Chapter 27
Chapter 27
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 27
Chapter Title: Mistaking the Crown Prince
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“Hmm…….”
Wishit tilted his head with a puzzled smile on his face.
“Am I making you uncomfortable by speaking casually? No, are you displeased? Wait, no, that’s too formal and violates the hierarchy laws…….”
“……?”
Wishit mumbled something under his breath before breaking into a bright smile.
“Alright. How about we both speak casually?”
“What are you on about? Stop chattering nonsense.”
I gave Wishit’s shoulder a light tap and added,
“Hurry up and run, come on. You have to keep moving the whole time to really burn fat.”
“…….”
“Hey, now that you’re here, no backing out. Join me.”
“Uh, uh. Okay…….”
I grabbed the arm of Wishit, who clearly had no intention of running, and he stumbled along in surprise.
We started running side by side.
“The evening air’s nice, huh?”
“Yeah. Pretty refreshing.”
“Isn’t it invigorating? Let’s do this together every day from now on.”
Wishit matched my pace as we ran for a while, then chuckled softly and nodded.
“Sure, why not.”
“I’m touched that you’re running with me even though you hate exercise. Thanks. Running alone was so boring.”
“Hate it? I love exercise. Stamina management is essential.”
“What are you talking about? Pfft…….”
“No, really. Don’t believe me? I did twenty laps around the training grounds with the knights today before heading back to the palace.”
“…….”
Wishit met my eyes, his expression utterly serious.
My pace, which had been picking up speed, slowed to a halt.
‘What’s he saying?’
“Knights? Twenty laps on the training grounds?”
“Just so you know, it’s not bragging. All the knights have great stamina—they do at least that much. Though mine’s the best, of course.”
“…….”
“Oh, and don’t worry, I’ve got plenty of energy left to run with you every evening after returning to the palace.”
Wishit flashed a handsome grin.
‘What’s going on? What is this?’
What on earth? This belated sense of wrongness, like I’d been too foolish to notice the dissonance sooner……
I quickly sent a mental message.
[Wishit, Wishit.]
[What?]
Wishit, who had stopped a couple of steps ahead of me, turned back with his head tilted.
[Where are you right now?]
[At the Spirit Spring, where else?]
[……For real? You’re not messing with me?]
[What are you talking about? Look, I’m busy right now. These two spirits I haven’t seen in ages are going at it like crazy. I’m breaking it up.]
[Oh, come on…….]
[Why? Something wrong? Anyway, I’m swamped—talk later.]
Gulp. My throat went dry from the tension.
‘This is bad.’
The one in front of me right now wasn’t Wishit.
Looking closely again, even the aura was subtly different. And above all, Wishit wasn’t the type to pull pranks like this.
I should’ve realized it back when we first met and he muttered that weird stuff……
‘No, how could I have? Who’d imagine something like this?’
I defended myself, insisting it wasn’t because I was an idiot.
Who could picture a person showing up here, at this hour, in a place they’d never come to? I lived with the real Wishit, who wore that face 24/7, so of course I wouldn’t suspect.
But no amount of excuses changed the spilled milk.
The handsome man before me was……
The real deal.
‘Why is the Crown Prince here with me!’
The genuine Crown Prince, Lark van Rashumah Decard.
“…….”
“What’s wrong? Not running anymore?”
Lark asked, tilting his head.
‘Oh, God. Why must you test me like this?’
How many outrageous things had I done to this man I’d met less than ten minutes ago?
“Yeah, hello.”
“Hurry up and run, come on.”
My mind went blank.
‘F-First, I should apologize…….’
I took a slow, deep breath, clasped my hands demurely, and bowed deeply at the waist.
“I’m terribly sorry, Your Highness.”
“……?”
“I’ve been so rude…….”
“What are you talking about? Why the sudden formality?”
Lark asked, his face beaming with amusement.
‘If I acted crazy, he’d at least yell at me. How was I supposed to know he was the real Crown Prince when we were bantering casually and jogging together at our first meeting!’
Blaming him inwardly changed nothing.
Mistaking him for Wishit was my problem. Either way, I’d just committed something close to insulting royalty.
“My close friend…… looks so much like Your Highness that I mistook you for a moment.”
“Hm?”
Another excuse!
Lark burst out laughing.
“So you had no idea who I was until now? You thought I was your friend?”
“Yes. But looking again, you’re completely different. My eyes must’ve been playing tricks on me.”
