Chapter 27

"It's about time for Prince Leonhardt to arrive."

After finishing her paperwork, Cordelia stood up from her desk.

It has been about thirty days since she received the gloves from Leonhardt. During this time, she has met with him several times, and today he is scheduled to visit again.

Her destination is a room on the outskirts of the first floor of the mansion. It is a hidden room with an entrance disguised as a wall.

The level of the disguise is so high that Cordelia herself did not notice it until just the other day. This room was given to her by her father as a place to store the dress gifted by Leonhardt, to prevent Priscilla from forcibly taking it. Due to its nature, she cannot entrust the cleaning to the servants, so Cordelia quickly tidied up the room.

Finally, she opened the small hidden window, sat on the long chair, and waited for Leonhardt.

(I wonder what we will talk about today, Your Highness.)

Cordelia's heart was uplifted, but the topics she imagined were far from anything sensual.

The construction of a joint mining site with a neighboring country, the impact of the newly established canal in the capital, the future vision for the industrial promotion of the earldom...

Discussing the political situation surrounding the country and the governance of the earldom with Leonhardt was enjoyable. As an earl's daughter, she never thought she would be able to discuss politics and economics with a prince. At first, Cordelia was hesitant, but as they talked, she quickly became engrossed.

Leonhardt is well-versed and his insights, shaped by his royal education, are fascinating. He accepts Cordelia's opinions flexibly and treats her as an equal conversation partner. Even when their ideas clashed, it was enjoyable and stimulating, and she felt very fulfilled.

(Prince Leonhardt is truly an exceptional person, more than I deserve...)

Cordelia thought to herself. He possesses a brilliant mind, a gentle demeanor, the ability to accept others, and the dignity of a royal. His treatment of Cordelia, not forcing a betrothal and considering her family's circumstances, was also commendable.

Even when they were alone, he never forced himself on her and always brought up topics that matched her interests. Talking with him was enjoyable, and she sometimes felt her heart race at the kindness in his eyes. As a fiancé, he was incredibly charming and a wonderful man.

(But, it's still about the "something like a scent"...)

The phrase "something like a scent" brought Cordelia back to reality.

The more she got to know him and spent time with him, the more her heart leaned towards him, but she could not forget the reason.

(The reason Prince Leonhardt has feelings for me is because of the "something like a scent"...)

"A scent-like something"

Leonhardt is infatuated with this vague thing. No matter how much he tried to explain, Cordelia could not understand the charm of the "scent-like something" and could not grasp it as a real concept.

(If it were something like being infatuated with my face, I could at least try to improve...)

For example, if he said he couldn't resist her face, she could work on her lifestyle, pay attention to her makeup, and maintain her appearance.

But being infatuated with a "scent-like something" left Cordelia with no way to improve. She couldn't perceive it, and there was a possibility that the "scent-like something" she emitted could change, no longer appealing to Leonhardt, and his affection could wane.

(I don't want that, and it's scary...)

Cordelia acknowledged her fear. Imagining what it would be like if she accepted his proposal and was then abandoned by him caused a pain she had never experienced before. Additionally, the reality of the social gap between a prince and an earl's daughter was a significant barrier. It was too high a wall to overcome by prioritizing her feelings alone.

(I can't accept Prince Leonhardt's proposal with this kind of me...)

Cordelia shook her head to change her mood. She didn't want to show such a pitiful appearance to Leonhardt.

As Cordelia was shaking her head to regain her composure, a knocking sound came from the wall facing the garden.

"Your Highness, welcome."

"Kyaa!"

A small lion cub entered the room through the hidden window. The cub jumped onto Cordelia's lap and purred contentedly. Its round ears twitched, and the soft fur tickled her arms.

...It was an adorable sight, but the cub was actually a human. The person inside was Leonhardt. Just thinking about it made her cheeks turn red.

"...Your Highness, please limit the use of the 'scent-like something' to this extent today."

"――――Ah, I'm sorry, Cordelia. I seem to have gotten carried away again today."

The lion cub jumped off her lap, transformed into a human, and stepped on the floor, speaking. Cordelia's eyes widened at the swift transformation.

"...No matter how many times I see it, I still can't believe my eyes."

"Transforming from a human to an animal is not something you see every day."

As Leonhardt closed the hidden window, he smiled at her with his usual charming smile.

"Beings that can transform into both human and animal forms are quite rare."

"Rare... Does that mean there are other people who can transform into animals besides Your Highness?"

"In the past, there were members of our royal family who could transform into lions, and some could change only parts of their bodies, like their eyes or ears, to those of a lion."

"Parts of the body..."

