"Ai..."
Full from the feast, Lisa rubbed her own stomach as she let out a satisfied sigh.
Rose who sat beside Lisa looked at her dining desk that was 'a spread of devastation' in shock: I had never seen someone who could eat so much in one go!
Rose raised her eyes to look at Lisa.
This person's skin was the tannest that I had ever seen before. He had long and thick eyebrows, along with plump lips that slightly pouted. Within that handsomeness, there were a few degrees of a child's mischievousness.
Maybe it was because he ate too much; this person was presently sitting relaxed 'without any regard for appearances'.
His body leaned slightly back, while his eyes squinted with a satisfied expression, in a manner just like that cat her mother kept who would laze in the sun once it was full and content.
Lisa's perception and senses had a sharpness inherent from birth. It was because of this talent that Joy and Yeri had such a rough time throughout the entire journey.
The same goes for now.
Lisa's ears were listening to pleasant palace music, while her eyes were appreciating the performance of those dancers. She was at ease and relaxed, but she still reflexively turned her head towards Rose's direction.
Coincidentally finding that this budding young teenage girl beside her was giving her full attention.
Lisa was slightly startled. She remembered that this person was the Second Princess Roseanne. Jacob's sister of the same parents, of fourteen years.
And so, Lisa sat up straight to give a courtesy with her hands towards Rose. Then she turned her head back to appreciate the dancing before her.
Rose did not expect that her 'peeping' would be caught red-handed.
As a girl, her skin was already thin; Rose's face lit up with two smears of red once Lisa turned her head back.
Rose took up the wine goblet before her in a hurry, then she slowly drank the wine from the goblet with her sleeve hiding her face.
However, this scene had not escaped Jennie's eyes. She glanced at her royal sister from the side, then she took back her gaze to look at Lisa. She then turned her head away.
"Father! This son has something to say." Jacob stood up from his seat as he held a wine goblet.
"Mm, speak as you wish."
"Father, my mother has recently passed. Rose is only fourteen years old. Father has important matters to handle daily, and this son cannot protect my sister of the same parents forever. That is why this son wishes for father to take over this matter, to find a suitable match among the sons of aristocrats for Rose, and to allow her to marry once the mourning period is over."
"Mm?" Charles fell silent for a moment after listening to Jacob's words, then he cast his gaze towards Rose.
Rose was not very old, but she had a fiery temperament.
She got up from her seat with a red face, then she said to Charles: "Father, this daughter will not marry! Besides... Besides, this daughter is still young. If we're to talk about marrying, Jennie should marry first!"
Rose said her piece, then she sat back down while fuming. Everyone's gazes landed on Jennie at once.
Jacob looked at Jennie from afar, then he said as if he had a big revelation: "Aiya, what a forgetful brother I am. Rose was more considerate after all, I've almost messed up the order of things."
With that said, Jacob made a courtesy with his hands towards Charles, then he sat back down.
Charles looked at his eldest daughter from afar. His spirit somewhat shaken as he looked at her face that was seventy-percent similar to the late Queen.
Time passed so quickly. So many years had already gone by...Charles suddenly remembered.
"Jennie, you should be sixteen this year..."
"Yes, father." Jennie answered pleasantly. The expression on her face was as mild as always.
Lisa raised her eyes to look at Jacob, then she turned her head to look at Jennie. Her expression turned somewhat stiff.
Looking at Jennie from afar, Charles said in a voice that was heavy with emotion: "This is the fault of my neglect after all. Your mother had been sick for all of these years, so I selfishly wanted to have you stay by our side for a few more years. But the days have flashed by, you're already sixteen... If it wasn't for Jacob's reminder today, I would have neglected that matter. Rose is indeed in no hurry, but your matter may have to be considered as soon as possible."
"Many thanks to father. Many thanks to royal brother." Jennie gave her salutations to Charles and Jacob respectively.
"As elder brothers, the few of you should have more concern for your sister too. Only recommend the most outstanding and presentable young men of talents to be good choices for the Eldest Princess' Fuma." (AN: King's son-in-law)
"Understood! Father!"
Jacob, Victor and Joshua answered together.
Charles nodded with satisfaction.
"Many thanks to the three royal brothers' concern."
Jennie smiled sweetly at the three Dukes before her, revealing a faint set of dimples. Then she slowly sat back down.
Charles nodded with a face of satisfaction towards Jennie.
Care and respect from brothers, harmony and joy from sisters. That was what he wanted to see.
Thus, the royal banquet ended with happy laughter and conversation.
The hour was already rather late, and since Lisa was still an outsider, Charles patched a sedan to send her to a courier station outside the palace.
The other Dukes have each returned to their own duchy, with nothing else to add.
***
LISA
The first thing that I did when I arrived in the courier station was to take off my extravagant outfit.
The second was to sit on the station's bed in a daze.
The food at the banquet was delicious. But I had been too gluttonous, and ate too much.
