CHAPTER 16
“Stop calling me pretty. I’m a man.”
Siegfried grabbed my hand, which had been floating awkwardly in the air, as he said this. He seemed a little angry.
“Ah, okay.”
He raised his eyebrows so sharply that I had no choice but to respond that way. But inwardly, I thought:
Still, to me, you’ll always be pretty…
“Don’t even think that.”
“Thinking is free, you know.”
“I won’t allow it.”
Really now, this is too much. If it’s come to this, I’ll just chant ‘Siegfried is pretty’ a thousand times in my head.
“I told you not to.”
Siegfried muttered as if he could read my mind. I rolled my eyes.
“If someone’s pretty, what am I supposed to say? You’re pretty.”
“Just call me handsome instead.”
“Handso…?”
My voice trailed off.
That came out of nowhere. If he really wants to hear something like that, maybe come back in five years.
“What, you don’t like that?”
“Yes.”
“At least think about it before you answer. That was way too fast.”
“Could you let go of my hand now?”
Wasn’t it Siegfried himself who said he was very careful about holding hands?
I decided to subtly point out that he’d been holding mine the whole time.
“Oh, sorry.”
Siegfried hurriedly let go. Not that he needed to apologize or anything.
“Your hand is really small.”
He looked back and forth between his hand and mine, seemingly realizing it only now. Was it? Compared to his, yes, but mine was pretty average for a woman.
“It’s natural that a man’s hand is bigger than a woman’s. What do you think big hands mean?”
“……”
It was just an offhand remark, but Siegfried suddenly pursed his lips and moved a good distance away from me. His cheeks flushed bright red. He even forgot he had applied ointment to his face and began rubbing it with both hands.
“Height, of course. You’re still growing, so I meant you should eat well.”
“I-I don’t want to hear that from someone who snacks all day. I thought you meant something weird.”
When I gave the “right” answer, Siegfried—who didn’t even try to guess the riddle—fidgeted with his shirt and started fanning himself.
Now he was sweating profusely. I had anticipated this, so I’d bought a fan earlier. Considerate as always. I approached him to hand it over.
“I’m already fully grown, so I don’t care… but why is your face so red? It looks like it’s going to burst.”
That aside, what had Siegfried said earlier? Something about weird thoughts? I tilted my head. Then, when I saw him turn his back on me and sit facing away, I sobered up.
“What exactly were you thinking?”
“I-I don’t know. Let’s just go.”
Siegfried dusted off his pants and stood up quickly.
The festival had only just begun, but he didn’t seem interested in staying. When I asked where he wanted to go, he said he wanted to return to the mansion immediately.
When the festival ended, peaceful days returned. I got up late and stretched.
Ughhh. I groaned and gulped down water. I had drunk a bit on the final night of the festival, and I guess the alcohol didn’t sit well with me yesterday.
A pounding headache made me frown.
Still in my pajamas, I trudged over and drew the curtains. The midday sun poured into the bedroom, and it was blindingly bright.
“Huh?”
In one corner of the garden stood Siegfried, holding a wooden sword. Abyssion was with him, chatting away, while Siegfried occasionally nodded in response.
From a distance, I heard Abyssion’s voice.
“Ariel!”
I chewed on an ice cube and waved to him. He smiled brightly, happy to see me.
Siegfried, on the other hand, didn’t even glance my way. He seemed completely absorbed in training.
“Yooouuurr Highnessss~!”
I cupped my hands around my mouth and shouted. His shoulders flinched dramatically. Siegfried turned his head slowly. He had definitely heard me. But before our eyes could meet, he quickly looked away. Why?
Pouting, I tapped on the table. I was curious but didn’t feel like going out and asking him directly. I had a hangover, and today I just wanted to lounge in bed all day in my pajamas.
“Ariel! Come down if you’re bored!”
Abyssion shouted to me as I stretched. I shook my head and put my hands to my cheeks, mimicking sleep. He gave a thumbs-up in understanding.
After the maids cleared the dishes, I returned to bed. As soon as I lay down under the blanket, sleepiness washed over me again. I soon fell into a deep sleep.
Knock knock.
“I’m sleeping!”
I yawned widely and shouted. I had already merged with the bed and didn’t want to move. I rubbed my cheek against the pillow and closed my eyes again.
Knock knock.
“I’m sleeping!”
I yelled with irritation. Who dared interrupt my precious nap? Still, I figured they’d go away if I ignored them, so I closed my eyes tightly and relaxed my frown.
It went quiet for a moment.
Knock knock knock knock knock.
…So much for quiet! The knocking grew faster when I didn’t respond.
I kicked off the blanket furiously. The only person who would come at this time was Abyssion. But even he usually backed off if I said I was sleeping. Then who the heck was it?
“I said I’m sleeping!”
“……How can someone sleeping talk?”
The voice from behind the door made my eyes fly open. I scrambled to my feet, dragged on my slippers, and opened the door. There stood Siegfried in a crisp white shirt, looking a bit awkward.
He lowered his knocking hand.
“Oh… Your Highness. That knocking earlier—was that you…?”
“Yes, it was.”
I felt extremely embarrassed. I’d only gotten up to see what annoying person was disturbing me, and to find Siegfried there… totally unexpected.
I said nothing and just stared at him. He had acted like I didn’t exist earlier, so what brought him here now?
“……Why didn’t you come earlier?”
“Huh? Earlier when?”
I tilted my head, still groggy from sleeping too long. I couldn’t quite understand what he was getting at. All I wanted was to send him off and crawl back into bed.
“Earlier… when I was with Sir Abyssion. Weren’t you watching me?”
“Oh, yes. I was.”
“And Sir Abyssion told you to come down.”
“And I said I was going to sleep more.”
“When did you say that? I didn’t hear it.”
Siegfried spoke urgently, then widened his eyes as if startled by his own words. His lips tensed. I blinked, not following his train of thought.
“I didn’t hear it. You never said that.”
He repeated more firmly. I had to really rack my brain to remember the situation from earlier. If I didn’t, it felt like he might actually get mad. Just look at him—he looked completely serious now.
“Oh, right. I didn’t say it out loud—I just gestured.”
I brought both hands to my face and made snoring sounds. Siegfried’s lips parted slightly, and his face took on a look of disbelief.
“I can’t believe… I waited for hours, not even knowing that…”
He trailed off and closed his mouth tightly. As if to fill the silence, I suddenly blurted out what came to mind.
“But, Your Highness, why are you here in my room? You swore you’d never visit, remember?”
“I never swore anything like that.”
“It was basically the same thing, wasn’t it…?”
“And I haven’t set foot inside your room.”
“Aha.”
He was already at my door, pretending to be all righteous. I couldn’t help myself—mischief welled up. I quickly grabbed his hand. Before he could react, I pulled him inside.
His eyes widened in shock. Before I knew it, he was standing in my room.
“Oh no, you’ve entered! And you’re an unrelated man!”
“H-How could you do something so rude and shameless…!”
From the hand I held to his exposed neck and ears, Siegfried’s skin turned completely red.
Not just red—he was so hot it seemed like he might actually burn. I wondered if that was even physically possible.
“H-How! I’ve never stepped into a woman’s room before!”
He was practically having a meltdown. It had just been a playful tease, but his reaction was far more intense than I expected.
I thought he’d gotten a bit better since he barely reacted when I grabbed his wrist at the festival. But clearly, not at all.
