Lying in the morning sunlight, Rhodnes looked like a reclining statue, very pretty. In the end, the Prince must have passed out after drinking alcohol in front of the dungeon.
“What about your resume?”
“I’m thinking about it.”
“Are you worried?”
Neil continued to speak rudely, staring at the assertive pectoral muscles peeking out from the gap in his shirt as if he were looking at dog shit. It was as if it was a dream that he had been acting crazy, and he couldn't get used to his master asking him for a ridiculous Elacon tutor resume as soon as he opened his eyes.
“Receiving resumes every day was my job, but how easy is it to write and submit a resume under Your Highness’s name? Should I stamp it with the imperial seal or one of Your Highness’s many titles...”
“Just pretend to be a commoner and send it.”
As if a terrible hangover was creeping up on him, Rhodnes got up and furrowed his brow. The blood of a black monster that had been carelessly dropped nearby was still glaring at him, making his eyes hurt. Rhodnes picked up his sword and put it back in its scabbard, then glanced around. Considering his habit of not even setting foot on a dirty bed, it was no different from sleeping in a stable.
“...What do you write on your resume? You say you got full marks in all the Academy Elacon classes?”
“You keep asking questions even though you already know. It’s annoying.”
As Rhodnes shook his head, holding his hand, an expression of irritation finally appeared on his face, and Neil tensed up and gathered his courage.
“Ah~ So you’re telling me that you’re a commoner who graduated from the Academy? And you’re even from the Royal Academy, which only royalty and above can attend. For a teacher who takes care of a lady’s hobbies, that’s probably not too impressive of a track record...”
Rhodnes stopped acting like a pathetic drunkard and stood there looking down at Neil. Neil sighed again at how his snout was becoming more like his master's and handed over the resume he had prepared in advance.
“You wrote it well, but you’re being sarcastic.”
Perhaps because he had seen blood yesterday, Rhodnes did not kick him or curse him, but simply folded up what he had been thinking about all night and tried to hand it back to him.
“Your Highness, Your Highness!”
At that moment, Vincenzo came running from afar. Rhodnes, who had raised the chin of the arrogant Prince that his subordinates were familiar with, looked down at the piece of paper that Vincenzo had brought. Immediately, his handsome face completely crumpled.
“...A reminiscence party?”
“It seems like His Highness the Crown Prince will be leaving the palace this morning, so I checked...”
“He's doing something unacceptable.”
More suspiciously. Rhodnes muttered as he coldly glanced over someone's invitation and then blatantly tore it up.
"Your Highness!"
“I borrowed something and...!”
Vincenzo stretched out his helpless hand and despaired with a pale face. But he was even more surprised when he tried to put on the jacket that Rhodnes had thrown far away.
“Oh, where are you going?”
“To ruin the party.”
"Yes?!"
“You don’t even have an invitation to the party, and this isn’t a place to laugh and chat, it’s a reunion for the dead...!”
“What does it matter?”
Rhodnes folded the resume he was about to hand to Neil roughly into his shirt pocket. Then he raised the corners of his lips, which were filled with sunlight, at the adjutants who were looking at him blankly.
“Don’t people call someone who doesn’t ask questions like that problematic?”
“Huh? What is that....”
“Have you thought about what you would like me to help you with?”
This man clearly said that 'I' was his first love. If that's the case, it makes a little bit more sense that he cried like the world was falling apart at the cemetery, came all the way to the Count's mansion to find me, and danced with me at the victory ceremony.
“..."
“I want to divorce Count Acacia and escape from Noevian’s influence.”
“What is the purpose?”
“...I don’t want to live under his rule. And I hope he is very sad.”
The words that I wanted to make Noevian sad were words that I wanted to make Rhodnes' heart move a little more. It was sincere, but it was words that I didn't have to say.
He took out a roughly folded piece of paper from his bosom. I accepted it absentmindedly and opened it as if I was possessed.
“!”
[Application for Elacon Tutor]
“I’ve come for an interview, Ma’am.”
I looked at the application form in front of me with a blank expression, but the nervous expression from before had completely disappeared, and the man's eyes were shining and one corner of his mouth was raised in a smile.
“This looks like it needs help too.”
