Chapter 45: Royal Palace Envoy — Part 1
“Earlier, you said your kiss with Brian-sama was your first kiss… does that mean your first kiss in this second life?”
“No, I mean both my first and second life.”
“Why?!”
“Well, even if you ask why… I’ve never done it before, so it’s my first. But what happened yesterday might not even count as a kiss. It’d be more accurate to call it an accident.”
After all, Brian-sama doesn’t remember it at all.
“I had thought you lived as husband and wife with Jason-sama in your first life… was that not the case?”
“We did live as husband and wife. But I quickly fell ill and ended up spending my days going between sleeping and waking.”
“Did you sleep in the same bed?”
“Yes. But afterward, it seems he would slip out and go to Mary’s place. I saw that in a dream.”
Bell fell silent, thinking about something.
“Milady, from whom—and how—were you taught about married life?”
“My mother told me that at night, sometimes we would sleep in the same bed, and that what happens then should be left to the husband.”
Bell fell silent again, thinking deeply.
I started to feel uneasy.
“What is it? Am I mistaken about something? If so, please tell me.”
“Was your wedding night… unpleasant?”
What an embarrassing question.
I felt my face heat up.
When I glanced at Bell, she was staring at me with a completely serious expression.
“Well, of course I was nervous. It was my first time sleeping with a man. I was so anxious that I ended up trembling. Since I was so tense, Jason-sama was considerate and slept a little distance away from me.”
“Was trembling all that happened? Didn’t your body hurt or anything?”
“I tensed up awkwardly from nervousness, so my shoulders got stiff, but I felt fine when I woke up.”
“Ah… so that’s how it was…”
Saying that, Bell sank down to the floor on the spot.
I panicked.
“Bell, are you alright? What’s wrong?”
Bell grabbed the edge of the table and slowly stood up, then returned to the adjoining room.
A little while later, the two of them came out, both wearing strange expressions.
I quietly approached Bell and asked,
“What is it?”
Bell said nothing.
Brian-sama, still wearing an odd expression, said, “Well then, I’ll return to my duties,” and left the room.
When I asked Bell to explain, she replied, “I will properly explain that matter another time,” and began repairing the letter.
Chuck’s bite marks were shallow and minor.
The repair was completed surprisingly quickly, and Bell brought the letter back to me.
“It has been restored neatly. I believe this will suffice.”
The letter she handed me looked just like before, with no visible bite marks.
I felt relieved.
“Could you deliver this to Brian-sama?”
“Yes, certainly. Shall I convey any message or deliver anything else?”
“No, there’s nothing.”
When I said that, Bell asked,
“When Brian-sama kissed you, did you dislike it?”
“Huh? What? It happened so quickly, I couldn’t tell.”
“Even if it’s just a moment, if you truly dislike someone, your body will reject them. Since that didn’t happen, you likely don’t dislike him.”
Bell smiled gently.
Seeing that expression, I suddenly felt like asking something.
“If you were to have a proper kiss… how would it feel?”
“Well, I’ve heard that it makes your heart race and fills you with happiness.”
“Really? Then that definitely wasn’t a kiss. I was just startled.”
Bell let out a soft laugh.
“To be honest, I’ve never kissed anyone either. So I don’t really know what it feels like.”
For some reason, that reassured me.
If even Bell didn’t know, then it wasn’t strange that I didn’t either.
Seeing my relief, Bell hurriedly added,
“But you must never discuss this with a man. Understood? At the very most, if there is anyone you may ask about such matters, it would only be Brian-sama. Please remember that.”
“I understand. I promise.”
I had a strong feeling that this was something truly serious.
Bell looked at me suspiciously for a moment, then left the room with the letter in hand.
For the next three days, I spent my time feeling somewhat unsettled.
Whenever I thought about visiting Belsia, my mood sank, and I worried about how I should explain everything to my father and mother when I returned home.
And the matter of the kiss lingered in the corner of my mind.
On the fourth day, I set out for home as an official envoy.
Eight knights from the Royal Guard accompanied me as escorts, surrounding the carriage at the front and back.
And inside the carriage was Vice Captain Brian-sama.
Today, as a deputy envoy, he wore a frock coat instead of his knight’s uniform.
When formally dressed, his refined elegance stood out even more.
I finally understood what my brother meant when he said he was the pride of the nation and the object of admiration for noble ladies.
And because of that, I felt intimidated and fell silent.
As a result, our conversation hadn’t been flowing very well for a while now.
After all, today, Chuck—who usually helped ease the atmosphere—was not with us.
“Lady Maria, are you nervous? You seem rather subdued. I am here with you, so I hope you will rely on me.”
His sincere expression was so beautiful it made my heart skip a beat.
The power of a handsome face in seriousness was truly something.
Of course, I was worried about how my father would receive this matter.
But more than that, seeing Brian-sama again in his official capacity after so long… was dazzling.
My feelings were unsettled, and I couldn’t speak normally.
“Yes…”
I managed to answer that much, still looking down.
My brother, seated beside me, observed my state and let out a low murmur.
“Vice Captain. You’ve certainly dressed up with great care today. Even from my perspective, you’re dazzling.”
“Well, I am an envoy. But before Lady Maria, I pale in comparison.”
Brian-sama gave me a shy smile.
With that appearance, and then that expression… please stop.
“Bell, how is my attire today? Do I pass?”
Recently, those two seemed to have grown a bit closer.
The distance between them felt somewhat reduced.
“From your clothing to your accessories, your selection is impeccable. However, the only slight flaw is that it is too perfect.”
My brother interjected.
“What do you mean?”
“If there is no sense of openness, it makes you difficult to approach. It is ideal for intimidation, but… it depends on what your objective is.”
Brian-sama’s cheek twitched slightly.
“What should I do?”
“Loosen your hair a little, and lower your tie pin slightly—fasten it more casually.”
He ran his fingers through his hair to loosen it slightly, then lowered the tie pin and softened the tie.
His overall impression changed into something gentler.
It was such a small adjustment, yet incredibly effective.
As expected of Bell.
One reason I’ve been able to live comfortably at the palace is Bell’s presence.
Her sense of style has gradually gained recognition, and more people have begun seeking her advice.
For example, which hairstyle suits a dress, or which necklace shape is best.
With Chuck at my side and a maid with exceptional fashion sense, I had ended up occupying a rather unique position.