Chapter 47

Chapter 47

Had anyone ever dared tell the Grand Duke's heir no?

Even if such a person existed, there was no way they'd still have their life intact.

Melance gave a low scoff and stared at Kanter.

Yet Kanter showed no sign of backing down.

Instead, he held the tray properly and continued in a clear voice.

"If you keep acting like this...!"

He even put on a solemn expression, as though he had some incredible countermeasure prepared.

But there was no way such a cute threat would work.

Especially coming from that tiny fist and those baby-soft cheeks.

Kanter shouted desperately, but Melance ignored him and walked closer.

"I'll tell Her Highness the Grand Duchess!"

Click.

Through the hand-width gap in the door, a pair of pink eyes stared coldly at Melance.

Pale skin.

Loose black hair.

She looked like a ghost.

"!"

For the sake of his dignity, Melance somehow stopped himself from screaming.

Well....

His heart only felt like it had shriveled in pain.

His steps toward Kanter stopped.

Rather than stopping voluntarily, it was closer to fainting while still standing.

Completely unaware of what had just happened, Kanter firmly added,

"Until you're fully recovered, you can't take even one step outside! I can't disobey Her Highness the Grand Duchess's orders!"

As though deeply moved by Kanter's speech, the Grand Duchess quietly closed the door again.

She was simply pleased that he was taking care of things so well.

For Melance, however, it had been pure horror.

He grabbed the bedpost with one long arm and barely managed to sit on the edge of the bed.

Dizziness had risen suddenly, making it difficult to keep his balance.

Only then did Kanter's previously confident green eyes turn worried.

"Young Lord Melance! Are you okay? That's why you shouldn't skip meals. If this keeps up, we might never return to the palace for the rest of our lives...."

For the rest of their lives?

The back of Melance's neck prickled.

The horrifying thought that he might have to live with this little brat forever made him accept the pumpkin soup.

"I'll take care of eating properly, so stop chattering and leave the room."

"...But I'll only feel relieved after I watch you finish it."

Melance let out a sigh and growled under his breath.

Kanter merely looked at him with sparkling eyes.

He clearly had no intention of leaving.

A cough occasionally echoed through the large, luxurious bedroom.

The butler looked at the Grand Duchess with concern and handed her a warm cup of tea.

"This much is fine."

"...I'm still worried you'll strain yourself. You should remain in your bedroom and rest for a while. Though fortunately, His Highness the Grand Duke is expected to arrive soon...."

"Melance needs to return to the Imperial Palace before he gets here."

The butler slowly nodded, watching her anxiously.

If Grand Duke Jeremier found out what had happened, there was no telling what punishment he might give Melance.

The Grand Duchess was precious to him as his wife.

But Melance was just as precious as his son.

There was no way Jeremier would overlook Melance recklessly injecting pure mana into her.

"Um... Madam, is it really all right to leave the two young lords together like that?"

He was clearly referring to Kanter and Melance.

The servants had been warned to keep quiet, but that alone wasn't enough.

"Why wouldn't it be? He's polite and intelligent."

The Grand Duchess, whose complexion had noticeably improved over the last few days, sipped her warm tea and moved her pink eyes thoughtfully.

"...That is true, but...."

"Why? Because he's Duke Cartes's eldest son?"

The butler's eyes widened.

"Y-you knew?"

"How could I not recognize him when he looks so much like him?"

The Grand Duchess carefully set her teacup on the bedside table and let out a short sigh.

"What fault does a child have? If there's bad blood between our families, it should end with us. Letting it affect the children would be wrong."

"......I was foolish."

She met his eyes and smiled gently.

"You're the chief steward. You were only doing your duty. But...."

The Grand Duchess looked sadly at her faintly trembling hand.

"Please take care of Melance. Truly... take good care of him...."

"......"

The butler couldn't bring himself to speak.

Afraid of making a disgraceful scene, he pressed his lips tightly together.

The person who wanted to burst into tears here wasn't him.

It was the Grand Duchess.

"Still, I've already had more than enough. The doctors said I'd die at five. Then the next year. Then the year after that.... Yet I'm still alive, surrounded by love. How could I have any regrets?"

Her bright smile held more sweetness than bitterness.

A bittersweet sweetness.

"I won't be greedy anymore. I won't...."

The butler felt the strength leave his legs.

"P-please don't say that. There must be a cure. There has to be!"

The Grand Duchess paused.

Then, perhaps wanting to ease his heart, she slowly nodded.

"Yes. I hope so too...."

