Chapter 15.
That day at the banquet, Friedrich was like a single flower. That meant he was that beautiful, and also that quiet.
As if he knew his own position well, he stuck right by my side like an accessory.
“You’re a man with no manners or respect for a lady in a public setting.”
I never expected him to step forward like this in a place with so many people—dozens, no, hundreds of pairs of eyes watching.
I myself was too stunned by the unexpected situation to intervene.
Joachim also seemed visibly flustered, not having anticipated Friedrich stepping up to call him out.
But soon, he rose with clear displeasure on his face.
“This doesn’t seem like a place for a prince to interfere.”
Joachim glared at Friedrich and added a remark.
“No, I can’t even call you a prince. Where’s a king in a fallen country?”
I was about to incredulously point out Joachim’s rudeness when Friedrich beat me to it.
“Then call me by my name. Friedrich Kill.”
“I see. But the Kill royal family doesn’t exist in the world anymore, does it?”
“Duke Rommel.”
“Then.”
Again, Friedrich was faster than me.
“You might as well call me Friedrich Stade in advance.”
“…What?”
“His Majesty the Emperor just permitted our wedding a month from now.”
In front of a dumbfounded Joachim, Friedrich continued in a calm, measured tone.
“A month isn’t that far off, so it should be fine to use the title that will change soon, Duke Rommel.”
And at the end, he slightly lifted the corner of his mouth in a smile.
It was the same smile I’d told him to use if he heard any mean words before entering the banquet hall.
In the end, I was right. Joachim couldn’t say a word.
Actually, I was just as dazed, but I snapped out of it when Joachim looked at me with eyes full of shock.
Then, pushing Friedrich aside, I stood facing Joachim.
-Slap!
The sharp cracking sound filled the wide hall. The strength in my hands, honed by swimming and horseback riding, exerted plenty of force even without magic.
Joachim’s cheek turned pathetically to the side. I personally put the ring he was holding back into its box and placed it in his hand.
“So, not answering my proposal right away wasn’t because you were being cautious. You were just outright ignoring me. Didn’t I make myself clear yesterday?”
Joachim looked at me like he’d heard the most unjust thing in the world.
As if to say absolutely not, his eyes grew moist and he tried to shake his head, but I gave him no opening.
“You’re insolent and presumptuous. How dare you propose to me in such a public place? Are you mocking me?”
“No, that’s not it. I…”
“I don’t even want to look at you, so get out of my sight.”
But Joachim couldn’t move from that spot.
He stared at me in a daze, his expression like the world had collapsed, and after glaring at him once with contempt, I took Friedrich and left the scene.
…I swear, there was no personal grudge in my actions just now. But if I hadn’t gone that far, people would have whispered that it wasn’t like Rene.
Actually, that thought was only fleeting; what completely occupied my mind was Friedrich’s sudden behavior.
I stopped in a secluded spot and faced the man who still had his left arm extended to me.
When I smiled brightly at him, Friedrich looked back at me with a dazed expression.
“Well done, Friedrich.”
“…I thought you were going to scold me.”
Friedrich opened his mouth in a bewildered voice.
“That’s why I figured you brought me all the way here.”
“No? Why would I? You said everything I wanted to say for me. Even announcing our marriage—perfectly.”
As I spoke, I suddenly got excited and, without thinking, stood on my tiptoes to quickly pat his head.
He awkwardly bent his upper body.
“I should be praising you, not scolding. Where did that courage come from all of a sudden, huh?”
“…I just said what I wanted to say.”
Aww, is that so? Aww, how admirable. I didn’t hide my pleased smile and grabbed his arm again.
“Now, I think it’s fine to head back to Rene Palace. Since Duke Rommel just made that absurd proposal, my mood is ruined, so no one will think it’s strange.”
But unexpectedly, Friedrich didn’t seem pleased. Again, contrary to my expectation, I asked curiously.
“You don’t want to go back?”
“No, we should.”
His calm voice felt oddly unsettling. Still, we returned to Rene Palace for now.
I left him with words to rest well and went to my room.
“Ah, I’m so tired I could die…”
Soaking in the bathtub made it a bit better, at least. How do they all stay there for hours on end?
After finishing my half-bath and coming out, I asked Elsa as she helped me into my robe.
“What’s the situation at the banquet hall?”
“Duke Rommel has returned home, but everyone is talking only about the three of you.”
I figured as much. Romantic scandals are always the most entertaining.
“Are you really going to make an enemy of Duke Rommel? If he sides with Prince Anton like this, it’ll be a threat.”
“To my succession to the throne?”
“Yes.”
“I told you. I’m not interested.”
This time, Elsa didn’t drop the perfume oil.
“Do you believe me a bit now?”
“If you don’t send a letter to Duke Rommel tomorrow.”
“You’re really hard to earn trust from.”
“That’s a compliment.”
Whatever impressed her, Elsa looked quite satisfied.
“More than that, it’s a shame you came back without dancing even once.”
“My maids put so much effort into dressing me up, right?”
“Well, that too, but the prince’s practice went to waste.”
“Practice?”
At the out-of-the-blue comment, I furrowed my brows and asked.
“What are you talking about?”
“Didn’t you know? After finishing dinner with Your Highness yesterday, the prince was dancing in the palace garden. For quite a while.”
“What?”
“I thought he’d stop after I caught him, but he asked me to teach him the dance. Since the court cultures of Kill and Stade are quite different, he said practicing what he knows has its limits.”
“He said that? So you taught him?”
“Just the basic steps. But he followed along well after seeing it once.”
Well, yeah, he’s a genius who can replicate swordsmanship after seeing it once.
…I didn’t expect him to use that talent for dancing with me, though.
“You look quite touched.”
“He’s cute. Don’t you think he’s cute?”
“If I say he’s cute, you’ll kill me.”
I laughed once and then headed straight out to Friedrich’s room. Luckily, there was still time before midnight.
Rene isn’t the type to knock in her own palace. I pushed the handle without knocking.
But it was almost midnight, and after what happened last time, I figured it would be locked, of course.
“Ah!”
The door swung open easily. I slid inside on momentum.
At the same time, my eyes met Friedrich’s as he stood up in surprise.
“…Your Highness?”
There’s a pen and notebook on the desk. Was he writing a diary or something?
He approached me with wavering eyes.
“What brings you here…”
“You didn’t lock the door?”
I said, a bit flushed from coming in a hurry and feeling warm.
“I told you to lock it.”
“…If you come like this, I couldn’t not open it for you.”
“That’s why I told you to lock it?”
“There shouldn’t be a place in Your Highness’s palace that Your Highness can’t enter.”
He’s only known me for less than two months, but his interpretation of Rene’s character is top-notch.
I clapped in admiration.
“Excellent attitude. You haven’t slept yet? Were you waiting for me?”
“Huh?”
“There’s still something left for you to do with me.”
When I looked at Friedrich with an all-knowing expression, his eyes trembled faintly. He must be touched.
‘Well, he probably didn’t expect me to come knowing this.’
His gaze immediately went to the clock on the wall.
I followed and saw about 30 minutes left until midnight.
I said, as if to reassure him not to worry.
“30 minutes is more than enough time to get it done.”
“…Is that so?”
“Of course.”
A typical waltz piece doesn’t exceed 10 minutes even if it’s long. We could do two.
“Anything more, and I wouldn’t have the stamina anyway.”
I added confidently. Friedrich blinked a couple of times, then suddenly nodded with a resolute expression.
“…I’ll keep that in mind.”
