Chapter 28

"You, a girl, burrowing into books like this, it's just like you to be so clever."

"……………Your Highness Zaid, good day to you."

Cordelia raised her face from the book she was reading and greeted him.

She had been sitting in the library within the palace grounds.

The book, recommended by Leonhardt, was indeed fascinating, and she had been enjoying her reading—until—

(The worst.)

Her mood plummeted at Zaid's appearance, and her sense of caution rose sharply.

Looking around, she saw that a male noble from Zaid's faction was observing her.

He might have informed Zaid, leading him to come and meet her.

"Your Highness, what kind of book are you looking for today?"

"To save you. You should be grateful."

The conversation was disjointed, and his gaze was condescending.

"………Your Highness, what do you mean by that?"

"Recently, you've been getting carried away because Leonhardt has taken a liking to you, haven't you?"

"I have politely declined His Highness Leonhardt's proposal."

"Don't lie. My brother has been in high spirits lately. He might be trying to hide it, but I, his older brother, can see through it."

Zaid snorted.

He had known Leonhardt since they were young.

Siblings were indeed a complicated matter, Cordelia thought, recalling Priscilla's face.

"Regardless of His Highness Leonhardt's feelings, I have no intention of accepting a proposal—"

"You can say anything with your mouth. You must be feeling good inside, getting attention from a prince. Otherwise, you wouldn't have the nerve to reject my hand."

She was being scolded and misunderstood, and was under a terrible misapprehension.

(………If you weren't the Crown Prince, I wouldn't even want to speak to you.)

Hiding the rising anger and disgust towards Zaid, Cordelia stood up.

"Excuse me. I'll be leaving. I have no intention of taking either Your Highness Zaid's hand or His Highness Leonhardt's hand."

"Run away, will you?"

Zaid grabbed her right arm forcefully.

"It hurts. Let go."

"You should be grateful and accept my proposal."

"Let go. My heart is mine alone."

"………To reject me again, you're just as foolish as my sister………"

Zaid muttered something, but Cordelia couldn't hear what he said.

"Your Highness, did you say something?"

"Tch‼ It's nothing. ………A pitiful and foolish woman who has had her fiancés stolen four times. Your lack of judgment in men is so pitiful that it almost makes me feel sorry for you."

"I don't need your pity."

"You're being deceived by my brother's superficial charm."

"What do you mean by deceiving, His Highness Leonhardt?"

"Haha, that reaction suggests you haven't been told, have you?"

Zaid's lips twisted with a sadistic smile.

"My brother once stole my fiancée, an ungrateful wretch."

"………What?"

"Despite my affection for my sickly brother, he stole my fiancée. You, a poor soul deceived by my treacherous brother, would have a chance to repent if you chose me—"

"Your Highness, what are you saying?"

In contrast to Zaid's rapid speech, Cordelia remained calm.

She admitted to being momentarily surprised by the claim that Leonhardt had stolen his brother's fiancée, but—

"Your Highness, you didn't have any fiancée other than the official one you married three years ago, did you?"

"You're a shallow woman, trapped by the surface information. I once had a woman prepared to be my fiancée—"

"Brother!?"

It was Leonhardt.

Taking advantage of Zaid's distraction, Cordelia quickly pulled her arm free.

"What are you doing with Cordelia here?"

"I was just telling her about your misdeeds."

Zaid turned to Leonhardt with eyes full of superiority and hatred.

"Cordelia, take my hand. I'm offering to save you from the brother who has been deceiving you."

Reaching out his hand to her,

"I decline. I don't think His Highness Leonhardt is the kind of person who would do such a cruel thing."

"………You don't believe my words?"

"I believe in the character of His Highness Leonhardt, whom I have known."

Cordelia bowed and bid farewell to Zaid, then ran off quickly.

"Don't be ridiculous, Cordelia!! Of all people, you!! You, who have had your fiancés stolen by my sister!! Are you going to choose Leonhardt, who stole my fiancée from me?!"

Zaid's voice, filled with resentment, echoed behind her.

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"By now, my brother shouldn't be chasing after me."

Leonhardt stopped at the edge of the palace garden, where the surrounding trees provided cover.

"Was it okay, being shouted at by my brother?"

"Just a grabbed arm. I was saved thanks to Your Highness."

"That's good……… I felt your presence while walking through the palace and decided to sneak out to check on you. I didn't expect my brother to be so forceful with you, I'm sorry………"

"Your Highness isn't at fault. ………But may I ask you one question?"

"………About my brother saying I stole his fiancée?"

Cordelia nodded.

"………It's something I need to tell you eventually. It happened eleven years ago—"

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Eleven years ago, nine-year-old Leonhardt, weakened by a hereditary condition, spent much of his time in bed.

Feeling sorry for him, who couldn't move around freely, was Theresia, then a candidate to be Zaid's fiancée.

Theresia would visit Leonhardt on her way back from seeing Zaid, becoming his playmate.

The kind-hearted Theresia won the affection of the young Leonhardt, but—

"But Theresia was too kind. She couldn't accept the heavy responsibility of being the Crown Prince's fiancée."

Zaid, the Crown Prince, had a haughty and harsh personality.

The match between him and the kind but timid Theresia was not a good one.

Eventually, Theresia declined the engagement, and the formal engagement was never made.

"Even though it wasn't a formal engagement, my brother was furious. The angrier he got, the more Theresia withdrew, and her heart drifted away. In an attempt to make him give up, she finally said this—"

——I cannot live with you. If a marriage to the royal family is absolutely necessary, I will become His Highness Leonhardt's fiancée.

"………That's a bit……… I understand her feelings, but………"

Cordelia frowned.

She had just experienced Zaid's tenacity.

However, even to escape Zaid, using the name of a nine-year-old Leonhardt seemed a bit harsh.

"………Her words turned my brother's anger towards me. He accused me of seducing Theresia and stealing her from him, and we haven't reconciled since………"

"That's completely Zaid's grudge, isn't it………"

"But the fact remains that my brother lost his fiancée candidate. ………I swear I had no intention of taking Theresia from my brother……… I want you to believe me."

"Of course. Your Highness doesn't seem like the kind of person who would steal a fiancée from their own brother."

Cordelia nodded deeply.

(This clears things up. No matter how weak Your Highness was, I couldn't understand why he felt so inferior to Zaid………)

Leonhardt must feel responsible for the Theresia incident.

"Cordelia, I'm sorry. I hesitated to tell you this, fearing you might dislike me."

"Dislike me?"

"………You've had your fiancé stolen by my sister. I was afraid it might bring back painful memories."

Cordelia looked into her own heart.

When her former fiancé left her, it hurt.

But that was in the past.

Especially since she met Leonhardt recently—

"——Being treated like a plaything by Your Highness, those wounds have long healed."

Being proposed to and treated like a plaything by the prince, she had been tossed around.

There was no time to dwell on trivial past pains; it was a noisy but enjoyable life.

Smiling as she recalled the days spent with Leonhardt—

"………I can't help but be captivated………"

Leonhardt's hand gently touched her cheek.

He caressed it lovingly, then, as if making a decision, he spoke.

"Cordelia, listen. There's one more thing I haven't told you."