Volume 01; Final Act

Final Act: And the Two of Them…
His Highness laughed weirdly at me, who was still looking miserable.

“I was quite worried about how to get those who only looked at things superficially and those who only think about power struggles to acknowledge Elli without using the Bernstein’s hidden name.”

Be that as it may, this may sound rude, but I don’t see you being troubled at all with you smiling like that.

“The Bernstein House has always embraced their reputation as puny nobles, and they don’t care even if they’re put down by a House that sticks to authority. ――― But, Elli showed her own worth, and I didn’t have to make up schemes.”

Huh…?

His Highness also tilted his head a little.

“We just talked about this, right? You silence the nobles, officials and ladies of high society with your abilities. Furthermore, 『Princess Bibliophile’s』reputation is rising with the people of Southlynd.”

“As the friendly noble lady who produced new trends and anticipated how to avoid war, as well as an insight into the lives of the commoners…”

Your Highness, who are you talking about? Was I called the 『Ghost of the Library』because I’m friendly? Do I have this insight because I’m a glutton who is interested in food cooked with Sami fish?

Something is wrong. I panicked and backed away from him.

His Highness smiled at me and closed the distance between us.

“I didn’t think that you would establish your position by yourself. I’m glad, Elli. You also want to stand by my side, don’t you?”

“Huh…?” My voice came out. I realised that a face was coming closer to mine and I panicked and was confused.

“――― Your Highness?”

I was prepared for our heads to butt if he got any closer and stared firmly into his blue eyes.

“Don’t lie.”

“… Tsk.”

I can still hear you even if you turn away.

… What is it? I feel that I have only seen the sides of His Highness that I haven’t seen before today.

I can see it if I think about it. I certainly gave sound advice and had some achievements, but it took a lot of work to spread this information widely as something only I did.

Count Casull’s case is a good example. Based on our conversation just now, depending on how it went, only one person was set to profit.

His Highness brushed back his dazzling blonde hair with one hand and sighed lightly.

“I do admit that I manipulated Elli’s reputation a little bit. But, your reputation would have gone up on its own even if I hadn’t done anything. You don’t believe me?”

He looked me straight in the eye, and I couldn’t stay stubborn.

“Your Highness… Why did you go that far?”

『Brains of Southlynd』

That name is now a heavy responsibility. Didn’t His Highness accept the troublesome conditions to obtain this?

My heavy feelings reflected in my eyes, and he lifted my cheeks with his hands. The hands which had grabbed my cheeks were strong.

He had a powerful look in his eyes.

“Elli. I said it before, didn’t I? I don’t want you because of the Bernstein’s hidden name.”

I could see that my pupils were shaking with hesitation through his eyes. He breathed gently as if to erase my anxiety.

“Well… I know that you can’t remember it, Elli.”

I was puzzled, and His Highness told me with a gentle smile.

His Highness and I have met once before nearly ten years ago, he said.

◊♦◊♦◊♦◊

In those days, His Highness was being carefully raised as the First Prince of Southlynd Kingdom. He was smart, but as the very picture of a Prince, he was arrogant and domineering.

One day, he was in a bad mood at the Royal Library and took his anger out on the books.

He threw them, kicked them, and used them as substitutes for balls ―――.

“… Elli! Don’t be angry again. You’ve already scolded me harshly back then.”

Oh my, Your Highness. You don’t have to be that flustered. It’s okay if you’ve reflected on that.

Well, it’s such an exaggeration to wipe off cold sweat.

“Anyway…”

He was slapped by a younger girl at that time. My, that is a courageous move, but it’s terrifying.

The girl used enough strength in her slap to even make His Highness speechless, and she scolded him, 『Apologise to the books! 』His Highness, who had regained his composure, argued.

『It doesn’t matter who you are! Books are our silent predecessors. They are mankind’s treasures. Were you taught that you could act inhuman to people who can’t speak? 』

『Y-you’re exaggerating… Aren’t they just books?』

『… How old are you?』

『Huh? … Tw-twelve years old.』

『The book you just threw away is a history book that was written hundreds of years ago and is still being reprinted. You, who has only been living 12 years of your life, is like a baby in diapers in front of this book. You’re just an inexperienced freshly hatched chick. Apologise to your great predecessors! 』

His Highness was overwhelmed, a girl younger than him called him a baby in diapers… no, a chick. His intelligence had always been praised, and he took pride in that, but now that pride had taken a bad beating. He reflected and apologised.

Since then, His Highness became interested in the girl and often visited the Royal Library. He began to listen to the girl talk about books.

The books the girl talked about were all interesting, and they completely differed from the education he had been taught as the Prince.

It didn’t take long before his heart started fluttering at the girl instead of the books. Therefore, he investigated her background because he wanted to keep her at his side. Then, he consulted with his father, His Majesty…

“The Prime Minister and father started panicking all of a sudden.”

His Highness looked off into the distance. Did the person not have an esteemed position? Was she actually a Princess from another kingdom who came here incognito?

“Elli.”

His Highness’s gaze looked lukewarm.

“This is a story about you and me from the past.”

I blinked my eyes.

… Wh-which means that girl is me?

“Hah,” he sighed out loud. The usual ambition in his sky-blue eyes wasn’t there.

