After a while, Albert took another spoonful without saying a word.
Only then did I feel relieved.
"Delicious, right?"
"Let's stay quiet during mealtimes."
"Oh, but I'm really proud of myself. How difficult it is to match the
Prince's taste~"
Suddenly, Albert put down his spoon and crossed his arms. His eyes
curved upwards as he stared at me, and he looked absolutely
mesmerizing.
But I knew all too well that his smile wasn't real. The atmosphere in
the room cooled instantly.
I laughed awkwardly, but at that time, Albert opened his lips.
"I'm usually a picky eater."
"I don't think Your Highness is a picky eater. It's obvious from your
expression."
"Can you read my expression, Rosé?"
I nodded right away while Albert gazed at me as though he found me
amusing. But it was a good opportunity to change the subject.
"The left side of Your Highness' lips goes up slightly when you're
eating something you're satisfied with."
And today's spicy potato soup seemed to cater to Albert's tastes.
"I didn't know that."
He smirked and took the spoon in his hand again. Soon, a quiet
meal commenced.
It's a common saying that you shouldn't disturb even dogs when
they're eating.
'What makes me the happiest in this tower is when I eat something
delicious. Second best is when I get to see Albert's face.'
After I finished eating, I washed the dishes. Albert was still barred
from entering the kitchen, so cleaning up over there was my
responsibility.
I took a bite out of the apple I brought for dessert.
Albert sat at his desk as usual, wearing his monocle to inspect the
wand.
How long would it take for us to get out of here?
In the novel, it took a year because of Rosé's torture methods, but
now it was different.
Honestly, I couldn't wait to get out of here.
Life here was terribly boring.
Albert used his time efficiently and improved himself every day, but I
want to go out and walk around, travel a lot and meet people.
It's not like I had the internet or even a smartphone here.
Oh, I miss it so much. Civilization, wherefore art thou.
Imagining myself holding an imaginary smartphone, I asked Albert in
a rather sullen voice.
"Your Highness, when are we getting out of here?"
"It's not so easy to do that, Rosé."
"Did you solve it? That curse on the wand."
"I've almost disconnected the imprisonment spell connected between
the wand and the tower's front door."
This man is crazy. I spoke in a serious tone.
"Prince."
"What is it."
"Be honest with me. Your Highness isn't human, but a god, right?"
"..."
"Not even a deity could be as perfect as you!"
Albert, you're the best! I'm your number one fan!
He's saying that we could get out of here soon?!
Ecstatic, I raised two thumbs up and praised Albert.
He smirked. As though he was a cat watching a mouse who was
buttering him up, he's just letting me go wild. It felt like he's amused
by me, but who cares.
I asked in a hopeful voice.
"When can we get out?"
"It'll take some time."
"What?! Why?"
It was like the world had collapsed. Albert continued speaking
calmly.
"If we get out now, I'll only provide a valid excuse for that king to get
rid of me."
"So how long will it take?"
"About three or four months."
"..."
Ah, right, there's that thing.
In the novel, Albert gathered his support from the tower. He
sharpened his influence and established personal connections to
drive out the king.
Even when he was confined to the tower, he used all of his strength
and efficiently, contacting a lot of people outside the tower.
"I've decided to think of this tower as an opportunity…"
With his arms crossed, Albert spoke in a low voice, eyes flashing
dangerously.
"An opportunity to change everything."
He turned his gaze back to the wand.
I could understand where he was coming from. But… it wasn't so
easy to shake off the disappointment I was feeling.
Even more so because he told me that he was almost done
removing the curse.
It's like a new type of torture based on false hope.
Ah, no no. I need to pull myself together. If I hold it in, then my old
age would be guaranteed.
I took another bite of the apple. Then, at the crunching sound, Albert
turned to me.
I was crouching down on the floor with the corners of my lips
downturned. On the other hand, Albert was sitting upright at his
desk, and our eyes met.
I could feel the inherent arrogance that he exuded as he looked
down on me. I thought he'd look away soon, but he stared at me for
a long time.
Soon, he opened his lips to speak.
"You have an unusual face. Unlike you, I think I'm disappointed
looking at you."
Huh? Do you think I'm stupid?
In a fit of anger, I blurted out—
"What do you mean 'unusual'? I'm human, too!"
He sighed and removed his monocle.
As if his monocle was interfering with his sight.
"Why don't you like this place, Rosé?"
