Episode 92
“You’re still spouting nonsense.”
Yvonne laughed when she noticed how red his ears had turned despite his words. Hildebrandt found her violet eyes so beautiful as she gazed at him that he lingered on her face for a moment before quickly looking away.
“If you go that way, you’ll find the garden I designed for the detached palace.”
“Not interested.”
“Then how about the office?”
“Not interested in that either.”
“Well, what about the utility room or dining room?”
“Not at all.”
“Then the instrument storage room!”
“Still not interested.”
Hildebrandt brushed off her arm as though he truly didn’t care about any of it. Flustered, Yvonne immediately linked her arm back with his and stared up at him.
“Then what about the bedroom?”
“That… piques my interest a little.”
She sighed in relief, smiling. Truthfully, Hildebrandt didn’t care how she had decorated his palace. Whatever she did would reflect her tastes, and that alone was enough for him.
Even when he was confined to the western tower, Yvonne’s visits gradually changed his room to suit her preferences.
The hydrangeas she left behind, the small trinkets, and even the seemingly useless but endearing items she brought with her became treasures to him.
When he left the tower, he purposely didn’t take any of those things. He wanted to leave those memories in the tower, fearing the emperor might once again take interest in him—or worse, in Yvonne.
He silently watched her as she tugged on his arm, leading him to the bedroom.
“Hilde?”
Perhaps it was the way the sunlight illuminated her hair, but her platinum blonde locks looked like threads of spun gold. Her violet eyes were just as mesmerizing, gleaming like amethyst jewels.
She was like a shattered piece of glass, scattering radiant light in every direction. Beautiful but dangerous to hold. Something that seemed fragile enough to break, yet demanded all his attention.
“You’re really ugly.”
“That’s because you’re too beautiful, Hilde. But I’m beautiful too.”
“Says who?”
“Everyone! Do you know how many proposals I’ve received while you were gone?”
“…Proposals?”
“Do you have any idea how many marriage offers came to my house after my debutante ball?”
He knew she wasn’t lying.
“Debutante ball?”
“Ah… don’t you remember? That day I couldn’t visit you because I had something to do.”
‘I won’t be able to visit tomorrow because of the debutante ball!’
She had told him that the day before. She always informed him in advance if she couldn’t visit.
“Who was your partner?”
“That’s… um…”
Yvonne now regretted teasing him. While his initial expression showed a hint of jealousy, it had shifted to something closer to unease.
“My father.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
She lied.
Her partner at the debutante ball had been none other than Emperor Hildegard.
Even she didn’t fully understand why the emperor had chosen to escort her. The emperor had personally sent a letter inviting her to attend. Yvonne agreed, viewing it as a safeguard in case her visits to Hildebrandt’s tower were discovered.
“Now that you’re out, you’ll have to make your debut at a ball too.”
“No thanks. I’m not doing that.”
“Then how will you get married?”
“Do you think I’d get married?”
“Of course! You have to.”
He wanted to tell her to stop joking around, but deep down, he found himself wishing for it too.
Leaving a small hope didn’t seem like such a bad idea.
Maybe, just maybe, if the emperor lost all interest in him, he could marry Yvonne and succeed his father’s title as duke, living the rest of his life as a loyal subject.
That would be a happy ending for everyone, wouldn’t it?
By then, they might even have children who resembled both of them.
‘I want ten kids.’
“That’s absurd.”
“What?”
“Go away. I don’t need you.”
“How could you say that! I worked so hard to decorate your room!”
Yvonne clasped her hands around his, intertwining their fingers and clinging to his arm. Her antics made him laugh before he realized it.
“Is your dress that heavy? Or are you just heavy?”
“I’m not heavy! You used to lift me effortlessly!”
“Did I? Must’ve been a dream.”
“Hilde!”
Her frustrated pout made him laugh again, and he roughly unlinked his arm from hers.
“Go.”
“No!”
As he walked ahead, she quickly ran to keep up and stood beside him.
“Eek!”
“What are you doing?”
She stumbled, unaccustomed to her high heels, and he caught her by the waist before she could fall.
