I Raised Snow White!

“Have a drink with your daughter-in-law, Your Majesty.”

“…Are you insane?”

At my suggestion to share a drink, the Queen Dowager frowned, turned her head, and waved her hand dismissively as if telling me to go away.

I ignored her reaction and took a seat beside the Queen Dowager in the empty spot.

Ignoring her scornful gaze, I poured wine—one she particularly favored—into an empty glass and offered it to her.

The Queen Dowager clicked her tongue as she looked at the wine label, then took the glass I handed her and drank.

Watching her, I filled my own glass with wine and took a small sip.

The bitter, sharp liquid slid down my throat, and I couldn’t help but wince. This wine… why was it so bitter? It wasn’t just unpleasant—it was unbearably bitter.

“Don’t like the taste?”

“…To be honest, it’s not to my liking.”

“A fool who knows nothing of good wine…”

The Queen Dowager seemed annoyed by my lack of appreciation for the wine, and she let out a snort after taking another sip from her glass.

Unlike me, the Queen Dowager emptied her glass without a hint of discomfort, even though it was bitter and unpleasant. I couldn’t help but feel a sense of admiration for her composure.

As I tried to empty my own glass with small sips, the Queen Dowager, who had downed her wine in one gulp, let out a deep sigh while watching me.

“…They say you issued a gag order regarding the First Queen’s corpse found in His Majesty’s chamber.”

“Pardon? Ah, yes. I thought it would do no good for rumors to spread, so I did.”

Her words brought back the memory of when I’d entered that gloomy room and found Aurora’s corpse sprawled under a canvas. Come to think of it, I hadn’t seen Aurora, who had supposedly become a fairy, since that day.

Could she really be dead, as Sylph had suggested? As long as she didn’t cause me any trouble, I had no intention of worrying about it—whether she became one with the King, or disappeared somewhere else after being shocked by his death.

The Queen Dowager, staring at her empty wine glass, let out a heavy sigh.

“…Right. If rumors spread about the King losing his mind and doing such things with the Queen’s corpse, it would only bring trouble. Thank you for handling it well.”

“Pardon?”

I thought I’d misheard and asked again, but the Queen Dowager looked at me with a tired expression and extended her empty glass. It was clear she wanted me to refill her drink without any more chatter.

“Seems your ears are blocked.”

“Heh, not at all. I heard you perfectly.”

As I poured her drink and answered, she clicked her tongue. I was starting to get a sense of what kind of person the Queen Dowager was. Perhaps sharing drinks really was the way to understand someone better.

As we quietly continued to drink, her lady-in-waiting brought out some snacks, saying that drinking without any side dishes would harm our bodies. Cheese, sausages, and other snacks that paired well with wine.

As I popped a piece of cheese into my mouth, the Queen Dowager, who seemed to have to criticize me every time she praised me, clicked her tongue and glared at me.

“By the way, why did you act like that during the meeting?”

“Pardon?”

“It was pathetic to watch you crawl to those old men, unlike your usual self. Why didn’t you at least act half as bold as you do with me?”

The Queen Dowager looked at me irritably as she chewed on the snacks. Even if she asked why I acted that way during the meeting… honestly, I didn’t know the right way to behave then.

No matter how much I tried to reason, it was useless with the Minister of Foreign Affairs. He would nitpick anything, oppose everything, and deny whatever I said, leaving me no choice but to appeal emotionally.

And, in a meeting where they were deciding my position, there was no way I could act disrespectfully toward the ministers, who were key figures in the country and members of the Council of Elder.

They were like meek puppies before the Queen Dowager, but ferocious beasts in front of me.

“…How could I act like that in front of the country’s highest officials? You overestimate me, Your Majesty. I believe I understood my place well in that meeting.”

“So you think that crawling to the nobles is your place as a member of the royal family? That saying you’d become a maid and lick my boots is the place of this country’s Queen?”

Royalty…

Indeed, ‘Vivian’ was part of this country’s royal family.

But I hadn’t even been given the royal family’s name, and there were no good rumors about me. Honestly, I doubted anyone in this palace, aside from my ladies-in-waiting, even saw me as royalty.

I took a big gulp of the bitter wine and grimaced at the taste. Seeing this, the Queen Dowager clicked her tongue in irritation and turned her head away.

