Side Story Episode 3. Mom, I'm So Damn Happy
"I'm proud of my love."
"Ah..."
"And I'm jealous of how much you enjoy this beach. It took you so long to appreciate me, and this damn sand..."
I couldn't help but giggle.
"The reason I love this beach is that you left everything behind for me and brought me here. That's why every single grain of sand is happy."
"Ah."
"..."
"Really?"
"Yes. Really."
His face lit up, and I chuckled and lay down next to him.
"So now, please embrace me with your love. Everything but my face!"
Before I could finish speaking, Prince Kydel was already pushing the sand towards me with both hands.
"Why not your face? I love yours so much, too."
"I need to see my husband. I can't tear my face away from him."
"Ah. If that's the reason, then I understand."
Prince Kydel pushed the sand with incredible force and piled it on top of me.
He began to shape the sand covering me into a perfect, streamlined shape, as if he were sculpting porcelain.
His lips were tightly pressed together, his eyes blazing with fighting spirit. How could a man be so handsome and so charming at the same time?
But he said sternly,
“Don’t laugh. The sand will crack.”
“Oh, I shouldn’t. Of course not.”
I forced myself to hold back my breath, but eventually I burst out laughing. Cracks appeared here and there, starting from my stomach and continuing throughout the sand mound.
Prince Kydel looked down at me with disapproval, then said, “Ah,” and scattered them.
He dug up the sand and pulled me in for a kiss. The sand felt rough against our faces, but even that was a thrilling pleasure.
“Ky... Keuhem. Hmm.”
I realized that Special Envoy Smilean had found us during our walk, but I couldn’t stop myself. This was my first time kissing in sand, what could I do?
I felt Prince Kydel waving his hand behind me, and the envoy repeatedly cleared his throat and retreated.
Amidst the sound of the waves, which had grown ever closer, Prince Kydel spoke,
“I will embrace you more warmly than this sand for the rest of your life. I promise.”
I tried to thank him, to reply that I would do the same, but strangely, tears came first.
As I wiped them away, the sand on my cheeks stung, making it hurt.
“Oh, oh. Close your eyes,”
Prince Kydel muttered, carefully brushing the sand from my cheek with his sleeve.
I squeezed my eyes shut, biting the flesh inside my mouth and thinking,
“Mother, I’m so damn happy.”
Envoy Smilean, under the pretense of being the Crown Prince’s relative, had successfully entered the secret beach of the Tagar royal family. However, it wasn’t he who enjoyed it the most, but we.
Even knowing that we had used him, the envoy couldn’t express his displeasure. As time passed, he simply cast glances mixed with irritation, jealousy, and even a hint of disgust.
But even if it weren't for him, it seemed like more and more people were looking at us that way lately. Perhaps it was just my imagination.
Still, the envoy steadfastly enjoyed Zebron Beach. He seemed determined to bury his petty grievances for Princess Shanla.
A week passed in the blink of an eye, and we returned to the capital.
With the envoy departing for Smilean and us returning to Kydel, our daily lives returned to normal.
Prince Kydel kissed my forehead as he departed for the dormitory to prepare for the academy exams, apologizing for not being able to spend more time with me.
But I felt no complaint. I was only grateful.
The happy memories of Zebron were now as firmly etched in my memory as the color of the beach captured in the emerald ring.
While Prince Kydel concentrated on his studies and simultaneously attended to His Highness the Crown Prince's business, I was summoned to the Crown Prince's palace by Princess Shanla.
The reason my heart raced every time I entered the palace wasn't because of the Princess, but because of the excitement of meeting Prince Kydel.
He'd been getting very little sleep recently, so I used all my knowledge of herbal medicine to brew a herbal tea that would help him recover from fatigue.
After several failed attempts, I finally managed to produce a decent result today, so I bottled it and wrapped it carefully in cloth.
As soon as I entered the palace, Princess Shanla's maid ran up and grabbed my arm.
She was the maid from Smailan who had accompanied the special envoy, and she said she had served Princess Shanla since childhood. Her Imperial language was sufficient for simple conversation.
“Lady Kydel, please stop Her Highness the Crown Princess!”
“What, is that so?”
“Well...!”
Since the wedding was just around the corner, we were already referring to her as the Crown Princess.
The maid, unable to think of words, spoke in Smilean.
"Her Highness the Crown Princess doesn’t want the wedding to take place at the palace!"
"But it’s already been agreed that the wedding will take place in the Empire."
"It’s not that we won’t hold it in the Empire... Anyway, please go ahead, Lady Kaidel."
When I entered, Princess Shanla was yelling at the administrator.
"Just try saying you’ll tell Grayon again!"
The administrator waved his hand in thought.
"No, that’s not it, the wedding will take place according to the procedures and laws agreed upon between the two countries..."
"Law, law, etiquette, law! Are all Tagar parrots? Lady Kydel! Lorisha, stop her! You hate etiquette, too. So you know how I feel, right?"
