Chapter 13
Cléo’s worry proved unnecessary, as a reply arrived swiftly. The letter detailed Kun’s hobbies.
“I wield a sword. Probably far better than you imagine.”
Cléo let out a small laugh at his boastful tone. Suddenly, a clever response came to mind, and she eagerly awaited the moment to write back.
“A lot of what makes me love what I do is thanks to you, Cléo. I too have come to want to protect those around me, though in a slightly different way than you.”
The conversation in the letter shifted from swordsmanship to their first meeting.
Cléo actually didn’t remember meeting Kun. She had attended countless patients in the hospital, many of whom left an impression—but someone as striking as him should have left a deeper mark…
As she read on, the letter came to an end.
“I have an abundance of time. Of course, if I don’t, I’ll carve out a little to write back. So don’t worry unnecessarily. We are friends, after all.”
The affectionate closing made Cléo smile before she even realized it.
She rustled the parchment and then pulled out a fresh sheet from her desk drawer. Perhaps because she had thought out what to write, her hand moved fluidly. By the time the sun began to set, her letter was finished. Beside Kun’s letter lay her own, neatly placed. Surely, only the two of them wrote personal letters on parchment.
‘Speaking of which… parchment?’
Cléo felt a bit of incongruity as she flipped between the two letters. Parchment was quite expensive, and using it for personal letters—rather than official correspondence—was extremely rare.
‘I’ll have to check with some nobles in neighboring countries.’
Though she felt a twinge of guilt toward her friend, Cléo decided to inquire about nobles in countries near the Kingdom of Valont. Names wouldn’t be hard to narrow down.
As before, she placed her letter on the bedside side table. After finishing dinner, she returned to find her letter gone, replaced by a new one from Kun the next morning. That afternoon, she quickly wrote a reply, and by morning, the response was back. Day after day, this continued. Even if they skipped meals, they never missed a letter. Soon, their drawer overflowed with correspondence.
Her once painfully boring life suddenly had something to look forward to. Waiting for something—anything—felt wonderful.
“I can’t stand her!”
While touring the mansion with her maids, Helena spotted an unwelcome guest: Cléo, enjoying lunch alone in the dining room. She ate only bread and soup, yet somehow looked elegant.
Helena wanted nothing more than to tease this infuriating woman. Even if Calis hadn’t sternly warned her, she might have overturned the table in anger.
‘It’s so annoying! She uses her power to torment us…’
All Helena could do was grit her fingers and watch the woman’s antics.
“Shane.”
“Yes, ma’am?”
“How’s the princess doing these days?”
Shane hesitated, unsure how much to reveal.
“She seems… somewhat better, ma’am.”
“You think so? How is the princess spending her days?”
“She eats her meals and is sometimes in the garden. But she usually sends most of the attendants away, so it’s hard to know exactly what she’s doing.”
Even the attendants assigned to watch her were sent away, making it impossible to track Cléo’s every move.
“Ah! I really hate this! Why is she like that?!”
No matter how well they tried, Cléo remained unaffected. There had to be some ulterior motive or a trustworthy backer behind her actions. It didn’t necessarily mean it was the king himself.
‘Could it be something with Calis? Surely she’s not trying to take him back from me…?’
Poor Calis could only follow her lead, even if forced. Or perhaps…
‘No, that’s impossible. He’s been focused only on me for a year! He called me the most beautiful and lovable and promised to love only me!’
If Cléo had truly been the one he loved, he would have clung to her by now. Yet Calis remained devoted to Helena, like a sunflower to the sun. And he came to rescue her as promised, freeing her from a life of misery and letting her see only beauty.
“Shane. That’s Calis, right?”
At that moment, Helena caught sight of a man sitting beside Cléo. She pointed, questioning Shane’s eyes.
“…Yes, it appears so.”
To get a closer look, Helena furrowed her brow.
Cléo sat with Calis, and he casually requested another dish from the chef. The salad bowl arrived shortly and was placed in front of Cléo. They conversed for a few minutes, and Cléo left first, followed by Calis.
“Damn it!”
Helena muttered under her breath, watching the scene unfold.
“Calis, what did you talk about with that woman earlier?”
Calis, entering his office, was startled by Helena’s sharp voice. Sitting on the sofa, her gaze pierced him.
“Helena, you should watch your words. She’s just…”
Calis tried to reassure her with a gentle smile and took her hand in his, softening her expression.
“Should I call her ‘lady’ or ‘wife’?”
“What nonsense. The lady of the dukedom is you.”
“…Hmph. If we’re around others, call her princess. Don’t worry, I have enough sense for that.”
“Good. Thanks, my love.”
Helena’s reassurance allowed Calis to breathe easier. Cléo, after all, was a princess—if things went wrong, she could be charged with lèse-majesté. While the punishment wouldn’t be severe, her reputation could suffer.
“Anyway, what did you talk about with her?”
“Nothing much. I just asked the princess to attend a dinner and champagne party hosted by the Molian Marquis family.”
“Why?”
“Well, going alone would look odd…”
“I can go!”
Calis was momentarily taken aback by her innocent enthusiasm.
“Yes, you said I was the real lady of the dukedom. That I would be. So at official events, I should be by your side, right?”
Though naive about society, Helena’s eyes shone with expectation, hoping Calis would approve.
“Not now, Helena.”
Reluctantly, Calis refused her wish. Helena’s face fell in disappointment, but she suppressed it. True support of a husband meant sometimes giving up what one desired.
However, Helena hated seeing Cléo enjoy something she could not.
“Then don’t take the princess. She can go alone. Did they insist she must come with you?”
Her trembling voice demanded the truth, piercing Calis’s conscience. The truth was, he could have simply said she was busy and avoided taking Cléo. Yet Cléo’s presence was necessary to guide him through the party and introduce him to key figures. Her noble birth ensured he would be respected.
“Don’t worry. The princess is just a tool to strengthen the family.”
“…Alright. But don’t look at her, hold her hand, or dance with her. Got it?”
“Got it. Don’t worry, Helena. You’re the only one I love.”
He lifted Helena into his arms and spun her around, her face lighting up instantly.
“I’ll have a maid assigned so you can go shopping or something.”
“Calis, you’re the best!”
They arrived at the Molian Marquis’s mansion. The beautifully arranged garden and ornate gate looked flawless, considering the short notice.
“Come on, Cléo. Thanks for coming.”
Calis gently grasped her shoulder as they walked, seemingly aware of the onlookers. Suddenly, Cléo stopped. Calis tilted his head, puzzled.
“Is something wrong?”
Cléo didn’t answer—she merely glared at his hand on her shoulder. Slowly, she removed it, using her thumb and forefinger as if flicking away a bug.
Calis looked at his rejected hand in dismay. His eyes, filled with bewilderment, turned to Cléo.
“…Cléo?”
“It’s uncomfortable.”
“….”
“We’re not at that point yet.”
