There is no flower with one leaf (2)
"Millenia, listen to me. I know what you're thinking, but it's all a misunderstanding."
He was dressed in a disheveled manner and was even barefoot. He must have been running around the garden frantically, his feet a mess.
Why did you do this? Your acting skills are amazing.
"Let go of this hand."
"Sierra seduced me. She threatened to tell you if I didn't accept her."
Oslo even had tears in his eyes.
Yeah, I guess it's understandable that you'd cry if you lost your best weapon just for pleasure.
"I was afraid that you would notice so I had no choice but to be dragged along."
"Were you afraid to play with Sierra in front of me?"
"It's all that crazy woman's doing! She took advantage of my inability to refuse and did such vulgar things!"
"It's hard to hear. But she is the woman you love. Be polite."
"Love! How could I love such a woman and leave you if I wasn't crazy? What do you think my level is!"
So does that mean you hugged a woman you didn't even love?
I was once again amazed. I didn't know that humans could be this ugly.
"Your Highness and I are finished. We can never go back to the past, and we have no intention of going back."
"I have never cheated! I just held back to protect you. I am a victim too!"
"You can meet anyone other than Sierra. Should I say it again? Mee
t anyone. It has nothing to do with me."
"Why don't you believe me? I told you that I love you. Then shouldn't you believe me?"
Since when did love become an indulgence? Oslo, which boldly demands faith, was disgusting.
"Don't ask for anything in return for your feelings. Your Highness's heart is of no value to me."
"Please, Millenia, don't do this to me. We've been doing great so far, yes?"
Oslo grabbed my hand with a desperate look. The moment I frowned at the strength that seemed like it would crush my hand.
"I can't listen to you."
Kalit spoke calmly and threw down a chess piece.
The black bishop rolled down and fell onto the chessboard.
Only then did Oslo recognize Kalit and flinch.
"Older brother."
"If you say something like that and call it an excuse..."
Kalit smiled as he grabbed Oslo's wrist, which was holding my hand.
"I bet your brother is upset."
"Ahh!"
As Oslo screamed, his attendants who had been watching from afar rushed out.
"Your Highness, you can't do this! Please let him go!"
As Kalit narrowed her eyes, Oslo's attendants froze in an instant.
"My brother still has a nanny around."
He laughed and let go of Oslo's arm as if he was throwing it away.
Oslo bit his lip as he was pushed back.
"It's Millenia and my problem. It's none of your business."
"You shouldn't have gotten involved in the first place."
"I told you it was a misunderstanding."
"I don't think Young Lady agrees."
"We just have differences of opinion now, but once the misunderstanding is resolved, things will be fine like before. Don't interfere between us."
"Young Lady, is that right?"
"No, that would never happen."
"No, you say not?"
Oslo looked at Kalit with a jealous face.
"Millenia, why are you taking my brother's side? Are you swayed by my brother? You, that's cheating!"
It was so shocking that he couldn't even laugh.
Kalit smiled as if he could melt my hair and pushed it behind my ear.
"Did you get shaken by me?"
"...Yes?"
"I'm happy."
The tone was so seductive that even my heart sank. So it was natural that Oslo fell for it.
Oslo's face turned red as if it was going to explode.
"What are you doing in front of me! Millenia is my woman!"
"I like you. Young Lady like me too."
When did I say I was good...?
I was so embarrassed that I just blinked.
"Please get out of here. Don't bother me without thinking."
"Older brother!"
Only then did the servants notice and gently grab Oslo's sleeve.
"Your Highness, please go back."
"Let go of this!"
Oslo fiercely shook off the hands of his attendants and ground his teeth at Kalit.
"I warn you, don't talk nonsense to my woman! No matter how much you cling to her like a leech, she won't leave me!"
As soon as Oslo turned around and left, Kalit's smile disappeared and he let go of my hand.
Then, with an indifferent expression, he placed the fallen bishop on the chessboard.
"I guess we'll have to play chess again sometime."
I couldn't answer. I was caught up in a scene from the past.
"Damn it! I sent eight of them and he somehow survived. That guy's lifeline is as tenacious as a leech."
There was an attempt to assassinate Kalit once. That's what Oslo told me then.
