His Royal Highness's cats are very hairy.

"... ha..."

Rutvias got a heavy sigh.

Night breeze rubs Rutvias' hair.

The large enclosed garden of the outhouse houses an artificial storage pond, where a small white statue pours water from the water bottle in its hands to the pond. Rutvias was on the balcony handrail with his cheeks bent tall.

It's almost dinner time.

I have to go to Adeline's room. To that, Rutvias is on two feet.

-... how can I apologize?

Rutvias wanted to apologize to Adeline for last night.

Rutvias made Adeline cry even more willingly when she didn't need a new dress.

By the way, that worst dinner party ever.

I didn't expect the Grand Duke to make Adeline, the prime minister's maid and future queen, a laugher, even though she was drunk.

-... I wish I hadn't let you come to the dinner party.

You could have absent Adeline to a dinner party for a good reason.

We need to give the Grand Duke a drink...

As an issue before that, if only Rutvias had listened carefully to the master of the mansion...

No, if you refuse a dinner party with Kippari...

Besides, this morning, I ended up treating Adeline again with a tight attitude that I was going to apologize to. If you close your eyes, you say something about Adeline. That look rashes on your eyelids.

"... oh, shit..."

In a bad way, Rutvias slaps his handrail.

How can I be like this?

I resent my own shortness, and Rutvias looks up to heaven.

Why can't you wait for Adeline to say something? I should have stayed there with a pile in my hand.

Even during the day yesterday, when Adaline came back to Rutvias in the first place, Adaline was not the usual Adaline.

Without realizing it, Rutvias stuck to his demands and his thoughts.

If only I had the guts to ask what happened and why I was crying...

Rutvias looks at the colored flower hat he holds in one hand.

No matter how much, I lost my favorite flower hat, so I wouldn't have cried until my face swelled.

Though I can only guess so, Rutvias has no idea what happened to her and what she was crying about.

In the meantime, I looked for the flower hat.

Because that's about what Rutvias, sadly, could do.

I searched around the stables before and after last night's dinner party, but I couldn't find them in the end, and this morning, when I was looking again before I left, I saw the kids downstairs playing with the flower hats, asking them to come in and give them back.

It's after noon that Rutvias heard why Adeline was crying.

I asked the Chancellor to summon and ask the knight who sent Adaline to his room yesterday.

The knight was apparently stopped by Adeline, reluctant to say things, but finally broke his mouth before Rutvias' power and the cat's smile.

'Miss Hardevich... was wearing the same color dress as Miss Adeline.... probably intentionally...'

Shivering hands in anger, Rutvias hid them in the shadow of his coat.

What do you do with the colors on your dress?

It's not just Adeline, it's an insult to the royal family. If you do that in a public place in the days of the previous king, you are guilty of death. Clan relatives can't be safe either.

Without severe punishment, the royal face will be crushed. No, most importantly, I'm sorry about Rutvias.

-... but...

I'm sure Adeline doesn't want that. If you wish to punish Hardevich, you should tell Rutvias more about it within the course of yesterday.

But Adeline didn't say.

It is not her intention to apply the power of Rutvias or the power of the Chancellor.

As the Chancellor said, it does seem that Adeline is highly adamant.

Rutvias knows many famous housemaids who wield their surroundings in vain. Rutvias has scorned their arrogance, but wonder and the height of Adeline's possession are not uncomfortable.

Just to be clear, it's a pain in the ass.

It's easier to understand how to handle it and more helpful as this one, wearing the power of his father and Rutvias as a kasaa, if you like.

But if Adeline really was such a daughter, Rutvias thought she probably would never have cared more about Adeline.

Rutvias cannot punish Hardevich severely.

That hurts Adeline's tenacity.

-... I'm not going to keep my mouth shut.

That Hardevich father. Something should come up if you tap it, also because of the unusually high number of applications from the territory. Even if you skip out on Adeline, you won't be far away from saying some sort of disposition.

From Adeline's flower hat, it smelled slightly sweet. Could be the smell of scented oil Adeline is wearing on her hair.

Give this back, and I'll apologize. I also laughed at Adeline's troubles the other day.

If not sooner, I feel more and more cases of apologies to Adeline.

But I just apologized, it might be too late. Adeline even refused to take the same carriage as Rutvias. I'm sure it's because I don't even want to see Rutvias' face.

-... you would have thought it was the same kind.

An ugly, nasty race with a brilliant outfit and only a gentle face on the upper side. Rutvias said the same thing to those who insulted and hurt Adeline at that dinner party.

The Princess Wang deserves the outfit.

"... no. I just..."

