“Amelia. We’re going on our honeymoon.”

“I know, Your Highness.”

“It’s a trip for us to get to know each other better.”

“That’s true, but since you suddenly changed the destination, naturally when we get to Waynes…”

“So of course, I didn’t tell any family that I was going to Waynes. I didn’t say anything to the lord of Waynes either.”

“…You didn’t?”

“Yes. The only ones who know I’m going to Waynes are the Imperial Knights and His Majesty.”

Something I never expected, something that shouldn’t have come out of his mouth, popped out.

Of course, what we’re going on now is a honeymoon, but why is that so important?

He’s the Crown Prince, someone who has to squeeze every moment to attend to state affairs.

So isn’t it natural that our trip would be different from that of ordinary couples?

As I looked at him with an uncomprehending face, Leoprick cleared his throat softly and opened his mouth with a serious gaze.

“And the reason I changed the destination to Waynes is simply because I thought you might like it.”

“…Pardon?”

He concluded with an excessively serious face.

And once again, slowly, as if to confirm that what I had just heard was true, he continued.

“This is our honeymoon, Amelia. I really wanted it to be just the two of us.”

“…”

For a moment, I was at a loss for words.

It was because his face was unnecessarily serious.

No, to be precise, it was also because I didn’t know how to respond to his gaze.

There was something deeply etched in his eyes that stared straight at me, something I didn’t understand.

That emotion, which he couldn’t quite put into words and which he was still cautiously conveying, somehow rendered me immobile.

Suddenly, I was reminded of how overly affectionate he was last night.

The one who said there were no clauses he wanted in the contract, who almost begged me to allow him to stay by my side.

“I…”

What should I say in response?

That I’m only unfamiliar with this, and that I can’t believe he changed the destination for my sake?

Or should I just lightly thank him according to social etiquette and end the conversation?

The time stretched on as I moved my lips, searching for words to say.

Then Leoprick smiled faintly and continued as if it was okay.

“I wasn’t going to say this much, but you seem to be so oblivious that I’m telling you. I’m not someone who’s only obsessed with work.”

“What do you mean by that…”

“I mean I’m not someone who pretends to be too busy to make time for the woman he has in mind.”

He answered a bit playfully and smiled again with his eyes.

Those eyes full of laughter were so warm that I felt my shoulders, which had been tense until just now, relax a little.

At the same time, I was caught on the phrase “the woman he has in mind.”

Because he had never once said that he had me in mind.

I shook my head, thinking that even that was just a joke to lighten the mood.

“I appreciate your words, Your Highness. But this is not a short trip. We can’t use all this time just to get to know each other.”

“His Majesty has also permitted this. He said that since we started differently, we should try to get a little closer.”

You know how close the two Majesties are, don’t you?

He told me this was the order of both the Emperor and Empress.

He also repeatedly emphasized that they told us to create the image of a real couple who love and respect each other, in line with the ‘normal’ of the two Majesties.

Even though I knew that the two Majesties were special, and that everyone’s ‘normal’ was the calm and colorless image I had proposed.

I couldn’t help but sigh.

While a harmonious marriage wouldn’t be a flaw in strengthening imperial power, it wasn’t an essential element either.

Strong and loyal in-laws and a solid heir were also absolutely necessary, but that didn’t guarantee eternal imperial power either.

It was just part of the process of strengthening imperial power.

In-laws and heirs were more likely to become obstacles to imperial power once it had strengthened to some extent.

So he should be prepared to discard me at any time.

Why am I thinking such nonsense again?

“Even if the two Majesties ordered so, people who have just met can’t possibly harbor such deep affection.”

I sighed, thinking all of this was his nonsensical joke.

“Since you say it’s an order, I’ll try, but please don’t ask for too much, Your Highness.”

Was Leoprick always this naive at this time?

The more I try to recall the Leoprick from my previous life, the more I remember him maintaining appropriate boundaries and being more polite to me than to others.

So him urging us to get closer, claiming it’s the Emperor and Empress’s order, feels like a stranger to me.

The expression of Leoprick sitting opposite me seemed to twist slightly, but I turned my gaze to the window.

What’s important is our purpose, not this childish game.

* * *

The carriage, sunk in silence, traveled for a very long time and arrived at a small village.

Judging that it was too dark to continue the journey, Leoprick instructed to stay here for the night.

Some of the knights dispersed to find lodging.

And until then, I hadn’t spoken a word to him.

“…”

“…”

It was a silence that had continued for hours.

There was nothing particularly awkward about prolonging it for a few more minutes now.

