When You Turned Your Back On Me, We Became Strangers [EN]: Chapter 59

Turning Away, You’re Just Another Person (58)

Reiley and Princess Adel returned to their seats after exchanging dresses.

‘The Crown Prince must have personally tailored that dress,’ Roanna thought.

Roanna couldn’t hide her surprise as she looked at the dress Adel was wearing. She couldn’t even guess what Adel was thinking.

*If it were me, I wouldn’t have given the dress to the princess so easily.*

“Oh my, Princess, your dress…”

A tactless young lady spoke, looking pointedly at the princess. Everyone had noticed the swapped dresses immediately, but they hadn’t spoken up for fear of upsetting Adel.

“Miss Heline, would you like to try this?” Roanna said, quickly bringing a macaron to Miss Heline’s mouth to distract her.

“No, I…”

When Heline shook her head in refusal, Roanna gave her a warning look. Reiley, who had been watching quietly, sat down and adjusted her collar.

“……!”

Suddenly, Heline’s voice seemed to catch in her throat, and no sound came out. She seemed to realize she’d almost said something inappropriate.

“It seems the dress has finally found its owner,” Reiley said, lifting her teacup and looking at Heline with a knowing glint in her eyes.

*Gasp! Father told me to watch my mouth!* Heline thought, panicking.

Only then did Heline see the shadow on Adel’s face and shut her mouth tightly.

“Your Highness’s face looks even more radiant now,” Leta quickly interjected, smiling warmly at Adel.

Adel, inwardly pleased by the flattery, covered her face demurely with a fan. She hid her rising smile and gently curved her eyes.

*There’s one thing that bothers me, but other than that, she’s a woman I quite like,* Adel mused.

Judging from Reiley’s actions towards her so far, it seemed like they could communicate well. Adel touched the blue dress once and cautiously broached the subject.

“By the way, how long does Lady Reiley Sharltea plan to stay in the Imperial Palace?”

Instantly, everyone’s gaze turned to Reiley. Even Leta was worried about what her sister would say.

*I can’t go back to the family right away… The princess probably wants only one answer,* Leta thought, feeling a knot of anxiety tighten in her stomach.

Leta felt uneasy for no reason and grabbed Reiley’s hand under the table, offering silent support.

“That’s not for me to decide, I’m afraid,” Reiley said carefully.

Reiley knew that this was not the answer Princess Adel wanted. However, she didn’t want to lie outright.

*They would find out eventually anyway.*

“……I see. You don’t have other intentions, do you?”

Princess Adel’s eyes turned cold, a subtle threat underlying her words. Roanna swallowed hard, sensing the sudden change in atmosphere, and looked around cautiously.

*Having decided to side with Reiley, a bad relationship between the two would also negatively affect her.*

“The Trailla family and the Imperial Family have had a long-standing contract,” Adel’s eyebrows furrowed at Roanna’s unsolicited defense of Reiley.

“Are you acting as Lady Reiley’s spokesperson?”

*Oh dear.*

Roanna realized she had stepped into a conversation she shouldn’t have.

With Adel’s face darkening, Roanna’s pupils darted back and forth, searching for an escape.

“The Lady is just trying to ease Your Highness’s worries. She intends to return as soon as the contract with the Imperial Family is over,” Reiley said calmly to Adel, diffusing the tension.

The reason she shielded Roanna was to solidify their relationship in preparation for what was to come. Now that she had gotten what she wanted, there was no reason to stay here any longer.

“Your Highness, I enjoyed our conversation today,” Reiley said, rising from her seat as she saw the Imperial carriage that had come to pick her up.

Adel didn’t want to let her go, but since the carriage had arrived, she had to let Reiley leave.

“Yes, I’m sure we’ll have another chance to meet,” she said readily, letting Reiley go, resting her chin on her hand. As she watched Reiley and Leta disappear in the carriage, a strange light flickered in her eyes.

* * *

“I think it was good to leave today,” Leta said to Reiley in the carriage they boarded together. She felt drained and listless from the unknown tension that had filled the tea party.

The way people looked at her and Reiley had definitely changed. The subtle disdain and condescending gazes, the constant sneers they used to endure, were gone.

Instead, they were filled with envy and jealousy.

Leta found it somewhat amusing that they were finally receiving treatment befitting the name of the Trailla Dukedom.

“You saw it too, right, Sister? We are still the Trailla Ladies, after all.”

She even felt a sense of emptiness at the way their attitudes had changed so drastically, based on nothing more than perceived favor.

“There was no need to try to look good to a mere figurehead Lady, I suppose,” Leta’s lips trembled slightly at Reiley’s indifferent tone.

*Has Sister’s wound healed, or has she just become numb to it?* Leta wondered.

She was curious about the emotions she didn’t express. Leta wanted to look inside, but she didn’t have the courage.

*Because she felt that she wouldn’t be any different.*

“Ah! By any chance, when you two were alone, did Princess Adel say anything strange to you?” Leta asked, suddenly remembering what the maids had gossiped about.

That Princess Adel still harbored feelings for Crown Prince Kavel.

And based on what she saw at the tea party today, the story seemed to be true.

*I can’t forget Princess Adel’s eyes,* Leta thought, a shiver running down her spine.

