Chapter 143
Chapter 143
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 143
Chapter Title: Emily's Honest Confession
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A heavy silence, pressing down on our shoulders like a weight, filled the carriage.
It was hard to breathe, and blood wasn't rushing to my head properly.
But I gripped my apron tightly and endured, meeting the princess's eyes.
"......"
Her Highness's gaze was utterly serene.
So calm, as if we'd just been having an everyday conversation—no hint of any turmoil.
If I thought about it simply, she might have just asked without any particular feelings.
But.
There was no way that was true.
The way her eyes kept searching for the young master even while she was working.
The faint emotion hidden in those eyes.
And the way her lips curved naturally at the mere sight of his face.
During conversations, she'd subtly close the distance until her breath brushed his skin.
When walking side by side, she'd stick so close their arms grazed.
And in front of others, she'd flaunt it by demanding pet names.
Anyone could see her private feelings for the young master overflowing, so there was no way she could ask such a question so calmly.
The side she'd shown couldn't be fake—no, it mustn't be fake.
That tender expression of love couldn't be counterfeit.
If it was, I could never accept it.
I couldn't hand the young master over to someone faking emotions like that.
That's why I wanted to believe she was hiding her feelings and testing me.
Otherwise, I'd feel like a complete fool for stepping back all this time—for his happiness, and to avoid being a burden to him.
"......"
So then.
What did she mean by "my William"?
What was she thinking when she asked me that?
If her feelings for the young master were genuine, it might be a check on a potential rival.
Embarrassing as it is to say myself, aside from his family, I'm the woman closest to him.
In that case, I needed to clearly deny any intention of touching him—with a lie.
No woman would keep a potential homewrecker by her man's side.
If I wanted to stay serving him until he was officially hers, lying was the way.
But my heart rebelled against that.
Even at the risk of being chased out right then, I didn't want to lie and say I didn't love the young master.
"In that case, I'll be honest with you."
"Yes."
I didn't cowardly close my eyes. Instead, I looked straight into the princess's gaze, my expression solemn and resolute.
"I love the young master. As one woman loves a man."
I didn't dodge with vague words or tricks.
Perfectly frank and direct, I gave Her Highness my answer. I waited for her response, clenching my fist so hard my palm ached.
"......"
Her Highness's expression slowly hardened, her cold eyes staring me down, and the carriage filled once more with a silence crushing our shoulders.
The pressure stabbed deep into my lungs, making me forget to breathe for a moment.
"Emily, are you saying that even though you know how I feel about William?"
"Yes... Of course."
"Why?"
"... I have no intention of coveting the place by the young master's side. But I didn't want to mock Your Highness by lying about my feelings."
"I could make you disappear without a trace."
"Yes..."
"Hmmm~"
With a nasal hum, she narrowed her eyes and lifted one corner of her mouth.
"I knew you'd say that. It's just like you."
"I'm sorry..."
"Don't apologize."
As I bowed my head and apologized hastily to her seemingly displeased expression, she waved it off lightly, dismissing my apology.
"What do you have to be sorry for? People's emotions aren't something we can control. I was the one who barged in first, anyway."
"......"
Her Highness's words, so casually admitting she was the interloper, left my mind in chaos.
Why would she say something like that?
Why encourage me when my face had gone pale?
The more we talked, the less I understood her intentions, and the more afraid I grew.
"Anyway, what do you plan to do from now on?"
"I... I'll serve the young master a few more years, then quietly step aside once you two are officially together..."
"No, don't do that."
"Pardon?"
"Stay by William's side. Love him as much as you want."
"Pardon...?"
"You don't have to lie to William. You don't have to hide your feelings. You don't have to watch yourself because of me.
Maybe you'll sneak in first like a stray cat and 'touch' him. But... if it's you, I could generously let it slide once.
After spending a few months by that dense guy's side, I realized how tough it is to be around someone so oblivious. You've endured years by his side, Emily. You deserve that much as compensation."
"......"
Keep loving him?
Even sneak in first?
I have no idea what kind of nonsense this is.
Did the empire's laws change without me knowing?
No, nothing that big could change without notice, so the laws haven't.
So why is Her Highness giving off vibes like polygamy is perfectly fine?
"W-Wait, Your Highness. What do you mean? I don't understand a word you're saying."
"What do I mean? Just that it's fine for you to stay by his side as his mistress."
"......"
I wondered if I'd heard right and parted my lips slightly, glancing at Sera sitting beside Her Highness.
"Ahaha..."
From Sera's awkward laugh and averted gaze, I realized this wasn't some offhand remark without prior discussion.
Which meant she'd thought about it for days before concluding...
"...Your Highness."
I snapped back to my senses and called to her.
And, shockingly irreverent, I let the word filling my mind slip from my tongue.
"Have you gone mad?"
"No?"
"Ah..."
I squeezed my eyes shut as I watched her smile and shake her head lightly.
She must have lost her mind.
Otherwise, no one could say something like 'It's fine as his mistress' with such conviction and belief.
I had to believe that.
"I just thought things can't go on like this."
"Like this?"
"An 18-year-old man of marriageable age with no interest in women, just staring at clothes. Normally, noble boys that age are having secret trysts every week, their hearts itching for girls their age. But William? Last week work, this week work, next week work, the week after work... nothing but work."
As Her Highness said, the young master is pristine in his relationships with women, unlike his messy workload.
Things like meeting women at night...
"Eek..."
Suddenly, a past memory flashed through my mind, and my face flushed.
No trysts.
But if asked if there was nothing 'tryst-like,' I couldn't swear to it.
Because my overzealous attempt to stop his overwork wasn't exactly normal.
"What...? So you've already been making progress behind my back?"
As I bowed my head slightly to calm my reddened face, Her Highness sharpened her gaze like a honed axe and spoke in a voice dripping with betrayal.
"No, nothing like that! Nothing Your Highness fears happened."
"Fears? What exactly did you do?"
"I just... hugged him a bit to boost his spirits..."
"Not some nonsense like 'We just held hands and slept'?"
"Nothing like that."
Once my head cooled, the atmosphere grew awkward. It'd be a lie to say I hadn't hoped for something like that, but if it was going to happen, it should have ages ago.
"That kind of nonsense... No, with William... Ugh...! Let's just let it slide."
"Thank you..."
Her Highness wore a face full of doubt but didn't press further and let it go.
Her mind seemed to grasp it was incomprehensible, but not impossible based on experience so far.
"Anyway, I think the problem is that William's more interested in clothes than women right now. Being so focused on one thing without distraction is admirable, but as a woman, it's pretty humiliating."
"I agree with Your Highness, but how does that relate to acknowledging my relationship with the young master...?"
"If things continue like this, I could use Mother's help to legally bind him. Then he'd grimace but accept it obediently."
At least by the time he reaches adulthood, the engagement would proceed.
If he didn't have one even as an adult, rumors would fly everywhere.
Even an imperial princess isn't exempt— she might face even harsher attacks.
"I don't like that picture. I want William to feel affection for me. Even if my feelings weigh heavier, even if his are feather-light, I want our directions to align at least."
"Ah..."
"But I can't create that picture alone. I don't know William well enough."
"I see..."
"That's why I want to learn from you how to get closer to him. So he'll clearly show me his affection."
"......"
Wanting to get closer to the one she loves, so she asks her rival for advice.
At this mad idea no sane person could imagine, my common sense shattered. Dizzy, I lost my words.