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Chapter 48
Because of the carriage’s sudden stop, my body was thrown forward into the front seat.
I reflexively screamed and belatedly opened my eyes.
I thought I would crash headfirst, but I wasn’t hurt.
That was because Ezekiel, who had woken from his nap at some point, had braced my forehead with his hand.
“……!”
His expression as he easily blocked me with the palm of his hand, as if I were merely bumping into him—
It left the physical distance between us far too close.
The handsome face of my fake husband was right in front of me. His clear, bluish eyes looked like the ice in a cool summer cocktail.
I hurried to straighten myself up.
I sat upright, stiff-backed, pretending nothing had happened, but Ezekiel broke the silence with his usual blank expression.
“Be careful.”
I just rubbed my crown and exhaled lightly in reply.
My face tingled as if ants were crawling over it.
The cold breath that had touched the back of my hand last night had just brushed against the bridge of my nose and lips.
Pressing my hand against the fine hairs standing up on my skin, I tried to cool my face.
‘What is this.’
The man I believed would divorce me without hesitation was suddenly getting under my skin.
It might just be me, fluttering like a fish out of water, over actions Ezekiel made without the slightest thought.
Feeling embarrassed and strangely nervous, I bit my lip.
‘I wish it was all just a misunderstanding.’
I wish it was just my mistake that he liked someone else.
‘But if it isn’t…’
I suddenly felt ridiculous.
Why can’t I just ask something so trivial, instead of digging tunnels in my own head and circling around endlessly?
What kind of answer am I expecting?
What kind of answer am I afraid of?
‘Is it because if he confirmed twice that he really does love the Saintess, I’d end up crying like a fool?’
How stupid and pathetic. I whispered it to myself.
He’s not someone I’ll be with for long anyway.
It’s already been proven countless times.
Our relationship is nothing more than that of short-term allies.
Even our improved relationship—it’s probably only possible because there’s already an end in sight.
Ezekiel coming to me last night was probably just some kind of teasing prank.
‘I don’t know anymore.’
I slumped into the backrest. Is this really right?
‘Ezekiel Betra, why do you keep shaking people’s hearts?’
I had already resolved to part cleanly and given up, and yet now…
‘Why are you suddenly acting regretful, so unlike you!’
What, did my backing away make you change your mind?
A hollow laugh escaped me.
Listening to the noisy cicadas, I sank deeper into my thoughts.
‘No more wavering—let’s just treat him like a friend, comfortably.’
Fluttering around like paper, swaying this way and that—that’s worse.
That’ll only make me look like a fool.
I must not forget that there is an end between us.
During the restless carriage journey, we took a break.
The carriage door opened and Michele stumbled out, pale-faced.
“Uuugh!”
“Travel must be hard for you, Michele.”
I handed him a vial of potion I had prepared.
“It’s strawberry syrup for nausea.”
“Str—ugh—strawberry syrup? What am I, a kid?”
Michele, grumbling as always, unsealed the syrup and downed it in one gulp.
‘He’s totally a twelve-year-old kid—he smiles so brightly when he likes the sweetness.’
Wiping his mouth, Michele glanced over at Ezekiel, who was standing some distance away catching his breath, and lowered his voice.
“Uncle probably gave Aunt the book The Psychology of Conversation. I wonder if she’s reading it.”
“It’s pretty useful. You recommended it to Ezekiel, didn’t you?”
I too lowered my voice, so it became almost like a secret conversation.
“I got that book when I was at the Academy. I thought it might help you both.”
To gift a book out of worry that his uncle and aunt’s relationship might sour—
What a kind and pure child.
“It really was helpful. I’ll keep reading it.”
Looking at Michele’s angelic smile, I thought how adorable he was.
I really didn’t understand why Ezekiel bickered so much with such a sweet nephew.
“Welcome back!”
The duke’s household staff were lined up at the front gate to greet our carriage.
It felt warm, like returning home after being away.
“We’ve prepared a meal since you must be hungry.”
While Anna fussed over my dress, the kitchen staff insisted we head to the dining room.
Something was different.
“Huh?”
The dining table that used to stretch over three meters had shrunk!
“Aunt, what’s wrong?”
