CH 54

54 – Awareness and Jealousy (3)

[Adilun's POV]

“Is there any problem, Princess Rodenov?”

Princess Selina was brazenly talking to me. Judging by her appearance, she seemed to have decided that her flirting with Physis was acceptable and no big deal.

“I didn’t want to say this, but… … Aren’t you being too shameless?”

My tone became naturally sharper in response to her impudent attitude.

There was no need to be nice to someone who was flirting with an engaged person.

“What?! What do you mean? Shameless?”

“Aren’t you ashamed to go to such lengths with a man who has a fiancee?”

At my words, Princess Selina laughed as if I had said something amusing.

“Princess Rodenov, wasn't it the princess who broke her fiancé's heart in the first place? Furthermore, Sir Physis and the Princess's engagement was only an arranged marriage... it is excruciatingly painful to suppress a person's freedom like that.”

“Okay. It can be painful. But he chose to be engaged to me, and this is between him and me. There is no room for you to intervene.”

“No. It’s not a matter for the princess to decide, it’s for Sir Physis to decide. Because it's his freedom that is being suppressed now.”

“Freedom being suppressed… … . Yes, it is true that I have some control over his freedom, but this is something we agreed upon when we got engaged. He's just being childish now. He'll get over it soon.”

“I'm a bit surprised to hear such a story from you. I've only heard that you're gentle... But you like to manipulate people.”

Who to say? I didn't think she, who shook many people out of her grasp because she always wanted to be the main character, would say that.

“I find it funny that you're saying such things, considering you've replaced many of your previous partners from prestigious families. Aren't you using them to make yourself stand out? At least I'm more conscientious than you, who has done it to so many people.”

I said with a soft smile on my face. I thought it was ridiculous that a slut woman like her would say such things to me, just to make herself stand out.

“Ha, what? All that people dated me by their own choice. It’s a situation no different from yours.”

Selina couldn't have been more absurd. Because I had never shown this kind of attitude before, it seemed to catch her off guard. She couldn't help but feel embarrassed that I, who always pretended to be indifferent even when I heard behind-the-scenes gossip about me, was now being so aggressive.

“It is no different from me… … Ahahaha. That’s funny. At least I’ve never opened my legs to others to be the main character. This is it, even a prostitute on the street is cleaner than you. Did you really want to be the main character? ....The reputation and attitude you have now earned among princesses... Do you think I don’t know that all of that comes from nobles son clinging to you rather than from your own strength?”

Selina's face turned red with anger as if my words had struck a sensitive spot in her.

After all, it was easy to provoke someone with an inferiority complex.

“You speak vulgarly. Now let me speak bluntly. It's not that Princess Rodenov never slept around; it's that she couldn't. Perhaps no one paid attention to you because of your unsightly scales.”

“Well. Yes, it made me look a little gross.”

I nodded my head obediently at her words. I had no intention of denying it. I couldn’t see my scaly figure as a human being. Moreover, there was no need to be angry with her words.

Because now, my appearance was no longer as gross as before.

“But that is in the past. Look at me now. Who in the world would say that I am gross?”

I deliberately smiled brightly at Selina and said, in order to provoke her inferiority complex.

“So I don’t have to worry too much about being the main character like you. I will be above you no matter what.”

“You are overconfident. Do you really think you can say that when your fiancé is taken away from you? I think Lord Physis is on the verge of coming on to me right now. After all, isn’t the reason you talked to me this way so that you don’t lose your fiancé?”

I laughed at the sound she made as she licked her lips.

“Yes. I don’t want my fiancé taken away. Especially for a woman like you. So I will do my best.”

“What's the best… … Are you going to tie him up?”

“If I need to. I will. I will do whatever it takes to keep him. I didn’t realize I had such a strong desire for exclusivity, but now I know I won’t give him up to anyone.”

“Ha, such a person would slap her fiancé on the cheek like that. You are amazing.”

“Well, that would seem to you. But you don’t know anything about me and Physis. On the contrary, talking to you gives me peace of mind.”

“Yes?”

“You can never seduce him. You can’t take him away from me because...”

My words were strangling Selina. Instantly, her complexion turned pale.

“Physis is more likely to be parasitized by people like you than someone like me who cherishes him.”

I glared at her with a sneering smile I had never shown before.

“Because he despises you.”

“You can’t guarantee anything, Princess Rodenov.”

Selina tried to put on a brave face and spoke with a hint of resentment.

I didn’t miss that moment. The corners of my mouth quivered to bluff.

She quickly moved her feet and headed for the banquet hall. She would tell others about my actions and make herself out to be the victim.

But that was also what I wanted. The wise would see through her lies, but the foolish would turn against me. There were quite a few people who looked up to Princess Selina’s outward appearance and admired her.

But in the North, where I would rule, I didn't need a man who could be swayed by such superficial qualities.

In fact, I could have easily taken her territory without causing a scene. Her rude treatment of me gave me a perfect excuse.

But I was reluctant to approach everything in that way. Using my background when necessary was good, but if I relied solely on it, I could end up being perceived as terrible.

More than anything, I wanted to make Selina despair by gradually realizing her own reality, instead of succumbing to physical despair through the Battle of the Territory, the great duel.

The reality was that she would never be able to catch up with me no matter what she did.

When I came to that thought, I suddenly realized that I had changed a lot.

When I was greedy for someone, I tended to be like this. However, lately, I hadn't desired much. If I truly wanted something, I could be as greedy as anyone else.

That realization made me even more happier.

I headed back to the banquet hall with slow, leisurely steps.

* * *

[Physis's POV]

After the dance with Isla was over, Selina returned to the banquet hall with a slightly reddened face. 

'Did she hear anything from Adilun? Her expression is pretty grim.'

'Well, I don’t have to worry about it. Adilun must have done well.'

I looked at Isla and said.

“Princess Isla.”

“Yes. Sir Physis.”

“Could you tell me the story you just talked about in detail? The story of how Adiun helped you. I can’t believe it. I’ve only seen the violent side of her.”

“Ahh! Yes. of course. Shall we go over there and talk? It’s uncomfortable when there are other princesses… … ”

Whether she was a bit shy or if something bad happened with the other princesses, she wanted to distance herself from them. I obediently followed her opinion.

“Alright. I wonder what kind of story you are gonna tell me.”

And at the same time, I saw Adilun, who looked relieved and happy, returned to the banquet hall. It seemed that things had worked out pretty well.

-Physis? The woman in front… … uh? Is she Princess Isla?

– Do you know her?

-Yes. She’s a princess I’ve helped before, but since she hasn’t been around recently, I didn’t think she’d come to this social gathering. So, I only told you how she look and didn’t tell you the details, but what happened?

-Well, it looks like she heard gossip about you, and now she’s trying to tell me the story of how you helped her… Would you like to hear?

-Uh, that’s a bit embarrassing… … Still, I’d like to hear it. If Princess Isla sincerely says something good about me, it means that she is my ally.

-Alright. Ah, but what did you talk about with Princess Selina? Her face was very crumpled.

-Aha, I did say many things... But I don’t want to tell you much. It was because there were some harsh words.

– Then there’s nothing I can do about it. Okay.

I nodded, stopped the conversation with Adilun, and looked at Isla.

“Please begin, Princess Isla.”

“Ah yes!”

That was how Isla began to tell the story between Adilun and herself.