Returning to the mansion, Celine smiled kindly at the maid who greeted her and took her coat.
“Has my father returned?”
“Yes, he is in the study, Miss.”
“I see. Thank you.”
The servants admired Celine, who, despite growing up beautifully, treated everyone with kindness and gentleness. She was well-regarded in high society, and her beauty and kind heart were considered worthy of consideration by the royal family as a potential daughter-in-law.
So, they can use the modifier ‘Princess’ without hesitation.
Of course, some were jealous and even sarcastically called her a Princess.
The servants had no doubts about the 'kind-hearted' woman's ignorance of the discriminated Diana.
Rather, it is known that Diana had a vicious nature and was jealous of Celine, and that she did things like putting rats in her bed and putting stomach-ache medicine in her food.
Yet, the fact that pure Celine shed pearly tears and asked for forgiveness for her younger sister made her shine even more.
People recognized her as a woman as clear and bright as her name, which means sky.
She thought that for light to shine, there must be darkness.
Celine's face, which was always innocent and smiling, was now covered in a dark shadow.
The reason she deliberately acted foolishly and cried was that she wanted to understand his intentions.
Even with the persuasion, Lieutenant Colonel Groenendaal's firm gaze did not waver an inch, and judging by the fact that he continued to come to see his father, it was clear that he would somehow go and rescue Diana.
Is it true that it is for her sake?
He didn't respond to the confession, but there must have been a reason why he told her the date of the operation, which was a military secret.
I wish it were for me. Even if it isn't, I'll have to make it so.
Celine knocked on the door to the admiral's study and entered, her expression as gentle as usual.
"Dad. The Lieutenant Colonel wants to become a Duke for me. He's going to rescue my beloved younger sister."
“Are you saying that Lieutenant Colonel Groenendaal also has feelings for you?”
“Yes. True love is respecting the choices of the person you love.”
The bespectacled admiral rubbed the corner of his mouth and looked worried.
"That's probably why Dad turned down all my proposals. You wanted me to marry the man of my choice. Even if I became a Queen or Empress, I couldn't be happy with someone I didn't love."
At Celine's words, the admiral placed his hand on the desk in the study and spoke quietly.
“So, what does my Princess want?”
"Dad, I wish my 'precious' Diana would come back alive. Then he'd be a Duke, and I'd be a Duchess."
The admiral's eyebrows furrowed at his daughter's deliberate request. He sensed her intention to ask the lieutenant colonel to help rescue Diana. The admiral recalled the survivor who had gone to Frogen to kill Diana and returned alone.
Of course, he killed the man to secure his own mouth. He planned to kill them all at the border, in case they returned and threatened him with the bodies.
With the public already in the spotlight and the speculation surrounding her life and death, Diana's death in an enemy country would inevitably lead to criticism. Celine would also suffer.
After public criticism grew, the idea of sending someone to kill Diana was naturally abandoned. He was deeply concerned about why the Duke so desperately wanted her.
Whatever the reason, it was still difficult. He recalled the terms of Duke Rotsilt's negotiation demands. Celine covered her mouth and lowered her eyes sadly, looking at the admiral, who was deep in thought.
She believed that if the lieutenant colonel rescued Diana, it would be a positive response to her confession. If not, then she could make it so.
The woman and the man were lost in their own thoughts.
Rosie was pestering me with a flurry of complaints about having to match my dress for the upcoming bar mitzvah with my dress for Christmas Mass. She also said I'd be getting a lot of invitations in the future, so she'd prepare dresses to match the venues.
In fact, after returning from the ball, invitations began to arrive from the upper-class nobles, perhaps because of the rumor that I was the Duke's fiancée.
Most of them were about social parties, formal dinners, horse races, croquet matches, casinos, and going to hot spring towns, which intuitively meant 'let's have fun together.'
As industrialization accelerated, it became a duty for the aristocrats, who were mainly involved in business and politics, to get together and have fun, even for business purposes.
Since I am not an extrovert, this popularity was a bit burdensome.
