I Found a Wife Whose Engagement was Broken Off in the Neighboring

Country, But She’s Too Cute, What Should I Do?

Episode 1: I Could Never Take Someone as Ugly as You as My Wife!

Episode 2: My Bride, You Say?
Footnotes
Episode 3: I’m a Serial Failure at Marriage Proposals, You Know?
Episode 4: Where Is She Ugly?
Episode 5: A Traffic Jam of Cuteness
Episode 6: Where is the Dragon Mark?
Episode 7: Vandel Arrives
Episode 8: That Dress Looks Lovely on You
Episode 9: What Language Is That?
Episode 10: Who Said Such a Thing?!
Episode 11: Are You Saying It Was Intentional?
Episode 12: Will You Sleep on the Sofa With Me, or in the Bed With Me?
Episode 13: Show Me
Episode 14: Can I Like You Even More?
Episode 15: Sleep Deprivation Reaches Its Peak
Episode 16: The Safest Place in This Country Is in My Arms
Episode 17: The Mysterious Illness
Episode 18: The Reaper’s Scythe
Episode 19: Let’s Go See the Patients
Episode 20: This Could Be… That
Episode 21: You Really Haven’t Changed
Footnotes
Episode 22: Which One Do You Prefer?
Episode 23: Wh-Wh-Wh-What Should I Do?!
Episode 24: Princely Privilege
Episode 25: It’s Not Me She’s Fallen For…
Interlude: In the Luminous Kingdom
Episode 26: The One and Only You…
Episode 27: I Want to Pour Out My Heart
Episode 28: Advantage, You Say?
Episode 29: As Long as Lady Citroen Falls for Me in the End
Episode 30: Congratulations, My Friend. My Heartfelt Blessings
Episode 31: As If Your Crappy Woman Deserves This Necklace
Episode 32: Scandal
Episode 33: How Dare You Say That?
Episode 34: He Lifted His Chin and Saw Something
Episode 35: What Do We Do?!
Episode 36: Honorary Knight
Episode 37: The Wedding Night
Episode 38: No Matter How Many Times We’re Reborn
 Episode 1:
I Could Never Take Someone as Ugly as You as My Wife!

I watched the unfolding condemnation before my eyes with an unbearable feeling.

Had that girl truly done something so deserving of such harsh questioning?
Before I knew it, a sigh escaped my lips. The one being denounced by Prince Arios,
crown prince of the Luminous Kingdom, one of the kingdoms within the Caravan
Allied Kingdoms, was Lady Citroen Barimore, the girl who was about to become his
official fiancée.
I had heard that she had been living in the Luminous Kingdom for about two years
prior to the engagement, so the engaged couple should have known each other’s
faces. Following custom, Lady Citroen was covered from head to toe in a white veil.
We, the attendees, couldn’t even imagine her appearance. When she entered the
cathedral, for a moment, I thought she was a moving white cocoon.
“Prince Arios will now remove that veil and kiss her forehead,” my mother, seated
next to me, whispered. Apparently, the engagement ceremony would end with that.
Both I and my mother, the Queen of the Tidros Kingdom, were essentially invited to
the engagement ceremony just to witness the “forehead kiss” of others. After a
seven-day journey by carriage, we finally arrived in Leeds, the capital of the
Caravan Allied Kingdoms, yesterday.
Originally, after this engagement ceremony, we were supposed to participate in the
customary royal family social gathering. The noble ladies would engage in
conversations like, “Oh my, is your son still single?” “Yes, indeed. If you know any
suitable ladies, please introduce them to him.” And I, a man with absolutely no luck
with women, would be subjected to a public execution, practically.
Being 25 years old, unmarried, and without a fiancée must mean there’s some
reason, they’d say.
There isn’t.
I’m simply not popular. Besides, attending the engagement ceremony of a
neighboring country like this, normally the king or the crown prince would escort
their mother.
Why me, I wondered.
Ah, that’s it.
It’s a matchmaking scheme.
Mother wants to parade me in front of the noble ladies and say, “How about my
son?”
But…
No, I feel bad for Mother. She always says things like, “This son of mine is such a
good boy. I wonder why his marriage proposals are rejected. Everyone has no
discerning eye.”
…Yeah.
My elder brother, the crown prince, and my second elder brother, who married into
another country, are both androgynous beauties, similar to Mother. They have
this… smooth, princely aura.
I resemble Father.
Well, it’s an honor. I look like His Majesty. Mother said she was relieved. Apparently,
people often ask, “Whose child is he, anyway?”
But. Resembling His Majesty doesn’t necessarily mean having a trendy face. How
should I put it…
My face is very… masculine.
There’s almost no one in the Knights’ Order who is taller than me. I’m not fat, but
the more I train, the thicker and broader the muscles on my arms, back, and thighs
become. You see, it’s not the image of a duke at all. On top of that, I take the
Knights’ Order to the border every winter for patrol. After kicking around bandits
and rebels…
I earned the nickname “The Winter Bear of Tidros.”
Well, of course!
I didn’t bother shaving during border patrol! Because it’s not the royal court. It’s all
men, and we gather around a bonfire at night! Beards are fine! …Then I got this
nickname… As soon as I returned to the royal capital, the women and girls
screamed… They even said I smelled.
Oh, I’m fine with being single for the rest of my life, I thought. But Mother is
desperately trying to find me a spouse. Every time a proposal is rejected, it hurts
her deeply…
That’s why I was dreading the upcoming beauty pageant of noble ladies. But
unexpectedly, at the engagement ceremony, Prince Arios started talking about
“breaking off the engagement.”
This is…
Going to get messy.
I was certain. Tonight, it won’t be about finding my future wife. This broken
engagement will be the main topic. At first, I was excitedly watching the drama
unfold. But gradually, I started to feel disgusted. The reason was that Prince Arios.
He’s just creepy.
His slightly trembling voice, as if he’s intoxicated with himself, is exquisitely
unpleasant. He’s somehow… self-absorbed. Even my elder brother is a crown
prince, but he’s not this creepy. Rather, he’s my pride. The pride of the country, too.
But. Is this okay for the crown prince of this country? Is this normal? I looked around
the cathedral. The attendees were mainly princesses and their relatives from the
Caravan Allied Kingdoms.
As the name “Allied Kingdoms” suggests, Caravan is composed of five kingdoms.
When the elected king dies, each kingdom selects a representative, and they decide
who will be the next elected king. The current elected king is Norris Giena
Luminous. The head of the Luminous royal family, one of the five royal families.
He’s the father of Prince Arios, who is currently barking at a young lady in the
middle of the red carpet in the cathedral.
This King Norris.
He is a distant relative of my mother, the Queen of the Tidros Kingdom. My mother
came to Tidros as a bride as a token of friendship. Thanks to that connection, we
were invited to this auspicious occasion of the crown prince’s engagement
ceremony.
Such attendees seem to be rare.
Except for our mother and son, there were only about three other groups unrelated
to the Caravan Allied Kingdoms. Well… I guess this saved the Luminous Kingdom’s
face.
The corner of my mouth twisted unknowingly. Fortunately or unfortunately, they
managed to minimize the leakage of the crown prince’s foolish actions to other
countries. They’ll probably impose a gag order when we leave.
“Moreover, I hear you ignored Meil several times when she tried to talk to you!”
Prince Arios raised his voice particularly loudly.
Whoa, that startled me.
I only shifted my gaze towards the crown prince of the neighboring country. Prince
Arios was in the center of the cathedral. Facing him was his fiancée, Citroen
Barimore, wrapped in a white silk veil like a cocoon. And behind Prince Arios stood a
girl named Meil Harty, dressed in dazzling attire. She was the girl Prince Arios had
brought out from the attendees before he started his accusations. The
extravagance of her clothes was out of place. It was as if she herself was the
fiancée.
The attendees near me were muttering, “It’s Meil. Look, from the Harty Baron
family,” “Ah. The crown prince’s lover,” with a resentful tone. It seemed she was his
publicly acknowledged mistress.
That explains it, I thought.
Those weren’t clothes a baron’s family could afford. Regardless of taste. Meil, the
girl, stood behind Prince Arios, shrinking her body, clutching his sleeve, and keeping
her eyes downcast. As if feeling sorry for Lady Citroen being accused, she would
occasionally look up and tremble her lips as if wanting to object to Prince Arios, but
in the end, she would lower her head again.
It was less a gesture of humility…
And more like the performance of a shameless actress. If she were truly a timid girl,
she would have run away, intimidated by the glares of the high-ranking men.
Yes. Every single attendee was glaring at the crown prince and his lover.
Yet. Prince Arios was mistaken. He thought the glares were directed at Lady Citroen.
Honestly, it was embarrassing. What was he so pleased about…?
Seeing Prince Arios’s elated figure was truly disgusting. He had been talking as if he
were a stage actor, basking in the attention of the attendees. He was loudly
accusing Lady Citroen of ignoring Meil, not returning her greetings, and so on, but
from my perspective, it was the high-ranking individuals who should initiate
conversations with those of lower rank. It was unthinkable for someone of lower
rank to approach someone of higher rank.
Lady Citroen, Prince Arios’s fiancée, was, if I recall correctly, a member of one of the
five kingdoms. A branch of the royal family with voting rights. It was not appropriate
for the daughter of a mere baron to talk to her just because they were acquainted.
Depending on the situation, she might even pretend not to hear. Also, Prince Arios
was now complaining that Lady Citroen “didn’t invite Meil to the tea party,” but the
difference in their social standing was too great. How could he think that a baron’s
daughter could participate in a royal tea party?
Too ignorant.
No. He, who had been granted the highest position of crown prince, didn’t
understand the social hierarchy, especially in social circles. And Meil, who was
equally ignorant, must have been whining with him about being “bullied” and
“ignored.” Now, he was saying that Lady Citroen “deliberately bumped into her
during the dance,” but I wasn’t sure about that either.
Could that girl even dance properly? Maybe it wasn’t intentional bumping, but just
clumsiness?
Read the room.
I turned my gaze towards the venue. Seats were arranged facing each other across
the central aisle. The lords and ladies seated there were initially buzzing, flustered,
and bewildered. But now, they were looking at the three people in the center with
icy stares.
No, at the crown prince.
A chuckle escaped my lips. Prince Arios himself was convinced that those cold
stares were still directed at Lady Citroen. So was Meil. However, no one here would
direct anger or contempt towards Lady Citroen. They might sympathize with her,
but that was all.
After all. She, enveloped in a cocoon, was being verbally abused in front of an
audience, yet she didn’t utter a single word in response to Prince Arios. I initially
thought she was enduring it patiently, but gradually, I felt that she had given up.
It’s useless to say anything.
Such resignation enveloped her along with the veil.
“Saryu.” Called by my name in a quiet voice, I blinked and looked to my side.
Mother was looking at me, hiding her mouth behind her open fan.
“Yes, Mother?”
“Do you still not have a lover?”
What’s with the sudden question?
“Well, yes.” I stammered a little. “I don’t have one at the moment.”
I answered honestly. In fact, just before I turned twenty, I had a heartbreak and
cried to my adjutant, Raoul, saying that I had enough. My appearance might scare
women and girls, but I would never be loved.
“I understand.”
What did she understand? When our eyes met, Mother smiled like a young girl,
hiding her mouth behind her fan.
“Then, let’s have that young lady.” She said it as casually as if she were asking for a
product to be wrapped up.
Wait, wait, wait.
Have who?
“Mo-…” Before I could finish my word, Prince Arios’s loud voice cut me off.
“I could never take someone as ugly as you, with such an ugly heart, as my wife! I
hereby declare the engagement dissolved!” He declared loudly, puffing out his
chest.
Oh dear… He did it.
A stunned silence filled the cathedral, filled with a mixture of astonishment and pity
for King Norris, who had such a son.
“Besides,” Prince Arios stifled a laugh in his throat.
No, you should just shut up. Aren’t there any attendants? Someone should drag him
out, even if they have to punch him.
“Someone with your appearance… as my fiancée…” He spat out the words. I saw
the white veil tremble for the first time. Even if he was a crown prince from another
country, I couldn’t overlook this remark.
I felt a surge of anger.
How dare he insult a woman’s appearance in public?
“Retract that statement.” Before I knew it, I was standing up and addressing Prince
Arios.

