Chapter 69

Before me lay a feast so extravagant it could break the table.

Although I had never tasted bad food during my visits to the Valencia Duchy Mansion, this was the first time I had seen such a lavish spread.

“It seems the head chef went all out because of the rumors that the prince has been unwell recently.”

Dorothy’s explanation of the feast’s origin.

My prediction that everyone in this mansion knew about my cold seemed to be spot on.

From Dorothy, Rebecca’s personal maid, to the head chef of the Valencia Duchy Mansion whom I had praised before, they were all treating me this way.

“Really? I’m perfectly fine now.”

On the other hand, a seed of doubt sprouted in me—had I really done something worthy of such treatment?

In reality, all I had done was stubbornly push myself until I caught a cold, causing worry to those around me.

In fact, I had even troubled the heart of the princess, who was practically the mistress of this house.

Did I really deserve such splendid treatment?

“Stop dawdling and just eat.”

“…”

“If you don’t eat and keep being stubborn, what illness are you planning to catch this time?”

Rebecca’s cold voice that followed was enough to cool down any rising emotions.

Lately, Rebecca had become warmer toward me, but it was clear she was still holding onto the earlier incident where I had teased her.

“Miss Rebecca is just worried about the prince, that’s all.”

“That’s right, Prince. Do you know how shocked Rebecca was when she heard about your cold?”

As I continued a meaningless staring contest with Rebecca, Dorothy’s soft voice and the Duchess’s voice chimed in.

“Mother, what are you…”

It was only natural for Rebecca to protest against voices that were siding with me rather than her.

After all, Rebecca must have thought that at least her mother and her maid would support her.

“Did I say something wrong? As soon as you heard that Prince Zernias was sick, didn’t you pester me to go to the Count’s mansion immediately?”

“…”

Even though her protest did nothing to change the situation.

I whispered softly to Rebecca, whose face was gradually turning red and who couldn’t say a word.

“Wasn’t there a time when you insisted it wasn’t worry? Turns out it was worry after all.”

“…”

“It was strange indeed. How did you find out about my cold without me telling you, and then come straight to me to kis—”

“Wait a minute!”

Thud—

My mouth, which was about to say more, was abruptly covered by Rebecca’s hand.

“Stop, stop talking.”

“…”

“I admit I was worried. Just don’t say anymore.”

Even though all I was doing was bringing up something she had done herself, Rebecca’s cheeks were already flushed as if she had been humiliated.

“My, my.”

“…”

Even with two people who were likely to gossip watching with wide eyes, Rebecca’s bold action showed just how much she didn’t want others to know about the kiss.

After all, Rebecca was known as the cold but exceptionally talented princess in all fields.

If it came out that she had tried to cure her fiancé’s cold by transferring it through a kiss, the image she had maintained would completely change.

From being cold to others but endlessly affectionate to her fiancé.

Well, in my opinion, the second title was dozens of times better than the first.

But Rebecca might think differently. In such matters, it wouldn’t be bad for me, as a generous fiancé, to make a concession.

“Do I get any benefits if I keep my mouth shut here?”

“…”

“I don’t really care if it comes out that the princess kissed me directly.”

Of course, I made sure to get everything I could.

Such opportunities don’t come often. I couldn’t let this golden chance, which might even grant me a wish, slip away.

“What do I have to do to make you stay quiet?”

Rebecca, who had heard my whisper, frowned as if in disbelief but eventually bowed her head and spoke.

“Indeed. What action must the princess take for me to stay quiet?”

“What are you…”

“As someone once said, I’m a fool who can’t even grasp my fiancée’s feelings.”

“…”

Rebecca, who had her own words thrown back at her, fell silent.

I leaned close to her ear and whispered.

“I’ll let it go for now. But later, I’ll tell you my conditions, so be prepared.”

“Fine. Just stop talking.”

My fiancée, who had no choice but to accept the most unreasonable contract in the world, made a pitiful face.

But what could I do?

This was all her own doing.

No one forced Rebecca to kiss me; it was her own will.

And since Rebecca herself knew that better than anyone, she stayed silent.

It wasn’t as if someone had held a knife to her and forced her to kiss me.

“Prince, it’s wonderful that you and Rebecca get along so well… but please remember that you’re not alone here.”

Perhaps because I was too focused on teasing Rebecca.

A complaint slipped out from the Duchess, who had been quietly watching our whispered conversation.

“So. What were you about to say earlier, Prince?”

“Well, what I was about to say…”

“You only said ‘kis…’ and stopped. What were you going to say after that?”

“Unfortunately, I can’t tell you.”

“Why not?”

“You saw me whispering in the princess’s ear just now, didn’t you? This is a secret between the princess and me.”

It’s not easy to reveal to others.

Seeing my reluctance to share, the Duchess made a displeased face.

Her expression, as if she wanted to know something interesting that was being kept from her, strangely made me want to reveal Rebecca’s past actions.

But I didn’t give in to that desire.

At least, I wasn’t the kind of fiancé who would break a promise.

“Sorry, Duchess. It’s a matter between me and my fiancée.”

“Fine, it’s a shame I can’t satisfy my curiosity… but if that’s the prince’s decision, then it’s okay.”

The Duchess also respected my judgment and let it go.

“Thank you…”

“But, you can definitely tell me this much, right? When are you planning to have the wedding?”

“…”

“Rebecca’s birthday is coming up soon, so it’s really time to start thinking about it, don’t you think?”

Before the Duchess dropped the bomb of ‘marriage,’ as if she had experienced this before.

Marriage.

A word that seemed so distant, but in reality, wasn’t that far away.

Before I knew it, Rebecca and I had been engaged for over three years.

Considering that nobles in the Empire typically maintain an engagement for two to three years before marrying, thinking about marriage now was already quite late.

The reason we hadn’t thought much about marriage until now was simple.

Rebecca saw me only as someone she had to defeat, and I had to win at all costs to keep my feelings hidden from her.

Our relationship was always driven by competition rather than affection.

So, it was only natural that we hadn’t thought about marriage despite being engaged.

But now, things were different.

I had fully realized and expressed my feelings, and Rebecca’s actions had changed so much that it was clear she had realized her own feelings too.

Although the Duchess’s comment wasn’t based on reading our emotions, it was true that it was time for us to seriously think about marriage.

“…”

Rebecca, who would usually argue with her mother about marriage, seemed lost in thought.

That alone showed how much the meaning of ‘marriage’ had changed for us.

It was a sign that the time to seriously consider it had come.

“Duchess.”

“Why are you calling me?”

“May I stay at the Duchy Mansion for the night today?”

And now, the most important thing was a conversation between us.

A conversation free of lies or pretenses, filled only with our sincere feelings.

A serious conversation about the future, devoid of our usual playfulness.

In my opinion, that was exactly what we needed.

“Of course. The Valencia Duchy Mansion is always open to my future son-in-law.”

True to her desire for Rebecca and me to be together as soon as possible, the Duchess readily agreed to my sudden request to stay the night.

“Thank you…”

“But on the condition that you share a room with your future wife.”

“…”

“You’ll be sharing a room eventually anyway. It’s no big deal, right?”

The Duchess’s additional condition, along with her miraculous logic, was no longer surprising.

In a different sense, she was a consistently good future mother-in-law.