Meeting the woman from earlier again was literally a complete coincidence.
After entering the ballroom, he looked around a few times and found her, so it must have been a coincidence.
‘What’s going on?’
Holding onto the wall, she looked unsteady and seemed as though she could collapse at any moment.
Jerald narrowed his eyes and stared at the woman.
Looking around to see if there was anyone who could help, he noticed a man standing right in front of them. However, upon seeing the man’s sneering expression as he looked at the faltering woman, Jerald immediately realized that he was not a friendly figure.
‘What to do?’
He couldn’t ignore someone in distress. It wasn’t that he ever thought of himself as kind-hearted, but it was more like atonement or an excuse for his past.
In any case, as Jerald had already witnessed the situation, it was difficult for him to pass by carelessly.
Moreover, it was clear that the man had committed a wrongdoing.
“I heard rumors about incidents occurring at masquerade balls, but…”
It wasn’t just some ghost story, as it was happening right before his eyes. He couldn’t just stand by and do nothing. Jerald walked confidently toward the two of them.
And without any hesitation, he punched the man in the face.
The force was quite strong, causing the man to scream and stagger forward. The shocked woman looked at him with surprise. Jerald narrowed his eyes and asked.
“Are you okay?”
And after some time had passed, Jerald evaluated that day in his diary like this.
‘The day when, for the first time, I felt grateful for my trauma that made me unable to pass by someone in distress.’
Because the thing that always tormented him granted him the honor of meeting Pristin.
───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────
“Heum…”
Pristin tossed and turned, feeling a burning thirst throughout her body.
“Water…”
“Do you want water?”
“Yes. Water…”
Nonchalantly answering, Pristin sensed something strange for a moment.
What’s going on in this situation?
Pristin’s eyes widened. The first thing she saw was a man’s face.
Startled, Pristin let out a surprised scream.
“Ah! Who are you?”
“You surprised me. Your voice works well even in the morning.”
Nonchalantly, the man stood up from his seat and handed Pristin a glass of water.
“Drink. Water.”
“No, who are you?”
“Drink water first, then we can talk. You said you’re thirsty.”
With a puzzled expression, Pristin reluctantly accepted the glass from the man. Glug glug—the sound of drinking echoed in the quiet room.
“…”
Even while drinking water, Pristin couldn’t shake off the confusion. It only intensified after finishing the water. Pristin handed the empty glass back to the man and opened her mouth to speak.
“…Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
“So… Who are you?”
Pristin asked, narrowing her eyebrows.
“Why am I here?”
As she looked around, it was evident that it was not the Gremlyn mansion. Pristin looked anxious and waited for the man’s answer.
But the man only seemed to be deep in thought, wearing a pensive expression without giving a clear reply.
Finally, tired of waiting, Pristin spoke first.
“I remember feeling terribly dizzy after drinking the cocktail given to me by a trashy man. And a man wearing a black butterfly mask suddenly appeared and punched the man…”
“You remember most of it, I guess.”
“But…you’re not the one who got punched, right?”
At Pristin’s question, the man watched her still, and soon took out something and wore it. It was a black butterfly mask.
Only then did Pristin fully realize that the man who helped her yesterday was the man in front of her.
“Ah… I didn’t know because you took off your mask.”
After saying that, Pristin unconsciously touched her own face.
As the mask was removed, she confirmed it with her fingertips, and then the man’s voice came through.
“I had no choice but to take it off. I thought it would be uncomfortable for you lying down with it on.”
“…”
“And luckily, the dress wasn’t too extravagant.”
“Oh, I see. Thank you…”
About to say “thank you,” Pristin’s gaze suddenly caught sight of her current state. The dress she wore when she first entered the ballroom was nowhere to be seen, only her underdress was visible.
Pristin looked at the man with a bewildered expression. The man, however, wore an expression of indifference.
“We, don’t tell me…”
“…”
“Y, you…”
“Don’t worry, nothing happened.”
The man asked with his brow narrowed.
“Do I look that shameless?”
“No, it’s not that…”
Embarrassed, Pristin tried to explain.
“It’s just that my dress is taken off, so…”
“To be precise, there was something that happened yesterday.”
