TN: Surprisingly I got a lot of holiday in my current schedule, so Iām going to try to post the rest of volume 1 (4 more chaps) within next week because I fear I wonāt have any holiday again for the rest of the month. Please enjoy.
The meeting that began again at a slow pace because everyone was gauging the situation, started to become chaotic again after a while.
In the first place, the situation wouldnāt be resolved just because Mary and the other joined in. Although Alicia or Patrick regained their calmness somewhat, it didnāt mean that it would lead to a decision.
Thatās why Mary sent a questioning gaze at her mother, because she didnāt understand the reason she was brought here. Sitting beside her husband and watching the chaotic parliament, nothing could be felt from her dignified form. Howeverā¦to come here meant there must be something.
Because she was the lady of the Albert House, she should know how important this meeting was, and how sinful it was to interrupt it.
Donāt tell me, does mother reallyā¦
Mary started to worry again, as the meeting started to discuss about the originality of the seal.
Why Alicia have the seal, and whether the seal was the real thing. At the end of the discussion, the decision was that Alicia stole the seal and was trying to become part of the royal familyā¦. Mary was confused on how it became like that.
It was an astounding story from the start, but the parliament was as incoherent as the story was.
However, Mary couldnāt say a thing despite listening to the decision. As expected, she couldnāt say, āIt is real in the game!ā
In the situation where Mary couldnāt do a thing, Carrelās beautiful voice, āIf I mayā, echoed in the room.
Naturally, everyone sent her a look, as was Mary and Addie.
Her dignified appearance was beautiful, it didnāt pale even when compared to this parliament room. Mary still felt uneasy despite how noble Carrelās figure cut in this room.
She remembered the only one still image of the game.
That sepia scenery, when baby Alicia was kidnapped.
If the fortune-teller who kidnapped Alicia was blood-relativeā¦
And mother was trying to confess about itā¦
The more she thought about it, the more Maryās unease grew.
She didnāt know what her mother was thinking, if the criminal who went against the Royal Family was someone from Albert House and they hid the truth until now, it wouldnāt only be a downfall for them. It would be a family trip to the prison for treason.
āWhy she hold the royal seal, and whether the seal is real. Please let me explain. Becauseā¦ā
āWa, wait, mother, calm dowā¦ā
āThat day, it was I who put the seal inside the young Princessās cloth. ā
ā¦..
ā¦ā¦ā¦ā¦
āā¦Eh? ā
The crowd went crazy at Carrelās confession. It seemed she didnāt even tell her husband, because unlike his usual self, he stared wide-eyed at his wife who sat beside him.
But that reaction couldnāt be helped. Because the confession held too much impact.
The Princess-kidnapping case, and at the same time, the missing royal seal. To think the one who held all the truth was the wife of the noble family who was second only to the royal family, to not be surprised was impossible.
āI always find that fortune-teller suspicious. Maybe because Iām a mother who have a young daughter as well, I could feel the hatred in the gaze directed at the Princess.ā
āMotherā¦ā
āAfter I became aware of it, Iām afraid something will happen to the Princess, I was constantly watching over that fortune-teller. And that dayā¦ā
According to Carrel, after a long time that fortune-teller finally made a move.
So she tried to protect the young Princess, but she fell to the fortune-tellerās trick, and as the result, the Princess was kidnapped. That one still image.
In that time, the thought she should at least hold something to prove her identity, the conclusion was the seal.
āI know the danger that come with holding the royal seal. But still, to think at least there will be a chance for parent and child to meet againā¦ā
Carrel casted down her eyes as she confessed.
She knew how painful it was for the Queen to lose the Princess because she had a daughter who was the same age, thatās why she took such a bold action when one usually hesitated.
As expected of a motherās intuition.
But no matter her position as an Albert, everything wouldnāt be resolved with just her testimony.
Several people tried to doubt the truth of the story and the Congress fell into another chaos.
And that very momentā¦
āHer story is true.ā
The door was opened vigorously.
Everyone was stunned, and in a hurry bowed down to the person who appeared from the door.
Her soft golden hair swayed as she looked around the Parliament Room. A beautiful but loveable woman who has both warmth and nobility in her manner.
The Queen, and the King who stood beside her, also expressed a word of apology saying, āIām sorry to be lateā, with a dignified yet quiet grace.
As a matter of fact, they were people who reigns at the top of this country.
More noble and exalted than anyone.
Mary, surprised as she was, began to compare the Queen and Alicia with wide-eyes.
Identical. Just like twin. It was at the level where one should normally realize the similarity. It wouldnāt be unbelievable if one said Alicia was the young copy of the Queen.
To be honest, where had the Kingās gene gone? Couldnāt they give her some of his geneā¦.
āā¦.My Lady, My Lady! ā
āā¦.A, Addie? ā
āWhatās wrong, youāre spacing out.ā
Perhaps to return to conciousness, Mary blinked several times at Addieās hand as he waved it in front of her.
It seemed her brain short-circuited because of the shock at the development, when she realized, both the King and Queen already sat down.
āā¦.I was running away from reality.ā
āHow unfair, if youāre running away, please bring me too.ā
āEe, youāre right. Next time I will ask. Please come with me as well in escaping reality.ā
And by exchanging jokes like that, her cool-headedness returned.
Now was not the time to dwell on Alicia and the Queenās similarity. Rather, their similarity should be increasing the credibility of Alicia being a princess.
And if they looked closer, she looked like the King as well. Like the corner of their eyes, orā¦their gestureā¦.if you looked at them from far awayā¦.no, this was definitely not a flattery or lip service.
āMy Lady, are you running away from reality again? ā
āE, eeā¦itās nothingā¦ā
As she responded to Addieās voice, her consciousness returned again.
Then turning over to the problem before her eyes in panic, both the King, Queen and Alicia looked at each other and approached step by step timidly.
Their breathtaking look was just like parents and child, and the moment when Alicia and Queen ās hair swayed roughly at the same timeā¦