Episode 80. Lock the Window
Whether sitting or lying down, eating or just before falling asleep, I couldn’t stop thinking about Prince Kydel. I wanted to see him as soon as possible.
If I were to say this, a hundred out of a hundred would say that I fell head over heels for him.
But in reality, what filled my head was not passion for him, but doubt. If I had to call it passion, it was the passion to meet him as soon as possible and confirm the truth.
However, I suppressed myself by thinking that I had to be careful at times like this. It was the conclusion I came to after looking at the current situation calmly.
Prince Kydel had helped me in many ways.
Most of it was kept secret, but the Medal incident and the fact that he rescued me from the hunting ground were already rumored throughout the palace.
Even Lord Rond praised his actions.
If I went to see him in this situation, the situation would be over.
‘Locard and Lorisha are like, like, like... ’
The song was repeated endlessly in my head in the cursed voices of the children of the village below Tunbar Mountain.
No. That was an overly naive prediction.
I shook my head.
The rumor spreading through the palace right now must be that Prince Kydel has gone crazy. He studied too much and eventually his mind...
How could that Locard Kydel have an affair with the illegitimate Lorisha?
If I were you, I would definitely choose to doubt Prince Kydel’s mental health.
“Ugh... No. Gossip isn’t that simple.”
I immediately made a fatalistic conclusion.
Was Prince Kydel popular?
People, especially women, were more likely to develop the story into the story of an ambitious illegitimate villainess seducing him than the story of the imperial lion cub going mad.
How stimulating and delicious.
I looked out the window at the sky and whispered his name with moist, hazy eyes.
“Prince Kydel...”
‘Whether I die or you die... I guess we're not destined to live under the same sky.'
That thought made me even more gloomy.
He had saved my life so many times, and I couldn't even remember the small things he had helped me with.
It wasn't like he asked me to borrow money, and why should I be so determined to get involved in a fake scandal?
If I called him the greatest seductress, he should have said, 'Oh, really?' and bowed down, saying, 'Thank you for the last time.' That's what a person is.
"..."
'Did that person treat me so well for this reason?'
I felt like I was going crazy when that thought even crossed my mind.
I really wanted to see him. I wanted to go to the Second Prince's Palace or the Academy, bang on the door, and tell him to come out.
But I couldn't do that. Right now, I have to stay still and not attract anyone's attention.
I scolded myself out loud, feeling like I was going crazy.
“Hold on, Lorisha. Hold on. At times like this, you lower yourself. You just crouch down and endure it until you forget any rumors. You can do it. Right, Lorisha?”
F*ck. Why are your tears welling up?
“Maid, are you feeling unwell?”
“Ugh... Strangely, you feel very lethargic. It feels like you’re shivering, and then you feel better, and then you feel lethargic again...”
“Let me check something.”
With a worried face, Eria placed her palms on my forehead and hers at the same time to compare our temperatures. Then she tilted her head.
“You don’t have a fever... I’ll ask the kitchen to get something delicious.”
“Yeah... Thank you... The cake was delicious back then.”
“That strawberry cake? I’ll bring it.”
“Bring plenty. We can share...”
She noticed me crawling under the blankets.
“Why?”
“I thought Her Highness was waiting for you, maid.”
“Sob.”
When I suddenly sniffled, Eria waved both her hands wildly.
“No! I’m not telling you to get up quickly. It’s the opposite. Her Majesty wants you to do your best for the maid’s recovery! I think she must be too sorry for the maid to come.”
“Sob. It’s all my fault.”
“Maid. Rest.”
Eria was scared and tried to leave quickly. I shouted in surprise.
“The window!”
“Huh?”
“Lock the window, Eria. And close the curtains!”
“It’s broad daylight?”
“Please. Oh, it’s blinding.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. Really. Really.”
I had to make such a fuss because I was afraid that Prince Kydel would come into my room.
Eria now had a serious face and closed the curtains and went out. I sniffled in the dark room and pulled the blanket up to my nose.
A ghost would appear in broad daylight. What on earth is this?
I planned not to go out until I sorted out my thoughts.
I had a good excuse of a horse-fall accident, so I planned to make the most of it, but it wasn’t as easy as I thought.