"It's not that I don't like it, but it's frustrating and depressing to be
here… Sometimes I get so overwhelmed with emotions that I can't
control. Isn't that the case with Your Highness, too?"
"…I don't know. I'm used to it."
Albert rose from his seat and came closer to me.
"But I know you're having a hard time."
"Thank you very much for noticing."
"You don't usually show it, but you really seem like it's taking a toll on
you."
I muttered inwardly. That's why social life is important too, Prince.
He knelt down in front of me and looked at me squarely.
"You've done a good job, so I'll give you a reward."
"Are you giving me more land to guarantee my long life?"
When I asked him seriously, he chuckled.
"That's not it."
With his fingertips, he raised my chin gently.
…My chin.
He raised it…?
Huh? Huhh?
This is a breach of contract! You didn't ask for permission to touch
me!
Alarm bells rang in my head.
But honestly though— for one split second, I thought 'How many
women out there could possibly resist him in this situation?'
"If you don't like it, tell me now."
And I knew Albert knew this, too.
He asked because he knew I wouldn't dislike it.
"…Your Highness knows what I'll say, but you really—"
Albert laughed with a low voice.
"It's simple, Rosé."
He spoke with a sly tone, then kissed me on the forehead.
And my forehead became hot.
His lips only slightly touched my skin, then went down… and
brushed against my lips.
It was only an instant, but I was left in a daze. The place where his
lips touched was burning.
He spoke languidly.
"You've done a good job."
"..."
"Let's keep up the good work."
His eyes curved slightly as he laughed.
…As if he was trying to lure me in.
No. No no no. You're only trying to fool me.
Emotions were heavier shackles than contracts
Whether I kissed my boss or not, time went on. I slept well anyway
because it was my day off, so I didn't have to get up early the next
morning.
It was agreed upon that I would have one day off every week.
Albert's breakfast this morning was bread and eggs that I'd already
prepared for him in the bedroom.
Ah, I love sleeping in. It was almost lunchtime when I woke up.
Descending the attic's ladder, I rubbed my eyes that had gotten
swollen because I slept too much.
Today again, Albert was gracefully sitting on his bed while reading a
book.
He was as perfect as a man who just came out of a clothing store all
decked up. In comparison, I looked like a beggar on the streets.
But I didn't want to look good for him, so it wasn't a problem to show
him my half-asleep bare face.
As I looked at Albert, he in turn tilted his head to one side, as if
asking if I wanted to say something.
So I spoke solemnly.
"Your Highness looks handsome today as well."
He's handsome every day! A handsome face really is the best…!
"You're the same as always."
"Does your mood feel better? Who doesn't like being called
handsome, right, Your Highness?"
"What if I say yes?"
"Then please give me more land…!"
Love won't feed me!
This prince won't feed me!
But if he gave me more land and money, I could get a building or
two, then my life would be so much better!
I am a simple, materialistic maid.
Long live capitalism!
"You're dismissed."
"Yes, sir."
I gave up right away. I didn't have to insist on it because the land that
was already promised to me might get cut down.
But then… His lips caught my eye.
Albert's kiss on my forehead and on my lips… This boss of mine was
sneakier than I thought.
He was using his beauty as a weapon effectively.
"I think Your Highness is not just smart, but very, very smart."
Begrudgingly, I must admit that Albert definitely had the skills of a
high-level trickster.
If he were Korean, he might have even been a popular idol or actor.
The way he moved people's hearts with perfectly timed fan-service
showed that he knew how to trick people well. My heart fluttered
somehow.
That's why… This is going to be a problem.
Humans were social creatures. It was only a matter of time until we
got attached to each other the more we spent time in isolation.
And if the other person was as captivating as Albert, the effect would
be even greater! Just look at the flutters I felt just a second ago.
I tried not to think about it too much, but the fact was… I'm also
vulnerable to loneliness.
Usually, I wouldn't like people as arrogant as Albert. I already went
ahead and told him directly not to fall in love with me, but if it
happens, it happens.
It's not as though I especially like the light kisses he gave me. I think
it would be more exciting to just touch his face.
But I didn't want to feel anything for him.
What happened that time could just be brushed aside as a one-time
mistake. However, I didn't want him trying anything like that again
while we're cohabiting in this tower.
So, after mulling it over again and again, I came up with a
countermeasure.
"Your Highness, I know we can't go out and I know you won't give
me more land, so would it be alright if I ask just one favor?"
