Intensifying
Floria’s Side
“…Third Princess.”
Floria, who until now had only kept Lux in her sight, was shocked to suddenly see Felisiana before her. She was not Siana, the maid of the Rodwell family, but unmistakably the Third Princess Felisiana, standing there with Lux.
Then, she opened her mouth and spoke.
“I am a little surprised to see you, Lux-sama, together with the Third Princess on a day off… Were you doing something today?”
“Yes, today Lux-kun and I went to a restaurant with a lovely view and had a meal together.”
Floria could not say she felt nothing upon hearing that Felisiana had dined alone with Lux, but for now, what she most wanted to know was why Lux and Felisiana were in town together. So she chose not to react to it and instead said,
“I see… That does sound like a very pleasant way to spend your time, but for the Third Princess to be walking through town with a man, would that not make you stand out quite a bit?”
“Even if we do stand out, it is not a problem… I have already told Lux-kun that I wish to be engaged to him.”
The Third Princess has spoken to Lux-sama about engagement…?
“That is why now, no matter what kind of rumors others may spread about Lux-kun and me, it does not concern me.”
Until now, because of her relationship with Lux, Felisiana had not been able to bring up the subject of engagement as herself. If rumors had spread about her being in town with Lux, it would have been troublesome for Lux, and it would also have troubled Felisiana, since the timing would not have been right.
But if Felisiana had already spoken to Lux about engagement, then that changed the matter… however.
“Lux-sama, is what she just said true?”
Since Floria could not simply take Felisiana’s words at face value, she asked Lux, and Lux nodded and said,
“Yes, it’s true… When Felisiana-sama spoke to me about engagement, I thought that perhaps I should tell you as well, Florence-san, but I kept thinking maybe I should give my answer first before reporting it, and in the end I never told you… I’m sorry.”
Floria only wanted to confirm the truth of what had just been said. She had no intention of blaming Lux for not telling her sooner, so she immediately smiled and said,
“No, if that is the case, then it is fine, so please do not worry about it… In that case, let me also state my own intentions clearly to the Third Princess.”
Saying that, Floria turned to face Felisiana, placed her hand to her chest, and declared firmly,
“I, Floria Florence of the Duke Florence House, have already expressed my wish to be engaged to Lux Rodwell of the Count Rodwell House… From here on as well, I ask for your regard.”
Although she had spoken of this several times already to Felisiana as Siana, she had never yet declared it clearly to Felisiana as the Third Princess. So when Floria said this anew, Felisiana answered with strong words.
“I, Felisiana, the Third Princess, have also expressed my wish to be engaged to Lux Rodwell of the Count Rodwell House… So the same goes for me, I look forward to it.”
After both of them declared their wish to be engaged to Lux, they looked straight into each other’s eyes.
I will not hand Lux-sama over to the Third Princess… The one who will be united with him is me.
Felisiana sent Floria a gaze filled with the same determination… however.
“Um, both of you, well…”
Seeing Lux’s confusion over what to do in the midst of this atmosphere, Floria and Felisiana quickly reassured him with words meant to ease him, as though nothing was wrong. After that, the three of them spent some time together looking at the flowers.
…With Floria and Felisiana having now declared to each other their intent to be engaged to Lux, their rivalry over him was about to intensify even further.