Chapter 91
“Don’t you think it’s because I’m worried about you, because I don’t like seeing you struggle?”
“…Pardon?”
What did I just hear?
Alice blinked slowly.
He’s worried about me… He just said he doesn’t like seeing me struggle, didn’t he?
So the reason Kylus was angry was because… he doesn’t like seeing me struggle?
…Why?
No matter how much Alice racked her brain, she couldn’t find any other meaning in his words.
He had thrown a straightforward pitch that couldn’t be misunderstood.
She now understood well that he wasn’t a narrow-minded man, nor did he harbor any improper possessiveness over her holy power.
There were no more uncomfortable issues for him.
The misunderstanding had been resolved, only to be passed on to Alice.
Alice rolled her eyes at the emotion welling up inside her.
It wasn’t the remnants of anger that had briefly surged due to misunderstanding him.
This was, well… similar to the feeling when Kylus had put the diamond ring on her finger.
A warmth that gradually rose and enveloped her heart.
Oh no. This is dangerous.
Alice tried to suppress the rising emotion.
While trying to avoid his mesmerizing gaze,
But Alice couldn’t even attempt to avoid his eyes.
Because Kylus suddenly grabbed her chin.
As if telling her not to avoid him, Kylus lifted her half-lowered chin.
Alice had no choice but to stare directly into the black eyes she had wanted to avoid.
At that moment, Kylus’s red lips parted.
“I told you earlier, didn’t I? That you’re more precious to me than the Third Prince.”
‘You are more important to me than the Third Prince.’
“Precious…”
The word “important” that he had used earlier changed to a word perfect for making Alice’s heart tremble, piercing her ears.
Finally, the heat she couldn’t suppress rose from her heart to her head.
With that face, saying such things… what am I supposed to do?
Her heart, already wavering towards him, began to shake violently.
As if it would burst her head.
Alice couldn’t take her eyes off Kylus, as if enchanted. Until his black eyes deepened and hot emotions rippled through them.
Thus, Alice and Kylus stared at each other.
At that moment, Kylus’s hand holding her chin tightened.
And slowly, Kylus’s face drew closer to hers.
As if… he was going to kiss her.
A bedroom with just the two of them, an atmosphere that had strangely heated up.
Everything was perfect.
To the point where it wouldn’t be strange if she kissed those plump lips right now.
Dizzyingly so.
So Alice acted.
Just before Kylus’s face reached right in front of her, thud.
She threw herself back onto the bed.
“…?”
Kylus looked at his empty hand and then gazed down at her lying on the bed with an incredulous look.
She knew it was quite a shocking action even to herself, but she couldn’t help it.
If she had stayed as she was… something that shouldn’t happen was about to happen.
Kylus might be able to end it with one impulse, but if Alice started… she wasn’t confident she could stop.
She would have gone all the way.
So she shouldn’t even start.
Instead of answering Kylus, who was staring at her, Alice quickly moved and burrowed under the blanket.
She laid her head on the pillow and pulled the blanket up to her neck.
“…Alice?”
And she spoke to Kylus, who seemed a bit dazed.
“…I suddenly felt dizzy. I think I should rest as you said, Your Grace.”
“…”
“Thank you for bringing me here. But, Your Grace, I’d be even more grateful if you could dim the magic lamp on your way out.”
As if the atmosphere from just a moment ago had been a lie, Alice shamelessly gave Kylus a faint smile.
Ha. Kylus let out a short, incredulous laugh, as if finding this situation utterly ridiculous.
Even she found her own shamelessness unbelievable, so how much more so for Kylus?
But Alice pretended not to notice and pulled the blanket up to her mouth.
Kylus ran his hand through his hair as he looked at her.
That gesture was so sexy that Alice thought it was fortunate she had half-covered her face with the blanket.
Otherwise, he would have caught her twitching lips.
“Alright then. Have a good night.”
With a slight smile, he dimmed the magic lamp and neatly left her bedroom.
And finally, when the door closed completely.
Alice lowered the blanket that had been covering half her face.
“He said I’m precious… I must be crazy, really.”
I’m crazy, I’m crazy.
Even as she muttered this, Alice finally buried her face in the pillow with a squeak as her cheeks kept burning up.
