T/N : A bit of info, Irene’s name is p.r.o.nounce not as "eye-reen" but as "ee-reh-neh" (イレーネ , ireーne) Well, enjoy your read!

Translator : KuRuuRuu

UNEDITED

On the terrace where curtain of sunlight draped over and wind pa.s.sed by, Christina was reading a book when suddenly the sound of the gla.s.s door to the terrace being opened took her attention towards it.

Cladded in rouge colored attire, his silver hair shone glossily as it was neatly tidied up with oil, walking towards Christina’s way was her own father.

“So you’re here, Christina. There’s a letter for you”

“Oh my, thank you so much, Father”

Christina received the letter and confirmed the recipient’s name. If it was addressed to her, usually the letter would be brought directly to Christina, and she found it strange for this letter to went through her father.

As expected, it was addressed to her father. Christina turned the envelope over and saw the coat of arms on the sealing wax. Then, as she gently brushed the unicorn symbol of the crest, her father who was standing beside her started to talk.

“It’s an invitation to the tea party from Klüger House. As this letter also meant to ask for permission for inviting you, it was addressed to me. They’ve left for the neighboring country for long but the whole family finally returned here the other day. I don’t know whether you remember it or not, but when you’re still a child you were getting along well with their son”

“Yes, Marx-sama, isn’t it? The other day, we met each other at the royal palace. At first I didn’t recognize him, but after I saw him talking with Alberto-sama, it finally came to me”

Her silver hair swayed, as Christina smiled gently, her father looked at that expression of her and nodded with a deep emotion.

“Is that so. The other day, he too came to give a greeting when I was together with His Highness. He has grown up to be a splendid young man. It seems His Highness has been exchanging letters with him, and that’s why they are still familiar with each other even now, but you’re not like that, aren’t you? It can’t be helped that you’re unable to remember him immediately.  …… Looking at his face, it made me remember how you were so attached to him during the Royal Palace’s Garden Party. You two were getting along really well”

Christina blinked in confusion.

It was understood that as the fiancée of Alberto, she must protect herself by refraining from sending letter to the opposite gender in order to avoid raising any unnecessary suspicion. However, the news about how Alberto and Marx had been exchanging letters all this time, was something she hadn’t heard before. Why did this topic never come up even once during our conversation, I wonder?

Despite sensing the out of place feeling, Christina continued the conversation.

“……Surely, he was feeling relief like what an older brother would feel, is what I think. I remember that we were talking together with Alberto-sama and Anna-sama too, though”

At that time, she was engrossed with Alberto thus her impression of Marx was weak. No matter which memories, Alberto’s figure would appeared more vivid, and except from the other day’s case, her memories of Marx seemed to be quite blurred.

Looking at his daughter who just couldn’t seem to remember, Christina’s father lowered his eyebrows and smiled wryly.

“Well, you’re just  a little child back then. But really, for him to learn things related with flood control, that young man has come back thoroughly prepared. Flood control technique is highly demanded in Noin Kingdom. It will be really rea.s.suring if we are able to use him from now on”

“Does Father plan to call upon him for your project?”

Duke Zariel, even before Christina was born, had long been dealing with Noin Kingdom’s flood control project. In Noin Kingdom, although the maintenance within the capital was done thoroughly, but the same couldn’t be said for the remote regions. Even Alberto himself took part in this project. Following the settlement of the incident with Clara, he was ordered to partic.i.p.ate directly by the King himself.

Duke Zariel stroked his chin gently, and unusually laughed happily for once.

“Yeah, it’d be better if there are more youngsters we can use. He too, seems to be learning it with ‘that intention’  “

What he meant by ‘that intention’, was perhaps referring to the plan of becoming an important figure within the government one day.

For Duke Zariel who was always busy, a higher number and quality of manpower meant a joyous thing.

Seeing the appearance of Marx talking with Alberto, they seemed to have a close relation where they didn’t need to be reserve with each other. Christina didn’t have any objection to it, but she somehow recalled the dispirited Anna and her heart slightly ached.

Since Alberto and Marx frequently met, Anna too, whether she wished for it or not, would ended up seeing his face. And each time, will her heart be hurt by that unattainable love?

Opening the envelope, Christina let out a heartrending sigh as she laid her eyes on the invitation for the next week’s tea party.

──Even though she finally fell in love, for the other party to already have a lover……G.o.d of Fate really is cruel.

.

Anna was a princess that grew up receiving love from both her parents as well as the va.s.sals since she was a child.

Her brother, Alberto, as the legitimate heir, had his engagement settled when he was ten years old due to the King and Queen’s strong intention.

However, it was different for Anna. Both the King and the Queen wanted to prioritize their daughter’s feeling, and the talk about her marriage would not be decided until she reached an appropriate age for marriage. And of course, if the condition changed, there was also a chance of a political marriage for her, the King and Queen had explained it to her and the person in question had also acknowledged it.

Nevertheless, it seemed the King and Queen thought that Anna yearned for a marriage of love. Although the royal couple was very intimate, it was a political marriage. Perhaps both of them wanted to provide a choice that they were not able to have for their daughter.

