And that while letting her body sway back and forth with the carriage’s movement. Forward, then pushed back. Leaning toward him, then moving away again. He gently caught her head swaying mercilessly and let it rest on his shoulder, and a faint smile appeared on her lips.

“How can you be so simple?”

Her expression was far too happy for someone who had just talked about breaking off the engagement. Looking at her face sleeping peacefully with the most comfortable expression buried in his chest, one side of his heart bubbled up warmly. Why did she want to break off the engagement?

“Or…… do you really hate me that much?”

⁕⁕⁕

A calm lakeside where ripples had settled. As he quietly cut through the water, the moonlight floating quietly on the surface shimmered as if breaking and reached the lakeshore. It was a quiet night. The calm lake with no one around was entirely hers. Floating on the water, she swam freely in the pleasant feeling. She reached out to part the water. Swoosh swoosh. She swung her arms freely and moved forward. How long had it been since she felt such freedom? A smile naturally formed at the soft sensation touching her bare skin.

Ah, so this is what it feels like to swim n*ked.

Gradually her breathing became labored and her chest swelled. Then she discovered something sparkling on the water in the distance and joyfully stroked his arms vigorously. I’m going there. There must be something beautiful there.

Little by little, she moved forward. What had initially been just a small light gradually began to sparkle more brilliantly and grow in size, eventually transforming into Theodore’s face. Why are you there?

His silver hair, touched by moonlight, sparkled and shone. She was captivated by such an enchanting sight. Beautiful! Then suddenly. Right! I’m completely n*ked, aren’t I? She was swimming n*ked when she encountered Theodore. Startled by this terrible situation, she let out a sound close to desperation.

Go away! Go away! No matter how much she shouted, he only smiled and gave no response. Damn it! Stop looking at my body!

She flailed her arms wildly, trying to cover his eyes. As a result, her body began to sink deeper into the water. When she choked on water and coughed, Theodore reached out his hand with a pitying expression. Just as she was about to grasp his hand, her breath rising to her chin, someone else suddenly grabbed her hand, startling her so much that she opened her eyes wide.

As her blurred vision gradually brightened, she could finally see Theodore’s eyes staring intently at her.

“Aaaaah.”

She was so startled that she unconsciously flailed her hands to push him away, and as a result, she nearly lost her balance and rolled to the floor of the carriage. If Theodore hadn’t thrown himself forward to grab her arm, she would have shown another unseemly sight in front of him. Their eyes met in mid-air, and just as she felt relief at avoiding the fall, the carriage came to an abrupt stop. In the end, she rolled completely to the floor of the carriage. Together with Theodore.

“Your Highness! What’s wrong?”

The coachman, having heard the scream, asked urgently. If they were caught tumbling on the carriage floor with their bodies pressed together, there would be no greater embarrassment. She shamelessly tapped Theodore’s chest, which was occupying the space above her, trying to push him away. However, Theodore easily caught her hands and applied pressure.

“Shh!”

When the carriage shook with a clatter, thinking something strange had happened, another voice was heard.

“Your Highness! Excuse me, but I’m going to open the carriage door!”

They seemed to think something had happened. Of course, an embarrassing situation was unfolding, so something had happened. Would they be caught in this state by those people? She shook her head and sent Theodore a desperate look, asking him to do something about it. Theodore answered without taking his eyes off her.

“It’s nothing! Start moving again!”

“Are you really alright?”

“Just start moving!”

“Yes.”

The sound of bustling movement could be heard from outside the carriage, then the carriage slowly began to move. She sighed in relief and squeezed her eyes shut. Only then did Theodore also rise from above her and help her sit up.

The situation had been resolved, but her pounding heart continued to beat uncontrollably. Even as she sat in her chair pretending to be calm, her mind was filled entirely with Theodore’s deep eyes that had been staring intently at her. She moved her body, pretending to arrange her dress hem, and glanced at Theodore. Theodore, who had turned his gaze to the window, continued to ignore her gaze.

