IDMH - Chapter 112



Can I kiss you?

I looked at Perdes, startled by the unexpected words.

Soon I was met with slightly darkened golden eyes.

Before, when I looked at those eyes, I thought of the Emperor, but not anymore.

I only saw one man who truly wanted me.

...I can’t believe it.

He was just drunk and felt a strange vibe, so I was sure the words came out without him knowing.

After sobering up, if you think about what just happened, you'll probably kick the blankets off and feel very embarrassed.

For a moment, I thought I was crazy and was pulling my hair out.

At that moment, thinking that it would be better to reject him firmly rather than being hesitant to make Perdes feel less embarrassed, I was about to push him away.

“... !”

Perdes grabbed my arm in return and hugged me tightly.

In an instant, I was held in his arms and opened my eyes wide, more surprised than before.

It wasn't a hug that tight. It was just enough that I could have thrown him away at any time.

But the moment he hugged my waist and buried his face in my shoulder, I couldn't move because of the weight and body heat I felt.

The body temperature felt at a very close distance.

"Sorry."

The voice softly spreading over my shoulder was also one of the reasons I couldn't push him away.

“I was drunk and said something weird. I’m really sorry.”

If I knew that, I wouldn't be drunk...

I wonder if he was sincere.

I had doubts, but I didn't ask.

Because I don't want to ask for anything and make the atmosphere even more awkward.

"It's okay."

So I answered him nonchalantly and patted him on the back.

Perdes looked up, wondering if that helped.

Then he staggered towards the bed and sat down on it as if he was collapsing.

“I’m going to cut it now.”

Despite his large size, his childish tantrums made me laugh.

“Go to sleep.”

“What about Young Lady?”

“I should sleep too.”

As I walked towards the bed, Perdes stared at me intently.

There was a clear look of tension in his eyes.

Are you nervous about sleeping in the same bed as me?

Come to think of it, he was very nervous even on the first night of our engagement.

As expected, he's big in size, but he's still a kid at heart.

I picked up my pillow, laughing inwardly.

And then, as I returned to the sofa and took out the blanket from under the table, Perdes approached me and asked.

"what are you doing?"

“What I'm doing? It’s getting late, so I’m trying to get ready.”

“So why do you want to sleep on the sofa instead of the bed?”

“Then shall we sleep in bed together?”

When I emphasized the part that said “together,” Perdes flinched and closed his mouth.

Why are you asking this when you hate it so much?

I shrugged my shoulders and was about to lie down on the sofa when Perdes grabbed my arm.

“I’ll sleep on the sofa.”

“Yes. Mr. Perdes, the sofa is too small for you.”

I can sleep with my legs stretched out, but when tall Perdes lies down, his feet will stick out of the sofa.

“So I’ll sleep on the sofa, and you, Perdes, sleep on the bed.”

“How can I sleep comfortably in bed when Young Lady is sleeping on the sofa?”

“This is an expensive and good sofa, so it’s quite comfortable.”

Perdes frowned.

“That’s not what I meant.”

“I know. But you don’t like sleeping in the same bed as me.”

“...I don’t hate it.”

If you say you don't hate something with a sullen face, who would believe you?

“Then I will correct it to what is inconvenient.”

“It’s not uncomfortable.”

“Then why did you get so nervous when I approached the bed?”

"That..."

Perdes kept his mouth shut as if he had nothing to say.

But he still held my arm tightly.

“It’s late. You should go to sleep now.”

“...Let’s sleep together.”

"Inconvenience..."

“Since it’s not like that, let’s sleep together. Otherwise, I’ll sleep on the sofa.”

You're being so stubborn for no reason. It seems like your stubbornness doesn't go away even as you get older.

“Yes, let’s sleep together.”

It seemed like he had no intention of giving up, and since I couldn't let him sleep on the sofa, I had no choice but to lie down in bed with him.

Although it wasn't as big as the bed we slept on side by side in the palace, this bed was also quite big.

There was just enough space between me and Perdes for one adult to fit through.

But because we were covered with a blanket, the space felt colorless.

Perdes's tenseness was clearly visible through the thin blanket.

I tried to look at Perdes, but I thought it would make him more nervous, so I deliberately looked at the ceiling and asked.

“Why are you so nervous?”

The question came back half a beat late.

“...Young Lady, are you okay with lying in the same bed as me?”

"Yes."

“Why are you so indifferent?”

I couldn't help but look back at him as he spoke in a tone that seemed to be reprimanding me.

Perdes was also looking at me.

Her golden eyes, dimly illuminated by candlelight, sparkled mysteriously.

...It’s pretty.

To be exact, I liked it because it was a different color from the Emperor's eyes.

“Answer me. Why don’t you mind?”

“Do I need a reason?”

Let's return the question with the same question. Perdes frowned and answered.

“I am a man.”

“I know.”

