I looked down at the Crown Prince lying on the cot with trembling eyes.
Pale face, white lips, sunken eyes.
He looked like a totally sick person.
I thought it was okay since his life was not in danger, but when I first saw his miserable appearance, my heart sank.
I asked as if nothing had happened, wiping the tears that kept falling down with my sleeve.
“What happened? The explosion was so loud that I thought I would die without being able to move, but how did Danos, that guy... What was that sword? It definitely didn’t break? And what was that light surrounding the sword, and where did that sword go now?”
As I started to ask him a series of questions, he laughed and said, “Why are you asking so many questions to a patient?” Then he continued speaking.
“That black sword is a sword without substance.”
“There is no substance?”
The Crown Prince nodded.
“It’s a secret passed down through the royal family. The ability to implement and handle what you want in critical situations.”
“The royal family had such powers?”
“I don’t know why, but I heard that it was a blessing bestowed upon the first Emperor by the goddess.”
“If it’s a blessing...”
I remembered the blessing Netanya had given to Countess Ganeth's maid.
Those words will be passed down from generation to generation.
'Oh, so...'
After a moment of understanding, I opened my eyes wide and glared at the Crown Prince.
“But why did you hide the fact that you had such an ability until now? Do you know how surprised I was? I really thought Your Highness was dead!”
The Crown Prince snickered as he watched me getting indignant.
“I had forgotten about this ability because I had never used it. Since it was something that guaranteed one’s lifespan, our ancestors tried not to use it as much as possible.”
“Even so, that’s... Wait, what did you say? With your life as collateral? So are you saying that Your Highness’s life was shortened because of this incident?”
The Crown Prince nodded.
My heart sank again.
“How much, how much is it?”
Unlike me who was lost in thought, the Crown Prince still tilted his head with a calm expression.
“Well, I don’t know exactly, but since I was dealing with the Archangel of the Goddess, it wouldn’t have been less than half as bad.”
“Hey, are you crazy?”
I was so startled that I stopped myself from striking the Crown Prince's arm.
No matter what, it was impossible to hit a patient who had just come back from the dead.
I clenched my fists, barely holding back the urge to reprimand him.
The Crown Prince smiled brightly, whether he knew or not.
“But we still won. Thanks to that, we also obtained the last relic.”
“Ha, is that what you call it now?”
Even if I collected all the sacred relics, what good would it be if it affected the lifespan of the Crown Prince?
“I should have stepped forward after all.”
As I muttered in a skeptical voice, a rebuttal came right away.
“No. Even if it costs me not half of my life, but all of my life, it is right for me to participate in the duel. If the Princess had participated, I would not have been able to endure it.”
"Yes?"
As I looked at the Crown Prince with puzzled eyes, not understanding what he was saying, the Crown Prince quietly met my gaze.
It was at that time that I felt awkward and tried to avoid eye contact as the gaze was persistently digging into my eyes as if it was going to gouge them out.
“The Princess is the type of person I really don’t like.”
Why is this a personal attack all of a sudden?
If it were before, I would have said, 'Yes, yes, I guess so. I also hate people like Your Highness,' but now I have realized that I like the Crown Prince.
Even if that statement were a joke, it means that I am in a position where I cannot accept it lightly.
But that spiteful Crown Prince, completely unaware of my sinking heart, continued to pierce my chest with his sharp words.
“You have no loyalty to the empire, no sense of responsibility as a noble, and she pretends to be a Saintess with no divine power to take revenge on your father.”
“No, that’s...”
“Even after finding out about it, you still keep throwing tantrums, saying you can’t do anything dangerous, and even go so far as to demand compensation.”
“No, Your Highness. That is...”
“Truly, you are not at all my ideal type, the type of Empress I want.”
The Crown Prince, who had been stabbing me repeatedly without giving me a chance to make excuses, finally drove a nail into my heart.
'That guy is real!'
How can you say something like that when I haven't even shown you my feelings yet?
'You noticed? That's why you're shutting my mouth in advance? You have no intention of making me the future Empress, so don't even think about confessing to you?'
I was angry and my heart ached.
I can't believe I'm hearing something like that from the first man I gave my heart to.
It was when I was biting my lips to swallow the tears that were welling up in my eyes.
“But do you know what I was thinking when I was about to die?”
“How would I know that?”
I answered curtly for no reason so as not to reveal my broken heart.
How could I possibly know what the man I hate so much was thinking at the last moment?
I didn't even think about hiding my pouting lips.
However?
“If I had known this would happen, I would have come and seen that face a little more often.”
I stared blankly at the Crown Prince at the sudden change in rhythm.
The dark blue eyes that shined like the night sky were still looking straight at me.
“If I had known it would turn out like this, I would have been more affectionate. I would not have pushed you too hard. I would have treated you with respect. If I had known it would end like this, I would have at least told you. That I like you.”
Bam.
The hand that had been quietly resting on my knee fell miserably into the air.
‘What is that now....’
Even though I clearly heard it with both ears, I didn't understand it.
You like me?
Who?
