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What the Kingdom Has and Imperial Japan Doesn’t [Part 2]
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Although the whole family was invited, Leonard turned down Rose’s invitation by saying that an adult man ought not to set foot in the palace of the Kingdom’s Royal Concubine. Melsa stuck together with Leonard and thus left the Royal Castle with him first.
The palace where royals lived was located in the innermost part of the Royal Castle, and only those with special permission could enter.
Inviting someone to the palace of royals was a way to publicize to both insiders and outsiders that this special someone was a person of importance that had a close relationship with the Royal Family.
The passage leading to the palace was strictly controlled, and there were always civil officials and Royal Guards stationed to record the entry and exit.
It was quite a big deal that the names of George Stuart, Emma Stuart, and William Stuart were engraved on the entry records of the palace of the Royal Concubine, Rose Alicia Royal.
None of the Stuart family’s members knew that it was a significant affair. Well actually, Melsa knew about it, but it had inadvertently slipped her mind. The knowledge that was useless in Palace County was stored away in the back of her mind, and it was further pushed back after she regained Yoriko’s memories. That’s why she had carelessly not realized the gravity of the matter. ‘Though Rose’s light-hearted manner when inviting them to her palace was also part of the reason why.
“Wow, how lovely!”
Rose’s palace had a more low-key interior design than the siblings expected. Mellow cream-colored wallpaper looked great together with the minimalistic pieces of furniture.
“Fufufu, you’re surprised it’s not as flamboyant as you thought, right?”
Now that she mentioned it, the siblings did feel that it wasn’t sparkly enough for the residence of a royal. Even the academy’s cafeteria building was more luxurious and gorgeous than this place.
“The Royal Castle’s furnishings are wonderful, but we like Rose-sama‘s palace better,” spoke William. He and his older brother and sister could breathe a sigh of relief in this modest room that wouldn’t give a heart attack to commoners.
“This is a space where His Majesty can come to relax, so we don’t put anything luxurious to make it more comfortable.”
Rose flashed a sweet smile.
It seemed like her relationship with His Majesty, the king, was very harmonious.
“Pardon me. I deeply apologize about what happened earlier.”
Meg served the black tea after the three siblings had sat down on the sofa they were led to, before suddenly bowing her head.
“Huh? What matter are you referring to?” asked George while giving a side glance to Emma, who had been staring at the fragrant black tea with the royal mark with undivided attention since it was served. He didn’t recall anything that required Meg’s apology.
“I apologize for the disrespectful attitude of the people in the Royal Castle. Something like this has never happened before, but… you must have found it unpleasant being openly glanced at and whispered about secretly.”
After the Stuart family left the King’s audience room, they met many people waiting for their turn to have an audience with the king, and guards and civil officials standing by in the hallway. Most of them threw reproachful looks at the Stuarts.
“…Was that so? I didn’t notice at all.”
George was still confused even after hearing Meg’s explanation. Right after they left the room, Jadwiga rushed towards Emma from nowhere, then Rose arrived… He didn’t pay attention to the surroundings at all.
It couldn’t be helped that he didn’t notice. After all, everything else would just fade into the background when there was an absolute beauty like Rose before him.
“My utmost gratitude for your generous understanding.”
In Meg’s eyes, the surrounding people’s attitude was simply intolerable.
House Stuart had a bad reputation recently. First, Emma was not the Holy Maiden. Second, some nobles criticized them for spending the entirety of the significant social season in Imperial Japan.
Although the truth had never been made public, Meg believed from seeing how worried His Majesty and His Highness Edward were that the Stuarts’ trip to Imperial Japan was not as simple as a study tour which they said it was. The Stuart family must have gone to resolve a difficult situation that was much more serious beyond any stretch of Meg’s imagination.
Without accepting any reward or anything, they lent a helping hand to the troubled Imperial Japan out of their sense of duty and kindness that was deeper than the ocean.
That was what House Stuart was.
Meg was sure that Imperial Japan must have been saved.
Even if they knew they would be criticized, they would not stop to take action for someone else’s sake.
That was what House Stuart was.