Episode 2:
My Bride, You Say?

Though he looked at me as if startled, it’s one thing to comment on the appearance

of a man like me, but it’s not something you say to women, especially not when
someone of a higher rank is speaking to someone of a lower rank who cannot
retaliate.
Apparently, I wasn’t the only one who felt this anger. Based on the spirit of chivalry,
several attendees rose from their chairs. Prince Arios must have realized his
blunder. He turned his face away from the attendees and pursed his lips.
And yet, this guy… he didn’t apologize.
Is he a child?
As a man of the same age, I felt ashamed of him.
“…Eh? Why…? You…”
Suddenly, I heard an unfamiliar voice.
Hm? I turned my head.
Apparently, the contents of the white veil had spoken. Perhaps she was facing us.
The hem of the veil swayed.
“Atsuhito1.”
She muttered words I didn’t understand, and I tilted my head. What language was
that?

“Anyway!” Prince Arios cleared his throat and looked around the cathedral once
again. He had Meil in his arms and was smiling broadly.
Hey, we haven’t received a correction or an apology yet.
“The engagement is off!”
“You fool!” A thunderous roar echoed through the cathedral.
Whoa! That startled me!
Apparently, I wasn’t the only one. One of the knights who stood up to protest even
gripped the hilt of his ceremonial sword. Prince Arios’s shoulders trembled, and Meil
let out a small scream and clung to him.
“Lord Barimore, please forgive my son’s rudeness!”
It was King Noie.
He was bowing his head to the man sitting in his chair with his retainers, his white
beard trembling.
Lord Barimore… he must be a relative of Lady Citroen.
I could only see his profile from my seat, but he looked to be about her father’s age.
He was a middle-aged man with a lean physique, receding hairline, but a sharp
face.

But. He seemed… indifferent, somehow.

Normally, if your daughter’s engagement was broken off in front of you, you’d be
furious or grab King Noie and demand an explanation. Lord Barimore just stared
straight ahead, silent. I thought he might be cold-hearted, but…
Seeing his chin held high and his arms trembling slightly, I realized he was simply
suppressing his anger. It left me with a complicated feeling.
Both Lady Citroen and Lord Barimore…
They were very different from the hot-headed Luminous royal family.
“You don’t need to apologize, King Noie.” After a silence that lasted for several
minutes, during which King Noie kept his head bowed…
Lord Barimore suddenly spoke and stood up. “Let’s take my foolish daughter home.
Citroen.”
Lord Barimore smoothly extended his arm. Even through his clothes, I could see his
well-defined muscles. It suggested a disciplined life and constant training, making
him far more appealing than that idiotic crown prince.
“Let’s go back to the Tania Kingdom.”
Ah, this gentleman… he’s related to the royal family of Tania, one of the five
kingdoms. It’s a country where a third of the land is mountainous, but rich in
mineral resources. Many people raise livestock in the mountains, and it’s said that
they have strong legs and powerful cardiopulmonary functions.
Looking at Lord Barimore’s physique, I understood.
“Please wait!”
“Lord Barimore, please! Please forgive us!” King Noie and his retainers tried to stop
Lord Barimore as he stepped onto the red-carpeted aisle.
Looking down the aisle…
The white cocoon stirred. Apparently, she was trying to go to Lord Barimore on her
own. As soon as the white cocoon left Prince Arios’s side…
Honestly, it was disgusting.
That Prince Arios and the woman called Meil were grinning from ear to ear.
Hey, do you guys even understand the situation? Because of you, people are
apologizing, getting angry, sneering, and scheming, you know?
“Excuse me, but may I, King Noie, Lord Barimore?” It was Mother who raised her
voice. I looked to my side in surprise and saw her extending her hand towards me.
Ah, escorting. Yes, yes.
I placed my hand on hers, and Mother stood up gracefully. She then curtsied
slightly.
“This is… Queen of Tidros. My apologies for this unfortunate situation.” King Noie
returned the greeting, sweat pouring down his forehead like a waterfall.
“Lord Barimore, it seems it’s been a while since… yes, since the Caravan Allied
Kingdoms’ soirée last year.” Mother spoke, hiding her mouth behind her slightly
opened fan. Lord Barimore performed a salute by placing his right fist on his left
chest, then solemnly opened his mouth.
“It is a great honor to be addressed by you, Your Highness. I am pleased to see you
in good health.”
See? This is how it’s supposed to be.
You’re talking to royalty, you know?
You guys are the weird ones.
I glared at Prince Arios and Meil, but they were too busy gazing at each other and
giggling.
I sighed.
When I shifted my gaze, the white cocoon stopped moving awkwardly and looked
back and forth between Lord Barimore and Mother.
“By the way, King Noie. May I assume this engagement is dissolved?” My mother
just said it outright…
“No, no, no! Not at all!” King Noie panicked, but Lord Barimore coughed loudly.
“The dissolution is fine. I will take my foolish daughter back to the Tania Kingdom.”
Lord Barimore’s voice and expression were firm.
Gasps could be heard from the attendees. The atmosphere was mostly one of “This
is bad.”
“How about this, Lord Barimore? I am currently looking for a bride for my foolish
son. His Majesty has entrusted me with this matter.” Mother’s words silenced the
uneasy murmurs.
As for me, I was speechless for a different reason.
Huh?
My bride, you say?

Footnotes

1. The word here is アツヒト, a Katakana word that in of itself means nothing,
but also can mean something. If this is just a reading of any tangible
words then it can also mean 篤人: kind, serious person, 敦人: honest, warm
person, 厚人: thick person, 渥人: rich person, and etc. Since I’ve zero idea
what she’s talking about, I’ll leave it as it is.

Episode 3:
I’m a Serial Failure at Marriage Proposals, You Know?

“As expected of a young lady raised to be a crown princess. That composure, that
calm demeanor. I’m truly impressed.” Mother narrowed her eyes and looked at the
moving white cocoon. The white cocoon became slightly shorter. Apparently, she
had curtsied.
However. Behind her…
Meil, nestled in Prince Arios’s arms, seemed displeased. She was frowning deeply
and glaring at the white cocoon. She probably didn’t like being praised while being
overshadowed.
Her heavily lipsticked lips moved.
I’m cuter than her.
That’s what she was saying.
“Excuse me, my lady. Do you speak Tidros?” Mother changed languages. It was
Tidros.
Until now, she had been using the Caravan common language to accommodate the
visiting countries.
“Though I’m still far from fluent, I can speak it well enough for daily life.” The white
cocoon replied.
She was being modest. Her pronunciation was quite good. As expected of someone
raised to be a crown princess. Behind her, a bewildered Meil asked Prince Arios,
“What are you two saying?” He replied, “You don’t need to know, Meil,” and kissed
her forehead.
Ah, come to think of it, I came here to see this, didn’t I?
But still…
That girl, Meil…
Is she not good with foreign languages? This is going to be difficult, I thought,
twisting my lips into a frown. There are several royal families on this continent, each
independent or vying for hegemony. Language is absolutely essential for
negotiations. My elder brother’s wife, the crown princess, is younger than me, but
she’s fluent in several languages. She seems as innocent and cheerful as Meil, but
she’s a talented woman. My second elder brother, who married into another
country, can also speak and write in several languages. His wife is the eldest
daughter, and since the first child inherits the throne in their country, she’s sure to
be a good queen consort.
Well.
“You are the third son,” they said, and threw me into the Knights’ Order right after I
was born. I’ve been polishing my martial skills ever since, but I can speak the
languages of major countries well enough for daily life. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be
able to interrogate prisoners. Of course, I could use an interpreter, but then the
question arises of how trustworthy that interpreter is.
“Forgive my rudeness, but would it be possible for us to welcome this young lady as
my foolish son’s spouse, Lord Barimore?” When Mother asked Lord Barimore, the
venue erupted in a commotion.
Well, it’s understandable. I get how they feel. A new marriage proposal right after a
broken engagement…
“To offer your daughter, raised to be a crown princess, to… well, a third son, even if
he is a prince, would be a demotion…”
“No, Your Highness. Your words are too kind.” Lord Barimore replied firmly.
“Lord Barimore!”
“Wait! Please wait!” The retainers of the Luminous royal family tried to stop him,
but he didn’t even look at them. Oh dear… Is this going to be alright? “However, I
am a vassal of the King of Tania. The marriage between the Luminous royal family
and my daughter was also in accordance with the King of Tania’s wishes. Would it
be alright if I first consult with the King of Tania and then formally reply to the
Tidros royal family?” Lord Barimore replied calmly.
“Of course, Lord Barimore.” Mother smiled graciously. “I look forward to a favorable
response.”
Lord Barimore bowed deeply and then let out a sigh. “As a father, I would prefer to
entrust my daughter to the prince who stood up for her honor first, rather than the
Luminous royal family.”
Ah. Me?
All eyes were on me. I felt uncomfortable and shrank my shoulders, earning a glare
from Mother. Straighten up, she probably meant. But I felt embarrassed by my own
righteous indignation, which seemed as naive as Prince Arios’s actions.
“I understand your feelings.” Mother nodded in agreement. “What a way to treat a
young lady! If you hadn’t said anything, I would have punched him myself, even if
he is a prince.”
Yikes, I was about to get punched.
“Therefore, please convey to the King of Tania that we would be grateful if he
considered this proposal favorably.” Mother smiled.
Lord Barimore said, “I understand,” and bowed once more. Then, he pushed past
King Noie’s retainers and walked towards the red carpet. The white cocoon moved
and took Lord Barimore’s offered elbow. As I watched them walk towards the door, I
felt a sudden urge to speak.
“Um, excuse me, Lord Barimore.” Lord Barimore stopped and slowly turned around.
The white cocoon seemed to tilt her head and look at me as well.
“I… well… my appearance is as you see. I don’t resemble my elder brother, the
crown prince, or my second elder brother, who became a king consort in another
country. So…” I straightened my back, determined to make this clear. “Please don’t
force this upon your daughter. Even if you reject our proposal, it won’t bother me,
Saryu El Tidros, in the slightest.”
Mother chuckled beside me. “Oh, you. Are you planning to update your marriage
proposal failure record again?”
“Well, as you can see…” I shrugged and made a playful gesture. Finally, a hint of a
smile appeared on the corner of Lord Barimore’s lips, and I felt relieved.
“Please prioritize your daughter’s opinion.”
“The prince’s reputation precedes him even in our country.”
“As a serial failure at marriage proposals?” I stared at him in astonishment, and this
time, Lord Barimore laughed out loud.
“Don’t be ridiculous. That top-secret information is news to me. You’re ‘The Winter
Bear of Tidros,’ you know.”
That’s the one, huh. As I was feeling dejected, a woman’s laughter reached my ears,
making me feel even worse. I thought the white cocoon was laughing at me. But it
was Meil.
“That prince is the Winter Bear, they say. It’s true, isn’t it?”
I’m glad you find it amusing. I saw Prince Arios putting his index finger to his lips
and saying, “Shhh,” out of the corner of my eye. Well, yeah. I’m a prince, you know?
“I’ve been wanting to talk to you. Thank you for what you did for my daughter
today.” Lord Barimore bowed deeply once again. The white cocoon seemed to
curtsy as well, becoming momentarily shorter, and then they left the cathedral.
This was…
My first encounter with Citroen Barimore.
☨☨☨☨
After that, I met the white cocoon lady again within the Tidros Kingdom’s royal
palace.
As each other’s fiancés.

