Marked as the Tyrant's Daughter-in-Law - Chapter 19

“No way, the Crown Prince’s eyes are blue. But……”

Uncle Zimmer’s eyes were brown too. However, Parmes, who became the Emperor, had red eyes and…….

‘If Briton used that method to change his hair and eye color?’

As my thoughts reached somewhere I hadn’t considered before, I felt my heart sink.

“……Still, it doesn’t make sense logically. Their personalities are completely different too.”

While Mas had a blunt and quiet personality, Crown Prince Briton was bright and gentle.

Above all, for the Empire’s Crown Prince to stay in a rural place like Galnem for a whole year because of me.

He has no reason to go to such trouble.

But…….

“Come to think of it, Mas said his family does business in the city. Could it be……”

No, Mas from Galnem and Crown Prince Briton give completely different impressions.

I shook my head.

And then, there was a knock-knock sound from outside the window.

A moment later, the window opened and Mas, whom I was supposed to meet today, swooped into my room.

“……Mas!”

Black clothes and a white mask, always the same attire.

And about half a span taller than me.

While I smiled at the boy, I was uneasy as the thoughts from earlier kept swirling in my head.

‘Could Crown Prince Briton be……’

Mas approached me and reached out his hand.

I stood still for a moment, then took Mas’s hand.

The boy took another step towards me, then tilted my body and lightly lifted me up as if embracing a princess.

“……!”

‘This has never happened before!’

Unlike me who was a bit flustered, Mas calmly strode to the window.

And with me in his arms, he jumped down.

“This is the third floor……!! Aah!!!”

Feeling like I was falling from a roller coaster, I clung to Mas’s neck area.

“Kyaa!!”

What is this! I’m scared!!

After touching down on the mansion’s wall once, Mas leaped powerfully again towards the street.

And again, the feeling of soaring and then suddenly dropping.

However, when Mas’s feet touched the ground, I didn’t feel as much impact as I had expected.

Still clinging to Mas’s neck, I slowly opened my eyes that I had reflexively closed.

How does this small body absorb shock so well?

No, more importantly.

“There were…… safer methods, you know.”

‘My room was on the third floor…..’

I thought my heart was going to fall out.

As Mas put me down, I, who had been frozen stiff from tension, grumbled with an embarrassed expression while trying to steady myself.

Excited voices of people could be heard from the street.

“The fireworks are about to start, I think!”

“Let’s hurry to the square! They say His Highness the Crown Prince will give a congratulatory speech.”

“Really? His Highness the Crown Prince?!”

A group of people was passing by, hurrying their steps.

Hearing what they said, I quickly turned my head to look at Mas.

And I realized how ridiculous my earlier thoughts had been.

I wonder what expression Mas would make if he knew about my misunderstanding.

“……”

A laugh escaped my lips without me realizing it. Is this what they call being overly self-conscious?

It’s good that the misunderstanding was cleared without getting caught up in unnecessary thoughts.

As I took Mas’s hand, the boy’s black eyes flickered lightly for a moment.

“Let’s go in the opposite direction!”

I didn’t particularly want to go to the square where Briton’s speech would be.

We should be able to see the fireworks well from a distance anyway.

“It’s so nice to see each other for two days in a row like this. Don’t you think?”

“……”

“Well, I guess it can’t be helped if I’m the only one who feels that way.”

We passed through alleys crowded with people and headed towards the hill.

On the hill was the Economics Academy, which was said to be managed by the Minister of Economy. As we climbed closer to the building, the view of the city was quite clear at a glance.

By the time the reddish sunset had completely disappeared and everything around had turned pitch black.

Bang-

With the sound of something rising, beautiful colorful fireworks began to embroider the sky.

The colors of the gunpowder made with alchemical fireworks were so beautiful that I was momentarily mesmerized.

“Wow……”

The night sky I used to watch with Mas in Galnem was so pitch black.

There were many stars, but they always looked the same, so it was a bit boring.

So I thought it would be nice if I could watch fireworks coloring the night sky with Mas.

And today, it feels like that thought has magically come true.

“It’s really beautiful……! Don’t you think?”

While admiring the fireworks decorating the night sky in various colors, I suddenly turned to look at Mas.

“……”

The colors of the fireworks were also spreading on the boy’s white mask.

And in the black eyes behind the mask, red and blue fireworks spread like a festival.

‘Seeing him focus so intently…… Mas really is just a child after all.’

