I Stole the Prince's First

“What’s this?”

Retina, who had been spending time in the study, lowered her book upon seeing a floating flower basket. Lina, who brought the large flower basket, placed it on the table and wiped sweat from her forehead.

“Whew, it’s a flower gift in the name of the young lady. Let’s see, the sender is… Norden Raglaras? Raglaras, if it’s Raglaras, it’s the Northern Prince!?” Checking the sender of the card stuck among the flowers, Lina looked at Retina with wide eyes. It seemed like she was about to ask if Retina had sorted things out with the prince after meeting him.

“Whatever you’re thinking, it’s probably not what you think.” Retina, who came down from Reading Nook with a stern expression, took the card from Lina’s hand. On the opposite side of his neatly written name, a short sentence was written.

『My feelings will not change.』

Reading the sentence, Retina chuckled and looked at the flower basket. Among the roses, gerberas, and other flowers, a single, different-colored Prairie gentian caught her eye. Unchanging feelings. That Prairie gentian must be what he was referring to. “My feelings won’t change, huh! Miss! Are you sure it’s not true? Is it from Prince Norden? You shouldn’t be swayed so soon just because you haven’t seen him for a few days!”

“The prince has a cute side too,” Retina remarked, ignoring Lina’s squealing as they read the card together. Retina plucked the Prairie gentian from the bouquet, and along with it, the pendant that Norden had lent her came out. “Huh? Why is that in there?”

“Oh, I lost it when we met before.”

“Miss lost that pendant?”

“Stop thinking about it and bring me the book ‘The Royal Family of Rudenheim, 300 Years of History’ from the bookshelf.”

Leaving Lina with a nodding head, Retina returned to Reading Nook. Lina, mumbling, rushed to the bookshelf at Retina’s request. ‘Even if he hurries, it’ll take a month.’ Seated at Reading Nook, Retina opened the book again but soon found her mind wandering. Whether it was a lack of concentration or something else, not a single word from the book registered in her mind.

‘To gain recognition of the power of the Ignace family, you must reveal the secret in Rudenheim. Are you okay with that?’ Norden was asking me about the extent of the power I could gain if the pendant I have is genuine. Can I confidently stand in the midst of negative gazes, embodying the most Ignace-like presence?

Retina couldn’t immediately say yes to his question. Even though she believed that she couldn’t hide and live like this forever, the words admitting her lifelong secret didn’t easily come out.

“The most comfortable way is to go to Raglaras with me,” he said. His words made sense. If she went to Raglaras as her father wished, she wouldn’t have to wear a wig anymore, and she wouldn’t have to deceive others to live comfortably. Without much effort, she could live freely as herself. However, to get what she wanted, she had to overcome her greatest fear.

“I’ve decided to try it for now. If the time comes, I’ll have to accept it.”

“It seems it won’t work after all. However, if your feelings change anytime, you can come to me. I only respect your feelings, and it doesn’t mean I’ll give up. I’ll always be waiting.”

Having questioned Retina’s intentions to the end, Noden finally took a step back. Retina felt grateful for Norden’s affection, even though she hadn’t done anything. Despite her willingness to endure any situation, it didn’t guarantee marriage to the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince’s selection of a bride was already underway, and there might be no communication from the North until the engagement ceremony. Going with Noden to the North seemed to be the safest and most comfortable path for her.

However, she still wanted to endure the process and be with the Crown Prince. Her feelings for him had grown uncontrollably.

“…Miss. Young lady?”

Retina snapped out of her contemplation at the voice calling her. Lina, who had brought the requested book, held it out to Retina.

“Oh, yes. Thank you.”

Taking the book, Retina set aside the one she was reading and opened the new one. In Reading Nook, there were piles of books awaiting her exploration.

“Red Eyes are the symbol of the Royal Family of Rudenheim.”

Glancing at the table of contents, Retina unfolded the desired section and once again immersed herself in the book, eagerly anticipating the day she would meet her lover…

* * *

Three days later, the highly anticipated fencing competition finals took place. The pavilion where the Crown Prince participated in the finals was packed with people; there was not a single empty seat in sight. The passageways were so crowded that even those walking through were tightly squeezed, and the box seats, unlike usual, had additional chairs without tables.

“Thanks to the generous discretion of Her Majesty the Empress, we can see the Crown Prince a bit closer.”

