Chapter 106

His gently curved eyes were exceedingly kind. The touch of his hand brushing against her face was also tender.

The way he looked at her with innocent, puppy-like eyes was so endearing that it was almost unbearable.

<I love you, Mei.>

Just thinking about it made the corners of her lips automatically curl upward.

Meanwhile, Yudy, who was carefully brushing Meia’s beautiful silver hair, recalled what had happened earlier that day.

Meia had spoken in a stiff tone as she showed off the ring on her left hand, saying she had been proposed to. Despite her rigid words, her voice was filled with cheerful laughter.

Since when did our Young Lady ever share her feelings?

Meia kept touching and gazing at the ring, smiling all the while.

“Are you that happy?”

“Do I look happy, Yudy?”

“Yes, you’ve been smiling non-stop…”

Yudy paused briefly before continuing.

“I can see happiness in your eyes, Young Lady.”

From a young age, Meia had been rigorously trained never to show her emotions.

“This nanny is very fond of the way you are now, Young Lady.”

Yudy found Meia’s current, joyful self in Florence far more pleasing than when she was in the Carpen Empire. No, it was more reassuring.

“Yes, I like it too.”

Meia blushed as she gazed at the ring. Her feelings were warm and fuzzy, ticklish even.

“Are you sincere about him?”

“I like him, Yudy.”

Meia’s voice, as she confessed her feelings for Theodore, was genuine.

“All I want is for you to be happy, Young Lady.”

Yudy continued brushing Meia’s hair with a smile.

For Meia, the word ‘like’ was something she used for things like food or puppies—things that others might find likable. She would never use it to describe her feelings for a person.

“I once told His Grace something like this: ‘Don’t trust people too much. What if I suddenly stab you in the heart with a knife? What would you do then?’”

It was a question Meia had once asked.

Of course, at that time, Yudy had answered that she would gladly die in Meia’s place, so she shouldn’t stab anyone.

“And what did he say? Did he say he wouldn’t mind being stabbed in the heart?”

“No. Do you know what he said, Nanny?”

“What did he say?”

It was obvious he must have said something silly, but who was Meia? She wasn’t the type to let such words slide. That’s why Yudy was curious about what Theodore had said.

“He said he’d be happy.”

“What?”

“He said that if I stabbed him in the heart, he’d feel happy.”

Yudy stopped brushing for a moment, startled by the unexpected response.

“I asked him why he thought that way. His answer was that in the final moments of his life, if he could see the woman he loved, he would feel happiness rather than resentment toward the one who killed him.”

Think about it. Someone is stabbing your heart with a knife to kill you…

‘Happy?’

And the reason is simply that he could see the woman he loves before he dies?

“When His Grace spoke about accepting death, I could feel a different kind of sorrow and pain than when my parents passed away. So I wondered why that was. After some thought, I realized one thing: I want to protect this man named Theodore.”

That’s how she came to understand her feelings.

“I want to cherish these feelings, Yudy.”

Meia had always hidden her emotions and never opened her heart.

She had lived her entire life that way and thought she always would.

“I like him.”

“Understood, Young Lady. Congratulations on your proposal. I will do my utmost to prepare for the engagement ceremony.”

“Yudy, thank you for your hard work.”

Knock, knock.

“Come in.”

The door opened, and Helena entered.

“Young Lady.”

“Yes, Helena. Have my items been listed for the charity auction?”

“Well, there’s no news yet that they’ve been listed for the auction. However, I’ve heard that preparations for the royal wedding have begun. They say the date will be announced the day after the coming-of-age ceremony.”

“Preparing for a royal wedding without even setting a proper date.”

Both were already adults, so regardless of when the royal wedding took place, it wasn’t surprising news to Meia.

However, she couldn’t help but scoff at the thought of Patzraelli clinging to her not long ago.

“You’ve worked hard, Helena. You may leave now.”

“Yes, Young Lady.”

In truth, Meia had deliberately entrusted her items for the charity auction to Meryl.

She hadn’t intended to participate in any charity auctions this year anyway.

Even if she didn’t participate, no one would find it strange. After all, she was staying at the Mage Tower.

If Meryl, seeing the high-value items, submitted them to the charity auction without any ulterior motives, people would say, “Ah, Meia is still alive. As expected of the flower of high society, the class of her gifts is extraordinary,” and praise her.

But if, by any chance, the items weren’t submitted to the charity auction…

“It would be troublesome, Meryl.”

Very troublesome.

Hearing Meia mutter, Yudy perked up her ears.

“What was that, Young Lady?”

“When I return to the Carpen Empire, it seems like there will be many amusing things to look forward to.”

Yudy tensed at Meia’s words. For her, ‘amusing things’ meant someone would end up in hell.

“It’s going to be fun.”

*

“Are you happy?”  

Theodore brought Meia, who was busy preparing for her coming-of-age ceremony and engagement, to the seaside.

“I wanted to show you this place properly at least once.”

