With Royal Crest inconspicuously engraved on it, a black carriage used for travelling incognito was advancing towards the royal capital.
Inside the carriage ── looking at Anna who was sitting across him with a sour look, Alberto sighed.
“Why must even I go and show him around…… For the likes of someone that doesn’t even know any manner like him……”
“──just endure it”
Being flatly told off, Anna’s face reddened. She glared at Alberto and wailed.
“Onii-sama might not know it, but that man, do you know what he said when he greeted me? He said that I have a [strong look], you know……! Isn’t it so rude to be saying that towards a lady! No, even before a lady, to dare saying that towards the Noin Kingdom’s Princess, his rudeness really knows no bounds……!”
Yeah, that’s certainly impolite, he responded inside his mind and coldly looked outside the window.
Even while complaining, the reason Anna went with Alberto to the royal capital was solely for Tobias.
Tobias visited Noin Kingdom three days earlier that the schedule, and on the next day he spoke of his desire to have a field trip around the royal capital. Since his visit was not according to the plan, actually Alberto had wanted to let them spent two days within the Royal Palace, nevertheless it was impossible to bluntly turn down the guest’s wish.
Moreover, that man perhaps had his own consideration, since he arrived earlier than the schedule, it might be hard for Tobias to take Alberto’s time. In exchange, it’s fine if the little sister becomes the guide instead──he said.
It wasn’t like Alberto didn’t think why Tobias had his sister became the guide, however just to be sure, he tried to confirm it once to Anna herself. Will you be the guide, the moment she was asked that, Anna replied immediately.
[──Although it may be right that onii-sama is busy, did he just one-sidedly decide that Anna is not busy!? Even making fun of me has its limit……!]
Looking at Anna who unusually got emotional, Alberto remembered the slight uneasiness he had.
It was his first time to see Anna opposing someone to this extent.
Isn’t this usually a sign of it turning into love──? thus Alberto held a strange concern that was unlike his usual self.
Perhaps it was because the memory of his sister’s unusual gaze when looking at Marx was engraved vividly in his mind.
──There’s no way someone like Marx would be your partner, right? Rather, since it seems like it would be troublesome, don’t fall in love──! was the thought he had the other day.
For Alberto who ended up being aware of his sister’s romance, it was not just Marx, even Tobias had become the target of his suspicion.
Starting from opposing him, then knowing his unexpected side and falling in love──. For Anna that doesn’t have immunity towards this kind of thing, it might be possible ── he thought.
I will absolutely never accept Tobias as my brother-in-law ── finding his resolution, Alberto told Tobias that just as planned, the guide would be him.
At that moment, Tobias replied [Then, will I be able to meet Christina-dono again? However, for a woman alone with two man, she’ll surely be anxious, so how about Her Highness Anna also go with us?]
──I didn’t say that I’ll invite Christina. Rather, I don’t even want to show my fiancée to you ever again.
Although his inner heart answered as such, it was still a guiding for a prince despite it being an unofficial one. This time I should just act according to the custom and go together with myfiancée, as Alberto reluctantly responded to Tobias’ request.
The reason Alberto was being blunt to his sister was because he didn’t have any speck of enthusiasm about this trip as well.
Today, it was decided that they would meet Christina at the place of destination.
Alberto recalled the event happening yesterday, after Tobias’ arrival──
.
Even after being told an extremely rude things like [pre-owned][1], the kind hearted Christina didn’t say any complaint to Alberto.
[pre-owned] contained the meaning of a woman who had already been defiled, which was a very insulting remark.
For someone like Christina who kept her purity despite being engaged to Alberto, that humiliation was surely intolerable.
Nevertheless, she kept waiting inside the room when Alberto came back after leading Tobias to his guest room. And then, she verified Tobias’s plan for the next day.
Ever since receiving Marx’s request, it had been decided that he would act together with Christina in dealing with Tobias, however, still, it was not strange for her to go home after experiencing that kind of situation.
I really don’t want to let that impudent Tobias to meet with my fiancée again, Alberto who thought so asked, do you want to be the guide together? If she were to say no, he thought that it was fine for him to do it by himself.
As for Christina, when she was asked, she blinked repeatedly as if feeling confused, and easily said [yes].
