Chapter 103

Author: alyalia

“Engagement?!”

Cersinia and May shouted at the same time in surprise. Verne nodded, blushing shyly like a girl who fell in love for the first time.

“Yes… that’s what happened.”

A ring studded with large diamonds was placed on her fingers neatly on her knees. A ring that boldly reveals the dignity of the Crown Prince’s fiancée.

“Haha…”

Cersinia burst into laughter.

‘I never thought his personality is like a bulldozer.’

Limapheus had no hesitation in anything. Cersinia, mesmerized by the suddenly rapid progress, pressed down her temple and looked at Verne.

“Will you be okay?”

She was already worried about Verne. Of course, same with the original story, Verne will be the Crown Princess. However, it wouldn’t be that easy because she would suffer hardships along the way.

When Verne marries the Crown Prince, the original story will be over. If that happened, all the events that she had been anxious about so far would end, and she had a prediction that she would be able to live a more peaceful life than now.

That’s why Cersinia always hoped that Verne would connect with the Crown Prince. But she couldn’t just hope for it now. Because she knew that her road would be full of thorns. As a person who had already walked on the thorny path, she couldn’t help but worry about Verne.

Cersinia remembered the Emperor’s eyes, who disapproved of her as the partner of the Grand Duke. The Emperor openly expressed his dissatisfaction with the fact that his nephew’s partner, who is not even his child, is a commoner, but how could he welcome Verne as his child’s partner? The nobles will strongly oppose it, and Verne will feel lonely as if she was floating alone in the open sea even though Limapheus is by her side. Unlike Cersinia, no one except  Limapheus will be on her side in the Imperial Palace.

“Lady Cersinia.”

“Yes.”

“Do you believe in fate?”

To Verne’s question, Cersinia nodded her head without hesitation and replied that she believed it. It was fate from the moment she and Ben were intertwined. Ben was a person she should never face, but she came across him and fell in love beyond what she faced. It was also a fate that she was able to give him a name, who had to live in someone else’s name.

“I also believe Your Highness is my destiny too. No, I think it’s a fate that’s been decided since I was born.”

Cersinia stared at Verne silently. She knows why Verne feels Limapheus is her fate. Because the two of them are intertwined like fate in the original story.

“Is that so? I hope you’re happy wherever you are.”

She spoke with sincerity. Feeling that sincerity, Verne drew a smile.

“Your Highness is coming to pick me up in a week. He said he wanted to express his gratitude to Lady Cersinia. Still, he had to go back for today, so he would stop  by tomorrow.”

“When did Your Highness the Crown Prince… Am I the only one who didn’t know about it?

May opened her eyes to a sense of betrayal and glanced at the two.

“I’m sorry, May. I couldn’t say it because I thought it was just my own feelings.”

Verne held May’s hand and spoke kindly.

May looked at Verne with a pouty face and quickly relaxed her face and smiled mischievously.

“Then, Verne is the Crown Princess-to-be, right? Ah, now we should call her Crown Princess, right?”

“No! It’s not yet. Please call me Verne as comfortable as we’re now.”

Verne waved her hand in embarrassment. May hesitated, scratched her cheek, then nodded her head reluctantly as Verne stubbornly refused.

“Verne, is there anything you wanted before you left? You won’t be free to leave when you enter the palace, so do what you want to do. I will help you.”

Verne was troubled by Cersinia’s question. May also twinkled her eyes, waiting for Verne’s lips to open.

“There are many things I want to do…”

As Cersinia was organizing her thoughts, Verne hesitated because there were so many lists she wanted to do. When Cersinia said it was okay with her generous eyes, then Verne’s mouth opened.

“I want to try all kinds of food sold on the street. While walking, I want to stop by a pretty general store and look at cute items, and…”

Verne was talking with a bright face just thinking about it, blurred the end of her words, and looked at Cersinia’s eyes.

“And?”

“And…”

“Anything is fine. What is it?”

“I want to talk all night before I leave.”

“You mean you want to have a girl’s talk?”

“Yes, between us… I didn’t have a friend, so I have never done it once.”

There was a moment of silence between the three. Verne, who sensed the solemn atmosphere, quickly opened her mouth again.

“Ah, I shouldn’t have said that… No, it doesn’t matter if we don’t do that…!”

“Let’s do it.”

At Cersinia’s reply, Verne’s eyes widened.

“Do everything without regret. It’s not even hard things to do.”

“That’s right! Those things could be done for today.”

As May helped, Verne’s eyes were wet.

“I’m lucky to have met Lady Cersinia and May.”

