No, I thought I fell. Until I saw Locard Kydel’s face blocking the night sky.
‘No, when did the person who was on the tree just now...’
Misha’s voice came to mind at some point.
‘No, when did the person who was on the tree just now...’
Misha’s voice came to mind at some point.
Prince Kydel, who jumped down from the tree and embraced me, was wearing a stern expression.
“What the heck... What kind of young lady is this... over the railing... This is unbelievable. This is beyond compare.”
“T, this, let go...”
Prince Kydel let go of me as if he had just realized that he was holding me.
In the dark garden, he crossed his arms and glared at me. The elegant music softly flowing from the main building contrasted sharply with his dark aura.
I’m going to go crazy!
I opened my mouth feebly.
“Hey, here...”
“What are you doing here? I was formally invited.”
“This isn’t the East Wing...”
There was no reason for a guest who should have been in the East Wing banquet hall to be at the end of the West Wing where I was staying. Besides, he was watching me from the tree across from my balcony.
That wasn’t something he could make an excuse about, like getting lost on his way to the East Wing?
But he struck first.
“If I hadn’t been here, you would have been in big trouble, right?”
“What the heck... What kind of young lady is this... over the railing... This is unbelievable. This is beyond compare.”
“T, this, let go...”
Prince Kydel let go of me as if he had just realized that he was holding me.
In the dark garden, he crossed his arms and glared at me. The elegant music softly flowing from the main building contrasted sharply with his dark aura.
I’m going to go crazy!
I opened my mouth feebly.
“Hey, here...”
“What are you doing here? I was formally invited.”
“This isn’t the East Wing...”
There was no reason for a guest who should have been in the East Wing banquet hall to be at the end of the West Wing where I was staying. Besides, he was watching me from the tree across from my balcony.
That wasn’t something he could make an excuse about, like getting lost on his way to the East Wing?
But he struck first.
“If I hadn’t been here, you would have been in big trouble, right?”
“If Your Excellency hadn’t been here, I wouldn’t have fallen....”
What I said was obviously true, but it sounded quite unscrupulous in the current situation.
Prince Kydel didn’t seem to like my answer either, as his breathing became slightly ragged with excitement.
He arrogantly gestured at my bag that was lying on the lawn and spoke as if he were scolding a bad child.
“Are you running away from home?”
“Traveling... Haa. Would you believe me if I explained it to you?”
I sat down on my bag in exhaustion. Prince Kydel looked even more dumbfounded.
Did this person have to show up today?
Did he find my weakness again like this?
From Misha to Prince Kydel, I couldn’t help but grumble because everything was so absurd.
“Today is really hard. Birthdays are always hard, but today is especially worse.”
“Birthday... did you say?”
I answered in vain.
“Yes. Starting today, I am an adult.”
Prince Kydel then let out an annoyed groan and began to walk around the dark garden. It was unfolding right before my eyes, but it felt unreal.
He, who had disappeared for a moment, suddenly appeared out of the darkness. He handed me a rose whose bud had closed.
“Shouldn’t a woman receive flowers today? Take it.”
“...”
What is this kid talking about?
I looked up blankly, and he spoke again.
“It’s just that the petals have closed because it’s night, but it will bloom beautifully tomorrow. That’s what a flower is. What do you do?”
I took the rose he was waving in front of me. The thorns on the stem had all fallen off.
I was dazed for a moment, holding the rose. I didn’t know what to do with this flower.
“Greetings.”
“Yes, thank you.”
“No, not at all. Miss Roar.”
Then he flared up again.
“Then you’re not running away but becoming independent? Because you’re an adult?”
“No, traveling...”
“Who would travel like this...”
“But why have you been so angry since a while ago?”
When I snapped, Prince Kydel shut his mouth tightly and then said indignantly.
“I came to see you and you’re running away, so it’s only natural that I’m angry.”
“Why me? More importantly, were you just climbing a tree and looking into my room? Oh, that’s really rude?”
My conscience kept making excuses for useless things like this. The best defense is offense, and I should have attacked him, but my words ended up twisting and becoming interrogative.
Prince Kydel stood in front of me and crossed his arms. When I looked up in the darkness, his shoulders were wide.
