Chapter 24

Chapter 24

1STKISSNOVEL. DO NOT STEAL MY TRANSLATION!

“It’s me.”

I hesitated to answer, and he jumped up. I was wrong to think that he was covering his eyes to avoid the sun. His eyes were slightly red and puffy.

‘He cried.’

I felt strange as if I had unintentionally peeked into something he didn’t want anyone to see. Gregory’s eyes fluttered violently as if he was still confused. I guess he didn’t think I would follow him. He bit his lips and stuttered.

“You…”

“Did you cry?”

“Who is crying? I was just yawing.”

“I see.”

“Really.”

“Yes. I believe you.”

“Haaa… yaawwn—”

Gregory covered his face with both hands. Quite shameful. After a moment’s hesitation, I sat down on the grass. Then I tilted my head and made eye contact with him.

“Are you embarrassed?”

“I didn’t cry!”

Gregory groaned and shouted. I shrugged and nodded.

“If you’re sad, you might cry a little. Why are you hiding like that?”

“Who is sad?”

“Right now, the Prince’s eyes are sad. I feel like you’ll cry if I touch you.”

“Tsk, what are you saying?”

Gregory turned his head completely, avoiding my gaze. Seeing that he was unusually agitated, I seemed to have hit the bullseye.

‘He can’t be honest.’

I looked at the wildflowers next to him without further inquiring. Clovers were growing all over the place. Bored, I looked around to find a four-leaf clover and laid down again. The grass swayed in the gentle breeze. While I was looking for a four-leaf clover while humming a song I couldn’t even remember the lyrics to.

“What song is that?”

“Oh! I found one!”

At the same time as Gregory’s question, I cheered. I exclaimed ‘woohoo’ while holding the newly discovered four-leaf clover.

It was my first time finding one. It took me so little time to find one, so it was even more surprising.

“Again, what were you looking for?”

Gregory smirked and held out his hand. He added as I stared at the hand.

“If you’re going to give it to me, give it to me.”

“But I’m going to keep it?”

“What? Didn’t you come here to comfort me?”

Gregory replied with a puzzled face. I tilted my head and spoke.

“Why do you need comfort when you say you didn’t cry?”

“…”

Gregory couldn’t keep going without shooting himself in the foot. In the meantime, I put the four-leaf clover in my bag without hesitation.

“…Really? Are you really not giving it to me?”

Gregory looked at the four-leaf clover in the bag and asked. I shook my head nonchalantly.

“I’m not lucky enough to give it to someone who didn’t cry.”

“I cried.”

“You said you didn’t cry.”

“Miss, are you really going to be like this?”

Gregory’s expression became sulky. He seemed to be very stubborn about things that didn’t matter. I couldn’t stop laughing because it was funny.

“Hahaha.”

“Don’t laugh.”

“Huhhuhu.”

“I told you not to laugh!”

Gregory exclaimed with his face all red. At this, I stopped laughing and said.

“It’s a special blessing because the prince cried.”

Then I pulled out a four-leaf clover from my bag and held it out.

“…”

Gregory had a startled look on his face, probably because he felt ashamed of himself for being obsessed with a four-leaf clover.

“You won’t take it?”

“Miss, this is your revenge.”

I answered with a smile.

“That’s absurd.”

‘Did you find out just now?’

I didn’t reveal my inner feelings. But he must have known just by looking at my face.

He took the four-leaf clover with a sullen expression, then he raised the four-leaf clover to the sky and looked up.

I started looking for a four-leaf clover again. This time, I was going to find it for Lexion.

It needed a lot of luck.

“What else are you looking for?”

“A four-leaf clover for Zion.”

“Do you like him that much?”

“It’s not like that.”

I answered Gregory’s question dryly and found another four-leaf clover. He watched the scene without saying a word.

“It can’t be him.”

He sounded determined. Thanks to that, my head turned to him. The expression on his face was as serious as his tone of voice.

Gregory opened his mouth as he stared blankly at the distance.

“He’s Seirin’s. There’s no place for you who’s not even a noble. You’ll be the only one who gets hurt.”

“…”

As he said, it was unprecedented that a Duke of an Empire accepted a woman of a minority as the Duchess. In addition, Seirin was interested in him, so the two would naturally get married.

Of course, there were difficulties like the Emperor, but in the first place, all love stories require suffering.

‘Whether before or now, am I still a stumbling block to his future?’

“…I know.”

I muttered with a sullen face at Gregory’s words that sounded like a confirmation to kill. He asked, wide-eyed at my affirmation.

