Chapter 20
Riena's overwhelming cuteness launched an all-out assault on Melance's heart.
His pale, smooth cheeks turned red.
"I-I just happened to guess correctly. My skill still has a long way to go...."
At the continued barrage of adorable excuses, Melance could do nothing but keep nodding.
But Riena, completely oblivious, seemed determined to make things even worse.
She looked up at him with the cutest expression she could manage.
"You'll keep being my teacher, right? You will, won't you?"
"......!"
Melance let out a slow breath and nodded.
That was the best he could manage.
Seriously. What a difficult talent to handle.
Riena smiled sweetly and let out a sigh of relief.
Completely unaware of what she had just done to him.
"We'll stop here for today."
"Mm! I'll do my homework properly, so give up on any thoughts of running away."
Her smile was bright.
Her eyes were practically threatening him.
"...I won't run away, Your Highness."
Knock, knock.
"I greet Your Highness the Imperial Princess~"
Melance's steps paused at the coy voice.
The door opened smoothly.
A pair of rose-colored eyes curved pleasantly as they landed on him.
"Oh my, you must be Young Lord Melance. It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Trinia...."
Melance walked straight past her with an indifferent expression.
His face carried the kind of displeasure one might show after seeing something they would rather not have seen.
His aide, watching the scene, looked flustered before hurriedly following him.
What an arrogant brat!
Trinia glared fiercely at the back of his head.
Then she quickly composed herself and turned toward Riena.
"What brings you here at this hour?"
"I came to thank Your Highness...!"
Her voice sounded so desperate that she seemed ready to cry at any moment.
Just looking at her made Riena feel sick.
Her brows naturally furrowed.
"Your Highness helped me when I was having the hardest time. It's late, but... I wanted to come and thank you."
Despite Trinia's long-winded words and exaggerated gestures, Riena didn't even give her a simple response.
She merely continued reading.
Only the occasional sound of turning pages filled the heavy silence.
"A-and I also came because I thought there might have been a misunderstanding."
"A misunderstanding?"
Only then did Riena's golden eyes move toward Trinia, carrying open mockery.
Hearing Trinia call it a misunderstanding herself was almost funny.
"Your Highness put so much thought into choosing those ladies-in-waiting for me, but I..."
"I don't care."
"Pardon? Th-then that's a relief! I was worried Your Highness might be upset...."
Riena finally snapped the book shut.
"My schedule is packed from morning to night. How am I supposed to care about something that trivial? Maybe if I had enough free time to sit around doing nothing like you do, Lady Trinia."
Doing nothing?
Trinia narrowed her eyes in disbelief, her brows twitching.
She hadn't expected the young princess to humiliate her so openly.
At most, she'd expected something childish like, Fine, I won't talk to Trinia anymore.
Thud.
"The ladies I sent must have made you bored, so I'll give you this book. Try reading it. It's fun."
Trinia stared murderously at the children's storybook Riena had tossed in front of her.
Unable to bear the humiliation any longer, her body trembled as her anger burst out.
"Are you openly mocking me...?"
"Mocking you?"
"Even if you're the Imperial Princess, this isn't right."
She forced the words through clenched teeth.
Yet the golden eyes looking calmly down at her made her stomach churn.
"Are you... humiliating me because I can't read?"
She growled the words like a beast.
Riena's golden eyes immediately widened in exaggerated surprise.
"Oh my! You... can't read? I didn't know. Well, not knowing something isn't a crime, so don't blame yourself too much. If you work hard, you'll improve! Fighting!"
Riena even raised one tiny fist over her head and cheered her on.
"Ha!"
Trinia's bitter, furious laugh spilled through the open doorway and into the hallway.
The servants and ladies-in-waiting outside exchanged wide-eyed looks.
But Trinia noticed none of them.
Riena had struck directly at the insecurity she'd always tried to hide.
"If you've said everything you came to say, could you take the book and leave? I'm busy."
The moment Riena finished speaking, Trinia snatched the storybook off the table.
"I'm overwhelmed by Your Highness's boundless generosity. I'll take this book and make sure to read it very carefully."
Her skirts flared as she turned sharply and stormed out of the room.
Then Riena's clear voice rang out behind her.
"Was the door open? Oh no! Everyone, make sure you keep this a secret too! Let's keep the fact that Lady Trinia can't read just between us!"
Trinia's rose-colored eyes widened so violently they looked ready to split.
She breathed heavily, rage burning through her.
The ladies-in-waiting lined up along the corridor looked at her sideways before letting out small laughs.
"Of course, Your Highness. Don't worry. It'll be our little. Secret."
The viscountess deliberately emphasized each word with a mocking smile.
Trinia stomped down the hallway so hard it sounded as though her heels might break.
Once her furious figure disappeared, Countess Sertua was the first to enter the room.