His mouth was smiling, but his face was a little cold as if he could send me to hell at any moment. As if he had come here to interview me from the beginning.
“What about your resume?”
“I’m thinking about it.”
“Are you worried?”
Neil continued to speak rudely, staring at the assertive pectoral muscles peeking out from the gap in his shirt as if he were looking at dog shit. It was as if it was a dream that he had been acting crazy, and he couldn't get used to his master asking him for a ridiculous Elacon tutor resume as soon as he opened his eyes.
“Receiving resumes every day was my job, but how easy is it to write and submit a resume under Your Highness’s name? Should I stamp it with the imperial seal or one of Your Highness’s many titles...”
“Just pretend to be a commoner and send it.”
As if a terrible hangover was creeping up on him, Rhodnes got up and furrowed his brow. The blood of a black monster that had been carelessly dropped nearby was still glaring at him, making his eyes hurt. Rhodnes picked up his sword and put it back in its scabbard, then glanced around. Considering his habit of not even setting foot on a dirty bed, it was no different from sleeping in a stable.
“...What do you write on your resume? You say you got full marks in all the Academy Elacon classes?”
“You keep asking questions even though you already know. It’s annoying.”
As Rhodnes shook his head, holding his hand, an expression of irritation finally appeared on his face, and Neil tensed up and gathered his courage.
“Ah~ So you’re telling me that you’re a commoner who graduated from the Academy? And you’re even from the Royal Academy, which only royalty and above can attend. For a teacher who takes care of a lady’s hobbies, that’s probably not too impressive of a track record...”
Rhodnes stopped acting like a pathetic drunkard and stood there looking down at Neil. Neil sighed again at how his snout was becoming more like his master's and handed over the resume he had prepared in advance.
“You wrote it well, but you’re being sarcastic.”
Perhaps because he had seen blood yesterday, Rhodnes did not kick him or curse him, but simply folded up what he had been thinking about all night and tried to hand it back to him.
“Your Highness, Your Highness!”
At that moment, Vincenzo came running from afar. Rhodnes, who had raised the chin of the arrogant Prince that his subordinates were familiar with, looked down at the piece of paper that Vincenzo had brought. Immediately, his handsome face completely crumpled.
“...A reminiscence party?”
“It seems like His Highness the Crown Prince will be leaving the palace this morning, so I checked...”
“He's doing something unacceptable.”
More suspiciously. Rhodnes muttered as he coldly glanced over someone's invitation and then blatantly tore it up.
"Your Highness!"
“I borrowed something and...!”
Vincenzo stretched out his helpless hand and despaired with a pale face. But he was even more surprised when he tried to put on the jacket that Rhodnes had thrown far away.
“Oh, where are you going?”
“To ruin the party.”
"Yes?!"
“You don’t even have an invitation to the party, and this isn’t a place to laugh and chat, it’s a reunion for the dead...!”
“What does it matter?”
Rhodnes folded the resume he was about to hand to Neil roughly into his shirt pocket. Then he raised the corners of his lips, which were filled with sunlight, at the adjutants who were looking at him blankly.
“Don’t people call someone who doesn’t ask questions like that problematic?”
***
Rhodnes' eyes were blurry as if he was reminiscing about something. Even as I was still staring at him with a blank expression, the carriage quickly crossed the garden of the Grand Duke's residence and left the entrance it had come from. And it ran madly through the endless, dense forest of wisteria trees.
'How did this person come to this reminiscence party?'
I had heard rumors that the Crown Prince had attended this meaningless event representing the royal family. No wonder, since Noevian was a typical member of the Crown Prince faction.
'Are you really going to check my body?'
Even though the carriage was shaking violently, Rhodnes’ large body did not move at all. It seemed like I was the only one shaking. I suppressed my surprised and curious heart and decided to speak to him first.
“Thank you, Your Highness.”
“...What do you mean?”
Rhodnes, who had been sitting like a statue, answered after a long time.
“You saved me from the maids earlier.”
“Can I ask why you were doing that?”
A stiff face and a subtle expression. His eyes were quite persistent as if he was asking out of genuine curiosity. I forced a small smile and shook my head.
"No."