Pristin, taken aback by his words, cautiously asked.
“Did I do something rude or offensive…?”
“Rude.”
After pronouncing that one syllable heavily, Jerald added.
“Not just rude, there’s nothing else to call it.”
“What…?”
“It’s vomiting in front of a man who saved you on your first meeting.”
“Yes…?”
“That’s not normal behavior.”
“…I see.”
Pristin’s face turned pale. She did drink more than just the last glass of cocktail yesterday, but she never expected something like that to happen.
“Is it… really true…?”
“Do you think I’m lying?”
“No, that’s not what I meant.”
Apologizing with a startled voice, Pristin continued.
“I’m sorry. I should have started with an apology.”
“No, it’s all right. You can change your clothes.”
The man casually replied.
“Is it really okay?”
“What…?”
“I think you took some strange medicine yesterday. Are you feeling any pain or discomfort?”
The man spoke in a nonchalant tone.
“If you’re uncomfortable, I can call a doctor.”
“No, I’m not uncomfortable anywhere.”
…Even if there was any discomfort, she guessed she vomited it all out yesterday.
Pristin apologized once again, feeling sorry.
“I’m really sorry about yesterday. I’ve lost all my dignity.”
“It’s okay.”
Whether he was just saying that or actually meant it, the man seemed unaffected.
But regardless of the man’s reaction, Pristin couldn’t help but feel a sense of shame for her actions.
“By the way, where is this place?”
Pristin looked around and asked.
“It seems like a very expensive room, maybe…”
“…Ah.”
The man hesitated for a moment before answering.
“This is the imperial palace.”
“What?”
Pristin asked with a bewildered expression.
“The… palace?”
“Yes.”
“Why am I at the palace…”
“I…”
The man slowly began to speak.
“Because I work as a servant in the palace. That’s why…”
“…”
“…That’s why you were brought here. It couldn’t be helped. I couldn’t let you go outside in your condition.”
“Ah, I see.”
Pristin nodded, finally understanding.
“Once again, I’m sorry. I don’t know if I caused any unnecessary trouble.”
“No, there was no trouble, so don’t worry.”
“Yes…”
Pristin continued to cautiously watch the man’s reaction before speaking softly.
“Um, how should I apologize for what happened yesterday…”
“I didn’t do it hoping for that. It’s just…”
Jerald sighed slightly as he spoke.
“I couldn’t let it pass as if nothing happened.”
“But still… I feel really sorry if I don’t apologize properly…”
“It’s really okay. Don’t worry about it.”
“Ah…”
After another refusal, Pristin thought it would be impolite to insist any further and quickly withdrew her words.
“Yes… but if you happen to change your mind, please let me know.”
“Okay.”
“Well then, I will take my leave now. I feel like I have caused too much trouble… Goodbye.”
Pristin gently slipped out of the bed and swiftly left the room as if trying to escape before he could say anything more. Jerald muttered in a slightly bewildered voice.
“Not giving any contact information… How am I supposed to reach her?”
Well, there probably wouldn’t be any need to contact her anyway. Jerald got up nonchalantly from his seat.
───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────
‘I really thought we wouldn’t see each other again then.’
“What are you thinking about?”
Jerald asked as if he had noticed that she was lost in thought. Pristin looked slightly flustered and asked Jerald.
“Are you reading my mind?”
“Even without that, your expression gives it away.”
“…”
“So, what were you thinking?”
Jerald asked with a curious tone.
“When I first saw Your Majesty’s face, I suddenly thought of that.”
“Oh, back then.”
Jerald chuckled softly as he reminisced about the past, the same incident that happened back then.
“Yeah, back then we never thought we would end up like this.”
“…”
“Do you remember? You told me to contact you again and didn’t even give me your name.”
“I… I was so flustered back then.”
Pristin retorted with a dejected voice.
“It was the first time something like that happened to me since I was born.”
“I can say the same. It was also the first time something like that happened to me since I was born.”
Jerald chuckled softly, finding it amusing even now.
“And now, we are meeting again and dancing together for the first time.”
“…”
“So, focus on me, Pristin.”
“Yes…”
Pristin nodded quietly.
And finally, the music started.
