At the same moment, a wave of gasps and murmurs broke out around them.

“Did you see him pull her close like that?”

“And what he just said, that was practically a public declaration, wasn’t it? Goodness, there’ll be a royal wedding before long!”

The embarrassing commentary lodged itself in her ears and made something flutter uncomfortably inside her. She shifted, and Kalintz quietly released her.

Blair tried not to think about him and turned to Olivia.

“I’ve been curious about something. You have so much already. Why would you stake everything you have on a princess consort’s crown? Is that truly what you want?”

She genuinely wanted to know. Whether she wanted that position so badly she could harbor murderous intent toward someone, frame another person. What it was that made it worth all of this.

But the answer that came back was unexpected.

“Whether I truly want it? Ha. What does that matter? My father wants it. My family wants it. Don’t tell me you’re about to say something about true love.”

Olivia scoffed.

“Wake up. Noble daughters don’t get that kind of fantasy. You do as you’re told, and you get matched with a family of suitable standing. That’s all there is.”

It was a bleakly cynical thing to say.

“Isn’t that why you came here too? To raise your value even a little by becoming a frons.”

“No. My value isn’t decided by something like that. I think the same goes for everyone here. Even you, Olivia.”

Blair looked into Olivia’s coldly mocking eyes as she spoke.

Olivia stared back for a moment, then smiled with contempt.

“Nothing you think is going to change anything for me. I’ve lived this way my whole life. So don’t stand there looking so pleased with yourself, Blair Mervish.”

Olivia glanced briefly at Kalintz beside her, then turned sharply and walked toward the doors of the audience hall.

Marie was led away to the dungeons by the guards shortly after, and King Rubens spoke in his measured voice.

“Now that Miss Blair Mervish has been found innocent, this inquiry is concluded. I extend my sincere sympathies for the unjust accusation you nearly suffered.”

“……Thank you, Your Majesty.”

“You showed remarkable composure despite what must have been a deeply unsettling ordeal. I was most impressed. I will summon you separately before long. For today, rest well.”

Queen Rhea added her own words of encouragement with a warm smile, and the atmosphere in the audience hall softened.

The king and queen departed, and Kalintz spoke with a faint smile.

“I was also very deeply impressed. You held your own quite well, Miss Blair.”

The sharp edge he had carried was gone. His voice was easy again.

“I doubt anyone was more impressed than you, Your Highness. You could walk into any theater company and land the lead role in no time.”

“Well, that’s not a bad thought, but I’d prefer mercenary work.”

What on earth is he talking about.

There were moments when she genuinely wanted to open up that pretty head of his, but there were still too many people around, so she kept it to herself.

Just then, Selina and Tilda came over.

“Blair! Are you all right? Goodness, I’m so relieved. I was so worried.”

Tilda pressed a hand to her chest and let out a long breath of relief. Selina added beside her, with a prim tilt of her chin.

“Hmph. I would have been terribly disappointed if you’d gotten caught up in such a grubby scheme, Blair.”

“Selina, I saw your gloves get soaked through from sweating earlier.”

At Tilda’s teasing, Selina flatly denied it. The sight of her made a comfortable smile rise on Blair’s face without her meaning to.

They had different ways of showing it, but the warmth behind both was unmistakable.

“Thank you for caring. Both of you.”

“Oh? Who said I cared? Honestly.”

Selina’s grumbling was almost endearing, and Blair was about to think so out loud when Tilda lowered her voice.

“Blair, you’ll need to be careful going forward. The way Duke Brienne was looking at you earlier…… it wasn’t nothing.”

“Ah……”

Blair glanced toward where the duke had been standing. He was speaking in low tones with a few of the nobles nearby, his face cold, and then he left the audience hall.

“Well, what is there to worry about? With such a reliable backer right there.”

Selina hid her mouth behind her fan and gestured with her eyes toward Kalintz.

He had stepped aside naturally when Selina and Tilda approached. He was exchanging words with his guard knight Ernst Werner, expression neutral, when he seemed to sense someone looking and turned his head toward them.

What kind of animal instincts are those.

Blair watched Kalintz cover the distance in long, unhurried strides and grumbled inwardly.

“If you’re done talking, shall we head out as well.”

“We…… you mean?”

“Is there a problem?”

Blair was exasperated by his easy confidence. What did he mean, shall we head out. Her room was this way and the prince’s palace was that way.

“Pfft.”

“……Why are you laughing again?”

“I was just wondering if you ever bother managing your expressions.”

Blair caught herself and gave an awkward cough. She was usually quite good at it, but strangely, every time she stood in front of this man, whatever she was thinking seemed to show right through.

“Let’s take a short walk before heading in. Now that I’ve publicly declared myself your backer, I can hardly send you off alone.”

Kalintz gave her a look that said to glance around.

Even though the inquiry had ended, a large number of nobles were still lingering in the audience hall. Most of them had their eyes fixed on the day’s central figure and the prince beside her.

“Honestly, everyone here loves a good spectacle.”

Selina murmured, and Tilda agreed beside her, whispering for Blair to go on ahead.

“See you later, then.”

Blair said her goodbyes to the two frons, then placed her hand awkwardly on Kalintz’s outstretched palm and left the audience hall.

“So this is why people read romance novels.”

Selina murmured, watching the two of them leave, and Tilda asked with a look of surprise.

“Selina, didn’t you want things to work out with the prince? Have you given up?”

“Ah, that was before His Highness fell for Blair. One-sided love isn’t really my thing.”

“Fell for her…… Blair?”

Tilda asked again, and Selina clicked her tongue impatiently.

“You really don’t know men at all. Can’t you tell just by looking? The way His Highness watches Blair, like she’s the most entertaining thing he’s ever seen. That’s it. It’s over.”

“Hmm…… he does look a bit like an owner handling a feisty cat.”

“Exactly.”

Tilda gave a small nod of understanding.

“And did you see earlier? When Duke Brienne said something to Blair before the inquiry started, His Highness practically had smoke coming out of his ears and stepped right between them.”

Selina fanned herself and laughed with obvious delight.

“Goodness, why did something this interesting only happen now. What were those two doing for the past six months.”

“I suppose it was because Miss Anais was practically already set to become princess consort back then.”

Selina nodded in agreement at Tilda’s words, then tilted her head and asked.

“But…… who was it, in the end. The one who did that to Anais.”

Tilda thought it over carefully as well, but only shrugged.

❀❀❀

“You don’t have any guesses either, Your Highness?”

Blair asked, sounding genuinely surprised.

“I’ve had Ernst looking into it, but nothing’s turned up yet. I still don’t know who stole the robetaine. That maid seems to be the only witness, but…… how far can you trust someone who’s been in Brienne’s hands.”

Kalintz said it with a displeased frown.

“So it was Duke Brienne who got to that maid. To get rid of both Olivia and me.”

“How did you know that?”

Kalintz asked with eyes that had gone slightly wider, genuinely surprised.

Blair explained that she had pieced it together from Queen Rhea’s warning about the duke, and from the maid’s strange behavior and reactions during the inquiry.

“That’s genuinely remarkable. I’m impressed.”

“There’s no need to be quite so……”

“No, I mean it. How did I not see this in you sooner.”

Kalintz leaned in, eyes bright with sincerity, and Blair felt that same fluttery feeling stir in her chest again.

He was close enough that she could see the line of his lashes, and she cleared her throat and stepped back slightly.

“Could you…… not do that.”

“Do what.”

Kalintz asked with a perfectly untroubled expression. That easy composure of his made something in her bristle.

“Never mind.”

Why was she always the one who felt unsettled. She had the persistent sense of being pulled along by this man against her will.