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“Now, Lara. Write a letter to Young Count Igor.”
“……All of a sudden?”
“It shouldn’t be that sudden, should it? Haven’t you been keeping him close lately? He is very worried about you. Since you cannot meet, you must send a letter. I heard you were supposed to receive a translation from Young Count Igor?”
Ah, right. The translation of the Diary of Roo.
I looked down at the stationery with a strange feeling.
It was a good thing that the moment Igor's name left Tatyana's lips, his existence—which I had completely forgotten—sprang back to mind. However, I became somewhat flustered as I remembered the great kindness Igor had shown on the day of the public prayer meeting and the moment I had decided to marry him.
I love Valentin.
Not even a week had passed since I realized those feelings. From now on... how should I treat Igor?
“Tanya, you said love and marriage are different, right?”
“Hmm? Of course they are! Moreover, the latter has a higher priority. Affection can develop even after marriage!”
Just as I thought she was answering with a voice unusually loud for her.
“Ah, Count Valentin. Please wait there for a moment. Our Lara is busy writing a letter to Young Count Igor.”
Valentin had arrived.
Even without seeing his face or hearing his voice, I could feel my heart beating rapidly.
Had I ever been this fluttery just from hearing a name? Of course, absolutely not. This is all Valentin's fault. Because he did that to me last night... though he himself might not have thought anything of it! No matter how much I think about it, that position was way too much! Just recalling it made my face so hot that I couldn't even turn my head!
“It will take some time for her to rack her brain, so you may come back in an hour. That would be more convenient for us as well.”
‘An hour?’
It wouldn't take that long, would it? And I was about to answer that I could just write the letter before going to bed...
Sergei, who had naturally draped his arm over my shoulder, let out a soft sigh and tapped the stationery on the table.
“No matter how I think about it, you're too cold, Lara. It feels like only yesterday that he confessed to you so desperately... How could you ask someone like me for such a favor? Asking for help in contacting Young Count Igor. Aren't you being too comfortable with him just because you're childhood friends?”
These two definitely have an ulterior motive.
I glared at Sergei. With a brazen look, he shrugged and placed the pen directly into my hand with a tilt of his chin. Then, he looked back at Valentin and smiled. With a very displeased expression.
“Lara is busy with something important right now. Why don't you just come back later?”
“No, I'll wait here.”
Tatyana let out a deep sigh and rested her chin on her hand.
“Count Valentin really lacks tact sometimes.”
...No way. No, as I thought.
‘Are they planning to provoke Valentin by mentioning Igor?’
But why?
I understood their goal. However, I couldn't understand the significance of that goal. What they want, in the end, is to draw a specific reaction from Valentin through provocation...
In short, they want him to be jealous of Igor.
‘So, why on earth?’
Do they actually think Valentin and I might get married? What a funny idea. There is absolutely no possibility of that.
“Wait just a bit, Valentin. I'll be done in ten minutes.”
Without even making eye contact with Valentin, I wrote ‘To Igor’ on the paper. I considered adding ‘Dear’ or ‘My friend’ in front, but since we weren't that close yet, it felt burdensome, so I omitted it.
“What? Look, Lara. It's an important letter, what do you mean ten minutes? It'll surely take at least an hour. Don't be so definitive.”
“Yes, yes.”
The funny thing was, even while I was vigorously wielding the pen, I didn't want to remove Sergei's arm from my shoulder.
Would Valentin care about this arm?
‘...Stop thinking foolish thoughts and finish this quickly.’
The content was simple. That I am healthy and regret not being able to meet him. Additionally, that I would like him to pause the translation of the Diary of Roo for a while. I ended with a closing greeting, saying I hoped we could meet again before summer.
‘Would it be better to actually set a date to meet again?’
Since I intend to marry Igor... wouldn't it be good to create an opportunity to get closer?
I looked up at Tatyana.
If I asked her, ‘I intend to marry Igor, would it be okay to hint at my intentions in the letter?’, she would surely shout even louder than before: ‘You're marrying Igor? My goodness, let's go to your father right now, Lara! No, I'll bring your father here immediately! Our Lara has made a great decision, so we must have a family meeting right now, blah blah blah.’
And Valentin was in this room.
I... didn't want to let him know about this decision yet.
Ignoring Tatyana's grumbling about why I didn't fill two pages, I handed the letter to Fedora. Afterward, I cleared my throat, took a deep breath, and turned to Valentin.
“Thank you for waiting. What is it, Valentin?”
Valentin, standing by the window looking down at the garden, was as beautiful as ever.
Ah, no. What am I saying. Of course Valentin is beautiful. With a face that showed he didn't care about Sergei's arm at all, he spoke to me.
“His Imperial Majesty the Emperor is waiting. I shall escort you.”
“Father is?”
He called me outside in this state? That couldn't be, but while thinking so, I obediently followed Valentin.
Click.
The moment the door closed.
Valentin, who turned around as if he had been waiting, leaned down.
“Pardon me for a moment, Your Highness.”
Then, he carefully lifted me up and carried me across the corridor. Because the contact was so natural, I naturally leaned into Valentin's embrace. Thanks to his large hands supporting my injured shoulder and arm so they wouldn't shake, it wasn't uncomfortable at all.
‘This is nice.’
Being hurt seems like a very good thing. Valentin lifting me up as if it were the most natural thing in the world. While I was smiling foolishly, my eyes met Valentin's. I gave an awkward cough, and his always-tender voice asked me:
“What is this important business you have with Young Count Igor?”
“Um, well... it's not as great a matter as Tanya said...”
“Are you considering him as a marriage partner?”
Ah.
‘How did he know?’
No, no. Tatyana and Sergei were talking about it so openly that there was no way he wouldn't know. But I didn't want to affirm it. Yet, I didn't want to lie in front of Valentin, so...
“Seeing as you are quiet, I assume that is correct.”
The moment our eyes met as he slightly tilted his chin up, Valentin turned his head away from me. It was a look that was clearly displeased.
What does he dislike? Igor? Or me for not answering the question? Could it be... no. There's no way.
To become this depressed over a single cold reaction from the other person—love really is an annoying emotion. It's truly uncomfortable when I cannot control myself.
While I was grumbling inwardly, Valentin and I were suddenly standing in front of a large, old carriage.
“Where are we going now?”
“We are going to Shaharansk.”
It was a surprising answer. To think that the person sending me to Duchess Illyn would be Valentin.
‘Then am I leaving just like this without saying goodbye to anyone?’
Valentin boarded the carriage while still holding me. My surprise at his light movements was short-lived. Not only did he lay me down on the carriage seat, but Valentin, using his own lap as a pillow, opened his mouth after a long sigh.
“Your Highness. May I ask why you chose Igor as your marriage partner?”
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