CHAPTER 38……………………………………
What the— what was that? The mood had been so good!
Sure, having a scallion shoot out of my hair was embarrassing, but it had disappeared from his line of sight soon enough.
The date had been fun, and there wasn’t a single nuisance around to interrupt us. And at the end, he’d even looked like he might kiss me—his eyes were just about to close. So why did he suddenly look like he’d bitten into something foul?
I was dying to know what thought had blocked him, but once we got into the carriage he fell silent and sank into his thoughts so deeply that I couldn’t bring myself to speak first. His hair fluttering softly in the breeze from the window looked like a painting, but I could hardly stand not knowing what was going on in that head of his.
If I could go in there and look, I’d have no more wishes left in life!
“Have you decided?”
I quickly smoothed out the expression I was making when he suddenly turned from the window to look at me.
“Decided what?”
“Your wish. You always come up with such unexpected things—I’m looking forward to it.”
So he was curious about what I’d wish for.
“Are you really planning on granting it?”
“I keep my promises.”
“It’s a wish I won fair and square, so you’ll grant anything, right?”
With a mischievous grin, I pulled out the short golden wig I’d worn. He gave me a look that seemed to ask if I was serious. I tried to reassure him with a smile, but it didn’t work.
“I’m kidding. Stop glaring like that.”
“Then hurry up and say it.”
I considered teasing him a bit more, but provoking him before stating my wish didn’t seem wise.
“My wish is for you to deliver the toast at the upcoming imperial ball.”
Sure enough, he looked troubled.
“I said it’s a wish, but I don’t mean to force you. You won’t announce beforehand that you’ll be giving the toast—just do it on the spot. Then no one will have time to plot anything.”
“On the spot, huh…”
“Compared to a speech, a toast is really short! It’ll be over in an instant, and it’s such a tiny part of the whole ball that you don’t have to feel pressured.”
For someone who wasn’t planning to force him, I spilled reason after reason all the way until I stepped out of the carriage. I figured if I pressured him too much, he might say no, so it was better to delay hearing an answer.
“Please think it over and let me know.”
I practically fled the carriage and gave him a bow. His expression stayed serious even as I left—his thoughts were clearly tangled. Still, I hoped he’d reach a positive conclusion in the end and headed into the mansion.
He realized he’d been smiling way too much lately.
He almost never laughed, and now he was actually laughing out loud—when had that started?
Being with her was a series of events that made him see a different version of himself. Wearing a ridiculous wig, wasting time on trivial food and amusements—things he never would have chosen alone.
Strangely enough, he didn’t dislike who he was now. He didn’t feel pathetic, or feel like he should stop. He even found himself wondering how much more fun things might be with her from now on.
For the first time, today was a day that made him excited for tomorrow.
Even something like delivering a toast—something he would’ve refused immediately in the past—felt possible if she was involved.
“Would she be happy if I said yes?”
Just imagining her bouncing with excitement made him chuckle. Whether his eyes were open or closed, he could see her.
“I guess it’s natural now to think of her before going to bed.”
“Miss Joyce? May I come in?”
Just as I was about to sleep after a long day, a visitor arrived. I jumped up from the bed and opened the door to find Luna, her face bright red and fidgeting.
“What brings you here?”
“Well… um…”
“You can tell me anything. If you need my help, I’ll do what I can.”
“…Could you give me relationship advice?”
“R-relationship advice?”
After hesitating forever, she handed me a red envelope. While I’d been floundering with Ferredil, Luna had apparently been exchanging love letters? My jaw dropped.
“May I read it?”
She lowered her head, and I immediately pulled out the letter. She stood beside me, squirming in embarrassment.
‘The imperial ball is approaching. I’m sure many people wish to attend with you. But if you would allow it, I’d be honored to be your partner. A sunflower gazing endlessly at the sun—that’s me, looking at you.’
A sunflower? Who?
“It’s… His Highness Prince Noah.”
What? Noah?!
I couldn’t believe Luna was asking me for relationship advice, but the bigger shock was who the other party was.
“When did you get so close with Prince Noah?”
“We’ve been exchanging letters since we first met. And recently we had tea at Schubach.”
“Huh? You two seem to be progressing well on your own—why do you need my help? You already went on a date…”
At the word date, Luna’s face turned even redder than before. I didn’t know a person could get that red.
And somehow this delicate flower’s love life was progressing faster than mine. The injustice.
“I’m not sure if you could call it a date…”
“Why not? Did he ignore you after calling you out?”
“No. Prince Noah isn’t the problem—I am. I have trouble trusting people.”
Ah… of course.
The noble lady who gave false testimony when the Woodville family was framed for treason had been Luna’s closest friend. The betrayal left her keeping her distance from others.
But the fact that she wasn’t pushing Noah away meant she did have feelings.
“What do you think of Prince Noah?”
“He seems straightforward… all his feelings show on his face.”
I was impressed—she’d analyzed him perfectly. Luna really did have good instincts about people. Including coming to me.
“Does that straightforwardness bother you?”
“No. I like that about him. He expresses himself directly so I don’t have to overthink.”
Right. Unlike the roundabout Ferredil, Noah was expressive. Sometimes too emotional, but no one’s perfect.
“What bothers me most is the age difference…”
Ah! Noah was four or five years younger than Luna—maybe that felt like a burden.
In the original story, Noah fell into the aristocrats’ schemes because he’d been too young and inexperienced.
“His Highness is a bit younger than you, isn’t he?”
“Yes. That’s what I like most.”
“…What?”
“Younger men are the best.”
She lifted both thumbs enthusiastically.
So she liked younger guys… our Luna…
“That’s everything about how I feel about him.”
“So… you like him?”
“I think… I do…”
She admitted it shyly, cheeks burning.
Her trust in me must have grown, because hearing her honest feelings made me happy. But unlike me, smiling, Luna still looked uncertain.
“What do you think His Highness feels about me?”
“Why do you want to know?”
“If his feelings for me are light—just shallow fancy—I don’t want to accept his invitation to the ball.”
“You can never know if the other person is sincere. The only heart you truly know is your own.”
“Then what should I do?”
Unable to answer herself, she wanted me to decide her next step.
“Express your feelings without holding anything back. Don’t try to guess his feelings, and don’t decide not to begin just because you’re afraid of getting hurt.”
“But I am afraid of getting hurt…”
She squeezed her eyes shut, like a small bird hesitating before its first flight. Knowing what she’d been through, it hurt to see her afraid.
I held her hand, and she opened her eyes.
“If he doesn’t accept your heart, yes, it’ll hurt for a while. But you won’t regret it. Because you did everything you could.”
She looked stunned for a moment, then exhaled and gave a determined smile.
“I’ll write him a reply. I’ll say… I’ll be his partner.”
Yes! I felt proud watching the heroine grow thanks to my advice. Even though Luna was older than me in this world, it felt like I’d raised her.
“Thank you, Luna.”
“For what? You’re the one who solved my dilemma.”
“That conversation solved my dilemma too.”
Thanks to her, I knew how to deal with Ferredil—who kept refusing to let me get closer.
If he was wary of getting close, that meant his feelings were stirred because of me. Which meant I just had to keep knocking at his heart. No matter how he reacted.
As I was burning with determination, Luna tilted her head.
“By the way, Miss Joyce… have you chosen your partner for the imperial ball?”
“Well, of course, I’m going with the duc—”
“The Duke will be attending with Lady Vivian.”
