Itās the first time I see her from up close, but I wouldnāt mistake that Kingās Flower.
Despite the rumors of her feebleness, I found it a little strange that her complexion looks good and she seems extremely healthy, but nowās not the time for that.
Letās call out to her. Thinking so, I tightly clenched my fists, when having noticed me she called out this way.
āAra, if it isnāt Miss Charlotte?ā
āEhā¦ā
By no means expecting my name to be called, I solidified.
When she approached, she looked at me and nodded once.
āAh, you really are. Youāre Count Vidalās daughter, isnāt that right. Iām glad to meet you. What are you doing in such a place? Are you lost? But, I wouldnāt recommend going ahead. Beyond this point is the royalty quarterā
Sheād come from there herself, yet she said such a careless thing.
But, since she already bears the proof of the princess consort, she surely can go in and out as she pleases.
Finding it hateful, although I bit my lip in frustration, I still at least returned a greeting. Then, I fixed my eyes at her.
āLady Lidianaā¦ā
āNn? Whatās the matter? If youād like, Iāll send you back to a place youāre familiar with. The Count must be worried tooā
Without knowing my feelings, she said such a thing.
Do you mean to be kind. I wonāt be fooled , I clenched my firsts a little.
Thatās right. Few words. Didnāt I want to tell her few words.
This is a chance granted by God. Iāll never have such an opportunity again. Do what you have to do.
Be that as it may, what should I say.
Honestly, I hadnāt expected weād actually meet, so I didnāt think of anything. Think of something⦠And then one thing came to my mind.
Thatās right, Iāve heard she hardly attended the evening parties due to her feebleness.
Then, she shouldnāt know how Crown Prince had treated us.
If I teach her that and make her a little jealous, I might feel relieved.
I donāt think itās an amazing idea, but itās the best I can come up in an emergency.
From the start I thought itād be fine if I could give her few words, so itās enough. Having decided on that, I spoke to Lady Lidiana.
āLady Lidiana⦠are you aware? Before, Crown Princeā¦ā
āWhat I did, could you tell me that in detailā
I thought of saying how he had gently treated the showy beautiful women who surrounded him, but I was interrupted by a freezing voice.
When I reflexively turned my head, there was the person I tried talking about, Crown Prince, coldly glaring at me.
āCrown⦠Princeā¦ā
āGeh⦠Freedā
Overlapping with my mutter, Lady Lidianaās voice resounded.
In response to that voice, Crown Prince easily took his eyes off me, and his expression changed at once.
āLidi. Iāve finally found youā
A sweet voice that sends shivers down your spine. Its temperature is completely different from just before, I could only stare at Crown Prince.
Crown Prince ignored me, and walked straight towards her. He took her in his arms and as if to cut her off hugged her. At their sweet behavior like a pair of lovers, I opened my eyes wide.
āIāve been looking for you. Lidi. Really, how did you leave the room. I shouldāve told guards to tighten the securityā
āSecretā
She was blunt. Even though she was, Crown Princeās gentle expression didnāt break. He only let out a small breath.
āIt canāt be helped, huh. Hey, weāre turning to my room. But, why did you leave behind such a letter. Iād said you can do as you please, so donāt worry meā
āIād properly said Iād remain in the castle, didnāt I⦠You wonāt do it anymore?ā
When he tilted her head at being rebuked in a whisper, Crown Prince wryly smiled.
ā⦠Itās Lidiās fault for being so cuteā
āI donāt care. Freed, even though you said you wonāt do it anymore today, youā¦ā
āSorry. Itās because what Lidi was saying was too cute. And, so you got angry and left?ā
āā¦ā
I donāt understand what Lady Lidiana is talking about with a standoffishly averted face, but I could tell apparently Crown Prince has done something to displease her.
I could only be surprised by the surprising power relationship.
āMy bad. I promise not to do it anymore today, so cheer upā
ā⦠Truly?ā
āI promiseā
āNn⦠Then letās go backā
What was I made to witness.
Crown Prince and Lady Lidianaās sweet dialogue is jaw-dropping.
In the first place, the distance between them is too close. As they whispered to each other at the distance where their lips almost touched, they were like a pair of lovers in their honeymoon period.
Touching her cheek, Crown Prince gazed at her with eyes tinged with charm.
What is this corny sweet space. Was Crown Prince such a person?
The way of talking too, itās way too different from Crown Prince that I know.
While I was dumbfounded, Crown Prince turned to me, and said as if he remembered.
āA moment ago, I heard something interesting. What was that about me? Can you once again tell the story from the beginning?ā
āā¦ā
His expressions changed in an instant, as Crown Prince stared at me, my voice wouldnāt come out.
⦠Scary.
I canāt help but find the sharp glint of his eyes directed at me frightening.
The chill of his perfect beauty pierced through me.
Before I knew it, my body was shivering from Crown Princeās sharp expression.
⦠I donāt know such Crown Prince.
Who I knew had always been kind and gentle, treated everybody equallyā¦
He would never direct such a frightening face at me.
āIām not a patient person. Youāre Count Vidalās daughter, huh. If you say nothing, I will ask him laterā
ā!!ā
I became flustered as Fatherās name came out. Even though I had no intention of bothering Father.
Itāll turn out awful if things continue like this. While affected by His Highnessās heavy aura I paled, unable to say anything, a helping hand was extended to me. Rebuking refreshing voice resounded.
āFreed. Miss Charlotte is frightenedā
Who forced her way between me and Crown Prince was Lady Lidiana, who from some time ago had been hugged by him. Before I realized she shook free from Crown Princeās arms and covering me with her back was glaring at him.
Having such eyes pointed at him, Crown Prince looked troubled.
