About Your Pride and My Prejudice

Chapter 32: It Does Not Befit You

Right after I got off the carriage, I was still swimming in an anxious imagination.

It was when I opened the door of the old two-story house that I returned to reality.

“Melissa!”

Only after being enveloped in that faint warmth, familiar smell, and friendly voices.

“I’m back…..”

It was purely my fault that dinner was later than usual. Even after we sat down at the table, the already late meal was being delayed further by explaining the incident with Prince Bentley.

I didn’t want to cool the food that they had prepared with great care, but in the first place, this was an incident that was born out of a nonsensical misunderstanding. The prince sent me off and went to see Alan right away, so it’s only a one-time fluke.

So I said it as simply as possible. It’s absurd to get on the royal carriage because of the prince’s ridiculous misunderstanding.

As soon as the misunderstanding was cleared up, the barrage of questions from my mother and Mrs. Kerney ended with the words that the prince had sent me back. My mother still had a disappointing face.

“Still, Melissa, the fact that the prince remembered your name and face—”

“…….”

By sipping the soup aloud, I expressed my supreme intention not to speak of him any more. Assuming the prince will remember me, would only happen when I am Alan Leopold’s lover.

Tonight the prince will find out that I am not Alan’s lover.  I wonder if he knows the truth by now.

Suddenly, one side of my heart felt cold. I can vividly imagine how Alan Leopold’s face would look when he hears this from the Prince. Now he will definitely hate me.

But at least being hated would mean more than indifference. Melissa Collins, who had been no different from an inanimate object for Alan, at least now has some significance. So there’s nothing to be sad about.….

……No, nonsense. I am just trying to soothe myself somehow.

I became unbearably sad like a lost child. To the point where I can’t deny it.

“Do you want more soup, Mel?”

I, who was only munching on the sweet soup, nodded my head over and over again at Mrs. Kerney’s question. When I opened my mouth, I felt like I was about to burst into tears.

“By the way, the old empty house in front.”

Mrs. Kearney, who handed me a soup plate, opened her mouth as she sat down again.

“It seems that the renovation that they’ve been doing for the past few days has finally ended, but it seems that there are still no people living there. Who could it be?”

Finally, the topic has changed completely. Feeling a deep relief, I lifted my glass of water and moistened my throat.

“I don’t know.”

My mother replied in a calm manner.

“Isn’t that the nobleman who wants to spend the social season in the capital?  In the winter when there are no events, he will stay in the mansion of the estate.”

“Yes, that’s what I think…… If that’s the case, I don’t know why he bought the house now.”

I was curious what kind of person he was. Mrs. Kerney muttered as she took out the croutons and ate them. It was a story about an old house in front of our house that could be seen with the naked eye from the window.

It is understandable that Mrs. Kerney, who is an extrovert different from my mother and daughter, is curious about it. The fact that a house that no one lived in for years has finally been sold means that there is a new neighbour.

But no matter who the new neighbor was, it was good for me, as I don’t have any direct interactions. Rather, it was much more important to soothe this painful heart, which was still unable to focus on eating despite the change in the topic of conversation.

“…….”

I can’t believe I became Alan Leopold’s object of hate. I was unbearably afraid. Just thinking about it seemed like my feet were collapsing.

Until today, my existence would have been speckly insignificant to him. Perhaps that was the greatest luck I could have?

Still, he makes me immersed in all kinds of emotions without any effort. No god can do this. Even if this confession is blasphemy…….

“Mel, what are you doing? Not eating.”

“Ah, the taste…….”

“Leave it, madam. She was called to the palace out of nowhere, how tired she must be?”

“…….”

Maybe a couple of glasses of wine could help. I stretched my arms eagerly toward the bottle of wine.

* * *

The black-painted office door opened loudly. It was an instant that the quiet space became noisy.

“Friend!”

There were few people who could break into Alan Leopold’s office at will. Of all of them, only one was this loud.

Alan’s beautiful forehead was distorted.

“I heard you left the mansion. What does that mean?”

The aide who came to report the unexpected appearance of the prince hurriedly bowed down and left the room. As the door slammed shut with a click, Alan’s picturesque lips let out a cool voice.

“Bentley.”

“I’m glad you’re a perfectionist, but it was almost all in vain.”

The prince buried himself in a leather sofa in the center of the office. His attitude of leaning back with his hands behind his neck in a relaxed manner as if it was his own house was quiet natural

“…I’m sure it’s a busy time for me.”

“Ah, I won’t disturb you.”

The prince politely raised his hands.  But his arrival alone was already a huge disturbance.

“…….”

Alan lowered his neck. In the future, I think it would be better to do overtime at the villa. Would it be better to move half of the office documents to the villa as soon as the morning comes?

“At this rate, I want to leave the kingdom even tomorrow.”

“You’re not ready anyway. And even if you go to Lunoa, we’ll see each other often.”

“What are you doing in Lunoa?”

Bentley shrugged at the bored question.

