WCMP 49

chapter 49

“Have you been well, Princess? It’s truly a pleasure and an honor to see you again like this.”

“It’s been a while, Lady Rosny. How have you been?”

“Of course. I’ve been doing well without incident.”

Instead of the extravagant dress I had seen before, Rosny greeted me wearing a stylish dress in a design I hadn’t encountered.

Her intensely burning gaze felt a bit overwhelming, but my pleasure at seeing her again outweighed it.

“It’s nice to see you again. Though, honestly, I didn’t expect we’d meet like this. Ah, of course, I don’t mean that in a bad way.”

“Of course. I understood perfectly. Honestly, when I first met you, Princess, I didn’t think we’d meet like this again either.”

Rosny’s eyes narrowed slightly, and she gave a soft, fluttering smile before opening her mouth again with a sparkle in her eyes.

“I heard that Master Amon isn’t even ten years old yet. Usually, horseback riding begins around ten at the earliest, sometimes later. So, Princess, starting a bit earlier was actually a good choice.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, indeed. And it seems you’ve been taking charge of Master Amon’s education yourself. That must be because the Duke is so busy.”

I simply smiled without answering.

It was a natural question anyone might wonder about, and in fact, it was a common curiosity whenever hiring Amon’s tutors before.

How she interpreted my smile, I don’t know, but Rosny’s bright smile accompanied a comment that piqued my curiosity.

“Actually, Princess, to be honest, I was more eager for the chance to speak with you than to become Master Amon’s riding instructor.”

Her words caught me a little off guard. To think she would say that at an interview for Amon’s riding instructor position.

Yet it also made my curiosity swell. Why did she want a meeting with me, of all things?

“Did you have something specific you wanted to say to me?”

“Of course! I have so, so much to say.”

Rosny answered enthusiastically, as if she had been waiting for this very question.

“I don’t like just vaguely waiting around not knowing when or if the Princess will visit again. That’s not in my nature.”

Her somewhat bold attitude earned my quiet nod of agreement in my mind.

I wanted to say, “From what I see, that seems like you,” but I restrained myself with all my willpower.

“I was thinking of writing a letter when I saw the announcement for Master Amon’s riding instructor. It felt like fate.”

“…Fate, huh. I see.”

Even with my slightly hesitant voice, Rosny simply smiled cheerfully.

Calming her excitement slightly, she lifted the cup of black tea in front of her to inhale its aroma.

She only sipped lightly, then put the cup back down and said:

“Of course, Master Amon’s lessons will surely be enjoyable. But more than that, my desire to enjoy riding with you, Princess, was stronger… so I ended up stubbornly insisting, risking etiquette.”

Etiquette. She must have been referring to insisting on something with the head maid, who had been trying to politely refuse her due to the male-preference condition.

“What etiquette? Lady Rosny applied as Amon’s instructor, and you are here because I wanted this meeting.”

“Thank you so much for saying that.”

She smiled with genuine joy.

“After you visited, Princess, I struggled a lot to calm my excited heart. I don’t know how many years it’s been since a young lady of this age showed interest in riding.”

“I see.”

So that’s why Rosny aimed for the male-preference instructor position—her true interest was in me.

More precisely, she was interested in a young noble lady of a similar age who showed an interest in riding.

Sure enough, Rosny openly revealed her intentions to me.

“Have you already found a riding instructor, Princess? No announcement came out about hiring one, so I’ve been waiting…”

“…You’ve been watching?”

She couldn’t have been checking every day since the day I visited, could she?

If so, that was an impressive determination.

How much did she love riding?

Among so many hobbies, why would she be so passionate about riding? Was there some special reason?

“It’s embarrassing, but yes. I’ve been watching continuously. I’ve been waiting eagerly, desperate to become your riding instructor, Princess.”

Though she said she was embarrassed, her expression showed no hint of shame.

“I’m sorry, but I’ve already asked someone I know, and they will handle the lessons.”

“…Is the instructor a lady or a young noblewoman?”

Why is she curious about that?

“If it’s a man, I think it would be better for someone of the same gender to learn physical skills together.”

Ah. Now I understood her intention and answered:

“It’s a knight, and she’s a lady.”

Rosny’s obsession felt a little frightening, but it also seemed she genuinely wanted a companion to ride with.

When I played games back in Korea, I often pulled one or two friends in to play together.

Though playing alone was fun, playing with someone you know had a unique charm.

Perhaps Rosny is hoping for the same thing.

“Ah… what a pity. If I had known, I would have asked immediately when you visited the salon…”

Rosny let out a sigh of regret, covering her cheek with one hand.

Seeing her genuinely disappointed softened my heart a little.

Hmm. If I were excited to show Seirin something and play together, and someone else took the chance first…

I realized I’d feel the same disappointment.

But I can’t cancel Seirin’s lessons now just to let Rosny teach me instead…

I considered other options for a moment, then spoke:

“I’m still a beginner, so I might be clumsy, but if Lady Rosny doesn’t mind, how about we enjoy riding together, even if it’s not a lesson? I think it wouldn’t be bad.”

Riding with a beginner can be more hassle than fun.

But since Rosny had originally intended to teach me, I assumed she wouldn’t mind and offered without hesitation.

At my suggestion, her red irises glimmered with an intense, hard-to-read emotion.

“Not bad, you say?”

Seeing her serious expression, I drew a small breath.

I was about to retract my offer, thinking I might have misjudged, but Rosny spoke faster:

“That sounds wonderful! I really want to do it. And not just riding—I want to be close to you, Princess.”

I gazed at her straightforward reply with a curious look.

Originally, Rielli hardly ever left the mansion, and aside from Arban and Seirin, I had met few nobles.

So I wasn’t sure if nobles here usually spoke so directly.

But Rosny was throwing words at me so bluntly that even by my modern standards, it felt unusually direct.

Perhaps sensing my thoughts, she asked softly with a gentle smile:

“Did I startle you with my bluntness? If you feel uncomfortable, please tell me.”

Her demeanor now was very different from before, calm and measured.

Even though she smiles with the same expression… why is that?

Earlier, her expressions reflected her emotions. Now, it felt artificially composed.

“No, I tend to speak directly too, and I don’t like beating around the bush, so please speak freely.”

“…I’m so glad you say that.”

Rosny was silent for a moment, then whispered gently in a soft voice.

It contrasted with her earlier excitement over riding, making me examine her expression closely.

Of all her appearances so far, she seemed the calmest now.

It was so unfamiliar that I almost felt the person in front of me wasn’t Rosny but another young noblewoman.

I’ve only met Rosny twice; I can’t claim to know her well.

Yet to my eyes, Rosny seemed suited to a bright, cheerful expression.

For some reason, I hoped she would return to her usual self.

I lifted my teacup and returned to the main topic:

“I’ve carefully looked over Lady Rosny’s record. You won the riding competition last year and had several awards before that. I believe you will teach Amon well.”

After speaking, I sipped my tea, then put the cup down and observed her mood.

In that brief moment, her smile bloomed like a radiant rose.

“Of course. I will make sure Master Amon can display his skills better than anyone else and prove that your choice was not wrong, Princess.”

Her cheerful expression satisfied me, and I smiled slightly in return.