Even after watching the game, the royal family did not return to the palace right away.
They enjoyed classical operas in the grand theater of the Imperial Palace with their immediate knights and nobles.
It was early evening when the official schedule was over.
The days of early summer were quite long.
Only after dinnertime did the sky over the palace begin to take on a dark aura.
“We have arrived, Your Highness.”
A tropical carriage painted with pearl dye stopped in front of the eastern palace.
The Princesses, including me, got out of the carriage, each escorted by a servant or a direct knight.
It was the imperial law that during the martial arts competition period, the direct knights were not allowed to attend to the night shift.
Because it was late, the immediate knights did not enter the villa but instead headed to the guard quarters.
Michael called me softly.
"Your Highness."
"...Ah."
I had so many thoughts on my mind the whole way here.
When I came to my senses, I tried to pull away from the hand that was escorting me, intending to send Michael away.
But then suddenly Michael gently grabbed my fingertips.
“Michael?”
“If you don’t mind, would you like to take a walk with me for a while?”
It was an unexpected suggestion. I blinked her amber eyes as I answered.
So we had some time alone together.
It happened to be the time when the lake garden to the southeast of the palace was opened.
I and Michael boarded the crescent moon gondola.
The gondola sailed through the lake water dyed in the colors of sunset.
Beneath the water, the wide leaves of the giant lotus were reflected. As summer approaches, the lake will form a beautiful floating forest.
There was a pavilion in the middle of the lake. I and Michael got off there.
The two of us were left alone on a small, uninhabited island.
It was the perfect time to have a calm conversation, but he suggested we take a walk first.
Michael seemed less prepared mentally.
I, who couldn't stand to watch, as always speak first.
“Michael, you were so bold today.”
"That..."
Michael opened his mouth with an embarrassed look.
“I can’t help but think you’re in a difficult situation..."
“You have no choice but to make such a wish?”
As I stared blankly, Michael finally confessed honestly.
“It’s a bit... to respond to a guy who is looking down on your direct knight position, I think I have gone too far. Please forgive me for my insubordination.”
“What is there to forgive? Thanks to Michael, we were able to overcome the crisis, and the people’s reaction was explosive.”
I cleared my throat once and added.
“Besides, like Cedella said in the carriage earlier. In front of the crowd... Uh, um, there’s no need to kiss me directly.”
“...That was fortunate.”
“Oh, right. That’s fortunate.”
Suddenly, an awkward silence fell over us. It felt as if some differences of opinion could not be expressed.
After a while, I asked in a playful tone.
“If you really had to do it, how were you going to handle it?”
Another look of embarrassment appeared on Michael's face.
But it seemed like he had his own plan in mind.
“This is what I was going to do.”
Michael was wearing a ceremonial cloak over his uniform.
He grabbed the hem of his cloak with his right hand and held me close to his head with the same arm.
Then it looked as if one of the gray wings was wrapping around me.
"Oh..."
I was slightly flustered by the sudden close contact. But it wasn't over yet.
“And like this..."
"Uh..."
Michael brought his face closer to me for a more detailed look. And with his left hand, he cleverly covered his lips, pretending to cup my cheek.
By the time the lovers' statue-like pose was completed, our eyes met.
Only then did Michael begin to read the mood, while my eyes had already been shaking for some time.
Both of our faces turned bright red.
I and Michael, who had suddenly distanced ourselves, continued our conversation in an awkward tone.
“Well, uh, if you do this, they definitely won’t see it.”
“Yeah. You can see it from any angle... because it’s clever. If you just put spit on your lips, no one will know.”
“Ah... That’s right. I have to apply saliva. I see. I didn’t know last time because it was underwater..."
A conversation that was meant to ease the awkwardness actually made the situation worse.
I and Michael each tried to regain their composure.
I stroked the cool marble pillars and muttered.
Michael, like a knight who is not allowed to be distracted, stood still and counted the number of birds flying in the sky.
Each person's efforts bore some fruit.
When I was able to make eye contact again, I opened my mouth.
“By the way, the wishing power is the problem.”
“There is still something that can be called a problem. Is there anything left?”
“You blew the wishing ticket away with something strange. I’m worried that Michael’s motivation might have dropped.”
“...I don’t think there’s anything particularly strange.”
Michael reflexively protested, but I ignored him without giving it much thought.
“Let’s make the wish you made at the stadium void and think of another wish.”
"invalidity?"
For a moment, Michael's eyes narrowed. His protest became a little more aggressive.
“Then isn’t that deceiving the crowd? That can’t be.”
Michael displayed a firmness and old-fashionedness that did not suit him.
As I blinked in bewilderment, Michael continued speaking as if he was being wronged.
“If you don’t do it, then you’re just not doing it. But that doesn’t mean it’s invalid.”
"Uh..."
