Ariadne was shocked and straightened her posture as if she had been burned. She vividly experienced what it could be like when she satisfied a man's desires without receiving any promises.
“Ari, don’t you love me? Come here.”
“The Queen will be Isabella.”
With Cesare's afterimage lingering in her ears, Ariadne pushed away Alfonso's heavy hand.
"No!"
Ariadne looked straight at Alfonso and spoke again.
“I don’t like this.”
Alfonso was also surprised by Ariadne's rejection as if he had been doused with cold water. But he was always a gentleman.
“Sorry, I was surprised.”
He reached down to wrap his arms around her shoulders and kissed Ari on the cheek.
“Is this okay?”
A line was drawn at the corner of her mouth as she looked at Alfonso, who was waiting impatiently. Ariadne smiled happily and kissed Alfonso on the lips.
“This is good.”
A smile appeared on Alfonso's lips again. The young pair laughed and nuzzled each other's lips. Playfully touching their lips usually led to a deep kiss. The thing that stopped them as they were frantically lusting after each other's lips for a while was the sound of a 'gurgle' that echoed through the lounge.
Ariadne looked at Alfonso's face, and Alfonso turned his red face to the side. Only then did Ariadne have time to look Alfonso up and down. Alfonso's attire reflected the hard work of the Prince who rode his horse through the snow-covered fields of winter day and night.
She said, gently tucking Alfonso's hair behind his ear.
“You must have had a really hard time coming. Are you hungry? When did you last eat it?”
"Yesterday evening? Beef jerky?"
It was now late afternoon, approaching evening time. What Alfonso said was that he had starved all day. Ariadne woke up in surprise.
“I can’t do this, let’s eat something right now! Wait a minute!"
Ariadne ran into the kitchen connected to the dining room. She has compulsively avoided food since her regression. She has been restricting her diet for so long that it has gotten to the point where the sight of groceries makes her nauseous.
However, as the hostess of the house, she was experiencing the double burden of having to carefully prepare the meals for others, and supervising the preparation of her own meals was a task she particularly disliked. But she was willing to touch Alfonso if it meant coming into his mouth.
Between lunch and dinner, she went into the kitchen when all the kitchen maids were away and put whatever bread and meat she could find from the cupboard onto a tray. Since he would have been indoors during the cold winter, warmed wine and warm soup were also essential.
She put a large tray full of food, thought about it for a moment, and then finished putting some desserts on it. She closed the cupboard and returned to the lounge next to the kitchen.
"Her! Let’s eat quickly!”
Ariadne brought only one set of spoons and forks. Alfonso raised his eyebrows.
“Are you not eating?”
“I already ate.”
She answered calmly, without even hesitating, but he looked Ariadne up and down keenly. She looked like she had starved for three days, let alone had lunch. Instead of pointing out that it was a lie, Alfonso smiled and said to Ariadne.
“Then eat one more time.”
Alfonso urged Ariadne again, asking if she was going to let him eat alone. Only then did Ariadne, who reluctantly brought her own share of utensils, crack up and scoop up some soup to moisten her lips. Since she wanted to feed the Prince, she didn't bring any vegetables without sauce. The only thing that made her less nauseous was the soup.
"Her! Let’s eat quickly!”
Ariadne brought only one set of spoons and forks. Alfonso raised his eyebrows.
“Are you not eating?”
“I already ate.”
She answered calmly, without even hesitating, but he looked Ariadne up and down keenly. She looked like she had starved for three days, let alone had lunch. Instead of pointing out that it was a lie, Alfonso smiled and said to Ariadne.
“Then eat one more time.”
Alfonso urged Ariadne again, asking if she was going to let him eat alone. Only then did Ariadne, who reluctantly brought her own share of utensils, crack up and scoop up some soup to moisten her lips. Since she wanted to feed the Prince, she didn't bring any vegetables without sauce. The only thing that made her less nauseous was the soup.
Alfonso, who found Ariadne taking her leave with a spoonful of the soup in front of her, looked at her intently. Ariadne belatedly noticed his gaze and raised her head to look at Alfonso.
