ㅤChapter 52
ㅤThe group, having finished their inspection of Crimguard Fortress, returned to the Imperial Palace after approximately half a year.
ㅤThe knights embraced each other, rejoicing at the safe return of their comrades, and Arnold and the chief retainers, who had been left in charge, breathed a sigh of relief. However――.
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ㅤ”……Huh? Your Majesty, where is Princess Ruby? She was in the same carriage, right?”
ㅤ”She got off as soon as we entered the castle grounds. She said she was going back to that log house.”
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ㅤArnold looked puzzled at Theodore’s gloomy face.
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ㅤ”It’s not like Her Highness to disappear like she’s running away. Did you two have a fight or something?”
ㅤ”No…… I have no idea what’s going on……”
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ㅤAlthough he said that, he had a pretty good idea. On the day they arrived at Crimguard Fortress, Ruby suddenly kissed him on the watchtower. She then turned bright red in surprise at her own actions and ran off, apologizing profusely, “I’m sorry! I’m sorry!”
ㅤIt’s been clear that she’s been avoiding him ever since. Whenever he tries to talk to her, she suddenly remembers something she has to do, saying, “Oh, I have to do that!” If they happen to run into each other within the fortress, she nimbly changes direction. Even in the carriage just now, she made up the baseless excuse, “I feel uneasy without Emma-san by my side!” and insisted on the three of them riding together.
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ㅤ”……What was that all about?”
ㅤ”What was what about?”
ㅤ”Well, I don’t really want to say……”
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ㅤTheodore’s close friend sighed deeply at his indecisive manner, as his face flushed red and then pale.
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ㅤ”――Anyway. It’s great that you returned safely, but you have a lot of work piled up, and improving your relationship with Princess Ruby is also an important task, so please take care of it. Also, a particularly troublesome matter came up yesterday――”
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ㅤHe held out the letter he had in his hand.
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ㅤ”A Belheim seal. What do they want now?”
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ㅤTheodore received the letter and casually opened it. His brow furrowed deeper and deeper.
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ㅤ”It’s about the dispatch of the Saintess. You see, it was one of the conditions of the reconciliation, wasn’t it? Under the paltry condition of one hour once a year, Princess Aquamarine is coming to our country.”
ㅤ”We don’t need it anymore, and I don’t want her to interact with Princess Ruby, so refuse it.”
ㅤ”I thought you might say that, so I told the messenger who brought the letter, but apparently, she had already left for Langley. She’s expected to arrive the day after tomorrow or the day after that. It’s all very sudden……”
ㅤ”Tch. That country’s typical high-handed way of doing things. I have a bad feeling about this.”
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ㅤHe thrust the letter back and started walking with a displeased expression. Arnold followed after him.
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ㅤ”It can’t be helped, so I’ll arrange for the minimum hospitality. Princess Aquamarine is a Saintess after all, so we can’t be openly rude to her.”
ㅤ”It can’t be helped. We’ll just have to try to get her to go home as soon as possible. ――Keep this from Princess Ruby. I don’t want to worry her unnecessarily.”
ㅤ”Understood. Well, it seems like something happened between you and Her Highness anyway, right? She probably won’t come to the castle. As long as she’s staying in the log house, it’s probably nothing to worry about.”
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ㅤTheodore frowned at the Prime Minister’s disagreeable tone, but he quickly switched gears and began to ponder Belheim’s unsettling movements.
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ㅤUpon returning to the log house, Ruby thanked her familiars who had been watching over the place and then began cleaning the dust-covered interior with a blank mind.
ㅤThere was a reason for her sudden burst of frantic activity as soon as she returned. Emma stopped sweeping and addressed her with a dumbfounded look.
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ㅤ”You’re worrying too much, Ruby-sama. It was just a kiss.”
ㅤ”Ju-just!? It’s not just anything! Oh dear, what have I done, being so bold with His Majesty the Emperor?”
ㅤ”His Majesty clearly adores you, Ruby-sama. Besides, you’re married, so there’s no problem.”
ㅤ”Is that so……? But he’s never said anything like that to my face……”
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ㅤ――『I love you』. She was no longer sure if what happened that night at the garrison was a dream or reality. She wished she could rewind time and check, but that would be incredibly embarrassing, so she didn’t want to remember.
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ㅤ”He-he just froze when I kissed him, and maybe he was disgusted by my indecent behavior……”
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ㅤTheodore had been completely motionless as if he had been petrified. Even when Ruby came to her senses and apologized, he just stood there with a bright red face, looking bewildered.
ㅤShe became terrified of what he might say, and she had been avoiding being alone with him ever since.
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ㅤ”So, Ruby-sama, do you intend to continue living in this log house?”
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ㅤEmma asked. Her question was whether it was okay for her not to live in the castle as the Empress.
ㅤAfter their journey, Ruby’s position had clearly changed. She had gone from being a figurehead to being indispensable to the country. Ruby herself was well aware of this, but――.
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ㅤ”……I understand that I should be at the castle. But please let me stay here for a little while longer until I can sort out my feelings. I’ll move there when I have the courage to face His Majesty.”
ㅤ”I understand…….It was a long journey. Let’s enjoy a slow life for a while and rest your body.”
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ㅤThat night, it was comforting to sleep in her own bed for the first time in a while.
ㅤHowever, the presence that had been in the next room for the past six months was no longer there. Realizing this, Ruby felt as if a hole had opened up in her heart.
ㅤEven though her body was exhausted like lead, she couldn’t fall asleep for a long time.
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