CH 24

Even though Mariabelle and the others drove their carriages slowly from the direct control area to Fidelo's household for sightseeing, there was still more than a week to go until the promised reunion.

So why is Renato here?

Looking up in surprise, Mariabelle noticed that Renato's face was closer than she expected, and she tried to step back.

However, she couldn't go any further back because of the bookshelf on her back.

Even if she tried to shift to the side, Renato's left hand was on the bookshelf and his right hand was on the left side of Mariabelle's body, still holding the book.

In other words, it is as if she was trapped by Renato.

When Mariabelle noticed this, she turned bright red as if she had been set on fire, and froze in that position.

And Renato, who was also looking at Mariabelle with a red face and moist eyes, also froze.

The air between the two of them was indescribably sweet and sour.

"Yes, yes... Lord Berkeley is on the verge of erupting, so let's get a little further away, shall we?"

As if to break the sweet atmosphere, Carlo grabbed Renato by the collar and pulled him away from Mariabelle.

Renato, who took a few steps back, brushed Carlo's hand away and glared at him, wondering why he was getting in his way.

"No, Your Highness. I know you are happy to see the beautiful Miss Berkeley again, but you are not yet officially engaged. Let's be modest."

"...I understand."

Renato, who answered with a sullen expression, straightened his posture, held the book in his left hand, and took Mariabelle's hand with his right.

"Miss Berkeley, nice to meet you again."

Then, he gave her a kiss of greeting on the back of her hand.

Mariabelle's face turned even redder.

"Um... Your Highness, why are you here?"

"I couldn't wait to see you again. Count Fidelo, I am really sorry for the short notice."

"No, um... You weren't supposed to come here yet..."

The sudden arrival of Renato made Count Fidelo sweat like a waterfall. Or rather, he looked as if he had poured water on his head. 

"I was going to do that, but it would take a week or so. That could create uncertainty. Ah, I was guided here by the chief butler. At first, he didn't realize that I was the crown prince, so he stopped me, but he saw the bodyguards behind me. It seems that he understood just by looking at my clothes."

Everyone present thought he was there to threaten the chief butler.

"He didn't know I was coming, so I'm not offended, you can rest assured."

He smiled refreshingly, but that wasn't the point.

The visit had been announced to Count Fidelo as a secret.

At first, he was very surprised, but even though Renato's fiancée had just passed away, it was a relative of Count Fidelo who was to be his new fiancée.

What's more, the young lady was to be the crown princess of the kingdom, but her engagement was unreasonably annulled.

Therese Fidelo, a lover of romantic novels, was moved by what sounded like a love story.

Count Fidelo decided to cooperate fully, but to make the encounter more dramatic, it had to be a chance reunion.

He had been preparing for this, but he didn't expect the crown prince to suddenly show up in the library, without any notice.

"I'm glad you wanted to see me, too."

Renato smiled sweetly at him, and Mariabelle was on the verge of fainting.

"Please excuse me, Your Highness. Lord Berkeley is giving murderous intent. Take a look," 　Carlo says in a frightened manner, but it wasn't a joke.

James, who had a smile on his face but no smile in his eyes, silently pulled Mariabelle away from Renato.

"I beg your pardon, Sir Berkeley. I was distracted."

"...Has His Highness always been this close to women?" James asked

"No way. Of course, we're keeping an appropriate distance."

However, seeing James' unconvinced gaze, Carlo panicked and made excuses instead for Renato.

"He had a fiancée, so he never let any woman near him to avoid any misunderstanding. His fiancée was bedridden, so he didn't have much chance to meet her..."

Certainly, a man wouldn't be allowed to visit a woman in her bedroom, no matter how engaged they were.

However, Renato was the crown prince and had a handsome face.

There must have been many daughters who actively sought him out, thinking that if they were successful, they could take the position away from his sickly fiancée.

Or there must have been the widow's temptation, even if it was just for fun.

"Of course, there is a risk of getting caught in a honey trap if you are too purely cultured, so I would have recommended a moderate amount of socializing. Well, how should I put it? His Highness is a very picky person when it comes to things like this..."

"If you don't intend to take responsibility, why don't you get your hands on it?"

James softened his attitude toward Renato after hearing what Carlo said.

"That's why I'm glad that the other party is Miss Berkeley. If the other party was a commoner, it would be the second act of the kingdom," Carlo said.

"That's impossible. The people are like my children. One may be attracted to the innocence of children, but no one would seriously whisper love to a child, would they? Besides, it is not enough for a queen to be there as a mere decoration, smiling next to the emperor. A high status comes with responsibilities. I don't think a commoner can handle that," Renato firmly denied Carlo's joke. "The prince of the country will eventually learn what he has given up. But by then she will be my queen, and it will be too late."

Saying this, Renato looked at Mariabelle with the eyes of a beloved partner.