"Why?"
“Are you not eating well?”
He keenly looked at places like her wrists, the nape of her neck, and cheeks.
“I don’t think I can starve you at home now, and you’re not eating, right?”
Ariadne avoided Alfonso's gaze. But he didn't let her go.
“Oh, try it.”
Ariadne flinched and trembled. Just imagining the feeling of food in her mouth made her feel bad. If she eats, she will gain weight. If she gains weight...
“He says you’re so big it looks like he's hugging a man.”
That wasn't right. Alfonso was impressed when Ariadne stubbornly refused to open her mouth in front of the spoon. Ariadne pouted her lips as Alfonso frowned.
'What, are you going to get angry because I don't eat it?'
However, what struck her was not Alfonso's expression of disappointment, but his lips. The Prince took a sip of the milk warmed with sugar and dried fruit, then opened her mouth and poured it down her throat. She couldn't tell if the sweet thing was warmed milk or a kiss. It was the first sweet taste she had in 10 months since her return.
"Why?"
“Are you not eating well?”
He keenly looked at places like her wrists, the nape of her neck, and cheeks.
“I don’t think I can starve you at home now, and you’re not eating, right?”
Ariadne avoided Alfonso's gaze. But he didn't let her go.
“Oh, try it.”
Ariadne flinched and trembled. Just imagining the feeling of food in her mouth made her feel bad. If she eats, she will gain weight. If she gains weight...
“He says you’re so big it looks like he's hugging a man.”
That wasn't right. Alfonso was impressed when Ariadne stubbornly refused to open her mouth in front of the spoon. Ariadne pouted her lips as Alfonso frowned.
'What, are you going to get angry because I don't eat it?'
However, what struck her was not Alfonso's expression of disappointment, but his lips. The Prince took a sip of the milk warmed with sugar and dried fruit, then opened her mouth and poured it down her throat. She couldn't tell if the sweet thing was warmed milk or a kiss. It was the first sweet taste she had in 10 months since her return.
Normally, she would have freaked out and spit it out or gotten angry at the person who made her eat it, but the sweetness that she couldn't tell whether it was his lips or the sugar made her fall to her knees.
"Ha...”
Alfonso parted his lips. Evidence of a sweet kiss was hanging like a spider web. Ariadne waved her hand and wiped the corners of his mouth.
“Alfonso, what..!”
“Ari, I hope you are healthy.”
At Alfonso's words, Ariadne had no choice but to stop the tip of her tongue that was trying to get angry.
“I hate seeing you dry. If there's something delicious, just eat it all without thinking about it. I hope you don’t get dark with complicated thoughts.”
He wiped Ariadne's lips with his finger. The lips were covered in milk that had flowed down mixed with saliva after Ariadne had cleaned them sparsely.
“You’re pretty.”
Ariadne was startled and trembled. It's a flattering rumor that men only say right before going to bed. She heard things like that well in her past life. She spat out stubbornly.
“Just because you say that doesn’t mean I’ll let you stay here any longer today.”
Alfonso's blue-gray eyes trembled slightly at Ariadne's mean words. But he didn't get angry at her, but instead he pressed his lips against her forehead, pressing very close to her.
"Ari. Do not say that. I didn’t mean to say that.”
He took a moment to choose his words, then continued.
“In my eyes, you are prettier than anyone else in the world. There is no need to dry it any further and there is no need to decorate it in a cumbersome way. I just want you to do what you want, eat what you want, and live naturally and comfortably.”
It was a luxury that Prince Alfonso himself could not enjoy. But he also intended to win it for himself. A natural daily life where he can live as himself. And even more so for his woman. He planned to make it happen a hundred and a thousand times. He touched Ariadne's hand and squeezed it, giving it strength.
“I was worried about you, so I couldn’t come.”
He continued, gently brushing her forehead.
"Strange. Even though you are really good at everything, you are like a child thrown into the water. I keep worrying, I keep worrying, and I feel anxious.”
