Raise Me, So That I Can Eat You Up - Chapter 19

I arrived at the annex palace, the venue for the ball, rather leisurely, escorted by Leon.

It was a splendid party befitting an imperial ball. I quietly surveyed the hall of the annex palace.

‘Well, I came because I was told to come. But what should I do to complete the mission?’

‘Psychological superiority,’ huh. It was incomprehensible. Come to think of it, isn’t this a rather subjective and vague mission?

‘Can’t I just feel superior and be done with it?’

They wouldn’t give me something that easy. Something felt off.

‘Maybe I should check it carefully once more.’

To be honest, I was so flustered when I received the invitation that I might have just skimmed through it.

“Mission check.”

I quietly called up the system window so that only I could hear it.

[System: Mission! ‘Night of Reunion’

Meet ‘Henry Grant (Status: Ex-fiancé)’ at the imperial ball and feel ‘psychological superiority’.

Failure: Death due to shame

This mission has already been confirmed.]

It seems exactly the same, down to the last letter.

‘Can’t you explain it in more detail?’

It was a disgustingly unfriendly system.

Well, it had been far from friendly from the start, with its baseless berserk endings and forced dragon-picking.

I could only sigh in exasperation.

Of course, everyone was looking at me.

It was natural, I suppose since I was pretty enough to turn heads.

They also whispered as I passed by.

“She’s here. Finally.”

“I didn’t think she’d actually come.”

They probably thought they were whispering, but I could hear everything. I can hear it all!

Well, it made sense.

I was the protagonist of the scandal who dumped the prince. I rarely appeared in social circles and suddenly showed up. And that too, invited by Henry.

‘I’d probably whisper too if I were them. What an interesting piece of gossip for others to see.’

But that was it.

‘So, which part am I supposed to feel psychologically superior about?’

The problem was that there was nothing to feel superior about at all.

Let’s look at the current situation.

Henry was chatting with people. As always, noble young ladies surrounded him.

On the other hand, I had no friends or acquaintances. Only Leon was by my side.

Leon was also known as a hot-tempered sword master. Rumors were rife about him throwing his resignation at his superior and pointing a sword at him.

“Wow, imperial balls are nothing special. Whoever hosted this, there’s nothing to eat. Just a disgusting amount of alcohol.”

Moreover, he was in a foul mood, disgruntled with Henry. Who would dare approach us?

“Keep it down. You’ll get arrested for insulting royalty.”

“Yes, yes.”

I snapped at Leon, who kept grumbling.

I was just as desolate.

As the prince’s former fiancée, invited by him, no one would dare speak to me casually unless they were out of their minds.

‘Ah, this is embarrassing. Why did that Henry guy invite me here?’

I resented Henry. We weren’t even that close. And then he suddenly sent an invitation after we broke up.

Moreover, although it was because of the mission, I had indulged in all sorts of fantasies and made such a fuss.

‘I want to die of embarrassment.’

So this is what they meant by death from shame. Being excessively pretty made it even more embarrassing.

I felt pathetic for putting in so much effort for today.

‘Compared to that, Henry looks… fine.’

Well, that was natural. Henry and I weren’t that close, to begin with.

‘Maybe I’m the one unnecessarily concerned.’

I recalled an article I had read before. It was a gossip piece about the ‘Prince’s post-breakup syndrome’.

Why did a grown man have to cry and make me worry? I felt bad about it.

‘Post-breakup syndrome, my foot.’

They say you shouldn’t worry about others, and it seems they were right. It was an unnecessary concern.

‘Since I won’t actually die from shame, let’s just endure it and leave.’

Well, it’s possible to fail missions. As long as I don’t die, right? I heaved a deep sigh.

“Leon. Bring me some alcohol.”

“Alcohol?”

“Yeah, since we have nothing to do, let’s just drink some champagne and go.”

Honestly, I felt like I couldn’t stand in this ‘Hall of Shame’ unless I was a bit tipsy.

“Something sweet?”

“Just get the most expensive one. And bring some finger food too, I’m starving.”

“Got it.”

Leon probably craved alcohol too, having left the knight’s order a while ago. He headed to the liquor bar, leaving me alone.

‘Maybe I should have gone with him.’

Being alone made it even more embarrassing. Without any shield, receiving all the stares and whispers, I felt like I was stripped naked.

I was used to such attention when I was an actress, but being used to it didn’t mean I liked it.

‘Well, what can I do?’

Thinking they’d whisper more if I looked flustered, I deliberately maintained my composure. I even made eye contact and smiled faintly at them.

‘I’m this pretty. They probably can’t spit in a smiling face.’

At that moment, I made direct eye contact with Henry’s golden eyes.

Was it my imagination? His eyes seemed full of mirth.

“Tch.”

An annoyed exclamation escaped my lips before I knew it.

‘Let’s pretend I didn’t see him. It’s possible to accidentally make eye contact while turning your head, right?’

As I was pretending to be nonchalant, sure enough, Henry approached me.

‘Don’t come. Please.’

In an instant, I felt everyone’s gaze shift blatantly towards us. As Henry approached, people around us stepped back as if making way.

With each step he took closer, my insides shriveled up more and more.

“Have you been well?”

“……”

“Noona.”

Henry smiled, his eyes curving gently.

‘What? Noona? Did he say Noona?’

