Chapter 81
The Emperor was far too sociable.
Even though this was our first proper conversation, he took the lead as if he had just reunited with a lifelong friend.
“Your Majesty, about the confirmation of my title…”
“Oh, that? I already approved it—don’t worry. Honestly, it was already decided when I sent the personal letter.”
“What? Then why…?”
“Well, I’ve always been curious about Miss Danae—no, Baron Devon. If not for something like this, I would never get a chance to see you in person. Ah, what am I doing—let’s have some refreshments first. I saw at the Foundation Festival party that you seemed to enjoy the palace food. Especially the desserts; the chef in charge is quite something. He used to run a huge restaurant in the capital, but I was so taken by his cooking that I scouted him myself. You wouldn’t believe how stubborn he is… getting him to come here was a real ordeal. Ah, speaking of this reminds me of the carrot cake I had in the western empire eight years ago. That cake was probably…”
I shook my head as I recalled the conversation with the Emperor.
Come to think of it, “sociable” was the wrong word. He was just an old man who really liked talking.
By the time I was half–out of my mind from being dragged around by his pace…
“My apologies, Miss Danae. His Majesty can be a bit much.”
“Oh, not at all. Thanks to him, I got to see this pretty garden.”
When I came back to my senses, I realized I was walking through the garden side-by-side with Roaz.
Still, escaping that conversational hell was only possible with this method.
“Now that you mention it, I hear the garden at the Coral Mansion is magnificent. But the Imperial Garden is no less splendid. Talking about gardens reminds me—long ago I—”
Oh no! He’s starting again!
This was one of those one-hour-long stories.
Even the slightest premonition of that gave me no time to think.
“Your Highness Roaz!”
“Hm? Roaz?”
“I would like to see the Imperial Garden. It would be an honor if you personally showed me around.”
“Oh! Really? Yes, it’s better for people of the same age to spend time together anyway! Actually, speaking of friends reminds me of my old companion who passed away three years ago. He was a marvelous knight. Before I became Emperor—”
“Your Highness! Let’s go!”
And that is how I successfully escaped from the Emperor’s talking prison.
If he had intended to corner me until I said something like that?
Then the Emperor was no ordinary man.
But whether he had such intentions… or was just a very chatty middle-aged man… I still couldn’t tell.
Unlike his talkative father, Roaz kept his lips tightly sealed the whole time we walked through the garden.
He was never the most talkative person, but this silence was unusual.
Curious, I glanced at him—his face was faintly flushed.
Noticing my gaze, Roaz flinched and lowered his head.
“Um… Miss Danae, please don’t worry too much.”
“About what?”
“His Majesty… trying to, well… pair you and me together.”
“Hm, Your Highness seems very bothered by it, though?”
“N-no! Absolutely not! Definitely not!”
“Right, of course.”
I nodded with exaggerated seriousness.
“Since Your Highness is very popular, being paired with someone like me must be no big deal.”
“What? That’s not what I meant… I—I only meant… Miss Danae…”
Pfft.
Seeing the boy panic so excessively, I couldn’t help laughing.
It had been a long time since I encountered someone this easy to tease.
I’m always the one getting pushed around by the extraordinary people around me… but Roaz is just a perfectly ordinary boy. The dynamic is different.
“Miss Danae…”
Hearing me let out another unintentional laugh, Roaz lifted his head, sounding somewhat resentful.
I raised both hands lightly and shrugged.
“Alright, alright. I won’t tease you anymore.”
“So you were teasing me.”
“Well, it’s a rare opportunity to tease a prince. It’d be a shame to waste it. But next time there’s an opportunity, I won’t complain if Your Highness teases me back.”
“How could I possibly tease Miss Danae?”
He had a point.
Roaz looked like someone completely devoid of any teasing ability.
When I burst into laughter again, Roaz cleared his throat and changed the subject.
“It’s late, but I’d like to give you a birthday present.”
“A present?”
“Yes. I learned about your birthday too late, so I couldn’t prepare anything on time. But since we met like this… well, it’d be unfair if I’m the only one receiving a gift from you.”
A birthday present…
“If you’re giving me something, I won’t refuse.”
Roaz’s eyes widened at my quick response, then he soon smiled brightly.
“Usually one refuses at least once, you know.”
Once?
Proper noble etiquette required refusing twice before accepting on the third time.
But that’s such a waste of time.
“If the answer is already decided, why go in circles?”
“Yes, that’s very much like Miss Danae.”
Roaz nodded with his characteristic eye-smile.
“Then I’ll follow your example and skip the formalities. Is there any special gift you want?”
“If I say it, will you give it to me?”
“Um…”
My sparkling eyes seemed to make him tense as he scratched his cheek.
“What is it that you want? I’ll do my best to provide it.”
“In that case, a blank cheque signed in Your Highness’s name.”
“…What?”
“A blank cheque, please.”
“…Pardon?”
Roaz stared, completely dumbfounded.
His expression made me burst into laughter again.
Realizing he had been tricked, Roaz let out a helpless sigh and laughed weakly.
“Miss Danae… you teased me again…”
“I’m sorry. But Your Highness’s reactions are just too cute.”
“C-cute…”
He opened his mouth wordlessly, face turning red like an apple.
“Ah… um… I…”
Then a familiar voice came from behind us.
“Wh… what… a… co… in… ci… dence… we… have… here…”
Turning around, I saw Princess Iella approaching us, awkwardly waving her fan with a stiff gesture to match her stiff speech.
“I… did… not… ex… pect… to… see… you… here… Miss… Da… nae…”
Anyone could tell she was acting.
At this point it’s hard to even pretend to be fooled.
As I tried to figure out how to respond, Roaz—wearing nearly the same expression as me—finally spoke.
“…Iella. Your speech is very strange. Did you come because you heard Miss Danae was here?”
“W-what are you talking about! I didn’t know!”
Iella jumped reactively at Roaz’s words.
“I had absolutely no idea Miss Danae came to meet Father for her title approval! I also had absolutely no idea you two were walking in the garden together! The maids never tell me anything!”
“…I see.”
So the maids told her everything…
It was painfully obvious, but Roaz chose to humor his sister with a smile.
“Then it truly is an amazing coincidence, Iella.”
“Of course!”
When Roaz played along, Iella exhaled in deep relief and nodded. Her voice steadied noticeably.
“So, what were you two talking about? Since we met, I might as well ask. Not that I’m particularly interested.”
I had learned enough of Iella’s speech pattern by now.
This meant: She was VERY curious about our conversation.
“We were talking about Miss Danae’s birthday present. It’s late, but I really want to give her something.”
“And His Highness said he’d give me anything I wanted.”
“Anything… she wants…?”
Iella stared at Roaz, visibly shocked.
Her eyes were screaming: Since when were you this bold, Brother?
Roaz subtly averted his gaze.
“…If that is Brother’s intention…”
After staring at Roaz for a moment, Iella suddenly folded her fan with a solemn expression.
“Then I cannot lose.”
“Huh?”
She pointed her folded fan at me.
“Prepare yourself, Miss Danae! I will give you a gift so incredible that my brother’s present can’t even compare!”
But I haven’t even received Roaz’s gift yet…
Still, no one could stop Iella once she got fired up with strange competitiveness.
“Come! Follow me!”
