Chapter 105

“Heavens, then what kind of books do you usually read?”

“Uh… mostly introductory texts and history books…”

“Oh my goodness.”

“She said that’s why she’s been very interested in the serialized novel published in the newspaper.”

“Newspaper? A serialization?”

The Duchess seemed intrigued by my comment and pressed me to explain further.

Since the fact that the Duchess was R.G., the novelist, had to remain a secret, I couldn’t tell her outright. But I did tell the Duchess honestly how much the princess had enjoyed reading The Demon Duke today.

“Oh? The Demon Duke, you say? That’s a book I’m quite fond of as well.”

At the Duchess’s words, Princess Florin’s face lit up.

“Me too. I loved how clumsy the male lead was. The way he confessed so desperately to a simple young lady in the middle of a field—it left such an impression.”

“My word, you’ve already read that far?”

Whenever the princess talked about books, her tone became noticeably clearer and more confident. Noticing this change, the Duchess’s tone also softened.

“But, Duchess…”

“Oh dear, Vivi. Must you keep calling me ‘Duchess’?”

The Duchess gave me a playful sideways glance, and Princess Florin looked between us with curious eyes.

“Ah, um… Mother.”

“That’s better.”

“What! Mother? Then, Lady Roha, could it be that…”

“That’s right. I’m getting married to her son, Armin, later this year.”

The Duchess—no, Mother—beamed as she said it with a joyful smile.

Princess Florin’s face flushed red.

“I see! You did mention something yesterday, but I didn’t know the details.”

We’d originally come to discuss translating and exporting novels, but thanks to Princess Florin’s sudden interest in my relationship with Armin, the topic took a completely different turn.

“Oh! So that time…”

“Yes. He left Lady Rose behind and followed after me. Ahem! He confessed to me that day…”

“Kyaa! Oh—sorry! But that’s just so romantic!”

Princess Florin stomped her feet in excitement and looked at me with sparkling eyes.

“Your Highness, have you ever… liked someone?”

I asked her a straightforward question.

Anyone could see that the Princess was beautiful, like the goddess of spring, and her noble status only elevated her allure. Surely, countless young men would fall at her feet at a mere gesture.

But Princess Florin shook her head.

“I find it hard… to deal with men.”

“Really? Why?”

“Most of the men who approach me are only kind because I’m a Princess. Rather than feeling like we’re having a real conversation, it often feels like they’re just trying to flatter me.”

The Duchess nodded her understanding at that.

“I know how you feel. When I was younger, the men were such fools. No matter what I said, they’d always end the conversation with, ‘You are so beautiful.’ Honestly, I started to think I’d be better off chatting with a parrot.”

Hmm. A conversation between beauties, a mere mortal like me couldn’t possibly join in the conversation.

“Honestly, before I met the Duke, I had no intention of marrying at all.”

That was news even to me. Clearly, the Duchess had taken a liking to Princess Florin—she wouldn’t share something so personal otherwise.

“So what changed your mind?”

“Hm…”

At my question, the Duchess thought for a moment before replying.

“I just… had this feeling that this man would accept me exactly as I am.”

As she said it, her expression brimmed with affection for the Duke.

We listened with great interest as the Duchess shared her youthful love story. Knowing the usually stern-looking Duke, hearing about his passionate younger days felt like listening to a romance audiobook.

“So, Princess Florin, there’s no need to rush—or to be afraid, either. In the end, the person you’re meant to meet… you’ll meet them, one way or another.”

“But… my future spouse will be chosen by divine prophecy.”

She said it in a tone that made it clear she didn’t believe things like destined love applied to her. At her slightly downcast expression, the Duchess gave a soft, knowing smile.

“If the god who gives the oracle truly exists—and I’m sure He does—then He must have chosen the partner who suits you best, Your Highness.”

“Do you …really think so?”

“Of course. But what’s most important is your own heart. Understand?”

Unlike the usual way she doted on me, the Duchess now spoke to Princess Florin with the air of a seasoned mentor offering life wisdom to someone much younger and more timid.

Sensing the conversation had reached a good stopping point, I quietly shifted us back toward business.

“By the way, Mother…”

I figured calling her ‘Mother’ would put her in an even better mood. As I’d expected, the Duchess beamed.

“Yes?”

“I heard that they don’t really have romance novels in Gellang.”

“Oh, really?”

Looking surprised, the Duchess blinked as she glanced between the Princess and me. Princess Florin nodded in agreement.

“It’s true.”

“Then what kind of books do they read in Gellang?”

“Mostly practical books—some theology or history, that’s about it.”

“That’s why she was so moved by the serialized stories in our newspapers.”

