Theodor Joachim Lef (7)

“…….”

Alicia waited in silence for the face that sank into thought for a brief moment.

“After you grew up, Your Highness must have known that your birth mother lived only in bed until the day she closed her eyes because something went wrong when she gave birth. When you were young, you vaguely thought of her as a mother with a weak body, but once you learned the truth, you thought she became that frail because she fell ill while giving birth to you.”

“That isn’t Rei’s fault.”

“That is correct. Even if one falls ill during childbirth, there is no mother who blames it on that, yet Your Highness always carries guilt and fear. That is why you worry so much about Your Highness after childbirth.”

Alicia could understand Reichardt’s excessive worry and overprotection to a certain extent.

She also understood that rather than being stubborn, it would be better to convalesce a bit more for the sake of someone who worried so much.

“I am not saying this to mean you must endure it even if it is painful.”

Connie spoke to the silent Alicia.

“I thought you were going to tell me that only I had to endure.”

At Alicia’s words, Connie shook her head.

“If you were confined in Tessen Castle for a whole year, then Your Highness has already done your utmost for the sake of someone who worries.”

Connie patted Alicia’s hand.

Her rough fingertips brushed over the back of Alicia’s hand.

Unlike Alicia’s beautiful hand, Connie’s palm bore countless scar marks.

“I thought everyone would say I was complaining with a full belly.”

At Alicia’s words, Connie shook her head roughly.

“Even good things are only good for a day or two. Your Highness has considered the other party enough. Do not think that if only Your Highness endures the pain, everyone will be at peace.”

Connie’s strict words sounded to Alicia more tender than any praise.

“Thank you.”

“But you said you want to go out hunting?”

Unlike when she spoke kindly, Connie spoke severely.

“Yes…”

Alicia, for no reason, watched her mood.

In truth, even now she used the astronomical clock to visit West Alik two or so times a day.

But the time she stayed there was at most ten minutes.

Alicia wanted to hunt while running around all day long.

“What did the doctors say?”

“They said I’m very sturdy.”

Of the eight doctors the imperial palace had sent to prepare for the Grand Duchess of Tessen’s childbirth, only two remained.

The doctor who checked Alicia regularly had already given a diagnosis that it was fine to return to normal life.

“Then you may go hunting.”

“That’s right!”

At Connie’s positive response, Alicia answered loudly.

“Your Highness. When a person conveys their intention to the other party and persuades them, they must, by all means, observe proper manners.”

Alicia focused on the word “manners” in Connie’s speech.

At the same time, she recalled Reichardt’s expression—appearing adorned from head to toe whenever he had a request or favor to ask.

She could guess who had taught Reichardt that when saying something difficult, one must dress lavishly.

“Observing proper manners is important.”

At Alicia’s words, Connie smiled brightly.

“Excellent.”

On Connie’s face as she praised her, there was a question whose answer was already decided.

‘Then how should one observe proper manners?’

Alicia knew the correct answer.

“Let’s go to the dress room.”

Alicia rose, speaking the wise answer.

“I will escort you.”

As if she had been waiting for it, Connie led the way, pouring out explanations about dresses suitable to wear these days.

While choosing dresses, the baroness gave orders to prepare tea and refreshments to accompany them, then moved on to introducing jewelry for the Grand Duchess.

Recommendations for people to help with makeup and adornment followed as well.

“Nice.”

Alicia replied to Connie’s long explanations and lightly moved her neck.

After loosening her neck, she also loosened her shoulders up and down, left and right.

It felt like she would try on the most dresses of her life today.

About twenty should be enough, right?

Alicia steeled herself and entered the dress room.

Reichardt finished a short round of work and returned to Tech House.

As he stepped into the residence, he felt unease at the strange stillness.

If he paid attention to his hearing, there was nothing he could not hear, but in a state of not focusing, it was simply quiet.

Even the maids and servants he should have met by now were absent from their usual places.

Reichardt passed through the empty first-floor hall and went up to the second floor.

At the unusually quiet atmosphere of the residence, he gradually tuned his ears.

He could not sense any impure presence.

Usually, after returning home, changing into indoor clothes, and going to find Alicia, he instead followed the almost only sound that stimulated his ears.

The resonance of a heartbeat running a little faster than usual came from the same place where Alicia was.

Stopping before the tea room where the sound came from, Reichardt knocked.

Knock, knock.

“Come in.”

From inside, just as expected, Alicia’s voice rang out.

Reichardt checked the surroundings once more in detail and opened the door.

