Episode 6
“What do you mean?”
Hassel neatly placed the documents he’d been holding under his arm neatly on the Crown Prince’s desk and walked over to mine.
“Read this and point out anything that feels awkward.”
“Pardon? Yes… of course.”
I wasn’t keen on showing him my writing, but since it was the Crown Prince’s command, I had no choice but to hand over the passage I’d written.
Hassel took it, squinted slightly, and exhaled softly as he read through. When he reached the scene where the protagonists kissed, his brows lifted slightly in surprise before he set the paper down.
“Well?”
“Hmm… It’s entertaining.”
“Not just entertaining. Did anything feel strange to you while reading it?”
“Not particularly, no.”
Hassel’s indifferent tone made the Crown Prince eye him suspiciously, as if doubting whether he’d ever been in a romantic relationship.
To be fair, Hassel’s appearance made it unlikely that he lacked experience. He was tall, well-proportioned, and had an air of nobility, with his long green hair loosely tied back.
In other words, if Hassel hadn’t been in a relationship, it was by choice—not for lack of opportunity.
Unimpressed with Hassel’s vague answer, Jereon pressed further.
“Look closely, Hassel. In the final line, it says they only kissed lightly.”
“And… what about that?”
“How can a kiss end so blandly? Shouldn’t it be more intense, more passionate?”
“That varies by individual preference, so I can’t say.”
“You’ve never kissed anyone before, have you?”
“I have, actually.”
“…”
“From the way you said, ‘Hassel also,’ it sounds like Your Highness hasn’t—”
“Silence.”
The Crown Prince’s abrupt interruption made it abundantly clear: the only person in this room who hadn’t kissed anyone was the Crown Prince himself.
Visibly flustered, Jereon paused, then turned his question toward both of us.
“So, how many times have you kissed someone?”
Hassel and I exchanged glances, mentally calculating our answers. He spoke first.
“I kissed each person I dated, so… certainly more than five times.”
“Only five?”
“No, more than that, of course. I didn’t keep count, Your Highness.”
“And you, Shanael?”
I avoided eye contact, staring instead somewhere near the ceiling. I’d only ever dated one person, but we’d kissed so often it was impossible to count.
I gave a vague reply.
“Apologies, I’ve lost track.”
“So you’ve dated over ten people?”
“No. Just one. But we kissed whenever we met, and again when parting, so I really can’t say how many times.”
“Why treat kisses so trivially? Kisses on the cheek don’t count, by the way.”
“Well, cheek kisses are often just a form of greeting—those, I remember even less.”
“As a greeting? You kiss people on the cheek as a greeting?”
“Yes. Isn’t that right, Assistant Hassel?”
Hassel nodded in agreement and even elaborated further.
“Yes. When meeting close acquaintances, we sometimes greet each other that way.”
The Crown Prince looked scandalized, as if experiencing cultural shock. His expression said, How can one throw around cheek kisses so casually? But he composed himself quickly.
“That’s… strange.”
“What exactly do you find strange, Your Highness?” Hassel asked, tilting his head, his green hair cascading over his shoulder. As I admired his refreshing appearance, Jereon muttered with a note of indignation.
“Why has no one ever kissed my cheek?! Am I invisible? Did no one ever feel happy to see me?”
Trying to soothe him, Hassel raised his hands gently and replied with a deferential tone.
“It’s not that, Your Highness. People are cautious. Touching Your Highness’s person is considered improper.”
“Ah… I see.”
“Yes. Without explicit permission, no one dares approach Your Highness. I imagine many wanted to greet you that way but refrained out of respect.”
“I understand now.”
The Crown Prince’s sulky expression melted into a pleased smile.
The situation seemed resolved—until he looked between the two of us again.
“Then, I shall grant you both special permission.”
“Permission for what?”
“For what exactly?”
Jereon beamed, then tapped his own cheek lightly with a finger.
“From now on, greet me with a cheek kiss.”
Both Hassel and I flinched in unison. But Jereon mistook our shock for overwhelming gratitude, and with a benevolent air, he patted our shoulders.
“I understand. You’ve always wanted to greet me like that.”
“Ah… well, Your Highness…”
“Your Highness, perhaps a simple bow would suffice…”
I truly didn’t want to. This wasn’t just any noble—this was the Crown Prince. A cheek kiss as a greeting? That was something I had never even imagined.