Episode 4:
Where Is She Ugly?

◇◇◇
Following the procedure I’d heard countless times from my adjutant, Raoul, I
approached my fiancée, the white cocoon lady. Normally, a priest would be
standing at the altar of the cathedral within the royal palace, but today there was
no one. Only the multicolored light streaming in from the stained glass windows
above vividly painted the white cocoon lady’s veil.
I glanced towards the wall, careful not to be noticed.
Several chairs had been prepared, and my parents, the King and Queen of Tidros,
were seated there. Then, my elder brother, the crown prince. Next to him was Lord
Barimore.
It had been a month since we received the formal marriage proposal from the King
of Tania. I had been astonished, as I had fully expected to be rejected. After that, it
was a whirlwind of preparations. Not to be rude, but since the young lady’s dowry
preparations were already complete, all we had to do was make our own
arrangements.
But…
My brow furrowed, and my face twisted in a frown.
Are they really sure I’m good enough?
As I was lost in thought, I heard a cough behind me.
I continued walking leisurely on the red carpet, only moving my eyes. My adjutant,
Raoul, was glaring at me. He seemed to be telling me to stop looking around and
hurry up.
He was a young man who was about to turn thirty. He was my milk brother and
served as my adjutant in the Knights’ Order. With his cool-looking eyes, he was
quite popular with women, but he always said, “I can’t think of getting married
before the captain.”
Every time he said that, I would tease him, saying, “You’ll be an old man if you wait
for me.” But I remembered how he suddenly burst into tears last night while we
were drinking together, saying, “Now I can finally get married without any regrets,”
and I couldn’t help but smile.
Despite what he said, Raoul wanted a wife too. I felt bad, and let out a wry laugh.
“The reason why the prince isn’t popular is because he’s not motivated, and his
clothes and hair are lame.” Raoul always said that with a grimace, but I believed
that clothes were just something to wear, and as long as I was clean, it was fine.
Well, if I never get married, that’s fine too, I thought last summer as I held my
nephew, the crown prince’s son, in my arms.
This child is enough for me, I thought. I’ll shower him with love. I’ll pour all my
paternal instincts into this child. However, then came this unexpected marriage
proposal.
“Listen, don’t mess this up.”
One day, three days before the engagement ceremony…
I was pressured by the crown prince and my second elder brother, who had rushed
back from his wife’s country.
“She’s an unexpected treasure. It’s a good thing the crown prince of Caravan is an
idiot.” The crown prince and my second elder brother were wearing wicked smiles. I
wondered why women adored such scheming men.
Ignoring my thoughts, the crown prince called a tailor, and my second elder brother
instructed Raoul, “Make him look handsome, no matter what. The base material
shouldn’t be bad.”
As a result…
I was now standing here, dressed in a top-quality military uniform, with a trendy
hairstyle, and my beard neatly shaved.
“What kind of girl is she? I haven’t actually seen her, you know?”
Well, it was a marriage decided by Mother, and Father had also agreed. Moreover,
my elder brother, the crown prince, was enthusiastic about it, so I had no right to
refuse. But I was curious, so I asked. I didn’t even know her name, let alone what
she looked like.
“She’s twenty years old. Her former fiancé, Prince Arios, didn’t like her appearance.
She entered the Caravan Allied Kingdoms two years ago to train as a bride, but
apparently, they didn’t get closer. So, don’t expect too much.” The crown prince
said frankly.
Well, I guess she wasn’t expecting much from my appearance either, so it was
mutual.
“But you know, I heard she has a dragon mark. Isn’t that amazing?” My second
elder brother explained to me, somewhat excitedly.
A dragon mark, huh.
I’ve heard of it.
The Tania Kingdom is also known as the “Land of Dragons.” Dragons were deeply
involved in the founding of the nation. It’s said that their descendants still get scale
tattoos on their bodies. In other words, only members of the royal family have these
scale tattoos. Therefore, marrying someone with this tattoo or taking them as a
subordinate was considered an incredibly honorable thing.
However. On the other hand, there were certainly those who ridiculed the practice
of tattooing as “barbaric” and sneered at the scale pattern as “lizard people”
behind their backs. This tendency was stronger in newer countries. They didn’t
know history and lacked the tolerance to respect and understand the cultures of
other countries.
I stopped right beside the white cocoon lady. She was completely covered in a veil
from head to toe, so I couldn’t tell what she looked like, but she was quite petite.
Her head was about level with the middle of my chest. I’d have to bend down quite
a bit to kiss her forehead. My two elder brothers and Raoul had told me to remove
the veil and kiss the woman’s forehead.
The so-called “forehead kiss.”
I never thought I’d be the one doing it to the white cocoon lady from that time.
Suddenly, the white cocoon lady shifted. Apparently, she was facing me. With the
veil covering her like a cocoon, I couldn’t tell which way was front and which was
back.
I glanced at the attendees. When I looked at the crown prince, he gestured with his
chin, telling me to “do it.” Raoul, who had been walking behind me, was standing as
if to block my retreat. Not that I was planning to run away.
Tap, tap.
I heard footsteps, so I looked behind the woman and saw a woman who appeared to
be a maid walking forward. Ah, I’m supposed to hand the veil to this woman. When
our eyes met, the maid held out her hands, palms up, so my interpretation seemed
to be correct.
I grabbed the veil firmly and pulled it off with a flourish.
The delicate lace fabric floated in the air, lighter than a spider’s thread. When I saw
the woman revealed beneath it, I gasped in astonishment.
Silver hair, more transparent than a spring. Her fine skin, bathed in the light of the
stained glass, looked as smooth as porcelain. With well-defined features, she was a
slender girl dressed in a pure white gown.
…Where…
Where…
Where is she…
I stared at the girl in front of me, dumbfounded.
Where is she ugly?

Episode 5:
A Traffic Jam of Cuteness

“…Excuse me, just a moment.” I groaned, covering my face with one hand while
clutching the veil in the other. “Could we have the Tidros royal family gather for a
moment, please?”
They say that even ferocious beasts cower when facing me. Yet, from the mouth of
me, the one known as “The Winter Bear of Tidros,” came an unbelievably pathetic
voice. The crown prince stood up in a fluster, and Father turned pale and froze. I
was a bit confused myself.
“Wh-what is it, Captain?” Raoul quickly grabbed my arm and leaned in.
“What’s wrong, Saryu?” The crown prince chimed in, scolding me in a low voice, but
I grabbed both of their necks and turned my back to Lady Citroen. I lowered my
voice further and blurted out, “Where is she ugly?!”
“…She’s unimaginably beautiful.”
“Yeah, she’s like a doll.” The crown prince and Raoul nodded, so I tightened my grip
on their necks.
“I-it hurts!”
“Stop it, Captain!”
“What should I do?! What should I do with such a beautiful girl?!” I threatened them,
shaking my arms wrapped around their necks. “It’s me we’re talking about here!
What am I supposed to do?!”
“It’s fine, isn’t it? She’s a beautiful girl… I mean, hey. Raoul’s going to die!”
“G-gufuuuu…” Raoul let out a strange groan and collapsed to the floor.
“Um… Did I… offend you?” At the sound of a voice like a ringing bell, I reflexively
turned around. At the same time, the crown prince and Raoul, who I was holding by
their arms, were also forcibly turned around, and both groaned, “Gufu,”
simultaneously.
In front of the altar…
The girl stood alone, bathed in the light of the stained glass. She opened her peach-
colored lips, her violet eyes fixed on me. “Does my appearance… offend you?”
Asked again, I stared at her blankly.
Because in her expression…
In her eyes…
In every strand of her hair…
Sadness shimmered and wavered.
“No!” I found myself shouting.
I threw the crown prince and Raoul aside and stood up straight, clenching my fists.
“You’re so cute that I’m at a loss for what to do! Can I have a moment?!” My voice
echoed repeatedly through the cathedral and gradually faded away.
Until it disappeared completely…
No one spoke.
Pfft.
The first one to burst out laughing was Mother.
“Oh my, this child. What is he saying?”
“No, Lord Barimore. I apologize. You see, our third son is a bit of a wild child who
runs around the borderlands. He seems to have no immunity to lovely women.”
Father was bowing to Lord Barimore, but his words were quite misleading. It
sounded as if I was just a fool who ran around aimlessly. I’m fulfilling my duties, and
this is how I’m spoken of!
“No, I’m… I’m relieved. I’m overwhelmed with emotion.” But Lord Barimore smiled
gently, a stark contrast to the man I saw three months ago. He even seemed to
have tears in his eyes. Ah, it must have been painful to see his daughter rejected in
front of so many people.
That Prince Arios… He’s truly a sinful man.
Even her father felt that way. How much more hurt must she have been? Thinking
that, I looked at the white cocoon lady.
No.
She wasn’t a white cocoon anymore, as she had removed her veil.
She was Lady Citroen.
She was looking at me…
Her smooth, boiled-egg-like cheeks were flushed pink. Her violet eyes were moist,
and her earrings, made of stones of the same color, swayed slightly. She seemed to
be trembling.
As for the maid…
She had collapsed at Lady Citroen’s feet and was crying. She was saying something
like, “I’m so glad, Princess,” but it was a chaotic scene.
“Take a deep breath, Saryu.” The crown prince, who had recovered, ordered me.
“Go to the lady, take a deep breath, and on the count of three, kiss her forehead.”
He explained it to me as if he were teaching manners to his two-year-old nephew.
“Don’t headbutt her by accident. You’ll have to crouch down, or the height
difference will make it an air forehead kiss.” Raoul added quickly. What did they
think I was?
A forehead kiss is a piece of cake. Leave it to me.
“Come on, come on. Don’t keep your fiancée waiting. Besides, the ceremony will
continue after this.” The crown prince pushed me on my back.
Right, right.
After this, Lady Citroen would change into a dress and go to the presentation hall to
meet all the relatives. Then, we would have a dinner party. After that, we would
disband. She would be living with me in my mansion from tonight. Normally, she
would move in after the wedding, but because of the previous engagement being
broken off in such a way, the King of Tania was apparently quite wary and had
ordered, “Live together immediately after the engagement ceremony.”
He probably wanted to create a fait accompli and make sure we got married this
time.
I felt a little sorry for her.
Suddenly living with a man she met today… This decision made it seem like the
entire responsibility was on Lady Citroen, even though it was entirely Prince Arios’s
fault. However, this time, our royal family had repeatedly warned me, “Don’t lay a
finger on her until the wedding.”
Well, even though I was a prince, I was the third son, so I wouldn’t have a week-long
wedding like the crown prince. We would have a parade in the royal capital to
introduce her to the public, and the churches that Mother was close to would ring
their bells and give alms. But if my wife’s belly was big during the parade, or if she
had severe morning sickness…
It would cause various problems for the public. Well, I could understand that. There
would be a lot of rumors and ridicule. I was a man, and I basically lived with only
men in the Knights’ Order, so I didn’t care what people said about me. But Lady
Citroen, who would become my wife, would be participating in social gatherings, tea
parties, and volunteer activities with mostly women.
…Just imagining it made me sigh.
Therefore…
According to the crown prince and my second elder brother, the next six months
would be a time of “constant patience.”
As I walked on the red carpet, approaching Lady Citroen, I was a bit troubled. I had
arbitrarily assumed that she wouldn’t be my type. I thought it would be a piece of
cake. I thought that if we just drank tea and ate meals together amicably, six
months would fly by.
But this was bad.
She was exactly my type. She was incredibly cute.
I stopped in front of Lady Citroen and looked down at her. Does she even have
pores? Her skin was so smooth. And her hair… Was it even human hair? It looked
like it was made of silk or some kind of fiber that celestial maidens would wear.
I wanted to touch it if I stared at it any longer. This was dangerous.
I coughed.
I turned around and looked at the attendees. The crown prince was also properly
seated.
“Then…” I didn’t know what “then” meant, but I said it anyway.
Meanwhile, Raoul dragged the maid, who had fainted from crying too much at Lady
Citroen’s feet, out of the cathedral.
I faced Lady Citroen again.
“Excuse me.” When I spoke, she replied with a small, “Yes.”
Then, she lifted her chin, looked up at me, and closed her eyes.
Oh no!
This was too powerful!
Her defenselessness was cute! Her cuteness was defenseless! It was a crime!
I was involuntarily drawn to her lips when I heard a cough behind me. I glanced at
the attendees and saw the crown prince mouthing, “Forehead!” Tch.
Reluctantly, I grabbed Lady Citroen’s shoulders. Apparently, I had gripped them too
tightly. I was startled by how thin and delicate they were, and it seemed Lady
Citroen was surprised as well.
She trembled with her eyes closed…
…She was incredibly cute. What was this little creature? She was like a rabbit I often
saw in the snowy mountains. Or maybe a weasel.
No, I had to get rid of these impure thoughts! I had to do the forehead kiss, just as I
was told. Not the lips. I bent down quite a bit and kissed her forehead.
It was as smooth as porcelain. The sweet fragrance of the perfume she was wearing
made me feel dizzy.
“Congratulations.” “Congratulations.” Applause and congratulations came from all
around. Apparently, the engagement ceremony had come to an end.
Good grief.
Until the wedding…
I wondered if I could even survive…

