CHAPTER 081
“Is that so?”
I nodded as if I understood, though I didn't quite get it.
"Still, I think the seat next to me would be a very attractive position for you."
So I began to explain.
Why she should accept his feelings.
"If you just accept it, you could rise to the highest position next to the emperor. Though given the nature of the position, it might feel more stifling compared to other women."
"...Well."
Contrary to my expectations, Charlotte spoke with a troubled expression.
"I appreciate Your Highness's feelings, but I have never considered being by your side..."
Is she trying to refuse now?
Phillip barely managed to smooth his furrowed brow.
"Why? Didn't they say your abilities aren't sufficient to enter the temple?"
He didn't realize that his words could be offensive to Charlotte.
"If it's an ability you can't use anyway, wouldn't it be better to become my fiancée?"
"That doesn't mean I have to accept Your Highness's feelings."
Charlotte said as carefully as she could.
Phillip still didn't understand.
This is an opportunity others would die for, so why?
"It's true my abilities aren't great, and it's true that Your Highness's confession is a rare opportunity..."
"But?"
"What I want isn't the highest position."
"Then what do you want?"
"I believe material happiness isn't everything. I want a life where I can live freely. With someone who always respects my opinions."
Phillip could sense from Charlotte's words that it certainly wasn't him.
Charlotte apologized with a face full of regret.
"I don't think I'm suitable to be by Your Highness's side. I'm sorry, Your Highness."
"..."
So, you're rejecting me?
Such an answer was never in his expectations.
Shocked by the rejection, Phillip remained silent for a while.
He hesitated, then barely spoke.
"If I weren't the crown prince, just an ordinary noble, would you have accepted my confession?"
"Maybe. I don't dislike you, Your Highness."
It wasn't that she liked him as a man.
But she didn't dislike him either, she added.
"There will surely be someone who likes Your Highness more than I do, someone who can live the life you want."
In the end, she was rejecting living the life he wanted.
An absurd notion.
Rejecting the crown prince's confession, who could give everything, for such a reason!
Had it not been in front of Charlotte, he might have laughed out loud in disbelief.
"There will be a better match for you, Your Highness."
Charlotte gave a polite smile in front of the speechless Phillip.
* * *
Charlotte's face looked somewhat gloomy when she arrived at the lunch appointment.
Why is that? Charlotte, who always had a bright face.
I asked Bella while Charlotte was away for a moment.
"Bella, doesn't Lady Yaniels look a bit off today?"
"Really? I didn't notice."
Hmm... Bella doesn't see it? Am I the only one who feels this way?
But the reason for Charlotte's gloomy expression was soon revealed.
"Sigh."
"Lady Yaniels, why are you sighing like that?"
"Oh, I'm sorry. I did it without realizing."
Thanks to Bella's words, Charlotte began to open up.
"Actually, I received a confession recently..."
"A confession?"
Bella and I widened our eyes in surprise.
Could it be Phillip who confessed?
"From whom?"
Bella asked immediately.
Charlotte gave a troubled smile.
"I can't say who..."
Phillip, perhaps?
The person most likely to confess to Charlotte is probably Phillip, the male lead of the original story!
"Did you accept it?"
I asked this time.
Charlotte shook her head with a bitter expression.
"No. I turned it down."
Ah. Come to think of it, Charlotte's expression didn't look like that of someone who had just started a romance.
She didn't look like someone who had just begun a relationship at all.
"He confessed unexpectedly, and when we talked, I realized our thoughts were different."
Charlotte said with a bitter expression.
She turned him down because their thoughts were different? I'm starting to doubt if it was Phillip.
The heroine rejects the male lead's confession.
Anyway, it seemed that the incident remained a concern for Charlotte.
Her expression showed that she was not at ease.
"It's very unfortunate... It seems we won't be able to be the same as before."
"..."
Bella couldn't press her further after seeing that.
It was a day when her usual bright smile looked particularly gloomy.
* * *
I never found out who Charlotte had rejected. She never told us directly.
It could be Phillip or someone else I don't know.
But in a situation where it was likely Phillip, I decided to finish something I'd been putting off.
Returning the library access pass I received from Phillip.
