Chapter 119

“W-Wait a moment. I’ll just close the door and step out.”

But I couldn’t bring myself to leave.

I stood hesitating at the doorway, torn between the awkwardness of watching my own brother confess his feelings from the front row and the irresistible curiosity of witnessing my best friend’s proposal.

But to Sasha, I didn’t matter at that moment.

His gaze was fixed solely on Princess Florin.

“Florin Gellang, I, Alessandro Roha, formally ask you—”

With trembling fingers, Sasha pulled something out from inside his coat.

At a glance, it was clearly a ring box.

As he opened it, Princess Florin covered her mouth with her hands. Her expression—full of shock, joy, and a mixture of countless emotions—was more beautiful than ever.

“Will you be my wife?”

“Alessandro…”

“Once it’s known that you’ve rejected the oracle… public opinion will turn against you. Prince Garbo, His Majesty the Emperor, and the families mentioned in the oracle will all oppose this.”

“Wait, Alessandro—”

“I’ve thought about it for a long time, but… I think we should head south along the river. If we leave now, we can arrive by afternoon.

The southern provinces have simpler marriage customs, so we can have our union recognized in a day.

If we get the blessing of the church there and return afterward…

Even if Gellang doesn’t recognize it… once we’re already married…”

Sasha’s words tumbled out in a flustered rush.

His idea was this:

Even if Gellang, with its separate faith, wouldn’t acknowledge the marriage, the Empire had no way to annul a church-sanctioned union.

So, the plan was to go through with it before anyone could stop them.

It was a reckless suggestion—completely out of character for Sasha.

But he was clearly determined and unwavering now.

“If we return after just one night… any damage done to your reputation, I’ll take full responsibility for it for the rest of my life…”

In short, he was asking her to go with him.

His earnest words sent chills over my skin and made tears well up in my eyes.

Conflicting emotions wrestled in my mind—I didn’t want to see it, but I couldn’t look away.

“This… this isn’t like you, Alessandro.”

Tears shimmered in Princess Florin’s eyes as she spoke.

Even I was surprised by my brother’s willingness to cast aside his house, his honor, his ambitions.

Thinking she was rejecting him, Sasha quickly responded in desperation.

“I know. I know this isn’t like me. If I truly wanted to do what’s best for you… I should send you back to the palace right now without a word. But… I can’t let you go like this.”

His voice was weak, yet sincere.

“I finally realized… being by your side… is when I feel most like myself.”

That was it.

I couldn’t take it anymore.

I carefully shut the door and stepped out.

My breath caught in my throat.

The normally composed Alessandro Roha, who always looked down on me with disdain, was now so desperate, so vulnerable, so full of longing—it was almost too much to bear.

“Well. That really woke me up.”

I rubbed my arms and walked down the hallway.

It was best to get the letter sent off first, just in case things took time.

The household staff had just started bustling about with their morning routines.

I handed the letter to Michelle.

When I told her it was urgent, she nodded right away.

She’d probably heard a rough outline of the morning’s events from André and understood better than anyone how urgent the situation was.

“I’ll tell the stablemaster to deliver it immediately.”

“Thanks, Michelle.”

“Um… is Her Highness okay?”

Having spent so much time together, Michelle had clearly grown attached to the princess as well.

Seeing her rush in with tear-streaked cheeks earlier had obviously left a mark, and Michelle’s question came out hesitantly.

“She’s okay!”

I nodded firmly.

There really was nothing left to worry about anymore.

* * *

Even after quite a while had passed since I delivered the letter, Sasha still showed no signs of leaving the room.

I’d been waiting in the hallway and finally, after about thirty minutes, I knocked on the door.

“I’m coming in, okay? Hmm? I’m coming in now!”

At the sound of my loud voice, I heard the flurry of movement inside—clearly the two of them scrambling apart.

After giving them five extra seconds, I cleared my throat and opened the door.

“Are you two finally done?”

My brother’s eyes were red.

It was obvious he hadn’t slept and had been through quite the emotional ordeal.

Honestly, both of us had puffy eyes.

It wasn’t like us to pull all-nighters.

“If you’re done, then get out. I’m dead tired.”

“If you’re tired, go sleep in the next room.”

“No way. I’m staying right here with my best friend, Princess Florin.”

“You little—”

I stuck my tongue out at him teasingly.

Shoo, shoo. I waved him away with my hand like I was casting a spell to send him off, but even then, Sasha’s eyes lingered longingly on Princess Florin behind me.

Seeing that expression only made my mischief bubble up more.

