“Forget it. I’m not blaming you.”

“Hu…”

“I don’t mind, and I retaliated earlier. That settles the score.”

Rishe blinked, then blinked again.

After that, she felt troubled and spoke.

“…I knew it. You’re too indulgent of me.”

“That’s nothing new.”

He declared something unnatural, as if it were a matter of course.

But that was unwise.

“If you don’t scold me once in a while, I’ll grow even worse.”

“Grow?”

“Your Highness is so kind to me.”

With a furrowed brow, she covered her mouth with her hands and mumbled.

“If this continues, I’ll become more demanding…”

“H-hah.”

Arnold laughed in amusement, revealing a new expression.

Then he looked at Rishe and said gently.

“I’ll listen to you.”

“…”

The way he said it was so gentle that she felt her ears burning for some reason.

“Your actions are always outlandish and so unimaginable.”

“Tsk, you’re poking fun at me again…!”

She frowned in exasperation, but Arnold gently looked down.

“There’s only so much I can do to make things happen for you.”

“?”

“So, it wouldn’t hurt to indulge you a little.”

Rishe tilted her head at the words, which were different from Rishe’s perception.

“Your Highness has already granted me many requests…”“That’s because your wishes are all so trivial.”

She found his response puzzling.

By my standards, I think I’m being suitably reckless…

For his fiancée, a hostage, he gave her a detached palace and even a field in a corner of the castle.

All of the maidservants were at her disposal, and she was given free reign to do business with the Chamber of Commerce. This alone was considerably willful of her, wasn’t it?

Perhaps her thoughts surfaced on his face, so Arnold said.

“There are some things I’ve got to prioritize.”

He turned his gaze toward the sea.

“If what you want goes against those priorities, I can’t listen to you.”

“…”

When Arnold proposed to her, Rishe put forward a condition: “Will you grant whatever I want?”

At that time, Arnold promised that he would fulfill everything he possibly could. In other words, he made it clear at that time that he could not respond depending on the content.

“From my standpoint, there are times that require me to give priority to the country and my official duties.”

“Of course, I’m aware of that.”

“That’s not the end of it.”

Blue eyes looked straight at Rishe again.

“…Even if you dislike this marriage, I won’t let you leave me.”

“…”

Rishe felt a dull sharp pain in her heart.

“Is it for the purpose Your Highness proposed to me?”

Arnold’s eyes narrowed slightly, but he still spoke loud and clear.

“Yes.”

“…”

Casually, so as not to be noticed, Rishe squeezed her left chest.

It was a huge mistake to feel lonely here.

I haven’t been able to say what I really wish either.

She looked a little, letting her white hat hide her expression.

She clung to it and gently traced the soft sand with her fingers.

Please don’t murder your father. Can you give up the war you are going to start?… It’s a little late for that, since I’ve been hiding my greatest wish.

But she couldn’t just simply express it.

I can’t say…the only reason Your Highness can set me free is because you don’t know that my goal is to stop the war.

Every undertaking that Rishe was taking in this world was to obstruct Arnold.

She wanted to prevent the war he would wage, and that was her motivation for working with him.

Surely that war was a pressing will of His Highness Arnold. Otherwise, such a kind person would not have started a war of aggression.

The “priorities” that Arnold mentioned earlier probably referred to the war in the future.

If it was known that I’m trying to prevent that from happening…

Rishe would turn into Arnold’s enemy.

It’s not easy to thwart His Highness’s plans, and the only element that I can use to outsmart His Highness is my knowledge of the future.

Hence, to maintain it, he must not know that she knew the future.

I have secrets, too. I don’t have the right to ask you to tell me what you’re hiding.

But her heart still ached.

“… Arnold, Your Highness.”

Rishe had asked him multiple times before why he had asked for her hand in marriage.

But right now, she couldn’t put that question into words. Instead, she raised her gaze slightly and looked at Arnold from the shade of her hat.

“What do you want me to do when I become your wife?”

“…”

Arnold looked as if he had been caught off guard.

Then he laughed as if he found something interesting.

“You’ve changed the flavor of your question.”

“I know you won’t answer my usual questions.”

She lied and kept her eyes on him.