Chapter 15

“I’ll be more careful with my words from now on. I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable, Freddy.”  

Simon was standing by the carriage door, holding it open. Olivia lightly tugged Freddy, suggesting they should leave now.  

He allowed himself to be pulled along helplessly by her.  

***  

The carriage carrying Olivia and Freddy moved slowly through the city streets. Olivia fixed her gaze on the window, taking in the sights of Silvest. Since it was colder here than in Frenchia, it seemed the flowers were only now beginning to bloom.  

As Freddy watched her quietly observing the outside, he asked, 

“Are you curious about what’s outside?”  

“Well, there are a few differences from Frenchia.”  

“…Today will be a bit tiring. We’ll have an audience and then share lunch with the royal family.”  

“Pardon?”  

Olivia couldn’t immediately grasp what Freddy was saying.  

Was there something else planned besides visiting the royal palace?  

“How about we come out together again this weekend?”  

Olivia blinked as she stared at Freddy, and only then did she understand what he was trying to say.  

“With me? Freddy, you mean you’ll come out with me?”  

As if she couldn’t believe it, she asked again and again.  

Freddy hesitated as he looked at Olivia, who seemed deeply moved.  

Without realizing it, this was the first time Freddy had ever made a suggestion to Olivia of his own accord.  

“If it feels burdensome or unpleasant, we don’t have to go together.”  

“That’s not it. Are you really saying you’ll join me?”  

When Freddy didn’t give her a definitive answer, Olivia reached out and gently held the hem of his coat.  

“…If it’s something you wish for, Madame.”  

Her gaze was so intense it made his face heat up. Olivia smiled brightly, her eyes crinkling.  

Freddy turned his head toward the window, covering his mouth with his hand.  

The man who had always needed her to take the initiative was now beginning to change, little by little.  

Like a seedling breaking through the soil in spring, it was a very faint but undeniable change.  

***  

Arriving at the royal palace earlier than expected, Freddy and Olivia decided to spend some time walking through the palace gardens.  

The thought of having time alone with Freddy filled Olivia with excitement.  

But their private moment didn’t last long. The appearance of unexpected figures forced them to end their stroll.  

“Lord Hester.”  

At the sound of the voice, Olivia turned her head and immediately recognized who it was.  

A man who resembled Freddy in appearance, and beside him, a woman with a light hair color rarely seen in Silvest.  

It was Crown Prince Andrew of Silvest and Crown Princess Faivel.  

“We greet His Highness the Crown Prince and Her Highness the Crown Princess.”  

Freddy and Olivia bowed respectfully. Andrew responded to their greeting with a bright smile.  

“It’s a shame we didn’t get to speak much on your wedding day.”  

As Andrew spoke, Olivia was about to respond with a gentle smile. But before she could open her mouth, a soft, thin voice interrupted.  

“Andrew, don’t show too much interest in the Grand Duchess. It might make her uncomfortable.”  

At those words, Olivia stiffened and turned her head.  

“She must not be used to Silvest yet. If you give her too much attention, she might want to return to Frenchia.”  

The subtly barbed tone made Olivia blink. However, it seemed no one else noticed Faivel’s peculiar attitude.  

“More importantly, Lord Hester, have you been well? It’s been so long since we’ve seen each other that I almost forgot your face.”  

“Is that so?”  

“Faivel, he’s newly married. Where would he find the time to visit the palace? Unless you suggest I ask the King to stop Lord Hester from working altogether.”  

Andrew tried to restrain Faivel after her comment. She covered her mouth and laughed.  

“We’ve known each other so long, it feels strange to suddenly keep our distance.”

The conversation continued in a way that excluded Olivia.  

Faivel skillfully steered the conversation so that it revolved entirely around her. She chose topics that everyone except Olivia could easily understand.  

Whenever Olivia tried to join in, Faivel quickly changed the subject.  

“Lord Hester and I have known each other for over ten years now.”  

Olivia’s brow twitched as she observed the situation.  

It was subtle enough that no one would notice unless they were the target.  

“Oh my, it’s already been ten years. Andrew, you know how I’ve always treated Lord Hester like an older brother.”  

Crown Princess Faivel von Silvest.  

Like Olivia, she had come to Silvest through a marriage alliance. However, Faivel had been betrothed to Andrew over a decade ago, unlike Olivia, who had only recently married.

As Olivia watched Faivel’s irritating behavior, a thought crossed her mind—the letters from the Unknown Gentleman.  

The Crown Princess, who was occasionally mentioned in his letters.  

The woman who hadn’t helped the royalist faction’s “Liv.”

That was Faivel, standing right before her.  

Even Freddy, until the moment he wrote his last letter to ‘Liv’ after her death, didn’t know why Faivel had acted the way she did.  

Olivia, having read the letters, had little information about the matter since they were written from Freddy’s perspective. But seeing Faivel in person, she understood.  

She now knew why Faivel had acted that way toward ‘Liv.’  

“Surely, you understand the nature of our relationship, Grand Duchess.”  

Olivia stared silently at Faivel. When Olivia didn’t respond, Faivel once again emphasized her close bond with Freddy.  

“I trust you wouldn’t concern yourself with the bond we share, Grand Duchess. After all, we’ve spent so many years together that this level of comfort is only natural. Isn’t that right, Lord Hester?”  

Olivia barely managed to suppress a scoff.  

Even with her husband, Andrew, standing beside her, Faivel didn’t bother to hide her lingering gaze toward Freddy.  

Realizing this made something boil up inside Olivia.  

Before Freddy could respond, Olivia quickly opened her mouth.  

“I understand your concerns very well, Your Highness.”  

At her agreement, Freddy’s gaze shifted to Olivia. He looked oddly displeased.  

Olivia glanced at him briefly before turning her attention back to Faivel.  

“There have been times when others misunderstood my relationship with Lord Hester, but I trust you wouldn’t think the same, Grand Duchess.”  

Faivel sighed dramatically, placing a hand on her cheek. Olivia smiled faintly as she watched her.  

Perhaps interpreting Olivia’s smile as agreement, Faivel clapped her hands together with a satisfied grin.  

“As expected, we seem to understand each other better than I thought.”  

“Is that so? I’m simply glad you see it that way, Your Highness.”  

At Olivia’s response, Faivel smiled contentedly. At that moment, Olivia turned to Andrew and spoke.  

She made her tone light and innocent, as if she were a naive child.  

“More than that, Your Highness the Crown Prince, you and Her Highness the Crown Princess resemble each other so much. While listening to your stories about the time I wasn’t here, I thought you made such a perfect pair.”

Perhaps sensing something off, Faivel hurriedly answered Olivia’s remark.  

“What made you think that?”

Though she tried to respond gently, her tone was slightly sharp, which made Olivia smile even more brightly.  

“Didn’t you know? The two of you really resemble each other. Don’t you think so, Freddy?”

Olivia gently held onto Freddy’s arm.  

Seeing this, Faivel bit her lip lightly before quickly regaining her smile. She spoke as if nothing had happened.  

“There seems to be a misunderstanding, Grand Duchess. Andrew and I don’t resemble each other in appearance.”  

“Oh, I wasn’t referring to your appearance. I meant that your mannerisms show how long you’ve been together.”  

“I see.”  

Faivel’s response was curt, her tone stiff. Olivia placed a hand on her cheek, feigning a serious expression, and casually added a remark that hit a nerve.  

“They say couples start to resemble each other when they’re in love. It seems that saying must be true.”  

The cracks in Faivel’s composed mask began to show.  

Her previously soft smile stiffened, and her gaze turned sharp.