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Chapter 19
“Rise.”
But even dressed like this, he was still the Richard Alina knew.
The moment their eyes met, he blushed shyly. A soft rosy tint spread across the boy’s pale face.
Lilit, bringing Richard into the drawing room, said excitedly,
“Ta-da! Well? I played dress-up a little.”
“Rise! Rise!”
Even Til, who flew in from somewhere, chirped noisily and added to the commotion.
But Alina couldn’t say anything.
Richard really is a prince.
Seeing him in the luxurious drawing room, dressed in clothes that anyone would recognize as befitting royalty, made her feel an overwhelming distance.
“That’s Richard? The prince? The one from the rumors?”
Cayden whispered in shock beside her.
Alina barely managed to reply in a stiff tone.
“Yes, that’s right. His Highness Maximilian Richard von Holtzriger.”
Her own voice sounded strange to her ears.
Speaking his full name out loud made their positions—an imperial prince and a princess of a fallen kingdom—feel painfully real.
Alina believed that in this life, Richard would not kill her. She truly wished for him to do well.
And yet… why did she feel like this?
Why did she suddenly want to run away?
What exactly am I afraid of?
Lost in confusion, she forced herself to speak.
“…This is His Highness Richard, the Second Prince of Malehark.”
Her gaze hardened as she looked at him, her lips pressed into a thin line. Surprised by her cold attitude, Lilit asked,
“What’s wrong, Rise? You don’t like the doll? Even if you don’t like it, too bad. No refunds.”
She stood and sat Richard down beside Alina.
Til perched on a teacup and began sipping the cold tea.
Watching Til, Richard turned his head to look up at Alina.
“Rise? Do I look weird?”
Alina glanced at him. His freshly washed silver hair shimmered, and beneath it was his pure, fair-skinned face.
She spoke reluctantly.
“…No. You look good.”
“That’s not true.”
His lips tightened—her answer felt forced. When he looked as if he might burst into tears, Lilit panicked.
“Huh? Wait. Why is the mood like this? This is not what I expected.”
“Princess Lilit! You’re here!”
Just as Lilit stood in fluster, Klaus appeared in the hallway.
Lilit grimaced at the sight of him.
“Ugh, it’s Klaus.”
He approached as if ready to bite her head off.
“How could you skip out on training like that! I clearly said today we go until 4 o’clock!”
“Captain, I told you I only felt like working until 3 today.”
“Yes, you did. And I also told you feelings do not dictate schedules.”
Scratching the back of her head under his scolding, she muttered,
“Yes, yes, I’m sorry.”
“If you’re sorry, then come. We need to check the routes, and the person in charge is here wasting time! And Cayden Schlemer!”
Startled, Cayden jumped up.
“Yes, Captain!”
“I told you to bring her back, and you’re here playing?”
“I’m sorry! It’s just… Princess Lilit asked me—”
“Of course she did. I picked the wrong person.”
Klaus sighed, rubbing his temples.
“She may have sweet-talked you, but you know that doesn’t work on me. Now move.”
“Yes, yes…”
Lilit looked embarrassed and turned to Alina.
“I’m sorry, I invited you and now I have to leave. The Captain’s been hysterical because of the state visit preparations. Just relax and enjoy yourself.”
“Because of who, I wonder?”
Klaus, glaring at Lilit, finally noticed Alina.
“Oh—Miss Rise is here as well. And His Highness the Second Prince. It’s been a while.”
“…”
Richard gave a stiff nod, acting like he didn’t know how to speak.
Alina broke the uncomfortable silence.
“Hello, Captain Klaus. It’s nice to see you.”
“Yes, likewise. And please don’t misunderstand—this is all because of the lazy Princess Lilit, not because I’m hysterical.”
Alina felt her tension melt at his grumbling. She smiled softly.
“I understand. I won’t misunderstand.”
“And I heard you’re participating in the menu competition for the ambassador’s banquet.”
