Princess, Please Fall in Love with Me-Chapter 36 : Chapter 36

Chapter 36 : Resentment, an Impassable Divide
"There’s no one here anymore, put me down quickly."
The Grand Duke of Saito's held Yiwen in his arms, walking out of the palace under the gaze of onlookers, arriving at the mansion temporarily assigned to him.
Yiwen struggled somewhat resistantly out of the Grand Duke’s arms.
"You’re just like your mother. She also resisted my clothes, reeking of killing intent every time I returned from a campaign, but when she was little, she loved tugging at this thick white beard of mine to play with."
The Grand Duke looked at Yiwen, who was almost identical to his daughter when she was young, with a hint of nostalgia.
But Yiwen merely turned her head aside, sitting by the window and gazing at the distant scenery,
"Child, can you tell me how you and your mother have been these years?"
Unexpectedly, as soon as he said this, Yiwen’s expression changed instantly.
She glared at the Grand Duke’s earnest face with a darkened look, and the next second, she spoke chilling words that pierced his heart,
"What does it matter to you? What’s the point of caring now that she’s dead?"
The pain of losing his daughter was always a tremendous blow to this stubborn and resilient old man, especially hearing it again from his own granddaughter.
His dejected appearance was as if he had aged decades in an instant.
But Yiwen’s coldness was understandable.
To her, this man who had left her and her mother to struggle in a foreign land without even a single letter or help, now hypocritically asking how she had been.
If not for his status, Yiwen might have wanted to draw her silver sword and strike him down—oh, right, the silver sword wasn’t even in her possession.
"I know I failed you and your mother. Back then, when she fell out with me and ran away from home, I should have stopped her, or at least sent more people to watch over her,"
The Grand Duke sat on a chair, his head bowed in remorse, murmuring to himself as if lost in memory.
His once proud mustache drooped dejectedly.
"I know no matter what, I can’t atone for it, but at least let me, let me take a good look at you for your mother, and take good care of you, Yiwen, her beloved child."
Despite the Grand Duke’s eyes filled with guilt and sincerity, Yiwen’s heart wavered slightly, but she still turned her head and replied coldly, then left the reception room without looking back.
"I will never, and can never, forgive you on behalf of my mother."
The Grand Duke didn’t try to stop her.
He merely slumped on the sofa, quietly watching Yiwen slowly leave, then gazed wistfully at the locket around his neck.
A red-haired girl wielded a silver sword, valiant and spirited, as vibrant and beautiful as a flame, but she could only remain quietly enshrined in the locket.
Leaving the mansion, the residences prepared by the royal family for the envoys of both nations each had a small back garden.
Though the Grand Duke wasn’t fond of gardening, his eldest son seemed to have a unique appreciation for these flowers and plants,
Now, people outside were buzzing with talk about her situation, and the Emperor hadn’t yet given a clear decision. Though she didn’t want to see those people, this place was indeed the safest.
Yiwen came to the garden, where, perhaps to welcome the delegation from the Saito's Empire in advance, pure white lilies were planted, their delicate petals swaying gently in the breeze.
Yiwen stood quietly in the garden, white petals lightly falling onto her golden hair.
The sweet fragrance wafted to her nose with the wind, and the complex emotions from earlier gradually faded, leaving only an inexplicable sense of calm and comfort.
"They smell nice, don’t they? This field of lilies was your mother’s favorite flower. Back then, someone laughed at her, saying a red-haired berserker like her, a fearsome woman, liked such gentle and pure little flowers. Unsurprisingly, she beat them up."
Kyle approached from behind Yiwen, holding the silver sword she always carried.
He carefully handed the sword to her.
Yiwen took it and held it tightly, looking at him warily,
"You’re Yiwen, aren’t you? You have the exact same eyes as her. Nice to meet you. I’m your mother Cecilia’s younger brother, Kyle, and… well, your uncle."
Unlike his stern and imposing father, Ados, Kyle gave off the impression of a gentle and refined gentleman, always wearing a warm smile, his tone kind and soft.
This made Yiwen view him a bit differently.
"I know you don’t want to talk to people like us, but as her brother, raised by her hand, I just want to talk to you, to share stories about your sister."
Yiwen didn’t speak, only crouched by the flower bed, gently stroking the delicate lilies.
Seeing her seeming to acquiesce, Kyle cautiously approached and began murmuring to himself about the Caesar Family.
"Your sister, after beating everyone down in swordsmanship training, would drag me to the garden behind our house and talk to her favorite lilies."
"She said that as long as she smelled the lilies’ fragrance, all her troubles and confusion would be carried away by the wind. Even in her bedroom, she’d always have a vase of lilies."
Kyle came back to himself with a hint of nostalgia, only to see Yiwen still crouching by the flower bed, staring blankly at the flowers beside her.
He scratched his head awkwardly, then glanced at the silver sword in Yiwen’s hand.
"By the way, who was that girl? When I left, I noticed the guards around were all knocked out. She seemed unfathomably skilled."
"She’s… hmph, a very annoying person…"
Kyle seemed puzzled by matters between girls and could only give a dry laugh.
After some hesitation, he couldn’t bear to see his old father in that state.
"No matter what you think, we’re still your support. Even if you want to… as your family, we’ll back your decisions—at least this time, let us adults handle things, okay, Yiwen?"
"Hm… thank you…"
Hearing Yiwen’s reluctant but gradually accepting response, Kyle looked at the delighted figure by the mansion window in the distance and smiled with relief.
Since Yiwen’s status made it inconvenient for her to leave the mansion, the Grand Duke quickly had the servants prepare the best guest room for her to rest in temporarily, even decorating it meticulously.
Though a room full of girlish charm wasn’t exactly what Yiwen wanted, the large bed was undeniably soft and comfortable.
But as she lay on it, she kept feeling something lumpy swaying beside her.
"What is Your Highness thinking about me?"
Loka suddenly poked her head out from under the covers, looking at Yiwen’s cold face with a mischievous grin.
The next moment, Yiwen flipped over and pinned her down.
"Your Highness, what are you going to do to me… Your Highness, why is something so hard and sharp down there? Could it be…"
"A dagger."
"It’s a dagger—huh?"
Yiwen held a silver dagger, its gleaming tip aimed at Loka’s heart.