Chapter 7

The harsh winter was drawing near.

The breath he exhaled turned white, and the already sparse greenery of the hilly area had lost even more of its color. When he rode his horse for a patrol, the cold wind made him shudder.

The land remained unchanged.

The sky remained unchanged.

These had only been colored for a brief moment a year ago.

“Are you thinking about that princess again? If you like her so much, you shouldn’t have let her go!”

One of the few subordinates who had followed him pointed out bluntly.

“I’m not thinking about her.”

“No, you definitely were! Seriously, what was so great about that troublesome, headstrong woman... I’m really sorry, but please don’t look at me with those killer eyes!”

“I’m not angry.”

It had been a year since Princess Justine left.

After that, neither of them had found other betrothals, and the days had simply passed. Still, he had never regretted sending her back to the capital. The ominous feeling he had felt before had only grown stronger, and the thought of her still being here made him shiver. Today, the feeling was particularly unpleasant.

(This was for the best. At least she’s safe somewhere.)

Even though he told his subordinates otherwise, his thoughts drifted back to the day she first arrived at the castle.

◆◆◆

He had always struggled with mornings. His head felt heavy, and it took time to get into the right mood. The memorial trees that grew densely outside the window only worsened his gloomy mood, blocking most of the morning light.

(Mother always went a bit overboard.)

Ignoring the gentle protests of those around her, she planted trees as she pleased and even used magic potions to accelerate their growth. Now, with her gone, no one dared to touch these trees.

“Good morning. Princess Justine is scheduled to arrive today as planned.”

“Oh, that’s right. ...I guess it wouldn’t be appropriate to greet her in my military uniform, huh?”

“Sir Luke, you don’t have to patrol today. You do it every day, but there’s been no abnormality, right?”

“Yes, but I’m still a bit concerned.”

Still, it was Princess Justine. It was surprising that the king, who doted on her so much, would send her to such a remote place. However, knowing that this wasn’t her own wish made the task of greeting her a bit heavy.

He had made sure to leave an escape route in case the engagement needed to be dissolved...

(No, this is for the safety of this land. No matter who she is, I must endure and seek her help. My feelings must come second.)

When he first saw the princess, she was like a spark that shone brightly. Her abundant, beautiful golden hair, her white skin, and most notably, her large, fiery red eyes. When their eyes met, her eyes sparkled, and it was clear why she was the king’s favorite, radiating a charm that went beyond mere beauty.

“Wow, you’re Luke, huh? Nice to meet you.”

Her sudden casual tone and lack of formality almost took him aback, but he managed to plaster a polite smile and kissed her hand. ...Your Majesty, you really spoil her too much.

“Yes, I am Luke Bartelink. Please let me know if you need anything during your stay here.”

Her white, fine, and beautiful skin, untouched by labor. How could he sacrifice anything to keep such a person who knew nothing of hardship?

The princess, who had been staring at him intently, said with a frown:

“By the way, Luke, is it already winter here? The journey was quite cold and difficult. There wasn’t a single flower by the roadside, just hard rocks. It’s such an unfriendly land, isn’t it? Does it resemble its lord?”

Her remarks, unbecoming of a princess and almost insulting, left him speechless.

Would she be able to get along with the proud nobles in the capital? Would she not be stabbed in the back someday? But when she saw that he didn’t respond, she smiled mischievously.

It was a teasing smile, like that of a naughty child.

“I guess I got a bit carried away with the trip. I might have said too much. Don’t take it to heart.”

It seemed her casual manner was intentional.

Perhaps it was a survival tactic, a way to test people’s reactions by doing the unexpected. She might not be as thoughtless as her first impression suggested.

(Still, couldn’t she have chosen a better approach? ...No, it’s none of my business.)

What he needed was the strength to protect the Bartelink territory. He couldn’t afford to give unwanted advice or warnings and risk being disliked. Her personality didn’t matter. He would just accept her as she was.

It didn’t matter, it didn’t matter, but...

“Hey, this tree is really in the way. Why don’t you cut it down?”

Just a few hours after he had resolved to treat her with respect, no matter who she was.

“Can I cut it down? It’s definitely better without this tree.”

“Princess Justine, I’m sorry, but this memorial tree was planted by the late border lord’s wife...”

In the courtyard they passed during their move, the princess and the gardeners were arguing about something. The cause seemed to be the memorial tree. Sigh, she could have at least relaxed in her room on her first day.

“I’ve heard the story. But when the lady was alive, it was only as tall as a waist, right? She never expected it to grow into such a giant tree.”

“That’s true, but...”

“It’s blocking half of the window in my room! I understand it’s hard to maintain, but it’s just a tree!”

The gardeners became visibly upset at her words. ...This was bad. They cherished the castle’s garden, especially the plants the late lady had planted, more than anything. They had poured their hearts into keeping even a single leaf from withering.

(To call it just a tree... How foolish.)

He had thought she had some reason for her actions, but it seemed he was mistaken.

Someone who couldn’t respect others couldn’t lead.

(No, I was the one who was naive. After marriage, it might be better to give her a villa or a separate residence and keep her as far away as possible.)

Just as he thought this,

“Listen, look at this garden more closely. Do you know how many trees the lady planted? To make this barren land so green, it feels almost obsessive. What was her intention? Why did she plant so many trees so desperately? It’s because she wanted everyone living in this castle to be healed by even a little bit of green, isn’t it!

And yet, because the memorial tree she planted grew unexpectedly, the main courtyard can’t be seen properly! What a waste!”

(…What...?)

“It’s true, the arrangement isn’t exactly refined. But she especially focused on planting in the spots visible from Luke’s room. She must have been a very family-oriented person, huh.”

