Though I Don’t Recall It, I’ll Take Responsibility - Chapter 20

After a delightful evening, I fell into a peaceful sleep.

The morning that followed was surprisingly comfortable; the sunlight filtered through the lace curtains, filling the room with a soft white glow. I enjoyed a delicious breakfast in the refreshing morning air.

Then, Leonard-sama shattered that serenity with a few unbelievable words before heading off to work.

“Her Highness, the Crown Princess, mentioned that once things have settled down, she would like to invite you to a tea party.”

—A tea party? Why? Just the two of us? Or a group?

Questions exploded in my mind, but before I could organize them, he headed briskly toward the entrance, boarded his carriage, and left.

In the silence left behind, I finally caught my breath.

Leonard-sama, why didn’t you mention something so important yesterday?

Actually, had I heard it yesterday, I certainly wouldn’t have had such a refreshing awakening today. I might not have slept at all. Perhaps I should be grateful it only came up now.

The reason why the Crown Princess would invite me to tea.

It certainly isn’t to celebrate my marriage. Does she want to verify the truth of my memory loss?

Whatever the case, I must demonstrate by any means necessary that I harbor no ill will or hostility. If that’s the plan, I can’t go empty-handed. I need to know her preferences but I have far too little information. What should I do?

Just then, Melissa the maid spoke up.

“Madam, a messenger has arrived from the Viscountess Langford asking if she may visit today. How shall I respond?”

Divine intervention.

“Tell her I would be delighted to see her.”

“As you wish.”

—Early afternoon.

The carriage arrived, and the door opened. Tiana stepped down, her light-colored dress fluttering, followed by two young children who hopped energetically onto the ground.

So those are the children of my brother and Tiana.

“Welcome, Tiana.”

“Fufu, congratulations on your marriage. It was so sudden, I was quite surprised.”

“Thank you.”

My parents had told me that I could live in the territory without marrying, or I could marry Leonard-sama. They told me to decide for myself so that I would have no regrets. While it ended up being a report after the fact, I have already sent them a letter.

“Aira, these are my children. Come now, greet your aunt.”

“Nice to meet you. I am Eldric Langford.”

How composed.

“It is a pleasure to meet you. My name is Elena Langford. Thank you for inviting us today.”

Even more composed. And she was the younger sister, wasn’t she?

Regardless, they are precious. They look so much like both my brother and Tiana; their loveliness is radiant. Ral took a step forward.

“I have become Raphael Westray. I suppose that makes us cousins. I hope we can be friends.”

Oh, he added a new variation.

“I am Clarice. I am three years old.”

She remains consistent. Still, her attempt at a curtsy is adorable. A heartwarming atmosphere filled the air.

“Tea is ready. Please, come this way.”

We moved to the drawing room. Tiana and I sat across from each other, while the children moved happily to a small table prepared separately for them.

“Actually, Tiana, I’ve received an informal invitation to tea from the Crown Princess.”

“What? To you, when you’ve only just become a Countess? Aira, did you read the diary?”

“I did. I was on good terms with the Crown Prince… no, rather, I intentionally approached him.”

Tiana furrowed her brow slightly and set down her teacup.

“Yes. I believe the Crown Princess herself remained a bystander, but there were suspicious movements around you back then.”

“You mean things being broken or being put in danger?”

“Right. But I suspect those around her did it of their own accord to win her favor. I can’t imagine someone who was a Duke’s daughter stooping to such petty tricks. Besides, if she truly meant business, a Viscounty would have vanished without a trace.”

“You’re right. I think so too.”

Taking those words to heart, I quietly took a sip of tea.

“The woman who approached the Crown Prince. The Crown Princess must loathe me.”

The words spilled out. The more I thought about it, the heavier my heart felt.

“Things might have been different if the Crown Prince hadn’t felt anything for you,” Tiana said frankly, though without a hint of blame. But if that’s how it looked to onlookers, then… yes, this is troublesome.

“At any rate, I want to convey that I have no intention of opposing her.”

“That would be best,” Tiana nodded quietly.

Still, my heart was heavy.

“The thing is, I know nothing about Her Highness, so I can’t think of a gift or even a topic of conversation. Do you know anything, Tiana?”

At my question, Tiana’s gaze drifted as she thought. She traced the rim of her cup with her fingertip, searching her memories of their Academy days.

“Well, I wasn’t exactly close to her back then. Ah! That’s right. I heard once that the Crown Princess loves herbal tea and even had a herb garden built at the Royal Palace.”

“Herbal tea as a gift. That sounds lovely. But if she loves it, she likely receives it often. Anything too rare might not suit her palate. It’s difficult.”

As I held my head in distress, Tiana gave a small shrug.

“I’m afraid I wasn’t much help.”

“Not at all. Thank you, Tiana.”

We exchanged supportive smiles. On the table were sweet baked goods and tea imbued with the scent of herbs. But my thoughts were now focusing entirely on “herbs.”

Herbal tea. Herbs.

As the lingering scent of the tea wafted up, I felt as though I could see a faint glimmer of light.