CH 21

The princess’ beautiful smile and soft eyes were directed at them. It was a sweet voice, but there was some loneliness mixed in.

The maids who were present were immersed in the beauty, atmosphere, and the deep emotion of sadness, which seemed out of this world. So they were a little late with understanding what they have heard.

‘Wait… the princess wants to leave something behind?’

Some of the ladies were already tearing up. Irene held back her tears among them and kept her mouth shut.

“I need to keep a diary.”

Turning her eyes back to the night sky, the princess whispered faintly. In the end, some of the ladies who couldn’t stand it started crying and ran over to Emma. They whimpered and cried.

“The princess… diary, wanting to leave something behind….”

“Writing a diary? Her Highness has never done this … Oh my god!”

Emma, who always stayed calm and composed, comforted the maids first. Emma was also aware of the secret rumors about her princess circling around the Imperial Palace, even though she did not show it. After stripping the rumors from their ridiculous malicious elements, it was obviously what the rumor were referring to.

‘Her Highness is dying.’

And the people of the Imperial Palace knew. They knew about the Imperial Princess being ill and not doing well. But all they could do about it was to remain silent. However, people outside who didn’t know about the most important parts were blabbering about it in one way or another.

Emma looked at the sobbing maids.

“If there wasn’t some truth to it her Highness wouldn’t do something like this.”

In fact, even when misfortune befalls a noble or someone high ranking, it is rarely the case that their subordinates are agitated like this. However, this result came by as the princess got closer to the people working at her palace in recent years.

It wasn’t just her adoring Rini like a little sister. She was friendly to all palace worker, and most crucially, the sense of distance between the palace workers and the princess wasn’t as obvious as before. Thus, the princess Leticia made them realize that she was their master and that she was only 19 years old.

Suddenly, the princess has become a special person to the workers at her palace. Even if they’re not as close to her Highness the Princess as Emma, Rini and Irene. But…

‘You want to leave a trace behind?’

Emma finally let out a worried sigh. One wants to leave a trace behind when one is close to death. A diary… Yes, it might be possible, but isn’t the princess’ situation special?

‘Usually, one tries to make others remember you till after your death.’

The precious princess was a person who lived such a lonely life that she could not even come up with such an idea.

‘That’s why she’s trying to keep a diary.’

Emma stayed silent until all the maids regained stability. And it was only after she was called a few times that she finally came to her senses. Emma had to support herself for some more time.

“I will prepare it for Her Highness, so everyone else can go back.”

They nodded in a complicated manner. Yes, if this is something she can do for her Highness, she’ll do her best. In her mind she promised the princess to do so.

༻﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡༺

The princess’ physical strength is weaker than expected, so she has yet to meet all the people from the original work, that she wanted to meet, naturally with the exception of Eugene and Cain. But emotionally, it was enough for her. Today I recovered unnie’s memories from when she was seven years old without anyone noticing. My seven-year-old unnie was a girl who liked to study. As expected of my unnie. The past few weeks have been spectacular, anyway.

“I think I’m a really happy person.”

My eyes have never witnessed such a delightful surprise. It seemed to have the power to ignite the will to live in someone. Now that I have only met the two of them, what will happen when I meet the other characters? Why do I even ask? The world will become even more beautiful. Hehe.

“What a beautiful world. Like a dream.”

But there was one problem. At this point, I realized that I couldn’t make big moves very often. It’s possible for me to walk around the palace, but right now I can’t even dream of traveling around outside until I get better.

“And there’s not much time left.”

Every moment was scarce. Right now, is a time that will pass like a dream. There will be many people who must break up when the original work begins. I don’t know if everyone will follow me. So, shouldn’t we leave as many memories behind as possible so that I can remember them clearly later?

So, I decided to write a diary first. I’ll leave these emotional memories behind one by one. The memories that the two handsome guys will gift me! That shyness and that slyness!

Of course, it was all planned to be written in Korean. However, when I asked to be brought some papers to start my diary with, the maids and Irene ran out with dark faces.

