119 - Pieces of the Broken Glass Slipper
Shattered Glass Slipper Shards Episode 119
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While I was hugging Sir Halberd, my biggest worry was what would happen if someone saw us. Fortunately, no one passed through the hallway until dawn, and only a quiet silence filled the air.
It was around the time when the day began to slowly brighten that he, who had been lying still as if dead and quietly asleep, began to move.
It was like standing in the cold winter weather without a heater, fully exposed to the chilly wind, but strangely, I didn't feel cold. My face was already frozen and stiff, but I could keep looking down at him without even a sniffle. It was as if I were admiring a masterpiece.
And when Sir Halberd briefly moved and released his hand from my waist, I quietly whispered and moved away from him.
"Please don't remember, Sir Halberd. Or, even if you do, think of it as a dream."
It's time to wake up from this sweet yet sad dream. It's time to say goodbye to this amazing experience that will never come again. Just like always.
What's fortunate is that I'm used to suppressing my emotions without getting carried away by these experiences. Or, should I say I've learned to give up? That's why I can get up so easily like this.
Above all, if my prediction is correct, it won't be long before the maids come out into the hallway. No, normally they should have come out sooner. It's just that morning comes late in winter, but originally, they weren't this late.
But today is Founding Day, so it seems they're turning a blind eye to sleeping in. It was very fortunate for us.
Anyway, it won't be difficult for them to find Sir Halberd sleeping in the hallway. Being together would be a perfect situation to get caught up in gossip. That's why it was better to disappear quickly. Even if I had to put aside my sentimental feelings.
However, one issue that needs to be addressed is that Sir Halberd is sleeping in front of my room, and this is something that must be covered up for the sake of both his and my honor.
So, I quietly went into Marie's room and shook her awake. These days, Marie is staying in the adjoining room attached to my room to avoid Margo's tyranny, so it wasn't difficult to wake her up without attracting the attention of others.
"Marie, Marie?"
"Ugh? Miss?"
Marie rubs her sleepy eyes and barely gets up. She seemed quite surprised that I was still wearing my dress.
"Miss, why are you still dressed like that? Did you just get back now? Shall I help you change?"
"Rather than that, go out into the hallway. Sir Halberd is lying down and sleeping in the hallway. Go and wake him up quietly. Understand? Don't tell anyone else."
"Huh? What did you just say? Sir Halberd?"
As soon as Marie heard the words Sir Halberd, she seemed to wake up completely and practically rolled out of bed. And while putting on a small shawl, she asked me.
"Oh my goodness, Sir Halberd sleeping in the hallway. Is that true? No, more than that, how did you know that, Miss? Ah, never mind. I'll go and wake him up quickly."
"Come back and help me change."
"Yes."
Marie left the room with a spirited answer. I watched her and let out a soft sigh.
Then, I went into my room and first removed the Floral Crown I was wearing on my head. I thought that if I put it in the Capsa, no one would know, so I did that.
Before long, Marie comes into the room. She returned so quickly from waking up Sir Halberd that I was quite bewildered.
She approached me and opened her mouth as if something was strange.
"Miss, I went out to the hallway, but Sir Halberd wasn't there?"
"What? Is that really true?"
"Yes. It's true. Why would I lie?"
Then did someone else take him away while I was waking up Marie? Should I have woken him up myself? My head was spinning with complicated feelings.
I was worried about what would happen if someone spread this rumor. What if Sir Halberd's noble name is tarnished? I was truly in a troubled mood.
It was fortunate that most of the maids, except for Margo's, were swayed by Marie. This meant that I could prevent them from openly spreading rumors to some extent. So, I should subtly find out if any rumors have spread tonight.
"Anyway, Miss, what are you going to do if you sleep now? Your skin will be ruined. Should I give you a massage later?"
Marie says grumbling as she takes off my clothes. Her face seems to be more concerned about my face than dissatisfied with not getting enough sleep. Considering the attitude she had shown in the past, it was a very pleasing change.
So, instead of scolding her complaints, I decided to ask her about the outing with the Crown Prince.
"More than that, Marie."
"Yes, Miss. Please speak."
"Do you remember the clothes I wore when I first came to this mansion?"
"Ah, those clothes? Yes, I remember."
"What did you do with them? Do you still have them?"
"No, I threw them away. They were unnecessary clothes. But why are you asking? Miss, could it be?"
"Yes, I have something to do that requires me to go out for a while wearing those clothes."
Marie asks listlessly with a gloomy attitude.
"You're not going out with us, are you? Is it another noble young lady?"
"Yes. So, can you get me an outfit that fits me?"
"It's not difficult."
She answers quickly. If it were another noble young lady, she would have to think about a design that suits his aesthetic sense, so she would have seriously considered it, but since I used to wear any clothes before coming to the mansion, she is responding quickly. It's because she knows that I don't care about the design or material.
"Until when should I get it for you?"
"Before lunchtime. Can you do that?"
"Wait, are you going out then?"
"Yes. So, please make up a good excuse."
