Chapter 29

"Cordeia, listen. There's one more thing I've been keeping from you."

"……What is it?"

"……I've been lying to you."

Leonhardt's eyes never left Cordeia, yet they wavered with a hint of unease.

"……The first time I met you wasn't at the ball the other day."

"Have I met Your Highness before? I'm sorry, but I don't remember……"

"That's understandable. It was at the ball the year before last. I was just drawn to you when we passed each other."

"……So that was it. Was the lie just about that?"

In response to Cordeia's question, Leonhardt blinked.

"……Will you forgive me?"

"For what? Rather, I'm grateful that a small doubt has been resolved."

Leonhardt, who had quickly grasped Cordeia's favorite sweets and had a dress made for her in an extremely short period, made sense now that she knew he had been watching her for some time.

"Your Highness, you looked so serious that I braced myself…… Is there anything else?"

"I've been watching you since the year before last. ……I just watched as your fiancé was taken by my sister."

"Your Highness……"

"I didn't try to stop my sister's tyranny. Instead, I felt a dark sense of relief that you didn't end up with another man."

Leonhardt muttered, "I'm the worst," but Cordeia shook her head calmly.

"Your Highness is too strict and too perfectionistic with yourself. The matter with the former fiancés is between me, the former fiancés, and your sister. There's no need for you to worry about it."

"You're so kind……"

"I think you're the kind one. ……The reason you didn't contact me for two years and tried to remain uninvolved was because you didn't want to burden me with the weight of being a prince's love interest. And you didn't want to involve me in the conflict with Prince Zayed, right?"

"……You really do see through me, don't you?"

Leonhardt smiled faintly.

"Your Highness, if you hadn't seen me when I was about to be splashed with wine by Lady Kathisia at the ball, you would have kept everything to yourself, right? But after protecting me and coming into close contact, you couldn't suppress your desire to see me again. ……So, I think it was all an accident."

The fact that a prince like him proposed to a mere countess and became obsessed with her was odd and unprecedented. Cordeia felt a pain in her chest and tried to convince herself of this again.

"No, Cordeia. The day I saved you and proposed to you wasn't an accident or a coincidence."

"……What?"

"I originally intended to approach you directly at the ball and confess my feelings."

"Such a thing……"

It must be a lie.

To deny it, but Leonhardt's eyes were straight and filled with a poignant yet passionate light.

"Your Highness, why? You were going to be a mere observer, right?"

"……Because your scent, the image your sixth sense conveys, changed that day."

"My 'scent'?"

"Yes. ……Cordeia, you change your perfume every time you meet me, don't you?"

Cordeia's shoulders trembled.

"……You noticed?"

"Because it's about you. I thought it would be unrefined to point it out every time, but even today, you're wearing a different perfume from the ball, right?"

"Yes. I borrowed it from a friend."

She wanted to know if changing perfumes would change the 'scent' she emitted. And if it did, she thought it might end the way Leonhardt treated her.

"Your changing perfumes were refreshing, but…… the scent I feel through my sixth sense never changed. As proof, I found you today by following your scent."

"The perfume didn't change…… But it did on the day of the ball……"

What does this mean?

"Yes, it doesn't change, but it does change simultaneously."

"……What do you mean?"

"……The 'scent' I feel represents a person's essence. So, while it doesn't change much for the same person, it does change slightly depending on the person's state of mind and experiences."

"State of mind……"

"Cordeia, something must have changed in your heart before the ball."

She remembered.

After receiving the engagement break from Toppac and deciding to bear the future of the earl's family on her own.

"……Indeed, it might be true. Hailut…… Even my friend pointed out a change."

"Of course…… Cordeia, your scent is like a flower blooming in the winter sky, soft and strong. I was drawn to you from the first time we met, but I managed to control myself until that day."

Leonhardt's voice became low and pained.

"But I couldn't. On that day, your scent was strong and elegant, yet a bit lonely…… I couldn't hold back anymore."

His eyes narrowed, filled with regret, longing, and uncontrollable passion.

"Cordeia, you're a kind and strong woman. I know you can stand on your own and find happiness, but…… because of that, I wanted to walk with you and live together."

"Your Highness……"

"The beginning was the scent, but as I talked to you and saw your smile, I became more and more drawn to you and couldn't let go……. I couldn't be satisfied with just fleeting encounters. As a person and as a woman…… I fell in love with you."

With overflowing affection, Leonhardt looked at her.

"I……"

Her heart raced, her breathing quickened, and her head and face felt very hot.

Scent. A scent-like thing. Fleeting encounters.

Several words circled in Cordeia's mind, but——

(But, it's probably nothing special.)

The worries melted away like snow, and a sense of understanding and resolve sprouted.

The reason Leonhardt fell in love with her, the 'scent-like thing.'

This sensation, which Cordeia, a mere human, couldn't experience, she could believe in Leonhardt's words.

The 'scent-like thing' represents a person's heart and emits a certain aroma.

And if her scent was appealing to Leonhardt——

(I want to respond to Your Highness's feelings. I don't want to be afraid and shrink away.)

