Secrets with Crown Prince 19

A particular big guy quietly approached the desk and tried to look down at what I was doing

I stopped writing Argan's letter and looked up at Do-Hyun.

"Hey… It's rude to peek at other people's letters like that.”

“Do you exchange letters with Argan?”

When he asked that, Do-Hyun had a look full of despair as if he was just betrayed by his battle comrades.

But he wiped it off soon after, still, I was embarrassed to see the disappointment that he couldn’t hide for a brief second.

How can he give such a strong reaction to just one letter?

“For now, we’re discussing the engagement. I'm not telling him anything special. Just the mandatory exchanges?”

As soon as I replied, I added an excuse.

“And I haven't made an appointment with Duchess Rodwald yet. I need to push for it.”

Do-Hyun stared at the letter on the desk for a moment.

Then he looked at me sulking.

“Send me a letter too.”

Do-Hyun's request was too absurd.

“What kind of letters do you send to people you see every day? How annoying."

It was at that moment that Do-Hyun put on a disappointed face and shut his mouth. For once, he wasn’t pushy as usual.

It's probably because he recalled what kind of men suit my taste.

“Ena!”

'Annoying Guy number 2' appeared. He opened the door briskly without knocking.

I looked at Marquis Rioel, who had not even the slightest hint of courtesy.

"Knock, knock!"  

“Your Highness Reynolds doesn't knock either.”

“What’s there to compare? Between you and Do-Hyun … … Are you the same as His Highness the Crown Prince?”

At my scolding, Rioel grumbled in dissatisfaction, closed the door, and came inside.

He came right away from training and the knight uniform he was wearing was filthy.

He looked at Do-Hyun with a somewhat bewildered face.

"Your Highness. Why do you like that?”

“Do you know me?”

Rioel nodded his head at Do-Hyun's words.

There was a time when he said he was scared of Do-Hyun and ran away with his tail between his legs.

But during his three-month stay in the Lubiche mansion, they became such close friends, it feels as if they have always been like that.

“I came because you said you'd give me a letter. I heard you're sending it to Argan.”

After melting the sealing wax, pouring it over the letter, and putting a seal on it, I handed it to him.

I should also ask Maria to send a letter to the Alpine Newspaper.

“Rioel. Are you going to send that letter to Argan?”

Do-Hyun asked Rioel in a quiet but quite determined voice.

Rioel eyes twitched stupidly.

Do-Hyun muttered as he stared at the letter in Rioel's hand.

"Since it's a letter I can't get, then I hope Argan won't receive it either."

He spoke in a very melancholic voice. ‘If I can’t have it, no one else can!’ was a famous line from a certain drama that came to mind.

“Didn’t you decide to give me a chance too? This is very unfair.”

Do-Hyun sounded like an unfairly treated customer that was complaining to corporate.

I looked at him and asked.

“Would you like to return to the imperial palace? If you do, I will send you a letter every day.”

It would be better to send a daily letter than have him come to my room and bother me every day.

I stared foolishly at the hopeful glow on Do-Hyun's face.

It's a little strange to see that my words made him smile and also cry at the same time.

After standing like that for a while, returning to the imperial family only to receive a letter?

“Can you promise me?”

Do-Hyun asked with a serious face.

I was rather surprised by his polite response and nodded my head stupidly.

“I promise.”

Only then did a smile spread across the corner of his mouth. He looks like an angel when he smiles, it gives the impression that a halo is shining behind him.

I closed my eyes momentarily before gathering my thoughts.

I saw Rioel shoving the letter I gave him into his jacket pocket, and frowned.

“Rioel, please make sure to deliver the letter without getting it wrinkled.”

"Huh? Oh, okay… … ”

Rioel looked into Do-Hyun's eyes and nodded his head bitterly.

Do-Hyun, however, looked back at him with a very friendly and gentle smile, but for some reason, Rioel's reaction was unusual.

He broke into a cold sweat and stood there stiffly for a second before he hastily made goodbyes and disappeared outside as if he was being pulled by his tail.

“The application deadline to Alpine University is tomorrow, right?”

Do-Hyun asked while still lost in thought. I thought it over and nodded.

“I think it’s the day after tomorrow? why?"

“I'm going to apply for admission, too.”

The answer was so unexpected, it took me off guard.

Alpine University allowed adults over the age of 22 entry without age restrictions.

However, this does not apply to the royal family.

This is because members of the imperial family don’t have to go to academies or universities, instead, they have royal classes and receive private lessons in the imperial palace.

“Why are you wasting your time like that? Is there anything you want to learn?”

“Yes, I want to learn magic.”

Erin, the magician who saved me, said that there is an infinite amount of magical power inside me.

