“The Duke looks strong, and cold. He is different from His Highness the Crown Prince, who has a gentler impression.”
…Wait just a moment.
“D-Duke Hardeion?”
“Yes, that is right!”
“……”
‘This is awkward. What do I do?’
I couldn’t exactly announce ”Actually, I’m his fiancée!” out of nowhere. But saying nothing felt like a form of deception.
And why on earth had Kael shown no interest in Reina? In the original story—
‘If only his reaction had shifted even a little, I could revise my plans accordingly…’
“Ivelina. Where is the Duke?”
“Hmm?”
I glanced to my right. Kate and Dorothy were standing nearby, each holding a glass of lemonade.
“We brought one for the Duke. Why are you alone? Oh — a princess?”
“Hello. Pleased to meet you. I am Princess Reina.”
“…?”
Kate and Dorothy looked a little confused by the informal speech.
“Princess Reina isn’t very fluent in the Imperial tongue yet. She’s still learning.”
“Ah, I see! So nice to meet you — I’m Dorothy!”
“I’m Kate. Pleased to meet you, Your Highness.”
The four of us exchanged greetings with cheerful warmth. But inside, I was deeply unsettled, and it was beginning to show on my face.
‘Princess Reina’s ideal type… what do I do about that?’
“Ivelina. When exactly is the wedding date?”
“Hmm?!”
“Your wedding to the Duke.”
“!”
I found myself looking directly into Reina’s startled eyes, wide as a rabbit’s.
Kate’s sudden blunt announcement had caught me completely off guard.
“It’s — next month…”
I answered reluctantly, biting the corner of my thumbnail. I couldn’t bring myself to look at Reina’s expression and kept my eyes down.
“Goodness! The two of you were betrothed?!”
Princess Reina covered her mouth with both hands and cried out. The shock was written all over her face. Those golden eyes looked ready to leap from their sockets.
‘We’d been getting along so well. She must hate me now.’
“I am sorry! Ivelina, I did not know. I am truly sorry. I have been very rude.”
“…I beg your pardon?”
“I see now — the two of you were so very well-matched. I am so sorry. Will you forgive me for this?”
“Of — of course.”
Princess Reina made a face like a lost puppy that had been gently scolded.
How could anyone refuse forgiveness after a look like that?
Not that I had ever intended not to.
“How can I say this. That look makes it hard to be single. It is a shame, but it is fine. Ivelina suits him better than I would anyway.”
“Th-thank you, Your Highness.”
‘She’s remarkably gracious about this.’
Wait, no — I can’t keep up. What on earth is happening with this story?
“Your Highness — Princess Reina?”
“Yes?”
Just then, the head steward appeared, looking for the Princess. The same head steward who had delivered the lengthy, lecture-hall address earlier in the evening.
“Would you spare a few moments, Your Highness? There are some matters regarding your accommodation during your stay in the empire that I need to go over with you.”
“I understand. Let us go.”
Reina made to leave with the steward — then turned back.
She came back to me and took both my hands in hers.
‘You can’t stay annoyed with a face as bright as that — you’d want to hand over your purse just to keep her smiling.’
“Ivelina. Can we meet again?”
“Of course! Any time. I hope we can see each other again before you return to your kingdom!”
I took her hands back and swung them warmly between us.
* * *
I watched Dorothy perform an elaborate mixing ritual with her wine.
Beside me, Kate gave my side a nudge and leaned in close.
“Hey. Did you hear the news?”
“What news?”
“The Hansworth family. Apparently they’re under investigation for tax evasion. My father mentioned it to me quietly.”
“What, really?”
I nearly choked on my lemonade. I had to blot my chin with a napkin.
“Completely true. Apparently the Hansworth estate is in an absolute uproar over it. The charge isn’t confirmed yet, so they seem to be keeping it hush.”
“That would explain why that nuisance isn’t here tonight. A family of that standing would certainly have been invited.”
