“Luthia.”
“…Your Highness.”
When I turned around, His Highness was there.
Two glass cups in his hand.
“Drink a little.”
His Highness takes a sip himself, and then hands me the cup.
“Thank you.”
Inside was an herbal water with a lemon slice floating in it.
“…what’s this?”
The taste was very familiar to my tongue.
“The secretary had brought it here from your palace and prepared it for you, saying it was for you.”
“Well, I’ll have to thank Viscount Rada for that.”
I wonder if he was that happy to see His Highness finish his lunch.
I’m grateful that he even prepared a drink for me, which he wasn’t sure I’d ever have.
“…Nadia”
“Eh, oh, hey.”
As usual, Nadi has a weakness for His Highness.
Just the mere mention of her name causes her to move in a very suspicious manner.
Really, you’re so cute, Nadi.
I think it’s a brother complex.
“Please, Princess Nadia.”
The man who appeared after His Highness and offered Nadi the cup was Raymond Welles, the Consul.
He wasn’t as familiar as Phil, but I’ve had the pleasure of speaking with him on several occasions, so I’d say he was a familiar face.
“Thank you.”
“It’s the same drink as Her Highness’.”
I quickly spoke to the green eyes that looked at me.
“It’s my usual herbal water.”
Nadi sipped her cup with a slightly relieved look on her face.
“…I haven’t had a tummy ache ever since I started taking herbal water.”
In my palace, I don’t drink water raw.
Whether it’s tea or herbal water…At a minimum, I have hot water.
“Oh, that’s because I boil it. You shouldn’t drink too much raw water. I try not to drink it either.”
“It is better to build it once?”
“Yes…Herbal water is boiled with the herbs so they can be sterilized.”
“What?”
“Yes. Let’s see…raw water can have things in it that aren’t good for your tummy, but boiling it up eliminates that…”
“I see. From now on, I’ll make sure that all the drinks in my palace will be made the same.”
“I like that.”
I also tell her that gargling and hand washing is important.
“I see…Luthy, aren’t you feeling a little under the weather? You don’t look so good.”
“Is that so?…I don’t know much about it myself, but it seems I have a bit of a fever.”
Perhaps I’m over-secreting adrenaline. I’m not really sure if I’m tired or just not feeling well.
“…The dance is already over, so I guess you can go back to your room. Don’t push yourself.”
“Yeah. Thanks you, Nadi…When things settle down, let’s have tea again.”
At my words, Nadi’s expression lights up with a flash.
“Yes…In the meantime, I’ll get a few more words from Renate.”
“Thank you.”
We gently waved at each other as if to say, ‘See you later.’
“Are you done speaking with each other?”
“Yes.”
“All right, then let’s get you back to your room.”
At the same time as His Highness stands up, the gazes around him also move.
“Are you sure?”
“Ah.”
The dark-haired, sharp-eyed person who was talking with His Highness looked at me and His Highness several times, his eyes fluttering. Then, with a flowing motion, the person fell to his knees and begged.
“…Your Highness the Crown Prince, would you please introduce Her Highness to me?”
“…I’m reluctant.”
His Highness muttered out.
…Reluctant to what?
“Do you feel that this is not the best time to go to this point?”
There is a laugh.
“…It can’t be helped.”
His Highness Nigel continued to speak with a deep sigh.
“…Luthia, this is Claude Eus. He is the Northern Duke’s grandson, and my sister’s husband.”
“…Why don’t you just honestly refer to me as your brother-in-law?”
“Well, I won’t say that. But I’m more aware of you as a lieutenant than as my brother-in-law.”
If Phil is the right arm, this guy is the left arm, I guess…
His Highness Nigel’s air has eased a bit.
Perhaps he’s someone special to His Highness.
“……Thank you.”
Claude loosened his cheeks just a little, though it was hard to tell, and then he looked up at me.
“My name is Claude Eus, and I am pleased with the introduction. In the past, when His Highness was a member of the Kings Guard, I had the pleasure of serving as his lieutenant”
I have heard…Please continue to be faithful to His Highness.”
He gives a light eye bow and extends his hand.
“Yes.”
Claude took my hand and gently pulled it to his lips.
This is very embarrassing, but it’s the common manner in which the Crown Princess receives greetings from male nobles.
