After going around almost the entire garden and greeting the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester’s acquaintances, Alicia was at a point where she could no longer tell who was who.
In the end, Alicia followed Eric’s advice and just responded with a polite smile while slowly nodding her head.
Seeing this, Eric whispered softly with the same expression.
“It’s quite a good method, isn’t it?”
“Yes, but you know, a doll that just nods its head with a foolish smile. Don’t we look like that set?”
“Who cares. We should be grateful we can even do this much.”
“They’ll hear you.”
Alicia chided as she lightly hit Eric’s arm.
However, after about 30 minutes, Alicia also started to get tired gradually.
“You’re doing well. Just a little more energy.”
“How much longer do I have to do this?”
“I feel like I’m going to die too.”
They asked and answered each other with their mouths tightly shut.
Although they no longer had the strength to nod their heads, they still had smiles on their faces.
Only after making a full round like that did the Duke and Duchess seem satisfied and let the two go.
“Now spend some relaxed time together. We won’t interfere any further.”
“Yes, take a cozy stroll too. The flowers have bloomed quite nicely.”
“Then shall we see you when we return?”
“See what? Let’s each go back on our own. Our business is done, so we don’t care what you do here, whether you leave or what you do outside.”
“I understand… Pardon?”
Leaving Eric and Alicia bewildered and asking again, the Duke and Duchess walked away with grinning smiles.
After standing blankly for a moment, Eric quickly grabbed Alicia’s hand and pulled.
“Let’s hurry and go too. Before they change their minds.”
They hurriedly walked in the opposite direction of the Duke and Duchess and escaped from that place.
Finally, the most difficult time was over.
[This is the timeline separator]When they were left alone, far enough to feel safe, a sigh of relief came out naturally.
Perhaps because she was unfamiliar with the imperial palace, Alicia felt her strength draining from a strange sense of alienation, so she took a deep breath to compose herself.
“You worked hard.”
“Eric, you worked hard too.”
“Now let’s relax a bit.”
“Shall we sit somewhere?”
“Are you okay? You don’t look well.”
“I’ll feel better after resting a bit.”
“Let’s go sit over there.”
Eric looked around and then walked towards a table set up in one corner of the garden.
It looked good for resting as it was moderately secluded and had shade.
“Ah. Um.”
Only after reaching the table did Eric realize he had been holding hands the whole time, and awkwardly let go of Alicia’s hand.
“It’s okay. It was fitting for a fiancé.”
“As long as it looked that way. Sit down first. Want to drink something cool?”
“Sounds good.”
“Then wait here for a moment. I’ll bring something. Anything else you need?”
“Hmm-. Just something to drink is enough.”
“Alright. Get some rest.”
While Eric was away getting drinks, Alicia sat down and looked around.
‘Why did I feel that way?’
The imperial palace was grand, the garden was beautiful, and the people looked happy.
Although she didn’t particularly like crowded places, Alicia was enjoying it as a unique experience.
So it was strange to think she felt alienated because it was unfamiliar.
At that moment, Eric came back with cool cocktails and handed one to Alicia.
“How is it?”
“It’s delicious. What about yours?”
“Well, it’s so-so.”
“You don’t like it?”
“It’s a bit sweet.”
“Want to switch? This one isn’t sweet.”
Alicia exchanged glasses with Eric.
“Yeah, this is a bit better.”
Eric nodded after taking a sip.
In fact, he preferred regular alcohol to cocktails, but there was no choice.
“Those two have good stamina.”
“Indeed.”
The two looked with amazement at their parents who were still walking around.
“You’re holding up better than I expected? Though you do look tired.”
“It’s not bad. The weather is nice, people are kind, and the flowers are pretty. And-.”
“?”
She smiled, saying it was nothing.
Although he said he didn’t like these kinds of gatherings and didn’t have much experience, he turned out to be more dependable than expected.
She was grateful that he quickly noticed she was nervous, and kept holding her hand and comforting her because of that.
“I really can’t understand why they gather everyone to look at mere flowers.”
“But seeing pretty things makes you feel good, doesn’t it?”
“Hmm. Then what kind of flower do you like?”
“Pardon?”
“There are so many, which one?”
“Ah-. Well…”
After looking around for a moment, she pointed to lily of the valley.
“If I had to choose, something like that?”
“Ah, that. It suits you.”
“Does it?”
“Yes. More than that.”
Alicia shifted her gaze to where Eric was pointing and saw gorgeously beautiful double roses.
“Flashy ones don’t suit me?”
“Huh?”
Alicia seemed to have asked casually, but Eric closed his mouth at some indescribably chilly feeling.
He strongly felt like he had made some kind of mistake.
“It’s not that they don’t suit you-.”
“Not that they don’t suit me?”
“Well, how should I put it. It’s more like a feeling that this kind of atmosphere fits you better-.”
“And?”
“Let’s say it doesn’t matter?”
“It doesn’t matter? You mean you don’t care either way?”
“No, that’s not it, I mean anything is fine?”
“Anything is fine? You mean you don’t mind at all?”
Alicia, who seemed to be teasing but also displeased while smiling brightly, was currently more difficult for Eric than ‘the correlation between geometry and aesthetics’.
While Eric was at a loss for what to do, someone called out.
“Count Russell.”
Eric turned his head towards the voice, grateful for being saved from the crisis situation, but unexpectedly, the person who called out was Prince Harry.
“Your Highness.”
As Eric and Alicia stood up from their seats to pay their respects, Harry lightly bowed his head to receive the greeting.
