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Chapter 32
“Y-You don’t have to think so narrowly about it.”
Friedrich looked at me with a what do you mean expression. I gave an awkward smile and continued.
“Some people get married twice, or even three times…”
“For me, it’s once.”
Friedrich said firmly.
“I don’t care about other people. For me, it’s once in a lifetime.”
“R… Right…?”
I swallowed dryly and carefully asked,
“Then if—just if—you ever got divorced, you wouldn’t remarry…?”
“…Divorced?”
“I’m just saying, hypothetically.”
“……”
Friedrich stayed silent for a long time at my question. His expression didn’t look good, and I waited nervously for his lips to open.
“…If Your Highness were to cast me aside.”
“W-Wait—hold on. Are you crying?”
Suddenly, his eyes were welling up with tears.
My mind went blank, and without thinking I rushed to calm him down.
“No one is casting you aside. I said it’s hypothetical, hypothetical.”
“I don’t like hypotheticals like that…”
“Fine, fine. My bad.”
I cupped his cheeks and wiped his tears with my thumb. A sigh escaped me.
“You cry more easily than I expected.”
But why does even his crying look angelic? Cutting his hair didn’t reduce his ethereal aura at all.
“Sorry. I shouldn’t have said useless things the day before the wedding.”
Even as I said that, something bothered me inside. Right—Kiel Kingdom placed a lot of value on marital fidelity.
…He wouldn’t seriously refuse to remarry even after a divorce, right?
No, surely not. He’s saying that now, but if he met his first love later, things could change.
No point worrying in advance. I withdrew my hands from his cheeks and deliberately brightened my tone.
“Anyway, enough talking. Let’s go eat lunch—I’m starving.”
We went to the dining hall and had a light lunch. While we ate, I briefed Friedrich on tomorrow’s schedule.
“Then I should sleep early tonight,” he said.
“Well, yeah. We have to get up early.”
“Are you busy tonight?”
“No? Why?”
Friedrich thought for a moment before replying,
“I want to have dinner with you too.”
“Oh? Sure.”
I answered casually.
After lunch, I went to the library and then visited Princess Marie.
“G-Greetings to the Empire’s shining star, Your Highness the Princess.”
After several meetings, Marie now seemed convinced that I wasn’t going to harm her.
But her timid and cautious attitude was still the same. Well, who would ever feel relaxed around René?
I signaled to Elsa, and she brought over a large box and placed it on the table. Marie looked at it warily.
“Want to open it?”
Marie lifted the lid with trembling hands, revealing a pink dress inside. Her eyes widened.
“A gift. Wear it to my wedding tomorrow.”
“M-May I really accept something like this…?”
“Of course. What were you planning to wear otherwise?”
“……”
Marie’s expression dimmed a little as she spoke.
“His Imperial Majesty will not be pleased if I attend…”
“Inviting guests is the bride and groom’s authority.”
I answered without hesitation.
“I’d like you to come. You’re my family too.”
“……”
“Will you wear it for me?”
Keeping my arrogant expression, I softened my tone as much as I could.
Marie hesitated, then nodded. Only then did I smile.
“Good. I’ll count that as your wedding gift.”
I stood to leave, but a small, trembling voice stopped me.
“Um…”
When I turned, Marie flinched but managed to speak with all the courage she could gather.
“Why… are you being so kind to me?”
“Kind?”
“You visit me… and you gave me such a pretty dress…”
“Because you’re my sister.”
I shrugged as if it were a strange question, then continued walking.
But Elsa’s expression caught my eye—she looked unusually troubled.
“What’s wrong, Elsa?”
“……”
She hesitated before replying,
“It’s nothing.”
“You know I hate it when things are hidden from me.”
“…It’s not something major.”
Elsa frowned slightly and murmured,
“Is Princess Marie ill, perhaps?”
“That came out of nowhere. Why?”
“She smells like medicine.”
“Medicine?”
“Yes. Quite strongly. It’s the kind of smell that clings to someone who’s been taking medication for a long time.”
“Then why didn’t anyone tell me?”
And in the original story, Marie didn’t have any chronic illness.
Just then, Lady Neuban came into view. I motioned her over, and she flinched before hurrying to me.
“Greetings, Your Highness.”
“Is Princess Marie sick?”
“…Pardon?”
Lady Neuban widened her eyes in surprise. That meant no.
“Or is she taking any medication?”
“…Medication?”
“Never mind.”
I shook my head and walked past her. Elsa followed.
“I may have been mistaken,” Elsa said.
“Or she’s ill and no one knows yet. If it’s a sick person’s scent, then she is sick, right?”
“Could be.”
“After the wedding, I’ll send a court physician to check on her. She’s way too thin anyway.”
By the time we reached the René Palace, it was almost time for my dinner appointment with Friedrich. I went straight to the dining hall.
“…Huh?”
When I opened the door, Friedrich and Joachim were sitting across from each other, glaring.
Then they both turned to me—plastering smiles on their faces. Too late. I saw everything, you jerks.
“You came home early, Duke?” I said.
“Tomorrow is an important day,” Joachim replied.
“Important for you too?”
“Of course. The person I serve is getting married.”
Even while saying that, Joachim looked inexplicably forlorn, but I approached him with a blank expression. Then—
Smack!
I flicked his forehead hard. Joachim let out a low groan.
He stared at me, bewildered, rubbing his forehead. I narrowed my eyes.
“I heard you called Friedrich a slave.”
“I—what? Me?”
“And told him to cut his hair because he looks like one. I heard everything.”
“T-That’s…!”
Joachim looked painfully wronged but still raised his voice. Then he began to ramble excuses.
“I-I did say something, but it wasn’t meant like that… His Highness asked what I thought of his hair, and I just—”
“And you told him he looked like a slave?”
“Not in those exact words…”
The more he explained, the worse it sounded. Realizing that, Joachim clamped his mouth shut and bowed.
“…I’ll be careful.”
“You’d better. He’s going to be my husband tomorrow.”
For fairness’ sake, I took the seat at the head of the table.
Thanks to establishing discipline early, dinner went smoothly. By the end, I was completely full.
“Ugh, I should’ve eaten less.”
As soon as the reality of tomorrow’s wedding hit me, I frowned. Both men immediately objected—
“It isn’t healthy to skip meals because of a wedding,” Friedrich said.
“Exactly, Your Highness. It’s not even that big of a deal,” Joachim added.
“…I mean, it’s important, but you don’t have to starve,” Friedrich insisted.
Friedrich shot Joachim a glare, then turned to me with a gentle smile.
“How about a walk together?”
“That sounds nice. I’ll join—!”
“Duke Rommel, you must be busy. I’ll escort Her Highness.”
“I have plenty of time for a walk with Her Highness.”
Wonderful. At this rate, I’ll be indigested walking down the aisle tomorrow.
