But I was caught the moment I stepped outside. Marcella was relentless, truly.
“You’re leaving already, Your Highness?”
“I’m exhausted. Let’s each go home, shall we?”
“Ah, to my home — !”
“No. Separately.”
“Oh.”
Marcella’s expression briefly collapsed.
“Though I suppose my home would be awkward for you.”
“You’re only realizing this now? Did you forget whose fault it is that you’re engaged to the crown prince?”
“My sister’s, obviously.”
“……”
I’m glad I don’t have a sibling like that.
“Aren’t you worried about your father? We’re political opponents, in a sense. Your people might report this back to the marquess.”
At that, Marcella’s maids startled nearly out of their skin and shook their heads with fervent denial.
“W-we would never dare do anything so foolish, Your Highness! We know our lady’s wishes — we know them fully — “
“Yes, yes, that’s right. And the coachman is very discreet as well.”
Marcella looked at her loyal household with fond satisfaction and shrugged her shoulders lightly.
“And even if Father did find out — he would interpret it as me trying to stay on good terms with you, Your Highness.”
“Fine. I understand. Now please, for the love of everything, send me home.”
“But there’s still so much daylight left…”
She planned to stay until sunset?
I stared at her in mild horror, and she looked back with perfect composure.
“Is that not how an outing is supposed to go? Or when you go out with Lady Marie, will you also come back after only an hour or two?”
“That’s different. Marie is different.”
“Ah. Of course…”
The light went out of Marcella’s face immediately. With her delicate features, it gave her a look of genuine sorrow.
Don’t fall for it. This was the woman who took one chest of gold and, without so much as a blink, turned it into ten in public rumor. A woman to be wary of.
“I also find that I prefer seeing you briefly more often, rather than at length all at once.”
There it is. She is doing it right now.
“And why exactly should we be meeting frequently? Today you dragged me here under duress.”
“That would be flattery, of course. The more often you see someone, the more familiar and fond of them you become — is that not so?”
She said it without a trace of self-consciousness. I narrowed my eyes.
“…And that logic only applies if I want to become empress.”
“Once you are empress, you will be familiar and fond of me regardless.”
“As of right now, I’d be better off not seeing you at all.”
I shook my head and moved to get into the carriage.
Marcella stepped forward at once and offered her hand to assist me up. I looked at her in faint exasperation — but didn’t refuse.
“You’d have made a fine knight.”
“Regrettably, I have no talent in that direction. But I am glad you didn’t refuse me.”
“I’m not heartless enough to reject a lady’s escort.”
The carriage set off toward the palace. I stared out the window for a while, and near the end of the journey, I remembered something important.
“We’ve arrived, Your Highness. Mind your step.”
Marcella stepped down first and offered her hand for the second time. I said what I’d been meaning to say.
“We couldn’t have stayed out long today regardless.”
Marcella looked at me with a questioning expression. I answered with practiced indifference.
“We have a family gathering. A meeting you’ll eventually have to attend yourself.”
“Hmm…I do hope you take the throne before that day arrives, Your Highness.”
She turned over the thought with distaste, then offered a quiet smile.
“But even if it comes a little later than hoped — I will do everything in my power to support you. And at the very least, wouldn’t things be a little less dull with me around?”
It was such a resoundingly reassuring answer that my heart gave an unwanted lurch in response. Ah — so this is how she gets to you.
When I returned to my room and changed out of my dress, Elsa asked the most bewildering question.
“And how was your date with Lady Marcella, Your Highness?”
“A date.”
I sputtered in protest.
“Well — I suppose it did feel rather like a date. She escorted me by the arm, took me to a boutique…”
“A boutique, Your Highness?”
“Don’t be startled. It was Madame Droite’s.”
Elsa dropped her hairbrush.
I stared. That was the most dramatic reaction I had ever witnessed from her.
“My family’s total debt was three dress-lengths’ worth of her fees.”
“…Just how much debt was there?”
“All paid off now. Thanks to you, Your Highness.”
