n

n

nAlthough Rieta knew she was insignificant, she expressed her sentiments with the words she knew.

nShe couldn’t repay the favor right away, but she knew she had to convey her heart.

n“Thank you… You’re really kind.”

nShe summoned her courage to convey her gratitude in the Imperial language, and he politely bowed and answered in the Imperial language as well.

n“It would be an honor to be of help, honest princess.”

nShe didn’t know what he said, but she thought this time, she knew its meaning.

nIt truly was a wonderful shelter.

n***

nThe next day, Rieta got paper, pens, and ink.

nIn addition, she now had a secret weapon.

n

n

nShe lifted the thick book high, looking up at it with sparkling eyes. It was a dictionary, a wonderful book that connected the two countries’ languages.

n“… What are you doing, Princess?”

nAt the voice she heard right behind her, she quickly put the book down and turned around.

nIt was Noel Mayer.

nHe looked at her gestures towards the dictionary somewhat strangely.

nHow dare he look at her like that?

nIt was slightly insulting, but Rieta decided not to pay him any mind.

nFirst of all, he was the son of her benefactor, and Rieta was in a jovial mood today.

n“Hello, Noel Mayer.”

nNoel smiled again at her greeting.

nHer pronunciation of his name was slightly off because of her way of forming sounds.

nOf course it was the way she said his name that was cute just then, not her.

nNoel made that point clear.

n“Yes, hello, Princess. May I ask what you were doing in front of the dining room?”

nHis words were rather fast and his pronunciation was unclear.

nThanks to that, Rieta couldn’t understand a thing he was saying.

nIf it was yesterday, she would have glossed it over with a smile, but Rieta was different today.

nShe now knew that it was okay to admit honestly that she didn’t know something.

n“Noel, I, Imperial language….”

nShe drew an X on her lips to indicate, ‘Noel, I can’t speak the Imperial language.’

nNoel opened his eyes and looked at the pitiful sight.

nHow she pressed her lips with her fingertips was strangely funny.

n“Because your small actions like this make you look like a squirrel…”

nWas it because she said she had no knowledge of the Imperial language?

nWords that he normally would have kept inside somehow escaped his mouth.

nHowever, there was something he overlooked.

n“Squirrels?”

nThe fact that Rieta’s vocabulary was growing.

n“…Y-you said you couldn’t speak the Imperial language?!”

nHe loudly asked in surprise.

nBut the only thing that came back was some kind of a suspicious attempt.

n“That’s enough.”

nHe sighed quietly and took a step forward to open the door to the dining room.

nRieta passed in front of him and whispered in a small voice, ‘You’re sweet.’

nNoel happened to recall yesterday, when she was practicing the pronunciation of ‘sweet.’

nHer poor pronunciation was still the same.

n“I’ll have to look for the teacher…”

n“Teacher?”

nAgain, Rieta understood what he said and asked back.

nIt happened to be a word she learned from the dictionary last night.

n“You said you can’t speak Imperial! You understand everything?!”

n“Uhm?”

n“Why are you pretending not to understand again?”

n“Noel?”

n“That’s enough.”

nHe suddenly remembered he was using foul language to a princess.

nHe couldn’t help it because he did not see any royal dignity in her.

nThis was why the people of a kingdom that only cared about pleasures couldn’t be helped.

n‘Since you look poor, I will teach you of the Empire’s.’

nHe dismissed the butler and pulled out Rieta’s chair himself.

n“Come here.”

nHe offered a seat with a triumphant face.

n

n

nPerhaps by now, Rieta would feel suffocated by the dignity and formality he exuded.

n“Ah.”

nContrary to his expectations, however, the blonde girl walked to the other side and stood across from him.

nSoon the butler pulled out a chair for her, and Rieta whispered her terribly mispronounced words to the butler as she sat down.

n“You’re a mountaineer.” (T

/N : She’s trying to say ‘You’re sweet’ but with wrong pronunciation)

n“It’s an honor, Princess.”

nShe now stared at Noel across her.

nWhat was he doing, not sitting down?

nNoel got angry for some reason, so he sat down, dragging his chair.

nSoon after, the butler warned him, ‘Don’t make noise with the chair,’ which made him feel worse.

n