Having asked the King and Queen, I’ve promised that we’ll deal with Tobias together so isn’t it obvious?, Alberto smiled to that response of her.
Even though when she was still a child she would just say selfish things and troubling me,Alberto recalled the nostalgic olden days.
Suddenly visiting the Royal Palace and pleading him with sparkling eyes, let’s go somewhere together!, his adorable fiancée. When Alberto refused with a troubled look, she would be sad and dejected, and this young princess of him changed each day in order to become the queen.
Recently she didn’t say any selfish things at all, and had seemed to completely become an understanding woman.
[It’s okay if you throw a tantrum if you don’t like it, just like in the olden days, you know?]
Wanting to spoil her, he deliberately urged her, then she laughed as her cheeks blushed.
[I’m not a child anymore]
[You won’t say any spoiled request to me anymore?]
He stretched his arm and had her settled completely within his embrace. When Alberto hugged her, Christina embarrassedly casted her eyes down and answered mischievously.
[That spoiled request, I’ll save it for when I really want to say it]
Thinking that it was unexpected, Alberto looked down, and at the same time Christina looked up to him and smiled. Her eyes that stared back at Alberto, were sparkling just like in the olden times.
Although she had grown, she was just like before, Alberto’s adorable fiancée. It was just that she became a little bit better at putting up a front.
[Fuun? Then, when you say that spoiled request, I definitely must fulfill it]
Since that spoiled request has especially been reserved after all, when he laughed and said that, Christina delightfully, bashfully smiled.
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“──Onii-sama, did you hear what I said? Anna thinks that that man has a problem! Why would he say everything so arrogantly?”
Called by his sister, Alberto’s consciousness returned to the reality.
Anna was talking to him with her eyebrows raised up and her body bended forward.
The little sister who was being as selfish as she like, looked a little like the previous Christina. Christina was hundreds times cuter, though.
Alberto sighed and rested his chin in one hand.
“Since he’s from a different kingdom, it can’t be helped. No matter what kind of attitude he has, you, as the princess of Noin Kingdom just has to act in a manner that befits your status. Don’t get caught up in your emotion”
Anna, after being ignored for a while, pouted and kept glaring at Alberto.
“That kind of thing, I already know it…… What, I bet you were just thinking about Chris onee-sama, right?”
“……”
Although it wasn’t wrong that Alberto was thinking about her, it wasn’t like he purposely ignored Anna.
As he kept silent and looked back at Anna, she pouted and looked outside the window.
“Onii-sama and onee-sama always think of Anna as secondary! If only there’s someone who would think of Anna as the number one……!”
Of course their parents are thinking of Anna as the number one, however in this case, she seemed to mean someone else beside their parents.
“……that is the role for your future husband, isn’t it? Just endure it for a little longer”
“──“
There was still two years until her society debut, so the meeting between Anna and other youths would need to wait for a while.
He answered it casually, but Anna had a blank look when looking back at Alberto.
“What do you mean by a little longer?”
“No, there’s nothing”
There really was no other meaning. However Anna blinked repeatedly and had a puzzled expression.
Alberto frowned.
“Why are you making such a weird expression? Isn’t it obvious that you’ll get married in the future? Since you’re the princess after all”
Even throughout the history, there had been no princess that didn’t get married.
Needless to say, Anna who should have understand it covered her mouth and sank into silence.
──Did I say something wrong?
Alberto crossed his legs and once again looked outside the window listlessly.
The place Tobias had appointed to be inspected first was the pride of Royal Capital Loewe, Leuchtturm Park. There was a cathedral in the center of the park, while commercial establishments and the likes are surrounding it.
Being the most crowded park in the Royal Capital, it couldn’t be helped that it attracted attention.
For the meeting with Christina, they promised to meet her in front of the cathedral. When seeing her in front of a cathedral, it seems as if we’re coming for a preliminary inspection for our wedding ──
Although it was at this late hour, realizing that it was the church where they would held their wedding ceremony, Alberto instinctively broke into a grin.
If only we could just hold our wedding just like that──
Alberto who carefreely had that kind of delusion, didn’t realize how Anna’s face was becoming stiffer after seeing that sloppy face of him.
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Getting off from the carriage, Christina looked over the park from the Cathedral’s stairs as if being invited by the gentle wind.