Episode 6:
Where is the Dragon Mark?

◇◇◇
That evening…
I was about to knock on Lady Citroen’s bedroom door with my fist when…
“You understand, don’t you, young master? Just a greeting. Only a greeting.”
“Captain, I’m telling you, if you stay in there for more than fifteen minutes, I’ll barge
in without hesitation.” The steward and Raoul were pressuring me from behind.
“Shut up. I know. Why don’t you trust me?” I turned around and glared at them. But
they both looked nonchalant.
“Well, after seeing how things went at the presentation and dinner party… Right, Sir
Raoul?”
“Indeed. It was like, ‘He’s head over heels,’ wasn’t it, Steward?” They nodded in
agreement with each other.
“No, it wasn’t like that. We weren’t being lovey-dovey or anything.” We just walked
around arm in arm, bowing to every single relative. Even during the dinner party,
we were both busy attending to the guests seated next to us. I even thought, “Does
the crown prince do this every day? It’s tough.”
“Every time you introduced Lady Citroen to someone, you had a look on your face
like, ‘My wife is super cute, isn’t she?’ Captain.” Raoul said sarcastically.
Really?
Did it show on my face?
“Anyway, I’m just going to say goodnight and tell her about Vandel.” I said and
turned my back on them. I thought they would go somewhere else, but they
seemed to be planning to wait right there.
“Uh… Lady Citroen, it’s me.”
Knock, knock, knock. I knocked three times to announce my arrival.
“Yes, please come in.” Her voice, like a ringing bell, came from beyond the door.
I grabbed the doorknob.
“Maintain an appropriate distance.” “Fifteen minutes.”
The steward and Raoul said quickly.
Shut up.
I shooed them away with my free hand, opened the door, and went inside. Then, I
quickly closed it behind me. But for some reason, I felt a shiver down my spine.
Their gazes were still fixed on the door.
Feeling uneasy, I quickly stepped into the room. I felt like they could see through
the door. As I was thinking that, I suddenly noticed that the air of the room had
changed.
This was a room in my mansion.
It had been used as a guest room, but I had heard that the head butler and head
maid were going to transform it into a room fit for the mistress of the house. The
wallpaper, furniture, everything had been changed, and it had become a very
feminine room. The curtains were in pale shades, and perhaps because they softly
reflected the lamplight, the room seemed quite spacious.
The bed had a canopy, and the lace design was lovely.
It suited Lady Citroen very well.
“Thank you for your hard work earlier, Prince.” She seemed to have been drinking
tea, sitting in a cat-legged chair in the center of the room.
Lady Citroen stood up and bowed politely, making me feel awkward. She had
already taken a bath. She was wearing a silky, glossy nightgown. The length
covered her ankles, but her arms were bare… Well, I guess that was the design.
Oh, I thought.
The dragon mark.
I had vaguely heard that Prince Arios had a strong aversion to it, so I had imagined
that she would have tattoos all over her body and arms. But her slender, supple
arms were bare. Only the orange light of the lamp reflected on her skin.
“Ah… I came to say goodnight…” Her elegance made my heart skip a beat. It was
just her arms, but for some reason, I felt like I shouldn’t be looking, so I quickly
averted my eyes.
“Should I have come to you instead?” I shook my head in surprise at her flustered
words. No, it was strange that I had come. We had properly said goodnight to each
other when we parted ways. I had actually intended to go straight to sleep, but
because of the Vandel matter, I ended up intruding like this…
“If there’s anything you need in the mansion, please don’t hesitate to ask. We’ll
take care of it immediately.” Ah, I should have taken a bath before coming.
Didn’t I smell like sweat?
Thinking that, I couldn’t carelessly approach her.
“Everyone has been very kind to me. My maid, Eaton, is also grateful.” She smiled
with narrowed eyes. But somehow, it made my chest ache. Because I had received
a report from the head butler.
“Apparently, she had a very hard time at her previous residence.” It was probably
about her treatment at Prince Arios’s place.
According to what Eaton, who had fainted from crying too much, had told our maid,
she wasn’t even given decent meals, her clothes were torn when sent for laundry,
and her belongings were destroyed. The head maid had frowned and told me, “It
shows the true nature of that household.”
Lady Citroen didn’t say anything herself, but Eaton had complained tearfully, “What
did my princess ever do to deserve that?” Apparently, she had tried her best to
improve her relationship with Prince Arios, but it was to no avail, and two years had
passed fruitlessly. And then, the engagement was broken off.
“Young master, this is where you show your mettle as a man.” Both the head butler
and the head maid encouraged me.
Even though she had been through such a terrible experience…
She didn’t show any signs of it. If she cried, complained, or vented like Eaton, I
could comfort her or try to make her happy. But it felt strange to do something
when she wasn’t saying anything.
She wasn’t hurt.
I didn’t like telling people who acted like they weren’t hurt, “You must be suffering
inside.”
“Um, Prince.” She spoke softly. “Yes,” I replied reflexively.
“Thank you very much for everything.” She bowed deeply, and I widened my eyes
in surprise. “Not only did you help me at the engagement ceremony with Prince
Arios, but you also offered to make me your wife…”
“No, no, no, no. Um…” I hurriedly interrupted her. “If you’re going to say that, then I
should be the one apologizing to you, Lady Citroen. You see…” I scratched my head.
“I’m sorry for being such a bear-like man. I’m a prince in name only.”
I shrugged, and Lady Citroen widened her eyes like I had earlier.
Then, she chuckled.
Ugh, cute.
“You were exactly the prince I imagined. You haven’t changed at all.”
Haven’t changed…?
“Have we met somewhere…?”
I was about to ask if we had met before, but Lady Citroen spoke first. “Are you sure
you’re okay with me, Prince?”
“Honestly, I’m more than satisfied. Yes.” I nodded eagerly. No, no, I was being too
forward.
“That’s good to hear.” She smiled, her cheeks flushed pink. I could look at her
forever. It was pure bliss. But then I remembered.
Right.
I had to talk about that man.
“Ah… Actually…”
“Yes?” Lady Citroen looked up at me with a curious expression.
“My friend is coming tomorrow. His name is Vandel… I’m sorry to ask this when
you’re tired, but would you be willing to meet him?”
“It would be my honor.”
No, it’s not an honor or anything. I actually didn’t want her to meet him, but he was
already in the royal capital. He was too quick to act.
“Um…” She spoke again hesitantly.
“Yes?” I replied, wondering if fifteen minutes had already passed.
“Do you… mind the dragon mark?” I hesitated for a moment at her question. It was
because I had just been thinking about it.
“It would be a lie to say I don’t mind it at all… But it’s not something I’m particularly
concerned about either. Um… Do I have to see it? Should I see it?” I asked, unsure
of what the right thing to say was. Lady Citroen blushed crimson and shrank back,
her chin tucked in.
“No, it’s not that you have to see it… It’s just… Do you find it… disgusting?”
“What is?”
“The dragon mark.”
“No, not really…” I was curious about what it looked like. After all, I had never had
the chance to see one in person.
But disgusting…? What was that about?
“Well… Some gentlemen find it repulsive to even look at it…” She started to
explain, choosing her words carefully to sound as gentle as possible.
It was probably that guy.
That Prince Arios.
He must have said something insensitive like that.
“Dragons are an integral part of the Tania Kingdom’s history. I believe that those
who bear the scale tattoo that represents the dragon are noble… I don’t think
anything more of it than that.” So, I also chose my words carefully. I wanted to say,
“Just ignore the fools. Forget what that guy said,” but if she had already forgotten or
could laugh it off, she wouldn’t be bringing it up.
“If it’s alright with you, Lady Citroen, could you show it to me?” When I said that
with the gentlest smile I could muster, she turned bright red, as if she were about to
burst into flames.
Eh? What? What was with this reaction?
Did I say something strange?
“I… I want to show you, but I’m not mentally prepared yet…”
“Mentally prepared?” I couldn’t help but ask back. Lady Citroen made her small
body even smaller and pointed to the center of her chest. She spoke in a barely
audible voice, her head still lowered, “It’s… here…”
Right…
Between her breasts.
“I apologize! I shouldn’t have asked! It would be inappropriate to see it now!” I held
up both hands. Well, it wasn’t like Lady Citroen in front of me was trying to show it
to me… But the Lady Citroen in my imagination was saying, “Would you like to see
it?” and starting to undress, so it was dangerous.
I had to retreat.
This was no good.
“Well then, Lady Citroen! I’ll see you tomorrow!” I said and dashed out of the room.
As expected, or rather…
Raoul and the steward were right outside the door.
“Why is your face so red?” “What were you fantasizing about?”
I screamed, “Uwaaaaaaaa!” and ran down the hallway of my own mansion.
Aimlessly.

