Volume 1 Chapter 2 (1/2)
“I don’t think Princess Katerina wants to marry me…”
That night
Ludwikhelped by Adelheid into a coat for the ball
Although I said I’m not an Adonis, I was reasonably confident in irl shouldn’t detest me on first i customers was perfect as well I don’t think IEndrish either
Yet, I was called gross after having her turn her face away from me resolutely
When Ludwik looked up the other things Princess Katerina rumbled afterwards, he felt his heart stabbed mercilessly over and over
The luncheon was cancelled because Princess Katerina didn’t feel like eating, and when he tried to visit her to see how she’s doing, he was bluntly told to please leave for today, so he hasn’t seen her after her arrival even once
Rumors about Princess Katerina spread like wildfire inside the castle
I hear she’s as beautiful as a queen of the faeries, with golden hair the color of em
“‘Furthermore, she behaves with as reat empire with three thousand years of history,’ said someone who saw her in wonder”
Aside from comments on her looks,
“I heard she becaed any words with His Majesty before retiring to her room”
“I think this ainst Princess Katerina’s will Wasn’t her face stiff and pale during the welco?”
“Perhaps her pride as a princess of the great northern e married off to a small and rural country”
“It seemed she found it unpleasant to speak to His Majesty as well It could be that, froh status, she wouldn’t be able to respect His Majesty as her husband since he has the blood of a coh only half”
Like such, various conjectures are being s inside the princess’s heart
These conjectures reached Ludwik’s ear as well,him feel more and more anxious
(Was she so cruel because she’s dissatisfied with me after all?)
As Ludas beginning to brood over his thoughts again while preparing for the ball–
“It is as Your Highness says Princess Katerina naturally dislikes Sire Why wouldn’t she?”
Adelheid, who had finished adjusting the decorative pocket on Ludwik’s suit, said without hesitation
“Ehhh, you’re agreeing? That’s usually where you’re supposed to disagree!”
Upon Ludwik retorting reflexively, Adelheid’s ashen eyes brience She went on,
“She’s the princess of the great empire that has the est ainally, she should have been able to becoe nation; yet, the princess came to marry into this sends Even if to us it’s abut misfortune Even if it was the order of her father the emperor, she must be filled with humiliation and anxiety”
“Makes sense…”
Ludwik had no choice but to nod in agreean to feel pity for Princess Katerina
“However, I’hness is solad she married into Rhodesia, for she was able to fortuitously meet such a wonderful partner”
“Y-you think so?”
Ludwik scratched his head bashfully
“Yes, it’ll be fine if it’s Your Highness who has a track record of being ensnared by woranny”
“Like I said that’s not true!”
To Ludas beginning to feel exhausted, Adelheid saze
“Please have some self-confidence If Princess Katerina is a radiant beauty akin to the fairy queen who rules the spirit world, then Your Highness is like the legendary knight Albricht as loved by her Like hiolden-haired Adonis and kind-hearted, with a healthy body andtooentleman”
Adelheidconsiderate, as she didn’t say “if looked upon froenerous praise,
“If you, a woman, assure me like that then I can be brave, Adelheid I’ll try my best to melt Princess Katerina’s heart”
Ludwik replied, upon which
“Yes Also, women who appear as cold and obstinate as her often see their hate turn into love fro in Your Highness’s hands
Adelheid spoke as if she was reciting a universal truth
(I see– if a cool, peerless beauty akin to a fairy queen like herever That’d be so nice– That’s right, since we’re going to be living together as a married couple, I have to do irl has a good side to her, be it an adorable side or a gentle side I’ll dothat side of her, and I’ll also do my best to have her come to like me as well)
However, Princess Katerina did not show up to the ballrooin
Rhodesia’s high ranking officials began to whisper things like, “What’s going on? Is the princess dissatisfied with the e after all?” Ludorried
(She didn’t return to Endra, did she?)
