Chapter 13

“Well…”

The answer left my mouth before I even understood why I was saying it.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen him.”

The knight’s eyebrows twitched at my immediate response.

“Are you certain?”

“Please take another look.”

“Are you sure you don’t recognize this person?”

“Hmm…”

They showed me the portrait once more.

I looked at it carefully.

“…Even after looking again, I don’t recognize him.”

I shook my head.

“I’ve never seen him.”

“…I see. Understood.”

After hearing my answer again, they finally nodded and rolled up the portrait.

“If someone matching the man in this portrait ever appears, please report it immediately.”

“There is a reward of 500 gold for anyone who helps locate His Highness the Third Prince.”

They slowly turned to leave the gallery.

After taking a few steps, however…

One of them stopped.

He glanced back at me.

“By the way…”

“Were you perhaps born into a noble family?”

“…”

“Or have you ever served a noble house?”

“You carry yourself differently… and your face seems strangely familiar.”

I was honestly a little startled.

Was it because they were Imperial Knights?

They had incredibly sharp eyes.

Then again…

Before my marriage, I had occasionally visited the Imperial Palace.

Perhaps one of them really did remember seeing me.

Although I was surprised inside…

I was no longer young enough to let it show on my face.

“Well…”

“I’m merely an ordinary commoner.”

I answered with a smile.

They tilted their heads uncertainly before finally nodding and leaving the gallery.

After they were gone…

I sat quietly, lost in thought.

Why had I reacted like that?

And… who exactly was the man in that portrait?

The man in the portrait looked remarkably similar to Arwin.

And according to the Imperial Knights…

That man was the Third Prince.

Which meant…

Arwin might actually be the Third Prince.

For a while my thoughts were tangled.

But they soon settled.

Before long…

My heart became calm again.

Whether he was the Third Prince…

Or simply Arwin…

It didn’t matter to me.

Arwin was just…

Arwin.

I didn’t want to judge him by anything beyond the person I had come to know.

Besides…

He didn’t seem to like being judged by his status either.

Come to think of it…

I had felt the same way when I was still the Duchess.

In truth…

This was true of life as a noble in general.

Even though I had stood at such a lofty position for only a short time…

There had been no room for me to exist as myself.

That was probably why Diana had struggled so much while living as the Duchess.

Perhaps…

That was simply the weight of the crown he bore.

After all…

It wasn’t as though he had chosen to be born that way.

A few minutes later…

As I resumed my work…

The bell above the door rang clearly.

Arwin walked inside.

“Good morning.”

“You’re here.”

I smiled warmly at him.

As usual…

He ordered a cup of coffee.

I served him one of the sweet cheese muffins I had recently been experimenting with.

After thanking me, he carried it to his usual corner and sat down.

Watching him…

I casually shared my day’s events, just as I often did.

“The Imperial Knights from the capital stopped by earlier.”

“…!”

He sprayed his coffee.

Cough! Cough!

He immediately began coughing violently.

It seemed the coffee had gone down the wrong way.

Was he really that surprised?

I handed him a handkerchief.

His face had turned bright red as he accepted it.

I waited patiently until he recovered.

After a moment…

“…What did you just say?”

“It seems they’re still searching for the Third Prince who disappeared years ago.”

“They even came all the way out to a remote place like this.”

“…Ha…”

“They showed me a portrait and asked whether I’d ever seen him.”

He stared blankly at me.

A portrait…

He looked at me with eyes full of despair.

He slowly took another sip of coffee.

Watching my expression carefully…

He asked in a cautious voice,

“So…”

“…What did you tell them?”

“I told them I’d never seen the man in the portrait.”

He blinked in confusion.

Silence filled the room.

Finally…

He spoke.

“Didn’t…”

“…Didn’t the portrait resemble me?”

He asked the question carefully.

“I mean…”

“I’ve actually been told quite often that I resemble the Third Prince.”

“It looked different.”

He tilted his head.

I continued.

“The face resembles yours…”

“But the feeling you give off wasn’t in that portrait.”

“…”

“Besides…”

“I’ve heard the Third Prince is quite the troublemaker.”

“You don’t seem like that at all.”

I meant every word.

The vivid vitality he carried…

Simply wasn’t present in that portrait.

That powerful…

Lively presence that could only be felt when standing before him in person.

“I’ve come to realize that a person’s impression depends less on their facial features than on the atmosphere they carry.”