Episode 7:
andel Arrives

◇◇◇
The next day…
I rushed out of the Knights’ Order headquarters, handed over my duties to Raoul
while riding, and somehow managed to burst into my mansion within the royal
palace just in time. My second elder brother had returned to his wife’s country, so I
was swamped with security arrangements for his departure.
Why did Vandel have to come at such a busy time? I clicked my tongue.
As I hurried down the hallway, the head butler extended his hand. Without looking, I
handed him my riding gloves and took off my cloak. I tossed it behind me, but the
head butler caught it without missing a beat.
“Where’s Vandel?” I asked, and the head butler straightened up.
“In the guest room. He arrived right on time.”
That’s rare, I blurted out.
Vandel and I had been close friends since our days at the military academy, but it
was rare for him to be on time.
“He brought many congratulatory gifts. Please thank him on your behalf, young
master.”
“Understood. Where’s Lady Citroen?”
“She’s already prepared, but I believe it would be best for you to meet with him
first, and then have her join you.”
“That’s right.” I nodded.
I had to lay down the ground rules first. He was a man who could say anything.
“Thank you for waiting, Lord Vandel. The young master has returned.” As we
approached the guest room, the head butler shoved all the luggage onto a nearby
servant and stepped in front of me. He knocked swiftly and announced our visit in a
voice that betrayed no sign of his hurried pace.
“Oh, I’ve been waiting, my dear friend.” Such a voice came from inside the room,
making my face twitch.
“Don’t ‘dear friend’ me, you bastard.” The head butler opened the door, and as
soon as I entered, Vandel, who had been sitting on the sofa, stood up.
He spread his arms theatrically and said, “Come on, come on,” as if demanding a
hug.
No way.
I decided to ignore him and headed for the seat opposite him when he suddenly
hugged me from the side.
“Get off me, you’re annoying.” I struck his chest with the heel of my hand, but he
just rubbed his cheek against my stomach, saying, “Hahaha, you’re so shy.” Gross. I
shook Vandel off and quickly sat on the opposite sofa to create some distance.
“I can’t believe you’re getting married before me. Ah, life is full of surprises.”
Vandel chuckled.
He was still as lanky as ever.
He was shorter than me, but still considered tall.
With a slender build and narrow eyes, he had a tear mole under his right eye that
gave him a slightly seductive look. This man, who favored black clothing, had
earned the nickname “Vampire Count.” He ruled a marquisate and should have
been busy guarding the border, but his skin was pale, and despite his striking
beauty, his fierce fighting style seemed to crave blood. Even during our school days,
the underclassmen called him “Vampire Count.”
“You have no intention of getting married, do you?” Despite having a wide selection
of potential brides, he kept finding fault and rejecting marriage proposals. I felt
sorry for the women. He should try being on the receiving end of rejection for once.
“Ah, those are congratulatory gifts. I didn’t know what you’d like, so I just picked
out some things at random.” Vandel sat down and pointed to a corner of the room
with his long, slender finger.
I shifted my gaze and was stunned. The wall was invisible beneath a mountain of
boxes, and something that looked like an exoskeleton was hanging from the ceiling.
“What’s that?”
“A whale.”
“Do people in your region give whale bones as wedding gifts?”
“I’ve never heard of that, but don’t you have them in your area?” He was still as
sharp-tongued as ever.
I glared at him, and Vandel brushed back his black hair and tilted his head.
“What? Were you working?” He pointed at my military uniform, and I nodded as if it
were obvious.
“My second elder brother came back for the engagement ceremony. I’m currently
moving the Royal Guard and the Knights’ Order to the border.”
“Is Sir Michaela well?”
“He’s doing well, thanks. His father-in-law will be retiring in a few years, so… He’s
apparently busy with the handover with his wife, the crown princess.”
The crown princess of that country was a woman. When I first met her, I was
captivated by her dignified beauty. I remember thinking that she and my second
elder brother, Michaela, who had a rather feminine face, looked like a gender-
reversed pair of dolls.
“But to be working right after the engagement ceremony… It must have been hard
to leave the bedroom, wasn’t it?” Vandel crossed his long legs and smiled
suggestively, so I made a sullen face.
“I’ve been told not to touch her until the wedding parade in the royal capital. We’re
supposed to have a pure relationship until then.”
“Oh, how unfortunate.” He grinned, and I was about to stand up and punch him
when…
“I hear things are getting pretty serious in the Caravan Allied Kingdoms.” Vandel
said suddenly, leaning back against the sofa in a sloppy posture.
“Serious?” I blinked. Come to think of it, I had been so busy with my own
engagement ceremony that I had completely forgotten about that country.
“It seems the King of Tania is furious with the Luminous Kingdom.”
“That’s to be expected. What they did was terrible.” Even now, I felt disgusted when
I recalled it.
“He’s stopped the trade of mineral resources with the Luminous Kingdom, saying
that his daughter with the dragon mark was insulted.”
“What?!”
Of course, the Tania Kingdom wasn’t the only place where mineral resources could
be mined. They could probably seek resources from other countries, but it wasn’t
like they could just ask for a favor after being cut off.
Coal, steel, various ores…
They were supposed to be shared and traded within the alliance of the kingdoms.
“King Noie of the Luminous Kingdom has been apologizing profusely, and Prince
Arios is currently confined to his quarters…”
“Well, he’s probably just being kept indoors. He’s not physically restrained, is he?” I
asked, and Vandel laughed in response.
“That king… When it comes to his son, he’s blinded. That lenient confinement will
be lifted in a few days. The other three kingdoms are also irritated by the leniency
of the punishment. There might be a resolution to depose King Noie.” If that
happened, another election would begin, and a new elected king would be chosen.
Hopefully, the five kingdoms would unite again with that as an opportunity.
“So? Where is this devastatingly beautiful woman?” Vandel let out a deep sigh and
leaned back on the sofa again, looking slovenly. I had always thought he was pale,
but today he looked even paler than usual.
“Are you feeling unwell?” I couldn’t help but ask, and he grinned.
“That’s nice. When a handsome man worries about me, I feel like biting him.”
“Just stick to women.” I regretted worrying about him. As I turned away, I heard…
“Excuse me, I’ve brought Lady Citroen.” After a knock, the head butler’s voice could
be heard.
“Oh, finally, the moment of truth.” Vandel grinned, adjusted his cravat theatrically,
and stood up.
Well, he stood up, but…
Suddenly…
His pupils clearly rolled back, and his upper body lurched backward.
Whoa, what’s wrong with him?
Before I knew it, I had jumped up from the sofa and was holding Vandel in my arms,
leaping over the table.
“Hey, are you alright?” I shook him as I held him.
He was slender, but he was a warrior after all. I had my arms around his waist and
back, but he was quite heavy. I needed him to regain consciousness and straighten
up, or we would both fall.
“No, my bad, my bad. Maybe it was a bad idea to rush my horse to be the first to
congratulate you.” His face was still pale, and beads of sweat were forming on his
forehead. But when I looked closer, his eyes had regained their strength. Our gazes
met properly. Vandel let out a small sigh and tapped my arm lightly. “I’m fine now.
Sorry.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah. Besides, if we stay here, embracing each other in a closed room any longer,
your wife might get the wrong idea.” He grinned mischievously again, so I
instinctively turned around.
At the doorway, Lady Citroen stood with wide eyes, the head butler behind her. I felt
a wave of despair. If I were to objectively assess the current situation…
It looked like two men were embracing, their faces close, about to kiss.
“It’s not what it looks like, Lady Citroen.” I spoke to her, my voice creaking like a
rusty hinge.

Episode 8:
That Dress Looks Lovely on You

Behind Lady Citroen, the head butler was looking at me with a cold expression that
said, “What are you doing?” The only saving grace was that Lady Citroen was
somehow managing a polite smile.
“I’ve known the young master for a long time, but please rest assured that there’s
nothing going on between him and Lord Vandel.” The head butler whispered. Of all
people, why did I have to be misunderstood with this guy?
“Yes, that’s right, my dear young lady. He and I are what you call old schoolmates.”
Vandel’s weight lifted from my arm as he apparently managed to stand up by
putting strength into his legs. I was relieved, but that bastard…
He actually kissed me on the cheek with a loud smack.
“We’re just friends, you see.” He laughed, “Hahahaha,” so I yelled, “Ugaaaaaaaa!”
and tried to punch him. He had seemed on the verge of collapsing just a moment
ago, but he dodged my attack nimbly and stepped in front of Lady Citroen.
“Goddess who has captured my friend’s heart, may I have the honor of greeting
you?” He bowed deeply. He was being theatrical again… But he really pulled off this
kind of thing. I was feeling bitter about it, but…
Lady Citroen nodded with a truly benevolent smile. She was such a good person.
And her dress today was super cute. The one she wore at breakfast was cute too,
but this one suited her well. What was this? Why did everything she wore keep
hitting my preferences? Was there some kind of strategy guide for conquering me?
I was just completely captivated when…
I remembered hearing that she had been practically confined at Prince Arios’s
place. She was rarely taken to social events, and it was always that Meil woman
who accompanied the prince when he went out. The King of Tania and Lord
Barimore must have given Lady Citroen many clothes and dresses.
So that she wouldn’t be embarrassed wherever she went. So that no one would say
she was wearing the same clothes again. She must have entered the Luminous
Kingdom with the weight of the entire Tania Kingdom on her shoulders. Most of the
clothes she was wearing now must have never been seen by anyone in Luminous.
There was no opportunity to wear them, no one to see them.
That dress looks lovely on you. You’re so cute. You look wonderful.
No one must have said such words to her.
As I realized this, I felt a pang of sympathy, and then Lady Citroen smoothly
extended her right hand to Vandel. Vandel took her hand. I was overcome with the
urge to swat it away.
“I’m Vandel, assisting my father in the Scene Earldom. Pleased to meet you.” He
kissed the back of Lady Citroen’s hand.
And that was…
So picturesque that it was infuriating.
“I’m Citroen. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Her peach-colored lips curved into a
smile.
Ah, what a waste. I wanted to be the only one to see that smile, but she had shown
it to this guy.
“I see, so this is why my friend fell for you at first sight.” I wanted to punch Vandel
for grinning like that.
“Not at all. It was I who fell in love.” Lady Citroen said shyly, and I stared at her
intently. Judging by her bright red ears and flushed cheeks, she seemed to be telling
the truth. I was a little happy, but at the same time, I wanted to ask, “Um, are you
sure? It’s me you’re talking about.”
“You have excellent taste to recognize that man’s worth.” Vandel escorted Citroen
by the hand and led her to the sofa.
“Tea, please.” I called out to the head butler. The head butler bowed, as if relieved
that the charade was over, and left the room. I sat down next to Lady Citroen, and
Vandel sat opposite us.
“That… He gave that to me.” I whispered in her ear, and she shrugged, tickled.
Then, she looked at where I was pointing with my thumb.
“My, is that bone a whale? Or a dolphin?” She widened her eyes, as if she knew
them well.
“Have you seen a whale or a dolphin before?” The Tania Kingdom was a
mountainous region. The sea was far away. I thought they imported seafood from
other allied kingdoms.
“No… I mean… Well… I saw a… skeletal specimen. From my tutor.” Lady Citroen
explained hurriedly.
“Ah, I see. Skeletal specimens were all the rage back then.” Geology had been a fad
a decade or so ago. Bones of giant reptiles and large beasts of unknown shapes had
been unearthed from ancient strata, triggering a massive skeletal specimen boom.
Even in the homes of wealthy merchants and within the royal palace, various
skeletal specimens hung from the ceilings like mobiles.
“I’m glad you like it.” Vandel smiled.
“Don’t tell me all those boxes are full of bones.” I said sarcastically, but Vandel
remained unfazed.
“I think there were also furs and dried herbs.” No, you should have brought
something more normal, you idiot.
“That dress looks lovely on you.” Vandel rested his chin on his hand and leaned
forward, smiling at Lady Citroen.
“Thank you.” I frowned as I watched Lady Citroen thank him.
Wait, shouldn’t I have been the first to say that? As expected, Vandel smirked, as if
to say, “I win.” Damn it. As I was grinding my teeth, Lady Citroen glanced at me
with her violet eyes.
I had to say something! I had to say something!
“Ah, the dress you wore this morning was lovely too, but this one is also nice! It’s…
um… It’s very… early summer-like! It’s like a flower… or those small, red fruits, you
know? It resembles the color of those flowers! It suits you well, Lady Citroen,
because your skin is so fair. It really brings out your beauty. It’s… incorporating the
season, I guess? Or maybe anticipating it? No, that’s not it. Um…” I desperately
tried to come up with something to say. My words became increasingly incoherent,
and Vandel was shaking, his head lowered. He was laughing at me, wasn’t he?
But…
Lady Citroen looked up at me and smiled. Her amethyst-like eyes, her delicate silver
hair that seemed like it would disappear if I touched it, her smooth, white skin… All
of that visual information flooded my senses, and then…
I clearly perceived that Lady Citroen was smiling.
At me.
Could there be anything more blissful than this?
“I’m happy. Thank you. I’m glad I wore it.” She said, blushing slightly, and then she
adjusted the chiffon part of her dress with her fingers. It was as if she was trying to
make it look better, and it was incredibly cute. Good. This was really good.
As I felt that, I realized…
Ah, I see.
It wasn’t enough to just think it. I had to say it out loud. And not just me, but others
had to tell her too. I had to create opportunities for her to hear those words. Any
words would do, and even if they weren’t eloquent, the feelings had to be conveyed
properly.
…And the fact that…
This guy was the one who made me realize that was a little irritating.
 Episode 9:
What Language Is That?