People would say, 'I'm the only one who doesn't have a cat!'
If I had a pet animal who could be my friend that I could take care of
and be with, even if it wasn't a cat, I feel like I'd be less lonely.
"A favor?"
"I want to have a pet."
"A pet…"
"Dogs need walks, but we can't leave the tower so we can't get a
dog. But a cat, or maybe a hamster? I think they won't get stressed
out too much if they can't go out. Even if it's a different but similar
animal… I want to raise one."
I'll take very good care of my pet and give it my full attention so it
won't get sick. Then, I wouldn't have the time to think about Albert.
But of course, I'd have to get my housemate's opinion on which
animal would be good. It's the best method I could come up with for
now.
"We're not getting out of here anytime soon anyway. Please? Can
you do this for me?"
I looked at him with watery eyes just like the cat in Shr*k.
And I didn't forget to make my voice tremble so that I sound even
more pitiful.
It wasn't like I'm asking him to start his rebellion right away.
Rosteratu was going to die eventually, but he was the one who
locked up Albert here. He wasn't just someone to underestimate.
If I tried to rush Albert just to get out of the tower sooner, the novel's
contents might go awry, and his coup d'état might fail. I might also
get caught in the crossfire because I'm someone who'd help him with
his rebellion.
For my aspiration to grow up to a ripe old age, it would be better to
just follow Albert.
Albert would know better when and how to fight the current king.
That's why I found this alternative!
I pouted as pitifully as I could.
"Pleeeeeaase?"
With his arms still crossed, Albert stared at me with an almost
invisible bemused expression, like a parent watching his child
whining.
"I can't bring in animals, Rosé."
"Just give me permission and I'll take care of that. We're living
together, so of course I have to ask you. Do you have any allergies?"
I grabbed Albert's hand when I saw a hint of hesitation.
"I promise to cook you a magical dish later."
"…You're just trying to get something spicy again."
"No, but well yeah, we're going to eat spicy food again today, but
that's not it."
Spicy was always good, but I have another dish in mind, and it's my
secret weapon "There is a wonderful food called chicken that's beautifully crispy on
the outside and juicy on the inside. Would I ever lie to Your
Highness?"
"You're not that good at cooking."
"But don't you know that no matter who cooks the godly chicken, it'll
be delicious? Hm? Hmm? Priiiiince."
With an iron plate over my face that knows no shame, I held his
hand firmly and shook it.
Pride does not exist when asking for pets! I am a faithful cat butler!
Pets are the best!
Albert stared at me for a long time then sighed.
"Can you let go of my hand first?"
"I've let go right away, sir."
"Do as you please."
"Ooh, really?!"
"If you can manage to smuggle one in here, sure."
Albert smirked.
…I feel like I've been bamboozled, but it might just be my
imagination.
"But you've given me your permission, right…? Then, I'll go down
and prepare lunch."
"Sure, go do that."
Albert casually replied and turned back to his book. I could now feel
the hunger gnawing at my stomach because I used my head for too
long.
Grooowl. A strange sound came from my tummy.
It must be ready to have some delicious lunch.
* * *
Today's menu is spicy tteokbokki that has the power to relieve stress
from being cooped up in this tower! Red pepper powder for Koreans!
As long as there's red pepper powder, it's Korean! As expected,
these two are inseparable!
The kitchen had a faucet connected to the pipes at the outskirts of
the capital, so water could be used any time.
Actually, Rosteratu spent quite a lot of time building this tower.
What he wanted the most was for Albert to suffer mentally here,
rather than physically. Albert had already been abused physically as
he was growing up.
He didn't want Albert to die of anything but mental distress, so the
tower was all decked up with the necessary aspects to ensure
survival.
Rosé was the one who suggested setting up the tower in this way.
She loved Albert so much that she wanted to take good care of him
—and this was the only thing I was grateful to her for. I had almost
everything to properly serve Albert.
Shaaa.
When I turned the faucet on, clean water flowed out.
I filled the pot with just the right amount of water and mixed red
pepper powder and red pepper paste. The transparent water turned
red in no time.
Then, I picked out the ingredients that I had already set aside. Rice
cake, vegetables and fish cake. I've only just seen the ingredients,
but my mouth was watering already.
Writer-nim, thank you very much for letting me transmigrate in this
ridiculous world. If it were really the Middle Ages, I would have
already died without being able to bear it. Since it's a romance
fantasy, it really is the best to mess with the worldbuilding!
