Chapter 13 Because It’s Not Meant To Be
Chloe’s reply arrived quickly, much to her relief. The letter spoke of Kuhn’s hobbies.
“I am a swordsman, perhaps much better than you realize.”
Chloe chuckled a little at the cheerful sentence. She looked forward to writing a reply to the quirky answer that had suddenly popped into her head.
“You’re partly to blame for my love of it, Chloe, because I also want to protect those around me, though in a different way than you do.”
The narrative switches from swordplay to his first meeting with Chloe.
Chloe didn’t actually remember meeting Kuhn.
She had met many knights on the sickbed, but few of them were memorable. And a man who made such a strong impression was bound to be memorable…
Before she knew it, the letter was coming to an end.
“I am a person with a lot of time on my hands. Of course, when I don’t have time, I’ll find time to write back, so don’t worry about it, we’re friends.”
Chloe couldn’t help but smile at the cordial final words.
She fidgeted with the parchment and pulled out a fresh sheet of parchment from her desk drawer. Her hands fidgeted as she read, her mind racing.
By the time the sun had set, she had finished writing the letter. His own letter lay next to Kuhn’s. Only two people would write private letters on parchment.
‘Parchment, by the way?’
Chloe looked back and forth between the two letters, feeling uncomfortable.
‘Parchment is quite expensive. Besides, it’s rare enough that it’s rarely used for private letters, much less official ones.’
‘I’ll have to look into the nobility of other countries.’
With apologies to her friend, Chloe decided to research the nobility of countries close to the kingdom of Vallont. No names, that would be easier to recognize.
Chloe put the letter on the side table by her bed, just like last time. When she returned from dinner, the letter was gone.
The next morning, a new letter arrived. That afternoon, she wrote a quick reply, and by daybreak, it was back.
The next day, and the next.
She might have skipped a meal, but she never skipped a letter. So much so that there was no room in the drawer where they kept their letters.
It was a life so free that you wanted to squeeze the life out of it. It was a good thing to have something to wait for.
***
‘I don’t like it!’
Helena was touring the mansion with her maids when she realized she had an unwelcome visitor. It was Chloe, enjoying lunch alone in the dining room.
She looks so elegant eating nothing but bread and soup. Helena couldn’t wait to pick her apart.
She would have spilled her plate if not for Callis’s stern warning.
‘I’m sick of her, using her power as a shield to bully us innocents…’
Part of her wanted to throw a fit and divorce them both.
But this mansion, his title, and this expensive dress Helena is wearing all came from her.
He’d just have to suck it up a little longer.
“Shane.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“How is the Princess doing these days?”
Shane met Helena’s gaze and answered hesitantly.
“She’s looking a little better, to be sure.”
“Is that what you think? How is the Princess doing these days?”
“Yes. She’s not skipping meals, and she’s often seen in the garden. However, she has dismissed most of her servants… It’s hard to know exactly what she’s doing.”
Even the maids and maidservants she kept for surveillance were sent back one after another, so it was impossible to know what Chloe was doing.
“I hate it, I hate it, I hate it!”
In other words, all they could do was watch her behavior with their fingers crossed.
‘No matter how nice we are to her, she can’t be that nice, right?’
She must have something up her sleeve, or she must have a trusted backer.
Now that I think about it, there’s no confirmation that it’s His Majesty.
Then…
‘You didn’t have anything to do with Callis, did you?’
I wonder if that wicked woman is trying to steal Callis away from me again? Maybe she’s taking advantage of this to get him.
Poor guy, he’s going to be forced to play to her strengths and weaknesses.
No, maybe…
‘That’s impossible. He’s been looking at me for a year. He said I was the prettiest girl in the world. He said I was the only one he would ever love.’
If he was going to love Chloe, he would have done it long ago.
Callis was a sunflower who knew his wife loved him, but he steadfastly kept his eyes on Helena.
And he came to her rescue, as promised. To lift her out of the poverty of hell and make her see only the beautiful.
“Shane. Is that a man?”
As she struggled to compose herself, Helena’s eyes widened in disbelief.
A man sat down next to Chloe. It was a familiar figure, and Helena pointed at it.
“… Yes, that’s what it looks like.”
After hesitating between truth and falsehood, Shane finally told the truth.
Helena furrowed her brow, trying to get a better look at the two of them.
Sitting next to Chloe, who was eating, Callis naturally asked the chef for something else. The salad bowl that soon arrived was placed in front of Chloe, not Callis.
The two chatted for a few minutes afterward, but only after Chloe left the table.
“Damn it!”
Helena cursed under her breath as she watched the scene unfold.
***
“Cal, what were you talking about with that woman earlier?”
Callis walked into the office, startled by the sudden sound of a booming voice.
