The Perfect Bride - Chapter 52

Natalie, too, was merely a guest in this mansion. Strictly speaking, she could not invite guests to the annex where she stayed without the owner’s permission.

Mrs. Bate, still wearing the clothes stained with raw egg, ran toward the main house. It was to obtain permission for the unplanned visitor and to fetch the mansion’s doctor, Mr. Darton.

Left momentarily without direction, Natalie and Benjamin stood awkwardly in front of the mansion.

Natalie felt embarrassed to have insisted on bringing Benjamin to the duke’s residence, only to leave him standing at the door. Just then, Benjamin opened his mouth as if he remembered something.

“Ah, actually, I had sent several letters to the duke’s residence, but since I didn’t receive any replies, I stopped. I thought it might be unwelcome.”

“Oh…”

Natalie sighed softly. I should’ve checked the letters more carefully. If I had, maybe all this fuss wouldn’t have happened.

“I’m sorry. I haven’t been checking the letters myself lately.”

“It’s alright. I understand. I feel like I’ve only been bringing up difficult topics. I’m terribly sorry.”

Another awkward silence was about to fall, but Benjamin spoke up again.

“There’s something I didn’t get to say because I was foolish and missed the right moment.”

Natalie found this sociable, kind-looking man simply fascinating.

“What is it?”

“Even if David is you, I still like your writing.”

“……”

“I was happy that you, dressed as a boy, listened to my story. And in the letters we exchanged, you treated me like a friend.”

That strange ripple she had briefly felt in the carriage returned. Stronger than before.

“More than the apology, I had always wanted to say that. That’s why I wanted to see you again.”

As he spoke, Benjamin’s eyes curved gently in kindness.

“I’m glad we met again. Ah, thank you for coming to find me.”

Well. If anything, wasn’t it you who found me? Natalie’s eyes wavered widely.

“Please visit White Pen sometime. If it’s alright with you. Just to be clear, there’s nothing strange in my intention. I’m still your fan and, um… a friend.”

Benjamin, who had been speaking confidently, suddenly floundered. Realizing he might’ve come on too strong to an unmarried lady, his earlobes quickly flushed red.

“A friend…”

Natalie, staring blankly at the gentle man who blushed so easily, opened her mouth as if entranced.

“But, Mr. Wald. I actually don’t write anymore. No, I can’t write. I’ve become unable to write anything.”

Then, in a dry voice, she whispered just loud enough for him to hear, “Even if we stay friends like this…”

What good would it do for you?

Benjamin, who had been blushing in embarrassment, blinked slowly. Then he looked straight into Natalie’s eyes and gave a confident, reassuring smile. His ears were still red, though.

“If you’re not uncomfortable with me, may I send you letters again?”

“……”

“If replying is hard, just receiving them is fine.”

It had been so long since she had received such pure kindness and support. Natalie, who had long lost immunity to that sort of thing, found her expression crumbling easily. For the first time since arriving in Dwan, she was not afraid of her heart beating.

“…If you send them, I’ll gladly read them. Thank you, truly, Mr. Wald.”

And so, without realizing it, her voice came out far too earnest.

Benjamin momentarily lost his words. He couldn’t take his eyes off the corners of her eyes, twisted with emotion, and the smile on her lips that lifted as if she were truly happy.

Somehow, he felt an urge to tightly hold her hand.

“…Miss Daus, the truth is, the patron of White Pen is—”

He clenched his fist to suppress the impulse, and instead tried to deliver the news that he thought might make Natalie even happier.

“Miss Daus! Miss Daus!”

A voice, sharp like an alarm, rang out from somewhere.

‘Sir Peeble?’

It was the voice of Marcus Peeble. Natalie turned around, startled.

And to her astonishment, she saw the prince running toward her. He had already crossed more than half the garden.

‘What in the world…’

Following closely behind were Sir Peeble, then Mrs. Bate rushing down the front steps, and finally Mr. Darton, whom she had seen far too much of during her fever.

‘…Why are they all charging at me like a herd?’

Her emotion had barely settled when the baffling sight made Natalie instinctively take a step back.

“Miss Daus, that person is…”

Benjamin, flustered, looked back and forth between Prince Ian, who was storming toward them with frightening intensity, and Natalie, who looked startled.

As Ian ran through the garden and locked eyes with Natalie, he instinctively slowed his pace as if to appear unhurried. Marcus, too, slowed in response.

“Natalie.”

Reaching her in a few long strides, Ian grabbed Natalie’s hand without hesitation. Benjamin, as if invisible, was treated like part of the scenery.

Natalie let out a quiet exclamation inside.

