The Duchess Princess Discovers Love

Chapter 8

Strolling together down the night path, silence wraps around us, our heartbeats the only echo.

Words become superfluous when our hearts beat in harmony.

Stars shimmer in the moonless sky.

In ancient times, the night sky was a canvas, where people linked distant stars to craft constellations.

If you and I were stars, what constellation would we create?

To shine eternally by your side—nothing brings greater joy.

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The inauguration ceremony drew to a seamless close, devoid of any notable disruptions.

Notwithstanding* the scrutiny of the royal envoy, kin from the Redgrave lineage, and the discerning gaze of nearby feudal lords, Leon executed his responsibilities with consummate skill and finesse.

[T/N- before anyone questions me "Notwithstanding" is a real world use like "inspite of/instead of" but not fully mirror it have it's own meaning (today I also first time hearing about it), it was closest thing to it's Japanese counterpart so I used it]

Although it was his first time hosting noble gatherings and he must have been nervous, Leon masked his apprehension skillfully, proving to be quite the performer.

After the ceremony, a party involving the local residents was held at the Bartfault family's estate. We only made a brief appearance for the initial greetings before returning to our secondary residence.

As the lord, Leon's presence would have made it difficult for the participants to relax, and I was also concerned about his health.

We had some of the dishes from the party wrapped up to take with us as we left the mansion.

On our way back to the secondary residence, Leon and I didn't exchange a single word.

The sense of accomplishment filled my heart, and I feared that if we spoke, this overwhelming feeling would dissipate like air escaping from a punctured balloon.

I glanced at myself, recalling the feel of the dress I hadn't worn in a while.

Except for my school days, I never thought I’d find light attire more comfortable than dresses.

Entering the secondary residence, I sat in the kitchen as Leon brewed tea for me, finally allowing me to feel at ease.

I remembered that from the very first time I met, Leon had served me tea.

""Good job.""

We both spoke at the same time, finding it amusing and letting out a chuckle.

"It’s finally over," Leon said, relaxing.

I deliberately reminded him, "It’s not the end, just the first step."

"You're tough, Angie. At least let me rest right after a job welldone."

Leon grumbled while making a second cup of tea.

"Well, it's only natural to feel nervous initially. With time, you'll acclimate and the fatigue will lessen. It merely requires practice."

"The road to retirement is long."

"But you did well. The guests won’t take you lightly now. You worked hard, Leon."

"Angie, you actually complimenting me? It’s bound to rain tomorrow."

Even Leon’s sarcastic remarks were pleasant to hear.

"Now, shall we eat?"

"I've barely had anything since noon. Just don’t overdo it, or we’ll have to adjust your formal wear again."

With that, I reheated the dishes we brought back and plated them.

Leon gave me a worried look midway. How rude—I can plate food just fine.

At the bottom of the basket was a bottle of wine, a high-quality one for the guests.

"Let’s open the wine, too."

I pulled the cork and poured the wine into glasses, giving it a gentle swirl. Soon, the rich aroma of the wine wafted through the air, tantalizing our senses. With the dishes artfully arranged on the table, everything was prepared.

"Cheers, then."

"Cheers."

The sound of glasses clinking echoed throughout the room.

"To the success of the event."

"To the prosperity of the Bartfault domain."

The sound of water from Leon washing the empty plates filled the room. The food we brought back had been surprisingly delicious, our hunger and sense of accomplishment enhancing its flavor. Leon, mindful not to get drunk, had only one drink, leaving the rest for me. If I closed my eyes now, I knew I'd drift off to sleep immediately. As I lay on the sofa, the rhythmic sound of water gradually lulled me into drowsiness.

In this sleepy haze, I heard Leon's voice.

"Hey, Angie."

"Yeah?"

"Thank you."

He thanked me for something.

"What's this all of a sudden?"

"It's a hassle if I don't say it now. I was able to come this far because you were with me. I'm really grateful."

Leon had a smile on his face.

"Hey, Angie, why did you get engaged to me?"

"It's rare for one's own will to be reflected in an arranged marriage."

"There must be a reason. You're the daughter of a duke. Someone like me, from a baron family, just doesn’t match up."

Leon’s eyes were serious as he said this.

"You want to know?"

"Yeah."

"It's not a pleasant story."

"I'm ready."

I would have usually refused to talk, but I might have been more drunk than I thought.

"Well, where should I start..."

And so, I confessed my sins to Leon.

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"You know that the Redgrave family is a pillar of the Holfault Kingdom. As a daughter born into that family, I was assigned the role of a political tool from the moment I was born. Who I married would greatly affect the balance of power at court you see."

"That's terrible."

For Leon, whose parents had a love marriage, this would be hard to accept, but that’s how noble marriages typically are.

"My arranged fiancé was Julius Rapha Holfault, the first prince of this country and first in line to the throne too."

"So, he’s the next king?"

"That's right. If nothing had happened, I would have become the next queen.

Keep your head up, Leon."

"Heh."

Leon pretended to bow deeply, which was amusing.

"Queen Mylene had high expectations for me. King Roland was not very enthusiastic about governance, so the queen managed state affairs. Despite that, the country ran smoothly. So, I came to believe, ‘This is the proper form of a married couple.’ Love between the king and queen wasn’t necessary; as long as they produced an heir and governed correctly, it was fine."

