Running up to the emperor and suddenly hugging him might not have been the best idea. Blanche had been told that it was fine, but she still doubted that.

Theodore seemed to have no trouble reading her expression and gave her a little smile. “It's really alright. Did you just come here to thank me, or was there something else?” This probably meant that she should leave, which Blanche had considered after that embarrassing display anyway.

Blanche kept her eyes on the floor and replied bashfully. “I only wanted to tell you that I liked the dress a lot. And the necklace too. I didn't want to forget it, so I went now. But I planned on leaving after a few minutes anyway. I will go now.”

Theodore nodded at her. “Then we will see each other later and-” He paused and scanned her expression again before revising his words. “No. Let me finish this for a moment, and then we can take a walk. Can you wait for a minute?”

Blanche whipped her head up at that. Why was he inviting her for a walk? She had been rather disrespectful just now, so he should actually want her to stay away for a while. Still, he even offered to spend time with her. If he did things like this, he might make her think about repeating such stupid actions. She hurried to reply. “Of course. I can wait.” She would even wait for hours if she got to take a walk with him then.

The emperor smiled at her for a moment before turning back to the servant. It only took a second, and it was like a switch was flipped. He became completely serious and gazed at the other man in a way that made the servant cower. Now he had the aura that one would expect of the ruler of a nation, and Blanche could only stare at him in awe.

Theodore spoke about some mistake never repeating ever again, and the other man nodded the whole time. When he was done, he sent the servant away, and his grim expression neutralized again. He turned to Blanche and smiled at her. “I hope that you didn't feel too bored just now. I just had to take care of this. We can leave.” With that, he walked down the hallway and waited for her to match his pace as he began explaining. “That servant is the superior of another staff member, who made a few mistakes and blamed the people working below him for it. He was always a good worker, but I fear that I will have to change his position now. If he can't control his underlings, he isn't helpful, but I will give him a second chance. The servant that framed others will not stay here any longer though. We can't have anyone untrustworthy among our staff.”

Blanche walked next to him and kept her eyes on his face the whole time. Why was Theodore telling her this? Wasn't this matter to be treated with more confidentiality? Him just revealing important matters of the palace to some outsider couldn't be good. But her enamored heart only saw that as proof that he trusted her and beat even quicker than before. “I see. So, you will dismiss him?”

“I will have to. I refuse to let anyone that seems like they might betray us for their own interest here. I know a person that made the mistake of not paying attention to this, and the people around them ended up suffering for a long time as a consequence. So, I will do my best to prevent similar situations from arising. If staff members even commit crimes because of such small matters, they would do worse things when bigger problems arrive. We should take care of it now instead of doing it later when we might pay the price for not cleaning up before.” Theodore spoke with confidence again, but he was still slightly red.

Blanche felt a little bad because of that. “That makes sense. It's better to get rid of problems when they are still small.” She paused for a moment and scanned his expression again. It almost seemed like he forced himself to keep his eyes straight ahead. He didn't want to look at her. He was probably more angry than he admitted to being. So, she began again. “Theodore, I sincerely apologize for that just now. I wasn't thinking about what I was doing, and I ended up startling you this much.”

Theodore made a dismissive motion with his hand. “I'm fine. It wasn't that bad. I got over it after a few seconds. Just don't do it again, or I will have to get revenge.”

She pressed her lips into a line at that. What was he saying? He definitely wasn't calm even now. Otherwise, he wouldn't avoid looking at her, and he wouldn't be blushing either. “But you are all red. Isn't that because I scared you?”

The emperor glanced to the side and scanned the knights that stood at the side of the hallway. “That isn't it. We will talk about it in a moment. When we are in a location that is a bit more secluded. I can assure you that I'm not angry, but we still have to discuss this.”

Blanche felt a bit of anxiety when she heard that. Of course, they would have to talk about this. After all, she had dared to disrespect the emperor of Artias in front of his citizens. There was no way that he would be happy about that. He probably intended to tell her that she would have to hold back from now on. And he was right about that. She had started to see him as a close friend and not the ruler of her nation, which was something Blanche shouldn't do. She would have to treat him with respect instead of running up to him and hugging him.

