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Chapter 32
I suddenly sat up, and my vision spun so badly I felt dizzy.
“Are you all right?”
“…Your Highness the Crown Prince?”
I barely managed to clutch my head and straighten my back before looking at him. Valeri stood there—handsome as ever, though he looked somewhat tired.
“Yes. It’s me, Valeri.”
While I was clearly startled, he answered with a calm smile, as if this were only natural.
“Why… are you here? Ah, this place…”
Only then did I realize it. Earlier, for some reason, it hadn’t come to mind at all. This was the villa he had brought me to once before.
“This is the villa. No matter how I thought about it, returning you home seemed dangerous, so I brought you here. Are you hurt anywhere?”
“…My head hurts a little.”
“I’ll call the doctor again.”
He stood up quickly. I hurriedly grabbed his sleeve. The memories that had been frozen began spinning rapidly again.
“Your Highness, j-just a moment.”
“Yes.”
Valeri immediately sat back down on the bed without any complaint.
“Is there something else you need?”
“No, that’s not it… Did anyone follow me here by any chance?”
“You mean your escort?”
Ah—had Mr. Schvalt not followed?
“Yes, that’s right. My escort.”
“There was no one, but it’s possible I missed something. I’ll have it checked.”
“No, it’s fine. There’s no need for that. But, um…”
“Yes, please go on.”
“Why… were you there?”
No matter how I thought about it, I couldn’t understand why he had been there. That wasn’t Iskar’s territory, nor was it Mr. Schvalt’s. It was a secluded place—hardly somewhere he would be.
Even if he had suspected me and followed me for some time, there was no way Ian wouldn’t have noticed. Not just Ian, but the numerous guards Mr. Schvalt had assigned.
I had deliberately reduced my attendants recently to meet the head of Iskar, but even so, I didn’t think I had done anything to earn his suspicion. If anything, I had helped him.
“It was a coincidence.”
“A coincidence?”
“Yes. I only intended to give you a gift, but it seemed something had gone wrong.”
“Oh… so that’s why you followed me? Me?”
“Yes. You appeared to be in danger. And you truly were.”
“I see.”
If it was just a coincidence, that was a relief. I pressed my forehead and let out a sigh.
When I lifted my head, my eyes met Valeri’s. He had been staring at me intently.
He looked like he had more to say, but was holding back.
“For now, I’ll bring the doctor again. May we talk afterward?”
I wanted to go back immediately, but my condition was truly terrible.
When I obediently nodded, Valeri finally seemed reassured. His expression softened noticeably as he stood up.
“……”
As soon as he left, the room felt empty—like a wasteland. It seemed he had brought me here to avoid attracting attention, but I wasn’t sure if it was all right to stay.
Sheil wasn’t an idiot, so he must have escaped safely. Still, I worried belatedly whether he might have been caught by Mr. Schvalt.
Even so, it was better that things had happened now.
Thanks to that, my already aching body hurt even more, but of all times—for this to happen precisely when Ian was away.
Now, if Sheil could retrieve the pocket watch at the auction in Mr. Schvalt’s stead and send someone to me, things would ease up a little.
If it came down to it, I’d even have an escape route prepared.
A little later, the doctor came in. It was the same doctor I’d seen before.
He checked my temperature, asked a few questions, examined me, and just like last time, prescribed a large pile of medicine.
“I was bedridden for three days?”
“Yes. You opened your eyes a few times, but you were in a great deal of pain.”
“Ah… I’m sorry. I didn’t expect to trouble Your Highness this much. I should return as soon as possible.”
Instead, Valeri looked hurt, as if wounded by my words. Ah—I’d put too much distance between us.
“Is that what matters right now?”
“Pardon?”
“You heard what the doctor just said.”
His voice was lower than usual.
“Yes. I heard.”
“And you know what condition your body is in.”
“W-Well, yes… I heard, so…?”
“It was a clear kidnapping. Yet why are you apologizing to me and acting so calm?”
“Ah…”
I opened my mouth to speak, then closed it again.
I had simply thought that things had been resolved, that although I was hurt, I had survived—so it was fine.
And truly, that was the case. As long as I reached the desired outcome, the method had never mattered to me.
