Confession (11)

Alicia looked at Reichardt while keeping her insincere words to herself.

A face that concealed his secrets with unyielding firmness.

As she looked at that cold expression, determined never to reveal them, she realized something.

Alicia had her own secrets as well.

Even as she understood his stance, she could not bring herself to speak of hers, hovering only around the truth.

Hoping he would trust her enough to tell his secret, she, just like him, could not bring herself to confess her own.

Who was blaming whom…

It was difficult to tell a secret.

That was the nature of secrets.

As Alicia gazed at Reichardt, she spoke on impulse.

“Your Highness has a secret. I have a secret too.”

Reichardt, who had been looking at her tear-free face, felt his heart lurch.

The Alicia who had been crying so sorrowfully just moments ago now wore a subtle smile.

And suddenly, he realized.

Even when she had slapped him, shouted at him, and gotten angry, Alicia had never once let go of his hand.

“……”

Reichardt stared fixedly at her.

“It might be fun to have a bet on who can guess the other’s secret first. Though I think I already know yours, Your Highness.”

“Such arrogance.”

At Alicia’s words, Reichardt replied bluntly, picking a quarrel.

Yet all the while, his gaze never left her.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

Alicia asked as peevishly as she could.

“Because I like you.”

Reichardt confessed calmly.

Alicia felt her heart pound and ache at the same time.

“…Why do you like me?”

“I don’t know.”

“You don’t even know that?”

“Mind your tone.”

Reichardt muttered under his breath, but Alicia paid him no mind.

She focused only on what she was curious about.

“Do you really like me?”

“I do.”

At his firm confession, Alicia continued to voice her doubts.

“Since when?”

She thought he would say he didn’t know.

Though it irritated her, she tried to understand—she didn’t know her own answer either.

“From the moment a strange man asked for your help and suggested you sit in the Lovers’ Chair, and though you hesitated, you still sat in the chair named Lovers’ Chair. It’s called that, but you told yourself it was all superstition, nothing to believe in, and not to think about it—yet you hesitated for a long moment when offering it to me. Even after sitting down, you were clearly aware of the superstition that couples who sit there will be happy together, restless about it while trying to keep your face calm. I liked that.”

It was a very specific explanation.

Alicia frowned as she listened.

“You knew it was the Lovers’ Chair?”

“Yes.”

It had been the day they went to the Dolore ruins.

The chair Reichardt had offered her when asking for help was known as the Lovers’ Chair.

It was just a superstition, nothing to believe in, but it still bothered her.

When she realized he had noticed her thoughts and still offered that seat, the countless moments she had hesitated that day came rushing back.

“Then why did you suggest I sit there?”

“Because it was the closest chair.”

Reichardt answered indifferently.

That was the kind of man he was.

Alicia tightened her grip on his hand as if she might crush it.

He barely moved his eyebrows, as if her strength didn’t even register.

“You like me?”

“Yes, I do.”

At Alicia’s doubtful mutter, Reichardt once again confessed.

“I don’t like you, Your Highness.”

Alicia suddenly declared.

“……”

Reichardt stared at her blankly for a long moment.

Alicia held his gaze firmly, meeting those amber eyes with unwavering resolve.

The amber eyes wandered for a moment.

They finally stopped at her hand holding his.

Then what was this?—his gaze seemed to ask.

“A new season is coming soon, Your Highness. You should hear the new prophecy. You will marry me.”

“What…”

Alicia released his hand and stood up.

Reichardt’s pain and symptoms would worsen, and his episodes would become more frequent.

Therefore, she had no choice but to pledge marriage to become the vessel to bear his suffering.

“This is just treatment.”

Alicia kissed his left cheek as he sat there, stunned.

Then she kissed his right cheek as well.

Reichardt did not move as her lips touched his skin.

“……”

Alicia slowly stepped back and spoke.

“I shall take my leave.”

And like the wind, she slipped out of the room.

She knew, without needing to check, that her cheeks were burning red as if they might burst.

Before starting their day, the Emperor and his two brothers, Marquis Lennox and Count Istevna, enjoyed a morning tea together.

Thus, the Emperor’s first guests in his private audience chamber were always his brothers.

“It seems Reichardt is finally getting married.”

Count Istevna said with an easy smile.

“Indeed. You saw them yesterday as well, did you not, Your Majesty?”

Marquis Lennox agreed heartily.

“You mean when they went out onto the terrace for over twenty minutes. I heard they even returned together in the imperial carriage, as if in a hurry.”

The Emperor spoke casually as he lifted his teacup.

Lennox and Istevna exchanged glances midair.

Both were pleased at the Emperor’s words.

“When they got engaged, our youngest sister-in-law said they should hold the wedding only after she turned twenty-one, but is there any need for that? Lately she’s been acting very much like a proper lady—quite proactive, in fact. She didn’t let go of his hand when they were leaving the party.”

Count Istevna chuckled, seeking agreement from his elder brothers.

