T/N : Before reading this chapter, there’s an addition in The Duke Daughter arc’s chapters in the LN! It’s between the web chapter 3 and 4 , which makes it LN chapter 4 (kinda confusing though), taking place after Christina left Alberto with Clara and went home by herself.
Third Arc : Lovers 1
On that warm day, wind was blowing through the garden in Duke Zariel’s mansion. The pleasant breeze came in through the opened window as she Christina squinted her eyes to that cozy feeling. When she checked her appearance that was reflected in the mirror, her maid, Etty, who was fixing up the ribbon on her back giggled.
“Oh dear, what is it, Etty?”
Is there something funny? Christina asked as she tucked her disheveled hair behind her ear, then the maid smiled sweetly as she answered.
“No, seeing you looking so eagerly to meet His Highness, it’s really just like in the olden days, so I intentionally…”
“Oh my…”
Even though she tried to prepare for their meeting with the same feeling as usual, it seemed her overjoyed feeling was shown on her face. Today is the first time she was able to meet Alberto after they made up with each other. After that event, Alberto immediately invited her to go for an outing together. The moment Christina heard of their destination, she was overwhelmed with excitement.
──to propose going to [Sterne], Alberto-sama is a really wonderful man
[Sterne] was the name of a small hill located in the north west of the Royal Capital. Around this time, the flowers would be blossoming all over, and the scenery of Royal Capital seen from the hill would truly be wondrous. Today they would just go during the day so they wouldn’t be able to see it, however at night, the lights in the Royal Capital would beautifully shone as if the stars from the sky had fell onto the ground.
Christina blushed, and once again checked her appearance in the mirror. Since we can finally meet, I want to look as beautiful as I can in front of him.
Checking her all, Christina sweetly smiled at herself.
──Isn’t this great, Christina?
Not needing to have her heart be blinded by jealousy for having her beloved Alberto snatched by Clara, right now, Christina’s heart was very light.
A knock on the door was heard, and she straightened her back. From behind it Hans’ voice was heard.
“Ojou-sama, His Highness Alberto has arrived”
“Yes, I understand!”
Christina cheerfully answered and went towards the door. Etty opened the door, and standing behind the door was Hans, who wore a smile that was similar to Etty.
“……and another thing, just now we received a letter addressed to you”
“Oh dear, is that so?”
What he held out was an envelope with beautiful blue flower inscription. Its arrival seemed to coincide with Alberto’s arrival. She looked through the envelope quickly, it was stamped with a sealing wax, however she couldn’t immediately come up with the name of a family that used an emblem of a black horse. She felt that she had seen it somewhere before, but in the end she put it on the table on front of the sofa. She couldn’t possibly let Alberto wait in the entrance hall for long.
“I will check it later”
“I understand. If it’s alright with you──”
“Eh?”
In front of her eyes, Hans stretched out his thin finger. Is there something he want? thinking so Christina raised her head and immediately understood the meaning of his hand. His reddish brown eyes gently squinted and softly asked her to take his hand.
“I’ll escort you until the entrance hall”
“Thank you……”
──Do I look too excited?
Usually there was no need to escort her if it was just until the entrance hall, however perhaps in Hans’ eyes she looked as if she would just run off to the entrance hall. That’s why he thought that he must hold her hand while the move in order to prevent that.
A lady ought to keep in mind to always behave gracefully.
Christina somehow feeling embarrassed, and blushed.
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Wearing black military outfit, Alberto sat on the bench provided on the side of the entrance hall. When Christina saw his face, her heart squeezed. Alberto brushed up his forelocks, and when his eyes met with Christina’s, he smiled sweetly.
“Christina”
As his low, familiar voice reached to her ears, Christina’s cheeks flushed red and casted her eyes down. She thought back to the day the two made up, and it somehow made her embarrassed. Although it was good that they both spoke out their feelings, but when she recalled that day, the memory of her being pushed down by Alberto was also revived. It was scary, however it felt good, and she felt that it was better to held back from getting into that kind of situation where she couldn’t understand what to do.
Christina timidly went towards Alberto, and Alberto just circled his hand around her waist like it was the most natural thing to do. The thing she just remembered was a secret, so she scrunched her body. Even that slight gesture of her seemed so adorable to Alberto as he whispered.
“What’s the matter? It seems like you are nervous”
“No……That, thank you for coming and picking me up, Alberto-sama”
Although she denied it, it was clear from Christina’s expression that she was being nervous and shy that her eyes became dewy. Mixed with sigh, Alberto once again whispered beside her eyes.
