“The tonic itself is effective...but that alone won’t be enough.”
“What? Then it’s useless.”
“It isn’t!” Clenching her fists, Jeanette stepped forward. “Your Highness, before we get into whether you’re actually sick or not, there’s no denying you suffer from an utter lack of physical exercise!”
The princess’s countenance stiffened.
“Excuse me?”
But Jeanette wasn’t about to give in.
“I know it’s true! Your Highness, you don’t do any, and I mean aaany physical exercise in your day-to-day life! Right?”
According to Claus, this was Meltia’s daily routine: In the morning, after breakfast, the princess would play with her beloved cat, Blanche. Once she’d had enough of that, she did some embroidery, sang a few songs, and then went to bother Claus. In the afternoon, she’d take her lunch and then have a nap. Once she woke up, she once more played with her cat. On her study days, she’d study, and when the time was right, she’d have her afternoon tea. Afterward, she’d find Claus again. When she got tired of that, she went back to her room to read. In the evening after dinner, she’d take her time bathing and grooming herself. Then, she retired for the night.
Meltia had the lifestyle of a true sheltered princess.
“I heard that you don’t even walk around the garden! Is that true?!” Jeanette questioned.
Meltia pouted.
“It’s not my fault! I might collapse if I’m outside for too long.”
“That’s not true, Your Highness,” said Jaquilla, approaching the princess with a serious expression. “I’ve already told you many, many, many times in the past that your fatigue and dizzy spells are caused by anemia. This is primarily due to your overwhelming lack of physical exercise! Even healthy people would become sickly if they confined themselves inside all the time like you!”
“You’re so annoying, Jaquilla!” Meltia objected, making a shooing gesture as if she were trying to get rid of a bug. “I don’t mind not having any stamina! If I get tired, all I need to do is rest. It doesn’t bother me, so I don’t need to exercise!”
As the princess glanced aside with a huff, Jeanette spoke up again.
“But you’d be able to do so much if you had a little more stamina. The palace gardens are so very beautiful. If you could walk through them, you’d be able to admire the different seasonal flowers, have picnics, and feel the breeze. It’d be a wonderful experience. Basking in the sun feels amazing too!”
“No thanks. My maids pick the flowers for me every day, and if I want to feel the breeze, I can just open the window. And you saw how sunny this room is, right? So I don’t need to go outside to bask in the sunlight.” Meltia spoke dismissively while brushing through her pale hair. “If there’s something I want, my parents or brothers get it for me, whether that’s objects or people. You even performed at the palace before because I wanted you to. If I wish to see performers, dancers, or the circus, anything can be brought to the palace for me. I have no need to improve my stamina.”
“Is that really true?” Jeanette asked, her voice full of implicit meaning.
Meltia glared at her.
“What? If you’re going to bother me so much about it, then can you show me something I can’t get?”
Jeanette grinned as though she’d been waiting for those words.
“Of course I can! Sara!”
At her cue, Sara nodded vigorously. Then she sat at the grand piano which they’d brought into the room earlier.
“I’m ready, milady!”
This time, it was Jeanette who nodded in acknowledgment. She nimbly unfastened the cord tied around her waist and spun around. As she did so, the cloth which had looked like an apron until now turned inside out and spread all around her. Just like that, she was suddenly clad in a beautiful dress that resembled a summer night’s sky.
“Huh?!” Meltia’s eyes widened. “Wh-What? How did that happen?!”
“You see, I combined a dress with this maid’s uniform! The material is Orlonde silk, a bestseller from Matheson Trading!” Jeanette explained, twirling around once again. The silk reflected the sunlight, shimmering beautifully.
Meltia seemed undaunted.
“Sure, it’s pretty, but did you really think you could win with just that? If I asked my father, he’d definitely get this kind of fabric for me!”
“Oh, no. This is just the beginning,” Jeanette said with a smile.
Claus approached her at that moment.
“May I have your hand, Jeanette?”
“Of course!”
Claus took Jeanette’s hand, and they moved to the center of the spacious room, eyes fixed on each other.
“Wh-What on...?!”
Sara began playing a light yet elegant waltz, and Jeanette and Claus began moving in time with the music. Jeanette had done her research and knew the wide tearoom had minimal furniture, so it made for a perfect impromptu dance hall.
Meltia and her maids were dumbstruck as they watched the couple suddenly begin dancing.
“What are you—?” the princess spluttered.
Jeanette and Claus moved in perfect harmony, their steps fluid and smooth. They both looked like they were having the time of their lives, which naturally fascinated their audience.
“I feel like it’s been so long since I’ve gotten to do this with you,” Claus whispered into Jeanette’s ear, his hand around her waist.
“I feel the same way. In fact, we’ve been so busy with work that we haven’t attended any balls,” Jeanette replied, spinning around with Claus’s guidance.
Their arms were entwined, their gazes locked, and occasionally their faces drew so close together that it was as if they were sharing the same breath. Each time it happened, they both giggled and continued dancing smoothly. The flowing Orlonde silk reflected the sunlight, rooting everyone else to the spot.
“You always look beautiful beneath the light of a chandelier, but seeing you dance in the sunlight is something else entirely. I wish I could forget about everything else and dance with you like this forever,” Claus murmured against Jeanette’s ear. The ticklish sensation made her jolt lightly.