Chapter 80

"Your Highness……"

Marie crept in, clutching a small basket, and approached with uncertain steps. I welcomed her with a smile.

"What brings you here, Marie?"

"I……"

She held the basket out to me, her voice very small.

"I made these myself. You've been looking so thin lately — I've been worried. And I heard you haven't been eating properly……"

"Oh."

I smiled, a little embarrassed, and took the basket from her.

Inside were simple little things — cookies, chocolate, macarons. The kind of things you make when you want to do something but don't know what else to offer.

The sincerity in it caught me somewhere tender. I felt a sudden tightness in my chest.

"I'm sorry for worrying you."

I exhaled quietly and reached up to smooth Marie's hair.

"I'm sorry we couldn't go out together. You were looking forward to it."

"What? Of course not — this situation…