CLWE 19

Chapter 19

I stared at my father with cold eyes. Wearing a pitiful expression I had never once seen in my life, he clasped my hand.

“You’ve suffered a lot all this time. I know you must have resented this father of yours. But I thought that helping you would only provoke His Majesty the King and His Highness the Crown Prince’s anger even further, so I couldn’t bring myself to reach out.”

“Yes, yes. I’m sure that’s how it was.”

I replied indifferently. He had plenty of daughters, and as for me—someone whose value in forming another marriage alliance had plummeted after being disgracefully cast aside by the Crown Prince—there was no reason for him to stick his neck out and invite trouble.

‘But if he’s come looking for me now, it must be because I’ve become useful again.’

I was starting to feel that my time was being wasted. Get to the point already.

Seeing my expression, my father—who had clearly expected me to be moved—looked flustered. He rolled his eyes about, then spoke with a look that said, Aren’t you surprised by this?

“And look! Wasn’t this father’s prediction correct? You accepted your punishment quietly, and now it seems His Highness the Crown Prince has begun to feel pity for you.”

“…What?”

“What? Have you gone dull in the head from living out in the countryside? His Highness is secretly looking for you!”

“…Huh?”

I had suspected as much, and sure enough, that was exactly it.

‘Pity, my foot. Looks like he needs the power of House Pond again.’

After taking in a woman from another world with no backing as Crown Princess, things probably hadn’t gone smoothly. She couldn’t manage state affairs properly, nor did she strengthen his voice politically. On top of that, he’d earned the resentment of the nobility by brutally casting aside a perfectly blameless fiancée.

‘So now he plans to bring me back to turn public opinion around and mend fences with my father.’

So what? And?

It had nothing to do with me anymore.

When I looked at my father with a blank, emotionless face, he couldn’t hide his bewilderment.

“Why are you making that face? His Highness is looking for you. He’s grown tired of that otherworldly woman and is longing once again for you—the quiet, gentle girl you used to be.”

That was nauseating. What, was I supposed to bow deeply and thank him for changing his heart?

And then, when he changed his mind again, surrender my place at his side to someone else?

“That’s none of my concern.”

“What did you say?”

“Whether he misses me or not has nothing to do with me anymore. I’m not going back.”

The duke blinked as if he’d just heard the most ridiculous nonsense in his life.

“You won’t go back? When you could become Crown Princess again?”

“I don’t want to be Crown Princess anymore.”

Watching that face—one that had rushed here convinced I’d be overwhelmed with gratitude—made my anger boil over. I turned my head away sharply.

“Instead of chasing illusions, Father, why don’t you think about sending one of my other sisters to become Crown Princess?”

“Riena Pond!!”

My father slammed the table with a bang. I opened the door with a bright smile, clearly signaling him to leave.

“You were the one who cast me out of the house because I was an embarrassment. I’m not Riena Pond anymore. I’m just Riena.”

“Do you think blood ties are severed by a few words?”

“Oh my.”

So blood ties can’t be severed by words? That’s new.

“You were the one who abandoned your child with just a few words.”

Having no rebuttal, my father’s face flushed red, then blue with rage. Still, perhaps because I was of considerable value to him, he eventually suppressed his temper and said,

“…This isn’t something to mishandle emotionally.”

That wasn’t for him to decide. Smiling brightly, I saw him out.

“Have a safe trip, Duke.”

“……”

The duke glared at me with hard eyes, then turned and left. I slammed the door shut.

“Ugh. I should start putting salt at the front door.”

Neither my nanny nor my father seemed likely to let this go easily. I bit my finger.

‘Is David really looking for me?’

Then why? After humiliating me in front of so many people—after making it impossible for me to ever return to high society, casting me out of my family so I couldn’t even live as a noble.

‘Did he destroy my life with a heart that could change this easily?’

The thought that he believed everything could be fixed just by “changing his mind” made me want to curse. Crown Prince, my ass.

‘I can’t stay sober like this. I need a drink.’

Just as I was rising from my seat, Louis—who had been quietly holding his breath the whole time—floated over to my side and asked,

—Are you all right, Master?

“Huh? Yeah, I’m fine. This is nothing.”

—But, Master…

Seeing Louis hesitating and watching my expression, the stiffness in my mouth softened. I pulled him into a hug.

