CHAPTER 55………………………………………
William over Mickrock
On our way to the northwestern village, we stopped at Baron White’s estate for a rest, where I was unexpectedly served food from my homeland, Harlan.
“My wife is actually from Harlan. When we heard Your Majesty was coming, she put in special effort.”
The baron smiled proudly at his wife.
“Thank you. I’ll enjoy it.”
Her thoughtfulness touched me deeply. I scooped up the soup filled with beef and fresh vegetables and took a taste.
“Mmm… this is really delicious.”
It was strange. My twenty years in Harlan had mostly been miserable, lonely, and bitter. So why did the familiar dishes now wrap those years in nostalgia? In reality, I had barely tasted such fine food while living there.
As I savored the flavors, I felt Baroness White’s gaze lingering on me. When our eyes met, she quickly lowered her head and apologized.
“Oh, forgive me, Your Majesty. Your hair color is so unusual—I was rude to stare.”
“It’s fine. It’s rare both in Harlan and in Frithan.”
Since I was used to it, I brushed it off lightly. But after a sip of water, she looked carefully at my face again.
“Your Majesty, have you perhaps met me before?”
“I wonder… did you grow up in the capital as well?”
“No, my hometown is Malta Province. Before my marriage, I only visited the capital once.”
“Is that so? I never visited Malta.”
“Strange… though it’s the first time we’ve met, you don’t feel unfamiliar at all.”
“You must be glad to see someone from your homeland again.”
The baroness shyly nodded. Her friendliness put me at ease.
After dinner, we shared tea in the drawing room. Just then, William came to see me.
“If we check one carriage wheel, we can depart. It’ll take about twenty minutes.”
“Alright.”
“Your Majesty, there’s something I must tell you…”
He trailed off, glancing at the baroness.
“I’ll prepare some refreshments for your journey,” she said quickly, leaving us alone.
I turned to William.
“What is it, Sir William?”
“Forgive me for disturbing your rest, but I may not have another chance…”
I waited quietly.
“Did you know I proposed to Millie?”
“What? Really?”
“Oh, you didn’t know?”
“Not at all!”
I had sensed something between them, but a proposal already? Millie had kept her lips tightly sealed even with me.
“What did Millie say?”
Since I’d long noticed she liked him, I assumed she’d said yes. But William only let out a deep sigh.
“She refused me on the spot.”
“What? Why?”
“That’s what I want to know! It’s driving me mad.”
Frustrated, he tugged roughly at the high button of his uniform.
Strange. Didn’t Millie like William?
I frowned, trying to piece it together.
Then again, I didn’t realize before that she liked Robbie, either… haaa. Maybe I really am clueless in these matters.
I glanced at William while collecting my thoughts.
“Could it be she still hasn’t chosen between you and Sir Ralph?”
At once, William’s lips tightened.
“Absolutely not.”
“Well, maybe you shouldn’t be so sure…”
“Millie loves me too. When I kissed her, she didn’t pull away.”
Oh my! I hadn’t expected to hear such details. But I was intrigued.
“Not pulling away doesn’t prove love. She respects you deeply—it might have been too hard for her to reject you coldly.”
“That’s not it!”
William burst out, then his face slowly flushed red with embarrassment. What part embarrassed him?
“We’ve already… shared a bed.”
“What!!!”
This time my face burned. Then a thought hit me—if that were true, and she still refused… could it be?
I shot him a sharp glare.
“I want to believe it isn’t so, but—you didn’t use force, did you?”
“Never. If she hadn’t wanted it, I wouldn’t have laid a finger on her. I swear it on a knight’s honor.”
Since the straight-laced William staked his knightly honor—something he cherished more than life—I had no choice but to believe him.
“Then why is Millie like this?”
William suddenly dropped to one knee before me.
“Your Majesty, please find out why. She won’t tell me, no matter what.”
His pleading eyes looked so lonely and desperate. True, once Millie set her mind, even I had trouble budging her.
“Alright, Sir William. Before we return to Frithan, I’ll find out.”
He kissed the back of my hand with heartfelt gratitude. His desperation was palpable.
