Soon after breakfast ended, I went to the kitchen, and told Chris that the cooking cla.s.sroom for the afternoon is postponed. Most probably my return to the house, I think that it would be around evening. And so, the cooking cla.s.sroom in the afternoon will be rescheduled to tomorrow.

In the first place, I will go to the order of knights with Big Brother, so it would be better to come home together with Big Brother. In addition to that, if I were to be able to see Wilhelm-sama’s gallant look, I can spend time however long it is. I also thought of that, and decided that the cooking cla.s.sroom for today is impossible.

And I returned to my room, and started thinking of what to wear.

「U〜n……」

I, do not have that many clothes. It might not be good for a lady from a house of a duke, but compared to ornate clothes, I prefer functional clothes better. I do not like clothes that have a lot of decorations and have many frills that much.

And, it is strictly a field trip today. It would not be good to go while wearing flashy clothes. And because of that, I need to wear clothes that are not too flashy, and cute ones that Wilhelm-sama would like.

If it was like that, there is me who lined up clothes and could not decide which one to wear.

If this was a normal outing, I would not have worried which clothes to wear though. I wonder if the people of the order of knights know that Wilhelm-sama and I are to be engaged. If that was the case, I need to have an appearance that is not shameful as the fiancée of the Captain of the Knights.

Big Brother, he only said to dress up, but for me, this is something like a fight right.

「Carol」

「Yes」

And suddenly, without knocking on my room, Mother entered.

Mother is the most powerful person in the Ambrose House of the Duke.  Knocking, she does not need to see about my convenience. And so, there are times when she enters outrageously like this.

I am only wearing underwear right now, but Mother is of the same s.e.x so there is no problem.

「Even though you are in your own room, you look immodest」

「I am sorry, Mother」

「I guess, that you are worrying on what to wear right? This is something that I wore from the past, wondering if it would suit Carol for today, I brought it」

What Mother had on her right hand, was a light blue one piece.

Without any flashy decoration, but there is a silk gloss, and you can tell from one look that it is a luxury item. But regardless, you can enjoy cleanliness from its hues, that was perfectly what is suitable for today’s look.

With Mother’s hands, she let me wore it.

There was a b.u.t.ton on the back, so it is difficult to wear alone.

「Yes, Carol. It really suits you」

「Thank you very much, Mother. Is it really okay? Clothes that is this good」

「It is what I have worn. I will give it to you just as it is, Carol. I know already, that it is unbecoming of my age to wear such clothes」

Mother sighed with that, but I think that they would still suit her very well.

She also have an appearance, that you cannot tell that she is my mother too.

「Carol」

「Yes, Mother」

「……you have become beautiful」

While looking how I looked in the mirror, Mother said that.

It is somehow embarra.s.sing. I who can be seen younger than my age, even though I have been told as “cute”, I have never been told “beautiful”.

And, wearing clothes as good as this, I feel like that I am being worn instead.

「Mother……」

「It is true. Have confidence, Carol」

「……but」

While looking at the mirror, I really think of it.

I amーーchildish.

Wilhelm-sama for sure, rather than a childish girl like me, he would really prefer a mature woman instead. For me to stand beside Wilhelm-sama’s robust body, I am too small and thin.

With this appearance, there would be no way for Wilhelm-sama to thing of me as beautiful.

「Carol, listen」

「……yes」

「Infatuation makes a woman beautiful. You are right now, infatuated right. When infatuation turns to love, a woman gets stronger. And when she had a child with her partner, a woman becomes a mother. Carol, you are still on the way. You are still going to get more beautiful, and get more strong. Have confidence」

Infatuation will make a woman more beautiful.

Love will make a woman stronger.

When a child is born, a woman becomes a mother.

That is, when I was young, the words that I have heard from Mother.

I, when I was young, I could not really understand it.

But right nowーーone of those emotions, I can understand.

「Carol, please forgive your disappointing mother」

「Mother?」

「You who have returned from the banquet last night, you seemed very happy. Gilliam and I, both of us really cherish you so much. But, that you were making a false smile, we did not notice until now」

…….

To Mother’s words, I cannot say anything.

With last night’s banquet, I was released from the chains called engagement with His Highness. After seven years of time, I was able to be free.

But, until then, I was always chained. Becoming the Queen in the future, and support His Highness. I became desperate only for that purpose.

Really, the smile that I made towards my family, it might have been a false one.

「Seeing your face, I understood. You are really, yearning for Wilhelm-dono right」

「……yes, Mother」

「Listen to me, Carol. You need not to be falsehood anymore. In front of your family, there is no need to be falsehood. With the person that you want to be with, be with him」

「Yes!」

To Mother’s words, I nodded strongly.

Mother is a person who is sometimes scary, and sometimes frightening, but most of all, she is a reliable mother. I am sure that even if there were obstacles where Wilhelm-sama and I would go, Mother would do something about it, I even felt like that.

And Mother, smiled to me sweetly.

「You are beautiful you know, Carol」

「Thank you very much, Mother」

「Well then, go now with Albert. Listen, until Albert’s work is done, you surely should not go away from the order of knights」

「I know, Mother」

Nine years ago, ever since I was almost kidnapped by bad men, Mother is a little bit overprotective. She would not let me go outside alone.

It is only the round trip from the order of knights and the mansion……I think, but I cannot afford to make Mother in a bad mood. And, to be able to stay in the order of knights until Big Brother’s job is done, is rather favorable. It means that I will be able to look at Wilhelm-sama that much.

「I have, something to talk about with Gilliam for a while」

「……with, Father?」

「Yes. Gilliam, Carol thinks of the engagement with Rayford, His Highness, very happily, he said. She is delighted with the honors, he reported to that to me. But that it was an idiot who suddenly discards the engagement, one without courtesy, shaming Carol in public, on top of that, a fool that is claims the relationship with Wilhelm-dono is adultery, I had not heard about that. From 9-years-old until now, the one who stole happiness from Carol, was not His Highness or anyone else, it was Gilliam」

“Ufufu”, Mother laughed sweetly.

Behind that sweet smile, a dark thing was emerging and it was very scary.

「With that so, you should not return while it is noon in any reasons. We have a lot to talk about, so please come home after the maids have properly cleaned」

I wonder what will the maids clean.

I wonder what will happen during noon.

But, to Mother who had not have a smiling gaze, there was no way for me to ask.

「I understood, Mother」

「Yes. My lovely Carol, you should properly greet Wilhelm-dono alright」

「Yes」

I nodded with that, left the room, and went towards the entrance where Big Brother was waiting.

From now on, Father, I wonder what will Mother do to him. It is so frightening that I could not ask.

That is why, what I can only do, is to get away from the mansion as quick as possible, and not get in the way of Mother’s action.

「Big Brother, I have kept you waiting」

「Ya〜, Carol. You look very cute. With that, even Captain should be knocked off his feet」

“Hahaha”, together with Big Brother who was laughing, I went towards the order of knights.

Father……I will pray for your safety.