When Prince Alfonso found out that the owner of the obituary was Arabella, not Ariadne, he realized that his reason for going to San Carlo had disappeared, but he could not stop his steps. The concern and affection that had been occupying a part of his heart drove his journey to San Carlo.
"Ha...”
Alfonso parted his lips. Evidence of a sweet kiss was hanging like a spider web. Ariadne waved her hand and wiped the corners of his mouth.
“Alfonso, what..!”
“Ari, I hope you are healthy.”
At Alfonso's words, Ariadne had no choice but to stop the tip of her tongue that was trying to get angry.
“I hate seeing you dry. If there's something delicious, just eat it all without thinking about it. I hope you don’t get dark with complicated thoughts.”
He wiped Ariadne's lips with his finger. The lips were covered in milk that had flowed down mixed with saliva after Ariadne had cleaned them sparsely.
“You’re pretty.”
Ariadne was startled and trembled. It's a flattering rumor that men only say right before going to bed. She heard things like that well in her past life. She spat out stubbornly.
“Just because you say that doesn’t mean I’ll let you stay here any longer today.”
Alfonso's blue-gray eyes trembled slightly at Ariadne's mean words. But he didn't get angry at her, but instead he pressed his lips against her forehead, pressing very close to her.
"Ari. Do not say that. I didn’t mean to say that.”
He took a moment to choose his words, then continued.
“In my eyes, you are prettier than anyone else in the world. There is no need to dry it any further and there is no need to decorate it in a cumbersome way. I just want you to do what you want, eat what you want, and live naturally and comfortably.”
It was a luxury that Prince Alfonso himself could not enjoy. But he also intended to win it for himself. A natural daily life where he can live as himself. And even more so for his woman. He planned to make it happen a hundred and a thousand times. He touched Ariadne's hand and squeezed it, giving it strength.
“I was worried about you, so I couldn’t come.”
He continued, gently brushing her forehead.
"Strange. Even though you are really good at everything, you are like a child thrown into the water. I keep worrying, I keep worrying, and I feel anxious.”
When Prince Alfonso found out that the owner of the obituary was Arabella, not Ariadne, he realized that his reason for going to San Carlo had disappeared, but he could not stop his steps. The concern and affection that had been occupying a part of his heart drove his journey to San Carlo.
Arabella was Ariadne's youngest sister, whom she loved very much, and Arabella was the only one she cared about in a house full of non-human people. When he imagined what Ariadne must have felt, he felt as if a knife had been stabbed in his heart. His dark-haired girl, who purses her lips to pretend to be strong, will have nowhere else to lean on. He wanted to run to her and be her shoulder to lean on. He was a boy Prince with no real power, an only son, and not yet Crown Prince, but there were still things he could do. No, he was not a Prince, but there were things he could do even if he were a street stooge.
It was to tell his girl that she was not alone and to hold her hand if she was having a hard time. That's why he came up through the snow for three days and nights, making ridiculous and unreasonable moves, and now he's standing in front of her.
“I’m worried because you’re not doing something as basic as this. It is said that even young children know how to eat on their own once they are over four years old. The kids can’t do things on their own, so I bring them up to San Carlo and feed them.”
Alfonso nuzzled Ariadne's face.
“You can’t even be a child.”
"No, it's not!"
“Then try eating with your hands.”
He put a spoon in Ariadne's hand and pushed the bowl of soup in front of her. Now that he had come this far, she had no choice but to do it. She scooped up the clear mushroom and beef broth with a spoon, but couldn't easily raise it to her mouth. Next to Ariadne, Alfonso put his mouth to her ear and whispered.
“Hurry before I eat you like before.”
Ariadne was so embarrassed by the sudden sound of a deep sound in her ear that she put the spoon in her mouth. The savory taste of beef along with the scent of dried porcini mushrooms filled Ariadne's throat. The scent of proper food, the first she had tasted in a long time, was unfamiliar at first and disgusting for a moment. But by the time the soup went down her esophagus, the same pleasant taste she had known before passed through her senses.
