“Lark?”
“Oh, yes.” Lark, who had been lost in thought due to the emperor’s urging, snapped back to reality and awkwardly smiled. “Well, she’s quite busy, I wonder if she can find the time…”
“No matter how busy she is; can’t she spare some time for a meal when the palace invites her?”
The empress looked puzzled, and Marion raised her hand. “There’s no need to intentionally call a busy person. I’m fine.”
“Lark, give it a try. Mother will be staying for a while anyway, so can’t you find a fitting schedule?” the emperor spoke with an unmistakable tone of not accepting a refusal. He would not hesitate to pluck the stars in the sky for Marion, so even if not through Lark, he would call ‘Madame Ruby’ somehow.
Lark, concealing his embarrassment, nodded. “Then… I’ll make contact first.”
***
“P-pardon? Wh-wh-what did you say?”
I couldn’t believe my ears.
“The 9th empress?”Lark, who had just put two sugar cubes into his teacup and stirred it with a spoon, nodded as he looked at me, whose mouth opened wide.
“Oh, my goodness…” I gripped my cheeks with both hands in despair.
“Why do you have such a shocked expression?”
“It’s true that a few days ago, an old lady came to our shop. But one of our staff members behaved very rudely. I did apologize, but she must have been very displeased.”
Lark, who had called me to talk about something, delivered a piece of shocking news. He mentioned that the former 9th empress, who was referred to as Mother by the emperor, Lady Endelturn, had come to the capital from the northern regions. And she mentioned that the owner of Blanc de Ruby had given her a handbag as a gift…
I recalled the old woman who had visited the Hebe branch shop a few days ago, and I couldn’t help but be astonished.
“I’m doomed.”
My shop had treated the former empress—the emperor’s mother, who would not hesitate to pick the stars and moon for her—so horribly!
“Umm.” Lark looked embarrassed as he watched me tearing my hair out. “Lady Endelturn kept talking about the wonder and seemed quite thankful during the meal.”
“Really? Phew, that’s somewhat of a relief, then.”
“So, did you give her the handbag as an apology for the rudeness?”
“Well, not exactly.” I recalled Lady Endelturn’s face as she spoke about her son and said, “It suddenly reminded me of my mother.”
“…Your mother?”
Yes, at that moment, I briefly thought about my mother, my Earth mother. Since waking up in Rubette’s body, I had consciously tried not to think about my Earth mother. I would miss her if I thought about her. Plus, imagining my mother, who was probably heartbroken by her disobedient child leaving this world before her, was also painful.
‘Mom…’
My mother, who had moved to L.A. from Korea when I debuted at the age of six, leaving behind the country she had lived in her entire life.
My mother, who loved white rice and kimchi stew but had to get used to bread and cereal because of me and Dad.
My mother, who lived as busily as a celebrity, following her busy daughter around and taking care of her.
My mother, who had gone through a lot of heartaches and the scrutiny of others for being “my family”.
‘I miss my mom.’
Even though I had given her Cartier necklaces, Hermès bags, and Rolls-Royces, there was an emptiness in my heart that couldn’t be filled. Because living one’s own life while pouring one’s youth and affection into someone else, is truly difficult and remarkable. Even if it’s for one’s child…
My going back to Korea after retirement was actually for my mom, who had always yearned for her hometown.
“Sob.”
“Princess?”
“Oh, I’m sorry. I, sob, h-h…”
“…”
In no time, Lark’s face, filled with sympathy for me, appeared through my teary vision. He pulled a chair over to sit beside me and took out a handkerchief from his pocket to wipe away my tears. “Don’t cry.”
“Now, n-now I can buy nice bags for mom, and, e-eat delicious food together, and go to nice places too…”
“…”
“But my mom isn’t here. Sob.”
“Sigh.” Lark, holding me silently, comforted me with gentle pats. In his arms, I burst into tears. I cried for a while. When my tears finally stopped, Lark affectionately stroked my head.
“Sob.”
“Your mother must be watching how beautifully you’ve grown up, Princess.”
“Mm.”
“Your tears flow so easily. I can’t always be by your side whenever you cry.”
“Then I’ll only cry when you’re by my side.”
Lark, momentarily taken aback, chuckled and lightly touched my nose. “Sure, that’s a promise.”
“Yes. Oh, by the way…” After using Lark’s handkerchief to dab away the last of my tears, I continued, “Weren’t you going to tell me about the meeting with Lady Endelturn?”
“Oh.” Lark let out a sigh and raised his head with a perplexed expression. “So you see, Lady Endelturn wanted to visit you again to express gratitude. That’s why Father mentioned inviting Madame Ruby to the palace.”
