Chapter 30
Iella glanced at his profile, deep in thought, with a puzzled look.
What’s with him now? Did I say something wrong?
Since he seemed lost in thought, she couldn’t strike up a conversation and instead fixed her gaze on the poor, innocent wall. It wasn’t the same carriage as last time.
Good grief. Just how many carriages does he own?
This one wasn’t adorned with the flashy beauty of the previous one, but carried an air of elegant dignity. The seats inside were upholstered in a soft, creamy leather, smooth to the touch. They were firm yet plush, the kind that wouldn’t make your backside sore even after hours of travel.
Looking up at the gold-framed ceiling and the crystal-backed button decorations, Iella suddenly glanced down at herself. The dress she had thought was passable now seemed shabby and dull.
“I’ll try to win in my own way.”
She couldn’t believe she had actually said that.
There was a limit to reckless bravado.
Casting a sidelong glance at the prince, she noticed the blue sapphire-studded pin and the silk ascot tie in the same deep blue as his eyes. When she looked up to his face, his lashes were so long they cast dark shadows beneath his eyes.
His lashes are pretty long.
Because his eyelids were half-lowered, it was impossible to read his expression. That only made him look colder.
Is it just me who’s uncomfortable right now? If you’re going to act like this, why did you even bring me along? Seriously.
The silence was so thick she felt even the blink of an eye might make a sound.
Just when she thought she couldn’t take it any longer, she realized those cool, half-lowered eyes were fixed on her hand.
Oh!
She quickly curled her fingers into a fist and hid them. Meeting his gaze head-on suddenly felt unbearably awkward and embarrassing.
He must think I’m so pathetic.
The marriage issue was bad enough, but it was even more humiliating because he had recently scolded her over something he’d pointed out.
“Does it hurt a lot?”
Her attempt to hide the injury had been pointless; he’d noticed anyway.
“You could’ve just ignored it…”
“I was curious.”
For someone “curious,” his brows were faintly furrowed, but Iella didn’t care.
“Have you never been whipped before, Your Highness?”
“You’d have to do something wrong to be punished, wouldn’t you?”
“Ah, right. I forgot I was speaking to someone so remarkable.”
Franz gave a small, amused smile.
“So, what did you do to deserve it?”
She couldn’t exactly say, ‘I got beaten for refusing to get married.’ After hesitating, she replied,
“Well… they say I dress like this all the time. And on the day I lost my notebook, I skipped a ball at Duke Morris’s estate without telling anyone. Oh! Since it was at Duke Morris’s, I guess you attended as well.”
Franz nodded lightly.
“Anyway, it’s little things like that.”
“Sounds like you think it was unfair.”
“A little. It’s not a crime to fail to live up to someone’s expectations. Still, I don’t hold a grudge. I know they do it because they care about me.”
“Dressing appropriately for the place and occasion is also a matter of manners. No one criticizes you for having good manners.”
“I know, but…”
“But?”
When she trailed off, Franz prompted her.
“…It’s because of the money.”
She really did think it was a waste.
“A waste? Are there people who dislike spending money?”
“Of course I like spending it. But I prefer the fun of saving over the fun of spending. Watching my savings grow is far more exciting. And thinking of that money as something that’s firmly guarding my back makes me feel secure.”
Her words genuinely surprised Franz. It was something he had never expected to hear from her.
“Don’t you know that better than I do, Your Highness?”
Iella gave him a small, sly smile. Her pale face looked a little healthier with that hint of cheer, and Franz found himself smiling back.
“It’s a shame women can’t openly earn money for themselves.”
“Madam Linton runs a company, though.”
“…Not every woman is as wealthy as my aunt. And we can’t inherit property, either.”
Madam Linton, a widow, was treated with respect not only because her late husband, Admiral Linton, had been an esteemed man, but also because she ran a promising trading business — and was immensely wealthy.
“Do you want to be like Madam Linton, Lady Clarence?”
“She’s admirable. But wanting something doesn’t mean it’s possible to achieve.”
“As the world changes, so will people’s attitudes. It’s admirable you think that way.”
Receiving unexpected praise from a royal made Iella crinkle her nose in pleased embarrassment.
“Come to think of it, this is yet another carriage, isn’t it?”
