Chapter 45: Meeting Again

Chapter 45 – Meeting Again

The Emma that he saw for the first time in a year is still cute.

Now that he is thinking about it, the chance that Emma encountered the baptism because of the rumor that the Count Stuart House is the head of the Second Prince’s factions is high.

“Emma, are you alright? Do you feel scared? If only I had come a little sooner...”

Lending a hand to help Emma stand, the Prince worries for Emma.

“I am alright? The dress, too, has been wiped by William, so there is no problem.”

Emma raises the hem of the dress and spreads it for the Prince to see.

The glimpse of Emma’s slender ankles caught his eyes, and his heart went *badump*, but he moved to check her dress to not let it show on his face.

“The dress seems alright. But still, it doesn’t change the fact that you are guilty, Lady Francesca.”

Francesca is trembling from the Prince’s words.

In the royal capital, it was rumored that the Stuart family is approaching the Second Prince and taking advantage of his weakness to make their daughter his fiancee.

However, this... No matter how she looks at it, it’s the Prince who’s head over heels for Emma. Because nobody has ever seen that Prince’s smile.

Perhaps they have already been engaged but just haven’t announced it. What will become of her who has harassed and splashed wine on a fiancee of the royal family?

“Your Highness? I haven’t been harassed by Francesca(?)-sama, you know? She did spill the wine accidentally, but please do not be that mad.”

Emma blankly tilts her head as if confused.

Right before the public-execution like condemnation begins, the victim, Emma herself, covers up for Francesca.

The Palace boys and guests who have been watching the situation are surprised to hear that and deeply moved.

What a kind child. To pretend to be blankly confused so that Francesca won’t be punished even though she just did such a terrible thing to her, she isn’t pushing herself, right.

or

With such a quiet and introverted personality, to protect Lady Francesca in front of everyone even though she must’ve felt hopeless inside, is she an angel?

or

To endure bullying with such a slender body and even take great pains for the one who bullied her... What a strong-minded and kind-hearted child. The smile shown when she lifted the veil for an instant was also insanely cute.

or like that. Those who knew Emma and those who didn’t, almost everyone’s likability towards Emma shoots up dramatically.

“...you don’t have to cover up for her. I understand that Emma is kind, but Lady Francesca’s harassment has gone too far.”

“Your Highness? I really haven’t been harassed or anything. Please don’t do something mean.”

Why the Prince wants to punish Francesca, Emma seriously doesn’t know. When was I harassed... Let’s remember it from the beginning.

The only kind words for Francesca inside this party venue are said by the girl she just bullied a few minutes ago.

Francesca accidentally saw a deep scar on Emma’s right cheek when Emma helped her.

She also heard a rumor that Emma got attacked by a monster when she was socializing with the Second Prince. There’s also a rumor that she used the wounds to press the Prince for an engagement.

But the girl in front of Francesca definitely wouldn’t do that.

How can she be so kind? She can’t help but feels so embarrassed.

The baptism has been passed on among young ladies of the First Prince’s faction. It became her job starting three years ago, and at first, she thought she didn’t want to do it. But if she didn’t do it, her father’s position would worsen.

Unwillingly, she did the baptism and acted as the superior in nobility caste. She even gets young ladies who are called her “entourage”.

She is treated as a hero in the First Prince’s faction and misunderstood by everyone.

That she is someone of value.

The really valuable one is Emma Stuart right before her eyes, the delicate younger girl with a deep scar on her face.

She didn’t get frightened from speaking with the Prince and protected someone like her.

She is worried about me many times more than my entourage, who has been gone since Emma’s first reinforcement came.

“I... I’m sorr... y. I have done a lot of mean things to you...”

Francesca apologizes to Emma with tears in her eyes. Even when she is blamed for the baptism, do not ever acknowledge it. Don’t apologize. She has been told that strongly when she took over the baptism, but it doesn’t matter now. She wanted to apologize because she knows that she did something terrible.

“Francesca-sama? Please do not mind it. Didn’t you already apologized immediately when the wine splashed into my dress?”

While wiping Francesca’s tears gently, Emma said softly, but still can be heard clearly by everyone. Emma said so for Francesca’s words that sound perfunctory and easy to misunderstand as an apology.

“I, how... can I apologize to you... I’m really sorry.”

Francesca bows from the bottom of her heart.

She is still a girl who can’t drink alcohol. Her first time in the capital, and her first party, she must be scared.

Emma mutters, “Apology...”

“Then, Francesca-sama! Please be my friend. Be my first friend the royal capital. Please show me around the academy. Is there any delicious cake shop on our way home? Let’s go eat together?”

Emma holds Francesca’s hands excitedly.

Ah... This girl... is an angel. She is such an angel that it’s strange there are no wings on her back.

Francesca’s inner voice is what everyone in the venue thinks.

George and William guess what Emma’s thinking and have lukewarm expressions. It seems like Emma has conquered not only tea parties but also high society.

Author’s note: Ah... Joshua didn’t speak (haha)