Chapter 31
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31.
"It's been a while, Wilhelmina Lopez."
Cassian Artez, who had smiled at me so gently moments before, reverted to a thoroughly official demeanor and offered Wilma a ceremonial greeting.
In that instant, I tensed.
What if my superior enchanted my friend and stole her away?
After all, Wilhelmina Lopez was famous—both in the original story and in reality—for harboring an unrequited love for Prince Cassian Artez.
'I can't let a friend I worked so hard to make be taken from me like this...!'
With that thought, I gazed at Wilma with a face full of worry.
"Indeed, this is the first time since I briefly greeted Father and entered the Imperial Palace after returning home."
"That is correct, my lady."
Not a trace of that ripe-fruit blush appeared anywhere on Wilma's face.
Nor was I, standing before Wilma, allowing my facial muscles to relax as they did when alone with Cassian Artez.
Yet whether she sensed my inner anxiety or merely made an assumption, Wilma asked me a question.
"...Are you worried because of Prince Cassian Artez?"
"What? Oh, no—"
I'm not doubting you, Wilma!
"Don't worry. I brought you here, after all."
Huh?
Speaking words that somehow didn't quite align, Wilma positioned herself in front of me and asked Cassian Artez a question.
"May I inquire what brings you to this place, Your Highness?"
"Official business."
His expression was rather rigid, but I had already noticed.
That he found this situation quite amusing.
I couldn't possibly let that devil devour someone as delicate as Wilma....
"Surely Your Highness can handle such matters alone? After all, you are the one who granted your aide Roselita Salice a vacation."
"Of course. However—"
Cassian Artez's expression softened slightly as he turned to address me with warmth.
"I would like to make a request of the lady."
"Yes?"
"I shall head to the Capital City in a few days, and during my hours outside of official duties, even as a prince, I wish to attend to personal matters."
At those words—personal matters—Wilma's face hardened, not with anticipation but as though she had just encountered a formidable enemy.
"I too have plans, Your Highness."
"That is precisely why I make this request. And you know as well as I do that this is hardly an unreasonable thing to ask."
"...Is this about being a fiancée rather than a friend?"
No, that's not me.
Once I return to the Capital City, my superior's face will be the one I'm sick of seeing!
I turned to Wilhelmina with a face that screamed reluctance.
'Even my fiancé counts as work, after all.'
I mobilized every facial muscle to convey that Wilhelmina took priority, but....
"Well, there's nothing to be done about it. It's such a sweet time, after all."
Wilhelmina nodded, her expression one of regretful acceptance—as though she were graciously releasing me despite her disappointment, though I couldn't fathom her interpretation.
Wilhelmina, don't worry....
I'm your rival in love, yet you're helping me so readily like this?
With a bitter expression, I turned my gaze from Wilhelmina to Cassian Artez.
"I'll be looking forward to dinner, Roselita."
Only my superior—who had read every nuance of my expression and grasped its meaning entirely—wore the smile of a victor.
...Yes, four days is quite a long rest.
I simply resigned myself to it.
*
"...I'm still relieved, though."
"About what?"
After we entered the modest Brunch Cafe and took our seats, Wilhelmina spoke as though releasing a long sigh.
"I worried so much—your letters, the rumors circulating—all of it."
Wilhelmina lifted the teapot that had arrived first and poured with elegant grace into the cup.
A ruby-hued liquid released a tart, fragrant aroma that spread generously through the air.
"They say Prince Cassian Artez has been working you to exhaustion just to fill his own accomplishments."
That's quite an accurate assessment, truly.
"But seeing you today, it doesn't seem to be quite like that."
Wilhelmina's expression was genuinely regretful, yet strangely thrilled all the same.
"...Whatever the case, the article in the newspaper was true, wasn't it?"
"Which...."
"The one saying you and His Highness are in love and became engaged."
Why are you the only one believing an article no one else would accept...?
Though it's fortunate, considering the purpose of the engagement.
"I wasn't certain either, but seeing His Highness today, I understand perfectly. He came down here because he hadn't seen you for a few days."
"Ah...."
I stared at Wilhelmina with a dumbfounded expression.
I was worried she might be hurt by all this....
"Don't make that face. I won't become some petty villainess who steals her friend's man."
Ah, that was the kind of story you recommended yesterday.
A friend stealing her friend's fiancé....
"Seeing you and Prince Cassian Artez facing each other like that, all the feelings I had left simply resolved themselves. It was only admiration, after all."
Really, I'm grateful Wilhelmina escaped the clutches of that demon....
But....