“Alicia? What is—”

Alicia did not approach the doorway in response to his voice as she usually did, nor did she answer back.

Reichardt, opening the door and starting to speak with concern, slowly stopped.

Beyond the opening door, Alicia appeared wearing a bright purple dress.

“Rei.”

Even the thick combination of dark purple satin with dense, painstaking embroidery made it a beautiful dress, but layered over it was a translucent fabric studded with tiny jewels, adding a radiant glow.

The translucent fabric, as if sprinkled with diamonds, sparkled in different colors depending on Alicia’s breath and the direction of the sunlight.

“…….”

Reichardt stood blankly for a moment, even forgetting to close the door.

Alicia, who had been smiling, felt a little self-conscious.

Unlike her usual light crown, today she had gathered the hair braided along the side of her forehead into an updo, and adorned it with flowers.

Bright flowers were beautifully embroidered into her dark hair.

Following the breath of Alicia—adorned gorgeously without a single gap from head to toe—sparkles and floral fragrance spread out.

Whether because of the dress’s purple hue or her radiant smile, Alicia’s violet eyes shone more than ever.

“Rei.”

Though the hem of the dress dragged along the floor, her neck and shoulders were exposed.

“You’re beautiful.”

Reichardt admired briefly with a smile.

He glanced back at the door he had entered through, then looked at Alicia again.

Though Alicia did not say it, he felt he knew who must have advised her to dress so lavishly.

‘When a person conveys a request or favor, they must observe proper manners.’

Words that were practically the family maxim of the House of Rens brushed past his ears.

He had always thought it an annoying piece of advice, but seeing someone else observing “proper manners” before his eyes, it seemed like truly excellent advice.

“I…”

Alicia opened her mouth, slightly embarrassed.

“Sure.”

Reichardt suddenly said.

“Huh?”

Alicia was about to say she had not said anything yet.

“Let’s do that.”

Reichardt said again.

Still, Alicia had not said anything.

“My words aren’t—”

Alicia hesitated briefly.

She retraced whether she had unknowingly spoken already.

Reichardt’s hearing was sensitive, so he might have caught it in passing.

But the only one who knew what she was about to say was Alicia herself.

“Whatever it is, let’s do it.”

Reichardt said firmly and approached Alicia.

He simply lifted Alicia into his arms, as she struggled with the ornate, long dress.

“Rei…”

“Put your arms around my shoulders.”

“Over there—”

Alicia, flustered, was at a loss.

In the meantime, Reichardt carried her, gathered and held the long hem of her dress, left the room, and went down the stairs.

“Do you want to go hunting?”

As he stepped down into the first-floor hall, Reichardt asked, lowering his face to kiss Alicia’s cheek.

“Huh? Yes. How did you know? But right now—”

Alicia whispered toward Reichardt as he kissed her other cheek, and reflexively kissed the cheek of the man who kissed her.

“I’m kidnapping you.”

Reichardt said politely as he left Tech House.

His voice was low and formal, yet there was a strange liveliness in his words.

“Kidnapping?”

Alicia tightened the arms around Reichardt’s shoulders and raised her upper body.

Panic rose in the face that looked around.

Reichardt headed not toward the familiar Tech House or Breguet House, but toward Child Tower.

Child Tower was separated from the two residences and far from the other places as well.

Though she did not feel it because it was so steady, Reichardt, holding Alicia, was walking at a speed that was almost like running.

“Since ‘kidnapping’ sounds bad, let’s call it an introduction.”

Entering Child Tower, Reichardt went not into the wide hall but into a dark passage.

He set Alicia down, then opened the door at the end of the passage.

Creeeak.

The door was made not of wood but of metal.

The thickness of the door, opening with a heavy sound, was as deep as the length of an arm.

The space inside the door was not large.

Reichardt entered the small room and lit the lamp.

The plain room, with only a simple bed and a small chair, had walls finished in a special material as well.

“This is…”

Alicia stared at the small room from the doorway, looking dazed.

“This is my cave. Want to come in?”

Reichardt, standing with his back to the light, said with a bright smile.

The moment Alicia met his smiling face and gaze, she nodded reflexively.

“Okay.”

Their hands intertwined.

“Here, sound is blocked. Dulling your senses doesn’t mean you can let everything pass without trouble. I haven’t had a reason to come here these past few years, so it’s been a while.”

Alicia could not take her eyes off Reichardt’s face as he stood backlit, smiling as he spoke.

Reichardt’s gaze, too, was fixed on Alicia’s face.

The moment the heavy door closed, a deep smile spread across both their faces.