"When did that happen? Yes, it was around the second week of July."
It happened right after I entered the villa in Oslo, so it was definitely that time.
My heart became impatient.
In my past life, I was the one who fell into the abyss because of him. That alone was enough to make me feel so sorry and guilty that I couldn't even raise my head, so it didn't make sense to let him fall into danger.
I have to protect him somehow.
The problem is that he doesn't trust me...
"Your Highness, it may be hard to believe, but it would be best if you did not sleep alone for the time being."
"... Will you come into my bedroom?"
"Huh? Oh, no! Something bad is going to happen around the middle of this month. I think you should strengthen your security, or maybe even change your bedroom."
"Hmm..."
Kalit made a strange snorting sound.
Unlike his picturesquely curved lips, her eyes were dry and without a hint of a smile.
"Why would our prophet suddenly tell me something like that?"
"That..."
"Did you like me that much?"
The joke revealed his true feelings of distrust towards me.
"If it were me, I'd pretend to be fooled and give it a try. There's no harm in changing your sleeping arrangements for a few days. It'd probably be a little hard to sleep, though."
"Can a Guardian be like this? You must maintain your duty of neutrality.."
"I admit that my actions so far have not been very guardian-like. But warning you of danger does not constitute a violation of neutrality."
The reason Guardians exist is to save humanity.
"Your Highness, before being a prince, you are a human. All humans deserve to be saved by a guardian."
"Do you see me as a human being?"
"You're human, right?"
"Yes, human. I think everyone has forgotten."
Kalit tapped the table with his fingertips.
The eyes, with their smiles drawn back, were sharp like broken glass. This must be his true appearance.
"I, the Prince, cannot trust you."
Oh, so you don't believe me after all.
But I can't give up. I tried to persuade him somehow, but Kalit added more.
"But as a human, I want to believe you.
"...!"
Then he smiled brightly. It was a genuine, unadorned smile, unlike any he had ever shown before.
"Believe me... Do you believe me?"
"As you said, there is nothing to lose."
"Ha, that's a relief."
Kalit's smile slowly faded. A strange light appeared in his silver-gray eyes.
"You..."
At that moment, a familiar sound of footsteps was heard.
I turned my head in the direction of the sound.
"Brother?"
"Why did you come all the way here?"
Kjer came over and took my hand.
"Thank you for being my sister's companion, Your Highness."
"Your younger sister is good at chess. I learned a lot from her."
Ker looked back at me with surprised eyes.
"Is that so?"
"I hope we have another chance. Then, return home safely."
After Kalit left first, Kjer and I walked up the garden.
"You played chess with His Highness? How?"
"In the way, His Majesty moves the chess pieces for me."
"Then I guess you'll have to memorize all the positions of the chess pieces."
"Yeah, that's right."
"I heard that there are people who use their imagination to replay things... Now that I look at it, my youngest is a great chess player. Next time, I should give you a chessboard instead of jewels."
"It's nothing that grand. I just moved a few chess pieces with His Highness."
"He was called a chess prodigy when he was young. If he praises you, you're really good. Be confident."
Chess prodigy.
The boy was the same. No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't win.
Being blind wasn't the problem.
This time, I was determined to win, but when I tried to figure out a way to destroy it, the boy would change his strategy like a ghost, so it was no use.
The result was 1 win and 6 losses. The boy probably lost one of the wins.
While I was thinking about the embarrassing score, I arrived in front of the carriage.
Nadia opened the carriage door wide.
"Get in!"
The carriage carrying us left the palace. I took a moment to collect my thoughts and then opened my mouth.
"His Majesty will soon announce the engagement of the Third Prince."
"Who is the opponent?"
"He didn't tell me that much. I think he might have tried to arrange a marriage with an appropriate family among the Counts."
It was an imperial solution.
If Oslo gets engaged, not only will my request to block his advances be resolved, but the scandal will also be resolved in one fell swoop.
"And this."
I held out a rolled-up piece of parchment.
It was tied with a red ribbon and sealed with the Emperor's seal.
Kjer carefully broke the seal and unfolded the parchment.
"This is a return permit."
It was finally time for Ian to return to Eldern.
Support Novellate!
Comments
Post a Comment