Chapter 66: "... Huh?"

"... Huh?"

Did she see it wrong? Sezh closed her eyes and opened them again, but she really didn't see anything wrong. Someone she would have never thought of was walking in front of her window.

It was Mathias Kareem.

He looks so tidy today with neatly styled hair and well-dressed attire.

There was a uniquely calm smile on his lips, and thanks to that, the friendly atmosphere around him seemed to stand out more. It felt very different from Raytan, who was always dressed a little messily and was surrounded by a cold atmosphere with an expressionless face.

Who is better? Sezh thought no one could compare who is better between them. The two men, Raytan and Mathias, were like day and night- complete opposites of each other.

But why does Mathias keep looking around like that? He seemed to be looking for something. He could have asked a maid. Whether it was a maid or a servant, it was clear that anyone would throw away what they were doing to help him.

When Sezh stared down at Mathias with a puzzled face, she made eye contact with him.

"..."

Surprised, Sezh flinched.

What if he found it rude that she was secretly spying on him? But she was only looking... She didn't even open the window to peek at him...

"... Huh?"

As Sezh was trying to keep her feet balanced, all of a sudden, Mathias chuckled. Sezh could see the smile in his eyes light up his face.

His chuckling face, as he looked at Sezh, was as warm as the spring sun. He then smiled lightly and mouthed, 'It's - a- good - afternoon - Princess Sezh.'

Sezh hesitated for a moment but eventually replied to him.

'Yes - that's right.'

Mathias looked around.

Sezh also followed his gaze. There was no one around. She then turned her eyes back to look at Mathias again.

'What the hell has this person been doing?' Sezh thought.

Mathias looked up at Sezh and then said something unexpected.

'If it's okay - can you - spare - some of - your time - for me?' Mathias mouthed.

Me? Bewildered, Sezh pointed her finger at herself.

Mathias nodded. Then he smiled brightly.

Sezh was hesitant. There was nothing good about being seen together with Mathias Kareem.

What if it gets into Lillian's ears? She wholeheartedly didn't want to even think about it.

But had Mathias done anything wrong to her? Sezh was unable to refuse him. Her personality won't let her do that So, Sezh eventually went outside.

Mathias, who stared at Sezh as she walked up, politely greeted her, "Mathias Kareem greets Princess Sezh of the Delhender Empire."

Sezh got embarrassed by his greetings. No one in the Imperial Palace had ever said such a polite greeting to her. They would only say the bare minimum.

Sezh also greeted him back with a stiff posture.

"Is Princess's ankle better now? I worried a lot."

"Ah, yes... It has improved significantly. I can walk now."

"That's fortunate," Mathias smiled widely.

She was already aware of it from their last meeting, but Mathias was truly a kind person.

Truthfully, Sezh caused her ankle injury by herself. She tripped on her own feet, and Mathias held no responsibility for that.

She was grateful that he helped bring her out of the banquet hall and looked at her ankle that day. And now, he even approached and asked her about it.

It was the first time Sezh had ever received this kind of favor from anyone other than Raytan, Eton, and Luna, so Sezh struggled without knowing it.

"That- However, on what occasion..."

"I came here with my father because he has business to do at the Imperial Palace. I thought it would take some time, so I was on my way back first."

"I- I see."

Then he just had to go back. Why did he have to go through this way...?

Sezh was puzzled.

The palace where Sezh stays is quite far from the exit gate of the Imperial Palace. Mathias looked like he was sneaking around.

Seeming to notice her confusion, Mathias Kareem spoke again, "Honestly, after the debut, I wanted to see the Princess again. My cousin often attends Princess Lillian's teatime, but I heard Princess Sezh has never been there."

Honestly, it was because she didn't even want to go there, not just because she couldn't. Of course, Sezh didn't want to go there, but... Anyway, Lillian is not going to invite Sezh unless she is crazy.

"I've been looking around for the road, but it's nice to see you. Will you forgive my rudeness for bothering you?"

"It's... It's okay."

If she counted this as rudeness, Bern and Lilian would have committed enough sins to warrant execution. Sezh hurriedly cleared her thoughts.

"Does the Princess mainly stay in the palace?"

"Ah yes. Something like that."

Sezh went out every day to get tutoring from Raytan, but she thought it was unnecessary to tell Mathias about that. Besides, she had lied to her mother that her tutoring was over this morning.

"It must be so lonely."

"No. I've already gotten used to it a lot."

"But are you not bored? I also grew up as an only child. So..."

Ever since she was young, loneliness was already a familiar word.

Mathias continued to talk. However, her ears caught nothing. It was because of the maid who was walking ahead of them.

A maid who knew Sezh's face.

Lillian's maid.

In an instant, she felt that her sight was now blurred.

"Just for a second!"

"Prin- Princess?"

Sezh was in a hurry and grabbed Mathias's wrist tightly. Then she began to take him to the back of the sparse palace. Mathias looked baffled, but it wasn't important right now.

