14 - My Husband is My Favorite, But I Think I'm Going to Get Divorced
Chapter 14
‘Wait, wasn't the Crown Prince the youngest Sword Master ever?’
But how could he not notice a bug flying around him? Is he distracted by something else? Or is the Imperial Family scamming the citizens of the Empire?
I stared at the Crown Prince with reasonable suspicion.
Cayden chuckled at me.
"I guess you find it funny yourself? A marriage proposal."
"……."
"There's no one in this empire who doesn't know you're obsessed with me. Who on earth would dare to marry me knowing that?"
Well, our Euclid would!
I reflexively thought of my favorite, but I had a feeling that saying Euclid's name here wouldn't be a good choice.
I had an unusually good sense. That's why, before my possession, when I invested, I did what I wanted even when everyone told me it would fail, and I didn't do it even when everyone said it would be a sure thing. And I always hit the jackpot.
I was a little annoyed now, but I thought it would be better to listen to the Crown Prince's words and let them flow out of my ears.
'Luckily, it doesn't seem to be a bee. Is it a fly? Are there flies in this world too?'
As I blankly followed the identity of the bug flying around the Crown Prince with my eyes, Cayden smiled mockingly, mistaking my silence for a lack of anything to say.
"Even if there is such a madman, I know you will never give up on me."
No, madman?
That bug must be a fly.
It must have recognized the filth from the way he was talking!
'I can't stand it. I have to swat that fly.'
I could tolerate anything else, but I couldn't tolerate him insulting my favorite, so I needed somewhere to vent my anger.
And if I suddenly caught a bug, the Crown Prince, who hadn't even recognized its existence, would be ridiculously surprised.
Just thinking about it made me feel good, so I vaguely listened to the Crown Prince's continued words, clenched my fist tightly, and focused on the fly's movements.
"I'll make it clear this time. Don't try any funny business. If you act like that, you won't be accepted as the Crown Princess, or even as a mistress..."
Smack!
A fierce and sharp sound echoed through the drawing room.
I was about to clench my fist and smile, happy with the accomplishment of doing it with a single gesture, but I paused.
"……?"
Wait, why is my hand near the Crown Prince's cheek?
I just swung my hand because the fly had finally settled somewhere...?
The Crown Prince, who had been turning his head, slowly straightened his body and asked grimly.
"Did you... just hit me?"
Oh, at the same time as those words, I grasped the situation.
The bug must have landed on the Crown Prince's face.
If I looked closely, the dead remains of the bug were still on the Crown Prince's cheek!
Damn it. What have I done?
\ \ *
Cayden was confused as he watched Evgenia, who had slapped his cheek and seemed agitated and surprised.
She was a woman who had been aiming for his side and had done all sorts of shocking things without batting an eye.
Even when she said she loved him and shamelessly demanded his side for herself.
Even when she shouted and raged as if she couldn't bear the criticism and ridicule like today.
In fact, she was a woman who never got more excited or crossed the line than she had planned, as if she were doing everything with calculation.
But today, she subtly revealed a look of annoyance or indifference, like when they had first met a long time ago.
That was surprising enough, but to lose her temper and slap him?
And she's flustered and doesn't know what to do?
"I really can't believe it."
Was it true that Alexis said her condition had become strange?
He muttered in disbelief, and Evgenia's shoulders twitched.
At this point, he had no choice but to admit it.
Evgenia was properly shocked by the marriage proposal he had sent.
In the meantime, every time he returned from the battlefield, he blatantly ignored Evgenia and danced with other young ladies, suggested partners, and sent gifts.
Of course, all of those encounters were one-time only.
In the first place, he had no intention of continuing the relationship, and Evgenia, who had read his intentions, took care of it herself.
But this time, it wasn't just a one-time dance partner.
Cayden was also in a hurry because of the Emperor's pressure to decide on a marriage with House Basilian, so he had no choice but to resort to the last resort.
As a result, he used the Duke's nephew who had recently entered House Basilian and inherited the title. Of course, knowing that Evgenia wouldn't stand still.
But he only expected her to protest in an extreme way, not to be so emotional.
"I'm, I'm sorry..."
Evgenia, who couldn't even finish her apology properly, bit her lip so hard that it bled.
She seemed to be holding back a laugh, but that couldn't be.
Seeing Evgenia, who was uncharacteristically intimidated, made him feel ambivalent.
'Yes, you should have acted like this from the beginning.'
He resented that he wouldn't have done things like lowering her reputation, cornering her, and tormenting her.
At the same time.
'Yes, it's okay. It's not too late.'
He was relieved that she had lowered her pride even now.
Cayden, who had unknowingly smiled because he felt more relieved than resentful, hardened his expression again.
He couldn't be satisfied with this. It was still a long way to go.
What he really wanted from Evgenia was still not even a little bit...
Cayden, who had struggled to control his loosening heart, stared intently at Evgenia's hand that had slapped his cheek a moment ago.
In fact, he was surprised that she couldn't control her emotions, but he was even more surprised that Evgenia, who extremely hated contact with him, had touched him first.
He was the one who always grabbed her shoulders and arms at random, wanting to express the emotions she was always hiding, wanting to see her genuinely freak out even a little.
Of course, it was to slap him, which was a little bitter, but he couldn't help but think that it wasn't bad, which was amazing even to himself.
"Your Highness, it's time to return to the palace."
The voice of his adjutant, who looked quite anxious, was heard from outside the drawing room.
In fact, there were more than one or two tasks that had to be done before the expedition.
But since he had thrown the bait, he had to check if the fish had properly bitten it.
He didn't really expect much when he hurriedly visited the Ducal House, taking a break, but he seemed to have gained an unexpected harvest today, so he should be satisfied and step back.
"I have to go now."
"Ah..."
"I won't be able to return for at least three months after this expedition."
"……."
Unlike in the past, when she had a nonchalant expression as if to say, "So what?", Evgenia strangely had a very troubled expression today.
Seeing her lips moving as if she had something to say, he wanted to enjoy her reaction leisurely, but he really didn't have any more time to delay.
Still, he was satisfied that he was close to the goal.
The moment Cayden turned his back without regret, hiding such thoughts.
"Wait!"
Unexpectedly, Evgenia called him first and grabbed him.
Surprised, he turned around and saw a handkerchief held out in front of him.
"Are you... giving this to me now?"
He asked in disbelief, and Evgenia lowered her gaze shyly. And she muttered something small, but Cayden was stunned and couldn't hear it.
Because he had never received even a ceremonial handkerchief from Evgenia, even though he had gone on countless expeditions.
And the first handkerchief he received from Evgenia was...
'Her taste is unexpected.'
It was light pink with a lot of lace, which was completely different from what he had imagined, but he liked it.
"I'll take it."
When Cayden snatched the handkerchief and put it in his arms, Evgenia looked at him in surprise, saying, "Huh?"
She seemed to be wondering why he had accepted it so readily without mocking and rejecting it as usual.
Cayden mocked himself as he looked at her confused and shaking eyes.
Does she know? That her terribly indifferent and cold purple eyes always reminded him of strong liquor.
And that it was also the strong liquor that had helped him endure his long expedition life and had been his only comfort.
But.
'It seems like I have one more thing this time.'
Unlike the volume of the thin handkerchief he put in his arms, Cayden felt relieved and turned around to go back.
For some reason, he felt itchy on his face, so he wiped his cheek once, which didn't hurt much.