I felt more suffocated and depressed than before as I wrapped the blanket tightly in the dark room.
‘Should I quit being a maid and go out? You don’t have to be a tutor to a noble family. If you lower your standards to the level of a rich family...’
‘I don’t even know what he’s thinking, but am I being ungrateful? But right now, Prince Kydel is the one who’s in trouble.’
‘How much of Prince Kydel’s sincerity is...?’
I sniffled without even shedding tears and fell asleep.
And then, suddenly, the light shone through and I woke up startled.
“Our Miss Lorisha is a sleepyhead. She’s taking a nap in broad daylight with the curtains drawn.”
“Ouch!”
“...”
“...”
Prince Kydel went to the window, pulled the lock open with force, and glanced at me. He seemed very displeased that it was locked tightly.
He opened the window wide to let the wind in, then sat down next to my bed.
The air had changed after a long time, so the scent of flowers from the garden mixed in with the wind was vivid. The light coming in through the curtains that were only as wide as the window was shining only on him.
“If Miss Lorisha was okay, I was going to ask you to take a walk with me, but today, let’s do this instead.”
“You haven’t answered my question, no, my question... Ugh.”
I felt even more angry at myself for stuttering like this. This Lorisha Loire had never lost to anyone verbally since she was seven.
Strictly speaking, I had never lost to a curse, but anyway.
On top of that, Prince Kydel was looking at me with concern. Seeing that made me feel pathetic, and I thought I would go crazy.
But then he asked in a low, relaxed voice.
“Question, do you want an answer?”
“Yes. I do! ‘Our Lorisha’ wants an answer, Prince!”
I answered, squeezing my eyes shut.
At that moment, I saw clearly. When I imitated his greasy expression, Prince Kydel's chin jerked as he screamed 'Eww' inside.
"Ha! Then that's right!"
I caught the moment and shouted with a start.
Where the hell are you talking about, when you can't even handle it!
I went over to the end of the bed and sat down, leaning my upper body toward him.
"What is this play for? Just answer that. I won't even ask who came up with the idea of a nickname or something. I promise!"
"..."
I said through gritted teeth.
“Your Excellency? ‘Pretty Lorisia’ wants answers! Why would the heir to the most prestigious house in the empire, House Kydel, do something like this?”
Prince Kydel swallowed nervously.
I stared at his Adam’s apple moving widely for a moment, then shook my head. Why is his neck so handsome?
“If you don’t answer, it won’t be just that window that will be locked from now on, Your Excellency!”
“Then what kind of answer can you give?”
“I’m not sure.”
“Do you want me to be kicked out of the palace, Your Excellency?”
“...”
Whether sitting or lying down, eating or just before falling asleep, I couldn’t stop thinking about Prince Kydel. I wanted to see him as soon as possible.
If I were to say this, a hundred out of a hundred would say that I fell head over heels for him.
But in reality, what filled my head was not passion for him, but doubt. If I had to call it passion, it was the passion to meet him as soon as possible and confirm the truth.
However, I suppressed myself by thinking that I had to be careful at times like this. It was the conclusion I came to after looking at the current situation calmly.
Prince Kydel had helped me in many ways.
Most of it was kept secret, but the Medal incident and the fact that he rescued me from the hunting ground were already rumored throughout the palace.
Even Lord Rond praised his actions.
If I went to see him in this situation, the situation would be over.
‘Locard and Lorisha are like, like, like... ’
The song was repeated endlessly in my head in the cursed voices of the children of the village below Tunbar Mountain.
No. That was an overly naive prediction.
I shook my head.
The rumor spreading through the palace right now must be that Prince Kydel has gone crazy. He studied too much and eventually his mind...
How could that Locard Kydel have an affair with the illegitimate Lorisha?
If I were you, I would definitely choose to doubt Prince Kydel’s mental health.
“Ugh... No. Gossip isn’t that simple.”
I immediately made a fatalistic conclusion.
Was Prince Kydel popular?
People, especially women, were more likely to develop the story into the story of an ambitious illegitimate villainess seducing him than the story of the imperial lion cub going mad.
