Chapter 32.
“You don’t have to think so narrowly about it.”
Friedrich looked at me with an expression asking what I meant. I smiled awkwardly and continued.
“Some people get married twice, or even three times…”
“I will only do it once.”
Friedrich said firmly.
“I’m not interested in others, but for me, it’s like that. Once in a lifetime.”
“Uh, really…?”
I swallowed dryly and asked cautiously.
“Then, if—hypothetically, very hypothetically—we divorced, you wouldn’t remarry…?”
“…Divorce?”
“Just hypothetically.”
“…”
Friedrich fell silent for a long while at my question. His expression didn’t look good, so I waited tensely for his lips to part.
“…If Your Highness were to cast me aside.”
“Uh, hey, wait. Are you crying?”
Suddenly, tears welled up in Friedrich’s eyes.
My mind went blank, and without time to think of anything else, I hurriedly soothed him.
“Who said anything about casting you aside? It’s just a supposition, a what-if.”
“I don’t like that supposition…”
“Okay, okay. My bad for saying it.”
I quickly cupped his cheeks and wiped the tears with my thumbs. A sigh escaped me involuntarily.
“You’re surprisingly quick to tears, huh?”
But why does even his crying look so pure? Cutting his hair didn’t erase that purity after all.
“Sorry. I shouldn’t have brought up useless talk the day before the wedding.”
But even as I said that, a nagging unease lingered in one corner of my mind. Come to think of it, the Kill Kingdom placed great importance on marital fidelity.
‘…He wouldn’t really refuse to remarry even after a divorce, would he?’
Nah, no way. He might say that now, but once he meets his first love, that’ll change, right?
No need to worry in advance. I let go of his cheeks and deliberately shifted to a brighter tone.
“Alright, enough chatter—let’s go eat lunch. I’m hungry.”
We had a simple lunch in the dining hall. While eating, I was roughly explaining tomorrow’s schedule to Friedrich when he said,
“Then I should sleep early tonight.”
“Yeah, probably? We have to get up early tomorrow.”
“Are you busy this evening?”
“No? Why?”
Friedrich thought for a moment before answering.
“I’d like to have dinner together too.”
“Sure? Let’s do that.”
I replied casually.
***
After the meal, I went to the library and then to see Princess Marie.
“I-I greet Your Highness, the shining morning star of the empire.”
After a few meetings, Marie seemed convinced that I wouldn’t harm her.
But her shrunken, cautious demeanor remained the same. Well, who could be at ease around Rene, anyway?
I signaled Elsa with my eyes, and she brought over a large box, placing it on the table. Marie eyed it warily.
“Want to open it?”
With trembling hands, Marie opened the box, revealing a pink dress inside. Her eyes widened.
“A gift. Wear it to my wedding tomorrow.”
“C-Can I really accept something like this…?”
“Of course you can. What were you planning to wear to my wedding?”
“…”
Marie’s expression darkened slightly as she spoke.
“His Majesty the Emperor won’t like me being there.”
“Inviting guests is the bride and groom’s prerogative.”
I replied indifferently.
“I’d like you to come. You’re my family too.”
“…”
“Can you come wearing this?”
Maintaining my haughty expression, I asked in the softest voice possible.
Marie hesitated before nodding, and only then did I smile.
“I’m glad you’ll come. I’ll take that as my wedding gift.”
With those words, I rose from my seat. At that moment, a very faint voice stopped me.
“Um…”
When I turned, Marie flinched but gathered her courage and spoke.
“Why… are you being so kind to me?”
“Kind?”
“You visit me, and give me a pretty dress…”
“Because you’re my sister.”
I shrugged as if it were the most absurd question and continued on my way.
But coincidentally, I caught Elsa’s expression, which looked somehow grave.
“What’s wrong, Elsa?”
“…”
Elsa was silent for a moment before answering.
“It’s nothing.”
“You know I hate it when things are hidden from me, right?”
“…It’s not a big deal.”
Elsa furrowed her brow and muttered.
“Is Princess Marie ill or something?”
“Suddenly? Why?”
“It smells like medicine.”
“Medicine?”
“Yes. Quite strong.”
Elsa continued with a thoughtful expression.
“I’m familiar with it because we had a patient at home. It’s the smell from taking medicine long-term.”
“But why hasn’t anyone told me about this?”
Moreover, there was no mention of Marie having a chronic illness in the original story.
Just then, Lady Neuven came into view. I beckoned her over, and she startled before hurrying toward me.
“I greet Your Highness.”
“Does Princess Marie have any ailments?”
“Pardon?”
Lady Neuven’s eyes widened as if she’d heard something out of the blue. So, no.
“Or is she taking any medication.”
“…Medication?”
“Never mind.”
I shook my head and walked past Lady Neuven. Elsa followed and said,
“I could have been mistaken.”
“Or she might be sick and no one knows yet. If it’s a smell from a patient, that means something’s wrong, right?”
“Possibly.”
“After the wedding, I’ll send a palace physician to check her. She’s too thin anyway.”
By the time we arrived at Rene Palace, it was nearly time for the dinner I’d promised Friedrich. I headed straight to the dining hall.
“…Huh?”
When I opened the door and entered, Friedrich and Joachim were facing each other, glaring.
Then they both turned to me at the same time and suddenly smiled. I already saw everything, you two.
“You’re back early, Duke?”
“Tomorrow’s an important day.”
“…For you too?”
“Of course. It’s the wedding day of the one I serve.”
Joachim said that with a rather poignant expression, but I approached him with a blank face. And then…
-Smack!
I flicked his forehead hard, and Joachim let out a low groan.
He touched his forehead with a bewildered look, and I narrowed my eyes as I scolded him.
“You called Friedrich a slave?”
“Me? When?”
“You told him to cut his hair so he doesn’t look like a slave. I heard all about it.”
“No, that was…!”
Joachim raised his voice with an aggrieved expression, then launched into a lengthy excuse.
“I-I did say something like that, but… it wasn’t meant that way. The prince came to me first, asking about his hair…”
“And you told him he looked like a slave?”
“I didn’t say it that bluntly…”
As his excuses grew more pathetic, Joachim seemed to realize it and shut his mouth, bowing his head.
“…I’ll be more careful.”
“You better. Tomorrow, he’ll officially be my husband.”
For fairness, though, I sat at the head of the table.
Thanks to establishing discipline from the start, the meal atmosphere proceeded smoothly. By the time the meal was nearly over, I was completely full.
“Ah, I should’ve eaten less.”
Realizing belatedly that tomorrow was the wedding, I furrowed my brow, and immediate rebuttals came from both sides.
“Reducing your meal for the wedding isn’t a good idea.”
“That’s right, Your Highness. It’s not that big a deal.”
“…It’s an important day, but no need to starve yourself over it.”
Friedrich glared at Joachim once before turning to me with a smiling face and suggesting,
“How about we go for a walk together?”
“That’s a good idea. I’ll join—!”
“Duke Rommel is a busy man, so I’ll escort Her Highness.”
“You have time for a walk with Her Highness?”
Haha, seeing those two getting along so well, I might end up with indigestion at the wedding tomorrow?