Looking closely, he seemed a little angry.
'What? Was invalid really such a harsh word?'
It was a time when I was very confused.
“Princess.”
Suddenly Michael raised his face.
I almost held my breath at the sudden, unexpected attack.
I almost screamed.
“I will definitely win.”
“Oh, yeah.”
“I will win.”
There was a determination in his purple eyes that seemed like it could catch a dragon.
Could it be because those eyes seem to be filled with longing?
As we continued to face each other right in front of each other, I felt my left chest pounding for some reason.
The standoff dragged on. Finally, Michael seemed to have given up on trying to get a response from me.
He took a deep breath and said,
“The sun is setting. Let's go back, my Princess.”
Michael returned to his quarters, struggling.
Sylvestian happened to be out training, so he was in the room.
An environment conducive to self-reflection was created. He immediately lay down on the bed and fell into thought.
Why did he get so upset at the words invalid coming from Eve's mouth?
The answer was found not long after.
He guessed he just wanted the right to kiss her.
Even if that doesn't actually happen, there's a difference between not doing something and not being able to do it.
Michael, whose thoughts had reached this point, laughed bitterly at himself.
'Isn't that a truly blasphemous thought?'
It seemed that he had become quite accustomed to this situation, as it had been more than a day or two since he had constantly been straying from chivalry.
In the past, he used to whip himself and push himself, but now he's quite able to calmly accept his own condition.
Of course, that doesn't mean there wasn't any confusion.
'What on earth do I want to do?'
Clearly, he had a desire to carefully assist the Princess.
But on the other hand, there was also a strange desire to leave behind a wish like that, even if only in name.
Michael covered his eyes with his arm and pushed it out onto the sheet.
At that moment, something caught his fingertips. It was a textbook from the palace that was placed on the pillow.
It was when he picked up the book without much thought, intending to clear his complicated mind.
Thud.
Dried flowers fell from the open book. His handsome face was suddenly showered with flowers.
"Ah..."
He forgot to flatten and put away the various flowers he received from Eve.
As Michael carefully raised his upper body, dried flowers scattered here and there.
He suddenly decorated his bed sheets with the flowers Eve was given.
"This..."
Was it a mistake to choose a collection of lyric poetry as a general education book?
The tips of Michael's ears slightly twitched at the sight that seemed to suggest a useless metaphor.
It's hot.
It was difficult. It seemed like his impious thoughts were growing more severe day by day.
They enjoyed classical operas in the grand theater of the Imperial Palace with their immediate knights and nobles.
It was early evening when the official schedule was over.
The days of early summer were quite long.
Only after dinnertime did the sky over the palace begin to take on a dark aura.
“We have arrived, Your Highness.”
A tropical carriage painted with pearl dye stopped in front of the eastern palace.
The Princesses, including me, got out of the carriage, each escorted by a servant or a direct knight.
It was the imperial law that during the martial arts competition period, the direct knights were not allowed to attend to the night shift.
Because it was late, the immediate knights did not enter the villa but instead headed to the guard quarters.
Michael called me softly.
"Your Highness."
"...Ah."
I had so many thoughts on my mind the whole way here.
When I came to my senses, I tried to pull away from the hand that was escorting me, intending to send Michael away.
But then suddenly Michael gently grabbed my fingertips.
“Michael?”
“If you don’t mind, would you like to take a walk with me for a while?”
It was an unexpected suggestion. I blinked her amber eyes as I answered.
So we had some time alone together.
It happened to be the time when the lake garden to the southeast of the palace was opened.
I and Michael boarded the crescent moon gondola.
The gondola sailed through the lake water dyed in the colors of sunset.
Beneath the water, the wide leaves of the giant lotus were reflected. As summer approaches, the lake will form a beautiful floating forest.
There was a pavilion in the middle of the lake. I and Michael got off there.
The two of us were left alone on a small, uninhabited island.
It was the perfect time to have a calm conversation, but he suggested we take a walk first.
Michael seemed less prepared mentally.
I, who couldn't stand to watch, as always speak first.
“Michael, you were so bold today.”
"That..."
Michael opened his mouth with an embarrassed look.
“I can’t help but think you’re in a difficult situation..."
“You have no choice but to make such a wish?”
As I stared blankly, Michael finally confessed honestly.
“It’s a bit... to respond to a guy who is looking down on your direct knight position, I think I have gone too far. Please forgive me for my insubordination.”
“What is there to forgive? Thanks to Michael, we were able to overcome the crisis, and the people’s reaction was explosive.”
I cleared my throat once and added.
“Besides, like Cedella said in the carriage earlier. In front of the crowd... Uh, um, there’s no need to kiss me directly.”
“...That was fortunate.”
“Oh, right. That’s fortunate.”
Suddenly, an awkward silence fell over us. It felt as if some differences of opinion could not be expressed.
