~Chapter 52~
“…Barging in suddenly like that, sounds just like the imperial princess.”
As soon as he heard the report, Johann frowned deeply.
Leah froze at the word “imperial princess.”
“The princess? Thinking back to before the regression, it feels way too early for her to show up…”
She had thought the earliest would be next year, maybe even the year after.
“Where is she now?”
“Well, she pressured the servants into telling her where Your Grace was, and now she’s on her way here.”
That’s why the knight had rushed ahead on horseback to warn Johann first.
“…This is insane.”
Hearing that, Johann gently lifted Raphaella down from the pony.
“Raphaella, that’s enough riding for today.”
“…But I want to ride more.”
“I’ll let you ride more next time.”
“…Okay.”
“Take her back to the room right now.”
Johann, now with a serious face, told Leah.
“I’m not exactly sure what’s going on, but I have a bad feeling about Raphaella meeting the princess right now.”
He wasn’t mentally prepared to face the princess yet.
Leah took Raphaella’s hand and turned toward the mansion.
“Mom, you’re walking too fast.”
She must have been walking fast without realizing it, worried about running into the princess.
“Sorry, Mommy’s stomach hurts.”
She lied to Raphaella.
“Really? Does it hurt a lot?”
“If I rest in the room, I think I’ll feel better.”
“Then let’s hurry up and go!”
Raphaella believed her instantly and started half-running.
They took a small forest path toward the main mansion to save time.
That’s when they unexpectedly ran into someone.
“…Huh?”
“…”
“Wow, you two really look alike.”
A tall, handsome man stood in front of them, his platinum-blonde hair shining in the sunlight and light amber eyes sparkling.
He wore luxurious clothes with gold embroidery on white fabric—obviously someone of high status.
“You look so alike I could find her even if she went missing.”
He smiled and approached them with graceful steps.
“So, are you the duke’s woman? Ex-lover? What should I call you?”
“…”
Leah quickly stepped in front of Raphaella, shielding her from him.
“Anyone would think I was trying to eat the kid or something.”
“…I’m sorry, but may I ask who you are?”
Leah asked politely, lowering her gaze to avoid making a mistake.
“Who am I? Wow, I thought everyone in the empire knew me. So it’s true the duke’s daughter’s mother came from the countryside.”
“…”
She had no idea who he was.
He seemed to be someone as high-ranking as Johann.
“Maybe I should’ve appeared in the newspapers more.”
He chuckled to himself.
“Newspapers? Wait—if the princess is here and this guy’s famous enough to be in the news…”
A chill ran down Leah’s spine.
“I’m Prince Florian von Valerius of the Empire. Now do you know who I am?”
The man in front of her was none other than a prince of the Valerius Empire.
Shocked, Leah quickly bowed down.
But Florian gently took her shoulder and helped her up.
“A lady shouldn’t be bowing on dirt like this.”
“Please forgive me. I didn’t recognize Your Highness.”
“It’s okay, no need to apologize that much if you didn’t know.”
Leah brought Raphaella out from behind her.
“Raphaella, greet the prince properly.”
“Okay.”
Raphaella stepped forward and grabbed her dress with both hands, then gave a little curtsy.
“…May the goddess Hecate bless you.
Raphaella of Blumhardt greets Your Highness, the noble light of the heavens.”
Thankfully, she’d learned how to greet royals from her grandmother a few days ago, and managed to finish the greeting, albeit a bit clumsily.
Leah let out a sigh of relief.
Florian was the princess’s younger brother, so he probably didn’t like Raphaella.
They really couldn’t afford to offend him.
“May the goddess Hecate bless you as well.”
He returned the greeting and smiled as he turned his gaze to Leah.
“So this girl’s the duke’s daughter, and you’re the duke’s… what? Lover? Is that right?”
“…”
Leah didn’t know how to answer and just stayed quiet.
“What’s your name?”
Maybe interpreting her silence in his own way, Florian asked another question.
“…I’m Leah.”
Leah realized she hadn’t introduced herself earlier in the shock of the moment, and answered stiffly.
“Hmm. Pretty name.”
It wasn’t clear if he meant her name or something else.
“From the looks of it, I guess you haven’t run into my sister. Are you trying to avoid her?”
She wasn’t sure what the smart answer would be here.
“…We were just out for a walk and heading back now.”
She couldn’t exactly say yes.
“Hm. My sister stormed off when she heard the duke was teaching his daughter horseback riding.”
So he already knew. He was testing her.
She didn’t know how to respond now.
Raphaella seemed to sense her tension and tightly gripped her hand.
“…Huh? Grandma?”
Just then, someone appeared behind Florian.
He turned halfway to look.
“…May the goddess Hecate bless you.
Isabella of Blumhardt greets Your Highness, the noble light of the heavens.”
Isabella, who had just arrived in a hurry, greeted him properly.
“May the goddess bless you as well.”
“It’s been a while, Your Highness.”
“Yes, I believe the last time we met was at the former Duke of Blumhardt’s funeral?”
Florian greeted Isabella with respect, as she was about the age of his mother.
“Yes. I apologize for letting you stay in such an unrefined place instead of the reception room.”
“Unrefined? I thought the sunshine and birdsong made this a charming spot.”
“I’m glad to hear that. Until the princess returns, I’d love to have a chat with Your Highness over tea in the reception room.”
“Hm, you insist, so I suppose I’ll go.”
It was obviously just a way to pull him away from Leah and Raphaella, but Florian agreed with a smile.
He’d already seen enough and had no real reason to stay.
“Leah, take Raphaella back to your room.”
“Yes.”
Isabella left with Florian.
“See you around,” Florian said with a smirk before walking away.
It didn’t sound like a good thing.
Leah bowed slightly as he walked off with Isabella.
As soon as he was out of sight, her legs gave out and she sank to the ground.
“I’m so glad nothing happened…”
She couldn’t believe the prince had come with the princess.
“Mom, are your legs hurting?”
“Huh? Oh, no. I’m just a little surprised.”
“That man was really a prince?”
“Yeah. It was a surprise, huh?”
“Uh-huh… but he’s really pretty.”
Raphaella whispered into Leah’s ear.
Florian, who looked just like the beautiful empress, was famous throughout the continent for his looks.
He knew it too—and had left a trail of broken hearts wherever he went, even before coming of age.
“I thought he’d be openly hostile to us… why wasn’t he?”
Leah had assumed both the princess and prince would hate her and Raphaella, but that didn’t seem to be the case.
“Mom, your stomach hurts, right? Let’s go
quickly!”
“Okay, let’s go.”
Prompted by Raphaella, Leah stood up and returned to her room.
—
Meanwhile…
Princess Patrizia arrived at the Blumhardt plains in a royal carriage.
As soon as she stepped out, escorted by her attendants, she marched right up to Johann.
“May the goddess Hecate bless you. Johann of Blumhardt greets Your Highness, the noble light of the heavens.”
“You have some nerve greeting me so calmly.”
She mocked him for acting like nothing was wrong.
“I don’t see any reason not to greet Your Highness.”
He responded coldly.
His indifference annoyed her, and she frowned.
“You don’t? You registered a bastard child without even telling me!”
“His Majesty the Emperor gave his permission.”
“I’m your fiancée! Not His Majesty!”
Patrizia yelled at Johann.
