Chapter 33
Have Your Hands Been Damaged
“Other people aren’t as strong as my knight, so they probably wouldn’t be able to drive the bees away if they came.”
“That would be true for ordinary humans.”
“Are there people who aren’t ordinary?”
Cedric continued escorting me at a steady pace as we walked. He answered calmly.
“Laraen is an excellent mage, so driving away bees should be possible for him.”
“Yuri?”
Cedric nodded once. He truly was a cool-headed person. Even in the middle of playful banter, he could find a perfectly solid counterexample.
“Yuri really is an amazing mage. Not just a single bee—he could blow away an entire swarm with ease.”
A very brief silence followed. I wondered if the levelheaded Cedric was weighing whether that statement was true.
“Yes. That seems quite possible.”
I felt proud that Yuri, a brilliant talent of the Kingdom of Rundra, was well-known even in Owen.
Cedric said nothing more and focused on walking.
As we walked, I saw countless flowers whose names I didn’t know. They seemed like flowers that wouldn’t survive in Rundra’s cool climate year-round.
“They call this a botanical garden, but the flowers don’t have name tags. I’m curious what these ones are called.”
“That is purslane. It’s the same species as the yellow flowers you saw earlier.”
“I see. Then this one… hmm, I feel like I might know it.”
I tilted my head, thinking. Cedric looked like he was about to speak, so I quickly opened my palm toward him.
“Let me guess! Just a moment. I’m sure I’ve heard the name before.”
Hmm… what was it?
As I tried to recall the names of the flowers, Cedric spoke again.
“When you first arrived at the ducal residence, you were looking at the flowers as well, Princess.”
He meant the lilac tree standing in front of the white ducal estate. I couldn’t take my eyes off it because of the unfamiliar scent, until Butler Mason told me it was the fragrance of lilacs.
“Yes. The lilac scent was wonderful.”
“Even on your first walk after dining out, you searched for the scent of flowers.”
“That was the day the spring breeze carried the fragrance. You remember, Duke.”
“There was also the day you followed the flowers during your walk and ended up getting grass stains on your clothes and in your hair.”
“Duke, saying things like that embarrasses me.”
When I laughed and teased him, Cedric smiled back.
“Do you remember the name of that flower?”
“No. What was it?”
“Wasn’t it the name of a bird?”
“Ah!”
I clapped my hands lightly.
“Violets!”
Cedric smiled briefly, just in passing. Then he looked into my eyes for a moment. I thought he might be choosing his words.
“Why do you look at flowers, and keep seeking them out, Princess?”
Well…
“Um… I didn’t realize it back in Rundra, but now that I think about it, I guess I really like flowers. Wanting to keep looking at something means you like it, doesn’t it?”
I see. I like flowers. If Cedric hadn’t asked, I might never have realized why I kept paying attention to them.
“Is that so.”
As expected, Cedric responded with his usual “Is that so.”
The flower-tree path was long. Unfamiliar plants continued one after another. We decided to rest a bit on a bench beneath the trees before continuing.
The shade didn’t fully cover us. The midday sunlight landed directly on part of my face. I had assumed that since we were indoors, I wouldn’t need a parasol. Worried that my face might turn red from the sun, I raised both hands to shield it.
Cedric, seated beside me, noticed what I was doing. His gaze fixed on my hands. I explained.
“I’m blocking the sunlight so my face doesn’t turn red.”
“Is that so.”
He continued staring at my hands. His impassive, composed face gave nothing away. After a long moment, he spoke.
“Your hands may be damaged as well.”
He said it slowly. Ah—he was worried about me.
Thinking he was right, I tried to find a way to avoid the sunlight while staying in the shade. I shifted around in my seat, but no position completely blocked the light.
Cedric moved backward slightly on the bench. I shifted by the same amount, but the tips of my ears were still exposed to the sun and stung a little. I scooted closer to Cedric. Now the tree’s shade fully covered me.
I inclined my head toward him in thanks.
Cedric then extended his hand toward me. Since we were seated and didn’t need escorting, I tilted my head, unsure of his intent.
“I will check whether Your Highness’s hands have been harmed.”
I glanced down at the back of my hand, then offered it to him. He asked for my other hand first.
Cedric examined my hand resting lightly atop his own, his expression neat and focused.
