A brief silence swept over us. Rhodnes looked at me without answering as if he thought he had made a mistake.
“...Is it burdensome?”
Asking me directly felt more burdensome. For some reason, the back of my neck felt hot. Maybe it was because Rhodnes’s low voice resonated through the floor, but my body felt a little ticklish. I felt like I couldn’t bear it without grabbing onto something, so I held onto the hem of my dress and shook my head quietly. Not knowing what to say, I was choosing my words when Rhodnes passed me, locked the bedroom door, and came back.
“I said that in case someone comes in.”
Contrary to my worries, it seemed as if he wasn't waiting for my answer. He sat down on a nearby chair and invited me to sit down as well. After looking me over for a while, he opened his mouth after a pause as soon as I sat down.
“While investigating the disappearance of Baroness Kuroseda, I discovered something unusual.”
“What’s unusual...?”
“Did you know that there were two other missing people before the Baroness went missing?”
“Yes, it was in the newspaper.”
“It’s not just happening in the capital.”
Just thinking about it made Rhodnes furrow his brows in disbelief.
“There have been similar incidents in other local territories as well. The common denominator is that they are all related to the north, whether it is the northwest or the northeast.”
“!”
“I may have my own personal opinion, but if it’s related to the North, it may be related to the Grand Duke, or at least that he tried to downplay the incident. Considering that this is a series of disappearances and that only the ones that happened in the capital have been reported so far, I can’t help but think that someone covered it up.”
I was surprised by the unexpected news. What if Noevian had something to do with this incident? No, even if he had nothing to do with it if only I could link him to it...
“If I can get involved with the Grand Duke, His Majesty the Emperor will never let that happen, no matter how much he loves his younger brother.”
"You're right."
“That would be an opportunity.”
The corners of Rhodnes's mouth slightly rose as he stared at my serious face.
“I know targeting isn’t a good idea, but that bastard can do it.”
“Of course. But, Your Highness.”
"Yes."
I called out seriously to Rhodnes, who was matching my politeness. He looked at me with an expectant expression.
“From now on, it would be best if you refrain from saying harsh words like ‘that bastard...’”
Rhodnes rolled his eyes as if he was thinking back on his words and actions, and then his expression hardened. Then he asked me back with a slightly gloomy expression.
“... Do you hate it when I speak badly of the Grand Duke?”
“No! Actually... I think Your Highness’s way of speaking has rubbed off on me. Sometimes, harsh words like Your Highness’s just come out of my mouth. I get so flustered every time... My maid is already used to the original Blie, so I don’t think it’s that strange, but strangely, it hurts my pride even more.”
Rhodnes paused for a moment, blinking, then smiled faintly.
“Yes, I’ll fix it.”
And he answered without a word that he would do so.
“Especially in front of you.”
When Rhodnes spoke as if he had made a very important decision, I thought, “Oh no." Now is not the time to say something like this. Ever since I heard that you came because you wanted to see me, my mind has been in a state of confusion as if someone had stirred it up, and I feel like I can’t stand not saying anything.
"Sorry."
Rhodnes tilted his head. As his head moved to one side, his hair, which had been neatly tied, swung to the other side. I bit my lip, unable to stop my gaze from following that direction. The rational thought suddenly flashed through my head that it was unreasonable for me to point out his tone when I had said with my own mouth, “We’re good friends until the end of the day.”
'This kind of thing is something that only lovers do.'
The back of my neck had been burning hot for a while now, and it seemed like it was spreading to my face.
“That... I missed something. That’s not the important part. It just came to me out of nowhere. Sometimes the servants of this house are surprised whenever I speak...”
“Restrain me.”
It was only for a moment that I froze. As if he had read my mind, Rhodnes, who had responded with a completely unrelated answer to what I was saying, leaned toward me and stretched out his long arms, placing his chin on my head. I felt like he was Cowan. His warm, large hands gently caressed my head, cooling it down.
“I told you I know what kind of person you are.”
“...What do you mean?”
“I wish you would restrain me a little more.”
Did I actually say it out loud, not in my mind?
“...Is it burdensome?”
Asking me directly felt more burdensome. For some reason, the back of my neck felt hot. Maybe it was because Rhodnes’s low voice resonated through the floor, but my body felt a little ticklish. I felt like I couldn’t bear it without grabbing onto something, so I held onto the hem of my dress and shook my head quietly. Not knowing what to say, I was choosing my words when Rhodnes passed me, locked the bedroom door, and came back.
“I said that in case someone comes in.”
