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Chapter 14
“Your Highness?”
“Ah… Nanny.”
“What are you doing there? No—Princess! You can’t just sit there dressed like that!”
“Huh?”
“You’ll really catch a cold that way!”
“Alright, alright… You don’t have to worry so much.”
My nanny worried far too much. There’s no way I’d catch a cold from something like this.
I wasn’t weak like before anymore.
I wasn’t a fragile child any longer.
I was an adult now.
Still, I was a good girl who listened well, so I crawled back into bed — which was what I had originally intended to do anyway.
“Your Highness.”
“Yes?”
“You don’t look well these days. I’m worried about you.”
“…Me?”
“Yes. Our princess isn’t having trouble sleeping or eating, and yet your complexion doesn’t look good. Why could that be?”
Well… probably because of the villain.
“If you have any worries, please tell me, Your Highness!”
“Worries? Oh, come on!”
Worries. Not really.
Well, if I had to pick one, it’d be worrying about whether that villain would come to see me again tomorrow.
Still, the way she gently stroked my hair felt nice.
“Nanny.”
“Yes, Your Highness?”
“Throw away everything Duke Zikbert gave me. Got it?”
“Yes, of course. If doing that helps you look better again, I’ll gladly do it.”
* * *
“Your Highness!”
“Mm… What time is it?”
“It’s morning, but… I think you’d better take a look outside first.”
At her words, I got up half-awake and peeked out the window.
And in an instant, my sleepiness vanished completely.
“Huh? He’s still here? Didn’t he leave yesterday?”
So when he said he wouldn’t come at night, did he mean he’d come during the day instead?
I meant I didn’t want to see him day or night!
And there he was again—holding a bouquet of flowers. Didn’t he ever get tired?
Maybe I was staring too much. Our eyes seemed to meet, and I turned away instinctively.
“Your Highness?”
“I have to go to Father.”
A plan came to mind—an official, perfectly legal way to drive that villain out of the Empire.
And if possible, he could die there, and my wish would finally come true.
Even if he didn’t die, just sending him off could help suppress his growing power.
It was the best choice—for me and for the people I cared about.
“Now, Your Highness?”
“Yes.”
“…I understand it’s urgent, but you should at least dress properly first.”
“Ah—right.”
I’d completely forgotten. What was I thinking?
I quickly changed clothes and ran—not toward where the villain stood, but the opposite way, to where my father was.
Etiquette didn’t matter right now. My life and my family’s safety were far more important than appearances.
“Father!”
“Yulia?”
According to the original story, the Empire’s defeat in the coming war hadn’t happened yet.
But I knew how devastating that war would be.
If I could send the villain to that war—so he’d die or return in disgrace—this could change the Empire’s fate.
It could even be the perfect chance to suppress House Zikbert’s growing power.
In the original, the Duke hadn’t taken part in that war, which was one of the reasons the royal family’s authority weakened, leading to rebellion and usurpation.
Combined with his hatred for me… it was a perfect storm.
But what if he did participate this time—and won?
What if he returned victorious again, his reputation even greater than before?
The thought made me uneasy, but I shook it off.
“Father, you’re still preparing for war, right?”
“Yulia? How did you—”
“That’s not what’s important, Father! Couldn’t we send Duke Zikbert to join the war?”
“But… Yulia…”
“Please, I’m begging you!”
“Hmm… There’s no justification to send Duke Zikbert into this war.”
“What?”
That was… completely unexpected.
“Unless Duke Zikbert himself volunteers, we can’t just order him to go.”
“Is it really… impossible?”
Judging from his expression, he meant it.
He looked both apologetic and helpless—unable to grant his daughter’s wish.
So even Father couldn’t do anything.
“Yulia, I’ve heard that you’ve been avoiding Duke Zikbert quite a bit.”
“…”
“If you’re suggesting this just to keep him away from you…”
I held my breath, wondering what he’d say next.
“…then how about spending some time at one of the Imperial villas for a little rest?”
“Really?”
“Yes. If that’s what you want, my daughter. There’s nothing the Imperial Princess can’t do.”
“…”
“Of course, I’d miss seeing you every day, but if that’s what’s best for you, I’ll allow it.”
“Father…”
“My daughter’s wishes come first. If you can’t keep him away from you, perhaps it’s better that you distance yourself from him.”
Ah… Family really was precious to me.
Whatever the reason or process, they truly loved me—and that was enough.
