Chapter 32
Side Rex I The Child Who Said She Liked Roses (1)
Rex.
Reslexion blinked as that name surfaced in his mind.
The room was submerged in darkness, and beside him, Dolores was sleeping soundly.
The moment she returned to the mansion, she had fallen asleep almost immediately.
She was sleeping so deeply that it was almost doubtful whether she was even breathing.
What does this woman trust so much that she sleeps this well?
The more he thought about it, the more absurd it seemed.
A man far larger than her was lying right beside her, yet she showed absolutely no sense of caution.
Was it because she didn’t see him as a man at all?
“Ha.”
If that were the case, she really was an extremely annoying woman.
From that irritatingly thin frame of hers to the emotions she stirred in him—
all of it was Dolores’s fault.
Yet he kept staring at the side of her face.
…I never thought I’d hear that name again.
Rex.
Dolores wasn’t actually the first person to call him that.
His mother, Empress Juliana, used to call him that.
…Until the year Reslexion turned fifteen.
Until she died.
Well, if you shorten my name, that’s the only nickname that really comes out.
But hearing that short nickname tugged at the pain he had buried deep in his memories.
Whenever he closed his eyes and fell asleep, that day still resurfaced.
The day he first met Dolores Rochester.
* * *
It was a day in the year Reslexion had just turned fifteen.
“Sniff… sob…”
Even though it was bright midday, a chilling sound of crying drifted from the Emerald Room, where the Empress stayed.
The corridor was empty, filled only with shadows.
Only Reslexion stood outside the door with his arms crossed.
At that moment, Bertrand—who at the time was an imperial attendant—came running hurriedly.
“Your Highness.”
“…What happened this time?”
“Today… Her Majesty had a tea party with several noble ladies…”
“I don’t even need to hear the rest. What is it today?”
“It seems… it’s about her accent.”
“….”
The prince let out a sigh filled with disgust that was far beyond his age.
Disgusting people.
Empress Juliana had lived her entire life in the southern kingdom of Aleister.
They had dragged a woman like that here, and after barely ten years, they demanded she speak with a perfect imperial accent.
And when her pronunciation sounded different, they mocked her—
asking whether she lacked intelligence or effort.
Yet the Empress had no power to punish those who ridiculed her.
“Sniff… sob…”
Because the Aleister Kingdom had already fallen.
Reslexion lowered his gaze and stayed silent.
“….”
Should he go in and comfort her?
Normally he would grumble but still remain by his mother’s side.
But that day, Reslexion hesitated.
Because if he went inside now, it felt like he would have to make a choice.
Bertrand, noticing the boy’s darkening expression, spoke gently.
“Your Highness, please leave it to me today. I think Your Highness should get some rest as well.”
“But…”
“Instead, how about taking a walk in the garden today?”
“What? Why?”
“I heard that His Highness the Crown Prince will be meeting the young lady of the Rochester Marquisate today. Perhaps you could at least greet her.”
“Ah. That day.”
He remembered the goat-faced marquis making a big fuss about introducing his young daughter to Adrian.
According to rumors, the girl was about twelve.
The intention behind it was painfully obvious.
Disgusting.
But Bertrand clearly wanted Reslexion to at least see some sunlight.
“I heard they’ll be in the greenhouse garden. What do you think?”
“…Alright. Bertrand, I’ll leave things to you for a moment.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
To be honest, it didn’t really matter whether he met her or not.
What would be the point of seeing the girl who would one day become Adrian’s partner?
It was just a brief attempt to clear his head.
But when he arrived, only the girl was sitting alone at the tea table in the greenhouse garden.
“Hm…?”
What’s this? Why isn’t the one who’s supposed to meet her here?
Before he could complain, however, he was a little surprised when he saw the girl.
The child wearing a pale pink bonnet was quite cute, like a doll.
But even before that registered, what caught his attention most was her green eyes staring at the dessert in front of her.
She looked as though she might destroy the custard pudding with her gaze alone.
She was staring at it intensely.
What is this…?
He turned toward the maid guarding the greenhouse entrance.
“Where is the Crown Prince?”
“His lesson is running late, so he will come down later.”
“Later when?”
“….”
The maid lowered her head awkwardly.