I answered a little firmly. I couldn't say to him what I couldn't say to Noevian. I couldn't do anything because I remembered the cold treatment I received from them when I was the Grand Duchess, and the death that day. If I said something like that, they would immediately treat me like a crazy woman.
"All right."
Despite his polite tone, his posture was still extremely crooked. I was trying hard to think of an excuse, but fortunately, he didn’t ask me anything else. The air of silence was no longer heavy as his perfectly shaped lips were tightly shut as if they would never open. However, a greater tension than before continued to expand in my chest.
'Your first love from your reckless days. Do you want to see the dead body of that first love?'
'I knew her first, I took her to heart first.'
With Noevian gone, and the Prince alone, the conversation he had with Noevian earlier began to bother me. Why don't I have a single memory?
'I am that person's...?'
I glanced over and saw the Prince still with his hunched posture looking down at me arrogantly. I could feel my face turning red.
'Where have you seen me?'
For some reason, I felt embarrassed and had an impulse to kick the carriage door and get out. The carriage that had been running fast slowed down and started moving at its usual speed. In the slightly darkened carriage, his eyes were shining like a beast.
'How could I not remember those shiny, chiseled teeth...?'
He stared at me without changing his expression, even though he was receiving my glare, and then he uncrossed his arms and legs and sat up straight. I, too, became aware of him and straightened my posture. He looked into my eyes for a while and then opened his mouth heavily.
“Did you hear the whole story between the Grand Duke and me earlier?”
I flinched a little as if I had been caught mulling over that conversation.
“...A little bit.”
“Then it would be quicker to speak.”
As the carriage entered the central square of the capital, the lights outside began to shine inside. When the light fell on Rhodnes’ face, he gleamed like a statue made of jewels. It was so dazzling that I opened my eyes slightly. As if he understood that to mean that he should say more, his thick throat visibly shook.
“I want to hold hands with you.”
'How did this person come to this reminiscence party?'
I had heard rumors that the Crown Prince had attended this meaningless event representing the royal family. No wonder, since Noevian was a typical member of the Crown Prince faction.
'Are you really going to check my body?'
Even though the carriage was shaking violently, Rhodnes’ large body did not move at all. It seemed like I was the only one shaking. I suppressed my surprised and curious heart and decided to speak to him first.
“Thank you, Your Highness.”
“...What do you mean?”
Rhodnes, who had been sitting like a statue, answered after a long time.
“You saved me from the maids earlier.”
“Can I ask why you were doing that?”
A stiff face and a subtle expression. His eyes were quite persistent as if he was asking out of genuine curiosity. I forced a small smile and shook my head.
"No."
I answered a little firmly. I couldn't say to him what I couldn't say to Noevian. I couldn't do anything because I remembered the cold treatment I received from them when I was the Grand Duchess, and the death that day. If I said something like that, they would immediately treat me like a crazy woman.
"All right."
Despite his polite tone, his posture was still extremely crooked. I was trying hard to think of an excuse, but fortunately, he didn’t ask me anything else. The air of silence was no longer heavy as his perfectly shaped lips were tightly shut as if they would never open. However, a greater tension than before continued to expand in my chest.
'Your first love from your reckless days. Do you want to see the dead body of that first love?'
'I knew her first, I took her to heart first.'
With Noevian gone, and the Prince alone, the conversation he had with Noevian earlier began to bother me. Why don't I have a single memory?
'I am that person's...?'
I glanced over and saw the Prince still with his hunched posture looking down at me arrogantly. I could feel my face turning red.
'Where have you seen me?'
For some reason, I felt embarrassed and had an impulse to kick the carriage door and get out. The carriage that had been running fast slowed down and started moving at its usual speed. In the slightly darkened carriage, his eyes were shining like a beast.
'How could I not remember those shiny, chiseled teeth...?'
He stared at me without changing his expression, even though he was receiving my glare, and then he uncrossed his arms and legs and sat up straight. I, too, became aware of him and straightened my posture. He looked into my eyes for a while and then opened his mouth heavily.
“Did you hear the whole story between the Grand Duke and me earlier?”
I flinched a little as if I had been caught mulling over that conversation.
“...A little bit.”
“Then it would be quicker to speak.”