āLidiā¦ā
āI donāt know what she was trying to say, but I said I donāt particularly mind that sort of thing, right? Donāt threaten this younger girl. She should only be 16. Hey, Miss Charlotte. Are you alright? Itās okay. We wonāt talk to your fatherā
āIs⦠is it trueā
Unconsciously, I looked at Lady Lidiana as if clinging to her kind words.
To such me, Lady Lidiana nodded āYeahā.
āItās not such a big deal, in the first place you havenāt done anything yet, have you. Freed, donāt do such thingsā
āI only frightened her a little. Itās not like I was seriousā
As Crown Prince answered, Lady Lidiana looked at him with suspicion and let out a breath.
āIām saying youāre overdoing it⦠Ah, it mustāve been scary. Youāre trembling so much. Come, Iāll send you back, so better return quickly. Forget about today. Okay?ā
As Lady Lidiana said it gently, my tears overflowed.
She should be more slender than me, and yet when she covered me with her back I was very relieved for some reason.
She, who was thoughtful of me, looked very cool, unconsciously I became spellbound.
What a⦠what a cool lady.
She protected me who had tried something unpleasant, furthermore she stood ground against Crown Prince.
Nobody else can do it. Only Lady Lidiana can.
At that moment I awakened.
I would have never thought Lady Lidiana is such a wonderful person.
Truly, what a foolish thing I tried to do.
I canāt forgive my past self who had wanted to say few words to such a wonderful lady.
Crown Prince already doesnāt matter.
All of my attention focused on Lady Lidiana, who looked at me with a smile.
ā⦠Onee-samaā
āEhā¦?ā
Unconsciously, my voice came out. And, I understood that my chest throbbed at that sound so much I couldnāt put it into words. Onee-sama. Thatās right, itās a perfect word for Lady Lidiana.
With a smile filling my face, I jumped at Onee-sama.
āOnee-sama! Thank you. I will follow Onee-sama for my whole life!!ā
āEeh!?ā
When I embraced her dainty back, Onee-sama staggered.
Crown Prince, who was near, caught her in his arms, and tried to separate her from me.
However, I wonāt lose.
ā⦠What does it meanā
The cold voice doesnāt disturb me anymore. I raised my face and standoffishly ignored him.
āItās unrelated to Crown Prince. I am talking to Onee-samaā
āHey⦠how did it become this way?ā
Caught between me and Crown Prince, Onee-sama made a confused expression.
Such a face also looks very sweet, as expected Onee-sama is the only person who can make my heart beat fast.
āOnee-samaā¦ā
āMiss, Miss Charlotte? To say Onee-sama, what in the worldā¦ā
āMissā. I want to be called more intimately, not with such a formal title. With this feeling I appealed to Onee-sama.
āPlease call me Char. Onee-sama. I fell in love with Onee-samaās coolness! I want to become close by all means!ā
āEh⦠Eeh!?ā
āWhat a foolish thingā¦ā
Disturbing the blissful time with Onee-sama, Crown Prince looked hateful.
At this point, I donāt think anything of his beautiful face, or his voice lowered in displeasure. Looking at Onee-sama, my heart beats greatly.
In the first place, such a narrow-minded man doesnāt suit Onee-sama. Even now this man is nothing but displeased by me hugging Onee-sama.
As I collected myself and recalled the earlier conversation, I noticed this man showed awful obsession with Onee-sama. After all the rumors that Crown Prince is a virtuous person were just rumors.
Thatās right, even if heās the crown prince, such an inflexible man doesnāt suit Onee-sama.
Older, more mature man suits Onee-sama.
For example⦠Right, that gentlemanā¦
During the evening parties when she rarely appeared, the rumors have it heād always been with herā¦
āRather than Crown Prince, Lord William is a much better match for Onee-samaā
ā⦠What was that?ā
I felt the surrounding air shake.
Onee-sama, who had distanced herself from us before I realized, for some reason was greatly perplexed.
āUwaah, a land mineā¦ā
As Onee-sama muttered with a face as if the world was ending, Crown Princeās eyes glazed. Not quite understanding the situation, I tilted my head.
ā⦠William suits Lidi more than me? Hee? What in the world would make you think so, might I hear the reasonā
āMagician Division Commander, Lord William is a person famous for his gentle and virtuous character. There is no problem with his pedigree or ability. I think that sort of adult gentleman suits Onee-sama more than Crown Princeā
As I loudly declared, Onee-samaās face stiffened more and more.
Crown Prince hung his head⦠and laughed with eerie calm.
āI see⦠Incidentally, whose opinion is that? Itād be unbelievable, but itās not the rumor inside the Royal Palace, is it?ā
As the gaze Crown Prince fixed on me made me want to reflexively prostrate, I desperately answered.
For the sake of Onee-sama who protected me, I canāt lose here!
I didnāt notice Onee-samaās face was turning more and more grim.
āLord William being a wonderful person is an opinion shared by every young lady. Moreover, itās a famous story that Lord William had been the only one to escort Onee-sama. Itās not strange for such a rumor to appearā
ā⦠Hmph. It seems Iāll need to investigateā
Hearing the disquieting voice that made no attempts to hide his displeasure, for some reason Onee-sama cowered with āHiiā.
When she tried to secretly leave the spot, she was caught by Crown Prince.
He has a frightful smile.
āWhere are you going. Lidiā
āN, no. Anywhereā¦. Hey, let goā
āItās unthinkable, but you arenāt possibly going to Willās place, are you?ā
āI, Iām not. Thereās no way I wouldā
āI love Lidi more than anyone. From now, Iāll love Lidi enough to erase such a foolish rumorā
After all it turned out like that , with that Onee-sama dropped her shoulders. Still, with a miserable face she said.