Contrary to my worries, it seemed as if he wasn't waiting for my answer. He sat down on a nearby chair and invited me to sit down as well. After looking me over for a while, he opened his mouth after a pause as soon as I sat down.
“While investigating the disappearance of Baroness Kuroseda, I discovered something unusual.”
“What’s unusual...?”
“Did you know that there were two other missing people before the Baroness went missing?”
“Yes, it was in the newspaper.”
“It’s not just happening in the capital.”
Just thinking about it made Rhodnes furrow his brows in disbelief.
“There have been similar incidents in other local territories as well. The common denominator is that they are all related to the north, whether it is the northwest or the northeast.”
“!”
“I may have my own personal opinion, but if it’s related to the North, it may be related to the Grand Duke, or at least that he tried to downplay the incident. Considering that this is a series of disappearances and that only the ones that happened in the capital have been reported so far, I can’t help but think that someone covered it up.”
I was surprised by the unexpected news. What if Noevian had something to do with this incident? No, even if he had nothing to do with it if only I could link him to it...
Perhaps thinking the same thing, I raised my head and saw that Rhodnes’ eyes were also shining.
“If I can get involved with the Grand Duke, His Majesty the Emperor will never let that happen, no matter how much he loves his younger brother.”
"You're right."
“That would be an opportunity.”
The corners of Rhodnes's mouth slightly rose as he stared at my serious face.
“I know targeting isn’t a good idea, but that bastard can do it.”
“Of course. But, Your Highness.”
"Yes."
I called out seriously to Rhodnes, who was matching my politeness. He looked at me with an expectant expression.
“From now on, it would be best if you refrain from saying harsh words like ‘that bastard...’”
Rhodnes rolled his eyes as if he was thinking back on his words and actions, and then his expression hardened. Then he asked me back with a slightly gloomy expression.
“... Do you hate it when I speak badly of the Grand Duke?”
“No! Actually... I think Your Highness’s way of speaking has rubbed off on me. Sometimes, harsh words like Your Highness’s just come out of my mouth. I get so flustered every time... My maid is already used to the original Blie, so I don’t think it’s that strange, but strangely, it hurts my pride even more.”
Rhodnes paused for a moment, blinking, then smiled faintly.
“Yes, I’ll fix it.”
And he answered without a word that he would do so.
“Especially in front of you.”
When Rhodnes spoke as if he had made a very important decision, I thought, “Oh no." Now is not the time to say something like this. Ever since I heard that you came because you wanted to see me, my mind has been in a state of confusion as if someone had stirred it up, and I feel like I can’t stand not saying anything.
"Sorry."
Rhodnes tilted his head. As his head moved to one side, his hair, which had been neatly tied, swung to the other side. I bit my lip, unable to stop my gaze from following that direction. The rational thought suddenly flashed through my head that it was unreasonable for me to point out his tone when I had said with my own mouth, “We’re good friends until the end of the day.”
'This kind of thing is something that only lovers do.'
The back of my neck had been burning hot for a while now, and it seemed like it was spreading to my face.
“That... I missed something. That’s not the important part. It just came to me out of nowhere. Sometimes the servants of this house are surprised whenever I speak...”
“Restrain me.”
It was only for a moment that I froze. As if he had read my mind, Rhodnes, who had responded with a completely unrelated answer to what I was saying, leaned toward me and stretched out his long arms, placing his chin on my head. I felt like he was Cowan. His warm, large hands gently caressed my head, cooling it down.
“I told you I know what kind of person you are.”
“...What do you mean?”
“I wish you would restrain me a little more.”
Did I actually say it out loud, not in my mind?
I shut my mouth without realizing it. I can’t take responsibility for my feelings for him right now, and I can’t tell him everything he likes!
Rhodnes watched my frozen, mouth-twitching reaction, then couldn’t hold back a laugh and lifted the corners of his mouth. It seemed as if he knew my thoughts. I should have been embarrassed that my true feelings had been revealed, but I didn’t have time to think because I was following the corners of his lips that were thinning. The only place his warm hands touched was my head, but my whole body felt warm as if I had been covered with a cotton blanket in the middle of winter.
“If you say something like that, I’m likely to misunderstand.”
“A mistake...?”
“The hopeful illusion that we are more than just friends.”
Ah.
“If you say something like that, I’m likely to misunderstand.”
“A mistake...?”
“The hopeful illusion that we are more than just friends.”
Ah.
