The Perfect Bride - Chapter 57

From the perspective of someone on the same boat, her heart dropped at the thought that something might’ve gone wrong.

Natalie asked cautiously, “Why are you answering like that? Don’t tell me something serious happened with the plan?”

“It’s not that.”

“Then why do you look so grim? Were you trying to scare me again?”

Seeing Natalie’s serious expression, Ian chuckled softly and looked out the window.

“Next month, there’s a naval rowing competition at the port of Valenta.”

“Oh my. You’re changing the subject… A rowing competition?”

“It’s a Valenta tradition. Like a summer festival.”

I see. Natalie gave a halfhearted nod. She had heard of rowing, but never seen it herself.

“I usually can’t participate because I’m in Dwan or out at sea during this time, but this year will be my first. Thanks to you, I’d say.”

Natalie finally showed interest and stepped up beside him to stand at the window.

“So you’ve always wanted to join the rowing competition?”

“Yes. It always looked fun.”

Natalie realized his gaze rested on the sea. His blue eyes, mirroring the ocean, looked freer and more vivid than ever, making her heart beat faster in a pleasant way.

“What do you win if you win?”

“A wine cellar, a medal, a trophy. Some reputation, maybe?”

“Oh, a medal and a trophy? That’s more official than I expected.”

“Did you think it was just a leisurely show of strength funded by taxes?”

“Hmm, I won’t answer that.”

At her playful reply, Ian narrowed his eyes. “Ah. Looks like I’ll have to propose by winning the rowing competition. The timing is perfect too.”

“What?”

Natalie wrinkled her brow in dismay, though still smiling.

“I’ll put that medal around your neck in front of everyone.”

“Oh no, thank you. I’d rather die an old maid than get that kind of attention.”

“The more you hate it, the more it makes me want to do it.”

After exchanging such light banter for a while, Natalie murmured, “…Still, it’s hard to picture. I didn’t think you’d like physically demanding sports.”

“I like most things involving water.”

Once again, Natalie felt how much she liked Huntington.

There were countless reasons, but if she had to name just one, it would be that Ian seemed more vibrant and radiant here than anywhere else.

“You must like it a lot.”

“I do.”

“I mean the sea, and Huntington.”

“Yes.”

He said he loved the sea, and he truly suited it.

‘And I love someone like that.’

That simple fact pleased her. It felt wonderful.

Just like this.

Meeting the one you love every other day, and being treated kindly by him… If only such fluttering days could continue just like this.

It was an optimistic and sweet time.

She followed his gaze and looked out over Huntington’s shore, which seemed beautiful again. The daily life the prince wanted to protect did indeed seem precious, even to her.

“Of course, I love Valenta too. Without it, there wouldn’t be Grand Batten as it is now,” he added.

“You’re proud of the Valenta navy.”

“The Valenta navy has pride, and I’m a pretty good commander.”

Natalie smiled faintly. His confident tone was both pleasing and oddly enviable. She glanced at his profile as he looked at the sea and whispered inwardly,

‘You’ll surely get everything you want.’

Only in her thoughts.

“…That means you’ll be even busier. Will you be staying in Valenta?”

“Not exactly, but I’ll be around less often. Why? Will you miss me?”

“Come on. Why would I? Feels like I’ve been granted a vacation.”

She could now reply to him naturally. At the same time, her hand gripped the keys a little tighter. Looking out together at his beloved Huntington, she truly felt like his wife.

‘Ah, really now.’

Unintentionally, she sometimes had fanciful thoughts that exceeded her place. After such moments, a wave of nausea followed.

While trying to steady her heart, he said, “Come watch sometime. I’ll send someone. It’s pretty fun to see people so caught up in winning that they forget their ranks. That’s the charm of rowing.”

“Haha, are you like that too?”

The two, who had been gazing at the sea, instinctively looked at each other.

With a soft smile, he whispered, “Of course not.” Then turned his eyes back to the window. Natalie, still holding her smile, froze in place.

His smile could enchant anyone in an instant. Everything had felt just right a moment ago, but now her heart was out of control, and it was uncomfortable.

“It’s late, but do you like Huntington?”

Was he fulfilling her request to be treated more kindly? Maybe it was just her imagination, but he seemed almost too tender lately.

“…Yes. It’s a truly beautiful place.”

Natalie replied a beat late, unable to take her eyes off his profile.

The next moment, he scrunched his eyes teasingly and asked, “Then what’s with that weird face you’ve been making? What kind of thoughts bring that expression?”

It must’ve shown. Was it her dazed look or the flush in her ears?

Natalie didn’t know.

“It must be something strange.”

Who knows. If the dignified you heard it, you’d probably be horrified by how indecent it was.

Unaware that he was being toyed with in her imagination, the innocent prince chuckled at her face. She couldn’t recall much of what they talked about after that.

As they left the study, the prince suddenly asked, “If you truly don’t want to read, that’s fine, but you actually do, don’t you?”

Caught off guard, Natalie furrowed her brows.

“I’ll keep it secret. Hardly anyone comes to the second floor anyway, but still, make sure to lock the door.”

“I said I won’t read.”

