The Missing Lady (2)

Dalia’s wide eyes unconsciously darted here and there around the luxurious reception room. On the armrest of the sofa where she sat was a signature sculpture by the most celebrated sculptor on the Southern Continent.

The table on which the teacup rested had fantastical wood grain, and the legs of the table were likewise intricately carved with what appeared to be a matching set with the sofa.

…It must be genuine, right?

If she damaged the sofa leather or even accidentally scratched the table, it felt as though she would have to work here as a maid for years.

Trickle.

When a calm-faced maid brought out the Adrian tea set that people in the imperial capital Baden supposedly could not buy even if they wanted to, Dalia instead found herself simply accepting it.

“Thank you.”

Dalia recognized that the maid setting down the teacup before her was Baroness of Ronoc, the Grand Duchess of Tessen’s maid.

“Shall I prepare a meal, my lady?”

“No.”

Dalia decided to remain composed and prepare for what came next. No matter how fast Tessen’s knights were, the person who could best explain the circumstances of the incident was herself.

It would surely take the Grand Duchess several hours to come out after dressing to the fullest. There would be more than enough time to eat, but it did not seem right for her, as a noble lady, to eat in comfort while waiting for her party that had suffered an accident.

Click.

As Dalia marveled at the fragrant tea, the door to the reception room opened. A very tall and handsome man entered through the open door. Pleasant-looking and strikingly handsome, he was so impressive that Dalia almost mistook him for the Grand Duke of Tessen and offered her greetings.

Because the man did not have ash-blond hair and golden eyes, Dalia barely avoided embarrassing herself.

“Lady Dalia. This is Her Highness the Grand Duchess of Tessen.”

As he headed toward the seat of honor in the reception room, the man introduced the slender woman following beside him.

The woman, who gave off a neat yet delicate and sensitive air as though drawn with simple lines, had dark brown hair and distinctive violet eyes. And unlike the praise calling her an angel-like Grand Duchess, she wore a cold, expressionless face.

“I greet Her Highness the Grand Duchess of Tessen. I am Dalia of the Swan family. Thank you for permitting this meeting.”

Dalia rose from the burdensome sofa and offered her greeting toward the seat of honor.

“……”

Seeing Dalia’s flawless etiquette, Roderick gave a brief shake of his head. It meant she was a face he did not know.

Even Roderick Rosa, known as the king of connections in the imperial capital, could not know every noble lady.

“Lady Dalia, welcome to Tessen.”

When Dalia lowered her head, the Grand Duchess of Tessen, who had been at the seat of honor, was already standing before her before she realized it. Rustle, after the sound of her rich dress swaying softly, a warm touch enveloped Dalia’s hand.

Dalia’s hands, having long suffered from the cold, were still stiff. A soft hand overlapped her reddened one.

“……!”

Tessen was now a grand duchy. Its Grand Duke and Grand Duchess, acknowledged by the imperial family, were noble figures who ruled a nation.

Not only did the Grand Duchess personally come to receive a strange outsider who had arrived late at night in the middle of winter simply because she was a guest, she even laid her hand over hers in a gesture of familiarity.

Dalia was bewildered even as she rose at the warm touch. The Grand Duchess’s face, which had been expressionless when she entered the reception room, now held a gentle smile.

“I’m Alicia Tessen. I’m glad to meet you as well. I heard you walked all the way from the Restoe forest road to the main castle. You must have had a terribly hard time.”

The Grand Duchess, whose faint smile alone gave her a softer impression, comforted Dalia with a face full of concern. Her slightly curved, delicate brows looked so pitifully earnest that she seemed like someone sincerely worrying over a friend of ten years.

“N-no…. It was nothing like hardship…. Please do not say such gracious things.”

“No. I wonder whether holding a banquet in such a barren Tessen was my own greed. I regret that perhaps I was the one who made things hard for you, Lady Dalia. You must have suffered in the cold coming all this way, so tonight please wash in a warm bath and rest well in the guest room prepared for you. Fortunately, the guest rooms to be used for the banquet are already ready.”

Swept along by the gentle voice flowing into her ears, Dalia nodded.

“Ah, y-yes, thank you for Your Highness’s consideration.”

“Daisy.”

“I will escort her.”

At Alicia’s call, Daisy approached Dalia’s side. Daisy bowed to the Grand Duchess, and Dalia, caught up in the moment, lowered her head as well.

Everything happened in an instant.

Dalia was unable to say or do any of what she had prepared, and followed the solemn-faced maid as she began to walk away. Just as the two of them were about to leave the reception room.

“Ah, Lady Dalia.”

“Yes?”

“There was only the broken carriage in the Restoe forest you mentioned. It seems Lady Combat and the coachman must have left for somewhere else to escape the cold. We will find your party before the banquet begins, so please do not worry and get some rest.”

