In the afternoon, when I headed to the castle, Richard, who had just finished a painting, invited me for tea. While drinking tea, it seemed he was deciding on the next subject for his artwork.
“By the way, Your Highness Richard, do you not paint portraits?”
None of the paintings in Richard’s room depicted people. Curious, I asked him about it, and Richard nodded while adding sugar to his black tea.
“Yeah. Portraits… how should I put it? When I paint them, I get this strange feeling that I can read what the person is thinking in their mind, so I don’t really want to paint them.”
“You’re talking about what they’re thinking?”
“Yeah. Maybe it’s just my imagination. But when I’m painting, I only see beautiful things. If I try to draw a person, my view becomes distorted somehow.”
“Is that so?”
I couldn’t understand that feeling myself, but there must be something only Richard can perceive.
Perhaps, the person Richard wants to paint simply hasn’t appeared yet.
“The person I want to paint?”
“Yes. When the right person appears, I’m sure I’ll be able to paint more easily.”
“I hope so,” he said with a smile, taking a sip from his teacup.
(Maybe, he has an instinctive sense of something inside people.)
Human emotions are complex, and they are not always pure or beautiful. Richard might be sensitive to such things, which could explain why he finds it difficult to stare at people and paint them.
(I’ve kind of suspected he’s delicate, but he’s very perceptive of the subtle nuances of people’s hearts.)
I understand why Klaus is concerned about Richard. Being too sensitive can make life difficult. Klaus probably works hard to protect Richard’s delicate heart. But Richard also seems aware of Klaus’s feelings and is always a step ahead, being considerate.
(This must be a never-ending cycle.)
However, this isn’t something Lena can solve. She’s quite resilient and thinks he should just relax a little more, but telling a delicate person such things would only cause trouble.
“By the way, what will you do with that painting?”
Hearing “that painting,” I looked back at the picture of a bluebird leaning against the corner of Richard’s room. After Klaus took it back, I made a few additional touches, and it remains unfinished, still not handed over to Klaus.
“I can’t exactly say it’s a gift for the person who took it back.”
“That’s true…”
Klaus would probably be troubled if I gave it to him.
“I think I’ll take it home since it might be in the way. But even then, it’ll probably just stay in a corner of my room…”
“Really? Then, if you don’t mind, could you give it to me?”
“That painting? I don’t mind, but…”
“Then, I’ll take it. Thank you!”
As Richard smiled, I couldn’t help but smile back. Just then, perhaps during a break from work, Klaus entered the room.
Seeing Klaus’s face made my heart jump, and I lowered my gaze quickly, pretending to sip my tea so he wouldn’t notice my reddening face.
“Older brother, what’s wrong? Did something trouble you?”
Klaus looked at me as usual, but Richard seemed to see something different.
Realizing he’d been caught, Klaus showed a slightly awkward expression.
“Nothing… I just thought the upcoming Georges’ party was coming up soon.”
“It’s a fiancé’s party.”
“You’re probably going to skip it anyway, right?”
“I’m still a child.”
“…That excuse won’t work once you’re an adult, you know,” Klaus sighed, sitting down beside me with a look that seemed to say it was obvious.
My body temperature surged, and my hands trembling slightly as I held my teacup.
Richard glanced at me with a slight smile.
“Then, perhaps your older brother’s concern is about the woman who will be his partner at the party.”
“Exactly, but how do you always know?”
“Because, brother, you always have the same concern,” Richard replied with a sigh, reaching for a cookie on the table.
“Every time you choose a partner, some bizarre rumor starts spreading that she’s my fiancée—though, of course, it’s mostly caused by that woman herself.”
“Rumor?”
When I looked up curiously, Klaus’s eyes met mine directly. Flustered, I hurriedly looked away.
Klaus didn’t seem to suspect anything unusual about my behavior and nodded as if confirming something.
“Whenever I ask someone to be my partner for the party, a strange rumor starts that she’s my fiancée—though it’s always the same source: that woman herself. I don’t get it.”
“That’s why you often go to the party alone, but this time it’s being held at the castle, so you can’t attend without a partner.”
“Who decided that no one should attend royal parties alone?”
“Umm, it was King Six Generations ago.”
“That’s unnecessary…”
“It’s not always the case. This rule has helped many young men and women just starting their social debut, who don’t know much about etiquette, to avoid trouble.”
At royal parties, foreign dignitaries are often invited. If someone unfamiliar with manners mingles among the guests, it can be problematic. So, in that sense, it’s not a bad rule. Invitations are sent to homes, so it’s easier to prevent young, still somewhat childish, nobles from crashing the party—especially those coming with relatives or guardians.
Since my engagement was broken six years ago, I haven’t attended a royal party even once. I probably won’t this time either. My father might attend with some relative, but I certainly can’t.
“The party’s in five days. Shouldn’t we start looking seriously now?”
“I know… I know, but—”
Klaus exhaled deeply, and Richard clapped his hands together.
“How about Lena? Wouldn’t she be a good choice? I think brother would feel more at ease.”
That was a suggestion I hadn’t considered. Klaus suddenly looked up at Lena, who blushed intensely under his gaze.
“Th-That’s impossible! I could never be Klaus-sama’s partner!” I shook my head vigorously.
What will Richard suggest to Klaus?
“Actually, Richard’s right. You’d be a reliable partner.”
“N-No, I couldn’t! If I became Klaus-sama’s partner, I’d only embarrass him!”
“What are you saying? That’s impossible.”
“But…!” I protested, a 22-year-old countess who had once had her engagement broken. No matter how kind Klaus was, the world’s eyes weren’t the same. I tried desperately to dissuade him, but he was completely serious.
“Please, will you do this for me? Truly, I beg you!” Klaus bowed deeply, his face serious, and I couldn’t refuse any longer.
(Maybe my life will burn out in five days…)
Becoming Klaus’s partner, I couldn’t imagine staying safe. My face was alternately red and pale, and I nodded with a faint, mosquito-like voice, “Yes…”
~·~·*· . ·**##^^##**· . ·*·~·~
Hey there, It’s Green Rose 😉
Since I human I might have make some mistakes while translating so please if you find them let me know here in the comments or in the Discord group so I can correct them and be careful in the future so they do not repeat.
Thank you so much for reading, I hope you enjoyed this chapter.
~~~Next Chapter~~~
Next chapter will be released on December, 6.
See you then!!