“If you were about to be thoroughly disgraced, would you come? Of course not.”
“You’re right. Edwin never missed a banquet he could help it.”
“Exactly. The timing of it all is rather… strange, isn’t it? Your engagement ends and then his family implodes.”
“I know. It all feels very odd.”
‘If I had married Edwin, our family might have been dragged down with them.’
Whether things had turned out well or badly — she still wasn’t sure.
“Oh — Kate. I haven’t seen Camilla tonight. Did she not come?”
“As a matter of fact, Camilla has been difficult to reach lately.”
“Really?”
“Yes. I went past the barony a while ago and they said she was out. I’ve sent calling cards twice since then and had no reply from either.”
“…Is that so.”
“She must have something going on. Oh — Dorothy!”
Kate’s expression shifted to one of alarm.
Following her gaze, she saw that Dorothy was attempting to juggle her wine glass.
In many ways, this was not at all the Crown Prince’s birthday banquet she had imagined.
* * *
Inside the carriage on the way back to the Hardeion estate.
I stole glances at Kael through half-lidded, suspicious eyes.
He was leaning against the window with his arms loosely crossed, looking out at the passing dark. He would rest his eyes for long stretches, then open them again with an unhurried, drowsy ease, and gaze back out at the night.
Nothing else. Just that, repeated.
‘There ought to be some change in him.’
Some shift in his expression, however small. Or a trace of deliberation in his eyes. Or that faraway look that comes from chasing the ghost of someone.
I scrutinized him closely. Persistently.
And was promptly caught.
“You’re strange tonight.”
“W-what do you mean?”
“Why are you behaving as though you’ve done something wrong?”
“I haven’t done anything wrong.”
I maintained perfect innocence. Then I found a way to give my behavior a natural explanation.
“It’s just — the Princess.”
“The one from Calon?”
“Yes. Princess Reina.”
“What about her?”
I moved my lips carefully. I had to ask this without provoking him — he had looked faintly irritated when I’d mentioned the Princess back at the banquet.
“She was very beautiful, wasn’t she.”
“…Was she.”
“H-her eye color was stunning, don’t you think? Like sweet, warm honey.”
“Golden, were they. Not green?”
“…They were completely golden.”
In the original novel, Kael had described Reina’s eyes like this:
‘The color of sweet honey. Something he could have devoured on the spot.’
And here he was, confusing them with green. The gap between those two descriptions was almost comical.
‘Ahem.’ I cleared my throat and tried again, keeping my tone conversational.
“And her h-hair color too. So lovely — exactly the color of strawberry milk, and the most beautiful texture…”
“Pink?”
Kael tilted his head slightly as he asked.
‘Pink? Oh.’ The tone of it was almost bewildered. As though the color hadn’t registered.
‘What is going on? Did he not even look at her face?’
* * *
By the time they arrived back at the ducal estate, the night was deep and dark. The full moon hanging overhead kept it from feeling entirely black.
Coming home from the banquet, they made their way first to the main house. It was past midnight already — but they had heard that the Dowager Duchess and Kayrin were still waiting up for them.
When Ivelina stepped into the receiving room, Katherine came out to meet her in her stocking feet.
“Welcome home, dear. Did you enjoy yourselves?”
“Yes, Madame. It’s gotten so late — you’re still up?”
“Of course I am. I had to see you both come home first. And from now on — call me Mother-in-law, please. No need to be formal.”
“Yes, yes — Mother-in-law…”
“Sister-in-law. I waited too.”
“That’s — thank you. Still, you’re young, you should really be sleeping at a proper hour…”
Just then—
“One moment.”
A deep voice came from somewhere across the room.
Ivelina followed the sound and found a middle-aged man seated on the receiving room sofa.
“That voice… I know it from somewhere — hmm?”
The man turned toward her.
Their eyes met.
“Oh… sir…?”
It was someone she knew.
* * *