Me?
The Crown Prince?
'Am I dreaming?'
Or maybe I went crazy because I was shocked by being rejected before I could even confess...
I was blankly staring at the scene, feeling completely unrealistic, when I lifted my hand that was dangling in the air and slapped my cheek.
'If it's a dream, wake up. If you're crazy, come to your senses.'
But even though I hit it pretty hard, nothing changed.
The Crown Prince was still in front of me.
Looking at me with eyes mixed with ticklish heat.
'So this is reality? He really...'
The Crown Prince opened his mouth as if imprinting the answer on me, who still couldn't believe it.
“I like you, Shayne. I don’t know when, but I’ve come to like you. You have no loyalty to the Empire, but you have an abundance of affection for the people of the Empire. You have no divine power, but you work tirelessly to save the Empire. You seem materialistic at first, but you are not afraid to give a thousand pieces of gold to the people within your circle. I think I’ve come to love you. To the point where I wouldn’t mind giving up my life to save you.”
I could feel the sincerity in every word that came out of the Crown Prince's mouth.
Honestly, I didn't feel even the slightest hint of a lie.
But I was frozen like a statue and couldn't answer.
It was such an unexpected situation.
I just can't believe that the Crown Prince loves me, that we feel the same way.
So I could only look at him with a dumbfounded expression.
At that moment, he stretched out his arm and quietly took my hand.
“And it seems to me that you feel the same way.”
“...”
“I was sure of it when I saw the expression on the Princess’s face as you ran towards me after the duel. You must feel the same way as I do. It was the first time I saw the Princess cry like that. Was I wrong?”
At those words, my face instantly turned red.
I remembered how I ran towards the Crown Prince, who was barely holding himself up while leaning on his sword, and how I cried and thanked him for being alive.
I felt embarrassed because I had expressed my love with my whole body and heart.
I hid my deep emotion and snapped at him bluntly as if I was being rude.
“So what? Are we just going to have some free time and share our thoughts? There’s Ibis and other things to take care of!”
And then I suddenly got up...Ah, suddenly regret came over me.
I was worried that the Crown Prince might take my words, blurted out in shame, as rejection and give up.
It wasn't at all impossible for that old-fashioned man, so I quickly added before leaving the room.
“Oh, don’t get me wrong. I’m not rejecting you. What I’m saying is, we can deal with our problems later. Well, we’re going to be together anyway!”
With my face reddened, I poured out words like a machine gun, but I couldn't overcome my embarrassment and hurriedly left the room.
The Crown Prince's cheerful laughter could be heard beyond the closed door.
Pale face, white lips, sunken eyes.
He looked like a totally sick person.
I thought it was okay since his life was not in danger, but when I first saw his miserable appearance, my heart sank.
I asked as if nothing had happened, wiping the tears that kept falling down with my sleeve.
“What happened? The explosion was so loud that I thought I would die without being able to move, but how did Danos, that guy... What was that sword? It definitely didn’t break? And what was that light surrounding the sword, and where did that sword go now?”
As I started to ask him a series of questions, he laughed and said, “Why are you asking so many questions to a patient?” Then he continued speaking.
“That black sword is a sword without substance.”
“There is no substance?”
The Crown Prince nodded.
“It’s a secret passed down through the royal family. The ability to implement and handle what you want in critical situations.”
“The royal family had such powers?”
“I don’t know why, but I heard that it was a blessing bestowed upon the first Emperor by the goddess.”
“If it’s a blessing...”
I remembered the blessing Netanya had given to Countess Ganeth's maid.
Those words will be passed down from generation to generation.
'Oh, so...'
After a moment of understanding, I opened my eyes wide and glared at the Crown Prince.
“But why did you hide the fact that you had such an ability until now? Do you know how surprised I was? I really thought Your Highness was dead!”
The Crown Prince snickered as he watched me getting indignant.
“I had forgotten about this ability because I had never used it. Since it was something that guaranteed one’s lifespan, our ancestors tried not to use it as much as possible.”
“Even so, that’s... Wait, what did you say? With your life as collateral? So are you saying that Your Highness’s life was shortened because of this incident?”
The Crown Prince nodded.
My heart sank again.
“How much, how much is it?”
Unlike me who was lost in thought, the Crown Prince still tilted his head with a calm expression.
“Well, I don’t know exactly, but since I was dealing with the Archangel of the Goddess, it wouldn’t have been less than half as bad.”
“Hey, are you crazy?”
I was so startled that I stopped myself from striking the Crown Prince's arm.
No matter what, it was impossible to hit a patient who had just come back from the dead.
I clenched my fists, barely holding back the urge to reprimand him.
The Crown Prince smiled brightly, whether he knew or not.
“But we still won. Thanks to that, we also obtained the last relic.”
“Ha, is that what you call it now?”
Even if I collected all the sacred relics, what good would it be if it affected the lifespan of the Crown Prince?
“I should have stepped forward after all.”
As I muttered in a skeptical voice, a rebuttal came right away.