When I saw him before, I thought he was thin, but it seemed to be an optical illusion caused by his body proportions.
“You must beg my forgiveness, Miss Lorisha Loire. Or is it Miss Lorisha Loba?”
“...!”
“Don’t you know that entering the palace under an assumed name is a felony?”
“Yes...?”
If I can’t go to Mr. Royman from now on, my future plans will be ruined. I suddenly woke up and sat up.
I turned to face him and said firmly.
“It’s not an assumed name!”
“Even lying? I’ve always considered your confidence to be a strength, but now that you’re an adult, do I have to change my opinion?”
“I’m not lying. I used my mother’s last name until I entered the Count’s mansion. I’m also Lorisha Loba!”
“...”
“I can’t let rumors of me doing odd jobs and visiting the palace tarnish the Count’s name. He's already someone who hears unnecessary things because of his illegitimate child!”
“If you really want to argue, then the Count is responsible.”
“I know, I know...”
I suddenly became speechless.
What kind of a bastard is this? I wondered if he was really a noble.
Nobles would enjoy themselves to the fullest, but when scandals arose due to their government or illegitimate children, they treated the other party like the devil. They said that they were the ones who suffered the damage of tarnishing their family’s honor.
On the contrary, this was the first time I’d met someone who said that the Count was responsible for my birth. And he said it in a tone that didn’t blame the Count at all.
I felt a little discouraged. I sat back down on my bag, holding the rose he had given me tightly.
“Get out of the way, you’re blocking the starlight.”
Prince Kydel stepped away from me with a look of bewilderment. The night was getting deeper and the stars were twinkling brightly. Standing here with him in the dark garden felt quite unreal. The night breeze had cooled our excitement.
I spoke calmly.
“I was on a trip.”
“This night?”
“I was planning to leave in the morning... but that didn’t work out. I’m the one who’s the problem.”
I was telling a sad story in my own way, but he started laughing, shaking his body.
Even though I glared at him, he laughed as much as he wanted to and then answered.
“Was that your doing too? Making Miss Misha Loire do General Yolin’s ‘Declaration of the Great Empire’.”
“Oh... oh.”
I realized that I had been caught and that what I had said was a confession, so I shut my mouth tightly.
But Prince Kydel was glaring at me with a crooked smile.
I couldn’t deny it, so I just got angry.
“Why do you even know that? That was over a hundred years ago!”
“As expected, you were the one who manipulated Miss Misha from behind.”
What I said was obviously true, but it sounded quite unscrupulous in the current situation.
Prince Kydel didn’t seem to like my answer either, as his breathing became slightly ragged with excitement.
He arrogantly gestured at my bag that was lying on the lawn and spoke as if he were scolding a bad child.
“Are you running away from home?”
“Traveling... Haa. Would you believe me if I explained it to you?”
I sat down on my bag in exhaustion. Prince Kydel looked even more dumbfounded.
Did this person have to show up today?
Did he find my weakness again like this?
From Misha to Prince Kydel, I couldn’t help but grumble because everything was so absurd.
“Today is really hard. Birthdays are always hard, but today is especially worse.”
“Birthday... did you say?”
I answered in vain.
“Yes. Starting today, I am an adult.”
Prince Kydel then let out an annoyed groan and began to walk around the dark garden. It was unfolding right before my eyes, but it felt unreal.
He, who had disappeared for a moment, suddenly appeared out of the darkness. He handed me a rose whose bud had closed.
“Shouldn’t a woman receive flowers today? Take it.”
“...”
What is this kid talking about?
I looked up blankly, and he spoke again.
“It’s just that the petals have closed because it’s night, but it will bloom beautifully tomorrow. That’s what a flower is. What do you do?”
I took the rose he was waving in front of me. The thorns on the stem had all fallen off.
I was dazed for a moment, holding the rose. I didn’t know what to do with this flower.
“Greetings.”
“Yes, thank you.”
“No, not at all. Miss Roar.”
Then he flared up again.
“Then you’re not running away but becoming independent? Because you’re an adult?”
“No, traveling...”
“Who would travel like this...”
“But why have you been so angry since a while ago?”
When I snapped, Prince Kydel shut his mouth tightly and then said indignantly.
