Theo felt a stark disconnect from the princess he remembered as he observed her sitting blankly by the window all day and refusing to leave the female priests’ quarters. At first, he thought it was because her body hadn’t fully recovered, but the more he watched, the more he realized that wasn’t the case.
Theo, standing next to the wagon, suddenly spoke up.
“Actually, Her Highness has been acting a bit strange lately.”
“How so?”
“It’s like she’s suddenly become a different person. In the past…”
The words “She used to be desperate to return to the capital, even willing to make a deal with the devil if she could, but now she seems to have lost interest in everything” got caught in his throat. He belatedly realized it wouldn’t be good for the Count to know that he had first suggested to the princess about returning to the capital. After all, wasn’t the Count the one most eager to return to the capital?
“In the past, she seemed eager to return to the capital as soon as possible, but these days, it’s as if she’s achieved enlightenment about everything in the world…”
“Isn’t that a good thing? It seems she’s finally realized the reality after coming here. That everything has changed now.”
The Count responded without much suspicion to Theo’s stumbling words.
However, considering the princess’s usual personality, it was quite a surprising change, and he was inwardly amazed. She had always acted recklessly as if tomorrow held no fears, and such behavior had always held her back.
‘Whatever the case, it seems even Her Highness the Princess has finally grown up.’
Well, she must have gone through quite a lot here. Just looking at the Abbot’s attitude, he could roughly guess that she hadn’t been living a proper life.
The Count glanced at his brother’s serious face.
“There’s no need to worry too much. It’s actually wiser to face reality in this way. You’re the only one who doesn’t know what Her Highness already understands, Theodore.”
“Forget it. As expected, I can’t have a conversation with you, brother.”
Theo shook his head with a disgusted look. Before the Count, who suddenly felt insulted, could say another word, Theo sighed and walked past him.
It seemed like the Count was hurling some criticism behind his back, but Theo ignored it lightly and approached Declan.
“Your Grace, is there anything else I can help with?”
“Your thoughtfulness is appreciated.”
Declan replied indifferently while tightening the reins. Despite the early hour, he showed no signs of fatigue on his face.
Declan’s gaze briefly turned to Theo.
All night long, countless questions about Theo and the princess had filled his mind, but seeing Theo’s face now made him wonder what use it all was.
Theo was the opposite of his quick-calculating brother in temperament. He was not skilled at suspecting others, nor was he adept at lying.
Seeing him cheerfully bustling about from the morning, it didn’t seem like her statement about not minding not returning to the capital was a lie.
If it wasn’t something Theo wanted, why did the princess say such a thing?
****
Although she hadn’t properly slept, the sky was already bright. Sienna listlessly gazed at the clearing sky outside before slowly getting up.
There was no point in avoiding anymore. Once she had already encountered him, it was meaningless to keep avoiding him.
‘This is the last time anyway.’
She reluctantly got up and opened the wardrobe door. Simple clothes were neatly hung inside.
Once, she couldn’t even dress without someone’s help, but since coming here, only dresses she could put on by herself were hanging. Given that she couldn’t have a separate maid in her current situation, there was no choice.
She put on one of the few clothes she had, choosing the neatest one. Even so, to a stranger, she would look like a commoner living in modest circumstances. At least it was more put-together compared to yesterday.
As she stepped outside, soldiers were busily preparing for departure. They moved around hurriedly, not even properly recognizing the princess.
It was natural, as they wouldn’t think that a woman walking alone in plain clothes without attendants could be the princess. This fact didn’t upset Sienna anew.
Sienna looked around with an expressionless face, searching for someone. Soon, Count Monches and the Grand Duke came into her view.
Theo was the first to spot her. He looked quite surprised, as if he had thought she wouldn’t show herself until the last day.
Only then did the Count notice her walking towards them. He looked startled and quickly bowed his head.
“We are honored by Your Highness’s presence.”
Declan also turned to look at her and bowed. Sienna nodded calmly.
“I’m ashamed to show my face only on the day of departure.”
