The Abandoned Princess, Yet She Is Loved - Chapter 60

On the morning of the first day of the Harvest Festival, Grace climbed into a carriage with an open top so her upper body could be seen. The carriage was decorated with autumn flowers and grasses. She placed a hand on her chest and took a deep breath.

 

“Am I really getting nervous about this?”

 

“This is your first time meeting the townspeople like this,” Frederick said with a curious look.

 

Grace finished her deep breath and straightened her posture.

 

She had practiced her smile and wave countless times in front of the mirror, wanting to appear as a kind and gracious duchess to the people of the land.

 

“I feel like this is going to be a big change for me.”

 

“It’ll probably be more comfortable for you when you go into town from now on. You won’t have to explain who you are every time.”

 

But that wasn’t all there was to it.

 

It seemed Frederick didn’t quite understand what she meant. But that was just like him. Grace gave a faint smile, as if to say she couldn’t help it.

 

The carriage began to move. Grace looked straight ahead, feeling the cool autumn breeze brushing against her forehead.

 

As they passed the plains near the castle, golden fields full of ripened grain stretched before them.

 

“Wow…”

 

The fields just before harvest were far richer and more beautiful than any picture she had ever seen.

 

‘I definitely have to come out and sketch this soon.’

 

With a full heart, Grace made a silent vow.

 

As they entered the village road, they saw the townspeople lined up in rows. Each person standing at the front of a group held a basket of flowers.

 

When the carriage approached, they eagerly reached into the baskets and threw handfuls of flowers into the air. The carriage rolled over the scattered petals.

 

The eyes of the townspeople were filled with curiosity as they looked at Grace and Frederick. Grace smiled and waved in return.

 

“Wooooah!”

 

“Long live the Lady!”

 

“Long live Winstaine!”

 

Cheers rang out from the people. Joy and happiness from the bountiful harvest were clear on every face.

 

“It’s all thanks to you, my lady!”

 

A flush crept into Grace’s cheeks. She had nothing to do with the harvest, but she was deeply grateful that they believed so.

 

“I… I feel really happy, Frederick,” she whispered.

 

“Since the first year you arrived happens to be a year of abundance, they’re likely connecting the two. It’s a good thing.”

 

Frederick gently held Grace’s hand.

 

“There are so many people here…”

 

Even after traveling for quite a while, the line of people seemed endless.

 

“This is a once-a-year event. Almost everyone in the domain comes to the village to celebrate. But aren’t you hungry?”

 

“I’m okay, but… hmm.”

 

Grace hesitated before replying. Now that he mentioned it, she realized she was starting to feel hungry.

 

They had left early in the morning after getting ready, without having eaten anything.

 

“Let’s go straight to the plaza once the procession ends.”

 

“Yes, sir!”

 

The coachman responded energetically to Frederick’s instruction.

 

“The plaza?”

 

“We’ll be eating there today. During the Harvest Festival, the townspeople gather in the square to eat and drink together. It’s a tradition for the lord to join them at the table.”

 

“Oh… I see.”

 

Eating together with the townspeople—what a humble tradition. It helped her understand why they had welcomed them so warmly during the procession.

 

It didn’t take more than fifteen minutes to reach the plaza. Wooden tables and chairs were set up across the open space, and many people were already eating and drinking.

 

Off to one side, women were busy preparing food. Freshly baked bread and steaming meats could be seen.

 

There were also musicians playing instruments, and beside them sat a massive barrel of alcohol. People were filling their cups with small ladles from the barrel.

 

“Welcome, Your Grace. My lady.”

 

An elderly man came to greet Frederick and Grace as they stepped out of the carriage.

 

“This is Reparo, the village elder. He leads the townspeople and helps maintain order in the domain.”

 

“Nice… to meet you,” Grace said, slightly nervous.

 

“It’s an honor to meet you in person, my lady. I will serve you with sincerity.”

 

Introduced by Frederick, Grace bowed and greeted the man called Reparo.

 

“Has everything been going well?”

 

“Things have been peaceful and smooth. The great harvest this year too—it’s all thanks to Your Grace’s efforts.”

 

“The weather was good and there were no disasters. It wasn’t much of my doing.”

 

“Still, we always consider it your grace. Ah, this way, please.”

 

Reparo led them to the central table in the plaza.

 

“Sit here.”

 

Grace sat where Frederick gestured. On the table were white bread, cheese, butter, grilled sausages with seasoning, various fruits, and several bottles of wine.

 

“It may feel simpler than what you’re used to at the castle. But today is about sharing the kind of food the townspeople usually eat and thinking about their lives.”

 

“Oh… I like this. It looks delicious.”

 

Grace spoke from the heart. She didn’t feel disappointed at all that the food was different from what was served in the castle. In fact, she found her appetite growing.

 

“I brought some soup. Try dipping your bread in it.”

 

Libero returned from the food station and placed bowls of soup in front of Grace and Frederick.

 

Grace dipped her bread into the soup and took a bite. The rich, warm flavor of the soup and the simple taste of the bread blended perfectly in her mouth.

 

‘This reminds me of… Emily.’

 

The meal was almost the same as what she had eaten in the Reinhardt ducal household.

 

There were no fancy dishes—just soup, bread, cheese, and occasionally sausages or fruit—but those had been happy days. Emily had always been by her side.

 

The more she ate, the more Emily’s face came to mind.

 

“Is something wrong with the fruit?”

 

“No. It’s delicious. It’s really sweet.”

 

Frederick asked gently when Grace, her throat tight with emotion, put down the apple she had just bitten into. She shook her head and picked it up again.

 

“Really. I just didn’t want to eat too fast and upset my stomach.”

 

“I see. The sunshine this year made the fruit especially sweet.”

 

“Everything’s really good. I’ve always liked this kind of food.”

 

“I’m glad.”

 

Under the table, Frederick reached for her hand. As she felt his warmth, Grace quietly looked at the townspeople. Seeing their bright, smiling faces made her heart swell.

 

‘I need to try harder…’

 

She wanted to protect their smiles.

 

She had already been paying attention to the people, but seeing them face to face made her feel an even greater sense of responsibility.

 

‘Winstaine… our domain—Frederick’s and mine.’

 

Beyond the plaza, she could see the golden fields rippling in the distance.

 

Grace gazed at them with a sincere wish: may the people enjoy happiness and abundance again next year.

 

 

“You’ve found someone with the power of the divine beast?”

 

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

 

Felixius repeated the question, as if confirming what he’d just heard. Samuel answered respectfully, kneeling with his head bowed.

 

“Finally… Finally, our efforts have paid off. So who is it?”

 

His face lit up with excitement, but as the report continued, his expression gradually turned serious.

 

“The Duchess of Winstaine… you say?”

 

“Yes. She’s the only woman in the domain with red hair. We checked several times just to be sure.”

 

Here’s what had happened:

 

Under Felixius’s orders, agents had been stationed in Winstaine to search for a red-haired woman. But no matter how thoroughly they searched, they found no trace of anyone with red hair. It turned out there was no one like that in the entire region.

 

Then, the Harvest Festival took place. And as the agents mingled with the crowd, they saw the duchess riding in a carriage.

 

There she was the red hair they had been desperately searching for. But there was a problem.