Wiggling her fingers, Verne whispered in a quiet voice.

“I will never forget you two for the rest of my life…”

There were deep emotions in her trembling voice.

“Huh? Verne, you know you shouldn’t cry while laughing, right?”

May was so sad about the upcoming parting that she felt like she was about to cry, so she raised her voice for nothing.

“Pardon? No! I’m not crying!”

Verne, whose ears turned red, raised her head.

Cersinia grinned at the two. It wasn’t about laughing and crying, but what does that matter? It’s just having fun right now. The three chatted as much as they could, deciding what to do before Verne went into the Imperial Palace.

Verne was choked by the parting away for a moment, but she tried to comfort herself with a bright smile. Parting meant a new beginning, and they will surely meet again.

“Hmm, is that so?”

Roena, who had been eavesdropping on everything through the small open door, moved her steps with a smile on her face.

* * *

“Did you have a good story?”

Ben, who finally monopolized Cersinia, whispered, putting his lips down on her shoulder. She didn’t know how hard he was waiting for her, who was busy all day long. However, he couldn’t force her to come while she looked happy, so all he could do was just wait calmly.

“I think Verne will enter the Imperial palace soon.”

“Is that so?” He answered formally.

In fact, Ben had no questions about Verne. There was only one thing he was curious about. It was everything about Cersinia. What she did today, what happened to her, and what she thought. He just wanted to know only about her.

“Aren’t you curious?”

Cersinia turned around and looked at him, feeling obligated to tell him, unlike usual.

Ben lowered his lips as he looked at Cersinia’s lovely eyes. His lips touched Cersinia’s cheek and fell.

“I’m not interested in anyone else.”

His arms wrapped around her waist.

“Cersinia, don’t you know?”

A burning passion was blazing in his dark eyes.

“What?”

She seemed to know what he was saying, but she pretended not to know. Because the confession she heard from his mouth always made her heart race.

“All I’m curious about, all I want, is you, Cersinia, as always.”

When the expected answer came out, she smiled softly and lifted her heel. There was a chu sound. The lips that touched his lips fell off.

“I know. The same goes for me.”

Ben hurriedly lowered his head toward her lips in response to the stimulus. However, Cersinia quickly escaped from his arms and smiled.

“…”

As the warmth suddenly disappeared from his arms, Ben’s eyes were empty. Seeing that, Cersinia grinned and opened her mouth.

“I’ll go wash up.”

Knowing that if she allowed him to kiss her, a long night would be waiting for her, so Cersinia hurriedly ran to the bathroom. Even though she already said she was hit by the dirt from the wind in the afternoon, Ben couldn’t care less. However, she couldn’t take a few steps and had no choice but to stop walking. Cersinia turned her body at the sound of footsteps coming from behind her.

“Ben, why are you following me?”

She looked up at him, who was close and asked bluntly.

“It meant to wash up together.”

Ben responded naturally and hugged her back with one arm again. Her light body suddenly fell into his arms.

“What are you talking about?”

“Isn’t it true?”

The curled-up corners of her lips were smirking. Seeing him, who is now good at making such bold words, Cersinia held back the laughter that leaked out of her unconsciously.

“No.”

She strongly denied it and lowered the arms that grabbed her waist.

“Can’t we?”

The sunken eyes came back to life.

“Of course n—”

She certainly tried to finish the sentence she was going to say… but she had no choice but to open her mouth in astonishment. Because Ben was unbuttoning the shirt he was wearing with a seductive smile that anyone would fall for. His smooth muscles were exposed through his loose shirt with his unstoppable movements.

Ben persistently stared at her and raised his hand to caress her earlobe hidden behind her long hair. Cersinia squinted at the dizzying stimulus that gave goosebumps to the back of her neck.

“You…”

Ben knew her too well. She had been thinking about it for a long time, but she was always lost for his face. The reason she accepted his request to sleep while holding hands is only because his face is her weakness. But at some point, Ben knew about it and seduces her in this way.

“Can’t we?” He asked once again.

His long hand came down from her ear, swept the back of her neck, and touched the buttons of her dress.

“Cersinia.” A voice hotter than any other flame tickled her ear.

“All right.”

When Cersinia smiled softly and gave permission, she let his hands unbutton her dress without hesitation. After releasing all the buttons that had been meticulously tied to her waist, Ben lowered the shoulder strap with his bare hands. The dress glided down her body.

Tuk. 

With the sound of a dress falling on the floor, he hugged her and headed to the bathroom, kissing her. It was the beginning of another deep night.