After eating breakfast while pretending nothing had happened, Kane walked out of the palace as if everything were normal.
He had originally planned to explore the royal capital today. The events of last night—or rather, the early hours of this morning—only made him prepare to visit a few more places.
As for running away immediately, Kane had no such intention for the time being.
Even setting aside any potential political reasons, he could not accept the fact that he had been ambushed twice by the same person and still did not even know what they looked like.
At around 7:30 AM, Kane left the palace with ease, facing no obstructions.
When the guards on duty saw Kane, who politely smiled and nodded at everyone he met, they smiled and nodded back in response, watching him depart.
They had already received instructions that Kane was allowed to go anywhere as long as it was not a highly classified area. Although leaving the palace had not been explicitly mentioned, since he could go almost everywhere else, going outside was naturally not a problem.
At the same time Kane was leaving the palace, Vanessa was walking through the palace corridors toward a certain destination.
Although she had not told anyone where she was going, very few people were unable to guess.
As long as one stayed in the royal palace, it was impossible not to know that Vanessa had a mother complex.
After all, Vanessa herself had no intention of hiding it.
Unlike Edwina, who only went to see the Queen when summoned, Vanessa would take the initiative to visit even if she had not been called.
“Good morning, Princess Vanessa.”
When Vanessa arrived in front of the Queen’s private bedchamber, the maid waiting at the door was not at all surprised by her arrival. She simply bowed and greeted her normally.
“Yes, good morning. Is Mother still in her room?”
Vanessa maintained a cold demeanor, asking the maid about the matter she cared about while responding.
“Yes, Her Majesty is still inside.”
Upon receiving the maid’s response, Vanessa walked to the door. She gathered 120% of her focus and knocked on the door of the Queen’s room. Following a rhythmic and steady series of knocks, Vanessa announced her name.
“Mother, it is I, Vanessa. May I come in?”
Vanessa’s voice was calm and polite, seemingly without any issues.
However, Vanessa could clearly hear the sound of her own heartbeat. She was well aware that she was nervous.
It was not a fear of being rejected, but simply the nervousness that came from seeing her mother.
“…Come in, Vanessa.”
Although there was a silence in the room for a moment—lasting about three or four seconds before the Queen’s response came—for Vanessa, it felt as if ten or so seconds had passed.
Frankly, she wanted to rush inside impatiently, but that would only lead to the Queen scolding her for lacking decorum. Therefore, Vanessa pushed the door open in an orderly fashion and walked into the Queen’s bedchamber with disciplined steps.
Vanessa felt no particular sentiment regarding this room, which she had visited many times.
She simply suppressed her excitement and walked toward the beautiful figure who was already dressed in a gown and crown, sitting before the dressing table to apply her final touches of makeup.
“Good morning, Mother.”
Even though the Queen did not look at her immediately and continued to apply makeup in the mirror, Vanessa felt no dissatisfaction. She walked in front of the Queen and bowed deeply.
“…No need for formalities. Raise your head.”
At this distance, even without turning her head, Corellia could see her adopted daughter in the mirror.
However, Corellia’s attitude did not change. She remained as cold and distant as she was with everyone else. After granting her daughter permission to look up, she said nothing more and continued applying her makeup in the mirror.
As the Queen of a nation, makeup was necessary. In theory, several maids should have helped her every morning.
However, Corellia maintained a significant sense of distance even from her own maids. Except for necessary circumstances, she basically did her own makeup.
This was actually quite a troublesome task, but fortunately, Corellia usually only needed light makeup, so it did not take too much time.
Mainly, it was the eyebrow and lip makeup that required a bit more effort.
At this moment, Corellia was staring into the mirror, reapplying her lip makeup.
For Vanessa, this was actually a rare sight.
Come to think of it, this was the first time she had seen her beloved mother applying makeup. Usually, when she came in at this time, Corellia would have already finished everything and would be reading a book in the room.
What was the reason Corellia was late with her makeup today? Vanessa did not pay attention to such things.
She simply endured her racing heart, watching Corellia apply her makeup while feeling that her mother was truly the best.
Although her mother had a different kind of charm without any makeup at all, her mother wearing ice-blue eye shadow and lip makeup made her heart flutter even more.
Especially watching those beautiful, pale-blue lips deepen in color little by little, Vanessa felt very fortunate to be her mother’s daughter.
Corellia’s movements were slow and gentle, so much so that after her initial excitement faded, Vanessa had time to reflect on the act of applying makeup itself.
She currently did not wear any makeup at all. However, Edwina seemed to be imitating Corellia, as her makeup style was very similar, except she swapped the ice-blue for light purple.
As for why Vanessa did not wear makeup, it was not for any grand reason.
It was simply because she did not know how to do it. Moreover, she always felt that she was not yet capable of standing on her own, so she felt she should not wear makeup—at least not until she was more mature and more like Corellia’s daughter.
She didn’t know how, and she felt unqualified; those were her reasons.
But then again, seeing her mother apply makeup, what daughter would not feel curious?
Of course, curiosity was one thing, but in the end, she said nothing. She just quietly watched Corellia finish her makeup, reapplying the blue that had somehow faded quite a bit back to its usual ice-blue.
“…Sorry to keep you waiting. So, Vanessa, do you have something to tell me?”
Corellia, who had been focusing on her makeup, only stood up and looked directly at her daughter after finishing, asking the reason for her early morning visit.
Even Vanessa could not have come just to greet her. There must be some reason.
…Though she likely already knew what that reason was.
“Ah, yes, Mother. I have something to report. Actually, I met that con man last night. He really is a dangerous fellow. Edwina seems to have been influenced by him to some extent. However, please rest assured, I will definitely catch that con man’s tail and expose his true purpose!”
Even seeing Corellia’s profile had been exciting, and now being looked at directly by Corellia made Vanessa feel even more honored and thrilled. She could not maintain her cold expression after all, and she revealed a pure smile like an ordinary child in front of Corellia.
“…”
Looking at her daughter like this, Corellia expressed neither support nor opposition. She simply watched her daughter, who was striving to prove her strength, allowing her to take whatever actions she deemed correct.
…After all, she was also taking actions she deemed correct, so there was no reason to stop her daughter.
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