“Excuse me.” Just as I was twisting my lips into a frown, the head butler entered the
room. He pushed a silver cart, served tea, placed an afternoon tea stand on the
table, and left.
Come to think of it, I was hungry. On the plates of the tea stand were small
sandwiches, macarons, scones, and such. There was butter, but was it the milky
kind? I didn’t really like that, so I’d go for the jam…
Ah. In times like this, should I speak to the lady first? It wouldn’t be good if I just
started eating by myself. As I glanced at Lady Citroen…
Vandel let out a sigh and leaned back on the sofa again.
“…Hey, Vandel.” I couldn’t help but worry about him. I was too nice. “Are you
feeling unwell?”
“Just tired.” He shrugged. “Things have been hectic in the earldom lately. I’ve been
pushing myself a bit too hard.”
The main source of income for the Scene Earldom was tariffs and trade with other
countries, taking advantage of its location on the border. It was a bustling and lively
place, but there were also tax evaders, bandits, and swindlers. I mainly patrolled
the mountainous and land borders on horseback during the winter, but he was
running around guarding the border all year round, so it must be physically
demanding.
“Bandit-related?” I assumed that was the case, but Vandel shook his head vaguely.
He had a look on his face that said he didn’t want to talk about it any further.
“Um… if I may be so bold…” Suddenly, a bright voice came from beside me.
“Huh? Yes?” Vandel was even more surprised than I was. He stared at Lady Citroen
blankly.
“Could it be anemia? Have you been seeing a doctor?” Lady Citroen was looking at
Vandel, who was sitting across from her, with a worried frown.
“Anemia…” I muttered.
It sounded like a woman’s disease to me. The kind where you turn pale and faint.
“Why do you think that?” Vandel neither confirmed nor denied it. He picked up the
teacup by its handle and brought it to his lips gracefully.
“Your nails.”
“Nails?” Vandel and I said in unison.
“They’re what’s called ‘spoon nails.’ It’s common in people with anemia.” Lady
Citroen was pointing at Vandel’s fingers, or rather, his nails, as they rested on the
handle of the teacup.
“Eh? These?” Vandel placed the cup back on the saucer and showed his hand, palm
up, with his nails facing us.
“Well… they are concave.”
“Just like their owner, they’re resilient.” I teased, but Vandel ignored me.
“Are you taking any medication?” Lady Citroen tilted her head and asked Vandel.
“Ah, yes. The doctor told me to…” Vandel glanced at me.
Wait, was he really anemic? But the moment our eyes met, he looked away. He had
a look on his face that said he didn’t want me to know. He seemed embarrassed, or
rather, awkward.
Why was he making that face?
As I was staring at him blankly, Vandel started to mumble.
“I put rusty nails in wine… and drink that.”
“Ah, I see.” Lady Citroen nodded several times and then tilted her head again.
“How’s your diet? Do you eat pork liver, chicken…”
Vandel immediately grimaced. I hurriedly interjected. “Vandel may be nicknamed
‘Vampire Count,’ but he’s always hated meat…” Apparently, his sense of taste and
smell was very sensitive, and he didn’t eat gamey meat.
“I heard you’re from the borderlands… How about fish?” She nodded at me, then
turned back to Vandel.
Wow, Lady Citroen was quite talkative.
“I eat fish… but I wouldn’t say I like it that much.” He probably disliked the fishy
smell, as I imagined him eating bland white fish with herbs and salt. But basically,
this guy had been eating only bread and vegetables for as long as I could
remember. I think he occasionally ate sausages and ham, though.
“Bonito is good. It’s in season now. The dark meat part…” Lady Citroen continued.
But…
“You mean that part?” Vandel’s face contorted even more. Well, I could understand.
It was the fishiest part.
“If you’re concerned about the smell, you can wash it thoroughly with cold water
and soak it for a while. If you coat it with batter and mix dried herbs into the
breadcrumbs, it will further mask the odor. Then, fry it… and yes, sprinkle some
lemon on it. That will increase the absorption rate in the small intestine.”
“Absorption rate?” I couldn’t help but ask back. Lady Citroen turned her violet eyes
to me and nodded.
“It’s not enough to just eat foods rich in iron and nutrients. There’s a way to eat
them. Unless your anemia is caused by an internal organ disorder, it’s possible to
improve it through your diet.”
“Iron… Do you eat iron?” I asked curiously, and Lady Citroen tilted her head slightly.
“You don’t eat iron itself. Iron is present in food.” Then, she turned her violet eyes
to Vandel. “What you mentioned earlier, Lord Vandel, about drinking wine with nails
in it, is one of the traditional remedies. The iron from the nails dissolves into the
wine, so the idea is to improve anemia by drinking it.” Lady Citroen spoke fluently.
“However, it’s also important to have a balanced daily diet. Ideally, pork, beef, and
chicken liver are rich in iron and easily absorbed by the body, but it’s nothing but
torture to eat something you dislike every time. There are other foods rich in iron.”
Lady Citroen continued to speak to Vandel. “For example, komatsuna, spinach, and
hijiki seaweed are good sources. As for beans, soybeans are good. However, the
iron contained in these plants is difficult for the human small intestine to absorb. So,
even if you eat a lot of them, you won’t absorb as much iron as you would from
animal liver. However, you can increase the absorption rate by combining them with
other foods.”
“Combining? You mean eating them with something else?” Vandel leaned forward
and asked.
“Eating them with vitamin C or citric acid increases the effectiveness.”
“Vitamin C and citric acid?” Vandel and I said in unison again. What was that? First
of all, what language was that? As I was staring blankly, Lady Citroen became
flustered.
“Um… well… fruits and vinegar. It’s good to eat them together… I think you can be
creative with your cooking methods. Like marinades, or drinking orange juice with
your meals.”
“Hee…” Vandel and I made the same stupid sound and then looked at each other.
He suddenly turned away again, and I wondered what was wrong, only to see him
pouting like a child.
“Anemia… You must have thought it was a woman’s disease.” I was about to say,
“Yeah,” but I stopped myself just in time. I felt like it would hurt his pride or
something. That’s why he didn’t want to tell me. That he was feeling unwell
because of an illness.
He was still as vain as ever.
What a fool. It’s not like he needed to act tough in front of me.
“Illness doesn’t discriminate between men and women.” I said instead.
“That’s right. The suffering caused by illness is the same for both men and women.
Everyone suffers equally.” Lady Citroen smiled beside me. “Once your anemia
improves, you’ll feel incredibly better. You’ll be like, ‘Wait, was it this easy for
everyone else to breathe? That’s not fair.'”
She clenched her fists on her lap. “Let’s do our best to eat properly.”
“…You sound like a doctor.” When I said what I was thinking, Lady Citroen literally
jumped up from the sofa. I swear she floated a few centimeters.
“N-n-no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no,
no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no…”
She kept repeating “no” and shaking her head at the same time, and in the end,
she must have gotten dizzy because she leaned against me. “Eek! I’m sorry!” she
exclaimed and moved to the edge of the sofa. What was this adorable creature?
What should I do?
“No, seriously…” Vandel’s low voice filled the room.
The air became tense.
“Do you have medical knowledge? The Tania Kingdom is a mountainous, inland
region. I apologize, but my earldom has no dealings with it… Is your father, Lord
Barimore, the royal physician or something?”
“No, that…” Lady Citroen, who had been bright red just a moment ago, was now
pale and stammering. Her reaction made me wonder if it involved some national
secret.
“Um… Did you study medicine somewhere?” I interjected, glancing at Vandel. Lady
Citroen looked up at me awkwardly. But she remained silent.
“Um… Forgive my bluntness, but is what you’re saying correct? Will anemia really
be cured by eating like that?” I tried to phrase it differently from Vandel. I thought it
might be a bit harsh, but Lady Citroen nodded, seemingly relieved.
“There are individual differences, but what I just said should be correct. Unless it’s
caused by an internal organ disease, anemia can be improved this way. Lord
Vandel’s nails… they’re spoon-shaped and have ridges. That indicates that he was
malnourished when those nails were formed. Perhaps his diet is fundamentally
lacking.”
“You’re the son of an earl, and your diet is lacking? What’s wrong with you?” I was
dumbfounded.
During our school days, he was forced to eat at the cafeteria, but as soon as he
went back home, he must have been doing whatever he wanted.
“So you’re not a doctor?” Vandel pressed the point. He was being persistent. I
thought it was fine, but…
“I’m not… a doctor. But please believe me. This knowledge is not wrong. If you
follow the diet I suggested, Lord Vandel’s health will improve, and that will prove
my words true.” Lady Citroen clenched her fists and said forcefully.
Well, that was true.
“I see… So you’re not a doctor, but you have medical knowledge.”
“Hm?” I looked at Vandel at his murmur. “This might be useful.” He suddenly said
that when our eyes met.
“Hey, Saryu.”
“…What?” He stared at me intently, making me flinch.
“When can you bring this young lady to my territory? What’s the earliest date?”
“Huh?” A silly sound escaped my lips.
He grabbed me by the scruff of my neck and pulled me closer. The table leg
wobbled, and the rich scent of butter and sugar wafted up from below.
“I’ll submit a request to His Majesty in my father’s name. When? When can you
come to our earldom?” He asked, our noses almost touching. He was still as
impatient as ever.
“Well… I have work to do…” Looking at him this close, I realized how unhealthy his
complexion was. Eat more and get well, dude.
“How many days will it take you to finish?”
“…Five days, I think.”
“Then, for travel… It’ll take seven days at most… Alright, I’ll let my father know.” As
soon as he said that, he kissed me on the cheek again.
“Stop it!” I pushed him away, and he stood up smoothly and bowed respectfully to
Lady Citroen.
“Well then, I shall await you in my father’s domain, mysterious lady.” He left the
room with his usual charming smile.
And so…
Our trip to the Scene Earldom was decided.

