Chapter 6

"Father, Mother, Keith-sama has invited me on a date!"

I was shocked by Cynthia's outrageous announcement at the dinner table, but my stepmother was overjoyed.

"Oh! Cynthia!! Well done!"

"I'm not like my sister!"

"Cynthia, what do you mean by being invited on a date?"

Father, as usual, spoke to Cynthia very kindly.

"Hehe. Today, Keith-sama came and we talked a lot!"

Cynthia glanced at me and smiled.

Today, the academy and the princess education were on break, so I had been at home all day, but I had no idea that Prince Keith had come.

I looked at the fairies.

The fairies were flying around, avoiding my gaze unnaturally and whistling.

They must have deliberately not told me because they dislike Prince Keith.

"Then, when I told him that my sister is always at the academy or the palace, and even when she's at home, she locks herself in her room and it's lonely, he said he would invite me to the palace next time to see what my sister is learning!"

...Is that a date??

Father, who seemed to share my doubt, looked awkward and turned his gaze away from Cynthia.

Then, as usual, he gave me a cold look.

"You can't even greet Prince Keith. I hear that Cynthia always entertains Prince Keith."

"Yes! Yes! Husband! That's right! Margaret doesn't even greet Prince Keith, she's such an uncharming girl!"

"It's a pity that Prince Keith is engaged to her sister! He would be much happier if he were engaged to me!"

"At least Margaret has good blood from her mother."

As usual, my stepmother and Cynthia mocked and glared at me, and Father concluded.

As usual, I didn't say a word, so this would normally be Cynthia's time to make demands, and I would eat dinner in silence without saying anything.

But, having made a friend for the first time yesterday (probably), I was in a state of runner's high.

"I can't greet Prince Keith."

Since I hardly ever speak in this house, the dining room fell silent at my sudden words.

"Because whenever Prince Keith comes, no one tells me."

Clang!

A maid dropped her spoon, and the butler, who was standing behind Father, froze.

"Outrageous! Absolutely!"

My stepmother shouted as loudly as Cynthia had just a moment ago.

Does Father not know that much?

"I'm worried.

It's clearly unnatural that I only get sick when Prince Keith comes to the duchy, even though I attend the academy and princess education without any problems every day."

"Be quiet!"

"Also, I'm worried that if someone sees my back at the academy or the palace, it would be embarrassing. Because there are marks on my back that I don't want anyone to see."

My stepmother, who had been furious a moment ago, turned pale at my words.

She must have just realized that marks might be left on my back from being hit in places that can't be seen from the outside.

No, actually, there are no marks.

The fairies heal me right after I'm hit with a ruler.

But if the fairies weren't there, my back would definitely have scars from being hit until it was red and swollen for years, so it's not a lie... probably.

"...Do you have anything else to say?"

Father has never asked me anything before.

Until now, he only gave orders.

"Nothing."

"Go back to your room."

"Excuse me."

I had only taken one bite of the appetizer with the bitter sauce, so I was still hungry.

'Here, I brought cookies.'

'And chocolate tart too.'

'Next time, I'll get the head chef to make an original dessert with mint.'

'Cookies, chocolate, mint! Thank you!!'

I gratefully ate the sweets the fairies had brought from the kitchen.

'Hey, what was the atmosphere in the dining room like?'

'Margaret's father was angry.'

'The ruler lady and the head maid were scolded.'

'Let's destroy everyone's vital points.'

Father must not have known that I was prevented from meeting Prince Keith or that I was being abused to the point of leaving marks.

...What if I get even more severe treatment from tomorrow because they resent me for tattling...?

Despite my worries, the harassment stopped from the next day.

My hair wasn't pulled when the head maid styled it.

At breakfast, Mother glared at me, but I wasn't called out later.

And the food wasn't bitter.

But that day, I felt unwell all day, and after returning from the palace, I went to the kitchen.

Since I had never been to the kitchen before (apparently, they think I've started retaliating), the chefs dropped the potatoes they were preparing, and the head chef turned pale, causing a commotion in the kitchen.

"I'm sorry for startling you. I have one request.

I want you to continue putting the bitter herbs in my food from now on."

The kitchen, which had been in an uproar, fell silent again.

"\"We are very sorry for what we did in the past!\""

I hurriedly stopped them from all bowing deeply, and somehow managed to arrange for the bitter herbs to be provided to me from now on.

They are incredibly bitter, but they are really good for the body.