“I saw that too. Word has it our youngest has always been fond of her.”

Marquis Lennox quickly agreed.

“Is that so?”

At the Emperor’s question, the marquis and the count nodded vigorously, affirming it.

“I’m telling you, haven’t you heard what the Tessen servants say? Our youngest acted cold to Lady Alicia on purpose to protect her from the harshness of Tessen, but she still visited him without fail every morning. When Reichardt sent his proposal, I wondered what he was thinking, giving her all sorts of things, but it turned out I was mistaken.”

At Lennox’s words, Count Istevna looked surprised.

“It’s already April, and July will come quickly.”

Count Istevna said with a sniff, his face showing both relief and satisfaction.

“Once the spring hunt is over, July will be here.”

Marquis Lennox laughed heartily.

“It would be inconsiderate to marry on the bride’s birthday.”

The Emperor set down his cup, speaking seriously.

All three royals had already memorized Alicia’s birthday.

They felt there was no need to wait until she was twenty-one, but at least she should be twenty.

“A week after the birthday is too far off.”

Count Istevna replied with a thoughtful tone.

“What about the day before her birthday?”

At Lennox’s suggestion, the Emperor and Count Istevna’s eyes lit up.

“That works. They sign the marriage vows, and the next day she turns twenty.”

“Exactly. If the day after the wedding is her birthday, she’ll have two joyful days for the rest of her life.”

The three brothers shared their delight at finding the perfect date, even admiring their own ingenuity.

After a pleasant tea time, the brothers parted with smiles.

“I take my leave, Your Majesty.”

Count Istevna was first to go.

“I will see you later, Your Majesty.”

Marquis Lennox also rose.

“Marquis.”

“Yes.”

“Did the mistress of Luderne return home last night?”

“To my knowledge, no.”

“Good work. You may go.”

The Emperor dismissed Lennox, whom he had called back.

“I take my leave.”

The marquis bowed and left the audience chamber.

Alone, the Emperor poured more tea into his empty cup.

According to the captain of the guard, Reichardt had returned home with Alicia in the carriage.

But the attendant who had visited the Grand Duke’s residence that morning said otherwise.

Alicia had not been there, and when he asked Baron of Rens—who had seen them return together—whether good news was to be expected, the baron claimed Alicia had dropped Reichardt off and left immediately.

Yet the Luderne watchman reported that Alicia had not returned during the night.

“Should I summon Henrik?”

The Emperor tapped the rim of his cup as he murmured to himself.

The one lying was Henrik of Rens at the Grand Duke’s residence.

It was natural for Henrik to side with Reichardt—though sooner than expected.

Perhaps it wasn’t deliberate deceit but rather consideration for an unmarried lady’s position.

“In the end, it means they’re getting married.”

He took a sip of the now lukewarm tea.

With spring’s arrival, days when Reichardt did not come to the palace without special business had increased.

It had been happening since the new year, when he returned to Baden.

He had been absent before as well, but recently it had become more frequent.

This meant the restrictions placed on him were tightening.

As proof, after Reichardt’s departure yesterday, his aide had requested permission for the Grand Duke to return to Tessen at any time.

The reason the Emperor had sent an attendant to the Grand Duke’s residence this morning was to deliver that very permit.

Then why Alicia?

It was natural for Reichardt’s close aides to know certain circumstances.

But Alicia was not one of them.

As far as the Emperor knew, Reichardt kept everyone away during the restricted periods.

Having people around wouldn’t help anyway.

“Surely not.”

Everything concerning the royal family was kept in the strictest secrecy.

Unless one spoke of it personally, it remained so.

“That’s impossible.”

The Emperor’s uneasy expression soon settled after another sip of tea.

“They must be married quickly.”

His beautiful face twisted slightly as he murmured like making a vow.

With a furrowed brow, he sank into thought.

He couldn’t shake the image of Reichardt tightly holding Alicia’s hand as they left together last night.

“What are they hiding from me?”

His lovely face twisted again as he muttered.

Worry and reluctance flickered across it before it crumpled entirely and then slowly eased.

“This isn’t the time to be stubborn, Reichardt. You must marry at once.”

He spoke as if Reichardt stood before him.

There was no reply, but his expression hardened as though he’d heard a refusal.

He drained his cup and rose to his feet.

These days, Ruffkin Street was all the rage in the imperial capital, Baden.

It was only about a ten-minute walk from Main Street, so one could alight from a carriage nearby and stroll there in no time.

Being on the side of the main boulevard, it didn’t extend deep into the back, so the atmosphere was bright.

With such excellent accessibility, it was easy to lose track of time wandering past its charming boutiques and quaint dessert shops.

Small private galleries, ateliers, instrument shops, and workshops lined the street like pieces of art.

In front of a boutique whose display window was decorated in a deep-sea blue, Cynthia stood with a sulky face.

Angela, standing beside her, looked no happier.