“I’m worried because you’re not doing something as basic as this. It is said that even young children know how to eat on their own once they are over four years old. The kids can’t do things on their own, so I bring them up to San Carlo and feed them.”
Alfonso nuzzled Ariadne's face.
“You can’t even be a child.”
"No, it's not!"
“Then try eating with your hands.”
He put a spoon in Ariadne's hand and pushed the bowl of soup in front of her. Now that he had come this far, she had no choice but to do it. She scooped up the clear mushroom and beef broth with a spoon, but couldn't easily raise it to her mouth. Next to Ariadne, Alfonso put his mouth to her ear and whispered.
“Hurry before I eat you like before.”
Ariadne was so embarrassed by the sudden sound of a deep sound in her ear that she put the spoon in her mouth. The savory taste of beef along with the scent of dried porcini mushrooms filled Ariadne's throat. The scent of proper food, the first she had tasted in a long time, was unfamiliar at first and disgusting for a moment. But by the time the soup went down her esophagus, the same pleasant taste she had known before passed through her senses.
That’s right, it tasted like this...
As Ariadne passed her mouthful, Alfonso patted her head and praised her.
“Come on, one more bite.”
At Alfonso's urging, she scooped up another spoonful of mushroom beef soup and put it into her mouth. The delightful taste of the food, which she had only faintly felt at the end a while ago, suddenly spread as soon as it touched the tip of her tongue. Ariadne voluntarily scooped up a third spoonful. Alfonso was watching all this with his chin resting happily. Ariadne finished the mushroom and beef soup, and she also ate the potato gnocchi and the roast lamb. She couldn't eat much meat because it smelled so fishy for the first time in a long time, but this was a huge step forward.
“Come on, one more bite.”
At Alfonso's urging, she scooped up another spoonful of mushroom beef soup and put it into her mouth. The delightful taste of the food, which she had only faintly felt at the end a while ago, suddenly spread as soon as it touched the tip of her tongue. Ariadne voluntarily scooped up a third spoonful. Alfonso was watching all this with his chin resting happily. Ariadne finished the mushroom and beef soup, and she also ate the potato gnocchi and the roast lamb. She couldn't eat much meat because it smelled so fishy for the first time in a long time, but this was a huge step forward.
Alfonso also relieved his sorrow of not being able to eat anything except frozen beef jerky for three days. Apparently, it was Prince Alfonso who played the main role in preparing the food. The tray full of food she brought with her ran out in the blink of an eye as soon as she started eating it in earnest. Alfonso chewed the last piece of lamb as if he couldn't help it.
“Shall I get you more?”
“No, this is enough. I ate it because there was some leftover.”
For a Prince, he had extremely frugal tastes. Ariadne smiled slightly. Then her eyes caught the rice pudding sitting on the corner of the table.
“Aren’t you going to eat that?”
Alfonso glanced and answered.
“I don’t really like desserts. Plus, I don’t like pudding because it has a soggy texture.”
Ariadne paused for a moment. Alfonso clearly ate the sanguinaccio dolce she had given him without any trace of disgust. She turned and asked.
“I’ve never seen you leave dessert behind at an official event.”
Alfonso laughed bitterly.
“That’s it. If I leave food at an official event or at the royal palace, an unpleasant order is issued in the kitchen.”
Queen Marguerite paid special attention to the Prince eating well, and Alfonso's nanny, who wanted to please Queen Marguerite, asked why the Prince had no appetite every time Alfonso left food, and what did the chef do to give the Prince the food he was given?
She protested hysterically to the kitchen, asking if she could not finish everything. The Prince's nanny had a much greater say than the palace chef. Alfonso witnessed how the chef was fired, the servants were fired, and his maids were beaten every time he left food behind.
“Even if I don’t like it, I have to endure it.”
Ariadne felt her heart sink. She guessed he ate the Sanguinaccio Dolce that she gave him cleanly because he was afraid that she would be taken to Cesare and suffer.
“Even if I don’t like it, I have to endure it.”