“……You’re wearing rose hair ornament today. Very beautiful……it really suits you”
“……っ”
He said it in a voice that couldn’t be heard by their surrounding, a deep low voice that made her body trembled. Christina somehow managed to pretend to be calm, and looked up at Alberto with her teary eyes. He was definitely enjoying Christina’s reaction. Recently he had even hardly embraced her, however before that, he often secretly teased her when people were not looking.
Alberto gazed at Christina with a slightly mean smile just like what he had before, then he turned his sight to Hans.
“Then, I’ll send her home during the evening. Please give my regards to the Duke and Duchess”
“I understand. Have a safe trip”
Alberto nodded as Hans and the other attendants who came to see Christina off bowed their heads, then he elegantly led Christina to the carriage.
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Within the carriage, Christina secretly stared at Alberto who was sitting across her, and a slight sigh leaked from her lips
──how wonderful……
It was rare for Alberto to choose to wear a military outfit when he went out with Christina.
The Alberto who wore his military outfit and working with the military was like a different person.
He would turn into a stern and composed man, which had a vivid resemblance with Christina’s father. In front of people related to the military, Alberto hardly ever laughed. Even though he would always smile at the ladies during evening party, when he started his military work he would be so cool headed it was so strict. Within the military where one’s real ability was important, it was more important to have result rather than dwelling in courtesy, or so Alberto’s sister, Anna said.
It seemed Anna didn’t really like the strict Alberto, however Christina was the opposite. Having both sweetness and strictness, even his stoic self, made her shivered and she couldn’t help but fall in love with him.
Alberto who was staring outside the window with his chin placed on his one hand, giggled. His shoulders trembled as he laughed, so Christina asked.
“What’s the matter? Did you see something funny?”
While still laughing, Alberto’s eyes looked at her.
“You too, what’s the matter? Since just now you’ve been staring at me, is there something on my face?”
Christina’s eyes turned round. When she turned to look at the attendant sitting beside him as well as the maid beside herself, both of them were looking at her with warm gaze while smiling.
“──”
Even though she tried to stare in secret, it seemed she had blatantly stared at him. It was not a behavior appropriate for a lady, but the face of the two retainers who were full of smiles was the final blow and it was so embarrassing for her.
Christina face turned red, then she panickedly hung her head in shame.
“To, today you’re wearing your military outfit ……, so I was just looking at it”
──your figure in military outfit is also wonderful, although it was what she thought while looking at him, she just couldn’t speak it out.
Alberto slightly raised his eyebrows and nodded.
“Yeah…… I’m sorry, for coming while wearing this boorish outfit. Later on today, I must go to Flamme province for a while”
“Did anything happen?”
Speaking of Flamme province, it was located in the most northern part of Noin Kingdom, and was one of the furthest provinces from the Royal Capital. Alberto smiled wryly and shrugged.
“Nah, there’s no problem at all. Since I received a commission from His Majesty take over the project there, I’m going to go and check the actual place directly”
“With carriage?”
“Since it would take more time, so the carriage will return to the Royal Palace after sending you home. I’ll go by horse”
“……are you in a hurry? You don’t need to push yourself to spare time for me, you know?”
Although not seeing him would be lonely, but Flamme is far. Even with horse, a one way trip would require four to five days. To be going to such a far place from evening, she felt that he was pushing himself.
“It’s alright. I’m going this evening because I want to arrive earlier just in case”
“Going by schedule, when should you go?”
“It’s tomorrow morning”
“……is that so”
If that so, then it is not that different from the original plan. Knowing that he wasn’t pushing himself, Christina unconsciously feeling relieved. After all, no matter what she said, wanting to spend time together with Alberto was her honest feeling.
While talking, Alberto’s expression turned sweet as he stared at Christina. She had a blank look and blinked her eyes repeatedly, then Alberto spontaneously laughed.
“Don’t worry about the work, Christina. It’s because──I want to meet you, that’s all”
“──……”
Alberto whispered the last words with seducing tone, leaving Christina blushed.
This time, the attendant and the maid sitting beside them moved about uncomfortably.
Not only Christina, Alberto was also beaming with sweetness, and the inside of the carriage was overflowed with innocent love enough to make other people suffocated.
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KuruKuru Translation 
Thank you for the chapter~
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Thanks for the chapter!
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Thank you for the chapter!😎😎😎😘😘😘
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