The guests were sitting with their backs to him, and I was sitting facing Rhodnes, so his gaze was only visible to me.
Rhodnes seemed genuinely annoyed by these intruders.
“I found out. I asked. To the Elacon people.”
“That’s great. Thank you very much, it must have been a hassle.”
“No, nothing.”
I too felt a little disappointed by the broken atmosphere.
But Victor couldn't hide his joy at the fact that he had found out about the medicine that was written about in Blie's diary, and he clasped his hands together.
As soon as my attention shifted elsewhere, Rhodnes stood there staring at me with an expression that looked as if he was dying of resentment.
“Your Highness, please come here and listen together.”
“Yes.”
Ephero immediately agreed with me.
Rhodnes looked down at us without letting go of his crossed arms, but soon after I tapped the seat next to me with my hand, he walked over slowly, pretending to be defeated.
Rhodnes sat right next to me as if nothing had happened. To anyone looking, it looked like there was no space at all on the other side.
Not only did Ephero's eyes, who had been chasing his brother, become strangely gloomy, but Victor, who had not seen Rhodnes rubbing his lips against my fingertips, looked bewildered.
“Like that. You really...”
“Victor. So what kind of medicine was it?”
As soon as he cut off the question directed at Rhodnes, Victor quickly took out a few pieces of paper from his bosom and unfolded them.
It was a table with the interpretation and efficacy of the names of the Elacon herbs I gave.
“There are many. So many. Various effects. Famous sorcerer. Elacon.”
"Hmm?"
“They say there is only one sorcerer in Elacon who can handle those herbs.”
For Victor's poor Imperial language, Ephero volunteered to be his interpreter.
“Many Elacon doctors and shamans agree that these are herbs that are no longer used. There is a great shaman in Elacon who can handle these things. However, it is difficult for him to come here.”
Therefore, it meant that a thirsty person should dig a well.
"No."
Rhodnes openly hugged my shoulder tightly and pushed away the paper Victor had held out.
Victor's expression crumpled as he watched the long fingers push away the wad of paper.
“I can’t send it. That guy. Not even from Elacon’s perspective. Easy!”
“If you are a Prince, you should do things like a Prince.”
“I’m going crazy. To my sisters!”
Rhodnes clicked his tongue briefly. Ephero shuddered for a moment, perhaps remembering the sisters Victor had mentioned, before intervening.
“Brother. The Archmage is a revered figure in Elacon and is a recluse, so he cannot come to Ronta. His last movements have also been found with difficulty, so if not this time, we may have to search for him for months.”
"No."
“There is no need for you to move, my brother. He will only meet with those he has direct business to attend to, so only Madam...”
“I won’t let her go alone. If she goes, she will definitely go with me.”
Ephero shut his mouth tightly at Rhodnes’ firm answer. However, his sparkling, deep blue eyes were urging him to give a different answer.
“I will go to Elacon myself.”
"Ma'am."
“Countess Acacia. Please call me that, Your Highness.”
The face that had completely returned to me was immediately filled with regret.
I shook my head firmly.
“I am not Your Highness’s assistant, but the late Crown Prince’s assistant. From now on, my future actions are my own. I would like to go and see him alone before it is too late.”
“Adrienne.”
He whispered, tightening his grip on my shoulder.
“Your Highness and I will discuss this separately and meet again tomorrow.”
“No. Alone. I’ll go too. With Ephero.”
“So no more.”
"Your Highness."
I held onto the firm thigh of Rhodnes with all my might.
“Please talk to me.”
***
Ephero did not rebel against Rhodnes, but took Victor away, who seemed slightly angry.
Rhodnes and I left the palace and headed to the Grand Duke's residence.
We didn't say a word the whole way there.
I wanted to talk to him, but I could fully anticipate Rhodnes's stubbornness, so I immediately gave him the guest room.
I was just informing them that we should soak in warm water for a while and gather our thoughts.
“Madam! What should I do? Your hair! Everyone was so surprised when they heard that you came back at dawn, dyed your hair blonde, and attended the funeral!”
Jonah, who had followed me into the bathroom to help me take a bath, chattered while helping me take off my mourning clothes.
I silently went into the warm water that Jonah had given me.
Jonah, who seemed to have a lot to say, left without saying a word when I told him I would wash up alone.
I organized the thoughts in my head one by one.
Whether or not Rhodnes went with me, I planned to leave for Elacon immediately.
After roughly drying off my body and putting on the light dress that Jonah had prepared for me, I left the bathroom and saw Rhodnes standing outside the bedroom window.