Christina, who understood the royal family’s policy well, looked around at the surroundings as she was guided by the Marquis Klüger’s butler towards the garden. For Christina who had arrived a little bit early, the mansion’s butler provided her a simple explanation about the garden while guiding her.

The mansion of Marquis Klüger had an ambience that closely resembled the one in the Duke’s mansion. While it was not gaudy, the pillars and the arch-shaped entrance, as well as the roof and the engraved wall, it was clear that everything was done by no less than a first-cla.s.s artisan. On the neatly trimmed lawn, the gardener was flawlessly tending the flower bed along with the trees and shrubs. Although the blooming season had pa.s.sed, Marquis Klüger’s garden was covered in magnificent flowers and seemed adequate enough to please the beholders.

“Madam is looking forward to meet Christina-sama very much”

“……Me too, since I never had the chance to meet her when I was a child, I’m looking forward to this party. If only mother could also come……”

Christina’s mother was also invited to today’s tea party, however a few days ago she caught cold and ended up unable to attend the party. Mother is already okay, the cold has mostly been cured, you see, was what she said, but the overprotective father strictly prohibited her from going outside until she recovered perfectly, and resulted in Christina as the only one to partic.i.p.ate in the party.

Walking along a brick path, Christina then felt a presence in front of her and lifted her head. It was Marx, wearing a jet black suit, along with Irene who wore a brilliant golden dress. The two seemed to not notice Christina despite her walking right behind them, and kept on walking towards the garden. In just a bit, there was a tunnel of rose arch ahead installed in the midway of this path.

Seeing the sight of those two going through the rose arch, they certainly seem like a wonderful couple, don’t they? was what Christina thought as she watched over the two’s figure from behind.

Then, although she didn’t have any intention to do so, the blowing wind somehow carried the two’s conversation over to her.

“I’m so glad I came along! Although your only good point is your face, it seems you can sometimes be useful too huh”

“You… what do you mean by sometimes. I believe I have never be anything but useful though.   ……Whatever, after today’s tea party is over, please go back”

Christina was puzzled. For Irene who had come from Sechs Kingdom, she should currently staying in the Marquis Klüger’s mansion. When he said ‘go back’ , where did he meant by that, I wonder?

Being told to go back, Irene raised her eyebrows and glared at Marx.

“What’s with that. I want to be together with the princess more! Since she is the relative of my future husband’s friend!”

Marx dropped his shoulders, and hung his head.

“If you don’t stop it, that story may become real, you know. It’s because my mother likes you so we are able to manage it this far somehow or another, but you should remember that usually something like this will lead to engagement and marriage, you see.   ……And, shouldn’t you just be honest already? Isn’t it better to have a marriage with the one you love? Especially for a girl”

“There’s no one like that”

The Marquis house’s butler who walked with Christina straightened up his back with a startle, and then looked towards her while smiling.

“Please excuse me for a little while……”

“……O,  okay”

As she ended up hearing all of their conversation, Christina was at a loss. For the time being, she decided to stood still at her current spot to prevent herself from hearing anymore of their talk. The butler was walking towards the two in a quick pace, however both Irene and Marx didn’t seemed to realize it at all and just casually continued their conversation which again reached to Christina’s ears.

“Besides, it’s not like I hate you so it’s okay even it ended up to marriage”

“But you don’t like me either, right?”

“But even you also said that you don’t have anyone you like, didn’t you?”

“I meant it as not having any plan to marry anyone at the moment though……”

Marx murmured something and the let out a sigh.

“Good grief, you are really not honest……”

“──Bocchama[1]“

“Yea? ……Ah?”

After the butler finally called out to him, Marx turned around and at last realized Christina who was standing behind the butler, then he smiled pleasantly.

“Eh, isn’t it Christina? You’ve arrived? You’re so early”

Without any fragment of guilt at all, he smiled nicely and walked towards Christina. Although she ended up hearing everything, Christina too glossed it over and smiled back at him.

“Thank you for your invitation. Since I arrived a little early, I am being shown around the garden”

“Is that so. Well, to think that someone related to the Royal Family is walking behind us, I never expected that”

Marx showed a sparkling smile resembling the one Alberto had when he tried to hide his feeling, then spread both of his arms. I wonder what is this, Christina looked at him drawing near, and as he reached a certain distance to her, her shoulders shuddered.

She recalled the warning that Alberto gave, as he smiled and whispered it with a somewhat cold voice beside her ear.

[Marx is my friend, and you may be familiar with him, but……please properly draw the line and refrain from being together with him alone, okay?]

──Aren’t we together alone now?

We’re not exactly together alone, but this is not good, she thought. Running away will be weird, but if this is seen by Alberto, he’ll probably be mad──was what she thought as well.

Unable to avoid Marx who nearly approached her, Christina scrunched down and hung her head.

Although she expressed her rejection, Marx who had grown into a splendid adult man spread his long arm and indifferently hugged Christina firmly. As she sensed his arm on her back, for some reason a chill ran down her spine.

