Episode 192
Time flew by, and a month later,
The Heilan delegation arrived.
“Princess Olivia of Heilan has come to announce the ascension of Simon Heilan to the throne.”
After King Felix’s sudden disappearance, Simon had been crowned the new king. And Olivia had come as the head of the delegation.
“King Simon, unlike King Felix and King Vermon, wishes to maintain amicable relations with Ravanta. We offer these gifts as a token of our apology for the events of the past sixteen years. We hope you will consider our proposal favorably.”
“We’ll consider it. Thank you for coming all this way.”
“It’s our duty as a vassal state.”
After exchanging formalities and enjoying lunch, Olivia and Elonia had a private conversation.
Elonia expressed her belated gratitude.
“Thank you, Olivia. If you hadn’t stopped Heilan’s mobilization, things would have been much worse.”
Olivia, crossing her arms, scoffed.
“Don’t mention it. I just didn’t want to be the princess of a fallen nation. And I’m only being cooperative because of my family’s past transgressions.”
“You have a way with words.”
Regardless of her intentions, Elonia was grateful.
The delegation returned to Heilan, but Olivia decided to stay longer. Elonia readily agreed.
“Stay as long as you like.”
“What if I never leave?”
“You can stay forever.”
“What? Ahaha! No, thanks.”
Olivia burst out laughing. Elonia, pouting, couldn’t understand her amusement. She had been sincere.
Olivia’s laughter subsided, and she wiped away the tears that had welled up in her eyes.
“Where’s Garnethia? The three of us should get together.”
“Of course. Come to the Imperial Princess’s Palace tonight.”
Olivia nodded.
That night, the three friends, reunited after so long, lounged comfortably in their pajamas, enjoying a small celebration.
It felt like their academy days again, the three friends, despite their different ages and circumstances, chatting and laughing as they enjoyed their respective favorite teas and desserts.
Elonia, taking a large spoonful of pudding, remarked,
“It’s surprising, actually. I thought you would become queen, Olivia.”
“I want power, but it’s too early.”
“Why?”
Both Elonia and Garnethia looked at her curiously, and Olivia, munching on a cookie, grumbled,
“Do you think those people would listen to me? A nation in transition needs a strong leader, but I don’t want to work that hard. It’s better to use Simon as a puppet and pull the strings from behind.”
Garnethia, hiding her smile behind her teacup, murmured,
“That’s… a regency…”
“Be quiet.”
Garnethia, emboldened, no longer cowering, chuckled. Elonia couldn’t help but laugh.
Olivia, pouting, changed the subject.
“By the way, how is Lucius doing?”
“He seems fine.”
“What do you mean, ‘seems’? Haven’t you seen him?”
“No. He’s been busy lately. He hasn’t even contacted me.”
“Really?”
Elonia’s shoulders slumped slightly.
“So…”
Olivia narrowed her eyes, a mischievous glint in their depths.
Crunch, crunch. Her mind raced as she ate her cookie.
‘Lucius, that’s actually quite cute.’
She hadn’t expected him to be so shy.
‘Should I help them, or not?’
She and Lucius weren’t exactly on good terms. But he had given her hope during her time in Heilan.
She could survive in Heilan without him now. But that didn’t diminish her gratitude.
‘Fine, I’ll help you.’
She smirked, breaking off a piece of cookie and popping it into her mouth.
“Why don’t you contact him first?”
“M-me?”
Elonia was startled by her simple suggestion. Olivia smiled, seeing her reaction.
‘This might work.’
She would make Lucius treat them if this succeeded.
Olivia shrugged.
“You’re not going to be this shy after you get married, are you? The first step is always the hardest.”
“Pfft.”
“Elonia!”
Elonia almost spat out her tea.
Marriage? Who?
“Me? With whom?”
“Are you seriously asking?”
“Elonia…?”
Even Garnethia looked at her with surprise. Elonia finally remembered.
She had realized it back then.
The reason she wanted to save Lucius.
“What’s so surprising? You like Lucius—”
“Aaaah!”
Hearing her own secret thoughts voiced by someone else was mortifying.
Elonia, flustered, lunged at Olivia and covered her mouth.
“H-how did you know?!”
“How could I not know?”
“That’s right…”
Even Garnethia agreed. Elonia’s face turned bright red.
Did everyone know?
Her friends, now adults, offered their advice to their flustered younger friend.
“You both like each other, right? His identity is secure now, his family is suitable… he’s not a bad choice for a husband, is he?”
“B-but…”
“Someone else might snatch him up if you wait too long.”
“That’s right, Elonia. He’s popular. He’s become quite handsome lately.”
Garnethia’s words made Olivia chuckle.
Lucius wouldn’t be interested in anyone else, of course, but they enjoyed teasing Elonia.
But they had underestimated Elonia’s reaction.
