Chapter 40: 40

I heard a sudden knock at the door.

As I was in the middle of pre-rest readings, I heaved a sigh at the disturbance.

I’m already about to sleep and Selma already retreated from her duties, leaving me alone in my room for myself.

I previously warned him not to enter freely, so Maynard knocks at the door whenever he wants to drop by. Still, just how late does he think it already is?

He’ll keep knocking until it opens, I have no choice but to rise from my bed to open it for him.

‘Highness,’

I looked welcomed his unexpected visit with scorn, but not a spec of the sentiment reaches him either way.

‘I came to give you Frolantern’s, today.’

The prince says, handing me a box of confectionaries.

Maynard, it’s currently the middle of the night. What funny idea made you think I would crave sweets this late in the evening?

‘I still have many sweets, sir.’

He had likely gone out of his own way to buy these things personally. 

I really appreciate such gestures, but he should exercise more restraint in their quantity.

When I received the box from him, Maynard went all fidgety. Oh jeez, I know it already!

‘If it’s only for a bit, sir.’

When I said that and returned to my room with the door opened, Maynard merrily entered.

He has recently gotten fond of drinking tea in my room before slumbering.

Because Selma had already gone away during such times, I had to be the one to prepare the teas, but with Maynard all-smiles, pleasantly watching me do it, I could hardly concentrate on the task.

Well, I tend to overthink things out of proportion whenever I’m alone, so to be perfectly honest, I’m happy with his visits. I’ll never tell him that though.

‘Don’t you feel restricted?’

‘Not at all, sir. I have all kinds of teas for my consumption, and mountains of sweets to perch on. Although, I would still be fine sans them too…’

On the contrary, Maynard sends way too many sweets, teas, and dresses my way, which is entirely different trouble on their own. By the way, I especially asked him not to send flowers. I don’t have enough space to place them around, after all!

‘Don’t you need anything else?’

‘Not at all, sir.’

‘But, aren’t you bored?’

Looks like Maynard was worried about me but, I’m not so unorganized with my time that I would be bored.

Besides, Caroline incessantly comes to visit. Both Brother Orpheus and Front shows up whenever they have business with the castle too. Even father comes by at least once every two days. It’s been ten days since the beginning of my stay, but I’ve never had a single day of too much leisure.

‘Ah, which reminds me, sir. I’ve finished the handkerchiefs.’

After pouring him tea, I took three handkerchiefs from the rack and handed them to Maynard.

Maynard asked for embroidered handkerchiefs so I made them in my spare time too.

They all had Maynard’s initials, but each with unique designs of its own. One is a clover, the second one was a rose, while the last one—which was the most difficult of them all—was patterned with a falcon.

Maynard spread them out to check each handkerchief and smiled, seemingly incredibly pleased.

‘I’ll treasure them all well!’

He says, but please make sure to actually use them.

Use the one I gave you three years ago too.

“Should I frame it for display?”

Absolutely not.

He didn’t sound to be joking, sending me chills.

‘Uhm sir, I was thinking about the saintess selection…’

‘Mhm?’

‘I heard earlier that they were planning to redo it. Is that true?’

I only heard about it this morning though. It was from the gossiping of the royal staff when I went to the library to return a borrowed book.

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They said that I was chosen by mistake in the last saintess selection so there were talks of redoing the entire thing again.

‘Who on earth did you hear that from?’

Maynard’s facial expression suddenly became scary, and I hastily shut my mouth in fright.

‘Tell me, Aileen. Who was the impudent who told you such a thing?’

This might not be good. Maynard’s eyes looked glazed.

‘I-I only heard it from the rumors’

From where? Tell me. I’ll fire anyone who spoke any such foolishness. It was one of the castle’s employees, right?’

No good. This is really not good. His face is completely serious. He’ll definitely fire all the employees spreading those rumors. I shook my head in denial.

‘I just heard it over the wind, sir.’

‘The wind does not speak for itself, Aileen.’

‘What I meant to say is that…’

Maynard held my hand tightly and inclined his head to the side.

‘Tell me.’

Even if you incline your head and plead by cuteness, I will tell you nothing.

If I do that, the employees of these castles will be sent to the streets.

‘I seem to have forgotten where I heard them from, sir.’

Alright! I’ll make do with my secret move, ‘I forgot’

Maynard was clearly not satisfied, but I’ll obstinately deny everything so I will win regardless.

But he instead, shrugged his shoulders and only muttered, I guess it can’t be helped then.

‘At any rate, I’ll give them a stern warning of unemployment to prevent anyone from saying anything foolish. Nay, I should warn them with imprisonment, instead.’

Scary! You’re really scary, Maynard!

After speaking something odious, Maynard then turned his attention towards me and smiled as if everything earlier was a lie.

‘We won’t redo the saintess selection, you know? Even if we did, Aileen will get chosen either way.’

‘A-Are you sure, sir?’

‘Of course, I am. It’s not some sort of lottery.’

I-I guess that’s true.

Although the clergy congratulated me like I just won a top prize. It obviously doesn’t work like a lottery.

‘There’s nothing for you to worry about, Aileen.

This prince always does stupid things so I often forget, but Maynard has scary sides to him.

Even when we were engaged, those who tried to harm me were dealt astonishingly cold with by him.

In his own words, he will say things along the lines of, the malice of those who dare to be discourteous to the next queen of this kingdom shall be suitably repaid in kind, with a perfect smile on his face. I trembled at the sight of remembering how he was then.

I hope nothing of that sort happens. 

They are only rumors that I am unfit to be a saintess and not direct harassment.

I’m sure it will be fine, but Maynard convinces me otherwise.

‘Highness, please don’t overdo things, you hear?’

I’ll pray that no one innocent gets caught up in the crossfire.

‘Are you worried about me? You’re really too kind, Aileen!’

Misunderstanding my words, Maynard embraced me tightly and rubbed his cheeks with mine.

You’re wrong, silly!

I’m not worried about you at all!

But If I tell him that right now, I fear that the conversation will head to somewhere dangerous, so I acquiesced with subtle laughs instead.

 

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