Chapter 83

The day after Alvis left the city of Ryngbjer, Elina came to the opera house with the Duchess of Forboard. Ryngbjer was a trading city with a lot of people coming and going. Therefore, while it did not match the capital, there were still a fair number of entertainment facilities. This opera house was one of them.

Elina and the Duchess sat side by side in a box seat.

"It's smaller than the one in the capital, but I think this size is just right."

"Yes, I agree. I think it's a very charming building."

The building was more than a size smaller than the one in the capital, but considering the population of this city, the capacity was sufficient.

"Have you ever been to a place like this, Your Highness?"

"Yes, but only a few times."

When Elina answered, the Duchess looked at her with a smile. She probably thought Elina had come with Alvis. However, Elina had never come with Alvis. In fact, she had come with her brother. Even if they were engaged, it was not uncommon for a couple to come together. But Elina had never had that opportunity. After all, the one-year engagement period had passed in a flash, and Alvis had no time to enjoy such moments.

If Elina had told Alvis that she wanted to visit with him, he might have made time for it. But to make that time, Alvis would have had to sacrifice his rest. Elina did not want that. In the end, it was inevitable that she could not tell him.

"Is something wrong?"

"N-no, nothing at all."

Perhaps her feelings had shown on her face. Seeing the Duchess's puzzled look, Elina shook her head with a smile. The Duchess, noticing Elina's expression, covered her mouth and chuckled.

"Is something the matter, Aunt?"

"Hehe, I'm sorry. I thought you were thinking about His Highness the Crown Prince. After all, you two are newlyweds. Even a few days apart must be lonely."

Elina had indeed been thinking about Alvis. Moreover, it was the first morning she had spent without seeing him, even for just a day, and she could not help but feel a bit lonely. Elina just smiled in a troubled way, neither confirming nor denying.

"The Crown Prince and you seem to get along very well, and the maids have been talking about it."

"Talking about it?"

"Yes. They say you have become much softer in your demeanor."

Among the maids of the Forboard Duke's family, there were those who knew Elina. After all, this was her maternal home. From them, it seemed that Elina's demeanor had changed. Elina herself did not feel it, but it was true that she was less tense than before. Now that she was officially married to Alvis and had become the Crown Princess, and spent most of her time in the Crown Prince's palace, she had not yet appeared in public much for official duties. She had heard that these would gradually increase, and she would need to fulfill her duties as a princess. But with her ambiguous status now determined, she felt more grounded than ever. Perhaps this was reflected in her demeanor.

"If I have changed, it is undoubtedly thanks to His Highness Alvis."

"I'm glad you seem happy, really."

"Thank you, Aunt."

As they talked, the performance began. Elina and the Duchess turned their attention to the stage. Being in a box seat allowed Elina to watch the performance without worrying about being seen by others. Time passed quickly as she was captivated by the stage. After the finale, they sent their enthusiastic applause and left the opera house.

On the way back in the carriage, Elina and the Duchess were discussing their impressions of the performance when the carriage suddenly stopped. They were still some distance from the Forboard Duke's residence. As they wondered what had happened, they heard a child's cry. Peering out the carriage window, they saw a child crouched near the wheel. It seemed the child had run out and almost been hit. The child did not seem to have any serious injuries, just some scrapes. Elina got out of the carriage and called for Filarietta.

"Your Highness?"

"Is there a church or a clinic nearby?"

Filarietta hesitated, as she was older and a duke's daughter, and Elina felt a bit resistant about not using polite language with her. Just as Alvis had been told by his superiors in the royal guard, Elina was now the mistress of Filarietta and the others. A single word could be used against her, especially in public. She had to be careful and consciously choose her words. Filarietta nodded in satisfaction at Elina's response and then turned her gaze to the child.

"No, there is a church, but it's a bit of a distance. However, it doesn't seem necessary since it's just a scrape."

"But the child seems a bit frightened."

Following Filarietta's lead, Elina also looked at the child. The child was not injured, but was trembling. When the child's eyes met Elina's, they widened in surprise. Then, the child looked down, hugging themselves with their hands.

"That child..."

"They are probably afraid of people like us. I've heard that the previous Duke of Forboard's guards used to act quite recklessly."

"Is that so..."

So, the child was afraid of the Forboard Duke's family. The carriage bore the Forboard Duke's family crest, and the people here would immediately recognize it as belonging to the Forboard Duke's family. The child was not afraid because of the injury but because the carriage belonged to the Forboard Duke's family. The previous Duke of Forboard was Elina's grandfather, whom she did not have a good impression of. Even though the city had changed significantly after her uncle took over, it was disheartening to think that his actions had frightened even a child. The child seemed unable to get up, perhaps in shock.

Elina stepped away from the carriage and approached the child.

"Your Highness!"

Ignoring Filarietta's protest, Elina knelt down to meet the child's eyes.

"The people in this carriage won't hurt you. You can relax."

"..."

Elina smiled gently, trying not to frighten the child.

"Can you walk on your own?"

"...Are you the princess?"

"..."

Elina could not answer yes or no. People who knew the Crown Prince and his wife were in the area would recognize her from the Forboard Duke's carriage. However, there was a difference between being recognized and introducing herself. Even to a child, Elina's position did not allow her to reveal her identity carelessly.

"Can you walk on your own?"

"...Are you someone important to the prince? He said he wanted you to bring him here."

"Eh?"

The child, who had been speaking softly, now spoke clearly and pulled on Elina's sleeve. Filarietta and the others also approached, wondering what was happening. The child reached into their clothes and pulled out a small object, which they then crushed. Smoke burst out from the object.

"Elina!"

"Kyaa!"

Filarietta's scream echoed, but Elina's vision was already white. As she was pulled forward, a pair of arms caught her. It was probably Filarietta or Muse. When she tried to look up, she saw a person with their eyes hidden by a mask. As Elina tried to pull away, a cloth was pressed to her mouth.

(No!)

Elina understood what was happening. But she could not avoid the sudden attack or resist the smell on the cloth. Her eyelids drooped, and she could not stop them from closing.

"Al...vis-sama"

"…You'll see him soon. Hehehe."

Thank you always for reporting typos and errors! I'm sorry for the many mistakes...