Reaching out your hand and allowing him to kiss the instep means that you will accept his loyalty. Of course, the gloves are still on.
Allowing a kiss on a raw hand, has a special meaning.
To begin with, though, there’s no way you’d be at any official function without gloves.
Claude looks at me with a subtle expression on his face, as if asking me something.
I tilted my head, not understanding the meaning of what was being asked.
“…Then, Claude, take care of the rest.”
His Highness, who has stood up, this time reaches out for us to leave.
“Understood.”
Claude bowed his head reverently.
“Are you sure?”
I asked, laying my own hand on His Highness’ hand.
“I don’t mind. By nature, I don’t attend many evening parties.”
Yes, I know. It was His Majesty who had always attended these evening parties.
Considering His Highness Nigel’s workload, the attendance of future soirees would be the minimum necessity. In other words, I think it will be only those hosted by His Majesty Nigel himself, who will become King.
“I wish I could attend on your behalf…”
“No need. A deputy or a consul general can go on my behalf.”
“Is that so?”
“Ah. The only things they can’t attend on our behalf are the kinds of things I absolutely had to attend originally.”
Pushing my aching feet, I turn my feet toward the exit with His Highness’ escort.
Almost there…
He smiled and waved to the people who wanted to talk to him.
In Dardinia, it is considered impolite for a lowly person to speak to a high ranking person. That’s why normally they wouldn’t speak to His Highness Nigel or me themselves.
And yet, a voice called out.
“Good evening to you, Your Highness the Crown Prince.”
Her calm voice tone has a mysterious luster to it.
…Lady Elaine, Duchess of Grachie
The person I met at the lunch party was looking at me with a soft smile on her face.
His Highness shot a cold glance at the Duchess, but she smiled as if she didn’t notice His Highness’ stern expression.
“Your Highness, could you please give me a moment of your time?”
She tilts her head in a small way. Perhaps she had never thought of of being turned down.
However, His Highness easily cut her off.
“I refuse.”
I had no idea what the Duchess wanted, but I was glad that Nigel-sama had refused.
I hadn’t felt anything earlier, but now my body is heavy. I felt exhausted, as if a heavy stone had been weighed down on my body all at once.
I wasn’t taking any medication, but it feels like the doping has worn off.
My head and body feel heavy, but only my feet feel fluffy.
…Do I have vertigo?
I wanted to return to the palace as soon as possible.
“…Your Highness, I asked my great-aunt to do this for me.”
A strange woman emerges from behind the Duchess.
His Highness Nigel’s expression turned even colder.
“Your Highness Princess Arthirea, please allow me to take the time of His Highness the Crown Prince.
She named me earlier, perhaps because His Highness clearly refused to do so.
She must have been twenty-two or twenty-three, with pale gold hair and purple eyes. But the noblewomen here may be a little older because they all look younger, perhaps because they put so much effort into their beauty routine.
Instead of replying, I tilted my head lightly and looked up at His Highness, as if asking, ‘what should I do?’ Whether it’s possible or not, if I reply here, it means that I’ve forgiven her for her misbehavior.
…It’s a big mistake to think that I would listen just because I’m young.
If I allow this to happen, I will be allowing all of these things to be called off unilaterally in the future.
Well, even if I attached all sorts of reasons to it, in the end, I would only be able to perform the fox-like special move of ‘throwing the whole thing to His Highness’ and borrowing the power of the tiger, so I squeezed His Highness’ hand with a face that said I would leave it to him.
In that moment, a chill ran down my spine as if I had touched something cold…
Gently, I look up.
It’s a beautiful face, no matter how many times I look at it. A smile was on his face.
…Ah…
This was a very bad idea! I reflexively understood. I didn’t have time to think about it or anything like that, just that my instincts had already determined that.
A gentle, cheerful smile…It made him appear to be in a good mood.
But in fact it’s the opposite that’s true.
Because he’s definitely angry!
“…Duke of Grachie.”
In a low, low voice, His Highness called the old duke.
The voice sounded unexpectedly resonant, as the air that had been rippling became frozen and silent.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
T/N: Nigel about to end this thot’s whole career
|♡| Table of Contents |♡| Support me! |♡|
KizunaTLs 