Chapter 143

Petronila was feeling very awkward now; this was the first time for her. She glanced up at Rothesay, walking by her side with a smile. The moderate sunlight was shining on his face, and Petronilla felt like it was like the light from a halo.

Rothesay asked her, “Is there anything on my face, my Lady?”

“Ah, no.” The flustered Petronila quickly made up an excuse, “I was just looking because the clothes you wore today are admirable.”

“I am glad you like it, my Lady.” He sighed with relief and said to her, “I was very worried. What if you do not like me… and so forth.”

“… Then I would not have accepted your offer.”

“Thank you, my Lady,” Rothesay said tenderly to her. “Is there anything my Lady would like to do?”

“What I would like to do?”

“I plan to spend all day together with you. I want to do whatever my Lady wants to do.”

“Uh…” As Petronilla didn’t even think this date would have been so forward, she was very taken aback by Rothesay’s words. She murmured with a flustered expression on her face, “Actually… I had not thought about it.”

“Oh dear. Is that so?” Rothesay continued in a voice that sounded worried. “Then you can think about it from now on. Do not worry about it too much.”

“Is there anything that you would want to do?”

“Did I not tell you?” Rothesay laughed with a charming smile, “I enjoy everything as long as I am with my Lady.”

“…”

“It does not matter what we do as long as I am by my Lady’s side.”

“… Yes.”

This man talked about these embarrassing things very well. Did he go somewhere and receive lessons on this?, Petronilla muttered to herself. What could she do to make this meeting today the last meeting?

It was simple. She could make this man tired of her. When she thought of that, Petronilla’s expression brightened. She called out to him.

“Sir.”

“Yes, my Lady. Please say it.”

“I have something I want to do.”

“Anything.”

Petronilla replied with a wicked smile. “I want to go to the gladiator coliseum.”

“… The gladiator coliseum?” Rossy asked for confirmation with a confused look, and Petronilla nodded.

“Yes, gladiator coliseum.”

“The gladiators that fight with swords…”

“Yes, that gladiator coliseum.” Petronilla smiled in reply.

“The one where they compete until someone dies.”

Petronilla had never actually gone to a gladiator coliseum, and even the nobles who enjoyed such unnecessary slaughter were hard to understand, but for now this was the best option.

Goodness, who could have good feelings toward a cruel woman like me?, Petronilla smiled in repentance, believing that her plan would certainly succeed. But there was one thing she had overlooked…

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“…”

“My Lady, are you alright?”

“AGH, what do I do… ! I am alright!”

And that was the fact that she couldn’t watch the gladiatorial fights. Petronilla desperately wanted to leave; she felt knocked down ten minutes after the games had started. But when she said that, she would become a liar. Ah, wait a minute. That could actually be a good thing?… If not, then she would not be able to see this man without feeling uncomfortable from then on. Petronilla changed her mind.

“Are you alright, my Lady? For real?”

But Rothesay seemed to not notice any of that at all…

“If you are not alright, we can leave, my Lady. However…”

Petronilla murmured without being able to refuse twice, “You have already paid.”

It was a waste of money… When Petronilla muttered this with her eyes tightly closed and an inscrutable expression on her face, Rothesay found this sight adorable and seemed to not care about that whatsoever. He said to her, “Let us go out, my Lady.”

“But the money…”

“I have a lot of money. It is alright.”

With that said, Rothesay swept her up without asking for consent. Naturally, the gazes of the surrounding people was focused on the two.

Petronilla shouted in a low voice at him, as she closed her eyes tightly with an embarrassed expression on her face, “What are you doing? In public!”

“We are on a date right now, so I can do that. Everyone will understand.”

… To be honest, the men around them were staring as if they were going to throw them in the gladiatorial grounds, but it didn’t matter because she had her eyes closed. After saying that, Rothesay whispered quietly into Petronilla’s ear.

“Wait a moment. We will be leaving soon.”

“…”

Petronilla just closed her eyes without saying anything. Meanwhile, one of the two gladiators seemed to have died, as shouts and cheers were heard around the area that could rip eardrums. Why were people having fun with that? Petronilla frowned and closed her eyes, and soon she could hear Rothesay’s voice.

“Try to think of this as the location of a party.”

“…”

“There are all kinds of sweet desserts around.”

“… Ah.”

When he said that, she was able to calm down some. As she was thinking of a brownie that she hadn’t finished eating at the Founding Day celebration a while ago, the white sunlight greeted her. She finally opened her eyes, and met Rothesay’s eyes that were looking at her, looking sweeter than the chocolate in that brownie. Petronilla caught her breath without realizing.

“Ah…”

“It is alright, my Lady. Now.”

“… Thank you.” Petronilla replied, and soon felt self-conscious and demanded of him, “Uh… You can let me down now.”

“I do not want to.”

Petronilla was flabbergasted at those words, and asked, “Why?”

“I will not let you down.”

“I am very ashamed right now.”

Everyone on the roadside was looking at them. She was absolutely opposed to this kind of interest. She said, “Please let me down.”

“Please call my name just once,” he smiled playfully and asked her. “Just once.”

“…” How unfair. She sighed inwardly and put a name to her mouth. “… Rothesay.”

“Thank you, Petronilla.”

Rothesay, who sneaked her name into his mouth, finally let her down to the ground. Petronilla blushed without fully realizing that he had called her name. She felt like she was a liar for some reason, due to what happened earlier.

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Translated by Haeli

Edited by RED