Jeanette was looking through client registries and making notes on any person who caught her interest. She wasn’t just looking for information on the princess, but also the king, queen, and the two princes. Sara was next to her, doing the same.
“Milady! There really isn’t much information about the princess!” Sara complained when Jeanette finished looking through the registries and they both began reading the newspapers.
“True...” Jeanette responded, nodding.
Indeed, every issue of the newspaper only mentioned the king, queen, and their sons. Sporadically, a line or two did mention the princess. But it was only comments about her from the royal family, such as her parents stating, “Meltia enjoyed that,” or her brothers saying, “We’ll bring her a souvenir.”
“That’s just proof of the fact she’s never stepped onto center stage,” Jeanette went on. “The newspaper romanticizes her as a sickly and fragile princess, but there’s nothing in their coverage about her actual personality.”
Jeanette herself had never dreamed of being able to meet Meltia face-to-face. And she never would’ve imagined that such a pretty, fairylike girl could’ve spewed such bitter, violent words.
Surely it couldn’t be that she’s purposely hiding her true character...right?
For most people—with the exception of a small group who specifically wanted to be verbally abused by a beautiful woman—a princess having a sharp tongue wouldn’t be seen as a positive. If anything, finding out the truth would be like having their fantasies of a poor sickly maiden smashed with a hammer.
Jeanette shook her head. No, I must be overthinking it. Anyway... With a groan, she picked up one of the newspapers again.
“I was at least hoping they’d mention her hobbies or likes and dislikes, but there really isn’t much about her.”
Despite the huge volume of newspapers, they hardly mentioned the princess. Jeanette felt like she was searching for a speck of gold dust in the sand.
“Milady, you can leave this to us!” Sara said, pounding on her chest. “We can deal with the newspapers by throwing a bunch of people at them until someone finds something! You should focus on what only you can do.”
“Well... All right! Thank you, Sara!” Jeanette replied with a nod. “In that case, I’ll write a letter to Lady Christine!”
Among Jeanette’s personal connections, Duchess Christine Pablo was certainly the one closest to the royal family. The woman herself was a former princess and the sister of the current king. In other words, she was Meltia’s aunt.
Lady Christine has never mentioned Her Highness...but even so, they are related by blood. She might know something.
Jeanette began writing the letter, expectations swelling inside her chest.
✦ ✦ ✦
Claus was in the room he’d been allocated within the palace. While he was busy filling out paperwork, Princess Meltia clung to his back.
“Secluding yourself in your room to work again, Lord Claus?” she asked him.
Claus forced himself to smile when he felt something soft rub against his back.
“If you’re aware that I’m working, Your Highness, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t interrupt me.”
“But I finished my homework and I’m bored now!”
“You’re done already?” Claus inquired, frowning. “Then can you explain in your own words what the word ‘mercantilism’ means?”
“Easily!” Meltia claimed with a confident laugh. She moved away from Claus and began her explanation. “In short, it means acquiring foreign currency via exports and putting a high tax on imported goods to create a favorable balance of trade, right?”
“And the point of that is?”
“Well, you need money to maintain a country!”
“In that case, what are the recent criticisms of mercantilism?”
At that, Meltia finally began to lose her air of certainty.
“Well...”
“If you don’t know, then that’s your new homework,” Claus told her. “That said, you’re studying more diligently than I expected,” he added, sounding mildly impressed.
Honestly, I thought me being her tutor was just an excuse to get me to stay here...
Yet in contrast to his initial assumptions, Meltia was actually earnest about her studies.
Realizing that he’d praised her, the princess giggled proudly.
“Right? I’ve always loved reading books.”
“That’s good. Books are full of your predecessors’ wisdom and hopes. I believe that the more you read, the wiser you will become.”
“Hee hee!” Meltia grinned, pleased by his words. “Do you see me in a new light now, Lord Claus? I don’t mind you falling for me.”
“I do see you in a better light, but I won’t come to love you. I have Jeanette,” he replied with a smile, causing the princess’s face to stiffen.
