Chapter 7: Bertia(12 Years Old)

“Your highness Cecil, We’ll be arriving to Marquis Nochesse’s mansion in a few moment.” (Zeno)

Inside the rocking carriage, Zeno slightly opened the curtain to peek outside.

“I understand”(Cecil)

While glancing at zeno, I could see the nostalgic scenery from the slight crevice between the curtain.

“Your highness, will lady bertia be alright?” (Zeno)

Even though the carriage is made to be sound proof, Zeno lowered his voice to ask for confirmation.

The “alright” that he mean, does it refer to physically or mentally?……. If he’s referring to her brain, I will refrain from making any comment though.

“Hmmm, Since I haven’t meet her directly I wouldn’t know. Well there would be a little bit of disarray, but it’s her we’re talking about, so it would be just[The usual]”(Cecil)

We both leaked a wry smile.

“That is certainly true…”(Zeno)

“But to prevent something like last time, it would be better to ask her in advance right?”

“Yeah, that was certainly troublesome”(Zeno)

“Well that was in a sense interestin…… cute in its own way, but my reputation is also at stake here”(Cecil)

Heaving a sight, Zeno laughed while murmuring [I think that your highness will only make that kind of face for lady Bertia]

To counter the teasing zeno,

“If something like that were to happen again, the one that have to help me to erase the rumor would be Zeno though” (Cecil)

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I smiled from ear to ear when replying.

“Y-your highness! Isn’t baby-sitting lady Bertia one of your responsibility?! Please try to wrap things up peacefully like before. Of course with all you got. Do you know how hard it is to clear up all the rumor?!”(Zeno)

Hearing my words, Zeno’s face changed. To the zeno that’s frantically complaining, I laughed.

By the way, when did I change my job to a baby-sitter for lady Bertia?

If there are no discrepancy in my memories, I was supposed to be a crown prince right…?

Whatever, she’s my fiancée (toy) anyway, looking after (maintaining) her is also one of my duties. 1

Furthermore, It has been almost a year since I entered Halm Academy.

Being in a dorm based academy, besides sending letter, there is no other way to actually contact her. A daily life without meeting to chat with her or looking after her was incredibly boring.

“But still, I think it would be better to keep rampaging around to a certain degree you know?”(Cecil)

While murmuring that, I heaved a sigh while remembering what drives me to visit marquis Nochesse’s mansion today, and the things that happened because of her rampage over the past few months. Thanks for reading on ManaNovel!

It is about half a year after entering Halm academy.

I had finished all of the curriculum there.

I did attend the class but having learned everything there, I only took the pose of taking down notes and there was no other things to do.

…… There was once an incident where I tried to discuss the Teacher’s theory. Although the teacher started speaking with a sparkling eyes, the students around could not follow our discussion and spend the whole hour with their mouth opened. After that I restrained myself from repeating that.

By the way, not pointing out the mistake made by the teachers is one of my kindness to him.

There was no need to purposely pursue the connections that I’m supposed to make while in this academy by myself, since the people around would approach me by themselves. The only thing I need to do was to inspect their personality, motives, checking if they would bring good / bad influence to the country, and try to put them in my palm.2

After entering the school and observing the situation, I managed to find a few people that seems interesting and let them enjoy their peaceful school life, while slowly training…… befriended them.

Thus without me noticing, there are a lot of talented with some habits around me…… But in the end it’s just a talented noble’s kid.

There was no one that are as interesting as lady bertia.3

That’s why to me, the student life here is a little bit lacking.

I can only look forward to lady Bertia’s periodic letter.

To capture all the villain that lady bertia mentioned, seeing the undercover marquis Nochesse, she happily wrote,[Finally my father has awakened to the dark side!!]. While thinking [her naivety is so cute], I replied with [It seems marquis Nochesse is working hard for his cute daughter.]

