Haikei Heika, Nidome no Ouhii wa Okotowari! Chapter 1 part3

Wonder how much time has passed.

Gentle night breeze tickles Alicia's cheek and brings her back to her sense.

(Err…… just now, did His Highness just…… to me?)

It takes a while for Alicia's brain to process and understand the situation she's in.
She understands, but it is not something she can swallow it right away.

A splendid young king, who is still in growing period, just proposed to her.
She could just say this to people around her, but their reply would be, "Aren't you too old to daydream?"

(Ah, now that I think about it, His Highness is already at the age to be legally drinking, so it must because those ministers giving him wine.)
She is sure that it was because he's drunk that he said something he didn't mean to.

(Then, he's probably drunk……)
Alicia convinces herself so.

"…… Please, don't mess with your elders, Your Highness."
She has to show their age difference here, or that is what she thought while smiling at Julian, but Julian shakes his head.

"You may not believe me right away, but I am serious."

"I'm two years older than you, and I am a widow."

"So, what is the problem?"

"Well, there are many younger and more beautiful ladies. They're much better choices than me."

"It must be you."

Julian gazes at Alicia silently without even paying attention of her reasonings.
(So…… Julian-sama, are you really……?)

Cold sweats run down through her spine.
Julian really wants to have Alicia to stay by his side as his wife.

(That can't be!)
Hiding her emotion, Alicia shakes her head.

"That's impossible."

"There's nothing wrong with that. If you're beside me, we can make it work."

"No, you can't! If you do that, you may as well ruin your dignity, Your Highness!"

"I've been working hard for a whole year, so it won't happen. Or perhaps, do you hate me?"

"No, I don't hate you."

"Then, it's fine."

"No. I want to serve Your Highness as your subject. I just want to be use of you!"

"Of course you would still help me with my duties…… as my wife."

"……C-can just get engaged to someone first? Welcome other noble ladies—"

"It's unthinkable for me to leave Alicia out and make other lady my wife."

He does not seem intend to give up, but that is why Alicia cannot say, "Understood, I shall become your wife."
She is a widow, unappealing, and from a fallen noble house. She has the worst traits just to become a King's wife.
(I have to convince Julian!)

Alicia takes a few deep breaths and calms down. She is lost of words, but she cannot leave it like this.

"I love you, Your Highness, but that is just my position."

"I know, but we can get along better after we are married. I'll do my best to be your husband."

"No, I don't mean that…… I don't have any family members that can assist Your Highness. As you have known my home has fallen long ago."

"Yes, but I am strong enough not to rely supports from my wife's house."

"No one would like it that a woman who is almost at the age of 20 becoming your wife!"

"Is that so? I didn't know that much about the law."

Of course, this idea would be rejected. Seeing his resolute expression, Alicia, who initially thought about ending this quietly, gradually starts losing her composure.

"……I cannot become your wife regardless what Your Highness says. It's just a delusion from me taking care of you.

"I'm not delusioning. I need you, Alicia."

"If you need me then, it is alright for me not to be your wife. Your Highness is just imagining me to be your future betrothed because we know each other since we were young."

"It's not a delusion."

Julian loses his composure, and his voice stiffens.

"I am serious. I want you to be my wife."

"I'm sure you are still excited right after the coronation."

"……You don't know anything, Alicia."

"I don't know anything, it's fine. But I beg you to reconsider, Your Highness."
Alicia stands up and quickly goes away from the gazebo. Julian calls her from behind, "Alicia!" but she does not look bad even though she knows full-well she is being disrespectful to him.

(I'm sorry, Julian-sama. But I cannot accept your proposal.)

Both are probably too excited from today's event. Julian would sure to withdraw his statement once he's calmed down, and Alicia also has to apologize to him for being so disrespectful.

By the time Alicia left the gazebo, her body felt like it was burning, but now it is completely cooled down once she returns to the garden's entrance. Reivan, who has been laying his back on the brick wall, smiles as soon he sees Alicia sighing.

"……You were so loud, I could hear you."

"……You knew the reason why His Highness called me."

She dislikes it when Reivan is so sharp when it comes to things like this, but he only smiles this time.

"Of course. I'm properly working and reporting to His Majesty, you know? Even though it's all about Alicia and Alicia. You can just answer him with 'Yes, I understand.'  Geez,  I feel bad for His Majesty for being dumped~"

"I didn't dump him."

Alicia speaks out while going back to her room while being escorted by Reivan.

"It was just a delusion. There is no benefit for His Highness taking me as his wife. We should return like it never happened by tomorrow."

"……Are you sure you're fine with that?"

"Yes, it's fine."

Alicia said so clearly.

What Alicia wishes for is to "support Julian as his subject," not to "become his wife."

Chapter end