Chapter 2

“Please. Quench your thirst.”

Prince Bartona held out a glass of wine to me.

His face said it all—I prepared this just for you. Thoughtful of me, isn’t it?

“Thank you kindly.”

I accepted the glass. After toasting with Prince Bartona, I brought it to my lips.

“It’s been half a year since we last spoke like this, hasn’t it? You’ve grown even more beautiful. Every time we meet, I’m stunned by how much you’ve matured. Even the proud unicorn would surely kneel before your beauty. Of course, I’ve been under your spell since the very first time we met.”

In short, what Prince Bartona really wants to say is this: So, you danced… with someone other than me, huh?

Of course, a grown man of twenty wouldn’t seriously be jealous of a twelve-year-old child.

It’s just a joke. A jab, really.

“You’re quite the flatterer.”

As always, this man makes no effort to hide how smitten he is with me.

He must’ve seen me dancing with Thor and immediately prepared food and drinks to stand by.

Still, I doubt it’s me he’s interested in. It’s likely the land attached to this body of mine.

As the second prince, he’s bound to serve his older brother in the current line of succession.

But if he were to marry me, he could become the lord of his own domain instead.

“…Princess Roselia. May I have this dance?”

Once the small talk had settled, Prince Bartona extended his hand to me. I nodded and placed my hand in his.

“…By all means.”

I’d been ordered by Father to dance with Prince Bartona after Thor.

With him escorting me, we began our steps. Despite the height difference between a twelve-year-old girl and a twenty-year-old man, the dance flowed effortlessly.

“When it comes to truly connecting with you like this, I pride myself in being second to none.”

See? I dance better than that Larknoll boy, don’t I?
Even after marriage, I’ll treat you with respect like this.
So please—marry me.

That’s the message behind his words.

“Indeed… I can’t say I know anyone more skilled than you. Your tireless dedication and daily efforts are evident.”

Don’t try to compete with a twelve-year-old, seriously.
You’re good at this because you’ve danced with who-knows-how-many women already.

That nuance came through clearly.

Honestly, I’m not completely opposed to the idea of marrying Prince Bartona.

For him, marrying me would be a complete reversal of fortune.

My wealth and military strength aside, even my family’s pedigree and bloodline outrank the royal family’s.

Which means, even after marriage, he would never be able to look down on me.

He wouldn’t become one of those domineering husbands—and even if he wanted to, he couldn’t.

He probably has plenty of experience in bed too, so I imagine he’d be quick and considerate, without making it painful.

Still, he’s only a candidate. Nothing has been decided.

Politics can change, and more importantly, I can’t return his feelings without Father’s approval.

Hence, the cold, guarded reply.

“It’s because I care for you.”

Naturally, from the prince’s side, he’s desperate to get some kind of verbal confirmation from me.

He came right back with a reply.

After that, the two of us continued dancing gracefully, exchanging elegant steps—and sharper words.

"...I'm truly exhausted."

Outside the ballroom, I let out a sigh as I strolled through the royal garden.

There was no resting inside the venue, so I decided to take a walk and cool off in the night air.

Even after dancing with Prince Bartona, I had to keep waltzing with the other suitor candidates and deflecting their proposals.

They say noble society is a kind of warfare without swords, and it really is true.

What wore me out the most was dealing with the First Prince.

I’d been told that if he so much as hinted at a proposal, I was to refuse—but only in a way that left room for future marriage talks.

...Far too difficult.

"You’ve done well, Princess."

My maid offered words of appreciation.

She softened her normally ironclad, expressionless face just a little.

"If I may be so bold… your conduct was truly befitting the heir to the land of Budoudarl. I’m sure your father will be pleased as well."

"...I see. That’s good to hear."

I allowed myself a small sigh and let my shoulders relax.

Thinking back now, maybe there were better ways I could’ve handled some things… but that’s something to reflect on later.

"...Princess."

"I know."

My maid's face returned to its iron mask.

The reason was simple.

Ahead of us, in the darkness, someone was standing.

A noble.

"Good evening… Oh? Lord Thor?"

"Ah… Princess Roselia…"

The noble in the shadows—Thor-kun—looked like he was about to say "oh crap."

I glanced around, scanning the area, then addressed Thor-kun.

"Are you alone?"

"...Yeah. What of it?"

He replied in a slightly curt tone.

...Doesn’t seem like he’s lying.

There’d be no reason to ambush me in a place like this.

I gave my maid a brief look.

And with just that, she seemed to understand, slowly putting some distance between us.

Since he’s alone, it’s only fair that I speak to him alone as well.

"I’m just taking a walk to unwind. What about you, Lord Thor?"

I relaxed my speech slightly, to make things easier between us.

