Chapter 17
The house was unfamiliar and shabby, but perhaps because I had slept in a soft bed, my body felt lighter, and I wasn’t sleepy at all. Just like yesterday, we spent a long time in the carriage, and only after it became quite late at night did we finally arrive in Kubaran.
“I enjoyed traveling with you. And also…”
“Wherever you go, keep your head on straight. The outside world is full of dangers that a sheltered noble lady like you wouldn’t be able to handle.”
After saying something that sounded like either concern or a warning, Karzan turned around without even looking back. He just rode off alone on horseback!
While I was hesitating, trying to ask if I could borrow a horse too, he heartlessly took off.
Come to think of it, he had always been a cold-hearted person. Just because he had treated me a little kindly over the past few days, I had mistakenly thought he was warm. But he was merely showing the kindness of a crown prince to a young commoner who had traveled with him.
Without realizing it, I had come to rely on him.
Fortunately, by asking around, I managed to find the Duke of Dukuro’s estate, which wasn’t far from the stables. It was only about a 30-minute walk.
Though, that 30 minutes felt unbearably long.
Having lived in the warm southern regions, I found the harsh northern cold hard to endure. By the time I arrived at the Dukuro estate, my teeth were chattering. Trying to withstand the northern cold in these clothes, my upper and lower teeth kept clacking together.
“P-Please inform the Duke that the young lady of the Raishi family from Reinos wishes to see him.”
I clamped my teeth together, trying hard not to let the chattering sound out. It was as if my noble upbringing was screaming at me to at least maintain some dignity.
The gatekeeper, seeing my appearance, looked at me with utter disbelief.
“Do you think the Duke of Dukuro is someone just anyone can see? I don’t know which house’s maid you are, but leave now before you get punished.”
Wearing a maid’s outfit and having traveled far without a proper wash, I probably looked like a runaway maid. No, I definitely did. I took a bold step forward and raised my head to face the gatekeeper.
“I’m wearing a maid’s outfit due to my circumstances, but I am Benity Raishi, daughter of Philip Raishi, the Duke of Dukuro’s pupil. So go and tell him that Benity Raishi wishes to see him.”
There was a certain noble gravitas in my voice, something only a young lady from a duke’s household could have. Perhaps a commoner wouldn’t know, but the gatekeeper, who regularly received guests at the estate, couldn’t possibly miss it.
As expected, the gatekeeper seemed to realize I wasn’t just some random maid. But that didn’t mean he completely let his guard down.
“W-Wait here. I need to verify this. If it’s not true, you’ll be punished!”
“W-Well, I can verify it myself.”
A familiar voice came from behind me. A chill ran down my spine as I turned around—and there stood Karzan. I was so shocked, I almost collapsed on the spot.
Why are we meeting here again?! How much did he hear?! D-Did he hear that I’m the young lady of the Raishi family?!
My ominous premonition proved true. Karzan smirked at me and stepped forward.
“Benity Raishi, the noble lady of the Raishi family? The very one who was selected as one of the Crown Prince’s prospective fiancées?”
My hair stood on end.
Should I just run? But where would I even go?
“Why can’t you answer?”
I couldn’t say it, even though I could. The fact that I, a selected candidate for the Crown Prince’s bride, had run away—he knew it now. It was unthinkable. Even if he was hiding his identity, if my identity became known, I’d be reduced to a mouse before a cat.
Running away not for some noble cause but as a crown princess candidate defying the imperial will—it would be considered a direct insult to the Empress, who was trying to stabilize the imperial household. And the very man who knew that truth was the Crown Prince himself.
“I asked why you can’t answer.”
Yes. Karzan hadn’t revealed his identity to me either, and he also said he didn’t want the engagement and was running away. So I didn’t have to be the only one at fault. No, I couldn’t be the only one to blame.
After all, he wouldn’t be appearing in public looking like that, so if I just got removed from the list of candidates, that would be fine. I just had to pretend not to know who he was until then.
Yes. That’s all I had to do.
With a sigh of relief, I looked at Karzan and said,
“Yes. I’m that Lady Benity. So what?”
What are you going to do now? Reveal you’re Karzan? I glared at him as if daring him—but then…
“Your Highness! What brings you here, Your Highness?!”
…That sound was like a thundercloud forming over my future.
Right as I had proudly revealed that I was Lady Benity Raishi to Karzan, as if challenging him to do something about it, the Duke of Dukuro came rushing out of the gate, bowing so deeply his head nearly touched Karzan’s knees.
So the Duke knew that Karzan usually kept his blond hair and blue eyes? I hadn’t realized the two were that close.
“It’s terribly cold—please come inside. Ah, I also heard Lady Benity has arrived.”
Perhaps because of my appearance, the Duke didn’t recognize me right away, so I introduced myself.
“It’s been a long time, Duke Dukuro.”
“Oh, yes. It’s been a while, Benity. For you to arrive at my estate with His Highness the Crown Prince—what’s going on?”
Karzan looked at me with one eyebrow raised, as if saying, “Now do you realize who I am?”
Since I already knew, I stared at him blankly for a moment, then quickly corrected myself and put on a surprised expression.
“Oh! Oh my! You’re the Crown Prince?!”
…It was awkward, but I did my best to act surprised.
“Benity, did you really not recognize His Highness?”
The Duke looked back and forth between us with surprised eyes, then looked over our clothes and sighed in confusion.
“Your Highness, it’s cold outside. Let’s go in and hear the full story later. A bath and meal will be prepared.”
…There goes my chance to speak casually. Now that he knows I’m Benity, he’ll probably start setting snakes on me again.
It was my first time visiting the Dukuro estate. Even after being officially engaged, I’d never come up north. Besides, the north, while recently cleared of monsters, was still a dangerous place. Harsh living conditions also meant there were many hungry and homeless people.
It had only been stabilized thanks to the Duke’s blood and sweat, but with monsters reappearing, there was no opportunity to come before.
For the Duke, the north was both a headache and a grand mission—truly a wild and untamed land.
That’s why I had chosen to run away all the way to Kubaran in the north.
The Dukuro estate wasn’t luxurious but was grand. The aura of a conquest force lingered throughout the mansion. It felt more like a fortress than a home.
In the hallway, wooden sculptures of people wearing iron helmets and armor stood like they might spring to life at any moment.
Following a maid, I cleaned myself up thoroughly. Then, despite the freezing weather, I was given a simple but elegant dress suitable for a lower noble and headed to the dining room.
As I looked around for Karzan, I saw him walk in with a towel draped over his shoulders and wet hair.
The Crown Prince at the dining table with wet hair—he really was unconventional. But then again, living alone in the Ruby Palace probably made such behavior normal.
The Duke came in behind him, smiled warmly at me, and sat down.
“Now I can recognize you, dressed like that.”
“Sorry for the surprise.”
“No need. Let’s eat first. Your Highness, please begin.”
“But… is she really Benity Raishi?”
At Karzan’s question, the Duke tilted his head in confusion.
“Your Highness, how could you not recognize Lady Benity…”
“I remember Benity having blonde hair. Why is her hair silver now? Do you know anything about that, Duke?”
“I only heard that her hair changed color after that day.”
Karzan frowned deeply, as if struck by a shock. Was my hair color changing really that shocking?
My hair had originally been blonde, but apparently as I grew older, it slowly turned gray. I always found it a bit strange since the rest of my family had blonde hair.
Still, my eyes were the same blue as theirs, so I didn’t think much of it. It was just hair, after all.
But “after that day” it changed? What day are they talking about?
