Chapter 46

"Cordelia-sama, is it convenient for you now?"

"Yes, it's fine."

As Cordelia, who was reviewing documents in her room, responded, the maid bowed and entered.

She was holding a beautifully packaged box wrapped in pink and white paper.

"There's a gift and a letter for you."

"From whom, I wonder?"

Even as she asked, Cordelia had a faint idea of who the sender might be.

"The sender is Prince Leonhardt."

"Is that so..."

Her guess was correct.

However, Cordelia's face did not brighten at the gift from her beloved fiancé.

"Could I see the letter? And please put the box on that table for now."

"Understood."

The envelope handed to her was a light pink, cute and delicate.

As Cordelia read the contents, a rustling sound was heard.

The source seemed to be from inside the box on the table.

"Cordelia-sama, could this be... again?"

"...Probably."

Cordelia sighed, picked up the box, and walked to the window facing the garden, gently lifting the lid.

From the widening gap—

"Ribbit?"

A green shadow leaped out.

It landed on the grass in the garden and hopped around.

"It's a frog today."

One, two, three—

Several frogs tumbled out one after another.

The light that seeped through the gap in the lid seemed to make them more active.

When she turned the box upside down, a piece of paper fluttered down.

"Excuse me."

The maid crouched down and quickly picked up the paper.

"What does it say?"

"It says, 'I sent you a gift that suits you. Were you surprised?'"

It was a gift meant to harass.

The sender, of course, could not have been Leonhardt.

(...The perpetrator is quite sloppy, isn't she?)

Cordelia looked out the window.

The green frogs were hopping around, enjoying their newfound freedom.

The frogs were innocent.

As she watched them, the hedge at the edge of the garden became noisy.

"Ah! Why are the frogs coming this way?! Noooooo!!"

A flash of golden hair could be seen leaping through the gap in the hedge.

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"Ugh, hic, why are they coming this way..."

In the shadow of the hedge, Femina was on the verge of tears.

Every time a frog hopped nearby, she let out a small scream and clung to her attendant.

She seemed to be particularly afraid of frogs and didn't even notice Cordelia's approach.

"Come on, go over there. Staying here won't do you any good."

She chased the frogs away from Femina.

"Femina-sama, please calm down. The frogs are gone now."

"Really?!"

Femina cautiously looked around and finally seemed to relax.

"That's a relief... Thank you!"

Her face tightened, and she glared at Cordelia.

"Cordelia!! Why are you helping me?!"

"Because you were afraid of the frogs."

"Rude!! I'm not afraid at all!!"

Femina snapped, but her teary eyes made her argument unconvincing.

She seemed to realize this, and her face turned red.

"Why does it have to be like this?! You should be the one who's scared! You should be surprised!! Frogs suddenly leaped out of the box!!"

"I had an idea before I opened it..."

Cordelia smiled wryly.

There had been a rustling sound, and the box itself looked suspicious from the start.

(The pink and white wrapping paper was a bit too cute.)

Cordelia preferred colors like blue and maroon.

Leonhardt knew this, and his genuine gifts were always in a more subdued color scheme.

The box that arrived today looked like something a young girl would be delighted with.

When she checked the letter, the handwriting was an imitation of Leonhardt's, but she was certain it was a different person.

(The fact that the box contained frogs is probably because Femina-sama hates frogs so much.)

Sending something she herself would dislike, wrapped in a way she thought was appealing.

Femina must have prepared the harassment herself.

Cordelia had already been subjected to similar pranks several times.

(...But the main reason I knew this gift wasn't from Prince Leonhardt is... something else...)

Glancing around her room, Cordelia returned her gaze to Femina.

"Femina-sama, unfortunately, I am not afraid of frogs. Whether you harass me or not, please stop using living creatures and treating life carelessly."

"Why do I have to be lectured by you?"

"Would you prefer to be reprimanded by someone else?"

"..."

Femina fell silent.

Even though it was a minor prank, she was using her brother Prince Leonhardt's name to send gifts.

She seemed to understand the potential consequences.

(She does realize that what she's doing is wrong.)

But it seemed she couldn't stop her pranks so easily.

"I don't do this to anyone else."

Turning her face away, Femina muttered.

Her small fists were tightly clenched.

"Break off your engagement with my brother. ...If you do, I'll stop harassing you."

"That's not possible."

Cordelia firmly refused.

She could imagine and understand Femina's feelings and emotions.

But she couldn't accept her demands.

"..."

Biting her lip and holding back tears, Femina looked at Cordelia, who smiled at her.

"Femina-sama, don't cry. I'm sure Nini would say the same thing."

"...Nini..."

Nini, who was gentle and seemed to be worried about Femina, rubbed against her feet.

"Meow?"

"..."

As Femina stroked Nini in silence, her tears subsided.

She seemed to be a child with quick emotional swings.

"Femina-sama, would you like to have tea at this mansion? I think Nini and the others would be happy too."

"...I guess I have no choice."

While avoiding Cordelia's gaze, Femina nodded firmly.

"I'll come to your house to prepare for the harassment."

It's not because I want to take care of the cats, she added, as if making an excuse, and headed to the mansion with Nini in her arms.

Thank you for reading.