# 49 -
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“It's supposed to taste like butter, Your Highness the Crown Princess.”
Crown Princess Christine imitated the royal palace chef.
When she imitated it, the tea room in the palace was filled with laughter.
Late in the evening, Seret was drinking tea with the Crown Princess and her ladies-in-waiting.
Sirit and Yuan had come together to the palace to present a letter and gifts thanking the Crown Prince and his wife for attending their wedding.
After having dinner together, Yuan went to drink alcohol with the Crown Prince, while Seret stayed to have tea with the Crown Princess.
“Nothing pleases our mouths like that rich, buttery taste.”
said Mrs. Freeman, Christine's maid of honor.
Seret nodded her head in agreement and smiled.
“But it will all turn into fat, right?”
said Miss Parker, with a sly air.
“Oh.”
Everyone present let out the same groan at the same moment.
She found it funny, so Seret covered her mouth and laughed softly.
"I wish the fat would just collect on my fingers. So I couldn't wear a wedding ring. A ring that you'll wear long should be simple. I was fashionable when I chose it, but now it looks so tacky."
said Mrs. Loveruck, showing her her wedding ring.
The elaborate design was really out of fashion now, but it suited Mrs. Loveruck's style well.
“It still looks beautiful, in my opinion. And it suits you.”
Seret told her.
"truly?"
Loverke smiled happily.
“But... you're not wearing a ring. Even though you just got married.”
Miss Parker looked at Syrett with eyes full of curiosity.
Her look was that of someone waiting to hear something specific.
And Parker wasn't alone—all the ladies in attendance were, too.
Even Christine herself.
“It may be uncomfortable to wear.”
Mrs. Freeman whispered to Parker as she watched Syrett.
Siret immediately understood what they wanted.
The relationship between Christine and Lidya was not good, so her ladies-in-waiting naturally disliked Lidya as well.
Now they all wanted to hear how bad Lydia was.
They want to reiterate that speaking ill of her is not impolite—and that Syrett's experience is proof of that.
“I really like the wedding ring...”
Seret's voice trailed off into an embarrassed smile, as she exchanged glances with Christine and her bridesmaids.
Then she lowered her eyes slightly, and covered her mouth as if to prevent herself from trembling.
“Oh my God… If something is bothering you, you can tell us. Her Highness will be very supportive.”
said Mrs. Loveruck, in a tone full of pity.
“I'm not upset... I just feel uncomfortable. It's like... I've stepped in between them.”
Seret fixed her gaze on her lap.
“You mean Their Graces, The Duke and Miss Elliot?”
Miss Parker asked quickly.
Siret neither confirmed nor denied the matter.
Siret did nothing but smile bitterly, enjoying the looks of pity from the women while maintaining a sad expression.
"They've been childhood friends. That's all."
Mrs. Freeman whispered consolingly.
"I know. They were old friends. And I also know that they were each other's first loves. However... I thought everything would be fine after marriage, but..."
Seret let her words trail off again.
"What happened?"
Parker asked with sparkling eyes.
“Actually… before the marriage, there was a small incident involving Miss Elliot.”
Seret started slowly.
"Wedding ring! You mean the wedding ring, right?"
Once Miss Parker heard what she was waiting for, she could not hide her excitement.
“Excuse me?”
Seret looked at her innocently.
“They say Miss Elliot stole our wedding ring. Rumors are everywhere.”
Miss Parker stared at Syrett with a face almost bursting with curiosity.
She was a little younger than Seret, so her curiosity trumped propriety and tact.
“Jane, don't be rude to Duchess Frecktwister.”
Christine scolded her sternly.
Parker—Christine's cousin—made an "ah!" She was afraid, and covered her mouth.
“How…? Your Honor has ordered everyone to hold their tongues.”
Seret looked shocked.
“There is no perfect secret in this world.”
said Mrs. Freeman, looking at Syrett sadly.
"And I think Miss Elliot took the ring by mistake. It must have been painful for her. Seeing your first love's wedding ring...is very sad."
Siret said as if she understood Lydia's position.
“There is nothing worthy of your understanding, Duchess.”
Miss Parker said frustratedly.
“I think His Highness the Duke felt the same, so he let it go. He must have been in a lot of pain. I still remember seeing him hugging Lydia and comforting her.”
Seret sighed weakly, exhaustion clearly visible on her features.
“What to do now...”
“Oh my God.”
The bridesmaids stared at Seret with eyes full of pity.
