CH 14

“I’ve always wanted to be close to you Lady Merria.”

“I feel the same way.”

Karina frowned nervously at Merria, who answered moderately.

It was because she noticed that her sincerity was not fully conveyed.

Then she added,

“I really wanted to talk to you, not just out of politeness. I saw you from afar and fell in love at a glance.”

“What?”

Merria answered with her eyes wide open at the sudden confession.

Karina took a sip of her tea and glanced away from her gracefully.

At the end of her gaze was a vivid picture of the setting sun.

“It’s a painting from the Morph River, where I went on my last trip. I was so impressed that I asked a famous local painter to do it.”

At the feeling that her heart was caught, Merria rolled her lips inward.

“That’s why I’ve done this. I apologize if it was unpleasant.”

“No, it’s okay. But… I’m a little curious why you wanted to meet me so much.”

When Merria asked her with her head tilted, Karina leaned forward to answer.

“Because of the dress.”

“What?”

“There was a design that came to mind as soon as I saw Merria in the debutante party.”

I didn’t remember meeting Karina in the debutante party.

Even back then, of course, Merria deliberately wore a plain dress.

However, Karina seemed to have looked closely at Merria.

I felt like a middle-aged woman who was told by an old classmate I met that she actually had an unrequited love for me during our school days.

And the reason why I usually say that.

“So I really wanted to give you the dress I made.”

As expected, it’s because she still has her heart for me.

Karina was smiling leisurely, but she looked rather nervous.

Karina said subtly tensed,

“If you don’t mind, could you wear the dress I designed later? Of course, I’ll leave it up to Miolo to make it.”

“If it’s Karina’s dress, I think everyone would want to have it. Wouldn’t it be better to give it to another noble lady?”

“This design was exactly what I’ve kept hidden just for Merria. It’s meaningless if it’s not you.”

Merria nodded slowly at Karina’s determined answer.

“Then I’ll be grateful.”

“I’m more grateful.”

Receiving Merria’s answer, Karina lifted the teacup with a refreshing face and moistened her dry lips.

Then Merria said, thinking of a point she had overlooked.

“I don’t socialize very much… so it might be impossible to show the dress to a lot of people.”

“Did something bad happen to you at your debutante party?”

Instead of doing her overwhelming favor, Karina wondered about Merria’s circumstances of not attending any social gatherings.

Merria had a good reason to avoid the social world, but she couldn’t tell that to Karina.

She just shook her head and answered.

“It’s not like that… I’m going to try my best in the future.”

“I’m glad to hear that. Then, first of all, I’ll have to start with the design of Merria’s dress that I saved for a long time. So that you could wear it when it’s important.”

It wouldn’t be normal if she said Karina was important.

As far as Merria knows, there have been no big parties for the time being except for the Victory Banquet.

She gazed at Karina with her face full of questions.

Karina smiled softly and looked around to make sure there were no people.

Immediately, she lowered her upper body forward with her hand near her mouth.

As she reflexively touched her ear, Karina whispered in a small voice.

As Karina whispered low,

“I might hold an engagement ceremony with His Majesty the Crown Prince this year. I want you to wear the dress at that time then.”

“Ahh!!”

Surprised by the unexpected news, Merria made a loud noise and hurriedly shut her mouth.

She didn’t know, and quickly rolled her eyes to look around her and then released her hand that covered her mouth.

‘It’s really Karina…’

The fact that Altheon would arrive in the capital within a few days means that he was looking for a candidate for the crown princess seat accordingly.

And, as Merria expected, it became Karina on top of the list as a candidate for the crown princess seat.

The reality that had been put off to one side was approaching as the thoughts of Shannon and Alteon’s meeting would happen.

Karina was going to sit in the seat Merria had left.

“…Congratulations.”

Merria first sent her congratulations even knowing her stupid heart that the end was bad.

While whispering about her engagement, Karina had an expression reminiscent of an unfailing love, who had her cheeks stained with blush.