Swallowing a somewhat ticklish feeling, I turned back to watch the fireworks spreading across the night sky.

***

The fireworks display, created by alchemists, lasted for about forty minutes.

And as the fireworks were nearing their end, Briton looked at Arinel who had fallen asleep leaning on his shoulder.

Her blonde hair was a bit disheveled, and her long eyelashes cast rich shadows under her eyes.

A faint smile played on Briton’s lips.

Before the fireworks started, Arinel said she had been studying in the Mylar family’s library and receiving education from Lady Alens.

It’s no wonder she’s tired then.

“Mmm……”

Even though the fireworks had ended and silence had fallen, Arinel was sleeping soundly, oblivious to the world.

Originally, once Arinel fell asleep, she wouldn’t wake up even if the world collapsed.

The boy who had spent a year with Arinel in Galnem knew her better than anyone else.

The boy slowly removed his mask, his lips mouthing words without sound.

‘You must be very tired, Arinel.’

Briton gently brushed away the stray hairs covering her cheek with his long fingers.

Could Arinel even imagine how he felt when she said it was nice to see each other for two days in a row?

‘You know what?’

As the clouds that had been covering the moon slowly revealed them again, his black eyes gradually regained their blue color.

‘The sound of my heartbeat felt louder than the exploding fireworks.’

Arinel, who firmly saw him only as a friend, would surely distance herself forever if he expressed his feelings.

Unless it was the gentle and radiant fiancé Briton.

His brown hair also gradually changed to a pale color like moonlight.

“I was surprised that His Majesty the Emperor gave the founding anniversary speech himself.”

“Right. I thought His Highness the Crown Prince would do it. I was too scared to lift my head. If I had known, I would have watched from somewhere else……”

“Well, everyone was kneeling anyway. What else could we do when even the slightest disobedience could cost us our lives.”

“By the way, isn’t Albreon’s technology amazing? I’ve never seen such a long fireworks display before. Many nobles died when the Emperor changed, but this time it feels like something might be different……”

The conversations of people returning home could be heard faintly.

‘I want to stay longer, but the night air is getting cold.’

It feels regrettable.

Briton made Arinel’s body lean completely on him, then embraced her as he stood up.

It’s time to take her home now.

“……Hm?”

Arinel, cradled in Briton’s arms, briefly lifted her head and opened her eyes.

But out of habit, her eyes closed again, and Briton let out a small sigh.

The boy began to walk.

***

“……What did you just say?”

Adam felt his throat constrict under Parmes’ chilling gaze filled with killing intent.

No, literally, he felt suffocated. For a mid-level knight like Adam, Parmes, who was at the Sword Master level, was an opponent whose pressure alone was overwhelming.

He couldn’t understand why Parmes would be this angry just because Arinel had declined an invitation for tea time.

“I apologize, but she said she had a lot to do today, so I didn’t press further……”

“It must be your fault.”

Adam’s spine chilled at the accusation that cut off his words.

“You must have forgotten to mention that cherry sherbet and strawberry cake were prepared.”

“I did mention that.”

“Then you must have forgotten to talk about the wine glass filled with pumpkin candies that Arinel likes.”

“I mentioned that too. Everything Your Majesty prepared…… Including the banner and flags with Arinel’s initials.”

“Then why did she refuse?”

Parmes seemed utterly unable to understand Arinel’s refusal.

Even the formidable Duke Siegfried was no match for Parmes’ cold rationality.

But Parmes’ current state seemed to find it more difficult to understand Arinel’s continued refusal of tea time than to understand that 1 plus 1 equals 2.

Feeling the continued pressure as if his throat was being squeezed, Adam ran his hand over his Adam’s apple.

Parmes Aslet, who rejects everyone’s attention with humiliation, acts like an attention-starved adult only towards Arinel.

‘While I can understand Your Majesty’s feelings……’

Certainly, Arinell sparkles more charmingly than anyone else. It must have been the same in Galnem, and that is probably why she was chosen as the Crown Princess.

“It would be better to buy the house next to Arinel’s.”

Parmes’s lips, which had a serious expression, twitched.

At this rate, the young lady who is already complaining that she feels like she has aged ten years might sigh even deeper.

Adam racked his brain for a new idea to escape this dilemma.

It was all for Arinel’s sake.

“Your Majesty. Perhaps……”

Parmes’ eyebrow twitched.

“How about hosting a new event for the young lady?”