Touko Amekawa

“Oliver, ready my coach. Wait, no. That will take too much time. Bring me a horse.”

“At once, Your Highness. Might I ask why?”

Arnold didn’t respond—he just grinned like a hungry wolf catching scent of his prey.

She looked down at Arnold again. “Your wife?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“You want me to become your wife?”

“Yes.”

I’m sorry, Your Highness.” Rishe reached out to him, took his face in her hands, and peered deeply into his eyes. She knew it was rude to touch him like this, but she couldn’t stop herself. “I don’t know the emperor. To me, these are not your father’s eyes; they’re your eyes. They may be hateful to you, but I’ll say it as many times as I must.” She looked into that frozen sea and smiled. “I think you have the most beautiful eyes in the world.”

“Do you think normal people can solve your riddles?”

“Rishe, normal people don’t blow up strange chemicals in the skies above their in-laws’ house.”

The moment she landed, Arnold caught her protectively. There was a loud clatter, most likely the sound of Arnold’s sword falling to the floor. He’d thrown it aside to catch her. She thought her heart would stop.

Arnold was astoundingly open-minded when it came to Rishe. He never got fed up or scolded her, never tried to persuade her to act the part of the crown princess. Instead, he watched her as if it brought him joy to do so.

Rishe could almost see stardust in the prince’s blue eyes. His azure irises, so like the sea, fixed her in place and stole her heart even more than the wondrous glint of the fireflies. She found herself muttering, “You really do have beautiful eyes…”

Arnold laced his tone with cruelty. “Don’t make me get rid of you.”

Arnold laced his tone with cruelty. “Don’t make me get rid of you.”

Ever since Rishe told Arnold he could touch her directly a few days ago, he’d developed a habit of stroking her hair. He tended to touch her just next to her ear, which tickled and made her feel anxious in a strange way. Arnold probably felt like he was petting an animal, but Rishe was always caught unawares by his touch.