Chapter 26
“…….”
“… Prince?”
I expected that he would be taken aback by the unexpected action, or that he would quickly pull himself back.
But Dante made no response.
The mask facing her from very close up didn’t even move.
“Uh…”
Feeling embarrassed for some reason, Letier secretly removed her hand from the black mask.
I hope he’s not mad…
“Why don’t you take it off?”
A low voice came from the other side of the mask.
Letier opened her mouth with an embarrassed expression.
“I didn’t really intend to take it off in the first place. It was a light joke, and I’m sorry if I offended you.”
“Of course I wasn’t offended.”
Dante raised his hand and grabbed Letier’s hand, which was floating in the air.
He took her hand and put it on top of his mask and wrapped it around it.
The palm of her hand felt cold against the mask, and the back of her hand felt warm and soft because of the Prince’s hand.
“I knew you wouldn’t take it off at will.”
“Why?”
“Well.”
There was a hint of laughter in his voice.
Letier stared blankly at the hole in the pupil of the Prince’s mask.
It was very dark, so I couldn’t see well, but the eyes that were facing me seemed to emit a weak light.
“When the prince is ready, I think he will take it off himself.”
A pair of eyes that were entirely focused on him filled his vision.
“What if it’s very terrible?”
“Yes?”
“My appearance after taking off my mask… What if it’s so terrible that it’s hard to imagine?”
Letier lowered her gaze and was deep in thought.
‘Surely…’
Born as a young girl from a rich family and growing up only to see precious and beautiful things, there was no way she had the patience to face terrible things.
But even so, screaming or fainting at the sight of a patient in need of treatment did not fit her personality.
She was far from being sensitive or weak in the first place.
“I can treat you.”
Letier exclaimed proudly.
It was her own product that had improved numerous skin conditions in the Trillante Empire.
She didn’t know the symptoms, but she was confident she could cure it.
“Don’t worry, Prince! I will definitely make your skin clean.”
Letier made up her mind, clenching her fists with the hand that Dante had not grabbed.
Dante gently stroked the back of her hand in his grasp.
It was soft, and the touch was pleasant.
“Is your entire body this soft?”
Unknowingly, Dante followed her hand, followed her slender wrists, forearms, and the slender neckline and round face that continued above them.
It was hard to believe that the all white and smooth looking thing was the same person as himself.
It seems that Letier answered something, but the answer did not fully reach his ears.
Just when he had the impure thought of wanting to bury his lips in the nape of Letier’s beautiful neck after staring blankly at her, Dante suddenly came to his senses and let go of her hand.
“… So, apply the products I gave you well!”
Only then did Letier’s requesting voice enter his ears.
“What did you say?”
“Yes?”
Letier looked up at him with an expression asking what he had done without hearing what she said.
“Sorry, I was thinking about something else.”
“I told you that the reason my skin feels exceptionally softer than others is because I have touched so many products. Prince, if you apply cosmetics consistently, you can become like me.”
“Like you?”
“Yeah!”
Letier nodded vigorously.
“I think it would be quicker to… be reborn.”
Dante laughed and spit out.
When I was with her, I didn’t know why I was laughing at such trivial things.
It was strange, but not too bad.
Dante looked down at her with relaxed eyes as she still looked up at him with a serious face.
It was covered by a mask, so the person in question couldn’t see it.
*****
“A talk?”
A place where the unknown darkness descended.
Rosenthal, sitting cross-legged in the Empress’s seat, asked.
On the surface, she had a fairly calm expression, but her restless fingers revealed her nervous state of mind.
“They say it will take place next month, as scheduled.”
“Huh.”
Hearing the answer from the servant, she bit her lower lip.
Damn, that cheeky bastard…
I was willing to let him slide under my radar until I realized he was slowly expanding his power.
Even so, it was like a lion without claws, so it didn’t do me even the slightest harm.
I just waited and waited to see what kind of actions the cornered would take if even such free acts were suppressed…
It was very irritating to see such insignificant behavior that gradually crossed the line.
“The goods are already in their hands.”
“It’s only a matter of time.”
Rosenthal fidgeted with her nails nervously.
I didn’t like the fact that the Prince was slowly revealing his blunt claws while all the attention was focused on the regent.
“What is the Prince doing these days?”
