For a moment, I almost blurted out that she looked different from when I first saw her, but I held back. After all, I had discovered Frairie’s bedroom by chance while looking around the duke’s residence under the pretext of using the bathroom. If that fact came to light, I would be the only one in trouble.

“I’ve heard a lot about you from Sasha. Are you fully recovered now?”

So I made up an excuse and naturally asked about her well-being while closely observing Frairie.

Her skin was still pale like someone who hadn’t seen sunlight for a long time, but it wasn’t as alien as a doll made of baked clay with added color. Instead, it had a hint of healthy complexion. Overall, she closely resembled the appearance of the Duchess Vladimir.

So much so that when Frairie smiled with her eyes, I thought that if the Duchess Vladimir hadn’t been screaming and had been in a normal state, she would have greeted us with the same smile alongside the Duke.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Meanwhile, Frairie answered my question with a bright smile, and Miranda and Hayley quickly arranged chairs for the new guest. Frairie’s gait seemed slightly unsteady, but she walked slowly with Sasha’s escort.

Creak—.

Then Sasha pulled out Frairie’s chair and even pushed it in for her.

‘Sasha has always shown himself to be intelligent and polite, but this is the first time I’ve seen him being so attentive to someone.’

It wasn’t quite at the level of ‘our Sasha has changed,’ but it was certainly a different side of him. If before there was a sense of maintaining a certain distance behind his smile, now it was obvious that he was paying special attention only to this girl, Frairie.

Splash—.

“This is fresh juice made from ingredients brought in early this morning.”

Shortly after, a maid appeared and poured aromatic juice into Frairie and Sasha’s cups. I watched silently as I stabbed a madeleine with my fork and ate it.

When alone, I could eat comfortably with my hands without worrying about etiquette, but even among friends, this was a formal setting where manners had to be observed. So I took a bite and chewed carefully.

‘He seems very interested.’

Having eaten only bread, my throat felt dry, so I asked for water instead of juice and gulped it down. I felt like I had consumed too much sugar from continuously sipping sweet drinks.

Come to think of it, the cost of purifying water to make it potable is not insignificant.

However, Jeff had previously simplified this process by enhancing water quality with his mosquito removal device and using alchemy to more effectively remove impurities from water, creating clean, purified water.

It’s an achievement made possible by the participation of many technicians. If this technology is refined and widely applied throughout the empire, the quality of life for the imperial citizens would improve tremendously.

“Lady Vladimir, are you Lord Sasha’s younger sister?”

Oops, I was lost in serious thought, but Ronowe’s voice brought me back to reality.

“Ah, I’m actually older than Sasha.”

While Sasha was talking with Berith and Carlyle, Ronowe, unable to contain her curiosity, turned directly to Frairie with sparkling eyes and asked a question.

It was as if she was shouting, ‘I want to dig into everything about you, I’m curious about all of you!’

“I have a long-standing illness. That’s why my build is smaller than Sasha’s.”

Anyway, Frairie kindly answered the innocent question.

“I spend a lot of time in bed, so my growth seems to have been slow.”

Soon after, Frairie, with a slightly sad expression, placed one hand on her chest and gently closed her eyes. For a moment, her bright face was shadowed, and her brow furrowed as if all the misfortunes of the world had converged on her, but it quickly smoothed out, clear and taut.

“Until now, I couldn’t go out at all because of my illness, but thanks to my brother, I’m honored to attend this gathering of such esteemed people.”

Was it my imagination that I sensed a feeling of suppression? In the blink of an eye, Frairie lifted her eyelids and looked around at me and the children with jewel-like sparkling blue eyes.

In the midst of this, when her eyes met Sasha’s, she pulled up the corners of her mouth in a smile.

‘Just as I’ve adapted to Jeff and Hecate’s excessive expressions, I suppose I’ll have to do so in the future as well.’

I showed no change in expression and nonchalantly stabbed a chocolate choux cake topped with a cute mushroom-shaped chocolate with my fork. As if on cue, with a soft ‘pop,’ chocolate cream oozed through the small hole, stimulating my salivary glands.

‘As I always say, I never get tired of chocolate.’

It’s inconsistent to ask for water earlier, saying I might have consumed too much sugar, and then eat chocolate again.

‘If my teeth were going to rot, wouldn’t they have all fallen out by now?’

I brush my teeth diligently, so it shouldn’t matter. I quickly changed my mind and indulged my appetite by eating another chocolate cream-filled choux cake.

Then, just as I was reaching for the plate with the choux cake, intending to eat just one more…

“Hm?”

