Chapter 35.
“Congratulations on your marriage, Princess.”
At that moment, another voice interjected.
I turned reflexively and saw Emperor Otto standing there with Empress Gisela. The three of us bowed our knees in respect to the imperial couple.
“We are deeply honored, Your Majesty.”
“Hmm, but I didn’t expect Duke Rommel to be here.”
Emperor Otto looked at Joachim with a rather surprised expression. Then Joachim smiled brightly and clung close to my side.
“Of course I had to come, Your Majesty. It’s the wedding of the one I serve.”
“…Isn’t the general sentiment to stay away in such cases? I didn’t know you were such an unusual person, Duke.”
“Will it really be alright for the empire’s sole duke to live only as the princess’s lover? People will whisper.”
Empress Gisela asked pointedly, feigning concern. Before I could respond, Joachim stepped forward.
“Of course it is. Just as it is an honor to live as His Majesty the Emperor’s lover, for me, it is the same to stay by Her Highness the Princess’s side.”
“Oh my, are you comparing the princess to His Majesty now?”
“How could I dare? But the blood of the great Stade imperial family flows through both, does it not?”
With that, Joachim smiled sweetly and kissed the back of Empress Gisela’s hand.
At his impeccably handled etiquette, the empress gave Joachim a displeased look before turning her gaze to me.
“You must be pleased, Princess. With such beauties on either side, you have nothing to envy in the world.”
“It’s enough to make my mouth ache.”
“In any case, I wish you a prosperous family life, Rene.”
With a face that seemed to question if such words were appropriate with a lover standing right beside her husband, the emperor awkwardly offered his well-wishes and departed.
“Congratulations on your marriage, Your Highness. I wish you a h-harmonious married life.”
Afterward, the people coming to greet me also hesitated at the sight of Joachim standing boldly by my side, stumbling over their congratulations.
“Are you going to stay here the whole time, Duke? You’re making people uncomfortable.”
Unable to hold back any longer, I asked Joachim, and he subtly looked away as he replied.
“I was just planning to stand quietly and attend to Your Highness…”
“Friedrich is here, so you’re not needed. Go back to Rene Palace now.”
After pushing Joachim out, I glanced at Friedrich, and his expression wasn’t good.
I let out a short sigh and cupped his cheeks, making him look at me. Friedrich startled and stared at me.
“Are you upset because of Duke Rommel?”
“Ah…”
Friedrich’s eyes trembled finely, then he shook his head. I released his cheeks and asked.
“Then is it because of what I said earlier? About the throne succession?”
“…”
Friedrich pressed his lips tightly and stared at me intently. I met his gaze without avoiding it and asked.
“Do you perhaps… want to become empress consort?”
Friedrich shook his head with a bewildered expression, as if he’d heard something absurd.
Then what is it? As I looked at him with that question on my face, he suddenly grabbed my hand tightly.
“Was your answer earlier… sincere?”
“Which answer?”
“Do you swear to cherish, love, and respect Friedrich Kill?”
Friedrich recited the wedding vow I’d made at the end of the ceremony exactly.
I was momentarily flustered by how precisely he remembered words that were mere formality to me.
“…For the rest of your life.”
The added phrase left me speechless for a second. He looked at me anxiously and asked cautiously.
“Are you serious?”
Ah, so he was this grave because he feared I wouldn’t keep my promise to set him free once I achieved my goal?
Feeling like I’d finally found the answer, I smiled brightly and shook my head as if to say not to worry.
“You know that. It was just something I said. I couldn’t say no in that situation.”
I stroked Friedrich’s stiff head and laughed.
“Don’t worry. I remember the promise I made to you. Once I achieve my goal, I’ll set you free.”
“…That goal.”
Friedrich, his eyes reddened as if moved, asked in a trembling voice.
“Is it to drop out of the throne succession?”
“Yes. Once Anton becomes crown prince.”
“…”
“You’re free.”
In that instant, all expression vanished from Friedrich’s face. It was even more serious than before.
I had no clue what I’d said wrong anymore. I furrowed my brow and asked.
“What’s the problem? Why do you look so upset?”
“…Empress.”
Friedrich opened his mouth a beat late and uttered something shocking.
“Can’t you become one?”
“Huh?”
Caught off guard by the unexpected question, I widened my eyes and asked.
“You too… wanted to be empress consort?”
“I don’t need that.”
Friedrich shook his head earnestly. I looked at him with an even more uncomprehending expression.
“I just…”
He bit his lip and murmured.
“Want to stay by Your Highness’s side forever.”
Before I could fully grasp what that meant, Friedrich clutched the hem of my dress.
I stared blankly at his hand, then shifted my gaze to him.
His violet eyes had reddened, glistening with tears, sparkling with an even more beautiful light.
“Don’t abandon me.”
He pleaded desperately. My heart felt like it dropped with a thud.
It was as if the inexplicable emotion I’d felt last night while looking into his eyes was resurfacing.
“Don’t abandon me.”
He’d made the same plea not long ago, but his expression now was more desperate. So I was even more flustered than before.
In the end, the tears that had been welling up spilled down, and Friedrich bowed his head, letting them drip steadily.
Meanwhile, the guests who saw this began to murmur softly.
“Is the princess making the prince cry right now? At the reception?”
“It seems so. What could she have said to stab him in the heart like that?”
“Maybe she said she’d divorce him right now if he acts this stupidly?”
Hey, who’s calling who a trash human?
…Though, to be fair, Rene might do that.
“Fritz.”
I deliberately used his nickname and cupped his cheeks. Friedrich looked at me with a face already flushed red.
His distorted eyes seemed ready to spill tears again at any moment. Hearing the whispers from the side at the sight.
‘Is she about to grab his cheek and hit him?’, ‘She’s not going to punch him, is she?’ Quite violent predictions were pouring out rapidly.
“Can you hear? My image is plummeting right now because of you.”
At my sighed words, Friedrich’s expression turned to one of realization, and he fidgeted restlessly.
I brought my face close to his. At a distance where our breaths collided, I whispered.
“So you share the responsibility here. Endure it.”
Before a puzzled light could rise in Friedrich’s eyes, I closed mine and kissed him.
To confess, I was a lifelong singleton. I’d never kissed a man, let alone pecked one.
But now I was using Rene’s body. This body knew exactly what to do when lips met a man’s.
So this was purely because of Rene Stade’s body. I’d only intended a light peck.
Before I knew it, I parted Friedrich’s lips and delved inside.
He seemed thoroughly shocked by the sudden situation, frozen stiff.
Unfazed, I captured and entwined the rigid flesh.
Friedrich trembled and tried to pull back, but I lightly grasped his shoulders, displaying our relationship to everyone.
As if we were the only ones here, with no music audible, everything utterly silent.
Still cupping his cheeks, I lightly sucked his lips a few times before pulling away.
My palms were hot. Seeing Friedrich’s face, it made sense.
It was a face so red it made me worry if it was healthy, looking ready to burst at any moment.
“Let’s go back to Rene Palace.”
As I carefully touched Friedrich’s lips, smeared with rouge, they returned to normal as if nothing had happened.
I added brightly.
“Everyone will understand.”