The sky was clear, and pleasant cool breeze was flowing. Matching up with Noin Kingdom’s prosperity was the bustling traffic of people and carriages, as well as the lively voices of merchant that were pleasant to the ears.
There were plenty of ladies in multicolored dresses walking around the park, as well as the young men who were searching for the chance to call out to them.
Wishing to have an inspection incognito, Tobias would be coming from the Royal Palace together with Alberto. As for Christina who had arrived earlier, she being clung on by the weeping Anna was something that happened a few minutes later.
“──onee-sama, perhaps, I’ll be made to take on a political marriage……!”
Anna jumped out while saying so when Alberto went to Tobias’ carriage and said something to him as he came out from the carriage.
Although it might seem only as a hug in front of the Cathedral’s door, Christina was surprised and looked at their surroundings.
“Oh my, why so suddenly?”
It was because the unreliable information about the princess scheduled to have a political marriage might be heard by someone.
Despite being in panic, Anna responded to Christina’s voice and spoke dejectedly.
“You see, when I rode the carriage with onii-sama just now, we had a talk…… Then onii-sama talked as if I’ll soon get married…… っ“
“……oh my”
Although Christina didn’t feel like affirming it, but as she didn’t have any material to be used for denying it, she could do nothing but gave a vague response.
Anna appealed to Christina while trembling in tears.
“I’m sure there’s a talk with another country’s prince or something like that……っ That’s why onii-sama suddenly told me to study abroad……っ“
“……but, studying aboard for that……”
When thinking about it, even though studying abroad could be done in any country, there was no need for Anna to go abroad in other country for the sake of study. Although there might be some fields that Noin Kingdom was weak at, like Marx who moved to the neighboring kingdom, those were fields intended for men. For Anna, royal tutor should suffice, thinking so, Christina deemed that the talk about studying abroad must be something that Alberto talked arbitrarily.
Anna who kept on thinking over by herself went pale. Holding her mouth with her trembling palm, she muttered in a voice as if it was the end of the world.
“──if it’s Prince Tobias, what should I do……”
Hearing the talk jumped into a crazy conclusion, Christina eyes turned into dots.
Be made to marry ── There’s a marriage proposal from other country’s prince ── That’s why he said to go study abroad ── in other words, it was marriage proposal from the neighboring kingdom’s prince, Tobias.
When lining up the flow of the talk it might seem plausible, however it was difficult to imagine the King and Queen who loved Anna that much to advance the talk just like that without telling her anything.
When Christina tried to calmly interject her, a disturbing voice of a young man cut through.
“──is there something about me?”
Anna startledly turned around, and Christina looked up. Tobias came together with Alberto and went up the stairs, while having a happy face as he looked at Anna. As for Alberto, his face seemed to express his dubiousness.
“Aa……no……there’s nothing……”
Anna who was on the verge of crying, perhaps didn’t want her face to be seen as she quietly answered while looking down. She then gave a courteous bow. Seeing that response of her, Tobias raised the corner of his lips.
“What happened? Today you don’t seem to have any vigor like you had yesterday”
Although Anna hung her head down and tried to let it go past just like that, somehow the talk continued and she realized she couldn’t just kept staying like that. With teary eyes, Anna looked up to Tobias.
“……Yesterday, it was only because I was startled. Here, how about looking inside?”
“──……“
Looking at Anna’s face, Tobias took a breath and suddenly stopped moving. Something might have happened since he kept staring at Anna while still having that arrogant smile on his face.
Anna blinked repeatedly in bewilderment, and Alberto too looked at Tobias suspiciously.
It was only Christina, who somehow had a bad hunch, that took a step forward.
“Your Highness Tobias, here, feel free to go into the Cathedral. There is the biggest stained glass within the Kingdom inside”
Leaving the Crown Prince and the Princess and walking ahead was the first for Christina, however it was needed in order to break the atmosphere within that place.
Although she usually confronted others like a childish princess, but Anna in her own way had also grown to be a young lady. Despite her tendency to speak and act in a vigorous way. When she kept silent, she looked like a considerably proper lady.
Priding herself in her immense popularity within the high society, Alberto’s little sister. Naturally, the appearance of the thirteen years old self still had a trace of the child she once was, yet she also exuded the beauty brought about by her growth period.
