Chapter 31.
It seemed I wasn’t the only one surprised. Friedrich, who was holding the scissors, widened his eyes and simultaneously snipped off a lock of hair.
My gaze shifted to the hair being cut away with a sharp snip. The silky strands fell limply to the floor.
“Uh…”
I muttered with wide eyes.
“What? Were you cutting your hair?”
“Ah, well…”
Friedrich fidgeted with the scissors before hanging his head low. I asked with a puzzled expression.
“Did you suddenly feel like cutting it? I liked your long hair.”
As I picked up the cut strands with a sense of regret, Friedrich hesitated before speaking in a tentative voice.
“…In case it causes trouble for Your Highness.”
“Your long hair?”
“I heard that after the wedding, they’ll paint our portraits.”
Friedrich continued cautiously.
“It’ll be preserved forever, for posterity, and if my hair is long, everyone might find it strange.”
“So, you’re saying you cut it because you’re worried our descendants might think you’re odd?”
When I laughed in disbelief, Friedrich nodded. The smile from his endearing worry vanished completely at his next words.
“Don’t make it obvious that you’re here as a slave…”
Friedrich flinched and clamped his mouth shut after blurting that out.
But the damage was done. I narrowed my eyes and asked.
“Who said that to you?”
“…”
“Friedrich Stade.”
“…Duke Rommel.”
Friedrich answered while avoiding my gaze.
“What? I thought you two got a bit closer last time, but he was bullying you?”
“It was just a slip of the tongue on the duke’s part.”
“There are better things to slip up on.”
I frowned and cupped Friedrich’s cheeks with both hands.
“You’re my consort, Friedrich. Why did you just sit there and take it?”
“It wasn’t entirely without merit…”
“Ah, never mind. I’ll confront Duke Rommel myself.”
I turned to leave immediately, but Friedrich suddenly grabbed my dress sleeve.
When I looked back, he met my eyes steadily and said.
“It was my decision. In this palace, I’m the only one with such long hair, and I didn’t like how everyone kept glancing at me.”
“…You think that’s because of your hair?”
When I asked in exasperation, Friedrich tilted his head as if wondering what other reason there could be.
Seeing him completely oblivious to his own stunning looks, I shook my head in disbelief.
“Anyway, from now on, if you hear something like that, get angry. Promise me.”
“…”
Friedrich gazed at me steadily before extending his pinky finger. The gesture was somehow adorable, making me chuckle softly.
I linked pinkies with him, sealed it with a thumb press, and said.
“You don’t have to cut it if you don’t want to.”
“I wanted to cut it.”
Friedrich replied quietly.
“I didn’t grow it long on purpose; I just never had a chance to cut it while I was imprisoned.”
“…Then let’s cut it right now.”
With that backstory, it changed everything. I quickly took the scissors from his hand.
“But cutting it alone must be hard? We should call a hairdresser.”
But Friedrich said something unexpected.
“Could Your Highness cut it for me?”
“Me? I’ve never cut hair before.”
I said with an uncertain expression.
“The wedding’s tomorrow—what if I mess it up? Let’s just call a hairdresser.”
“It’s fine. I’d like it if Your Highness did it.”
“…You know, you have this weird stubbornness sometimes.”
Even after hearing that, Friedrich smiled innocently. I narrowed my eyes and asked.
“I won’t take responsibility if it turns out weird?”
“It’s really fine.”
“Sigh, alright.”
After a moment’s hesitation, I started snipping away at Friedrich’s hair.
I clumsily imitated what I’d seen in salons, but I had no idea if I was doing it right.
“…It looks okay, I think?”
A short while later, the finished result wasn’t too bad.
…No, honestly, if you covered the face, it’d be obvious it was a mess.
But strangely, when seen with the face, it suited him oddly well.
The face isn’t getting a boost from the hair—the hair’s getting a boost from the face…!
“You asked me to cut it because you trust your face, right?”
Friedrich looked at me with a confused expression, and I sighed as I handed him the mirror.
“Take a look. How is it?”
“I like it.”
“…Are you serious?”
When I asked skeptically, Friedrich nodded firmly. Well, if he likes it…
“But I’m not sure others will think the same.”
I called Elsa right away. When she entered expressionlessly, her face wavered the moment she saw Friedrich.
“What do you think, Elsa? Is it okay?”
“…”
Elsa looked like she had a lot to say but was holding it back obviously.
Why… I think I know without hearing the answer?
Hmm, is it that bad?
“You’re aware the wedding is tomorrow, right?”
Elsa asked after a long pause. We both nodded. She fell silent again before asking.
“If it’s not too presumptuous, may I touch it up a bit?”
Elsa asked with a genuine desire to do so, and I nodded eagerly.
Oddly, Friedrich seemed disappointed by that.
“I’m fine with it as is.”
“…Are you serious, Prince?”
“Yes.”
When Friedrich answered readily, Elsa stared at him as if he were bizarre before speaking.
“But for Your Highness’s sake, I think it would be better if I touched it up.”
“Then please do.”
Friedrich replied promptly. In the end, Elsa took the scissors and meticulously trimmed Friedrich’s hair for a while.
Her precise movements were so professional that I held my breath as I watched. And in just a few minutes…
“…Whoa.”
It’s incomparably neater than what I did?
Admiring Elsa’s skill, which had created an entirely different hairstyle, I examined Friedrich’s hair from all angles. It’s perfect?
“Do you like it?”
“Of course! You’re like a hairdresser. I didn’t know you could do this too.”
“It’s nothing special. My family was poor, so I often sold my hair.”
“Oh…”
Learning this unexpected family history, I nearly glanced at Elsa cautiously. So that’s why she was so desperate to stay at Rene Palace…
‘Rene does have a generous side.’
“If I’d let you do it from the start, we could’ve sold Friedrich’s hair too.”
I looked regretfully at Friedrich’s cut hair scattered messily on the floor.
To waste such silky strands like that…!
“I can grow it back, can’t I?”
At Friedrich’s comforting words from beside me, I smiled faintly and shook my head.
It grew long because he was imprisoned—I can’t make him grow it again.
“You don’t have to grow it out anymore.”
I gazed at Friedrich’s face and murmured.
“It looks neat and good. Handsome.”
“Which do you prefer?”
“Now. I told you. I’ll make sure you never have to grow your hair out again.”
I met his eyes and said.
“You’re free now, Friedrich.”
Of course, he’s still bound to me for now, but someday he’ll be truly free.
Friedrich smiled with his eyes curving like crescent moons as they met mine, and looking at that refreshing smile, I thought.
I’ll probably miss that smile a little someday.
“Everyone will be shocked at the wedding tomorrow. You’ve gotten even more handsome.”
“I’ll take my leave now.”
Elsa left quickly with a face that somehow looked queasy. I watched her retreating figure and burst into laughter.
“After making him look this great herself. Ah, I’m really looking forward to tomorrow.”
“Me too.”
“Really? You are?”
“Of course.”
Friedrich nodded.
“It’s the only wedding in my life.”
At those words, the smile on my lips stiffened slightly. I looked at Friedrich and asked cautiously.
“The only one in your life?”
Friedrich nodded as if it were obvious.
“A wedding happens once in a lifetime.”
…But it can’t be? You’re supposed to remarry your first love.
