Chapter 68

The Crown Prince’s Fiancée – Chapter 68

Thinking he could just pretend to know roughly what it was about, Essen returned to Lily Palace and went straight to look for Arti, but for some reason she was nowhere to be found there.

“Madam Lucy, where’s Arti?”

“Miss Arti is away at the moment.”

“What? Where did she go?”

“Who knows? Oho ho ho ho.”

Going off somewhere alone, with her guard knight nowhere near? Essen was too dumbfounded to speak.

“Has she forgotten what her status is?”

He was thinking he would have to lay down the law once Arti returned when,

“Essen! You’re back!”

Essen froze as if he had broken down, watching Arti approach with a bright smile.

“Did you get to see Adrian?”

“Hm? No…”

“Oh, why not? Didn’t you have business with him? Shall I go with you?”

“Hm? No, it’s fine. I took care of everything.”

“Did you? That’s a relief.”

When Arti sighed in relief, Essen thought that perhaps, just this once, he could let the nagging slide.

‘It’s not that important anyway.’

After all, from now on he would be glued to her side.

“Ahem.”

Essen cleared his throat and glanced at Arti to gauge her mood.

He had found out the secret, but he had no idea how to bring up the Asa-mo.

Essen’s mind grew tangled.

‘Would it be best to say it naturally? Then should I ask what she did yesterday?’

Or should he mention Diano first? Which topic should he begin with? Essen deliberated gravely.

“Essen. Are you all right?”

“Hm?”

“Your face looks gloomy. Nothing’s wrong, is it?”

At Arti’s gentle question, Essen felt sheepish. Would she be disappointed if she knew what he was thinking…

Essen sighed. Right, acting like this wasn’t like him.

“Arti.”

“Yes?”

“I know about it.”

Arti tilted her head.

“The Asa-mo.”

At Essen’s curt words, Arti’s eyes went round.

“H-how do you know about that?”

She had been so careful not to let it show, so how had he found out? Had her cover failed?

Arti was so startled that Essen, who had brought it up first, felt sheepish in turn.

“I heard it from Diano.”

“Oh, I see.”

Arti nodded, visibly relieved.

‘This is where it gets important.’

Essen’s eyes gleamed as he judged his timing.

“I like her too. Diano’s youngest sibling.”

“Acacia is so adorable, isn’t she!”

“Right, Acacia.”

“Even her name is Acacia!”

“With her pigtails…”

“Yes! So cute!”

“And she’s tiny.”

“Yes! Adorable, isn’t she?!”

“And that pink hair…”

“Even her hair color is so cute!”

Arti beamed with happiness. Essen felt a little guilty.

‘She looks like the type to get scammed the moment she goes anywhere.’

He supposed he would have no choice but to protect her so that she never got scammed.

“I knew there couldn’t be only two of us who like Acacia… or rather, three! Would you like to join the Asa-mo, too, Essen? Fandom is only fun when you do it together!”

“Sure.”

He had achieved his original goal, but Essen wasn’t particularly happy. If anything, he felt hollow.

‘Is it really all right for it to be this easy?’

Essen’s gaze turned to Arti. She was still excitedly chattering on about Acacia.

‘Well, this is enough.’

Essen felt that was reason enough to be satisfied.

He reached the simple conclusion that he could make up for the small matter of having deceived Arti with something else later.

“And then, that day, Acacia~!”

Had he ever seen Arti this thrilled? Arti looked truly happy.

“Isn’t she just too cute?”

“Yeah. She’s cute.”

You, who find Acacia adorable.

“Right! She’s so cute!”

“Yeah. It’s nice.”

You, who cherish Acacia.

When Essen agreed, Arti smiled happily.

Looking at Arti wearing a smile like that, Essen felt a smile spread naturally across his own lips.

“I’m glad I can share Acacia’s cuteness with you, Essen.”

“I’m glad, too.”

Essen nodded with a rarely serious expression. Just as Arti was about to bring up a new story,

“Arti~!”

At Princess Marie’s voice calling from afar, both of their gazes turned naturally to one side.

Marie, coming this way under Madam Lucy’s guidance, was practically running, as if she couldn’t wait.

“Arti, there you are!”

“Oh, Marie. Welcome.”

When Arti greeted her with a smile, a smile spread across Marie’s lips as well.

The moment she arrived, Marie tilted her head.

She had sensed that the atmosphere between the two of them was quite different from yesterday.

“What were you two talking about?”

Essen instinctively tried to hide the matter of the Asa-mo.

“Well, what we were saying was…”

“We were talking about the Asa-mo!”

“…”

Essen glanced at Arti, who spilled everything at once as if she had no intention of hiding it, and for some reason felt despair.

‘You tried so hard to hide it from me yesterday, didn’t you?’

Either they couldn’t feel Essen’s stinging gaze or they ignored it, because Arti and Marie went on chatting happily.

“The Asa-mo? What’s that?”

“It’s a gathering I started.”

“A gathering you started, Arti?”

“Yes. There’s a certain lady I cherish and adore very much, and it’s a gathering for loving that dear girl!”

Marie showed interest.

“Who is it that you cherish, Arti?”

“Lady Acacia!”

“Acacia?”

“Acacia Mlada Benedetto! The youngest daughter of the Benedetto family. Do you know her, by any chance, Marie?”

“Oh!”

Marie’s face brightened with recognition.

“Isn’t she that tiny, adorable girl? I think I saw her at a party once!”

“That’s right, Marie. She’s the sweet girl who has been getting along so well with me lately.”

“Gasp. Ugh, I want a cute little sister, too.”

Marie made a tearful face, restless with longing.

“Heh heh. Sometimes I invite Acacia over for tea. Would you like to join us, Marie?”

“Of course! Arti, really? Promise!”

“Yes, I promise.”

When Arti chuckled, Marie was overjoyed.

“I’ve always thought that lady was adorable.”

“Oh my, really?”

“Yes. No wonder there was an angel stuck right beside that big, mismatched pink-haired guy. She was his little sister.”

Marie clicked her tongue, as if something about it displeased her.

“The Asa-mo, how fun that sounds. Arti, I want to join the Asa-mo, too. Let me in. Please?”

“Heh heh. I am the president of the Asa-mo. Normally I don’t admit just anyone… but since it’s you, Marie, I’ll make an exception.”

“Eek! That’s my Arti!”

Marie threw her arms around Arti. Essen was left out again today.

Unaware of the look with which Essen was glaring at her, Marie tugged Arti by the hand.

“Arti, come this way. I have something to show you.”

“Something to show me?”

Chapter 17. Let Me Show You a New World

The place Marie led her to by the hand was the study of Lily Palace.

On the table there, books were piled high, though no one could say when they had been prepared.

“Now, hurry up and sit here.”

After seating Arti in the spot beside her on the sofa, Marie proudly pressed three books into Arti’s hands.

“This, you see, is a masterpiece that was a smash hit not only in our Appennino but in Sirius as well…”

Arti’s eyes read out the title of the book.

“?”

Marie nodded, her eyes shining.

“But it’s still too early for that one, so I’ll introduce these books first. There’s always a proper starter work, you know.”

This time a different book was pressed into Arti’s hands. Once again, the title was peculiar.