Fated Hearts: Reborn to be His Duchess

Chapter 42: Chapter 42: A Gift Beyond Reproach

"That is true. She is still just a child."

Elysia nodded agreeably.

Then she added with perfect innocence, "After today, she will be seventeen, won’t she? Nearly a grown woman and almost my age."

Queen Ilara’s gracious smile faltered for the briefest moment.

With that once sentence, Elysia had drawn attention to the queen’s hypocrisy.

Elysia sighed softly.

"At such an age, yet she still addresses me by my given name instead of calling me ’Aunt.’ And to speak so casually of His Majesty..."

Her expression remained gentle.

"Naturally, Cassiel and I would never hold a grudge against a child."

She deliberately put slight emphasis on the last word.

"But she is still a princess of the realm."

Elysia turned toward Ilara.

"If such habits continue, people outside the palace may begin to question the royal family’s standards of etiquette. That would be unfortunate, wouldn’t it, Your Majesty?"

The Queen felt the trap close neatly around her.

To defend Sylrienne would be to admit fault.

To argue would only draw more attention.

So she smiled and endured.

"You are correct."

Her voice remained smooth.

"The King and I have been occupied with state affairs."

A faint sigh escaped her.

"We have clearly neglected certain aspects of Sylrienne’s education."

Elysia nodded sympathetically.

"That is understandable."

Then she added with quiet precision,

"Fortunately, there is still time to correct it."

The Queen’s smile stiffened further.

"Indeed."

Only then did Elysia seem satisfied.

"Miriam."

Her maid immediately stepped forward carrying an ornate lacquered box.

Elysia accepted it before presenting it with both hands.

"A small birthday gift from Cassiel and myself."

Her smile was warm.

"We wish Princess Sylrienne a lifetime of happiness and blessings."

Sylrienne nearly exploded.

At that moment, she wanted nothing more than to throw the box across the hall.

Preferably at Elysia.

Unfortunately, Queen Ilara’s hand closed firmly around her wrist beneath the table.

A silent warning.

Behave

The Queen’s smile never wavered.

"How thoughtful."

She motioned for a servant to receive the gift.

Then she turned toward her daughter.

"Aren’t you going to thank your aunt?"

Sylrienne’s face darkened.

"I won’t—"

"Sylrienne."

The Queen’s voice was barely audible.

Yet the warning contained within that one word was unmistakable.

The princess immediately fell silent.

After several agonizing moments, she forced herself to look toward Elysia.

"Thank you..."

Her voice was barely audible.

Elysia raised an eyebrow.

"Mm?"

Sylrienne nearly bit through her own tongue.

"...Aunt."

Only then did Elysia smile.

"You’re welcome. After all, that’s what family is for."

The sweetness of that smile nearly made Sylrienne choke.

Desperate to move on, Sylrienne reached for the gift box and opened it.

She expected jewelry.

A bracelet.

A hairpin.

Perhaps a gemstone ornament.

Anything that she could disdain or dislike and then throw back to shame Elysia.

Instead—

Several cloth-bound volumes stared back at her.

The title on the top one read:

The Paths of Noble Virtue

Underneath lay another.

The Shield of Modesty

The princess froze.

Then horror flooded her face.

"What is this?"

Her voice rose sharply.

"Who wants books like these!?"

Several ladies immediately lowered their heads to hide their amusement.

Elysia remained perfectly composed.

"Books are treasures."

She folded her hands in her lap.

"The Paths of Noble Virtue was written by a former queen whose wisdom was praised throughout the kingdom."

"The Shield of Modesty has guided generations of noble daughters."

"As a princess, Your Highness should naturally be familiar with such works."

Her voice was gentle.

Almost affectionate.

"Only by understanding proper conduct can one fully honor the expectations of His Majesty and Her Majesty."

The hall grew noticeably quieter.

Elysia continued,

"These particular copies were transcribed by Queen Guinevere herself."

A small murmur swept through nearby tables.

Those words changed everything.

Queen Guinevere was revered throughout history.

Anything connected to her carried considerable value.

"They were not easy to obtain."

Elysia smiled softly.

"I thought they would make the perfect gift."

For a moment, neither Queen Ilara nor Sylrienne could respond.

The gift was impeccable.

Meaningful.

Historically valuable.

Completely impossible to criticize.

And yet somehow utterly devastating.

After all, Queen Guinevere was precisely the sort of woman Ilara often praised.

A model of virtue.

A model of obedience.

A model she had repeatedly used to lecture Elysia in years past.

Now those same lessons had been neatly wrapped and handed to Sylrienne instead.

"Elysia,"

Even Ilara sounded impressed.

"You are remarkably thoughtful."

"It is only my duty."

Elysia lowered her eyes modestly.

Beside her, Sylrienne looked as though she had swallowed poison.

Elysia found that strangely satisfying.

The honey cakes before her suddenly tasted much sweeter.

Fuming, Sylrienne shoved the books aside.

"Your Highness,"

A gentle voice interrupted.

Deborah stepped forward and curtsied gracefully.

"I have also brought a gift."

Sylrienne brightened immediately.

"What is it?"

Deborah’s maid stepped forward carrying a carefully wrapped package.

For one dreadful moment, Sylrienne feared another educational text.

Thankfully, Deborah smiled.

"It isn’t a conduct manual."

The princess visibly relaxed.

Deborah continued, "I thought Your Highness might enjoy something more entertaining."

Her maid unveiled the gift.

"It is a copy of Legends of Cassiopeia."

The reaction was immediate.

Sylrienne gasped and her eyes immediately lit up.

"You actually found one?"

A smile spread across Deborah’s face.

"Not just any copy..."

She paused deliberately.

"This manuscript was personally written by Alhena."

Excited whispers erupted throughout the hall.

Alhena.

The mysterious author whose romantic stories had captivated half the kingdom.

No one knew whether Alhena was a man or woman.

Young or old.

Noble or common.

The identity remained one of the capital’s greatest literary mysteries.

As the hall buzzed with excitement, one person sat perfectly still.

Elysia’s hand froze halfway to another honey cake.

For the first time all afternoon, genuine surprise appeared on her face.

Legends of Cassiopeia.

That title.

That name.

A strange feeling stirred deep within her chest.

One she had not expected to feel again.

And suddenly, the cheerful noise of the banquet seemed very far away.

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