My heart was pounding like it was going to burst, but I couldn't say anything. Rhodnes stared at my eyes for a long time, pressed my head once, and then took his hand away. Even after he got up, his lavender scent lingered in my nose. Strangely, I had a foolish thought that I wished that scent would never leave me. My face quickly turned red as I slightly avoided his kind face, but his eyes seemed like they would swallow me up.
“If you say that, I will keep looking forward to what kind of relationship we will have in the future. What kind of words will you use to restrain me?”
Just as the low, pleasant voice was tickling my body again to an unbearable degree, I woke up startled by the sound of someone outside the door. Embarrassed to see Rhodnes still staring at me, I opened the door slightly without saying anything in response, and there was Jonah.
“Madam, why don’t you come out? The butler keeps urging you. He’s telling you to come out.”
“Oh, wait a minute!”
I quickly looked back, thinking that I should hide Rhodnes, but he was already gone. Startled, I went to where he had been standing, and there was a flower on my bed, half-hidden by the canopy curtain, from somewhere. When I got closer, I saw that it was a red camellia that bloomed in winter, cut off by the branch. A cool breeze blew through the open window, seemingly leaving Rhodnes, and fluttered the curtains.
“Madam, what’s wrong? Where does it hurt all of a sudden? What is this? Oh my, it’s a camellia! Where did you get all these branches from, by the way?”
“...Would you please put it in a vase for me?”
“Okay, I’ll leave the coat here! Should I put it in now?”
I nodded with difficulty and looked out the window through which Rhodnes had gone out.
'I should have told you that I missed you too.'
I pressed my hand against my pounding heart. I couldn't believe that my heart was beating so hard when I had to tear apart Noevian's office to throw him off a cliff.
“If you say that, I will keep looking forward to what kind of relationship we will have in the future. What kind of words will you use to restrain me?”
Just as the low, pleasant voice was tickling my body again to an unbearable degree, I woke up startled by the sound of someone outside the door. Embarrassed to see Rhodnes still staring at me, I opened the door slightly without saying anything in response, and there was Jonah.
“Madam, why don’t you come out? The butler keeps urging you. He’s telling you to come out.”
“Oh, wait a minute!”
I quickly looked back, thinking that I should hide Rhodnes, but he was already gone. Startled, I went to where he had been standing, and there was a flower on my bed, half-hidden by the canopy curtain, from somewhere. When I got closer, I saw that it was a red camellia that bloomed in winter, cut off by the branch. A cool breeze blew through the open window, seemingly leaving Rhodnes, and fluttered the curtains.
“Madam, what’s wrong? Where does it hurt all of a sudden? What is this? Oh my, it’s a camellia! Where did you get all these branches from, by the way?”
“...Would you please put it in a vase for me?”
“Okay, I’ll leave the coat here! Should I put it in now?”
I nodded with difficulty and looked out the window through which Rhodnes had gone out.
'I should have told you that I missed you too.'
I pressed my hand against my pounding heart. I couldn't believe that my heart was beating so hard when I had to tear apart Noevian's office to throw him off a cliff.
***
The Crown Princess Palace was very peaceful these days. This was because Crown Prince Bardenaldo had been coming and going more frequently. The news had already spread beyond the palace walls, and not only Irene but even Noura began to flirt with Doris with excited expressions.
How peaceful the life of a favored royal lady could be. Doris smiled contentedly as she glanced over the various gifts that had arrived from Castagna’s vassals. Bardenaldo still treated Doris with care, saying that he was ‘worried about her health,’ but Doris thought that even this was a great improvement. Until recently, the number of times the Crown Prince entered the Crown Princess's Palace after sunset could be counted on one hand.
“Yeah, how was Blithe?”
As soon as Blie's name left her mouth, Noura's hands, which had been opening Doris's gift for her, suddenly stopped.
“It’s no different than usual, Your Highness. The Grand Duke seems to be doing well too.”
"Hmm."
Noura glanced at Doris.
Although she said 'hmm', Noura heard it as 'hmm'. And her ears were not wrong. Doris was satisfied with the frequent visits of the Crown Prince, but she was also a little annoyed by Blie's recent behavior. It was true that Blie had gone to the Grand Duke's residence as Doris and the Duke of Castagna had intended. However, she was annoyed that Blie was just following the Grand Duke's orders without saying a word to her. She said she would wait for her letter, but she didn't necessarily need her help. She didn't go in under the Duke of Castagna's influence; the Grand Duke had already taken the initiative and she entered the Grand Duke's residence without even creating a fake identity.
“Yeah, how was Blithe?”