Her pink eyes turned toward the blizzard beyond the window.

Watching the endless snowfall, she smiled faintly.

Riena's movements had become noticeably sharper over the past few days.

They cut through the air with surprising precision.

She had practically lived in the training grounds without taking a single day off.

Of course, every morning and evening, there wasn't a single place on her body that didn't hurt.

But as the days passed, her skill grew like a snowball.

She was beginning to play with the sword rather than merely swing it.

"Your Highness, I'm deeply impressed that you've already learned how to use your body!"

Riena drained a cup of water in one go and looked toward Ruth.

"Use my body well?"

"Yes! Swordsmanship is similar to dancing. You need to know how to control your body before you can wield a sword safely and efficiently. It seems Your Highness has already grasped that."

"Is that so...?"

Trying to handle a sword through strength alone was foolish.

Sixty percent was strength.

The remaining forty percent was purely a battle of the mind.

Riena might lack physical strength, but when it came to thinking, she was confident.

Naturally, her skill had improved rapidly.

Teach Riena one thing, and she understood ten.

"Let's stop here for today. Want to go on an inspection?"

"...An inspection?"

Ruth's blue eyes widened.

An inspection?

He hadn't received any report about such a schedule.

As the very definition of a diligent knight, Ruth couldn't help being flustered.

"Rather than waiting until Melance returns, wouldn't it be better if we went ourselves?"

"But an inspection is dangerous in the current situation."

"Right. But I realized I'd forgotten something."

"What would that be?"

"There are more allies than enemies in the Cartes territory."

Riena's skin looked almost translucent under the sunlight.

Her smile shone even brighter.

Ruth's pale cheeks turned pink as he stared at her.

Was this what it felt like to stand before a beautiful baby goddess?

His blue eyes trembled faintly.

His heart tightened as though it might burst, and his lips went dry without him noticing.

"Just trust me. Nothing will happen."

There wasn't even magic in her words.

Yet a single sentence from Riena filled him with reassurance.

The moment the Imperial carriage entered the Cartes territory, the citizens recognized it and rushed over, cheering.

"Oh my, Your Highness must have suffered so much.... You've grown thinner."

"It must be because of what happened to the late Emperor. Sob...."

Several citizens wiped their wet eyes and looked at her with affection.

"Our Crown Princess will become a wise ruler!"

"She didn't forget us and came back. She'll definitely become a great ruler!"

The citizens couldn't stop showering her with praise.

Something tightened in Riena's chest.

She had only done what she was supposed to do.

Yet they were even shedding tears for her.

Strengthening her resolve once again, Riena entered the civilian firefighting office.

"Y-Your Highness the Crown Princess!"

"We greet Your Highness!"

The unexpected visit shocked them so badly their jaws nearly hit the floor.

One firefighter hiccupped.

Another trembled visibly.

Each reacted differently, but all stared at Riena in complete astonishment.

"I came because I have a favor to ask. Have you all been well?"

After greeting them, Riena looked around the office.

Equipment covered in ash lay scattered around as though it had been used only moments ago.

At a glance, everything seemed to be functioning properly.

"If you have a request, just leave it to us!"

The man who appeared to be the captain wasn't quite as large as Sir Antonio, but his booming voice made the room ring.

Ruth handed the posters he was carrying to one of the men.

"Put these up all across the Cartes territory. We absolutely need to find this man."

"Leave it to us! I don't know who the bastard is, but we'll definitely find...!"

His confident voice died in his throat.

The portrait on the poster was none other than Duke Cartes.

No matter how irresponsible a lord he'd been for abandoning the Cartes territory, this was a different matter.

Awkward silence filled the office.

"...Anyway, please put them up properly. All right?"

"...I-it's an honor, Your Highness!"

Riena swallowed the laugh threatening to rise and climbed back into the Imperial carriage.

At the same time, citizens began crowding together to read the posters.

[The Cartes territory has fallen into prolonged confusion due to the absence of its lord.... Therefore, Young Lord Kanter Cartes must inherit the title....]

"Hah, they still haven't found that damned Cartes?"

"Exactly. Damn him! If not for Her Highness the Crown Princess, our houses and mountains would've burned to the ground!"

"Let's find that rat ourselves!"

"Just let me catch him. I'll...."

Before the man even finished speaking, someone started smacking a heavy fist into his palm.

"For Her Highness the Crown Princess!"

The citizens nodded fiercely and even began cheering.

A pair of blue eyes watching the scene swallowed hard and hurried away from the crowd.