"Lady Helene, are you departing already?"

"Ara? Lady Lidiana."

The south gate carriage stop of the Royal Castle. There, I was sloppily leaning my back on a pillar, waiting for Lady Helene.

I asked others to leave for just a short while and waited, but Lady Helene showed earlier than expected. It's a secret, but deep down I was startled.

Lady Helene was smiling with a refreshed face as she leisurely walked up to me.

"Yeah. After all, my duty is over. The hindrance must promptly leave."

Going by her refreshed voice, it seems Lady Helene has truly no lingering attachment to the Royal Castle.

She has surprisingly little luggage in her hands. There's only one small handbag.

Even what she's wearing isn't much different from an ordinary one-piece dress. Unintentionally I asked.

"Is that all your luggage?"

"That's right. There's nothing I owned in that building that I wanted to bring home. Aah, but Emma is doing the final check, so my luggage might increase a little."

"Is that so?"

Lady Helene informed me that she was leaving behind everything, then she covered her mouth.

"I am sorry. I must not talk to you so familiarly anymore… Excuse me, Lady Lidiana. Have you come to see me off?"

"… Yeah. That was my intention."

As she drew a line, I also changed the way I talked to her.

Our positions are no longer the King's concubine and the Crown Prince's fiancée.

She is a daughter of a marquis from a remote region and I'm the Crown Prince's fiancée… or the daughter of the preeminent Duke.

A clear difference in status appeared between me and her, who's no longer a concubine. There's a definite wall of social status regardless of our age.

"I am surprised you have come to such a place alone. If the Crown Prince knew, he would be astonished. Please hurry up and return to the royalty quarter."

"I have soldiers guarding me, so it's alright. His Highness knows I'm here as well."

"Ara? Is that so?"

"Yeah. I really wanted to talk to you one last time."

"Ara, that is an honor. Lady Lidiana, I also wanted to give you my thanks. I gave up thinking there would be no opportunity, but this is just right."

"Thanks?"

When I asked her back in puzzlement, Helene nodded with an unburdened face.

"Yeah. You managed to bring about the conclusion I desired, so it would not do to not say my thanks. Thank you very much for mediating between His Majesty and the Queen. Thanks to it I was released from the duty of a concubine."

"…"

"Although it was what I'd agreed to myself, I was tired of that life. I was at my limit from enduring the discord between His Majesty and the Queen that I had thought would not drag on and yet continued for fifteen years. I was truly saved."

"I see…"

I thought that would be the case, and it really was.

Helene was already exhausted from the life of a temporary concubine.

She was finally released from the duty of a concubine, and her conversation partner was me, who knows everything. It must've relaxed her attention. Helene began grumbling about the past.

"From the start I agreed with His Majesty to do this until the Queen calmed down, but I never would have expected it to take so long. Nevertheless… Even if I'd known it would take fifteen years, I still would have accepted His Majesty's offer."

You are already aware that my house was on the verge of ruin, right? Asked so by Helene, I returned an affirmation.

"In those days, our house was in such a terrible shape it hardly seemed to be a marquis house. In such a situation, fifteen years ago His Majesty came on an inspection by chance. When His Majesty saw me, he said, "Your eye color is very similar to my consort's". Then, as if he was confessing his sins, he told me he hurt the Queen, and in a joking tone of voice he continued, "Won't you become my concubine? Just until my consort's feelings calm down. I have no intention of laying my hands on you". I immediately answered, "In exchange, could you save the marquis house? Then I will do it". Surely, His Majesty… truly meant it as a joke. He made a surprised face and said, "Is that fine?", "I will never visit you. Nevertheless, do you truly not mind?". I answered, "Of course". Because, by marrying His Majesty as a concubine, not only would I save my house, but also the whole population of the fief. At that time, I had no choice of not taking His Majesty's hand. I am very grateful to His Majesty."

Saying so, Helene looked me in the eyes. Her eyes were same amber as the Queen's.

It matched my predictions, but the order seemed slightly different.

The King didn't offer the deal knowing the state of Helene's house. He saw Helene's eyes and jokingly asked Helene to be his concubine, and Helene seriously accepted if it would save her house.

Unsurprisingly, without knowing their circ.u.mstances I couldn't have guessed that much.

"Earlier I was given various compensations that were more than I deserve for being dismissed as a concubine…. Afterwards, I only pray His Majesty's relations.h.i.+p with the Queen goes well. I wish the Queen would also become more honest with this opportunity. Lady Lidiana, truly thank you. If not for you, my life of a false concubine might not have come to an end."

"You are exaggerating."

"That is not the case. Lady Lidiana, you understand as well, right?"

"…"

Recalling Mother-in-law's stubbornness, for a moment I wondered if she really will be more honest.

In a fl.u.s.ter I shook off that thought and asked Helene.

"And? What will you do after returning to your home? How about marrying?"

"I won't. I am thirty already. Besides, I am His Majesty's former concubine. I do not believe there is a man so eccentric as to accept a woman with such troublesome circ.u.mstances, and most importantly, I have had enough of being married with a gentleman I did not love."

I felt like I could somehow understand Helene's words. Even if there's no s.e.x life, being married with a man they don't love is not a pleasure for women. Especially if it goes on for fifteen years.

She said with distant eyes.

"Because it is a precious chance, I am thinking of living as I like when I return home. I will leave behind my feelings in the Royal Capital and start over. Here… I have too many memories."

"Helene…"

Helene smiled and began heading towards carriage. Looking back, she said.

"Farewell, Lady Lidiana. I am truly glad you have come. Thank you for granting my wish. Thanks to it, I am finally free. I think we will not meet anymore, but I am truly grateful to you. Please, be happy with His Highness."

"…"

Are we out of time?

I've thought of keeping her here until he comes, but it will be difficult now.

The moment I reluctantly decided to see her off and took a step forward.

"P, please wait!"

I looked towards the impatient voice. I was relieved from the bottom of my heart to see the person I'd been waiting for.

Who came was Glenn.

His always calmly smiling expression was covered by impatience, his whole body was dripping with sweat from running frantically.

Although out of breath, he didn't stop his feet, and caught Helene's arm as she was about to enter a carriage.

"Please don't go!"

"Eh…"

Helene's eyes opened wide.

Her face is saying she has no idea why Glenn is here.

Of course she wouldn't. Helene hasn't heard anything yet. To begin with, she doesn't know Glenn loves her.

Helene looked at Glenn with a face like she saw a ghost.

"L, Lord Gregor? W, why did you come to a place like this…"

"Of course, of course I've come to stop you!"

"Eh."

Helene was petrified in surprise. Glenn helped her down from carriage steps and knelt before her without hesitation.

"I am Gregor von Pellegrini. I have loved you ever since I first caught sight of you in this Royal Castle when I was young. Since you are no longer His Majesty's concubine… Please, be my wife. I love you… It can only be you."

"Ah!"

Helene dropped the bag she was holding. It made a loud sound, however she didn't notice.

She covered her mouth with both hands and trembled all over.

"L… lie. What are you saying…"

"It's not a lie. For over ten years I have always been watching you. Of course, I fully understand I wish for more than I deserve. However, if you don't dislike me…"

Lady Helene violently shook her head.

"It, it's impossible. I, I am not a good match for you, Lord Gregor…"

"It is me who's not a good match. Unlike my brother, I can't succeed the ducal house. As I am now, I cannot promise you anything. "

"No way. No, I should be the one saying that. I am thirty already. I am not a worthy partner for a still young chivalric order commander with a promising future."

Editor: Valeria