“But you must understand— I can learn the reason, but if Millie refuses, I can’t force her to change her mind. Understood?”
“Yes. I only want to know the reason.”
“Good. Leave it to me.”
Alright then, time to start working on Millie.
In the carriage toward the northwestern village, I pretended to read while stealing glances at Millie seated across from me.
Her red hair was neatly tied into two braids as she worked busily at her knitting with False wool. Her once round, girlish face had slimmed since arriving in Frithan, giving her a more womanly air.
Though short, Millie had a sweet, round face, a slender waist, and a curvy, charming figure. It was no wonder both William and Ralph were eager for her affection.
In the Harlan Empire, a young nobleman’s interest in a maid would have been considered scandalously improper. But in Frithan, where class barriers were softer, William seemed genuinely serious about marrying her.
“Your Majesty, do you need something?”
“What? Oh, no.”
“Then why do you keep looking at me?”
Noticing my sidelong glances, Millie set down her knitting.
“Actually, Baroness White made me a rather surprising request earlier. I was thinking about it.”
“A surprising request?”
“Well, she asked me to matchmake her younger sister… with Sir William!”
“What?”
Even as she tried to hide it, I noticed Millie’s lower lip tremble.
“The baroness is from Harlan too. She said she’d love for her sister to marry a Frithan noble.”
“…And what did you say?”
“I said Sir William is an excellent man, but since he looks a bit rough, her sister might find him intimidating—like a bandit. So I didn’t give her an answer.”
I watched Millie carefully. As expected, her face flushed red with anger.
“He’s not rough-looking, he’s manly! Not every woman likes statuesque princes like His Highness Mickrock. Personally, I find strong, manly faces like Sir William’s much more…”
Her voice rose, but she cut herself off, realizing she’d just compared the king to William—treasonous words.
I decided to tease her further. Nodding as if convinced, I exaggerated:
“True, maybe her sister’s tastes are just like yours. Fine. As soon as we return to Frithan, I’ll arrange the match.”
“S-so soon?”
“I was going to refuse, but you’ve completely convinced me.”
“Wait, there’s no need to rush. We don’t even know her character yet, and we should hear Sir William’s opinion too…”
Just as I’d expected, Millie was on the verge of tears as she tried to stop me.
“I think it’d be a fine match—two Harlans together. But Millie, what’s wrong? You look pale. Are you unwell?”
“N-no, I’m fine…”
She quickly turned her head, but I caught the tear sliding down her cheek. With a sigh, I wiped it away.
“If you cry just from hearing he might meet someone else, why did you reject his proposal?”
“H-how did you know?”
“They say you two have already shared a bed.”
“You heard that?”
Her eyes went wide at the mention of the proposal, but when I brought up the rest, her face flushed and she snapped at me.
“Don’t tell me it was just a one-night fling for you?”
“How could you say that!”
She leapt up, face crumpled in distress. I moved to sit beside her and gently patted her hand.
“Frithan isn’t like Harlan. Nobles rarely marry commoners, but it’s not unheard of. You and William love each other—what’s the problem?”
“…There is a problem.”
Her cryptic words made me anxious now. But I stayed silent, letting her continue.
“The day Sir William returned home after recovering, Count and Countess Giles came to see me.”
With a troubled expression, Millie began recounting that day.
That night, drawn by an unknown heat, Millie had gone to William’s sickbed. They spent the night together, unable to part until dawn.
“Millie, I love you.”
Gruff, loud William had whispered to her with unbelievable sweetness as he held her.
“Let’s marry. As soon as possible.”
She hadn’t expected him to bring up marriage so soon. Touched, she had even wept. Before sunrise, she slipped quietly from his bed.
But when she returned that morning, his bed was empty. With the physician’s permission, William had already gone back to the Giles estate.
The previous night felt so unreal, Millie spent the morning in a daze. Then suddenly, Chief Steward Colin appeared.
“Millie, the Earl and Countess of Giles are asking for you. Hurry to the west palace greenhouse.”
“They want me, not Her Majesty?”
Called by William’s parents, Millie rushed nervously to the greenhouse.
