Is It True Love?

Chapter 31: Regret

Wendell

Although many hours have passed since their conversation, the prince is still distressed by her unexpected reply. He decided to question Kana on her feelings and play as his second identity for the ultimate test. She thinks the country male and himself don't get along, so there wasn't any reason to fret about her answer reaching his ears. Additionally, Kana at the very least considers Frederick a good friend. This was the perfect method to get the truth out of her--like he did with Oliver's hatred in the same place. What he didn't anticipate was the girl's response would fail to fall in either category.

I thought of everything in black and white. Mother warned me she could have other personal struggles to be against marrying a prince, no matter how she felt. Honestly, this is harder to accept than her love being a sham from the start.

Wendell makes his way through the castle gate as the wind gust grows stronger and the rain picks up. The ash-blonde is lucky to have left out earlier than planned, otherwise he would've been soaked to the bone during the walk back. While dragging his feet across the long bridge, a familiar figure standing at the opposite end causes a deep sense of dread to come over him.

"K-Kana, what are you doing here?!"

"Y-Your Highness, it's quite the terrible weather we're having to..." Her voice trails off as the girl's emerald eyes widen at his apparel. "Ah, those red overalls are the exact ones Frederick was in today. Why would you be wearing such an outfit?"

The grip on his hat and wig tightens as the prince poorly attempts to hide them out of her line of sight. Regardless if she didn't notice these accessories, there are still the thick-framed glasses in plain view resting on the bridge of his nose. After their talk at Greendale Hill, he made a detour to Saelufu's residence and joined her family for supper. The disguised royal needed to vent about the answer he was told from his beloved, but now he wishes to have simply gone straight home instead.

"Those rectangular glasses too... I-I can't believe I've been so blind this entire time," she mumbles, realization slowly sinking in with a hint of confusion by her furrowed eyebrows. "...Frederick Muller was you from the very beginning, but why dress up like a foreigner pretending to stay with the Evans family? To go as far as attending the schoolhouse while keeping your identity a secret?"

Wendell's mind goes blank with not a logical excuse he can imagine would ever fool her. Perhaps it is cruel karma he ran into her like this to finally confess the whole truth. Kana has the right to know everything, despite what reaction he might receive.

I shouldn't have been trying to take the cowardly way out by making Frederick disappear without a trace...

"Kana, I never shared this when speaking about my engagement, but two months ago I made a deal with my mother. If I was to propose to the one who had stolen my heart before the wedding date, I'd be allowed to marry the girl of my choice. The arrangement with the Valenta family would be no more. That special person I sought to take the hand of...was you."

"R-Really?" she murmurs, a light tint rising in her cheeks though he wonders how long it will last.

"...However, I wasn't quite sure if you loved me like my genuine feelings which arose ever since we first met. I just couldn't propose if there was a possibility you would accept for all the wrong reasons. That's why..." Wendell inhales deeply, hoping the extra oxygen will force out the words stuck in his closing throat. "I chatted with Saelufu and she suggested using a different persona to discover your heart. If I acted as a mere peasant boy and your feelings didn't waver it meant your love was indeed real. On the contrary, if you no longer held any interest in me then your affection was only a facade."