Chapter 82 â The Power To Complete Like The Original Story
The hand that covered Bellaâs eyes slowly lowered as Kiehl met the red eyes that touched his heart. What was she thinking?
âŠWhy did she look so enchanting?
âAre you oââ
When Kiehl tries to talk to BellaâŠ
âYour Highness Kiehl. I greet the glory of Elysia.â
âŠThe guards paid their respects to the person they would never have seen in their entire life. Everyone bent their knees in unison, terrified. Judging from the circumstances, it seemed clear that this person was the rumored adoptive daughter of the Cruelle family.
Would the Crown Prince forgive their mistakes?
Then, a brave guard stepped forward and explained the situation.
âThereâs a story that the Cruelle familyâs carriage overturned nearby, so I thought she was suspicious and tried to capture her.â
Kiehl was a little bit offended by the guardâs words.
âSuspiciousâŠ?â
âThe Cruelle family all have silver⊠hairâŠâ
âEveryone heard about the newly adopted daughter from the Cruelle family, even on the street. Didnât you guys know?â
Hearing his words, the guard gulped.
âYour Highness⊠There have been too many people trying to enter today by impersonating others, so I mistook her for an intruder. Forgive me.â
The guard was smarter than he looked. It was because he couldnât be reprimanded if he emphasized that it was a disaster brought on by excessive patriotism.
However, Kiehlâs thoughts were very different.
âCan you impersonate a bear?â
âThat isâŠâ
âIâd rather say you didnât know that a girl from another world was adopted as the Cruelle familyâs adopted daughter, right?â
Because of the story surrounding Bella, there must be many gossips. It was because it was so noisy from the start.
âI thought it would be like this, so I even assigned Rinne. Youâre not going to say that you donât Rinne Froha either, right?â
At that, Rinne crossed her arms and raised her nose.
âIf you donât know the (preliminary) Archmage Rinne, you are not an Imperial person.â
âŠThat genius wizard, who was said to appear only once in five hundred years.
âI think itâs excessive patriotism though Iâm going to let this go. Rio, treat these people.â
Rio had never been active before, but he was a healer.
âI will treat you. Show me the wounds.â
As Rio looked over them, Kiehl held out his hand to Bella.
âWhat?â
As Bella stared at him, Kiehl looked away and cleared his throat.
âIâm sorry to have caused you this disrespect. I will take you to your room.â
As Bella suddenly raised her hand, she replied stiffly, like reading a pronunciation book.
âAh. Thank you.â
She was relieved because she had heard that there would be no bumping into Kiehl until she went to the Imperial Palace. As they tried to pretend they had never met each other in front of other people, an awkward air enveloped them.
âWhere is the room for the Cruelle family? Guide me.â
The guard, who had not averted his suspicions from her, stepped forward and bowed his back. Usually, he just told them where the room was and opened the door.
âAh, let me guide you. Come this way.â
Nonetheless, the Crown Prince said that he would personally take her there, so what should he do? When the tightly closed door opened, Kiehl and Bella followed the guard. Even Bellaâs walking was awkward.
ââŠI donât think Kiehl is Kiehl.â
She knew he was the Crown Prince, but it was the first time he had ever shown that authority in front of so many people.
âI canât make fun of him for being cute anymore. He looks really cool.â
Bella tried to laugh secretly, but her expression quickly hardened.
âAh⊠People stare at me too much.â
That was why he said heâd see her again when they arrived at the Imperial Palace. Quite a few young ladies watched this incident and unexpectedly even saw the Crown Prince and whispered. They werenât zoo animals, and the curious gaze was burdensome.
Of course, Bella was from the Animal Kingdom. Even their party, who was walking one step apart, felt burdened by that gaze.
âRio, didnât you say you were going through the back door? I donât know what to do if he goes around advertising that he likes Miss Bella.â
âI guess Miss Bella looked dangerous earlier.â
Jenkins clicked his tongue at those words.
âDoes the Young Master still think Miss looks dangerous?â
âRight. The guards seemed more dangerous.â
Rinne also sighed and glanced at Rio.
âNo, just my thoughts. I donât know, and neither do I. Ask Kiehl.â
âRio always doesnât know.â
âIt seems like you donât even know.â
Rio sighed and murmured. When Jenkins, who was the best in the Empire for being sarcastic, and Rinne, who had a high nose, met, he didnât even have the strength to refute.
âYouâre only getting along when itâs like this.â
On the other hand, Pur was confident when the eyes were focused on her, and she waved her hand and walked.
âEveryone seems to like Pur!â
âIt would be nice as Pur didnât have any thoughts.â
âHehe! Youâre jealous, right!â
Even until Bella arrived in the room, the young ladies followed and watched from a few steps away.
âI heard she came from another world, so His Highness must be interested in her as well.â
âCould that strange person be going to the competition instead of Lady Shuria?â
Fortunately, it was so far that they couldnât hear them clearly. In fact, even if it were audible, it would not have reached Kiehlâs ears. It was because Bella was holding his hand tightly as she walked as stiff as a hard log.
Kiehl spoke cautiously to her.
âYou donât have to hold my hand tightly when youâre being escorted.â
âSorry, I was nervous because people were staring at meâŠâ
âBecause I havenât seen him, heâs become so cute.â
As Bella relaxed her hands, Kiehl rubbed her palms with his long fingers instead of speaking. He was going to write, âYouâre cute.â
Bella flinched in surprise.
