Pride and Sanctimony

Chapter 12

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Without a thought in her head, she reached out and grabbed the dog. She didn’t even think about whether she’d have time to actually save him or if the situation was too dangerous for her to intervene.

Seeing her rush out and then noticing the oncoming carriage, Lexus grit his teeth and ran. He held out his hand, reaching and pulling Valentia into his arms, throwing them both onto the ground.

The carriage narrowly zipped past them as they safely rolled to the side. The incident was so sudden and loud that the people gathered at the station started buzzing.

Shifting on the ground, Lexus looked down at the woman in his arms.

At least she seemed to be okay. There were no major injuries from what he could tell. But the second he confirmed she was alright, Lexus felt a late sense of anger wash over him.

What the hell was she thinking, jumping in front of a carriage like that!?

No one would do something stupid like that unless they had a death wish. He’d never been so shocked in his life before.

[Lexus] “Are you crazy!? What, were you planning on dying for this dog!?”

But the puppy being held by the woman couldn’t shout back. All it could do was bark.

[Valentia] “Ah……..Prince?”

[Lexus] “Are you seriously out of your mind, jumping in front of a carriage for a dog?”

Valentia looked down at the puppy in her arms. The puppy jumped up, barking and stamping his little feet.

As soon as she saw the dog running in front of the oncoming carriage, her mind went blank. She didn’t even realize what she had done until she was holding the dog in her arms, her ears being filled with the terrible sound of the carriage wheels getting closer.

Once the carriage got louder, she just closed her eyes. But that was when she felt something powerful wrapping itself around her and hugging her tightly. Then there was the sensation of her body being rolled a few times, and then she felt like she was floating. But she didn’t feel any pain.

Though, she didn’t think it would be the Prince who had grabbed her and rolled her to the side.

[Valentia] “You’re hurting me, Your Highness.”

Valentia muttered in a daze.

[Lexus] “What?”

He had his incredibly strong hands on her shoulders, and he was keeping her tightly in his grasp. At Valentia’s words, Lexus sighed, finally relaxing his hands.

[Valentia] “You saved me.”

[Lexus] “I just didn’t want to see someone get hit by a carriage.”

Valentia looked up at the Prince once more. He had bright and clear blond hair, with a handsome face no different from a painting. He was bright and brilliant, a vision of a nobleman.

However, the only noble thing about him was his position and the circumstances of his birth. She did not consider his character to be a noble one at all. Even before she met him properly, she thought he was not a good person.

He held no qualms about hurling verbal abuses at others and didn’t spare a glance at the hearts of those who loved him sincerely. Not for even a moment did she think such a man would throw himself into danger for another person.

He wasn’t speaking particularly kindly about it, but someone who’d just saved her life like that…..she was struggling to imagine someone truly awful doing that.

[Lexus] “Stand up. Tch.”

[Valentia] “A, are you hurt?”

[Lexus] “Yeah, looks like it.”

It was probably the result of the tumble they took across the ground, but the back of his smooth and fine hands were all torn up.

His hands were slender, casting clear lines where his joints met his fingers, but seeing the blood form across such elegance only spoke to how painful the sting must’ve been. And it was probably even more painful because of the dirt.

[Valentia] “W, what should we do? Does it hurt a lot?”

[Lexus] “If something like this were enough to hurt me, wouldn’t that make me super weak?”

He spoke of his injury so casually, so Valentia wasn’t really sure what to say.

[Lexus] “Were you hurt anywhere, Miss Valentia?”

[Valentia] “No. I’m alright thanks to you……but that’s not the problem. Are you hurt anywhere else?”

[Lexus] “Everything’s good. You threw your stuff, right? I’ll get it.”

Lexus stood up, walking across the street and picking up Valentia’s bag that she had thrown to the side. Seeing him get it and bring it back to her made her feel even heavier.

She took the bag from him, murmuring out her thanks. As her eyes swept over the wound on his hand, the image burned into her vision.

[Valentia] “You need to clean your wound. I’ll bring some water.”

[Lexus] “That’s not necessary. We’ll go together.”

They walked to a nearby water tap, pulling up some clear water and pouring it over Lexus’ hands. He rubbed his pale hands over his wounds, sweeping away the blood and dirt. 

It looked rather deep as well, so it must’ve been painful, but he cleaned his hands without changing his expression.

[Valentia] “It would be for the best if you showed this to the doctor at the Imperial Palace, just in case.”

[Lexus] “What’s up with that, I’m not seriously injured. More importantly, is that your dog? Did you raise it?”

Lexus glanced down as he asked. The dog followed them to the water tap, hovering around their feet. Valentia looked down at the puppy, staying perfectly still.

[Valentia] “No. It’s just a stray.”

[Lexus] “So why jump in front of a carriage for a dog that isn’t yours?”

[Valentia] “I don’t know.”

[Lexus] “You don’t know?”

[Valentia] “That dog’s mother died after being hit by a carriage.”

[Lexus] “Ah…. I see.”

[Valentia] “I think it would be better to bind that wound with a handkerchief.”

Valentia took her handkerchief out of her bag. She felt him glance down at it, so she quickly spoke an excuse.

[Valentia] “It’s clean. I didn’t use it today.”

[Lexus] “No, that’s not it. I just remember how you threw my handkerchief in my face.”

[Valentia] “And when you say that, you remind me of the awful things you said to me.”

He gave a subtle smile.

[Lexus] “I’m sorry about that. Are you going to bind my wound with your handkerchief now?”

She didn’t like how relaxed he was acting, but this was the least she could do for a man who got injured while trying to save her. 

Valentia unfolded her handkerchief, wrapping it around the back of his hand.

