Bibliophile Princess: Volume 3

1. Auflage 2020
ISBN: 978-1-7183-0858-9
Verlag: J-Novel Heart
Format: EPUB
Kopierschutz: Adobe DRM (»Systemvoraussetzungen)

E-Book, Englisch, 253 Seiten

Reihe: Bibliophile Princess

As winter whips to a crescendo, the year's most anticipated celebration is nigh! In the midst of the season, Eli finds her own intelligence being weaponized against her. There's a traitor near, and they're leaking Eli's private words to her political opponents. Furthermore, the queen reveals some of the darker aspects of wearing a crown-including the prospect of a harem?! Is Eli really prepared to take her seat beside the crown prince? Or will the 'Ashen Nightmare' cut the year short?

Autoren/Hrsg.

Yui

Weitere Mitwirkende

Sheena, Satsuki

Niioka, Alyssa

Leseproben

Lord Alan opened his mouth to continue ridiculing Lord Glen when a sharp, albeit quiet sound echoed through the room. All eyes turned to the prince. He had slapped his feather pen down on his desk and turned a silencing smile toward his two bickering retainers. “Glen, Alan. The exit’s over there.”

Was I the only one who felt like he was indirectly telling them to “get out”?

For the first time, Lord Alan turned his eyes toward me with a start. “Oh, Lady Elianna...isn’t reading anymore.”

As I contemplated, I eyed the two pale men and then turned my attention to Lord Glen.

“A riddle for you. What do a greedy nobleman and an elderly man with outdated and detrimental opinions have in common?” I asked.

Lord Glen stuttered, “I-I don’t know, what?”

“Both long for something fleeting.”

He slumped in disappointment, bracing his hands on the table in front of him. His eyes fell to the ground and his body trembled.

Lord Alexei, accustomed to such exchanges, merely sighed and interjected, “If this is a guest from the Miseral Dukedom, then they must be close to the queen as well. I do believe the prince also plans to meet with her, yes?”

“I do,” said His Highness. “Last time, I went straight home after the ceremony. If she’s related to the former general, then that means she’s connected to the archduke’s family as well. Glen, there’s no running from this one.”

“You can’t be serious,” Lord Glen growled, tears in his eyes. “This is precisely why I planned to privately reject their proposal before things could come to a head. But you’re the one who suddenly insisted we return straight back to Sauslind before I could make preparations to nip this in the bud. It wouldn’t kill you to feel guilty for your own actions, would it?”

He must have been referring to the Hunting Festival incident. Back then, the prince had left the country to attend a ceremony held in one of our allied countries, the Miseral Dukedom. I was partially responsible for his haste to return home.

Prince Christopher shrugged, his hands never stopping as he sorted through documents. “Not too long ago, Countess Eisenach was lamenting to my mother about all of your trysts. You reap what you sow. Just give up.”

After His Highness said that, Lord Alexei and Lord Alan expressed their sympathies. “In anticipation of the prince’s wedding, more and more people are tying the knot all across the country. It’s perfect timing.”

“So this is where fooling around indiscriminately leads one. I will keep that in mind for future reference.”

Lord Glen’s voice turned somber. “Friendship is one of the founding pillars of youth. Do you guys even know the meaning of the word?”

His Highness smiled. “I’m too busy.”

Lord Alexei narrowed his glacial eyes. “If ‘friendship’ entails you seeking assistance in sorting through documents, I will readily lend my wisdom to the cause.”

“I’ll do whatever, as long as it’s interesting,” Lord Alan added, strumming his instrument.

I actually felt a little sorry for Lord Glen, who was now left feeling even more dejected than before. Perhaps my femininity was the reason I found myself unable to grasp the intricacies of camaraderie between men.

Before I could add my own opinion, Lord Alexei cut me off. “All joking aside, the timing of all of this does strike me as a bit too convenient. Alan, how is the investigation proceeding?”

Lord Alan hummed, his demeanor still relaxed. Then his eyes turned toward me, as if he’d suddenly remembered something. “Oh, Lady Elianna, isn’t it about time?”

As if on cue, the chamberlain announced that some people had come to visit me. It seemed Lord Alan was right; I was out of time.

I announced my departure and stood to leave, prompting Prince Christopher to pause and turn his worried gaze to me. “Eli, is there anything bothering you?”