So I actually wanted to put that magical power to use.

And ultimately, I also wanted to find the type of magic that allowed me to switch dimensions.

However, I don’t think Do-Hyun has a valid motive to enter Alpine University.

Does he want to learn magic or swordsmanship?

Even if that were the case, wouldn't it be better for the crown prince to hire the best magician and swordsman in the empire for private lessons?

Above all, Do-Hyun was already a skilled swordsman with skills comparable to that of the knight commander of the Imperial Guards.

Do-Hyun suddenly smiled brightly, but without the usual coquettishness.

With his dazzling silver hair and golden eyes that shimmered like jewels.

He had outstanding looks in his previous life, so what kind of blessing did this guy have to be re-born with such a splendid appearance in his present life?

“I am going to university.”

Do-Hyun answered very briefly.

Until yesterday, he was like a mad leopard, but today he turned into a golden retriever that constantly wags its tail in front of me.

*****

Do-Hyun eventually returned to the imperial palace.

Now, I had to start my day by writing him a morning letter.

I can’t believe he changed his whole attitude because of one letter.

When he was told to go, he didn’t, but as soon as he was told he’ll be receiving letters, he ran back home, which was somehow disturbing.

Apparently exchanging letters every day isn't enough, so he summons me to the imperial palace once every four days.

In addition, now the empress was also inviting me over more often.

Thanks to the mother and son duo, it was safe to say that I went to the imperial palace daily.

To the point that I got acquainted with the knights guarding the entrance to the imperial palace, and the empress' handmaidens, Countess Joella, and Viscountess Cassel.

my image has improved a lot thanks to the constant volunteering with Do-Hyun.

Moreover, I received sympathy votes for my work on Lady Serene, consequently, my favorability increased for being the author of <The Man of Frederica>. Not to mention that the number of verbal attacks I received within social circles decreased due to my friendship with the Empress.

Everything was going the way I wanted it to.

“I've been looking forward to this, I couldn’t wait to see you, young lady.”

I watched the empress blush like a little girl and smiled in response.

Mrs. Joella and Mrs. Cassel, who had prepared tea for the empress, smiled kindly at me and left the drawing room.

That was my queue to take out a letter from my sleeve and hand it to her.

“This is Erin's letter that you referenced. I received a reply.”

The empress looked as surprised as a child and covered her mouth with her hands.

Incidentally, the empress became friendlier after realizing that the magician who helped me in Nathan Kingdom, was her college friend, Erin.

The Empress smiled as she read the letter.

"She’s coming to Alpine to see me, it’s all thanks to you that I will see my long-lost friend's face."

The Empress and Erin were classmates at Alpine University.

I had heard from other mages that Erin was an aristocrat, but I had no idea she was a member of the Alpine Empire's nobility.

It is said that Erin disappeared after graduation, and the Empress was unaware of her whereabouts.

I said to the empress, recalling the letter that Erinda had sent me separately.

"She wrote to you through me, saying that she was bothered by the fact that sending letters to the imperial palace would be monitored, and she hoped for your understanding."

"Erin hated being tracked, so I never thought to look for her before."

"I understand, Erin is a bit of an oddity."

My answer made the empress laugh so hard, tears formed in the corners of her eyes.

I took out my handkerchief and handed it to her. She took it in a graceful motion and with a thank you, wiped her tears away.

Then she pulled out an invitation from her bag and handed it to me.

"This is an invitation to the salon that the young lady asked for before. It's going to be held next week, and the person, that the young lady said she wanted to meet, also decided to attend.."

 ¹

I gladly accepted the invitation from her.

A private salon run by the Empress was a place where various characters gather.

I heard that Allen de Dominique, one of the twelve bishops of the Lanarke Vatican, would be there.

I've always wanted to meet him.

I thought I would be able to meet him if I became the adopted daughter of the Count of Lubiche.

But the twelve bishops of the Vatican were not the sort of people one would expect to meet, even as the adopted daughter of a noble family.

"By the way, is there a reason you want to meet Bishop Allen?"

The Empress asked me with a curious look on her face.

"I heard that any bishop of the Vatican can pray to God, and I would like to pray to him, for I am a devout Lanarchean."

At my words, the Empress made a puzzled face.

Perhaps she was surprised that I, who has the appearance of a stranger, was a Lanarchean.

I was intrigued, too.

Who knew that the day would come when I would be consulting the Gods on how to travel between dimensions?    

The reason why I had traveled between dimensions, and how to go back, was a mystery to even Do-hyun.

"Well, …… I hope you get what you want."

The Empress said with kind words of encouragement. So I just smiled and said thank you in response.