That was why I loved them back.
“Um… Father?”
“Yes?”
“I’ll leave after the New Year’s Festival!”
“Alright. But if you don’t want to, you don’t have to attend the festival this year. You shouldn’t force yourself.”
“No, it’s fine.”
It wasn’t out of obligation. I genuinely wanted to attend at least once.
I’d always avoided social gatherings out of fear—afraid that following the original story too closely might lead to my family’s deaths.
So just once should be fine.
“I’ll attend the New Year’s Festival… and then go somewhere quiet, with nice scenery and not too many people.”
“I shouldn’t say this, but Yulia, don’t you already rest every day?”
“T-that’s—!”
He wasn’t wrong. I wanted to argue, but… there was no real defense.
I was living the easy, idle life of a rich princess.
“You’re right… but! There’s a huge difference between resting at home and resting while traveling!”
“Haha, true. Then I’ll have someone prepare a list of places before the festival. You can pick one.”
“Yes! Work hard, Father!”
“I will.”
I left his office with much lighter steps than when I came in.
Yes—somewhere peaceful. A bit of time away might help me find another solution.
For now, I felt relieved.
I’d just stay far away from the villain.
He made me uncomfortable, and honestly, I wanted nothing more to do with him.
What I couldn’t understand was—how did he, a duke, have so much free time?
He stood there from dawn to dusk, every single day. Didn’t he have any work to do?
He didn’t even skip nights sometimes!
So many questions—but none of them worth my concern.
Once his work got busy again, he’d stop coming. Until then, I’d just stay in hiding.
“Nanny!”
“Yes, Your Highness?”
“Among the Imperial villas, which one has the best location?”
“Shall I bring you a list?”
“Yes!”
Once she left, my mind grew restless again.
The best solution would’ve been sending the villain to the doomed war—but that wasn’t an option anymore.
And stopping the war entirely wasn’t possible either—it was a matter of imperial pride.
To avoid the war would mean admitting the Empire’s weakness to the world.
Still, if he could go and die there… that would’ve been the perfect ending.
But no, the original story’s major events wouldn’t change so easily.
“…”
“Your Highness, I’ve narrowed down the list for you.”
I took the documents from her hands.
“Nanny, would you prefer a place with a sea view or a mountain view?”
“Hmm… I think the sea would be nice.”
“Really?”
“Yes. After all, it’s hard to see the sea here in the capital. Mountains are close, but the sea’s far away.”
“…”
“Of course, it’s your choice, Your Highness.”
“Right. I’ll think about it a little more.”
When I looked out the window again, Chester was still there.
Didn’t he ever get tired?
Or maybe I should call it… persistence.
Days passed like clockwork.
Every morning when I opened my eyes, he was there—standing with flowers, as if he’d appeared out of thin air.
And when the sun went down, he left with the darkness.
It was the same, every single day.
So monotonous it drove me mad.
He didn’t wear out first—I did.
I was the one who finally broke and gave up. I couldn’t stay cooped up in the palace forever.
If the person he was looking for wasn’t Cecil, then who on earth was it?
In the original story, it was always Cecil. No one else.
“…I surrender.”
At least I had to acknowledge his persistence—it was impressive.
In the original, it was me who had acted like this, not him.
The roles had completely reversed.
Back then, I had been the one lovesick—calling for him, going to his mansion when he wouldn’t come, following him everywhere like a stalker…
And in the end, I was punished by death for it.
Just thinking about being that version of me made goosebumps crawl down my arms.
Even my neck—never once cut off in reality—felt eerily cold.
“You win, Duke.”
“Yulia.”
“But I’ll never approach you again.”
“…”
“Let’s stop this. You don’t love me. You don’t even feel guilty toward me.”
Maybe he was only doing this for appearances.
I couldn’t tell what went on in his head.
If only he behaved like in the original story—then I might’ve understood him better.
But none of his current actions existed there, so I couldn’t read his intentions.
“If the person you’re looking for isn’t Cecil, then… keep looking. Because that person…”
Because that person… what?
The words caught in my throat. I couldn’t finish the sentence.
When he finally found her—or when she appeared—he’d surely obsess over her.
That’s how it always went.
And when that happened, I’d only be a nuisance to him again.
“Go to her. Whoever she is. Because I’m not the one you’re looking for.”
“Yulia.”
He spoke my name softly.
“Whether you’re the one I was searching for or not…
I can no longer live without you.”
