Caught in a mix of surprise and confusion over the recent events, Princess Lysonna took the bouquet from Prince Aleis.
“You see, the window in my office, which ought to have been closed, was surprisingly open. I overheard your conversation and hurried to prepare something, though Prince Cecil managed to do it first,” Prince Aleis clarified, glancing at me slyly.
He has reason to be suspicious of me… and he’s correct in his suspicion.
Whether or not Princess Lysonna had intended it, the garden she selected for the tea party was clearly visible from Prince Aleis’s office.
I had instructed Milma to open the office window to enhance our listening, and we utilized Zeno’s wind abilities to transmit the voices. Naturally, we ensured the sound remained natural, avoiding any volume that might seem forced or unnatural.
Milma had returned long before Prince Aleis’s arrival, likely escaping unnoticed thanks to her skill in moving stealthily and her background as an errand-runner—giving the illusion that the window had simply opened on its own.
It’s only natural to feel uneasy about something like this; it almost resembles a ghost story. Among everyone, Prince Aleis’s mistrust of me reveals his sharp insight. Naturally, I won’t ever confess to being guilty.
Instead, I simply smiled at him, opting to remain silent.
“Ah, Prince Aleis, what a delight,” Bertia said as she came closer with Kuro, trailed by Lady June.
“I apologize for interrupting, Lady Bertia, Lady June.”
“Oh! What a beautiful bouquet! Is it a present from Prince Aleis to Princess Lysonna?”
“Um… I guess so?”
Although Princess Lysonna seemed confused, she looked back and forth between the bouquet and Prince Aleis, her nodding hesitant and flustered. Despite her troubled expression, she held the bouquet tightly to her chest, as if it were a precious treasure. Though she may have been too overwhelmed or naturally reserved to show outright joy, her cheeks reddened, and her lips formed a faint smile.
Prince Aleis, seeing her reaction, smiled with relief and satisfaction as he watched her.
“This bouquet, Princess Lysonna, was swiftly arranged by Prince Aleis when he overheard your request for flowers to adorn the table, despite his hectic schedule,” I explained.
“Seriously?! Was that the discussion?”
Princess Lysonna gazed at me, surprised, but I just nodded in return with a smile, omitting superfluous details to preserve the core of the story.
“How wonderful! That’s pure love!”
“Love?!” Her face flushed an even darker shade of red at the mention of love.
Prince Aleis let out a soft chuckle as he tenderly draped an arm around her shoulders.
“What?! That’s way too close! There needs to be an appropriate space between men and women!”
“The space between a man and a woman who are about to get married is precisely this,” he replied.
“Who said that?!”
“How about the couple in front of us? They’ve shown it through their actions more than mere words.” Prince Aleis, sporting a wry smile in my direction, appeared to have a faint blush on his cheeks too.
Regardless of the circumstances, I feel these two have genuine feelings for each other… Bertia, are you sure they’re going to have a falling out, with Princess Lysonna becoming a villainess?
Observing the two of them made it difficult for me to envision that situation.
“I wish…” Lady June whispered again softly.
Unfortunately, I can’t conjure up her betrothed, whose whereabouts are even unknown to us, into this scene.
“Enough, everyone! Please stop teasing me! Gentlemen, it’s time for you to leave. This gathering is for ladies from here on,” Princess Lysonna finally burst out, unable to contain her embarrassment any longer.
Though her version of “making a fuss” amounted more to gently swatting away hands than anything truly unladylike—as one might expect from her, rather than from Bertia.
“If you don’t hurry, the tea will become cold,” she remarked, turning away and shooing us off, her cheeks still tinged with embarrassment. Prince Aleis and I shared a knowing glance and laughed.
“I originally intended to just escort her here, but it appears I’ve lingered too long. So, it’s time for this intruder to take their leave. Bertia, I’ll see you later. Have a good time,” I remarked as I prepared to leave.
“Yes! Thank you for the amazing tea, Cecil!” Bertia responded, lifting the can she had been holding, her smile radiant.
I was truly happy that she was satisfied.
“Princess Lysonna, enjoy yourself as well. Remember, my garden is always open to you. No need for formalities, especially since you’ll be my wife soon. Once we’re married, let’s pick flowers to plant together,” Prince Aleis added.
“Thank you for the flowers. They’ll certainly brighten the table. As for the garden… I might just take you up on that offer,” she mumbled, still facing away, her tone blending anticipation and happiness, contrasting with how she’d spoken to me earlier when we were alone.
“And Lady June, please look after them for me. Also, ensure you report back on what we discussed here. Sharing information is important before anything unusual occurs,” I instructed.
“Thank you for your concern, Lord Cecil,” Lady June replied, bowing respectfully before Prince Aleis and me as we departed the gathering.
As we exited the venue and entered the building, we quickly arrived at the corridor where we would separate.
“Lord Cecil, I value your concern, but it’s rather alarming. I would prefer a softer approach in the future, and if possible, a bit of warning,” he stated.
“I’m not entirely sure what you mean… but I’ll do my best to help,” I responded.
“It’s become clear to me that you are not someone to be made an enemy of.”
“Well, I suppose it’s better for both of us to have fewer enemies, isn’t it?”
“Indeed.”
We said goodbye with smiles; it was a friendly exchange.
Hey, Zeno. We were just having a casual conversation, so why do you seem so frightened?