Rhodnes was glaring at me as if I were her mortal enemy.
“What did I... do wrong, Your Highness?”
"No."
No. There was a small champagne table set up on one side of the welcoming party where only refreshments and drinks were prepared. He and I were the only ones at that table drinking champagne the whole time.
“If you are thirsty, shall I bring you some water?”
“Are you serious?”
Rhodnes snorted in annoyance and called his servant to bring him some water. He must have been thirsty.
“You are not my maid. Don’t say such things.”
It was a cold voice. Maybe because I was drinking. Somehow my heart started pounding, and I was able to smile affectionately at him.
“Is that so? Although it is called training, I think it is because I think of it as almost the personal maid of Prince Ephero or Lord Victor.”
As soon as I finished speaking, Rhodnes, who had been staring intently at my smiling face, stiffened his face again. He drank the cold water that the attendant had brought, complete with ice cubes.
'You must have a headache.'
As expected. Rhodnes frowned as if he had a headache, then looked at me again with a slightly more relaxed expression.
“...Aren’t you frustrated?”
The one who looked suffocated was actually Rhodnes. I could see him loosening his already slightly untied cravat. Whenever he did that, my eyes naturally turned to his sunken collarbone, so I turned my gaze to the ceiling.
“Are you feeling stuffy? Even though I opened the window in the ceiling so that it wouldn’t be stuffy? It’s getting dark now, so I’ll have to turn on the lights.”
Rhodnes watched quietly as I busily called over my attendants and gave them various instructions.
“Are you uncomfortable being alone with me?”
As soon as I finished my business, he asked. I laughed awkwardly. It would be a lie if I said I wasn’t uncomfortable. Unlike usual, Rhodnes appeared in a navy velvet uniform and caught everyone’s attention from the moment he appeared. I was no different. As soon as I made eye contact with him, my cheek that had touched him two days ago turned red and goosebumps appeared all over my body. If I hadn’t tightly grabbed the arm of Victor, who was my escort today, my legs would have lost strength and I would have collapsed.
“No, why am I uncomfortable, Your Highness?”
“Then why do you avoid eye contact the whole time and don’t even look at me?”
“Me?”
“All this time, you only whispered to that bear bird... that bear-like bastard.”
Rhodnes opened his mouth as if he had more to say, but stopped there. I watched with my sparkling eyes as Rhodnes’ thick throat visibly shook.
'I feel weird when I'm with you. It's so ticklish...'
Knowing that I shouldn't say such things easily, I opened my mouth and then shut it tightly.
“Are you sorry to me?”
"Yes?"
Should I be sorry? For what I did do to Victor? Such a question came to my mind, but I couldn't ask Rhodnes, who was already reaching out, what was wrong with him if I wasn't sorry. It seemed like he was dissatisfied with me for some unknown reason, and I didn't think he would ever answer me even if I asked.
“Would you like to go out together?”
“Yes? Victor and Prince Ephero will be back soon...”
“Even Ephero is a guy who can walk around this Atilchad Hall by himself.”
"But..."
“Do you hate it?”
Although his face was terribly hardened, there was regret in his subtly asking question. He rolled his eyes, and from afar, I could feel the intense gaze of Doris and even Noura.
"All right."
As soon as the words left my mouth, Rhodnes extended his arm deeper. Not long ago, after I had climbed on top of him in the carriage and taken his jacket... somehow, it had become more difficult to make contact with his body. I had felt a strange tension before, but it was also disconcerting to see my heart pounding like it was in my ears. Aside from the few twitches of his strong arm, Rhodnes’s expression was quite calm.
“What do you want to say?”
I was momentarily distracted by the beautiful sight before my eyes, but I caught my breath as Rhodnes moved closer to me. I leaned against the terrace railing, hesitantly as if pushed by Rhodnes who was approaching me. I flinched and cowered at the approaching energy, and Rhodnes held on to the terrace railing tightly, keeping me between us. I could clearly feel his inhalation and exhalation, right above my crown. It was painful. His breathing was as light as a feather, but every time his breath poured onto my crown and the exposed back of my neck, all my nerves were focused there.
'Oh, what should I do?'
My heart was pounding like crazy. The tempting scent of lavender from the jacket that Rhodnes had given me that day began tickling my nose from behind. I couldn’t say what I wanted to say. My throat felt like it was being strangled, and I thought I would make a sound worse than a frog being stepped on. He paused for a long time. He held the railing so tightly that several thick tendons stood out on the back of his hands.
“Adrienne, I...”
The moment Rhodnes lifted his heavy lips, other voices burst out.
“Huh? You were here?”
“Found it! After a long time!”