Though disheveled from running, the prince was still breathtakingly beautiful, and just seeing him now made her heart race like a conditioned reflex.

But apart from that, Natalie sometimes wondered if the prince wasn’t truly mad.

You’ve been so unusually quiet lately…

“Your Highness… no, Ian. Why did you run all the way here?”

Worried he might have truly lost his senses this time, she asked cautiously to check.

Ian, pale and visibly shaken, inspected Natalie from head to toe.

“An attack? Where were you hurt?”

“No, Ian.”

That wasn’t it. Natalie shook her head desperately, but his blue eyes, scanning her quickly, spotted the hem of her skirt soiled with filth.

“What the… damn it.”

Natalie couldn’t believe her ears. Did that refined mouth just say “damn it”?

“Did you fall? Get in my arms, now.”

“I didn’t fall, wha—?”

“Then would a piggyback be more comfortable?”

‘W-what is he doing?’

Natalie looked to the prince’s attendants for help. The three of them sealed their lips and turned away, pretending they had seen and heard nothing.

“Just a moment, Ian. Please calm down!”

Suppressing a scream, Natalie broke free from their joined hands and bent forward, hurriedly pushing Ian’s shoulder as he attempted to lift her lower body into his arms.

“I’m not the one who got hurt. Mr. Wald is. He got injured helping me!”

She spoke rapidly, pointing with her free hand to Benjamin, who stood beside her like a tree.

Ian, who had been about to hoist Natalie into his arms, finally paused. His gaze slowly followed the direction of her fingertip.

“T-this is Mr. Benjamin Wald, who runs a publishing company. Mr. Wald, this is His Highness Prince Ian.”

Not only the prince, but all eyes turned to Benjamin. Caught off guard while watching the dramatic exchange between the prince and the baron’s daughter, Benjamin hurriedly collected his expression and brought his hands together politely.

“I think Mr. Wald’s wrist is broken. He needs treatment right away. And as for me, I’m perfectly fine.”

As Natalie exaggerated, Benjamin, catching on quickly, supported his swollen wrist with his other hand and pretended to endure the pain. It was merely a sprain.

Forget questioning how he runs a publishing company. The man was incredibly quick-witted.

Natalie, giving Benjamin a silent thumbs-up in her heart, looked at Ian as if to say, ‘Now please let go of me.’ Fortunately, her earnest gaze seemed to work, and Ian slowly straightened up.

Returning to his usual composed self as if nothing had happened, Ian looked to Marcus. His calm blue eyes seemed to demand an explanation.

Marcus, who had startled Ian with the word “attack,” gasped for breath after sprinting at full speed and looked somewhat aggrievedly at Mrs. Bate, who had told him, “Miss Daus was attacked in Derville.”

Mrs. Bate simply looked between the two men as if she couldn’t understand why they had rushed out without hearing her out.

After a short silence, the prince drew in a quiet breath and extended his hand with a graceful smile.

“Mr. Wald, thank you for helping her. I owe you a great debt.”

***

Benjamin was guided to the main house by Mrs. Bate.

Mr. Darton, the doctor who had dashed out amid the commotion, followed behind in a daze. His expression still showed he had no idea what all the fuss was about.

Even as he was led away, Benjamin kept glancing back at Natalie. She seemed to find entering the mansion alone quite burdensome.

It was around the fourth time their eyes met that—

“Let’s talk inside,” Ian said.

Worried something might have happened, Natalie followed him to the annex without protest.

‘So what was that just now?’

As she hurried after him, her confused thoughts raced.

He wasn’t usually like this, but today he seemed especially strange. The prince had genuinely appeared shocked. And she didn’t seem to be the only one who thought so—glancing beside her, Marcus also looked quite flustered.

Just then, the prince suddenly turned around. Natalie and Marcus, who had been cautiously observing his mood, flinched in unison.

“Explain. What happened?”

To her surprise, the prince looked urgent. His desperation, like something out of her fantasies, left Natalie momentarily speechless.

“H-here?”

They were still in the middle of the garden leading to the annex.

“Your Highness. Miss Daus is unharmed. You can hear the details after she changes clothes.”

Marcus interjected, gesturing to Natalie’s soiled attire.

Only then did Ian notice her skirt, and the filth smeared on his left hand from their earlier commotion in front of the mansion.

“……”

For a brief moment, Natalie saw the prince’s blue eyes visibly tremble.

Then, like someone enduring something unpleasant, he closed his eyes. His thick golden lashes quivered.

The sight of him so sensitive and pitiable made Natalie hold her breath.

“Wash up and change. I’ll see you in the drawing room.”

The prince seemed rather weak when it came to things like this. It was the most exhausted voice she had ever heard from him.