“And in that regard…”

“I didn’t think you were the man in the portrait.”

“…I see.”

He answered quietly.

Still looking uncertain, he stole another glance at me before taking several more sips of coffee.

Then he bit into the muffin.

“This muffin is excellent as well.”

“If it becomes an official menu item…”

“I’ll have to buy it often.”

“I’m glad.”

“Thank you.”

Silence settled once again.

He quietly nibbled on the muffin for a while before speaking.

“…Let’s say…”

“…Purely hypothetically.”

“Yes?”

“What if…”

“I really were the Third Prince?”

I looked up from the paper where I had been organizing potential dessert menu items.

He asked,

“Would you have reported me?”

“Hmm…”

I thought for only a moment.

The answer came quickly.

“I’m not sure whether I’d report you…”

“But one thing is certain.”

“What…?”

“I don’t think I’d be able to treat you this comfortably.”

“I’d probably avoid you.”

His expression immediately fell.

He hurriedly asked,

“…Why?”

“Why?”

I laughed softly, as though the answer were obvious.

“Because it’d be intimidating.”

It was as though lightning had struck him.

* * *

The next morning…

I arrived early to prepare the café before opening.

The gallery’s paintings weren’t going anywhere.

All I needed to prepare was the café.

I was checking the coffee beans when the door opened.

Looking up…

I saw Arwin.

“…We’re not open yet.”

“I had something I absolutely needed to ask.”

He walked straight toward me.

As he drew closer…

I noticed dark circles beneath his eyes.

It looked as though he hadn’t slept at all.

What happened?

I paused my work and looked at him.

He spoke first.

“It’s about the Third Prince.”

“…Go ahead.”

“I’ve heard he’s wealthy.”

“And handsome.”

“So…”

“Why would anyone avoid him?”

My mouth fell open slightly.

Don’t tell me…

He came here first thing in the morning, looking like he hadn’t slept, just because he couldn’t stop thinking about that?

“You said you’d avoid him simply because he’d be intimidating.”

“I’d like to hear more.”

“Most people admire princes, don’t they?”

“…Well…”

I thought for a moment before answering.

“Generally speaking…”

“You’re right.”

“If a prince appeared before someone…”

“They’d probably do everything they could to become close to him.”

I knew very well…

How humble people became before those with power.

I’d spent years watching it happen beside Diana.

Occasionally…

Even after I became the Duchess…

People approached me.

Not because they cared about me.

But simply hoping to receive a few crumbs of benefit.

Perhaps because I’d seen so much of that…

I found no appeal in such things.

“It’s just…”

“I don’t think I’m the type of person who’s attracted to wealth…”

“Or fame…”

“Or appearance.”

“…”

“And besides…”

“Isn’t the Third Prince supposed to be a troublemaker?”

“If that’s true…”

“I’d feel even more intimidated, since I’d never know what he might do next.”

“…I see.”

He let out a long sigh.

“Then…”

“How does someone become close to a person like you?”

“…Well…”

“I suppose the easiest way is simply to get to know each other as yourselves.”

“As ourselves?”

“Yes.”

“If you spend time getting to know one another…”

“And discover that you genuinely get along…”

“Then becoming friends just happens naturally.”

“But…”

I trailed off before suddenly looking at him.

“…Why do you keep asking about this?”

“Could it be that you’re actually the Third Pri—”

“I-I was just curious!”

His face turned bright red.

He hurriedly blurted out the excuse before rushing out of the café.

Watching his retreating figure…

I couldn’t help laughing quietly to myself.

* * *

Leaving the gallery…

Adolf pulled his cloak low over his head and hurried home.

He was still in shock.

Ever since yesterday…

Her words had echoed endlessly inside his mind.

“Because it’d be intimidating.”

After hearing her say he would be intimidating…

He hadn’t slept a single moment the entire night.

He had spent hours rolling around in bed, clutching his head, trying to understand what she meant.

Unable to endure the uncertainty any longer…

He had gone to ask her himself first thing that morning.

But…

The reason she gave had been just as shocking.

“It’s just… I don’t think I’m the type of person who’s attracted to wealth, fame, or appearance. That’s all.”

“…I’m intimidating…”

Adolf let out a hollow laugh.

Then a deep sigh escaped him.

His pace gradually slowed.

Completely drained of energy…

He trudged home with heavy, lifeless steps.