"I think drawing a distinct line between public and private matters will help our future partners.h.i.+p."

Julietta looked at Killian for a moment and then came up with the story. "I believe you will respect my opinion and I will be brave enough to tell you. First of all, I don't want to have any personal relations.h.i.+p with you. So promise me you won't force me to marry you."

Killian's frowned at Julieta's words.

"I promise you, instead, that there will be no marriage to the forces on the other side of Your Highness."

Killian laughed at Julietta's words. "Wouldn't the princess marry someday? I think it's dangerous to make such a boast."

Julietta shook her head at Killian's words. "I am going to go back down to Tilia Territory in a month. I think I'd be better off with a quiet rural area. Marriage is too much right now, but if I do it later, I'll have someone who has nothing to do with the central aristocracy. Therefore, I will accept the partners.h.i.+p if you understand that, although my business relations.h.i.+p with you should continue in writing in the future."

"Are you going to go back to Tilia Territory and marry a suburban aristocrat? I see, that's what happened."

Julietta didn't hear Killian's mutter correctly, and asked, "Pardon me?"

"Nothing. I'll take the princess's offer. You seem very healthy to me, but you insist on yourself being weak."

Killian rose from his seat, watching Julietta, who blushed under his eyes. He whispered low in Julietta's ear, "So, from today on, we will develop a very secret relations.h.i.+p."

"What do you mean, secret?"

Killian smiled at Julietta's question, as she s.h.i.+elded her ear as if it was ticklish.

"How can a relations.h.i.+p be as secret as our partners.h.i.+p? I don't care if it's known to others, but I think you will be in a lot of trouble. Or does it matter if I reveal it?"

"No, no, no. I hope it's just between us."

"Look, a relations.h.i.+p that only we know about is a secret relations.h.i.+p. Isn't that right, the Marquis?"

"Yes. If you say, so be it." Observing the Prince with a suspicious look again, Oswald took Killian's side for now.

Julietta gave up on arguing about something that would be of no use protesting. No one would know anyway, and she didn't care whether it was a secret relations.h.i.+p or a close relations.h.i.+p. She nodded along, as she wanted to kick the Prince out. Killian entered the studio with a satisfied smile.

"We'll have to think about how we'll meet in the future for our intimate relations.h.i.+p."

"I think it would be better to send and receive information in letters as much as possible."

"I can't do that. I don't think it's efficient to write things down in Dublin, as you said you would go down to the Land after a month. Ah, this method will work."

Killian looked back at Julietta. "How about disguising yourself as a maid? You wear a wig that hides the princess's brilliant blonde hair. It would be okay to wear gla.s.ses to cover your face, too. Then it would be easy to get in and out of the Imperial Castle to meet me."

Julietta looked up at the Prince, turning pale, but he only paid attention to the doll lying on top of the workroom.

"I've been wondering about this doll since a moment ago. What's this doll for?"

Julietta looked closely at the Prince's face, but nowhere did he find any suspicion of her ident.i.ty. His expression was no different than before, so she was a little relieved and replied to the Prince's question, "It was made for exhibition purposes, to show the image of wearing a dress, a hat, and an umbrella together."

Killian curiously picked up the doll and turned it around. He glanced at Julietta's expression that she wanted to take the doll right away, and then casually touched the hat. "Is this the rumored hat from this time?"

Julietta reluctantly answered, "Yes. That's right, Your Highness."

"It's also unusual. It's very unique. I think I chose my partner very well."

"The Marquis, the blonde is beautiful, but do you think the brick-red hair suits this doll?"

Killian asked the Marquis, who was looking at the doll curiously, and without waiting for an answer, he turned to Julietta. "I'll take this doll as a memorial to a secret relations.h.i.+p."

Before Julietta could protest, the Prince led his men out of the dressing shop, and when they were gone, Amelie and Sophie came running straight to her.

"Are you all right? Oh, my G.o.d. As Princess Kiellini was sewing here, wouldn't he have doubted you?"

Sophie cried and looked around Julietta to see if she was hurt.

"It's all right. He didn't seem to doubt me at all. I guess he thought it was just an aberration for a lady who had confined herself in the countryside. I was nervous a lot. I need to take a break."

Julietta rea.s.sured Sophie and Amelie, then went to the table where she had just sat face-to-face with the Prince and sat down again. Her hands trembled and her heart throbbed from her nerves while she faced the Prince. She breathed a sigh of relief, wriggling hands, which were cold even on a hot summer day.

The Prince's proposal of a partners.h.i.+p came as a surprise. She was worried if the Duke of Kiellini found out, but it was fortunate that the Prince first told her to keep this secret. Whether it was a secret relations.h.i.+p or a close relations.h.i.+p, she had turned down the Prince's proposal on the premise of a partners.h.i.+p.