* * *
Click-
Kylus, who had just left Alice’s bedroom, stared at the closed door for a moment.
Then he smiled, amused.
No matter how much he thought about it, or rather, the more he thought about it, he couldn’t help but laugh.
Because Alice was too cute.
Who would have thought she’d lie down on the bed at that moment?
As he always felt, Alice was a woman who always exceeded his expectations.
It had been a perfect moment.
Alice’s gaze focused on him, her tense breathing, and the heat that had clouded her golden eyes.
Alice had been completely falling for him.
So really, he had no idea she would run away right in front of his nose.
No, to begin with, how many people would have had the same experience as him?
Right before a kiss, the other person ran away.
And in such a way as to flop down onto the bed.
He was probably the only one to have had such a novel experience.
Despite having seen and heard quite a lot in his life, Alice always managed to surprise him.
With actions that couldn’t be predicted.
That’s probably why he couldn’t take his eyes off her.
Kylus smiled as he recalled Alice flopping down onto the bed.
Some might call it rude, but Kylus wasn’t angry with Alice at all.
He was just a bit dumbfounded.
Alice lying on the bed looking up at him was just cute.
Especially the way she blinked her golden eyes with the blanket pulled up high was even lovable.
Looking up at him with her guard fully up, like a rabbit with its ears pricked, how could he be upset?
Anyone, not just him, would have fallen for Alice.
Ah, of course, there’s absolutely no chance of anyone other than him seeing her like that.
Kylus finally turned away from the door.
As if he had been waiting, Rhonda spoke.
“Seeing Your Grace’s face… it seems the Lady has recovered.”
“She’s fine.”
Rhonda looked at the smile that wouldn’t leave Kylus’s lips, then glanced at the closed bedroom door.
What could have happened in there?
Until Kylus had carried Alice into the bedroom, Rhonda had been quite tense.
Because Kylus’s mood had seemed ominous.
But now, Kylus’s mood had completely relaxed.
To the point where he didn’t seem like the lord Rhonda usually knew.
‘His Grace is sincere towards the Duchess.’
For some reason, Tessiri’s words before he was assigned as the Duchess’s guard came to mind.
He already knew this from what he had heard, but it was still surprising to see Kylus smiling while thinking of someone.
To think he would see his lord like this.
Just as Rhonda was looking at Kylus with wonder, Kylus, who had composed his expression, stared at Rhonda.
Rhonda hurriedly lowered his gaze at the black eyes that met his directly.
But above Rhonda’s head, the sound of Kylus clicking his tongue, as if he knew everything, rang out.
“Has the night guard not arrived yet?”
“They should arrive soon. More importantly, Your Grace, a servant came earlier to inform us that His Highness the Third Prince has regained consciousness.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. And His Highness said he wished to see you.”
“He wants to see me…”
A strange light flickered in Kylus’s eyes.
Perhaps he hadn’t come to the duchy just to save a dying dog.
Kylus hadn’t seen the Third Prince’s condition before he collapsed. Therefore, he didn’t know exactly what the prince had said to Alice.
But for him to ask for Kylus, not Alice, as soon as he woke up…
Kylus recalled the Third Prince’s condition again.
The vivid stab wound near the shoulder blade. He had clearly been attacked by someone.
Sienna had said the Third Prince had returned to the palace early, so the prince’s wound must have occurred in the palace.
And no matter how abandoned a prince he was, as long as he was a prince, not just anyone could attack his body.
If there was someone in the palace who could swing a sword so ruthlessly… there was only one bastard.
“…It seems he has faced a moment he can no longer avoid.”
The smile had completely disappeared from Kylus’s face by now.
Kylus headed towards the Third Prince with a hardened expression.
To hear the decision the Third Prince must have made.
* * *
In an inexplicable mist that filled the entire room.
Alice was sitting on the bed.
Alice blinked slowly as she looked at the white mist obscuring her vision.
To figure out where she was.
But before Alice could properly assess the situation, the mist that had surrounded her vision disappeared.
Immediately after, someone’s hand wrapped around her waist as if it had been waiting. The firm, large hand pulled her body in.
Alice’s body fell backwards and soon lay on the soft bed.
Just as she smiled at the soft sensation. A large shadow fell over Alice.