He looked up to see Helena sitting on the couch. Her eyes stared at him, and her current emotions were clear.
Something had happened again. Callis was a little tired, but he didn’t let it show.
“Helena, you should be careful what you say. What is she?”
He sat down beside Helena, his face softening as he gently touched her arm, and her expression softened.
“So, shall I call the Princess lady? Or, ma’am?”
“Nonsense. You are the Duke’s mistress.”
“Hmm… Don’t worry, I’ll call her Princess in front of everyone else. I’m pretty good at that, aren’t I?”
“I’m glad to hear it. Thank you as always. My love.”
Helena’s assurance put Callis at ease.
After all, Chloe was a Princess of the realm, and if the wrong accusation was made, she could be charged with contempt of royalty. It wouldn’t be a severe punishment, but it would be dishonorable.
“What did you talk to her about, anyway?”
“Nothing. What is there to talk about between a Princess and me? We didn’t really talk about anything.”
“Well, then tell me what you didn’t talk about. Anything that sticks, Cal?”
Uh-oh.
Callis had changed the subject with another tangent of his own. Changed the subject to her liking.
The woman’s touch was frightening. Normally she would have shrugged it off, but today she was relentless.
‘We’ll find out soon enough.’
If Callis went out, Helena was sure to be poking and prodding. If it was something she couldn’t hide, it was better to tell her now.
“The Marquis de Molyan is hosting a dinner champagne party, and I’ve asked the Princess to join.”
“Why?”
“Because. It would look weird if you went alone…”
“I can go!”
She replied so innocently. Callis was momentarily taken aback.
“You?”
“Yes. Cal said I’m the actual hostess of the ducal household, and I’m going to be, so I should be the one by your side in public, shouldn’t I?”
Helena was ignorant to say the least about socializing. Her eyes flashed expectantly, hoping Callis would give her an affirmative.
“Not now. Helena.”
Unfortunately, Callis couldn’t give her the answer she wanted. Her eyes drooped in disappointment.
“… Why?”
“We’re not legally married yet. Besides, the organizers invited the Princess, and it would be disrespectful to the organizers to take you instead.”
“But… I want to go too…”
Helena whined, wiggling her fingers.
The only parties she’d ever been to were her best friend’s birthday parties. Even then, it was just dinner at a shabby restaurant in the neighborhood.
She wanted to wear a dress like she’d seen in a play, to talk to people, to be happy with Callis in a place that sparkled and shone.
But… he could tell from her reaction that it wasn’t going to be a good day.
That was all I could do to keep the sadness at bay. For once, I was willing to give up. I was willing to give up for once, because it’s only when I put myself in my husband’s shoes that I’m truly supportive.
But he didn’t want Chloe to have what Helena didn’t.
“Then don’t take the Princess with you. You can go alone. Did they insist on bringing her?”
A trembling voice demanded the truth, a biting voice that stabbed at his heart.
And his conscience, too.
The truth was, he didn’t have to bring Chloe to the banquet. She’d been given the itinerary the day before, and he could just pretend she’d been busy.
But he was taking her because Callis needed her.
Chloe was always the one who kept him in line when he wasn’t socializing. She’s always been the one to calm him down when he’s not socializing.
This party was going to be no different. As usual, the high nobility would be more concerned with Callis’s birth than his accomplishments.
Then Callis wouldn’t stand a chance. That’s why he had to take the precious Chloe with him. It was the only thing that could save his tattered dignity.
“Don’t worry. The Princess is just a device, a lowly tool to further the family name.”
“… Okay, but don’t give her a second glance. Don’t hold her hand. No dancing. Got it?”
“Okay. Don’t worry about that. Helena, you’re the only one I love.”
Callis scooped Helena up from her seat and spun her around in his arms, her face instantly brightening.
“I’ll get you a maid, and you can go shopping.”
“Cal is the best!”
***
They alighted in front of the Marquis de Molyan’s mansion.
The beautifully manicured flower gardens and ornate decorations on the gates were impeccable for such a quick turnaround.
“Let’s go. Chloe. Thank you for coming.”
Callis squeezed Chloe’s shoulder, urging her to hurry. Conscious of the stares he was getting, he feigned a casualness.
As they walked, Chloe stopped abruptly. Callis cocked an eyebrow at her as she stood still.
“Is something wrong?”
Chloe didn’t answer. She merely glanced at her shoulder.
Then she removed the hand on her shoulder. Using her thumb and forefinger, as if she were picking off an insect.
Callis stared at the hand that had been rejected and sent away. His puzzled gaze soon turned to Chloe.
“… Chloe?”
“It’s uncomfortable.”
“…”
“We’re not supposed to be doing this.”
