Chapter 31: Chapter 31

As usual, the nanny woke Leonhardt at the hour when the sky was still vividly blue at the gradual ascend of the sun.

“Your Highness, if you want to practice swordsmanship, you have to get up now.”

“Hum…already? Ugh…”

“If you are tired, how about taking a day off? I am worried about you these days.”

“Is that so…”

The boy was still dozing off as he sat up

The nanny shook her head helplessly and laid Leonhardt back down.

“No…go… have to go…I have to go…”

“Shh, you will wake the young lady up.”

As soon as he heard those words, Leonhardt flashed his eyes open and jolted up.

He woke who?

Shifting his gaze to his side, there was Elizabeth, clinging a little closer to himself in search of his warmth.

Leonhardt quietly mouthed a rescue signal to the nanny.

However, the nanny smiled at Leonhardt’s earnest gaze and paid no mind to it.

In the end, Leonhardt had to lie down and go back to sleep until Elizabeth woke up.

“Your Highness, Your Highness. You have to get up now.”

“Uh… a little bit longer…”

“The young miss has already woken up. Why don’t you two have breakfast together?”

Leonhardt reflexively raised his body when he heard Elizabeth’s name, though still half asleep.

Drowsy, he grabbed the nanny by the hand and was dragged to the bathroom.

“… does the Crown Prince tend to sleep a lot in the morning?”

“It’s just that the Miss woke up too early. You even woke up on your own when no one wakes you up! There was an order from Her Majesty to take great care of the young Miss. In the future, Miss, please wake up as late as possible so that I can faithfully fulfill my duty.”

“Pardon…?”

Elizabeth asked in confusion.

The woman with a warm impression in front of her was said to be the Crown Prince’s nanny.

Elizabeth, who had forgotten that she had slept in Leonhardt’s bed because of much embarrassment last night, opened her eyes and sat up just to harden like a statue when the nanny came to wake Leonhardt.

But instead of scolding her or kicking her out of bed, the nanny said there was still plenty of time left until she could get up. She laid her little body back down and covered her with a cozy blanket up to the tip of her nose.

According to the Duchess’ education, the day began early in the morning for all members of the Imperial Family. That had become completely useless now.

Unlike Elizabeth, who was awake even though she was still in pajamas, Leonhardt’s eyes were still full of sleepiness despite having washed his face.

Elizabeth has always thought Leon was perfect.

The sight was somehow strange and cute to her. Elizabeth secretly smiled at it.

“Lizzy? Is something wrong”

“No, it’s nothing.”

She was told that the clothes that were brought to her from the sewing room the previous day were all made in a haste. They were outfits that belonged to the Empress’ younger self and were retailored to fit her.

While Elizabeth ate breakfast in a cardigan made of warm wool over her pajamas with perfect manners, Leonhardt also prepared to start the day with the help of his nanny.

Before leaving the room to begin his day, Leonhardt asked Elizabeth, who had finished her meal.

“Lizzy, is there anything you want to do?”

“…what in particular?”

“Hmm… is there anything you want to eat?”

“Uh…is there something that you want… ?”

Elizabeth again shook her head.

Leonhardt scratched the back of his head and was about to try asking once again when she spoke up.

“…then… May I go to the flower garden, Your Highness?”

“Flower garden?”

Elizabeth noded.

Leonhardt smiled broadly and was about to happily agree when he suddenly noticed that Elizabeth was wearing using honorifics again. He smiled mischievously.

“Hmm, I don’t know, can you? If you say, ‘Can I go to the flower garden?’, I shall allow it.”

“… Can I go to the flower garden?”

“As much as you like! The garden in my residence is a bit small though… I’ll show you mother’s garden and greenhouse as well.”

Elizabeth’s expression brightened.

“Do you really want to go to the flower garden?”

“Yes. I’d like to make something for Your…you.”

Even if they were just maids around, it was still difficult for her to treat him infromally because he was, after all, a member of the imperial family. At that, Elizabeth awkwardly fiddled with her left ring finger for no reason.

The maids once exchanged glances happily, led Elizabeth to the garden closest to Leonhardt’s residence.

The mperial lawn was as tall as Elizabeth’s thumb.

With the gardener’s skillful workmanship, he took care of it without any error. Therefore, the grass could grow neatly on its own. But Elizabeth, unaware of it, chimed as she watched the grass tickling near her ankle.

“Do you have to grow up to be an adult too?”

The grass shook slowly, laying down and rising wherever Elizabeth set foot on.

The flower garden was full of flowers that she had never seen in the dukedom.

The maids told Elizabeth that she was free to do anything she wanted. So that was what Elizabeth did. She sat among the flower beds.

She inhaled as deeply as she could. Elizabeth’s body was filled with the scent of spring, which was almost dizzying for a short moment.

She saw many flowers for the first time. Among them, she wondered if there were any similar to the flowers embroidered on the shoes she was wearing. As she searched through the flower gardens, Elizabeth noticed that the dry soil from being exposed to the sun and the soil under the shade rocks smelled differently.

The grass in the shadows still had a slightly darker shade even when brought under the sun.

The withered leaves, which had not yet fallen to the ground, crumbled at the touch of her finger and dropped, mixing into the soil.

“Uh, what should I do? The leaves are gone because of me…”

“It just went back to where it started. The young Miss helped it with that, so you don’t have to worry too much.”

The maids kindly explained to Elizabeth as she turned around in tears.