“I did it all in the wrong order. It’s my mistake.”
He apologized again.
“I’m sorry, Pristin.”
“Don’t apologize.”
Every time she heard his apology, it felt like a sharp object stabbing her heart.
“You don’t need to apologize to me. Whether you grant me the palace or grant me the position, it’s all Your Majesty’s decision and grace. Even if you didn’t give me both, do I have the right to resent Your Majesty?”
“…You say it as if our relationship means nothing.”
“What’s our relationship?”
“Pristin.”
“We broke up.”
Pristin pointed out the facts sharply, and Jerald flinched. Pristin struck another nail.
“Your Majesty left.”
“…I know.”
“You said you were coming back, but…”
Pristin closed her eyes and briefly recalled what had happened during that time. Then she slowly opened her eyes.
Tears had welled up in the corners of her eyes.. A lot had happened to her in the meantime that he didn’t know about.
“I… Did you expect me to wait?”
A sarcastic tone dripped from her questioning voice. Jerald couldn’t say anything.
“Jerald, whether you were a servant in the palace or the emperor of the empire, my feelings remained the same. I have sorted out our relationship in my heart.”
“… I know that too.”
Jerald replied with a calm voice. But his inner thoughts would surely not be as calm as his voice. Pristin stared at Jerald, her gaze piercing.
“It doesn’t matter though. We can start our relationship again.”
“That’s also arrogant. Who said I would fall for it?”
“You seem to be forgetting.”
Jerald opened his mouth with a strange smile.
“Have you forgotten how we became lovers?”
Pristin narrowed her eyes at the sudden memory quiz. Was he asking if she remembered how they became lovers? As Pristin searched her memory for a moment, she involuntarily made a startled sound. The memories… came back. Jerald, noticing this fact, chuckled softly.
“So you remembered?”
“…”
“I seduced you.”
You fell for it.
He didn’t say the last part, but the implication was clear. Pristin, who was stimulated by Jerald’s teasing, looked at him with narrowed eyes. The wounded cat from earlier seemed to have disappeared, replaced by a confident black panther with a revealing smile.
A small wrinkle formed on Pristin’s delicate forehead.
“Well, we were young back then. I was also immature.”
“It was just two years ago. Have you grown a lot since then?”
Jerald smirked as if it was amusing.
“Do you have to say that and disparage the judgment of two years ago?”
“But it’s the truth.”
Pristin tried to sound calm.
“I was too young at that time to have an eye for men.”
“But ultimately, you made a good choice, didn’t you? You didn’t choose a boring guy, but the crown prince of the empire.”
“…”
“No matter how mature a person becomes, their taste doesn’t change.”
“You’re saying that without really knowing.”
“Is that so?”
“Really?”
Jerald stared at Pristin at her words. Pristin flinched and retreated at the sudden concentration of his gaze.
But Jerald continued to look at Pristin, regardless. Then, at some point, he slowly approached Pristin.
Pristin narrowed her eyes slightly and instinctively moved her foot back. But Jerald’s approach was faster than her retreat.
In an instant, Jerald leaned his upper body towards where Pristin stood. It happened so suddenly that she had no way to avoid it.
Pristin widened her eyes and stared at Jerald. Her face was reflected translucently in his mysterious blue eyes.
“Ah…”
Then, in a moment, Jerald slowly raised his hand and brought his index and middle fingers to the base of Pristin’s neck. His cold fingers touched her soft skin.
Pristin flinched in surprise but strangely couldn’t move. It felt as if those two fingers had cast a spell on her, commanding her not to move. With her eyebrows still furrowed, Pristin continued to gaze at Jerald.
She was about to ask him what the purpose of this was when a low, sweet word whispered into her ear. Pristin couldn’t help but twitch her brows at the tingling sensation.
Jerald’s fingers still positioned at the base of her neck seemed to be searching for something, as if stirring it slightly.
The subtle and secretive nature of Jerald’s movements indicated that unless one was a fool, they would recognize the intentional intensity behind it.
“Did your heart race this fast earlier too?”
“…”
“Or is it only in front of me?”
Pristin wordlessly wrapped her hand around Jerald’s wrist. With curiosity about what would happen next, he stared intently at Pristin.
Pristin slowly removed his touch from her neck. After completely letting go of Jerald’s hand, she spoke in an indifferent tone.
“When someone gets close, people naturally become tense.”
“…”
“Your Majesty is no longer special to me.”
Her voice was so dry that it created a sense of dissonance when compared to the heartbeat Jerald had felt with his fingers earlier.
