Chapter 7
No matter how skilled one was at the waltz, dancing with twenty partners was far too exhausting. By the end, I couldn’t help but feel a throbbing pain in my ankle.
Exhausted, I entered the princess’s private lounge and was icing my aching ankle when I heard a knock at the door.
“May I come in for a moment?”
“Duke Myers. You’ve come.”
Abigail and Dorothy, who had been attending me, tilted their heads in confusion before opening the door at my command.
Cedric stepped inside with his usual calm yet disciplined stride. He glanced over Abigail, Dorothy, and the other attendants before speaking.
“Your Highness. I have something to discuss with you in private. If I may be so bold, could you dismiss the attendants?”
Before I could answer, Dorothy inhaled sharply, while Abigail gave a faint smile.
Abigail soon leaned closer to me and whispered quietly,
“Princess Charlotte, it seems Duke Myers has something he wishes to say in confidence.”
“In confidence? He’s making it completely obvious.”
“Then we shall take our leave.”
Though taken aback, I nodded. Soon, only the two of us remained in the princess’s lounge.
I gestured toward the sofa across from me, inviting him to sit.
However, he immediately shook his head. Feeling somewhat awkward, I took a sip of the tea on the table.
Something about Cedric was strange.
His expression was as impassive as ever, but his cravat—usually tied with obsessive precision—was disheveled, and one of his gloves was missing, as if he had discarded it somewhere.
In other words, he looked quite tense.
“Duke, is something the matter? You don’t look well.”
“No. There is nothing wrong with my health. It’s just…”
Furrowing his brow, Cedric shifted his posture uneasily several times before letting out a sigh.
“No… perhaps there is something wrong. As a holy knight who must keep his emotions under control, this is… abnormal.”
At that moment—
A loud commotion outside cut him off mid-sentence.
As my head turned toward the door, Cedric’s face hardened.
He approached the door instead and asked the guard,
“What is it?”
“His Highness, the Sixth Prince of Blake, has come to see the princess.”
“His Highness Leonard? Me? For what reason?”
“We are not certain yet…”
The guard glanced briefly at Cedric before asking me cautiously,
“Sh-shall we send him away?”
“We cannot possibly turn away a prince. Ask him to wait in the reception room for a moment.”
After giving the instruction, I turned back to Cedric.
“So, Duke. What was it you wanted to tell me?”
It felt a bit odd asking while he stood awkwardly near the door, but judging from his earlier demeanor, it had seemed urgent.
Wouldn’t it be better to finish quickly and send him on his way?
However, Cedric had already regained his usual indifferent expression. With his characteristic composure restored, he lowered his head.
“I will return another time.”
“Didn’t you say you wanted to tell me today? Say it now.”
“No, I will come again later.”
Ignoring my words, Cedric turned and began walking out.
To think he would disregard a princess’s command. Once again, I was reminded that the male leads must have traded their manners for their looks.
At that moment, Abigail hurried back inside.
“Your Highness, please compose yourself.”
“Hm? Why?”
“The fact that the Sixth Prince has come to see you personally could mean he intends to propose.”
At Abigail’s words, my face turned pale.
“That’s impossible.”
“Historically, it is not.”
“Excuse me.”
At that moment, Prince Leonard abruptly entered the room.
Seeing Abigail and me standing there awkwardly with stiff expressions, he raised an eyebrow.
“I did say ‘excuse me,’ but have I truly been that rude?”
Yes.
“Not at all, Your Highness. Please, have a seat.”
I calmly returned to the sofa and gestured to the seat across from me as before.
Prince Leonard strode over with long, confident steps and sat down opposite me.
Just five minutes ago, the man standing before me had been Cedric, so the comparison was inevitable.
Prince Leonard was very different from Cedric.
While Cedric had the quiet eyes of dawn, this man’s gaze burned like molten lava.
If Cedric was a perfect holy knight, then this prince was more like a seasoned mercenary.