[But somehow as father entered the dark side, mother would also miss the breakfast with us. Could it be, mother didn’t like the father that’s entering the dark side and is trying to reduce the occasion to meet him? But on the evening when father returned early, she would happily welcome him and they looked like they get along. How strange…] Of course I wouldn’t have 1 mm idea of what happened, and replied [I think in a married relationship there are things that are unknown to other people…… Maybe if we grow up and were maried to each other we could understand what’s happening] while feeling [I’m sorry, but I’m happy that you look very delighted] to marchioness Nochesse.

That became one of my moment of tranquility.

As if to show her emotion when writing the letter, the handwritings are a little bit disarrayed and shaken. It also seems like she rewrote the letter a few times. Thinking what was her emotion when writing the letter makes me feel happy.

Then one day.

“Your highness Cecil!!!”( bertia)

The voice that shake the surrounding, I thought that was only my imagination.

If possible I would like it to be my imagination.

Because there’s no way she would be there.

Because here is the front of Halm academy’s boy’s dorm.

Being a no-entry zone for female students, it’s a place where she shouldn’t come as she please.

While feeling unease, and convincing myself that a royalty shouldn’t be flustered over little things, I made a smile and turned back…… There as expected stood my fiancée, lady Bertia.

Furthermore in her hands, she hold the kuro the fox cum scarf on her hand.

In a great momentum, she started running to me. In front of the dorm’s main gate, her made could only bow down with a wry smile that seems to say [We can only enter until here, please take care of her]

…… As Expected, Nochesse family’s maid are spoiling her.

No to be precise it’s more like [ since I’m here, they’ll just leaving everything to me].

From what I heard, when I’m not there, they act as her stopper.

I really need to have a talk with them soon.

“Lady bertia, what brings you to a place like this?” (Cecil)

“Your highness, what should I do…”(Bertia) 4

“Please calm down. I’ll hear you out, but first we should change our location. You’re technically an outsider and to boot it up you’re also in a no female allowed area infront of the male dorm” (Cecil)

“Your highness, what should I do??? The child is going to be born soon!”(Bertia)

Without giving a heed to my suggestion to change our location, She jumped into my chest and started crying as soon as she saw my face.

Kuro still in between was looking troubled but this is not the time to care about that.

Hearing she screamed “The child is going to be born”, all the students that happen to be there looked shocked and stared at me, Zeno also whistled behind me.

Could the please stop looking here with their glittering eyes looks like— we should just ignore whats happening here but even if a carnage is scary, we still want to know whats happening.

Even Zeno started to look at me with doubting eyes.

No matter how you think it’s weird right?

Of course I’m at the age where child making is possible, and lady Bertia that grows up especially quick between her peers thus it was not exactly impossible.

But no matter how you think about it it’s still too early for us you know?

Also, being a royalty, no, as a gentleman, I wouldn’t lay a hand on my fiancée as long as we’re not officially married.

Hey, you, yeah you two don’t whisper something like [As expected that’s a bit…] and [No, but if it’s that prince cecil you know it might be possible].

I heard it from here alright?

A certain relative among the nobles also looked at me in respect and said [A man amongst man].

That’s something before [A man amongst man] you know, it breaks the gentleman code.

It might become a big scandal for the royal family.

……… From the day I was born, this is the first time I ever felt [Super flustered].

It makes me feel that I would look at my father—that’s trying to make mother jealous by flirting with a young lady but unfortunately pissed mother off and got kicked out of the bedroom while saying [I want a divorce] as he cling to the door while being flustered. – with a kind eyes.

It’s [feel that I would] though.

While thinking unrelated happenings, the people around us started to smile. I ignored all of them and started to console lady Bertia by caressing her back.

While getting caressed that she kept saying things that would bring more misunderstanding like [Sorry to cause trouble to you, your highness],[ It should be a very happy occasion but I just can’t be happy about it.],[Worrying from what might happen from now on, what should I do……].

I think I really should stop her right now.