“This one’s my going-out carriage.”
“So, aside from the one I rode in last time, you have others too?”
“Probably.”
He shrugged as if it was no big deal.
“How many?”
“These large ones like this are for special events, I have everyday-use carriages, summer carriages, winter sleighs, hunting carriages… probably over thirty in total.”
After a moment’s thought, he gave up trying to count them all.
“…”
Iella was speechless. Most nobles owned maybe three or four carriages. Over thirty was beyond her ability to imagine in terms of wealth.
“So, after saving all that money instead of buying dresses, have you amassed a lot?”
Resting his chin on his hand against the window frame, Franz asked casually. He already knew about her bank trust from Hans’s report but pretended otherwise.
“Well… a little. Actually, I do some painting.”
“Painting?”
“Yes! I earn a bit of pocket money from it. I’ve saved quite a lot. You might laugh if you knew the exact amount, though…”
“Whether it’s a lot or a little, the value’s the same. Do you paint portraits too?”
Franz thought of the time she’d mentioned looking for his portrait on Manches Street.
“I paint anything. I even did the family portraits hanging in my parents’ estate.”
When Franz nodded quietly, she asked,
“But on Manches Street, there are portraits of King George I through the current king, not to mention the queen and the crown prince, yet very few of you, Your Highness. Why?”
Franz’s lips curved in amusement.
“So?”
“So why don’t you have yours done?”
“It’s boring.”
“That’s it? That’s your reason?”
He shrugged as if that was all there was to it.
“Are you disappointed?”
“Not disappointed, just… stating a fact.”
“So your liking me isn’t a lie, then.”
“What?”
She blinked in confusion, then realized in horror that she’d basically advertised going around looking for his portrait.
“Ah…”
She regretted babbling so freely earlier.
When her cheerful chatter faded into hesitant glances, Franz felt an odd stirring in his chest. Something about it tugged at him, though he didn’t yet know why.
Iella, for her part, kept a wary eye on him in case he decided to scold her again, but his unconcerned expression made her feel relieved.
“So, do you want to paint my portrait?”
“W–What? Me?”
“Who else is here besides you and me?”
“How could I possibly paint a royal’s portrait…”
“What happened to that confident person from just a moment ago?”
“Me? I never said I was confident.”
Franz gave her a narrow-eyed look.
“I doubt that.”
“…”
Iella stared blankly for a moment.
Under the warm glow of the carriage lamp, his face in shadow, his smile seemed dangerously attractive. The coldness in his gaze and expression had softened into something warm and gentle.
It was the kind of smile that could win over even an enemy — a smile that made hearts race.
Not that it works on me.
She quickly lowered her head and averted her gaze.
Maybe this was an opportunity. If she couldn’t paint him better than reality, maybe painting him exactly as she saw him was the next best thing. The thought gave her a sudden surge of courage.
“Are you deciding how much to charge?” Franz asked with a teasing lilt in his voice, making her snap her head up.
“What? No, it’s not that. Are you really fine with it?”
“Do I look like someone who says things he doesn’t mean?”
“No!”
She quickly waved both hands in denial.
“Absolutely not! Never!”
The stronger her denial, the more suspiciously he looked at her. It was a joke, but she had no way of knowing that.
“I’m serious…”
Her earnest, innocent expression made the corners of his lips rise. This time his eyes curved too.
“I believe you. Sounds fun — go ahead and try. If I like it, I’ll pay you handsomely. Even if I don’t, you’ll still get paid.”
As if she had been waiting for those words, her eyes lit up, and Franz chuckled quietly. Her baffled look at his laughter made him finally burst out into a warm, full “Ha-ha.”
“You really do love money.”
The laughter filled the carriage, and Iella blinked in disbelief. It was the first time she’d ever heard him laugh.
She felt embarrassed for acting so transparent, but mostly she was just confused about what, exactly, she’d said that amused him so much.
The easy, unrestrained laughter made her heart beat strangely fast — though she decided it must be from surprise and embarrassment. Still, it left her feeling oddly tingly all over.
Being alone with a man you have no feelings for is harder than I thought.
She considered saying something to break the tension, but decided it would only make things more awkward.
Just act natural, Iella.
Although she thought her home was close by, today the ride seemed unusually long.