“It’s not like reading novels will restore House Daus’s reputation. Don’t waste your energy in strange ways.”

The spot-on comment left her mouth agape in flustered silence.

“I said I can’t read…”

So humiliating. Utterly humiliating.

“Can’t? What’s stopping you? No one here would care if you read a novel.”

But perhaps it was because of his casual, unaffected tone—as if it were nothing—that a sense of relief washed over her despite the shame. It was a strange feeling.

The prince always brimmed with confidence and certainty. Everything he said felt true, everything he imagined seemed destined to come real.

It was just a few words.

But she felt like she could read again. Like she should. Like she wanted to.

***

Thud.

The moment she closed the thick cover, the sun began to rise beyond the clear glass window, lifting the bluish veil.

Only then did Natalie realize she had stayed up all night reading a novel.

The wax candle had burned down, and her eyeballs felt dry to the back. It had been so long since she felt this way.

For some reason, she felt as if she could hear Christina and Emily’s lively laughter at her ear, like she had returned to that time. A thrill bubbled up.

She felt an undeniable sense of happiness. She had forgotten, but though the ending had been unhappy, that time had been the happiest in her life.

‘That’s right. It was truly fun then. How could I have forgotten…’

The first time was hard, but the next was easy. From that day on, Natalie practically lived in the study.

***

“Mrs. Bate, where’s Natalie?”

“She’ on the second floor, Miss Daus.”

“Again?”

The second floor. That was the prince’s domain.

She wasn’t the one who had been granted permission to use this mansion freely, so even as the sister of the woman dearly loved by the prince, it was difficult for her to roam the second floor as she pleased.

“What about breakfast?”

“She said she’s skipping it. Should I let her know you came by?”

“No, it’s nothing important. I’ll ask her at the next meal.”

But Dorothy’s concern for her sister didn’t end there. She came up with a suitable excuse to go upstairs.

“…Still, she can’t go without eating anything. Could you pack some biscuits and milk? I’ll take it up myself.”

Maybe it was because she had gotten used to nursing Natalie during her fever, but Dorothy had been especially attentive to her sister lately. Her manner was still rather brusque, though.

As she quietly sipped her tea beside her, Catherine asked Dorothy in a gentle tone, “You and Miss Natalie seem to be getting along better now. Were you always this close?”

“…Honestly, I wouldn’t say we’re close. There’s a bit of an age gap too. She’s not as active as I am. In short, we don’t get along very well.”

Recalling the sisters who had little in common, Catherine nodded understandingly.

“Natalie isn’t even a good sister. She lacks responsibility and a sense of reality. And she failed in marriage. If a family has many daughters, you must know how important the eldest daughter’s marriage is, Lady Horace.”

Dorothy rattled off a harsh critique of her sister without even pausing for breath. At last, she let out a long sigh, took a beat, and continued.

“…I resent her. Seeing her makes my chest feel tight. But I always love her. Maybe that’s why I hate her even more.”

“I actually like this honest side of you, Dorothy.”

“Our family is more affectionate than we appear.”

“Oh my, I envy that. You’ve got someone who’s always on your side.”

“It’s not that dramatic.”

After chatting to her heart’s content, Dorothy turned shy. Seeing this, Catherine laughed aloud.

Though it had been the prince’s will for the duchess to become this young lady’s chaperone, Catherine found herself growing quite fond of Dorothy, who was sharp-witted and bold.

‘Is boldness a Daus family trait?’

Thinking so, Catherine said, “Dorothy, how about going to Valenta after breakfast? Let’s watch the rowing practice.”

“Can we go without an invitation?”

“A true socialite should occasionally break the rules and surprise others.”

This is called flexibility. Catherine added with a relaxed smile, and Dorothy let out a small impressed “Oooh.”

“Then your mission is to convince Miss Natalie to come down.”

“Leave it to me.”

Valenta! Dorothy, who missed the city more than anyone, jumped to her feet.

***

“Mrs. Bate, I said I didn’t need anything to eat…”

“Amazing. We’re sisters, yet how are we so different?”

“What— Doro… Dorothy?”

Natalie, who had been absorbed in her book, jerked up at Dorothy’s innocent voice. Dorothy had set a tray down on the desk not far from the door and was looking around the bookshelf.

“I used to hate reading the most. Couldn’t even imagine writing. Studying foreign languages was a given, but reading those awful classics and practicing recitation, that was the worst.”

Then she added, staring at her sister who had frozen in surprise, “Yet you did it all diligently, Natalie.”

As she said that, Natalie reflexively hid the book she’d been reading behind her back.

Dorothy frowned slightly at the meaningless gesture but turned her eyes away, pretending not to see, as her sister wished.

“Because I wanted to find a good husband.”

“Sir Eason will propose to you soon. Anyone can see he’s a fine match, inside and out. And as a politician, he’s got potential too….”

“Oh come on, Natalie. I’m not worried.”

Ever since receiving the necklace from the prince, Dorothy had grown quite relaxed.

“I don’t know why you’re making me so anxious, but he’ll definitely propose before this season ends.”

If only for the sake of the ducal family. Her tone was languid, but the words were quite cynical.