Princess Shanla screamed upon discovering me, and the administrators looked back at me with eyes pleading for her life.
"Then, where would Your Highness the Crown Princess want to hold your wedding?"
"Ha! You're only asking me that now. Lorisha, you're the first person to ask that. Can you believe it?"
I was already experienced in marriages that seemed to be suddenly thrown at me. Princess Shanla was also frustrated that her life was going against her will.
I smiled calmly and asked,
"Please tell me, Your Highness, the Crown Princess. I'm curious."
She glared at me, her lips pursed. It was clear she wouldn't back down any longer, so I sighed softly.
"Then I'll visit the palace more often. Your Highness, the Crown Princess."
"Oh, good! Lorisha is the best."
You scowled, and you corrected yourself, your lips licking.
"Does it feel good?"
"You must use formal speech in Imperial dialect."
"Yes. Yes."
I quickly retreated.
Prince Kydel was too busy right now, and so was Crown Prince Grayon, so it seemed like it was my job to fulfill her deal.
"I'm proud of my love."
"Ah..."
"And I'm jealous of how much you enjoy this beach. It took you so long to appreciate me, and this damn sand..."
I couldn't help but giggle.
"The reason I love this beach is that you left everything behind for me and brought me here. That's why every single grain of sand is happy."
"Ah."
"..."
"Really?"
"Yes. Really."
His face lit up, and I chuckled and lay down next to him.
"So now, please embrace me with your love. Everything but my face!"
Before I could finish speaking, Prince Kydel was already pushing the sand towards me with both hands.
"Why not your face? I love yours so much, too."
"I need to see my husband. I can't tear my face away from him."
"Ah. If that's the reason, then I understand."
Prince Kydel pushed the sand with incredible force and piled it on top of me.
He began to shape the sand covering me into a perfect, streamlined shape, as if he were sculpting porcelain.
His lips were tightly pressed together, his eyes blazing with fighting spirit. How could a man be so handsome and so charming at the same time?
But he said sternly,
“Don’t laugh. The sand will crack.”
“Oh, I shouldn’t. Of course not.”
I forced myself to hold back my breath, but eventually I burst out laughing. Cracks appeared here and there, starting from my stomach and continuing throughout the sand mound.
Prince Kydel looked down at me with disapproval, then said, “Ah,” and scattered them.
He dug up the sand and pulled me in for a kiss. The sand felt rough against our faces, but even that was a thrilling pleasure.
“Ky... Keuhem. Hmm.”
I realized that Special Envoy Smilean had found us during our walk, but I couldn’t stop myself. This was my first time kissing in sand, what could I do?
I felt Prince Kydel waving his hand behind me, and the envoy repeatedly cleared his throat and retreated.
Amidst the sound of the waves, which had grown ever closer, Prince Kydel spoke,
“I will embrace you more warmly than this sand for the rest of your life. I promise.”
I tried to thank him, to reply that I would do the same, but strangely, tears came first.
As I wiped them away, the sand on my cheeks stung, making it hurt.
“Oh, oh. Close your eyes,”
Prince Kydel muttered, carefully brushing the sand from my cheek with his sleeve.
I squeezed my eyes shut, biting the flesh inside my mouth and thinking,
“Mother, I’m so damn happy.”
***
Envoy Smilean, under the pretense of being the Crown Prince’s relative, had successfully entered the secret beach of the Tagar royal family. However, it wasn’t he who enjoyed it the most, but we.
Even knowing that we had used him, the envoy couldn’t express his displeasure. As time passed, he simply cast glances mixed with irritation, jealousy, and even a hint of disgust.
But even if it weren't for him, it seemed like more and more people were looking at us that way lately. Perhaps it was just my imagination.
Still, the envoy steadfastly enjoyed Zebron Beach. He seemed determined to bury his petty grievances for Princess Shanla.
A week passed in the blink of an eye, and we returned to the capital.
With the envoy departing for Smilean and us returning to Kydel, our daily lives returned to normal.
Prince Kydel kissed my forehead as he departed for the dormitory to prepare for the academy exams, apologizing for not being able to spend more time with me.
But I felt no complaint. I was only grateful.
The happy memories of Zebron were now as firmly etched in my memory as the color of the beach captured in the emerald ring.
While Prince Kydel concentrated on his studies and simultaneously attended to His Highness the Crown Prince's business, I was summoned to the Crown Prince's palace by Princess Shanla.
The reason my heart raced every time I entered the palace wasn't because of the Princess, but because of the excitement of meeting Prince Kydel.
He'd been getting very little sleep recently, so I used all my knowledge of herbal medicine to brew a herbal tea that would help him recover from fatigue.
After several failed attempts, I finally managed to produce a decent result today, so I bottled it and wrapped it carefully in cloth.
As soon as I entered the palace, Princess Shanla's maid ran up and grabbed my arm.
She was the maid from Smailan who had accompanied the special envoy, and she said she had served Princess Shanla since childhood. Her Imperial language was sufficient for simple conversation.
“Lady Kydel, please stop Her Highness the Crown Princess!”
