Chapter 56

The first round of matches in the morning had concluded, and a new match schedule was distributed along with sandwiches filled with lunch ingredients.

Large containers of tea for refills were placed on each table, and the voices of vendors selling lunch and customers buying it could be heard bustling from the commoners' side.

I wanted to go and encourage Sir Percival right away, but it seemed to be forbidden. It apparently wasn't good to approach a knight who was on edge, and it seemed that families, friends, and lovers who had come to support knights who had joined the order from afar could only meet them after the matches were over.

My body, which had been tense and stiff, didn't really make me feel hungry just by looking at the food, but after taking a bite, I realized I was actually quite hungry.

Together with my mother-in-law, I ate lunch politely amidst the noisy but now less tense chatter. I rarely ate outside, but I thought it was nice to have a meal outdoors like this.

"Ah, as expected, Prince Frey is exempt from the second round. His name isn't on the list. Percy is in the first round again, so he should be able to rest a bit..."

"Everyone who advanced is strong... No, Sir Percival will surely be fine."

"Hehe, that's true. Also, being exempt from the second round isn't always a good thing. I think it's the same with writing and embroidery; once you take a break or have a meal, your concentration can break, right?"

"Yes, you might think, 'That's enough for today.'"

"Without fighting, Prince Frey needs to maintain his concentration... In that sense, Percy has an advantage."

While having such a conversation, my mother-in-law and I finished our sandwiches, drank our tea thoroughly, and took turns going to the restroom.

I finished first, and my mother-in-law went next. It took a bit of time because it was the lunch rush, but since we had been sweating moderately, it wasn't particularly bothersome to have taken care of it.

"Hey, are you enjoying yourself today?"

"Your Majesty...!"

When I returned, Her Majesty the Queen was sitting in my seat. Since it's a well-known fact that the Queen frequently holds tea parties, she stood out but quickly blended in with the crowd.

"It's my turn. Please wait here and chat with the Queen for a bit."

"Yes, yes."

As my mother-in-law stood up, the Queen moved to her seat, and I sat in my own seat next to her.

"The first round, everyone did well."

"Yes, it was... very intense and skillful."

"To avoid complications, I'll call you by your name. Alexandra is always in this state of tension. Did you hear the opening remarks from the Captain of the Royal Guard? That voice, full of power, carries the weight of the lives and responsibilities he bears. Of course, he doesn't show that side at home, but Alexandra is always worried about the Captain of the Royal Guard."

"..."

In response to the Queen's words, I could only remain silent.

Indeed, my father-in-law is always kind and gentle, and my mother-in-law never shows any such signs. It must be an unspoken understanding.

The same goes for Sir Percival. At home, he is kind to me, sometimes even stiff. We haven't had much time together lately, but perhaps, in addition to training hard to win, he didn't want to show me his stern side.

"Miss Mimosa, can you treat Sir Percival, who will eventually become the Captain of the Royal Guard, the way Alexandra does?"

If I were to be a wife who constantly worries and cries, Sir Percival wouldn't be able to relax at home either.

However, Sir Percival and I have made a solid vow. We have a promise.

Gripping my dress tightly, I smiled awkwardly. This was the first time I was sharing this with someone else.

"Yes, of course. ...Sir Percival fights with his sword, and I fight with my needle. We are comrades in battle."

At my words, the Queen's eyes widened, and she laughed out loud, standing up. Just as my mother-in-law returned, she asked, "What happened?"

"No, I've got a good daughter-in-law. Alexandra will be proud."

"Hehe, Mimosa is a good girl, isn't she? No, no, she's already Sir Percy's wife."

"Don't worry, I've already scolded Frey on this point."

I was the one who widened my eyes at those words. The Queen had scolded him, and I had said something quite significant.

Feeling anxious that I might have overdone it, I fidgeted, but the Queen said, "Don't worry, it was a good lesson," and left.

My mother-in-law, who returned to her seat, smiled slightly. It was a somewhat troubled smile.

"It was such a good lesson that it made her take it seriously. I wish she had underestimated Percy... No, that would be disrespectful to both Percy and Prince Frey. Well, the afternoon matches are about to start."

At my mother-in-law's words, I returned my gaze to the center of the Colosseum. If Sir Percival continues to win, he has four more matches left.

The tension was still far from easing.