"Okay, let's get started!"
After stretching my upper body, I started making tteokbokki.
First, I placed the pot over fire.
As I waited for the tteokbokki sauce to thicken, I cut the vegetables.
It's a shame that there's no ramen, but who was I to complain? Even
tteokbeokki hasn't been invented here yet.
Fortunately, all the ingredients I requested from the guards were
delivered.
It played a part that I got quite close to them after I found out that
they were already fathers. I had a few short conversations with them
while handing out snacks.
Of course, it's the acting skills I honed from adulting before that truly
helped me develop (?) the relationships I had with people around
me.
I was stuck between the handsome yet picky prince while being
pressured by the impotent king. That's why the guards felt sorry for
me for being locked up alone with the notorious prince.
All of this was possible only because the agreement between Rosé
and the impotent king was a secret. The guards and I even speak
without honorifics now and we greet each other casually. There was
a tremendous change after just talking to them for a few minutes
once a week.
What can I say, I'm a Korean who can survive under the extreme
pressure from my boss.
The sauce began to boil just then.
"Oh, it's boiling."
I added the chopped vegetables and square fish cakes into the pot.
The way they fell into the sauce was like divers at a pool.
"If it's tteokbokki, there should be boiled eggs of course."
Today I shall prepare these for Albert agai… Nah, these boiled eggs
are for me. They taste immaculate when paired with tteokbokki
sauce.
Mmm. Just thinking about it made my mouth water.
Will Albert be able to eat this well? What if it's too spicy for him?
I thought of his cheeky face.
"I'd like to see if he can take it."
I made a silent prayer for him to have an upset stomach. It's my
version of a small revenge.
I added more red pepper paste while thinking of Albert's handsome
but mean face. Spicy spicy, even more spicy! After mixing it and
having a taste, I nodded in satisfaction.
Mm, yep, that's it. The addictive spicy taste of buld*k-bokkeum
myeon. The dish is finally ready.
Transferring the steaming tteokbokki to a bowl, I placed one egg
each on Albert's serving and mine. Then, I placed them on a tray
and climbed the stairs.
"Your Highness, lunch is ready~"
As I entered the room, Albert took the tray from my hands as usual.
His eyes naturally turned to the tteokbokki and he fell silent.
No, I think he's a bit speechless.
"…What's this?"
"You've already eaten the spicy potato soup before, but is this still
strange for you? This is spicy tteokbokki."
Albert placed the tray on the desk and I quickly sat down on a chair.
His eyes were narrowed.
"I hope you're not trying to poison me."
"What a terrible thing to say! Prince, this is one of my absolute
favorite dishes in the world!"
But Albert didn't seem to believe me at all. Well fine, more for me. I
can just eat all the tteokbokki by myself.
"…You eat first."
Albert seemed to be at a loss in front of the food.
Just the smell was already super spicy of course.
"I'd be happy to dig in first."
I contemplated which one to eat first, vegetables, rice cakes or fish
cakes—but I settled with a rice cake first and put one in my mouth.
It was a soft yet chewy rice cake enriched by a spicy flavor.
"Uwah… So yummy."
It's been a while since I ate this, so it was all the more delicious. Ha,
hoo, ha. Ahh, so spicy.
I ate another rice cake and fanned myself. But I' —
Meanwhile, Albert was looking at me like I was some kind of ghost.
After coughing in vain under that serious gaze of his, I spoke.
"You know what, Your Highness? People feel a whole lot better
whenever they eat spicy food."
"I've never heard that before."
"Trust me. Just try it."
The tone in which I spoke was reminiscent of a dealer selling illegal
substances, but I forged ahead.
I poked a rice cake with a fork and stuck it out to Albert.
"Here you go."
"..."
"Aren't you hungry? You had a light breakfast."
Albert's hesitant hand took the fork from me. He's almost convinced!
"Just trust me once and taste it."
Eventually, he bit the rice cake. A rice cake full of spices went into
his mouth!
As he chewed, his reluctant expression changed subtly.
How did I know, you ask? It's because one corner of his lips went up.
After swallowing the rice cake, he breathed out afterwards.
"It's spicy."
"If you sweat while eating something spicy like this, you'll definitely
feel better afterwards. And Your Highness likes it, right?"
Albert looked towards me.
"Did my lips curl up again?"
"Of course~ Your Highness, if you put some of the sauce on the
eggs, it'll be delicious."