Surely, that look was the feeling of seeing a rival in love.

“There was nothing for you to worry about,” Reiley said dismissively.

It was just that she had managed to maintain a distance with her so as not to be at odds with her.

Reiley recalled her dress that looked so good on Princess Adel.

“Hmm, really?” Leta asked, unconvinced.

Even if she said that, Reiley’s expression didn’t look very bright. She seemed to be in a good mood before getting into the carriage, but…

Leta carefully watched Reiley’s subtly distorted expression.

“His Highness Kavel will be disappointed to see you wearing a different dress,” Leta threw out the words to subtly probe Reiley’s true feelings.

Leta was also curious about why Reiley had suggested exchanging dresses with Princess Adel.

*I thought they had gotten a little closer. His Highness’s expression seemed to be anticipating it too.*

She must have confessed her feelings.

Since she had cherished her feelings for so long, shouldn’t she express them to the fullest while she was by his side?

“I thought she was someone His Highness needed,” Reiley said quietly.

If what she wanted was the dress, she could give it to her anytime. It was just a dress, after all.

As Leta said, Kavel might be disappointed by her actions today.

*……Am I worried about it?*

It would be a lie to say no.

Reiley had been conscious of Princess Adel from the moment she saw her.

Even if she didn’t pay attention to other things, many stories circulated in the Imperial Palace.

“I don’t know what you think of His Highness, Sister, but…” Leta began, hesitating slightly.

Leta could see Kavel’s crushed and hurt figure before her eyes.

He was someone who showed his emotions well. At least in front of Reiley.

“It’s a pity. That dress suited you so well, Sister,” Leta said softly.

Perhaps because of the dark dress contrasting with the bright blue dress, a shadow fell on Reiley’s face as well.

“……Will he be very upset?” Reiley asked, almost to herself.

As Reiley listened to Leta’s words, she was reminded of his pitiful eyes.

Kavel’s expressions, which changed every moment in front of her, were vivid, and she was only now worried.

Actually, she didn’t want to give the dress away. But that didn’t mean she regretted what she had done.

“Are you worried?” Leta asked, a knowing smile playing on her lips.

Reiley nodded slightly at Leta’s words.

He would surely understand if she explained the situation. She couldn’t think of any other way.

“He’ll understand anything you do, Sister,” Leta reassured her.

*Probably.*

But that didn’t mean he wouldn’t have a dejected look on his face.

“Roanna. If that woman hadn’t stirred up trouble unnecessarily, things wouldn’t have gone wrong,” Leta said, gnashing her teeth at her detestable behavior, even after thinking about it again.

“Still, I’m glad you got what you wanted, Sister,” Leta added, trying to lighten the mood.

“It’s thanks to Lady Roanna that she moved first,” Reiley acknowledged.

If she hadn’t called the princess to that spot, she wouldn’t have gotten Roanna’s vote. It might not have been the picture she had in mind, though.

“Her flustered face was quite a sight to see!” Leta exclaimed, stretching out her arms with a refreshed expression.

“I think I’ll be scolded when I get back,” Reiley said with a sigh.

Since she used mana, Ren couldn’t have missed it. He would surely try to find out what happened.

“But Sister, you look a little more tired than before,” Leta observed, concern etched on her face.

“Actually, I want to go in and rest as soon as possible,” Reiley admitted.

Even though it was only a little, she had used mana while separated from Ren, so she felt quite tired.

Perhaps it was because she had been on edge all day, but she also felt a slight headache. With the sword contract approaching, she had to take care of her health.

“The contract isn’t far off. Are you really okay?” Leta asked, worried that something might happen to her because of the contract. Even if she couldn’t avoid the contract altogether, couldn’t she postpone it a little longer?

“I’m fine. Nothing will happen,” Reiley said, offering a reassuring smile.

“I have to believe you since you say so, Sister,” Leta said, feeling relieved by Reiley’s smile.

Either way, she had no choice. If she didn’t make the contract, she didn’t know what would happen to her life.

“Sister, let’s go straight to our room when we get to the palace,” Leta said, turning to face Reiley, who was sitting across from her. She hooked her arm around her and rubbed her face against her shoulder like a spoiled child.

“I want to sleep with you tonight, Sister,” Leta said, her voice soft and pleading.

“Okay, let’s do that. It’s been a while since we slept together,” Reiley said, looking lovingly at Leta’s face and then smiling.

Leta’s cuteness melted away Reiley’s worries.

Before long, the carriage stopped at the Imperial Palace.

“Let’s go, Sister. I want to take a bubble bath together too,” Leta said excitedly.

“The maid said she prepared scented oil today, so shouldn’t we take a bubble bath next time?” Reiley said, turning to get out as the carriage door opened.

“You’re very late,” a familiar voice said, cutting through the air.

Instead of the knight of the Imperial Guard to escort her, she saw Kavel staring intently at her.

“Why is Your Highness here?” Reiley asked, looking somewhat flustered.

“I was worried and waited for you to come back…” Kavel’s gaze eventually reached Reiley’s changed dress.

“Something must have happened,” he said, his voice flat.

Unlike the words he uttered plainly, Kavel’s eyes were shaking.