"Yes. Don't worry. But shouldn't I go with you? You know very well that it's dangerous outside, Miss."
Well, with the Crown Prince's secret guards watching over him and me like hawks, how could anything dangerous happen? I gently stroked Marie's cheek, who was looking at me with a worried face, and said in a whisper.
"They said they're bringing a knight, so don't worry. Anyway, it's before lunchtime. And wake me up before then."
"Yes. Please sleep quickly. You're going to collapse like this."
Marie makes a fuss and quickly removes my makeup. The inside of the blanket was filled with a warm temperature, as if she had put a hot-water bottle in the bed all night in preparation for my return.
Marie said she would heat up the water again, worried that the water in the hot-water bottle would cool down.
"Good night, Miss."
"Yes."
My body, which had been frozen all night, began to soften gently as it entered the blanket. I put my head on the pillow and quietly closed my eyes. As if waiting for it, drowsiness rushed in and my mind became hazy. I fell into a deep sleep without even dreaming.
I was glad that I could forget about Sir Halberd at this moment.
Before long, Marie shakes me awake. It feels like I haven't slept much, but it's already midday. I forced my eyes open and got up. As I rubbed my eyes and yawned, I felt my body drooping. I felt a little lethargic and like I was getting a fever.
"Marie, can I have a glass of water?"
Marie listens to my words and hands me the water she had prepared in advance. The cold water went down my throat and I felt a little more awake.
"Miss, you look so tired, can you go out?"
"It's a promise, so I can't help it. By the way, what about the clothes I asked for?"
"Here you go."
Marie shows me the prepared clothes. It was more luxurious than the clothes I used to wear, but there was a skirt, coat, stockings, and shoes that looked very poor in quality from the perspective of a noble, all prepared without any gaps.
"How is it?"
"Not bad. You prepared well."
"Thank you, Miss. Um, and I prepared soup, would you like to eat it?"
"No, bring me some washing water. I need to do my hair too."
Marie answers that she understands and leaves the room. While she is bringing the washing water, I take off my pajamas and change into the clothes she brought. Since they were familiar clothes, it wasn't difficult to change by myself.
Afterwards, I washed my face with the washing water that Marie brought and tied my hair into a single braid. Marie cleverly used the hair tie she used to use to tie my hair.
"But how are you planning to sneak out?"
"You have to help me."
"Yes?"
"You just have to take me to the front gate. Make up an excuse that you were running an errand. Oh, and if Mother looks for me, tell her that I told you not to wake me up until I get up and that I was being irritable."
"Yes. I'll do that."
Marie had an uneasy expression, but I wasn't worried at all because no one would be paying attention to me now that they were busy with Founding Day.
As expected, my prediction was perfectly correct, and I was able to safely leave the front gate without any restrictions in the middle.
"Miss, please be careful."
"Yes."
A moment later, the door closes, and I glance around before moving towards the back of the mansion. I thought that they wouldn't do something foolish like bringing me to the front gate, and that the back, where I could avoid attention by climbing over the wall, was the perfect place, so I was walking in that direction.
And before long, I discovered a suspicious shadow trying to climb over the wall.
"Your Highness?"
It paused at my voice, then lifted the hat it was wearing and smiled. The beauty that could not be hidden even by the shabby clothes shone brilliantly even in the shadows.
"I didn't expect you to come out and wait like this? I'm glad I saved myself the trouble of picking you up."
"A promise is a promise. So, where are you planning to go?"
"To the city center. Where the festival is in full swing. I have to go because the Witch is giving a prediction today. It seems like it will be fun."
"I didn't know you were interested in such things. I should tell the socialite ladies that they need to play the role of a prophet to attract Your Highness's attention."
"Tell them that if they summon a demon there, they will fall in love too."
"I will."
The Crown Prince, who nonchalantly accepted my words, slowly began to move. I walked next to him. But the speed of walking was slower than I thought. I wondered why and looked closely, and I could see that he was adjusting his speed to match my pace.
Even though he's a playboy, he seems to have manners when it comes to treating women. If he continues to treat me like this, today will be okay.
"First of all, Your Highness. I can't keep calling you Your Highness like this. So, I'll have to call Your Highness by your name, which is rude. But that can also be overheard by someone, so can I call you by your name as I please?"
"It doesn't matter. I'm going to call you by your name too."
"Yes. And if a necessary situation arises, can I drop the honorifics?"
Actually, I didn't need to go this far, but I was curious to see how far he would give up his authority. If a sudden situation arises, I need to gauge in advance how flexibly I can respond.
The Crown Prince smiled at my words, as if they were funny, and answered 'Okay'. His face, which was slightly visible under his hat, was full of interest. He had an expression that he was quite looking forward to seeing how I would act.
"Okay, Didi."
But at the words that followed, the Crown Prince's face crumpled like paper in an instant. He asked back 'What?' as if he couldn't believe it, and I answered in a nonchalant voice 'Why, Didi?'. As if there was nothing wrong, very naturally.
