Translator and Editor: Effe and Nabi

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Chapter 24 – Blooming (7)

She was confident that she wouldn’t panic even if hot tea flew in.

‘By the way… see you?’

Inhale.

Eleanor paused for a moment.

Then, she remembered the dictionary meaning of ‘meeting.’

‘Why with me? No, what about meeting you?’

“Well, Princess? I don’t think the Princess meant to ‘meet’ me…” She asked, believing that it wasn’t just the thought that ran through her head.

“Um, what specifically are you going to do with me?”

“Huh?”

Eleanor looked at the Princess, who innocently raised a question mark.

The little Princess, who seemed to fit in her arms, was surprisingly not like Pierre, so she caught her eye. Unlike him, who was perfect and smooth like a sculpture, um, something like that.

Meanwhile, she was a small, fluffy one with shabby facial features…

“Like a chick.”

Coincidentally, she happened to wear a yellow dress.

Sienna was cuter than Eleanor had imagined, with the rumored red hair braided to one side. Although she was skinny, she had a round, round face with only her cheeks fat. With every move of her little lips, it bounced like a chick squeaking.

Her feelings were strange.

She tells a terrible story and smiles so brightly.

But, the funny thing is that somehow, Sienna’s words didn’t feel like a lie. Rather, Eleanor’s heart throbbed at the calmness.

‘How hard it must have been until she was able to speak casually.’

Despite her initial determination to remain neutral, her heart was tilted. She saw Sienna yesterday and today, only for two days.

In comparison, she had known Pierre much longer.

“His Highness really did such a thing?”

She used to try to deny it, but she was the one who was drawn to Pierre in her heart. His appearance alone was attractive enough, though he was more than that. He was in a situation similar to hers, and he did not fall down.

She also felt a little guilty about using him as a means to her goals.

‘But really, really, if he was such a person…’

Will she be able to face him casually?

Eleanor got unexpected troubles from a person she never thought of.

“Miss Watson?”

Sienna called out to Eleanor, lost in her thoughts.

“Are you very surprised? I meant that I wanted to be close.”

“Oh.”

The tension was relieved with a strange relief.

“I know it’s going to be confusing, but you don’t have to jump to conclusions right now.”

“Yes? What do you mean…”

“You can meet my brother, and you can meet me, too. Isn’t it?”

It was, in a word, a proposal to cross both legs.

“Give me a chance to get to know you, too.”

“Why me? Besides, I’m not welcomed in the social world, as you know. It wouldn’t help at all?”

Hearing Eleanor’s lengthy words of embarrassment, Sienna smiled gracefully.

“Well, it’s a small revenge. I’m worried about you.”

This was the most honest of Sienna’s feelings that she could show now. She didn’t know what was going on in the unread story. So, she had to worry not only about herself, but also about Eleanor.

The ending of a romance isn’t always ‘they lived happily ever after.’

No one knew what Pierre would do in the future.

“Besides, my situation is not much different from Miss Watson’s.”

An awkward air passed between the two of them once. At the end of the silence, Sienna realized that she was still holding Eleanor’s hand.

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

Sienna was startled and lifted her hand.

However, the bare hands, not wearing gloves, were very rough, unlike any other young ladies. She involuntarily rested her gaze at the rough hand.

Eleanor felt that and hurriedly hid her hand. She lived a difficult childhood as a commoner. There she grabbed the sword, got scratches, and her hands grew rougher as the calluses set in.

Eleanor, whom Sienna met again, wasn’t as confident and dignified as she was when Siena first saw her.

She smiled bitterly, avoiding Sienna’s eyes as if embarrassed.

“…Isn’t it very ugly?”

“No.”

She took Eleanor’s hand again and spoke firmly.

“It’s beautiful.”

“….”

“It’s proof that you’ve worked hard.”

Eleanor shuddered for a moment. It tickled her hard heart as if something was moving, opening a hole in it.

‘What is this…?’

It must have been something anyone could easily say.

“…The princess is the first person to say that.”

Surprisingly, it was the first time.

Her biological father, Duke Watson, didn’t even care about her, and her stepmother would laugh at her and ask what the girl’s hand was. So, she never forgets to wear gloves when meeting other people.

‘When did I take off my gloves… Oh.”

It was after listening to Siena’s flower language.

She wanted to touch the blooming flowers, so she took them off for a while, and she was immediately caught.

Sienna responded with a grin at Eleanor’s reaction.

“No one will know, because not everyone talks about it.”

“Is that so?”

“There are surprisingly many fools who do not speak.”

“Pft.”

Seeing Eleanor bursting into a small laugh, she was convinced.

“I’m sure my choice wasn’t wrong.”

She clasped Eleanor’s hand with both of hers. The hand showing the years that she must have suffered.

“Princess?”

“Eleanor Watson. I want to learn the sword from you.”

“….”

“To protect me, myself.”

How else can she get closer to Eleanor… How can she get along with Pierre?

