Chapter 35

Chapter 35

"Thank you for worrying about me. But as you can see, I'm fine."

"Fine? Your eyelids are this swollen! Just how much must you be suffering for them to swell this badly?"

...She's taking a jab at me, isn't she?

Riena's drowsiness vanished instantly.

"And just how heartbroken you must be...."

Marilen's gaze settled on Riena's wrinkled dress.

"We're in the middle of the late Emperor's funeral. Who would dress up to show off? But Marilen, you look especially beautiful today."

Marilen let out a pleased laugh at the compliment.

Of course, the smile didn't last long.

"Anyone looking at you might think you were invited to a banquet instead of a funeral. Don't you think?"

"If someone didn't know better, they'd think the Imperial Palace was hosting a ball."

Melance piled on without hesitation.

Kanter nodded vigorously.

"But... I don't think she's very pretty."

"!"

"!?"

Melance couldn't hold back and let out a short laugh.

Kanter's expression was so innocent that it was difficult to blame him.

Riena quickly reached out, hoping to smooth things over, but....

"How rude!!"

Marilen's voice lashed straight at Kanter.

"You don't have even the slightest understanding of manners. How dare you insult the work of House Nellian's exclusive tailor?"

Before anyone else could step in, Marilen's voice filled the Imperial Princess's room.

Melance's mouth hardened coldly as he prepared to growl.

But Kanter's green eyes turned directly toward Marilen.

"I didn't mean the dress wasn't pretty...? I meant you weren't pretty... If I made you misunderstand, I'm sor...ry."

"O-oh my, oh my goodness!"

Marilen's blue eyes shook so violently they looked ready to pop out.

More than anything, hearing something like that said with such an innocent expression was almost impressive in its own way.

Riena and Melance both bit their lower lips.

Looking at innocent Kanter and the furious Marilen made it nearly impossible not to laugh.

An awkward silence followed.

Marilen ground her teeth.

"I don't think I'll be able to attend tomorrow's coronation. My apologies. I'll see you another time."

She spread her magnificent skirts with practiced precision, bowed, and immediately disappeared through the door.

Kanter, who had been watching her cautiously, blinked his sparkling eyes and smiled.

"She must be busy. Right?"

"Let's say that's the case."

Only after finally letting out the laughter she'd been holding back did Riena wipe at the corner of her eye and ask,

"Anyway, why are you two here again?"

"Lady Nellian said she was coming to see Your Highness, so we came with her."

"And what does that have to do with anything?"

"Lady Nellian is close to Count Shilton's eldest son."

"That's right...! After the last tea party, I saw the two of them talking alone with my own two eyes! Something about an engagement and a debutante."

Kanter eagerly added details from the side.

Since when had those two gotten so close?

"As you already know, Lady Nellian shouldn't be trusted."

"That's right! She didn't even greet me!"

"What are you talking about now?"

Melance sighed and shot Kanter a sideways look.

"There was a minor argument. It's nothing Your Highness needs to concern yourself with."

The moment he finished, Kanter began spilling the whole truth.

Had he always been this talkative?

"She greeted only Young Lord Melance, so he scolded her for me!"

"I merely pointed out proper etiquette. Don't exaggerate."

Melance frowned with clear displeasure and let out a dry laugh.

Even though everything has changed so much, Marilen hasn't changed at all.

The ladies-in-waiting who had served Riena since childhood had been permanently banned from entering the Imperial Palace.

The attendants Trinia chose for her often locked Riena inside her room.

At least whenever Kanter visited the palace, she could talk with him about one thing or another.

But Kanter hadn't come to the palace for the past several weeks.

Even when she asked the servants how he was doing, no one gave her an answer.

As a result, she had wasted away until she was practically skin and bones.

Was there ever a young lord our Lady Marilen set her sights on who didn't fall for her? Young Lord Kanter will come around soon enough!

Come on, Lady Marilen already has Young Lord Caros, doesn't she?

Seriously, don't you know anything? Young Lord Caros is Lady Marilen's devoted sunflower~ Young Lord Kanter is just something to keep her entertained.

Oh my! No way! Is that why Young Lord Kanter hasn't come anywhere near the palace lately?!

That's not it. Apparently the Duke found out about the two of them recently. The whole ducal residence was turned upside down. He was shouting that Kanter had to be insane to get involved with a blind princess. Didn't you hear?

Th-then what happened?!

Poor Young Lord Kanter. They say that beautiful face of his was covered in wounds!

Ah... how could they damage such a beautiful face? Honestly, everything goes wrong because of the princess.

A bony hand trembled against the wall.

Tears gathered in Riena's clouded eyes, but she let out a soft breath of relief.

At least she'd managed to hear something about Kanter.

Even if it was like this.

Go ahead and run that mouth again in this life, Marilen. Let's see what happens this time.

Riena's clear golden eyes darkened.

A luxurious white carriage rolled out through the palace gates.

Every so often, the carriage jolted.