“……っ“

In that position, Marx asked with a deep voice on Christina’s ear as she held her breath.

“……ne, Chris. Did you heard our conversation……?”

“……no……I heard nothing”

What came out from her mouth on the spur of the moment, was a lie. Unpleasant sweat ran down her back. His tone of voice obviously expressed his attempt to seal her lips.

“Bocchama, please restrain yourself……”

Rebuking the butler’s fl.u.s.tered voice, Marx softly laughed and separated himself from Christina. He looked at Christina’s bewildered face and lowered his eyebrow.

“Will you please keep it a secret, Chris? There a reason for this, you see”

“……”

Even though it was not a political marriage, for two who didn’t like each other to declare their betrothal arrangement, there was surely quite a reason indeed.

Christina felt that for their sake too, she must not get deeply involved with them, and in order to calm herself down she opened her thin lips and breathed in.

When Marx seemingly turned his gaze towards Christina’s lips, she was suddenly pulled from behind. Someone’s palm was placed on her stomach, and in the next moment her back was completely enveloped by that large something.

“What do you mean by this, Marx?”

The voice she heard, was a deep voice that could mysteriously be heard clearly even from afar, it was unmistakably, Alberto’s voice.

When she looked up, she saw Alberto’s gallant face. Furrowing his eyebrows he looked at Marx with a sarcastic smile on his face.

“Alberto-sama……Were you also invited to the tea party……?”

Forgetting about the current situation, Christina asked him. Generally, a tea party was held with an emphasis on women. Although the husband or son of the host may sometimes appear, but there was hardly any tea party in which male was invited.

Alberto casted his gaze towards Christina, he moved his palm from her stomach to her shoulder and turned her body around to face him.

“This time is a special case, you see. It’s because Marchioness Klüger invited me directly”

Alberto replied with a gentle voice, and then drew his face closer to her nonchalantly. Christina’s heart jumped out doki, and she reflexively shut her eyes tightly. Without any hesitation, Alberto gave a kiss on her cheek, his other hand gently caressed Christina’s cheek.

“……っ“

“My adorable fiancée is as usual so defenseless that it’s troubling”

Alberto’s lacquer black eyes gazed at her up close, seemingly teasing her. Even though she was being blamed, Christina’s heart was throbbing and thrown out of order, her eyes started to glisten.

“Umm……I’m sorry”

The moment Marx spread his arms there was no way to run away, nevertheless Christina still apologized. For Christina who had been Alberto’s fiancée since young, she lacked the necessary judgment for when she was approached by someone. As for this, after she had previously been rebuked by Alberto for letting a man touched her hair, she felt that she must somehow do something about this issue also for the sake of her own future.

She felt really bad for being unable to grow, but her heart was still in disarray for being kissed just now, thus Christina looked up to Alberto with glistened eyes while blus.h.i.+ng. As Alberto saw Christina’s expression, he lowered his eyebrows then put on  a face as if saying it can’t be helped na and laughed.

“That’s okay. I’ll forgive you this time. The bad one is Marx, right?”

“Err……”

Christina was at a loss for a reply. It’s not a problem of who is the bad one. The reason Marx hugged Christina was most likely to prevent their secret conversation being heard by someone.

Alberto didn’t wait for Christina’s answer and then directed his gaze towards Marx.

Marx shrugged his shoulders.

“Oi oi. Since it’s only between us friends, at least a hug should be fine, right? It’s a greeting, you know. Just a greeting between close friends. If a man is too jealous he will be hated, you know, Alberto”

“It seems too long for a greeting hug, though? Since it’s between us friends. You should have known what kind of a person I am, right?”

“……aa……well, that’s right, though”

Being asked that with a smile, Marx’s cheeks stiffened. With an awkward face, he put his palm on his forehead and sighed.

“My bad. I joked around too much. I won’t do it for a second time so don’t be that mad, please”

“Is that so. It’s good as long as you understand. When it’s related to Christina, I’m a much narrow-minded man than what you think I am, you know, Marx. Please be careful”

Without letting out a voice, Marx just moved his mouth as if to say “uhee”.

Meanwhile, Christina for some reason felt uncomfortable as her eyes wandered. She felt grateful that Alberto treated her that preciously, but still, it was an exaggerated argument.

Then, Christina noticed the person who had not let out any voice at all.

It was the one who was walking together with Marx, Irene. She was standing still before the rose arch and looking towards their direction.

Her navy blue hair swayed, softly blown by the wind. Her hair sparkled, reflecting the light, it was so beautiful just like waves on the sea.

Putting both her hand in front of her stomach, the girl who was looking towards their way had her cheeks stiffened in tension.

Her azure eyes went teary with a tinge of fright as she firmly gripped her trembling fingers.

“──……”

Seeing her expression, Christina had her breath taken away.

It was such a heart-breaking expression.

And for some reason, Christina felt that within Irene’s expression was an emotion similar to the one Christina had when she thought that Alberto was to be stolen away by Clara, a heart-breaking stifling emotion.

[1]Young Master↵