The fear of Leonhardt's change of heart still lingered in Cordeia's heart.

But it was an inevitable emotion, the flip side of love, when one seeks someone and falls in love.

(Then, I should make up my mind and acknowledge my love. Because this fear is probably nothing special.)

People's hearts and appearances.

They change gradually but surely.

The 'scent-like thing' must also change, for better or worse.

If she only feared the changes and the possibility of losing his heart, she wouldn't be able to hold anyone's hand.

In Cordeia's heart, much more than the fear——

She wanted him, wanted to live with him.

She wanted to grow together and achieve a better future.

"……I also admire Your Highness."

"Cordeia……"

Confessing her feelings made her feel ticklish and her cheeks turned red.

"I don't know if I can satisfy Your Highness as a fiancée and a wife of the royal family…… But I want to be by Your Highness's side."

"……Thank you, Cordeia. I'm already more than satisfied by you."

"……Your Highness, you're too sweet."

Recognizing and acknowledging her love, the sweetness of Leonhardt's familiar words of courtship seemed to spread through her body.

"……I can't accept your proposal right away. I have many things left to do, like the earldom and my father's re-education. So, I think Your Highness will have to wait for a while……"

"I'll wait. Since you've promised to come to me, I'll wait for as many years as it takes."

With a bright smile, Leonhardt took Cordeia's arm.

"Your Highness?"

"It's a mark of our promise. Will you accept it?"

Just as Leonhardt's lips were about to touch the back of her hand——

"Your Highness～～～～～～～‼ Where are you———⁉"

Leonhardt's movement stopped at the approaching voice.

"……I've been too absorbed in you. I usually notice someone approaching much earlier."

Letting go of Cordeia's right arm, Leonhardt muttered regretfully.

"Cordeia, we'll continue this another day. It's a pity, but——"

"Yes, please go. Your attendants are probably worried."

Cordeia tried to maintain her composure while suppressing her heart's rapid beat.

In a way, it might have been a relief that the attendants came.

If she had received his kiss and sweet words, she might have turned completely red.

(……From now on, things will get busy. The path will surely be difficult.)

Watching Leonhardt head towards his attendants, Cordeia looked up at the sky.

There are precedents for countesses marrying into the royal family, but most of them are either of exceptional beauty or have noble blood on their mother's side.

(I don't have either……)

Moreover, she has the notoriety of being jilted four times and the reputation of having a sister like Priscilla, who is known for her head full of flowers.

Naturally, many of the royal and noble families won't accept her without reservation.

While she doesn't think Leonhardt will waver due to opposition from others,

(For Your Highness's sake, I need to work hard to proudly claim the title of fiancée.)

Choosing a successor for the earldom, promoting the earldom's prosperity, re-educating her father, and dealing with her sister……

She needed to achieve all of these and gain recognition as a noble and a ruler.

Especially, since she will marry Leonhardt, choosing a successor for the earldom is crucial.

(……It would be difficult for Your Highness to marry into the earldom……)

While it might be a bit delicate for a royal to marry into an earl's family, the bigger issue is——

(Prince Zayed……)

If Leonhardt were to become a subject, his influence on national politics would weaken, and he wouldn't be able to stop Zayed in a crisis.

(This doesn't seem good for the country……)

Zayed, who is arrogant, emotional, and openly disrespectful to others, hasn't made any major mistakes as a public figure yet, but he has caused several disputes with foreign envoys.

Given his attitude, it's terrifying to think what would happen if he became the supreme ruler.

(And domestically, the construction of the new canal and aqueduct in the capital has caused friction……)

The new canal is expected to significantly change the logistics routes to the capital.

While it doesn't seem to have a significant impact on Cordeia's earldom, many nobles will struggle as the flow of people and goods is diverted to the new canal.

On the other hand, two of the five dukes will benefit from the new canal.

One is the Arwood Duke's family, Zayed's mother's side and Kathisia's family.

The other is the Branded Duke's family, whose support Zayed is trying to secure by pushing the canal construction.

(Prince Zayed must be afraid of Prince Leonhardt……)

Leonhardt's mother's side is one of the five dukes.

And another of the five dukes has recently taken a stance favoring Leonhardt.

Even if Zayed is the crown prince, it's not a favorable situation for two of the five dukes to support Leonhardt.

That's why Zayed wants to secure the Branded Duke's support, but——

(His methods are too forceful……)

Cordeia is very uncertain about whether Zayed should be the crown prince.

If she could choose the next king herself——

(……Prince Leonhardt)

He might not be a perfect person, but she believes he would be a much better king than Zayed.

Considering his lineage, the movements of the five dukes, and other factors, it's not an impossible dream.

Cordeia also had a plan to push Leonhardt to the position of crown prince, but——

(This is a radical approach, and it's unknown what would happen if it were implemented. Moreover, Prince Leonhardt himself doesn't seem to want to reach for the throne by pushing aside Prince Zayed……)

While she has many thoughts, going further would exceed her bounds.

Praying that the day her plan is implemented never comes, Cordeia headed back to her residence.