Albert Ke no Reijou wa Botsuraku wo go Shomou desu Chapter 10 Part3

　In the first place, why a princess like Alicia was raised in the countryside, the reason dated back to ten something years ago, when Mary and Alicia weren't born yet.

　At that time, fortune telling was popular among the n.o.bility. And the n.o.blewomen would have fun at tea party by inviting famous fortune-teller.

　However, it was only to the extent of making a dress with color for love luck or decorating the mansion with animal stucco of good compatibility. That's the amount of money spent in it. Being a fortune-teller sometimes meant collaborating with a designer behind the scenes to make a trend.

　Simply put, it was a child`s play. Of course everyone involved understand it, but the point was to make a topic at tea party and for the base of creating luxurious party. The credibility of the fortune-telling itself was secondary.

　But, some people got deeply engrossed with it, to the point of calling the fortune-teller as teacher and chasing after them despite being n.o.bility. There was even people who confided all their house`s information and based their judgement on the fortune-telling.

　At that time, the young Queen, Alicia`s real mother, was also into fortune-telling. However, she kept a moderate distance with the fortune-teller.

　To invite fortune-teller to perform in a tea party, and reward them if the fortune was correct. The topic was also inconsequential matter like romance, health or the weather forecast for the next tea party. There was no information of the royal family at all.

　Despite being a Queen at young age, she had good sense.

　But the fortune-teller she invited was not.

　I am the Royal Family`s favorite fortune-teller, the peaceful dynasty is because of the fortune I told, without any shame, he bragged around about it.

　Selling their name by doing those, all the n.o.ble came to them saying “Please tell our fortune too” and gave them a lot of money. There was nothing more amusing than n.o.bles who purposely come to greet and lower their head to a fortune-teller they meet once.

　And that fortune-teller was the one who announced “I just met with the Queen.”

“From today, for three days and three nights, receive the King's love. By doing so, you will be blessed by a splendid son.”

　However, it was common sense that it was possible to have children if a healthy men and women of of those age sleep together for three days and three nights. Without fortune-telling, everyone knows that.

　But the Queen was overjoyed when she heard that. And even before the fortune was proven true, she gave a generous reward to the fortune-teller.

　This was also promoting the fortune-teller status, but she didn't realize the effect on her surrounding.

　Because she was still young, and she loved her husband from the bottom of her heart despite it being a political marriage. It was a chance to monopolize the husband who she couldn't meet because he was busy with diplomatic matter. And if a child was born from that chance, there would be no more happiness than that.

　The retainers, who know the Queen's feeling and the King who deal with diplomatic matter without a single protest for the sake of the country, despite the fact that both of them always want to be close to each other, left them to be a normal couple for three days and three nights.  If a male heir was born as a result, there was nothing more desirable than that.

　And with that, for three days, both of them moved to the King's villa. As the fortune told, they were blessed with a child.

　However, the child was a female, Alicia.

　Nevertheless, no one was disappointed. The King and the Queen were rejoicing over the birth of the princess. The retainer who wished for male heir were satisfied with the fact that the Queen's body is suitable for giving birth, also celebrated the birth of the princess who looked like her mother.

　Everyone in the country rejoiced over the princess's birth, and celebratory gifts came from inside and outside the country.

　Only one person, the one who foretold the fortune.

　Despite not being accused nor blamed over the incorrect fortune. While it was true that the foretold male heir was not born, because of the fortune, the Queen was able to conceive. Both the King and Queen also gave their grat.i.tude.

　But only the fortune-teller couldn't come to term with this result.

　Why is my result wrong when I'm the royal fortune-teller, is there something interfering with me, only one thing comes to mind…

　The conceited fortune-teller thought of Alicia as the source of their wrong result with resentment, and toward the sleeping baby…

“They kidnap her, is that it?”

“Yes. They brought the kidnapped princess into a faraway orphanage and until now she is still deemed missing… This is the truth of the missing princess.”

　At Mary's explanation, Addie nodded in understanding.

　Currently they were in Albert's house kitchen. A place where the maid and attendant cooked and had their meal, the so-called employee cafeteria.

　To have Mary, the daughter of their employer, sat there was weird but being comfortable with the hustle and bustle of the place, Mary was often found in the kitchen.

　What's more, with the general hectic and indifference, this place make it perfect to talk about stories you don't want other to hear.

　…nevertheless, when it was too busy, “Mary-sama, please peel this! ” she was often stuck with vegetables as well.

“But, why Alicia have the seal?” “

“There were people who find the fortune-teller's movement suspicious and snuck the seal into Alicia's baby clothes. What an achievement. Even in the game they have one still image for the scene…but…”

“My Lady, what's wrong?” “

　Addie peered curiously at Mary who stopped speaking.

　In DoraGaku, the scene about Alicia's past were drawn in sepia tone for the atmosphere.

　The young Queen who is the spitting image of present-Alicia, the lamentably-uncapturable-target handsome King, and the fortune-teller who was drawn in silhouettes to avoid suspicion.

　And then, after a few interactions, the screen switches to a still picture of the incident's night.

　Under the sepia tone, a baby with unknown hair and eye color and who was thought to be Alicia, was being embraced by a lone woman. In the woman's hand was the Royal seal, before she hid it in Alicia's baby clothes.

