After I killed my useless father and older sister, the elderly woman must’ve done her best to crown me queen. My memories continued to unravel; there was no end to the recollections that flooded into my mind. I longed to indulge myself in my anamneses, but time continued to pass in my mind’s eye.
Ah, yes. A rosebud. I remember now. Finally, I was able to recall what Faust von Polidoro hinted at. I once again allowed myself to be swept up by my memories.
“Princess Catalina, what are you looking at?” Reckenbell asked.
“A rosebud,” I replied.
“Pardon?”
Her thin eyes were always so striking. Now 2.2 meters tall, she stood behind me and peered down. Reckenbell was twenty-two, and I was just twelve. She’d already destroyed the nomads and had begun to make a name for herself—it was a one-sided slaughter on her part. She’d attained the status of a hero, and no one could dispute that fact. During this time, I started to steel my resolve. I was determined to kill my older sister and father in a duel for the throne as Reckenbell advised. My two family members were utterly useless and incompetent; their very existences were a nuisance, accomplishing nothing except wasting money. They were better off dead.
I had to take over this kingdom if Villendorf was to persist. A high-ranked official and my mother’s relative, her former advisor, worked together to rule the kingdom in lieu of the royal family. Still, seven years without a ruler was simply far too long. Reckenbell worked tirelessly like a horse. She was talented in politics, military affairs, and combat as she protected our kingdom from outsiders. She was the reason our kingdom remained standing.
She was especially vital against the nomads of the north. Without Reckenbell, we likely wouldn’t have made much progress. I wanted her to focus on work, but she insisted that she wasn’t done educating me.
“Indeed, that’s a rosebud,” Reckenbell observed.
“Will it not bloom yet?” I wondered.
“Not yet,” she whispered. For some reason, she peered into my face before she went on quietly. “It’s not time for it to bloom yet.”
“When will it bloom?”
“I assume that it won’t. This rosebud is growing out of season.”
She exhaled. Her breath was white in the cold, crisp air of winter.
“It’s too cold for this flower,” Reckenbell said. “It might have a chance if we snip off the bud and carry it inside.”
“Really?” I asked.
“Flowers and humans aren’t all that different. If their environment is unsuitable, they’ll never bloom. But that also means that if the environment is favorable, a flower will always bloom. The flower will do its best and open up.”
She spoke with decisiveness. A moment later, she looked as though she’d come to a realization.
“Princess Catalina,” she asked gingerly. “Do you perhaps…”
“What?” I asked.
“Do you perhaps want to see this flower bloom?”
Reckenbell’s serious gaze was pointed at me. A blooming flower? I wondered. Now that she mentions it, why have I been gazing at this rosebud anyway?
“I do,” I answered.
I had no idea why I’d been fixated on that rosebud back then. I didn’t care about this world. It was a confusing place with horribly turbid depths. My father’s hatred of me and my sister’s harassment no longer mattered. Or so I thought. Within this hazy world, only Reckenbell relentlessly stuck by my side. She passionately claimed that I’d become the next queen, and she educated me as a monarch. Her actions never annoyed me. I silently followed her orders as an excellent student should. I felt no inconveniences in my life. And yet…
“You do? Do you really want to see this rosebud bloom?!” Reckenbell asked.
“Y-yeah,” I replied.
She clasped my shoulders and shook me around. It was the first time that I’d ever seen her beam so happily. She grinned from ear to ear and looked so delighted for some inexplicable reason. I only nodded, overwhelmed by her energy.
“Then let’s steal it!” Reckenbell cried.
“Huh?” I asked.
This was an illogical act. The rosebud may have belonged to the gardens of the palace, but it wasn’t right to just steal the bud away. Reckenbell, you’re the one who taught me that I couldn’t take people’s things without asking. The flowers were technically the royal family’s, but they weren’t mine. If we stole a rose, the gardener would be upset.
“Let’s steal all the rosebuds in this corner,” Reckenbell declared. “And we’ll fill your room with roses, Princess Catalina!”
“Uh, Reckenbell?” I replied.
I don’t need that many! I only wanted one. I simply wanted to see if that one rosebud that grew out of season would eventually bloom. Surely no one would notice if we took just one rosebud.
“I shall gather your corps and we’ll all work together to collect them all!” Reckenbell said.
“Uh, Reckenbell!” I called.
If we all try to gather rosebuds, the gardener will certainly notice that the flowers are gone! Are we seriously trying to take all the flowers from this corner of the garden?
“I’m sure that these buds will blossom into beautiful roses in a warm room!” Reckenbell cried. “Your room will be filled with lovely flowers. It’ll be a splendid and magnificent sight.”
“No, wait,” I said.
Reckenbell was all fired up. I couldn’t understand what had suddenly propelled her to become so excited.
“All right!” Reckenbell exclaimed. “I’m eager to make this happen! Let’s do this!”
Why did it come to this? It wasn’t difficult to imagine what happened next. Reckenbell and I were reprimanded for ruining the roses of the garden by the Minister of War, who was in charge of taking care of us. That old hag was probably the only person who had the audacity to scold Reckenbell.
That reminds me… Even while we were being scolded, Reckenbell had the widest grin on her face. She continued to smile, unable to suppress her happiness. But why? Why was she smiling? Would I be able to find out if I ask?