We're alone, after all. No one’s around to scold me for it.

"...Same. Just out for a walk."

Thor-kun also relaxed his speech.

Oddly enough, he looked sulky.

"Is that so? What a coincidence!"

I clapped lightly and smiled at him.

He frowned slightly and looked away.

"...You really seem to like dancing."

Was that his way of saying we don’t get along?

No… not quite. It was more like—

Did you dance? With someone other than me?

That’s what it felt like.

Unlike Prince Bartona, there was genuine jealousy in his voice.

Maybe seeing me dance so gracefully with Bartona and the other men had stirred up some insecurity in him.

Unable to handle the jealousy and sense of inferiority, he fled the venue on his own.

Something like that, perhaps?

"I suppose the secret to improving is dancing with a lot of men, wouldn’t you say?"

Apparently, my affection points are dropping behind the scenes.

Does he think I’m some kind of promiscuous flirt…?

Honestly, for a noblewoman, the number of dances I had was quite standard.

At social events, switching partners is the norm.

It doesn’t always carry a romantic implication.

…No, he probably understands that much.

He’s just throwing all his feelings—stress from a place he hates, inferiority, jealousy—into one bundle and projecting them onto me.

That kind of behavior isn't exactly admirable for a young man.

Prince Bartona would never act like this.

That said, comparing a twelve-year-old boy to a womanizing adult with two illegitimate kids by his mistress is a bit unfair.

Personally, this is the first time I’ve been treated like this, so it’s… kind of refreshing.

"Yes, given my position, I’ve had many occasions to dance with gentlemen. Though… it’s not like I particularly enjoy it."

After thinking it over, I decided to be honest with Thor-kun about how I felt.

I don’t dislike talking to people—but all this diplomatic back-and-forth really does wear me out.

"You sure didn’t look tired. You looked like you were having a great time."

"I can’t exactly look fed up in front of an audience, can I?"

"...Well, fair enough."

Thor-kun gave me a conflicted look in response.

So even how you acted with me was just an act…?

That seemed to be what he was thinking.

"By the way, may I return to the topic from earlier?"

"...Earlier?"

"The fish dish. As I mentioned, I really do like seafood. Which do you prefer, Lord Thor—fish or meat?"

"I prefer meat, but…"

He trailed off, falling silent for a moment as if thinking something over.

Then, a little nervously, he spoke up again.

"...If we’re talking seafood… I like oysters."

"Oh! I love oysters too! How do you prefer to eat them?"

"…Raw, I guess."

"Raw! I like them that way too!"

We went on chatting excitedly about food.

Yep, favorite food talk is a classic for a reason. It never fails.

Not exactly elegant, so maybe not very noble-like… but still.

“Crayfish with herbs and salt… If you ever get the chance, you must try it—”

“Princess.”

A voice called out from behind me.

Before I realized it, my maid was standing just a step behind me.

“It’s about time…”

Ah. Seems our time is up.

I turned to face Thor-kun and gave a small bow.

“It’s about time I excuse myself. …By the way, may I ask one small favor?”

"...A favor?"

“Let’s keep tonight’s little chat just between us.”

I placed a finger to my lips and gave him a playful wink.

Well, my maid knows, of course…

“My father’s warned me not to speak too long with any one gentleman.”

I stuck out my tongue at Thor-kun, just a little.

A not-so-subtle performance of: I know I shouldn’t have, but it was fun, so I did it anyway!

"I-I see… Got it. It’ll be our secret."

Seems my message got through loud and clear.

Thor-kun smiled just a little, the tension easing from his face.

“Thank you for the lovely time. …If we get the chance again, let’s talk some more. Next time—not under the moon, but under the sun.”

Not secretly like this, but openly, in broad daylight.

That’s the kind of relationship I want to build between us.

When I told him that—

"Y-Yes!"

Thor-kun nodded, blushing bright red.

…He’s so pure, it’s almost worrying.

I mean, let’s be real—having a conversation in a place like this? No way no one saw us.

I’m sure rumors will be flying by tomorrow.

Still, I got what I came for.

This should tip the peace negotiations in our favor.

It happened shortly after the evening banquet ended.

“So—what did you think of Princess Roselia?”

In the capital’s estate, Duke Larknoll turned to Thor with the question.

Thor recalled Roselia and blushed faintly.

—She was beautiful.

That was Thor’s honest impression of her.

Her silver hair, long enough to reach her waist, shone with a polished luster and clear signs of careful grooming.

Her eyes, a mysterious rose-pink. Her skin, pale and luminous.

Though her features still retained a touch of youth, they were so exquisitely shaped that she resembled a living work of art—one with an air of seduction.

