The next day after their wedding, Wolfgang called the attendant that he placed for monitoring Nicolette, Marcus, into his room. He wanted to hear Nicolette's condition for today. Marcus, who had a gentle face different from Wolfgang, faintly smiled.
"That's, perhaps she is a good spouse for you, Your Majesty."
"I don't know what you mean."
"As long as I have known her, if we exclude the fact that she's ignorant of the world, there was no problems that came from her. Her manners are good and she is also smart. Though, she wasn’t able to dance it seems, but probably, with her condition, she will be able to dance soon. Though, she's quite frank with her words, as long as she is careful with it, I think she can fix it."
"Is that... so."
Somehow, Wolfgang felt like he was advised with, "She is a good kid, you know." Well, they already married though. (TL: Like the one when offering someone's kid before marriage...)
"What did the Empress do?"
As Wolfgang's close aide Alberto asked. Marcus opened the book in his hands and answered as such,
"This morning she had dance lessons. She stepped on Sir Aisura's feet several times, but she already understands the basic steps. After lunch, she rented a book from the library. Even the Librarian is moved by her, you know."
Certainly, this palace's library is big, or so Wolfgang thought. Nicolette, who was raised in the monastery, while there wasn't any amusement, there was the possibility that she wasted all of her time on reading. Since she also talked about herself being a researcher, it isn’t something improbable.
Wolfgang urged him to continue with his gaze.
"After that, except for teatime, dinner, and bath time, she was always reading the history of the empire. At the time of when I saw her last, she has already read until the fourth volume."
Her reading pace is quite fast. That series is supposed to be quite dense.
Wolfgang, who heard of this roughly summarized one day that Nicolette has had, lastly asked,
"There wasn't anything suspicious about her right?"
Yesterday, as much as they conversed, it seems that Nicolette didn't know anything and was dragged here as the replacement for her sister. However, there was the possibility that this was just an act. That's why he asked that question.
Is Nicolette not a spy from the Roware Kingdom? That is the doubt he held in his heart.
"No, if Her Majesty was a spy, then all of the common girls around the corner will be spies too, you know. Though, she is rather smart, but she is quite lacking in a lot of places. Her common sense is, I mean."
"...Is that so."
"Ah, though this isn't related to this, I think Her Empress's look when she ate seems to have some merit. No matter what she ate it's delicious, she said, and she really made a face that they were indeed delicious. Especially, when she ate the snacks, Her Majesty's face was glittering. She made a lax smile." (ED: Thanks to Thamerlin for the suggestion to use lax because it makes a lot more sense in this context)
I unconsciously even recommended her a snack, you know. Thus, Marcus laughed. Hasn’t he became really intimate with her, this Marcus. Even though Wolfgang only ordered him to monitor Nicolette...
"Or rather, even when it was a thing that came from Roware Kingdom she said, "It is the first time I have seen this.", or perhaps "I have never ate this.", Her Majesty, I wonder where she was raised?"
Now that he thought of it, Nicolette indeed said to Wolfgang that she was raised in the monastery, but it wasn't publicly known. Wolfgang thought that perhaps it's alright if he told these two people.
"Nicolette seems to have been raised in the monastery at the border. That's why, her ignorant-ness can't be helped too, I think."
"Monastery! So, that means she was a Nun?"
Aah, this reaction, it was the same reaction as him. As expected, everyone will also think like that., Wolfgang spoke to Alberto,
"She said that she wasn't a nun. She said that she was a researcher."
"Aah, I think that monastery also had such a facility..."
Alberto looked quite in shock. However, they also pointed it out, so Wolfgang thought it was fine.
"Even if she was an ex-nun, I think that it's fine if the Empress is Nicolette-sama. It is fun to watch her too, after all."
"Why is Nicolette's value inside your mind that high?"
"Even Helma-san likes her quite a bit, you know."
The head maid that was attached to Nicolette, quite liked her too. Even Marcus, surely tomorrow, he will also go to work in delight.
