Chapter 9
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 9
Chapter Title: Date with the First Princess
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Morning dawned.
Today was the day the female participants would choose their date partners.
"Today is a special day!"
The host shouted.
"The female participants will directly nominate the man they want to spend time with!"
Murmurs rose from the surroundings.
The male participants were nervously adjusting their clothes and appearances.
I wasn't particularly interested.
Whoever got picked had nothing to do with me.
I needed to hurry up and review the gourmet map I'd scoped out yesterday.
There was a nice spot near the stream.
I should head there and just zone out by the water.
I gazed at the distant mountains.
The clouds were pretty.
Nice weather.
Then a sound came from beside me.
"Hmph."
I turned my head.
Leon von Kreutz.
The third son of a count's family.
He was grooming himself.
Fussing with his hair and straightening his clothes.
The corners of his mouth were curved up almost to the point of splitting.
With that level of confidence, if there'd been a mirror, he probably would've planted a kiss on his own reflection.
"Heh heh..."
Leon muttered.
It seemed like he was talking to himself, but his volume was loud enough for everyone around to hear.
"Yesterday, Her Highness smiled at my joke."
Ah.
He was the one who'd had a one-on-one dinner with the princess yesterday.
"She definitely enjoyed it. Naturally, it's my turn this time."
His confidence was sky-high.
...
I'd seen that yesterday too, but
the princess
had just been responding politely, it seemed.
"Yeah."
"Impressive."
"I see."
Just responses like that.
Well, none of my business.
I turned back to gaze at the distant mountains.
Clouds drifting by.
Peaceful.
"Then first, Her Highness the First Imperial Princess Irene, please make your choice!"
The host shouted.
The atmosphere grew tense.
The princess.
Not just any princess, either.
The 'First Imperial Princess.'
The dream of every male participant.
Leon stepped forward one pace.
He smiled.
A smile brimming with confidence.
As if his face had 'Of course it's me' written all over it.
Irene rose from her seat.
Gracefully.
Slowly.
She walked forward.
Her red hair gleamed in the sunlight.
Her golden eyes fixed ahead.
Leon prepared to greet her.
Hand extended and ready.
Greeting prepared.
His smile deepened.
Teeth fully on display.
Irene walked on.
Toward Leon.
Step by step, closer.
Five steps.
Four steps.
Three steps.
Leon's smile reached its peak.
Two steps.
One step.
And then.
She passed him by.
Passed right by Leon.
Without so much as eye contact.
Like a gust of wind.
As if no one was there at all.
"......"
Leon's smile froze solid.
His extended hand dangled in midair.
His eyes widened.
His mouth fell open.
Irene kept walking.
Through the crowd.
Toward the corner.
Toward me.
What.
Why's she coming this way.
No way.
Has to be a mistake.
Irene stopped.
In front of me.
Right in front of me.
Our eyes met.
"Kasian de Valentine."
Irene spoke.
"Will you accompany me today?"
....?
For an instant, the surroundings fell silent.
Everyone stared this way.
"......."
Leon's face was rigid.
His extended hand still hovered in the air.
The other participants gaped too.
I was stunned.
What the hell was this situation.
Before the date began.
Someone called me aside.
To the corner.
"A word, if you please, young master."
A man.
Sharp eyes.
Stiff expression.
Wearing clothes emblazoned with the imperial crest.
Looked like a protocol officer.
"What's this about?"
"This is Her Highness's first date outside the palace."
The protocol officer said.
His voice was icy.
"No mistakes can be tolerated."
The protocol officer held something out.
A small earring.
It gleamed silver.
Faint magic pulsed from it.
"What's this?"
"A 'voice transmission magic tool' prepared by the imperial family."
What?
"Wear it in your ear, and we'll feed you the lines. Simply repeat what you hear."
The protocol officer explained.
"The location, the route, the conversation topics—all prepared. Tailored to delight Her Highness. Penned overnight by the empire's finest wordsmiths."
Overnight?
For this one thing?
"Just say what's fed to you. No need to memorize. No need to think."
The protocol officer's eyes sharpened.
"Follow precisely, without error. Is that clear?"
'You know what happens if you don't.'
That was the look in his eyes.
Fine.
I didn't fancy getting run through with a sword anyway.
Plus, I'd have an excuse for my brother: "The imperial family made me do it."
For now, time to play puppet.
"...Understood."
I took the earring and slipped it into my ear.
It was cold.
The date began.
The venue was the imperial greenhouse.
Sunlight poured through the glass ceiling.
Flowers of every kind bloomed in profusion.
Roses, lilies, tulips, flowers whose names I didn't know.
The air was thick with fragrance.
There was a fountain.
Water jets arcing into the sky.
Statues everywhere.
Absurdly ornate ones.
This was the imperial style, huh.
Irene approached.
Red hair.
Golden eyes.