As if plucking it off, Tobias averted his eyes from Anna and turn to Christina.
“It is so, isn’t it?”
Perhaps because he was in front of Alberto, he spoke politely. Christina was relieved as she wasn’t being told something in a manner like the previous day.
“By all means, please”
Hearing Christina’s voice, the attendants opened the door to the Cathedral.
Tobias followed after Christina who volunteered to be the guide and took a step towards the Cathedral. However, just before he entered the Cathedral, he suddenly turned around to Anna who followed him from behind.
“?”
Anna tilted her head in confusion, as he raised the corner of his mouth with sparkling eyes.
“……if I’m not wrong, it seems Your Highness Princess often exchanged letters with Marx, is that not so?”
Hearing that question, Christina immediately turned around. I can’t let Anna answer that, was what she thought, but Anna honestly nodded.
“……Yes. I sometimes exchanged letters with Marx”
Tobias grinned.
“In this country, is an exchange of letters between man and woman not something that has a special meaning?”
Anna blankly stared, as Alberto immediately interjected between the two with a smile.
“No, well, although it was embarrassing. Since before, my sister and Marx have a sibling-like relationship, so she was like a little sister who couldn’t part with her older brother”
“……onii-sama?”
Anna knitted her eyebrows and looked at Alberto.
Her expression seemed trying to tell that she was not thinking of Marx like an older brother. For a maiden in love, it was certainly an unpleasant remark after all. For her, Marx was not an older brother. Surely he was someone so precious, someone she really liked.
Although Christina understood Anna’s feeling, she also panics and entered the conversation.
“You are right. Since our childhood we have spent time like siblings after all, somehow the sense of distance between us seems to get out of order”
“……”
With a look as if not understanding a thing, Anna looked back at Christina.
This, perhaps, could be the preliminary investigation by Tobias. Since Tobias had an exchange with Marx, he knew that there was an exchange of letters between Marx and Anna. If their relationship was proved to be a romantic one, then it could be considered that the engagement with Irene was only a pretense.
The reason they received Tobias this time was in order to protect Irene. We must not confuse our purpose, as Christina and Alberto were both full of smiles.
Looking at Anna who was the only one to not understand anything, Tobias meanly laughed.
“I see. You really seem like a pure princess indeed. ……Will milady also have your wedding here in this Cathedral?”
Anna confusedly blinked, as Alberto who was behind her immediately sharpened his gaze.
“……no.Wedding plan……I’m still not……”
Perhaps Anna started to imagine the thing she was worrying about until just before, about the marriage with Tobias, as she cut her sentence in the middle of answering and once again teared up.
──Aah! You can’t, Anna-sama……!
Inside her mind, Christina yelled at her future sister.
Lowering her eyebrow weakly, the Princess who was on the verge of crying, showed a sweet, lovely side of her that was 180 degree different from the day she and Tobias first met.
Tobias stared at Anna’s face and laughed.
“……I see”
He only said those words, and turned to Christina.
Even in Noin Kingdom, frequent exchange between man and woman did have a special meaning to it. However, whether Anna was in a romantic relationship with Marx was still not clear. Then she somehow, showed a side of her that was different from the one she had during their first meeting, she turned into a pure, innocent princess──
It was not hard to imagine that the impression Marx had about Anna was like that.
──I definitely don’t want to give Anna to someone like you
Christina who had known the princess since little, was wishing for a happy future for Anna. And it was hard to say that Tobias was someone who was able to bring that happy future to Anna.
Urged with personal feelings, Christina sharply looked at Tobias, while he just returned it with friendly smile.
“Then, please let me see, the Cathedral that milady and Your Highness Alberto are planning to have your wedding at”
With empty threat and satisfied laughter, his eyes were glowing quietly just like a predator that had found its prey.
Christina worriedly looked back. Alberto sighed while patting Anna’s head, and combed her glossy black hair with his fingers.
As for Anna, she just looked up at her worried brother’s face with an expression that seemed to show her complete lack of understanding about everything.
[1]previously I used “a foul”, but since it didn’t fit the description below, I thought maybe changing the word would be better. I’m thinking of [pre-owned] or [second-hand]. Which is better? or maybe other better term? I’ve updated the previous chapter too
With Royal Crest inconspicuously engraved on it, a black carriage used for travelling incognito was advancing towards the royal capital.
