Princess Bibliophile

Volume 01; Act 04 – Part 02

His Highness took me to his office. The maid served the tea, and then His Highness dismissed her. It was just the two of us in this room.

First and foremost, I have something that I really want to ask him.

… Why are you sitting next to me, Your Highness?

You’re drinking tea gracefully even though you had said that it was an urgent matter regarding the survival of the royal family. He sighed, and it sounded like he was relieved.

He turned towards me and slowly reached out to me. His Highness’s hands which looked on the verge of touching me, or not, was on my cheeks. His fingertips touched my ears, and even my messy hair.

“I’ve finally caught you.”

The sweet smile, which I have never seen before, sent heat running to my cheeks, and even the tips of my ears.

His Highness Christopher smiled wider, and his blue eyes softened.

“Sorry, Elli. I’ve caused you a lot of misunderstandings and anxiety.”

I felt like I was going to tilt my head, but I stiffened because His Highness was still touching me. His Highness laughed mischievously, “Fufu,” and then began talking, “Actually, four years ago… or perhaps I should say, it was actually almost 10 years ago… No, wait, yeah. Old man Bernstein and the Marquis gave me some conditions when I got engaged to you.”

“Conditions?”

“Yes. The first was to get the marriage approved by the nobles without using the Bernstein’s hidden name. The second was… to make you more interested in me than books.”

I was at a loss for words. His Highness laughed, faintly traced my cheeks then pulled his hands away.

“The deadline was four years. It was until you came of age. If the conditions aren’t met by this time, then the engagement would be cancelled, and you, Alfred and the Marquis… would be pulled from court and confined in your fief.”

“Oh…”

I didn’t know this at all. I wanted to say, but it was completely different from what I had initially heard. His Highness sighed a little.

“And even when you came of age, I couldn’t force our marriage. Sorry. I made you feel uneasy.”

He looked me straight in the eyes and expressed his feelings of gratitude. I faltered faintly and tried to calm my fluttering pulse.

“… What if you told me this at the beginning?”

“Well…” his sky blue eyes looked off into the distance and stared at the air.

“If I had told Elli at that time, then you would have definitely replied with 『Why don’t you choose another fiancée instead of doing something so troublesome? 』.”

“……”

I couldn’t reply to him.

At that time, I was undoubtedly lured in by the bait called the royal palace archives. However, if he had told me the circumstances and asked me to agree even with that bait, then I would… refuse.

Free time or the Prince’s fiancée. ――― If I had to choose once, then I would have definitely chosen the first option at that moment. I can’t give up the time I have to read books.

“… I am sorry.”

“If you apologise now, then my position… No, well. Elli did show more interest in me than books in the end. Isn’t that right?”

A little… maybe. This was different from what I had expected. I’m sure my face twitched, and he looked at me while smiling.

His Highness was probably talking about when I went to return that book to him. On that occasion, I certainly viewed books as worthless.

――― I, 『Princess Bibliophile』viewed them as worthless.

“Your Highness…” I hesitated when I spoke. I know that I had misunderstood the situation and made assumptions about it. But not all of my emotions have caught up with me.

Until this morning, I thought that it would only be a matter of time before my engagement was annulled and that His Highness and Miss Irene were in a relationship where they both reciprocated each other’s feelings.

“Yes?” His Highness’s voice was gentle, and it unravelled my feelings. He lightly, but firmly showed me his intent, and held my hands which were on my lap.

“I made you more anxious because of what had happened with Miss Irene, didn’t I? I’m really sorry… I’ve been keeping an eye on her ever since the incident with the Zelga counterfeits. At first, I had let her go because she was only spreading silly rumours. But, I don’t know if she took advantage of this, or her father instigated her, but she started aiming for your life. From that point, I wanted to catch her.”

His Highness changed from serious to annoyed, and then a frown appeared on his handsome face.

“But then, the mastermind, Viscount Parcas, might have feigned ignorance at the expense of his daughter. Alex explained this to me, so I had no choice but to place skilled guards around you and tried to get evidence on Viscount Parcas… But, they showed me their useless talents. They were acting so suspiciously, but I couldn’t find any evidence.”

Watching him glare off in the opposite direction as he recalled this in irritating while pushing his hair back, startled me.

His Highness Christopher behaves in public precisely like his reputation, but sometimes he would even act like this while managing government affairs or when he was with his inner circle. It was as if he was showing his genuine self, and it made women feel as if they were special. He is so sinful.

With me having such an impression, His Highness laughed scornfully for a second. It was the first time I’ve seen him act like this, and I was terror-stricken.