“I came to see you and you’re running away, so it’s only natural that I’m angry.”
“Why me? More importantly, were you just climbing a tree and looking into my room? Oh, that’s really rude?”
My conscience kept making excuses for useless things like this. The best defense is offense, and I should have attacked him, but my words ended up twisting and becoming interrogative.
Prince Kydel stood in front of me and crossed his arms. When I looked up in the darkness, his shoulders were wide.
When I saw him before, I thought he was thin, but it seemed to be an optical illusion caused by his body proportions.
“You must beg my forgiveness, Miss Lorisha Loire. Or is it Miss Lorisha Loba?”
“...!”
“Don’t you know that entering the palace under an assumed name is a felony?”
“Yes...?”
If I can’t go to Mr. Royman from now on, my future plans will be ruined. I suddenly woke up and sat up.
I turned to face him and said firmly.
“It’s not an assumed name!”
“Even lying? I’ve always considered your confidence to be a strength, but now that you’re an adult, do I have to change my opinion?”
“I’m not lying. I used my mother’s last name until I entered the Count’s mansion. I’m also Lorisha Loba!”
“...”
“I can’t let rumors of me doing odd jobs and visiting the palace tarnish the Count’s name. He's already someone who hears unnecessary things because of his illegitimate child!”
“If you really want to argue, then the Count is responsible.”
“I know, I know...”
I suddenly became speechless.
What kind of a bastard is this? I wondered if he was really a noble.
Nobles would enjoy themselves to the fullest, but when scandals arose due to their government or illegitimate children, they treated the other party like the devil. They said that they were the ones who suffered the damage of tarnishing their family’s honor.
On the contrary, this was the first time I’d met someone who said that the Count was responsible for my birth. And he said it in a tone that didn’t blame the Count at all.
I felt a little discouraged. I sat back down on my bag, holding the rose he had given me tightly.
“Get out of the way, you’re blocking the starlight.”
Prince Kydel stepped away from me with a look of bewilderment. The night was getting deeper and the stars were twinkling brightly. Standing here with him in the dark garden felt quite unreal. The night breeze had cooled our excitement.
I spoke calmly.
“I was on a trip.”
“This night?”
“I was planning to leave in the morning... but that didn’t work out. I’m the one who’s the problem.”
I was telling a sad story in my own way, but he started laughing, shaking his body.
Even though I glared at him, he laughed as much as he wanted to and then answered.
“Was that your doing too? Making Miss Misha Loire do General Yolin’s ‘Declaration of the Great Empire’.”
“Oh... oh.”
I realized that I had been caught and that what I had said was a confession, so I shut my mouth tightly.
But Prince Kydel was glaring at me with a crooked smile.
I couldn’t deny it, so I just got angry.
“Why do you even know that? That was over a hundred years ago!”
“As expected, you were the one who manipulated Miss Misha from behind.”
“Wh-what are you talking about! I can’t stand it no matter what you say... This is driving me crazy.”
Manipulation? That was petty revenge. If I had the luxury of manipulating Misha in my life, I would have grown up to be a better person!
I felt wronged, and tears welled up in my eyes without me realizing it. Prince Kydel backed away a little as if he didn’t want to see me cry.
I muttered in a self-deprecating manner.
“Every morning when I wake up, I pray that I don’t run into that girl today. What about manipulation?”
“Hmm.”
I asked back, feeling a sense of guilt that had come belatedly.
“Do they all... know?”
“There were a few other cadets who looked puzzled as to why she was reciting the declaration of war by the great general of old at the small party of fellow cadets.”
“Whew. I changed the last part a bit.”
“Huh... huh.”
As he laughed quietly, his hair as black as night swayed in the dark garden. The luster that Misha had once mentioned was shining like stars from his hair.
He laughed so refreshingly and without any trace.
The peace and warmth of this moment felt a bit absurd, so I laughed too. I kept my voice low, but my body seemed to burst out laughing.
However, I couldn’t keep laughing. The night was short.
Even if we happened to laugh together at this moment, it was just a coincidence, because the distance between us was far and wide.
I slowly moved away from him with my bag, and Prince Kydel noticed it and clicked his tongue loudly. I was surprised by the sound and dropped my bag.