As he thought so, Wolfgang felt a bit annoyed. (TL: JEALOUSY~ ) (ED: Yep XD)
And so, the next day. Since just right around tea time his work became quite little, he decided to visit Nicolette's room. As he greeted the guarding soldier, Helma peeked her head out from inside the room.
"My~ Your majesty. Are you coming inside?"
"Aah... How is Nicolette's going?"
"She is indulging herself in reading her book."
It seems that there was no false information in Marcus's report. As he entered the room, just as she said, Nicolette was reading her book beside the window. While bathed in sunlight that came from the window, her appearance while reading the book on the rocking chair was beautiful. As there was also the fact that she was so thin. Her long eyelashes made a silhouette on her white face.
"Nicolette."
As her name was called, Nicolette raised her face. As she recognized where the sound came from, her face bloomed into smile. Thus, she stood up.
"Good afternoon, His Majesty. Thank you very much!"
"For what?"
As he suddenly received thanks from her, he didn't know what she was thanking him for. At the edge of Wolfgang's sight, he could see Marcus and Helma snicker, for now, he decided to ignore them.
"His Majesty was the one who told them that I can do whatever I want, right? Today, I was guided inside the palace for quite awhile."
That's why, thank you. Thus, she laughed without any worry, Wolfgang became perplexed.
Nicolette looked up at Wolfgang and smiled sweetly.
"Is...that so. Is it fun?"
"Yep. Antique Tableware and Furniture and stuff like that was interesting too see, you know."
"...Is that so."
Not good. He can't understand Nicolette. Looking at Wolfgang, who clearly got dragged into Nicolette's pace, Helma said, "Let's have tea." calling both of them.
Wolfgang's face, who sat and faced Nicolette, cramped looking at the huge tea cakes in front of him. On the contrary, Nicolette's eyes were glittering.
"Which one does Her Majesty want?"
"Then, that one."
Helma cut the cake that Nicolette pointed at. The one that she chose was Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte. It was a sponge cake that has been soaked in alcohol and made by using a lot of black cherries.
*Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte*
As Nicolette bit into the cake, her face made another lax smile. Just like Marcus said, she indeed looked like she really enjoyed her food.While he thought that if she continues it like this, she will get fat quickly, Wolfgang called out to her.
"Is it delicious?"
"Un. Everything that I eat here is delicious, I'm happy."
"...Is that so."
Her smile while saying that indeed showed that she was happy. Showing that kind of smile, Wolfgang became confused at what response he was supposed to give.
Again, the pastry that Helma recommend to Nicolette which was called - Schnittre
, a pastry that was made by kneading honey with spice, was put into her mouth. It was some strange pastry, but again, Nicolette said "Delicious". Looking at that, Helma gave a thin smile.
*Schnittre*
Somehow, it looked like Helma was feeding Nicolette. However, looking at Nicolette who was eating it deliciously. He somehow was able to understand what Helma was feeling.
"What are you reading?"
"Umm. Since I already finished reading the overview of the history, I went to borrow a new book, but it's history again. I am also borrowing a novel, though"
Nicolette answer immediately. According to Marcus's report, she was reading the sixi volume history of the Empire, but by her words, she already finished it. Wolfgang became quite amazed by her reading speed.
"Is there anything insufficient for you? If there is a thing that you want, I can order it for you."
"Eh? Um. It's alright. There is so much things around me that I don't even know what I should do with all of them."
"Is that so. If there's anything you need, just said it. I'll prepare it for you."
"I understand. Thank you, His Majesty."
Nicolette made a pure smile without any sign of malice behind it, then she grabbed the tea cup and drank her tea. After that, she tilted her neck.
"As I thought, the taste is different from yesterday."
"Yeah. The tea from yesterday was Earl Grey
,
*Earl Grey*
but today is Darjeeling."
*Darjeeling*
"Heeh. This one is also delicious~"
Said Nicolette while smiling at Helma. Though, it surprised Wolfgang, it seems Nicolette was even able to understand the differences of the taste. This, perhaps it's going to be quite fun to feed her. After all, she understands the differences of the food that sheeats.