âHa!â
It would be better if she screamed, but she made a strange hiccup sound that even her ears turned red.
âHa⊠hahaâŠÂ The hallway isâŠinterestingâ
As she made excuses gibberish, Kiehl covered his mouth and barely suppressed his laughter.
âTh⊠this?â
Bella said softly, biting her lip as she held his hand tightly.
âDun lauuhâŠâ (Donât laugh.)
âI didnât laugh.â
âI heard it all.â
âNo way. I didnât laugh.â
At his words, she glanced at him before pinching Kiehlâs hand hard with her fingers.
âAh.â
He, too, screamed at her at the sudden attack. As his guard hurriedly turned around, Kiehl cleared his throat a couple of times before asking solemnly:
âWhy is it so far away? Youâre not lost, are you?â
âOh, no. Just pass this way.â
This time, it was Bella who was barely holding back her laughter.
âPfft.â
Seeing her like that, Kiehl muttered in a resentful tone that only Bella could hear.
âHow could you pinch so hard?â
âYou started first.â
âI didnât do that on purpose.â
âWho told you to laugh?â
âI laughed because you said the hallway is interesting.â
When Bella tried to pinch his palm again, he grabbed it tightly.
âYou told me I donât have to hold the hand so tightly.â
âYouâre going to pinch me again.â
âNo. Let it go for a second.â
âI wonât be fooled.â
While they were joking around with each other, a heated discussion broke out among the young ladies who were watching.
They thought nothing special would happen until they went to the Imperial Palace. Recently, the most interesting person in the Empire had appeared, and even the Crown Prince had appeared, so the tightly closed mouth had no choice but to open.
âIs His Highness interested in her, who came from another world?â
âThe Animal Kingdom⊠The name sounds a bit childish.â
Some of the young ladies didnât even properly utter Bellaâs name and frowned at her.
âI donât think she even learned manners.â
They noticed that Bellaâs gait was awkward, and she walked without holding her dress properly. If she came in as the adopted daughter of a noble family, she should live quietly. It seemed that they didnât like the fact that the Crown Prince personally escorted her to the room.
However, some young ladies had very different ideas.
Just as Bella had predicted, those were the young ladies who never wanted to be in the Crown Princess competition anyway. Those who were pushed in the back because all ladies of the families were obligated to attend rather than self-interest.
âHis Highness deserves to show attention. She is from another world.â
âShe didnât come from the place where the first Emperor lived, right? The name of the Kingdom sounds cute.â
âI donât know. Still, I do know one thing.â
As Shuria said, the eyes of those, who saw this contest itself as an opportunity sparkled.
ââŠThat we need to be friendly with her.â
Meanwhile, the guard ahead of them was more confident than the young ladies guessed. He couldnât hear the two of them talking, but the whispers werenât the same as when they first met.
âBut⊠Have they ever met before? Enough to send Rinne Froha.â
Besides, it was not like they were just old friends.
ââŠSomethingâs strange.â
It was evident that they were laughing behind his back.
âThis is the room.â
When the guard turned around, Bella and Kiehl hurriedly let go of their hands. In fact, holding it was more natural. Seeing them like that, the guard who witnessed the scene dreamed of a bright future, barely hiding his mean smile.
âIâll get a share if I do this well.â
Kiehlâs following words gave wings to the guardâs hopeful future.
âMiss Bella Cruelle, it seems that people still donât know about your existence. Will you continue to accompany me?â
As soon as Rio heard that, he hiccupped.
âNo⊠You said you shouldnât attract attention?â
He didnât understand, but Bella knew at once what Kiehlâs plan was.
âItâs impossible to go separately in secret anyway.â
Bella pretended she was thinking carefully and replied, âIf Lady Shuria doesnât come tonight, Iâd better go with Your Highness because I donât want to be suspected at every entrance.â
Then, she glanced at the guard.
âI canât see blood every time. Right?â
* * *
In County Psilia, they were worried about sending Rosanne to the Crown Princess contest. It was because they were afraid sheâd become a family flaw.
âIâll look around the world,â sheâd been saying for years, and sheâd run out of the house.
When she came back, they tried to punish her severely, but they couldnât, as Rosanne was pretty depressed. In Myuâs words, she said it was âthe pain of a broken heart.â However, contrary to the Countâs concerns, Rosanne had a pretty bright face after the long journey.
âRosanne. I donât ask for much. With an opportunity like this, you can get along with a family that is a little far away.â
âYes. I know, father.â
Unlike the Count, who was worried, Mayu, who always stood by Roseanne, was uneasy with that bright expression. She thought Rosanne had finally forgotten about it. All of a sudden, she didnât expect Kiehl to be the Crown Prince.
Besides, the letter that Kiehl had sent was bothering her⊠Myu couldnât carelessly look at the contents.
It was clear that Rosanne had brightened up again since that day.
ââŠI hope she doesnât have any false hopes.â
However, even if she was worried, what was the difference?
âAmong the nearby mercenaries, I assigned a trustworthy person. Say hello.â
The novel was assertive in trying to complete it as it was originally written, no matter how things changeâŠ
For a happy ending for the two of them.
âMy name is Mary. From now on, I will take care of the Miss.â