Inside the carriage ── looking at Anna who was sitting across him with a sour look, Alberto sighed.
“Why must even I go and show him around…… For the likes of someone that doesn’t even know any manner like him……”
“──just endure it”
Being flatly told off, Anna’s face reddened. She glared at Alberto and wailed.
“Onii-sama might not know it, but that man, do you know what he said when he greeted me? He said that I have a [strong look], you know……! Isn’t it so rude to be saying that towards a lady! No, even before a lady, to dare saying that towards the Noin Kingdom’s Princess, his rudeness really knows no bounds……!”
Yeah, that’s certainly impolite, he responded inside his mind and coldly looked outside the window.
Even while complaining, the reason Anna went with Alberto to the royal capital was solely for Tobias.
Tobias visited Noin Kingdom three days earlier that the schedule, and on the next day he spoke of his desire to have a field trip around the royal capital. Since his visit was not according to the plan, actually Alberto had wanted to let them spent two days within the Royal Palace, nevertheless it was impossible to bluntly turn down the guest’s wish.
Moreover, that man perhaps had his own consideration, since he arrived earlier than the schedule, it might be hard for Tobias to take Alberto’s time. In exchange, it’s fine if the little sister becomes the guide instead──he said.
It wasn’t like Alberto didn’t think why Tobias had his sister became the guide, however just to be sure, he tried to confirm it once to Anna herself. Will you be the guide, the moment she was asked that, Anna replied immediately.
[──Although it may be right that onii-sama is busy, did he just one-sidedly decide that Anna is not busy!? Even making fun of me has its limit……!]
Looking at Anna who unusually got emotional, Alberto remembered the slight uneasiness he had.
It was his first time to see Anna opposing someone to this extent.
Isn’t this usually a sign of it turning into love──? thus Alberto held a strange concern that was unlike his usual self.
Perhaps it was because the memory of his sister’s unusual gaze when looking at Marx was engraved vividly in his mind.
──There’s no way someone like Marx would be your partner, right? Rather, since it seems like it would be troublesome, don’t fall in love──! was the thought he had the other day.
For Alberto who ended up being aware of his sister’s romance, it was not just Marx, even Tobias had become the target of his suspicion.
Starting from opposing him, then knowing his unexpected side and falling in love──. For Anna that doesn’t have immunity towards this kind of thing, it might be possible ── he thought.
I will absolutely never accept Tobias as my brother-in-law ── finding his resolution, Alberto told Tobias that just as planned, the guide would be him.
At that moment, Tobias replied [Then, will I be able to meet Christina-dono again? However, for a woman alone with two man, she’ll surely be anxious, so how about Her Highness Anna also go with us?]
──I didn’t say that I’ll invite Christina. Rather, I don’t even want to show my fiancée to you ever again.
Although his inner heart answered as such, it was still a guiding for a prince despite it being an unofficial one. This time I should just act according to the custom and go together with myfiancée, as Alberto reluctantly responded to Tobias’ request.
The reason Alberto was being blunt to his sister was because he didn’t have any speck of enthusiasm about this trip as well.
Today, it was decided that they would meet Christina at the place of destination.
Alberto recalled the event happening yesterday, after Tobias’ arrival──
.
Even after being told an extremely rude things like [pre-owned][1], the kind hearted Christina didn’t say any complaint to Alberto.
[pre-owned] contained the meaning of a woman who had already been defiled, which was a very insulting remark.
For someone like Christina who kept her purity despite being engaged to Alberto, that humiliation was surely intolerable.
Nevertheless, she kept waiting inside the room when Alberto came back after leading Tobias to his guest room. And then, she verified Tobias’s plan for the next day.
Ever since receiving Marx’s request, it had been decided that he would act together with Christina in dealing with Tobias, however, still, it was not strange for her to go home after experiencing that kind of situation.
I really don’t want to let that impudent Tobias to meet with my fiancée again, Alberto who thought so asked, do you want to be the guide together? If she were to say no, he thought that it was fine for him to do it by himself.
As for Christina, when she was asked, she blinked repeatedly as if feeling confused, and easily said [yes].