Episode 10:
Who Said Such a Thing?!

◇◇◇
I let out a sigh before the soirée had even been going for ten minutes. This was a
mistake, I thought.
The venue was the mansion of Count Theodore.
Twenty days had already passed since Vandel came bearing engagement gifts and
asked me to visit his territory. As I had initially told him, I could have finished the
handover in five days. However, it took much longer due to arranging the travel
route and communication with Lady Citroen, obtaining my father’s permission, and
explaining everything to the crown prince.
The problem was that neither Lady Citroen nor I understood the reason for going to
Vandel’s place. The crown prince had asked me, “What’s the purpose of this trip?
What are you going to do there?” But I had no answer.
Vandel had only said, “Just come.” However, it seemed that Vandel and his father,
Count Scene, had given a proper explanation to my father. It was apparently a
confidential matter, and even the crown prince, who had been reluctant, seemed to
understand after receiving a direct explanation from Father. I sent a letter of
apology to Vandel for the significant delay in our departure, and he replied, “It can’t
be helped. You’re a prince, even if you are the third son, leaving the royal capital.” I
was a little relieved. He understood that he was asking for a favor.
Now, about the journey…
If it were just me, it wouldn’t be a problem, but traveling with Lady Citroen was
another matter. I had planned to stay at the royal family’s seasonal villas along the
way, but each lord insisted, “Please stay at my mansion!” In the end, we ended up
visiting the mansions of the lords whose territories we passed through.
They probably wanted to see Lady Citroen.
They wanted to see what kind of bride the king’s third son had taken. For the lords
who usually stayed away from the royal capital, it was a great source of gossip.
“It seems you’ll be making appearances at the mansions you stay at. Is that
alright?” I had asked Lady Citroen for her consent, and she readily agreed.
But… I had assumed it would just be dinner with the lord’s family. So, in the
carriage, I had briefly explained to Lady Citroen the name of each lord we would be
staying with, their family structure, and the characteristics of their territory. She
memorized it all to be prepared.
But I never expected…
That we would receive such a grand welcome at the first mansion.
“Well, when I told them that the prince would be staying here, everyone expressed
their desire to meet you.” Count Theodore laughed, his large belly shaking. I smiled
politely and tilted my glass.
It was quite strong liquor. Apparently, it was a local specialty. The aroma of the oak
barrel that wafted up to my nose was pleasant, even without flattery. It was the
kind of alcohol my second elder brother would like. I took another sip and looked
around the venue.
Screens and decorative flowers were placed in the center of the hall, which spanned
the entire first floor of the mansion, separating the men from the women. I was
surrounded by the host, Count Theodore, his father, his son-in-law, and some
distant relatives. We had just finished exchanging greetings. The elderly nobles had
naturally moved to the chairs and were puffing on their pipes. Near the wall, young
nobles, probably in their early teens, were looking at me nervously. When our eyes
met, they bowed awkwardly, which was incredibly endearing. They seemed eager to
talk to me, but their parents were holding them back. Occasionally, they would
approach, only to be pulled back by their attendants. That was also cute.
I pretended to look around the venue, searching for Lady Citroen. I was worried
about her. She seemed to be engaged in conversation with the hostess, Countess
Theodore, and other ladies. I wasn’t worried about her language skills, as she was
quite proficient. The problem was remembering names and ranks. I hoped she was
doing well, and I felt a paternal concern for her.
The members of my escort were stationed both inside and outside the venue for
security. They would report to me if anything happened…
I would discreetly send Raoul to her side later.
“But Prince…” I turned my attention back to the circle of conversation and smiled
politely. The man speaking to me was a middle-aged man with a broad smile. Was
he the count’s cousin? “When I heard that you snatched Lady Citroen at the
engagement ceremony in the Caravan Allied Kingdoms, I nodded and thought,
‘That’s the Winter Bear of Tidros for you.'”
I almost spat out the liquor in my mouth. I swallowed reflexively and choked
violently.
“Are you alright, Prince?” Someone patted my back in a panic, but I stopped them
with my hand and returned the glass to the servant. I wiped my mouth with a
handkerchief and managed to suppress my urge to yell, “What?!”
“It seems that some rather inaccurate rumors are circulating.”
Well, the “Winter Bear of Tidros” part was accurate.
“Oh, is that so?” All the men in the circle looked surprised, which surprised me even
more. What kind of rumors were spreading? “Well, you see… I was there as the
Queen’s escort… And I witnessed a very disrespectful scene involving Lady
Citroen… As a knight, I simply demanded an apology on her behalf…” I explained
briefly, and everyone let out a collective “Ahh.”
“Well, that’s how we came to be connected… The Queen took a liking to Lady
Citroen, and things progressed from there.”
“My, how unreliable rumors can be.”
“Hearing the truth directly from you, it’s completely different.” Everyone looked at
each other and laughed. Well, this kind of rumor was harmless. “Speaking of
rumors, Lady Citroen is also quite different from what I’ve heard.”
Count Theodore snorted, his large belly jiggling.
“Rumors?” I tilted my head.
The first time I saw Lady Citroen was at that engagement ceremony with Prince
Arios. Were there rumors circulating before that? Unfortunately, I was not familiar
with high society, so I had no idea.
“During her engagement to Prince Arios, it was said that she was arrogant because
she was from the Tania Kingdom and had the dragon mark.”
“I also heard that she didn’t appear in society because she looked down on the
Luminous royal family.” Count Theodore and his cousin nodded in agreement as
they spoke to me. Beside them, the high-ranking nobles of the territory spoke up
hesitantly.
“Well… it was said that she had difficulty speaking. That she couldn’t appear in
society because she didn’t know any foreign languages.”
“And that she was a spendthrift, that she bullied the servants… It was truly awful…”
“Who said such a thing?!” I couldn’t help but raise my voice. The surrounding
nobles flinched in surprise. Raoul called out softly behind me, “Prince,” and I quickly
composed myself.
“My apologies. I just…” But the nobles responded to my outburst with
understanding.
“We apologize for our words.”
“Of course, after meeting Lady Citroen and getting to know her, we realized those
were just malicious rumors.” Count Theodore sighed as if speaking for everyone. “It
was probably Prince Arios, who was jealous of his lost connection with Lady Citroen,
who spread those bad rumors. In reality, Lady Citroen is fluent in foreign languages,
and she shows no signs of arrogance about her lineage.”
As if on cue, everyone looked at Lady Citroen, who was across the hall. She was
listening intently to a young lady who seemed to be around her age, and then she
said something. A soft laughter enveloped them, and even the servants nearby
were smiling.
They were speaking Tidros, of course.
It wasn’t Lady Citroen’s native language. And at our first meeting, she had spoken
fluent Caravan common language.
She was a talented woman.
She was beautiful, kind, and approachable.
It was probably just that Prince Arios didn’t like Lady Citroen and didn’t take her out
to society, which led to strange rumors that were then embellished.
A thought suddenly occurred to me.
How long had it been since she last spoke her native language? I heard that she had
left her country two years ago to adapt to the Luminous royal family. And then, she
came to me as my bride.
Three years in total.
She had been living in a foreign country, speaking a foreign language, and wearing
foreign clothes. Thinking about her circumstances, I felt a strange pang in my chest.
That white veil…
It had looked like a cocoon to me.
If that was the case…
Was she wearing it and striving to become someone different from who she was
born to be?

Episode 11:
Are You Saying It Was Intentional?

“The Luminous court is in a frenzy right now,” someone murmured. I shifted my

gaze from Lady Citroen, and several others agreed with the murmur.
“The new crown princess is ignorant of the world. She’s fine in domestic social
circles, but they say she can’t be brought to diplomatic events.”
“Ah, it’s probably about the Tania envoy.”
“Envoy?” When I asked, several people nodded with frowns.
“You know how the King of Tania is furious about the broken engagement with Lady
Citroen and has stopped exporting mineral resources to Luminous, right?”
“Yeah. Because of that, we’re buying Tania’s resources from other countries.”
Everyone nodded as I spoke.
“It seems the new crown princess… uh, Crown Princess Meil, barged into the Tania
Kingdom envoy’s office and directly pleaded with them to ‘sell me jewels.'” I was
dumbfounded. “And the reason was even more ridiculous… She said it was because
there wouldn’t be enough jewels for her wedding ceremony…”
Snickers erupted from the circle of conversation. Was this a bad joke?
“Until now, well… Lady Citroen was the villain, so the current crown princess was
popular…”
“But now that the truth is out…” The nobles shrugged at each other and sipped
their drinks.
“The crown prince of the neighboring country has no discerning eye,” Raoul
whispered to me. I snorted.
That guy hurt Lady Citroen so much. It served him right to suffer a little.
“Hm?” As I was feeling irritated, Raoul let out a small sound. He must have adjusted
his volume so only I could hear him. The surrounding nobles didn’t notice. I looked
at Raoul, only moving my eyes.
He was looking at Lady Citroen.
My gaze followed his.
Lady Citroen was tilting her head, holding a tall glass. She had a slightly troubled
expression.
Wait.
Was she holding a glass before? Did she get something from a waiter while I wasn’t
looking?
I saw Eaton, her maid, rushing over from the wall. Lady Citroen discreetly left the
circle of conversation and said something to Eaton, who seemed to be frowning
deeply.
“Raoul, go.” Raoul moved before I finished speaking.
The knights on guard duty also noticed something was wrong, but they seemed to
be waiting for instructions from Raoul or me. I shook my head slightly, and they
remained on standby.
Raoul approached Lady Citroen and Eaton and asked them what was going on.
Eaton complained angrily, and Lady Citroen tried to calm her down. Raoul nodded,
took the glass from Lady Citroen, and she bowed to him with a relieved but
somewhat apologetic expression. Raoul hurriedly stopped her.
Lady Citroen, urged by Eaton, quietly rejoined the circle of conversation. The
noblewomen looked puzzled, wondering what had happened, but they graciously
included Lady Citroen back into their conversation.
“What happened?” I left the circle of nobles and spoke to Raoul, who had returned.
“This.” Raoul handed me the glass.
It was the one Lady Citroen was holding earlier. Judging by the color, it seemed to
be orange juice mixed with carbonated water. Was there something in it?
“Can I smell it?” He shoved the glass under my nose, startling me.
“Is it rotten or something?”
“No, it’s not that.” I took the glass from him and cautiously brought it closer to my
nose. It smelled like orange juice, as expected. The refreshing citrus scent tickled
my nose.
“Hm?”
But my brow furrowed. It wasn’t just that. I brought the glass even closer to my
nose, even though it was bad manners.
“Isn’t there peach in this?” My voice turned sharp. I could faintly smell the
distinctive sweet scent.
“Right?” Raoul’s eyes also flashed with anger.
We had sent a notice to the lords of each territory we were staying at. Lady Citroen
couldn’t eat peaches or apples. We had explicitly requested that they not be used in
any meals or sweets. Ever since she was a child, eating them would cause her
throat and face to swell, and she would get a fever. It had gotten worse over the
years, and now she would feel sick even just from touching the juice. So, we had
asked them to absolutely avoid those ingredients in her meals.
Indeed, they hadn’t been used in tonight’s dinner or dessert.
And yet…
Why was there peach here?
“…How did Lady Citroen get this glass?”
“She said a servant approached her and said, ‘Here you go, Princess,’ so she
assumed it was orange juice and took it. Apparently, she had requested orange
juice earlier.” It certainly looked like it. Even when held up to the light, I could only
see the orange liquid and the fine bubbles of the carbonated water.
“But she noticed the smell when she brought it close to her nose… and was
wondering what to do.”
“Did they mistake her for someone else?” It seemed possible if it was a common
soft cocktail.
“But he called her ‘Princess,’ right? There’s no other woman in this venue who
would be addressed with that title.” Raoul’s voice lowered. He was emanating a
sharp vigilance like a trained guard dog.
“Are you saying it was intentional?” When I asked, he answered honestly, “Yes,”
and I couldn’t help but let out a wry laugh.
“It’s too early to make a fuss. Let’s observe the situation a little longer.” Raoul
frowned in dissatisfaction. I shrugged. “Find the servant who gave Lady Citroen this
glass. Let’s hear what they have to say. We’ll start from there. I don’t want to cause
a scene at an event like this, which is basically Lady Citroen’s introduction to
everyone, and it would be awkward to create misunderstandings.”
Raoul finally seemed to understand. I signaled to a few knights near the wall with
finger gestures and headed towards the entrance.
“Is something the matter?” The count asked, and I smiled politely.
“No, it’s nothing. Excuse me, I just need to talk to my subordinate for a moment.” I
said and returned to the conversation.
 Episode 12:
Will You Sleep on the Sofa With Me, or in the Bed With Me?

