Chapter 10 (part 1)

“Because I could not sleep, I thought about going out to the garden and doing something.”

“If you prefer looking at the garden rather than reading a book in the room or drinking a hot drink … it is a wonderful garden, surely a great garden, many flowers, well maintained.”

Your highness looked around the garden and smiled. That gave me courage.

I walked slowly to him and put my hands on his chest. His hair were not tied anymore and were falling softly on his neck.

“Your Highness …… I’m really sorry, I apologize from my heart for having turned up on the royal palace impersonating of my sister, disrespecting your Highness and making trouble for us all… I will accept any kind of punishment you will give me. ”

I was glad that my voice was finally coming out. I kept strongly pushing the hand against the chest so as not to tremble.

While waiting for his answer with my head down, he said to me: “Please raise your face”

Shaking my head silently without looking at him, his hands stretched out, and his hairs started to touch my cheeks next to my ears.

I could feel my face blushing with red ears. I could not raise my face, but he was forcing it gently more and more.

“Please tell me the reason why you came to the Royal Palace and why you decided to plot such a plan…”

“…… I do not know what you know, but I will start from the beginning”

I talked about my younger days, my resemblance to my sister and how much she liked the royal palace, and also about the reward for success.

I also intended to return to my territory promptly as soon as the selection period of one month was over.

Your Highness was listening to my confession without blinking, starting intensely at my lips.

“Well, you mean you did not want to be my bride?”

“D-do not say such a terrible thing, but it’s true, I have never dreamed about it!”

“… … Should I get mad or sad? No…. I should be inspired.”

After the meaningless sentence, His Highness put his finger on my chin and lifted my face.

Shining gold hair. The long eyelashes are also golden, and when it blinks it sounds like a precious glass. Dark blue eyes with no color of disgust or rage, but strong emotions are emanating from them. You can not grasp the identity of them even if you look at them intensely.

If you are angry, you will have a more bad expression. Your highness was soft. I can not express well, but the eyes that narrowed slightly or the lips corners are sweet rather than soft. The beating of my hearth became unnaturally faster.

The finger that was touching got away, and my heart missed some beats.

“It’s right you should be punished, but I have sin too, I could not protect you when you were caught for having mixed Rudy with my drink…. I knew you could not poison anyone.”

“Since there was nothing that could prove my innocence at that time, there can not be sin in His Highness…”

If Peko and His Highness wouldn’t have helped me, things could became even more complicated.

As I was confined to the tower, Miss Cecil made a bad move, so the suspicion moved from me to her. It is your Highness that sent knights to spy Cecil and let the misfit come out. I know the warriors on guard kept her safety while investigating her. That’s right… His Highness made a troubled face.

“You are too fond of people, even though my attitude was due to being involved in the incident”

“No. No, it is unnecessary for your Highness to feel responsible, because it is Mrs Cecil himself who caused the mess… All of what happens is due of who causes it.”

“If you do not blame me for my sins, I will not blame you for your sins”

“But that has nothing to do with all of this situation!!!”

I had neither the right nor the will to accuse my highness. Indeed, we should all thank Peko. I was so immersed in my toughts that I forgot the Itaku was looking at me with a smirk.

When I glanced at the blessed Highness, I laughed and smiled. An innocent smile that caught his attention.

“As a punishment from me, you will have to change the tone. If you stop talking with your tone and speak like you were your sister, your sins will be forgotten.”

I couldn’t believe my ears. Did he say that I can’t speak well? I am well-informed that I have a non-feminine tone. If you talk to the Royal family about something, you will be caught if you don’t talk like an aristocrath.

Actually His Highness was really angry, to punish me? I looked at the figure of His Highness who was waiting for my reply with hopeful eyes. I think he was really very much looking forward to it.

“…… I know it is unacceptable in my status…..”

“This is not the Royal Palace, nobody is around, do not worry too much!”

“God is watching, the moon is the left eye of Mia God”

His Highness looked up at the sky listening to my words.

It was for sure a stunning full moon…

Soon after my tension was fading thanks to his smile and I was smiling too without care.

I was a little upset by knowing that His Highness knew the truth, because I thought that there was no choice but to be hated, even despised for what I did.

I was worried thinking about the time spent in Teresa ‘s substitution, about the words exchanged. I was scared of losing all of it because it was pleasant and important.

But His Highness forgave my sins.

I will not have the opportunity to talk to each other again nicely like tonight, but I am glad that I could see his smile once more.

I don’t know if Lady Cecil, who led to the discovery of my trick, was also suffering thinking that he could drink the poisoned wine …. I think that she could have stopped before if she felt guilty…

He laughed and picked up my hand with a serious face.

“You are not Teresa, it’s true…”

“……Y-yes”

“I want to call you by your real name, will you tell me your name from your mouth?”

Your Highness already knew it. Nevertheless, it seemed to me that he asked me once again as Anessa (me), not as Teresa.

My heart was clogged with joy and I could not answer immediately. I grasped his hands and spelled my name.

“My name is Anessa, Anessa Rufu Dalton, please call me Anessa”

“Anessa, I told you to change the tone”

I got complaints on what I said immediately.

But if your Highness is polite and one of his vassals is talking with a crude tone, it is not a reversal of what it should be?

“… … As I said to you, how is your tone? You – must – speak – better!”

“My tone is as usual…”

“Well, let me teach you how to talk…”

“I would like to say “as you wish” but I do not like being treated like a child…”

The youngest man seemed to consider what I said .

His Highness pointed at my knee with a curious face.

“What were you looking at before?”

“You mean this bookmarker?”

“It is a bookmark that I already saw with your sister-in-law… Can you please show me?”

“…… N-No! It’s just a bookmark, so it’s not really interesting, isn’t it?”

I quickly returned the bookmarker placed on the knee back into the pocket. On the first day when I was confined in the tower, I fell asleep with the bookmark in my arms, was it seen by Peko who came to see me then?

He didn’t expect my refusal, so he suddenly felt ashamed when I saw his face’s reaction and hid it.

“If it is just a bookmarker, why you have to hide it?”

“Um … It’s embarrassing to show off, because there’s a dried flower inside it, so it’s useless….”

Contrary to the word “useless”, His Highness seems to be strangely glad. I could see that his eyes were drowned and my cheek had heat. Oh I did not you smile anymore! I knew what flower it was!

I glared at the side, but it was as if it had no effect.

“Lady Annessa really likes plants… Your garden is beautiful, and the fact that you take care of it with love is also really evident.”

“Thank you, Your Highness. Because plants heal our minds, we want to make it a garden full of flowers and greens.”

“- I’m jealous of your plants… Your smile when I praise them… I understand that you like plants, but can you like humans too?”

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