A Mad Lady’s Confession - Chapter 74

“Tell them to handle those with particular care. Everything inside is perfume.”

“Yes, Your Highness. I’ll instruct them to be careful.”

The palace to which its mistress had just returned was bustling as servants carried in all the belongings the greedy princess had brought with her. Although she’d stayed there for only one season, Daphne Fram had purchased all manner of things in Gammelstad.

“Wow… I heard there’s so much to see and buy in Gammelstad. Is that really true, Your Highness?”

“Please take us there sometime, won’t you?”

Several young ladies who’d rushed over the moment Daphne returned to curry favor with her eagerly joined the conversation. Daphne let out a quiet laugh before speaking with feigned elegance.

“I was surprised when I visited too. It truly was a beautiful place…. The town near the harbor had absolutely everything.”

“I’m so envious….”

“I’d love to visit Gammelstad at least once too…. But as you know, it’s difficult to travel there without the lord’s permission.”

All manner of goods and people entered and departed every day. Across the sea lay a country that was perpetually embroiled in conflict. Given those circumstances, Gammelstad strictly verified the identities of visitors, and even obtaining the status of an ordinary traveler came with numerous restrictions.

“I’ll mention it to Matty. I’m planning to visit Gammelstad again around next year.”

“Truly?!”

When Daphne nodded with a bright smile, the young ladies’ faces lit up. They exchanged glances as though confirming something among themselves, then cautiously asked, “Um… Your Highness. While you were in Gammelstad, a great many rumors circulated.”

“Rumors?”

When Daphne widened her eyes and asked as though she had no idea what they meant, the young lady who’d spoken waved her hands.

“N-No, it’s… they certainly weren’t bad rumors. It’s only… you know. There’s been a great deal of talk throughout the empire about the relationship between you two….”

“What do you mean…?”

One of the hesitant young ladies took a small paper from her handbag and held it out. Daphne opened it with a puzzled expression, read it, and let out a quiet gasp.

“It’s called the Paper…. I-I didn’t normally enjoy reading it! It was distributed all across the capital on a large scale about a month after Your Highness left for Gammelstad.”

The headline alluded to the relationship between Matthias Nielsen and Daphne Fram, while the article’s contents matched its provocative subtitle.

Daphne Fram’s hand trembled faintly as she read it. Furrowing her brow slightly, she subtly revealed her displeasure.

“This is truly…. Everyone has gone too far.”

“Your Highness….”

“As you know, he’s my longtime friend. As a friend, he merely invited me there to comfort me after I lost my newborn brother. If I’d known it would be misconstrued like this…. I swear I never would’ve gone to Gammelstad.”

Daphne Fram wore a sorrowful expression, pretending the misunderstanding deeply distressed her.

“Your Highness….”

“Besides, isn’t Duke Nielsen a married man? This is truly an absurd assumption.”

Her pretty face clouded with indignation.

“It’s only because the two of you look so perfect together….”

Another young lady spoke while cautiously watching Daphne’s reaction.

“That’s right. The two of you have always been the capital’s official couple, so everyone…. And strictly speaking, that duchess… honestly isn’t a particularly suitable match for him either….”

“I don’t wish to hear such things.”

When Daphne spoke with uncharacteristic firmness, the young lady who’d raised the subject awkwardly drew her lips inward.

“The duchess is a good person. She’s a dignified and elegant noblewoman who can always hold her head high despite other people’s scrutiny. It isn’t right to gossip about her based solely on rumors when you don’t even know her….”

Daphne Fram spoke sternly as though she’d heard someone insulting her personally, and the atmosphere stiffened for a moment.

“Phew…. I’m sorry. It wasn’t something I should’ve become angry with you ladies over.”

As though realizing she’d made a mistake, Daphne Fram softened her tone. Only then did the awkward atmosphere dissipate.

“Um, Your Highness. Since the subject has come up, may I ask one more thing?”

When Daphne looked at her, the question came despite the young lady’s hesitation, her curiosity apparently too strong to resist.

“According to the rumors, His Grace and his wife are currently separated…. Is that true?”

Daphne wanted to laugh aloud.

Instead, she maintained her expression with practiced ease and rebuked their malicious curiosity.

“Isn’t that none of your concern?”

“….”

“It’s merely a family matter.”

She hadn’t directly said whether it was true or false, but they would’ve keenly understood. From Daphne’s words and attitude, they would take the duke’s separation from his wife as an established fact.

While they exchanged silent messages with their eyes, Daphne Fram elegantly drank her tea.

