Chapter 130
Though he had spoken smoothly, Einar’s heart was beating faster and more violently than ever as he waited for Riina’s answer.
His heart, galloping like a wild horse, seemed not to know what to do with the simultaneous feelings of excitement and fear.
Yes. At this moment, Einar felt as if he could soar into the sky with excitement, while also feeling as terrified as if he were about to fall from the highest height.
If Riina were to shake her head, to voice a rejection, to dismiss it as a joke and move on, no.
If she were to simply ignore him and resume her work…
And so Einar wished more desperately than at any other time in his life.
That whatever the catalyst was, whenever it had begun, her decision not to withdraw from him would remain unchanged.
Truly, sincerely, Einar did not want to lose Riina.
Would there ever be anyone else in his life—no, in his future—whom he would desire so certainly, who would shine so dazzlingly?
Just as his heart, drumming like a drum, beat throughout his entire body and seemed about to leap out of his mouth—
Riina placed her hand over Einar’s outstretched one and gave him the answer he so desired.
“Let’s go, on a date.”
Of course, her voice dropped noticeably when saying the word “date.”
Einar escorted her more carefully than ever before, leading her to the place he had originally intended.
After traveling by carriage and alighting in a quiet spot, he asked:
“We might have to walk a bit. Is that all right?”
“It’s fine. But won’t you tell me where we’re going?”
“I’m planning to go to the greenhouse.”
“The greenhouse?”
As Riina tilted her head quizzically, his ash-gray eyes narrowed as if dazzled.
Even that small gesture of hers shone painfully bright to him.
Perhaps around this time, Einar was unconsciously realizing:
That it was no longer possible to suppress his genuine feelings for Riina, which occupied his heart, seized his brain, and coursed through his entire body.
“You’re as uninterested in the outside world as Sierre.”
“The Youngest Prince isn’t interested in the outside? But he was so looking forward to going on an outing.”
At her words, which dismissed the comment about herself as if it were nothing, Einar’s eyebrow quirked upward, but he didn’t bother to point it out.
Her indifference toward herself was likely the result of the indifference and resignation toward herself created by the “misfortune” that had dominated most of her life.
It didn’t matter. If she were indifferent to herself, he would simply pay even more attention to her.
Someday, he hoped she would think of herself as much as he thought of her.
Even while thinking this, he was faithfully answering Riina’s question.
“He did say he wanted to go on an outing, but the prerequisite was ‘with brother and sister-in-law.'”
Sierre had said so with a sweet smile.
‘After my health started improving and I looked around the palace and even went out to the garden, I realized something.’
The child, though it wasn’t clear what he was shy about, continued with blushing cheeks.
‘I don’t really like going outside. The inside of the palace is cozy and nice.’
Seeing Einar’s expression turn subtle, Sierre waved his hands and added:
‘Ah, but I still really want to go on an outing! I also want to run until I’m out of breath!’
Though the child didn’t specifically add this, it seemed likely that running until he was out of breath would be a one-time event.
Having heard the story, Riina covered her mouth as if trying to hold back laughter, but Einar removed her hand and said:
“You can just laugh. I won’t charge you with disrespect to the imperial family or anything like that.”
At that, Riina burst into the laughter she had been holding back, and though it wasn’t loud, it was clear and cheerful enough that Einar found himself laughing too.
“The Youngest Prince is also an unpredictable person.”
“That level of unpredictability makes it easier to be an emperor. It’s hard to respect a superior who’s always predictable to subordinates. And disliking going outside is probably an optimal talent for an emperor.”
“That’s true.”
Considering the daily life of an emperor—confined to the office from early dawn until late night, processing documents constantly except during sleeping hours—Sierre had the makings of an excellent emperor.
While conversing about Sierre, they arrived at the greenhouse, which was said to be the most talked-about place among imperial citizens these days.
Entering the greenhouse, Riina was first amazed by its vast scale, and second, by the absence of people.
“Surely you didn’t rent the entire place?”
“Even as a member of the imperial family, I don’t have that right. I just thought that, being with you, I didn’t want to be under people’s gaze.”
