Side Story: Alois Eseah, Ronella Nestro(5)
Sweet-sounding words formed perfectly on my lips and flowed out like water.
“It feels good to be alone together after such a long time.”
“I was thinking the same thing, Alois. It’s like I’m touching a jewel that no one else dares to even touch.”
Perhaps because we knew each other’s thoughts better than anyone else, conversations like this felt all the more enjoyable.
At my words, Alois gently closed his eyes. I reached out and slowly brushed my hand across his face. It felt like I was touching a finely crafted statue.
“You’re just that beautiful.”
Then I leaned in and whispered softly. Maybe my breath reached him, as his brown eyelashes quivered slightly.
My touch grew more intimate. I combed through his hair, brushed over his exposed forehead, and traced the bridge of his prominent nose. My fingers soon grazed his red lips.
Without moving a muscle, Alois slowly took hold of my wrist and lifted his closed eyelids.
I was completely reflected in his crimson eyes. I felt trapped within those jewel-like irises.
Alois let out a slow breath. Unlike his cold skin, the warmth of his breath brushing against me made the hairs on my body stand on end.
“Your Holiness says I’m beautiful…”
Alois stepped closer. I took a step back.
“But to me, nothing is more beautiful than you.”
Alois turned his head and pressed his lips slowly against the center of my palm. Then, as if showing off, he tilted his head back slightly and clamped his mouth shut.
“…Alois, I’ve fallen for you all over again.”
***
That day, we didn’t make it to the Nestro Ducal House as planned. The reason was me.
With Alois pressing in with that handsome face of his, there was no way I could focus on anything else.
So we ended up going to the Nestro residence the next day. When we arrived, people came out to greet us, as if the had been waiting.
I thought Ronella had arranged it, but the face of the man at the front said otherwise.
“Ducal Prince Veron Nestro.”
“It has been a while, Your Holiness. And Your Highness, Crown Prince of Eseah.”
His silver hair, reminiscent of a priest’s, swayed as he bowed his head.
“The Duke and Duchess are currently away in the southern region, so I must apologize for being the one to receive you both.”
“There’s no need to apologize. We were the ones who made the visit without notice.”
He lifted his head, and I added with a diplomatic smile,
“But where is Ducal Princess Nestro?”
“…She is not feeling well and is resting in her room.”
A dissatisfied expression flashed across Veron’s face. It wasn’t directed at me. It was directed at Ronella, who had locked herself in her room.
I could already imagine Ronella behaving childishly despite how long she had lived.
“Oh no. If she’s not feeling well, I can treat her. Would that be alright?”
“…I don’t think that—.”
After a brief silence, Veron began to speak again, but Alois cut him off. The timing was impeccable.
“Of course it’s alright. Having the Saintess personally examine her would be a once-in-a-lifetime honor.”
After preventing Veron from offering any excuses, Alois stood there, looking like he didn’t know anything.
Veron’s gaze fell on Alois.
He must’ve been feeling very complicated right now. After all, the Ronella, whom he once tried to protect even if it meant strangling me, was now on the verge of being exposed.
His concern was understandable as there was no way a demon could remain unharmed after receiving the Saintess’ divine power.
“Lady Saintess, I apologize, but…”
Well, for now, I planned to keep it secret that we already knew Ronella’s true identity.
“Ducal Princess, wait!”
No matter what Veron Nestro said, I wasn’t too worried, because Alois was right beside me.
But the real problem came from elsewhere. Someone quietly stepped out from among the attendants.
“…Ronella.”
“Elder Brother.”
Ronella appeared with long, flowing black hair, dressed in white linen sleepwear and her face was pale. At a glance, she truly did look sick, and those around her couldn’t help but sigh.
Even so, Ronella was quite a beloved noble lady within the Nestro family.
“I heard Lady Emilone came to see me. Would it be alright to speak with her?”
I couldn’t see Veron’s face as he turned his head, but it wasn’t hard to guess that he was flustered.
“Ronella.”
Which was understandable. His fists were clenched so tightly that it was obvious what he was thinking.
I could imagine how nervous Veron must be every time Ronella went around, stirring up the social circles.
“Lady Emilone.”
Ronella’s face visibly brightened as she strode toward me.
She merely smiled, yet her face which looked ill moments ago, seemed to regain color. She approached as if Alois didn’t exist and let out a deep sigh.
“I should have come to see you first. I apologize, Lady Saintess.”
Oh, she was acting.
Now, I was starting to get a better grasp of Ronella.
I was beginning to understand what kind of person she really was.
Just as I’d come to recognize Alois’ unchanging smile, I was now starting to distinguish Ronella’s pure-looking expression for what it truly was.
“Allow me to welcome you inside.”
