Chapter 115

It’s the worst.

 

Valentine returned to his room and banged his head against the wall. It hurt, but he was a fool, so he deserved to suffer like this.

 

Even though he hit it about twenty times, he had to stop because Eugenie came and complained about the noise. 

 

“No, I really, wow.” 

 

Why did he say something like that impulsively? No, even if he compromised a hundred times and messed things up, he should have fixed it and come out properly. But to run away like that… 

 

“How much trouble that overly nice kid must be in. Oh, seriously.”

 

He leaned his head against the cold wall again. He wanted to pound it hard enough to hurt if possible, but he couldn’t do that because Eugenie would come running back if he did that.

 

Moreover, the situation wouldn’t get better if he continued to blame himself.

 

He needs to sort it out.

 

Fortunately, he had one hope. That was Clarisse’s complete lack of ‘sensitivity’. She was even oblivious. 

 

In other words, it was very likely that the old rules of romance novels would apply to Clarisse. 

 

“She’s probably interpreting it as just liking me as a friend.” 

 

That’s right, that’s right.

 

Valentine nodded again, satisfied with his conclusion. If that’s the case, the solution becomes relatively simple.

 

Valentine could just say he was angry for not being informed in advance about the special partner.

 

To him, Clarisse is a close friend to the point where he even uses the word ‘I like her,’ so wouldn’t it be natural for him to feel angry when he hears such news too late? 

 

Whether or not Clarisse’s special partner was really the glasses man was something that would be asked calmly again later.

 

No, whether it’s true or not, to use ‘honey’ with someone like that…

 

“…I haven’t heard it myself yet.”

 

Valentine felt like he was dying of envy for that ugly Abington.

 

* * *

 

It was only after Valentine looked in the mirror about thirty times that he decided to leave his room.

 

Thinking that there was no need to delay further, he went straight to Clarisse’s room and knocked.

 

There was no answer.

 

‘Is she still in the chapel?’

 

With that in mind, he headed toward the stairs and spotted a busy pink-haired figure moving back and forth in the indoor garden on the first floor.

 

She was constantly walking between the trees, muttering endlessly to herself as if she were thinking about something.

 

‘…What are you doing?’

 

Perplexed, he descended the stairs and approached the garden area, where he faintly heard Clarisse murmuring to herself alone.

 

“So… I’m…” 

 

He couldn’t hear the exact details, but it seemed like she was making an excuse for something. 

 

“…the Prince is…” 

 

Then he heard words referring to Valentine. This made him laugh for no apparent reason.

 

It was simply because seeing Clarisse ponder what to say to him was quite nice. 

 

Even though she probably didn’t understand Valentine’s honest feelings at all.

 

“Well… anyway, it’s true that she really has no sense of awareness.” 

 

He took a step forward, feeling both relieved and bitter. Clarisse, sensing his presence, turned around in surprise.

 

The moment their eyes met, he imagined Clarisse’s reaction. 

 

Won’t she get angry in the moment?

 

She looked up at him with sharp eyes, wondering why he had suddenly gone away earlier and now suddenly appeared.

 

She had forgotten what she had been thinking so hard about saying to him.

 

‘Surely she’ll do that.’

 

Without even knowing how long he had put his sincerity into the ‘I like you’ just a moment ago, that matter would likely be brushed aside just like that.

 

‘It’s something that should have been… from the start.’

 

He stood in front of Clarisse with a smile, as if to soothe his strangely upset heart. 

 

“Ah.”

 

But for some reason, Clarisse just stared at him quietly and showed no sign of getting angry.

 

Why are you being so quiet? Not like you.

 

He stopped what he was going to ask. It had to be that way. 

 

Before he knew it, he had seen Clarisse, whose ears had turned bright red, holding her trembling hands together. 

 

Her eyes, looking up at him, were strangely trembling, and there was no doubt she was extremely tense. 

 

‘Why…?’

 

Is this the reaction?

 

Could it be that she understood the meaning behind what he said? That dense girl?

 

‘T, that can’t be possible.’

 

He wanted to deny it.

 

However, watching her biting her lip all the time without being able to say anything casually… 

 

‘Really?’

 

I’m doomed. That was the only thought that came to Valentine’s mind right away.

 

She understood his clumsy confession properly? Good heavens, he couldn’t afford to leave such a flaw in his life. 

 

‘That, that’s not a confession! Why do you only have good sense in situations like this?’

 

Any decent gentleman he knew wouldn’t express their feelings in such a manner. 

 

However, even as someone who was practically a prince, he could hardly let such a confession stand. It was something his pride would never allow.

