To Think, I’d Attain Such Happiness.
“Fufu………the jasmines are pretty today as well, no?”
The day after the birthday party, as promised, Lizbeth arrived at the Scorpion Palace, and was currently having tea with me in the garden.
In her white, slender ring finger, was a ring with a light blue gem embedded on it. The gift I gave her yesterday.
“Lady Lizbeth, you must be delighted. To receive such a fantastic present from Prince Rudolf, the person you had feelings for, for so long.”
“I am, indeed……..”
“With this, finally one weight has been lifted off my shoulders. After all, since your engagement was decided, all Lady Lizbeth did after every meeting with the Prince was to come crying to me, again and again. What a bother that was!”
“MAYA!?”
“A,ahahaha…….”
Seeing the interactions between Maya and Lizbeth, I could only give a strained laugh.
“B-by the way, you two seem, well, quite close but have you two always been like this?”
“More or less, yes……..even though I’m supposed to be her master, I wish she’d show at least a little bit more regard for me though……..”
“What are you even saying milady? Have you forgotten just how much trouble you have brought on my head over the years? Like that time when you were 9 years old when you wet th——“
“AAAAAAAA!? Just what are you saying out loud!!”
ohh………Lizbeth, she was wetting the bed even at nine years old………heh.
“P-Prince Rudolf, what Maya just said was a lie! Complete nonsense! Utter falsehoods!!”
“But it’s not though? There’s even more, like the time when you were ten and………”
“STOP IT ALREADY!?!”
Lizbeth desperately sealed Maya’s mouth, who was about to expose her even further.
Uwaah…….I suppose when a master and servant relation has existed for so long, your dark secrets are also much more likely to get exposed……….I should be careful too.
However.
“Ahahaha.”
Seeing those two like this, I couldn’t help but laugh because it was so enjoyable to watch.
Even if this may only be temporary, to think such peaceful days would come to my life. I could have never even hoped to imagine it.
“Mouu……….Prince Rudolf, you don’t need to laugh that much……..”
“Ahaha, sorry, sorry.”
Seeing Lizbeth pout like that, I could only smile wryly and apologize.
.
.
“So………Prince Rudolf, what do you plan on doing from here onwards?”
Unlike before, Lizbeth spoke with a very serious expression on her face.
By [here onwards], she’s almost certainly talking about what I, the bastard fourth prince, will do within this Imperial palace.
“………..It is, frankly speaking, painful to talk about this with Lady Lizbeth but, the entire reason why I asked the emperor for a fiancée was because I hoped to get some backing from an influential noble family.”
Yes………to me, who had no allies here, the fastest way to gain supporters was to bind myself in a pact of marriage with a young lady of a noble family.
Even if rotten, I was still the fourth prince so even at worst, so I figured I would still get a count or an earl household as a partner, and I would also manage to distance myself with the lady destined to assassinate me, aka Lizbeth.
Thinking back now, what would have happened if my partner had not been Lizbeth……….just the thought alone was terrifying.
“Prince Rudolf,……..you mustn’t think that way. It is only natural to come with such strategies to protect yourself, and furthermore, for you to ask the emperor for an engagement was a stroke of good luck for me as well.”
Because of my request, coincidentally……..no, miraculously, I was indeed able to get betrothed to Lizbeth but……..
“fufu, actually………”
Smiling, Lizbeth began to speak.
The moment she got the report from Maya that she had seen me with the gold coin that Lizbeth gave on that day, she was apparently already thinking of ways to set up a meeting with me.
Even if she wanted to use mere coincidence as an excuse to run into me, in the first place, Lizbeth didn’t really have any reason to come to the Imperial Palace, and she couldn’t use any parties as a pretence as well because of the failed poisoning attempt that happened recently.
And while she was fretting over what to do, the next report from Maya arrived.
And that was………..that I had requested the emperor to search for a fiancée for me.
In a panic, Lizbeth quickly convinced her father, Marquis Fahlcrantz, and named herself a candidate.
According to Maya’s whispers, she used her mother, the only person who the Marquis was always unable to refuse, to get her way.
“………and so, I was able to meet Prince Rudolf, and that’s how we reached to this point.”
“S-so that’s how it was……..”
Maya had seen me with the coin, and she obviously knew about my meeting with the emperor as well.
I suppose it’s only natural that Lizbeth would learn of it all as well.
However.
“Ah………….”
“Thank you, for asking for an engagement with me. Thanks to you, today I have achieved such happiness.”
I took Lizbeth’s hand, and once again spoke my honest words of gratitude.
Even more so, now that I have learned that it was no pure miracle, but had an even more incredible reason behind our meeting and engagement.
Today I know, that I my life was in fact quite a happy one indeed.
“Your highness as well, thank you so much for accepting me. Thanks to you, I too have achieved such great happiness.”
Our eyes met each other’s, and we smiled.
Relishing this sublime happiness, that couldn’t be achieved even with some simple miracle………..ah.
“ahem. Could you two please do all this when I am not around if possible?”
“”Ah……….””
Hearing Maya clear her throat as she glared at us both, we could only break into a wry smile.
Previous Chapter I ToC I Next Chapter
If you enjoy reading this novel, please support me on Ko-fi!