　And in the next scene, another new person appeared. Under the sepia tone and unknown face because the game only show the person's back, the person with magnificent drill-like vertical roll took the baby from the woman and then disappear…

　It was the outline of Princess kidnapping-case, which was drawn in several stages of painting.

　Addie who heard the story twitched.

　”A magnificent drill-like vertical roll…”

　”Yes, that, that was a drill-like vertical roll.”

　”…With silver color? “

　”With sepia color. I don't know that much.”

　”The…then…”

　”But when I looked up into the ancestry, there were no fortune-teller with vertical roll in our family.”

　Calm down, Mary told him, and Addie patted his chest in relief.

　In DoraGaku, vertical roll pointed directly to Mary.  Of course, at that time Mary was still a baby so she couldn't possibly plan the kidnapping.

　Mary's mother had the same silver color as her daughter, but her hair was in soft waves, and despite investigating the distant relative in their ancestry, no one aside from depicted-in-only-one-scene fortune teller (and Mary) had such vertical roll.

　With the scene overwashed with sepia, no one could know the hair color. For all they know, it might be a color other than silver.

　Besides, the baby was kidnapped in the process, the recollection scene was over and the relationship between the fortune teller and Mary was not told at all.

　It was certainly the production team intention to strengthen Mary's image as a villain, or perhaps there was someone with vertical-roll-fetish in the team. Or, the ill.u.s.trator were into drawing vertical-roll.

　That was Mary's conclusion.

　And that's why she could nonchalantly drink tea when the academy was closed because of the matter of Alicia.

　If the criminal of princess-kidnapping incident was a relative, surely, she couldn't be this calm.

　What she wanted is the downfall scene just like the game.

　In the end of the game, Albert's house did fall to ruin, but Mary's parent who appeared in the fan disc was still a n.o.ble. They apologized to Alicia and pledged loyalty to the Royal Family.

　They were drawn less wealthy, but they still wore a tailored outfit. Of course, there was no appearance of Mary.

　In other words, the extent of the downfall she hoped for was ‘only Mary who was exiled to the North'. She didn't hope for downfall because of the crime of kidnapping the princess.

　To begin with, if she hoped for a downfall that would kick her down the cliff, she wouldn't do something like throwing sarcasm at Alicia. She could beat Alicia and that would be the end of it.

　That's why it's hard to know the allowable line…, Mary sighed, and Addie sighed as well, as if timing them to coincide.

　”I guess, the palace is in uproar now. Poor Alicichan… Aren't you going to help, My Lady? “

　”Why do I have to go. Difficult or not, that is not my problem.”

　Hmph, with a displeased look elsewhere, she took a sip of her tea.

　Addie sighed at the nonchalant att.i.tude, but he also took the cup of tea and sipped it.

　”Even though you always walk around with the bracelet from Alicichan.”

　With just that one sentence, Mary who still had tea in her mouth, gave a m.u.f.fled “Guh,” but still managed to swallow down the tea without choking.

　As expected of the daughter of Albert House. No matter if it's within the mansion, or the employee cafeteria, the sight of a duke's daughter spurting out tea was something her pride wouldn't allow.  …she did coughed loudly though.

　”Whuh, whah, why do you know it! “

　”How many years do you think I have served you? I can tell you have something in your pocket with just a glance.”

　”We…well, as expected of my attendant. To know that much, but don't say it to anyone else, please.”

　”I understand…I won't say anything to anyone starting tomorrow. “

　”Already too late!　Who did you talk to! “

　Addie gave out Alicia and Patrick's name as if it's natural to the crying Mary.

　Of course, it was the two person she didn't want to know the most. In the noisy cafeteria, Mary's scream reverberate.

　It was impossible to throw it away, but it was not easy to leave it at home, but she could not wear it… at the end of the struggle, she always carried the bracelet around in her pocket as if to hide it.

　Naturally it was not something to be said to Alicia or Patrick, although she tried to not let it appear as a conversation topic, to think it was already known… With heat suffusing her cheeks because of embara.s.sment, Mary glared at Addie while trying to divert the conversation.

　As usual, he was a servant who understand his master well and betrayed her splendidly. When Mary said, “Traitor!” full of resentment, his eyes widened.

　”I'm a traitor! ？　That kind of! I did it because I'm My Lady's ally.”

　”Yes, yes, by ally, you meant as Alicia's Support Team Squad Leader, right.”

　”I am Alicichan Support Team President! “

　”That's what being a traitor is! …wait, are you being promoted ？ “

　This successful person! And so, Mary threw out abuse and complaint until the day after tomorrow while Addie smiled as if in satisfaction.

　For a while, there will be no more altruism– Although I feel that cleaning up this treachery act in one word of “there is no more altruism” is problematic— debate was continuing, Bang!  Went the cafeteria's door.

　There was a beautiful woman with silver and glittering wavy hair, with a reigning imposing pose that didn't match her beauty, looking around inside the room.

　And she found the person she's searching for,

　”Mary, we are going to the Royal Palace!　Prepare yourselves! “

　was the order.

　The voice that carried on despite the bustling kitchen…

　”Mother ？ “

　”Madam ？ “

TN: I have problem with understanding the Mary-Addie debate so please excuse me if it's confusing you as well.