────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Chapter 33
Everyone was frozen.
“I’m in a bad mood.”
I raised my head amid the stifling silence. As expected, Signus was smiling behind me.
“Your Highness…”
I heard Ulysse sighed heavily, meanwhile I couldn’t hear Elon’s voice anymore.
“Are you done with your greeting?”
“Y-Yes.”
“Then get lost. Everyone’s ears seem to be clogged these days.”
Signus sneered and spit out coldly.
“I said go back to your own way.”
As the silence lingered over us, the gaze that looked at my back disappeared. Soon, I heard the sound of footsteps and saw Elon’s back as he was walking away.
‘You’re a knight but you don’t even say your greeting. You’re still behaving the same as before.’
My eyes caught the familiar platinum blonde hair. It was just a meaningless stare. But at that time, a big hand grabbed my face and turned it around.
Signus, who turned my gaze away from Elon, muttered through his gritted teeth.
“Where are you looking? I told you not to look at other guys.”
Ayaran, who sat next to me, clicked her tongue as if irritated.
“Look. I told you he’s angry.”
His grip on my face did not hurt at all. However, I was speechless by this absurd situation.
‘I just saw him as he was passing by. What’s wrong with that?’
While I was busy lamenting inside, Ayaran stood up from her seat.
“Let her go. Don’t you see she’s uncomfortable?”
Signus and Ayaran’s eyes met.
“I knew this would happen.”
Soon, a familiar sharp remark emerged.
“Go straighten your face first. Your emotions are all over your face. You were impatient because you couldn’t tell, right? Can’t you read the room at all?”
“How about you? You can’t hold back your dirty temper and stay up all night killing people off. I heard you fell asleep only recently, too. So tell me, am I making it obvious or you were too impatient?”
Signus twisted his mouth.
“I was impatient for a long time and made it obvious.”
“Then act with discretion. Stop being jealous over trivial things.”
“Are you saying I’m being jealous?”
Signus tilted his head.
“You don’t know anything. You took the seat next to her very easily, so what do you know?”
Signus lifted up my face.
“It’s still the same now. I can tell by looking at her trusting gaze. I don’t know why such a trivial thing makes me so upset.”
Signus twisted his expression with an exasperated voice.
“You, that damn knight that just passed by, and even the branches that her eyes touched make me feel nauseous. I want to crush all the ants passing by her feet and kill them! Are you saying this is just jealousy?”
That’s right!
Ayaran, who affirmed his words, responded with a ghastly expression.
“That’s why you have to hold on to her! Don’t whine like a baby and deal with your twisted emotions somehow. Whatever the case, you have to keep her by your side! If she flies away again because you were playing coy or hesitating just like in the past, I’ll kill you and run away!”
She tightened the grip on my hand.
“Keep that in mind. After all, that’s what you’ve worked so hard for, right?”
Ayaran raised our interlocked hands and said,
“You have to hold on to her tight this time.”
Lifting the corner of his mouth, Signus snarled.
“Let go. Do you want me to break your wrist?”
“You let go of her first. Before I cut your hand off.”
Ayaran snatched her dining knife. The bloody conversation was cut off but the situation escalated quickly.
Ulysse and the captain also held their breath watching the cut-throat atmosphere.
Meanwhile, Signus and Ayaran sneered at the same time. Amid the bloody showdown, I opened my mouth after a long time.
“Please let go of me.”
They glared at each other upon hearing my plea.
“Are you deaf? She asks you to let go.”
“That’s funny. Navian was talking to you.”
So I made it clear this time.
“I was talking to both of you.”
Feeling their gazes drawn to me, I opened my mouth again.
“I heard something that I couldn’t even understand. I’m not sure what you’re jealous of, but you’re an adult, so please act like one. One more thing,”
I took turns looking at the two.
“Don’t drag me into your fight.”
“……”
“If you understand, please let go of me. I feel like my jawbone is going to break and my wrist is going to fall out.”
They immediately loosened the strength in the hands that held my face and wrist. But the two did not let go of me.
“Please put your hands away.”
The two let go of their hands without saying a word at my stern request.
“I’m sorry, Navian. Does it hurt a lot?”
“I’m fine.”
I briefly responded to Ayaran as I smoothed my wrist and face. I was wondering if I had broken bones somewhere.
‘Aya, your grip is getting stronger. Did you do any muscle exercise while I was gone?’
I often told her to exercise, but she never listened to me, so it seemed like she changed her mind during my absence.
While I was thinking how relieved I was to know that, I felt someone gaze at me. Signus was looking at me with his usual cool gaze.