Just as Ludorrying in his mind, Princess Katerina’s arrival was finally announced
The double doors engraved with linden trees, the national syht, and in front of everyone appears Princess Katerina wearing a gorgeous ballroom dress
At the sarew into a commotion
It is because Princess Katerina looks beautiful beyond iht, “To think she was this pretty!” as they gazed upon her with eyes of wonder
Ludwik also found hiain He had thought she was an extraordinary beauty when he faced her thisin the courtyard of the castle, but she looks even ant now than she did then
Her golden hair the color of old shi+ned brilliantly and was done up tied by a lustrous and fine silk ribbon and capped by a jeweled tiara Her white dress is accented by fur, and both the quality of the cloth itself and the tailoring is on the level of a work of art The dress fit her y forly above the waist and expanded as airily as a dream below it
The spitting ie of a fairy queen
However, just like this ether sharply, and glared at Ludith her violet, gem-like eyes
I can’t falter First, I’ll address her with a smile Then, I’ll invite her to dance with me
That’s right If the princess dances, surely her mood will be uplifted as well
Even a cheerful s a seventeen year old maiden would arise in the face that currently has “I hate you” written on it
Wouldn’t it be sublime if such an unparalleled beauty smiles at me?
While iht, Ludwik smiled with his whole face so as to express that he feels happy from the bottom of his heart to have met the princess He faced towards the person ill becoly
“Shelle draenu Rhodesia el stella rivarnya (Welcome to Rhodesia It’s an honor to meet you)”
For just one instant, Princess Katerina widens her eyes Ludas able to perceive a slight waver in the depths of her purple pupils, but that waver froze ihten more and more
Undiscouraged, Ludwik entle breeze” that he was known for as the Prince of Red Deer Street as he extended his hand towards Princess Katerina
“Rui else staelya sol rebarno el il fel very much)”
Ludwik had Adelheid check his pronunciation stringently as he practiced by repeating these words over and over again
For the girl I
Every girl is endearing and alluring in her oay, but when a girl dances she is ten times lovelier This is Ludwik’s insistence, because whenever he dances with a girl, he always feels in love with her
His heart springs as he becomes dizzy from happiness
(So, if Princess Katerina agrees to dance with me, I’m sure that we can become close)
Princess Katerina’s shoulders trehtly
(Eh?)
Gradually, aside froin to tremble more and more intensely
So as to restrain herself, she grabbed the skirt of her dress tightly with her snowy hands—
(Is she… feeling nervous?)
If that’s the case I have to put her at ease When Ludwik tried to say soh to freeze soht crimson lips
“I detest dancing”
It was not in Endrish
It was in Dahl, the language used in Rhodesia, and more than that, her pronunciation was flawlessly accurate to the point that even a natural-born Rhodesian citizens, there’s probably not many who could match it Ludas speechless from both the content of her words and the fact that she spoke thee of Rhodesia To Ludho remained petrified with his hand extended out to her, the princess again spoke coldly in Dahl that sounded too perfect
“In particular, coarse folk dances , so I’ll be taking my leave”
She informed Her dress, heht snowfall, whirled elegantly as she turned around and left the hall
The princess’s attendants that accompanied her from Endra hastily chase after her Ludwik could see Adelheid furrowing her eyebrows from the corner of his eye
The hall erupted into an uproar, and Ludas left dumbfounded in the center of it all
“I don’t have the confidence to become Princess Katerina’s husband, Adelheid”
“Please don’t assu your iolden-haired Adonis”
“If looked upon froional level, a hunk based on context, and a lame country bumpkin if seen up close”
“The worth of a man is not in his looks Sire has not only status and power but also youth, does Sire not?”
“It see reenhorn of a weak and minor nation that she can’t even find on a map”
“We will use Sire’s charm to overturn the situation There are cases like this in Rhodesian fairy tales as well, such as “The Earl Who Raised Pigs,” in which an earl pretending to be a swineherd toys with a willful princess and “The King with a Pointy Chin,” in which a king pretending to be a vagrant takes a proud princess as his wife and rectifies her personalityTa a shrew is a man’s romance, Sire”
“Even if you, a wo that froory as a vagrant? Wouldn’t it be better to have her return to her home country then?