“No. Even if it costs me not half of my life, but all of my life, it is right for me to participate in the duel. If the Princess had participated, I would not have been able to endure it.”
"Yes?"
As I looked at the Crown Prince with puzzled eyes, not understanding what he was saying, the Crown Prince quietly met my gaze.
It was at that time that I felt awkward and tried to avoid eye contact as the gaze was persistently digging into my eyes as if it was going to gouge them out.
“The Princess is the type of person I really don’t like.”
Why is this a personal attack all of a sudden?
If it were before, I would have said, 'Yes, yes, I guess so. I also hate people like Your Highness,' but now I have realized that I like the Crown Prince.
Even if that statement were a joke, it means that I am in a position where I cannot accept it lightly.
But that spiteful Crown Prince, completely unaware of my sinking heart, continued to pierce my chest with his sharp words.
“You have no loyalty to the empire, no sense of responsibility as a noble, and she pretends to be a Saintess with no divine power to take revenge on your father.”
“No, that’s...”
“Even after finding out about it, you still keep throwing tantrums, saying you can’t do anything dangerous, and even go so far as to demand compensation.”
“No, Your Highness. That is...”
“Truly, you are not at all my ideal type, the type of Empress I want.”
The Crown Prince, who had been stabbing me repeatedly without giving me a chance to make excuses, finally drove a nail into my heart.
'That guy is real!'
How can you say something like that when I haven't even shown you my feelings yet?
'You noticed? That's why you're shutting my mouth in advance? You have no intention of making me the future Empress, so don't even think about confessing to you?'
I was angry and my heart ached.
I can't believe I'm hearing something like that from the first man I gave my heart to.
It was when I was biting my lips to swallow the tears that were welling up in my eyes.
“But do you know what I was thinking when I was about to die?”
“How would I know that?”
I answered curtly for no reason so as not to reveal my broken heart.
How could I possibly know what the man I hate so much was thinking at the last moment?
I didn't even think about hiding my pouting lips.
However?
“If I had known this would happen, I would have come and seen that face a little more often.”
I stared blankly at the Crown Prince at the sudden change in rhythm.
The dark blue eyes that shined like the night sky were still looking straight at me.
“If I had known it would turn out like this, I would have been more affectionate. I would not have pushed you too hard. I would have treated you with respect. If I had known it would end like this, I would have at least told you. That I like you.”
Bam.
The hand that had been quietly resting on my knee fell miserably into the air.
‘What is that now....’
Even though I clearly heard it with both ears, I didn't understand it.
You like me?
Who?
Me?
The Crown Prince?
'Am I dreaming?'
Or maybe I went crazy because I was shocked by being rejected before I could even confess...
I was blankly staring at the scene, feeling completely unrealistic, when I lifted my hand that was dangling in the air and slapped my cheek.
'If it's a dream, wake up. If you're crazy, come to your senses.'
But even though I hit it pretty hard, nothing changed.
The Crown Prince was still in front of me.
Looking at me with eyes mixed with ticklish heat.
'So this is reality? He really...'
The Crown Prince opened his mouth as if imprinting the answer on me, who still couldn't believe it.
“I like you, Shayne. I don’t know when, but I’ve come to like you. You have no loyalty to the Empire, but you have an abundance of affection for the people of the Empire. You have no divine power, but you work tirelessly to save the Empire. You seem materialistic at first, but you are not afraid to give a thousand pieces of gold to the people within your circle. I think I’ve come to love you. To the point where I wouldn’t mind giving up my life to save you.”
I could feel the sincerity in every word that came out of the Crown Prince's mouth.
Honestly, I didn't feel even the slightest hint of a lie.
But I was frozen like a statue and couldn't answer.
It was such an unexpected situation.
I just can't believe that the Crown Prince loves me, that we feel the same way.
So I could only look at him with a dumbfounded expression.
At that moment, he stretched out his arm and quietly took my hand.
“And it seems to me that you feel the same way.”
“...”
“I was sure of it when I saw the expression on the Princess’s face as you ran towards me after the duel. You must feel the same way as I do. It was the first time I saw the Princess cry like that. Was I wrong?”
At those words, my face instantly turned red.
I remembered how I ran towards the Crown Prince, who was barely holding himself up while leaning on his sword, and how I cried and thanked him for being alive.
I felt embarrassed because I had expressed my love with my whole body and heart.
I hid my deep emotion and snapped at him bluntly as if I was being rude.
“So what? Are we just going to have some free time and share our thoughts? There’s Ibis and other things to take care of!”
And then I suddenly got up...Ah, suddenly regret came over me.
I was worried that the Crown Prince might take my words, blurted out in shame, as rejection and give up.
It wasn't at all impossible for that old-fashioned man, so I quickly added before leaving the room.
“Oh, don’t get me wrong. I’m not rejecting you. What I’m saying is, we can deal with our problems later. Well, we’re going to be together anyway!”
With my face reddened, I poured out words like a machine gun, but I couldn't overcome my embarrassment and hurriedly left the room.
The Crown Prince's cheerful laughter could be heard beyond the closed door.
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