IWDGD 10

Chapter 10

“Melissa… when do you think His Highness will return?”

Yulia asked casually as Melissa was doing her hair. Melissa moved her lips with a troubled expression.

“Well, it seems he’s very busy. He’s always been late returning whenever he’s occupied, even before.”

“…I see.”

Yulia let out a small sigh. Two months had already passed since he had left.

No matter how much she thought about it, she couldn’t shake the feeling that the reason he was staying away so long was because of her.

“Um… Your Highness, what are your plans for today?”

“…I’m not sure. I thought I’d just read a book in the library.”

Yulia answered gloomily. After being flatly rejected by Bennet regarding the garden repairs, she hadn’t been able to find anything else to do.

Nor could she hold tea parties or social gatherings, since she had no one to invite.

She had rarely entered high society before her marriage, so she didn’t have a single person she could call a friend.

Above all, she thought that if she spent money on social parties without permission, Fernan might dislike it.

So all she could do was read books in the library or take walks around the residence.

“How about going out to the city with me instead? You’ve never once looked around the territory, have you?”

When Melissa cautiously suggested it, a small light flickered in Yulia’s eyes.

As Melissa said, she had never properly explored the territory since her marriage.

“I’d like that, but… Melissa, don’t you have a lot of work to do?”

“Oh, come on! Attending to Your Highness is more important than anything else!”

Melissa finished her hairdressing with a bright smile. The style, with both sides loosely braided and rolled into one, suited Yulia very well.

“Then I’ll take that as a yes and call for the carriage.”

Yulia watched Melissa leave the room and smiled faintly. She was grateful to Melissa for trying to lift her spirits, even if only like this.

And so, Yulia left the residence for the first time. The carriage headed for the largest commercial district within the territory.

Soon the carriage came to a stop. As she slowly stepped outside, the first thing that caught her eye was the clock tower standing in the center.

Around it was a large fountain, and the streets were bustling with people sitting on benches and crowds moving about.

Yulia took a deep breath. Just being out like this made her feel lighter inside.

“Your Highness, where would you like to go first?”

After a moment of thought, Yulia pointed to the street lined with market stalls.

“How about over there?”

“Great!”

Melissa took her hand and led the way. Warmth filled Yulia’s eyes as she looked at their clasped hands.

She had never made a friend before, but being like this made her feel as if she had gone out to play with one.

As they walked along the street for a while, a small flower shop caught her eye. Yulia paused for a moment.

Then she quietly gazed at the flowers neatly arranged in front of the shop.

After staring at the lily of the valley placed on one side for a long time, she smiled a little bitterly.

Her real mother had been the daughter of a merchant who ran a flower shop. Perhaps because of that, she had loved flowers since she was a child.

Even though she had lived with her real mother until she was about seven, she could barely remember those days now. The one thing she clearly remembered was this lily of the valley.

‘My dear, when you get married someday, I’ll make you a bouquet with lilies of the valley.’

All her other memories were hazy, but those words, whispered to her in a tender voice, remained vivid even after all this time.

Melissa, who had been watching the lost Yulia closely, asked casually.

“Since we’re out, how about buying a bouquet?”

“No, there’s no need for that…”

“I want to buy one. Come on, let’s go inside!”

Pressed by Melissa’s enthusiasm, Yulia eventually entered the flower shop and came out carrying an armful of flowers.

It was a beautiful bouquet mixed with white lilies of the valley and pink roses.

“Wow! Let’s go over there too!”

Not stopping there, Melissa immediately led her elsewhere. Seeing Melissa excited like a child made Yulia laugh involuntarily.

Every time they passed street vendors, it was hard to ignore the merchants’ solicitations.

Swayed by their spellbinding sales pitches, she ended up buying this and that until her hands were full.

Melissa, carrying loads of items in both hands, sighed and complained.

“Hah… I should have brought a porter or something.”

“Give some to me. I’ll carry more.”

“Oh no, it’s fine!”

As they bickered, a loaded cart approached from ahead.

They quickly pressed themselves to the side, but the merchant standing beside the cart deliberately bumped into Melissa, who was on the outside.

“Ah!”

Melissa dropped everything she was holding and clutched her shoulder. She frowned, as if she had been hit hard.

“Melissa! Are you okay?”

“Y-yes, but the things…”

Melissa made a sad face at the items scattered on the ground. Yulia grabbed Melissa’s arm and carefully helped her up.

“Don’t worry about that. Are you hurt anywhere?”

As she checked Melissa’s body here and there, a merchant who had sidled up to them spoke.

“Oh dear, what a shame. Everything’s ruined.”

The merchant rubbed the back of his neck and grinned. A strong stench of alcohol emanated from him.

Closing in, the merchant lewdly looked Yulia and Melissa up and down, giving them an unpleasant look.

Feeling repulsed, Yulia stepped aside, but the merchant slammed his hand against the wall behind her.

Blocking her way, the merchant said slyly,

“I’ll compensate you for everything, so how about following me? My shop is just past this alley.”

“…No. That’s not necessary.”

As Yulia tried to slip away in another direction, the merchant grabbed her wrist with a firm grip.

“Don’t be like that, come along. Those look like quite expensive items.”

The merchant, who had leered at her up and down once more, grinned, stretching the corners of his mouth.

“L-Let go of me.”

Yulia, her face turning pale from the alcohol stench so close, pushed the merchant’s arm away with all her might, but it was useless.

Melissa, who had been frozen in fear a short distance away, gritted her teeth and grabbed the merchant’s arm.

“Someone, please help us!”

At the loud cry, people finally noticed the oppressive atmosphere and began murmuring, turning their attention to them.

Conscious of the stares, the merchant roughly flung Yulia’s hand away. Caught off balance, Yulia fell hard to the ground.

“Tch. I try to show some goodwill, and this is how you treat me.”

Clicking his tongue, the merchant staggered over to his cart and tried to flee.

But at that moment, security knights who had spotted the commotion rushed over and blocked the merchant’s path.

“W-What! What’s the meaning of this!”

Only after confirming the knights did Yulia relax, clutching her trembling hands and gasping for breath.

Meanwhile, someone kicked the merchant hard, forcing him to his knees. Then they relentlessly slammed his head into the ground.

“Ugh!”

Yulia’s eyes slowly widened as she saw the imposing man pressing a blade to the merchant’s neck.

“…Your Highness?”

At the small voice, Fernan tore his murderous gaze from the merchant and looked at her.

After carelessly tossing aside the battered merchant, he strode over to Yulia.

“What are you doing here?”

As Fernan narrowed his eyes and looked down at her, his adjutant Lloyd hurried over.

Just as Lloyd was about to report something, he saw Yulia on the ground and his eyes widened.

“Uh… Your Highness, I-I’ll send that scum to the security forces.”

Fernan didn’t even respond to Lloyd, keeping his eyes fixed on Yulia.

“I asked what you were doing here.”

“Well… I came out for a short outing.”

Yulia answered obediently and tried to get up, but sank back down. She had twisted her ankle and couldn’t stand on her own.

Fernan glared at her and muttered dryly.

“I believe I told you to stay quietly in your bedchamber.”

His gaze briefly swept over the items scattered on the ground.

“Seeing you happily running around, it seems my words were quite amusing to you.”