[IHTTMBW] Chapter 13

What happened next surprised me even more.

He mulled something over in his mind and said out loud.

“He’s the King who wouldn’t receive the water fairy’s golden apple.”

I had no idea what he meant.

After thinking it over, I realised he was referring to the story he told me. Is he trying to console me? That, because he’s a foolish king who wouldn’t receive the golden apple in the fairytale, I shouldn’t worry about what he said.

I smiled with my mouth wide open. Euphil still wasn’t looking at me, his ears red. I felt a warm current coming through my chest.

I felt my ears turning red, so I held his hand tight again and rubbed my face in his arm. Euphil’s ears turned even more red.

“Hehe. You’re Myrthi’s favourite.”

Euphil had a conflicting look on his face.

His careful hands slowly pushed my head away. Then, he spoke in a more emotion-filled voice than when he was consoling me.

“It’s my fault. It’s no good staying near me. Don’t come here looking for me anymore.”

“Huh?”

“I won’t go to your garden anymore, either.”

“Why not?”

“Nothing good will come out of being together with me.”

If I give up here, everything up until now will have been for nothing.

But other than that, I still felt sad, and tears hung from the edge of my eyes. I glanced and found Euphil making a regretful frown.

“Don’t cry.”

“So I can’t see you anymore?”

Sniffles.

“We can’t anymore.”

It was like an eviction notice. He must be concerned about the King’s evaluation of him.

‘This can’t happen; if he grows up like this and revolts against the King, I’m going to die.’

Even if he consoled me, my mind was still filled with apprehension.

But that was it.

The ten-year-old Euphil, who was dragging me along by hand with heavy footsteps, stopped at the border between my palace and shoved my shoulder forward.

“I’ve called the guards. They will take you away.”

“What about you?”

“I’m not going.”

“Never again?”

“That’s right.”

I didn’t know when the tears in my eyes had stained my face.

I was so tormented by his words that I grabbed his sleeve and wiped my nose with it. He said nothing about it and stood still, waiting for the guard to come.

I must have dozed off as I was sniffling. I had walked too much today, and my young heart was scared by all the cold gazes it had received.

I saw Euphil’s blond hair between the sunset and the hand lifting me as I drifted asleep.

‘I thought we were friends.’

I thought I shouldn’t have followed him as I fell into a deep slumber.

It was time to think about Plan B.

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I had no other information source in the palace besides Ante. I didn’t know where Chief Guard Valk was, and Ante was the person with whom I spent the most time face-to-face.

“Where are you going about wandering these days? Princess?”

Ante’s harassment became worse the more I went about wandering. Euphil couldn’t see it, but the harmless pinching that didn’t leave any marks turned more violent than it left bruises. And only on my belly, too. So that nobody could see it.

She must have felt apprehensive, too. But why does that matter? The King doesn’t care about me, and Euphil doesn’t want to see me anymore.

‘Coward.’

Still, it wasn’t fair to criticise Euphil. He was just a wounded ten-year-old.

I remembered when I held his hand and when he held mine. It was so warm then.

While Ante scrutinised me, I was immersed in deep thought and finally stared at her straight in the eyes. Ante frowned, as it was rare that I looked her in the eyes.

“Are you hungry?”

“No.”

“Then, why are you looking at me?”

It was like the position of a princess and a maid was completely reversed.

But Ante was the only person who gave me food. Right now, I wanted to know about Euphil.

“Do you know Euvil?”

“Euvil? What’s Euvil?”

“Uh…… Myrthi’s brother.”

“Prince Euphil? How do you know him?”

“Because he’s Myrthi’s brother!”

Ante’s face was gradually being contorted.

I nervously stared at her face as I continued. This time, even if she didn’t feed me, even if she pinched me repeatedly, I had to ask.

I had to firmly establish myself as his sister and ensure he didn’t forget me.

I needed to know the cause to attack the problem. But my prediction that she would starve me at best was a serious underestimation.

“Do you know Euphil’s mother? Ante, what’s a silly play?”

This was the trigger.

Ante’s face turned pale.

I couldn’t continue, feeling that I had touched the wrong switch.

But Ante continued the conversation.

“You met…His Majesty?”

“Y, yes, how did you know?”

“It’s because the only person who can say something like that to Prince Euphil is His Majesty.”

“Ah, I see.”

Ante slowly walked toward me.

I gulped. As her shadow covered my figure, I stood nailed to the ground and closed my eyes shut.

Instead of hitting my head or pinching my belly, she firmly grabbed my wrist. My body swayed.

“You were up to no good. Who told you that you could go see His Majesty at will?”

“N, no. I just ran into him while I was walking……”

Crying.

“I shouldn’t have just let you roam freely. Princess, you are to stay only in this room now.”

Then, Ante pushed me onto the small bed where I had been sleeping. As I was helplessly pushed away, I was about to lose my temper. Before I could do anything, Ante left the room.

When I took small steps to the door and tried to open it, I could only hear clicks in the door.

She had imprisoned me.

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