You Think I Won't Talk?-Chapter 504

"To be against it... I will be if I don’t hear it from yourself, Marianne." — He then said with a deeper frown. Starting to walk so he could take a seat as if he had lost the energy of the whole day in a simple morning. — "He came before me and expressed himself as well as he could manage with that arrogance of his... It even surprised Frois, and me, of course... at some point I got annoyed at how humble he was acting, so unlike himself, and I wasn’t truly willing to listen much... Sigh! That brat has something in him that makes me reluctant to properly listen, therefore I prefer to hear some things from you than from him if I’m honest. Which is what brought me here."

"Oh... uhm... W-what did he say, if I may ask?"

"... I don’t want to say every little thing... He should be more thoughtful, dear. I feel odd telling you what a probable lover would say... Tsk. I didn’t know he even had some kind of softness in him, d*mn it. Cocky brat."

"?! Dad!"

"What! I am annoyed sweetie! He thinks he can simply come and say he wants you with pretty things and I will be fine with it!?! A prince he might be but that is not in the slightest a reason for me to bow and say: Surely! Have at it! Here’s my daughter!"

"... Yes. Well... that is true, indeed..." — Replying as stunned as I was by his energetic reaction, I said, approaching him carefully so we could converse. Receiving his intent stare while I did.

"... He said you accepted him so I want to know your side too. That is all."

"I understand... However, Father... before I tell you, may I ask you something?" — Seeing how he puffed the more he said, I came to sit closer beside him, looking at him intently for there was something telling me... he was not truly annoyed about what he was saying he was.

His brow lifted curiously as I asked... and with a nod he then replied. — "Ask away. What is it that you want to know?"

"... Are you truly annoyed about him telling his intentions? Or is father annoyed... that even though you find some faults in him you do not find lies in the words he expressed?"

"... I now don’t want to answer. Proceed to tell your side of the story."

"... Pff haha~! Father, you have already answered myself with such reluctance~" — I laughed... glad and relieved to know it was the latter. Meeting his uncomfortable glance that made me do as told. — "Yes... I have agreed to it because that is what I find in him... honesty in what he has shown to me, father... I was concerned as well as the time we had chosen for this appeared an unthoughtful one and so I told him about my thoughts... my concern was your reaction itself for I did not want to place more burdens on your shoulders for I know... that accepting a suitor for your daughter was not something you would take easily much less surrounded by family tragedies."

"It’s... it’s not like it hurts me or anything... I am not a weakling... I-I simply have some high expectations..."

"Haha~ I am aware, and I appreciate that is the case, Dad." — I said with fondness as I knew he was trying to act tough while his eyes avoided mine... knowledgable of the conflict meeting my gaze could provoke in his gentle heart. — "I told him my worries of telling it this fast... and he said... that a better time might not come after this for things might get more difficult with our family’s matters..."

"..."

"He knows you are the most important to me, Dad... and even said... that, was I not convinced, he would wait as long as it would give ease to my heart..."

"... That is good and everything you wish. Yet what I want to know is if you are sure about accepting him. He’s to become Emperor one day... and if this courtship grows healthy between you... there is only one thing that follows, Marianne."

"I... I know... and I am sure of it, Dad."

"..."

"I cannot deny any longer that I have developed feelings for the Crown Prince..." — Feeling the blush of telling it heat my everything, I started to tell the attentive eyes that I became too shy to look at the more things wanted to be told in this rare opportunity.

I took my own hands as if searching the support in a separate soul that was myself now... thinking of the many memories I had made with the Crown Prince my dad doubted... and even while embarrassed, I could not help but continue to smile as I could now tell what others had not seen.

"Even as I know what is said about him in the Empire and even abroad, all I have experienced is gentle warmth and care from him... his Highness respects and tries his best not to go against my limits. He talks to me about his intentions even though any other could find such thorough honesty shameful... He even tells me when he thinks he might be doing something wrong or that I could dislike so I am always comfortable, haha..."

"..."

"... While mute and expressionless... he still noticed and approached me respectfully unlike others that stayed afar... unlike the rumours made me think he would act..."

"..."

"Was any of that... an answer to your question, Father?" — Feeling as though saying more could be overwhelming to my composure, I lastly asked, hoping to know the view of he who listened.

"... I have one more question." — Dad said... Even though I thought what I had expressed should have been enough. Answering with a seemingly unfazed demeanour. Shaking me slightly, for I had not expected what followed this reply. — "In the time you have known him as you tell me you see him... have you ever thought it all could be a performance to get some entertainment?"