As she felt their gazes, Seret thought it would be best for her to leave for a while.
This will give the story time to mature.
“I apologize, allow me to back off for a moment.”
Seret stood, covering her mouth as if she was unable to contain her emotions.
She quickly left the tea room, then sighed.
Even she felt that her acting was improving day by day.
Seret smiled a little as she walked down the aisle.
While she was walking, she saw a small child hanging from a table on which a vase was placed.
The child, who looked to be about three years old, was reaching towards the flowers with difficulty.
child?
If it was a child in the palace, it must be the son of the Crown Prince and his wife.
Seret hurried towards him.
The table began to tilt towards the child due to his weight.
Dangerous moment.
Seret instinctively lunged.
At the moment when the table was about to fall on him, she picked up the child and rolled down the corridor.
The baby didn't get hurt—thanks to her.
Seconds later, the table fell and the vase shattered with a loud thud.
The child was terrified and began crying in her arms.
“Woah.”
The baby's crying spread throughout the corridor.
“Prince Matthew!”
His nanny ran towards Seret and the child with a face full of horror.
“Matthew.”
Hearing the sound of the vase breaking and the baby crying from the tea room, Christine also ran over.
Seret handed the baby to the nanny and stood up.
She felt pain in her knee—possibly from the impact of the fall.
“Matthew, baby.”
Christine caressed Matthew's head while he was on the nanny's lap, and covered his head with successive kisses.
“My apologies, Your Highness.”
said the nanny, bending over and trembling in fear.
“It's okay. The important thing is that Matthew is okay. Take him to his room. I'll go to him right now.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
The nanny hurried away carrying him.
Christine approached Syrette, who was surrounded by the palace ladies-in-waiting.
Then I hugged her tightly.
“Thanks to Duchess Freaktwister, Matthew was unharmed. I don’t know how to thank you.”
After taking her away from her embrace, Christine looked at her with warm eyes.
“I'm just glad he wasn't hurt.”
“Serit...you are a savior for me and my child. If you need anything, tell me, I will help you.”
“Thank you, Your Highness.”
All Syrett felt was relief that the baby was not harmed.
She herself couldn't protect her child...but she saved Christine's child.
A feeling of reassurance spread through her body.
She wished that all the children in the world would grow up safe.
Maybe this way...her child too, in a world without a mother, will grow up and be fine.
Seret smiled calmly.
***
On the way back, inside the carriage, Seret thought of the Crown Prince's child.
He must have been very frightened.
She remembered the image of Christine kissing the baby's head, and smiled.
She was jealous of Christine.
From her ability to soothe her child, kiss him, and hold him in her arms.
'My child...'
Seret often missed the child whose face she had never seen.
She didn't see him, yes—but he lived in her body for nine whole months.
He was quiet, perhaps—his movement was rare.
But when she felt a slight tremor... her heart was full.
She was eagerly awaiting the day she would meet him...
Seret raised her eyes to look at Yuan sitting across from her.
He was watching her the whole time, and as soon as she raised her head, their eyes met.
“Are you really okay?”
When they were bidding farewell to the Crown Prince and his wife, Yuan had heard from Christine what Seret had done.
He immediately asked her if she was injured.
She answered him no, but he seemed unconvinced.
“Yes, you see.”
Seret shook her head lightly.
Yuan let out a short sigh.
“But your features don't say so.”
“What about my features?”
“You look… about to cry.”
"I?"
Seret looked at him in surprise.
Did she really look like that?
maybe.
After all, she was thinking about the person she loved most in her life...and she would never see him again.
"Yes."
“I'm just... tired. That's all.”
Siret turned her gaze to the window.
As she stares into the dark streets, she continues to think about her child.
Was it a girl? Or a boy?
You feel like it was a boy. Just a feeling.
Did he look like her? Or does he look like Yuan?
She wished he looked like her.
It was said that he was born with blue eyes, so she decided to think he looked like her.
What was his name?
He must have had a name befitting the Fricktwister family.
What name did Yuan choose for him?
Seret looked up from the window and looked at Yuan again.
“Your Highness the Duke.”
Seret called out to Yuan.
"Yes."
Yuan tilted his head slightly as if telling her to continue talking.
Seret looked directly at him.
“If… there was a child, what name would you have chosen for him? Have you ever thought of a name for him?”
Oh my love, I will make you sad every time she remembers her child☹️☹️ God suffices me for Lydia only