Flavia, who had closed the door, stood with her head tilted down and her lips biting. She wanted to approach him right away, but she thought it might be better not to act rashly now. She also calculated that she should show a slightly more pitiful appearance and win Franz's sympathy.
“Are you going to keep standing there?”
Contrary to her expectations, Flavia flinched as if she had been stabbed by something at the cold voice. However, when she saw him extending his hand as if to tell her to come over, she couldn't bear it any longer.
Flavia, who had thrown off her cloak, approached him with an expression that seemed as if she would collapse at any moment. However, Franz withdrew his hand as soon as she approached. Flavia's lips parted slightly in embarrassment.
“I, Your Highness.”
“Do you know why I called you here?”
Flavia's eyes moved restlessly. She looked at Franz, then at the window, then at the bed below, and then at the mirrors on the walls on either side. Her heart pounded when she caught sight of herself in the dark. She couldn't tell whether it was fear or impudent anticipation.
“If that’s the reason...”
“Second Princess, there is something I must ask you.”
It was painful to call her the second Princess without calling her by her name. However, she felt that now was not the time to say such things. Flavia nodded, pressing her pounding heart with her fist.
“Ple, please...speak.”
“Rogero told me that you were the one who tried to harm the Crown Princess and himself last time. Is that true?”
Flavia's eyes widened as she listened to him with bated breath. She immediately shook her head. It was an action that came out reflexively without any time to think about the situation.
“Ah, no! That’s not true! Why, why would His Highness the Prince say, ha, something like that... I, I really don’t know anything...!”
“Flavia.”
Flavia's hands and feet trembled at Franz's voice, which had become lowered as if it was echoing from a cave. The warmth she had known was nowhere to be found, and it was as mercilessly cold as darkness or an ominous wind that made it impossible to see even an inch ahead. However, the words that followed surprised Flavia even more.
“I am not unaware that you have been harboring feelings for me.”
Flavia's body visibly shook in embarrassment. She was greatly embarrassed by the fact that Franz's expression did not change even after saying such things.
“Your Highness the Crown Prince...”
“I can understand your situation, but aren’t you ashamed? Considering our relationship. Are you so foolish as not to know how inappropriate that feeling is?”
He tried to appear as calm as possible, but his voice inevitably grew agitated when he spoke his last words. However, that slight tremor actually served as a trigger for Flavia. She sensed a hint of fear in Franz. His fear became Flavia’s joy. It poured oil on hopes that seemed hopeless and burned like a torch.
“Why, why should I be embarrassed!”
Franz narrowed his eyes. Flavia, who had screamed, opened her eyes wide and gasped for breath, then suddenly clenched her fists and trembled all over her body.
“I... I’m forced to sleep with someone who doesn’t even love me... and someone I don’t even love... and I have to act like a Princess I never wanted to be...! And yet, not a single person understands me! No one knows... how much I’m in pain!”
“Flavia.”
“No one to treat me kindly... Ah, alone without a single person... Why do I have to be the only one like this? I... I just, I don’t want much. I don’t want the position of Crown Princess or anything! I just, I just...”
She gasped as she screamed like a madman. And she looked at Franz as if she had seen a ghost. She couldn't see his expression clearly. Her vision was blurry and her head was spinning. But when she saw the soft crimson flames flickering on his cheeks, Flavia couldn't bear it any longer.
Flavia suddenly screamed and ran towards Franz. She hugged his body with all her might. Franz, surprised by the sudden turn of events, tried to pull her away, but the slender arms that were tightly wrapped around his waist showed no sign of letting go.
“Flavia, let go!”
“You Highness, I don’t ask for much. Really... I, I don’t ask for much. I, Your Highness, just one, one time. Just one time...”
Flavia's voice, which had been muttering like a possessed person, suddenly stopped. At the same time, Franz's hand pushed her shoulder. Flavia stumbled but did not fall. What she wanted was clear, but she was afraid to say it. But it must have been conveyed. She could tell just by looking at Franz's expression.
Franz stood there with an angry face as if he was going to throw her away at any moment. The fingertips that had been holding Flavia's shoulder trembled and then soon dropped. The moment he turned away, Flavia's lips trembled with the passion that seemed to explode again. She could no longer bear even a brief moment of not being able to look at his face.
Flavia's hand, which had rushed to Franz again, cupped his cheek. It was a strangely pleasant hand, even though it was damp from sweat. Her wavering gaze stopped on Franz's lips. Flavia's chin was trembling without her knowing it. She felt like she could steal it now.
It was the moment she closed her eyes. Flavia opened her eyes in surprise at the rough hand that was pulling her waist. Franz’s face was getting closer. Flavia’s gaze was now glued to him and it seemed as if it would never leave him.
“I can do whatever you want.”
Franz's fingertips lightly brushed Flavia's back. Flavia unconsciously closed her eyes and opened her lips at the feeling of his hands through the thin layers of cloth. Her heart felt like it was going to burst, and a trembling moan escaped her.
“Do you want to kiss me? I can do that for you. Do you want to hug me? Of course, that’s not hard either.”
“...”
“But I want the truth. About what happened before, and about what happened today.”
Franz's words were now almost a whisper. With each word, his dry breath tickled Flavia's earlobe.
