At this moment, Aunt Catherine placed her hand on Wilhelmina’s shoulder and said, “I think this child has been educated well enough. Those rigid rules of the court should have been eliminated long ago. Isn’t that right, Father?”
“Yes, dear, I have always hated them,” the aging Emperor mumbled in agreement. He was accustomed to the conflict between aunt and niece and had always been protective of his daughter.
Just as the Crown Princess was about to respond, Kerns burst into the sitting room, brandishing a small sword. The girls paled and scattered, but Wilhelmina’s eyes lit up.
“How cool! Is this the Saxon knight’s sword from ‘Dragon Warrior’?” she exclaimed.
“Hey, not bad eye!” Kerns boasted, “My Uncle Rod bought me the authentic version, even with the main character’s autograph. You can touch it.”
Wilhelmina reached out, but Kerns pulled the sword back. “Okay! If you touch too much, it’ll affect the ‘energy’ of the sword.”
“If you’re strong enough, I won’t affect it,” Wilhelmina retorted. “This is a sword of the strong. If you’re not strong enough, you don’t deserve to own it.”
“We’ll see about that,” Kerns said confidently.
“Look at you two,” Catherine stroked Wilhelmina’s hair affectionately. “I believe you’ll become good friends, won’t you? And Kerns, I’ve told you many times to learn to share.”
“No way!” Kerns blew a spit bubble at Wilhelmina and ran off.
Wilhelmina looked longingly at the departing sword, her admiration not escaping Aunt Catherine’s notice.
The next morning, Wilhelmina woke up to find Hans Borg by her bed with a small sword.
“From Princess Catherine, miss. I’ve already thanked her. You should write a thank-you letter after breakfast.”
Wilhelmina held the sword lovingly and asked, “What about Kerns?”
“I think the princess can certainly get many such swords,” Hans Borg smiled.
The afternoon etiquette class was simpler. The middle-aged female teacher gracefully guided Wilhelmina, but the child realized she didn’t know how to walk, bow, or even eat properly.
From that day on, Wilhelmina began walking around with a book balanced on her head.
When Hans Borg instructed the servants, he often saw her in soft-soled cloth shoes, the book on her head, walking carefully in the room. The book would sometimes fall, followed by her frustrated cry.
He would help her pick it up and smile as he placed it back on her head. The girl would stick out her tongue and make a funny face at him.
Ballet, Latin, chess, shooting, horseback riding…
The mountain of coursework made time pass quickly. In the blink of an eye, it was May 15th.
Early that morning, Wilhelmina was awakened by the nanny and dressed in a black formal dress. The nanny styled her hair, and Hans Borg knelt to help her put on her shoes.
“Is it raining outside?” Wilhelmina asked.
“No, just overcast,” Hans Borg replied. “Have you memorized the speech?”
Wilhelmina nodded, dressed solemnly with a white flower pinned to her chest for her father’s funeral.
Her mother had passed away when Wilhelmina was four due to a space travel accident; her body was never found. At her mother’s funeral, the coffin contained her most beloved outfit. As a child, Wilhelmina didn’t fully grasp the sadness but often missed her mother and cried.
Her father had once taken her on a month-long trip. She didn’t remember the details but recalled the warmth and love he provided. Though unable to live with her, he deeply loved her.
The royal funeral was solemn, with hearses carrying the prince and princess’s bodies driving towards the church, followed by the royal family.
Wilhelmina rode with His Majesty the Emperor, her grandfather holding her hand tightly.
During the farewell, the Emperor picked up Wilhelmina and walked to the sealed coffin covered with white roses. She gently threw her own flower onto it.
“Give Dad a kiss,” he said.
Wilhelmina blew a kiss to her father’s coffin.
“Good girl,” the Emperor said, kissing her soft temple before carrying her away.
At the post-funeral tea party, her new identity as the Duchess of Roxston was established. She would inherit her father’s throne as the only daughter, along with her father’s and stepmother’s properties and territories, holding jurisdiction over her lands. As the seventh in the line of succession, she would have a seat in the Senate at eighteen, and a silver-gray ship named Vanasi would serve as her private vehicle.
Hans Borg later read a long list of her new responsibilities to her. An official from the Interior Ministry bowed, asking if Wilhelmina had any further requests.
She shook her head, feeling tired and hoping to avoid dance lessons.
Another wealthy and noble young lady of the Galactic Empire was born. At the tea party attended by celebrities and ministers, the newly appointed Duchess of Roxston read her thank-you speech.
The girl spoke clearly and composedly, appearing stunned by the grand occasion, completing the adults’ requirements like a puppet.
“My poor little sister Willy,” Annabelle embraced Wilhelmina. “Believe me, everything will get better.”
Kerns pushed something cool and wet into Wilhelmina’s hand. She looked down to see a green frog staring at her with wide eyes.
“How fun!” she exclaimed. “Where did you find this?”
“I have my secret base,” Kerns said proudly, eating cream cake.
“Can you take me there?”
“No way!” Kerns replied. “You have a sword now. My sword is no longer the only one in the palace.”
“Cheapskate.”
Wilhelmina placed the frog on the table. It immediately leaped into Georgiana’s cake plate, splashing cream on her face.
“Ah—” Georgiana screamed upon seeing the frog.
The low atmosphere broke as people rushed over. Georgiana cried, throwing her plate on the ground. The frog hopped frantically, causing ladies to shriek and stumble over trays. Suddenly, the hall was in chaos.
“Oh, damn!” Kerns exclaimed, stunned.
Wilhelmina took the plate from him and ran through the side door. Only after they disappeared did the Emperor’s loud shout calm the commotion.
“Ladies and gentlemen, it was just a frog, not a ten billion-strong enemy army.”
Annabelle glared at her sister as Georgiana was led away by the red-faced princess to change clothes. The guests gradually regained their composure.
The two children ran breathlessly to the fountain deep in the garden. Kerns bounced around the grass like a monkey, laughing heartily.
“You’re amazing, Wili! I spent so much effort and couldn’t even make Joe open her eyes wide. But you made her scream like a cat whose tail was stepped on.”
“No need to thank me!” William Mina irritably loosened her bowtie. “I’m not helping you.”
“I’ve decided!” Cairns grabbed William Mina’s hand. “My dear cousin, I invite you to my secret base!”
Chapter 8
As afternoon tea ended and the evening banquet was about to begin, Hans Borg emerged from the Ministry of Internal Affairs conference room. As the newly appointed secretary, he found managing the affairs of a new female duke somewhat overwhelming.
Hans returned to the hall and ate a little something before the nanny anxiously informed him that William Mina was missing. He then called his deputy and organized the attendants into three groups to search for her quietly.
She was nowhere to be found in the palace or the nearby gardens. Just as Hans Borg was about to return to the Little White Palace, someone blocked his path.
“What trouble are you having, Lord Hans Borg?” Anna Belle leaned against the column, her blue-gray eyes full of interest. “Have you lost something? Perhaps I can help you find it.”
“Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness,” Hans Borg bowed. “I just remembered I have something to handle and must take my leave.”
“What a pity,” Anna Belle tilted her head, an expression of disappointment crossing her face. “But where is William Mina? You two are usually inseparable.”
