Chapter 55

After the hunt, the first place Oscar usually visits is this garden—
to present his prize to the heroine, Catherine.

So, if the story followed the original…

Oscar wouldn’t just “rescue” us after we got lost.

“To be honest, I fell in love with you at first sight.”
“Oh my, Your Highness…!”

That’s the kind of scene where the male lead and female lead trade sweet lines.

But if the plot has shifted a little, like when Catherine fell into Erica’s arms earlier—
then maybe the person Oscar gifts today could be Erica.
Erica, Erica, or… Erica.

Two birds with one stone.

“Let’s wait a bit.”

He should be here any minute…

I decided to wait until the long hand on the clocktower in the middle of the garden pointed to 5.

“Let’s rest here for a moment.”

“But we still have far to go, sister-in-law.”

“If you don’t want to owe Lady Catherine even more, we should rest now.”

At my words, Erica looked at Catherine.

Catherine waved her hands to say she was fine, but she couldn’t hide her fatigue.

Erica is small; to support her, Catherine had to bend awkwardly the whole time. That had to be tiring.

“This won’t do.”

Erica cleared her throat, pulled a handkerchief from under her dress, shook it out, and spread it on the bench.

Then she spoke lightly to Catherine.

“Sit, Lady Catherine.”

“B-but… that handkerchief is yours, my lady. I can’t.”

“I said sit. Like my sister-in-law said—I don’t want to owe you either.”

“…Thank you. You’re very kind, my lady.”

Catherine’s eyes shone with genuine gratitude.

“Kind,” she’d said—and Erica’s ears flushed red. She fanned herself to cool her embarrassment.

“Cute.”

The garden was turning orange with sunset.
Staring at the clocktower, I began a precise countdown.

It was almost time for Oscar to appear.

But… for some reason…

Nothing happened.

“What?”

Silence.

“That can’t be right.”

The long hand had already passed 5. I checked again—same result.

Growing anxious, I couldn’t sit still. I paced around the bench.

“Maybe he’s just late. Ten more minutes,” I told myself.

And then—

“Are you here?”

A voice came from between the maze-like hedges.

Not unfamiliar. My head tilted right on instinct.

“My lady.”

…My lady?

Martin strode toward us, and I swallowed hard.

This was not the picture I’d planned.

His steady, powerful gait, the quiet confidence—the kind of presence that draws the eye.

But right now, this was not the scene I wanted…

“Why are you here and not Prince Oscar…?”

“Disappointed it’s not Prince Oscar?”

His red eyes crinkled as he smiled—
the same look I’d seen in the manor garden: a man in love.

Why are you still looking at me like that…!

He started toward me, then shyly shifted his gaze to Erica and Catherine on the bench.

“Ah—young ladies are here as well.”

“Only just noticed?”

“How’s your ankle?”

“As you can see. This is Lady Catherine, who helped me walk all day.”

“Hello, Your Grace,” Catherine greeted with a bright smile.

“You’ve worked hard, Lady Catherine.”

“I’m paying off a debt,” she answered.

“Debt?”

Martin looked to me, confused. I only shrugged.

Erica and Catherine shared a grin.

Then Erica spoke, perfectly casual:

“Anyway, I don’t want to get in the way of you two, but we’re lost. Right, sister-in-law?”

I nodded. (To the second part, not the first.)

Erica dusted off her hands and crooked a finger at her brother.

He came over in long strides. I thought he’d put Erica on his back but—

“Follow this path straight. You’ll find the entrance.”

He just… pointed?

Hello? Husband?

“You two look perfect together!” Catherine chimed in.

Even Catherine…?
Well, we are married…

And when did those two get so friendly?

Laughing together, the girls walked off in the direction Martin indicated, leaving without a hint of regret.

This wasn’t how the original went at all. I couldn’t tell where the cracks had started.

“At least Oscar should’ve come,” I thought.

Was it because I put Erica where Catherine should’ve fallen?
So now the relationship between the girls had changed, and Oscar’s steps didn’t lead here?

Nothing was certain. My temple throbbed.

Martin stepped closer and opened his arm, inviting me to link mine through.

“If you don’t mind, let’s walk a bit.”

“Is that why you sent Erica and Catherine away?”

“You mean the cute little interrupters? They said they were lost.”

I slipped my arm into his, and we walked slowly.

He looked truly at ease—
even though after a royal hunt and meeting the king, anyone else would be on edge.

“Did the hunt go well?”

“Ah. There was… an incident.”

I tilted my head. He scratched his hair, sheepish.

“There was a near fall.”

“Are you okay?! Let me see. You should have told me if you were hurt!”

Falling from a horse can be serious!

I checked his sleeves, sides, back—
some dust on his uniform, but for someone who fell, he moved too lightly. Strange.

Catching my confusion, he hurried to clarify.

“Oh, I didn’t fall.”

The king’s horse had been stung by a bee; King Leonard almost fell, and Martin had caught him.

Thanks to Martin, the king wasn’t badly hurt—but in his frail state, even that was a strain.

Oscar must have gone to the king instead of coming straight to the garden, unlike in the original.

“So that’s why.”

And Martin… threw himself to save the king?

Unthinkable in the past.

He really was different now.

When I looked up at him, he gave me a gentle smile.

“If you are changing, then I’ll try to change too.”

Why did that line of his come back now?

I suddenly understood how many thoughts must be passing through his mind.

“You know something?”

“What is it?”

“You look very handsome today.”

“…!”

It’s true. He flapped his hands in embarrassment, so I unlinked our arms, clasped my hands behind my back, and walked ahead a few steps.

When I glanced back, light seemed to bloom around him as he smiled at me—
the kind of radiance you usually only see on main characters.

Maybe the long walk made me thirsty.

As soon as we entered the ballroom, I downed wine—glass after glass.
Only after draining the last drop did I set the cup down.

“Whew. I finally feel alive.”

“If I’d known you were lost, I would’ve left the hunt earlier,” Martin said.

“It’s fine. You were very much my knight in shining armor.”

My rescuer.

I must’ve liked our time together in the royal garden—
because I found myself relieved it had been Martin, not Oscar, who appeared.

If Oscar had come, I might’ve tried to arrange something different for Erica…

“Speaking of Erica—where is she?”

I looked around, but she was nowhere to be seen.

She and Catherine had boldly left the maze together earlier…

I tugged Martin’s sleeve.

“I don’t see her. It’s been a while.”

“Since Lady Catherine is with the Count and Countess Melion, I’d guess…”

“…?”

“I’d guess your ‘ideal date’ is happening.”

He had a point.

Catherine stood to the side with her parents, greeting other nobles.
Oscar—who should have been keeping position—was nowhere to be seen.

With the heroine’s relationship shifted, the risk should be much lower now.

“So then… really…?”

Thinking that Oscar and Erica might be having a sweet moment, my worries melted away.

“May I help you, Lady Erica?”

He had offered his hand to our Erica.

The mood had felt special.
He hadn’t spared Catherine a glance. Maybe there was a real chance this could turn romantic.

I’d done what I could; now it was up to them.

Seeing me lost in thought, Martin stroked his chin.

“Come to think of it, you’re very serious about Erica’s love life.”

“Of course.”

How could I not be? Our lives might depend on it.

And he’s the prince—more than qualified as a groom.

Whether from rising hopes or the wine, my cheeks burned.

A pleasant buzz crept in.

Just imagining my wish coming true made my smile stretch wider and wider.

Unlike me, though, Aaron—standing quietly behind Martin—was slowly looking more and more tense.