I rubbed my stomach, then my calloused hand slowly moved up to rest on my chest.
I pressed at my chest that was tightly bound with binding cloth, lost in thought.
My fingers curled up after a good while, gripping the clean white inner clothing in my hand.
My eyes were still blankly staring ahead...
I just sat like this the whole time, until the patrolling time keeper sounded the time for midnight.
I abruptly came to my senses, feeling the numbness in my hands and feet.
I frowned, pressing my lips together.
I walked to the table as I tolerated the prickling numb pain in my legs, then blew out the lights.
The room was drenched in darkness at once.
A darkness that I was once acquainted with.
I had shared such a walled-in darkness with Her Highness just a few days ago.
And now, my work was done.
She had returned to her palace, while I was allowed to experience the luxurious lifestyle of royalty today.
That was a once-in-a-lifetime fortune for me, but this was the life that she had enjoyed ever since she was born.
I felt somewhat clogged up in my chest...
She was already sixteen, a marriageable age. To delay any longer, she would become an old Miss.
As the noble Eldest Princess of a kingdom, it would be a joke to the people if she married too late.
She did not oppose it either, didn't she.
She accepted the King's suggestion at the banquet that easily, and she had even invited her three royal brothers to help her recommend handsome young men of talent with a smile...
That's right.
She had to marry someone eventually after all.
In this world, other than myself who had already become this 'freak', all of the young girls were supposed to be married at sixteen.
And besides, what does her Highness' marriage have to do with me?
She's so favored, his Majesty would surely find the one who is most suitable in every way...
Once I thought it through, I laughed self-mockingly.
I turned around to return to the station's bed, then closed my eyes.
***
Early in the next morning,
Lisa had just finished freshening up when a guard came over to pass a decree, “Her Highness, the Eldest Princess had invited the young master Manoban in Windsor Castle.”
Lisa followed the guard to the castle. Unexpectedly, the one to welcome her at the gates was an 'old acquaintance'.
"Battalion commander... Her Highness estimated that you were arriving soon, hence she sent this humble maid to receive you."
"Miss Mina, it's been a while."
Lisa smiled at Mina.
Mina had stitched up her wound at the military camp, which counted as a debt of gratitude.
Although Lisa had always suspected that Mina may be the spy at Jennie's side, now that she was already safely back in the palace, any matters after that was not for her to be concerned about.
Mina took a deep look at Lisa. But after that greeting, Lisa did not look at her again.
Mina sighed hopelessly to herself: let it be, let it be. You're not the one for me after all...
By the time that Mina brought Lisa to the side chamber of the castle, Jennie was already waiting at the dining table.
Seeing that Lisa had arrived while wearing a normal set of clothes from who knows where, she smiled: "Liam, come and sit."
Lisa sat before the table.
A palace maid supplied bowls and chopsticks for Lisa right away, then she served up a bowl of white porridge.
"As I have summoned you over so early in the morning, you probably haven't had the time for breakfast. Just as well, you could have it with me. Yesterday's banquet was mostly meat dishes, and I am somewhat tired of it. Could you accompany me for a meal of some light porridge, paired with some vegetable dishes?"
"Thanks, yout Highness."
"Let's eat."
Having said that, Jennie scooped up a spoonful of porridge to put it in her mouth.
Lisa had gotten greedy during yesterday's banquet as it was the first time she had seen so many delicious foods in her life.
She had indeed gotten a bit stuffed, and then she went to sleep at the station right after that. So her stomach did feel rather uncomfortable when she woke up this morning.
And now, when she took a bite of warm and fluffy white porridge, a pleasant, soothing feeling spread through her body at once.
Jennie stopped eating after a few bites, then she quietly watched Lisa take big mouthfuls of porridge instead.
This person's table manners were always the same. No matter if it was exquisite delicacies or a bowl of white porridge, he could eat it as if he was a starving wolf.
The meal passed without conversation.
Once Lisa was done, Jennie brought her to the garden behind the castle.
Jennie smiled as she raised a finger to point: "Liam, look."
Lisa looked towards the direction of Jennie's finger.
In the middle of the garden, there was a donkey leisurely eating grass as it swished its tail.
"That's..."
Jennie nodded.
She smiled as she said: "The guards truly had no place to leave this donkey. I thought that it did deserve credit for its contribution after all, so I had someone lead it here. I had its reins taken away, to raise it in the castle."
Lisa looked at Jennie.
The two of them met each other's gazes, then they shared a smile.
No words were needed.
Lisa strode into the garden. She hung an arm around the donkey's neck, lightly patting it a few times.
The donkey seemed to have recognized Lisa. It snorted at her, swishing its tail.
Lisa was overjoyed. She petted the donkey, then she said to Jennie: "Your Highness, how about you give it a name!"
Jennie thought about it, then she smiled: "Perhaps you should name it for me instead."
"Mm... Then it's called Onsra!"
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