How do I describe this, it feels my processing speed has become slower than usual.

Ahh… this must be what people say by [my mind getting blank]

If so, the sweat that I feel on my back even if the weather is cool must be what people said as having a cold sweat.

Wait this is not the time to think about those things.

“Lady Bertia, may I ask who was pregnant with whose child?” (Cecil)

As much as possible, I voiced it out with a gentle voice and a smile.

In truth I want to change our location even if it’s a little bit forceful, but I think that’s not the best course of action in this situation.

At least, I need to clear up all the misunderstanding made by all the students here. If not as soon as I took my eyes of them, all the school no the world will start rumoring about [ I made miss Bertia pregnant]

If that happened after I was married that’s a great news.

But now it’s really bad. A 13 years old prince made his 11 years old fiancée pregnant. That’s nothing but bad news.

In here, I would need to clear up the misunderstanding straight from lady Bertia’s mouth, changing the location can wait after that.

Unable to reply as she cried, I kept calling her name.

But even with that all that came out was sobbing sound thus I keep consoling her with [No need to worry]or [I’m here with you]. I also give a threating gaze to the surrounding people that seems to say [Don’t you dare to move from this place until you hear everything that happened] [If you dare to spread this rumor without knowing the truth…… you know what would happen right?].

Seeming to understand that I’m being very serious, as I meet their eyes, their face started turning pale and nodded hurriedly.

“Lady Bertia, Please tell me what happened. Without knowing, I couldn’t tell you the best course of action, and I also don’t want my fiancée to be crying” (Cecil)

On the nth time, lady bertia finally looked at my eyes with her teary eyes.

That looks is somehow cute and alluring.. the surrounding students let out a small gasp.

While keeping an eye on them on the corner or my vision, I tilted my head and peeked at lady Bertia so that I can quickly take her out of this place.

“Ah …… I apologize. I got really flustered and somehow did a very rude things to your highness” (Bertia) 5

Realizing she was looking at my face at a very close distance, she looked away and her face started to turn red.

“Don’t mind it. So, who made who pregnant?”(Cecil)

Finally calmed down, I started to repeat my questions to her.

If she didn’t clearly speak it out here, I fear that the misunderstanding towards me won’t be cleared. That is the most important thing here.

“eh? Of course it would be mother that was pregnant with father’s child. Who else could it……… Ah, No It’s a misunderstanding. It’s not me you know, I haven’t even kissed yet…… wait that’s not it. Please don’t misunderstand!!” (Bertia)

With a baffled face and wry smile I slightly replied her with [That kind of thing is a given right]. She seems to realize the looks from the surrounding and started to shake her head while getting away from me.

Finally having cleared all the misunderstanding towards me, the student around still look baffled and said[ eh, the children from their parents? It’s just have having a siblings right? Why is she so flustered then].

Lady bertia who was surrounded by the gaze and thought that the misunderstanding still hasn’t cleared up started crying with her face beet red while saying [It’s a misunderstanding].

“Don’t worry, I’m sure everyone knows it.”(Cecil)

I reached my hand before she started crying again.

“But it’s still not a good idea to speak here, should we change our location? Oh yeah do you want me to send you back with a carriage? We can also talk about this leisurely on the carriage”(Cecil)

She took my hands by reflex. I then pulled our joined hand to my free hand to escort her out forcefully.6

Before leaving the place, just in case I also smiled to the students around and gave them the [Don’t you dare to start a weird rumor. Understand? ] gaze.

Giving a glance to Zeno, he started to note down all the student’s name that was there, and gave order to one of his subordinates to start preparing the carriage.

“eh, umm, don’t worry about preparing the carriage since I rode one here. This place is located on the outskirt of the city so marathoning…… taking a walk here is too far. That’s why… umm “ (Bertia)

Still embarrassed, she replied to my forceful invitation with her eyes still squirming around.