Mathias Kareem is very popular among both the young and old, especially ladies of marriageable age. If Lillian, not to mention other people, finds out that Sezh was with Mathias like this... Just thinking about it was already terrifying.

"I-I'm sorry. You must be surprised."

After confirming that there was no one around, a late burst of embarrassment filled her.

"No, I'm fine. However, did something happen...?"

"Ah, that..." Sezh mumbled.

"Princess, you can speak comfortably. I can keep a secret," Mathias said with a serious face.

During her debut, Sezh remembered what Mathias had said.

'It hasn't been long since I studied abroad.'

But he also said that his cousin frequently goes to Lillian's teatime.

If he heard Sezh doesn't come out of her palace, Mathias might know ¹of her terrible circumstances too.

However, Mathias looked like he genuinely had no clue. Perhaps he still didn't know how Sezh they treated at the Imperial Palace. If he hears what her situation is like from someone else....

Sezh thought Mathias would also change his kind attitude towards her. Sezh, who had experienced something like this before, was sure about it.

However, she didn't want to keep pretending until her situation was revealed to him. If people were going to leave her because of that reason, Sezh thought it would be better to get it over with now.

"If others see that I was with Sir Kareem... we will surely become a laughingstock."

"Laughingstock? Who dares to do that to a princess...."

"Everybody."

"..."

"The Royal Family, the nobles, and everyone. I am... I'm just that kind of thing," Sezh's voice became smaller.

"That's why I don't even go outside the palace. I'm afraid I will do something unfavorable and be caught by someone's eyes."

Mathias shut his mouth.

"Princess Sezh? She doesn't come out of her palace."

"Why? Isn't it Princess Lillian who hosts the teatime? Then, of course, Princess Sezh... "

"Princess Sezh doesn't come to such a place because no one invites her."

Suddenly, the conversation he shared with his cousin ran through his mind.

Mathias thought it was indeed fishy. But he hadn't thought it would be for that reason.

He still didn't get it. He thought it was just because Princess Sezh is shy to meet a group of strangers. She was also like that at the debutante ball.

In fact, from that day on, he had been worried about her all the time. It was his innate nature. Mathias was always warm and kind to everyone. So when he saw someone who was alone and couldn't easily mix with others like Sezh back then, he just couldn't let it pass.

Besides, she's a princess!

Honestly, on the day of her debut, Sezh looked like a princess who was treated and raised well. She was beautiful as well.

As the son of a noble family, Mathias has interacted a lot with the Royalty since childhood.

Thanks to that, he saw a lot of things that many people couldn't see. He had met some people who made him think, 'Can a person really do that because they are Royalty?'

That's why Sezh looked so lovable to him.

Unlike the other members of the Royal Family, she looked cautious. And she didn't use her status to oppress people.

"I don't understand."

Yes, it is absurd. She's a princess, but she is treated like this.

Even when Sezh thinks about it, her situation is funny... Sezh bowed her head.

But the coming words she heard were a little surprising.

"Whatever the reason, it's not good. Princess has done nothing wrong, right?

"...Yes?"

"Please don't concern yourself with it. The one who should be embarrassed is those who have treated the Princess this way."

Sezh was pretty sure she already stated that the people who had treated her like that were the Royal Family... So she was a little bit dazed by Mathias's words and could only blink her eyes.

Mathias warmly stared at Sezh right in her eyes and then spoke again, "Princess, if you allow me, may I become your conversation partner?"

"Conversation... partner?"

"No, I think the Princess should be my conversation partner. Like I said last time, I haven't been back to Denhelder since a while ago, so I don't have a lot of people to interact with."

'I don't think so...'

If Mathias shows favor, there will be plenty of people who will come running to buy his heart.

"Because you said you were mainly in the palace... May I write you a letter?"

Letter? Sezh tilted her head.

"I will send someone tomorrow with the letter. That person will deliver it directly to the Princess's maid, so you don't have to worry about any leaks."

"Uh..."

"Perhaps it makes the Princess uncomfortable?"

"I-It's not that...but...."

"It's not like we're sending and receiving important correspondence, so don't be too burdened. Is Princess okay with that?" Mathias asked again.

...She said she was worried about being caught by others, but she eventually went outside to meet Mathias. It was just Sezh's personality. This time was also the same. Sezh couldn't say she refuses to his face.

However, if he sends the letter to Luna directly, she won't have to worry about gossip just like Mathias said.

Sezh then nodded.

"Thank you. I've been feeling so lonely since I didn't have a conversation partner. This is a secret...." Mathias stopped talking and moved his hand to the corner of his mouth. He said it in a small voice like a whisper as if it was a huge secret, "but honestly, I'm a very talkative person."

Sezh giggled at the words he just said. Mathias also laughed. The pure kind of laugh that made his eyes turn into lines.