Chapter 109

After my love letters to Armin were cited as evidence during the trial, writing love letters suddenly became wildly popular among the public.

I had written around ten letters myself, but then I added about ten more based on the styles that were trending in the capital and decided to publish them as a book.

“…If it hadn’t been Andre, I would’ve absolutely refused.”

Turning my love letters into a book felt like carving every cringeworthy moment of my past into stone and putting it on display for the world.

But the one who proposed it was Andre—so I couldn’t say no. I was the one who ruined his childhood plan of making a fortune by selling sweet potatoes and potatoes, after all.

“It’s practically the price of my life. Shouldn’t I buy at least ten copies? If it weren’t for Andre, that battle might’ve dragged on even longer. And you might’ve ended up the Crown Princess instead of standing next to me.”

“Well, that’s true…”

“You should read one. Give two to your parents as a gift.”

“What about the remaining two?”

“One of them—will be given to our child when they’re old enough to read.”

The word child slipped so casually from Armin’s lips.

“C… child?”

“I like the idea of three or four. What about you, Vivi?”

“You’ve thought that far ahead?”

My jaw dropped. We weren’t even married—weren’t even engaged yet—and here he was, planning out children?

Seeing my stunned expression, Armin nodded earnestly.

“I’ve already picked names too.”

“…What?”

“You need about sixteen names. You know, to cover all the possibilities.”

Meaning, he had names picked out whether the first child was a boy or a girl… and so on.

“And the last copy of the book—I’m going to keep it unread and shelved. Just in case.”

He meant to preserve one in pristine condition. I was speechless at his meticulous purchasing plan.

“Then what about the letters I gave you?” I asked with a resigned sigh.

 If he was being this obsessive about the book, I was curious what he’d done with the originals.

“The letters?”

Armin responded as if it were obvious.

“They’re sealed in a box and stored safely in the family’s secret vault. I plan to pass them down as heirlooms.”

“…Hah. That’s just… deeply touching. Really.”

I muttered weakly, utterly defeated.

* * *

After the serialized newspaper novel became a hit, several bookstores sprang up around the city. As literacy rates improved, more and more people began buying books—and where money flows, people always gather.

Still, I stuck to the old bookstore I’d frequented for years. When Armin and I walked in together, the shopkeeper stepped out from behind the counter to greet me personally.

“It’s been a while, Miss.”

“I hope you’ve been well. Looks like you’ve got more customers than ever.”

“Haha! Yes, all thanks to the new release from Andre’s Trading Company.”

Oddly enough, the way the shopkeeper looked at Armin suggested they already knew each other.

“But I made sure to set aside the Young Duke’s order.”

“Order?”

I blinked and looked at the shopkeeper in surprise. He looked more flustered by my reaction than I was, glancing between me and Armin. Armin simply nodded, completely nonchalant.

“I’ll pay for it now. It’s ready to take, isn’t it?”

“Oh, yes! Of course. It’s already perfectly wrapped.”

“Hold on a second—you acted like you just remembered the book at the park!”

“Sorry, I’m more thorough than I let on.”

His eyes sparkled with amusement. Lately, ever since the trial, I kept discovering new sides of Armin I never knew existed.

“Oh, right.”

As the shopkeeper turned to fetch Armin’s order, he glanced back over his shoulder.

“You resemble your older brother quite a bit. I could tell you were related the moment I saw him.”

Huh? What was he talking about now?

“My brother?”

“Yes. He came in with a young lady.”

Then the shopkeeper proceeded to ramble on about how passionately Sasha had recommended books to the lady and how many they ended up purchasing.

“As expected from the Young Lady’s twin brother—he’s quite the connoisseur of fiction. I was surprised by how many genres and plots he was familiar with.”

“And… what was the vibe between them?”

“Vibe? What do you mean?”

The shopkeeper, now pulling Armin’s order from beneath the counter, replied casually.

“Well… they seemed shy, like a couple just beginning to date?”

* * *

A few days had passed.

I don’t know if everyone knows the thrill of watching drama unfold right from the front row, but lately, I was so excited to wake up every morning that it was almost unbearable.

