Chapter 5 (Part 2)

After finishing their walk in the garden, the two returned to the manor and decided to enjoy a light cup of tea.  

“You know that the tutors are scheduled to start coming next week, right?”  

“Oh, yes. Emma told me.”  

After finishing her sentence, Reinis seemed to recall something and looked at him with a slightly nervous expression.  

“Commander, about that… I’d like to delay hosting the tea party for a little while.”  

Reinis smiled as she finished her words, lost in thought.  

Starting next week, proper tutors were set to begin visiting her. Reinis had already heard that there would be lessons in economics, etiquette, and even social education.  

Because of this, she thought to herself, 

‘Since I don’t know anything right now, it’d be better to host my first proper tea party after I’ve received some education.’  

Theodore, noticing her feelings, opened his mouth to speak.  

“I will adjust to the day you prefer.”  

At that, Reinis gave a shy smile and nodded. Although the tea party schedule had been postponed, Reinis felt much lighter in her heart.  

They were quietly sipping their tea without any conversation, but for some reason, it felt quite pleasant.  

The silence was broken by a messenger who came to visit them. It was news that the Princess had already sent a reply to the letter.  

“Did I, by any chance, write something in my letter that might have been offensive?”  

Reinis ended her sentence with a voice full of worry, holding the Princess’s letter in her hands. From her perspective, it was understandable to think so.  

It was almost as if the Princess had written her reply immediately upon receiving the letter, considering it arrived while they were still enjoying tea after their garden walk.  

Reinis thought back to the contents of the letter she had sent. She had written that, as a guest staying at the Duke’s manor, she would contact the Princess after consulting with the Duke. Both Theodore and Heldor had reviewed the letter, so there shouldn’t have been any issue with its content.  

“Would you like to check the contents?”  

At his words, Reinis nodded and opened the envelope with a nervous heart.  

The letter turned out to be longer than she expected, and she felt intimidated by its length. However, there was nothing in the content to worry about.  

The letter expressed a desire to exchange correspondence until the Duke’s permission was granted, as well as a wish to get to know each other better and become closer.  

Seeing this, Theodore’s expression hardened seriously. Knowing how capricious the Princess’s personality was, he couldn’t help but sense something unusual upon reading such polite words.  

‘What on earth is she scheming?’  

Unaware of Theodore’s growing concerns, Reinis felt a flutter of excitement at the Princess’s interest. It was because the letter conveyed that the Princess wanted to get to know her as an individual.

Unlike Chloe and others who had formed relationships with her due to the Baroness’s influence, Reinis had never made any friends by her own will. All the people she had spent time with were merely those she had been told to associate with.  

Even during social activities, no one had ever approached her first, asking to be her friend.  

But the Princess had extended her hand to her first, suggesting they become closer. Regardless of the Princess’s intentions, Reinis couldn’t help but feel delighted by her proposal.  

“If you don’t wish to, Lady, I can send a reply declining her offer on your behalf.” 

Theodore looked at her with a worried expression and spoke.  

Reinis, surprised by his question, shook her head.  

“No. I want to exchange letters with the Princess.”  

“But isn’t it burdensome for you?”  

“Ah… It’s a little burdensome, but I think it might also be enjoyable. To be honest, I’ve never had the chance to form a relationship with someone new.”  

Finishing her sentence with a hint of embarrassment, Reinis looked at the letter sent by the Princess.  

“Honestly, receiving a letter like this makes me feel a bit excited. No one has ever expressed a desire to get to know me before. O-Of course, it’s probably because I’ve been close to Miss Chloe since childhood, and that made it harder for others to approach me.”  

She hurriedly finished her words, her face looking somewhat brighter. Seeing her expression, Theodore decided it would be best to share his genuine concerns with her.  

“I hesitate to say this, but I feel it’s something you should know. I don’t believe the Princess sent such a letter without any intentions.”  

Carefully finishing his words, he observed Reinis’s expression. Contrary to his concerns that she might be disappointed, Reinis smiled brightly.  

“I think so too. It’s possible she truly has no ulterior motives and just wants to be friends, but she is the Princess, after all. The Princess of the Empire can’t just let anyone stay by her side.”  

“Even so, are you really okay with it?”  

“Yes. Regardless of her intentions, the fact remains that she wants to know more about me.”  

Seeing her smile shyly, a smile also spread across Theodore’s face.  

“You’ve grown a lot.”  

It had already been four days since Princess Nico and Reinis began exchanging letters.  

In the daily letters they exchanged, there was still no mention of Nico herself.  

No matter how much Reinis might be the future Duchess, Nico was still a Princess. For someone in Nico’s position, sharing even trivial personal information with someone as uninformed as Reinis was not something she could do lightly.  

Above all, leaving written records of the Princess’s personal details was something that required utmost caution.  

Reinis was also aware of this.  

As a result, the content of their letters consisted solely of questions Nico asked about Reinis and Reinis’s responses to those questions.  

The first thing Nico asked her was about what she liked.  

“What I like… What do I like…”

Reinis had to think about that question for a long time.

(To Be Continued in Vol 2)