"...I've decided to go to the hot springs with the noble ladies next Tuesday. Blanche's hot springs are famous for their skin-beautifying properties. How about Miss Parsene joining us?"
The invitation was signed "Elizabeth Morey." The introduction praised her for her exceptional dancing, followed by the main point. It was difficult to refuse an invitation from the Countess of Morey, the lady who had taught me to dance.
Now that I had citizenship and was a member of Frogen, Noah seemed willing to let me go.
"No."
Noah kindly but firmly objected to my suggestion of going to the hot springs. A moment of silence passed between Noah, who sat on the sofa opposite me, drinking tea, and me, who was quiet as I pondered the reason for his objection.
"Are you worried about the danger? Countess Morey's husband is a police officer. She'll have security. There's nothing to worry about."
I overlooked again that he wasn't a man of common sense.
“I don’t like other people seeing it.”
“What?”
“What could it be?”
Noah, who had asked back somewhat curtly, leaned back against the sofa and folded his arms, as if to tell me to think for myself. This man seems like he'd be very good at teaching people to think for themselves.
Actually, I'm just going to the bathhouse with the ladies, but I don't like seeing each other's bodies.
“You can do everything else, but that’s not okay. Understand?”
“Then can I go to the casino and walk around your mansion?”
Noah tilted his head slightly at my playful remark.
“...Why do you only think I’ll lose?”
“Because the Princess is not the type to gamble.”
I put down my teacup and stared at Noah. He was right. Seeking stability, I don't enjoy thrills or risks. Those blue eyes seemed to peer into my very depths, and I unconsciously shrugged.
“Hmm... You know a lot.”
“I’ll take you to the hot springs after we get married.”
Noah drank the remaining tea and lightly brushed his lips. My gaze was briefly drawn to the movement of his throat, but I quickly pulled it back.
“Is there a reason why you have to get married and go?”
"Are you suggesting we go together now? I thought you were conservative."
I looked puzzled, not knowing much about the facilities or structure of this hot spring. Then I thought of modern hot spring hotels and the private hot springs used by couples.
It wouldn't be any different here. It's probably a place mostly frequented by couples and lovers. My face flushed as the thought crossed my mind. I bit my lip as a wild imagination surged through me.
“Why is your face red? You’re so cheeky.”
Noah smiled innocently, as if he'd spied on my imagination. This man keeps trying to frame me as a perverted devil. Then, with a natural, innocent expression, he evades the accusation, claiming his intentions were pure.
A pitiful man.
I cleared my throat, picked up the teapot, poured black tea into my empty cup, and turned my head out the window.
I could see snow falling outside the large window. The frosted glass was piling up softly beneath the window.
Next to the window, a tree was set up like a Christmas tree, with silk roses and ribbons, sugar cookies and red berries hanging from it.
The mansion was also decorated with green trees and evergreen branches with red berries, creating a Christmas atmosphere.
“I thought you wouldn’t do something like this.”
Noah followed my gaze and scanned the beautifully decorated tree.
“I didn’t do it originally.”
“Really? Have you changed your mind this year?”
“I told the butler because I thought the Princess would like it. Do you like it?”
"Yes. It's so pretty. I've never really enjoyed this kind of atmosphere before, so I'm happy."
“Then you’ll give me a reward?”
A faint anticipation flickered across Noah's smiling face. I didn't even know what he wanted from me, so I had no idea what reward to give him. I lowered my eyes slightly and cautiously opened my mouth.
“What can I give you, but I... have nothing to give you.”
Noah's expression softened subtly at my words. He covered his eyes with his hand and chuckled. The corners of his mouth, which had been curved beneath his slender fingers, suddenly straightened.
“You’re cute.”
Despite the warm compliment, his voice was dry. He dropped the hand he'd been holding to his eyes, revealing his expressionless face.
Cloudy, cloudy eyes stared in my direction. The surrounding air slowly subsided, like a parabola. The mere exchange of gaze and voice chilled the bright, warm atmosphere in the room.
“Princess. Do you have nothing to give me, or do you not want to give it to me?”
