TRETTHD 59

#59. Can We Be Friends?

Those who were observing them closely felt awkward and exchanged uneasy glances.

Before their eyes, the prince and the princess of Ronica Kingdom were engaged in a playful quarrel. And, it seemed, the reason for it involved them somehow.

They quickly exchanged glances, trying to gauge each other.

In the end, Mia of the Zuberk family, having lost the silent battle of intuition, squeezed her eyes shut and stepped forward.

“Um… Princess!”

The sudden voice made Belia turn her head.

“You don’t need to worry about us!”

Mia shouted, including her unspoken thought: “So you two can have some private time together!”

But Belia didn’t want to just send them away after all they had endured today. After a brief pause, she decided to calm Khalid down and send him off.

“I’m sorry, but could you go to the parlor first?”

Belia asked a maid to guide them.

“Uh… well…”

“I just feel a little bad letting you go. I’ll come shortly.”

Unable to refuse Belia’s suggestion, the girls reluctantly followed the maid to the parlor, rolling their eyes as they went.

“Khalid.”

Once she confirmed they had left her sight, Belia called softly to Khalid.

“…Are you planning to just leave me here?”

Khalid asked in a sulky tone.

“Leave you?”

“What if your hunting dog gets tired of the owner’s neglect, breaks free from the leash, and runs away?”

Belia blinked in surprise and glanced around. Thankfully, no one was nearby.

“You can’t say things like that here!”

Belia scolded him, but Khalid seemed to enjoy her startled reaction and smiled before speaking again.

“Huh? Aren’t you supposed to hold my leash tightly?”

Belia’s emotions flared as she replied firmly.

“That hunting dog has long been tamed. It doesn’t need a leash.”

“Really?”

Khalid stepped closer, eyes glinting dangerously. Belia didn’t flinch, meeting his gaze head-on.

Then, unexpectedly, Khalid burst into laughter.

Belia opened her mouth to ask what was so funny, but before she could speak—

“Ugh!”

Khalid kissed her in an instant.

Belia realized they were in the hallway and tapped his shoulders, but he only hugged her more tightly. It had been a long time since their lips had met.

The young ladies must be waiting in the parlor…

At first, Belia had been determined to send him away. But the moment their lips touched, her reason seemed paralyzed, and she couldn’t push him away. Eventually, Belia wrapped her arms around his neck and closed her eyes.

“Have you been waiting long?”

After sending Khalid to his room, Belia hurried to the parlor, only to realize much more time had passed than she had expected.

“I’m so sorry I’m late.”

Belia apologized sincerely. They all smiled and said it was fine, seeming to enjoy their conversation.

Belia felt relieved and sat down, glancing at the table. The perceptive maids had apparently served tea and refreshments neatly.

“No, it’s fine. It was nice to see you get along so well with the Second Prince,” Rachel said with a smile.

“I feel like we were the ones disturbing your time…”

“No! Not at all!”

Belia quickly denied her words.

But everyone present couldn’t forget the way Khalid had looked at them—a look full of meaning: don’t disturb us, just leave.

“I’ve never seen the Second Prince make that expression. Hehe.”

Rachel covered her mouth as she laughed. Belia couldn’t help but blush and purse her lips in response.

“…I’m so embarrassed I can’t even look at you all.”

Belia was truly embarrassed. Not because she was trying to appear charming, but because her private side had been exposed.

And everyone watching her silently thought the same thing:

Cute.

Belia, delicate and refined, seemed to radiate a different charm with her flushed cheeks. It was clear that Khalid had completely fallen for her. And he must have made great efforts to monopolize this moment.

Rachel wanted to get closer to Belia. She had once seen her caring for children at an orphanage.

She’s such a genuinely good person.

When Rachel first saw Belia carefully attending to each neglected child with a smile, she realized Belia truly cherished them.

Rachel disliked pretentious people. Many assumed she was naive because she had been surrounded by love, but in fact, having received so much sincere affection allowed her to easily recognize insincerity.

Princess Belia knows how to care for others.

Ever since learning about Belia at the orphanage, Rachel had observed her consistently and, without realizing it, had grown fond of her.

Now, it was time to make a decision.

“Princess.”

“Yes?”

Belia, fanning her flushed face, looked at Rachel.