How stimulating and delicious.
I looked out the window at the sky and whispered his name with moist, hazy eyes.
“Prince Kydel...”
‘Whether I die or you die... I guess we're not destined to live under the same sky.'
That thought made me even more gloomy.
He had saved my life so many times, and I couldn't even remember the small things he had helped me with.
It wasn't like he asked me to borrow money, and why should I be so determined to get involved in a fake scandal?
If I called him the greatest seductress, he should have said, 'Oh, really?' and bowed down, saying, 'Thank you for the last time.' That's what a person is.
"..."
'Did that person treat me so well for this reason?'
I felt like I was going crazy when that thought even crossed my mind.
I really wanted to see him. I wanted to go to the Second Prince's Palace or the Academy, bang on the door, and tell him to come out.
But I couldn't do that. Right now, I have to stay still and not attract anyone's attention.
I scolded myself out loud, feeling like I was going crazy.
“Hold on, Lorisha. Hold on. At times like this, you lower yourself. You just crouch down and endure it until you forget any rumors. You can do it. Right, Lorisha?”
F*ck. Why are your tears welling up?
***
“Maid, are you feeling unwell?”
“Ugh... Strangely, you feel very lethargic. It feels like you’re shivering, and then you feel better, and then you feel lethargic again...”
“Let me check something.”
With a worried face, Eria placed her palms on my forehead and hers at the same time to compare our temperatures. Then she tilted her head.
“You don’t have a fever... I’ll ask the kitchen to get something delicious.”
“Yeah... Thank you... The cake was delicious back then.”
“That strawberry cake? I’ll bring it.”
“Bring plenty. We can share...”
She noticed me crawling under the blankets.
“Why?”
“I thought Her Highness was waiting for you, maid.”
“Sob.”
When I suddenly sniffled, Eria waved both her hands wildly.
“No! I’m not telling you to get up quickly. It’s the opposite. Her Majesty wants you to do your best for the maid’s recovery! I think she must be too sorry for the maid to come.”
“Sob. It’s all my fault.”
“Maid. Rest.”
Eria was scared and tried to leave quickly. I shouted in surprise.
“The window!”
“Huh?”
“Lock the window, Eria. And close the curtains!”
“It’s broad daylight?”
“Please. Oh, it’s blinding.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. Really. Really.”
I had to make such a fuss because I was afraid that Prince Kydel would come into my room.
Eria now had a serious face and closed the curtains and went out. I sniffled in the dark room and pulled the blanket up to my nose.
A ghost would appear in broad daylight. What on earth is this?
I planned not to go out until I sorted out my thoughts.
I had a good excuse of a horse-fall accident, so I planned to make the most of it, but it wasn’t as easy as I thought.
I felt more suffocated and depressed than before as I wrapped the blanket tightly in the dark room.
‘Should I quit being a maid and go out? You don’t have to be a tutor to a noble family. If you lower your standards to the level of a rich family...’
‘I don’t even know what he’s thinking, but am I being ungrateful? But right now, Prince Kydel is the one who’s in trouble.’
‘How much of Prince Kydel’s sincerity is...?’
I sniffled without even shedding tears and fell asleep.
And then, suddenly, the light shone through and I woke up startled.
“Our Miss Lorisha is a sleepyhead. She’s taking a nap in broad daylight with the curtains drawn.”
“Ouch!”
“...”
“Aah!”
“There...”
“Keuh.”
I screamed again after seeing Prince Kydel’s face.
I barely held it in the third time, but waking up and seeing such a handsome man who was almost a conspiracy was very harmful to my health and emotions.
“‘Our’, ‘our Miss Lorisha’?”
Prince Kydel looked into the air with a subtle expression for a moment and said.
“I have a good teacher who teaches me how to express my affection to women. I often ask for his teachings.”
“What kind of crazy...”
Prince Kydel seemed to have heard exactly what I was trying to say: “What kind of crazy guy is that?” I really wanted to die.
But he cleared his throat and quickly cleared his expression.
“If you find it burdensome to be called affectionately, I won’t do it. Then I’ll find something else.”
“That’s not it...! Why are you suddenly acting like this?”
