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chapter 8
My Little Peach
“Sleeping longer today, huh.”
Ryan was half-lying next to Miren, still in his formal attire, not even having taken it off.
He let out a low breath as he brushed back her hair.
Just watching her sleep made his heart pound, even now.
It had already been fifteen years since he first saw Miren, whose face had looked so sickly from the start.
Of course, Miren probably thought he had only known her for about eight years.
Ryan first saw Miren fifteen years ago, when he was just eight years old.
“Your Highness? Your Highness, where are you?”
Ryan, who preferred running around to attending classes in the royal palace, had skipped lessons that day and run off on his own.
While his aide had briefly looked away, he had slipped out of the palace and hidden in the residence of an unknown duke.
Of course, he didn’t even know it was a duke’s estate at the time.
The guards had been so lax that he hadn’t realized it.
It was only after he got a little older that Ryan learned it was the annex of Duke Edgar’s estate.
Ryan, hiding there, was still wearing his formal clothes, but both his outfit and hair were a mess from squeezing through small openings.
Worried that his aide might be chasing him, Ryan had planned to hide there a little longer before heading out to play in the streets.
And there, Ryan met her.
Thud.
Thud.
Thud.
“Garden spade?”
“Is someone there?”
Ryan’s body tensed behind the tree.
He had been discovered because he muttered without realizing it.
He peeked out cautiously and saw her.
“Who are you?”
“R-Ryan.”
“Ryan?”
A tall, slender girl crouched in the middle of the garden, her face younger than it seemed.
Ryan awkwardly scratched the back of his head as he stepped out, their eyes meeting.
“Hello, Ryan.”
…Hello, huh?
In fact, that was the first time Ryan had ever heard someone say “hello.”
He rarely had opportunities to meet children his age, and even when he did, everyone greeted him formally as “Your Highness.”
So this first casual greeting from a peer etched itself deeply into Ryan’s memory.
He awkwardly waved his hand.
“Ah, hello.”
“….”
“What are you doing?”
“Farming.”
After that, the girl stopped looking at Ryan and focused on her work.
Having lost her attention, Ryan’s curiosity grew, and he moved closer.
He crouched beside her; she only glanced at him briefly before returning to digging the soil with her garden spade.
“My dad said that if you dig the soil and plant seeds, a tree will grow.”
“What… a tree?”
“A peach tree. I want to eat peaches.”
The girl’s worn clothes didn’t look cheap, so Ryan thought she could just ask her father to buy them.
But, having learned manners early, he kept that thought to himself.
“But it’ll take a while to grow, right?”
“Hmm… it’s a tree. Maybe one season?”
“One season? I want to eat it now.”
The girl’s wrists were so thin, they seemed like they might break while digging.
Seeing her frail figure, Ryan felt a sudden pang of pity and reached out.
The soil was too hard for her to dig on her own…
…but even young Ryan couldn’t manage it.
Ryan confidently grabbed the garden spade but still couldn’t do anything, making the girl laugh, tilting her head back.
“Hahaha! You’re really funny. Cough, cough. Ryan? Was it Ryan? Stand up.”
“…Okay.”
Ryan and Miren stood up simultaneously, facing each other.
Ryan was shorter than most children his age, to the point that his mother worried, so three-year-older Miren towered above him.
Miren placed her hand on Ryan’s head, lowering it toward her neck.
It caught perfectly at her neck.
The height difference was significant, about a handspan.
Miren looked down at Ryan and smiled brightly.
“Ryan, you’re really tiny.”
“….”
Ryan blankly stared at her smile.
That day, he realized there could be a smile even more beautiful than his beloved mother’s.
From that moment on, Ryan followed Miren everywhere, forgetting all thoughts of playing in the streets.
Even though the place was lonely, with no other children around, he didn’t mind.
That day, Ryan wished time would slow down just a little.
Eventually, it was time to leave, and Ryan, thinking of his aide, spoke to Miren.
“Can I… come again tomorrow?”
“Sorry, you can’t.”
“Why? Why?!”
Miren smiled vaguely but didn’t explain why.
Time pressed, and Ryan had no choice but to leave without asking further.
