Chapter 33
33. Just Let Me Stay Tonight2021.12.23.
“Just for one night tonight…… Is that no good?”
“Would that work?”
The Crown Prince awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck.
“……Am I being too much of a bother to newlyweds?”
“You know it.”
The Crown Prince looked at Arthur with a hurt expression.
“……Do you have to get so serious about it? You’re with your lady every day. Can’t you spare even one day for me?”
What kind of ridiculous comparison is that.
“You’ve been with me for the past five years, Your Highness.”
“That won’t happen anymore going forward. Aren’t you even a little sad about it?”
“I’m sick and tired of it. I’m the one who doesn’t get it. Why do you want to stay with me?”
Reina’s pupils shook. Was it okay to talk to the Crown Prince like that? As if to prove his words, Arthur ruthlessly turned his head and spoke to Sir Lionel, who was standing awkwardly behind him.
“Go to the Marchioness and tell her that His Highness the Crown Prince has arrived, and ask her to prepare a guest room.”
The Crown Prince urgently grabbed Sir Lionel and shouted at Arthur.
“Ah, come on, that’s too much! Do you think I’d be doing this if I really had nowhere to stay? I just want to share one last drink with you, tell your wife to take good care of you, and say a proper goodbye. That’s why I’m asking!”
Arthur shot back coldly.
“What do you mean, entrust me? Have you ever taken responsibility for me, Your Highness? You’re just trying to delay your return to the imperial palace by even a day.”
The Crown Prince grinned shamelessly.
“You know me well. Spare me just once.”
Arthur shot back mercilessly.
“Do I have to spare you again?”
“Just one more time.”
Arthur’s face twisted horribly.
“What difference does delaying make? Please, just go already!”
Reina was frozen. Was it because he was his lifesaver? But even as a lifesaver. Or was it just the casualness between brothers?
“!”
Changing tactics, the Crown Prince spun toward Reina with a smile and spoke in an oddly polite voice.
“Lady.”
Before she could even freeze up, Arthur stretched out his arm to block Kyle.
“Don’t make my wife uncomfortable.”
The Crown Prince asked politely.
“Lady. Are you uncomfortable?”
Sure enough, before Reina could even open her mouth, Arthur answered.
“This is what makes her uncomfortable. You’re using your rank to make it hard for her to refuse.”
The Crown Prince protested as if wronged.
“Where do I have any power from rank? It doesn’t even work on you.”
Rubbing his furrowed brow, Arthur said.
“What are you pretending not to know? Kyle, the very name of Crown Prince carries……”
“That’s already been crumpled up a long time ago before the majesty of the ‘Radiant Morning Star.’ You’re the one pretending not to know.”
Reina’s heart sank, and she hardened her expression. So the Crown Prince had seen that gazette. He was speaking casually, but chills ran down her spine. Having devoured every gazette she could find about Arthur, she fully understood the political difficulties he faced. ‘The Imperial Radiant Morning Star’ or ‘The Empire’s Rising Light’ were common metaphors used to praise Arthur. Praise for Arthur could easily sound like mockery of the Crown Prince, so it was expressed indirectly. But sometimes, there were expressions that seemed dangerous even in metaphor. Things like the ‘Empire’s next sun’ losing its light before the ‘dazzling morning star.’ If the Crown Prince had seen that, it must have hurt his feelings.
“…….”
Reina fidgeted anxiously, glancing between Arthur and the Crown Prince.
“Keep some dignity!”
“Who’s the one embarrassing whom!”
“…….”
Was this okay? Kyle the Crown Prince had been saved by Arthur, but his pride had clearly been bruised. And the illegitimate son Arthur was in a tricky spot because of saving him. Excessive fame, popularity surpassing the Crown Prince, and the resulting scrutiny from the Empress’s family. For an illegitimate son with no backing, it was a difficult situation where he had to outwardly accept thanks while inwardly being doubted for sincerity. Reina wasn’t sure if she should just be listening to such a dangerous conversation. Shouldn’t ‘Christina’ step in somehow to soften the mood? Or was it fine because they could speak so casually? Was Sir Arthur perhaps refusing the Crown Prince so boldly because she was the ‘fake Christina’? If she weren’t fake, would Sir Arthur not have to refuse the Crown Prince so harshly? The Crown Prince pleaded with Arthur with a good-natured face.
“Just one drink. It’s really the last time.”
Looking at the Crown Prince with contempt, Arthur said.
“You already called it the last time when you forced me to drink by imperial order last time. Is this another imperial order?”
The Crown Prince flinched and denied it.
“No, no. I said there’d never be anything like that again. Just a suggestion, a request, an invitation……”
Arthur refused, emphasizing each word sharply.
“I said I’d never drink with you again.”
The Crown Prince muttered with a shocked face.
“You’ve gotten cold…….”
Arthur scowled mercilessly and waved him off.
“Will you leave now?”
The Crown Prince grumbled bitterly.
“……You sly guy. Fine, good for you having a wife. It must be tough for someone without one.”
With a tired face, Arthur looked away and swept his hand over his brow.
