Chapter 48

Lady Natalie speaks of the circumstances that led her to become a candidate for queen. I wonder if it’s really okay for her to confide in me like this. Surely, Lady Natalie must have been under a lot of pressure.

As the master of the main culprit in the plagiarism incident, Lady Natalie’s reputation has significantly declined. Although she was not stripped of her position as a candidate for queen, the possibility of being chosen as the next queen is very low.

To cling to the slim possibility, Lady Natalie has no choice but to remain in the royal castle. Thanks to her honest admission of her faults at the birthday celebration, there are people who feel sympathetic towards her, but there are also many who take advantage of the situation to spread malice.

For Lady Natalie, the current royal castle is like a bed of needles. In a sense, it might have been easier to be expelled from the royal castle all at once, given the harsh circumstances.

In such an environment, I happened to see her pouring out her weaknesses to a cat. I think she is partly frustrated because I saw her most vulnerable and pitiful side. The accumulated anxiety seemed to have burst forth, and she began to speak as if clinging to something.

In this world, it is common for women to marry around the age of twenty, but Lady Natalie is only sixteen. A girl who would be a high school student in Japan was thrust into the role of a queen candidate. The pressure and responsibility on her slender shoulders must have been too much for her to bear alone.

Lady Natalie’s parents were also concerned about their daughter. However, her mother, weakened by the illness of her older sister, had compromised her health. She was in no condition to accompany Lady Natalie to the royal castle, and her father, who was busy as the head of the ducal family, was the same. As a result, the person chosen to accompany her was Lady Natalie’s father’s sister, Ms. Dear.

“Dear was given significant authority as my supervisor. I think my father found my shy and reserved self less reliable than my sister Dear, who was born from the same mother.”

“So, Ms. Dear acted so arrogantly, even in front of Lady Natalie……”

“Yes, that was a more comfortable situation for me. As a queen candidate, I only had to sit in the royal castle. I thought that if I remained silent and lived like a doll, Dear and the others would handle everything smoothly…… No, I wanted to believe that.”

Lady Natalie speaks of Ms. Dear, who became a criminal, but there is no sign of anger or resentment on her face, only sadness. Even though Ms. Dear was the one who held her back, she is Lady Natalie’s aunt. There might have been a familial bond between them at one time, making it all the more painful.

“……I think, as a result of being given so much trust, Dear became overconfident. It’s not surprising that she thought she would gain even more power if she could push Lady Natalie to the position of the next queen. To impress the king with Lady Natalie’s presence and raise her evaluation among the nobles, she resorted to plagiarizing the chiffon cake, I suppose.”

“Yes, I think that’s what happened. I think Dear was anxious because I was not a reliable queen candidate. Her crimes cannot be forgiven, but it was my fault that she resorted to plagiarism……”

“So, at the birthday celebration, Lady Natalie decided to take the punishment……”

“Yes, that was all I could do……”

It’s pitiful, Lady Natalie said, laughing as if she was about to cry.

“You are not pitiful. Lady Natalie is fulfilling her role.”

“Eh……?”

“One of the duties of a leader is to atone for the sins of their subordinates. However, I think it is rare for someone to actually step forward and take the punishment when it is necessary.”

“I am not such a great person. I was pitiful and scared, and I didn’t know what else to do……”

“It’s natural to be scared. But no matter how much you may have trembled inside, Lady Natalie spoke up that day. I think that alone is enough.”

Lady Natalie has completely belittled herself, thinking she is shy and cowardly. But since she was able to take action on her own at the birthday celebration, she is not a weak person who just goes with the flow.

“Lady Natalie is still here, not running away from the pressure of being a queen candidate. Even if there are immature and inadequate aspects to her role as a queen candidate, it is possible to grow gradually.”

“Lady Letizia……”

“If you don’t mind, would you like to visit my palace once? I have the griffin you gave me, and we could enjoy some tea while watching the wolves and the cat.”

“Is that okay? I have caused trouble for Lady Letizia and her group, and I am not allowed to make bold moves……”

“It’s fine as long as it’s not bold. Fortunately, I have a plausible reason to consult you about the care of the griffin.”

By bringing up the topic of the griffin and seeking Lady Natalie’s help, the situation should be acceptable.

Since Lady Natalie and I come from different backgrounds and belong to different families, it is difficult to speak openly. However, as fellow lovers of fluffy things, we should be able to enjoy a conversation.

I hope that by doing so, Lady Natalie can feel a little more at ease.

“Thank you, Lady Letizia. I would like to visit once.”

Lady Natalie smiled, a look of weakness but also one of determination to move forward.

Lady Natalie and I, the two of us, will sit around some tea and pastries and talk about fluffy things. On that day, I made this promise with Lady Natalie.