Wow, I’m completely burned out of course.
At the engagement banquet, all I did was laugh and chat with people. However, perhaps because it had been so long since I had interacted with so many people, all the strength in my body had faded away. Even though I made every effort to avoid them, I was unable to do so until the very end.
I grabbed my shoulders, which felt unusually heavy, and spun them clockwise.
Demimore came out to see me off before I left for the Grand Duchy. Next to Demimore, Princess Lausanne smiled beautifully.
“Mary, you look stunning today!”
“Lausanne, you look like a fairy today, too!”
No exaggeration was made. Lausanne’s silver gown sparkled as if it had been dusted with fairy dust and was made of a material that appeared to be from the heavens. It matched Lausanne’s hair color so perfectly that I wondered if a fairy actually existed because it was so gorgeous.
Lausanne took my hand in hers and spoke to me, her eyes twinkling like her dress.
“Everyone was commenting on what a lovely couple Demimore and Mary are. You two look so good together.”
I don’t think so.
For a split second, a thought ran through my head. There was no doubt that we would discuss the peculiar dynamic between Rex, Demimore, and I.
The princess, however, chose not to bring it up in front of us. I only gave her an awkward smile.
“Well, I’m glad it appeared that way.”
“The most beautiful thing, however, was…”
“What?”
“Mary receiving a necklace from Demimore.”
Lausanne looked at the necklace around my neck with a proud expression. It’s not exactly a necklace, but a ring.
Oh, when did you see that scene? Looking at the ring with her twinkling eyes, I thought I would see this scene in her novel someday.
Lausanne is being considerate of me even though she appears immature. Though she didn’t, she might have wanted to know what the three of us had discussed earlier that the atmosphere wasn’t conducive.
“Sister, please stop.”
The excited Lausanne was briefly stopped by Demimore, who was merely standing to the side and observing.
“Ah, the two of you have to say goodbye, but I was too tactless, right?”
Demimore, who said earlier that I and Rex were on great terms, came to mind at Lausanne’s words; and these two look so close, too.
“Mary.”
“Brother Gilbert!”
At that time. Someone grabbed my shoulder and called out my name, and when I turned around, it was Gilbert. He occasionally reminds me of Grand Duke Estin and gives me chills when he stares at me without making any facial expressions.
“Your Highness is here too.”
“It’s been a while, Your Grace Gilbert.”
Gilbert and Lausanne exchanged awkward greetings. I don’t know why they look so odd together, but in the original, Gilbert and Lausanne got engaged after my engagement to Demimore ended.
“So, are you returning to the Grand Duchy?”
“Oh, yes, His Majesty the Emperor is currently speaking with my father.”
Oh, I see. I was wondering why I didn’t see my father at the reception. If the Emperor wasn’t there, he wouldn’t have to either. Why doesn’t he seek an audience of some other people instead of someone whose daughter is getting engaged?
“Let’s head to where the carriage is, okay?”
“Oh, Gilbert. Mr. Francis requested to speak with you briefly. All three Conler brothers.”
“How much more nagging does he want to do….”
Mr. Francis was a professor at the Academy. I recalled Theodore swearing and complaining that he sometimes nags excessively. He’s here today. Every time I heard Theodore’s story, I wished I could see his face, but it was unfortunate.
Demimore, Lausanne, and I said our goodbyes, and then Gilbert and I went to where Conler’s carriage was waiting. We had to traverse the garden a little.
“I’m glad everything’s fine today.”
Gilbert touched my head as he stood next to me. Gilbert’s anxiety was evident, just like Rex’s earlier. I smiled broadly so Gilbert would feel as much relief as possible.
Aiden, Theodore, and Rex were standing in front of the two carriages.
When they heard Mr. Francis summoned them, Aiden and Theodore showed clear disgust and disappeared, admonishing me not to go anywhere alone.
I stayed in front of the carriage with Rex and the guards.