Then, toward the void, the excused words to Adeline mouthed.

-... I just thought it would be a good opportunity.

Somehow Rutvias had a conjecture that Adeline would wear all the colors and designs of her daughters of her age because she was despising herself.

That's why I took the opportunity to wear the dress I liked. Certainly, as a royalty, there are some genuine things I wanted to ask Adeline to dress up quite well. Because I have trouble getting insulted by my subordinates.

But I didn't want to hurt Adeline. I wasn't laughing. Unlike the Grand Duke and Hardevich.

But to Adeline, I'm sure it sounded the same. I can't help it if they think so. Now Adeline looked with surprise at Rutvias, who had disputed the Grand Duke.

Try Adeline, it would have looked as if Rutvias and the Grand Duke had even broken up.

What a stretch of appearance.

It's ridiculous to stick to that and restrict your own actions. But what about pushing the idea and forcing it to act?

"What are you kind of obsessed with appearance, you are?"

The words I said to Adeline return to me as they were.

Wasn't it Rutvias who was obsessed?

"... more or less... why am I peeing..."

I don't care what Adaline thinks.

What I'm talking about is a political marriage. Like it or not, marriage is a matter of decision.

But the area around the chest is moisturizing. For some reason, I keep thinking about Adeline.

"Your Highness? Are you there?

To the sudden voice called from behind, Rutvias looked back a little.

Rutvias did not know for a moment who the shadow was in the backlight because it was already dark around and the interior was bright.

No, I knew who it was in my voice, but the perception was delayed because the way I looked back and saw it was far from the way Rutvias knew that person.

"... Adeline?

"Yes. Um, sorry to bother you..."

Adeline approached Auntie and Rutvias.

"Once the samurai got me back, I didn't hear back from you..."

Didn't you get the voice of the samurai to the terrace, or did you miss hearing Rutvias once again? I don't know which, but to Rutvias right now, I don't care about that.

"... what's wrong with you? It."

The thin, dull peach dress, close to the white that Adeline wears, is visibly darker in color towards the hem. A pair of long pearl necklaces swayed across his shoulders on his wide chest. Most surprisingly, chestnut hair stretches out to flow from a flower hat sewn with pearls.

I had only seen three braided hairstyles behind my head, so Rutvias had never known that hair was so long and glossy.

Adeline answered slightly bewildered, looking down at herself.

"In the city during the day... it kind of ended up plain..."

…

Certainly plain. The colors are very popular, and the embroidery is modest. The chest, which has been tightly fastened to the neck until now, has become somewhat open, but Adeline's dress is long sleeves and wide cuffs, contrary to fashion. Besides the hem, it's long enough to drag. Why does it look so light yet?

-... oh, the way you walk...

Normally, the long sleeves and hem, which are severely painful, make Adeline's sophistication look graceful.

Pretty plain outfit as a nobleman's courtier, but probably wouldn't be inferior to the surroundings if I went to the ball like this.

I might rather get my attention. "Classy" must mean these looks.

"Um... Your Highness. I need to talk to you..."

Adeline looks up. My hair flowed sarcastically from my shoulder.

The night coloured eyes capture Rutvias straight.

Except a few days ago, when he pleaded for a commutation of the knight's sentence, this is the first time Adeline has ever looked at Rutvias without so much hesitation.

"I hated my appearance. If it was beautiful, I always thought that everything must have worked out. As His Royal Highness said... I was obsessed."

"It's..."

Rutvias accidentally pinched his mouth.

"... that's... my rudeness. I pushed my mind on you.... bad."

To finally apologize for one thing, Rutvias was relieved.

But I still have a lot to apologize for.

To Rutvias' apology, Adeline turned her eyes round.

"Your Highness has nothing to apologize for! Because I... finally realized. Um... uh... what to say..."

Adeline is in a hurry to find the words.

So Rutvias realized, even now, that there was.

Perhaps Adeline is not good at talking to people. Look for words to express your feelings. Not really, it's a race that doesn't chase you to develop conversations with them. Such Adeline is desperate to wait for Rutvias of a sudden character.

"... don't rush"

He seemed to be telling Adeline, and the fruit of it, Rutvias, was telling himself.

"Don't rush.... wait"

"... Yes"

A small, but natural, smile emerges from Adaline's cheek, which was nervous or tense.

Rutvias narrowed his eyes to see something dazzling and looked at it in its expression.

-... laughed...

It was yesterday that I conceived of how to laugh and if I put it on Shiva I would laugh.

There is no need for difficult measures. Wouldn't she have smiled at me just to keep up with Adeline's pace?

I wonder why such an easy thing has never been possible before.