“Are Lintzhug and Laraen close to you, Princess?”
He asked while still looking at my hand. I assumed he was simply making conversation. Because of the heat earlier, I hadn’t had a chance to tell him much about the Rundra delegation.
“They’re both friends of my brother, Daimond. Lady Lintzhug has known me since I was born—she’s seven years older than me. I’ve also known Yuri Laraen since I was fairly young.”
I gestured with my palm, showing how tall I had been back then.
“Then they are not your friends?”
“They see me only as a friend’s younger sister. I don’t think they even realize I’m of age.”
As I spoke, I thought again about how especially Yuri treated me as a child. I never once felt like he was treating me as a lady while we were in Owen.
“Is that so.”
Cedric replied slowly, then closed and opened his eyes just as slowly.
I suddenly realized how quiet it was around us. I felt like my hand might start sweating in his grasp, even though Yuri’s magic should have been working perfectly.
In the stillness, I breathed carefully, watching Cedric’s long eyelashes move gently.
“Still, they’re all good people.”
Cedric smiled. Once again, he replied, “Is that so.”
After resting a bit, we resumed walking. Just as Daimond had said, the two paths we’d taken rejoined. As Cedric and I walked, we saw Daimond and the others waiting for us near the middle of the path.
I had no idea what had happened, but Daimond was wearing a wreath made of artificial flowers and waving at us enthusiastically from afar. I could hear Nanesha’s voice telling him to behave with dignity, please.
“Brother, that wreath actually suits you.”
“Thanks. I got it as a souvenir from the botanical garden. I told the staff that since I’m the prince, they shouldn’t give one to those two.”
I looked at Nanesha. She slowly shook her head, likely meaning that she and Yuri hadn’t been interested in the wreath anyway.
“To Daisy, Princess of the most beautiful land, I present this wreath.”
With exaggerated gestures, Daimond lifted the wreath high, then gently placed it atop my head. I placed the edge of my hand over my chest and bowed my head, choosing one of the most formal greetings in the Rundran style.
“I shall treasure it. Prince Daimond, master of Lyric Palace and ruler of the most beautiful land.”
Since childhood, whenever my second brother acquired something he liked, he gave it to me. Toys, dolls, candy, snowmen he made himself, carpets bought somewhere. Whenever he gave me something, there was never a hint of reluctance or hesitation.
My Charminium Palace was filled with treasures Daimond had given me. I should place this among them once I return.
Daimond seemed to be faithfully carrying out his duties as part of the delegation. After touring Owen’s magitech research facility that day, he sent a card saying he would stop by the ducal residence to see us before returning to the hotel.
On the day we visited the botanical garden, Daimond had asked in the carriage whether he could visit the ducal residence often to see Daisy. Cedric readily replied that he was welcome anytime.
Thanks to that, even though I was technically a guest of the ducal residence, I didn’t need to go through the complicated process of scheduling dates with Daimond via cards, passing them to Butler Mason, and having Mason report them to Cedric.
I was waiting in the small reception room on the first floor when Daimond entered with Nanesha and Yuri.
“I’m sorry we came without notice like this. We changed our schedule suddenly and didn’t have time to send a card.”
Nanesha spoke.
“If it’s you all, I’m happy anytime.”
“We came urgently because there’s news we need to deliver.”
As she spoke, Nanesha was slightly out of breath. She continued.
“I wanted to tell you personally before it appears in the newsletter. Even if it happened in Owen, newsletter publishers obtain information about nobles incredibly fast.”
Her face flushed. Nanesha, who usually seemed the calmest even when plotting mischief with friends, was unusually excited. Beside her, Yuri simply drank his tea in silence.
“I understand. I only ever ate food prepared by royal chefs inside the Rundran palace, yet one day there was a special article about my favorite snacks.”
I spoke at length, mixing in a joke to give her time.
Just then, a neat knock sounded from outside. Cedric’s voice came from beyond the door. After exchanging glances with our guests, I invited him in.
“I stopped by briefly to greet our guests.”
“Good afternoon, Duke Daimond.”
With everyone already seated on two sofas, Cedric took the single chair in between. As he exchanged greetings, the maids placed teacups on the table and left.
Then Yuri, who had been silent, spoke first.
What came from his mouth was astonishing.
“Duke, we’re getting married.”
