A Blend of Romance and Fantasy - Chapter 46

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

46.
“Princess! How dare you question the Empress’s qualifications before her very face?”
Unable to contain herself, the Empress brought her fan down hard against the table.
Yet Demian merely observed the display with indifference, offering no support to the Empress.
At that moment, Abigail seized my arm.
“Your Highness, the 1st Prince is correct. Please, let this matter rest.”
“Yes, I’m fine. Leonard Blake will only find himself in a difficult position otherwise.”
“….”
Seeing Dorothy’s swollen cheek, my heart clenched.
That’s right—soothing the injured Dorothy takes priority.
I asked a handmaiden to have the Imperial Palace’s “most handsome physician” treat Dorothy, then turned back to Demian.
He was managing the situation.
“Ladies, and Miss Cedilac. For the sake of your families, I trust you will keep today’s events to yourselves.”
“O-of course, Your Highness!”
“And the rest of you would do well to remember that your lives depend on your discretion.”
Every person in the Tea Party Hall went pale as ash and filed out.
The Empress, trembling with rage, left a parting remark before departing.
“My son, we shall speak shortly! You owe me a proper explanation for taking the Princess’s side.”
“…I wasn’t taking anyone’s side, Mother. You seem to be mistaken.”
Demian muttered this to the Empress’s retreating figure with a slight grimace.
Deciding there was no further reason to remain, I sighed and spoke.
“1st Prince, I should take my leave now.”
“Wait. Someone will be here soon.”
“Who might that be?”
Ignoring my question, Demian withdrew a pocket watch from his coat.
But before he could even open its cover, the entrance to the Tea Party Hall erupted in commotion, and someone burst through.
It was Leonard Blake.
The first thing I noticed was his crimson hair, wildly disheveled by the wind.
Next came his shirt with buttons misaligned and a coat carelessly draped over his shoulders.
The black sword that should have been at his waist was clutched in his hand instead.
He had clearly rushed here in haste, throwing on his clothes as he went.
Immediately after, my name echoed through the Tea Party Hall with a resounding cry.
“Charlotte!”
‘…What on earth made him think I was in such danger? Honestly.’
The warmth that had blossomed in my chest like a spring breeze quickly faded.
“How reckless of you.”
The moment Leonard noticed Demian standing beside me, his expression hardened and turned to ice.
“…Demian.”
His low, heavy voice was far too aggressive. He seemed like a stranger to me.
Long ago, I had wanted to ignite sparks in those cold eyes of his. Yet I had also been certain it would be nearly impossible.
Yet in Leonard Blake’s crimson eyes now, lava flowed where mere sparks had danced before.
What manner of being was he, truly?
As confusion froze me in place, Demian addressed Leonard Blake.
“It’s been a while, Leonard Blake. But perhaps you could lower that murderous intent? Your fiancée seems distressed by it.”
“…!”
The moment Demian finished speaking, the air warmed instantly, flowing like water.
My legs nearly gave way beneath me, but his economical movements caught me perfectly in his embrace.
Even so, I realized Leonard Blake’s gaze was fixed entirely upon Demian alone.
Those crimson eyes burned hotter than lava erupting from a volcano—nothing but a mass of fury.
“…Demian, what did you do to Charlotte?”
“Nothing of the sort. I merely cleaned up the mess the Princess created. Now take her and go.”
“You wouldn’t just leave it at that. Speak plainly.”
His chest heaved suddenly, swelling with excessive emotion. Concern washed over me at the sight of such turbulent passion.
“Leonard Blake? Please, calm yourself. What he said is true. And I don’t submit so easily to such things.”
“…!”
In that instant, Leonard Blake’s gaze finally turned toward me.
Simultaneously, Demian’s deflated laughter reached my ears.
“…Ha.”
Leonard Blake, his lips pressed firmly together, withdrew me from his embrace. His eyes swept over me from crown to toe with no trace of anger—only concern.
“Are you unharmed? Any injuries?”
“How could there be? I’ve told you already—I don’t submit so easily.”
“You really are….”
Leonard Blake’s lips moved as if to speak, but instead he released a deep sigh.
He stepped back from me. His eyes, now composed, fixed upon Demian.
“…You truly helped Charlotte, then?”
“I merely handled the aftermath. Ask the Princess for details.”
“…Then get out.”
Startled by his harsh tone, Demian passed by and added as he went:
“I thought you two were merely contractual partners, but you seem far more intimate than that.”
“….”
“Be careful not to lose her this time.”
He faced Demian with his back to me, so I could not see his expression. Yet those words alone allowed me to grasp the situation and the nature of their bond.
I restrained the urge to step forward and see his face.
Demian receded further from us.
When his dark blue hair—nearly black—disappeared beyond the palace columns, Leonard Blake turned and showed me his face.
“Well then, shall we return?”
* * *
After I left the Tea Party Hall and returned to my room, I recounted everything that had happened to everyone.
Their reactions ranged from “As expected of the Princess” to “But what do we do now?”
Everyone reacted with “As expected of the Princess” and “But what do we do now?”
When I added that Demian had cleaned up the mess in the end, Leonard reassured us with a complicated expression that it would have been resolved.
I harbored no regrets about my actions, but after enduring a full hour of nagging, I concluded that in the future, I should deal with the conspirators from behind rather than in front.
“No, I think I did very well! How dare they strike my subordinate’s subordinate?”
“Princess, why am I a subordinate…? I’m not a subordinate either—I’m a handmaiden.”
Only Ignis was thrashing about insisting I’d done well, so I resolved to quietly give him something delicious later.
Dorothy, treated by the handsome physician, quickly recovered both body and spirit, and all circumstances seemed to have returned to peace.
On the surface, at least.
I had learned in the Tea Party Hall that Leonard and Demian shared a deep and complicated relationship, and I desperately hoped it wouldn’t affect my relationship with Leonard.
Quite desperately, in fact.
Of course, I already knew in my heart that such hopes were futile.
* * *
It was my second day in the Blake Imperial Family.
When I opened my eyes, the bedroom was not empty—it held more than just me and Ignis.
Leonard’s hair, bathed in the golden light of the pouring morning sun, was breathtakingly beautiful.
As I gazed at him in a daze, he met my eyes and cleared his throat awkwardly, turning his head away.
“Oh!”
I suddenly became aware of what I was wearing and quickly wrapped myself in the blanket.
“Leonard? Why are you here? Didn’t you say you go to sword practice every morning?”
“…I’ve decided not to leave you alone in the Imperial Palace anymore. We don’t know what might happen, like yesterday.”
“Nothing that terrible actually happened yesterday… And besides, you couldn’t have entered the Tea Party Hall in the first place, could you?”
“Even so, I want to be by your side. I’m to be your husband, after all.”
My heart plummeted at his unexpected tenderness. I said nothing, merely wiggling my feet beneath the blanket.
“Hey, have you devolved into a slug? What are you doing in there?”
Ignis’s voice suddenly cut through, snapping me back to reality.
Ignis, who had been rolling around beside me similarly, was now watching me with a strange look.
“Well, rolling around in blankets is nice. I’ll get up now.”
I adjusted my clothes properly beneath the blanket before rising from the bed.
I put on the robe hanging on the rack and entered the bathroom, where the handmaidens attended to me for a simple wash.
And it was as Leonard and I were heading to the Reception Room for breakfast.
A knock sounded, followed by William’s voice.
“Your Highness, I have something to report.”
“What is it?”
“The 1st Prince has sent a gift to the Princess, asking her to forgive his mother’s rudeness from yesterday.”
The 1st Prince.
The moment I heard those words, Leonard’s face instantly hardened.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————