Did I make too much of a fuss? The gazes looking at her were too frank, so she wiped her lips with the back of her hand and adjusted her voice.

“No matter how I think about it, Lady Biella is perfect!”

Although it was praise for the female lead, not only the maids but even Biella widened her eyes in bewilderment. For her, who had enjoyed reading the touching and heartfelt love story of the original female lead Biella, it was natural to exclaim in admiration. Pretty face, good figure, good personality, even baking skills. Wasn’t she a female lead with no lacking aspects?

“That’s not true, Princess. You’re praising me too much.”

The sight of her shyly lowering her head and fidgeting with her delicate fingers was quite cute, making her laugh. The maids were earnestly eating the brownies given as their share while exchanging glances with each other. The maids, consumed by jealousy, were eating Biella’s bread deliciously with their mouths while watching her warily with their eyes. Their power struggle didn’t capture her interest. She had already eaten three brownies, making her stomach full, and a languid energy spread through her body while a warm energy bubbled up from deep in her stomach. Was it because she had eaten delicious food after a long time? It seemed like even her missing energy was surging. As she smiled with satisfaction, Biella carefully opened her mouth.

“I put a spoonful of my healing power into the bread, though it’s weak. How is it?”

“Healing power?”

“Yes. You must have been very shocked yesterday, but my holy power isn’t strong, so I can’t compare to Master Pearl, and I couldn’t help you, Princess. I felt so sorry about that, so I thought it would be helpful if I put healing power into the brownies and gave them to you, Princess.”

Only then did she remember that in the original work, Biella becomes a saintess. That’s why the title of this novel was also ‘The Saintess’s Flower.’

“Ah. I see. Thank you. Thanks to Master Pearl, my body recovered, but it was a bit difficult because of the rattling carriage. After eating this bread, my body feels light.”

“Really? I’m glad it helped you, Princess.”

Seeing Biella’s joy made her feel good without knowing why, so she took out another piece of bread and ate it. As they continued their meal pleasantly, Biella glanced at the maids and carefully opened her mouth.

“I didn’t expect His Highness the Crown Prince to come so suddenly. As you know, he’s been staying in Ice Valley for several months, fighting battles.”

“That’s right. He didn’t really need to come.”

The monsters could have been eliminated sufficiently with just the knight order led by the grand duke. Rather, because Theodore appeared, her goal became lost and began to wander.

“He came chasing the monsters because he was worried about you, Princess. He’s really a wonderful person.”

At the words “wonderful person,” she swallowed the bread she was chewing.

Biella was beginning to have feelings for Theodore! If Theodore, who wouldn’t budge no matter how persistently she talked about breaking off the engagement, saw Biella’s changed attitude, wouldn’t he come to hate the idea of getting married to her? The maids, unaware of Biella’s true feelings, nodded in agreement with her words. She smiled triumphantly beside them while chewing the brownie.

“To have such a person as your husband. You must be happy, Princess.”

No, I’m going to break off the engagement with Theodore. If she said this, it would reach the ears of the talkative maids, and then troublesome things might happen before she could even escape. Still, she opened her mouth to give Biella a hint.

“Lady Biella. I’m not really into romantic melodramas.”

“Pardon? I don’t understand what you mean.”

“It means something good will happen to you soon, lady.”

Perhaps it sounded like she was simply saying good fortune would come, as Biella offered another brownie with a glowing face.

“Princess. Please eat a lot.”

She accepted the bread Biella offered and stuffed her mouth full.

“Aren’t you eating any, Lady?”

“No. I’ve been gaining some weight lately.”

So I should eat all these carbohydrates by myself and get chubby? She felt somewhat resentful, but she gladly accepted. Her baking skills were so high-level that she didn’t mind gaining weight. Biella smiled as if satisfied, and she smiled with satisfaction from her full stomach. Only the maids glared at Biella with fierce eyes. Of course, Biella paid no attention to them.

