The Princess’s Final Wish Before Her Time Runs Out - Chapter 90

“Young Lady!”

Before she even got a response, Mandy boldly opened the door and entered. What she saw was Tericia sitting on her bed, calmly reading a book, the crisp morning breeze flowing through the room.

“Oh! You’re already awake?”

Mandy had stormed in, determined to wake Tericia for once, bold and a little rude, but driven by purpose. Seeing her already up, a look of disappointment crossed her face. Her shoulders slumped as she sighed.

Tericia let out a short laugh.

“You almost had me today. Try again next time.”

Though she made it sound like she’d only just woken up, the clarity in her eyes showed that she had been up for a while already.

“I’ll go get your wash water.”

“Alright.”

With less energy than when she came in, Mandy turned to leave. Then she paused, as if remembering something.

“Today… Lady Josephine and Lady Emily are visiting, right?”

At her words, Tericia nodded.

“Yes. They’ll be here for afternoon tea.”

“That’s perfect! I’ll do my best today—just wait and see!”

Eyes suddenly full of determination, Mandy made her declaration and darted out before Tericia could say anything.

“…There’s no need to go that far.”

Tericia laughed softly, shaking her head. She closed her book and got out of bed.

It was just another ordinary start to the day.

“All the medicines we produced have been packed and are ready to go. They’ll be sent to Alpen tomorrow with the merchant caravan.”

Tericia reviewed the records while listening to Sarah’s report.

The elixirs had been completed without delay, and it seemed they would reach their destination on time. It was a relief. Tericia hadn’t fully realized in the past just how valuable it was to have a reliable merchant caravan on standby, ready to move at any time.

“You did well. That takes a bit of pressure off for this month.”

Tericia smiled warmly at Sarah as she finished reviewing the documents.

“Orzo really played a big part in this, my lady. At this point, I think production could run smoothly even without him. So I was thinking…”

Sarah hesitated slightly, choosing her words.

Tericia looked up, giving her a calm, waiting glance. Encouraged by her attention, Sarah continued.

“I’d like to assign Orzo to the next round of perfumes and scented oils.”

“Orzo?”

“Yes. The others in the workshop are good at making perfumes, but when it comes to creating oils that match the scents… no one does it like Orzo. The team has already created the prototype for the next batch, so I’d like him to handle the oils.”

“That sounds fine. Go ahead.”

Tericia smiled again, a faint one—almost like she could already hear Orzo’s dramatic complaints from wherever he was.

If anyone asked Orzo who he feared most after Duke Rashid Carlo Hespelt, he’d say Sarah, without hesitation. He once claimed she worked him to the bone with those icy eyes of hers.

“Please, don’t assign me to Lady Sarah’s workshop again…”

That memory made Tericia chuckle. Sarah’s workshop was the one focused on creating fragrances. She remembered how Orzo had practically pleaded with her in a desperate voice when she asked him how he wanted to be rewarded for his recent efforts.

“Orzo’s going to throw a fit.”

“Hmm?”

Sarah tilted her head slightly, not understanding for a moment—then her expression shifted as she realized what Tericia meant.

“He’s just being dramatic. All I’m doing is assigning him to what he’s best at.”

“Well, yes. He does tend to exaggerate.”

Tericia laughed softly and nodded.

“Just let him make the oil and send him back. Don’t overwork him to the point he passes out.”

“That’s up to him.”

Watching Sarah speak with her usual calm but firm tone—one she had developed since taking charge of the trade operations—Tericia couldn’t help but smile. Even without seeing it, she could easily imagine Sarah driving Orzo to the brink with her quiet efficiency.

And so, Tericia’s morning passed just like that—calmly, and productively.

Lady Josephine and Lady Emily arrived shortly after noon, just as the sun rose high overhead. Despite the brisk weather, the two ladies stepped out of the carriage in surprisingly light clothing.

“It’s rabbit fur,” Lady Emily said proudly, lifting the front of her coat to show the soft fur lining inside.

“It feels nice,” Tericia said, touching it gently.

“Yes! You could make an entire coat from it, of course, but when I wear something like that, I end up looking…”

She trailed off and bit her lip, unwilling to finish her own sentence.

Lady Josephine, sitting beside her, had no such hesitation.

“Like a rabbit. A golden rabbit.”

At that, Lady Emily shot her a sharp glare. But Lady Josephine, completely unaffected, casually sipped her tea.

“Well, you are small and cute. You do sort of look like a bunny.”

“Josephine!”

“I think it’s adorable, but clearly, she doesn’t like it.”

Lady Josephine set her teacup down with a grace that made no sound. Lady Emily’s face flushed bright red.

Still, she must’ve decided it wasn’t worth getting worked up about. Instead, she turned her head primly and addressed Tericia.

“That’s why I only lined the inside with fur. That way… it doesn’t look like I’m actually wearing a bunny.”

“Smart choice.”

When Tericia praised her with a smile, Lady Emily looked flustered and mumbled under her breath.

“So, I brought one for you, too. A gift.”

At her words, the maid who had accompanied her stepped forward and presented a neatly wrapped box.