“Are you enjoying yourselves?”
“Of course, Your Highness. Shall I introduce my fiancée?”
Eric smiled and pulled Alicia’s hand towards himself.
Alicia, who was pulled over suddenly, was flustered but soon smiled.
Harry looked at the hand Eric was holding for a moment, then turned to Alicia.
“No need for introductions. Let’s consider it done earlier. But is this our first time meeting, Miss Alicia Lancaster?”
“Yes, I believe so, Your Highness.”
“I see.”
Watching Prince Harry nod his head, Alicia felt strange and squeezed the hand she was holding.
“I hope we can see each other often from now on. Ah yes. Congratulations on your engagement.”
“Thank you, Your Highness.”
“Then.”
Annoyed that Harry didn’t even look at him while giving his final greeting, Eric spoke sarcastically.
“I heard you’ll be participating in the joint training preparations. You must be getting busy soon, Your Highness?”
“Well, I won’t be that busy. Count Russell will be busy.”
“It’s just what I’ve been doing. I expect Your Highness will help a lot.”
“There’s no need for me. My brother will take care of it.”
After replying indifferently, he turned to Alicia again.
“Well then, see you later.”
As Harry walked away, Alicia let out a sigh of relief as if the tension was released.
“Alicia?”
“I’m fine. I guess I was nervous. It’s my first time talking to a royal for this long. I’ve moved up in the world, haven’t I?”
As Alicia laughed, Eric looked at her for a moment before laughing along.
“Really?”
“Yes.”
Alicia nodded and turned her gaze straight ahead.
She pretended to laugh as if nothing was wrong, but in reality, it wasn’t so.
‘What was that chill just now?’
Trying to smile so Eric wouldn’t notice, she stroked her opposite arm with one hand.
It felt as if someone was scrutinizing her from head to toe.
Eric frowned slightly as he looked down at her.
‘It doesn’t seem to be because of that.’
There’s no way Alicia didn’t notice Harry’s strange gaze that even he had noticed.
But if Alicia didn’t want to talk about it, he had no choice but to go along with it for now.
“You don’t need to be so nervous. Royals are people too.”
“Oh, as expected of someone with experience.”
“Excuse me, you two.”
“Prince William.”
“I’ve finally been able to greet you. You’re such popular people, it was hard to get a chance.”
As soon as he saw William smiling playfully, Eric whispered to Alicia.
“Alicia. There are also approachable royals.”
“Pardon?”
“Get used to this guy.”
Hearing the playful tone, Alicia looked at Eric and then turned her gaze to William.
Seeing William smiling brightly at Eric and Alicia, she suddenly felt like laughing.
“?”
“I’m sorry, it’s an honor to meet you, Your Highness.”
After looking quizzically at Alicia who burst into laughter upon seeing him, William extended his hand towards her.
Then he took Alicia’s outstretched hand, lightly kissed the back of it, and grinned.
“So it was you.”
“?”
“Yes, this is my fiancée you were so curious about.”
“I see. I’m truly glad to meet you.”
William chided Eric and smiled again at Alicia.
“I hope you’re enjoying yourselves.”
“Yes, we are, Your Highness.”
“I’m glad to hear that.”
“…”
“Why that expression, Count Russell?”
“It’s nothing. How should I put it, it’s a serious side I haven’t seen before.”
“Hey, what exactly have you been thinking of me as?”
After looking incredulously at Eric who was grinning, he turned his gaze to Alicia.
“I heard you were talking with Harry earlier?”
“Ah, yes. We greeted each other.”
“Don’t worry too much about it.”
“Pardon?”
William smiled apologetically.
“Harry tends to be quiet and look gloomy, but he’s not a bad person.”
“No, I didn’t think that way, Your Highness.”
“It’s okay. I know he’s often misunderstood. Not many people would believe me even if I said so.”
Alicia was well aware of the subtle relationship between the princes.
Nevertheless, William, who spoke well of Harry and tried hard, seemed like a good person.
“Besides, this guy seems to care quite a bit about his fiancée, last time he almost killed Harry just for mentioning-”
“Please shut that mouth!”
Giggling at Eric’s outburst, William spoke seriously.
“Well, now’s not the time for you to worry about Harry. There are many people here, if they hear rumors about you-”
“Your Highness!”
“?”
Alicia looked back and forth between the flustered Eric and the giggling William with a confused expression.
“Alright, alright. I’ll stop.”
“You’ve already said almost everything, haven’t you?”
“No, that’s not true. There’s still a lot left?”
“……”
“Okay, okay. I’ll stop.”
William giggled and then stopped laughing to speak seriously.
“Then Eric. Shall we talk separately for a moment?”
_____
In This Life I Love You Again (Modern Female-dominant)
Xie Zhi and Fang Xianxing who had known each other for less than three days through a blind date sat in the same car in front of the civil affairs bureau. They had a disagreement and failed to get married.
Xie Zhi immediately took out his phone, slid through his contacts, and randomly selected the next marriage candidate.
The woman snatched his phone and hung up. Looking at his phone wallpaper, she awkwardly changed the subject: “An ancient painting, eh? It looks pretty good, it’s just that the person in the painting looks a bit like me.”
When he heard this, he sarcastically mocked her for being so delusional, completely unaware that, the person in front of him was the reincarnation of Wen Ru, the famous prime minister of Yuan Shun whom he most admired…
The female CEO who doesn’t want to get married with a divorce agreement in hand × The male archaeological researcher who will only get married if he’s sure he can get divorced
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