I cast a quick glance over at Rex who was sitting next to me. Rex’s eyes weren’t showing any signs of crying when I looked into them closely, so I rubbed my chest. That’s relieving. So I guess he didn’t cry.
However, I kept observing Rex’s actions and considered whether or not I ought to apologise for asking him to leave earlier.
“Sister.”
“What?”
I continued to look at Rex and keep an eye on him, so it surprised me when he abruptly called me. I was surprised that a strange voice came from within me. I cleared my throat pretending to be fine.
“Did the prince say something to you?”
“Oh, no…. he didn’t.”
He must have been anxious that he may have spoken negatively of him after he left. I suppose I would feel anxious if it were me. I felt sorry for not trying to understand him. I was about to apologize.
“Rex, I’m sorry…….”
“You tend to have nightmares a lot.”
“What?”
“I mentioned that to him. You have a hard time trusting people completely, and you have a lot of nightmares. Maybe His Highness thought I was pretending to know too much about you and felt uncomfortable.”
Rex’s sudden confession left me speechless. Listening to it made me wonder. Did Demimore need to be so upset just because he heard these things?
“To be honest…I suggested that it might be better for him to refuse the engagement altogether.”
“Why? Why did you do that?”
“…….”
“No, I’m not trying to argue. I want to know why Rex thought so.”
“Because you’re fighting so hard.…. I thought you needed someone to fight with you. I had a pure question of whether Prince Demimore could be that person given that he’s running away even in the struggle for the throne.”
“You didn’t say the same thing in front of Demimore, did you?”
“………I didn’t say anything about the fight for the throne. It’s just that if he can’t fight for sister Mary until the end, it’s better not to start…….”
Ha..
I let out a sigh of relief. It’s a relief he held back from saying that.
I can now see why Demimore was upset. I’m glad he was so quick to forgive him. Rex also seemed to understand his mistake and hung his head low. I feel conflicted. Even though I know Rex said those things for me, it wasn’t right. I had two competing ideas in my head. I wanted to retract what I had said earlier about confronting Demimore.
“Long time no see.”
As I was confronting Rex in this manner, I was disturbed by a voice coming from behind me.
I hadn’t heard that voice in a while, but it was one I’ll never forget.
I felt shivers. I had second thoughts as I peered back.
It was Cameron.
Why is Cameron coming out of here? Oh, this is, after all, Cameron’s home. But why is he here, anyway?
“Rex is here too.”
Cameron had the nerve to act like they were close friends. Rex looked at him with disapproval. Although there was no mirror, I was certain that my expression was worse than Rex’s. How could he appear in such a manner when no one is nearby?
I cautiously glared at Cameron who had come up to me out of nowhere.
Cameron’s eyebrows drooped when he saw me like that. What’s up, why are you like this?
“I’m sorry about that time.”
Sorry about that time?
It wasn’t an incident that could be apologized for so lightly, regardless of how much time has passed.
“I was too young, Mary. I’m sorry I tried to kidnap Astina and blamed you for it.”
Cameron chuckled and gave me a few pats on the shoulder to express his congratulations on my engagement before turning and walking away. Even though I didn’t respond to what he said, it didn’t seem to matter.
It appeared at first that he was sincerely sorry, but I could sense it. This was a clear provocation.
Perhaps he was anticipating my and Demimore’s engagement party today. That cheap fellow. That’s why you appeared like this when you weren’t there.
“What’s that?”
I was swearing in my head as I stared at Cameron’s back, and I heard Rex’s trembling voice from behind me.
“What did the first prince say?”
Oh, right.
Rex was unaware of the dagger. I didn’t want to tell Rex this story because he already had it hard worrying about me and if I did, Rex’s tiny body might have exploded from worry.
I think so.
I wanted to pass it off as a joke again this time. That’s my specialty. Rex will surely understand.
But when I turned around and saw Rex’s expression… a hurt expression, I couldn’t say anything.