“It’s my fault, Your Highness. I’m the one who brought Navian here. I apologize.”
Signus smiled coldly at Ulysse’s sudden remark.
“You don’t have to shield her.”
“I’m telling the truth. I want to show her the Imperial Palace as soon as possible.”
Signus approached Ulysse.
“Forget it. We’ve already got caught.”
“…Pardon?”
“Those bastards have already seen us. They’re probably still watching us now.”
Signus, who snatched the report from Ulysse’s hand, and skimmed through the paper. Ulysse became teary-eyed as he watched Signus flip through the report that he had worked so hard all night long.
Signus, who looked through the last two pages, asked.
“Didn’t you read celestial energy?”
“Yes.”
“Moreover, you were the student of that meticulous Verus and the genius of the medical world.”
“Why are you complimenting me all of a sudden….”
Signus responded nonchalantly to Ulysse’s embarrassing remarks.
“The report written by the said genius is a mess.”
Huh?
“If you have eyes, look at this. Why is a report that is supposed to contain only facts have the words ‘cute and pure’ in it? Why did you write that?”
I was shocked by the ridiculous words.
‘You wrote that nonsense for the last 5 days?’
But Ulysse tilted his head and uttered.
“But it’s true that Navian is cute and pure.”
“……”
When everyone was speechless, a more ridiculous answer came out.
“Of course, she’s cute.”
What?
Signus, who looked at me with smiling eyes, even disregarded that ridiculous report.
‘Why are you scaring me like this?’
If those words meant to kill a person, then it was a success. Because I got goosebumps just by hearing that.
“But why did you tell me to write about my mother’s family?”
“There’s something I need to find out.”
Signus, who was looking at the photographs in the report, smiled.
“I’m glad you have this family.”
What are you talking about? Whose family?
Signus’ gaze traveled to me this time.
“You look like you’re dying of curiosity.”
I didn’t know how he could read my mind so perfectly every time.
“I’m sure there’s a lot of things you’re curious about. About how I picked you as my fiance, and how I knew you would survive and sent an aide.”
“If I said I’m curious, would you tell me?”
“If you answer my question honestly first.”
“Yes. Please ask me.”
Signus tilted his head and asked.
“Why are you here?”
Feeling Ulysse’s worried gaze toward me, I responded roughly.
“I came here because I want to see it.”
“Who?”
“The Imperial Palace.”
“Didn’t I tell you to answer honestly?”
“I’m not lying.”
“Answer me right away. Don’t make me angry.”
Looking at the golden eyes full of anger, I answered firmly.
“I’m telling you the truth.”
He turned his head and burst into laughter.
“…You really like to drive people crazy. Do you want to see me go crazy so badly?”
A spark of flame soared in Signus’ eyes.
“I know. You won’t listen to me no matter what I say. If there’s something you want to do, you have to do it until you are satisfied. Am I right?”
A smile disappeared from Signus’ face.
“If you were tied up, you would try to break free, and if your limbs were broken, you would try to crawl. That’s you.”
“…Hey.”
“Shut up.”
After cutting off Ayaran’s words sharply, he continued.
“Did you say you want to see the Imperial Palace? You stopped by the Imperial Palace as soon as you came to the capital. You will come here when the festival is held anyway, but you can’t stand it and come here, huh?”
His voice became more and more intense.
“I was trying to buy time. Even if I couldn’t get rid of everything that bothered me, I want to sort it out to some extent.”
Signus poured out words without stopping.
“You don’t even know how evil people are, but you decide to roam around to your heart’s content? Didn’t I ask you to be patient? Didn’t I tell you to wait? Why is it so hard for you to listen?”
Ayaran tried to defend me.
“I invited her, so enough already.”
“Have you lost your mind, too? Is it really the time to feed her meat?”
“Wake up already. Are you trying to spill out everything?”
“Even if I spill it out, she won’t understand.”
Signus said as if he was frustrated. However, Ayaran also looked annoyed.
“It’s not like she’s being clueless only once or twice. Why are you losing your temper when you know that she’s particularly slow if it’s regarding herself?”
I had no clue of what they were talking about, but it made me feel so bad.
“So calm down. There’s a lot of eyes here.”
“I don’t care. I can get rid of them.”
Signus’ eyes turned cold. But at that time, Ulysse’s calm voice was heard.
“…As expected. You both knew about it.”
Signus turned his head.
“What?”
His eyes were filled with a murderous aura when he saw Ulysse.
“Knew about it? You mean, us?”
“Yes.”
At that moment, Ayaran’s eyes shook nervously.
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────