13 Leal of Lys (2/2)

Hilde smiled wryly. Just like any other nations, Arnica was not without its faults.

”Thank you, Lord Leal, please put me down now.”

Following another worker, Leal had reached the staircase on the right corner of the main floor. It presumably led to rooms upstairs, and he'd been about to mount it. He paused at Hilde's words and bowed his head to look at her. Her pale gray eyes met his intense blue ones squarely.

Her face's pallor aside, Leal saw that Hilde really thought she could now stand on her own. He himself couldn't see how that was possible – just a few minutes ago, she was shaking like the last leaf on a tree before the first snow falls.

Neither replying nor doing what she asked, Leal raised his dark eyebrows a tiny fraction.

Hilde could not help it. The implied condescension made her nostrils flare a little. She forcefully reminded herself, 'DIPLOMACY, Hilde.'

”I have no use for a bed, Lord,” she began explaining in the pleasantest tone she could muster, speaking in Lysean. ”Please trust me, I have slept enough these past three days. What I need to do now is eat.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Hilde's empty stomach supported her claim by rumbling loudly.

She really could have done without that, though.

Cheeks pale, Hilde fought with all her might not to avert her gaze.

'Prince or not, if he laughs, I swear—'

With admirable control, Leal kept his expression carefully bland. ”Ah” was all he said, and instead of continuing up the stairs, he turned around and headed for the nearest table. But because Hilde was practically plastered to his chest, he could not quite hide from her how it was convulsing with held-in amusement.

Over his shoulder, Leal addressed their guide in slightly stilted Arnican. ”Won't you find a comfortable chair please, for the princess.” Lowering his voice so only Hilde could hear the rest, he continued, ”And for the love of all that is holy, say that there is a whole cow roasting somewhere in this village.”

Any other girl would have been excused if she dug a hole and dived in that situation. It didn't matter that she only felt the most basic attraction for this man, as any person might for someone who had a good-looking face. An embarrassment was an embarrassment, and she was like everybody else, wishing no one else had been a witness to any she committed.

She cannot even hide her expression behind her hands or close her eyes against seeing others' reactions. She must bear it all. Something like this was just another thing she had to endure because of who she was.

Hilde's face almost seemed like it was made out of wax due to how white and lifeless it was. Behind her mask, however, she was screaming for this man's death, damn all the consequences.

Speaking as quietly as Leal had done so no one else but him would hear, Hilde asked, ”Why are you here, Prince?”

She now saw no reason to play along with his secret. And if he was not going to put as much effort as her into making their interaction courteous, she too wasn't going to bother as much anymore.

Simply from watching how the princess had behaved ever since she stepped out of the carriage, Leal had been unable to tell if she had heard him give orders earlier or if she was able to deduce any truths from that act. He had taken the risk of taking command because no matter what, he cannot die in this place.

Now it would seem there was no need to pretend with the girl in his arms, although granted, he hadn't truly been trying. He always preferred being real in his every dealings. It was something his devious-minded father lamented about him.

Even before Leal had reached the table he was targeting, the inn worker was already there, arranging a well-padded, high-backed chair with armrests for Hilde. The worker withdrew once he was done, heading straight for a doorway that seemed to lead to the kitchen. Aside from the soldiers who were at least a pace away, the pair was left to themselves.

With surprising care, Leal settled Hilde on the chair. Before he withdrew, however, he spoke quietly by her ears. ”It is funny that you should ask,” he said. ”Princess.” And that was all.

He moved to another chair on the same table and took a seat. Frowning slightly, Hilde would have pressed the issue, but she saw past Leal's shoulder that the other Lysean lords were entering the inn, about to join them.

They looked surprised that she was awake and seemingly waiting to be served food, but led by the elderly Viscount, they expressed relief and took it all in stride.

Then, heralded by the wonderful Frieda and the worker who had found and brought the comfortable chair, platters and bowls of food arrived at their table one by one.

Hilde could barely restrain herself until all the men settled into their chairs. Shoveling food in while somehow maintaining a proper façade, Hilde inwardly sang praises for highly trained attendants and inn workers while completely scrubbing away Prince Leal's last, cryptic words from her mind.