“Madam, please, have a seat.”
The two of them, acting as though nothing unusual had happened, left me bewildered.
“What exactly happened here?”
“Isn’t it uncomfortable for just three people to eat at such a long table?”
So they had shortened it.
The suddenly closer distance felt strange.
“Uncle is shy, so he keeps saying things like that. Aunt, please understand him.”
Well, since they said it was for more comfortable conversation with their young nephew, I couldn’t really object.
‘First Ezekiel’s change of attitude, and now even the dining table…’
Things around me had been changing rapidly lately.
Ezekiel and I, who used to dine at a table so long we could barely make out each other’s features, were now, for the first time, sharing a meal together like a normal family.
That night, I had another strange dream.
—Viola is someone loved by everyone. Be brave.
A faceless figure gave me a tender encouragement in my dream.
When I awoke, there were tear stains on my pillow. Rubbing my eyes, I wiped them away. What a strange dream.
News of Crown Princess Giovanna’s new lady-in-waiting spread quickly among people.
But there was one man who, busy with state affairs, had not yet heard of the selection.
“My daughter!”
The emperor, smiling broadly, came to spend a warm moment with his child.
Sitting on the sofa, he and Giovanna discussed state matters in depth.
Then, for a change of pace, the topic shifted to daily life.
“I heard you recently selected a lady-in-waiting.”
“Yes, and thanks to that, I met someone I’m very satisfied with.”
“Oh?”
Finally!
Whoever it was, seeing his daughter’s expression, he sensed something unusual.
Until now, even after choosing ladies-in-waiting, Giovanna had always subtly expressed dissatisfaction. But today, her reaction was far more positive.
“She has ambition, plenty of practical experience, and I feel she can share in both responsibility and the hardships of leading a domain.”
Such high praise.
The emperor, who had heard nothing but lines like ‘She was the best among them, so she’ll do’ over twenty times before, grew curious.
“And who is this clever lady who’s captured your heart?”
She must be quite impressive. He should summon her later and offer at least some formal words of praise.
After all, winning a position as his picky daughter’s partner—politically and personally—was no small feat.
“It is Viola Betra.”
But at the utterly unexpected name, the tea he was savoring shot back up his throat.
“Guhhh! Cough cough!”
His nose stung, his eyes watered. The emperor hacked until tears formed, unable to believe his ears.
“Betra?”
“That’s right.”
“Viola Betra is the very one who ruined this father’s grand merger plan!”
“Did you hold a personal grudge against her, Father?”
Her calm tone, as if she hadn’t known, left the emperor flustered.
“No, not exactly, but! You—you know all about what happened with the Betra merger, so why—!”
“Father and I hold different political positions. Isn’t it good if one pushes and the other pulls?”
As attendants rushed to clean the tea he had spat on the desk and offered him a handkerchief, the emperor covered his mouth, mulling over her words.
“So this is your idea of a Betra-domain outreach plan? Carrot and stick?”
“To be honest, I truly like Viola Betra.”
The emperor clutched his chest.
“Oh, my miserable fate! That my daughter would bring my political enemy in as her closest aide!”
“Don’t worry yourself. I want to judge them myself, without being swayed by the Privy Council or relatives’ prejudice.”
Giovanna was confident. The emperor could say no more.
That night, seeing how despondent the emperor looked, the chief chamberlain whispered to him.
“Some say this lady-in-waiting won’t last long either.”
“Last long or not, that’s not the problem! The problem is that she was chosen at all!”
He knew his daughter was unusually stubborn and independent-minded, but of all candidates, to choose someone from the Betra family!
“The Crown Princess will be visiting the Betra domain soon. Your Majesty? Your Majesty!”
Upon hearing that, the emperor fainted, utterly exhausted.
“A visit too… ha…”
“Your Majesty!”
This news caused a great uproar within the imperial palace.
Even the emperor’s uncle, a staunch supporter of annexing Betra, came to Giovanna to pour out his disappointment—but she stood firm.
With her declaration that she would redefine relations with Betra in her own way, people had no choice but to throw up their hands.
In the end, preparations for the Crown Princess’s visit to Betra began, and the palace returned to its usual calm.
