WBWB | Chapter 55

My mother and sister were speechless at the sight of the royal gifts.

The second box I opened contained something even more astonishing. My sister silently stared at the contents of the box for a long moment, then looked at me. I looked back at her, her expression clearly asking, ‘What’s your relationship with him?’

“I know what you’re thinking… but it’s a misunderstanding.”

It was understandable that they would be suspicious.

“He must have felt guilty about my exile. He probably wanted to compensate me for that time. But this is too much. I… I should return this.”

The box contained a hair ornament, earrings, a necklace, a bracelet, and a brooch, all adorned with emeralds and diamonds. Their beauty aside, they were excessively extravagant. These were the kind of jewels fit for a princess. Just having them in the house made me feel uneasy.

“You’re right. These aren’t things we should have in our possession,” my mother agreed.

“What are you talking about?”

An looked back and forth between my mother and me, incredulous.

“Why wouldn’t you accept them? It’s a gift! Think about what Sister went through in exile. This is just compensation!”

No, considering what I went through in exile, these gifts were even less acceptable. I hadn’t suffered that much, and in fact…

I shook my head, cutting off that train of thought.

The date on the invitation was a few days later. On that day, a magnificent carriage and an attendant arrived from the palace. My sister helped me dress and style my hair. I hadn’t even tried on the jewelry the Crown Prince had sent, afraid of being tempted by its splendor. I kept it safely tucked away in its box.

I carried the box with me into the carriage. The attendant took my hand as I stepped inside.

The weather was fine, and the royal palace, as always, was the epitome of splendor, yet an unusual somberness hung in the air. I looked out the carriage window. The nobles who would normally be enjoying leisurely strolls were nowhere to be seen.

The attendant led me to a part of the palace I had never been to before.

He opened a pair of gold-plated doors, and I saw Prince Mael rise abruptly from his chair. The room was dazzlingly luxurious. Seeing the transformed room, I was reminded that he was now the Crown Prince.

“Teacher!”

The Crown Prince, disregarding the attendant and servants, rushed towards me and embraced me tightly.

“I missed you.”

Held in his arms, I realized how much he had grown. When I was exiled, we were about the same height. But what was this? Barely a year later, his chin rested atop my head.

‘Were his arms always this broad?’

I was flustered by his strong, wide embrace. So much had changed in such a short time. I remained in his embrace for a long moment, then, feeling it was inappropriate to continue, carefully pulled away. The Crown Prince looked at me, a puzzled expression on his face.

“But why aren’t you wearing my gift?”

“I brought it back with me. I’m not worthy of such expensive gifts, Your Highness. And having such valuable items in the house would make us a target for thieves.”

“Is that so?”

Seeing my firm stance, he accepted the returned jewelry box, a look of disappointment on his face, and murmured, as if to himself,

“You are already a worthy person, Teacher.”

I tilted my head, confused.

“Then you’ll accept the dress, won’t you? It suits you very well, Teacher.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

The dress, with its delicate lace and tiny pearls, was also an expensive piece of craftsmanship, but it would be rude to refuse this as well. The Crown Prince invited me to sit on an elegant sofa.

“Please be seated, Teacher. You must have suffered greatly. I will ensure that such a thing never happens again.”

“I was well taken care of there.”

“Then I’m glad to hear that. Did you receive my letters while you were there?”

I sat down, and the Crown Prince took a seat on the opposite sofa. The attendants served tea and refreshments. The cakes and various desserts were luxurious. I was once again reminded that I was back in the royal palace.

The Crown Prince told me about the events that had transpired at court.

I hadn’t realized the gravity of the situation because I had been exiled immediately, but the incident involving the seditious books found in his room had led to the downfall and banishment of many people from court. Duchess Ventadour and Prince Mael had also been forced to move from the palace to a mansion outside the palace grounds.

“We were given the most remote quarters in the outer palace. It was practically confinement.”

But as they say, misfortune can turn into a blessing. Because they had already been excluded from various court events, they were spared from the plague that ravaged the palace. The royal family had been hit the hardest. The King, the Queen, the Crown Prince, and other princes and princesses had all fallen ill. The Queen and the Crown Prince had succumbed to the disease.

“What happened to Her Highness the Princess?”

“Which Princess are you referring to?”

“The one who visited the duchy estate during my exile…”

“Ah, she survived. But I don’t know if that was a blessing for her.”

“What do you mean?”

The Crown Prince told me what had happened to her. Shortly after her return to the capital, the plague had spread. She survived, but the blisters that had covered her body had left scars, marring her once beautiful face. 

Having lost her mother and brothers, and now disfigured, she couldn’t bear the grief and pain and had entered a convent after the mourning period. I, who still remembered her angelic face, was deeply shocked beyond words.

“It was a terrible disaster. But for me, it was fortunate.”

I felt a sense of unease at the Crown Prince’s description of a tragedy that had claimed so many lives as fortunate.

“A year ago, I was in despair. You were gone, and everything seemed bleak. It seemed certain that after my aging father passed away, my mother and I would be stripped of everything. But look at us now. The goddess of fortune, whom I thought had abandoned me, was merely wearing a mask of misfortune. She never left my side. If we…”

The Crown Prince took my hand.

“…if nothing had happened, and we had been at the palace on the day the plague struck, what would have become of us? We both might have perished. The plague eliminated all my rivals. Now, I’m the only heir left to inherit the throne. And although my father survived the disease, he’s become frail. I will soon take over the affairs of state, and for that, I need strength. That is why I’m asking you…”

His blue eyes met mine.

“Will you stay by my side and be my lifelong advisor?”

As he held both my hands and I looked into his eyes, which held my reflection, I saw my own bewildered expression. I didn’t fully understand his meaning.

“I’m always happy to be your advisor, Your Highness.”

I assumed that his words meant for me to continue as his tutor.

“But now that you are the Crown Prince, you should have someone with more expertise by your side. Especially if you’re going to rule the kingdom, you should surround yourself with experienced people to learn from and seek advice. I’m merely a tutor, not a scholar or a politician.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

I tilted my head, looking at him in confusion. Then, a strange thought crossed my mind. But it was a preposterous thought. How could I even think such a thing?

‘Do you still believe that his affection for you stems solely because he sees you as an older sister?’

But someone had said that before. The Duke, to be precise. He had asked if Prince Mael might be in love with me. I shook my head at the absurd thought, but then the Crown Prince spoke.