Chapter 49

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Chapter 49

07_We meet again

After having a relaxing time, I headed over to the garden with Doggy and Damian.

It was a good time for tea, so I asked Amber to set the table.

Today, instead of going to the rose garden, I went to the modestly landscaped orangery.

Since there was no conservation magic casted here, numerous colorful wildflowers and green sprouting trees could be seen near the orangery.

As I took in a breath, smelling the wild flowers’ scent in the air, I waited for Amber to return.

Beside me, Doggy chirped up.

“Listen, listen, Master. This time I made a pink bead. Master, do you like the color pink? All girls like pink.”

I leaned back on the sofa and roughly answered Doggy’s question.

“Don’t you think men suit the color pink better?”

After hearing what I said, he hesitated for a while, then placed the bead in his hand next to him.

“Like this? You mean it’ll look good on me?”

I stared blankly at the ceiling, then looked back at Doggy.

Yeah, it does look good on you…

“Oh, that’s right. The red bead you gave me before.”

Since we’re talking about beads now, I should ask about that one. What kind of bead was it? Something’s strange about it, kind of like something inside was moving.

“Huh? What’s wrong with it, Master? You don’t like it? It’s the first bead I made! Then, should I replace it with a pink bead? Ah, no, just take it, Master. You can have all of it.”

Doggy pushed all the pink beads to me without listening to me properly.

“No, I’m not asking for more…”

“You don’t like pink either? How about white beads?”

“Hey, Doggy! Listen to me!”

I pinched Doggy’s cheek, which was sticking close to me.

Then, Damian appeared behind Doggy and cut in.

“Doggy, how many times do I have to tell you that you should speak formally to Master?”

Even as Damian looked at him seriously, Damian smiled broadly as he replied.

“Master likes it when I speak informally. Right?”

“That can’t be true.”

“No, it’s probably because you aren’t quick-witted about these things, but can’t you see that Master is usually very weak to cute things?”

Huh? How did you notice that?

Doggy’s pretty sharp.

I continued listening to their bickering.

“Master is weak against cute things. I know that very well. But that doesn’t mean you’re cute.”

Damian wasn’t backing down either. Rather, he snorted slightly after he looked at Doggy from head to toe.

Oh, I’ve never seen Damian act this way.

In the meantime, I sipped some cold tea that Amber brought, watching the two fight.

“What? Are you making fun of me?”

“I’m just stating a fact. You aren’t cute.”

“Just now, you said ‘heh’.”

“What does that have to do with this?”

“Hey, when people hear something like ‘heh’, it’s clear that the other person’s laughing at them.”

“You said ‘heh’, not ‘here’ or some other word. It was definitely you laughing at me.”

“No, wait…”

By the sound of their arguments, it seemed like this was going to take long, so I raised my hand to mediate between them.

But Doggy and Damian stopped talking even before I fully raised my hand.

Then, they looked over to the other side of the orangery.

“What the, what’s wrong?”

Because they couldn’t seem to hear the words directed at them, I looked towards the place where the two shapeshifters were staring at.

Right then, I met the purple eyes of a man who was showing off his brilliant silver hair underneath the sunlight.

I blinked, not believing my own eyes.

Why is the trash booger king in my house?

Why is that kidnapper here?

I belatedly came to my senses and tried to get Amber to kick out the guy.

However, when I saw the Duke behind the booger king, I closed my lips.

This is weird.

Why was he here with the Duke? Did the Duke really not know the true identity of that guy?

While I was flustered, the booger king and the Duke had already approached me. I was forced to get up from my seat and curtsy.

Sure, I had no choice because there’s a difference in status between us now, but I was still annoyed.

At that time, Doggy stood in front of me and spoke.

“I’ve seen him before. Master, what should we do?”

Damian stuck close to me and asked quietly. I shifted my gaze and looked at him.

His tone was calm, but his pale wood-colored eyes were cold.

“My daughter tamed the shapeshifters well… is what I thought, but perhaps not. Should I have gotten rid of them?”

At the low voice of the Duke, my shoulders shook. He didn’t think I would hear him.

“Oh my, Ray. I didn’t mean to surprise you.”

The Duke approached me and naturally embraced me around my shoulders. The wind blew by Doggy and Damian’s side.

The two looked at me, but I could clearly see the contempt underneath their gazes.

