Episode 77. Strange Scandal (2)
This kind of trickery even risked making her never trust the man named Locard Kydel again.
He was inwardly confused as to whether this play he was about to start with such a risk was really in his and her interests.
However, he had already been watching her sleep for hours, thinking of ways to seduce her.
Locard was extremely uncomfortable with this situation where his vague emotions and impulses were one step ahead of his reason.
'What kind of play... Is it really a play?'
He straightened up, startled by the thought that suddenly occurred to him. Then he shook his head and went outside.
When Whined was worried that Prince Kydel had really become strange, Locard appeared again.
He was holding a bouquet of freshly cut roses in his hand.
Locard put them in Whined's experimental flask, placed them at Loridha's bedside, and left. Hwinid, who was standing there with his mouth wide open, seemed nowhere to be seen.
***
According to Director Royman, I almost died. I fell from my horse and hit my head, and if I didn’t wake up within two or three days, there was no hope. But since I woke up in two days, he treated me like a child, saying how great it was.
“Thank you so much, Director.”
“There’s someone else you should thank, Miss Loire.”
I followed his gaze to the vase on my bedside table. The roses in it were clearly picked from the palace garden.
“Whatever. I’ll make sure to thank Lord Rond.”
“Uh... Uh... That...”
The Director seemed flustered because he knew that Lord Rond wasn’t the type to show off. I smiled as I saw Director Royman in such a broken state for the first time.
“How can I pretend not to know that he saved my life? Don’t worry, I won’t embarrass Lord Rond.”
“That’s it, the person who saved Miss Loire wasn’t Lord Rond. I’m leaving now!”
The director hurriedly left.
“Director? Director!”
I looked at the vase in disbelief. Judging from the extraordinary skill in the colors and composition of the flowers, I thought that Lord Rond had collected the flowers and arranged them by Eria.
My heart warmed as I looked at the vase. In this turbulent life of an illegitimate child, how grateful I am to have people by my side who help me without any compensation. Lord Rond, Director Royman. If I must mention it, Prince Kydel.
Feeling happy for the first time in a long time, I rolled over and admired the flowers.
‘Mom, I’m not dead yet. Your daughter is still strong.’
However, I couldn’t stop the image of His Highness Orl in the palace forest from coming to mind. He had clearly attacked me intentionally. He had been hiding in the forest to save energy and had hunted me instead of the fox.
How could someone who might inherit the throne do such a mean thing? I thought it would have been better if I didn’t know who the culprit was. His Highness Orl’s message was clear.
‘Get out.’
My life was not important to him, so it was a message to his two younger brothers rather than to me. He warned Her Highness Milliora not to interfere in the competition anymore, and declared to His Highness Grayon that from now on, the two of us would fight properly.
But since I had come back alive without even realizing it...
I was at a loss as to what to do next. On the other hand, I also thought that it might not be that difficult. Is there anything easier in the world than doing nothing? In fact, the word difficult is something that only those who take action can use.
‘It will work out somehow.’
Thinking that, I immediately lay down, and then suddenly, fear came over me. I unconsciously pulled the blanket over me, and my whole body ached, but I couldn’t groan. The fear I felt wasn’t because of His Highness Orl. His Majesty the Emperor. What on earth did he want in the third competition? If His Highness had not acted impulsively, how would the hunt have ended?
His Majesty had eliminated his brothers with his own hands and ascended the throne. If he had wanted the same rite of passage for his children, he would have lost all affection for the imperial family. The only hopeful assumption I could make in this situation was this: His Majesty wanted to release his children into the forest to see what their natures were. If the royal children had been sufficiently cruel and vicious, or if they had been using the cruelty of their predecessors as a model, they might have wanted to leave the forest alone.
His Majesty must have taken the risk of checking his children’s character in a controlled environment without anyone’s eyes, and now he must be relieved that only three foxes died in that hunt.
I wanted to believe that.
Even though I would never have the chance to know the truth.
I thought that after many years had passed, I would go into the imperial library. By then, His Majesty the Emperor’s diary might have been there.
