When I laughed, he laughed with me. His very young and gentle looking face really shows off its beauty when he smiles. Her rosy cheeks and red lips draw a beautiful curve.
“Yeah.”
At that moment, something suddenly occurred.
The memory that just appeared was a bit strange. Those lips…
“Ah ah.”
Once I remembered, the strange thoughts that I had tried to push to the back of my memory began to appear one after another. That's right, when I fell into the water and lost consciousness...
I have absolutely no memory of the moment Cesar picked me out of the water. However, the memory after I got out of the water was terrifyingly clear.
At that time, after Cesar and I got out of the country, we, that is… we did that… thing, right?
That lip-to-lip action, right?
“Uh huh huh?”
Extremely embarrassed, a strange sound suddenly burst out of my throat. My body twisted, and a rush of heat rushed to my cheeks.
“Ren, what's wrong with you?”
Seeing that I was unusual, Cesar quickly asked. But I couldn't look him in the face anymore.
Because, just by looking up, Cesar's beautiful lips came into my sight.
That, those lips touched mine, why did I forget this?
“… Ugh.”
No, it's not. I am currently falling into a false and misleading illusion. I suddenly remembered what I had read in a book. There is an act of rescuing a drowning person by blowing breath directly into their mouth.
"Yes, that's right. Treatment, treatment..."
Cesar smiled brightly.
“Yes, it has been treated.”
At that time, I was really facing the risk of death, and our clever Prince did it to save me.
Even when examining a doctor, unavoidable contact cannot be avoided. This is a similar argument. I'm trying desperately to believe it.
Tsk, a soft feeling touched my cheek, it was the familiar feeling of his lips. This action was just a continuation of him kissing me on the cheek every day, but for some reason I was much more nervous than usual.
But the truth is, when I'm hugged like this, my heart becomes calmer.
I closed my eyes, took a deep breath. It feels like the chaotic dark clouds in my mind, caused by Mercedes and Giovinetta, are gradually disappearing, making my heart feel at peace.
“Cesar, thank you.”
“Um.”
“For saving me.”
I also remembered that this is not the time to just feel embarrassed. The person who saved me was none other than him. Then, Cesar pressed his face close to mine.
“Me too.”
He's now quite adept at asking for what he wants. The way he clearly showed his cheeks.
But I couldn't ignore the hungry eyes staring at my face. My throat was as dry as if it was on fire. It's just a kiss on the cheek, nothing to be nervous about. Besides, that's what we do every day.
But my muscles were tense against my will. I hastily imprinted on his cheek twice, like making a seal with my lips. The gentle sound of skin touching each other rang out, once on the left, once on the right.
Cesar smiled brightly. Seeing that scene, I felt numbness in my fingers and toes. It's like putting a bag of warm water in a place that's frozen because of the cold in the middle of winter.
In that warm embrace, I thought deeply for a long time. How to solve all these problems.
Soon, a great idea came up.
“Looks like I should make a plan.”
"Plan?"
"Yes, it surprised everyone. What do you think?"
“It's nice to be surprised!”
We looked at each other and smiled somewhat mischievously. I stroked Cesar's hair and smiled.
Elda's body was found three days after Prince Concubine I accidentally fell into the lake.
She was discovered with blood pouring out of her mouth for unknown reasons. There were dozens of silver coins spilled around, but when the Security Captain arrived, the curious people picked it all up, and nothing remained.
Normally, when someone dies unusually in the Royal Palace, an investigation must be conducted. However, Elda was a lowly person with no relatives, so no investigative measures were taken.
The body was placed on a cart with the trash at dawn and dumped outside the citadel. Only the one Rosentaria silver coin that she clutched in her palm as she died could not be retrieved, no matter how many men tried their best. But as soon as her body was thrown outside the city, a passing beggar cut off her finger to take it away.
The cause of Elda's death was ultimately attributed to the 'Curse', and the matter was handled as such.
After falling into the lake, Prince Concubine I went on a hunger strike and did not step out of his room for a week.
Everyone in the Royal Palace whispered about this event. They said in unison: this is the action of the curse.
“Finally, the curse has been fulfilled.”
"I thought this time the Prince Concubine had the blood of the Great Wizard, so he would be able to stop the curse..."
Every time something happens, the curse becomes the answer to everything. It's all because the First Prince was cursed, so people keep dying like that.
Not long after that, Giovinetta came to I. That was Celestina's order. She was suspicious about the whereabouts of I, who hadn't gone out for many days, so she sent her to personally investigate.
'That girl I keeps quiet, which makes me feel strange. I'll go see what's going on. Said he came to visit the sick.'
'That girl is not someone who is easily subdued, Mom? It knows how to take care of itself.'
'If I tell you to go, do it right away, don't say too much.'
That imposed order made Giovinetta angry and in a bad mood right from early morning. As a result, Martha, Giovinetta's close maid, had to be nervous all day.
“Why do we have to go see if it's still alive?”
“Yes, because if the youngest lady has foolish intentions, it will affect our whole family…”
This is the worry that if I commit suicide, the suicide's family will also be at risk of being shunned.
"Martha, you don't understand. How stubborn I am. He absolutely wouldn't kill himself."
Martha picked out a few elegant and calm outfits from Giovinetta's wardrobe. But none of them satisfied her.
Then, as if suddenly realizing something, she stood up and chose her own clothes.
“Choose this set.”
Seeing that outfit, Martha shivered and quickly crossed herself.
“But miss, this outfit is against the rules…”
Seeing Martha stutter, Giovinetta glared.
"If the master says to do it, do it. Why bother?"
The maid could be slapped on the cheek by her hot-tempered mistress at any moment. So, Martha quickly bowed and lowered her voice:
“Yes, yes, my lady.”
In the end, out of fear of her mistress, Martha had to comply. Even though she didn't want to, she still wore that outfit for her mistress and put on makeup.
So, Giovinetta arrived at Luc Ngoc Palace, where I lived, around noon.
Entering Luc Ngoc Palace, she snorted because she still saw this as a dark and shabby place. That kind of garden that isn't taken care of anymore.
When Giovinetta arrived, Delfina, whom she had met before, came down and welcomed them with an awkward expression.
"What's so big about slipping and falling into the lake that you have to bury yourself in your room for several days?"
Delfina glanced up and down at Giovinetta's appearance, then quickly bowed her head and replied:
“But His Royal Highness the Royal Highness…”
“Tell your boss that your sister is coming to visit, and tell her to come out and receive guests immediately.”
“Ah, yes.”
Delfina awkwardly stepped back and disappeared to call I. When Giovinetta's patience was almost exhausted, she returned with a message:
“His Royal Highness the Royal Highness said he did not meet anyone.”
At that moment, Giovinetta felt insulted and annoyed, but then felt strange. Because she is not someone who gives up so easily.
“He is not such an obedient child.”
That I is stubborn and refuses to lose. Martha, standing next to her, added softly:
"Maybe it's because she just escaped death that's why she's like that? What, isn't it like she almost drowned?"
“Maybe?”
Looking back, what Martha said makes sense. I had no one to rely on and returned alone to become a bride at the Royal Palace, so perhaps I was weak-hearted.
Seeing me so pathetic and hopeless, Giovinetta felt happy because she was no longer a threat. But she hid her smile and told Delfina:
"Anyway, my biological sister came to visit in person, so why would she entertain me like this? I can't ignore my sister's disrespectful attitude. My mother is very worried about I, so I have to meet her to go."
As Giovinetta insisted, Delfina had no other choice. Finally, she led them to the bedroom.
Giovinetta personally knocked on Prince Concubine's bedroom door, but there was no answer from inside.