TN: Surprisingly I got a lot of holiday in my current schedule, so Iâm going to try to post the rest of volume 1 (4 more chaps) within next week because I fear I wonât have any holiday again for the rest of the month. Please enjoy.
The meeting that began again at a slow pace because everyone was gauging the situation, started to become chaotic again after a while.
In the first place, the situation wouldnât be resolved just because Mary and the other joined in. Although Alicia or Patrick regained their calmness somewhat, it didnât mean that it would lead to a decision.
Thatâs why Mary sent a questioning gaze at her mother, because she didnât understand the reason she was brought here. Sitting beside her husband and watching the chaotic parliament, nothing could be felt from her dignified form. HoweverâŠto come here meant there must be something.
Because she was the lady of the Albert House, she should know how important this meeting was, and how sinful it was to interrupt it.
Donât tell me, does mother reallyâŠ
Mary started to worry again, as the meeting started to discuss about the originality of the seal.
Why Alicia have the seal, and whether the seal was the real thing. At the end of the discussion, the decision was that Alicia stole the seal and was trying to become part of the royal familyâŠ. Mary was confused on how it became like that.
It was an astounding story from the start, but the parliament was as incoherent as the story was.
However, Mary couldnât say a thing despite listening to the decision. As expected, she couldnât say, âIt is real in the game!â
In the situation where Mary couldnât do a thing, Carrelâs beautiful voice, âIf I mayâ, echoed in the room.
Naturally, everyone sent her a look, as was Mary and Addie.
Her dignified appearance was beautiful, it didnât pale even when compared to this parliament room. Mary still felt uneasy despite how noble Carrelâs figure cut in this room.
She remembered the only one still image of the game.
That sepia scenery, when baby Alicia was kidnapped.
If the fortune-teller who kidnapped Alicia was blood-relativeâŠ
And mother was trying to confess about itâŠ
The more she thought about it, the more Maryâs unease grew.
She didnât know what her mother was thinking, if the criminal who went against the Royal Family was someone from Albert House and they hid the truth until now, it wouldnât only be a downfall for them. It would be a family trip to the prison for treason.
âWhy she hold the royal seal, and whether the seal is real. Please let me explain. BecauseâŠâ
âWa, wait, mother, calm dowâŠâ
âThat day, it was I who put the seal inside the young Princessâs cloth. â
âŠ..
âŠâŠâŠâŠ
ââŠEh? â
The crowd went crazy at Carrelâs confession. It seemed she didnât even tell her husband, because unlike his usual self, he stared wide-eyed at his wife who sat beside him.
But that reaction couldnât be helped. Because the confession held too much impact.
The Princess-kidnapping case, and at the same time, the missing royal seal. To think the one who held all the truth was the wife of the noble family who was second only to the royal family, to not be surprised was impossible.
âI always find that fortune-teller suspicious. Maybe because Iâm a mother who have a young daughter as well, I could feel the hatred in the gaze directed at the Princess.â
âMotherâŠâ
âAfter I became aware of it, Iâm afraid something will happen to the Princess, I was constantly watching over that fortune-teller. And that dayâŠâ
According to Carrel, after a long time that fortune-teller finally made a move.
So she tried to protect the young Princess, but she fell to the fortune-tellerâs trick, and as the result, the Princess was kidnapped. That one still image.
In that time, the thought she should at least hold something to prove her identity, the conclusion was the seal.
âI know the danger that come with holding the royal seal. But still, to think at least there will be a chance for parent and child to meet againâŠâ
Carrel casted down her eyes as she confessed.
She knew how painful it was for the Queen to lose the Princess because she had a daughter who was the same age, thatâs why she took such a bold action when one usually hesitated.
As expected of a motherâs intuition.
But no matter her position as an Albert, everything wouldnât be resolved with just her testimony.
Several people tried to doubt the truth of the story and the Congress fell into another chaos.
And that very momentâŠ
âHer story is true.â
The door was opened vigorously.
Everyone was stunned, and in a hurry bowed down to the person who appeared from the door.
Her soft golden hair swayed as she looked around the Parliament Room. A beautiful but loveable woman who has both warmth and nobility in her manner.
The Queen, and the King who stood beside her, also expressed a word of apology saying, âIâm sorry to be lateâ, with a dignified yet quiet grace.
As a matter of fact, they were people who reigns at the top of this country.
More noble and exalted than anyone.
Mary, surprised as she was, began to compare the Queen and Alicia with wide-eyes.
Identical. Just like twin. It was at the level where one should normally realize the similarity. It wouldnât be unbelievable if one said Alicia was the young copy of the Queen.
To be honest, where had the Kingâs gene gone? Couldnât they give her some of his geneâŠ.
ââŠ.My Lady, My Lady! â
ââŠ.A, Addie? â
âWhatâs wrong, youâre spacing out.â
Perhaps to return to conciousness, Mary blinked several times at Addieâs hand as he waved it in front of her.
It seemed her brain short-circuited because of the shock at the development, when she realized, both the King and Queen already sat down.
ââŠ.I was running away from reality.â
âHow unfair, if youâre running away, please bring me too.â
âEe, youâre right. Next time I will ask. Please come with me as well in escaping reality.â
And by exchanging jokes like that, her cool-headedness returned.
Now was not the time to dwell on Alicia and the Queenâs similarity. Rather, their similarity should be increasing the credibility of Alicia being a princess.
And if they looked closer, she looked like the King as well. Like the corner of their eyes, orâŠtheir gestureâŠ.if you looked at them from far awayâŠ.no, this was definitely not a flattery or lip service.
âMy Lady, are you running away from reality again? â
âE, eeâŠitâs nothingâŠâ
As she responded to Addieâs voice, her consciousness returned again.
Then turning over to the problem before her eyes in panic, both the King, Queen and Alicia looked at each other and approached step by step timidly.
Their breathtaking look was just like parents and child, and the moment when Alicia and Queen âs hair swayed roughly at the same timeâŠ