After a while, I asked in a playful tone.
“If you really had to do it, how were you going to handle it?”
Another look of embarrassment appeared on Michael's face.
But it seemed like he had his own plan in mind.
“This is what I was going to do.”
Michael was wearing a ceremonial cloak over his uniform.
He grabbed the hem of his cloak with his right hand and held me close to his head with the same arm.
Then it looked as if one of the gray wings was wrapping around me.
"Oh..."
I was slightly flustered by the sudden close contact. But it wasn't over yet.
“And like this..."
"Uh..."
Michael brought his face closer to me for a more detailed look. And with his left hand, he cleverly covered his lips, pretending to cup my cheek.
By the time the lovers' statue-like pose was completed, our eyes met.
Only then did Michael begin to read the mood, while my eyes had already been shaking for some time.
Both of our faces turned bright red.
I and Michael, who had suddenly distanced ourselves, continued our conversation in an awkward tone.
“Well, uh, if you do this, they definitely won’t see it.”
“Yeah. You can see it from any angle... because it’s clever. If you just put spit on your lips, no one will know.”
“Ah... That’s right. I have to apply saliva. I see. I didn’t know last time because it was underwater..."
A conversation that was meant to ease the awkwardness actually made the situation worse.
I and Michael each tried to regain their composure.
I stroked the cool marble pillars and muttered.
Michael, like a knight who is not allowed to be distracted, stood still and counted the number of birds flying in the sky.
Each person's efforts bore some fruit.
When I was able to make eye contact again, I opened my mouth.
“By the way, the wishing power is the problem.”
“There is still something that can be called a problem. Is there anything left?”
“You blew the wishing ticket away with something strange. I’m worried that Michael’s motivation might have dropped.”
“...I don’t think there’s anything particularly strange.”
Michael reflexively protested, but I ignored him without giving it much thought.
“Let’s make the wish you made at the stadium void and think of another wish.”
"invalidity?"
For a moment, Michael's eyes narrowed. His protest became a little more aggressive.
“Then isn’t that deceiving the crowd? That can’t be.”
Michael displayed a firmness and old-fashionedness that did not suit him.
As I blinked in bewilderment, Michael continued speaking as if he was being wronged.
“If you don’t do it, then you’re just not doing it. But that doesn’t mean it’s invalid.”
"Uh..."
Looking closely, he seemed a little angry.
'What? Was invalid really such a harsh word?'
It was a time when I was very confused.
“Princess.”
Suddenly Michael raised his face.
I almost held my breath at the sudden, unexpected attack.
I almost screamed.
“I will definitely win.”
“Oh, yeah.”
“I will win.”
There was a determination in his purple eyes that seemed like it could catch a dragon.
Could it be because those eyes seem to be filled with longing?
As we continued to face each other right in front of each other, I felt my left chest pounding for some reason.
The standoff dragged on. Finally, Michael seemed to have given up on trying to get a response from me.
He took a deep breath and said,
“The sun is setting. Let's go back, my Princess.”
Michael returned to his quarters, struggling.
Sylvestian happened to be out training, so he was in the room.
An environment conducive to self-reflection was created. He immediately lay down on the bed and fell into thought.
Why did he get so upset at the words invalid coming from Eve's mouth?
The answer was found not long after.
He guessed he just wanted the right to kiss her.
Even if that doesn't actually happen, there's a difference between not doing something and not being able to do it.
Michael, whose thoughts had reached this point, laughed bitterly at himself.
'Isn't that a truly blasphemous thought?'
It seemed that he had become quite accustomed to this situation, as it had been more than a day or two since he had constantly been straying from chivalry.
In the past, he used to whip himself and push himself, but now he's quite able to calmly accept his own condition.
Of course, that doesn't mean there wasn't any confusion.
'What on earth do I want to do?'
Clearly, he had a desire to carefully assist the Princess.
But on the other hand, there was also a strange desire to leave behind a wish like that, even if only in name.
Michael covered his eyes with his arm and pushed it out onto the sheet.
At that moment, something caught his fingertips. It was a textbook from the palace that was placed on the pillow.
It was when he picked up the book without much thought, intending to clear his complicated mind.
Thud.
Dried flowers fell from the open book. His handsome face was suddenly showered with flowers.
"Ah..."
He forgot to flatten and put away the various flowers he received from Eve.
As Michael carefully raised his upper body, dried flowers scattered here and there.
He suddenly decorated his bed sheets with the flowers Eve was given.
"This..."
Was it a mistake to choose a collection of lyric poetry as a general education book?
The tips of Michael's ears slightly twitched at the sight that seemed to suggest a useless metaphor.
It's hot.
It was difficult. It seemed like his impious thoughts were growing more severe day by day.
Support Novellate!
I hope Michael wins.
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