𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟑: (𝐊𝐲𝐥𝐞)
I was walking with Miss Ellie right behind me.
I know it’s hard for her to keep up if I walk too fast, but I wanted to get back quickly.
I understand that besides Chris, Il-san and Dana-san are also present with the Princess.
ㅤ
Just when I thought we were about to reach the Eastern Palace, someone spoke to me from behind.
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“. . .You also work in the royal palace?”
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“Yeah.”
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“I heard rumors about Chris-sama, but I didn’t know about Kyle-sama.
. . .Is that color under the princess’s instructions?”
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From the point of view of those who knew me when I couldn’t use magic at the beginning of my enrollment in the academy,
They must wonder what happened to the color of my hair and eyes now.
Changing colors to avoid standing out is something that a normal noble wouldn’t do.
ㅤ
“No, it’s not under the princess’s instructions. It’s my whim.
I had already changed to this color when I met the princess.”
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“Does the princess know about that?”
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“She knows.”
ㅤ
She didn’t say anything when I first greeted her, but
She asked me later when it was just the two of us. Why I had changed the color.
The princess, who could see magic, seemed to feel uncomfortable with me changing colors with magic.
She must have noticed my surprise and hesitation to answer, so she told me I didn’t have to answer right away.
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[Someday, when I’m old enough to understand Kyle’s circumstances, I’ll ask.]
ㅤ
She was already speaking like an adult, but she was still a seven-year-old girl.
Explaining such circumstances might not be a good idea.
With that in mind, I decided not to explain and left it at that.
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I haven’t been asked about it since.
Of course, many people know my original color, but no one has asked me about it.
I think Chris, Il-san, and the others understand the situation.
ㅤ
So I never thought I’d be asked about it at this time.
It’s natural to be questioned, but why ask if the princess knows?
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“. . .You’re being tossed around by the princess’s whims.
She must be an extremely selfish and rough person, right?”
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“. . . . . .Is that so? I’m disappointed.”
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“Eh?”
ㅤ
I never thought that Miss Ellie would believe in the bad reputation of the Ineligible Princess.
She probably doesn’t know that the princess was the one she helped in the laundry room,
Even though the princess thinks she was helped by Miss Ellie and is grateful to her.
ㅤ
I found out during school that she was a child of a Viscount’s mistress and was trying to keep a low profile.
I never thought she would become a lower-class servant right after graduation,
But her father, the Viscount, died while she was still in school, and her half-brother became the head of the family.
He waited until her graduation to give her a letter of introduction to work in the royal palace.
Perhaps it should be said that he took care of her to some extent.
ㅤ
I think the princess probably knew about that and wanted to help Miss Ellie.
She wanted to change her job to something that would utilize her graduation from the academy.
Upon hearing this, Lisa and Yuna spoke to the chief court lady and changed her job to assistant court lady.
Even if Miss Ellie is the princess’s favorite,
Is this the reason why Lisa and Yuna didn’t let her get close to the princess?
ㅤ
If she really wanted to, the princess could have made her a personal maid.
There aren’t enough maids, especially if the princess can trust her.
The fact that they only raised her to an assistant court lady under the chief court lady’s direction,
They may have been afraid of something like this.
ㅤ
By the time we were done talking, we had arrived at the Eastern Palace.
When I tried to head back to the main palace, I was called out again.
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“Wait! Please. . .Until that man gives up,
Could Kyle-sama become my lover?”
ㅤ
“. . .No.”
ㅤ
“Eh. . .Why? . . .Pretending to be lovers is fine. . .”
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“I don’t want to leave Princess Sofia’s side.
It’s not because it’s my duty. I want to protect the princess, so I don’t want to leave her for even a moment.
I don’t have time to protect Miss Ellie.”
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“. . . . . .Such.”
ㅤ
Her complexion worsened as she heard that I was protecting the princess of my own will.
She probably remembered the slander she had just spoken about the princess.
Without listening to her excuses like, “I didn’t mean it like that. . . . . .”
I turned my back and hurried back to the main palace.
ㅤ
ㅤ
When I returned to the princess’ private room in the palace, the princess who was sitting on the sofa and drinking tea turned around.
Noticing that her face was downcast, I immediately went over to her.
I knelt down and touched her cheek, meeting her gaze.
Seeing that her face seemed on the verge of tears, I called out to Chris, who was on the opposite sofa.
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“Hey, Chris! What happened?”
ㅤ
What happened while I was gone? Damn it. I shouldn’t have left her side.
ㅤ
“Sigh, yeah. Kyle, can I ask you something?”
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“What is it?”
ㅤ
I wanted to tell him to just hurry up and tell me what happened, but
I noticed that Chris’s face was serious.
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“Did Kyle end up dating Miss Ellie?”
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“What? No way I’d date her, right?”
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“I thought so. Look, Princess, it’s alright. Don’t worry.”
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“Huh. . .?”
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Wondering what he meant, I looked at the princess, and she was smiling, relieved.
. . .She was worried that I might end up dating Miss Ellie?
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“Princess, what’s going on? Why did you think that Miss Ellie and I would date?”
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“. . .Well, you two seemed to know each other,
and Ellie looked like she wanted Kyle to help her.”
ㅤ
He’s really sharp about these things. He observes well.
She wanted me to help her, or even become her real lover. . .
I had noticed that she looked at me that way since our school days.
However, I had no such feelings at all.
ㅤ
“Certainly, she asked me to be her fake lover until I drove that man away.
But I refused right away.”
ㅤ
“Eh? You refused? Why?”
ㅤ
“I only protect the princess. I have no intention of protecting Miss Ellie.
I told her that and refused. I promised you, didn’t I?
I’ll always be by your side.”
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“Uuuu. But don’t you ever want a lover. . .?”
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“I don’t think so. What, were you worried about that?
It’s all right. The princess is more important to me than anything else.
Don’t worry about such strange things.”
ㅤ
I stroked her head to reassure her, and she finally smiled, satisfied.
That’s right. The princess should just keep smiling like that.
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