Chapter 3 (Part 5)

After clearing out the pirates, the people who had their lives saved on the cruise ship expressed their gratitude to Meia.

They cheered for the beautiful lady who had bravely subdued the pirates with charisma.

“Isn’t she the fiancée of the Crown Prince of the Carpen Empire, Lady Meia Hatzbellua?”

“I’ve heard of her. She’s the pride of the Carpen Empire’s social circles!”

“But I’ve heard the lord of the Hatzbellua family has recently changed…”

“What do you mean?”

“Tell us more about it.”

“I’d like to hear about it too.”

A thick male voice suddenly rang out, drawing the attention of the ladies and noble girls.

“Hello, I am Ashilom of the Berton family. I’d also like to join in the discussion about Lady Meia Hatzbellua.”

“Haha, even we ladies get excited just seeing her, so the men must be even more so…”

“Indeed.”

“Please tell us quickly. Madam, we are so curious.”

The lady who knew the recent news about Meia took a sip of her tea, clearing her throat to signal the start of the story.

“The beautiful former Duke and Duchess, parents of Lady Meia, passed away. They were swept away by a landslide. To be precise, they fell into a deep ravine, and their bodies have not yet been found.”

“Oh my.”

“How tragic.”

“They even asked the spirit mages, but they couldn’t find the bodies. It is said that the bodies might have been damaged by the rough waters, but I don’t know the details. Everyone was heartbroken by their passing.”

As the story went on, the expressions of the people grew darker.

“Since Lady Meia is not yet of legal age, she cannot inherit the dukedom. In the Carpen Empire, the coming-of-age ceremony is held on the first day a person turns twenty, and that’s when they officially become an adult.”

“It’s different from our Sirius Empire.”

“Yes, that’s how the coming-of-age ceremony works in the Carpen Empire.”

“So she went on a journey after her parents passed away.”

The lady who knew Meia’s recent information took another sip of her tea.

The people focused on her.

“She has also been released from her 10-year engagement to the Crown Prince of the Carpen Empire. That engagement position has now been taken by her cousin.”

“With her parents gone and the engagement broken, she must be going through a lot…”

“It’s unfortunate, but honestly, thanks to Lady Meia being on this cruise ship, we were saved.”

“That’s true!”

“They say everything happens for a reason. Maybe God sent Lady Meia to save us.”

After the noble lady’s words, everyone fell silent, and then a young lady spoke up.

“From now on, no, from this moment on, I will unconditionally be on Lady Meia’s side.”

The people continued to discuss Meia’s unfortunate circumstances, and the newspaper reporter Ashilom did not miss this juicy opportunity.

“Then, who was the gentleman who embraced Lady Meia?”

“That was Grand Duke Florence of the Sirius Empire. He is unmarried.”

Ashilom’s eyes gleamed.

“Could you tell me more details?”

“Hoho, of course.”

Sitting on a chair on the deck, feeling the breeze, Meia noticed people approaching her. One person came forward and spoke.

“Hello, Lady Meia Hatzbellua. My name is Josh of the Hertfilin family. I will never forget the grace you showed in saving us last time. My daughter was about to be disgraced, but you saved her. Thank you.”

The person behind him also stepped forward.

“My wife as well.”

And the one next to him.

“Thank you for saving my husband.”

Due to the people coming to express their gratitude, Meia could not rest, and she eventually had Asen politely send the people away.

The people were too grateful to Meia.

All kinds of precious gifts, including gold, silver, and jewels, began pouring in for Meia. She tried to refuse them, but the gifts were left at the door of her room. The gifts kept piling up.

Even when she was sitting in a chair on the deck, people would slyly drop diamonds as they passed by.

Meia understood the people’s desire to give gifts, and she carefully put all the incoming gifts into her magic bag.

What Meia was more concerned about than the people’s gratitude and gifts was Theodore.

Ever since he had rushed in and tightly embraced her after defeating the pirates, he had hidden himself and was secretly watching her, glancing at her.

Whenever their eyes met, he would cover his reddened face and disappear.

Meia eventually summoned Aethon and asked him about it.

Aethon, understanding Meia’s question, answered.

“He’s embarrassed and sorry for hugging you that day…”

“Embarrassed?”

“He’s a kind and pure-hearted man. After his parents passed away when he was young, he focused solely on the duties of the Grand Duchy.”

Meia understood the reason for his avoidance. It was the beginning of a short game of hide and seek.

Theodore felt ashamed of what he had done and was embarrassed to face Meia. His mind whispered to avoid her out of embarrassment, while his heart told him not to run away and that he wanted to see her. But his mind and body did not cooperate.

“This is driving me crazy.”

He had never experienced such emotions in his life. It was a very tender feeling, filled with nervousness and anxiety.