“What, is that so?”
“Well...!”
Since the wedding was just around the corner, we were already referring to her as the Crown Princess.
The maid, unable to think of words, spoke in Smilean.
"Her Highness the Crown Princess doesn’t want the wedding to take place at the palace!"
"But it’s already been agreed that the wedding will take place in the Empire."
"It’s not that we won’t hold it in the Empire... Anyway, please go ahead, Lady Kaidel."
When I entered, Princess Shanla was yelling at the administrator.
"Just try saying you’ll tell Grayon again!"
The administrator waved his hand in thought.
"No, that’s not it, the wedding will take place according to the procedures and laws agreed upon between the two countries..."
"Law, law, etiquette, law! Are all Tagar parrots? Lady Kydel! Lorisha, stop her! You hate etiquette, too. So you know how I feel, right?"
Princess Shanla screamed upon discovering me, and the administrators looked back at me with eyes pleading for her life.
"Then, where would Your Highness the Crown Princess want to hold your wedding?"
"Ha! You're only asking me that now. Lorisha, you're the first person to ask that. Can you believe it?"
I was already experienced in marriages that seemed to be suddenly thrown at me. Princess Shanla was also frustrated that her life was going against her will.
I smiled calmly and asked,
"Please tell me, Your Highness, the Crown Princess. I'm curious."
"I dreamed of getting married on the deck of a large sailing ship with a strong man of the sea like my older brother. But Grayon is not a man of the sea... It's okay. I can overlook the fact that Grayon is a country bumpkin who has never been on a ship. And from my perspective as Princess Smilean... I don't hate Grayon. But..."
"Ah..."
A country bumpkin, how could anyone look at the Tagar royal family like that?
I wasn't the only one shocked. The two administrators looked as if they wanted to cut off their own ears for hearing such disrespectful words.
However, Princess Shanla, who had suddenly burst out in one breath, was oblivious to them. She glanced at me and continued speaking, stammering. She used the Imperial dialect to resolutely emphasize her point.
"I don't hate Grayon."
"But you want the wedding to be just like you've dreamed, right?"
"Yes, that's right, Lorisha! You really understand me, don't you?"
I said with a stern expression.
"If you speak Imperial dialect so well, why didn't you do it before?"
"Ah..."
A country bumpkin, how could anyone look at the Tagar royal family like that?
I wasn't the only one shocked. The two administrators looked as if they wanted to cut off their own ears for hearing such disrespectful words.
However, Princess Shanla, who had suddenly burst out in one breath, was oblivious to them. She glanced at me and continued speaking, stammering. She used the Imperial dialect to resolutely emphasize her point.
"I don't hate Grayon."
"But you want the wedding to be just like you've dreamed, right?"
"Yes, that's right, Lorisha! You really understand me, don't you?"
I said with a stern expression.
"If you speak Imperial dialect so well, why didn't you do it before?"
"No, is that important now? The important part here is that I don't hate Grayon!"
I smiled and nodded as I dismissed the administrators.
"Ha. Let's stop. You're making fun of me, aren't you? Lorisha, I hate you, too. Get lost!'
“From now on, when the palace maids are around, if you speak in Imperial language, I might be able to help you.”
She looked at me with eyes full of suspicion, then met her maid’s eyes and stared at me again.
"Really?"
“...”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“But how? Those administrators, normally, if I did that much, they would just say yes and leave, right? But this time, they didn’t even flinch.”
“...They didn’t even flinch?”
“Yeah. Right. Flinch or flinch. Lady Kydel, you’re secretly difficult, aren’t you?”
Princess Shanla said, looking at her maid, who gave me an awkward smile. I asked Princess Shanla again.
“Your Highness, I wonder why you haven’t been using Imperial language all this time.”
“Do you really have to say that with me? It’s because I hate seeing the Tagars acting so showy.”
I thought I could tell how she felt. Perhaps it was because she had always felt like a foreigner who didn't belong anywhere.
"Your Imperial dialect would be perfect if you just polished it a little, so I'll send a maid to help you proofread it. If you do that, there won't be any Tagarians showing off in front of you."
"Hmph... I don't like it."
When I pretended not to hear, she spoke again in Imperial dialect.
"I don't like it! You do it."
"What?"
"You should do the proofreading. Who dares point out my horizontal and vertical lines? Do I have to put up with that?"
Correction was necessary, after all. I tilted my eyebrows slightly and asked,
"Then can you put up with my criticism?"
"Um... only half?"
She glared at me, her lips pursed. It was clear she wouldn't back down any longer, so I sighed softly.
"Then I'll visit the palace more often. Your Highness, the Crown Princess."
"Oh, good! Lorisha is the best."
You scowled, and you corrected yourself, your lips licking.
"Does it feel good?"
"You must use formal speech in Imperial dialect."
"Yes. Yes."
I quickly retreated.
Prince Kydel was too busy right now, and so was Crown Prince Grayon, so it seemed like it was my job to fulfill her deal.
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