Alicia spoke with an innocent smile, as though there was no possibility that her words could be wrong. Her words were so firm, so much like a certainty, that Dalia could not dare object.

“Yes.”

Dalia simply went along for the moment with the carefree Grand Duchess of Tessen, who seemed to see the world as only bright and innocent. Alicia sent a smile and gaze full of trust toward her as she nodded awkwardly in agreement.

At the Grand Duchess’s slight nod, Daisy led Dalia away once more.

Thud.

The moment the reception room door closed, the smile vanished completely from Alicia’s face. That cold, expressionless look was so much like Reichardt’s usual face that Roderick found it a little frightening and sorrowful.

“Your Highness.”

“Yes?”

“Your expressionless face is starting to resemble His Highness more and more.”

At Roderick’s teasing reproach, Alicia smiled faintly.

“Are you speaking ill of the Grand Duke? Will it be all right if Rei finds out, Roderick?”

“Why would you say something so terrifying?”

At Alicia’s words, Roderick dropped into one of the guest chairs. Having traded joking words with his mistress, he soon came to his senses and looked closely at Alicia.

As Alicia sat upon the beautiful sofa, she cast her gaze toward the door through which Lady Dalia had exited. Her face was sunk in thought, as though countless hypotheses were appearing and disappearing across it.

At times like this, one must not speak to Alicia.

Roderick was displeased by the troublesome situation.

In the Restoe forest, where Tessen’s knights had gone after hearing Dalia’s words, there had been nothing but a broken carriage. The snow-covered carriage showed traces of both rear wheels having been buried in mud and then breaking while trying to force their way out. There was no notable luggage in the carriage.

The forest road was covered in snow, so not even the footprints of the coachman or Lady Combat remained. The main road had been kept in clean condition, so it was strange why Lady Combat’s party had passed through the forest road at all.

Knock knock knock.

What stirred Alicia from her thoughts and Roderick from his brooding difficulty was the sound of knocking.

“Yes.”

Alicia answered toward the door. Beyond the opened door came busy yet not very fast movement, accompanied by adorable little footsteps.

“Mommy! Rodi!”

Theodor, who still could not properly pronounce “mother,” waved happily toward Alicia, then, seeing Roderick beside her, bounced his body and ran over.

“Your Highness, you mustn’t run. You need to be careful….”

Jamie, who had brought Theodor into the reception room, let out a worried complaint.

“I’m okay!”

Theodor answered with a bright smile toward Jamie, who was worrying about him, then threw himself into Roderick’s arms.

“Oof. Shall we see how much our little Highness has grown?”

“Kyaaah.”

Roderick lightly caught Theodor as he leaped into his arms. Then he went around the reception room, bouncing the child’s body as if he might toss him.

Theodor let out delighted sounds at the rough play that Jamie would never, ever allow. Jamie loathed the various violent games Roderick so shamelessly played with Theodor.

If Theodor blinked his violet eyes and pleaded earnestly, Jamie would sometimes lift the child’s little body and send him swooshing from here to there, but he did not behave as violently as Roderick Rosa did.

Stop corrupting our baby prince with your depraved games, you disturbing fellow!

Jamie shot a heated glare at Roderick.

“Rodi! Kyaahaha, Rodi!”

Only after the soft, fluffy Theodor in his arms had cried out in delight a few more times did Roderick end the rough play. A proud, almost smug smile hung on his face as he set down Theodor, who was laughing and calling his name.

“……”

Jamie frowned as though he had seen something he should not have, then the moment his eyes met Theodor’s, he broke into a bright smile.

Alicia, who had been watching the breathless battle over the baby prince, awkwardly cleared her throat.

“Ahem, did you find out anything?”

Among Reichardt’s aides and knights, there was a strange rivalry over who got Theodor to call their name more often and smile more brightly.

“What the guest brought was indeed authentic.”

“What’s authentic?”

“It means it’s the real thing.”

Alicia pulled Theodor, who was clinging to Jamie’s leg, away and straightened his hair.

“It’s fine.”

Jamie pulled Theodor, who was rubbing himself against him, back toward his own side and gave Roderick a brief sideways glance.

“Are you going to bed, Theodor?”

“Yes. Good night, Mommy. Theodor is going to sleep. Bye, Rodi.”

Still speaking in short vocabulary, Theodor answered clumsily but firmly and took Jamie’s hand. The child knew that when Alicia, the Grand Duchess, was in the reception room, she could not take him back to his room.

Theodor waved his hand toward Alicia.

Alicia tightly gathered Theodor, who was saying goodbye to her, into her arms once before letting him go, and waved back.

“Sleep well, Theodor.”

“Bye. I’m going to sleep.”

As Theodor left the reception room, he waved and greeted, one by one, the servants of Tessen Castle passing around the reception room as well. After that cozy and warm time of greetings, it was time to think again.