Studying Ronella’s expression carefully, I stepped into the Duchy’s castle.
The interior of the mansion, which I hadn’t seen in a long time, had become even more lavish and elegant than before.
I’d heard that the Nestro family had made a fortune through recent trade with the Kingdom of Eseah, and it certainly showed…
“Elder Brother, I don’t know what you’re so worried about. You can leave.”
When we arrived at the receiving room, Ronella boldly issued an order of dismissal. Veron Nestro naturally refused, but he couldn’t win against Ronella.
“I will return in an hour.”
In the end, Veron Nestro exited, and as originally intended, only Alois, Ronella, and I remained in the room. Ronella didn’t seem particularly tense or anxious, her expression was vague as she sat across from Alois and I.
“Ronella.”
“Yes, Lady Emilone.”
I gently traced the surface of the teacup in front of me which I had sipped just to moisten my throat.
Looking closer, Ronella’s expression resembled that of a mildly sulky child, making her seem easy to soothe and console.
“Princess Nestro, regardless of whether you’re jealous that you saw the Saintess and I kissing, I ask that you refrain from any actions that inconvenience others.”
If only Alois hadn’t spoken so evenly and politely at that moment.
I turned my head and saw her lowering her head pitifully and opening her mouth like she was being careful.
Alois made a show of adjusting his posture, like he was trying to read Ronella’s expression.
The moment I saw that, I instinctively knew.
This wasn’t going to end that easily. Whether he intended it or not, Alois’s provocation had landed perfectly, and Ronella immediately responded.
“Your Highness, what are you talking about?”
With eyes widened in disbelief and her hands clasped tightly together, she looked truly pitiful.
If Alois reminded me of a finely cut jewel, then Ronella evoked images of sweet candy or soft cake. Either way, they both looked good to me.
“Why would you say that…? Jealousy? I’m not jealous of anything.”
As she said that, a single tear rolled down her cheek. Alois raised his head with a surprised expression.
“It wasn’t jealousy? Then I must have misunderstood, and I apologize. Your behavior was so childish, I couldn’t help but mistake it as jealousy…”
Then he smiled as if he understood everything, a gentle, benevolent smile that made it seem as though sunlight was shining behind him. He had no divine power yet looked more radiant than any priest.
As always, I simply sat back and watched the two of them talk.
“Your Highness, what did I to make you say such a thing?”
Ronella abruptly sat up, her hair whipping through the air. Alois narrowed his eyes. Their gazes clashed like they were about to fight, but I wasn’t bothered.
“Would you like to hear from my own mouth what you’ve done? Though, honestly, it’s rather hard to say each one aloud.”
Because it felt like the two of them were actors in a well-rehearsed play and putting on a show. So I simply raised my teacup to my lips.
The faint scent of herbs wafted in, which was satisfying.
“I haven’t done anything that could be called wrongdoing, yet. But if you insist, please list them one by one.”
I rested my chin on my hand, listening to Ronella’s childlike whining.
‘You better stop Ronella.’
To be honest, I didn’t think she had any chance of winning against Alois.
Just like Alois said, sending monsters out of jealousy and then locking herself in her room without showing her face, Ronella couldn’t possibly win.
Despite her long life, she was still far too immature.
“Ronella Nestro. Alois Eseah.”
And so, I quietly said their names. I was the only one who could put an end to this back-and-forth that clearly wasn’t going to end on its own.
A clinking sound echoed loudly as I set down my now-empty teacup.
Both of them pursed their lips and looked down at me.
“That’s enough.”
I said simply. I could have kept watching this amusing little drama, but it was time to stop it.
Teary green eyes and clear, almost piercing red ones stared at me.
“Shall we get to the point now?”
“…”
“…”
The first to react was Alois.
The moment he blinked, the angelic expression on his face transformed. He was back to the decadent and languid Alois that I knew.
Ronella also pressed the back of her hand against her eyes. The moment she pulled it away, it felt like I was seeing the Ronella I remembered.
In other words, the Ronella with a pretty little mask on.
“Ronella, why do you think I came to see you?”
To be honest, I didn’t have a big reason for coming. I was a little thrown off by her sending a demon our way, but she didn’t seem to have any intent to harm us, so I wasn’t planning to scold her.
If anything, I just wanted to see her face again.
Ronella was one of the people who had eagerly awaited my return to the Empire. So showing my face to someone like that wasn’t too much to ask.
I crossed my legs and sank into the sofa.
Letting my body relax into the comfortable cushions, I waited for her response.
“Well, that…”
A bashful look crossed her face, one that looked like it was crafted by the gods themselves. But my heart didn’t move at all. Because I knew even that emotion was part of her calculated act.
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