As the carriage entered the central square of the capital, the lights outside began to shine inside. When the light fell on Rhodnes’ face, he gleamed like a statue made of jewels. It was so dazzling that I opened my eyes slightly. As if he understood that to mean that he should say more, his thick throat visibly shook.
“I want to hold hands with you.”
“Huh? What is that....”
“Have you thought about what you would like me to help you with?”
This man clearly said that 'I' was his first love. If that's the case, it makes a little bit more sense that he cried like the world was falling apart at the cemetery, came all the way to the Count's mansion to find me, and danced with me at the victory ceremony.
Although I don't remember him at all, I could understand a little if I assumed that I might be his 'first love'. It might be a little cowardly. In fact, in this Blie's body, I have to receive help from anyone. Just because my limbs and body are intact doesn't mean I can do everything.
Divorce. A direct royal family member who would approve the divorce. A Prince who doesn't seem to be on good terms with Noevian. A man who originally had good feelings for 'me'.
Gulp.
In the carriage with the dim gaslights streaming in, the man in front of me whose face was filled with shadow and light at the same time. He was a dangerous temptation to me. I don't know what the price will be, but if I hold his hand, I will definitely get what I need.
"Divorce..."
"Divorce..."
“..."
“I want to divorce Count Acacia and escape from Noevian’s influence.”
“What is the purpose?”
“...I don’t want to live under his rule. And I hope he is very sad.”
The words that I wanted to make Noevian sad were words that I wanted to make Rhodnes' heart move a little more. It was sincere, but it was words that I didn't have to say.
If 'Adrienne' was his first love, then Noevian, who married her first love, and his secret lover would not be happy. It was not something that could be said with his lover, Blie, but it seemed like I wouldn't mind wanting to get away from him and hit him in the back of the head.
The half-opened eyes slowly wandered over my face. I felt a strange and lewd feeling as if an invisible, wet tongue was licking my whole body. It made me suffocate in a different way than before.
'I knew her first, I took her to heart first.'
Those words strangely continued to ring in my ears. I held onto my strangely pounding heart and opened my mouth again.
“When I was completely sure that I was his, I wanted to betray him. I had already finished talking to Count Acacia...”
“You will need me as a direct descendant of the royal family.”
He sighed softly and muttered as if talking to himself.
“Is that okay?”
I nodded slowly.
“Yes, Your Highness, what do you need?”
When I answered without hesitation, Rhodnes tapped the seat with his finger as if he were nervous. He seemed a little flustered because I knew too well that this was not an unpaid help. He was always arrogant and easygoing, so this appearance was a little unfamiliar.
'I knew her first, I took her to heart first.'
Those words strangely continued to ring in my ears. I held onto my strangely pounding heart and opened my mouth again.
“When I was completely sure that I was his, I wanted to betray him. I had already finished talking to Count Acacia...”
“You will need me as a direct descendant of the royal family.”
He sighed softly and muttered as if talking to himself.
“Is that okay?”
I nodded slowly.
“Yes, Your Highness, what do you need?”
When I answered without hesitation, Rhodnes tapped the seat with his finger as if he were nervous. He seemed a little flustered because I knew too well that this was not an unpaid help. He was always arrogant and easygoing, so this appearance was a little unfamiliar.
Once again, a low voice was heard in the carriage along with a sigh.
“While you get what you want, I only want to get what I want.”
“...What is that?”
Our eyes met. And his face, with his chin set firmly as if he had made up his mind. Then he spoke.
“Please help me identify Adrienne’s body.”
“!”
"And..."
“While you get what you want, I only want to get what I want.”
“...What is that?”
Our eyes met. And his face, with his chin set firmly as if he had made up his mind. Then he spoke.
“Please help me identify Adrienne’s body.”
“!”
"And..."
He took out a roughly folded piece of paper from his bosom. I accepted it absentmindedly and opened it as if I was possessed.
“!”
[Application for Elacon Tutor]
“I’ve come for an interview, Ma’am.”
I looked at the application form in front of me with a blank expression, but the nervous expression from before had completely disappeared, and the man's eyes were shining and one corner of his mouth was raised in a smile.
“This looks like it needs help too.”
His mouth was smiling, but his face was a little cold as if he could send me to hell at any moment. As if he had come here to interview me from the beginning.
Support Novellate!
Comments
Post a Comment