“I told you. About ‘us.’”
He said affectionately, rolling his eyes and smiling.
As someone who had witnessed the speed at which the women fanned their faces at the party change at lightning speed with that one laugh, it was breathtaking.
Why are you throwing that laugh at me?
I had been waiting for him with my neck stretched out, but now that he was right in front of me, I was at a loss.
I pointed at him and myself in turn with my fingertips and barely managed to say,
“This, this.”
Then he furrowed his brow slightly and followed my hand gesture.
“This?”
“That... What were you talking about last time? I’m not a woman to you, Prince. How about an expression of affection? I’m going to decline anything more than love for humanity, but which one exactly?”
“There...”
“Keuh.”
I screamed again after seeing Prince Kydel’s face.
I barely held it in the third time, but waking up and seeing such a handsome man who was almost a conspiracy was very harmful to my health and emotions.
“‘Our’, ‘our Miss Lorisha’?”
Prince Kydel looked into the air with a subtle expression for a moment and said.
“I have a good teacher who teaches me how to express my affection to women. I often ask for his teachings.”
“What kind of crazy...”
Prince Kydel seemed to have heard exactly what I was trying to say: “What kind of crazy guy is that?” I really wanted to die.
But he cleared his throat and quickly cleared his expression.
“If you find it burdensome to be called affectionately, I won’t do it. Then I’ll find something else.”
“That’s not it...! Why are you suddenly acting like this?”
“I told you. About ‘us.’”
He said affectionately, rolling his eyes and smiling.
As someone who had witnessed the speed at which the women fanned their faces at the party change at lightning speed with that one laugh, it was breathtaking.
Why are you throwing that laugh at me?
I had been waiting for him with my neck stretched out, but now that he was right in front of me, I was at a loss.
I pointed at him and myself in turn with my fingertips and barely managed to say,
“This, this.”
Then he furrowed his brow slightly and followed my hand gesture.
“This?”
“That... What were you talking about last time? I’m not a woman to you, Prince. How about an expression of affection? I’m going to decline anything more than love for humanity, but which one exactly?”
“...”
Prince Kydel went to the window, pulled the lock open with force, and glanced at me. He seemed very displeased that it was locked tightly.
He opened the window wide to let the wind in, then sat down next to my bed.
The air had changed after a long time, so the scent of flowers from the garden mixed in with the wind was vivid. The light coming in through the curtains that were only as wide as the window was shining only on him.
“If Miss Lorisha was okay, I was going to ask you to take a walk with me, but today, let’s do this instead.”
“You haven’t answered my question, no, my question... Ugh.”
I felt even more angry at myself for stuttering like this. This Lorisha Loire had never lost to anyone verbally since she was seven.
Strictly speaking, I had never lost to a curse, but anyway.
On top of that, Prince Kydel was looking at me with concern. Seeing that made me feel pathetic, and I thought I would go crazy.
But then he asked in a low, relaxed voice.
“Question, do you want an answer?”
“Yes. I do! ‘Our Lorisha’ wants an answer, Prince!”
I answered, squeezing my eyes shut.
At that moment, I saw clearly. When I imitated his greasy expression, Prince Kydel's chin jerked as he screamed 'Eww' inside.
"Ha! Then that's right!"
I caught the moment and shouted with a start.
Where the hell are you talking about, when you can't even handle it!
I went over to the end of the bed and sat down, leaning my upper body toward him.
"What is this play for? Just answer that. I won't even ask who came up with the idea of a nickname or something. I promise!"
"..."
I said through gritted teeth.
“Your Excellency? ‘Pretty Lorisia’ wants answers! Why would the heir to the most prestigious house in the empire, House Kydel, do something like this?”
Prince Kydel swallowed nervously.
I stared at his Adam’s apple moving widely for a moment, then shook my head. Why is his neck so handsome?
“If you don’t answer, it won’t be just that window that will be locked from now on, Your Excellency!”
“I can’t say that.”
“Go ahead.”
“You won’t hear an answer from me."
“Then what kind of answer can you give?”
“I’m not sure.”
“Do you want me to be kicked out of the palace, Your Excellency?”
“...”
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