As sunlight streamed through the open window, Franz woke up.
While he was in a deep sleep, he had a strange dream that repeated over and over again. But by the time he opened his eyes and a beam of light came through them, he had forgotten what a dream it had been.
He stood up and unconsciously stretched out his arm towards the seat next to him, and was startled by the soft and warm body temperature that touched his fingertips. Judith, with a sheet wrapped around her shoulders, closed her eyes and was in a deep sleep like a dead person.
A faint smile appeared on Franz's lips as he listened to the sound of breathing. He tried to touch her white shoulder that was roundly exposed outside the sheet, then he touched the corner of her mouth in shock, and finally buried his face in her palms and let out a long breath. However, even when he covered his entire face and closed his eyes, the image of Judith he had seen last night did not leave his vision.
- Franz.
When she whispered while hugging his shoulder, Franz seemed like he was frozen for a moment, unable to do anything, and even his consciousness seemed to fade away. All he felt was the body temperature, soft, soft skin, and an incredibly hot and passionate sensation.
It was a very unfamiliar, yet strangely nostalgic feeling. It was as if he had been waiting for this for a very long time as if he had waited and waited, and a feeling of satisfaction that he would not know even if his limbs melted seemed to press down on his whole body.
Throwing himself into that sensation was like rowing in the open sea. He felt free, anxious, and heartbroken, and he didn't know what to do. The door that had been closed until now suddenly opened wide, and the new landscape seen beyond was much more colorful than what he had secretly imagined.
His eyes were wet and shining in the dark. It was like some unnameable brilliance. He thought about how it would feel to be born without knowing the word star or what a star is and encounter the twinkling of starlight for the first time.
Could Judith have felt it too?
In the end, Franz carefully got off the bed, without being able to touch any part of the sleeping Judith. He could kiss the defenseless forehead, temples, cheeks, nape of the neck, and shoulders wherever he wanted, but he didn't want to wake her from her sweet sleep. As he was slowly putting on the clothes he had taken off, he heard a noise coming from outside. They were servants who managed the palace.
“No, Your Highness the Crown Prince!”
When the startled servant made a loud noise, Franz hurriedly signaled him to be quiet. Perhaps he was quick-witted, or perhaps something like this happened often around here, but the attendant seemed to have a rough idea of what had happened just by looking at Franz's disheveled appearance. Franz said.
“Go to the Palace of Argent right now and fetch the Princess’s attendant, a girl named Mary Anne. If she has Marquis Ebelta's daughter with her, she will bring her with her. If you say that the Crown Princess needs to be attended to in the morning, she will understand.”
"Yes? Oh, no, then... There, inside..."
“Go quickly.”
As soon as the command was given, the attendant immediately turned and ran down the hallway. Franz closed the door and turned around, his movements suddenly stopping. Judith, who had been sleeping so soundly that she didn't notice even if someone carried her on the back just a moment ago, was blinking with her round eyes.
“...Are you awake?”
Contrary to what he expected, her voice came out a little hesitantly. Not only that but even the steps that were about to approach the bed stopped in place.
Sunlight spread into the air like fine powder along the round line of the shoulder with its back to the window. That warm scenery made Franz stop in his tracks. She made it impossible to approach, unable to place his hand. Like a glass flower created in his imagination, it seemed like it would disappear in an instant if he carelessly stepped into the line drawn by light.
“Why are you doing this?”
So when Judith broke the silence and spoke, Franz was truly surprised.
Wasn't it an illusion? Doesn't it go away?
"Your Highness?"
Judith woke up as if she felt something strange. Then the sheet draped over her body fell down, revealing her ivory naked body. Judith, who realized it too late, blushed brightly, and Franz's ears also turned red.
“Your Highness, my clothes...”
Judith's clothes were under the bed. It was in such a position that she couldn't reach it without her going down. Franz, who briefly turned his gaze toward the clothes on the floor, finally took a step and approached the bed. But instead of picking up her clothes and handing them over like she said, he placed his hands next to her body, which was covered with a sheet.
"Your Highness."
“The body...”
When Judith saw Franz's face turning red as he approached her, she found it difficult to make eye contact. She tried to turn her head, but the fingertips holding her cheek stopped her from doing so. Although it was a weak force, it could not be rejected or shaken off.
“Are you in any pain?”
“No... Yes.”
It wasn't completely true. From the moment she opened her eyes, her shoulders, back, and elbows all felt stiff. A tingling sensation was evident as if the aftereffects of the early night had not yet subsided.
However, the vague pain did not feel burdensome or unpleasant. In fact, if that feeling hadn't remained, she might have pinched her cheek, wondering if what happened last night was a dream.
