Prologue 8: The Presumptuous Rose

That day came sooner than expected, and in a way she hadn’t anticipated.

It was when she had come to the Royal Palace as usual to discuss the  Liberation for the slaves.

“—Um!”

“……”

In the Rose Garden  Patricia saw the girl Alex loved.

“Um, you’re Patricia-sama, right?”

The one who spoke was the same charming woman she had seen with Alex back then.

Dressed in the uniform that marked her as a maid, she was standing right before her now.

“Nice to meet you. I work at the castle, my name is Mia. Prince Alex has been very kind to me…” 

She looked up at Patricia with moist, shining eyes and seemed so small.

No, she probably really was. 

Just one of the many who worked in the Royal Palace, a mere presence.

And yet, she had spoken to Patricia van Frentier.

“I’ve heard about you from Prince Alex… and I really wanted to talk with you.”

What was this girl doing?

There were customs here—rules to be followed without exception. 

Even the royal family obeyed them.

And yet this girl was breaking them.

If she worked in the Royal Palace, she would have been taught this first and foremost.

She should know this, and yet she spoke to Patricia directly. 

To someone of higher rank.

For them, breaking custom was a crime.

Without noticing Patricia’s stunned silence, Mia continued speaking, “To those of us who work at the castle, Patricia-sama is a figure we admire, so it’s a great honor to be able to talk like this.”

Her way of thinking was incredibly dangerous. 

If anyone other than Patricia were spoken to like this, knights would not hesitate to detain and whip them on the spot.

Did she not understand that? 

She smiled happily.

This couldn’t be allowed. 

Patricia steeled her heart, straightened her back, and fixed her gaze firmly on her as she said, “—You have been taught the Royal Palace’s etiquette, haven’t you?”

“Huh? Ah, yes! When I first entered here.”

‘Then why?’

Patricia held back the urge to clutch her head and kept her composure as she continued, “Then you must be aware that what you’re doing goes against etiquette, right?”

“Th-That’s, well, yes…”

“But, what?”

“…………I just wanted to talk with Patricia-sama…”

“Even so, what you’re doing is very rude. Do you understand that being whipped would not be surprising?”

Only then did fear finally show on Mia’s face.

She had probably been punished before. 

The memory must have come rushing back, because she took a step backward.

“But I heard Patricia-sama is kind. That you once forgave a servant who was about to be punished…”

“If there are people who think I am kind, it’s those who have done their utmost in etiquette but still failed. What about you? Your behavior makes it no surprise if you think little of me.”

“I’m not like that! I just want to be friends with Patricia-sama.”

“That’s presumptuous. I’ll overlook it this time, but there won’t be a next time. Be careful.”

So in the end, it seemed she couldn’t relax in this Rose Garden after all.

Perhaps it was better to stay away from here for a while.

Patricia glanced toward the knights waiting a little distance away and left the spot.

Lately, she had been making documents to hand over to Alex without sleep, all regarding the Slave Liberation Bill, so perhaps that’s why she felt less at ease than usual.

…No, that probably wasn’t all.

Surely, it was because she felt some unease about the closeness between Alex and that girl.

That was why she had been cold.

How pathetic. 

Patricia was the future Empress.

She should carry herself with more composure and lead the people forward.

On her way to the meeting, she paused for a moment to steady her breathing.

She took a deep breath in, exhaling away the haze clouding her heart.

‘It’s alright. I can still smile.’ Clenching her fist tightly, she faced forward and began walking again.