“There, there. My pretty one. Such a pretty thing.”

—Don’t force yourself to smile, Master. If you’re sad, just say you’re sad.

“Why would I be sad? I have my lovely Louis. And as for that man, I don’t have any expectations left—”

As I spoke, tears suddenly rolled down. I blinked.

“…Ah.”

I really was fine. There was nothing left to be disappointed about. My nanny had already said as much earlier.

And yet, once the tears started, they wouldn’t stop. I hugged Louis tightly, holding my breath.

“Louis, Louis.”

—Master.

My tears dripped onto Louis’s blade. After silently watching me cry for a moment, he let out a long sigh.

—In all my life, this is the first time I’ve regretted not being able to turn into a human.

“What are you talking about? You’re perfect just the way you are.”

The reason I could cry like this was precisely because Louis wasn’t human—because he was an object. Patting him gently, I said,

“I’ll be fine soon.”

And as if to mock those words, I came down with a burning fever that very evening and collapsed into bed.

***

Kamin paced in circles around his room. In his hand was a small bundle. It was a ribbon trimmed with lace and embroidered with an adorable strawberry pattern.

‘I want to give this to her as soon as possible.’

It was a gift for Riena.

The dainty ribbon looked especially conspicuous against his large frame. Looking down at it, Kamin flushed slightly in embarrassment.

‘Ahem. There’s nothing to be embarrassed about. This is just repayment for the potato salad.’

Even he thought it was far too cute an item for someone like himself.

But it would suit Riena perfectly!

‘Ah… I want to see it decorating her red hair.’

The thought startled him, and Kamin snapped back to his senses. Smiling to himself while thinking of a woman who wasn’t present felt indecent.

‘And a gift, at that. Me, giving a gift. To a woman of marriageable age.’

He had never done such a thing before, except through his secretary. And he had chosen this pattern himself.

‘I must be out of my mind.’

Why was he suddenly doing things he never did? He seriously questioned his own sanity.

Yet whenever he tried to put the gift away in a drawer, another thought surfaced.

‘It’s just a ribbon. It’s fine to give it to her, right? There was a lot of potato salad, and everyone enjoyed it.’

It wasn’t his fault that he barely got any.

Thinking of the potato salad made Kamin’s stomach churn again. No wonder the hallways had been thick with the smell of butter—everyone must have been happily sharing it.

‘Even Sir Ancre ate it without my knowing.’

Even his guard knight, who had been wary of Riena, had apparently surrendered before the potato salad.

In any case, it was a situation where expressing gratitude was appropriate. With renewed resolve, Kamin picked up the bundle again.

‘And if I stop by her house to give her the ribbon, there might be more delicious food…’

He was now at the point of actually looking forward to what she might serve next. His cheeks flushed before he shook his head sharply.

‘No. Cooking is a hassle. And if I give a gift with ulterior motives, it can’t be called repayment. Besides, visiting her every day—men and women should keep proper boundaries.’

Kamin had lived his life without a single scandal. His personality played no small part in that—if something felt questionable, he stayed away; if it looked like talk might arise, he took the long way around.

‘Still, I have to repay her.’

Yet for once, his usual self-control failed him. Kamin fidgeted with his fingers.

‘…I want to see her.’

All logic screamed no, yet his heart alone cried yes.

‘Ugh, I can’t believe the day has come when I’d agonize over something like this. Should I go? Or shouldn’t I?’

Just as Kamin was once again circling his room like a bee tracing figure eights—

There came a knock at the window.

Tap, tap, tap.

“Huh?”

Who would dare knock on the window of the room where the Emperor was staying? Puzzled, he went to look—and outside floated a white sword, gleaming like light itself.

At the unexpected sight, Kamin’s eyes widened.

“You’re an ego sword?”

It was the ego sword that now belonged to Riena. There was only one reason it would be here. Frowning, Kamin asked,

“Have you finally decided to become mine?”

—Shake, shake!!

Before he had even finished speaking, the sword shook violently from side to side. Kamin stared in disbelief.

‘It doesn’t even have a face—how does it look so resolute?’

It was as if the words Absolutely not were written all over it.

To show emotions so clearly—truly, it deserved to be called an ego sword.