A Competitive Spirit
“I understand that you wish to speak with me. However, what exactly is it that you want to talk about with someone you are meeting for the first time?”
Showing a willingness to converse, she asked this, and the person wearing a black hood replied in a calm tone.
“…If I may be so bold to ask, why is it that you, Florence-sama, have shown hostility toward the Third Princess Felisiana-sama over there?”
The speaker’s manner of speaking resembled Floria more than Felisiana, but the tone was calm and even, completely unlike Floria.
I had already suspected this from the situation, but it seems this person knows that Siana-san is the Third Princess. However…
“If you heard our earlier conversation, you should already understand that. Even so, if you insist on an answer, I feel deep disgust toward the Third Princess, who has blood on her hands, for approaching Lux-sama, who possesses a pure heart, while hiding behind a false guise.”
“Disgust, you say… I can understand your feelings, Florence-sama, but there are times when such things are necessary, as I believe you yourself would know.”
“Indeed, I do not possess as pure a heart as Lux-sama, so I can understand your words when it comes to matters of the nation or politics. That is precisely why I once told the Third Princess that she possessed extraordinary talent as a member of the royal family. Even so, if you ask whether she is a suitable partner to spend Lux-sama’s life with, I would, without hesitation, shake my head.”
Having talent as a member of the royal family does not prove one is worthy to spend their life with Lux.
In fact, the greater one’s talent as royalty, the more one may come into contact with dark matters. From Floria’s perspective, it is hard to say such a person is suitable to be with Lux for life. With this in mind, Floria spoke firmly, and the person in the black hood asked,
“What conditions do you believe a life partner should meet, Florence-sama?”
Just as the person in the black hood asked this, Siana, who had been silent for a while, opened her mouth to speak.
“Why are you asking whatever you please? Florence’s standards mean nothing to me.”
“It is something that will become important in the future. Florence-sama, may I hear your answer?”
Floria felt it would not matter whether she answered or not, but decided to do so as a way of expressing her own wishes.
“If I may answer by likening it to the Third Princess, then it would be: she must reveal her true identity, confess everything she has done until now, swear to Lux-sama that she will never again engage in such acts, and if, after that, Lux-sama himself accepts the Third Princess, then perhaps… Although, in that case, I believe Lux-sama would most likely turn her away.”
“Understood. Thank you for your answer. In that case, if such a thing comes to pass, please ensure that no resentment remains.”
“If Lux-sama acknowledges her, I promise that. Is this the only matter you wished to speak with me about?”
“Yes.”
Floria could not grasp the deeper meaning of this discussion, but there was something else that concerned her more.
“Then allow me to ask one thing in return. You, who travel alongside the Third Princess, what do you think of her actions?”
“I do not wish to do them, but I believe they must be done.”
“If you possess the good sense to say you do not wish to, then I think it would be better for you to consider another method. Such things as the Third Princess does are not necessary.”
When Floria said this, the person in the black hood nodded and replied.
“What you say is correct, Florence-sama. However, I also believe what the Third Princess Felisiana-sama says is correct. Therefore, to be honest, I do not quite understand why the two of you are in conflict.”
“What Florence is saying can’t possibly be right!” “What the Third Princess is saying cannot possibly be right.”
Floria and Siana denied each other at the same time, and upon hearing this, the person in the black hood paused for a moment before speaking.
“Let us refrain from discussing that matter further here. But Florence-sama, one more thing. I hope to have a good relationship with you in the future, so if you are willing to consider that positively, first, please ask Rodwell-sama for my name.”
“From Lux-sama, your name… is it?”
“Yes. I believe you will understand if you ask this: of all the tea Rodwell-sama has brewed so far, whose did he find most to his liking?”
At that moment, Floria’s eyes widened.
There were many surprising things, such as the hooded figure wanting to develop a good relationship with Floria, the sudden mention of Lux, and the fact that this person had a connection with Lux that involved making tea. Even so, Floria found one particular fact even more astonishing.
“Are you telling me that Lux-sama thinks your tea is better than mine?”
“If I may be so bold.”
“…!”
The next instant after hearing that, Floria left Siana’s room.
To lose to another woman in the art of tea-brewing would be a disgrace to the Florence family for generations. However, Floria still did not know whether what that person said was true.
To confirm this, Floria hurried toward Lux’s room.
Violet’s Side
After Floria left Siana’s room, Siana turned to Violet and spoke.
“You really are competitive, aren’t you. You went out of your way to do something that would reveal your identity, just so that fact would be known?”
“At first, I had no such intention, but as someone who also harbors romantic feelings for Rodwell-sama, speaking with someone who shares that feeling inevitably makes me not want to lose in matters concerning Rodwell-sama. Besides, now that I have shown myself, my true identity will be exposed sooner or later anyway.”
Feeling an emotion she had never experienced before, Violet found it somewhat amusing even to herself, but it could not be helped, since that was how she felt.
“Fufu, I see. But if that is the case, then even though you’re helping me get engaged to Lux-kun now, does that mean that after I’m engaged to him, you’ll start asserting yourself a lot more?”
“Well, who can say?”
“Fine, I’ll refrain from bringing that up here. I have plenty of other things I’m curious about, but I don’t want to leave Lux-kun and Florence alone together for too long, so I’ll be going now.”
“Yes.”
After that, Siana likely headed toward Lux’s room where Floria was going. Within Violet’s mind, she already had, at least in imagination, a clear idea of a future scenario that took Lux’s personality into account, one she had not yet shared with Siana.