The next day, he disobeyed her and returned to Duke Edgar’s estate.
Ryan’s arms held a basket of peaches, bribed from his aide.
With a fluttering heart, he sneaked into the estate and called for Miren at the same place he first met her.
“Miren, Mireen.”
But no matter how much he called, she didn’t appear.
He waited, but when she didn’t come, he had to leave, setting down the basket of peaches.
Holding his aide’s hand as he left, Ryan kept glancing back. If not today, he could come tomorrow—but he still felt regret.
And that was the end.
“…There was never a second chance.”
After that, Ryan had to endure bitter times.
His beloved mother died in the midst of political scheming, and he had to kill his siblings to survive and claim the throne.
The happy story of Ryan’s childhood ended with Miren.
That’s why, on their engagement day, when she first lifted her veil, he couldn’t help but smile.
His Miren was still beautiful and still lovely.
Completely different from the changed Ryan, who had killed countless people to survive.
She was exactly as he remembered, only now their eye level was similar.
Miren might not have realized it, but he steadied his trembling heart and kissed her.
She probably didn’t think it was Ryan’s first kiss.
“How long has the Empress been asleep?”
Remembering old times, Ryan asked Maria, standing beyond the curtain. She answered carefully.
“…18 hours.”
“Four hours longer than yesterday.”
Ryan clenched his teeth as he looked down at her.
The longer the days passed, the longer Miren slept. Today even longer than usual.
Each time, his heart raced with anxiety.
Seeing her asleep, he feared she might leave him, unable to sleep himself.
Every night, he stayed beside her, but never once could he rest.
Ryan whispered her name softly.
“Miren.”
She didn’t move.
She seemed almost like her soul had left her body.
Finally, Ryan raised his hand and gently shook her shoulders.
Still, Miren didn’t wake.
“Miren?”
Half-sitting up, Ryan looked down at her.
Something was wrong.
Normally, Miren would wake within minutes if Ryan tried.
But today, she moved exactly like a dead person, no matter how much he shook her.
Fear settled into Ryan’s eyes.
He clenched his trembling hand into a fist and cautiously placed his ear over her heart.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
Her heartbeat was faint but alive.
Hearing it, Ryan’s hand trembled less.
“Miren, please wake up.”
“….”
“Miren!”
He shook her shoulders repeatedly.
As his voice grew louder, Maria ran in, alarmed.
By the time she reached the foot of the bed, Ryan was already clutching Miren’s shoulders like a madman.
Still, she didn’t wake.
Like a breathing doll.
Ryan slowly turned his head while holding her, and Maria instinctively covered her mouth with both hands.
“…Miren, don’t die. Miren, please.”
His eyes were dark with despair.
The shy, hesitant Ryan was nowhere to be seen.
He hugged Miren, unable to stop his trembling hands, shaking her.
His grip grew harsher, almost rough, not like treating a patient.
If left like that, Miren’s weakened body could have been hurt.
Maria stepped forward to stop him despite her fear.
Ryan murmured,
“Don’t come closer.”
“…Your Highness. You are weak. So please…”
“Maria, was it?”
Holding Miren, he slowly looked at the ceiling, then turned to Maria with a flat expression.
“Should I cut your neck?”
“….”
“Or maybe your legs?”
He spoke carelessly about taking Maria’s life.
From within his embrace, Miren’s back pressed gently against him, her slow, careful voice speaking.
“Did Miren like you?”
“…N-no…”
“If I didn’t like you, why would I let you live?”
“….”
If Miren hadn’t been in his arms, Ryan might already have struck Maria with the sword he always carried.
Maria froze, unable to breathe.
Then a faint voice broke the silence.
“…R-Ryan.”
“Miren?”
Ryan’s eyes widened.
Seeing Miren awake in his arms, he smiled brightly.
He buried his nose in her neck and acted like a playful puppy.
Still disoriented, Miren stared at the ceiling for a moment, then realized the presence tickling her neck and raised her hand.
She gently brushed back Ryan’s hair.
“Miren.”
“Ryan, I’m so late.”
“Yeah… you woke up very late today.”
If only you had been a little later, you might have done something I would have disliked.
