58
Candice was trying her best to be as
obedient as possible so she wouldn't be killed.
Perhaps
sensing something, Hugo let out a heavy sigh.
「Haa…… however, having hired bandits
without even checking their backgrounds, the head maid of the White Palace
will take responsibility and be demoted, returning to being a maid in another
palace.」
She
recalled the figure of the slender, young, bespectacled head maid. If you trace
it back, her having hired bandits in the first place was likely due to Candice
making a massive amount of maids quit. Thinking that it was her own fault, she
felt somewhat apologetic.
「By His Majesty the Emperor's
orders, we are currently thoroughly investigating the backgrounds of the people
in the White Palace. Once their innocence is confirmed, do you mind if
we return them to their original positions?」
「Yeah, that is fine.」
「Thank goodness……!」
Candice let out a breath of relief at the
thought of being able to meet Eva and Rose again.
「Why did you act on your own accord?」
「That is……」
Candice hesitated at Valentin's
question. She thought this might be a chance to tell him about the instructor
and her mother, but Candice was hesitating.
（……I must not expect Otou-sama to
make a move for my sake.）
However,
being told to 「Speak」
once again by Valentin, Candice, yielding to that pressure, began
to speak about the contents of her conversation with Duke Radziwill.
「Ojiisama said that unless I receive
guidance from instructors and become perfect, he will not let me meet
Okaa-sama. Besides, the people Ojiisama selected are, well…… there are a lot of
them.」
Candice mumbled her words. Remembering the
instructors the previous Candice had learned from made her shudder.
「I'm sure I would even lose the time
to meet with Arthur.」
Remembering
those painful days, Candice gripped the hem of her dress. Since she
couldn't exactly say that she already possessed the knowledge, she tried to
gloss over the conversation.
「That is why I thought I had to do
something myself! But, thinking I would still be lacking in some areas, I felt
I had to be taught by an instructor who wasn't prepared by Ojiisama, and while
I was searching, it turned into this kind of situation……」
Even
while Candice was saying so, Valentin's finger poking her cheek
did not stop.
「Do you wish to meet your mother?」
At
Valentin's question, Candice bit her lip tightly. She knows that
she can no longer meet the mother she had previously wanted to meet so badly it
couldn't be helped. For just a moment, sad feelings welled up, but Candice
immediately shook her head side to side and brushed off such distracting
thoughts.
「I don't think I can meet Okaa-sama.
I'm sure Ojiisama wants to make it so that I cannot meet her.」
「…………」
「Because Ojiisama simply wants to use
the prospect of meeting Okaa-sama as bait to make me act exactly as he wishes.」
Having
realized Duke Radziwill's ulterior motives, she could no longer bring
herself to obey. Hearing Candice's words, Hugo widened his eyes
in surprise. Valentin directed his gaze to Candice's hands, at
the hem of the dress she was gripping.
「Besides, Arthur does not have
a mother either.」
「……!」
「Because Eva, Rose, Jeanne,
and Arthur are there for me, I am already alright!」
Just
as Arthur had Jeanne, Candice now had Eva and Rose.
She thought that alone was enough.
「Besides, I must become a good Imperial
Princess.」
「A good Imperial Princess, you
say?」
At
Valentin's words, Candice nodded.
「If things stay like this, I will be
used by Ojiisama. In order to leave this country, I will become a good Imperial
Princess!」
「…………」
「Moreover, I don't want to receive
the death penalty, so if I become a good Imperial Princess……」
As Candice spoke little by little, Valentin's expression steadily grew sterner. Realizing her true feelings had leaked out, Candice hurriedly covered her mouth.
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