“Oh, so there’s someone in the capital who looks that much like me? That’s surprising in its own way.”
“No, really, you look nothing alike now. I have this condition where I can’t distinguish faces well…….”
“I see.”
Lark furrowed his brow sympathetically, but his playful expression said he wasn’t buying it.
My desperate excuse was making me sound like some noble lady with face blindness……
Feeling dejected, I covered my face with both hands and said,
“I’m truly sorry.”
“Hahaha!”
Lark laughed so hard it echoed around us.
I couldn’t bring myself to look, frozen in place, when I felt him approach.
“Duchess. Look at me.”
“…….”
I peeked out from one hand and gazed up at him standing right in front of me.
“You’ll forgive me?”
“I’m not even mad.”
“Really?”
“Of course. You think I’ve survived by never being fooled?”
“Ahem.”
His attitude seemed genuinely magnanimous, more lenient than I’d expected.
Swallowing my embarrassment, I said,
“Thank you. Your Highness has a heart as vast as the Roben Ocean.”
“Hahaha!”
What was so funny? I felt like I’d crawled out of hell.
Scratching my neck awkwardly, Lark smiled and asked,
“Want to keep running?”
“No, that’s enough for today…….”
“Since we’re already speaking casually, why not keep it up like before?”
I shook my head vigorously.
“Someone might overhear and I’d get thrown in prison for insulting royalty. I don’t want to go to jail.”
“Who’d dare send you there when I’ve permitted it?”
“Still. As a citizen of the Decard Empire, it’s only right to show Your Highness proper respect.”
Lark chuckled and said,
“Then, do you have some time? Want to chat if you’re not busy?”
“…….”
His suggestion made me pause as realization dawned.
‘Ah. So that’s why the Crown Prince showed up out of nowhere. He came here on purpose to see me.’
It finally made sense.
I’d already indirectly refused through Victor, but from the Crown Prince’s position, it must’ve left him wanting more. So he tracked me down here to meet another way.
He must’ve heard from Victor that I exercised here every evening.
‘Thorough guy.’
He played the affable type on the surface, but his mind was full of calculations.
“Alright.”
I nodded warily and pointed to a flat rock in the corner of the clearing.
“Oh, wait.”
As I went to sit, Lark held out a hand to stop me and pulled a handkerchief from his pocket. He spread it over the rock and gestured for me to sit.
‘Impeccably trained manners. Not bad.’
I murmured a quiet thank you and sat. Lark promptly plopped down right beside me.
The proximity made me scoot my hips away slightly to create some distance.
“…….”
He stared down at me as I shifted a handspan back.
I smiled awkwardly and said,
“I’m really sweaty. Didn’t want to offend you if I smelled.”
“……Not at all? It doesn’t bother me. I spend my days rolling around in the training grounds dust with sweaty knights.”
“Even so. It embarrasses me.”
I firmly held up my palm to maintain distance, and Lark’s eyes narrowed.
‘Sorry, but I have zero intention of getting tangled up with you romantically.’
His face was so dangerously handsome that staring too long might make me fall for real.
I opened my water canteen and took a sip to avoid his gaze.
“I’m thirsty too.”
“Oh.”
Embarrassed at chugging alone like a glutton, I offered it to him but hesitated.
“But I already drank from it…….”
“I don’t mind. Can I?”
“Sure, go ahead.”
Lark took the canteen with a smirk and tilted it back.
He could’ve drunk without touching his lips…… but he locked eyes with me, pressing his mouth firmly to the rim as he drank.
My eyes were drawn to his wet lips and the strong throat bobbing prominently with each swallow.
I scratched my neck again, sighing inwardly.
‘……This guy’s a pro.’
The versatile perfectionist. If he’d lived long, he’d have gone down in history as a legendary ruler.
Lark lived up to the rumors—no skill was beyond him. Captivating women’s hearts included.
‘I’m immune to pretty much any beauty, but one glimpse of that Adam’s apple has me on edge……. Impressive!’
I admitted defeat readily and said,
“Your Highness, I have something to say.”
“What?”
“If I’m right, you’re not one to waste time on pointless things. So I’ll say it upfront.”
“……What?”
“I.”
I cleared my throat and looked him straight in the eye.
Then, holding up my palms in surrender, I said,
“Have absolutely no intention of developing a romantic relationship with Your Highness. Sorry if I’m misunderstanding. But if there’s something you want from me, please don’t bother.”
Lark froze, visibly startled by my words.