“Miss Watson. Be my teacher.”

She liked Eleanor’s rough hand.

Therefore, first of all, she was going to start from here.

At Sienna’s passionate courtship, Eleanor hesitated for a moment, immersed in the thoughts. She waited patiently for an answer. Although Sienna knew it wasn’t something to accept at once.

After a while, Eleanor, who had organized her thoughts, opened her mouth.

“I don’t believe what I haven’t seen with my own eyes.”

“….”

“Forgive me for my rudeness. But, I can’t judge Prince Pierre based on the Princess’s one-sided argument without listening to Prince Pierre. Prince Pierre I’ve seen is a bit sensitive, but he was clumsy and in a lot of pain.”

“I see.”

It was time for Sienna to erase her disappointment and keep smiling as she struggled.

“But I will accept the suggestion of the swordsmanship master.”

“Yes?”

“When is the best time to start? I guess I’ll have to ask His Majesty’s permission.”

She smiled like the moment Eleanor opened the door before and walked in.

It was confident and had a proud smile.

“Thank you, Miss Watson! No, may I call you Eleanor?”

“It is an honour.”

“Eleanor. I look forward to your kind cooperation.”

“Thank you so much, Princess.”

After a while, when she returned to the banquet hall, Sienna’s lips were filled with a satisfied smile.

‘Once it started, I’m halfway there.’

So, let’s get some rest now.

‘I’m halfway there!’

Now, she wanted to enjoy this party. However, there was something Sienna overlooked.

People were more interested in her than she thought…

‘What?”

From the moment she entered the ballroom, the subtle gaze continued to follow.

She did not know, but they were very interested in the Princess, who seldom showed up. Contrary to the rumors about her, some were taken aback by her lively laughing and chattering appearance, and some older nobles recalled the dead Queen on her face.

Of course, the biggest reason they’re interested in Sienna was to wonder how the first day’s love triangle is progressing.

They looked for yesterday’s handsome man, everyone expecting deadly love.

Sienna went back to her seat, trying to ignore the tenacious gaze.

“Oh, Lord Valencia.”

Jad and Shushu were quietly waiting for her together.

“Did our Shushu have a good time?”

“Yes. It was a lot of fun.”

His mouth was smiling, but his eyes were not smiling at all.

— Master! He pressed my cheeks, pulled my ears, and said I was ugly, ah! He said that I look like the Princess!

As if waiting, Shushu began to snitch with excitement.

But, she heard only one thing in Sienna’s ears.

— Wait. Why do you look like me? What’s wrong?

— ….

— You don’t like me that much?

— That’s not it!

— I’m disappointed, Shushu.

— Master!

Shushu shook its head as if she was being unfair.

—Shushu!

Sienna quickly embraced it, but Jad was one step quicker.

“Hey, the doll!”

With a look of disbelief, Jad pointed his finger at Shushu. “Didn’t it move now?”

“What. Aren’t you awake yet?”

“Give it to me!”

He took the Shushu by force and began to shake it off.

“Did it move? Hey! Are you moving?”

‘It moved like this…!’

Jad shook his head like Shushu before. Of course, there was no way Shushu could answer. Even if it does, he can’t hear it.

Sienna quietly waited for Jad to calm down.

Who would have imagined that the doll moved? It would be enough to just pretend to see nothing.

“Jad. That’s enough, all right?”

“Did this ugly guy move? Why are you so calm?”

“You’re not even a child, have you just dreamed? You have a lot of imagination. A doll can’t do that.”

When Sienna laughed at him, he stared at Shushu with an unjust expression on his face.

— Master!

While she was thinking about when to rescue Shushu, someone approached her.

“Gree, greetings, princess. My name is Eric Pomelo of the Duchy of Pomelo.”

The boy, who was still too young to be called a man, had a red face and could not even make eye contact with Sienna properly.

“Something for me?”

“Can, can I dare ask the princess to dance?”

“Yes…?”

Sienna made a loud voice without realizing it.

‘Did I receive a dance request now?’

Everyone just glanced at her and didn’t come to her. She didn’t mind it because it was expected, though it was also a bit sad to be left out at a party like this.

She saw the cute boy standing in front of her.

The black hair and amber eyes were beautiful. As if he had stolen his brother’s clothes, the action of asking for a dance in the puffy robe was not at all awkward, but Sienna readily took Eric’s hand.

“All right.”

Eric’s expression, which had hardened with tension, brightened in an instant, and his cheeks were dyed red.

As they were about to go on stage together, Jad asked.

“Didn’t you say you weren’t going to dance earlier?”

Siena stopped walking and turned around to answer.

With a relaxed smile was a bonus.

“I have changed my mind.”

“….”

“Because it’s a debutante that will never come back.”

It was fun to dance.

Also, getting to know new people.

Above all, the person who asked her to dance was the second son of one the only three Dukes in the kingdom.

‘There’s nothing wrong with being friendly.’

Besides, he’s very cute.

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