It was contempt for the Duke, not me.

Come to think of it, I don’t think they’ve ever faced each other properly like this before.

I might have unknowingly hidden them from the Duke.

Oh, and by the way.

What the hell are you doing, Duke?

I averted my eyes from the two and looked at the trash booger king with a dismissive gaze.

That smiling face was detestable.

“I came here rudely because I wanted to see you, Princess. I should have sent a letter first… But I couldn’t wait.”

On the surface level, these words were gentle, but to me, they were nerve-wracking.

I raised my chin and crossed my arms.

“How rude. Even though Your Highness is an Imperial Prince, this seems like you’re disregarding the Duchy. Your Highness should have sent a letter first.”

At my harsh response, the booger king laughed, while the Duke looked at me in surprise.

“What’s wrong, Daughter? Did something bad happen to you today?”

It’s the Duke who’s bothering me today. Why the hell can’t you recognize that this guy is the kidnapper?

And why the hell are you keeping matters of the Elrand family a secret from me?

I wanted to ask all of that, but I couldn’t open my lips.

I knew that the author wrote him as my kidnapper, but I wanted to find out how he became a prince.

Ha. Then why did the author involve me with someone who’s actually a prince?

My body became younger so I was a child back then during that crisis, I should clearly reveal it.

I should say that he’s the kidnapper, right?

How can I bring this up?

I felt like I was being punished for neglecting to pay attention to the Elrand family, Cassandra and my uncle.

“Duke, I would like to talk to the Princess alone.”

“You will? Then, I’ll step away for a moment. Now, you two, follow me.”

The Duke gave way easily and even lugged along Doggy and Damien with him.

At that, Damien and Doggy naturally showed their teeth. I didn’t miss the moment when the Duke’s eyes on them became vicious.

“Father, they’re my servants. You’re my father, but you can’t force your orders on them.”

Hearing my cold words, the Duke’s eyes widened, and then curved into crescent moons.

“I see. Hoho, my daughter grew up too fast.”

Then, he patted my head with a pleasant smile.

“Even so, we shouldn’t cause any inconveniences for His Highness, right?”

No! I’ll really be uncomfortable!

I gulped down my heart’s answer, then smiled instead.

“Of course not.”

First of all, I’m going to have to find out what this trash bogger king’s doing all the way here.

And I’ll have to tell the Duke…

As he got up from his seat, it’s clear that he wasn’t all that contended to leave my side either since he looked back at me several times when he walked away.

You seem to be busy these days.

“Amber, will you bring some more tea?”

“Yes, Milady.”

Amber must have also been thrown off by the unexpected guest. She hurriedly disappeared across the garden.

“Master.”

“Master.”

Doggy and Damian were worried that I would send them away, and they called me at the same time.

They’ve never called me in unison like this in a long time.

I waved my hand as a gesture for them not to worry. I smiled as I spoke to them.

“Of course you both have to be here. What would happen to me if a kidnapper like this fellow here would be left alone with me? Should I let myself fall victim to him twice?”

Doggy and Damian stood on both sides of me with confidence.

But right then, Elliot burst into laughter.

“Haha, I knew it, you’re quite bold.”

“You’re the one who’s bold. Once I tell my father, hold on tightly to your neck. You think my father won’t touch a prince? I warned you kindly back then. Do you still remember?”

At that, Elliot nodded as though he accepted my words.

“Of course. Thanks to your kind parting words, I became a prince. Of course, I remember. Isn’t it because I listened to all of your words well?”

No, this punk!

Seriously—! Ah, so annoying. You think I won’t tell the Duke?!

I’ve just been avoiding you because I was afraid you’d ask me how I knew!

How could I say that I read about you from the original work?

Who should I blame?!

Of course I only have myself to blame!

My face grew hotter as though I had a fever.

My restlessness was clear from my appearance.

“Master, what’s wrong? Are you angry? Do you want me to kill him?”

“Master, please give your orders.”

The two already looked ready to dispose of Elliot.

Oh, I’m so proud of you both.

I was relieved that these two people knew even if no one else did.

Elliot looked at Doggy and Damian alternately, clearly amused as he had a broad smile.

Then…

“Princess—no, Rachel. Will you marry me?”

…Sh*t came out of his mouth.

This scum of the earth, seriously. Dirty bastard…

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