Chapter 14….
Why was she watching the training? And why did she look so impressed?
Clearus couldn’t understand Princess Ellia’s thoughts at all.
If it were a knight watching, he’d assume she was trying to steal training techniques—but this was a princess who liked sweets and pretty dresses, not someone plotting military espionage.
The royal family always used the Berndt Knights whenever hardship struck—then turned around to keep them in check, fearing rebellion.
The training methods of the Berndt Knights were, in fact, the key to the Berndt Dukedom’s survival.
If any other member of the royal family had demanded to see the training regimen, Clearus would have refused outright.
But since it was Princess Ellia… maybe it would be fine?
That was what he found himself thinking.
“…Someday… if there’s a chance…”
In the end, Clearus gave in as if under a spell.
“You promise!”
“…Yes.”
Delighted by his answer, Ellia began offering Clearus food with a cheerful smile.
“This one’s delicious! Try it!”
Startled back to his senses, Clearus quickly reached for his utensils—
and froze solid.
Why…
was the princess…
ripping into a steak with her teeth like a bandit?
“Wow! So good!”
Oblivious to his shocked gaze, Ellia tore at her steak with her mouth, gripping a piece of fruit in her other hand.
“If you eat a bite of meat and then a bite of fruit together, it’s so good! Try it!”
She even offered him some.
Clearus couldn’t tell whether she meant it tasted better because of that savage combination—or that the food itself was so good it deserved to be eaten like that.
“Um…”
From the moment he was born, Clearus had been trained as the heir to the dukedom.
Since before he could remember, he had been taught how to control every expression, glance, and gesture.
All noble heirs grew up that way.
It was considered proper education, and Clearus accepted it as natural.
But here was the most noble princess in the world—
utterly shattering every rule.
And with that, Clearus’s worldview also began to crack.
“Is it… good?”
“Mm-hm! Here!”
Ellia grabbed a piece of meat with her bare hands, tore it apart, and placed it on Clearus’s plate.
Her older brother could be fussy about cleanliness, but sometimes he lived rather freely.
“Food tastes better with your hands.”
That was his belief.
And strangely enough, whenever her brother hand-fed her, it did taste better.
Ellia just wanted Clearus to enjoy his food too—pure and simple.
“Won’t you… eat?”
Clearus only stared at the meat she had placed before him, not touching it.
Then Ellia suddenly realized—he had never once put down his utensils.
‘Ah… table manners!’
She had been taught those too, though her brother never enforced them strictly.
“My brother’s a great archmage—he can live as he wants. But when you’re not with me, you should remember proper etiquette.”
And this was exactly that time.
Ellia quickly wiped her hands with a napkin, picked up her utensils, and began eating daintily—pecking at a single corn kernel like a little bird.
Watching her, Clearus slowly set down his utensils—and picked up the meat with his bare hand, just as she had done earlier.
“……!”
Then he grabbed some fruit by hand and ate it too.
If their etiquette tutor had seen this, they would have fainted on the spot.
Yet surprisingly, Clearus found the food tasted… better than before.
“Truly… it does taste a bit better this way.”
“Right?!”
Ellia’s face lit up at once.
Clearus lowered his gaze instead of replying.
The flavor deepened as he chewed.
The more he ate, the better it tasted.
Since his parents’ funeral, this was the first time food had truly felt delicious.
“…Then, I’ll take my leave for today.”
“Oh… already?”
After their meal and a short walk, Clearus announced that he should go home.
Ellia’s face fell in disappointment.
She had spent all morning dressing up, and now their meeting was ending far too soon.
Worse, she wasn’t sure she had actually managed to ease his heavy heart.
“There’s much I must learn as the duke’s heir.”
“Oh…”
Unlike Ellia, who still spent her days at play, Clearus was already studying both combat and administration. He had little time for childish fun.
“Did I bother you when you were busy?”
“How could Your Highness’s summons ever be a bother?”
In other words, yes—he was busy.
Ellia, quick-witted as she was, realized her invitation might have actually troubled him.