As soon as Blie's name left her mouth, Noura's hands, which had been opening Doris's gift for her, suddenly stopped.
“It’s no different than usual, Your Highness. The Grand Duke seems to be doing well too.”
"Hmm."
Noura glanced at Doris.
Although she said 'hmm', Noura heard it as 'hmm'. And her ears were not wrong. Doris was satisfied with the frequent visits of the Crown Prince, but she was also a little annoyed by Blie's recent behavior. It was true that Blie had gone to the Grand Duke's residence as Doris and the Duke of Castagna had intended. However, she was annoyed that Blie was just following the Grand Duke's orders without saying a word to her. She said she would wait for her letter, but she didn't necessarily need her help. She didn't go in under the Duke of Castagna's influence; the Grand Duke had already taken the initiative and she entered the Grand Duke's residence without even creating a fake identity.
Blie had to properly let him know that Doris had some merit, so that she would work faithfully as her eyes and ears, but it was ambiguous to ask or order her like this. If she had been quick-witted, she would have sent her letters often earlier. Madame Leblaix said that she was busy with her training as a bride before becoming the Grand Duchess and that she had been told to refrain from going out until the Grand Duchess's funeral was over. She said that she was just waiting for the day when she could become the Grand Duchess and serve Her Highness the Crown Princess again, but it was different from hearing it directly.
“Even when I exchanged letters with Madam Blie, she said that the Grand Duke was very kind to her."
Irene's bright voice twisted Doris's lips even more. She had already heard from her that Blie Acacia, who was supposed to be Castagna's puppet in name only, had captivated Noevian with her charm, but it was bitter.
“I received a letter asking how she was doing, but it didn’t go into such detail. Perhaps it was because the Grand Duke was aware of it?”
When Doris asked, hiding her rising irritation, Irene tilted her head and Noura still just looked around.
“There were always four of us, but now that there are three, I feel a little empty, and I think I should write a letter to Blie today. I’ve been so busy that I haven’t been able to contact her at all.”
“Oh, then please write me a letter quickly so I can deliver it on my way back to the palace, Your Highness.”
When Irene smiled and offered, Doris smiled back as if she was happy.
“Yes. Please make sure to deliver it today. Irene.”
“Even when I exchanged letters with Madam Blie, she said that the Grand Duke was very kind to her."
Irene's bright voice twisted Doris's lips even more. She had already heard from her that Blie Acacia, who was supposed to be Castagna's puppet in name only, had captivated Noevian with her charm, but it was bitter.
“I received a letter asking how she was doing, but it didn’t go into such detail. Perhaps it was because the Grand Duke was aware of it?”
When Doris asked, hiding her rising irritation, Irene tilted her head and Noura still just looked around.
“There were always four of us, but now that there are three, I feel a little empty, and I think I should write a letter to Blie today. I’ve been so busy that I haven’t been able to contact her at all.”
“Oh, then please write me a letter quickly so I can deliver it on my way back to the palace, Your Highness.”
When Irene smiled and offered, Doris smiled back as if she was happy.
“Yes. Please make sure to deliver it today. Irene.”
***
The Imperial 2nd Knights and the Capital Guard, who had been occupying the main gate and making a fuss, became quiet as if it were a lie when I came out. I pretended to persuade Neil, who was in the lead and told him to hold out until it got dark. Neil, who was very perceptive, nodded and made a fuss quietly. They started setting up a temporary tent, saying that they had to investigate each and every one of the Grand Duke’s servants outside the Grand Duke’s residence. Gaspard’s face turned red with anger, but seeing Rhodnes watching them from afar, he refused to dare to disobey and insisted that he would never enter the Grand Duke’s residence.
Rhodnes had been staring at me since I came out. Suddenly, my face burned, so I bowed my head slightly as if I was being polite. After cooling my face for a moment and urging Gaspard to guard the main gate, I returned and opened the letter Irene had delivered.
[It’s good to be in love with sweetness, but sometimes you need to look around. Do you still, and will you always be, mine? If not, it might be a little lonely.]
Reading such a letter in the empty mansion while the servants were out for questioning gave me a headache. Anyway, it was not good to make an enemy of Doris right now. I let out a deep sigh and put the letter in my bosom.
While I was contemplating what to say in reply, I arrived in front of Noevian’s office. Not knowing which key was the right one, I tried them one by one, and at some point, the door opened with a click. I held my breath and looked around again. There was no one in the hallway, and I could still hear the commotion at the front door from afar. Finally, the door to Noevian’s office opened.
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