"Th-That Kazu… no- Walter, after all those years how could he easily say that embarrassing confession out of nowhere, I can't believe that I'll be blushing like this at my age"
I rolled left and right at my large and soft bed as I covered my face, by the way, I already removed the brown cloth and the frills and made it pure red cloth, I also arranged the room so it would less stressful for me to see, but after a few minutes I became so tired, I guess my body in the old world has much more stamina, should I build up stamina starting tomorrow?
My daily schedule is simple since I already mastered my dignified and elegant manners, I go for piano practice, read books and after that, if I don't have anything scheduled I'm free to do anything I want, the old Tiffania would go at tea parties or visit the wimpy Walter, but now I have a new goal, I will use the time to build up my stamina so I can run and move it like my body in the old world.
Now time to sleep… but Walter's face appears again, oh my god, Kazu is more handsome than he was in the old world, back then his plainness hid his cool side, and now he has a flashy appearance with that blonde hair and blue eyes, his coolness doubles the falling effect.
If not for my automatic Tiffania poker face back with elegance and dignity I would have lost it. Before I could sleep I rolled over a few more times, remembering my ex's embarrassing confession and his new handsome face.
....
At the morning, I immediately headed to the Mueller estate to check things with Tiffania, going by that letter, Tiffania could be a target, she's the only one the old wimpy Walter was romantically obsessed with, I got down of the carriage and immediately went to their gates.
"Compared to my mansion there is a bit wider huh plus it has armed guards… Gavin tell them to let me in hurry up"
I saw the poor old man trying his best to approach the guards guarding the gate, they seemed like templar knights to me wearing chainmail under their tunic printed with the kingdom's insignia and wore a bucket-shaped helmet.
Still, I feel bad for making the old man hurry up, I'll give you some good liquor later to apologize, as a human from the old world… I'm sorry.
The knights who recognized Gavin and me immediately opened the gates and let the carriage in, I saw some maid scurrying at the front of the door of the residence, I felt my heart beating fast, out of anxiousness and fear, for this to happen just after the day we reunited, how far will fate play with us?
"Where is Tiffania!" I glared at the maids who were scurrying around, they immediately stopped and made a short curtsy to me, and was hesitant to answer, all of them were equally cute and beautiful some of them had nice and mature features, but none of them mattered as I searched for her. Those useless knights outside, for a single lady to be taken easily without them noticing! I'm gonna put them on death trial for this!
"Answer me where is Tiffania!"
This time they became scared as they made a "hee" sound, as an advocate of gender equality, I feel nothing at all.
"Ms. T-T-Tiffania is… "
The maid that I saw accompanying Tiffania came forward with beads of sweat at her forehead. Just as I've thought, she's already gone that they couldn't even say the truth to me, the prince of this kingdom.
"Oy, Walter!"
I heard a voice behind me, it sounded like Tiffania's voice but it's definitely unladylike. As I turned around from the source of sound I saw Tiffania dressed in menswear and had a towel hanging on her neck.
That towel, that morning sweat on her skin, that refreshed look and that black hair tied up, could this girl have been…. jogging?!
"Walter, why did you come so early? Strange… don't you have any duties to attend to? Ehehe"
I immediately flicked her at the forehead and pinched her nose left and right. So this is what I have been worried about, no wonder her maids are anxious, about telling me about this.
"Ouch! What the hell are you doing Walter"
"You're roughness is leaking"
"Ouchieeee, what might you be doing Prince Walter?"
"My lady, I am punishing you"
"For what? Ouch Ouch Ouch, this is domestic violence!"
I let her go and patted her on the head, good girl, you're building up strength huh, that's good, what a hard worker, for now at least she is safe.
The maid was startled by my sudden entrance, and it might be bad if they leaked this to her mother, so I kneeled in front of her on one knee and kissed her on the hand where the engagement ring the old Walter gave her was, just like a proper prince.
"Pft. that was salty, seriously was that sweat?"
"Die!"
