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Chapter : 09
I thought the original story was over, but Episode 9
Before I could even think, words of refusal burst out of me. It was a physiological rejection—almost a spinal-reflex–level response.
Ah. I realized I’d made a mistake and immediately clapped a hand over my mouth. But it already felt too late. Leopold’s expression had frozen over coldly.
“…….”
“…….”
In Leopold’s calm, golden eyes, a flicker of something like resentment passed by. For a moment, I wondered if I’d been too harsh.
…But no matter how he looked at me, there was no way I could call that guy by the nickname “Leo,” was there?
I might have overreacted, but thinking about it, how could I openly call a member of the imperial family by a pet name, like a child?
That would damage the dignity of royalty. Leopold must have known that too.
And that nickname was something Leopold’s biological mother—who had died back when he was still a commoner—used to call him. I couldn’t possibly use it.
The fact that he allowed something like that so easily made me suspicious. I even wondered if he was deliberately setting me up so he could charge me with insulting royalty.
Besides, he wasn’t the type to obsess over forms of address anyway.
When I first possessed this body, I’d been confused by medieval titles and called him either “Your Highness” or “Your Majesty” at random, and he’d just let it slide—that alone proved it.
“You don’t like it?”
Leopold asked again, as if to confirm. Why ask? Of course I didn’t like it.
“…Yeah.”
I answered firmly, conveying exactly that.
“I see.”
Leopold replied in his usual flat voice, then turned his back to me and left.
I’d been wondering how I’d refuse if he pressed the issue again, so it was a relief. It did feel a little strange that someone as stubborn as him gave up so easily today, but still…
“…Haa.”
Left alone, I let out a sigh of relief. I wouldn’t have to hear that tiresome “Titi” chant anymore. Just thinking that made me feel at ease.
That was when I let my guard down. Suddenly, someone flung the door open and came in.
“!”
Of course—there was no way Leopold would give up just like that. Once he decided on something, he always accomplished it no matter what. I turned my head with an exasperated expression.
“Your Highness!”
But the person who entered wasn’t a silver-haired boy. It was a small, beautiful girl with dazzling blond hair and large green eyes.
Yes—it was Evelin.
She had finished preparations in about fifteen minutes, even though I’d expected it to take at least thirty. Despite rushing, her appearance still shone.
Even so, fifteen minutes wasn’t quite enough for everything. Droplets of water fell one by one from the tips of her golden hair, dampening the floor.
Seeing that, I hurriedly grabbed a dry towel and approached Evelin. It would be a disaster if the princess caught a cold.
Whether I did or not, Evelin anxiously looked around and asked,
“Where’s His Highness?”
“Huh?”
I paused while drying her hair. Evelin was looking up at me as if interrogating me.
Recalling the expression on Leopold’s face the last time I saw him, I spoke to Evelin with a slightly awkward look.
“Ah… I think he just left. Didn’t you see him?”
“I didn’t.”
With an even more serious expression, Evelin turned and went outside. She asked one of the waiting maids about Leopold’s whereabouts.
“His Highness has returned to the palace.”
“What?”
Evelin asked in shock. My face stiffened too. I felt a twinge of guilt, as if I’d been the one to hurt Leopold’s feelings and send him away.
No… that actually was the case.
“Tina, what did you do to His Highness?!”
“……”
Evelin questioned me with a crestfallen expression. If Leopold had suddenly gotten upset and left, I was the only possible reason.
But I didn’t know either. I was curious myself.
I fell into thought as Evelin stood before me.
What did I do…? Did I really do something bad enough to make Leopold leave right after arriving?
I had no idea. Was it because I told him not to call me Titi? Or because I refused to call him by a nickname?
Was that really something worth getting that angry over?
He was an unpredictable guy, sure, but he wasn’t someone who’d sulk over something like that.
“He came to see me!”
“……”
Tears welled up in Evelin’s large green eyes.
She looked at me with an extremely resentful expression. Seeing that pure resentment reflected in her eyes, I stiffened in place.
