During the reign of Annabel I, I primarily spoke less and smiled at the public, a habit I have maintained, though I now speak more than before.
Galactic Empire Year 7378, February 25: Queen Annabel I ascended the throne. Wilhelmina did not attend the coronation, not due to conflict with Annabel but because she had rubella. After Hans Borg left, she caught a cold and fever, which weakened her constitution. Sir Wolf remained serious and responsible, strictly adhering to his duties, delegating care for Wilhelmina to the nanny and maids, keeping his distance.
In her semi-conscious state, Wilhelmina often felt someone by her bed, but when she opened her eyes, the room was empty. The chair where Hans Borg sat was preserved. Wilhelmina sewed a cushion cover to place on it and used it to display dolls he had given her.
The super screen played the coronation scene, filling the room with ceremonial music and voices. Wilhelmina, listlessly drinking pungent syrup, remained indifferent to the spectacle. The communicator beeped with a message from Cairns: “Annabel’s lipstick is smeared on her teeth.”
Wilhelmina burst out laughing, burying her face in the pillow and pounding the bed. The nanny and maids who rushed in looked at each other, puzzled by their master’s sudden good mood. Wilhelmina laughed until tears flowed, realizing she still had friends who cared about her.
Upon returning to school, life hadn’t changed much. As Hans Borg said, Annabel was proud and wouldn’t openly make things difficult for her. The sycophants had disappeared, which Wilhelmina considered a positive change.
Wilhelmina had her own friends. Led by Angela, the “Glasses Alliance” was composed mostly of students from civilian families, each with a special skill. They were honest, passionate, kind, and easygoing, allowing Wilhelmina to feel peace and happiness.
“Did Annabel say you should return to Roxton after graduation?” Cairns asked. “So you can’t go to university in Til?”
“That’s five or six years from now,” Wilhelmina replied. “I think she’ll marry Selberg in two years and be busy with kids. By then, she’ll be too overwhelmed with state affairs and her children’s needs to bother with me.”
Cairns lay under the tree shade, chewing on a blade of grass, while Angela skipped stones by the lake.
