35
「That is my line! How is it that I
will suddenly be able to meet Okaa-sama when I haven't been able to meet her up
until now?」
「Th-That is…… there are various
circumstances.」
「Somehow, Ojiisama's words keep
changing over and over, so I cannot trust you.」
「……hk!」
「From next time, I will ask Otou-sama
directly to send my letters to Okaa-sama, so Ojiisama does not need to come see
me anymore. Well then, good day.」
「W-Wait, Candice! Candice──!」
Candice
ignored Duke Radziwill's voice calling her to stop and left the room. Eva
and Rose were bewildered, looking back and forth between Duke
Radziwill in the room and Candice.
（Ohohoho! You can just go ahead and chew on the reality that things
won't go as you please!）
Candice
was laughing loudly in her heart. Even though she said he didn't need to come
anymore, he would probably still come to the White Palace to check on Candice's
condition, but as long as it wasn't urgent, there was probably no need to meet
and talk directly with Duke Radziwill.
Returning to her room feeling refreshed, Candice
sipped her black tea, completely unaware that her own destiny had greatly
changed.
The next day, as Candice was having a meal together
with Arthur as usual, she heard Arthur say, 『I want to read a book,』 and something clicked for Candice. She thought she
would teach Arthur how to read and write next.
（Come to think of it, because it was
a hassle, I had never been to the archives or anything. Let's try going
together with Arthur this time.）
Recently, it had been becoming a joy for Candice to
take Arthur along to various places, so immediately after finishing
breakfast, they moved to the giant archives located in the Violet Palace.
Candice
rarely ever left the White Palace, and when she was young, she never
came to the archives in the Violet Palace. The reason was simple: she
had absolutely no interest in books and didn't read them. If there was
something she wanted to read, she would ask a maid and have them go fetch it.
Moreover, in order to silence Duke Radziwill, she thought she had to at
least pretend to be studying on her own a little.
（Because I learned that dresses and
jewels won't save me. I have to get stronger from now on, and I have to study
too, so being an Imperial Princess isn't easy either……!）
However, gaining strength from now on so as not to be
condemned is a must. Up until now, she had the instructors prepared by Duke
Radziwill, but if possible, someone uninfluenced by the Duke would be
preferable. Candice's situation was completely leaked to him, and if she
tried to slack off, Duke Radziwill would show up. She remembered that it
was a repetition of that. And although she had been immersed in studying every
day around this time, she was grateful that she started looking outside like
this and broadened her horizons.
（It would be great if I could
actually rely on Otou-sama, but…… it's absolutely impossible, huh.）
Although she was the one who used his name, Candice
was shunned and hated by her father. Knowing that, she feels hesitant to go out
of her way to approach him. Besides, seeing that expression, Candice was
crazy for thinking she was liked.
（A future where I am loved by
Otou-sama is impossible.）
Besides, it is abundantly clear that her father already
hates Candice from this current stage. The fact that he never came to
see Candice even once despite being together with Louise so much
is proof of that.
Just the thought of approaching and begging such a person makes her shudder, but when she thinks about how she used to storm into the Violet Palace and curry favor with him whenever there was an opening before, she feels a sense of disbelief.
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