But for some reason, Leoprick had been watching me little by little since earlier.

I tried to ignore him and continued turning the pages of the book I was holding.

Just as I thought he might open his mouth again and say something absurd.

“Your Highness. We’ve found lodging.”

With perfect timing, the imperial knight who had gone to find lodging returned.

As he lightly knocked on the carriage door, Leoprick’s long sigh echoed.

Hearing that sound, I bit my lips tightly to hold back my laughter.

When I opened the carriage window, I saw Lord Daeon, one of the knights who came with us, bowing his head.

“My Lord, is the lodging far from here?”

“Not really. It’s close enough to walk.”

“Is that so? Then we can walk a bit, right?”

If it’s close enough to walk, we can get out of the carriage, can’t we?

Partly because of the long carriage journey, but also because I had been engaged in an invisible battle of nerves with Leoprick the whole way, I needed some fresh air.

As I moved my body looking at Lord Daeon, Leoprick suddenly grabbed the carriage door.

“I’ll go with you instead.”

“Yes. That’s fine.”

Leoprick, who said he would go together with an almost solemn face, opened the carriage door, then widened his eyes at my casual response.

“I’m glad you said that.”

“…What do you mean?”

“That you allowed me to stand by your side.”

Leoprick looked at me with a bright smile that could make even withered flowers bloom.

Did he think I would refuse?

No, before that, is agreeing to go together such a joyous thing?

I looked at that smile pouring solely on me for a moment before turning my gaze away.

“Let’s go quickly. We should rest before the sun sets.”

But Leoprick, regardless of my attitude, got out of the carriage first.

Lord Daeon, who was waiting for us in front of the door, immediately reached out his hand to me.

“Princess, your hand.”

“Ah…”

I was about to take that hand without thinking and get out of the carriage.

At the moment my legs wobbled a bit, perhaps tired from the long carriage journey.

“I’ll escort my wife.”

Leoprick, not Lord Daeon, wrapped his arm around my wobbling waist and pulled me into his arms.

It happened in an instant.

Him taking me into his arms.

Something being placed in my outstretched hand.

I couldn’t shake off the small note that had suddenly entered my hand, nor could I ask Lord Daeon who had handed me the note anything.

I just quietly clenched my fist slightly so that what I was holding in my hand wouldn’t be seen.

* * *

The first thing I did when I arrived at the lodging was to unfold the note.

Throughout the journey, Leoprick kept glancing at me as if he wanted to hold my hand.

However, I, who already had something in my hand that seemed like it shouldn’t be discovered by him, naturally avoided his gaze.

That’s how I came to the lodging, keeping a slight distance from him quietly.

For some reason, I felt like I had to do that.

When I thought of Lord Daeon, who had handed me this thing and acted as if nothing had happened, I strongly felt that only I should know about this.

I also remembered that in my memories, he was particularly loyal to the imperial family.

Would such a person do something this absurd without any reason?

Fortunately, when I said I would go up to my room, Leoprick let me go without saying anything.

Then he left the room, saying he would come back shortly.

As soon as I sat down in the chair, I opened my hand to check the note Lord Daeon had given me first.

…Has Lord Daeon gone mad?

That was my first thought when I saw the note.

The content seemed like something that would appear in a passionate lover’s secret meeting, so for a moment, I thought Lord Daeon was a person with something wrong in his head.

To send such a note to his lord’s wife. Has he lost his mind?

Or could it be that he sent a letter meant for Leoprick to me by mistake?

But no matter how I thought about it, Lord Daeon seemed to be just the epitome of a proper knight.

I carefully examined the note once again.

Content that would make the heart of the lady who sees it throb passionately.

Handwriting that clearly seems to have been written in haste.

And the familiar habit visible over those hurriedly scrawled letters…

“…He must be crazy.”

Yes. He must be crazy.

Not Lord Daeon, but Lloyd Alois.

Him, who boldly sent such a preposterous note to me as I was leaving on my honeymoon.

And him, who even reached out to the knight escorting me and Leoprick, of all people.

Now as before, he shows not even the slightest consideration for me.

Even though he must have known about Leoprick who would be by my side under the pretext of a honeymoon, he acts like this, ignoring both me and him.

He didn’t care at all about how I would feel anxious knowing that the knight right next to me had been bribed.

Recalling Lloyd, who moves only for his own benefit, made my teeth chatter.

Worried that someone might see, I hurriedly threw the note into the fireplace.

The note, flying weakly and catching fire, crackled as it burned and soon disappeared without a trace.

It seemed I would have to give Leoprick a hint to be careful of Lord Daeon.