Chapter 180 - 2-62
The following day, I sat across from Madam Banks in the garden gazebo.
A three-tiered tea stand sat at the center of the table, laden with an array of charming sweets, including scones and cakes that looked almost too delicate to eat. Sarah, standing by, poured tea into the cups before us. I watched the steam rise from the porcelain, resting my hands against the warm surface.
"Tell me, how is Lady Aurelia faring?"
"Her color has returned for the most part. However, she was never physically robust to begin with, and she has pushed herself far too hard..."
Madam Banks lowered her eyes, resting a hand against her cheek. This was not the first time we had shared tea alone. During the bridal training that began after I became Louis-sama's fiancée, Madam Banks often stood in for the frail Lady Aurelia.
In my first life, Lady Aurelia had seemed to harbor a certain disdain for me. Even when I visited the royal palace to see her, she was rarely present, and I remember meeting Madam Banks in her stead more often than not. Both then and now, the gentle and dignified Madam Banks remained a figure of admiration for me.
"I was surprised that Lady Aurelia decided to come to the Kingdom of Orta despite the strain. If I recall... she rarely undertakes long journeys."
"...True. As you know, Rachel-sama, Lady Aurelia is not strong, and she prefers to stay out of the public eye as much as possible. This is the first time she has ever decided on her own to travel to Orta. Even I, who have been by her side for many years, was quite taken aback."
Madam Banks's bewildered expression bore the mark of sincerity.
"Was it... out of concern for Louis-sama, then?"
"Yes, of course. What other reason could there be?"
Madam Banks took a sip of tea and looked up, nodding with a bright smile.
"From your perspective, Madam Banks, what kind of person is Lady Aurelia?"
"Let me see... she is someone who, no matter how much time passes, remains very much like a young girl."
Madam Banks touched her hand to her lips as she considered my question, her eyes narrowing with affection. Her expression conveyed just how deeply she cherished Lady Aurelia, and I found myself catching my breath.
"Lady Aurelia said she very much wanted to have tea with you today if she felt well enough. In a few days, once the fatigue of the journey has faded, you must join her."
"Y-yes. Of course."
"She may not look it, but she is usually quite expressive and loves to talk. However, she is a delicate soul..."
The Lady Aurelia I knew was always a figure of doll-like beauty, smiling without ever breaking her composure. I knew nothing of her beyond that. I wondered what Madam Banks saw in her. I opened my mouth to ask more, but my voice was drowned out by another calling from behind.
"Aunt?"
I turned to see Prince Isaac. The Third Prince of Orta and the Knight Commander was likely finished with his training for the day. He walked toward us with a pleasant smile, a sword held in one hand.
"Oh, Isaac. It has been a while. Practicing your swordsmanship?"
"Yes, it's my daily routine. More importantly, Aunt, you should have told me you were here. I would have come to greet you properly."
"It is fine. I did not come for a homecoming this time, but as Lady Aurelia's lady-in-waiting."
I watched their easy rapport, losing the timing to interject as I listened to their exchange in a daze.
"Are you in the middle of a tea party? Good after... wait, the daughter of Marquis Marcel?"
Isaac's eyes widened the moment he saw me. He gave a slight bow, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment.
"So you were my aunt's companion?"
"Aunt? Um... the two of you are..."
At my words, the two of them looked at each other.
"Oh? You didn't know? Lady Aurelia, the Queen of Dutoit, is my paternal aunt. And Joanna Banks, Lady Aurelia's lady-in-waiting, is my maternal aunt."
Now that he mentioned it, looking closely at the two of them, they both possessed similarly cool, clear eyes.
Even so, the complexity of the family tree made my head spin. I knew that the King of Orta and Louis-sama's mother, Lady Aurelia, were siblings. But to think that the Queen of Orta—the woman behind the incident that nearly cost Louis-sama his life—and the elegantly smiling Madam Banks before me were...
"Um, that means... Lady Minerva, the Queen of Orta, is..."
"Yes, my younger sister."
Unlike Prince Isaac, who scratched his cheek awkwardly, Madam Banks's expression remained unchanged. She picked up her teacup with refined movements and took a sip as if the matter were entirely trivial.
A few days later, I found myself in a reception room within the royal palace.
While we were staying in the wing for guests, this particular room was located in the Second Palace, the residential area for the royalty of Orta. Though our stay in the Kingdom of Orta had been long, this was perhaps my first time stepping into the Second Palace. I was here because this was where Lady Aurelia, a former princess of Orta, was currently residing.
"Rachel-san, thank you for making time for me today."
Before me sat Lady Aurelia, the Queen of Dutoit, smiling with an adorable face. Her pale complexion was somewhat ghostly, and Prince Alberic, sitting beside her, watched her with a worried, attentive gaze.
"Louis refused to see me, saying his injuries were still too severe..."
"I-I see."
The Dark Spirit King has already completely healed your son's wounds. I certainly couldn't say that. I exchanged a wry smile with Prince Alberic, who also knew the truth of Louis-sama's condition.
"Is Louis... truly in such a bad state? If so... what should I do..."
"Lady Aurelia..."
Lady Aurelia pressed a handkerchief to her mouth and lowered her eyes. She was a petite woman by nature, but she looked even smaller now than when we had met in the Kingdom of Dutoit.
"Brother cannot see anyone right now as he is recuperating, but his life is not in danger."
"I cannot believe it until I see it with my own eyes. ...Even though I am his mother, I can never do anything for him at times like this."
Lady Aurelia gripped her handkerchief tightly. Her voice was filled with anguish, and her face contorted as if she were on the verge of tears, making my own chest ache.
She is different from the usual Lady Aurelia. I have never seen her so distraught.
Unlike me, who was bewildered by her state, Prince Alberic smiled reassuringly as he rubbed Lady Aurelia's back.
"It will be all right. I promise you, Brother will recover."
"You have seen Louis, haven't you? He must hate me. ...That is why he will not see me, even in such a state."
"That is not true."
At Prince Alberic's calm words, Lady Aurelia gave a self-deprecating smile.
"Yes, you're right. He doesn't even have enough interest in me to hate me. He always looks at me with such cold eyes..."
Lady Aurelia closed her eyes and shook her head. A heavy atmosphere settled over the room, and silence reigned as no one found the words to speak.