I cleared my throat deliberately.

Sasha’s face tightened.

He looked like he was bracing for whatever nonsense I was about to say.

“Ah… I’ve finally realized.”

As I echoed his words, his face began to pale rapidly.

“Wait! I’ll go, I’m going, okay?!”

“That being by your side… is when I feel most like myself.”

I did my best impression of my brother’s voice, drawing on all my experience of mimicking him over the years.

Princess Florin covered her face with both hands.

Sasha’s expression snapped back to his usual annoyed self.

At last, the overwhelming pink haze of affection in the room seemed to lift a little.

“Want me to keep going? Or should you get out now?”

“You seriously… ugh. Forget it. It’s not worth talking to you.”

I knew he wanted to stay a little longer, but it was really time to get some rest.

We’d be heading to the imperial palace in a few hours, and if we all looked like this, it would be shameful.

“Brother.”

“What?”

“Congratulations.”

At my words, Sasha rubbed the back of his neck.

Seeing him embarrassed… I’d witnessed a lot of firsts today.

“Get some rest.”

No sooner had Sasha stepped out than Michelle came in, her arms full of thinly sliced cucumbers.

“Your Highness, Miss—lie down now. You’re not going to the palace looking like this, are you?”

Her tone left no room for argument.

With a scolding Michelle looming over us, both Princess Florin and I obediently lay down on the bed.

The coolness of the cucumber slices sticking to our faces was oddly refreshing.

“H-hey! Don’t laugh. You too, Your Highness! Ugh—see, now the cucumbers are falling. Come on, serious and solemn faces. That’s right. Just like that. I’ll wake you when it’s time.”

Michelle pulled the curtains shut to darken the room so we could rest a bit better after our sleepless night.

I thought I wouldn’t fall asleep so easily, but as soon as Michelle left, I heard Princess Florin’s soft, steady breathing.

It had been such an eventful day.

My engagement.

The forged oracle from Gellang.

My eyelids felt heavy.

Michelle might scold me later, but even as I let my eyes drift shut, a smile lingered at the corners of my lips.

* * *

When Prince Garbo, having received the letter, visited the Viscount’s estate, it was just after breakfast.

He seemed genuinely shocked that his usually docile younger sister had pulled such a stunt.

As the princess stepped out of the dining room with me, dressed casually as if she were at home, her eyes met her brother’s—and Prince Garbo strode over at once.

Then bonk, he gave her a light flick on the forehead with his fist, careful not to hurt her.

“Ow.”

“Florin Gellang! Seriously, you—!”

He was so worked up that it was hard to believe he was the same refined man we’d seen at the Crown Princess’ appointment ceremony.

Were all big brothers like this?

With a barrage of nagging clearly loaded and ready, he looked oddly familiar to me.

As I quietly tried to slip away, Prince Garbo gave me a stiff nod.

The moment I turned the corner in the hall, his scolding exploded like a storm.

“What were you thinking, running away in the middle of the night?! Do you even realize what could’ve happened?! You even lied to the gatekeeper, said you were a maid?! What if you got lost, or ran into some awful people?! And how did you even get a horse?!”

“I’m sorry.”

“Sorry? So-rry? You think that’s enough?!”

“But! I just couldn’t wait any longer…”

“What? Ugh. Mother and Father should really see what you’ve become.”

Seeing his little sister flee a foreign Imperial palace all for a boy, Prince Garbo looked at a complete loss for words.

When he let out a weary sigh—“Dear heavens”—Florin quickly looked away, clearly guilty.

After all, it was the god’s arranged match that she had so boldly rewritten.

“Haaah…”

Mistaking her strange behavior as being cowed by his scolding, Prince Garbo’s sharp expression gradually softened.

“Did you read the oracle?”

“Yes.”

Oracles were supposed to be read first by the person they were meant for, and only under the high moon.

Because they contained prophecies about the future, it was dangerous for them to fall into the hands of others. Still, among the Gellang royalty, it was customary to share and confirm each other’s oracles.

When Prince Garbo extended his hand, Princess Florin hesitantly placed the letter in his palm.

Even I, hiding around the corner, couldn’t help but swallow nervously.

Garbo had already received his own oracle.

And I’d heard he had reviewed others’ as well.

He was practically an expert—he’d spot anything suspicious immediately.

On the flip side, if he didn’t catch anything… then it meant the forgery was flawless, undetectable to anyone.

As he broke the seal and drew the letter out, he began reading quickly.

“…Huh?”

When Prince Garbo let out a confused sound, both of us felt our hearts plummet in sync.