“Adele, no, Lady Dranoë, I hereby annul our engagement.”
“As you wish, Your Highness.”
That was her response.
With an unwavering expression, as if she had already made up her mind.
* * *
Prince Francis’ fiancée was chosen when he was thirteen years old.
His betrothed was Adele Dranoë, the youngest daughter of a ducal family, only eight years old.
It was a suitable age difference for a marriage, from the perspective of adults.
However, when Francis heard the age of his fiancée, his first reaction was to sigh.
He was at that difficult age, after all.
Francis had a younger sister.
He also had two younger brothers, so it was unlikely that his sister would be involved in matters of succession.
She would likely be married off to some suitable noble in the future, as was custom, and as the king’s daughter, she was being quite spoiled.
Though she was already six, Francis found his sister unbelievably selfish, constantly throwing tantrums and crying.
The mere thought of having tea with a girl like that gave him a headache.
* * *
Yet on the day of the tea party, when he met Adele for the first time, despite being only two years older than his sister, she seemed so much more mature.
Her graceful and dignified demeanor, combined with flawless manners, astonished Francis.
When he inadvertently praised her with sincerity, Adele smiled warmly.
“If you maintain your composure, it gives the impression that you’re behaving correctly.”
“I-I see…”
Adele's cheerful demeanor softened Francis’ heart, which was difficult to reach during such a tricky age.
* * *
A month later, their second tea party was held.
Francis realized something unsettling—he was looking forward to it.
Just the thought of seeing Adele made him smile involuntarily.
That day, the table was set in a beautifully blooming rose garden.
“Do you like roses?” he asked.
“Yes. To enjoy tea surrounded by such splendid roses... Thank you, Your Highness.”
When Adele complimented the roses, they seemed to sparkle even more.
Francis thought so as he glanced at her profile.
What was this feeling? Her smile shone brighter than the roses.
Why?
As he struggled with his thoughts, the sound of a young girl’s excited voice reached them.
“…Princess, please walk a little slower.”
“But there are so many beautiful flowers! I want to see them all!”
* * *
“It’s Mariel’s walk time.”
There was no point in trying to divert her path now, she was too close.
He just hoped she wouldn’t throw a tantrum and cause a scene.
* * *
Soon enough, Mariel appeared.
“Brother Francis! Good day!”
“Ah, Mariel. You seem lively.”
He swallowed the words “unnecessarily so.”
“Brother, are you having a tea party with the Rose Princess?”
“Rose Princess?”
Mariel’s gaze was fixed on Adele, who had risen from her chair and was bowing gracefully.
“Ah, this is my fiancée, Lady Adele.
Adele, this is my sister, Mariel.”
“Princess Mariel, it is a pleasure to meet you. I am honored.”
“Hello, Adele! Your dress looks just like a rose!”
“Thank you very much. And Princess Mariel, you look just like a lovely rose fairy in your adorable dress.”
“Hehe. Say, Adele, I want to have tea too!”
The maid behind Mariel looked troubled.
There was no way she could serve leftovers to the princess. If they were to prepare a fresh serving for her now, it would take quite some time.
Francis' face soured as he thought, "She’s being spoiled again."
At that moment, Adele crouched down in front of Mariel, meeting her gaze.
“That won’t do, Princess Mariel.”
“Huh? Adele, why not?”
“Beyond the rose hedges, a real fairy has her eyes on you.”
“Really?”
“Yes. She’s jealous because Princess Mariel is far too adorable. If you accidentally have tea here, the fairy might play a trick and ruin your lovely dress.”
“I don’t want that!”
“Then let’s have our tea party another time.”
“Alright, it’s a promise.”
“Yes, a promise.”
Mariel waved her hand as she was led away by the maid. Watching them go, Francis was thoroughly impressed with Adele.
“You’re the youngest in your family, yet you seem so experienced with children.”
“Sometimes I accompany my mother when she visits the orphanage she sponsors.”
It was common for high-ranking nobles to donate to orphanages, but it was rare to hear of a duchess visiting one in person.
“And there, do you take care of the children?”
Francis asked, but Adele shook her head in denial.
“No, Your Highness, I wouldn’t say I take care of them. The children at the orphanage are all my teachers. They show me that there’s a world beyond the narrow one I knew as a lady of a ducal family.”
Could these words really be from someone five years younger than him?
Astonished, Francis resolved from that point on to make an effort to learn more about the lives of people from various walks of life.
* * *
With the support of those around them, Francis and Adele steadily grew closer as an engaged couple.
Sometimes they had serious conversations, sometimes they laughed over trivial things, and occasionally, they even quarreled.
* * *
At eighteen, Francis became the crown prince, diligently fulfilling his duties, earning recognition as the future king. Yet, while he was capable in many areas, he didn’t have any outstanding talents. Compared to his brothers, he sometimes felt inferior.
His younger brother Ghislan had a natural talent for combat and had distinguished himself within the knights, while his youngest brother, Leonard, excelled in academics and fluently spoke the languages of all allied nations.
* * *
Francis couldn't help but confide these feelings of inadequacy to Adele, expecting to be laughed at, but she listened earnestly.
“I understand how you feel. When I look at my friends, Lady Catherine and Lady Dominique, I sometimes feel as though I fade into the background. Even within our own country, there are so many beautiful and talented people. I imagine the foreign princesses must be even more extraordinary.”
Both Catherine and Dominique were daughters of high-ranking nobles, renowned for their beauty.
Francis also thought they were beautiful, but what he found most endearing, though he was too shy to say it, was that Adele’s charm was far more appealing to him than theirs ever could be.
“But I am who I am. I will do what I can.”
Adele smiled warmly, unaware that her smile had just pierced Francis’ heart.
* * *
The marriage between Francis and Adele was scheduled to take place once Adele turned eighteen.
However, just one year before the wedding, Francis fell ill.
It was a disease known as an endemic to this country, affecting only males.
It tended to strike young boys to men in their mid-twenties, with younger individuals typically experiencing milder symptoms.
At over twenty years old, Francis developed a high fever, and his symptoms were severe.
Severe cases often left lasting aftereffects, with paralysis of the limbs being one of the most common outcomes.
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