LSOV Chapter 11 — [R15]

011. A Wish to Make a Joke 

It was already more than two years ago. I thought time passed quickly. In the meantime, I had graduated from the academy and was now here in Owen alone, living as an adult woman.

The reason I found myself reminiscing about Shade was that his birthday was approaching.

For the past twenty years, I had always spent Shade's birthday with him. Now that we were apart, I wanted to put even more thought into preparing a gift.

I decided on a ribbon brooch for men. When I explained what kind of brooch I wanted, Madam Knox contacted a jewelry artisan for me. It was made so that it could be worn as an ornament on a coat or jacket.

People of the Lundra Kingdom dressed more flamboyantly than those of Owen. I didn't think men in Owen would wear ribbon brooches. After spending some time here, I had come to understand—at least a little—the differences between Lundra and Owen.

I also wrote a card to send with the gift.

—I hope this conveys the feelings you had that day when you tied my hair for me. I'm all grown up now. I hope you've met someone you want to spend your life tying hair for. Happy birthday, Brother Shade.—

I carefully wrapped the gift box and covered it once more with paper. My present would pass through the hands of a postman and a mage before finally reaching the royal castle of Lundra.

Every day at the same time, the postman visited the estate to collect and deliver letters and parcels. I was watching from the window at the end of the third-floor corridor, where the front gate of the duke's residence was clearly visible, as the postman arrived in his mail carriage.

"Princess."

I turned around at the sound of the voice. It was Cedric.

"Good afternoon, Duke."

"Good afternoon, Princess."

I explained to Cedric what I had been doing and pointed out the window with my finger.

"I sent a parcel to the Lundra Kingdom today. That carriage belongs to the postman."

"I see."

"It's almost my brother Shade's birthday."

"Is that so?"

Between royal families and imperial houses, gifts were exchanged on special occasions such as the crown prince's birthday. However, there was no obligation for a duke of Owen to keep track of a foreign crown prince's birthday. It was only natural that Cedric didn't know about Shade's.

"Yes. I had never once left the Lundra Kingdom since I was born. This is my first time celebrating my brother's birthday from far away."

"Ah."

Cedric responded briefly. He then spoke again, though it wasn't anything new.

"I see."

Even though his words were similar, what I heard, and felt, was the same.

"So I put a lot of thought into choosing a birthday gift. I hope he likes it."

Talking about the birthday present lifted my mood again, and I smiled openly. Cedric, who wore his usual impassive expression, looked into my eyes before speaking.

"I should send a gift to His Highness Shade as well."

"You don't need to go out of your way. It wouldn't be an issue even if you didn't."

"You are staying at the ducal residence, after all."

I broke into another broad smile. I could have ended the conversation there and returned to my room, but I found myself wanting to show more consideration toward Cedric, who was willing to prepare a birthday gift for Shade. With a smile, I made a suggestion.

"It's lunchtime. Would you like to dine together?"

"Yes, Princess."

Cedric extended his hand to escort me. I placed my hand atop his and stepped closer to him. He instructed the maid beside us to prepare lunch in the first-floor dining room.

"Thank you for being so thoughtful about my brother's birthday."

"It is only natural."

Even so, I felt grateful all over again. If Cedric sent Shade a birthday gift, Shade would think that I was on good terms with the owner of the house where I was staying. My family would feel reassured.

I couldn't tell whether Cedric had considered even that, or whether he simply felt he couldn't ignore the birthday of a foreign prince once he knew about it. Either way, it was a good thing for me.

As we entered the dining room, Cedric opened the door for me. I bent my knees slightly in a light Owen-style bow to express my thanks.

"Thank you for opening the door for me."

"It is only natural, Princess."

As he said, opening doors for me truly was expected. And yet, I found myself wanting to make a joke.

Was it because his expression was always so polite and impassive? Or because he had said he would take care of Shade's birthday as well? I smiled faintly.

