Liselotte"s Side (Part 1) Recently the Crown Prince, His Highness Prince Siegward, has been acting strangely.
Although the two of us are engaged, neither of us had the opportunity to meet with the other often before attending the academy, so our relationship still isn"t wholly familiar.
His Highness is of a calm mind and spirit, whilst I"m headstrong and not cute at all. It"s difficult to say we suit one another.
I don"t want to believe it, but I know I"m not liked.
We have never called each other by a nickname and unlike Artur Richter, I have never held a casual talk with His Highness.
There has always been a sense of distance between us.
However…
Even so…
“Finne. It is unbecoming to become so familiar with a gentleman who already has a fiancée. Putting the cases of Artur Richter and Bard aside… His Highness is officially engaged to me. Even if you do not care much for what people think, there still might be trouble if you are whispered about in vulgar rumours related to myself and His Highness. Could you please keep such a thing in mind?”
Just why is it that I can only speak in such a curt and uptight way?
Even though I hate how I sound, my words don"t stop.
That poor girl on the other end of those venomous words looked like she was on the verge of tears.
“Liselotte, are you jealous?
Yet despite that, His Highness boldly cut into the heavy atmosphere between myself and that cute girlFinne with an effortlessly elegant smile on his face.
“W-What, that is… I…”
Ah, it really is strange after all.
Just when has His Highness ever looked my way with such a heartwarming smile?
A mixture of shame about having been so easily read and a feeling of wanting to cry being stared at by those tender amber eyes washed over me.
All I could do was foolishly stand there with my mouth agape, struggling to find any words.
My cheeks getting warmer.
“During the practice match before, I didn"t call out to you because I didn"t know if a lady would be interested in seeing such things. Shunning you or leaving you out of the fun, I never had any intention of doing that.”
It really is strange after all.
Lately, it feels as if His Highness can read me perfectly.
And what"s more, those eyes… Was he really looking at me with eyes as if he was looking at something dear to him?
“So, I apologize if I made you feel lonely?”
I was lonely.
It was as if he had laid my heart bare for all to see… I"m embarra.s.sed, I"m happy, I"m embarra.s.sed to be so happy… Basically, jeez, I don"t know what to think.
“I… It"s nothing like that, however, ah, my pride and honour won"t allow you to… Ah! …Uu!!”
Those hateful words began to tumble out of my mouth without permission once again as I angrily tried to bite them back.
Feeling like I couldn"t stay around them anymore, even though it was rude and unbecoming I tried to escape without offering a proper parting.
“Where are you going, my adorable lady? Isn"t it important that you"re here as well, to prevent any vulgar rumours starting?”
But before I could, His Highness caught my hand.
As I looked back with teary eyes, I saw His Highness, Bard, Artur Richter and even Finne with warm smiles on their faces, even though I had just done something so rude.
Why?
Just why was that?
“…au…”
Lost in confusion, a small sound escaped from my lips like a whistle.
“What on earth, that"s too cute.”
His Highness said that with a completely straight face.
“…Huh?”
What? Too cute?
He was calling me cute? Like Finne?
“Heey, earth to Sieeeg, have you forgotten we"re here too?”
In amazement, Artur Richter called out to His Highness.
“Don"t you think you"re too mean too, princess…? Even though you smacked my hand away, you let Sieg take it so easily like that.”
Despite how embarra.s.sing it was to hear those frivolous words behind his smile… I couldn"t shake off His Highness" hand. It goes without saying I couldn"t smack it away either.
“Well that"s because she"s my fiancée, right?”
His Highness, saying that with a calm smile, slowly bent down to place his lips on my hand just like what had been attempted before.
“…Ah.”
His lips touched it.
I needn"t even say it.
And when he looked up at me, I… Ah…
“Liselotte!?”
As of late, even before the sun rises, the thumping of my heart wakes me before I open my eyes.
Horrible, horrible dreams. Those terrible nightmares that swallow me whole in a dark abyss of envy as I sleep are enough to shake me awake in a cold sweat.
I don"t sleep well anymore, I"m constantly irritated and wondering just what is wrong with me and I"m ashamed by it. To put it simply…
I think that I am losing my mind.
The last thing I saw was that bright blonde hair and those amber eyes.
Prince Siegward"s colours.
My light.
My love.
I love him so much that the word love doesn"t do it justice.
I love Prince Siegward.
As I lost consciousness, that was the only thing that was clear in my clouded mind.