TFLMLD 24

Chapter 24

Have Your Feelings Changed?
2020.11.24

Until yesterday, when we went to buy clothes, everything had gone well. Even at the boutique, the reaction had been good…

“I just went to buy a dress.”

“But you’re saying that Madam got angry?”

For a while, the two men discussed, heads together. They said that a woman’s heart was more difficult than a military strategy book and harder to read than political history—and indeed, it felt exactly that way now. The conversation, circling back again and again, ultimately reached no conclusion.

“But is there a reason you’re so concerned about this?”

“What do you mean?”

At Macaron’s slightly raised voice, Momonte hesitated for a moment. After a long pause, he finally continued.

“I just thought you might be paying more attention than usual.”

“……”

Now that he thought about it, it was true. Even Macaron himself didn’t fully understand why he was so concerned. Having lived as a prince all his life, Macaron wasn’t used to worrying about others’ opinions. But… Calyps was different. She had suddenly entered Macaron’s thoughts and, somehow, had taken root as if she had always been a part of him. Seeing Calyps sometimes made his heart stir in ways he couldn’t explain.

Then Momonte’s voice gently broke the silence.

“Could it be… that your feelings have changed?”

Until Momonte asked, Macaron had never entertained such a thought. Calyps always had that calm, detached expression, and there was never time to doubt it. He had only ever considered her a person to be grateful for. Macaron had prided himself on being the perfect parent to Kai, but since Calyps appeared, that notion had been easily disrupted. She had filled the gaps in his life as if it were nothing.

Perhaps it started then. Macaron found himself following Calyps’ presence with his gaze. A strong, unprecedented curiosity clung to him. After returning to the annex, he would stare blankly at the eastern wing, watch the shadows, and wonder what might happen there. Yet he tried to restrain it, thinking emotions were a luxury. Having someone to protect was a huge vulnerability in political struggles, and a life spent avoiding danger while safeguarding everything carried weight—weight he intended to bear alone.

But the thaw came suddenly, like a spring breeze, without warning, straight into Macaron’s heart. Seeing Calyps smile brightly like a child while holding a sword, Macaron felt his heart drop. He felt caught in a trap he couldn’t escape.

Looking back, even though it was a short time, Macaron had spent much of it with Calyps. In the simple acts he had done out of gratitude, he found himself smiling. He wondered if he had ever smiled so brightly before. If all those feelings were no different from usual, then what was different? Macaron had to admit that he had changed considerably since Calyps appeared.

So why had searching for the reason Calyps was angry taken him here? Thinking of her angry face calmed him briefly. Things had been fine at the boutique and during the meal… but from the moment they returned…? The memory of Calyps falling unusually silent in the carriage crossed his mind. Yes, it had started then. Why? In just a moment, Macaron’s lips curled into a smile. It seemed the shop hadn’t told her about it.

“Thinking about it now, I’ve made a big mistake.”

Momonte’s gaze at Macaron’s smiling lips was conflicted.

“But… why that expression…?”

Macaron lay back and wiped the smile from his face.

“What’s wrong with my expression?”

“You looked like you found this whole situation amusing.”

“Did I?”

Macaron glanced at his reflection in the mirror. Still handsome today—Momonte shook his head at such trivial musings.

“Did you make another mistake, Madam?”

“That’s none of your business.”

“Shouldn’t we solve it first? I always worry you might give up…”

“I’ll handle it myself, so leave.”

Macaron couldn’t stop laughing thinking of Calyps’ frustrated face. He wondered how it would look once the frown was smoothed out. Eyeing the mirror like a predator scanning for prey, he grew even more interested.

Before heading down to the dining room, Macaron finished his usual long preparation. Though he typically lived within the estate and rarely cared much about clothes, recently he had been buying enough to revive several boutiques. Under the neatly styled front fringe where Calyps’ gaze lingered longest, his normally beautiful features were perfectly arranged.

When the time came, Calyps appeared slowly from the opposite side. Coral looked sullen, and Calyps… sat without a word, eyes slanted sharply upwards, clearly furious. Macaron quickly adjusted his expression to appear gentler than before.

“Does Macaron even know what he did wrong?”

If it was something done to me, I’d know. But anyone who touches our Coral—no matter if he’s Coral’s dad—can’t be left alone. Yet Macaron’s expression today was somehow more irritating. His face, unlike usual, carried a subtle smirk, not an expression of guilt. Could it be that he was deliberately playing the “bad guy” role?

“How’s the taste?”

Could you swallow food right now?

“Why are you asking me?”

Macaron flinched slightly at the blunt tone but remained unfazed. That non-reaction made Coral angrier.

“You’re not interested in either me or Coral anyway, right?”

With his head buried in the soup, Macaron’s expression was hidden. Just then, Kai, late this morning, approached cautiously.

“You need to keep time, Kai.”

“Sorry. I won’t be late from tomorrow.”

Was Coral unfairly blaming Kai?

“Why target someone who’s quiet?”

Ignoring the speechless Macaron, she reassured Kai with a glance.

“Eat well, Kai.”

His gray eyes, calm and observant, shifted between her and Macaron as he sat. Meeting Coral’s hesitant red eyes, he sent a silent message: “Don’t think you’ll eat a lot—” Yet he still ate properly and even smiled. Cold as usual, why was he acting so cheerful today?

Watching him, Coral’s heart ached. Her soup still floated with images of Coral from yesterday—angel Coral, bride Coral, queen Coral, beach Coral…

Sigh. This mother never imagined being this helpless. Of course, earning a lot with the changer would allow buying all this—but then it wouldn’t be the same Coral now! Children grow so fast… Watching Macaron bowing his head, she tried to suppress her anger as the meal neared its end.

Then Eve entered. Eve had been promoted to head servant to keep an eye on Seira, and she was loyal and kind-hearted. Quick and attentive, she handled tasks decisively and even anticipated Coral’s needs. The maids rarely came near when Coral and Macaron were together, thanks to Eve’s enthusiasm—or perhaps to her strictness. But today? Eve looked a little excited.

“Madam, the clothes from Frill Boutique have arrived.”

“……?”

Frill Boutique? Did Macaron order more clothes for Kai? As Coral watched disinterestedly, Eve continued:

“There are so many you’ll need to see them yourself.”

She had ordered that many? Coral’s blood pressure rose just thinking about it. As they walked down the hallway, Eve whispered:

“Miss Coral’s dresses have all arrived.”

“……?”

Coral’s heart raced with a mix of selfish hope and dread. When she reached the front gate, her body froze.

“……!”

Glancing at Macaron, she noticed his lips curved awkwardly.

“It seems Coral’s clothes have arrived.”

He was polite… yet somehow teasing. Could it be that Macaron already knew she was upset because of this? No, if he knew, why wouldn’t he have mentioned it earlier? At teatime, he seemed clueless… Then why was he subtly different at breakfast? Eve’s remark had sounded almost arrogant.

“Could it be… all of this was a surprise orchestrated by Macaron?”

What had she done since yesterday…? The endless stream of dresses felt like mockery. The boutique’s entire collection was arriving as if to laugh at her for even asking for just two. Coral, unaware of all this, stared wide-eyed at the scene, sparkling with delight. Seeing her like that almost brought tears to her eyes…

“But why do I feel like I’m actually about to cry?”

These weren’t just tears of joy. Coral had wished she could sneak away just to see what she liked, but now faced with it, she felt almost overwhelmed. Glancing at Macaron, his face held a playful smile.