Episode 29. D-day 89 (1)
The carriage rocked back and forth. Inside, Beth, looking up with beautiful eyes, gazed at the handsome man with a splendid mustache sitting across from her.
It was Count Bohan.
“Did your visit to the palace go well?”
In response to Beth’s question, Count Bohan shrugged.
“It was my job to show you the palace, so it went well.”
“The palace is truly beautiful. I was delighted.”
In response to Beth’s answer, Count Bohan wore a satisfied smile. Beth standing in the palace garden was so beautiful, like a painting.
“Next time, I should give you a dress. Lavender would suit you well.”
Imagining Beth with a matching parasol and a bright smile, his heart ached.
It was when Count Bohan was looking at Beth with a gentle gaze. Beth, holding a parasol of the same color, with a serene smile, spoke.
“But your lordship’s expression continues to be dark.”
“It’s been a long time since someone cared about my expression.”
Perhaps it was because he raised his sons to be taciturn, but hearing such stories felt unfamiliar.
Count Bohan looked at Beth with moved eyes and then splashed his face with water.
He didn’t tell Beth, but in fact, he had achieved almost none of the goals for entering the palace.
“Actually, it didn’t go well. I tried to set the date for Daniel’s wedding, but suddenly, the Princess…”
Dowry, the money brought out when a daughter gets married. It was not what the groom’s side proposed to the palace but the money that had to be sent from the palace to the princess.
But the emperor proposed a deal as if declaring it. As if offering Princess Siena to the person who would bid the highest value.
‘Did Duke Stewart really agree to marry Princess Siena even at that high cost?’
How much of it was true? Count Bohan pressed his throbbing forehead.
‘I deliberately asked for such a deal to make Princess Sienna give up. I should talk to Daniel about it.’
He had no intention of paying such a high price to bring the troublesome princess into the family. And if his son had any thoughts, he would not object, of course.
Count Bohan shook his head vehemently.
“Anyway, it will work out. You don’t have to worry about it.”
And there was no reason to share this story with Beth.
Beautiful golden hair shimmered even in the darkness of the carriage. Count Bohan grabbed Beth’s wrist. Beth’s wrist was delicate as if it would break with a little force, and Count Bohan’s heart fluttered.
“Beth.”
“My lord.”
His large hand enclosed Beth’s cheek. She pushed away his chest as he tried to kiss her. With downcast eyes, she murmured shyly.
“…The young lords would be surprised if they knew.”
“You don’t have to worry about the kids.”
“But you probably haven’t forgotten about the lady yet.”
“Hmm.”
Count Bohan continued to smile as if finding Beth pushing him away cute. The carriage happened to stop. Count Bohan held Beth’s hand like escorting a noble lady and helped her down. Then, he lightly kissed her forehead and whispered.
“Have sweet dreams, then.”
Onlookers quickly felt their eyes rolling at Count Bohan’s expression of affection. They sensed that the dynamics within the household might change with Count Bohan, who no longer hid his affection.
Beth bowed her head and quickly walked to her room. As soon as she closed the door, she sat in front of it. Her face, which had been consistently calm and quiet in front of Count Bohan, was now a mess. She bit her nails.
‘I need to capture Daniel Bohan.’
The harsh sound echoed anxiously. Beth trembled, holding her hands.
‘Why isn’t it going as planned? I didn’t make a mistake.’
At every branching point, she chose the option to capture Daniel Bohan. However, Count Bohan and Lucas were falling for her, but Daniel showed no interest and even seemed wary of her. Beth nervously twisted her hair.
‘How can I end this game?’
* * *
The day of D-day 89 dawned.
Life in the palace had become incomparably pleasant compared to the beginning. I, who used to roll around in bed with only one sheet, was now cleaned by maids who came early in the morning and dressed in beautiful clothes.
Startled, breakfast arrived, and it was also incomparable to before. I felt a bit irritated.
“What’s this? I could have done well. Why have I been given such a mess until now?”
As I muttered to myself while having breakfast, I spoke in a small voice.
“Everyone should be punished.”
When I said that, no one made a sound, but I felt a faint hesitation. I bit the tip of the fork and sighed.
