The Toy in the Summer Palace - Chapter 23

“Senita.”

“…Yes,” Senita replied hesitantly in response to her aunt’s urging.

Of course, she would have brought it up without being asked. But what could she do? Run in front of the emperor and declare that she was his childhood playmate? Just the thought of it made her want to vanish into a mouse hole.

Senita wasn’t naturally inclined to such bold courage. It was an unrealistic concern that would never materialize, and she understood that her aunt’s worry was grounded in something that would never happen in reality.

Still, Nora hugged her as if unburdened. Senita embraced her back and buried her face in her aunt’s neck.

“Don’t worry, Aunt. I’ll do as you say.”

“You must.”

“Of course. When have I ever not listened to you?”

“You never haven’t. My Senita has never been difficult.”

She suspected her aunt was like this because she was getting older. Nora’s voice, tinged with tears, tugged at Senita’s heart.

Come to think of it, her aunt was older than her late mother. As Senita grew, the older Nora became more evident.

“Now, let’s go. You’ll be very busy for a while.”

Senita agreed with a simple “yes” and helped Nora, clinging to her arm despite being told she didn’t have to. Nora smiled softly, leaning on the child who had grown so much.

Their conversation about future work continued in the hallway on the top floor of the palace. It was a careful and affectionate exchange between an aunt and her niece.

*

“What do you have to say?” Gaspar asked as he set out the tea.

Nora, seated in the manager’s drawing room, expressed her gratitude and took a sip to moisten her throat.

The preparations for the palace to welcome the emperor were almost complete, allowing her to relax somewhat.

This visit was very different from previous occasions when the Empress and the Prince had visited casually, or when their relatives had come. The emperor would be arriving with a sizable entourage, including numerous aristocrats and their carriages, guards, musicians, and dancers. Accommodating them all, providing meals, and making various preparations had been a considerable challenge.

Gaspar, as always, was being particularly strict. His words and actions were sharp, but it was understandable given the scale of the upcoming event. Moreover, the emperor was a figure to be feared. Being stern now might save lives in the future.

While Gaspar managed the palace with such rigor, Nora had her responsibilities to attend to. She oversaw the cleaning staff and encouraged the maids as they worked on preparations. Nora’s influence within the palace meant Gaspar held separate meetings to discuss certain matters.

“I mean Senita.”

“I thought you’d ask about my child.”

Gaspar responded quickly, and Nora chuckled wryly.

“Yes, that child. If His Majesty doesn’t inquire, I don’t intend to present Senita.”

Gaspar’s reaction was quite evident, and it weighed on Nora’s mind like a heavy stone.

Nora understood why Gaspar had been particularly attentive to Senita. It was because the Crown Prince had left an instruction for Senita’s safety before departing. It was a relief as long as she followed orders diligently, but Senita had grown into a blossoming young woman in the mud, and Gaspar would be at risk if he allowed himself to be caught in futile ambitions. He shouldn’t have been so protective.

“That was a long time ago. He has probably forgotten everything, so there’s no need to create complications.”

Nora chose to place her faith in that possibility. Senita had been like a child to everyone in the Summer Palace. Not only the older residents but even Lorenzo, the gardener’s son who was just a year older than Senita, regarded her as a sister.

“It wouldn’t be appropriate to claim that His Majesty spent time with a maid from his childhood. He may prefer not to dwell on it. Perhaps he has forgotten all of these things… perhaps.”

Gaspar didn’t deny this and simply tapped the floor with his cane. The nervous sound grated on Nora’s nerves.

“Did you coordinate this with Lorenzo?”

“Lorenzo?”

“He came to me the day before yesterday.”

“What did he say?”

“Don’t you know? He asked me not to involve Senita until she turns 20.”

Gaspar’s response, “He’s a resolute one,” was accompanied by a shake of his head.

“Oh, him.”

It wasn’t a surprising story. It was common knowledge in the Summer Palace that Lorenzo had feelings for Senita. Nora believed that Senita’s future would be with Lorenzo, and it seemed that everyone shared that assumption. If Gaspar hadn’t intervened and told Senita to wait until she turned 20, Lorenzo might have proposed to her much earlier.

“I wanted to inform you in advance because she’s turning 20 soon. Isn’t it clear what he’s thinking?”

“It’s likely just his impatience.”

“His impatience, you say?”

“Why wouldn’t he be?”

Nora, who observed Gaspar’s dissatisfaction, turned her attention to the tea cup.

Nora empathized with Lorenzo’s feelings. How could Senita possibly be okay when not just the emperor, but a whole host of aristocrats crowded the Summer Palace? Lorenzo had likely wanted to marry her immediately, before the arrival of this entourage.

Senita was undeniably beautiful. Like her father, she had golden hair and fair skin, but her physique took after her mother—slender and delicate. In many ways, it was best for Senita to remain unnoticed by the aristocrats arriving from Las Rosad, hidden while she cleaned beneath the stairs.

“Of course, the two of them will get married. You think so too, Gaspar,” Nora asserted.

“You won’t know until then!”

“You’re at it again. So, what did you tell Lorenzo?”

“…Never before this summer.”

In other words, it wasn’t meant to happen until it was clear that the emperor had forgotten Senita.

Nora’s frown was evident. She couldn’t tell if Gaspar’s hesitation stemmed from lingering desire or loyalty to the emperor. Either way, it didn’t seem to bode well for Senita.

Why had the 20-year grace period been imposed in the first place? Nora knew it wasn’t merely because Senita was young. It was a deadline that wouldn’t have existed if the child hadn’t grown into a beautiful woman. That’s why she prayed for him not to recognize Senita’s existence, simply because she was beautiful.

Nora inquired, her hope resting on the chance that the young emperor had forgotten all his childhood memories.

“Still, you won’t break if that happens, will you?”

“…Do you really have to ask that?”

Gaspar’s visage, clearly revealing the contours of his bone structure, seemed pensive.

“If you’re curious about whether you’ve grown up well, you’ll contemplate your next steps.”

Gaspar grumbled irritably, a pallor in his sunken eyes indicating mixed thoughts.

Yet, Nora didn’t find this treatment particularly heartless. She thanked Gaspar and rose from her seat. He encouraged her to take one final look around the palace. The energy of summer seeped through the hallway’s windows. Nora gazed blankly at the clear sky and let out a deep sigh, her heart aflutter after their conversation.

In just a few days, the emperor would be arriving. In anticipation of his visit, or rather his return, a sea breeze from the distant North Sea wafted in, enveloping the Summer Palace.

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