Release of Love
Floria’s Side
After purchasing flowers, Floria returned to the mansion of House Florence, arranged them in the garden with her own hands, and then decided to enjoy some tea while gazing at the newly added blossoms.
At the same time, she began to think.
“Since we have both declared our intent to become engaged to Lux-sama right in front of him, from here on it will be the Third Princess and me contending over Lux-sama more seriously than ever before…”
Floria took a sip of tea, then set the teacup down on the table with a slow motion.
“What is important in this matter is how freely I can be involved with Lux-sama as I wish, while at the same time preventing the Third Princess from doing as she pleases, but…”
In that regard, Floria was at a slight disadvantage.
This was because Felisiana, in her role as Siana, the maid of the Rodwell family, could freely approach Lux whenever he was in the mansion.
“Now that the starting signal has been given, considering the Third Princess’s personality, it would not be surprising if she were to take action immediately…”
At the very least, she needed a way to keep Felisiana from acting freely, even if only for a short while.
After considering this… Floria arrived at a single answer.
“If I do this, it will not only keep the Third Princess from having her way, but it may also greatly help me in approaching Lux-sama… I do not know if Lux-sama will accept it, but I shall propose it once the holiday is over.”
With a faint lift of her lips, Floria murmured this and then took another sip of tea.
And as she savored the flavor, she looked forward to the realization of her plan, not merely as a way to restrain Felisiana, but also with pure anticipation from her own heart.
Elizalina’s Side
…The next day.
After finishing work in the city during the morning and returning to the royal castle at midday, Elizalina’s heart was unsettled.
The reason was that today, while speaking with a noble in the course of her work, she had heard a rumor that Felisiana had been walking through town with a man the day before.
“Felisiana walking in town with a man… if that story is true, then that man must be Lux. But I never thought she would go so far as to take such a bold action as Felisiana, not as Siana.”
For the most part, everything fell within Elizalina’s expectations. But when it came to matters concerning Lux, and to Felisiana’s sudden, unpredictable actions that could even be described as reckless, she could not foresee them.
As Elizalina was thinking this while walking down the corridor of the royal castle, Felisiana appeared at that very moment, coming toward her from the opposite direction.
“Ah! Felisiana! Perfect timing, there is something I want to ask you. Is the rumor true that you were walking in town with a man yesterday?”
When Elizalina asked and stopped walking, Felisiana also stopped, faced her, and answered.
“Yes, it’s true.”
“And that partner, was it Lux after all?”
“Of course. Do you think I would ever walk in town with any man other than Lux-kun, Elizalina-neesama?”
Since Elizalina had already known from the moment she heard the story that the man must have been Lux, she was not surprised by that fact… but.
“Even for you, Felisiana, don’t you think this time you went a bit too far? You have not yet obtained Father’s permission to become engaged to Lux, and you have not even proposed to him, and yet you openly walked through town together. If the rumor were to spread in an exaggerated way, it could cause trouble for you…”
“Putting aside Father’s permission, I have already proposed to Lux-kun.”
“…Eh?”
For once, Elizalina was honestly surprised, but Felisiana continued without the slightest concern.
“Until now, there has been no right timing to begin making conspicuous moves. But from here on, I intend to take direct action to be united with Lux-kun. I have preparations to make for that, so I shall excuse myself now.”
With only those words, Felisiana passed by Elizalina and walked straight down the corridor.
“I see, so she has already gone as far as proposing…”
Since Felisiana had met Lux first and had fallen in love with him first, it was only natural that her relationship with him would progress faster than Elizalina’s.
However…
“But I love Lux far more than she does. Something like that is just…”
Believing her own feelings for Lux to be stronger, Elizalina could not accept the situation for such reasons.
“Lux… I love you, I love you, I love you…!”
Blushing as she thought of Lux and voiced her love aloud, Elizalina then continued with a calm expression.
“Fine. If Felisiana says she will no longer hold back her feelings for Lux, then… I will not hold back mine either.”
Faced with the unexpected revelation that Felisiana had already proposed to Lux, and seeing that her aura had changed somewhat, Elizalina resolved to no longer suppress her overflowing love for Lux but to release it, and once again began walking through the corridor of the royal castle.
Wait for me, Lux… I will shower you with love and make you happy.