I think she looks very cute now but… Even considering to take a walk here seems a little bit too weird you know?

Halm academy is in the outskirt of the town. With a carriage or horse, you could easily reach it within 1 – 2 hours.

Since it’s a academy with all student dorm policy, all the student need to stay within the school premises. But in truth if they have a mansion on the capital, it’s not a distance that they can’t cover going back and forth everyday.

But that is of course if they have a horse or a carriage.

At the very least it’s not a distance where a normal daughter of marquis would say as [just about there].

“Please don’t say that and let me escort you back. Don’t make me look like I’m a useless guy that would refuse to meet his fiancée and sent her back.” (Cecil)

I playfully gave her a wink, somehow her face turned even redder.

“I am very happy with the thought but, if I stay with you any longer, I fear that I might be embarrassed to death.”(Bertia)

She whose body is turning red is very interesting…… I mean cute.

The [worrying things] that she wanted to discuss with me seems to have lost to her [embarrassment] thus she forgot all her purpose of coming, and she looks very cute for not realizing that.

Looking at this fiancée (toy), don’t you have the urge to tease her?

“don’t worry, I’ll make sure to do it until your[ first kiss]”(Cecil)7

Moving closer to her ears, I spoke in a soft voice so that it could only be heard by her and breathed air to her ears

“…………………” (Bertia)

My fiancée that’s as red as a ripe tomato is opening her mouth like a gold fish.

She seems to put too much power on her other hand that’s holding kuro. Kuro seems to be hurt and started tapping her hand.

“Hmm? What happened?”(Cecil)

“……………”(Bertia)

I feigned ignorance and tilted my head while seeking her reply.

“Bertia?”(Cecil)

It seems to be useless so I tried calling her name without honorific.

It’s usually unforgivable for a normal daughter of a noble, but since she’s my fiancée it should be okay right?

“MYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA” (Bertia)

“Eh, wait a second, Bertia?”(Cecil)

I seems to have overdone it…… she overloaded.

She seemed to be unable to turn any redder than this thus to refuse my escort, she started running away in full speed.

“[myaaa…] bertia, have you became a cat…?”(Cecil)

To her that’s slowly leaving my sight, I laughed.

“………Your highness?”(Zeno)

Zeno looked at me with a white eye while preparing the carriage.

“Sorry, She’s too cute and I unintentionally teased her…”(Cecil)

I assure you it’s not because I was paying her back for her unreasonable rampage that made me feel flustered.

It’s because she’s just too interesting…… cute that I couldn’t help it.

“Now then, should we start to follow her?”(Cecil)

Is it because she ran everyday to keep her body fit? She ran in a magnificent way that you couldn’t think that it’s a daughter of a marquis that’s running at the moment. I couldn’t even see her back anymore.

But, since her maid was left here, I don’t think that she left by the Nochesse family’s carriage.

Besides, in the stables where their horse at, there should also be my subordinates preparing my carriage.

Since they know that I’m sending her home, they would of course try to stop her from leaving first.

“Don’t you both have to chase after bertia?”(Cecil)

Leisurely going out from the male dorm, I sent her maids a glance as they waited for me to pass while bowing their head.

“It is embarrassing but, with our current abilities, we couldn’t catch up with young lady anymore. There are other people that is chasing after her.” (Maids)

“hmmm I see”(Cecil)

Looking at the trees that’s on the edge of my vision, I focused my sight.

There is someone strange there but as I expect it’s her bodyguards.

Since I didn’t feel any ill intent I let her be, but from now on it would be best to remember [her] presence.

……… By the way bertia, what are you trying to achieve by training until your maids couldn’t catch up with you anymore.

Recently I also got a report that she’s moving her body beyond mere dieting.

If possible please keep it contained… A macho crown princess is a little bit…

“Alright lets chase after her.”

Behind me, Zeno and the maids followed.

It would be great if she could calm down a little by the time we reached the stables