Panting for breath, he spat on Enochâs face and went back.
Enoch rose to his feet, enduring pain. A giggle of laughter burst from place to place around him.
He was more proud than anyone else. It would be a lie to say that he was not angry, but he didnât want to show his feelings to them. He calmly wiped his saliva, dusted off his clothes, straightened his back and wais, and walked to do his duties.
***
Perhaps her shock was great, but for a while, Aran didnât look for him. It was a good thing. It was better to hear mockery that the string of her infatuation with him had fallen off than to be called in front of the princess and meet her eyes full of sympathy. He didnât want to show her his swollen cheeks, but as her silence lengthened, strange thoughts began to creep in little by little.
She was clinging onto him, claiming that she liked him, but maybe this was the extent of her love after all.
It occurred to him that he mightâve become a slave. If he knew this would happen, he wouldâve been a little more obedient. It was what heâd been doing ever since they got engaged anyway.
A few more days later, when the scar on his cheek was almost healed, the rumor that the princess had abandoned Enoch became almost a fact full truth. James was by far the happiest. James and his group blocked Enoch from entering the dining hall at lunchtime.
âThereâs been a strange rumor going around these days. Did you hear about it?â
âI donât know what youâre talking about.â
James grinned. âThis is no time for you to pretend to be haughty. Thereâs a rumor going around that youâre not in a good position with the princess, s your neckâs on the line just like your dead parents.â
Flame flew into Enochâs eyes. James, who had not seen it because he was cooing and booing with the crowd, took a confident step forward.
âWhat? Donât touch your face? But what do I do? I think thereâs no one left to look at that pretty face of yours now.â
Jamesâ gang burst into laughter and surrounded Enoch. They quickly rushed in and bound his limbs up. James wasted no time and delivered a blow to Enochâs stomach.
The wound on his face was almost healed, but his badly beaten body had not healed yet, so Enoch almost screamed. Without missing a moment, James rushed in again. This time he aimed for his face.
âNow Iâll crush your jaw and no one will care!â
Enoch clenched his teeth. Shaking off the grip of the servants holding him, he raised his arm to block Jamesâ fist. Then, suddenly, the inside of the dining hall became quiet.
âWhat are you doing?â
The gray-haired Grand Chamberlain of the inner Imperial Palace entered the dining hall. Neither James nor Enoch stopped fighting. Seeing the two of them, he frowned.
âHer Imperial Highness is looking for you, Enoch.â
Enoch shook off Jamesâ hand. The latter gritted his teeth in anger, but he could not make a disturbance in the Grand Chamberlainâs presence.
âSee you later,â James whispered.
Enoch ignored him and followed the Grand Chamberlain to see the princess.
The princess indeed sent the Grand Chamberlain at the right time. He had not much affection for his dead parents. That was not to say that he could even watch them rise and fall in the mouth of garbage like James. But if he had touched James, everything he had endured would have been in vain. For the first time, the princess was helpful to him.