Yet Jereon smiled like a magnanimous ruler.
“Haha, no need to be so moved. I understand your hearts. Let’s begin with today’s farewell.”
And thus, the Crown Prince—who had never kissed anyone—now yearned for cheek kisses from Hassel and me.
Thanks to the oatmeal porridge brought by Nancy, one of the palace maids, my upset stomach had finally calmed. Even simple dishes were different in the Imperial Palace—they were far more delicious, with deeper, richer flavors. Perhaps that’s why, despite my usual morning nausea, I felt in great shape today.
“All right, time to go.”
From the annex to the main office was a considerable walk, even at a brisk pace. Not only was the Imperial Palace vast, but the annex had no direct hallway to the main castle—we had to circle through the gardens.
As I neared the office, a familiar unease crept in, making me clutch my stomach.
“Surely… he won’t ask for another cheek kiss today?”
Yesterday, when parting ways, the Crown Prince insisted we kiss each of his cheeks—me on the left, Hassel on the right.
Up close, his skin had been so clear it seemed almost translucent. He’d apparently participated in a major subjugation campaign, yet his face was as soft and smooth as a baby’s. Truly, those of the royal family were born different.
“Do it properly.”
I had tried to fake it with a light graze, but the Crown Prince commanded it be done properly. So, standing on tiptoe with lips tightly pursed, I barely managed a ‘peck’ and quickly pulled away.
What followed was baffling: the Crown Prince wiped the spot with his gloved hand.
“It’s no big deal.”
If he was going to wipe it away, why ask for it in the first place?
Though he insisted on contact, once it happened, he immediately acted like cleanliness was paramount. I had no idea how to keep pace with his contradictory whims.
“He surely won’t ask again… right?”
I arrived at the office, greeted Secretary Berin, and sat at my desk. Before long, Jereon burst through the door, prompting the secretary to rise.
“Good morning, Your Highness.”
“Oh, yes. Morning.”
I stood as well and bowed respectfully.
Jereon barely acknowledged the secretary before heading toward his desk—only to suddenly change course and stride directly toward mine.
I kept my head bowed, staring at the toes of his polished shoes.
“Why isn’t he moving?”
Just as my back began to ache from the posture, his voice landed atop my head.
“Shanael.”
I cautiously lifted my gaze. The Crown Prince tilted his head slightly, raising a single brow.
Was he expecting a cheek kiss again? I hesitated, reading the air. Then, he poked his cheek with a finger.
“Why are you hesitating? Come greet me with a kiss.”
For a moment, I thought I must have gained psychic powers.
“A-as you wish, Your Highness.”
I rounded my desk and approached. As always, his uniform was pristine and his face spotless. Since he was a full head taller than me, a kiss wasn’t even physically possible unless he lowered his head.
He tilted toward me, presenting his left cheek.
I rose on my toes and gently pressed my lips against it. As I pulled away, I saw a faint smile tug at the corner of his mouth.
“Good morning, Your Highness.”
“Indeed.”
Despite claiming it was “no big deal,” he once again wiped the spot with his gloved hand.
“People might think I forced this on him.”
From the corner of my eye, I noticed Secretary Berin practically burying his face in a document, scribbling nervously—likely hoping to avoid being asked to do the same. Judging by his random pen strokes, he was definitely just pretending to work.
Bang!
“Apologies, I’m late.”
“No worries. I heard the border outposts were quite active this morning. Do you have the report?”
“Yes.”
Hassel entered confidently, documents tucked under both arms.
Jereon turned toward him, clearly expecting the same greeting. But today, something was different—Hassel had stubble. With his green hair, it looked like blades of grass sprouting across his jawline.
Oblivious, Jereon leaned his right cheek toward him. Hassel, wearing a grave expression, leaned in and firmly planted a kiss.
“Ow! That stings!”
“Does it, Your Highness? My apologies.”
Clutching his cheek, Jereon gave Hassel a wounded look.
“Hassel, why didn’t you shave?”
“I’ve developed a sensitivity to metal, Your Highness. Even touching a razor gives me hives.”
“But you’ve shaved just fine until now.”
“It seems my constitution changed with age.”
“…Fine. You are exempt from cheek kisses until further notice.”
“Understood.”
As Hassel bowed, I noticed the victorious smile on his lips.
And I couldn’t help but feel envious. If only I had facial hair too…