The dream was one thing, but occupying the space above her body and then being so shameless. Theodore was annoying. But what was this? This feeling? Her pounding heart couldn’t calm down and continued to increase its beat, and her face, which seemed to have turned red-hot, was useless no matter how much she pressed it with her hands. This was all happening because Theodore had changed her clothes.

Damn it! As she sighed silently, Theodore suddenly turned around.

“Did you have a nightmare or something?”

Theodore, who seemed somewhat anxious, was frowning but couldn’t properly meet her gaze. That’s right, a nightmare! That was what you called a nightmare, wasn’t it?

“That’s right! A nightmare! It was such a realistic nightmare. Wow, I was shocked.”

She raised her hand and continuously fanned her flushed face, when Theodore carefully reached out his hand. Frozen by his action, she only rolled her eyes and pressed her lips tightly together. As Theodore’s hand drew closer, she unconsciously shrank back.

When his hand touched her forehead, she trembled from the ticklish sensation. Even so, Theodore calmly wiped away the sweat flowing on her forehead.

“Are you hurt somewhere? The sweat……”

Unable to bear the ticklish feeling, she quickly pulled away and sat far from him.

“No! I’m not hurt at all.”

She pushed away Theodore’s hand and turned completely around, moving close to the window. The cool breeze seemed to seep through the window cracks and cool her cold sweat. Hurt, indeed. Cold sweat was streaming down her forehead, but she definitely wasn’t hurt. I’m embarrassed right now!

She couldn’t jump out because they were in a moving carriage, and her face was burning. It was truly maddening.

“Are you really okay?”

Theodore continued trying to check her face without any tact, and she kept turning away to avoid showing her face to him. After some confrontation, Theodore finally forcibly turned her body to face him.

“Why are you acting like this?”

“I told you I’m really fine!”

She waved her hands and shouted. Right now, I don’t want to look at your face!

⁕⁕⁕

Fortunately, Theodore stopped the carriage and ordered them to establish a resting place. The knights moved in unison, and when they had prepared a place to rest for the night, she barely got out of the carriage with her body heavy like a wet cotton ball. Perhaps because she had exerted herself too much, her body was drooping and her feet still felt as if they were underwater, unable to gain strength. Before she could take even a few steps toward the barracks, the talkative maids came running and asked her questions one by one.

“Princess. When will this procession end?”

The black-haired Sara asked.

“We’re completely exhausted.”

The brown-haired Amy complained.

“But the crown prince is so handsome!”

The blonde Naira suddenly praised Theodore out of nowhere. At the same time, her face suddenly turned red. Her heart, which had barely calmed down, began to beat fiercely again. After that, the maids’ conversation was only about the crown prince and the grand duke. As if there were no men of such beauty in the Kingdom of Portia, they continuously praised the men of the empire, especially Theodore. She gave half-hearted responses to their chatter and entered the barracks. She collapsed onto the cot and listened to the maids’ chattering conversation with one ear while mulling over the situation in the carriage earlier. The moment he reached out his hand, Theodore’s eyes clearly came to mind even in her dazed state. She barely managed to raise her hand and touch her forehead where his hand had touched. Her face was still hot.

When her mind was becoming hazy with thoughts of Theodore, Biella appeared. With baskets in both hands.

The maids instinctively began to be wary upon seeing Biella’s face and figure, and Biella cheerfully offered bread pieces with clear, innocent eyes.

“Princess. I tried baking some. Would you like to try?”

As expected of the female lead, she even does baking. I don’t usually like bread. I’ve never wanted to eat it even once. I prefer rice cakes to bread. Being someone who always carried this thought, she wasn’t particularly interested in the bread Biella offered. However, since she had brought it with good intentions, she accepted a piece of bread that Biella offered.

“I don’t usually like bread, but thank you anyway, lady.”

Then she took a bite. Huh? What’s this? Why is it so delicious?

“Lady, it’s so delicious. What on earth did you do to this bread?”

She was so amazed by the heavenly taste she was experiencing for the first time that she even felt self-reproach, wondering ‘why did I avoid bread all this time?’

“Was bread originally this delicious?”