She’d only wanted to cheer him up—but perhaps she’d only added to his burden.
“When will Duke Berndt come to the palace next?”
“…Hmm, only if there’s an official reason.”
“And when will that be?”
Clearus thought carefully through his schedule.
“Perhaps for Your Highness’s coronation ceremony.”
“Oh!”
That’s right—she would become king soon.
Which meant there would be a coronation.
Princess Ellia’s own coronation had been a grand affair—crowds, celebrations, a parade… Wait.
“But there’ll be so many people there.”
“Yes. I’ll just be one of them.”
“Then I won’t get to talk to you?”
“It would be excessive attention for a mere subject to receive.”
“Hmm…”
Clearus had essentially put up a “No attention, please” sign.
Ellia had wanted to suggest they meet and play again next time he visited the palace—but that seemed impossible now.
She thought hard.
She couldn’t exactly summon him to the palace either.
He’d said himself how busy he was.
If she kept calling him just to play, he might start to dislike her.
“Well then… how about this.”
But she couldn’t just say, “Okay, goodbye,” and let him go, either.
If one method didn’t work, she’d just use another!
“Can I come visit your estate instead?”
If the servants of the ducal house had heard that, they would have fainted.
Even an ordinary noble lady’s visit required two days of preparation. Unless the families were extremely close, that simply wasn’t done.
And the visit of a future king? That would demand enormous manpower and resources.
But of course, Ellia didn’t know that.
And neither did Clearus—it wasn’t his job to handle guest arrangements.
“How could I refuse Your Highness’s visit?”
He gave his usual curt reply.
“Hmm…”
That didn’t sound like an invitation.
Ellia bit her lip and looked up at him, full of longing.
She needed an actual invitation!
“…Please feel free to visit anytime you wish.”
Unable to withstand those pleading eyes, Clearus finally said what she wanted to hear.
Ellia jumped for joy, grabbing his hand tightly.
“Yay! Thank you, Duke Berndt!”
“Y-you’re very welcome…”
Clearus replied, bewildered.
Ellia bounced up and down, swinging his hand happily.
He felt oddly defeated—
but seeing her radiant smile, he couldn’t take it back.
Ellia was overjoyed by his permission. The earlier disappointment melted away.
“I’ll walk you to the palace gate!”
“It would be an honor.”
Ellia skipped alongside him.
For an eight-year-old, Clearus was tall—his legs much longer than Ellia’s, who was seven.
Noticing her quick little steps, Clearus subtly slowed his pace.
Ellia didn’t notice, but the maids and attendants following behind did.
The ever-threatening Duke Berndt’s heir and the precarious Princess Ellia—
no one could have imagined the two walking side by side.
Yet somehow, together, they looked adorably well-matched.
At the grand gates of the palace, Ellia stopped.
“Then, take care getting home.”
“…Please let me know before Your Highness visits.”
Clearus added the line out of concern.
“Ah! I will!”
Standing at the gate, Clearus finally looked at Ellia properly.
She gave a shy smile.
“Finally, you’re looking at me! I spent so much time getting ready today.”
“I can tell.”
Anyone could. She looked like a round, walking bouquet of flowers.
“How do I look?”
She’d actually been waiting for him to say you’re pretty.
Asking it made her a little embarrassed, and she fidgeted under her dress.
The air between them seemed to tingle with ticklish warmth.
It spread to Clearus too—his ears flushed red, as if struggling not to laugh.
“…You look beautiful.”
“Hehe. Really?”
“Yes, truly.”
The young duke’s diplomacy skills are impressive for his age, thought the adults nearby.
“But actually… that’s why it was hard to look at you.”
“Why?”
“Because your dress was dazzling.”
“Oh! Is that it?!”
Ellia burst out laughing, delighted.
Wait—it was genuine?!
The adults’ admiration turned to shock.
It was one thing for the memory-lost princess to develop odd tastes—
but for Duke Berndt to find that beautiful?
They truly couldn’t understand.
Could not understand at all.
