‘This is weird’. She was pretending to be okay even though she wasn’t.
No, maybe it is because she didn’t want to show the canvas to Reynsis. Her hands were trying to hide the canvas away from his eyes.
“Prim.”
When he called her name softly, Prim raised her head as her eyes met him.
“Come. You have somewhere to go with me.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
When Prim walked towards him, Reynsis pulled her hands as he intertwined his big and cold fingers between hers.
He trained so hard every day in swordmanship class. That is why his hands felt strong, and rough because of calluses. It felt different.
They stopped walking when they reached Prim’s room.
“Go in and take a rest.”
“Pardon me? Then how about you, Your Highness.”
“I will rest later.”
“Excuse me? Weren’t you training before you came to me? Are you skipping right now? You really – Goodness! Your Highness! Prince!”
It was no used. After pushing Prim inside and closed the door with a loud bang, Reynsis walked away from the room.
‘Did he escorted me to my room? He really didn’t have to do that..’
After putting her canvas on the bedside, she plopped onto her bed, exhausted. She tried to think and stared at the luxurious ceiling.
How many time have passed since that day?
[ Knock, knock, knock ]
With the sudden knock, Prim stood up while wobbling like an octopus.
“I’m going in.”
It was Reynsis who knocked on her door.
She saw a small plate on his hand while he was closing the door behind him. He walked to her slowly.
It was an appetizing menu! Her favourite strawberry tartè.
“Here.”
Reynsis handed the plate towards her as Prim was in dazed for a moment.
“This..”
“Isn’t this your favourite, no?”
“Yes, yes. It is my favourite.”
Prim nodded. It was her favourite strawberry tartè that she always ate back in the Belles Palace.
“There aren’t many strawberries in autumn. They said it could have been bad.”
“Is that why you went out? In person?”
“I just thought that no one in this Palace knew how the tartè looked like so that is why I went to them in person.”
“…..”
“You were the happiest if you eat something you’ll like.”
And I can comfort you.
Reynsis spoke casually as he brought a chair and sat in front of her.
“Now, tell me.”
“What?”
“Why are you in a bad mood? What happened?”
Prim flinched with his questions. Her hand stopped momentarily as she glanced at him.
‘Why am I in the bad mood? She didn’t know what is the reason too.’
Did I really feel bad, today?
No I’m sure this wasn’t the problem.
With that thought, Prim just shook her head.
“I’m fine as always. It doesn’t matter.”
“Lies.”
“I am telling you the truth.”
Reynsis was suspicious for a moment but then sighs. He nodded as if he understand her hesitation.
“Alright. It’s fine as long as you are okay.”
“It’s not because of me that you skipped you training, right?”
“To be exact, I was on my way to the training ground.”
The plate on her hands nearly falls as her mouth was already wide openned in surprised.
“Go back right now!”
“I want to see you eat.”
“Your Highness, if anyone see you here, I’ll be in trouble too. So, you must go and train right now.”
Prim kept on urging him to leave. He was a bit reluctant to step out from the room.
The door closed slowly after he said that he will be visiting her next time.
“I really can’t stop him.”
Prim just giggled and eat the appetizing tarte peacefully.
Ah. Her heart pounded vigorously as if it was going to ripped out from her chest.
***
“Is that true, father?”
Elena asked and widen her eyes as if she didn’t believe what she just heard. Baron Zerbetta nodded at his daughter’s question.
“Yes. It was the red haired woman, who was always with you all the time. The painters inside the Imperial Palace were in rage after hearing the news.”
“…”
Elena kept her mouth shut and picked up the teacup. However, she couldn’t hide her expression easily.
‘Prim has became an Imperial Painter.’
She felt a little strange. It wasn’t out of jealousy or anything similar to that but.. Strange.
Prim’s painting was different from the Empire’s culture. It was totally peculiar but surprisingly aesthetic.
However, the painting that Prim drew could be described as individuality in her own style or interpretation.
But there was only one thing that bothered Elena so much.
‘Why didn’t she tell me?’
Maybe it was because of Prim’s consideration for her, who always dream to become an official painter.
Elena felt regret when she told Prim about her dream. She was swelling on the inside as if she had reached her limits.
“It was nice to see that your friend has grown up. But, never give up your dream, Elena.”
The Baron soothed her daughter in an amiable and soft tone, just in case Elena felt offended.
“Goodness, I forgot. I’ve heard that the 8th Prince has returned to the Imperial Palace.”
Baron Zerbetta added. But it never reached Elena’s ears as if she was thinking about something else.
Elena likes to befriend Prim. It was because Prim gave her the courage to reject Prince Daphs. Prim was so cool and became her motivation to move forward.
“…”
But the thought of it made her sad.
Then she thought again, ‘Should I meet with Prim?’
***
“What?”
Reynsis’s schedules became tight even in his holiday. It was difficult for him to meet Prim. She chuckled at the sight of his frustration self.
“As expected, I can never fit to become a painter.”
“Why so suddenly? Did you paint something weird? Or did you pick a fight with someone?”
“Uh.. It’s just that my skills are too poor.”
After seeing Reynsis’s reaction, Prim became hesitant to answer his questions.
She didn’t know that he would be so surprised.
“And there is something more important than being a painter.”
“What is it?”
But fortunately, Reynsis knew what she wanted to talk about.