Even if Theodore wasn't the emperor, Blanche shouldn't have done this. After all, she wasn't his lover or anything like that. She didn't have the right to hug him without a warning at all. If she planned something like this, she would actually need his permission and couldn't just assume that he would be fine with it. She understood that, so she hoped that he wouldn't scold her too much. She would just apologize as often as possible, and then everything would be fine again. Hopefully.

When they reached the garden, her heart was pounding so loudly that she thought that she might faint soon. Blanche only calmed down a bit when Theodore led her to the pavilion. It was gorgeous at night and during the day too. She couldn't help but feel like this was a special place. It had brought her and Theodore together after all.

They entered, and Owen and Stella, who had looked almost terrified ever since her mistress' blunder, stayed behind.

Once Blanche had reached the bench, she sat down and fiddled with her hands. She was way too nervous right now. She breathed in and out a few times in an attempt to calm herself down before speaking up. “I would like to apologize again. I don't know what came over me and-”

Theodore stopped her by sitting down next to her. He was so close that she would only need to lean to the side and their shoulders would touch. That realization made her tense, but she tried to be as relaxed as possible. He didn't give her a chance to properly process this and began talking. “If I say that it is fine, I actually mean it. You don't have to apologize. I think we both messed up already when it comes to...” He mumbled the rest under his breath. “Suddenly getting way too close.” He paused for a moment before resuming in a serious tone. “I don't mind...you touching me. If you are fine with it, I mean. But I also know that people will see that and make their own assumptions about our relationship. That I brought you here is interesting enough to them, and me giving you gifts and visiting you every day is rather problematic as well. That's why it might not be good for us to be too close in public. Just you saying my name is strange to others, and you even hugged me and called me by a nickname.”

Blanche lowered her gaze and stared at her lap. Theodore was completely right. He had done his best to prevent nasty rumors from spreading. He had a fiancée, didn't he? That meant that he couldn't afford other people gossiping about him and a possible affair. And here Blanche was and did the most inappropriate things she could come up with.

But to be honest, she wasn't able to think about that for long when he had just said that he didn't mind her touching him. Had he just said that because he didn't want her to be uncomfortable because of her mishap, or had he been serious? She didn't dare to ask that question.

Theodore was silent for a short moment before resuming. “I like talking to you, but this may cause more problems than we can manage. What if people misunderstand this? I mean... Us spending so much time with each other already caused gossip within the palace, and it's only a matter of time until it spreads. You might not want to be known as...you know. That means that we should be more careful from now on. We will have to hold back a bit.”

That comment hurt more than it should have. If Theodore being with Blanche was the issue here, he could only fight against the rumors by refraining from seeing her. She didn't want to spend less time with him though. The days in the palace had only been so wonderful because he had been here. If he wouldn't visit her anymore, she would definitely not take it well.

Blanche balled her hands into fists. She wanted to complain so badly and refute him. She wanted to say that he shouldn't stop seeing her because that would break her heart. But did she have the right to voice anything like that? She didn't. She definitely did not have the right to insist on a person, who owed her nothing, meeting her when they didn't want to do it. But she wouldn't be able to accept him just ending their fragile friendship like this. Her ears were ringing when she forced herself to speak in a low voice. “Would it be so bad if people think that we are close? I know that it can cause trouble for you. But is it really that bad that we would have to stay apart from one another? Then I can be more careful. I won't talk to you in public, and I won't call your name either. We can eat in the dining room instead of my room, and I don't mind others being there to keep an eye on us. But I don't want to stop seeing you.” She dug her fingernails into her palms and desperately tried to calm down while trying to hide the fact that she was so upset that she could start crying. Blanche was scared of the response she would get now. Scared of Theodore telling her that he wouldn't visit her in the future. That thought was actually terrifying.

Stolen novel; please report.

Before she could get even more upset, Theodore spoke up in a hurried tone. “What are you talking about? I wouldn't go that far. There is no way that I would stop seeing you because of a few rumors. I let you move into the palace, so it's obvious that we get along well. There is no need to hide that. I just meant being careful about hugging me and calling my name. Especially if...” He paused a bit and still sounded uncertain when he continued. “If you want to use that nickname.”