“You’ll be getting married soon too, Your Highness. You know the social ban for five years was ostensibly for the soldiers, but really because of you, right?”
The Crown Prince gave a wry smile.
“Yeah. Thanks to you, I can’t even say I’m jealous.”
“What’s there to be jealous of?”
“I’m jealous of you, Arthur, and of Ryan Dalton too. If I at least had a fiancée, I could agonize over whether to become Ryan Dalton or not, but this……”
‘Ryan Dalton.’
At that word, as if on cue, Arthur and Reina’s eyes met. It wasn’t anything embarrassing, but her face flushed faintly with awkwardness, and she looked away first. Arthur glanced at her briefly before turning his suspicious gaze to the Crown Prince.
“…….”
The Crown Prince sighed deeply at the ceiling. ……What did he know to say that? On the day he’d drunk by imperial order, Arthur’s memory had cut off in the end. What did I say that day? With a sigh, the Crown Prince ran a hand through his hair and tucked the wine bottle under one arm. Finally seeming to give up, he greeted Reina.
“My apologies, Lady. You saw us brothers being too informal.”
Startled, Reina hurriedly lifted her skirt hem and bowed belatedly.
“No, Your Highness the Crown Prince.”
“What I said to Arthur just now was mostly joking, so don’t take it to heart.”
If most of it was joking, what part wasn’t? Hesitating, Reina asked.
“Um…… Then where will Your Highness sleep?”
The Crown Prince smiled brightly.
“Ah, I’ll just camp out.”
“…….”
Arthur’s face turned serious.
“Kyle.”
The Crown Prince said.
“I was originally planning to impose on Rembrandt, but thanks to someone, Rembrandt and Francis’s lodgings are already under the Guard Captain’s watch. The ‘Crown Prince’ who slipped away from the Imperial Guard in hopes of a moment’s freedom and rest can’t go there to sleep.”
“…….”
In a gentlemanly manner, the Crown Prince explained in detail.
“Don’t worry about it at all. Sleeping outdoors is something I did every day for five years on the battlefield anyway. I’m used to it.”
“…….”
In the end, Reina had no choice but to glance at Arthur. Arthur closed his eyes as if it were horrifying.
* * * And so, Arthur finally learned why Reina had collapsed on the first day of the Triumphal Procession. This woman…… She can’t hold her liquor. * * * The last drinking session, painfully won against his expensive half-brother, ended before any real conversation could even start. Before they’d even finished the one bottle of wine Kyle had brought. Arthur picked up Reina, who had passed out after one glass of wine, and stood.
“…….”
He felt somehow like he’d been scammed by a fake couple, but the Crown Prince didn’t press further. Anyone could see that Arthur’s lady was drunk—her face was flushed enough for it. And from the panicked expression on Arthur’s face when her body started to tilt, he hadn’t expected this either. Arthur erased the brief flash of panic and, with his usual calm face, scooped his wife into his arms as if he’d done it many times before. She looked very comfortable in his hold, like practiced skill.
“Arthur. Where am I sleeping……?”
As the Crown Prince tried to slyly follow them out of the drawing room, Arthur cut him off sharply.
“No to the bedroom. Sleep in the drawing room or don’t.”
“…….”
Then, with cold eyes and a merciful smile, he added.
“This is my private drawing room. No one can enter without my permission, so don’t worry and sleep comfortably. It’s better than camping out. Shall I bring you a blanket?”
The Crown Prince muttered dejectedly.
“Thanks…….”
* * *
“?”
The ‘guest villa’ suddenly provided additionally to Rembrandt’s group was taken over by the Guard Captain and his Imperial Guard knights. The head butler and handsome footmen greeted them politely.
“Please make yourselves comfortable.”
“Ah, yes. Thank you.”
* * * Arthur carefully laid Reina down on the bed. With a sigh, he pulled the sheet up over her body.
“……If you can’t hold your liquor, you should’ve said so.”
“…….”
Reina wasn’t fully asleep. Her flushed face beamed up at him with a giggle.
“The lady…… can hold her liquor well…….”
“…….”
“So I thought…… I could too…….”
Arthur chuckled softly and brushed the stray hair from her face with his fingertips. She nuzzled into the cool pillow as if it felt good, her eyes half-open. She rubbed her cheek lightly against the sheet he’d pulled up. Then she lifted her flushed, alcohol-warmed eyes to him and blinked quietly.
“…….”
……So defenseless.
“…….”
Her uncomfortably worn dress caught his eye. Arthur hesitated briefly before finally leaning over her.
“……Listen for a sec.”
Whispering, he lifted her arm to wrap it around his neck, slipped his hand behind her waist, and gently raised her up. Her raised body tilted toward him, leaning her weight against Arthur. ……If he just undid the laces at her waist and back. He let her rest against him briefly. Not to fully undress her, but to loosen the gown enough to make her comfortable. With Reina leaning against him, Arthur reached behind her back.
“Arthur.”
Reina murmured against his neck, leaning into him fuzzily with a laugh.
“…….”
His hand, holding her and reaching back, froze.
“Arthur…….”
Her voice, mumbling against his nape, sent vibrations through his body. Arthur stiffened with a jolt.
