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Chapter 10
“That.”
Naomi’s irritating shadow as she turned away was quickly blocked by Alexei’s body.
“Start by getting that off. Some of it reacts to skin.”
“Really?”
Startled, Angelina quickly shook her hands.
“Don’t react to everything one by one. You’re like a child.”
“I’m not a child. I’m fifteen.”
“……”
“What’s that face? You, who are only twenty, aren’t any different either.”
“Have you learned mind reading or something?”
“Alex, you—”
Before she knew it, her raised fist was covered by Alexei’s large hand.
“You still have a bad habit. You used to hit people at the slightest thing.”
“When did I ever…?”
What surprised her wasn’t just Alexei’s words. Angelina stared at the hand covering hers.
Why is it so warm?
From his tone and expression, he seemed like someone with cold blood.
A strange tickling feeling spread through her stomach. When she wiggled her fingers, Alexei obediently let go.
But now that it was gone, it felt strangely empty again.
Angelina opened and closed her hand a few times, trying to shake off the unfamiliar sensation left on her skin.
“Naomi being rude is true, but it’s because she wasn’t taught well. You shouldn’t act the same way.”
“Treat others the way you want to be treated.”
“You’re the one who told me not to do that.”
“What?”
She widened her eyes, not understanding, but Alexei had already turned away. Angelina, who had tried to grab him again to ask, stopped when a thought suddenly came to her.
Franz spoke harshly too.
But he still felt like a child.
So this is just a pointless pride battle.
“That’s—different situations!”
Before escaping and after escaping are completely different!
She babbled excuses that didn’t even sound like reasons and chased after Alexei.
He used to be smaller than her long ago.
Now his legs were so long she could barely keep up.
“Alex!”
When he turned around, his face was as expressionless as always—but there seemed to be a faint smile at the corner of his lips.
“What?”
“Look over there.”
Fortunately, something caught her eye and gave her an excuse. She pointed at the sky. Alexei, Franz, and Naomi all followed her finger.
At the end of it was a coconut.
A brown fruit that would definitely not kill you if eaten.
“I think that’s a coconut… it’s edible, right?”
“It looks like it, but…”
“Let’s take it.”
“……”
The two men lifted their chins and stared at the fruit hanging high above.
It looked delicious—but it was too high.
“I don’t think we can get that, Angel.”
“So we’re giving up?”
“……”
“I’ll try climbing. His Highness can’t do it.”
Franz stepped forward.
“It’s probably too much for Alexei anyway.”
“I can do it too.”
Alexei grabbed the tree before Franz could move.
“I said it’s impossible. You’ve never done it.”
“I have.”
“When? Palace garden trees? They were barely your height.”
“They were taller than us.”
Alexei climbed confidently—but stopped midway. The palm tree swayed side to side.
Going higher was clearly impossible.
“Find me a pole. Hurry.”
At Alexei’s shout, Franz broke off a long branch and handed it over. Alexei, gripping the unstable tree tightly, stretched the pole upward—but it didn’t reach the coconut.
“That’s good enough.”
Franz tried to comfort him, but Alexei frowned.
“I’ll do it.”
But Franz wasn’t any different. As the tree began to shake, he looked more focused on not falling than on the coconut.
“It’s impossible.”
“Yeah. This isn’t happening, Angel.”
The two men quickly reached a conclusion after failing. Naomi, however, couldn’t take her eyes off the coconut.
“Can’t we shake the tree?”
At her desperate suggestion, the two men grabbed the palm from both sides and shook it. The tree, which had swayed like paper before, didn’t budge at all. Naomi joined in, but it was useless.
“It really won’t work.”
Once Naomi reached the same conclusion, the men let go of the tree with satisfied expressions.
Completely unaware that someone still hadn’t given up.
“Everyone step back.”
Under suspicious gazes, Angelina adjusted her shoes. She loosened her arms and legs, rotated her wrists and ankles, then shouted again.
“Back away from the tree. Far. As far as possible.”
Her energy made the three step back hesitantly.
“What are you doing, Angel?”
“Coconut hunting.”
Angelina ran toward the palm tree. She climbed to the middle in one breath, pushing off quickly to the top.
“Move.”
Thud.
The coconut fell—and she landed right after it. It all happened in an instant.
“Wow…”
What the hell is this woman?
Naomi’s jaw dropped.
Noble ladies were supposed to get winded after a short walk and faint under the sun.
But this crown princess was shooting guns, climbing trees, speaking without restraint…
“Angel, how… I have nothing to say.”
“You’re making men look bad.”
“Well, it’s nothing much.”
Angelina shrugged.
She had done it on impulse because the three of them were frustrating—but she hadn’t expected to actually succeed. She wasn’t great at academics, but she was good at physical activity, and her action movie training still remained in her body.
Thinking about the intensive training she had gone through before filming, climbing a tree wasn’t difficult at all. And seeing Naomi’s admiring gaze made it even more satisfying.
Respect and admiration.
Naomi, caught staring, quickly looked away pretending not to care.
“But how do we eat this?”
“Just a moment.”
Franz took out a knife and stabbed the coconut’s three eyes.
“Liquid should come out if you pierce it. The flesh is hard to eat, so just enjoy it like this.”
Naomi quickly took the coconut he offered.
“Don’t you know seniority?”
“Seniority? What’s that?”
“Elders first. Give it here.”
“No.”
“I was the one who got it.”
“That’s cheap. Don’t steal it—just take that one.”
Naomi pointed at the second coconut in Franz’s hand.
“That one is for the Crown Prince. Then Franz. You’re last.”
“I’m starving!”
She shouted and raised the coconut above her head—then Angelina grabbed her hand.
No matter how hard Naomi tried, she couldn’t break free.
“Say thank you.”
“No.”
“Then go hungry.”
“I’m really just asking for it—ow!”
“Ack!”
A monkey suddenly appeared on Naomi’s shoulder. She screamed and fell backward. Angelina, startled, also stepped back.
Between them was the coconut and a small monkey.
The monkey sniffed the coconut, examined it, then suddenly grabbed it and ran.
Wait—did that thing just steal it?
Without hesitation, both women chased it.
“Chitter! Chitter!”
The monkey dodged their hands and climbed the tree swiftly.
“You climb trees well but won’t eat it yourself?”
“……”
“Come down here, you thief.”
“……”
The monkey ignored them, sucking on the coconut loudly.
“How do we catch it?”
“Should we hit it with a stick?”
“It’ll just run away. Think properly.”
“What brilliant idea does the crown princess have then?”
“None. That’s why I’m like this.”
They stood side by side, staring up.
The monkey eventually dropped the empty coconut.
Thud—
It rolled to their feet.
Their eyes shifted back up.
“Let’s catch it.”
“Absolutely.”
Their eyes sparked with determination.
“Come here, good boy.”
Angelina called softly like she was calling a pet dog. The monkey, tempted, reached for another coconut—at that moment Naomi threw a sack over it.
“Got it!”
“Yes!”
They high-fived in excitement.
The sack wriggled violently.
Alexei, watching quietly, pressed a hand to his forehead.
They were fighting like enemies one moment and acting like sisters the next.
“What are you even doing?”
