Chapter 49 …
“I took the entrance exam. It was the first time I’d ever seen you use a sword, and it was truly…!”
“You saw me lose. How embarrassing….”
When I bit my lip in humiliation, Lloyd hurriedly waved his hands and added,
“No! You were incredible. You fought bravely and fairly.”
“I’m saying this in case you misunderstand, but I always beat Hugo!”
“Yes, it was a regrettable defeat. It’s a shame I never got to see you grow up so splendidly.”
I found myself studying Lloyd’s profile as he frowned in frustration. His height had shot up, his shoulders were broad, and his face was mysteriously beautiful. If anything, Lloyd was the one who had grown up well.
“I’m the one who’s regretful. I didn’t get to see you grow up like this… I should’ve followed you to Akaia.”
Laughing, I grabbed Lloyd’s arm. Evening Toledo was crowded with people hurrying home.
“Buy that for me.”
I pointed at a street snack—chicken and vegetables skewered alternately and brushed with a sweet sauce.
“You like things like that?” Lloyd asked in disbelief.
“When I was little, I thought grilled chicken was the most delicious food in the world.”
As Lloyd rummaged through his pocket for coins, the vendor handed over two skewers.
“My, what a pretty young lady! Enjoy your date!”
The vendor couple teased Lloyd with warm smiles.
“Thank you! I hope you sell a lot!”
I took a big bite of the skewer and tugged Lloyd along by the hand. The juices of the tender meat and the aroma of grilled vegetables filled my mouth. Lloyd looked at me as though I were unfamiliar.
“I never thought you’d eat food like this.”
“Why not?”
“Well, you used to drink the most expensive wine at banquets and wouldn’t even finish half of a palm-sized cake.”
“That’s right. I was the lady of the Western Palace—wearing the most extravagant gowns and draping the Empire’s most expensive jewels around my neck.”
The image of me reflected in Lloyd’s eyes—as a fussy lady like that—was amusing. No, honestly, it made me happy. Being remembered as a beautiful, demanding woman was far better than being remembered as a pitiful, trembling little child.
“And what about you, Your Highness… isn’t this your first time trying food like this?”
“When I was taken prisoner in Tapaya, I even saw moldy bread. Compared to that, this is exquisite.”
“So you only saw moldy bread—you didn’t eat it… Try it! It’s not as good as palace cuisine, but it’s still tasty!”
Lloyd followed my lead and took a bite.
“It’s good!”
His eyes widened as he chewed, marveling.
“I first ate this at an orphanage event. I beat up Jeff, who was younger than me, just to steal his share because I wanted one more.”
“You were quite a little menace even back then.”
“It was food I’d never get to eat again. Though… if I’d known Jeff would die so early, I would’ve treated him much better.”
Lloyd held out his skewer.
“Want to have mine too?”
“Pfft! You don’t think I’m still an eight-year-old who believes chicken skewers are the best food in the world, do you? Go on and eat. It looks like dinner will be late.”
I walked toward the busiest avenue.
“You’re worried about Carmé being exposed, aren’t you?”
“Yes. Publishing articles that praise a foreign spy would also be an act of deceiving Duke Randolph.”
“Do you like Duke Randolph?”
“He’s an admirable man. He wasn’t intimidated at all by my status as royalty and spoke firmly of his convictions. A true journalist.”
“In my previous life, the Imperial Gazette didn’t wield this much influence.”
“In your previous life… the Imperial Gazette published an editorial calling for the Crown Prince’s deposition. It was shut down, and Duke Randolph was assassinated.”
“That’s…!”
“Even as an academy professor, Duke Randolph was a commoner. The imperial family didn’t even try to hide the fact that they eliminated him. Before or after that, Caledonia never again had a press that represented the people.”
“Even without me, please protect Professor Randolph. The Imperial Gazette won’t become a pawn of the imperial family, but at the very least, it will support Your Highness. You’re someone who listens to the voices of the people.”
“Evelyn….”
