Chapter 022
“State your condition.”
“Think of me as a close friend, and when we’re together, let me see her freely.”
“…”
“I have a lot of affection for you, and I’m curious about the girl too. Of course, I’ll respect you as a person!”
It wasn’t a bad condition.
Actually, it was good.
Perez seemed eager to maintain a long-term connection with Dedrick.
If we shared a secret like this, things would definitely work out in Perez’s favor.
“Dedrick, accept it. It’s fine.”
“…”
Dedrick’s eyebrows twitched slightly in disapproval, but he soon controlled his expression and straightened his bent back.
“…Alright.”
“Then, shall we try contacting her again? I won’t make it uncomfortable this time!”
Perez looked unusually excited.
I made a small request to Dedrick.
“Can I touch the prince?”
“…Why?”
“I want to check if I’m visible only when I’m in contact with you or if others can see me too.”
“…I see. But if you don’t want me to, I won’t.”
“…It’s fine.”
“What’s she saying now?”
“She asked if she could touch Your Highness briefly, to see if others can see her as well.”
Even with the unexpected request, Perez nodded without hesitation.
“Of course. Go ahead.”
I didn’t really want to touch him, though.
Approaching Perez, I lightly held his hand.
Perez was startled by the sudden contact but tilted his head in confusion shortly after.
“She’s not visible. It seems only contact with you reveals her.”
Dedrick’s face brightened slightly. I released Perez’s hand and returned to sit beside Dedrick.
Perez rubbed his chin thoughtfully before asking a serious question.
“By the way, I’m curious—what does that monster eat? I’d like to hear directly from her.”
Holding Dedrick’s hand, I answered as he wished.
“I eat anything you give me!”
Perez’s eyes sparkled with curiosity.
“Do you eat trees too?”
Would I?
Knock knock.
At the sound of a knock, I poked my head out of the closet.
Dedrick looked relieved but smiled when he saw my face peeking out.
“Did you say your goodbyes?”
“Yeah.”
Perez, who had spent the night bombarding me with questions, had returned to the palace early this morning.
Although we were sad to see him go, but we were honestly relieved he was leaving. Even though we knew he wouldn’t tell anyone, it was still uncomfortable.
“By the way, Dedrick, look at this!”
I swung the closet door open dramatically. Inside was a piece of paper that said,
“Let’s be happy, Dedrick!”
“This…”
“I thought it’d be nice to put it here. It’s hidden from view, so no one will see it. I want you to see this whenever you change clothes and feel happy.”
To be extra cautious, I made sure the paper was hidden behind clothes.
Dedrick stared at the note in silence, then gripped my hand tightly and nodded.
“…Thank you.”
I was happy. I earned more points with Dedrick.
I happily stepped out of the closet, holding his hand.
“Also, there’s something I want to confirm.”
“Confirm?”
“My face! I haven’t seen it once this whole time. If others can see me, wouldn’t I show up in a mirror too?”
“…What if you don’t?”
“Then I’ll just trust you when you say I’m pretty and live with that.”
Though I meant it as a joke, he held my hand tightly, his expression serious.
“It’s true. You’re beautiful.”
Hearing such praise from someone renowned as the most handsome in the world was electrifying.
Smiling, I led Dedrick to the mirror.
I positioned him in front of it first, then peeked out briefly before pulling back.
“…!”
For a split second, I saw it—a girl with curly gray hair reflected in the mirror. That was me!
“I’m visible!”
Encouraged, I stood in front of the mirror completely.
For the first time since arriving here, I finally saw my own face.
My skin was as pale as flour, my large golden eyes were round and bright, and my lips were plump and red.
And then…
“My horn!”
“…”
“I didn’t know my horn was red!”
Excited, I couldn’t contain myself. Dedrick gently touched my horn and laughed.
“It looks like a rose.”
“…”
That smile is cheating.
In the mirror, I saw myself blushing, my cheeks turning a bright pink.
I shook my head in embarrassment, making the accessory on my horn jingle.