The noisy people who had been searching for us in the garden finally found us and came towards us from the front, waving their arms. Two bright young men, expressing their joy with their whole bodies, quickly approached us down the terrace.
“Wow! These fireflies are still alive. Come down here, ma’am! Let’s watch together!”
“There is something beautiful here, too.”
My body, which had been stiff with tension, suddenly relaxed. I carefully turned my head toward Rhodnes. Rhodnes, who was looking down with his chin raised and his deeply sunken eyes, had a cold, almost chilling atmosphere.
“There are more if you go a little deeper into the garden! Come quickly! Brother! Madam!”
“Come. Quickly.”
“Your Highness?”
Rhodnes, who had been staring down for a long time, rolled his eyes and looked at me. My breath caught in my throat.
“...Are you going?”
“Huh? Uh... shouldn’t I go? I... have already taken care of their training... and the party isn’t over yet...”
I was embarrassed, and honestly, I looked regretful, thinking that if I went further in, I would be able to see this beautiful sight up close. Rhodnes looked at me with regretful eyes for a while and then jumped down from the terrace. Then, in front of the two men who had extended their arms to me, he openly extended his arms wider to receive me who was coming down after him. We went a little deeper into the garden. Victor’s next target was not me, but Rhodnes, and he kept looking at the fireflies and asking questions. Rhodnes hardly responded, but whenever Victor said something strange, he firmly and sharply answered him. I sat a little further away, listening to their conversation, blankly staring at the fireflies with Ephero. It felt like a dream to be able to see these fireflies in the palace with a healthy body.
“Is that you?”
The voice of Ephero, who had been acting like a cheerful young man earlier, became low as I was momentarily absorbed in my emotions and focused on the fireflies circling around. I felt a little chilled by the sudden strange question and wrapped my arms around myself.
"...Yes?"
“You wrote to me.”
Ephero, who had two small dimples on one side of his cheek, looked playful, but his voice was cold. The firefly lights in his deep blue eyes seemed to be consumed by something that was burning black. This Prince knew. Ephero, who was on the verge of adulthood, was staring at me with impudent eyes. I held back my heart which was moved by the fireflies and barely managed to raise the corners of my mouth.
“What are you talking about?”
“I know the Royal Family of Ronta well, and no matter how much I think about it, there is no one who would call me in and claim the role of their son.”
“Well, His Highness the Grand Duke might have thought differently?”
When I spoke in a feminine tone, Ephero narrowed his eyes. He was questioning me based solely on circumstantial evidence, without any evidence that I had done anything. I must never get involved.
“The Archduke is one of the people who wants me to stay out of Elacon. Rather, isn’t it the Archduke’s wife who came up with this idea... I think so?”
Ephero smirked again, raising his little finger.
“Even if you don’t like it, we’re going to have to see each other for a while anyway, so please don’t do that.”
I coaxed him like an adult. Ephero waved his little finger at me as if he were trying to show off, then took it back and whispered softly.
“Well, I don’t know about other people, but I like Brother Roan quite a bit. That’s why I’m warning you, ma’am.”
Warning. Ephero took a step closer to me, my body frozen at the word warning.
“Grand Duke, play with him as much as you want. But don’t cross the line with Brother Roan. There is a limit to how much you can match the rhythm.”
“...What did you say?”
“It wouldn’t be a big deal if Madam had another scandal, right?”
The gleaming blue eyes scanned my lips and the nape of my neck with a lustful gaze. There was blood on my head...
“Your face is like a lady’s. It’s exactly my type.”
...You skinny kid!
“What did I... do wrong, Your Highness?”
"No."
No. There was a small champagne table set up on one side of the welcoming party where only refreshments and drinks were prepared. He and I were the only ones at that table drinking champagne the whole time.
“If you are thirsty, shall I bring you some water?”
“Are you serious?”
Rhodnes snorted in annoyance and called his servant to bring him some water. He must have been thirsty.
“You are not my maid. Don’t say such things.”
It was a cold voice. Maybe because I was drinking. Somehow my heart started pounding, and I was able to smile affectionately at him.
“Is that so? Although it is called training, I think it is because I think of it as almost the personal maid of Prince Ephero or Lord Victor.”
As soon as I finished speaking, Rhodnes, who had been staring intently at my smiling face, stiffened his face again. He drank the cold water that the attendant had brought, complete with ice cubes.
'You must have a headache.'
As expected. Rhodnes frowned as if he had a headache, then looked at me again with a slightly more relaxed expression.
“...Aren’t you frustrated?”
The one who looked suffocated was actually Rhodnes. I could see him loosening his already slightly untied cravat. Whenever he did that, my eyes naturally turned to his sunken collarbone, so I turned my gaze to the ceiling.