“And they even prepared assassins while I was flustered. The poison used by Miss Irene was not lethal, and seemed like the type that would make someone a bit sick…. But, I thought that I had no time to choose the method.” He ended his sentence with that and showed his anger. His Highness tried to suppress his thirst for blood.

“Glenn and Alex also sounded out Miss Irene, but they couldn’t gather anything special. I know what it looked like when I was investigating her myself… So I had no other choice but to keep you away from the royal palace for a bit, Elli.”

“… So, you got my aunt’s cooperation?”

“Yes,” His Highness sighed and nodded. He got up, took long strides to the desk, picked up a book and looked back at me.

“But in the end, it caused you to come to a misunderstanding. My mind really went blank at that time… Well, but thanks to that, you were made aware of me,” he said, smiled and wholly regained his composure. He continued to smile as he walked back and sat down next to me again.

He stared at me with his kind and somewhat mischievous eyes, and it was like he could see the change in my heart.

I suddenly realised that blood was flowing to my cheeks. To what extent was I under his control?

“But, I really regret that I hurt you enough for you to give me back this book. I’ve been searching for this book for a long time for you. I wanted to see you happy… Will you receive it again?”

He offered me the rare book that I had given back to him the other day.

The feelings of loss I felt when I had parted with this book, and the feelings which had faded was refreshed in my mind. My chest felt tight.

The thoughts, this was a little present to give me, and it wasn’t anything special, swirled in my mind.

But now, those thoughts had been overturned, and His Highness stared at me while looking serious and tense. Feelings that I couldn’t put into words swelled up within me.

He searched for this book for me. He wanted to see me happy.

“Yes… Thank you very much, Prince Christopher.”

I frantically fought the urge to run away as if I was reliving the feelings I had felt at that time while staring back at His Highness.

His Highness relaxed when I received the book. He wasn’t acting. He was really relieved.

“… Elli.”

His Highness grasped my hand again and smiled beautifully as he looked at me.

His sparkling smile, and approaching blue eyes looked as if they were silently urging me to close my eyes.

“Your Highness…” I opened my mouth as usual in this sweet aura.

“――― What is the hidden name of my family?”

His Highness’s face which was on the verge of touching me, sunk… “Can’t you ask that later, Elli?” His mutter sounded somewhat sorrowful.

Did I say something, inexcusable?

He softly sighed sadly. He pressed the corner of his eyes as if to change his mood and aligned his eyesight with mine again.

“Before I tell you that, I will tell you this, so you don’t misunderstand.”

“Okay.”

“I don’t want you by my side because of the Bernstein’s hidden name. I want you to keep that in mind.”

His beautiful blue eyes captured me and didn’t let me go. He has been calling me by my pet name for a while now, but I don’t even care about that.

His Highness’s smile became somewhat intense as I faltered.

“If you don’t believe me, then I don’t mind pushing you down right now.”

What?!

I quickly backed away and nodded like a bobby doll.

He began speaking with a smile.

The hidden name of my family is 『Brains of Southlynd』. Only the royal family and a small number of people know this. The Kings who the Bernstein House have served have prospered equally.

“That… is an honour…”

I was a bit puzzled.

Hasn’t my House just been a group of book-lovers for generations? Even father and brother aren’t the exception…

His Highness’s voice is mixed with bitter laughter, “Both Marquis Bernstein and Alfred have been outstanding ever since they started working in court. But, they didn’t desire promotions because of the Bernstein trait, and just wanted to be surrounded by books. So, the Prime Minister, Alex, and some others wanted to be appointed in their post and are always looking out for the opportunity to do so.”

“Oh…”

It seems that father and brother didn’t take on heavy responsibilities because I was chosen as His Highness’s fiancée.

Once again, I was surprised by the truth that he had revealed, and at the same time, I fully understood that it was because of my House’s hidden name, that conditions were applied to a proposal from the royal family.

However… in spite of this, my House has only weak and puny nobles in political relations.

His Highness laughed, “It’s good that the Bernstein House doesn’t put much importance on their abilities, but it is also a weakness. They’ve been working in the archives for generations because of this.”

No, Your Highness. That is the best job for Bernstein people.

“Elli, you’ve also shown that ability too. Don’t you remember?”

His Highness puffed out as if he was about to laugh as he watched me frown, “Jeez. ――― The embezzlement case in Weimar.”

He hinted, and I traced my memories.

If I’m not mistaken, that had happened when I first became His Highness’s fiancée. I wasn’t used to reading in his office at that time, so I listened in on the conversation between His Highness and Lord Alexei, and that was how it started.