Kalroy ignored William’s words completely and spoke while looking only at me.
“Stamili is, as you can see, a place abundant in resources and beautiful. If only you would come here…”
“Ah, so this jewel’s name was Pashan! The name has a mysterious feeling to it too.”
I quickly cut him off before Kalroy’s remarks could cross the line. Though I hadn’t exactly taken up his words, he seemed pleased that I hadn’t completely brushed him off, and answered with a broad smile.
“I could gather all the Pashan and make a room for you. If only you would come…”
Kalroy, please read the room. When I cut you off at an appropriate moment, you should know to stop.
While I was inwardly clicking my tongue at Kalroy, I felt the table trembling. When I looked to see what was happening, William was trembling with the hand holding his knife. It wouldn’t be strange if he stabbed someone with that knife right now.
The promise with Rob was important, but at this rate, I wouldn’t be able to stop William’s rampage. So I lowered my hand under the table and patted William’s thigh.
Understanding that I meant for him to calm down, William put down the knife he was holding and took deep breaths. Then he spoke in a suppressed voice.
“That will never happen, Your Highness the Crown Prince-elect of the Ohariko Empire.”
“I wasn’t asking you.”
Now it was a situation I could no longer avoid. How could I prevent William’s rampage while not hurting Kalroy’s pride?
No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t find an answer.
“Ahem!”
The current situation was already driving me crazy, but with Rob standing at the entrance clearing his throat and adding silent pressure, my head felt completely empty.
Let’s stay calm.
If I thought of Kalroy and William as students starved for their teacher’s affection, what action should teacher Seo Ajun take now? What would be the way to not alienate any child?
Having such thoughts seemed to gradually clear my mind. Just as I was organizing my thoughts and about to speak, William urged me for an answer.
“So Daniel, what do you think?”
I had worried about what to do if it was an unavoidable question, but fortunately it was a vague question, so I could do as I had planned.
I swallowed dryly and fingered the cup embedded with Pashan. Both their gazes reached my hands simultaneously.
“The Ohariko Empire has such pretty Pashan, it seems like a truly good place.”
I looked at Rob and winked with one eye. This fulfilled the promise to take Kalroy’s side just once. Rob nodded with a resigned expression as if he had expected what I would say.
Just as I was about to continue with my next words with a slightly more comfortable mind, Kalroy couldn’t contain himself and interrupted.
“That’s right! Then right now, immediately…”
“However! I cannot live here. My homeland is the Stamili Empire, and I am a concubine belonging to that country, so it is proper for me to be there. Since there is no one who values propriety and duty more than Your Highness Kalroy, I believe you will understand my situation.”
In other words, I was telling him to give up because there was no chance we’d live together. I had only refined the words a bit, but the meaning hadn’t changed, yet somehow Kalroy’s atmosphere wasn’t normal.
“That’s right… That’s the reason Daniel couldn’t come to me even if she wanted to.”
“……?”
I looked at Rob with a question mark on my face. Rob shook his head and signaled me not to say anything.
What? Is this just Kalroy’s self-rationalization because he doesn’t want to get hurt?
If I interpreted it that way, both what Kalroy was saying and Rob’s reaction made sense. Everything was resolved well. The only problem was William’s gaze, which had been staring at my face so intensely it felt like it would wear away.
I really hoped he would just let it pass… Was it too much to expect that he would understand my heart without words, given how long we had been together!
I carefully turned my head and glanced at William. He was biting his lips so hard that blood was seeping out.
While instinctively feeling a life-or-death crisis, I recalled how I used to draw pictures on William’s palm to explain when telling him whale stories in the past. Since he had imagined the appearance of unfamiliar creatures just through the sensation in his hands, this would work this time too.
I pretended not to notice Kalroy, who was still rambling endlessly starting with “Indeed Daniel is… though she’s a lowly Omega…” and lowered my hand under the table. Then I placed my hand on William’s hand. William flinched as if he hadn’t expected me to do that.
I grabbed his wrist to hold it steady and drew a small heart shape on it.
William’s eyes widened as he looked at me. The moment our eyes met, I winked with one eye.
Even I thought it was an infinitely childish and cringeworthy action, but I rationalized that it was unavoidable to avoid endings that led to William’s rampage or war between the two countries.