“Are you feeling stuffy? Even though I opened the window in the ceiling so that it wouldn’t be stuffy? It’s getting dark now, so I’ll have to turn on the lights.”
Rhodnes watched quietly as I busily called over my attendants and gave them various instructions.
“Are you uncomfortable being alone with me?”
As soon as I finished my business, he asked. I laughed awkwardly. It would be a lie if I said I wasn’t uncomfortable. Unlike usual, Rhodnes appeared in a navy velvet uniform and caught everyone’s attention from the moment he appeared. I was no different. As soon as I made eye contact with him, my cheek that had touched him two days ago turned red and goosebumps appeared all over my body. If I hadn’t tightly grabbed the arm of Victor, who was my escort today, my legs would have lost strength and I would have collapsed.
“No, why am I uncomfortable, Your Highness?”
“Then why do you avoid eye contact the whole time and don’t even look at me?”
“Me?”
“All this time, you only whispered to that bear bird... that bear-like bastard.”
Rhodnes opened his mouth as if he had more to say, but stopped there. I watched with my sparkling eyes as Rhodnes’ thick throat visibly shook.
'I feel weird when I'm with you. It's so ticklish...'
Knowing that I shouldn't say such things easily, I opened my mouth and then shut it tightly.
“Are you sorry to me?”
"Yes?"
Should I be sorry? For what I did do to Victor? Such a question came to my mind, but I couldn't ask Rhodnes, who was already reaching out, what was wrong with him if I wasn't sorry. It seemed like he was dissatisfied with me for some unknown reason, and I didn't think he would ever answer me even if I asked.
“Would you like to go out together?”
“Yes? Victor and Prince Ephero will be back soon...”
“Even Ephero is a guy who can walk around this Atilchad Hall by himself.”
"But..."
“Do you hate it?”
Although his face was terribly hardened, there was regret in his subtly asking question. He rolled his eyes, and from afar, I could feel the intense gaze of Doris and even Noura.
"All right."
As soon as the words left my mouth, Rhodnes extended his arm deeper. Not long ago, after I had climbed on top of him in the carriage and taken his jacket... somehow, it had become more difficult to make contact with his body. I had felt a strange tension before, but it was also disconcerting to see my heart pounding like it was in my ears. Aside from the few twitches of his strong arm, Rhodnes’s expression was quite calm.
As I left the party hall and entered a terrace connected to a large hallway, a surprising sight unfolded before my eyes.
“Wow-.”
***
“Wow-.”
“...How is it?”
Adrienne let go of Rhodnes’s arm and covered her mouth with both hands. Rhodnes stared at the arm that had been cut off for a moment, then looked past Adrienne’s eyes that twinkled like stars and at the fireflies twinkling in the garden just below the terrace. It was something that was not easy to see in the early evening.
“How is this possible?”
“This garden is darker than other places, and these fireflies only twinkle from sunset until early evening.”
Rhodnes looked at Adrienne’s eyes, which were sparkling with light, rather than the fireflies in front of him. His heart was pounding. Even in the beautiful party hall, his heart, which had felt like it was in a cesspool, seemed to brighten up a little. The jealousy that had started once tormented him so much that he would jump out of his sleep.
Adrienne let go of Rhodnes’s arm and covered her mouth with both hands. Rhodnes stared at the arm that had been cut off for a moment, then looked past Adrienne’s eyes that twinkled like stars and at the fireflies twinkling in the garden just below the terrace. It was something that was not easy to see in the early evening.
“How is this possible?”
“This garden is darker than other places, and these fireflies only twinkle from sunset until early evening.”
Rhodnes looked at Adrienne’s eyes, which were sparkling with light, rather than the fireflies in front of him. His heart was pounding. Even in the beautiful party hall, his heart, which had felt like it was in a cesspool, seemed to brighten up a little. The jealousy that had started once tormented him so much that he would jump out of his sleep.
When he saw another guy reach a place that he had thought about dozens or hundreds of times before, it felt like fire was flying out of his eyes. He also wanted to reach Adrienne. He wanted to reach her more intimately than anyone else. If he could reach her that way, he would be okay even if Adrienne’s soul was in some insignificant thing.
When he saw Adrienne casually talking about wanting to be friendly with other guys, wanting to be friends, he felt sick. The fact that he was not in a situation to be jealous of such things drove him even crazier. Furthermore, when he thought of Adrienne, who would be startled and pull away from his hand even when he just held it, his heart sank. But what could be done about the burning heart that would shine every time Prince Elacon, and even young Ephero, looked at Adrienne with interest?
“It’s so... pretty. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“At your debutante. I wanted to show you this place and tell you something.”
If I say I love you, will you run away?
“It’s so... pretty. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“At your debutante. I wanted to show you this place and tell you something.”