“Sasha, are you… not going to work again today?”

A lot has changed in our house recently.

First of all, ever since he caught the duke’s eye, my brother—who used to be obsessed with work like a man possessed—hadn’t gone to work for several days.

“Yeah.”

“Whyyy~?”

Oops. I tried to hide how giddy I was, but I dragged out the end of the word too long. My tone sounded like someone who was so delighted they could do a triple backflip. Sasha’s face turned slightly red.

“I just… decided to take a break. Is that a problem?”

“No~ I was just curious, that’s all.”

I smiled sweetly at Sasha.

“I was starting to think you might have a crush on someone at work or something.”

At that, Sasha suddenly stood up and covered my mouth.

“I’d prefer if you didn’t say things that might lead to misunderstandings.”

And who exactly would be the one misunderstanding, hmm~?

A muffled giggle slipped through the hand covering my mouth. Sasha scowled and dropped his hand. Sitting in the parlor, all dressed up from early morning, he looked exactly like a man waiting for someone—no matter how much he tried to deny it.

“So, what are your plans for today?”

“Huh?”

“I mean, since you’ve been sticking around the house like it’s been coated in honey, I’m just curious.”

I had no response to that.

I figured I was teasing him too much this early in the morning, so I decided to let it go. Judging by his expression, even he didn’t know whether he’d be staying in today or heading out.

Sasha was dressed in a way that suggested he could leave the house at any moment if he wanted to.

Just then, I heard the door to the parlor open behind me. Sasha, face suddenly flushed, leapt from his chair—the look on his face unmistakably that of a man in love, even if he refused to admit it.

“Your Highness.”

“Ah… Lord Roha.”

Princess Florin had always been breathtakingly beautiful, but lately, she seemed to radiate even more brilliance with each passing day.

With a freshness like lily of the valley kissed by morning dew, her delicate aura made the blush on her cheeks seem all the more endearing. If she looked this lovely to another woman, I couldn’t even imagine how devastating her charm must be to men.

“G-Good morning. Did you sleep well?”

“Yes… thanks to you.”

“Thanks to me? I didn’t do anything, though.”

Now I understood perfectly why Sasha always made himself scarce whenever Armin and I were together. Seeing that side of my brother made my skin crawl, even on a warm spring morning.

What did she mean, thanks to him? If anyone was spending all day chatting and keeping Princess Florin company, it was me—Vivian Roha.

And yet Sasha Roha, blushing like a ripe tomato over a single word of gratitude? Who would believe this if they weren’t witnessing it themselves?

“Um…”

“Please speak, Your Highness.”

“I heard it from just outside the door…”

She glanced between me and Sasha, as if steeling herself, she spoke again.

“If I’m interfering with your work…”

“Not at all. Absolutely not.”

Before Princess Florin could even finish her sentence, Sasha cut her off with an immediate response. At his firm denial, she sighed in relief—but I knew the truth.

I knew that, in exchange for playing hooky, the lights in Sasha’s room stayed on deep into the night. That he was giving up sleep to make up for lost work hours spent with the princess.

He looked just as exhausted as he did during his worst all-nighters, but his face was alight with happiness.

That ever-composed, always-prepared demeanor of his didn’t stand a chance in front of Princess Florin. There was something about watching my brother’s anxious expression—his desperate first love—that made me feel a strange mix of wanting to look and wanting to look away.

“The weather is lovely today. Would you care for a trip to the outskirts?”

“The outskirts?”

“I know a place with a beautiful lake. You said you liked to paint… I thought maybe, if we packed some supplies…”

At Sasha’s suggestion, Princess Florin’s face lit up like she was dreaming. I knew that feeling.

When someone wants to share something they love, it moves you in ways you don’t expect. I felt a flutter in my chest, remembering the early days with Armin.

But Princess Florin shook her head.

“I’d really love to go too… but not today.”

“I see.”

Sasha nodded calmly, like it didn’t matter to him, but he couldn’t fool me.

And to him, Princess Florin spoke again—this time truly apologetically.

“I promised Lady Roha I’d go with her to look at dresses today.”

“Dresses?”

“Yes. For her engagement.”