Yulia's POV:
The next day, Chester did not come to the funeral.
Of course, my brother didn’t come with me either.
Yesterday, I came to pay my respects as a royal family member, but today I came ad Cecil’s friend.
Cecil was alone sitting down in a crowded place.
I knew how lonely and sad it was to be alone when I lost someone precious. So I sat next to Cecil without saying a word.
Today, just like yesterday, Cecil’s eyes were red.
Instead of bringing up a conversation, I quietly hugged Cecil.
I waited until Cecil talked.
“Yulia.”
“Yes, it’s me. Have you calmed down now?”
“Thank you for coming…”
“I’m your friend after all.”
“…Yes, I’m relieved that you’re next to me.”
I could understand Cecil’s pain. I also know the pain of losing my precious mother.
And maybe Chester can understand more than me.
Chester lost both of his parents like Cecil.
That’s why Chester told the heroine that he could understand her sadness in the original story.
Perhaps she became the protagonist because she spread the love she received when her parents were all alive.
Maybe the female lead and male lead had a happy ending because the male lead filled the lack of affection.
“Of course, I have to be next to you, Cecil.”
I patted Cecil on the back.
I was a person who desperately wanted someone to be next to me when my mother passed away.
Because no one was next to me before, I couldn’t easily pass by her when I saw that.
And she made me remember my mother’s sudden death.
We’re somehow in a similar situation.
To be exact, when I saw the pitiful her, my body reacted by itself.
It was not the influence of my dreams, but the influence of my past.
“Yulia…”
“When you calm down, let’s go eat what you like.”
“…Yes!”
Cecil nodded, leaning her head against my shoulder.
It would be better to be next to Cecil like this.
Just having someone next to you will comfort you enough.
I wanted someone to be next to me before, but… I was alone.
Of course, not everyone is in the same situation as me, but I thought Cecil should have someone next to her.
I recalled once again that it was so hard to see someone sad.
My heart throbbed.
“Yulia… Let’s go out to get some air with me.”
“Yes.”
I’m glad. At least she’s willing to breathe the outside air.
I went outside with Cecil. The wind blew my hair.
I had no problem walking, and I grabbed Cecil, who was staggering because of her wobbly leg.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes, I’m fine.”
“Cecil, you can be honest with me.”
“It’s sad, but I have to overcome it.”
Cecil smiled. But why does her smile feel sad?
It was a good she knew she needs to overcome the sadness.
But it wasn’t as easy as I thought. And is there a need to pretend to be okay?
Oh… I wouldn’t have the right to say this.
Actually, I’m not okay at all, but I was pretending to be okay too before.
But I wanted to tell Cecil this.
“Cecil, you can cry if you want.”
That’s what I wanted someone to say to me. But no one say that to me before.
“…….. Yulia, I can only cry in front of you. You’re the only friend I love from the bottom of my heart. I can’t cry outside.”
Oh, Cecil is a noble.
“Since you’re the princess, the gaze of others is not important and it’s okay to act however you want, but… I’m a noble, so I have to be firm.”
“…I see.”
“If I show them my weak side, I will be eaten by the nobles. Especially since I have nowhere to go now.”
My mouth was filled with countless consolation, but I didn’t spit them out.
Cecil never shed a drop of tears even though she seemed like she could burst into tears at any moment.
“Yulia. The nobles are not as clean as you think, but rather they’re a mess.”
“…It’s not that I don’t know anything.”
Now that I think about it, the reason why the protagonist’s love shone in the original story was because of the love they achieved despite the oppositions.
Idrian and Cecil are in a different noble faction.
Therefore, they treated each other really well since they fight for it.
“Politics is a messy field. The only people who came to pay respect are from our faction, but other than them, are those who remain neutral… ”
“…Yes.”
I know. None of the nobles are really clean and each have their own motives. But now it would be right to just listen without speaking.
“There’s also a faction that’s at odds with us.”
“You must have had a hard time.”
“So the times I spent with Yulia were the times I could breathe the most.”
I could see why Cecil was the heroine.
If I was the male lead, I would have no choice but to fall for Cecil.
Cecil is a very strong person. Naturally, people can’t take their eyes off her.
“I’m glad I could be such a friend to you.”
“You’re probably the only one who considers me a real friend, Yulia.”
“You’re the only friend I have”.
If you ask me who I’m friends with, you’re the only name I can say.
It also meant that I trusted you, but if you think differently, it means that I have no friends other than you.
“Yulia. You’re the only one I treat with no pretense, with all my heart.”
