Chapter 43

“What… did you… talk about? With Bluebell… the lady.”

To Rebecca, who asks sharp questions if they are sharp questions.

“······We didn’t talk about anything special.”

What I chose was to dodge the question for now.

It was true that I didn’t have much of a conversation with Isabella.

Besides, there was no good that would come from my fiancée Rebecca hearing about me talking to another woman.

“Again… dodging… the question.”

“···.”

But it seemed Rebecca’s thoughts were the complete opposite of mine.

“What… kind of fun… conversation did you have… that you won’t tell me?”

Judging by how her expression immediately soured upon hearing my answer.

“······You’re drunk.”

Here, I could once again feel that Rebecca was completely drunk.

The princess has always been the type to firmly shut her mouth and express her displeasure when something upset her.

She wasn’t the type to pester someone about why she was upset.

I don’t know how much she drank without thinking, but it was clear that it wasn’t just one or two glasses.

“You haven’t even had your coming-of-age ceremony yet, so why did you drink?”

“······Who knew… it was alcohol…”

“···.”

As expected.

Just like how Mikhail drank what was in the glass Rebecca handed him without knowing it was alcohol.

It was clear that Rebecca also drank it thinking it was just a regular beverage, not alcohol.

“According to you… there are people who haven’t had their coming-of-age ceremony yet… so why was the alcohol left out…”

“······It must be a consideration for those who have already had their coming-of-age ceremony.”

There must be people who were born before the day the imperial banquet is regularly held and have already had their coming-of-age ceremony.

Perhaps the alcohol was prepared for such people.

“······But with people like me around… why would they put the alcohol in such an obvious place…”

“···.”

It was just a fact that was hard for a completely drunk princess to understand.

“Anyway!”

Rebecca shook her head as if this wasn’t the time for such talk.

“Don’t dodge the question… what did you talk about…”

She demanded that I answer her question again.

Her pouting appearance was cute, and it seemed like Rebecca wouldn’t let me go if I didn’t answer honestly.

“Lady Bluebell asked me to dance.”

I decided to honestly spill what had happened.

“Lady… Bluebell?”

“Yes, she suddenly approached me and said she saw me dance well yesterday, so she asked.”

“···.”

Perhaps the mention of yesterday’s dance touched something in Rebecca.

After all, even Rebecca herself would think that the performance of the waltz she danced with me yesterday was beyond impressive, almost like a theatrical performance.

It was only natural that the princess’s cheeks were slightly reddening now.

“After seeing… that yesterday… she asked you to dance?”

Rebecca seemed unable to understand Isabella’s actions.

“······That’s right.”

I felt the same way.

I still couldn’t figure out what Isabella was thinking when she approached me.

According to the original story’s setting, ‘Isabella Bluebell’ had been educated since childhood to become the empress. I couldn’t understand why she showed interest in me instead of the Crown Prince.

······Actually, there are already too many differences from the original story, so talking about the original might not mean much anymore.

In [The Crown Prince Wields a Sword], that’s how it was.

“She’s… a strange person.”

“That seems to be the case.”

So I could easily agree with Rebecca’s assessment of Isabella as a strange person.

There were some differences between the characters I knew and the ones I actually met.

“If all your questions are answered, have this and rest for a while.”

And I thought the conversation would end here.

Since Rebecca seemed to have resolved all her questions.

I even brought something that would help with her hangover.

They say nothing beats a good sleep for sobering up.

I planned to stay by Rebecca’s side until she fell asleep, and then go find Duke Valencia and his wife.

“······Are you going to leave me… again?”

“···.”

Until Rebecca grabbed me as I slightly got up to hand her the hangover remedy.

*

“You left me earlier… are you planning to do it again this time?”

Rebecca’s voice was tinged with disappointment.

The disappointment of thinking she would have to go through something she had already experienced once.

That disappointment. It came through vividly in her voice.

“When did I ever leave you, Princess?”

“You did earlier.”

“······Didn’t you say it didn’t matter if I didn’t come to you?”

I felt wronged, actually experiencing that emotion.

It was Rebecca who had said something disappointing first.

I clearly remember the princess saying it didn’t matter whether I was by her side or not.

How could she say such a thing to me, forgetting her own words?

But.

“······You knew it was a lie, didn’t you?”

“···.”

