When the One-Sided Love Female Lead Loses Her Memory - Chapter 16

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“Get over there.”

She spoke icily and headed for the rowboat. She’d known from the very day he’d introduced himself as her knight that he was less a guard and more a spy planted by Viern. Still, the fresh wave of resentment was unbearable. With the full intent of tormenting him, she ordered him to take the oars instead of the boatman and was about to step onto the small craft.

“I have the honor of greeting Her Royal Highness, Princess Diana. I pray Laurelai’s blessing upon you.”

The very source of her bad mood today—the young lady of House Silberk—approached and initiated a greeting first.

“Yeah. Hi.”

In stark contrast to the woman’s flawless, textbook-perfect courtesy, Diana’s reply was utterly lifeless and indifferent.

“It seems you are about to go boating. I find myself alone now that His Grace has stepped away. Would it be acceptable if I accompanied Your Highness?”

“I don’t…”

As Diana began to refuse, a thought flashed through her mind.

‘No. If I say no, Viern will just take her boating alone when he returns. I can’t possibly stand by and watch that.’

Above all, boating alone with Viern was something even she hadn’t experienced yet. Rather than seeing the two of them together on the water, it was better to just share a boat with this woman herself.

“Fine, whatever.”

With a sulky nod, Diana stepped onto the boat. The two women sat facing each other across a small, low table on the craft as Aisen began to row.

As Diana absently sipped from her teacup, her gaze fell upon a familiar necklace.

‘Huh? That’s…’

Her eyelids fluttered slowly in recognition.

‘It has another owner.’

As I thought that, I remembered Viern, who had taken the box from me. She hadn’t paid much attention to his words at the time, but looking closely now, Sophia was wearing the necklace that had been inside that very box. As she stared blankly at it, Sophia, sensing her gaze, gave a smug smile and boasted.

“I received it from His Grace. It’s an heirloom passed down through generations of the Erkman Ducal household’s mistress. This morning, His Grace put it around my neck himself. He was so gentle.”

She deliberately feigned shyness, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. Diana bit down hard on the soft flesh inside her mouth and quietly observed Sophia’s exposed nape. This morning, did Viern’s hand brush against that skin? To fasten the necklace… he probably did. Close enough for his breath to reach….

As that thought took hold, a feeling of disgust began to writhe and crawl up from the depths of her core. Surely, he wouldn’t have… done anything else besides fastening the necklace?

“I would like to maintain a good relationship with you, Your Highness. After all, you and my ma… oh, I’m sorry. You and Duke Erkman are also quite close, aren’t you?”

Sophia covered the corner of her mouth with her hand as if she’d made a slip of the tongue and giggled. Diana’s eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly.

“I’m aware of the rumors going around. That you harbor feelings for my… for the Duke, and that you trouble the women who get close to him. It’s truly regrettable to think of the distress such groundless rumors must have caused you both.”

“……?”

Diana narrowed her eyes and stared at the other woman.

“But please don’t worry too much, Your Highness. If I get along well with you, then those baseless rumors will all stop…”

“They’re not baseless.”

Diana retorted in a flat, unimpressed tone.

“P-Pardon?”

“It’s true that I like Viern and that I torment other women because of it. Ruining your dress and breaking your carriage wheel—that was all me.”

At her blunt confession, Sophia’s face flushed a deep crimson.

“H-How could you do such a thing…!”

She had heard rumors that Princess Diana, unfamiliar with noble etiquette, would bluntly spit out what was on her mind without any sugarcoating, but she never imagined she would so casually admit to having feelings for a man with a fiancée. And to even confess that she was behind that suspicious string of misfortunes this morning…!

“That’s a criminal act…! I will inform my father and file a formal protest!”

“Go right ahead.”

In response to Sophia’s raised voice, Diana let out a derisive snort. What could a formal protest possibly achieve? At most, people would learn she’d ruined a dress and broken a carriage wheel, and she’d be subjected to a bit of gossip and scorn from the chatterboxes.

She had no honor to begin with. Other than the hollow title of Princess that Viern had given her, she had nothing. In other words, she had nothing to lose.

Moreover, she was acutely aware of her own value as the kingdom’s sole heir. Unless a hidden child of the bedridden king appeared, her life was more precious than anyone else’s in the kingdom. Most importantly, for Viern to maintain his power, her safety would be perfectly guaranteed. No matter what heinous acts she committed.