I sliced the egg in half with a fork and evenly coated it with tteokbokki
sauce. Then, pop! I put it in my mouth, where a fantastic taste
started to spread.
Closing my eyes to savor the tteokbokki, now I was confident that my
tteokbokki was as good as YeopX Tteokbokki and ShinX Tteokbokki.
I dipped the fish cake and rice cakes together, and the chopped
vegetables were also crunchy and delicious.
"Uwahh… I'm so happy."
Today, I had the most perfect meal in the tower.
"Happy, you say."
His eyes blinked somewhat in surprise, like he saw something
unexpected.
"So it's that easy to make you happy, Rosé."
"There's a saying that people live to eat. There's no surefire way to
achieve happiness, but there's still some happiness in eating
delicious food and having fun."
"That's a simple kind of happiness."
"It's better to look at the brighter side of things than to just be
depressed every day. That's why I'm looking for reasons to be happy
in my own way."
What I said made him laugh, but with a sense that he had nothing to
say. It felt like he was denying what I said.
"I didn't know happiness was so easy."
His eyes momentarily flashed with loneliness, but he laughed again
and ate more tteokbokki.
It seemed to be spicy for him, but he's trying not to let it show, like
someone who was used to keeping everything to himself.
When I saw him pausing in between chewing, it was clear that his
mouth was burning.
I took the glass of milk from the tray and offered it to him.
"…What is this?"
"If you drink milk, it won't be spicy anymore."
"It must be obvious to you."
"No. It's not that easy to read Your Highness' expression, it's just that
I expected it. Was I correct?"
Albert picked up the glass instead of answering, then drew the glass
closer to his lips. Ah, what a champ, this guy. Even when drinking
milk, he's perfect…
Then, the meal continued with me saying one or two more silly
comments.
Albert succeeded in clearing his serving of tteokbokki after drinking
some milk. I was actually surprised that he got through it and ate
better than I thought.
"Do you feel better after eating spicy food?"
He must be under a lot of stress after being locked up here, but I
asked anyway. I hope the tteokbokki helped even a little.
Albert stared at me.
"I feel pretty good, but I'm not as happy as you."
Speaking in a low voice, he stroked my head gently. I felt like a cat
for a moment.
"It's been a while since I've felt this way."
His eyes narrowed as though he was lost in thought.
As I listened to his languid tone, it felt like I was watching an ASMR
video.
Still, the slender fingers were caressing my hair as carefully as
possible.
I felt weird.
It's always like this whenever Albert touches me—I don't know how
to act in this situation. Sometimes, as if I'd been enchanted, I get
compelled enough to wish that I could give him everything.
Like a sailor who's heard a siren's voice.
But at the same time, I knew that he had no feelings for me.
For him, this physical contact was just a means for controlling me.
As I thought about this, my confusion subsided.
This is strictly a business relationship.
Party A and Party B.
"I'm glad you enjoyed the dish."
I smiled brightly.
The smile on my face was my best defense.
It's not difficult at all to smile.
* * *
But then, a problem happened later that evening.
"Oh… I can feel it cramping up…"
I felt a slight pain in my stomach."
My body wasn't prepared to eat something spicy.
It was Rosé's first time eating tteokbokki with her body, so this was
an inevitable outcome.
I stayed in bed in the attic hoping that I'd feel better, but I don't think
it's working.
It got worse. I started to break out in cold sweat.
After curling into myself and groaning, I finally decided to prick my
finger.
"A needle…"
Where is it? There should be a basket with sewing supplies around
here…
While searching the attic, I realized that I left the basket downstairs.
In fact, it was more accurate to say that all the things related to
housework were downstairs in
After taking in a deep breath, I opened the door to the bedroom.
Then, as I descended the attic ladder's steps, I saw Albert, who was
reading a book.
He had been concentrating on his book with his monocle on his eye,
but he turned to me.
"What's wrong, Rosé?"
"I need to sew."
I laughed nervously as I picked up the sewing basket inside the
room.
Looking at me closely, Albert Rosé from his seat.
"Your face is pale."
"I'm fine."
I tried to smile, but I had one hand clutched over my stomach. Oh, it
hurts so much.
"Well it looks like you have a stomachache."
"…I'll be honest. I think what I ate earlier isn't sitting right with me,
Your Highness. It hurts."
"You did eat in a hurry. What are you trying to do, though? Why do
you need that basket?"
"I need… to prick my finger. Prince, may I talk to you after this?"
