Althea: The Legendary Saintess [Shoujo]

The place where Althea was taken was the royal family's secret garden. There, Queen Titania and the Chief of the Ministry of Magic, Cassandra, sat at a table. Nearby, Princess Liliauge and a boy Althea had never seen before were laughing, surrounded by flowers.

When Princess Liliauge spotted Althea, her face lit up with a radiant smile.

"Al-he-ya~ Over here, over here!"

The young princess beckoned, her pronunciation still imperfect.

Althea glanced at her mother, who nodded in approval. After bowing respectfully to Queen Titania and Minister Cassandra, who were seated at a distant table, Althea approached Princess Liliauge.

"It has been a while, Princess," Althea said, bowing.

"Yes, Al-he-ya, you're as beautiful as always. Oh, here, this is for you," the princess said, handing her a flower.

"Thank you, Princess. By the way..." Althea glanced at the boy standing next to Liliauge. He seemed a bit younger than herself, probably around ten or eleven years old, yet not enrolled in the academy. On closer inspection, he bore a resemblance to the princess.

"Ah, Al-he-ya, you haven't met him before? This is brother Jef-fey," Liliauge explained.

"Your brother... then, this must be Prince Jeffrey, the second prince? It is an honor to meet you, Your Highness. Please forgive my ignorance of your esteemed presence," Althea said, hurriedly bowing her head.

There was no response from Jeffrey. While she pondered, "Haven't I been in this situation before?" she heard Liliauge's irritated voice.

"Brother! If you don't respond quickly, Al-he-ya will stay like this forever!"

Startled, Jeffrey finally spoke, "Ah, please, raise your head. Althea? Please, don't mind me. I'd be happy if you treated me as you do Liliauge."

With permission granted, Althea looked up to find Prince Jeffrey covering his mouth with his hand, his face turned away but his eyes fixed on her. Curious but relieved, Althea smiled and responded.

"Thank you. Allow me to introduce myself properly. I am Althea Monclair. Pleased to make your acquaintance."

Realizing his mistake, Jeffrey stammered, "I-I apologize. Liliauge called you Al-he-ya, so I... The correct name is Althea, right?"

"Please don't worry about it. But Princess Liliauge has greatly improved her speaking. Before, she could only manage Li-ya," Althea said with a gentle laugh, looking at Liliauge, who beamed and hugged her.

"Liliauge loves Al-he-ya. You're kind and beautiful, and your silver hair is so lovely. I want to be like you," the princess said, pouting slightly.

The gesture, a privilege of the very young, was irresistibly charming.

"I love you too, Princess. You are the daughter of Their Majesties. Surely, you will grow to be far more beautiful than I could ever hope to be," Althea replied, hugging Liliauge back. The princess nuzzled her cheek against Althea, delighted.

Prince Jeffrey, observing this interaction with a flushed face, stood silently, mesmerized by the scene.

Watching from afar, Cassandra Nightshade-Norland remarked, "Oh my... It seems Crown Prince Siegfried has a strong rival, doesn't he, Your Majesty?"

Queen Titania responded nonchalantly, "There are other strong rivals. It's up to Siegfried. If he truly loves her, he must manage on his own. If he can't, then desiring Althea is a luxury he cannot afford."

Cassandra chuckled, "A rival, you say? Who else could it be? Surely not my clueless son?"

"Your son? I've heard he's very capable."

"Whether he's capable or not is beside the point. Of course, I'd be thrilled if he brought her to our family, but I think she’s far too good for him," Cassandra replied.

Clara, who had been silently listening, interjected, "I'm glad you both think so highly of Althea, but she's not someone I'll give away easily. By the way, Titania, who is this rival you mentioned?"

"The second prince of Starry Stars," Titania revealed.

Both Clara and Cassandra gasped, exchanging surprised glances.

"He has proposed multiple times, even willing to marry into our kingdom," Titania added.

Cassandra muttered, "Starry Stars has certainly made a bold move."

"But it's not definite. It's just the second prince acting on his own," Titania replied casually.

Regaining her composure, Clara sipped her tea, "Ultimately, it's up to Althea to choose. Although, if the country decrees it, refusal might not be an option. Besides," she looked up at the sky and continued, "We have more immediate concerns right now."

"Indeed," Cassandra agreed, also gazing upward.

At that moment, a royal attendant arrived to summon the three women.