I thought of Prince Kydel with deep sorrow. In this situation, there was no one else I could think of to consult about the next competition.
A thorn in my side who always saved me.
After a while, Eria came in with the doctor. The doctor checked if my arms and legs were moving normally and if my senses were intact before leaving.
“You can rest assured now, maid.”
I was completely relieved by the doctor’s words. Even the medicine tasted sweet now.
‘Isn’t Lord Rond coming...?’
I secretly thought that Lord Rond had saved me, and I was waiting for him.
But since it wasn’t Lord Rond, I thought I’d ask about that when Eria came back from getting the medicine.
Finally, someone knocked on the door, so I quickly answered happily.
“Come in.”
However, it wasn’t Eria, but Prince Kydel who opened the door.
Male visitors to the Princess’s palace had to go through a very complicated process. I thought he hated that too and climbed over the window, but today, he endured it and visited formally, which was unexpected.
“Ahem. Miss Loire.”
He put his fist to his mouth and coughed artificially, then pulled out a bouquet of flowers from behind his back. He took the flowers out of my vase and replaced them with those.
The color combination of the flowers was amazing...
‘Didn’t Eria trim it? Prince Kydel’s work?’
I stared at him with my mouth wide open.
My skin felt dry from the ominous foreboding that enveloped me.
He was still hesitating in front of me. It wasn’t like the usual sly Prince Kaidel.
'What are you doing now...?'
"Miss Lorisha. I'll call you that from now on."
"...?"
I wondered why it was Prince Kydel who was crazy when I fell from the horse.
Maybe it was because of my head injury, but my memories were coming back slowly.
'Ah. His Highness Grayon said he was crazy.'
I smiled brightly and shook my head briefly.
"No, my lord."
At that, Prince Kydel stopped dead in his tracks.
After a moment, he blinked and sat down next to my bed. Then he turned his body slightly toward me and stared at me with a fierce smile. With a terrible charm.
"..."
I realized how stupid my expression must have looked, but I didn't have time to think about it.
To be honest, I held my breath for a moment because of that smile. My heart pounded.
However, you shouldn't criticize people for their instinctive reactions. People eat poisoned cakes because they're sweet.
It's pointless to talk about Prince Kydel's outstanding looks or charming aura. The important thing was that he started waving it in front of me.
I tried to come to my senses, looking at the fresh roses that gave off a strong scent and then at him.
“Prince Kydel?”
Instead of answering, his eyes deepened.
He moved his lips leisurely and said,
“Tell me.”
Why did his voice become serious...?
“Are you okay?”
For a moment, I was sure that a weak, short twitch had passed through Prince Kydel’s eyes.
But he answered with a calm smile.
“That’s what I should have asked. Are you okay?”
“The doctor said that I can rest easy now. I’m a bit unnecessarily strong.”
“Unnecessarily? That’s a blessing.”
“Urgent...”
I almost asked him again if he was okay. But then he would say that he was okay again, and our conversation would go round in circles.
“You seem different today.”
“Because I'm different. My heart, my mind. Everything.”
“How are you different?”
As I asked cautiously, he suddenly leaned over to me. It was a gesture as if he was trying to convey a secret message.
“What do you think?”
This kid, really!
I suppressed my irritation and barely managed to calmly ask,
“Did the young master save me? ...Again?”
However, the ungrateful discontent contained in my ‘again?’ could not be hidden.
Prince Kydel tilted his eyebrows slightly as if my reaction was heartbreaking, then nodded.
“Yes.”
“Haa...”
I sighed and collapsed on the bed. Only then did I become aware of his gaze, and I slowly pulled the blanket over me.
“When I heard a scream in the forest, I immediately knew it was you. And... you almost died.”
Prince Kydel’s voice was heavy and moist. It was the words that made me feel guilty, even though I was the one who almost died.
I lowered my head and muttered.
“...I caused you trouble.”
“Did you say trouble?”
Prince Kydel’s voice rose sharply and harshly.
I wanted to believe that.
Even though I would never have the chance to know the truth.
