The Prince Is Dead, So Let’s Start Over Everything Again! - Chapter 4.9

“How could I not know Your Highness’s name?”

“Then what’s my name?”

“Well, it’s Sa…”

“Sa?”

“Sa…”

Sa… what was it again?

“Sati…?”

Judging by the 3rd Prince’s expression, it didn’t seem to be “ti”.

“Sahi…”

Not ‘hi’ either.

I quickly racked my brain.

I’m sure I had once memorized the 3rd Prince’s name and stored it in my mind.

However, no matter how much I searched my memory, the 3rd Prince’s name wouldn’t come up.

Strange, wasn’t it? After all, he was the one who got hit on the head by the bandits, not me.

“See! You don’t know, do you!”

The 3rd Prince shed even more pitiful tears. His tear ducts were like an endless lake.

Perhaps from crying too much, the 3rd Prince’s cheeks were swollen and red.

At this rate, I thought his fever might rise even more.

Shocked by the fact that I had completely forgotten the 3rd Prince’s name, I hurriedly made excuses to console him.

“Well, you know… There are days when you suddenly can’t remember the name of a close friend, right?”

“I’ve never had that happen!”

“What? How is that possible? Unless you don’t have any friends…”

Suddenly, the 3rd Prince’s chattering voice stopped.

It seemed I had unintentionally touched a sore spot for this little one.

“…It’s okay. It can happen. I don’t have friends here either.”

“…Enough!”

“It’s true. I only play with Your Highness all the time.”

Although I was just stating the facts, the 3rd Prince’s face turned even redder.

The 3rd Prince was like a well-boiled kettle. I was worried he might burst at any moment.

“May I excuse myself for a moment?”

I raised my hand to touch the 3rd Prince’s forehead.

His bulging forehead was burning hot.

No wonder he kept going back and forth, he was clearly delirious from the fever.

“I really should call for a healer.”

“…I’m fine.”

“Well, I’m not fine with it.”

The pair of eyes that wouldn’t leave me had red bloodshot lines.

Like during the previous bandit incident, I couldn’t understand at all what made this child so anxious.

All I knew was that the 3rd Prince needed some medicine and plenty of rest.

“…I’d rather you hated me.”

As I was about to move to call for the 3rd Prince’s absent-minded attendant or servant, the 3rd Prince suddenly muttered in a very small voice.

“Pardon? What did you say?”

I asked again, unsure if I had heard correctly.

But there was no answer from the 3rd Prince.

He just lowered his head silently, leaning back on the bed.

‘…I guess I should call for a healer first?’

After hesitating for a moment, I immediately picked up the bell.

As I rang the bell, a passing servant knocked on the door.

“Could you go and bring a healer?”

“Yes, yes! I’ll bring one right away!”

The servant who received the order bowed politely and then left quickly as if fleeing.

A little while later, the healer arrived at the 3rd Prince’s room.

It was after the 3rd Prince had already fallen asleep.

‘Isn’t this too late? Should I suggest a pay cut?’

I caught myself thinking like the Lurupel father and son and was startled.

***

“Good afternoon, young lady.”

As soon as I left the 3rd Prince’s room, someone called out to me.

When I turned my head, I saw a familiar face of an attendant. It was Count Lurupel’s personal attendant.

“Oh, hello.”

“His Grace has asked me to bring you. If you don’t mind, could you spare a moment?”

“What’s this about?”

Despite my question, the attendant kept silent. I had no choice but to follow him without knowing the reason.

It must have been quite urgent, as the attendant’s steps were very hurried.

We arrived at Count Lurupel’s room in almost the blink of an eye.

“Your Grace. The young lady has arrived.”

“Come in at once!”

No sooner had we knocked on the door than Count Lurupel’s thunderous voice boomed.

The attendant flinched and took a step back.

Why is that impatient man fuming again?

Even though I had lived as Count Lurupel’s daughter for quite a while, I still found it difficult to adapt to his hot temper.

Perhaps I would never get used to it.

I decided to release the frightened attendant from this situation first.

“Good work. If you have other tasks, you may go.”

“Yes, thank you.”

The attendant fled quickly with hurried steps. Left alone, I sighed and opened the door.

“Hariella! Why are you so late!”

When I entered the room, the first thing I saw was Count Lurupel frantically shaking his leg.

He looked extremely anxious.

“Good afternoon, Dad.”

Worried that he might find fault with me, I greeted him politely first.

However, Count Lurupel barely acknowledged my greeting.

“…Is something wrong?”

“You bet there is! Sit down here first! My beloved daughter, do you know what your father heard last night?”

Count Lurupel seated me on the sofa. Then, like a tattling elementary school student, he began to spill out the details.

“…So, Count Osten, you see.”

“Yes…”

“…As you know, he has a daughter about your age, doesn’t he?”

“Yes…”

I wondered why Count Lurupel looked so deathly pale, but he had his reasons.

It was because of his few friends, or rather rivals, including the so-and-so Margrave.

Last night, Count Lurupel shared drinks alone with Count So-and-so, the lord of the neighboring estate.

And at that gathering, he heard some unexpected news.

“It’s nonsense that that good-for-nothing’s daughter was invited to Lady Saliva’s tea party! Don’t you think so too, Hariella!”

“Yes…”

The story was that Count So-and-so’s daughter had received an invitation to the tea party hosted by the 2nd Prince’s mother.

Count Lurupel and his friend Count So-and-so both had children of similar ages.

It was only natural that they would boast about their children endlessly whenever they met.

And in Count Lurupel’s mind, it was his turn to brag this time.

After all, his beloved youngest daughter had become engaged to none other than a prince.

Everyone in the Lurupel household knew how much Count Lurupel loved to show off and brag.

Count Lurupel was a man who lived waiting for any opportunity to boast about himself.

However, due to the incident caused by the 3rd Prince, Count Lurupel had lost his rare chance to gloat.

To make matters worse, Count So-and-so even bragged about the fact that his daughter had been invited to the Asphodel Court.

Count Lurupel was on the verge of collapsing from frustration.

‘Come to think of it, the 3rd Prince mentioned earlier that the 2nd Prince had recently broken off his engagement.’

In this situation, if the 2nd Prince’s mother was hosting a tea party, one could guess the reason.

“…Don’t worry too much, Dad.”

I halfheartedly comforted Count Lurupel while recalling my past life.

In those memories, there was no recollection of Count Lurupel falling ill with jealousy over his friend’s good fortune.

“That young lady won’t become His Highness the 2nd Prince’s fiancée.”

“Of course not!”

Count Lurupel shouted sharply like an angry Maltese.