Rosy’s mother is a…(finish the sentence with a word of your choice)
I reprimanded myself for my shaking body and followed after the other three. Since meeting the prince"s eyes is considered disrespectful I lowered my gaze and stood at the designated place.
"You did well in coming here. Can each of you introduce yourself?"
"Yes, your highness. I am Hugo Dofall. Pleased to make your acquaintance."
"I am called Edmund Hensur. Pleased to make your acquaintance."
"It is an honor to meet you. My name is Rosemary Randol. Pleased to make your acquaintance."
I am glad I could introduce myself without any problems using the correct way I learned in my manner and etiquette lessons.
…But it would be bad if they notice my trembling hands.
"Everyone, please raise your heads."
By his highness" prompt I gathered myself and determinately raised my head. The light that was coming in through the window fell on the prince in such a way that it gave the optical illusion that the prince was giving off the light himself.
…I seriously can"t show him my face…Like this I can"t even face him!
"Eh? Randol"s young lady, your face is pale. Are you not feeling well?"
"Ah, no…"
No, wait. Maybe I should say I am not feeling well and have him excuse me. When I made up my mind to open my mouth and raised my head once again, his highness, the prince was standing in front of me.
Uaaa! I am sorry. Honestly, I am really sorry!
"I am indeed very sorry. For a while now a terrible headache has been troubling me."
"If so, it"s best to be careful. You can stand down."
"Thank you for your consideration. Please excuse my rudeness."
"Yes."
After that, I somehow got through those pointlessly huge halls by myself and got to the carriage.
Well done, me!
I am grateful to the coachman, who noticed my tired face, even if he was surprised when I came back earlier than expected. If the carriage had started swaying like that something may have come out back. He waited a little for me to calm down a little. During that time, he went to report to my father.
When I returned to the mansion, as expected my mother was waiting for me. But I don"t want to deal with her right now. I don"t know what I"ll say in my current state. Saying I am not feeling well I hurried to my room and locked out my mother.
Plunging my head in my pillow, my whole body was radiating rage.
That time.
"But, I wonder about her personality… Because…"
"That"s right. Because she tried to put down the empress and become one herself. So scary, right…"
"At the academy, right? I heard she used the lowest of methods."
"Eh? Me too."
Now everything fits.
Everything"s mother"s fault.
Neglecting her son. The cold war situation between husband and wife. Her doting on her daughter. Her obsession with the queen thing.
She has no interest in Oscar because he can"t ascent to the throne as a queen. Father was probably unwillingly married to her. Also the reason she dotes on me so much is to make me realize her ambition for her.
I…I am not a puppet!
Then the door opened. I don"t know who it is but they were coming closer.
"Rosy, are you alight? Did something happen?"
It"s mother. Looks like even if I tell not to let anyone in, there"s no one who would listen to me.
"Rosy, did something bad happen? Did someone bully you? If so, leave it to me. I"ll make sure to remove that child."
Remove?
"They were certainly jealous of your cuteness, my dear. My dear, you are as cute as an angel after all. If you leave it to mother, I"ll remove your sadness. Here, show me your face. Seriously, Rosy, what exactly has happened? If someone did something to you, you have to make sure you get back at them, is that clear. That"s right, if say, you push that child down the stairs, they won"t be able to enter the palace again. You can do anything, you know. Rosy! Cheer up! Show mother your face."
It"s no good…this person is no good.
I see. The lowest method. She did something like this. On top of that she suggested it to her daughter without any problem. This person is no good.
If this person is here, my family will surely collapse.
"Mother, I want to sleep so leave me alone, please."
"Is that so? There"s nothing painful?"
"Yes."
"Rosy, make sure you rest. Also make sure you come to dinner."
Even answering became annoying. I don"t want to listen to my mother"s voice for even a second more. Hearing the sound of the door closing, I came out from the blanket I had hidden myself under. The hairstyle that was made before we headed to the palace had transformed into something horrible.
But I don"t care about that at all. In the pit of my stomach an indescribable rage is swirling around.
I can"t slack off anymore. I have to protect Oscar!
―――――――
"Hugo"
"Yes, father. What is it?"
"What was the daughter of the Randol house, that came today, like?"
"Aah, Rosemary, is it? There was nothing strange in particular. We only talked about what we did usually and what we played at. She left early because of a headache, so I don"t really know much, though."
"She wasn"t feeling well, you say."
"She left to get something she had forgotten in the room and from then her condition wasn"t good. His highness the prince let her go back earlier."
"Was there something strange with the room?"
"Umm, the maids were there? Their voices were low but I could hear them talking. It"s only this. I don"t know anything more, father."
"I understand. You can go."
"Yes."
――――――――
"Father, in all probability it"s either something happened or she found out something, right?"
"Fuu. Jeremy, did you sense something?"
"It"s just a conjecture. But it was something that ruined her physical condition."
"What do you think that was?"
"The old stories of madam Randol."
"I see. Looks like that young lady is on the intelligent side. Looks like she found out about her mother"s deeds in some way and got shocked by it."
"Seems so. With this we won"t know what may happen from now on."
"In father"s opinion is the marquis"s house trying to get to the Randol house?"
"Currently, it doesn"t look like the marquis wants to propose an engagement. But we can"t be sure yet."
"Is that so. Luckily I"m entering the academy at the same time as the prince. I"ll make sure to judge the situation correctly."
"Yes."
Here’s chapter 8. Did her mother fit your deductions. Let me know in the comments.