“Captain, you’re acting awful chummy with Rise. Is there anything you don’t know?” Cayden muttered.
Klaus shot him a warning look, then continued,
“If you’d like, I can tell you about Ambassador Kestol.”
He smiled kindly.
“It’ll help you.”
At that, Alina’s eyes brightened.
“What kind of information?”
“The ambassador visiting this time is Albero Noriega. Have you heard of him?”
“No.”
When Alina shook her head, Lilit chimed in,
“Rise, you don’t know? Albero—he only eats plants.”
Klaus sighed and corrected her.
“He’s a vegetarian.”
“Wasn’t he a potato-tarian? Last time he came, he ate nothing but fries. I thought he was on a potato diet.”
Klaus frowned.
“I’ve told you countless times—respect others’ beliefs.”
“He’s right,” Alina agreed.
She’d been wondering about the ambassador’s tastes. Learning he was vegetarian was incredibly valuable.
She gently nudged Lilit toward Klaus.
“Thank you for the information. It’s not much, but… please take Princess Lilit with you.”
“Huh? Rise? How did this become that?”
Lilit, pushed toward Klaus, glared back incredulously.
Alina smiled sweetly.
“It’s all I can do to show my gratitude.”
“Our Rise… you’re basically Maleharkian already…”
Lilit looked wounded.
But neither Alina nor Klaus paid her reaction much mind.
Cayden, already seized by Klaus, could only look pitifully at her.
And so Lilit was dragged away.
“Rise, see you next time!”
Her fading farewell left the vast drawing room with only Alina and Richard.
* * *
Richard sat beside Alina, staring intensely at her face.
He thought being alone would feel comfortable, but now that they were, the air felt suffocating.
To feel awkward with Alina—that was the strangest thing of all.
He fiddled with his hands before finally speaking.
“Um, Rise. I heard… you asked Lilit to help me get into the Academy. Thank you.”
Alina exhaled softly. The distance she’d been sensing grew scratchy inside her mouth.
Her reply was stiff.
“Yes. I hope it works out for you.”
“…Huh?”
At her formal tone, Richard’s expression hardened. Alina called him calmly,
“Your Highness Maximilian.”
“…What?”
A title meant to push him away. The color drained from his face.
Alina looked at him and said emotionlessly,
“This is as far as I can help you.”
“What do you mean?”
His golden eyes trembled.
Alina looked forward and continued,
“I’m just a lowly kitchen maid. Thinking I could be on your side was… far too presumptuous.”
Her voice had no rise or fall. Hearing it, Richard fell silent.
After a brief stillness, he suddenly shot to his feet and yanked off his cravat.
Before she could stop him, he tore off his jacket.
Startled, Alina stared.
“What are you doing?”
“I don’t need it.”
Now in just his shirt, he clung to her hand.
His hands—normally cool—were burning hot.
With a desperate face, he said,
“If Rise is going to distance herself from me, then I don’t need these clothes or the prince treatment.”
“If you do that—”
“Don’t talk formally. Please?”
Alina sighed and answered,
“You can’t do that. You should go to the Academy, get educated, and inherit the throne.”
“I don’t want to.”
“Don’t be childish.”
“If just wearing new clothes makes you act like this, then what if I become emperor? You’ll pretend not to know me.”
“If you knew who I really am, you would be the one pretending not to know me.”
Alina couldn’t hide the bitterness in her voice.
Richard looked devastated, as if struck.
“That I’d pretend not to know Rise—Alina?”
He shouted fiercely,
“Never!”
Shaking, he pulled her hand to his cheek.
His golden eyes glittered with tears.
“I want to go to the Academy because of Alina.”
His voice quivered.
“Because I couldn’t save you from Lysian. Because I couldn’t heal my Alina with my own power.”
“…Your Highness Maximilian.”
When Alina tried to withdraw her hand, Richard gripped her tightly and spoke urgently—