Smiling awkwardly, I slowly moved to the attic ladder with the basket
in my hands.
With a stiff jaw as though he couldn't understand what I was doing,
Albert asked me again.
"You'll… prick your finger?"
"Yes, please let me do that first."
"…Okay then."
Albert didn't seem to understand the purpose of pricking one's finger,
but I couldn't worry about explaining to him first.
I'm dying, okay? Dying. Anyway, I decided not to hide anymore
because I really needed to get rid of the pain.
I groaned and took out a needle. It was a needle for sewing clothes
—well, it was perfect for the job.
Disinfection is a must. I hovered the tip over a candle flame first that
Albert had left on next to the bed.
He was just looking at me without saying a word.
That's understandable. I don't think it's common in this time and
place to prick fingers.
"If Your Highness feels sick later, you can do the same thing. It's very
effective, so it's a good remedy."
"What the hell are you going to do with that needle…"
I raised my hand and pricked my finger with it.
At that moment, black blood flowed out as I felt a slight sting.
Wow, so I guess that stomachache was actually really bad.
Albert had been standing behind me, but he instantly moved closer
to me. He held me from behind, reached out for the needle I used to
prick myself, and took it away from me.
It looked like he was giving me a back hug.
Albert muttered with a low voice.
"Rosé, what are you doing?"
The air sank coldly even though I couldn't see his face.
With him holding me, I felt goosebumps running up my spine.
"I-I just pricked my finger… because I wasn't feeling well…"
"And what does that have to do with injuring yourself with a needle?"
Albert grabbed my wrist lightly, focusing on my index finger.
Blood was still trickling down from the top.
His cold voice made me nervous as he continued to stare while
holding onto my wrist.
I blanked out as I realized I'm being interrogated for a mistake I
didn't even realize I made.
"It's a folk remedy…"
"So you don't mean to do anything more?"
"What else would I do? Your Highness, my life is precious to me."
I was feeling quite unfair because Albert's tone was so accusatory.
He moved away from my side and went in front of me. He was still
holding my wrist.
Then, he sat in front of me and made an order with a clear voice.
"Rosé, look at me."
It was only then that I realized he was someone who was truly going
to be a king. What he'd shown so far was only a fraction of his
presence.
He knew how to control people with just the tone of his voice. My
heart pounded heavily.
"Look at me."
I couldn't avoid looking at him anymore. I finally lifted my gaze and
faced him.
The face I once thought had gotten softer was as cold as a glacier.
His severe expression was so scary, and no matter how handsome
he still was, I wanted to run away.
Those red eyes were more terrifying than they were beautiful.
The vicious gaze made me recall that he was someone who knew
how to kill people.
He was the man who would kill Rosteratu and all of the king's allies
just so he could rise to the throne.
Even if those killings were justified, it's not something that could be
understood by someone who thought with a modern perspective. I
never imagined killing anyone in my life.
"You're not lying."
Albert's voice reached my ears.
Pretending to be calm even as my hands trembled so much, I
replied.
"I-I'm not."
I stammered anyway. At this rate, Albert would know what I was
thinking.
And indeed, he went straight to the point.
"Are you afraid of me, Rosé?"
I didn't want to say I was frightened of him, but it was difficult to
avoid answering. I was too flustered to think of a good excuse.
When a person gets driven into a corner like this, it's difficult to keep
up pretenses like the usual.
"S-Some people are n-naturally like that, Your Highness. I
understand."
But what I said didn't work.
Albert narrowed his eyes.
"So you are scared of me."
Was it so important to verify if I was or not? My lips quivered as I
replied.
"I think Y-Your Highness already knows the answer."
"But you didn't answer me directly. This is your chance to answer
well."
I was usually good at catching onto these things. Only then did I
realize why Albert asked me again one last time.
He didn't want to hear the truth.
He didn't want to hear that I was afraid of him.
Why did he want to hear a lie when the truth was so obvious?
"Rosé."
He called my name in a hurry.
And I finally opened my lips.
"I'm not scared. The Prince is so handsome after all. It's okay since
you're handsome."
My inner voice was screaming something different from what I just
said, but after saying this, I visibly calmed down and seemed to be
less frightened. And I think the atmosphere around Albert became
more relaxed than earlier—or am I mistaken?
"Thanks, Rosé."
Because you said what I needed to hear.
I think I could hear those words from him even as he didn't say them
directly. I gulped and nodded.