Chapter 28

“······3 to 2.”

Declaring the final score confidently, I briefly savored the joy of victory.

“······How does the young master know the name of the Saint this time?”

At Frederick’s bewildered reaction, I realized what I had done in my blind pursuit of victory.

From Frederick’s perspective, who had been teaching me all this time, it was strange that I already knew something he had never taught me.

If it had been something like the general history of the Empire, Frederick might have been pleased that his student had studied on their own.

But the topic was the ‘Saint.’

For an ordinary person with no connection to the Church, knowing about the Saint was abnormal.

And for someone like me, who had never even set foot in the Church, to mention the Saint’s name—it was no wonder he was shocked.

“Young master?”

At the voice of my tutor, who was pressing me for an explanation, I blurted out, “······I saw it in the newspaper a while ago.”

“······You saw the Saint’s name in the newspaper?”

Frederick didn’t seem to believe my flimsy excuse.

“······Yeah. I was skimming through and saw a pretty person, and it turned out to be the Saint.”

“···.”

Of course, I couldn’t reveal that this world was actually from a novel I had read, and that I was a transmigrator who knew the story.

So, even if it seemed shameless, I pushed forward with my claim.

After enduring his sharp gaze for a while, Frederick finally gave in.

“······I see. If the young master says he saw it, then he must have.”

“So, did I get it right?”

“Yes. The current Saint’s name is Estelle.”

‘······Phew.’

With the victory confirmed, I relaxed and let out a sigh of relief.

“Princess.”

“······Why are you calling me?”

Rebecca’s voice, responding to my call, was unusually low, perhaps because she had lost the bet.

It was as if she might explode at any moment.

If I were a person with common sense, I wouldn’t provoke her.

But unfortunately, filled with the thrill of victory, I wasn’t thinking straight.

“It seems I won this bet too.”

“···.”

I ended up touching the fuse that was about to ignite Rebecca’s anger.

“······You must be happy.”

“······Huh?”

Naturally, the princess’s icy voice made me realize something was wrong.

I had expected Rebecca to yell at me or glare at me in frustration.

I never expected her to respond with such a cold tone.

“Memorizing the name of a pretty girl from the newspaper must be fun for you.”

“···.”

Caught off guard, I missed my last chance to fix the situation.

“······Don’t follow me.”

With that, Rebecca stormed out of the study.

“······I’m in trouble.”

“Now you realize it?”

“···.”

All that was left was the harsh scolding from my tutor.

***

After leaving the study, Rebecca wandered aimlessly through the Count Zernias’ mansion.

“Good day, Princess Valencia.”

“Hello, Princess!”

The servants of the mansion occasionally greeted her, but she only nodded slightly, never stopping her restless steps.

She didn’t know where she was going.

This was her first time visiting the Count Zernias’ mansion, and she didn’t even know her current location.

Though the mansion was smaller than her own, the Valencia Duchy Mansion, it was still large enough to get lost in.

She walked without any direction.

Just this morning, she had been in high spirits.

Excited to visit her fiancé’s mansion for the first time, Rebecca had been in a great mood.

Even during lunch, her mood remained good.

Though the meal wasn’t as lavish as what she was used to at home, it was still quite good for the short preparation time.

And she had finally seen a different side of her annoying fiancé.

Her mood was at its peak until lunch ended.

– Shall I guide you to where the princess will be staying?

But as soon as lunch ended, her mood began to plummet.

Albert, her fiancé, had to attend his scheduled lessons and left her alone in the reception room.

In truth, her fiancé had done nothing wrong.

If she had informed him in advance of her visit, he wouldn’t have had to leave for his lessons.

– ······No.

Yet, like a five-year-old, she stubbornly refused to stay alone in the reception room.

Even though she knew it was wrong, and that it was her fault for not informing him beforehand.

She threw a tantrum.

Even now, as she walked through the mansion, she couldn’t quite understand why she had acted that way.

It was simply because she didn’t like the idea of her fiancé leaving her for something else.

The thought that his lessons were more important than her made her uncomfortable.

That was all.

Perhaps her stubbornness was frustrating.

– ······Then why don’t you join me for the lesson?

Albert suggested she attend the lesson with him.

Under normal circumstances, she would have refused.

As the future Duchess of Valencia, she had no reason to study at her fiancé’s mansion.

– I’ll join.

– ······Huh?

– I’ll join the lesson.

But for some reason, she accepted his offer.

– So, the Princess of Valencia will be joining the lesson today?

– ······It just happened.

Before she knew it, she was sitting next to her fiancé, listening to his conversation with his tutor.

– I don’t mind teaching, but… I’m worried the Princess might find it boring.

– Did you hear that? It might be more boring than you think.

She didn’t like being bored either.

Though she spent more time studying than her peers, she was still human.

She got bored and found studying uninteresting, just like anyone else.

– I don’t mind being bored.

– ···

Yet, she said she didn’t mind.

Because she felt like Albert was trying to get rid of her under the pretext of boredom.

That feeling upset her, so she stubbornly insisted.

And so, the lesson at her fiancé’s mansion began.

The topic was related to the Church.

She had already learned everything about the Church through private lessons, so, as Albert had warned, she found it incredibly boring.

But her fiancé was focused on the lesson in a way she had never seen before.

She felt uneasy.

She had never seen her fiancé so focused on anything before.

The unfamiliar sight of him was unsettling.

That’s why.

– ······All important events in the Empire are hosted by the Church.

– ···.

– Isn’t that right?

She interrupted Albert’s answer.

The unfamiliar sight of Albert, who didn’t even glance at her while focusing on the lesson, made her uncomfortable.

Looking back, it was a childish thought, something even a five-year-old wouldn’t do.

But at that moment, she was more childish than anyone.

– ······Didn’t you say you would just listen?

Naturally, Albert’s voice, annoyed at having his answer taken, reached her ears.

It was a strange thing to say, but at that moment, she felt good.

The fact that her fiancé, who had been ignoring her, was now paying attention to her.

– Are you annoyed because I answered something you didn’t know?

She provoked him further.

She was happy that he was paying attention to her, that Albert, who had been ignoring her, was now focused on her.

She deliberately irritated him.

And so, another bet for a wish began.

The score was tied at 2-2, but she was enjoying herself.

She was pleasantly surprised by how knowledgeable her fiancé was, and the thought that she might win against him for the first time excited her.

Her mood, which had been falling, was starting to improve again.

– ······The answer is Estelle.

Until she heard Albert confidently answer the final question about the Saint’s name.