In hindsight, I should have realized the abnormality of their relationship. But as a child, being groomed to become the next queen, I couldn’t see it.

"Looking back, I didn't see Prince Julius as a person. Deep down, I probably thought of him as just one cog in the machinery necessary to maintain the country. And the prince wasn’t so foolish as to be unaware of my feelings."

Leon remained silent. Hearing about my previous fiancé must have been unpleasant for him.

"As time passed, the chasm between the prince and me widened, and I was too blind to see it. I naively believed that the future of this country hinged entirely upon my shoulders. My proficiency only exacerbated the issue, as no one dared to challenge or correct me."

Perhaps Queen Mylene had noticed. But back then, I never thought I was wrong—I believed the problem lay with the prince.

"The decisive moment came when we entered the academy. The prince fell in love with a certain female student. That girl is the current Saint."

"That's absurd. The prince is the one at fault," Leon said, his words comforting me. But this is my sin mine alone.

"Of course, I complained to the prince. I even warned the Saint to stay away from him. But the more I did, the worse the situation became. Anyone would be furious if the person they loved was harshly criticized. On top of that, other students at the academy started to side with the prince, isolating me further."

"I don't want to be anywhere near those people in the capital," Leon said, and I understood his feelings well. Removing those who stand in your way to take their place is a common survival tactic among nobles.

"And so, I was publicly abandoned. I thought then, 'I will never forgive those who insult me.' So, I groomed myself desperately to prove that I was the one truly fit to be the crown princess, and that the annulment was a mistake. Right after that, the war with the Principality of Fanoss broke out."

Hearing about the war made Leon grimace, as he had fought on the front lines during that time.

"Thanks to the academy closing during the emergency, I didn't have to worry about my reputation. No one had time to think about the duchess's daughter who had her engagement broken off during a war. To me, the war was a distant fire, observed from the safety of my family's mansion in the capital. And then, the war ended."

I needed to apologize to Leon for my arrogant schemes.

"Even after the war, no new proposals came my way. My high status as a duchess's daughter was too a problem, and my father likely turned down dubious matches. But most importantly, marrying me, who had been jilted by the prince, would ruin any chance of success in the capital. So, inevitably, the candidates were limited to provincial lords who were talented and would be useful to the ducal family. And that’s how you were chosen, Leon."

"........."

Leon said nothing. How could he? Of course he’d be angry to hear that the duchy saw him as a mere pawn.

"Leon, the truth is, it didn't matter to me who I married. I wanted to use my abilities to prosper wherever I went and eventually show up those who laughed at me in the capital. That's why I dragged you into the spotlight, calling you my business partner. I never considered your feelings."

Hot tears began to stream from my eyes, and it took a moment to realize they were tears. Once they started, I couldn't stop them, releasing the pain that gripped my heart. The day Leon saved me, I realized who I needed to apologize to.

"I’m sorry. I don't expect you to forgive me. I just wanted you to know that I was a terrible woman who used you."

After that, I couldn't say anything. Only my sobs echoed in the room. Something touched my head, and when I looked up, Leon was gently patting me.

"Angie, you're a kind and good woman. I guarantee it," he said softly.

"If you were really a bad person, you would have left me to die when we first met. You wouldn't have taken care of me, or wanted to live with me. You wouldn’t have tried to bring me into the spotlight or revealed your own flaws."

Why are you so kind, Leon? You have every right to be angry.

"You’re just tired and drunk, that's all," he said, lifting me and carrying me to my room.

The warmth I felt through my clothes was comforting. I wished this moment could last forever.

Leon reached my room, opened the door, and laid me on the bed.

"Get some sleep. We have work to do tomorrow."

As he turned to leave, he suddenly looked back.

"Good night, Angie."

Lying in bed, my drunken haze began to clear. I had exposed my deepest feelings to Leon. What should I do now? I wanted to hide my ugly side from him, to show him only my best. I wanted him to keep patting my head, to hold me close forever.

All I could think about was Leon. He had become my top priority.

My thoughts circled endlessly. This wasn’t like me. Eventually, I came to a realization—a simple yet profound truth that changed everything about me.

I, Angelica Rapha Redgrave, fallen in love you , Leon Fou Bartfault.

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Authors Note

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An Intimacy Boost Event Begins. Political marriages inevitably involve family calculations, making it hard to balance love and practicality. That’s why I included Ange's backstory.

The relationship between King Roland and Queen Mylene is unclear in the original game, so I wrote it based on how it might look to an outsider.

A foolish prince falling for another woman despite having a fiancée is a staple in villainess stories. After seeing how Leon and Marie saved Julius and his downfall in Marie's route, I wrote Julius as both a victim and a perpetrator.

Writing this story, I realize Leon here is drifting away from his original character. But I'm committed to writing this as "Angelica's Salvation Route." If only the original Leon had done this, the heroines wouldn’t have had so many conflicts. Please reflect on this, Master (in Ishida Akira's voice).

Raw- Link

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Translator Note

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Big announcements for this series, day after tomorrow it will change into a Daily Series . Well I as thinking about doing from tomorrow but friend called me at 2 am and now traveling to other country because some women in Instragram told him to do so( thank God it's a open border) so it will be a day after tomorrow (presuming the area we will stay have atleast 4G connectivity). As for why I trying to make it a daily series ! I want to  translate a new series I have my eye own so I want to know caught up with one of translation.

~~~End~~~