[Valentia] “So why did you say that?”

[Lexus] “What do you mean?”

[Valentia] “All I wanted was to return your handkerchief. I didn’t expect to be met with such terrible words.”

[Lexus] “I’ll answer your question with a question. Why did you use my handkerchief like you wanted other people to see it?”

He was still in disbelief at the fact she so proudly put his handkerchief on display like that.

[Valentia] “What are you talking about?”

[Lexus] “I heard you used my handkerchief during your lecture.”

[Valentia] “What? I never once used your handkerchief…..Ah.”

Only then did Valentia seem to grasp the situation.

She had shoved his handkerchief on top of her own since she was in a rush at the time, and because of that, when she went to reach for her own, she must’ve used his by mistake.

[Valentia] “You may not believe me, but that wasn’t on purpose.”

[Lexus] “Don’t worry, I believe you.”

When she said she’d simply picked up something and accidentally used it thinking it was her own, he knew it couldn’t be a lie. If she had done that to appeal to him or to attract him, throwing his handkerchief at him and then slapping him in the face would be a strange escalation.

She definitely would not have made the mistake of catching the Imperial family’s attention by doing something that could be considered an insult and violence against a royal.

So what she did was very impressive actually. As a royal, his body was considered very precious and he’d never been beaten by anyone except for his older brother’s playful jabs.

[Lexus] “But why is this little guy still here?”

Lexus looked down at the dog.

[Valentia] “Oh, he must be hungry.”

Valentia took out a small paper bag containing some food, spreading it out.

Seeing him so excitedly eat with his entire face stuck in the food, she felt a little sorry and a tad bit frustrated. Because of this little one, she nearly died and the Imperial Prince was injured, but he seemed so at peace right now.

[Lexus] “Why don’t you give him a little pat? His tail might just fall off at this rate if you don’t.”

And all while he ate this food, his tail kept fluttering back and forth excitedly.

[Valentia] “I can’t.”

Valentia clenched her fist.

[Lexus] “Why not?”

[Valentia] “If one cannot take responsibility for something, then it’s better not to reach out at all.”

[Lexus] “That’s true, but…”

It wasn’t that she didn’t want to touch him. 

He was so lovely that she wanted to show him all the love she could and pet him to both their hearts’ content. But she couldn’t give him that kind of affection because she knew she could not take responsibility for him.

[Lexus] “But you’ve already given him love.”

Valentia swallowed harshly. Lexus so casually poked the point she was avoiding. It felt a little cheeky too since she knew he wasn’t wrong.

In fact, he was exactly right. She had already shown this dog plenty of love by giving him food, but she insisted such was not the case. An animal would not be able to understand the nuances anyway.

[Valentia] “He won’t see it like that. But once I reach out and touch him, it would become much clearer for him.”

[Lexus] “He’d be able to feel the love?”

[Valentia] “Yes.”

[Lexus] “Can the Baron not afford to take care of a dog?”

[Valentia] “The circumstances are complicated. I have to go now.”

As Valentia moved, the puppy followed her. Lexus also took a step after her.

[Lexus] “He’s following you.”

[Valentia] “Don’t follow me.”

Valentia stopped in her tracks, speaking sternly. As if he could understand her words, the dog stopped, but even now, his tail wouldn’t stop wagging.

[Lexus] “Are you just going to leave him here?”

[Valentia] “He’ll go back to where he came from eventually.”

[Lexus] “Hold on.”

[Valentia] “W…….what are you doing?”

Lexus turned around, grabbing the dog by the soft fur at the scruff of his neck, lifting him up with one hand. It looked so much like he was strangling him that Valentia shouted out in a hurry.

[Valentia] “You shouldn’t hold him like that!”

[Lexus] “You’ve never even touched him before, so you can’t say that, Miss Valentia.”

[Valentia] “But you’re not touching him, you’re hurting him!”

[Lexus] “When they’re babies, dogs and cats get grabbed by this part and moved around by their mothers all the time. You never had a pet before?”

She wouldn’t know, she’d never raised an animal before. Her half-siblings did not like animals and so they didn’t have any pets, either.

That was part of the reason why she couldn’t take the dog with her, despite how sorry she felt for it. She was still living with the Baron right now, and she was afraid of what they might do to the dog if she brought it with her.

[Valentia] “But why are you doing this?”

If one were to pet him and give him love, how sad would he become once that love went away? That was why she didn’t wish to give him any warmth or affection.

[Lexus] “I thought I’d take home this fearless little guy.”

[Valentia] “Excuse me?”

[Lexus] “Since you can’t take him, Miss Valentia, I thought I should be the one to do that.”

[Valentia] “You’ll take him?”

[Lexus] “But let’s just establish where the responsibility lies.”

[Valentia] “What? Responsibility?”

Lexus smiled brightly.

[Lexus] “I’m just a nice person trying to help out, but his owner is you.”

[Valentia] “What?”

[Lexus] “Even though I’m holding onto him like this, you’re the only one in his eyes.”

He was right. Though he had a firm grip on the puppy’s scruff, he was still looking at her with a wagging tail.

And it made her feel like she was going to cry.

She did nothing for this little dog.

All she did was recover his mother’s body and bury her for him, and occasionally bring something to eat for this small puppy who had lost his mother. 

Not once did she ever pet him or show him love.

She didn’t even give him a name and yet reflected in his eyes was an outpouring sense of love for her. Despite her coldness, he was trying to say that he loved her so much.

This soft, adorable little puppy had been wandering the streets as a stray, yet would soon be honored to receive a humble yet suitable name from the Imperial Prince himself—Goldie.

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