Ashillya thought to herself.

People of the world all think that royalty know nothing of worldly matters.

Even Felix was like that. Did he truly believe she wouldn’t know about street vendors? If he thought she didn’t know even that much, wouldn’t that make her the type of person who would tell starving citizens to eat cake if they had no bread?

She was a little–just a little upset–about this, but Ashillya could laugh it off. She found his smiling face not unpleasant to look at.

‘…It was somewhat helpful.’

Ashillya recalled the advice of the knight she had consulted yesterday.

[It’s good to show small vulnerabilities. Most people think Your Highness is thoroughly perfect, so even that much can show your charm.]

[…How can that display charm?]

[These days, people call it ‘endearing clumsiness.’]

Endearing clumsiness.

Ashillya had never heard such a term before. Still, she figured the knight would know better about such things, so she simply followed the advice.

[What should I do next?]

[It’s also important to show your inherent charm. Let’s display your intellectual appeal.]

[…So, act clumsy and then appear intelligent?]

[It’s called a ‘reversal charm.’]

Pretending to be silly and then showing intelligence apparently highlights one’s smart appeal even more. Anyway, Ashillya, having faithfully followed the knight’s advice, was currently very satisfied.

The most satisfying point was…

“Miss Ashillya.”

“…Ahem, what is it?”

That Felix was calling her by name.

This too was due to the shadow knight’s effective advice.

[Calling you ‘Your Highness’ might feel a bit distant, so it might be better to use your name.]

[…Explain.]

[Since you’re going into the city, it would be appropriate to use the excuse of not wanting to reveal your identity.]

As the shadow knight suggested, there was nothing to gain from revealing her status as Crown Princess, so she relayed this to Felix, who agreed and started calling her by name.

Ashillya, who had spent her entire life striving to bear the title of Crown Princess and further to become Empress, realized for the first time how pleasant it was to be called by name by another person.

At Felix’s call, Ashillya composed her twitching lips and asked back. He tilted his head for a moment before leading her forward.

“Since we’re out, would you like to have a meal outside as well?”

While adding “Miss” before the name and the continued use of polite speech weren’t quite to her liking, it was within the range she could understand with her great magnanimity.

“Let us do so.”

“Is there anything in particular you would like to eat?”

“I know not much, so I would prefer thy recommendation.”

Hmm.

At Ashillya’s response, Felix fell into serious contemplation. She found this somehow cute and smiled as she looked at him.

“Anything is fine. Think not too hard.”

“…Still, I’d like it to be something delicious.”

It was the first time she had thought of a man as cute, no, the first time she had felt contentment just by looking at a person, so Ashillya watched him ponder for a while.

“Thou art certainly…”

Severely harmful to my heart.

Felix didn’t catch Ashillya’s low murmur.

***

The outing with Ashillya went more smoothly than expected.

She hadn’t particularly covered her face, so I thought at least one person might recognize her, but surprisingly, there were no such people.

It might be because we walked through streets frequented by commoners rather than nobles.

Anyway, Ashillya and I walked around the city like ordinary people.

We ate at a normal restaurant, toured the city sightseeing here and there, rested and chatted when we got tired from walking.

It really felt like enjoying a date like a normal couple.

“…So this is what a date is.”

The evening sunset had begun to fall.

Sitting on a bench at a spot known for the best view of the sunset, as told to us by a passing citizen, I was quietly watching the sunset when Ashillya’s voice brought me back to attention, and I looked at her.

Ashillya was smiling faintly while looking at the sunset like me.

“It is quite tiring, indeed.”

“But wasn’t it more enjoyable than you expected?”

“…”

Ashillya smiled softly at my words.

“Yes, it was fun.”

At her frank admission, I also smiled back and turned my gaze to the sunset. We watched the setting sun in silence for a while.

Ashillya and I stood by each other’s side, watching the scene quietly.

“We should return soon.”

“You’ll be busy for a while, won’t you?”

“Indeed.”

It started with Siegfried.

Then, it was the noble faction supporting the Second Prince.

The last would undoubtedly be Jeffrey.

Ashillya was now preparing to completely remove the last of her blood relatives. Today’s outing was just a brief respite before completing those preparations.

“…Ashillya.”

“What is it?”

“Personally, I hope you ascend to the throne as Empress.”

“Dost thou wish to ask a favor when someone thou knowest becomes Empress?”

Ashillya asked with a playful smile at my words. But I looked at her with a serious expression.

“I think the empire will become more peaceful if you ascend, Ashillya.”

“…”

“So, this may sound like a personal request, but…”

At my serious expression, Ashillya also slowly erased the smile from her face.

“Please, become Empress.”

“…”

The Iron-Blooded Crown Princess, Ashillya Philippe Hamen Urlas.

A person who rose to the position of Crown Princess solely by her own power, showing no weaknesses with her extraordinary intelligence and charismatic personality in order to become Empress.

Everyone whispers that she’s a person who wouldn’t bleed even if stabbed, but she too was human.

People can never stand alone. That’s why she might be tired, especially in this situation where she has to eliminate her own blood relatives.

“Thou…”

That’s why I could only offer comfort that wasn’t comfort. Ashillya, who understood the intention behind my words, smiled as if she couldn’t help it and slightly leaned her upper body.

… Ashillya’s scent was sweet, like blueberries.

“Thou always makest me happy.”

“…You flatter me.”

Her face was right in front of me.

Snow-white skin, mesmerizing red eyes, bright red lips, and a straight nose.

A beauty like a painting was right before my eyes. Moreover, she was a woman in a position I could never hope to reach.

I let out a small breath and gently averted my gaze from hers. Ashillya stared at me intently, without smiling until the end.

“That is why I must have thee.”

“…”

The frightening thing was that those words didn’t sound like a joke. I couldn’t say anything.

As I trembled, feeling like a mouse before a cat, Ashillya finally burst into laughter and gently bumped her forehead against mine.

“I shall truly make thee desire me.”

“…I look forward to it, truly.”

Trying to pass the serious atmosphere off as a joke, I said this, and Ashillya burst into laughter.

“Fufu…”

After laughing for a while, Ashillya calmed down and looked back at the sunset with a composed expression.

I turned slightly to look at the sky in the opposite direction from her, trying to hide my reddened face.

“‘Tis not a jest.”

I know it’s not a joke. However, there’s nothing as heavy as being loved by someone who will become the Empress of a nation.

“When I set my mind to something, I am the type who must see it through to feel satisfied.”

“… It’s heavy.”

Ashillya’s love is heavy. As I muttered self-deprecatingly, Ashillya let out another small chuckle and slowly stood up.

“Without fail.”

“…”

As I looked up at her with a slightly calmer face at Ashillya’s voice, she looked down at me with the setting sun at her back.

“I shall, without fail, become the Empress of this Empire.”

“…Yes.”

“And on the day I secure that position,”

Ashillya’s face was shadowed by the red sunset behind her, so I couldn’t see it clearly, but I somehow felt she wasn’t smiling.

Ashillya’s voice and atmosphere were that serious.

“I shall have thee.”

“…”

“So, steel thy heart.”

After making this announcement that wasn’t quite one, Ashillya extended her hand to me. Staring blankly at that snow-white hand, I slowly raised my own to grasp hers.

As if everything I had thought just moments ago was a misconception…

Ashillya was wearing a bright smile she showed to no one else.