What does that mean? It was so creepy that even the hairs on my face stood on end. A shiver ran down my spine from head to toe, making me curl my toes.
I can only say this, assuming he's reading my every thought. I think he senses that I'm trying to be accepting but not making it real.
He was leaning back on the sofa, as if he was sinking into it, and was staring at me without moving an inch.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Hey, if you think about it, there are a lot.”
At my calm response, Noah relaxed his tightly drawn lips, as if the sight he'd just shown was nothing. He rose from his seat and sat upright next to me, his gaze sweeping my face with a heavy gaze.
“We’re dating, right?”
The handsome man asked, his tongue smoothly rolling. His voice was elegant, yet strangely decadent, and though he pretended to be noble, his eyes were half-sweet.
It's like a hungry predator waiting for its prey, saving it.
Compared to his voice, which had become more hoarse, the distance between him and me was appropriate, as if we were both aware of each other.
“Please give it to me after the coming-of-age ceremony, as a Christmas present.”
“Is there anything you would like to receive?”
My voice was slightly off, but he answered as if nothing had happened.
“Just give me what I ask for that day.”
Noah's lips slowly rose as he nodded slowly.
“I know what that is.”
My mind became a little dizzy as I added the words as if I was talking to myself.
“A letter has arrived from Admiral Belford.”
Vincent, the secretary who now commutes here rather than out of town, handed Noah a letter and stood up straight.
Noah, sitting at his desk in his office, scanned the letter with disinterested eyes.
"I've changed my mind. I won't agree to your demands for negotiations. You must return Diana safely. You have until the new year."
“Looks like they got slammed with criticism. What happened to that fairytale writer? They've been on hiatus for ages.”
“Has my father returned?”
“Yes, he is in the study, Miss.”
“I see. Thank you.”
The servants admired Celine, who, despite growing up beautifully, treated everyone with kindness and gentleness. She was well-regarded in high society, and her beauty and kind heart were considered worthy of consideration by the royal family as a potential daughter-in-law.
So, they can use the modifier ‘Princess’ without hesitation.
Of course, some were jealous and even sarcastically called her a Princess.
The servants had no doubts about the 'kind-hearted' woman's ignorance of the discriminated Diana.
Rather, it is known that Diana had a vicious nature and was jealous of Celine, and that she did things like putting rats in her bed and putting stomach-ache medicine in her food.
Yet, the fact that pure Celine shed pearly tears and asked for forgiveness for her younger sister made her shine even more.
People recognized her as a woman as clear and bright as her name, which means sky.
She thought that for light to shine, there must be darkness.
It was the admiral who made Diana pitiable, but it was Celine who justified that treatment and painted her as a gloomy and wicked figure.
The reason she deliberately acted foolishly and cried was that she wanted to understand his intentions.
Even with the persuasion, Lieutenant Colonel Groenendaal's firm gaze did not waver an inch, and judging by the fact that he continued to come to see his father, it was clear that he would somehow go and rescue Diana.
Is it true that it is for her sake?
He didn't respond to the confession, but there must have been a reason why he told her the date of the operation, which was a military secret.
I wish it were for me. Even if it isn't, I'll have to make it so.
Celine knocked on the door to the admiral's study and entered, her expression as gentle as usual.
"Dad. The Lieutenant Colonel wants to become a Duke for me. He's going to rescue my beloved younger sister."
“Are you saying that Lieutenant Colonel Groenendaal also has feelings for you?”
“Yes. True love is respecting the choices of the person you love.”
The bespectacled admiral rubbed the corner of his mouth and looked worried.
"That's probably why Dad turned down all my proposals. You wanted me to marry the man of my choice. Even if I became a Queen or Empress, I couldn't be happy with someone I didn't love."
At Celine's words, the admiral placed his hand on the desk in the study and spoke quietly.
“So, what does my Princess want?”
"Dad, I wish my 'precious' Diana would come back alive. Then he'd be a Duke, and I'd be a Duchess."
The admiral's eyebrows furrowed at his daughter's deliberate request. He sensed her intention to ask the lieutenant colonel to help rescue Diana. The admiral recalled the survivor who had gone to Frogen to kill Diana and returned alone.