“At least answer me first before you leave you cold-blooded people…”

I was embarrassed to see them leave suddenly, sighed, and secretly cleaned up what they left behind. them up. Their eyes seemed bloodshot when they left.

“Did you cry?”

When asked out of the blue, Irene murmured: “I did not, Your Highness.”

What do you mean you didn’t? Of course, you’ve cried. But there was no point in interrogating her, so I just spoke softly: “Okay. If you have any difficulties, you have to tell me though.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Yes….”

“Yes”, sniffed Irene.*1

After smiling as sweetly as possible, I picked up a cushion in the corner. Then I returned to the window and sat down calmly with the cushion under me on the window frame. The cushion is supposed to support my buttocks a little.

Then a maid told me: “The head maid said she will get a diary for you, your Highness.”

I was pleased hearing that.

“I see. Did you go to tell her? Thank you.”

“Oh. No, it’s not like that.”

Well, this is a familiar shyness. I smiled beautifully as I thought of Rini, who couldn’t be here today because of a cold. And I sat there in the prettiest pose I could do, looked at them and said: “I won’t disturb your cleaning duties, so hurry up and get your work done.”

They hesitated when they looked at me but resumed cleaning with a smile afterwards. I tilted my head to see if everyone was in a different condition compared to when they left the room prior. Recalling my pretty act when the maids left, I praised myself intently. Since no one is doing it, I had to help them a little.

“Thank you. Be careful and return home safely.”

After cleaning, I saw them off with a smile and took a deep breath in the tidied room.

“It would be better to write the diary in Korean, right?”

The title of my diary should be “Beautiful World”.

Somehow, I couldn’t sleep that night. I found a shawl, put it on my shoulders and slowly walked through the palace garden, which is not often visited by people. It was late summer. Still, the Imperial Palace was always cool and there was no one around. It was a lovely moonlit night.

‘Should I enjoy it more often in the future?’

It’s already been more than a month since I came here.

“Time flies by so fast”, murmured I a little sullenly.

“I have to leave the palace.”

In fact, I have to be prepare to go to the biggest market street in the capital city, because there were the people I wanted to meet outside the palace. Now that I met Eugene and Cain, I had to slowly go outside. I need to help Yviene . I have a lot of work to do……. But Rox resisted. Hing*2.

“…….”

I wanted to pinch that round face strongly. I complained to myself about Rox. It was clear that Rox was sure I’d come back bruised and half-dead when I go to the market.

“No matter how much I think about it….”

That doctor is too much!

But it was then. Rustling. A man appeared through the bushes not far away from me……. I opened my eyes wide.

“Duke?”

“…….”

He stared at me and bowed his head in silence. He was a man of few words. It looked good on you. Oh! Is that what you call a blunt, beastly guy? No, I think he’s a little more refined and delicate than a beast.

Cain was next person who is supposed to encounter the heroine Ariel Langton first after the Crown Prince. He was a workaholic and had no reason to go outside, but on his way to report to the emperor he met the crying Ariel.

Ariel was crying because she cut her finger on a piece of paper. That scene was so ridiculous, it made it funny. Anyway, he was always a serious man. Now that I had met him, I know how naive he is. The fact that he was actually a real half-vampire was part of his dark past.

Is that why? He always seemed somewhat depressed, and even with that melancholic spirit Ariel made him laugh out loud and she became an existence as precious as the sun for him.

‘The point here is that you’re a half-vampire. Oh, it’s romantic.’

If it weren’t for the crown prince who didn’t know how precious Cain was, he would have lived his life faithfully. Cursing the prince inside my heart I approached Cain. He was just looking at me from far away but became slightly startled when I approached him. Then he took a few steps toward me and opened his mouth: “Your Highness.”

Haha. Just sing and watch.

But what? Even though he was terribly silent, he was such a beautiful man. I gazed at the dark, dark eyes of his as if possessed, and smile mischievously without realizing. This was an automatic reflex.

Well, I can talk to you first.

“It’s a beautiful night.”