“Why did you do that?”
I thought about why I did that too.
Would it be possible to explain my actions today, and the background of my past life, to a stranger in simple terms?
That seemed beyond my ability. So all I could say was,
“I hate her. Misha.”
Hatred. How pathetic that word sounded.
But Prince Kydel made a face.
“Miss Misha? What are you talking about?”
“..?”
“You insulted me in her letter, Miss Lorisha. I cannot stand by and watch this situation.”
“...!”
He had found out the double-crossing curses I had inserted into Misha’s love letters.
Of course, it was bad to hide the curses in those letters like a code. But who would have thought that someone would find them!
But even if you find them, you should suspect Misha. Why are you looking for me!
Prince Kydel must have been certain that I was the culprit through a process I couldn’t guess.
That’s why he came to the Count’s residence under the pretext of a party and searched for my room.
I swallowed hard.
Wow, you creepy brat. You’re so smart and talented. That’s good, you!
I had no escape. I grabbed him.
“Insult? What insult?”
When I stared at him with my eyes shining like starlight, he gasped in bewilderment.
“Ha! Miss Lorisha, you...”
“But I remember never giving my name to the Prince. You’re saying Miss Lorisha while saying something I don’t understand. It seems rude. A little.”
I ended up losing my tongue, but I tried to pretend like nothing happened and put on a shameless face. There’s no evidence, evidence.
The only evidence is this pang of conscience as if a stick were poking me in the chest...
Manipulation? That was petty revenge. If I had the luxury of manipulating Misha in my life, I would have grown up to be a better person!
I felt wronged, and tears welled up in my eyes without me realizing it. Prince Kydel backed away a little as if he didn’t want to see me cry.
I muttered in a self-deprecating manner.
“Every morning when I wake up, I pray that I don’t run into that girl today. What about manipulation?”
“Hmm.”
I asked back, feeling a sense of guilt that had come belatedly.
“Do they all... know?”
“There were a few other cadets who looked puzzled as to why she was reciting the declaration of war by the great general of old at the small party of fellow cadets.”
“Whew. I changed the last part a bit.”
“Huh... huh.”
As he laughed quietly, his hair as black as night swayed in the dark garden. The luster that Misha had once mentioned was shining like stars from his hair.
He laughed so refreshingly and without any trace.
The peace and warmth of this moment felt a bit absurd, so I laughed too. I kept my voice low, but my body seemed to burst out laughing.
However, I couldn’t keep laughing. The night was short.
Even if we happened to laugh together at this moment, it was just a coincidence, because the distance between us was far and wide.
I slowly moved away from him with my bag, and Prince Kydel noticed it and clicked his tongue loudly. I was surprised by the sound and dropped my bag.
“Why did you do that?”
I thought about why I did that too.
Would it be possible to explain my actions today, and the background of my past life, to a stranger in simple terms?
That seemed beyond my ability. So all I could say was,
“I hate her. Misha.”
Hatred. How pathetic that word sounded.
But Prince Kydel made a face.
“Miss Misha? What are you talking about?”
“..?”
“You insulted me in her letter, Miss Lorisha. I cannot stand by and watch this situation.”
“...!”
He had found out the double-crossing curses I had inserted into Misha’s love letters.
Of course, it was bad to hide the curses in those letters like a code. But who would have thought that someone would find them!
But even if you find them, you should suspect Misha. Why are you looking for me!
Prince Kydel must have been certain that I was the culprit through a process I couldn’t guess.
That’s why he came to the Count’s residence under the pretext of a party and searched for my room.
I swallowed hard.
Wow, you creepy brat. You’re so smart and talented. That’s good, you!
I had no escape. I grabbed him.
“Insult? What insult?”
When I stared at him with my eyes shining like starlight, he gasped in bewilderment.
“Ha! Miss Lorisha, you...”
“But I remember never giving my name to the Prince. You’re saying Miss Lorisha while saying something I don’t understand. It seems rude. A little.”
I ended up losing my tongue, but I tried to pretend like nothing happened and put on a shameless face. There’s no evidence, evidence.
The only evidence is this pang of conscience as if a stick were poking me in the chest...
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