Chapter 48
“Look, Princess Mia, open your eyes. The view from the top of the horse is quite beautiful, isn’t it?”
“That’s right … Then”
Mia took a small deep breath and then forced her eyes open.
“Well …”
A slightly higher perspective than usual. It was a slightly fresh view, unlike the scenery seen from a high place such as a castle.
The refreshing breeze makes her hair flutter quietly.
The shaking when the horse walks, which was scary until just before, is now somewhat comfortable.
I feel a little sleepy …
Mia gently rested her head on Abel’s back, and she closed her eyes a little.
“Whoa, oh, ah, princess, what are you… oh, hey, look. Your lady servant is over there.”
“Hm, that’s true. Anne ~!”
Mia waved to Anne, who looked far away.
Cheerfully … with both hands!
…Familiarity is what makes you alert.
“Hey, princess, don’t let go of your hands …!?”
“Huh?”
At the moment, Mia’s body tilted and spinned, and started to fall…
“Haaa!!”
With a scream, Mia’s body fell to the ground … with a loud thud …
However, the impact was smaller than I had expected.
“Ah … oh? What on earth?”
“It was …”
Mia can hear Abel’s voice right next to her. Slowly, she opened her eyes …
“Oh, Prince Abel! This is …!?”
There, Mia noticed for the first time! That she’s in Abel’s arms!
Abel dove off to catch her fall and she was in his embrace!!!
“Oh, wha— wha— !?”
Unintentionally, a strange scream leaked from her mouth. Mia’s heart was pounding so hard she can hear it herself.
What am I flustered about? I don’t have to get all worked up just because I am hugged by Prince Abel? Besides, this isn’t the first time, when I was dancing, I had experienced that kind of thing …
Mia tells herself in an attempt to calm her pounding chest.
Tha-that’s right, Prince Abel is still a child in the first place. Eight years younger than me …
“What’s wrong, Princess Mia? Are you hurt anywhere?”
Abel looks into her face with anxiety. Their eyes met; the intensity of his gaze shot straight to her heart.
Wha-wha, do-don’t stare at me like that!
Mia quickly turned away, while her face-colored bright red.
“Well, I’m okay. Prince Abel, I’m fine. So… um… I wonder if you can… um… let go.”
“Uh, oh yeah. My apologies, I’m sorry.”
Abel pulled away from Mia in a hurry. His expression was slightly disappointed.
“Ah, don’t get me wrong, Prince Abel. I don’t really hate being stuck to you. I don’t mean that.”
“Yeah, oh yeah … I know.”
Despite that, Abel’s face did not brighten. Looking at his disappointed and lonely face made Mia feel uncomfortable.
Oh, surely this is not that! If Prince Abel hates me here, then in the future, I won’t be able to get reinforcements …
There was a whisper of doubt at Mia’s mind. Was what she did cause him to despise her? It won’t be surprising. But Mia focuses on how to remedy the situation.
What should I do … Oh, that’s right!
As Mia stepped closer to Abel, she took his hands into hers and squeezed them.
“Wha, Princess Mia?”
“Thank you for your help, Prince Abel!”
While saying that, she got closer to Abel. It approaches to the point where the faces are almost sticking together. Then she stares at Abel closely.
People naturally back away when they get closer than necessary. I hope you can experience it, and he will understand my intentions. With this I am in the clear.
“Oh, uh, um …, uh, I see … I understand, can you get me a little further away?”
Unable to hold her gaze, he blushed and turned away.
“See? You turned your face away. Why did you turn your face away?”
Mia smiled with a victorious smile.
“That is……”
“How you feel now is the same as how I felt earlier, Prince Abel.”
“Now …”
Because I am delicate person, I get nervous when I get closer to others than necessary. That’s all that’s it.
“But I probably feel that way stronger than you … I think that my feeling is stronger.”
“Oh my, is that a sore loser?”
In a strange way, Mia laughed because Abel was so cute, like a child.
I wonder if he means to say that he is more delicate than I am
Mia, who leans her head, was unaware that the conditions for tension and nervousness are slightly different between Abel and Mia, such as “when someone gets closer than necessary” and “when you get closer to your favorite girl”.
Mia herself was nervous but what she did not realize is that her reason for nervousness might be the same as Abel’s.