Chapter 63

Everyone, it's been a while since my last update!

The third volume of the manga adaptation will be released on September 14th, so I wrote a special short story (SS) to commemorate it!

(Thank you to everyone who participated in the SS protagonist vote on X (Twitter)! I'll be featuring Silas, who won by a landslide!)

Additionally, the third volume of the novel is scheduled for release this winter!

I can't provide the exact release date yet, but it would make me very happy if you could remember it's coming out sometime this winter, even if it's just in the back of your mind!

Regarding the third volume of the novel, the content will differ from the web version (it takes place after the third web chapter).

Due to the change in direction and the fact that I can't post new material from the novel on the web, I will be setting the web version as completed! However, I plan to continue posting short stories and side stories that won't interfere with the novel's progress, so please look forward to them.

(Also, I'll be holding another SS protagonist vote on X (Twitter) at some point, so please vote if you can!)

I apologize for the long introduction, but I hope you enjoy the SS!

(The timeline is set during the first volume of the novel, when Olivia is still doing paperwork!)

"Hey, Colin. Which one do you think is best?"

"Are they not all the Prince's pens?"

Silas, who had been frowning at the row of pens on his desk, turned to Colin with a puzzled look.

"Since this morning, you've been rummaging around. Why did you pull out so many pens?"

On Silas's desk, nearly ten pens were lined up. Each one was designed for ink, but they varied in writing feel, tip thickness, weight, and material.

"I've been liking this glass pen lately, but it's hard and hurts my hand after a long time. So, I'm thinking maybe the softer one would be better."

"So, what is it?"

"Of course, it's a gift for Olivia."

Colin's confusion deepened as he stared at the lined-up pens.

"They're all the Prince's pens, right?"

"Right."

"Are you going to buy the same one?"

"No. I'm going to give her one of these."

"…Not a new one?"

"A new one wouldn't mean anything."

Silas turned to Colin and held up two pens.

"These are the candidates. They're less tiring for long hours of paperwork, and the handles have cushioning, so your fingers don't hurt."

"Aren't those the ones the Prince had custom-made?"

"Yeah, they are."

"Can't you ask the place where you bought them to make another one?"

"That's why I want to give her one of mine."

"…I need an explanation."

"Don't you get it?"

Silas looked puzzled, put down the pens, and turned to Colin.

"Listen, Colin. If I give Olivia one of my pens, she'll probably think of me while she's working, right?"

"Then what?"

"…And if she gives me one of hers in return, I can think of her while I work."

"Ah…"

Colin covered his face with both hands and looked up at the ceiling.

"Prince, what are you saying such girly things for!"

"It can't be helped! Olivia is busy with paperwork in the morning, and I have my own duties, so we can't always be together. I want to feel close to her even when we're apart, and I want her to think of me too!"

"Could you say that to Lady Olivia's face?"

"There's no way I could, it's embarrassing."

Silas turned away and resumed selecting a pen. Colin might call it girly, but Silas thinks most men give gifts to women for similar reasons. They want the recipient to think of them when they see the gift. In Olivia's case, she's rather insensitive to romance, so just giving her a pen wouldn't make her think of him. That's why he decided to give her "Silas's pen."

(I think this one is better. It's a bit thinner, so it should be easier for Olivia's delicate hands to use. But the decorations on this one are prettier.)

Choosing between practicality and beauty is the dilemma.

(But this one is good too.)

Unaware that Colin had given up, Silas spent a full hour selecting the perfect pen for Olivia.

After carefully wrapping the chosen pen, Silas headed to Olivia's office with high spirits. Given her efficiency, she would likely be finishing up her paperwork around this time. Sure enough, when he arrived, Olivia was taking a break with tea served by Taylor.

"Hey, Olivia."

Having visited her frequently whenever he had free time, Silas's arrival no longer surprised Olivia, and she smiled at him.

"Prince, I received some pastries from His Majesty. Would you like to have them together?"

"Sure, that sounds good."

Silas wasn't surprised by the pastries from the fox-eyed king. He knew that King Jules had always favored Olivia, which was why he had used every trick in the book to make her Alain's fiancée. If the young Silas hadn't said, "I don't want to be king," he might have been a candidate for Olivia's partner. But he had been forced to dress as a girl by Jules, who wanted a daughter, and had grown to dislike the idea of kings.

Even as he grew older, the pressure of being king, the mental strain of dealing with his subjects, and the overwhelming workload made him want to avoid it. So, in the end, things might not have changed much.

