Chapter 147

The Reincarnated Princess’s Northern Trip

“…?”

I felt like I got called by someone and turned around .

My line of sight met Sir Leonhard’s gaze, who was staring at me curiously .

“Is something the matter?”

“N-Not particularly . ”

Sir Leonhard’s face was so close to my own that my heart nearly jumped out of my chest .

Why did I lose my composure, you ask?

We’re both riding on the same horse, so of course I’d lose my cool .

My heart, which had just finally managed to settle down, soon became agitated once again .

I gently placed a palm on my chest and took a deep breath .

“Are you cold?”

“I’m okay . ”

It’s actually rather hot, but I could never say that out loud…

“The closer we reach the border, the colder it will become . Please make sure to tell me if you need anything . ”

He reminded me, carefully looking after my wellbeing .

“I will . ”

His serious expression was so cool and suave that my face began to heat up . I pulled part of my hood down and thoroughly covered it away from sight .

The fur part rubbed my cheeks and made it itch .

In a lot of ways, I don’t think I’ll survive till the end of this trip…

No… I’m actually happy… I’m happy, right?

My heart’s endurance was being relentlessly tested by Sir Leonhard . I was overly ecstatic and terrified all at the same time . It was inevitable .

I put a palm on my forehead . From the temperature alone, anyone would think I was feverish .

The chilly air is so cold, so I wonder why I feel this warm and cozy?

I looked upon the scenery as I rode the lightly galloping horse .

Along the sides of the flattened road were patches of snow mixed in with leaves, and beyond those gentle hills laid steep mountains that towered like walls, all topped pure white with snow .

Sir Leonhard said it will become even colder as we head north .

He and I were currently travelling to the Nebel-Raptor border .

I was going to meet his old friend, the Commander of the Border Guard .

Nebel may have primarily warm climates in most places, but the northern lands were still quite cold, especially the area near the border fortress where guards were stationed . It often remained blanketed in white throughout the winter . Despite spring coming up on the calendar, the real thaw still had a long way to go .

I had taken some measures of my own against the cold for the time being .

I currently wore a simple navy blue dress and a pair of boots, both of which were lined with wool . The coat was made from a thick fabric with fur lining both its hood and hem . I even prepared the appropriate winter underwear .

It was a little painful to look so bloated in front of someone you like, but it was better than catching a cold and causing trouble for him . As usual, a woman’s drive for femininity comes crawling from the bottom of the earth out of nowhere .

By the way, my hair was dyed this time as well . It was a pitch-black colour much like Sir Leonhard’s so we would look like relatives .

It should have been a hair colour that a (former) Japanese like myself would be used to, but I felt awkward every time I saw myself in the mirror . It may have been because of the sheer gap in beauty between us . I was incredibly plain in my previous life—a fact only ever more pronounced now that my hair was black .

Sir Leonhard wore a black high-neck and grey surcoat . His belt and boots were a pair of matching dark brown colour . The thick cloak he wore was for winter uses, but it didn’t have fur around its hood like mine . They’re only simple dark colours but… he still looks so cool…!

His usual knight outfit with a flower crest was handsome in its own right, but the way he’s dressing right now gives off a different air . I wanna see him wear other types of clothes too! Some sort of traditional wear like what the Kua Clan use might be good…

As I was drooling over my delusions of Sir Leonhard wearing a tribal dress, I suddenly remembered Mr . Wolf and Lily .

While I was staying in the castle, none of the Kua Clan members came . Sure, it takes a long time to pack and travel, so it couldn’t be helped, but I really wanted to greet you all . I was hoping to give Lily a good ‘welcome back’ hug… and then hear her timidly reply with an ‘I’m home’…

“Princess?”

With my head down, Sir Leonhard worriedly called out to me .

“Isn’t it too cold after all? Or are you perhaps tired?”

“N-No! I’m not cold in the slightest . I’m totally fine!”

I shook my head in a hurry, but Sir Leonhard’s expression didn’t clear up .

“Let’s take a break . ”

“No, um, there’s no need . Really . ”

“No, I won’t allow it . Travelling on a horse when you’re not used to it can put more stress on your body than you realise . ”

Certainly, I wasn’t very used to riding horses .

But I was also the princess who went over mountains on foot after sailing on a ship . I classed myself as pretty tough compared to the other girls of the world .

However, Sir Leonhard had made up his mind .

When we reached an opening, he stopped the horse and laid out a cloth on a rock that looked comfortable enough for me to sit on . Even after tying the horse to a tree, he did various other chores such as putting a blanket over my shoulders and even providing hand-wipes .

When I received the drink that he offered, mixed feelings stirred up inside me .

“…Sir Leon . ”

“Yes?”

Sir Leonhard casually replied, his body in a position that blocked the wind for me .

Yeah… I’m happy . I know that I’m happy, but…

“Aren’t you being a little overprotective?”

Sir Leonhard’s eyes shot open as if he was caught off guard . He looked right and up to the sky as he placed his chin on his fingers .

Don’t tell me you didn’t notice?

“Is… that so?”

I nodded to his uncertain whisper .

Sir Leonhard accompanied me as an escort, not a servant .

And despite that, he still took care of me . I just couldn’t stand it . I may be a princess, but I can take care of simple necessities by myself .

Besides, if I’m pampered all the time, I’ll get used to being spoiled and acting like a sheltered princess again . I’ve finally grown somewhat since then, so I’d rather not start all over from square one .

Naturally, I couldn’t tell him all of that, so what came out was only half of what I truly felt . Sir Leonhard looked anxious .

“Did I cause you trouble?”

“No! Nothing of the sort! It’s just… I’m sorry…”

“Then please don’t worry about it . ”

It was difficult to refute a remark like that .

I wondered if Sir Leonhard liked to take care of me . I heard he also had a lot of little brothers back in the game that were very well looked after .

If this is a reward, then should I just enjoy it? I’ve been dancing on the edge of my seat all this time… I wonder if I’ll be able to get used to this one day…?

However, Sir Leonhard casually set off a bomb, not knowing the conflict within my heart .

“It seems that I enjoy tending to your needs . ”

“!?”

I nearly spat the drink .

Someone please praise me for being able to keep my internal turmoil at bay .

I wanted to ask him what he meant by that, but after seeing him with a smile, I immediately knew .

This person probably likes to take care of others younger than him . I wasn’t anyone special, and he wasn’t playing with a maiden’s heart or anything of the sort .

But a girl’s heart in love can be complicated, so please understand that I’m feeling a little bitter right now .