‘He really scared them. Percy Stewart.’
Without that, this resolute attitude couldn’t be explained.
‘Indeed, even if there are suspicious aspects, Percy is the best. If it were him, even if Daniel came at me with a knife, saying he would kill me, Percy would protect me.’
I rested my chin on my hand. Among the various routes (I don’t even know if they exist) in front of me, I chose Percy.
But even so, the problem still existed.
‘’But how on earth can I meet Percy? The story won’t progress if I’m just stuck in the palace like this.’
Maybe I should have run away. The story won’t progress if I’m just stuck like this. I tapped the plate end with the fork.
‘Any events? Events. If there’s an event related to Percy, it must be a duel or a swordsmanship competition.’
If it were such a large-scale event, the event plan should have already been announced and in progress. In the end, there was no such event.
I sighed deeply and put down the fork. ‘Strange. The villainess I saw in the game was diligently moving around, harassing the protagonist here and there, but in reality, she’s just stuck like this.’ I continued to sigh heavily, and it was when the onlookers were trembling that a young maid among them, treating me comfortably, entered the dining room carrying a large box.
“Princess, a gift has arrived.”
A gift? I crossed my legs and turned to her, asking, “Who sent it?”
“It’s from Daniel Bohan, Your Highness.”
“Ugh.”
I thought it might be Percy, but Daniel!
‘He’s already making progress with Beth, why send me a gift? Could it be that he plans to marry me but love Beth ?’
As I thought about it, my mood worsened. I waved my hand at the maid, indicating for her to open it herself.
The maid diligently untied the ribbon and opened the lid of the box. What came out of the box was a pair of ruby-red shoes. A large jewel was embedded as decoration, sparkling.
The maid sighed.
“Oh my, beautiful shoes. You must like them, Your Highness.”
Like them? No way. I answered with a sulky tone, “Not really.”
“Why? These seem to be real rubies.”
“Still not my taste.”
Judging by the maid’s expression, it seemed that she expected Princess Siena to be greatly moved by Daniel’s first gift.
However, I sincerely thought it was not to my liking.
‘Daniel’s sense is like that.’
The red shoes were overly flashy, and it seemed they wouldn’t go well with any dress. What bothered me the most was the high heel that seemed to be about 10 centimeters.
‘I haven’t recovered from my ankle injury yet. I’m too fragile to walk with these shoes.’ I turned my head abruptly and said,
“Red is not my favorite anyway. My hair is already red.”
“Then, what color do you prefer, Your Highness?”
“Maybe green to match my eye color would have been better.”
“Shall I convey that then?”
“No, don’t. Just forget about it.”
I reflexively gave such an answer and looked at the maid.
‘Convey? Are you perhaps Daniel’s messenger?’
It would be even more unpleasant if he had planted spies in my palace. When I tried to press on that issue with my fist clenched, a courtier who had rushed in spoke with a deeply bowed head.
“A person has come from Duke Stewart’s residence.”
“Why?”
“They say they’ve come to receive a reply.”
“A reply?”
Probably a reply to that letter from last time. It was a letter with only a few lines.
‘A reply.’
Suddenly, mischievousness welled up in me. I pointed to the maid holding the box and said, “Send those shoes.”
“What?”
“Just send them. Everyone will understand. Just send them.”
Both the maid and the courtier had perplexed expressions. But when I didn’t yield my opinion, they reluctantly retied the ribbon and packed the box.
Then, they handed the box to the person from Duke Stewart’s residence who had been waiting.
Exactly two hours later, Percy Stewart himself came to my palace.
Everyone looked at Percy in surprise. Percy, on the other hand, naturally bent his waist and kissed the back of my hand.
“I came as you ordered, Your Highness.”
“I don’t understand what you’re talking about.”
Just because I sent the shoes, it doesn’t mean I ordered anything. When I replied coolly, Percy playfully squinted one eye.
“You said you wanted to see me, didn’t you?”
It was an answer that accurately matched my intention. I wanted to applaud even though I couldn’t, but this was the only choice I had.
“Snap out of your dream.”
“You can’t be honest, can you?”
Percy burst into laughter.
