Episode 49. Reversed Situation (1)
Seeing Sienna blushing earlier, it was clear that she had also fallen for Percy. Two lonely souls had met as if by fate, and from now on, only beautiful days remained. Lady Grania smiled gently and spoke.
“You were so adorable. When Your Grace’s name came up, she blushed like an apple.”
“Is that so?”
Upon hearing that Sienna had been embarrassed, Percy smiled faintly. Lady Grania whispered softly.
“It seemed like Her Highness was curious about Your Grace’s childhood. But we didn’t talk about anything in particular.”
“… … ”
When his own story came up, Percy’s expression subtly stiffened. It was when Lady Grania discreetly gauged Percy’s reaction.
“Oh, Percy?”
Sienna, who seemed to have been asleep, rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand and sat up.
“Is it you?”
“Sienna.”
“I missed you.”
His face, which had been smiling without a trace of wrinkles, seemed somewhat awkward. Percy, a little belatedly, remembered that she had just turned twenty. He kissed Sienna’s hand and furrowed his brows slightly.
“You’re being honest today.”
“Ha-ha, am I? Am I not always honest when we meet?”
“Really?”
It seemed like she always said the opposite of what she wanted. It was when Percy pursed his lips lightly. As Sienna staggered to her feet, he had no chance to react as she grabbed his face with both hands.
“Wasn’t I honest? I thought I said everything I wanted. Didn’t I say you were handsome?”
Her wide smile, cheerful voice, and unrestrained touch were all uncharacteristic of her. Percy blinked slowly in surprise as he tensed his shoulders in confusion. Then, taking a step back, he said lightly,
“Your shoe came off.”
“Haha, I don’t need shoes or anything like that.”
Approaching him as Percy suggested, Sienna wore only one shoe on one foot, while the other foot was bare. Percy seated Sienna on a chair and knelt down, personally putting on her shoe.
“Oh my.”
It was natural for the ladies watching this scene to be astonished.
However, just as Percy was about to put on her shoe, Sienna suddenly twisted her foot and sent the shoe flying. Percy furrowed his brows and called out to her.
“Sienna.”
Even with his reproachful tone, Sienna didn’t flinch, but instead spread her arms wide and hugged Percy tightly. With her lips emitting the fragrance of flowers, she whispered into Percy’s ear.
“Hold me.”
“… …”
Percy let out a light sigh and, as she requested, lifted Sienna into his arms. Sienna giggled like a cat and rubbed her cheek against Percy’s shoulder.
While securely holding Sienna, Percy lightly bowed to Lady Grania.
“Well then, I’ll go in now.”
“Take care on your way back, Your Highness.”
Although Lady Grania politely bid farewell, her lips seemed to quiver visibly even from a distance.
“Well, I didn’t expect to go this far.”
It had to be admitted. Percy was weak when it came to Sienna, weak enough to engage in actions he wouldn’t normally do.
Just as the ladies and the waiting servants were surprised, Percy, who had been waiting, opened his eyes wide when he saw Percy carrying Sienna. When Percy got into the carriage, he simply sat holding Sienna in his arms. Since he couldn’t contain her alone, it didn’t seem possible for her to sit by herself.
However, sitting together like this in a confined space, every little movement of hers was stimulating. Percy let out a sigh through his nose and turned his head.
“This is driving me crazy.”
As he thought about this, Sienna, like a frog, suddenly raised her head. Then, she pushed her face closer to Percy’s and stared at him.
“What’s up?”
It was when Percy looked at her with a puzzled expression. Suddenly, Sienna pinched his cheek and giggled.
“You’re really handsome! You’re the male lead!”
“…?”
The male lead? It was a strange thing to say.
Sienna continued to playfully tease Percy’s face, repeatedly saying “You’re handsome!” Percy sighed and took Sienna’s hand.
“Are you drunk?”
“No, where in the world can you find a wicked woman with weak alcohol tolerance?”
“…You didn’t know either.”
If you think about it like that, where can you find a wicked woman who calls herself a villain? Percy said sternly.
“From now on, drinking outside is prohibited.”
“Oh, where is that rule written?”
Sienna pursed her lips. Even her facial expression seemed cute because it resembled that of her peers. The two of them wrestled, holding hands. Sienna exerted force on Percy’s wrist, shaking it as she spoke.