So they had brought a much younger child here only to leave her waiting indefinitely.
Ridiculous.
Still, he had no intention of greeting her.
At least, not until the girl suddenly lifted her head and noticed him.
She quickly hopped down from her seat and gathered her dress.
Though she barely reached his waist, she gave a surprisingly elegant bow.
She even knew his name properly.
“Greetings, Prince Reslexion.”
“…Alright. What’s your name?”
“Dolores Siena Rochester, Your Highness.”
Grrr…
“….”
“….”
The moment the elegant greeting ended, a very inelegant sound followed.
Reslexion stared at the girl’s cheeks as she kept her head lowered.
She was trying to maintain her composure, but her ears had turned bright red.
“Are you hungry?”
“No, I am not.”
Grrr…
Unfortunately, her stomach betrayed her.
Now Lady Rochester’s face flushed crimson with embarrassment.
When he saw her eyes start to glisten, Reslexion nearly stepped back.
Ah. She’s not going to cry, is she?
He had grown up seeing women cry far too often.
If she started sniffling even a little, he felt like he might suffocate from sheer exhaustion.
But even though her face was red, the child stubbornly maintained her polite posture.
“…Ha. The greeting is enough. Sit down and eat first.”
“…!”
“It looks like it’ll take quite a while before my brother comes down anyway.”
At that, her green eyes sparkled like stars as they turned toward the custard pudding.
Yet Dolores Rochester still answered clearly.
“I’m grateful for your kindness… but I cannot eat it.”
“Why?”
“They say I’ll gain weight and become ugly if I eat.”
“…Who says that?”
“My father… and the maids at our estate.”
“What?”
Dolores looked up at him solemnly like a tiny adult.
“If my corset doesn’t fit later, it will be a problem.”
“…Ha.”
“So I’m being careful from now on, Your Highness.”
“Crazy.”
“Pardon?”
“…Nothing.”
Reslexion let out an irritated sigh.
They’ve already started managing her thoroughly, haven’t they?
Even though he was only in his mid-teens, he was already exhausted by the empire’s noble society.
And seeing that child accept everything without question only made him rub his brow in irritation.
“Listen carefully, little Rochester mouse.”
“I am Lady Dolores Siena Rochester.”
“Ah, is that so.”
Even if she straightened her back as much as she could, she was still tiny.
But her serious expression made him answer seriously as well.
“Lady Rochester. Listen again.”
“Yes, Your Highness!”
“If you eat this one pudding, the world won’t suddenly become heavier.”
“…?”
The young girl tilted her head in confusion.
Reslexion sighed dramatically.
Then he picked up the small pudding bowl and shook it.
“You’d have to be heavy enough to crack the ground you step on before anyone could say you gained weight.”
“….”
“So if you understand, take it quickly before I drop it.”
“Ah!”
As he shook the glass bowl as if he might really drop it, Dolores gasped and reached out.
After taking it, she whispered with a serious expression.
“Prince.”
“What.”
“You say very funny things.”
“….”
Reslexion clicked his tongue inwardly in disbelief.
What is this brat talking about?
But Dolores, apparently having completely dropped her guard, began eating the custard pudding.
Her fingers and mouth moved politely…
but the shadow of her feet on the ground bounced excitedly.
Reslexion watched the scene, dumbfounded.
Is she really that happy?
It was just a simple dessert anyone could eat outside the imperial palace.
Yet somehow, he didn’t mind this moment.
After spending all day with someone drowning in sorrow, seeing someone so happy over a single sweet felt… nice.
It felt like what a normal life should be.
“Prince, but…”
Dolores glanced at him shyly and whispered.
She had clearly learned greeting etiquette, but everything else was still immature.
But instead of scolding her, he answered bluntly.
“What. Just say it.”
“What is the name of that rose?”
The girl pointed at a bush full of white roses.
The tips of the petals were dyed pale pink, and the flowers shimmered faintly golden under the sunlight.
A beautiful rose monopolized by the imperial family.
But Reslexion explained without much interest.
“It’s called the Briand Rose.”
“Waa…”
Hearing the name, pure longing filled Dolores’s eyes.
Her green eyes moved busily between the pudding bowl and the flower.
It was so amusing that he couldn’t help but speak.
“You like that flower?”
