Chapter 6
A tiny baby’s handprint was pressed firmly onto Sir Bauman’s dusky brown face.
Seeing the neatly marked handprint, she smiled with quiet satisfaction.
“Hoy hoy.”
From today onward, you shall be my knight.
She raised her chubby little arm to her straight, stubby waist and babbled toward Sir Bauman.
“…..”
“Oh my! Your Highness!”
“How exactly am I supposed to take the Princess’s behavior right now?”
But the two of them, entirely failing to grasp her intent, were caught between shock and thinly veiled displeasure.
“Atta, atta!”
Obviously, you should consider it an honor. I’m personally appointing you as my escort!
“Your Highness, why in the world would you do that?”
Lenny scolded her in a reproachful tone while handing Sir Bauman the handkerchief she’d used to wipe the Princess’s nosebleed.
“…Thank you, Nursemaid.”
Sir Bauman blankly stared at the handkerchief Lenny offered before his cheeks flushed faintly and he accepted it with care.
Then, he neatly folded the handkerchief and tucked it into his pocket.
“…..”
Is that man really alright…?
She eyed Sir Bauman warily.
Even so, if this person truly was the Sir Bauman of her previous life, there was no doubting his skill.
Sure, she might have decided to live as a jobless princess, but that didn’t mean she didn’t need an escort.
She entertained thoughts that would never be conveyed to Sir Bauman as she watched him carefully tucking away the handkerchief.
“Nursemaid, do you understand what the Princess is trying to do right now?”
Having pocketed the handkerchief, Sir Bauman turned to Lenny and asked again about the Princess’s behavior.
“…Your Highness, shall we head back to our room?”
Since Lenny also had no idea what the Princess was intending, she avoided answering and gathered the Princess into her arms.
“Hoy hoy, tata.”
You too should come along now, since you’re going to be my escort.
The Princess quickly slapped Lenny’s arm, trying to stop her from leaving.
“Looks like Her Highness is asking you to follow. Let’s all go together.”
Lenny tilted her head, seeming to interpret the Princess’s babbling more or less as she intended, and extended the invitation to Sir Bauman.
Satisfied with Lenny’s reasonably close interpretation, the Princess looked toward Sir Bauman.
“It’s fine. I’ll pass.”
Sir Bauman, pretending to have no interest in the Princess at all, turned his body away, though his eyes lingered on Lenny, regret practically dripping from his gaze.
Ugh, didn’t he just say he’d escort me to my room a moment ago? Why’s he acting coy now when he could just follow along?
Guess I’ll have to step in myself.
“Atta, atta!”
“Looks like Her Highness wishes to have you accompany us. You might as well come.”
“If you say so, then… I suppose I could.”
She thought he’d play hard to get a little longer, but when Lenny asked again, he agreed right away.
Her dumbfounded gaze met Sir Bauman’s in the air, but he casually looked away.
“Nara tata.”
“With those looks and that babbling, Your Highness is the spitting image of a pill bug.”
How dare he. As if there’s any baby as adorable as me.
She glared at him sharply, and Sir Bauman quickly shut his mouth, sensing the mood.
“Sir Bauman, you’ve been terribly rude to Her Highness from earlier!”
Yes, Lenny, don’t hold back, give him a proper scolding! Looks and voice aren’t everything in this world!
“Our princess is much, much cuter than a pill bug!”
“…..”
I must’ve been a fool to expect anything from her.
“I see. Then I suppose the Princess must be pleased to have bested a pill bug.”
Sir Bauman gave a small laugh as he glanced at her.
Did… did he just laugh? Is he mocking me right now?
“It’s not that. It’s because she’s cute.”
“…..”
Why’s he talking like he’s reading my thoughts? I didn’t even say anything out loud.
Lenny, I’m scared of this man.
Wanting to disappear from Sir Bauman’s line of sight, she burrowed deeper into Lenny’s arms.
“Her Highness is a remarkably transparent person. You can’t hide a thing with those expressions.”
He lowered his head slightly to meet her gaze and added a final remark.
“I regret that I can’t accompany you now, but I’ll be sure to visit the Princess’s Palace soon.”
It seemed Sir Bauman was genuinely busy, before they knew it, one of the Emperor’s attendants had appeared behind him, waiting.
“Well, if it can’t be helped. Next time, then.”
“I’ll be sure to create that opportunity myself.”
When Lenny delivered a farewell on the Princess’s behalf, Sir Bauman, for the first time, smiled brightly and pressed a brief kiss to the back of Lenny’s hand.
“Ah… I… yes, alright.”
Lenny’s face reddened as she stumbled over a reply to his sudden gesture.
Several days passed after that first meeting with Sir Bauman.
Though she’d thought he might occasionally drop by the Princess’s Palace, he hadn’t shown himself even once since.
Later, overhearing Lenny and Sylvia chatting, she learned that Sir Bauman, who usually stayed within the Emperor’s Palace, had apparently taken a wrong turn that day.
