Chapter 7: Zinnia Second Part (4)

“Huh? What did you say?”

Lost in my thoughts, I didn’t catch all of his murmured words. What was he planning to deal with? Curious, I asked again, but he just smiled happily and buried his face in my neck again.

“…Nothing. Just that you’re so beautiful.” His breath tickled my neck, his voice light with laughter. The affectionate tone when he called me “Miss” was dripping with sweetness.

“Did you sleep well, Miss?”

The warmth of his body against my back felt foreign. I had never slept skin-to-skin with anyone before, so “strange” wasn’t quite the right word – it was more of a first-time experience. I tried to pull away from Harten’s persistent embrace to look him in the eye.

I had noticed this since yesterday – every time we made eye contact, Harten’s eyes crinkled automatically, looking at me with a love-struck gaze that made me blush and feel flustered. Despite feeling that this wasn’t right, I found myself helplessly swept along by him.

As I pulled away, the cool air hit my bare back. I wrapped myself in the sheet spread across the bed, but Harten’s hand slid around my waist, pulling me onto his lap. Despite having pushed him away multiple times, Harten didn’t seem willing to let me go easily – not last night, and not now.

“How did I end up here?”

Perhaps because of my recent experiences or the nostalgic memories flooding back, it was relatively easy to drop formalities. Meeting his gaze and speaking calmly also felt surprisingly natural. Yet, his tender gaze remained difficult to handle. I felt like I was being swayed by him, unable to figure out how to react properly.

“I noticed you were quite drunk and was worried, so I followed you. I just wanted to make sure you were alright, but the door wasn’t locked…”

I was drunk? I remember everything clearly since waking up, but I have no recollection of how I got here from the banquet hall. I listened to Harten’s explanation, still confused.

Harten said he had followed me as I left the banquet. Being a key figure in the envoy, I wondered if it was alright for him to leave his post like that. But it wasn’t a question I could ask.

“I sent Garnet away because you were too drunk to stand on your own.”

He raised his hand to rub my shoulder, smiling as he asked if I was cold. His concern seemed genuine, especially since I was n*ked under the sheet. I asked for my dress.

“Of course, Miss.”

Harten, already dressed in a simple shirt and pants, contrasted sharply with my n*ked state under the sheet.

“Should I assist you?”

“No, no, just turn around.”

Even though we had seen everything of each other, I still couldn’t face him n*ked in broad daylight. After making sure Harten was facing the wall, I carefully gathered my clothes and started dressing. The only difficult part was zipping up the dress, but the rest of the clothes were easy enough since I usually dressed myself.

“Are you done dressing?”

“Yeah, all set.”

As I was straightening the hem of my dress, Harten asked the question right on cue. I nodded to indicate he could turn around. While I hastily combed and gathered my hair, Harten walked over and wrapped his arms around my waist. By now, it felt like he had glued himself to me.

“I wanted to get you a new dress,” he murmured, looking disappointed as he saw me in yesterday’s dress. But I quickly dismissed the idea.

“Drawing attention from others, especially the palace maids, is not a good idea.”

“Hmm, why?”

Was he really asking because he didn’t know? I stared at him, unable to voice the obvious. His tilted head and questioning gaze made it clear he genuinely didn’t understand.

“Being associated with me isn’t good for you. If other nobles find out, it’ll just lead to unpleasant rumors in society.”

“Is that because you’re worried about yourself, or is it for my sake?”

Ultimately, it was for both of us, but if I had to choose, I was more concerned about Harten. My reputation in high society was already of little concern to me, but Harten, as a member of the envoy and a prince of Endeavor, needed to solidify his position. Naturally, his situation weighed more heavily.

“Don’t ask such things. In any case, it won’t do us any good to be seen together. You should leave first, and I’ll wait a bit before I go.”

“A man and a woman leaving the same room after a party—what harm could that do? It would just be an amusing scandal.”

His voice, trying to persuade me gently, seemed to emphasize the word “scandal.” I freed myself from his embrace and pushed him to sit on the sofa.

“We can’t create any more connections, Ten. You’re part of the envoy and a prince of Endeavor.”

“……”

Harten, who seemed ready to argue, took a short breath, as if choosing his words. Whatever thoughts were going through his mind, it was clear he understood what I was trying to say.

“But I’m not ashamed of my past. The time I spent as your clover was one of the few peaceful times in my life. I don’t want to forget that time.”

However, understanding my words didn’t mean he agreed with them. On the contrary, he directly opposed and rejected my opinion.

“Even so, revealing that is dangerous. If rumors spread, they will undoubtedly hinder your future.”

“If it’s the result of my choice, then that’s my responsibility. But, my lady, no matter what the outcome, I will never regret it.”

Despite my repeated attempts to persuade him, Harten showed no sign of listening. In fact, the more I tried to dissuade him, the more determined he seemed. I sighed and made one last attempt to convince him.

“Then at least respect my wishes. I don’t want to create a scandal with you.”

For some reason, Harten, who had been unyielding when it came to doing it for his sake, was finally silent. He just stared at me with a speechless expression.

“It’s getting late. My parents will be worried, so I should go.”

“My lady…”

Harten called out to stop me, but I didn’t turn back. I left the room, having firmly set my boundaries with him.

“I’m so tired of being the subject of gossip in high society.”

“……”

“You know that too.”

Harten would have understood the meaning of my last words. If I couldn’t persuade him by saying it was for his sake, I wanted to at least express my honest feelings. Besides worrying about him, the thing that scared me the most were the scars left by those piercing gazes.

Walking down the corridor after leaving the room felt heavy. The thought that my selfish words might have hurt him lingered in my mind.

“Ah, miss, you’re back!”

When I returned home in one of the palace’s carriages, Garnet was the first to greet me. She had been waiting at the entrance, worried because I hadn’t returned by lunchtime. I went to my room with Garnet, who asked me questions all the way down the corridor.

“Did you wait long?”

“No, not at all. This is a memorable day since it’s the first time you spent the night out! I can wait as long as you have fun.”

“…Hmm.”

Garnet had been sent back to the mansion by Harten when she went to get water. Since she didn’t know Harten was the prince of Endeavor, she probably thought I invited him to the party and had a good time. It was a reasonable assumption since she had seen me struggling to write letters I couldn’t send over the past two years, believing we were in touch.

“When I first saw him, I didn’t recognize him as Ten. Who knew he would change so much in two years?”

Many modifiers flashed through my mind during the pauses in her speech. …She’s right. Deep down, I agreed. In just two years, he had become an overly seductive predator. The thought that if I had stayed a little longer, I might have been completely devoured passed through my mind sincerely.

“…Indeed.”

“Did you enjoy the party?”

“……”

The party… I briefly recalled the many things that happened last night. Meeting Harten, getting so drunk that I didn’t even remember the time… And…

After a brief hesitation, I smiled and nodded. …Yes, I enjoyed it.