Ariadne felt her heart sink. She guessed he ate the Sanguinaccio Dolce that she gave him cleanly because he was afraid that she would be taken to Cesare and suffer.
Ariadne unconsciously caressed Alfonso's cheek. Even if she asked Alfonso now, he wouldn’t know. Some things go by forever without him knowing. But she felt like she knew it even without confirmation.
Alfonso seemed to be very happy when Ariadne held out her hand first. He spoke to Ariadne with a gentle smile on his lips.
“Eat well, sleep well, and take care of yourself. I think I should just get up now.”
Ariadne broke off her previous thoughts and laughed briefly at Alfonso's tone of voice, which had changed from before.
"Prince. Are you suddenly overflowing with majesty?”
Alfonso smiled while looking at Ariadne.
“Treating your friends should be different from treating your woman.”
Ariadne blushed for a moment. Not wanting to seem embarrassed, she asked mischievously.
“Am I your girl?”
If it had been Alfonso in the past, his face would definitely have been red. This time, he couldn't hide the slightly reddened earlobes. But he nodded his head vigorously.
"Yes."
Alfonso answered emphatically and added one more word.
"Hang in there."
Ariadne laughed bitterly. It felt like a warm breeze blew through her heart. It was like a painkiller taken directly into a daily life filled with misfortune and tragedy. She was always taking care of her man.
“Eat well, sleep well, and take care of yourself. I think I should just get up now.”
Ariadne broke off her previous thoughts and laughed briefly at Alfonso's tone of voice, which had changed from before.
"Prince. Are you suddenly overflowing with majesty?”
Alfonso smiled while looking at Ariadne.
“Treating your friends should be different from treating your woman.”
Ariadne blushed for a moment. Not wanting to seem embarrassed, she asked mischievously.
“Am I your girl?”
If it had been Alfonso in the past, his face would definitely have been red. This time, he couldn't hide the slightly reddened earlobes. But he nodded his head vigorously.
"Yes."
Alfonso answered emphatically and added one more word.
"Hang in there."
Ariadne laughed bitterly. It felt like a warm breeze blew through her heart. It was like a painkiller taken directly into a daily life filled with misfortune and tragedy. She was always taking care of her man.
Ariadne asked as she was accustomed to.
“How did you leave the seat empty? I don’t think it came officially.”
“It’s nothing for you to worry about.”
Prince Alfonso answered with a firm voice as expected.
“I’ll take care of it.”
Ariadne was slightly surprised by Alfonso's uncharacteristic firmness and his response, which was different from Cesare's. The output relative to the input came out completely different from what she was used to.
“How did you leave the seat empty? I don’t think it came officially.”
“It’s nothing for you to worry about.”
Prince Alfonso answered with a firm voice as expected.
“I’ll take care of it.”
Ariadne was slightly surprised by Alfonso's uncharacteristic firmness and his response, which was different from Cesare's. The output relative to the input came out completely different from what she was used to.
Cesare would certainly have whined at her for asking about his difficulties and extending her caring hand. Cesare says that it was very difficult for him to leave his seat, and he ask her to listen to his mysterious plan as to how he was able to leave his seat. The time filled with boasts and pleas was familiar.
Ariadne marveled at this difference for a moment and then nodded. Alfonso probably has his own thoughts. She was willing to trust the Prince.
“You too, take care of yourself.”
She added something.
“Don’t overdo it.”
If they just stay still, do nothing, and hide in the shadows, the results they both desire will come. The marriage between the Etruscan Prince and the Archduchess of Gallico is broken, and Prince Alfonso marries one of Cardinal de Mare's daughters by royal order.
“You too, take care of yourself.”
She added something.
“Don’t overdo it.”
If they just stay still, do nothing, and hide in the shadows, the results they both desire will come. The marriage between the Etruscan Prince and the Archduchess of Gallico is broken, and Prince Alfonso marries one of Cardinal de Mare's daughters by royal order.
But the burnt offering requires a sacrificial lamb. The life of none other than Queen Marguerite was to become today's sacrifice, a white lamb, on the altar.
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