“Your Highness, did you visit Solvikviche too?!”

The teacup settled lightly onto its saucer.

“I stayed there.”

“What?! Truly?”

The sight of everyone covering their mouths in shock thrilled her. Daphne Fram hastily added, “Duke Nielsen was the only person I knew in Gammelstad, so he was merely being considerate. I hope there won’t be another round of strange rumors.”

“Of course, Your Highness.”

Even as they answered that way, Daphne knew the rumor would spread throughout the capital by tomorrow. She was lifting her teacup with satisfaction when one of the young ladies sensed someone at the door and hurriedly rose to offer her respects.

“Princess Alicia.”

Everyone rose one after another and curtsied. Ignoring them, Alicia stood with her arms crossed and stared at Daphne.

“Would everyone give us the room? It’s been a while, and I’d like to speak with her alone.”

At Alicia’s command, everyone in the room streamed out like the receding tide. Once the two of them were finally alone, Daphne smiled brightly and offered her a seat.

“Would you like some tea?”

“What in the world are you people thinking?”

She launched straight into the question without any context. Daphne had always disliked Alicia von Bernstorff for disregarding every courtesy, convention, and procedure. How could someone like that be a princess, much less a legitimate member of the imperial line?

Daphne erased the gentle expression she’d worn like a mask and sighed.

“I’m tired after returning for the first time in so long. What are you talking about?”

Alicia strode toward her and tossed a card onto the tea table. Daphne’s gaze landed on the luxurious paper card edged with gold leaf.

“I’m talking about you and Klaus. I’m asking whether either of your minds is functioning properly.”

The paper that had infuriated Alicia was an invitation sent by Klaus. It was an invitation to an end-of-year party with the implication that they should forget the empire’s troubles.

“It’s only been four months since Prince Rüntgen died, and he wants to hold a party?”

Setting aside matters such as the imperial succession and the fact that he was their half-brother, a newborn baby had suddenly passed away.

It hadn’t been nearly long enough to finish mourning, yet Klaus wanted to hold an insane year-end banquet after barely four months. Alicia couldn’t understand it at all.

Daphne silently sighed. I know. I think the same thing. She had certainly tried to dissuade Klaus once. It wasn’t because she cared about a brother who didn’t share a single drop of blood with her, but because it was simply too soon.

He should’ve at least pretended to be sad and heartbroken and drawn things out a little longer.

‘What a useless idiot.’

Did he even know how to use his head? Daphne suppressed a sigh before speaking.

“It’s His Highness the Crown Prince’s profound wish that everyone overcome their grief together. Besides, I knew nothing about this banquet.”

She’d spent the entire autumn in Gammelstad.

“That’s why I’m asking whether you’re in your right mind too.”

“…What did you say?”

“…With the duchess away, did you truly have to go all the way down there?”

Daphne’s sharp gaze met Alicia’s reproachful eyes.

Alicia believed Eleanor had left to recuperate.

“With the mistress of the house absent because she was ill, did you really have to go there and cling to him? Do you even know what kind of rumors circulated in the capital?”

“I know. I heard them. But….”

Daphne looked at Alicia with confidence.

“Do you truly believe I intended that?”

“….”

“I was struggling too…. My mother is confined, and then there was what happened to my brother…. I wanted some distance from the capital as well.”

“So you had to go all the way to Gammelstad? Besides….”

Alicia stopped before finishing. Matthias’s condition had seemed strange to her. But saying so in front of Daphne Fram somehow felt like exposing his weakness.

“Did you stay at Solvikviche?”

Alicia asked the question pointedly. Surely not. Even if….

“Yes.”

“….”

“Where else could I have gone while I was there?”

Daphne Fram answered as though it were obvious.

Alicia’s expression sank completely. She thought of the pink-haired woman who had supposedly gone away to recuperate.

Matthias would never do anything improper with Daphne Fram. But wouldn’t Eleanor be hurt if she learned that another woman had stayed at the estate while its mistress was away? Wouldn’t she misunderstand? Alicia found herself worrying on Eleanor’s behalf.

Daphne studied her reaction before asking as though puzzled, “I’ve always wondered. Why have you always regarded me with such disfavor, Your Highness?”

It had always been that way. Daphne Fram treated everyone with unwavering kindness and had therefore earned a good reputation even among the most demanding elderly ladies. Yet Alicia alone disliked her, though there had never been any particular issue between them.

“Well, don’t you think you’d know that better than I would?”

Daphne’s cold gaze followed Alicia’s retreating figure as she disappeared.