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“I can’t help it. It’s a secret, but Princess Rieta asked, so I’ll tell you.”
“Uhhh.”
From now on, it was no use for Rieta to complain.
“Everett Hewitt.”
Well, she knew already. It was from the original story!
Everett wasn’t a character who played a big role.
He didn’t make any particular impressions.
But one thing was certain.
He was a man who listened very well to Princess Gabriella.
Among them, she particularly liked the way he tried hard, saying, “I will become a man that the Princess likes”
Of course, his efforts leaned more toward being strong enough to stand by the Princess’ side, so there were occasional scenes where he exchanged swords with Princess Gabriella.
Since this is a peaceful couple, I can watch without any worries.
Rieta nodded her head slowly.
After all, Hugh McLean and the female lead became a peaceful couple in the end.
Perhaps, if Rieta hadn’t been on Noel’s side, she might have enjoyed watching them overcome adversities and achieve the happiness of the original couple.
But when she tried to put Noel in the gap, Rieta had a lot of worries.
He didn’t even know the hardship, and Noel . . . !
While Rieta was huffing in her heart, the Princess continued her explanation a little more.
“He’s at the academy now, so the engagement has to wait much longer.”
“That means he is younger than the Princess.”
Rieta asked, although she already knew.
She thought it would be rude not to ask any questions.
“Right. Anyway, You’re not surprised at all. Princess Rieta, just like you knew I was going to marry him.”
“Oh, that can’t be!”
Rieta quickly changed her posture and made excuses by stuttering.
“It’s embarrassing, but I, I still . . . I still don’t know everything about the Imperial Nobility . . .”
“You are cute.”
“Please don’t pamper someone who is in trouble.”
“I see. Then I’ll tell you you’re pretty. I like people who are pretty like Princess Rieta. It makes me want to have a person like that as my companion.”
Rieta’s heart fluttered slightly at the words Princess Gabriella said while looking at her.
Even though she knew it was just a joke.
Rieta frowned slightly because it was unfair that she was reliant on Gabriella’s words rather than her sincerity.
“. . . I don’t like it when someone with a fiance says that to someone else.”
“I see. Princess Rieta is strict.”
The corners of Gabriella’s smiling lips were smeared with wood powder.
Sometimes, even Gabriella had a clumsy side.
“Princess, on you lips.”
Rieta pointed to Gabriella’s lips and made a gesture to brush it off.
“Ah, thank you.”
Princess Gabriella immediately brushed off the part that Rieta pointed out to her.
But this time, another powder from her hand stuck to her instead.
In the end, Rieta brushed the confused Gabriella’s face herself.
Her fingertips lightly touched Gabriella’s lips.
. . . Was it because she was thinking about kissing a while ago?
Rieta was conscious of that touch for nothing.
It’s so soft.
Maybe Gabriella had used some good products.
I think it smells good . . . What?!
What am I thinking now?
When she came to her senses, Rieta’s cheeky fingers were fiddling around Gabriella’s lips unnecessarily.
This bad hand!
“I’m, I’m sorry!”
Rieta quickly apologized and withdrew her hand.
For some reason, her face turned red.
After realizing Gabriella’s eyes were pouring on Rieta, her heart started beating faster.
“By any chance, Princess Rieta.”
Did Gabriella get a sense of something? The Princess opened her mouth with a tone full of doubts.
“N, no. I don’t.”
Rieta denied anything about it.
She wasn’t having any weird thoughts. Well just, a little.
She was just admiring how soft it was. That’s fine . . . isn’t it?
“I . . . I never thought of strange things about the Princess!”
“I think I know. Because your eyes weren’t thinking of me.”
“. . . What?”
Rieta’s eyes widened.
Rieta was surprised that Gabriella noticed even such a thing. How far did she see through Rieta?
“Princess Rieta.”
“Yes, yes?!”
“Perhaps . . . Did you kiss?”
In response to the carefully handed question, Rieta jumped up from her seat.
She stood up so strongly that the chair tumbled over her back.
“N, n, no?!”
“That reaction is quite unusual?”
“Absolutely not!”
“There is a saying that an active denial is unavoidable affirmation.”
“No! Above all, the kiss wasn’t me, but No—”
Rieta also quickly closed her mouth, which was moving at her own will.
In order to prove her innocence, she even tells the truth that she wanted to hide.
But she didn’t say ‘Noel’’s complete name, so there’s a chance Gabriella won’t understand.
“Oh, did Noel kiss someone?”
. . .  Or not.
As she said in the first place, Rieta’s relationship within the Empire was narrow.
It would not have been difficult to infer that it was Noel from the first syllable.
“With someone you don’t even know. Right?”
Rieta frowned and nodded her head.
Just because she denied it didn’t mean it was going to be hidden.