Taylor prepared tea and pastries for Silas and smiled as she retreated to the side room.

"Olivia, here…"

Silas gently handed the wrapped box to Olivia, who tilted her head in confusion.

"What's this?"

"It's a gift. Open it."

"Ah?!"

Olivia gasped, her eyes darting around in confusion before she took the box and repeatedly thanked him.

(…It's clear how few gifts her brother has given her.)

She was probably not used to receiving gifts from men. Her nervous and flustered expression as she carefully untied the ribbon was unbearably cute.

After carefully removing the ribbon and opening the box, Olivia's eyes widened at the pen inside. The one Silas had chosen had a gold nib and a leather-wrapped handle, making it the most comfortable to write with for long periods. While there were pens that were easier to grip, they didn't write as well, so he had carefully selected this one.

"It's a pen I use. If you like, try writing with it. I think it's easy to use…"

"Thank you. My current pen is getting worn out, so this is perfect."

Olivia stood up, fetched ink and paper, and returned. After signing her name a few times to test the pen, she smiled happily.

"It's very easy to write with. But… isn't this the Prince's pen? Is it okay for me to take it?"

"Sure. I want you to use it. And it would make me happy if you thought of me from time to time."

"Eh…?"

Olivia's face turned bright red. She clutched the pen, fidgeted, and then, with a red face, looked down and whispered, "Thank you."

(Ah… she's really, really cute…)

He wanted to hug her impulsively, but that might scare her. He needed to be patient and wait for her feelings to grow.

"Um… I want to thank you, but I don't have anything to give you right now… Could I give you something later?"

(That's so typical of Olivia, thinking about returning a gift.)

Silas had anticipated this response and had a plan.

"You can use the pen you're currently using. It was about to break, right? Let's exchange them."

"No! It's really, the tip is starting to crack…"

"It's fine."

Whether the tip was cracked or broken didn't matter. Silas wanted the pen Olivia had used.

"Since I'm giving you one of my old pens, it's only fair to exchange them."

"But… at least it should be something usable…"

"Don't worry about it."

If he didn't insist, Olivia would definitely give him a new pen, which wouldn't have the same meaning.

Olivia resisted at first, but when she realized Silas wouldn't back down, she reluctantly brought her old pen from her desk.

"Are you sure this is okay?"

"Sure."

"Then… here you go."

"Thank you!"

Silas took the pen from the reluctant Olivia and did a mental victory pose. He carefully wrapped the pen in a handkerchief and put it in his pocket. Olivia looked puzzled but seemed to accept it, saying nothing more.

Later—

The pen Olivia had given him was carefully placed in a glass case on Silas's desk. When he smiled at the worn pen during breaks, the clerks who brought him work would tilt their heads in confusion, but that's another story.

Thank you for reading!

I hope you enjoyed it!

As mentioned earlier, the third volume of the manga adaptation will be released on September 14th!

There are also many special bonuses! Please check the Mag Garden website for details and, if necessary, contact the store.

Additionally, there's a "hologram bookmark" as a bonus, which will be distributed by participating stores (not all stores will have it).

In addition to the third volume of this work, two other manga adaptations will be released in September!

Here's the schedule, so please check it out if you're interested (*^^*)

September Release Schedule:

9/7: The Frail (Fake) Lady Wants to Break Her Engagement! ~I'm Too Busy with Money to Want to Get Married! (Square Enix)

9/8: I Was Ordered to Seduce the Handsome Duke, But I'm Unexpectedly Being Doted On (Futabasha)

9/14: The Crown Prince Broke Our Engagement, So I'm Done Pretending to Be Stupid (Mag Garden)

By the way, the first volume of "Your Highness, the Woman You Abandoned Is the Real Saint" (Ichijinsha) was released in August!

Starting in September, two new serializations have also begun:

☆ The Wind of the Fairies ~The Former Countess Picked Up a Troubled Young Nobleman Who Was Left on the Street~

https://ncode.syosetu.com/n1598ik/

⇨ A fantasy-heavy love comedy

☆ I Dropped the Prince into a Pit and Became His Fiancée ~He Seems to Be Annoyed, But I Won't Give Up!~

https://ncode.syosetu.com/n2319ik/

⇨ A love comedy with a powerful and positive heroine trying to win over the hero

Additional Note: The cover of the third volume of the novel has been revealed! It's scheduled for release on December 20th!