Blanche looked up at him at that. Theodore really seemed to be flustered right now. He was blushing and appeared to be torn between wanting to avoid eye contact and gazing at her. Her heart skipped a beat upon seeing this. She barely dared to voice her question, but she couldn't hold back. “Then can I call you ‘Theo’ when we are alone?”

The emperor slowly nodded at her while keeping his face turned away from her. “I don't mind if you do that. Just... It's the first time that someone ever gave me a nickname. It would seem really strange to others if you said it in front of them, but...if you accidentally say it, it wouldn't be too bad either. I will...be careful not to let this rumor get too big. It will be fine, I think.”

Blanche couldn't help but get a bit red at that. He would allow her to give him a nickname when no one else had ever done it before? This was ridiculously close to what she had hoped for. Didn't this mean that Theodore actually liked her more than just as an acquaintance? He had sent her enough signals that would make it seem as if he liked her, right?

When she remembered her conversation with Stella, she became even more sure about that. Theodore had held her hand and hugged her already. Of course, he hadn't done that in the last week, but during their first meeting, he had acted as if he liked her romantically. But then again, she wasn't sure whether her brain just desperately wanted to make it seem like her first love was being reciprocated.

Should she just ask him instead of pondering this for ages?

No way. If she received an answer she didn't like, she risked breaking her own heart and making her relationship with Theodore awkward. She didn't want that.

Still, Blanche felt like her uncertainty made her way too vulnerable. She only realized that she had been quiet too long when she made eye contact with Theodore. “Oh... I...I would be happy to use it. Your nickname, I mean. I like it a lot, and I thought that it was a nice way to call you. I...” She was talking about stupid things again. She took a deep breath and showed him a bright smile. “Then I will use it from now on. Thank you, Theo.”

Theodore stared at her for a moment before averting his eyes. “I like it too. I was a bit surprised about you suddenly using it, but you're right. It sounds nice when you say it.” Surely, he was doing this on purpose. There was no way that he kept on saying stuff like this that made her heart beat faster on accident. He was probably well aware of what he was doing to her.

Blanche felt her stomach tingle as she scanned him from the corner of her eyes. For a moment, they were quiet, and that only served to make her more nervous. Why was she this helpless around him? This was ridiculous. She had to say something quickly, or she would mess up again. “Uhm... I wanted to thank you for the dress. It looks really pretty.”

Theodore smiled but still only met her eyes for a short moment. “Good. I thought that you would like it. It seems like I'm good at guessing what you are fond of. That makes giving gifts much easier. Did you wear it already?”

She was silent for a few seconds before replying while trying to hide her embarrassment. She had been so happy that she had rushed out without trying it on. “I...didn't. I just saw it and felt like I was dreaming. So, I didn't think about putting it on. I just wanted to thank you. I'm actually not sure whether I even have an occasion to wear something so pretty, but I will make sure to try it on when I get back.” A part of her wanted to offer Theodore that she could show him how it looked on her, but she was a bit too embarrassed for that.

Theodore slowly turned to her and waited for a moment before speaking. “Well, I thought that we could...maybe dance at some point. You mentioned that you never danced when we entered the ballroom. You sounded like you wanted to try it at some point. So, that would be a good chance to dress up for a bit.”

Blanche felt like a bucket of cold water was spilled onto her. Theodore wanted to dance with her? A real waltz, during which one held the partner's hand and put an arm around the other's waist? If she got that close to Theodore, she might faint for real. But the fact that he was even offering this to her made her hope. Maybe he truly did like her too. “I would be happy to join you. I have no idea how to dance, but I think I can learn it, even if I will be a bit clumsy. If you were patient enough for a slow learner like me, I would be honored.”

After all, this opportunity was way too good to pass up on it. She had an excuse to get closer to the man she loved and could dress up like a princess to learn to waltz at the same time. It was perfect.

A small smile lit up the emperor's face at that. “I can be patient for a bit. If I get to dance with you, that is more than fine. I learned how to dance ever since I was a child, so I should be a good teacher. We will do that at some point. Maybe in a month or so. By then, the situation here should calm down a little, and then I will have more free time.” So, he wanted to spend his free time with her. That was like a dream come true.

