Chapter 29
Pession was having a rare problem these days.
‘How can we make Arelin even better and healthier?’
From the first moment he’d known Arellin to now, every time he’d gotten to know her, she’d been a new surprise.
“Listen, Sir Jade.”
Place, the training grounds.
Host, Crown Prince Pession.
Participants, Lord Jade, Aaron, who was always there because he was always there, Graham, the Chamberlain, and the Master, the Duke of Mubisk.
And so the first Arellin Health Council was born.
“It takes Arellin two and a half hours to walk through a garden less than half the size of this training ground.”
“What?!”
“Heh.”
“…”
No, no, no!
Sir Jade and the Duke of Mewisque, disbelieving their ears at the unimaginable reality.
Only Chamberlain Graham, who had witnessed the whole truth, nodded calmly, accepting the reality.
“But that’s a great improvement,” he said, “She could hardly walk ten minutes at first.”
Even a walk in the garden takes two and a half hours because he has to stop to rest.
“She could never run. She just stumbled and fell down.”
“Huh.”
Another lament echoed.
Weakness beyond imagination.
It was Arellin.
“So, this is what’s been bothering me lately: can we make Arelin healthy?”
The reason for this unexpected appearance in the middle of training.
It was because Sir Jade wanted to help the crown prince with his problem of not being able to concentrate on his training.
Sir Jade’s strong argument that a group of people can come up with a better solution!
“It’s health…”
The Duke of Mubisk happened to be there, checking in on the students to see how they were doing.
“Your Excellency, Duke Mubisk, if you have any advice, I’d like to hear it.”
“Even if you do.”
Crown Prince Pession, Lord Jade, Duke Aaron of Mubisk, Duke Quian of Mubisk, and even Chamberlain Graham.
All of them were of such a healthy constitution that they didn’t understand the concept of ‘weakness’.
“Exercise?”
Sir Jade echoed with a look of admiration.
“Just exercise, right?”
“Exercise.”
“The body gets stronger the more it rolls.”
Sir Jade and the Duke of Mubisk exchanged smiles and glances.
“A healthy body leads to a healthy mind.”
“And it is only when the body is balanced that the soul is healed.”
“Oooooh. I don’t know what it is, but it’s there. It makes sense!”
If Arellin had been present, she would have protested that it was a one-size-fits-all theory, but alas, the only humans in the room were those who found pleasure in exercising their bodies.
“I think so too! But how does one become good at it?”
Pession’s question caused everyone to look at each other with blank expressions.
What’s the point of discussing it in a group of athletic taboos?
“Just.”
“If.”
“It works, doesn’t it?”
If you ask him about swordsmanship or enlightenment, he has a lot to say, but if you ask him about exercise, he has nothing to say. He just speaks with his body.
“!”
Pession was impressed by everyone’s seriousness.
He makes a mental note.
“Just do it.”
… Having watched all of this muscular dialogue, Chamberlain Graham could only look to the sky and mourn for someone.
‘God.’
***
Is the crown prince’s choice of servants these days based on sincerity and diligence?
Fourth week of the Crown Prince’s daily visits.
She was suddenly being chased by a workout villain.
“Arellin, let’s exercise-!”
She was always a walker, but what the heck happened in between, the crown prince had suddenly leveled up to an exercise villain.
“I know I’m good!”
“Get off me!”
“You need to exercise, you’ll be healthier!”
“That’s a ridiculous exercise cure-all!”
My body wasn’t sick with that stuff in the first place, was it?
If it was a disease that could be cured by exercising, She would exercise faster than anyone else and voluntarily, unlike others.
Half an hour after that, they started playing hide-and-seek in the mansion.
Pession was the winner.
“Gotcha!”
“Huh.”
Why, why do you put me through this?
In the first place, She was no match for the crown prince in such a ragged state. She only lasted half an hour because of home-field advantage.
“Ha.”
She looked around in frustration.
“You two get along so well.”
“How cute.”
No one in the world is on her side.
She became depressed.
“Let’s exercise! Exercise!”
She’s in pain.
“I didn’t sleep last night.”
“What?! Why?!”
Because, she means, isn’t insomnia a normal part of being a modern person?
Of course, last night she stayed up late to focus on Mehen’s voice reading me a storybook…
As they left the mansion, the chilly air enveloped us.
