TSHF 17

Chapter 17

“You came so willingly. I’m delighted, Your Highness!”

“What are you scheming?”

He snarled the moment he saw me.

I tilted my head innocently, pretending not to understand.

“Hmm? What do you mean?”

“Drop the fake expression. You already know—”

Gobard bit his lip hard mid-sentence.

He must be confused.

Was I aware of his relationship with Agasa and deliberately took her with me?

Or was it just a coincidence?

‘If someone else had taken Agasa, he would’ve been certain it was intentional without a second thought.’

But he couldn’t quite believe that I, Neroli, was using this situation to pull something.

I ignored Gobard’s transparent turmoil and gestured toward the seat across from me.

“Oh no, standing like that must hurt your legs! Please, sit here. My maid will be bringing refreshments shortly!”

“I don’t have time to sit and drink tea with you.”

“Even so, I’m so happy you accepted my invitation. You came a lot faster than I expected, though!”

“You…”

He stepped toward me threateningly.

Knock knock.

“Your Highness, I’ve brought the tea.”

At the familiar voice, Gobard whipped his head around.

“Come in!”

Feigning cheerfulness, I gave permission.

The door to the tea room, connected to the parlor, opened.

And Agasa entered, pushing a tray.

In that moment, their eyes met.

“!”
“!”

Both Gobard and Agasa wore far more striking expressions than I had anticipated.

Observing them, I simply smiled innocently.

Agasa couldn’t steady her pounding heart.

Gobard hadn’t taken his eyes off her the entire time she was pouring the tea.

‘Why now, of all times…’

She still… she still needed time to sort out her feelings.

She’d known this moment would come eventually, ever since she entered Neroli’s service.

But not this soon.

‘S-still, as long as I’m with Princess Neroli, he won’t speak to me directly… right?’

He’d stared at her like he wanted to devour her, but he hadn’t acknowledged her in the end.

After finishing the refreshments, Agasa handed over tea service duties to another maid and quickly fled deeper into Neroli’s palace.

Only when she reached a place far from the parlor could she finally catch her breath.

Her hands were trembling.

Her chest as well.

“Sir Node…”

Sir Node, and Crown Prince Gobard.

They felt similar, yet so different.

It was strange.

‘He has the same face.’

Just a change of clothes, and yet he seemed like an entirely different person.

The man who used to hand her flowers with a stoic face, dressed in simple training clothes, was now gone.

Now he was the crown prince in full uniform, hair neatly tied up.

‘Sir Node no longer exists.’

That realization stung her heart.

But what could she do?

This was their true reality.

Just a few days ago, she had made a decision during a conversation with Neroli.

‘I’ll forget him.’

The truth was, she still loved Gobard and wanted to be with him.

But Agasa was scared of reality.

Every time the words “the crown prince’s lover” came up among the nobles, her stomach turned.

If the truth ever came out, everyone would condemn her.

And that terrified her.

‘And more than anything… Princess Neroli…’

She didn’t deserve to betray her.

The princess had warmly called her “one of my people” and cared for her sincerely.

Thinking of that kind, loving woman made Agasa suffocate with guilt.

– And! I absolutely don’t believe those rumors about the crown prince having a secret lover! That’s insulting to His Highness, honestly!

“Haaah—”

Agasa felt like she had betrayed Neroli.

That sunshine smile had saved her so many times.

She couldn’t bear to think of someone like that being hurt because of her.

‘Even Brillint got dragged into this…’

She had never expected rumors to spread just because their eye colors were similar.

They hadn’t shared much conversation beyond orders, but Agasa had wanted to get along with Brillint.

Something about her felt oddly familiar.

‘It’s fine. I just have to behave myself.’

There was only one reason to see Gobard again.

Because she loved him.

But there were too many reasons not to.

So she steeled her heart again.

“Time will fix everything.”

Just then—

A hand suddenly shot out from the corner of the hallway Agasa was walking down and grabbed her arm.

“Ah!”

Before she could react, she was pulled into a firm embrace.

A familiar scent brushed past her nose.

“Agasa.”

At the sound of that low voice, tears welled up.

She looked up.

Gobard was looking down at her.

With the same gaze he had when he was still Sir Node.

