Chapter 1

Translated by KuroNeko Edited by KuroNeko

Under a pale blue sky covered with scaly clouds, the golden fields of silver grass swayed in the slightest breeze as far as the eye could see.

Then a chestnut-haired horse, its hooves clopping lazily, strides by, carrying a girl in a light gray riding suit. If it were a human being, it would have been mixed with a humming song.

“It’s a beautiful day, Marron. I wish I could walk with you all the time on a day like this.”

The girl with reddish blonde hair tied up above her ears spoke to her beloved horse as she held the reins. It was almost as if she was talking to herself.

Marron’s tail swaying with each step and her master’s hair tied in a knot, combined with the surrounding scenery, created a rural poetic atmosphere.

“Good morning. Miss Primrose.”

A well-pitched male voice came from behind the girl.

When the blonde girl – Primrose – turned around, she saw a young man in a scarlet military uniform coming on another ashen horse.

“Good morning, Evan. Are you always this early in the morning?”

Primrose returned the greeting to the young man approaching on horseback.

“Yes, I have to take care of the horses.”

The young man, who answered crisply, was well dressed, with auburn hair that had probably been combed and swept neatly behind his forehead. His bangs, let down slightly, gave him an air of insouciance.

“Miss Primrose seems to have awakened early today.”

“Yeah… I’m kind of bleary-eyed.”

Saying this shyly, Primrose held Marron’s torso with both legs as he came to a stop, and urged him to keep walking.

Evan’s horse walks a little behind her.

“Tomorrow is the party to celebrate the signing of the Treaty of Amity. Are you nervous?”

“I’m nervous, too. It’s the first time I’m meeting the Emperor of Arcanet… What if I do something wrong?”

Evan’s slitted gray eyes relaxed and he smiled at her, “Don’t worry.”

“There is no way that our princess will be inferior to other countries. You should be proud of yourself. Even the horses were afraid to even put their feet in the stirrups at first, but now they are riding by themselves!”

“The emperor and the horse are different.”

Evan gave a cheerful laugh when Primrose quipped back with pursed her lips.

“But please go to bed early tonight so you can get a good night’s sleep. Otherwise, Miss Ivy will be…”

“Lady Primrose!”

The rumored girl came running at a hurried pace. She was running so fast that the hem of her long dark green apron dress was fluttering to her knees.

“Ivy!”

Primrose rolled her eyes and pulled back on the reins to urge Marron to stop.

Evan handled the reins more skillfully and turned the ashen horse backwards.

“I was looking for you because you were not in your room…. The horse keeper told me that you rode Marron to the pasture…”

Out of breath, Ivy fixed the shoulder straps of her apron, which had slipped down. Then, with her strong, almond-shaped blue eyes, she gave the princess a reproachful glance. Her black hair, tucked into a white cap, was unusually frayed for such a meticulous woman.

Primrose lowered her eyebrows into a figure eight, apologizing for the extra trouble she had caused her maidservant.

“I’m sorry, it was already breakfast time. I’ll be back as soon as I get Marron back to the stables.”

“I didn’t look for you just because I couldn’t serve you breakfast… Please say something to me when you go outside the castle.”

“We’re on castle grounds here too…”

“Outside is outside.”

Primrose flinched when Ivy snapped back at her.

Ivy was just worried about Primrose, but now she felt like she was blocking the way out for Primrose, who was fidgety and restless in her room.

“Well, Ivy. I’m a knight, and I’m standing by her side, so, you don’t have to worry about that.”

Evan, who had been smiling and listening to the conversation between the two girls, interjected helpfully.

“Evan-sama… With all due respect, sir, as a knight, I think you should be wary of the princess acting alone.”

However, it seems to have turned out to be a bush snake. The maid of honor furrowed her slightly raised eyebrows and looked at Evan on the horse. He laughed in annoyance and scratched his head with one hand.

Primrose Lily Beryllonite. She is the first princess of this country. She will turn 14 this year, and the year after next she will be married to Crown Prince Wolfgang of Arcanet.

Three days ago, my father, King Buxton VI, left for Arcanet via Carcharatan. After the signing ceremony of the Treaty of Amity, he will return tomorrow. He invited Emperor Iguats to his castle in Candace for a banquet to celebrate the Treaty of Amity.

After parting with Evan at the stables, Primrose was taken by Ivy to the castle dining room.

Candace Castle is built on a hilltop against a mountain and is surrounded by solid stone walls. The residence where the royal family usually spends their time is on the top floor of the castle.

“Oh, where’s Charlotte?”

Primrose entered the dining room and immediately noticed that her sister was not seated at the long table.

“Lady Charlotte complained of feeling unwell since last night and would not eat breakfast…”

“I’m going to see her for a moment.”

Interrupting Ivy’s words in mid-sentence, Primrose ran out of the cafeteria.

After a small sigh, Ivy took out a stack of dishes from the wagon in front of her and quickly served them.

Following the velvet carpeted hallway, Primrose arrived at her sister’s room. She knocked on both doors, and with a squeak, one of the doors opened slightly, revealing an old woman inside. Like Ivy, she was wearing a dark green apron dress and her gray hair is tucked into a cap.

“Lady Primrose, good morning”

“Good morning Madonna. I heard that Charlotte is not feeling well, may I come in?”

“Yes, of course. Please… ”

The old woman, Madonna, narrowed her eyes and smiled serenely. Madonna is the nanny of the second princess, Charlotte, and is also the head maidservant who commands the maids in the castle.

The small, slightly bent Madonna held the open door with a relaxed motion and urged Primrose inside.

In Charlotte’s bedroom, the window curtains were open and sunlight was streaming in. The baby pink walls decorated with floral carvings, the dolls and vases on the small round table, and other lovely furnishings makes the room suitable for a nine-year-old girl.

“Lady Charlotte, Lady Primrose is here….”

Madonna stood at the bedside of the princess, who was asleep in her canopied bed, and spoke softly to her. Primrose was next to her.

“Ugh~… my sister…..?”

Charlotte groaned, her face was bright red and she looked really sick. With her fingers, Primrose gently brushed away a strand of reddish blonde hair that had been left down and stuck to her cheek. She was sweating profusely and had a fever.

“What did the doctor said?”

“The doctor said that she was tired from extreme nervousness…. If the fever rises a little more, he told me to give her some fever reducer.”

While answering Primrose’s question, Madonna squeezed a hand towel cooled with water from the basin by the bed and held it to Charlotte’s forehead.

“I’m sorry to hear that your head is hurting from the fever…”

“Extreme nervousness…..”

Primrose muttered as if she had something on her mind, then dropped to her knees and looked into Charlotte’s face with concern.

“Charlotte. Hey, is there anything you want?”

“…. Ugh~”

She stroked her sister’s cheek laboriously as she growled in a faint, weak voice.

“Sister…. ”

“Yes.”

Charlotte opened her mouth with a pained expression. Primrose moved her face even closer to hear what she had to say.

“…. smells like horse.”

“Eh?”

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