I Proposed to My Childhood Friend After Regressing - Chapter 64

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

After Regression, I Proposed to My Childhood Friend
Chapter 64
“Home… finally home! My bed!”
After a long and exhausting journey, Beatrice finally returned home and flung all her luggage aside before hurling herself onto the bed.
“Miss! You mustn’t lie on the bed without changing your clothes! You need to wash up first!”
The maid’s urgent cry reached her ears moments later, but Beatrice let it go in one ear and out the other.
She flopped face-first onto the mattress, buried her face in the blankets, and stretched luxuriously.
“Ahhhhhh…….”
There was truly nothing better.
“Yes, this is it……. This feeling and this scent.”
Not that the Downer Marquis Territory had shown her any lack of hospitality or poor conditions.
But no matter how fine the surroundings, they could never compare to the familiar comfort of one’s own home.
Beatrice rolled around on the bed for a good long while, savoring the sensation.
‘Hah, it’s true what they say—leaving home is hell.’
She was lying with her eyes closed, imagining how Clyde would scold her with “That’s why I told you to stay in the Capital,” when someone entered the room without so much as a knock and swatted her on the bottom.
It was Beliana Hartwell, the master of this house and Beatrice’s mother.
She was dressed with the elegant propriety befitting a head of House Hartwell, and she raised an eyebrow at Beatrice before launching into her familiar scolding.
“Really now—even in your own home, a young lady shouldn’t be rolling around on the bed so much that your skirts hike up like that. What’s gotten into you?”
“Mom!”
Scold or not, Beatrice’s expression brightened instantly at the sight of her mother’s face after so long.
She bolted upright and threw her arms around Beliana.
“And another thing—this habit of yours, grabbing just anyone in an embrace… you really must learn to stop.”
“Come on, it’s not just anyone—it’s you, Mom.”
Beatrice nestled into her mother’s embrace, playing the part of the youngest child again after so long.
Beliana held her tight in mock reluctance and offered a gentle reprimand.
“If you miss me this much, how could you not send a single letter?”
“Well…….”
“Don’t lie and say you were too busy playing with friends. Your mother knows everything.”
Beatrice’s eyes widened at her mother’s perfectly calm tone.
“Wait? Mom, you know I went to the Downer Marquis Territory, not just on holiday? How did you find out?”
“How else? Clyde sent me a letter telling me.”
“What?!”
“Don’t look at me like he was tattling. When I saw Susanna at the patronage society and she mentioned you two had gone on a trip together, can you imagine my shock?”
“Oh…….”
“Thank heavens Clyde had the thoughtfulness to inform me of your whereabouts. Otherwise, I would have posted missing person notices across the entire Empire by now.”
Beatrice knew perfectly well that her mother wasn’t exaggerating.
The Countess Hartwell she knew was a woman of extraordinary follow-through.
That her father, Jederick, who had come to the Empire to support the Empress, ended up marrying the Countess was entirely because the Countess had taken the initiative.
“In any case, I’m relieved you returned safely, Beatrice. When Clyde told me you were investigating the connection between the Mysterious Illness and the Marquis Territory as a Special Envoy to the Empress, I was truly worried.”
“I’m sorry…….”
“You certainly should be. Do you have any idea how anxious I was? I even did my own research on the illness myself. When I reached the Orharkon section, I couldn’t help but cry out loud.”
Seeing the worry etched across her mother’s face, Beatrice offered an awkward smile.
“In any case, because you’ve been doing things you don’t normally do, I’ve been beside myself with worry. But your father—goodness, he finds it all so fascinating. He just keeps rereading the materials Clyde sent along.”
“Oh! Speaking of which, where is Dad?”
“Where else? At the research laboratory in the Imperial Palace. He said when you’ve had a good rest, you should visit him. He has plenty of things he wants to discuss. He also said he’d have plenty of your favorite snacks ready.”
“Really? Then should I just go now……?”
“Bia, wait a moment.”
Beliana stopped her daughter as she moved eagerly toward the door, raising her eyebrow slightly as she continued.
“There’s someone else looking for you besides your father.”
“Huh? Really?”
Who else could it be? Susanna, perhaps?
Beatrice was running through her list of friends in her mind when her mother nodded and handed her several letters.
“First and foremost, naturally, Her Majesty the Empress wishes to see you. Since she sent you as her Special Envoy, she wishes to hear your report in person. Though she said there’s no rush—come whenever you’re comfortable.”
“I see.”
“And Princess Elodie also wishes to arrange a meeting with you.”
“Ugh……. Her Highness?”
Beatrice made an obviously displeased expression and examined the letterhead.
On the fragrant paper was writing both elegant and fluid, filling the entire page.
In essence, it said she had a favor regarding the wedding she wished to discuss, that conveying it by letter felt improper, and that she wanted to see Beatrice’s face, so they should meet soon.
Princess Elodie had kindly added that she would visit at whatever time was most convenient for Beatrice.
As Beatrice finished reading to the end of the letter, her mother, who had been watching her, spoke.
“Bia, you do know that Princess Elodie suddenly decided to have a wedding ceremony with Kailen, yes?”
“Oh, right! I remember the Crown Prince mentioning it the other day with a somewhat bewildered expression… but what on earth happened?”
“Well, they’ve been betrothed for quite a while now, so it’s not particularly surprising, but the decision was rather sudden. According to Princess Elodie, seeing you and Clyde get married made her want to establish a household of her own soon.”
Really, what an excuse.
How could someone who’d never shown much interest in love or married life with Kailen say something like that? It was frankly absurd.
“But Mom, is the Princess really marrying Kailen? Can you just decide to get married and then do it? Especially so soon?”
“…… Well, that’s what I thought too. But then I realized I have a perfect example right in front of me.”
“Oh, but that’s different from us! That’s a State Wedding with the Imperial Family involved!”
“That much is true. But the Emperor has already asked several times when you plan to marry. Given that the only reason the wedding has been delayed is Princess Elodie’s own reluctance, it will happen. They’ve already begun preparations.”
Saying this, Beliana reached over and tapped Beatrice lightly on the bridge of her nose before continuing.
“I know you’re not particularly fond of Princess Elodie, but this is a fortunate development for you, so handle it well. Help with the wedding preparations too.”
“…… It might not be a fortunate development.”
“Of course it is. Clyde is a close friend and trusted aide to Crown Prince Crowell. The fact that Princess Elodie has resolved to become a member of House Dalton means she’s completely relinquished any possibility of becoming heir. That’s fortuitous for the Crown Prince and Clyde.”
That’s exactly the problem, Mother…….
Beatrice held her tongue, suppressing the urge to unwrap the Princess like a gift and reveal her true intentions.
Seeing her daughter’s expression, Beliana interpreted it as petulance and resumed her lecturing.
The gist of it was that while there was no need to become deeply entangled in politics, now that Beatrice was married and establishing a household, she should at least maintain some awareness.
Beatrice pursed her lips and gave perfunctory replies to her mother’s words, while her eyes drifted to the final remaining letter.
She’d only glanced away to avoid the scolding, but…….
[Valois Edvain Crawford]
At the sight of that name—one that appeared whenever least expected—Beatrice leaped from her seat and thrust the letter at her mother, her eyes asking wordlessly what this could possibly mean.
Faced with her daughter’s dramatic reaction, Beliana stopped mid-scold, let out a short exclamation, and nodded.
“Yes, Valois also said he wishes to meet with you. In fact…….”
“In fact?”
“He came by this very morning. He was concerned you might refuse.”

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