If I say I love you, will you run away?
Rhodnes could not overcome the urge rising to the tip of his throat.
***
“What do you want to say?”
I was momentarily distracted by the beautiful sight before my eyes, but I caught my breath as Rhodnes moved closer to me. I leaned against the terrace railing, hesitantly as if pushed by Rhodnes who was approaching me. I flinched and cowered at the approaching energy, and Rhodnes held on to the terrace railing tightly, keeping me between us. I could clearly feel his inhalation and exhalation, right above my crown. It was painful. His breathing was as light as a feather, but every time his breath poured onto my crown and the exposed back of my neck, all my nerves were focused there.
'Oh, what should I do?'
My heart was pounding like crazy. The tempting scent of lavender from the jacket that Rhodnes had given me that day began tickling my nose from behind. I couldn’t say what I wanted to say. My throat felt like it was being strangled, and I thought I would make a sound worse than a frog being stepped on. He paused for a long time. He held the railing so tightly that several thick tendons stood out on the back of his hands.
“Adrienne, I...”
The moment Rhodnes lifted his heavy lips, other voices burst out.
“Huh? You were here?”
“Found it! After a long time!”
The noisy people who had been searching for us in the garden finally found us and came towards us from the front, waving their arms. Two bright young men, expressing their joy with their whole bodies, quickly approached us down the terrace.
“Wow! These fireflies are still alive. Come down here, ma’am! Let’s watch together!”
“There is something beautiful here, too.”
My body, which had been stiff with tension, suddenly relaxed. I carefully turned my head toward Rhodnes. Rhodnes, who was looking down with his chin raised and his deeply sunken eyes, had a cold, almost chilling atmosphere.
“There are more if you go a little deeper into the garden! Come quickly! Brother! Madam!”
“Come. Quickly.”
“Your Highness?”
Rhodnes, who had been staring down for a long time, rolled his eyes and looked at me. My breath caught in my throat.
“...Are you going?”
“Huh? Uh... shouldn’t I go? I... have already taken care of their training... and the party isn’t over yet...”
I was embarrassed, and honestly, I looked regretful, thinking that if I went further in, I would be able to see this beautiful sight up close. Rhodnes looked at me with regretful eyes for a while and then jumped down from the terrace. Then, in front of the two men who had extended their arms to me, he openly extended his arms wider to receive me who was coming down after him. We went a little deeper into the garden. Victor’s next target was not me, but Rhodnes, and he kept looking at the fireflies and asking questions. Rhodnes hardly responded, but whenever Victor said something strange, he firmly and sharply answered him. I sat a little further away, listening to their conversation, blankly staring at the fireflies with Ephero. It felt like a dream to be able to see these fireflies in the palace with a healthy body.
“Is that you?”
The voice of Ephero, who had been acting like a cheerful young man earlier, became low as I was momentarily absorbed in my emotions and focused on the fireflies circling around. I felt a little chilled by the sudden strange question and wrapped my arms around myself.
"...Yes?"
“You wrote to me.”
Ephero, who had two small dimples on one side of his cheek, looked playful, but his voice was cold. The firefly lights in his deep blue eyes seemed to be consumed by something that was burning black. This Prince knew. Ephero, who was on the verge of adulthood, was staring at me with impudent eyes. I held back my heart which was moved by the fireflies and barely managed to raise the corners of my mouth.
“What are you talking about?”
“I know the Royal Family of Ronta well, and no matter how much I think about it, there is no one who would call me in and claim the role of their son.”
“Well, His Highness the Grand Duke might have thought differently?”
When I spoke in a feminine tone, Ephero narrowed his eyes. He was questioning me based solely on circumstantial evidence, without any evidence that I had done anything. I must never get involved.
“The Archduke is one of the people who wants me to stay out of Elacon. Rather, isn’t it the Archduke’s wife who came up with this idea... I think so?”
Ephero smirked again, raising his little finger.
“Even if you don’t like it, we’re going to have to see each other for a while anyway, so please don’t do that.”
I coaxed him like an adult. Ephero waved his little finger at me as if he were trying to show off, then took it back and whispered softly.
“Well, I don’t know about other people, but I like Brother Roan quite a bit. That’s why I’m warning you, ma’am.”
Warning. Ephero took a step closer to me, my body frozen at the word warning.
“Grand Duke, play with him as much as you want. But don’t cross the line with Brother Roan. There is a limit to how much you can match the rhythm.”
“...What did you say?”
“It wouldn’t be a big deal if Madam had another scandal, right?”
The gleaming blue eyes scanned my lips and the nape of my neck with a lustful gaze. There was blood on my head...
“Your face is like a lady’s. It’s exactly my type.”
...You skinny kid!
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