Having asked the King and Queen, I’ve promised that we’ll deal with Tobias together so isn’t it obvious?, Alberto smiled to that response of her.
Even though when she was still a child she would just say selfish things and troubling me,Alberto recalled the nostalgic olden days.
Suddenly visiting the Royal Palace and pleading him with sparkling eyes, let’s go somewhere together!, his adorable fiancée. When Alberto refused with a troubled look, she would be sad and dejected, and this young princess of him changed each day in order to become the queen.
Recently she didn’t say any selfish things at all, and had seemed to completely become an understanding woman.
[It’s okay if you throw a tantrum if you don’t like it, just like in the olden days, you know?]
Wanting to spoil her, he deliberately urged her, then she laughed as her cheeks blushed.
[I’m not a child anymore]
[You won’t say any spoiled request to me anymore?]
He stretched his arm and had her settled completely within his embrace. When Alberto hugged her, Christina embarrassedly casted her eyes down and answered mischievously.
[That spoiled request, I’ll save it for when I really want to say it]
Thinking that it was unexpected, Alberto looked down, and at the same time Christina looked up to him and smiled. Her eyes that stared back at Alberto, were sparkling just like in the olden times.
Although she had grown, she was just like before, Alberto’s adorable fiancée. It was just that she became a little bit better at putting up a front.
[Fuun? Then, when you say that spoiled request, I definitely must fulfill it]
Since that spoiled request has especially been reserved after all, when he laughed and said that, Christina delightfully, bashfully smiled.
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“──Onii-sama, did you hear what I said? Anna thinks that that man has a problem! Why would he say everything so arrogantly?”
Called by his sister, Alberto’s consciousness returned to the reality.
Anna was talking to him with her eyebrows raised up and her body bended forward.
The little sister who was being as selfish as she like, looked a little like the previous Christina. Christina was hundreds times cuter, though.
Alberto sighed and rested his chin in one hand.
“Since he’s from a different kingdom, it can’t be helped. No matter what kind of attitude he has, you, as the princess of Noin Kingdom just has to act in a manner that befits your status. Don’t get caught up in your emotion”
Anna, after being ignored for a while, pouted and kept glaring at Alberto.
“That kind of thing, I already know it…… What, I bet you were just thinking about Chris onee-sama, right?”
“……”
Although it wasn’t wrong that Alberto was thinking about her, it wasn’t like he purposely ignored Anna.
As he kept silent and looked back at Anna, she pouted and looked outside the window.
“Onii-sama and onee-sama always think of Anna as secondary! If only there’s someone who would think of Anna as the number one……!”
Of course their parents are thinking of Anna as the number one, however in this case, she seemed to mean someone else beside their parents.
“……that is the role for your future husband, isn’t it? Just endure it for a little longer”
“──“
There was still two years until her society debut, so the meeting between Anna and other youths would need to wait for a while.
He answered it casually, but Anna had a blank look when looking back at Alberto.
“What do you mean by a little longer?”
“No, there’s nothing”
There really was no other meaning. However Anna blinked repeatedly and had a puzzled expression.
Alberto frowned.
“Why are you making such a weird expression? Isn’t it obvious that you’ll get married in the future? Since you’re the princess after all”
Even throughout the history, there had been no princess that didn’t get married.
Needless to say, Anna who should have understand it covered her mouth and sank into silence.
──Did I say something wrong?
Alberto crossed his legs and once again looked outside the window listlessly.
The place Tobias had appointed to be inspected first was the pride of Royal Capital Loewe, Leuchtturm Park. There was a cathedral in the center of the park, while commercial establishments and the likes are surrounding it.
Being the most crowded park in the Royal Capital, it couldn’t be helped that it attracted attention.
For the meeting with Christina, they promised to meet her in front of the cathedral. When seeing her in front of a cathedral, it seems as if we’re coming for a preliminary inspection for our wedding ──
Although it was at this late hour, realizing that it was the church where they would held their wedding ceremony, Alberto instinctively broke into a grin.
If only we could just hold our wedding just like that──
Alberto who carefreely had that kind of delusion, didn’t realize how Anna’s face was becoming stiffer after seeing that sloppy face of him.
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Getting off from the carriage, Christina looked over the park from the Cathedral’s stairs as if being invited by the gentle wind.