But you were angry about that.
“Are you angry?”
“…No. How could I be angry?”
“I’m sorry. You looked so worried. I’ve been quite out of it myself.”
At that, Valeri’s expression softened further.
Suddenly, I felt warmth at my fingertips. He had gently wrapped his hand around mine.
My hands, cold to the point of numbness, slowly warmed. It didn’t feel unpleasant, so I simply stayed still and let him do as he pleased.
When I didn’t pull away, he completely enclosed my hands with both of his.
His hands were large enough to hold both of mine with one, so having him cup them with two felt strangely overwhelming.
“I don’t think I can send you away right now. No—I cannot let you go right now. My heart is too uneasy.”
“……”
He looked down at our joined hands as he spoke decisively, yet his tone felt closer to a plea.
Then he lifted his head, still holding my cold hands in his warm ones.
“Is this the first time something like this has happened to you?”
“What?”
“Or is there a family at odds with House Ariandel? They seemed to have considerable power. Is this related to Count Ariandel after all?”
I was relieved that it had been Valeri who found me instead of Mr. Schvalt or someone else—but at the same time, I knew this would be troublesome. I couldn’t avoid it.
After all, it was absurd to claim House Ariandel had no enemies. In fact, Count Ariandel himself had been threatened several times over unpleasant matters. I could gloss it over.
“This isn’t the first time.”
“Then this has happened before?”
“Ah, it wasn’t this dangerous, but it’s not unheard of. Lately, my father’s work has been drawing attention, so I suppose we’ve become more of an eyesore.”
“Even so, it would be better to clearly identify the mastermind this time.”
When he said he had already assigned trackers and wanted to protect me personally for a while, I grabbed his arm without thinking.
“No.”
“Pardon?”
“My father said he has his own plans. So it’s fine if we let this pass quietly, just this once.”
“Even though you were in such danger?”
He said it was unbelievable.
I sighed with a troubled expression, still gripping his arm tightly as I met his gaze.
“Of course, I’ll tell my father. Even though he’s far away, he worries a great deal about his daughter. He’ll make sure something like this doesn’t happen again.”
“Even so, I cannot feel at ease. As you said, he is far away right now.”
I gently stroked his arm, as if soothing him.
“You are the Crown Prince, after all.”
“Yes. And what is the problem with that?”
“It’s obvious that His Majesty the Emperor has shown our family great favor, but if even the Crown Prince does so, people will really start talking.”
“If that’s your concern, you needn’t worry—”
I cut him off.
“Everywhere has eyes and ears. Do you know how many rumors have already circulated just because you and I have been meeting?”
I lowered my head sorrowfully, still holding onto his arm.
“I don’t want to stand out any more. Do you remember what I said in northern Siseta?”
Valeri fell silent. His eyes wavered slightly. I drove the nail in.
“Don’t worry. If it seems like it can’t be resolved, then I’ll truly ask you for help.”
After I asked him once more to make sure nothing happened without my knowing, the stiffness finally left his posture and he nodded gently.
Yes. That’s how it should be. That way, both you and I can find happiness someday. You can find yours—and I can find my freedom.
“I understand, since you say so. Then please allow me to protect you here until your body fully recovers.”
It didn’t seem like his stubbornness would bend on this point. My condition still wasn’t good, and it might be useful to have an excuse to give Mother, so staying a little longer seemed fine.
“Thank you. Since you’re worried, I’ll do that.”
Thankfully, he didn’t add anything more. But instead of brightening, the atmosphere sank further into silence.
I hadn’t felt uncomfortable when we’d gone on dates by the sea or here before, but now I felt like I was sitting on a bed of thorns. This is really uncomfortable.
“Ah.”
“What is it?”
I touched my neck, then looked back at him.
“I said I’d wear the necklace the next time we met.”
He made a strange expression, as if caught between disbelief and a dry laugh.
When I curved my lips upward, Valeri’s face finally relaxed.
“You can show it to me next time, once you’ve fully recovered.”
“Next time as well?”
“Would you refuse to meet me?”
“Hmm.”
I was definitely contrarian. When he put it that way, I felt the urge to twist his words.
“You must show me how the necklace looks on you.”
