Chapter 31 - Chapter 31
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"Your Highness, welcome. It is an honor to have you."
"Ah, I'm relieved to see you looking well."
His Highness arrived with Cyril and his guards just as I finished my preparations. It had been some time since our last meeting, and weariness etched his features. The usual smile he wore felt strained, though perhaps it was merely my imagination.
"What brings you here so suddenly?" I asked.
"...I have urgent business in the neighboring Donatien Territory. Since the path leads through here, I decided to stay the night in Marcel Territory. I apologize for the short notice."
"Oh, I see. Please, do not trouble yourself. I am simply happy to see you."
Given his position, sudden travels across the kingdom were to be expected. The Lord of Donatien had recently become famous for his sudden prosperity. Was Louis investigating him, or had he already uncovered something? Considering the speed and the small size of his retinue, he was likely moving in secret.
Even so, he had gone out of his way to visit me despite his grueling schedule. His appearance was tidy, yet a closer look revealed the creases in his travel-worn clothes. He must have ridden for hours at a breakneck pace. Exhaustion bled through his expression.
A pang of guilt struck me for his effort, yet I could not deny the flutter in my heart at his presence.
"Where will you be staying? I can have a guest room prepared immediately."
"There is no need. Cyril has already arranged an inn."
"I see. Then, please, join us for dinner."
"...Very well. I would be honored."
The tension in his shoulders finally dissipated, replaced by a soft, genuine smile. I felt a wave of relief. He clearly needed a moment of peace. I would have to ensure a room was prepared for him to rest until dinner.
Oh, and I had to mention my mother.
"Normally, my mother would be here to greet you, but she is away in the neighboring territory today. Please accept my apologies."
"No, I am the one who intruded. Do not worry. Besides, your complexion has improved remarkably."
"Thank you. Since it has been so long, I have much I wish to tell you."
"Then I look forward to hearing your stories over dinner."
Louis reached out, his hand hovering tentatively before brushing against my cheek. As I looked up, my reflection shimmered in his eyes.
"I missed you, Rachel," he whispered, his voice thick with a sweet, gentle warmth.
My heart gave a heavy thud against my ribs.
Dinner was served. Normally, we would sit at opposite ends of the long table, but at Louis's request, I sat diagonally beside him. The proximity lent an air of intimacy to our conversation.
He listened with genuine interest as I spoke of the town and the market, occasionally asking questions that made for a pleasant meal. However, I caught him casting searching glances my way from time to time.
What is it he wants to ask?
After a brief silence, Louis stared down at the table, his expression hardening.
"I noticed a priest leaving the manor earlier..."
"Oh! That's right. I haven't told you the important news yet."
"Important news..."
I had mentioned visiting the orphanage in my letters, but I hadn't gone into detail. Recalling the children's faces, a small laugh escaped me. For some reason, Louis looked utterly stunned by my expression.
"Is what Theodore said true?"
"Theodore-sama? Did he say something?"
"That you... well... that you met..."
Met? What did Theodore-sama tell him? If he means meeting someone... it must be the market. Does he mean Mina?
"Are you referring to the market? Yes, it was by chance, but a connection grew from there, and I am truly glad it happened."
At my words, Louis's brow furrowed with a look of deep hurt.
"You are... glad?"
"Yes. As a result, I've been spending wonderful time with the children at the orphanage. I only teach them letters and read stories, so it isn't much, but still."
"That man... that priest. What is he to you?"
"Master Priest showed me the way. He gave me the courage to take the first step when I was too afraid to move forward."
"So he is someone important to you?"
Someone important?
It was true that without Master Priest, I wouldn't have found what I wanted to do. But 'important'? Louis had been speaking with such hesitation. What was he trying to get at?
"Master Priest is certainly, to me..."
"Enough! I've heard enough!"
I was about to say a person of great influence, but Louis's raised voice cut me off. I blinked in surprise, but Louis seemed just as shocked by his own outburst. He pressed a hand to his mouth, his face a mask of disbelief.
"Your Highness?"
"Forgive me. I didn't mean to startle you. But... I cannot bear to hear another word about that man from your lips."
"What?"
That man? Master Priest?
"Um, Your Highness? I think there is a misunderstanding..."
"I understand that he is important to you. But for now, you are my fiancée."
"Yes, of course."
Why was he suddenly bringing up the engagement? I couldn't follow the flow of the conversation at all. Was he... irritated?
"Please, look at me. I know that in the past, I was a fool who never tried to know you, who only saw you as a placeholder for a noblewoman."
"You are no fool... I have never thought that of you. I was the same, only looking at your surface. I ignored commoners and those with little mana. If anyone was a fool... it was me."
"But you have changed. I know I am no longer worthy of you. I know I cannot give you what you desire."
"That's not true! I am the one who is unworthy!"
Louis kept his eyes fixed on the table, speaking with a fragility that replaced his usual confidence. But to say he wasn't worthy...
I was the one ill-suited for the role of Crown Princess. In the kingdom he wished to build, I would surely be nothing but a burden.
"I'm sorry. I asked Roger about your life at the church. He told me that compared to your time in the capital, you've become bright, free, and full of life."
I had seen Louis and Roger walking together before dinner. They must have spoken then. So, even to Roger, I looked like I was enjoying my life here.
"Perhaps... that is true."
In the capital, I could hardly walk on my own. Here, I could walk through the crowds, along the shore, and through the fields by myself. The joy of doing what I thought was impossible, the joy of being needed—I felt it all here.
"And yet, I still wish to bring you back to the capital. I still wish to seat you in that suffocating chair as the Crown Prince's wife."
"Your Highness..."
My heart skipped a beat. He still wanted me as his fiancée. Hearing those words clearly for the first time made my pulse race.
I had to tell him... I had to say something.
But what?
What did I want to tell him?
Ignoring my confusion, Louis knit his brows and closed his eyes for a moment before standing up. With a look of profound regret, he spoke.
"Forgive me. I shall take my leave for tonight. If I stay any longer, I fear I might hurt you. I will... come by tomorrow before I depart."
I moved to see him out, but he stopped me with a gesture. "Stay here." He reached out toward me, but his hand faltered halfway. He stared at his own palm with a pained expression before pulling it back and turning away.
"...I understand."
I wondered if I should let him leave like this, but the words wouldn't come. I gave my consent, and Louis walked out quickly without looking back, his head bowed. I could only stand there and watch him go.