Hawar Of The Winter Garden Chapter 1.3 - Fell In Love, But Not In Love

HAWAR OF THE WINTER GARDEN

 

~ 1.3 ~

 

But when she arrived, he even personally led his men to greet them. If he was the only son that was raised with such deep affection, shouldn’t his father decide not to let him out of the house but he even let him meet her on such a dangerous road? Or wasn’t he the only child…? Or maybe was it actually just an exaggeration to say that he’s dangerous? Don’t tell her that this man is not her husband-to-be, is he?

 

The man in front of her, who had been staring at her the whole time, glanced back after he looked away. Canola finally saw his face clearly. His green eyes reminded her a deep blue green color. Her heart crept up with such excitement without realizing it. it wasn’t just an illusion; she is really in love with him! Swallowing back the words he had tried to hide; he shifted his gaze ahead and spoke calmly.

 

“A man who cannot even protect his own companion cannot be Tripol warrior. Of course, we.. I know we have a long way to go before we become an official couple, but it is entirely my job to protect you.”

 

After he had finished talking, he drove the beast he was riding and drove it far ahead. Canola, who had held out her head and stared through the back of his head, and slowly returned into the carriage.

 

Calmly and quietly closing the window, Canola let out a breath she had been holding back. She doesn’t know if it was because she was holding her breath or she just had a fever, but there was a red flush on her face.

 

Canola said in an excited voice, slapping Angelina’s shoulder next to her.

 

“See? Did you see? Look, I’ve told you that it’s not one-sided love.

 

You seemed to have misinterpreted the meaning of the man’s words right now, didn’t you?

 

Angelina, who had rubbed the place where she was slapped with a pained expression on her face, decided to leave the princess in her delusion. The princess won’t listen to her anyways, even if she said that her ears became deaf for a while. Angelina seemed to be thinking the same thing as Oscar, who glanced at Canola.

 

Canola, who had been clamoring to herself as she pounded the carriage chair with her fist, suddenly raised her head.

 

“But …”

 

Blinking her eyes and pondering, she subtly furrowed her brow.

 

“What does he mean by ‘We have a long way to go before we become an official couple?’”

 

***

 

She had a one month of free time for the sudden marriage agreement, but she should have read a lot of books about Tripol. Regret came a bit too late. Canola sighed and thought that maybe she could ask Angelina or Oscar to get books for her. she doesn’t know how a book could be helpful for her now, but she knew that to be able to understand the current situation, she must make such effort.

 

“I think the princess’s notoriety has spread all the way here.”

 

Oscar glanced at the window and said in a hoarse voice. At that, Canola frowned.

 

“What on earth is this notoriety?”

 

“… The princess’s enormous number of men?”

 

Oscar’s expression was infinitely serious. Canola smiled kindly at him and responded affectionately.

 

“Whew, Oscar, you really! Why did you say such words outside?”

 

Canola looked out the window, noticing that Oscar had slowly turned away. Her stinging gaze that made even Oscar terrified, was no mistake.

 

She never thought that there would be a huge celebration outside. Still, aren’t the people around them a bit too much? those people who queued on either side of the road were not welcoming her, rather observing her as if they were some strange animals. At least, she was grateful for that kind of gaze. Among them, there were often glances containing blatant hostility and vigilance. The look was as fierce as if they had met an enemy, and even the thick-skinned Conala felt guilty.

 

Has it really spread as notoriety? Canola thought about her own rumors floating around in Charlemann.

 

It’s a little…. No, there’s nothing awkward about this.

 

“Princess, we have arrived.”

 

Ludek, who was following from outside the carriage, reported in a hard voice. He, too, was in a state of sharp nerves after recognizing the atmosphere around him. Oscar and Angelina disembarked first, followed by Canola out of the carriage with their support. A cold silence lingered around. Even Oscar and Angelina, who were the most ignorant and shameless in the palace of Charlemann, were suppressed by the atmosphere and kept their mouths shut.

 

“This way please.”

 

After entering the city, she received only fierce glances, and only now did she realize that the words of her husband-to-be, whom she thought were blunt, were so sweet. Canola glanced around and rolled her eyes, then followed him. It was probably the was to the main palace, but she didn’t know how high the ceiling was and how wide the hallway was. Perhaps it was a structure tailored to the large number of Tripols.

 

Fortunately, Canola wasn’t short either. She was also tall in Charlemann, so her height can be fairly referred as average here. Satisfied with her eyes level as she walked, she suddenly realized that the white back of his head in front of her was in a slightly smaller than others. She didn’t know it when he was riding the beast, but when he got down, her prospective husband was considerably shorter and taller than the other Tripols. Canola is now wearing her low-heeled shoes, so in a way she is shorter than him.