Her long limbs and well-balanced figure completed the image.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say she was the most beautiful woman he had ever met.

Her looks aside, her mannerisms were also graceful and refined.

Just thinking about her made his heart race wildly.

So this was love. His first love.

Thor now understood that clearly.

…Not that Thor was some love-struck fool.

Before being a naïve young boy, he was a noble—the heir to the House of Larknoll.

Naturally, he understood that his father wasn’t asking from a romantic perspective.

“…I didn’t sense any hostility. In fact, if I’m not mistaken, I think there was a degree of goodwill.”

“Goodwill? Toward you?”

“No, toward us. I sensed no contempt or ridicule. Rather, it felt like she had a genuine interest in us.”

The nobles of the Kingdom looked down on the House of Larknoll.

Their roots lay in the sea raiders—foreign tribes who once plundered the northern coasts.

Even their customs, language, and culture differed from those of the Kingdom.

That Roselia would show interest in the culture of the Larknoll Dukedom was wholly unexpected.

“…Interesting. Perhaps the younger generation sees us differently than their parents did.”

“Then… does this mean you’re considering a marriage alliance with Princess Roselia—?”

“That won’t happen. Duke Budoudarl’s true aim is the Second Prince.”

“I… I see…”

“That said, Princess Roselia does have a half-sister. They may try offering her instead.”

Roselia had inherited the right to claim a vast domain from her mother.

But the daughters of Duke Budoudarl’s second wife did not.

If he intended to offer someone in exchange for peace, it would be one of them.

Even that would bring great benefit to a lesser house like Larknoll.

“Now then, Thor. As the next head of the family—what do you believe we should do?”

“…A ceasefire would be best, I believe.”

“Oh? Not peace, and not continued war—ceasefire? That’s an interesting answer. Let’s hear your reasoning.”

“There are several factors…”

He began listing the disadvantages of continuing the war—military balance, internal affairs, diplomatic complications—one by one.

At first, Duke Larknoll seemed convinced.

But his expression slowly darkened until it turned into an outright scowl.

“With all that, wouldn’t peace make more sense?”

“Th-that’s… Considering the pro-war faction within our domain, a ceasefire might be more palatable than full peace…”

“Crush them. Force it through. You’re hiding something, aren’t you? What’s your aim? Out with it! Don’t lie to me!!”

“I—I’m not lying, I swear—!”

The Duke seized Thor by the collar and shouted.

He looked ready to knock his son’s teeth out at any moment.

Thor, visibly uncomfortable, averted his eyes slightly.

“Th-the truth is… I don’t want to give up on peace through marriage and alliance…”

“What!?”

“N-no, I mean—it’s not because I’ve fallen for Princess Roselia! It’s just… her inheritance rights are extremely valuable, and it would be a terrible waste to let them go. I thought it might be best to keep peace on the table as an option, and for now settle on a ceasefire—so we can pursue marriage later, depending on how things develop. O-of course, this is all purely in consideration of our family’s future growth! My personal feelings have nothing to do with it!!”

—My personal feelings have nothing to do with it.

Even as he said it, Thor knew how unconvincing it sounded.

“…Don’t tell me—you’ve fallen for her?”

“N-no! That’s not what this is! It’s just that, um…”

“Quit your mumbling!! Do you want to sleep with her or not?! Speak!!”

“I do!!”

Thor shouted, face burning bright red.

Before he knew it, even his ears were flushed.

“Gahaha! Well said!! That’s my son!!”

“Cough! F-Father, that hurts…”

Duke Larknoll slapped Thor’s back with both hands, making him cough violently.

But the Duke ignored him and laughed uproariously.

“Still, your point is valid. Beyond her lands… she’s the only matrilineal descendant of the Great Emperor. Her bloodline may be the noblest on the continent. With her, our family’s status would rise immensely. As a bearer of our next generation, there’s no one on this continent who could match her. She’d surely produce fine children.”

“C-children…”

Thor gulped hard.

That flower, high atop the cliff—he might really be able to claim her for his own.

What had once been a distant fantasy was now starting to feel disturbingly real.

“But make no mistake—she’s no easy prize. She’s a fortress, nearly impregnable. You won’t take her with brute force alone. It may take years—and she’ll fight back, hard. Even so… will you press on?”

To this, Thor let a small smile rise on his lips.

A smile uncannily like his father’s.

“Have no fear, Father… It may be a hard fortress—but there’s no such thing as one that can’t be taken. And besides… the Castle of Budoudarl? I’ve already breached it once.”

“Well said!! Then do as you’ve said—take her, no matter what!”

“Yes, sir!!”

At his father’s roaring encouragement, Thor nodded with firm resolve.