Chapter 10
There had been several occasions when people who’d been running their mouths carelessly, unaware the princess was listening, belatedly discovered her and prostrated themselves flat in apology, but Diana didn’t particularly care.
She’d grown up not even knowing she was a princess in the first place. She knew even less about politics. The twenty-year-old princess, who had just emerged into the world outside the tower a mere three months ago, was only now barely learning to read and becoming familiar with etiquette.
‘It would be more ridiculous for someone like me to be interested in the throne.’
Though she wasn’t dim-witted—her speed in learning to read was fast—she never quite got used to royal etiquette. Due to habits ingrained over so long, she sometimes made mistakes that weren’t quite mistakes in front of people. Of course, Diana wasn’t intimidated by such minor slip-ups, but she thought it wasn’t entirely unreasonable for people to talk about him as the next king instead of the naive princess—the young and capable man.
‘Viern would rule the kingdom better than I would. He’s already doing it anyway.’
In truth, Diana’s head these days was filled with things far more important than the throne or the country. Things like: where was Viern and what was he doing right now, could she have dinner with Viern tonight, how could she get rid of that idiot Aisen’s face and spend time alone with Viern—more useful and practical thoughts like these.
Thus Diana could forgive with magnanimous generosity those who ran their mouths carelessly behind the princess’s back and then prostrated themselves flat.
And Viern Erkman had one other thing praised as much as his abilities—that face sculpted as if by God, and his large, sturdy body.
Diana recalled the man’s solid arms that had embraced her body when she first left the tower, and that large, thick body that had pressed against hers in the hot, humid bathtub. Until then, she’d thought all men were built like that, but meeting many people at the palace, she learned otherwise.
“Viern’s body is particularly good though.”
She was sitting absently with her elbow propped on the windowsill, muttering to herself in agreement with something she’d once overheard maids say in the corridor, when—
Below that window, she spotted Viern passing by. Her face instantly brightened. When expressionless, she had a somewhat sharp impression like a sulky kitten, but when she smiled brightly like this, her face became innocent and lovely, like that of an angel descended from heaven.
And the one who made her smile so beautifully was always the same person. Viern Erkman.
At some point, Diana’s eyes had begun constantly following him. When she smiled broadly and waved, Viern also noticed her and lazily curved his eyes, nodding his head. Though he sometimes treated her like a child, he was unfailingly courteous to her.
It was at that very moment Diana spotted the unfamiliar woman clinging to his arm. Her brow furrowed unconsciously.
“What’s wrong, Your Highness?”
Aisen, who had just entered the room, asked.
“Nothing, just…”
But Diana kept staring blankly at Viern and the woman clinging beside him as she answered.
“I feel strangely unpleasant.”
An uncomfortable feeling invaded her, as if something prickly had settled in her chest.
* * *
That evening, Diana asked while dining with Viern in the palace dining room.
“Who is that woman?”
“……?”
Viern’s hand, which had been gracefully cutting his steak, slowed. For Viern, who looked at her with a puzzled expression, Diana kindly explained.
“During the day, the woman walking with you in the garden. The brown-haired woman clinging to your arm.”
“Ah.”
Finally understanding her question, Viern answered in a composed voice.
“She’s the daughter of Count Huton. I’ve recently begun courting her.”
“Don’t see her. I don’t like you seeing other women.”
Diana didn’t even know exactly what “courting” meant—she simply found the fact that he was with another woman unpleasant.
However, instead of answering, Viern smiled lightly and lifted his water glass to wet his throat. He was always like that. When he didn’t want to give her the answer she wanted, he’d curve his lips lightly and just let it pass without a response.
In the end, unable to get the answer she wanted from Viern, Diana’s sulking led to wicked mischief.
Slap!
“Y-Your Highness…”
The woman who’d been slapped out of nowhere cupped her swelling cheek and looked up at her. The woman who’d been struck without knowing why was none other than the daughter of Count Huton, who had recently begun courting Viern.
“Wh-Why are you… Kyaaah!”
Diana didn’t give the woman a chance to speak and immediately grabbed her hair, shaking her roughly. It was somewhat violent treatment for a noble lady who’d grown up receiving affection in a count’s household all her life.
“Y-Your Highness the Princess!”
“Th-This person is the daughter of Count Huton, invited by Duke Erkman…!”
“So what?”
The shocked woman’s maids tried to stop the princess, but only fanned the flames further.
“Hey, you.”
The princess threatened the count’s daughter with speech fit for street thugs, glaring fiercely.
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