This was just too much for her. But even so, she had to get a grip, accept his advances, and not shy away. She needed to earn his trust before he went back home. She told herself to forget about being nervous or shy or anything of the sort, because his murmurs of love were all lies.
Anyway, in her bedroom that evening, she got a surprise visit from Val, who had brought Sephi and Kemet along.
He gave her a casual, "Hey, princess. Grew up to be good-looking, eh?" Though he still did not think her body had filled out as much as it might have. He had brought her correspondence from the Yaberon Kingdom, and a letter of congratulations on her engagement.
After they had chatted a bit about her fiancé, and after he had sighed over it, Val offered to take her away if she did not want to marry the man.
He was her servant, after all. He could get her out of here easily if she wished it. She could experience freedoms on the run like nothing else in the world. He figured using his power to support three kids would be simple enough.
She began to chuckle. It was not the reaction he had been expecting. She was only thinking that living a life on the run with him sounded rather nice.
If she, as queen, just up and vanished, Tiara could safely ascend the throne and have her pick of eligible bachelors — Arthur, Stale, Prince Leon, the other suitor — and together they would lead the kingdom into peace.
But she could not take Val's hand right now. Even as this world's worst queen and its problematic last boss, she had come to love this nation and its people, and she wanted to fight fate for as long as she possibly could. This was where she wanted to be. Queen to the end.
She thanked Val, and told him that if she ever truly did lose her place here, she would be happy if he took her in.
He grabbed her hand and told her there was no if. One order, and he would take her away.
She was stunned, and then she accepted. Should it ever be needed, she said, please take her.
With him and the kids about to leave, she told him she was so glad he was in her life. He reached toward her face, stopped himself, and patted her on the head instead. He told her that when the time came, and she seriously wanted to ditch everything, he would spend the rest of his life making sure she could live with him.
Eventually, Pride took Leon on a tour of the capital. He thought Frieia was so lovely.
Seeing the two of them together upset Stale. He kept thinking about how Leon put up a front of being perfect while really thinking of Stale as a player himself. He noticed that Arthur was shaking uncontrollably as well.
Later, he teleported to where Arthur was, privately.
Arthur hated that Pride was going to marry Prince Leon. He understood the importance of a royal marriage; he just thought that man was no good. Stale tried to calm him down and Arthur would not accept it. It made him so angry that he crushed the chair in his grip. Those creepy smiles only enraged him further. All of it was unnatural.
Stale could not believe it. He had not realized they were faking their smiles the entire time. He would not have minded if it were only Leon — but why his sister as well? He did not understand it.
With Leon leaving the next day, Pride told them to please keep their promise. Leon gave a distraught look.
Stale started to ask what promise that was, but he was cut off by Val's boisterous arrival. Val had brought a pile of gifts from the first princess of Yaberon for her birthday. She gave him a secret request he was not expecting, and to her, all of this was perfectly fine. The memories of her past life had given her the insight she needed to take action here.
She was the only person who could bring Prince Leon happiness.
Stale walked the halls, turning over what he had heard from the queen. The reason Prince Leon had been chosen as Pride's fiancé, despite the kingdom of Anemone having a second and a third prince, was that she thought only Leon would suit her. The king of Anemone had wished for it as well.
Stale thought that explanation simply did not add up.
Also, as per his own request, the king had allowed Stale to apprentice under Vest starting next week. Studying under Uncle Vest meant he would have practically no time to be with Pride. He was willing to accept that, as long as it benefited her and the rest of the kingdom, even if it meant he was no longer needed at her side.
But the thought of her and Leon together forced tears up into his eyes.
Outside, Tiara asked Stale whether he was finished speaking with their mother. He seemed a bit dazed, and told her he was probably just tired. Only then did he notice that Pride was asleep on Tiara's lap. Tiara said she had hardly slept last night.
Tiara told Stale to sit and rest beside her. She had been so lonely these past three days. She felt as though Leon had taken her sister away from her. But then Pride had invited her out to the gardens and hugged her with everything she had, and Tiara thought her sister must have noticed she was feeling lonely and done it to comfort her.
Pride slowly opened her eyes and hopped over onto Stale's lap. She told him she missed him.
He patted her and comforted her and told her he had missed her too, and that it was all right; he would always be here. Even apart, his heart would always be with her. Even when he was not next to her. Even if she fell in love with that man, he still belonged to her, body and soul.
Arthur, exhausted and worn out, lit up at the sight of Pride's bright smiling face. She grabbed his face in her hands, concerned over the bags under his eyes, and apologized for not being able to speak with him the other day. She could see that he had forced himself to serve as their escort even though he did not feel well.
There was something he wanted to ask her, though.
Was she happy?
She told him she was. After all, she had him, and everyone else, with her.
That was a relief to him. She was not just grinning and bearing it.
And then he felt a tug in his chest, because he saw her put the mask on again as she said, "Oh, don't be silly."
He went down on one knee and asked her to please allow him to worry about her.
He asked why she had faked her smiles inside the carriage. Why she was putting up a front. Did Leon have something on her? They were worried about her, and still she seemed so far away.
She apologized, and thanked them for their worry, and promised she was fine.
Arthur could see it now. No matter how hard this was for her, she was dead set on taking all of it on alone, as if she felt her destiny was to be a lone wolf.
He wanted to protect her smile, and he told her he would be at her side forever. If the man chosen as her partner turned out to be one she liked, he would go on protecting their happiness. If he turned out not to be the one, then Arthur would protect Pride from him and take care of her in his place.
He had already dedicated everything he had to her, long ago.