She tried to maintain the most elegant posture possible, straightening her spine and lifting her chin stiffly.
It was partly to make up for the shame she had experienced in front of him yesterday, and partly to belatedly maintain her dignity as royalty in front of the soldiers.
Either way, it was no different from base pride, and it was especially futile in front of this man.
“I heard you’re leaving without breakfast. Do the soldiers have enough food?”
“Yes, Your Highness. At least enough until we reach the capital.”
The Count standing nearby answered instead of the Grand Duke. Sienna nodded silently and glanced at Declan.
He was just quietly looking down at her face. Sienna, who had been glaring up at him, finally lowered her gaze first.
Even a moment of silence was hard to bear.
Just then, a red-haired soldier approached them.
“Your Grace, all preparations are complete.”
“Thank you for letting me know, Sir Gaius. Let’s depart right away.”
Declan replied with a gentle smile.
As the red-haired soldier gave loud instructions, the army quickly formed ranks.
Sienna, who had been fidgeting with her hands clasped together, hesitantly extended her hand after a moment of hesitation. Declan’s gaze immediately turned to the pale hand extended to him.
“I hope you arrive safely.”
Her voice was barely audible, but at least clear to him.
After silently looking down at Sienna’s hand for a moment, Declan slowly reached out and grasped it. Her hand, much smaller compared to his, was somewhat rough for a noble lady’s.
It was a terribly familiar sensation to Declan. He unconsciously tightened his grip on her hand.
When Sienna lightly shook their clasped hands like a normal handshake, his gaze returned to her face.
Declan, maintaining direct eye contact, guided her hand. The blue eyes looking at him quizzically filled with shock at that moment.
Her body visibly stiffened as he kissed the back of her pale hand. It made all her earlier pretense of dignity seem foolish.
Declan unknowingly let out a laugh.
Sienna’s eyes widened even more.
It was the sweetest voice she had heard once in a dream. She distinctly felt the sensation of lips pressing firmly on the back of her hand.
Just then, the Abbess and healers came out from the entrance of the monastery.
The hand holding hers tightened briefly before letting go. Sienna stood frozen with her hand extended into empty space, only hastily withdrawing it after he had completely stepped back.
As if nothing had happened, he returned to his usual demeanor and thanked the Abbess and healers for their care. While Sienna stood with a dazed expression, he completed all preparations.
Her bewildered gaze slowly followed him, but he had already mounted his horse.
A soldier raised a flag bearing the imperial emblem high. As if it were a signal flare, the horses began to move forward.
She stood there, watching his retreating figure until the soldiers descended the cliff. Even after the army had completely disappeared from view, the soft sensation on the back of her hand lingered for a long time.
****
Looking back, Sienna Rosamund Mel Maloney’s life was like a garment with the first button wrongly fastened, though it hadn’t been a mess from the very beginning.
Until ‘that incident’ occurred, there was a certain warmth in the public’s gaze towards Sienna. Even those who protected Joseph and Marianne didn’t treat Sienna carelessly.
She was the one and only princess of the great empire that ruled the continent of Kralto. The Ricata ducal family, one of the empire’s great noble houses, was her maternal family, and her mother was the only empress “officially recognized” by the emperor.
So, at least in terms of birth, she undoubtedly had a brilliant lineage worthy of being called the noblest being on the continent.
As much as her noble status, what frequently came up in people’s conversations was the emperor’s affection for the princess.
She was a child born from the woman he had loved since his youth, so there’s no doubt about how great the emperor’s favor was at the time. He gave the sunniest room in the imperial palace to the child and personally visited whenever he had the chance.
For six years, Sienna grew up more abundantly than any other child in the world.
A noble bloodline that everyone looked up to. Parents who cherished her above all else in the world. The world surrounding her was always beautiful and peaceful. She thought those days would continue forever.
However, life is unpredictable.
No matter how delicately and beautifully something is made, it’s bound to be terribly damaged in the face of a massive wave. Sienna’s life was no different. It took only an instant for the life that had reigned supreme over all to be plunged into the mud.
Thanks for the chapter