“Humph! I just don’t get you. How can you say another woman’s name in front of a peerless beauty like myself? It’s so insensitive!”
“I’m doing it intentionally,” Claus said nonchalantly. “You seem to constantly forget I have a beloved, Your Highness, so I’m reminding you.”
“You’re awful!” Meltia cried, waving her hands in the air. “Just so you know, I’m serious about you! I’m only this desperate because I’m truly in love with you!”
“And that’s why I must respond seriously as well, since I already love someone else.”
“That’s not what I mean!” Meltia snapped, angered by his relentless deflections. “Can’t you just be a little nicer to me? This is my first time being in love, you know?”
If I do that, you’ll misunderstand my actions, Claus thought. He wasn’t going to say this out loud, but he’d seen plenty of women just like the princess. Pushing her away from the start was something he did both to protect himself and to be kind to her. The higher someone builds up their expectations, the more it’ll hurt when things fall apart.
As he thought that, tears began suddenly overflowing from Meltia’s big eyes. Claus was startled. A woman’s tears are dangerous... Even though I haven’t done anything wrong, I still feel guilty.
While he deliberated on what to do, the princess spoke up.
“At least stop referring to me so formally. Instead of ‘Your Highness,’ just call me Tia. Surely you can do that much?” she implored tearfully.
Even someone like Claus couldn’t refuse her like this. He sighed, nodding reluctantly.
“Very well, Lady Tia.”
“Tee hee! I’m so glad, Lord Claus!” Meltia said with a large grin. It was as if she hadn’t just been crying mere seconds ago. No, in fact, those must’ve been crocodile tears.
Once Claus realized that, he face-palmed. She got me...
“See you later, Lord Claus!”
In contrast to the groaning Claus, Meltia left the room with a skip in her step.
Alone at last, Claus exhaled deeply. It’s already been a month since I’ve moved here... But in this room, I get no privacy.
The spacious room had been arranged exclusively for his use, and it was decorated extravagantly. All the tools, documents, and even people he’d need to do his job were brought into the palace. At a glance, nobody would’ve thought he was uncomfortable here. But Meltia entered the room whenever she felt like it, so Claus couldn’t truly relax. The room did have a lock, but the princess carried a spare key, so there was no point.
I’m so tired...
Claus listlessly rested his elbows on the desk and opened the only drawer which was locked with a key. This was where he kept Jeanette’s letters. He didn’t want Meltia seeing them, so he kept the drawer key in his chest pocket.
He picked up the newest envelope and opened the seal. Jeanette’s lively handwriting greeted him. Her script reflected her personality: vigorous, yet somewhat round and adorable. Claus fondly brushed the letters with his fingers.
Ahh... I want to see her again so badly. It’s already been a month. I feel like I’m going crazy.
It felt like it had been a very long time since he’d last been in the Guivarch residence. He recalled how Jeanette would sit down to eat breakfast in the mornings with wild bed head, which Sara would furiously comb through while the girl ate. And once it was time for work, Jeanette would cheerfully leap outside...
Claus chuckled at the memories. She was unlike any other noblewoman, but that was all part of her unique radiance.
If I had known this would happen, I would’ve dragged her to my room when she was defenselessly walking around in just her nightgown...
Just how many times did Claus have to reason with himself and suppress his urges? And he only managed it because he told himself that once they found Baron Roussel, Claus and Jeanette would marry right after.
I want to see her, to touch her. I want to run my fingers through her glossy hair, poke her chubby cheeks, and hold her tiny body tightly in my arms...
Reflexively, Claus let out a long sigh. It had been a long time since he’d had to wait this long to see Jeanette.
Up until this mess, she’d been with me almost all the time, so I almost forgot that it’s so unfulfilling to be apart from her.
His hunger for her was growing day by day.
The king and princess seem to think they can change my mind by keeping me away from Jeanette, but it’s the opposite. The more I stay away from her, the more I yearn for her.
Smiling to himself, Claus put the letter back into the locked drawer.