He too had just washed up and was still wearing the black mourning shirt he had been wearing earlier, with slightly damp hair.
***
“What’s outside the window?”
“I was wondering what you saw and lived when you were here.”
He turned around and came towards me.
It felt quite natural to see his hand pull my waist and bring my body closer to him without hesitation.
“I was going to tell you that I’m leaving for Elacon tomorrow.”
“...”
Rhodnes silently pulled me closer to his waist.
“I also want to visit the mana stone mine in Count Acacia’s territory. Above all, if I have the chance, I want to go to the east and meet my father.”
The quickly dried platinum blonde hair sparkled in the sunset light.
I buried my cheek in his arms without saying a word.
The towel wrapped around my head fell to the floor, and my half-dry hair fell down onto my back.
“If you go, I’ll go too.”
“You have a lot to do, Rhodnes. You have to take care of the funeral, too...”
“Even at that funeral, I was thinking about how I could keep you by my side.”
A more intense emotion than that in the office tickled my ears painfully through his mouth.
In an instant, my whole body became tense with tension.
“You need some time alone, too. It hasn’t even been a day since the funeral. Don’t overdo it.”
“Adrienne. I have already shattered all the illusions Bardenaldo created for me. Of course, I would be lying if I said that it doesn’t hurt. It’s a good thing Bardenaldo wasn’t placed in a glass case. I wouldn’t have been able to stand up straight after seeing my brother’s dead body.”
“Roan.”
“But I don’t want to chase the dead anymore, and I don’t want to lose the living because of it. Now, you are the only one I have left. You are the ground on which I stand with my two feet in this world, Adrienne.”
The back he was rubbing unconsciously became hot.
“So I won’t send you alone to such an unsafe place.”
Just as I was organizing my thoughts in the bathroom, his eyes were also organizing their thoughts.
“But Roan. You’ve finally had a chance to step out of Bardenaldo’s shadow and live as yourself. You need time to think deeply about your life. I can’t ask you to accompany me on my personal business.”
“Adrienne. I don’t know if you know this, but I’ve been living for a very long time, looking only at you.”
My eyes widened at the sudden content. Rhodnes was still unshaken.
“You said you liked strong knights, so here they are.”
“...Roan?”
“You said you liked a strong and dependable man, so I shaved off all my flaws and lived like that in front of you. You are my character and my life.”
Ah.
My reckless childhood.
The bright answers I gave to the question about what kind of man I like flashed through my mind like a revolving lantern.
A knight whose shoulders cannot be fully embraced even with both arms outstretched. A knight so tall that I can look up at him. A knight so strong that he can protect me from any danger.
I used to say similar things without any shame.
Rhodnes smiled darkly at my immediately embarrassed face.
“I am a coward.”
“Roan, you really didn’t say that to me when I was little...”
“It wasn’t you who was anxious, it was me, always.”
“Roan.”
“The quickest and most surefire way to get rid of your anxiety. In fact, it’s for my anxiety, not yours.”
He smiled bitterly, but the pulling force grew stronger.
“I want you, Adrienne.”
“Roan, I don’t want to make you anxious either. So, there’s no need to make a hasty decision. Besides having time to think about your future life, the palace needs you right now. I’ll be back soon...”
I answered urgently to Rhodnes, who had lived like that all his life because of my reckless words as if trying to erase his guilt.
"No."
But Rhodnes shook his head and spoke in a confident voice.
“I’ve thought about it my whole life. You are my life, Adrienne.”
“Roan...”
“I have to protect you, and if that means becoming the Crown Prince, then so be it.”
I froze in place and looked up at him.
Now, it seemed as if Rhodnes, who had finally broken the leash that had bound him to Bardenaldo, was about to hand the leash back to me.
“I told you before. I never want to lose you again. I’d do anything for that.”
Rhodnes said.
“I want you, Adrienne.”
One of Rhodnes' hands slowly moved up my back, threading his fingers through my wet hair and pulling the back of my neck into his arms.
“That was the only thought on my mind the whole time.”
As my cheek was pressed harder against his chest, the thumping sound of Rhodnes' heart could be heard.
“I will prove it all. I am not the one who led this country to ruin, nor am I the darkness of my mother. I am a man who can protect you and make you happy.”
The voice that was stuck in my ear along with the hot sigh was burdensome.
I held my breath for a moment and pushed his chest lightly. His sparkling eyes were looking down at me.
“Trust me, Adrienne.”
“Roan...”
Without hesitation, Rhodnes took off his black shirt. Without even unbuttoning it, he held the hem and raised his arms.