This was completely contrary to the purpose of their initial deal—their “contract engagement” meant to “act as loving fiancés in front of as many people as possible to cut off Smith like a leech in one stroke”—but neither of them even thought to bring up that point, not even as a joke.
After strolling for a while through the magically deserted, beautiful, and magnificent greenhouse, the two arrived at the center where transparent droplets of water misted like fog.
“A fountain this large inside a greenhouse.”
The tips of Riina’s hair, as she looked up at the fountain that seemed more suited for outdoors, became dampened by water droplets springing from the fountain.
“The initial plan was for a waterfall, I hear.”
At Einar’s words, as he gently pulled her hand to step back so she wouldn’t get any wetter, Riina let out a hollow laugh.
“That was quite an ambitious idea.”
“Isn’t it? His Majesty liked it so much that a waterfall will be installed in one part of the imperial palace soon. I’ll invite you when it’s completed.”
“I won’t decline.”
As Riina slowly circled the fountain, examining the rare flowers and trees that were difficult to find in the empire, she stopped in sync with Einar, who had suddenly halted.
“Einar?”
“Shall we rest a bit here?”
Seated in the place he suggested, Riina blinked momentarily at the slightly elevated view, then soon let out a short exclamation.
It was truly a cascade of sunlight, surrounded by numerous flowers rippling in various colors, and trees enveloping the surroundings in fresh greenery.
The spot where she sat was indeed the prime attraction within the greenhouse, where all visitors to this place struggled to sit at least once.
Einar pressed his painfully aching chest as he watched the array of colors filling her blue eyes and scattering like beams of light.
“Einar, are you looking? It’s beautiful.”
“Yes. Beauti…ful.”
His voice dropped slightly, but even he couldn’t notice this fact.
After her gaze had been completely captivated by the fantastic scenery created by the light for a while, Riina exhaled a faint sigh and tapped the marble of the fountain lightly.
Then, feeling the sound of falling water flowing past her ears, she opened her mouth.
“Do you come to places like this often, Your Highness?”
An unexpected answer returned to her casually posed question.
“Not at all. I have no interest in flowers or trees.”
“Then why the greenhouse today…?”
Moreover, the greenhouse was merely a famous spot within the empire, quite unrelated to the suspicious foreign groups that had flowed in during the trade agreement period or their carefully planned attempt to poison imperial citizens, which appeared to be an epidemic.
“Ah, of course, since Einar has come, clues will be found here too.”
It’s hard to imagine what clues would suddenly pop up when there’s not a single person around.
As Riina looked around quickly and trailed off, Einar smiled and answered:
“I may not have an interest, but you seem to like it.”
“What?”
To Riina, who opened her eyes wide as if she had heard something unexpected, Einar shrugged lightly as if he had anticipated this reaction.
“You might not have noticed, but wherever you go, you always look at grasses, trees, or flowers.”
Taking her hand, which unconsciously touched the corner of her eye, and lowering it, Einar continued:
“When you observe someone, you naturally come to know things, even aspects that the person themselves might not be aware of. Even if I just glanced at them, when I recall that time, when I think of the moments spent with you, there are things that make me go ‘ah.'”
That’s how people are. That’s how love is.
Giving your gaze to the one you hold in your heart, and thinking about them more than what you’ve actually observed.
Though his ash-gray eyes clearly resembled storm clouds in color, as his eyes gazed at her, they seemed to have a soft, fluffy texture, making Riina’s heart suddenly flutter.
Einar lowered the tips of his eyebrows, waved his hand once or twice, and added:
“I don’t always think about you.”
From these words, which seemed unlikely to be true, a sweet fragrance gently wafted.
Unable to contain her fluttering heart and that ticklish, sweet scent, Riina ended up retorting sharply:
“‘Always’ means constantly, right? That’s a bit creepy.”
“Hmm, so I don’t always long for you, but…”
Smoothly catching her sharply sprung words, he exhaled with a sigh and said:
“But I think of you at the same time every day. No, when that time comes, thoughts of you just arise. Inevitably. As if it’s been imprinted.”
