Chapter 47
After that, Aryan had to spend a great deal of time calming Torajin Clarissa.
In the end, it wasn’t until he muttered “the crown prince is an idiot” seventeen times that he was able to see Clarissa’s smile again.
It wasn’t anything grand, but after a few small, pleasant exchanges, the time to part came all too quickly.
Before moving his feet, unwilling to leave, Aryan barely managed to open his mouth.
“Actually… the reason I came today is… I have something I need to tell you, Clarissa.”
Clarissa, still rubbing her cheek against Huey’s soft fur, waited with sparkling eyes for Aryan’s words.
Since Clarissa seemed particularly happy to see him today, it was difficult for Aryan to continue speaking.
Only time urged him on.
“For the time being… it looks like it will be hard for us to meet.”
Finally, only after closing his eyes tightly did he manage to force the words out.
It wasn’t a permanent farewell, yet somehow his heart felt heavy.
Clarissa slowly turned her head.
She stared blankly for a moment, confirming what she had just heard.
“Hard… to meet?”
“Well…”
Aryan’s eyelashes trembled.
Clarissa barely managed to restrain the urge to scold him immediately.
“For the time being, I’ll probably be a little busy.”
“…Did that wretched crown prince do something? Or that insufferable aide Daniel?”
“No, it’s not that.”
Aryan shook his head, insisting it wasn’t, but Clarissa didn’t believe him for a second.
How many times had she been dragged around by the crown prince’s trivial personal duties? Each time, he had used “strict confidentiality” as an excuse.
“So, when will we meet next?”
“Well…”
Clarissa bit her lip.
Seeing that he couldn’t give a proper answer, she realized it was as she expected. She squinted her eyes slightly, seeing no reason to push further.
“Clarissa.”
Seeing that Clarissa had no intention of hiding her displeasure, Aryan called her gently, his face unusually serious.
“Okay.”
Even as she squinted her eyes again, Clarissa nodded, pretending to give in to Aryan’s persistence.
“If Aryan says so, then fine.”
Relieved that Clarissa agreed so neatly, Aryan secretly let out a sigh of relief.
Clarissa’s bright ears caught everything, but she pretended not to notice.
Just this once.
“Then, it might be a little early, but I should take it now.”
“Huh?”
Clarissa tilted her head slightly, raising the corner of her eye.
And she asked for what she had left with him, directed at Aryan, who was still recovering from relief.
“What is it? Have you already forgotten?”
Clarissa’s lips pouted, reaching forward expectantly.
Aryan, still unable to recall, absentmindedly scratched his own cheek.
Clarissa deliberately stayed silent until Aryan grew anxious.
She had agreed to overlook his forgetfulness, but she never promised to spare him from her mischief.
Finally, when Aryan’s eyes imploringly urged her, Clarissa spoke, as if granting mercy:
“A debutante gift.”
At her words, Aryan held up a large blue jewel and swallowed hard.
“You promised you’d give it.”
“Oh.”
Finally remembering the promise he had made at the previous debutante ball, Aryan clamped his mouth shut, his face clearly embarrassed.
It was a stark contrast to the Aryan who had once wanted to share even a single bean with Clarissa.
It was Clarissa who felt slightly flustered this time.
“You don’t like it?”
Surely, my Aryan couldn’t feel that way—she observed his reaction with a slightly shocked face.
“No! On the contrary…”
“On the contrary?”
“…It’s nothing.”
Seeing him flustered, she realized he didn’t dislike it at all.
Putting aside her lingering doubts for the moment, Clarissa took Aryan’s hands into hers.
They were firm and slightly rough, definitely different from before.
It made her memories of the past flicker through her mind like a slideshow.
Wanting to ease any burden he might feel, Clarissa quickly spoke.
“It’s okay. It’s not difficult. In fact, it’s something only you can receive.”
“Only me…?”
“Yes!”
At her firm reply, Aryan nodded absentmindedly.
A strange excitement pulsed through his held hands.
Clarissa’s cheeks flushed red. In the distance, the bells of the temple could be faintly heard.
Just when breathing felt slightly difficult,
“What I want to receive is…”
Clarissa’s red lips parted.
Bang!
“Why!”
“Ah! You startled me!”
Clarissa, who had been staring blankly at the ceiling, suddenly slammed the desk in frustration.
The unfortunate victim was undoubtedly Mari, who was tidying up the bedding nearby.
“Why is it not allowed!”
However, whether Mari fell to the ground in surprise or shed a few tears, Clarissa paid no attention, focusing entirely on venting her unresolved anger.
Putting her own discomfort aside for the moment, Mari tried to hold back Clarissa, who seemed ready to throw everything in the room.
“I don’t know what the problem is, but please calm down, Clarissa-sama.”
“Do I look like I’m about to calm down?”
Mari sighed inwardly as she tried to soothe Clarissa, who was fuming uncontrollably.
Normally, Clarissa would be quite manageable after meeting Aryan, and Mari could finish her day pleasantly without worry…
But Mari had to abandon that assumption. She had to accept an unpleasant truth.
Today, Clarissa was several times fiercer than usual.
“That wretched crown prince can do it, but I can’t!”
Seeing that Clarissa was now beyond reasoning, Mari immediately realized that today’s early departure was impossible.
“Mari, speak up! Is it really that hard?”
“Could you first tell me what this is about?”
Having her peaceful day ruined and facing sudden chaos, Mari pleaded, tears welling in her eyes as Clarissa continued to fume.
Perhaps her earnestness reached Clarissa—after taking a few deep breaths, Clarissa finally spoke in a calmer, more composed voice:
“Speak.”
“Eh…?”
The problem was that what Clarissa demanded was far beyond what Mari could handle.
Mari rolled her large eyes, unable even to look anywhere.
“If you think about it, Mari, you’re older than me. Speak comfortably.”
“Clarissa-sama…”
With a very generous expression, Clarissa spread her arms toward Mari.
She was ready, signaling that Mari could speak whenever she was prepared—but Mari had a different thought.
‘Ah… she’s really going to make me…’
A thin stream of sweat fell from Mari’s pale cheek.
“I, Mari, serving Clarissa-sama is an honor… or maybe not, but at least without pain…”
Clarissa bit her lower lip tightly at Mari’s response, which was completely different from what she had expected.
Her clenched fists turned white, trembling violently.
“Say one more word.”
Facing those golden eyes that seemed ready to tear everything apart, Mari forgot she had faced death moments ago, and even her tears stopped as she clamped her mouth shut.
After seeing Mari’s terrified expression, Clarissa finally calmed herself.
“Is this why Aryan refuses too?”
Ignoring the remaining heat in her chest, Clarissa closed her eyes tightly.
Although she had managed to view herself objectively, her lingering dissatisfaction still burst out.
Yes, Mari is a maid, so fine, but Aryan is my fiancé, however superficial it may seem, and we agreed to start as “friends first”…
“Why is it so hard to just speak comfortably?”
