I am bothered by everything about his actions and tone of voice, but can this be called love? I resolved to act according to my heart, but I couldn't actually tell what was going on inside my head.
"Honestly, I don't know how to treat Your Highness."
I looked up and met his gaze. A glimmer of light filled his eyes as he looked at me.
"That is why Your Highness feels uncomfortable and bothered."
At my words, the corners of his eyes curved softly.
"So that means it's not the worst, at least. That's a relief."
His voice, accompanied by a slight sigh, was as sweet as honey.
***
"I'll have the dress in this color."
I pointed to the dark green silk located closest to me. After carefully examining the silk, Anasha recorded it on the paper.
"I think it would be good to use this fabric for the hat as well. What do you think?"
"I think that would be a good idea."
"I suppose it would be better to wear a wide brim if you plan to stay in the sun for a long time, wouldn't it?"
"As long as it isn't bothersome."
Anasha smiled and meticulously wrote down my requirements on a piece of paper. Ten days later, the Imperial Hunting Competition was held. It was one of the Imperial Family's major annual events, a competition where not only members of the royal family but also high-ranking nobles invited by the royals gathered to hunt.
It was a competition closer to entertainment than a serious hunt, so it was attended by women as well as men.
Unlike before, since my coming-of-age ceremony has passed, I had to attend the hunting competition starting this year as the Crown Prince's fiancée.
To attend the hunting competition, I needed a lightweight dress that allowed for easy movement. Upon hearing the news, Anasha came to see me of her own accord. She meticulously recorded everything needed, from hats to shoes.
She smiled as she put down her pen, as if she had finished tidying up. At her gesture, the waiting maids cleared away the fabrics piled high on the table. A steaming teacup and a plate of sweet cookies were placed on the tidy table.
"Oh my, what is this tea? It smells wonderful!"
Anasha let out a gasp after taking a sip of tea. The yellow tea filled the room with a sweet aroma.
"It is tea made from Leisha flowers. If you like it, I can pack a little for you to take home."
"You mean, a Leisha flower?"
Anasha widened her eyes and looked back and forth between the teacup and me.
"If it is a flower, then the Crown Princess’s..."
She trailed off, as if unsure. I nodded.
"Yes. It's the Leisha flower."
"Uh. How..."
It was only natural that she was surprised. Since the Leisha flower symbolizes the Crown Princess, flower that could not be grown carelessly in ordinary noble families.
Due to the Leisha flowers sent from the Imperial Palace, not only the room but the entire mansion was filled with them. Since they were sent personally by the Emperor, they could not be carelessly thrown away. As the ladies-in-waiting held the withered flowers and did not know what to do, I eventually went to see the Emperor and made a request that was not quite a request.
Leisha flowers are edible. Moreover, they possessed excellent efficacy not only for the skin but also for preventing gynecological diseases. It is only because they are prohibited from being cultivated indiscriminately that they are not used; Leisha flowers were actually used as medicinal herbs.
I visited the Emperor and asked if I could use the Leisha flowers for tea or jam, as it was a waste to throw them away. The Emperor looked surprised for a moment, but then laughed heartily and gave me permission to do as I pleased.
I thought the matter of the Leisha flowers was settled, but I seem to have underestimated the Emperor. From that day on, he sent me a large cart full of not only Leisha flowers but also other edible flowers every day.
"I have received permission from His Majesty, so you may rest assured."
I still sighed as I thought of the flowers filling the mansion. Seeing me, Anasha smiled mischievously.
"They say a father-in-law loves his daughter-in-law, and it seems you are loved even before you get married."
The Emperor was certainly generous toward me. Even though I had been reluctant to have a wedding with the Crown Prince indefinitely, the Emperor did not even mention that he was disappointed. He treated me with the same consistent demeanor as he had at the beginning.
I decided not to think anymore about whether the Crown Prince or the Emperor's attitude toward me was sincere or not. Regardless of their true intentions, I resolved to simply accept the affection they showed me as it was.
Trying to figure out their intentions and harbor suspicions would be an endless task. It was obvious that my mental state would be ruined while I constantly doubted them. It was better to trust what I could see of them.
If they betrayed my trust, I could think about revenge when the time came. There was no need to jump to conclusions and run away out of fear of getting hurt.
"Well, I don't know. But more importantly, did something happen in the West?"
Even though I intentionally changed the subject, Anasha answered my question instead of finding fault.
"Yes. It seems something serious happened, serious enough for Evan to go to the West himself."
"You don't know what happened?"
"He was in a hurry because it seemed like an urgent matter, so I didn't get to hear the details."
The fact that Evan had gone to the West bothered me. I instructed him to find out about the West, specifically the Duke of Deisha's family. That wasn't the only matter regarding the West, but for some reason, I had a bad feeling about it. I tapped the table with my fingers.