“These days, he doesn’t show any particular dynamics other than being with a skin therapist often.”
“Skin therapist…?”
Rosenthal frowned and remembered her first meeting with Princess Lenever.
A princess with a beautiful appearance who looked young but strong.
I thought she would fall on its own in a few weeks like other experts who took care of the Prince’s skin, but he’s still receiving treatment?
Her crumpled lips slowly regained her composure.
“Is the Prince being treated with sincerity?”
“They say it is like that. He meets at least once a week.”
“… I mean.”
A strange light appeared in Rosenthal’s blue eyes.
It was clear that the prince reacted differently to Princess Lenever than the previous therapists.
And it was also something that aroused the Empress’s curiosity.
The Empress spat out in a joyful voice.
“Bring the Princess to me soon.”
“All right.”
She leaned against the back of her chair and made a subtle expression.
What kind of card the princess would end up with was something she would have to see for herself.
*****
Letier was sitting on a soft sofa in a room with a high ceiling.
Patrick visited her room in the afternoon, so I thought it was the Prince’s call again, but this time he brought her to Her Majesty’s drawing room.
‘Would you like to hear an interim report?’
Slightly nervous, Letier began to organize the results of the experiments so far in her head.
We have been delivering products using various raw materials, but so far there has been no significant improvement.
She was worried that Her Majesty would be disappointed or even reprimand herself.
“Princess Lenever.”
Just then, the door at the back opened and Rosenthal walked in with graceful steps.
Letier quickly got up from her seat and bowed her head.
“I met Her Majesty the Empress, this is Letier of the Lenever family.”
“Sit comfortably.”
Rosenthal sat down on the other sofa and pointed to her seat.
Letier slowly settled down in her chair.
“Aren’t you surprised by my sudden call?”
“No.”
“Today, I just called because the weather is nice and I want to have a cup of tea with the Princess, so don’t be too nervous.”
“Thank you for thinking and inviting me.”
Letier placed a hand on her chest and slightly bowed her head.
Rosenthal smiled and studied her impeccable, perfect gesture.
In the meantime, the maids of the imperial palace approached and began to set a three-tiered tray with beautiful teacups and desserts on the round table placed between them.
They tidied up the dishes and utensils, poured steaming tea into the teacups for Letier and Rosenthal, and then disappeared out of the drawing room.
In the space where only the two of them were left, Letier looked at the Empress with a puzzled expression.
‘She says to drink tea lightly, so why are all the people out?’
Perhaps, she thought that these were all laws of the Imperial palace that she was unaware of.
Because the Imperial palace is a place full of things you don’t understand.
“Try it. The skill of the chef at the imperial palace is quite impressive. I dare say it is the best in the Trillante Empire.”
“Oh, thank you.”
Letier looked at the tray with all sorts of desserts on it, as if bewitched, and said.
Indeed, Her Majesty’s expression was not an exaggeration.
She wanted to protect the dignity of Princess Lenever in front of Her Majesty the Empress, but she kept getting distracted by the delicious desserts.
However, extending a hand before Her Majesty’s did was disrespectful.
Rosenthal, who was looking at her, opened her mouth.
“… Please eat first. Then I will start.”
“Ah, then….”
Letier lifted a fork and picked up a small macaron.
Rosenthal, who was drinking tea from a teacup on the other side of her, peered out over the teacup and looked closely at Letier.
She was basically a princess who looked serious and calm, but also somewhat blind and vulnerable.
“…….”
The Empress, who was good at recognizing people at a glance, understood at once that the Princess in front of her was not a great person to plan something with Prince Dante.
And that she would not be the type of woman who seduces the Prince rationally and achieves what she wants.
‘Hmm…’
In that case, it was only by his will that the prince would obediently accept her treatment.
Various scenarios were already drawn in her quick-witted mind.
She was said to be an excellent chemist, and the most reasonable reason was to keep her by my side to make use of her knowledge.
If that’s not the case…
After weighing the various possibilities, the Empress quietly set the teacup down on the table.
“Princess Lenever.”
“Yes?”
Letier, who was munching on the macaron, quickly swallowed it and asked back.
The Empress smiled softly at her and opened her mouth with sparkling eyes.
There were many ways to confirm my suspicions.
“Do you know about the Forest of Memory?”