To be precise — not simply given, but advanced generously as a prepayment of wages. Still.
“Even among nobles, a dress from Madame Droite is out of reach for most.”
“She seems to have an extraordinary amount of money.”
“That is not something you should say, Your Highness.”
Elsa fell quiet after that, and went back to drawing the brush smoothly through my hair in long, even strokes.
The silence had an odd quality to it. I regarded her with suspicion.
“…Are you thinking of finding a wealthier employer?”
“I beg your pardon?”
“You suddenly drifted off.”
“Absolutely not. Wherever I went, it’s unlikely anyone would pay more than someone who may yet become the next Emperor.”
“You’re definitely not on my side.”
At that, Elsa offered one of her rare, quiet smiles.
“There is unfavorable news, Your Highness.”
“What is it?”
“His Majesty has commanded that you bring your husband with you to the family dinner without fail this time.”
“A command?”
“Yes. He said he wished to see the handsome face.”
“…Has my father’s taste changed?”
“……”
“Sorry — that was a joke you couldn’t really respond to.”
I smiled with mild discomfort. Why would he specifically want to see my husband? It wasn’t as though he’d treat him well.
“Was Lady Marie mentioned?”
Elsa shook her head quietly.
Truthfully, I had no intention of bringing Marie regardless. She’d be a direct target at that table.
“Well — it might not be as bad as expected.”
Friedrich had a quiet core of resilience to him. As long as I handled my side of things, it would probably be fine.
I put on a pale pink chiffon dress and went to Friedrich’s room.
“Friedrich.”
I called softly as I stepped inside, but he was nowhere to be seen.
He must be in the bedroom. I went a little further in.
Friedrich was asleep.
He mentioned the insomnia was still bothering him.
I hated to wake him — but I stopped by the bedside and looked down at him.
His brow was faintly furrowed even in sleep.
A bad dream. I gently pressed my finger between his brows to smooth the crease, but it returned as soon as I lifted my hand.
“Mm…”
Then a faint, dry sound slipped from his lips.
“Don’t…please don’t go…”
“Friedrich.”
I had to wake him. I gave his shoulder a gentle shake and called his name softly, but his expression only continued to tighten.
“Please…don’t do this…”
“Fritz!”
Short and firm. His eyes opened.
A face damp with sweat exhaled in short, shallow bursts. Wide pupils found me.
“Friedrich — are you alright?”
Before I finished the question, he pulled me in.
I went wide-eyed with surprise, staring at him.
“…Friedrich?”
He didn’t answer. He just drew rough, unsteady breaths and pulled me closer, tightening the hold.
Chest against chest — I could feel my own heartbeat pass directly into him.
He seemed to take it in. To stay with it, slow and deliberate — as though counting each beat until, gradually, they fell into the same rhythm together. Only then did the tension in his arms ease.
I drew back slowly and looked at him. Eyes still red and frightened, looking back at me.
“Was it a bad dream?”
He nodded quietly. My voice seemed to steady him — and I thought I saw him on the edge of something breaking.
I touched his cheek with careful hands and whispered.
“Did I die in it?”
One tear slipped down from the corner of his reddened eye. I caught it softly with my thumb.
“How many times has it been — a dream like this?”
He pressed his lips together and said nothing. More than a few, the silence said. I exhaled quietly.
“You think far too little of me.”
You’re the only person in the world who does. I murmured it, and Friedrich opened his mouth, the words coming out weakly.
“No one can be strong every moment.”
“……”
“I’m afraid. That I won’t be there when it happens. When you need me.”
The words trembled on his breath, on his lips.
I felt something squeeze around my heart.
Without speaking, I leaned my forehead against his and held his gaze from very close.
The warmth of his breath — still unsteady, still rough — fell directly against my cheek and the corner of my mouth.
I want to kiss him. The thought surfaced before I could stop it. I shouldn’t.
“Kiss me.”
He said it as though he had read me perfectly.
I looked up and met eyes that were redder than usual, more raw than usual. Something in my mind went quiet, all at once, like a fuse simply burning out.
