Baby Prisoner of the Winter Castle

The inner wall said. 

[The Duke and Duchess like each other, but they aren’t telling each other the truth.]

It was the worry of all the stones on the walls of the Sheridan mansion.

However, until now, they couldn’t tell anyone about it, so the inner wall stones just complained that it was frustrating.

The outer wall, almost the only conversation partner, wasn’t interested in this fact at all.

But now there was Clarisse, who could listen to all the inner wall’s stories.

Just by delivering the problem openly, they felt that the sweet potatoes that were stuck between the stones on the inner wall were shrinking a little.

“Do you say they like each other? But since the Duke and Duchess are married, of course…ah.” 

Clarisse stopped talking and kept her lips shut.

She remembered her mother.

Sometimes the maids in the palace said that her mother loved the king who was extremely high.

She heard that the king once loved her mother very much.

‘Even my mother… wasn’t married to my father.’

Clarisse knew vaguely that liking and marriage wasn’t always side by side.

“Coo?”

When Mallang asked if she was okay, Clarisse quickly smiled.

“Of course, you don’t know how happy I am.”

“Coo?”

“I mean, the Duke and the Duchess like each other. That’s a great thing.”

Clarisse stroked the inner wall.

“Thank you for letting me know. At dinner tonight, I’ll make sure to let the two know their feelings.”

[Yes? If Clarisse says so!]

“I know that. After coming here, I have seen more than one prince and princess wedding ceremony!”

Clarisse raised her chin proudly, pointing at the children’s books stacked on the other side of the room. 

“A prince and a princess who share their love for each other will surely be happy.”

[That’s not enough. You should do something special with someone you like!]

“Of course I know, Uncle Quentin told me! Leave it to me.”

[Yes? Do you mean Aide Quentin gave you dating advice? It’s like asking the outer wall about knitting…] 

The story of the inner wall went on after Clarisse left when she heard Rosalie calling.

[Ah, I don’t know if it’ll be okay]

The outer wall, which had been listening to the concern, responded with an annoyed voice.

[Anyway, my knitting knowledge is better than Quentin’s dating advice…] 

[It’s the same!]

The outer wall didn’t object.

* * *

“Come to think of it, this must be the first time you greet each other.”

The Duke sat across from Clarisse and introduced Brielle.

“She is the Duchess of Sheridan.”

Instead of immediately greeting her, Clarisse looked into the Duke’s eyes first.

She was worried if it was okay to introduce her name directly to the Duchess on the subject of sinners.

The Duke gave a small nod, and Clarisse reassured herself and began to talk.

“Hello, madam. My name is Clarice. It’s an honor to be able to say hello to her.”

Clarisse greeted her as if they were meeting for the first time, remembering the promise she had made with the Duchess one day.

“Nice to meet you, too, it’s Asela Sheridan.”

A warm smile bloomed on the face of the Madam, who seemed to have stiffened a little. 

‘As expected from the inner wall, the Duchess is a very nice person.’

Clarisse somehow felt confident that she could do what the inner wall asked her to do at this dinner.

Soon the food started coming out one after another.

The three of them continued their meal, showing off their excellent manners.

There was just one problem.

It was that there was too little conversation.

“It tastes good.”

How could Maximilian talk like this?

“Yes.” 

The Duchess also only returned this kind of answer, even with a calming voice.

‘The overall atmosphere is so strange!’

Clarisse, who had been watching them until wrinkles formed between her brows, tilted her head.

‘Above all, the Duke and his wife… they obviously said they liked each other.’

According to the children’s book, people with such feelings would blush or stutter.

There has never been such a blunt conversation between a prince and a princess.

Clarisse lifted her head slightly and glanced at the wall behind Sir Benson guarding the banquet hall. 

The stacked stones were watching their meal without moving.

‘There’s no way the inner wall is telling the wrong story. They’ve always been watching them like this.’

Clarisse decided to do exactly what she had planned.

“Are you okay?”

The Duchess cautiously asked Clarisse, who was in deep thought at the time.