Jerald stared at Pristin with a facial expression that was impossible to read, unsure of what she was thinking.
“Fine. I get it. Keep denying it.”
“…”
“It wasn’t like this when we were dating, but now there’s even more thrill.”
He smiled, but it wasn’t a joyful smile.
It felt like he was trying to sublimate the sadness he felt in this situation into joy.
“Keep denying, turning a blind eye, and don’t admit it. Do so if you like.”
“…”
“But don’t leave my side.”
He was asking for the most difficult promise to keep. Pristin’s plan was to leave the palace as soon as the princess’s attention faded. That’s why Pristin couldn’t provide any answer.
“If you promise me just that, I’ll do whatever you want.”
“I am not by Your Majesty’s side.”
Pristin corrected Jerald’s words in a low voice.
“I am by Her Highness the Princess’s side.”
“It doesn’t matter whose side you’re on. Just exist within my sight.”
“…”
“If you can do that, then I can endure.”
“What do you mean?”
“Your poker face.”
Jerald spoke in a hushed voice.
“It’s been so long since I’ve seen you smile when looking at me.”
Of course, it’s mostly my fault, he added.
“That’s why it’s hard. Even more than what you think.”
Pristin bit her lip again at his words.
“As soon as I became emperor, I sent people to the Perk Empire to find you. But I couldn’t find any trace of you anywhere. As if the person I dated was just a figment of my imagination.”
“…”
“But unexpectedly, you appeared before me.”
As if he couldn’t forget the moment of their reunion, a fleeting smile touched Jerald’s lips.
“Back then, I thought it was the lucky opportunity given by the gods.”
“…”
“But now, it’s difficult. It feels like I’m still searching for someone who is not by my side.”
It wouldn’t be strange to feel that way. Pristin had never once smiled warmly at him since their reunion, so it was only natural.
“Anyway, today was my fault. I didn’t consider issuing the command first. How foolish of me.”
“You said there was strong opposition even just to grant the palace.”
“But in the end, I overcame it all.”
After Jerald smirked, he asked Pristin.
“Are you worried about me now?”
“No way.”
Pristin tried to respond calmly.
“I just wanted to remind you not to cause unnecessary troubles and get hurt.”
“Are you worried about me getting hurt?”
“…No. But I am concerned about Her Highness the Princess getting hurt.”
Pristin’s response came a beat late.
“If Your Majesty is having a hard time, Her Highness will have a hard time as well. I don’t want to see that.”
“I appreciate your concern either way, but it’s okay.”
Jerald smiled softly and shook his head.
“What’s harder for me to see is you getting hurt and humiliated.”
“…”
“If I see you like that one more time, I don’t know how I’ll change.”
Pristin pursed her lips for a moment before speaking.
“Titles like that don’t mean anything to me anymore.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m saying you don’t have to worry about today. If I was greedy for a title, I would have asked Your Majesty as the one who saved your sister’s life from the moment I entered the palace. What Your Majesty has given me now is enough. It’s overflowing.”
“You don’t have any ambition for titles at all?”
“I’m not qualified for them.”
“Is that humility or not caring about worldly matters?”
“It’s neither. I just don’t want something that isn’t mine. It doesn’t mean that I consider the value of Her Highness the Princess’s life to be light in any way.”
“Sorry, but even if you don’t want it, I will still bestow the title upon you.”
Jerald continued to gaze at Pristin as he spoke.
“This is directly linked to the authority of the princess. Even with an incident like today, if you, as a fallen noble, continue to reside in the palace, the Gennant family will look down on you.”
“I…”
“This is not just about you, but also about my authority.”
Upon hearing those words, Pristin couldn’t say anything and remained silent.
“Do as you wish.”
Regardless, he would do as he pleased. Even if she didn’t have the heart for it, he was someone who said he would tempt her.
“I will take my leave now. If I leave my seat empty for too long, everyone will start gossiping.”
Upon hearing those words, Jerald smiled, hiding his true intentions.
Pristin was about to ask why he had that expression, but Jerald spoke first.
“If Princess Gennant bothers you again, make sure you tell me.”
“…Yes.”
Pristin replied casually, but deep down she had no intention to do so. Jerald seemed to have noticed and added.
“There is nothing I don’t know within this palace, Pristin.”
Feeling slightly embarrassed, Pristin replied defensively.
“You are the owner of the palace, it’s only natural. Then, I will… truly take my leave now.”
Pristin quickly bowed and turned her back to Jerald.
If she lingered any longer, she didn’t know what kind of rumors would circulate within the uncertain reception room.
Anyway, it was time to go back to the swordless battlefield.