“I want to get closer to you.”

“Yes?”

Normally, saying something like that would be a huge breach of etiquette. But Rachel was sure Belia would appreciate the sincerity.

“I want to be friends with you.”

“Yes?”

Belia’s eyes widened.

“Can we be friends?”

Rachel smiled brightly as she said it.

Belia’s heart thumped wildly. Even lying on her bed, she felt like she was floating.

Friends…

It was the first time she had ever heard that word applied to her.

She had always been surrounded by people, yet if asked whether they were friends, she would have shaken her head. As a princess, she had often attended social gatherings, but it had always felt like official duties, never casual conversations or play.

Looking around one day, she realized she had no one she could truly call a friend.

The maids could never be friends. Cloze and Herald weren’t friends either.

This is a first…

Someone had actually said they wanted to be her friend.

For some reason, her heart felt light and excited.

“Why are you smiling like that?”

Khalid entered through the door to her room. Earlier, he had left others so abruptly, but now his expression was relaxed as if something good had happened.

“Did something nice happen?”

He approached the bed and gently stroked her hair.

“You look pleased that you left me behind.”

His touch was tender, but his words were gruff. Belia rolled her eyes and swatted his hand away.

“See, you’re unusually harsh with me.”

“Did you forget today’s rule about no entering my room?”

Belia glared at him with narrowed eyes. But this was Khalid.

“It’s been a whole day, hasn’t it?”

“How can a whole day have passed…!”

Belia blinked at him, realizing it was past midnight. Khalid grinned at her, teasing.

“Right?”

So infuriating. So incredibly so.

“So, what made you smile so happily?”

Belia didn’t answer. Khalid exaggeratedly leapt onto the bed beside her, making it shake.

“Ah!”

Belia, lying quietly, shouted in surprise. Khalid took the chance to pull her into his embrace.

“Let me go.”

“No.”

He tightened his grip so she couldn’t escape. Belia struggled briefly, then gave up, relaxing her body. She couldn’t win by force anyway.

“You know, Khalid,” she said softly from his embrace.

“Hm?”

“…I think I’ve made a friend.”

Even saying she had a friend felt a little shy and awkward. Khalid looked at her curiously, but she buried her face deeper in his chest.

“…Hehe.”

Belia’s childlike laughter made Khalid widen his eyes, looking at her with wonder. It was a sound he had never heard before.

“Do you like it that much?”

“Yes.”

Belia fidgeted shyly, then whispered softly.

“It’s the first time someone’s ever said they want to be my friend.”

When she first arrived in the empire under Raul, people had approached her kindly, but it was never on equal footing. Perhaps Rachel’s desire to be her friend had some hidden motive.

Yet in that moment, Belia could feel the sincerity in her words—they weren’t about gain but about connecting as equals.

Belia hoped she hadn’t misjudged that feeling.

“I was really, really happy.”

Belia’s voice was moist with emotion. This was her first true friend. In her past life, and in this one.

“I want to get along well with them.”

Curious, Khalid adjusted her hair away from her face and asked,

“Do you like them?”

“They seem like good people.”

Belia’s uncertainty, despite her clear feelings, prompted Khalid to lightly kiss her forehead and say,

“If you think that, then it’s surely true.”

The gesture felt almost ceremonial, giving her a sense that everything would be okay.

Belia whispered quietly.

“Maybe in my past life, I could have been friends with them too?”

If only she hadn’t blindly followed Raul and built walls around herself… would things have turned out differently?

In her past life, Belia had been so blind to the world, unaware that her behavior had created distance.

“Well, but one thing’s certain: now, you’re someone so charming that anyone would want to be near you.”

“…Enough. Complimenting me like that won’t get you anywhere.”

“I’m serious. Don’t doubt it—enjoy your new life to the fullest.”

The only difference from before was that she had chosen Khalid over Raul—but everything else in her surroundings had changed dramatically.

“Thank you. Somehow, it feels like it’s all thanks to you.”

Khalid winked and frowned playfully.

“Hm. You should have more confidence.”

His voice was light and refreshing.

“You’re someone worth falling for, so of course others see it too. You’re wonderful as you are.”

Listening to Khalid, Belia felt almost like she was truly remarkable. She savored his words, overwhelmed with emotion, and hugged him tightly.