Blanche couldn't help but beam and fiddled her hands on her lap. “I look forward to that. It's good if you are less stressed.” And if she could see him for longer, that was extremely good too. She paused for a moment before remembering what she had originally come here for. “Ah. Then I should probably thank you properly for the present, right? Is there anything I can do for you in return?” Her smile slowly faded as she remembered her limited options. “I mean...buying you something will be difficult, and I'm...also not especially good at making anything myself. But I could try to do something for you if you tell me what I can do. Even if it's just a triviality, I would like to show you that I'm really grateful for your help and everything that you've done for me.”

Theodore stared at the floor in front of them for a moment before he lifted his head and looked at her again. “As I said, it was my own selfish decision to take you in. And I'm also doing something for myself while I'm giving you gifts. So, don't feel like you need to thank me. I'm just content with...” He stopped himself and swallowed. For a moment, Theodore looked like he pondered whether he truly wanted to say this before speaking up in a quiet tone. “I like...seeing you happy. If you smile at me after getting a gift, I feel happy too. When you open a present, your face lights up, and I immediately see that you enjoy it. That is more than enough to pay me back. So, just be honest about what you like, and I will be satisfied as well. And like I said, there is no need for you to worry about money. I own way too much, and it only gets more without me touching it. So, it's better if I spend it on something worthwhile.” He avoided her gaze after saying that, and this was good.

Blanche felt like she was about to have a heart attack. Her cheeks flushed immediately. She opened her mouth, but no noise came out. Theodore liked seeing her happy. And he called her worthwhile. Surely, that didn't necessarily mean that he was romantically attracted to her, but why else would he be flustered? She was about to ask him, just to keep her poor heart from overreacting whenever he said something like this, but she couldn't think clearly. Was Theodore for real, or was he teasing her? Hopefully, it was the first option. She could only stare at him and wait for another comment that would give her certainty.

Theodore kept his gaze directed at the distance for a while before he carefully glanced at her. He probably saw how red she was, but he had a slight blush on his face too, so she didn't feel too bad. They made eye contact, and then they just looked at each other for a few seconds.

“I...” The both of them spoke up at the same time, only to stop immediately.

Blanche desperately tried to keep her voice steady as she addressed him again. “You can go first.”

Theodore stared at her for a while before doing her the favor. “I may have moved a bit too quickly. I wanted to say that I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable with my words or actions. I'm very uncertain about what I'm doing when you're involved. That is why I ask you to tell me if I somehow make you feel like I'm getting too close to you.” That topic again. It seemed like he was really worried about that.

Blanche didn't want to just tell him that she adored touching him, but if she didn't say that, he might worry about this for much longer. She balled her fists again in an attempt to gain some strength. She lowered her gaze to the floor and quietly spoke up. “I actually like it a lot when you are close to me. I do feel a bit...nervous at times, but I never disliked it.” Her face burned when she told him that. Hopefully, he wouldn't laugh about this now, or she would have a serious problem.

“Then...” Theodore was so quiet that she could barely understand him. “Would you mind it if I held your hand?”

Her mind stopped working at that. He wanted to hold her hand again. There was no way that she could misinterpret this, right?

Blanche glanced over at him, and it was easy to see that Theodore was at least as nervous as she was. Still, she felt a bit stupid as her voice trembled during her reply. “I wouldn't. In fact, I...would like that very much.” She barely dared to move but slowly lifted her hand and held it in his direction.

The emperor offered his hand to her, and as soon as she put hers onto his, the both of them froze.

It was such a slight touch, but it made Blanche's heart act all crazy. She assumed that having such a strong reaction wasn't normal, but she didn't care. Not when Theodore slowly interlinked their fingers while keeping his gaze on her face, even if he looked like he wanted to avert his eyes in embarrassment. She was so happy that she could die at this moment. He was truly holding her hand because he had wanted to do it, not just because he wanted to console her. Maybe that was what made her do something even riskier.

Blanche slowly moved to the side and leaned her head against his shoulder even though her whole body felt extremely warm just because of this small gesture.

Theodore seemed to be as flustered as she was. He tensed for a moment before slowly relaxing. He stroked his thumb over the back of her hand and leaned his head onto hers.

This was the point at which Blanche realized that she would not be able to let go of this ever again. This wasn't just the typical fleeting first love that her parents had joked about.

She was truly and utterly in love with Theodore, and her feelings would last.