William’s eyebrows twitched as if he was amazed, then he squeezed my hand firmly.
Unlike Kalroy, who was arrogant, impossible to communicate with, and overbearing, our William, who would endure even unpleasant situations for the sake of others, was the best.
Looking at such a William, I conveyed my feelings through my eyes.
Teacher likes you, William. So you don’t need to feel so wronged.
Even while sweat beaded on our clasped hands, Kalroy’s monologue continued. Was it my imagination that I could faintly hear Rob’s sighs mixed in between the monologue?
***
A few days later, the Crown Prince investiture ceremony, which had been full of troubles, ended. Having been unable to relax even once from when we came here until the investiture ceremony ended, I found myself humming at the news that we were now returning to the Stamili Empire.
William told the attendant who offered to tie his last waist cord that it was fine. After the attendant left and he approached me, he tilted his head seeing me humming.
“What are you so happy about?”
I spread my arms wide and hugged William’s waist. I knew the reason why he asked me to tie at least the waist cord for him.
“Is there a reason not to be happy? We’re going home.”
William snorted.
“Ha! You have no regrets about the mysterious Ohariko Empire with its pretty Pashan?”
Right after finishing dinner with Kalroy, William didn’t ask me anything. Even when I started to say “Um…” first, he just said “It’s fine. I forgave everything then” and passed it over without much comment. Looking at such a William, I thought our little Crown Prince had grown up and was now giving off the scent of a wise ruler, and I was pleased.
But… I didn’t know there would be such lingering resentment.
I thought about snapping back but decided it was fortunate that he was letting it pass with just this much and appeased him.
“Oh my. Your Highness, if you say such things, I feel hurt.”
“Why are you even sighing? Shouldn’t you tolerate this much lingering resentment?”
“No, it’s not because I have lingering resentment.”
“Then?”
“You spoke of me as if I were a concubine blinded by jewels.”
William looked at me with eyes half filled with absurdity and half with feeling wronged.
“No, I was just saying it…”
“There are no words that are ‘just said’ in this world.”
Though I felt like laughing at the reaction that was bigger than expected, I held it in and pretended to be disappointed. William, as if he belatedly noticed my trick, pulled my cheeks and said.
“Stop pretending to be disappointed and slowly get to the point. I already caught you smiling slightly earlier. What if you get caught right after changing strategies?”
Changing strategies! My methods haven’t even started yet.
I covered my reddened cheek with one hand and answered.
“It’s not pretending to be disappointed, I really am disappointed. The Ohariko Empire has wonderful Pashan, but there’s no William Your Highness who’s more wonderful than that. As I’ve said many times, I must be by Your Highness’s side…”
I was about to say “to be happy” when I unconsciously put on the brakes. Until now, I had said that because my status was lowly and I had been with William since childhood, I couldn’t survive if I left the palace, and therefore I stayed with him.
“Must be? Why do you stop talking mid-sentence?”
At William’s urging, an inexplicable anxiety arose while my heart began pounding. My lips gradually dried and my hands became sweaty.
“That is, I am a concubine who must be by Your Highness’s side.”
I ultimately couldn’t escape self-censorship and cowardly ran away.
William’s brow furrowed, as if this wasn’t the answer he wanted.
“You mean you’re by my side out of necessity because you’re a concubine?”
“…I’ll tie the cord for you.”
I couldn’t answer William’s question and picked up the cord I had briefly let go of earlier. William grabbed my wrist and removed it from the cord.
“Look at me.”
“……”
“I said look!”
At William’s raised tone, I lifted my head and looked into his eyes. His persistent gaze touched and left various parts of my face.
Seo Ajun, what’s wrong with you?
You could just give him the answer he wants like appeasing a child and be done with it. You’ve been doing well all this time, so why are you acting like this now?
I asked myself questions, but my mind became even more tangled. Having called myself a teacher, I even felt disgusted with myself for being shaken and unable to control even one emotion in front of a student I should be comforting.
“Tell me. Am I forcibly holding onto you?”
Though his gaze looked like it would devour me at any moment, William’s voice asking this was only pitiful. Hearing that voice made one side of my chest ache as if a button had been pressed.
I answered by shaking my head instead of speaking.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
