22. I’m Sorry, It’s Me Again
“Your Highness?”
At my call, Mikhail sighed deeply as he looked at Audrey, who tilted her head in confusion.
It had been a while since he last saw her. Audrey was still as cute and lovely as a fairy, and perhaps that’s why Mikhail’s heart felt even heavier.
Sigh…
“Your Highness, what in the world is troubling you so much that you’re sighing like that?”
Audrey, who had waited patiently while Mikhail had been sighing nonstop for the past 30 minutes as though carrying the weight of the world, asked calmly.
“Do you have a difficult assignment?”
“No…”
“Then is there something in the lessons you don’t understand?”
“That’s not it either…”
Mikhail had once lied to Audrey, asking for help with homework or pretending not to understand lessons just to spend more time with her. Because of that, Audrey had come to think he was truly a fool, which had slightly irritated him.
But he soon shook his head and sulkily admitted to himself.
‘I really am a fool.’
There was a particular class Mikhail hadn’t been able to keep up with lately. He had been so focused on it that he lost sleep and even skipped his other classes.
Then Audrey, wearing a puzzled look, asked again.
“Your Highness, are you attending classes properly these days?”
“What? O-of course!”
In truth, he had skipped class even today, but he couldn’t bring himself to show such a pathetic side to Audrey, so he stammered through his answer.
Still, he felt confident at heart. Aside from the one difficult subject, the rest of the classes were so easy he didn’t really need to attend.
Audrey narrowed her eyes and stared at Mikhail.
“Then could you please tell me what’s troubling you? To be honest, I begged my father to let me come to the palace after receiving your letter. I told him I’d just read in the library while I waited… Oh, by the way, did you finish the book I recommended?”
“Huh? Of course I did! You recommended it! ‘101 Ways for a Monarch to Appear Dignified’—it was really helpful.”
“I’m so glad to hear that.”
As he watched Audrey’s eyes crinkle into a soft smile, Mikhail felt his chest tighten with emotion.
He had struggled to get used to the formal tone recommended by the book, but seeing her reaction made him want to keep practicing.
Then Mikhail remembered what he was about to say—and realized there was no point practicing anymore.
Gulp.
He swallowed hard, took a deep breath, and asked,
“Audrey, if I weren’t the crown prince… would you still like me the way you do now?”
“Huh? What are you saying all of a sudden?”
“Just… be honest with me.”
“Um… of course I would like you, whether you’re the crown prince or not.”
At Audrey’s reply, Mikhail’s tense shoulders finally relaxed.
He beamed brightly and declared,
“Great! Then I’m not going to be crown prince anymore!”
“Hic!“
Audrey hiccupped in shock.
And she wasn’t the only one surprised.
Those hiding behind the bushes and eavesdropping were equally stunned.
Annette could see Charlotte’s face freeze in utter disbelief.
But Mikhail’s bombshell didn’t stop there.
“Audrey, I want to live with your family.”
“W-what…”
“I’m going to ask Lord Melin to make me your live-in son-in-law—”
“Your Highness, hic, p-please wait. I don’t think that’s possible, hic.”
Audrey, still hiccupping, hurriedly tried to stop him.
“The position of crown prince, hic, is not something you can just throw away. And to leave the palace and come to our home, hic… There’s no way His and Her Majesties would sit idly by! Our family could be in danger… hic.”
“What, are you saying you don’t like me now?”
“It’s not that…”
Audrey tried to deny it, then calmed herself, finally managing to suppress her hiccups.
“You’re saying completely unreasonable things, Your Highness.”
Mikhail’s pupils quivered at Audrey’s firm response, and he suddenly shouted out,
“Why is that unreasonable?! Audrey, if you truly love someone, you should be able to give up everything for them!”
“Who told you such nonsense?!”
“My uncle did!”
And at last, the source of Mikhail’s radical ideas was revealed.
“…”
“…”
“…”
Silence fell over the garden.
At Mikhail’s outburst, not only Audrey but also Charlotte, the Empress Dowager, and Annette were at a loss for words.
Mikhail had only one uncle—Grand Duke Hargent, Kardin.
