A token of my gratitude

The entire audience, ministers, knight and troop leaders, and other royal officials, glanced at Blair and Selah. They waited solemnly, waiting for Blair to say something to Selah, who knelt before him.

"Selah Dulcia, I convey the following message from His Majesty King Tristan. After considering many things and seeing your contribution, King Tristan, with this, confers the title of the duchess on Selah Dulcia. We hope you carry out your duties and obligations properly and do not disappoint or harm the kingdom," said Blair.

Blair handed the message parchment to the knight beside him. Then Selah could feel Blair approaching. The man then sprinkled holy water on Selah.

"You may stand now, Duchess Dulcia," Blair ordered.

Selah complied, then saluted. "I, Selah Dulcia, as the new Duchess Dulcia, will carry out my duties and obligations to the best of my ability," she said.

The audience clapped a little to say goodbye. Selah turned around and gave them a salute.

In this way, she had become a duchess, the head of the Dulcia family.

But where is her fiancé? Selah thought she would hear Aeneas taunt her because today, she dressed up very formally for the coronation.

She had not been heard from since going to the festival that time, thought Selah, still trying to find Aeneas in the audience.

Selah had asked Janette if Azel had left a message for her. In fact, nothing. Did something happen to him?

"Crown Prince Blair left immediately."

"Maybe because this is the coronation of his ex-fiancee, that's why he is like that…."

"I don't think so. I hear Prince Aeneas is sick. You know how protective Crown Prince Blair is towards Prince Aeneas, right?"

Selah, who accidentally heard the whispers, was shocked by herself. Aeneas sick? No wonder he was not heard from. But did Aeneas really get sick to make Blair worry like that?

Hmmm, yesterday at the festival, he looked fine, thought Selah.

Several other ministers approached her later. For a moment, Selah was busy chatting with them; about the kingdom's politics and economy, about the current state of the Dulcia family, and the Tullia Mines.

There's been a problem there lately. Baron Tullia said they had intruders–thieves. Only crazy people would steal there because the punishments in Tullia were cruel. Because of that problem, Baron Tullia returned there and could not attend Selah's coronation.

To be honest, Selah secretly felt lonely. At the coronation ceremony, which she had worked hard for, no one she knew was present.

"Lady Selah."

Someone approached her stealthily. Selah leaned against one of the pillars and whispered, "Sir Azel?"

"I'm sorry that I called you this way," said Sir Azel earnestly. "Would you be willing to take the time to talk to me?"

Selah said yes quickly, and they were looking for a more private place to talk. If Azel asked to meet like this, it must be related to Aeneas.

"Perhaps you can already guess that Prince Aeneas is sick," said Azel, starting the conversation.

"Yeah, I hear it from people," Selah said. "His sickness was just right after we got home from the festival. He doesn't have a stomach ache from poisoning or overeating, right?"

"No." Azel looked guilty. "Prince Aeneas is sick… because of me…"

Selah furrowed her brows. She didn't understand what that meant.

"I said the wrong thing to Prince Aeneas, and my words–let's say–shocked him."

"Prince Aeneas has surprised me many times. Maybe it's his karma."

"You don't understand, Lady Selah… Prince Aeneas… His Highness had a bad experience in the past that sometimes made her fall sick."

"You mean like trauma?"

"Yes…"

And Blair knows about it.

"Is this one of those stories I have to hear from Prince Aeneas himself?"

"Yes…"

"Okay. At least now I know he's not sick to his stomach or dying."

"Lady Selah–"

"Don't worry, I'll see him tomorrow if I have time. What does Prince Aeneas like?"

***

The mission to see her sick fiancé begins.

Blair had never been sick, nor had Selah ever visited a sick person before. All of this made Selah unsure what to do when visiting a sick person.

From her observations, people would bring fruit or other easily digestible food. Yesterday Selah had asked Azel what Aeneas liked, and he replied that Aeneas liked flowers. So, in a hurry, Selah picked the remaining peonies in her garden and arranged them with her own hands. In addition, Selah also brought cakes.

Hopefully, that's enough.

So that afternoon, after finishing her business at the ministry, Selah rushed to the Queen Consort Palace. Azel himself greeted her. The well-built knight immediately escorted him to Aeneas's place.

"Hi, Sweetheart. Welcome to my room," greeted Aeneas from his bed.

Azel immediately said goodbye and left the two of them. Selah glanced briefly around Aeneas' room before she drew closer.

"I heard you were sick, so I came here to visit you," said Selah. "I also brought flowers earlier, but your maid still looked for a vase."

"Ah, you are very considerate," said Aeneas, amused, but his tone was weaker than usual this time.

"If you're still sick, there's no need to force yourself," sighed Selah.

"I have to welcome the arrival of my lover in my room, right?" chuckled Aeneas. "How can I just let it go?"

Selah rolled her eyes. "Hearing that you can still make a joke, it seems I don't need to worry about your situation."

"I'm fine, really. Just a little fever."

Selah's hand slowly raised to touch Aeneas' forehead. Seeing him silent, Selah touched his forehead. Aeneas closed his eyes solemnly as if he was enjoying Selah's touch.

"It turns out that it is true fever. I thought you got food poisoning at the festival yesterday," Selah said half sarcastically.

Aeneas chuckled. "My digestion isn't that weak," he said.

A maid enters. She brought the flowers Selah had brought earlier, now placed in a vase. Aeneas asked that the flowers be placed on the nightstand beside his bed. I don't know why Selah is so ashamed of herself. Especially when Aeneas smiles crookedly as usual.

"I'm sorry if I can't arrange flowers well," Selah grumbled.

"What? I haven't said anything yet," said Aeneas. "I'm happy, really. That's your first flower, right? That doll, too," he added, taking the doll sitting beside him.

"You are good at sweet words, huh?" quipped Selah.

"Oh, I'm telling the truth, really," said Aeneas. "I got many gifts from you. You also came to visit, even though you must be busy. Thank You."

Selah was stunned to hear that. She couldn't believe she would be thanked by Aeneas, who was a prince.

Aeneas then asked her to come closer. Even with hesitation, Selah approached too. Suddenly, he kissed her only briefly, like a small peck on the lips.

Cheap trick, but Selah needed to remember how many times she fell for this cheap trick.

"A token of my gratitude," whispered Aeneas, then kissed Selah's lips again.