Elegant dress.
She really was pretty.
Then.
A voice in my ear.
[Your Highness, seeing you today, it seems all the flowers in this greenhouse bow their heads in shame.]
What the hell.
Flowers bowing in shame?
Couldn't I just say, "Nice weather today—the flowers are pretty too"?
[Your Highness, seeing you today, it seems all the flowers in this greenhouse bow their heads in shame.]
It repeated.
Guess I had to follow.
...Fine.
I'll just pretend I'm a parrot without feelings.
I opened my mouth.
"Your Highness, seeing you today, it seems all the flowers in this greenhouse bow their heads in shame."
The moment the words left my lips, something felt off.
What had I just said?
Irene looked at me.
For a split second, her eyes held a flicker of expectation.
But after hearing my line.
Her expression faded.
"...Yeah."
A flat reply.
Emotionless tone.
I couldn't tell if she'd come up with it herself or been prompted.
But it was the same either way.
That was the look in her eyes.
We stood before the fountain.
Water jetted skyward, then cascaded down.
Splash, splash.
Actually pretty nice.
A voice in my ear.
[This fountain is beautiful, but it pales beside Your Highness's elegance.]
Again with this?
Couldn't I say, "The fountain looks refreshing"?
[This fountain is beautiful, but it pales beside Your Highness's elegance.]
Urging me.
"This fountain is beautiful, but it pales beside Your Highness's elegance."
Irene glanced at the fountain.
"I see."
Flat.
Flatter than before.
Her eyes felt a bit colder.
We walked to the rose garden.
Red roses in full bloom.
Rich fragrance.
Beautiful.
A voice in my ear.
[These roses lose their luster before Your Highness's beauty. You are the true flower of this garden.]
Again?
Nonstop comparisons.
Couldn't I say, "The roses smell great. Do you like flowers like these, Your Highness?"
That'd actually spark a conversation.
[These roses lose their luster before Your Highness's beauty. You are the true flower of this garden.]
Urging.
"These roses lose their luster before Your Highness's beauty. You are the true flower of this garden."
Irene looked at the roses.
"Yeah."
Short answer.
Her voice was level.
Perfectly level.
Her eyes were lifeless.
The spark of curiosity from when we'd first met was gone.
'Flattery again.'
'Thought he might be different.'
'Same as the rest, after all.'
That was the look in her eyes.
Boredom.
Disappointment.
Indifference.
All mixed together.
We walked to the pond.
Serene waters.
Fish swimming about.
Orange, white, black.
Pretty.
A voice in my ear.
[The fish in this pond seem to swim happily under Your Highness's grace.]
Fish swimming happily under her grace?
What would fish even know about grace.
Couldn't I say, "Pretty fish, huh? That orange one's cute, right?"
[The fish in this pond seem to swim happily under Your Highness's grace.]
Urging me.
I opened my mouth.
"The fish in this pond seem to swim happily under Your Highness's grace..."
I stopped.
The words wouldn't come.
I couldn't do it.
No way I could.
Why did every damn thing have to tie back to Her Highness.
Flowers to Her Highness, fountain to Her Highness, roses to Her Highness, fish to Her Highness.
Couldn't we just appreciate things as they were?
Couldn't we just talk straight?
[The fish in this pond seem to swim happily under Your Highness's grace.]
[Young master? Please continue the line.]
Shut up.
Irene looked at me.
Expressionless.
Eyes devoid of expectation.
Eyes braced for the predictable flattery.
Eyes saying it would be the same as always.
A lifetime of praise.
A lifetime of sycophancy.
Weary eyes.
The instant I met those eyes.
Something snapped inside me.
Ah.
Enough.
I can't stomach this anymore.
I turned my head.
Stared straight in the direction where the protocol officer was hiding.
"Protocol officer."
My voice carried low through the greenhouse.
The protocol officer flinched behind the foliage, freezing in place.
"This just won't cut it."
I removed the earring.
Placed it on my palm.
Deliberately, for all to see.
"I can't keep deceiving Her Highness with the phony drivel pouring from this magic tool."
I flung the earring to the ground.
The protocol officer's face twisted in horror.
I ignored him.
Extended my hand to Irene, who stared at me in a daze.
"Your Highness."
"......"
"Let's end this pathetic scripted play right here."
Irene's eyes widened.
Her mouth parted slightly.
She looked like she'd never heard words like these before.
"Will you come with me?"
Silence flowed.
One second.
Two seconds.
Three seconds.
"...Sure."
Irene said.
She laid her hand atop mine.
Lightly.
"Let's go."
The corner of her mouth lifted slightly.
Unlike her earlier blankness.
Something sparked back in her eyes.
The protocol officer stood dazed in the distance.
Gaping at the earring on the ground.
Irene followed along.
Her steps seemed lighter than before.
I'm hungry.
Let's go grab some meat.