Memories are vividly revived, overlaid, and find color through the senses that remain in reality. Judith bit the inside of her lips. The fingertips holding the sheet were inevitably shaking.
Franz looked like he wanted to say something to Judith, but in the end, not a word was exchanged between them after that. There were no sweet pushes or practical jokes. Spending the night didn't make two people's bodies merge into one. It's natural.
However, at that moment, as they sat close to each other and listened to each other's breathing, Judith and Franz simultaneously felt that the wall that existed between them had become slightly thinner. They felt it so vividly that they were at a loss because they didn't know how to face the change.
"Soon… Mary Anne is coming. If there is Cheraan, she will probably come with her."
“It’s okay to wash up alone..."
That's what she said, but the thought of standing up and going to the bathroom was annoying and distant. However, it was true that it was a bit embarrassing to look at their face, no matter how much they were Mary Ann or Cherian.
Franz shook his head after hearing Judith’s words.
“It’s hard to do alone.”
“How do you know that?”
Franz's expression became blank for a moment at Judith's question. He said.
“No, I... Although I don't know that. I just thought that might be the case. What... I'm not saying I know anything...”
It was a question that Judith asked without much meaning, but it seemed like she had made a ridiculous misunderstanding. Judith, who had been quietly listening while Franz continued to speak near gibberish, suddenly lowered her head and burst into laughter.
“I understand, Your Highness. I will believe it.”
“...Did you really doubt me?”
She's never been like that, but does that mean she has to make fun of it? Judith, with a rare mischievous thought, buttoned her unbuttoned shirt.
“Is there only one bathroom in this room?”
“It seemed like it. Why is that?”
“It’s a bit hard for you to go like that...”
Franz then opened his mouth as if saying "Ah" and smoothed out his tangled hair. His hair wasn't very strong, so it was easily tangled and disheveled when he woke up. From here, it was quite a walk to Astel Palace. If anyone saw that his appearance was so disheveled, there was sure to be a backlash.
“I can just go straight along the quiet road towards the hunting ground. Even if I bump into someone, they’ll probably think I drank too much at the banquet yesterday.”
“So, are you okay with your hangover? Stomach hurts... Isn’t that true?”
Franz, who was about to reply that it was okay, soon smiled. It was hard to find the awkward passion of the night before in that calm face, but nonetheless, a very fascinating sensuality was visible.
“I think I’m in enough pain that I need to eat some honey-pickled peaches.”
Judith knew that he was saying that on purpose and answered with a smile on her face.
“You should drink all the milk too.”
“Sure.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Franz's lips lightly pressed against Judith's cheek. Warm heat immediately rose from the spot where he kissed her, and his large palm gently wrapped her small face.
“Your Highness!”
Just as their lips were about to meet, the door opened carelessly. As the startled bodies of Franz and Judith fell, Cheraan, who had opened the door with the force of breaking it, opened her mouth wide.
“Uh, uh...”
It seemed that the attendant had not explained the situation properly, and Cheraan looked genuinely embarrassed. She seemed like she never thought Franz would be here.
After a moment of silence as frozen as a lakeside in midwinter, Cheraan spoke.
“Is this enough to blow off my head? Or is it just enough to preserve the neck?”
Judith and Franz, who were blinking, met each other's eyes. The two people pursed their lips and exchanged a coy smile before simultaneously looking back at Cheraan. Franz said.
“Your neck won’t be in danger, so you don’t have to worry.”
“...Is it true?”
"Yes. So, please rest assured and help the Crown Princess. What about Mary Anne?”
Then Mary Anne, who was hiding behind Cheraan and only glancing over her shoulder, wiggled her fingers and hesitantly raised her hand.
"I... I am here too, Your Highness.”
“The Crown Princess's behavior... Um, a little... It might be a little difficult, so be careful and try to help.”
"Yes? Ah, hmmm. Yes. Leave it to me!”
Franz gave a courtesy nod and a glance first to Judith, then to Cheraan and Mary Anne, and then strode out into the hallway. As if waiting for the moment for him to leave, Cheraan and Mary Anne rushed into the room and rolled over, throwing themselves in front of the bed.
“Your Highness! I almost died of shock! What is going on!”
"Your Highness?"
Judith woke up as if she felt something strange. Then the sheet draped over her body fell down, revealing her ivory naked body. Judith, who realized it too late, blushed brightly, and Franz's ears also turned red.
“Your Highness, my clothes...”
Judith's clothes were under the bed. It was in such a position that she couldn't reach it without her going down. Franz, who briefly turned his gaze toward the clothes on the floor, finally took a step and approached the bed. But instead of picking up her clothes and handing them over like she said, he placed his hands next to her body, which was covered with a sheet.
"Your Highness."
“The body...”