Is he more careless than I thought?
She was having such thoughts when a maid came into the room carrying a large box.
“Your Highness, another gift from Sir Bauman has arrived.”
As usual, at the same hour, another delivery arrived in Sir Bauman’s name.
Though he never showed his face, Sir Bauman sent a variety of desserts to the Princess’s Palace every single day.
“Today’s selection looks especially delicious.”
Lenny set the dessert box the maid handed her down on the table and spoke.
“Perhaps the good sir has finally recognized Your Highness’s charm? But really, why does he keep sending these desserts you can’t even eat? I should probably tell him to stop soon.”
Lenny tilted her head as she took out the desserts one by one and arranged them on the table.
She couldn’t help but wonder, if the Princess couldn’t eat them, just who was Sir Bauman sending these for?
“Oh my, a fig cake. Sir Bauman really does have excellent taste.”
Fig cake was something Lenny often enjoyed at dessert cafés.
Why would he go out of his way to send that, Lenny?
“Ta-ta, ta-a!”
The Princess called to Lenny and shook her head firmly.
“Hm? What’s wrong, Your Highness?”
How could Sir Bauman not realize, after such devoted gestures, that the one he was sending them for hadn’t noticed a thing?
Still, if he was sending sweets like this every day, then surely in this lifetime, Sir Bauman would be hers.
***
Another eventful day passed, and morning broke on the day marking one year since my and Lucas’s birth.
For me, it was a morning no different from any other, but for those in the imperial palace, it seemed to be a particularly special occasion.
Twins. And two with heterochromia.
Such a thing had never occurred in a single generation since the founding of the empire.
I’d heard in my previous life that our first birthday banquet had been the subject of considerable gossip.
It had made front-page news in papers circulated across the entire empire.
Of course, it was little more than a spectacle, an excuse for people to wager on who would ascend the throne one day.
I idly watched the maids, busy from the early morning. They bustled about the princess’s palace, sorting through the flood of gifts being delivered.
“Your Highness! I’ll make you the most beautiful you’ve ever been today!”
As I blankly observed the flurry of activity, Lenny swept me up in her arms, brimming with determination.
Humming to herself, Lenny entered the dressing room and retrieved a new dress tailored specially for this banquet.
The pure white dress was adorned with a large ribbon at the waist, adding a charming accent, and since my hair hadn’t grown long enough to style, a matching white floral headband was set gently atop my round, bobbing head.
“Oh, my.”
“How adorable!”
“You’re just too precious.”
Lenny and the other maids attending us let out sighs of admiration as they looked at me.
Goodness, such fuss over a baby still in diapers.
“Your Highness, would you like to see yourself in the mirror?”
“Daah.”
I gazed into the mirror that Lenny held up.
Not expecting much, I glanced at my reflection, and very nearly lost myself.
“Wow…”
An unbidden exclamation slipped from my lips as I absentmindedly reached out to touch the glass.
“Your Highness, you like it, don’t you?”
“She’s fallen for herself in the mirror. Look at how adorable she is!”
“Your Highness, over here!”
“Look this way, please!”
The maids vied for even a moment of my gaze.
“Kyah.”
I cupped my plump cheeks in both hands, marveling at my reflection once again.
The maids beamed with delight at the sight and busied themselves with the final touches.
The banquet began in the early afternoon.
It was scheduled early since both Lucas and I were still infants.
The event was held in the grand central hall, the largest in the imperial palace.
As befitting the first birthday celebration of the imperial twins, the hall was lavishly decorated and splendidly arranged.
“His Majesty the Emperor, Her Majesty the Empress, and Their Highnesses Princess Aileen and Prince Lucas now arrive.”
My father, holding my mother’s hand affectionately, each of them cradling one of us, made a dignified entrance into the grand hall, resplendent with its rich adornments.
The attendant’s voice rang out at the entrance, and every noble in attendance turned their gaze toward us.
The hall was already packed with guests who had arrived ahead of time.
My parents made a slow circuit of the hall before taking their seats at the head table, settling Lucas and me on their laps.
Seated on my mother’s lap, I turned my gaze toward the gathering of nobles.
There were faces I remembered from my previous life, and others I was seeing for the first time.
As I carefully scanned the room, I felt the slight tremble of my mother’s body as she held me.
“Ummah.”
“You look beautiful today, my dear princess.”
My mother gave me a gentle, affectionate smile, though her voice was so faint it seemed it might disappear at any moment.
Up until now, Lucas and I hadn’t been allowed to see her.
Father had forbidden any meetings, fearing it might strain her fragile health.
As far as I could remember, in both this life and the one before, this was the first time I had seen my mother alive.
She was far more beautiful in person than in the portraits I’d known.
I thought to myself that if my looks had come from anyone, it must surely be her.
Her hair was the rich brown of autumn leaves, falling in graceful waves, and her pale green eyes held the freshness of budding spring leaves.
Yet, no amount of lavish decoration could conceal the heavy pallor of illness that clung to her.