“Pardon?” I stared back at him blankly.

His Highness started to say something, hesitated, and then ultimately played it off. “No, never mind. You have your sworn duties. I can’t intervene any longer. As long as there’s nothing bothering you, it’s fine.”

I tilted my head at him, but there was no time to waste. After a curtsey, I slipped out through the door.

The prince had asked if I was “bothered” by anything. It was true that lately I found myself beset by a problem I’d been unprepared to deal with. My feet felt heavy as I trudged toward the source of my apprehension.

~.~.~.~

A court lady came to fetch me and then guided me to the inner palace. I swallowed a tiny breath as I stepped inside the adjoining room we always passed through each time we did this.

A group of people were waiting to accost me, eyes gleaming like predators that had found their next meal. They held their most proficient weapons in their hands, waiting for the signal that it was okay to move in.

Meanwhile, I would be forced to face them alone. I was at an overwhelming disadvantage. As the Bibliophile Princess, I had to do this. Where there is a will, there is a way, as they say.

I had no idea how the court lady who had retrieved me earlier perceived our tense standoff, but she was as curt as ever when she said, “You may begin.”

The palace maids and royal merchants gleefully charged toward me. The only weapon I ever had was my books, but even they had been taken from me. I was truly powerless.

“Lady Elianna! I have a precious yellow pearl taken from a Palmyran Nemu snail. It would offset your skin tone beautifully.”

“I have also prepared some brand new designs myself. I even sought input from one of your favorite sketch artists from the far east. What do you think?”

“Have a look at my textiles. I have dyed fabrics from the Tor Region and newly developed ones made with more advanced materials. If you use these for your dress, you’re certain to look even more captivating than you already do, my lady!”

I knew a bit about the textiles from the Tor Region. They had tailored a new lightweight fabric that made dresses more breathable in the summer months. Some were even considering using those materials to craft curtains as well.

...Were they trying to stoke my reputation as a ghost even further? Lightweight fabric would only make me look more transparent and spectral.

Contrary to my suspicions, the people surrounding me continued to thrust colorful words, fabrics, designs, and adornments my way. It was a proverbial ocean wave crashing over me. My eyes were soon spinning.

One after the other, maids approached with gorgeous dresses for me to inspect. I was flustered from the very beginning, having this forced upon me. When I looked up and saw my reflection in the mirror and realized just how out of place I looked, I felt utterly ashamed of myself. My current challenge was to pick one dress among those presented, as well as some adornments to go along with them. This was all for the purpose of narrowing down my list of candidates for who would be appointed to the important post of supplying me when I became crown princess. To be frank, this was not something I was well-equipped to handle.

There was no lady to run the Bernstein household anymore. When it came to fashion, I’d had no woman to use as a reference since I was a child. This might sound like a flimsy excuse as well, but by nature, the Bernsteins weren’t concerned with dressing to impress.

Fathers were completely useless when it came to a lady’s clothing and wedding attire. My aunt was the one responsible for orchestrating everything related to my societal debut.

I had used a fair measure of caution in selecting my apparel up until this point, conscious of my position as the crown prince’s betrothed. Imperfect as my attempts might have been, I was proud of the four years I had spent cultivating an eye for fashion befitting my stature. Those who knew me well—such as house maids, my aunt, and my cousins—gave me advice and played a huge part in my growth.

Now, however, things were a bit different. I was far removed from all of them and left to face my circumstances on my own, and that bitter reminder caused my entire body to tense up. Being unproficient didn’t give me the right to waive my responsibilities, I knew. I was the one who decided I wanted to stay with His Highness.

With renewed determination, I pointed at one of the dresses. “This dress from the Mers company has a plunging neckline. I don’t think it would suit me. Similarly, the sketches show fresh flowers being used in the design, but they seem to be based on the Yule flower from the far eastern country of Norn. According to Gaelga mythology, Yule represents the goddess’s beloved maidens, a symbol for purity. However, it has a strong scent, and it would be impossible to remove its pollen from the dress, making it an inappropriate choice for social gatherings.”

After a moment of contemplation, I proposed, “It would take quite a bit of effort, but... According to the theologian Porta Tugga’s thesis entitled , while the goddess safeguards pure maidens, she also adores florid palettes and designs. Thus, by lowering this collar further, you could add a panel...