“I can’t believe you still can’t remember even though I’ve told you this much… no. I’m sure you had the worst impression of me back then, so I should be happy that you don’t remember.”

Well, Your Highness. Please cheer up. My memory of others is like the morning dew.

He rubbed the middle of his eyebrows again as if to loosen the wrinkles, and continued.

That was the first time he learnt of said girl’s… Elianna Bernstein’s hidden family name.

His Majesty and the Prime Minister warned His Highness that it would be difficult to wed someone from the Bernstein House since they weren’t interested in power… And that it was better to avoid demanding something that would sour the mood of the House that held such a hidden name.

Still, His Highness didn’t give up and paid no heed to their advice. He sounded out the Marquis, my father, and the next day, I returned to our fief where grandfather was living his secluded life.

“Oh…” I also remembered about this after being told this much.

Father was so depressed after mother passed away that he couldn’t even look at books, and he wouldn’t let brother or me leave his side. I remember growing up at the royal capital when I was little, but then I was suddenly sent to the fief, where grandfather lived, with brother when I was nine.

After that, I didn’t step into the soil of the royal capital until I made my debut at 14.

His Highness laughed bitterly.

“I really wanted to knock myself at the back of my head for my carelessness at that time.”

… Your Highness? You can’t hit the back of your head by yourself, you know?

“Well, anyway. I appealed to the Marquis and old man Bernstein many times, and then you were finally coming back to make your debut. You had gotten so cute, and you didn’t remember me at all. You also didn’t notice at all that other men were trying to court you…!”

… Your Highness. You’re a little scary. Please calm down.

And, uh… do you know the proverb, ‘love is blind’? Or ‘every man has his own taste’?

Even I don’t make a hobby of demeaning myself… I also think it’s disrespectful to Your Highness.

I backed away more because of my unbearable feelings, but His Highness held me steady and seized me with his blue eyes.

“You’re too oblivious. You didn’t even notice when ambassadors from other kingdoms were persuading you to come to their kingdoms. You don’t know how troubled I’ve been…! You have to be more aware that your appearance attracts others.”

Huh… The Ghost of the Library is surprisingly popular with others?

His Highness’s blue eyes looked deep and dark. I was startled, and a shiver ran down my body.

“Elli. My feelings for you won’t change even if you’re the Ghost of the Library or even if you’re slow. You should be more aware of this. It took almost ten years, but I’ve finally caught you. I’m not going to let you go no matter what happens, you know?”

My hands were still in his, and I bent down.

Even I understood that His Highness, who had done so much, wanted me personally and not the Bernstein name. But… but…

“B-but, Your Highness. I haven’t received the Queen’s Education.”

His Highness blinked his blue eyes a few times. Why is with that blank face?

… I can hear you, Your Highness. You’re saying something like, “Oh? Even you care about stuff like that?”

“You didn’t receive the education… but you took the exam. It was determined that you wouldn’t need the Queen’s Education.”

Huh…?

“When you first became my fiancée, mother and the court ladies invited you to tea parties and barraged you with questions, didn’t they? That was to test your knowledge, education, etiquette… well, aside from sociability. They said that your appearance and nature are also fine.”

“I, I didn’t hear about this…”

“Yeah. I didn’t tell you. I thought you would run away if I told you.”

I realised now that his sparkling smile was the smile of the devil. Is there a way to escape from His Highness who is getting closer to me?

“I, I’m not good with socialising.”

This is an absolute condition for a Queen.

Your Highness, please stop putting your mouth on my hand. My heart feels like it’s going to pop out of my mouth.

“――― Mother is bad at diplomacy.”

Excuse me?

“She’s not good with… other kingdom’s culture, knowledge or language. Therefore, whenever a guest of honour from another kingdom comes, she always calls for you and stays in the royal palace, right?”

“Because you’re very knowledgeable,” she would say.

Speaking of which… I also remember this. I just thought that was one of my duties as the Prince’s fiancée.

I learnt other languages because I wanted to read books from other kingdoms. Some books were translated, but those written in the original language had the subtle phrases and nuances from that kingdom.

“――― Say, Elli,” His Highness took a short breath, and spoke to me in a gentle and persuading voice.

“Standing at the top requires perfection, but everyone has strengths and weakness because we’re human. Fortunately, we have people to make up for those points around us. ――― And most of all, I want you to stay by my side for the rest of my life. You don’t want this, Elli…?”

My heart was throbbing stronger than ever.

I was engulfed by His Highness’s clear-blue eyes, and the anguish I felt this morning melted and disappeared.

It was so sad and depressing when I thought that I wanted to stay by his side, but couldn’t any more.

“Can I… stay by your side?”

Prince Christopher smiled broadly with happiness.

“Elli. Elianna. You’re the only one I want by my side, both in the past and the future.”

My throbbing heart took hold of me, and I felt a smile appear on my face.

“I learned for the first time that there is something that can’t be understood from reading alone.”

“Fufu,” His Highness laughed. He touched my cheeks, his blue eyes swirled gently and sweetly, and the border between us disappeared.

Before touching my lips, he whispered lovingly, “――― My beloved Princess Bibliophile.”