“W, why... why, do you want to know...? Is it... for the Crown Princess?”
For a moment, Franz's lips moved subtly. It was impossible to tell whether he was smiling or frowning. Even that small movement was enough to captivate Flavia's eyes.
Franz slowly lowered his head. It seemed as if his and Flavia's lips would meet at any moment.
“No, it’s not for the Crown Princess. I just hate lying.”
His fingertips gently brushed Flavia's lower lip. That simple, brief touch completely paralyzed Flavia's reason. Her eyelashes, trembling wetly and beneath them, seemed inhuman. In the still, almost serene atmosphere, Franz's gaze was irresistibly seductive.
Flavia's lips parted slightly. The moment she took a breath, she could smell the cool scent of mint. But it was faint and faint, and it was painful. If she took off his clothes and buried her cheek in his shoulder and chest, she would feel it more clearly.
"...That's right."
Flavia, who had been hunching her shoulders, finally spoke in a small voice.
“I... I did it! Because I wanted you, all of you... because I loved you. That’s why I hated the Crown Princess. Even though I had everything, I couldn’t stand it anymore! So... That’s why I wished the Crown Princess would disappear. Yes! I tried... to kill her! But I failed!”
“So you tried to kidnap the Crown Princess?”
“I wasn’t the one who called those people! Oh, my father... My mother said that I had to lure the Crown Princess... I didn’t know it would end up like this. I... I just love you... Ha, just once... Just ha, if you hug me just once, I think I can endure this horrible life...”
Franz’s hand that had been holding Flavia’s chin slipped away. The mint scent that seemed to fill her body with every breath also disappeared. Flavia burst into tears and held onto him. She didn’t even notice that Franz’s gaze looking down at her was as indifferent as a still life.
“That was all, really... After all, the Crown Princess is alive. She’s not dead. Please, I beg you. I told you everything... everything. I’ll be satisfied with one night. Just one night! I won’t beg you to be my wife. So...”
Keep your promise.
Those were the words hidden between tears and sobs. Franz, who had been standing still for a moment, raised his hand. He cupped Flavia’s cheek and pulled her closer. Just as their lips were about to touch, he stopped, leaving a gap long enough for their body heat to be transmitted through their breathing. Franz whispered.
“I told you that I hate lies.”
Flavia's eyes widened. Just as she was about to shout again that it wasn't a lie, Franz's arms held her tightly.
“You’re going to be satisfied with one night of pleasure? No way. That’s impossible.”
It felt like his lips were brushing against her ear, which was hot and burning. Flavia tried to raise her arms and hug his neck, but Franz was quicker to push her away.
“How will you take responsibility for what you have said and done?”
“...!”
“I want you to think carefully from now on.”
Flavia's eyes moved hurriedly. Her reflection in the mirror was slowly disappearing. No, that wasn't it. The mirror had simply moved and was no longer reflecting her. Shadows began to walk out of the darkness, one by one. It took her quite a while to realize that they were not shadows but people.
Her mind was blank, unable to think of anything. Even though she realized that the eyes staring at her and their faces were all familiar, Flavia couldn’t do anything. The one standing in front was King Jedekayer. Next to him stood Duke Vergy, the knights of Combler, and several other nobles. They all had indescribable expressions.
“...Take the second Princess to the interrogation room of Magnus Palace immediately.”
The King's voice was low and trembling. The knights, bowing their heads, held Flavia's arms on both sides. Only then did she realize the whole situation. She knew that the letter that had summoned her to the Irole Palace was a trap.
“No! Don’t do this! Your Majesty! Your Majesty, listen to me! Your Majesty! Please...! Aaah, Your Highness! Your Highness!”
The shrill voice shook the hallways of the Irole Palace and disappeared into the distance.
“I told you that I hate lies.”
Flavia's eyes widened. Just as she was about to shout again that it wasn't a lie, Franz's arms held her tightly.
“You’re going to be satisfied with one night of pleasure? No way. That’s impossible.”
It felt like his lips were brushing against her ear, which was hot and burning. Flavia tried to raise her arms and hug his neck, but Franz was quicker to push her away.
“How will you take responsibility for what you have said and done?”
“...!”
“I want you to think carefully from now on.”
Flavia's eyes moved hurriedly. Her reflection in the mirror was slowly disappearing. No, that wasn't it. The mirror had simply moved and was no longer reflecting her. Shadows began to walk out of the darkness, one by one. It took her quite a while to realize that they were not shadows but people.
Her mind was blank, unable to think of anything. Even though she realized that the eyes staring at her and their faces were all familiar, Flavia couldn’t do anything. The one standing in front was King Jedekayer. Next to him stood Duke Vergy, the knights of Combler, and several other nobles. They all had indescribable expressions.
“...Take the second Princess to the interrogation room of Magnus Palace immediately.”
The King's voice was low and trembling. The knights, bowing their heads, held Flavia's arms on both sides. Only then did she realize the whole situation. She knew that the letter that had summoned her to the Irole Palace was a trap.
“No! Don’t do this! Your Majesty! Your Majesty, listen to me! Your Majesty! Please...! Aaah, Your Highness! Your Highness!”
The shrill voice shook the hallways of the Irole Palace and disappeared into the distance.
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