When Judith saw Franz's face turning red as he approached her, she found it difficult to make eye contact. She tried to turn her head, but the fingertips holding her cheek stopped her from doing so. Although it was a weak force, it could not be rejected or shaken off.
“Are you in any pain?”
“No... Yes.”
It wasn't completely true. From the moment she opened her eyes, her shoulders, back, and elbows all felt stiff. A tingling sensation was evident as if the aftereffects of the early night had not yet subsided.
However, the vague pain did not feel burdensome or unpleasant. In fact, if that feeling hadn't remained, she might have pinched her cheek, wondering if what happened last night was a dream.
Memories are vividly revived, overlaid, and find color through the senses that remain in reality. Judith bit the inside of her lips. The fingertips holding the sheet were inevitably shaking.
Franz looked like he wanted to say something to Judith, but in the end, not a word was exchanged between them after that. There were no sweet pushes or practical jokes. Spending the night didn't make two people's bodies merge into one. It's natural.
However, at that moment, as they sat close to each other and listened to each other's breathing, Judith and Franz simultaneously felt that the wall that existed between them had become slightly thinner. They felt it so vividly that they were at a loss because they didn't know how to face the change.
"Soon… Mary Anne is coming. If there is Cheraan, she will probably come with her."
“It’s okay to wash up alone..."
That's what she said, but the thought of standing up and going to the bathroom was annoying and distant. However, it was true that it was a bit embarrassing to look at their face, no matter how much they were Mary Ann or Cherian.
Franz shook his head after hearing Judith’s words.
“It’s hard to do alone.”
“How do you know that?”
Franz's expression became blank for a moment at Judith's question. He said.
“No, I... Although I don't know that. I just thought that might be the case. What... I'm not saying I know anything...”
It was a question that Judith asked without much meaning, but it seemed like she had made a ridiculous misunderstanding. Judith, who had been quietly listening while Franz continued to speak near gibberish, suddenly lowered her head and burst into laughter.
“I understand, Your Highness. I will believe it.”
“...Did you really doubt me?”
She's never been like that, but does that mean she has to make fun of it? Judith, with a rare mischievous thought, buttoned her unbuttoned shirt.
“Is there only one bathroom in this room?”
“It seemed like it. Why is that?”
“It’s a bit hard for you to go like that...”
Franz then opened his mouth as if saying "Ah" and smoothed out his tangled hair. His hair wasn't very strong, so it was easily tangled and disheveled when he woke up. From here, it was quite a walk to Astel Palace. If anyone saw that his appearance was so disheveled, there was sure to be a backlash.
“I can just go straight along the quiet road towards the hunting ground. Even if I bump into someone, they’ll probably think I drank too much at the banquet yesterday.”
“So, are you okay with your hangover? Stomach hurts... Isn’t that true?”
Franz, who was about to reply that it was okay, soon smiled. It was hard to find the awkward passion of the night before in that calm face, but nonetheless, a very fascinating sensuality was visible.
“I think I’m in enough pain that I need to eat some honey-pickled peaches.”
Judith knew that he was saying that on purpose and answered with a smile on her face.
“You should drink all the milk too.”
“Sure.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Franz's lips lightly pressed against Judith's cheek. Warm heat immediately rose from the spot where he kissed her, and his large palm gently wrapped her small face.
“Your Highness!”
Just as their lips were about to meet, the door opened carelessly. As the startled bodies of Franz and Judith fell, Cheraan, who had opened the door with the force of breaking it, opened her mouth wide.
“Uh, uh...”
It seemed that the attendant had not explained the situation properly, and Cheraan looked genuinely embarrassed. She seemed like she never thought Franz would be here.
After a moment of silence as frozen as a lakeside in midwinter, Cheraan spoke.
“Is this enough to blow off my head? Or is it just enough to preserve the neck?”
Judith and Franz, who were blinking, met each other's eyes. The two people pursed their lips and exchanged a coy smile before simultaneously looking back at Cheraan. Franz said.
“Your neck won’t be in danger, so you don’t have to worry.”
“...Is it true?”
"Yes. So, please rest assured and help the Crown Princess. What about Mary Anne?”
Then Mary Anne, who was hiding behind Cheraan and only glancing over her shoulder, wiggled her fingers and hesitantly raised her hand.
"I... I am here too, Your Highness.”
“The Crown Princess's behavior... Um, a little... It might be a little difficult, so be careful and try to help.”
"Yes? Ah, hmmm. Yes. Leave it to me!”
Franz gave a courtesy nod and a glance first to Judith, then to Cheraan and Mary Anne, and then strode out into the hallway. As if waiting for the moment for him to leave, Cheraan and Mary Anne rushed into the room and rolled over, throwing themselves in front of the bed.
“Your Highness! I almost died of shock! What is going on!”
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