“To promote friendship between the two countries? Well, there’s no end to it.”

“It’s not even funny.”

Alan replied coldly, but Bentley continued without caring at all. With his glistening golden brown eyes.

“More than that, aren’t you curious with who I met?”

Even when he saw his friend unraveling the cravat in annoyance, the prince’s face did not change.

“I don’t care what kind of woman you rolled around with—”

“Your sweetheart.”

“Ha.”

Alan, who burst into laughter, put down his pen aloud.

“I have said this over and over again. She’s a family.”

Monica seemed to have returned to Sorne in the meantime. How long has it been since I forcibly sent her back to the Principality? His long, straight fingers rested on her sculptural white, straight forehead.

“If you’re here to talk nonsense,”

“Nonsense? I don’t think so”

The hand that touched the eyelids stopped moving when the prince suddenly stood up and said out a name.

“Melissa Collins.”

“… What?”

Bentley took a leisurely step in front of the desk where his old friend sat.

“I met Melissa Collins, Alan.”

Then, he fully appreciated his fair, beautiful face hardening. As if observing very good art, with arms folded leisurely.

“…….”

After a brief silence, the icy blue-gray gaze that had stopped on the document slowly lifted.

The prince swallowed his breath at the sharp light flashing under the black eyelashes.

“Did you touch her?”

A low-pitched sound as cold as a knife pierced his eardrums. Bentley took a trembling step back and rambled,

“It’s thanks to me. You got involved with her. If I hadn’t ordered you to dance with the woman who dropped the letter…”

“Answer me.”

From the time he entered the office, he could tell at once that Alan was on edge. But since Alan wasn’t the sensitive type, he didn’t think it was a big deal.

But the energy that comes out of him today is close to…….

“Did you touch Melissa Collins?”

It was close to a murderous threatening aura.

“N, no! Of course not!”

It was better not to mention touching Melissa Collins’ hair. He didn’t know it would feel so fortunate that he didn’t reach out to her more than that.

“I had no bad intentions! I was just curious about your lover. You never wanted to show me first.”

“…….”

Alan, who stood up silently, faced Bentley with his desk in between. It was a cool face like the moon.

“I-I told you my secret!”

The prince continued in dismay.

“If you dress up and walk around the city, it will help you breathe.….”

“…….”

“You didn’t even listen to it then, but now you put it into action…… because of a woman……!”

With a light sigh, low-lying eyes hid inside the pale eyelids.

“Did you send someone?”

“Sir Alan, I—”

“Stop it, whatever it is.”

It was then that the owner of the office opened his eyes and looked at the man standing in front of him.

“She’s not my lover.”

“No? Then.….”

“Not yet.”

At that short word, the prince’s eyes opened wide into question. Either way, Alan turned and walked neatly, picking up a black coat hanging from the corner of his office, and added.

“Is the carriage down there?”

“What are you going to do? Mate, I don’t think she has feelings for—”

“Your Highness.”

Bentley, who was approaching Alan, stopped. The scent of cigar, wet soil, and dense wild rose were smelled one after another.

“I don’t want to harm the royal family.”

A straight, but strangely overbearing tone.  It was definitely a warning.

“……You acted like you weren’t interested in women, but what are you going to do with that shabby woman?”

“…….”

“Are you fooling me unilaterally….”

The prince’s murmur could no longer continue and was swallowed.

“You know, Bentley. There are countless ways to strangle you.”

“Sir Alan. You must be mistaken…… I’m the only one in the kingdom—-!”

Alan laughed slowly.

“—Who is a Prince, yes. How can I not know that?”

The way he looked back at an old friend with his coat on his arm was unattractively elegant.  The elegant lips were curved as if painted.

“Your Highness, humble prince who will hand over the throne to the first royal daughter and wash only his fingers.*”

(T/N: a Korean idiom meaning, a person who narrowly missed the chance to become something/achieve)

Alan’s lips were smiling as he bowed his head politely.  But when he finally raised his eyes, his face was as chilly as a cold night.

“Get rid of all the things you put on Melissa Collins.”

“…….”

“It’s a waste of manpower for someone who’s about to disappear.”

“I…”

Bentley had never fully read Alan Leopold’s mind for a single moment. But this was the peak.

Is it an illusion that even Alan himself seems to be lost somewhere?

“B-buddy, just in case…….”

“…….”

“Dangerous thoughts…….”

There was no end to his questions, but the cold gaze of the man of achromatic color loosened his whole body. A sense of pressure as if he was getting strangled. Maybe something dangerous will happen.

However, the prince could only lick his lips with a bewildered look on his face.

“What, haaa ….”

Soon Bentley scattered his golden hair. As if he didn’t know anymore.

“……I don’t know.”

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“Yes, stop caring about the shabby things.”

Because it does not befit you. Like you. With a light smile, Alan tapped Bentley on his left shoulder twice and left the office without looking back.

The golden epaulettes trembled over his shoulders, where his black leather gloves had rested.

“…….”

It was chilly for some reason.