Why does my heart feel so heavy and forlorn?
It's as though my younger sister—though Wilhelmina was actually a year older than me—were graduating.
But since I couldn't voice such sentiments, I cut into the moist French toast that had just arrived and silenced my melancholy with its sweetness.
*
"How have you been, Roselita?"
"Oh, well..."
I answered my superior's question with little energy.
"You were smiling so brightly in front of the princess."
"I must maintain professionalism at work."
Cassian Artez arrived to collect me in the evening, as he had previously arranged with Wilhelmina Lopez.
The brunch and afternoon stroll I'd spent with Wilhelmina had truly been delightful.
The itinerary was leisurely, never rushing me from place to place, yet perfectly calibrated to delight both eye and palate—never forgetting that the purpose was rest and restoration.
Wilhelmina had promised to take me to a restaurant this evening that used only fresh ingredients sourced from the region.
According to her, the menu changed seasonally through recipe research, the plating was exquisite, and it was run by a head chef who had worked in the Imperial Palace for decades, so the taste was guaranteed.
'How cruel—to give and then take away.'
Everyone works to eat and live, after all.
I lamented this internally with a sigh, then exhaled deeply to shake it off.
There's no point dwelling on what's already passed.
Besides, Wilhelmina said she'd make another reservation before returning to the Capital City!
Wilhelmina Lopez truly was an angel.
"I recall telling you that you'd have private time with the princess."
Cassian Artez waited long enough for my disappointment to fully register before speaking slowly.
"...It's not that you've suddenly acquired work for me to handle, is it?"
"Your faith in me is woefully insufficient."
"Your Highness."
"Hmm?"
At Cassian's words, I straightened my expression and spoke to him earnestly.
"Wouldn't you place a hand over your heart and calmly reflect on your past actions?"
"I can't think of anything that would make my conscience sting."
"You've dragged me shopping under the guise of work."
"That's preliminary preparation to make you my fiancée—it's work, isn't it?"
His logic was sound, yet somehow it felt like he was forcing the issue.
"You say 'just finish this' and then dump mountains of tasks on me at five o'clock."
"If I recall correctly, you've always finished everything before your shift ends, so—"
That was true, actually.
But that workload wasn't realistically manageable.
It was me!
Summoning superhuman strength through sheer desperation to leave work on time!
Of course, there were times when it seemed impossible to leave on time no matter what, so I'd never said such things back then.
"...Why are you so irritating?"
"I think Roselita quite likes that side of me."
"Your confidence is really excessive."
"Being too virtuous and righteous, sacrificing everyone around you to solve things by the book when a little suffering would suffice."
Huh...?
"Wasn't your taste more for cunning, scheming types rather than men like that?"
Cassian Artez drew my hand toward him, intertwining our fingers, and cast a meaningful glance.
"Well, that's true, but...."
Even as my lips moved, a chill ran down my spine.
No matter how I look at it, does he really know?
It's been nearly a decade, so my memory of what I said is hazy, but I'm certain I spoke like that in front of an intoxicated Cassian Artez.
Half of me thought he wouldn't remember anyway.
And half of me hoped, just in case he did remember, that he'd live a little easier because of it.
From the moment I stood before Cassian Artez, I'd already stopped managing my expression, so I was sure my agitation was being read clearly in his eyes.
I wanted to get through this situation without him gaining any certainty.
Though it had eased considerably, I still harbored a desire to escape the title of protagonist of this world.
A modest yet grand wish—to live quietly and peacefully in the serene Salice Territory once I'd paid off the family debt.
"...Why does your expression look like that?"
He lifted our intertwined hands and pressed a soft kiss to the back of my hand with an audible sound, gazing at me with warm eyes.
"It's been nearly a year and a half since Roselita has been by my side."
Cassian Artez smiled gently, as if telling me to relax.
"Surely you don't think I failed to analyze Roselita's taste in men."
This wasn't the situation I'd been imagining.
At Cassian Artez's words, relief washed over me, and a hollow laugh escaped despite myself.
"Analysis."
"Yes."
I felt his consideration as he took a step back, saying he wouldn't press further since I disliked it.
"...You really do pay me far too much attention."
So I decided to accept the sincerity behind his gesture.
Both he and I understood that unprepared revelations could mar everything.
"Should I beg you to pay some attention to me as well?"
At Cassian Artez's gentle smile, I feigned exasperation as I usually did.
Yet I also knew I couldn't rely solely on the reprieve he'd offered with such consideration.
It was a seed I had sown, after all, and I resolved to carefully prepare and return his tenderness in kind.
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