“So you died and came back only to discard your pride? Truly unsightly.”

“Your Majesty?”

Surprised by her remark, I turned to look at the Queen Dowager, but she avoided meeting my gaze. To think I discarded my pride… Then what exactly was I supposed to do?

They had already made up their minds to banish me, and they had every reason to kick me out of the palace. Honestly, I thought it was odd that I hadn’t been expelled yet.

Didn’t even the Queen Dowager try to send me away during that meeting, offering to write to the Temple and provide me with assets? But now, saying I discarded my pride, saying I was unsightly…

Was it the wine making me feel sentimental?

Overwhelmed, I asked the Queen Dowager in a choked voice.

“Then what should I have done in that situation? When everyone was banding together to expel me, what good would it do for me to scream and fight them?”

“What?”

“You said I discarded my pride, didn’t you? Yes, I died and came back without pride. And if it means staying by the Princess’s side a little longer, I’m willing to abandon whatever pride I have left.”

Unconsciously, I downed the rest of my wine, feeling my throat tighten. My head spun for a moment, and I cradled it in my hands, while the Queen Dowager looked at me with a bitter expression.

“You said you wanted to become someone the Princess could rely on.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Then start by reclaiming the pride you threw away. Even if your departure from the palace is certain, until then, you are this country’s ‘Queen.’ Don’t show the nobles that spineless behavior again.”

“……”

“What would the Princess learn from watching you like this? Do you want her to grow up seeing a Queen with no self-respect, groveling like a maid? Or are you planning to raise her to be a maid herself?”

The Queen Dowager clicked her tongue, casting a bitter look at her empty wine glass.

At the Queen Dowager’s words, it felt as if I had been struck in the head with a hammer.

The shock made me realize my mistake, and a bitter laugh escaped me.

Because I didn’t have the royal family’s surname, I’d be driven out sooner or later, the rumors weren’t good, and no one saw Vivian as a queen anyway.

Had I become too deeply buried in those thoughts?

Caught up in needless worries, I seemed to have forgotten what was truly important.

I had been so focused on staying by the princess’s side that I hadn’t considered what she would learn from watching me.

I refilled the Queen Dowager’s empty wine glass and let out a bitter smile.

“…I was short-sighted.”

“Tsk, as long as you understand.”

The Queen Dowager sighed deeply, but said nothing further.

I, too, asked no more, and we just shared a drink together.

The cool night breeze that drifted in was refreshing, making me smile without realizing it.

After a while, with the breeze beginning to sober us up, the Queen Dowager cleared her throat and looked at me.

“Are you preparing well for the princess’s birthday party next month?”

“The princess struggles with dancing…but aside from that, preparations are going smoothly. The tailor you sent us will soon deliver the dress. Once it arrives, I’ll bring the princess to see you.”

“No need. I’ll see her in her dress at the party.”

Although I thought the princess’s birthday party might be postponed or canceled due to the king’s death, the Queen Dowager hadn’t delayed it.

In fact, she insisted that it be prepared even more lavishly given the circumstances.

Now that I thought about it, there was just over a month left until the princess’s birthday party.

I was beginning to worry again about her dancing when-

The Queen Dowager met my eyes and suddenly spoke.

“The princess’s name—you’re going to give it to her.”

“…Pardon?”

For a moment, I nearly dropped the wine glass I was holding.

Me, name the princess?

I’d assumed that since the Queen Dowager was acting as regent, she would name the princess herself.

As I looked at the Queen Dowager in surprise, she sighed softly and continued speaking.

“What, do you dislike the idea? Are you going to sully my ears again with self-deprecating remarks like, ‘How could someone like me give the princess a name’?”

“No, that’s not it-”

“Not it, indeed. Tsk.”

Honestly, I couldn’t completely deny it.

The moment she spoke, I questioned whether it was really okay for me to name the princess.

And I knew how much the princess yearned for a ‘name’ of her own.

Was it alright for me, of all people, to give her something she so desperately wanted?

As I hesitated, the Queen Dowager clicked her tongue and shook her head at me as if I were utterly pathetic.

She seemed exasperated at my lack of self-worth even after all she’d said.

“Originally, it’s the ‘parents’ who name a child.”

“……”

“As I see it, the princess’s ‘parent’ right now isn’t me, but you.”

