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Chapter: 43
Does he seriously think I like the Crown Prince?
What kind of brain structure do you need to have to come up with such an absurd delusion?
Standing coldly in front of me, Bin continued spouting nonsense.
“You cried because you thought His Highness might die. And you tried not to show yourself with me in front of him.”
“That’s—”
That was just to survive, you delusional maniac!
Why would I ever like the Crown Prince?!
“If that’s what you want so badly.”
The low voice he uttered sent chills down my spine.
There was no anger left in his eyes now.
Why is it, then, that I still feel as though my heart is about to be torn apart by fear?
“Break off the engagement? I’ll do it.”
“……”
“If you want to run away, then run.”
When he had chased me to death before, what was that about? And now he’s just going to let me go so easily?
As I stood there unable to accept it, Bin smiled beautifully—like an angel—and grabbed me by the waist.
“If being caught by me is really that enjoyable for you.”
As if he had never had any intention of letting me go in the first place.
“Your Highness.”
For some reason, the words sounded unfamiliar to the Crown Prince.
“Crown Prince. Your Highness.”
Words he had heard so often in his life that his ears should have worn out from them.
And yet they felt that way.
It was probably because he had heard a name from a distant past that made him feel that way again.
‘Dion Abert.’
It was a name even he himself sometimes forgot now. Why did she remember it?
She might have been the only person in this world who did. And yet he had tried to eliminate someone like that.
A disturbance he could not deny brushed coldly across his heart.
“Your Highness.”
Raphel, entering the recovery room, called him again and snapped him out of his thoughts.
She was holding a whole melon in her hand.
“What’s with the melon?”
“Ah… I rushed over here. Damn it.”
Even in front of royalty, Raphel casually swore and then tossed the melon into the corner of the recovery room.
She bowed her head. Her expression was unusually heavy.
“I apologize. I failed.”
“It’s fine.”
He felt neither disappointment nor regret.
‘That’s a relief.’
All he could think of was the face that had been filled with tears and immense relief.
“Why are you relieved?”
“Me?”
The Crown Prince asked, incredulous.
Why would the very person who had given the order to kill feel relieved at its failure?
“You must be mistaken.”
If it wasn’t a mistake… perhaps seeing that face—relieved without knowing anything—had made him feel a little sorry, and so a similar expression had appeared on his own face.
‘Yes. That’s all it is.’
The Crown Prince told himself.
…And yet, he couldn’t shake the feeling that he was trying to convince himself.
“If it is my misunderstanding, then that’s fortunate. Still, just in case, I’ll say this.”
“What is it?”
“Don’t forget. The one who saved Your Highness wasn’t that person whose name you barely know—it was your little darling.”
“No. They both saved me.”
“If your darling hadn’t cast recovery magic on you, would Your Highness really have survived?”
“If she hadn’t uncovered my identity, would recovery magic have worked on me at all?”
“……”
“If you look at it objectively, her contribution was greater. That’s the truth.”
Raphel’s face twisted.
She exhaled roughly and turned her back on him.
As she left the recovery room, she spat out fiercely:
“If Your Highness remains so lukewarm about this, then I’ll accomplish it myself. No matter what it takes.”
The Founding Festival ended, and everyday life returned.
“I’ll break off the engagement.”
“If you want to run, then run.”
“If being caught by me is really that enjoyable.”
Bin’s words from last night kept stirring my thoughts.
What did I do after that?
…Right. I really did shake off his hand and run away.
The chase went on for quite a while, but in the end, Bin caught me.
“…I can take this as meaning you want to keep being caught by me, right?”
Breathing heavily, he said that.
And in front of him, I ended up crying.
It was sad that even though I wanted to be caught, I still had to run. And I was happy that he came to catch me.
“…I’ll let you go. Don’t cry.”
Only then did the arm wrapped around my waist slowly loosen.
Hesitating, I slipped out of his arms and ran again.
Even while running, I kept looking back, hoping he would chase me. I hated myself for that, so I couldn’t even bring myself to say goodbye to my family and just returned to the lodging.
And now, the next day, I froze as I was about to leave.
“……”
“What’s wrong?”
My older sister, who was following behind me, asked. I quietly pointed at the door.
“He’s in front of it.”
“Who? Bin?”
“Yeah.”
The same murderous look that had appeared when I told her about Bin yesterday surfaced on her face again.
“Stick close behind me.”
She stepped in front of me and flung the door open.
A soft fragrance drifted to my nose.
What scent is that? He may be a man, but because of Sis Heather’s height, I couldn’t see what was happening in front.
I put my hand on her shoulder and stood on my tiptoes.
“……”
Bin stood there holding a small bouquet of blue flowers. And my sister, unintentionally in a man’s body, had ended up receiving a bouquet from a man.
Both of their awkward expressions were quite a sight.
“What? Did you switch to me now?”
“Ah.”
