Chapter 10: I Will Continue to Live Gently in the Royal Capital

My everyday life returned.
No, it returned slightly “upgraded” from before.

“…Is your condition truly all right now?”

“Yes.
Thanks to you, I am completely recovered.”

The usual sofa.
The usual two o’clock in the afternoon.

Claude-sama was drinking tea with a healthier complexion than before.
The dark circles under his eyes were completely gone, and his skin had a healthy glow.
It seemed my “apple therapy” and “forced sleep” had worked.

“That is good to hear.
…However, packing your schedule with official duties right after recovering is not commendable.”

I pointed at the stack of documents on his lap.

He gave a wry smile and moved the papers aside.

“These are not official duties.
…They are for my ‘personal business.’”

“Personal business?”

“Yes.
There is something I wish to give you.”

He took a small velvet box from his pocket.
The lid opened with a soft click.

Inside, a deep blue gemstone the same color as my eyes shimmered.
It was simple, but its brilliance was clearly worth buying an entire house.

I blinked.
I set my teacup down.

This was that moment.
One of those turning points in life.

“Eliana Bernstein.”

He stood up from the sofa and knelt on one knee before me.
Like a knight from a story.
No, he was an actual prince.

“Please marry me.”

The words were direct.
There was no embellishment and no roundabout metaphor.

“I love you.
Without you, I feel suffocated.
…I want to live at your side.”

His eyes were utterly serious and burning with emotion.
They were the same eyes as when he grasped my hand while burning with fever.
No, this time, his will felt even firmer.

Normally, this would be the moment to shed tears and say, “Yes, with pleasure.”
However, I am Eliana.
A former corporate slave and a current firm believer in leaving work on time.
I will not sign a life contract based on emotion alone.

I took one deep breath.
Then I looked straight back at him.

“…I have conditions.”

“Conditions?”

Claude-sama looked confused.

I raised three fingers.
This was a labor-management negotiation with my entire life on the line.

“First.
I will take on the position of ‘Princess Consort,’ but I will not work overtime under any circumstances.
My official duties will be from ten in the morning to five in the evening.
After that, I will not attend any banquets or tea parties whatsoever.”

Claude-sama’s eyes widened, then he smiled softly.

“…Very well.
Use the evenings to spend time with me.”

“Second.
Weekends are completely off.
I request exemption from both official duties and royal ceremonies.
I live for sleeping in and eating Mina’s bread.”

“Understood.
If I am allowed to sleep with you, I will gladly comply.”

“Third.
This is the most important one.”

I leaned forward.

“Please do not place lofty expectations on me like ‘improving the nation’ or ‘for the sake of the people.’
I act only for my own comfort.
If the nation improves as a result, that is merely incidental.”

I refuse to be worshipped like a saint.
I am already tired of being called a “sage.”
I want to be nothing more than a lazy woman.

Claude-sama stared at me for a while.
Then he burst out laughing as if he could no longer hold it in.

“Kuh… hahaha!
Ah, this is wonderful.”

He laughed until his shoulders shook.

“You truly never waver.
…That is exactly why I chose you.”

He took my hand and slid the ring onto my ring finger.
The size fit perfectly.

“I accept all of your conditions.
Just sit beside me and smile.
…I will take care of all the troublesome work.”

“You said it.
You cannot take that back.”

“Yes.
I swear it on my royal name.
…My beloved goddess of laziness.”

He kissed the back of my hand.
The warmth of his lips made my cheeks burn.
My heart was racing.

“…Please take care of me, my husband.”

I murmured softly.
It was frustrating, but I was happy.
Because I felt that even a busy royal palace life would not be so bad with him.

After that, there was some “cleanup work.”

First was the matter of my former fiancé, Crown Prince Kyle.
He narrowly avoided losing his status, but all of his decision-making authority in official duties was frozen for the time being.
He was also required to start over from the elementary division of the Royal Academy to relearn the “qualities of a king.”

“Why must I sit at a desk with ten-year-old children…!”

He apparently lamented like that, but it was his own doing.
It was also rumored that Lady Marielle was studying alongside him, and that her grades were surprisingly better than his.
In any case, it no longer had anything to do with me.

Then came the announcement of my engagement to Claude-sama.
The palace was thrown into an uproar, but once my “leaving work on time declaration” became widely known, it was received unexpectedly well.

‘If Prince Claude chose her, there must be profound reasoning behind it.’

‘Her stance of not overworking is a symbol of a new era.’

…I feel like I am still being overestimated.
But since no one tried to dump work on me anymore, all’s well that ends well.

And then, a few months later.

Spring had arrived.
Cherry-blossom-colored petals drifted in through the window of the Second Library.

“…Mm…”

I woke up in a pleasant doze.
Against my back, I felt warmth rather than a soft cushion.

“Are you awake?”

A gentle voice came from above.
When I looked up, Claude-sama was stroking my head while reading a book.
Yes, I was currently napping with my head on the lap of the man who had become my husband.

“…What time is it now?”

“It is two o’clock.
You may keep sleeping.”

“…All right.”

I closed my eyes again.
The sensation of his fingers combing through my hair was soothing.

This room was as quiet as ever.
Students and scholars visited occasionally, but they bowed at the entrance, searched for books in silence, and left without a sound.
This place had been unilaterally sanctified as “Sage Eliana’s sanctuary.”
Thanks to that, my peace was preserved.

“…Hey, Claude.”

“Hm?”

“I am very happy right now.”

The words slipped out naturally.
Me, who had died from overwork in my previous life.
Me, who ran away from home while pretending to despair after having my engagement broken.

Many things happened.
In the end, however, I did not “rise to the top,” but simply protected my comfortable place.
This was the result.

In the arms of the one I love.
A quiet afternoon.
The scent of delicious tea.

Perhaps the glory earned through effort is wonderful.
But a way of life that cherishes attainable happiness without overexertion is not so bad either.

“…I am too.”

Claude-sama set the book aside and embraced me.
I entrusted myself to the strength of his arms.

“Thanks to you, I can breathe as well.
…I love you, Eliana.”

“I love you too.
…But my leg is going numb, so may I get up soon?”

“…That is so like you.”

He laughed and kissed my forehead.

Outside the window, little birds were chirping.
No one knows what tomorrow will bring.
Documents may go missing again, or Prince Kyle may cause trouble.

But it is fine.
I have “quitting time.”
And beside me is the strongest partner who will slack off together with me.

I stretched widely and smiled at him.

“Well then, shall we have tea.
Mina has a new tart today.”

“That sounds delightful.
…We will split it, right?”

“Yes.
We will split it.”

Happiness, delicious food, and hardships alike.
From now on, everything will be shared.

I will continue to live gently and true to myself in this royal capital.