"Just kidding…"
I stood up knowing that it wasn't our normal greeting, the hand kiss was for the old Walter, and for me the current Walter, I held her head and kissed her in the forehead.
"That one is for me"
I told her as I blinked in one eye, and the effects showed instantly, just like in the old world, she turned red like an octopus immediately, I guess she hasn't changed much after a year.
Her mother and father who just got out of the door to greet me fainted when they saw the Tiffania, in male clothes, drenched in sweat talking with me, their maids immediately caught them.
They must be really serious about pushing the marriage. And yeah, for a daughter of the duke this shirt and shorts outfit is just overkill, if anyone sees her they might mistake her for a commoner who has been lost in the duke's garden.
"Tiffania, you're gonna get scolded later"
"Haha, just so you know I asked for their permission, it was you who came abruptly, that they fainted like that ahaha"
Wow, she's pretending to laugh, when inside she's angry, in the old world she might have smacked me already with anything she is holding but luckily her mother and father is present, she can't do anything.
Okay time to make her shut up again through red octopus style, it's the style I use to shut her up by making her blush. I took her towel and wiped the sweat on her face, while softly caressing her cheeks and face.
"W-What are you doing in public?"
"Public? Were basically in your garden though?"
"My maids are seeing us!"
"Who cares were engaged right?"
I eyed the maids who were holding each other as they saw us flirting for support.
"Right? Ladies?"
And they all responded in chorus,
"Right, Prince Walter"
"Hmmm Hmmm what a good response"
"Walter… y-y-you idiot!"
"Stop turning red and get dressed up, I'll wait wherever you want me to wait"
"Then the living room"
"Okay"
After she got dressed up she was finally in her ladylike outfit, it was a burgundy dress with no sleeves, that looked good with her silky black hair and eyes, opposite from her blue eyes and chestnut-colored hair in the old world, it showed her smooth and white complexion that made that last touch of the outfit.
"I'm sorry for having you wait, Prince Walter"
With her elegant self she made a curtsy, she really looked a princess if I would forget her attire this morning.
"Wanna get married today?"
"Pass"
"What a quick reply… anyway I want to let you see this"
I slid the envelope, that contains the death threat to me and possibly to her, as predicted she can also read it perfectly, after a confused gaze she returned the letter to me.
"Someone you love huh… do you really love me?"
She asked me while raising an eyebrow, what? After that confession you're gonna give me that look? Okay, I'm not gonna give in, actually, I'm more steps ahead than you.
"Yup, so in that case from today you will be staying at my mansion"
"HUH?!"
"I've already made arrangements with your mother and father, right?"
I winked towards her mother and father at the back, as I have slipped to them handwritten copies of the letter.
"From now on Tiffania Mueller will be living together with me, right? Duke and Mrs. Mueller?"
"Mother, Father did you just!"
Her protest got her nowhere as her family was very excited of her being taken away by me for safety.
I called for some knights to guard the mansion through my connections as a prince, along with that I also selected some woman knights among the list, DEFINITELY not because I had ulterior motives, it's because I think Tiffania would need female friends of her own, that girl basically can't have true friends with other noble girls with that personality of hers, I hope she'd get along with that lady knight.
I will also get that knight to record her activities secretly, JUST as an insurance that she won't be causing a ruckus while I'm away on my royal errands.
Without any hesitation nor waiting for Tiffania to finish her protest, the Mueller family immediately packed some of her luggage and sent her off me with tears of happiness in their eyes.
"TIffania, congratulations! We will send your other dresses tomorrow, okay!"
Duke Walter wiped the tears of joy in his eyes. Just how much are you worried about your daughter's marriage that you are so relieved like that?
"Tiffania my daughter, your efforts of following me your mother has finally paid off"
Indeed my future mother-in-law, but unfortunately your lessons would be wasted as I can already imagine how she will be acting now that you're not there to scold her for three hours non-stop when she does something unladylike.
Finally, I caught my Tiffania-mon, my favorite monster capture.
This time I'll be living together with my ex.
I wonder what daily life awaits us two in our complicated and bittersweet relationship.