The Empress Dowager, who had inherited the duty of blushing in shame on behalf of the Empress, glanced awkwardly at Annette.
His statement was undeniably irresponsible given his status and power, but still… she was curious how Annette—his fiancée—would react to such a romantic declaration about giving up everything for love.
But Annette, having heard something completely incomprehensible, merely blinked and gave the Empress Dowager a sheepish smile.
Embarrassed that it was her fiancé who had put such strange ideas into Mikhail’s head, but also as if to say she’d take responsibility together with him.
“I gave up my family and even the position of crown prince for you…!”
“When did I ever ask you to do that? Why are you doing this?”
“You don’t understand anything, Audrey!”
As the betrayed Mikhail and the baffled Audrey began raising their voices at each other, the Empress Dowager gently shook her head and signaled Charlotte and Annette toward the garden entrance. Time to leave.
Had the marquis’ daughter acted just as immaturely, she would have stepped in to stop it immediately, but seeing how firmly she held her ground was reassuring.
Of course, Mikhail would be summoned that evening by the Empress along with Kardin and would surely get an earful…
Charlotte, too, was shocked by how far her son’s rebellion had gone, but knew it wasn’t wise to confront the children while emotions were running high.
She wanted to ask what had made him so desperate that he’d be willing to abandon both family and palace—but mostly, she was furious.
She turned to leave, planning to have a long conversation with her husband when—
Crack!
A sharp sound snapped her heart still.
Charlotte stared in horror at the broken branch beneath her feet. Then she looked at the Empress Dowager and Annette in turn.
Her face crumpled.
Please, let them not have heard that.
Getting caught now would be an absolute disgrace.
“Who’s there…?”
Unfortunately, Mikhail had clearly heard the noise.
He’d been on edge since yesterday and was hypersensitive.
“Who… is it?”
He suddenly remembered Annette’s face from the day before—but it might just as well be his mother.
Mikhail’s voice trembled with fear.
Charlotte was just as terrified that he might approach their hiding place.
And at that moment—
“I’m sorry, it’s me again, Your Highness.”
Annette stepped out past Charlotte and emerged from the bushes.
A wave of silent shock swept over the back.
She knew she’d acted impulsively, but Annette didn’t regret it.
She was the only one who could step forward in this moment.
And she was glad to finally have a chance to help the Empress Dowager and Charlotte out of this situation.
With a full heart, Annette walked out and bowed to Mikhail.
“I overheard your conversation unintentionally. I’m truly sorry.”
Mikhail turned pale and shouted, “Y-you!”—but remembering the Empress’s strict words about being polite, he quickly shut his mouth.
Annette then looked at the girl standing behind Mikhail—white-skinned, straight black hair, and holding a thick book in her arms.
So this is Audrey!
Based on her mature tone in conversation with Mikhail, she had imagined someone quite poised—but in person, though the girl did have an intelligent air about her, she still had a very youthful face.
Annette completely forgot that she herself currently looked the same age as Audrey.
Seeing Audrey frozen in shock, eyes wide open, Annette gave a small apologetic smile.
At that moment—drip drip.
“…?!”
“A-Audrey!”
Tears began to fall suddenly from Audrey’s wide eyes.
Startled, Mikhail ran toward her, but Audrey sharply turned away.
“Now I understand. Why you suddenly said we shouldn’t see each other for a while… and why you were acting so strangely today, even after calling me here after so long.”
“S-strangely?”
“If you’ve come to like another lady, you could’ve just said so.”
“What? What are you talking about?!”
“I thought I was the only one you invited to this garden. Since only royals can come here, I believed in your feelings all the more… sob.”
Annette stood frozen in place, shocked by the young girl’s sudden tears. Then, realizing the mature-sounding conversation between these 8-year-olds had veered into a completely wrong direction, she snapped out of it.
“Um, excuse me? Miss, you’re misunderstanding. His Highness doesn’t like me!”
Still in a daze, Mikhail flailed helplessly, but quickly agreed with Annette’s words.
“She’s right! I didn’t invite her! It was Mother who…”
Then he froze, looking horrified.