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Arthur was always going at his own pace. Candice
wiped his mouth, which was sticky with cake cream.
「Arthur, you have cream on your mouth, you
know?」
「Candice-oneesama, thank you very much! It
is very delicious.」
「Fufu, I'm glad.」
「Candice, how about this? It seems like
something you would like, though.」
「Oh my……! It is a very lovely cake.
Thank you very much, Luca-oniisama.」
「Y-Yeah!」
While
the three of them were harmoniously chatting and having tea, Hugo called
out, 「It is almost time.」 Valentin directed his gaze this way just
once and let out a sigh, then left the room looking displeased just like that.
（C-Could that possibly be a sigh of
disappointment because he couldn't execute us!?）
While
having another massive misunderstanding, Candice watched Valentin's
back as he left. As Candice held her head, looking like she was about to
cry, Luca called out to her. Looking at Candice as if finding her
behavior strange, Luca opened his mouth.
「Candice, what's wrong? You suddenly got depressed.」
「…………I just felt a bracing sense of
tension.」
「I don't really understand, but are
you alright?」
Candice nodded while trembling faintly.
「I'll go to the White Palace
tomorrow.」
「Eh……?」
「Haha-ue probably won't come to pick
me up in the morning, so there's no need to go to the church to pray, and I
want to teach Arthur letters.」
「Really? Luca-oniisama, thank
you very much!」
「It's fine, Arthur.」
Saying
so, Luca patted Arthur's head. Feeling as if Arthur had
been taken from her, the moment she tried to interfere, for some reason, even Candice
had her head patted.
「Luca-oniisama, please do not treat me
like a child!」
「You're still a child too, right, Candice?
Besides, you're younger than me.」
「~~That is incorrect! Because my
insides are that of a splendid lady.」
「If it's you, Candice, you can
become one right away.」
Luca patted Candice's head gently
and smiled as if relieved. She was completely being treated like a child by Luca.
However, because Candice possessed the memories of living until she was
sixteen, she had complicated feelings about it.
She
stood up while rubbing her full stomach after eating a lot of cake. Luca
returned to the Blue Palace together with his guards. Candice
also walked down the long, long corridor leading Rose, Eva, and Jeanne
while holding hands with Arthur.
（I wonder if I passed this time…… but
I don't know what will happen next.）
As
Candice was recalling Valentin's cold eyes, Arthur tugged
on the hem of Candice's dress. When she directed her gaze at him, he was
looking this way with a worried expression.
「Arthur, what's wrong?」
「I'm sorry.」
「……Arthur?」
「If I had just been more reliable…… I
could have protected Candice-oneesama.」
Was
Arthur remembering the exchange with Maria? He said 「I'm sorry」 one more time. After hugging Arthur,
Candice replied.
「You are not at fault, Arthur.
You just being by my side is enough.」
「By your side?」
「Yes.」
「I will stay by your side, Candice-oneesama.
Forever, and ever……!」
「Thank you, Arthur.」
Candice was always saved by Arthur's
smile.
（I can no longer lie to myself. I
care deeply for Arthur.）
She
thought so anew while watching Arthur leave holding hands with Jeanne.
A turbulent day had ended, and Candice was thinking about her relationship with Valentin in her own room.