“They said they would provide information, but when I said I didn't need it, they killed them all.”
With the public already in the spotlight and the speculation surrounding her life and death, Diana's death in an enemy country would inevitably lead to criticism. Celine would also suffer.
After public criticism grew, the idea of sending someone to kill Diana was naturally abandoned. He was deeply concerned about why the Duke so desperately wanted her.
Whatever the reason, it was still difficult. He recalled the terms of Duke Rotsilt's negotiation demands. Celine covered her mouth and lowered her eyes sadly, looking at the admiral, who was deep in thought.
She believed that if the lieutenant colonel rescued Diana, it would be a positive response to her confession. If not, then she could make it so.
The woman and the man were lost in their own thoughts.
***
Rosie was pestering me with a flurry of complaints about having to match my dress for the upcoming bar mitzvah with my dress for Christmas Mass. She also said I'd be getting a lot of invitations in the future, so she'd prepare dresses to match the venues.
In fact, after returning from the ball, invitations began to arrive from the upper-class nobles, perhaps because of the rumor that I was the Duke's fiancée.
Most of them were about social parties, formal dinners, horse races, croquet matches, casinos, and going to hot spring towns, which intuitively meant 'let's have fun together.'
As industrialization accelerated, it became a duty for the aristocrats, who were mainly involved in business and politics, to get together and have fun, even for business purposes.
Since I am not an extrovert, this popularity was a bit burdensome.
"...I've decided to go to the hot springs with the noble ladies next Tuesday. Blanche's hot springs are famous for their skin-beautifying properties. How about Miss Parsene joining us?"
The invitation was signed "Elizabeth Morey." The introduction praised her for her exceptional dancing, followed by the main point. It was difficult to refuse an invitation from the Countess of Morey, the lady who had taught me to dance.
Now that I had citizenship and was a member of Frogen, Noah seemed willing to let me go.
"No."
Noah kindly but firmly objected to my suggestion of going to the hot springs. A moment of silence passed between Noah, who sat on the sofa opposite me, drinking tea, and me, who was quiet as I pondered the reason for his objection.
"Are you worried about the danger? Countess Morey's husband is a police officer. She'll have security. There's nothing to worry about."
I overlooked again that he wasn't a man of common sense.
“I don’t like other people seeing it.”
“What?”
“What could it be?”
Noah, who had asked back somewhat curtly, leaned back against the sofa and folded his arms, as if to tell me to think for myself. This man seems like he'd be very good at teaching people to think for themselves.
Actually, I'm just going to the bathhouse with the ladies, but I don't like seeing each other's bodies.
“You can do everything else, but that’s not okay. Understand?”
“Then can I go to the casino and walk around your mansion?”
Noah tilted his head slightly at my playful remark.
“Yeah, go ahead. You can have another one.”
“Because the Princess is not the type to gamble.”
I put down my teacup and stared at Noah. He was right. Seeking stability, I don't enjoy thrills or risks. Those blue eyes seemed to peer into my very depths, and I unconsciously shrugged.
“Hmm... You know a lot.”
“I’ll take you to the hot springs after we get married.”
Noah drank the remaining tea and lightly brushed his lips. My gaze was briefly drawn to the movement of his throat, but I quickly pulled it back.
“Is there a reason why you have to get married and go?”
"Are you suggesting we go together now? I thought you were conservative."
I looked puzzled, not knowing much about the facilities or structure of this hot spring. Then I thought of modern hot spring hotels and the private hot springs used by couples.
It wouldn't be any different here. It's probably a place mostly frequented by couples and lovers. My face flushed as the thought crossed my mind. I bit my lip as a wild imagination surged through me.
“Why is your face red? You’re so cheeky.”
Noah smiled innocently, as if he'd spied on my imagination. This man keeps trying to frame me as a perverted devil. Then, with a natural, innocent expression, he evades the accusation, claiming his intentions were pure.
A pitiful man.
I cleared my throat, picked up the teapot, poured black tea into my empty cup, and turned my head out the window.