“Let go! It’s uncomfortable, so let go.”
“I’ll let go if you stop pinching my cheek.”
“But I don’t want to. Do you know your cheek is so squishy?”
“Then I can’t let go either.”
“Then I’ll use force to let go.”
Did she really believe she could overpower him? Percy chuckled and tightened his grip on Sienna’s wrist as he watched her trying to shake off his arm with force. That was when it happened.
“Huh?”
-Thud!
It was natural for their bodies to sway when they were both clinging to each other. Sienna, who had been sitting on Percy’s thigh, leaned backward and fell onto the chair. Because of that, their positions reversed, with Percy sitting above Sienna while still holding her wrist.
“Ah…”
For a moment, a desire surged through his mind, but he shook his head. As Percy released her wrist and sat back down, Sienna looked up at him with a mischievous grin.
“See! I won, right?”
“… …”
Seeing her laugh like a child, he couldn’t be angry. Sienna giggled and pinched Percy’s cheek again. Percy bit his lip.
“I should really avoid alcohol altogether.”
Before he could prepare for this, she would always come at him unexpectedly. Even as Percy continued to ignore her cheek-pinching, Sienna pouted her lips. Then, she fell backward and lay on Percy’s thigh.
“Sienna.”
“If you’re not going to play, lend me a pillow.”
“Is my thigh a pillow?”
“It’s too high to use as a pillow. If I use it every day, I might get a neck disc.”
If he couldn’t say anything… Percy finally looked at Sienna in silence. Sienna’s finger touched the corner of Percy’s eye. Her chirpy voice was sincere.
“I had a great day today. The clothes you chose for me were beautiful, and everyone was so kind.”
Percy raised his hand to tidy Sienna’s messy hair. His slow, gentle movements were different from usual.
“If you liked it so much, my conscience as a human being hurts.”
“Why does your conscience hurt? Are you going to do something bad to me?”
“Well…”
She was amusing. But that wasn’t the end of it. There was something she could do for him.
Even if the other person was completely intoxicated and incoherent, Percy had no intention of telling her. Instead, he chuckled and redirected the conversation.
“I guess drinking loosens the tongue, huh?”
“Really? It seems so. Usually, it’s difficult to talk because of that stupid system.”
“‘System?'”
Perplexed by the unfamiliar term, Percy grinned. Without waiting for him to comprehend, Sienna elaborated on her story.
“What are you thinking?”
Percy tapped his chin and replied in a slow tone.
“That you’re cute and it’s awkward.”
“Is that so? I find it awkward because you’re nicer than I expected.”
Sienna’s finger pressed against Percy’s face again. Speaking as if talking about someone else, she continued her narrative.
“Everyone around Sienna seems like beggars. Why are you so kind?”
“I’m not kind.”
He doesn’t call someone kind just because they are obligated to do so. Percy lightly flicked Sienna’s forehead with his finger.
“So, keep your heart to yourself.”
“I don’t want to.”
However, Sienna, whom he expected to just grimace, suddenly grabbed Percy’s wrist. Her red lips tightly bit his fingertip.
Percy’s restless eyes captured her action. Sienna grinned mischievously and said,
“Quickly tell me you love me, Percy Stewart.”
It sounded like something creaked deep within his firmly locked heart.
* * *
After Sienna left the palace, the Emperor became even more erratic. He yelled at people for no reason and threw objects around.
Is the Emperor completely insane?
With such talk circulating, the Emperor’s palace became desolate. Along that path, Julius walked hesitantly. It was a path he had never voluntarily taken before.
“Ah!”
Even at the moment he stood before the Emperor’s bed, a scream escaped. Julius silently stared at the scene before opening the door.
Inside the room, the Emperor sat surrounded by broken vases and utensils, clearly intoxicated. Whether he had thrown them or not, the area around him was cluttered with debris.
‘I’ve been avoiding him because he’s terrifying.’
That’s why he had reached out to Duke Percy Stewart for help. But today, strangely enough, his heart was unusually calm. The man standing boldly before him seemed more like an object than a person.
‘Well, he might not be human after all.’
In this palace, there was only one person who meant something to him.