“How delightful to witness the final match here. Thank you, Your Majesty the Empress.”

“Among them, someone will become the Crown Prince’s companion. But for the finals, we must watch closely, right?”

Surrounded by the contestants who made it to the finals, the Empress watched the arena with a gracious smile. Despite the continuous coughing signals from the Emperor beside her, today the Empress did not step back.

It was an atmosphere as tense as breaking the wings of a bird soaring high in the sky. She cast a sidelong glance at Retina sitting behind her, letting out a sneer and a snort in disdain.

It was highly irritating to see inexperienced young contestants accompanying me in the same seat without even understanding the subject. It seemed they had received tickets reserved for the Deneuve family, but appearing to rely on one’s family without any ability did not create a favorable impression.

“The Crown Prince is here!”

“Where, where?”

As people speculated about when the Crown Prince would appear, a wave of excitement swept through the crowd. The Crown Prince, dressed casually in a shirt that revealed a glimpse of his upper chest, had the entire right arm wrapped in bandages.

“Oh, Lord Teten is also coming out there.”

“The Crown Prince and Lord Teten. I wonder who will win?”

“I’d be happy no matter who wins…”

Whispers from the young contestants echoed throughout. Despite the Crown Prince having a confirmed advantage in their previous matches, the recent injury to his arm during the match with Haint added an element of uncertainty to the outcome.

“Who would you like to see win, Lady Retina?” “I, um….”

Faced with a sudden question, Retina hesitated, pretending to contemplate before closing her mouth and making a sound. While she naturally wished for the Crown Prince to win, confessing her feelings felt embarrassing.

“Well, I hope for the Crown Prince! I’m curious about what wish he would make if he wins!”

Basilius interjected, raising his hand abruptly. Other young contestants nodded in agreement with Basilius’s opinion.

“That’s right. I’m curious about why he’s pushing himself to win with an injured arm.”

“You haven’t been interested in the fencing competition before, right?”

“What do you think the Crown Prince wants?”

Retina empathized with their words. She, too, wondered about the undisclosed wish. Despite not reaching the finals yet, he confidently suggested that she watch the entire final and hear it directly from him. Amidst the chit-chat among the audience, the two contestants gathered in the center of the arena, each holding a sword, lightly tapping the ends to signal the beginning of the match.

Teten, despite being the Crown Prince, spared no effort as he faced Herald. Following Haint’s strategy, he focused on the right side wrapped in bandages.

Herald, having loosened his muscles by rotating his uncomfortable shoulder, opted for an offensive approach rather than defense, in contrast to the semi-finals.

After several intense clashes, Teten’s leg finally gave way, and the match concluded with Herald’s victory. As Teten sat down in pain, Herald, with his sword aimed at Teten’s neck, signaled the end of the match with the whistle, sheathing his sword afterward.

Applause and cheers showered on the two, who demonstrated a splendid match until the end. The audience rose to their feet, giving a standing ovation.

Herald approached the seating area where the Emperor and Empress were seated and kneeled down, one knee on the ground, his sword planted in the ground as he bowed his head towards them.

“To the sun that rises in the sky of Rudenheim, the one who embraces the sun, greetings to the noble Emperor and Empress of Rudenheim.”

“Indeed. Congratulations, my proud son, Herald Rudenheim, on winning the swordsmanship competition.”

Amidst applause, the Emperor, rising from his seat, extended his arms wide with a hearty, benevolent laugh to congratulate Herald.

“For a first-time organizer, the swordsmanship competition must have been challenging, and not only did you smoothly conclude it, but you also clinched victory. How splendid it is! Besides the Prince’s triumph, it seems we’ve unearthed many talents this year. The future of the Empire looks bright indeed.”

“Rudenheim! Rudenheim!” The crowd, in unison, chanted slogans louder than ever. The atmosphere was more electrifying than any time before.

“Now, what do you wish for? I will grant anything you desire.”

The Emperor spoke after patiently waiting for the cheers to settle in the arena. It was the moment everyone had been eagerly anticipating – to hear the victor’s wish.

A hush fell over the Pavilion, which had been filled with so much noise. As the silence hung in the air, Herald, looking up to the Emperor, resolute and unwavering, made a request that brought stillness to the previously bustling space.

“I request the suspension of the ongoing competition led by Empress.”