“But... Ha, no, that’s enough. I should stop talking.”

Perdes clicked his tongue and turned his body completely away from me.

I let out a hollow laugh at the sight of his back, which was clearly bent over by anyone.

I answered Perdes as if I knew nothing, but in fact, I knew everything.

I just pretended not to know because I was afraid that if I showed it, the current relationship would become awkward.

Thanks to that, I was able to get over it without any problems, but the problem was that after that, I started feeling strange.

As the fact that he was a man, and a grown man at that, set in, I suddenly began to feel nervous about lying in the same bed with him.

I remembered the way he looked at me, asking if he could kiss me at the same time.

Thinking back, those were the perfect 'man' looks.

A gaze that was not simply gender-based, but full of desire as if it would eat me up at any moment.

...I guess it would be better to sleep on the sofa.

If I got up now, I knew that Perdes would insist on sleeping on the sofa again like before, so I held my breath and waited for him to fall asleep.

How long have I waited like that?

As my stiff back relaxed, I could hear even breathing.

Are you finally asleep?

At that moment, I slowly tried to raise my upper body.

“Where are you going?”

Perdes asked.

Weren't you sleeping? It was a disaster.

I quickly turned over and answered, pretending nothing happened.

“I just rolled over.”

"...Yes."

There was a hint of reluctant trust in his tone.

Anyway, I'm telling you, you're unnecessarily quick-witted.

I looked at Perdes' back again and waited for him to fall asleep.

But Perdes had difficulty falling asleep.

I'm going to sleep like this.

As the night deepened, I yawned. My eyelids drooped as if a rock had been placed on them.

I thought I wouldn't be able to sleep well tonight because that man, who was still a member of the Anatome Guard, was in my mansion, but I was wrong.

When you're sleepy like this, you should sleep a little so that you'll be less tired later.

...Yes, let’s just sleep. We were going to sleep in the same bed anyway.

At that moment, I gave up on sleeping on the sofa and was about to accept the coming of the sea.

Knock knock knock-

There was a very fast knocking sound.

At that sound, of course, Perdes and I also raised our upper bodies.

Perdes asked, getting out of bed.

“Who are you?”

“This is Aldor. I have an urgent matter to report, and I apologize for knocking so rudely despite the late hour. Lord Perdes.”

I could tell from his voice that it was a real emergency.

What on earth happened in the middle of the night?

Could it be that the guy had an accident?

“Come in.”

I answered, jumping up with an anxious heart.

Aldor opened the bedroom door and came in, bowed to me and Perdes, and then reported.

“This is what the servant who was serving His Highness the Second Prince told me a little while ago. He said His Highness the Second Prince has gone missing.”

"...Yes?"

What the heck is this? Chernosser is missing?

I was taken aback by the unexpected story and looked at Perdes for a moment before speaking to Sir Aldor.

“Tell me the details... No, call that servant right now.”

I thought it would be better to hear it directly from the person involved rather than hear it from someone else, so I went to see the servant.

After a while, the servant who stood in front of me and Perdes with a pale face stammered and explained the situation.

“At around 8 p.m., His Royal Highness the Prince said he was not feeling well and went to bed early.”

“...”

“Of course, I prepared a place to sleep for him, and I waited in front of his bedroom for about two hours to see if he needed anything else. But since he didn’t come looking for me, I assumed he was asleep and went back to my bedroom.”

The servant spoke rapidly, then paused to catch his breath, then spoke rapidly again.

“It was quiet after that, and around midnight, I thought the wood in the fireplace was starting to burn out, so I quietly went into the bedroom to put some firewood in... The bedroom was empty.”

I glanced at my watch as I listened to the servant's words.

The current time is 2:40 AM.

A full two hours and forty minutes had passed since the servant discovered that Chernosser was missing.

Perdes also checked the time and asked his servant.

“Why didn’t you report it as soon as you realized that the Second Prince was missing?”

“I thought he went to the bathroom for a moment. But when he didn’t come back after 30 minutes, I felt something was wrong and was about to go look for him, but the Prince’s escort knight stopped me.”

“That escort knight?”

When I asked, the servant nodded vigorously.

“He said the Prince couldn’t sleep and went out for a walk at night, so he told me to wait and that he would be back soon. But...”

“So, His Highness the Prince hasn’t returned yet?”

Once again the servant's head shook violently up and down.

“So where is that escort knight now?”

“He disappeared while looking for His Highness the Prince.”

“You don’t know where he went?”

"Yes, yes."

As soon as I heard the servant's answer, I gave an order to Sir Aldor.

“Sir Aldor, immediately close the gates of the Duke’s mansion and the territory, and release the knights to find His Highness the Second Prince and his knight escort.”

“Yes, Miss.”

Then, I gave an order to Harness, who came running after hearing the commotion while sleeping.

“Call all the Duke’s servants to the hall.”


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