Calm down, Adaline began to speak again, slowly, looking for words.

"I realized I was... using my appearance as an excuse. I was on the run with an excuse. But I won't do it anymore. Running away, envying… denigrating yourself."

Adeline's expression turns into something serious, as if something had shredded off.

"I will be your queen."

To Adeline's abrupt proclamation, Rutvias blinked his eyes. I know even if they don't bother to tell me. But when I looked into her eyes, I knew she wasn't just telling the truth.

No stray, no frightened appearance, calm eyes.

Until yesterday, I was lost looking for a way out, otherwise it would be very different from Adeline, who was leaning down to see nothing.

"I will no longer use my face as an excuse. Although I'm certainly not beautiful… I'll try to make it up to you. I will study politics and economics again. Government, socializing... d, choosing dresses... endeavor. I will never shame you again by standing next to me."

Both hands, tightly assembled in front of the chest, are white to reveal the firmness of Adeline's determination.

"Your Highness will make this country a fine queen to be proud of. Then I'm sure I... won't hate myself that much"

……

To Adeline's strong words, Rutvias doesn't know how to return them.

-... weird woman...

Where do I pick up from last night's worst insult play, will it lead to this positive decision?

I feel normal to shrivel even more and want to escape. I can still tell if it was driven by anger. Apparently, Adeline's driving force is not anger.

-... insistent, expensive...

Yes, Adeline is driven by possession.

But where she was insulted and disparaged herself, her admiration does not inspire.

She gets excited when someone else gets hurt for herself. Adeline won't allow it. By his own insistence, he tries resolutely to stop it.

Make it this time, say it's for her own good, but if she really did it for herself, she would have ended it by crying.

But Adeline made a decision. To be the queen of Rutvias.

It may be too difficult to think that the decision was for Rutvias, but at any rate, she received the pressed obligation in her own hands.

"... weird woman..."

Unconscious, my heart spilled into my voice.

"Huh!? Is that weird? Weird after all?

As soon as she did, Adeline began to touch her dress and hair with warmth to confirm.

"... fu"

"... Your Highness?

"Ha. hahahaha"

I can't stop laughing.

"hahahahahaha"

"... laughed..."

Adeline stares at Rutvias, who leans against the handrail and laughs furiously. But Rutvias kept laughing, regardless.

I don't know when I've laughed like this. For at least three years Rutvias had seriously forgotten to laugh. Truth be told, I always thought I would never laugh for real again.

"Weird one!

Rutvias had fun and spoke up again.

"... so much?

With a slightly hurt face, Adeline looked down at herself again. Such an Adeline was pathetic, and Rutvias desperately denied it out of an unstoppable laugh.

"Well, no. I'm not talking about the dress. Kuku..."

"Huh?"

"Huh... haha"

No. Adeline's troubled face is funny again.

Maybe not bad, yes Rutvias thought.

I had no expectations because it was a political marriage. I also thought I should get a side chamber early.

But if it's Adeline, I feel like we can do it as a couple.

At least you won't have to worry about your wife scratching your sleeping neck, and seeing this troubled face of Adeline, I felt like most things could be laughed off.

At Rutvias' disposal, Adeline noticed.

"... Your Highness, it..."

With Adeline's gaze, Rutvias remembered the presence of her flower hat.

With a bite of laughter, Rutvias offers it.

"Don't lose it anymore."

Adeline gladly loosened her license and received her flower hat.

"... Yes. Thank you."

……

I guess a dress like the dawn of spring is a statement of determination to be Adeline.

Rutvias honestly obeyed the lustrous hair flowing on his white shoulders and his desire to touch it.

In an instant, Adaline strengthens herself.

Women's hair doesn't touch that way, even in families with blood connections. Only a husband, fiancée or a lover whose heart the woman herself has forgiven is allowed to touch.

Rutvias desperately enjoys the laughter of Adeline, whose face is once again hilarious and brimming with red tide. I'm just sorry to laugh because the face of an elderly woman is funny. Moreover, Adeline has an inferiority in her face. I don't want to do anything to hurt you extra.

Chestnut hair, moist and familiar to Rutvias' fingers with wonder.

"... you've been this long"

"... is, yes"

Too nervous. Poor Adeline, Rutvias had no choice but to get her hands off her hair. Adeline's shoulder openly lowers with relief.

"... wouldn't that be nice?

"... Huh?

To Adeline, who tilts her neck, Rutvias shows with his jaw.

"Dress"

"... ah..."

While Adeline lit up, she gladly loosened her cheeks.

"Thank you"

Looking at that face, Rutvias was unaware that his eyes and mouth were also gently broken.