“Whaaaat? The emperor himself?”
“Yeah. It might be a bit challenging, I suppose?” Lark laughed awkwardly.
It was a given. I couldn’t meet the emperor and empress, or Lady Endelturn with my face covered as I usually did when I discussed business. Furthermore, it was only a matter of time before the fact that “Madame Ruby” was actually “Princess Rubetria” would be revealed, so pretending otherwise when meeting them would be a huge deception…
Lark was currently concerned about this aspect. He said, “I’ll try to speak as eloquently as possible for now. But Father might call for you separately. In that case-“
“I’ll go.”
“Huh?”
“I’ll go. I mean, there’s no need to hide forever, and I’ve always wanted to see His Majesty’s face at least once.”
“Are you serious?”
“Yes. Oh, this week is the opening week for the play, so I might be a bit busy. Let me know and we can arrange a date for the following week.”
“Alright…” Lark was initially taken aback by my enthusiastic acceptance, but he soon nodded. Then, he glanced at his wristwatch and got up. “It’s almost lunchtime; shouldn’t you return, Princess? You dine with the duke every day, don’t you?”
“Oh! It’s okay. Today, I want to have a meal with you.”
“Is it really okay?”
“Dad went out today because of the twins’ spirit contract.”
Lark, who had been momentarily stunned, let out an “Ah” and then settled back into his seat. “That’s right. Today was the day of their contract. They must be at the palace by now, right?”
“I suppose so.” I shrugged and took a sip of tea.
Lark, who had been discreetly observing me, asked, “Aren’t you worried?”
“About what?”
“The twins. After making a contract with spirits, their confidence and power may grow even more.”
“Ah.” I chuckled. “Who knows?”
“…”
***
“May the blessings of the great spirit ‘Worm’ be with Princess Lillia Diollus.”
“No, wait a moment.”
With a questioning look, the head of the altar, Rauss, turned his head toward Lillia. Lillia, who was quietly examining the mark on the back of her hand, spoke to Leonard, who was standing beside Rauss, “Y-Your Excellency.”
“Why is it?”
“…Can’t we retry?”
Leonard’s eyebrows twitched, and he stood with a nonchalant expression and a clenched fist. “That can’t be done.”
“But this is impossible!”
“What’s the problem?”
“Why should I… talk to bugs? Where would I use this?”
“What are you talking about? You wouldn’t have made the contract if you didn’t like it.”
At a loss for words, Lillia could only stand there with her mouth agape in astonishment. At that moment, Ricky, who had just completed the contract, opened the altar’s door and stepped out.
With an excited look in his eyes, Ricky extended his hand to the altar attendant and asked, “This is the spirit of wish, right?” Ricky asked with a somewhat greedy expression, which Leonard seemed to understand as he sighed and rubbed his forehead.
It was a common disaster that occurred when contractees who wished to acquire a wish ability lied about low-ranking spirits being “Wishit”.
After flipping through the paper he was holding, the bewildered altar head checked Ricky’s mark on his hand and informed him, “The lowest-rank earth spirit, ‘Baylize,’ can rejuvenate one withered flower per day. It is a spirit just below the elemental spirit ‘Florineth’…”
“I’ve heard enough. You’re lying, aren’t you?”
The ability to revive a withered flower sounded absurdly useless, and to make matters worse, only one per day? Ricky was convinced it was a half-hearted lie. This must be Wishit!
“Young Master, it truly is Baylize.”
Ricky blinked before turning to look at Lillia. Their expressions were the same. He soon rushed toward Leonard and said, “Your Excellency, I want to pick another one!”
“Sigh.”
How can twins be so alike? As if tired, Leonard pressed his temples and then abruptly turned his body.
“Your Excellency!”
“Just once more, Your Excellency! Just once!”
Ricky and Lillia grabbed onto Leonard’s robes. Leonard, bewildered by the sight of the two clinging to him on the floor, exclaimed, “Have you gone mad? Let go.”
“Just once, Your Excellency! I’m scared of bugs, I’ve never even seen one!”
“Me too! We can just hire a gardener with money!”
“Huff.”
With a sharp exhale, Leonard used his strength to push them away and quickly left the altar.
“Your Excellency!”
“Just once more, please!”
***
“Why are you laughing like that?” Lark asked with a quizzical look.
“Hah, hah…”
“Princess?”
It’s just too funny, seriously.
I couldn’t help but imagine the expressions of the twins who would probably be in a frenzy by now, and I covered my mouth, giggling uncontrollably. “Hehehehe…”
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