/
Merria nodded her head surprisingly easily and answered.
“…I’m ashamed to be caught.”
She slowly blinks with a dashing smile.
‘You are doing this on purpose.’
Merria had been aware of what Altheon wanted through the conversation with Reukis.
Seeing that Reukis was still, there was no threat to her life.
And yet the reason why Altheon was persistent was probably.
‘You probably want me to turn off the light.’
Simply put, it was a trick to get a card from the neutral Rackester family to use later.
Previously, Reukis said that Altheon was a prince who wouldn’t hesitate to enlist the nobility for aristocratic interference, and it was the perfect match.
Merria gave him a wistful look because she didn’t intend to hand him the card so easily.
“To show the Crown Prince that I do not have enough knowledge to read a book for hours. I didn’t know where to stand.” (Merria)
She copied Brana’s expression when they met at the Fabro’s mansion.
Like a newborn chick, she didn’t leave out her curiosity and the lively eyes on her expression.
“But, Your Majesty, nothing illegal or dangerous would ever happen.” (Merria)
As Merria put her hands on her cheeks and smiled shyly, Altheon raised an eyebrow.
“Well, let’s leave it that way. Then, I’m willing to do you a favor by helping your curiosity.” (Altheon)
“Yes?”
“As the princess said, if you have a lot of questions, this is the right place for you. Now, the Crown Prince’s library has the largest number of books in the country. Rather than the central library of Crowley Academy, which boasts hundreds of years of history, than the Emperor’s reign. As the Crown Prince needs to grow up struggling with excessive learning from a young age.”
Altheon frowned lightly around and squinted at the bookcase behind him.
Although she hadn’t been to the Academy or the Emperor’s Library, Merria thought that there was no larger library in this world than this one.
Merria nodded lightly, and Altheon’s lips twisted and continued,
“I’ll let you in and out of here. Now that we’ve provided a place here, the princess and I would become patrons and donors.”
“Ah… yes.”
Merria answered Altheon, who was trying to corner her to the end.
Having a close relationship with her won’t give him much.
The current head was Themis, and after that, Serinia would succeed as the next Duke.
Besides, Merria was Reukis’ lover, and to some extent she became a member of the Crown Prince faction.
‘You’re giving me unlimited access to the Crown Prince’s private library?’ (Merria)
No matter how much she looked at it, it seemed like a deal only Merria could benefit.
Nevertheless, the reason why she couldn’t readily accept it was because her opponent was the Crown Prince.
The very ‘Altheon Tristan‘ who does everything to expand his power.
Merria replied, without losing her innocent smile.
“I am grateful for your words, but if I, with a lover, come to Your Majesty’s place alone, who’s engaged but unmarried, scandals are bound to arise.”
“I know that the princess was close to Karina. I also don’t want Karina to worry about anything, so make sure you come with the Grand Duke.”
Altheon said, with a smile on his lips.
But his eyes didn’t seem happy at all.
Eventually, the conversation ended when Merria was forced to receive a free pass to the Crown Prince Library.
When Alteon didn’t speak any more, Reukis spoke as if had been waiting.
“Then we’ll be on our way.” (Reukis)
Altheon nodded, admiring that Reukis had endured this much without interrupting during the conversation.
“Okay.”
“Merria, I’ll take you to the mansion.”
Reukis didn’t care whether Altheon’s permission was granted or not, and immediately picked up Merria’s coat and reached out to her.
Merria gently bowed to Altheon and took Reukis’ hand.
The two decided to leave the library and walk along the garden to the carriage.
‘I’ve stayed indoors all day, so I wanted to take a walk.’ (Merria)
“Reukis.”
Merria, who was looking at the dark evening sky, suddenly spoke.
“Yes.” (Reukis)
“You knew it was going to be like this, didn’t you?” (Merria)
Merria thought Reukis couldn’t have expected this situation.
As a result, Merria didn’t have any trouble, but she still wanted to be prepared if he had told her beforehand.
At Merria’s words, Reukis seemed to carefully choose his words for a moment, then nodded softly.
“I’ve been with his Majesty for decades, so his next move was easy to predict.” (Reukis)
“Then why didn’t you tell me?” (Merria)
Merria leaned closer to him.
Suddenly, Reukis’ ears turned a little red at the scent of Merria.
Reukis pressed down on his lips, and couldn’t answer.
“Huh?”
When Merria urged him once more, Reukis finally answered in a crack voice.
“I was afraid that if I told you about his highness would come, you’d be concerned for nothing, and when you’re with me, I want you to only focus on me… That’s why…”
Reukis felt like his childishness had been exposed.
In an instant, his face blushed and his gaze fell.
Then, after waiting for a while, when Merria didn’t answer, Reukis slowly rolled his eyes and raised his gaze.
Merria was looking at him with a shocked expression.
‘It’s so…’
She frowned, unable to speak. Her barely squeezed voice trembled and softly leaked out.
“So… cute.” (Merria)
“…Yes?”
‘I’ve heard of handsome and beautiful, but…’ (Reukis)
Reukis didn’t know that he was cute, and that he would even hear the word ‘cute‘ from Merria, who was cuter.
Reukis’ head tilted at the words he had never heard in his life.
He was like a puppy who could distinguish whether the owner’s words were compliments or insults by nuance.
Merria reached out to him, further blown away by the sight of Reukis trying to understand her.