Inside was a coat in a deep violet—so dark it was almost black, perfectly matching Tericia’s eyes. Alongside it was a scarf and muff made of soft rabbit fur in a slightly lighter shade.

“It’s so beautiful…”

Tericia whispered in awe, genuinely surprised by the unexpected gift. The design truly suited her perfectly.

“It’ll look lovely on you,”

Lady Emily said in a soft, shy voice. Her ears, flushed red at the tips, gave away just how embarrassed she was. The sight made Tericia smile without even meaning to.

“Lady Emily is planning to start her own clothing business,”

Lady Josephine added, and Tericia’s eyes widened in genuine surprise.

“She’s always had a love for jewelry and dresses. So I guess now she’s planning to start a shop focused on that.”

Tericia turned to Lady Emily, visibly impressed. It was almost unheard of for noblewomen to work—so much so that people often found Tericia herself unusual for doing so.

“Well… it’s not just a passing whim,” Lady Emily said, fumbling through her words. “You work, Tericia. And I started feeling like I wanted to do something too. I love dresses and jewels, and… you’ve built a household and you run a merchant group. Lady Josephine is training as a knight. And then there’s me… doing nothing in particular.”

Her face was flushed red as she rambled on, but the way she stumbled over her explanation made her look even more endearing.

“A-Anyway. That piece—I designed it myself. I didn’t make it, someone else did, but the design is mine.”

Her voice cracked slightly at the end, as if she were trying to rush through the embarrassment, which made Tericia burst into laughter.

“Thank you. Truly, thank you.”

Tericia said warmly as she carefully accepted the gift, treating it with clear affection.

The shadows outside had begun to lengthen, but their afternoon tea time continued with a peaceful, joyful atmosphere.

That night arrived quietly.

“If you need anything, please don’t hesitate to call me.”

After lighting the incense burner and drawing the curtains, Mandy turned to Tericia. She had checked the windows and the heater several times, worried her lady might catch a cold in the now-chilly night air.

“You can go rest now.”

“Please make sure to call if you need something.”

Only after leaving water by her bedside—just in case Tericia woke up thirsty—did Mandy finally bow and leave the room, looking reassured.

Silence settled into the room, lit only by the gentle flicker of the lamp.

Lying flat on her back with her eyes closed, Tericia remained still… but sleep wouldn’t come. Once again, insomnia had found her.

“…Rashid.”

She whispered his name. She had held it back for so long, but now it finally slipped out.

Everything she’d kept herself busy with to avoid thinking of him—now it all came to a halt. And with that stillness came the overwhelming rush of longing.

She could go about her days pretending everything was fine, but the emptiness he left behind could never be filled.

“Tericia… sister.”

It felt like she could hear his voice again. Like any moment, he’d knock on the door and walk through it, just like before. But…

She turned on her side, pulling the blanket closer. The cold air made her curl up even tighter.

Is he doing alright?

Is he safe… in that harsh place?

Tericia bit her lower lip, afraid that saying more would only make the ache worse.

She couldn’t get used to a single day without him. It wasn’t like they’d been together constantly before he left for the battlefield.

But back then, even if they weren’t together all day, she could see him at the end of it—or he’d appear out of nowhere, like a gift, when she least expected it.

Now, there were no surprise visits. No word from him. Not even a message.

The unfamiliar loneliness quietly swallowed her up. She didn’t even have the strength to stretch out from the way her body instinctively curled in on itself.

When did I become so weak?

She held back a bitter laugh and squeezed her eyes shut. Wishing, silently, that she might finally fall asleep.

But the ache in her heart only deepened with each passing breath.

A few days later, an unexpected guest arrived at the Hespelt estate.

“It’s been a while, Lady Tericia.”

“…Your Highness.”

As she began to bow, the crown prince quickly stepped forward to stop her and gently helped her rise. He followed her inside and sat down where she gestured.

“I apologize, Lady Tericia. I meant to send word ahead of time, but I was in such a hurry, I came without notice.”

“It’s quite alright, Your Highness. I didn’t get a proper chance to thank you last time. Thank you again for your help.”

“I don’t think I was much help, honestly.”

“No… You were. Because of you, I was able to organize my thoughts. I needed that time.”

“Then I’m glad to hear it.”

Crown Prince Ludwig sat quietly for a moment, looking at Tericia as she lowered her gaze, slightly flustered.

He had rushed here, chilled by the early frost, yet she remained surrounded by a soft warmth—calm and composed as always.

Maybe she really was someone who possessed something he never could—a gentle light that could warm the people around her.

A flicker of regret passed through him.

“So… what brings Your Highness here today?”

After a pause, Tericia finally asked, her tone polite.

At that, the crown prince let out a mischievous smile.

“I figured you were the one waiting for this the most.”

From his coat, he pulled something out.

“A letter from Rashid. He sent it with his latest military report and asked me to deliver it to you.”

Tericia’s eyes widened in disbelief.

A letter? She hadn’t expected anything like that.

“I’ve never known someone to use a military report for something so personal. And to make the crown prince his messenger, no less.”

He shook his head, muttering in mock exasperation—but a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

“Rashid’s… letter.”

Tericia reached out slowly, taking the envelope from the prince’s outstretched hand.

Her slender white fingers trembled as they touched it.

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