Theodore was worried about Meia. She seemed to stress herself out unless she completed everything perfectly. Although he wanted to talk about their thrilling engagement, Meia was more concerned about the guest list, the food to be served, and the decoration of the banquet hall.

<Mei, for something like this, you can just delegate it, and they’ll handle it.>

<It’s my job to supervise them.>

<In Sirius, you just assign tasks to subordinates, later check if they’ve done well, and receive reports. There’s no need for you to supervise.>

While being meticulous and efficient was admirable, he wasn’t hosting this engagement ceremony to make her the Grand Duchess of Florence. It was because he was marrying the woman he loved.

She needed a brief respite.

<I’m showing my face to the vassals for the first time. I don’t want to give them anything to criticize.>

<For now, delegate everything to Aethon and Hemann and come with me.>

And with that, he put her in the carriage without further explanation and headed to the sea, which Meia loved.

“Aren’t you glad you came out?”

“This is what they call playing hooky, right?”

“Yes, that’s right. Playing hooky.”

“It’s my first time doing this.”

In the Carpen Empire, she had lived a busy life without rest.

As the Duke’s daughter, she fulfilled her duties, and as the Crown Prince’s fiancée, she carried out her responsibilities. She also diligently studied to prepare to become the Empress.

No one ever told her, “You can take it easy.”

Instead, they said, “You need to work harder,” “You need to study,” “You can’t rest.”

And she believed that was how it should be.

<Mei, it’s okay to take it slow.>

<But there’s so much to do.>

<That’s why you have capable aides.>

When Theodore suddenly suggested going out, a slight unease welled up in her.

‘Is it okay to rest when I haven’t finished everything?’

She had a strong desire to prepare perfectly as the future Grand Duchess of Florence and leave no room for criticism.

<Going out with me once won’t undo all the preparations you’ve made so far, I promise.>

At the seaside, holding Theodore’s hand, she felt a mixture of unease and excitement. But as soon as they arrived, she felt exhilarated. Was this what it felt like to break free?

The sunlight sparkling on the white sandy beach shone more beautifully than any jewel.

Meia gazed at the sea before her. The strong sea breeze kept hitting her face and ears, but it was refreshing and invigorating. She now understood what it meant for one’s heart to feel unburdened.

Swoosh. Crash.

The sound of the waves was music to her ears. The salty scent of the sea carried a faint fishy smell, but even that was delightful. Seeing Meia genuinely happy, Theodore smiled contentedly.

“After the engagement ceremony, I’ll take you somewhere even better.”

Meia couldn’t help but laugh at Theodore’s sweet words.

“Please do take me.”

“I’ll take you anywhere you want to go.”

Theodore’s face was full of joy and excitement.

“You promised, Theo.”

Holding her hand, he said, 

“Seeing you happy makes me very happy too.”

The way he blushed while holding her hand was adorable.

Meia raised her hand and brushed his cheek.

Theodore leaned deeply into her palm. He looked just like a large black retriever wagging its tail and rubbing its face against its owner’s hand.

Feeling the heat from his cheek against her palm made her heart race.

“Congratulations on becoming an adult before me, Theo.”

The sight of Meia smiling as she spoke made Theodore’s face turn red.

“Thank you for the congratulations.”

His heart was racing, and he felt tension coursing through his body.

If they weren’t outside but in his office or a reception room, somewhere private, he would’ve kissed her lips, moved his hands all over her body, and entwined himself deeply with her…

Any further thoughts were too dangerous.

“No, I can’t!”

Theodore spoke urgently.

“What can’t you do?”

“I feel like I might become a dangerous person.”

“There’s no way you could be dangerous to me, Theo.”

His reaction was strange.

“Theo, are you distancing yourself from me?”

Standing half a step away, he looked unusually cautious.

His expression seemed as if he was holding something back. His gestures resembled someone hesitating before something they desperately wanted.

“Pardon?”

Theodore licked his dry lips and avoided her gaze.

What was I trying to say but couldn’t?

“Tell me. It’s okay.”

“I don’t want to become dangerous.”

Just looking at Meia’s face was testing the limits of Theodore’s patience.

He was gritting his teeth, trying to control the changes in his youthful, vigorous body.

The sudden surges of desire felt as though they would consume him.

“What’s so dangerous?”

Meia stepped closer to the half-step distance between them and held his hand with a bright smile.

“Is something troubling you?”

Could it be pre-engagement jitters? Was he experiencing the groom-to-be’s melancholy?

His dark eyes seemed to sink as if he were reflecting on something.

“No, it’s not that.”

But his face was red, his eyes were moist, and his breathing seemed slightly unstable.

“Then what’s so dangerous? I won’t know unless you tell me.”

When Meia intertwined her fingers with his, Theodore’s face turned even redder, like a ripe plum.

“You’re not dangerous to me at all, Theo.”

“I think I lack self-control.”

Meeting his gaze, filled with burning passion, Meia felt a slight tremor in her body.

The intensity of Theodore’s eyes was enough to make her want to look away out of embarrassment.