Chapter 35
Meet… her?
Gasp.
Eleanor held her breath for a moment.
Then she recalled the dictionary definition of the word meet.
Why me? No—what would we even meet to do?
“Y-Your Highness? When you say ‘meet,’ you don’t mean… that, do you?”
Clinging to the hope that it wasn’t the thought that had flashed through her mind, she carefully corrected herself.
“Um… more specifically, what exactly do you mean by meeting me?”
“Huh?”
Eleanor quietly studied the princess, who looked at her with an innocent question mark floating over her head.
The petite princess—small enough to seem like she might fit into her arms—caught Eleanor’s attention precisely because she looked nothing like Pierre.
Unlike him, who was sculpted, flawless, and sharp-edged… how should she put it—
With her small, delicate features, short stature, and soft, fluffy presence, she looked just like—
A chick.
And of all things, she was wearing a bright yellow dress.
Her famous red hair was neatly braided and draped over one shoulder, and contrary to Eleanor’s expectations, she was adorable.
She was very thin, yet her cheeks alone were plump, giving her a round, gentle impression.
Every time her small lips moved, they bounced lightly, like a chick chirping peep, peep.
It was a strange feeling.
She had just shared a horrifying story, yet she smiled so brightly.
And what was stranger still was that, somehow, Sienna’s words didn’t feel like a lie.
Rather, her calmness made Eleanor’s chest ache.
How hard must it have been for her to reach the point where she could speak of it so casually?
Despite her initial resolve to remain neutral, Eleanor felt her heart begin to tilt.
She had only seen Sienna yesterday and today—barely two days in total.
Compared to that, she had known Pierre for far longer.
Did His Highness really do something like that…?
Though she tried to deny it, Eleanor had been drawn to Pierre deep down.
His appearance alone was more than charming enough, but more than that, she pitied him for being in a situation similar to her own.
There was also a faint sense of guilt for having used him as a means to her goal.
But if—if His Highness truly is that kind of person…
Would she be able to face him as if nothing had happened?
From someone she had never expected, Eleanor had received a dilemma she never imagined.
“Miss Watson?”
Sienna called out to Eleanor, who had sunk deep into thought.
“Did I surprise you that much? I just meant that I wanted us to be close.”
“Oh.”
A peculiar sense of relief washed over her, and the tension drained away all at once.
“I know it must be confusing. But you don’t need to decide anything right now.”
“Pardon? What do you mean by—”
“You can meet my brother, and you can meet me too. Isn’t that fine?”
In short, it was a suggestion to keep both options open—to date two people at once.
“Give me a chance to get closer to you as well.”
“Why me, though? What could I possibly do? And as you know, I’m not welcomed in high society. I wouldn’t be of any help to you.”
As Eleanor’s flustered explanation grew longer, Sienna smiled gracefully.
“Well… a bit of small revenge, I suppose. And I’m worried about you, too.”
Sienna spoke the most honest feelings she could offer at this moment.
She didn’t know what had happened in the parts of the story she hadn’t read.
That was why she couldn’t help worrying—not only about herself, but about Eleanor as well.
Romance stories didn’t always end with ‘and they lived happily ever after.’
There was even the keyword misery, and no one knew what Pierre might do in the future.
“And besides, my situation isn’t all that different from yours, Miss Watson.”
An awkward silence passed between them.
At the end of it, Sienna realized she was still holding Eleanor’s hand.
“Oh—sorry.”
Startled, Sienna quickly pulled her hand away.