And every time it did, Marilen's irritated shoes kicked at the floor.

"......"

She had pulled out every trick she knew to look beautiful.

And they'd said she wasn't pretty?

Not the dress.

Her face?

The humiliating fury made her blood rush backward.

"Marilen, did something happen?"

"No."

"Then why are you making that face?"

"Leave me alone!"

She turned sharply and stared out the window.

Her debutante was coming soon, and after that she'd have to start attending meetings meant to arrange her marriage.

Of course she was furious after being told to her face that she was ugly.

Damn Kanter. He's called a young lord and still humiliates me in front of everyone?

She bit her lip and clawed at her skirt.

Decorations from the dress scattered across the carriage floor.

"Oh my, stop that! Do you know how expensive this dress is?"

"Let go!"

She violently shook off Countess Nellian's hand.

The Countess finally lost her temper.

"What is wrong with you now?! Don't tell me you still haven't gotten over Caros. His family even lost their title. What's the point of clinging to old feelings now? I never liked the idea of marrying into Count Shilton's family anyway. A count? Honestly!"

Marilen's blue eyes widened sharply.

Every time Caros's name came up, her heart rang painfully, as though struck with a hammer.

"I-I already told you I understand! Stop talking about Caros! It's annoying...."

Only after hearing her sharp refusal did Countess Nellian smile in satisfaction.

Marilen and Caros had been especially close since childhood.

The Countess had thought her daughter wouldn't be able to let go easily.

Seeing Marilen cut him off so quickly made her proud.

"Yes, yes. Good. There are plenty of men in the world. Young Lord Kanter or the Grand Duke's heir would both be excellent choices, wouldn't they?"

Marilen recoiled and shook her head.

"Even as a joke, leave those two out!"

"Why? The Grand Duke's heir is from the north, so his territory is far from ours, but you'd become a Grand Duchess."

Marilen didn't even pretend to listen.

Countess Nellian showed no sign of stopping.

"Young Lord Kanter has plenty of rumors surrounding him, but the right to inherit the ducal title belongs to him anyway. Marry him and you'll become a duchess!"

Countess Nellian took her daughter's hand.

"Exactly. With our daughter's beauty, you shouldn't settle for becoming the wife of some mere count. A duchess is the minimum~!"

"......"

"And look at that irritating Countess Sertua. She bragged endlessly just because she gave birth to a son, and what did she raise him into? Someone who does nothing but swing a sword~? Tsk."

Marilen stared silently out the window while her mother continued chattering excitedly behind her.

If it's not Caros, they're all the same.

...If that's how it's going to be, I shouldn't settle for becoming some Grand Duchess.

I should aim for at least a queen.

"Oh dear, you must be exhausted, Your Highness. You're not sick, are you?"

Riena had never possessed much stamina to begin with.

And yesterday had been particularly brutal.

"My whole body aches."

"Pardon?"

"Huh? Nothing. Could you prepare my dress?"

"...Yes!"

Of course she was exhausted.

She'd spent the entire day being worn down by three different boys, and then Marilen had shown up on top of that.

Even Kanter, normally as harmless as a chick, had chattered without pause.

And because of that bright smile, Riena hadn't been able to bring herself to stop him.

He could have grown up this happy.

He had been such a kind child.

Just thinking about the damned Duke made her frown first thing in the morning.

This is all Duke Cartes's fault. Just wait until I catch you, bastard.

Throughout the funeral, Riena had searched for every rumor she could find about Duke Cartes.

It had all been useless.

Had he vanished into the sky?

Sunk into the earth?

"Haa...."

"Does your head hurt?!"

"No. I'm just tired."

"Just endure one more day! Once the coronation ends, everything should go back to normal."

Would things really go back to normal?

The fiancé from her previous life, whom she'd worked so hard to separate from herself, had returned.

Then there was Melance, who had been acting strangely for reasons she couldn't understand.

And Ruth, who sang songs of loyalty and dropped to one knee at every opportunity.

How was she supposed to separate all of them?

Her head throbbed.

Let's just get through the coronation first.

After changing clothes, Riena opened the heavy door.

Three pairs of eyes widened at once.

"Your Highness! Did you rest comfortably!"

"Your Highness, you're beautiful today too. Hehe."

"Let's go."

And of course, all three were giving one another sidelong looks.

Riena already felt exhaustion creeping over her again.

She stretched both hands out in front of her.

"Wait."

Silence fell.

Slowly, the three stopped.

"One at a time. Melance first!"

"I merely intended to escort you on the way."

"If anyone is escorting me, shouldn't it be me rather than Melance? Don't you think?"

"No. As always, I'm the one who should come to escort Your Highness."

Normally, Melance wouldn't even let anyone near him.

Now, of all times, he'd joined this chaos too.

The other two boys glanced toward him and muttered.

"As always...?"

"Alwaaays?"

Melance's cold violet gaze immediately swept toward them.

Both boys looked away at once.