I could see snow falling outside the large window. The frosted glass was piling up softly beneath the window.
Next to the window, a tree was set up like a Christmas tree, with silk roses and ribbons, sugar cookies and red berries hanging from it.
The mansion was also decorated with green trees and evergreen branches with red berries, creating a Christmas atmosphere.
“I thought you wouldn’t do something like this.”
Noah followed my gaze and scanned the beautifully decorated tree.
“I didn’t do it originally.”
“Really? Have you changed your mind this year?”
“I told the butler because I thought the Princess would like it. Do you like it?”
"Yes. It's so pretty. I've never really enjoyed this kind of atmosphere before, so I'm happy."
“Then you’ll give me a reward?”
A faint anticipation flickered across Noah's smiling face. I didn't even know what he wanted from me, so I had no idea what reward to give him. I lowered my eyes slightly and cautiously opened my mouth.
“What can I give you, but I... have nothing to give you.”
Noah's expression softened subtly at my words. He covered his eyes with his hand and chuckled. The corners of his mouth, which had been curved beneath his slender fingers, suddenly straightened.
“You’re cute.”
Despite the warm compliment, his voice was dry. He dropped the hand he'd been holding to his eyes, revealing his expressionless face.
Cloudy, cloudy eyes stared in my direction. The surrounding air slowly subsided, like a parabola. The mere exchange of gaze and voice chilled the bright, warm atmosphere in the room.
“Princess. Do you have nothing to give me, or do you not want to give it to me?”
What does that mean? It was so creepy that even the hairs on my face stood on end. A shiver ran down my spine from head to toe, making me curl my toes.
I can only say this, assuming he's reading my every thought. I think he senses that I'm trying to be accepting but not making it real.
He was leaning back on the sofa, as if he was sinking into it, and was staring at me without moving an inch.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Hey, if you think about it, there are a lot.”
At my calm response, Noah relaxed his tightly drawn lips, as if the sight he'd just shown was nothing. He rose from his seat and sat upright next to me, his gaze sweeping my face with a heavy gaze.
“We’re dating, right?”
The handsome man asked, his tongue smoothly rolling. His voice was elegant, yet strangely decadent, and though he pretended to be noble, his eyes were half-sweet.
It's like a hungry predator waiting for its prey, saving it.
Compared to his voice, which had become more hoarse, the distance between him and me was appropriate, as if we were both aware of each other.
“Please give it to me after the coming-of-age ceremony, as a Christmas present.”
“Is there anything you would like to receive?”
My voice was slightly off, but he answered as if nothing had happened.
“Just give me what I ask for that day.”
Noah's lips slowly rose as he nodded slowly.
“I know what that is.”
My mind became a little dizzy as I added the words as if I was talking to myself.
***
“A letter has arrived from Admiral Belford.”
Vincent, the secretary who now commutes here rather than out of town, handed Noah a letter and stood up straight.
Noah, sitting at his desk in his office, scanned the letter with disinterested eyes.
"I've changed my mind. I won't agree to your demands for negotiations. You must return Diana safely. You have until the new year."
“Looks like they got slammed with criticism. What happened to that fairytale writer? They've been on hiatus for ages.”
“I don’t think I was caught.”
Noah slowly leaned back in his chair at Vincent's answer, who knew the meaning of the unexpected words very well.
"The black military dog will be here soon. He seems confident."
"I think so too. Are you thinking of not revealing it? That would be the safest option."
Noah's face immediately turned creepy at Vincent's question.
The fierce Sam Baek-an looked at his Vincent as if he were looking at the person who had asked the unpleasant question.
“What are you talking about? If I do that, the Princess will leave me.”
“...Is that all there is to it?”
There was one thing Vincent also learned not long ago.
I don't know the full details, but the Duke brought her here for "that reason," and now he's desperately trying to hide it. Even though he's worked with Noah for a long time, Vincent can't fathom his thoughts.
At his sigh, Noah lifted his back from the chair he had been leaning against, sat up straight, and grinned. At first glance, he looked like a madman.
“Diana is mine.”
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