⟨5. The Moment of Being Held in His Arms⟩

There was a gently flowing river a little distance from the barracks. She walked to the river to aid digestion amid the evening bustle. As she strolled along the bank, following the gentle flow of the water, she moved at a relaxed pace, counting with her fingers. One, two, three, four, five. Damn it!

Because she had eaten them thoughtlessly because they were delicious, there were as many as five brownies that had gone into her stomach!

She had eaten too much, making her chest feel stuffy and queasy. Biella’s spoonful of healing power was truly worth only a spoonful, as its effect wore off quickly. Although she had slept in the carriage the whole way, her body was still heavy from sleeping while being shaken. She didn’t even feel like she had slept because she had nightmares on top of it.

Why did she have to dream such a dream and cause a fuss? She shook her head tremendously to forget even the fact that she had dreamed.

“Ugh.”

I keep remembering it. At times like this, she needed a shock that would snap her to attention. She took off her shoes and slowly dipped her feet into the flowing river water. Her feet, which had been crushed inside the leather shoes, burned hot and then gradually cooled and became refreshing. It was a coolness that made her completely forget Theodore’s ominous gaze she had seen in her dream.

Sitting on a flat stone and rolling up her skirt to splash in the water, the rippling patterns created by her moving feet made her watch in fascination.

“Good.”

As she played for a while, splashing in the water, she heard a rustling sound.

“So you were here.”

“Ah! Your Grace.”

Greg had approached at some point and settled down beside her. He was dressed in a comfortable shirt, having removed the silver armor that had tightly encased his broad chest.

“I looked for you for quite a while.”

Greg followed her example and took off his boots that came up to his calves. Then he unhesitatingly dipped his feet into the river water.

“I wondered what you were doing, but it’s quite refreshing.”

He entered her space without hesitation and was remarkably calm about it.

“Is your back alright? It must be quite painful to ride in a carriage for a long time.”

“Fortunately, it’s fine. I’m good at sitting for long periods.”

Any office worker knows about back stretching. Especially those in desk jobs who have to sit for long periods. Perhaps because she was trained that way, riding in a carriage for a long time wasn’t difficult. Rather, if anything was difficult, it was Theodore dismissing her request for breaking off the engagement.

“But why were you looking for me?”

Greg hesitated for a long time about what to say, then slowly opened his mouth.

“I heard a strange story.”

“What story?”

She wondered what he was trying to say, taking so long to get to the point. It was natural to be curious about what would come from the mouth of someone who had been playfully mischievous but was now hesitating.

“What story is it that you’re acting like this?”

Greg looked at her intently with his brilliant green eyes shining. She felt as if she was being drawn into his harmless face without knowing it.

“About you breaking off your engagement. Are those words that really came from your mouth, Princess?”

Since she had been shouting “let’s break off the engagement” all day, it wasn’t unreasonable for him to find out. She had said she would speak quietly so others wouldn’t hear, but apparently there was someone listening. It wasn’t something to cover up with lies, and since she was planning to escape from this procession tomorrow anyway, she answered honestly.

“Yes.”

“Interesting.”

“You speak too lightly about someone else’s broken engagement.”

“That’s what’s interesting.”

“Pardon?”

She blinked, wondering what on earth he was talking about. When she looked at him with a ‘what exactly?’ expression, Greg chuckled and turned his gaze to look at the pebbles by the distant riverbank.

“Do you know?”

Wondering what he was going to say next, she glanced at him and saw a faint smile form on Greg’s lips.

“When you’re in a good mood, you call me Your Grace, but when you’re not, you call me Grand Duke.”

“Ah, do I do that?”

“Yes. You do.”

She hadn’t realized it, but thinking about it, she felt a little sorry.

“Then, how about this. I’ll add the honorific ‘Your Grace’ from now on?”

Greg shook his head dismissively.

“No. I like the princess who lacks such consistency.”

“Pardon? Ah…… yes.”

Now your random ‘yes’ gives me chills.

“Princess, you always exceed my expectations. That’s why you’re interesting.”

Interesting? Where exactly? She had heard she was free-spirited, so maybe it was along the same lines? She nodded, pretending to agree appropriately.

“I told you. I decided to mature now.”