The emperor’s second daughter, Princess Catherine, was a beautiful, talkative lady who spoke for herself and her physics doctorate husband. The third princess, Marianna, returned to court after divorcing last year, bringing her child with her. Often referred to as the “invisible royal,” she was said to resemble Queen Christa – pale, thin, and silent, rarely appearing in public and engaging in no charitable activities.
“I’m happy to see Wilhelmina looking more like Adam,” the crown princess said cheerfully, “and I’m glad she can grow up beside us.”
What could be more anticipated than watching a young girl blossom into a beautiful maiden, isn’t that right, Heinrich?” The crown prince responded dryly, expressing happiness about his young niece’s return to the court.
“It should have been done long ago,” Princess Catherine said bluntly. “I told Adam he shouldn’t have left a child so far away with her grandparents. Everything is still in time. An aunt can also be a mother, can’t she?”
“Don’t talk about her father’s shortcomings in front of the child. Adam wanted to bring her over, but Anne disagreed. Anne doesn’t like children,” the crown princess said.
“Just because she can’t have children doesn’t mean she doesn’t like them,” Catherine retorted. “Stop slandering the dead. The child is listening.”
The crown princess fell silent, turning pale and forcing a smile. The crown prince, indifferent to his wife’s humiliation, carefully cut his sandwich into isosceles triangles—an aspect of his obsessive-compulsive disorder that the royal family kept secret from the public.
“Oh, the children are back from school,” the emperor said, and everyone turned as several children rushed up the flower hall steps before even taking off their schoolbags.
“Grandpa!” a blonde girl exclaimed, throwing herself into the emperor’s embrace. “I got an A today! Would you like to see my test paper?”
The emperor affectionately said, “Annabelle, my honey, wait a moment. Come and meet your cousin, Wilhelmina.”
The tall, elegant blonde girl stood up, curtsying to Wilhelmina. Wilhelmina, eager to return the gesture, forgot the plate on her knee, and it fell, shattering completely. Startled, she froze in fear.
