Chapter 72

Despite the news of the fiancé’s tardiness, time flowed on without a hitch.

At the Valencia Duchy Mansion, guests began to arrive one by one to celebrate her 19th birthday.

“…So.”

“…”

Among them, the Crown Prince stood before her, initiating a conversation.

The usual sight of her wearing pajamas when visiting the Imperial Palace with her parents was nowhere to be seen today; instead, she was dressed properly.

“Is the reason you’re so sullen because of Prince Albert?”

“…No.”

“What do you mean, no? It’s obvious that’s the reason.”

“…”

Was it her imagination, or was the Crown Prince more annoying than usual today?

No, it probably wasn’t her imagination.

The more she aged, the more she found the Crown Prince of the Empire unbearable.

It was because of him that her mood was worse than usual, definitely not because of the news that her fiancé was running late.

“Prince Albert is really something, being late to his only fiancée’s birthday.”

“…”

“…Just kidding. Don’t look at me with such scary eyes.”

Sensing the intense killing intent emanating from her, the Crown Prince quickly backed down.

She commended his judgment as excellent.

If he had said one more word, she might have really hit him.

Even if it would have been considered treason.

“…Smile a little. Today is your birthday, which only comes once a year.”

Perhaps thinking he needed to change her unusual mood, the Crown Prince tried to shift the conversation.

“All the people enjoying the flowers in the garden are here to celebrate your birthday. If you keep making that face, how do you think they’ll feel?”

“…You know that’s not true.”

“Hmm?”

“How many of them are really here to sincerely celebrate my birthday?”

She knew what the Crown Prince meant, and she wasn’t just speaking out of a bad mood.

She wasn’t the type to act on impulse.

How many of the guests at the mansion today were truly here just to celebrate her birthday?

Most nobles probably came more for networking or to make an impression on the Empire’s high officials than for her birthday.

“…You know you have to endure it, right?”

“I know. That’s why I’m in a worse mood.”

But the Crown Prince was right. That’s just how the world of nobility was.

Rather than wishing for others’ happiness, they wished for their despair. Instead of sincere words, they spoke with hypocrisy.

Changing masks several times a day. That’s what nobles were.

It was just that her mood was particularly bad.

The fact that she was also one of those nobles, that she had to give formal thanks even though she knew it was insincere.

That was why she didn’t want to thank just anyone earlier.

There were probably servants in the mansion who acted just like the typical nobles.

At her words, the Crown Prince nodded as if there was no other choice.

“Well, what can you do? You have to accept it. That’s what being a noble is.”

“Today, it’s even more annoying.”

“…Surely, I’m not the one you’re annoyed with, am I?”

“Of course not.”

“…”

Of course, that “of course not” was a lie.

As mentioned earlier, the Crown Prince glaring at her from the side was more annoying than usual.

***

“Well, I should go attend to my duties as the Crown Prince.”

“Don’t come back.”

“…I always feel this way, but your loyalty to the title of Crown Prince is severely lacking.”

“Goodbye.”

As the Crown Prince left to greet other arriving guests.

“Long time no see! Princess Rebecca!”

“…Yes, nice to see you.”

Next to greet her was Isabella Bluebell.

“What’s with that not-so-enthusiastic greeting? Are you not happy to see me?”

“No, I meant it sincerely.”

Isabella puffed up her cheeks, seemingly offended by her attitude.

She looked like a squirrel storing food in its mouth.

She stared at Isabella as if she were some kind of marvel.

Even though Isabella was also a noble lady from a ducal family, how could she express such affection towards her, another ducal lady?

…Normally, nobles of the same rank would be too busy competing with each other.

These thoughts flitted through her mind, but she quickly shook her head.

It was clear that the noble mindset had been deeply ingrained in her.

Thinking that her own thoughts were strange, while finding Isabella’s behavior odd, showed that it wasn’t Isabella who was strange.

What was wrong with not hiding one’s feelings?

If you like something, say you like it; if you don’t, say you don’t. That wasn’t strange at all.

“Princess?”

“No, I was just thinking about something.”

“…?”

Isabella made a face as if she couldn’t understand her cryptic words.

“Ah, I get it. It’s your fiancé, isn’t it?”

“…What?”

Isabella had decided on her own why she was in a bad mood.

“I told you before. I don’t understand why someone like you has to be tied to that lunatic.”

“…Lunatic?”

“Yes! You’re too good for that crazy guy!”

“Crazy…”

Was this really the kind of language expected from a noble lady who had just come of age this year?

She had always thought Isabella was an enigma, and now she had a foreboding feeling that she would never understand Isabella for the rest of her life.

“I don’t know how that guy bewitched you… but you need to listen to me now.”

“…”

“No matter how I think about it, you’re too good for… Princess?”

Isabella’s voice calling her flowed out again, but she didn’t hear it properly.

The word “bewitched” had stuck in her head.

Thinking about it, it was really strange.

Surely, there was nothing lacking in her compared to her fiancé.

In swordsmanship, wisdom, even in looks—she couldn’t possibly be inferior.

Even though her fiancé was handsome, she had been called the Empire’s greatest beauty since childhood, so he couldn’t possibly surpass her.

…Maybe even this thought that he was handsome was just her being blinded by love.

The truth was beyond anyone’s reach.

Anyway, it was really strange.

That she was so captivated by a fiancé who had made the worst first impression.

Even after their first meeting, every time they met, they fought.

Yet, it was as if they were each other’s destiny, as if her fate was already sealed.

She was slowly but surely falling for her fiancé.

Now, even just hearing news about him would change her mood.

What she had told the Crown Prince was a lie.

How could her bad mood not be because of her fiancé?

He made her look forward to things, only to say he might be late on the day itself.

No matter how much she wanted to deny it, her bad mood was entirely because of her fiancé.

But she lied to the Crown Prince because she didn’t want him to find out.

She didn’t want the Crown Prince to know that the daughter of the Empire’s greatest duke was swayed by her fiancé.

The damn Crown Prince would surely try to exploit that for the Imperial Family’s benefit the moment he found out.

…And she was also embarrassed.

It wasn’t like she was a child.

Her pride couldn’t bear to admit that her bad mood was just because her fiancé might be late.

How did it come to this?

That was the thought she had most often recently.

How had the situation come to this? How had she become someone who cried and laughed over her fiancé’s words?

How, even now, was she waiting for her fiancé to arrive, waiting for the gift he had prepared?

She couldn’t understand it.

“No, I was just thinking about something else.”

“What were you thinking about?”

“Just thinking about that damn fiancé of mine, as you said.”

“…What?”

“I don’t know what’s keeping him… but if he’s too late, he’ll have to face the consequences.”

One thing was certain.

Her fiancé would have to pay the price for making her wait.

With the world’s reddest and clearest eyes, she calmly began to wait for her fiancé.

“…”

The slight trembling of Isabella Bluebell beside her was definitely not her imagination.