Suddenly, memories of his late mother came back to him.

His father, exasperated, would say, “That’s enough, isn’t it?” but his mother would always say, “Just a little more,” and never stop. “Flowers and plants are so soothing. Even though this land is hard for plants to grow, I want to fill this courtyard with green,” she would say.

As a child, he thought his mother just loved flowers and plants. Now that he thought about it, the important spots were mostly out of sight from her own room. He had thought he respected his mother, but he hadn’t even noticed this.

Worse, he might have even found the memorial tree, which grew larger every year and covered his window, annoying. But since it was planted by his mother, he thought he should endure it. He even thought he was being considerate of her.

Without ever thinking about her true intentions.

(I always believed my way of thinking was right. But it wasn’t...)

“Princess, please stop! It’s dangerous!”

“Here I gooo!”

He snapped out of his thoughts and looked up to see a shocking scene.

The princess, wielding an axe, was being desperately held back by those around her.

Was she out of her mind?

A gardener, noticing his presence, gave him a desperate look, but he raised his hand and shook his head slowly. After seeing the gardeners’ tearful faces, a satisfying thud echoed through the air. In the groans of “Ah” and “Huh” that followed, he could detect a hint of relief.

She had only been there for a day, and what a princess she was.

He had never expected to realize his own immaturity in such a short time. And it seemed Princess Justine herself still had a lot to learn, mainly about common sense. The realization made him want to laugh.

Probably, that was the beginning.

◆◆◆

Feeling a cold sensation on his nose, he looked up.

“Damn, it’s snowing. No wonder it’s so cold.”

Looking up at the sky as his subordinate spoke, he saw snowflakes gently falling. Once the snow started, the road to the capital would be closed, and travel would be impossible.

(As expected, there was no reply.)

He was surprised at his own thoughts. Even if a reply had come to the letter he wrote, what future could there be? She had always wanted to go back.

He had planned to let her go as soon as she asked, but her strong sense of responsibility kept her from saying anything, and she stayed for nearly three weeks. When the snow season approached and she couldn’t leave, he reluctantly ended the engagement. He gave her a flimsy reason, and when he did, his true feelings might have shown on his face.

No matter how peaceful the future might be, once he let her go, he would never have her again. He understood this well when he made his decision.

(No, this was for the best. Don’t look back.)

He pushed the rising emotions deep down. It was okay; he had been doing this all along.

He would continue to do so in the future.

“Let’s head back. This snow will pile up quickly.”

“Yeah, let’s go.”

Just before turning his horse, he glanced back. This place offered a beautiful view of the open landscape and the majestic mountains and waterfalls. But even this grand scenery left him feeling nothing. Was he really this unfeeling?

The snow fell.

A lot of time had passed since then.

Things were gradually becoming distant.

He knew it was wrong as a lord, but he couldn’t keep her here against her will.

(This is probably a once-in-a-lifetime thing.)

It was his first and last indulgence. To make up for it, he would dedicate the rest of his life to the peace of this land. If he could genuinely wish for her happiness, that was a form of happiness too.

...But, if.

If, on the day he declared the engagement null and void, she had shown even a hint of reluctance, would he have been able to let her go?

(Of course, that’s impossible.)

He chuckled and finally headed back to the castle, believing that protecting this place meant protecting the kingdom and, by extension, her.

And the last snow fell in Bartelink.

◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆

The light seeping through the curtains softly illuminated the room.

Since the memorial tree was removed, the room had become much brighter, and the view had improved dramatically. Perhaps because of this, he might have become a little less averse to mornings.

(I feel like I had a strange dream.)

But the memory quickly faded, leaving no trace. It didn’t matter. The current issue was more pressing.

Thump!

“Ah, it’s cold!”

“Stop getting into my bed! How many times do I have to tell you? If you don’t stop, I’ll throw you out in your pajamas!”

“Ah, I’m a princess, and you’re treating me so badly!”

This princess... Your Majesty, you really messed up her education.

“If you’re cold, I can have more blankets brought. But I don’t want any misunderstandings, so please leave now.”

“Ah, I’m still barefoot! At least give me slippers!”

“No way. Please disappear from here as quickly as possible.”

He pushed her back towards the exit. He thought he had secured his peace by nailing shut the secret passage, but she had found another escape route, one even he didn’t know about. He would make her reveal it by any means necessary.

“It’s not just the cold! I know it’s rude to enter someone’s room without permission, but...”

“No, it’s not just a matter of rudeness. Goodbye.”

“...I suddenly feel anxious at night. I worry if Luke is still alive.”

What was this sudden outburst?

Occasionally, she would become unstable, a far cry from her usual confident demeanor. It seemed to be related to him. Why? He was skilled in martial arts and in a position to be protected first in any situation. He didn’t think he deserved such worry, but her face didn’t look like she was lying or faking it.

“S-Sorry, I don’t make sense, huh? Ahaha! It’s okay, I won’t do it again...”

“It’s fine.”

“Huh?”

“If you can’t bear to be alone, it’s okay.”

“R-Really!?”

“It’s more painful to see you force a smile.”

“I’m not forcing it!”

She clearly looked relieved, but he wouldn’t point it out today. Sigh, he was just as bad as her. He was as lenient with her as the king was with him.

“You can come, but next time, be prepared.”

“Prepared?”

“I’ll undress you completely.”

“Just imagining it makes me cold and I’ll catch a cold! You’re a demon! A devil!! ...What did I just say?”

“I hope it’s just a cold.”

As soon as he closed the door, shouts and angry voices echoed.

You’re just right being as arrogant and capricious as you are.

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