That affectionate gaze made Agasa wrinkle her nose in reflex, but it was no use.

The tears spilled freely down her cheeks.

Gobard reached out with a pained expression to wipe them away.

“Let go of me!”

Agasa slapped his hand away and struggled out of his embrace, worried someone might see.

“Let go! Stay away from me!”

Gobard quickly tried to explain.

“Agasa, please listen to me.”

“Listen to what?”

She glared at him with resentment.

“That Sir Node wasn’t just a knight, but a future ruler of this empire?”

“Agasa.”

“Or that His Highness will soon hold a grand wedding with his fiancée?”

“That’s all a misunderstanding. I swear—”

“How could you deceive me like this!”

Her voice grew loud with emotion.

“Was it fun? Watching me fall for your sweet lies?”

“No, Agasa, that’s not it.”

“Maybe to you, it was just a game, but I was serious! I—!”

She clenched her jaw, trying to calm herself.

This was Neroli’s palace—her mistress’s domain.

Any rumor could start from a single misplaced word.

“…Forgive me.”

Agasa finally forced out the words with her eyes tightly shut.

“I don’t want to suffer over a doomed relationship. For both our sakes, this is the wise thing to do.”

“Agasa, look at me.”

“I’ll forget everything. I won’t resent you. So please forget me too.”

Gobard felt something tighten in his throat—a kind of desperation he’d never experienced before.

‘If only…’

When he first met her, he hadn’t realized what she would come to mean to him.

He had thought it was just a fleeting impulse, a moment of indulgence until the right time.

If he’d known this rebellion would gnaw away at him like this…

‘If only I’d dealt with Evwa Bobonche sooner.’

He should have gotten rid of that nuisance and claimed Agasa more firmly.

So she could never leave his side.

Ever.

Gobard spoke with firm resolve.

“I can’t do that, Agasa.”

She opened her eyes in surprise.

His blue eyes were blazing.

“I’ll never let you go.”

“Your Highness.”

“I promised I’d always be with you.”

“There is no future for us.”

“…Agasa.”

Gobard whispered desperately, knowing she would reject him.

“I promise. When I become Emperor, I’ll crown you as my Empress.”

SLAP!

The sound echoed through the empty hallway.

Agasa had slapped him with all her strength.

“How dare you say something like that?!”

Her voice trembled with a fierce rejection.

“I’d rather die than let that happen!”

To Agasa, polygamy was unthinkable.

Sharing a husband with another?

It would be a betrayal of the sacred vows made before the gods!

Breathing hard with fury, Agasa suddenly realized what she’d done and flinched.

She had just slapped the future ruler of the empire.

“Ah…”

Her eyes shook with panic.

Ironically, Gobard felt both sorrow and strange relief.

Because it proved she still felt something strong for him.

“Then what if I make you my crown princess?”

“…What?”

“And later—my Empress. Would you still leave me?”

“What are you saying…”

He placed a hand on her waist and locked eyes with her.

With absolute sincerity, he whispered:

“My heart belongs only to you, Agasa.”

“Your Highness, please…”

“No matter what, I’ll break off my engagement with Evwa Bobonche.”

“!”

Her eyes widened at the unexpected declaration.

Gobard pulled her into a tighter embrace.

“Then we’ll marry. Even when I become Emperor, I’ll never take another woman.”

“Ah…”

“So please… don’t leave me.”

His desperation made her cry again.

“I can’t live without you. You know that.”

“Hic… But, but—!”

“Agasa, I swear before the gods I’ll be yours forever.”

How could she not melt at such sweetness?

How could her heart not waver at such longing?

In the end, Agasa buried her face in his chest and sobbed.

There were countless reasons she should leave Gobard.

‘And yet…’

And yet.

There was one overwhelming reason to stay.

Because nothing else mattered in the face of love.

“You’ll believe me, right?”

“…Yes.”

Oh Dalia, goddess of light… Please have mercy on this foolish heart of mine.

A vision of the platinum-haired angel with the sunshine smile floated into her mind.

Unable to face that smile with a clear conscience, Agasa closed her eyes tightly once more.

[And that~ is what just happened over there~]

“Good work, Marin.”