The mourning clothes, still bearing the aura of death, were thrown to the floor.
As I took a step back in surprise, a body like a marble sculpture sparkling in the sunset approached me.
An overwhelming body filled my vision, covered with wounds big and small, but which could never be hidden by those wounds.
"Therefore..."
The clothes he had thrown off in a hurry were colorless, and his approaching steps were slow.
The bright red sunset fell like falling water drops, sweeping over the elegant nape of his neck that I had always glimpsed, the sharp collarbone that supported his broad shoulders, and the firm, thick pecs that I could feel just by looking at them.
“...Let me tempt you.”
“You said you liked a strong and dependable man, so I shaved off all my flaws and lived like that in front of you. You are my character and my life.”
Ah.
My reckless childhood.
The bright answers I gave to the question about what kind of man I like flashed through my mind like a revolving lantern.
A knight whose shoulders cannot be fully embraced even with both arms outstretched. A knight so tall that I can look up at him. A knight so strong that he can protect me from any danger.
I used to say similar things without any shame.
Rhodnes smiled darkly at my immediately embarrassed face.
“I am a coward.”
“Roan, you really didn’t say that to me when I was little...”
“It wasn’t you who was anxious, it was me, always.”
“Roan.”
“The quickest and most surefire way to get rid of your anxiety. In fact, it’s for my anxiety, not yours.”
He smiled bitterly, but the pulling force grew stronger.
“I want you, Adrienne.”
“Roan, I don’t want to make you anxious either. So, there’s no need to make a hasty decision. Besides having time to think about your future life, the palace needs you right now. I’ll be back soon...”
I answered urgently to Rhodnes, who had lived like that all his life because of my reckless words as if trying to erase his guilt.
"No."
But Rhodnes shook his head and spoke in a confident voice.
“I’ve thought about it my whole life. You are my life, Adrienne.”
“Roan...”
“I have to protect you, and if that means becoming the Crown Prince, then so be it.”
I froze in place and looked up at him.
Now, it seemed as if Rhodnes, who had finally broken the leash that had bound him to Bardenaldo, was about to hand the leash back to me.
“I told you before. I never want to lose you again. I’d do anything for that.”
Rhodnes said.
“I want you, Adrienne.”
One of Rhodnes' hands slowly moved up my back, threading his fingers through my wet hair and pulling the back of my neck into his arms.
“That was the only thought on my mind the whole time.”
As my cheek was pressed harder against his chest, the thumping sound of Rhodnes' heart could be heard.
“I will prove it all. I am not the one who led this country to ruin, nor am I the darkness of my mother. I am a man who can protect you and make you happy.”
The voice that was stuck in my ear along with the hot sigh was burdensome.
I held my breath for a moment and pushed his chest lightly. His sparkling eyes were looking down at me.
“Trust me, Adrienne.”
“Roan...”
Without hesitation, Rhodnes took off his black shirt. Without even unbuttoning it, he held the hem and raised his arms.
The mourning clothes, still bearing the aura of death, were thrown to the floor.
As I took a step back in surprise, a body like a marble sculpture sparkling in the sunset approached me.
An overwhelming body filled my vision, covered with wounds big and small, but which could never be hidden by those wounds.
"Therefore..."
The clothes he had thrown off in a hurry were colorless, and his approaching steps were slow.
The bright red sunset fell like falling water drops, sweeping over the elegant nape of his neck that I had always glimpsed, the sharp collarbone that supported his broad shoulders, and the firm, thick pecs that I could feel just by looking at them.
“...Let me tempt you.”
Oh my God.
As he approached me, a familiar scent of soap came from his body. And his body scent mixed together and invaded my nose.
“Don’t say things like you’ll leave me behind and go far away...”
As I looked down, where we were naturally touching, I felt a sense of volume that could not hide its presence under the black pants.
“...Take me.”
Why does Neil's voice come to mind at that moment?
As I was admiring how big Rhodnes's hands were, he responded with a calm voice, "You're big in everything."
“Take me, so I can have you.”
Ah.
My reason, which had been growing thin since I was in the office, was suddenly cut off by that low voice.
"...Huh."
The strange desires that had been vaguely present before today, crushed by my dying body and the truth, began to shake wildly and burst out like uncorked champagne.
Reddening the eyes.
I had no choice but to surrender to this wild beast that was attacking me with its whole heart and body.
“Yeah, I will.”
Rhodnes' lips, which had been leaning in towards me as if drawn to me, immediately engulfed mine as soon as I put my arms around his neck.
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