“It’s cold.”
“It’s still spring.”
Pession looked at her and gave her a serious look. Then he looked at the garden and made another serious face.
“Let’s just walk for ten minutes.”
He’s not giving up.
“I’m tired.”
“I’ll walk with you!”
“That’s a given.”
“So let’s walk.”
“Why should I?”
“Because you have to if you want to be healthy!”
“What if I fall down again?”
“I’ll help you before you fall.”
“How?”
Struggling to stay upright, walked over to her and the crown prince gently lifted her up.
“Like this!”
Such unreal strength.
Is this the average for a seven-year-old in this world?
‘It can’t be.’
The crown prince was a Male Lead character who had everything in this world: bloodline, talent, and luck.
“Okay. Let’s go. Go.”
Pession fell in step beside her, chuckling at how she was walking like a turtle with her hands and feet.
‘He has no self-respect.’
The iron walls are thicker, her demeanor and speech more arrogant by the day, but the crown prince doesn’t scold her or get angry.
Doesn’t this bastard even realise he’s the crown prince?
“Isn’t it hard for you to come every day?”
“Not hard.”
“Aren’t you annoyed with me?”
“No. I’m not annoyed.”
“I’m talking back to you, bossing you around, being rude to you, and you’re not annoyed? You’re a grown man?”
Pession narrowed his eyes.
“Even if you’re not annoyed, you should still reprimand me. Am I your superior?”
“Then I’ll scold you?”
She narrowed her eyes at his playful reaction, and Pession chuckled. He’d been scolded by her, and that was a good thing.
That threadbare bastard.
“Ha. Forget it.”
She was surprised he’s still showing no signs of pulling away from her, even after being such a prick.
Why is he being so nice to me?
She doesn’t know the reason for this favor.
She’s not being nice to him, and she’s not talking to him in a nice way.
Does he like me?
Does he like me?
It’s possible…
She means, she’s not the kind of girl he’d fall all over.
But that doesn’t mean she condoned the situation.
‘I need something stronger.’
She has no idea. Next.
She couldn’t figure out how to deal with the infinitely positive sunshine man who wouldn’t fall when she put up an iron wall or be rude to him.
“Mm-hmm.”
She was thinking for the umpteenth time that she had to get him off her back before she could get any more affectionate.
“By the way, Arellin.”
“Huh?”
“Why is Arellin always alone?”
I’m alone…?
Are nannies invisible?
“No, I was wondering if there were any other people here besides the butler and the maid.”
“…Mehen?”
“You’re not family, are you?”
Pession’s expression turned peculiar.
“Mehen is my mother.”
She started to explain to Pession the deep story of why she had a healthy young man as her mother, but stopped herself. She didn’t want to embarrass him.
“Family.”
Hmm. Family.
“I don’t have one.”
“You don’t?”
“No.”
Sadly, her biological dad, her only family, was far away.
“I have a dad, though.”
“…?”
“I’ve never seen him since I was born.”
The words came as a surprise.
Pession’s usually smiling face stiffened with embarrassment.
“Uh… what?”
“Hmm?”
“Are you okay?”
“…? I’m fine.”
Why wouldn’t it be okay?
She wondered what was so worrisome, and watching the crown prince fidget with her complexion actually made her calmer.
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
He’s careful, as if he’s handling glass that will shatter if he doesn’t handle it just right.
“Why, do you feel sorry for me?”
“Huh? Oh, no, not like that…”
Pession stuttering and stammering.
At the same time, she smiled bitterly at his gentleness as if he was afraid she was hurt.
He’s too nice.
‘I understand that I said the wrong thing and the mood suddenly changed.’
She wondered why he felt the need to be so apologetic and patronizing.
It’s like she’s the one who’s hurt.
“I mean, I guess.”
Pession gaped, unsure of what to say, then suddenly clasped his hands together as if he had made up his mind.
“It’s okay, Arellin!”
“?”
“I’ll be by your side from now on.”
Pession’s cheeks were slightly flushed as he clenched his fists.
“I’ll be there for you.”
Pession says, a little shyly, not hiding his embarrassment, as if he’s making a promise to himself.
“What?”
“I’ll always be there for you.”
A smile, as bright as the morning sun on a midsummer’s day, burned painfully into her eyes.