"Yes. And there are a few people on the continent today who can transform into animals, besides me."

"――――Are they from other royal families?"

Many countries have founding legends involving animal spirits, such as wolves, tigers, deer, and snakes.

"Pretty much. In families with royal blood, it's rare, but occasionally, a person who can transform into an animal is born, reverting to an ancestral trait."

"I see..."

It was interesting information, but probing too deeply might touch on the secrets of other royal families. Cordelia decided to change the topic and enjoy her conversation with Leonhardt.

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"――――And so, the completion of the new canal in the capital, which my brother rushed to complete, is beneficial for two of the five ducal families――――"

Leonhardt's words were interrupted by the sound of a small bell.

Happy times pass quickly. The bell ringing in the capital signaled the end of the evening and the end of their time together.

"Your Highness, thank you for today. I had a wonderful time."

Despite a slight sore throat, Cordelia smiled contentedly. She was reluctant to let him go, but she couldn't keep him any longer. Thanks to his visits in the form of a lion cub, she had avoided Priscilla's tantrums and court gossip, but he was a busy royal.

"Me too. Your words were very interesting, and I was completely absorbed. When should we meet next――――"

"Your Highness, I'm sorry, but I don't think I can make any more appointments."

Cordelia continued, suppressing her sadness.

"I need to return to the earldom soon to handle the accumulated work. I plan to leave the capital in ten days, and besides that..."

She hesitated a bit.

"――――I still can't accept Your Highness's proposal. I don't think we should meet alone anymore or take up more of Your Highness's time."

She had been enjoying the comfort of spending time with Leonhardt, but since she had no intention of accepting his proposal, she should properly say goodbye before returning to the earldom.

Feeling a dull pain in her chest, Cordelia cautiously observed Leonhardt's reaction.

"――――Cordelia, if that's the case, I――――"

"I think we should take different paths."

"――――I'm willing to wait, no matter how long it takes."

"――――What?"

Leonhardt didn't seem to be giving up.

"I'm sorry, but I can't accept the proposal――――"

"I know."

Leonhardt smiled, a bit sadly.

"I understand that you don't intend to accept the proposal now. But I'm not going to give up after just one or two rejections."

"Your Highness..."

"I promise I won't force the engagement or make you uncomfortable. When you have resolved the issues in the earldom and have some free time, please reconsider my proposal."

Leonhardt shared his thoughts and quietly stood up from the long chair.

"――――It's about time. Would it be okay if I come to this mansion one more time as a lion cub the day after tomorrow? You seemed interested in the book I quoted from earlier. I plan to bring it from my room before you leave for the earldom."

"――――A book, Your Highness, as a lion cub?"

She imagined it. A round lion cub carrying a book on its back, moving its short legs with effort.

(It's so cute...)

She couldn't help but smile. But on second thought, carrying a heavy book might be animal (?) abuse, and treating a prince like a messenger was too much.

"Your Highness, that book is fine. I can go to the royal library tomorrow and read it there."

She was busy, but she could spare the time.

Recently, several changes had occurred in the earl's household. First, her father seemed to have finally taken on the responsibilities of the earl, receiving guidance from Cordelia on practical matters. The roles of teacher and student were reversed, but she was happy to see her father's change.

"But, it's not all smooth sailing..."

After seeing Leonhardt leave through the window as a lion cub, Cordelia muttered to herself. Her father's dedication to his duties meant less time for her sister and mother, leading to growing dissatisfaction. Especially Priscilla, who was more defiant than ever due to being rejected by Leonhardt, but her father was less willing to indulge her whims.

As a result, Priscilla and her mother, who wanted to spoil her, frequently clashed with her father, leading to daily arguments.

(I don't think Priscilla can get away with her whims anymore now that Father has taken on his responsibilities...)

She thought as she opened the hidden door to observe the outside and quietly left the room. Closing the door, she walked down the corridor and turned a corner.

"Hailroot?"

"Oh, Lady Cordelia. I didn't expect to see you today."

He was supposed to visit her father today to discuss selling the paintings Priscilla had bought on a whim, seeking information from an art dealer. So it wasn't unusual for him to be in the mansion, but...

"Why are you all the way out here?"

The hidden room was in a secluded corner of the mansion, where storage rooms and other utility spaces were located.

"Just taking a walk. I was curious about the interior and the paintings in the earl's household, you know, an artist's instinct."

"......I see."

Was it a whim? Cordelia worried that the conversation in the hidden room might have been overheard, but the door's disguise was perfect, and the soundproofing was adequate. She had been careful not to raise her voice, so it was unlikely that anyone had heard.

Convinced of this, Cordelia started walking while making small talk with Hailroot.