He exuded a rough, ruthless aura, yet carried himself with an effortless ease and detachment.
He even leisurely glanced around the lounge before turning his attention back to me.
As I watched him uneasily, he suddenly said something I hadn’t wanted to hear.
“Princess, I have something I wish to say in private. Would you dismiss the attendants?”
Isn’t this exactly the kind of worst-case scenario that comes true?
Before I could respond, Abigail and Dorothy ushered the attendants out on their own. I grew increasingly anxious, fearing Abigail’s warning might be correct.
“In truth, there is something I wish to give you.”
Prince Leonard slipped his hand inside his coat without hesitation.
I had seen that motion countless times even before the banquet began—and would likely see it many times again—so I had no choice but to leap to my feet.
“I’m sorry, Your Highness! I cannot accept your proposal!”
“…What are you talking about?”
“Huh?”
Silence fell.
Lowering my gaze, I looked at the object in his hand.
It was a long, low rectangular box. Definitely not a ring case.
I slowly lifted my eyes back to him. One of his thick eyebrows was slightly raised in confusion.
My face flushed instantly, and I collapsed back onto the sofa in embarrassment.
“……”
An awkward silence lingered.
Summoning my courage, I carefully looked at him again.
He had a hand over his mouth, his gaze turned toward a distant wall. But the slight trembling of his lips made it obvious—he was holding back laughter.
Ah… what do I do? I want to die.
Dropping my head as if burying it, I muttered in a barely audible voice,
“I—I would be grateful if you could forgive my mistake…”
“No, it’s understandable. I was the one who asked to be alone with you. The fault is mine.”
Prince Leonard cleared his throat once and lowered his hand.
Yet his lips were still curved into a smile. I wanted to disappear from embarrassment all over again.
“The reason I wished to speak with you alone was because I wanted to give you a special gift.”
“A special gift?”
Prince Leonard handed me the box. After a brief hesitation, I opened it.
Inside was a small stone, about the size of a thumb. But rather than an ordinary stone, it resembled a gemstone.
It shimmered in different colors depending on the angle, so beautiful that I gasped without realizing it.
“What is this?”
“I crossed the Lesher Desert with my royal guard, without using teleportation.”
“The Lesher Desert? That’s not a place just anyone can cross.”
At my words, he simply smiled faintly.
I understood that smile meant pride, but I chose not to respond.
His arrogance was somewhat irritating.
“There was a magical material needed in the Lesher Desert. And while obtaining it, I happened to acquire this—Deligno’s Tear. It’s a magic crystal with more mana than most high-ranking mages possess.”
“Why are you telling me something so secret… and why give me something so valuable?”
“You’re aware that I am in a power struggle with the First Prince. And that he has been courting you.”
“……”
“I am asking you to be my ally in this way—as a friend.”
Resting his chin on his hand, Leonard smiled brightly.
“I’m not courting you.”
“Ugh.”
“Though I could, if you want?”
Unable to endure his teasing tone, I buried my face in my hands.
“Your Highness, please forget what happened earlier.”
Apparently no longer able to hold it in, Prince Leonard burst into loud laughter.
At this point, I briefly wondered if knocking him unconscious to erase his memory might actually be justified.
I was completely serious.
Grinding my teeth, I clenched my fists inside the sleeves of my dress—
Then his laughter gradually subsided, and he asked,
“So, even if you reject a proposal, I hope you won’t reject the gift. Will you refuse it?”
“…I’m not the type to refuse gifts.”
With a composed expression, I closed the box and placed it beside the table.
“I’ll accept it—if you promise to completely forget what happened earlier.”
“Oh? Did something happen between us just now?”
At his playful expression, I finally let out a laugh.
“I’ll accept it gratefully. In return, I’d like to offer something as well. Is there anything you wish to do during the banquet, Your Highness?”
“…Hmm.”
At my question, Leonard stroked his chin before speaking.
“In that case, would you be able to spare some time for me tomorrow?”