“Really…”
Merria, hugging Reukis, breathed deeply. There was a strong scent of citrus coming from him.
Feeling better, Merria leaned her head at Reukis’ chest.
“Really… I love you so much.”
At Merria’s emotional confession, Reukis’ neck also turned red as if it was about to explode.
Reukis buried his red face in her neck, hugging the very sweet Merria in his arms.
“I also love Merria very much…”
His sincere confession echoed softly in Merria’s ears.
✿
By the time the escape plan using Reukis was no longer working.
Merria was again forced to go to the dressing room.
She couldn’t help it because of Lilith’s threat that if she didn’t come today, she would come at dawn all week.
She wore a light one-piece sky-blue dress and her hair was simply finished.
After getting dressed, Merria got into the carriage with Lexie.
‘Today was a very bad day.’
As she looked out the window of the carriage and watched the misty scenery, Merria pursed her lips.
Then suddenly a good idea came up and she opened the window toward the coachman.
“Hey, let’s go to the dessert shop before we go to the dressing room.”
“Should I take you to Erienne?”
The coachman asked Merria, and she answered with a nod.
Unfortunately, ‘Eriene’ was quite close to the dressing room.
Merria had decided to go back to the place she went to with Reukis last time.
It was never far from the dressing room. Merria shook her head and continued.
“If you go down the alley on the left from the fountain, there’s a small dessert shop. Please go there.”
“Yes, miss.”
“Thank you!”
After a while, Merria left the store with a light step, leaving behind a loud greeting coming from the inside.
In both hands of Lexie, who followed Merria, were the desserts she had purchased, even for the share of the dressing room staff.
Merria, who took the lead with a satisfied smile, said,
“Let’s go now.”
It was time they had to move quickly because they had walked to the carriage that couldn’t enter the alley.
“Yes. Immediately, ahh!”
Lexie, who answered cheerfully, quickly turned back when she saw someone pop out of nowhere.
Because the other person walked with his head down, he seemed to have belatedly noticed that Lexie was in front of him.
By the time he realized there was a person in front of him and tried to move away, the cake box had already left Lexie’s hand.
When the large box fell to the floor, the other person seemed surprised and stopped moving.
Lexie stared at the box thrown on the floor with tears.
“Lady… the cake…”
The person who was wearing robe bowed hastily and said,
“I- I’m sorry! I’m so sorry. I’m really sorry. Miss.”
A delicate woman’s voice came from the person wearing the robe.
Merria, who thought the man in the robe was a little boy because of his small stature, replied with a smile and a nod.
“It happened around the corner and we didn’t see each other, and we’re not going to ask you to pay, so you’re good to go.”
From the looks of her appearance, she didn’t look relaxed enough to pay for the dessert.
Merria wasn’t exceptionally merciful, but she wasn’t cold-blooded enough to extort the poor to pay.
“Thank you for your mercy. I’ll clean this up.”
“No, it’s fine…” (Merria)
Merria couldn’t finish her words.
‘Was she really saying that she was going to clean it?’
It was because her opponent bent down in earnest.
‘Are you doing this to make yourself feel comfortable…?’
I’m sorry, but she seemed to be trying to show sincerity because she couldn’t pay me back.
She doesn’t even have to do that.
“I’m sorry, but could you buy the same cake, Lexie?”
Merria said to Lexie, who was standing behind, looking away for no reason.
“Yes, miss!” (Lexie)
Not long after Lexie disappeared in a flash, but the woman had really cleared the street.
The condition of the cake was ruined, but it didn’t spill completely, so it seemed like all you had to do was pick up the box well.
She still couldn’t help but touch the cake that came out.
Seeing her messed up hands covered in cream, Merria handed her a handkerchief.
“You could use this.”
“It’s fine…”
“Ah…”
The woman carefully accepted the handkerchief.
After wiping her hands, she hesitated, and Merria said once more to the woman who did not leave.
“It’s really fine, you could leave now. I’ll take care of the handkerchief.”
“I…”
“…?”
Merria’s eyes turned towards Lexie. And the woman had a crumpled cake box in her hand.
Merria nodded as if she had realized something.
“Ah, there’s no place to throw it away. I think you could bring it to the store.”
However, contrary to expectations, the other person’s hand with the cake box seemed to be holding onto the cake.
The other person, who didn’t move a step, suddenly spoke.
“If it’s okay with you, could I take this cake?”
The cake box, which had fallen into the woman’s arms, was held dearly.
“Are you going to fill your stomach with that?” Merria asked, swallowing a sigh.
“…”
There was no significant answer from the woman wearing the robe.
She wore a shabby robe, so I thought she was a commoner.
It seemed to be a child of a poorer family.
“You could do whatever you want, but don’t eat it sparingly. Eat it right away. It goes bad quickly, so if you eat it in a bad state, you’d get sick. Keep in mind that it would cost you more if you get sick.”
Merria said in a low, menacing voice.
Her tone of voice seemed sharp, but the woman suddenly raised her head, recognizing that the content of her words were concerned towards her.
Before she came out, the woman had been warned not to talk to anyone or run into anyone, but it was hard to pass this time.
The woman looked Merria in the eye and smiled, hoping to express her gratitude.
“…My mother would be happy. Actually, it’s my mother’s birthday today.”
“Ah…”
As soon as Merria saw the pale pink eyes that curved meekly under her robes, she recognized the woman’s identity.
The shining silver hair at first glance was making her identity more clearer.