Rebecca’s following words were enough to fluster me, who was still feeling a bit wronged.

“You knew I was saying things I didn’t mean because I didn’t want to lose.”

“······I didn’t know.”

It was a lie.

I actually knew.

I knew the princess’s feelings, but I pretended not to notice, hoping to see a new side of my fiancée, even monologuing about it.

“······Liar.”

Rebecca seemed to already know that, and she was still clearly drunk.

“You couldn’t have not known my feelings.”

“···.”

“You always seem to see through people’s hearts like a ghost.”

Seeing her say such embarrassing things without hesitation.

It was something the usual Rebecca would never do.

Even if she used the wish tickets that had become the reward for our bets lately, it would be hard to hear.

That’s how much my fiancée dislikes embarrassing things.

It was only natural.

“······Why didn’t you accept the dance request?”

“······Huh?”

“Lady Bluebell’s dance request. Why didn’t you accept it?”

Rebecca’s expression looked much darker than before.

“Today’s banquet was supposed to be about enjoying ourselves separately, pretending the other wasn’t there.”

“···.”

“Why didn’t you accept the dance request?”

Whether it was because I had ultimately accepted another lady’s dance request that darkened Rebecca’s expression.

Or whether it was because I really didn’t approach her during the banquet, I don’t know.

“Isn’t it obvious?”

“···.”

“I have a perfectly fine fiancée, so how could I accept another lady’s dance request?”

One thing was certain, I didn’t want to see that expression for long.

“······Why?”

Rebecca made a face that showed she found it hard to understand my words.

“It’s natural for a noble who just entered high society to make connections by accepting dance requests······.”

“Princess, you’re talking just like Lady Bluebell now.”

“···.”

But at the mention that she was talking like Isabella, that expression quickly disappeared.

“Lady Bluebell said the same thing to me. That it’s natural for nobles to build connections by accepting dance requests at imperial banquets.”

“······Then why…”

“That’s only for nobles who want to build connections, isn’t it?”

“···.”

“From your perspective, do I seem like someone who wants to build connections with others?”

“······No.”

Rebecca also knew.

That someone who wants to build connections with other nobles doesn’t almost live at their fiancée’s mansion.

Even if they visit, it’s only about once every two weeks, not like me, who visits at least once every three days.

“If you know that, why are you asking me such an obvious question?”

“······Because I was anxious.”

“···.”

“I was anxious… that you might dance with someone else…”

“My fiancée always has unnecessary anxieties.”

“······Huh?”

The princess’s two red eyes widened as if wondering what I was talking about.

Looking straight into those clear, pure eyes.

I spoke softly.

“Didn’t I promise at the mansion?”

“···.”

“That I am only your fiancé, so I won’t dance with any other ladies.”

“That…”

You remembered that?

The words Rebecca couldn’t finish were probably this.

And if my guess about the unfinished words was correct.

If that was what she wanted to ask.

I wanted to answer like this.

“Someone once said, how could I forget that?”

How could I dare forget what someone said?

“The words spoken by none other than my fiancée. How could I forget?”

“···.”

The words spoken by someone more precious than anyone else. How could I forget?

I wanted to answer like this.

Whoosh-

The cheeks that had been red from the alcohol turned even redder upon hearing my answer.

“······I must really be drunk.”

“Did you just realize that?”

“If it were usual, I would have told you not to tease me and left it at that.”

“···.”

“Today… why does this… seem cool?”

“······Is that so?”

Honestly, I don’t expect Rebecca to remember this.

The princess is completely drunk now, and as evidence, she’s saying things she would never say normally.

It’s common for drunk people to forget the memories of that time.

Like that sweet first kiss that only I remember. It’s possible that Rebecca’s memory of this moment might disappear too.

But, even so.

Even if today’s events become another memory only I hold.

“I’ve always thought you were pretty, Princess. What a shame.”

“···.”

I really wanted to say that.

I don’t get many chances to sincerely express my feelings to Rebecca.

“Now, let’s sleep, my beloved fiancée.”

“······You’re mean.”

With those words, Rebecca, unable to fight her drowsiness, closed her eyes.

“Rebecca!”

“Prince, is our daughter alright?”

Until Duke Valencia and his wife, having heard the news, came to the resting room late.

I quietly stayed by her side.

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