‘Beauty or whatever, she was aiming for that person.’
It was a big deal, at least for him. If Prim quit being a painter, she will be driven out from the Imperial Palace.
That mean, they will never meet frequently like they used to.
‘What am I here for?’
In this hellish Palace, what is the reason for learning things that he didn’t care about? He was praying for time to pass quickly.
Reynsis became hesitant.
‘If I ever say that you are my fated partner, would you believe me?’
No, not yet. But another unrequited feeling, lurked deep inside his heart
He was not an adult, yet. Sometimes, she would treat him like a younger brother and look at him as if he was just a cute little brother.
He felt that he can read what is on Prim’s mind every time he looked at her. It was almost burdensome when she was trying to avoid him.
Just thinking of it made Reynsis feel annoyed and he unknowingly frowned.
That four years age gap. He felt annoyed with just that simple four digits number.
What can I do? I’m stucked. What kind of excuse should I tell her?
Thanks to Prim, his head was full with insignificant thoughts.
Inside his head was 99.9% full with Prim and 0.1% with four years age gap, anger, annoyance and other junk.2
[ Slash! ]
His sword swung swiftly towards the thick and broad tree. It was a clean cut.
The servants behind him were in awe and exclaimed their admiration after looking at the tree’s pieces rolling on the ground.
‘Goodness.’
He sighs. Reynsis was trying to do a little performance appropriately, but he couldn’t control his strength because he was too immersed with his thoughts.
“You are truly a genius, Your Highness! I was informed that you haven’t been taught in swordmanship for a while, but you have been improving as days go by.”
The Knight who was in charge teaching the Prince, praised him nonstop.
The more praised that he heard, the more he became annoyed with the sudden kind gestures.
Reynsis has only one goal.
Live quietly until he became an adult, and run away from the palace with Prim.
But he often got the attention from people, because of his face.
It was too early for him to live quietly so he decided to make a mess in other subject that he took.
“The Prince is so talented!”
“I’ve never seen such a clean cut before.”
“And also he swung it at the same spot for four times in a row.”
The servants expressed their admiration.
His eyes suddenly twitched after hearing the last exclamation. That damn four! It’s four again!
Damn it. He frowned as he threw the sword aside and walked away.
“Yo-Your Highness?”
“I’m done.”
“Your Highness! Where are you going?!”
The servants were a bit embarrassed after the Prince ran away. They quickly chased after him.
‘Now, shall I go to Prim?’
Reynsis thought about that briefly before making any decision.
But if he went to visit her at this time, he would have to prepare his ears because of Prim’s nagging.
But of course, her voice has become his music.
‘I can’t visit her because she didn’t like it.’
He was still thinking as he he turned to the corner along with the servants.
[ Buk! ]
He accidentally ran onto the person in front of him.
Reynsis didn’t fall but the man who accidentally bumped onto him fell on the floor.
“Are you alright?”
He leaned over to help the man.
“Yes, yes. I’m alright..”
But it was a woman. She raised her head to face the Prince.
A woman with black hair and red eyes widened her eyes as soon as their eyes met.
“The 8th Prince?”
Now, she is pretending to know me. Have I met her before? She seems familiar, but I couldn’t remember anything about her.
The woman who noticed the Prince’s reaction, started to speak and bowed her head as a sign of respect towards the royal family.
“….Elena. I am Elena Zerbetta, Your Highness.”
As soon as he recalled his memories about that woman, his smile gradually disappeared.
Baron Zerbetta’s daughter. She was a woman who dared to look wary in front of him, and keep sticking next to Prim.
He frowned deeply, but no one saw his expression. He reached out his hand to help her.
“Thank you, Your Highness.”
Elena got up after holding his hand. But, his hand quickly slipped out from her grasp after knowing that she was fine.
‘I don’t want to hold her hands’
“I want to introduce myself officially to the Prince. I am Elena Zerbetta.”
“I already know.”
“Then, let’s speak more freely, Your Highness.”
“If that’s what you want.”
It was a quick change of the mood. As soon as he realized the woman was Elena, his attitudes altered instantly and act as he pleased.
“What are you doing in the Imperial Palace?”
“I want to meet with Prim.”
His eyebrows raised. It means that she was going to meet with Prim without him. It was as if she was going to spend her precious time with Prim.
“She is busy now so you can come back later.”
Elena was screaming internally but still smile towards the Prince.
“I know that she is busy and it is quite rude for me to come here without notice but.. it is my own decision to wait for her, Your Highness.”
She replied and forced a bright smile.
Reynsis could really tell her fake smile, ‘I’ll take care of my business with Prim, so you can go away now.’
He was annoyed as he wrinkled his face. He has lost interest to look at Elena at the moment.
“You do know that Prim is my tutor.”
“I already know.”
“She is busy teaching me.”
“Then I will look at her progress while painting because I am Prim’s precious tutor.”
Elena replied as she deliberately pressed the word ‘precious’.
Reynsis frowned and annoyed. He couldn’t say no because he didn’t want to look immature.
But then, an idea suddenly appeared in his mind.
He thought that his idea could be satisfactory on both sides. It’s like a win-win situation.
Reynsis stared at Elena as his mouth formed a smirk.
“I’d like to make a deal with Lady Zerbetta. Would you like to hear it?”