104 - Evil Husband (15th Anniversary Edition) Chapter 104
104
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Aileen’s eyes welled up even more at the friendly tone. How could she not like The Prince, who was willing to get rained on with her because she was soaked?
She felt like bursting into tears, but Aileen held it back. She was already drenched, and crying would only make things worse.
“Your Highness,” she called out softly, and Cesare looked down at Aileen. The space under the tree was ample for Aileen, but it felt a bit cramped for him. Being so tall, his head seemed to almost touch the branches.
Aileen blankly stared at The Prince before belatedly dropping her gaze. Even though they were both soaked, The Prince's radiance hadn't faded in the slightest, which made her own shabby appearance stand out in stark contrast.
She had managed to save up and buy the dress, but she hadn't been able to afford new shoes, so the worn-out state was obvious. And now, with the rain, they were stained and looked truly awful.
I wish I looked a little nicer, Aileen thought, subtly hiding her feet under her skirt.
“I heard you met with the knights,” Cesare said, as if checking on her, and Aileen flinched. She had been avoiding The Prince, but she hadn't distanced herself from his knights.
The Prince's loyal knights still doted on Aileen, whom they had known since childhood. When she dropped out of university and returned to the capital, they were as saddened and upset as if it were their own problem.
As an only child, Aileen felt like they were her older brothers and sisters. It was a presumptuous thought, so she dared not voice it, but she secretly thought of them that way.
That was why she couldn't refuse the invitation to have dinner together at Diego's house the other day.
Aileen also liked Diego's house. His house was filled with cute trinkets and dolls. It was a cozy place that always made her feel good whenever she went.
That day, when the five of them had a lively dinner, chatting and playing, she was so happy because she could forget reality for a while.
But because Cesare specifically mentioned it, it was somehow difficult to answer honestly. Aileen cautiously watched him.
“Thankfully, they invited me to dinner,” she stammered, worried that he might feel left out. Even though she knew Cesare wasn't the type to care about such things, she couldn't help but feel concerned. Seeing Aileen at a loss, he chuckled.
“If I were to call you, it wouldn't be an invitation, but an order.”
Cesare took out a handkerchief from his pocket that hadn't gotten wet yet and handed it to Aileen.
“So, what made you decide to grace the Imperial Palace today?”
“My mother sent a letter. She said she hoped Your Highness would read it.”
“A letter, you say.”
Cesare repeated Aileen's words briefly and then gazed at the pouring rain for a moment. He thought it would only last a short while, but the downpour was continuing for quite some time. He wondered if it might not be a passing shower. Just then, a low voice broke through Aileen's thoughts.
“Is Baroness Elrod still the same these days?”
For someone asking about the well-being of his wet nurse, his tone was strangely cold. However, Aileen didn't notice the chill in his words. She simply assumed that The Prince was asking about her mother's health and answered diligently.
“She’s gotten much better.”
She even goes for walks by herself these days, and Aileen expressed her regret that she just wished her mother would take her medicine more diligently. While she was talking about her mother, Cesare suddenly took back the handkerchief.
Then, he reached out his hand again. Aileen's eyes widened as she watched his approaching hand. Her lips even parted slightly, but he silently took off Aileen's glasses and wiped the raindrops from the lenses.
She had been holding onto the handkerchief The Prince gave her, not wanting to use it, so he was wiping the moisture off for her. Aileen's face flushed at his consideration.
After wiping the glasses, Cesare looked at Aileen. Aileen, who was unsure what to do with her wet bangs and was fiddling with them, froze when her eyes met his.
Her vision, which was always frustratingly obscured, was now clear. She didn't want to show The Prince her ugly eyes, but she couldn't tear her gaze away because she was so happy to see his face so clearly.
Just as she was staring at The Prince as if entranced, a ticklish sensation arose from deep within her heart. The indescribable ticklishness spread from her heart and made her whole body feel strange.
Aileen slowly closed and then opened her eyes. A brief darkness fell before her eyes and then disappeared. However, the crimson eyes were still fixed on Aileen.
A drop of water clinging to the end of her bangs fell with a plop. The raindrop rolled down her cheek and flowed down her neck. Just as it was about to pool on her collarbone, Cesare averted his gaze first.
“……”
It was the first time. It was the first time he had averted his gaze first. Aileen was confused by the unfamiliar occurrence, as it was always she who avoided the crimson eyes first.
But before Aileen could dwell on it for long, Cesare opened his umbrella. Then, he belatedly handed Aileen her glasses back.
“I should head back in.”
Staying out in the rain for too long would lead to a cold. Aileen was feeling slightly chilly, so she stepped under his umbrella without complaint.
As they walked side by side under the umbrella, Aileen tried to hide the sound of her heart. She was so nervous that she kept tripping over her own feet, so she also had to be careful not to fall like an idiot.
She kept her gaze fixed on her feet. She had to hide the feelings of excitement she felt for The Prince, who had grown into a man, and the emotions that made her see him as a man…
I wonder if The Prince thinks I've changed a lot too?
They hadn't seen each other for nearly two years while she was in university. Aileen had grown a lot during that time. With adulthood just a few months away, she had grown taller and her once-plain body had developed, making her seem quite grown-up.
Of course, to The Prince, who had seen countless mature women, she probably still seemed like a child. Still, she hoped that he would at least think, even just a little, that she was truly becoming an adult now, not just a child.
Aileen, who had entered the Imperial Palace with Cesare under the umbrella, changed her clothes with the help of the maids. Cesare had also gone to change his clothes, but something came up and he had to leave for a moment.
Aileen decided to wait for him in the drawing room. She was feeling awkward about the touch of the luxurious dress, which she would never normally have the opportunity to wear, when she was about to head to the drawing room.
A servant whom Aileen had never seen before in the Imperial Palace blocked Aileen and the maids. The servant said in a stiff tone.
“Lady Aileen.”
“Yes…?”
“The Imperator summons you.”
He was the Emperor's servant. Aileen felt a chill run down her spine as if she had swallowed a handful of ice.
A summons from His Imperial Majesty. It was something Aileen had never even imagined. Her hands trembled involuntarily with nervousness.
But there was no time to collect herself. The servant, who had even brought the Emperor's knights, urged Aileen on with an overbearing attitude. Aileen followed the servant as if being dragged along.
All sorts of thoughts ran through her head as she walked. The first thought that came to mind was that she might die.
It was well known throughout the Traon Empire that the Emperor cherished Cesare, the Fifth Prince, especially. The Emperor regarded Cesare as his alter ego and bestowed upon him various gifts. Moreover, he held lavish banquets every time Cesare won a war.
From the Emperor's perspective, Aileen, an insignificant young lady, was nothing more than an eyesore to the prince he cherished so much. With his reputation for being violent, he might easily take the life of a humble Baron's daughter as if crushing a bug.
Her face turned pale at the thought of death. But she didn't think about running away. Even if she were to die, her mind was filled with the thought that she should at least not tarnish Cesare's reputation.
The servant, who had been walking without any explanation, stopped Aileen in front of a room where the Emperor was supposedly waiting. Aileen looked around anxiously.
She had never been to the Emperor's audience chamber, but she didn't think this was it, at least. The surroundings were too dark.
It was like the Emperor's bedchamber.