There were roughly two years left until she came to the capital. Perhaps because my feelings from back then still lingered, I couldn't help but feel bad whenever I thought of her.
"Was Evan okay?"
"The carrier pigeon arrived yesterday, and so far, it seems fine. Is there something bothering you?"
"That's not it. I was just wondering if the wound on his neck is okay."
"Ah!"
Anasha let out a small gasp as if remembering something. She smiled brightly at me. Fine wrinkles formed around her eyes, revealing her signature eye smile.
"Evan's wound wasn't as deep as it looked. He even received treatment from a skilled doctor."
“Thank goodness.”
She looked at me with sparkling eyes, as if she had discovered a fun toy.
"More importantly, is His Royal Highness the Crown Prince really as jealous as the rumors say? I can't imagine such a side to Your Highness, who is known for being gentle."
"Ha..."
Even I, who am usually indifferent to rumors, couldn't help but feel awkward this time. Since it happened on a main street, the rumors of that day spread uncontrollably.
Among the malicious rumors, there was a theory that the Crown Prince, having witnessed Evan and me having an affair, personally stabbed Evan. Because Evan had not shown himself since then, the rumor seemed to gain credibility.
The Pison Merchant quickly revealed Evan's identity, emphasizing that my relationship with him was merely a public meeting between the granddaughter of the former merchant and the current merchant.
The Crown Prince personally clarified that it was a trivial misunderstanding caused by jealousy over a stranger standing next to me.
He visited the Elliott family almost every day, showing off just how close our relationship was. He visited the mansion every day, delighted that he had found an excuse to meet me.
Putting aside the tangled emotions, he was a pretty decent person to have as a friend. Although he possessed the characteristic arrogance of a Crown Prince, it suited his confidence and made him even more attractive and energetic.
His ingrained manners made it easy for others to treat him without hesitation, and the smile that appeared on his sculpted, handsome face was enough to please the eyes.
It feels good that a man who is nearly perfect in every way—ability, personality, and appearance—likes me. Apart from my heart beating like crazy, I didn't dislike his proactive actions.
I didn't know what would happen in the future, but I thought it wouldn't be a bad idea to just let myself go with this feeling. I was gradually starting to look forward to how he would try to seduce me.
***
The sunlight beat down intensely. The snorting of horses and the clashing of knights' armor were deafening.
The location where the hunting competition was held was in the mountains, about a three-hour horseback ride from the imperial palace.
Since it involved the movement of the imperial family, including the Emperor, and high-ranking nobles, the hunting competition held once a year was one of the top five major national events.
The area in front of the imperial palace was lined with horses and carriages gathered to travel to the venue where the hunting competition was being held. The palace attendants and servants of each household were busy from early in the morning serving their masters.
As the departure time approached, the nobles who had gathered in small groups began to board the carriages or horses they would ride in, one by one. I was also about to board the waiting carriage when suddenly,
"Oh!"
The hat I was wearing to block the sunlight fluttered in the wind. Just as I instinctively reached to grab the brim, a heavy weight landed on my head.
“Be careful.”
A low voice rose from above my head. When I looked up, deep blue eyes were looking down at me.
"Thank you."
The Marquis held my hat and moved it back and forth without a word. It looked as if he were trying to straighten a crooked hat. Although surprised by his unexpected action, I quietly accepted his touch.
The Marquis seemed unaccustomed to such things. Despite his serious expression, the wide-brimmed hat kept spinning loosely in his hand. His eyebrows twitched upward as he glared at the hat.
"Hmm..."
Eventually, a sigh like a groan escaped his lips.
I barely managed to hold back the laughter that was about to burst out. Unlike back then, lately he had been showing signs of trying to get closer to me. I don't know what made him change, but that change wasn't bad.
It was amusing to watch him struggle while holding my hat, but there wasn't much time left to leave. I placed my hand over his.
I felt the Marquis flinch as my hand touched him, but he showed no sign of pulling his hand away or refusing. Holding the Marquis's hand, I adjusted my hat.
"You can do it like this."
As I lowered my hand, the Marquis also took his hand off my hat. He looked down at me without saying a word.
"Do you have something to say to me?"
His face was still expressionless, but now I was able to infer a few things about what that blank expression meant. When the Marquis stared at my face for a long time, it was because he had something to say to me.
"I am..."
Buuuu!
A loud trumpet blast cut off the Marquis's words. It was the signal that we were about to depart. The Marquis's gaze turned toward the Emperor and Empress as they boarded the carriage. His brow furrowed slightly.
"Shouldn't you be by His Majesty's side?"
The Marquis was the Chancellor of this country. He had to travel with the Emperor by his side. A low sigh escaped the Marquis's lips.
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