“You know? What did Seirin say?”

“I was just quick-witted… When the princess looks at Zion, she has a face of being in love.”

“… Right, It’s better not to look at a tree that you can’t climb anyway.”

He spoke softly as if he was giving advice. Those were the words Gregory often said to himself.

I reluctantly refuted his words.

“…I don’t like him.”

“You are as obvious as Seirin.”

“You can just pretend you don’t know, then.”

My answer sounded a little cheeky. He rolled his eyes and said with a mischievous smile.

“Sorry, I guess I want to cheer for my little sister.”

Hearing it made me feel even worse. I comforted you at least…

“Suddenly, the four-leaf clover is a waste to give to you.”

When I spoke in a grumpy tone, he giggled aloud.

I looked at him and he was holding the four-leaf clover to me.

But I, who was already feeling twisted and annoyed inside, asked with a grumpy tone.

“You said you couldn’t have it before, but now you don’t need it?”

“It’s not that, I’m going to give my luck to you.”

“…”

“Instead of rooting for you. Of course, it seems difficult. Hurry up and take it.”

Gregory waved the four-leaf clover and urged me.

‘You said you would support Seirin until just now, but you’re comforting me like this again.’

He was truly a capricious prince. Of course, thanks to him, my heart was relieved a bit. I grumbled slightly, receiving a four-leaf clover.

“I was originally mine anyways. You show off.”

“Because I’d be boring without showing off.”

He responded with a mischievous face and got up from his seat. He said looking down at me, feeling a little refreshed.

“Now let’s go back.”

“Ah… Yes!”

I put a four-leaf clover in my notebook, put it in my bag, got up, and brushed off my dress.

Looking around, Gregory couldn’t stand it and was already walking a long way ahead

‘Hey, will it kill you if you wait a little bit?’

I ran after him.

 

When Gregory and I returned to the tea party, the atmosphere was quite different.

The table was full of light fruit liquor, and there were already several empty bottles.

‘Did the drinking party just happen?’

In front of the table, a drunk Princess was performing a flashy dance with her younger brother. The fun fact was that she could dance pretty well even if she was drunk.

“Woaaah.”

Seirin was clapping in front of them. She also looked a little drunk.

Anyways, Lexion was nowhere to be seen.

‘Where did Lexion go?’

While I was looking around for Lexion, Gregory approached Seirin.

“Seirin?”

Gregory’s voice was filled with absurdity. In fact, He was right to feel bewildered since we weren’t away for that long and everyone looked quite drunk already.

She found us and smiled mischievously. Up close, it looked like she was very drunk. She had a disheveled appearance, quite different from her previous stoic demeanor.

“Ah! Brother!”

Seirin staggered and hugged Gregory. He supported her with a puzzled look.

“How much did you drink?”

“Just a little bit! I did. But I think it was strong. I’m a little dizzy.”

“You get drunk from just one drink.”

“Ah, right. I do, hehe.”

As Seirin laughed bashfully, Gregory shook his head.

“By the way, what did Lexion do without stopping you?”

“Ah… Lord Lexion.”

When Seirin heard the word Lexion, she had a gloomy expression on her face. After a while, she answered, pointing a finger at me.

“He couldn’t see Lady Tiarozetti. I guess he went to find you.”

After saying those words, Seirin tightly closed her eyes. Gregory shook her to wake her up.

“You can’t sleep here like this!”

“Hmm.”

Even though he said so irritated, she only let out a shallow moan. She leaned against Gregory, drooping, like a person completely dozing off.

She looked like she would fall asleep at any moment.

“Ha…”

Gregory looked up at the sky and put his hand on his forehead.

“I will find the Duke.”

It was time for me to speak coldly and take a step back.

“You were here.”

Before I knew it, Lexion was behind me.

“Ah…”

“I have been looking for you for a while.”

“I’m sorry. I left for a while…”

I apologized to him for leaving without a word.

‘I thought Seirin would have told him, but I didn’t tell him directly.’

He shook his head lightly at my apology and said sweetly.

“No, you’re back. So it’s okay.”

Then he wiped his forehead with his hand. It seemed as if he had been running for a while.

“Have you been looking for me for a long time?”

“We must have missed each other.”

Lexion nodded and answered as he cleaned the sweat on his forehead once more.

I pulled out a handkerchief from my bag and held it out, smiling. He smiled back at me as he took it.

“Thanks.”

“Aren’t you being too cheap?” Then Gregory, holding Seirin in his arms, complained.