 

“Diraz, they have arrived.”

 

Canola, preoccupied with seeing the white back of his head, raised her gaze. She followed after only looking at the back of his head, and suddenly she had arrived at the audience room. Before meeting the monarch, she knew how to give him a few simple precautions, but she was terribly perplexed. Even her knights she had brought had not disarmed her.

 

Her husband-to-be, who had been standing in front of Canola all along, stood aside when they met the formal monarch. Canola, who was standing behind him, tried to manage her expression. She tried to say hello first, but she had to stop her actions because of Tripol’s monarch, who spoke before her.

 

“Is this all the number of people?”

 

The formal monarch looked back at his son with his chin arced high.

 

“Yes.”

 

“They are less than allowed.”

 

No one wanted to come to Tripol, so there was nothing we could do. Her mouth was itching to add, but Canola managed to hold it in, biting her lower lip. The formal monarch glanced indifferently at the people Canola had brought. Then, as if he knew it, he waved with his hand. Canola opened her eyes wide this time at the gesture of saying goodbye. The Tripol did not show any sign of surprise and tried to send out Canola’s entourage.

 

Angelina and Oscar looked at each other at the same time. When their eyes met, they confirmed that they were thinking the same thing, and quickly moved to get Canola. But Canola took a step toward the formal monarch before being caught by the two people. Then she grabbed her skirt and lightly bent her knee.

 

“Greetings, Your Grace. I am Charlemann’s fourth princess, Canola F. Incana Charlemann.”

 

Oscar and Angelina, who couldn’t get Canola, stopped themselves and secretly looked down at her. The knights were also surprised to see the princess acting that way. Ludek put tension in his body to prepare for an unknown situation.

 

As she took the cares of her attendants, Canola straightened her body. The lord, who showed no interest in her, finally stared back at her. Dressed more like a battle suit than a king’s robe, he had a rugged body even from the outside. Even if she didn’t know he was a monarch, he had a menacing physique that would make anyone withdraw in front of him. His white hair and thick beard also contributed greatly to his dreadful appearance.

 

He was a little surprised to see such a person staring at him, but Canola continued with a calm expression.

 

“At Charlemann, it is the basic courtesy to speak with someone you meet for the first time. As a princess of the said country, I doesn’t want to insult my homeland, so please understand that why am I being polite like this.”

 

When Canola finished her words, silence fell in the audience. Canola didn’t have to look into her eyes, but she could feel that everyone inside was looking at her. So, she deliberately made eye contact with the formal monarch more steadfastly. The formal monarch narrowed his eyes. His lips, which had been covered by a thick, long beard, moved slowly.

 

“I am Gragford, a descendant of Tedlago.”

 

The thick, harsh voice was very blunt. But this alone was satisfactory enough, and Canola smiled and bowed her knees once more to greet him. Then she smiled and asked in a clear voice.

 

“Thank you. As a ‘reserve’ but soon-to-be your daughter-in-law, would you allow me to call you ‘Father’?”

 

Angelina grabbed her forehead unknowingly. And Oscar leaned slightly down on his knees. It was because he felt like he was going to faint if he didn’t do this. Ludek couldn’t even blink properly because he was looking at the atmosphere of the Tripol warriors. And Tripol’s warriors, with a very strange expression, were enraged.

 

Knowing nothing of the hard work of her attendants, Canola stared at Gragford, smiling innocently, as if she knew nothing of the current state around her. He looked at Canola with a face that didn’t know what she was thinking, and then spoke softly.

 

“You have not yet entered the gardens of Tedlago.”

 

What kind of rude thing is that after the party’s intention was not reflected in any way?

 

At best, it was quite an annoying sound to hear after coming all the way here through the cold wind which made her almost dead. Canola pondered whether or not she should open the contract in her arms before Gragford’s eyes. You’ve already arrived at the royal palace, and now you’re going to keep us out, what?

 

Keeping the grin on her face, Canola glanced at her soon-to-be husband, who was standing beside her. He was looking at her with his slightly startled eyes. And when she saw him like that, she felt the injustice that had been creeping up on her fade away. It was obvious that she would regret it forever if she returned home from her soon-to-be husband, whom she had never been on a proper date with.

 

Canola took a deep breath, making the smile on her lips a little brighter.

 

“Aha, that means you are treating me as the princess of Charlemann and a VIP of the Tripol Palace? I understood well. Thanks for the reply.”