I recalled the last line I had arbitrarily blurted out when I notified Henry of our broken engagement.

“Then call me ‘Noona’ affectionately, Henry Grant.”

It was meant to be a life-risking insult to the royal family. But to call me ‘Noona’ in front of everyone? Has he lost his mind from the shock of the breakup?

‘It’s best to ignore a madman.’

Having reached this conclusion, I swallowed dryly and turned to walk away.

‘Where the hell is Leon with that alcohol?’

I needed to find Leon first. As I was looking around for the liquor bar, I could feel Henry following me with quick steps.

“Noona. Why are you avoiding me?”

Then Henry stepped in front of me, blocking my path.

“M-Me?”

“Yes. Noona.”

It seemed like he emphasized the word ‘Noona’. Or was it just my imagination?

“Why are you doing this to me?”

“You told me to call you Noona. Noona.”

As if there was nothing wrong with it. Henry was staring at me with wide, innocent eyes like a rabbit.

“Th-That was said in the heat of the moment.”

“It seemed quite sincere to me.”

“Please just forget it.”

“I don’t want to. I quite like it.”

He was being unreasonable.

Sure, liking it or not is his choice, but couldn’t he consider the listener’s position a bit?

“Noona~”

Argh!

“Noona, Noona, Noona.”

Ack! Ack ack!

I wanted to scream every time the word ‘Noona’ came out of Henry’s mouth.

Not even ‘Noonim’, but ‘Noona’.

I was neither royalty nor his lover.

“I missed you. Noona.”

“Please! Stop!”

“Mmh?”

“Sigh, let’s talk over there.”

If Leon saw him following me like this, it would be a disaster. I had told him not to get worked up, but with his personality, it was inevitable.

“Okay~ Noona.”

He’s disgustingly good at responding.

Is he trying to embarrass me on purpose? I couldn’t lift my face.

I moved with Henry to a quieter corridor.

“Listen, Your Highness.”

“Yes? Noona?”

“Why are you suddenly using formal speech?”

“Because it seems Noona doesn’t like ill-mannered men.”

“People are watching. Aren’t you afraid of the newspapers?”

“Nope. I’m not afraid.”

“What did you say?”

When I asked incredulously, he brushed it off lightly.

“Why should I be afraid of newspapers? What I’m afraid of is you, Noona.”

“……”

Henry leaned his head close to me and smiled, his eyes curving gently.

“The scariest thing in the world.”

It was a bright smile like flowers blooming.

‘Ah… I must be crazy. Why did I tell him to call me Noona? I dug my own grave.’

Isn’t a face attack against the rules? It’s also unfair to say ‘Noona’ with that face. This was pure torture.

I let my guard down because he wasn’t crying, but what’s this novel combination? Anyway, I needed to stop looking at him right away. I closed my eyes tightly and heaved a deep sigh.

“We broke off our engagement. I’d prefer if we didn’t have any personal conversations.”

“I still have a lot to say. Give me a chance.”

“I’ll pass. Goodbye.”

“Let’s go together. Noona.”

“Are you going to keep saying ‘Noona, Noona’?”

When I asked with my eyes wide open, he scratched the back of his head, seemingly embarrassed.

“I thought you liked it.”

“What?”

“You said to call you Noona affectionately.”

Did he take my words meant to humiliate him seriously? Even so, in this crowded place. Henry didn’t seem to be in his right mind either.

“Anyway, I’m tired. I want to live quietly, so please don’t talk to me.”

“Then shall I stay by your side without speaking? Noona?”

“I came with my brother. He has a nasty temper and is a hopeless siscon, so he’d be very displeased if someone else took that title, you know?”

“We can just say Noona told me to.”

“Your Highness.”

“It’s okay. Even Leon Hayworth wouldn’t dare assassinate a royal in the imperial palace.”

Well, that’s not wrong, but it would be troublesome for me if Leon got angry.

At this point, I had no choice but to ask directly.

“Your Highness, do you love me?”

“Noona, you’re quite direct.”

“Don’t dodge the question.”

“Well, I do like you quite a bit. Why do you ask? Noona?”

“Because there was never any love or anything between us. Frankly, we’ve never even touched fingertips.”

“That’s true.”

“So why are you doing this to me?”

If it’s not love, and it doesn’t seem like he’s deliberately tormenting me either.

I was curious about Henry’s intentions.

“Noona. You don’t like flies gathering, right?”

“…What?”

“I’m trying to block them a little. So please understand.”

“But why would Your Highness do that?”

“Because I still have lingering feelings.”

“We’re back to square one.”

“Do you understand now? The topic of today’s conversation is ‘Henry Grant’s lingering feelings’.”

He wasn’t making any sense. I felt the need to convey my intentions more firmly.

“I refuse to continue this conversation. I’m not fond of the type who’s kind to everyone like Your Highness.”

“I’m not even that kind. It’s not like I have a harem like His Majesty the Emperor.”

“…What do you mean?”

“Think about it. Do you really think those haughty young ladies are playing along because they like me?”

Henry laughed self-deprecatingly.

“If I were Noona, I’d use me instead of pushing me away.”

“Your Highness only thinks about yourself.”

As I glared at him, Henry faltered under the pressure.

“You say you’re doing this for me, but you haven’t even considered how I might feel.”