“Don’t look too much…” he said.
“You don’t want me to look at you?”
“When you do, I get this restless feeling in my chest… It feels like I’m losing control of my emotions.”
“Um…those feelings are different from the ones that turn you into a beast, right?” Sara asked, just in case.
Richard looked back at her, a spark of amusement in his eyes.
“I transform when I’m angry. What I’m feeling toward you now…is something else,” he said, sulking slightly.
She thought his pout was adorable. A few giggles escaped her. Then she put her hand against his cheek and looked at her husband with smiling eyes.
“Your Highness… Will you let me continue to be by your side?”
“I always thought you’d just get tired of me and leave… The question is, will you, even knowing what I am, stay by my side?”
“Of course I will. I told you before, I’m not scared of you because you can transform into a beast.”
Richard’s eyes softened.
He shyly put his hands on Sara’s shoulders and very gently squeezed.
“You don’t find my hands repulsive…? Is it okay for me to…touch you like this?”
“Yes. Please touch me however you want to, Your Highness.”
“I don’t know about phrasing it that way, but… Well, it’s fine. But don’t say stuff like that to anyone but me,” he added, sounding grumpy.
Sara giggled and softly played with the loose waves that fell over Richard’s ears.
“All right. As you command, Your Highness.”
Richard gave a small hmph and looked away, but his hands on her shoulders were so gentle, she had to close her eyes against the tender feelings welling up inside her.
I want to be by his side.
Even if she weren’t living as Hermine’s body double, even if they weren’t in a political marriage, and even if their two kingdoms didn’t have a fraught relationship, Sara would still want to be with Richard.
She wanted to do everything she could to support this kind, slightly awkward man who cared so deeply about other people.
Sara lowered her hands. As she did so, her negligee loosened more around her collarbones. As if he sensed something was about to happen, Richard took his hands off her shoulders, and the next moment—
The negligee fell to Sara’s waist in one sweeping motion. It was only natural that it had—they were designed to do that, and Richard had untied the ribbon of it himself.
Fortunately, she was wearing a chemise underneath, but for a while, the two of them could only stare at each other.
“Wha…?” Richard sputtered. “What kind of an outfit is that?!”
“What?! You were the one who untied the ribbon holding it up!”
“That’s not—! Well, I guess so, but—! N-No, I’m sorry. I didn’t think that one through… Hey, what on earth is this thing made of?!”
He had been trying to pull her negligee back up, but the delicate fabric wasn’t cooperating with him.
As he fumbled with it, the ribbon slipped into the front of the chemise. Richard’s face burned red as he began to panic in earnest. It was clear as day that he was not used to touching a woman’s clothes, much less her skin.
“W-Wait a minute! Where the heck did the other ribbon go…? ACK! I’m so sorry, I touched you in a weird place… Wh-Why are you laughing?!”
“I’m—I’m so sorry!” Sara said between giggles. “You’re just so cute!”
“You aren’t supposed to call guys ‘cute’…,” Richard huffed, sounding back to normal.
Sara’s body shook with laughter. The next moment, Richard’s hand slipped, and the negligee he had worked so hard to get back up over Sara’s shoulders fell down to her thighs. Richard’s eyes bulged and then his scarlet face grimaced as if he were in pain.
“What kind of a wife are you?! I don’t even know anymore. You should just wear your negligee like that tonight!”
“Of course,” said Sara, standing up from the bed. “Then, if you’ll excuse me.”
“No, wait.”
Sara had assumed they had talked enough, and now that they had hashed things out, it was probably time for her to leave. But he had stopped her just after the parting words had left her mouth.
She turned back to him, her hands full trying to keep the negligee pulled up to her chest. Richard was sitting on the bed, biting his lip. He was grabbing a fistful of his shirt at his chest and looking at her.
“I-If it’s about your clothes, I’ll fix it properly… So…would you sleep here tonight?”
“Wh-What?”
“I-If you don’t want to, that’s okay. All we’ll do is sleep—really. I promise I won’t do anything improper.”
Sara blinked in surprise at his faltering words. Unable to control the emotions bubbling up inside her, she started giggling again.
That invitation wasn’t very slick!
But it was exactly what she would have expected from Richard.
She nodded and sat down beside him.
“Of course… Your Highness?”
“What is it?”
“I’m so glad I came to Ferrier… I truly am.”
She had agreed to take Hermine’s place and had then been betrayed by Firmin and the real princess. She had been sad for a bit, but then immediately after, anger had surged through her. That was when she had looked at Richard’s portrait and vowed that she would be happy in Ferrier. That had all happened quite some time ago.
The prince had been called a recluse—a misanthropic weirdo. But he was also an incredibly kind, timid person.
Sara had touched his heart and helped him unleash feelings he had kept locked inside, and she had been able to reveal her honest feelings, too.
Father… Mother… I think things are going to go well for me.
Sara reached out and touched Richard’s left hand. He flinched for a second, but then turned over his hand and linked their fingers.
That large hand had had sharp claws, been covered in blood, and had taken away other people’s lives. But it could also hold the teatime snacks they shared or gently squeeze Sara’s hand in return and match her level of passion, as he did now.
Richard’s eyes widened slightly in shock at Sara’s confession, and then he smiled softly.
“Yes. I’m also glad you became my wife… I really am. Oh, and…”
“Yes?”
“Yesterday… I’m sorry for spoiling your kind gesture. I ruined the lunes you peeled for me, too… That was awful of me.”
Sara let out a giggle.
“Hey. Why are you laughing?”
“It’s nothing. I’ll make you tea again tomorrow. Let’s eat lunes together then, too,” Sara whispered.
Richard smiled, relieved.
That smile alone was enough to keep Sara going.