“Me too… You’re the only one I can shows my true feelings!”
Cecil smiled lightly at me.
“Yulia, do you love the Duke of Siegbert?”
“…Huh?”
“You seem to love the duke so much.”
I was surprised by what Cecil said. What is her intention in saying this?
However, at the same time, it meant that her heart was sincere enough to notice my emotions.
“Cecil… Does it look like that to you?”
“Yeah. You didn’t feel it at all? Or he never told you that he loves you?”
“….I don’t know how I feel.”
“Why? He don’t seem to lack anything.”
Right. There wasn’t anything he’s lacking. He’s perfect.
There was nothing lacking. It was just because I was nervous.
And Cecil suddenly changed to this topic because she didn’t want to be sad anymore.
“…I’m just suspicious. We haven’t know each other for a long time and he suddenly asked me to marry him.”
“But isn’t it true that His Excellency loves you now? Then what’s the problem?”
“…Huh?”
“If it’s only that, just get married. Honestly, who else is as good as a husband than the duke?
“Oh… you think so too?”
“Yes. He’s perfect, he isn’t seem like someone who would cheat on you as well.”
As expected, relationship counseling job should be given to friends.
Certainly, my friend seemed to give me the right answer.
Cecil whispered in my ear so quietly that people around me wouldn’t hear it.
“Of course, if he isn’t good at night, that’s a reason why you do not need to get married.”
Surprised by what Cecil said, my face heated up. I hope no one notices my face.
“Um… Yulia… If you’ve already know about it, do you really need to think about it?”
Cecil smiled slyly. Ah, enough. I’m done.
Still, it was fortunate that Cecil seemed to have relieved her sadness.
“If you get married…well, if you don’t want to, just break up, and if he does well, get married. What’s the problem?
“…I’m the problem?”
“No way… is he bad?”
“That’s not it!”
He’s rather too good, even though he can be troublesome sometimes.
“Oh, Cecil. My dad and my brother don’t know this!”
“I know. They’re very conservative. If they knew, wouldn’t they not guaranteed his safety? Or you’re banned from going out?”
“… They might have done that. I don’t know… I thought they liked this marriage.”
“But… If they knew that, you would have been banned from going out even if you were engaged. Maybe you couldn’t see the duke.”
“Well, do you think so too?”
“They protect you too much.”
For me, Cecil was the only one who I could tell the truth.
Me and Cecil were in a sincere relationship.
“Cecil. Will there be someone I can trust as much as you?”
“You’ll have them eventually, Yulia. So don’t be too intimidated.”
“…Cecil. Should I get married?”
“If you don’t hate him, do it.”
I thought it would be good to be married.
“But… Is it okay if you marry my brother?”
“Yes. I’m fine. No, I rather like it.”
“You… Do you like my brother?”
“Yes, I liked him for a long time.”
It was shocking. Since when?
“There’s a saying that first love doesn’t come true… It’s good that it comes true this way."
“Totally… that’s so romantic!”
“Uh… hmm… Is that so?
“Actually, I don’t want to do a political marriage, but I’m satisfied because it’s a political marriage with someone I like.”
While walking with Cecil, Idrian appeared in front of us.
“Hello, Your Highness and Lady Chloe.”
“Hello, Lord Blair.”
“Hello, Lord Blair.”
I didn’t know we’d meet here. When I peeked at Cecil, she also looked like she was confused.
“If you don’t mind, can I have some of Your Highness’ time?”
“Me?”
Of course, I thought Cecil had a lot of things to do so I tried to leave, but I was surprised when he suddenly called me.
Cecil was already moving away after a small greeting.
“It’s about Your Highness’s fiance.”
“….About Chester?”
He nodded his head.
“I don’t know if Your Highness knows… but Chester is looking for a girl he met a long time ago.”
“I know.”
And I even knew that the girl was Cecil.
However, Chester himself affirmed that the girl was not Cecil, but it was clear to me that he did not recognize her.
“………You knew it.”
“I can’t get married without knowing that much.”
“The girl had a lot of influence on Chester. Do you know that?”
I guess so. She was a person who influenced him a lot in the original story.
I could understand. And isn’t that in the past?
The present is important, not the past.
For the current Chester, he loves me.
So when I said I would go because I had nothing to say, shocking words poured out from his mouth.
“Your Highness, Chester said that the girl he was looking for had clear blue eyes and brilliant blonde hair.”
Wait… blue eyes? Then, it’s not Cecil. What’s going on?