The sky was clear, and pleasant cool breeze was flowing. Matching up with Noin Kingdom’s prosperity was the bustling traffic of people and carriages, as well as the lively voices of merchant that were pleasant to the ears.
There were plenty of ladies in multicolored dresses walking around the park, as well as the young men who were searching for the chance to call out to them.
Wishing to have an inspection incognito, Tobias would be coming from the Royal Palace together with Alberto. As for Christina who had arrived earlier, she being clung on by the weeping Anna was something that happened a few minutes later.
“──onee-sama, perhaps, I’ll be made to take on a political marriage……!”
Anna jumped out while saying so when Alberto went to Tobias’ carriage and said something to him as he came out from the carriage.
Although it might seem only as a hug in front of the Cathedral’s door, Christina was surprised and looked at their surroundings.
“Oh my, why so suddenly?”
It was because the unreliable information about the princess scheduled to have a political marriage might be heard by someone.
Despite being in panic, Anna responded to Christina’s voice and spoke dejectedly.
“You see, when I rode the carriage with onii-sama just now, we had a talk…… Then onii-sama talked as if I’ll soon get married…… っ“
“……oh my”
Although Christina didn’t feel like affirming it, but as she didn’t have any material to be used for denying it, she could do nothing but gave a vague response.
Anna appealed to Christina while trembling in tears.
“I’m sure there’s a talk with another country’s prince or something like that……っ That’s why onii-sama suddenly told me to study abroad……っ“
“……but, studying aboard for that……”
When thinking about it, even though studying abroad could be done in any country, there was no need for Anna to go abroad in other country for the sake of study. Although there might be some fields that Noin Kingdom was weak at, like Marx who moved to the neighboring kingdom, those were fields intended for men. For Anna, royal tutor should suffice, thinking so, Christina deemed that the talk about studying abroad must be something that Alberto talked arbitrarily.
Anna who kept on thinking over by herself went pale. Holding her mouth with her trembling palm, she muttered in a voice as if it was the end of the world.
“──if it’s Prince Tobias, what should I do……”
Hearing the talk jumped into a crazy conclusion, Christina eyes turned into dots.
Be made to marry ── There’s a marriage proposal from other country’s prince ── That’s why he said to go study abroad ── in other words, it was marriage proposal from the neighboring kingdom’s prince, Tobias.
When lining up the flow of the talk it might seem plausible, however it was difficult to imagine the King and Queen who loved Anna that much to advance the talk just like that without telling her anything.
When Christina tried to calmly interject her, a disturbing voice of a young man cut through.
“──is there something about me?”
Anna startledly turned around, and Christina looked up. Tobias came together with Alberto and went up the stairs, while having a happy face as he looked at Anna. As for Alberto, his face seemed to express his dubiousness.
“Aa……no……there’s nothing……”
Anna who was on the verge of crying, perhaps didn’t want her face to be seen as she quietly answered while looking down. She then gave a courteous bow. Seeing that response of her, Tobias raised the corner of his lips.
“What happened? Today you don’t seem to have any vigor like you had yesterday”
Although Anna hung her head down and tried to let it go past just like that, somehow the talk continued and she realized she couldn’t just kept staying like that. With teary eyes, Anna looked up to Tobias.
“……Yesterday, it was only because I was startled. Here, how about looking inside?”
“──……“
Looking at Anna’s face, Tobias took a breath and suddenly stopped moving. Something might have happened since he kept staring at Anna while still having that arrogant smile on his face.
Anna blinked repeatedly in bewilderment, and Alberto too looked at Tobias suspiciously.
It was only Christina, who somehow had a bad hunch, that took a step forward.
“Your Highness Tobias, here, feel free to go into the Cathedral. There is the biggest stained glass within the Kingdom inside”
Leaving the Crown Prince and the Princess and walking ahead was the first for Christina, however it was needed in order to break the atmosphere within that place.
Although she usually confronted others like a childish princess, but Anna in her own way had also grown to be a young lady. Despite her tendency to speak and act in a vigorous way. When she kept silent, she looked like a considerably proper lady.
Priding herself in her immense popularity within the high society, Alberto’s little sister. Naturally, the appearance of the thirteen years old self still had a trace of the child she once was, yet she also exuded the beauty brought about by her growth period.
