* * *
With his thoughts branching off in other directions, Henry propped his chin on his hand and tilted the box back and forth.
“But even though I acted out of character, after kissing him like that, wouldn’t he dislike me less than before?”
He had a slight hope that even if he couldn’t find the treasure and lift the seal, explaining it well might make Edwin understand.
After all, throwing himself into danger for someone he disliked was an impossible action.
“Who would risk their life to save an enemy?”
So, even if it’s not an overwhelming infatuation, wouldn’t it be that some of the dislike has faded, or perhaps the person is seen more as a friend?
“If that’s the case, you might be able to prepare for when the imprint can’t be broken.”
Besides that, Edwin said that my pheromones smelled good.
“I said I wouldn’t be a bother, but Edwin seems to stick around more.”
Thinking about it, it was all quite odd.
He goes on trips without me but ends up following me anyway and spends more time with me than with the Crown Prince.
“If you rush in to save me, you’ll just get hurt like this.”
Henry returned to his initial thought of bringing more medicine.
After all, Edwin got hurt because of him, so he should at least get some medicine.
“Let’s take care of it. Just this once, and then next time, I should tell him not to interfere.”
And if possible, he should be warned not to get too close and also scolded for being so troublesome.
Once his thoughts solidified, Henry closed the ointment and got up from his seat.
Although he hadn’t eaten the stew yet, he could eat it after coming back.
It was too hot right now, so he would go and return before it cooled down.
“Huh?”
As he stood up and absentmindedly looked out the window, Henry paused.
He had planned to go out and search for Edwin without any particular destination in mind, but then he spotted him.
“You stand out so much. As expected, you deserve treatment……”
But as soon as Henry saw someone with Edwin, his words trailed off.
The man who approached Edwin from behind was a beautiful man with a perpetually pure smile.
“Kayla.”
Henry recognized him immediately and muttered the name to himself. The pleasant feeling he had just moments ago quickly faded away.
He wondered why Kayla was in this mansion.
However, considering that he was a prince and had connections with Crown Prince William, it wasn’t surprising that he was here.
Henry took in the scene before him.
From above, he could see their expressions clearly, and more importantly, how well they seemed to fit together like a picture.
It looked like Kayla had called out to Edwin.
When Edwin turned to him, Kayla greeted him with a bright smile.
Although he couldn’t hear their conversation, Kayla was constantly smiling, and Edwin was responding to him.
Henry, who was thinking about whether Edwin treated him like that too, let out a bitter, self-deprecating laugh.
“Impossible.”
Edwin always looks displeased and annoyed.
Moments like this, where he’s so docile, are rare. It made Henry compare how Edwin treated Kayla with how he treated himself.
Henry looked back at the two. When Kayla moved his hand, which had been behind his back, forward, he was holding a small box. Edwin looked at it and then accepted it readily.
As Henry watched the box Kayla handed over, he looked at the box in his own hand.
It was a similar size. Could it be that they contain the same thing inside?
Was Kayla also concerned about Edwin and came to deliver medicine?
Although the conversation wasn’t audible, the atmosphere between the two didn’t seem unpleasant, so it seemed that Henry’s thoughts wouldn’t be far off the mark.
“Those two were the original protagonists.”
It seemed that, for a moment, Henry felt like he was the protagonist as he looked at the world through their perspective.
After all, he was just a villain who had died yearning for Edwin’s love, caught between the two.
All the suffering and travel up to now had been about breaking that damnable mark and escaping from Edwin, but he had momentarily forgotten that.
“Well, it’s not like I have to be the one to look after Edwin.”
Henry set the box he was holding on the windowsill and turned away.
Although he no longer needed to tend to Edwin, his hands felt lighter, but strangely, his heart grew heavier.
The meal in the dining room was attended only by Crown Prince William and Henry.
“Not feeling hungry? You didn’t happen to eat mushrooms from the cave, did you?”
Even in response to Crown Prince William’s joke, Henry only stirred the stew a few times, not even managing a polite smile.
It wasn’t that he was in the mood, and forcing a smile would only give William another excuse.
It was better to just not smile at all.
“Maybe it’s because Sir Teher took care of me earlier. I’m not very hungry.”
It was only a couple of bites, but it served as a plausible excuse.
Crown Prince William lightly rested his chin on his hand.
“To me, it seems like there’s another reason.”
“That can’t be true.”
“Well, if you don’t intend to say more, I won’t press further.”
Crown Prince William raised his hands as if to indicate he was giving up.
He had intended to ask Henry about what happened under the pretext of dinner, but it seemed inappropriate given the atmosphere.
Both Henry and Edwin appeared to have found the day spent in the cave meaningful.
Instead of asking more, the prince changed the subject.
“By the way, I heard you met my new companion?”
“If you’re talking about Hook, yes, I met him.”
“Did he say anything else?”
Despite the prince’s curious gaze, Henry shook his head.
“We only exchanged greetings.”
“Really?”
William, showing no sign of pressing further, enjoyed his tea.
Although it was supposed to be a meal, he had come down to talk to Henry and hadn’t touched his food at all.
The silence left Henry feeling frustrated.
“Is there a problem?”
“Well, if he didn’t say anything, then that must be it.”
Crown Prince William acted as if he had nothing more to say.
This only made Henry more curious. He put down his utensils entirely.
“May I ask what’s going on?”
“It’s nothing much. He just came to see me first, and I accepted him. That’s all.”
Hook had said something similar.
However, it seemed that neither Hook nor Crown Prince William was willing to provide more details.
Henry began to worry that he was getting involved in a situation he knew nothing about.
“Just in case, I’ll mention…”
Henry’s eyes narrowed as he assessed Crown Prince William’s intentions.
Though William always wore an inscrutable smile, Henry knew his character well.
He was not the type to warmly accept strangers with no understanding of their true nature.
“I only made a request to Hook, and we’re not involved beyond that.”
“To draw such a clear line… He’ll be disappointed if he hears that.”
“Please don’t try to find out anything from me. I don’t know anything about him.”
“That’s not something you need to worry about.”
William inhaled the aroma of his tea, closing and then opening his eyes slowly.
“I never had any intention of probing.”
With that, Henry fell silent, raising his glass of water.
“For today, rest well. And tomorrow, tell me what happened in the cave.”
The Crown Prince showed he was interested in hearing the full story.
Although there was nothing specific to say, Henry nodded in response.
“So, will you head up and rest now?”
“That’s the plan for now.”
With the reason to meet Edwin gone and having had a simple meal with Crown Prince William, Henry intended to rest alone.
However, the Crown Prince’s expression suggested otherwise.
* * *
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Oh my oh my
❤️
Someone feeling jelly ☺