◇◇◇
Two hours later, Lady Citroen and I stood facing each other in the bedroom.
“This might be awkward, but… please pretend I’m just part of the furniture,” I said,
bowing slightly. Lady Citroen’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Not at all! I’m the one intruding…” She bowed as well, and I instinctively bowed
again.
My father and the crown prince had strictly ordered me not to “touch her” until the
wedding, so we had separate bedrooms and living spaces in my mansion… But
during this trip, I wasn’t sure what to do.
“We have separate bedrooms until the wedding.” I could explain that and ask for
separate rooms, but I didn’t want any more strange rumors to spread. Like, “It
seems that young lady didn’t work out again.”
I was agonizing over whether to emphasize discretion or project an air of being
loved, and now another problem had surfaced. The possibility that Lady Citroen
might be targeted. Just an hour ago, after a heated discussion among the Knights’
Order…
“Captain, separate bedrooms are a bad idea. It’s too dangerous.” Everyone had said
that, so I decided to follow their conclusion. Even Raoul, who was always keeping an
eye on me to make sure I didn’t “touch” Lady Citroen in my mansion, agreed with
this opinion. So that he could be the first to respond if anything happened.
They probably felt that having the “Winter Bear of Tidros” by her side would be
reassuring. Well, the one most likely to attack her was me, so this situation felt
dangerous in its own way, but I had no choice but to suppress my instincts with my
iron will.
“So, I’ll sleep over there.” I grabbed a pillow and pointed to the sofa. As expected of
an earl’s mansion, the guest room was quite spacious. There was a sofa, a fireplace,
a counter bar, a canopy bed… Apparently, it even had a balcony.
“I can’t let you sleep on the sofa, Prince! I’ll sleep there!” Lady Citroen raised her
hand resolutely, and I burst out laughing.
“No, I can’t let a young lady sleep in such a place. I wouldn’t be a proper prince.”
“A young lady…? I’m not that young anymore…” Lady Citroen blushed and looked
embarrassed. Wait, wasn’t someone in their early twenties still considered a young
lady?
“Well then, let’s sleep together in this bed.” Lady Citroen looked at me with a
serious gaze, and I almost recoiled.
“Please just pretend I’m not here. I’ll stay still on the edge.” The problem wasn’t
whether she could stay still, but whether I could.
“…No, I’ll sleep on the sofa…”
“Then I’ll sleep on the sofa too. With you. Which do you prefer?”
She cornered me.
“……………Then, the bed.” Honestly, I wanted to sleep on the sofa. Because it would
obviously be more intimate than the bed. Even if we ended up close together, I
could say, “It’s because it’s narrow, there’s no other way.” I could make excuses.
We could cuddle and sleep together. We could snuggle up together.
But…
Could my self-control hold up?! Could I really resist touching her?! Really?!
No.
Impossible!
I knew myself best.
I would touch her.
I would definitely touch her.
And if I was going to regret it later, it was far better to endure on the edge of the
bed.
“Then, I’ll stay still over there.” Lady Citroen smiled, seemingly relieved, and
climbed onto the bed. She crawled on all fours, moving to the far end of the bed. At
that moment, the hem of her nightgown rode up, and I caught a glimpse of her very
white calves. I quickly looked away. This was bad. I was about to stare.
Her every movement was like a small animal, so cute.
I wished…
I wished she would be a little more…
A little more masculine in her movements! Otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to control
myself!
“Is this far enough?” Lady Citroen sat down, her bottom planted firmly at the very
edge of the bed, and tilted her head at me.
…Yes. I believe that’s an appropriate distance, one that allows us to avoid a critical
situation.
Excellent.
“Don’t go too far to the edge and fall off.” I chuckled wryly and sat down on the
edge of the bed. The springs creaked.
Come to think of it, Lady Citroen had moved around so much on the bed, but she
hadn’t made a sound. She was so light. At the same time…
The words “Lady Citroen moving on the bed” triggered my imagination, and I felt
depressed at my own weakness.
“What’s wrong?” I turned to her voice and saw Lady Citroen tilting her head,
hugging a pillow to her chest. She looked like a small bird.
“It’s nothing, it’s nothing, it’s nothing. Ah, right.” I couldn’t just keep my head down.
I forcibly changed the subject. “About that drink earlier…”
I sat cross-legged on the bed and spoke to Lady Citroen.
About the peach-tainted drink.
“Apparently, it was meant for another lady, but it was brought to you by mistake…
They apologized profusely.”
“Is that so? Please… don’t make a big deal out of it.” She said apologetically, her
eyebrows lowered.
Well…
It was a blatant lie.
In reality, the servant hadn’t been found.
Eaton, her maid, had seen the servant who gave Lady Citroen the glass, and Raoul
and a few knights had searched for him based on his appearance, but he was
nowhere to be found. I checked with the head butler, but there was no servant with
such physical characteristics.
That’s when I, and the Knights’ Order, became wary, or rather, alarmed.
Someone was targeting Lady Citroen.
We didn’t know why. She had only been in this country for a short time. She hadn’t
done anything to make enemies, and she hadn’t even had a formal introduction to
society yet.
“Be extremely careful.” In the end, I had no choice but to give that order and
become her closest protector.
“Are you tired?” Lady Citroen narrowed her violet eyes. I had suddenly fallen silent,
and she must have been worried.
“I’m fine. How about you, Lady Citroen…? Ah.” I shifted my position and turned to
face her. She looked at me curiously. “Right, right. I was thinking… when it’s just
the two of us, why don’t we speak Tania?”
Lady Citroen’s violet eyes widened when I spoke to her in Tania.
“I know I just said that, but I’m terrible at your honorifics and polite language. I can
only speak in slang like this.” I scratched my head. I only used Tania when
interrogating bandits, so I hadn’t learned proper foreign language etiquette.
“No… that’s not a problem, but… why do you ask?” But she replied in perfect
Tidros.
“Well, you see… you’ve been speaking foreign languages all this time. Don’t you
miss your native language sometimes?” She had barely been back to her home
country in the past few years.
In Luminous, she had been under pressure and forced to communicate in a foreign
language in a harsh environment.
It was the same here.
Even I could tell that she was living with a lot of tension, determined not to make
any mistakes.
“Of course, you have to speak Tidros in public… but when it’s just the two of us,
let’s use Tania.” I laughed, adding, “Well, even though I’m terrible at it.”
But…
Lady Citroen’s expression stiffened, and she tightened her grip on the pillow she
was hugging. I was confused.
“…Citroen?” I softly called her name.
Did I upset her?
That’s what I thought instinctively.
Was my suggestion not even a comfort to her?
Or…
Was she angry that I was making fun of her?
A chill ran down my spine.
“Why are you so kind to me?” Lady Citroen’s peach-colored lips formed Tania
words. I was relieved. She wasn’t angry.

Episode 13:
Show Me
“Kind? Me?” I shrugged playfully, but Lady Citroen remained stiff.
“Even at the engagement ceremony when we first met, you protected me… And
since coming to this country, you’ve been so kind…”
“Well… that’s…” I hunched over slightly to meet her gaze. “Because we’re going to
be husband and wife, right? It’s normal for a husband to be kind to his wife.”
“Husband and wife…” Lady Citroen murmured.
At that moment, I felt a sense of dissonance. She was looking straight at me with
her clear eyes.
But…
How should I put it?
It felt like she was looking past me, seeing something else.
What was it?
I stared at Lady Citroen. But she remained silent for a long time, without saying a
word.
“…Um, Prince.” After what felt like an eternity, she finally addressed me. Her eyes,
fixed on me, were filled with tension, and her shoulders had been stiff the whole
time. “Would you… look at my dragon mark?” She asked me politely, as expected.
“The dragon mark…? Well, that’s…” I couldn’t help but feel flustered.
Because…
Didn’t she say it was in the middle of her chest?
“The dragon mark was my pride. At least, it was back in my homeland.” Lady
Citroen’s face was small and round. Her lips, usually curved in a gentle smile,
forming a peaceful crescent moon. She was like a warm ray of sunshine, like a
freshly baked pastry, comforting and cozy. But now, she was tense, her aura like
the sky before a thunderstorm.
“The dragon is a god to our country, the country itself. I was raised to believe that
the royal family, bearing its mark, is noble and embodies the nation.” Lady Citroen’s
eyes were like amethysts. Her very being was like a precious stone. Her existence
itself was like a jewel to me.
“I’ve heard that too.” I nodded honestly.
She let out a pained, labored sigh. Even though she looked so distressed…
She said, “Thank you.”
“I’m truly grateful to the people of this country who understand and sympathize
with our history and culture.”
“That’s because you love this country in the same way, Citroen.”
Indeed, she hadn’t spoken her native language until I encouraged her to, and she
hadn’t even tried to wear her homeland’s clothes until now.
“But I’ve learned firsthand that not all countries reciprocate kindness with
kindness.” Those words slipped out from her as she lowered her head. “…I
apologize. That was a slip of the tongue.”
She lifted her head, her expression serious. Her strangely colored silver hair
swayed, leaving afterimages in the air.
“It’s all my fault for being inadequate.”
“Stop blaming yourself for everything that happened.” My words came out harsh,
but Lady Citroen, for some reason, looked pleased.
“You really are kind, Prince. You haven’t changed.” She smiled and then fell silent
again.
There it was again, I thought. She said I “haven’t changed” once more.
When and where did we meet?
I had no recollection of it at all.
I stared at her intently. She remained motionless, biting her lower lip. She was
hesitating about something. But she was trying to speak. She was trying to tell me
something. Then, all I could do was wait.