“Oh, everyone’s gathered here.”

As the atmosphere was becoming lively with everyone chattering excitedly, Hecate appeared.

“We greet Her Majesty the Empress.”

“We’re so glad you introduced us to a new friend!”

The children greeted Hecate and expressed their welcome to Frairie one after another.

I’m not the type to show much emotion except when I feel overwhelmed or irritated, so I just stood there with my arms crossed, watching as Ronowe, Berith, Sasha, and Frairie exchanged a few words with Hecate.

I didn’t particularly feel the need to be the first to talk to Hecate. After all, once the children quieted down after their chatter, Hecate would naturally come to me.

“My daughter, are the snacks delicious?”

“Yes, they’re amazing.”

As I gently waved the chocolate choux cake on my fork, Hecate’s face showed nothing but happiness.

“Oh, really? The chef said he didn’t hold back on the sugar that our daughter loves so much.”

Hecate, who had been asking detailed questions about whether I had tried the other desserts and if there was anything lacking in today’s drinks and tea, changed the subject quickly when a member of the 1st Knight Order appeared in the distance, indicating it was time for her to leave.

“Oh, by the way, Darjeeling.”

“Yes, Mother.”

“Mother is planning to go to the western border area today.”

“Is that so?”

After rushing to the Duchess Vladimir’s sudden call last time, now she’s going to the western border area close to the Vladimir territory.

“In the meantime, have fun with your friends, my daughter.”

“Yes, don’t worry.”

I recalled one of the things I learned in my successor lessons.

It was that there’s a coastal village in the western border area.

‘As far as I know, that’s the hometown of Duchess Vladimir.’

Hecate had told me directly in the carriage on the way to the Fleur territory after visiting the Vladimir territory.

‘I’m curious and want to go along, but today I’m in the position of having to play with these fledglings again.’

Even though I’ve returned to a young body, my interests still lean in this direction, which is quite troublesome.

“Well, Mother must be going now.”

While I was clicking my tongue inwardly, Hecate clapped her hands, smiled brightly, and said her goodbyes.

“Have a good time.”

Soon after, Hecate disappeared with quick steps along with a member of the 1st Knight Order, and she really did leave without reappearing midway or anything like that.

“Her Majesty the Empress seems to be a very warm person.”

A moment later, as I turned my head from the direction Hecate had disappeared, Frairie lifted her glass of juice and praised Hecate’s character.

“!”

Crash—!

And immediately, everyone’s eyes widened in shock as they saw the teacup slip from Frairie’s hand.

I too was taken aback by this unexpected turn of events and watched intently as the teacup flipped over, juice spilled out, and fragments scattered in all directions as the cup hit the floor, wondering what was going on.

“Frai!”

Sasha was the first to come to his senses, jumping up to check on Frairie’s condition. He examined Frairie’s face, neck, and shoulders, not knowing what to do.

“I’m alright, Sasha. But I’ve broken imperial property…”

Frairie added in a crawling voice, her expression turning gloomy as she wondered what to do.

“Oh my, goodness! Are you alright?”

“We’ll clean up the teacup right away. Please don’t move and stay where you are.”

Miranda and Hayley comforted Frairie, whose complexion had darkened, and then quickly moved to clean up the glass shards and juice.

“Lady Vladimir, are you okay?”

“Yes, thank you for your concern.”

Ronowe and Berith asked if Frairie was badly hurt with faces that looked like they might cry at any moment, and then sighed in relief. Carlyle, who had been quietly observing the situation, silently got up from his seat and approached Frairie.

Meanwhile, I was picking up Poppy, who had fallen back in surprise, and placing him on the small chair prepared for him.

“If you don’t mind, please use this to wipe yourself.”

As expected of someone with the makings of a general, he takes good care of those around him.

“Thank you.”

As I watched Carlyle hand a handkerchief to Frairie, I realized how the once timid and quiet boy had become a bit bolder after his sword training. In the past, he would have been more cautious, trying to judge whether it was the right time for him to step in before acting.

‘Oh my, look at Sasha’s expression?’

I became intrigued when I inadvertently caught Sasha’s expression changing from a broad smile to a furrowing of his brows, seemingly displeased with Carlyle’s friendly conversation with Frairie.

Carlyle, Sasha, and Frairie.

The dynamic between the three of them amusingly reminded me of the plot of a novel I had read to pass the time.

“You’re still as kind as ever.”

“Pardon?”

However, my comfortable reverie was short-lived as Frairie uttered a meaningful statement.