‘Lucius… married to someone else…?’
Elonia, with zero romantic experience in her thirty-six years of life, mentally, panicked.
‘That’s not happening!’
She took their teasing seriously.
“I’m going to see Lucius tomorrow.”
“Yes, yes, that’s a good idea.”
“It’ll work out, Elonia.”
Her two mischievous friends, oblivious to the chaos they had just unleashed, continued to encourage her.
The next day,
Elonia, prioritizing this above all other matters, rushed to the Madicte Temple where Lucius was working.
Lucius, unaware of her impending arrival, his face lighting up at the news, rushed out to greet her, practically wagging his tail like a puppy.
“Your Highness, it’s been a while. You should have sent word beforehand.”
“I didn’t want to disturb you, since the Temple is so busy. Are you busy right now?”
“I’m not a cleric, so I’m never busy. You’re the one who’s always busy. I would have come to the palace immediately if you had summoned me.”
Lucius smiled brightly.
His relaxed demeanor, his easy smile, showed how much he had changed. Elonia, seeing his transformation, thought,
‘He must be really popular.’
The patients and even the clerics stole glances at him as he walked past. Elonia felt a sudden surge of possessiveness.
“I have something to discuss with you.”
“Then please come in.”
Lucius led her to his room. Elonia, following him, mentally prepared herself.
‘It would be too abrupt to propose right away. I should start with some small talk…’
He had shown interest in her, but there was still such a thing as atmosphere.
“I’ll bring some tea. Please have a seat.”
“Okay.”
Lucius gracefully prepared the tea. Elonia, watching him, mesmerized, imagined their future together.
‘He’s so well-mannered and intelligent, despite growing up in Heilan. He’s not only an asset to Ravanta but also a great benefactor to our family.’
She couldn’t let anyone else have him.
Just then, Lucius placed a teacup in front of her and sat down opposite her, smiling sweetly.
“How have you been, Your Highness? I should have visited you sooner.”
“Ah…”
Elonia gasped softly.
He was beautiful. She had known, but as Garnethia had said, he had become even more handsome lately.
‘And he likes me?’
How could she not be flustered? His face was the perfect justification.
And according to the laws of romance, two people who overcome adversity together inevitably fall in love.
Her carefully constructed plan to approach him slowly crumbled the moment she saw his smile, and the words burst out of her mouth before she could stop them.
“Let’s get married.”
“…What?”
Elonia, realizing what she had just said, froze, staring at Lucius, whose face was a mask of stunned confusion.
Lucius, after a moment of silence, finally asked, his voice barely a whisper,
“Do you… like me?”
His face was flushed, his ears bright red.
It was the perfect romantic setting, a proposal with a 100% success rate. But there was a fatal flaw.
‘Like him?’
It was Elonia.
She was usually blunt, but when it came to romance, she was surprisingly awkward and easily flustered.
And what was the age difference between them?
Even though their ages were reversed now, she had first met him when he was a baby. The thought of being seen as a cradle robber horrified her, and she quickly shook her head.
“No, don’t misunderstand! I don’t have any ulterior motives!”
“W-what?”
Elonia, oblivious to his fragile ego, proceeded to crush his hopes and dreams with her next words.
“I-I’m the princess, so if I have to get married, I thought it would be best to marry you! You’re the only suitable candidate among the Four Dukal Families, and you’ve contributed so much to Ravanta, so…”
If Garnethia, Olivia, or her parents had witnessed this proposal, they would have facepalmed simultaneously.
What a terrible proposal.
And then she made it even worse.
“I promise I won’t do anything inappropriate after we get married! So please marry me!”
“…”
Lucius’s face crumbled, as if he had just lost his entire kingdom.
If there was a ranking for the worst proposals in history, Elonia’s would undoubtedly take first place.
Elonia, oblivious to the damage she had just inflicted, seeing his dejected expression, quickly backpedaled.
“S-sorry. I’m the princess, so it must be difficult for you to refuse… And there’s the age difference…”
“That’s not the problem.”
“Huh?”
Lucius looked up, his eyes red-rimmed.
His voice trembled, his expression like a child whose favorite treat had been snatched away, as he said firmly,
“I don’t like this.”
“W-what?”
“I don’t want to get married for that reason.”
Elonia couldn’t believe her ears. Their feelings were mutual.
And yet, he was rejecting her?
“D-did I offend you?”
“…”
Elonia still couldn’t understand. Lucius, his eyes brimming with tears, stood up, wiping his eyes with his sleeve.
“…I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that. Excuse me, I have to go.”
He fled, his face a mask of hurt and confusion. Elonia, left alone, was bewildered.
‘Why is he angry?’
Had she offended him?
That was impossible. Her words might have been clumsy, but her intention had been sincere!
But unspoken feelings remained unheard.
Elonia, unsure of what had gone wrong, was devastated.