“What if he doesn’t come again?”
“…I’m sorry.”
I apologized in a small voice, but it didn’t seem to reach Evelin’s ears.
As I patted Evelin’s back while she cried uncontrollably, I said,
“I’ll invite him again soon.”
“When?”
Evelin suddenly brightened, as if she’d never been crying, and looked up at me. I sighed in relief internally.
It wasn’t that I was weak to Evelin. Anyone who saw her adorable face wouldn’t be able to refuse her request.
Anyway, after some thought, I spoke.
“…There’s a banquet at the imperial palace in three days. I’ll try inviting Leopold to the marquis’s residence again then.”
“Yay! Thank you, Tina!”
Evelin beamed and hugged me tightly, as if she’d never shed a tear. I staggered slightly as I hugged her back.
Thanks to Leopold’s appearance, the nickname “Titi” seemed to have been forgotten.
As I patted Evelin’s back, I wore an ambiguous expression, unsure whether I should be happy about that or not.
Contrary to my expectation that we’d quickly make up, Leopold never accepted my invitation.
From that day on, he began to blatantly ignore me.
No matter how much I called him, Leopold ignored me. Normally it wasn’t an issue—I rarely had a reason to call for him in the first place.
But there were times like now when I had no choice but to speak to him.
Three days later, a banquet was held at the imperial palace. Today, I had to ask Leopold to come to the marquis’s residence.
I arrived at the palace earlier than my family, before the banquet began.
As soon as I arrived, a palace attendant came to greet me.
“Lady Tina Valentine, you’ve arrived.”
“Yes, hello.”
“His Highness the Crown Prince is inside. Please proceed straight down this corridor.”
“Thank you.”
The attendant guided me while looking at me fondly, as if I were cute.
Just being Evelin’s friend—the one destined to save the empire—was enough to grant me access anywhere within it. I walked briskly down the corridor the attendant had shown me.
First, I’d apologize for what happened back then. Then I’d ask him to visit the residence again.
“…Haa.”
Honestly, I didn’t even know what I’d done wrong or why I needed to apologize… but for Evelin’s sake, I decided to shut my eyes tight and bow my head to Leopold—just this once, and for the last time.
“Your Highness Leopold, I’m not sure what I did wrong, but it’s all my fault, so please don’t sulk…! No, that doesn’t sound right.”
Walking alone down the palace corridor, I muttered to myself as I tried to come up with the right apology.
“Please calm your anger and honor us with another visit to the marquis’s residence… Is that too submissive?”
No matter how much I thought about it, only sarcastic lines came to mind—things that would only provoke Leopold further.
That was when, as I was walking and worrying, I heard footsteps approaching from the other end of the corridor.
From the faint glow surrounding him in the distance, it seemed like Leopold was there.
Sure enough, soon I saw Leopold walking toward me from afar.
He was fully dressed from head to toe for the banquet that would soon begin. His formal attire—black with golden accents—fit him perfectly.
If he was usually armed with 100% of his handsomeness, right now he was at about 120%.
Even so, Leopold was still Leopold.
He seemed to notice me too. His steps slowed slightly.
“Leo—! Your Highness!”
Not missing the timing, I called out to him and ran toward him.
Since Leopold and I were the same age, I’d been allowed to speak casually in private. But this was the palace, and there might be ears listening, so I had to be polite.
My hair fluttered as I approached him. I could guarantee this was the first time in my life I’d ever greeted Leopold so enthusiastically.
“…….”
But Leopold passed right by me with an indifferent expression.
I froze for a moment, then turned around and stared at his back, before starting to follow closely behind him.
“Your Highness.”
“…….”
“Your Highness, Crown Prince.”
“…….”
No matter how many times I called him, he continued to ignore me.
That guy was so sensitive and sharp-eared that he’d wake up to the sound of a leaf falling even in his sleep. There was no way he couldn’t hear my voice chasing after him from right behind.
Which meant only one thing.
He was deliberately ignoring me.
