Chapter 18.
“Huh? No.”
I turned back to Friedrich in a startle. His pale cheeks were clean, as if the tears had just fallen from his eyes.
But he couldn’t hide the reddened rims or the trembling in his gaze. After a brief silence, I spoke.
“I was just surprised that you were crying.”
“…I told you, I’m not crying.”
“I’m sorry for getting angry.”
I said in a deliberately gentle voice. Friedrich looked at me with sad eyes.
Ah, damn. Yeah, it’s my fault. To make this handsome guy wear such an expression…! I feel like I should beg for forgiveness or something.
“Your Highness, the palace physician has arrived.”
At the timely news, I hurriedly took him to Friedrich’s room. He’d only lost a bit of blood, and fortunately, it wasn’t a deep wound.
“I told you. I can barely protect myself.”
After the physician left, I let out a short sigh and said.
“Touching a shattered vase barehanded without a care.”
That’s when I remembered why he’d ended up breaking the vase in the first place.
“…I’m sorry for showing you such an unsightly side.”
Friedrich spoke in a poignant voice.
“I should have conducted myself more modestly; I was reckless.”
“Well… no. Anyone could do that if they’re flustered.”
He seemed so downcast that I soothed him in a deliberately magnanimous tone. Friedrich was silent for a moment before speaking.
“Wouldn’t it be better for Duke Rommel to be Your Highness’s official husband instead of me?”
“What are you saying all of a sudden?”
“After all, I’m a body offered to Your Highness, so it doesn’t matter in what capacity I serve you.”
So he did hear that conversation earlier.
I furrowed my brows and shook my head.
“One husband is enough for me. I have no intention of taking a lover. I’ll reject Duke Rommel’s request.”
“What if he sides with Prince Anton?”
When I looked at him as if to ask how he knew about that, Friedrich bit his lip firmly and replied.
“I’m not deaf, after all.”
“Then let Anton become emperor, and I’ll go live in the countryside or something.”
“…”
Friedrich still had a shadow over his expression, probably thinking I was joking. He murmured in a pained voice.
“Because of me…”
“Don’t misunderstand. It’s absolutely not because of you.”
Worried he might blame himself unnecessarily, I emphasized it strongly. Friedrich flinched.
“Let’s not talk about this anymore. Something like Duke Rommel becoming my lover won’t happen.”
“…”
“Take care of your hand.”
I lightly patted his shoulder and stepped out.
The maids were cleaning up the remnants of the broken vase in the hallway. Scattered flowers were visible here and there.
‘Did he pick them from the garden himself?’
They seemed carefully selected, but now they’re useless—such a shame.
It kept bothering me, so I said to Elsa.
“Send the prince a bouquet.”
I added the most eye-catching variety among the scattered flowers.
“Roses.”
***
In the meantime, the wedding preparations proceeded steadily, and several wedding dress designs had already come out. But to my eyes, they all looked the same.
“They’re all pretty.”
I flipped through the designs thoughtfully. But this one is pretty, and that one is pretty too. I don’t want to miss any.
“Don’t worry too much about it. There’s no rule saying this will be your last wedding dress.”
Elsa, watching from the side, said seriously. I replied with a baffled expression.
“I haven’t even gotten married yet, and you’re already cursing me like that?”
“What’s wrong with divorce? And anyway, you never know how life will turn out.”
She wore an expression of firm conviction that Rene wouldn’t stick to just one man.
“Or you could hold a ceremony every time you take a new lover.”
“I do have some face to save.”
Shaking my head at the absurd suggestion, I realized I hadn’t given Joachim an answer yet.
“A week should make it look like I’ve thought about it long enough, right?”
“Are you really not going to take the Duke as your lover?”
Instead of answering, Elsa asked back with a face that showed she didn’t understand.
It was already a settled matter. I nodded and replied.
“If I take him as a lover, no one will believe I’ve lost interest in the throne. Everyone will think, like the Duke, that I’m marrying Friedrich as part of an inclusion policy.”
To avoid such misunderstandings, I absolutely won’t take Joachim as a lover.
“Convey my intentions to the Duke, Elsa. As politely as possible.”
“Then it’ll be too obvious that Your Highness dictated it.”
“Oh come on, when have you seen me care about that?”
Elsa nodded, seeming to agree. Now, what’s left is…
“What do you think, Elsa? Which dress is the best?”
“Well. The first one is a mermaid line, so it reveals Your Highness’s firm, toned figure without any excess, while the heart neckline elegantly emphasizes your long neck and straight collarbones. The organza material adds a more refined and feminine feel. The second bell line dress…”
“No, which one is the best?”
“That’s for Your Highness to decide based on my advice.”
No, even an AI would pick one if I asked.
Elsa seemed more reluctant than an AI to get involved in my life.
“…But if you had to choose just one?”
“Your Highness’s taste is the most important.”
It was the tact of someone who knew that no matter what she said to Rene, it wouldn’t be well-received.
That’s why she’s survived as Rene’s close maid until now…
“Or how about consulting with your husband-to-be?”
“That’s a good idea.”
I immediately stood up and headed to Friedrich’s room.
“What does the prince do these days?”
“He spends his time reading or taking walks. Lately, he’s shown interest in gardening too.”
No matter how I look at it, he has a better life than me. While someone’s stamping attendance at the library every day…!
‘The head of the Imperial Library seemed quite stuffy.’
If I tried to access the restricted books right away, it’d be suspicious, so the setup was that I’d suddenly developed a great interest in books.
If I lingered in the general collection for a while and then requested access to the restricted ones, it wouldn’t seem too odd.
‘And I might find some clues in the general books too.’
By then, I’d arrived at Friedrich’s room.
As always, I entered without knocking, and there was Friedrich, perched on the windowsill, reading a book.
The weather was nice, so the window was open.
Wind blew in through the open window, gracefully fluttering the blue curtains and the white inner ones.
Friedrich’s hair swayed gently in between.
I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the sight, my face going blank.
It’s like… a photoshoot.
“Your Highness?”
Noticing my presence then, Friedrich quickly closed the book and stood up.
I could see the bandage still wrapped around his hand. I approached him casually and took his hand without hesitation.
“How’s your hand?”
“Ah…”
Friedrich trembled slightly before answering.
“It’s almost healed now.”
“Good.”
“W-What brings you here…”
“Oh, was I interrupting your concentration?”
Belatedly recalling his serious expression, I asked, and Friedrich hurriedly shook his head with a flustered look.
“I was just asking out of concern if something had happened to Your Highness.”
“What could happen? Nothing like that; I have a favor to ask.”
“Command me.”
Ah, answering so solemnly makes the next part a bit embarrassing…
“The wedding dress designs came out, but they’re all so pretty I can’t decide.”
I awkwardly held out the five design sheets.
He took them reflexively, his eyes wavering.
“My maids aren’t… much help either. Could you pick for me?”
“…Me.”
Friedrich fiddled with the designs held to his chest and murmured in a dazed voice.
“Am I qualified for such an important task…”
“Don’t feel too pressured. I’ll listen to your opinion, but maybe after some more time, I can decide on my own.”
“I’ll do my best.”
I didn’t even know what that meant and just brushed off Friedrich’s resolute words casually.
“More than that…”
Because at that moment, something powerfully caught my eye.
“Why is that still here?”