As if plucking it off, Tobias averted his eyes from Anna and turn to Christina.
“It is so, isn’t it?”
Perhaps because he was in front of Alberto, he spoke politely. Christina was relieved as she wasn’t being told something in a manner like the previous day.
“By all means, please”
Hearing Christina’s voice, the attendants opened the door to the Cathedral.
Tobias followed after Christina who volunteered to be the guide and took a step towards the Cathedral. However, just before he entered the Cathedral, he suddenly turned around to Anna who followed him from behind.
“?”
Anna tilted her head in confusion, as he raised the corner of his mouth with sparkling eyes.
“……if I’m not wrong, it seems Your Highness Princess often exchanged letters with Marx, is that not so?”
Hearing that question, Christina immediately turned around. I can’t let Anna answer that, was what she thought, but Anna honestly nodded.
“……Yes. I sometimes exchanged letters with Marx”
Tobias grinned.
“In this country, is an exchange of letters between man and woman not something that has a special meaning?”
Anna blankly stared, as Alberto immediately interjected between the two with a smile.
“No, well, although it was embarrassing. Since before, my sister and Marx have a sibling-like relationship, so she was like a little sister who couldn’t part with her older brother”
“……onii-sama?”
Anna knitted her eyebrows and looked at Alberto.
Her expression seemed trying to tell that she was not thinking of Marx like an older brother. For a maiden in love, it was certainly an unpleasant remark after all. For her, Marx was not an older brother. Surely he was someone so precious, someone she really liked.
Although Christina understood Anna’s feeling, she also panics and entered the conversation.
“You are right. Since our childhood we have spent time like siblings after all, somehow the sense of distance between us seems to get out of order”
“……”
With a look as if not understanding a thing, Anna looked back at Christina.
This, perhaps, could be the preliminary investigation by Tobias. Since Tobias had an exchange with Marx, he knew that there was an exchange of letters between Marx and Anna. If their relationship was proved to be a romantic one, then it could be considered that the engagement with Irene was only a pretense.
The reason they received Tobias this time was in order to protect Irene. We must not confuse our purpose, as Christina and Alberto were both full of smiles.
Looking at Anna who was the only one to not understand anything, Tobias meanly laughed.
“I see. You really seem like a pure princess indeed. ……Will milady also have your wedding here in this Cathedral?”
Anna confusedly blinked, as Alberto who was behind her immediately sharpened his gaze.
“……no.Wedding plan……I’m still not……”
Perhaps Anna started to imagine the thing she was worrying about until just before, about the marriage with Tobias, as she cut her sentence in the middle of answering and once again teared up.
──Aah! You can’t, Anna-sama……!
Inside her mind, Christina yelled at her future sister.
Lowering her eyebrow weakly, the Princess who was on the verge of crying, showed a sweet, lovely side of her that was 180 degree different from the day she and Tobias first met.
Tobias stared at Anna’s face and laughed.
“……I see”
He only said those words, and turned to Christina.
Even in Noin Kingdom, frequent exchange between man and woman did have a special meaning to it. However, whether Anna was in a romantic relationship with Marx was still not clear. Then she somehow, showed a side of her that was different from the one she had during their first meeting, she turned into a pure, innocent princess──
It was not hard to imagine that the impression Marx had about Anna was like that.
──I definitely don’t want to give Anna to someone like you
Christina who had known the princess since little, was wishing for a happy future for Anna. And it was hard to say that Tobias was someone who was able to bring that happy future to Anna.
Urged with personal feelings, Christina sharply looked at Tobias, while he just returned it with friendly smile.
“Then, please let me see, the Cathedral that milady and Your Highness Alberto are planning to have your wedding at”
With empty threat and satisfied laughter, his eyes were glowing quietly just like a predator that had found its prey.
Christina worriedly looked back. Alberto sighed while patting Anna’s head, and combed her glossy black hair with his fingers.
As for Anna, she just looked up at her worried brother’s face with an expression that seemed to show her complete lack of understanding about everything.
[1]previously I used “a foul”, but since it didn’t fit the description below, I thought maybe changing the word would be better. I’m thinking of [pre-owned] or [second-hand]. Which is better? or maybe other better term? I’ve updated the previous chapter too