Lloyd carefully grabbed my arm as I walked ahead and stopped me. I deliberately changed the subject and pointed at a stall.
“We have to eat that! The raspberry juice is amazing!”
“How does all of that fit in such a small stomach?”
Though he scolded me, Lloyd soon bought two cups and handed one to me.
“Ah, so sweet.”
Drinking the sweet-and-tart juice, I laughed cheerfully. The street, welcoming nightfall, was still lively, warm light spilling from windows. Those closing their shops and turning back home wore expressions not of fatigue, but relief.
Faces that believed they had survived today safely—and would endure tomorrow safely as well.
“Some people say this is the most unfortunate era in the Empire’s history, but when you walk through Toledo’s streets at night like this…”
I turned around while walking backward, looking up at Lloyd.
“It’s nothing grand, but it feels like everyone is carrying at least one small happiness with them.”
“Yes… it’s lively, peaceful, and it feels fortunate to belong here. Everyone looks content.”
I stumbled over a stone, and Lloyd quickly grabbed my hand.
“Watch where you’re going.”
“But then I wouldn’t be able to see your face.”
At my teasing remark, Lloyd’s earlobes turned red again, and I laughed.
“It’s a shame. I really wanted to fill the Imperial Gazette with stories about Carmé.”
“Stories about Carmé?”
“How she grew up, what food she likes, what quirks she has when researching or writing… I thought it’d be nice to serialize things like that. Then Carmé would become a famous figure in the Empire.”
“But Carmé is….”
“A Tapayan spy. All the more reason.”
I cut Lloyd off.
“From Tapaya’s perspective, placing a talented young woman beside a handsome foreign prince is unsettling. They might fear Carmé could fall for Your Highness and betray them.”
“Surely not.”
“If the rewards the Empire offers are greater than what the Kingdom of Tapaya promised, wouldn’t Carmé waver?”
“Coercion… I’ve considered it, but Carmé rarely shows her true feelings.”
“It doesn’t matter. The more recognition Carmé receives in the Empire, the more Tapaya will suspect her.”
“…Do you really think so?”
“Of course. If Caledonia’s newspapers are plastered with praise for Carmé, Tapaya will be extremely uneasy. They might pressure her—or even try to eliminate her. Unfortunately, I’m planning to tip off other newspapers as well.”
“Other newspapers?”
“Caledonia has many papers besides the Imperial Gazette. The dailies chase gossip.”
“Right! If Carmé consistently gives interviews to one daily paper, the others will soon compete to publish stories about her.”
“Leave it to me. A letter to Madame Printemps—the social butterfly of high society—will take care of everything!”
We walked for a long time. Until the sunset faded, darkness settled over the streets, and the constellations we knew rose above our heads.
“A revelation has come down, hasn’t it?”
“Things that never happened in my previous life are happening one after another. The Crown Prince losing his sight, the revelation…”
‘A red bird sits upon the throne’… That’s dangerous talk in times like these.”
“The content of the revelation itself is ominous, but it’s also different from before… that’s what troubles me. According to records, revelations were usually two sentences long. Of course, they didn’t have to be, but…”
“Perhaps the temple concealed one sentence.”
“If that’s the case, then great chaos is brewing. Depending on whether an extra sentence is added or not, the interpretation would change completely.”
“If it’s suspicious, we should investigate directly. Let’s visit the temple soon. Empress Anais was a devout believer—perhaps the temple will be favorable to Prince Lloyd.”
“Yes. It’s best to confirm it ourselves.”
Lloyd draped his coat over my shoulders and gently touched my cheek.
“We’ve walked too long. Aren’t you cold?”
“I’m fine.”
That was a lie. We’d gone around the same streets several times while talking, and my heels felt swollen from the high shoes. But I was so excited that I forgot the pain entirely.
Fiddling with the sleeve of the coat Lloyd had placed on me, I looked back at him. Such tenderness, worn so naturally by someone with such a cool expression. It was the same in my previous life. Whenever he casually showed kindness, I found myself harboring foolish hopes.