“I think I twisted my ankle.”
“Another lie.”
“Was it that obvious?”
“Yes.”
“Ah… but really, I can’t walk anymore.”
“Another lie.”
“How do you always know?”
She had a habit of licking her lips when she lied, and just now, she had done it again. He wondered if she would end up eating all the lipstick she wore.
“Ugh, my legs hurt so much.”
“Then we should go back.”
“No, I’m fine now!”
As she straightened up, he gave her a strange look.
“Why… what’s with that look? Did I do something—ah!”
Hildebrandt suddenly scooped her up, startling her. She instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck.
“You’re ridiculously heavy.”
“It’s the dress!”
“Sure.”
He smiled without realizing it. She wasn’t heavy at all, though the dress did seem cumbersome as it shifted with her movements.
“There must be hydrangeas everywhere in the room.”
“Of course! You love hydrangeas.”
“Do I?”
“Yes, don’t you?”
He didn’t like flowers. They were useless. Pretty, sure, but even he knew he was prettier. Flowers wilted and turned to garbage.
But remembering how she had always brought him hydrangeas, mistakenly believing he liked them, he said—
“Yeah, I like them.”
“I like you, Hilde.”
“Not you, the hydrangeas.”
“I like you, Hilde.”
Her reflexive response spilled out with overwhelming sincerity. Hildebrandt thought he should scowl to show his displeasure, but it was easier said than done.
“I love you so much, Hilde.”
She tightened her arms around his neck, whispering near his ear. Her voice made him feel both ticklish and warm. He considered dropping her but sighed instead, continuing to walk.
“Stop confessing.”
“Why?”
“Because I don’t like it.”
He said it while trying to be mindful of the eyes watching them.
“I hate you the most.”
Yvonne briefly loosened her arms and looked into his eyes. Then, as if reassured, she whispered again.
“I like you more than anything in the world, Hilde.”
He felt embarrassed as though she had seen right through him. No matter how harsh his words, she always seemed to understand his true feelings, leaving his heart pounding.
* * *
It happened in the year Yvonne and Hildebrandt turned twenty.
“Hilde, you’re going to awaken soon.”
“And you, with your mix of imperial blood, will too.”
Yvonne’s birthday came first. Hildebrandt’s birthday was still a little ways off.
“What are you going to give me for my birthday?”
“Why would I get you a birthday gift?”
“I know you’re going to give me one. Don’t pretend like last time when you dressed up someone else’s gift as yours. Just give me something only you can give me.”
“Who decides what gift they’ll get beforehand?”
Hildebrandt always kept the gifts he gave her a secret. It was better, publicly, to maintain the image that he wasn’t particularly fond of her.
Even now, Yvonne was sneaking around in his room, dressed in a stolen maid uniform.
“It’s because it’s something I really want!”
“And what’s that?”
She hesitated, her cheeks flushing shyly. At that moment, Hildebrandt had a sinking feeling he knew what she was about to say, and it made him uneasy.
“Absolutely not.”
“I didn’t even say what it is yet!”
“Whatever it is, the answer is no.”
“At least hear me out!”
“I don’t need to. Now get out.”
“No!”
Yvonne clung to his waist, trying to push him onto the bed again. But this time, he didn’t let her. He felt that indulging her too often had made her think she could do whatever she wanted with him.
“Let’s get married on your birthday!”
“I know.”
It was true. Their marriage was already planned for Hildebrandt’s birthday. That’s why Yvonne wanted something extra special for her own birthday.
“You don’t even know what I’m asking for!”
“I don’t have to. I can tell just by looking at those lewd eyes of yours.”
“Lewd? Really?”
“Yes.”
He reached out to push her head away, but her expression was so adorable that he couldn’t bring himself to do it. He found himself both exasperated and weak when it came to her, no matter how much he resisted.
“Sigh.”
Hildebrandt hesitated as his hand lingered on her flushed cheek, contemplating whether to pull it away.
“What are you doing?”
Yvonne, catching him off guard, placed his thumb in her mouth and bit down gently. Then she let it go and spoke, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
“For my birthday, I want you, Hilde.”
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