 

“You know, prince. Earlier…” 

 

“You, you! You’ve ruined our friendship! Our deep and meaningful friendship!”

 

As Clarisse gathered her courage to start speaking, Valentine desperately shouted, emphasizing their friendship.

 

“Yes?” 

 

Then Clarisse was surprised again. 

 

Looking at that, it seems like she really thought Valentine was sincere towards Clarisse. 

 

‘That’s right, though.’

 

Anyway, not now. He couldn’t accept it.

 

“S, So, did you expect me to like you in a different way then?” 

 

He wasn’t particularly good at lying awkwardly, but somehow he ended up stuttering like an idiot.

 

What if Clarisse, who has more senses, notices this? He felt worried for a moment. 

 

“If you don’t properly explain what happened, I’m really going to be angry this time.”

 

He made an effort to change the subject to her circumstances.

 

“…Is it really not?”

 

Even though he made such an effort, what Clarisse was concerned about was his feelings.

 

“What do you mean by no?” 

 

“That, the prince a little while ago.”

 

Clarisse glanced around for a moment before cautiously lowering her voice. 

 

“…That you like me.” 

 

With both cheeks flushed red, her face as she spoke was unbelievably adorable. For a moment, he had the thought of just saying, “Yeah, I like you!” and giving her a tight hug… 

 

‘Come to your senses, Valentine.’

 

He ran his fingers through his hair with a terrible desire.

 

“Why do you always act like I don’t like you? Do you hate me now?” 

 

“What?! Oh… No, that’s not it.”

 

“Really? That’s a relief. Because our long-standing friendship is strong.”

 

Valentine gave strength to the word friendship. If this world were a novel, the letters would naturally become thicker and underlined.

 

“Really?”

 

Clarisse asked the same question again. 

 

“Unfortunately, yes. I understand what you want to do to me.”

 

“T, That’s not what I meant! I just, maybe, just in case… if the prince…” 

 

“What about me?”

 

“…I wonder if you were sick.” 

 

Clarisse muttered, but soon shook her head and stopped.

 

“Anyway, I like Prince too.”

 

“….” 

 

“…Prince?” 

 

“No, it’s nothing. Hmm, so.”

 

It was only after Valentine cleared his throat several times that he was finally able to calm his mind.

 

“What was that terrible thing just now?”

 

“Ah, that’s.” 

 

It wasn’t until he started talking about Abington that he finally felt like he was back with the Clarisse he knew. 

 

“Listen. Well, you know!”

 

Amused by the already visibly irritated expression, Valentine chuckled quietly before the detailed story even began.

 

As expected, this level of interaction with Clarisse was just right.

 

For now, at least.

 

* * *

 

When the weekend came and most of the test takers went home, Clarisse remained at the monastery.

 

Valentine chuckled continuously towards Clarisse as he boarded the carriage, heading back to the palace.

 

He’s amused by the fact that she has to pretend to be a lover with Abington.

 

｢I’d like to change it if possible, but as you know, if we pretend to be lovers, it becomes news.｣

 

Even though he said that, he didn’t seem to have any intention of pretending to be a lover with Clarisse.

 

Well, Clarisse didn’t really expect that either, so she wasn’t particularly disappointed.

 

In the afternoon, she dressed neatly and headed to the monastery chapel.

 

When she explained her business to the priest, she was able to be escorted to the waiting room, but it seemed that Belleville had not yet arrived.

 

“Thank you for your help with today’s ceremony. This is the bride and groom’s ring, so you can follow along with this later.”

 

The priest who helped with the guidance pointed to the jewel ring placed in a room in advance.

 

Two rings were neatly placed on a small cushion adorned with a ribbon.

 

‘This is a wedding ring.’

 

Clarisse looked at it in fascination.

 

Of course, the Duke and Duchess share very pretty wedding rings, but this was her first time seeing a wedding ring that wasn’t in anyone’s hands yet.

 

‘A ring in which two people promise for life…’

 

What does it feel like to have your ‘life’ handed over to someone else?

 

Clarisse forgot that she had decided not to pay attention to love or relationships, and imagined things she was not allowed to do.

 

Sweet words that promise a lifetime.

 

And there was just one person… she wanted to convey these words too.

 

“….” 

 

Although he is a person who cannot exist in reality, the other man’s appearance is depicted only as a black shadow.

 

But even if that were the case, it felt good now. After all, it was something only possible in imagination.

 

Is it because the delusion is getting deeper?

 

She could see the shadow man’s lips moving slightly as he stood opposite her.

 

With her hands trembling above her heart, Clarisse looked up at him silently.

 

The man’s lips moved.

 

“Girl?”