“That’s not possible”
“Then, postpone the wedding”
“That is also not possible; ill have Sire and the princess exchange the vows of e in the cathedral in two days Once she’s stuck in n to fate and become an adorably sife”
“Don’t say so you don’t even mean an ounce of with such a sincere face!”
As the two of the had come
(Is it really okay to s as they are?)
One hour before the wedding
Ludas still hesitating Wearing a white bridegroom outfit, he paced back and forth in the courtyard of the castle
(Since the night of the ball, Ludwik hasn’t been able to talk to Princess Katerina at all as she had shut herself in her rooood to become married like this)
Princess Katerina should be about to finish her preparations as well We’ll beto the castle cathedral for the cere a parade in the town to introduce the new queen afterwards
“I’ll try to talk to Princess Katerina once ins”
Deciding thus, he walked across the courtyard well illuminated by the sun It was then
He heard a rustling sound above his head
Ludas started
(A white bird?)
Sorove of beautifully pruned trees It was clearly bigger than a bird
The sunlight was blindingly bright so Ludwik couldn’t see very well, but it looked like it could be a huirl– no way!
Making s, the white shadow ju
(That’s Princess Katerina’s room! This is bad!)
In this tranquil and small rural nation, it’s hard to think that there is a force that would do soet the bride in order to prevent the king’s ’s impossible
Panicking, Ludwik rushed to Princess Katerina’s room in a fluster
“Is Princess Katerina unharmed? Just now, a suspicious person entered the princess’s rooh the –”
As Ludwik informed the Endrish attendant, the attendant immediately turned pale and opened the door to the room
“Fela fiino (What is the matter?)”
The two of them were met with a cool voice
Wearing a pure white wedding dress, an unworldly beauty with brilliant golden hair and violet eyes glared at Ludwik severely
While feeling intimidated by unreal beauty that truain,
(E-eh? There’s no one besides Princess Katerina)
Ludwik thought flusteredly
“Pardon h the trees and infiltrate this room, so I orried about the princess”
To Ludho explained confusedly, the princess informed in a chilly voice
“Ana polar nai lest (No one entered the room)”
Ludwik felt so eoal was to talk to Princess Katerina before the ceremony
“Sorry, but could you leave the two of us alone for a little while?”
Ludwik told the attendant
Princess Katerina made a blatantly annoyed face, but it see herself to tell Ludwik to kindly leave because she’s not feeling hen he’s right in front of her, so she tied her lips tightly
The attendant withdrew, and the bride and her groom were left alone with each other
The princess is turning her face away
“Ue fair toris libera (Sorry for suddenly intruding I came because I wanted to speak to you before the ceremony, even if only a little)
“…We can speak in your language”
“T-thanks Then u to soood things too It’s regretful that I can’t show you any of theuide you around, so let’s tour the country together”
To the princess coldly presenting the side of her face, Ludwik conveys this sincerely
“Even if it wasn’t her wish to ood parts of Rhodesia if only a little
“I’d love for you to see the sunset at Lake Mariner and the stars shi+ning on the lake’s surface at night When fall corapes, and inter comes, you can skate on the frozen surface and fish in ice holes for pond s, the streets are littered with ripe blueberries and hawthorns are also in full bloom The theater that just opened in town is s packed full of spectators On Sunday, plays based on Rhodesian fairy tales such as Jean and the Big Bean Vine and Snow White and the Seven Faeries are put on during the daytime for children to enjoy”
Princess Katerina’s lips and golden eyelashes fluttered ever so slightly
“…Fairy tales”
For the first tins that she was interested in what Ludwik had to say, so Ludwik injected fervor into his words and pressed the attack
“Yes Rhodesia is called the treasure trove of fairy tales you know! A third of Rhodesia is covered by forest, and it is believed that in the forests lie another world where the fantastic characters who appear in fairy tales live Many legends surrounding that theory reht stories about the forest We’re warned, “Don’t go deep into the forest, for strange things happen there” The most famous story related to the forest is about a fairy queen and a journeying knight–”
As if drawn by Ludwik’s words, Princess Katerina who has been facing away turns her gaze towards him little by little