I thought that after many years had passed, I would go into the imperial library. By then, His Majesty the Emperor’s diary might have been there.
I thought of Prince Kydel with deep sorrow. In this situation, there was no one else I could think of to consult about the next competition.
A thorn in my side who always saved me.
After a while, Eria came in with the doctor. The doctor checked if my arms and legs were moving normally and if my senses were intact before leaving.
“You can rest assured now, maid.”
I was completely relieved by the doctor’s words. Even the medicine tasted sweet now.
‘Isn’t Lord Rond coming...?’
I secretly thought that Lord Rond had saved me, and I was waiting for him.
But since it wasn’t Lord Rond, I thought I’d ask about that when Eria came back from getting the medicine.
Finally, someone knocked on the door, so I quickly answered happily.
“Come in.”
However, it wasn’t Eria, but Prince Kydel who opened the door.
Male visitors to the Princess’s palace had to go through a very complicated process. I thought he hated that too and climbed over the window, but today, he endured it and visited formally, which was unexpected.
“Ahem. Miss Loire.”
He put his fist to his mouth and coughed artificially, then pulled out a bouquet of flowers from behind his back. He took the flowers out of my vase and replaced them with those.
The color combination of the flowers was amazing...
‘Didn’t Eria trim it? Prince Kydel’s work?’
I stared at him with my mouth wide open.
My skin felt dry from the ominous foreboding that enveloped me.
He was still hesitating in front of me. It wasn’t like the usual sly Prince Kaidel.
'What are you doing now...?'
"Miss Lorisha. I'll call you that from now on."
"...?"
I wondered why it was Prince Kydel who was crazy when I fell from the horse.
Maybe it was because of my head injury, but my memories were coming back slowly.
'Ah. His Highness Grayon said he was crazy.'
I smiled brightly and shook my head briefly.
"No, my lord."
At that, Prince Kydel stopped dead in his tracks.
After a moment, he blinked and sat down next to my bed. Then he turned his body slightly toward me and stared at me with a fierce smile. With a terrible charm.
"..."
I realized how stupid my expression must have looked, but I didn't have time to think about it.
To be honest, I held my breath for a moment because of that smile. My heart pounded.
However, you shouldn't criticize people for their instinctive reactions. People eat poisoned cakes because they're sweet.
It's pointless to talk about Prince Kydel's outstanding looks or charming aura. The important thing was that he started waving it in front of me.
I tried to come to my senses, looking at the fresh roses that gave off a strong scent and then at him.
“Prince Kydel?”
Instead of answering, his eyes deepened.
He moved his lips leisurely and said,
“Tell me.”
Why did his voice become serious...?
“Are you okay?”
For a moment, I was sure that a weak, short twitch had passed through Prince Kydel’s eyes.
But he answered with a calm smile.
“That’s what I should have asked. Are you okay?”
“The doctor said that I can rest easy now. I’m a bit unnecessarily strong.”
“Unnecessarily? That’s a blessing.”
“Urgent...”
I almost asked him again if he was okay. But then he would say that he was okay again, and our conversation would go round in circles.
“You seem different today.”
“Because I'm different. My heart, my mind. Everything.”
“How are you different?”
As I asked cautiously, he suddenly leaned over to me. It was a gesture as if he was trying to convey a secret message.
“What do you think?”
This kid, really!
I suppressed my irritation and barely managed to calmly ask,
“Did the young master save me? ...Again?”
However, the ungrateful discontent contained in my ‘again?’ could not be hidden.
Prince Kydel tilted his eyebrows slightly as if my reaction was heartbreaking, then nodded.
“Yes.”
“Haa...”
I sighed and collapsed on the bed. Only then did I become aware of his gaze, and I slowly pulled the blanket over me.
“When I heard a scream in the forest, I immediately knew it was you. And... you almost died.”
Prince Kydel’s voice was heavy and moist. It was the words that made me feel guilty, even though I was the one who almost died.
I lowered my head and muttered.
“...I caused you trouble.”
“Did you say trouble?”
Prince Kydel’s voice rose sharply and harshly.
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