“Why are you making such a scary face? It’s obviously a joke.”
“That’s a relief. If you were actually misunderstanding, that would have been quite unpleasant.”
My sister looked as though she was debating whether to kill him.
They used to cooperate to find me. How did they become such sworn enemies?
“Last time it was roses. What kind of flowers are these?”
My sister asked, smiling faintly in satisfaction.
Without answering her, Bin stepped in front of me and held the bouquet out again.
My sister didn’t stop him. She simply watched quietly.
“…Weren’t you supposed to skip dinner until you beat me in a duel?”
“I’m not doing this to ask you to dinner. Like last time, I just wanted to give them to you.”
I glanced up to check my sister’s reaction.
She nodded calmly as if telling me to accept it and mouthed:
‘Ask what flower it is.’
When she’s usually so desperate to keep me away from him, why is she so curious about the flower?
“What kind of flower is it?”
“It’s the flower you like.”
“Which flower?”
“Forget-me-nots.”
Don’t forget me.
They were the flowers Irillin liked, saying the meaning and color were like herself.
Not me. Irillin.
“I don’t like flowers like this.”
Actually, I like all flowers.
But from this moment on, forget-me-nots became a flower I hated.
I’ve lived in this body for years now. And he’s still looking at someone else.
Were all those times Bin had fawned over me actually directed at Irillin?
“You used to like them.”
“I never did.”
Coldly, I pushed away the bouquet he was offering.
I forced down the wave of disappointment surging inside me.
“Let’s go, Sis.”
I walked past Bin and called out to my sister.
She looked pleased.
So that’s why she wanted me to ask the flower’s name. To straighten out my heart.
“Wait.”
Tap. His fingertips brushed me for a moment, then quickly withdrew.
It seemed he tried to grab me out of habit but pulled back, remembering yesterday.
“You don’t have to report for duty today. The knights assigned to guard the banquet hall are on leave for three days starting today.”
I wonder how bitter the knights who didn’t get the opportunity must feel.
If the Imperial Knights discriminate this badly, it’s really a huge—oh yes!
The coldness in my heart began to melt.
Since being forcibly returned to the Empire, I’ve never enjoyed freedom. I can finally live like a person!
Good. I’ll use this vacation to avoid Bin as much as possible.
What should I do? Maybe try alcohol I never had in Abert? Or go shopping!
“By the way, Irillin, you’re under house arrest for three days. You’re receiving the most honorable punishment in the world. You can’t play around while being punished.”
Oh yes my foot. Oh my God!
Damn it. Fine. If I stay home, at least I won’t run into Bin…
“But it’s too early to be disappointed. Marquis Heather and his wife prepared something so you can still have fun even while confined.”
“…Prepared something?”
“Me.”
“…?”
“I’m the something.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I received permission to stay at the marquis’s residence as your fiancé during the three days of leave. So I’ll be the one keeping you entertained.”
You damned god. What did I ever do to you?
Why is it that no matter what I do, I can’t escape from Bin?!
“Miss! Why are you only just arriving? I’ve been so lonely without anyone to serve!”
Wendy warmly welcomed me back to the estate.
After returning from Serom, she had accepted that even the villainess Irillin Heather had changed and no longer feared me.
Come to think of it, Wendy didn’t attend the Founding Festival party last time.
If she had met the “real” master then, perhaps she would have instinctively felt an unexplainable fear.
“Oh my, Bin. What’s with the bouquet?”
The marchioness rushed over as soon as she heard I had returned and asked upon seeing the bundle of forget-me-nots in his hand.
Bin glanced at me before answering.
“I was going to give them to Irillin.”
“Forget-me-nots, how lovely.”
The marchioness smiled warmly, seemingly mindful of Irillin’s taste.
“Wendy. Please place those flowers in the vase in Irillin’s room.”
“Yes, my lady!”
“Irillin is here?”
The marquis hurried out from his office, glasses crooked, and approached me breathlessly.
“Yes. This is your home, so relax while you’re here. Eat as much delicious food as you like. You can’t go shopping… but if you want, you may have Wendy buy every dress and accessory from the most famous shops. If you wish to compose yourself, we can hire a skilled masseuse—”
“My dear. Don’t disturb the children who want to rest. Let’s go.”
“Your wife is right. Irillin, Bin. We’ll make ourselves scarce. Rest comfortably.”
Their affectionate words didn’t move me in the slightest.
If I act even a little unlike Irillin, they’re ready to lock me in a mental asylum.
Once they realize I’m not Irillin, their affection will melt away like snow, leaving only hatred.
“Miss. I need to put the flowers in the vase… I’ll finish quickly and step out. That’s alright, isn’t it?”
There’s no need to treat flowers I didn’t even receive so preciously.
But I couldn’t tell her to throw them away in front of Bin, so I simply nodded dryly and headed toward my room.
But then—
“Where do you think you’re going?”
