“Episode 15”
Joshua Prince hasn’t done anything yet, but I can’t help but think, ‘He’s really something.’ Maybe even sending Rozina away was a tactic to unsettle me emotionally. I laughed inwardly at my own thoughts. ‘Let’s stop these thoughts.’ It’s just exhausting, and I already have enough on my plate with Joshua Prince. On the other hand, it might not be worth stirring up my emotions like this for Lucas, who wouldn’t listen no matter how hard I tried. Does he even know how I feel? No, even if he did, he might not care anymore. My heart stung at the thought. Then Joshua Prince asked softly, “Do you like herbal tea?” “Huh?” “I hoped you would, considering I brought you here.” This time, his words made me laugh outwardly. ‘All this effort, and he says something so gentle?’ Sending me dresses to my liking, and even this cafe… It was the same with the concert invitation, even though it didn’t happen in the end. He, the ‘perfect prince,’ spared no effort in our meetings either. As we descended from the carriage, I deliberately responded sharply. “Your Highness, it’s quite surprising to hear you say that.” Do you have a conscience? It seemed like he was aware of the hidden meaning behind my words, deliberately letting them slip. Yet, despite my discontent, Joshua Prince led me with an even softer smile. “I’m honored to hear that you think so, Miss Blante. It seems I prepared well.” What’s this? Lucas would have thrown a fit if he had sensed the implications of my words. Could it be that Joshua Prince has some preferences that Lucas doesn’t? As I pondered, Joshua Prince took me upstairs. I felt really strange being such an attentive guest to him, with or without a motive. ‘No, maybe that’s it.’ Joshua Prince would want to eliminate any threats as much as possible, given his position. Despite telling myself not to think like this, I instinctively calculated harshly in my mind. Even though I thought I had cooled down, my liking for him was so scary and persistent that it felt like I was searching everywhere to ignite something, even if just a spark remained. The cafe’s second floor had no separate balcony, but large windows provided a cool breeze. Joshua Prince might have been mindful of me, considering I was the only guest. ‘Is he naturally like this, or is it the way Princess Anita raised him?’ I felt a mix of envy and sighs. When Joshua Prince led my gaze to the menu at the right time, he asked softly, “Do you have any preference for tea?” “Can Your Highness choose for me?” My mind, which had been racing, calmed down with Joshua Prince’s soft voice. The atmosphere of the cafe’s second floor certainly played a part in this tranquility. As I enjoyed the moment of calm, the sounds of street musicians and people chatting downstairs floated in through the window. “That’s also an honor.” With a warm smile, Joshua Prince continued to place orders with a bell-like tone, making sure I could fully enjoy the atmosphere. When the tea arrived, I smiled warmly at the golden Rooibos tea with a hint of vanilla. The blended tea, with its subtle vanilla aroma, reminded me of my past life. In my previous life, I didn’t really enjoy tea; I used it to survive, gulping down iced Americanos to keep up with work. But when I needed a change, I would occasionally indulge in Rooibos Vanilla. It made me feel like I was not a busy office worker, but someone who could enjoy leisurely moments. “I’m glad you seem to enjoy it.” “Yes.”
I answered honestly. So this time, I decided to ask him. He seemed ready to hear what he had to say. Feeling the warmth of the tea cup, I asked him seriously, “Your Highness, will you answer now? How did you know about me being a spirit binder?” I hadn’t told anyone, and even the use of the spirit’s power was so subtle that it was hard to notice. Strangely, Joshua Prince’s ears turned slightly red at my words. And then… “Because I saw it.” “Huh?” Saw what? Me using the spirit’s power? “You forming a contract with the spirit, Miss Alicia.” He spoke with a slight tilt of his head, seeming embarrassed. I blinked in disbelief at the thought of me… forming a contract with a spirit… He saw it?! * I was thrown into confusion. I started to rummage through my mind desperately trying to understand his words. Who was there when I formed a contract with the spirit? Wind, light? Was it the wind? “Wait a minute. Didn’t Your Highness call me Alicia earlier?” He had been calling me Miss Blante all along. Why suddenly address me with a title that was suitable for a servant? Why? Dozens, hundreds of question marks formed in my mind when Joshua Prince gently tapped the table in front of me. “I’m sorry, I just assumed too much.” “Assumed? About what?” “About whether Miss Alicia would remember me, that kind of assumption?” “No, no… Your Highness. That title, Miss Alicia, is just too…” I couldn’t figure out what to say! Since I was born as Alicia Blante, I was the most confused I had ever been. Although my mind and heart were in turmoil, I always maintained a calm demeanor. Lucas wouldn’t have seen me so flustered, and certainly not my favorite person! But Joshua Prince, perhaps expecting my confusion, tapped his fingertips carefully. “It’s okay, I’ll explain everything. As we agreed that day, I’ll answer all your questions.” He gestured for me to take a sip of tea first. Why is this prince so considerate and accustomed to caring for people? I thought all princes would be arrogant and self-centered. I took a sip of the warm tea as Joshua Prince slowly began to speak. “First of all, I first met you seven years ago.” “Seven years ago?” What happened seven years ago? It was just an ordinary year spent in the fiefdom. And… “It was also the year you formed a contract with the spirit.” Joshua chuckled softly. “You know as well as I do that I traveled to many dangerous regions since I was young.” “…Yes.” Despite harboring feelings of rivalry towards Lucas, Joshua Prince sympathized with him on a human level. The first son favored by Princess Anita, yet also a victim of the Emperor’s relentless jealousy. The Emperor, jealous of his son’s attention from his father, didn’t like Joshua Prince receiving attention from Princess Anita or living comfortably as a prince. So he sent him only to dangerous areas. The more dangerous the situation he resolved, the more dangerous the place he was sent to next. ‘He really has no right to be a parent.’
The Emperor was equally bad to both Lucas and Joshua. “I was young at the time too, going through my rebellious phase.” “Rebellious phase?” You had such a time? When I expressed my doubts, Joshua Prince nodded with a smile as if enjoying it. “I was fourteen, it was summer. There was a time when I stayed in a nearby fiefdom, resisting the Emperor’s orders because I wanted to escape even a little.” “Could that be…” “Yes, it was the Blante fiefdom.” Joshua Prince gently folded his hands on the table. Between his long fingers, glimpses of calloused joints and hardened skin from holding a sword for a long time could be seen. Despite knowing that even his elegant hands had their own hardships, I tried to pretend not to know. That way, my blind devotion to him wouldn’t waver. “Of course, I didn’t reveal myself as Joshua Prince. The Emperor preferred me not to return to the capital.” His spring-like smile turned somewhat chilly. “But disobeying his orders directly would have made him very uncomfortable.” It’s something the little Emperor would do. As I agreed, I suddenly wondered if I could spill all this to him. Everyone knows I’m Lucas’s childhood friend and on his side. You should know that better than anyone else. Yet, when I looked at him anxiously, Joshua Medelike opened his mouth with a soft, gentle gaze. “And that’s where I met you. Alicia, who loves flowers and grass.”
