Still, she struggled to keep her eyes at Rishe and share her thoughts with her.
“I thought I couldn’t change what I was born with…But maybe, just maybe, I can change a few things. For me, it’s a huge, huge change, and this change is something you brought me…Just thinking about it makes it feel like I’m dreaming.”
She added in a whisper, “So…”
“Your words will reach your fiancé as well, Rishe-sama…absolutely.”
“…!”
Rishe’s gasp made Harriet quickly cover her face with her hands.
“Um, uh, I’m sorry! I spoke too much. Shame on me!!”
“H-Harriet-sama?!”
“I’m really sorry. I’m sure I will be tossing and turning in my bed tonight, remembering all this!”
“Oh, please calm down, it’s okay!”
Rishe’s cheeks relaxed as she shushed her, sitting into the couch.
It must have taken a lot of courage for Harriet to say what she told her just now.
But she did her best to encourage Rishe.
“Thank you, Harriet-sama. It’s a real pleasure being your friend.”
“F-Friend!”
The olive eyes that increasingly looked on the verge of tears looked up at Rishe.
Harriet-sama is changing. But…
The only thing that crossed her mind was the future that was coming for Harriet.
I don’t know where the factor that caused this person to be executed lies. I can’t even figure out Raul’s purpose…
“Excuse me, Rishe-sama.”
“Elise?”
The door opened after a knock, and Rishe turned around with Harriet.
With a somewhat troubled face, Elise gently looked behind her. There were female knights in white military uniforms.
Knights of Fabrania, not Sigwell.
“E-Everyone! Um, this is…”
“Excuse us, Harriet-sama. I’m sure His Majesty has asked you to keep your knight escorta by your side when you have someone other than your brother and the maids by your side.”
Three or so knights directly entered the room.
Although they weren’t murderous, the air in the room suddenly turned suffocating. Harriet shook her head in a fluster.
“B-But, Rishe-sama is the only one here, so…”
“It doesn’t matter who the person is.”
“…”
“It’s okay, Harriet-sama.”
Rishe smiled and put the lid on the medicine bottle he had been mixing.
“I’m leaving now. Apply the medicine in this bottle to your eyelids before you go to sleep and get some rest. I’ll collect the dress and bag since they’re in the way.”
“Ah! Then, let me help at least!”
Harriet stood up and began to gather up the dresses and bags that she had placed in several places, fluttering around.
Rishe had no time to stop her, so she decided to take advantage of her generosity and carried the dresses and bag with Elise.
“Well then, good night, Harriet-sama. I apologize to the guards for disturbing you at this time of night.”
“Ri-Rishe-sama! Um, thank you, thank you very much!”
“I’m the one who should thank you.”
Rishe was thankful for her encouragement. She felt that she could move forward with her and Arnold’s marital dispute.
Harriet looked down and buried her head in embarrassment.
“Good night, Rishe-sama.”
“Yeah, see you tomorrow.”
Rishe wanted to wave to her, but she was carrying so many dresses right now, so she started walking down the corridor, with Harriet looking after them.
“Isn’t it heavy, Elise.”
“No, it’s okay! Are you alright, Rishe-sama?”
“Yes, I’m fine. It’s late tonight, so let’s just take them to the dressing room and sort out the dresses tomorrow.”
“Alright!”
They headed downstairs while conversing.
“――……”
Rishe didn’t notice that Harriet was standing in the hallway, her eyes narrowed and staring at her back.
***
After dropping off the dresses and bags in the dressing room and leaving Elise, Rishe returned to her bedroom and exhaled.
His Highness Arnold is still working, is he?
In a room that was meant for two, the silence of being alone filled the room. Rishe couldn’t help remembering something else.
Ghost.
Rishe hurriedly lit the lamps in the room to brighten it up, and then hurriedly dove into her bed.
She tried to isolate the sound of the waves by covering her head with her cloak, but she still felt uneasy.
“…”
Rishe got up gently, got off her bed and moved with her top cover on.
She headed toward the window.
In short, she got on the same bed that Arnold slept on yesterday and sank into it.
All of the covers, sheets, and pillows had been changed by Rishe this morning and replaced with new ones. There was nothing left in this bedroom that Arnold had used yesterday.
Even so, she felt as if she was surrounded by Arnold’s presence, and exhaled.
I’m sure His Highness won’t be coming back to this room.
She buried her face in her pillow with this resolve.
I wrote a swear word on a piece of bread, so it’ll be selfish of me to want him to sleep with me.
Nevertheless, Rishe exhaled.
I hope he’s not overworking himself.
She regretted it. She should have at least asked Oliver about his physical condition.
During the day, he got drenched in the rain and even had a dip in the sea. Even if he’s a physically fit person, working late every day will drain his strength rapidly…
Despite her worries, her thoughts began to melt over the edges.
The same went for Rishe, whose energy was exhausted during the day. Moreover, a marital strife she was unaccustomed to disrupted her thoughts in more ways than one.
“Your Highness.”
There was no way Arnold would return, but in a corner of her mind, she waited.
While deceiving her heart, Rishe slowly closed her eyes.
***
The next time Rishe woke up was a few hours later.
“…”
She opened her eyes and realized that it was midnight.
She blinked a few times and was about to fall asleep again when she noticed a presence next to her.
Arnold was sleeping peacefully beside Rishe.
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