliette together, but whatever the case may be, at some point, a link resembling friendship had been forged between the two of them.
“Then look after her so she doesn’t wear herself out completely,” Marcus said.
“Your wish is my command,” Rosary replied, bowing elegantly.
Marcus nodded contentedly.