Without even realizing it, Wolfgang opened his mouth,
"Nicolette. Today, let's eat dinner together."
"Ah, Un. Okay."
Nicolette smiled with her answer which is what he expected. And as he thought, Marcus is snickering, for now he thought that he will smack Marcus's head later.
"It is unusual for His Majesty to dine with the Empress this quickly."
"Well, her appearance when she ate was that interesting. Just like what Marcus said, she ate it deliciously."
Interesting, or rather charming, or perhaps cute was the right word for it, but if he had said that, he felt like that he will get teased by not only Marcus but even Alberto.
"Is that so...This noon, when I walked around the palace, by chance I meet with Her Majesty you know. She looked at a decorated vase in great interest."
"...I can't understand her."
"Yeah. And you know, as I asked her what she was doing, she said that she was observing the vase and asking if she can touch it."
Though, he didn't know which vase Alberto was mentioning, if she was only looking at it then it's alright to touch it. Now that he mentioned it, she did said, "Antic tableware and furniture is interesting.", did she perhaps refer to this story?
But then again, a vase isn't tableware or furniture.
Wolfgang, who received some kind of absurd information again from Alberto, for now, went toward the dining hall to eat dinner with Nicolette as he promised. Nicolette was already waiting in the small dining hall that was designated for family use, looking at Wolfgang, she stood up.
“Good night, His majesty. Thank you very much (Otsukaresama)."
Nicolette pinched her skirt elegantly doing a curtsy while smiling. She didn’t look like a weird woman who would gaze at a vase in that instance.
Nicolette, who wore a navy blue dress, as he thought, was really thin. Though, he knew that it was because she was raised in the monastery, but it made him wonder and worry whether she will break or not when he touched her.
"Welcome, Nicolette. ...Please seat."
Though Wolfgang said so, Nicolette waited for him to sit in his seat first before following by sitting in her own seat. No matter how weird she wass, she still knew manners and proper etiquette.
Today's menu was white flesh fish, Meuniere. Though, this Meuniere was a food that was introduced by Nicolette's kingdom, Roware, it seems that this was the first time she saw this dish. After looking at the dish curiously, she cut a piece with her knife and then placed it into her mouth.
At that moment, Nicolette's face became extremely relaxed and happy.. It seems that this Meuniere was also to her liking . Looking at Nicolette, who was was enjoying herself, Wolfgang raised the corner of his mouth.
"Today, other than reading books, what else did you do?"
As he asked her, Nicolette stopped eating, and after thinking for a moment, she answered.
"Umm. I was guided inside the palace. Tomorrow, they will show me the garden."
"Is that so... I heard that you were looking at a vase though."
"Ah, yep. That's right. Since it was a vase with a unique shape. The design was also beautiful, maybe, it was from 200 years ago, the age of Egna..."
"Wait wait wait! I don't know what you are saying!"
Nicolette started to recite her story gleefully, but Wolfgang didn't quite understand what she was saying. In the first place, Wolfgang didn’t have that much knowledge in the arts.
Nicolette, who was stopped, made a surprised expression and blinked for a moment. And then, she smiled sweetly.
"I've been told that often. They have no idea what I'm saying."
"Then, why did you smile!?"
Again, he couldn’t understand Nicolette's thought process. Without being bothered with Wolfgang's rebuke, Nicolette looked at Wolfgang and gave him another smile.
Her mentality is tough, this kid... (ED: XD)
However, if the opponent is someone who didn't get bothered with whatever he said then it made it easier for him to talk to her without any restraint. After that, Wolfgang sometimes dined or had tea together with Nicolette.
************************************************
Author Note: Thank you for reading until this point.
Nicolette's range of interest became too big that even the Author became quite confused with it... Perhaps, because the life in the monastery allowed her to live with much leisure.
December 8th.
Changed Orange-Pekoe into Darjeeling.
Just like always, the next update will be December 10th in the morning.
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