Unaware that the very author of the book she loved was sitting right in front of her, the Princess looked wistfully at the book, as though she wished it wouldn’t end.

“It’s true. Gellang is a wealthy nation with a very low illiteracy rate, but people just don’t choose to read. There’s no joy in it.”

“But, Mother! Don’t you think Her Highness speaks our language incredibly well?”

Only after I made a bit of a fuss about her fluent speech—flawless, without a trace of a foreign accent—did the Duchess seem to remember that Princess Florin was from another country.

“Oh! That’s right. Your speech is so natural I completely forgot.”

“And not just her speaking—she reads so well, too. To read another country’s language with such ease, isn’t that amazing?”

“My goodness! You’re right!”

This time, the Duchess looked genuinely impressed.

“It really is incredible. I honestly didn’t realize it until Vivi pointed it out.”

At the Duchess’s praise, the Princess lowered her head, looking a little shy. Watching her, I leaned in and gently asked the Duchess,

“Actually, Mother…”

“Yes?”

“Don’t you think this novel would be really popular in Gellang, too?”

My question made the Princess’s eyes sparkle. Although she didn’t know the Duchess was the author, she assumed I’d brought her here because the Duchess had some influence over the writer. Eager to win her over, she jumped in to help.

“There are people in my country like me—people who can speak both Imperial and Gellangian fluently. I want to work with them to translate the novel and introduce it in Gellang.”

“Is that so?”

“Of course, we’d need the author’s permission first.”

“Then go ahead.”

Her answer was so cheerful and immediate that even I was the one caught off guard. I’d assumed she would want to keep her identity hidden, as she always had until now.

“Pardon?”

“I said, go ahead.”

“B-but the author…”

“R.G. Duchess Grey—my name is Rebecca.”

“Ah!”

The Princess looked between me and the Duchess. I gave her a nod and smiled.

“Oh, so you knew?”

“Of course. I was the very first person to discover the true identity of R.G.”

“Hoho! That’s right. If it weren’t for me, Armin and Vivi might never have met.”

Though it had only been a year ago, the look in the Duchess’s eyes turned wistful, like she was remembering a distant dream.

“I’ll provide the books free of charge. You’ll need several people just for the translation, after all. If you can publish it in Gellangian, that alone will make me happy. Writers are happiest when more people are reading their work.”

It was never about money to begin with. The Duchess’s wholehearted support moved Princess Florin deeply—tears welled in her eyes.

“Ah… Thank you. Truly, thank you so much.”

“Well, it’s all thanks to the friend you made.”

I puffed up proudly, just a bit. I liked her as much as she liked me—being around her felt easy and pleasant.

And it seemed the same was true for Mother. The three of us chatted away happily until late in the afternoon.

* * *

Even after we returned home, our chatter was endless. It had been a long time since I’d had such fun talking with a female friend. Wearing the pants Princess Florin had given me as a gift, I stayed in her room late into the night.

“So, was your ideal type always Lord Grey?”

Ideal type, huh? I shook my head.

“No way. I’ve never really thought about that, but guys who stand out like that… not my thing. Honestly.”

I lowered my voice, even though no one was around to eavesdrop. Still, seeing Princess Florin glance around nervously made me lean in and whisper.

“To be honest, I always thought I should never get involved with someone so well-known. Because people like that… they always end up acting like their face is all they have going for them.”

“Pfft.”

She tried not to laugh, but failed. Her face turned red as she ducked her head.

“Okay, now it’s your turn, Your Highness.”

“Well… I…”

After thinking for a long moment, Princess Florin replied,

“I’m kind of like you. Someone who is too noticeable makes me uncomfortable.”

“So you prefer the average type?”

“Yes. And someone I can talk to easily.”

“Oh? Conversation, huh?”

She gave a small smile, saying there weren’t many people in Gellang she could truly connect with, especially since she loved books so much.

“It sounds silly, talking about this, when I’ll end up marrying whoever the oracle chooses.”

The cheerful mood from earlier suddenly deflated. I clapped the blankets to lighten the atmosphere.

“No way. What the duchess said made sense. If the gods really do exist, I’m sure they’ve chosen a good partner for you.”

“You think so?”

She said it, but her voice lacked conviction. As the mood continued to dip, I quickly stood up.

“Oh no, the tea’s all gone. I’ll go get more.”

“But it’s already late… If you drink that much tea, you won’t be able to sleep.”

“Come on! Are you planning to sleep?”

I teased. She shook her head with a smile. It really felt like having a close friend over for a sleepover. Who knew how long she’d be staying here—there was no way I’d waste such a fun night.