“Me… the princess’s ‘parent’…?”

I had only ever intended to be her ‘tutor.’

I hadn’t thought of becoming her parent.

Even though I knew how much the princess longed for a ‘parent’s’ love she had never received, I wasn’t sure I could provide that.

I just wanted to be someone she could rely on.

In my mind, a ‘person to rely on’ didn’t include being a ‘parent.’

I thought of myself as more like a friend, or a teacher…

As I hesitated, the Queen Dowager set her glass down on the table.

Whack!

She flicked my forehead.

Caught off guard by the sudden pain, I looked at the Queen Dowager in confusion, and she glared at me as if fed up.

“Fool. Are you just asking for punishment? You said you wanted to be someone the princess could rely on—wasn’t that the same as saying you’d be her ‘parent’?”

“I-I didn’t mean it like that…”

“No one but a parent can be someone a child ‘trusts and relies on.’ From the moment you thought that way, you were already agreeing to be her parent. Stop overthinking and focus on choosing her name.”

“Could you…at least give me some time to think? Even if you suddenly tell me to name the princess, I can’t think of anything right now…”

Actually, I already had something in mind…

Holding my now throbbing forehead with both hands, I pleaded with the Queen Dowager.

She sighed softly, then set a firm boundary.

“I’ll give you two weeks. Come find me and tell me her name by then.”

“Understood…”

As I nodded, the Queen Dowager waved me away, indicating she had no more to say and that I should leave.

Realizing I’d only be in for more flicks if I stayed, I quickly got up to go.

Just as I turned the doorknob to leave the terrace, the Queen Dowager called out to me.

“Queen.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Make just one ‘promise’ to me.”

At the unexpected mention of a promise, I tilted my head, puzzled.

The Queen Dowager, resting her chin on her hand, seemed to consider her words carefully before looking at me.

“Care for the princess with a parent’s love so she can forget the wounds left by His Majesty and the First Queen. So she won’t cry again like at the funeral. Can you do that?”

At the word ‘promise,’ I simply smiled.

It was less of a ‘promise’ than a protector’s ‘request.’

I wasn’t sure if I could fulfill the role of a parent, but what I had to do for the princess remained the same.

“I’ll try my best.”

“…Good, then. You may go now.”

With that, I gave a respectful bow to the Queen Dowager and left the terrace.

Even after I left, she busied herself refilling her empty glass, intending to drink more.

As I exited the terrace, one of the Queen Dowager’s ladies-in-waiting gave me a concerned look, then quickly approached and whispered to me.

“…? What? The princess has secluded herself…?”

*

The time after the funeral, while Vivian was in a meeting.

The princess walked down the hallway with a sad expression, heading to her room.

She couldn’t quite accept that Father was truly gone, and it felt as if her feet were floating, like she was walking in a dream.

As she walked, she heard the maids chatting at the end of the hallway.

The princess, who would usually get sweets from the maids, unconsciously made her way toward them.

When she neared, the maids, deep in conversation, hadn’t even noticed her approach.

“Do you think Her Majesty the Queen will end up leaving the palace?”

“I wonder…maybe? She didn’t get the ‘surname’…the Head Maid said this kind of thing has happened many times in history. And usually, in cases like this, well…”

“It’s strange to feel sad about Her Majesty leaving the palace…I never would have thought this way before. Right?”

“I know what you mean…huh?”

Noticing a presence below her, the maid looked down to see the princess standing in silence, her face pale.

The other maid, who had been chatting away, fell silent upon seeing the princess’s expression, too stunned to speak.

Even as they scrambled to find words, the princess spoke first.

“What…what are you talking about?”

“P-Princess… it’s not what it sounds like…”

With empty eyes, the princess looked at them.

Having exhausted all her tears over Father’s death, she didn’t know how to feel or what expression to make.

All she could do was widen her eyes, looking up at the maids, silently asking if what she heard was true.

The maids, panicking, covered their mouths, but the princess had already heard every word.

With a droop of her head, the princess turned and walked slowly back to her room.

“Her Majesty…is leaving…”

Repeating those words to herself, a tear rolled down the princess’s cheek.

Even though she thought she’d cried so much she couldn’t anymore, emotions surged up, and she rushed to her room, locking the door.

She declared that no one was to enter.

And that she would never come out again.

That was the princess’s vow.