Chapter 4

Hello, I am Yuria von Vandeed.

My day usually starts at the palace.

Lately, I can't help but want the BB cream I used to love in my previous life.

I also want some sunscreen.

Well, anyway.

My adorable princess, as always, is growing up straight and healthy, completely different from the game's setting.

She doesn't throw tantrums, and her slender figure is following the beauty standards of this country!

Her golden hair flows in gentle waves, making her a picture-perfect beauty.

However, there is one issue: the engagement with the young nobleman who is supposed to become a knight.

In the game, the princess falls in love at first sight and asks the king to make him her fiancé, but this time, it seems the queen accepted a request from a relative, the earl, and submitted it to the king.

The king, happy that his beloved daughter would marry someone capable within the country rather than to another nation, readily agreed... but apparently, the princess has never even met him.

Hmm? In the game, the story goes that the princess falls in love at first sight, starts dating, but gets angry at the knight who only shows her respect. Then the heroine comes in...

The main ending is where the knight, who doesn't know love, says, "I like her as much as she likes me. I'm sorry," and along with his father, the earl, formally asks the king to break the engagement. There's also a dark ending where the knight, who is actually a masochist, deliberately acts cold and enjoys being scolded, and the heroine, who is more assertive, takes over.

Dean Dain von Baum, the 13-year-old son of the Earl of Baum, is said to be a handsome young man with brown hair and blue eyes. I think their relationship was supposed to be based on a master-servant vow.

However, at this stage, the princess still has no interest in him.

Will it change when they meet?

The game's plot is supposed to unfold next year. In the prince route, a whirlwind romance unfolds before Prince Alvarbaudt Daum's debut in society, and on the day of his debut, he declares, "I will make her my wife!" and the story ends.

Incidentally, the heroine is also a noble. More accurately, she becomes a noble after a certain event.

Anyway, I don't want my precious Primera to get hurt!

I tried to gather as much information as possible by subtly asking other maids and servants.

As a result of my information gathering.

It turns out that the engagement to Earl's son Dean Dain was because he fell in love with Primera at first sight.

What?!

The princess hasn't even made her debut in society, and even if she does, it's just waving from the balcony.

Even as a nobleman's son, a squire can't just wander around the castle, and Primera lives in a secluded part of the castle, near the harem, where the royal family resides.

The harem is where the queen, concubines, and children under three years old live. Both Prince Alvarbaudt Daum and Princess Primera have rooms in the royal living quarters.

Me?

I, of course, live in one of the servant quarters.

Yes, I am well aware of my status! Even though I am a viscount's daughter, I was disowned, so I am practically a commoner.

Now, the question is, where did Dean Dain see Primera?

The most likely scenario is that someone introduced them.

When I asked who, I was exhausted by the answer.

Because, no matter how I investigated, it turned out to be the queen herself.

The earl didn't make any requests.

In fact, he was told to make a request, apparently while drunk. Oops, I slipped.

The queen, disappointing!

Well, I did try to smooth things over.

I don't dislike the queen, but I don't like her either.

The reason is, I realized that her attitude is all because of the king.

The queen is not originally a narrow-minded person.

She received an education to become the mother of the nation and always acts properly, a true model of a queen.

So why does she torment the concubine and her daughter?

While it may seem excessive, it's because the king does it.

He focuses on the concubine, says he respects the queen, but actually neglects her.

Of course, it's sad.

Moreover, he treats the prince as a king but shows no affection as a father, and only shows affection to the princess as a parent.

As a woman and a queen, her pride is shattered.

But there was a fact that she had tried to reach out to the concubine.

Before I started serving at the palace, the king distanced her... apparently because he wanted the concubine to rely only on him. What a shame.

An old maid told me that the queen was deeply depressed after the king said something to her at that time.

Since then, the queen has become even more determined to be a proper queen, becoming cold and stern.

She speaks harshly to Primera but secretly arranges for her to receive special treatment.

Educate her strictly to prevent her from becoming arrogant, and make her a fine lady.

Prepare her so that she won't suffer wherever she goes, and give her the strength to hate her stepmother.

Make sure she never hates her father, the king.

I found out she even said these things!

If I openly support her, it seems the king will start suspecting things.

Regarding the concubine, nobles who got involved with her were demoted.

The king also prefers that only women are involved in Primera's education.

It seems the king loves "weak and cute" things.

So he particularly likes the concubine's frail appearance and enjoys seeing her isolated, which brings him comfort and joy. It's sick.

Therefore, the queen thinks that if Primera is "loved by everyone" or "cherished by everyone," the king will try to isolate her.

The queen doesn't seem to consider the servants and maids much, treating us like furniture, but we do care for Primera.

The king, in his own way, loves his daughter, but it's in a sick form.

Even so, both the king and the queen, as adults, show a disturbing lack of consideration for a 10-year-old girl.

By the way, the reason I was allowed to serve the concubine is that the king found it endearing that the favored princess was kind to a "plain and pitiful" noble girl.

...Plain and pitiful. Plain and pitiful.

I might cry. I know I'm not attractive, but I do take care of my appearance to a reasonable extent.

Incidentally, Dean Dain has an older half-brother, Aldar Saul, who serves in the royal guard.

I wondered if he was in the game, but I remembered his face.

In the game, in the hidden ending where the knight confesses to being a masochist, there's a scene where the heroine says, "My brother is a bit of a problem... but if you can get along with him, I'd be grateful." It's a one-liner.

It's hard to notice that this "problem" is a hint that he's a masochist!

At this stage, Dean Dain doesn't seem to have such tendencies.

In the game, it's written that he realizes it during his formal knighthood and rigorous training.

...Tomorrow, Dean Dain and Primera are scheduled to have a tea party to meet each other.

It's to teach the princess, who hasn't made her debut, that she will marry this person.

I'm feeling gloomy... sigh.

Even so, I can't let Primera's face be ruined by showing her thoughtful and mature side, like asking me to prepare tea and snacks, and worrying about what Dean Dain is like and not greeting him in childish clothes.

Even if I prepare the tea and snacks, there's only so much I can do.

I lived alone in my previous life, so I can do basic housework.

I can make basic pastries, but of course, I can't match the chef.

My greatest contribution in this world is suggesting cake decoration, which didn't exist before.

When I tried some basic piping, the chef improved it significantly. I don't know why.

Oh, and chiffon cake didn't exist in this world, so I made it.

I love chiffon cake, especially the tea-flavored ones.

When I first served it to Primera, her smile was so beautiful... I'll make a chiffon cake.

A plain one, and maybe some orange tea.

I'm sure Primera will be delighted!

Dean Dain's preference? Oh, he apparently likes citrus, so orange tea.

My top priority is Primera, but she can't serve the wrong thing at a tea party she's hosting!

Well, I'm getting busy!!