Seeing Aethon, who had called it love, Theodore was at a loss, not knowing what to do.

Like a lost puppy, Aethon could only sigh behind him.

“Your Grace! If you just keep running away, some scoundrel might approach the Lady! What will you do then?”

“I don’t even know why I’m like this. My heart feels like it’s going to stop. It’s hard to even breathe… Whenever I see her, my heart flutters so much, it pounds so hard, my body twists involuntarily, and my chest feels so full I could pull out all my hair. I don’t want to be like this, but my body and mind won’t listen to me.”

At Theodore’s words, Aethon could only sigh.

“Ah, Your Grace, that’s what they call being in love.”

“Is it alright to call these feelings for Lady Meia love?”

“When you fall in love, you become embarrassed just by looking at that person. But if you avoid them just because you’re embarrassed, love will run away.”

At Aethon’s sincere advice, Theodore clamped his mouth shut.

The words “love will run away” made his heart sink. It was a pain different from not being able to breathe.

“Love that runs away never comes back.”

Aethon began to explain to Theodore based on his own experiences and those of his acquaintances.

“Let me first talk about Herman’s unrequited love. It’s a very similar situation to your situation, Your Grace’s, so ahem.”

Aethon sincerely gave advice about love, hoping that the man he serves would find the courage to approach Meia.

Encouraged by his conversation with Aethon, Theodore tried to approach Meia, but kept getting shy due to his pounding heart.

Eventually, while avoiding her as his head told him to, he accidentally crossed paths with her, and his heart sank again.

“Grand Duke Theodore, why are you avoiding me?”

As she approached with a mischievous smile, his heart kept pounding.

“Are you not feeling well?”

“I’m sorry about that day. I couldn’t protect you then, and I hugged you improperly…”

‘More than anything, the sweet memories of touching you keep tormenting me.’

…he couldn’t say that.

“I’m just so embarrassed and sorry…”

On that day, he couldn’t think of anything at all.

Seeing the dejected Theodore, Meia smiled contentedly.

“Grand Duke Theodore, your hand.”

“Huh?”

“Please give me your hand. Your hand.”

Theodore’s face turned as red as a ripe cherry.

“My hand?”

“Think of it as escorting me and give me your hand. We’ve held hands a few times before.”

Tightly closing his eyes, Theodore shyly extended one hand to Meia.

Meia gently pulled him along by the hand.

Theodore was helplessly dragged along by Meia.

“Your Grace, do you dance the waltz well?”

“Yes.”

“Your Grace, think of that day as us dancing the waltz.”

“The waltz?”

Meia moved closer to Theodore and placed her hand on his shoulder, casually saying.

“Does it bother you if I put my hand on your shoulder, Your Grace?”

“Not at all. Please put it there as much as you like.”

As he caught the faint fragrance emanating from the approaching Meia, Theodore held his breath.

He felt his life was in danger, but he didn’t want to leave her side.

He realized anew that love is something you risk your life for. He didn’t want to part from her, even if it meant dying.

“To dance a waltz, the lady places her hand on the gentleman’s shoulder, and the gentleman puts his hand on the lady’s waist, right?”

“Yes.”

Theodore kept muttering, silently urging his pounding heart to stop.

But the heart didn’t listen.

He was embarrassed that the sound of his heart might be audible to her.

When their eyes met, he finally squeezed his eyes shut and turned his head away.

As Meia took her hand off his shoulder, she said.

“Grand Duke Theodore, if you apologize and avoid me after saying you want to be close, should I take it to mean you don’t want to be friends?”

At Meia’s words, Theodore quickly opened his eyes and spoke urgently.

“That’s a misunderstanding. I want to be close to you, Lady Meia.”

“Then, to be close, you shouldn’t avoid me, right?”

Suddenly, Theodore remembered Aethon’s words, 

<But if you avoid them just because you’re embarrassed, love will run away.>

‘I can’t let that happen!’

“I won’t avoid you.”

Satisfied with his answer, Meia smiled. Theodore responded with a smile of his own.

“Your Grace, you look good when you smile. Smile more often.”

“Do you find my smiling face pleasant, Lady Meia?”

“Yes, you look even better when you smile. Now, don’t avoid my gaze and look at my face.”

When his parents were alive during his childhood, he used to smile. Every day was joyful.

Joyful things were associated with laughter.

But after his parents passed away, he had forgotten what laughter was. He had no reason to laugh, and no one to converse with and find something to laugh about.

But now, after meeting her, he was beginning to rediscover the meaning of laughter.

The corners of his lips naturally curved upwards.

“I’ll smile more often.”

‘Only for you…’

Theodore bared his teeth in a wide smile. The sea breeze blew refreshingly between the two.