“There were vegetables with a strong scent. Don’t you hate it?”

The Duchess repeated her question kindly because Clarisse hadn’t heard it.  

“It’s okay. I’m fine with anything. They serve various food here, so I always look forward to eating.” 

“Still, there is no need to force yourself to eat something that is difficult to eat. You can tell me anytime.”

“No, I rather like it.”

Clarisse stuffed the vegetable, which had a cold-smelling flavor, into her mouth and chewed it thoroughly.

Eating it with meat somehow refreshed her mouth, so she liked it.

“It’s delicious, I really like it.”

“I’m glad if you like it. Actually, I like it, too.”

“And I like meat, too.”

As if to prove this, Clarisse quickly chewed the meat and swallowed it, then smiled.

“I like corn and potatoes, too. There are so many things I like!”

“That’s a good thing.”

“My favorite Mallang like that.”

Clarisse added in a low voice, ‘Mallang is my pebble friend whom the Duke has allowed to accompany me.’

Fortunately, the Duchess only nodded, without asking too much of the question, ‘How do pebble become friends?’

“They say you’ll be happy if you like a lot of things. Does the Duchess like a lot of things too?”

“…Ah, me?”

“Yes, I want to know. What do you like?”

“Ah, I… Embroidery… uhm.”

She mumbled in response, so Clarisse quickly raised her hand and decided to help her.

Because there was something she knew for sure what she liked.

“What about the Duke?”

“…Yes?”

“Do you not like it?”

“T, there’s no way! I like it.”

“I knew it! As expected, Madam likes the Duke.”

When Clarisse is overjoyed at the satisfactory answer.

Kiik. The sound of rough friction between the plate and the tableware could be heard.

Considering the three’s perfect manners, it was a very awkward sound.

Clarisse turned in the direction of the sound. That meant looking back at the Duke of Sheridan.

Despite his earlier mistake, he didn’t look much different from his usual self.

However, his eyes seemed to shake strangely for some reason.

“What’s wrong, Duke?”

“No, it’s nothing… Hmm.”

“Is it because it’s your first time hearing someone likes you?”

Clarisse’s merciless words stung him as if his sword had sliced through the air.

“Madam likes the Duke very much. Does the Duke like Madam very much too?”

“…Why?”

Maximilian tried to ask back why she was asking such a thing, but he closed his mouth.

The book Rosalie showed him came to mind.

It was said that conversations during meals influence the formation of values.

Healthy values lead to a healthy body. In other words, it was safe to say that the future health of Clarisse would be determined by the answer he gave.

His wife’s earlier comment that she liked Maximilian was probably the answer based on that fact because she’s a wise woman.

“I…like it.”

“Yes?!”

Surprisingly, the quickest response to his confession came from behind.

Maximilian looked back with his usual blunt face.

It was Benson who screamed.

“I, is that true…?”

Until he asks a question to him as if he were interrogating. 

It wasn’t appropriate action for a knight to intervene suddenly in their master’s conversation.

However, he didn’t want to point this out in front of Brielle and Clarisse, so Maximilian answered calmly with his brow furrowed.

“About my liking for the Duchess… do you have any issues to raise?”

“It can’t be! It’s really, really great!”

Benson straightened his posture and bow.

The Duke now looked back at Clarisse again. Her eyes were sparkling.

Apparently, she seemed happy that he had said twice that he liked her.

He doesn’t know why, but he was relieved that the child, who had seemed a little uncomfortable until earlier, was now happy.

‘By the way.’

Maximilian is now curious about his wife’s reaction.

Since they all lied together for the sake of Clarisse’s feelings, there’s no way there will be any reaction—.

He unknowingly lowered his head, trying to turn to the side.

It seemed that if they met their eyes now, somehow, uncontrollable difficulties would arise.

“You know, do you know what people who like each other should do?”

Fortunately, Clarisse’s story began again. He naturally continued his meal and asked quietly, ‘What is it?’

“You need to exchange love letters!”