I don't visit the library anymore, do I?
Keeping it while trying to distance myself from Phillip seemed strange.
For this reason, I visited the palace alone today.
Seeing Phillip wasn't that difficult.
I contacted him to meet, and I visited on the day he specified.
Meeting the crown prince because I wanted to. Isn't he an enormous figure for an ordinary noble lady like me?
Because we had met separately a few times, it was possible.
"It's the first time Lady Elsner has asked to see me first."
Phillip, whom I met in the drawing room of the Crown Prince's palace, seemed more normal than I expected. He didn't look different at all.
Wasn't it someone else who confessed to Charlotte?
"I have something to return to you."
Let's quickly finish my business and leave.
I opened my bag and took out the library pass.
"I'm here to return the library access pass Your Highness gave me."
Phillip spoke as if he didn't understand why I was returning it suddenly.
"This is something I gave to Lady Elsner. You can keep it."
"Isn't it a place not everyone can enter?"
That's why Phillip especially gave me the pass.
But I didn't need it anymore.
Not being able to tell him the real reason for returning it, I tried to sound as polite as possible.
"I've read all the books I wanted to in the library. You know I haven't been going there as much lately, Your Highness."
"That's true."
Fortunately, Phillip accepted it.
So, can I leave now? We aren't close enough to leisurely chat, so I should get up quickly.
"Then, thank you for everything."
"Lady Elsner. Wait a moment."
But Phillip stopped me.
"Do you have something to say...?"
It seemed he had something he wanted to ask me.
"Have you ever thought someone was a good match but then realized you weren't compatible? I'm talking about values."
Why is he asking something like this all of a sudden?
The only thing Phillip had ever consulted me about was his relationship with Charlotte... Ah!
I suddenly realized.
Charlotte said she felt their thoughts were different after the confession.
And now Phillip is asking me about this!
Phillip confessed to Charlotte and got rejected?
Wow... I barely held back my surprise and answered.
"Uh... Of course, I have. It happens a lot in life, doesn't it?"
"What did you do then? Did you try to change their mind?"
"No. You can't change someone's mind easily."
Depending on the person, I wasn't the type to try changing someone else's mind to match mine.
So, this was the only answer I could give.
"I try to understand that person as much as possible."
"And if you can't understand?"
The subtle stubbornness in his short question!
I answered with a smile.
"Then I try to accept them as they are."
"And if that's hard?"
"Well... you might grow distant or the relationship might end."
This was the best advice I could give.
"I see."
Phillip's expression darkened a bit.
I could definitely feel it then.
It's really over between them.
It was a bit shocking for me, a bystander, to witness their relationship end.
Phillip was sometimes good and sometimes harsh, but he always treated Charlotte well, right?
Anyway, since Phillip had some suspicious sides, it might have been a good thing for Charlotte.
Especially if they didn't share the same values.
* * *
"Nothing special happened?"
"I'm always the same."
I answered Lewis's usual question when he visited the duchy.
"Oh, there is one thing."
I told him about returning the library pass to Phillip.
"I don't think he'll look for me anymore. We don't have any connection left."
"That's a relief."
Since Lewis openly disliked Phillip, it was understandable he was pleased.
But then Lewis glanced at something before suddenly asking.
"You're still wearing that ring?"
"This one?"
He was talking about the silver ring we matched before.
I no longer wore the silver ring out of obligation.
I used to wear it to avoid upsetting Lewis, but now it was just a habit.
I wasn't sure why Lewis kept mentioning it...
"I'm also wearing the shoes the Marquis gave me today. See?"
I gestured downwards with my eyes.
It meant I was still using the gifts he gave me, not just this ring! Then Lewis said,
"How about getting a new ring instead of that one?"
"But I already have this one."
"It's too cheap."
Even if it's cheap, it has its own meaning!
I extended my hand to Lewis, showing the ring on my finger.
"Isn't one ring enough? It's simple, but..."
"You don't have to wear just this one."
Lewis reached out to hold my hand, placing it over his and looking intently.
He seemed to be thinking about what kind of ring would suit me.
Then he started to gently touch the tips of my fingers.
Pfft, I just noticed that they are already engaged. :D
ReplyDelete