“Isn’t this accessory pretty?”
“Yeah.”
“It’s blue, like your eyes. That’s why I like it even more. And don’t you think my horn looks like coral when you look closely?”
“Coral?”
I gave him a hopeful look, and he nodded hesitantly.
“It kind of does…”
“Coral is found in the ocean, right? The ocean is blue! I found something else that looks like you, didn’t I?!”
It might be a stretch, but who cares!
I grinned as I looked at him. Finally, he nodded enthusiastically.
“Yeah, it’s similar.”
As we smiled at each other, I suddenly noticed our height difference.
I tapped his shoulder in amazement.
“Did you grow taller?”
“I’m still growing.”
“What about me?”
He just smiled silently.
“Has my growth stopped?”
I couldn’t tell if I was still growing or not.
Watching me, Dedrick pressed me against the wall and marked a line above my head.
“Let’s measure your height. See if you’re growing or not.”
“Smart! Let’s mark your height too!”
On the wall, two lines were drawn side by side, showing both mine and Dedrick’s height.
Looking at those lines, I tightly grabbed Dedrick’s hand. I felt a strange, warm sensation in my chest.
It was the first time I could visually confirm my existence, which had been so faint until now.
The weather was getting colder, signaling a change in season.
In the midst of this, Somerset was unexpectedly smiling brightly.
Especially, he was nervously waiting for someone in the hallway.
“Ugh, how annoying.”
I barely held back the urge to spit on Somerset’s smiling face.
“He’s really that happy?”
“Because he likes Lady Primrose,” Dedrick replied indifferently.
It made sense. In the novel, Somerset’s affection for Joanna Primrose was extraordinary.
She was a supporting character, and Somerset and Joanna were involved in an arranged marriage due to family interests.
However, Somerset genuinely liked Joanna, even though she didn’t return his feelings.
Despite their frequent interactions, Joanna’s heart never opened to him.
Later, when they became adults, Joanna fell in love with Dedrick at first sight and became a typical villainess, interfering with the heroine and male lead.
“By the way, Dedrick, do you have a fiancée…?”
“I don’t.”
I hadn’t even finished speaking when Dedrick cut me off firmly.
“I don’t have one. And I won’t have one in the future.”
“In the future?”
“…Maybe not,” he mumbled.
I patted his shoulder as he trailed off.
Probably not.
The villainess’s appearance meant the heroine would show up soon, too.
At the upcoming party, the male lead and heroine would meet for the first time.
Though fleeting, their meeting would feel like a dream, and Dedrick would open his heart to her warm words.
Some people go through all kinds of struggles, but heroines have it easy.
Suddenly, the sound of horses neighing brought me back to reality.
I peeked out the window and saw a carriage with the Primrose family crest pull up to the entrance.
Somerset’s grin stretched from ear to ear as he practically glowed with excitement.
Should I spit on him? No, if I do, he’ll know it’s Dedrick and bother him again.
What a shame.
I clicked my tongue in frustration as the carriage door opened, revealing a glimpse of a red dress.
Soon, Joanna stepped out, her pretty face glowing in the sunlight.
Her neatly braided blonde hair, green eyes reminiscent of lush greenery, and striking features sparkled under the sun.
“She’s so pretty…”
It seemed accurate that she was supposed to be prettier than the heroine.
“Dedrick, have you seen her before?”
“Once, from a distance.”
“Isn’t she pretty?”
“I wouldn’t know.”
He didn’t seem interested, giving her only a quick glance before pulling me back from dangling at the window.
“Do we have to impress her this time too?”
It wouldn’t hurt to leave a good impression, but she was the kind of person who could cause Dedrick trouble if involved.
It was best to avoid her altogether.
There’s no need for a love triangle to add drama between the heroine and the male lead.
Shaking my head, I told Dedrick, “Let’s just relax this time.”
Now that Joanna was here, Somerset would be too busy fawning over her to bother us.
This was the perfect chance to take a break.
After all, the storm at the winter party was just around the corner.