"It might turn into a trap, you know."

"What do you mean?"

"I might become a princess who can't open doors in this mansion without the duke."

My hand was resting lightly atop Cedric's. For a moment, I thought his thumb moved. I looked at his face.

It was neat and expressionless as ever. There was no way his hand had moved.

"You may call for me whenever you need a door opened."

Cedric guided my hand and pulled out a chair at the table for me. I watched him sit across from me, still wearing the same impassive expression.

"Is it really all right for me to make such free use of a duke of the Empire?"

"Of course."

I narrowed my eyes playfully. Even in response to my teasing, Cedric's words and actions remained composed and proper. In the end, I let out a soft laugh.

"You don't seem flustered by my jokes at all, Duke."

"Does it appear that way to you?"

"Yes. You're very skilled at brushing them aside."

I found it amusing that Cedric, so impassive as ever, seemed accustomed to jokes. Even the few times I had joked with him before, he hadn't been flustered. Of course, he hadn't played along either.

"Do you enjoy jokes, Duke?"

"I think I used to."

"And these days?"

"There hasn't been much occasion for them."

As Cedric picked up a damp cloth to wipe his hands, his gaze dropped. Then he lifted his head and looked at me again.

The appetizer was set before us. I shifted the topic, and we continued our meal.

***

A few days earlier, Rachel had sent a card through Cedric. It was a note setting a time for her visit. And true to her word, Rachel arrived at the reception room at the exact appointed hour and took her seat.

It was just the two of us, Rachel and I, without Cedric.

When Rachel dismissed her attendants, I signaled to the maids as well. They set tea before each of us and then left the room.

"Good afternoon, Princess Rachel of the Strongest Land."

I greeted her in the style of Lundra. Wondering what she had come to say to me made my shoulders tense slightly. Since just days before the agreement in the Lundra Kingdom, I had never sat alone with her like this.

Rachel might be angry. She might criticize me. Surely, she had her own thoughts and feelings about it all. And I had twisted those circumstances for the sake of my own kingdom.

If Rachel were to express her emotions, it would make me uncomfortable, but at the same time, I would be able to understand what she truly felt. That didn't seem so bad.

"Daisy! Have you been well? How's life at the ducal residence?"

…What?

I was startled by the sudden friendliness in Rachel's voice. Before I could properly compose myself, my eyelids lifted and my eyes widened.

Her tone was exactly the same as it had been years ago, back when Rachel of the Rich Viscount's family attended the Royal Academy and spoke to a friend's younger sibling.

I straightened my expression and replied.

"Your Highness, thank you for your concern. Life at the ducal residence has been very pleasant."

"Hm. Daisy, when it's just the two of us, wouldn't it be fine to speak casually like we used to?"

Rachel smiled. Her sharp eyes looked remarkably clear.

My surprise turned into confusion. Hadn't our relationship been redefined the moment Rachel revealed her true status? Even though she had treated me more warmly again after we came to Owen, I never thought we could truly return to how things were before.

"I'm not sure how I'm supposed to think about everything that's changed."

I carefully redirected the conversation. Rachel tapped her cheek lightly with a finger.

"Is this because I used formal speech with you on the way to Owen? There were so many people around, guards, attendants, and all. I'm not usually the type to worry about things like that, but you are, Daisy. Manners, dignity… things like that, right?"

She spoke as though she knew me very well.

And she was right.

But that wasn't what I meant by dignity. What I wanted to talk about was how our relationship itself had changed. She had already once calculated the price of Prince Daimond's life in front of the King of Lundra.

As I debated how to respond, I chose a practical way of speaking, Owen's way, in Owen.

"You asked for the kingdom's treasure as compensation for saving Brother Daimond and keeping silent about what happened in the kingdom. But instead of the Dragon's Tear, the kingdom offered me."

"Ah… that…"

Rachel trailed off. Then she smiled, looking almost mischievous.