The Princess's Private Tutoring - Chapter 14

Episode 14. Qualifications

Celestia suddenly thought of Killian.

Conversations with Samuel were always comfortable. Teasing, laughing—it all came so easily. So why was it that before Killian she could not do the same?

She disliked herself a little for turning into nothing but a naïve girl whenever she stood in front of Killian.

“Princess?”

Samuel stepped closer to check on Celestia, whose face had suddenly darkened.

“It was just a moment’s dizziness. Let’s head back to Stella Palace. And once there, you’ll be my friend Samuel, not Sir Isaac’s son.”

Casting aside the awkward honorifics, Celestia spoke firmly. Her voice was loud and bright as always, yet Samuel found he couldn’t take his eyes off her.

‘Something about her has changed.’

But what was it?

***

“Did you enjoy your time with the princess?”

It was near sunset when Samuel finally boarded the carriage to return home.

Isaac, who had parted from the king earlier and was waiting for his son in the carriage, asked him.

“As always.”

Isaac clicked his tongue in irritation and knocked on the small window to the driver.

With a rattling sound, the carriage set off.

Drawn by four horses, the carriage quickly departed from the palace.

When the palace visible through the window had shrunk to the size of a palm, Isaac said, “His Majesty’s worries are no small matter. The princess has only a year left, yet she refuses to meet suitors, saying no man pleases her.”

Isaac hinted at the reason he had deliberately waited for his son instead of returning alone.

Even though Samuel was his own son, Isaac couldn’t read his thoughts just from his expression.

Still, Samuel didn’t look displeased, so Isaac continued, “It’s time you made up your mind. The princess doesn’t seem to dislike you. Seize the chance, create the mood, and first… share her bed.”

“Father.”

Samuel furrowed his brow, silencing Isaac.

“It’s just between us, what does it matter?”

Isaac’s eyes gleamed with greed.

He was determined to marry Celestia to his son.

Samuel could never even make the list of candidates King Perriorson would consider for a son-in-law. But if it came to desperation, even the king would have no choice.

Most importantly, all Samuel had to do was capture Celestia’s heart.

‘It’s more than possible!’

Apart from his status, Samuel lacked nothing compared to Celestia.

Besides, weren’t the two of them close enough to speak casually in private?

‘If she disliked him, would the princess ever have chosen him as her friend?’

So if Samuel pressed forward, it wouldn’t be long before their family became kin to royalty.

“Samuel, I’m not saying this for my own sake. It’s for the princess. If you let time slip away and suddenly the day of prophecy arrives, what then?”

Samuel worried about that too.

‘Why does the princess refuse to marry? They say she has a special ideal type…’

Samuel’s cheeks flushed red.

Covering his jaw with his large hand, he turned toward the window.

Though he had not planted spies in Stella Palace, Samuel had opened every channel he could to hear her news.

Thanks to that, Samuel even knew of Celestia’s ideal type.

That day, he had dared to hope.

‘For someone like me… it should be fine.’

It wasn’t arrogance but truth.

Given the chance, he could prove himself.

Yet Samuel was not even considered among her possible suitors. His name was never mentioned.

For one reason only.

‘Status…’

That damn status.

Samuel’s chest felt stifled.

“Samuel, it’s for the princess. You must be more assertive,” Isaac whispered.

Even though it was his own father, Samuel thought him sly.

And what about himself?

As Celestia’s time dwindled, he found himself thinking, ‘Perhaps I have a chance.’ What kind of man did that make him?

Could he truly say he had no selfish desire, when he was so conscious of Killian?

‘Duke Eustia.’

Samuel inevitably thought of Killian.

‘Behind closed doors, they all whisper that he’ll be the princess’s husband. And she does seem to think of him specially.’

Whenever Killian’s name came up, Celestia faltered—stammering, struggling to change the subject.

Samuel recalled seeing Killian two years ago.

It had been at Celestia’s twentieth birthday banquet. That day, Killian had only observed her from afar before leaving quietly, unnoticed by anyone.

Samuel had spotted him purely by chance.

‘Does he fit the princess’s ideal type?’

At least in looks, yes. Even Samuel had to admit he was a striking man.

And when the king offered him a high-ranking post, he had declined, proving he wasn’t greedy for power.

Besides, being head of House Eustia was already power enough.

And lastly, was his cock large?

Samuel had never seen it, of course, but judging by the size of his hands and feet, it surely wasn’t small.

‘Is it him?’

The man Celestia had been waiting for?

His stomach twisted.

He should be glad if it meant her curse could be broken, yet his mouth tasted bitter.

‘Am I truly not allowed?’

His hidden feelings rose to the surface at last.

Samuel leaned his forehead against the cold carriage window and let out a long sigh.

***

It was the fourth day of Celestia and Killian’s private lessons.

This time Celestia had chosen the location—the fourth reception room of Stella Palace.

Of all the palace’s reception rooms, it was the smallest.

It was her answer to Killian having chosen the grandest room last time.

‘Still, it’s as large as any noble’s reception room.’

Sadly, it was not small enough for them to sit close enough for the fine hairs on their skin to be visible.

‘Perhaps I should have suggested a lesson inside a carriage.’

But what lesson could possibly be conducted in a carriage?

No matter how much Celestia racked her clever mind, nothing came to her.

She kept thinking of Killian as she checked the time.

‘Still a long while before the lesson begins.’

Her eagerness to see him had made her arrive early, and now time dragged unbearably slow.

Celestia dangled her shoe from the tip of her toe, rocking her foot back and forth.

‘I wish he would come quickly.’

“Have you been waiting long?”

Celestia’s dangling shoe slipped to the floor with a thud.

She blinked at the clock without thinking.

‘There are still thirty minutes before the lesson?’

Could it be that he, like her, had been too eager to wait? That was why he had hurried here early?

‘Impossible. He must have simply mistaken the time.’

Celestia pricked the swelling balloon of her heart.

Hope only brought pain.

“No, I just arrived as well.”

She scrunched her nose—a reaction that always gave her away when she lied, though she herself never noticed.

Killian chuckled softly and stepped closer.

Then, without warning, he bent down before her.

Celestia instinctively held out her hand, thinking he might kiss it.

Instead, he picked up her fallen shoe.

Celestia coughed lightly, pulling back her awkwardly extended hand.

“What are you doing, Sir Killian?”

“Putting on your shoe for you.”

He rested the shoe upon one thigh and raised his head. His face came into full view without obstruction.

‘Even looking down at him, he’s handsome.’

Celestia’s breath caught.

“Your Highness? Please slip your foot in.”

Killian gestured toward the shoe.

He had offered up his thigh so she could easily slide her foot into the shoe, yet he did not touch her small foot.

Whether it was kindness or something else, she could not tell.

Celestia pressed her lips together and slid her foot into the shoe.

Thanks to the way he shifted it for her, her foot slipped smoothly past the stiff leather.

Only once her foot was snug inside did Killian take hold of it.

Ignoring the dirt smudging his hand, he carefully set her foot down upon the floor.

His motions were so restrained, so solemn, that if it seemed reverent, it was surely an illusion.

Celestia forced herself to chase away the flutter in her chest.

“I heard you were unwell? You don’t look well.”

Killian, who had been about to walk around to the opposite chair, paused.

His face was marked with guilt, though Celestia could only see his back.

“It isn’t something you need to worry about, Your Highness.”

“I don’t know if you mean I lack the right to worry, or if you mean the illness wasn’t serious enough for me to worry. If it’s the former, I’d be very hurt. If it’s the latter… I’ll worry anyway.”

Killian swallowed hard.